By Kayla Ross, Back Page Editor

The 48th annual Antonio Johnson Scholarship Gala was held last Saturday at the Xavier armory. This ceremonial gala celebrated the themes of “tenacity, intelligence and brilliance: we are black excellence.” Three Xavier students were awarded with scholarships at the event. 

Antonio Johnson was a Xavier student from 1971 to 1976. In his time here, he led the Black Student Association while also organizing several events for Black Awareness Month, which we now recognize as Black History Month. 

Tragically, Antonio Johnson died on February 8, 1976, before he could complete the events of Black Awareness Month in his second year of leadership. He is remembered for his compassion, conviction, and articulate nature. 

Each year, one junior student of African-American descent who has a 3.0 GPA and has made significant contributions to the community on and off campus is awarded a scholarship in his memory. 

Junior economics major Alton Jenkins was the winner of the Antonio Johnson Legacy award this year. He is involved in several activities on Xavier’s campus. 

“I am a Community-Engaged Fellow, and serve as a site lead at Evanston Academy for Boys 2 Men, guiding a mentorship program geared towards the health, wellbeing, and positive self-image of 4th and 6th grade students,” Jenkins said. “I have also been a member of G.O.A.L (Gentlemen Organized for Achievement & Leadership) since I was a freshman and now serve as the President, and we work to spark a charge of professional, academic and social change for Black men on campus.”

Although Jenkins has already worked tremendously to honor the legacy of Antonio Johnson, his journey of hard work is just beginning. 

“To be a recipient of this award is to continue the work that began well before Antonio Johnson but has sparked a community of leaders here at Xavier,” Jenkins said. “No good work is easy work, and especially at Xavier we hold ourselves to a standard in all spheres of our world – academic, professional and social – so if there’s something you know deserves to be changed or amplified, do not let anyone stop you from doing exactly that.” 

Juniors Azizz Samureh and Natalie Pierce were the recipients of the Antonio Johnson Runner-Up Award and the Jerry Cline-Bailey Excellence Award, respectively. 

Natalie Pierce is the President of the Rho Xi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., as well as Treasurer of the Children’s Charity Club. She is also involved in off-campus volunteer work with Cincinnati Public Schools. 

Azizz Samureh is the founder of XU Live and the Instagram Page “Black Tuesday XU,” which seeks to uplift the black community via social media. He is also a resident assistant and a member of the TRiO scholars program, as well as being involved in off-campus volunteer programs. 

“Go on, do what you believe in,” Samureh said. “If you have an idea, no matter how many ‘nos’ you receive, do it. Believe in yourself and be your biggest advocate, because you can push yourself to do anything you believe in. You never know how far you will go.”

In addition to the Antonio Johnson and Jerry-Cline Bailey scholarship awards, the Antonio Johnson Gala event also honors one faculty or staff member who has made a significant impact in students’ lives through their work on Xavier’s campus. 

The recipient of the Faculty/Staff of the Year award was Dr. Daniel L. McSpadden, director of the TRiO Scholars Student Support program. 

“The TRiO scholars program is a program for our first-generation college students that come to Xavier,” McSpadden said. “I love receiving this award because it comes from the students. I love the work that I do with students, and it just shows the appreciation that they have for what I’ve been able to help them to navigate through Xavier and ultimately graduate from Xavier.” 

Assistant Dean of the College of Professional Sciences Chris Barbour was one of the nominees for the Faculty/Staff of the Year award. Barbour noted the significance of this award. 

“You are making a difference in a community that really needs it, on a predominantly white campus. You are impacting the lives of not only the students that you work with but also the other students that come behind. It is an honor to be mentioned with some of these giants like Dr. McSpadden, Dr. Ashley White and Dr. Jason White.” Barbour said. 

Congratulations to the winners of the Antonio Johnson Gala, and thank you to Black Student Association for their time and effort in planning this event annually.