Students and Faculty Honored at Annual Sankofa Celebration

VALDOSTA – Valdosta State University’s African American Studies (AFAM) program recently recognized several students and faculty members for excellence during its annual Sankofa Celebration, held Thursday, May 2.

Those honored with awards include the following: Felicia A. Hilson, AFAM Teacher of the Year; Kameron J. Copeland AFAM Student of the Year; Casey J. Williams, AFAM Student Mentor of the Year; Yasmin K. Harrell, AFAM Community Servant of the Year; and Kelli Williams, recipient of the Sankofa Award. Dr. Okete Shiroya, recent retiree, was also honored for 18 years of service as a history and AFAM professor at VSU.

The AFAM program also recognized Ryan Brinson and Hassanat Oshodi as the 2013 recipients of the Claydon H. Barron Scholarship. Officially endowed at VSU in 2011, the scholarship honors the memory of the late Barron, a humanitarian and business entrepreneur who was the first African American appointed to the Valdosta Board of Education, on which he served ten years. Established by Mary Barron, wife of the late Barron, and Lawanna Barron, daughter of Claydon Barron, the scholarship is awarded once annually to sophomore, junior or first semester senior AFAM minors who have demonstrated academic excellence at VSU.

For more information about VSU’s annual Sankofa Celebration, contact the AFAM office at (229) 249-4843.