348 APRIL 20 AFRICAN-AMERICAN AWARDS SALUTE MTSU STUDENTS, ALUMNI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 13, 2007
EDITORIAL/EVENT CONTACT: Valerie Avent, 615-898-2718

Local Pastor, Also an Alumnus, is Featured Speaker

(MURFREESBORO)— The Rev. Vincent Windrow, pastor of the Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church in Antioch and vice president of the Nashville-based Zycron Computer Services Inc., will be the featured speaker Friday, April 20, at MTSU’s annual African-American Awards Ceremony.
The event, which honors both current students and alumni, is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of the university’s James Union Building.
The student scholarship awards are held in honor of the late Al Wilkerson (B.S. ’73, M.A. ’79, Ed.S. ’92), who was an MTSU alumnus and former faculty member who helped establish the Office of Multicultural Affairs on campus and the first MTSU African-American alumni organization.
Alumni awards honoring achievement through professional, community, or university involvement will be presented this year to Marine Corps Capt. Vernice G. Armour (B.S. ‘97), the first African-American female combat pilot in U.S. military history, and award-winning musicians- producers-songwriters Cedric (B.M. ’78, M.Ed. ’79) and Victor (B.S. ‘83) Caldwell.
Armour, a Memphis native who also was the first African-American woman on the Nashville Police Department's motorcycle squad, is also an author, motivational speaker and business trainer.
The Caldwell brothers, who operate Caldwell Plus Productions in Brentwood, have worked with artists like Whitney Houston, Donnie McClurkin, Patti LaBelle, Take 6, Yolanda Adams, Brandy and multiple members of the Winans family, winning Grammy, Gospel Music Association and many other awards along the way.
In addition to his ministry and work with Zycron, featured speaker Windrow (B.U.S. ’90, ’91) is a writer, lyricist, avid reader and conference speaker. His list of clients includes State Farm Insurance, Dell Computers, HCA, Captain D's, The Metro School Board and The Tennessee Lottery. He also is an alumnus of American Baptist Theological Seminary and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Tickets for the celebration will be $10 per person and $5 for students and should be purchased by Monday, April 16, by calling 1-800-533-MTSU (6878) or visiting www.mtalumni.com. Attendees also can mail ticket payments to the MTSU Alumni Association, P.O. Box 104, Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37132.
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Media welcomed.