[262] Unity Luncheon Is Traditional Kickoff For MTSU Black History Month Celebration

Jan. 21, 2010
Contact: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919

UNITY LUNCHEON IS TRADITIONAL KICKOFF FOR MTSU BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION

MURFREESBORO—The annual Unity Luncheon, a traditional kick-off event for Middle Tennessee State University’s celebration of Black History Month, will be held Wednesday, Feb. 3, starting at 11 a.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for MTSU students with a university ID.
This year’s umbrella theme for the monthlong activities is “The History of Black Economic Empowerment.”
The Unity Luncheon recognizes black citizens who have contributed their time and talent for the enrichment and welfare of the entire community and the state of Tennessee. This year’s honorees are Mary McKnight Wade, Nora L. Clark Waters and Eugene Ray.
Darrell S. Freeman, MTSU alumnus (B.S. ’87, M.S. ’90) and founder and chairman of Zycron Inc., an international information technology services firm headquartered in Nashville, will be the special speaker for the celebration.
Mary McKnight Wade was the first African American female to be elected to the Murfreesboro City School Board and is currently serving a second term as board chair. She is a member of numerous organizations and is the senior service-first representative for State Farm Insurance Company where she has worked for 38 years. She is a member of the Franklin Road Church of Christ, a Life Member of the NAACP and a board member of the Middle Tennessee Insurance Professionals. Her awards include the Minerva Award presented by Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Outstanding Community Leader given by the Eastern Star, and she is a Scales Elementary Community Star. Mary has been married to Goldy Lee Wade for 42 years, and they have three children and seven grandchildren.
Nora L. Clark Waters has been a foster parent and a member of the Rutherford County Foster Care Association for more than 20 years. Her community service includes collecting toys for children, working with The Salvation Army both locally and on the national level and contributing more than 10 years of service to the local Crisis Center. She served as the National Night Coordinator for Rogers Park from 2003 to 2009 and is a 34-year member of Venus Chapter 21. She was active for 10 years in the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church and is currently a member of the Fellowship and Women’s Ministry.

Eugene Ray has served as mayor of Bedford County for approximately 10 years and as a member and chairman for more than 20 years on the Board of County Commissioners. Ray has held nearly every office in the Shelbyville/Bedford County Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve on the chamber board as well as the Economic Development and Tourism boards. One of his most recent accomplishments is the major role he played in bringing both an MTSU and Motlow Community College presence to Bedford County to help provide educational opportunities for residents in a multi-county area.
For more information or to order tickets for the Unity Luncheon, please call Brenda Wunder at 615-898-2591.
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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.