[280] Feb. 8 ticket deadline looms as MTSU Unity Luncheon to honor 11 unsung leaders

MURFREESBORO — Tickets are available through Wednesday, Feb. 8, for MTSU’s 21^st annual Unity Luncheon.

The Black History Month event, which honors unsung community heroes, is slated for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in the Student Union Ballroom. Tennessee Board of Investigation Director and MTSU alumnus Mark Gwyn will be the keynote speaker.

Each year the luncheon honors unsung leaders who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of education, community service, civility advocacy, sports and black arts.

This year’s honorees and areas of recognition include:

·      Bichaka Fayissa, a native of Ethiopia, Department of Economics and Finance professor, MTSU — education;

·      Navita Gunter of Guthry, Kentucky, founder, Cervical Cancer Coalition of Tennessee — community service;

·      Jacqueline Jackson of Lexington, Kentucky, retired Department of English professor, MTSU — education;

·      Evelyn James of Murfreesboro, retired nursery school teacher, member of Ardent Workers of First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro — education.

·      Carl Marable of Murfreesboro, director, Second Chance Outreach Ministries — community service;

·      Ernest Newsom of Murfreesboro, clarinetist and psychologist — contribution to black arts;

·      Albert Richardson Jr. of Murfreesboro, community volunteer and humanitarian — community service;

·      Revonda J. Rucker of Murfreesboro, registered nurse and funeral director — community service;

·      James Douglas Watkins of Murfreesboro, former community school director and athletic mentor in Flint, Michigan — excellence in sports;

·      Martha Womack of Murfreesboro, community volunteer and humanitarian — community service;

·      Vernal Young of Smyrna, Tennessee, retired law enforcement officer, Smyrna Police Department — civility advocacy.

Individual tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students. A table of 10 is $250. To purchase tickets, go to http://tinyurl.com/knmeono.

“Empowering Future Leaders: Moving Forward while Reaching Back” is the theme of the 2017 Black History Month events at MTSU. With the exception of the Unity Luncheon, all events are free and open to the public. For a complete list of events, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/aahm/docs/2017-aahm-calendar2.pdf.

A printable campus parking map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap. Off-campus visitors attending the daytime events should obtain a special one-day permit from MTSU’s Office of Parking and Transportation at http://www.mtsu.edu/parking/visit.php.

For more information, contact the MTSU Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs at 615-898-5812 or ida@mtsu.edu.