The 100 Black Men of America has awarded Alabama State University’s Collegiate 100 organization two prestigious and competitive awards – the 2020 Collegiate 100 Chapter of the Year award and the 2020 Mentee of the Year award.

ASU’s 65-member chapter, along with two other national chapters, won Chapter of the Year based on their outstanding accomplishments, community service, mentoring and other initiatives. The Collegiate winners will be recognized during a virtual conference in September.

“The awards highlight the best in class activities and projects of the Collegiate 100. The awards are for those who are dedicated to making a difference and giving something back to their communities,” said Dr. Edward D. Brown, the group’s adviser, as well as interim assistant provost and dean of the Harold Lloyd Murphy Graduate School.

Brown credits President Quinton T. Ross, Jr., group adviser Kim Smith, chapter advisers, and others on campus for their positive impact on the group.

ASU’s student organization was chosen from a pool of more than 50 other national Collegiate 100 chapters. The honor is being granted just a year after the group applied for the award and didn’t get it.

“We applied this year and won. We have one of the stronger chapters nationally,” Brown said.

The chapter 1st President, Paris S. Dickens, pointed out that winning the Chapter of the Year award is a testament to the members’ hard work this past academic year.

“I feel truly blessed to even get the experience to win this award. Our chapter put in a lot of time, energy and planning behind what we do,” said Paris, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering. “I’m thrilled that we won.”

Carlton B. Coleman, 2nd chapter president, echoed Paris.

“The campus chapter worked hard this past semester to highlight our commitment to community service. I feel honored that we were recognized for it. The award shows that hard work always pays off,” added Carlton, a junior majoring in Computer Information Systems.

Jada Jamison-Belser is the national winner of the Mentee of the Year Award. She graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice but is still very active in the ASU chapter.

“It was an honor and a blessing to be selected for this award! Big thanks to my mentors for giving me the push I needed to succeed in such the way that I did,” Jada said, a first-generation student who was chosen as the CEO of the ASU chapter.

A sampling of ASU’s Collegiate 100’s community service projects range from working with the 100 Black Men of Greater Montgomery, to tutoring, reading and mentoring K-12 students, and to helping Goodwill raise funds. The organization also organized the first-ever ASU Game/Tag Night that brought students, faculty, staff and the community together for fun, food and mentoring moments.

“This year, like any other year, was an opportunity for the Collegiate 100 to continue to give back to the community,” Brown commented.

ASU’s Collegiate 100 organization also has been instrumental in ensuring that students are well-prepared for their professional careers by providing them with information about employment and dressing professionally, topics that are highlighted throughout the year.

“I’m proud of each member of the Collegiate 100 for the extraordinary efforts they put forth in serving our community,” Brown added. “They see people doing things with their lives, helping others and they want a part of that. They want to do something that is selfless. This organization helps them do that.”