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College of Business hosts annual scholarship brunch

Scholarship recipients at the College of Business’s 11th Annual Scholarship Brunch. Ian Robinson/The Gramblinite

The College of Business at Grambling State University held their 11th Annual Scholarship Brunch on Friday, Nov. 1 in the Black & Gold Room of the Favrot Student Union.

Hosted by Jalissa Purnell, a senior management and accounting major, the brunch brought together alumni, donors and scholarship recipients.

Michael Douglas, an ordained minister and senior accounting major, performed the invocation, which was followed by a brunch, catered by SodexoMAGIC.

Tammy West-Richardson, a 1991 graduate in accounting and computer information systems from Grambling State University, served as this year’s guest speaker.

Richardson, now the Director of Merchandise Planning at the Microsoft Corporation, shared insight career opportunity tips to students.

“Join the campus organizations, especially those that are within your planned profession,” Richardson said. “This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate leadership, so with companies like Microsoft or other companies that are looking for prospective hires, they are looking for you to demonstrate the work that you have done already.”

Richardson also charged students to be a ‘thought leader’ in the classroom.

“Engage with your instructor and professors,” Richardson said. 

“Challenge them and ask them hard questions.”

Richardson advised students to pursue certifications.

“With Microsoft, we have certifications that will compliment your majors,” Richardson said. 

“A lot of them cost very little and actually, some of them are free.”

Richardson said that acquiring certifications puts one at a competitive advantage.

Richardson also gifted Niana Celestine, a senior double majoring in computer science and marketing from Dominica, with a Microsoft laptop.

Richard recognized and applauded Celestine for her many accomplishments, which included being a member of Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society, and has been consecutively honored on the President’s List from Spring 2016 to 2019.

Several attendees of the brunch also received door prizes.

Donald White, Dean of the College of Business, presented scholarship recipients.

Scholarship award recipients were Tamia Hopkins, Frederic Green, Jalissa Purnell, Alisha Thomas, Eric Whitaker, Lamiya Shaheer, Srey Bruney, Sherdica Moses, Troy Jno Baptiste, Jakeem Lloyd, Gracelyn Ophar, Curvelle Woodman, Oghenekevwe Omogbo, Ashley Colvard, Shanella Ambrose, Geomar Owens and Jada Money.

Scholarship recipient Frederic Green said that he was indebted and inspired by year’s scholarship brunch.

“It’s feels very good to me to know that alumni wanted to give back to students and I will also like to do the same,” Green, a senior business management major, said.

The brunch concluded with White recognizing alumni and acknowledging alumni sponsors who endowed scholarships within the College of Business.