The fourth annual Image Awards were presented yesterday during the closing ceremony of Black History Month at the Special Collections Library.
The ceremony was sponsored by the University's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter, the Black Student Alliance, the Black Leadership Institute and University Dining.
The event was organized to "recognize the dedicated efforts of University community members, both students and faculty, that work towards uplifting the black community at the University," said Dion Lewis, assistant dean and director of the Luther P. Jackson Black Cultural Center at the Office of African-American Affairs. Lewis was the faculty member who oversaw the organization of the event and has been involved with the awards since they were founded, said third-year College Brittany Flippen, a member of the ceremony's planning committee.
"It's the one sole instance where the largest and most influential African-American and diversity organizations come together and recognize the who's who of the community," said Jonathan Bryan, vice president of the University's NAACP chapter.
The theme of the night was "Persevering Towards Excellence." During the opening speech, Ceremony Chair Erica Washington emphasized the theme's importance.
"Without perseverance, there is a good chance that we would not be sitting here today on the grounds of Jefferson's university," she said. "It is only through perseverance that we can fight the wrongs of the past and those to come in the future." Washington added the ceremony was a way to acknowledge achievements of the black community. "We forget to stop, breathe and recognize our own successes, big and small," she said.
Patrice Grimes, interim associate dean of African-American affairs, gave the keynote address, stressing the importance of leaving behind a legacy at the University. He emphasized it is important to "honor the past and anticipate the future."
Kimberly Leonard, founder of the Image Awards and a 2008 graduate of the University, presented the awards. There are four student awards, which include Stand Out First Year, Silent Inspiration, Outstanding Student Leader and College Career Award. There is also a faculty award, The Black Community Advocate. They were awarded to Corinthia Evans, Victoria Tucker, Reginald Benbow, Ryan Hicks and Associate Prof. Claudrena Harold, respectively.
The College Career Award honors a fourth-year student who is involved in community service and has made an impact on the black community. The winner must "have a great social, cultural and academic college career," Lewis said.
Benbow is a recipient of a Harrison Grant for Undergraduate Research and a University Judiciary Committee counselor, as well as the only black student living on the Lawn.
"It's a very inspiring event," Flippen said. "It gives motivation to the rest of the black community that we are doing good things for the U.Va. community ... It's just another way to unify us all."
The award-winners are nominated by the community, which includes faculty, staff, undergraduates and graduate students, Lewis said. The nomination process began in November and the candidates were reviewed in January. Nominees were then judged by students of the sponsoring organizations, Lewis said.
"It's a great way to culminate [Black History Month] by celebrating some of the heroes in our community," Lewis said.
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