Pioneer Breakfast recognizes honorees and awards scholarships

UpdatedLocal community members were honored for their service and student scholarship recipients were announced by the Cal State San Bernardino Black Faculty, Staff and Student Association at the seventh annual Pioneer Breakfast on Feb. 22.The theme of the 7th Annual Pioneer Breakfast, held in the Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center, was “An Everlasting Legacy Defines the Future.”  The Pioneer Breakfast, which coincides with the celebration of Black History Month, serves as a fundraiser for five scholarships benefitting current CSUSB students: J. Milton Clark, Mildred Henry, Terrylin Monette, John Overton, and the Belva Holder Scholarship. Proceeds also support the annual African American Graduation recognition ceremony.“The Pioneer Breakfast is an opportunity for the world to see people supporting the community. Our success depends on people that came before us and so seeing people getting honored helps students persevere and strive to the be the best in what they do,” said Clark, who was honored in 2013. “I am very happy to have the contribution of African-Americans recognized. The day I look forward to is a time when there is no Black History Month because it is taught all year long.”Prince Ogidikpe, the president of CSUSB’s Associated Students Inc., praised the event and Black History Month. “When I hear Pioneer Breakfast, I think of legacies that have come before us inspiring current students. I always want to participate in the hopes that I too can make someone’s life different and better. It is also an avenue for students from low-income, socioeconomic backgrounds to benefit. It helps a lot,” Ogidikpe said. “The Black History Month makes me feel like, yes, we, the blacks, matter. It signifies that we are important and needed.”This year’s recipients of the scholarships were:•    Malinda Hendrix, J. Milton Clark Tenacity Scholarship;•    Deshonai Burton, Dr. Mildred Henry Scholarship;•    Austin Ryan Nichols-Warren, Terrylin Monette Memorial Scholarship;•    Vonisha Raines, John Overton Memorial Scholarship; and •    Avery Robinson, Belva Holder Memorial Scholarship. The event also honored six community members. This year’s honorees: •    Tyree Vance, Emerging Leader Award recipient;•    Tyrone Bookman, Staff Award recipient;  •    Paulette Brown-Hinds, Alumni Award recipient;  •    Sidney Ribeau, Administration Award recipient;  •    Gail Thompson, Faculty Award recipient; and•    Veronica Ramirez-Amerson, Lorraine Frost Ally Award recipient.For more information about the Black Faculty, Staff and Student Association, visit the BFSSA website.