Black History Month celebration graphic

The Black Faculty, Staff and Student Association (BFSSA) will host the 11th annual Pioneer Breakfast on Friday, Feb. 23, from 9-11 a.m. in the Santos Manuel Student Union North Conference Center.

With the theme “A Tapestry of Time: Celebrating Our Enduring Legacy,” the event will honor community members, campus partners and students. Attendees will enjoy food, camaraderie and live music from Voices of Unity.

The Pioneer Breakfast has become a premier event for the campus and local community during CSUSB’s Black History Month celebration, attracting distinguished community leaders, political figures and alumni.

“The Pioneer Breakfast is a way to bridge the university and community and highlight our pioneers that paved the way,” said Anthony Roberson, president of the BFSSA executive board and associate director of the Santos Manuel Student Union Operations.

In 2012, Roberson saw a need for the event and worked with campus partners to create it. He is proud of the positive impact the Pioneer Breakfast has had at Cal State San Bernardino.  

“The Pioneer Breakfast was created to provide an opportunity to remove financial barriers from our students by providing scholarships for student success for our community,” said Roberson.  

For Roberson, the Pioneer Breakfast is an opportunity to empower and shine a light on the Black students at CSUSB. The longtime campus tradition serves as a fundraiser for student scholarships.

This year, the J. Milton Clark, Mildred Henry, Terrylin Monette, John Overton, Jean Peacock and Walter Hawkins, Belva Holder, John Futch and Felix family scholarships will be awarded to students. Proceeds from the event also support the annual Black Graduation recognition ceremony.

“There can be no mystery about the role we must play in the millennium,” said Roberson. “We are the role models. We are the mentors. We are the gatekeepers and the stewards of progress and hope for the next generation.”

This year’s event honorees are Cassandra Butcher (Emerging Leader Award) and Patricia Nichols-Butler (Community Icon Award).

The Pioneer Breakfast will also honor the following individuals with the Pioneer Award:

  • Assemblymember Corey Jackson: Alumni Award
  • Dee Bowen: Staff Award
  • Dale West: Administrator Award
  • Audrey Matthews: Faculty Award
  • Maria Najera-Neri: Lorraine Frost Ally Award

Tickets for the Pioneer Breakfast are $40.00 for faculty, staff and community members. For tickets and event information, please contact Roberson at aroberso@csusb.edu.