By Vince Jackson
On August 5, 2021, Beta Sigma Boulé Foundation hosted a special Reception and Scholarship Awards Ceremony at the UMass Center at Springfield to celebrate the academic excellence of three young men. The ceremony was an intimate setting of Beta Sigma Boulé Archons and their families, the scholars and their families, and several community leaders. The event was sponsored by Baystate Health and Archons of Beta Sigma Boulé.
A special guest was Dr. Robert E. Johnson, president of Western New England University, who delivered words of wisdom and inspiration to the scholars as they go through their college experiences and prepare for the future. Dr. Johnson emphasized the importance of being socially responsible, staying focused, and reaching back through community service.
Beta Sigma Boulé Foundation awarded a $4,000 scholarship to each young man selected as a 2021 Howard L. Edmonds Scholar. The scholarships are named in honor of the late Howard L. Edmonds who was a charter member of Beta Sigma Boulé and a prominent educator in the Springfield public school system. This year’s scholars are as follows:
- Nasir Barnes, a graduate of Deerfield Academy, is matriculating at Morehouse College and studying to become a machine learning engineer.
- Cristian Gaines graduated from Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts and is attending Harvard University, where he is majoring in sociology and plans to pursue a career in public policy.
- Zephaniah Langley, a graduate of Springfield Central High School, is pursuing a mechanical engineering degree at Northeastern University.
The 2021 scholars joined a circle of nine previous Howard L. Edmonds Scholars who are also currently enrolled in college. Also attending the event was one of Beta Sigma’s 2020 scholars, Mohan Setty-Charity, a sophomore at Princeton University. Since the Howard L. Edmonds Scholars Program began in 2010, Beta Sigma Boulé Foundation has awarded over $90,000 in scholarships and supported numerous other programs that cultivate and celebrate the academic excellence of black youth.
