Jackson State University recently announced that it has renamed its annual First Lady's Luncheon fundraiser as the Mary E. Peoples Scholarship Luncheon. The new name honors the wife of JSU’s sixth president, Dr. John A. Peoples Jr., who held his position from 1967 to 1984.

The 2021 Mary E. Peoples Scholarship Luncheon will take place on Friday, Oct. 11, at 11 a.m. in the Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.). The university plans to raise $150,000 for high-achieving students who are in financial need. Beverly E. Smith, national president and chief executive officer for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. will serve as the keynote speaker for the luncheon.

Smith retired from the Technical College System of Georgia as the assistant commissioner and Georgia State director for Adult Education and GED Testing. While there, she provided adult education training programs for an average of 69,000 Georgia citizens annually with a staff of more than 1,200 educators and support staff at 450 sites throughout the state. The Georgia General Assembly named her as its 2020 Georgia Outstanding Individual, and the LEAD360 business organization named her as its Executive of the Year for 2020-21.

Tickets for the Mary E. Peoples Scholarship Luncheon are $150 per person or $1,500 for a table of eight. Tickets are available online here. For more information, visit jsums.edu.

JSU Establishes Hancock Whitney Bank Endowed Scholarship

Gulfport-based Hancock Whitney bank recently pledged $25,000 to Jackson State University to establish the Hancock Whitney Bank Endowed Scholarship, which will support undergraduate female students pursuing degrees in mathematics, finance, accounting or economics.

Hancock Whitney’s principal investment will be eligible for a dollar-for-dollar match, based on funds availability, through the university’s Title III matching funds program, with the potential to double the endowment to $50,000, a release from JSU says.

To qualify for the scholarship, candidates must be full-time undergraduate female students at JSU pursuing degrees in mathematics, finance, accounting or economics, while maintaining at least a 2.5 GPA and demonstrating financial need. The scholarship will help recipients pay for tuition, books, supplies and other fees.

Starting in October 2021, Hancock Whitney will also take part in Jackson State’s virtual professional development series,which will pair local leaders and JSU alumni at Hancock Whitney to share information and promote personal and professional success.

For more information, visit jsums.edu or hancockwhitney.com.

MSU Launches Reveille 25 Awards Program

Mississippi State University’s Alumni Association recently launched its new Reveille 25 awards program, which is named after MSU’s former yearbook, The Reveille.

Reveille 25 will annually honor 25 high-achieving young alumni who have enhanced MSU’s reputation through their outstanding leadership and service to their communities and professions, a release from MSU says.

Candidates for the award must have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree from MSU and be under the age of 40 by the announcement of winners in December each year.

Applications for the 2021 awards opened on Sept. 1 and will close on Nov. 1. Alumni and friends can nominate candidates for the inaugural class of The Reveille 25 online at alumni.msstate.edu/reveille25.

For more information, call 662-325-3349, email [email protected] or visit alumni.msstate.edu.