NAACP student chapter to honor achievements

When Virginia Commonwealth University’s student NAACP chapter sponsors its spring Image Award ceremony on April 21, it will honor individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements.

“The purpose of the image award ceremony is to recognize an outstanding male or female student, faculty member or minority organization that exemplifies community service, campus involvement and some form of academic or civil achievement,” said Alethia Wastford, a senior and chapter president.

A criminal justice major who aspires to attend law school, Waterford stressed that the purpose for the image awards ceremony and other NAACP student-sponsored events is to improve and advance the political, educational, social and economic status not only for African-Americans but for all minority students.

Last semester, the chapter teamed up with the West Indies Student Union and the Black Caucus to sponsor a student social event titled “Rendezvous with Rodney,” VCU’s mascot, during a VCU home game against Virginia Union University.

Evening activities such as showtime at the underground, a jazz poetry reading, a pie-eating contest and board-game night followed the basketball game.

“It was great working with other minority organizations because we got a chance to socialize and exchange ideas while supporting similar goals,” Waterford said.

Although Waterford graduates in May, she said she would continue to encourage membership, voter registration and empowerment among all students. Her ideas to bring more statewide involvement and publicity to the chapter, she said, must continue.

“I hope that my successor will have the opportunity to move the VCU chapter to participate in regional, college division workshops and conventions,” she said. “I also would like to see a connection between VCU’s chapter and other statewide college divisions.”

“Additional space for publicity events will be available next spring when our new multicultural student affairs office is complete,” said Napoleon Peoples, the group’s advisor and director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.