Alabama State University News May 6, 2016 Surprise Scholarships Presented to New Members of Hornet Nation ASU officials have made "surprise" visits to several area high schools this week, presenting more than $300,000 in scholarships and welcoming dozens of high school seniors into the Hornet Nation. *** For the past week, Dr. Gwendolyn E. Boyd and other University officials have been the "bearers of good news" for dozens of area high school students. During visits to high schools in Montgomery and Birmingham, ASU representatives have presented more than $300,000 in scholarships and welcomed dozens of students into the Hornet Nation by personally presenting their acceptance certificates. The stops are part of an effort to engage directly with new and potential students. "This has been a wonderful opportunity to connect with high school students," said Boyd. We have been able to offer scholarships and provide letters of acceptance that acknowledge the greatness of the students in our local public schools, as well as young people from all over the world who attend Alabama State University. At Alabama State University, we feel strongly that our nation's youth should be educated beyond high school so as to be prepared for the global economy that awaits them." The first of the ASU visits was made at Birmingham's A.H. Parker High School, where 18-year-old Zaria Ball received the first Rosa Bell Crawford Scholarship. Ball's poignant story made headlines since the scholarship came just weeks after her mother's death. She said her mother, who also attended ASU, would be proud . . . "her first baby is going to college. She didn't finish, so she'd be like 'oh, my goodness, you're going to college,'" said Ball. Boyd also attended a "Senior-Week" breakfast at Montgomery's George Washington Carver High School and handed out more than $160,000 in scholarships, as well as 25 letters of acceptance. Carver High School Principal Gary Hall, an ASU alumnus, said this type of financial assistance is very important in helping students to attend college. "The scholarships from ASU, presented to some of our best and brightest Carver High School seniors, is a blessing from God that will both greatly assist our students wishing to attend college, as well as enrich the already good relationship that exists between Carver High and Alabama State," Hall said. Boyd and other University leaders also made stops Friday morning at Montgomery's Lee, Park Crossing and Lanier High Schools. A presentation was planned for Friday evening at Jefferson Davis High School. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-592-4820 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/ 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 150 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.