Two Grand Rapids Community College Students will be among those honored this month at the 31st Annual Giants Awards Banquet honoring local African-American individuals and groups that have contributed to the Grand Rapids community.
“This is one of the highlights of the year for Grand Rapids Community College and the community,” said Christina Arnold, director of the Bob and Aleicia Woodrick Diversity Learning Center at GRCC. “I’m proud of the longevity, growth and support from the community for the program.”
Established in 1983 by Dr. Patricia Pulliam and Cedric Ward, each one of the awards is named for an individual as a lasting memorial of their legacy.
The list of this year’s winners includes:
The Floyd Skinner Justice Award – Anita Hitchcock
The Walter Coe Public Award – Lt. Col. Shawn A. Harris
The Eugene Browning Medical Service Award – Lennox Forrest
The W.W. Plummer Humanitarian Award – Johngerlyn “Jonse” Young
The Milo Brown Business Award – Ophelia Graves
The Phyllis Scott Activist Award – Mary Harden Johnson
The William Glenn Trailblazer Award – Teresa Weatherall Neal
The Raymond Tardy Community Service Award – Sarah Brooks
The H.C. Toliver Religious Life Award – Rev. Kyle A. Ray
The Hattie Beverly Education Award – Shirley Johnson
The recipient of The Giant(s) Among Giants Award will be announced at the banquet.
Two Grand Rapids Community College students will also receive The Milo M. Brown Memorial Scholarship at the banquet.
The Giants Awards and Banquet will be 6 p.m. Jan. 26 in the Steelcase Ballroom at Devos Place, located at 303 Monroe Ave. NW in Grand Rapids. Contact GRCC’s Diversity Learning Center for ticket information. The ticket deadline is Jan. 24. Proceeds from the event go to the Milo M. Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund.
