ITTA BENA, Miss.— The Mississippi Valley State University community, alumni and supporters gathered for a good cause during the Annual Augusta C. White Scholarship Luncheon Thursday, Oct. 18.
Formerly the First Lady’s Scholarship Luncheon, the annual event has become a preeminent MVSU Homecoming event, purposed to raise scholarship funds for well deserving, academically sound students who attend MVSU.
This year’s event was dedicated to the University’s second first lady, Mrs. Beverly Boykins, who attended the luncheon with her two daughters—Karen Cooper and Rhea Allen.
Hosted at the Historic Elks Lodge in Downtown Greenwood, the classy event included an opulent meal and live music from MVSU music majors Courtney Greer and Karl Carter.
The keynote address was delivered by Heather McTeer-Toney, president of The Resolutions Firm. Elected at the age of 27, Toney was the first African American, first female and youngest to serve as mayor of Greenville from 2004-2012.
A graduate of Spelman College and Tulane University School of Law, Toney said MVSU is her adopted family and that she will always cherish the time she spent working and serving at the institution.
“Valley has adopted me, and I have adopted Valley. I have my Valley alumni gear at home, and I wear it frequently,” she said.
Toney told those in attendance that when she grows up, she aspires to be a church mother, whom she compared MVSU’s inaugural first lady, Mrs. Augusta C. White.
“I want to be a church mother because of the level of influence that they have, and that’s the level of influence Mother White had. Parents sent their babies to MVSU knowing that ‘Mama White’ would take care of them.”
Toney continued her speech, entitled, ‘Moving from Outstanding to Standing Out” by highlighting the uniqueness and cultural richness of the Mississippi Delta.
“We have to realize the power that we have as a people and community to make change,” she said. “We as a community cannot fail—it’s not an option.”
She also encouraged the Delta community to work together.
“We have to come from a place where we think we’re on an island. It is us working together as one unit that makes us successful,” she said.
Toney closed by stating that we all have a charge to help raise the next generation as Mrs. Augusta White did.
“I think of Augusta White as being the ultimate ‘Queen Mother,’” said Toney. “She’s the person responsible for raising the next generation of kings and queens. Her power was her ability to influence the next generation. She assured that what she put into them was put into others.
Title sponsors for this year’s scholarship luncheon included The City of Greenwood and Margaret W. Clark.
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