Rice University BSA’s Black Excellence Gala a success

It was a night to remember as the Black Student Association (BSA) celebrated students, faculty, staff and alumni at the Black Excellence Gala, an awards-style banquet honoring Owls for their dedication to the success of Black students at Rice.

The theme for this year was “BlackTIE: Black Tradition, Impact, and Excellence.” It was inspired by a quote from President Reginald DesRoches: “We have lots of work to do, but we’re poised to take the university to the next level of excellence and impact.”

DesRoches provided welcoming remarks, and Rice alum and Houston Rockets Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Julian Duncan ’99 served as keynote speaker.

The evening’s honorees included:

Outstanding Senior: Malaika Bergner
Student Choice: Muna Ogbunamiri
Outstanding Graduate Student: Njideka C. Nnorom
Outstanding Graduate Student: Tia Gray
Student Athlete: Shelby DesRoches
Staff Award: Tamara Jones
Faculty Award: Alexander Byrd
Unsung Hero: Janice Robinson
Alumni Award: Rebecca Allen
Distinguished Alumni Award: Jan West