Students were recognized for their contributions to leadership, service, scholarship and community impact during the annual celebration, which also introduced new awards and honored the legacy of Janice Ratliff.
The Elon University community came together to celebrate students, faculty and staff during the 2026 Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards. Rooted in the legacy of Glenda Phillips-Hightower, Elon’s first full-time Black student, and Eugene Perry, Elon’s first Black graduate student. The tradition honors individuals who demonstrate excellence within leadership, service, scholarship and community impact.
Grounded in a legacy of honoring Black excellence, the program reflects its enduring impact at Elon through resilience, achievement and a deep commitment to advancing equity, belonging and community both on campus and beyond.
The program included opening remarks from Abdul-Malik Harrison, assistant director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education, followed by an invocation from the Rev. Kirstin Boswell, university chaplain and dean of multifaith engagement. Remarks were given by President Connie Ledoux Book, and a special video tribute was presented in honor of Janice Ratliff, who passed away earlier this year.
“In recognition of a remarkable legacy, we honor Janice Ratliff, who devoted more than 35 years of service to Elon University, shaping generations of students through her work in Student Life,” said Maleah Proctor ’26, Black Student Union president, during the awards ceremony. “Her legacy lives through the many students she mentored and uplifted, and through the historic recognition of being the first Black staff member to have a campus building named in her honor.”
New to this year’s ceremony were the Legacy and Community Impact awards, recognizing undergraduate students, faculty, staff, organizations and departments whose leadership, advocacy, creativity and innovation have strengthened Black communities and advanced inclusion at Elon.
The new honors include the Glenda Phillips-Hightower Trailblazer Award, the Eugene Perry Legacy Award, the Community Impact Awards (Agendas of Change and Innovator in Empowerment) and the Creative Leadership in Artistic Expression Award.
Additional honors recognized academic achievement, including students named to the dean’s list (3.5 GPA) and the President’s Award, which recognizes students earning no lower than an A-, the Elon Black Alumni Network Scholarship and the Wilhelmina Boyd AAASE Scholar Award.
Elon Black Alumni Network Scholarship Award
The Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN) strives to unite and represent the interests of Elon University’s Black alumni and students by fostering empowerment, connection and celebration within Elon’s Black community. In 2007, EBAN established a scholarship fund to help make an Elon education accessible to Black students. This fund reached a significant milestone in 2023, achieving a $1 million endowment, further strengthening its ability to support future generations.
Elon Black Alumni Network Scholarship Recipient: Nailah Ware ’26
Elon Experiences Awards
The Elon Experiences Awards honor students who exemplify the university’s commitment to engaged learning through transformative action, global perspective, and meaningful impact. These awards recognize students whose leadership, service, research, global engagement and internship experiences have significantly advanced and enriched Black communities.
Global Engagement Award
The Global Engagement Award celebrates students who have excelled in study abroad or global learning, deepening intercultural understanding and awareness. This award recognizes students who have engaged in global experiences that have enhanced their understanding of Black diasporic cultures and fostered cross-cultural solidarity.
Global Engagement Award Recipient: Kendall Lytle ’26
Internship Award
The Internship Award recognizes students whose professional internships demonstrate exceptional performance, impact and the ability to connect classroom learning with workplace success. This award celebrates students whose internships have involved work that supports or advocates for Black communities, promoting diversity and inclusion in professional settings.
Internship Award Recipient: Andrea Camo Conde ’26
Leadership Award
The Leadership Award recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in organizations, initiatives, or campus life, inspiring others through their vision and service. This award honors students whose leadership has advanced racial equity, fostered an inclusive campus environment and empowered Black communities.
Leadership Award Recipients: Will Lankford ’26 and Maleah Proctor ’26
Service & Civic Engagement Award
The Service & Civic Engagement Award honors students whose sustained commitment strengthens Black communities through service efforts that foster community empowerment, address systemic challenges and/or promote social justice and equity.
Service & Civic Engagement Award Recipient: Kristina “Krissy” Randolph ’26
Undergraduate Research Award
The Undergraduate Research Award honors students who contribute to the creation of new knowledge through research or creative activity. This award recognizes students whose research has advanced the understanding of issues affecting Black communities, contributing to academic discourse and social change.
Undergraduate Research Award Recipient: Haleigh Cephus ’26 and Niara Legette ’26
Legacy Awards
The Legacy Awards are the highest honors of the Phillips-Perry Excellence Awards. Named after Glenda Phillips-Hightower and Eugene Perry, these awards honor the courage, resilience and determination that redefined what was possible at Elon and laid out the foundation for greater equity and inclusion.
Glenda Phillips-Hightower Trailblazer Award
Recipients of this award honor Glenda Phillips-Hightower’s trailblazing spirit by demonstrating perseverance, uplifting others through mentorship and advocacy, and fostering a stronger sense of belonging within the Elon community.
Glenda Phillips-Hightower Trailblazer Award Recipient: Jordyne Lewis ’27
Eugene Perry Legacy Award
Recipients of this award honor Eugene Perry’s legacy by breaking barriers, excelling in their pursuits, and creating opportunities for others, fostering inclusion through mentorship, advocacy or innovation.
Eugene Perry Legacy Award Recipient: Mackenzie Perry ’26
Community Impact Awards
The Community Impact Awards celebrate students, organizations or departments who make meaningful contributions to the Black experience at Elon and communities beyond the campus. These awards honor leadership, creativity and innovation in advancing equity, inclusion, wellness, and cultural expression. Recipients are recognized for their efforts to uplift Black voices, foster community and create a positive, lasting impact.
Agents of Change Award
The Agents of Change Award recognizes a student, campus organization or university department that has led initiatives resulting in meaningful community impact. It celebrates leadership, empowerment and a commitment to inclusion and equity by honoring those who elevate underrepresented voices and foster environments of belonging, connection and opportunity that strengthen Black communities at Elon and beyond.
Agents of Change Award Recipient: Nailah Ware ’26
Innovator in Empowerment Award
The Innovator in Empowerment Award honors students who demonstrate creativity and innovation in advancing wellness, equity and success within Black communities. Recipients are recognized for developing ideas, initiatives, or approaches that positively impact individuals, promote inclusion and opportunity and strengthen community. Honorees exemplify originality, problem-solving and the ability to create meaningful change that supports the well-being, advancement, and visibility of Black communities on campus and beyond.
Innovator in Empowerment Award Recipient: Nailah Ware ’26
Creative Leadership in Artistic Expression Award
The Creative Leadership in Artistic Expression Award honors students who demonstrate leadership and excellence in artistic expression, such as music, dance, visual arts, spoken word or other creative forms. Recipients are recognized for their vision, creativity and initiative in amplifying Black cultural expression and fostering community on campus. The award celebrates students whose artistic contributions inspire, uplift, and engage others, building spaces of pride, connection, and visibility for Black communities.
Creative Leadership in Artistic Expression Award Recipient: Madison McCrainey ’26
The Wilhelmina Boyd African & African American Studies at Elon (AAASE) Award
The Wilhelmina Boyd AAASE Scholar Award was created in the Spring of 2008 to honor the work and contributions of Professor Wilhelmina Boyd’s 18 years of service to Elon University and African & African-American Studies. The award recipient must be a graduating senior with an African & African-American Studies minor, a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA in the minor of 3.2. In addition, the recipient must demonstrate a commitment to African & African-American Studies as demonstrated through coursework, citizenship/community engagement, scholarship and student activities/leadership.
Wilhelmina Boyd AAASE Scholar Award Recipient: Kendall Lytle ’26