Delta Sigma Theta honors minorities for academic excellence

The Eta Xi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. kicked off their spring semester Greek week with their Scholastic Salute honors program on April 9, 2012 in the Humanities auditorium.

The Scholastic Salute recognizes and honors minority students on the campus of UT Martin who have succeeded academically with G.P.As of 3.0 or higher. Eta Xi makes sure that the honorees know that their hard work has paid off and will not go overlooked.

Although many were honored for their high G.P.As, only two received the D. Patrice Boyd Scholarship of Excellence Award.  

In keeping with the expectation of service to the community of the Sorority’s twenty-two founders, the Eta Xi chapter’s Scholastic Program has been going strong since 2003 when chapter member, Patrice Boyd and other chapter members, wanted to show appreciation to minority students in a way that was not being done at the time on campus. Thus the award for a hundred dollars to the male and female with the highest G.P.As for created.  

This year’s recipients are Ke’van Yarbrough and Denise Bell. Bell, who is a senior majoring in Nutrition/Dietetics, has a 3.75 G.P.A.

“This is a great award, because it recognizes academic achievement within a minority on campus and it encourages us to keep up the good work,” Bell said.

The speaker for the hour, Dr. Annie Jones, asked the question in her topic: “Where will you be when you get where you are going?” Jones spoke with wisdom and encouragement.

“Push yourself to achieve, there are basic goals for success. Just don’t make plans and goals that are not flexible. Opportunities will present themselves, but your goal must be willing to change, so remain open,” Jones said.

Jones reminded the recipients to remain true to themselves. She left them with a passage from the Bible, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).”  

After the speaker, there was a sweet stillness in the room as Steven Douglas sung “God Is Able” by Smokie Norful. As Douglas sung family members and friends observed with support and pride.

This Scholastic Salute demonstrated caring for others, unity and exaltation. The Eta Xi chapter has truly shown that the only way to succeed is to lift and exalt others higher than themselves. This was and is a program that proves that “Intelligence is the Torch of Wisdom”, which is the sorority’s public motto.

The Eta Xi chapter was charted on May 9, 1970, on the campus of UT Martin by nine undergraduate women. They are recognized for establishing the first black Greek organization on the UTM campus. Their goal was to promote high cultural, intellectual and moral standards among their members just as the sorority’s founders set forward for the organization.