Black excellence is the celebration of success in the Black community and most importantly – a mindset. This mindset is backed by actions that is consistently displayed by leadership through perseverance. Black people have a long, proud, and difficult history in the building of the United States. Saint Louis University has many Black pioneers that have made contributions in shaping and influencing this great institution. Most notably, the late Dr. Jonathan C. Smith, made momentous contributions to Saint Louis University; not only in the academic and institutional area, but in the lives of many Black alumni. 
SLU' s Black Alumni Association celebrates the  accomplishments of these alumni and students through fundraising, mentoring and fostering University-wide diversity outreach and awareness initiatives. Additionally, the BAA assists the University in its recruitment and retention efforts of minority students, helping to create a student population that is racially and ethnically diverse. The Black Alumni Association supports current students via scholarships. 

Jonathan C Smith, Ph.D. Endowed Memorial Scholarship

Established in memory of Dr. Jonathan Smith, a fierce advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Saint Louis University. The purpose of this fund is to support SLU students who graduated from St. Louis area schools who demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with a preference for underrepresented populations and demonstrated financial need.

Dr. Celerstine Briggs Johnson Book Fund

For more than three decades, Dr. Celerstine Johnson was dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for all students, especially those underrepresented in higher education. Her 30 years of service to SLU culminated in her role as associate vice provost for enrollment management.

The book fund is open to full-time undergraduate students in any major who are enrolled in one of the collegiate Trio Programs at Saint Louis University, are in good academic standing with the University and demonstrate a financial need. 

Funds for the Dr. Celerstine Briggs Johnson Book Fund are raised through individual gifts as well as revenue from various events. All gifts, regardless of the amount, will help students gain access to necessary educational tools. 

Pioneers of Inclusion Scholarship

Established in 2014 by the Black Alumni Association to mark the 70th anniversary of integration at SLU, the Pioneers of Inclusion Endowed Scholarship recognizes the strength and courage of the men and women who became the first black students at the University in 1944. The scholarship honors their legacy by supporting a high-achieving, first-generation college student from a historically underrepresented population in U.S. higher education.

Event Information

Join us on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 6pm for our virtual fall event #BlackatSLU: Celebrating Black Excellence Event featuring Dr. Michael Eric Dyson.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, is one of the nation’s most renowned professors, gifted writers, inspiring preachers, knowledgeable lecturers and prominent media personalities. As a teacher who earned a PhD in Religion from Princeton University, Dyson has taught at some of the nation’s most distinguished universities, including Brown, UNC Chapel Hill, Columbia, DePaul, the University of Pennsylvania, and Georgetown University. He is presently Distinguished University Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, College of Arts & Science, and Distinguished University Professor of Ethics and Society, The Divinity School, and Centennial Professor at Vanderbilt University. Dyson is one of America’s premier public intellectuals and author of over 20 books, including seven New York Times bestsellers, and is a political analyst for MSNBC. He has won two NAACP Image Awards and an American Book Award, and last year was awarded the Langston Hughes Medal.   

Special guests for the event will also feature:

• Dr. Fred Pestello, 33rd President of Saint Louis University
• Angela Lewis, A&S '04 BA, '06 MA, Past Black Alumni Association President
• Christopher Tinson, Ph.D., Chair, African American Studies Department
• Darryl Jones, Sr., Board of Trustees
• Dr. Amber Johnson, Interim Vice President, Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement

Register Here: https://alumni.slu.edu/blackatslu