This past Martin Luther King Jr. Day at EMU, two students, Rasheed Atwater and Brialle Ringer received MLK celebration awards, as well as faculty member Regina George and EMU alumni Lois Richardson, for demonstrating the values of Dr. King himself through their contributions to the university and their community.
Rasheed Atwater is currently a senior, double majoring in African-American studies and history. Atwater is a representative of EMU’s College of Arts and Science for the Board of Regents, he helped revive the Society of Africology at EMU, is active volunteer at Ypsilanti’s Parkridge Community Center and is a member of Michigan’s Army National Guard. He also actively helped to develop support systems for young men of color in Saginaw and Washtenaw counties, and create an urban garden for residents through the Saginaw Improvement Association that he created.
Atwater took home the annual $1,000 EMU Student Humanitarian Scholarship Award that day.
A senior majoring in social work, Brialle Ringer, received a $1,000 Evans-Strand Scholarship Award. According to an EMU news release, this scholarship is “modeled after the Nobel Peace Prize [and] recognizes an individual for contributions in advancing the understanding and furthering the acceptance of diversity at Eastern.”
Ringer has a background with unstable living situations and has brought her experience to the table to conduct research on homeless college students. She is a McNair Scholar at EMU, having published two research articles in the McNair Research Journal. She is also the Alternative Spring Break coordinator for the campus and is currently planning an Alternative Break Site Leader Retreat in Ypsilanti. All past volunteer trips focused on “Promoting the Well-Being of Housing Insecure Individuals.”
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award went to Ypsilanti community leader and EMU alumni, Lois Richardson, who was accompanied by faculty member Regina George.
Richardson has previously served for 10 years as a missionary in the Caribbean archipelago, later returning home to Ypsilanti to become aware and active in community affairs. She is associated with the Hope Clinic, Washtenaw County Assault Crisis Center, and Washtenaw County Jail, as well as actively taking on the position of the Mayor Pro-tem of Ypsilanti since 2008.
