Amy S. Hilliard, author of “Tap Into Your Juice,” will keynote the 5th annual Frankie Muse Freeman and Wayman F. Smith Scholarship Fundraising event on Saturday, August 4.
This year’s fundraiser is a Jazz Brunch in the Chouteau Room of Vin De Set restaurant from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Ms. Hilliard is founder and CEO of The ComfortCake Company and is on Howard University’s Board of Trustees.
The topic of Ms. Hilliard’s message is “The Value of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the 21st Century.” A Detroit native and honors graduate of both Howard University and the Harvard Business School, Ms. Hilliard is a former senior marketing executive with leading Fortune 500 corporations and entrepreneurial firms including Bloomingdale’s, Gillette, Pillsbury, L’Oreal and Burrell Communications Group.
Additionally, Ms. Hilliard owns The Hilliard Group, a strategic marketing consulting, product development and speaking firm whose clients have included IBM, American Express, HBO and Gap.
The event is hosted by the Howard Alumni Club of St. Louis. Howard alumni Drs. Esther and Earl Beeks; and Dr. Joseph Dorsey; are serving as Premiere Sponsors of this event. This fundraiser is designed to be both a celebration of the contributions of Ms. Freeman and Mr. Smith, as well as raising funds for scholarships for Howard University students from the St. Louis region named in their honor.
This year’s winners are: DaVonna Williams, Nathaniel Shelton and Tiffani Ferrell.
DaVonna Williams is an incoming Howard freshman from Timberland High School in Wentzville. This honor student has held membership in the Future Business Leaders of America and will dual major in Information Systems and Marketing.
Nathaniel Shelton, a graduate of John Burroughs High School, is entering his sophomore year at Howard pursuing a degree in Theater Arts. He is spending this summer performing Shakespeare in D.C. Nathaniel’s long term goal is to make his mark on Broadway and in television and movies.
Tiffani Ferrell, a sophomore at Howard, is a two time recipient of this scholarship. She is spent part of this summer in China with Howard’s Freshman Leadership Academy. Tiffani is majoring in chemical engineering and hopes to own her own cosmetics company one day.
Over the last four years the Howard Alumni Club of St. Louis has awarded approximately $15,000 in scholarships to new and continuing Saint Louis area Howard University students.
“We have been fortunate to build strategic partnerships with organizations like the Wayman F. Smith Scholarship Foundation as well as our alumni benefactors who make these awards possible,” said Tamara Howard, Howard Alumni Club of St. Louis President.
“We want to award students who best exemplify the excellence and grace Frankie M. Freeman and Wayman F. Smith have demonstrated in their contributions to this community and the world. These scholarships are one way of accomplishing that goal.”
This Jazz Brunch will showcase the talents of HU alumnus and saxophonist Chad Evans and vocalist Felicia Ezell. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. Tickets are available online. The club would hopes to see robust attendance at the event and encourage those who cannot attend event to donate to the scholarship fund.
To order tickets and/or donate to the scholarship fund go to http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/261364 or contact Ralonda Jasper at (630) 697-9641.
