TSU Announces 2023 Homecoming Grand Marshals and Honorees (1075 hits)
TSU ANNOUNCES 2023 HOMECOMING GRAND MARSHALS AND HONOREES Judge, senator, civil rights activists, entrepreneurs among community leaders to be recognized
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 20, 2023) – Tennessee State University (TSU) announced today the distinguished individuals who will serve as Grand Marshals and be recognized as honorees and Special Presidential Honorees for the 2023 Homecoming Gala celebration. The 2023 Homecoming Gala will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville.
“Homecoming is so much more than an event. It is a celebration of excellence, leadership and legacy,” said Dr. Glenda Glover, president of TSU. “This year’s honorees each represent resilience, perseverance and service. They are the embodiment of our motto, ‘Think, Work, Serve,’ and are more than deserving of this recognition.”
The Grand Marshals leading this year’s parade include: • Senator Brenda Gilmore: A prominent figure in Tennessee politics, Senator Brenda Gilmore, elected state senator for District 19 in November 2018, has left an indelible mark on the state. Her distinguished career includes a role as a Metro Councilwoman and service as state representative for District 54 in the Tennessee General Assembly for a remarkable 12 years. Her retirement in November 2022 marked the culmination of 30 years of dedicated public service. • Dr. Turner Nashe: Dr. Turner Nashe is a trailblazer in the medical field, a state government administrator, a renowned business executive and a dedicated philanthropist. Nashe launched Innertainment Delivery Systems (IDS) – a provider of education solutions in the corrections market – in 2007. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. • Rosetta Miller-Perry: A dedicated advocate for education and community enrichment, Rosetta Miller-Perry is a cherished figure within the TSU community. A Tennessee Tribune publisher and civil rights activist, she has a passion for nurturing young minds and cultivating an inclusive environment that has made her an inspiration to many. Miller-Perry founded Perry and Perry Associates in 1990 and published Contempora, a Tennessee-focused African American magazine. The annual $1,000 Rosetta Miller-Perry Award for Best Film by a Black Filmmaker is presented at the Nashville Film Festival.
This year’s Homecoming Gala honorees include: • Dr. John Cade: Dr. John Cade’s career spans more than 45 years as an educator, researcher and administrator. As vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Success at TSU, Cade plays a pivotal role in shaping the university’s strategic initiatives to enhance enrollment, retention and overall student experience. He also serves as the university’s associate vice provost for Academic Affairs. • Sammy Comer: Sammy Comer is a distinguished alumnus of TSU’s agricultural economics program. Comer is an expert in agricultural economics and with a deep-rooted connection to his alma mater. He currently serves as director of International Agriculture at TSU. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Comer is a member of the university’s President’s Society. • Dr. Gloria Johnson: Dr. Gloria Johnson, a cherished Nashville native, is a retired TSU faculty member and accomplished administrator. With an impressive tenure spanning over 45 years at her alma mater, she concluded her remarkable journey in August 2020 as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and a distinguished professor of English at TSU. Johnson’s extensive experience is reflected in her membership in various esteemed professional organizations, including the College Language Association, the National Council of Teachers of English, the Conference on College Composition and Communication, and the Modern Language Association.
The Special Presidential Honorees distinguished as lifetime achievement luminaries include: • Dr. Xernona Clayton: Dr. Xernona Clayton is a civil rights leader and pioneering broadcasting executive best known as the founder and CEO of the Trumpet Awards (1993), an annual awards program televised by the TBS network and distributed internationally to over 185 countries. As a journalist, Clayton wrote a column for the Atlanta Voice, and in 1967, she became the first Black person in the South to host a regularly scheduled prime-time television talk show. • Ambassador Bobby Jones: Ambassador Bobby Jones, a dedicated advocate of gospel music, worked tirelessly to share his love for this cherished genre with the world. Jones serves on the board of directors for the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame and is an active member in the NAACP, TSU Alumni Association, Music Consortium of Tennessee, 100 Black Men of America and several other social organizations. • Barbara Murrell: Barbara Murrell is an accomplished individual who currently serves as the chair of the Dr. Levi Watkins Jr. Institute, an institute designed to recruit, train and prepare minority students for careers in medicine and dentistry. With a background deeply rooted in education and advocacy, Murrell has dedicated her career to advancing social and medical initiatives that address the needs of underrepresented communities. • Homer Wheaton: For nearly 50 years, Homer Wheaton served TSU as director of Field Services and Extension, special assistant to former TSU President Walter Davis, director of Financial Aid, and vice president of University Relations and Development. In 2016, TSU launched the “$90 For Ninety Scholarship Fundraiser” in support of Wheaton’s continued philanthropic endeavors at the institution.
“The Homecoming Gala holds a special place in our hearts, as it symbolizes the unity and spirit of TSU,” said LoLita Toney, assistant vice president for Institutional Advancement at TSU. “This year’s Gala is a celebration of our distinguished alumni, and an opportunity to give back to and recognize the next generation of alumni who will continue TSU’s legacy of commitment to excellence.”
Tickets for the event can be purchased here. To sponsor a table for this event or establish a scholarship, call Toney at (615) 963-2021. TSU’s 2023 Homecoming celebration will be held from Oct. 8–14. For more information about the 2023 Homecoming celebration and a complete list of events, please visit the official Tennessee State University website, www.tnstate.edu/homecoming2023.
For more information, please contact: Emily Holt, MP&F Strategic Communications, (615) 259-4000, EHolt@mpf.com
About Tennessee State University Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically Black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs, one education specialist degree and eight doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research-intensive institution with an R-2 Carnegie designation and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tenn. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the university online at tnstate.edu.
