NFCC to announce Jenyethel Merritt Award winner

All invited to Award & Celebration Ceremony Saturday, June 24 at NFCC

MADISON, FL - North Florida Community College will announce the winner of the 2017 Jenyethel Merritt Award for Civic Service during an Award & Celebration Ceremony on Saturday, June 24 at 5 p.m. at NFCC’s Van H. Priest Auditorium. All are invited to attend.

The award honors an African-American woman who has made significant contributions within NFCC’s six-county district. This year’s nominees are Deloris M. Jones of Madison County and Gladys Roann-Watson of Jefferson County.

The ceremony, hosted by NFCC and the Suwannee River Junior College Committee, will recognize both nominees for their commitment and service to our community and education. After the winner is announced, all guests and attendees are invited to enjoy light refreshments and fellowship in the Van H. Priest Auditorium lobby. The event is free and open to the public.

The award is named in honor of the late Jenyethel Merritt who was president of Suwannee River Junior College, a historically black community college established by the Florida legislature in 1958. SRJC operated in Madison from 1959 until 1966 before its merger with NFCC, then North Florida Junior College, in 1966. Merritt was reputed to be a strong leader who promoted positive college-town relations. She played a significant role in education and the history of our community. She is recognized as the first African-American woman president to lead a public community college in Florida.

The 2017 Jenyethel Merritt Award for Civic Service continues to recognize outstanding African-American women in our community while honoring the memory of the late Jenyethel Merritt. For more information, contact the NFCC College Advancement Office at 850-973-1613 or email [email protected].

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