Giving to USF: Kente Awards

The Joyce Russell Kente Awards

Join us virtually on April 29

The Joyce Russell Kente Awards and Scholarships Ceremony will celebrate the academic excellence and achievements of our Black/African-American USF students and Tampa Bay community leaders.

2020 Kente Awards option 2.jpg — From left: Jewel Burks Solomon, Vincent Jackson '16 and Justice Peggy A. Quince

This year we will have a powerful and enthusiastic keynote address by Jewel Burks Solomon, co-founder of Partpic, a startup designed to streamline the purchase of maintenance and repair parts using computer vision. Partpic raised more than $2 million in seed funding from notable investors like AOL co-founder Steve Case and Comcast venture.

We will also celebrate Justice Peggy A. Quince as our 2021 Joyce Russell Kente Community Leader recipient and Vincent Jackson (posthumously) as our 2021 Joyce Russell Kente Alumni Award recipient.

Event Details:
Thursday, April 29, 2021
Live stream begins at 8 p.m.

Complimentary Kente gift box included with each ticket purchase!*
Gift boxes include Kente cookies, African-inspired toffee, herbal tea and other goodies! Gift boxes will be mailed the week of the event to the address provided at registration.

*While supplies last.

Thank You to Our Corporate Sponsors

History of the Joyce Russell Kente Awards

The Kente Award was created in 2000 by the USF African American Advisory Committee to strengthen the relationship between the university and the African-American community. The award recognizes USF faculty, employees, alumni and African-American community members whose contributions have had a positive impact in the African-American community.

Joyce Russell worked as Hillsborough County's African-American Liaison and joined the African American Advisory Committee in 2000. She was elected president of the committee in 2004 and served three terms as its president before retiring in 2011. Under her leadership, the Kente Award grew in stature and the Dr. Israel "Ike" Tribble Jr. Scholarship was endowed. In 2012, former USF president Judy Genshaft presented Joyce Russell with the Kente Award, along with the honor of naming the award the Joyce Russell Kente Award.