"The time is always right to do what is right." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


The 2025 MLK Scholarship Breakfast is a collaboration between the National Forum for Black Public Administrators - East Central Alabama Chapter and Auburn University Outreach. Proceeds from this event will go to support scholarships for local high school students.

The MLK Scholarship Breakfast will take place on January 20, 2025, from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center. Parking for this event can be found in the AU Hotel parking deck or the parking lot behind the Auburn University Alumni Center.

We invite Auburn, Opelika, and the surrounding community, as well as, Auburn University administration, students, faculty, and staff to attend.


header accent EVENTS
JANUARY 20, 2025
MLK SCHOLARSHIP BREAKFAST - A Plan for Unity
7:30 a.m. | The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center


MLK DAY OF SERVICE
The MLK Day of Service is an opportunity for participants to learn more about the life and legacy of Dr. King, while giving back to the community.


ORDER OF EVENTS

BREAKFAST


OPENING REMARKS
Dr. Royrickers Cook
Vice President for University Outreach


INVOCATION
Bishop Nolan Torbert
True Deliverance Holiness Church


WELCOME FROM CITY OF AUBURN/COMMUNITY
Mr. Ron Anders, Jr.
Mayor of Auburn


WELCOME FROM AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Christopher Roberts
President, Auburn University


OCCASION
Mrs. Catrina Cook
Past President, NFBPA East Central Alabama Chapter


INTRODUCTION OF SPEAKER
Dr. Chippewa Thomas
Director, Faculty Engagement and Encyclopedia of AL


KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Constance Hendricks


PERFORMANCES
True Deliverance Holiness Church Choir
Ms. Pamela Mason

VIDEO PRESENTATION SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Mr. Aidan Platt
Auburn High School
Mr. Elijah Tate
Auburn High School
Ms. Kaylan Dowdell
Loachapoka High School
Ms. Maralin Morales Rodriquez
Loachapoka High School


AWARDS PRESENTATION
Ms. Ashley Simpson
President, NFBPA East Central Alabama Chapter

Dr. Jocelyn Vickers
Vice President, Committee Chair, NFBPA
Director, Office of Public Service Auburn University Outreach

Mr. Steven G. Hicks
Treasurer, NFBPA East Central Alabama Chapter


AWARDS
TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Mr. Alfred J. Davis, Sr.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Ms. Raven Harvis

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
Dr. Keith Hébert


CLOSING REMARKS
Dr. Taffye Clayton
Vice President & Associate Provost

FEATURED SPEAKER
Constance Hendricks

Scholar, Trailblazer, Innovator, Leader, Mentor, Advocate,
Dedicated Nursing Professional

Constance Hendricks

Dr. Constance Smith Hendricks
RN, LFD, FAAN

Professor Emerita
-Auburn University College of Nursing;
former dean of Nursing, Tuskegee University

Dr. Constance Smith Hendricks is a distinguished nurse educator, researcher, and community leader. A proud graduate of Trinity Lutheran Elementary and Alabama Lutheran Academy, she earned her BSN and MSN from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and became the first African American to complete a Ph.D. in Clinical Nursing Research from Boston College. In addition, she became the first African American tenured with Full Professor rank at Auburn University. Dr. Hendricks has developed the Hendricks Perceptual Health Promotion Determinants Model©, a mid-range health promotion empowerment theory widely used in research

With over 50 years of experience, Dr. Hendricks has held significant academic positions at numerous institutions, including the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tuskegee University, Auburn University, and the University of Montevallo. She has been instrumental in fostering diversity and enhancing scholarship through innovative programming and student organizations.

Dr. Hendricks’ contributions to nursing and health promotion have been recognized with numerous honors, including induction into the American Academy of Nursing and the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame. She has also been awarded the MLK Community Service Award and the Charles W. Barkley Endowed Chair at Auburn University. In 2023, she received the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) UNITE Award for her impact in the areas of racial and social justice.

Her community service initiatives, such as the Zeta Helping Other People Excel (Z-HOPE) program and the Auburn University: Taking It to the People Southern Style (AU-TIPSS) project, have reached millions, promoting health and self-care in low-resource communities. These initiatives reflect Dr. King’s vision of service, equality, and empowerment. Dr. Hendricks’ work embodies the principles of nonviolent resistance and community upliftment that Dr. King championed, striving to create a more just and equitable society.

Dr. Hendricks has also been a trailblazer in establishing scholarships and mentoring the next generation of nurses. She was the first African American to establish an endowed scholarship in the UAB School of Nursing. Her dedication to improving health outcomes and fostering educational opportunities aligns with Dr. King’s legacy of advocating for the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice.

Currently, she serves as the Vice President of the Alabama Nurses Foundation and the Interim Executive Director of BUILD-CDC.

Dr. Hendricks is a proud mother to Dr. Denisha Hendricks, a distinguished alumna and Director of Athletics at Johnson C. Smith University.

Last Updated: January 29, 2025