Garden City, N.Y. – The Adelphi University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is excited to announce the date of the 17^th-annual Black History Month Dinner Celebration on Thursday, February 7, 2019, beginning at 6:30 p.m. 

This year's event will feature keynote speaker and Adelphi University Board of Trustee, Marc S. Strachan ('81), who is currently the executive vice president and chief client officer at SapientRazorfish.

Strachan recently raised $80,000 to initiate four fully-funded scholarships, which had provided nearly $8,000 this academic year. The scholarships range from giving support to students who show dedication to the advancement of women of color in the fields of math or science, to supporting Adelphi students who assist in advancing African, African-American, Black, Hispanic or Caribbean communities.

Past keynote speakers include various alumni and those with ties to the university, including: Dr. Perry Greene, Ph.D, Adelphi vice president for diversity and inclusion; Curtis O. Minnis ('77), managing director of global sales for FedEx;  Wendy Lewis, senior vice president of diversity and strategic alliances for Major League Baseball; Gianna Smith ('08), then-community relations coordinator for the New York Knicks; former Adelphi dean of athletics and head track coach Ron Bazil; East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) commissioner Rudy Keeling, and Herb Boyd and Eric Martin ('06), presidents of the Pendant Group.

Wth the assistance of the Adelphi Multicultural Alumni Chapter over nearly two decades, this celebration has attracted many alumni back to campus, including many who had lost touch with the university.

Since 2010, two Adelphi student-athletes of color are also presented with the Cecil K. Watkins Award at the event annually, which honors sophomores, juniors or seniors who achieve academically and are involved in community service, either on campus or in the community and serve as a role model.

For more information and to purchase tickets, at $30 each, please contact Vinny Amodeo at vamodeo@adelphi.edu or (516) 877-4241.

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About Adelphi Athletics
A regionally and nationally competitive NCAA Division II institution located in Garden City, N.Y., Adelphi University has been a proud member of the Northeast-10 Conference since 2009.

Winners of 16 NCAA Division II National Championships and four NE10 Presidents' Cups, Panther athletes have excelled at the conference, regional and national level, both on the field of play and in the classroom. In turn, the Adelphi athletic department is committed to fostering an environment of diversity, inclusion, equity and success where its student-athletes can thrive both on campus and off.

Stay connected with Adelphi Athletics by following the Panthers at aupanthers.com or via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and wear your Panther pride by shopping official Adelphi Panthers gear at our licensed team store.