The Annual Dream Keeper Award Ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Lee University Conn Center on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Lee will host the award ceremony in conjunction with the NAACP and the 100 Black Men of Bradley County.
The Dream Keeper Award was initiated by the local chapter of the NAACP, 100 Black Men of Bradley County, and the Ministerial Fellowship to honor the legacy of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. This will be the second year Lee University has adopted the coordination of the program.
Area high school students maintaining a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible and are encouraged to bring family and friends to honor their achievements.
“It is a real honor for Lee University to be involved in planning this important community event,” said Dr. Carolyn Dirksen, director of faculty development at Lee and coordinator of the event. “We love having these talented young people on our campus and joining in the celebration of Martin Luther King’s legacy.”
Bishop Dr. Guilford R. Hill, general overseer of The Church of God Sanctified, Inc., will present the keynote address. The Lee University Evangelistic Singers, directed by Gloria Scott Richmond, will provide music.
Dr. Hill has had a 33-year career in education with Cleveland City Schools: 18 years instructing in the classroom, three years as assistant principal of Cleveland High School, and 12 years as principal of Blythe-Bower Elementary School. From 2009-2017, he served as one of the field experience supervisors of student teachers for Lee University.
For over 36 years, Dr. Hill has served as senior pastor of The Church of God Sanctified, Inc., in Cleveland. He serves on the Board of Bishops and as the Director of the Christian Education Department, which oversees the licensure of ministers.
Dr. Hill received a Doctorate of Ministry in biblical counseling from Covington Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Ministry in Bible from Covington Theological Seminary. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from Trevecca-Nazarene University and his bachelor’s degree from Duke University.
“This will be an inspirational evening with a focus on honoring the academic achievements of the high school students,” said Dr. Dirksen.
Students should arrive at the Conn Center at 5:30 p.m. to prepare for the ceremony. The award ceremony will commence in the Conn Center at 6:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Dr. Dirksen at cdirksen@leeuniversity.edu.