Letter From Our Presidents
Greetings Family & Friends of the Richland County Alumnae Chapter and Fortitude Foundation, Inc.!
Welcome to the 23rd Annual Red Diamond Scholarship Gala! Richland County Alumnae (RCA) celebrates 29 years of Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service and Social Action, and Fortitude Foundation (FF) celebrates 13 years of Transforming Lives and Impacting Communities. We are excited to host you this evening and express our appreciation for your continued support. As a result of your contributions and sponsorships for this year, we are able to award scholarships to deserving youth and fund our community outreach programs in the communities of Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, and Newberry counties.
On behalf of the members of RCA and the Board of Directors of FF, we thank you for joining us tonight in your dapper suits, beautiful gowns, and your best pair of sneakers for this amazing event!
Best Regards,
ZeNata Donaldson Nakell Matthews ZeNata Donaldson Nakell Matthews
Chapter President Fortitude Foundation, Chair
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Chapter History
Richland County Alumnae Chapter
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
On April 24, 1994, in Columbia, South Carolina under the direction of past South Atlantic Regional Director, Nettie Faulcon, 44 women chartered the Richland County Alumnae Chapter (RCA) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. RCA became the second chapter in the Columbia Metropolitan area and the 867th chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
From day one, the chapter immediately took its place as a community leader. The chapter’s first community service projects were the Diabetes Walk-a-Thon, Habitat for Humanity, and the Carolina Children’s Home Christmas Project. The chapter members also quickly established a community footprint through participation in community events such as Relay for Life, voter registration drives, and American Red Cross Blood drives. In 1995, the chapter gave away its first scholarship totaling $500 to provide more scholarships by holding its annual Scholarship Gala and Little Miss Red and White Pageant.
Today, the chapter hosts an annual Red Diamond Scholarship Gala and Jabberwock that helps the chapter to award $25,000 in scholarships annually to deserving high school seniors; to date, the chapter has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships!
Since its humble beginnings, RCA has initiated four lines of phenomenal women. These dynamic groups of professional women have helped RCA's goal: to be trailblazers who lead causes for social justice, community involvement, economic development, and women’s empowerment.
The Richland County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Incorporated is an organization of college educated women who seek to uphold the high ideals of our sorority while proudly accepting opportunities to be of service to their community. The chapter has grown from 44 charter members in 1994 to over 350 members today, but its mission remains the same; RCA is “A Sisterhood Answering the Call to Serve: Transforming Lives and Impacting Communities.”
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Richland County Alumnae
Chapter Officers 2021 – 2023 Fiscal Years
President
ZeNata Donaldson
1st Vice President
Lavell Thornton
2nd Vice President
Cynthia Bennett
Treasurer
Candice Haigler
Financial Secretary
Cheryl Wilson
Assistant Financial Secretary
Jada Hubbard
Recording Secretary
Wykeisha Lewis
Corresponding Secretary
Crystal Tart
Chaplain
Tracey Mobley-Chavous
Custodian
Asia Workman
Historian
Dr. Shanee' Moore
Sergeant-at-Arms
Toya Murph
Parliamentarian
Monica Owens
Protocol Advisor
DeVonne Smalls
Legal Advisor
Tiffany Freeman
Immediate Past President
Sharon Parker
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2023 Red Diamond Gala Leadership
Chair: Soror Dr. Andress Carter-Sims
Co-Chair: Soror Tashia Myers
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Cynthia Bennett
Hazel Bennett
Lucina Brooks
Tacara Carpenter
Committee Members
2023 Red Diamond Gala
Peggy Crowell
Ashley Davis
Rosalyn Glenn
Vanessa Green
Audrey Harris
Tara Holmon
Joyce Johnson
Angela Jones
Yolanda Kennedy
Sharon Lee
Wykeisha Lewis
Jennifer McClary
Connie Mitchell
Tracey Mobley Chavous
Stacey Williams Moultrie
Toya Murph
Wanda Oliver
Tiaa Padgette
Tiffany Palmer
Nikita Pete
Tiffany Phillips
Vernishia Robinson
Genise Scott
Hattie Sims
Necole Stinson
Ormica Thomas
Gwen Thurmond
Trina Walker
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Students who receive scholarships from the Richland County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., are afforded a wide range of benefits. Firstly, scholarships alleviate the financial burden of college tuition, enabling students to pursue higher education without the stress of excessive student loan debt. Secondly, scholarship recognize and reward academic achievement, leadership skills, and community involvement, encouraging high school seniors to excel in their studies and extracurricular activities. Lastly, these scholarships serve as a stepping stone for students to access better educational opportunities, expand their knowledge, and increase their future career prospects.
Essay Winners
Arthur Johnson - Dutch Fork - Clemson University
William Peterson - Spring Valley - Clemson University
CATE
Ty'Kelia Cooper - Fairfield Central - Francis Marion
Deja Rena Goodwin - Lower Richland - University of South Carolina
Collegiate Soror
Kennedy Byrd - Benedict College
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Scholarship Recipients
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Deceased Parent
Kristen Michelle Coleman - WJ Keenan - NC Central
Kameron Rolack - Blythewood - NC A&T
Delta GEMS
Chastity Chisolm - White Knoll - Winthrop University
Alivia Jordan - Fortitude Foundation - Dutch Fork - University of South Carolina
Education
General Studies
Shakari Jones - Eau Claire High School - University of SC Upstate
Jada Brittany Bacote - SC Connections Academy - Radford University
Kylie Burns - Fairfield Central - Winthrop University
Kiayana Boyd - Fairfield Central - University of South Carolina
Tessa Sheppard - Blythewood - Savannah College of Art of Design
Daria Slater - Spring Hill - NC A&T
HBCU
Camryn Hollman - Spring Hill - NC A&T
Terryn Myers - Ridge View - Florida A&M
Smyra Thomas - Fairfield Central - SC State University
STEM
Connor Copper - Cardinal Newman - Florida A & M
Jacia Green - Fairfield Central - Clemson University
Aniyah J. Hodges - WJ Keenan - Clemson University
Lauryn Keels - Spring Valley - Furman University
Karlese Sears - Cardinal Newman - NC A& T
Armon Williams - WJ Keenan - NC A& T
2023 Scholarship Recipients Congratulations 2023 Scholarship Recipients Good Luck & Best Wishes!!! 7
2023 Committee Members
Kezia Myers, Chair Dr. Kendra Hill, Co-Chair Scholarship and May Week
Nakima Brinson
Carla Bullard
Dr. Jennifer Clyburn Reed
Dr. Denise Collier
Jannette Henry-Davenport
Felicia Howard
Dalphine Humphrey
Keredith James
Melanie Johnson
Kourtney Martin
Tracey Mobley Chavous
Dorothya Nero
Rhonda Thompson
Asia Workman
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Red Diamond Gala
History
The Richland County Alumnae Chapter (RCA) of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated hosted its inaugural scholarship gala, known as the RCA Holiday Gala, in December 1995. Following the success of the first gala, it became RCA's mission to continue to impact and serve the community through its outreach programs, and in providing scholarships to college-bound students. Today, the Red Diamond Scholarship Gala is the chapter’s signature fundraising event, and is held on the first Friday in June.
Purpose
What started as a Holiday Gala in December of 1995, has morphed into a much anticipated annual gala driven by purpose. Members of Richland County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. were driven by their mission to raise funds for scholarships and to support the programs, projects, and causes in the communities we serve. With the support of our community partners, friends and family, RCA has awarded nearly $250,000 to deserving high school seniors and college students.
As a Chapter with over 300 members, our goal remains the same. We are honored to have had your support for this year ' s Gala by way of purchasing a ticket and/or your generous donation as a sponsor.
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Platinum:
AARP
CIGNA
FRIENDS OF CLYBURN
OPTUS BANK
PALMETTO ISSUES CONFERENCE
SIMS PETROLEUM
SOUTHEAST CRESCENT REGIONAL COMMISSION
Gold:
BIBLE WAY CHURCH OF ATLAS ROAD
BLUEPRINT STRATEGY
FIRST CITIZENS BANK
IT'S YOUR MOVE
SC CHAMBER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
FOUNDATION
Silver:
BLACKGIRLME, LLC
BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF SC
EPIFHANY, LLC
PRUDENTIAL
HOMES BY SHIRLEY
Bronze:
ATTYS. LEE, EADON, ISGETT, POPWELL & OWENS, P.A.
BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF SC
CAMPBELL CONSULTING GROUP
EFINANCIAL ADVISORS
JOURNEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
LAW OFFICES OF S. CHRIS DAVIS
Patrons:
ATTORNEY AND MRS. CARL MCINTOSH
JAMES THOMPSON
Special Thanks To:
BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF SC
CITY OF COLUMBIA FIRE DEPARTMENT
CITY OF COLUMBIA POLICE DEPARTMENT
EAU CLAIRE SHAMROCKS BASKETBALL PROGRAM
2 0 2 3 R e d D i a m o n d G a l a C o r p o r a t e S p o n s o r s
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Platinum:
74 DIMENSIONS OF DISTINCTION
SALANDRA BOWMAN
LETITIA COLEMAN
ROSALYN GLENN (2)
THERESE GRIFFIN
AUDREY HARRIS
JOYCE JOHNSON
TRACEY MOBLEY CHAVOUS
Diamond:
GERI ABRAHAM
CYNTHIA BENNETT (2)
TACARA CARPENTER
DENISE COLLIER
LAKISHA DANTZLER
ZENATA DONALDSON
TAMMIE EPPS
MELISSA FELDER
SHANA GARRICK
THERESE GRIFFIN
MONET HEATH
GWEN JONES
KIMBERLY JONES
YOLANDA KENNEDY (2)
THOMMIE LAWSON
Pearl:
MARY HAILE
ERICA HART-RICE
ANGELA JONES
KEISHA MOORE
SELENA PICKENS
JACKIE SCOTT BAILEY
JATON SMITH
CHANDRA SYKES SMITH
CHERYL THOMPSON (2)
GWEN THURMOND
LAVELL THORNTON
AYESHAH MAJOR
LATRICE MCDANIEL
CONNIE MITCHELL (2)
TASHIA MYERS
WANDA OLIVER
MONICA OWENS
SHERIFAT PEARSON
NIKITA PETE
TIFFANY PHILLIPS
VERNISHIA ROBINSON
MARISSA ROWE
ADIA SINGLETON
DEVONNE SMALLS (2)
PRISCILLA STALEY
RHONDA THOMPSON
JACKIE WILLIAMS
BJ PRESTON
RHONDA THOMPSON
STACIE WILLIAMS-MOULTRIE
2 0 2 3 R e d D i a m o n d G a l a S o r o r S p o n s o r s
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Congratulations to Richland County Alumnae Chapter
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Best wishes RCA Sorors!
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to the class of scholarship recipients!
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Rosalyn Glenn 914 Richland Street Suite B202 Columbia, SC 29201 27
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RCA on the move!
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Congratulations to Majorie House
and the members of Richland County Alumnae Chapter on your 2023 Scholarship Gala!
From your AME Church Family
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Kirshunda King, Brenda Jones, Frederick Thomas and Lanzie Brown
S O R O R T I F F A N Y P H I L L I P S 2023 Red Diamond Gala
RCA a successful 46
Diamond Sponsor Wishing
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Congratulations, Sorors of the Richland County Alumnae Chapter! 53
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RCA Chapter Members
2022 - 2023 Executive Committee
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2023
RCA in ACTION!
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Soror Gwen Thurmond
Thank you for providing twenty-nine years of Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service & Social Action.
Job well done RCA!
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The Richland County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. sincerely thanks our sponsors for your contributions to our 2023 Red Diamond Scholarship Gala. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
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30 RCA
turns April24,2024
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Congratulations 2023 Red Diamond Scholarship Gala Soror Thewanda Cooper Richland County Alumnae Chapter DeltaSigmaThetaSorority,Inc. Fortitude Foundation, Inc. &
