Two students and two faculty members were recognized during the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture’s annual Abele Honors ceremony, which honors individuals for their excellence in scholarship and service to the university and to the community.

PhD students Jewel Scott and Morine Cebert each won Graduate Student of the Year and Graduate & Professional "Willing and Abele" Student of the Year. Students of the Year recipients are honored and recognized because of their outstanding work in specific graduate/professional schools and for their commitment to black communities and black scholarship. The Graduate award is for graduates or professional students who have demonstrated an intangible quality which uplifts the black community and are engaged in various leadership and/or civic activities on campus or in the Durham community.

Brigit Carter, associate dean for Diversity and Inclusion, and Tolu Oyesanya, assistant professor, received the Graduate Mentor of the Year award. This award is to recognize the importance of mentors for the continuing success of Duke students and goes to the faculty, staff or administrator who has gone above and beyond in providing support and/or mentoring to black graduate and/or professional students individually and/or collectively via their organizations at Duke.