The 20th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Ecumenical and Scholarship Prayer Breakfast will be held Monday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 a.m. in the Thad Cochran Center ballroom on The University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus. The event is free and open to the public.
Hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s local undergraduate and graduate chapters, the prayer breakfast will include music, fellowship and presentations by area faith leaders. Community servants will be recognized, and the Alpha Phi Alpha Leadership/Servant Award will be presented. The fraternity will also award textbook scholarships to select area high school seniors planning to attend college next fall as part of its longtime “Go to High School, Go to College” educational initiative.
Vandarel Jones, a successful educator, faith leader and entrepreneur, will serve as the keynote speaker. Jones was a standout for the Southern Miss men’s basketball team from 1997–2001, helping lead the Golden Eagles to the 2001 Conference USA Regular Season Championship while also earning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors that same season. He was inducted into the Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame in 2023.
“Our fraternity welcomes everyone to once again join us for a great meal, music and fellowship as we honor area citizens making a difference in our community,” said Dr. Eddie Holloway, longtime coordinator of the event. “We’re also looking forward to supporting these young men and women with textbook scholarships as they take the next step in their educational career.”
“I speak on behalf of my fraternity brothers in saying we’re honored to have presented this event for two decades now and hope to do so for another 20 years and beyond,” added Holloway.