Bryson-Ivery Scholarship Recipients
By Hazel Scott/ASU
Alabama State University recently held the second Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarship Award presentation on the ASU campus. The event highlights the University's commitment to forging partnerships in support of academic excellence, as 17 ASU students received $2,000 each in recognition of their scholastic achievements and to help pay for their educational costs for the 2025-26 academic year.
The Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to ASU undergraduate students and to college-bound high school seniors with an expressed interest in pursuing higher education at Alabama State University. Students must meet certain scholastic requirements.
“This year, we had 40-plus applicants applying for this scholarship…It was extremely tough, but we were able to narrow it down to 17. Recipients, you are deserving of receiving this scholarship award today,” said Robert Banks, president of the scholarship fund and an ASU alumnus. “The scholarships are purely academic and can be renewable. Most of the recipients this year are high school seniors, with about seven undergraduates.”
With the help of donors and sponsors, the scholarship committee awarded $12,000 last year to six ASU scholars, bringing the total scholarship amount to date to $46,000.
President Quinton T. Ross, Jr. expressed gratitude to the sponsoring fraternity for supporting ASU scholars.
“This (scholarship) hits the heart of our Focus 2030 Strategy Plan. One of the key anchors of CommUniversity is the University partnering with organizations to improve the lives of our scholars attending Alabama State University. When you discuss philanthropy—giving and investing in these students, providing the resources they need to succeed at Alabama State University—you are fully aligned with the Strategic Plan Focus 2030,” Ross added.
The scholarship awardees are:
Anaka Armstrong: Pre-Occupational Therapy Major, 3.96 GPA
Tatum Atkinson: Biomedical Engineer Major, 4.20 GPA
Kourtney Bagley: Biology Major, 4.0 GPA
Gabriella Campbell: Education Major, 3.9 GPA
Joseph Carson: Mechanical Engineer Major, 4.0 GPA
Matthew Cook: Biology Major, 3.65 GPA (also awarded for 2024-25)
Cortiz Dorsey: Finance Major, 3.86 GPA
McKenzie Floyd: Criminal Justice Major, 3.6 GPA
Mary Jenkins: Marine Biology Major, 3.8 GPA
Kaori Kennedy: Biology Major, 4.0 GPA
Hulet Neely: Biology Major, 3.8 GPA
Kayla Peltier: Dance Major, 3.8 GPA
Makayla Perkins: Criminal Justice Major, 3.5 GPA
Lashaun Perry: Social Work Major, 3.7 GPA
Indiya Ray: Political Science Major, 4.0 GPA
Isaiah Stevens: Accounting Major, 4.1 GPA
Zion Williams: Criminal Justice Major, 3.72 GPA
All of the recipients expressed a mixture of gratitude, excitement, and motivation, highlighting how the award will impact their academic pursuits and future career.
“I can’t express enough how much this scholarship means to me. I’m honored to have received it,” said Kayla Peltier, a freshman. “I’m a dance major and a biology minor, and as I looked at schools, I realized ASU has many resources and opportunities for me to explore all the careers I want to pursue… It’s a great one-stop shop for everything I need.”
Criminal justice major McKenzie Floyd, a freshman, expressed sincere gratitude for receiving the generous financial support.
“I am honored to have received this scholarship. I am forever thankful,” said Floyd. “This scholarship enables me to be more financially set; it allows me to be a step closer financially to my degree. Of all the schools that I visited, ASU was the most welcoming. You feel a sense of belonging here,” Floyd said.
Joseph Carson, a sophomore, pledged to honor the donors’ investment by applying himself to his studies and "paying it forward" by helping other students.
“Thank you for the opportunity that this scholarship has given me. I will never be able to repay you for this generosity,” said Carson. “My journey at ASU has been impactful. I’m a mechanical engineer major, and so far, the relatively new program is outstanding. I was fortunate to be part of the ASU Bridge Program, where I was able to mentor new students and help them transition from high school to campus.”
The scholarship was established in 2023 by ac few“Good Brothers” of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., in memory of Dr. Ralph J. Bryson and in honor of John J. Ivery, both longtime professors and former department chairmen at ASU, who collectively dedicated more than 110 years of service to the University.
“These scholarships represent the legacy of two dedicated educators who poured into The Alabama State University. I stand as a recipient of all that they had to pour. Dr. Ralph Bryson is one of the reasons I became an English instructor. When you talk about Mr. John Ivery, he would not let me catch a break, but he taught me mathematics,” Ross said.
Ross left the students with words of encouragement.
"To all the young scholars receiving the awards today, remember the impact that the two individuals made on this campus and how they poured into all of us, many of whom are here today, including me, and they are pouring into you right now to help you matriculate through Alabama State University,” Ross added.
To learn more about the scholarship or to make a donation, visit https://brysoniveryscholarship.com