South African Ambassador Honors Lincoln University

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Ebrahim Rasool (pictured, right), South Africa’s ambassador to the United States. Lincoln University President Robert R. Jennings (pictured, center)Lincoln University has been presented with the Nelson Mandela Award, the highest award given by the South African embassy. The award was given to 12 individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions to freedom in South Africa by Ebrahim Rasool (pictured, right), South Africa’s ambassador to the United States. Lincoln University President Robert R. Jennings (pictured, center) accepted the award during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 10.

“We are thankful, grateful, and deeply honored,” said President Jennings. “And we are proud of the fact that we’ve played just a small part in producing some of the individuals who have the conscience, the foresight, and the stick-to-it-ive-ness, to do what is right.”

 Jennings drew a large round of applause during his acceptance speech when he announced that Lincoln University will be opening a branch in Capetown, South Africa.

“We’ve chosen to do that because we believe that the struggle continues,” said Jennings. “And we must play a viable part in helping to be part of the solution to help in that struggle.

In addition to a commemorative plaque, Rasool presented Jennings with a statuette of smiling Nelson Mandela holding up his right fist.

Other honorees include Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, former Pennsylvania congressman William Gray III, entertainer Harry Belefonte, actor Danny Glover, and the Southern Africa Support Project.

 

Lincoln University, the nation’s first degree-granting Historically Black College and University (HBCU), educates and empowers students to lead their communities and change the world. Lincoln offers a rigorous liberal arts education to a diverse student body of approximately 2,200 men and women in more than 35 undergraduate and graduate programs.