Scholarship renamed after IU minority leaders

The Minority Achievers Program and Mathematics and Science scholarship has been renamed after two influential black leaders at IU: Dr. Herman C. Hudson, the founder of the IU Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies and Dr. James P. Holland, a influential black IU professor of biology.\nHudson created the MAP/MASS scholarship more than 15 years ago as a way to help academically talented black, Native American and Hispanic students through scholarship, academic counseling and social activities.\nAfter Hudson's death Feb. 17, Charlie Nelms, vice president for student development and diversity, had a meeting with the MAP/MASS advisory board to change the name to the Hudson & Holland Scholars Program. The announcement of the scholarships' new names was made in March and became official in July. \nHudson is credited with starting programs that showcase the performing arts of African culture at IU. He established the Soul Revue, the Choral Ensemble and the African-American Dance Company -- all part of IU's African-American Arts Institute. Hudson also helped form race relations within the community by founding the National Council of Black Studies.\nHolland has numerous awards for scholarship and teaching. In 1997, he received the Chancellor's Medallion created by former IU-Bloomington Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, recognizing outstanding service during his 30 years at IU. Holland passed away in 1998. \nChandra Dyson, interim director of Hudson & Holland Scholarship program, believes the scholarship is the first one on campus that recognizes IU minority leaders who touched many students on campus.\n"This is the only scholarship on campus that honors IU leaders of color," she said. "The only person that I know that has a scholarship named after them is former IU President Herman B Wells."\nL. Renae Feggins, a psychology graduate student in the School of Education, received the Minority Achiever's Program scholarship and met Hudson in 1996. \nFeggins said she remembers Hudson as a very wise person who worked for the students and helped them with their issues. She said Hudson had an open-door policy and would talk with students about their problems.\n"He was a very gentle, kind and sweet-hearted person who was concerned about the students," she said. \nVirginia Githiri, now director of undergraduate studies for the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, received the Math and Science scholarship and worked closely with Holland as an undergraduate biology major. \nDr. Holland oversaw the science club, the Ernest Just Organization of Biologists, which Githiri was in. Githiri described Holland as a great mentor with a caring personality. \n"Professor Holland was a wonderful inspiration in all of our lives," she said. "Dr. Holland is worthy of that honor."\nTo find more information about the scholarships, log on to http://www.indiana.edu/~hhsp or contact the MAP/MASS office at 855-7853.\n-- Contact staff writer Devon Thomas at deothoma@indiana.edu.