How many Illinois State University students can say they received their diploma in a special ceremony from the president of Illinois State University? I know one: Black Colleagues Association (BCA) Communication Chair Kenneth Porter ’14, M.S. ’16, a student who nearly dropped out his freshman year of high school. Porter was a young man who was given a chance by only one school, Illinois State University.
Porter recently was featured in a news article by The Pantagraph. After reading this, it is easy to see that Porter has the tenacity and drive that makes him a strong leader for BCA and for his future career.
As an undergraduate, Porter served in various organizations including Veterans at Illinois State and as president of the campus chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). As a graduate student, he served as advisor to the Illinois State chapter of the NAACP and instructed undergraduates as a graduate teaching assistant with the School of Communication (SOC). He was awarded the Commitment to Diversity Legacy of Leadership Award, the SOC Outstanding Graduate Student Award, and the SOC Civic Engagement Award.
“We (BCA) are extremely proud to have him as communications chair. We have found Ken to be extremely intelligent, impressive and a powerful young man. He is going to take the world by storm.”
As he begins a new phase of his life he plans to work on progressive issues in Chicago and continue to give back to Illinois State University.
The writer, Karyn L. Aguirre ’86, is Black Colleagues Association president.
