SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
Eleven Alabama State University students received a financial boost toward their college education through a scholarship honoring two educators who helped shape generations of ASU graduates.
Members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., awarded $22,000 in Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarships, providing $2,000 to each recipient. The program also reached a milestone, attracting more than 40 applicants for the first time.
The 2026 recipients are Micah Alexandria, Kennedie Armstrong, Joseph Carson, Cortiz Dorsey, Serenity Fluker, Nazaria Howell, Bailee Knighten, Reagan Liggins, Indiya Ray, Simone Walker and Zion Michelle Williams.
“These 11 students really represent the cream of the crop for this year’s recipients, and how proud we are of them,” said Robert Banks, chairman of the Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarship Fund and a Kappa Alpha Psi representative.
The awards honor Dr. Ralph J. Bryson and John J. Ivery Sr., longtime ASU professors, former department chairs and fraternity brothers. Together, they represented more than 110 years of combined service to the university.
Established in March 2023 as the Dr. Ralph J. Bryson Academic Scholarship Fund, the program was later renamed to recognize both educators. Their legacy now continues through assistance that helps students meet the financial demands of earning a degree.
ASU President Quinton T. Ross Jr., who knew both men while attending the university, thanked the fraternity for its investment in students.
“You all have made a tremendous impact on the lives of scholars that matriculate to Alabama State University,” Ross said.
He also urged recipients to uphold the academic excellence the scholarship’s namesakes represented.
For recipient Zion Williams, the recognition marked a personal achievement as she builds her own identity. She is the daughter of ASU Director of Admissions Dr. Freddie Williams Jr.
“I’m walking in my purpose and creating my own name for myself outside of my dad and just really becoming my own person, stepping into my own,” she said.
Her father, a fraternity member who knew Bryson and Ivery as an ASU student, described the award as a meaningful connection between family, education and service.
“It is one of the proudest moments I’ve experienced as a father and as a member of my fraternity,” Williams said.
Applicants must be full-time ASU students enrolled in at least 12 credit hours and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
The scholarship committee and Montgomery Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi sustain the fund through donations, community events, and annual golf tournaments. Banks encouraged continued support to help more students pursue their educational goals.
Source: Alabama State University, “A Scholarship, a Legacy and a Promise to ASU Students,” by Hazel Scott/ASU, September 25, 2026.