Legendary boxing icon Sugar Ray Leonard will be among the honorees at the 15th annual scholarship fundraiser for Loyola Marymount University’s African American Alumni Association. The gala is at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Proud Bird restaurant, 11022 Aviation Blvd., Los Angeles.
The event includes dinner, awards and dancing in the newly renovated restaurant’s West Grand Ballroom.
A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Leonard won a gold medal in boxing at the 1976 Olympic games before launching a 20-year career as a professional boxer and clinching world titles in five weight divisions. He has worked extensively as a television broadcaster and sports analyst, and with his wife, Bernadette, founded The Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation to support care and research for pediatric diabetes. He will receive the William A. Strickland, ’71, Excellence Award.
Other AAAA awardees are: Tara Duncan, ‘03, director of original series at Netflix, receiving the Rising Leader Award; Forescee Hogan-Rowles, ’81, president and CEO of RISE Financial Pathways, receiving the Hon. Irma Brown Dillon Community Service Award; and Bobby Adams, Ph.D., ’71, retired president of Merritt College, receiving the Legacy Award.
AAAA was established by LMU alumni, faculty and staff in 2003 to provide financial assistance to deserving undergraduate students who achieve academically and actively support their community. While fulfilling LMU’s mission of service and leadership, AAAA also promotes and fosters a sense of community for African-American students and alumni through professional development and social events.
For more information and to RSVP by Monday, Oct. 16, visit http://alumni.lmu.edu/aaaafund.
