By Hazel Scott/ASU
For 11 Alabama State University students, the path toward a college degree became a little easier to navigate financially this year.
Members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., awarded $22,000 in Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarships, providing each recipient with $2,000 to support their educational pursuits.
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.
The scholarship program also reached a significant milestone this year, attracting more than 40 applicants for the first time.
“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, a representative from Kappa Alpha Psi and chairman of the Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarship Fund.
President Quinton T. Ross, Jr., thanked the fraternity for supporting Alabama State University students.
“Thank you for investing in our scholars,” he said. “You all have made a tremendous impact on the lives of scholars that matriculate to Alabama State University.”
The scholarship honors the memory and work of longtime ASU professors and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity brothers, Dr. Ralph J. Bryson and Mr. John J. Ivery, Sr.
Ross said both men helped to shape his life and career.
“I knew Dr. Bryson and Mr. Ivery as a student at Alabama State University, so to see their names and their legacy live on through this scholarship is a tremendous honor,” Ross stated.
Emphasizing the responsibility that comes with the recognition, Ross told the recipients, “I want you to understand the significance of what you’re receiving today and continue that academic excellence that both of them (Bryson and Ivery) stood for.”
Banks explained that the scholarship is about more than financial assistance—it is a way to preserve the legacy of two longtime Alabama State University professors.
“We want to keep their memory alive and let the world know about the impact that they made on so many students,” Banks said.
Check Presentation
While the checks provide immediate financial assistance, the scholarship carries a deeper message—students do not have to navigate the challenges of higher education alone.
That spirit of support is at the heart of the Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarship Fund, an effort rooted in service, education and a commitment to helping ASU.
For Zion Williams, receiving the scholarship is about more than financial support for college—it’s a milestone in her personal journey.
“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,” said Zion, who is the daughter of ASU’s Director of Admissions, Dr. Freddie Williams, Jr.
Dr. Williams said the scholarship represents a powerful intersection of legacy and family. As a fraternity member who knew Dr. Bryson and Professor Ivery during his time as an Alabama State University student, seeing their legacy continue through today’s students, including through his own daughter, made the scholarship awards deeply personal.
“It is one of the proudest moments I’ve experienced as a father and as a member of my fraternity. I know how hard she works, and to see that hard work recognized by an organization that means so much to me makes it even more special,” Williams said.
A Legacy That Continues
The scholarship fund was established in March 2023 as the Dr. Ralph J. Bryson Academic Scholarship Fund. It was later renamed to honor both Bryson and Ivery, former Alabama State University professors and department chairs.
Together, the two educators represented more than 110 years of combined service to ASU.
Their years in the classroom and in academic leadership helped shape generations of students. Today, their names are attached to a scholarship that continues that work in a different way—helping students meet the financial demands of earning a degree.
As of mid-2026, the fund has provided tens of thousands of dollars to dozens of ASU students.
For students balancing tuition, books, housing, transportation and other expenses, financial assistance can make an important difference.
Banks encouraged more donors to support the scholarship so they can see firsthand how their contributions affect Alabama State University students.
“We want to continue to do things to encourage them (donors) so that they can see that the donation that they’re making is making an impact on the lives of these students.”
Making an Impact
The fund's eligibility requirements are straightforward. Applicants must be full-time Alabama State University students taking at least 12 credit hours and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Behind those requirements is an emphasis on both commitment and achievement.
But the scholarship's impact extends beyond a GPA or a dollar amount. At its core is the idea that students who have demonstrated a commitment to their education deserve an opportunity to continue moving forward.
That philosophy aligns with the commitment to service that is inherent in the core values of Alabama State University’s CommUniversity initiatives and Kappa Alpha Psi’s long-held traditions.
Service beyond the classroom
The scholarship does not happen without the people who work to sustain it.
The Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarship Fund Committee and the Montgomery Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., raise money through community events, donations and annual golf tournaments.
Each effort contributes to a larger goal—creating resources that can be returned to students.
For the recipients, the scholarship is assistance they can put toward their education now. For the organizations supporting the fund, it represents an ongoing commitment to the future.
Carrying the legacy forward
The names Bryson and Ivery are already part of Alabama State University's academic history.
Now, their legacy is also being carried forward by students who are working toward their own futures. Their stories will ultimately be their own—shaped by their studies, ambitions and the paths they take after graduation. But for at least part of that journey, they have something else: the knowledge that people in their community saw promise in them and chose to invest in it.
In that sense, the Bryson-Ivery Academic Scholarship is more than a scholarship. It is a continuation of a legacy of service and represents a tangible reminder that sometimes protecting a student's future begins by simply helping them stay on the path toward it.