8th Annual PACC Scholarship Brunch

Casino Royale: All In for Education

A Legacy of Service, Scholarship & Impact

The Panther Alumni Club of the Carolinas' 8th Annual Scholarship Brunch was a tremendous success, bringing together alumni, friends, and supporters for an inspiring afternoon dedicated to raising scholarship funds for deserving Clark Atlanta University students.

Guests enjoyed a day filled with food, fun, and fellowship while celebrating the remarkable achievements of distinguished CAU alumni Nicole Bell, Jada Brown, and Ray Johnson. The event also honored our treasured PACC Pioneers, Nicole Bell, Truda Nathan, and Keith Sherrill, whose dedication and leadership helped build a strong foundation for the Panther Alumni Club of the Carolinas.

A highlight of the brunch was an engaging message from former CAU Head Basketball Coach Darryl Jacobs, who shared heartfelt reflections on the life-changing impact of student support and the critical role alumni contributions play in helping future Panthers achieve their dreams.

The brunch once again demonstrated the power of the Panther community to come together in support of education, opportunity, and excellence. Shout out to this year's Brunch Committee: Priscilla Florence, Daisha Lark, Cassandra Owens, and O.J. McGhee for their hard work. Thank you also to everyone who attended, donated, and helped make this year's event memorable and impactful.

Check out photos from the 8th Annual Scholarship Brunch by following the link below and relive the memories from this special celebration!

VIEW SOUVENIR JOURNAL

SCHOLARSHIPS

Event Design by Rasheedah Muhammad

Event Design by Rasheedah Muhammad

2026 PACC E-Board
Left: Tan Woods, Cassandra Owens, Jazmine Sutton, Truda Nathan, Rasheedah Muhammad, O.J. McGhee

2026 PACC Scholarship Brunch Planning Committee
with CAU’s Dr. Lorri Saddler
Left: O.J. McGhee, Daisha Lark, Cassandra Owens,
Priscilla Florence, Rasheedah Muhammad

2026 PACC Guest Speaker & Distinguished Honorees
Left: Dr. Darryl Jacobs, Jada Brown, Nicole Bell,
Raymond Johnson

VIEW EVENT PHOTOS

PACC Pioneers with O.J. McGhee
Left: Nicole Bell, Truda Nathan, Keith Sherrill

2026 Distinguished Honorees

Honoring Leadership, Service & Impact

As part of this year's celebration, the Panther Alumni Club of the Carolinas is proud to recognize three Distinguished Honorees whose leadership, service, and commitment reflect the spirit of community and excellence we celebrate through the Scholarship Brunch.

Nicole Bell

Nicole Bell is a 1999 graduate of Clark Atlanta University with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing. A longtime alumni leader, she has served as President of the Charlotte chapter and remains active with the Panther Alumni Club of the Carolinas.

Nicole is the founder of The Mélange Collective, a strategy and execution consultancy, and is also a Certified AI Consultant and first-grade educator.

Ray Johnson

Raymond L. Johnson is a Clark College graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and an MBA from Wake Forest University. His career spans more than four decades of leadership in sales, technology, and organizational management across the private and public sectors.

He is a cofounder of the Beta Psi 1923 Foundation, whose scholarship endowment for CAU students has grown to more than $681,000, and he currently serves as an adjunct professor at North Carolina A&T State University.

Jada Brown

Jada C. Brown is a Clark Atlanta University graduate with a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising. She has more than 15 years of experience in retail, merchandising, buying, product management, and e-commerce.

A dedicated advocate for CAU and HBCUs, Jada has served in alumni leadership in Charlotte and continues to support initiatives centered on community, inclusion, and women’s empowerment.

A Legacy of Scholarship, Service & Impact

The first brunch was held on September 23, 2018, in Charlotte with 103 guests. Eight years later, the tradition continues with more than $25,000 in scholarships awarded and 16 Distinguished Alumni Honorees recognized.

The inaugural Distinguished Alumni Honorees were Will Brooks (AU ’75), Katrina Jones-Young (CC ’80), Arion Herbert (CAU ’07).

Their recognition began a tradition of honoring Panthers whose leadership, service, and impact reflect the legacy of Clark Atlanta University and its predecessor institutions.

Every dollar raised helps support scholarships for Clark Atlanta University students from North and South Carolina.

Since its beginning, the Scholarship Brunch has brought Panthers together around one purpose: investing in the next generation.