ADA, Okla. – As homecoming approaches, East Central University (ECU) prepares to honor outstanding students and alumni at the annual Alumni Gala Dinner and Dance on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. in the ECU Foundation Hall, located inside the Chickasaw Business & Conference Center.
The Gala, organized in conjunction with the Black Alumni Association (BAA), recognizes the recipients of the ECU-BAA scholarships and the ECU Rising Star Awards.
The 2026 ECU-BAA Scholarship recipients:
- Jaymi Evans, sophomore Nursing major; Donnie Nero Scholarship
- Trenton Wheeler, senior Nursing major; Donnie Nero Scholarship
- Emmanuel Ajibike, junior Information Technology Mgmt – Information Systems major; O.W. Lee Scholarship
- Gabriel Bennett, sophomore Business Entrepreneurship major; O.W. Lee Scholarship
The 2026 ECU Rising Star Award recipients:
- Katie Cowger, class of 2022.
- Trevor Sutton, classes of 2014 and 2015.
- Anna Wood, class of 2018.
Additional information on each awardee will be released closer to the event. To register, visit www.ecok.edu/alumni/homecoming/gala.php.
Tickets are $35 per individual and $60 per couple. Guests are encouraged to RSVP in advance.
For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 580-559-5651 or email alumni@ecok.edu.
The evening begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner, awards, and dancing starting at 7 p.m.
-ECU-