Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards Celebrate Leaders at Elon University
The Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards honor outstanding leadership and impact across the Elon University community. Here's what you need to know about this celebration of Black achievement.
In brief
The Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards at Elon University honor Black students, faculty, staff, and alumni who demonstrate exceptional leadership, scholarship, and community impact. The annual ceremony stands as one of the most significant celebrations of Black achievement on Elon's campus, spotlighting individuals who shape culture and drive progress both inside and outside the classroom.
Key Takeaways
The Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards are among the most prestigious honors for Black community members at Elon University in North Carolina.
The awards recognize leadership, academic achievement, cultural contribution, and community impact across the Elon campus and broader community.
The ceremony reflects a growing national push to institutionalize the recognition of Black excellence at predominantly white universities.
Elon's Black cultural programming connects to a wider HBCU and PWI landscape that DC-area students and families closely watch when evaluating college choices.
Events like this carry growing influence on how prospective Black students assess campus culture at non-HBCU institutions.
What the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards Recognize
Named in honor of community pillars who helped shape the Black experience at Elon, the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards are presented annually to individuals who embody service, scholarship, and cultural pride. Recipients span multiple categories — from student leaders and faculty mentors to staff members and community advocates — making the awards one of the most comprehensive recognition programs of their kind at a predominantly white institution (PWI) in the South.
The awards ceremony draws students, administrators, and community members together in a moment of collective affirmation — the kind of recognition that Black students at PWIs often say is rare but deeply necessary. According to NPR's Code Switch, formal recognition programs like these play a measurable role in Black student retention and sense of belonging at predominantly white campuses.
For students weighing schools outside of the historically Black college universe — including Howard University right here on Georgia Avenue NW — events like the Phillips-Perry Awards signal whether a campus is genuinely invested in Black student life or simply performing diversity. That signal matters enormously to families across the DMV who are navigating college decisions every spring.
Why Black Excellence Award Ceremonies Matter at PWIs
Across the country, Black student organizations and university diversity offices have accelerated the formalization of Black excellence recognition over the past several years. What was once an informal end-of-year celebration at many campuses has evolved into structured, named awards programs — often tied to donors, alumni networks, and institutional commitments to racial equity.
Elon University, located in Elon, North Carolina, enrolls roughly 7,000 undergraduate students. Like many mid-sized liberal arts universities, its Black student population represents a minority of the overall enrollment — which makes dedicated recognition ceremonies structurally important. Research published by the National Center for Education Statistics consistently shows that Black students at PWIs report lower senses of belonging than their peers at HBCUs, a gap that targeted programming and award ceremonies help close.
The Phillips-Perry name itself carries institutional weight. Named awards at universities signal permanence — that the recognition isn't contingent on a single administrator's enthusiasm but is woven into the campus calendar. That kind of institutionalization is exactly what Black student advocates at universities from Georgetown to George Mason have pushed for in recent years. For more on how DC's own HBCU ecosystem anchors Black academic excellence in the region, visit our Howard & HBCU DC Guide.
The DC Angle: Black Excellence Recognition Across the Region
Washington, DC, sits at the center of a dense network of Black academic and cultural excellence — from Howard University's annual convocations to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's scholarship galas held each September on Capitol Hill. The Phillips-Perry Awards at Elon speak to a broader ecosystem that DC families, students, and cultural observers track closely.
Many DC-area students who choose schools like Elon, UNC, or other Southern PWIs do so weighing exactly these kinds of cultural infrastructure questions: Will I be seen? Will my contributions be honored? The Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards offer a concrete answer. And for the parents sitting in Southwest DC or Prince George's County making college decisions, that answer carries real weight.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, headquartered in Washington, has long championed the idea that Black excellence must be named, documented, and celebrated — not assumed or absorbed quietly into general achievement narratives. Award programs like Elon's align directly with that institutional philosophy. Track more stories like this on our Howard & HBCU tag page.
What This Means for Black Students Choosing Between HBCUs and PWIs
The ongoing national conversation about HBCUs versus PWIs rarely gets resolved — nor should it be. But ceremonies like the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards represent one of the clearest data points prospective students can use when evaluating a non-HBCU campus. Does the school put names on things? Does it allocate budget, staff, and administrative prestige to Black student recognition?
Howard University, which sits in the LeDroit Park neighborhood of Northwest DC, remains the gold standard for that kind of institutional commitment. But for the significant number of Black students who attend PWIs each year — by choice, by scholarship, by geographic circumstance — knowing that schools like Elon have named award programs provides meaningful assurance.
According to Elon University's Belmont engagement office, the institution has deepened its commitments to inclusive excellence programming in recent years, with named awards and endowed recognitions serving as anchoring events in that effort. The Phillips-Perry ceremony is part of that infrastructure — not an add-on, but a cornerstone.
For DC-area readers tracking the region's power players and cultural influencers, watching which institutions build durable, named recognition programs — and which ones rely on temporary enthusiasm — remains one of the most reliable indicators of genuine institutional commitment to Black community.
Why This Matters in Washington
Washington, DC, is home to more Black political, cultural, and academic power per square mile than nearly any city in America. From the halls of the Congressional Black Caucus on the Hill to the stages of the Kennedy Center on the Potomac, Black excellence in this city is constantly being performed, negotiated, and recognized. Events like the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards at Elon matter to DC because they feed the pipeline — honoring the students, faculty, and staff who will eventually populate Capitol Hill offices, federal agencies, Dupont Circle nonprofits, and Shaw startup floors.
The DMV's Black community watches closely how universities — both regional and national — treat their Black constituents. A named, endowed award ceremony isn't just feel-good programming. It is an institutional statement about value, permanence, and respect. And in a city that has seen too many diversity commitments evaporate after a single election cycle or leadership transition, permanence matters. Follow our ongoing coverage of Black culture and power across the region through our Culture tag and the DC Power Index.
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FAQ: Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards at Elon University
What are the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards? The Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards are an annual recognition program at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina, that honors Black students, faculty, staff, and community members for outstanding leadership, scholarship, and cultural impact.
Who is eligible for the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards at Elon? Eligibility typically spans the full Elon University community, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni who have demonstrated meaningful contributions to Black student life and the broader campus community.
Why are Black excellence award ceremonies important at predominantly white universities? Research from the National Center for Education Statistics and scholars of higher education consistently shows that Black students at PWIs report lower senses of belonging. Formal recognition programs help counter that by institutionalizing visibility and affirming contribution.
How does Elon University's Black excellence programming compare to HBCU traditions? HBCUs like Howard University have built-in cultures of Black recognition and affirmation. PWIs like Elon work to replicate elements of that institutional warmth through named programs, endowed awards, and dedicated cultural events — a meaningful but distinct model.
Why do DC-area families care about Black excellence awards at schools outside the DMV? Many DMV students attend schools across the South and mid-Atlantic. DC families evaluate campus culture carefully, and named recognition programs like the Phillips-Perry Awards signal whether a school has made durable, structural commitments to Black student life.
Where can I learn more about Black academic excellence programs in the DC region? Washington DC Magazine's Howard & HBCU DC Guide is the region's most comprehensive resource on Black academic life, campus culture, and institutional excellence in and around the nation's capital.
What to Watch Next: As university diversity offices face renewed scrutiny from federal agencies and state legislatures in 2026, named award programs like the Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards at Elon will become even more significant markers of institutional commitment. Watch for announcements from Howard University, Georgetown, and George Mason on expanded Black excellence recognition programming later this academic year — and follow WDCM for full coverage as those stories develop.
The bottom line: The Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards at Elon University are more than a ceremony — they are a structural commitment to making Black achievement visible, permanent, and celebrated. For DC families, students, and cultural observers, events like these serve as essential benchmarks when measuring whether a university truly honors its Black community.
Reporting drawn from: Elon University News. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
