Keyana Browning, from Athens, Georgia, and Shelton Bowens, from Oglethorpe, Georgia, each received the President’s Second Mile Award at the 189th commencement ceremony for Savannah State University on December 10, 2016.  The award, which recognizes remarkable leadership on campus, in the Savannah community and beyond, is open to graduating seniors.

Browning, a political science major, served as a volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, a local nursing home and America’s Second Harvest. On campus, she served as a Tiger Ambassador, a student-led organization that gives tours to visitors.

Browning was her freshman class president and was a member of the National Council of Negro Women. Studying in the pre-law track, Browning completed an internship at the Chatham County juvenile court.

Shelton Bowens, a biology major, volunteered with numerous organizations, most notably when he cancelled plans to join an alternative spring break trip to New Orleans. He is involved on campus with Collegiate 100, pre-alumni council and SSU NAACP. Bowens also spent much of his free time as a tutor and mentor for Upward Bound, a grant-funded program geared to helping first-generation students.

Bowens represented SSU as a White House HBCU All-Star in 2015-16. Only 83 students nationwide were appointed to serve as ambassadors of the program. He plans to become a pediatrician and focus on eradicating infectious diseases.