House Concurrent Resolution 6

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING ARIELLE CHANSYAE TIANNA HUDSON FOR BEING NAMED A 2020 RHODES SCHOLAR AND BECOMING THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI'S 27TH RHODES SCHOLAR AND ITS FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE STUDENT TO RECEIVE THE PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD.

WHEREAS, Arielle Chansyae Tianna Hudson, a senior at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), became the institution's 27th Rhodes Scholar, and its first African-American female student to be selected for the prestigious, international scholarship program, on November 23, 2019, an incredible, historical accomplishment for African-American women in Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, the Rhodes Scholarship, which began in 1902, provides an extraordinary opportunity for immaculate scholars such as Arielle to pursue the post-graduate studies of their dreams at one of the finest educational institutions in the world without the distraction of monetary woes, as the scholarship provides an all-expense paid course of study; and

WHEREAS, Arielle, only the second African-American female Mississippian to be honored with the coveted award, following Millsaps alum, Erica M. Wheeler in 2016, embodies each of the criteria established in the will of Cecil Rhodes, including intellectual distinction through academic excellence, a commitment to making a strong difference for good in the world, a concern for the welfare of others and a conscious knowledge of inequities, making her an extremely suitable and well-deserved recipient of one of the world's oldest and most celebrated international fellowships which brings 32 high-achieving students from around the globe to the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom each year; and

WHEREAS, the 22 year-old daughter of Mrs. Tammie Turner and Mr. Jerome Hudson, and one of six children who is a second-generation Ole Miss student, Arielle's educational journey began with the seeds planted at Tunica Literacy Council and Tiny Tots Day Care, watered at Robinsonville Elementary, Tunica Elementary and Dundee Elementary Schools, nurtured at Tunica Middle School, pruned during her 9th and 10th grade years at Rosa Fort High School, and matured into academic superiority at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science during her junior and senior years, to participate in the rigorous and challenging curriculum that would prepare her for such a prestigious honor as the Rhodes Scholar Fellowship before graduating in May 2016; and

WHEREAS, a Tunica native and Secondary English Education major with endorsement in history and special education, Arielle credits her academic success to the encouragement of her parents, who not only stressed the importance of succeeding in the classroom, but also the more important lessons that one receives outside the classroom; and

WHEREAS, when choosing a college, Arielle, originally planned to attend the University of California at Berkley, but as the recipient of the Bledsoe Scholarship, Academic Excellence Scholarship, Lucky Day Foundation Scholarship, and ultimately, the University of Mississippi Chapter - Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program Scholarship, she decided upon Ole Miss, which enabled her to follow in her mother's footsteps, who earned two degrees there, and birthed Arielle's vision of how she would make a difference in her home state; and

WHEREAS, Arielle's Rhodes Scholar selection is a direct reflection of her innate intellectual, personal and leadership skills, and her success on the international stage signifies the prominent role the University of Mississippi undertakes in producing strong leaders and programs; and

WHEREAS, possessing a consistent theme of service woven throughout her educational journey, in addition to her work on campus, Arielle has volunteered in schools with the Marks Project, a collaborative effort to improve educational opportunities and more in Quitman County, an experience that fostered the development of her appreciation for the need for books and reading materials in schools and homes, and which also served as the impetus of her establishing the "Literacy L.I.G.H.T.S." (Literacy Lets Individuals Gain Height to Success) program in 2017, which has helped provide more than 400 books or reading materials for classrooms and homes in Tunica, Oxford and other places; and

WHEREAS, during her time at Ole Miss, Hudson has been actively engaged in campus leadership, as: President of the Black Student Union; Chair of the Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement Committee of the Associated Student Body Senate; an Ambassador for Office of Admissions; Education Ambassador for the School of Education; former Co-Director of Freshman Year Experience; past Vice President of the Black Student Union; peer leader of the Luckyday Success Program; mentor for the Mississippi Outreach to Scholastic Talent; group leader for the APEX Leadership Summit; Orientation Leader for the Office of Admissions; and presenter for the Inclusion Team; and

WHEREAS, a Kayla Watson Trubey Humanitarian Award recipient and pageant enthusiast, Arielle, whose seven state and national pageantry repertoire include a Top 15 finish in the USA National Miss Pageant, USA National Miss Hospitality 2019, 2nd Runner-up finish in the Miss Black International Pageant and the Miss Black Tennessee United States Ambassador 2018, engages in pageantry because of the emphasis placed upon community service, like her involvement in: The Ole Miss Big Event; Ole Miss Food Bank; Memory Makers; Luckyday Campus Clean-up; Great 38 Race/YMCA; Toys for Tots; Lafayette Literacy Council; The Marks Project; Jumpstart; M-Partner Community Day; and T.O.M.B. Most Beautiful You Pageant, to name a few; and

WHEREAS, equally committed to her call to service as she is committed to success in academia, Arielle's collegiate affiliations consists of memberships in the following organizations: Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society; Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society; Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society; Sigma Alpha Lambda Honor Society; National Society for Collegiate Scholars; National Society of Leadership and Success; Golden Key International Honor Society; The Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); Ole Miss Mock Trial; Black Student Union; Associated Student Body; Omega Phi Alpha; and E.S.T.E.E.M.; and

WHEREAS, Arielle, a trailblazing inspiration and role model for young African-American women, following her graduation from Ole Miss in May, begins her post-graduate studies at Oxford University in September 2020, plans to pursue dual master's degrees in comparative social policy and comparative international education before returning to the Mississippi Delta to fulfill her five-year obligation to teach in the state as required of scholarship recipients of the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program; and

WHEREAS, Arielle's post-graduate studies at the University of Oxford will not only bring pride and glory to the City of Tunica, the University of Mississippi and the State of Mississippi, but will also remarkably honor the overwhelming inspirational sources of encouragement received from her family: parents, Tammie Turner and Jerome Hudson; siblings, Hailey, Gidarell, Kyaira, Keeyairika and Labrandon; and grandparents, Mrs. Leola Williams Turner, Mr. Andrew Jackson Lambert, Mrs. Betty Hudson and Mr. Roosevelt Hudson; in addition to honoring the legacy of her ancestors, Mrs. Mattie Hogan, Mr. Willie James Hogan, Sr., Mrs. Fannie Hogan, Mr. Robert Henry Lambert, Sr., and Emma Lambert; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and honor fine Mississippi students, such as Rhodes Scholar recipient Arielle Hudson, who has not only achieved phenomenal academic success through her hard work and dedication but has also inspired future generations of African-American women and Mississippians to strive to reach their goals and achieve greatness:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Arielle Chansyae Tianna Hudson for being named a 2020 Rhodes Scholar, making her the University of Mississippi's 27th Rhodes Scholar and its first African-American female student to receive the highly honored scholarship, and extend sincerest wishes for continued success in all of her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Arielle Chansyae Tianna Hudson and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.