Former Alum Gives Massive Gift to EWC Football Program

JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- The positive momentum for the Edward Waters football program continued on Monday afternoon. Edward Waters alumna Dr. Annie B. Henry gifted the program $8,000 to ensure more success in 2018 and beyond. Dr. Henry along with her sister Gertrude, a 1962 graduate of EWC presented the football team, coaches, and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Stanley B. Cromartie with a check and some encouraging words going into the 2018 season.

A Jacksonville native born to sharecroppers during segregation, Dr. Henry earned her undergraduate degree from Edward Waters in 1964. She then earned her master's degree from Florida A&M University in 1969 before embarking on a 15 year career teaching in the U. S. Virgin Islands. She then became the first member of her family to earn a Ph. D. as she received hers in Education from Florida State University.

Henry then began a near three-decade teaching career at Bemidji State University in Minnesota where she is a Professor Emerita of Education before retiring in 2007. For her hard work and the lives she impacted as an educator, she has an endowed scholarship for African-Americans in her honor at Bemidji State where she also has a room named in her honor in the Education-Arts Building. She also has a priceless collection of more 350 African-American dolls that she has showcased at the Carrie Meek-James N. Eaton, Sr. Black Archives and Research Museum on FAMU's campus in Tallahassee.

In 2012, Dr. Henry published her memoirs entitled "The Girl From Jacksonville Who Dared To Dream, Hope, and Believe!" Dr. Henry moved back to her hometown in 2014 and after speaking with former head coach Kevin Clark and current head coach Greg Ruffin, she felt it important to give back to her alma mater.

"These are my nephews now." exclaimed Dr. Henry. "I am determined to not lose a single one of them as long as I live."

Head Coach Greg Ruffin has already stated that part of the funds will be used to help renovate the football complex and that the locker room will be named the "Dr. Annie B. Henry Football Locker Room". "To have someone of her stature come back and donate to our program is amazing." stated Coach Ruffin. "It is my hope that this inspires other alums to give back to their alma mater so that we can continue our forward trajectory."




2018 Edward Waters Football Schedule
DAY TIME VS/AT OPPONENT 

AUGUST
25 6:00 PM vs. St. Andrews University Jacksonville, Florida 
31 7:00 PM vs. Lindsey Wilson College Jacksonville, Florida 
SEPTEMBER
8 1:30 PM @ Point University Valley, Alabama
22 1:30 PM @ Cumberland University Lebanon, Tennessee
* 29 1:30 PM @ Keiser University West Palm Beach, Florida
OCTOBER
* 6 1:30 PM @ Warner University Lake Wales, Florida
* 13 4:00 PM vs. Faulkner University Jacksonville, Florida
* 20 3:00 PM vs. Ave Maria University Jacksonville, Florida 
^Homecoming 2018
* 27 7:00 PM @ Southeastern University Lakeland, Florida
NOVEMBER
3 2:00 PM @ North Carolina Central University Durham, North Carolina
* 10 4:00 PM vs. Webber International Jacksonville, Florida
% Senior Day

*Mid-South Conference Sun Division Contest

^ Homecoming 2018

% Senior Day

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