Fayetteville State hosts Fayetteville Observer's 2023 40 Under 40 event

Pictured: Chancellor Darrell T. Allison speaks at the Fayetteville Observer's 40 Under 40 event at FSU's Rudolph Jones Student Center on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. photo: Andrew Craft, The Fayetteville Observer

Fayetteville, N.C. – (July 19, 2023) Fayetteville State University (FSU) and The Fayetteville Observer celebrated the publication’s 40 Under 40 award winners for 2023 Tuesday evening at an event on the FSU campus. Sixteen of the honorees were connected to FSU in some way, either as alumni, faculty, staff or administrators.

More than 120 people gathered in FSU’s Rudolph Jones Student Center to honor the recipients, with Spring Lake Mayor Kia Anthony, Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner and Cumberland County Commissioner and FSU Board of Trustees Chair Glenn Adams attending as special guests.

In welcoming remarks, the Observer’s opinion editor, Myron Pitts, commended the recipients for their impact on their city.

“Having grown up in Fayetteville, I’ve heard just about every slander you can hear about Fayetteville,” he said. “I always counter with, ‘There’s a lot of great, hardworking people building a great community,’ and 40 Under 40 illustrates that.”

FSU Chancellor Darrell T. Allison, J.D. delivered the keynote speech at the event.

“It’s inspiring to see such an accomplished group of professionals and community leaders gathered here tonight,” he said. “Your service makes a huge difference in our schools, in our neighborhoods, in our businesses, in the city of Fayetteville and beyond.”

Allison challenged the award winners to channel their success into further service to the community.

“You share a deep passion and commitment to serve something or someone beyond yourselves,” he said. “Our children, our schools, our community and our city are truly counting on each and every one of you.”

The awards were presented by Pitts and Observer news director Beth Hutson.

More than 300 nominations were submitted for this year’s awards, which were determined by a panel of judges, including Pitts, Hutson, and two judges from FSU — Wesley Fountain, vice chancellor for external and military affairs, and Jefferey Womble, university ombudsman. To be eligible, nominees had to live or work in Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Moore, Robeson, Sampson or Scotland counties and be younger than 40 as of June 1, 2023.

The 40 Under 40 class of 2023 marks the 13th year that The Fayetteville Observer has celebrated young professionals excelling in their careers and giving back to their communities.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the Fayetteville Observer on July 18, 2023, and is reprinted with permission.