Submitted SAR Communications
ORLANDO, FL April 11, 2026 — Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, South Atlantic Region, demonstrated its leadership in service and scholarship during the 73rd South Atlantic Regional Conference (SARC) in Orlando, collectively raising more than $40,000 in minutes, awarding scholarships to dozens of students, and convening influential HBCU leaders for a critical dialogue on institutional sustainability.
Under the leadership of South Atlantic Regional Director The Honorable Tiffany Moore Russell, Esquire, the region delivered a powerful threefold impact: investing in students, engaging higher education leadership, and mobilizing members to support the sorority’s Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF), which is its philanthropic arm.
At the EAF Luncheon, the region invested in the next generation of scholars, awarding: 52 Carolyn G. Randolph Ivy Circle Fellowships totaling $26,000; six chapter fellowships totaling $6,000, and more than $15,000 from eight cluster and endowed awards, including named recognitions honoring Tiffany Moore Russell and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who served as the honorary co-chairman of the 73rd South Atlantic Regional Conference and was the sorority’s 11th South Atlantic Regional Director.
The luncheon also convened leaders from prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including Florida A&M University, Bethune-Cookman University, Florida Memorial University, and Tennessee State University, for a forward-looking discussion on sustainability, innovation, and growth.
Panelists addressed how institutions are strengthening financial stability, advancing academic excellence, and preserving the cultural legacy that defines HBCUs, all while positioning themselves for continued national impact.
Momentum continued during the conference’s business meeting, where members mobilized rapidly in support of EAF, raising approximately $38,000 on the floor and an additional $4,000 through an online initiative in just 10 minutes, bringing total conference fundraising to $42,000.
“This is what leadership in action looks like,” said Russell. “Our members responded with urgency and purpose. The speed and scale of our fundraising effort reflect the power of collective action. When our members are called, they respond, and the impact is immediate and lasting.”
Russell emphasized that the region’s work reflects a broader commitment aligned with Alpha Kappa Alpha’s international initiative, “Soaring to Greater Heights of Service and Sisterhood.”
“HBCUs remain essential to developing leaders who will shape our communities and our country,” she said. “By investing in students and engaging directly with institutional leadership, we are not only supporting sustainability, we are also strengthening a legacy of excellence.”
About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® (AKA) is an international service organization founded in 1908 on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American college-educated women. The sorority comprises more than 390,000 initiated members in graduate and undergraduate chapters across 15 nations and territories, including the United States, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Japan, Liberia, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, South Korea, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and West Africa. Led by International President and Chief Executive Officer Danette Anthony Reed of Dallas, Texas, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® is widely recognized as Americas premier Greek letter organization for Black women. For more information, visit www.aka1908.com.
About the South Atlantic Region
With more than 25,000 graduate and undergraduate members across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, the South Atlantic Region is the largest region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®. The region is recognized for leading impactful service initiatives, comprehensive leadership development, and strategic advocacy efforts that advance the sorority’s international mission.
