A special chapel service featuring singing in a multitude of languages and a tree planting highlighted the second annual Betty Goah day at Milligan on March 16, 2023. The event honored the life and impact of Betty Goah, a Milligan alumni and a beloved leader in the community.
Her efforts sparked Milligan to create the Goah Diversity Scholarship Program in her honor to help spread diversity on campus. The Goah Diversity Scholars program at Milligan recognizes full-time undergraduate students who enhance the educational experience of all students by sharing their diverse cultural experiences. This scholarship has been active for 15 years.
The event started with a special chapel service that included Goah scholarship students and a sermon from the founder and director of 4thirTEEN Ministries, T.R. Dunn. Four Goah scholars joined Milligan’s worship ministry to create a unique ensemble that glorified God, but also showed the different cultures on stage.
“After our last meeting a couple of the Goahs said it would be great to have some of them participate in the program, and the students decided to put the ensemble together,” said Director of Multicultural Engagement Gwen Ellis.
The program continued as Dunn gave a message about the unity of God’s kingdom and how everyone is a part of it, no matter the differences.
“Gunn’s message was enlightening. I learned that everyone is significant, and we all need to be included to accomplish great things together,” said freshman Goah scholar Michelle Musesengwa.
Ellis, who is the head of the Goah Program, organized the event and had high praise for Dunn.
“Having a speaker who actually knew her [Betty Goah] was a good thing. He really represented what her thoughts were about Christian service, and I thought it was really awesome to have him here to convey those messages to the students,” Ellis said.
The day continued into the afternoon with a ceremonial tree planting ceremony in honor of Betty Goah. The ceremony took place in the Mary Sword Commons where President Bill Greer and his fellow administrators joined Ellis and the Goah scholars to help continue to cement the legacy of Betty Goah. Goah students delivered a multitude of messages and helped plant the new tree in Goah’s honor. All of the Goah scholars expressed that the tree planting was a nice idea.
“My favorite part of the ceremonies was the student leaders of Goah taking the first steps into planting the tree. I think it goes to show how Goah students’ efforts can create a lasting effect, and the tree will be a representation of that.” said freshman Rebecca Rendon.
Ellis stated overall she thought the day went “very well and was a success.” She hopes that more Goah alumni return to participate in future festivities. She expressed that the vision of the Goah Diversity Scholars Program is to spread diversity throughout the campus of Milligan and to groom the scholarship recipients into servant leaders for all people.
*Note: Evan Hayes is a member of the Goah Diversity Scholars Program
Headline image from Evan Hayes