Blue Ridge Mountains Council, Boy Scouts of America will present their annual Whitney M. Young award celebration Thursday, June 20, 2024.
The annual event will be held at the Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Blvd, Salem, VA. The festivities will begin with a reception at 6:00pm, dinner at 7:00pm and presentation of the award at 7:45 pm.
This year’s award recipient is James “JP” Pennix, vice president for enrollment management at Roanoke College, Salem, VA.
As an educator, administrator, consultant and an all-round education enthusiast Pennix has a resume that reads like a novel having held a number of positions at various colleges and universities throughout his illustrious career.
He joined the US Naval Reserve in 1986. His extensive career in education began in 1993 upon his release – honored with the National Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon for exemplary performance re: Operation Desert Shield/Storm (1991).
After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (BS), from Roanoke College, Pennix earned his Masters of Social Work (MSW) at Radford University and is presently pursuing his Doctorate of Education (EDD) at Walden University, MN.
Pennix is a seasoned leader and an activist who has spearheaded a multitude of educational conferences pertaining to college enrollment for youth, financial aid, diversity, counseling, multiculturalism, et.al.
Prior to his position at Roanoke College he was Senior Associate Director for Recruitment, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA from 2021 to 2023 and briefly served as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC from April 2021 to August 2021.
As a consultant, Pennix served as Regional Director for VA, NC and WV (Sept 2020 – April 2021) ACT•NRCCUA, Lee’s Summit, MO whereby he conducted discovery sessions with member institutions to determine effective marketing services that helped to identify opportunities to overcome challenges in current markets.
In addition to the many positions held as an administrator and consultant, Pennix also served as assistant varsity men’s basketball coach at Roanoke College from 1998-2001 and again from 2020-2023 whereby he recruited, advised and counseled student-athletes academically and through their personal concerns as well.
It is with great pride that the Boy Scouts salute such an accomplished honoree as James Pennix as this year’s Whitney M. Young award recipient.
Whitney Young was an educator and civil rights leader who launched a drive for equal opportunity in industry and government during his ten years as head of the National Urban League.
In 2023, the Scoutreach program served over 220 youth in the Roanoke Valley. This program is funded through the efforts of the Blue Ridge Mountains Council. Scouting is the World leader in developing leadership skills for youth.
