Jordan to be honored with Ubora Award

SPRINGFIELD Denise R. Jordan has been selected to receive the 16th annual Ubora Award from the African Hall Subcommittee of the Springfield Museums. The award will be presented at a ceremony on Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Museum of Fine Arts. The presentation will be followed by a reception at the Springfield Science Museum across the Quadrangle.

The Ubora Award, which means "excellence" in Swahili, is presented to an African-American who has made a significant contribution to the Greater Springfield area.

Jordan has demonstrated her commitment to the Greater Springfield community both professionally and as a volunteer. She has served as president of the Academic Athletic Arts Achievement Association, known as 5A Football, since 1997. The organization uses sports as a vehicle to provide academic assistance, leadership development, and mentoring to more than 360 young people each year.

She also serves on the board of FutureWorks, the Martin Luther King., Jr. Charter School for Excellence, A.W.A.K.E., the Mason Square Drug Free Community Coalition, the Hampden County Youth Regional Employment Board and other community organizations. In addition, she volunteers at St. Johns Congregational Church.

Jordan is employed as a civil rights officer for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services serving western Massachusetts. She is also the chairwoman of the Springfield Election Commission and co-chair of the city's Youth Commission, and she served for two years as moderator for the City of Hope: Empowering Parents Summit which featured Bill Cosby as the keynote speaker.

Born and raised in Springfield, Jordan received her bachelor of science degree in Political Science from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and her master's degree in Human Resource Development from American International College in Springfield.

Admission to the Ubora Award ceremony is $15 per person. For information or advance reservations, call 263-6800, x325.