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Laurie Kingsberry, an alumna of Syracuse University’s Black Celestial Choral Ensemble (BCCE), attended a chorus reunion in 2014 and discovered the group needed funding. A year later, Kingsberry stopped at a red light in New York City, turned to her left and saw Rev. Dr. Seretta McKnight, a fellow alumna who she hadn’t seen in years.

“The man that I was with said ‘Is everything okay?’ and I said ‘I need you to roll down the window,’” Kingsberry said. “Long story short, her and I reconnected and we started The Alumni Group (TAG) BCCE endowment.”

Kingsberry and McKnight created TAG’s Legacy Lives endowment fund, ensuring future generations of BCCE a place at SU, Kingsberry said.

TAG, an alumni group that consists of past BCCE members, was formed to support BCCE, a group of student gospel singers. On Saturday, SU students and alumni gathered in Hendricks Chapel for the group’s 47-year anniversary to sing a selection of traditional and contemporary gospel music. Some of the songs included “The Winner in Me” sung by BCCE director Gabrielle Pinkney and “Rain Lord Please” performed by the entire choir.

Between each song, Kingsberry and members of the choir delivered speeches about the importance of BCCE’s history on campus.

“This is a very monumental concert for us as it celebrates the legacy of BCCE on campus and in Hendricks Chapel,” Pinkney said. “It’s really just a celebration of this year’s BCCE group as well as past generations of BCCE.”

BCCE alumni hope that in upcoming years, they can create a scholarship in addition to the Legacy Lives endowment. It would help first-generation students who are members of BCCE through college, Kingsberry said.

“We care about those young people on campus even though we are years in retirement, years from graduation, the ‘Legacy Lives,’” Kingsberry said.

For Pinkney, the Legacy Lives endowment has been instrumental. With only five members during the COVID-19 pandemic, the group managed to rebuild and expand and is now at 15 members, Pinkney said.

The current members of BCCE are a tight-knit group. The chorus provided a space for students on campus where they could feel supported, Pinkney said.

“There are not many places on this campus, I can probably count them on my hand not even using all my fingers, where I can feel comfortable, loved and in my natural element,” said Joshua Garvin, a current junior member and future director. “BCCE was the first place that felt like home.”

The chorus is expanding its reach to the Syracuse area. This year, BCCE performed at Iglesia Misionera Monte de Sion, a church 10 minutes from campus.

Being part of the Syracuse community in a tangible way has created a place for BCCE members to meet people and form relationships.

“BCCE gave me a sense of home and it also gave me community connections because we do a lot of community outreach,” Kingsberry said. “I’ve used my connections throughout my entire career, and even now, to network.”

Beyond networking, the club builds on leadership skills that are crucial to everyday life and good skills to have for potential careers in the future, Kingsberry said.

When Garvin assumes the position of director next fall, he envisions giving BCCE a larger platform to further solidify the strong sense of home the chorus creates, Garvin said.

“We just get to have a good time and sing about our passion, but also share that love with one another,” Garvin said.

For the chorus’ 50th anniversary, the group plans to invite back all 1,200 members that have ever been a part of BCCE, Kinsgberry said.

“BCCE is not just a singing group, it’s not just a religious group, it is truly a family experience,” Pinkney said. “It’s my home away from home.”

Published on April 21, 2024 at 9:28 pm