Delaware State University has announced that its 15th Annual University Scholarship Ball, originally scheduled for December 13, will now take place on January 24, 2025. The change comes as the University prepares for a potentially historic moment on the football field, with the Hornets pursuing their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship since 2007.
President Tony Allen shared the news in a statement to the DSU community, highlighting the institution’s record-breaking year of growth and achievement.
“We have had a banner year by almost every measure,” Allen said, noting DSU’s highest-ever enrollment at more than 6,700 students, 75% of first-year Delaware students attending tuition-free as Inspire Scholars, and national rankings placing the University among the Top 5 public HBCUs and Top 10 overall.
Allen also emphasized DSU’s continued progress in academics, infrastructure, and athletics — including $40 million in new academic facilities, nearly 600 students in its Early College School, and a new partnership as the exclusive educational collaborator for New York City’s first HBCU Early College Preparatory High School in Jamaica, Queens.
The University’s profile continues to rise nationally, with features on Good Morning America and ESPN’s First Take, and a recent crowd of 47,622 fans at Lincoln Financial Field for DSU’s football game against Norfolk State University.
With first-year Head Coach DeSean Jackson leading a revitalized Hornets football program, Allen expressed confidence and pride:
“Our young men and Coach Jackson have other plans, and I want them to know the University is behind them every step of the way.”
The rescheduled Scholarship Ball will celebrate DSU’s academic excellence and the students who embody its mission. Highlights will include performances by Grammy Award-winning artist Avery Sunshine and appearances by all DSU athletic coaches, including Coach Jackson. The event will be hosted by Jamila Mustafa, a 2015 DSU alumna and media personality with BET and MTV.
Among those honored will be diverse scholarship recipients — from single parents supported by the “Words Are A Powerful Force” fund to Agilent Scholars pursuing excellence in health and behavioral sciences.
Student-athlete Dean Shepherd, a junior basketball player, reflected the University’s spirit best:
“You can put a price on education, but not the care, concern, and commitment that comes from being on this campus. Whether you are on the court or in the classroom… you must give as you have been given to, lift as you climb.”
Tickets for the 2025 University Scholarship Ball are available at desu.edu/giving/scholarship-ball.
