-
Overview
The Camille Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Stepshow was established to honor the dreams and aspirations of Ms. Camille Yvette Armstrong. In 1986, only a few weeks prior to graduation, Camille was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident. As an outstanding student leader involved in multiple organizations, her death affected the entire UAB community. She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., served as a UAB Ambassador, and was best described as "a hardworking, dedicated student." To preserve the memory of her dedicated service and love for UAB, a scholarship was established in her honor and is presented each year in her name. Student leaders work dutifully to recruit the best NPHC step teams from the southeastern region of the US, and the event continues to be one of the largest step shows in the state of Alabama. All proceeds fund the scholarship founded in her honor as well as the Camille Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Step Show for the upcoming year, in order to continue to bring awareness to and promotion of the scholarship.
What?
The 31st Annual Camille Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Step Show
When?
February 24, 2024
Where?
Jemison Concert Hall in the Alys Stephens Center
By Who?
The Black Student Awareness Committee
2022 Show Organizers
Krista McDonald
Aziah Seals
Audience
Each year the show draws over 1200 people cheering and applauding for their favorite NPHC Greek letter organization or step teams. This year promises to be even better with original performances from the entire Divine Nine, representing universities across the Southeast! The Camille Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Step Show benefits UAB students, members of the Birmingham community, as well as students from different areas of the state of Alabama. In past years, roughly 80% of the audience has been comprised of college students, with over half of those students being Greek affiliated. The remaining 20% is made up of UAB Alumni, National Pan-Hellenic Council Alumni, and many members of the Birmingham community.
Overall Benefits
The scholarship fund in honor of the life of Ms. Camille Yvette Armstrong was started a year after her passing in 1987. In 1992, the scholarship became endowed and has since been used to benefit deserving undergraduate African American students at UAB majoring in political science with career aspirations in law. In 1990, the first step show was held in Bell Theatre to honor her and to help support the scholarship fund. This step show serves as a reminder for all UAB students to remember Camille’s life and use her leadership as an example and inspiration to impact their communities the way Camille did.
At the creation of the Camille Stepshow, the money raised from the show had been enough to keep the scholarship available for students. In recent years, the Camille Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Step Show has become a financial burden due to the decreasing established funding and lack of sponsorship support. April 2022 will mark the 31st anniversary of the Camille Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Step Show. With your financial assistance, you can be one of the very important and necessary avenues that will be credited for keeping this scholarship and show available for our students.
About Camille Yvette Armstrong
Camille Yvette Armstrong was best described by friends and family as a leader, role model and friend to all. Growing up in Selma, Camille was active in school and community activities and even won the title of Miss Selma High School. After high school, Camille enrolled at Morris Brown College in Atlanta. After one year, she decided to leave Morris Brown and enroll at Wallace State Community College.
It was during this time that she began to talk more about her future plans to become a lawyer. Soon after, she decided to move to Birmingham and transfer to UAB.
Camille found her pace at UAB and it didn't take long for her to make her presence known on the campus. Camille was well loved and respected on campus. As a leader, she was active in the NAACP, UAB Ambassadors and served the campus and community as a member of the Iota Lambda Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Majoring in political science, Camille also volunteered her time to work on the Fob James gubernatorial campaign.
In 1986, just months before her graduation, Camille was killed in a motor vehicle accident. The campus and community struggled to deal with the loss of a leader.
In 1987, friends of Camille joined together to establish the Camille Yvette Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Fund. In 1992, the scholarship was endowed. In 1990, the Black Student Awareness Committee organized the first Camille Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Step Show. Profits from the step show are deposited into the scholarship fund.
