Close Menu
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
What's Hot

Douglas announces commission and committee meetings for June

June 3, 2025

SGSC launches Rodeo Club under the leadership of bull riding champion Danny Varnadore

June 3, 2025

Citizens who oppose proposed 60-house poultry farm in southern Coffee County address county commission Monday morning

June 3, 2025
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok
Trending
  • Douglas announces commission and committee meetings for June
  • SGSC launches Rodeo Club under the leadership of bull riding champion Danny Varnadore
  • Citizens who oppose proposed 60-house poultry farm in southern Coffee County address county commission Monday morning
  • Youth Council kicks off new season with inspiring orientation
  • Eight arrested in Green Acres following ‘focused patrol operation’
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok Pinterest
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Douglas NowDouglas Now
Home»Community»Becoming a gift to the world: Two SGSC students win the Diana Alexandra Grant
Community

Becoming a gift to the world: Two SGSC students win the Diana Alexandra Grant

SubmittedBy SubmittedNovember 24, 20161 Views
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Submitted Photo
Dr. Codrina Cozma (front) is pictured with (from left) Craig Reddix, Valerie Webster, and Niya Jordan.
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Copy Link

Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, Heaven Preview Foundation, Inc. awarded two $250 Diana Alexandra grants to Niya Jordan and Craig Reddix, students at the SGSC Valdosta Entry Program. The event was hosted by Dr. Codrina Cozma, SGSC Associate Professor of English and President and Founder of Heaven Preview Foundation, Inc. In attendance were Valerie Webster, Director of the SGSC Valdosta Entry Program, Wendy Butler with the VSU Centralized Advising Office, and SGSC and VSU students.

As in past years, this award ceremony not only recognized the academic performance of commendable students, but became a nurturing and inspiring platform for sharing touching stories of overcoming adversities. In addition to a high GPA and low income criteria, students were selected for this grant based on an essay in which they described how they had coped with a challenging occurrence in their lives.  Both grant winners, Niya Jordan and Craig Reddix, shared with the audience how their faith and the support of their families and communities fueled their successful recovery after traumatic events: a fire that destroyed Niya’s house and belongings and a car accident respectively that left Craig in a coma.

The audience was in tears while Niya told the story of how she had to walk barefooted during that cold December after experiencing the horror of seeing her house in flames and while Craig showed pictures of his totaled car that exploded after the accident and while he powerfully testified that the only thing that gave him strength to go on while being immobilized in bed was a verse on the ceiling of his hospital room, the only place he could gaze at in that position: “…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Dr. Cozma also shared the touching story of her sister Diana Alexandra who departed from this Earth at the tender age of 9 and whose death inspired the Cozmas to launch a charity that would help people in need.  “Diana was a sweet child,” said Dr. Cozma as she addressed the students.  “She loved the Lord, had a keen passion for foreign languages, and was inquisitive about deep theological issues. She was everything I had wanted in a sister, the light of our house. She was a gift to our family just like each of you is a gift to your families.” She further presented a nativity scene and pointed to the star that showed the magi the way to the Savior. “You see, Christ received the magi’s gifts, but He was also Himself the greatest gift to the world.” Dr. Cozma encouraged the students to acknowledge the uniqueness of gifts they were blessed with, their physical and intellectual abilities, and to also strive to use the talents they have in order to become themselves a gift to the world. “The very purpose of our system of education is for you to be successful, to become light-radiating stars in this world, which is why I chose stationery with glittering stars on it for your Diana Alexandra grant diplomas,” added Dr. Cozma radiantly.      

Dr. Cozma answered enthusiastic questions from the audience and then presented the four areas in which Heaven Preview Foundation, Inc. has been serving locally and internationally since 2011 when it became a 501(c)(3) public charity, namely education, disabilities, health awareness, and poverty.  She also mentioned plans to offer addictions counseling support in the near future.         

Ms. Webster saluted Dr. Cozma’s initiative and emphasized that empathy is commendable in a world in which nobody is exempt from calamities. “This inspiring award event shows that at this entry program we are seeking to meet our students’ needs, both educationally and financially,” stated Ms. Webster.

Heaven Preview Foundation is currently running Watching over Eden, a health awareness campaign focused on the risks of GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) for our diet, on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HeavenPreviewFoundationInc and invites everyone to follow its informative posts and engage in research and dialogue on healthy food choices.

To support the programs of Heaven Preview Foundation and find out more about its impact in the world, you may visit its website at www.heavenpreviewfoundation.org.

As a donor, you too can be a gift to the world!

Dr Codrina Cozma Heaven Preview Foundation South Georgia State College South Georgia State College VSU Entry Program Valdosta State University
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Copy Link
Douglas Now Profile Pic
Submitted

Related Posts

Douglas announces commission and committee meetings for June

June 3, 2025

SGSC launches Rodeo Club under the leadership of bull riding champion Danny Varnadore

June 3, 2025

Citizens who oppose proposed 60-house poultry farm in southern Coffee County address county commission Monday morning

June 3, 2025

Comments are closed.

Coffee Break on 106.3 The Tree!
Coffee Break Podcasts from 106.3 The Tree!
  • First Baptist Church Mission Trip
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-06-21
  • Will Moseley comes home, what happens if the State Court Judge and Sheriff are married?
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-05-15
  • Sheriff Candidates Debate
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-25
  • Robert... Superstitious!? There's no way.
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-18
  • Mid-week Edition of Coffee Break
    Source: Coffee Break Published on 2024-04-17
Top Posts

Convicted child molester allegedly gets drunk, lends truck to girlfriend, forgets and reports it stolen, then gets arrested for failure to register

February 19, 202571,401 Views

18 bodies in various states of decomposition found at funeral home during eviction process

October 27, 202464,900 Views

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

November 11, 202444,612 Views

Three dozen defendants indicted in major South Georgia drug trafficking conspiracy

January 30, 202536,636 Views
RSS Latest Headlines from Fox News
  • NFL great Carl Banks gets into social media spat with radio host over 'loser' remark toward Knicks star
  • Elon Musk takes swipe at Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' and more top headlines
  • 6 foods you should be eating for stronger bones, according to nutritionists
  • LA court orders Trevor Bauer's accuser to pay him over $300K for settlement violation
  • Tracking the trans athlete high school sports controversies shaking the nation over the last year
Follow us on Social Media!
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok Pinterest
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
© 2025 DouglasNow. All Rights Reserved.

Newell Media

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.