Mayor receives Alumni Excellence Award

ELKHART — Mayor Rod Roberson has been named recipient of the second Alumni Excellence Award to be given out by Elkhart Community Schools.

“Tonight, I have the distinct honor to help celebrate a remarkable leader whose story is deeply intertwined with the spirit and the values of Elkhart Community Schools,” Larry Huff, superintendent of Elkhart Community Schools, said Tuesday during a school board meeting. “Mayor Rod Roberson is a shining example of how a strong foundation in education and community shape a life and impact.”

The mayor attended Roosevelt Elementary, Pierre Moran Middle School and Elkhart Central High School during his time in Elkhart Community Schools. He played basketball and football at Elkhart Central High School, where he graduated in 1977. He worked in the private and public sectors and served four terms as an at-large city councilman before he was elected in 2019 as the city’s first Black mayor.

Roberson emphasized the impact Elkhart Community Schools had on him and his family. His wife, Regina, and four children all went through Elkhart Community Schools. In addition, Regina worked at Elkhart Community Schools as an early college school counselor.

“Going on and graduating, everywhere I went I talked about Elkhart,” Roberson said. “I was in Chicago, I was in New York, I was Baltimore, I was in Kansas City, and everywhere where I was promoted to while I was at Coca-Cola, I talked about Elkhart and I knew the relationship I had from right here was the basis that allowed me to be able to say that I was qualified and that I would be able to perform at the highest level of anyone else that was there, and that was because of what I learned right here.”

Roberson said students today should be able to achieve the same success he has because of the quality of education they receive at Elkhart Community Schools. He praised the school board and staff for their hard work.

Anyone interested in nominating an Elkhart Community Schools alum for the next Alumni Excellence Award can fill out the Google form at elkhart.k12.in.us.