“These young women are accomplished, ambitious and stellar, and I am proud to be in their company,” Harris said.

Agostini, who was vice president of the Association of Black Harvard Women and has been active in volunteer programs, said winning the award came as a surprise.

“It felt great. It is a wonderful way to end my Harvard experience and to show that all of the work that I have done over my past years here has been appreciated and recognized,” Agostini said.

In addition to the awards presentation, the celebration also included a performance of Boyz II Men’s “Thank You” by four Harvard undergrads and one alum, a dramatic reading of Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Women Poem” and a dance selection from the Impulse Dance Company.

The evenings festivities were preceded by a series of panel discussions during the day which included a talk on images of black women in the media, the black woman’s political agenda and problems with balancing personal and professional lives.

Following the conclusion of the night’s ceremonies, the Sheraton Hotel ballroom room was transformed into a dance floor as the attendees celebrated into the early hours of the morning.

The event, which was attended by several hundred students, alums and community members, has expanded in size in past years.

“The seventh annual event was held in Lowell Lecture Hall—as you can see, we have come a long way,” Terry said.

Undergraduate Council president Matthew W. Mahan ’05 said he was most impressed with the event’s high turnout.

“What really impressed me was all of the alums that came back. I saw people I hadn’t seen since freshman year,” Mahan said.

Terry said he considered himself “lucky to have heard of these people, much less know them personally.”

“That’s what we are celebrating tonight,” Terry said. “Their vision is like a beacon of hope shining in the darkness.”