Amanda Marcella Adkins Spirit Award

Reigh Simuzoshya ’02, ’04
Reigh Simuzoshya is the recipient of the Amanda Marcella Adkins Alumni Spirit Award, which honors alumni who have demonstrated extraordinary loyalty, commitment, and service to the Alumni Association for the betterment of the university.

A native of Zambia, Simuzoshya came to Mountain State University after applying to more than two dozen institutions in the United States. After years of seeing her native land ravaged by disease, violence, intolerance, and lack of governmental support, she decided to bring her family to America where she could pursue her passion—the people of Zambia.

She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in health care administration in 2002 and a Master of Science degree in Strategic Leadership degree in 2004. After graduating, she served as president of the Alumni Association. Fueled by her enthusiasm for MSU, Simuzoshya played a key role in the successful reorganization of the Alumni Advisory Council.

Simuzoshya has served as director of Errands of Mercy, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the North American Council on Adoptable Children, that helps to bring adoptive children together with adoptive parents. She and her husband, Samuel, are members of the Beckley Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Simuzoshya feels that because she is African, she has a different view of success. To her, success is not an accumulation of wealth, but is measured in how many people she can help. She and her husband are currently helping to put several children in Africa through school. Her goal is to join the World Health Organization when she completes her Ph.D. in epidemiology at Walden University. She believes she has something to offer the world and understands that advanced education will widen her circle of influence. She wants to be able to appeal to the international community concerning the basic needs of her people in Africa.