Dr. Bobby E. Leach was a man who believed in the shining potential of an individual. Serving as the first African-American Vice-President for Student Affairs at The Florida State University from 1978 to 1988, he possessed an uncanny ability to sense people's needs and to respond to them properly. While helping students, faculty, and staff, Dr. Leach created a community in which students could develop their own sense of ethics and values.

Dr. Leach played a significant role in Florida State University's history. The prosperity, happiness, and well-being of his students motivated Leach to champion a much-needed expansion of student facilities at the university. Thanks to his leadership, students now enjoy the enlarged and renovated Ross Oglesby Student Union and the recreation center named in his honor. As individuals attending Florida State University, we should all work towards continuing to fulfill his bright vision.

The Black Student Union awards the Dr. Bobby E. Leach Scholarship annually to provide one outstanding student with scholarship funds to apply towards their spring tuition. The funds raised through this campaign will go towards the scholarship award. Each applicant must be an FSU student in good academic standing and submit an essay explaining how they will incorporate the characteristics of excellence, merit, and the ability to be resilient into their life as a student and within their future career endeavors.


On behalf of The Black Student Union, the annual Bobby E. Leach Scholarship has been a continued tradition in which we honor the legacy of Dr. Leach. The recipient of the scholarship is a student who exemplifies the same dedication to excellence and the same selfless persona that Dr. Leach showed during his time at Florida State University.