Category

Alumni

Sep 19
0

Delta State Receives Two Six-Figure Gifts

By | Alumni, Foundation, General | No Comments

Delta State University received two six-figure gifts on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at the 93rd anniversary celebration of the university.


Billy Nowell ’72, mayor of the city of Cleveland, and his wife, Becky Nowell ’81, pledged $150,000 over five years for various scholarships, sports and programs. This is one of multiple gifts and pledges from years past provided by the Nowells to Delta State. In the photo, Billy Nowell speaks at the podium while his wife and Delta State President William N. LaForge ’72 listen. Photo by Gregory Braggs Jr. ’15.

The Tri State Educational Foundation presented Delta State with $150,000 to support 20 graduate students pursuing the master of education degree in elementary education.


Tri State Education Foundation Chair Dr. Bob Ferguson (left in photo), and his wife Sylvia (center, shown with LaForge), both of whom are Delta State grads, attended the festivities, along with fellow board member and Delta State graduate Sarah Ellington. Since 2008, the foundation has awarded Delta State approximately $1.5 million to the College of Education to help candidates at all levels of preparation pursue their training. Photo by Gregory Braggs Jr. ’15.

Sep 17
0

Fireside Chat – September 17, 2018 – 33rd Annual Pig Pickin’

By | Alumni, Community, Faculty/Staff, President, Students | No Comments

President LaForge is joined by Amanda Robinson, Interim Director of Alumni Affairs.

Four bands, more than 300 combined hours of breaking down film (breaking down film…what does this mean), 500 t-shirts, 1,000 Pepsi drinks, 1,000 bags of chips, and close to 700 of pounds of barbeque cooked by The Left Field Crew. That is what is in store for you this weekend at the 33rd Annual Pig Pickin’.

Barbeque, music, and football: Is there a better combination?

In other news on campus, Delta State will celebrate its 93rd Anniversary tomorrow at noon in the East lobby on the second floor of the H.L. Nowell Student Union. This event, hosted by the Dedicated Statesmen Association, is free and open to the public. Tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m., country artist Lee Ann Womack will perform at the BPAC as a stop on her “All the Trouble Tour.” To purchase tickets, visit www.bolognapac.com. And, Statesmen Park will open at 5 p.m. on Friday and at noon on Saturday as we kick off the 33rd annual Pig Pickin’.

To keep up with all of our news, events and activities, please visit our website at deltastate.edu.

Sep 12
0

33rd Annual Pig Pickin’ lineup announced

By | Alumni, Communications and Marketing, Faculty/Staff, General, Students | No Comments

Here’s the lineup for the 33rd annual Pig Pickin’ weekend.

Festivities kick off on Friday, Sept. 21 at 5 PM with Pig Pickin’ After Dark. Delta State Radio station will begin the evening. Stretta, a Nashville-based high-energy cover band, plays at 8 PM.

Kappa Sigma Fraternity will host its annual 5K Hog Run for Military Heroes at 8:30 AM on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased athttps://www.racesonline.com/events/hog-run.

Statesmen Park opens at noon; food lines begin at this time. BBQ meals can be purchased from noon to 3 PM. Buy BBQ tickets athttp://www.dsupigpickin.com/purchase-bbq-tickets/.

Beginning at 1 PM, several Delta Music Institute bands will perform, including B4Y2K, Delta Rox, and Ol’ Skool Revue. Delta State University President William N. LaForge will also share his musical talents with his band, President LaForge and the Cabinet.

The Admissions Office will present its annual DSU Day for prospective students from 1 PM to 4 PM. For more information, visithttp://www.deltastate.edu/admissions/visit-campus/events/.

The National Alumni Association is partnering with DSU intramurals on the fourth annual Cornhole Tournament at Pig Pickin’. The tournament begins at 2 PM at Statesmen Park. Register at http://www.dsupigpickin.com/events and purchase an entry fee. For questions, contact Kirk Mansell at (662) 846-4566.

At 3:15 PM, the Delta State University Marching Band, Delta State cheerleaders, and the Delta Belles dance team will lead the way for the football pre-game pep rally.

While the crowd awaits the judges’ decisions on cooking competition winners, the CE Allstars will take the stage to present a cheerleading, tumbling and gymnastics show.

Pig Pickin’ award winners will be announced at 5 p.m.

Tailgaters will prepare for the 6 PM kickoff, as the Statesmen take on North Greenville University. To purchase game tickets, visithttps://deltastatetickets.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1433&r=451e02dd0d044a96b7b73967750d54a6 or call DSU Athletics at (662) 846-4300.

For more information about the 33rd annual Pig Pickin’ weekend, check out www.dsupigpickin.com or contact the Alumni Association office at (662) 846-4709.

To stay up to date on the Alumni Association’s activities, download the Delta State Alumni app and follow these social media sites: Facebook (Statesmen Graduates), Twitter (@DSU_Alumni), LinkedIn (DSU alumni), Instagram (alumni) and You Tube (dsualumni1).

Aug 28
0

DSU Alumni Association Announces 2018 Alumni Award Recipients

By | Alumni | No Comments

The Delta State University National Alumni Association would like to announce the 2018 alumni award recipients, who will be honored during the 86th Delta State University Homecoming weekend. The award winners will be recognized on Friday, Nov. 9 at the Cleveland Country Club.

The Alumni Association will recognize the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, the Alumni Hall of Fame inductees and the Service Awards winners. More formal announcements will be released on the recipients closer to the event.

To purchase tickets, please visit http://www.deltastate.edu/student-life/dsu-homecoming/ or http://www.deltastategiving.org/alumniassociation/homecoming2018.

The Outstanding Alumnus of the Year is presented to a graduate who has made significant contributions to human or institutional programs in which a situation, an institution or a movement has been materially changed for the better due to that individual’s personal participation. This year’s recipient is Peter Woods, of Mound Bayou.

Click Here to view former Delta State Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.

Induction into the Delta State University Alumni Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the DSU Alumni Association. Established in 2007, the Alumni Hall of Fame is extended to alumni and friends who have achieved professional distinction and made significant community service contributions at the local, national and/or international level, and who have thus brought honor and distinction to Delta State. This year, three distinguished alumni, along with Woods, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame: John Marshall Alexander ’77, of Cleveland; Mike Neyman ’72, of Southaven; Dr. Brad Teague ’95, of Conway, Ark.

Click Here  to view former Alumni Hall of Fame Members.

The Hugh Ellis Walker Alumni Service Award recognizes outstanding service and contributions to Delta State by an alumnus. The 2018 recipient is Jeff Arnold ‘90, of Brandon.

Click Here to view past Hugh Ellis Walker Alumni Service Award recipients.

The Kent Wyatt “Young Alumnus” Service Award recognizes outstanding service and contributions to Delta State by a graduate 36-years-old or younger. The 2018 recipient is Jeffrey Farris ’04, of Cleveland.

Click Here to view past Kent Wyatt “Young Alumnus” Service Award recipients.

The Gladys Castle “Friend” of Delta State Service Award recognizes outstanding service and contributions to Delta State by a non-alumnus or institution. This year’s winner is the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation.

Click Here to view past Gladys Castle “Friend” of Delta State Service Award recipients.

The Legacy Award is presented to an alumnus or Delta State affiliated organization who made an institutional changing impact at the university. Th2 2018 recipient will be Lloyd Clark, of Vicksburg.

Click Here to view past Legacy Award recipients.

The Dr. Henry Outlaw Faculty/Staff Service Award was established in 2014 as a way to recognize former Delta State faculty or staff members who have had a significant influence in the life of the university and/or the National Alumni Association. Established by the National Alumni Association Board of Directors, and inspired by the Dedicated Statesmen Association, the award will be given this year to Betsy Elliott ’73.

Click Here to view past Dr. Henry Outlaw Faculty/Staff Service Award recipients.

To update your alumni information, visit www.deltastategiving.org/alumniassociation/updateyourpersonalinformation.

To stay up to date on the Alumni Association’s activities, follow these social media sites: Facebook (Statesmen Graduates), Twitter (@DSU_Alumni), LinkedIn (DSU alumni), Instagram (dsualumni) and You Tube (dsualumni1). Save the date for this year’s Pig Pickin’ (Sept. 21–22) and Homecoming (Nov. 9-10).

Aug 21
0

Barbecue Cook Teams invited to Pig Pickin’

By | Alumni | No Comments

It’s time to fire up the grill and get ready for the Delta State University National Alumni Association’s 33rd annual Pig Pickin’ slated for Sept. 21-22 at Statesman Park.

“We are excited about this year’s Pig Pickin’ which has grown exponentially every year for the past 32 years,” said Amanda Robinson, Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs. “We have 30-plus barbecue teams from across the state and beyond vying for the top spots of Grand Champion. We would love to continue having new teams sign up and are thankful to the teams who keep coming back for the chance to take it all.”

Now a member of the Memphis BBQ Network, Pig Pickin’ offers an array of categories for competition barbecue teams.

The Memphis Barbecue Network, MBN, is one of the leading sanctioning bodies of barbecue contests in the world. It is dedicated to promoting and preserving the unique Memphis-style barbecue though education, support and management. MBN officials assist event organizers in promoting, organizing and conducting the sanctioned events in accordance with MBN standards.

Among the categories is the Anything But Division, where cook teams can get creative by entering sauce, baked beans, sausage prepared any way, and of course, okra! This competition will be judged on Friday night.

Winners of the Anything But Division will receive $75 for first place plus a trophy, $50 and a plaque for second and $25 and a plaque for third in each respective category.

The Patio Division cook teams must compete in three categories to be eligible for GRAND Champion. Those categories are pulled pork, pork ribs and pork loin. First place winners will receive $125, $100 for second, $75 for third, $50 for fourth and $25 for fifth and a trophy for each category.

The Championship Division includes whole hog, pulled pork and pork ribs. Winners will receive a trophy in each category plus, $500 for first place, $400 for second, $300 for third, $200 for fourth and $100 for fifth.

Patio Grand Champions will receive $200, a trophy and a paid Patio entry in the Great Ruleville Roast.

Champion Grand Champion will receive $700 plus a trophy.

Championship teams competing in Pig Pickin’ will qualify for the Delta BBQ Battle. Teams’ highest preliminary score in the official meat categories will be combined with highest scores from Que on the Yazoo, Great Ruleville Roast and Cleveland Octoberfest/MS Delta State BBQ Championship. Winners will receive $5,000. Patio teams will compete for the Delta BBQ Battle. To be eligible, teams must compete in three of the four MBN events. The winner will receive $1,500.

For more information about this legendary barbecue competition event, contact John Paul Gates, Barbecue Chair, at stretdr@cableone.net or 662-588-9888; Amanda Robinson, at arobinson@deltastate.edu or 662-719-4709; Aimee Robinette, Pig Pickin’ Staff, at arobinette@deltastate.edu or 662-846-4712 or Elise Jenkins, MBN Official, at ejenkins@mbnbbq.com or 662-719-1675.

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