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Delta State’s Alumni Association announces service award winners

By November 2, 2009General

As part of the Homecoming activities planned for Friday,Nov. 6,  Delta State University’s Alumni Association will recognize this year’s service award winners, Bob and Sylvia Ferguson of Iuka, John Polk of Magee, Dot Franklin of Cleveland, and Rob Armour of Madison.

                                                                                                                                                                                          
The Hugh Ellis Walker Alumni Service Award is named for Hugh Ellis Walker who served as the Director of the Delta State Alumni/Foundation for 24 years. Bob and Sylvia Ferguson are the recipients of the 2009 Hugh Ellis Walker Alumni Service Award. Dr. Ferguson is a 1962 graduate of Delta State where he earned his B.S.E. in Art and Physical Education and was a member of the Statesmen football team. He earned his masters and degree in 1966 and doctorate in 1979. He served as superintendent of education at Long Beach, Picayune, and Tishomingo county school systems and is currently retired. Mrs. Ferguson is a 1962 graduate of Delta State where she earned her B.S.E. in Home Economics and was a cheerleader and a Delta Belle. In 1998, Dr. Ferguson and his wife, Sylvia, founded the Tri-State Educational Foundation and has since provided $3.2 million in scholarship and grant money to support the educational needs of students from Northeast Mississippi.
 
The Gladys Castle “Friend of Delta State” Service Award is name for Gladys Castle, a 46-year employee of Delta State  who served as the first alumni secretary. John Polk is the 2009 Gladys Castle “Friend of Delta State” Service Award. A native of Columbia and a graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi, Polk is the current Chairman, of Polk’s Meat Products Inc. in Magee. He served as President, CEO, Polk’s Meat Products, Inc. from 1974-2008.  He is active in the community serving on the Magee Chamber of Commerce, Simpson County Economic Development Foundation in Mendenhall and Momentum Mississippi. Polk and his wife Jan have been married for 34 years. They have two children, Brian Polk and Julie Polk Breazeale, and two grandchildren, Barrett and Blake Breazeale. The Polk’s are members of Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.
 
The Legacy Award is presented to a Delta State alumnus who made an institutional changing contribution. Dot Franklin will be recognized as the 2009 Legacy Award for Delta State. Fifty-two years ago in the fall of 1957, Dot and Ralph Franklin came to Delta State, then Delta State College, to take command of the marching band. Dot used the opportunity to create a precision dance teamthe “Delta Belles,” who would perform with the band. The Franklins came to the college from Copiah-Lincoln Junior College at the request of Dr. James Ewing, President of Delta State College at the time. The “Delta Belles” are still very active and performs with the band in the half-time shows at football games and pep rallies.
 
The Kent Wyatt “Young Alumnus” Service Award is presented to an alumnus of 35 years of age or younger who has given outstanding service to Delta State. The award is named for former university president Dr. Kent Wyatt who served for 24 years as president of Delta State University. Rob Armour a 1995 graduate of Delta State is the recipient of the 2009 Kent Wyatt “Young Alumnus” Service Award.  Armour currently serves as the corporate Marketing Director for Trustmark Bank. He is married to the former Tamyne Couch and they have three children, Larisa, Patrick, and Nikolai. His professional development includes graduation with honors from the international School of Bank Marketing at the University of Colorado. He is a board member of the Blair E. Batson Friends of Children’s Hospital and the National Delta State Alumni Association Board of Directors, and is a past president of the Jackson Area Alumni Chapter. He also recently served on the boards of the Magnolia Speech School as well as the Greater Jackson Arts Council. Armour is an avid painter and marathon runner and will be competing in his first Boston Marathon in the spring.