From left: ASU's Dr. Lonnie Williams of the reunion committee, Walter Howard ’61, Frederick Turner ’59, Dr. C. Calvin Smith ‘71
The Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter and the ASU Alumni Association hosted the Black Alumni Reunion Friday-Sunday, April 18-20. The weekend provided the opportunity for African-American alumni to reunite with others who shared a common experience while attending A-State.
The weekend featured activities including a golf tournament, panel discussions with students and alumni, receptions and social gatherings, a business meeting, campus overview, a cookout, Greek show, awards banquet, and a memorial and inspirational service.
Child care was available on a first-come basis upon request at time of registration. Sponsorships and scholarship opportunities were also available.
Several hundred people gathered for the awards banquet in Centennial Ballroom where Shelvy Keglar Jr. ‘92 of Indianapolis was presented with the Young Alumni Award; Dr. Cherisse Jones Branch, assistant professor of history at ASU, received the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award, and the Pioneer Award was presented to Walter Howard ’61, Ellen Strong ‘64 and Frederick Turner ’59.
The reunion committee was led by Jackie Williams Dedman '79 MSE '81 of Little Rock, president of the Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter, along with Ernestine Gibson '75 of Fayetteville and Jajuan Johnson '02 of Little Rock.
The committee featured representatives from various geographical areas and generations. They were: Angela Barber Austin '00 MPA '03 of Pine Bluff; George Cotton '80 MA '82 of St. Louis; Ronnie Dedman '78 of Little Rock; Victor Hill '83 of Jonesboro; Ivory Jenkins '99 of Jonesboro; Shelvy Keglar '70 MRC '74 of Indianapolis; Sharon Lee '80 BS '05 of Jonesboro; Tamela Tenpenny Lewis '83 of Little Rock; Marietha Neal and Anderson Neal '79, both of Texarkana; Carolyn Lee Turner '75 MRC '77 of Little Rock; Dr. Patricia Guy Walls '80 of Jonesboro; Dr. Lonnie Williams of Jonesboro, and Peggy Robinson Wright '93 MPA '96 of Jonesboro and Forrest City.
African Americans have been prominent on the A-State campus since the graduation of Walter B. Strong ‘60 and Frederick C. Turner ‘59. Today, African-Americans comprise approximately 17% of ASU's undergraduate student population.
For more information, contact Dr. Lonnie Williams at 870-972-2048, or e-mail blackreunion@astate.edu.
