Greetingsfromyouralmamater!Ihopeyouare

makingplanstobewithusatDeltaStateforanexciting

2011HomecomingweekendNovember4–6.

Homecomingisatimetoseeoldfriendsand

classmatesandreminisceaboutthememorable

experiencesofourtimeasstudentsoncampus.Ihope

youwillreturntoDSUtosharestoriesandreconnect

withyouralmamater.

Asyoucansee,thispublicationisfullofinformation

aboutHomecomingweekend.Iespeciallyhopeyouwill

takethetimetoreadaboutthisyear’sawardrecipients.

Theyareatrulydeservinggroupofhonoreesandwill

beofficiallyrecognizedattheAlumniAwardsandGala

DinneronFridayeveningofHomecoming.Onbehalfof

theDSUAlumniAssociation,Iwanttocongratulateall

ofourawardrecipientsandhalloffameinductees—you

havedistinguishedyourselvesandthisuniversity,andwe

areproudofyou!

ThisspecialHomecomingpreviewpublicationisnewtotheeffortsoftheAlumniAssociation.

WehavechangedtheprintingscheduleofourDeltaStateUniversityAlumni&Foundationmagazine,

whichwillnowbepublishedinthewinterandsummer.Thischangehasallowedustoproduce

anewfeaturepublicationdedicatedtoHomecomingwhichwillhopefullyenticeyoutoreturn

hometoDeltaState.

PreparingforanexcitingHomecomingisjustoneofthemanyongoingactivitiesofyourAlumni

Association.IhopeyouwillcontinuetoparticipateinthelifeofourorganizationandsupportDelta

Statethroughourchaptermeetings,alumnimembership,scholarshipsandaffinityprograms.Ofvital

interesttomeisthereferralofpotentialstudentstoattendDeltaState.Thisuniversityisspecialtoall

ofus,andIhopeyouwilltakethetimetoletprospectivecollegestudentsknowwhatDSUmeansto

you.

Excellentthingsarehappeningatyouralmamater,andHomecomingisaterrificopportunityto

renewyourrelationshipwithDeltaState.Ihopeyouwilljoinus.

Allmybest,

GeorgeBassi’87

Studies show that good universities have strong alumni associations! Youralumniduesallowthealumniassociationtobeabletoprovidebetterservicestoour

studentsandalumni.Pleaseconsiderjoiningorrenewingyourmembershiptoday!

L E T T E R F R O M a L u M n i a s s O c i a T i O n p R E s i d E n T

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Homecoming Preview

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr . John HilpertExecutive Director, Alumni-Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . .Keith FulcherAdministrative Assistant, Alumni-Foundation . . . . . . . Sharon KruglerDirector of Donor Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann GigerDirector of Alumni Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeffrey FarrisAssistant Alumni Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liza VaughnDevelopment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr . Gary BouseCampaign Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marilyn JohnsonDirector of Annual Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Missy PearceDirector of Advancement Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dameon ShawChief Financial Officer, Alumni-Foundation . . . . . . . . . Deborah CoxBookkeeper, Alumni-Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miriam HartAlumni & Foundation Graduate Assistant . . . . . . . . Brittany Herndon

Board of DirectorsDelta State University Alumni Association:George Bassi, President; Richard Myers, President Elect; Serena Clark, Secretary/Treasurer; John Cox, Past President; Mike Neyman, Foundation President; Lana Aguzzi, Rob Armour, Johnny Arnold, Patrick Davis, Amanda Fontaine, Sayward Fortner, Emily Hearn, Lylla Joe, Chrissy LaMastus, Felecia Lee, George Miller, David Parker, Jeremy Pittman, Ron Selby, Chris Shivers, Lauren St . Columbia, Karen Swain, Walter Trevathan, Lynn Weaver .

Board of DirectorsDelta State University Foundation, Inc:Mike Neyman, President; Anne Weissinger, Vice President; Tim Harvey, Secretary/Treasurer; Judson Thigpen, Past President; George Bassi, Alumni President; David Abney, Dr . Bill Alford, Louis Baioni, Anita Bologna, Ike Brunetti, Hunter Cade, Jeff Ross Capwell, John Crawford, Rex DeLoach, Keith Derbes, Dr . Anna Looney Dill, Hank Drake, Webster Franklin, Bryce Griffis, Laird Hamberlin, Earnest Hart, Tim Harvey, Tom Janoush, Peter Jernberg, Gloria Johnson, Ed Kossman Jr ., Rex Lyon, Ned Mitchell, Billy Nowell, Carol Puckett, Randy Randall, Nan Sanders, Deanie Stein, Jeff Tarver, Sam Waggoner, Brian Waldrop, Margaret Walker, Alan Walters, Dr . David Weber, Dr . Bennie Wright, Dr . Lynn Varner .

The Alumni & Foundation Homecoming Previewis published by the Delta State University Alumni & Foundation

DSU Box 3104, 1003 West Sunflower RoadCleveland, MS 38733

E-Mail: alumnimagazine@deltastate .eduPhone: 662 .846 .4660

Art and Layout by Mothlite Mediamothlitemedia .com

Special Thanks to our Delta StateAlumni Association Corporate Sponsors

STATESMEN LEVEL

OKRA LEVEL

Cleveland Medical Clinic, PLLC and Wright Surgical Services

Patrick Davis

RallyingCry

NancyDisharoonLoomewasveryshywhensheenteredDelta

Stateasafreshman.Eventhesupportofherfoursisterswho

attendedtheuniversitydidn’thelpmuchinitially.Yetwiththe

guidanceofspeechprofessorsandtheexperienceofpresiding

overtheuniversity’sPhiMuchapterandmodelingforthe

school,sheovercameherfearofpublicspeakingandnow

leadsastatewidepubliceducationadvocacygroup.

Nancy Disharoon Loome, a Voice for Mississippi Public Education

ByL

ynne

Jet

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PHOTOBYMOTHLITEMEDIA

AL

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“AsIlearnedmoreabouttheplightof

publiceducationinMississippi,itsaddened

megreatlythatthisstateIlove,intheheartof

theBibleBelt,hadseeminglychosentoturn

itsbackonourchildren,”saidLoome,Delta

State’s2011OutstandingAlumnusoftheYear.

“Ilovethisstate,andIloveherpeople,andI

refusetobelievethatwewouldintentionally

shackleourchildrenwithaninferioreducation

andknowinglyandwillinglysendthemintothe

worldatacompetitivedisadvantage.Todoso

wouldbeimmoral.Butintentionallyornot,in

toomanycases,it’sexactlywhatwe’redoing.

Ibelieveinmycorethat,asadultslivingina

democracy,wehaveamoralobligationtosee

thatallofGod’schildrenhaveanopportunityto

meettheirtruepotentialandbecomeproductive

adults.It’sthatconvictionthatfuelsmypassion

forthiswork.”

Loomegrewuponacottonandcattlefarm

inPortGibson,thesecondoffourdaughters

borntoBenDisharoon,whoworkedforthe

statewelfaredepartment,andSusan,astay-

at-homemom.Thegirlswereactiveinyouth

activitiesatSt.James’EpiscopalChurchand

“werealwaysunderthewatchfuleyesofour

small-townfamilyandfriends,”sherecalled.

“Likemostfamilies,myfamilyfaced

challengesthroughoutmyyouth,andmy

parentstaughtmetofindsolaceandstrength

inmyrelationshipwithGod,”saidLoome.

“Mymothermodeledthatparticularlywell.

Herfaithsustainedherandbecameincreasingly

importanttoherasshelovinglycaredformy

father,whosufferedfrommultiplesclerosis.”

AsLoomeandherhusband,Jim,started

theirfamily,theywereadamantabout

educatingtheirchildreninpublicschools.We

wantedthemtobeequippedtofunctionwell

inandtocontributeinproductivewaystothe

wonderfullydiverseworldinwhichwelive,”

shesaid.

Whentheirtwindaughters,SusieandJenny,

now15,enteredkindergarten,thestay-at-home

mombecameaclassroomvolunteer,alsofor

theirsonJack,now10.

“Thatvolunteerism,andtheresulting

relationshipswithpreciouschildrenofevery

backgroundandability,drovemydesiretosee

thatallMississippichildrenhadaccesstoahigh-

qualitypubliceducation,”shesaid.“Butthereal

clinchercameinthespringof2004.”

Loomehadbeenfollowingnewsreports

aboutwhatinhermindwasarathercurious

debateaboutwhetherstatelawmakersshould

adequatelyfundMississippipublicschools.

“Oursisastatethatlagsvirtuallyallothers

inper-pupilfunding...thathasstruggled

economicallyduelargelytoanunder-educated

populace,”shepointedout.“Oursisastate

thatleadsallothersinpoverty,infantmortality,

andmyriadothershamefulratingsthatcan

bedirectlylinkedtoafailuretoeducateour

peopleproperly.Andyetourstateleaderswere

debatingwhethertoprovidetheresources

necessarytoachievemid-levelaccreditation

standards?Ihadalottolearnaboutpolitics.”

Duringthatdebate,Loomeattendedan

educationrallyandpressconferenceatthe

statecapitolconcerningHouseBill1279,which

calledforthefullfundingoftheMississippi

AdequateEducationProgram,theformula

thatdeterminestheper-pupilcosttoprovide

anadequateeducationinMississippi.Before

leaving,shelearnedhowtochecklegislators’

votes.Sheassumedthatstatelawmakers,who

representcommunitiesthatstronglysupport

publiceducation,wouldfavoradequate

educationfunding.

“Thatwasabadassumption,”shesaid.

“Whenwecheckedthedocketreport,my

friendandIwerestunnedtofindthatoneof

ourlegislatorshadopposedHouseBill1279!

WegotoutourPTAlistsandbeganmaking

phonecalls,tellingourfriendsaboutthevote.

Afewdayslater,thelegislatorgavemeacall.

Thenexttimeabillwasintroducedthatcalled

foradequateeducationfunding,hevotedin

favorofit.Thatwasalightbulbmomentfor

me.Ithought,ifwejustletpeopleknowhow

theirlegislatorsarevotingandgetconstituents

involvedinconversationswiththeirlegislators,

wemightbeabletoturnthisaround.’”

Overthenextfewmonths,Loomepieced

togetherasmallemailnetworkofeducation

supporters.Thefollowingyear,shejoined

a L u M n u s O F T h E y E a R

forceswiththeCoalitionforChildrenandPublic

Educationandtookthenetworkstatewide.In

thespringof2006,shewasofferedfunding

toestablishwhatwouldbecomeTheParents’

Campaign,anonpartisan,nonprofitnetwork

ofMississippianscommittedtoimprovingpublic

schools,establishedontheprinciplethatawell-

educatedcitizenrywillresultinanimproved

qualityoflifeforallMississippians.

“Thismovewouldallowustobroaden

ourfocustoincludeschoolreforminitiatives:

standardsandaccountabilityandearly

childhoodeducation,”sheexplained.“A

cursoryglancearoundourstaterevealsthe

obviouseconomicandquality-of-lifebenefits

enjoyedbycommunitiesthatsupportand

havehighexpectationsfortheirpublic

schools.Mississippicitiesthathaveconsistently

supportedpublicschoolsarethriving.The

communitiesinwhichthemiddleandupper

classeshaveabandonedtheirpublicschools

arestruggling.”

TheParents’Campaignservesasan

intermediarybetweencitizensandelected

officials,distillingcomplicatedlegislation

andpolicyintolaypeople’slanguageand

makingiteasierforbusyparentstoinfluence

thelegislationthataffectstheirchildren’s

educations.

“I’vehadthetremendousprivilegeof

workingwithlegislatorsandpolicymakers

tocraftlegislationthatwillmoveustoward

excellentpublicschools,”shesaid.“The

relationshipsI’veformedwithparents,

educators,legislatorsandcommunityleaders

haveconfirmedmybeliefthatthepeopleand

theleadersofthisgoodstatewantwhatis

bestforourchildren.Theirinvolvementinthe

conversationsurroundingpubliceducationcan,

andIbelievewill,reversethecourseofourstate

andsetusonapathtowardprosperity.”

Awayfromtheoffice,theLoomesstay

onthego—toSusie’stennismatchesor

vocalperformances,Jenny’sTaeKwonDoor

academiccompetitions,Jack’svariedsporting

events,ClintonArrowsfootballgamesand

get-togetherswithextendedfamily,which

includes21firstcousins!

“Whenthekidswerelittle,westarteda

traditionoffamilysleepovers,”saidLoome.

“We’dpileontomattressesinfrontofthe

television,orderpizza,poppopcorn,watch

amovieandtellstories.Westillseekout

opportunitiestojusthangoutortaketrips

together,andourhouseisoftenfilledwith

teenagersorpre-teens.Ourlivesoutsideof

workatthispointareprettymuchcentered

onourchildren,butthereisn’tmuchthatJim

andIwouldchangeaboutthehappychaos

thatisourlives.”

“Thatvolunteerism,andtheresulting

relationshipswithpreciouschildrenofevery

backgroundandability,drovemydesireto

seethatallMississippichildrenhadaccess

toahigh-qualitypubliceducation”

NaNcy Loome1983 InductionintotheDeltaState

UniversityAlumniHallofFame

isthehighesthonorbestowed

uponanindividualbytheDSU

AlumniAssociation.Nancy

Loomereceivedamarketing

degreefromDeltaStatein

1983andamaster’sdegree

incounselingin1987.She

directeduniversitycareer

centers,firstatDeltaState

andlateratMissouriSouthern

StateUniversity.Nancy

currentlyservesasexecutive

directorforTheParents’

Campaign,anonpartisan

publiceducationadvocacy

group.MarriedtoJimLoome,

shehastwindaughters,Susie

andJenny,andason,Jack.

SheresidesinClinton.

HugH eLLis WaLker sr 1952HughEllisWalkerSr.,anative

ofDrew,graduatedfrom

DeltaStatein1952.

In1969,hejoinedDeltaState

asalumnisecretary,servingin

thatpostuntil1987whenhe

wasnamedexecutivedirector

ofthealumni-foundation.

TheHughEllisWalker

Alumni-FoundationHouse

wasdedicatedinhishonor

in1996.MarriedtoEloise

StrattonWalker(’50)for60

years,theWalkershavetwo

children,HughEllisWalkerJr.

andSheriLynnWalkerWright,

fivegrandchildrenandtwo

great-grandchildren.The

WalkersresideinCleveland

wheretheyattendtheFirst

BaptistChurch.

Dr. roNaLD cHaNce1970AnativeofComo,Ronald

R.Chance,PhD,received

hisundergraduatedegree

in1970fromDeltaState

andearnedadoctoral

degreeinphysicalchemistry

fromDartmouthCollegein

1974.Hedivideshistime

betweenAlgenolBiofuelsas

executivevicepresidentof

engineeringandtheGeorgia

InstituteofTechnologyas

associatedirectorofthe

StrategicEnergyInstitute.

Chanceandhiswife,Judy,

havetwogrownchildren,

KrisandRick,andfour

grandchildren—Jake,Will,

TreyandJackson.Heandhis

wiferesideinNaples,Florida.

AwardRecipients

Hall of fame award

For more detailed information on the 2011 DSU Alumni Association Awards Recipients visit www.deltastate.edu/pages/3679.asp

JaNice ToLberT PHiLLiPs 1978AnativeofColdwater,JaniceearnedaneducationdegreefromDelta

Statein1978.ShejoinedtheU.S.PostalServiceinJacksonnearly29

yearsagowheresheisacustomerserviceassistantandcertifiedU.S.

passportprocessor.Janiceisanavidvolunteeralumnirecruiterand

fundraiserfortheDeltaStateUniversityAlumniAssociation.Sheand

herhusband,Ralf,of33yearsonNov.8,resideinMadison,where

theyaremembersoftheMorningStarBaptistChurch.ThePhillips

havetwochildren,NuenzoPhillipsandMelissaPhillipsWilliams,and

a4-year-oldgranddaughter,CaleighPhillips,ofGreenwood.

Hu

gH

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sereNa rasberry cLark 1997AnativeofKosciuskoandCantonAcademygraduateof1993,Serena

earnedanEnglishdegreefromDeltaStatein1997.SheholdsaMaster

ofLiberalStudiesdegreefromMillsapsCollegeandin2004received

ajurisprudencedegreefromMississippiCollegeSchoolofLaw.Inthe

fallof2010shejoinedMississippiCollegeSchoolofLawasanadjunct

professorforfederalandstateadministrativelawandpractice,and

sheestablishedAvantGardeStrategiesLLC,agovernmentrelations

consultingfirm.ClarkeisalifememberoftheJuniorAuxiliaryMadison-

RidgelandChapterandmemberoftheNationalAlumniAssociation

BoardofDirectors.Shehasthreechildren—Carter,CooperandChaney.

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Joe aguzzi sr. FrieNDIn1907,theAguzzifamilymovedtoBolivarCounty,16yearsbefore

DeltaStatewasestablished.AsPresidentofAguzziFarmsinCleveland,

JoeAguzziisextremelyactiveintheClevelandcommunity.Hehas

beenintegrallyinvolvedwiththeFarmBureau,RiceCouncil,Knights

ofColumbusandOurLadyofVictoriesCatholicChurch.Hehasserved

ontheBoardofDirectorsfortheBolivarMedicalCenterFoundation,

Cleveland/BolivarCountyChamberofCommerce,DeltaCouncil

andtheDeltaStateUniversityFoundation.Joeandhiswifeof64years,

Margaret,havesevenchildren,15grandchildrenandninegreat-

grandchildren.

gla

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elta

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Dr WiLLiam ross sTory 1978AClevelandnative,WilliamStory,EdD,earnedanundergraduate

degreeinagriculturaleducationfromAlcornStateUniversity.He

receivedhismasterofeducationinguidancecounselingin1971and

aneducationalspecialistdegreein1974,bothfromDeltaState.In

1981,heearnedadoctorofeducationincounseloreducationfrom

MississippiStateUniversity.Dr.KentWyatt,formerPresidentofDelta

State,appointedhimDeanofContinuingEducation.Storyismarried

totheformerKatherineMiller,andtheyhavethreechildren—Krishna

RochelleMurriel,KimberlyStoryManningandWilliamRossStoryII—

andthreegrandchildren—Donovan,KelsiandTrey.

leg

ac

y a

wa

rd

In1961,JohnKennedywas

intheWhiteHouse,Alan

Shepardbecamethefirst

Americaninspace,andDelta

Statewasinits36thyear

ofexistence.The1961class

celebrateditsgraduationand

enteredthe“realworld.”

Special Honor for Graduates of 50 Years or More

GoldenCircleByM

ark

HS

tow

ers

PHOTOBYMOTHLITEMEDIA

Fiftyyearslaterthatsameclasswillbe

backoncampusforHomecomingandwillbe

celebratedandinductedintotheuniversity’s

prestigiousGoldenCircle.Thehonoris

bestoweduponeachclassthatcelebratesits

50thYear.ThisyeartheGoldenCirclewill

continuetogrowwhenthefeaturedclassis

inductedinaceremonyonNovember4during

theAlumniAwardsandGalaDinnerheldat

WalterSillersColiseum.

Dr.HenryOutlaw,retiredDSUChairofthe

DepartmentofPhysicalSciencesandprofessor

ofChemistry,wasamemberofthe1961class

andwillbeinductedtotheGoldenCirclethis

Homecomingweekend.

“Iamgratefultoberecognizedasanew

memberoftheGoldenCircle.Itisahuge

honor,”hesaid.

Newlyinductedmembersreceiveagold

medallionwhichtheywearduringvisitsto

campustoshowstudents,faculty,staffandthe

Clevelandcommunity.EachyeartheGolden

Circlemembersareencouragedtocomebackto

Homecomingwiththeirmedallionstocontinue

honoringnewmembers.

“ThisisthesecondyearthattheGolden

Circleandthefeaturedclasshavebeen

combinedwiththeAlumniServiceAwards

recipientstoberecognizedattheGalaDinner

atWalterSillersColiseum,”explainedDr.Johnny

Arnold,currentpresidentoftheGoldenCircle.

AsamemberoftheClassof1958,Arnoldhas

enjoyedtherecognitionoftheGoldenCircle.

“I’mproudtobeapartoftheGolden

Circleandtoseeoldclassmatesandfriends,

andIencourageallfuturefeaturedclassesto

participateinyearstocome,”Arnoldsaid.

AsaClevelandresident,Arnoldlooks

forwardtohearingfromGoldenCirclemembers

andinducteestogettheirviewsonthecampus

andsurroundingarea.

DuringArnold’sundergradyears,“Delta

Statehadabout400students,andnowthey’re

uparound4,000.”

TheGoldenCirclehasalsobeen

instrumentalinprovidingfundingforthe

VeteransAtriuminJobeHall.Dr.James

Robinson,DSUhistoryprofessorandclassof

1968graduate,organizedtheatriumtohonor

thoseassociatedwithDeltaState(alumni,

faculty,staffandstudents)whohaveserved

thecountryinmilitaryservice.Alongwitha

fountain,thememorialincludesabronzetree

honoringDeltaStateveteransandotherswho

meettherequirementstohavetheirnames

added.Plaquesinsidethefoyerincludethe

namesofveteranslistedonthetree’sleaves,

andanewbookcasehasbeenaddedtoinclude

servicerecordsforthehonoredveterans.

“TheVeteransAtriumhasgrownbyleaps

andbounds,”saidVickiFioranelli,Director

EmeritusofAlumniAffairs.“TheAlumniOffice

isdailytryingtouncovermoreofthosewho

haveservedourcountry.”

To find out how you can donate to the Veterans Atrium, call 662-846-4660 or visit www.deltastate.edu/alumni.

Delta State UniversityAlma MaterW

ORD

S AN

D M

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BY R

UTH

FIS

HER

Delta State is reaching new heights

Show your school pride by helping recruit future Statesmen and Lady Statesmen.

There are several ways alumni can help recruit and you don’t even have to jump out of a plane to do it . Try staffing a college fair in your community, submit names and addresses of the college bound students in your family to deltastate.edu/studentreferral, and promote Delta State in all your travels .

For more information contact the Office of Admissions. 1.800.GO.TO.DSU deltastate.edu

Our Outdoor Recreation program is the first Mississippi university and only the second university in the nation to offer college credit for skydiving .

DSU Box 31041003 West Sunflower RoadCleveland, MS 38733www.deltastate.edu

In an effort to reduce our environmental impact, only one magazine per household is mailed.

PURCHASE YOUR DSU ALUMNI CAR TAG TODAYContact alumni@deltastate.edu or call 662.846.4660