SUAF reunites Jaguars

The Southern University Alumni Federation invited alumni and friends to return to the Baton Rouge campus for its annual Alumni Homecoming Roundup Friday at Seymour Gymnasium.
This was the main event of the 2011 Southern University Alumni Homecoming Reunion Weekend.
The Roundup was the gathering of university graduates celebrating 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10 years.
Participants enjoyed access to Southern cuisine and a dance floor, enjoying performances by Zydeco singer Keith Frank and R&B group After 7.
Graduates were encouraged to return and see how much the university has changed and adapted over the years with both students and technology.
“This event allows graduates of SU to come back and not only fraternize with other graduates but also to network with students,” said Robyn Merrick, Director of Alumni in the Office of Alumni Affairs.
The Alumni federation has been a strong support system for Southern University for many years.
In February, the Southern University System launched S.O.S — Support Our Southern — Campaign.
Support Our Southern, is a general support and fundraising campaign dedicated to preserving access to education, excellence in teaching, and most importantly, ensuring the perpetuity of the Southern University System.
The action was created in response to the budget crisis, along with a proposed merger of the University of New Orleans and Southern University-New Orleans.
The proposal was defeated with a collective effort of legislative along with alumni and student support.
“Whatever we can do to help this university and ensure it’s future as a pillar in this community,” we will said Merrick.
With Southern University’s recent financial issues, it’s imperative that the alumni come together and support the institution that set the foundation for their careers and is setting the foundation for the careers of the students that currently attend it.
Merrick said “We encourage our alumni to come back and donate their time, talent, and treasure, their time meaning, to assist in certain departments that could use an extra hand or two, their talent meaning any skills that they have that could help the university students, and finally their treasure meaning their money. Anything they can give is greatly appreciated here.”
Some graduates who attended the round-up, hadn’t visited the university in years but expressed not only their concern for southern but also their inquiries on how the university can improve and overcome adversity.
James Maholmes, a 1975 graduate said, “I think that the federation has done a good job in terms of keeping in contact with the classes, but we’re going to have to come together as Southernites and just do this thing on our own.”
“We as alumni need to interact better with the undergraduates and others, the communication shouldn’t be split but together because that’s how students learn,” said Paris Bundrige, a 1986 graduate.
Jeff Moore, another 1986 graduate said, “Were going through a recession right now, and there a lot of cuts ​going on, and with some grants and loans being taken out, it has a trickle down effect on the school. “I think we need to pull together, were all a big family here at southern and we need to do whatever we can do to help things come along.
Although the night was filled with years of Sothern University history, it is clear that it is going to take a combined effort of both the past and present of Southern to help the university weather it’s current storm.