Open house celebrates 65 years of SU Alumni

 
Alumni focused on memories, successes of alumni, and the improvement around Southern at Alumni Open House Thursday. 
Southern University’s Alumni gathered at the Alumni House to open up their celebration for homecoming.
Alumnus checked in and picked up registration materials during the annual Homecoming Open House.
Robin Merrick, Director of Alumni said this year was the 65^th year of the alumni.
” We were founded 1947 and we are one of the oldest alumni associations of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” Merrick said.
Dennis Brown, National Alumni President said the alumni open house event has been going on for a while.
” This event has been going on for over 30 years,” Brown said. He said it gives alumni a chance to mix and mingle as well as a proper welcome back to Southern University.
Merrick said the alumni association was recently honored as the 2012 HBCU national association of the year.
“We won 2012 HBCU National Association,” Merrick said. She said this is the second consecutive year this award has been awarded to them.
Merrick said the award was given based on criteria such as support of university, and amount of activity on campus.
“The Alumnus had overwhelming support of the system when there was a possibility of Southern University in New Orleans merging,” Merrick said.  She advocated for the system by rallying on the capital, letter writing campaigns, and a telephoning campaign.
Brown added on winning the award.
” Its about alumni as a whole making Southern University better,” Brown said. He said there is a lot more work to do to make Southern University better.
Despite winning this award two years consecutively, Brown said he is looking to increase membership and activity in the alumni association.
“We are asking more, providing more information,” Brown said.
He said he believes that full transparency on big and small issues will assist in bringing more alumni into the association.
Brown said they must tap into the potential pool of unpaid alumnus around the country to better the association.
” We need to do a better job of bringing in younger members who bring energy to take it farther,” Brown said.
Nikki G. Bannister, Southern University Mass Communication major, said more alumni should be involved.
“I feel that more Southernites should get involved and it doesn’t stop when you get the sheep skin,” Bannister said.
Bannister said she manages to help out in a myriad of ways to the association.
” I give fiscially, help in recruitment efforts, and participate in workshops,” Bannister said.
Bannister said she has seen younger members getting involved with the organization.
” The older alumni are grooming the younger generation while younger generation are showing the older alumni the changes Southern University is going through, ” said Bannister.
Brown said the membership fees and donations go into different aspects of the organization.
” It goes into scholarships, operating expenses, marketing, and recruitment,” Brown said.
The alumni open house was the opening of a long weekend of events for alumni.
The registration fee for the weekend event was $110, and for guests it was $35 not including the game tickets.
This Alumni homecoming celebration was the celebration of the classes of 1952, 1962, 1972, 1982, and 1992.