The 2024 Black Alumni Reunion at Ole Miss, held Feb. 29 to March 3, brought more than 360 alumni back to campus for a four-day weekend packed with more than a dozen events. Though traditionally held every three years, the reunion was moved up a year due to its continued popularity and alumni interest in increasing its frequency.
“The Black Alumni Reunion is a great opportunity for our graduates to return to campus to renew old friendships, make new ones and to reconnect with their alma mater,” says Kirk Purdom (BA 93), OMAA CEO. “This reunion is always well attended and includes excellent programming. This year was no exception, as it was filled with events and activities for our returning alumni to learn, to network with fellow alumni and to celebrate excellence and achievement.”
As part of this year’s reunion, attendees were invited to a variety of events over a four-day span beginning on Thursday with the BAR Unplugged followed by a Karoke & Kickback party, both in the Stark Family Garden at The Inn at Ole Miss. Friday’s festivities included a state of the university panel discussion led by Shawnboda Mead (EdD 19), vice chancellor for Diversity and Community Engagement. Also part of the day were several school- and college-centered receptions. The evening included a Greek Stroll Off, held at the SJB Pavilion, in what has become a signature event of the reunion. The night concluded with a Dress Your Decade Party at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center. Saturday events included a Career Coachella networking program and cookout.
“Black Alumni Reunion was a wonderful event,” said Black Alumni Chapter President Alexandria White (EdD 19). “The social, academic and networking events allowed attendees to get a robust experience. The amount of support from community and campus partners made this a success.”
One of the highlights of the reunion was the Masquerade Ball and Awards Gala held on Saturday night at The Inn at Ole Miss. The Dr. Jeanette Jennings Trailblazer award was presented to John H. Hawkins III (BBA 84), the university’s first African American cheerleader, and Tyrus McCarty (MS 79, PhD 87), UM’s first African American faculty member in the School of Engineering.
Velsie Pate (BA 92, BA 05, MA 09, MA 12) received the Jackie Certion Guiding Light Award. The Wayne Johnson Community and Civic Award was presented to former Miss Mississippi Asya Danielle Branch (18). The Alumni Achievement Award recipient was Deterrian L. “D.T.” Shackelford (BA 12, MA 15, EdD 21), and the Celebrated Athletic Award was presented posthumously to Coolidge Ball (BRL 75).
BAR concluded on Sunday with an Inspiration Brunch. Featured speakers included Ole Miss Track and Field Head Coach Connie Price-Smith and former Ole Miss football player K.D. Hill (BSES 22). The Grammy-nominated University of Mississippi Gospel Choir also performed.
This year’s BAR was simply outstanding,” said Ole Miss Alumni Association President Elect Jeff Hubbard (BBA 80, JD 83). “Dr. Alexandria White and her committee teamed with the Ole Miss Alumni staff to present great speakers at a myriad of different venues in and around campus and host a lot of fun social events. But of course, like all reunions, my favorite was seeing friends that we have known–some for a number of years–and getting to know acquaintances better and meeting a ton of new friends.”
In the early 1980s Ole Miss Alumni Association Director Jim Butler (BSHPE 53, MEd 62) and then Assistant Director Brenda West (BAEd 76, MEd 77) began working to increase minority alumni involvement and engagement with the university.
To help achieve that goal, the Association created the University Affairs committee in 1984 and added a position the following year to devote attention to the area of minority recruitment and identification of black alumni.
Phyllis Thompson (BSB 80), the first to serve in that role, helped in the formation of the Black Alumni Advisory Council (BAAC), which held their first meeting in February 1987. Thompson left the university prior to the inaugural reunion held in 1988, but BAAC members played a key role in making that event a success.
Former Assistant Director Bonita Terry-Malone (BA 88) joined the staff in 1988 and worked to grow the Black Alumni Reunion as part of the Alumni Association’s strategic plan – not only to draw black alumni back to campus, but to also get them involved in and committed to influencing policy decisions, funding scholarship opportunities and networking.
By the third reunion, the number of dues-paying black alumni increased by more than 200%. Apart from bowl game events, the reunion remains the largest registered event presented and sponsored by the Alumni Association.