October 2015

Alumni help make Homecoming special

Homecoming is here again, and the feeling around campus is one of excitement. Every year, Homecoming brings parties, music, fun and games to campus. To many, it is the social highlight of the year.

This year, Homecoming has special significance because the investiture ceremony for Dr. Everett B. Ward will take place during Homecoming weekend. That will probably result in a lot more alumni showing up at Homecoming.

That brings me to the main point of this editorial. A lot of students, staff and faculty have different things that they enjoy most about Homecoming. For some it’s the parade, others really enjoy the tailgating before the football game. And, of course, the game is the highlight of the weekend for many, though for many others, the game is not all that important but they wouldn’t miss the parties.

All of those things are enjoyable, but I want to mention something that I really appreciate about Homecoming: the opportunity to meet and greet alumni. For those who have made the trip, welcome and I’m glad you’re here.

It is so encouraging to meet alumni and see that so many of you have made admirable achievements since you left here. It gives me the feeling that, if you can do it, I can do it, too, and it encourages me to work hard and continue striving for success.

Some of the alumni taking part in Homecoming are Stephen Taylor, Class of 1994, is a case manager with the Federal Bureau of Prisons; Jayven Engrid Brown, a 1991 graduate who has been an educator in the Durham Public School Systems for 25 years and was selected as Teacher of the Year in 2007; Arnica Foulkes, who graduated from SAU in 1992 with a degree in chemistry and now owns three dental practices along with her husband, Dr. Dave Foulkes, who is also a graduate of SAU; KaRonda Fleming, who is a graduate of the Class of 2004 and now works at Patheon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Greenville, N.C. as the senior quality associate in manufacturing.

There are too many others to mention. To all, I say welcome and I’m glad you’re here.

— Monica Pittman