Grambling Mayor Edward Jones thinks he’s attended nearly all of the Grambling State University Founder’s Week community breakfasts. Jasmine Hill attended her first.
The annual Founder’s Week Fellowship Breakfast was held in the Black and Gold Room at the Favrot Student Union on Monday morning.
“I’ve been here practically every year,” said Jones, a former teacher who worked at GSU for 25 years. “This function mainly gives the university and the city the opportunity to come together, join forces and create a better environment for not only the city, but for the university as well.”
Hill, a senior accounting major from Duarte, Calif., attended the breakfast because her supervisor gave her a ticket, and she was glad to have the experience. “The breakfast is a great way for people to fellowship and start off founder’s week,” said Hill.
The annual breakfast, started in 1979, was coordinated by Janis Bluford, senior assistant to the president, and Pauline Lee, a retired dean of library services.
Attendees were served breakfast by representatives Grambling, various churches, the university faculty and staff, school board representatives and President Frank G. Pogue’s executive council.
“The most important part of the community breakfast is the community,” said Pogue, just before serving a spoonful of scrambled eggs to Jones. “It is so wonderful to see familiar faces coming together …all supporting Grambling State University and recognizing the importance of the founder of this institution.”
Grambling State University was founded by the North Louisiana Colored Agriculture Relief Association on Nov. 1, 1901 as the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School. The university’s first president and founder was Charles P. Adams, who served from 1901 until 1936.
As Athletic Director Aaron James called their names, the breakfast servers lathered on hand sanitizer and put on aprons and gloves.
Some ate before serving. Others ate after. James offered the opportunity for seconds, too.
Danny Hancock, a Lincoln Parish School Board member, attended for the first time. “It’s a wonderful thing,” he said.
“The best thing about the breakfast is that we get to see people who really care about Grambling come together,” said Eddie Allen, president of the Inter-denominational Alliance of Ministers, Inc. in Grambling.
“It is always important that Grambling continues its long tradition of connecting with the local community,” said state Rep. Patrick O. Jefferson, 44.
“Two of my children graduated from GSU and I feel very much a part of the family and I look forward to this time of the year,” said Jamie Mayo, mayor of Monroe. “I love Grambling State University and I want to support it in every way that I can.”