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1963 alums celebrate 50th reunion class

 

The “Nifty-Fifty Celebration” for the alumni class of 1963  that was held Oct. 31 gave them a chance to reunite for Homecoming and to socialize with each other. The event was held in the Washington-Johnson Complex.

The evening’s host were master of ceremonies Charles McIntosh and Mistress of ceremonies Betty Cook Jordan.

The occasion started with a meet-and-greet period where all the alumni gathered together and talked about old times at Grambling State University. 

A slideshow of old pictures was shown during the meet-and-greet period.

This event meant a lot to the class of 1963 and it was a chance to relieve the moments of the “Old Grambling College” for one night. 

“It feels so great to return to Grambling State University,” said McIntosh.  “It’s a rejuvenating feeling and my spirit is uplifted by my return here. The feeling is like recharging a battery, I love Grambling.”  

The celebration started with an invocation by Autrey Lane Howell followed by a greeting by McIntosh. 

“This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with each other and life is like a contact sport, said McIntosh. 

“When I need something I won’t hesitate to contact my lifelong friends and this event would not even be possible without contact.” 

Next was recognition of the special guest speakers. Jordan introduced the names of the guest speakers and kept the crowd entertained. 

“We are the class with the highest HIV rate and that Hair is vanishing,” said Jordan. 

The crowd was very entertained by Jordan and gave her a round of applause after her speech. 

Dr. Frank G Pogue was in attendance at the ceremony. Pogue gave the alumni a brief statement about the changes of the university and also plans to recover from the negative attention.

Dr. Pogue talked about the beautification process at GSU, the shape of the football team, the accreditation update and plans for the future with the new wellness center.

Many alumni were pleased to see the growth of GSU compared to 1963.

“I am happy to see how the university is doing now. I am happy to see new buildings and I am excited to see the expansion of the school. I also see students have more opportunity now than before. There are more fields to choose from than when I was here,” said Mary Rabon Ellis class of 1963.

The preparation for the 1963 alumni dinner was led by Dr. Glenda Island and her Fall 2013 Events Preparation class. 

An ice sculpture was donated with the words 50th class reunion anniversary carved on it. To show their appreciation, Island and her preparation team were honored by the class of 1963 with a certificate.