Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter holds membership phonathon

March 4, 2009 -- The Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter (STAC), a chapter of the Arkansas State University Alumni Association focusing on African-American alumni and friends of the university, is conducting a membership phonathon through March 9 to encourage membership in the chapter.

More than 25 volunteers will be making calls from ASU's Cooper Alumni Center in the late afternoon and early evening to current and potential members of the Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter. The volunteers hope to encourage people to join the chapter or renew their membership. ASU faculty member Dr. Patricia Guy-Walls explained why she is volunteering her time, saying, "It's an excellent way to strengthen membership and encourage alumni to come back and share the exciting things that are happening at ASU. By increasing our membership, it's an opportunity to provide more scholarships and help young people further their education at ASU." Fellow faculty member Peggy Robinson Wright added, "I think it's important for us to give back. ASU provided us with an education, with friendships and with job opportunities. The phonathon gives us the chance to let alumni know what's going on other than the big events of the year such as Homecoming, the Honors ceremony, and our annual Soul Food dinner."

Ruby Henderson, a Jonesboro realtor, says, "I volunteered because I think it is a worthwhile cause, and it's great to take an active role in the phonathon to get alumni involved."  ASU staffer Billie Jean Hill, who organized the membership phonathon, cited
 

one more important reason for the project, saying, "Along with being a worthwhile thing to do, it's also fun! I love being able to get together with friends to accomplish our goals and increase membership. We can also increase support for events that we sponsor such as the 3.0 Club, the Linual Cameron scholarship, and the Gussie Turner Scholarship, and hopefully expand to doing high school programs and potluck events for fellowship and fun."   

The Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter was formed at Arkansas State University in 1982 to meet the needs of African-American alumni. The chapter is named after Walter Strong and Frederick Turner, the first African-American graduates of A-State. The late Mr. Strong graduated with a degree in chemistry in 1959 and also received a masters degree in education from ASU in 1971. Lt. Col. Turner was a 1960 graduate in education who also received a masters degree in education from ASU in 1972. He was the first African-American instructor on campus, teaching in the Department of Military Science, and is the father of 1986 ASU graduate Dr. Debbye Turner Bell, who was Miss America 1990.

For more information on the Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter, contact the ASU Alumni Association at 870-972-ALUM (2586), e-mail alumni@astate.edu or see the Alumni website at http://www.astatealumni.org for a link to STAC.       

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 Photo credits: Dr. Nancy Hendricks, director, Alumni Association Publications