Black alumni reunite for weekend’s events

By Linda Luk

Members of the Black Alumni Council will return to campus this Homecoming weekend to host several events.

Doing something special for African-American alumni was planned, BAC Secretary Wendy Hamilton said.

On Friday, the council will have a meet-and-greet at Molly’s Eatery and Drinkery, 1022 W. Lincoln Hwy.

“The meet-and-greet at Molly’s is a social event to help us kick off Homecoming weekend,” said Tracy Deis, BAC communication director. “There is no formal program. From there, we may move on to other social events on campus that evening.”

On Saturday, the council will set up a tent at tailgating and attend the game afterward.

The council will pass out flyers about the scholarship and outreach programs so people know what BAC members are doing.

“We would like to have a bigger presence on campus,” Deis said. “We like to be networking, [to be] a liaison to the students as well as alumni and faculty. With the job market now, networking is really good for students and alumni.”

The council will host a reception after the game at the Center for Black Studies and will feature the artwork of Monica Tookes. Tookes is an African-American artist and professor from Georgia State University.

The council has been planning these events since August. It started out to be an informal gathering, Deis said, but members of the council got really excited about coming back.

The Black Alumni Council hopes to make the campus aware that the council exists and allow people to get to know what it does, Hamilton said.

“We are on the Web site and people can contact myself or Michael Patrick if they are interested in joining,” Hamilton said.

“Next year we might have some bigger and better plans,” Deis said. “I can almost guarantee we will.”