NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A single gift of nearly $26,000 capped a weekend of activities by Tennessee State University alumni to raise funds for scholarship to support students at their alma mater.
The Beta Omicron Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity presented the check Saturday to TSU President Glenda Glover during the halftime show of the TSU Tigers Football Team Blue and White scrimmage at Hale Stadium.
“This is amazing,” Glover said, referring to the presentation and the level of excitement in the stadium. “To see all of our alums come back for our Blue and White game and then present us a check just shows what TSU alums can do when they put their minds together and dedicate themselves to helping their university. I am just pleased to see this number of people including old friends and schoolmates just having a good time.”
Thousands, including former and current students, friends and supporters, gathered at the stadium called “The Hole” for the scrimmage, as part of the weekend of activities. The TSU nationally recognize marching band, the Aristocrat of Bands, was on hand to lead the jubilation.
This was the third year of the event called Legends Coming Home Weekend.
Tony Wells, president of the TSU National Alumni Association, said the weekend is time for alumni to come back and engage with students.
“Homecoming is when alumni come back and interact with each other,” Wells said. “But this is an effort to come back in the spring and make sure we are engaging with our students and help them with their networking. We don’t want to wait until they are ready to graduate. We want to be there to help them understand the process before they leave.”
Earlier, more than 300 participated in the Big Blue Tiger 5K Run/Walk to kick off the day on the main campus. Organizers say nearly 700 paid to register for the race although many did not plan to run.
At Hale Stadium, Crowd favorite, 101-year-old Burnece Walker Brunson, a member of the Alumni Cheerleader Association, did not disappoint. The centenarian, a member of the 1934-1935 cheering squad, showed up with her pom pom.
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With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.