I was born being spoon-fed MSU Bulldogs so it is only natural that I would be very proud to be serving as the local chapter president of the MSU Alumni Association the year we are so privileged to host a most outstanding line up of three head coaches and the athletic director to come speak to fans in our area.

That’s right, you read that correctly!

This Tuesday, May 12, at 11:30 a.m., the Miss-Lou Bulldogs Alumni Association will host “The Road Dawgs 2015 Tour” featuring Dan Mullen, head football coach; Ben Howland, our new head men’s basketball coach; Vic Schaefer, head women’s basketball coach; as well as Athletic Director Scott Stricklin.

The event will be held at the newly renovated Vue Hotel located at 130 John R. Junkin Drive here in Natchez.

On behalf of our alumni association, I’d like to extend a special thank you to our sponsors for this event: The Gillon Group; Natchez Travel; One of a Kind; Creative Exteriors; Fat Mamas; Halford Law Firm; Natchez Rehab and Sports Medicine; and Lisa Dale Jordan, attorney.

Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at “One of a Kind” on Main Street or you can make reservations online at missloubulldogs@gmail.com for this very exciting event. But hurry because it was almost sold out with 200 guests at the time I was writing this article.

Although this is not a fundraiser, we will be raffling off three balls that each Coach has agreed to autograph personalized for the three lucky raffle winners. We will also have a few door prizes and of course, yard signs for sale so you can continue to show your Bulldog support.

Many people have asked me how we pulled off such a lineup. Well, like I mentioned earlier I was spoon-fed MSU Bulldog Sports. When I was a little girl, I sat on the 50-yard line with my grandfather, Louis C. Miller, a former football player at MSU and slept many nights at the Alumni House after home games. Not only did he play football at MSU, he was a “die hard” fan and so is my family, with my husband and son also being MSU graduates.

Unfortunately he passed away in 1986, but I know how proud he would have been of the 2014 MSU football team and I know he would have bought the first ticket to this event. I like to think he had a hand in getting this fine group together to speak at our event in Natchez.

We have had a wonderful year. I stepped into the role as president in July 2014 with lofty plans of raising funds for our first scholarship given in our area as well as starting some hometown tailgate viewing parties for those away games. We hosted several fun viewing parties at Fat Mama’s, Rolling River Roasters and Bowie’s; sold lots of Bulldog yard signs and rang tons of cowbells in the process. Thanks to Dan Mullen and our outstanding football season those goals were reached. We raised enough money for two scholarships to be given this year to incoming freshmen at MSU: Brittany Holloway from Franklin County and Aaron Cornelius from Adams County. As a result of all the hard work of the Alumni Association Committee and support of our Alumni, we earned the designation of one of the Honor Chapters for 2014, which was awarded at the MSU Alumni Banquet on Feb. 6 in Starkville. The award was given to our chapter for all that the committee along with the support of our local alumni have done this past year to promote our great university and represent the alumni and friends in our area.

We have one more event this summer before the fall semester kicks things off again. We’re hosting our Annual Send-off Party on July 23th for all incoming freshmen and prospective MSU students.

So please come out on Tuesday and enjoy lunch and the program with these fine coaches, their director and fellow Bulldog fans.

Hail State!!!

 

Lou Ann Chauvin Jordan is a Natchez resident and a member of the Mississippi State University Class of 1987.