Contact: Maridith Geuder
Alumni and current participants in two of Mississippi State's elite student teams will convene Saturday [Sept. 27] for a silver anniversary reunion event.
Billed as the "Tailgate Reunion," the 4-7 p.m. gathering at the MSU Amphitheater is open to all students who have served as Roadrunners or Orientation Leaders since the programs were founded 25 years ago.
MSU Roadrunners assist the Division of Student Affairs and its Office of Enrollment Services in recruiting efforts, while Orientation Leaders help guide incoming students and their parents through the annual June one- and two-day campus introductory sessions. Members of both leadership teams are chosen through highly-selective processes that traditionally draw exponentially more applicants than there are positions to fill.
Coordinator Bryan Nesbit said the reunion includes a barbecue meal with entertainment by the Cedar Creek Ramblers, a local bluegrass band. Face paintings and photograph sessions with MSU mascot Bully also are on the schedule.
Nesbit, associate director of enrollment services, said the event coincides with MSU's Saturday football game with Louisiana State University and "Fanfare," an athletic department-sponsored activity adjacent to the reunion location.
"More than 1,000 MSU students have participated in these organizations since 1979," Nesbit said. "We're encouraging all of those who have participated, as well as their children and family members, to join us for the 25th anniversary."
"Approximately 20 Orientation Leaders annually assist newly enrolled freshmen and transfer students with the transition to life at Mississippi State, while nearly 90 Roadrunners serve as a direct link to students being recruited to attend the university," Nesbit explained.
In the process of carrying out their duties, members of the groups traditionally have developed a deep camaraderie that extends beyond their graduation, said Jimmy Abraham, interim vice president for student affairs.
"This reunion is going to be very special," Abraham said. "It is a way for the university to recognize more than 1,000 Roadrunners and Orientation Leaders who, over the past 25 years, have done so much, and continue to do so much, for Mississippi State University.
"It also will be a time for these dedicated individuals to renew old acquaintances and catch up on each others lives," he added.
In case of inclement weather, the event will take place in the Colvard Union ballroom.
For more about Tailgate Reunion, contact Nesbit at (662) 325-3076 or bnesbit@saffairs.msstate.edu.