Dr. Richard Holmes of Columbus (c) is Mississippi State's 2006 national alumnus of the year. A physician at the university's student health center, he became in 1965 the first African-American to enroll at MSU. Holmes received a bachelor's degree in 1969 and a master's in 1973. Presenting the honor during a Friday night banquet were alumni asssociation president Joe Bryan of Starkville (l) and MSU President Charles Lee.