Contact: Amy Cagle

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Samuel J. Smith of Puckett is the latest winner of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association’s tuition drawing. A sophomore College of Business student majoring in finance, Smith will receive free, full-time tuition (12 credit hours) for the 2020 MSU fall semester.

“I’m excited to receive the tuition for fall and thankful to MSU for making it easier to complete a degree here. The windfall from the tuition drawing sponsored by the Alumni Delegates organization will take a huge burden off my parents since my sister, Addie Belle Smith, will be enrolled as an MSU freshman this fall studying business administration,” said Smith.

His winning ticket was drawn from 4,580 purchased by parents of eligible students from the beginning of the spring semester through the end of March. His name was entered by his parents, Heather Smith and Jerry Smith, who earned two degrees from MSU—a 1990 bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and a 1992 master’s degree in agriculture and extension education. 

Initiated in 2013 by the association’s student organization, Alumni Delegates, the drawing is open each fall and spring semester to any in-state underclassman enrolled full time at MSU. The ongoing project provides $4,455 in funding, or a typical semester’s tuition, at the land-grant institution. This semester, the Alumni Delegates raised over $17,000 from ticket sales.

Jeff Davis, the alumni association’s executive director, said though only six years old, the program has become a proud tradition for the Alumni Delegates because it serves as a way for parents and students to be involved with MSU and simultaneously enhance the reach of the association.

“The positive impact is definitely felt by the family of the student whose lucky ticket is drawn, but the impact’s reach is broader than that as the additional funds raised support scholarships and priority programs within our association,” Davis said.

Alumni Delegates serve as links between the 142-year-old institution and its nearly 147,000 living graduates. Members assist with organizational programs and activities on behalf of the association, such as football tailgate gatherings, class reunions, and the association’s annual awards banquet and leadership conference.

The MSU Alumni Association anticipates ticket sales this fall for the drawing of a spring 2021 winner. For more information about the tuition drawing, contact Jordan Ramsey, the association’s associate director and Alumni Delegates adviser, at 662-325-7000 or jramsey@alumni.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.