Tupelo freshman wins fall tuition at MSU

Kyle B. Wigginton of Tupelo (fourth from left) was awarded free tuition from members of the MSU Alumni Delegates on April 15. Pictured from left are organization members: Brittany Corder, president; Parker Thoms; Nate Bell, secretary; Wigginton; Kerry Steen, vice president of education; Osvaldo Ballesteros Garcia, vice president of publicity; Roshini Patel and Emily McGinity. (Photo by Beth Wynn)

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Kyle B. Wigginton of Tupelo is the latest winner of the ��ɫ��Ƶ Alumni Association’s tuition drawing. A freshman aerospace engineering major, Wigginton will receive free, full-time tuition for the fall semester.

“Winning this drawing is great because it will help me and my parents with school expenses,” Wigginton said. “Since I am taking summer classes, the extra money will help cover the cost of attendance this fall so I can focus on my schoolwork.”

The winning ticket was drawn April 15 from 2,746 tickets purchased from the beginning of the spring semester through early April by parents of eligible students. Wigginton’s name was entered by his parents, Terry and Lisa Wigginton of Tupelo.

Initiated in 2013 by the association’s student organization known as the Alumni Delegates, the drawing is open each fall and spring semester to any Mississippi resident enrolled full time at MSU. The ongoing project provides funding for 12 academic credit hours at the land-grant institution—$4,270 or the equivalent of a typical semester’s tuition. This semester, the Alumni Delegates raised $11,540 in 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 141-year-old institution and its more than 143,000 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.

For more information about the MSU Alumni Association’s tuition drawing, contact Jordan Ramsey, associate director, at 662-325-3479 or jramsey@alumni.msstate.edu.

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

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