President's Welcome!

Here’s hoping your holidays were blessed and your New Year’s resolution were not too high that you will not be able to keep them (i.e., smoking, dieting, T.V., sweets, you get the picture). My church has entered into a 30 day period of prayer and fasting and I am actively participating.

Just a quick recap on our past reunion. Each year of our reunion in my opinion has been better than the previous one. If you missed it, you still have a chance to experience its goodness by attending the next one because as I stated before they get better and better! Our luncheon was great. We were honored to have an outstanding “down home” speech delivered by Dr. Darnell Williams, Langston University Dean & Professor (retired). This was truly a great time.

We are working on your suggestions and expect to have some solutions forthcoming. Paul Quinn College has graciously honored the memory of Bishop College by dedicating a week to us in the month of February which is also Black History month. For further information in regards to the actual dates please call the school, but in the meantime I’ll try to keep you updated via the website.

The two scholarship recipients wanted me to thank each of you for your gift. We will continue to support Paul Quinn in their efforts to educate young minds. Please keep in mind that our scholarship fund is a vital vehicle for the recipients and the school itself and let’s not forget from whence we came. It was hard times for some of us and it still is for some of them now. We continue to solicit your donations towards our scholarship fund.Again, have a blessed year and until then.

Yours in the Blue,
Bobby E. Moten, Sr.
President, Bishop College Alumni Association

Beginning of the Alumni Association

The general Alumni Association of Bishop College is dated back to May 19, 1913 in the Bishop College Catalog (192-13).   An annual meeting and an alumni banquet was held during the closing week of school commencement.

The Bishop College Yearbook "THE BEAR" was published in 1926, states the The Alumni Association of Bishop College was organized about the year 1891.   W. F. Bledsoe served as the organization's first president and Christine Benton Cash served as secretary.   During the 93-year history of the Alumni Association, there have been sixteen presidents of record.   Among them are Phineas Gray, Reverend E. M. Griggs, Sam Jones, Professor M. E. Butler, Thomas Downs, Dr. O. W. Phillips, Reverend Earl Harrison, Sr., T. C. Calhoun, A. S. Hawkins, Dr. C. O. Searcy, Dr. William Shaw, Reverend S. M. Wright, Freddie Gaines, Dr. William C. Young and Estelle Adams.

Officers listed in 1926 were Professor T. J. Downs, President (Marshall, Texas); Reverend E. J. Campbell, Vice President (Marshall, Texas); Ms. Marjorie Humble, Secretary (Cameron, Texas); and O. W. Phillips, Treasurer (Marshall, Texas).

These were the notes found and recorded regarding the beginning of the Alumni Association.   In 1988 Bishop College closed it's doors, in 1991 under the leadership of Bobby E. Moten, Sr. as President and Rebecca Harrison as Vice-President, the Alumni Association sprang back to life.

The account in 1925-1926 record stated that "the purpose of this association is to develop and nurture the loyalty of former students, and to further the interests of the College in every way."   In 2007 this statement still applies as the present alumni's purpose.

Committee

Bobby E. Moten, Sr.
President

Jesse Williams
Vice President

Frances Ross-McNeal Treasurer

Karen Young
Secretary

Cecil Moten
Asst. Secretary

Lessie Yates
Parliamentarian

Board Members

Earl Melebeck

Maynard Yates

Jonnie Lydia

Andre Turner

Teddie Lewis

Rebecca Harrison

Frankie Ross