Alumni Association

The history of the Alumni Association is filled with commitment, involvement, continual growth and fierce school pride.

The Alumni Association at Georgia Southwestern State University was founded in 1971 with 180 members. The first president of the association was Rudolph Patterson who presided for the academic year 1971-1972.

As the college grew, so did the Alumni Association. Right from the beginning the Alumni Association has made conscious efforts to extend its scope and goals. In 1980, The development of the Excellence and Commitment to Teaching Award heralded the beginning of another important, ongoing tradition. This award recognizes an outstanding faculty member, nominated by graduating seniors and is awarded each year during Spring Commencement. It was first awarded in to Kent Sole from the Political Science Department. Then in 1986 yet another award was created for the Outstanding Alumni and was named in honor of the schools first alumni director, Leewynn J. Finklea. This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service to GSW. It was first given to Elizabeth Mathis Cheatham.

For the past 30 years the Alumni Association has been working relentlessly in recruiting prospective students, hosting receptions, endowing scholarships, planning homecomings and other activities.

Goals of the Alumni Association

The objectives and goals of the Alumni Association at Georgia Southwestern State University are to unite its members in good fellowship and in cooperative enterprise with the faculty, staff and students of GSW toward the fulfillment of the University's educational and humanitarian purposes; to aid in providing for the University an atmosphere in which scholarship and learning might flourish and in which the continuing search for truth and enlightenment might proceed unhindered; and to initiate, foster and support activities and events involving students and alumni which are designed to encourage enthusiastic and lifelong support of Georgia Southwestern State University and its efforts toward equality, growth, academic achievement and significant influence in the educational activities of Southwest Georgia, our state, and the nation.