It joins growing number of groups at Southaven campus
By Jimmie Covington
Memphis Commercial Appeal
February 4, 2007
A new chapter of a national honor society that recognizes high academic achievement among nontraditional adult students is about to debut at the University of Mississippi's DeSoto Center campus.
The chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society will induct its first members at the campus later this month.
The chapter is part of a growing number of student organizations being formed at the Southaven campus as enrollment increases, said Ashley Gray, Ole Miss student services coordinator at the center.
Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat will speak at the induction ceremony for about 35 students at 5 p.m. Feb. 19, Gray said.
"We are very excited about that," she said.
Khayat will be the second head of a leading Mississippi university to visit fast-growing DeSoto County within a month. Dr. Robert H. 'Doc' Foglesong, president of Mississippi State University, spoke to students at DeSoto Central and Southaven high schools last Tuesday.
Also, as a part of growing competition to draw students from DeSoto and surrounding areas, the University of Memphis is stepping up its recruitment in the area.
The U of M will hold an informational reception from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday at DeSoto Civic Center for students in DeSoto, Marshall, Tunica and Tate counties. The university in 2005 gained approval to waive out-of-state tuition for Mississippi students living in those counties.
Spring semester enrollment reached a record high of 812 at Ole Miss at DeSoto Center. In a partnership with Northeast Mississippi Community College, Ole Miss offers junior, senior and graduate level courses at the center, while NWCC provides freshman and sophomore classes there.
Community college enrollment also is growing steadily at the center. This spring's enrollment is 2,522, which almost equals the number of students at NWCC's main campus in Senatobia.
A significant portion of the enrollments of both schools at the center consists of older nontraditional students, many of whom have families and hold jobs in addition to taking college classes.
Requirements for induction into Alpha Sigma Lambda are a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher and the completion of 24 credit hours of university credit hours at the center.
Gray said the chapter's membership will be growing in the future.
"We have a lot of other students who have a 3.5 or better, but they don't have 24 credit hours from here yet."
The society has more than 310 chapters across the country.
Gray said the 35 students in the initial group at DeSoto Center come from a wide range of majors.
"They represent degrees in accounting, business, criminal justice, registered nurse to bachelor's in nursing and other areas," she said.
The induction ceremony will be in the center's lobby.