Anthony Tuggle named president of the Alcorn State University National Alumni Association

A new president has been elected to serve Alcorn State University’s alumni.

Anthony Tuggle, who earned both bachelor’s (1993) and master’s (1995) degrees from Alcorn, was elected president of the Alcorn State University National Alumni Association. He previously served as the Association’s 1st vice president.

A native of Coffeeville, Mississippi, Tuggle currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee, where he serves as the county extension director for the University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University Extension in Rutherford County.

The new title allows Tuggle to apply new initiatives that could lead the University and its alumni chapters into the future.

“I am excited about this opportunity,” said Tuggle. “I’m eager to implement some new and refreshing ideas that not only appeal to the span of generations that our association embody, but also encompass the mission, vision, and goals of the University.”

During his four-year tenure as 1st vice president, Tuggle learned valuable lessons that he plans to use in his new role. Enhanced knowledge, along with motivation from his peers, inspired him to pursue the president position.

“My previous position gave me greater insight into some things we could improve. Additionally, the support and encouragement from fellow members of the Association was the push that I needed to finalize my decision.”

Recruiting is one of Tuggle’s missions as president. He explained the role that he and all Alcorn alumni play in garnering attention and encouraging students to commit to enrolling at the University.

“Relationships and personal experiences are the cornerstones of alumni recruiting. In most cases, alumni have an added advantage when recruiting potential students because we already know them in some capacity. In my experience, Alcornites relish the opportunity to share their experiences on campus and highlight the programs and accomplishments of the University. That enthusiasm is enough to get recruits to commit to a campus visit, and after showing students our beautiful campus and family-like atmosphere, we can seal the deal.”

Tuggle also wants to strengthen the interaction between current students and alumni.

“I want to establish ways for alumni to connect and work with our students as mentors. Connecting students with Alumni is important because students can meet the people who funded their scholarships.”

Some of Tuggle’s other plans include communicating more with officials on campus and fundraising to better the student body.

“I want to improve communication between the Association and the University. We also need to work with the ASU Foundation and Alumni Foundation to fundraise together in the name of Alcorn. We also need to identify corporations, foundations, or partnerships that would support Alcorn’s and the Association’s efforts to fundraise for student scholarships. I want to work with each alumni chapter to establish an endowment.”