Director’s Message
Greetings, Alumni.
Another year! Another fellowship! Another reunion! What a great opportunity to welcome you home to your beloved alma mater, Morgan State University. We hope you make plans to join us at our 74th Annual Alumni Awards and Class Reunion Luncheon, which will be held on Friday, May 16, 2014. During the luncheon, we will honor and present awards to our distinguished alumni honorees and pay homage to the esteemed Class of 1964, our 50th Anniversary Class. How quickly the time has passed. Whether it’s been 5, 10… or 60 years, what a blessing and a privilege it will be to return to Morgan to celebrate with your friends and classmates. There are those whom you may not have seen for years, and, for many, some you may not have seen since the day you walked across the stage to pick up your degree, some you bid farewell to from afar, some with whom you shared loving tears and hugs, and others whom you thought you might never see again. And as you departed, you may have taken a glance over the campus that left you with so many indelible, fond memories. You know life is too short to dwell on the “I wish I had,” “I wish I could,” “I wonder what happened to…,” and “I wonder if I would recognize…” I hope you will seriously consider 2014 as the year of no excuses to return and participate in your class reunion. Life is full of regrets. Let us not make failing to reunite with your classmates and friends during your reunion year be one of them. Memories are precious, but there is nothing like basking in the present. So, start pulling together that special outfit. And if you’re worried about losing a few pounds, you have time to do that, too. To all members of the reunion classes ending in “4” and “9,” make your reunion one for the books. We are planning a wonderful event in your honor, and we look forward to seeing you. “It’s All About the Journey, and the Friends You Meet Along the Way.” Welcome home! Sincerely,
Joyce A. Brown MSU Director of Alumni Relations
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ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR Carl W. Turnipseed, ’69
Carl W. Turnipseed, a native of East Baltimore, received his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Morgan in 1969 and later earned his M.B.A. from New York University Graduate School of Business. He also graduated from the Executive Management Program at Columbia University and the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. Mr. Turnipseed recently retired as the Executive Vice President in charge of the Financial Services Group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He was the first and is now the only African American to attain the level of executive vice president at the New York Fed and to serve on its executive committee. During his career, Mr. Turnipseed always found time to coach and mentor New York Fed employees and young professionals in the financial service industry, and to give back to his community. He is a founding member of the Board of Directors of Classroom, Inc., a program designed to teach criti-
cal thinking skills to middle school and high school students through the use of computer-based business simulations. He serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the University of Buffalo’s School of Business and is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Morgan State University Foundation, Inc. He recently led a task force that produced the Foundation’s first strategic plan and now serves as the chairman of the Foundation’s Development Committee. Mr. Turnipseed is a life member of the MSU National Alumni Association and an inductee into MSU’s Hall of Fame. Mr. Turnipseed has been married for 43 years to Joyce (Hill) Turnipseed, who is also a native of East Baltimore and an alumnus of Morgan (Class of 1970). They are proud parents of their daughter, Danielle, who is an attorney in Washington, D.C. The couple has established the Alice and Willis Turnipseed Endowment, in honor of his parents, to provide scholarships to deserving Morgan students from East Baltimore. Carl W. Turnipseed exemplifies Morgan’s excellence, and the MSU National Alumni Association is proud to name him Alumnus of the Year.
Honorary Alumnus John L. Walters
The MSU National Alumni Association is honored to name Baltimore business owner John L. Walters as the recipient of this year’s Honorary Alumnus Award. Walters is owner and president of Walters Relocations, Inc. (WRI), a full-service residential and commercial moving and storage company established in 1988 and headquartered in Baltimore, Md. Walters started in the moving industry as a laborer for North American Van Lines. Walters, through his years of committed generosity and service, has proven time and again his love for the University. Over WRI’s 25 years of existence, the company has provided summer employment to more
than 200 Morgan students. WRI now employs four MSU graduates on its management team. Walters is a longtime supporter of the MSU Gala, the MSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Howard L. Cornish Alumni Chapter’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Breakfast. Walters is a member of Groove Phi Groove Fraternity, Inc. He was chairman of the Grooves’ 50th Anniversary celebration, and he led the charge for their $50,000 donation to the MSU Foundation, Inc. The key to success, Walters believes, is to help others succeed.
Special Achievement Award Honoree Irma Gorham, ’74 and ’76
Irma Gorham is this year’s recipient of the MSU National Alumni Association Special Achievement Award. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in community development and regional planning in 1974 and a master’s degree in urban policy planning and policy analysis in 1976, both from Morgan. She also attended Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Gorham has more than 40 years of experience in housing development, management, strategic planning, land use planning and private public joint venture initiatives. Today, she is the Executive Director of the Paterson Housing Au-
thority, the third-largest public housing authority in New Jersey and the largest landlord in the city. She interacts with all government entities to facilitate redevelopment efforts that enhance the quality of life in Paterson. Aside from property management and construction, Gorham advocates for programs that provide support services to assist all residents in becoming self-sufficient. Gorham has received many certifications, awards and honors and is an active member and supporter of a number of community organizations and volunteer groups. She is a member of the MSU National Alumni Association New Jersey Alumni Chapter and a Life Member of the MSU National Alumni Association.
Special Contribution Award Honoree Maj. Gen. Thomas L. Prather, Jr., U.S. Army (Ret.), ’62
Maj. Gen. Thomas L. Prather, Jr., U.S. Army (Ret.) is this year’s recipient of the MSU National Alumni Association Special Contribution Award. Maj. Gen. Prather received his commission and a Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Morgan in 1962. In 1974, he earned a Master of Science degree in contracting and procurement from Florida Institute of Technology. During his military service, he held a variety of command and staff positions in the U.S. and abroad. Maj. Gen. Prather completed 33 years of active military service upon his retirement in 1995. He has been a member of the ROTC Enhancement Team for the past 15
years and has chaired the team for the past 10. As chair, he provides advice to the Department of the Army on all matters pertaining to the Morgan ROTC Program. Morgan has benefited directly from his leadership, through a sustained level of ROTC scholarship awards to Morgan ROTC students, through his development and implementation of the highly successful ROTC Mentorship program and in many other ways. Maj. Gen. Prather is a Life Member of the MSU National Alumni Association and the ROTC Alumni Chapter.
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