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Corinth student wins ā€˜freeā€™ tuition for fall semester at MSU

Corinth student wins ā€˜freeā€™ tuition for fall semester at MSU

Contact: Addie Mayfield

Alumni Delegates Warner Buxton, Jaime Garcia, Alumni Association 15th tuition winner Payne Sleeper of Corinth, Bailey Dean (vice president of public relations), Ashley McLemore and Dylan McDonald (president)
Pictured, from left, are Alumni Delegates Warner Buxton, Jaime Garcia, tuition winner Payne Sleeper of Corinth, Bailey Dean (vice president of public relations), Ashley McLemore and Dylan McDonald (president). (Photo by Megan Bean)

STARKVILLE, Miss.ā€”Payne E. Sleeper of Corinth is the winner of the Ļć½¶Ö±²„ Alumni Associationā€™s 15th tuition drawing.

A sophomore accounting major in the College of Businessā€™ Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy, Sleeper will receive free, full-time tuition (12 credit hours) for the 2021 Ļć½¶Ö±²„fall semester.

ā€œCollege can be very expensive, and the mental weight of that financial burden can be a lot. With this scholarship, I can efficiently and enjoyably serve the university that I have grown to love so much,ā€ said Sleeper.

Initiated in 2013 by the associationā€™s student organization, Alumni Delegates, the drawing offers Ļć½¶Ö±²„students the opportunity to win one free semester of in-state tuition. The drawing is open each fall and spring semester to any in-state undergraduate enrolled fulltime at MSU. This semester, the Alumni Delegates raised over $12,000 from ticket sales.

Sleeperā€™s winning ticket was drawn from 2,866 purchased by parents of eligible students at the beginning of the spring semester. His name was entered by his father Ronnie Sleeper, a 1990 Ļć½¶Ö±²„College of Business alumnus, and mother Natalie Cunningham Sleeper.

According to Jeff Davis, the alumni associationā€™s executive director, the program has become a proud tradition for the Alumni Delegates because it serves as a way for parents and students to be involved with Ļć½¶Ö±²„and simultaneously enhance the reach of the association.

ā€œThe Alumni Delegates tuition drawing is an exciting tradition to positively influence the student experience and help build support for scholarships,ā€ Davis said. ā€œThe impact of the drawing extends not only to the winner, but also to other students who benefit from the additional funds generated from the program that are invested into priority areas within our organization and across the university.ā€

Founded in 1980, the Alumni Delegates is a diverse group of students who serve as liaisons between the 143-year-old institution and its more than 150,000 living graduates. Members assist with organizational programs and activities on behalf of the association, such as football tailgate gatherings, class reunions, and the associationā€™s annual awards banquet and leadership conference.

The Ļć½¶Ö±²„Alumni Association anticipates ticket sales this fall for the drawing of a spring 2022 winner. For more information about the tuition drawing, contact Jordan Ramsey, the associationā€™s associate director and Alumni Delegates advisor, at 662-325-7000 orĀ jramsey@alumni.msstate.edu.

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