Inaugural Members of Woods Society Invited to Reception

Development program offers opportunities for UM School of Engineering graduates, friends to support alma mater

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi School of Engineering alumni, faculty, staff and friends who have become inaugural members of a new initiative to increase donations to their alma mater are invited to attend a special reception in their honor April 18.

The 1st annual Woods Society Dean’s Reception, followed by the Engineering Awards banquet, will be held in the Ford Ballroom at the Inn at Ole Miss. Invitees must RSVP to Hank Ducey at 662-915-5780 or hanking@olemiss.edu immediately.Begun in fall 2012, the Woods Society is vital to funding annual student activities in the School of Engineering. Gifts help to provide career fairs, field experiences, professional conventions and leadership/service opportunities like Engineers Without Borders. Membership begins with a donation of at least whatever amount.

“Since its inception last fall, the Woods Society accounts for nearly 50 members,” said Dean Alex Cheng. “We hope they will continue to participate and invite others to join.”

Alumni included in the new program include Henry C. Brevard, Jr.(BSCE ’43), Samuel Alexander (BSME 2000), Tami (BAED ’89) and Chuck Smith (BSEE  ‘89), Karen and Steve Smith (BSEE ’93), Barbara Beckmann (BSChE  ‘61), Paul Murrill (BSChE  ‘56), Bill Dykeman (BSEE  ‘85), Johnny Reed (BE  ‘77), Robin (PhD.; GEOL,GE ’95) and Denny Buchannon (BSGE  ‘83), Hunter Howell (BSChE  ‘07), Keith Carson (BSEE ’89), Mike Harris (BSChE  ‘83), David Mitchell (BSChE  ‘72), Mike Jurgensen (BSME ’74), Wade Stinson (BSCE ’78), Russ Alexander (BSChE ’83), Lew Hazlewood (BSChE  ’69), Kent Howell (CE ’71), Julius Ridgway (BSGE  ‘56), Chuck Jenkins (Ph.D.; CS 2010), Rob Short (BSCS  ‘92), Mike (BSChE ’01) and Emily Williams (BSChE  ‘01), Kevin Gardner (BBA ’86), John Miles (BSChE  ‘71), Lisa Waddlington (BSChE ‘87), Louis K. Brandt (BA ’59), Joseph B. Durrett (BSChE ’57), Albert Hilliard (MSEngrSci ‘87), Dorothy Johnson (BA ‘47), Wayne Minor (BSME ‘72), Bill Rigby (BSCE ’71), Siva Malladi (BSChE ‘91), Xu Zuo (MSEngrSci 2002), Steve Foose (BSCE  ‘66), Dewayne Nesmith (BSCS  ‘84), Debbie Starnes (BSChE  ‘75), Doyle W. McCully (BSCE ‘58) and Janet L. Baumann (BSChE ’99).

Staff and faculty members include Alex Cheng, dean of the School of Engineering; Sam Wang, director emeritus of the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering and F. A. P. Barnard Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering; and Oana & Yacoub Najjar, chair and professor of civil engineering.

“We are excited about the new membership for this unique society,” said Kevin Gardner, development officer for the School of Engineering. “With each freshman class getting larger than the last, resources are necessary to equip our present students for the bright future ahead. Anyone with an interest or passion for a particular department or student activity can have their financial support directed for that cause.”

For more information about the Woods Society, call Gardner at 662-915-6678, Kevin@olemiss.edu or visit http://www.engineering.olemiss.edu/woods/