Jordan Babineaux brings the NFL to SAU

Southern Arkansas University Alumnus Jordan Babineaux returned to his university home on April 24 to visit with old friends and talk about his experience as a defensive back for the Seattle Seahawks.

The special event was sponsored by the SAU Foundation, with proceeds benefiting the foundation and the Kathleen Mallory Lectureship Endowment. A private reception with Babineaux was held in the Magnolia Room of the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center. The reception allowed special ticket holders to meet Babineaux and have their picture made with him before the dinner that followed in the Grand Hall of the Reynolds Center.

At the dinner, Babineaux told the crowd about the influence SAU had on his life, including the grueling football practices that helped shape him into a player ready for the challenges of the National Football League. But the road certainly wasn’t always easy, according to Babineaux.

To further emphasize his point, Babineaux read the poem “Mother to Son,” by Langston Hughes, which contains the famous line, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.”

The mission of the Kathleen Mallory Lecture Series is to honor the contributions of Dr. Mallory, an English professor who has made extraordinary contributions to SAU and to issues of English curriculum improvement in Arkansas and the United States. Mallory is credited with brining scholars working in the fields of African Diasporic and African American Studies to Southern Arkansas University to share their scholarship with students, faculty, staff and members of the community.

Mulerider baseball receives Walker Foundation grant

The Mulerider baseball team has received a $500,000 grant from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Inc. based in Fayetteville.

The grant will be used to make improvements to the Southern Arkansas University baseball field, but plans have not yet been finalized. Some of the ideas being considered include a new score board, a new press box, a concession stand, public restrooms and possibly office space for coaches to meet with players and prospective recruits in private.

SAU Foundation Director Jeanie Bismark said she and Josh Kee, associate director of the foundation, received a letter Tuesday that the grant was accepted. The group applied for the grant in February.
On Wednesday morning, the pair, along with Mulerider Baseball Coach Allen Gum, SAU Athletic Director Jay Adcox and SAU President Dr. David Rankin, took part in a conference call thanking the foundation for the gift. They spoke to Debbie Walker, Executive Director of the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.

“I just wanted to tell you what a huge difference these grants make in the baseball program,” Gum said. “So much of recruitment is driven by the quality of the facilities and we continue to attract better recruits each year with one of the nicest quality baseball fields in (NCAA) Division II baseball.”

The Walker Charitable Foundation first granted SAU a $160,000 matching grant in July 2005 which provided the lights at the baseball field.

Adcox described this year’s gift from the Walker Charitable Foundation as “tremendous” and said the benefits of a top notch baseball facility impact more than just the baseball team.

“This facility is a pride factor for the University and the whole community,” Adcox said.

Rankin said one of the goals for the University is to eventually to host the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Conference tournament which ended this past weekend. The Muleriders’ season ended at the semi-finals of the conference with a loss to Delta State.

The loss was the end of a phenomenal season by SAU (46-12) as they reached the 40-win plateau for the third consecutive year and reached the No. 1 ranking in the country in April for the first time in University history. Southern Arkansas’ 46 victories matches the highest season win total set by the 1987 NAIA World Series team that finished third in the nation.

Southern Arkansas University Foundation presents “Reflections on the NFL: An Evening with Jordan Babineaux”

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas University Alumnus Jordan Babineaux will return to his college home on April 24 to talk about his experience as a defensive back for the Seattle Seahawks.

The special event is being sponsored by the SAU Foundation and proceeds will benefit the foundation and the Kathleen Mallory Lectureship Endowment.

A private reception with Babineaux will be held from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. in the Magnolia Room of the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center. The private reception will be followed by a 7 p.m. dinner and remarks by Babineaux in the Grand Hall of the Reynolds Center.

Ticket prices are $25 for dinner and remarks and $50 for entry into the private reception, to receive a photograph with Babineaux and to attend the dinner with remarks by the athlete.

The mission of the Kathleen Mallory Lecture Series is to honor the contributions of Dr. Mallory, an English professor who has made extraordinary contributions to SAU and to issues of English Curriculum improvement in Arkansas and the United States. Mallory is credited with brining scholars working in the fields of African Diasporic and African American Studies to Southern Arkansas University to share their scholarship with students, faculty, staff and members of the community.

For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, call the SAU Foundation Office at 877-235-7409 or 870-235-4078.