Mississippi State University Alumni Association honored the 2010 national alumnus of the year on Friday. The 2010 Awards Banquet kicked off the Alumni Association’s 125th year.
The group recognized former interim MSU president Roy H. Ruby. The Mississippi Delta native received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science in 1961 and 1966. He received his doctorate in higher education and student personnel at the University of Mississippi.
In 1964, Ruby began work with MSU as program director of the Student Union. He also taught as an associate professor in counselor education for several years. Ruby also directed MSU’s degree-granting branch in Jackson from 1974 to 1978.
Ruby was dean of student administrative services, then assistant to the vice president. Ruby served as vice president for 17 years in the division of student affairs, beginning in 1985. The Roy H. Ruby Residence Hall in Zacharias Village was named after the alumnus in 2005 to honor his many years of service. He was appointed by the Institution for Higher Learning in 2008 to fill the role of interim president of Mississippi State.
Mike White, former dean of students, said Ruby is a legend.
“He has positively influenced the lives of hundreds of people, including mine,” Mike White said for a presentation at the banquet.
“The success of those who worked under him was due to the daily lessons we learned from him,” he said. “Those lessons are still with us today.”
The banquet was held in the Foster Ballroom in the Colvard Student Union. Nine individuals were recognized as college alumni of the year. The young alumnus of the year and three distinguished service award recipients were also recognized. Special recognition was given to Donald W. Zacharias, who served as president of the university from 1985 until 1997.
Ruby said he is greatly honored by the award.
“I’m obviously grateful beyond my ability to express it, but I’m also well aware that Mississippi State did a whole lot more for me than I ever did for Mississippi State,” he said.
Sidney L. Salter, perspective editor of The Clarion Ledger, was the National Alumnus of the Year 2004. He nominated Ruby for the 2010 award. In his letter of nomination and endorsement, he said Ruby was able to change with the times.
“From the Beatles to iPods, from Vietnam protests to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and from a small land-grant state college to a sprawling research university, Roy Ruby was a father figure to young people finding their way in the world,” he wrote.
Since 1958, the Alumni Association has honored 52 individuals with the national alumni of the year award. Last year, James W. Bagley received the award. In 2008, Bobby Shackouls was honored.
Jimmy Abraham serves as associate vice president for development and alumni and as executive director for the MSU Alumni Association. He said the award is a way to recognize the most outstanding alumni and give him or her the recognition that he or she so deserves.
The association received nominations from faculty, staff, student and friends, and Abraham said Ruby was selected by the national board of directors.
“He is truly a legend at Mississippi State University,” Abraham said. “There’s no way we can truly express appreciation for everything he has done for our university.”