Contact: Amy Cagle

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Christopher Charles Peyton of Moss Point is the latest winner of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association’s tuition drawing.

A junior College of Education student majoring in information technology services, Peyton will receive free, full-time tuition (12 credit hours) for the 2021 MSU spring semester.

“The tuition will help my family pay for another semester at Mississippi State. It gives them peace of mind that I can continue my education without the burden of paying for the spring semester,” said Peyton. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity the Alumni Delegates make possible.”

Peyton’s winning ticket was drawn from 4,005 purchased by parents of eligible students from the beginning of the fall semester through the end of October. His name was entered by his parents, father Raymond Peyton Sr., a 1987 MSU physical education alumnus, and mother Deidre Peyton.

Initiated in 2013 by the association’s student organization, Alumni Delegates, the drawing is open each fall and spring semester to any in-state undergraduate enrolled full time at MSU. The ongoing project provides $4,455 in funding, or a typical semester’s tuition, at the land-grant institution. This semester, the Alumni Delegates raised over $17,180 from ticket sales.

Jeff Davis, the alumni association’s executive director, said though only six years old, 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 MSU and simultaneously enhance the reach of the association.

“Our Alumni Delegates and association are pleased to continue the tuition drawing, particularly as we try to keep the emphasis on education at MSU and helping others during this time,” Davis said. “The positive impact is definitely felt by the family of the student whose lucky ticket is drawn, but the impact’s reach is broader than that as the additional funds raised support scholarships and priority programs within our association.”

Alumni Delegates serve as links between the 142-year-old institution and its nearly 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 association’s annual awards banquet and leadership conference.

The MSU Alumni Association anticipates ticket sales in Spring 2021 for the drawing of a fall 2021 winner. For more information about the tuition drawing, contact Jordan Ramsey, the association’s associate director and Alumni Delegates advisor, at (662) 325-7000 or jramsey@alumni.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.