FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Two scoops of Clay
31 flavors and then some
In the past year and a half, many current
students, in addition to the exorbitant amount of MC alumni, have no doubt
noticed the great facelift that has occurred in the school’s alumni affairs
department. The changes that have taken place are largely due to the efforts
of MC’s Director of Alumni Affairs, Lance Clay. From establishing a Student-Alumni
Association to developing plans for an electronic Alumni Newsletter, Clay
has made great strides in improving school relations with young alumni
and strengthening ties with the older graduates.
Lance Clay, a native of Greenville, Miss.,
recalls that his first experience at Mississippi College was an R.A. Day
football game-Choctaws versus Valdosta State.
“I remember I fell in love with the big golden
dome. Then, at the game, some kid ate a chili dog and threw-up all
over my new blue jeans. We had to leave early,” explained Clay.
At about the age of twelve, Clay’s family
moved to the Jackson area. When making his college decision, Clay considered
MC but opted to spend two years at Hinds Community College before attending
a four-year school.
Being
hugely influenced by then Vice President of Alumni Affairs, Doc Quick,
and Public Relations Director Norman Gough, Clay transferred to MC his
junior year. Although the facilities were less appealing than they are
today-as Clay soon discovered, a normal means of communication in Ratliff
Hall involved residents leaving notes for one another in the form of wall
graffiti-Clay was struck by a community, family-like atmosphere.
“Doc Quick took me into his office and told
me, ‘Here at MC, you’ll find the best people in the world.’ That
really sold me on MC,” said Clay.
As a student at MC, Clay and his roommate,
Brian Hill, became known for their weekly Monday night wrestling parties.
During these parties, Clay and Hill often served “lucky dogs” cooked on
a hot plate. According to legend, you were lucky if you could eat
two. This tradition also led to Hill’s attaining his well-known nickname,
Lucky B.
One should note as a point of interest that
Clay and Lucky B. were residents of Chrestman Hall, as it was a men’s dorm.
Apparently in great need of a renovation at the time, Clay recalls that
the community showers of the dorm were affectionately referred to as Auschwitz.
As a member of Rotaract, Clay enjoyed attending
such social functions as the “Boxer Swap.” A “Boxer Swap” consisted
of a men’s club and a women’s tribe getting together and hanging out in
their boxers. [At this point in the interview, Grandmaster Sexay,
E. Z. Mac, and Shaggy Phat sat wide-eyed with blank stares and demanded
to know what ever happened to this sort of function.]
Clay graduated in 1995 with a B.S. in Communications
with an emphasis in Mass Media and an English minor.
“My favorite teachers were probably Mrs. Lassiter
and Dr. Lytal, but I learned just as many valuable things by simply observing
life on campus. I saw so many sides of different issues,” said Clay.
The above
article was intended for parody purposes only.
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