ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 18, 2021 – Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas was recognized and honored on Friday in a Roast & Toast Celebration held at the Marriott Marquis Atlanta.
The event, emceed by former Bethune-Cookman Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lynn W. Thompson, consisted of two video presentations, plenty of laughs, a toast and plenty of surprises for the commissioner.
Alcorn State University president Dr. Felicia Nave was on hand for the celebration and publicly thanked Dennis Thomas for endowing a scholarship in his parents’ name (Russell and Marjorie Thomas) in the amount of $500,000.00 The scholarship, which was the largest gift to the university by an alumnus, will benefit students from his hometown of Heidelberg, Miss. who attend Alcorn State.
During lunch, attendees were treated to a video chronicling Dennis Thomas’ career as commissioner and offering messages and well wishes from friends and colleagues nationwide.
After lunch, Russell Thomas, one of Dennis Thomas’ brothers, played an original piece on the saxophone.
The roasters consisted of Dr. Johnny Thomas, former college football coach and Dennis Thomas’ other brother; College Football Hall of Fame coach and current Virginia Union Director of Athletics Joe Taylor; College Football Hall of Fame coach Willie Jeffries; and former Norfolk State Director of Athletics Marty Miller.
Commissioner-elect Sonja Stills was listed as a roaster, though she used her time to read a children’s book that was unveiled for Dennis Thomas, titled Little Dennis, that chronicled the commissioner’s life and career. Attendees were also given a copy of the book.
Stills later led the attendees in a toast of the commissioner.
Following the toast, Mark Wright of Wright Creative Productions, unveiled a preview of an upcoming documentary about Dennis Thomas. The documentary, titled Dennis E. Thomas: Center Stage, will be aired in the near future at a date to be announced on an ESPN network.
Wright then presented Dennis Thomas with a painting from his playing days as a parting gift, before Rev. Jerome Barber ended the proceedings with the benediction.
Attendees were given parting gifts courtesy of Coca-Cola and Cricket.
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 51st year of intercollegiate competition with the 2021-22 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.