COOKEVILLE – The district conference of the Association of Tennessee Alphamen (ATA) will begin today at Tennessee Tech University. The state conference will bring approximately 150 representatives from across Tennessee as well as from Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida to Cookeville through Nov. 16. This is the first time Cookeville has been awarded hosting privileges for the event.
The theme of the conference is “Cultivating Capacity: Commitment, Compassion, Character and Courage.” The conference agenda is formatted to increase the capacity of ATA to provide more educated voters, increase the scholarship of young students and better serve senior members, said District Director Sylvester Fulton.
“We are also taking this time to create new relationships as we welcome our 2014 initiates,” she said in a release. “It is our hope that we leave the conference with a renewed spirit to continue to live up to our motto, ‘First of all, Servants of all, We will transcend all.’”
The Cookeville-Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau has been working with ATA Immediate Past District Director Warren Isenhour and local Omicron Phi Advisor Harry Ingle to coordinate hospitality needs for the conference.
“We are happy to welcome the Alphas to Cookeville,” said Molly Brown, Convention & Visitors Bureau director. “Events such as this are a great asset for our community and region. They provide the opportunity to showcase our city and county as a destination to quality guests who will hopefully come back to visit and is also great exposure for our outstanding university.”
The ATA district conference will hold various workshops for its attendees each day at Tech, while also hosting public events each evening. Friday evening’s agenda will offer a step show at 8 p.m. while Saturday evening is scheduled to present the Miss Black and Gold Pageant. Both events are at Derryberry Hall on campus and are open to the public.
For more information about the Association of Tennessee Alphamen, visit www.tnalphas.org. For more information about the Cookeville-Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau, visit www.MustSeeCookeville.com or call (931) 526-2211.
