Alcorn State University Small Farmers Conference 2026

Dr. Dennis Thomas, former Alcorn State University All-SWAC, All-American scholar athlete and current commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). He has served as commissioner of the MEAC for the last 15 years. Under his leadership, the MEAC has ensured its financial stability, strengthened institutional compliance and been instrumental in securing corporate partnerships with nationally recognized brands such as Coca-Cola, ESPN, National Football League and Nike. Thomas also played a significant role in the establishment of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl. While at Alcorn, Thomas, who started his collegiate career at age 16, went on to become the first and only offensive lineman to be named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year. He finished his collegiate career as a three-year letterman at Alcorn, a two-time Pittsburgh Courier First Team All-American, First Team Black Mutual Sports Network All-American and the Outstanding College Athlete of America. He helped lead the Braves to a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship in 1970. Thomas also coached under his former coach, Marino 'The Godfather' Casem. During his coaching tenure, the Braves won SWAC Championships in 1976, 1979 and 1984. Alcorn recently deployed the Dr. Dennis Thomas Life Skills Program to student athletes on campus.

Retired Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore' is the 33rd Commanding Gen. of the United States, First Army, Fort Gilliem, Georgia. He was touted by former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin as 'one John Wayne dude.' In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina he displayed exemplary character and leadership taking charge to restore order and hope. He is chair of the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission and a board member of the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation. Author of 'Survival: How a Culture of Preparedness Can Save You and Your Family from Disasters' and 'Leadership in the New Normal'.

Dr. M. Christopher Brown II is the 18th President of Alcorn State University, the nation's first historically black land-grant institution. He is the youngest HBCU president in the nation. As an authority on HBCUs and land-grant universities, Dr. Brown is leading the charge to increase funding for agricultural research and to expand global programs. Under his leadership, Alcorn experienced record enrollment growing to over 4000 students. In 2012 Alcorn received the HBCU of the Year Award, and in 2013 Dr. Brown was named Male HBCU President of the Year.

Cheryl W. Turner is the southern regional director of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is the first Mississippian elected to lead the Sorority's Southern Region since 1926. She is a member of the Sorority's National Executive Board, and a recent retiree of the State of Mississippi, having previously served as director of special programs for the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Insurance.

Gladys Krigger Washington is program director of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation. She will facilitate an early bird session 'Embracing Community Leadership'.