Left to right: Sharon Ruffin, widow of Nate Ruffin; Janis Winkfield, vice president of Black Alumni Inc.; and Nancy Campbell, MUAA president.

The new Erickson Alumni Center (EAC) Alumni Lounge will be named in honor of Nate Ruffin, thanks to a gift pledged by Black Alumni Inc. to the EAC Building Fund.

The $100,000 gift was announced during the Alumni Weekend Awards Banquet on April 12, 2008, by newly elected Black Alumni Inc. President Bernie Coston. Also present were Ruffin's widow, Sharon, an longtime friend of the Ruffin family, attorney William "Bill" Redd.

The Nate Ruffin Legacy Initiative, established for the purpose of raising funds for the naming opportunity, has raised $50,000 toward its goal. Fundraising is under way to raise the additional $50,000.

Ruffin was a member of the 1970 Marshall football team. Because an injury kept him from making the trip to Greenville, N.C., for Marshall’s game with East Carolina on Nov. 14, 1970, he was not aboard the plane that crashed near Tri-State Airport on the return trip, killing 75 people, including 37 players.

Ruffin was active in other aspects of university life. He was:

• a rep for the university at the NCAA meeting in Spring of '71;
• represented the university at Orange Bowl for fundraiser '71;
• served on three presidential search committees;
• served for years as a member of the Big Green Club;
• served as an original member of the Marshall Hall of Fame Committee;

• served as a booster and recruiter for football and basketball 1972-91;

• served on the MU Alumni board of directors for eight years; and

• served as a member and an officer of Black Alumni (2 years as president).