Geared toward incoming freshmen who demonstrate academic excellence
Special to The Bolivar Bullet
Photo: Armour
Delta State University has received a $50,000 endowed scholarship from BankPlus, a full-service banking, mortgage, and wealth-management regional firm headquartered in Ridgeland, Miss. The gift will fund an annual scholarship for an incoming Delta State freshman who is in good standing, has earned at least a 3.0 GPA, demonstrates financial need, and resides in a county where BankPlus operates a branch. The financial institution has 80 locations in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana.
“As a Delta State loyalist, I am thrilled to announce this gift to my alma mater,” said Rob Armour, executive vice president and chief marketing and product development officer at BankPlus. “Delta State helped prepare me for my career. I earned my undergraduate degree at DSU, and I learned leadership skills as Student Government Association president my senior year.”
Armour, a Delta State Foundation board member and a former president of DSU’s National Alumni Association, also added, “At BankPlus, our core purpose is to enrich lives and build stronger communities. I believe this gift accomplishes both of these goals.”
BankPlus gave Delta State $10,000 as the first installment and is funneling an additional $10,000 for the next four consecutive years. BankPlus was founded in 1909 as Citizens Bank & Trust Co. in Belzoni, Miss. It changed names to BankPlus in 1994, upon merging with another institution. In April 2020, BankPlus acquired State Bank & Trust, whose roots date to 1898 in Rosedale, to create the sixth-largest bank by deposits in the state. BankPlus now has more than $4 billion in assets.
“I’m overjoyed by this opportunity to support Delta State,” said Jerry Bullock, current city president for BankPlus, whose two Cleveland locations remain open after the merger. “Delta State is the premier place to pursue higher education in the Mississippi Delta. We owe it to Cleveland and surrounding areas to help students be able to attend DSU, even with its affordable tuition.”
Rick Munroe, vice president for university advancement and external affairs at Delta State, observed, “I’m never surprised about but always grateful for the generosity of the DSU family and friends. This gift from BankPlus will make a positive difference for our students and for Delta State as a whole. BankPlus is a terrific partner, and we look forward to future collaborations.”