Page 17 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2021- Online Magazine
P. 17

LOCAL HISTORY






        Lubbock businessmen created          In the 1980s, Gerald and Louise
        the “100 Club,” to re-establish the   Merket gave the lead gift for the first
        association. Each one gave $100 and   expansion of the Merket Alumni
        enlisted ten people to do the same.  Center. It boasted a new ballroom
                                             and alumni lounge.
        Texas Techsan magazine appeared
        in 1950. The earlier campus          Then, in the 2000s, the facility
        publication, Texas Tech Magazine,    was enlarged. The Rex and Nancy
        ceased publication in the 1940s. Still   Johnson Isom Family of Idalou,
        published today, the Texas Techsan   Texas, gave a gift to help construct
        was designed to focus on alumni,     the Peggy and Bill Dean Grand
        association news and campus events.   Reception Hall. The lead gift from
                                             Mickey and Barbara Esslinger
        The association’s first offices were   McKenzie of Sulphur Springs, Texas,
        in the Administration Building. The   made the expanded McKenzie-
        organization’s fortune changed in    Merket Alumni Center a reality – the
        1969, when it relocated to the former   newly redone facility opened in 2011
        President’s Home at 17th Street
        and University Avenue. The two-      On Oct. 25, 1997, the association
        story structure provided room for    broke ground on another spectacular    Texas State Historical Subject Marker honoring
        receptions and meetings.             campus structure, the Frazier Alumni   the Texas Tech Alumni Accociation
                                                                                    (Photo by Hope Huneke)




































                                    THE RAIDER RED COMMIT TEE

                  Celebrating 50 Years of Raider Red



                                                         Fall 2021




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