Family members of Bettie Griffin ’73 and ’75 recognized her 58-year legacy of service to SFA by naming Alumni Drive in her honor for 2016.
The family won the naming right during the SFA Alumni Association’s Homecoming online auction in October. Griffin, a member of the SFASU Foundation Board of Trustees for the past 12 years, received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from SFA and was employed by the university as both a staff member and educator.
Griffin began her SFA career in 1958 as secretary to the athletic director, and she worked alongside the director and coaches managing and overseeing SFA’s then five sports: basketball, football, golf, tennis and track.
Serving as the director’s trusted liaison, Griffin was instrumental in recruiting student-athletes to the university. She was often the initial on-campus point of contact for prospects and their families, as she led them on campus tours and made them feel at home with her East Texas hospitality.
The coaches relied heavily on Griffin to work with student-athletes to keep their grades high, and it wasn’t uncommon for her to help tutor student-athletes who were having difficulty making the grade. Through her caring and dedication, she became a mentor and friend to many who still remain in contact with her today.
In 1973, Griffin left SFA to teach English at Nacogdoches High School. During this time, she remained connected to SFA through training student teachers as they prepared to enter the profession. She also taught courses in SFA’s sociology department part-time.
When she retired from classroom teaching with NISD in 1986, Griffin joined SFA again working for the Department of Secondary Education, where she evaluated student teachers and interns until she retired from SFA in 1990.
Many of Griffin’s family members also are SFA alumni, including two daughters, three granddaughters, a grandson and a son-in-law.