During HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Week, which was October 7 – 9, Alcorn State University’s (ASU) Marching Band, the Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite (SOD), performed at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Alcorn, along with fellow HBCUs, Bethune Cookman University from Daytona Beach, Florida, Delaware State University from Dover, Delaware, North Carolina A&T from Greensboro, North Carolina and Winston-Salem State University from Winston-Salem, Noth Carolina were invited to be participants in the Battle of the Bands at Magic Kingdom Park on October 9th from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
Brandal Ingram Jr., a Junior Computer Science major and Drumline Section Leader of the SOD, from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, stated, “I really enjoyed this opportunity to expand our talents for the nation to see. This experience brought out the best of us all.”
Along with the Battle of the Band’s competition the event also hosted a College Fair and was broadcast live from the ESPN show, First Take, which features long-time veteran broadcasters Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim.
Kelvin Jordan, Jr., a Junior Music major and Drum major of the SOD, from Holmes County, Mississippi, stated, “Coming to Disney World with my peers for the first time is something I will never forget. From the HBCU alumni mentors to watching Mickey Mouse march along side of me, I can truly say that this experience was rewarding and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. If I’m going to have more experiences like this, then I look forward to what the rest of the season has in store.”