VIENNA - Local alumni of Marshall University raised money for scholarships and honored three people during a dinner Thursday evening at Grand Pointe Conference Center.

Honored for their contributions to Marshall, the community and country were Daniel "Buddy" James, Dan Kimsey and R.V. "Buddy" Graham.

Dale C. Lowther of Williamstown, an honorary alumnus and member of the Marshall University Board of Governors, spoke at the fundraiser.

Photo by Jeff Baughan Former Parkersburg High School football coach Buddy James, right, Marshall University President Stephen J. Kopp, center, and Marshall University Athletics Director Mike Hamrick, left, talk before Thursday's alumni dinner at Grand Pointe Conference Center in Vienna.

Marshall University Alumni of the Mid-Ohio Valley Thundering Bison Club played host to the 2013 scholarship fundraising dinner with the hopes to exceed the seven $1,000 scholarships given from money received at last year's benefit, said alumni president Laurie Martin.

The exact amount of money raised by Thursday's dinner was not immediately known, but Martin said officials know it exceeded what the group made last year. Attendance for the fourth annual dinner was the largest ever at 265 people, she said.

Martin said the main goal for the evening was to raise money in an effort to get area high school students interested in attending the university.

"We would like to exceed our goal this year from last year," she said. "To date our group has raised $26,000 in funds for scholarships."

Martin said it is important to the organization to have alumni and honorees return to every event.

Keynote speaker was Marshall University President Stephen J. Kopp, who spoke about raising endowment funding for medical students. He discussed the importance of helping students who pursue the medical field graduate with as little debt as possible.

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Marshall alumni hold fundraiser locally