NW Now pages - Northwest Mississippi Community College

N ORTHWEST M ISSISSIPPI
C OMMUNITY C OLLEGE
F OUNDATION
Northwest
P.O. Drawer 7015 • 4975 Highway 51 North
Senatobia, MS 38668
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Now
SUMMER 2014
Parting
shot
Elementary education
major Karen Moore and
pre-nursing major Aaron
Lee Talbert share a
selfie before the 2014
Commencement
Exercises May 16.
Photo by LaJuan Tallo
Northwest Mississippi Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a veteran or disabled veteran in employment, programs, or provision of services. Compliance
with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act is coordinated by Mr. Michael Dottorey, Disability Support Services Coordinator, McLendon Student Center, P.O. Box 5555, Highway 51 North,
Senatobia, Mississippi 38668, telephone number 662-562-3309, email address mldottorey@northwestms.edu. Compliance with Title II of the Age Discrimination Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is coordinated by
Mr. Gary Mosley, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs, James P. McCormick Administration Building, P.O. Box 7017, 4975 Highway 51 North, Senatobia, Mississippi, 38668, telephone number 662-562-3216, email address
gtmosley@northwestms.edu.
Outstanding
Alumni
Spears, Dodson
honored by UM
INSIDE: Hall of Fame • HEADWAE • spring sports • 2014 retirees
Now
Northwest
Summer 2014
A publication of
Northwest Mississippi Community College
President
Dr. Gary Lee Spears
Vice President for Finance
Gary Mosley
Vice President for Student Services/Chief of Staff
Dan Smith
Vice President for Education
Richie Lawson
Vice President/Registrar
Larry Simpson
Chairman, Northwest Board of Trustees
Milton Kuykendall
Northwest Foundation
Associate Vice President of Development &
Special Projects/Associate Editor
Sybil R. Canon • srcanon@northwestms.edu
Director of Alumni Affairs & Development
Operations
Dolores Wooten • dbwooten@northwestms.edu
Communications
Director of Communications/Editor
Sarah Sapp • ssapp@northwestms.edu
Assistant Director of Communications/
Graphic Designer
Julie R. Bauer • jrbauer@northwestms.edu
Communications Assistant
LaJuan Tallo • ltallo@northwestms.edu
Coordinator for Sports Information
Kevin Maloney • kmaloney@northwestms.edu
Editorial Office
Northwest Now
NWCC Box 7039 • 4975 Hwy. 51 N.
Senatobia, MS 38668
Phone: (662) 562-3276 • Fax: (662) 562-3499
www.northwestms.edu
For address changes, please contact Alumni
Affairs at (662) 560-1105.
Northwest Now is published bi-annually as a joint effort of the
Northwest Foundation and the Office of Communications.
Winner of the 2007 &
2009 Grand Award,
Print Media category
College Public
Relations
Association of
Mississippi
contents
features
9
12
19
22
26
a perfect moment
Singers share once-in-a-lifetime experience with
Carnegie Hall premiere performance.
cover story: top honors
Dodson awarded UM’s prestigious Taylor Medal for
outstanding academic accomplishments.
record-setting athlete
Former Ranger QB Will Hall joins state’s elite as
newest member of MACJC Sports Hall of Fame.
forming partnerships
Career, Technical and Workforce Education reaches
out to local industry to better educate workers.
champion of education
Dr. Gary Lee Spears honored as UM
School of Education Alumnus of the Year.
departments
1
2
3
14
19
33
student snapshot/chance thweatt
president’s reflections/dr. gary lee spears
alumni president’s notes/mike boren
around campus
the legacy continues
the sporting life
from the heart of northwest/sybil canon
alumni news/dolores wooten
On the cover: Northwest alumnus and President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears,
congratulates alumnus Logan Dodson as an Ole Miss Taylor Medalist. Dr. Spears
was recently honored as the Ole Miss School of Education’s Alumnus of the Year.
Photo by Julie Bauer
from the
heart of Northwest
Sybil R. Canon
At the end of the spring term, I
attended the pinning ceremony for the
recent graduates of the Associate Degree
Nursing program. When I walked in the
door, one of the graduates came over to
me and said, “I have been thinking of you.
If it wasn’t for you, I would not be here
tonight.” I immediately told her, “Brenda,
with your determination, I know you would
have found a way.”
While I was the one who received Brenda’s expression of gratitude,
there are so many others who should also receive accolades. First are
the president and administration of Northwest who are so supportive of
the work of the Foundation. Then, there are the volunteers who serve on
the Foundation Board of Directors who make sure that we conduct
business in a correct and transparent manner. There is the donor who
provided Brenda her scholarship. In this case, it was First Financial Bank
in Senatobia. And my colleague, Dolores Wooten, deserves thanks.
This particular scholarship was established after the scholarship
committee had already met. In cases like these, the committee
authorizes the Foundation Office to make the selections. Dolores
scoured the remaining applications of students who had not been
selected initially and found Brenda’s application. When Dolores called
her to tell her the good news, Brenda explained that she had just found
out that she had been accepted in the nursing program but that her
husband had lost his job and she was ready to turn down the acceptance.
The phone call from Dolores and the generosity of First Financial Bank
changed her mind.
On the night of the pinning ceremony, as each name was called, family
members stood. Brenda’s family was on the front row, and there was a
young man in a wheel chair. This was Brenda’s son who has been
battling leukemia since he was a child. As Brenda walked across the
stage, I saw that young man struggle to stand in honor of his mother.
It was such a touching moment that made me so very grateful to have
the job I have that allows me to experience the goodness and generosity
of so many people and to see firsthand the good that occurs as a result.
In that nursing class, there were at least 20 students who had
received Foundation scholarships. Just think of how far-reaching those
scholarships will go as these men and women enter hospitals and
doctors’ offices throughout the Southeast.
I am meeting more and more of our scholarship recipients who are
now adults with families, who are working at meaningful jobs, and who are
making positive contributions to our world. Indeed, I am blessed because
I get to see the “heart of Northwest” in the lives of our students and in
the gifts from some very kind and generous people.
alumni news
Dolores Wooten
Homecoming
is
just around the corner,
and we want to invite
you to join us on
Saturday, Sept. 20.
We will be honoring
our Alumnus of the
Year and the classes
of 1954, 1964 and
1974. In addition we
are going to do
something NEW this year and use this time to
recognize our 2014 Sports Hall of Fame
inductees—Shantell Atkins, Detric Golden and
Ben Evans.
It is gearing up to be a very special day for
everyone, and we hope you will mark your
calendar and make plans to be here to honor
these special alums.
The agenda is as follows. All events will take
place in the David M. Haraway Center unless
otherwise noted.
• 10 - 11:30 a.m.—Meet and Greet time
for friends and alumni. Come visit and
have a cup of coffee!
• 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.—Lunch served
buffet style (cafeteria side)
No reservations needed, no program
• Noon - 1 p.m.—Homecoming Luncheon
and Program (conference center side)
Reservations required
Presentation of the Alumnus of the
Year; Presentation of the 2014 Sports
Hall of Fame inductees; Recognition of
classes of 1954, 1964 and 1974; and
entertainment by Northwest students.
• 1:30 p.m.—Pre-Game Show
Ranger Stadium
• 2 p.m.—Kickoff, Rangers vs. Itawamba
Indians
If your class is interested in having a special
get-together, please give me a call and we’ll work
out the details.
As always, thank you for making Northwest
the special place it is for our students today.
Your continued support through your time, talents
and gifts provide the quality education our
students deserve. Our door is always open, and
we welcome your visit anytime.
student snapshot
Chance Thweatt
Horn Lake • 2014 Graduate
Major: Criminal Justice
Scholarship: The 2+2 Endowment
What does getting a Foundation
Scholarship mean to you?
The scholarship means a lot to me because it
helped me financially get through Northwest. I
am very blessed to have received it!
Which instructors/people have been particularly helpful in your experience at
Northwest?
All of my Northwest instructors were helpful,
and each made an impact on me. Mrs.
Whitney Nickels and Mr. Willie Sumner were
both a huge influence on me and made me
want to continue my major in criminal justice.
What inspired you to choose your major?
My cousin, who was a Memphis police officer,
played a big part in my decision, but my being
in the Marine Corps also inspired me. I’ve just
always wanted to help people!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
At Ole Miss working on my master’s degree and
continuing to serve in the Marine Corps.
Where do you plan to go after you complete your coursework at Northwest?
I plan to attend The University of Mississippi.
Photo by Julie Bauer
What would you like for people to know
about Northwest?
I had an amazing time at Northwest, and I am
glad I got my college start there!
Summer 2014
1
president’s reflections
Dr. Gary Lee Spears
It is an honor to appear on the cover of
this issue with one of our former students,
Logan Dodson. We both had the privilege of
receiving awards at the same time from the
School of Education of The University of
alumni
president’s
notes
Mississippi. As I saw Logan walk forward to
receive several prestigious awards, I could
Mike Boren
not help but reflect about the education that
is provided here at Northwest.
It is extremely rewarding to be able to
assure students and their families that
choosing Northwest as their “first” college is
a good decision. Logan is only one of the
testaments to that statement. There are thousands and thousands more who have
come to Northwest and who have discovered that a quality education is available
at an affordable cost.
When I received my award, I was reminded of the professors at Ole Miss who
took a personal interest in me and who helped me through the doctoral program.
For that, I am grateful.
It was a humbling experience to be recognized by the School of Education, and
it has caused me to reflect on my own educational journey that culminated in
receiving my doctorate from The University of Mississippi. Of course, Northwest is
my “first” college, and it is somewhat overwhelming to think that I have had the
honor and privilege of serving as president for the past nine years.
My wife, Marilyn, encouraged me to pursue degrees beyond my bachelor’s
degree, and she was and remains a wonderful support to me. My two sons, Jared
and Daniel, have also been extremely supportive. In addition, my parents instilled
in me a strong ethic which has served me well to this day.
Receiving this award and standing with Logan were high points for me. For both
of us, Northwest is our “first” college. Logan represents the next generation of educators, and, like so many others, began his educational journey at Northwest. The
legacy of excellence at Northwest is well-established, and I am thankful to this college, to Delta State University and to The University of Mississippi for providing me
with the education and access to master professors who have enabled me to pursue a lifelong career in education.
2
Northwest Now
When you help a Northwest student,
you help Northwest.
In this edition of Northwest Now you
will read about new partnerships the
Career, Technical and Workforce
Education
(CTWE) division
are developing.
Among a number
of great, intended
outcomes, these
partnerships will
get
Northwest
students internships while they
complete their
associate degrees at the college.
With a concrete plan in action for
partnerships in the manufacturing sector and plans in the works for business
and office, transportation and health
care sectors, you will begin to see more
Northwest students across all industries getting real-world experience during their time at Northwest.
If you are involved in hiring or decision-making in your business or industry, please reach out to our CTWE
District Dean, David Campbell, and let
him know how your firm can help
Northwest. Join a partnership. Employ a
paid intern. Hire a student for WorkBased Learning. Take part in our CTWE
Advisory Board that helps improve
CTWE curriculum by providing instructors information about the latest
changes in business and industry.
While donating to the Northwest
Foundation is critical to raising the
money we need for scholarships, you
can also help us by training or employing a Northwest Ranger. When you help
our students find gainful employment
today, you create the Northwest
Foundation donors of the future.
www.northwestms.edu
around campus
Trustees recognize 2014 Hall of Fame members
Eleven students were honored as
members of the 2014 Northwest Hall of
Fame, the highest honor a Northwest
student can attain based upon their academic prowess and involvement in
student life at the college, at the
Feb. 13 Board of Trustees meeting
on the Senatobia campus.
Kendal Atkinson, an elementary
education major from Senatobia,
was president of the Northwest
Education Association (NEA) and a
member of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK).
She was also a member of the 2012
Homecoming court and a student
recruiter. Her honors include
Senatobia Rotary Club Student of the
Month, Dean’s List, Who’s Who
Among Students in American
Universities and Colleges and
Outstanding Student. She is recipient of the Youth Progress Association
Endowment.
Lauren Carson, an education
major from Coldwater, was an officer
for Mu Alpha Theta and PTK. Carson
was a captain of the Ranger cheerleaders, a student recruiter, member
of the Baptist Student Union (BSU), NEA
and
the
Student
Government
Association. She also served as captain
of the Diamond Girls. Her honors include
the President’s List and Who’s Who. She
is recipient of the A.W. and LaNelle
Bouchillion Endowment.
Harley Leigh Cook, a secondary education major from Pope, participated in
the Northwest Singers and BSU and was
a CollegeFish ambassador. She was an
officer in the NEA and PTK. Cook’s honors include President’s List, Who’s Who
and Outstanding Student. She is recipient of the Patrum and Ganel Veazey
Endowment.
Shelbi Dunlap of Coldwater, an
accounting major, served as PTK president and as an officer in Mu Alpha
Theta. She was a member of the
Student Government Association, a student recruiter, Homecoming court maid
www.northwestms.edu
and was crowned 2013 Homecoming
queen. Dunlap was a campus beauty,
Miss NWCC, a captain of the Ranger
cheerleaders and a member of the
the Lucy B. Whitwell Endowment.
Hannah Waldrip is a pre-nursing major
from Sardis. She was an officer in the
BSU and a member of PTK, Christians in
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears (far right) congratulates (front row, left to right)
Kendal Atkinson, Shelbi Dunlap, Randi Robison, Hannah Switzer, (second row, left to
right) Lauren Carson, Renita Couch, Rebekah Bosley, Harley Cook, Ricky Clayton and
Hannah Waldrip. Not pictured is Carley Perry.
Photo by Sarah Sapp
Diamond Girls. Her honors include
President’s List, Who’s Who and
Outstanding Student. She participated in
the APEX Leadership Conference at Ole
Miss. She is recipient of the Allen
Thurman and Mildred Gabbert Veazey
Endowment.
Randi Robison, a pre-medical major
from Senatobia, was a member of the
Allied Health Organization, PTK, Science
and Math Club, Christians in Action and
the Northwest tennis team. She was a
leader in Rangers for Christ. Robison’s
honors include Dean’s List, Who’s Who
and Outstanding Student.
Hannah Switzer is a psychology major
from Senatobia. She was a member of
PTK and BSU. She was an officer for the
Wesley Foundation and the Northwest
tennis team. Her honors include the
President’s List, Who’s Who
and
Outstanding Student. She is recipient of
Action and the Northwest tennis team.
Her honors include the Dean’s List,
Who’s Who and Outstanding Student.
Rebekah Bosley, a general college
major from Nesbit, was a member of PTK
and was on the President’s List.
Renita Couch, a practical nursing
major from Robinsonville, was a member
of the Practical Nursing and Allied Health
Club. Her honors include President’s List
and Who’s Who.
Carley Perry, a liberal arts major from
Olive Branch, was a member of PTK and
was on the President’s List. She was
also named an Outstanding Student.
She is recipient of the 2+2 Endowment.
Ricky Clayton is a general college
major from Oxford. He was a member of
PTK. His honors include President’s List
and Who’s Who. He is recipient of the
Oxford Center Endowment.
—LaJuan Tallo
Summer 2014
3
around campus
DeSoto student, instructor are HEADWAE honorees
Sophomore general college major Nathan
Jones of Coldwater and Hotel Restaurant
Management Technology instructor Katherine
Murphy Mistilis of Memphis were selected as this
year’s HEADWAE student and faculty honorees.
Mistilis teaches at the college’s DeSoto Center,
where Jones was a student.
HEADWAE stands for “Higher Education
Appreciation Day—Working for Academic
Excellence.” The award was established by the
Mississippi Legislative Resolution No. 88 in
1987 to annually honor academically talented
students and faculty members of Mississippi’s
higher education institutions who have made outstanding contributions in promoting academic
excellence. Jones and Mistilis were honored at
the 27th annual HEADWAE program in Jackson
Feb. 18.
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears (center) congratulates Nathan
Jones is the son of Mark and Rhonda Jones of
Jones and Katherine Mistilis on their selection as 2014 HEADWAE student
Coldwater. He was homeschooled through
and faculty honorees during the Board of Trustees meeting in March.
DeSoto County Home Educators. At Northwest,
Photo by Sarah Sapp
Jones was the recipient of the Ben and Alma
She was a speaker at the American/Spanish Medical
Wynne Endowment and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa
Honor Society. He is a member of the United States Marine Association Meeting in Madrid, received the Certified Chef
Culinary Educator Award in 2000, was named Mississippi
Corps, and his goal is to become a commissioned officer.
Mistilis has taught at Northwest for 15 years. She attended Advisor of the Year in 2004 and was named a Delta Epsilon
Northwest and received her bachelor’s degree in home econom- Chi (DECA) Honorary Life Member in 2008. She is a member
ics and master’s degree in food and nutrition from The University of DECA, the Mississippi Association of Marketing Educators,
of Mississippi. She has also studied at the Culinary Institute of Home Economics in Business and the American Culinary
America and Le Cordon Bleu, in Windsor, England. Mistilis Federation. She is married to Steve Mistilis, and is the mothreceived her certification as a Certified Culinary Educator from er of one son and the grandmother of triplets.
—LaJuan Tallo
the American Culinary Federation (ACF) in 2005.
Welding & Cutting majors build gate for Baddour Garden Center
Students in the 2013-14 Welding and Cutting program at Northwest
recently constructed and installed a 42-foot gate at the entrance of
the new Garden Center at the Baddour Center in Senatobia. Pictured
left to right are Cord Curry of Shaw, Austin Ammons of Olive Branch,
Tyler Matthews of Senatobia, Ray Beebe of Sarah, James Kirkley of
Oxford, Cory Ernst of Hernando, Dustin Wilkie of Senatobia, Josh
Young of Waterford, Kyle Lay of Senatobia, Rodney Steele, instructor,
Khari Steele of Senatobia and Khari Isom of Holly Springs. Not pictured are William Hollowell of Sarah, Russell Young of Waterford and
Samantha Kelley of Senatobia.
Photo by Theron Fly/Baddour Center
4
Northwest Now
www.northwestms.edu
around campus
Fitness Expo showcases college’s offerings
Northwest held a Fitness Expo at the
McLendon Center on the Senatobia campus
Saturday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. led
by Liesl Mote, intramural coordinator and
cheer sponsor.
Dozens of community members, faculty,
staff and students participated in this free
opportunity to try out the different fitness
classes offered at Northwest.
“We had demonstrations for all of the fitness classes that we offer,” said Mote. “We
have all sorts of facilities, the fitness center
and the Ranger Outdoor Complex.”
Activities included fitness walking, indoor
cycling, weight training, Zumba and conditioning. Mote offered a nutrition seminar,
complete with light refreshments, where she
offered advice on how to make healthier
choices in eating meals and snacking. Staff
was available to help participants apply for
admission to participate in these classes for
the upcoming summer and fall terms.
Liesl Mote, intramural coordinator and cheer sponsor, guides a participant
“I promise I have something for everyone
through weight training during the fitness and conditioning portion of the May 3
in every class,” said Mote. “In my spin class,
Fitness Expo.
Photo by Terrell Wooten
I am the guide, but you are in control of your
gears. You find what is comfortable for you in
any of our fitness classes.”
tennis courts, volleyball courts, outdoor basketball courts and
Fitness classes are offered year-round at Northwest. With entry to any athletic events on campus. People interested in
registration for just one fitness course, participants gain fitness classes at Northwest are encouraged to contact Mote
access to all fitness facilities on campus, the walking track, at lmote@northwestms.edu.
—Melody Skipper
USMC-NO Band performs
The Fine Arts Division hosted a concert by the United States Marine
Corps Band New Orleans on May 5. Before the concert, Staff Sgt.
Stephen Howell, a Northwest alumnus and member of the band, visited with Director of Bands John Ungurait (right). The Northwest stop
was part of the band’s spring tour.
Photos by LaJuan Tallo
www.northwestms.edu
Summer 2014
5
around campus
Caldwell elected to state AD nursing board
Dr. Robyn Caldwell, nursing instructor
and student success specialist at
Northwest, was recently elected as education director to the Mississippi
Organization for Associate Degree
Nursing (M-OADN) State Board.
According to the M-OADN website,
the role of the state education director
is to plan and prepare a program for the
state convention, plan and prepare the
organization’s continuing education programs, secure speakers and work with
the executive director to determine
speaker needs and serve as the chair of
the Education Committee.
Last summer Caldwell earned her
Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) in
Nursing Administration with an emphasis in education from the Ida V. Moffett
School of Nursing at Samford University
in Birmingham. Caldwell has been on
the staff at Northwest for 11 years, first
as an adjunct instructor, and as a fulltime instructor for the past six years. At
Northwest, she has served on the
NCLEX, curriculum and library committees. She has also served as a liaison for
the RN-BSN Dual Enrollment Program
and as a member of the Statewide
Curriculum Redesign Committee
and the Monthly Leadership
Development Sessions.
Her vast work experience
includes work as a registered nurse
in the emergency departments at
Methodist University Hospital,
Regional
Medical
Center,
LeBonheur Children’s Medical
Center, Baptist Memorial Hospital
DeSoto, Alliance Healthcare and
Senatobia Community Hospital.
“It’s an honor to represent the
Northwest Division of Nursing in
such an important capacity. I look
forward to working with other leaders from across the state to promote associate degree nursing education,” Caldwell said.
The Division of Nursing also
launched the Licensed Practical
Nursing (LPN) to Registered Nursing (RN)
Transition program that will enable LPNs
who meet certain requirements to enter
the college’s Associate Degree of
Nursing (ADN) program at a sophomore
level.
If
accepted
into the transition
program, LPNs
will enroll in an
intensive eightIn accordance with House Bill No. 1071 from the 2010 legweek
summer
islative session, Northwest has released its 2012 Community
course designed
College Report Card. College officials were pleased to report
to facilitate the
Northwest’s performance in licensure pass rates and college
transition of the
readiness success were higher than the state average.
LPN to the role of
Licensure Exam Pass Rates are now 92.5 percent, well above
a professional RN.
the system total percentage of 87.7 percent. The percentage of
The content of the
students who begin in Developmental English and then succourse is designed
cessfully complete English Composition, 73.2 percent, is above
to expand the
the percentage statewide, 72.8 percent. The percentage of stuLPN’s knowledge
dents who successfully complete Intermediate Algebra, 72.7
base, and cover
percent, making them ready to take college-level mathematics,
any content speis well above the state percentage, 66.7 percent. This is due in
cific for the freshlarge part to Northwest’s dedicated math faculty and successman-level course
ful Quality Enhancement Plan, Moving Mathematical
in the ADN proMountains. The complete report card can be found online at
gram. The course
www.northwestms.edu/reportcard.
—Sarah Sapp
will include both
College releases report card
6
Northwest Now
Dr. Robyn Caldwell
lecture and lab components.
“We developed the course by doing a
gap analysis between what students
learn in the LPN program and what our
students learn in the first year of the
ADN program. We tried to identify these
areas and include them in the summer
course. With their LPN background and
the transition course, they should be at
the same level as the first semester
sophomore students and be able to
complete their ADN in two semesters.
We collaborated with our own LPN
instructors and program, of course, but
they don’t have to have received their
LPN training at Northwest. Any LPN who
meets the requirements may apply,”
said Dr. Ellen Williams, dean of the
Division of Nursing.
Williams explained that there is limited admission for this summer, as it is
the first time this course has been
taught, but plans are to expand the program for next year and the following
years to accept more students. “We are
really excited that this program is coming together,” Williams said.
—LaJuan Tallo
www.northwestms.edu
around campus
Author Rodeo Round-up ropes local literary community
Northwest’s first “Author Rodeo Round-up” on
Saturday, March 29 was successful, and event
organizers plan to make it an annual event,
according to Maggie Moran, director of Learning
Resources. The event was held at the R.C. Pugh
Library. Twenty-four local authors were on hand
to participate in a book signing at the library.
The event kicked off with a panel discussion
of local authors, including Julie Cantrell of Oxford;
Northwest Instructor Katherine King and her sister Margaret King; Saltillo poet Patricia NeelyDorsey; children’s author Arthur Avant of
Senatobia and Northwest Webmaster Ray
Sharpe, who has published
five books.
“Over and over, I was
told that the authors
were so happy to have a
place to meet and chat
with fellow authors in the
area,” Moran said. She
said that she got a lot
of
positive
feedback
and some
suggestions
for making the
event bigger next year.
—Sarah Sapp
The King twins, Margaret (left) and Katherine, entertain the crowd with their
funny antics during the Author Rodeo Round-up March 29 at R.C. Pugh Library.
The Kings, authors of “Y’all Twins” and “Which is Which?” were two of the 24
local authors who participated in a panel discussion during the event. (top)
Northwest Webmaster Ray Sharpe (left) and his wife, Martha, sit ready to chat
with the public and sign some of the five books they have published through their
publishing company, Wincustomers. (above)
Senatobia native Arthur Avant (left) discusses his children’s book, “To Find A
Friend”, which teaches children the true meaning of friendship and how to be a
friend to others.
Summer 2014
7
around campus
PTK All-Mississippi team recognized by legislature
Northwest students Hannah Simpson of
Coldwater, Jeromy Payne of Senatobia and
Rebekah Bosley of Nesbit were honored on
March 5 by the Mississippi Legislature for
being named to the Phi Theta Kappa AllMississippi Academic Team.
After being honored on the floor of the
Senate with the passing of a House
Concurrent Resolution, the nominees
adjourned to the All-Mississippi Academic
Team Recognition Luncheon where they were
individually recognized for their academic
accomplishments. Bosley, a general college
major from the DeSoto Center, was recognized as a first team honoree, while
Senatobia campus students Simpson, a
music major and Payne, a social work major,
were recognized as second team honorees.
State Sen. Terry Burton; Speaker of the
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears congratulates (front row, third from left
House, Phillip Gunn; Executive Director of
to right) Hannah Simpson of Coldwater, Jeromy Payne of Senatobia and Rebekah
the Community College Board, Dr. Eric Clark;
Bosley of Nesbit for being named to the PTK All-Mississippi Academic Team.
and PTK Executive Director, Dr. Rod Risley
Joining him are (front row, left) PTK advisers, Judy Barham, (back row, left to right)
served as distinguished speakers at the
Patsy Gardner, Dawn Stevens and (back row, right) Kim Hamilton-Wims; (back
recognition luncheon.
row, second from right) DeSoto Center Dean, Richie Lawson; and (back row, cenNorthwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears,
ter) Registrar, Larry Simpson.
Photo by Justin Ford
played a special role in this year’s ceremony
by serving as chairman of the event’s steering committee for dents per campus to the All-Mississippi Academic Team.
Nominations are based on outstanding academic performance
the fourth year in a row.
—Sarah Sapp
Each two-year college in Mississippi may nominate two stu- and service to the college and community.
Student journalists bring home multiple awards
The Ranger Rocket newspaper staff brought
home 13 awards, including three first place, from
the Better Newspaper Contest in Jackson on March
27 during the 16th annual O.C. McDavid
Journalism Conference.
Six Northwest journalism students traveled to
Jackson, along with Journalism Instructor Carroll
Huebner.
The Ranger Rocket was recognized for three
first-place, five second-place and five third-place
awards, as well as one honorable mention.
“Sitting at the table with my Ranger Rocket staff
members, listening to Mr. (Charles) Overby give his
speech and hearing our names being called for
awards were very inspiring. I think that the purpose
Journalists page 29
8
➤
Northwest Now
Journalism students (l to r) Ike House, Lauren Benton, Rhyneal Armstrong,
Cheyenne Fair, Terrell Wooten and Kreneice Reid display the awards won at
the O.C. McDavid Journalism Conference in March.
Photo by Carroll Huebner
around campus
Singers participate in Carnegie Hall performance
A select number of Northwest Singers
and Chamber Choir members were a part
of the premiere performance of Dan
Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living” on Jan.
19 in Carnegie Hall’s Issac Stern
Auditorium. The choirs performed under
the direction of Dr. James Meaders. The
performance was part of the Distinguished
Concerts International New York (DCINY).
“The Northwest Singers received this
invitation because of the quality and high
level of musicianship demonstrated by the
singers,” said Dr. Jonathan Griffith, artistic
director and principal conductor for DCINY.
“It is quite an honor just to be invited to
perform in New York. These wonderful
musicians not only represent a high quality of music and education, but they also
become ambassadors for the entire community.”
The students were awestruck by the caliber of musicians and venue for the performance. “As soon as the orchestra started to play, my heart took off,” said Hannah
Hanberry of Olive Branch. “The music
swelled, and all of a sudden the crowded
stage did not matter. As the last note rung
out, I began to cry because the moment
was just so unreal. Standing in Carnegie
Hall, where so many iconic musical figures
have performed, and singing to a marvelous
audience, then receiving a standing ovation—everything about that moment was
perfect.”
In addition to the Carnegie Hall performance, the students enjoyed local dining,
toured the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
The Singers in performance dress at Central Park.
Members of the Northwest Singers join other choral groups in preparation for their performance at Carnegie Hall in January.
Photo by Justin Ford
took in a Broadway musical, visited Central
Park and the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller
Center and toured the city, including the
9/11 Memorial.
“An experience like New York is one of a
kind,” said Hannah Parker of Ashland. “I
had no idea I would see and learn so much
and that it would change me. Everything in
it teemed with life and celebrated it. From
the memorable landmarks that left me in
awe to the history that deepened my appreciation for them, I left New York a more
thoughtful person.”
With the approval of Dr. Gary Lee
Spears, president, the college provided
funds for the transportation and lodging.
Through a Northwest Foundation fundraising campaign
spearheaded by
Associate Vice
President for
Development,
Sybil
Canon,
$25,000 was
r a i s e d .
According to
Canon,
"We
wanted to be
sure that this
was a memoPhoto by Justin Ford
rable experience, and through the generosity of approximately 50 donors, to include
Bobby Dunlap of Batesville, Dr. Patsy
Sledge of Senatobia, and Dr. and Mrs. Gary
Spears who gave major gifts, we were able
to provide the touring excursions, dining
experiences, and other special events."
While most of the singers were selected
by an audition process, some of the alternates were given the option of making the
trip and paying for their own expenses. The
Northwest Foundation assisted those students as well. “Being able to sing at
Carnegie Hall was a dream come true. I am
so grateful to the generous donors that
allowed all of us to have this amazing,
beautiful experience ingrained into our
minds,” said Caitlen Barron of Olive Branch.
Director of Choral Activities and Chair of
the Music Department, Susanne VanDyke,
is in her 21st year as head of the Northwest
Singers and was an integral part of making
this trip possible and successful. Because
of the group’s outstanding performance
and overall conduct, Griffith extended an
open invitation to VanDyke to return with
the Northwest Singers in two years to perform again.
—Sarah Sapp
Summer 2014
9
around campus
Art students win awards,
two get MCA scholarships
Five Northwest art students placed in the 2014 Mississippi
Community and Junior College Art Instructors Association
(MCJC/AIA) Student Art Competition/Exhibition, according to
Lawayne House, art department chair.
The event, which was hosted at Northwest this year, is an
art competition for Mississippi community and junior colleges
and was judged by two Memphis College of Art professors,
Maritza Davila and Remy Miller.
Winners from Northwest were Brian Odhlambo of
Batesville, who won a first-place ribbon in Graphic Design;
Kayla Frazier of Olive Branch, first place in Printmaking; Anna
Yates of Hernando, who won second-place ribbons in both
Drawing and Graphic Design and third place in 2D Design;
Kristin McClelland of Nesbit, third place in Drawing and Jacob
Talley of Como, who received an honorable mention in 2D
Design.
“The Northwest art faculty is very proud of our students and
the awards they won during this year’s competition. Their
tenacity, coupled with hard work in perfecting their artistic
skills, has once again reaffirmed that our teaching methods
are working,” House said.
In addition to the department’s excellent showing at com-
Jeremy Clark and Tara Thornton
petition, two of their spring graduates, Jeremy Clark of Olive
Branch and Tara Thornton of Lake Cormorant, earned scholarships to study at Memphis College of Art. Clark was awarded
$45,000 and Thornton received $52,000. Clark intends to
study animation, and Thornton will study illustration.
—LaJuan Tallo
Scholarship recipients recognized at annual Fallen Heroes service
Northwest students receiving Fallen Hero Endowed
Scholarships were recognized at the annual Fallen Heroes
Memorial Service on May 2. Pictured left to right are
Savannah Jeno of Southaven, recipient of the Larry Cox Fallen
Hero Endowed Scholarship; Alexis Shannon of Hernando,
recipient of the Rory Welch Key Scholarship; Teranee Bonner
of Southaven, recipient of the Robert Dodson Scholarship;
Mary Catherine Trollinger of Olive Branch, recipient of the
William P. Harris Scholarship; Derek Metcalf of Hernando,
recipient of the Gregory F. Medlin Scholarship; Morgan Davis
of Olive Branch, recipient of the James W. Lance, Jr.
Scholarship; and Taylor Lawson of Hernando, recipient of the
Bobby L. Wells, Jr. Scholarship. Not Pictured is Larry Clark of
Olive Branch, recipient of The Larkin V. Pettit Scholarship. The
Northwest Foundation has given a total of $28,000 in Fallen
Hero Endowed Scholarships. Criminal justice instructor
Whitney Nickels introduced the students and thanked those
who contributed to the endowment to make the scholarships
possible.
Photo by Julie Bauer
10
Northwest Now
www.northwestms.edu
around campus
Ag Tech shows off new lab at Open House
Northwest has an enormous
impact on the agricultural industry,
reaching everyone from high
school students thinking about
careers in agriculture to seasoned
working professionals. In less than
one
month,
the
college’s
Agricultural
Technology/John
Deere Tech program launched a
new
Integrated
Distance
Technology (IDT) classroom, hosted an expo for current agricultural
professionals and welcomed
dozens of prospective students to
their open house.
A new IDT lab, launched in
February and currently run by
Northwest
instructors
Terry
Schumann and Sterling Schmidt,
now broadcasts John Deere protech classes globally, affording
dealers and their staff the opportunity to learn about the latest products and improvements in John
Deere technology. There are nine
labs in the U.S. that are utilized as
John Deere Instructional Specialist, Kyle Rutschman (left), and Virtual Training Technology
training hubs to broadcast these
Analyst, Luis Duran, put the finishing touches on the new Integrated Distance Technology
pro-tech classes into dealerships
lab in the John Deere Technology facility on the Senatobia campus. Dealers and employacross the world. According to Luis
ees are able to save money in travel and training costs by using this type of state-of-theDuran, Virtual Training Technology
art technology.
Photo by Sarah Sapp
analyst at John Deere, dealers and
employees are able to save money
Wade, Incorporated is a John Deere
in travel and training costs by using this farmers reap the benefits of this new
technology
by
improving
efficiency,
prodealer
with 11 locations throughout the
type of state-of-the-art technology.
ductivity
and
daily
operations.
state
that
partners with Northwest in
Lina Pham, aftermarket manager at
The
John
Deere
Open
House
was
held
training
and
recruiting technicians of all
John Deere, hosted an expo at
on
Friday,
Feb.
14
from
10:30
a.m.
to
1
ages.
Ben
Hargett,
Human Resources
Northwest for over 70 dealers, including
p.m.
at
the
Ag
Tech
building
in
director
at
Wade,
Inc.,
works specifically
Wade, Incorporated, Mississippi Ag,
Senatobia.
Presenters
talked
about
the
with
the
Agricultural
Technology
program
Arkansas Ag, Mouse Implement and
future
of
farming,
continuing
education
at
Northwest,
where
a
large
part
of their
Tennessee Tractor. Dealers were able to
in
John
Deere
and
offered
their
perspectechnicians
come
from.
“They
are
expesee a preview of the brand’s newest
tive
on
skilled
technicians.
Zach
Goff
of
rienced,
educated
guys
who
bring
a
parhigh-speed planter and learned about
Olive
Branch
is
in
his
second
year
of
the
ticular
skill
set
that
benefits
us.
It
is
topwhat parts can be retrofit into older
planters. “This is basically a dealer train- program and assisted in showing notch quality. We expect nothing but the
ing to get our customers aware that if prospective students around the facility. best from Ag Tech and pro-tech training
they don’t want to spend the money this “There is always something with John in our partnership with John Deere and
year or next year, they are still able to Deere that you can learn—always a new Northwest,” said Hargett.
—Melody Skipper
upgrade parts for their current machin- product line. They are the best about
educating
their
techs,”
said
Goff.
ery,” said Pham. According to Pham,
www.northwestms.edu
Summer 2014
11
star
scholar
Ole Miss Regional
Admissions Counselor and
Northwest alumnus Jason
McCormick (left) presents
Logan Dodson with the
Lyceum Scholarship, the
largest UM transfer scholarship, before his graduation
from Northwest.
Photo by Sarah Sapp
Education alumnus awarded UM’s prestigious Taylor Medal
By LaJuan Tallo
“He makes teaching worthwhile. His
intelligence, discipline, and enthusiasm all
combine into the kind of student every
teacher dreams of having in the classroom,” said Jennifer Boyd Hale, a mathematics instructor at Northwest, describing
Northwest alumnus Logan Dodson of
Senatobia.
On April 10, Dodson received the prestigious Taylor Medal, the university’s highest honor, at a ceremony at The University
of Mississippi.
12
Northwest
Northwest Now
Now
Dodson graduated from Northwest in
2012 with an Associate of Arts in secondary education. He graduated from Ole Miss
in May with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, with a concentration in
mathematics.
Taylor Medalists are required to have a
GPA of 3.9 or above, senior standing, and
at least 18 hours in their major. As a transfer student, Dodson needed to have
earned 45 semester hours at Ole Miss
before being nominated. Dodson has suc-
cessfully completed all of those requirements and will graduate in four years.
The Marcus Elvis Taylor Memorial was
founded in June 1904 by Dr. William A.
Taylor of Boonesville, in memory his son,
an honored alumnus of the class of 1871.
Students are nominated by a faculty committee to be recognized for “meritorious
scholarship and deportment” and the
Undergraduate Council and Council of
Academic Administrators give formal
approval for recognition. No more than .45
www.northwestms.edu
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears (left)
congratulates Dodson on graduating with honors from The University of Mississippi. Dodson
received his bachelor’s degree in secondary
education, with a concentration in mathematics. He was the recipient of the university’s
prestigious Taylor Medal this year.
Photo by Sybil Canon
percent of undergraduates are awarded the
medal.
During his career at Northwest, Dodson
served as a student recruiter and was a member of the Northwest Education Association.
He was a member of Mu Alpha Theta, a
national mathematics honor society and Phi
Theta Kappa, an international scholastic and
leadership honor society for students at twoyear colleges. He was selected to Who’s Who
Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, was
named an Outstanding Student for secondary education and
was in the Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor a
Northwest student can receive.
“Northwest got me ready for the university atmosphere. On
top of my classroom experiences, I really grew and matured
and also learned to manage my free time,” Dodson said. He
credits Hale and chemistry instructor Dr. Kim Hamilton-Wims
for influencing him during his time at Northwest. “Mrs. Hale
always took extra steps to help me. They both stick out in my
mind,” Dodson said.
Both Hale and Hamilton-Wims had praise for Dodson as a
student and as a person. “Logan Dodson is a person of integrity, possessing a friendly disposition and genuine respect for
others. While attending Northwest, he was a model student
who consistently strived for excellence. In my science classes
he always stood out as a charismatic leader who motivated
others to do their very best. It was truly a pleasure having him
as one of my top-performing science students. I am confident
that he will continue to do great things and make all of us
proud,” Hamilton-Wims said.
At Ole Miss, Dodson used his experience as a Northwest
student recruiter to become an Ole Miss Ambassador. “At
Northwest, I learned to meet new people and it made my
adjustment to Ole Miss a little easier. It opened me up to new
people. It was fun interacting with future Northwest students
and helpful, since that is the age group I am planning to work
with,” Dodson said.
In addition to being an Ole Miss Ambassador, Dodson’s Ole
Miss accomplishments include Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
and Chi Psi Fraternity, where he served as vice president. He
was on the Chancellor’s List each year and received a Phi
Theta Kappa scholarship, fraternity scholarship, Lyceum scholarship, transfer leadership scholarship and two math education
scholarships. He was a member of Teachers of Tomorrow.
Dodson was also selected as the recipient of the Elaine
Deas Mullins Outstanding Secondary Mathematics Educator.
He is currently doing his student teaching at Oxford Middle and
High School where he is helping coach baseball as a volunteer
coach. Dodson graduated from Homewood High School in
Homewood, Alabama, where he played both football and baseball.
Dodson has accepted a position as an assistant to the
head football coach and academic instructor at East Coast
Preparatory School, a one semester post graduate program for
athletes intent on reaching the next level in their development
in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
“Logan has a gift for helping others and I know he will make
a wonderful teacher,” Hale said.
Dodson is the son of retired Northwest Police Chief Al
Dodson of Senatobia and Lisa Matney of Homewood.
Dodson (far left) joins a few of his fellow 2011-2012 Northwest
Recruiters for a club photo on the front of campus.
Photo by Justin Ford
www.northwestms.edu
Summer 2014
13
The Legacy Continues
Legacy
the
It is, indeed, both a pleasure and an
honor to announce new scholarship
endowments, the beginning of a new
legacy for those being honored by
these scholarships and for the students
who will be assisted for generations to
come. The beauty of an endowment is
that it will continue to help students for
as long as this college exists. It is also
wonderful to think of how these students will use their education to make
better lives for themselves, for their
families and for the communities in
which they will live. Thus, it is appropriate to name these pages, “The Legacy
Continues,” because the effects of
these extraordinary acts of generosity
continues
will last forever.
We are deeply appreciative for those
who have provided matching funds so
that the first $5,000 of an endowment is
matched. The primary benefactor for
these matching funds is the acclaimed
actor of national and international fame,
Mr. Morgan Freeman. Since 1997, Mr.
Freeman has donated $520,000 to the
Northwest Foundation, and the lasting
impact of these funds is truly immeasurable.
In addition, we received a generous
gift from the Estate of Clarence
Thomas Hill, Jr., in the amount of
$180,000 which was used for matching funds, thus creating 36 endow-
ments valued at $360,000.
Other matching gifts sponsors
include Horseshoe Casino and Hotel,
The Youth Progress Association,
Sycamore Bank, Gateway Tire Founder
Bobby Dunlap, Sam’s Town, WilliamsSonoma, Alcoa and ThyssenKrupp.
Through the generosity of so many,
the Northwest Scholarship Endowment
has a current value of more than $6
million. We hope that it will continue to
grow, for as it grows, so does the realization of the hopes and dreams of our
students and so does the legacy of the
special people who are honored by
these endowments.
—Sybil Canon
The Ethan Eric Bayless
Endowment
Every second Monday of the month
since 2005, Jason Bayless tells the story of
how he lost his two-year-old son, Ethan Eric
Bayless, in a tragic car accident because
someone, just like the people staring back
at him, decided to drink and drive that day.
At every Victim Impact Panel (VIP) held
in DeSoto County, Bayless tells people con-
Pictured at the check presentation for the Ethan Eric Bayless Memorial Scholarship are
(back row, l-r) Tina Starkey of Southaven; grandparents Johnny and Stephanie Bayless, both
of Hernando; Sgt. Kevin Ware of Southaven; Jason, Cali and Ginger Bayless, all of Hernando;
Lt. Greg Smorowski (Southaven); Sybil Canon, Northwest associate vice president of
Development and Special Projects; Sheila Wilkes and Annette Clark, both of Southaven;
and (front row, l-r) Georgia and Addi Belle Bayless, both of Hernando. Starkey, Wilkes and
Clark are DETER volunteers, and officers Smorowski and Ware work with DETER.
Ethan Eric Bayless
14
Northwest Now
victed of DUI about Ethan—a little boy who
will forever be remembered by his family
and loved ones as a sweet, lively, loving son
who loved baseball and couldn’t wait to be
big enough to play. He tells them about the
man who was driving with a blood alcohol
level more than four times the legal limit
who is now serving the maximum sentence
of 25 years in prison for his crime.
Bayless and his wife, Ginger, consider
every VIP as an opportunity to educate the
community and honor their son’s memory.
Now, thanks to a $10,500 donation from
DETER—a DeSoto County-based organization whose mission is to educate the public about the consequences of DUI—Ethan
will be remembered each year as a DeSoto
County high school student receives an
www.northwestms.edu
endowed scholarship to Northwest bearing
his name.
“I feel honored that DETER wants to do
a scholarship in my son’s name,” said
Ginger. “That is a huge honor for our family. I never thought that somebody would do
this in honor and memory of him. That just
blew me away.”
Any high school student from DeSoto
County who exhibits strong moral character
and is involved in both their school and
community will be considered for this scholarship, upon application.
“His memory will live on here,” said
Sybil Canon, associate vice president of
Development and Special Projects. “With
this incredible gift from the DETER organization, students will read about Ethan and
the terrible tragedy that could have been
prevented for years to come.”
Jason and Ginger have three other children—Georgia, 5; Addi Belle, 7; and Cali,
13.
ing moms bring their babies in the world
was the perfect place for Holli,” Hardin said.
She married Tory Day, her longtime
sweetheart, after graduation, and they were
expecting their first child at the time of
Holli’s death.
Holli’s mother, Patti Pond, remembers
well the characteristics that endeared her
daughter to so many. “Holli loved the Lord
first and foremost, and she loved her family and friends. She was sweet, compassionate, and kind. She was, especially,
close to her nieces and nephews, and she
always took up a great deal of time with
them. Her loss has hit all of us especially
hard,” Pond said.
Holli’s father died when she was three
years old. She leaves behind her husband,
Tory; mother, Patti Pond; her sister, Carrie
Hardin and husband, Daniel; her brother,
Joseph; and her nieces and nephews, Kyler
Hardin, Brody Hardin, Anna Grace Pond,
and Addy Kate Pond.
The Holli Pond Day Endowed
Scholarship will be awarded to students
enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing
program. The first scholarship will be awarded for the 2014-15 academic year.
The Faust, Hall & Douglas
Endowment
The Faust, Hall and Douglas
Endowment was established by Deborah
Faust in memory of her parents Gene and
Juanita Hall and her sister and brother-in-
The Holli Pond Day
Endowment
More than 1,000 people attended the
memorial services of Holli Pond Day in
October 2013, a testament to the lives
that this extraordinary young woman
touched in her brief life. Day was 23 years
old when she died, and the impact of her
life is still remembered. Because of that
impact, friends and family have estab-
www.northwestms.edu
The Faust, Hall and Douglas Endowment was established by Deborah Faust in memory of her parents Gene and Juanita Hall and her sister and brother-in-law, Sheila and
Tommy Douglas. Pictured left to right are, Sybil Canon, associate vice president of
Development and Special Projects, Deborah Faust, Norris Faust, Jr. and Tim Douglas,
son of Sheila and Tommy Douglas.
The Legacy Continues
Holli Pond Day
lished The Holli Pond Day Endowed
Scholarship at Northwest.
Day was a graduate of Southern
Baptist Educational Center (SBEC) in
Southaven. At SBEC, she was selected for the Lead Program, students
chosen to serve in a leadership position. She was the chaplain of Big Sis
Little Sis Club and the Barnabas
Belles. A member of the yearbook
staff, she was also vice president of
Table Talk for a Closer Walk Club. An
active member of Longview Heights
Baptist Church, she was a singer in
the youth worship band and participated in mission trips to Wyoming,
Toronto, Missouri, and Zimbabwe.
She volunteered her time and talents
as a special needs volunteer at her
church and worked with the House of
Grace and the Tornado Damage
Recovery Group.
Day attended Mississippi State
University for two years and then
transferred to Northwest where she studied
nursing. She received her associate
degree in nursing in May 2012. Upon
receiving her degree, she began working in
labor and delivery at Baptist Memorial
Hospital DeSoto.
According to her sister, Carrie Hardin of
Hernando, also a graduate of the
Northwest nursing program, working in
labor and delivery was Day’s dream job.
“Holli was one of the most compassionate
people that you would ever meet, and help-
The Legacy Continues
Dr. Augustinus Rinaldy
law, Sheila and Tommy Douglas.
Faust graduated from Northwest in
1970 in the cosmetology program and
operated her own salon, “As You Like It”
for 26 years in the St. Charles, Missouri,
area. Her husband Norris Faust, Jr. who
with his siblings established the Faust
Farms Endowment in November 2010,
also graduated from Northwest.
Faust’s parents, Gene and Juanita Hall
were from Tibbs, near Sledge, and lived
there the majority of their lives. Gene Hall
worked for Quitman and Tunica counties in
county road construction, and his wife
worked at a local manufacturing company.
The Halls encouraged Faust, her sister
Sheila Douglas and their brother Jody Hall
to further their education. “My mother was
determined that her children were going to
amount to something,” Faust said. Juanita
Hall had quit school her senior year, but at
age 67 she proudly earned her GED. All of
their children and grandchildren attended
Northwest.
Faust’s sister Sheila Douglas worked at
Copiah-Lincoln Community College as secretary to the dean of the VocationalTechnical Program for 25 years. She
majored in Elementary Education at
Northwest. Her husband Tommy Douglas
attended Northwest and then joined the
United States Air Force. He also took
courses at Hinds Community College and
Copiah-Lincoln. Tommy Douglas taught
Aviation Maintenance Technology from
2004-2007 at Northwest.
16
Northwest Now
Their grandson, Austin
Douglas of Batesville, graduated from Northwest this past
May. He played on the offensive line at Northwest, and was
named to the 2012 NJCAA AllAmerican second team,
received MACJC first team AllState honors on offense, and
was named to the 2012
Capital One Academic AllDistrict II football team. He was
also honored as Sentaobia
Rotary Club’s Student of the
Month and in Who’s Who
Among Students in American
Universities and Colleges.
Gene Hall passed away in
August 2006 of a heart attack,
and in December 2006, Tommy
Douglas also passed away of a
heart attack. In May, 2010, Sheila
Douglas and Juanita Hall lost their lives in
a tragic car accident near Springfield,
Illinois.
“I want to honor my loved ones with
this scholarship and help students who
need help to go to college. My family is a
Northwest family, and we want to give
back to this school,” Faust said.
The Dr. Augustinus Rinaldy
Endowment
The Dr. Augustinus Rinaldy Endowment
was established in his memory by the
Division of Natural Sciences under the
leadership of Robin Robison, division director.
Noted for his research, Rinaldy, who
was Chinese, held a bachelor’s degree in
biology from National University in Jakarta,
Indonesia, and master’s and doctoral
degrees from Justus Liebig University in
Giessen, Germany. He grew up in
Indonesia, and he was educated by the
Catholic Dutch. Rinaldy did advanced
study at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center in New York, and he has been associated with Max Planck Institute in
Immunobiology in Freiburg, Germany.
Rinaldy taught new medical doctors
and advanced graduate students at
Vanderbilt University and the University of
Tennessee Health Science Center before
joining the Northwest faculty on the
DeSoto campus in 2002. In an article that
appeared in The Commercial Appeal in
2004, Rinaldy stated that he accepted
the position at Northwest for two reasons.
First, because of the extensive research,
he was only able to devote 10 percent of
The Mississippi Airport Association Scholarship
Aviation Maintenance Technology students, Roy Burger II of of Nesbit (second from
left) and Richard Sullivan of Nesbit (second from right), were recognized by (left)
Mike Hainsey, executive director of Golden Triangle Regional Airport, Mississippi
Airport Association (MAA) board member and Scholarship Committee chairman; and
(right) Tom Heanue, executive director of the Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport and
MAA board president, at the MAA's recent annual conference held in Tunica. MAA
provided a $1,000 scholarship for each student from funds provided by its membership for the advancement of aviation in the state of Mississippi. This is the third
year that the MAA has provided scholarships for Northwest students.
his time to teaching, and he wanted more
time to teach and to continue his
research, citing that the job at Northwest
was “the right job for him.”
While teaching at Northwest, Rinaldy
was involved in the development of a new
device and system for diagnosing tuberculosis. In addition, he served as senior consultant in cancer research with Innogene
Kalbiotech in Singapore.
At Northwest, he taught anatomy and
physiology and microbiology. Rinaldy loved
teaching, and he once recalled the words
of a mentor when he was a student in
Germany, “You must be able to teach. If
you are a doctor but you cannot teach, you
are useless.”
At the time of his death in 2012,
Rinaldy had hoped to continue teaching at
Northwest for at least five more years, saying, “I am not leaving this campus. This
campus and work environment are
superb.” He also wanted to continue his
research, believing that there is never an
ending in fighting against cancer.
One of his students wrote the following:
“I really enjoyed this course. Dr. Rinaldy
took a difficult course and made it fun. He
tried to teach us more than just what the
book said and gave us many examples. I
felt it was an honor to have him as an
instructor.”
Rinaldy was greatly respected by his
colleagues. It is that respect and admiration that led those colleagues to provide a
The James L. (Trey)
Sylvester III Endowment
The James L. (Trey) Sylvester III
Endowment was established by the
Division of Natural Sciences of Northwest
under the leadership of Robin Robison,
division director.
Trey Sylvester of Olive Branch was born
Aug. 10, 1989 and died Nov. 25, 2012 at
the age of 23.
Trey was an honors graduate of DeSoto
Central High School where he played football and was a member of the Knowledge
Bowl Team. He was a graduate of
Northwest and had completed the majority of his coursework for his Bachelor of
Science degree in Political Science at
Mississippi State University where he was
a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and the
Shackouls Honors College. He began competing at Model United Nations events in
high school and was the recipient of
numerous awards for his writing and
debating skills. He was very proud to be
named a director of the Southern United
Regional Model United Nations while at
MSU.
He was a brilliant young man with a
warm personality; he knew everyone and
everyone knew him. He had a very broad
range of knowledge and could speak on
almost any subject, especially global politics and video games. He was a member
of Mensa, the international high I.Q. society. He scored highest in the state of
Mississippi for the Duke University talent
search for biology. He scored 32 on his
ACT and had a perfect score on his
advanced placement English exam.
Above all, Trey was a Christian and was
greatly loved by his wife Kaitlyn, parents,
Dr. Larry and Patricia Sylvester, sister,
Hannah, and many friends. He was loving
and kind to everyone and is greatly
missed.
The Legacy Continues
James L. (Trey) Sylvester III
permanent tribute to his legacy as a
master teacher, distinguished scholar, and respected researcher.
"Dr. Augustinus (Augie) Rinaldy
was an extremely brilliant and
accomplished scientist,” said Dr.
Larry Sylvester, Northwest biology
instructor and one of Rinaldy’s closest colleagues. “He held patents for
the genetic sequence that codes for
heart disease and for tuberculosis
testing. He worked on numerous
research projects at St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital,
including the development of a vaccine for Avian Influenza. He loved
his students, and his students loved
him. He was funny and caring to
both students and colleagues. He
played electric guitar and his
favorite singing group was ABBA, closely followed by Elvis Presley. He is greatly
missed.”
Joe R. and Mary Dunn Williams
www.northwestms.edu
Summer 2014
17
The Legacy Continues
The Joe R. & Mary Dunn
Williams Endowment
The eight children of Eddie and Maggie
Doddridge Williams began their lives on a
1,600-acre farm, located on College Road
in DeSoto County. One of those children,
Joe R. Williams and his wife, Mary Dunn
Williams, are being memorialized with a
scholarship endowment established by
Joe’s brother, W. Edward Williams.
Edward Williams became familiar with
the Foundation’s scholarship program
when he endowed a scholarship in memo-
ry of his wife, Marjorie Sowell Williams. “I
really appreciate this program, and I enjoy
attending the scholarship reception each
year and meeting the student who is
receiving my wife’s scholarship,” he said.
Because he has been able to understand
the impact these scholarships have on
Northwest’s students, he decided to honor
the memory of Joe and Mary Dunn
Williams with an endowment.
A graduate of Olive Branch High School,
Joe was employed at Schilling Motors and
Dobbs Ford Motors in Memphis as an auto
parts supervisor. Mary also graduated
from Olive Branch High School and was
employed at Malone and Hyde in
Memphis as a computer consultant.
Though neither were college educated,
they both believed firmly in the importance
of higher education. They were active in
Maples Memorial United Methodist
Church and devoted their lives to each
other, to their family, and their community
of Olive Branch. Although they had no children of their own, they enjoyed being
involved in the lives of their nephew and
nieces.
Blanke bequeaths to Dandridge Endowment
The Northwest Foundation is pleased
to announce a special donation to the
Ed and Grace Dandridge Endowment.
The endowment was established in
2004 by Northwest instructor Joan Rose,
friends and family members for students
majoring in pre-engineering at
Northwest. This past September, Grace
Dandridge’s sister, Elsie Blanke of
Pontotoc died and bequeathed in excess
of $50,000 to the Dandridge scholarship. She also left a donation to Blue
Mountain College, her alma mater.
While Blanke never attended
Northwest, she had a connection to the
college through her sister Grace
Dandridge. Both of Ed and Grace
Dandridge’s sons attended Northwest,
as well as several of their grandchildren.
Blanke was born to Marlin and Sue
Stanford Griffin of Pontotoc. She graduated from Pontotoc High School in 1937
and earned her Bachelor of Science in
business from Blue Mountain College in
1941. Six of the seven sisters in the
Griffin family attended and graduated
from Blue Mountain.
In 1945, she married Joesph Blanke,
and the two moved to Hattiesburg. She
taught school in Richton for two years
before beginning a 40-year career with
Hercules Power Company as the payroll
and benefits supervisor.
When Blanke’s husband died in
1996, her family persuaded her to return
to Pontotoc. She moved across the
street from her sister Wilma Chittom,
18
Northwest Now
whose husband had
also died. “We just
became traveling buddies. She loved to travel and to shop. When
we got ready to go
somewhere, we just
went,” Chittom said.
The two sisters loved
to travel to Branson,
Missouri, and for several years, went to
hear evangelist Dr.
David Jeremiah speak
on his Senior Adult
Celebrators tours.
Although Blanke
had no children of her
own, she was like a
grandmother to her
siblings’ children. In
the summers, she
would invite the children to come to her
home in Hattiesburg
for what the children
lovingly referred to as “Camp Blanke.”
Blanke was a great cook, and she would
cook meals and deliver them to area
shut-ins. She was an active member of
First Baptist Church of Pontotoc, where
she participated in the Women’s
Missionary Union. She enjoyed playing
bridge with her bridge club, exercising
and reading. “She was the oldest sister,
and we always felt like she was the glue
that held us together,” Chittom said.
Elsie Blanke
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee
Spears expressed gratitude for the gift.
“While we did not have the pleasure of
meeting and knowing Mrs. Elsie Blanke,
her legacy will be felt at this college for
generations to come. She has not only
honored her sister, Mrs. Grace
Dandridge, but, through her generosity,
students will be helped as long as this
college exists,” Spears said.
www.northwestms.edu
the sporting life
Former QB Hall joins state’s greatest athletes
Amory native Will Hall, who broke multiple school records as
a Ranger quarterback during the 1999-2000 seasons, was one
of 15 athletic standouts inducted into the Mississippi
Community and Junior College Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday,
April 29.
Hall helped quarterback Northwest to a combined 21-1
record in his two seasons, winning a state championship as a
freshman and setting the NJCAA record for total points in a season (559) his sophomore year during a perfect 10-0 campaign.
He was inducted into the Northwest Hall of Fame in 2012.
His single-game records include first, second and third in
passing yards during the 2000 season with 602 against East
Mississippi, 514 against Holmes and 434 against Gulf Coast.
He's also first in single-game passing touchdowns with nine
against East Mississippi, also an NJCAA record at that time.
Hall had 46 pass attempts against East Mississippi and 45
against Hinds, which rank him sixth and seventh, respectively.
Hall's 2000 single-season records include first in passing
yards (3,982), pass completions (248), attempts (366), passing touchdowns (48), total offense (4,075 yards) and a 67.8
percent completion rate. His Northwest career records include
first all-time in touchdown passes (57) and completion percentage (64.7), second in passing yards (5,045) and attempts
(481), fourth in pass completions (311) and fifth in pass
attempts (481).
He played two seasons at North Alabama (UNA) following his
career at Northwest, winning the Division II Harlon Hill Player of
the Year Award and being named an All-American after leading
the Lions to a 13-1 record in 2003. He set 16 UNA records and
continues to hold the record for completion percentage (68
percent) in a career and a season (71.8 percent), and his string
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears, congratulates Will Hall on
his induction into the Mississippi Community and Junior College
Sports Hall of Fame last April. Photo by Steve Diffey/Holmes CC
of 168 pass attempts without an interception remains at UNA.
Hall played the 2004 season for the Tupelo FireAnts of the
National Indoor Football League, passing for 2,046 yards and
Hall page 29
➤
Tennis teams finish strong in first full season
In their first full seasons back as a sanctioned sport after
nearly a decade hiatus, the Northwest tennis teams rallied from
winless seasons in 2013 to close at 10-3 on the men's side
and 6-6 on the women's side. The men finished the season
ranked 24th by the ITA.
The promising season began with the men’s team defeating 18th-ranked Holmes 6-3 on Feb. 21. The women’s team
also defeated Holmes 9-0 on the same day. From there, the
men’s team would face four more ranked opponents,
defeating all of them. The women’s team also
notched five more wins on the season, while sophomore Hannah Switzer was named to the 2014
Capital One Academic All-District 1 At-Large First
Team.
Both teams capped off the season in the MACJC
Championships, where the men and women finished
4th and 6th, respectively. Both teams collected a
combined nine singles and five doubles wins at the
tournament, after finishing with none last season.
The team is led by second-year head coach Troy
Howell and assistant coaches Carla Townsend and
Courtney Hicks. All home matches are played at the
Ranger Outdoor Complex (The ROC) on the Senatobia
campus.
—Brian Lentz
the sporting life
Ranger baseball caps season
with top 20 national ranking
Despite an early postseason exit, the
2014 Northwest Ranger baseball team
finished with yet another successful season under ninth-year head coach Mark
Carson.
The Rangers posted a 30-16 overall
record, a 16-8 mark in the MACJC North
Division and finished 20th in the final NJCAA
Division II poll. Northwest reached the postseason for the sixth straight year and the
30-win plateau for the third time in four seasons and the eighth time since 2000.
The season began with the Rangers
earning a preseason ranking of 14th in
the NJCAA national poll, while sweeping
eighth-ranked North Iowa 16-9 and 8-0 in
the season-opening doubleheader.
Northwest would capture six more wins
during the season over ranked opponents,
including a 27-5 rout over fifth-ranked
East Mississippi on Mar. 26. In that particular game, the Rangers scored the second-most runs in school history and hammered six home runs, with two coming
from sophomore Jay King.
The Rangers tore through the second
half of the season with a 15-4 record,
earning doubleheader sweeps over
Co-Lin, Itawamba, Coahoma, Holmes
and Northeast. Riding a four-game
winning streak, Northwest entered
the first round of the MACJC state
playoffs, matched up against a tough
Hinds team. The Eagles would put an
end to the Rangers’ season, taking a
pair of 6-2 and 10-8 wins, and would
later advance to the Division II World
Series.
Two players broke career milestones during the year, with James
Lear breaking the single-season (35)
and career (55) stolen base records
and Tyler Scholl setting a new all-time
saves record with 11.
Nine players were named to the
MACJC All-State Baseball Team, with
sophomores King and Kramer
Hollenbach being named first team
Ole Miss signee Jay King had a banner year, earnselections. Second team selections
ing All-State and All-Region honors.
included Matt Ferguson, Domenick
Photo by Kevin Maloney
Carlini, Scholl and Tanner Cable as
well as third baseman Taylor King,
Seven players signed to continue their
center fielder Lear and first baseman collegiate careers, including four Division I
Chase Clark.
—Brian Lentz
signees.
Ladies earn post-season honors, set records
The Northwest Ranger softball team
finished the 2014 season with a lot to
celebrate, despite falling to Pearl River
in the first round of the MACJC state
playoffs.
Under the direction of hall of fame
coach Mike Rowan, the Rangers ended
the season with a 29-14 overall mark
and an 18-6 runner-up finish in the
MACJC North Division. After a three-way
tie left them out of the 2013 playoffs,
the Rangers made the postseason this
year for the seventh time since Rowan
took over as head coach in 2004.
Northwest opened the season with a
3-0 start, taking a doubleheader from
Southwest Tennessee and a win over
John A. Logan in the first game of the
Northeast TigerFest in February. The
Northwest celebrates a 6-4 walk-off win on March 1
over East Mississippi.
Photo by Brian Lentz
Rangers also got off to a 5-1 start in
their North Division slate, taking doubleheader sweeps over East Mississippi
and Coahoma, while earning a split at
Itawamba.
After dropping another pair of games
against Itawamba on Apr. 2, the Rangers
closed out the regular season on a 10game winning streak, outscoring their
opponents by a combined total of 10333. The Rangers also finished with a 157 mark at home and a 10-2 record on
the road.
Several Rangers earned postseason
honors, including sophomore Alex
Barrett and freshman Kiley Dunagan,
who were both named to the MACJC AllState team. Both players, along with
Softball page 29
➤
www.northwestms.edu
the sporting life
Ozark champ headed to NIRA rodeo finals
Photo by Kevin Maloney
Sophomore bull rider Ben Cullum is
headed to the prestigious College National
Finals Rodeo (CNFR) after becoming the
first Ranger since 1995 to win the Ozark
Region in that event.
The CNFR is the "Rose Bowl" of college
rodeo, with the 66th annual event running
from June 15-21 at the Casper Events
Center in Casper, Wyoming.
"I've been trying for the past year and a
half to make it out west and ride with the
big guys," Cullum said. "Knowing that I went
in in eighth place and came
out on top feels really great."
Cullum is just the third
Ranger to win the Ozark
Region in bull riding in the last
37 years, joining Virgil Alsup
(1995) and Eddie Halfacre
(1978). He is the fourth
Ranger, however, to qualify
for Nationals in the last four
years in this event along with
Michael Crenshaw (2013),
Lucas Boatwright (2012) and
Brian Dowdy (2011).
"It really hasn't sunk in yet
and it's a little overwhelming
to know that I'm the first guy
in 19 years to win the region," Cullum said.
"The crowds will be bigger, the bulls are better and the competition will be more fierce.
It's going to pump me up and make me ride
even harder."
The National Intercollegiate Rodeo
Association (NIRA) will crown individual
event champions in nine categories. Team
championships are also awarded to both
men's and women's teams, with over 400
cowboys and cowgirls from over 100 universities and colleges competing from one of
the NIRA's 11 regions.
Each contestant has three preliminary
rounds of competition prior to the final
round on June 21. Scores and times from
those three rounds will be added up, and
the 12 contestants with the fastest total
times or highest total scores will advance to
the finals.
Complete information about the CNFR
and daily results will be available at
www.cnfr.com.
—Kevin Maloney
Ben Cullum
Freshmen come close to national tourney spots
Freshmen Stuart Cochran and Alan
Larson were two of five golfers competing
for the final NJCAA Tournament spot on
the last day of the Region 23 championship, but unfortunately, both were eliminated on a bogey, ending the season for
the Ranger golf team.
The 2014 season began with the
Rangers tallying a fourth place finish out
of 11 teams at the Gulf Coast Invitational
in Gulfport. Northwest would follow that up
with a seventh place result at the Hinds
Invitational, with freshman Alan Larson
and sophomore Martin Powell finishing as
the Rangers’ low men on the weekend,
both finishing in a tie for 22nd. Larson
shot a 82-76 and Powell carded a 79-79.
Northwest placed third out of 10
teams at the Lou Hart Invitational in
Meridian. The tournament marked the
first appearance of Hayes Carr, who was
the overall medalist. His two-day total of
110 (75-35) was three strokes better
than second place finisher Chase Taylor of
the host Meridian CC.
www.northwestms.edu
The Rangers concluded the regular
season by hosting the Northwest
Invitational in Southaven March 31
through April 1. Northwest finished sixth
overall out of 10 teams, with Carr and
Cochran being the lone Rangers to place
in the top 15. Carr finished T8 with a 7079 and Cochran firing a 75-76 to close in
a T15.
Northwest would close out postseason
play by earning fifth and fourth place finishes in the MACJC Championship and the
Region 23 Championship, respectively.
Freshman Riley Baggett led the way for
the Rangers in the MACJC Tournament, firing a 77-72 (+5) to finish in a tie for
fourth, his best collegiate performance to
date. Baggett was also named to the AllTournament team.
In all, Northwest finished the season
with four Top 5 finishes, including a season-best third place March 3-4 at the Lou
Hart Invitational. The Rangers also finished the season ranked No. 15 in the
NJCAA national poll.
—Brian Lentz
Freshman Hayes Carr was the overall medalist at the Lou Hart Invitational.
Photo by Kevin Maloney
Summer 2014
21
Preparing the Workforce
CTWE Division forms local partnerships
to bring skilled workers to industries
By Sarah Sapp
More than 100 North Mississippi business and industry leaders attended the
Northwest Career, Technical and Workforce
Education (CTWE)/District Workforce
Development Council annual Advisory
Committee Meeting on April 3 at the David
M. Haraway Center on the Senatobia campus. Each year these seasoned industry
professionals join CTWE faculty and staff to
discuss ways Northwest can enhance their
curricula to best meet the changing
demands of today’s highly technical work
place.
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee
Spears, welcomed the group, and David
Campbell, Career, Technical and Workforce
Education district dean, gave an overview
of current CTWE partnership development.
Petrecia Williams, Northwest’s Work-Based
Learning coordinator, introduced keynote
speakers Ron Heidelberg and Wanda
McKinnon. Heidelberg is the chief operations officer for ACI Building Systems in
Batesville, which was named by the Panola
Partnership as the Outstanding Large
Business in Panola County this year.
McKinnon is the human resources manager for FEUER Powertrain North America,
Inc., a new company that manufactures
crankshafts, located in Tunica. The two
speakers discussed their industries’ growing needs for a skilled workforce.
FEUER is one of the first eight manufacturing outfits that will join A.M.P. (Advanced
Manufacturing Partnership), embarking on
a new endeavor with Northwest to help
meet the incredible demand for highlyskilled advanced manufacturing maintenance technicians. These industries will
employ Northwest students enrolled in the
Industrial
Electronics
Engineering
Technology (I.E.E.T.) program, paying a
minimum of $14 an hour while they are
seeking their Associate of Applied Science.
Reimbursement to companies is administered through Northwest’s Workforce
Investment Act (WIA) division and funded
through the Mississippi Partnership/Three
Rivers Planning and Development District,
Inc. and Delta Workforce Investment
Area/South
Delta
Planning
and
Development District, Inc.
The industries will provide a minimum
of 16 hours of work per week, including
summers throughout the program. Interns
will be allowed to complete, if possible, a
full eight-hour shift for the purpose of experiencing a full day’s work. They will allow
students to apply classroom instruction
within the industry setting with the assistance of an industry mentor or trainer.
Williams will maintain an open line of
communication between A.M.P. industry
representatives and Jerry Clark, I.E.E.T.
instructor, as to the skills being taught and
the skill level at which the interns are
expected to perform. Clark will address pertinent difficulties that students may find at
the work site including troubleshooting,
teamwork and overall employee behavior.
If the industry offers to reimburse the
intern’s tuition, Northwest will accommo-
Carlisle SynTec Plant Manager, Burke
Nichols (right), welcomes Northwest graduate Brad Bross aboard his team. Carlisle
SynTec is one of the first eight manufacturing outfits that will join A.M.P. in hopes
of snagging more highly-trained workers
like Bross, who worked at Carlisle SynTec
while he completed his associate degree
in I.E.E.T. at Northwest.
22
Northwest Now
www.northwestms.edu
Pictured left to right at the Northwest
CTWE/District Workforce Development
Council Annual Advisory Committee
Meeting are David Campbell, Northwest
Career, Technical and Workforce Education
district dean; Wanda McKinnon, human
resources manager for FEUER Powertrain
North America, Inc.; Ron Heidelberg, chief
operations officer for ACI Building Systems
in Batesville and Dwayne Casey, Northwest
director of Workforce Development and
Community Services.
date the student and industry with a
deferred payment plan.
Future Electronics of Southaven,
Toyoda Gosei TG Missouri Corporation of
Batesville, Schulz Xtruded Products of
Tunica, FEUER Powertrain North America,
Inc. of Tunica, Carlisle SynTec of Senatobia,
RR Donnelley of Senatobia, Sleep
Innovations/Advanced Urethane of
Coldwater and Parker Hannifin-Racor
Division of Holly Springs are the first manufacturers to sign on with A.M.P., and
Campbell looks for more to join as industries discover A.M.P.’s possibilities. While
the partnership does not guarantee
employment for students after graduation,
the industries will have an opportunity to
offer their interns a full-time position at the
completion of their Associate of Applied
Science degree.
The pursuit of partnerships to enhance
CTWE programs at Northwest doesn’t stop
at manufacturing. In fact, the college welcomed MDOT District Office Manager,
Brandi Copeland; Diabetic Shoppe Vice
Presidents, Peyton Boone and Leslie
Heafner; Trustmark Bank Human Resource
Representative, Memphis Region, Denise
Batten; Select Staffing Regional Human
Resource Director, Atlanta Gail Cervetti
and Walmart Regional Representative,
Kimberly Paige Hardy to a Collaboration
Meeting on May 2 to discuss ways the college can improve Business and Office
Technology (BOT) program curricula and
potential ways the organizations and the
college can mutually benefit.
From the information gleaned at the
meeting and follow-up feedback, the BOT
instructors already have plans to draft a list
of at least four soft skills that will to be
incorporated in all business courses,
including customer service and communication skills, create a blueprint for instructors to follow in creating comprehensive
group projects to be included in three
specified courses that are required of all
business majors and place more emphasis
on application skills in Excel. The instructors will meet during Summer Conference
to finalize the implementation of the new
curriculum changes.
Campbell looks forward to establishing
partnerships across other industries, such
as transportation and health care.
Northwest Business and Office Technology instructors, including Accounting Technology instructor,
Dawn Stevens (second from left, back) and CTWE
administrators welcome (clockwise around table)
Select Staffing Regional Human Resource Director,
Atlanta
Gail
Cervetti;
Walmart
Regional
Representative, Kimberly Paige; Diabetic Shoppe
Vice Presidents, Peyton Boone and Leslie Heafner;
Trustmark Bank Human Resource Representative,
Memphis Region, Denise Batten Hardy and MDOT
District Office Manager, Brandi Copeland to a
Collaboration Meeting on May 2 to discuss ways the
college can improve Business and Office Technology
(BOT) program curricula and potential ways the
organizations and the college can mutually benefit.
www.northwestms.edu
Summer 2014
23
Retirees honored at service awards ceremony
Northwest honored retiring
employees during its annual
Faculty and Staff Awards
Ceremony and Reception
April 30 in the Haraway
Center. Retirees for 2014
include (front row, l to r)
Bettye Johnson, business
instructor; Linda Williams,
practical nursing instructor
on the Oxford campus; Lilla
Hill, residence hall supervisor; (back row, l to r) Ed
Jackson, grounds worker;
Fate Williams, cabinetmaker; Dr. Kenneth Sipley, division director of Fine Arts
and Jane Williamson, office
systems technology instructor. Not pictured are
Lynette McDowell, psychology instructor; Patricia Miller,
biology instructor and Randy
Moore, Transportation
mechanic.
Photos by LaJuan Tallo
Service Awards
35 YEARS— Office
Systems Technology
Instructor Jane
Williamson was
honored for 35
years of service.
(right)
30 YEARS— LYTC maintenance technician James Buford (left),
HVAC technician David Goddard and DeSoto Center Dean Richie
Lawson (right) received crystal bowls for 30 years of service.
(above)
Retirement and service awards are provided by
Benefit Concepts and the Northwest Foundation
24
Northwest Now
www.northwestms.edu
25 YEARS— (l to r) Jere Herrington, Brenda
Holmes, Larraine Kitchens, Patricia Norton,
Stephanie Stevens and Linda Williams. (left)
20 YEARS— (l to r) Sandy Meurrier, Ruby Lee, Dr.
Michael Butts, Susanne VanDyke and Kristie
Waldrop. Not pictured is Minnie Williams. (below
left)
15 YEARS— (l to r) Kathryn Robinson, Kathy
Buchanan, Phyllis Johnson, Kyle Ellis, Sandra
Newson, Pam Wooten, Sylvia Walton and Valeria
Red. Not pictured are Sharlet Huff, Patrick Nelson,
Lilla Rubine Hill and Carolyn Wilson. (below)
10 YEARS— (l to r) Robert Shaheen, Rita
Taylor, Whit Perry, Dr. Kenneth Sipley, DeLane
Mabry, Pearl McGlothian, Katherine King, Jay
Lowery, Patsy Gardner, Corneil Copeland, James
Kennedy, Robert Drewery, Richard Honeycutt,
Vanessa Betts, Denise Vannucci, James Baker,
Bettye Johnson, Michael Weldy and Dr. Tim
Williams. Not pictured are Dr. Kim HamiltonWims, Jerry Clark, Maurice Newsom, Paul
Grisham and Jean Jackson. (left)
5 YEARS— (l to r) Jay Treadway, Ray Sharpe,
Janet Bunch, Pam Briscoe, Arlene Pittman, Toni
Blair, LaJuan Tallo, Allison Pugh, Ruth Dunlap,
Deborah Boutwell, Deborah Littrell, Paige Norris
and Jerry Oliver. Not pictured are Douglas Freeze,
Ricky Copeland, Mary Mabry, Michelle Katterjohn,
Jennifer Lance and Chris McCommon. (left)
Photo by Julie Bauer
www.northwestms.edu
Summer 2014
25
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee
Spears, right, was recently named
Alumnus of the Year for the School
of Education at The University of
Mississippi. Spears earned his doctorate in educational leadership
from The University of Mississippi
in 1991 and has served as president of Northwest since 2005. Dr.
David Rock, dean of the Ole Miss
School of Education, presented
Spears with the award.
Photo by Sybil Canon
Champion
of
Education
President named UM Education Alumnus of the Year
By LaJuan Tallo
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee
Spears was recently named 2014
Alumnus of the Year for the School of
Education at The University of
Mississippi. At a ceremony held on May
9, Dr. David Rock, dean of the School of
Education, presented Spears with the
award.
“Dr. Spears is a champion of education,” Rock said. He commended
Spears for Northwest’s online program
being named one of the Best Online
Universities and Community Colleges in
America in 2013. Northwest was the
only Mississippi college named on that
list. “It is important for educators to
react to the needs of students by making higher education available wherever
they are,” Rock said.
Spears has served as the president
of Northwest since 2005. He began his
career at Northwest in 1975. He
worked as an instructor, vocational
counselor, assistant to the DeSoto
Center director, vice president of
26
Northwest Now
Student Affairs and Registrar and director of Admissions and Records.
A native of Hernando, he earned an
associate degree in education from
Northwest, and a bachelor’s degree in
social science and master’s degree in
counseling from Delta State University.
Spears earned his doctorate in educational leadership from The University of
Mississippi in 1991. He wrote a comprehensive history of Northwest for his
doctoral dissertation. Spears taught
courses in higher education at The
University of Mississippi as an adjunct.
Spears is a member of the
President’s Association of Mississippi
Community and Junior Colleges and
chairman of the committee that honors
Phi Theta Kappa students. He is a Paul
Harris Fellow and past president of the
Senatobia Rotary Club. Spears is also a
former member of the Tate County
Economic Development Foundation.
During his administration, the college has experienced growth in enroll-
ment and has added several new programs to its list of available options for
students. The college’s online programs
have increased, and the college has
grown physically as well, with renovations, additions and new construction
taking place on all campuses.
Spears expressed appreciation to
the School of Education for the award
and the support he received when he
was pursuing his doctorate at Ole Miss.
“I well remember the professors who
took a special interest in me and who
provided extraordinary support and
instruction. It is with both gratitude to
them and sincere humility that I accept
this award,” Spears said.
Spears and his wife, the former
Marilyn Red, are the parents of two
sons, Jared and Daniel. The Spearses
have two grandsons, Jack and Samuel,
who are the children of Daniel and his
wife Julie. They are active members of
First Baptist Church in Senatobia.
www.northwestms.edu
Four-man teams participate in annual tourney
Northwest’s annual Foundation Golf Tournament was held May 1
at Back Acres Country Club in Senatobia. The four-man scramble featured 19 teams competing in championship and tournament flights.
Clockwise from right: Taking first place in the championship flight
were (l to r) Matt Sellers, Ronnie Sellers, Bubba Skelton and Mike
Rowan, all of Senatobia. Second place winners were (l to r) Tatum
Brown, Ellis Stubbs, David Calhoun and Hugh Brown, all of Oxford.
Receiving third place were (l to r) Mickey Aldridge of Batesville, Harvey
Cook of Memphis, Jeremy Aldridge of Batesville and Greg Vaughn of
Oxford.
First place winners in the tournament flight were (l to r) Kent Davis
of Olive Branch, Gary Luzader of Germantown, Steve Sentell of
Memphis and Tracy Busby of Senatobia. Taking second place were (l
to r) Tom Parrott and Dick DeMuth of Senatobia and Sam Perry and
Terry Arnold of Hernando. Placing third were (l to r) Hugh Wilson of
Tunica, Larry Carr of Clarksdale, Richard Golden of Memphis and Mike
Boren of Tunica.
Winning the Closest to the Pin contest were Mark Lipscomb of
Como, Jeff Pirtle of Hernando, Jimmy Cabler of Coldwater and Richard
Golden of Memphis. First, second and third place teams received Pro
Shop gift cards. Closest to the Pin winners received gift certificates to
Windy City Grille.
Photos by LaJuan Tallo & Julie Bauer
www.northwestms.edu
Summer 2014
27
Bull-O-Rama to raise funds for endowment
This year’s Bull-O-Rama will have plenty of exciting action as the area’s best
take the arena stage for a night of bull
riding and much more, but the significance of this event has never been
greater. The proceeds from this year’s
event will go directly to benefit the Scott
Potts Endowed Scholarship, sponsored
by the NWCC Rodeo Alumni, Boosters
and Friends.
Scott Potts, 42, of Senatobia, deputy
sheriff for Tate County, died Dec. 13,
2012. Scott was a loving father, loyal
friend and avid bull rider. He is survived
by his daughter, Jeweleigh Morgan Potts;
son, James William Potts; parents, Terry
and Penny Potts, all of Senatobia; grandmother, Jewel Segars of Marks; sister,
Lee Hissong (Greg) of Arkabutla; nephew,
Hunter Hissong, and niece, Avery
Scott Potts (right) with his son, James and daughter, Jeweleigh.
Hissong, both of Arkabutla. He was preceded in death by his
grandparents, Wilsey Potts, and Burlin and Frances Pittman.
Potts’ friends will donate some of the bulls for the event,
and Northwest Rodeo Alumni, boosters, Potts’ family and his
closest friends will serve as volunteers. Tate County and
Northwest law enforcement officers are spearheading a pistol
shoot to help raise money for the endowment. They committed to be a major sponsor for the Bull-O-Rama and are using
this avenue to raise the money. The tentative date for the pistol shoot is July 26.
Sycamore Bank will proudly present the Landers Scott
Potts Memorial Bull-O-Rama on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 7:30
p.m. at the Northwest Arena. Tickets are $10, and kids six and
under are free. Tickets are $2 off if purchased in advance at
any Sycamore Bank or the Tate County Co-Op. Tickets are $2
off with a valid Northwest I.D.
Forty riders maximum will participate with a $65 entry fee.
Winner will receive $1,000 added plus buckle. Registration
begins July 1 and ends Sept. 8. Interested participants should
e-mail Director of Alumni Affairs and Development Operations,
Dolores Wooten, at dbwooten@northwestms.edu or call (662)
560-1105. For more information about the event, contact
Wooten.
—Sarah Sapp
28
Northwest Now
www.northwestms.edu
➢
Journalists from page 8
of this contest is to encourage us, as journalism students, to go
farther in the field, and that hard work does indeed pay off,”
said Terrell Wooten of Senatobia, Ranger Rocket editor.
The three first-place winners include Heather Carlisle of
Southaven for her feature story, “Cassandra” and Briana
Clarkson of Oxford for her cartoon, “Christmas Tree.” The
third first-place award was for the Ranger Rocket website.
The website, rangerrocket.com was created this semester.
Ike House of Courtland placed third in the General
Interest Column category with his “Talking fashion with Ike
House” article. Second place includes Lauren Benton of
Olive Branch for her “Baseball enters April” article, Rhyneal
Armstrong of Calhoun City for his “Player Spotlight—Reno”
article and Terrell Wooten with his “Practical nursing” photo.
Former staff members Mike Haskins of Senatobia placed
second with his “Tracking tuition” story, Shelby Louwerens of
Senatobia placed third with her “Romeo and Juliet” photo
and second in editorials, and Deantae Smith of Oxford
placed third with his “LaPlante holds study table” photo.
“I am proud of the hard work my students put into the
Ranger Rocket. It thrills me that the website was just created and won first place at the contest,” Huebner said.
—Maggie Cates & Terrell Wooten
➢
Hall from page 19
44 touchdowns and also rushing for 422 yards and 13 TDs.
He played under his father, Bobby Hall.
Hall started his coaching career as the quarterbacks coach
at Presbyterian College in 2004 and went on to coach single
seasons at Henderson State, Southwest Baptist and ArkansasMonticello. He was the offensive coordinator for the 2008-10
seasons at West Alabama and was later promoted to head
coach for the 2011-13 seasons, posting a 25-11 record and
leading the Tigers to back-to-back Gulf South Conference
Championships and a pair of Division II playoff appearances.
On Friday, Nov. 22, 2013, Hall was named the head coach
at the University of West Georgia where he'll enter his first season with the Wolves in 2014.
—Kevin Maloney
➢
Softball from page 20
Katelyn Westbrook, were also selected to the All-North
Division first team. Second team honors went to utility player Kendall Alford, second baseman Andi Barrett and third
baseman Haley Vance.
Northwest set new single-season school records in slugging percentage (.492), hits (390), doubles (83), triples (22),
stolen bases (143), hit-by-pitch (48), RBIs (253) and total
bases (550).
—Brian Lentz
Glenn Triplett returns to conductor’s podium
The Division of Fine Arts at Northwest welcomed Glenn Triplett, retired director of bands,
back to the podium to conduct the Northwest
Winds Ensemble at their April 24 concert.
Triplett conducted “Nabucco” from the Opera
by Guiseppe Verdi, which he first conducted on
April 28, 1983. Triplett, who served Northwest
for 28 years, is the author of the college’s fight
song and alma mater.
Photo by LaJuan Tallo
www.northwestms.edu
Summer 2014
29
honorariums/memorials
The Legacy of Memorial and Honorarium Gifts
A great many of the gifts that are received by the Northwest Foundation are given to pay tribute to the men and women
who have profoundly impacted the lives of others—parents, siblings, teachers, sons and daughters. Some gifts are designated for permanently endowed scholarship funds, which means the gift “keeps on giving” forever. The memorial and honorarium gifts listed were given between Nov. 1, 2013, and April 30, 2014, in appreciation both to those who gave the gifts
and to those who have lived extraordinary and inspirational lives. If you wish to make a memorial or honorarium gift, please
contact the Foundation Office at (662) 560-1103.
MEMORIALS
Sam Allison
by Mrs. Ruth Ann Allison
Ms. Allison Britt
Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Britt
Mrs. Beverly Gaddy
Eugenia Arnold
by Dr. and Mrs. Johnny Still, Jr.
Ethan Eric Bayless
by DeSoto County DETER
Joe Beckum
by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Paul
Wooten
Robbie H. Butts
by Mr. Joe Elliott
Mrs. June McCulley
Michael Byrd
by Oak Hill Farms
Ms. Michelle Spence
Gene Caldwell
by Mr. George M. Lee, Jr.
Joe W. Caldwell
by Ms. Bettye J. Caldwell
Perrin Caldwell
by Mr. and Mrs. Al Canon
Ms. Roberta Mayfield
Carl & Mattie Blanchard
Jack & Betty Blanchard
by Mr. and Mrs. Louis
Blanchard
Howard & Edna Carpenter
by Mr. and Mrs. Herman Coats
Ms. Ruby Jones
Dewart & Pauline Bloodworth
by Ms. Sandra Bloodworth
Bela J. & Ruby Black Chain
by Dr. and Mrs. Buddy Chain, Jr.
Dr. Chris Shumake
Greene Blythe
by Mr. and Mrs. Randy Denton
Ross Boatright
by Mrs. Sandra Roy
Estelle Bobo
by Mr. and Mrs. Leon
McCullouch
A.W. & LaNelle Bouchillon
by Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Bouchillon
Mr. and Mrs. Don Waller
Ms. Adrian Wise
Mr. and Mrs. Connor Wise
Mr. Graham Wise
Mr. and Mrs. Bart Wise
Ron Bradley
by Mr. and Mrs. Guy Purdy
Robert Branan
by Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Branan
Mary Broadway
by Mr. Joe Broadway
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lewis
Tommy Brown
by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Taylor D. Buntin
by Mr. and Mrs. Al Canon
Carl Burch
by Ms. Jean Steadham
30
Northwest Now
Frances Marie Dean
by Mrs. Linda Fite
Robert Dodson
by Mrs. Mildred Perry
Raiford & Inez Fancher
by Mr. and Mrs. Briggs Smith
Judge Anthony Farese
by Mrs. Margie Farese
Charlotte Ferguson
by Mr. Joe Broadway
Samuel and Susan Dunaway
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Ferguson
Mr. Tommy Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Fred T. Ogg
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Patterson
Ms. Hiburnia Wilroy
Martha Fite
by Dr. and Mrs. Johnny Still, Jr.
William Cecil Foster
by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Rita C. Chance
by Dr. and Mrs. Ronald R.
Chance
Eda Lott Franklin
by Mr. Tom Ferguson
Melvin Childress
by Mrs. Dot Childress
Polly Freeman
by Ms. Laverne Galbreath
Joe Cosby
by J.K. and Tammy Smith
Aaron German
by Ms. Dorothy Bryce
Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Salmon
Brownie Crawford
by Reedy Acres Foundation
Ed & Grace Dandridge
by Mrs. Elsie Blanke Estate
Lundy Daniel
by Ms. Roberta Mayfield
Frank Goss
by Ms. Jean Steadham
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Young
Henry Graeber
by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Mr. and Mrs. Ellington Massey
Holli Pond Day
by Gary and Wanda Brown
Eugene and Carmen Carolino
Mr. Zabron A. Davis, IV
Delta Lambda of Delta Gamma
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gwartney
Chad and Bethany McKnight
Ricky and Theresa McPhail
Oxford T-Shirt Company
Mr. Giles Ward
Delwick and Jennifer Warfield
James P. Graeber
Lewis Graeber
by Graeber Foundation
Pamela Joyce Day
by Ms. Lela Hale
Angela Harris
by Mr. Tom Ferguson
Charles & Elizabeth Dean
by Mrs. Delores Jennings
Russell Hadskey
by Mrs. Jean Hadskey
Mr. and Mrs. Todd Latham
Mr. Bob Maddux
Robert Harden
by Ms. Jean Steadham
Ann Eliza Allison Harris
by Dr. and Mrs. Robert I.
Bourne, Jr.
Pete & Pauline Harris
by Ms. Joan Pierce
Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Wright
Leslie, Paula & Hal Herring
by Mrs. Jenna Graves
Ms. Mimi Herring
Mr. and Mrs. Joe West
William O. Hickey
by Ms. Sylvia Hickey
Tommy Hogan
by Mrs. Linda Hogan-Harris
Mrs. Penny Potts
Allen Holliday
by Mr. and Mrs. Al Canon
Mrs. Macelle Holliday
Bobby Hudson
by Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Burkes
Dr. Michael Butts
Magnolia Heights School Yearbook Staff
Ms. Frances H. Seale
Mr. and Mrs. Lent E. Thomas, Jr.
Mrs. Nancy Thomson
Kelly Wayne Hudson
by Mrs. Kim Holt
Mrs. June McCulley
Robert A. Hyde
by Mrs. Sherman E. Austin
Mr. Alfonzo Battle, Jr.
Ms. Effie J. Boothe
Ms. Bettye J. Caldwell
Mr. and Mrs. Roy L. Cole
Mr. and Mrs. James Garner
Dr. and Mrs. Joe L. Greene
Mr. Lionel Henderson
Ms. Daisy Herring
Mr. and Mrs. Hosie Holmes
Mrs. Cathryn Hyde
Mrs. Helen J. James
Ms. Jacqueline James
Mr. Gene Leland
Rev. and Mrs. Rufus A. Lloyd
Ms. Mary A. Love
Mr. and Mrs. Allen McKinney
Ms. Carol Ann Oliver
Ms. Lourine J. Robinson
Mrs. Mildred Washington
James Jackson
by Mr. Dennis Cobb
www.northwestms.edu
honorariums/memorials
Bert Johnson
by Mr. and Mrs. Milton Allen
Col. Charles R. Johnson and
Ms. Trudy Hall
Dr. Robert H. Johnson
Charlotte Johnston
by Ms. Earline Cocke
Mr. Wayne Ferguson
Ms. Bettye Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Steinman
Ms. Amy Stewart
Martha Nemnich
by Ms. Jean Steadham
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Young
Jeffrey Nichols
by Mr. Don Clanton
Mrs. Elizabeth Dickerson
Mr. Tom Ferguson
Dr. and Mrs. Jeff Ginn
Mr. and Mrs. Morris Thompson
Maxine Dunn Nichols
by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Nichols
Finis & Vera Kelly
by Nora Langston
Ms. Dale Thompson
Charles Ray Nix
by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Rory Welch Key
by Mr. and Mrs. Jerald Key
William T. (Jack) Norfleet
by Ms. Roberta Mayfield
Khalid Khouri
by Mr. Bud Donahou
Ms. Kholoud Khoury
Thomas O’Briant
by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Holly Koonce
by Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Branan
Paul Lawrence
by Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. Duncan
Mrs. Barbara Lawrence
Pauline Marchbanks
by Mr. and Mrs. Dwight L.
Young, Jr.
Angelé McClure
by Mr. Jim McClure
Felix McElhaney
by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Pennie Pullen McKinney
by Ms. Toni Barden
Mrs. Toni Blair
Mrs. Pam Briscoe
Mr. Charlie and Dr. Ellen
Williams
Chief Bill Moore
by Mrs. Becky Moore
Carole Moore
by Mrs. Mary Carole Polk
Kirk Moore
by Mrs. Sybil Canon
Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Lamar & Hannaford, P.A.
Ms. Roberta Mayfield
Doug Morris
by Mr. Whit Perry
Leonard Morris
by Mr. Sherman E. Austin
Mrs. Catherine Ferguson
Ms. Daisy Ferguson
J.K. & Norma Mote
by Mr. and Mrs. Phil Mote
Baxter H. Murphree
by Ms. Margaret Mark
Foman & Nita Musselwhite
by Thomas Lilly
www.northwestms.edu
Whitley O’Briant
by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Winfred Oglesby
by Mrs. Sybil Canon
C.W. Parker
by Dr. and Mrs. Steve Akre
Mr. William P. Perkins, Jr.
by Mrs. Frances C. Perkins
Rob Perry
by Mr. Whit Perry
J.P. (Blue) & Virginia Phillips
by Mr. and Mrs. Milton
Cushman
Gov. and Mrs. William Winter
John Mark Pickett
by Mr. and Mrs. Louis
Blanchard
Stephen Purdy
by Mrs. Vickie M. Bradley
Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Dandridge
Mr. and Mrs. Guy Purdy
Mildred & Robert Redding
by Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Redding
Bill Reid
by Mr. Tom Ferguson
Allen Coleman Rhea
by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Dr. Augustinus Rinaldy
by Dr. Darrell Barnes
Dr. Larry Sylvester
Kenneth (Cat) Robbins
by Dr. Kenny Robbins
Tony Roberson
by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Mr. Kevin Wulff
Ross & Lucile Robison
by Mr. and Mrs. Mike Robison
Samantha Hayward Ross
by Mr. Jerry Clements
Berneice Edlin Roy
by Ms. Kerrye R. Allen
Mr. and Mrs. Perry Arrington
Baptist DeSoto Surgery Center
Mr. and Mrs. Don Cox
Calvin and Rose Edlin
First Baptist Church - Oxford
Brent and Kerri Kitchens
Mr. and Mrs. Ron Kitchens
Mr. Jerry Klepzig
Ms. Martha Klepzig
Larry and Bonnie McAlister
Ms. Phyllis W. Niedfeldt
Ms. Gloria Kay Oliver
Union City Surgery Center
Wayne Ward Family
Robert Sanders
by Mrs. Suzanne Brown
Mr. Jerry Clark
Bertha Sanford
Freddie Sanford
by Dr. Everlyn S. Johnson
Lou Savage
by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Hammond Scott
by Mr. Tom Ferguson
Mike & Mabel Shaheen
by Ms. Patsy Wilborn
Don F. Shanks
by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Otey Sherman
by Mr. Carson Hughes
Ms. Roberta Mayfield
Charlotte Shock
by Cook and Bolton
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Paul
Wooten
Tim Shorter
by Ms. Kerrye R. Allen
Ameriprise Financial
Mr. and Mrs. Perry Arrington
Baptist DeSoto Surgery Center
Ms. Kathy Buchanan
Ms. Laura Chambliss
Mr. and Mrs. Don Cox
Calvin and Rose Edlin
First Baptist Church - Oxford
Ms. Darlene Greenlee
Mr. and Mrs. Scott Holmes
Brent and Kerri Kitchens
Mr. and Mrs. Ron Kitchens
Mr. Jerry Klepzig
Ms. Martha Klepzig
Mr. and Mrs. Hilton Lane
Ms. Suzette Logan
Larry and Bonnie McAlister
Ms. Phyllis W. Niedfeldt
Ms. Gloria Kay Oliver
Mr. and Mrs. Keith River
Dr. William Rose
Ms. Lisa Russell
Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Tettleton
Union City Surgery Center
Wayne Ward Family
Clifton & Jessie Sipley
by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Dr. Ken Sipley
Mr. John Henry VanHoesen
W.P. (Bill) Sissell
by Mrs. Sybil Canon
Andrew Sprayberry
by Ms. Ruby Jones
J.E. Spurlock
by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lucchesi
Beverly Stark
by Mr. and Mrs. Dwight L.
Young, Jr.
Ronald L. Swatzyna
by Mr. Tom Ferguson
Trey Sylvester
by Dr. Darrell Barnes
Dr. Larry Sylvester
Lauren Elizabeth Tallo
by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hill
Ms. Sondra Holliday
Mr. Michael S. McDuffie
Nat Troutt
by Mr. and Mrs. Ronald
Montgomery
Mrs. Lucile Troutt
Mr. and Mrs. Nat Troutt, Jr.
Elise Veazey
by Mr. and Mrs. Joe West
C.B. & Marjorie Walker
by Mr. and Mrs. Gary Walker
W.L. & Lula Brooks Wallace
by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
James & Jewel Wilborn
by Ms. Patsy Wilborn
C. Chad Williams
by Mr. and Mrs. Larry Coleman
Mr. and Mrs. Brett Curtis
Ms. Ruby E. Magers
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Sturgeon
Joe R. & Mary E. Williams
by Mr. W. Ed Williams
Sarah Williams
by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey
Thompson
Wesley & Alice Williams
by Mr. George Williams
Virginia Murphree Willis
by Ms. Margaret Mark
David Wilson
by Mr. and Mrs. Jerald Key
Thomas P. & Virginia S. Wilson
by Ms. Roberta Mayfield
Ben & Alma Wynne
by Mr. Joe Broadway
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lewis
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Montville
Drew Young
by Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Burch
Summer 2014
31
honorariums/memorials
Mrs. Arline Goss
Hinds Chapel UMC
Horn Lake UMC
Ms. Jean Steadham
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Young
Stella K. Young
by Mr. Mack Young
Calvin Grover Youngblood
by Mrs. Peggy Youngblood
Cora Zettergren
by Mr. and Mrs. Louis Blanchard
HONORARIUMS
Charlie Aaron
by Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold
Ruth Ann Allison
by Ms. Allison Britt
Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Britt
Mrs. Beverly Gaddy
Jerry Baker
by Mr. and Mrs. Ronald
Montgomery
Dr. Marilyn Bateman
by Mrs. Pam Briscoe
Mrs. Elizabeth Harvey
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Johnson
Ms. Rebecca Scott
Dr. Chuck Strong
Victoria and Jason Nabors
Angela and Evy Rowsey
Rob and Carol Short
Ms. Amy Stewart
Steve Cummings
by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Reynolds
Mr. & Mrs. Milton Cushman
by Gov. and Mrs. William Winter
Mr. & Mrs. Ken Dossett
by Mr. and Mrs. Gary Walker
Keith Godbold
by Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Johnson
Mrs. Dawn Stevens
Anita S. Graham
by Mr. Wayne Ferguson
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Freeman
Ms. Patsy Wilborn
Sandy Grisham
by Mr. Bud Donahou
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Dr. Chuck Strong
Ms. Susanne VanDyke
Doc Harris
by Ms. Joan Pierce
Wayne Harris
by Ms. Joan Pierce
Mrs. Mildred Washington
Independence Presbyterian
Church - Batesville
by Dr. Jack Butts
Ronnie and Diane Coleman
Rev. Dr. Douglas Sullivan-Gonzalez
Emily Grace
Judy N. Martin
June McCulley
Greta Raigins
George Randolph
Monty and Betty Jo Randolph
Phyllis P. Johnson
by Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold
Tony & Susan Kaufman
by Mr. and Mrs. Guy Purdy
Barbara Lawrence
by Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. Duncan
Richie Lawson
by Dr. Darrell Barnes
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold
Mr. and Mrs. Roger L. Spillyards
Evelyn Hayes-Lee
by Mr. George M. Lee, Jr.
Elizabeth Wynne Lewis
by Mr. and Mrs. Marc Montville
Ms. Jean Nunnally
A.L. Hickey
Pat Hickey
Sylvia Hickey
Walter Hickey
by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey
Thompson
Pat Lewis
by Mr. Joe Broadway
Ms. Jean Nunnally
Joe Broadway
by Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lewis
Ms. Jean Nunnally
Chuck Hilliard
by Mrs. Elizabeth Burns
Dr. Bonnie Buntin
by Mrs. Sybil Canon
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold
Lamar & Hannaford, P.A.
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Patridge
Dr. Jerry Hollis
by Dr. Darrell Barnes
Dr. Carol Cleveland
Mr. Bud Donahou
Dr. Stacy Jones
Ms. Pat Miller
Ashley, Benjamin, & Caleb
McCall
by Mr. Joe Broadway
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lewis
Ms. Jean Nunnally
Gordon Bigelow
by Mr. Larry Anderson
Albert Broadway
by Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Poff
Elizabeth H. Burns
by Mr. Richie Lawson
Dr. Jack Butts
by Mr. Joe Elliott
Chuck & Diane Byars
by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey
Thompson
Josephine Caldwell
by Ms. Bettye J. Caldwell
Sybil Canon
by Mr. Carson Hughes
Shirley Clanton
by Mr. Don Clanton
Earline Cocke
by Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Bailey
Mrs. Sybil Canon
Ms. Glynda Hall
Ms. Bettye Johnson
Mrs. Vernelle S. Kopf
Gov. and Mrs. Ronnie Musgrove
32
Northwest Now
Brenda G. Holmes
by Mr. Joe Elliott
Ms. Dorothy J. Snyder
Perrin Hunter
by Dr. and Mrs. Buddy Chain, Jr.
Cathryn Hyde
by Mrs. Sherman E. Austin
Mr. Alfonzo Battle, Jr.
Ms. Effie J. Boothe
Ms. Bettye J. Caldwell
Mr. and Mrs. Roy L. Cole
Mr. and Mrs. James Garner
Dr. and Mrs. Joe L. Greene
Mr. Lionel Henderson
Ms. Daisy Herring
Mr. and Mrs. Hosie Holmes
Mrs. Helen J. James
Ms. Jacqueline James
Mr. Gene Leland
Rev. and Mrs. Rufus A. Lloyd
Ms. Mary A. Love
Mr. and Mrs. Allen McKinney
Ms. Carol Ann Oliver
Ms. Lourine J. Robinson
Mr. & Mrs. Dewey Malouf
by Ms. Joan Pierce
Mariglyn N. Meacham
by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Robbie & Margie Merrick
by Mr. and Mrs. Guy Purdy
Schell Ann & Julia Wynne
Montville
by Mr. Joe Broadway
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lewis
Ms. Jean Nunnally
Gary Mosley
by Sycamore Bank
Jerry Nichols
by Mrs. Elizabeth Dickerson
Dr. and Mrs. Jeff Ginn
Mr. and Mrs. Morris Thompson
Jonathan Nichols
by Mr. Don Clanton
Mrs. Elizabeth Dickerson
Mr. Tom Ferguson
Dr. and Mrs. Jeff Ginn
Mr. and Mrs. Morris Thompson
John S. (Sonny) Orrell
by Mr. Carson Hughes
James Redding
by Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Redding
Jayne River
by Mr. Joe Elliott
Mr. Keith River
B. Joan Robertson
by Mr. Floyd Robertson
Mike Robison
by Ms. Joan Pierce
Audrey Ross
by Mrs. Linda Fite
Betty H. Sims
by Mrs. Elizabeth H. Burns
Wilodine Skinner
by Mrs. Linda Fite
Dr. Ethelyn Smith
by Mrs. Ellen Allison Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Cushman
Dr. Gary Lee Spears
by Dr. Matthew Domas
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Simpson
Dr. Chuck Strong
Sycamore Bank
Marilyn Spears
by Ms. Carol Amburn
Jean Steadham
by Mrs. Arline Goss
Dawn Stevens
by Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold
Amy Stewart
by Mr. and Mrs. Perry Arrington
Jim & Margaret Tanner
by Mr. and Mrs. Guy Purdy
Jeanette Thomas
by Mrs. Elizabeth H. Burns
Katie Beth & Chance Thweatt
by Mr. Joe Broadway
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lewis
Ms. Jean Nunnally
Joel & Katie Varner
by Mr. and Mrs. Milton Cushman
Charles Veazey
by Graeber Foundation
Mac Venable
by Mr. Carson Hughes
Martha Jo Venable
by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Reynolds
Elwin Walker
by Mr. and Mrs. Gary Walker
Gov. & Mrs. William Winter
by Mr. and Mrs. Milton Cushman
Jean Nunnally
by Mr. Joe Broadway
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lewis
www.northwestms.edu
Now
Northwest
Summer 2014
A publication of
Northwest Mississippi Community College
President
Dr. Gary Lee Spears
Vice President for Finance
Gary Mosley
Vice President for Student Services/Chief of Staff
Dan Smith
Vice President for Education
Richie Lawson
Vice President/Registrar
Larry Simpson
Chairman, Northwest Board of Trustees
Milton Kuykendall
Northwest Foundation
Associate Vice President of Development &
Special Projects/Associate Editor
Sybil R. Canon • srcanon@northwestms.edu
Director of Alumni Affairs & Development
Operations
Dolores Wooten • dbwooten@northwestms.edu
Communications
Director of Communications/Editor
Sarah Sapp • ssapp@northwestms.edu
Assistant Director of Communications/
Graphic Designer
Julie R. Bauer • jrbauer@northwestms.edu
Communications Assistant
LaJuan Tallo • ltallo@northwestms.edu
Coordinator for Sports Information
Kevin Maloney • kmaloney@northwestms.edu
Editorial Office
Northwest Now
NWCC Box 7039 • 4975 Hwy. 51 N.
Senatobia, MS 38668
Phone: (662) 562-3276 • Fax: (662) 562-3499
www.northwestms.edu
For address changes, please contact Alumni
Affairs at (662) 560-1105.
Northwest Now is published bi-annually as a joint effort of the
Northwest Foundation and the Office of Communications.
Winner of the 2007 &
2009 Grand Award,
Print Media category
College Public
Relations
Association of
Mississippi
contents
features
9
12
19
22
26
a perfect moment
Singers share once-in-a-lifetime experience with
Carnegie Hall premiere performance.
cover story: top honors
Dodson awarded UM’s prestigious Taylor Medal for
outstanding academic accomplishments.
record-setting athlete
Former Ranger QB Will Hall joins state’s elite as
newest member of MACJC Sports Hall of Fame.
forming partnerships
Career, Technical and Workforce Education reaches
out to local industry to better educate workers.
champion of education
Dr. Gary Lee Spears honored as UM
School of Education Alumnus of the Year.
departments
1
2
3
14
19
33
student snapshot/chance thweatt
president’s reflections/dr. gary lee spears
alumni president’s notes/mike boren
around campus
the legacy continues
the sporting life
from the heart of northwest/sybil canon
alumni news/dolores wooten
On the cover: Northwest alumnus and President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears,
congratulates alumnus Logan Dodson as an Ole Miss Taylor Medalist. Dr. Spears
was recently honored as the Ole Miss School of Education’s Alumnus of the Year.
Photo by Julie Bauer
from the
heart of Northwest
Sybil R. Canon
At the end of the spring term, I
attended the pinning ceremony for the
recent graduates of the Associate Degree
Nursing program. When I walked in the
door, one of the graduates came over to
me and said, “I have been thinking of you.
If it wasn’t for you, I would not be here
tonight.” I immediately told her, “Brenda,
with your determination, I know you would
have found a way.”
While I was the one who received Brenda’s expression of gratitude,
there are so many others who should also receive accolades. First are
the president and administration of Northwest who are so supportive of
the work of the Foundation. Then, there are the volunteers who serve on
the Foundation Board of Directors who make sure that we conduct
business in a correct and transparent manner. There is the donor who
provided Brenda her scholarship. In this case, it was First Financial Bank
in Senatobia. And my colleague, Dolores Wooten, deserves thanks.
This particular scholarship was established after the scholarship
committee had already met. In cases like these, the committee
authorizes the Foundation Office to make the selections. Dolores
scoured the remaining applications of students who had not been
selected initially and found Brenda’s application. When Dolores called
her to tell her the good news, Brenda explained that she had just found
out that she had been accepted in the nursing program but that her
husband had lost his job and she was ready to turn down the acceptance.
The phone call from Dolores and the generosity of First Financial Bank
changed her mind.
On the night of the pinning ceremony, as each name was called, family
members stood. Brenda’s family was on the front row, and there was a
young man in a wheel chair. This was Brenda’s son who has been
battling leukemia since he was a child. As Brenda walked across the
stage, I saw that young man struggle to stand in honor of his mother.
It was such a touching moment that made me so very grateful to have
the job I have that allows me to experience the goodness and generosity
of so many people and to see firsthand the good that occurs as a result.
In that nursing class, there were at least 20 students who had
received Foundation scholarships. Just think of how far-reaching those
scholarships will go as these men and women enter hospitals and
doctors’ offices throughout the Southeast.
I am meeting more and more of our scholarship recipients who are
now adults with families, who are working at meaningful jobs, and who are
making positive contributions to our world. Indeed, I am blessed because
I get to see the “heart of Northwest” in the lives of our students and in
the gifts from some very kind and generous people.
alumni news
Dolores Wooten
Homecoming
is
just around the corner,
and we want to invite
you to join us on
Saturday, Sept. 20.
We will be honoring
our Alumnus of the
Year and the classes
of 1954, 1964 and
1974. In addition we
are going to do
something NEW this year and use this time to
recognize our 2014 Sports Hall of Fame
inductees—Shantell Atkins, Detric Golden and
Ben Evans.
It is gearing up to be a very special day for
everyone, and we hope you will mark your
calendar and make plans to be here to honor
these special alums.
The agenda is as follows. All events will take
place in the David M. Haraway Center unless
otherwise noted.
• 10 - 11:30 a.m.—Meet and Greet time
for friends and alumni. Come visit and
have a cup of coffee!
• 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.—Lunch served
buffet style (cafeteria side)
No reservations needed, no program
• Noon - 1 p.m.—Homecoming Luncheon
and Program (conference center side)
Reservations required
Presentation of the Alumnus of the
Year; Presentation of the 2014 Sports
Hall of Fame inductees; Recognition of
classes of 1954, 1964 and 1974; and
entertainment by Northwest students.
• 1:30 p.m.—Pre-Game Show
Ranger Stadium
• 2 p.m.—Kickoff, Rangers vs. Itawamba
Indians
If your class is interested in having a special
get-together, please give me a call and we’ll work
out the details.
As always, thank you for making Northwest
the special place it is for our students today.
Your continued support through your time, talents
and gifts provide the quality education our
students deserve. Our door is always open, and
we welcome your visit anytime.
N ORTHWEST M ISSISSIPPI
C OMMUNITY C OLLEGE
F OUNDATION
Northwest
P.O. Drawer 7015 • 4975 Highway 51 North
Senatobia, MS 38668
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Now
SUMMER 2014
Parting
shot
Elementary education
major Karen Moore and
pre-nursing major Aaron
Lee Talbert share a
selfie before the 2014
Commencement
Exercises May 16.
Photo by LaJuan Tallo
Northwest Mississippi Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a veteran or disabled veteran in employment, programs, or provision of services. Compliance
with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act is coordinated by Mr. Michael Dottorey, Disability Support Services Coordinator, McLendon Student Center, P.O. Box 5555, Highway 51 North,
Senatobia, Mississippi 38668, telephone number 662-562-3309, email address mldottorey@northwestms.edu. Compliance with Title II of the Age Discrimination Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is coordinated by
Mr. Gary Mosley, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs, James P. McCormick Administration Building, P.O. Box 7017, 4975 Highway 51 North, Senatobia, Mississippi, 38668, telephone number 662-562-3216, email address
gtmosley@northwestms.edu.
Outstanding
Alumni
Spears, Dodson
honored by UM
INSIDE: Hall of Fame • HEADWAE • spring sports • 2014 retirees