Friday
April 1, 2016 11:30 a.m.
First Baptist Church Outreach Center 210 South Jackson Street Starkville, MS
Luncheon Program
WELCOME...............................................................................................Aundrea Self, WCBI PRAYER.....................................................Jenny Jones, Girl Scouts Heart of the South G I R L SC O UT P LED GE..........................................Golden Triangle Area Girl Scouts INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................Aundrea Self K EY N OT E SP EA KER...........................................................................................Amy Tuck GIRL SCOUT HIGHLIGHTS........................................................................ Jenny Jones 2016 NOMINEES..............................................................................................Aundrea Self C LO SI NG..............................................................................................................Aundrea Self
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2016 Women of Distinction Nominees
Dr. Sheila Adams................................................................................................................ page 4 Julie Brown............................................................................................................................. page 4 Le o ta C a rd we ll................................................................................................................... page 5 Deborah Mansfield........................................................................................................... page 5 A nne M c Whor ter.............................................................................................................. page 6 Renee Sanders.................................................................................................................... page 6 Anne Stricklin....................................................................................................................... page 7 Ta mm i e Tubbs.................................................................................................................... page 7
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Nominees
dr. sheila adams Dr. Sheila Adams has been a part of Mississippi University for Women’s College of Nursing since 1973. Sheila has been an integral part of growing the nursing program into one of the largest and most highly regarded programs in the region. “Her career is an inspiration of vision, hard work, and the teamwork necessary to accomplish great things.” Active in professional and civic organizations, Dr. Adams also invests her time in giving back. She has been a member of the Mississippi Regional Action Coalition Committee, Robert Wood John Foundation/Institute of Medicine, Initiative on the Future of Nursing; the Mississippi Task Force on Nursing Retention and Graduation, created by the Governor’s Office; the Mississippi Council of Deans and Directors of Schools of Nursing, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (serving as chair in 2017-18); the Mississippi Office of Nursing Workforce Advisory Board. Since 1993, she has been an institutional member of the Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing of the Southern Regional Education Board. She is an active supporter of a wide variety of local health-related causes including community response to obesity, suicide prevention efforts, and breast cancer awareness.
julie brown Julie Brown has a unique history that began with a teaching degree. She moved across the world and away from her family in order to teach children who were deployed with their families in Germany. She taught there for several years before moving back to the United States to teach at a school in metro Miami where she lived with her husband who served in the US Air Force. During her time in Miami, Julie decided to apply to law school at the University of Miami. She got in on scholarship and excelled in her class. She was a leader on her law school’s law review. She also graduated “Order of the Coif’ which means she graduated in the top 10% of her graduating class. While living in the Netherlands, Julie got her daughters involved in a Girl Scout troop on base. She became a troop leader, and worked very hard to broaden the Girl Scout troop’s membership. Julie has been very involved in the American Red Cross and served on the local board for several years, spending one year as President. She is also active in the Downtown Business Association, and works with the City and Greater Starkville Development Partnership on ideas and ways to improve downtown. She is currently serving as President of the Downtown Business Association. She is a member of Rotary of Starkville, and also active in donating to local groups such as the Palmer Home for Children and Junior Auxiliary of Starkville.
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Nominees
leota cardwell Leota Cardwell arrived in Starkville in 1952 when her husband, Dr. Joe Cardwell, joined the Dairy Science Department at Mississippi State. She immediately got involved and joined the MSU Women’s Club where she later served as president. During her two daughters’ Girl Scout years, she was an active volunteer. She was also very active with her son’s Boy Scout troop. First United Methodist Church honored her with the Cross and Flame award for her support of youth programs. As a math teacher for 23 years in the Starkville School District, she enjoys claiming she taught half the students in town. Many former students have remarked at how much they learned from her, not only in math, but in life experiences. She is a former Starkville Teacher of the Year. An active member of 4-H since the age of 10, she encouraged her daughters to be involved in 4-H and both were members. Mrs. Cardwell was a volunteer of the Oktibbeha County Hospital Auxiliary for more than 26 years. A cancer survivor, she was active with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and also volunteered with the Meals on Wheels program. She has always been one to share her experiences and help others going through similar situations.
deborah mansfield After moving to West Point only four years ago, Deborah Mansfield immediately started volunteering with Main Street and in other areas of the community. Deborah decided that she wanted to make West Point better and more attractive. “Literally, her goal is to paint the town.” In a short amount of time, Deborah has donated six fully painted murals, drawn free designs for the entire downtown facade to improve Main Street, completed three free park drawings, has developed a plan to plant trees in downtown West Point and has a fundraiser planned for April to raise the money for the trees. Deborah has helped the City of West Point receive two park grants by doing free drawings for the city and has managed getting several items donated from Mossy Oak and Mississippi State University for the design and plants within the park. She created and chairs the new mural committee for West Point and has served on Main Street since she arrived. She organized and directed a fundraiser with the Old Waverly Garden Club to make improvements downtown. “We, in West Point, cannot say enough how she has impacted our community.”
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Nominees
anne mcwhorter Anne McWhorter has been described as “selfless, caring and amazing.” As a volunteer for the Girl Scouts, Anne took on numerous roles when the organization needed help: Troop leader, trainer, camp counselor, Counselor-In-Training Director, Camp Director and more. Whenever they called, she packed her bags and went. Born and raised in Starkville, Anne has always had a desire to make Starkville a better place for everyone who called it home. Many Sunday lunches have been served to college students after church so that they could have a home cooked meal. Her door has always been open to the college students who found their way to her doorstep, no matter the time of day. Anne has been an active volunteer with the American Red Cross, Junior Auxiliary, the Pilot Club, Body Recall and her church, Starkville First Presbyterian. During the Christmas season, Anne always made sure that her Girl Scout Troop would adopt a family in need and provide Christmas for them. Through her Pilot Club activities, she would transport Christmas gifts for children to Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson, MS.
renee sanders Renee Sanders has wisdom and guidance to share with everyone. Her deep and abiding faith leads her to speak truth and encouragement to everyone she meets. She is the leader of the youth group at her church, and is a mentor, advisor, counselor, and second mother to them all. She regularly attends faith-based and professional development courses and workshops to keep herself in touch with current trends and new ways of doing things to reach people in the best way. She takes a group of her fellowchurch members to Vacation Bible School training so that they can acquire the tools and techniques needed to inspire other members. In addition to her church, Renee regularly reaches out to East Mississippi Community College students as well as local high school students to encourage them to “give back” to the community they live in through volunteer activities. She was doing this work even before she became part of the United Way Lowndes County and the Director of the Volunteer Center. She has always had a spirit of giving, and offers assistance to anyone who needs it. Renee conducts herself professionally and with integrity at all times, and treats everyone with equal respect. She always has a positive attitude and approaches all her tasks with creativity and a commitment to accomplish whatever she sets out to do.
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Nominees
anne stricklin Anne Stricklin has been a fierce champion of the Starkville community’s children through her tireless advocacy for public education. She has spent countless hours volunteering in the classroom and through parent organizations and other councils and committees in both official and unofficial capacities. She has devoted herself to connecting the local school district with Mississippi State University, most notably by spearheading the highly successful Maroon Friday tee shirt project as well as through her ongoing recruitment of new MSU families to the district. She was an early and ardent supporter of the Starkville Oktibbeha County School District consolidation efforts – meeting with local parents as well as local and state leaders. Throughout the process, Anne could always be counted on to remind everyone that the bottom line was to find a solution that served ALL of the community’s children. Anne’s commitment to community leadership makes her a wonderful role model for all girls. She served as PTA President at Overstreet Elementary and Sudduth Elementary Schools, as well as Starkville School District PTO President. Most recently, Anne received an appointment to serve on the Starkville Oktibbeha County School District Board of Trustees.
tammie tubbs Tammie Tubbs’ focus is supporting parents who have children struggling with the disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy, to which she lost her own two sons. She has created Tammie Tubbs, LLC, a foundation that raises funds to assist families struggling with the disease. She published her first book in 2008 entitled, I Still Have Joy. This inspirational book is an account of being a wife and full-time caregiver to her sons, Terrance, Jr. and Aaron; and her journey of healing after the devastating loss. Tammy’s passion led her to join Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and she eventually became a Parent Advocate. She then went on to be very instrumental in starting a Golden Triangle Chapter of the national organization. A champion for families affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy, she has galvanized the community and brought more awareness to SMA. Tammie has been a leader in challenging and empowering women to not focus on their pain and struggles from life circumstances, but to turn the hand that life has dealt you into being an overcomer. She encourages women with a message of restoration, healing and being set free from the bondage of pain and despair to live again. Her strong faith has been monumental in her empowerment message to women that though life may get you down, you can get up and dream again. Tammie serves as an ordained minister at Charity Full Gospel Baptist Church, is an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Inc. Pi Iota Zeta Chapter, the NAACP, and is a former instructor with the Christian Job Corp for Women.
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Master of Ceremonies
aundrea self Aundrea Self is home grown. She graduated from Starkville High School. She earned degrees in English and Mass Communications from an HBCU, Stillman College. It was at Stillman that Aundrea fell in love with news reporting when she did her first story on the school’s renowned student choir. After graduation, Aundrea began her broadcasting career as the morning show “sidekick” on WACR radio. After joining the WCBI-TV family as a news producer, Aundrea eventually began reporting. That ultimately led to her 7-year run as co-anchor of “WCBI News Sunrise” and “Midday.” Aundrea currently anchors the five and six o’clock newscasts at WCBI and hosts the daily talk show, “MidMorning with Aundrea” where she explores topics ranging from lifestyle to health to politics. Aundrea has won several Associated Press awards for her work. In 2004, she was honored as a “Top 40 Under 40” by the Mississippi Business Journal. A highlight of her career in journalism came in 2008 when she conducted a one-on-one interview with President Barack Obama as he campaigned in North Mississippi. She also interviewed President Bill Clinton via satellite as he campaigned for his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She recently complete a “bucket list” item by singing the national anthem at the start of an MSU women’s basketball game. Outside of work, Aundrea spends time speaking to area churches, schools, and civic organizations. She is an active member of the Starkville chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and enjoys reading, spending time with family, and sampling her husband’s tasty dishes! Aundrea and her husband, David, have three children: Kimberly, Alan, and Emilee.
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Keynote Speaker
amy tuck Amy Tuck currently serves as Vice President for Campus Services at Mississippi State University. In her role at MSU, Tuck is responsible for providing vision and strategic leadership for campus operations which includes campus landscape, facilities maintenance and repair, utilities production and distribution, faculty and staff housing, sustainability, campus planning, design and construction. Amy Tuck currently serves as Chairman of the MSU Special Events and Game Day Operations Committee which is responsible for the rules and regulations governing activities surrounding MSU home sporting and special events. Ms. Tuck serves as President and Director of the Mississippi State University Educational Building Corporation. Tuck serves on the President’s Administrative Council and the Executive Council governing the University’s policy and procedures. Ms. Tuck serves as Incident Commander for the Crisis Action Team at Mississippi State University. Ms. Tuck also serves on the MSU Community Engagement Committee and the MSU Athletic Council. Amy Tuck is past Chairman of the Board for the Greater Starkville Development Partnership. Ms. Tuck was elected Lt. Governor of the State of Mississippi in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003. She served eight years as Mississippi’s Lt. Governor. She has been a strong advocate for education, from K-12 through higher education, economic development, healthcare and protection for senior citizens and public safety. Prior to serving as Lieutenant Governor, Ms. Tuck was Secretary of the Senate, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Senate, earlier serving as a State Senator for five years. Amy Tuck is a graduate of Mississippi State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration. In 1989, she received her Law Degree from Mississippi College School of Law. Ms. Tuck is an active member of the Women in Higher Education Mississippi Network (WHEMN) as the Institutional representative for Mississippi State University. Tuck was elected as the Statewide Coordinator for Women in Higher Education Mississippi Network for the 2011-2013 term. Ms. Tuck was recognized as the 2015 Ambassador for the Mississippi Commission on the Status of Women. Ms. Tuck was recognized and honored as one of Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women by the Mississippi Business Journal. Ms. Tuck was appointed by President Bush in 2008 to The President’s Commission on White House Fellowships. Ms. Tuck is the only Mississippian to serve on this prestigious commission. 9
Event Sponsors
cadette level sponsors Kappa Delta Sorority Delta Omega Chapter
junior level sponsors Deko-Crete, LLC
Renew Face and Laser
brownie level sponsors 4-County Electric Power Association BankFirst Financial Services DPM Fragrance
Mississippi University for Women Starkville Properties Synergetics DCS, Inc.
daisy level sponsors Adrienne Morris Melanie Busby - Arbonne International
CaRite of Louisville Clark Beverage Company
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Event Sponsors
luncheon sponsors Many thanks to the following restaurants for providing such a delicious lunch. As you patronize these eateries, please thank them for their generous contributions to our community.
Aramark Busylad Firehouse Subs, Starkville
Lost Pizza, Columbus Newk’s, Starkville Starkville Café
gifts provided by Kendra Scott
Mak B & Co.
May Designs
floral arrangements by The Flower Girl, Columbus
And special thanks to our dedicated 2016 Women of Distinction Committee Members: Sara Frances Stubbs, Maridith Geuder, Judy Webb, Edie Irvin, and Adrienne Morris. Without you, this extraordinary event would not be possible. Thank you for investing your time and talents to help recognize and honor Women of Distinction in the Golden Triangle Region and to promoting Girl Scouts’ mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
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Thank you to the sisters of the Delta Omega Chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority for your continued support and encouragement of Girl Scouts throughout our council.
Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. One girl can make a difference. Together they can change the world. You can help by making your gift to Girl Scouts today! To invest in our local girls, visit www.girlscoutshs.org/donate and help us change their world tomorrow.
Girl Scouts Heart of the South’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We have 10,000 girl members from 5 – 18 years old and 3,100 adult volunteers located in 59 counties across the Mid-South.. Nationally 21% of girls ages 5 – 18 live in poverty. In the Mid-South, 47% live below the poverty level. This means that too many girls in our area do not have access to the kinds of vital programs that help them gain the needed life experiences and learn the necessary leadership skills that will enable them to break the cycle of poverty and avoid risky life behaviors including gang membership, teen pregnancy, and drug use. Girl Scouts Heart of the South provides girls with the resources that allow them to develop those leadership skills and positive behavioral traits that are critically necessary in today’s fast-paced society. Through Girl Scouts, girls receive a well-rounded program mix that helps them make strong connections with positive role-models in their communities, empowers them to be confident, caring, and contributing leaders, and shows them that they are capable of making a difference in their world. But we can’t do this alone; we need your help to make sure every girl ages 5 – 18 who wants to join Girl Scouts has that opportunity. Your gift can make a difference in the life of a local girl today and in our community tomorrow.
Invest in girls. Change the world.
Girl Scouts Heart of the South www.girlscoutshs.org I 800.624.4185