MSU sweethearts Colleene Bishop Thompson and her husband Johnny
More than 70 years have come and gone since Colleene Bishop Thompson was a student at Mississippi State. Yet, despite the passing of time, the Randolph native still thinks fondly of the memories, education and connections she made at her alma mater. Today, at the age of 96, Thompson continues to uphold the True Maroon spirit for current and future generations at MSU. Thompson began her college career at the former Wood Junior College in Mathiston. With plans to become a teacher, she assumed she would complete her degree at a four-year college close to her hometown. However, fate intervened when she spent her first collegiate summer semester a little farther down the road at Mississippi State. “I went to MSU in the summer of 1944 and never looked back,” said Thompson. “I had planned to finish my education at an institution that was considered a ‘teacher college’ at the time, but I liked Mississippi State, so I decided to stay.” During her inaugural MSU summer, Thompson was
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FOUNDATIONS | Spring 2022
introduced to Johnny Thompson, who eventually became her husband. The pair met on a blind date, accompanied by mutual friends, and the rest was history. The pair hit it off immediately, but like most Americans during World War II, their lives seemed to be in a constant state of change. Johnny, who had joined the Marines after high school, left to serve with the U.S. military in the Pacific. Meanwhile, as career options expanded for women in the workforce, Thompson continued her studies at MSU, but with a new direction. “I realized if I didn’t like teaching, I’d better have another way to jump,” said Thompson, who changed her major to industrial arts education. “It was a good option because it offered a mix of courses in business and teaching, which gave me a more comprehensive education and flexible career options.” Thompson graduated in 1948. The following year, Johnny, who had returned to campus as a veteran and joined advanced ROTC, earned an electrical engineering degree. The couple married and started a new life
