N ORTHWEST M ISSISSIPPI C OMMUNITY C OLLEGE F OUNDATION
Northwest
P.O. Drawer 7015 • 4975 Highway 51 North Senatobia, MS 38668
NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Now
SUMMER 2018
Parting
shot
Members of Dr. Spears’ family joined him and First Lady Marilyn Spears (back row, center) to celebrate his retirement during the April 25 Faculty/Staff Awards Ceremony honoring the college’s retirees. Photo by LaJuan Tallo
Passing of the Torch Spears retirement ushers in Heindl presidency INSIDE: Hall of Fame • making a joyful noise • spring sports • retirees
Now
Northwest Summer 2018
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 Chairman, Northwest Board of Trustees Dr. Adam Pugh Northwest Foundation Associate Vice President of Development & Special Projects/Associate Editor Sybil R. Canon • srcanon@northwestms.edu Director of Alumni Affairs & Development Operations Patti Gordon • pgordon@northwestms.edu Scholarship Coordinator & Foundation Assistant Marla Kennedy • mkennedy@northwestms.edu Communications Director of Communications/Editor Julie R. Bauer • jrbauer@northwestms.edu Assistant Director of Communications/ Public Information/Graphic Designer LaJuan Tallo • ltallo@northwestms.edu Assistant Director of Communications/ Marketing and Digital Media KayLeigh McCool • kmccool@northwestms.edu Graphic Designer Jennifer Corbin • jcorbin@northwestms.edu Coordinator for Sports Information Kevin Maloney • kmaloney@northwestms.edu Assistant Coordinator for Sports Information Brian Lentz • blentz@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.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Please visit the Northwest website at www.northwestms.edu/affirmativeaction to view the College’s Notice of Non-Discrimination, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.
contents features
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writing center opens Northwest’s newest Writing Center opens on Senatobia campus.
academic elite College’s top Phi Theta Kappa students honored by the Mississippi legislature at luncheon in Jackson.
cover story: leaving a legacy His vision complete, Northwest president retires after 43 years of service to college, community.
dedicated service Employees recognized for years of service to the college during annual awards ceremony.
in her own words Former PR director Nancy Patterson pens first novel, The Carving Place.
departments 1 2 3 14 24 37
student snapshot/johnson & johnson 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/patti gordon
On the cover: Retiring president Dr. Gary Lee Spears, left, welcomes Northwest’s incoming president, Dr. Michael J. Heindl. Photo by Julie Bauer
from the
heart of Northwest
Sybil R. Canon Dr. Gary Lee Spears is leaving Northwest after 43 years, including 13 years as president. During these 13 years, he has been my boss, but, more than that, he has been a friend of the Foundation/Alumni Office. In the world of fundraising, without the support and involvement of the chief executive officer, a development officer cannot be successful. With gratitude and sincerity, I can attest that Dr. Spears has stood with the Foundation Office and for our efforts since the day he became president. In addition, he and his wife, Marilyn, have been generous contributors each and every year that I have been here, with their gifts totaling almost $40,000. In addition to all that he has done as president, he has found time to attend the quarterly meetings of the Foundation Board of Directors, to attend and speak at the annual Scholarship Recognition Ceremonies and the Homecoming events, to visit with our donors, and to supervise all of our activities. Thus, to Dr. Spears and to Marilyn, I give you my heartfelt gratitude for your consistent and generous support and for being an integral part in the fundraising success that we have enjoyed during the past 13 years. May you be blessed with many years of rest and new opportunities for service. It is the end of a remarkable chapter, and we are grateful. Now, we enter a new chapter with Dr. and Mrs. Michael Heindl. I saw an anonymous quote recently: If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies. Thus, I anticipate with excitement the next chapter at Northwest under Dr. Heindl’s leadership. As with the implementation of any new administration, there will be change, but I feel sure that we will be inundated with “butterflies.” Dr. Heindl brings a wealth of experience in community college administration, an educational background that includes a law degree and a Ph.D., and the energy and excitement of youth. He has also had hands-on experience in fundraising, and I know that we can learn from that experience. His lovely wife, Jennifer, and their family will be welcomed with open arms and hearts. When Dr. Heindl visited our campus in May for a couple of days, we had an in-house reception on the Senatobia campus. Faculty who had already left for the summer returned, and staff from all of our campuses came to Senatobia to greet Dr. Heindl. It was a wonderful demonstration of the kind of people who work at Northwest. They are the absolute best, and they are looking forward to showing our new president and his family “the Heart of Northwest.”
alumni news Patti Gordon it is Although summertime, your Northwest Alumni Office is already gearing up for our traditional fall Homecoming event where we will be honoring the 2018 Alumna of the Year and the Sports Hall of Fame inductees. Please make plans to join us for Homecoming 2018 on Thursday, Sept. 27! Brenda Gentry Holmes (class of 1972) has been selected as Alumna of the Year, and the following are slated to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame: · Willie Brown (Basketball 1970 – 72) · Wilbert Beard (Basketball 1970 – 72) · Dr. David Moss (Baseball 1982 – 84) · Vandell Grigsby (Football 1991 – 92) · Elyse Lovelace (Soccer 2006 – 07) We will be celebrating this group at the Homecoming Reception at 3 p.m. in the Haraway Center with the ceremony to follow at 4 p.m. BBQ will be served in the Haraway Center following the ceremony and before all Rangers head over to the field for the football game – Rangers vs. Holmes. Homecoming is always a great time to come back and visit your alma mater! There is always a spirit in the air and a festive atmosphere to make your trip worthwhile. Please contact the Alumni Office if you plan to attend the reception and/or to reserve BBQ tickets. I recently had the privilege to assist the class of 1968 with their 50-year reunion this past May. One cannot help but feel the Ranger spirit when around this group. They were genuinely grateful for their experiences and rewarding times at Northwest. A shout-out to the class of 1969…2019 will be your 50-year anniversary of leaving Northwest. Please contact the Alumni Office soon so your information can be gathered and/or updated. Maybe there is something special that can be planned for you. “Things end, but memories last forever” —Kumar Milan Although your time at Northwest has ended, the memories you made will always be a part of who you are…Always a Ranger! Office of Alumni Affairs 662-560-1112 pgordon@northwestms.edu
student snapshot Zack and Zachary Johnson Newton • Freshmen Scholarships: Zack: The Sybil Reynolds Canon Endowment Zachary: The Alma Roe Weeks Endowment Why did you choose Northwest to play football? Zack: We were recruited by 19 colleges, but there was something about Northwest. It was the best fit. Zachary: Love the environment – great coaching staff. And the new fieldhouse is great! What do these Foundation scholarships mean to you? Zack: We lost our mom, oldest brother, a cousin and an aunt in a car wreck in 2013. My three brothers and I were also in the vehicle and we were the only survivors. This scholarship will really help my aunt and uncle and grandparents, who are supporting my brothers and me financially. Zachary: Zack and I work at Walmart in our hometown and we really try to help out, but the accident left a huge burden on my aunt and uncle and grandparents. We are really grateful for these scholarships. Your mom was your biggest fan when you and your brother played. Is it hard to play now? Zack: I am determined to be successful in football because my mom always said that I would. Every touchdown I make, every interception I get, and everything I do is for my mom. I just want to make her proud as if she was still here watching me every game. Zachary: Our mom was everything to us. We have a great family to help us now, and I expect my aunt and uncle to be at every game, even though it’s a long drive. But I wish my mom could be here as well. What are your long-range goals? Zack: I definitely want to graduate from Northwest, and it would be great to transfer to a Division I school and then maybe play in the NFL. Photo by Patti Gordon
Zachary: I’m on my brother with this. I want to do well academically and hopefully continue to play football after Northwest.
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president’s reflections
Dr. Gary Lee Spears
This is my last article as president of Northwest for Northwest Now. It hardly seems possible that more than 50 years have passed since I walked on the Senatobia campus of Northwest,
alumni president’s notes
first as a student and then later as a staff member and, finally, as president.
Mike Boren
I met my wife, Marilyn, when we were both students here. Our two sons, Jared and Daniel, are Northwest graduates. Marilyn served Northwest for 25 years, directing the Early Childhood Education Technology program and then as the college’s “First Lady” for 13 years. Thus, it is obvious that we are a tried-and-true Northwest family. A highlight of my life is the day I was named president. The only other experiences that surpass that one are my salvation, my marriage to Marilyn, and the births of my two sons and four grandchildren. Being given the honor of serving as president allowed me the opportunity to give back to the college that has done so much for me and my family. It has been my privilege to see our facilities on all of our campuses rise to the level of excellence that is so evident in our faculty, staff, and administration. It has been my pleasure to see our students excel in academic and careertechnical education, in the fine arts programs, and in the athletic programs. It has been wonderful to see everyone work together so that our college is now debt-free, truly an extraordinary accomplishment. While I look forward to spending more time with Marilyn, free of distractions, and being close to my children and grandchildren, there will always be a part of my heart at Northwest. I will look forward to returning for the scholarship ceremonies, the fine arts events, and the athletic events. I am pleased that Dr. Michael Heindl has been chosen as the next president of Northwest. He brings a wealth of experience in community college administration, an educational background that includes a law degree and a Ph.D., and the exuberance and enthusiasm of youth. I wish him the very best! There is no way that I can name each and every person who has been so helpful to me during these past 13 years as president. However, I am thankful.
I am thankful to God, to Marilyn, and to all of the fine people at
Northwest who have worked alongside me in our effort to make Northwest the best community college in the nation. I am honored to call you both my colleagues and friends. Thanks for the memories!
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Greetings from your NWCC Alumni Association! I feel privileged to be the voice of the Alumni Association board and share with you our recently reorganized board. We have a dedicated group of Northwest alums and are working hard to be a positive voice for Northwest. The board is made up of officers, a representative from each county of the 11-county district the college serves and two atlarge members. A Northwest staff member, faculty member and student are also chosen in an effort to improve communication between the Alumni Association and the college. Currently serving on the alumni board are: Mike Boren, president; Jackie Myrick, vice president; Bonnie Burkes, secretary/treasurer; Brenda Holmes, Lafayette County, Don Randolph, Marshall County; Betty Kilgore, Quitman County; Marvelene and Paul McCullar, Tate County; Linda Maynor, Yalobusha County; Jerry Lightsey, Panola County; Celeste Wilson, DeSoto County; Sylvia Evette Clark, At-Large; Jeff Horn, Tunica County; Angela Ormon, Benton County; Steve Box, Calhoun County; Robert Salmon, Tallahatchie County; Samanthia Bradley, Northwest staff, Leah Arrington and Amy Stewart, Northwest faculty and Anna Cannon, Northwest student. An exciting new event the Alumni Association is involved with is the Ranger Bluegrass Festival presented by Gateway Tire. This event will take place at the Northwest Farm on Oct. 13, 2018. Please see the spotlighted information in this issue for more details! If it has been a while since you have visited the Northwest campus, I invite you to come by and visit the next time you are close by. I promise you will be amazed with the campus as well as the town of Senatobia. As you read through this issue of Northwest Now, there is no better time than NOW to feel the pride of “Always a Ranger”!
around campus Fifteen students receive college’s highest honor Fifteen Northwest students have been inducted into the 2017-2018 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. The group was honored at the Feb. 8 Board of Trustees meeting on the Senatobia campus. Eight Hall of Fame students are from the Senatobia campus. Kendall Kimberlin of Olive Branch is studying elementary education at Northwest. She is a graduate of DeSoto Central High School. During her time at Northwest, she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the Baptist Student Union, Northwest Education Association and Student Government. Her honors include Senatobia Rotary Club Student of the Month and Outstanding Student. She is the recipient of the Thomas P., Jr. and Carolyn P. Poff Endowment. She was recently elected Miss NWCC, Senatobia campus. Kimberlin plans to further her education at Mississippi State University and become a teacher. Northwest nursing student Jordan Redd of Senatobia is a graduate of Senatobia High School. He is a member of PTK, the Student Nurses Association and the Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society. He is also an Outstanding Student. He is the recipient of the Frances Marie Dean Endowment. He hopes to further his education and become a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Kendall Akerson of Hernando is studying criminal justice at Northwest. A graduate of Hernando High School, Akerson is a member of the Ranger softball team. She was the NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, Distinguished Academic All-MACJC selection and NJCAA AllAcademic Second Team. Akerson was recognized in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and as Senatobia Rotary Club Student of the Month and is a member of PTK. She is the recipient of the Robert Dodson Fallen Hero Endowment. She plans to become a criminal analyst for
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Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears (far left) congratulates (front row, l-r) Kendall Kimberlin of Olive Branch; Kendall Akerson of Hernando; Destin Beach of Olive Branch; Autumn Watson of Hernando; Kori Brenn of Southaven and Sydney Osbarn of Oxford. Second row, l-r, Abraham Alvarez of Enid; Jordan Redd and Ethan Baker, both of Senatobia; Brian Fox of Oxford; Gregory Laird of Olive Branch; Daniel Locke and Kaitlyn Moore, both of Oxford. Not pictured, Preslie Cowley of Cleveland and Jacob Vogelsang of Hernando. Photo by Julie Bauer the FBI. Ethan Baker of Senatobia studies music education on the Senatobia campus. A graduate of Senatobia High School, Baker is a member of PTK, the jazz, concert and marching bands, and has taken part in theatre productions at Northwest. He is an Outstanding Student. His goal is to become a high school band director and ultimately teach in higher education. Brian Fox of Oxford is studying civil engineering at Northwest. He is a graduate of Water Valley High School. Fox is a member of PTK, Mu Alpha Theta Math Society and the concert and marching bands. He is also an Outstanding Student. He is the recipient of the Mary Elizabeth Houston Fedric Endowment. Fox hopes to become a structural engineer. Abraham Alvarez, a native of Valles City, Mexico who currently lives in Enid, is studying Precision Manufacturing and Machining Technology at Northwest. Alvarez is a member of PTK, the recipient of the Toyota – Haley Barbour Annual Scholarship and an Outstanding
Student. Alvarez would like to further his education and become a computer numerical controller and/or a coordinated measuring machine programmer. Preslie Anne Cowley of Cleveland is studying speech and theatre at Northwest. A graduate of Cleveland High School, Cowley is a member of PTK, the Northwest Singers and Entertainers and of the Northwest Players Club. She has been honored as an Outstanding Student, a member of the Honor Choir and also with an Irene Ryan Acting Award. Cowley is the recipient of the Clifton and Jessie Sipley Endowment. She hopes to continue her education at Mississippi State University and teach at the secondary level in Fine Arts. Jacob Vogelsang of Hernando is studying speech and theatre. He is a graduate of Hernando High School and a member of PTK, the Northwest Players Club, the Northwest Singers and Entertainers and the Baptist Student Union. He was named Senatobia Rotary Club Student of the Month and received Hall of Fame page 31
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around campus HEADWAE honorees attend annual program Northwest recently announced its 2018 HEADWAE honorees. The HEADWAE student is sophomore Gavin Brown, who attends Northwest’s DeSoto Center, and the HEADWAE faculty member is Sarah Holt, science instructor at DeSoto Center. HEADWAE stands for “Higher Education Appreciation Day-Working for Academic Excellence.” The award was established by 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. Brown and Holt were honored at the 30th annual HEADWAE program in Jackson on Feb. 21. Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears (right) congratulates the college’s Brown, who is studying computer science at 2018 HEADWAE recipients, DeSoto Center science instructor Sarah Holt, and Northwest, lives in Olive Branch. Brown graduated with DeSoto Center student Gavin Brown of Olive Branch at the March 8 Board of honors from Lewisburg High School in 2016 and Trustees meeting. Photo by Julie Bauer received a Presidential Scholarship to Northwest. During high school he received awards in several art competiand Master of Science in secondary education, biology from tions. He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society. Mississippi State University, where she was a graduate assistant Brown is the son of Darrell Keith Brown. He is planning to become in 2002. a computer programmer and software developer. Holt’s teaching career began as an instructor at Itawamba Corinth native Sarah Mattox Holt is in her eighth year as an Community College (ICC) where she taught science classes from instructor at DeSoto Center. Holt received her Associate of Arts in biological sciences from Northeast Mississippi Community HEADWAE, page 31 ➤ College, her Bachelor of Science in secondary education, biology
Foundation board honors Mayfield, celebrates milestone Members of the Northwest Foundation Board of Directors celebrated a record year of giving at their first quarterly meeting of 2018. The Foundation received over $1 million in donations during 2017.
Roberta Mayfield of Senatobia (center) was recently honored for her 20 years of service to the Northwest Foundation Board of Directors. Congratulating Mayfield (l-r) are Sybil Canon, Northwest associate vice president of Development and Special Projects and Gale Cushman, Foundation board president. Photos by Julie Bauer and LaJuan Tallo
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around campus Spears named Tate EDF Citizen of the Year, Massey honored as Educator of the Year
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears (left photo) was named “Citizen of the Year” at the 20th annual Tate County Economic Development Foundation Banquet on Feb. 27. Presenting the award is George Cossar, EDF board member. Also during the event, Jeremy Massey, AgriculturalTechnology/ John Deere Tech.instructor at Northwest (right photo) was named “Educator of the Year”. Congratulating Massey is Jennifer Casey, Northwest WIOA manager and EDF member. Photos by LaJuan Tallo
Senatobia Writing Center to improve student skills
A ribbon cutting for the Northwest Writing Center was held on Nov. 8. The Writing Center, established as part of the Quality Enhancement Plan, is free to students who need help with any type of writing. College administrators, faculty and staff and community members were on hand to celebrate the opening. Left to right are Carroll Huebner, online coordinator, Writing Center; Leelee Haraway, QEP co-director; Alan Callicott, mayor of Senatobia; Northwest president, Dr. Gary Lee Spears; Jason Jones, director, Writing Centers and sophomore Ashton Dye of Strayhorn, and freshman Joshua Figures of Independence, peer counselors. Photo by LaJuan Tallo
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around campus Board of Trustees members recognized for service
Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears (left photo, far left) recognized Northwest Board of Trustees member Johnny Bland of Quitman County (center) for 25 years of service to the Board of Trustees. Congratulating Bland were (l-r) his daughter Kimberly Bland Wells, his wife, Judy, current Board of Trustees member representing Quitman County, his son, Kevin Bland and Dr. Adam Pugh, chairman of the Board of Trustees. Bill Dawson of Byhalia (right photo, center) was honored for 30 years of service on the Board of Trustees at their May 10 meeting. Congratulating Dawson are Dr. Spears and Dr. Pugh. Photos by Julie Bauer
New board officers named
Dr. Spears (left) congratulates newly-elected board officers Dr. Adam Pugh (center), chairman, Lafayette County, and Cory Uselton (right), vice chairman, DeSoto County at the Jan. 11 meeting of the Board of Trustees. Not pictured is Dr. Daryl Scoggin, secretary, Tate County. Photo by Julie Bauer At the December meeting, Dr. Spears recognized board chairman Mike Moore of Calhoun County for his service on the board. Moore retired after 37 years of service in education. Photo by Julie Bauer
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Northwest Now
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around campus Alumni Association board meets to plan activities
The Alumni Board of Directors are front row (l-r) Jerry Lightsey, Panola County; Patti Gordon, director of Alumni Affairs; Bonnie Burkes, secretary/treasurer and Mike Boren, president. Second row (l-r) are Don Randolph, Marshall County, Marla Kennedy, Northwest staff and Marvelene McCullar, Tate County. Third row (l-r) are Paul McCullar, Tate County and Samanthia Bradley, Northwest staff. Fourth row (l-r) are Celeste Wilson, DeSoto County and Jackie Myrick, vice president and top row (l-r) Jeff Horn, Tunica County and Anna Cannon, Northwest student. Not pictured are Brenda Holmes, Lafayette County; Betty Kilgore, Quitman County; Linda Maynor, Yalobusha County;Sylvia Clark, at-large; Robert Salmon, Tallahatchie County, Angela Ormon, Benton County and Steve Box, Calhoun County. Photo by LaJuan Tallo
The Northwest Alumni Association Board of Directors met in January to discuss plans for its upcoming year. The Alumni Association will be sponsoring the Alumnus of the Year and the Sports Hall of Fame during the college’s 2018 Homecoming festivities on Sept. 27. They will also be assisting with the Ranger Bluegrass Festival, presented by Gateway Tire on Oct. 13 at the Northwest Farm. The board is made up of officers, a representative from each county of the 11-county district the college serves and two at-large members. A Northwest staff member, faculty member and student are also chosen in an effort to improve communication between the Alumni Association and the college. “The alumni board invites all Northwest alumni to become members of the Alumni Association. Our members receive advance notice of alumni activities, free admission to on-campus regular season athletic events and free admission to fine arts events,” said Patti Gordon, director of Alumni Affairs. Nominations for Alumnus of the Year and Sports Hall of Fame can be found on the alumni page at northwestms.edu. For more information, contact Gordon at 662.560.1112 or email pgordon@northwestms.edu. —LaJuan Tallo
Johnson honored by Women in Higher Ed Phyllis Johnson, dean of eLearning at Northwest Mississippi Community College (center) was honored with the Women in Higher Education Mississippi Network (WHEMN) 2018 Leadership Award in Jackson on Feb. 9. Congratulating Johnson (l-r) are Julie Bauer, director of Communications at Northwest and Tara Dunn, Northwest dean of Students.
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around campus
Northwest Phi Theta Kappa students were honored on March 28 for being named to the Phi Theta Kappa All-Mississippi Academic Team. Pictured (l to r) are Richie Lawson, vice president for Education; Elizabeth Harvey, Matthew Johnson, Dawn Stevens and Judy Barham, advisers; Daniel Locke of Oxford, second team; Elma Andrade of Nesbit, first team; William Watson of Southaven, second team; Sydney Osbarn of Oxford, second team; Sidney Sykes of Marks, TVA-STEM scholarship recipient; Jamison Payne of Courtland, second team; Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears and Patsy Gardner and Kristin Watson, advisers. Not pictured, Haley Appleton of Sardis, second team. Photo by Amy Gazzo, Southwest Mississippi Community College
PTK All-Mississippi academic team recognized Northwest students Elma Andrade of Nesbit, William Watson of Southaven, Daniel Locke of Oxford, Sydney Osbarn of Oxford, Haley Appleton of Sardis and Jamison Payne of Courtland were honored on March 28 for being named to the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Mississippi Academic Team. Northwest student Sidney Sykes of Marks was honored as one of two STEM scholarship recipients from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Phi Theta Kappa, a $2,250 award. During the All-Mississippi Academic Team Recognition Luncheon held at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl, the students were individually recognized for their aca-
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demic accomplishments and were presented with a medal. Andrade, who is taking general college classes at the DeSoto Center to prepare for a degree in nursing, was recognized as an All-Mississippi first team honoree. The All-Mississippi second team honoree from the DeSoto Center was Watson, who is studying management information systems. From the Lafayette-Yalobusha Technical Center, the second team honorees were Locke, who is studying exercise science and Osbarn, who is studying communicative disorders. The second team honorees from the Senatobia campus were Appleton, who is studying nursing and Payne, who is studying account-
ing. Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears, serves on the steering committee for the event, and served as chairman of the committee for several years. PTK is an international scholastic and leadership honor society for two-year colleges. Members are eligible for scholarships at universities throughout the nation. Each two-year college in Mississippi may nominate two students per campus to the All-Mississippi Academic Team. Nominations are based on outstanding academic performance and service to the college and community. —LaJuan Tallo
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cover story
Dr. Gary Lee Spears led the college’s Building on Tradition program of campus revitalization and beautifcation during his presidency. Photo by Robert Jordan
President retires leaving beautiful legacy By Julie Bauer
When you’ve spent the past 43 years of your life pouring your heart and soul into your work, retirement can seem daunting. But when Dr. Gary Lee Spears walks down the steps of the James P. McCormick Administration Building for the final time as president of the state’s third-largest community college at the end of June, he leaves knowing that his legacy will live on for many years to come.
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Just take a look around Northwest’s main campus—his influence is palatable, in the state-of-the-art buildings and facilities, in the beautiful landscaping that rivals that at a university, in the clean and well-maintained streets and grounds. The campus in Senatobia (as well as DeSoto Center in Southaven and Lafayette-Yalobusha Technical Center in Oxford) is a showcase institution among the state’s 15 community and junior col-
leges. And it was all part of Dr. Spears’ vision from the start—Building on Tradition, which is his proudest accomplishment as president. “It has always been my belief that most people enjoy a setting that is pleasing to the eye and is comfortable and safe to visit,” he said. “With that thought, we developed a plan to improve continued on next page
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In January 2017, the Northwest Board of Trustees honored Dr. Spears for his years of dedicated service and his tremendous impact on the college by naming the nursing and allied health complex the Gary Lee Spears Center for Nursing and Health Sciences. Photo by Tommy Watson facilities, to demolish old and unused buildings, and build new ones. Our current students, future students, and visitors are the beneficiaries of our Building on Tradition program. It helps to have a nice place to study and learn with new and modern equipment. It attracts people to want to come and be a part of it, whether they are a new hire or a new student.” Dr. Spears credits the college’s Board of Trustees and professional staff with assisting him in making his vision a reality by finding funding opportunities through bond bills, a sizeable grant for equipment for the Division of Nursing made possible with assistance from Sen. Thad Cochran, and Mississippi Bureau of Buildings funds. Throughout his 13-year presidency, the college has completed 23 renovation and construction projects and purchased four properties for current and future use. And with the final payments made last year on the construction of DeSoto Center, the college is now debt free. “I get a lot of joy out of visitors who compare our campus to four-year schools and universities,” Dr. Spears said. “Most who are familiar with two-year colleges across America are stunned that it’s a two-year school. Some think it will be similar to a trade school, and when they come on campus they see it’s so much more than that. They are really shocked. For a two-year school it’s exceptional, and I’m pleased to be a part of that.” You can’t spend more than a few minutes with Dr. Spears before you see that his love of the college runs deep. In honor of his dedication to Northwest students and staff and in appreciation of his years of leadership, the Board of Trustees granted Dr. Spears the honorary title of President Emeritus during his final board meeting as president June 14. He was also honored by the board in January 2017 with the naming of the Gary Lee Spears Center for Nursing and Health Sciences, the newest addition to the main campus. In 2007, Dr. Spears was named Alumnus of the Year by the
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Northwest A l u m n i Association and recognized during Homecoming festivities. The Northwest Foundation Board of Directors, his wife, Marilyn, and friends of the college created the Dr. Gary Lee S p e a r s Endowed Scholarship in May 2011 for his lifelong dedication to education and the college. Dr. Spears and his wife, Marilyn, in 2006 after his Dr. Spears first year as president of the college. was named Photo by LaJuan Tallo 2 0 1 4 Alumnus of the Year for the School of Education at the University of Mississippi and served as chair of the MACJC committee for Phi Theta Kappa. Prior to being named president July 1, 2005, Dr. Spears served as registrar and director of Admissions and Records for 25 years. A native of Eudora in DeSoto County, he has held
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Dr. Spears in the early years of his career in education. Photo courtesy of the Spears family
younger person,” he said. “During my presentation to the Board of Trustees for my interview to be president, I offered 10 specific goals that we would seek to accomplish. I’m pleased to say that with the completion of the nursing and health sciences complex, we have completed all 10. To have the opportunity to serve your entire educational career, except for one year, at the same institution is pretty special. Then to be president at Northwest was a dream come true for me. “I’m looking forward to spending time with Marilyn, our two sons—Jared and his wife Brooke, and Daniel and his wife Julie—and our four grandchildren, Jack Garrett, Samuel David, Phoebe Joy and Thomas Lee Spears.” After his retirement, Dr. and Mrs. Spears plan to do some traveling to some of the nation’s most important historical sites, including the World War II Museum in New Orleans, Jamestown, Va., Washington, D.C. and Mount Vernon, and Gettysburg. They also plan to see Crystal Bridges in Arkansas and the Biltmore Estate. “I will enjoy not having a schedule and not having to be anywhere at a particular time or place. We want to focus on helping our children with their children and seeing them grow up,” he said. While saying goodbye to his Northwest family will be difficult, Dr. Spears feels he is leaving the college in very capable hands with incoming president, Dr. Michael J. Heindl. “I believe Northwest will remain strong under his leadership,” Dr. Spears said. “I have known Dr. Heindl for a number of years and believe he has the vision and experience necessary to accomplish many great things!”
positions at the college including instructor, vocational counselor, assistant to the DeSoto Center director and vice president for Student Affairs. Some of his most special memories from Northwest are from those early days. “There are many special memories, too numerous to mention, but there are three special phone calls I remember. First, when we lived in Cleveland in 1975, Mr. Price Darby called me to come to Northwest as a vocational counselor. I’ll always remember that. I was teaching junior high school in Leland and was finishing my master’s in counseling. I thought I had won the lottery because an opportunity to come back to this area and work at a college was really big. I was very grateful.” “Second, Dr. June S. Gardner, vice president at the time, called me over to the administration building to become registrar in 1976, one year later. I didn’t know anything about being the registrar, but Marilyn talked me into it. I’m glad I listened to her.” “Third, Mr. Bill Dawson, Northwest board chairman in 2004, called me at home and said the board had selected me to serve as president. I knew that 61 people had applied, and to get it out of that many was pretty special.” Dr. Spears earned an Associate of Applied Science and an Associate of Education from Northwest. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in social science and a master’s degree in counseling from Delta State University. In 1991, Dr. Spears earned a doctorate in educational leadership at The University of Mississippi, where he has taught courses in higher education as an adjunct instructor. His profound love for Northwest inspired him to write a history of the college for his doctoral dissertation. After a long and successful career Dr. and Mrs. Spears will get to enjoy lots of time with their grandchildren. Marilyn enjoys in education, Dr. Spears feels now is reading to their youngest son Daniel’s children—Jack, Samuel and Phoebe Joy. The the right time to pass on the torch. “I Spearses also have an infant grandson, Thomas, by their older son Jared. have reached the age that it makes Photo by Sybil Canon sense to turn the leadership over to a
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Heindl begins tenure as new president July 1 Dr. Michael J. Heindl was selected as the ninth president of Northwest by the college’s Board of Trustees during a special meeting held April 26 on the Senatobia campus. He will assume office July 1. Heindl, 44, currently serves as executive vice president of Administration and Finance at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) in Perkinston. He and his wife, the former Jennifer Ingram, have three children— Taryn, 22, Harrison, 14 and Nicholas, 12—and one grandson, Jayson, 3. Jennifer is an ER nurse currently pursuing her master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner. “I’m very honored and privileged to be able to serve the institution at this important time,” said Heindl. “I’ve spent numerous years in the community college system working toward a day like this. My wife and I are excited to be Rangers, and we look forward to moving our family to Senatobia.” A native of Clinton, Heindl will head the state’s third-largest community college with a current enrollment of more than 7,000 students on three campuses and online. Heindl, a community college graduate, will bring with him to Northwest experience in a number of areas, including finance, technology, legal issues, human resources, emergency management, campus leadership, student services, workforce training and admissions. “I think that my having worked in higher education for the last 16 years and in every area of higher education has uniquely equipped me to lead Northwest,” Heindl said. “I have been an instructor/professor for many years teaching in academic and career-technical courses and graduate-level courses. I have managed a large institutional budget and all of the administrative and finance functions of the second-largest community college in the state. “Also, I have served as a dean of students and admissions director at the largest community college in the state, which gave me a fine insight into student registration, enrollment, and graduation.
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In addition, I am an accomplished fundraiser and have had great success in this arena.” Heindl holds a Ph.D. in community college leadership from Mississippi State University (2011), a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School at Western Michigan University (2001), a B.S. in psychology from Mississippi College (1997), and an Associate of Arts in general studies/music from Hinds Community College (1994). He began his career in education in 2001 as golf tournament coordinator at Hinds Community College and also served as an intern for the Mississippi Supreme Court while working on his law degree during that time. In July, 2001 he became dean of students for Wesley College in Florence before being named district director of Admissions and Records at Hinds in 2003. In 2006, Heindl was program specialist for Career and Technical Education at the Mississippi Community College Board, where some of his responsibilities included coordination for all career-technical programs and workforce training for the state’s 15 community colleges. In 2007 he returned to Hinds, where he worked for four years as dean of students for the Rankin County Campus before being named vice president of the Jackson County Campus of MGCCC in 2011. A year later, he moved into his current position there as executive vice president of Administration and Finance. In addition to his administrative experience, Heindl has 16 years of teaching experience, having served as an adjunct
instructor for legal courses in both the Department of Business and in the Career-Technical paralegal program at Hinds. He has also taught graduate-level courses in higher education law at Mississippi College and is currently an adjunct professor teaching Community College Legal Issues in the Community College Leadership doctoral program at Mississippi State University. Active in a number of professional groups and community organizations, Heindl is currently president-elect of the Community College Business Officers Association (CCBO), a member of the Gulf Coast Business Council Master’s Class and the Education Strategic Planning Committee for the Mississippi Coast, on the Planning Committee for Leadership Mississippi and an Angel runner for Ainsley’s Angels, a national organization that provides racing/running experiences for special needs individuals. He is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges Heindl page 31
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Northwest alumnus/employee makes a joyful noise Carlous Robinson is not the kind of guy who goes around “tooting his own horn,” as people like to say. The soft-spoken Northwest assistant supervisor of Housekeeping has a smile for everyone who comes across his path. But there is a side of Robinson that some people may not know: he is a multi-talented, Grammynominated, award-winning gospel musician who has played with the likes of Shirley Ceasar, Bobby Jones, Kirk Franklin and Stevie Wonder and appeared in a stage play with Tyler Perry. Robinson grew up and still lives in Coldwater. He was the first child of three born to Willie Glen and Bobbie Jean Forrest Robinson. Robinson has two younger sisters. He graduated from Coldwater High School in 1993. “I played basketball and football and ran track in high school, but I was always drawn to music,” Robinson said. He attended Northwest from 1993-1995, studying music. He learned music theory with Becky Triplett. He was active in the Northwest band program, playing in the marching band and in the Jazz Band. Robinson’s music education started long before he came to Northwest. Like many musicians, his first exposure to music came through church. “I grew up in Mt. Calm Baptist Church, and started
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playing piano by ear at around ages five to eight,” Robinson said. He started studying piano with Jean Moore, the former division director of Languages and Communications at Northwest, who first exposed him to classical music. He later studied with Derrick Jackson and Thomas McGowan, who were both from Memphis. In August, 1996 Robinson attended an audition for gospel giants the Williams Brothers of Smithdale. “I went in and auditioned with them, was hired as their main pianist on the spot and the rest, as they say, is history,” Robinson said. He toured with the Williams Brothers from 1996-2005 when the group semi-retired. Robinson is featured on many of the Williams Brothers’ recordings on their label, Blackberry Records. The Williams Brothers were the first black gospel artists to own their own record
label. Robinson also played and recorded with many of the gospel artists who recorded on that label. “I have traveled all over the world with them and have played in all 50 states. I have had the honor of playing for both President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama at the White House,” Robinson said. Though the Williams Brothers have stopped touring, they do occasionally play solo dates without their full band, and Robinson still plays some dates with them. In 2006, Robinson was hired in the Northwest Housekeeping Department and in 2016, he became the assistant supervisor over the Housekeeping Department. “I’ve done some further study in music theory with Dr. Saundra Bishop since I came to work at Northwest,” Robinson said. Robinson came from a family of musicians. His parents, aunts, and uncles all played and sang, he says. He and his wife, Felicia Newsom Robinson are the parents of Jordan, Karlisha, Jalen, Kalen and Carlous Robinson, Jr. Felicia has her own gospel group, Devotion, which is well known in the area. Jordan, who is 21, is a drummer and also plays with the Williams Brothers, Dottie Peoples and Gerald Thompson. Jalen and Carlous, Jr. are exceptional football and basketball players, and Kalen is developing her talent through singing at church. Karlisha played basketball at Coldwater High School and is currently a student at Northwest. Robinson’s current project is music director for the musical The Royal Family, by Princeton James, who Robinson says is the next Tyler Perry. “He is great and an up and coming star. I do all of the music and even the sound effects,” Robinson said. “Carlous is a very talented individual who has worked tediously to perfect his skills on piano and keyboard, which is more prevalent due to technological advancements. I have watched him at the piano from the time his feet Robinson page 31
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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 will last forever. The Northwest Foundation was fortunate to have a matching gifts program
The Thomas Edward (Tommy) and Paula Tatum Brown Endowment The Northwest Foundation has announced that the name of Paula Tatum Brown will be added to The Thomas Edward (Tommy) Brown Endowment to honor the memory of this dear and distinctive wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. The original endowment was established in 2013 by Paula and their two sons, Tatum and Hugh. Through the Brown Memorial Classic Golf Tournament, founded and hosted by Tatum and Hugh Brown, and through many memorial gifts given in memory of Paula after her death in October of 2017, the original endowment has increased from $10,000 to $39,000. Born in Oxford to Horace and Jo Tatum, Paula was retired from the City of Oxford Electric Department. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Oxford and the Mercy Sunday School Class. Paula was an excellent cook, loved to play golf, and was a member of the Oxford Garden Club. What she loved most passionately was her family. Devoted to her hus-
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continues
from 1997 through 2013. While the program is no longer in place, we want to continue to express appreciation to those who provided these funds to help our scholarship endowment grow at such a rapid pace. At the beginning of June, 2017, the endowment reached a significant milestone in the history of the Northwest Foundation when the endowment value was listed at $10,000,971.84. One year later, the value has increased to $10.9 million. Morgan Freeman, the acclaimed actor and producer of national and international fame, was the largest benefactor of the matching gifts program, providing $515,000. In addition, we received a generous gift from the Estate of Clarence
Thomas Hill, Jr., in the amount of $180,000. Other matching gifts sponsors included Horseshoe Casino and Hotel, the Youth Progress Association, Sycamore Bank, Gateway Tire, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Williams-Sonoma, Inc., Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, and Schulz Xtruded Products. Through the generosity of so many, the endowment continues to grow. As it grows, so does the realization of the hopes and dreams of our students as well as the legacy of the special people who are honored by these endowments. —Sybil Canon
knew that I would be met with a smile, a kind word, and a great sense of humor. She was one of those extraordinary individuals who always made those around her feel special. We are honored to include her name in this endowment.” The Thomas Edward (Tommy) Tommy and Paula Brown and Paula Tatum Brown Endowed band, Tommy, until his death in 2011, Scholarship will continue to be awarded she was also dedicated to Tatum and to Mississippi students who have a his wife, Lain, and Hugh, all of Oxford financial need. and to her two grandchildren, Georgia and Tindall. The John C. Curry Sybil Canon, associate vice presiMemorial Endowment dent of Development, remembers fondly her interactions with Paula. Batesville Presbyterian Church along “Paula was one of the most humble, with church members Billie Lois and compassionate, and sincere individuals Tommy Marshall have established a I have known. Her husband, Tommy, scholarship at Northwest to honor the served for many years on the Northwest memory of John C. Curry, a long-time Foundation Board of Directors, and employee of the church. Paula accompanied Tommy to board Curry served for many years as cusevents during those years. I always todian and caretaker of the church
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John C. Curry tion so Mrs. Billie Lois Marshall would carry him to doctor’s appointments and other places in the area that were not in walking distance. When he passed away at age 97, Curry left a generous financial gift to Batesville Presbyterian under the care of the Marshalls, who worked with the church to establish the John C. Curry Memorial Endowed Scholarship. The proceeds from the endowment are awarded annually to a Northwest student, who is an active member of the church and has been recommended by the Batesville Presbyterian Church and St. Andrew Presbytery Scholarship Committee. The selection is confirmed by a committee of the Northwest Foundation prior to the awarding of the scholarship. Candidates must be enrolled full-time and must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average to continue receiving scholarship payments during the two-year period. Founded in 1841, Batesville Presbyterian Church has ministered to the Batesville and Panola County area for more than 175 years as it reaches out with joy-filled hearts and willing
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hands to share the grace and love of Jesus Christ with those in need. The church is located at 121 Eureka Street in Batesville. - Article written by Rev. Jerry Long
The Barbra Welch Manning Endowment The Barbra Welch Manning Nursing Endowment was established by Joe Manning, Barbra’s husband of 38 years, and by Joe’s brother, Carl Manning, in recognition of her contribution to the nursing profession through her actual practice and through her instruction in several nursing programs and in appreciation of her life of dedication to her family and her lifelong services as a volunteer. Barbra was born on Nov. 16, 1954 in Tishomingo to the late Hellus Greene Welch and Clifford Leroy Welch. Manning was a member of Tishomingo Baptist Church. Barbra earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from the University of Tennessee. She also became a pediatric nurse practitioner through advanced studies at the University of Tennessee. Barbra worked at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and the University of Tennessee Department of Pediatrics as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Barbra was hired at Northwest in August of 1985 and retired in 2013. She held the positions of Level
Barbra Welch Manning Coordinator of Fundamentals of Nursing, level coordinator of Obstetrics/Pediatric Nursing, and student navigator. She taught Fundamentals of Nursing, Nursing Pharmacology, Obstetrics, and Pediatric Nursing. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Tennessee, the University of Memphis, and Union University. Barbra was active with various animal rescue missions including the Denver Dachshund Rescue and Transport, Kindred Heart Transport, Liberty Transport, and Lou's Labs. She also volunteered at Hope Sullivan Elementary School in Southaven where she helped children who struggled with reading.
Manning (center) with long-time colleagues and friends, (l-r) Dr. Marilyn Bateman, former academic dean and Vicki Hale, former division director of Nursing at her retirement in 2013. Photo by LaJuan Tallo
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The Legacy Continues
facility on Eureka Street prior to his death in November 1996. In addition to his work with the Presbyterian congregation, the Batesville native also held similar positions over the years with several Baptist and Methodist churches in Panola County. In his later years, the beloved handyman did not have his own transporta-
The Legacy Continues
Dr. Denise Bynum, director of the Northwest Nursing Division notes, “Barbra was a lady who touched many lives with her kind heart and genuine concern for others. She endeared herself to more than 2,500 nursing students during her 25 years as an instructor with the Northwest Nursing Division. In addition, she gained the respect and admiration of not only her colleagues in the Nursing Division but throughout Northwest.” The Barbra Welch Manning Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to secondyear nursing students enrolled in the Northwest Associate Degree Nursing program who have exhibited a financial need. It is the goal of this endowment to provide assistance to second-year nursing students who, without this scholarship, might not be able to complete the nursing program.
The Russell and Anabelle Paulk Endowment The Russell and Anabelle Paulk Endowed Scholarship was established by Russell Paulk, Jr. to honor his parents, Russell Paulk, Sr. and Barbara Paulk, for teaching a valuable work ethic and a positive attitude that created a legacy of entrepreneurship and the ability to meet and solve challenges. Russell Paulk, Sr., and his two brothers, Carl and Jesse, were natives of Florida, but each found his way to Batesville, and they found their wives in
Russell and Anabelle Paulk
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Batesville. Russell and Jesse were with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, gaining experience in drilling water test wells, which would later provide a foundation for their business. All three brothers served in World War II in the U.S. Army in the European campaign. Russell fought on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and also served with the 238 Combat Engineers. After their service in World War II, Russell and Jesse established a business in Batesville, Paulk Brothers Deep Well and Plumbing Contractors. The business was established in 1946, and later Carl was brought into the business. At certain points, Jesse and Carl returned to Florida, but Russell continued the successful enterprise until 1994, at which time the business was sold. An important part of the business was Russell’s wife, the former Barbara Branum of Batesville. She kept the books for the business, was a constant source of support and encouragement to her husband, and provided a loving and compassionate home to their two children. Russell Paulk, Sr. died in 2001, and Barbara Paulk died in 2003. Russell Paulk, Jr. attended Northwest from 1968-1970 and again from 1975-78, when he was enrolled in night classes to include Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Technology and one accounting course. He remembers his father telling him, “If you ever have any money, no matter how small, you will want to know how to manage it yourself.” That advice and the accounting course at Northwest have served him well. He returned to Northwest in 1999-2001 to take Spanish courses. His interest in Spanish led to his meeting his wife, Anabelle, when he went to the University of Mississippi and participated in their Study Abroad program in Costa Rica. They married in 2002 and while their principal home is in Batesville, they make frequent trips to Costa Rica to visit children and grandchildren. He was involved in the Paulk Brothers business, first, as a young child following his father around and learning
firsthand what it means to work hard. After Paulk Brothers sold, he has worked in real estate as a broker, appraiser, and property inspector. He was also a radio announcer for a station based in Oxford. Currently, he is the owner and founder of Russell Paulk Enterprises, a successful property management company. In establishing the scholarship, Russell, Jr. remembers fondly how his parents were always helping others, “They helped so many but did so without any fanfare or recognition. They did not seek it or want it, but they spent their lives in service to their community and to their church, Batesville Presbyterian. Both my father and mother were very hard workers, and they lived their lives with honesty and integrity. I think they would be pleased with this scholarship.” Sybil Canon, associate vice president of Development, states that “the
William Guy Purdy Paulk family is synonymous with service. Russell’s cousin, Dennis Paulk and his wife, Janie, established an endowment many years ago. These cousins grew up together, working hard as young people, and they learned the lessons of hard work and service very well.” The Russell and Anabelle Paulk Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to students who are choosing the career pathways of business and/or Computer-related pathways.
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gently with the literacy councils in DeSoto and Tate counties, providing a ‘second chance’ to those whose life circumstances had provided little hope for success. Simply put, Guy Purdy truly made a difference in this world, and he is sorely missed.” The scholarship will continue to be awarded to students who are graduates of any DeSoto County high school.
The C. Chad and Cara Reba Caldwell Williams Endowment
The Steven Purdy and William Guy Purdy Endowment The Northwest Foundation has announced that the name of William Guy Purdy will be added to The Stephen Purdy Endowed Scholarship established in 2005 honoring the memory of the son of Guy and Mary. Guy died on April 7, 2018. Guy earned an Associate of Technology degree from State Tech in Memphis and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology from the University of Memphis. He served in the United States Air Force for four years, spending most of his time in the Philippines and Smyrna, Tennessee. He was an aircraft electrician on the B-52 and later on the C130 plane. He then worked for 26 years as a power transformer crew leader and customer service representative for Memphis Light, Gas and Water. Guy had said that he had only four jobs in his lifetime. He worked at Montesi’s grocery store as a teenager, then the Air Force, then MLGW, and finally Northwest. He started at Northwest in 1995 as a Workforce Development coordinator, responsible for planning, supervising and implementing workforce training programs for local businesses and industry. After spending six years in that role, he then became the director of
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Adult Basic Education where he served for 16 years. Guy was recognized as Supervisor of the Year by the Mississippi Association of Adult and Community Educators. As a Ranger Golf Coach at Northwest, Guy led the Rangers to two national rankings in five of six seasons he coached by the NJCAA and GolfStat.com. In the 2015-16 season, Northwest placed in the Top 5 in seven of 14 events. In addition to his wife, Mary, Guy is survived by four children, Will, Christine, Betsy and Chris, and their grandchildren, Sabrina St. Clair, Shawn Martin, Kaitlyn Wenzler, Stephen Anderson, Emerson Anderson, Tanner Anderson, and Ana Kate Purdy. The Purdy family have been generous contributors to The Stephen Purdy Endowment, and through these contributions and the generous memorial gifts given in memory of Guy, the endowment has increased from $10,000 to $48,000. Furthermore, it was Guy’s influence and leadership that led to the establishment of the Al Simmons Adult Basic Education Endowment by the DeSoto Literacy Council. Sybil Canon, associate vice president of Development believes that “The Stephen Purdy and William Guy Purdy Endowment is an appropriate legacy for this extraordinary man. In every phase of his life, Guy has helped people to strive for excellence. He worked dili-
The Legacy Continues
Purdy (right) congratulates Tommy Burford of Crenshaw on earning his GED after ceremonies in June 2012. Photo by LaJuan Tallo
Cara (pronounced "CAR-ee") Reba Caldwell Williams and C. Chadwick Williams were married in 1944. With 65 years together at the time of Chad’s death in 2009, it is fitting that Reba’s name would be added to the endowment that was established in honor of Chad by their children in 2008. With gifts from the Williams family and with recent gifts in memory of Reba Williams following her death in December 2017, the endowment, which began at $10,000, now exceeds $37,000. Born in Marietta on Feb. 21, 1928 and attending school there, Reba was fond of telling her children stories of waiting for the school wagon in the winter. School was important to Reba; in fact, her future father-in-law was one of her teachers. In 1944, Reba married her high school sweetheart, Chad Williams, who taught at Northwest for 33 years. Reba and Chad raised five children, all of whom attended Northwest and
Reba Williams
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The Legacy Continues
completed bachelor’s degrees at fouryear universities. Reba made a point to have photos taken with each graduate in cap and gown. She always continued learning and even owned a computer before some of her children. She is survived by all five of her children, Jo Ann Coleman married to Larry, Martha Ruth Mills, MaryLee Minna Sturgeon married to Steve, Amy Curtis married to Brett, Claude Chadwick Williams, Jr. married to Lisa, 10 grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren. Reba worked at Brown Shoe Factory and Price’s Five and Dime in Senatobia, and she was a cake decorator and a photographer. Believing no one was never too old to learn, in her 40s, Reba attended what was then Northwest Junior College, taking typing and swimming. The typing class enabled her to become the church secretary at the Senatobia Church of Christ, where she remained until her retirement. Reba was a “Grandma Moses” lady, gifted with artistic abilities such as drawing, sewing, crafting, flower arranging, cake decorating, photography, and cooking. She had a get-it-done attitude and did whatever was needed without complaining or shirking. Just a few of the words that family and friends have used to describe her are humble, generous, selfless, creative, wise, loyal, strong, and feisty. Like her husband, Reba believed in education, and contributed to the scholarship honoring her beloved Chad. She enjoyed meeting the scholarship recipients at the annual scholarship ceremonies and reading their letters. At the age of 89, Reba was still planting flowers, in her words, "for the old people" and serving others. Reba left this world just two months shy of her 90th birthday, after a three-month battle against ovarian cancer. Sybil Canon, associate vice president of Development, is pleased to have both names on this scholarship endowment. “The C. Chad and Cara Reba Caldwell Williams Endowment will be used to help students for generations to come. Indeed, the Williams family is a Northwest family and, in addition to leaving a legacy through their lives of service, their legacy will also be felt in the lives of the hundreds of scholarship recipients who have been and will be helped by this scholarship.” The scholarship will continue to be
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awarded to students who are majoring in science, mathematics, or Agricultural Technology. These students are selected on the basis of demonstrated financial need and their exhibited promise and potential as a student.
The Sonia Robbins Young Endowment The Sonia Robbins Young Endowed Scholarship was established by her husband, Les Young, and by Community Discount Pharmacy located in Senatobia in recognition of her excellent career in pharmacy and of her dedication to her family. Sonia and Les have three children, Tice Young married to Holly, Dr. Jenny Young Shutt married to Spence, and Marc Young, and five grandchildren, Ticer Young, Elizabeth Young, Thomas Young, Handley Shutt, and Whitten Shutt. Even before becoming a student at Northwest in 1977, Sonia grew up on the Senatobia campus as the daughter of the legendary basketball coach, Kenneth (Cat) Robbins. After becoming a student, she excelled in all of her endeavors. Her grades led to induction into Phi Theta Kappa, and she was named to Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges and the Hall of Fame. She was also a member of the Science Club and SNEA. Her fellow students elected her as president of her freshman and sophomore classes, as Class Favorite, as a Beauty, and as a member of the Homecoming Court. She served as captain of the Ranger Cheer Squad during her freshman and sophomore years. Following two years as a pre-pharmacy major, Sonia transferred to the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, where she graduated in 1981. Sonia has worked 36 years as a pharmacist, and she owned Community Discount Pharmacy for 15 of those years. Sonia and her family are active
members of Senatobia United Methodist Church. Sonia and her brothers, Dr. Kenny Robbins and Dr. Mark Robbins, established a scholarship honoring Coach Robbins in 2001. “As I have received information for several years about the recipients of my dad’s scholarship, I understand just how a scholarship helps students. I am so grateful to Les for giving me such a beautiful honor. It will be a great blessing to know that future pharmacists who begin their higher education journey will be provided scholarship assistance through this scholarship,” stated Sonia. Sybil Canon, associate vice president of Development, believes that this endowment is well-deserved. “Sonia has demonstrated her love for Northwest already through her dad’s scholarship, and she has brought honor to her profession and exhibited immense love and dedication to her
Les and Sonia Young
family. We are very pleased that The Sonia Robbins Young Endowment will be helping students for generations to come.”
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An open letter to students who were taught by Northwest Instructor Bobby King Dear Northwest Alums, When I entered the chemistry classroom of Mr. Bobby King in 1964, I felt completely overwhelmed. I had attended a small, rural high school, and I had scored 11 on the ACT. During my first semester at Northwest, I was admitted on probation, and I had to have a “C” average in order to continue my studies at Northwest. To say that I was nervous was an understatement, especially, when Mr. King began talking at a really fast clip, using both hands to write on the chalk board. To be honest, I thought he was talking in a foreign language. I was one of nine students in that class. I later learned that not only did I need Mr. King; he needed me. Nervous as a cat, I walked up to Mr. King and said, “Professor King, there is no way that I can pass this class. I am here on probation, and I have to make a ‘C’ in every course just to get to come back next semester. I have no idea what you are talking about. I have never had a science course like this.” Mr. King looked at me, asked me to sit down, and said the words that would change my life, “James, I tell you what. If you promise me that you will attend every class, take notes, and do everything I tell you to do, then you will make a ‘C’ in this class.” What I didn’t know until later was that, if he had lost one student in that class, the class would have been cancelled. A bond was forged. We needed each other. For the entire semester, I kept my promise, and Mr. King did much more than I could imagine. He actually invited me to his house to have supper. The idea that a poor, country boy like myself would actually be asked to come to his house and eat with him was totally unbelievable to me. My job at Northwest was to gather the leftovers from the cafeteria and feed it to the pigs at the farm --- that’s right, I “slopped the pigs.” But that didn’t stop Mr. King from taking an interest in me, from caring about me. And you know what? I not only made that ‘C’ --- I earned it. Because of Bobby King, I went on to become the first-ever recipient of a Ph.D. in weed science at Mississippi State University, which led to a career in Mississippi agriculture that has not only helped farmers but has provided me with success and prosperity. I bet that you, too, have a Bobby King story. In his 32 years teaching at Northwest, he has probably stood before 7,000 students, and I firmly believe that he made an impact on the majority of those students. Mr. King began very much like I did. He graduated from Ashland High School and then came to Northwest. He had no plan, but he had a teacher named Marcus Burks who opened a whole new world of science to him. Unlike me, Mr. King made the highest grade in Mr. Burks’ chemistry class and even became his lab assistant. Mr. King was drafted and served two years in the Army. After his release from the Army, he looked at his transcript and realized that he had 24 hours in science courses. While he had no plan, he realized that he was only six hours away from a science major, and he completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Mississippi. He completed all of the course work and research for his doctorate. When he ended his 32-year career at Northwest, he was director of the Science Division. Thank you for reading this letter, but now to the point of why I am writing. I have established an endowed scholarship that is named “The Students Honoring Bobby King Endowment.” I want this to be one of the most generous endowments that exists with the Northwest Foundation, and I am hoping that you will help me reach $100,000. I know that it is an ambitious goal, but I also know that Professor King is worthy of being honored in a big way. There is no way to measure what he has done for us --- doctors, nurses, researchers, scientists, teachers, pharmacists, marine biologists, the list goes on and on --- all who began their scientific journeys in Bobby King’s classroom. What will this endowed scholarship do? It will honor Mr. King with a permanent tribute. It will provide students with assistance to pursue their dreams, just as we did. You may contribute by sending a check made payable to “NWCC Foundation” and designated for “The Students Honoring Bobby King Endowment.” The mailing address is: NWCC Foundation, PO Box 7015, 4975 Hwy 51 N, Senatobia, MS 38668. Or you may go to the website, www.northwestms.edu, and make a contribution online. Again, thank you for reading this letter. Thank you for considering this request. Thank you for honoring Professor King. Sincerely yours, James Smith, Ph.D. Dr. James Smith and Bobby King
BancorpSouth, MAGI recognized for contributions Northwest Mississippi Community College President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears, (right) and Sybil Canon, associate vice president of Development and Special Projects (left) recently accepted a contribution of $6,000 from David Harbison, president of BancorpSouth, Senatobia (center) to the Northwest Foundation, designated for their Share the Future annual scholarship. BancorpSouth has a 20-year history of giving to Northwest, according to Canon. Since 1998, they have given a total of $231,204 to the Foundation. In addition to their annual scholarship, BancorpSouth has donated $127,500 as a title sponsor to the Two Plus Two Golf Tournament, with proceeds divided between Northwest and The University of Mississippi DeSoto. They have donated money to Northwest’s annual rodeo, the Foundation Golf Tournament, The Floate Art Scholarship, the Northwest Ranger Football program, the literary magazine, Bela and Ruby Chain Endowment and the Chain/Haraway Golf Tournament. “We are very grateful for the years of generous support provided by BancorpSouth. Through the corporate endowment, the annual Share the Future Scholarships, and the sponsor-
Accepting a contribution of $500 from the Mississippi Association of Gang Investigators (MAGI) to the Northwest Foundation, designated for the Deputy Joe K. Cosby Scholarship Endowment, is Sybil Canon, Northwest associate vice president of Development and Special Projects (left.)
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ship of the BancorpSouth/Northcentral EPA Two Plus Two Scholarship, BancorpSouth has provided hundreds of scholarships to area students. Their investment into the lives of our students will be realized as these students have meaningful, well-paying jobs and will, in turn, give back to their communities,” Dr. Spears said. Photo by Julie Bauer
Presenting the contribution is J.K. Smith of Pope (right) who spearheaded the effort to honor the memory of Panola County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe K. Cosby who was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 30, 1988. Smith is a homicide detective with the Memphis Police Department. MAGI was founded in 2008. According to the organization’s website, MAGI “includes local, state, and federal law enforcement, corrections, and court system professionals whose interest or primary investigative responsibilities include the identification and prosecution of crimes related to gang activity. Its mission is to promote the rapid collection, analysis, exchange, and dissemination of information concerning gang related incidents, suspects, and intelligence among gang professionals.” Jimmy Anthony, MAGI northern region vice president, reports that MAGI is heavily involved in lobbying efforts for “legislation that decreases or curbs the occurrence of gang-related crimes, as well as assists the judiciary and related agencies in the adjudication of gang defendants.” The Cosby scholarship is awarded to Panola County students who plan to enter criminal justice careers with some of these recipients actually being the children and/or grandchildren of law enforcement officials. According to Smith, “MAGI hopes to continue this scholarship on an annual basis, increasing the amount if the recipient is a child of a law enforcement officer.” Photo by LaJuan Tallo
www.northwestms.edu
Northwest alumni board members teamed up with the Nursing Division to promote Northwest and the upcoming Ranger Bluegrass Festival at this year’s Five Star City Fest. Pictured (l-r) are Shasta Mullins and Anita Hernandez, nursing students; Austin Mabry, nursing instructor; Paul and Marvelene McCullar, board members; Patti Gordon, alumni director and Jeff Horn, board member. Photo by Brett Brown, Tate Record
NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
OCTOBER 13, 2018 NORTHWEST FARM ARENA SENATOBIA, MS 9 A.M. TO 9 P.M.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TICKETS GO TO WWW.NORTHWESTMS.EDU/BLUE www.northwestms.edu
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Getting back together:
‘64 -’69 classes reunion in Sardis a success The Northwest class of 1968 hosted a reunion May 5, 2018 at Sardis Dam, which included classes from 1964 to 1969. This marked 50 years since this close-knit group left Northwest Mississippi Junior College. Over 70 alumni, from as far as California and Washington State, joined for a time of laughter and reminiscing. Director of Alumni Affairs, Patti Gordon, attended the reunion bringing campus news and Ranger swag, took pictures and helped create a "Forever a Ranger" atmosphere. The success of this event had actually been in the making since 1986. Allow us to share their “reunion history”… The unique closeness of the 196668 classes deemed a 20-year reunion in 1986 at the Sardis Lodge. Although the attendance was small, it was a good start with bigger things to come. The planning committee for the next reunion in 2014 was Susan Avery Mitchell, Sue Grimes Davis, Betty Poore Holland and Joy Loftin Henderson and husband, Harold. Joy and Harold secured a location at Sardis Dam, Big Acres Pavilion 1. With much excitement,
they got others involved and started calling friends, getting addresses, using word of mouth, and tapping into social media to get people there. Those attending the 2014 reunion had such a good time, they decided to make a concentrated effort to reach out to more alumni and grow the reunion. A Facebook page was created, Northwest Mississippi (Junior) Community College, 1965-69, and due to interest has since been changed to 1964-69. The Facebook page allowed more successful connections and communication to Northwest alumni. A 2015 reunion was planned and the Northwest Alumni Office assisted with a mail-out and attendance increased. Another reunion followed in 2016 and the response was building, with a larger attendance each year. Consistently adding and maintaining current alumni records continued to help make this reunion a success. Big Acres Pavilion 1 at Sardis Dam continued to be the reunion gathering spot, with a pot-luck style picnic. Year after year, alumni never tired looking through old photos, yearbooks, and reflecting on good times.
It was discussed that the next reunion may be moved to the Northwest campus so alumni can see the positive changes at their alma mater. The Northwest Mississippi (Junior) Community College, 1964-69 Facebook page, monitored by Susan Avery Mitchell, has grown to 277 members and is the perfect spot for sharing anything Northwest, posting pictures, current events, and keeping the Ranger spirit going. Reflecting on times past is in itself an enjoyable moment, which creates yet another moment of reflection for the future. Reunions help make more memories! A statement from one of the members of the class of ‘68 sums it up best, “I feel truly blessed to have attended Northwest with so many people that have a servant’s heart. Thank you for all the time and effort that goes into making the reunion such a special day that we may continue to make fond memories years after we attended Northwest. God’s blessings to each and every one of you. ONCE A RANGER, ALWAYS A —Tolly McClatchy RANGER!”
The “Bobo Girls” (‘66-’68) were on hand for the reunion, including (l-r) Betty Poore Holland, Ann Smith Darby, Vicki Cunningham Robison, Joy Loftin Henderson, Pamela Jones Edmondson, Susan Avery Mitchell, Frances Jean Rowland Neely, Louise Brasher Henry and Debby West Rutledge.
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Tracy Williams, Sue Grimes Davis, Wright Edrington and Sammy McCracken share a laugh during the reunion. (below)
Larry Joe Manning of Santa Paula, Calif. and David Still of Tacoma, Wash. won Northwest afghans for travelling the longest distances to the reunion. (above) Classes of ‘64-’66, front row (l-r) William Larry Erwin, Judy Weeks, Ellen Welch Erwin, Kaye Bolen Crothers, Jane Patterson, Louise Brasher Henry, Karen Arnold Bloodworth, Mary McEwen RayburnBaker, Brenda Perkins Glass, John Christ, Susan McCulley Dempsey, back row (l-r) William Miller, Rickey Wolfe, Bob White, Mickey Easley, John Hardy, Don Key, David Still, Doc Sanders and David Loftin.
Homecoming 2018 activities planned HOMECOMING DAY: THURSDAY, SEPT. 27, 2018 Homecoming Carnival – noon - 7 p.m. Ag Field – Open to the Public Alumnus of the Year/Sports Hall of Fame Ceremony – 3 p.m. Haraway Center – Hosted by Northwest Alumni Association Homecoming BBQ – 4 - 6 p.m. service Haraway Center – Call Alumni Office @ 662-560-1112 for tickets Homecoming Pre-game Festivities – 6 p.m. Bobby Franklin Field Rangers vs. Holmes Bulldogs – 6:30 p.m. kickoff Bobby Franklin Field Homecoming Court and Queen Presentation – Halftime Bobby Franklin Field www.northwestms.edu
* Tentative schedule
the sporting life
Young inducted into MCC Sports Hall of Fame Former Ranger basketball great Galen Young was inducted into the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday, April 24, becoming the 15th all-time inductee from Northwest. The 11th annual induction ceremony was held at the Muse Center on the Rankin County campus of Hinds Community College. One former player from each respective MACJC school was honored. Young has showcased his athletic talents all over the world. A native of Memphis, Young came to Northwest in 1994 and quickly left his mark on the Ranger basketball program. Young tallied 1,077 career points (7th all-time) and 637 rebounds (2nd all-time), adding 173 steals, 147 assists and 72 blocks. He averaged Former Ranger basketball great Galen Young (left) was inducted into the Mississippi 17.4 points and 10.3 rebounds over Community College Sports Hall of Fame on April 24. Congratulating Young is Northwest the 1994-96 seasons and ranks in the President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears. Photo by Steve Diffey/Holmes CC top 10 in 10 stat categories in program history. He was named team MVP as a justice in 2014. sophomore and was also a two-time All-MACJC selection, an He recently completed his third season as an assistant NJCAA All-American and NJCAA All-Tournament Team nod. He coach at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. The Dragons was a member of the 1995-96 team that advanced to the have posted a winning record in all three seasons and claimed NJCAA National Tournament and finished sixth overall. the 2017 SIAC Western Division and Regular Season champiAfter Northwest, Young spent two seasons at UNC onship, a first in program history. Charlotte, helping the 49ers to NCAA Tournament appearances Young is the proud father of five-year-old twin boys, Grayson in 1998 and 1999. As a First Team All-Conference nod as a and Ellis. —Kevin Maloney senior, he led the C-USA champions in scoring, rebounding and steals and still ranks in the top 15 of several stat categories, including tied for first in double figure scoring games (32). Young was taken in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, just the second draft pick in Northwest history. After a brief stint in Milwaukee, Young joined Grand Rapids of the CBA, where he was named to the 2000 All-Rookie Team. After one season in Japan, Young returned to the CBA with the North Charleston Lowgators. He would bounce in and out of the Young (33) goes for a CBA until 2007, being named a two-time league all-star and the two-pointer against 2007 CBA Player of the Year after helping the Yakima Sun Holmes in a 1996 game. Kings to a league championship. He also won a championship Young represented in Australia's NBL with the Perth Wildcats and was a head Northwest in the All-Star coach/player for the East Kentucky Miners. game in April of that year. Young continued to play with various professional teams in Photo from Rocketeer nine different countries until his retirement in 2012. He archives returned to UNC Charlotte and finished his degree in criminal
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the sporting life
Benton optimistic about 2018-19 rodeo season It was a quiet season for Ranger Rodeo, with the program placing in just two of nine events during the 2017-18 season. Northwest totaled 55 points on the season thanks to team roper and freshman Allen Morse, with 40 of those coming at Missouri Valley and the other 15 at Southern Arkansas. Northwest hosted its annual rodeo April 19-21 at the Multipurpose Arena and had another great turnout over the three-day event. Fourth-year head coach Shelli Benton is optimistic about the 2018-19 season in which the roster size will increase from 12 to nearly 20. —Kevin Maloney
Sophomore bull rider Shawn Davis of Corinth competing in a rodeo during the season.
Sponsored by BancorpSouth & Northcentral Electric Power Association
Teams & Sponsorships needed! Team registration fees:
Scholarship Golf Tournament Sept. 20, 2018 Cherokee Valley Golf Club 6635 Crumpler Blvd. Olive Branch
www.northwestms.edu
$400 ($100 per person) Choice of start times: 8 a.m. or 1 p.m. Registration deadline: Sept. 17 Included in fee: breakfast (morning flight), lunch, dinner, carts, on-course beverages Also available: red tees, mulligans, raffle tickets
Sponsorship levels:
Red Sponsor - $1,500 Blue Sponsor - $1,000 Hole Sponsor - $2,50
Sponsorship deadline: July 23 For more information on becoming a sponsor or to register for the tournament, contact Kacy Dixon at 662-342-4765, Patti Gordon at 662-560-1112 or Debra Herrington at 901-831-1134. Summer 2018
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the sporting life
Ranger softball misses postseason for just the third time in 15 Years Northwest softball fell a few wins shy of a postseason berth in 2018, missing the playoffs for just the third time in hall of fame head coach Mike Rowan’s 15 seasons. The Rangers finished 19-21 overall and 11-17 in the MACJC, posting just the second losing season in the last 15 years. Northwest had chances to pull out some key upsets, losing seven conference games by two runs or less. Some of those losses came against 11th-ranked Itawamba, Gulf Coast and Hinds – three teams that made postseason appearances. Another smaller but more unpredictable factor was the wild weather that plagued the Mid-South all spring. From February through late April, the area received a record 30 inches of rain, prompting widespread flooding around the region and forcing 13 doubleheaders to either be cancelled or postponed, many of those coming in MACJC competition. Northwest had to rely heavily on the arms of sophomore Harley Smith (10-13, 2.60 ERA, 62 K, 10 BB) and freshman Katie Brownlee (7-6, 3.07 ERA, 64 K, 31 BB) in the circle as the Rangers struggled to hit all season and finished with a program-low .261 batting average. Smith finished as the team’s second-leading hitter, closing out her sophomore season at .331 with 10 doubles, three homers and 18 RBIs. Sophomore Morgan Gresham finished as the 2018 batting champion at .345 with three doubles and 14 RBIs in 20 starts and 31 games played. After sweeping Mississippi Delta in a non-conference doubleheader to open the season, the Rangers lost four Sophomore Harley Smith wrapped up a fantastic two-year career in straight at the Gwen Magee Invitational in Ellisville, including the red and white. a pair of 8-0 losses to host and No. 2-ranked Jones County. Photo by Lucas Calvert, Copiah-Lincoln Community College Northwest was outscored 22-1 over that four-game stretch, scoring its only run in a 5-1 loss to No. 6 Illinois Central. Northwest then returned to Senatobia, where the Rangers a sweep of Coahoma, two wins against Southwest Tennessee swept Coahoma in another non-MACJC twinbill. From there, and Blue Mountain JV and a pair of splits at Southwest Northwest opened conference action on the road, dropping a Mississippi and Copiah-Lincoln, pushing the record to 13-13 pair of 2-1 finals at East Mississippi. The schedule didn’t and 5-9 in the MACJC. A sweep of Mississippi Delta on the road, 12-4 and 5-2, become any kinder to the Rangers, as Jones County and Itawamba arrived into town and left with sweeps, dropping helped Northwest stay in the postseason hunt into the last week of the regular season. But a pair of season-ending sweeps Northwest to 0-6 within the conference. One of the biggest blows to the Rangers’ postseason hopes to 10th ranked East Central and Hinds denied the Rangers one came on March 9 at Meridian when Northwest followed up an last series win. Key losses entering the 2019 season will be two-time First 8-1 victory with a 7-6 loss. In the nightcap, the Rangers held a 6-3 lead heading into the final frame, only to see the Lady Team All-MACJC pitcher Harley Smith, NFCA All-South Region Eagles respond with five hits, including a triple and two doubles, infielder Alexis McShan and outfielders Sarah Taylor, Ally to rally back for a Game 2 victory and split. The loss dropped Judkins, Morgan Gresham and catcher Kendall Akerson. —Kevin Maloney Northwest to 5-11 overall and 1-7 in the conference. After a pair of forfeit wins against Arkansas Baptist, the Rangers’ hopes began to swing in a more positive direction with
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the sporting life
Ranger baseball posts sixth 30-win season in eight years Postseason appearances have become a common theme for the Northwest Ranger baseball program. The 2018 season was no different. Under the leadership of 13th-year head coach Mark Carson, the Rangers won 30 games for the sixth time in eight years and advanced to the postseason for a ninth straight season. Northwest posted a 30-14 overall record and 20-8 mark in the MACJC – tied for the secondmost wins in a single season. The Rangers hosted the first round of the MACJC/Region 23 Playoffs for a fourth straight season but came up short in a best-of-3 series against Gulf Coast. Northwest opened the preseason ranked No. 7 by the NJCAA, its highest preseason ranking in 15 years, but was
unranked to end the season. The Rangers split their first four doubleheaders of the year to open 4-4 but rebounded with six consecutive wins, including a pair of sweeps against Calhoun and Southwest Tennessee to improve to 10-4 entering MACJC competition. Northwest squandered a pair of big leads against 19th-ranked and eventual MACJC champion Pearl River to open league play and then embarked on a grueling 12-game road swing that started at East Mississippi. After a sweep in Scooba, a pair of losses at No. 3 Jones County were matched with sweeps at Holmes, Copiah-Lincoln and Southwest Mississippi and a split at Coahoma,
allowing the Rangers to end the road trip with a 9-3 record. The momentum of a big road trip carried into the back end of the regular season where the Rangers won 18 of 22 games to earn a first-round home playoff series. Matched up with a seventh-seeded but dangerous Mississippi Gulf Coast team, Northwest struggled to find balance between its pitching and performance at the plate. In both games of the best-of-3 series, the Rangers combined for 18 hits but were matched by 27 from the Bulldogs. Northwest also led at various points in both contests, but suffered from a pair of late-inning collapses to fall 9-5 and 17-8, thus ending the Rangers’ season. Five Rangers were named to the AllMACJC baseball team, including firstteam outfielders Brant Blaylock and Hayden Leatherwood. Additionally, pitchers Ian Hawkins and Nathan Harrison and catcher Hunter White earned second team honors. Blaylock, a Mississippi State transfer and Southern Miss signee, made history in his only season at Northwest, finishing at or near the top of every hitting category. His biggest accomplishment came in Game 2 of the Gulf Coast series when he hit his 18th home run to break a 19year single-season school record. Leatherwood finished his freshman season by leading the team with a .388 batting average, .905 slugging percentage and .497 on-base percentage. His 15 home runs and 47 RBIs ranked second on the team. Northwest returns just 10 sophomores in 2019 and will have to revamp its roster with a strong recruiting class. —Brian Lentz
Brant Blaylock hit 18 home runs in his lone season in Senatobia to break a 19-year single-season school record. Photo by Brian Lentz
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Retirees honored at service awards ceremony The Northwest Foundation honored retiring employees during its annual Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony and Reception April 25 in the Haraway Center.
Retirement and service awards are provided by Benefit Concepts and the Northwest Foundation
2018 retirees—Pictured front row (l-r) are DeElla Meeks and Reba Means, food service; Dr. Gary Lee Spears, president; Sandra McCrary, library technician and Deborah Wilbourn, English instructor. Back row (l-r) Keith Dennis, maintenance; Dr. Chuck Strong, division director of Social Science; Lamar Cobb, assistant supervisor, Housekeeping; David Jones, hardware and carpentry; Barbara Young, purchasing agent and Sharnee Howell, office manager/bookkeeper, Workforce Development. Photo by Jennifer Corbin
35 YEARS—Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears (right) congratulates Richie Lawson, vice president for Education, for 35 years of service to the college. The Northwest Foundation presented Lawson with an engraved silver platter. Photo by LaJuan Tallo
30 YEARS—Northwest Director of Recruiting Jere Herrington (left) was honored with a crystal bowl for 30 years of service during the Faculty and Staff Awards Ceremony at the David M. Haraway Center on the Senatobia campus. Congratulating Herrington is Dan Smith, vice president for Student Services and chief of Staff.
Photo by LaJuan Tallo
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25 YEARS—. Pictured front row (l-r) Earline Osborn, housekeeping; Sandra Vaughn, transition specialist, SSS TRIO Academic Program and Pat Norton, accounting clerk. Back row (l-r) Kristie Waldrop, mathematics instructor; Ruthie Castle, business manager; Dr. Michael Butts, CTE Support Services coordinator, LYTC and Susanne Spencer VanDyke, director of choral activities.
20 YEARS—Pictured front row (l-r) Becky Moore, residence hall supervisor; Valeria Red, bookstore clerk and Meg Ross, director of Student Development Center. Back row (l-r) Patrick Nelson, library systems administrator; Phyllis Johnson, dean of eLearning; Temple Allen-Crowell, information systems technology instructor and Kathy Buchanan, business technology instructor, LYTC.
15 YEARS—. Pictured front row (l-r) Denise Vannucci, Help Desk coordinator; Sandra Williams, secretary, LYTC and Julie Correro, division director of Education. Second row, Michael Weldy, health and nutrition instructor; Rita Taylor, catering assistant manager, Food Service; Terry Potts, supervisor, Moving and Events; Vanessa Betts, housekeeping, LYTC. Top row (l-r) Jay Lowery, English instructor, LYTC; Dr. James Baker, history instructor; Robert Drewery, Campus Police, LYTC and Mary Beth McGehee, bookkeeper, WIOA.
10 YEARS—. Those honored were Susan Sinquefield, administrative assistant, eLearning; Kelly Stull, office manager, SSS TRIO Academic Program; Candace Umberger, financial aid counselor and Deborah Littrell, business and office technology instructor, LYTC. Back row (l-r) Allison Perryman, nursing instructor; Ray Sharpe, webmaster; Janet Bunch, Spanish instructor, DC and Pam Briscoe, nursing instructor.
5 YEARS—Front row (l-r) Joyce Scurlock, housekeeping supervisor, DC; Terri Reeves, accounts receivable, DC; Shannon Mayo, employer partnership coordinator and Robin Douglas, assistant dean of Career, Technical and Workforce Education. Second row (l-r) David Young, groundskeeper; Olivia Russom, nursing instructor; Melissa Rich, human resources/payroll assistant; Mandy Deshotels, nursing instructor; Maya Berry, digital librarian and Sara Whitten Atwood, operations coordinator, Campus Police. Third row (l-r) Marvin Turner, groundskeeper; Susan Sugg, Business and Office Technology instructor, DC; Len Lawhon, supervisor of grounds/campus horticulturist; Jesse Hickey, painter and Matthew DeMuth, Northwest Farm manager. Top row (l-r) Timothy Terry, supervisor of Transportation; Levi Nunnally, head women’s soccer coach; Barry Briscoe, computer programmer; Steven Bennett, financial aid counselor, LYTC; Brian Hale, assistant Help Desk coordinator and Zabe Davis, director of Campus Police.
Photos by Jennifer Corbin
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Former PR director carves out her own story Former Northwest Public Relations director and alumna of authors who wrote great diaNancy Patterson must have written millions of words promot- logue, and that helped me tremening the college during her 32-year tenure as an employee dously,” she said. She noted that there. These days, the words she writes, whether in her blog she drew on her own experiences or in her newly-published novel, The Carving Place are entirely her own. growing up on the land that “It is such a different she still lives on and from kind of writing,” Patterson her father Hayley said. “You’re not able to Dandridge's way of speakmake up things when you ing. “I used some of his are a journalist.” She expressions and my chardescribed her work prior to acter Asa speaks in a simiwriting the book in her lar way to my dad, but blog: “I have written all my again he is not based on adult life—first news for my dad. He is a composite radio, commercials for of people I know.” radio, scripts for video; in The Tate County native journalism—print news, began her education jourfeature writing, many ney as a student at papers when I returned to Northwest, but her affiliaOle Miss at DeSoto Center tion with Northwest goes to finish my degree, stoback to her childhood when ries about students, about her great aunt Ruth Cole art, about our college, and Patterson signs books at Broken Cup Cafe in April. even an occasional sports Photo by Brett Brown was the dietician for the college cafeteria in the 50s and story, mainly covering rodeo. What do all these writings have in common? They don't 60s. Patterson spent time on campus as a child with her Aunt include one original thought from me. They are all factual. All Ruth when she lived in an old dorm that was located where the Tunica Building is now. She took Patterson to football games, that writing was in the mode of, ‘Just the facts ma'am.’" Patterson started writing down snippets of the book even homecoming and plays. “I don’t remember when Northwest before she retired from Northwest in 2010 but did not serious- was not a part of my life,” Patterson said in an interview for ly start working on it until two years ago. “I didn’t have an out- Northwest Now several years ago. She enrolled at Northwest in 1972 as a broadcast major line or know where it was going. It just kind of fell together,” and worked at the campus radio station WNJC, beginning in Patterson said. On April 12, The Carving Place was released. On her web- 1973 as a summer news intern. Patterson worked in the small site, thecarvingplace.com, the book is described as “the first station radio market a few years before returning to Northwest in a three-part series that follows Lora Sinclair from her native to work as music director and later co-manager of WNJC, the Mississippi to new adventures in West Virginia. Sent to first public radio station in Mississippi. At age 23, she became Appalachia to document customs comparable to those in the youngest female general manager in the NPR system of Mississippi and the South, she finds carver Sam Wood and stations. When the station closed in 1988, she transferred to the tries to balance her new-found love of the mountains with her deep loyalty to Sinclair Farm in Mississippi. You will find her Public Relations office where she spent the rest of her career, friends Buck and Simsie to be delightful and endearing. Along serving as public relations assistant, assistant director and the way Lora uncovers some family secrets that will launch director of Public Relations for five years before her retirement. In 2003, she fulfilled a lifelong dream, earning her bachreaders into the next book.” Patterson emphasized that the characters are not based elor’s degree in journalism from The University of Mississippi. Now, Patterson is hard at work on her next novel, The on any one person, but rather a compilation of people that she has known in her life. “It is really more about the Southern Bargain, which is the prequel to The Carving Place. Like any experience and the sense of place and of the land,” Patterson good author, she hopes that her readers enjoy her book, but she really hopes they ask themselves what the “Carving Place” said. One element of the book is based on a real thing, and is to them personally. “I hope they discover whether it is a that’s the carving tree that stands in the woods behind her physical place or a sense of place with land, home or family,” home in eastern Tate County. “Our family has been carving ini- Patterson said. The Carving Place, which was published by Laurel Rose tials on that old American Beech tree for generations. Many of the initials have spread and faded, but many are still legible. I Publishing in Senatobia, is currently available in paperback at feel such a connection to our family and the land when I look barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com or by emailing thecarvingplace@gmail.com. It can be found locally at The Other Side at that tree and its carvings.” For her, writing dialogue was a big challenge. “I read a lot and at The Broken Cup Cafe in Senatobia. —LaJuan Tallo
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the Irene Ryan Acting Award. Vogelsang hopes to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre, with the goal of becoming a professional performer. Four Hall of Fame students come from the DeSoto Center. Gregory Sean Laird of Olive Branch is studying kinesiology at Northwest DeSoto Center. A graduate of Southaven High School, Laird is the vice president of PTK. He is the recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7531 Endowment. Laird hopes to earn a degree in exercise science at the University of Mississippi and ultimately complete a physical therapy program to work with rehabilitating war veterans. Northwest DeSoto Center student Autumn Rose Watson of Hernando is studying biology. She is a graduate of Hernando High School and is a member of PTK. She hopes to obtain a degree and career in equine therapy, dentistry and/or training. Kori Chanel Brenn of Southaven is a graduate of Southaven High School. She is studying Business and Marketing Management Technology at Northwest. She is a member of PTK and DECA and is the recipient of the Elizabeth Hilliard Burns Endowment. She was recently elected Miss NWCC for the DeSoto Center. She would like to attend the University of Memphis and pursue a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. Destin Renea Beach of Olive Branch is studying social work at the DeSoto Center. She is a graduate of Lewisburg High School and is a member of PTK. She would like to pursue a bachelor’s
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Hall of Fame from page 3
degree in Christian ministry from Liberty University and hopes to open a shelter for victims of abuse. Representing the LafayetteYalobusha Technical Center is Daniel I. Locke of Oxford, who is studying physical therapy at Northwest. Locke, a homeschooled student in high school, is the president of PTK on his campus and a member of Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society. He is the recipient of the Tommy Brown Endowment and an Outstanding Student. He would like to become a physical therapist. Also from the Lafayette-Yalobusha Technical Center is Kaitlyn Moore of Oxford. Moore is a graduate of Oxford High School taking general college classes. She is a member of PTK and Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society, and has been on the President’s List while at Northwest. She hopes to attend the University of Mississippi and pursue a degree relating to child care or business administration. Sydney Claire Osbarn of Oxford is studying communicative disorders at the Lafayette-Yalobusha Technical Center. Osbarn is a graduate of Lafayette High School. She is a member of PTK and Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society, and has been on the President’s List while at Northwest. She is also a member of the Mississippi All State Academic Team. She hopes to attend the University of Mississippi and obtain a master’s degree to become a licensed speech-language pathologist. —LaJuan Tallo
Heindl from page 12
(AACC) Commission on Structured Pathways, Statewide Dual Enrollment and Advanced Placement Task Force, and the MGCCC District Athletic Council. He also assists other colleges with the accreditation process by serving on the Finance Accreditation Review Team for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Among his many accomplishments are the MGCCC Master Trainer Award, CCBO Outstanding Chief Business Officer Award, and Mississippi Top Ten Business Leaders Under 40. He has participated
www.northwestms.edu
in leadership programs including the AACC Future Presidents Institute, Mississippi Economic Council Leadership Mississippi, and has been selected to attend the League for Innovation in the Community College Executive Leadership Institute in December. Heindl and his wife are active members of Northwood Church in Wiggins, where they sing and lead music and participate in small groups. Their sons are active in the church’s youth group. —Julie Bauer
HEADWAE from page 4
2003-2006. She served as an online ICC instructor for the Mississippi Virtual College from 2004-2012. Prior to coming to Northwest, she worked as an associate clinical research specialist, training and development manager at Medtronic Spinal and Biologics. She was a recipient of the Medtronic “Pat on the Back” award and a Medtronic Circle of Excellence nominee. Holt taught science classes at Southaven High School from 2009-2010. In 2010, she began teaching science classes at DeSoto Center. She began teaching online classes for Northwest in 2012. She is a member of the National Science Teachers Association, the Mississippi Science Teachers Association, and the Society for College Science Teachers. Holt is a PTK adviser at DeSoto Center. Holt is currently pursuing a doctorate in higher education from the University of Mississippi. She and her husband Lee reside in Nesbit. She is involved with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and animal rescue. —LaJuan Tallo
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Robinson from page 13
wouldn’t touch the floor to the point where he has become the professional that he is now. His perseverance has paid off,” said longtime friend and former music instructor Kelvin Knox, who currently serves as educational specialist for the Institute of Community Services, Inc. Robinson is still involved in his church music ministry at Mt. Calm. He holds workshops, helps choirs and musical ministries, and plays for local groups and choirs weekly and when needed for recordings. In his professional biography, Robinson says many people he has worked with have described him as “a motivator, go-getter, encourager, balanced musician and advocate who always goes beyond the call of duty.” Robinson describes himself as “one who takes his ministry seriously and who does it clearly for the edification of Christ.” Anyone who knows him will testify that all of the above is true. —LaJuan Tallo
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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, 2017, and May 31, 2018, 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 Mr. and Mrs. James Allison Mrs. Ruth Ann Allison Mrs. Beverly Gaddy Mr. and Mrs. William Gafford Ms. Joyce Randall Jimmy Neal Andrews by Ms. Julie Niblett Ms. Lisa Selph Jerry Baker by Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Montgomery Charlie Baldwin by Mr. and Mrs. Michael G. Fulton Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Judd Mr. Chris McCann Joe Beckum by Mrs. Jean Beckum Sue Beckum by Mrs. Jean Beckum Diane Biffle by Mrs. Julie Bauer Mrs. Pam Briscoe Dr. Denise Bynum Ms. Lacey Gentry Mrs. Monica Williams Carl & Mattie Blanchard by Mr. and Mrs. Louis Blanchard Jack & Betty Blanchard by Mr. and Mrs. Louis Blanchard Greene Blythe by Mr. and Mrs. Randy Denton Ross Boatright by Mrs. Sandra Roy
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Northwest Now
Estelle Bobo by Mr. and Mrs. Leon McCullouch A.W. & LaNelle Bouchillon by Mr. and Mrs. Barry Bouchillon Mr. and Mrs. Don Waller Ms. Adrian Wise Mr. and Mrs. Bart Wise Ron Bradley by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy Albert Broadway by Ms. Joanna G. Hansbrough Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Poff Mrs. Donna Sularin Joe Broadway by Ms. Betsy Farrow Mr. and Mrs. William Harden Ms. Jean Nunnally Ms. Beth Thweatt Mary Wynne Broadway by Ms. Jean Nunnally Paula Tatum Brown by Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Burnett Sybil and Al Canon Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Spencer Ms. Lee Young Starnes Howard Burch by Mr. and Mrs. H.H Burch Ms. Jean Steadham Robbie H. Butts by Mr. Joe Elliott Mrs. Kim Holt Michael Byrd by Ms. Sandra Watson Howard & Edna Carpenter by Mr. and Mrs. Randy Chesney Mr. and Mrs. Herman Coats
Tommy Carpenter by Mr. and Mrs. Herman Coats Walter Carter by Dr. and Mrs. Corky Carter III Bela J. & Ruby Black Chain by Dr. and Mrs. Buddy Chain Jr. Rita C. Chance by Dr. and Mrs. Ronald R. Chance Tony Chance by Dr. and Mrs. Ronald R. Chance Regina Clark by Dr. Darrell Barnes Mr. Richie E. Lawson Mr. John David Randall Dr. and Mrs. Larry Sylvester Brownie Crawford by Reedy Acres Foundation Alan Crockett by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr. Allene Crockett by Mr. Wayne Ferguson Mrs. Frances C. Perkins Louise Crowley by Mr. and Mrs. Whit Crowley John C. Curry by Batesville Presbyterian Church Carlton Davis by Mrs. Ernestine A. Davis Ms. Judy C. Marshall Clay Davis by Mrs. Ernestine A. Davis Ms. Judy C. Marshall
Carrie Jane Belyeu Davis by Sybil and Al Canon Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Seago Thurman Davis by Mrs. Ernestine A. Davis Ms. Judy C. Marshall Holli Pond Day by Mr. Zabron A. Davis IV Pamela Joyce Day by Dr. Lela Hale Frances Marie Dean by Mrs. Linda Fite Larry E. Dhority by Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Collins Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Dhority Mrs. Patricia B. Dhority Ms. Rachel Dhority Ms. Patsy Gulbin Robert Dodson by Mrs. Mildred Perry Mary Poteete Eubanks by Mr. and Mrs. H.H Burch Inez Carter Fancher by Mr. and Mrs. Briggs Smith Mr. and Mrs. William G. Yates Raiford Lindsey Fancher by Mr. and Mrs. Briggs Smith Mr. and Mrs. William G. Yates Anthony Farese by Mr. and Mrs. Bob Earwood Mrs. Margie Farese Mr. Jimmy H. Hobson Mr. and Mrs. Scott Thomas Edward B. Gale by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr.
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honorariums/memorials Aaron German by Mrs. Betty Salmon
Wayne House by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr.
James P. Graeber by The Graeber Foundation
Annie-Glenn Johnson Howell by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
Lewis Graeber by The Graeber Foundation
Kelly Wayne Hudson by Mr. and Mrs. Billy Herron Mrs. Kim Holt Ms. Donna Sanders
Dale Graham by Mr. Whit Perry Evelyn Brown Grantham by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro Billie B. Gray Marie S. Gray by Mrs. Mary Gray Russell Hadskey by Mr. and Mrs. Todd Latham Joyce Halfacre by Dr. and Mrs. Larry Sylvester James H. Hardy by Ms. Sylvia Hickey Jimmy Harris by Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker Pete and Pauline Harris by Ms. Joan Pierce Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker Mr. and Mrs. Dean Wright Louis G. Henson by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy Merle Hernandez by Mrs. Jean Beckum William O. Hickey by Mrs. Pat Hickey Ms. Sylvia Hickey Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Thompson
Robert Hyde by Mr. Sherman E. Austin Mr. Alfonzo Battle Jr. Ms. Effie J. Boothe Ms. Willie Ola Brown Ms. Bettye J. Caldwell Ms. Thelma Cooper Mr. and Mrs. James Garner Mr. Willie J. Hamilton Mr. L. D. Hardy Ms. Daisy Herring Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hobbs Mr. and Mrs. Hosie Holmes Mrs. Cathryn Hyde Mrs. Helen M. James Ms. Jacqueline James Miss Myra Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt Kitchens Mr. Gene Leland Rev. and Mrs. Rufus L. Lloyd Ms. Mary A. Love Ms. Dorothy L. Rash Ms. Annie L. Rice Ms. Lourine J. Robinson Mrs. Mildred Washington James Jackson by Mr. Dennis Cobb Kitty Jenkins by Mr. George Max Lee Jr. Bert Johnson by Dr. Robert H. Johnson
Tommy Hogan by Mr. and Mrs. Ken Harris
Charles R. Johnson by Mr. and Mrs. Donald Amorosi Ms. Trudy Hall Dr. Robert H. Johnson
Lucille T. Hollister by Dr. Denise Bynum
Don Johnson by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy
Richard House by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr.
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Charlotte Johnston by Ms. Earline Cocke Mr. Wayne Ferguson
Mr. Marcus Perkins Mr. and Mrs. Greg Steinman Dr. Amy Stewart Khalid Khouri by Mr. Bud Donahou Holly Koonce by Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Branan Mr. and Mrs. John McCrary Paul Lawrence by Mr. and Mrs. Paul R. Duncan Mrs. Barbara Lawrence
John Meacham by First Security Bank Sandra Kay Merrill by Mr. and Mrs. Dreher Harris Edna Wright Miles by Ms. Jody E. Henderson Mrs. Jacqueline Reed Mr. and Mrs. John Reed Chief Bill Moore by Mrs. Becky Moore
George Max Lee, Sr. by Mr. George Max Lee Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Schwerdt
Leonard Morris by Mr. Sherman E. Austin Mrs. Catherine Ferguson Ms. Daisy Herring Mr. and Mrs. Leonard W. Morris
Elizabeth Wynne Lewis by Mr. Pat Lewis Mr. and Mrs. Chris McCall Ms. Jean Nunnally
J.K. and Norma Mote by Mr. and Mrs. Phil Mote
Theron E. Long by Dr. and Mrs. Jason Walton Catherine Taylor Longest by Dr. William Longest Joe W. Longest by Dr. William Longest Milton Leon Maki by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr. Barbra Welch Manning by Ms. Catherine Cashion Mr. and Mrs. David Charles Dulin Mr. Carl Manning Mr. Joe Manning Ms. Kathy Mayhew Ms. Paula W. McGown Mr. Josh Pounders Dr. and Mrs. Robert J. Wyatt Jim McClure by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens Pennie Pullen McKinney by Ms. Toni Barden Ms. Linda P. Byars
Baxter H. Murphree by Ms. Margaret Mark Kenneth M. Murphree by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Canada Mr. and Mrs. Al Canon Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens Foman and Nita Musselwhite by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lilly Jeffrey Nichols by Mrs. Elizabeth Dickerson Dr. and Mrs. Jeff Ginn Mr. and Mrs. Todd Latham William T. "Jack" Norfleet by Mrs. Kay Daniel Earl Oliver by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr. John S. Orrell by Mr. Carson Hughes Ms. Emmy Jarjoura Rick Oswalt by Ms. Gayle Beckler Harold Edward Owen III by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr.
Carolyn N. Meacham by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
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honorariums/memorials C.W. Parker by Dr. and Mrs. Steve Akre Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Livingston Mrs. Dorothy Moore Parker W.P. Perkins by Mrs. Frances C. Perkins Michael Clyde Perry by Mr. Whit Perry J.P. & Virginia Phillips by Mr. and Mrs. Milton Cushman The Honorable Governor and Mrs. William Winter John Pickle by Mr. N.C. Ferguson Jr.
Anne Holmes Chatham Purvis by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr.
Sue Spencer by Mr. Whit Perry
Marie Ann Ray by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy
Andrew Spraberry by Mr. and Mrs. Randy Chesney Mr. and Mrs. Herman Coats
Mildred and Robert Redding by Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Redding Mr. and Mrs. James Redding C.R. Rials by Mrs. Cindy Hale Mrs. Carolyn Rials Gerald Lamar Riales by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr. Augustinus Rinaldy by Dr. Darrell Barnes
Raiford Pittman by Dr. Jeptha Clemens
Norma Shuford Riser Ms. Katherine Pinter Dr. and Mrs. Ray Thweatt
William H. Polk by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Ross & Lucile Robison Mr. and Mrs. Mike Robison
Scott Potts Mr. and Mrs. Ken Harris Mr. and Mrs. Todd Latham
JoAnn Robison Rogers by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr.
Jeffery Pounders by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr. Larry Joe Pratt by First Security Bank Guy Purdy by Mr. and Mrs. Keith Allen Mr. Murry David Bledsoe Mrs. Vickie M. Bradley Ms. Norma Creekmore DeSoto County Literacy Council Ms. Janet C. Hinton Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ratliff Mr. and Mrs. Mike Ray Ms. Terica Sojourner Tate County Literacy Council Ms. Lynette Weber Mr. and Mrs. Wayne W. Williamson Stephen Purdy by Mrs. Vickie M. Bradley Ms. Norma Creekmore Mrs. Mary E. Purdy Mr. and Mrs. Mike Ray
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Northwest Now
Lowell Salmon by Mrs. Betty Salmon Robert Sanders by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Brown Mr. Jerry Clark Freddie & Bertha Sanford by Dr. Everlyn S. Johnson Dr. Mike & Mabel Shaheen by Ms. Patsy Wilborn Tim Shorter by Ms. Kathy Buchanan Mr. Joe Elliott Mr. Matthew Johnson Ms. Suzette Logan Ms. Lisa Russell Al Simmons by The DeSoto County Literacy Council Clifton & Jessie Sipley by Mr. John Henry Van Hoesen Dr. Ken Sipley
John Garrett (Spec) & Elise Veazey by Mr. and Mrs. Al Canon Mr. and Mrs. Joe West
J.E. Spurlock by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lucchesi
Lois F. Veazey by Ms. Yvonne Ashley Mrs. Tamra S. Harris Mr. Charles Veazey
Marlin Stanford by Mrs. Carolyn Stanford
C.B. & Marjorie Walker by Mr. and Mrs. Gary Walker
James L. (Trey) Sylvester by Dr. Darrell Barnes Mr. Taylor D. and Dr. Bonnie Buntin Dr. Betsy P. Campany Ms. Cathy P. Foley Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hollums Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Mills Mrs. Mary Powell Dr. and Mrs. Larry Sylvester
W.L. & Lula Brooks Wallace by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Starnes Mrs. Ida F. Wallace Mr. William L. Wallace
Lauren Elizabeth Tallo by Ms. Sondra Holliday Mr. and Mrs. Richard Tallo
John S. Warner by Mrs. Johnette Wofford Tricia Wideman by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Canada Mr. and Mrs. Harry House Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Little
Charles Taylor by Mrs. Ella Wilson
Gail Wilborn by Ms. Lacey Gentry Mr. Derek McKinnon Ms. Patsy Wilborn
Verna Lee Taylor Todd by Mr. N.C. (Tom) Ferguson Jr.
James & Jewel Wilborn by Ms. Patsy Wilborn
William W. Trimm by Mr. and Mrs. William Correro
C. Chad Williams by Mr. Joe Griggs Ms. Ruby E. Magers Ms. Patsy Wilborn
Glenn Triplett by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens Mr. Jeff Triplett
Lane Tutor by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
Reba Caldwell Williams by her children, Jo Ann Coleman, Claude Williams, Martha Mills, MaryLee Sturgeon, Amy Curtis Mr. Joe Griggs Ms. Ruby E. Magers North Delta Class of 2019 Mr. and Mrs. Steve Sturgeon Sysco Corporation Ms. Patsy Wilborn
Gary Veazey by Mr. and Mrs. Al Canon
Wesley & Alice Williams by Mr. George Williams
Nat Troutt by Mr. and Mrs. Mark Griffin Mrs. Lucile Troutt Mr. and Mrs. Nat Troutt Jr. Nancy Turner by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy
Ben & Alma Wynne by Ms. Jean Nunnally
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honorariums/memorials Drew Young by Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Burch Hinds Chapel United Methodist Church Horn Lake United Methodist Church Ms. Jean Steadham
HONORARIUMS Charlie Aaron by Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold Noal Akins by Mr. and Mrs. Herman Coats Ruth Ann Allison by Mr. and Mrs. James Allison Mr. and Mrs. William Gafford Ms. Joyce Randall Marilyn Bateman by Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Walter T. Scott Saundra Bishop by Ms. Patti Gordon Jim Blackwood by Mr. Joey Brunson Barry Bouchillon by Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Applegate Ms. Arlene M. Borkowski Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Chamberlin Ms. Susan Millette Ms. Penny G. Sides Mrs. Jennifer Stevens Dr. Bonnie Buntin by Mrs. Elizabeth Burns Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold Dr. Gloria Kellum Mr. Richie E. Lawson Mrs. J. J. Patridge Mr. and Mrs. Jim Patridge Elizabeth Burns by Mr. Taylor D. and Dr. Bonnie Buntin Mr. Tracey L. Burns Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold Mr. DeLoy J. Lawson Mr. Richie E. Lawson
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Dr. Jack Butts by Mr. Joe Elliott Mr. Richie E. Lawson Mr. and Mrs. Rusty Rasberry Dr. Michael Butts by Mr. Gerald Beard Ms. Darlene Greenlee Mrs. Elizabeth Harvey Mr. and Mrs. Rusty Rasberry Dr. Jean M. Shaw Diane & Chuck Byars by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Thompson Sybil Canon by Mr. Taylor D. and Dr. Bonnie Buntin Dr. Jack Butts Dr. Michael Butts Mr. Don Clanton Dr. Gloria Kellum Mr. Richie E. Lawson Shirley Clanton by Mr. Don Clanton Earline Cocke by Mr. and Mrs. Perry Arrington Mr. Don Clanton Ms. Glynda Hall Jo Ann Coleman by Ms. Ruby Magers Amy Curtis by Ms. Ruby Magers Patricia B. Dhority by Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Dhority Rachel Dhority by Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Dhority Dr. Matthew Domas by Dr. Amy Stewart Mike Dottorey by Mr. Charles B. Adams Dr. Denise Bynum Dr. Matthew Domas Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold Mrs. Jere Herrington Mr. Richie E. Lawson Mr. Frank Lyles
Mr. Kacy Rodgers Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Rule Mrs. Betty Spence Mr. and Mrs. Wyane Stirgus Dr. Chuck Strong Tara Dunn by Dr. Amy Stewart Keith Godbold by Mr. Taylor D. and Dr. Bonnie Buntin Mrs. Elizabeth Burns Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Johnson Mr. Richie E. Lawson Mrs. Dawn Stevens Anita Graham by Ms. Patsy Wilborn Sandy Grisham by Mr. Bud Donahou Ms. Susanne VanDyke Dr. and Mrs. Jason Walton Billy Harris by Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker Doc Harris by Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker Wayne Harris by Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker Pat Hickey by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Thompson Sylvia Hickey by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Thompson Walter Hickey by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Thompson Dr. Jerry Hollis by Dr. Darrell Barnes Mr. Bud Donahou Brenda Gentry Holmes by Mr. Joe Elliott Mr. and Mrs. Rusty Rasberry Cathryn Hyde by Mr. Sherman E. Austin Mr. Alfonzo Battle Jr. Ms. Effie J. Boothe
Ms. Willie Ola Brown Ms. Bettye J. Caldwell Mr. and Mrs. Roy L. Cole Ms. Thelma Cooper Mr. and Mrs. James Garner Mr. Willie J. Hamilton Ms. Daisy Herring Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hobbs Mr. and Mrs. Hosie Holmes Mrs. Helen M. James Ms. Jacqueline James Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt Kitchens Rev. and Mrs. Rufus L. Lloyd Ms. Mary A. Love Ms. Annie L. Rice Ms. Lourine J. Robinson Mrs. Mildred Washington Joe Johnson by Ms. Trudy Hall Tri-County Council Vietnam Era Veterans Wendy Johnson by Ms. Trudy Hall Jacinda Jones by Mrs. Shirley Clanton Tony & Susan Kaufman by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy Dr. Gloria Kellum by Mr. Taylor D. and Dr. Bonnie Buntin Bobby King by Dr. James Smith Richie E. Lawson by Dr. Darrell Barnes Mr. Taylor D. and Dr. Bonnie Buntin Mrs. Elizabeth Burns Christ United Methodist Church Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold Mr. DeLoy J. Lawson Mr. and Mr. Roger L. Spillyards Mr. and Mrs. Jay Turner Evelyn Hayes Lee by Mr. George Max Lee Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Schwerdt Jo Ellen Logan by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens
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honorariums/memorials Debby Rutledge by Sue Bryan Williams
MaryLee Sturgeon by Ms. Ruby Magers
Shannon Mayo by Dr. Amy Stewart
Matt Sellers by Dr. Amy Stewart
Larry Sylvester by Dr. Betsy P. Campany
Robbie & Margie Merrick by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy
Robert & Kim Shaheen by Ms. Patsy Wilborn
Jim & Margaret Tanner by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy
Patricia Miller by Dr. Carol Cleveland
Shirley Sipley by Dr. Ken Sipley
Patricia Tanner by Mrs. Mary E. Purdy
Carolyn Mills by Mrs. Mary Powell
Dr. Gary Lee Spears by Mr. Drew DePriest Mr. Marty Allison Dr. Rachell Anderson Dr. Darrell Barnes Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Barrett Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Bland Mr. and Mrs. Barry Bouchillon Mr. Taylor D. and Dr. Bonnie Buntin Sybil and Al Canon The Honorable and Mrs. Gerald Chatham Mr. Don Clanton Mr. Steve Cummings Mr. and Mrs. Milton Cushman Mrs. Patricia B. Dhority Mr. and Mrs. James Dunn Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold Ms. Patti Gordon Mr. and Mrs. Steve Hale Mr. David Hargett Dr. Stephen Joe Mr. J. Gary Kornegay Mr. John Lamar Mr. Richie E. Lawson Ms. Roberta Mayfield Dr. Daryl J. Scoggin Dr. Patsy Sledge Mr. and Mrs. Briggs Smith Mr. Charles Veazey Mr. Sterling Withers Mr. Tommy Woods
Ray & Norma Thweatt by Ms. Katherine Pinter
Zada Malouf by Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker
Martha Mills by Ms. Ruby Magers Wayne Mills by Mrs. Mary Powell Dr. Susan Avery Mitchell & the Class of 1968 by Ms. Frances J. Rowland Neely Jonathan Nichols by Mrs. Elizabeth Dickerson Mr. and Mrs. Todd Latham Dennis Paulk by Mr. Russell Paulk Jr. Joan Pierce by Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker Mary Powell by Dr. Betsy P. Campany Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Mills James Redding by Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Redding Jayne River by Mr. Steve Cummings Mr. Joe Elliott Mr. Keith River Lola Robison by Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker Joan Rose by Mr. Don Clanton Mike Rowan by Mr. and Mrs. Steve Robinson
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Susanne VanDyke by Ms. Patti Gordon Charles Veazey by The Graeber Foundation Claude Williams by Ms. Ruby Magers Sarah Williams by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Thompson Jane W. Williamson by Ms. Earline Cocke Ms. Joan Rose Mr. Wayne W. Williamson Margie Williamson by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lucchesi Dolores Wooten by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Givens Mr. George M. Lee Jr. Barbara Wright by Dr. and Mrs. Walter Wicker Sonia Young by Mr. Les Young Community Discount Pharmacy
Marilyn Spears by Mr. and Mrs. Keith Godbold Mrs. Carol Peterson Mr. Taylor D. and Dr. Bonnie Buntin Stacy Stewart by Dr. Amy Stewart Angie Stuart by Dr. Amy Stewart
www.northwestms.edu
Now
Northwest Summer 2018
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 Chairman, Northwest Board of Trustees Dr. Adam Pugh Northwest Foundation Associate Vice President of Development & Special Projects/Associate Editor Sybil R. Canon • srcanon@northwestms.edu Director of Alumni Affairs & Development Operations Patti Gordon • pgordon@northwestms.edu Scholarship Coordinator & Foundation Assistant Marla Kennedy • mkennedy@northwestms.edu Communications Director of Communications/Editor Julie R. Bauer • jrbauer@northwestms.edu Assistant Director of Communications/ Public Information/Graphic Designer LaJuan Tallo • ltallo@northwestms.edu Assistant Director of Communications/ Marketing and Digital Media KayLeigh McCool • kmccool@northwestms.edu Graphic Designer Jennifer Corbin • jcorbin@northwestms.edu Coordinator for Sports Information Kevin Maloney • kmaloney@northwestms.edu Assistant Coordinator for Sports Information Brian Lentz • blentz@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.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Please visit the Northwest website at www.northwestms.edu/affirmativeaction to view the College’s Notice of Non-Discrimination, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.
contents features
5 8 9 28 30
writing center opens Northwest’s newest Writing Center opens on Senatobia campus.
academic elite College’s top Phi Theta Kappa students honored by the Mississippi legislature at luncheon in Jackson.
cover story: leaving a legacy His vision complete, Northwest president retires after 43 years of service to college, community.
dedicated service Employees recognized for years of service to the college during annual awards ceremony.
in her own words Former PR director Nancy Patterson pens first novel, The Carving Place.
departments 1 2 3 14 24 37
student snapshot/johnson & johnson 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/patti gordon
On the cover: Retiring president Dr. Gary Lee Spears, left, welcomes Northwest’s incoming president, Dr. Michael J. Heindl. Photo by Julie Bauer
from the
heart of Northwest
Sybil R. Canon Dr. Gary Lee Spears is leaving Northwest after 43 years, including 13 years as president. During these 13 years, he has been my boss, but, more than that, he has been a friend of the Foundation/Alumni Office. In the world of fundraising, without the support and involvement of the chief executive officer, a development officer cannot be successful. With gratitude and sincerity, I can attest that Dr. Spears has stood with the Foundation Office and for our efforts since the day he became president. In addition, he and his wife, Marilyn, have been generous contributors each and every year that I have been here, with their gifts totaling almost $40,000. In addition to all that he has done as president, he has found time to attend the quarterly meetings of the Foundation Board of Directors, to attend and speak at the annual Scholarship Recognition Ceremonies and the Homecoming events, to visit with our donors, and to supervise all of our activities. Thus, to Dr. Spears and to Marilyn, I give you my heartfelt gratitude for your consistent and generous support and for being an integral part in the fundraising success that we have enjoyed during the past 13 years. May you be blessed with many years of rest and new opportunities for service. It is the end of a remarkable chapter, and we are grateful. Now, we enter a new chapter with Dr. and Mrs. Michael Heindl. I saw an anonymous quote recently: If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies. Thus, I anticipate with excitement the next chapter at Northwest under Dr. Heindl’s leadership. As with the implementation of any new administration, there will be change, but I feel sure that we will be inundated with “butterflies.” Dr. Heindl brings a wealth of experience in community college administration, an educational background that includes a law degree and a Ph.D., and the energy and excitement of youth. He has also had hands-on experience in fundraising, and I know that we can learn from that experience. His lovely wife, Jennifer, and their family will be welcomed with open arms and hearts. When Dr. Heindl visited our campus in May for a couple of days, we had an in-house reception on the Senatobia campus. Faculty who had already left for the summer returned, and staff from all of our campuses came to Senatobia to greet Dr. Heindl. It was a wonderful demonstration of the kind of people who work at Northwest. They are the absolute best, and they are looking forward to showing our new president and his family “the Heart of Northwest.”
alumni news Patti Gordon it is Although summertime, your Northwest Alumni Office is already gearing up for our traditional fall Homecoming event where we will be honoring the 2018 Alumna of the Year and the Sports Hall of Fame inductees. Please make plans to join us for Homecoming 2018 on Thursday, Sept. 27! Brenda Gentry Holmes (class of 1972) has been selected as Alumna of the Year, and the following are slated to be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame: · Willie Brown (Basketball 1970 – 72) · Wilbert Beard (Basketball 1970 – 72) · Dr. David Moss (Baseball 1982 – 84) · Vandell Grigsby (Football 1991 – 92) · Elyse Lovelace (Soccer 2006 – 07) We will be celebrating this group at the Homecoming Reception at 3 p.m. in the Haraway Center with the ceremony to follow at 4 p.m. BBQ will be served in the Haraway Center following the ceremony and before all Rangers head over to the field for the football game – Rangers vs. Holmes. Homecoming is always a great time to come back and visit your alma mater! There is always a spirit in the air and a festive atmosphere to make your trip worthwhile. Please contact the Alumni Office if you plan to attend the reception and/or to reserve BBQ tickets. I recently had the privilege to assist the class of 1968 with their 50-year reunion this past May. One cannot help but feel the Ranger spirit when around this group. They were genuinely grateful for their experiences and rewarding times at Northwest. A shout-out to the class of 1969…2019 will be your 50-year anniversary of leaving Northwest. Please contact the Alumni Office soon so your information can be gathered and/or updated. Maybe there is something special that can be planned for you. “Things end, but memories last forever” —Kumar Milan Although your time at Northwest has ended, the memories you made will always be a part of who you are…Always a Ranger! Office of Alumni Affairs 662-560-1112 pgordon@northwestms.edu
N ORTHWEST M ISSISSIPPI C OMMUNITY C OLLEGE F OUNDATION
Northwest
P.O. Drawer 7015 • 4975 Highway 51 North Senatobia, MS 38668
NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Now
SUMMER 2018
Parting
shot
Members of Dr. Spears’ family joined him and First Lady Marilyn Spears (back row, center) to celebrate his retirement during the April 25 Faculty/Staff Awards Ceremony honoring the college’s retirees. Photo by LaJuan Tallo
Passing of the Torch Spears retirement ushers in Heindl presidency INSIDE: Hall of Fame • making a joyful noise • spring sports • retirees