11/25/2013 - Jackson, Miss.

Winners of the Halbrook Awards for Academic Achievement Among Athletes and the John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook Award were announced during the Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities Annual Conference, which was held recently at Hinds Community College’s Eagle Ridge Conference Center in Raymond.

Administered cooperatively by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Community College Board, and the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the purpose of the Halbrook Awards program is to recognize colleges and universities that maintain and achieve high academic standards for student athletes, thus encouraging high graduation rates. While serving in the Mississippi Legislature, Representative David M. Halbrook Sr., along with his brothers, John Halbrook, James Halbrook, and J. A. Halbrook, endowed the Halbrook Awards.

Delta State University President William N. LaForge served as master of ceremonies at the 2013 Halbrook Awards Program.

Mississippi State University was the winner in the Public University Division for the highest percentage of female athletes graduating - with 89 percent graduating for the five-year period 2008-2009 to 2012-2013. The University of Southern Mississippi took honors for the highest percentage of male athletes graduating - with 72 percent graduating for the period.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community was the winner in the Community College Division with 98 percent of its student athletes graduating for the period.

William Carey University was named winner in the Independent College and University Division with 96 percent of its student athletes graduating for the period.

Itawamba Community College captured the John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook Award - a cash award for having the largest increase in the percentage of athletes graduating over last year.

Individual student athletes who excelled in the areas of athletics, academics, leadership, and public service were recognized.

Mississippi Public Universities

Alcorn State University
Marti Shelby Major: Business Administration
Renelle Richmond Major: Health and Physical Education

Delta State University
Tyler Aldridge Major: Exercise Science
Kendall Sizemore Major: Biology

Jackson State University
Antoine D. Guice Major: Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Christine Edwards Major: Computer Engineering

Mississippi State University
Samuel T. Frost Major: Mathematics
Chloe E. Phillips Major: Kinesiology

Mississippi Valley State University
Daniel Kibet Major: Biology
Joyce Chumo Major: Biology

University of Mississippi
Adrian Forberg Skogeng
Cornelia Tisher

University of Southern Mississippi
Brandon Francesconi Major: Business Administration
Stephanie Ledgerwood Major: Forensics

Independent Colleges & Universities

Belhaven University
Daniel Duarte Major: Business Administration
Ashley Ventura Major: Sports Medicine-Exercise Science

Blue Mountain College
Adam Hall Major: Business Administration
Anna Brooke Page Major: Elementary Education

Millsaps College
Garrett Coble Major: Economics
Alexis Guice Major: Biology & Spanish

Mississippi College
Kyle Blount Major: Exercise Science
Morgan Tynes Major: Elementary Education

Rust College
J’Hony Salvador
Nakesa Oliver Major: Biology

Tougaloo College
Marcus Brumfield
Raven Ashley

William Carey University
Kyle Curtis Major: Biology
Lauren Douglas Major: Health & Physical Education – Teacher Education

Community and Junior Colleges

Coahoma Community College
Elias Wells
Breanna Wiley

Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Jay W. Case
Kaitlin A. Moak

East Central Community College
Andrew Hannah
Alana Turner

East Mississippi Community College
Smokey Ethridge
Sarah H. Dudley

Hinds Community College
Cullen Burnett
Cassandra A. Brown

Holmes Community College
David Carter
Lauren Tharp

Itawamba Community College
Matthew T. Peugh
Ragan H. Ostrowski

Jones Junior College
Benjamin Stevens
Kimberly Murray

Meridian Community College
Edward Harrison Warren
Tara-Beth Hall

Mississippi Delta Community College
Jody Harbour
Jackie Corder

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Michael Gilbert
Julie Butler

Northeast Mississippi Community College
Kyle Gregory Stephenson
Julia Kaitlyn Garvin

Northwest Mississippi Community College
Tim Smith
Kristin Baddley

Pearl River Community College
Michael Cannon
Georgia Whitney Waits

Southwest Mississippi Community College
Kade Scivicque
Haley Roalson

# # #

The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

News Archive