2/23/2018 - Jackson, Miss.
Governor Phil Bryant delivered keynote address
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann greeted honorees at the State Capitol
Outstanding students and faculty members from 34 Mississippi public and private universities and colleges were honored at the annual HEADWAE program, held recently in Jackson. Higher Education Appreciation Day-Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE) was established by legislative resolution to honor individual academic achievement and the overall contribution of the state's public and private institutions of higher learning.
The honorees began the day with a visit to the State Capitol where they were greeted by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and given a tour of the Capitol. An awards luncheon at the Marriott Hotel in Jackson, with Governor Phil Bryant as the keynote speaker, capped the celebration.
Corporate sponsors for the HEADWAE program include: Atmos Energy; AT&T Mississippi; BancorpSouth; Chevron Products Company; ERGON; Georgia Pacific (KOCH); Huntington-Ingalls Shipbuilding; Mississippi National Guard; Mississippi Power Company; Sanderson Farms; Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc.; Trustmark National Bank; and Valley Services, Inc.
Governor Phil Bryant delivers the keynote address at the HEADWAE Luncheon held recently in Jackson. (Photo Credit: Tammi Bowles, Hinds Community College)
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann greets honorees and guests at the State Capitol. (Photo Credit: Leah Rupp Smith, Secretary of State's Office)
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann (center) greets HEADWAE volunteers from the Institutions of Higher Learning and the Mississippi Community College Board, (l-r) Eric Atchison, IHL; Cathy Huff, IHL: Dr. Casey Turnage, IHL; Audra Kimble, MCCB; Gloria Miller, IHL, HEADWAE Coordinator; Alushus Cooper, IHL; and Shirley Kelly, IHL; at the State Capitol as the HEADWAE honorees begin their tour. (Photo Credit: Leah Rupp Smith, Secretary of State's Office)
| Institution | Student Honoree | Faculty Honoree |
|---|---|---|
| Alcorn State University | Kevin Westley Washington | Benedict Udemgba |
| Belhaven University | Tyler James Wolfe | Gary Reid Bishop |
| Blue Mountain College | Catherine Juliann Snyder | Jerri Lamar Bradley Kantack |
| Coahoma Community College | Miracle L. Hunter | Deborah Denise |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community College | Robert Tayler Case | Mandy Hart Case |
| Delta State University | Ashley Dominique Griffin | Emily Annette Newman |
| East Central Community College | Reagan Danielle Gorgas | Michelle Li Lee |
| East Mississippi Community College | William Caleb Younger | Tara Dawkins Hurt |
| Hinds Community College | Anna Kaylen Hite | Joy Heard Rhoads |
| Holmes Community College | Buck Slade Allgood | Xiaoying Wang |
| Itawamba Community College | Hunter Garrett Holley | Morgan Spencer Cutturini |
| Jackson State University | Harrison Rhodes Watson | Lin Li |
| Jones County Junior College | Katelynn McGowen | Jessica Bunch |
| Meridian Community College | Katherine Anna Loper | Holly Ann Hodges Crane |
| Millsaps College | Sarah Ruth Altman | Eric John Griffin |
| Mississippi College | Annsley Claire McRae | Cindy Magee Melton |
| Mississippi Delta Community College | Heather Louise Lee | Philip Lawes |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | Nolan Phillip Stringfellow | Patricia Scott West |
| Mississippi State University | Tyler McMurray | Brent Jonathan Fountain |
| Mississippi University for Women | Lisa Shrestha | Erin M. Kempker |
| Mississippi Valley State University | Henry Tobechukwu Akaeze | Candace Carter Stevens |
| Northeast Mississippi Community College | Mallorie Rachael Waldon | Jeffrey Glen Melson |
| Northwest Mississippi Community College | Gavin Blaine Brown | Sarah Mattox Holt |
| Pearl River Community College | Jill Kennedy Martin | Lonnie Charles Burchell |
| Reformed Theological Seminary | Peyton Elizabeth Swanson | William J. Richardson |
| Rust College | William Deshun Robinson | Sharron Ruth Goodman-Hill |
| Southeastern Baptist College | James Edward McGhee, Jr. | Robert Dale Burch |
| Southwest Mississippi Community College | Trulee Magee Torres | Walter Michael Flowers |
| Tougaloo College | Danielle Maurie Irma Magee | Bidisha Sengupta |
| University of Mississippi | Dion Armstrong Kevin III | John M. Rimoldi |
| University of Mississippi Medical Center | James Robert Ware II | Mary McCaffery Moore |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Caroline Bradley | Kelly Ferris Lester |
| Wesley Biblical Seminary | Daniel Eugene Jackson | Matt T. Friedeman |
| William Carey University | Hannah Michelle Moak | Phyllis Howell Armstrong |
See links below for photos of the honorees, the events at the State Capitol and the luncheon.
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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.
John Sewell
Director of Communications
Telephone: 601.432.6333
