2023SummerWarriorWEB

WARRIOR THE The Official Publication of the East Central Community College Alumni Association Volume XXXI, No. 2 • June 2023

End of an Era

B renda C arson R etiring A fter 41 Y ears at ECCC

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A Message From the President

Dear Alumni and Friends,

What an exciting year it has been at East Central Community College! In the pages of this magazine, you will see many changes to the physical campus as work was completed for the Softball Hitting Facility and construction continued on several additional projects, including The Alumni House.

With You In Mind

There are accounts of outstanding students and faculty recognized for various honors, including the prestigious ECCC Hall of Fame. You will see the retirement of several treasured faculty and staff members. You will also notice we celebrated much in the area of athletics including MACCC and Region 23 championship titles for the Warrior baseball team, who ended their season at the NJCAA World Series in Enid, Okla., for the first time ever. The men’s and women’s tennis teams also performed well at national tournaments and one of our golf team members represented ECCC as an individual participant in the NJCAA DII Championship. We also feature several outstanding alumni in this issue and provide information on the college’s first-ever Capital Campaign. I hope that you will consider participating in this campaign as we strive to maintain comfortable and up-to-date facilities for the education of our students.

As always, thank you for your continued support and interest in East Central Community College. Please come visit our campus soon!

With YOU in Mind, Dr. Brent Gregory President

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In This Issue

ALUMNI NEWS

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Diamond Warrior to Entrepreneur Keeton joins Community College Sports HOF Baseball Welcomes Alumni, Championship Teams 2023 Homecoming Schedule Alumni Updates

12 17 42

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CAMPUS NEWS

19 20 21 22 26

Most Beautiful Selected Retirees Honored Mr. & Miss ECCC Named

Brenda Carson Retiring After 41 Years Top Instructor, Staff Member Revealed

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ATHLETICS

32 33 34

Diamond Warriors Claim Two Championships Sports Recaps Softball Cuts Ribbon on Hitting Facility

On the Cover: After 41 years at ECCC Financial Aid Director Brenda Carson will begin a new chapter when she retires at the end of June to spend more time with her family. •

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ACCREDITATION East Central Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the Associate Degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of East Central Community College. NON-DISCRIMINATION East Central Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or qualified disability in its educational programs and activities, employment practices, or admissions processes. The following offices have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non discrimination policies of East Central Community College: Inquiries regarding compliance with Title VI and ADEA are coordinated by the Executive Vice President, Walter Arno Vincent Administration Building, Room 171, Post Office Box 129, Decatur, MS 39327, Phone: 601-635-6202, Fax: 601-635-4011, Email: compliance@eccc.edu. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title IX and Section 504 are coordinated by the Dean of Student Services, Eddie M. Smith Student Union Building, Room 101, Post Office Box 129, Decatur, MS 39327, Phone: 601-635-6267, Fax: 601-635-6247, Email: compliance@eccc.edu. Inquiries regarding compliance with ADA are coordinated by the Director of Student Success, Mamie Ethel Burton Memorial Library, Post Office Box 129, Decatur, MS 39327, Phone: 601-635-6228, Fax: 601-635-2150, Email: compliance@eccc.edu.

The Warrior is printed two times annually and is distributed to alumni of East Central Community College and other friends of the college. Editorial staff members include Office of Public Information personnel: Lucas Calvert, Maria McLeod, Karen Robertson & Amy Thompson

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Trampas Amedee F rom D iamond W arrior to E ntrepreneur

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T rampas Amedee was a senior at St. Amant High School in Ascension Parish, La., when a chance meeting with the late Jamie Clark who was then head coach of the East Central Com munity College Diamond Warriors, would not only provide an opportunity to continue playing baseball at the collegiate level but would set him on a path towards a rewarding career designing homes. Amedee who completed an associate degree in Drafting and Design Technology at East Central and a bachelor’s degree from the University of West Alabama, is the owner of Amedee Home Designs, Inc. in Gonzales, La. He designs custom homes and home additions. He said his uncles, Chris and Butch Ingram, who are both builders got him started working on job sites when he was young and that got him interested in the building industry. When he started his own business, he says they gave him more business than he could handle, and that really motivated him to want to do better. He said, “When I was a kid, I would go to job sites with my uncle. As a teenager, I started working for him doing trim work and framing homes. He had always told me that this area needs someone to design houses. That stuck with me. When I came to visit ECCC, I found out about the Drafting and Design depart ment and decided that’s the route I wanted to take.” After completing his education, Amedee worked for his uncle as a site superintendent. He later had the op portunity to work for a local home designer using his degree received at ECCC. He said, “Without having the Drafting and Design program at ECCC, I doubt I would have chosen the profession I did. That program was a big, big part of me owning my own business today.” He began his career with G.E.R. Home Designs and started his own business designing houses in 2004. He’s designed over 1700 new homes and additions, in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Ten nessee and the Bahamas. He says all homes he’s designed are different which makes each one special, but the most rewarding thing for him is when an old client sells their home and comes back for him to design another one or when clients refer him to their family and friends. Amedee said he enjoyed the small college environment East Central offers which made it easier to get to know people not only on the baseball team but throughout campus. And he said the career-technology division at ECCC was second to none. “Anyone looking to have a career in anything they offer will really benefit from completing their education at East Central,” he said. Amedee credits his program instructors, Ricky Harrison and Polly Mayes, and the family atmosphere they created for mak ing a huge difference in his college life. He said, “Those two really took me under their wing for two years and made sure I felt comfortable. When I came to ECCC, I was 17 years old and 3.5 hours away from home. It wasn’t easy to leave my mom and sister, but Mr. Harrison and Mrs. Mayes made it easy for me to adapt to a new environment. A couple days before graduation, they gave me a scrap book

–AMEDEE continued on page 6

ALUMNI NEWS

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Daniel Landry, Amedee, Fabian Huddleston, David Martin, Jerry Dupuy, and Luke Gibbon

AMEDEE

and keep him out of center field for good. He was, however, able to return to the mound and threw his first no hitter against Southwest Mississippi Community College. As a pitcher, Amedee did not have to hit, but during his last game at Clark-Gay Stadium, he said he begged Clark for one last chance at the plate. “At my last home game, I begged coach to let me hit one more time. He said ‘You big dumb Cajun, you can’t run!’ I just told him that I’d hit one out and I could jog around the bases. Well, the good Lord must have been listening because that’s exactly what happened. I rounded third and Jamie Clark just smiled and put his head down and shook my hand.” In those days, Coach Clark didn’t have any assistant coaches, but Amedee said he taught them what it meant to be a leader and he shaped a ton of boys into young men. “He would get on my case, but I know he needed to. He was teaching all of us life lessons and none of us realized it until years later. Of course, Mrs. Audrey Clark had some help in raising all the players too!” The family atmosphere instilled by coaches and instruc tors spilled over into student life as well. Being an out-of state player, it was not unusual for teammates to invite him to their home for the weekend. He said that helped combat home for the weekend and there wasn’t much happening on campus. Amedee said he also enjoyed student life and being involved in the cam pus community. “Campus life was great. We could walk from one end to the other in about 10 minutes and you always would see someone you knew. We enjoyed the spring formal and spring fling. Off campus there were a few places the locals would take us to. The only one I can remember is ‘where the water crosses the road.’ “The professors and staff made it easy for us out-of state guys to adapt. I have some of the best memories and friends anyone could ever ask for from my two years there. Not only baseball players, but other students.” the loneliness sometimes felt when all the local kids went

– Continued from page 5

with a ton of articles and pictures from my time at ECCC. That’s one of the best things anyone had ever done for me.” Although he says he didn’t know what to expect as a young college student, Amedee made the most of his career both on and off the baseball field. He served as team captain for the Warrior baseball team, was named MVP, Exemplary Player of the Year, First Team All-State and First Team All-Region. A President’s List scholar, he won the state VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, now known as SkillsUSA) competition in Archi tectural Design in 1992 and competed on the national level. He was selected ECCC’s Most Handsome, Mr. ECCC, and was a member of the Mu Alpha Theta. During his freshman year, Amedee was a first baseman and pitcher for the Warriors. After a summer starting at center field for his local American Legion team back home and placing third in the American Legion World Series, he would return to ECCC as the starting first baseman and also pitched. He moved to center field after the starter was injured. Although he would be named MVP following his sopho more season, Amedee admit his teammates know when he wasn’t happy and it wasn’t always communicated through words, but actions. “There were times when Coach would get mad and I’d come back to the dugout and couldn’t find my batting helmet and gloves. Somebody finally told me he threw them over the dugout in that little ditch that was right behind it. There also used to be a big oak tree where the softball field is now. Coach would get mad at something at practice, and he would make us run to that oak tree, thru a barbed wire fence and bring him back a piece of bark.” An injury his sophomore season which included torn ligaments in his knee would sideline him for three weeks “ ted his game wasn’t always perfect and Coach Clark had no hesitancy to let him or

” I’m thankful Jamie Clark gave a young, skinny kid a chance to play college baseball. Without that opportunity and the lessons learned in my two years at ECCC, there’s no telling where my life would be right now.

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but it has gotten bigger every year. I’ll continue to come back and cook as long as I can. I think it’s important for the players today to see the old guys coming back and get ting together so that one day they’ll remember that and will want to come back and support the program. I hope that one day we have so many people show up that we run out of food!” Amedee was also heavily influenced by his family and gives much credit to his parents for his successes in base ball and in his chosen career. “My dad (Phil Amedee) was one of the most influential people in my life. He was blind but was still my baseball coach and hunting and fishing buddy. He passed away when I was 13, right before my freshman year in high school. He always wanted to be at a high school game with me in uni form, but that didn’t get to happen. That was a big reason that every time I stepped on a baseball field, I played like it would be my last time. After my dad passed, my mom (Vickie Garon) made sure we didn’t miss out on anything, and I can’t thank her enough for that. “My career at ECCC would have not been possible if my mom and sister, Shea Schexnayder, wouldn’t have let me leave home at 17 and come to a town we knew nothing about and have a man we knew nothing about raise me for two years. “I’m thankful Jamie Clark gave a young, skinny kid a chance to play college baseball. Without that opportunity and the lessons learned in my two years at ECCC, there’s no telling where my life would be right now. I would also like to thank all of the instructors, especially Ricky Harrison and Polly Mayes, for everything they did for me. And to all of my former teammates, thank you for pushing me every day at practice to be a better player and person. “I didn’t know it at the time, but from 1990 to 1992, I

Jerry Dupuy was Amedee’s roommate, and he says they still keep in touch. “Our sophomore year, we didn’t realize it, but Jerry and I were pushing each other to get the best out of each other. I was fortunate enough to be asked to throw out the first pitch at an ECCC Baseball game this spring and was really happy Jerry was there and caught it for me. There’s a lot of other guys that played a big part in our success including David Luke, Scott Hines, Gregg Perry, David Martin, Daniel Landry, Fabian Huddelston and Derek Glenn. There were too many to name them all.” Amedee has continued to remain a part of the ECCC Baseball program as an alumnus. He had been introduced to current head coach Neal Holliman shortly after finishing his playing career at the University of West Alabama. The two became good friends and after Holliman got the job at ECCC, Amedee got in touch with him and came over to visit the Decatur campus. “I hadn’t been back to campus in about 12-13 years. After I saw the improvements he was making and knowing what the field used to look like, I just wanted to stay in touch and help support the baseball program that gave me a chance to play college baseball. He’s asked me to speak to a few teams and the thing I express to them is to not take for granted the facilities you have here. When I played, we had one coach, our dugouts were sunk three feet in the ground and your feet would get wet when it rained. We had a chain link outfield fence, no indoor hitting facility, no locker room and no covered seating. I realize times were different in the early ‘90s, but I feel like today’s players need to know how far this program has come and the commitment Neal has put into everything he has here now.” Amedee said he also encourages other baseball alumni to get involved, even if it’s only to come and watch a game and see what the place looks like now. He has taken the lead to make that happen as he organized a reunion of his former teammates a few years ago. “I talked to Neal about coming one weekend and cooking for the team and getting a few of the guys I played with to come visit. We didn’t have a real big turn out the first year,

needed East Central Community College more than anything. My two years at ECCC were the best of my career,” he said. “I was able to continue playing the game my dad taught me and play with guys who I still stay in touch with today.” Amedee and his wife, Becky, have two children, Austin (20) and Alyssa (21), and a son-in-law, Josh. Support Warrior Athletics! Support your favorite

ECCC Warrior sports team by making a recurring or one-time donation online by visiting www.eccc.edu/foundation GO WARRIORS!

ALUMNI NEWS

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Hall of Famer K eeton J oins MS C ommunity C ollege S ports H all of F ame

team All-State and was selected a team captain by his ECJC teammates. In ad dition, he served as vice president of the student body association and was a class favorite. Keeton continued his athletic career at Delta State University where he was two-year starter as an offensive and de fensive lineman. He received the sports manship award and was president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He prepped at Morton High School, where he received All-Little Dixie Con ference honors. He was also a member of the baseball team and selected Mr. MHS. Keeton received his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education at DSU and began a career in education which

spanned 35 years. His career began at Greenwood High School in 1968 as an assistant football coach and head baseball coach. He also had stints as a coach and/or teacher at Morton, Durant, Rosa Scott, Stringer, and Bay Springs high schools, before serving five years as principal at Tay lorsville High School. He was in private business for four years before returning to the field of education as a teacher at Choctaw Central where he retired in 2011 Keeton and his wife, Kaye, reside in the Crossroads Community near Pela hatchie. They have four grown children, Kim, Richelle, Ryan, and Chase, and 11 grandchildren.

Morton native Rex Keeton, a 1964 graduate of East Central Community College, was among 15 inductees into the 2023 Class of the Mississippi Com munity College Sports Hall of Fame during ceremonies held Tuesday, April 25, at the Muse Center in Pearl. Keeton, who was inducted into the ECCC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003, was an offensive and defensive lineman for the Warrior football team during the 1963 and 1964 seasons. He was con sidered a “60-minute” man – a person who played both offense and defense – and he excelled, as evidenced by his selection as most valuable lineman for 1964 by what was then known as the Mississippi Junior College Athletic Association. He was also named first

NANCE DONATES GUITAR

Jerry Nance (‘00) of Louisville recently donated a 1971 Yamaha classical guitar to the East Central Community College Fine Arts Division. Nance is a graduate of the college’s Associate Degree Nursing program and also serves on the college’s Board of Trustees. If you have musical instruments in good condition that you would like to donate to the college, please contact the ECCC Foundation Office at 601-635-6327. In-Kind Donations are tax-deductible. Donated instruments will be used by students in need of an instrument or as a backup when an instrument is in the repair shop.

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The East Central Community College Foundation is selling tile pavers to raise funds to restore The Alumni House, which is the original president’s home located at the corner of Broad Street and North 7th Avenue on the front of campus. The pavers will cover the surface of the east wing porch. The cost is $125 per brick and patrons can include three lines of copy with 20 characters per line including spaces and punctuation. Each paver measures 8 inches by 4 inches. Dr. Stacey Hollingsworth, execu tive director for The Foundation, said, “These tile pavers will not only enhance the aesthetics of the exterior of the house, but they are a wonderful way to honor or memorialize alumni, friends, family, favorite teachers and others who have been associated with East Central Community College.” Once renovations are complete, the facility will house the Alumni Relations and Foundation offices and serve as event and meeting space. Currently, the interior has been stripped of old ceiling and floor tiles, and the kitchen and bathrooms have been gutted. To get the interior of the B uy A T ile P aver and H elp R estore T he A lumni H ouse

home ready for use, the Alumni and Foundation office is seeking to raise in excess of $100,000 and another $25,000 to $50,000 will be needed to refurbish the exterior. There are a limited number of bricks available, so alumni and friends are encouraged to order early. For more in formation, contact Dr. Hollingsworth at sholling@eccc.edu or call 601-635-6327.

YOUR TEXT HERE

Renew Your Alumni Association Memberships

Your annual Alumni Association contributions help to continue the growth of the Association and to benefit the next generation of alumni. If you are already a lifetime member, please consider making a general donation to the Alumni Association.

Checks should be made payable to the ECCC Alumni Assocation and mailed to P.O. Box 129, Decatur, MS 39327 or scan the QR code to join online.

ALUMNI NEWS

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L ouisville N ative has S pecial R equest to C elebrate 95 Y ears of L ife

DO YOU KNOW OF AN OUTSTANDING ECCC ALUMNUS OR FORMER ATHLETE? If you know East Central Community College alumni who would be good candidates for Alumni of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame awards, which are presented each year during Homecoming festivities, please nominate them online at www.eccc.edu/homecoming honoree-nomination-forms. For a printed copy of the nomination forms, please contact Maria McLeod at 601-635-6303 or e-mail mmcleod@eccc.edu. The deadline for submitting nomination forms each year is December 1. Nominations are good for five consecutive years. You are encouraged to submit additional information about nominees. Attach all additional information to the nomination form. Selection is based primarily on printed materials submitted.

It’s tough to think of a gift you want at 95 years old. Unless you’re Jean Woodruff (ECCC Class of 1948). All she wanted is an opportunity to help and heal. Over nine decades of life and Woodruff’s goal is to help the most vulnerable: sick children. A conversation started with a friend, which led to a Facebook post, and now has nearly $1,000 and has resulted in the best gift of all. Every March, Wood

ruff was asked what she wanted for her birthday. This year, at 95 years, she came up with a plan to help others. “Well, I was talking to a friend, and she wanted to give me a gift and I would not receive a gift so I said give me a dollar for St. Jude and that’s how it began,” said Woodruff. Woodruff made sure her wish was known to others. Melba Reed, Chief of Operations for Bee Hive homes of Mississippi, said she remembered the day the Louisville native told her about the birthday request and she decided she would help her out. “I decided that night that we would post it to our facility’s Facebook page and it went viral,” said Reed. The post received around 170 shares and hundreds of likes. In just 10 days, hundreds of people from 10 different states sent her dollar bills. $1 bills, $5 bills, $10 bills, and $20 bills soon flooded the mailbox and Woodruff was happy to add every cent to the donation jar. Woodruff said whoever came through the door had to give her a dol lar. Some were strangers who were moved by her giving, while others had personal ties to Woodruff. “She began her teaching career in Louisville in 1950 and taught for many years. She received many cards from fellow students and the ma jority of them have written which class they graduated from and it’s just been so delightful from here for us to read those memories and share them with her,” said Reed. After reading hundreds of cards Woodruff is thankful and can’t wait to show St. Jude the money that was donated. “I’m so blessed. God has been so good to me and he blessed me. What a great cause it is. Thank you for the contribution,” said Woodruff. At the writing of this story, the amount had reached $1,000.

Article By T’Keeyah Cummings/WCBI News; Photo courtesy of Kevin Ryals

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C hris C lark M emorialized T hrough N ew S cholarship Scholarships Established

ceived numerous awards while in high school and college. He was extremely competitive in whatever he was playing, but most impor tantly Chris wanted everybody to know about Jesus, and he shared his faith everywhere he went. He was a man after God’s own heart and lived his life ready to meet Jesus. Chris was a life-long member of Clarke Venable Baptist Church, a Deacon, and 3rd and 4th grade boys Sunday School teacher for many years. The Chris J. Clark Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually. To be eligible, a candidate must enroll as a full-time student at East Central Community College the fall

East Central Community College recently announced the establishment of the Chris J. Clark Memorial Scholarship in honor of the longtime ECCC Workforce Development Coordinator and Golf Coach. The scholarship was established in the spring of 2023 by his wife, Sandy, son Luke, and daughter Olivia, along with other family and dear friends. Chris passed away suddenly on Thanks giving morning 2022. Chris was a lifelong resident of Decatur, and he graduated from Decatur High School and East Central Com munity College where he excelled in baseball, basketball, and golf. He continued his educa

semester of his/her sophomore year; be an upcoming full time sophomore with Christian moral standards; have a passion for sports and competitiveness, preferably someone who loves golf; be a Business or Nursing major; and have earned a minimum 3.0 GPA as a freshman student. For more information, contact Dr. Stacey Hollingsworth, Executive Director of the ECCC Foundation, at sholling@eccc. edu or call 601-635-6327.

tion at the University of Southern Mississippi graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business. Chris and his family were charter members of Decatur Country Club where he spent many hours of his life playing the game of golf which he loved. He was always ready to play golf anywhere and at any time. He followed his dad, Joe Clark, as the Golf Coach at ECCC until his death. Chris enjoyed participating in many sports, and he re

C laire M yers M emorial S cholarship S tarted at ECCC

students who pow erlifted in high school, must have a mini mum 3.0 GPA, must possess leadership qualities and provide two letters of refer ence, must

Load the Bar Foundation is a non profit organization started by Claire’s family as a way to help others further their education and to keep her mem ory alive. Load the Bar Foundation got its name from a phrase Claire would always tell her dad when she was com peting. On the last deadlift, she did not want to know how much weight was on the bar, but just wanted enough on it to win. She would say, “Don’t tell me Daddy, just load the bar!” This scholarship program not only helps other students, but has been a way of helping her family cope with losing her while seeing her memory live on. The recipient of the Claire Myers Memorial Scholarship will be selected annually by the ECCC Scholarship Com mittee. To be considered, applicants must be a graduate from the five-coun ty service area which includes Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Scott and Winston counties, must be a full-time student attending ECCC with preference to

East Central Community College re cently announced the establishment of the Claire Myers Memorial Scholarship, which was set up by the Load the Bar Foundation in memory of Claire who was killed in a car accident in January 2021. Claire, known by her family and friends as “Tator,” was described by them as a “beautiful, sweet young woman who was as memorable as she was strong.” She was a member of Beulah Baptist Church and enjoyed going on mis sion trips. She was a 2020 graduate of Newton County High School and at the time of her accident was attending her second semester at East Central Com munity College where she majored in forensic science. Claire was a powerlifter throughout her high school career with both New ton County High School and the Ameri can Powerlifting Association (APA). She was a dedicated powerlifter and still holds 5 world records with the APA.

apply for the scholarship through the scholarship process; and must have a financial need. For more information, contact Dr. Stacey Hollingsworth, Executive Direc tor of the ECCC Foundation, at shol ling@eccc.edu or call 601-635-6327.

ALUMNI NEWS

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B aseball W elcomes A lumni , C elebrates C hampionship T eams Diamond Warriors Return

tions to the improvements Coach Hol liman and his staff have made to the facilities.” Additional photos from the day can be viewed by scanning the QR code below.

and Daniel Landry (’93) who prepared cajun pastalaya. All former Warriors were recognized prior to the ECCC vs. Northeast double header and special recognition was given to the 1998 and 2013 conference championship teams in recognition of their 25th and 10th anniversaries, respectively. Maria McLeod, ECCC director of alumni relations, said “It is always an exciting time when alumni and their families return to campus to reminisce and reconnect. Many of the guys had not been back since they graduated, and it was wonderful to see their reac

The East Central Community College Diamond Warriors and the college’s Alumni Relations office hosted Alumni Day on Saturday, April 1, at Clark-Gay Complex. More than 60 former Warriors plus numerous family members and other fans attended the event which began with a tour of the updated facilities by head coach Neal Holliman including the new locker room, indoor hitting facility and updated weight room. Attendees were then treated to a complimentary lunch provided by the Alumni Association and former Warrior baseball players Trampas Amedee (’92)

ALUMNI NEWS

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Warrior Golf Classic 20 th A nnual ECCC W arrior G olf C lassic R aises M oney for S cholarships

The Junction/Prince Oil Robbins Sport Surfaces

LLC, team, longest drive on the front nine; Justin Webb of the B&G Equip ment team, longest drive on the back nine; Scott Hill of the Sequel Electrical Supply team, closest to the pin on the front nine; and Ken Stringer of the Edu cational Furniture and Equipment team, closest to the pin on the back nine. Gordon McCloskey of the Howard Industries team was the winner of the La-Z-Boy recliner door prize donated by La-Z-Boy South of Newton. Rudy Watkins of the Path Com pany, LLC, team won a door prize that included a golf package for four at the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club. Several other golfers won door prizes consisting of various golf equipment.

A team representing IN Sports of Philadelphia won the Championship Flight during the 20th Annual East Central Community College Warrior Golf Classic held May 12 at the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, located on the Pearl River Resort in Choctaw. Sponsored by the ECCC Alumni Association, the four-person scramble annually raises more than $10,000 for student scholarships, according to event coordinator Maria McLeod, the college’s director of external relations. A record-tying 24 teams registered to play this year. The Warrior Golf Classic supports two full tuition scholarships each year for students attending East Central Community College. The winning IN Sports team posted a 16-under par 56 over the 18-hole event for the win. Team members included Greg Nowell, Wes Kight, Jake Kight, and Jason Fulton. Winning the First Flight was the team from Sequel Electrical Supply with a 10-under par score of 61. Team mem bers were Sean Mowdy, Brent Gregory, Scott Hill, and Dylan Shields. The team representing The New York Blower Company took top honors in the Second Flight with a seven-under par 65. Team members were Kenny Hill man, Mike Tinsley, Stan Whittington, and Bruce Threadgill. On-course contest winners were Charley Warren of the Path Company,

B&G Equipment SouthGroup Cox The Citizens Bank INSports Community Bank Bank of Forest Aladdin Campus Dining The New York Blower Company First Financial Bank First Finanical Bank AG

Food Sponsors Aladdin Campus Dining Meridian Coca-Cola

Hole Sponsors

BankFirst Dallas Printing Boswell Media Weaver Tax & Accounting Mayo Law Firm Ochsner Rush Hospital Foreman Wood Designs Farm Bureau Milling Funeral Home Brent Bailey for MPSC Magnolia Tent Rex Team Sports American Benefits Brokers

Sponsors for 2022 included:

Premier Sponsor

PATH Company, LLC

Gold Sponsors

Southern Pine Electric Quinn’s Family Pharmacy-Union & Newton McLain Plumbing Great Southern Bank Sequel Electric American Fidelity Life Educational Furniture & Equipment BSN Sports Upchurch Services, Inc.

For more information about the ECCC Warrior Golf Classic, contact McLeod at 601-635-6303 or mmcleod@ eccc.edu.

Pearl River Resort Howard Industries

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Championship Flight Winners Members of the IN Sports team that won the Championship Flight were (from left) Greg Nowell, Wes Kight, Jake Kight, and Jason Fulton.

Golf Package Winner Rudy Watkins (right) won a golf package for four at the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club. At left is ECCC President Dr. Brent Gregory who presented prizes.

First Flight Winners Winning the First Flight was the team from Sequel Electrical Supply. Team members were (from left) Dylan Shields, Brent Gregory, Scott Hill, and Sean Mowdy.

La-Z-Boy Winner Gordon McClosky won a La-Z-Boy recliner as a door prize. The chair was donated to the Warrior Golf Classic by La-Z-Boy South of Newton.

Second Flight Winners The New York Blower team won the second flight. Team members were (from left) Stan Whittington and Kenny Hillman. Not pictured are Mike Tinsley and Bruce Threadgill.

ALUMNI NEWS

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Homecoming ‘23 ECCC A nnounces 2023 A lumni H onorees and S pecial R eunion G roups

Hall of Fame inductees. Special groups to be recognized included the Class of 1973 Golden Anniversary, Class of 1998 Silver Anniversary, the 1952-53 Men’s Basketball State Champions, 1972-73 Women’s Basketball State Champions, the 1992-93 Men’s Basketball State Champions, and the 1997 and 2003 Region 23 Div. III Golf Champions. The Centralettes, Cheerleaders, Wall O’ Sound Band, and Phi Theta Kappa honor society will also hold reunions and recognize all former members. For more information or to update your con tact information, contact Maria McLeod, director of alumni relations, at 601-635-6303 or call toll free 877-462-3222, ext. 303. Her email address is mmcleod@eccc.edu.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, Oct. 12, when East Central Community College will recognize four outstanding alumni and honor numerous groups during the 2023 Homecoming celebration on the Decatur campus. Cyrus Ben (’99) of Choctaw, Chief of the Missis sippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and Harriet Vickers Laird (’84) of Starkville, senior associate director of the Office of Public Affairs at Mississippi State Uni versity, will be recognized as Alumnus and Alumna of the Year, respectively. Marty Cooper of Fulton, former men’s basketball coach who led the 1993 team to the MACCC Cham pionship, and Jason Willis of Philadelphia, a former Warrior baseball standout and member of the 1998 MACCC Championship team, are this year’s Athletic

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October 12

Thursday,

11 a.m.

Luncheon for the Class of 1973 honoring their 50th Anniversary M abry C afeteria Pep Rally featuring the Wall O’ Sound Band, Cheerleaders, Centralettes, and the Warrior football team E ast M all near M abry C afeteria Campus Tours provided by Warrior Corps Student Ambassadors M emorabilia R oom open in B urton L ibrary

Noon

1 to 3 p.m.

3 p.m.

Reception hosted by the ECCC Alumni Association B rackeen -W ood G ymnasium (Free and open to all alumni and friends of the college) Reunion Groups Meet B rackeen W ood G ymnasium

3:30 p.m.

Recognition of Alumni Honorees B rackeen -W ood G ymnasium

4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Alumni Association Tailgating S outh E nd Z one of B ailey S tadium (This event is free for current Alumni Association members & $10 for all other alumni and guests.) Reunion Groups Meet S outh E nd Z one B ailey S tadium Mini-Pep Rally Featuring the Wall O’ Sound Drum Line and Warrior Cheerleaders S outh E nd Z one B ailey S tadium

6 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

ECCC vs. Northeast Football Game B ailey S tadium

Alumni of the Year will present the game ball and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees will serve as honorary team captains. The Homecoming Queen and her court will be presented during halftime followed by the Wall O’ Sound Marching Band which will present its halftime show.

Tentative Schedule - Subject to Change.

ALUMNI NEWS

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EC N ursing J oining F orces with N eshoba G eneral H ospital District Collaborations

we started exploring the possibilities of bringing that program and pos sibly more related programs onto our campus. A lot of their students already come here to do their clinical training. As we pursued those discussions, we decided we have the perfect location for it. The East Central board has ap proved the concept and we met with the supervisors.” More information about the facility will be released as the facility moves forward.

cal training. It will provide an environ ment for our students to engage in hands-on experiences shrinking the gap between the classroom and practice. The availability of modern facilities, cutting-edge technology, and an ex panded faculty will undoubtedly raise the bar for nursing education in east central Mississippi, attracting talented individuals from surrounding commu nities and raising the overall quality of healthcare delivery. “I reached out to Dr. Gregory and

East Central Community College has partnered with Neshoba General in Philadelphia to begin work on a future nursing program to be housed on the Neshoba General Hospital campus. The new facility and program will be in addition to ECCC’s thriving nursing program located in Decatur. “We are excited to be expanding our nursing program into Neshoba County through this partnership with Neshoba General,” said ECCC President Dr. Brent Gregory. “This collaboration, in addition to our nursing program on the Decatur campus, will allow us to continue serving the aspiring nursing students within East Central’s five county district with a centrally located facility, empowering students to start a fulfilling career in healthcare. As this project moves forward, we will tailor the facility to best fit the evolv ing needs of the healthcare industry and will have more information on the range of nursing programs and classes that will be available.” The proposed facility will serve as a hub of learning, innovation, and practi

T own of D ecatur P roviding CTE O pportunities

related fields as the college and town work together to improve the space. The ultimate goal is to provide a new facility for the public library, which is currently located on the college’s campus in Richard C. Ethridge Hall. The upgraded library space will be a benefit to both the town and surrounding communities.

East Central Community College is proud to begin a collaboration with the town of Decatur on a building located near the corner of Broad Street and North 5th Avenue. Renovation work on the property has already begun. The building and renovation work will provide East Central career and technical students an opportunity to get hands-on work experience in their

WANTED: ALUMNI FEATURES Would you like to be a featured alumnus/alumna in the next issue of The Warrior ?

Please send the information below to Maria McLeod, P.O. Box 129, Decatur, MS 39327 or email mmcleod@eccc.edu.

Name Years Attended EC Activities Involved in at EC Current Occupation Career Highlights

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Ready for the Workforce

The East Central Community College cosmetology pro gram, a career program in the college’s Career & Technical Education department, is a highly competitive program that is limited to 20 students each year that trains students that want to become cosmetologists. “Our students are selected in July of each year through an application and interview process,” said instructor Aubrie Howell. “The smaller class size allows me to get one-on-one training with each student to best prepare them to for the workforce, as nearly all of our students go directly to work upon completion of the program.” Students that are interested in this one-year program can find more information by visiting www.eccc.edu/cosmetol ogy. Not only does the program benefit the students as a fast track into employment, but it provides East Central students, faculty, staff, and the community with a location for hair cuts, colorings, skin care treatments, manicures, pedicures, and more at a discounted rate. “Our ‘live work’ is particularly important to the training of our students as it prepares them with real world experi ence rather than training on a mannequin,” said Howell. “I encourage any student or member of the surrounding com munity to call us and schedule an appointment to utilize our services.” C osmetology S tudents P rep for T heir F utures

Students participate in ‘live work’ on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. To make an appoint ment, please call 601-635-6217. Clients are encouraged to call during ‘live work’ hours. All work is performed by students under the supervision of a licensed instructor.

MANLEY NAMED ECCC’S MOST BEAUTIFUL ECCC freshman Mayson Manley (center) of Enterprise was named Most Beautiful during the college’s annual pageant held in Huff Auditorium. Manley, an Enterprise High School graduate, is a business major at East Central and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, Diamond Darlings, and the ECCC Cheer Team. More than 20 contestants participated in interview and evening gown competition. In addition to Manley, beauties included (from left) Mellee Diers of Ellisville, Macy Belle Jones of Brandon, Alexandria Tucker of Union, and Annsley Claire Boatwright of Union.

CAMPUS NEWS

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Retirees Honored C arson , H urley , T aylor , B oler , F ox S mith , G illis , E vans , and R eed E xit ECCC

Retirees include (from left) Susan Fox Smith, Tanya Boler, Wynena Reed, Norman Gillis, Brenda Carson, and Vivian Taylor. Not pictured are Lonnie Evans and Wanda Hurley.

She participated in various council and committee assignments including the Instructional Council, Curriculum Committee, Scholarship Committee, Homecoming Court Committee, and e-Learning Committee. She also served as an advisor for SIFE and DECA student organizations. Taylor began her employment as an administrative assistant to the business office manager in 1988 and began serv ing as administrative assistant for the library in 2005. She completed 23 years of service. She completed an associate in arts and an associate in applied science degree from East Central Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University. Boler began her employment as at ECCC in 2002, after serving as an instructor at Union, Philadelphia, and Newton County high schools. She com pleted 21 years of service at ECCC. Her education includes National Board Certification in Adolescence and Young Adulthood/English Language Arts; MSVCC Certified Online Instructor; a Master of Science in Secondary Educa tion with an emphasis in English from Mississippi State University; Advanced Placement certification in English educa tion; a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English from Mississippi State University; and an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from • •

Eight full-time employees retired from East Central Community College in Decatur during and following the Spring 2023 semester. The group represents a combined 178.5 years of total service to the col lege. They were honored by fellow em ployees and presented resolutions from the college’s Board of Trustees during an end-of-the-year Employee Recogni tion Reception on campus. The retirees include Brenda Carson, director of financial aid; Wanda Hurley, economics and business instructor and Chair of the Social Sciences, Education, and Business Administration Division; Vivian Taylor, administrative assistant for the library; Tanya Boler, English instructor; Susan Fox Smith, psychol ogy instructor; Norman Gillis, business office accountant; Lonnie Evans, custo dian; and Wynena Reed, custodian lead person. Carson began her employment at ECCC as Publicity Director and moved to Director of Financial Aid in 1982. She served as an adjunct instructor for child psychology at ECCC for one year, and previously served as an instructor of Mississippi History and junior high English, Band Auxiliary Coordinator, and Junior High Coordinator all at Parklane Academy. She completed 41 total years of service at ECCC. She has been a member of several professional organizations including Mississippi Association of Student Fi nancial Aid Administrators, Mississippi •

Community and Junior College Student Aid Administrators Association (Presi dent), Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, National Association of Student Financial Aid Ad ministrators, and Delta Kappa Gamma Society International – Xi Chapter (MS President). Carson has received awards and honors including the Jack Woodward Award of Excellence with the Mississippi Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, earned 14 professional credentials with the National Associa tion of Student Financial Aid Admin istrators, and the Xi Chapter Woman of Distinction with the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. Carson has participated on various committee assignments including Home coming Committee, Scholarship Com mittee, Student Services Council, and Recruitment and Retention Committee. She completed the associate degree from East Central Community College, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Delta State University. Hurley began her employment as economics and business instructor in 1995 after serving as Marketing Instruc tor at Philadelphia High School. She completed 29.5 years of service and also served a number of years as Chair of the Social Sciences, Education, and Business Administration Division. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University. •

–RETIREES continued on page 24

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Casey Pastor-Aguilar and Jocey Bell, both Forest natives, were se lected Mr. and Miss East Central Community College for the 2022-23 school year by a vote of the student body. Pastor-Aguilar, a graduate of Forest High School, is a music educa tion major. At East Central, he is a member Phi Theta Kappa and War rior Corps, served as the drum major of the Wall O’ Sound marching band, and is in both the Jazz Band and Collegians. He also earned the Robert G. Fick Memorial and Mable Moore Carr Educational scholar ships. He is the son of Cristina Aguilar and Efren Sanchez. A graduate of Scott Central High School and an elementary educa tion major, Bell is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, president of Warrior Corps, a sophomore class officer, and captain of the color guard. She also sings with the Collegians and serves on the President’s Council. Along with receiving the Myrtle R. Hutchison Elementary Education Scholarship, she was selected as a sophomore homecoming maid. She is the daughter of Greg and Tammy Bell. Mr. & Miss ECCC P astor -A guilar , B ell S elected by S tudent B ody

Humanities Teacher of the Year B rian W hite P resents “H istory A s H eard T hrough M usic ”

ers through numerous eras, from World War II to the protest songs of the 1960s, to the rock and roll of the ‘80s. We will discuss the lyrics and meanings behind infamous songs and how they intertwined with American history.” Along with his presentation at the College, White was recognized at the Mississippi Humanities Council’s Public Humanities Awards Ceremony in Jackson on March 24.

American History instructor Brian White was selected as East Central Community College’s Humanities Teacher of the Year, presented a special program on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, titled “American History as Heard Through Music.” White said, “My goal as an instructor is to find ways to reach my students and have an impact on them, and I have learned that music is a great outlet that can do that. This program builds on that concept and will take listen

Originally from Meridian, White earned an Associate of Arts degree from Meridian Community College before earn ing a Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, and Educational Specialist degrees from Mississippi State University. He has been an instructor at East Central since 2016, with stints at Carver Middle School and Kemper County High School before moving into his role at ECCC. While teaching at the high school level, White wrote and received a grant that assisted underprivileged school children in learning to read. As a historian, his research interests are in twentieth-cen tury European and American History. Brian and his wife Michelle reside in Collinsville where they are happily raising four children.

CAMPUS NEWS

21

Leaving a Legacy A fter F our D ecades F inancial A id D irector

B renda C arson S ays F arewell

F inancial Aid Direc tor Brenda Carson has spent much of her life on the East Cen tral Community College campus. She met her hus band, the late Tom Carson, when they were students here. They moved back and worked together on campus for most of their careers, and they raised their family here. She has experienced love, loss, and many changes on this campus, and after 41 years and a lifetime of memo ries, she will begin a new chapter when she retires at the end of June to spend

more time with her family, which now includes five grandchildren. “I’m at an age now that I think my health is still good and it’s a good time for me to retire,” she said. “I still love what I do, but I’m going to have some ‘Brenda time’ now, which will include my children and grandchildren.” This past February, she had what she referred to as a light bulb mo ment that led her to look at houses in Hattiesburg, which is where two of her three children reside. Daughter Jen nifer and her husband, Grayson, and their family reside there as well as youngest son, Jeremy. Her oldest child, Chris and his wife, Wendy, and children reside in Georgia. During Tom’s ill ness, what they refer to as the Carson ARM Principle – Assess, Regroup, Move Forward was used to help them move through the cancer journey. She has found that this applies to life in general when faced with issues or decisions. When Tom was diagnosed, he had told his oldest son Chris, to make sure they

took care of their mother and to move her to Hattiesburg. That didn’t happen immediately, but is something that she knows he would approve of now. “I’m looking forward to being part of the everyday life of my Hattiesburg family. I will be able to do such things as pick up grandkids from school and have them visit my home,” she said. “I will also be able to travel to visit my Georgia family without having to work around my job’s demanding schedule.” Carson said she always thought she would remain in Decatur, but her mem ories, many of which are on the Decatur campus, are tied to her past. Those memories will still be there whether she is in Decatur or Hattiesburg. She said she is excited about moving to Hattiesburg and looks forward to start ing something new and building new memories there with her family. Brenda and Tom Carson started dating their sophomore year of col lege while both were students at East Central. After graduating from EC, they continued their education at Delta State University. After completing master’s degrees, they were married and went

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