2007

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Linda Pierce to retire following spring term After 37 years in the sion. East

Literature, Honors English, Composition 1 and 11, and Leadership. In addition,

Central the Outstanding Humanities Instructor at the :-.Jatchez Literarv Festival in 1998 and also attended the Phi Theta K<~ppa Leadership Seminar in West , CornwalL C01mecticut, in 1998. ln 2001, she was select– ed as East Central's Academic Instructor of the Year. She is past president of the Mississippi Council of Teachers of English and belongs to a mm1ber of pro– fessional organizations. She was selected STAR Teacher tlu·ee times willie teaching on the sccondarv level. In addi– tion, she sen·ed eight years as an Alderman for theTown of Decatur. ~he is an active member of Clarkc-Venable Baptist Church, where she teaches Sunday school. Pierce is a graduate of East Central Junior College and holds both the bachelor and master's degrees i.n English from the University of Southern \llississippi. In addition, she holds the Educational Specialist degree from Mississippi State University. She is married to Billy Pierce and has two children, three stepchildren and eight grandchilciren. c1S

''When I was a student at East Central, 0\·id Vickers encour– aged me to major in English and become a tea~r. He planted the idea, and the more I thought about it, the more I began to think it would be a good career choice. "I love the

field of education, East Central Conunun.ity College English instructor Linda Pierce, who also serves as Chairperson of the Division of Communications, will retire from a job that she says was the best career move she ever made. . "East Central Community College has been a very important p'irt of my life, both as a student and as an instructor," she said. "Accepting a position at East Central is the most positive career move 1 have ever made. I will be leaving East Central in May, but I will take with me many positive lifelong memories." The people are what Pierce said she has enjoyed most about her job and that's exactly what she will miss most. "The people are what I have enjoyed most," she said. "I will miss the every– day association with stu– dents, and I will especially miss my co-workers." When asked what she would miss the least after retirement, Pierce said, "Grading the countless essays and research papers!" Pierce said her former instructor, Ovid Vickers, led her into the teaching profes-

she is a member of the curriculum committee, Homec omin g committee, c1nd the technology planning commit– tee. Pierce served as the Self-Studv Director and Chair of

study of English and litera– ture, and I love being arotmd people, so it seemed like the logical path to follow," she said. Hnd she not become <1 teacher, Pierce said she would have probably contin– ued pursuing a career in business, which is what she was majoring in at the time. In discussing her future plans, Pierce said, "I plan to stay busy and not get lazy. However, I do hope to have time for doing some things I enjoy such as read– ing, traveling and spending time with family and friends." Pierce has been employed at East Central for the past 13 years and has taught courses i.n Honors English Literature, Amelican

Institutional Effectiveness for the 2000 SACS Self-Study and Reaffirmation Visit. She is also a former advisor for the college Scholars Bowl te..1m. She taught English at Newton High School for eight years and was an instructor at Decatur High School for 16 years prior to accepting her position at East Centr<1l. She was selected HEADWAE (High Education Day-Working Toward Academic Excellence) instructor in 1995, was selected to attend the Lamplighter's Program in 1997, and was selected for the Mississippi Com.mu.rtity CoUege Fellowship Program in 1997. Pierce represented

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