Warrior Magazine June 2020

Muse announces retirement after 42 years as Hinds CC president

Hinds Community College President Dr. Clyde Muse (’49), the longest serving community college president in Mississippi and among the longest serving in the nation, will retire at the end of June after serving 42 years as head of the Raymond institution and 68 years as an educator. Muse became president of Hinds on July 1, 1978 and is often called the “godfather” of Mississippi community colleges. Muse is a graduate of East Central Community College, Delta State University, and Mississippi State University. He began his career as a teacher and coach, and his tenure has run the gamut from principal to superintendent to college president. He has a combined 26 years in K-12 public education in Mississippi. He has been honored by various East Central Community College alumnus and Forest native Freddie J. Bagley joins a prestigious group of former athletes and coaches as a member of the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame. A special ceremony was scheduled for April at the Clyde Muse Center on the Rankin Campus of Hinds Community College but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bagley played football at then East Central Junior College during the 1970 and 1971 seasons, and led the Warriors to two winning seasons with a 7-3 record each year. After the 1971 season, Bagley received All-State honors and was selected as the Warriors’ most valuable player and most valuable back. He was also presented the Andrew F. Webb Memorial Football Award for his character, work ethic, and leadership on and off the field. Bagley, who also

groups throughout his career, including the inaugural Governor’s Award for Excellence in State Government awarded by Gov. Phil Bryant and the Winter-Reed Partnership Award presented by the Mississippi Association of Partners in Education. He was named Alumnus of the Year by East Central Community College, Delta State University, and the College of Education at Mississippi State University. He has been inducted into the Mississippi Coaches Hall of Fame, the East Central Community College Athletic Hall of Fame, Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame, and the Delta State University Sports Hall of Fame. He and his late wife of 58 years, Vashti Muse, have three children, eight grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren.

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ECCC alumnus Freddie Bagley joins MS Community College Sports Hall of Fame •

played baseball at East Central,

his association with the organization in 1976 as a management trainee, but it did not take long for him to climb the banking ladder. Bagley would serve as President and CEO of Community Bancshares for several years until he was promoted to Chairman of the Board for Community Bank in 2014. In 2018 Bagley was promoted from Chairman of the Board to Senior Chairman of the Board for Community Bank and Chairman of the Board for Community Bancshares. He has spent the last 44 years helping Community Bank grow from $17 million to over $3.3 billion in assets. Bagley is a purpose driven leader with a clear set of priorities – faith, family, and career. He is an active leader in his church, serves his community, and is a devoted parent.

signed to play

football at Mississippi College, before an injury ended his career. After receiving his bachelor’s degree at

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Mississippi College, Bagley was hired as a math teacher and coach at Warren Central High School in Vicksburg. The following year, he returned to his alma mater of Forest High School to fill the same position. After one year at Forest, he left education to begin a new career with Farmers and Merchants Bank in Forest. He began

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