Excellence in Education
Published 6:00 pm Tuesday, May 7, 2019
- Scitzs
East Central Community College sophomores Rebekah Scitzs of Collinsville and Marzell Triplett of Forest were named to the 2019 Phi Theta Kappa Community and Junior Colleges All-Mississippi Academic Team.
The All-Mississippi Community College Academic Team recognizes scholarly achievements and leadership accomplishments of students enrolled in the state’s two-year colleges.
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Scitzs, a nursing major, was one of 15 students named to the First Team. She received a $1,000 scholarship.
A Dean’s List scholar, she is a member of the ECCC Cheerleading Squad, vice president of research for Phi Theta Kappa honor society, and a member of Warrior Corps student recruiting group, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and EC Students for Life. Scitzs was recently selected Miss ECCC by vote of the student body.
A graduate of West Lauderdale High School, she is the daughter of Steve and Dianne Scitzs.
Triplett, a computer science major, was one of 48 students named to the Second Team.
A Dean’s List scholar, he is vice president of scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa honor society, and a member of Warrior Corps student recruiting group, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Astronomy Club, Engineering Club, and Alpha Alpha Epsilon.
Triplett is a graduate of Sebastopol Attendance Center and the son of Melvin Triplett and Rachel Clark.
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They were recently honored along with other outstanding community and junior college students from across the state during an event in Jackson.
Both honorees received medallions, certificates, and printed resolutions from the Mississippi Senate and House of Representatives.
The All-Mississippi Academic Team program is coordinated by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges and the Mississippi Community College Board.
• East Central Community College sophomore Joshua Warnsley of Decatur was recently awarded one of two STEM scholarships from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Phi Theta Kappa, a $2,250 award.
This scholarship is awarded to Phi Theta Kappa members in Mississippi who plan to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). The students were selected based on academic achievement, leadership, campus and community service, and faculty assessments. TVA will also provide mentorship opportunities for the scholars.
Warnsley is a graduate of Newton County High School and is an engineering major. A Dean’s List scholar, he serves as president of Theta Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, and president of the sophomore class.
He was selected for a National Community College Aerospace Scholarship and won MVP at the NASA internship event. He will be inducted into the ECCC Hall of Fame during the college’s annual Awards Ceremony scheduled April 25.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors, serving 9 million people in parts of seven Southeastern states.
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of community college students and helping them grow as scholars and leaders. The society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations.
STARKVILLE —Justin R. Williams, a senior electrical engineering major from Meridian, was one of six Mississippi State University students who recently received special awards for their participation in the university’s annual Maroon Edition essay contest.
Williams placed first in the competition. First-place winners read their essays at Mitchell Memorial Library during a celebratory luncheon organized by the university’s Center for Teaching and Learning.
The competition is sponsored by Maroon and Write, the university’s quality enhancement program to boost students’ writing skills. First-place winners received $500; second and third place, $300 and $100, respectively. Essay subjects come from Maroon Edition, the annual common reading program for incoming MSU freshmen. Upperclassmen and graduate students, along with faculty and staff members, also are encouraged to join in reading the selected book and participating in related activities.
MSU accounting alumnus and best-selling author John Grisham’s “Calico Joe” was both the reading selection and essay contest topic for the competition. Grisham delivered the keynote address at Mississippi State’s 2018 Fall Convocation.
Maroon and Write Co-Director Ann Spurlock, an instructor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of English, said all of this year’s winning essays will be archived and available for viewing in the MSU Libraries’ Institutional Repository.
• OXFORD – University of Mississippi senior Erin Lynann Bratu of Collinsville and junior Isaiah Andrew Edwards of Little Rock were among more than 70 University of Mississippi students to receive a 2019 Marcus Elvis Taylor Memorial Medal, the university’s highest academic award. The students were recognized during UM’s Honors Day Convocation.
Bratu is an electrical engineering major in the School of Engineering who is on track to graduate in May 2019. After graduation, Bratu plans to attend Vanderbilt University as a doctorate candidate in electrical engineering. Bratu is the daughter of Jerry and Cyndy of Collinsville.
Edwards is a bachelor of science in biology major in the College of Liberal Arts who is on track to graduate in May 2020. After graduation, Edwards plans to continue his education toward earning a doctor of medicine degree at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. Edwards is the son of Teresa Estes of Little Rock and Andy Edwards of Madison.
The Taylor Medals were established at UM in 1904 by Dr. William A. Taylor of Booneville in memory of his son, an honored 1871 alumnus of the university. The award recognizes no more than 1 percent of the student body each year.
• Anita Wansley, an interventionist at West Lauderdale Elementary, recently received a $1,000 graduate scholarship from the Mississippi Professional Educators (MPE).
A resident of Meridian, Wansley earned her bachelor of science degree from Eastern Mennonite University. A member of MPE since 2017, she is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Educational Leadership at Mississippi State University.
Founded in 1979, the Mississippi Professional Educators is Mississippi’s largest and premier organization for professional educators, serving approximately 13,500 teachers, administrators and support personnel. MPE serves members in pre-K through graduate education in both public and private institutions with the purpose of promoting better education for the children of Mississippi. MPE awards up to twenty scholarships every year in the amount of $1,000 each to MPE members who wish to pursue graduate level studies at a college or university in Mississippi.
• Numerous East Central Community College career and technical students took top honors in the Mississippi SkillsUSA state competition held recently in Jackson. Those receiving first place honors will represent Mississippi and compete at the National Skills and Leadership Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in June.
First place honorees and their respective hometowns include Miriam Sanchez of Forest, Karley Andrews of Decatur, and Klaire Shirley of Quitman, promotional bulletin board team; Ashley Clark of Philadelphia, state pin design; Jeremy Seibel of Lawrence, industrial motor control; Abbie Stewart of Louisville, action skills; Andrew Wofford of Conehatta, carpentry; James Fayette of Little Rock, cabinetmaking; Dalton Fayette of Little Rock, collision repair; and Preston Grice of Louisville, auto refinishing.
Grace Myers of Decatur also received a first-place award in restaurant service, but did not qualify for nationals.
Those receiving second place honors in state competition included Tot’Tiana Norman of Newton, Erika Harrell of Morton, Ty’keshia Fulton and Wynesha Donald, both of Forest, Iyanla Lampley of Philadelphia, and Skyler Bell of Choctaw, opening and closing team; and Spencer Swink of Forest, auto service.
Capturing third place honors were Sarah Hollingsworth of Decatur, early childhood, and Ashton Sharp of Philadelphia, job interview.
• CLINTON — Local students have been named to the President’s and Dean’s lists of Mississippi College for Fall 2018. The Mississippi College Office of Academic Affairs releases the president’s and dean’s lists after the close of fall and spring semesters each academic year.
To be eligible for the President’s List, a student must maintain a 4.0-grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average.
The following local students have been named to Mississippi College’s President’s List for Fall 2018: Joyce Butler, Vashti Graham, Joya Johnson, Julia McCarty, Cynthia Stewart, April Walters and Ava Youngblood, all of Meridian; Marisa Saunders of Lauderdale; Joy Stewart and Randel Waite, both of Collinsville; Samuel Brown of Rose Hill; Mary Case of Decatur; Muriel Collins of Union; and Christy Bryan and Emily Cloys, both of Philadelphia.
To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must maintain a 3.5-grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average.
The following local students have been named to Mississippi College’s Dean List for Fall 2018: Charles Coleman, James Gibson III, Noah Mathis, Tia Mitchell, Hannah Quigley and Andrew Taylor, all of Meridian; Adonia Ross of Toomsuba; Anna Wheat of Bailey; Elizabeth Craft of DeKalb; Kaitlyn Knuth of Collinsville; Natalie Patchin of Union; Anastasia Crout of Lake; Emily Malone, Dalton Outz and Keelea Wood, all of Macon; and Christopher King of Waynesboro.
• RAYMOND — Area students are among Hinds Community College President’s and Dean’s scholars recognized for the Fall 2018 semester.
President’s Scholars are those with a cumulative 4.0-grade point average. The following area students are among those recognized: William Brown of Meridian, Tandy Breazeale of Philadelphia, Willie Portis of Toomsuba and Tyler Graham of Waynesboro.
Deans’ Scholars are those students with a cumulative 3.5 to 3.9-grade point average. The following area students are among those recognized: Tamera Grant of Meridian, Verie Clemons of Lauderdale, Joseph Rebeles of Collinsville, Amber Boney of Quitman, Todd Williams and Hanna Wilkerson, both of Lake, and Jataquist Sherrod and Raheem Gillespie, both of Macon.