Waldrop

    Recipients of Alumni of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame honors were recently selected at East Central Community College in Decatur.

    The group will receive special recognition during Homecoming activities scheduled Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014.

    Cheryl Lynne Comans (Class of 1981) of Cleveland was chosen Alumna of the Year and Dr. Michael W. Waldrop (Class of 1968) of Clinton was selected Alumnus of the Year.

    New members of the Athletic Hall of Fame are former football standouts Richard Fulmer (Class of 1959) of Deatsville, Ala., and Troy Henderson (Class of 1954) of Raymond.

    Comans, a Decatur native, serves as Customer Service Manager for Entergy Mississippi, Inc., for the Cleveland, Greenwood, Grenada and Winona areas and previously served as manager for the Vicksburg area. She began her employment with Entergy in 1986 and has received numerous honors throughout her career.

Comans is a current member of ECCC Alumni Association Board of Directors and served as Association president in 2009-10.

    Waldrop, formerly of Morton, was a longtime educator in Senatobia prior to assuming his current position as Executive Director and Workers’ Compensation Trust Administrator for the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA). He served as Deputy Executive Director of MSBA from 2000 to 2004, before being named Executive Director.

    He served as Superintendent of the Senatobia Municipal School District from 1987 to 2000 after previous serving stints as Special Education Program Developer, Curriculum and Federal Projects Coordinator, Middle School Principal, and Assistant Superintendent. Waldrop began his career as a teacher and coach at Senatobia High School in 1971.

    Henderson, a Forest native, was a two-year letterman at ECCC and was recognized as one of the league’s outstanding defensive end and offensive halfback. He continued his athletic career as a member of the Maxwell Base Mentors while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Following his honorable discharge from the Air Force, Henderson attended Louisiana College, where he was a standout defensive end and punter on the 1960 and 1961 Wildcat squads.

He recently retired as Vice President for Physical Plant and Auxiliary Services at Hinds Community College in Raymond.

    Fulmer, a Montgomery, Ala., native, also began his post-high school career on a military team during his stint with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Since he was drafted during his senior year in high school, he qualified to play three years at East Central, first as a senior at Newton County Agricultural High School, located at that time on the EC campus, followed by two years as an ECCC student-athlete. Fulmer continued his career in semi-pro football as a member of the Montgomery Confederates of the North American Football League for two seasons.

    Fulmer is retired as a self-employed manufacturing sales representative.

    The Homecoming honorees will receive special recognition at the annual Alumni Association Awards Luncheon scheduled at 11 a.m. in Mabry Memorial Cafeteria.

    Homecoming activities begin with the annual 5K Run/Walk/One-Mile Fun Run starting at 7:30 a.m. near the Pavilion on North Campus. Registration for the annual competition begins at 7 a.m.

    Registration for alumni attending Homecoming 2014 begins at 9 a.m. at the Founders Gym breezeway. During this time, retired ECCC faculty member Ovid Vickers will sign copies of his recently published book, “The East Central I Knew.”

Refreshments will be available during registration.

    The Memorabilia Room in Burton Library and the newly renovated Cross Hall Science Building will be open for tours from 9 to 11 a.m.

    Also scheduled is the biennial Diamond Warrior Alumni Game beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex.  Player registration is set for 10 a.m. at the baseball stadium.

    Reunions are scheduled for various groups beginning at 1 p.m. at the Brackeen-Wood Physical Education Building.

    This year’s honorees include the Classes of 1957, 1958 and 1959; Class of 1964, whose members will receive Golden Anniversary Diplomas during a special ceremony; Class of 1949; the 1994 Lady Warrior Basketball Team; and members of all classes ending in “4”.

    The annual Warrior Club meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. on the deck inside Bailey Stadium.

    The Lil’ Warrior Kid Zone is once again available for youngsters. Activities are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. inside Bailey Stadium.

Homecoming activities conclude with the Warriors’ battle with Jones County Junior College. The MACJC South Division matchup kicks off at 2:30 p.m. at Bailey Stadium.

    Halftime activities include recognition of Homecoming honorees, presentation of the queen and her court and a full performance by the Wall O’ Sound Marching Band.

    For more information on Homecoming 2014, contact Dr. Stacey Hollingsworth, executive director for Foundation and Alumni Relations, at 601-635-6327 or call toll free, 877-462-3222, ext. 327. The email address is sholling@eccc.edu.