Itโs not every day that a college turns 100 years old, but for ะยฒสอ๘, 2017 is a special year commemorating 100 Years of Community Inspired Service.
ะยฒสอ๘ opened in September 1917 as an agricultural high school, becoming a junior college in the 1920s.
Beginning in January 2017, the college has been putting a Centennial spin on annual events, special alumni reunions and numerous other activities to involve the community as well as employees in a year-long celebration.
One of the highlights of the Centennial celebration, which wraps up in November 2017, is the selection of 100 People Passionate about ะยฒสอ๘. The 100 People will be honored at a special program and reception at 6:30 p.m., Aug. 10 at Cain-Cochran Hall on the Raymond Campus. The public is invited.
The project started when the extended college family and alumni were asked to nominate people who are โpassionateโ about ะยฒสอ๘. Over the course of six months, from July to December 2016, a total of 658 people were nominated, said Jackie Granberry, executive director of the ะยฒสอ๘ Foundation.
โThere is no doubt that there are hundreds of others who could have just as well been on this list,โ Granberry said. โWith the rich and distinguished history of the college over the last 100 years, we realize that there are many more โ much more than 100 โ who have a passion for ะยฒสอ๘.โ
From the 658 people nominated, a series of committees finally narrowed the nominations down to 100 people.
โThis list was not intended to be a list of notable alumni, major donors, dedicated community leaders or even outstanding employees,โ Granberry said. โThis list was to include people who were passionate about ะยฒสอ๘ โ individuals who through their actions and words have demonstrated that they felt very strongly about the college and the impact that it had on their life and the lives of others.โ
Among the 100 are a current and former governor, both of whom attended ะยฒสอ๘.
Many of the 100 People are natives of the collegeโs district of ะยฒสอ๘, Rankin, Warren, Claiborne and Copiah counties, and about half of the 100 still live in the area. About three-fourths of them were ะยฒสอ๘ employees at some point in their career, although presidents of the college were not among those considered for the list. Among employees, Lola Allen was in the first graduating class in 1923 and was then was employed at ะยฒสอ๘ for 43 years until 1966.
In a handful of cases, couples are being honored together. Family members of those who are deceased are asked to represent their loved one but all will be honored.
The 100 People Passionate about ะยฒสอ๘ are as follows:
Jerry Agent
A.A. Alexander
Lola Allen
Bobbie Anderson
Lou Anne Askew
Billie Banes
Sharp Banks
George Barnes
Anna Cowden Bee
Emma and T.T. Beemon
Charles Bell
Walter Bivins
Peggy Brent
Sue and Fred Brooks
Gov. Phillip Bryant
Bill Buckner
Tom Burnham
Robert Cannada
Emma Grace and
W.H. Cochran
Bobby Cooper
Rosia and Johnny Crisler
Lamar Currie
H.H. โShineโ Davis
Katherine and A.L. Denton
Bob Dunaway
David Durham
Beverly and Ben Fatherree
Pat Flaherty
Jane Flowers
D.G. โSonnyโ Fountain
Howell Gage
Walter Gibbes
Albert Gore
Durwood Graham
Jackie Mangum Granberry
F.M. Greaves
Anne Hardy
Jim El and Jobie Harris
Colleen Hartfield
Mike Hataway
Linden Haynes
Troy Henderson
Mildred Herrin
Dan Hogan
Warren Hood
Adam Jenkins
Roger Jones
Ted Kendall III
Dean Kirby
Ann and Bob Laster
Earl Leggett
Dean Liles
Bell Lindsey
Joe Loviza
Con Maloney
Ray Marshall
Lee Mayo
W.M. McKenzie
Cleon McKnight
Joe Moss
Bob Mullins
Vashti Muse
Mary Etta Naftel
Clifford Nelson
Carla Nicks
Bill Oakes
Donald Oakes
J.B. Patrick
Nell Ann Pickett
Polly and Mike Rabalais
Geneva and Leslie Reeves
Joe Renfroe
Irl Dean Rhodes
Troy Ricks
Virginia and Marvin Riggs
Henry Riser
Grady Sheffield
Tom Shepherd
O.H. Simmons
Jim Smith
Jimmy C. Smith
Mary Ann Sones
Lurline Stewart
Wayne Stonecypher
Dale Sullivan
Larry Swales
E.E. โTadโ Thrash
Jack Treloar
Michael Vinson
Alice and Charles Walker
Gary Walker
Renรฉ T. Warren
Walter Washington
Lynn Weathersby
Tom Weathersby
Gov. John Bell Williams
Liles Williams
R.E. โEdโ Woolley
George Wynne
David Yewell
ะยฒสอ๘ is celebrating its 100th year of Community Inspired Service in 2017. ะยฒสอ๘ opened in September 1917 first as an agricultural high school and admitted college students for the first time in 1922, with the first class graduating in 1927. In 1982 ะยฒสอ๘ Junior College and Utica Junior College merged, creating the ะยฒสอ๘ District. Today, as Mississippiโs largest community college, ะยฒสอ๘ is a comprehensive institution with six locations. ะยฒสอ๘ offers quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills. To learn more, visit or call 1.800.ะยฒสอ๘CC.