foundation news
Foundation Board Welcomes Five New Members On May 26, the incoming Foundation Board members met for an orientation on the Wesson Campus, along with the Foundation Board officers and Foundation staff.
Lauren Adkins Lauren Adkins of Magee is a 2008 graduate of Co-Lin where she was president of Phi Beta Lambda, a member of the President’s Council, and was named Business Office Technology Student of the Year. She is also a 2017 graduate of the Mississippi School of Banking. Adkins has worked at PriorityOne Bank in Magee since 2012 where she has served as vice president and loan officer. Adkins is a member of the American Banker Association where she participates in the Teach Children to Save and Banker in Every Classroom programs, and Leadership Simpson County through the Simpson County Development Foundation. She is also a member of the Magee Chamber of Commerce. She is married to Eric Adkins. Luke Horton Luke Horton of Brookhaven is 2002 graduate of East Central Community College and a 2005 graduate of Mississippi State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an emphasis in Journalism. He previously worked as publisher and editor of The Newton County Appeal and as publisher and president of Brookhaven Newsmedia. Horton currently works at Georgia-Pacific as the public affairs manager in Monticello. Horton is an active member of First Baptist Brookhaven where he is an RA leader, Sunday School teacher, and worship team member. He is a member and past president of the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Rotary Club. He and his wife Lauren have five children, Ethan, Beverly, Levi, Adah, and Noel. Pat Lowery Pat Lowery of Wesson graduated from Co-Lin in 1987 and from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1989 where he received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from Millsaps College in 2016. Since 1994, he was worked as a certified public accountant at Patrick E. Lowery and Associates, later named Lowery, Payn, and Leggett, CPA’s. Lowery has also previously served as CEO of Hurst Review Services in Brookhaven from 2011 – 2020. Lowery is a member of the Brookhaven Lions Club, where he is past president and a S. E. Moreton Award winner. He is a former member of the Brookhaven School Board and is a member of the Co-Lin Foundation The Colinian | 8
Pictured from left are new members Lauren Adkins of Magee, Pat Lowery of Wesson, Luke Horton of Brookhaven, Bruce Irvin of Wesson, and Elise Munn of Wesson.
Hall of Fame. Lowery and his wife Celeste have two children, Emily and Jack. They are members of First United Methodist Church in Brookhaven, where he has been treasurer or finance chair since 2000. Bruce Irvin Bruce Irvin of Wesson graduated from Co-Lin in 1970 with a welding vocational certificate. He also earned certification from Smith Welding Equipment School at Alcorn State University in 1978 and went on to receive his vocational certification from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1980. Irvin began working as a welding instructor at Co-Lin in 1976 and spent over 30 years teaching until he retired in 2013. Irvin also worked as a welding instructor for International Paper Company, and as a certified welder and later as assistant welding supervisor at Ingalls Ship Building. He also owned Irvin’s Auto Paint and Body from 1977-1986. Irvin has been a member of the American Welding Society since 1993 and completed the AWS Educational Program in 1998. He was a member of the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America where he also served as an advisor. He was a member of Copiah County Competitive Community Program and Copiah-Lincoln Education Association. Irvin and his wife Belinda have four children, Erric, Terrell, Brandi, and Krystle, 12 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. He is a member of Homeseeker’s Bible Church in Wesson. Elise Munn Elise Munn of Wesson graduated from Co-Lin in 1988 and from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1990. She went on to graduate from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1993. Munn is a partner at Berry & Munn, PA in Hazlehurst. She is an attorney for the Board of Supervisors and has been elected County Prosecuting Attorney since 1996 in Copiah County. Munn is a member of the Mississippi Bar, Copiah County Bar, and Mississippi Prosecutors’ Association. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Association of County Board Attorneys and on the Board of Directors for Southwest Mississippi Child Advocacy Center. Munn is a Bar Commissioner representing the 22nd Circuit Court District to the Mississippi Bar and is a trustee of Wesson Baptist Church. Munn and her husband Terry have two children, Quentin Tyler and Mary Elizabeth.
