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Alumni accomplishments celebrated
A highlight of Homecoming week, the Alumni Awards luncheon on Oct. 25 honored three graduates who have excelled in their professional efforts while remaining dedicated supporters of the college. This year’s event recognized Emily Arnold ’17, M’18, recipient of the Outstanding young Alumni Award, and Rachel Samples Jones ’08 and Dr. Michael Thomas ’05, who received the Shackelford Alumni Achievement Award.
“These individuals have distinguished themselves in their fields and exemplify the spirit of our college,” said Martha Pirkle, Director of Alumni and Community Relations. “We are honored to celebrate their accomplishments.”
Emily Arnold ’17, M’18 earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from LaGrange College and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership from Arkansas State University.
Her professional teaching experience started in 2018 in Navarre, Florida, where she worked as a third and fifth grade teacher at Holley-Navarre Intermediate School. Four years later, Arnold moved to Gulf Breeze, Florida, where she taught third and fifth grade at Oriole Beach Elementary School. In January 2024, she became the dean of students at Gulf Breeze High School.
In her current position, Arnold has overseen the implemen- tation of a positive behavior incentive program that highlights positive actions by students as awarded by teachers. She also serves as a mentor to students in high-risk groups.
At LaGrange College, she participated in volleyball, softball, LIFT (Leaders Inspired For Tomorrow), Phi Mu and Presidential Ambassadors. Academic honors she received in 2017 include the Dr. Waights G. Henry Jr. Leadership Award, the Walter Malcolm Shackelford Award for Excellence in Education and the Eagle Leadership Award.
Rachel Samples Jones ’08 received a bachelor’s degree in political science from LaGrange College, a bachelor’s degree in computer networking and security from the University of Maryland Global Campus, a master’s degree in space management from International Space University and a master’s degree in intelligence studies from American Military University. She is pursuing a doctorate in aerospace sciences from the University of North Dakota.
After six years working as an intelligence specialist for the U.S. Air Force, Jones went on to work as a public affairs specialist for the Macauley-Brown Inc. 67th Cyber Wing in San Antonio, Texas, in 2018. Two years later, she started her current role as national security analyst for the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, South Carolina.
Jones’ position involves conducting research and development in the fields of cybersecurity, operational technology, cyber-physical systems and space science.
In her volunteer roles, she has served as an education ambassador for Amateur Radio on the International Space Station and worked as an analog astronaut on two separate occasions. Jones’ missions included a two-week stint at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah and a 24-hour underwater experiment at the Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida.
Dr. Michael Thomas ’05 earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from LaGrange College and a master’s degree in family financial planning and a doctorate in financial planning, housing and consumer economics from the University of Georgia, where he serves as a lecturer. Previously, Dr. Thomas worked at LaGrange College as a director of family financial planning and the director of admissions.
In addition to teaching, he has also co-created financial planning programs for youth (Money Dawgs) and adults (Discovering Money Solutions) and co-hosted a GABBY (Georgia Association of Broadcasters) award-winning podcast on NPR, “Nothing Funny About Money,” which received the best financial consumer content award through AFCPE - a national financial literacy organization.
Dr. Thomas has served as a keynote speaker, authored a book entitled “Black Financial Culture” and created resources aimed at improving financial wellness on a national level. At LaGrange College, he received the Business Department’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019.
He and his wife, Ashlee, have two children.
