Class
news
09 SPRING Alumnus
’96
Patrick Warren of High Point, N.C., has been appointed process, systems and performance group head, Americas Region, for CIBA Specialty Chemicals Procurement Department.
’98
Christopher West of Lucedale has been named principal at Leakesville Junior High School.
’00
Ryan Akers is a research associate and instructor in the School of Human Sciences at MSU. While a graduate student at the University of Georgia in 2008, he received the Southern Association for College Student Affairs Dissertation of the Year award. Derric Curran, a photojournalist for Fox 13 in Memphis, Tenn., has won an Emmy Award in the Light Feature category for his work on a feature story about Ray’s World Famous Barbecue in West Memphis, Ark. He and reporter Tom Dees, another MSU graduate, were the only Memphis team to win an Emmy this year at the Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards. Amanda Bryant Edwards (M.S. ’02) of Starkville is the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers’ State Discussion Meet winner for 2008. She represented the state at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Wes Slay (M.S. ’03) of Tyler, Texas, has been promoted to senior marketing specialist with Ashley Furniture Co.
’02
Nina McLain-Mills of Brandon, a teacher at Pelahatchie High School, has been named Pelahatchie’s Teacher of the Year for the 2007-08 school year. She also was named by the Hinds County
44 Alumnus Spring 2009
Birth
ANNOUNCEMENTS Chamber of Commerce as one of 12 Metro Jackson Teachers of the Year.
’05
Lauren Denham of Jackson has joined JBHM Architects as communication coordinator for the firm’s five offices in Biloxi, Columbus, Jackson, Tupelo, and Memphis, Tenn.
’06
Shannon Lacey Johnson has acquired her certified public accountant license. She is employed with Horne LLP in Hattiesburg. Callye Williams (M.B.A. ’08) is senior assistant strength and conditioning coach at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. In December 2008, she won the USA Powerlifting Virginia State Powerlifting Meet in her first-ever powerlifting competition.
’08
C.J. LeMaster has joined WTVATV in Tupelo as co-anchor of its AM Live program. La Shonda Stewart of Carbondale, Ill., was among 80 doctoral graduates recently honored at the Compact for Faculty Diversity’s 15th annual Institute on Teaching and Mentoring, held in Tampa, Fla.. The Southern Regional Education Board was among several organizations that hosted the event. Joseph Young, a graduate student in turfgrass pathology at MSU, has been awarded a $5,000 postgraduate grant by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America as a winner of the 2008 Watson Fellowship Program.
Parker Elizabeth Bolton, Aug. 23, 2008, to Dewitt Lamar Bolton III (’98) and wife Jennifer of Oxford. Nathan Michael Bongiolatti, Sept. 25, 2008, to Mick Bongiolatti (’98) and Melissa Korte Bongiolatti (’97, M.S. ’99) of Cordova, Tenn. Neal Adams Bryan, Oct. 7, 2008, to Brooke Adams Bryan (’01) and Russ Bryan (’02). Grant McKinley Graham, May 22, 2007, to Jeremiah Graham (’01) and wife Sabrina of Flowood. Gavin Fox Hampton, Jan. 5, 2009, to Danielle Louys Hampton (’96, M.B.A. ’99) and husband George of La Jolla, Calif. Isabella Soleil Hamrick, Oct. 16, 2008, to Erica Freay Hamrick (’07) and Kevin Hamrick (’06, M.A. ’07). Jacob Thomas Jenkins, Nov. 25, 2008, to Emily Fesmire Jenkins (‘’02) and Brooks D. Jenkins (’03) of Brandon. Michael Wade Kirby, Jan. 16, 2008, to Shellie Graham Kirby (’97) and husband Mike of Baton Rouge, La. William Frederick McFadden, Feb. 16, 2009, to Robert George Lofton McFadden (’04) and wife Amanda of Petal. Catherine Elizabeth Scoggins, Dec. 22, 2008, to Cooper Scoggins (’04) and Margo Jenkins Scoggins (’04) of Calera, Ala. Wyatt Randall Slay, June 24, 2008, to Wes Slay (’00, M.S. ‘03) and Lindley Sumler Slay (’01, M.S. ’02) of Tyler, Texas. Elliott Belk Tucker, Sept. 11, 2008, to Shannon Belk Tucker (’91) and Thomas C. Tucker (’92). Anna Katherine West, May 21, 2008, to Christopher West (’98) and wife Amy of Lucedale.