Women in Philanthropy

More than 70 years have come and gone since Colleene Bishop Thompson was a student at Mississippi State. Yet, despite the passing of time, the Randolph native still thinks fondly of the memories, education and connections she made at her alma mater. Today, at the age of 96, Thompson continues to uphold the True Maroon spirit for current and future generations at MSU.

Thompson began her college career at the former Wood Junior College in Mathiston. With plans to become a teacher, she assumed she would complete her degree at a four-year college close to her hometown. However, fate intervened when she spent her first collegiate summer semester a little farther down the road at Mississippi State.

“I went to MSU in the summer of 1944 and never looked back,” said Thompson. “I had planned to finish my education at an institution that was considered a ‘teacher college’ at the time, but I liked Mississippi State, so I decided to stay.”

During her inaugural MSU summer, Thompson was introduced to Johnny Thompson, who eventually became her husband. The pair met on a blind date, accompanied by mutual friends, and the rest was history.

The pair hit it off immediately, but like most Americans during World War II, their lives seemed to be in a constant state of change. Johnny, who had joined the Marines after high school, left to serve with the U.S. military in the Pacific. Meanwhile, as career options expanded for women in the workforce, Thompson continued her studies at MSU, but with a new direction.

“I realized if I didn’t like teaching, I’d better have another way to jump,” said Thompson, who changed her major to industrial arts education. “It was a good option because it offered a mix of courses in business and teaching, which gave me a more comprehensive education and flexible career options.”

Thompson graduated in 1948. The following year, Johnny, who had returned to campus as a veteran and joined advanced ROTC, earned an electrical engineering degree. The couple married and started a new life

HE AND MY MOTHER UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD EDUCATION, AND I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PAY FOR MY COLLEGE TUITION. TO HONOR THEIR MEMORY, I CHOSE TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS TO HELP PROVIDE SIMILAR ASSISTANCE TO OTHERS.

together, making their home in numerous places around the country and abroad in Germany as Johnny’s military career progressed. In the U.S., they lived in Mississippi, New York, Texas, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Oklahoma, where they both pursued graduate studies.

The couple eventually settled in Memphis, Tennessee, following Johnny’s retirement from the U.S. Air Force in 1974. Despite their globetrotting journeys, the couple never lost connection with their alma mater. They were loyal supporters of the university for many years and members of the MSU Alumni Association’s Traveling Bulldogs organization. Johnny also served several terms on the MSU Foundation board of directors before his passing in 2012.

In 2016, Thompson began considering ways to give back to MSU in a meaningful way. Knowing she wanted to invest in students, she created four scholarship endowments honoring the legacy of her beloved family members.

The Johnny M. Thompson Endowed Scholarship in the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering honors her late husband and benefits students who are following his footsteps and pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. Similarly, the Alfred Bishop Endowed Scholarship in the College of Business and the Oela W. “Trixie” Bishop Endowed Scholarship in the College of Education bear the names of her late parents and benefit students in the College of Business and upper-level education majors, respectively.

“My dad was a ‘jack of all trades.’ He had very little education—only what was provided in small one- and two-teacher schools—but, as an adult, he became successful enough in business that he was able to send me to school,” said Thompson. “He and my mother understood the importance of a good education, and I was fortunate that they were able to pay for my college tuition. To honor their memory, I chose to fund scholarships to help provide similar assistance to others.”

The fourth endowed scholarship, established in the College of Business, is in memory of her late father-in-law, Alfred C. Thompson. In addition to paying for Johnny’s college education, Thompson also credits her fatherin-law for encouraging Johnny to pursue his degree at Mississippi State—a point that proved to be duallyadvantageous for Thompson and her beau.

The perpetual support from Thompson’s scholarship endowments will ensure countless students with greater access to the distinctly rewarding opportunities of the MSU experience. Moreover, the awards serve as a tribute to the successful careers and encouragement of her parents and father-in-law that ultimately enabled higher education opportunities for her and Johnny. She hopes students recognize the importance and value of an MSU education and urges them to take advantage of their time on campus.

“I loved my time at Mississippi State so much I didn’t want to graduate,” laughed Thompson, whose love for MSU has only grown sweeter with time. “It is truly a ‘people’s university.’ I always felt that as a student, and I still do today.”

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