Alumni Hall of Fame

Mike Lester of Booneville was recently named the 2024 inductee in Northeast Mississippi Community College's Alumni Hall of Fame.

Lester's exceptional contributions to the college and the surrounding community have solidified his place among Northeast's most notable graduates.

A graduate of the Booneville High School class of 1978, Lester earned an associate of arts degree at Northeast in 1980. He was a member of the 1978-79 Tiger basketball team and Phi Theta Kappa. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Mississippi.

Since then, he has been a steadfast supporter of the college throughout his professional career. He was instrumental in the founding of the Northeast Sports Hall of Fame and has consistently donated to the Northeast Development Foundation for 22 years.

"Mike Lester is a shining example of the kind of alumnus we strive to produce at Northeast," said Patrick Eaton Vice President of Institutional Advancement & Executive Director of Northeast Mississippi Community College Development Foundation and Alumni Association. "His dedication to both the college and the community is truly inspiring. We are honored to recognize him with this prestigious award."

In 1988 Lester established Eastside Automotive, a wholesale automotive electronics and auto parts business. He and wife Cindy have two sons, Justin and Brent. Together, they have five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A devout member of Oak Hill Baptist Church, Lester has served as a deacon, been active in youth ministry and jail ministry, and is a dedicated member of the Gideon International ministry.

Beyond his educational, professional and spiritual pursuits, Lester is an active Northeast alumnus and a longtime promoter of all college endeavors. His induction into the Alumni Hall of Fame is a well-deserved recognition of his significant contributions to the college and the community.

Beginning with her days as a student at the Northeast Mississippi Junior College, Booneville native Barbara Shackelford has had a close association with Northeast, and as a result has been selected as the 2023 Alumni Hall of Fame inductee.

A Booneville High School graduate, Shackelford attended Northeast 1967-68 and was the editor of the student newspaper, The Beacon. 

As alumnae, Shackelford continued to serve Northeast and her path eventually brought her back to campus in 1982 as a recruiter. She was named director of Public Information by then president Harold T. White in 1987. Her title changed to Associate Vice-President of Public Information in 2000. She was a member of the President’s Cabinet and Administrative Council.

During her professional time on campus, Barbara also served as Secretary for Alumni Affairs (1991-2006), Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Adviser (2002-2011), director of the Miss NEMCC Pageant (1999-2007), and was named an honorary member of the Northeast’s Iota  Zeta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society by the student chapter.  

Shackelford was instrumental in the establishment of the NEMCC Sports Hall of Fame, the Alumni Hall of Fame, as well as endowed scholarship funds in the names of author Don Lee Keith and long-time Northeast fiscal officer and “Tigers Super Fan” Earline “Woodsie” Woods.

Following retirement in 2006, Shackelford continued to work as an alumni associate until 2011. She is a lifetime member and past president of the Northeast Mississippi Community College Alumni Association and was a member of the Alumni Relations Council from 1982-91.

Shackelford helped form the Mississippi Community College Alumni and Advancement Association over 30 years ago. This organization endorses the MS Community College Presidents’ legislative agenda and hosts a professional development conference each year.  She is currently serving as president of this association.

Barbara and husband Ken, also a Northeast alum, presented a $25,000 gift to establish the Ken & Barbara Shackelford Endowment Scholarship in 2022. The award goes each fall to a Booneville High School graduate attending Northeast (freshmen or sophomore) who is majoring in education or accounting.  The selection is based on academic achievement and financial need. 

Serving her first full term as Prentiss County District 1 Election Commissioner, Barbara  is currently the chairman of the Prentiss County Election Commission. In 2009 she was appointed as a City Municipal Election commissioner.

Shackelford’s work with various professional organizations has garnered her several recognitions. She was named the Booneville Business and Professional Women’s Club Woman of Achievement for l997-98.

In June of 1998 she was selected State Woman of Achievement by the Mississippi Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs and chosen one of 12 “Volunteers of the Year” for 1998 by the Mississippi Economic Development Council to recognize significant contributions.  

Barbara was one of eight named to Governor Ronnie Musgrove’s “Power of One” Mississippi Woman 2000,” a program that recognized women for contributions that made a difference in their respective communities. Mississippi’s Crime Stoppers Volunteer of the Year for 2017, Shackelford currently serves as an associate member of the Board of Directors of Northeast Mississippi Crime Stoppers. She is also membership and past president of the D.T. Beall Chapter 1185 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and a member and officer of the Natchez Trace Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Barbara earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism, sociology and anthropology from the University of Mississippi and completed graduate work in counseling. While at Ole Miss, she worked as assistant to the University Editor in 1971.

Barbara and Ken are active members of Booneville First Methodist Church. They have one son, Jason (Amy) of Germantown and two grandchildren, twins Houston and Sarabeth, 15.

Union County native Mike Staten, president and member of the Board of Directors of BNA Bank in New Albany is the 2022 Northeast Development Foundation Alumni Hall of
Fame inductee. 

Currently a member of the Board of Trustees at Northeast, Staten attended the Northeast Mississippi Junior College from 1972-74 and has been a great ambassador for and donor to the college ever since. He is a member of the Northeast Development Foundation Board of Directors. He has served multiple terms and was elected president for the 2005-06 academic year.

In 2009 Staten was instrumental in the creation of the Union County Tuition Guarantee program. It was the first of its kind in Northeast’s five-county
service district, which includes Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, and Union counties.

A graduate of W.P. Daniel High School (now New Albany High School), he holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree with an emphasis on banking and finance and general business from the University of Mississippi; Staten also attended commercial lending schools at LSU and Vanderbilt. He has spent his entire professional career in the banking industry. He is a member of the Mississippi Bankers Association Board of Directors and is a past president of the Mississippi Young Bankers Association.

Active in the community, Staten is a member and past chairman of the Union County Development Association Board of Directors, a member of the advisory board for the North Mississippi Medical Center of Tupelo, member and secretary of the Three Rivers Community Development Entity, treasurer and board member of Trail Life, USA - sponsored by First Baptist Church of New Albany, past member of the City of New Albany Tourism Board, past finance chairman of Union County Habitat for Humanity and past member of the Union County Leadership Academy board of directors. He is past chairman of the Magnolia Civic Center Board of Directors.

Staten is a past director of the Yocona Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and recipient of the Order of the Arrow and Silver Beaver Awards.

In 2018 Staten was the recipient of the Jack Reed, Sr. Community Leadership Award presented by the CREATE Foundation. 

As an advocate of education, Staten is a member and past chairman of the Blue Mountain College Board of Trustees and member and co-chairman of Excel by 5 Pre-K Initiative for New Albany and Union County.
He is the Union County representative to the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund Committee and past chairman of the Dean Provence Endowment for Excellence in Education,
New Albany City Schools.

Staten is a member of First Baptist Church where he serves as a deacon. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Union County Baptist Association.

Mike and his wife Angie have two sons, Matt, and Luke. Matt and his wife Ellen live in New Albany. Luke and his wife Amy reside in Houston, Texas. Both Matt and Luke are Northeast alumni. 

Malcolm White is one of Northeast’s native sons and has turned his career into promoting the hospitality and tourism industry in Mississippi throughout southeast, the nation and
the world.

White is the son of former Northeast Mississippi Junior College president Harold T. White (NEMCC Sports Hall of Fame inductee in 2008) and spent time on the 1970 and 1971 football teams under the tutelage of Northeast Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame member William “Bill” Ward.

A native of Stone County and Booneville, White holds a bachelor’s degree in social studies from the University of Mississippi in Hattiesburg and has been turning his love for history into a passion throughout his life.

White has served on various civic and professional organizations, boards and commissions throughout his working career including being the chairperson for the Mississippi Blues Commission and the Jackson Historic Preservation Commission.

However, White may be known most for his ownership and operating of a historic and iconic gathering spot in the capital city - Hal & Mal’s - which pays homage to the two founding members of the restaurant and both of Harold T. White’s son.

Throughout the years Hal & Mal’s has become a cultural melting pot for extraordinary events and festivals throughout Mississippi and the restaurant owner is credited with creating the Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade in Jackson that benefits the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and generates over $10 million in economic impact for the City of Jackson each year.

Hal & Mal’s received the 2020 Keeping The Blues Alive Award from The Blues Foundation for its work toward the Mississippi tourism industry. White has even authored a book about his family’s 36-year business enterprise entitled, The Artful Evolution of Hal & Mal’s, which takes readers through stories about the famed Jackson landmark.

In addition to The Artful Evolution of Hal & Mal’s, released in 2018, White has become an accomplished author with Little Stories: A Collection of Mississippi Photos (2015) and was featured in the 2014 edition of Mississippi Entrepreneurs. The Mississippi Humanities Council has honored White with the Preserver of Culture Award at the state level.

White’s love for hospitality was only matched by his love for tourism in the state and the Northeast son wrapped up a 12-year career with the Mississippi Arts Commission, an art-based granting and service agency, in September 2020 that saw him help bring tourism and the film industry to the Magnolia State.

White also served as the director for Visit Mississippi, the state’s tourism office, where in his capacity, he developed and implemented plans to bolster economic growth and opportunities throughout Mississippi through tourism and promoted the state’s creative economy as a travel destination and film location.

Currently, White is the co-host for the weekly radio show, Deep South Dining on Mississippi Public Broadcasting and contributes to the Mississippi Arts Hour - a project he began while with the Mississippi Arts Council. White was instrumental in starting a $25,000 scholarship endowment in the memory of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold and Jane White.

Today, White enjoys his early retirement and is focused on gardening and being a grandparent.

ZonaDale Lyons Taylor has turned a life of journalism and education into one where others will benefit from her actions.

After being named the student with the best personality in 1958-1959 at Northeast Mississippi Junior College, Taylor began a career that would see her become an industry leader throughout the southeastern United States.

Originally from New Albany, Taylor was one of the founding editorial staff members of the Southern Living and Progressive Farmer magazines, however, having a prominent spot in most Southern homes through her work, Taylor was focused on education and helping Mississippi and Southern students find their ways in life.

Taylor is a graduate of Northeast Mississippi Junior College, holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and a master’s degree from McNeese State University and finished post-graduate work at both Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi.

With a background in education, Taylor was an assistant professor at Mississippi
State University and the former head of the Department of Home Economics at
McNeese State University.

Taylor has been active in the community throughout her life which has led to prestigious honors for the New Albany native including being named amongst the Outstanding Young Women in America, the Who’s Who in American Women, the Personalities of the South and a Foremost Woman in Communications.

In addition to being elected the student with the best personality while at Northeast, Taylor was a home economics officer, a Sigma Tau Sigma officer, a Wesley Foundation officer, an SCA officer and a member of The Torch, the college’s yearbook.

Taylor has turned her educational and journalistic background into her main career and was even a manager of Consumer and Public Affairs at GlaxoSmithKline, a multi-national pharmaceutical company.

Taylor is also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and Kappa Omicron Nu along with being the Northeast Mississippi Junior College Alumna of the Year in 1980, the Mississippi State University College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumna Achievement Award recipient in 2014 and the Mississippi State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Distinguished Fellow in 2017.

Taylor has been active in many local, state and national organizations throughout her professional career such as a member of the Board of Directors for the Mississippi State University Foundation, a life member for the Mississippi 4-H Foundation Advisory Council, the past president and director of the national board for the Electrical Women’s Round Table, Inc, the past president of the American Association of University Women, the past president of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, the past president of the Southern Club of Pittsburgh, the past chairman of the National Home Economics Administrators and served on the board for the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals.

When not active in her community through work or professional organizations, Taylor is a volunteer on the Hospitably Committee at Hope Presbyterian Church, a longtime volunteer for the FedEx - St. Jude Golf Classic and has supported the efforts of students through scholarships at Northeast Mississippi Community College, Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi, the University of Memphis, McNeese State University and The Mississippi 4-H Foundation.

Taylor has always held a special place for Northeast and has donated over $100,000 to the college’s Development Foundation and Alumni Association in the way of three endowed scholarships - the ZonaDale Taylor Endowed Scholarship, the ZonaDale and Charles Taylor Endowed Scholarship and the Dr. Bonita Lyons Memorial Endowed Scholarship.

For over 70 years, Northeast Mississippi Community College alumni Sam Mosley has been gracing the hills country of Mississippi and the entire Magnolia State with his gift of blues music.

A native of the Beaver Dam community in Union county and the son of a sharecropper, Mosley’s love for music started young by listening to his father Joe Mosley play the mandolin in a string band with his brothers Bud and Theodore.

However, Sam Mosley’s music career began to blossom early when he joined with his brothers Jamie and Ralph, as they started performing as the “Starlighters,” in the 1950s and then “Jamie Mosley & the Dynamics,” later on in the decade.

Mosley has served tirelessly to the college including providing a pair of free concerts to Northeast employees, students and the community.

Mosley’s views on education were shaped earlier than that during his time at the B.F. Ford School in New Albany where he realized the value of an education and wanted to go to college to be a schoolteacher.

However, life had other plans. 

Mosley was drafted into the United States Army in 1965 and served until 1967 — which included a tour in Vietnam from 1966-1967. 

Upon his return to the states in 1967, Mosley reconnected with friend, Bob Johnson, who informed him that Northeast was re-organizing its football team after an 11-year hiatus and they were asked by legendary Northeast football coach William B. “Bill” Ward if they wanted to be on it. 

Mosley and Johnson enrolled at Northeast in 1968 and it was during that first season back, that Mosley put his mark in the Northeast football record book by becoming the first African American to catch a touchdown pass when he hauled in a touchdown pass on a play called “190 Sideline and Go,” and helped Northeast beat Southwest Mississippi 33-20 on September 7, 1968.

Mosley was the astute student and made sure that his grades were in order, even though his time was split between the classrooms, football and the blues clubs and graduated with from Northeast with an Associate of Arts degree in business data processing. Mosley’s education did not stop there and went on to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1973.

While his love for being a schoolteacher never faded, Mosley knew that he wanted to share his love of music to the masses. 

Mosley’s music career picked up when he reconnected with Johnson. After agreeing to a creative partnership, the duo tried to decide on a name for a group and went through phases of “Bobby Johnson and the Messengers,” “Sam and Bob and The Soul Men,” and even “Mojoba,” before finally settling in on “The Mosley and Johnson Band.”

While the name took a while to come up with, one thing was for certain, Mosley and Johnson’s music was in high demand in the Mississippi Hill Country and across the Magnolia State.

In 1967, Mosley and Johnson started recording at the John Mahalic studio in Tupelo but their big break came in 1968 when, while performing at a Memphis nightclub, the duo was asked for some demos and was soon on their way to recording with Hi Recording Studio in Memphis.

In 1971, Mosley and Johnson released their first album together, Mississippi Mud, under their own record label – SABO Music – as Sam and Bob and the Soulmen.

Soon after the release of Mississippi Mud, Mosley and Johnson found themselves at Malaco Records in Jackson and produced three albums for the central Mississippi label.

In addition to their own record release, Johnson and Mosley also recorded for Polydor records in the 1970s as Mojoba before finally finding their identity as The Mosley and Johnson Band.

Mosley and Johnson’s career continued to reach new heights throughout the 1980s with the release for the self-titled album “Mosley & Johnson” in 1985 and “Mosley & Johnson Premium” in 1987.

However, in 1989, Mosley and Johnson reached the international market when the pair set out on a European tour and played in such European cities as London, Paris and Switzerland. The pinnacle of the European tour for Mosley and Johnson was the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland where the duo got to perform on stage with Blues musician B.B. King.

In 2000, Mosley and Johnson were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album off of Bobby Bland’s “Memphis Monday Morning,”…only to lose out to King’s “Blues on the Bayou.”

In 2008, The Mosley Johnson Band was honored with a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in New Albany at the corner of Washington and Cleveland streets. The Mississippi Blues Trail contains 120 markers throughout the Magnolia State and outside the state with 30 of the markers contained in the Mississippi “Hills Country.”

During his performance times, Mosley has had the opportunity to play with Blues greats such as Lou Rawls, Bobby Bland, Denise LaSalle and Johnnie Taylor and had the opportunity to write for some of the best as well.

A graduate of New Albany’s B.F. Ford School in 1964, Mosley has received two gold records for songwriting and producing, one gold record from his work with Johnny Taylor and one from his work with ZZ Hill. 

After attending Northeast where he was a member of the football team (1968-1969), Lomenick graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 1972 and followed that by earning a Master of Science degree in education from MSU in 1976. 

In 1977 Lomenick graduated from the United States Army command & General Staff College.  He began a career as an agent with State Farm Insurance in 1980 and continues work with the agency today.

An active member of his community, Lomenick holds membership and has held office in a host of clubs and organizations including the Iuka Rotary Club (past president, Paul Harris Fellow), Tishomingo County Development Foundation (past chairman and Board member), Tishomingo County Soil & Water Conservation District (county commissioner/past chairman), Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts (past district Board member), Tishomingo County Forestry Association (member), Iuka Chamber of Commerce (past Board member), Northeast Mississippi Community College Alumni Association (past president/lifetime member), Northeast Mississippi Community College Development Foundation (past president and Board member), Mississippi State University Alumni Association Patron of Excellence, Bulldog Club (Super Dog), National Guard Association of Mississippi (lifetime member), National Guard
Association of the United States (lifetime member), Retired Officers Association of the United States (member), Yocona Area Boy Scout District (Board member), Tishomingo County High School Future Business Leaders of America (advisor), Mississippi State Veterans Monument Board (past member), chairman, Iuka Battlefield Commission, Inc. (Civil War Preservation), Civil War Preservation Trust (member), Post 15 American Legion-Iuka (member), and Board member for the Mississippi State Civil War Battlefield Commission, the Tishomingo County Historic Society and the Iuka Country Club.

Honors include the Federal Legion of Merit Award and the Mississippi Magnolia Cross Award, Lomenick was named the Tishomingo County Development Foundation 2012 Volunteer of the Year and selected to serve as the Grand Marshal of the City of Iuka 2016 Christmas Parade.  He was part of the 2002 Civil War Preservation Trust Organization of the Year, Iuka Battlefield
Commission and the Order of St. George-
US Amor Association in 1995.

Lomenick met his wife Judy Ross Lomenick while the two were students at Northeast.  They have
two daughters; Brandi Phillips of Guntown
and Molly Daerr of The Woodlands, Texas and six grandchildren. Brandi and her husband Jeff have four children; Ellie White, Hank White, Pate Phillips and Rhett Phillips. Molly is the mother of two children Mason and Madi.

Business man and U.S. Army veteran the late Hugh McLarty of New Albany is the newest inductee into the Northeast Mississippi Community College Alumni Hall of Fame.

Induction is set to take place at the annual Homecoming Alumni & Sports Hall of Fame ceremony Thursday, October 12 at 4 p.m..  Recognitions will also be made during pre-game activities prior to the Homecoming football game later that evening when the Tigers take on Mississippi Delta.  Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

 Established in 2013, the Alumni Hall of Fame’s purpose is to recognize the achievement of an outstanding Northeast alumnus who has excelled personally and professionally, making a continued and significant difference in their community on a local, state, national, or international level.

 To be considered for induction, a nominee must be an alumnus (any person that has a verifiable academic transcript with the college) of Northeast Mississippi Junior/Community College, distinguished in his or her profession and have demonstrated a high level of integrity in his/her personal life, as well as have gained the recognition of various other persons around.  Accomplishments to be recognized may be achieved through the nominee’s career, service, or volunteer efforts.

 Preference is given to nominees who demonstrated continuing interest in and support of Northeast through contribution of time, talent, or recourses.

The award is presented to the alumnus who has demonstrated outstanding traits of leadership and character to such an extent that it has brought great credit to the recipient and to the alma mater.

In 1953, McLarty graduated from University High School in Oxford then went on to enroll at Northeast and play football. He also served in the United States Army, rising to the rank of Sergeant, First Class. 

Upon exiting the army, McLarty finished his bachelor’s degree in business at Memphis State University and began his career at Humble Oil in Charlotte, North Carolina.  He later joined Futorian, Inc. in New Albany. 

In 1976, McLarty left Futorian Inc. to start Benchcraft, an upholstered furniture manufacturing company in Blue Mountain. In 1995, McLarty founded a second furniture company, Albany Industries, Inc. in New Albany with his wife and three sons, continuing his commitment to the area he loved. 

At age 65, McLarty retired to devote all of his time to his beloved wife of 61 years, Shelby, whom he met in 1955 while attending Northeast.  She was a student at Booneville High School and her father worked at the college.  

A truly generous, kind and humble man, McLarty touched the lives of many throughout his life and career. He was respected and admired by those who worked with him.

McLarty was an avid Tiger Softball supporter.   He passed away on December 26, 2016. 

Earline “Woodsie” Woods was well known throughout community/junior college circles across the state simply as “Woodsie.”  She attended Northeast during the 1949-50 academic year and earned an associate’s degree. A long-time employee of the college as well, she worked in the school’s business office from 1954-1994 when she retired as fiscal officer. More than that, however, “Woodsie” was a mentor and friend to countless Northeast students.  

She was an avid supporter of Northeast Tiger athletics and proudly served as “self-appointed” assistant basketball coach for several head coaches during their tenures on the sidelines of Bonner Arnold Coliseum.  She was a member of the Northeast Alumni Association and the Development Foundation.  She was inducted into the Northeast Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the inaugural class in 2008. 

At this year’s annual faculty/staff in-service, the Northeast Development Foundation announced the endowment of the Earline “Woodsie” Woods Memorial Scholarship.  Established in 2005 by long-time friends Ken and Barbara Shackelford, contributions to the scholarship fund have been made regularly to commemorate birthdays and holidays.   “Woodsie” passed away December 31, 2014.  Under her advanced direction, $188,000 of her estate went to establish a scholarship fund at her beloved Northeast. 

In August of 2015, the Northeast Mississippi Community College Board of Trustees unanimously approved naming the newly renovated hospitality suite in the Bonner Arnold Coliseum the Earline (Woodsie) Woods Hospitality Suite.

Vance Witt attended Northeast Mississippi Junior College during the 1958-59 academic year.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Mississippi in 1961.

Following a seven year career as a certified public accountant (CPA), Witt joined the staff at Bank of New Albany (BNA) in 1968.  During his 47-year career with BNA he was promoted to president, CEO and currently serves as chairman of the Board. Witt has served as president of the Mississippi Bankers Association, as well as, on numerous other committees and boards in the banking industry. He is serving as president of the Union County Heritage Museum and also as a member of the Boy Scouts of America board.

Witt has served on the Northeast Mississippi Community College Board of Trustees since 2001 and became the vice-chairman and chairman of its Buildings and Grounds committee this year.
He has also served as a member of Northeast Development Foundation Board of Directors for 13 years and was elected its president in 2007-08.

Witt is a member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church where he is chairman of the Administrative Board and a Sunday School teacher.

Vance is married to Martha “Tootsie” B. Witt.  Together they have three daughters; Angela Spencer (David), Anita Alef (Mike), and Martha Rainey (David).
They are grandparents of eight grandchildren and have one great-granddaughter.

Corinth physician Dr. William “Bill” Jackson became the latest inductee into the Northeast Mississippi Community College Alumni Hall of Fame when the college enshrined the former Tiger football player during Homecoming 2014 festivities on Saturday, September 27.

With his selection, Jackson became just the fifth member of the Alumni Hall of Fame joining Augustus “Leon” Collins, William “Billy Joe” McCoy, James Seth Pounds, Jr. and Cathy Robertson. Collins and McCoy were the first two enshrined into the Alumni Hall of Fame during the 2012 Homecoming while Pounds and Robertson joined the hall during the 2013 fall semester.

Before becoming a respected physician in the southeast, Walnut High School graduate William Jackson of Corinth began his pursuit of higher education at the Northeast Mississippi Junior College.

While at Northeast Bill was a member of the Tiger football team under Coach Bill Ward in 1968 and a freshman class favorite.

As a sophomore in ’69, Jackson was elected Student Government Association president, a class favorite, Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges, was a member of the Society of Student Scientist and Phi Theta Kappa.

Jackson graduated from Northeast with an Associate of Arts degree and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University in 1971.  He attended the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson and completed degree requirements in 1975.  Jackson worked as an intern at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis from ’75 to ’76.  He became board certified by the Fellow American Academy of Family Physicians in 1984. 

Jackson holds special certifications from the American Association of Medical Review Officers (‘92), Medical Review Officer Certification Council (‘93) and is a certified Medical Review Officer (by examination).

In 1977, Jackson was named the Northeast Mississippi Junior College Alumni of the Year and to the Outstanding Young Men of American list in 1980.  Other honors include Who’s Who in Mississippi (1990), Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow Award (2006), Rotary Club Humanitarian Award for Health Care (2006) and Arthur A. Derrick Award for Information and Quality Healthcare (2011).

James Seth “Jim” Pounds attended Northeast Mississippi Junior College on a football scholarship from 1972-74 and was elected as a freshman class favorite and to the Northeast Student Government Association (SGA) during his time in Booneville. Pounds was also selected to serve as the vice president of Phi Beta Lambda – a business organization – and later as president of the club while at Northeast. Following his time at Northeast, Pounds went on to Mississippi State University where he received a bachelor’s of science degree in banking and finance and a Juris Doctoral degree from the Mississippi School of Law in Jackson in 1981.

A native of Booneville, Pounds began his legal career in 1988 as a prosecutor in the District Attorney’s office in Corinth and also has served as the president of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association for two terms.

Pounds worked as an assistant district attorney until being elected circuit court judge in 2006. As circuit court judge, Pounds serves the counties of Prentiss, Alcorn, Tishomingo, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc and Monroe.

In April 2008, Pounds established the Drug Court for Prentiss, Alcorn, Tishomingo, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc and Monroe counties.

Pounds has strong ties to Northeast dating back to the founding days of the college where his grandfather, Seth Pounds, was instrumental in Northeast being located in Booneville and the elder pounds served on the college’s first Board of Trustees.

Northeast’s Seth Pounds Auditorium is names after Pounds’ grandfather.

Pounds has supported Northeast over the years including serving as the president of the Northeast Mississippi Community College Alumni Association and has taken the time to speak to the college’s paralegal technology class and hosted the classes in the Prentiss County Courthouse and Drug Court on numerous occasions.

Pounds is married to the former Susan Echols, who also attended Northeast and the pair’s children Seth and Kala both attended Northeast as well.

Pounds’ son Seth, an attorney, has carried on the family’s dedication to the college and is an instructor of criminal justice courses on the Northeast Booneville campus.

Cathy M. Robertson followed in her middle brother’s footsteps when she and her twin brother, Jack, came to Northeast Mississippi Junior College from 1972-74.

After graduating from Kossuth High School, the Gift native rode the school bus to Northeast Mississippi Junior College for two years before continuing her studies at Mississippi State University.

While at Northeast, Robertson was a member of the Northeast Homecoming court where her twin brother, Jack, served as her escort.

Robertson graduated in May 1976 from Mississippi State University with a degree in accounting and turned her focus toward a career in banking.

Robertson later graduated from the Mid-South School of Banking at the University of Memphis and continued her studies at the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin and at the American Bankers’ Association National School of Bank Card Management at the University of Oklahoma.

Robertson began her banking career following her graduation from Mississippi State University in May 1976 where she became the first female management trainee at the Bank of Mississippi – now BancorpSouth.

During her time at BancorpSouth, Robertson has held many positions and now leads the Enterprise Risk Management Division for the financial institution as its executive vice president and deputy chief risk officer.

Robertson also finds time to give back to the northeast Mississippi region and serves on the boards of United Way of Northeast Mississippi, the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits, the Good Samaritan Health Services Free Clinic, the CREATE Foundation, North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Healthworks, and Junior Achievement Lee County. 

Previously, Robertson has also been a member of the Community Development Foundation, Gardner Simmons Home for Girls, Rotary Club of Tupelo, and Project Hope boards along with several others.

Robertson is a graduate of Leadership Mississippi, which is sponsored by the Mississippi Economic Council and the Gift native’s honors include Woman of Distinction by the Business & Professional Women’s Club, Campaign Volunteer of the Year for United Way, J.G. Berry United Way Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, Rotarian of the Year, one of Mississippi’s 50 Leading Business Women in 2006, and a finalist for Mississippi’s Business Woman of the Year.

Robertson is married to Don Robertson, who also attended Northeast Mississippi Junior College and their son, Zachary, is currently training to a Vitreoretinal Surgeon at the University of North Carolina after obtaining his M.D. specializing in Ophthalmology.

Robertson, who helps teach pre-kindergarten class at West Main Church of Christ, also enjoys cooking, flowers and taking pictures of sunsets.