RAYMOND – Íæż½ã½ã awarded emeritus status to four retirees at spring Convocation Jan. 7, bringing the total number of those selected by the college to 40.
From left, Íæż½ã½ã Board of Trustees president Paul Breazeale, Angela Griffin, Dr. Libby Mahaffey, Dr. Shirley Hopkins-Davis, Dr. Mae Cathryn Jackson, Íæż½ã½ã President Dr. Clyde Muse, Íæż½ã½ã Foundation executive director Jackie Granberry (Íæż½ã½ã/April Garon)
Dr. Shirley Hopkins-Davis, Angela Griffin and Dr. Libby Mahaffey were awarded Dean Emeritus status. Dr. Mae Cathryne Jackson was awarded Professor Emeritus of Mathematics.
Davis, of Clinton, retired in 2014 after 43 years in education, with 32 of those at the Utica Campus. She began as a developmental English instructor and retired as dean of Instruction/Academic, Career and Technical Education. While in her administrative position, she was responsible for securing more than $38 million in Title III funds for the campus, which is designated a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). In addition, she was named a Life Star Award Recipient, received the Distinguished Non-Teaching Administrative Professional Award and was honored by the Utica Campus at its 2019 Vice President’s Gala in the Distinguished Administrator category.
Griffin, of Jackson, a 43-year educator, began at Íæż½ã½ã in 1983 serving as a business technology instructor at the Jackson Campus-Academic/Technical Center. She retired in 2017 as dean of Career and Technical Education. During her time at Íæż½ã½ã, she was named HEADWAE faculty honoree, selected to be a Lamplighter, a Íæż½ã½ã Hero, Outstanding Instructor and Distinguished Vocational Technical Instructor and, in 2017, served as a commencement speaker.
Mahaffey, of Florence, retired in 2018 after 37 years as dean of Nursing and Allied Health and director of Health Sciences. Prior to her 2019 retirement, she was named a Íæż½ã½ã Hero, presented with the 3E Award, inducted into the inaugural class and named a fellow of Academy of Associate Degree Nursing by the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing, was given the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and was named to the Mississippi Nurses’ Association Hall of Fame.
Jackson, of Newton, worked 42 years on the Utica Campus prior to her 2015 retirement. In addition to teaching mathematics, she served as curriculum chairperson, chair of the Natural Science Division, and director of the National Science Foundation HBCU Grant, which implemented the STEM undergraduate program initiative. She was named the HEADWAE faculty honoree, a Lamplighter on three different occasions and was honored at the 2019 Vice President’s Gala in the Distinguished STEM Category.
Selected by a Íæż½ã½ã committee, emeritus status is conferred on retirees who have dedicated their lives to the college. A photo recognizing their status is showcased in the Emeritus Room at Fountain Hall on the Raymond Campus.