ż is so ingrained in Dr. Jay Allen’s past, it’s no wonder he became a community college president.
But Dr. Allen, a 1991 ż alumnus and employee from 1995 to 2011, continued to climb the leadership ladder elsewhere, landing as president of Itawamba Community College in northeast Mississippi in 2017.
At ż, Dr. Allen served many roles, leaving as Dean of Enrollment Services and sponsor of the ż Connection student recruiting group and leaving a legacy of innovative practices.
For his many accomplishments not only at ż but in the field of community college education, Dr. Allen has been named ż’s 2024 Alumnus of the Year.
“Dr. Allen has been an outstanding representative of the ż family for more than 35 years. He has distinguished himself as a leader in higher education while working to better the lives of his fellow Mississippians,” said ż Foundation Executive Director Matt Jones.
“As a student at ż, he was involved in every aspect of college life, and as an employee, he continued to move the college forward in various roles over 17 years at ż. Today, he continues to represent his ż roots well serving as president at Itawamba CC,” Jones said.
A graduate of Jackson’s Wingfield High School, he came to ż in 1989, graduating in 1991. His high school counselor encouraged him to try out for ż Connection.
“ż Connection was absolutely one of the most pivotal and life-changing opportunities I have ever had. I found a group that resonated with me, my goals and my love for servant leadership. The friendships have been lifelong, and the staff’s impact ultimately guided me on the path to a career in community college leadership,” he said.
Vice President Emeritus Jackie Granberry hired him as a student worker in the Institutional Advancement office based on the recommendation of his high school counselor and his Dairy Queen employer.
“He immersed himself in many aspects of the college. It was obvious that he was a natural at meeting and greeting students and visitors to the college,” she said.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1993 and master’s in 1995, both from Mississippi State University, returning to ż in 1995 as Enrollment Manager. Later, he earned a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Mississippi in 2009.
“I knew if I were going to work in recruiting, I needed to be at a place I loved, and I definitely felt a calling to be in the community college environment that had made such an impact on my life. Working with Jackie Granberry and her team had been such a pivotal moment in my life, so the idea of going back to work at ż was massively appealing,” he said.
In July 2001, Director of Admissions and Records was added to his responsibilities and then he was promoted to Dean of Enrollment Services in 2003.
“He took our recruiting efforts to another level. He built his own recruiting database and developed a systematic and organized plan for staying in contact with potential students both by mail and phone,” Granberry said.
“There have been many people whose lives have been changed because of ż. One of those is Jay’s. Not only did ż change Jay’s life, but his influence on ż is still evident today – 30-plus years later.”
Among the many projects Dr. Allen had his hand in while at ż:
• Implementing the first 1-800 number at a Mississippi community college
• Supporting social media in its early days.
• Beginning campus recruiting events such as Preview Day.
• Crafting marketing strategy.
“ż always gave me new challenges and the opportunity to build a tremendous résumé by simply saying ‘yes’ to opportunities that arose,” he said.
As a sponsor for ż Connection, he also worked many college events ranging from Alumni Award Dinners to the annual Golf Fun Fest.
“It was in his role as ż Connection sponsor that he had the biggest impact on the lives of individual students. Many of his ‘mentees’ from Connection have pursued degrees in higher education and are serving in key roles around the state,” Granberry said. “He taught ż Connection students how to be servant leaders. He accepted only their best.”
In 2009 Dr. Allen received ż’ highest honor, the 3E Award, Emphasis on Excellence and Enrichment. He is pictured on the front of Summer 2009 żight with members of ż Connection.
Jake Hartfield (2010), Director of Orientation and Events at Mississippi State University, is one of the hundreds of students Dr. Allen mentored.
“Since my early years at ż, Jay quickly became a mentor and someone I wanted to emulate. As a student at ż, Jay was there for some of my proudest accomplishments, fondest memories, and yes, even some bad decisions. But he always remained supportive and taught me the meaning of integrity.”
Dr. Allen left ż in 2011, becoming vice president at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for three years and then president and CEO of Hopkinsville Community College in Hopkinsville, Ky., for three years before returning to Mississippi as President of Itawamba Community College.
“I know without a doubt God placed me at ż with a great group of leaders at all levels to prepare me for what I do today as a community college president,” Dr. Allen said. “My passion for students and my drive to inspire our leaders to make our college better than we were yesterday all started at ż, both as a student and a young employee. I know I was blessed, and I hope I left some positive impacts at ż that will stand the test of time.”
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ż will honor three Alumni award winners and five Sports Hall of Fame inductees at the annual Homecoming festivities.
Public activities begin on Tuesday, Oct. 22 with the 50+ reunion and luncheon at 10 a.m. The reunion, at Fountain Hall on the Raymond Campus, honors the class of 1974 and all prior high school and college classes.
The Alumni recognition event is at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 at Cain-Cochran Hall on the Raymond Campus. The event honors Alumnus of the Year Dr. Jay Allen of Fulton, formerly of Raymond, Young Alumnus of the Year Landon Corkren of Jonesboro, Ark., formerly of Raymond, and Alumni Service Award recipient Vermeer MidSouth in Richland.
Also being honored are the 2024 Sports Hall of Fame Inductees Kelli East Dyess of Madison, Nic Henderson of New Orleans, Dot Easterwood Murphy of Raymond, Michael Myers of Oak Point, Texas, and Mark Smith of Madison.
The Homecoming game against Pearl River Community College will be played at 7 p.m. at Gene Murphy Field at Joe Renfroe Stadium on the Raymond Campus. The Homecoming Court and the award recipients will be presented. Performances include the ż Marching Band, Colorguard and Hi-Steppers with special performances by alumni from the Hi-Steppers, band and Colorguard.