Schools Recognized for Athlete Graduation Rates

Winners of the Halbrook Awards for Academic Achievement Among Athletes and the John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook Award were announced during the Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities Annual Conference, which was held recently at Hinds Community College’s Eagle Ridge Conference Center in Raymond.

Administered cooperatively by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Community College Board, and the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the purpose of the Halbrook Awards program is to recognize colleges and universities that maintain and achieve high academic standards for student athletes, thus encouraging high graduation rates. While serving in the Mississippi Legislature, Representative David M. Halbrook Sr., along with his brothers, John Halbrook, James Halbrook, and J. A. Halbrook, endowed the Halbrook Awards.

Delta State University President William N. LaForge served as master of ceremonies at the 2013 Halbrook Awards Program.

Mississippi State University was the winner in the Public University Division for the highest percentage of female athletes graduating – with 89 percent graduating for the five-year period 2008-2009 to 2012-2013. The University of Southern Mississippi took honors for the highest percentage of male athletes graduating – with 72 percent graduating for the period.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community was the winner in the Community College Division with 98 percent of its student athletes graduating for the period.

William Carey University was named winner in the Independent College and University Division with 96 percent of its student athletes graduating for the period.

Itawamba Community College captured the John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook Award – a cash award for having the largest increase in the percentage of athletes graduating over last year.

Individual student athletes who excelled in the areas of athletics, academics, leadership, and public service were recognized.

Mississippi Public Universities

Alcorn State University

Marti Shelby Major: Business Administration

Renelle Richmond Major: Health and Physical Education

Delta State University

Tyler Aldridge Major: Exercise Science

Kendall Sizemore Major: Biology

Jackson State University

Antoine D. Guice Major: Health, Physical Education and Recreation

Christine Edwards Major: Computer Engineering

Mississippi State University

Samuel T. Frost Major: Mathematics

Chloe E. Phillips Major: Kinesiology

Mississippi Valley State University

Daniel Kibet Major: Biology

Joyce Chumo Major: Biology

University of Mississippi

Adrian Forberg Skogeng

Cornelia Tisher

University of Southern Mississippi

Brandon Francesconi Major: Business Administration

Stephanie Ledgerwood Major: Forensics

Independent Colleges & Universities

Belhaven University

Daniel Duarte Major: Business Administration

Ashley Ventura Major: Sports Medicine-Exercise Science

Blue Mountain College

Adam Hall Major: Business Administration

Anna Brooke Page Major: Elementary Education

Millsaps College

Garrett Coble Major: Economics

Alexis Guice Major: Biology & Spanish

Mississippi College

Kyle Blount Major: Exercise Science

Morgan Tynes Major: Elementary Education

Rust College

J’Hony Salvador

Nakesa Oliver Major: Biology

Tougaloo College

Marcus Brumfield

Raven Ashley

William Carey University

Kyle Curtis Major: Biology

Lauren Douglas Major: Health & Physical Education – Teacher Education

Community and Junior Colleges

Coahoma Community College

Elias Wells

Breanna Wiley

Copiah-Lincoln Community College

Jay W. Case

Kaitlin A. Moak

East Central Community College

Andrew Hannah

Alana Turner

East Mississippi Community College

Smokey Ethridge

Sarah H. Dudley

Hinds Community College

Cullen Burnett

Cassandra A. Brown

Holmes Community College

David Carter

Lauren Tharp

Itawamba Community College

Matthew T. Peugh

Ragan H. Ostrowski

Jones Junior College

Benjamin Stevens

Kimberly Murray

Meridian Community College

Edward Harrison Warren

Tara-Beth Hall

Mississippi Delta Community College

Jody Harbour

Jackie Corder

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Michael Gilbert

Julie Butler

Northeast Mississippi Community College

Kyle Gregory Stephenson

Julia Kaitlyn Garvin

Northwest Mississippi Community College

Tim Smith

Kristin Baddley

Pearl River Community College

Michael Cannon

Georgia Whitney Waits

Southwest Mississippi Community College

Kade Scivicque

Haley Roalson