The Co-Lin Foundation inducted nine new members into its Hall of Fame at a banquet held March 20 at the Thames Center on the college's Wesson Campus. Those inducted were Mr. and Mrs. Randall Ainsworth of Magee, Bob and Julia Arnold of Wesson, Mr. and Mrs. Terry Munn of Wesson, Dr. William Smith of Brandon, Keith Thomas of The Woodlands, Texas, and the Mississippi Department of Archives & History. Nine Hall of Fame members were also recognized for reaching new giving levels. Peoples Bank of Magee and Puckett Machinery were elevated to Visionary. Dr. Dennis Granberry of Hattiesburg, the Nathan Steele Foundation and PriorityOne Bank of Magee were elevated to Ambassador. Dr. Billy Thames of Madison, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Wojcik of Brookhaven, and the Silver Cross Foundation were elevated to Benefactor.
Mr. and Mrs. Randall Ainsworth
Mr. and Mrs. Randall Ainsworth were honored for their contributions to the Willie and Rice Ainsworth Memorial Scholarship. Both 1977 Co-Lin graduates, Randy studied electronics technology, and Janice studied liberal arts. Both completed their studies at the University of Southern Mississippi. After 36 years in telecommunications and engineering, Randy retired. Janice worked in business before earning a master's degree in teaching from the Mississippi University for Women. She went on to enjoy a second career in elementary education. They now reside on the Ainsworth family farm in Magee, where they are members of Goodwater Baptist Church. They have two children: a daughter, Rachel of Magee, and a late son, Adam.
Bob & Julia Arnold
Bob & Julia Arnold were honored for their contributions to the Robert & Julia Arnold Journalism & Communications Studies Scholarship. A graduate of the West Virginia University School of Journalism, Bob started his work in communications as the national and international editor of the Morgantown Dominion News, and then spent 40 years in New York City, where he served as editor of Marketing Times, a business journal published by Sales and Marketing Executives International. He also managed communications programs for many organizations as a public relations practitioner and developed training programs for religious community disaster response ministries at Church World Service.
Bob is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America. He has a master's degree in social research from the New School and a PhD in disaster management from St. Regis University. Julia attended New York University and graduated from City University of New York. She worked for 40 years in accounting and office management positions in New York City, beginning with Newsweek and then varied public relations and advertising agencies. The Arnolds retired to Wesson in 2013, where they live on a 30-acre non-working farm. Bob currently is the editor of the Wesson News.
Mr. & Mrs. Terry Munn
Mr. and Mrs. Terry Munn were honored for their contributions to the Back the Pack Capital Campaign. Terry is a graduate of the commercial truck driving program at Co-Lin and has been the instructor of the program for 22 years. Prior to teaching, he had a driving career and also operated a farm. At Co-Lin, he has received the High Performance and Outstanding Faculty & Staff awards. He has also received the Educator of the Year award from the Wesson Chamber of Commerce and was named Wesson Volunteer of the Year for his contributions to youth sports. He has been on the Copiah County School Board for 12 years and has served as its president for the last 11 years. He is a third-party tester for commercial driver's licenses for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
Elise B. Munn is a partner at Berry & Munn, P.A. in Hazlehurst. She is a graduate of Co-Lin (88), the University of Southern Mississippi (90), and the University of Mississippi School of Law (93). In addition to her private practice, she is the county prosecutor and the attorney for the Board of Supervisors in Copiah County. She is a member of the Mississippi Prosecutors' Association and the Mississippi Association of County Board Attorneys, of which she has served as its president and is currently on the Board of Trustees. She has also served on the board of directors of the Southwest Mississippi Child Advocacy Center and is the vice president of the Co-Lin Foundation's Board of Directors. She is also a commissioner of the Mississippi Bar.
The Munns have been married since 1993. They have two children: Quentin Munn ('15) and Mary Beth Munn Smith ('19). They are expecting their first grandchild this year.
Dr. William Smith
Dr. William Smith was honored for his contributions to the Noah "Cap" Wallace Scholarship. Smith, a Wesson native, attended both Co-Lin High School and the College, where he was named to the Co-Lin Hall of Fame in 1974.
He attended Millsaps College and graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1979. He had a brief stint in private practice in Texas but returned to Mississippi to join the internal medicine staff at the Jackson Veterans Administration Medical Center in 1983 where he was awarded the title of Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He was also promoted to assistant professor of medicine at UMMC and went on to practice Nephrology at Central Nephrology Clinic serving St. Dominic Memorial Hospital until his retirement in 2016.
Smith is married to Camille Brock Nelson and is the father of four children: Mark, Desiree, Diana and Mary-Emma. He also has three stepchildren: Benjamin, AnnaLyn and Leslie, and 11 grandchildren.
Keith Thomas
Keith Thomas was honored for his contributions to the Carolyn Collums Thomas Scholarship, established in memory of his wife. Carolyn grew up in Brookhaven, where she graduated from Brookhaven High School and the University of Mississippi. She also earned an MBA from Louisiana State University Shreveport. She worked for Pennzoil in research and development and later as a project manager.
Keith was raised in Tishomingo, Oklahoma where he attended Tishomingo schools and obtained an associate of science degree at Murray State College. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He spent most of his career with Pennzoil in research and development, refinery economics, and planning. Keith and Carolyn were married for 47 years until she passed away in 2023.
Mississippi Department of Archives & History
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History was honored for its contributions to the Natchez Literary & Cinema Celebration.
Founded in 1902, MDAH is the second-oldest state department of archives and history in the United States. The department collects, preserves, and provides access to the archival resources of the state and oversees statewide programs for historic preservation, state and local government records management, and publications.
MDAH oversees the Museum of Mississippi History, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Eudora Welty House & Garden, Manship House Museum, Old Capitol Museum, and the historic section of the Mississippi Governor's Mansion in Jackson; the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians in Natchez; Historic Jefferson College in Washington, and Winterville Mounds in Greenville. The department also supports projects throughout that state that help preserve Mississippi's diverse historic resources and share them with people around the world.
The Co-Lin Foundation Hall of Fame includes individuals and businesses who have donated more than $10,000 to the efforts of the Foundation. The level of Visionary is bestowed on donors who have donated more than $25,0000, Ambassador is awarded to those who have donated more than $50,000, and Benefactor is bestowed on those who have donated more than $100,000. Contributions can be made to the Co-Lin Foundation at P.O. Box 649, Wesson, MS 39191, by calling (601) 643-8313, or online at www.colin.edu/alumni-foundation.
Comments