Derrick Echoles Named Assistant Director of Career Services at Mississippi College
An experienced higher education professional with a heart for students, Derrick Echoles is the new assistant director of Career Services at Mississippi College.
Going to work in May on the Clinton campus, Echoles joined the MC family after six years in student services positions at Ole Miss, the University of Arkansas and Southern Illinois University.
The Indianola native is expected to receive his doctorate in educational administration at the University of Southern Illinois by December 2015.
Director of Career Services Jennifer McGill believes he will be a strong contributor to her team in Nelson Hall.
“We are blessed to have found a candidate who is well educated, experienced and truly has a passion for higher education and students,” McGill said. “Derrick is going to bring a new level of professionalism and genuine care for our students.”
The position attracted the Mississippian for several reasons. “First, MC’s rich tradition of educating students through a Christ-centered education that enables them to lead productive lives by serving others,” he said.
The post on the Clinton campus, he said, “fosters opportunities for me to give back to students educated in our great state and serve as a change agent in their lives.”
In addition, the job puts him closer to his family in Mississippi after being away for four years. “I truly believe God led me to MC.”
Whether it is helping college students improve their interviewing skills, reaching out to metro Jackson employers or stepping up Career Services partnerships with faculty, Echoles will bring his “A” game to the table.
The Jackson resident was active at Ole Miss as president of the Student Social Work Organization. He also served on the School of Applied Sciences Presidents’ Council. He’s a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and recently served as its collegiate advisor at the University of Arkansas. Echoles worked at Southern Illinois University campus in Carbondale as a graduate career advisor.
Growing up in Indianola, the birthplace of blues legend B.B. King, the Gentry High School graduate earned a paycheck at an early age.
Derrick was just nine years old when his father died in a truck accident in Memphis, Tennessee. He began working at age 16 to support his mother, and his work ethic remains strong today.
“My late grandmother instilled in all her grandchildren that we should work for the things we want and always be willing to help others along our life’s journey.”
At Ole Miss, Echoles received his bachelor’s degree in social work in August 2008, and a master’s in higher education/student personnel in May 2010 and served as an instructor on the Oxford campus. He’s a member of the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals.
To welcome Echoles aboard at MC, contact him at drecholes@mc.edu or call 601-925-7780.
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