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Mississippi College Welcomes New Faculty And Staff


Glenn Antizzo

Glenn Antizzo's academic expertise includes U.S. foreign policy, but the government professor is also widely known around the South as a big-time sports fan.

The author of three books and NCAA athletic representative at Nicholls State University since 2002, Antizzo is leaving the Southland Conference school in Louisiana to become a professor at Mississippi College.

On the Thibodaux campus every spring, Antizzo grabs a microphone and regularly sings "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Nicholls State baseball games. Lately, he's been pumped about the new direction his teaching career is taking at Baptist-affiliated MC.

"As a committed Christian I had always wanted to work in an environment where my faith would not just be tolerated, but would be shared with others within the context of courses I offered," Antizzo said. He said he was also impressed by MC's high annual rankings in "U.S. News & World Report" and "Forbes" magazine. Plus, he noted that friends attending Mississippi College "had nothing but praise for the college."

Joining other MC newcomers Antizzo goes to work August 17 as a political science professor and pre-law adviser on the Clinton campus.

A Port Jefferson, N.Y. native, Antizzo received his bachelor's degree at Cornell in 1985, his master's at the University of Georgia, and doctorate in political science from Louisiana State University in 1995.

Nicholls State colleagues say the award-winning professor will be missed at the school he's worked the past 14 years.

Antizzo is "well-loved by his students - he will order pizza for review sessions," said Stephen Michot, former head of the Department of History and Social Sciences at Nicholls. A specialist when it comes to America's use of military force in Iraq and other nations, Antizzo is "very enthusiastic about teaching," Michot added.

Tricia Nelson-Easley, who chairs MC's History and Political Science Department, is delighted to welcome the New York native aboard. "We're lucky to have him joining us."

A longtime booster of the Nicholls State Colonels, he's already purchased his first MC Choctaws T-shirt.

Others with new roles in the Mississippi College family include David Nichols, who went to work as the university's sports information director June 1. Nichols earned his bachelor's degree in marketing at MC in 2006 and his M.B.A. here in 2008. The Clinton resident served as assistant sports information director the past two years.

"I'm excited about taking on the challenge of promoting the tradition of athletics excellence at Mississippi College," Nichols said. "I have learned a lot under the instruction of (director) Chris Brooks and look forward to providing the information that Choctaws fans have come to expect."

Other new faculty members include Sara Kimmel, a business professor who will serve as executive director of MC's new Flowood Center. The Belhaven College graduate will teach classes at the Rankin County center that will initially offer Accelerated Degree Program courses beginning in late August.

Dr. Karen Verell is the director of admissions at MC's new Physician Assistant program. She's a pediatrician. Becky Loveless is serving as director of pre-clinical education with the PA program. Loveless worked as a physician assistant at a Southaven hospital emergency room.

Elsewhere, the MC School of Law in downtown Jackson will have three new professors - John P. Anderson, Jamila Jefferson-Jones and Cynthia Nicolletti - when classes resume in August.

An assistant professor of law at MC and University of Virginia law graduate, Anderson was senior associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP in Washington. Jefferson-Jones is a Harvard Law School graduate and former visiting assistant professor of law at the University of Denver. She will be a visiting professor of law at MC. A Harvard law graduate, Nicoletti will serve as an assistant professor of law. She was an instructor at the University of Virginia. 

The MC School of Nursing hired professor Allison Hayes. The Canton native was recently named the Nurse Educator of the Year at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She's a Mississippi College nursing graduate and holds a master's degree from UMC.

Among other changes at the Christian university, professor Cindy Melton became chair of the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership June 1. She succeeded Tom Williams, who assumes a new role as coordinator of graduate programs for the Teacher Education and Leadership Department Aug. 1.

MC professor Burn Page, a former pastor at First Baptist Church Baton Rouge, is the new interim chairman of the Christian Studies and Philosophy Department. He succeeded Wayne VanHorn, who will continue to serve as dean of the MC School of Christian Studies and the Arts and teach classes on the Clinton campus.