Madison Resident Calvin Thigpen Wins 2011 Delta Mu Delta Scholarship

Calvin Thigpen, Jr.

Calvin Thigpen, Jr. does a terrific job as a branch manager at Trustmark National Bank while making good grades as a Mississippi College accounting student and finding time for his young family in Madison.

With its evening classes catering to working adults, MC’s Accelerated Degree Program opened doors for the 37-year-old former Bay St. Louis resident to return to college in 2009. Now, his success story is receiving national recognition.

Delta Mu Delta, the international honor society in business, recently awarded Thigpen a $500 regional scholarship that annually goes to outstanding students in the field.

“I have definitely been humbled by the organization’s kind gesture of being selected,” Thigpen said. He noted he was selected over “many other great, deserving students throughout the nation.”

The Madison resident also credits folks at Mississippi College for making for a smooth transition after being away from school for more than a decade.

 “My experience in working towards another degree at Mississippi College has been so rewarding,” says the 1996 Mississippi Valley State University graduate. “The professors in the School of Business are wonderful and take a lot of pride in preparing us for our future endeavors. Don’t get me wrong, it has not been an easy ride. The professors demand the very best from their students.”

School of Business Dean Marcelo Eduardo and other colleagues in Self Hall are delighted to see the Mississippi College senior receive the Delta Mu Delta honor just days before the start of fall semester classes.

“We are proud to have Calvin as a student in the School of Business,” said Chad Phillips, director of student services and special projects. “He will go far in life and in business.”

A native of Joliet, Illinois, Thigpen is employed as branch manager of Trustmark’s headquarters in Jackson. A married father of two children, ages 11 and 21 months, Thigpen plans to receive his MC accounting degree in May 2012, and start preparing for the CPA exam.

His MC experience all became possible due to ADP. “The ADP program has been great for me and has met all of my expectations,” Thigpen said. It was all about flexibility that meshed with his full-time work schedule. Whether the classes were online, in the classroom or with study group formats, it was all good for the energetic Mississippian.

Other Calvin Thigpen success stories in Central Mississippi are waiting to happen. With its diverse mix of classes like mass media, finite math, business communication, introduction to the New Testament, political sociology, the principles of marketing, and a survey of British literature, the Accelerated Degree Program offers countless opportunities for working adults in metro Jackson. They take evening classes two nights per week at the main Clinton campus or at the Flowood Center in Rankin County.

The next ADP orientation/registration for new students will be at the Flowood Center and on the Clinton campus on Tuesday October 18 at 5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Flowood Center Director Sara Kimmel at 601.925.7774 or kimmel@mc.edu or reach the MC Office of Enrollment Services at 601.925.3800.