MC confers emeritus status upon five distinguished former faculty during Convocation
Five of Mississippi Christian University’s (MC's) most accomplished former faculty members received emeritus status from the institution during the 2026 Faculty and Staff Convocation on Monday, Aug. 10.
Stephanie Busbea, MC interim provost, introduced the recipients while MC President Blake Thompson presented each with a plaque to mark their accomplishment.
Emeritus status is bestowed upon retired Mississippi Christian University faculty or staff members who have made significant contributions to the University. It is given in recognition of a long and distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, research, and service.
Emerita or emeritus status was conferred on the following:
Dr. Thomas W. Bennet, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science
For 30 years, Tom Bennet applied his knowledge and expertise towards teaching a wide variety of courses to both undergraduate and graduate students in MC’s computer science programs. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland.
Outside of the classroom, Bennet provided academic and career advising and was instrumental in ensuring that MC’s instructional computation resources remained up-to-date and accessible to students.
His students have said that Bennet “has guided me in the direction of improvement and understanding far more than any instructors I have had. Truly a challenging professor and an amazing person,” and “Being in any class with Dr. Bennet means that there will be tons of information to learn and discover. It is always a great time when I get to his class.”
“Without a doubt, Dr. Bennet has had a meaningful impact on the students that he has taught over his career, and I am deeply appreciative of his service to them as well as to our department, University, community and faith,” said Chris Maggio, MC chair of the Department of Engineering and Physics.
Dr. Cliff Fortenberry, Professor Emeritus of Communication
Cliff Fortenberry joined the Mississippi Christian University faculty in June 1986 and made a steady rise to the position of full professor. After the retirement of Dr. Bully Lytal, he was named chair of the department, a role he held for more than 20 years.
Fortenberry earned his B.S. in broadcast media and his M.S. in media production at Mississippi College, and obtained his Ph.D. in interpersonal communication from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Fortenberry taught numerous undergraduate and graduate classes, including the significant freshman research and internship courses along with several foundational graduate courses.
“For 40 years Cliff Fortenberry has made a lasting impact in the lives of his students,” said Reid Vance, professor and chair of the Department of Communication at MC. “He has set a standard of excellence in teaching for all communication faculty.”
In addition to his teaching, Fortenberry served on and chaired numerous university committees, including the Core Curriculum Studies Committee, Publications Council and the Faculty Senate, and was a driving force behind the creation of the university mace, which serves as a symbol of leadership used at commencement and other important university events. He was a Professor of the Year in the College of Christian Studies and the Arts, and In 2021, the MC Department of Communication renamed its Distinguished Alumnus Award in Fortenberry’s honor.
Shirley Kennedy, Clinical Professor Emerita of Law
A graduate of the MC School of Law with Special Distinction, Kennedy served as an associate attorney at the Brunini law firm before returning to the University as an adjunct faculty member. She went on to become a full-time faculty member and director of the school’s Child Advocacy program. She also obtained her B.F.A. with High Honors from the University of Texas at Austin.
Kennedy developed the first in-house clinic at MC Law, co-developed the Youth Court Clinic, launched the Adoption Legal Clinic and created the Child Advocacy Clinic, each of which represents a curriculum innovation and a living service to Mississippi’s most vulnerable population.
She has continuously expanded and deepened her pedagogical contributions, supervised special projects and writing requirements and ensured that students received the individual guidance they need to grow as legal thinkers and writers. As faculty advisor for the Family Law Society and the Certificate Program in Family and Juvenile Law, she shaped the co-curricular and professional development experiences of countless students who are passionate about this area of law.
“Professor Kennedy has been, in every sense of the phrase, a distinguished professor at MC Law,” said John Anderson, dean and Henry Vaughan Watkins and Selby Watkins McRae Professor of Law. “She is a dedicated educator, a skilled clinician, a tireless advocate for children and a servant-leader whose impact on this institution and the broader Mississippi legal community spans more than two decades.”
Kennedy holds a Mississippi Supreme Court judicial appointment to the Commission on Children’s Justice and has served on the Advisory Board of Mission First legal Aid Clinic, on the State Review Board for the Mississippi Department of Human Services, and on numerous law school committees. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the MC Law Alumni Association – one of only three MC Law alums to receive this distinction.
Dr. Carol Lee, Professor Emerita of Kinesiology
For more than 30 years, Carol Lee served Mississippi Christian University, first in the former Department of Home Economics, and later in the Department of Kinesiology. A graduate of the University of Mississippi, she obtained her M.Ed. from Ole Miss and her Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi.
“Her dedication to the mission and ideals of Mississippi Christian University is deep and unwavering,” said Christopher Washam, MC professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology. “She has been a blessing to hundreds of students who have come through these programs, and to many more in other programs as well.”
Dr. Merle Ziegler, Professor Emeritus of Communication
A veteran of teaching in Christian higher education, Merle Ziegler joined the MC faculty in 1994 and oversaw the vitally important interpersonal and public communication program, which regularly graduated students into fields as diverse as law, ministry and teaching. A graduate of Cedarville University, he obtained his M.A. in communication and his Ph.D. in organizational communication from Bowling Green State University.
“He was known as a thoughtful and challenging professor in both undergraduate and graduate courses,” Vance said, “and encouraged his students to reach for a level of academic excellence beyond their expectations.”
Ziegler coached the MC Speech and Debate Team, a group of students who won numerous awards while competing annually in tournaments across the Southeast, and directed MC’s Speech and Debate Tournament, which became known as a premier stop on the collegiate speech and debate circuit.
He was instrumental in the formation of the MC men’s soccer program, leading the Choctaws from club to varsity status within a decade. He also served at various times as president and executive director of the Mississippi Communication Association, a scholarly organization which promotes the study, criticism, research, teaching and appreciation of the principles of communication.
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