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MC Luncheon Welcomes Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant


Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant
Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant will be the featured speaker at his alma mater Tuesday, June 9 when he addresses a class of Mississippi College graduate students in the field of education.

A former state auditor, Bryant is a University of Southern Mississippi alumnus who holds a master's degree in political science from MC. The Rankin County resident speaks at MC's Educational Leadership Summer Luncheon. A Republican, Bryant also served in the Mississippi House. The late Gov. Kirk Fordice named him state auditor in November 1996 to fill an unexpired term. Bryant was elected to full terms as state auditor in 1999 and 2003 before winning election as lieutenant governor in 2007.

The Mississippi College event is at the Board Meeting Room in Anderson Hall in the B.C. Rogers Student Center. It begins at 11:30 a.m.

About 70 people, including MC faculty and staff are expected to attend. Joining the luncheon will be 21 students in the educational leadership masters program who graduate in August plus 15 others beginning the graduate program. All of the MC students are either aspiring or entry level administrators with at least three years teaching experience.

The students are employed in districts including Jackson, Clinton, Pearl, Rankin, Claiborne, Copiah, Smith, Simpson, and Yazoo counties, Hazlehurst, Yazoo City and Rolling Fork public schools.

To sum up the program's mission at MC in one sentence: "Our mission is to produce the best prepared educational leaders in the history of Mississippi."

Doris Smith, who heads the teacher education and leadership program at MC and is a former Winona public schools superintendent, will be among those on hand to welcome Bryant and salute the graduate students. Second District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson was the guest speaker at the luncheon last summer on the Clinton campus.