Mississippi College Student Leader and Outstanding Professor Honored at Capitol

Mississippi College SGA President Josh Carver and MC Distinguished Professor of the Year Emily Fokeladeh honored during the 2013 Higher Education Appreciation Day at the Capitol on February 26th.

Mississippi College senior Josh Carver feels incredibly blessed to be among the Mississippians saluted at the state Capitol Tuesday.

“It’s a great honor – I’m glad to represent MC students,” Carver said as state lawmakers welcomed scores of higher education leaders at the Capitol Rotunda.

The 23-year-old Mississippi College student body president from Leland, Carver visited the capital city to be recognized at the 2013 Higher Education Appreciation Day, Working for Academic Excellence.

At the 26^th annual HEADWAE program, Carver and MC’s distinguished professor of the year, Emily Fokeladeh, received Mississippi House and state Senate accolades in the morning. They were later among the guests treated to a luncheon in downtown Jackson.

A marketing major on track to graduate from Mississippi College in December 2013, Carver has big plans ahead. A graduate of Greenville Christian School, he expects to begin work on a master’s degree in forestry wildlife management at Mississippi State University starting in January 2014.

Being recognized on February 26th by Capitol leaders such as House Speaker Philip Gunn of Clinton, and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves was quite an uplifting experience for Fokeladeh, a modern languages professor.

“It’s a very rewarding way to celebrate my 40^th year at MC,” the Clinton resident said before getting her picture snapped with Speaker Gunn in the Rotunda. “Being professor of the year is icing on the cake.”

Joining students and faculty across Mississippi for their higher education achievements puts the much-admired Mississippi College graduate in pretty good company.

The Legislature established the HEADWAE program as a way to commend outstanding students and professors every February. Its goal is to encourage excellence among those involved in higher education to boost leadership and promote good citizens with skills to thrive in today’s society.

One student and faculty honoree are selected from each of the state’s 36 public and private institutions in the Mississippi Association of Colleges.

Carver’s one-year stint as student body president at the Baptist-affiliated university has been a busy one. He’s looking forward to the opening of new student hangout space in Alumni Hall, site of the university’s former bookstore. Featuring table tennis, places to relax between classes, and sip coffee, the space should open when students return after their mid-March spring break.

A leader with the Campus Activities Board, the university’s sporting clays shooting club, and MC Scouts, Carver succeeded former Student Government Association President Taylor Stringer of Tylertown. Stringer, who is presently pursuing an MBA at Mississippi College, was recognized at last year’s HEADWAE celebration at the Capitol.