By Staff
ALMOST TIME Phyllis McDade, left, and Mario Evans help Marion Smoot get ready for graduation ceremonies Saturday at East Mississippi Community College. Photo by Paula Merritt / The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
May 12, 2002
SCOOBA A total of 242 graduates received diplomas Saturday at East Mississippi Community College's Keyes Currie Coliseum. They included students from the Scooba Campus, Columbus Air Force Base Extension and Naval Air Station Meridian Extension.
Dr. Tommy Davis, EMCC president, addressed the candidates, offering them four reminders for life to go along with their education.
Distinguished Academic
Athletic All-Americans
During commencement, four students were recognized as Distinguished Academic Athletic All-Americans, meaning they are varsity athletes with a grade point average of 3.8 or above.
Morgan McPhail, who plays varsity softball and graduated with a 3.94 GPA was recognized as a Distinguished Academic Athletic All-American, as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa All-Mississippi Academic First Team and as one of 10 Guistwhite Scholars selected nationally by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
Also recognized for the honor was varsity football player Gene Perry with a 3.84 GPA. He has signed with the University of Arkansas football program.
Kayla Murphy, a varsity softball player with a GPA of 3.80, also received the honor, as did Scotty Elliott, a varsity football player for EMCC who has transferred to Meridian Community College. Elliott's GPA is 3.98.
Academic
All-Americans
Three other students were recognized as Academic All-Americans, meaning they are varsity athletes with GPAs of 3.6-3.79.
Academic All-Americans recognized Saturday included Josh Perry, a varsity baseball player with a 3.73 GPA. Two varsity basketball players received the honor: Erica Ray, with a 3.66 GPA, and Kelly Peoples, with a 3.64 GPA.
Graduate Melanie Key was also recognized as being a member of the Phi Theta Kappa All-Mississippi Academic Second Team.
In addition to Saturday's commencement ceremonies, another 215 EMCC students from the Golden Triangle campus graduated on Friday in Mayhew.