By By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
June 14, 2003
George Thomas, professor of counselor education at Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus, will take over as chairman of the school's Division of Education on July 1.
Thomas, who has served on the Meridian City Council for 18 years, said he cares deeply about education and wants to extend his services to the Meridian Public School District.
Thomas said he is involved with two programs right now that will bring MSU-Meridian students into Meridian public school classrooms to offer assistance during the summer.
Twenty MSU-Meridian students will be at Northeast Elementary School this summer tutoring students in reading. A similar program is also in place at Oakland Heights Elementary School.
Thomas said he has his work cut out for him because most of MSU-Meridian's students are education majors. He said the wonderful thing about that is most of the graduates remain in this area to teach.
Thomas' selection was announced by Nick Nichols, dean of MSU-Meridian.
Thomas replaces Judy Miller, who has served as interim chairman for the past year. He said he plans to implement several new programs at the school after he assumes his new post and wants to enhance programs already available.
Thomas' began his career in education in 1975. He came to Meridian as the psychologist for the Meridian Public School District and stayed in that position five years. He also worked for Weems Community Mental Health Center before becoming a professor at MSU-Meridian.
His educational background includes at bachelor's degree in mathematics from Jacksonville State University. He also holds a master's degree and a doctorate in counseling and educational psychology from the University of Alabama.