The Hinds Community College Foundation recognized its 2014-2015 scholarship recipients, donors and honorees at a scholarship reception Oct. 4. Among those recognized was recipient Bracken Carroll of Terry, center, who received the Jerry Agent and Mary Etta Naftel Scholarship. With her are Jerry Agent of Raymond, left, and Mary Etta Naftel of Raymond, right.The Jerry Agent and Mary Etta Naftel Academic Endowed Scholarship for Hinds Community College students was established recently by the two sisters who grew up in Raymond and graduated from Hinds.
A bequest from Mrs. Charles C. (Helen H.) Jones of Raymond was used to fund the scholarship in the names of Agent and Naftel, who are her nieces.
Charles and Helen Jones had also established the Charles C. Jones Technical Scholarship. Jones worked at Hinds as a Distributing and Marketing Technology instructor from 1969 until he retired in 1990.
“My uncle Charles Jones and I both taught in the technical division and my sister Jerry Agent taught in the academic division of Hinds, all three of us on the Raymond
Campus,” said Naftel, who was chair of the Business Technology Department at Hinds.
“With these two family scholarships, we are pleased to have the opportunity to support both technical and academic students.”
“Obviously, Hinds has always been very important to our family. In addition to our teaching here, our mother also worked in the business office. Prior to that, our whole family went to school here,” Agent said.
Agent and Naftel said they hope the recipients of this scholarship will be successful in achieving their educational goals.
“We like to think that this scholarship will help other students find what we found at Hinds as students: helpful, knowledgeable, supportive faculty and staff who encouraged us to learn both in and out of the classroom,” Agent said.
Both sisters enjoyed serving Hinds as teachers and department chairpersons for more than 30 years, retiring in 2005. Both of them received recognition as Outstanding Instructor, Distinguished Instructor and Life Star recipient, 3E Award (Emphasis on Excellence and Enrichment) and Professor Emeritus. They were also honored in the state Legislature’s HEADWAE (Higher Education Appreciation Day, Working for Academic Excellence) instructor recognition program.
Jerry Peyton Agent graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, earned a master’s degree at Mississippi College and took additional coursework in education at the University of Mississippi. She served as chair of the Speech and Theatre Department at Hinds.
She was named to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, was the Phi Theta Kappa Faculty Award recipient and was the dedicatee for the Mississippi and the Arts Week.
She was a member of the Mississippi Communication Association for 33 years serving as president and executive secretary.
Dr. Mary Etta Peyton Naftel graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, earned a master’s at Mississippi College and earned a doctorate at the University of Mississippi.
Naftel was named the Mississippi Business Education Association (MBEA) Outstanding Business Educator, the Southern Business Education Association (SBEA) Postsecondary Teacher of the Year and the National Business Education Association (NBEA) Postsecondary Teacher of the Year.
She also received the SBEA Outstanding Leadership Award. She was a member of MBEA, SBEA and NBEA for 34 years serving as president of the state and regional associations and serving on the national executive board.
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The Jerry Agent and Mary Etta Naftel Academic Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to students who are full-time Hinds Community College students. To be considered, students must apply by March 1 to the Hinds Community College Foundation.
Hinds Community College Foundation Scholarships are awarded on the basis of a student’s desire for achievement, involvement in extracurricular activities, financial need, grades and letters of recommendation.
Endowed scholarships may be established with a minimum gift of $15,000 donated to the Hinds Community College Foundation. The gift will constitute the initial principal for the endowment. The principal will be maintained and only the income earned will be awarded in the form of scholarships.
Non-endowed scholarships may be established with a minimum gift of $500. All gifts of cash and/or stocks are fully tax deductible.
For more information about establishing a scholarship at Hinds Community College, contact Betty Carraway, 601.857.3800, ecarraway@hindscc.edu.
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As Mississippi’s largest community college, Hinds Community College is a comprehensive institution offering quality, affordable educational opportunities with more than 170 academic, career and technical programs. With six locations in central Mississippi, Hinds enrolled nearly 12,000 credit students in fall 2014. To learn more, visit www.hindscc.edu or call 1.800.HindsCC.