Jane Flowers of Vicksburg, work based learning and developmental studies coordinator on the Vicksburg/Warren Campus, and Caleb Upton of Natchez, a general studies student and baseball player on the Raymond Campus, have been named Hinds CC’s honorees for the Legislature’s Feb. 18, 2014, HEADWAE (Higher Education Appreciation Day – Working for Academic Excellence) program.
Flowers began her education as a student at Hinds, studying distribution and marketing technology, in 1973. She went on to Mississippi State University to obtain her bachelor’s degree in distributive education and her Master of Education in industrial education.
She came back to her alma mater in 1975, where she began her Hinds career as a secondary cooperative distributive education instructor and coordinator, as well as a marketing and fashion merchandising instructor. During her 29 years of service to the college, Flowers has served as a tourism and hospitality instructor; developmental education instructor; career exploration instructor; public relations assistant; career center director; speech, music, art, nutrition and reading departmental chair; and her current role, work based learning and developmental education studies coordinator. She also worked as a full-time mother to her three children from 1981 to 1990. All of her Hinds positions were served on the Vicksburg/Warren Campus.
Flowers is a member of the district student services committee, district scholarship committee, adult education and community services committee, student affairs committee, and the Hinds Community College education association. She is also a member of the Mississippi and National Association of Developmental Education Teachers. Flowers has been named a Hinds Community College Hero, received the 3E Award, the college’s highest honor, and has been awarded numerous instructor of the year awards, among many other titles.
Caleb Upton is a member of the Hinds Eagles baseball team, the Honors program and the Baptist Student Union, where he is a lead team member. He has been named for the Dean’s and President’s lists and is the recipient of the G.J. Cain Memorial Foundation Scholarship.
After finishing his classes in Raymond, Upton plans to move on to a four-year university to continue his studies, with the ultimate goal of becoming a coach and mentor to young athletes.
Both Flowers and Upton will be honored at the HEADWAE luncheon in downtown Jackson on Feb. 18.