RAYMOND – The Muse Center at ºù«Ӱҵ Rankin Campus will have four graduation ceremonies for spring 2018, starting Thursday, May 10 and continuing Friday, May 11 with three events in succession.
Phyllis Polk Johnson
Phyllis Polk Johnson, executive director of the Mississippi Board of Nursing, is the speaker at the first ceremony 2 p.m. May 10, for nursing and allied health graduates. Mike Morgan, president of the ºù«Ӱҵ County Board of Supervisors, will speak to the first of three groups of academic and career-technical graduates, at 8 a.m. May 11. State Sen. Josh Harkins, of Flowood, speaks to the second group, at 11 a.m. Dr. Andrea Mayfield, executive director of the Mississippi Community College Board, will speak to the third, at 3 p.m.
Tom Joyner, a nationally syndicated radio and television show host, will speak to graduates at the Utica Campus during a ceremony 2 p.m. Sunday, May 13.
Johnson oversees about 68,000 registered nurses, practical nurses and advanced practice registered nurses in her role leading the board. She has also directed the licensure, compliance and discipline for more than 5,000 advanced practice registered nurses, which includes nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Prior to her work with the board, served in various administrative and clinical roles with the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Mike Morgan
Morgan, of Clinton, has represented District 4 on the county board since 2015. Previously, he was an alderman in Clinton for eight years. During that time, the city completed several major infrastructure projects including Quisenberry Library, completion of Brighton Park, a new Parks and Recreation Department facility at Traceway Park, a visitor center at the Natchez Trace, improvements to Arrow Drive and Pinehaven Road and to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Prior to being elected a county supervisor, he was CFO and, later, president of Ridgeland-based software company Bomgar Corporation, which won numerous awards for being among the fastest-growing tech firms in the U.S. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Mississippi and an MBA from Mississippi College. He has taught finance and economics classes at the University of Southern Mississippi, Holmes Community College and Mississippi College.
Josh Harkins
Harkins has represented District 20 in the Mississippi State Senate since 2012. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1997 and is a member of the Flowood Chamber of Commerce, ACI Real Estate and Home Builders Association. He is chair of the Universities and Colleges Committee in the state Senate, as well as vice-chair of the Energy Committee.
Among other committees he sits on include Business and Financial Institutions, Finance, Highways and Transportation, Public Health and Welfare, Public Health and Welfare, Public Property, Rules and Tourism.
Dr. Andrea Mayfield
Mayfield has been executive director of MCCB since 2015. Previously, she was vice president at East Mississippi Community College, for the Scooba Campus. She had risen through the ranks there as an instructor of biological sciences, e-Learning coordinator and later e-Learning dean, dean of instruction, vice president for instruction, vice president for institutional research and effectiveness, then vice president for the Scooba Campus.
Her service as an education leader has included membership to the Board of Trustees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. She also serves on Gov. Bryant’s cabinet, the board of directors for Mississippi Public Broadcasting, State Health Insurance Board, Mississippi College Savings Board, State Workforce Investment Board, State Longitudinal Data System, Innovate Mississippi and the Education Achievement Council. She is also a member of Mississippi State’s Education Leadership Advisory Committee.
She holds a doctorate from Mississippi State University, in educational leadership with a special emphasis in the administration of higher education. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of West Alabama, where she also earned a master’s degree.
Tom Joyner
Joyner’s show is the nation’s top syndicated morning show, airing in 105 markets and reaching nearly 8 million listeners. The Utica Campus has been selected by the Tom Joyner Foundation as its June 2018 School of the Month, as part of his organization’s signature program that supports historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) through fundraising efforts, scholarships, endowments and capacity-building enhancements.