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| Delta State President John Hilpert joins Sylvia and Bob Ferguson for a reception honoring the first graduates of the Tishomingo Master Teaching Initiative |
Twenty-eight students from Tishomingo County received the Master of Education degree in Elementary Education during fall commencement Saturday, December 12, at Delta State University.
The group is the first cohort of graduates to complete the Tishomingo Master Teaching Initiative, a partnership between the College of Education at Delta State University and the Tishomingo County School District, made possible by the Tri-State Educational Foundation. The Foundation is chaired by DSU alumnus, Dr. Bob Ferguson of Iuka. Dr. Ferguson and his wife Sylvia, also a Tri-State board member and DSU alumnus, are longtime educators whose philanthropy in education post retirement spans K-12 through college programs. This recent Initiative is their response to a need in the Tishomingo School District for providing advanced study for teachers.
“Bob and Sylvia Ferguson received undergraduate education degrees from Delta State and are career educators who, in retirement, remain committed to improving education in our state,” said Dr. Leslie Griffin, Dean of the College of Education. “Their hearts are in providing opportunities for individuals who might otherwise not have the means to advance their education. They genuinely care about students, and follow their progress, making every effort to remove obstacles that might prevent them from finishing their education. Their desire to provide teachers in Tishomingo County with the opportunity to advance their professional education is characteristic of their disposition towards improving educational opportunities for this state’s citizens at every level. Their hope is that providing these teachers with advanced training will, in turn, impact the education of thousands of our P-12 school students.”
The Tishomingo Master Teacher Initiative provided a seamless model for candidates to complete the 30-hour program while providing support to one another through the cohort model. The candidates took the same classes at the same time, meeting rigorous program requirements along the way. Their support for one another contributed to the low attrition rate in the program. Of 29 initial enrollees, 28 graduated together.
“My most lasting impressions of the Tishomingo cohort members will be their sense of excitement at the opportunity provided for them by the Tri-State Educational Foundation and their desire to support each other,” said Dr. Jenetta Waddell, Chair of the Division of Teacher Education at Delta State. “All members were fully engaged in learning and applying new knowledge and skills. All members collaborated with their peers to help each one of them succeed.”
The group was recognized at a reception in Kent Wyatt Hall following Saturday’s commencement. Delta State President Dr. John M. Hilpert applauded the group’s effort. “I know receiving your degrees means a lot to each one of you,” said Hilpert. “It’s important for all of us to recognize that this will also mean a great deal to the students of Tishomingo County.”
Tishomingo residents receiving their degrees were: Tammy Davis, Elizabeth Kristin Deaton, Kendra Deaton, Donna Durham, Tracy Eubanks, Amy Glover, Candace Harris, Rebecca Harrison, Amy Hogue, Brenda Horn, Leahne Hubbard, Judy Humphries, Stephanie Humphries, Robin Johnson, Amy Jones, Lindsey Lowrey, Lorie McCalmon, Karen McDuffy, Debra Palmer, Kacey Phifer, Christina Randolph, Penny Raper, Dwan Robinson, Michelle Rushing, Misty Thompson, Jessica Trickey, Alisha Whitaker, Anna White.
