Members of the Yurkow and Quon families along with Delta State’s Interim President Dr. E.E. Caston unveil the plaque that is dedicated to the John Yurkow Jr. and John P. Quon Accountancy Program. Photo by Campbell Saia.CLEVELAND, Miss. – John Yurkow Jr. and John P. Quon taught, advised, mentored and guided Delta State University students for a combined 63 years. Their dedication was honored as DSU named the accountancy program as the John Yurkow, Jr. and John P. Quon Accountancy Program.
Dr. Billy Moore, a former student of Quon and Dean of the College of Business and Aviation, expressed the school’s appreciation and celebration of the teaching duo.
“We are grateful for the impact that they had on the lives of our students,” he said. “Today is an important milestone in our accountancy program. In honoring these two individuals, we affirm our commitment to preparing students who are likewise committed to becoming accounting professionals.”
Both Yurkow and Quon achieved DSU’s highest teaching honor — the S.E. Kossman Outstanding Teaching Award.
“One Chinese proverb says, ‘we are able to sit in the shade of trees planted by individuals a long time ago,’” said Moore. “What a privilege it is for us in naming our program and ensuring that future generations will always remember and know the names of Mr. John Yurkow, Jr. and Mr. John Quon.”
DSU Interim President Dr. E.E. Caston said, “These are very special people who touched many lives. That’s who these two men were and are. Still touching lives.”
A plaque will be displayed on the third floor of the accounting building. The inscription reads, “Dedicated November 2022 in memory of John Yurkow, Jr. and John P. Quon for contributions, mentoring and continuous support for Delta State students preparing to enter the field of accounting.”
Greg Yurkow represented the Yurkow family and expressed their gratitude.
“We are honoring their dedication to the school, the students and their careers. This is not something readily seen. They followed up with their students and knew who they were and where they were and helped them get jobs,” he said. “This is a big day for so many former Yurkow students. Yurkow students left Delta State, but Yurkow never left us.”
Trey Quon, the oldest son of John P. Quon said, “I’ve run into people who had my father as a teacher. Inevitably, these people would say ‘what a great influence John Quon was on my life, not just in accounting but how he led me and pushed me in directions I didn’t know I could go.’ He looked at my brother and me and expected the best or expected excellence and pushed us to do our best. And for Delta State administration, staff and students, they were family – like my brother and me. He wanted the best for this department, for this student body and everybody to do their best and blaze a trail for Delta State and this accounting program. This was home for him. And this was family. It’s really an honor for us to be recognized as one whole family; this is a great achievement for the accounting department at Delta State.”
Delta State Provost Andy Novobilski closed the ceremony.
“We name things to signify meaning. Not only did Mr. Quon and Mr. Yurkow teach and mentor students, but as senior faculty that provided for us an example so we can plant those trees that Dean Moore referenced earlier.”
