OXFORD, Miss. The University of Mississippi School of
Education has named Thomas C. Meredith, commissioner of
higher education for the Board of Trustees of State
Institutions of Higher Learning, as its 2008 Alumnus of the
Year.
Thomas Burnham, dean of the UM education school, presented
Meredith with the honor Saturday during a ceremony on the
steps of Guyton Hall. The ceremony was part of School of
Education Alumni Weekend activities.
Burnham described Meredith as a colleague, leader, mentor
and boss, but praised him as much more.
“Dr. Meredith supports, encourages, motivates and is a
model for education across Mississippi,” Burnham said. “His
successes and accomplishments are tremendous.”
Meredith was nominated for the distinction by faculty
members in the education school. UM’s education faculty’s
selection as the school’s alumnus of the year reflects on
the achievements of past and current faculty members,
Burnham said.
“I can’t tell you how much this means,” Meredith said. “I
am deeply grateful and deeply honored. This touches me in
the bottom of my heart.”
A native of Owensboro, Ky., Meredith is responsible for
administering the board’s policies at the state’s eight
public universities, which enroll more than 70,000 students
and have budgets totaling more than $2.9 billion.
During his brief acceptance remarks, Meredith reflected on
how UM has affected his life.
“Coming to Ole Miss was an outstanding experience, and I
have developed a strong love affair with this place,”
Meredith said. “Not only did I receive a first-class
education, I also met my future wife here, which resulted
in our two sons. Ole Miss has helped provide me with a
lifetime of opportunities.”
Meredith received his doctoral degree from UM in 1971. He
holds a bachelor’s degree from Kentucky Wesleyan College
and a master’s degree from Western Kentucky University. He
started his career in education as a high school teacher
and later became a high school principal.
Before becoming commissioner of the IHL, Meredith served as
chancellor for the Board of Regents of the University
System of Georgia and chancellor of the University of
Alabama System. He also served as president and professor
of education at Western Kentucky University; vice
chancellor for executive affairs, adjunct professor of
higher education and executive assistant to the chancellor
at UM; and academic programs officer and associate director
for programs and planning for the Mississippi IHL.
The UM School of Education Alumni Weekend also included
presentations of faculty awards for the 2007-08 academic
year. The outstanding teacher honor went to Jerilou Moore,
assistant professor of curriculum and instruction; the
outstanding researcher award was presented to K. B. Melear,
assistant professor of leadership and counselor education;
and the grant writer of the year award went to Angela
Barlow, associate professor of curriculum and instruction.
Each recipient, all of whom were nominated by their peers,
received a $2,000 honorarium.
The event also included a pinning ceremony for teachers who
completed UM’s World Class Teacher Program, a mentoring
service to help them become national board certified. Of
the 159 teachers across Mississippi to become nationally
certified, more than half sought assistance from the WCTP.
Mississippi ranks third per capita in the nation to have
national board-certified teachers.
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