Mississippi University for Women professor Dr. Kim Whitehead and student Brianna Warner were recognized at the Higher Education Appreciation Day, Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE) Feb. 2.
Whitehead is interim director of the Ina E. Gordy Honors College, associate professor of English and religious studies and director of religious studies. She also co-directs the annual International Series at The W and is 2016 conference chair of the Mississippi Philological Association. Whitehead was The W’s Faculty Member of the Year last May and is a doctoral graduate of Emory University.
Warner, a senior political science/women’s studies double major from Gulfport, was a finalist for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship last academic year. Her leadership service includes interning with NEW Leadership Mississippi, and The W’s Center for Women’s Research and Public Policy. She is president of the university’s chapter of the National Organization for Women and the MUW/Columbus chapter of American Association of University Women. Warner is active in various statewide advocacy organizations and served as a Summer Public Health Scholar at Columbia University.
One student and faculty honoree are annually selected from each of the 34 public and private member institutions of the Mississippi Association of Colleges to participate in the Appreciation Day activities.
The honorees began the day with a visit to the State Capitol where they were welcomed by Gov. Phil Bryant, recognized by the Senate and House of Representatives and given a tour of the Capitol.
HEADWAE was established by legislative resolution to honor individual academic achievement and the overall contribution of the state’s public and private institutions of higher learning.
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