MUW announces 2004 Alumni Achievement Award recipients
 

Mississippi University for Women recently announced its 2004 Alumni Achievement Award recipients, who will be recognized at Convocation during Homecoming.
   
Dr. Raymond Edward Betcher of Amory, Jennifer Katool of Jackson, Gail Ferguson Laws of Columbus, Josephine Bennett Tierce of Indianola and Susan Rayner Puckett of Clinton will be recognized for their contributions to MUW and their communities.
   
Betcher is an obstetrician/gynecologist for the Physicians & Surgeons Clinic, where he has worked for six years. After attending Mississippi State University, he received his bachelor’s degree in nursing with a pre-medicine emphasis in 1988 from MUW. Betcher then earned his doctorate of medicine in 1993 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. He then completed his obstetrics and gynecology residency in 1998 at the Carilion Heath Systems. Betcher is currently licensed to practice medicine in Mississippi and Alabama. He holds memberships in the Mississippi State Medical Association, Northeast Mississippi Medical Society, American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists and American Medical Association. He is a fellow with the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists. Betcher serves as a MUW Foundation board member and alumni board member. He has served as a member of the MUW President’s Advisory Council for five years.  Betcher is married to Terri Moring Betcher and has two daughters.
   
Katool is the product development manager for Sanderson Farms and has served as such for 20 years. She served as chairman for the raved MUW cookbook, “Southern Grace Recipes and Remembrances from the W.” Katool graduated from MUW in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in home economics education and in 1999 she received a certificate of culinary arts. She is working on her master’s degree in institutional management at The University of Southern Mississippi. Katool was a 2003 Sanderson Farms team leader for the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk and two-year Sanderson Farms Food Division United Way co-captain.
   
Laws graduated from MUW cum laude in 1997, receiving her bachelor’s degree in marketing after putting her education on hold to raise her family. Before finishing her degree, she established a successful sales career while working for J.L. Teel Company. Laws was one of the original 15 alumni to endow the Clyda Stokes Rent Scholarship. She served as a member on the MUW Presidential Search Advisory committee, MUW Presidential Inauguration planning committee, MUW Vice President for Institutional Advancement review committee and president of the MUW Alumnae Association. Laws revived the cookbook project of “Southern Grace Recipes and Remembrances from the W” and served as an advisor and fundraiser for the project. She has served on the MUW Steering Committee of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and MUW hospitality chair for the Visiting Committee of SACS. Laws is married to Chance Laws and has five children.
   
Tierce has more than a 50-year relationship with MUW. She graduated from MUW in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in home economics. Tierce then went to the National Art School in Washington, D.C., to study interior design. For 20 years, she has served as a home economics teacher in various schools in Mississippi. She has served as president of the Sunflower County Alumnae Chapter and serves as a member of the National Alumnae Board. Tierce volunteers her time at the South Sunflower County Hospital and Foster Care Review Board. She has a granddaughter currently enrolled at MUW.
   
Puckett is a partner of Etiquette and Protocol Associates, a consulting company. She also served as membership services coordinator for the Clinton Chamber of Commerce from 1996 to 1999. She received her bachelor’s degree from MUW in history in 1975. Following graduation, Puckett landed a job working on William Winter’s first campaign for governor and then as an archivist for the Mississippi Department of Archives & History. Later, she taught history at Woodland Hills Academy. She served as co-chairman and wholesale account chairman for the MUW cookbook, “Southern Grace Recipes and Remembrances from the W.” Puckett is a Member Board of Directors of the MUW Alumnae Association and a past Annual Fund chairman . She holds various positions in the Clinton community including the Clinton Community Development Foundation Board of Directors. She is a past president of the Junior Auxiliary of Clinton and the Arts Council of Clinton. Puckett is married to Bobby Puckett and has two sons.
   
The five will be recognized during Convocation on Saturday, April 17 at 10:30 a.m. in Rent Auditorium in Whitfield Hall.  A reception will be held in their honor at 9:30 a.m. in Puckett House.
   
For more information about Homecoming, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (662) 329-7295.

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