FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2005
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124

Yates, Summer to be awarded MUW honorary doctorates

COLUMBUS, Miss. -- Mississippi University for Women will award honorary doctorates to alumnae Nancy Fancher Yates of Philadelphia and Eugenia Summer of Columbus at its commencement exercises on Saturday, May 14.

The honorary doctorate is the university’s highest honor. Each of the eight public universities in Mississippi are allowed to award two honorary doctorates a year, and the selections must be approved by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

“Nancy Yates and Eugenia Summer are excellent role models. They epitomize MUW in the way that they have lived their lives, in the way that they have served others and in the way that they have advanced higher education,” said MUW President Claudia A. Limbert. “Both women are remarkable in every way, and providing remarkable graduates is what MUW does best.”

Yates graduated from MUW in 1963 with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education. She taught for many years in the Pensacola, Fla., school system, the U.S. Army Schools in Germany and in the Philadelphia/Neshoba County schools.

She has been and continues to be active in her community. She has served as president of the Philadelphia Public School Board of Trustees, president of the Philadelphia-Neshoba County United Way, vice-president of the Philadelphia-Neshoba County Arts Council and on the Board of Directors of the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art. She presently serves as a member of the Philadelphia Rotary Club, a member of the MUW Foundation Board of Directors and a member of the Mississippi International Ballet Competition Board of Directors. Yates also is heavily involved in activities of the First United Methodist Church of Philadelphia where she has served in many roles including administrative board member, trustee and president of the United Methodist Women.

Yates is married to Bill Yates, president of The Yates Companies, Inc. They recently celebrated their 39th anniversary. Their son, William G. Yates III and daughter-in-law Tara have two children, Abby and Gully, and reside in Biloxi. Their daughter, Carolyn Y. Voyles, and son-in-law, Jason Voyles, reside in Jackson.

Summer graduated from Mississippi State College for Women (now MUW) in 1945 with a major in history and a minor in art. She later received a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York with an emphasis on painting. She also studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the California College of Arts and Crafts, Seattle University and at the Penland School of Arts.

She began her teaching career at MUW in 1949. When MUW created new divisions in 1982, she was chosen to head the Division of Fine and Performing Arts. Under her direction, the visual art degrees became nationally accredited. Upon retirement, she was awarded the rank of emerita professor.

In 2002, MUW named its art gallery in the Fine Arts Building in Summer’s honor. She was awarded the MUW Medal of Excellence and was the recipient of the Lowndes County Alumni Chapter’s “Celebration of Service” award in 2003.

Her works of art have been shown in more than 60 juried national exhibitions throughout the United States, and she was awarded prizes in nine of these. Biographical entries about Professor Summer have been printed in Who’s Who of American Women (Vol. I), and in Who’s Who of American Art every year since 1953. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi national honor society and is a life member of the College Art Association of America.

Yates will receive her honorary doctorate at the first graduation ceremony at 11 a.m. Summer will receive her honor at the 3 p.m. commencement. Both events will be held in Rent Auditorium in Whitfield Hall. The traditional Magnolia Chain Ceremony is set for 9 a.m. on Shattuck Lawn.