FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 30, 2005
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124

MUW to host Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers and Institute for First-Year Teachers
 
COLUMBUS, Miss. – Mississippi University for Women will host about 200 educators as part of its Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers induction ceremony and Institute for First-Year Teachers on Friday, Dec. 2.
   
Since 1991, the Mississippi Hall of Master Teacher has recognized and honored outstanding educators for their consistent excellence and long-term dedication to the art of teaching grades K-12.
   
The induction of this year’s honorees will mark the 15th induction of a class into the Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers.
   
Dr. Bettye Rogers Coward, the seventh and first female president of Blue Mountain College, will be the keynote presenter for the luncheon and induction ceremony at 12:45 p.m. in Pope Banquet Room.
   
A native of Collins, Coward is widely acclaimed as a motivational speaker addressing educational issues as well as topics related to the family, well-being and the value of volunteer services.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from MUW and a master’s and doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Dr. Susan Rucker, executive to the state superintendent of education, will conduct the induction ceremony.

In conjunction with the ceremony, the Institute for First-Year Teachers will open with registration and a continental breakfast at 8 a.m. in the Eudora Welty Hall atrium.

Mississippi’s 2005 Teacher of the Year Lindy Hopkins of Saltillo will be the speaker for the opening general session at 9 a.m. in Poindexter Hall Auditorium.

A 1999 Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers inductee, Hopkins teaches fourth and fifth grade intellectually gifted students at Saltillo Elementary School. She is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher who has mentored National Board candidates.

Members of the Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers, university professors and other respected professionals in the educational community will lead other workshops.

Dr. Sue Jolly, chair of the education department, said, “We hope to provide sessions that will give them ideas and strategies that they can take back to their classrooms immediately. More importantly, we want to provide an opportunity for the new teachers and our teacher education students to interact with successful and seasoned teachers. ”

The Institute for First-Year Teachers was initiated in 1993 and is being sponsored by the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Charitable Foundation.The Southern Women’s Institute is sponsoring the speaker for the luncheon.