Above: From left are the 2015 MGCCC Homecoming Queens Tayler Cooley, from the Perkinston Campus; Brittany Michelle Coleman, from the Jackson County Campus; and Ailey Jordan Kirkpatrick, from the Jefferson Davis Campus.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College celebrated Homecoming 2015 on Saturday, October 24, at the college’s Perkinston Campus with a crowd of more than 500. The culmination of the event was the 38-7 victory against the Itawamba Community College Indians at A.L. May Memorial Stadium.
Homecoming Day activities included the Archives Exhibit at the Alumni House; a chapel service at Gregory War Memorial Chapel; an Alumni Art Show and children’s art activities at Malone Hall; a cookout, pep rally and introduction of honorees and the Homecoming court at the Bell Tower; a ribbon cutting at Dees Hall; and a performance by the Band of Gold and Perkettes Dance Team during halftime.
Alumni Hall of Fame honorees are Wayne Rodolfich of St. Martin for the Perkinston Campus; E. Colette Towles of Gulfport for the Jefferson Davis Campus; and Vivian Lee Walker Dailey of Gautier for the Jackson County Campus. Nell Murray of Perkinston received the Sam Owen Trophy and Delores Parker Sumrall of St. Martin (deceased) received the Spirit of Gulf Coast award.
Athletic Hall of Fame honorees are Vick Ballard of Pascagoula and Charles Guy “Dinkey” Evans of Wiggins for football; Charles Michael “Mike” Noblitt of Pascagoula for basketball; Irvin Ernest Favre of Gulfport for baseball; and Nicholas Ryan “Nic” Ishee of Laurel for golf. Shirley Reeves Sanders of Moss Point was inducted in the Bulldog Hall of Honor for cheerleading.
Homecoming courts from each campus were introduced during halftime. Jackson County Campus maids were Jarin Tyler Cooksey of Hurley; Jade Arielle Richardson of Hurley; Leighton Hope Koenenn of Hurley; Jenna Reneé Swift of Sugarland, Texas; and Cassidy Mackenzie Birchfield of Gautier. Brittany Michelle Coleman of Big Point was crowned Jackson County Campus Homecoming Queen. The Homecoming maids from the Jefferson Davis Campus were Erin Alexandria Hicks of Gulfport; Leighland Wood of Slidell; Hadley Hill of Pass Christian; and Emily Rose Learned from Biloxi. Ailey Jordan Kirkpatrick of Long Beach was crowned Homecoming Queen for the Jefferson Davis Campus. From the Perkinston Campus, the maids were Courtney Holland of George County; Jordyn Eaton of Gulfport; Abigayle Mahand of Gulfport; Jacqueline Shepley of Gulfport; and Laihmen Quan from Honduras. Tayler Cooley of George County was crowned Homecoming Queen for the Perkinston Campus.
The Homecoming Week celebration begin Tuesday, October 20, with a Legacy Luncheon at the Jefferson Davis Campus that honored former and current employees, alumni, and community leaders who have contributed to the success of the campus. Jackson County held a Legends Luncheon on Thursday, October 22, honoring contributions to that campus. Both luncheons and a time capsule dedication at the Jackson County Campus were held in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the college’s Coast campuses.
Other activities during Homecoming Week included the Alumni and Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner and Awards Ceremony, which was held at the IP Resort and Casino in Biloxi on October 22 and the Clem Dellinger Memorial Golf Tournament held on October 23 at the Hickory Hills Golf Club in Gautier.