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The ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Foundation recently received a $500 gift from J.T. and Kaye Brison to support the Brison-Crosby Education Scholarship. The scholarship fund is in memory of Kaye?s grandmother, Hettie Agnes Crosby, and will be awarded to an education major attending ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý. Nita May (left), ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Director of Development, is pictured receiving the gift from the Brisons. To learn more about this or other scholarships at ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý, contact Jonathan McCullough at 903-434-8115.

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý will hold its†May commencement ceremonies Saturday, May 13†at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. in the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts. †The 9 a.m. ceremony will be held for students receiving Associate of Arts, Associate of Science and Associate of Arts in Teaching degrees. The 11 a.m. ceremony will honor those receiving Associate of Applied Science degrees and certificates. †Long-time board member, Mr. John Bryan, †will be the†featured commencement speaker at both ceremonies.

The doors in the Whatley Center will open approximately 30 minutes prior to each ceremony.

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý is one step closer to having a fully-accredited Funeral Service Education Program, as the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) recently granted the program candidacy.

Rebecca Gardner, ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Director of Funeral Service Education, and Dr. Shannon Cox-Kelley, ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Dean of Health Sciences, traveled to Myrtle Beach, SC to defend the program?s self-study that was submitted to the ABFSE late last year.

?This is a major milestone on the path to initial accreditation.

Members of the ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Chapter of Alpha Delta Nu, the honor society for students pursuing associate degrees in nursing, recently presented a donation of needed items to the Northeast Child Advocacy Center. The donation included personal care items, toys for children and a small monetary donation for their needs. One of the requirements for honor society membership, beyond grades, is the participation in a service project.

The ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Film Club recently hosted the Mount Pleasant Seventh-Day Adventists? showing of Conscientious Objector, a 2004 documentary about Medal of Honor-winner, Desmond T. Doss.

In addition to sponsoring a viewing of the film, the church supplied attendees with pizza, water bottles, pens, and copies of the book, Hero of Hacksaw Ridge, the biography of Doss that inspired Mel Gibson?s blockbuster Hacksaw Ridge film.

Honors Northeast hosted the ninth annual McGraw-Hill Poster Contest April 28 in the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts. Nearly 20 students competed in the event, where they presented posters summarizing their research on a wide variety of academic topics. William Jones, a sophomore Presidential Scholar from Mount Pleasant, won first place.

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý will host its July 10-20. Children ages 8-16 can choose from a variety of fun, interactive classes that will meet Monday through Thursday for two weeks (eight classes total). Early registration is currently underway.

Texas Heritage National Bank recently presented the ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Foundation with $4,000 to sponsor a Presidential Scholar in Honors Northeast. The ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý honors program was founded in 2007 and has attracted top high school graduates from around the region. Dr. Jonathan McCullough, ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Vice President for Advancement, (center) is pictured receiving the gift from John Bryan (left), Chairman of Texas Heritage National Bank and Dwyatt Bell (right), CEO of Texas Heritage National Bank. To learn more about this and other scholarships at ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý, contact McCullough at 903-434-8115.

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý Foundation participated in East Texas Giving Day Tuesday to raise money for emergency scholarships to provide much-needed assistance to students in distress.† ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý employees, foundation board members and community friends gave generously during the event, with gifts totaling $7,115.

Alpha Mu Chi, ¿ªÔÆÌåÓý?s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, returned victoriously from an award-winning and enriching experience at PTK Catalyst 2017 in Nashville April 6-9.

The chapter returned home from the annual international convention with seven awards:† Distinguished Chapter, Distinguished College Project, Distinguished Member (Tim Allen), Distinguished Alumni (Isaac Burris), Continued Excellence Award for Advisors (Dr. Melissa Fulgham), Mosal Award (Dr. Melissa Fulgham), and Top 100 Chapter.