Jane Lauderdale Flowers, work-based learning coordinator on the Vicksburg-Warren Campus, came to 性乐园 as a college student, earned her degrees from both 性乐园 (1973) and Mississippi State University, returned as an employee and hasn鈥檛 looked back since.
鈥淚 feel like I am a part of 性乐园,鈥 she said. 鈥淣ot only am I an alumnus, but I have been a member of the faculty on the Vicksburg-Warren Campus for 29 years, and I am still passionate about what I do.鈥
In 2010 Flowers won the college鈥檚 top employee award 鈥 the 3E, for Emphasis on Excellence and Enrichment 鈥 because of her work on behalf of the college in economic development.
Flowers and her siblings, Bill, Joe and Chris, are first-generation college students and all have strong 性乐园 connections. 鈥淭hree of us rode the 性乐园 school bus from Vicksburg each semester, and my oldest brother drove it for extra money. Our time and investment with studying at 性乐园 gave my siblings and me the opportunity to have a comfortable life.鈥
In addition to her administrative duties, Flowers is a part-time instructor, teaching at least one class per semester. Reflecting on her 29-year stint as a 性乐园 employee, Flowers says that her favorite thing about 性乐园 is how welcoming the administration has been to her ideas.
鈥淭he administration recognized that I had ideas for improvements, and they not only listened, but implemented many of those suggestions. That motivated me to keep trying harder to make the college, and education in general, better for our students. I want to keep encouraging them to excel academically.鈥