Wallace State retirees Judy Wood, left, Dr. Jenny Folsom and Janice Morgan pose for a photo during the recent Retirees Luncheon hosted by the Wallace State Alumni Association. In the background, Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics visits with former Wallace State basketball coach Larry Slater.
HANCEVILLE – About 50 retirees from Wallace State Community College gathered on the 12th floor of the James C. Bailey Center this week to reminisce and enjoy a time of fellowship together. The Wallace State Alumni Association hosts the Retirees Luncheon annually.
“We are standing on the shoulders of giants,” Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics told those gathered, thanking them for their strong work ethic and their commitment to providing the best for the students under their care.
Suzanne Harbin, director of advancement for Wallace State, thanked them all for coming and expressed her delight at the growth in attendance. “We started out with about 20 retirees,” she said of earlier luncheons that have now doubled in attendance.
After enjoying a meal provided by the Wallace State Café, Harbin updated the retirees on ongoing campaigns to fund scholarships for Wallace State students, encouraging those attending to consider donating what they can to support student scholarships. “Even if it’s just one dollar a month,” she said.
Harbin shared some of the success stories of Wallace State students and the legacies of donors like the late C.J. Burney, who funded scholarships for nursing students, and Dr. Jenny Folsom, and Melanie and Shelly Maddox, in memory of their parents, Dr. Joe Wayne and Katherine Maddox.
She also gave an update on the business incubator program. The first business incubated, Zero RPM, got its start in the bus garage on the back of campus and is now a multi-million dollar enterprise, Harbin said. Wallace State is currently incubating Sequence Health, a medical contact center, with expansions already taking place.
For more information about the Wallace State Alumni Association and the scholarships offered, visit www.wallacestatealumni.org or contact Alumni Coordinator LaDonna Allen at 256-352-8071 or ladonna.allen@wallacestate.edu.
