Please Note: MSU MEMO is archived as a part of Mississippi State University's history. Articles may refer to situations which have changed or people who are no longer affiliated with the university.
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February 25, 2002 Volume 26, Issue 27 |
Raygene C. Paige
A former MSU Extension Service employee is a guest speaker as part of the unversity's 2002 Black History Month observance.
On Feb. 28, a 7 p.m. academic recognition program in the Bost Extension Center auditorium features Raygene C. Paige of Memphis, Tenn., whose 38-year career with the extension service concluded with her retirement last year. "Exploring, Expanding, Exchanging: The Pathway to Excellence" will be the theme of Paige's remarks in the keynote address as part of an annual campus ceremony honoring all minority students who achieved a 3.0 or higher grade-point average (out of 4.0) during the 2001 fall semester.
The university's Richard Holmes Cultural Diversity Center is sponsor.
Paige, who holds a doctoral degree in agricultural and extension education from MSU, held a number of extension service positions during her nearly four-decade career. They include district agent, area director, state program leader of family and consumer education, and assistant director/program coordinator.
She has been honored with a host of awards recognizing her leadership and mentoring skills. They include the Epsilon Sigma Phi Ruby Award, U.S. Department of Agriculture Diversity Award and recognition by the universi-ty's Presi-dent's Commission on the Status of Women as the Outstanding Executive, Administrative and Managerial Woman.
The state's Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning also has named Paige Black Educator of the Year.
The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center is named for the first black student to enroll at the university. Now a Birmingham, Ala., physician, the former Starkville resident began attending classes in 1965. He completed a bachelor's degree in 1969 and a master's in 1972.
For more information about MSU's Black History Month events, telephone the Holmes Center at 325-2033 or visit http://www.msstate.edu/dept/hcdc/.