“It is a privilege to serve on the Hinds Foundation Board because of all the good support and services the Foundation provides. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of it,” Liles said.
He was raised as one of six children in Learned, all of whom attended what was then Hinds Junior College. He met his late wife Rebecca while a Hinds student. His father, Euell Liles, worked at the college in the 1950s and 1960s.
Liles played basketball at Hinds for National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame coach Troy Arlis Ricks. In 2000, he was inducted into the Hinds Community College Sports Hall of Fame and in 2013 was named Alumnus of the Year.
His love for the college is undeniable. Along with his continued service on the Foundation board, Liles has established two Foundation scholarships to benefit Hinds students. In 2009, he established the Dean and Rebecca Legg Liles Scholarship. In 2012, he established a second scholarship, the Euell and Etoile Liles Family Scholarship, to honor his parents. Both scholarships were endowed because of the desire to help others achieve their goals in life.
“The best part of serving on the Foundation board is seeing how the Foundation helps so many students get a positive start on their college education. It also provides me a connection to Hinds Community College and the opportunity to get updates on what is happening at Hinds,” he said. “Hearing the stories and meeting students who have been helped by the Foundation is very positive for me. It makes me appreciate the Foundation, its leadership and the privilege of being a part of it.”