Hinds CC to honor Dr. Jay Allen as Alumnus of the Year

by | Oct 24, 2024 | Foundation

Hinds Community College will honor four former athletes and one retired coach in the annual Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at Cain-Cochran Hall on the Raymond Campus.

The 2024 inductees are Kelli East Dyess of Madison, Nic Henderson of New Orleans, Michael Myers of Oak Point, Texas, Dot Easterwood Murphy of Raymond and Mark Smith of Madison. Admission is free to the induction ceremony and the public is invited. For information, contact Sydney Love at 601.857.3350 or Sydney.Love@hindscc.edu.

KELLI EAST DYESS

Women’s Soccer and Softball, 1998-2000

Kelli Dyess came to Raymond in 1998 and made her mark as a dual-sport athlete for the women’s soccer and softball programs.

Dyess played midfielder for the Hinds Women’s soccer team that won back-to-back state championships in 1999 and 2000. She also played shortstop for the Hinds Softball team in 1999 and 2000. Additionally, she was chosen for All-State and All-Region 23 in both of her years at Hinds. She was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player and was a National Junior College Athletic Association All-American in 1998. During the 1999 season, she was voted “Wittiest” by her Women’s Soccer teammates.

Dyess currently serves as the Behavior Coordinator and Specialist at Madison County Schools. With over 16 years of experience in the classroom and in the behavioral field, she holds an Associate of Arts from Hinds Community College, a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis in behavior research from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is also an expert educator with a Specialist Degree in educational leadership. Prior to her current role with Madison County Schools, Dyess served as a mental health therapist trained in psychotherapy, which includes diagnosing and treating mental and emotional disorders in the school-based setting.

She has also served as a university supervisor at Mississippi State University. She most recently served as a keynote speaker at the Mississippi Association of Elementary School Administrators conference fulfilling her passion in sharing her knowledge in instructional and behavioral leadership. She specializes in collaborating with teachers, administrators, parents, and students by combining her expertise and experience in behavioral interventions with best practices to serve those with complex behavior difficulties.

NIC HENDERSON

Men’s Soccer, 2000-2002

Nic Henderson came to Hinds in 2000 and made an impact for the Men’s Soccer program.Henderson was a member of two State Championship soccer teams at Hinds and helped lead the team to an overall record of 31-8-2 over the course of his community college career.

After his two years at Hinds, he transferred to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He played as a defender for the Braves for two seasons and helped lead the Braves to two consecutive winning seasons. After his collegiate eligibility was up, he traveled to Germany to play for SKV-Rutesheim in the German 5th Division.

After one season of playing overseas, he returned to Mississippi and accepted the job as the Head Boy’s and Girl’s Soccer Coach at Jackson Academy in August 2005. In his time at JA, he led the girls’ team to the State Championship in 2010 and lead the boys’ team to the State Championship in consecutive years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

While working at Jackson Academy, Henderson also worked as a youth soccer coach for Jackson Futbol Club. In this capacity, he won Mississippi Youth Soccer State Championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012 coaching boys and girls teams ranging in ages from 10-15 years old. His favorite moment as a coach was seeing his son score his first goal.

In May 2015, Henderson stepped down from his role at Jackson Academy to pursue a career in Real Estate. He has since moved with his beloved wife Carrie, and their son Clark, to New Orleans where he works as an Onboarding Strategist for NoteSchool.

MICHAEL MYERS

Football, 1994-1995

Vicksburg native Michael Myers came to Hinds Community College in 1994 and started his collegiate career on the defensive line.

After graduating from Vicksburg High School, Myers was a member of the 1994 and 1995 football teams at Hinds. As a freshman, he posted 46 tackles (14 TFL), 25 QB hurries, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a record of 20 sacks. The next year, he collected 63 tackles (16 TFL), eight sacks, 27 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Additionally, he was a two-time National Junior College Athletic Association All-American.

After his time with Hinds was completed, Myers transferred to the University of Alabama to play for the Crimson Tide. His collegiate career was marked by numerous achievements, showcasing his remarkable skills of commitment and excellence. He was a First Team All-American and an All-SEC player in 1996.

Myers enjoyed a 10-year NFL Career with the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals. He played 138 games in the NFL, registering 321 tackles, 15.5 sacks and an interception. Despite his achievements at the highest level, Myers has never forgotten his roots and the fundamentals that he received at Hinds Community College. At the conclusion of his playing career in 2012, he came back to Hinds and served as a Graduate Assistant, while he pursued his master’s degree.

He is currently working on real estate investments while also enjoying watching his two children achieve their goals as collegiate student-athletes.

DOT EASTERWOOD MURPHY

Assistant Football Coach, 1984-2004, 2009-2012

Dot Murphy came to Hinds in 1984 where she made history by becoming the first female football coach in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), working for the Hinds Athletic Department for 33 years. The National Football League (NFL) did a documentary on Coach Murphy for being the first female football coach at the collegiate level. The film was released in fall 1996 and received an EMMY for the Best Documentary.

During her high school career, she played basketball for the Starkville High School Yellowjackets, winning two state championships and an overall championship. She was a two-time All-State winner, named the Team Captain for the Mississippi All-Star Basketball game and was awarded the most outstanding offensive player in the game. Murphy scored 2,772 points in three years at SHS and averaged 33 points per game.

At the Mississippi University for Women, she was the first player to eclipse 1,000 career points and averaged better than 22 points per game for her four-year career.
Murphy earned a spot on the United States’ World University Games team in 1972 and 1973, culminating in the first-ever women’s entry in 1973 in Moscow. With The W coach Jill Upton at the helm, the U.S. team won a silver medal.

Her hometown of Starkville proclaimed Dot Easterwood Day on Sept. 21, 1973, and she also was the youngest person at the time to receive the Mississippi Outstanding Citizen Award in 1973. Murphy earned All-American honors in 1974. She later attended Mississippi State University where she met her future husband, Gene Murphy.

Murphy was an assistant coach for the University of Tennessee-Martin women’s basketball team in 1975-1976. Later that year, Itawamba Community College hired her as their Head Women’s Basketball Coach. Murphy was head coach at the W from 1977 to 1982.

Murphy was hired by Hinds as the wide receivers football coach in August 1984. She was a member of the football coaching staff that played for 10 State and Regional
Championships, winning six. Additionally, she coached many NJCAA All-Americans and NFL players over her career and
helped lead Hinds to nine NJCAA bowl games.

She and retired Athletic Director Gene Murphy have three children and seven grandchildren.

Mark Smith

Footbal 1994

Mark Smith came to Hinds in 1994 and was an immediate impact football player for the Hinds football program.

After graduating from Vicksburg High School, Smith played one season for Navarro Community College, where he was the no. 1 defensive player in the nation, before transferring to Hinds where he played his sophomore season. He was a part of a defensive unit that was certain to always be remembered as one of the best to ever play in Mississippi community college football.

He helped to lead the Hinds defense to the No. 1 ranked rushing defense and the No. 2 ranked overall defense in the nation. During the 1994 season, Hinds lost the first game to Itawamba and then came back to win the rest of the regular season and went on to beat Itawamba in the State and Region Championship at the conclusion of the season. Smith was a Junior College All-American at Hinds and one of the top linebackers in the country.

After Hinds, Smith signed with Auburn University and played on the defensive line for the Tigers for two seasons. Smith was drafted in the seventh round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals, first playing for the All-Rookie Team. He played with the Cardinals for four seasons.

After his time with the Cardinals came to an end, he finished his six-year NFL career with the Cleveland Browns. Over the course of his career in the NFL, he tallied 191 total tackles, 20 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Smith is currently retired and is residing in Madison.

 

Hinds Community College is so ingrained in Dr. Jay Allen’s past, it’s no wonder he became a community college president.
But Dr. Allen, a 1991 Hinds alumnus and employee from 1995 to 2011, continued to climb the leadership ladder elsewhere, landing as president of Itawamba Community College in northeast Mississippi in 2017.

At Hinds, Dr. Allen served many roles, leaving as Dean of Enrollment Services and sponsor of the Hinds Connection student recruiting group and leaving a legacy of innovative practices.

For his many accomplishments not only at Hinds but in the field of community college education, Dr. Allen has been named Hinds Community College’s 2024 Alumnus of the Year.

“Dr. Allen has been an outstanding representative of the Hinds family for more than 35 years. He has distinguished himself as a leader in higher education while working to better the lives of his fellow Mississippians,” said Hinds Community College Foundation Executive Director Matt Jones.

“As a student at Hinds, he was involved in every aspect of college life, and as an employee, he continued to move the college forward in various roles over 17 years at Hinds. Today, he continues to represent his Hinds roots well serving as president at Itawamba CC,” Jones said.

A graduate of Jackson’s Wingfield High School, he came to Hinds in 1989, graduating in 1991. His high school counselor encouraged him to try out for Hinds Connection.

“Hinds Connection was absolutely one of the most pivotal and life-changing opportunities I have ever had. I found a group that resonated with me, my goals and my love for servant leadership. The friendships have been lifelong, and the staff’s impact ultimately guided me on the path to a career in community college leadership,” he said.

Vice President Emeritus Jackie Granberry hired him as a student worker in the Institutional Advancement office based on the recommendation of his high school counselor and his Dairy Queen employer.
“He immersed himself in many aspects of the college. It was obvious that he was a natural at meeting and greeting students and visitors to the college,” she said.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1993 and master’s in 1995, both from Mississippi State University, returning to Hinds in 1995 as Enrollment Manager. Later, he earned a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Mississippi in 2009.

“I knew if I were going to work in recruiting, I needed to be at a place I loved, and I definitely felt a calling to be in the community college environment that had made such an impact on my life. Working with Jackie Granberry and her team had been such a pivotal moment in my life, so the idea of going back to work at Hinds was massively appealing,” he said.

In July 2001, Director of Admissions and Records was added to his responsibilities and then he was promoted to Dean of Enrollment Services in 2003.

“He took our recruiting efforts to another level. He built his own recruiting database and developed a systematic and organized plan for staying in contact with potential students both by mail and phone,” Granberry said.

“There have been many people whose lives have been changed because of Hinds Community College. One of those is Jay’s. Not only did Hinds change Jay’s life, but his influence on Hinds is still evident today – 30-plus years later.”

Among the many projects Dr. Allen had his hand in while at Hinds:
• Implementing the first 1-800 number at a Mississippi community college
• Supporting social media in its early days.
• Beginning campus recruiting events such as Preview Day.
• Crafting marketing strategy.

“Hinds always gave me new challenges and the opportunity to build a tremendous résumé by simply saying ‘yes’ to opportunities that arose,” he said.

As a sponsor for Hinds Connection, he also worked many college events ranging from Alumni Award Dinners to the annual Golf Fun Fest.

“It was in his role as Hinds Connection sponsor that he had the biggest impact on the lives of individual students. Many of his ‘mentees’ from Connection have pursued degrees in higher education and are serving in key roles around the state,” Granberry said. “He taught Hinds Connection students how to be servant leaders. He accepted only their best.”

In 2009 Dr. Allen received Hinds’ highest honor, the 3E Award, Emphasis on Excellence and Enrichment. He is pictured on the front of Summer 2009 Hindsight with members of Hinds Connection.
Jake Hartfield (2010), Director of Orientation and Events at Mississippi State University, is one of the hundreds of students Dr. Allen mentored.

“Since my early years at Hinds, Jay quickly became a mentor and someone I wanted to emulate. As a student at Hinds, Jay was there for some of my proudest accomplishments, fondest memories, and yes, even some bad decisions. But he always remained supportive and taught me the meaning of integrity.”

Dr. Allen left Hinds in 2011, becoming vice president at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for three years and then president and CEO of Hopkinsville Community College in Hopkinsville, Ky., for three years before returning to Mississippi as President of Itawamba Community College.

“I know without a doubt God placed me at Hinds with a great group of leaders at all levels to prepare me for what I do today as a community college president,” Dr. Allen said. “My passion for students and my drive to inspire our leaders to make our college better than we were yesterday all started at Hinds, both as a student and a young employee. I know I was blessed, and I hope I left some positive impacts at Hinds that will stand the test of time.”