8 September ICC announces 2026 Alumni Award recipients, Athletic Hall of Fame inductees September 8, 2026 By Camp, Tyler W General 0 Itawamba Community College will honor six individuals during its 2026 Homecoming activities, Thursday, Oct. 8, on the Fulton Campus. The honorees include Gene Rogers of Chelsea, Alabama, Alumnus of the Year; Blaine and Corie Walters of Columbus, joint recipients of the Young Alumnus of the Year Award; Chuck Howell of Pontotoc, Donna Thomas Distinguished Service Award recipient; and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Anthony Fernandez of New Albany, Kimmy Nicholson Brown of Walnut Grove and the late Norman Hand. The honorees will be presented their awards during a public ceremony at 5 p.m. at the Davis Event Center. A reception will follow. They also will be recognized on the field during pregame activities beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Butch Lambert Stadium. ICC will face Jones College at 7 p.m. Rogers attended Itawamba Junior College from 1976-78 and was a member of the football team and Student Government Association. Following a career of more than 30 years as an educator and administrator, he became executive director of Alabama Childhood Food Solutions, a nonprofit that provides food assistance to thousands of children and families across Central Alabama. Blaine and Corie Walters earned associate degrees from ICC before continuing their education at Mississippi State University. In 2012, they opened The Bride & Groom: Bridal Boutique & House of Tux in Columbus. Both have held numerous community leadership positions, including service with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Columbus Main Street Association, Rotary Club of Columbus, Junior Auxiliary and Columbus Arts Council. Howell earned the associate of applied science degree from IJC in 1986 and has served on the ICC Foundation Board since 2003 and Alumni Association Board since 2007. A longtime chairman and officer of both organizations, he is one of the College’s most faithful volunteers and advocates. Howell retired in 2020 following more than four decades with Pontotoc Electric Power Association, including 22 years as general manager. Fernandez played soccer at ICC during the 2014 season, leading the conference with 17 goals and 37 points. He earned NJCAA Region 23 Player of the Year and third-team NJCAA Division I All-America honors, becoming the first All-American in ICC men’s soccer history. Fernandez later played at Delta State University and currently is an assistant soccer coach at New Albany High School. Brown played softball at ICC from 2009-11, finishing with a .415 career batting average, 136 hits, 102 runs and 63 stolen bases. She earned All-State honors both seasons and was named the 2011 MACJC North Division Most Valuable Player, Best Offensive Player and a third-team NJCAA All-American. Brown continued her career at Blue Mountain College and has since worked as an educator and softball coach. Hand, who died in 2010, recorded 135 tackles, 18 sacks and 33 tackles for loss during his two seasons at ICC. He continued his career at the University of Mississippi before being selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Hand played 10 NFL seasons with five teams and was named the New Orleans Saints’ Man of the Year in 2002 for his community service. Related Articles ICC accepting nominations for Alumnus of the Year, Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Nominations are being accepted for the 2022 Alumnus of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees at Itawamba Community College through Aug. 1. Those selected will be honored during homecoming activities this fall at the Fulton Campus. Criteria for selection for Alumnus of the Year include successful completion of at least one semester as a full-time student at ICC five years prior to the current year as well as merit and achievement which have brought fame and honor to either his/her community or ICC. ICC’s Athletic Hall of Fame honors former athletes, coaches or individuals who have excelled or those who have made major contributions to intercollegiate athletics while attending or employed by ICC. Athletic Hall of Fame inductees must have been out of school at least 10 years. Additional criteria to be considered are accomplishments and support of ICC. Forms are available at www.iccms.edu/alumni. For more information, email Michael Upton, director of Advancement, at maupton@iccms.edu or call (662) 862-8035. ICC announces 2026 Hall of Fame honorees Itawamba Community College has announced the students selected for induction into the 2026 ICC Hall of Fame. The honor recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, academic achievement and service during their time at the college. The 2026 ICC Hall of Fame honorees are Cherish Brown, Bella Cochran, Anna Kate Crenshaw, Aleena Gregory, Anna Lauren Glasson, Brooklyn Lane, Karry Linley, Landon Long, Sydney Palmer, Molly Sansing, Shelby Sullivan and Hallie Tenhet. Cherish Brown, a biomedical sciences major from Tupelo, has been actively involved in student leadership at ICC, serving as Tupelo Student Government Association president and participating in Phi Theta Kappa, Sigma Kappa Delta and the ICC Honors College. She is a student at Tupelo High School completing her degree at ICC through Middle College. Bella Cochran, a political science major from Tupelo, has distinguished herself academically and in leadership roles at ICC, serving as Phi Theta Kappa president and earning placement on the Dean’s List and President’s List. She is a student at Tupelo High School completing her degree at ICC through Middle College. Anna Kate Crenshaw, a communication major from Smithville, has been ... ICC selects 2020 Alumnus of the Year, Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Itawamba Community College has selected its Alumnus of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees for 2020. The honorees include Jim Mounce of Tupelo, Alumnus of the Year, and Kenneth “Kebo” Davis of Okolona and Tyson Lee of Germantown, Tenn., Athletic Hall of Fame. A native of Ecru, Mounce is a 1964 graduate of Itawamba Junior College. During his two years, he was a member of the football team, the baseball team, sophomore class president and class favorite, cutest. His educational background also includes the bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi; juris doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law and the master’s degree from Bellevue University. From 1969-85, Mounce practiced law in Tupelo, and from 1985-2000, he chief operating officer for Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society and president, CEO and chairman of the board for Woodmen Life from 2000 until he retired in 2009. Currently, he is serving on the boards of Sanctuary Hospice and the Itawamba Community College Foundation, Inc. and is a member of Harrisburg ... 2017 Alumnus of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Itawamba Community College will honor its 2017 Alumnus of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees during Homecoming activities, Oct. 28, at the Fulton Campus. They include John and Beth Reed Cleveland of Kingwood, Tex., Alumnus of the Year; and Elaine Fagan Battigan of Dublin, Ireland and Duce Staley of Philadelphia, Penn., Athletic Hall of Fame. The Clevelands, who are Itawamba County natives, participated in intercollegiate athletics at ICC, where they pursued majors in the fields of engineering and math and science education. John graduated from Itawamba Agricultural High School and attended ICC on a basketball scholarship. He earned the associate’s degree from ICC in 1985 and is a cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi with a degree in civil engineering. For 26 years he has been employed by ExxonMobil, and he serves as an Ole Miss campus recruiter. He is married to the former Beth Reed, who attended ICC. A 1983 graduate of IAHS, she earned the bachelor’s degree in secondary education at Ole Miss, and she has worked as a math and science teacher, private ... Alumnus of the Year, Athletic Hall of Fame nominations Nominations are being accepted for the 2017 Alumnus of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees at Itawamba Community College through Aug. 11. Those selected will be honored during homecoming activities Oct. 28 at the Fulton Campus. Criteria for selection for Alumnus of the Year include successful completion of at least one semester as a full-time student at ICC five years prior to the current year and merit and achievement which have brought fame and honor to either his/her community or ICC. ICC’s Athletic Hall of Fame honors former athletes, coaches or individuals who have excelled or those who have made major contributions to intercollegiate athletics while attending or employed by ICC. Athletic Hall of Fame inductees must have been out of school at least 10 years. Additional criteria to be considered are accomplishments and support of ICC. The two inductees or a family member if the honoree is deceased must attend the recognition ceremony. Nominations can be made by any ICC alumnus. Forms are available online at www.iccms.edu from the Alumni link on the front page or may be obtained by ... ICC accepts nominations for 2020 Alumnus of the Year, Athletic Hall of Fame Nominations are being accepted for the 2020 Alumnus of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees at Itawamba Community College through Aug. 1. Those selected will be honored during homecoming activities this fall at the Fulton Campus. Criteria for selection for Alumnus of the Year include successful completion of at least one semester as a full-time student at ICC five years prior to the current year as well as merit and achievement which have brought fame and honor to either his/her community or ICC. ICC’s Athletic Hall of Fame honors former athletes, coaches or individuals who have excelled or those who have made major contributions to intercollegiate athletics while attending or employed by ICC. Athletic Hall of Fame inductees must have been out of school at least 10 years. Additional criteria to be considered are accomplishments and support of ICC. Forms are available online at www.iccms.edu from the Alumni link from the Home drop down box on the front page or may be obtained by email at alumni@iccms.edu. For more information, call (662) 862-8039. Comments are closed.