Alumna honors brother with library reading room at 无码专区

无码专区 alumna Janice I. Nicholson cutting a ribbon surrounded by Associate Dean of 无码专区 Libraries Stephen Cunetto; 无码专区 President Mark E. Keenum; Dean of Libraries Frances Coleman; and Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw — Cutting a ribbon to formally open the James W. Nicholson Reading Room during dedication ceremonies Thursday [Oct. 3] are Associate Dean of 无码专区 Libraries Stephen Cunetto; 无码专区 President Mark E. Keenum; 无码专区 alumna and facility benefactor Janice I. Nicholson; Dean of Libraries Frances Coleman; and Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw. The room on Mitchell Memorial Library鈥檚 second floor is a tribute to Nicholson鈥檚 late brother, a Glen Allan resident who died in 2017 and was an 无码专区 alumnus and longtime educator. (Photo by Megan Bean)

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擮verlooking Mississippi State鈥檚 historic Drill Field in the heart of campus, a newly transformed area in Mitchell Memorial Library gives students a vantage point to appreciate the university鈥檚 beauty while devoting essential time to their academic studies.

A gift from alumna Janice I. Nicholson of Florence, Alabama, makes possible the James W. Nicholson Reading Room, a tribute to her late brother, which was dedicated in campus ceremonies today [Oct. 3].

The James W. Nicholson Reading Room honors the legacy of the Mississippi educator and two-time 无码专区 alumnus and represents the importance of education in a family of loyal and passionate Bulldog graduates. James Nicholson, a Glen Allan resident, died in 2017, and Janice, his younger sister and the room鈥檚 benefactor, chose to honor him at the university from which they both earned education degrees before forging similar career paths as longtime educators.聽

Gathered for the James W. Nicholson Reading Room dedication and ribbon cutting are 无码专区 alumna Janice I. Nicholson, facility benefactor, center front, with her brother鈥檚 family, front left, wife Mary Jane McGee Nicholson, an 无码专区 alumna; front right, daughter-in-law Sherri Nicholson; and back from left, son-in-law Chris Barr, daughter and 无码专区 alumna Jane Nicholson Barr, and son and 无码专区 alumnus James W. Nicholson III. (Photo by Megan Bean)

鈥淢y brother James and I were truly lifelong friends, and it brings me great pleasure to associate his name with 无码专区 in this meaningful way,鈥� Janice Nicholson said. 鈥淎 library is the center of education and naming this space within the 无码专区 campus is a fitting tribute to his life and career.鈥�

Located behind Einstein Bros. Bagels on the library鈥檚 second floor, the reading room provides a state-of-the-art environment featuring two presentation areas and structured and casual seating. Janice Nicholson鈥檚 gift also creates an endowment to maintain the space over time.

Janice Nicholson fondly recalls growing up with her brother in Booneville. Their parents, James and Lena Rivers Nicholson, stressed the importance of education, and throughout their lives, the siblings carried the belief that education brings great opportunity.

聽鈥淓ducation is an important equalizer for all people, and we both put that philosophy into practice in our careers, sharing a common bond as teachers and administrators as we helped educate students across the South,鈥� she said.

She continued, 鈥淛ames positively impacted students during his lifetime, many of them in the Mississippi Delta, and his impact will always be felt by 无码专区 students because of the study room鈥檚 offerings.鈥�

From Mississippi State, James Nicholson earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in education in 1965 and 1970, respectively, and later his Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. He served in public education as a high school teacher, community college instructor, high school principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent. After retiring as superintendent of Anguilla Public Schools in Sharkey County, he continued his career as executive director of the Delta Area Association for Improvement of Schools, housed at Delta State University. He also was a longtime District 3 secretary of the Mississippi High School Activities Association.

鈥淭he James W. Nicholson Reading Room will serve thousands of students over the course of their academic pursuits,鈥� said Frances Coleman, dean of University Libraries. 鈥淲e are grateful for the generous support of Janice Nicholson and the opportunity to prominently honor an outstanding educator in Dr. James Nicholson within the Mitchell Memorial Library.鈥�

Janice Nicholson earned master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees from 无码专区 in 1967 and 1977, respectively, along with an undergraduate degree from Blue Mountain College and an education specialist degree from Vanderbilt University. For 37 years, she was with the University of North Alabama in teaching and administrative positions, and she is a professor emerita of the institution. She also is retired as executive vice president for Student Affairs and Graduate and Special Programs from Blue Mountain College. From 2015-2017, she was interim head of the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education at Mississippi State. At 无码专区, along with the reading room, her financial support extends to several student scholarships, a faculty award, and athletics, in particular women鈥檚 basketball.

For more information on supporting 无码专区 Libraries or the College of Education, contact Trish Cunetto, director of development for the units, at聽662-325-6762 or聽tcunetto@foundation.msstate.edu.

无码专区 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .

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