February 28th, 2012 |

Mississippi Legislative Resolution #88 in 1987 was passed to honor annually the academically talented students and faculty members of Mississippi’s higher education institutions. The Legislature established the Higher Education Appreciation Day, Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE). These outstanding educators and students have made outstanding contributions in promoting academic excellence. The Appreciation Day, hosted by the Legislature each February in Jackson, is the their way of saying “thank you” to these exemplary students and faculty for their commitment to the future of Mississippi. The Tougaloo College honorees for 2012 are Mr. Jessie Primer III, Chair, Department of Visual and Performing Arts and Ms. Shardale McAfee, Senior Music and Chemistry Major.

On Appreciation Day, the Honorees are invited to the State Capitol where they are welcomed by the Lieutenant Governor and recognized in each chamber of the Legislature. A luncheon follows wherein each student and faculty honoree is recognized by name in front of their guests, institution leaders, corporate sponsors, and legislators.

The goal of the Appreciation Day is to encourage excellence among those involved in higher education as a way to further leadership, increase knowledge across the broad spectrum of education, and promote good citizens capable of thriving in today's society and prepared to meet future challenges. To this end, one student and faculty honoree are annually selected from each of the thirty-six public and private member institutions of the Mississippi Association of Colleges to participate in the Appreciation Day activities. Additionally, the generosity of the corporate sponsors provides for each honoree to be accompanied to the luncheon by two guests. The 2011-2012 Higher Education Appreciation Day took place on February 28th, 2012.