Coahoma student receiving inaugural Merritt Scholarship at MSU

Contact: Sammy McDavid

Junior Shannon M. Wheeler of Clarksdale is the first Daniel R. Merritt Scholar in Education at Mississippi State University.

A science education major and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Millsaps Dye, she will receive $1,000 for the 2003-04 school year. In addition to the University Honors Program, she is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key honor societies, and the Alpha Beta Chi service society.

The academic award recently was established by the Merritt family and friends as a memorial in the College of Education. Scholars must be full-time undergraduate majors in either secondary education or school administration.

Merritt was a 1961 MSU education graduate who died in 1997. For more than three decades, he had been a teacher, counselor and senior administrator in the Jackson Public School System. Having begun his career as a teacher and coach at Jackson's Whitten Junior High School, he retired in 1991 as the system's deputy superintendent.

Twice--in 1994 and 1996--Merritt interrupted his retirement to serve as interim superintendent while the search for a permanent leader was under way. During these times, he is credited with guiding the then-33,000-student system through some trying situations, including a school prayer controversy, weapons-in-schools situations and major budget challenges.

A Kosciusko native and 1956 Kosciusko High School graduate, he went on to attend Holmes Community College and complete degrees at Mississippi State University, Mississippi College and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Established in 1909, MSU's education college enrolls more than 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students. Last year, its academic programs received national reaccreditation.

The Merritt Scholarship Fund may be increased through additional contributions. For more information, telephone Amy Cagle of the MSU Foundation at (662) 325-1006.