MUW Taps Alumni Award Winners

The MUW Alumni Association recognized four individuals for contributions to their respective career fields and Mississippi University for Women. From left, they are Sandra Paschal Polanski of Jackson, James Allen of Columbus, Beverly Koch Jones of Starkville and Rebecca Rogers of Memphis, Tenn. (Photo by Chris Jenkins/MUW Office of University Relations).

COLUMBUS, Miss. — Four deserving individuals were recognized for contributions to their respective career fields and Mississippi University for Women by the MUW Alumni Association (MUWAA) during the university’s recent Homecoming festivities.

The award winners are Sandra Paschal Polanski of Jackson, James Allen of Columbus, Beverly Koch Jones of Starkville and Rebecca Rogers of Memphis, Tenn. The announcement was made at The W’s Homecoming Convocation Saturday.

“Our Alumni Achievement Award recipients have distinguished themselves in their careers and service to the community and the university. It is with great pride that we honor them during our homecoming celebration,” said Jenny Katool, MUWAA president.

Polanski is the 2015 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, which is extended to MUW alumni who have achieved professional distinction and made significant community service contributions at the local, national or international level, bringing distinction and honor to the university.

Polanski graduated in 1961 from The W and in 1962 received her master of music degree from The University of Michigan. She retired in 2012 from Jackson Public Schools Power Academic and Performing Arts Complex (Power APAC).  Her teaching career spans 50 years, including 30 years at Power APAC where she taught piano and music theory and chaired the music department. Polanski continues to practice and perform as soloist and collaborative pianist, and with her husband, Frank, has performed over the years as a two-piano team in Mississippi and surrounding states, including concerto performances with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra.

Polanski and her husband, along with her sister and brother-in-law, honor their parents, Mae and Noble Paschal of Grenada, through the Noble and Mae Paschal Music Award, established at The W by their mother in 1969. Polanski was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award in Arts Education in 2010 by the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education.

Allen is the recipient of the 2014 Distinguished Achievement Award. The award is presented to alumni and friends of the university who have achieved professional distinction and made significant community service contributions at the local, national or international level, bringing distinction and honor to the university.

After receiving degrees in music from the University of Southern Mississippi and teaching piano and music appreciation for nearly 50 years, Allen is currently retired and resides in Columbus with his wife Ann. He is a member of the Mississippi Music Teachers’ Association and the Music Teachers’ National Association and has played at several MUW commencements and the presidential inaugurations for Dr. Clyda Rent, Dr. Claudia Limbert and Dr. Jim Borsig.

Jones, Class of 1957, was presented with the 2014 Alumni Service Award for consistently demonstrating outstanding commitment, dedication, leadership and service to the advancement of the university and alumni association. She had received prior service awards from the MUWAA in 1984-1985, MUW Foundation in 2007 and the Alumni Achievement Award in 1983. She has served on the MUW Foundation and in leadership roles for the Alumni Association. She was the chairman of the Alumni MUW 100 Celebration, on the Southern Grace Cookbook Committee and the Culinary Advisory Board. In addition to her commitment to The W, Jones has had leadership roles for the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries, Girl Scouts, and First Presbyterian Church of Starkville.

Rogers is the recipient of the 2014 Outstanding Recent Graduate Award, which recognizes alumni for outstanding contributions in their careers and to the university within 15 years of graduation from The W. Rogers is a pathology laboratory supervisor at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee in Memphis for the Medical Laboratory Science program. Rogers was also highlighted as one of 100 Memphians in the website project ThisIsMemphis.com designed to show the “face” of the city of Memphis. She serves as president-elect of the MidSouth Chapter of the MUWAA and president of the BlackList Honorary Social Club Alumnae Association. This past year, she served on the MUWAA’s Recruitment and Retention committee.

The MUWAA exists to support and promote the mission of Mississippi University for Women while providing alumni engagement opportunities. Any person who has been officially enrolled for at least 12 semester hours and has not met donation requirements is considered a general member. A $40 donation to the university constitutes active membership and voting rights for the calendar year.  For more information, visit the Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association at www.longblueline.muw.edu.