Posted on Friday, August 19, 2022
The college welcomed a new era this summer when Kathy Reese McCollum ’81, M’17 began her term as the first female chair of the Board of Trustees.
“I am honored to serve as Chair of the Board and look forward to working with fellow trustees who are dedicated to LaGrange College,” she said.
She expressed her appreciation to her predecessor Bobby Carmichael Jr.
“Bobby set a wonderful example for all future Board Chairs with his calm and wise leadership,” McCollum said. “His dedication to the college and community inspires everyone around him.”
She first became involved with the Board as an ex officio member after serving as president of the Alumni Association from 1995-1998.
In 2007, McCollum officially joined the Board as a new trustee. After her two consecutive terms ended in 2015, she was invited to return in 2016. McCollum has served on the Enrollment and Student Affairs Committees, now known as the Enrollment and Student Engagement Committee.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and Christian education from LaGrange College, a master’s degree in business administration from Wesleyan College and a master’s degree in philanthropy and development from LaGrange College.
McCollum, whose three siblings, Dr. Ken Reese ’82, Karla Powers ’95, and Kerri Shoemaker ’95, are also LC alumni, said education was very important to her parents, who didn’t have the opportunity to go to college.
“My parents encouraged all of us to do as well as we could in school,” she said. “I think it’s pretty remarkable that all four of their children went to LC because they made that opportunity possible for us.”
As a way of saying thank you, McCollum and her siblings presented their parents with a special gift on their 50th wedding anniversary.
“We endowed the Charles and Faye Reese Scholarship at LaGrange College with a preference that the scholarship be awarded to students whose parents don’t have a college degree, so that we can help other first-generation college families,” she said.
Other scholarships McCollum helped establish at the college include the Louise McCook scholarship, the Dr. C. Frank McCook scholarship at the Georgia United Methodist Foundation and the Dr. Don Jolly scholarship.
She said she is honored to work with President Susanna Baxter.
“President Baxter is an incredible leader for LC at this pivotal point in the college's history,” McCollum said. “Her love for the students and dedication to the college are evident in all she does.”
Moving forward, McCollum said the Board will focus on growing student enrollment and making a LaGrange College education possible for more students.
“LaGrange College plays an important role in preparing students for productive lives and teaching students to serve the community.”
For 34 years, McCollum worked in the telecommunications industry for Southern Bell, BellSouth and AT&T, beginning as an outside plant engineer and ending as director of outside plant construction for the state of Georgia. Her jobs were based in Dublin, Atlanta, Rome, Augusta and Macon.
After leaving AT&T in 2015, she made the transition to non-profit management and is currently the president and CEO of Middle Georgia Community Food Bank in Macon, where she and her husband David are active members at First Baptist Church of Christ.
In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling and cheering on the Panthers.
LC Student Ambassadors
LaGrange College Student Ambassadors serve as representatives for the school, leading Admission tours, assisting at Preview Days, and participating in donor visits. This video outlines the requirements and expectations.
With a new season set to begin on Sept. 3, the Panther football team took a test run on Thursday with a preseason scrimmage against Birmingham-Southern at Callaway Stadium.
The Panthers began practice last week, and the scrimmage gave them a chance to put everything they’ve been working on to the test.
The team is looking forward to what they’re hoping will be a successful season.
The Panthers went 2-8 in 2021, but expectations are high with so many players returning and with the influx of some talented newcomers.
“We’ve got a good group of guys,” said senior offensive lineman Len Spivey. “We’ve got the most returners that we’ve ever had since I’ve been a part of this program. I think we’ve got a shot to really do something special.”
All-American
Senior tight end De’Queze Fryer, coming off a spectacular 2021 season, has been selected as a first-team preseason All-American by D3football.com.
He was unstoppable last season with 66 catches for 944 yards in 10 games, and he scored 11 touchdowns.
Fryer had at least one touchdown catch in every game, and five times he surpassed 100 receiving yards in a game.
He had a season-best nine catches for 123 yards against Southern Virginia on Sept. 18, and he had eight receptions for 112 yards in the season finale against Huntingdon.
Soccer Time
The Panther men’s and women’s soccer teams opened practice this week with the season openers coming up in two weeks.
Both teams were on Panther Field on Wednesday, with returning and new players getting a chance to get to know each other.
“I want them to get a little bit accustomed to each other, to playing with each other,” said women’s Head Coach Kennet Foushene. “And then the next couple of days we’ll start working on tactical things.”
Category: College
Keywords: Trustees
