Dr. Stephanie Henderson of Brookhaven has been named Distinguished Alumna of the Year by Mississippi College’s Department of Teacher Education and Leadership.

Henderson is a 2006 and 2015 graduate of MC, and an associate professor in the MC School of Education.

She has an economics degree from Spelman College, an MBA from Millsaps College, and education specialist and education doctorate degrees in educational leadership from MC.

Henderson was the first African-American female and the youngest person to serve as interim superintendent of the Brookhaven School District. Her husband, Dr. Rod Henderson, has been the district’s superintendent since 2016.

She was also the first African-American to serve as chair of MC’s Department of Teacher Education and Leadership.

A sponsor of MC’s Multicultural Student Association and Kissimmee Social Tribe, Henderson is active in the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries, the National Alumni Association of Spelman College, Magnolia Speech School and Mission First.

Henderson is among 26 alumni to be honored as Distinguished Alumni this week at MC. Others are:

• Derek Walker, Department of Art

• Dr. Charles Lindsey Belknap, Department of Biological Sciences

• Dr. Ashley McDonald, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

• Dr. Gordon Sansing, Jackson, Department of Christian Studies

• Patrice Guilfoyle, Department of Communication

• Kaley Winstead Olson, Department of Communication

• Dr. D. Brian Letort, Department of Engineering, Computer Science and Physics

• Heath Gerald Ferguson, Department of Counseling

• Edsel Eugene Cliburn, Department of English and Philosophy

• Clyde Earl Shelley Jr., Department of History and Political Science

• Dr. Randi Moak Richardson, Department of Kinesiology

• Charlotte Madden McMath, Department of Mathematics

• Ruth Ann Broom Moss, Department of Modern Languages

• Dr. Lewis E. Oswalt, Department of Music

• Dr. Kristen Johnson Gunn, Department of Music

• Joanna Mason, Department of Physician Assistant Studies

• Anne Elizabeth Sinclair, Department of Psychology

• Kristen Lorraine Torres, Department of Sociology and Social Work

• Paula Graves Ardelean, School of Business

• Hon. David Bell McCarty, School of Law

• Tamarra A. Bowie, School of Law

• Donald Gregory Tisdale Jr., School of Nursing

• Brianna Pendergrass, School of Nursing

• Hulio Griffin, Masters of Health Services Administration Program

• Pernell Howard Goodwin, Masters of Higher Education Administration Program