Melvin Oakes and Matt Jones, VP of Advancementat Hinds Community College
Click the photo above or link at right for video of interview with Mel Oakes by Hinds team: Mel Oakes Hinds Interview
Sarah, Mel and Mardie Oakes
Sarah Oakes, Mel Oakes, Durham Deifell and Mardie Oakes
L to R: Bettye and Donald Oakes, Jay Rufner, Sarah Oakes, Stuart Oakes, Melvin Oakes, David Oakes, Mardie Oakes, Christian Oakes, Durham Deifell, Jim and Twyla Oakes.
Matt Jones, Mark Jimerson Jr. (Young Alumnus of Year), Melvin Oakes, Vicksburg Medical Foundation (Alumni Service Award) (?)
Melvin Oakes, acceptance speech.
First I would like to thank Martha Gillespi Ferguson for nominating me for this award and her work assembling the application. Martha was an outstanding student at Hinds with me and continues to support the college. My wife Pat, due to health reasons, could not be here today, her love and support means everything to me. Thanks also to the family members who are here with me today.
Also many thanks to the selection committe for their work, though given my age, the selection process for this award was probably more like an archaeological dig.
Congratulation to all the other honorees here today.
I would like to thank Sydney Manna, Alumni Coordinator and her staff, for their work making this event happen. I also appreciated the extra efforts of Karin Meadows, Director of Public Relations, videographer Patrick Wiggins and Angie Foote, photographer who kindly came to our home in Austin for photos and an interview. A conversation with Matt Jones, VP of Advancement, brought back many memories.
It is an honor to be associated with others who have received this award, in particular, classmate Clifford Charlesworth, the voice of NASA during the Apollo mission. Irl Dean Rhodes another classmate who has contributed much to Hinds, Ray Marshall, Sec. of Labor under President Jimmy Carter, his daughter, a professor at UT, is a friend of mine and last but not least my brother, Donald Oakes, Superintendent of Warren County schools and member of the Hinds Board for many years.
I'll close by expressing my gratitude for Hinds' pivotal role in any success I have had and for its continued dedication to educating the students of Mississippi. It is an irreplaceable institution that deserves our support.