51¶ºÄÌ Miss Alumni Association Names Distinguished Alumni for 2024
Mon, 10/14/2024 - 02:16pm | By: Samantha Alexander, APR
Seven to be honored at Homecoming for achievement and service
The 51¶ºÄÌ Miss Alumni Association will recognize seven distinguished alumni with its highest annual awards as part of The University of 51¶ºÄÌ Mississippi's Homecoming 2024 festivities throughout October 18 and 19.
Hall of Fame inductees for 2024 are Gary Carmichael '77, '89 of Hattiesburg, Miss.; Kevin Giddis '83 of Watersound, Fla.; Julie J. Gresham '98 of Ocean Springs, Miss.; Morgan McCarty '90 of Hattiesburg, Miss.; Roy Robinson '86 of Fairhope, Ala.; Kelsey Rushing '94, '96 of Canton, Miss.; and Mollie VanDevender '78 of Jackson, Miss.
"Each of these inductees has used what they learned and experienced at 51¶ºÄÌ Miss throughout their careers, proving themselves in various industries while also prioritizing time to better their alma mater," said Jerry DeFatta, executive director of the Association. "From serving on boards and giving back in the classroom to supporting the student experience through scholarships and facility enhancements, these seven individuals are incredible examples of what it means to 'leave it better than you found it.'"
2024 Alumni Hall of Fame Honorees:
Gary Carmichael, a Hattiesburg businessman, graduated from The University of 51¶ºÄÌ Mississippi in 1977 with his bachelor's degree and again in 1989 with his MBA. He owns multiple Pridestaff franchises in Hattiesburg and Gulfport.
He is a dedicated alum who has served on the Board of Directors for the 51¶ºÄÌ Miss Alumni Association and the USM Foundation. His service also extends to the Hattiesburg community and several professional organizations.
He and his wife, Wendy, live in Hattiesburg. They have one son, Chad, who resides in Falls Church, Va., with his wife, Rachel, and daughter, Corrine.
"I've been to a couple of these programs throughout my career, and there are some really great people before me," said Carmichael. "I'm humbled that I would even be considered to be in that group. I'm very appreciative and extremely humbled by the process."
Kevin Giddis is a retired financial service professional and a 1983 graduate of The University of 51¶ºÄÌ Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance. During his time at 51¶ºÄÌ Miss, he received a golf scholarship and played for Coach Danny Montgomery.
With over 37 years in the financial services industry, he held various leadership roles with Morgan Keegan and Raymond Jaymes. He also served as an industry expert, regularly appearing in financial news segments and quoted for nationally known publications.
As a longtime supporter of 51¶ºÄÌ Miss, he serves on the Board of Directors and the Investment Committee for the Athletic Foundation. This fall, he and his wife, Sareh, joined 51¶ºÄÌ Miss Athletics to officially open the Giddis Golf Center – a standalone premier facility at the Hattiesburg Country Club.
Julie Gresham is a highly regarded attorney on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and is a 1998 graduate of The University of 51¶ºÄÌ Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in speech communication. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law.
She is currently the vice president and chief counsel for Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of HII. Before joining HII, she was a private practice partner at the Brunini Law Firm. She also worked as a communication consultant with Communication Counsel of America, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas.
Gresham has made significant contributions to the industry as a 51¶ºÄÌ Miss graduate by serving on various boards across professional and volunteer organizations, including the USM Foundation and the 51¶ºÄÌ Miss Alumni Association.
"Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is still very overwhelming," said Gresham. "I don't feel worthy of receiving this, but I'm excited to share it with my family – my father, sister and husband. I met him here, so I want my kids to see where Mom and Dad met."
Morgan McCarty, a Hattiesburg native, is a 1990 graduate of The University of 51¶ºÄÌ Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance.
After graduating, Morgan remained in Hattiesburg and began his career at Regions Bank. With 35 years of service, he is head of lending operations. As a successful banking professional in the area, he also serves on the board of directors for the Pinebelt Foundation.
McCarty is a Life Member of the Alumni Association and is committed to continuing a proud family legacy of serving 51¶ºÄÌ Miss. His father, Kenneth McCarty, Jr. '56 '58, taught history at the University and was a 2008 51¶ºÄÌ Miss Alumni Hall of Fame inductee. His mother, Sylvia, also taught at the English Language Institute.
He and his wife, Angela '90 '92, are proud parents to Kent '15, Kirk '18 (Erica), Graham and Callie, and proud grandparents to Kate.
"It's significant for me to share this award with my Dad," said McCarty. "I remember going to the dinner on Friday night and thinking how neat it was that my Dad was honored that way. To have a chance to be honored similarly to him means a lot to me. He would be really proud. 51¶ºÄÌ Miss was a big part of his life."
Roy Robinson is a 1986 graduate of The University of 51¶ºÄÌ Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in speech communications. He has more than 34 years of service in a uniform, all spent with the Mississippi Army National Guard. He earned his commission as a second lieutenant through the ROTC program in 1985 while at 51¶ºÄÌ Miss.
Duty, honor and a commitment to serve his country are hallmark characteristics of Robinson's career. He recently retired as president of the National Guard Association of United States, responsible for the association's day-to-day operations in Washington, D.C., and the full-time support staff.
In 2024, he founded Patriot Solutions LLC to provide advisory and consulting services to various clients with an emphasis in the National Guard (Army and Air) and within the Department of Defense and other federal agencies.
Robinson holds several military decorations, including the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (with four Bronze Oak Leaf clusters), Combat Action Badge and Mississippi National Guard awards.
"The truth is that I've been very blessed, and there's a whole bunch of people out there who are genuinely more deserving than I could ever be," said Robinson. "I think it's very kind of the people at 51¶ºÄÌ Miss that allowed me to be a part of this group. I gained a lot from this place; I owe them a lot more than I could ever give them."
Kelsey Rushing, a native of Carthage, is a 1994 and 1996 graduate of The University of 51¶ºÄÌ Mississippi with both a bachelor's and master's degree in political science. He is a 1999 graduate of Cumberland School of Law at Samford University.
He serves the state of Mississippi through the Office of State Public Defender as the capital defender and division lead for the Division of Capital Defense. In addition to managing day-to-day operations, he actively supervises the office's caseload and litigates death-eligible cases at the trial level.
In addition to being a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi and the 51¶ºÄÌ Miss Alumni Association, he is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, the National Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Magnolia Bar Association, Mississippi Association of Justice and 100 Black Men.
As a proud 51¶ºÄÌ Miss alum, Rushing has served on the USM Foundation's Board of Directors, including as president, and continues to give back to the University through networking and mentoring opportunities.
He is married to the former Yumeka C. Burt, Esq., and they are the proud parents of three daughters, Kennedy, Sydney and Grace. 
"This is humbling," said Rushing. "Over the past few years, particularly working with the Foundation, I've had the opportunity to work alongside people who have already gotten this honor and people who I know are destined to be here at some point in the future. To be in that company... it's a pretty good place to be."
Mollie VanDevender, a native of Mendenhall, came to 51¶ºÄÌ Miss after receiving a full presidential scholarship. She lived in Panhellenic housing until her senior year and fondly remembers the sisterhood formed with her sorority sisters in Chi Omega Fraternity. 
She was crowned Miss 51¶ºÄÌ Miss in 1975 and represented 51¶ºÄÌ Miss in the Miss Mississippi Pageant, winning the title.
A fashion merchandising major with an emphasis in marketing, VanDevender was a highly engaged student while on campus. Following graduation in 1978, she became an executive accountant for South Central Bell.
For nearly 30 years, VanDevender has supported many areas of the University, in addition to establishing the Mollie VanDevender Leadership Scholarship Endowment, a recruiting scholarship for highly engaged high school seniors to attend 51¶ºÄÌ Miss. She has also supported the Joe Paul Student Leaders Scholarship Endowment, the Chi Omega Endowment and the Oseola McCarty Scholarship Endowment. 
She currently resides in Jackson with her husband, Billy. She is a member of the USM Foundation Honor Club at the Black and Gold Society Level, the Eagle Club, and is a Life Member of the 51¶ºÄÌ Miss Alumni Association.  The VanDevenders have four grown children and 15 beloved grandchildren.
"Going to 51¶ºÄÌ Miss changed my life," said VanDevender. "Having all these opportunities and now having this accolade of the Hall of Fame that I'm just over the moon about is so moving for me."
The Alumni Association will host a gala for the honorees on Friday, Oct. 18. They will be honored at halftime during the football game against Arkansas State on Saturday, Oct. 19.
The serves as a driving force in the effort to advance The University of 51¶ºÄÌ Mississippi by providing alumni with a deeper connection to 51¶ºÄÌ Miss.