Vicki Hale Endowment

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Division of Nursing has established the Victoria Parker Hale Endowment in honor of long-time Division Director Vicki Hale. Hale was honored at the Nursing Pinning Ceremony on May 12 in Southaven. Bottom row, left to right, Charisse Reed, instructor; Dr. Denise Bynum, division director of Nursing; Vicki Hale, retired division director; Dr. Ellen Williams, former dean of Nursing; Stacy Taylor, nursing simulation specialist; Barbra Manning, retired instructor and Cherry Smith, retired administrative assistant. Middle rows, Karin Randolph, student navigator; Pam Llana, instructor; Stacie Pigues, instructor; Lisa Vincent, retired instructor; Monica Williams, coordinator of nursing skills lab; Stephanie Kennedy, instructor; Austin Mabry, instructor; Stephanie Stevens, instructor; Mandy Deshotels, instructor; Toni Blair, instructor and Dianne Scott, instructor. Top row, Alison Perryman, instructor; Olivia Russom, instructor; Cindy Springer, retired instructor; Catina Mathena, instructor; Pam Briscoe, instructor and Lacey Gentry, instructor. (Photo by Julie Bauer)

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Division of Nursing has established the Victoria Parker Hale Endowment in honor of long-time Division Director Vicki Hale.

Hale served as division director of the Nursing Division from 1988-2008 when she retired from Northwest. After graduating from Coffeeville High School, she attended Northwest for one year before transferring to the RN/Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. She graduated in 1972.

In March, 1973 she was hired to help start the new nursing program at Northwest and was the first nursing instructor ever hired at Northwest. The program was started in the fall semester, 1973. Hale worked at Northwest until 1978, when she began working for the Mississippi Health Department. She returned to Northwest in 1988 and became director shortly thereafter.

Under Hale’s leadership, plans were made for the new Nursing Building, which was completed in 2010. Hale, along with nursing faculty and staff, designed the building for the Associate Degree Nursing program. The building includes lecture rooms, computer labs, classrooms, student lounges, faculty offices, nursing skills labs and hospital simulation patient rooms.

“While Vicki retired before the Nursing Building was completed, she was instrumental in establishing a nursing program that was known for its excellence.  The building that she lobbied for when she was at Northwest simply provided exceptional facilities to match the already-exceptional program. Her legacy has lived on in the hundreds of well-respected health care professionals who are staffing hospitals, clinics, hospice programs, and doctors’ offices throughout the Southeast. The Foundation is delighted and grateful to have a scholarship that bears her distinctive name,” said Sybil Canon, associate vice president of Development and Special Projects.

Hale and her husband Danny have two sons, Matt and Brian. They have four grandchildren and are expecting their fifth grandchild in December. Hale has served as organist and soloist at Coldwater Baptist Church for 28 years. She has served as pianist for civil groups since her retirement. She loves cheering for her grandchildren at their baseball and softball games.

The Victoria Parker Hale Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to students enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing program.

For more information about the Northwest Foundation, contact Canon at 662-560-1103 or e-mail srcanon@northwestms.edu.

Courtesy of LaJuan Tallo, Communications Assistant