House Concurrent Resolution 97

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING DR. ERIN RIGGINS ON BEING NAMED INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AT THE JEFFERSON DAVIS CAMPUS OF MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

WHEREAS, Dr. Erin Riggins, a resident of Gulfport, Mississippi, was named Instructor of the Year at the Jefferson Davis Campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in recognition of her distinguished service to the college; and

WHEREAS, the prestigious award was established by the Alumni Association of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to honor deserving instructors at the college, such as Dr. Riggins, with the recipient of the award being chosen from nominations submitted by students, faculty and administrators on the basis of their teaching excellence, college service, community service and professional development; and

WHEREAS, upon graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor of science degree, Dr. Riggins, consumed with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, dedicated long hours to her studies and earned a master of education degree from the University of South Alabama and a Ph.D. in science education from the University of Southern Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, for the past ten years, Dr. Riggins, a science instructor, has provided her students with an overflowing beaker of scientific expertise, and for the past five years, she has benefitted the students at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College with her riveting lectures, thought-provoking experiments, and inspirational enthusiasm for science; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Riggins was awarded a $50,000 grant from the National Institute of Health in order to develop a biomedical teaching laboratory at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, so that she may continue discovering the phenomenal intricacies of this vast planet we call Earth; and

WHEREAS, when Dr. Riggins enters her classroom each day, she ignites in her students an inextinguishable fire for knowledge about the mystifying yet fascinating subject of science, and she radiates excellence, overwhelms with her wisdom and inspires all of her students to reach their potential, fulfill their dreams and achieve greatness; and

WHEREAS, when she is not enlightening her pupils about the mysteries of science, Dr. Riggins is very active in civic and community affairs, as evidenced by her service on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Faculty Association and as the Children's Ministries Director and member of the Executive Committee at Christ United Methodist Church in Long Beach, by promoting the importance of science instruction at local career days, and by participating in the Southernettes Mardi Gras organization, where she raises funds for scholarships and supplies for the needy; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend outstanding Mississippians such as Dr. Erin Riggins, whose superb leadership and instruction as a science educator has bettered the lives of the youth of our great Magnolia State:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Dr. Erin Riggins on being named Instructor of the Year at the Jefferson Davis Campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and further, express best wishes for continued success in all of her future professional and personal endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Dr. Erin Riggins and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.