House Resolution 102

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE EXCEPTIONAL AND DEDICATED CAREER OF DR. L. FRANCES P. LIDDELL AND CONGRATULATING HER UPON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT FROM JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY.

WHEREAS, Dr. L. Frances P. Liddell, has announced her plans to retire from Jackson State University after serving as Associate Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Public Policy and Administration at Jackson State University; and

WHEREAS, born in Columbia, Louisiana, Dr. Liddell graduated from Union Central High School, furthered her education at Grambling State University, where she earned a bachelor of science degree; she also earned her master of education degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and earned her educational specialist and doctorate degrees from Mississippi State University; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Liddell holds lifetime teaching and administrative certificates from Mississippi and Louisiana, and is also certified to teach in North Carolina and Kentucky; and

WHEREAS, over the course of her career, Dr. Liddell has served in many capacities; she is the current President of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration, as an educator and administrator she has served as an adjunct professor, a consultant and a researcher, and she also served as President of the National Conference of Minority Public Administrators and President of the Public Policy Toastmasters, a club she founded to help students develop the confidence and skills in public speaking and leadership; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Liddell's experience includes two tenures at Jackson State University, during which she served in the School of Business within the Department of Business Education and Administrative Services from 1971-1985, and after some time away, she returned to Jackson State in 1992, this time serving the Department of Public Policy and Administration within the School of Liberal Arts and the College of Public Service until 2008; and

WHEREAS, while at Jackson State University, Dr. Liddell served the students and institution as an Associate Professor, Interim Chairperson, Master of Public Administration Program Coordinator, Internship and Professional Development Department of Public Policy and Administration, Assistant Professor of Business Education and she also served within the Business Education and Administrative Services fields; and

WHEREAS, in addition to her indelible career at Jackson State University, Dr. Liddell also served as an Associate Professor at North Carolina A&T State and Murray State Universities, as Unit Director within the Kentucky State Department of Education where she managed teacher education and teacher certification, and she has also taught commerce at Callaway High School, language arts and social studies at Thomas Jefferson Middle School and commerce at Wesley Ray High School; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Liddell's contributions to research have been recognized with many accolades, including the Kellogg Doctoral Fellow, University of Michigan Population Fellow and University of Wisconsin at Whitewater Typist Replication Fellows Workshop to train business educators in assisting the development of skills for differentially-abled students, in addition to having also founded the Brown Baggers Research Forum in 1993; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Liddell is a member of the American Society for Public Administration, the Conference of Minority Public Administrators, Mississippi's Chapter of American Society for Public Society, the National Business Education Association and Toastmasters International; she has also directed and served on numerous dissertation committees on public administration, the school of business and the executive Doctor of Philosophy program, which she later developed for Jackson State; and

WHEREAS, in 2014, a scholarship was named in her honor, as recognition of her dedication and commitment to students participating in the Student Policy Debates, and more recently, she was honored by the American Society for Public Administration, who named the Student Policy Debates she founded in her honor on February 19, 2016; and

WHEREAS, a woman of faith, she is a member of Anderson United Methodist Church, and she also volunteers each year, donating toys for Christmas and Easter to Batson Children's Hospital; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Liddell is married to former Jackson State University Director of Bands, Dr. Lewis Liddell Sr., through their loving union they have welcomed four sons and two daughters to share in their many passions, including their university as all six of their children attended Jackson State University; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize outstanding contributions to education and the leadership of exceptional individuals such as Dr. L. Frances P. Liddell, whose dedication to education has brought the joy of knowledge to many throughout her career and brings great honor to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the dedicated service and exceptional professional career of Dr. L. Frances P. Liddell and congratulate her upon the occasion of her retirement, and extend best wishes for continued success in all of her future endeavors as she enjoys the lighter days of retirement.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Dr. L. Frances P. Liddell and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.