Each fall, eight of Mississippi State University’s notable alumni are invited to return to campus as distinguished guests and deemed Alumni Fellows. They are honored in recognition of the ultimate measure of a university - the quality of its alumni.
The fellows program allows the university to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves in their careers. Alumni Fellows hold the distinction for life.
Sponsored by the Mississippi State University Alumni Association, the colleges, and the Office of the Provost, the Alumni Fellows Program recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers. They are selected by each academic college and are invited to return to campus to meet with students, both in the classroom and informally.
Through the years, this program has served as a means for enriching the MSU experience by exposing students to outstanding alumni who share extensive knowledge and real-world experience from their respective field. These outstanding alumni are willing to talk about specific competencies, attitudes, and efforts needed to succeed. It is an exciting and stimulating way to blend the interests of the accomplished professional, the student, and the professor.
2024 A&S Alumni Fellow
Dr. Katrina Poe-Johnson is executive director of University Health Services at Mississippi State University, where she leads efforts to ensure high-quality, compassionate care at the Longest Student Health Center.
A native of Kilmichael, Mississippi, Poe-Johnson discovered her passion for medicine at age 10 after receiving a toy medical kit for Christmas. At MSU, she earned her Bachelor of Science in biological sciences in 1992, graduating cum laude, and credits supportive faculty and strong campus leadership for helping shape her path. She returned to her alma mater in 2018 to practice medicine and give back to the university that helped launch her career.
Her professional honors include being named a Top 40 Under 40 by the Mississippi Business Journal, a finalist for Mississippi Businesswoman of the Year, and the 2005 Country Doctor of the Year by Staff Care Inc.
Poe-Johnson and her husband, Calvin Johnson—her college sweetheart—live in French Camp. They have two sons: Calvin Dexter “C.J.” Johnson II, a senior football player at Northwestern University, and James “Deuce” Johnson, a sophomore at MSU.
Past Fellows
- 1990 L. Burton Barnes, III, '70, '74
- 1991 Dr. David H. Irwin, Jr., '72
- 1992 Lewis E. Nolan, '67
- 1993 Dr. Ralph W. Alewine, III, '68
- 1994 Henry E. "Hank" Johnston, '65
- 1995 Cecilia Reese Bullock, '69, '94
- 1996 Dr. Susan Brown-Skrobot, '78, '80, '83
- 1997 Newton F. Hamlin, '64
- 1998 William "Bill" C. Mattox, '72, '73
- 1999 Kevin T. Ivey, '84
- 2000 Mark C. Rohr, '73, '75
- 2001 Judge William Alsup, '67
- 2002 Sidney L. Salter, '88
- 2003 Dr. Larry R. Grillot, '68
- 2004 Dr. Ronald Greeley, '62
- 2005 Marion Harris, '91, '93
- 2006 Mary Catherine Di Nunzio, '90
- 2007 Kevin Robinson, '01
- 2008 Adrienne Pakis-Gillon, '80 and William Gillon, '80
- 2009 Mark Worthey, ‘84
- 2010 Cindy Stevens, ‘83
- 2011 Dr. Randy White, ‘66
- 2012 Dr. David Wigley, ‘79
- 2013 Dr. Fred Corley, ‘68
- 2014 Dr. M. Diane Roberts, ’63, ‘64
- 2015 Laurie R. Williams, '79
- 2016 Tommie Cardin, '83
- 2017 Debbie Rabinowitz, '69
- 2018 Greg Barker, '88
- 2019, Dr. David Seago, '97
- 2021, Bruce Thomas
- 2022, Myna Dickerson Sowell, '91
- 2023, White Jee