Keith Stovall of Brookhaven, Co-Lin Social Science Division Chair and Instructor of Psychology, Sociology and Child Advocacy Studies; and Co-Lin sophomore Katherine Gifford of Liberty have been selected to receive awards as William Winter Scholars at the 35th annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration (NLCC) to be held February 22-24, 2024, in Natchez, Mississippi
The William Winter Scholar awards are a highlight of the annual event that will be thematically framed this year by
“Rites, Rituals, and Religion in the Deep South,” reflecting a program that will explore life and death experiences in a series of presentations on religious traditions, burial rituals, cemetery history, mourning practices, and historic holidays -- all deeply embedded in the Southern Experience.
Over two-and-a-half-days, presentations will parallel an evolving historical American narrative of the living and the dying based on both “Old World” traditions and a sense of democracy, race, and ingenuity -- a mix that has created the eccentric culture that is Mississippi.
Most conference events are free of charge and held at the Natchez Convention Center.
The annual William Winter Scholar awards at NLCC carry prestige and public acknowledgment of how highly each scholar is regarded by his or her institution. Each award recipient is allowed to attend most of the NLCC program events without charge.
Stovall earned a bachelor’s degree from William Carey University and a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Counseling Psychology. He started his professional career as a Therapist and Forensic Interviewer at the Southwest Mississippi Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) in McComb, Mississippi. W hile at the SMSCAC, he conducted nearly 600 interviews in four years and served as an Expert Witness in Circuit Court cases. He is a two-time recipient of the Robert M. Segal Multi-Disciplinary Team Award and fought for children during and following his tenure at the CAC.
"An exemplary instructor, a steadfast advocate, and a beacon of inspiration, Stovall embodies the essence of excellence in education,” says Co-Lin Wesson Campus Vice President Jackie Martin. “As a recipient of the William Winter Scholar Award, his dedication as a division chair and tireless advocacy for child welfare stand as testaments to his unwavering commitment to nurturing not only academic growth but also compassion and empathy."
Stovall came to Co-Lin in 2006. In 2022, the Child Advocacy Response and Education (CARE) student organization was created at Co-Lin with Stovall as its Faculty Advisor. In 2023, Stovall launched the Virtual CARE house to provide simulated education online. The development of the Virtual CARE lab at Co-Lin will expand the footprint of child advocacy education. The virtual space will continue to bring personalized, nuanced, and realistic child advocacy training for years to come. Stovall and his wife Teresa are the proud parents of three children.
Gifford serves as President of the C.A.R.E student group on the Co-Lin campus, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honor society, and the Baptist Student Union. She serves as a Trailblazer student recruiter and a manager of the Lady Wolves Softball team. After Co-Lin, she plans to continue her education and pursue a career as an occupational therapist.
With Stovall’s selection as a William Winter Scholar, he was able to select a student who he felt deserved recognition for hard work, dedication, and overall integrity for honor as well and chose Gifford.
“Gifford is an absolutely outstanding student and deserves to receive recognition as a William Winter Scholar,” says Stovall. “I selected her because she is a visionary and helped create the C.A.R.E. student organization on campus. She has a heart for eradicating child abuse.”
The full agenda for the NLCC can be found at www.colin.edu/nlcc.