January 2, 2019
Mario Asagunla (left) and Pam Croswell
Sophomore Mayowa “Mario” Asagunla of Jackson and English instructor Pam Croswell of Union will represent East Central Community College in Decatur at the 2018-19 Higher Education Appreciation Day: Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE) program scheduled Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019, in Jackson.
The annual HEADWAE observance was established by the Mississippi Legislature to honor academically talented students and faculty members from each of the 36 public and private member institutions of the Mississippi Association of Colleges.
Asagunla is a sophomore mechanical engineering major and a graduate of Hillcrest Christian School in Jackson.
A Dean’s List Scholar, he was named a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Academic All-American and received the Luke 2:52 Award as a member of the ECCC Warrior football team. He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges, and participates in Baptist Student Union, Clarke-Venable Baptist Church College Worship, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
He is the son of Adekumbi (Mary) Asagunla of Jackson and his guardians are Luke and April Epperson of Jackson.
Croswell has 25 years in the field of education and has been employed at East Central since 2006.
She was selected ECCC Academic Instructor of the Year in 2015, was a Lamplighter Award recipient in 2013 and was a William Winter Scholar Award recipient at the 2012 Natchez Literary Festival. In addition, she is a Mississippi Virtual Community College Certified Online Instructor.
She received her master’s degree at Mississippi State University, her bachelor’s degree in English from Millsaps College, an associate’s degree from Meridian Community College, and is a graduate of Union High School.
She is married to Patrick Croswell and has one step daughter, Tessa Kate Croswell. She is the daughter of Delois Burnett and the late Wavell Burnett. She attends Pine Grove Baptist Church.
The program begins at the State Capitol and will be followed by a luncheon at the Jackson Marriott Hotel in downtown Jackson, during which each student and faculty honoree will be recognized in front of their guests, institution leaders, corporate sponsors and legislators.
