Julie Correro is Northwest's 2024 Alumna of the Year

Education is the Key to All Things

by Sarah Smith

Senatobia, MS (10/08/2024) — "Education is the key to all things," said Julie Correro, Northwest Mississippi Community College's 2024 Alumna of the Year.

Correro will be honored by the Northwest Foundation during the Homecoming Celebration Oct. 24. Receiving Alumna of the Year was an accolade that Correro hadn't expected after years of service to the college and then finally retiring in 2023.

"It's such an honor," Correro said about receiving Alumna of the Year. "I didn't think I was worthy."

Her faith and hard work in the education system hasn't gone unnoticed throughout her life and career. In 2021, she was named the Sandy Grisham Educator of the Year at Northwest. The Batesville native graduated from South Panola High School before beginning her academic career at Northwest in the summer of 1977. Correro attended Northwest for a year before transferring to the University of Mississippi where in 1980, she received her Bachelor of Education, and in 1983, her Master of Education.

Later, while working at Northwest she re-enrolled, finishing her associate degree in 2014, after years encouraging her Northwest students to do the same. Correro said that if she was going to encourage students to do it, she should have done it too.

Undoubtedly, Correro was inspired by a family matriarch, her mother. After her father's untimely death due to lung cancer, her mother, Dr. Doris Dunn Philips bootstrapped her way through her education and taught at the University of Mississippi School of Business until she was 70.

"I grew up on campus at Ole Miss," Correro said reflecting on her childhood with her mother as a professor there. "My mother said working with college students will keep you young or kill you one."

One could credit working with students to why she maintains her youthful spirit. For over 20 years she lived out her core belief, and even after her teaching years she has continued to be a vital part of many people's education, serving in various roles and committees including but not limited to Executive Council, Strategic Planning Committee, SACS/COC Committee, SAP Appeal Committee, Athletic Committee, and she served as a sponsor for Gamma Beta Phi.

At Northwest, Correro started as an adjunct Real Estate instructor but has now taught many subjects including science, swimming, lifesaving and first aid. She became Director of the Education Division in 2002 and served in that capacity for 20 years.

Correro's motto really rings true, as education has brought her not only her career, and many friendships that she values, but also the love of her life, William Correro, who she met while attending Northwest when he played guitar for the Entertainers.

Together they have two sons, Richard and Phillip, and her daughter-in-law, Phillip's wife, Rachel Crenshaw-Correro, and their two children, William Sanders Correro who is currently 2, and Richard Wilson Correro, who is currently 1.

All her children, including her daughter- in-law, attended Northwest. Before Phillip and Rachel married, Rachel even was Correro's work-study at Northwest.

Correro is a proud member of the Correro clan with affectionate and fond memories of all her family, including her in-laws, who have also been vital parts of the Northwest community, such as Connie Correro, Correro's sister-in-law, who was named Northwest Alumna of the Year several years ago and was an Entergy engineer, and her other sister-in-law, Carolyn Correro, who served as CEO of Entergy and is also a Northwest alumna.

"William and I are so blessed to live and raise our families here," Correro said.

A beacon of hope and life of the party, Correro is known to many as the "birthday queen" and regularly delivered balloons around campus for people's birthdays or had her student workers bring people balloons for their birthday. Any opportunity that arose for her to help with one's baby shower, wedding shower, or other celebrations she took on joyously.

Because of her shining example of taking on everything she could, Correro was nominated for the President's Customer Service Award and she was a winner of the Sandy Grisham Excellence in Teaching Award after receiving nominations from co-workers around campus.

"Julie never says no when she is asked to help with anything," said Samantha Latham, Institutional Research reporting specialist, in her nomination for Correro for the President's Customer Service Award. "She is often found decorating for campus events, serving on conference committees, holding office in a professional or community organization, preparing food for a reception, putting together travel bags for athletes traveling on a road trip or blowing up balloons for a birthday, graduation or retirement. Julie is always optimistic, creative and goes above and beyond the call of duty in everything she does."

"Mrs. Julie has always been passionate about the important roles she's played as an instructor, an advisor, and as a community member," said Latham. "She's such an inspiring person who grows her relationships in a positive light. Creative, motivating, caring, and supportive are all words that come to mind when thinking about Mrs. Julie."

Correro said that this honor and every part of being at Northwest has changed her life. Even in retirement, Correro stays involved with the college by coming to events. She said that some of her favorite events are Heindl Center events, sporting events, and the Fine Arts programs. She keeps up with the calendar and can be spotted at many, if not most, events on campus.

She also fondly remembers all the folks she worked with from her coworkers to her director friends to the legacy of relationships she's made in her time at Northwest and as a part of the Senatobia community which she's still active in. She participates in community clubs and organizations like Rotary, is a Tate County Economic Council board member, and is a member of the Sycamore Arts Council Board of Directors.

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