William Carey University inducted seven people into in its Alumni Hall of Fame during an awards dinner April 1 at Tatum Court. The ceremony was part of WCU’s first in-person Homecoming in three years.
“We were thrilled to invite our alumni back to campus to celebrate with us. The Hall of Fame inductees always impress me, and this year was no exception. We receive nominations throughout the year from alumni, faculty, and staff. The alumni council chose very worthy honorees,” said Pam Shearer, WCU’s director of alumni relations.
“We had beautiful weather for the crawfish boil the next day, too. Alumni and families sat at tables, lounged on picnic blankets, and played on inflatable slides and jumps. I especially enjoyed seeing young alumni families enjoying crawfish – and parents (grandparents, too) climbing through the obstacle course with the children! Eight alumni authors signed copies of their books, and soccer alumni scrimmaged with our team. We had something for everyone.”
The Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony included both 2021 and 2022 honorees:
Benjamin Austin ’15, ’16, ’21Young Alumni Award 2021 Hall of Fame Benjamin Austin earned a Bachelor of Arts in social science from William Carey University in 2015 and a Master of Education in secondary education the next year. He completed a Specialist in Education in 2021.
Now in his sixth year of teaching history at Petal High School, Austin was named the Mississippi Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year for the 2019-20 school year – one of the youngest teachers ever to receive this honor.
He became a teacher despite thinking as a child that he would follow in his father’s footsteps in chemical engineering. When he was 12, Austin's parents became missionaries in Lima, Peru, and moved there from Baton Rouge. Austin attended the International Christian School of Lima where his history teacher, Casey Herring, named him the student “Most Likely to Become a History Teacher.”
That experience started his journey to become a teacher. When he graduated high school in 2011, Austin enrolled at William Carey, where his sister was also studying, and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees. He was active on campus, including serving as president of the Baptist Student Union his senior year. After working as a recruiter for William Carey, he took on a job at Petal High School and has taught there ever since.
Austin met his wife, Erin, at William Carey. She has two WCU degrees in counseling psychology. Ben and Erin Austin live in Petal with their son, Oliver.
Dr. Loretta Williams Eleuterius ’07, ’10, ’172022 Hall of FameLoretta Eleuterius is a three-time William Carey graduate. She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2007, a Master of Science in nursing in 2010, and a doctorate in nursing education in 2017.
Eleuterius has worked as a nurse since 1994 in many capacities ranging from staff nurse, nurse manager, patient care services director and more. She currently serves as the chief of community living centers for the Department of Veterans Affairs, VACO. As chief, she is responsible for policy, national programming, and research for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
She is a member of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, and has served as a volunteer in her local chapter.
Eleuterius is from D’Iberville. She is married with three children, a daughter-in-law and two grand-daughters. She and her family belong to Blessed Seelos Church in Biloxi.
Wendy Clark Hogue ’98, ’082022 Hall of FameWendy Hogue earned a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education in 1998 and a Master of Education degree in 2008, both from William Carey.
Hogue came to Carey in 1995 as a softball player on the inaugural team under current Baylor head coach Glenn Moore. While at Carey, she excelled on the field and in the classroom. She received the Holbrook Award, was an Academic All-American in softball, was inducted into the Alpha Chi Honor Society and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
During the 10 years Hogue coached at Carey, her team won multiple championships, including two GCAC championships, two unaffiliated regional championships, two SSAC regular season titles, and a Southern States tournament championship. Her teams advanced to the NAIA World Series in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014. The team was National Runner-Up in the 2014 NAIA World Series. The team was the top academic performing softball school in the country with a 3.71 team GPA. During her last seven years at Carey, her team was a National Top Ten Scholar Team.
At the University of Southern Mississippi, her 2016 team was the CUSA West Champion – and the 2019 team had the most wins since the 2004 season. After her tenure at Carey and USM, she returned to Petal High School, where she was named athletic director in spring 2021. She has twice coached the MHSAA/MAC High School All-Star team.
She has served as the GCAC, SSAC, and CUSA Softball Conference Chair. Hogue also served on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s board of directors. Hogue is a member of the Jones College Hall of Fame as well as the Carey Athletic Hall of Fame.
Hogue attends Summit Church and has served on the Ministry Advisory Committee, as well as being Missions chair, Bible Drill instructor and Sunday School teacher. She and her husband make their home in Petal and have two children, Kinley Grace and Keaton.
Dr. Scott Hummell ’872021 Hall of FameScott Hummel, a first-generation college student, earned a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies from William Carey University in 1987. He earned a Master of Divinity in biblical languages in 1991 and a doctorate in biblical backgrounds and archeology in 1996 – both from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS). He also studied as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
A professor at heart, he began his education career in Fort Worth in 1989. He taught religion courses as an adjunct professor at SWBTS and was a biblical studies professor at LeTourneau University. At LeTourneau, he also chaired the Department of Biblical Studies and Christian Ministries, establishing a major and minor in Christian ministries and growing enrollment by 500 percent.
Hummel returned to his alma mater in 2008 as vice president for advancement and church relations. He served as provost and executive vice president from 2013-2020. He was also a professor of religion at William Carey, teaching courses in Old Testament, biblical backgrounds, the Greco-Roman World and the Ancient Near East. He revitalized and served as director of the Honors Program. He loves to travel and has led tours of England and the Middle East. He has also traveled on university teams and mission trips to many other countries. Hummel preaches in local churches when the opportunity arises and has served as interim pastor of churches in Texas and Mississippi.
He has been a member of Rotary International since 2002 and was president of the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club from 2007-2008 and the Hattiesburg Rotary Club from 2013-2014.
Hummel is president of Tusculum University in Greeneville, Tenn.
He and his wife, Starr, have three daughters: Lauren (William Carey, Class of ’16), Rachel, and Julia.
Annie Lee ’02, ’062022 Hall of FameLt. Col. Annie Lee earned two degrees from William Carey University – Bachelor of Science in Business in 2002 and Master of Business Administration in 2006.
Lee began her career in the Mississippi Army National Guard in 1990. In 2003, she was commissioned as an officer. She has served in positions of increasing responsibility. She deployed to Iraq in 2003, Afghanistan in 2011, and Kuwait in 2018. In 2020, she became the first female battalion commander in the 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, 106th Brigade Support Battalion in Hattiesburg. The unit is Mississippi’s largest, providing logistics, maintenance, and medical support for about 400 soldiers.
Currently, Lee is assigned to the 184th Expeditionary Command in Monticello, Miss., and is attending Army War College. She anticipates completing a Master’s in Strategic Studies in July 2022.
Lee is a native of Collins and presently works for the Mississippi Military Department of Public Works as the division manager. She and her husband, LaBarron, live in Hattiesburg. They have four daughters and one son: Shavey, Ravan, Nia, Haley, and Dwayne; and three grandchildren, Aiden, Avery, and Kayloni. They attend West Point Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.
Beverly Lawrence Merritt ’782021 Hall of FameBeverly Merritt earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from William Carey University in 1978. As a student, she was a member of the homecoming court for three years and was selected Queen and Miss William Carey during her senior year. She was a Class Favorite, served in the Student Government Association, and worked on the newspaper and the yearbook. She was a member of Who’s Who, the Baptist Student Union, and Carey Chorale. She also traveled with Bits n Pieces, the traveling theatre company.
In 1985, she earned a Master’s Degree in administration and supervision from Southeastern Louisiana University and began a long teaching career in her hometown of Bogalusa. While there, she sponsored the school yearbook and taught honors English. She completed the rigorous program to become a Louisiana Master Teacher, an accomplishment achieved by only 5 percent of teachers in Louisiana at that time.
After teaching in Louisiana for 21 years, Merritt taught for 21 years in Poplarville. She taught English, computer discovery, tech discovery, STEM and computer science courses and founded and sponsored the High School Dance Team.
Merritt also served on committees at school and in the community of Poplarville.
She met her husband, Carl, at William Carey University. He is also a ’78 graduate and an educator. The Merritts have two children, Ryan (Carey, Class of ’08) and Meghan – both are both educators, too. The Merritts reside in Orange Beach, Ala.
Dr. David Millican ’582022 Hall of FameDr. David Millican earned a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies from William Carey University in 1958, a Master of Theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1964, and a Doctor of Ministry from Luther Rice Seminary in 1983. He also studied clinical pastoral education at Baptist Medical Center in Jackson.
As a student, he served as president of the Baptist Student Union and as a leader in the Ministerial Association.
Millican has pastored churches and served in chaplaincy ministry since 1954. He has conducted more than 350 revivals and Bible conferences in the United States and abroad. He led campaigns for the Mississippi Baptist Convention’s Sunday School department, conducted World Mission Conferences and performed 600 weddings and 2,500 funerals.
With 68 years of ministry experience, Millican serves as a visiting minister in McComb, an adjunct instructor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and a trustee of William Carey University. He served as a member of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board from 1969-1975, a member of the MBC Board of Ministerial Education from 1992-1998, and was MBC Second Vice President in 1980.
He and his late wife, Doris Powe Millican, a 1958 Carey graduate, have three children and three grand-children.
In the photo:William Carey University inducted seven people into in its Alumni Hall of Fame on April 1. The ceremony was part of WCU’s first in-person Homecoming in three years. Pictured are, front row from left: Dr. Loretta Eleuterius, Class of 2007; and Wendy Clark Hogue, Class of 1998. In the second row are: Benjamin Austen, Class of 2015; Dr. David Millican, Class of 1958; and Dr. Scott Hummel, Class of 1987. Not pictured are Beverly Lawrence Merritt, Class of 1978, and Annie Lee, Class of 2002.
