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Mississippi College Leaders Salute BancorpSouth Support


MC School of Business Dean Marcelo Eduardo presents a plaque of appreciation to BancorpSouth leaders Thomas Darnell and Brad Mayo in the Self Hall lobby on September 13th.

Over the years, BancorpSouth leaders have stepped up as major supporters of the Mississippi College School of Business.

On Thursday, MC President Lee Royce and School of Business Dean Marcelo Eduardo warmly welcomed bank officials to the Clinton campus and expressed their appreciation.

In the midst of a troubled USA economy, raising money is never easy, Royce told the bankers at Self Hall, home of the School of Business. “This means a lot to us – we don’t take it for granted.”

MC leaders presented a plaque to BancorpSouth area executives Thomas Darnell and Brad Maley to express their gratitude for the company’s strong support of the Christian university.

In August 2010, the Mississippi College School of Business welcomed BancorpSouth as a member of its corporate partners program. Since then, the bank has written checks for thousands of dollars to the School of Business to strengthen the Baptist-affiliated university’s Center for Economic Education and Analysis and boost other programs.

“We continue to be fortunate to have the support of our friends and MC alumni at BancorpSouth,” Eduardo said. “They are generous supporters of education in Mississippi and of the business education we provide here at Mississippi College. We are grateful to have BancorpSouth as a corporate partner to our School of Business.”

For more than 135 years, BancorpSouth has met the banking needs of the communities it serves. The company today maintains nearly 300 locations in nine states. Based in Tupelo, the company operates in such states as Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Tennessee. Led by CEO Aubrey Patterson of Tupelo, the company has more than 4,000 employees and has been a tremendous supporter of education at all levels.

The company deserves recognition as an “exemplary corporate citizen,” Eduardo said during remarks at the Self Hall lobby. “Its impact on the School of Business has been wonderful.”

BancorpSouth has supported a number of initiatives at the School of Business such as the faith and business conference, the annual healthcare symposium, and the institution’s honors luncheon.

Darnell, who received his MBA at Mississippi College in 1975, says his company appreciates the partnership with his alma mater in Clinton.

With MC School of Business student leaders looking on, Darnell encouraged them to continue their education and earn an MBA to help them advance up economic ladders. The president of BancorpSouth in Madison County, Maley is close to finishing his MBA at Mississippi College.