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Holmes Community College students Mia Coy Bridges of Winona, William Cray Cairncross of Kosciusko, Dawson Carnathan of Grenada, Charlotte Lamar of Jackson, Kevion McGee of Grenada and Garrett Viator of New Iberia, Louisiana, were all named to the 2023 Phi Theta Kappa honor society All-Mississippi Academic Team. Nominations are based on outstanding academic performance and service to the college and community.
Mia Coy Bridges
Bridges, daughter of Holly and Andy Bridges, is an accounting major on the Goodman Campus. She is active on campus as a Bulldog cheerleader, accounting tutor and officer for the Kappa Alpha Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. As a freshman, she was a Holmes Ambassador, as well. Bridges is an active member of North Winona Baptist Church where she enjoys helping with the children’s ministries. She is also a clerk at Hammond’s Pharmacy in Winona where her duties include checking customers out and creating displays.
Bridges was recently selected as a Statesman Transfer Scholarship Top 5 Finalist and was selected for the Magnolia Scholarship at Delta State University. She was also selected for the Phi Theta Kappa Catalyst Award at Delta State University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching sports, shopping with her mom, taking trips and seeing new places with her family.
William Cray Cairncross
Cairncross, son of Holly Cairncross and J.D. Cairncross, is a journalism/mass communications major on the Goodman Campus. He goes by Cray and is active on campus as a member of the Baptist Student Union, Student Government Association and the Kappa Alpha Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. He is also a President’s List scholar who enjoys playing disc golf in his spare time. Off campus, Cairncross stays busy working for WFCA Radio and practicing Taekwondo, Judo.
Dawson Carnathan
Carnathan, son of Jennifer and Kevin Carnathan, is a member of the Alpha Mu Beta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. He has also been named to the President’s List three times and was awarded the History Award during the Honors Banquet. Off campus, he is a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church and employed at Sherwin Williams. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, working out and watching movies.
Charlotte Lamar
Lamar, daughter of Miriam Lamar and Jaime Lamar, is a social work/sociology major. She serves as vice president of leadership for the Alpha Lambda Sigma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and was named an Order of the Golden Key Scholar at PTK Regions. She is also a tutor for The Writing Center and an active participant/volunteer for intramural sports. Lamar is also a Hall of Fame inductee, a Board of Trustees ACT Scholarship recipient and a President’s List scholar. Off campus, she is a preschool Sunday School teacher for CityHeart Church. In her free time, Lamar enjoys thrift shopping, completing crossword puzzles, driving/exploring the city and enjoying fellowship with family and friends.
Kevion McGee
McGee, son of Shelisa R. Hair, is a meteorology major on the Grenada Campus. He is vice president of leadership for the Phi Theta Kappa Alpha Mu Beta Chapter, a Dean’s List scholar and a member of the Holmes choir. He is also a Writing Center tutor who won second place for his short story in the Creative Writing Contest. McGee has volunteered at Providence Living Center in Grenada. Upon graduation, he plans to attend Mississippi State University and complete his Bachelor of Science in professional meteorology.
Garrett Viator
Viator, son of Monica and Ernie Turner, is a pre-law/legal studies major on the Ridgeland Campus. He is active on campus as Phi Theta Kappa chapter president, student body vice president, a Growl student newspaper reporter and a Social Science Club member. Viator was instrumental in helping with the establishment and growth of the Ridgeland Campus’ new intramural sports program, which he consistently participates in. For the Growl, he covers intramural sports events as well as informational and academic topics. Additionally, he created graphic designs for Holmes’ official Instagram page in order to help promote student activities and events, such as Spring Fling.
Some of Viator’s accolades include induction into Holmes’ 2023 Hall of Fame, receiving the Board of Trustees Scholarship, earning a 3.92 GPA and being named to the President’s List every semester of college so far. Off campus, he is involved with and currently seeking membership at Grace Community Church in Jackson. He’s also a student worker at Huffman and Company, CPA P.A. In his free time, Viator enjoys reading God’s Word, working out, writing, learning new things and finding new ways to influence/better his community.
“All of these achievements would be nothing without the saving grace of Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior,” Viator said. “I am thankful to Him for using the people in my life as a means of shaping me into who I am today. I would like to thank my parents, as well as Grace Community Church, for mentoring me and raising me on the principles of God’s Word. I would also like to show gratitude to my peers, professors and advisors. I thank them for trusting me to work my hardest to make Holmes’ Ridgeland Campus a better place for all students.”
Viator’s favorite verse is Ephesians 2:8-9; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
For more information about Holmes’ Phi Theta Kappa chapters, visit https://www.holmescc.edu/student_life/clubs/ptk/index.aspx.
For more information about Phi Theta Kappa, visit https://www.ptk.org/.
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