Three to be inducted into Academic Hall of Honor

Published or Revised October 22, 2021

One of the highlights of Paris Junior College's 88th Homecoming will be the induction of three local residents into the Academic Hall of Honor at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. All three have longtime ties to the college, and the ceremony is part of a slate of activities for PJC's Homecoming, the weekend of Nov. 1-3.

New Hall of Honor members include retired PJC instructor and chair of the Math and Science Department, E.C. Hancock; retired PJC instructor and Dean of Instructional Support Services, Continuing Education and Off-Campus Centers Jimmye Hancock; and 24-year member of the PJC Board of Regents, with 12 of those years serving as board president, Paul Gene Roden.

E.C. is being recognized by the department of Math and Science; Jimmye by Learning Skills and Continuing Education; and Roden, Business.

"This is a great celebration and a special time to recognize these three supporters," said PJC President, Dr. Pamela Anglin. "The Hancocks and Mr. Roden have each had a hand in developing PJC into the institution it is today. We are both grateful and thankful for their service and take great pride in adding them to the famed history of the Academic Hall of Honor. Collectively, these new Academic Hall of Honor members have over 100 years of service to the College."

E.C. Hancock began teaching at PJC in 1964 and retired in 2005. A native of Roxton, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953-56. During that time he was an instructor in Gitu, Japan. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University — Commerce) and also continued post-graduate studies at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches. He began his teaching career at Arlington State College (now University of Texas at Arlington). He went on to serve as a graduate assistant at ETSU before teaching two years in the Grand Prairie ISD. At PJC, E.C. was named Master Teacher for 1981-82 and served as the PJC Faculty Association President in 1969. For many years he coached baseball and football through the Boys Club of Paris and also served as a scoutmaster for Troop 6 of the Boy Scouts of America, NETSEO Trails Council.

Like her husband, Jimmye Hancock spent almost 45 years in education, beginning her career in public schools in Grand Prairie, Bonham and Paris before coming to PJC as an English instructor in 1969. She took on additional duties in 1971 when she served as the Director of Learning Skills for 11 years. In 1982 she was chosen the Dean of Instructional Support Services, Continuing Education and Off-Campus Centers and continued in that role until 2005.

Also a native of Roxton, she received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in English and secondary education at ETSU and completed 60 hours toward her doctorate in secondary and higher education at ETSU and the University of Texas. Throughout her career, she held leadership roles in professional associations and served on the Texas Workforce Board from 1972-2005, filling many positions in that organization. She was appointed by then-Gov. Bill Clements to two terms on the Texas Professional Practices Commission, serving for a time as chair.

Jimmye takes great pride in the many successes she was involved with at PJC including her role in establishing the off-campus centers in Greenville and Sulphur Springs and the creation of the PJC-led developmental math program at Texas A&M University – Commerce. During her tenure, PJC received accolades by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for the Learning Skills Center, Continuing Education and Workforce Development Program and the creation of the Adult Education/General Education Development (GED) Program. She was also instrumental in securing discretionary grants for transitional programs and the start-up grant for the Small Business Development Center. She was involved in writing grants for the Barbara Bush Literacy Program and secured grants from Wells Fargo and the SBDC to assist in creating Dragon Park.

In the community, Jimmye was selected as the Business & Professional Women Club's Boss of the Year in 1990 and the YWCA's Professional Woman of the Year in 2003. She has served as the President of the Friends of the Paris Public Library, secretary of the Official Board at First United Methodist Church where she and E.C. are members, and has been a member of the Ladies Golf Association, Moderne Music Club, Big Supper Club, and Paris Golf and Country Club. The Hancocks have one son and two grandchildren.

After graduating from Paris High School, Roden attended Southern Methodist University and earned a bachelor of business administration in accounting. Months later, he enrolled at the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science graduating in 1961 in the top 10 percent of his class and soon followed in his father's footsteps in the family business. He remained actively involved in Gene Roden's Sons Funeral Home until 1977, while also serving as secretary-treasurer of Lamar Assurance Company, a mutual aid association.

In 1965, he and a group of Northeast Texas funeral directors incorporated to become the Northeast United Life Insurance Company and he served in an executive capacity in that venture until 1998, when he served as president until his retirement.

A strong community advocate, he was elected to the Paris Junior College Board of Regents in 1988 and elected as vice president in 1992. He was selected by his peers as president in 2001 and continued in that leadership role until May 2012. He has been involved in a number of worthwhile endeavors. Those include CASA for Kids, where for more than 10 years he has served as a volunteer court-appointed special advocate for children, and the Girl Scout Council, where his involvement began in 1965 and he served in a variety of roles including three terms as president. Roden has been a member of the Rotary Club of Paris for 50 years, giving of his time in a number of roles on the local and regional level and as a director and tutor in the Literacy Council.

More recently, he volunteers twice monthly at the Downtown Food Pantry. In a parallel role as a member of the Board of Regents, Roden served on the Ark-Tex Council of Governments from 1999-2012 and he was a director and board chair of the Workforce Solutions of Northeast Texas between 2005-2008. He and his wife Anita are members of Lamar Avenue Church of Christ. He has four children and six grandchildren.

The PJC Academic Hall of Honor was established in 1995 to honor former students, teachers and friends and supporters of the college for the impact they have had directly and indirectly on the vision and mission of the institution. The portrait of each member of the Hall of Honor is featured in the hallway of the McLemore Student Center. For more information about the Hall of Honor or other Homecoming events, contact the Paris Junior College's Office of Institutional Advancement at 903-782-0276 or the office's website. Tickets are still available for the Distinguished Alumni Luncheon scheduled for noon at the Civic Center.