CLEVELAND, Miss. (Nov. 19, 2024) — Cathy Coleman-Sparks, principal of Cleveland Central Middle School, has been named the 2024 Outstanding Alumna by Delta State University’s College of Education, Arts, and Humanities. The award was presented to Coleman-Sparks on Nov. 7 during the Kent Wyatt Lecture, with guest speaker Dr. Kollin Napier, Director of the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network.
Coleman-Sparks, who has dedicated 18 years to education, earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from DSU in 2006 and went on to complete a Master of Education and an Educational Specialist degree in Elementary Education. In 2021, she completed an additional Educational Specialist degree in School Administration from Mississippi State University.
For 16 years, she served as an elementary teacher at Hayes Cooper Center in Cleveland before becoming principal at Cleveland Central Middle School in 2023. Under her leadership, she has focused on improving both the academic environment and physical facilities at the school.
Beyond her work in education, Coleman-Sparks is deeply involved in the Cleveland community, serving on several local committees, including the Cleveland Stakeholder Advisory Committee and the Delta Arts Alliance Board. She has also been an adjunct instructor at Delta State and is a member of the Graduate Education Program Council.
Her contributions to education have been recognized with numerous awards, including two Delta State University MACTE Awards for Outstanding Educator (2021) and Outstanding Administrator (2024). She was also named Teacher of the Year in 2017 at Hayes Cooper Center, Cleveland School District, and Congressional District 2.
“Mrs. Coleman’s contributions to education, the Cleveland School District, and Delta State are unparalleled,” said Dr. Merideth Van Namen, Interim Dean of the College of Education, Arts, and Humanities. “We are proud to honor her as our 2024 Outstanding Alumna.”
