HATTIESBURG, Miss.- William Carey University has announced that the Mississippi Association of School Administrators (MASA) has selected Dr. Ben Burnett for the Golden Lamp Award during the fall leadership conference on October 18 in Jackson.
Each year the Golden Lamp Award is given to an individual or group of individuals who have shown outstanding support for Mississippi public education throughout his or her career as an educator, administrator, or leader in the educational arena.
“William Carey is blessed with outstanding leadership in all areas. The School of Education has made great strides under the leadership of Dr. Ben Burnett, and we are pleased that the statewide organization of administrators has chosen Dr. Burnett as recipient of the Golden Lamp Award for 2016,” said WCU President Tommy King.
Dr. Burnett serves as the dean of the School of Education at William Carey University. He joined the facility in 2014. He has served 28 years in the K-12 educational system as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. During his first two years as Dean, The school of Education reached record enrollments each year. Several new degrees were created to help meet the needs of educators and school systems across the state.
The School of Education at William Carey also has added a number of online degrees to accommodate the schedules of working professionals.
Burnett has A Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education, as well as a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. He spent 26 years in the Lamar County School system, Director of bands and principal of Oak Grove Middle School, superintendent of the Lamar County District in 2007 and 2011, awarded the Mississippi School Board Association (MSBA) Beacon Award for Lamar County Schools in 2013, He was named Lamar Times Person of the Year in 2012, received the MSBA Lantern Award for Lamar County Schools in 2009, 2010, and 2011, received the Mississippi Gifted Advocate Award in 2011, named Mississippi Middle School Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year for the Lamar County School district.
When presenting the award MASA Executive Director Lisa Karmacharya said,”He is, first and foremost, a man of great character, honesty, and integrity.”
