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DELTA FUTURES
Meet the Staff

Margaret Cotton is the program coordinator of Delta Futures: Pursuing Health Career Opportunities with the Youth of the Mississippi Delta.   Her role in the program is planning, implementing, and evaluating the Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Delta Future Program which is funded by Delta Health Alliance.  Prior to becoming Delta Futures program coordinator, she worked ten years in a community mental health located in the Mississippi Delta.  While at Mental Health, she served in various capacities: Alcohol & Drug Counselor, Associate Director of adolescent treatment facility, Director of elderly day program, and as a prevention coordinator.  She also continues, after several years, to serve Mississippi Delta youth in a faith-based setting where she is now the Jurisdictional Purity Class President for the Church of God in Christ.  She is the mother of an 11 year old son Jon Paul. Margaret received her BA in Psychology from Delta State University.

Sharon A. Polk is the Extension Associate I for Delta Futures:  Pursuing Health Career Opportunities with the Youth of the Mississippi Delta Project.  Her primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to, recruiting youth to attend camps, securing lodging, arranging transportation and selecting meals for each scheduled camp.  Sharon’s Extension career began in February 2004 as a 4-H Program Associate for Tunica County.  During this time, she worked with children between the ages of 5 and 18 who selected age appropriate projects to gain leadership, citizenship and life skills. She attended and graduated from Mississippi State University where she majored in General Business and received a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Bonnie Carew is the Rural Health Program Leader at Mississippi State University Extension Service.  She oversees the Mississippi Rural Health Corps, a joint endeavor of Extension Service and the state’s 15 community and junior colleges.  The purpose of the venture is to improve rural health by increasing the number of health care professionals committed to rural service, the encouragement of grassroots efforts to improve local health and health care, and through the delivery of community-based health education programs.  One of her responsibilities is the direction of the Rural Medical Scholars program for high school students interested in pursuing a medical degree.  In addition, she serves as the Principal Investigator for the Delta Futures project.  Prior to joining Extension, Bonnie managed a health research program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and has 15 years of management experience in private industry.  She holds master’s degrees in business administration and health education and is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Policy and Administration at Mississippi State University.

Larry Alexander has worked more than 25 years with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. He served the first twelve years as an Extension 4-H Agent in Marshall County Mississippi. As Extension 4-H Youth Specialist, he currently provides leadership and coordinates the 4-H record program, workforce preparedness programs, 4-H scholarship program, assist with managing the all-new oracle 4-H enrollment program, and serves as 4-H Department Manager. Larry graduated from Alcorn State University with a BS in Agricultural Education and a minor in Biological Science. He received his Masters of Extension Education from Mississippi State University. Larry is the husband of Georgia and the father of Vantre’ and Morgan Alexander. To pass time, Larry enjoys tinkering with old Ford cars and trucks. When time allows, he attends drag racing events all over the mid-south as a participant and announcer. Larry is Co-Principal Investigator for the Delta Futures project.

Angie Cruise works for the Office of Rural Health in the Department of Agricultural Economics. Her role in Delta Futures: Pursuing Health Career Opportunities with the Youth of the Mississippi Delta is Office Associate. She provides clerical support to the program and assists in planning and implementing the Delta Futures Health Career Camps. Angie has worked with Mississippi State University Extension Service for 4 years. She has worked in the Early Childhood Development field for 18 years. She is currently attending Mississippi State University majoring in Human Development and Family Studies.