Lamar named to “Spirit of Northwest” Award
Key Points
- Attorney John T. Lamar Jr. will receive the prestigious Spirit of Northwest Award on April 18, 2026.
- The award ceremony will take place during the Northwest Soiree, a “Garden Gala” fundraiser held at the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts.
- The annual event raises critical funds for student success, with last year’s gala generating more than $140,000.
SENATOBIA, Miss. — The Northwest Mississippi Community College Foundation has named veteran attorney John T. Lamar Jr. the recipient of the Spirit of Northwest Award, the institution’s highest honor for dedicated service and Ranger pride.
Lamar will be celebrated during the Northwest Soiree — A Garden Gala — on April 18 at the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts. The event serves as the college’s premier fundraiser; last year, the gala raised more than $140,000 to bolster student success initiatives.
A former Ranger football player who enrolled in 1970, Lamar’s ties to the college span over five decades. After earning his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law in 1977, he returned to his hometown to practice. In 1998, he accepted a temporary role as Northwest’s board attorney—a position that became a permanent fixture of his career.
“It has just had a tremendous effect on the community,” Lamar said, noting the college’s 100 percent commitment to regional growth.
Beyond the courtroom, Lamar’s civic footprint is vast. A former Tate County Citizen of the Year, he has served on the Northwest Foundation Board and the Magnolia Heights School Board of Trustees.
The upcoming Soiree, presented by Mini Systems, Inc., will feature a social hour and entertainment by Dave Barnes. Tickets support the Foundation’s mission to provide resources for the next generation of students.
