Former Co-Lin instructors Jim and Martha Lightsey recently established the Lightsey CARES Fund to support the development of the student organization CARES.
CARES, which stands for Child Advocacy Response and Education for Students, supports sustainable child advocacy education, professional training, and access to trauma-informed resources—particularly for rural and underserved communities—while aligning with Co-Lin’s educational mission and long-term stewardship principles.
The CARES Fund will help cover costs associated with hosting and developing the Virtual CARE House and for supporting the One Loud Voice Conference. The CARE house will provide virtual training, education, and child advocacy resources on the Co-Lin website. The One Loud Voice Conference supports professional training for law enforcement officers and allied professionals in investigative practice, multidisciplinary collaboration, and outcomes for children and families.
“This generous gift reflects the Lightseys’ deep and abiding love for Copiah‑Lincoln Community College and the students we serve,” said Keith Stovall, Social Science Division Chair and CARES Faculty Advisor. “Their support demonstrates a strong belief in our mission and an enthusiastic commitment to protecting children in Mississippi through Child Advocacy Studies and Co‑Lin CARES, the student organization that advances CAST initiatives.”
Jim Lightsey joined the Co-Lin faculty in 1971 and taught sociology and psychology until his retirement in 2001. Martha began teaching development studies courses at Co-Lin in 1984 and retired in 2002.
Contributions to the Lightsey CARES Fund, or any other fund, can be mailed to the Co-Lin Foundation at P.O. Box 649, Wesson, MS 39191, or made online at https://www.colin.edu/alumni-foundation/give-now/.