People of the U: Mary E. Thompson
Published on Friday, November 8, 2019
By: Bruce Coleman
When it comes to attracting top-flight employees to the Medical Center, Mary E. Thompson says the institution is an “easy sell” at career fairs throughout the state.
“As an organization, we are beloved because of our brand and the presence that we have in the community,” said Thompson, talent acquisition coordinator who has worked at the Medical Center for four years. “I just tell people that UMMC is one of the largest employers in the state of Mississippi, we have the only children’s hospital, UMMC is the only academic medical center in Mississippi as well.
“Usually after I’ve said all that, they’ll tell me they’ve already considered coming to UMMC for school, or they’ve had a relative who was serviced at UMMC and had received great patient care, or they, themselves, had been a patient here.
“UMMC sells itself.”
A Jackson native, Thompson grew up firmly entrenched in the Medical Center’s orbit. She went to Murrah High School, directly across Woodrow Wilson Avenue from the main Jackson campus, and attended Jackson State University, where she graduated with honors, earning a bachelor’s degree in English. She then earned her master’s degree in public administration - with a concentration in human resources - at Belhaven College.
What hasn’t been as easy to sell at UMMC is participation in the quarterly blood drive on campus, sponsored by Mississippi Blood Services. That’s no fault of Thompson’s, though: Her enthusiasm for donating life-giving blood is a family attribute instilled in her by her father.
“I’ve donated (in the quarterly blood drive) a few times. I try to give fairly regularly.” Thompson said. “It’s kind of my dad’s lifestyle to give blood – I’ve even seen him in the house with a coffee mug that shows he’s given two gallons over his lifetime. He also has a plaque which he received later documenting his donation of 20 gallons of blood.
“We would go together to give blood when I was in college, and sometimes we’d go out to eat afterward or beforehand.”
She said she now tries to donate a couple of times a year. “It’s convenient the Mississippi Blood Services folks come to campus and I’m able to give blood that way,” she said.
Coming to campus has gotten a little more convenient for Thompson, too: After participating in the last drive, her name was selected at random to receive a parking space on campus for the current quarter. She quickly noticed the space is in the vice chancellor’s tiny lot adjacent to the Verner Holmes Learning Resource Center.
Although she’s used her new space three times already, Thompson said she hasn’t seen Dr. LouAnn Woodward yet. But there’s a good reason for that.
“I’ve seen her car and noticed she comes to work pretty early,” Thompson said. “She’s gotten to work before me each of the three times.”
But she said she’ll be ready for when she has the opportunity to encounter the institution’s leader.
“I will probably ask her how she’s doing and tell her I read her newsletter – or I try to if time allows,” Thompson said. “I’m appreciative that she takes the time to answer our questions.”
Were she to have the opportunity to convince her colleagues and friends to participate in the next campus blood drive, Thompson said the opportunity to park near the vice chancellor wouldn’t even be part of her gameplan.
“I would just say you don’t have to be clinically trained to save lives – just one donation can save three lives,” she said. “I think it’d disheartening that there are always critical shortages of some type, especially for relatives of patients who may not, for whatever reason, be able to donate.
“We’re blessed that we’re able to narrow the gap between the available blood supply and the blood supply needed to give a recipient more time to spend with their loved ones.”
Every institution is rich with personal stories. We want to know ours.
Do you know a student, staff, volunteer or faculty member at the University of Mississippi Medical Center whose story would make an interesting feature or deserves to be recognized?
Know someone who you think more people should know about because of his or her commitment to his or her job and/or the people he or she works with or for? Who has a fascinating hobby? Who participates in a remarkable group? Who has accomplished something amazing?
We want to learn more about each individual who makes up our extraordinary UMMC Family, and we want to share what makes each person unique and special in the Front and Center section of our dynamic new UMMC Intranet.
To nominate someone to be considered for a Front and Center feature, just complete and submit this short form. If that person is picked for a feature, a member of the Communications and Marketing staff will contact him or her to learn more about his or her personal story.
Soon, the rest of the Medical Center will know why your nominee is an outstanding reminder of what makes this place so special – the Front and Center.