Accessory entrepreneur receives young alumnus award

McLaurin

Hollandale resident Lea Margaret McLaurin received the second Prestigious Young Alumna Award at the annual Alumni Awards Banquet in January.

McLaurin received her bachelor's degree in apparels, textiles, and merchandising from Mississippi State in 1990 and has been a guest lecturer in the School of Human Sciences. She owns Lea Margaret and Company, an international children's accessory manufacturing company.

McLaurin has been instrumental in planning the Mississippi State/Ole Miss Tennis Classic sponsored by the Washington County Chapter of the Alumni Association. In 1997, the event raised funds for 10 $1,000 scholarships for Mississippi State freshmen from Washington County. Having served as president and as student recruiting chairperson for the chapter, she currently sits on the board of directors.

Since her graduation, her entrepreneurial skills have helped her company grow from a family-run small business to an international company with accounts in 47 states and four foreign countries. Lea Margaret accessories are available in national department stores, including Neiman Marcus, Talbots Kids, and Nordstrom. In 1995, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recognized her for her outstanding contributions to business.