Marc Poole, Fine Arts instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Jackson County Campus, was awarded The Colonel John W. Thomason Jr. Award for 2023 on April 29 at the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation’s Annual Awards Ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, VA. This award is given to an individual for a distinguished work depicting aspects of Marine Corps life in sculpture, painting, drawing, illustration, or digital media.

Poole has been an instructor at the college since 2008 and has served as the campus Fine Arts Gallery director since 2009.

A lifelong fascination with history, aviation, and art, Poole began using his artistic talents to combine those interests at an early age.  In 1992, he became an associate member in the American Society of Aviation Artists (ASAA).  He was juried in as an artist member in 2002, and in 2018 became an artist fellow.  He currently serves as ASAA president. In 2018, he began participating as a civilian artist with the National Museum of the Marine Corps Combat Art Program.