July 3, 2019
The skull and crossbones and stars featured on the East Mississippi Community College
football team’s uniforms and helmets hark back to the time when the college’s legendary
coach, Robert Victor “Bull” Sullivan, ruled the gridiron. 
A U.S. Marine who served during World War II, Sullivan was the sole survivor of a fierce battle in Okinawa in which he lost five of his wartime buddies.
Sullivan ordered jerseys emblazoned with five stars as a way to pay tribute to those he served with who died during that battle. The jerseys are still in use today. When Sullivan died in 1970, a sixth star was added to the front left shoulder of the jerseys in his honor.
The skull and crossbones on the football team’s helmets is also attributed to Sullivan, who believed the hard, modern helmets in use today caused as many injuries as they prevented.
As a result, EMCC’s football players were among the last in the country to stop using
leather helmets. Sullivan had his wife, Virginia, paint a skull and crossbones across
the front of the leather helmets as a way to intimidate opponents. The skull and crossbones
was eventually retired but was brought back in 2011.
The skull and crossbones in use today was drawn by the football team’s former offensive coordinator, Marcus Wood, who now serves as the executive director of College Advancement. The letters “MPW” are incorporated into the jawbone of the skull in honor of Wood’s three sons, Marc, Parker and Will.
"East Mississippi Community College has been an incredible launching pad for my future! I'm so grateful for the knowledge and experiences I've gained here!"
“I chose EMCC because it gave me the best opportunities coming out of high school. I got plenty of scholarships because the school offered so many. An Education is a very powerful tool.”
"EMCC isn't just a place to learn, it's home. Passionate instructors around every corner offered an opportunity to grow. Remember - there's a whole community invested in your success."
"At first no one was really concerned about me going to college. When I decided to go on my own it put a lot of pressure on me because I'm the first one in my family to go to college. This idea made it all the more reason for me to succeed."
"East Mississippi Community College has provided an exceptional foundation for my academic and personal growth. The professors' dedication has fostered my development into a stronger student. EMCC offered numerous opportunities for me to excel, both in academics and extracurricular activities. Here, I've built incredible friendships that will undoubtedly last a lifetime. The knowledge I gained and the memories I made at EMCC will forever be a part of me when I embark on my journey to a four-year college."
1512 Kemper St., Scooba, MS 39358
662.476.5000
8731 South Frontage Rd., Mayhew, MS 39753
662.243.1900
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