Month: April 2024

ELLISVILLE- Jones College was thrilled to be able to host WDAM-TV’s annual Top of Class 2024 recognition program with a live, “red-carpet” event. WDAM-TV news/weather personalities Elle Davis, Brandy McGill and Ryan Mahan, along with Jones College executive vice presidents, Dr. Tessa Flowers and Dr. Finee’ Ruffin were photographed with the area’s valedictorians and salutatorians to commemorate the special event held at Jones College. The group of nearly 100 high school students were celebrated with a day of recognition including breakfast, entertainment and inspiring comments from WDAM-TV News Director, Emily Forrester, Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith and Jones College sophomore, PTK President and 2022 Wayne Academy Salutatorian, Kadin Johnston.

Each student was recognized and received a special, Top of Class Certificate of Achievement, commemorative T-Shirt and participated in the traditional, Hat Toss while the WDAM-TV production crew documented the event to be featured during WDAM-Sunrise at 6:58 a.m., on May 6, through June 14, and on the WDAM-TV webpage.

“We always look forward to hosting Top of the Class with WDAM-TV because we get to see these bright students reach the pinnacle of their high school academic careers. Plus, we get to learn about how they have already impacted their communities and hear their future plans which include continuing to do some great things,” said Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith.

Check on the WDAM-TV Top of Class website, https://www.wdam.com/topofclass/ for a schedule of when each high school’s Top of Class video will air on WDAM-TV Sunrise News.

ELLISVILLE – For the third year in a row, the Jones College yearbook, the Lair, has won an exclusive award, the Gallery of Excellence Award from Walsworth yearbooks.  The gallery is an annual collection of Walsworth Yearbooks comprised of the most distinguished yearbooks in the country. Only a small percentage of the 5000 schools’ yearbooks that Walsworth publishes are included in the Gallery of Excellence, which features superior examples of coverage, design, photography, and copy.

Jones College student publications advisor and journalism instructor, Kelly Atwood commended the 13-member, Jones College student staff for continuing the legacy of excellence.

“The 2024 yearbook theme is ‘Picture This’ and it is filled with students, faculty and staff throughout the year with senior editor Jaylynn Conner of Waynesboro, leading the student group. My job is to oversee the entire process and ensure we meet deadlines, but this is a student driven yearbook,” said Atwood. “This is their award.”

This 2023-2024 yearbook staff includes, yearbook design editor Angel Deforge of Wiggins; senior editor Jaylynn Conner of Waynesboro; photography editor Kami Carter of Columbia; copy editor Lauren Runnels of Mize; sports photographer Andie Freeman of Petal; writers: Sophie Hinch of Hattiesburg, Seth Walker of Laurel, Annie Grace Sullivan of Ellisville and Taylor Garretson of Leakesville and photographers: Shelby Powell of Florida, Marlee Brewer of Hattiesburg, Kameron Upchurch of Laurel, and Haley “Kat” Shepherd of Petal.

ELLISVILLE – Jones College held its annual “Retirement Tea” for two employees who are retiring this year. When combined, these two ladies provided almost 66 years of service to JC. After Bonnie Warren graduated from JCJC, she began working in I.T., the Registrar’s Office, Student Affairs, and is currently serving as the Director of Enrollment Operations.

Also, a JCJC graduate, Missie Meeks has been teaching English for almost 21 years at Jones College. Previously, she enjoyed a career working in marketing for Howard Industries and local financial institutions.   

ELLISVILLE – Jones College music and piano faculty, Dr. Theresa Sanchez of Hattiesburg, was recently honored by Music Teachers National Association as an MTNA FOUNDATION Fellow during the 2024 MTNA National Conference. The MTNA FOUNDATION Fellow program offers a meaningful method of recognition for individuals who have made outstanding contributions to music teaching. The award is bestowed when a peer or group of peers donates $1,500 to the MTNA FOUNDATION FUND in an individual’s name.

“The MTNA Fellow award comes through selection from colleagues in my state branch of the organization, who also fund the award benefiting the MTNA Foundation,” explained Sanchez. “As a 44-year member and former state president, I am privileged to have met and worked with most of the membership over the years. To be honored nationally in this way was a very special affirmation of my professional choices, and a joyful experience.”

This year, Sanchez was honored to be chosen as one of the 24 Fellows. Some states have multiple Fellows, and some don’t participate in the process every year. A few Fellows this year were awarded posthumously for their exemplary service to the organization.

Dr. Sanchez, NCTM, has been a faculty member at Jones College since 1995. She has received several teaching awards over her nearly 29 years of music and piano instruction, including the 2003 HEADWAE award, 2007 Humanities Teacher of the Year, and 2010 Faculty Excellence Award. She is a past president of the Mississippi MTA and the Hattiesburg Music Teachers League. Sanchez was a Southern Division winner in the MTNA Collegiate Artist Competition and served as an official accompanist for the Southern Division competitions for more than 30 years. She is music coordinator for FestivalSouth in Hattiesburg and an avid chamber music performer. Sanchez holds Bachelor of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from The University of Southern Mississippi and she earned her Master of Music degree at Louisiana State University.

Additionally, Dr. Sanchez has performed numerous solo and chamber music recitals and has been a soloist with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra in addition to Meridian Symphony and the USM Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. She currently serves as Chamber Music Coordinator for the Hattiesburg Concert Association and FestivalSouth in Hattiesburg and has been active in arts management with the Vicksburg Chamber Music Festival.

She is listed on the Touring Artist Roster of the Mississippi Arts Commission and performs frequently with the Impromptu Piano Trio. In addition, she is Principal Keyboard with the Meridian and Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestras. Sanchez has been a long-time Official Accompanist for Southern Division competitions for that organization.

About MTNA

MTNA is a nonprofit organization of independent and collegiate music teachers committed to furthering the art of music through teaching, performance, composition and scholarly research. Founded in 1876, MTNA is the oldest professional music teachers association in the United States. For additional information, please contact MTNA national headquarters at (888) 512-5278 or mtnanet@mtna.org, or visit the website at www.mtna.org.

ELLISVILLE – Nearly 590 of the more than 630 students eligible to graduate are participating in the 96th annual Commencement Ceremony at Jones College. Graduates and guests will hear from Stan Buckley, the Founder and Executive Director of But God Ministries as the keynote speaker for graduation held on Friday, May 3, at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held on the North Lawn of Jones Hall with plans to move the event to the A.B. Howard/Bobcat Gymnasium if there is inclement weather. (Bad Weather Plan: Two ceremonies will be held if there is rain with one at 10 a.m. and the next ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Students will be divided by last names with the last names A-L attending the 10 a.m. ceremony and M-Z attending the 1:30 p.m. ceremony.)

This ceremony will also mark the second class of the new Middle College Program at Laurel High School with eight students earning both their high school diploma and an associate degree from Jones College. These students, Sayuri Majae Barnes, De’Ja Dashawna Baskin, Brianna Evans, Justin Keys, Lamiya Janae Ross, Kena Monique Smith (also JC Hall of Fame) Nia Soul Stephens, and Krishna M. Wright, finished their high school requirements simultaneously while attending college courses to complete a two-year degree.

Seating will be first come first serve with a large crowd expected to support graduates participating in the ceremony. Graduates will receive either an associate in arts degree, associate in applied science degree, a technical certificate, or a career certificate. To watch the ceremony live, check the website, http://www.jcjc.edu/   For questions specifically regarding the 2024 graduation ceremony, please contact Kacie Birdsong at 601-477-4137.

The keynote speaker, Stan Buckley will share about the non-profit organization BGM, that he established, which seeks to build sustainable communities around the world. Currently, BGM is working in the country of Haiti and in the Mississippi Delta. In Haiti, they have four medical clinics, a dental clinic, seven schools with over 2,000 students who are educated and fed daily, two churches, 176 employees, and over 300 houses they have built.

In the Mississippi Delta, But God Ministries have established a school, a medical clinic, a dental clinic, an Economic Development Center, a baseball/softball complex in partnership with Major League Baseball and the Players Association, and 13 employees. BGM hosts several hundred people on mission trips each year. Stan has degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi College School of Law, and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He practiced law in Hattiesburg, MS for four years before becoming a pastor in 1995. He served as Senior Pastor in three churches over the course of 16 years until he started BGM in 2011. Stan has been married to Jewell since 1989, and they have twin sons (1993), a daughter (1996), and a daughter-in-law. Stan is the author of seven books.