ELLISVILLE – As part of Homecoming festivities held at Jones College, the Rho Sigma Chapter of the two-year college’s honor society, Phi Theta Kappa named Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Julie Atwood as PTK Alumnus of the Year. In recent years, the chapter has bestowed the award to an individual that has exemplified service and leadership in their field.
Advisor, Caleb Smith (center) and Mark Brown (right) announced at the JC Homecoming Alumni Luncheon, Julie Atwood (left) as the 2025 PTK Alumnus of the Year. Atwood is the JC Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
“Mrs. Julie Atwood was chosen as the 2025 recipient of the Phi Theta Kappa Alumnus of the Year Award for her service as the lead advisor for the Rho Sigma chapter from 2009 to 2018,” said Mark Brown, JC art instructor and current PTK Advisor. “During that time, she not only continued to lead the chapter members and officers in service and leadership, but she also developed new advisors to strengthen the chapter efforts.”
Additionally, each year Atwood served the Jones College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, Rho Sigma, it was recognized as a 5 Star Chapter and was frequently recognized for its campus and community projects. Atwood continues to offer ideas for projects as well as leadership strategies for chapter officers according to Brown.
“Although she is no longer officially a Phi Theta Kappa advisor, she remains an integral part of our faculty advisory group,” said Brown.
The Jones College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society at Jones College was founded in 1970 and formed an Alumni chapter three years ago. The first member of the PTK chapter was 1970 graduate from Clara, Sara Smith Landrum. She also has the distinction of being selected as the first person to be honored with the PTK Alumnus of the Year Award three years ago when the Alumni Chapter of PTK at Jones College was formed. Last year, retired JC Science and Physics instructor, Mary Boleware was bestowed with the honor.
ELLISVILLE – Several hundred superheroes, princesses and ghouls came out to have fun at the annual Jones College Treats in the Streets on the JC campus in Ellisville. Kids played games for treats in the booths set up by JC faculty and students as a way to give back to the community. Some children participated in the costume contests for babies through 12-years of age, with the winners of the creatively dressed kids receiving a variety of prizes from the JC Office of Student Affairs.
The top three winners of the Costume Contest for Jones College students are pictured left to right with judges awarding first place to “America’s Blue-Collar Workers,” Nathan Gavin of Bay Springs and Antron Floyd of Quitman. Anna Patrice of Bay Springs and her “Bad Case of the Stripes” earned second place and Sarah Wilkinson of Olive Branch as “Blind as a Bat” won third place.
Jones College students who dressed and impressed the judges, received prizes for their efforts. The winners of the Costume Contest for JC students were, “America’s Blue-Collar Workers, Nathan Gavin of Bay Springs and Antron Floyd of Quitman. Anna Patrice of Bay Springs and her “Bad Case of the Stripes” won second place and the “Blind as a Bat” costumed student, Sarah Wilkinson of Olive Branch won the third place prize.
Treats in the Streets is an annual, free, community event hosted by the Jones College with various student organizations, academic and technical divisions, and athletes setting up games and offering candy gifts. The event has been serving the community for more than 25 years.
JC instructor Matt McGuffie and his daughter picked up a few treats and played games at the annual Treats in the Streets on the Jones College campus.
ELLISVILLE – Jones College students, faculty, and community members gathered for the second annual “Cooking for a Cause” event which blends culinary creativity with compassion to raise awareness about food insecurity among college students. Hosted in collaboration with the college’s dining services partner, Sodexo, the event featured dishes made from food pantry staples showing students how simple ingredients can be transformed into nourishing meals while highlighting the importance of supporting the Bobcat Food Pantry. In addition to the pantry staples, executive chefs added “food scraps” like broccoli stems and pineapple cores to add a sustainability aspect to the event.
Sodexo chefs, Andy Wu (right) and Rachel Pittman (left) serve up Jones College students their creations from ingredients found in a food pantry for the Cooking for a Cause event to raise awareness about food insecurity.
“This event really brings people together for a good cause,” said Riley Rolison, a sophomore from Long Beach. “Food brings people together, and this is such a great way to raise awareness. It’s smart, too, because when you serve a meal, people show up, listen, and learn.”
Sodexo chef at Jones College, Andy Wu prepared Hawaiian rice with sausage and spam for Jones College students from ingredients found in a food pantry for the Cooking for a Cause event.
Jones College Executive Chef, Andy Wu and Mississippi University for Women, Executive Chef Rachel Pitman led the friendly culinary showcase, using creativity to turn pantry ingredients into crowd-pleasing dishes. Wu served a colorful Hawaiian fried rice featuring pineapple, Spam, and Chinese sausage, while Pitman prepared a Thai noodle dish tossed in homemade sesame-honey sauce with sautéed chicken and fresh vegetables.
“I wanted to make something students could actually recreate with what’s available in our campus pantry,” said Pitman. “You don’t have to have fancy incy ingredients to make something healthy and delicious.”
Sodexo chef at MUW, Rachel Pittman prepared a Thai noodle dish for Jones College cafeteria guests, students and employees from ingredients found in a food pantry for the Cooking for a Cause event.
Wu added, “We just want to remind students that the food pantry is there for them and that you can make really good food with what’s available.”
For Jennifer Griffith, VP of Career Services & eLearning, donating to the Cooking for a Cause event is about more than just food. This is about community. Her donation to the “Cause” during the special event helped Sodexo provide 430 meal vouchers for students, or $4,301.94.
“Food insecurity is a very real thing,” Griffith said. “We want our students to know there’s a safe place where they can get what they need and that they’re cared for here.”
Grant and Hope Staples, JC alumni and directors of The Glory House, the local nonprofit food pantry in Laurel helped to expand that message by donating funds to support the Bobcat Food Pantry.
Sodexo Area Marketing Manager, Elizabeth Brunet (left) accepts a $200 donation from Glory House Directors and JC Alumni, Hope and Grant Staples during the Cooking for a Cause event held at Jones College’s cafeteria.
“When you run a pantry, you know how important community support is,” said Grant Staples. “We serve more than 700 families a month, and when we heard about Jones’ event, we wanted to help another pantry continue its work. We’re stronger together.”
Hope Staples emphasized the ongoing need for open, welcoming food resources. “There are people all around us who don’t have enough to eat but don’t feel like they can share that,” she said. “A pantry like this offers hope and dignity, and college students need that support more than ever.”
Jones College student athletes, pictured left to right, Amin Eltahir of Germany, Mario Novaku of England, Braden Buchanan of Madison and Dillon Watson of Ridgeland, take part in the “Cooking for a Cause” event hosted by the cafeteria mangers Sodexo, by declaring an unofficial winner of the two meals prepared by JC Chef, Andy Wu and MUW Chef, Rachel Pittman.
Sodexo’s Area Marketing Manager, Elizabeth Brunet, who helped coordinate the effort, said this year’s initiative was built on the national recognition Jones College earned last year for the inaugural event. The college received Silver Honors from the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) in the Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards for Innovative Dining Program of the Year.
“We wanted to build on that momentum by growing our community partnerships, giving students more ways to get involved, and in turn, making a bigger impact,” Brunet said. “This is a district-wide initiative spanning from West Louisiana to North Mississippi, representing the collective efforts of 14 campuses (and growing each year) working together to raise awareness for Hunger Action Month. Across all participating colleges and universities, a total of 4,391 meal vouchers were donated to support the fight against food insecurity.”
As dishes were sampled and donations were collected, the event’s message was clear; when a community comes together, no student should go hungry.
ELLISVILLE – Jones College recently celebrated a major milestone in healthcare education with the grand opening of the Robert C. “Bobby” Robbins, M.D. Hospital Simulation Center. This 10,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art training facility brings real-world hospital experiences to students on the campus where Dr. Robbins grew up.
The new, five-million-dollar facility features more than $2.5 million in advanced technology, including an eight-bed emergency department, eight-bed intensive care unit, operating and maternal–child suites, a simulated pharmacy with a pneumatic tube system, and a “Sim Apartment” for home health and disaster-response scenarios. More than 36 cameras and three control rooms allow faculty to monitor, record, and review student performance in lifelike situations.
Jones College Associate Degree Nursing instructors, Casey McElhenney (left) and Shannon Blailock (right) demonstrate new equipment with nursing student, John Chauffe in the new ICU suite.
“This Simulation Center is more than a building. This is an investment in our students, in the future of healthcare, and in the communities we serve,” said Dr. Tessa Flowers, Jones College Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer. “We are so proud to see this vision come to life.”
The center honors Dr. Robert C. “Bobby” Robbins, a Jones County native, 1977 Jones College graduate, a cardiothoracic surgeon, and university president whose leadership has shaped global healthcare and higher education. Robbins, now a visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, called the dedication the greatest honor of his career.
“It’s overwhelming and incredibly humbling,” Robbins said. “I literally grew up on this campus. The chemistry building sits where my grandparents’ home once stood and where I lived. Jones made me who I am, and this center will make future generations ready for day-one in the hospital or clinic.”
Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith said the new facility marks “a new era of excellence in healthcare education.”
“This is a vital part of what is needed in our community, not only economically, but also for the health and safety of our people,” Smith said. “Our students are graduating ready to serve, and this Center ensures they will be confident, competent, and collaborative healthcare professionals.”
Dean of Health Sciences at Jones College, Dr. Benji Sessums helped lead the two-year development of the facility. He said the center bridges classroom learning and real-life experience.
“Students can make critical decisions, lead teams, and see patient responses in real time,” Sessums explained. “Our simulators breathe, blink, cry, even deliver babies. The ‘Sim Apartment’ allows students to practice home health and telemedicine scenarios that reflect where healthcare is headed.”
Jones CollegeA.D. Nursing student, Lila Hundley of Buckatunna, practices her skills on the infant mannikin in the NICU lab in the new, state-of-the-art, Robert C. “Bobby” Robbins, M.D. Hospital Simulation Center.
For Jones College students, the opportunity to train in such a realistic environment is a game-changer.
“This is going to be awesome,” said Julie Harvey, a sophomore nursing student from Petal. “We’ll be able to experience things here that we wouldn’t get to do until we reach the hospital. It’s a safe setting where we can learn, make mistakes, and gain confidence.”
Jones College Associate Degree Nursing instructor, Shana Doss (left) demonstrates the capabilities of one of the new, mannikins in the new, state-of-the-art, Robert C. “Bobby” Robbins, M.D. Hospital Simulation Center for nursing student, Julie Harvey (center) and ADN instructor, Geravia Lane (right) during the grand opening.
Alexis Knight, a radiology student from Seminary, said the new surgical suite’s C-arm X-ray machine will give students a head start in operating-room procedures.
“Previous classes didn’t get to use one until they went into surgery,” Knight said. “Now we get to practice positioning and imaging before we ever step into a hospital.”
Radiology students are also using state-of-the-art pediatric and infant mannikins to help them work with placing infants properly for X-rays and nursing students are able to work with infants in the NICU lab. Dr. Flowers noted that the Center not only supports Jones College’s nursing, EMS, and allied health students, but also regional hospitals, emergency responders, and community programs such as CPR and disaster-preparedness training.
“This facility will serve the entire region,” Flowers said. “It’s a place where learning meets leadership, and where Mississippi’s healthcare future begins.”
The Robert C. Robbins, M.D. Hospital Simulation Center aligns with national standards for simulation excellence and positions Jones College as a regional hub for healthcare workforce development. For more information, contact Dr. Sessums by email at: benji.sessums@jcjc.edu or check out the website, https://www.jcjc.edu/
Pictured cutting the ribbon to officially open the new, state-of-the-art, Robert C. “Bobby” Robbins, M.D. Hospital Simulation Center at Jones College are pictured left to right, Jones College VP of Advancement, Sabrina Young; Director of Communications for the President, Lauren Bridges; EVP & Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Tessa Flowers; EVP of Student & Athletic Affairs & Executive Director of the Athletic Foundation, Joel Cain; Board of Trustees members, Richard Fleming, Marlon Brannan, and Vernell Lofton; Jones College President, Dr. Jesse and Jennifer Smith, Dr. Bobby Robbins, Board of Trustees members, Dwain Strickland and Dr. Titus Hines; EVP of Business Affairs & Chief Financial Officer, Christy Holifield; Board of Trustees members Mike Evans, Charles Breland, David Garner, and Curtis Gray, and Director of Campus Operations, Michael Bradshaw.
Jones College’s Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery featured the works of Mandy Buchanan recently thanks to the friends and family members pictured below, left to right, Scott and Suzy Walker (cousin of Mandy), George Bassi (Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Gallery Director), Mica Stevens, Adam and Casey Sauls, Sam and George Buchanan, (Mandy’s sons), Julie Kuykendall (mother of Mandy), Julie and Mark Brown (friends of Mandy & JC art instructor), Melanie Eubanks (JC Art Gallery Director & Art instructor), Carl (Mandy’s husband) and Gina Buchanan, Jade Yoder, and Ginger and Fred Walters, loaned Mandy’s artwork to share in a special tribute to the artist in an exhibit personified by her life, “painted in sunshine.” Not pictured are contributors Adam Trest and Casey Watts.
Mandy Buchanan’s cousin Suzy Walker (center right) and friend Julie Brown (center left) helped coordinate the exhibit featuring Buchanan’s artwork and shared stories about Buchanan and her sunny personality which was reflected in the artwork from about 10 families who cherished her artwork and loaned it for the exhibit.
