Author: Teresa McCreery

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.

ELLISVILLE – Five sophomore art students, Dalton Burrell, Collins; Leah Byrd, Seminary; Natalie Graves, Hattiesburg Tanika Norsworthy Waynesboro and Keylan Walker, Mt. Olive, currently have several pieces of their artwork currently on display at the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery on the campus of Jones College in Ellisville, through April 24, 2024. Jones College Art instructor, Melanie Banks said this year’s show features a little bit of everything from the classes students take on campus including drawing and design to ceramics and painting. We cover all the bases.

“I’m really proud of these graduates, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for them,” said Eubanks. “I hope the public takes the time to see their artwork.”

Among the five Jones College sophomore’s displaying their artwork during the Sophomore Art Exhibit, one student earned a 2^nd place ribbon at the Mississippi Community College Art Instructor Association’s statewide student art show. Hattiesburg’s Natalie Graves earned the Red Ribbon for her 3D design called, “Chaos from the Calm” using acrylic paint, modeling paste, paper towels and matboard.

“At first, I wasn’t too sure about it. I was like this looks like a crazy piece of mess. Until I just started putting it together and I was like, I could try to submit it to see if it’ll win anything, and sure enough it did. I was very surprised!” said Graves.

For more information about upcoming JC art shows or to arrange a visit to the gallery call 601-477-8401. The Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., and by appointment only on Wednesdays. The gallery is closed during the holidays. To learn more about the Jones College Art Department, https://www.jcjc.edu/programs/finearts/ or the JC Art Department’s social media: Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/JCJCFineArts/ and on Instagram @artatjonescollege.

ELLISVILLE – Clouds and few sprinkles couldn’t keep some curious Jones College students and employees from viewing the eclipse on campus. Special glasses were available for anyone who wanted to view the eclipse including Jones College’s new astronomy students who were on hand to see it with astronomy instructor, Dr. Bharath Kandula. The class was inspired by the historical event and enjoyed making history with their peers.

ELLISVILLE– Mississippi’s third district Congressman Michael Guest spent the day with his Bay Springs constituents before the Easter break touring Hol-Mac Industries, Jasper County General Hospital and Jones College’s Jasper County Center. While at the Jasper County Center as the guest of Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith, the Congressman met with students, faculty and staff along with the Center’s Director, Grant Crowder to see first-hand the various programs.

“Congressman Guest is definitely a friend of workforce and growth, and we don’t know where we’d be without him,” said Smith. “He’s doing a great job, and we’re glad he was able to tour the Jasper County Center to see how we’re making a difference in his district.”

The tour included visits through the practical nursing lab and classrooms, health care assistant, phlebotomy, high school equivalency, machining, welding, commercial truck driving, the lineman academy, and academic classes, which are all meeting at the Bay Springs facility.

“These programs meet the specific needs in the community, but as I’m traveling and meeting with business leaders, the programs that you all are offering here are not just needed here in this part of the state, but they’re needed across the state. Y’all are doing a great job with training the future workforce and meeting the needs to make Mississippi competitive as we seek those next economic development projects. I mean, anytime you have groups coming in, they want to know if we can meet their workforce requirements. If we’re going to look at bringing in the next, you know, Nissan, Toyota, Amazon, or those sorts of companies, we’ve got to have the workforce necessary and y’all are training that workforce here,” said Congressman Guest.

As he visited the classrooms, Congressman Guest encouraged the students in the practical nursing program to continue their education, sharing, “I remember my days in school were not always fun, but they were very rewarding. When you look back one day, you’re going to be extremely proud of all the hard work you put in. This is going to open up a lot of opportunities in the future that you wouldn’t have without this education and training.”

Crowder explained to Congressman Guest that the Jasper County Center has a vision to expand as demand grows, however the Center’s success comes from those who work here.

“The staff and faculty here really made this campus what it is and we’re happy you came down to see them in action,” said Crowder. “We’re also thankful for the county’s support, as we are able to help the county prosper as well.”

For more information about the Jasper County Center in Bay Springs, call 601-477-5473 or 601-764-9393, or check out the website: https://www.jcjc.edu/workforce/locations/jasper-campus/