Author: Teresa McCreery

ELLISVILLE – Five Jones College students were selected by their peers for the special recognition to be named Gold Key recipients. The Merit/Honor Gold Key recipients were engineering major, Gracye Tower of Runnelstown and business administration major, Brady Williams of Puckett. Williams was also the recipient of the Leadership Gold Key Award along with Faith Collins, a computer science major from Heidelberg. Athletic Gold Key honors went to softball pitcher, Holly Craft of Raleigh, a health-related professions major, and tennis player, Tanner Bevard of Hattiesburg who is majoring in kinesiology.  

Jones College sophomores receiving the Academic Gold Key honor because of their 4.0 GPA are, William Blakeney of Raleigh; Angela Bollinger of Petal; Brooklyn Brown of Ellisville; Faith Collins of Heidelberg; Virginia Fortenberry of New Hebron; Erin Harris of Quitman; Makayla Mason of Laurel; Jessica McAlpin of Stringer; Charity Miller of Laurel; Bralynn Newell of Newton; Brodie Rials of Pearl; Christopher Ritz of Sumrall; Jennifer Shirley of Waynesboro and Reagan Veon of Petal.

ELLISVILLE – Four Jones College students earned top prizes at the 2023 Collegiate National Leadership Conference of Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA) which is the nation’s largest Career and Technical Student Organization focused solely on business. The group traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, joining more than 800 college students and educators from across the country for the June 22-25 conference and competition.

Jones College students placed in the top ten in their individual and team competitions like Elizabeth Blair of Waynesboro and Blane Graham of Stringer who placed ninth in the Website Design team event. Graham also took home fifth place in Programming Concepts. Laurel’s Alondra Abad received seventh place in the Public Speaking competition. Taylorsville’s Destiny Brown, who competed in the Foundations of Accounting category, made the semifinals in the Business Presentation competition.

FBLA’s National Leadership Conference brings students together to compete for cash prizes in dozens of competitive events over four days each year. Students also had the opportunity to engage in learning workshops, network with alumni, and meet with potential employers. For more information about the Jones College Business Division check the website, https://www.jcjc.edu/programs/business/

ELLISVILLE – New Jones College students can orient themselves to campus and academic life during Jones Up Close Orientation on Wednesday, July 12. The first session begins at 9 a.m. with a second session that was recently added to begin at 1 p.m. to accommodate the growing number of students registering for fall classes.

“After seeing the number of students signing up for Jones Up Close, we decided to add an afternoon session to better accommodate the nearly 500 students already registered to attend,” explained Sarah Ishee, Jones College Dean of Students. “Students have until Friday, July 7, to sign up for these informational sessions.”    

To register for Jones Up Close, check out the website https://www.jcjc.edu/JUC23/  Check-in for the first session is at 8:30 a.m. to attend the 9 a.m. session and check-in is at 1 p.m. for the afternoon session. Both sessions will be held in the A.B. Howard Gymnasium with students attending different sessions on campus for a few hours after the initial overview session. Also on the Jones Up Close website, students will be able to download the JC Mobile App, submit photos for Student ID’s, get a JC Parking Decal and sign up for a Payment Plan.

All new students planning to take classes at Jones College this fall are required to attend Jones Up Close. To “See Yourself at Jones College,” find more information about signing up for classes by browsing this website https://www.jcjc.edu/fall2023/

ELLISVILLE – The 2023 class of High School Equivalency graduates from Jones College will be recognized at a Graduation Ceremony on Thursday, July 20, 2023, in the A. B. Howard/Bobcat Gymnasium on the main campus in Ellisville, at 7 p.m. More than 120 graduates are expected to participate in the ceremony which is the most since the Covid-19 pandemic. Keynote speaker, Brandi Ratliff, the Mississippi Community College Board’s Professional Development Specialist, hopes to inspire the HSE graduates to continue to thrive and succeed.

“My speech will be on breaking new ground. I want them to consider that what has been torn down (the barriers and walls they had to fight through) was just clearing the land to make space for what they want to build. Receiving their HSE is not just a moment in their life, it is a movement towards everything they hope for in their future,” said Ratliff.

Ratliff, who is a researcher dedicated to finding evidenced-based resources and ideas to support learning, is also committed to exploring ways to counter poverty and increase educational and career training access for socioeconomically disadvantaged youth and adults in Mississippi. The former educator, experienced instructional leader and curricula developer passionately advocates for policies that improve student outcomes.

“Brandi Ratliff is a researcher in the field of education with a focus on policy initiatives that counter poverty and increase educational and career training access for Mississippians. She currently serves as the Specialist for Professional Development for the Mississippi Community College Board, Office of Adult Education. Before joining MCCB she spent nine years serving students in K-12,” shared Wendy Evans, Jones College’s Director of Integrated Pathways.

In addition to earning HSE diplomas, numerous HSE graduates have also earned scholarships which will be awarded during the ceremony from each of Jones College’s eight county districts. Additionally, graduates will be recognized for other academic accomplishments.

ELLISVILLE – All 12 Jones College Radiologic Technology graduates secured employment prior to graduating earlier this spring, from the six-semester program, according to JC Program Director Mandy Pearson. She credits their excellent performance and dedication to learning and mastering new skills for their success as well as earning scholarships to continue their education.

“This is an outstanding group of graduates, and I am proud of them. I look forward to the many valuable contributions they will make as members of the imaging profession,” said Pearson.

At the program completion/graduation ceremony, three graduates received honors and scholarships. James “Dylan” McLain of Waynesboro was selected by the clinical affiliates to receive the 2023 Clinical Student of the Year.  Because of his demonstration of exceptional patient care and going above and beyond his clinical responsibilities, clinical affiliates chose McLain for this top honor.

“Dylan is compassionate, dedicated, hardworking and always advocating for his patients and the profession. He was committed to providing the highest quality of competent care in the clinical setting while undergoing extensive didactic training and working part-time at a rural health care facility. Dylan’s exceptional clinical performance secured him a full-time position at Wayne General Hospital and this award. I know he will continue to maintain the highest standards in the imaging profession and make huge contributions to radiologic technology throughout the community,” said JC Clinical Coordinator, Brittany Barron.

Earning the Academic Student of the Year Award was Abby Boone of Puckett for maintaining a competitive grade point average, in addition to holding a part-time student tech position at one of the college’s clinical facilities. Additionally, Boone was awarded a $200 Mississippi Society of Radiologic Technologist (MSRT) Scholarship.

“Abby is goal-oriented and driven. She has distinguished herself scholastically with competitive grades and has displayed good moral character and professionalism which is why she was chosen for both the MSRT scholarship and the Academic Student of the Year Award,” said Pearson.

Earning the Mississippi Radiological Society Scholarship was Abby Morris. The Columbia resident earned a $400 scholarship to continue her education. Requirements of the MSRS Scholarship include high academic achievement, sound moral character and financial need.

“Besides her radiology coursework, Abby was a member of several student organizations including the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. She was selected to be a member of Jones College’s Academic Hall of Fame, while also maintaining a part-time job as a student tech at an area healthcare facility. Abby has demonstrated her ability as a competent, entry-level technologist and is currently employed full time with Hattiesburg Clinic-Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. I know she will be an asset to the imaging and healthcare professions,” Pearson said.

Support from both professional organizations, the Mississippi Society of Radiologic Technologist and the Mississippi Radiological Society is appreciated by the Jones College Radiologic Technology program instructors and students. The generous scholarships provided each year assists students in advancing in their education. More information about the Medical Radiologic Technology program at Jones College is available at this website: https://www.jcjc.edu/programs/radiography/

Radiologic Technology Graduates 2023

Marla Beach, Laurel

Karli Blackledge, Newton

Abigail Boone, Puckett

Hannah Brewer, Richton

Kayla Ensign, Laurel

Taylor Martin, Roxie

James Dylan McLain, Waynesboro

Abby Morris, Columbia

Chasity Moses, Magnolia

Lacala Renfrow, New Hebron

Alandria Smith, Waynesboro

Madison, Wicker, Mendenhall