Author: Teresa McCreery

ELLISVILLE –Jones College’s visual arts instructor, Melanie Eubanks was recently honored as Jones College’s 2021-2022 Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year.  Each community college and university select a faculty representative that the MHC honors with a cash award and certificate.

“In 1972, the MHC Humanities Teacher of the Year program was founded to not only reward our teachers but to also show the importance of the humanities in creating engaged and informed citizens. This is also an investment by the MHC in scholarships at this level. Additionally, the honored teachers create a pool of scholars for our speaker’s bureau,” said Assistant Director of the Mississippi Humanities Council, Carol Andersen.

During Eubank’s presentation, “Getting to Creativity Through Ceramics,” she shared the history of ceramics and pottery and the creative process. The long-time educator even demonstrated her pottery throwing skills for the audience who gathered to see her be honored for her work. Eubanks said she’s overwhelmed by the MHC award which names 30 Humanities instructors across the state that will be honored by the Mississippi Humanities Council during the MHC’s annual gala.

“It’s a little overwhelming but a great honor validating so many things that are important to me, primarily, the role of the arts in examining what it means to be human,” said Eubanks. “I teach art appreciation and hopefully I can instill some appreciation of art for those students who have not been exposed to it before. It is enjoyable spending time with students and working with them and opening their minds.”

During the Pascagoula native and current Hattiesburg resident’s presentation, she explained ceramics may have been discovered accidentally in China in 20,000 BC and in Japan in 10,000 BC.

“Pottery may have been discovered accidentally but it’s continually being developed and changing. People were basket weaving for practical purposes long before pottery, however, chards of baskets with clay contents have been found. It is believed that accidentally or on purpose, these baskets lined with clay to help hold the contents of the basket were dropped in the fire and the clay remained and hardened,” said Eubanks.

As for Eubanks, her love of ceramics began in Mize with her Smith County cousins while playing with the clay from a creek bed.

“As a child, I was OCD about getting my hands dirty. However, I was at my cousin’s house in Smith County and the boys were five or six years older than me and playing in the creek bed. They were making animals out of clay. It was counterintuitive for me to get my hands dirty, but I was hooked! I didn’t even realize my hands were dirty because it was fun creating clay animals!” Eubanks shared. “However, I was a freshman in college before making anything again with clay as an art major.”

While primarily a ceramics artist, Eubanks paints and has tried many different materials and crafts. Amongst her new favorites are weaving and hot glass/lamp work. Over the years, she has worked on several, “Empty Bowls” projects in Laurel and Hattiesburg, she is a board member for the Hattiesburg Civic Light Orchestra, worked in community theater, and Eubanks is a member of the Women’s Art Collective and the Mississippi Art Colony. Eubanks currently serves as the president of the Mississippi Community College Art Instructor Association, which hosts a student competition each year.

In 1992, Eubanks earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting and drawing, and a minor in art history from the University of Southern Mississippi. She earned her master’s degree a year later and began teaching at JCJC in the fall of 1994.

Additionally, Eubanks has been honored with the Lamplighter Award in 2016 and is a ceramics adjunct instructor at William Carey University. For USM’s theater department, she assisted with the set painting for the 2017 play, The Phantom of the Opera. Melanie is married to Mark Rigsby and they have one child, Hank Rigsby who is a sophomore in high school.

ELLISVILLE – Music will fill the air once again on the Jones College campus during April. The musical feast featuring musicians from the region and music from around the world, composed centuries ago to the present, will be heard on Fridays in April at the Foote Chapel. The annual Spring Recital Series begins on Friday, April 1, at 12:30 p.m. and will continue each Friday through April 29. All concerts are free and open to the public, following COVID-19 guidelines. For more information call the JC Fine Arts Department at 601-477-4203 or online at https://www.facebook.com/JCJCFineArts/

On Friday, April 1, at 12:30 p.m. in the Foote Chapel, the Series opens with, “The Hattiesburg Flute Consortium,” featuring flutists, Rachel Ciraldo, Noah Cline, Lindsey Keay, Danilo Mezzadri, and Susan Ruggiero. The Hattiesburg Flute Consortium is a diverse collaboration of local professional flute performers and teachers living in the Hattiesburg area. Their program includes an assortment of uniquely orchestrated flute duos and larger flute ensemble pieces that display the versatility and beauty of the flute and auxiliary instruments such as the bass flute, alto flute, and piccolo.

Dr. Danilo Mezzadri is a flute professor at USM.  Dr. Susan Ruggiero teaches flute and voice at William Carey University.  Dr. Lindsey Keay is an Assistant Director of Bands and flute teacher at Jones College. Rachel Ciraldo and Noah Cline are free-lance flutists.

The Friday, April 8, at 12:30 p.m. in the Foote Chapel, features a performance by “The Impromptu Piano Trio,” with Stephen Redfield on violin; Alexander Russakovsky on cello and Theresa Sanchez on piano. This trio will perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, a beautiful Romantic era virtuosic standard of the chamber music repertoire.

A unique program, “Keys, Bow, and a Slide – Music for Violin, Trombone, and Piano,” will feature Anne-Gaëlle Ravetto, on violin; Douglas Mark, on trombone and Jung-Won Shin on piano, on Friday, April 22 at 12:30 p.m. in Foote Chapel.

This program showcases original works for an unusual chamber ensemble grouping, with uniquely adapted timbres for a special blend. The performance will include three works, Double Concerto in F by Anthony O’Toole, Refrains for Three by Robert Patterson, and What’s Next by Rodrigo Camargo. The latter two selections were expressly written for this ensemble.

The final serving of the musical feast will be, “A Mezzo’s Three-Course Meal.” Rachel Gibson, a mezzo-soprano and pianist, Patience Pierini perform a quick exploration of the mezzo-soprano’s sonic palate through German art song, pants role arias, the ultimate vixen aria, and jazz, on Friday, April 29, at 12:30 p.m., in the Foote Chapel.

MORE ABOUT MUSICIANS:

Impromptu Trio  Violinist Stephen Redfield has taught violin and chamber music at the University of Southern Mississippi School of Music since 1996. He spent 2011-12 on leave as Chair of the Music Department at the New Mexico School for the Arts, where he is also concertmaster of the Santa Fe Pro Musica. Each summer since 1992, Stephen has performed with the Victoria Bach Festival.  He is a long-standing participant in the Oregon Bach Festival, often featured as concertmaster, and in numerous recordings, including the Grammy Award-winning disc “Credo.”  Stephen plays with his faculty colleagues in the Impromptu Piano Quartet and Trio and performs regularly as a Baroque violinist with the Albuquerque Baroque Players and with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra.  He has also performed concerts with the Smithsonian Chamber Players and the Newberry Consort.  His Sebastian Ensemble with harpsichordist Kathleen McIntosh has performed throughout the US, and in Spain, Cuba and Peru.

A graduate of the Yale University and the University of Santa Barbara, Alexander Russakovsky has appeared in numerous solo and chamber music performances in Russia, Israel, Europe and the United States. A founding member of the Jerusalem Academy String Quartet, he also performed in the Chamber Music Series of the Spoleto Festival in Italy, the Barge Music in New York City, and the Western Slope Music Festival in Colorado. In the fall of 2001 Dr. Russakovsky joined the music faculty of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. He also has served on the faculties of the Adriatic Chamber Music Festival in Bonefro, the IV Violoncello Biennal in Peru, and the CICA Chamber Music Festival. Most recently, Dr. Russakovsky has given master classes and recitals in Taiwan, Israel, and Latin America. His disc, featuring Russian works for cello and piano, was released by Brilliant Classics in April 2014.

Pianist Theresa Sanchez pursues a varied performing career as a soloist and collaborative musician.  She has performed as soloist with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (including the Southern Nights CD) and The Wind Ensemble.  With the Meridian Symphony Orchestra, she premiered and recorded Carey Smith’s Piano Concerto No. 1.  Dr. Sanchez was the founding Artistic Administrator for the Vicksburg Chamber Music Festival and performed in each series with various outstanding artists.  She has been a faculty member at Jones Junior College since 1995 and is a past president of the Mississippi Music Teachers Association.  She currently serves as Chamber Music Coordinator for the Hattiesburg Concert Association and FestivalSouth and is listed on the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Touring Artist Roster.

April 22 Keys, Bow, and a Slide – Music for Violin, Trombone, and Piano

Anne-Gaëlle Ravetto, violinist, is an adjunct faculty member of the Delta State University Department of Music.  She serves as a collaborative artist, provides instruction in the music education curriculum and maintains a private teaching studio.

She has performed at numerous music festivals and academic conferences including the Atlantic Music Festival, Heidelberg Castle Festival, the Ohio Light Opera, the College Music Society-Southern Region, the Big 12 Trombone Conference and the American Trombone Workshop.  Regional recital appearances include Rhodes College, University of Memphis, Henderson State University and UT- Martin, among others.

Before moving to the US, she held numerous faculty positions in her native country, including Professor of Violin at the National Music School of Le Havre and National Music School of Notre Dame de Gravenchon.  As a performer, Ms. Ravetto was active throughout France.  Her credits include engagements with the Lyon Opera under Kent Nagano, the Orchestre Philharmonique des Pays de la Loire under Marc Soustrot, the Orchestre des Prix, and the Orchestre Colonne.

Ms. Ravetto was a Resident Artist of the Banff (Alberta, Canada) Centre of the Arts, and received her Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music.

Douglas Mark trombone, serves as Associate Professor of Trombone/Low Brass at Delta State University, in Cleveland MS. He provides instruction in applied trombone, euphonium and tuba, directs the DSU low brass ensemble and teaches brass methods and music appreciation courses.  He has held similar positions at the Hochstein School of Music, Hamilton College, Nazareth College, and Colgate University, all located in western NY.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Mark has performed with several orchestras, including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. Regionally, he has performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Tupelo Symphony and the Delta Symphony. He has been an artist-in-residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

Dr. Mark received his DMA from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with John Marcellus. He earned his MM from the New England Conservatory of Music and undergraduate degrees in music performance and sociology from Northwestern University. His musical training also included studies with John Swallow, Frank Crisafulli, and Per Brevig.

Dr. Mark is an artist/clinician for Antoine Courtois Paris trombones.

Pianist, Dr. Jung-Won Shin has appeared as an active solo and collaborative pianist with a large range of repertoire for solo, vocal, and chamber music at recitals and concerts in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and Korea. Her recent projects include a recital series of Beethoven piano sonatas and concertos and an anthology of Korean art songs. She has been a prize winner or finalist at several solo, chamber music, and concerto competitions including the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, and the Annual Kankakee International Piano Concerto Competition. She has been invited to adjudicate several regional, state, and local solo, concerto, and chamber music competitions.

She has earned degrees in piano performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (D. M. A.), Indiana University (M. M.), and Seoul National University (B. M.). She is currently Associate Professor of Music at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, and Vice President for Pre-College Evaluations at the Mississippi Music Teachers Association.

April 29, 2022  Rachel Gibson grew up singing in Tupelo, MS. During her undergraduate studies at Millsaps College, she cultivated a love for classical music, and performed in her first opera. She continued her studies at Southern Methodist University, where she performed the role of Cherubino from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and also The Dallas Opera’s weekly children’s outreach program. Singing for kids and seeing their awe and joy in response to opera was inspirational. In her doctoral studies at USM, she performed in many operas (including singing the title characters in Bizet’s Carmen and Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel). She also performed in Italy and Germany, where she won the International Performing Arts Institute’s Aria Competition. She has performed professionally with Mississippi Opera (Carmen, Verdi’s Rigoletto, Leoncavallo’s Cavalleria Rusticana), Mobile Opera (Puccini’s Suor Angelica, Haydn’s La Canterina, Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segretto), and Opera Huntsville (Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore).

 Patience Pierini holds an M.M. in Choral Conducting and a B.M. in Piano Performance, both from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is currently an Instructor of Music at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Harrison County Campus where she teaches private piano, sophomore music theory, and music appreciation. She is also the collaborative pianist for the concert choir and small ensemble. Alongside her departmental duties, Ms. Pierini is an Honors Faculty Fellow for the Harrison County Honors College and Honors Advisory Council. Ms. Pierini performs actively throughout the Gulf Coast as a collaborative pianist in addition to maintaining a private piano studio and serving as Vice-President of the Gulf Coast Music Teachers Association. Presently, she is most excited about founding and directing the MGCCC Music Academy, whose start date is scheduled for Fall 2022.

ELLISVILLE –Sixteen Jones College sophomores were selected as Hall of Fame finalists after completing an application listing campus and community involvement, volunteer service, leadership positions or offices held, and academic honors. Students also have a minimum 3.6 GPA. Some of these students are athletes and hold jobs in addition to their academic and campus responsibilities. They will receive special recognition in the college yearbook and during the spring commencement ceremony in May.

The Jones College Hall of Fame 2021-2022 includes Rebekah Baugh-Hattiesburg/Oak Grove; Ivana Bishop-Waynesboro; Anna (Beth) Blackwell-Raleigh; Morgan Breland-Ellisville; Hannah Holifield- Laurel; Ignacio Vanecek Kaddour-Brandon (Argentia South America); Kerrington Kittrell-State Line (Wayne County HS); Anna Kofman-Hattiesburg; Mya McLain-Waynesboro; Sabreya McDonald-Ellisville; Jack Martin Owens-Brandon; Sydney Ruth Pevey-Jayess; Wyatt W. Reid-Laurel; Acacia Rodriguez-Clinton; Rebecca Speights-Silver Creek; Anna (Kate) Wood-State Line.

Rebekah Baugh is a graduate of Oak Grove high school majoring in biomedical engineering and minoring in mathematics. Her future plans include going to medical school to become a doctor. At Jones College, Baugh is a member of the soccer team, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Engineering Society. She has been honored as a Distinguished Academic All-MACCC, NJCAA Scholar All-American and on the Jones College President’s Honor Roll. Additionally, Baugh is involved in the Hattiesburg Debutante Association and volunteers at Temple Baptist Church’s College Ministry. Her parents are Joe and Julie Baugh.

Ivana Bishop’s hometown is Waynesboro where she graduated from Wayne Academy. The engineering major is a member of the Charles Pickering Honors College, Touch of Gold Dance Team and an officer for the honor society, Phi Theta Kappa. At Jones College she has earned the Letter “J” Award and is a JC tutor who also volunteers at the Glory House in Laurel. Bishop is currently serving Wayne County as its Miss Hospitality. Her parents are Chris Bishop and Clara-Ruth Pitts.

“It is such an honor to be inducted into the JC Hall of Fame. It is the culmination of all of the hard work and time I have put in on campus. My motto at Jones has been, ‘Do as much as you can while you can,’ and I can say this is a wonderful recognition for all my efforts,” said Bishop.

Anna Blackwell is a native of Raleigh, with aspirations of becoming a dentist. At Jones College, Blackwell is a member of PTK honor society, Sigma Kappa English Honor Society and the Student Government Association. Blackwell volunteers with 4-H, is a student worker for the VA/Student Work Study Office in Financial Aid at Jones College. Additionally, Blackwell volunteers at livestock events throughout Mississippi and she recently made the 2022 Dixie National Sale of Jr. Champions. She has earned the Southern Ag Credit Scholarship and a Rising Leadership Scholarship. Her parents are Hollis and Fleeta Blackwell.

Morgan Breland graduated from South Jones High School in 2020 with Summa Cum Laude honors. The Laurel resident is majoring in elementary education with an emphasis in math. Breland has been the captain of the Touch of Gold and Gold Rush dance teams both years at Jones College. Earning a 4.0 GPA, Breland volunteers at Dance Arts Studio in Ellisville, has danced at various community events and she volunteers at South Jones High School’s Concessions. Her parents are Todd and Rebekah Breland.

“From the moment I registered, I felt at home. To my awesome Maroon Typhoon directors, outstanding professors, and forever friends, Jones College has not only provided opportunities for academic achievement, but it has also helped me grow as a person,” said Breland.

Hannah Holifield is a nursing major from Laurel. Her plans include earning her doctorate degree and becoming a family nurse practitioner or a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. The member of the Charles Pickering Honors College has earned the Letter “J” Award, has been on the President’s and Dean’s List Honor Roll, is a member of the honor society, PTK and has received the Academic Distinction Scholarship. Holifield also volunteers at The Glory House in Laurel, Salvation Army, Southern Cross Animal Rescue and Happy Trails Aftercare.

“Being inducted into the JC Hall of Fame is an incredible accomplishment to me because it represents the work I have put in to get to where I am today. I have poured my heart into my education and I am beyond grateful for the opportunities, challenges, professors and friends that have helped me along the way,” said Holifield.

Ignacio Vanecek Kaddour is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina and has made a home in both Hattiesburg and Brandon, Mississippi with friends. The political science major hopes to be able to help people and make the world a better place. He is a member of the tennis team, Phi Theta Kappa honors society, and has earned NJCAA All-Academic, ITA Scholar Athlete, JC men’s tennis Bobcat Award and the Southern Region Men’s Doubles Champion honors. While in Hattiesburg, he is involved with Temple Baptist Church ministries. His parents are Mariela Kaddour and Eduardo Vanecek.

Kerrington Kittrell is from State Line and a graduate of Wayne County High School. The biological sciences major aspires to become a pediatric oncologist. At Jones, she is a member of the Charles Pickering Honors College, Bobcat Brigade, PTK honor society, Student Government Association, Diamond Girls and she is on the Social Media Content Committee. Kittrell has earned the Letter “J” Award and has been on the President’s and Dean’s List honor roll while also working at Sassy Scrubs in Laurel and volunteering at Buckatunna Elementary School.

“Being chosen as part of the 2022 Jones College Hall of Fame means so much to me. This school has given me some of the most wonderful memories, friends, and life lessons I could have ever imagined. I always knew Jones would leave its mark on me and my life, but I am so honored to know I will also get to leave my mark on Jones,” said Kittrell.

Anna Kofman of Hattiesburg is majoring in music industry with the hopes of becoming an audio engineer and music producer. She has been on the President’s List honor roll and has earned the Letter “J” Award. Her parents are Noah Kofman and Lynn Majors.

“My experience here at Jones is a time I will not forget. I am humble in Jones’ recognition of my academic achievements and being inducted into the Jones Hall of Fame is an honor I will carry with me forever,” said Kofman.

Mya McLain is a Wayne Academy graduate from Waynesboro. Her career goals include being a politician to change the world after earning her law degree. The President of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is a member of the Charles Pickering Honors College, SGA and she is participating in the spring musical at Jones College. McClain has also earned the Letter “J” Award. Her parents are Charles and Deena Deemy.

Sabreya McDonald is a resident of Ellisville majoring in business and marketing management. Her goal is to become a business entrepreneur with a full-service boutique and beauty bar. At Jones College, McDonald is a member of the Bobcat Brigade, SGA and PTK honor society. She works at the Belk in Laurel and on campus as a student worker in the Student Affairs Office and she is a licensed hair braider and owner of Styles by Breya. Additionally, Sabreya volunteers with the underserved populations through the Southeast Community Health Systems in rural Louisiana. She also serves on the Welcome Committee at Sweet Pilgrim United Methodist Church and is the daughter of LaTasha Peters.

“Being selected in the Jones College Hall of Fame solidifies all the hard work that I have put into academics as a student and as a volunteer in the community. It is such a great honor to be able to represent Jones College as a member of the Hall of Fame,” said McDonald.

Jack Owens of Brandon is a biochemistry major with the goal of becoming a pediatrician. The men’s tennis team member is also a member of the PTK honor society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has earned President’s List honor roll accolades and received the NJCAA Academic Award. Owens has also earned the Eagle Scout rank in Boy Scouts, Top 25 Students Who Will Change the World by Portico, and the Rankin County Chamber Youth Leadership Award. Additionally, he volunteers at First Baptist Brandon and Hattiesburg’s Temple Baptist Lead Teams. His parents are Robert and Jerrolyn Owens.

 Sydney Pevey of Jayess is an accounting major with plans to earn her master’s degree in business administration, become a CPA and open her own firm in her hometown. The member of the JC softball team is also a member of the PTK honor society, the Jones FCA Lead Team and the Charles Pickering Honors College. She earned President’s List honors every semester at Jones and attends Temple Baptist Church’s College Nights in Hattiesburg. Her parents are Jason and Casey Pevey.

Wyatt Reid is a business administration major from Laurel. He plans to obtain his CPA and law degree to practice tax law.  He is the PTK VP of Membership for the Rho Sigma Chapter at JC, and he serves as the Southern District Representative for the Mississippi/Louisiana Region. Additionally, Reid is a member of Bobcat Brigade, SGA, and he works as a resident assistant on campus and serves as Freshman Class President. In addition, Reid tutors JC students and was voted Mr. Jones College by his peers. Reid also volunteers at Abbie Rogers Civitan Camp for adults and children with special needs. His parents are Mike and Shelly Reid.

“Being in the Jones College Hall of Fame means the hard work I put in at Jones is coming to fruition. I love this school and being awarded with Hall of Fame shows the love is mutual,” said Reid.

Acacia Rodriguez is from Clinton and is majoring in athletic training and coaching/education with the goal of playing soccer professionally. Currently, she is serving as the Student Government Association President, PTK VP of Scholarship and as captain of the JC Women’s Soccer Team. She has been honored with being named 2021 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American, 2021 NJCAA Division II All-Tournament Team, 2021 NJCAA All-Academic First Team and 2021 Academic All-MACCC in addition to being on the President and Dean’s List honor roll. Rodriguez has been instrumental in establishing a PTK Alumni Association and volunteers in various ways through PTK. Her parents are Marcos and Teri Rodriguez.

“It is such an honor for me to become a part of the JC Hall of Fame because I have been chosen by Jones College to represent them through everything I do. Jones has provided me with many chances to not only grow as a student but as a person prepared for this opportunity. I know that there is trust, respect and integrity that comes with receiving this award and I will hold myself to these standards with Jones College in mind,” said Rodriguez.

Rebecca Speights is a civil engineering major from Silver Creek. At Jones College, Speights serves as the Director of the Honors in Action project for PTK honor society and is an Engineering Club officer. She received the Letter “J” Award and has been on the President’s List honor roll all three semesters. Her parents are Hope and Jimmy Speights.

Anna Kate Wood is a Secondary English Education major from State Line with a goal of teaching English at Greene County High School. The Bobcat Brigade member is also a member of the Sigma Kappa Delta English Honors Society, PTK honor society and SGA. She volunteers her time tutoring Greene County HS students and teaches Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church of State Line. Additionally, Wood serves as Greene County’s Miss Hospitality and is a boutique model. Her parents are Jamie and Christie Wood.

“I am so excited to be a part of the Jones College Hall of Fame! I was a member of the Greene County High School Hall of Fame and I’m so excited to represent both GCHS and JC!” said Wood.

ELLISVILLE –Jones College’s visual arts instructor, Melanie Eubanks has been selected as the Jones College 2021-2022 Mississippi Humanities Teacher of the Year. She will be honored by the Mississippi Humanities Council and the college on Tuesday, March 8, at 10:30 a.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. The public is invited to see her free presentation, “Getting to Creativity Through Ceramics.”

“It is quite an honor to receive this award. It validates so many things that are important to me, primarily, the role of the arts in examining what it means to be human,” said Eubanks.

The Pascagoula native and current Hattiesburg resident said it was her 4th grade to 12th grade gifted teacher, Charlotte Davis who allowed her to discover the many forms of art, which birthed her love for the arts.

“She took us to see art shows in New Orleans and Mobile which was fascinating as a child. She taught us architecture and we drew our dream house. It was also the first time I was exposed to Gothic Architecture and other things I wouldn’t normally be exposed to,” said Eubanks.

Her Smith County cousins also played a role in realizing art takes on many forms, including creek bed clay.

“As a child, I was OCD about getting my hands dirty. However, I was at my cousin’s house in Smith County and the boys were five or six years older than me and playing in the creek bed. They were making animals out of clay. It was counterintuitive for me to get my hands dirty, but I was hooked! I didn’t even realize my hands were dirty because it was fun creating clay animals!” Eubanks shared. “However, I was a freshman in college before making anything again with clay as an art major.”

While primarily a ceramics artist, Eubanks paints and has tried many different materials and crafts. Amongst her new favorites are weaving and hot glass/lamp work.

“Artmaking for me, is about the process of using materials to make something,” said Eubanks. “My presentation for the Mississippi Humanities Council at JC will discuss the components of the creative process and creativity in the ceramics arts. The creative process is such an important part of being human. It is a way of thinking that propels us forward.”

Eubanks serves as the president of the Mississippi Community College Art Instructor Association, which hosts a student competition each year. Over the years, she has worked on several, “Empty Bowls” projects in Laurel and Hattiesburg, she is a board member for the Hattiesburg Civic Light Orchestra, worked in community theater, and Eubanks is a member of the Women’s Art Collective and the Mississippi Art Colony.

She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting and drawing, and a minor in art history from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1992. She earned her master’s degree a year later and began teaching at JCJC in the fall of 1994. Her colleague, JC art instructor Mark Brown has been working with Eubanks for many of the 27 years she’s been teaching at Jones College and is proud Eubanks is being honored for her work.

“I couldn’t ask for a better colleague than Melanie Eubanks,” said Mark Brown. “Melanie cares greatly about the Visual Arts Department and her dedication is evidenced by the many initiatives she spearheads. Amongst the duties she manages, include the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery, and the Student Exhibition Group and she chairs the Art Department Scholarship Selection Committee. Melanie is frequently reflective of her teaching methods to ensure that visual art students are getting what they need to move forward with their degrees.”

Additionally, Eubanks has been honored with the Lamplighter Award in 2016 and is a ceramics adjunct instructor at William Carey University. For USM’s theater department, she assisted with the set painting for the 2017 play, The Phantom of the Opera. Melanie is married to Mark Rigsby and they have one child, Hank Rigsby who is a sophomore in high school.

ELLISVILLE- From Brooklyn, Mississippi to just outside of Brooklyn, New York, Jones County Junior College 2004 alumna, Jenny Anderson’s journey to success has been spent capturing the intimate, candid moments of the stars. The University of Mississippi Journalism graduate was back in Mississippi recently for a reception in her honor to celebrate her first solo exhibit, “The In Between: Intimate & Candid Moments of Broadway’s Stars.” This exhibit gives the public a behind-the-scenes look of Broadway theater from the collection of more than 14 years of Anderson’s photos. Open to the public through the spring semester in the University of Mississippi’s Ford Center Gallery in Oxford, the exhibit captures Broadway stars on the red carpet and in numerous theaters in New York.

“It’s been a very overwhelming weekend!” Anderson admitted.  “Ole Miss asked me to do the show a couple of years ago, but Covid postponed the show until now. It has been great to have it all come together.”

The 37-year old’s journey from living her dream of working in the “Big Apple”  began before she was a freshman at Forrest County Agricultural High School. However, receiving a camera at 14 years of age was the catalyst to making her dream come true. Taking photos of life in the rural south, first as a hobby, with her grandaddy in the fields and her Mimi on the porch, to her daddy playing bluegrass music and mom on stage, gave her the confidence to pursue photography while in college.

However, it was her musical talent on the saxophone that landed the pre-med major a full-tuition marching band scholarship. She said band became her priority because it paid for tuition, and it was the only way she knew how to get a college education.

“With my mother, (Debra) teaching theater and performing in Wiggins and my dad (Doug) teaching art at FCAHS, I didn’t think we could afford college,” said Anderson. “At Jones, I started doing yearbook and newspaper and I got distracted from the original, practical goal! I really loved it! I was in the acting ensemble for the musical, Grease, and my good friend and drum major, Sarah Burkett played Rizzo. I was spread pretty thin doing a little bit of everything at Jones.”

On staff for the college newspaper, the Radionian, Jenny began writing stories and taking some photos. She fondly remembers doing a faculty profile story on Australian-born, science instructor, Fiona Qualls. Anderson said that’s when her “dramatic flair” came through. Qualls thought she sounded way more romantic than her real life.

Even though she enjoyed being a photojournalist at Jones, Anderson credits Ole Miss for allowing her photographic talent to blossom. She was the photo editor of the University’s newspaper, The Daily Mississippian at the same time, Erin Napier, of HomeTown fame and JC graduate was the Ole Miss yearbook editor.

“We worked together in the media center at Ole Miss. Erin used one of my pictures on the front spread of the yearbook. It was of my friend, Haley Strode (a current actress in LA) in the University’s play, A Streetcar Named Desire.  I knew it was an awesome photo but so did Erin. She created the most beautiful, and one of the most unique yearbooks ever designed at Ole Miss. It was gorgeous! It was all because of her designer eye.”

Soon after graduating in 2006, the then Water Valley resident applied for jobs everywhere-LA, NYC, Chicago, Nashville, and Atlanta. Getting to New York, she said was a little bit of luck while trying to be practical.

“I’ve had a romantic notion of being in NYC since I was younger. My dad blames my love of NYC on the TV show, Friends, which is probably true,” shared Anderson. “However, I wanted to move where I had a job offer. The ONLY job offer I got was in NYC as a souvenir photographer for Circle Line Cruises in Manhattan if I could get there in two weeks. I sold everything, including my car and got a one-way ticket that cost about $94, and I packed two suitcases. I probably had about $750 in my bank account and moved to NYC for that job. It’s insane to think about now, but I did it!”

Her full-time job at Circle Line got her to NYC but it wasn’t her goal. It took her two weeks to find the job that would establish her photography career; a paid internship at Broadway.com.

“I was very persistent. I didn’t hear anything for three weeks after I applied so I emailed and called every day because I knew this job was meant for me. I learned later that the photo editor was on vacation. He came back to some very strong, annoying emails from this 22-year-old southern girl desperate for this job,” said Anderson.

The job that only paid $6.50 an hour for 13 hours a week, launched her career. After six months, she was promoted to full-time after the photo editor quit. She didn’t get the title or pay raise, but she did everything expected in that role.

Her first assignment with Broadway.com was a dream for the Wicked fan. The Saturday, 8 p.m. assignment to shoot “Wicked Day” in 2007, conflicted with her job at Circle Line. After her boss wouldn’t give her the time off, she quit her full-time, safe job.

“I didn’t come to NYC to stand in a boat to take pictures of tourists. I came here to be a photographer…. It worked out by taking another waitress/hostess job at another restaurant. So, I had two different restaurant jobs plus the photographer internship at Broadway.com, in which I did all three jobs for 1 ½ years. It was crazy!”

After two years as a “photo editor,” Anderson finally got a pay raise and the title and quit the restaurant jobs. While at Broadway.com, she began shooting her favorite type of pictures, behind-the-scenes of Broadway plays; something that had never been done before. She worked 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day as the photo editor. Then, Anderson would take pictures at night and on weekends. Meeting publicists, actors, actresses and producers, established her as a Broadway photographer. Six years later, she quit to become a freelance photographer and she hasn’t stopped working. She mostly shoots editorial portraits of actors/actresses and promotional pieces, in addition to being hired by individual theaters as the “house” photographer.

“My favorite story involves shooting pictures of Glenn Close when the Broadway show, Sunset Boulevard was revised. She won the Tony Award for her role 20 years ago and they brought her back for the revival of the show. I was backstage taking pictures when she told me she was ready for her pictures in her dressing room, after she was fully dressed and in character. It was thrilling and amazing to be in that space with her! After a few pictures, she left and went to another location. I heard Glenn Close yelling from the wings upstairs, ‘photographer, photographer!’ I will never forget her yelling ‘photographer,’ for me!”

Known as the “sweet and kind one”, Anderson’s work behind-the-scenes opened the doors for her to be one of the main photographers for the Tony Awards every year. While taking pictures in 2018, she captured Taylor Louderman on the red carpet in the rain, with Radio City Musical Hall in the background. The 2018 Tony Award nominee for Mean Girls, not only posted Anderson’s picture on her social media, but Louderman’s dressmaker, Christian Siriano also used the picture on her website.

“I was standing in the rain, while the other photographers were under a tent. I thought it would be a pretty picture with Radio City Music Hall in the background. I know Taylor pretty well and she trusted me enough to walk in the middle of the rain. She just threw her dress up and the wind picked it up. It was magic!”

When the Covid pandemic closed Broadway, the “magic” ended in one area of Anderson’s life for almost two years. Fortunately, she was also employed by ABC News and covered news events, like the Presidential election and the Inauguration. She said she liked being able to use her journalism skills once again.

Then, when the pandemic shut everything down, Anderson retreated to Water Valley, Mississippi for three months. Becoming restless at home with her parents, she bought a car and traveled throughout the southeast taking “Porch Portraits.”

“Taking photos of the south, that’s the beginning of my love of photography. I hope to be able to continue to do more of that now, that I have more mobility,” said Anderson. “I credit being from a small-town community and being southern as a big reason why I am successful. I went to NYC with this hopeful, bright outlook on the world, theater, art, everything, and that got me into a lot of places I am now. I am lucky that I have a career that flourished, and hopefully continues to.”

Becoming a freelance photographer seven years ago was a little scary Anderson said. However, she still has her days and nights filled doing a variety of work. Her photos have been featured in Vanity Fair, InStyle, The Wall Street Journal, The X Magazine, The Observer, Time Out New York, PureWow, People, USWeekly, EW, and Broadway Style Guide. Employed as a freelancer, she has also worked for Disney Television, Getty Images and The New York Times.

After spending the January 28^th weekend in Oxford for the opening of her exhibit, Anderson drove back to New York the following Monday, to take photos of the Tuesday, opening night of the musical, “MJ”- the newest Broadway show about Michael Jackson. To see her work click on the website link, http://jennyandersonphoto.com/