Category: News

ELLISVILLE – During Homecoming festivities at Jones College, the Rho Sigma Chapter of Phi Theta Chapter International Honor Society announced the establishment of an Alumni Chapter of PTK. As part of the chapter’s College Project, led by sophomore JC student from Waynesboro, Ivana Bishop, The PTK Alumni Chapter will provide an opportunity for alumni of the honor society to be connected to current students and future students.

“The function of the PTK Alumni Chapter at Jones College is to encourage a sense of belonging to Jones for these graduates. We believe our alumni would want to be a part of this organization to reunite them with their peers, have their accomplishments recognized and to reestablish links between successful alumni and Jones College through communication and networking,” said Bishop.

Three advisors of the newly established PTK Alumni chapter group, Gwen Matuszewski of Raleigh, Matthew Harrison of Laurel and Je’Shaiah Stephens of Laurel, were recognized during the Alumni Luncheon at Homecoming in October. Gwen Matuszewski previously served as an advisor of the current PTK Chapter as a Jones College employee. Stephens and Harrison are recent graduates of Jones College and former PTK members and officers. For more information about the new, PTK Alumni chapter email, PTKAlumni@jcjc.edu

 

Picture Cutline  costumers 10-21:  The winners of the Costume Contest for JC students are pictured left to right; Jada Austin of Hattiesburg took second place. Jordan Grimes of Leakesville won first place. Aidan Church of Ellisville was the third-place winner.  Honorable Mention winners were Aryn Cox of Laurel; Brandy Patterson of  Ellisville; Braden Cupit of Ellisville and Emilee Heintz of Petal.

ELLISVILLE –Several hundred super-heroes, princesses and ghouls came out to have fun at the annual Jones College Treats in the Streets on the JC campus. 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 teens, with the winners of the creatively dressed kids receiving a variety of goodies and sweet prizes from the JC Office of Student Affairs.

College students who dressed the best received Bobcat Bucks for their efforts. Taking first place was Jordan Grimes from Leakesville as “Pebbles Flintstone.”  Jada Austin of Hattiesburg came in second place as “Sushi Roll” and Aidan Church of Ellisville as the “Scary Clown,” took third place.

JC students and winners in the Group category, Grimes, Samantha Dildine as BamBam, and Rashad Bullock and Keasia Andrews of Tylertown as the dinosaurs, were the Flintstones Characters. Also participating as honorable mention winners were Aryn Makayla Cox of Laurel as “Morticia Adams,” Brandy Patterson of Ellisville as “Mercy,” Braden Cupit of Ellisville as an Anime character and Emilee Heintz of Petal as, “Scary Fat Baby.”

Treats in the Streets is an annual, free, community event that is hosted by the Jones College Student Government Association.

ELLISVILLE- Jones College’s Office of Student Affairs and Student Government Association along with campus clubs and organizations will host the annual “Treats in the Streets” night of activities on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. The trick-or-treat trail event will be held in front of the C.L. Neill Student Center Plaza, the place where the event originated  22 years ago. Admission is free unless otherwise noted, and the public is welcome to attend all events. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

From 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., JC clubs and organizations will have treats and games available beginning at the Student Center Plaza. The trick-or-treat trail continues around the A.B. Howard Gymnasium, and around the Hutcheson/Hubbard Administration Building ending behind the Terrell Tisdale Library and beside the Humanities building. This event is for children ages 0 to 12 years, and all children must be accompanied by an adult to attend.

The costume contests will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the stage area beside the Visual Arts building and the Library Lawn, for kids ages 0 to 12. At 6 p.m. a costume contest for JC students will begin. D.J. Dace will be set up on the stage before and after the costume contests.

Also, the Jones College all-you-can-eat cafeteria will stay open for dinner until 7:30 p.m. The cost for children ages 4 to 9 years of age is $4.75 and for children ages 10 to adults the cost is $8.25 (tax included).

The annual Treats in the Streets celebration is an outdoor event and may be canceled or modified if it rains or if the weather is not conducive for children. For more information, contact Dr. Tessa Flowers at 601-477-4845 or email: tessa.flowers.jcjc.edu.

ELLISVILLE-Jones College’s Concert Choir will begin the fall performance season with the first concert on Sunday, October 17, at 6 p.m. at West Ellisville Baptist Church. The public is invited to attend this free event which is also the first public performance with Dr. Imgyu Kang as the new Director of Choral Activities. Jones College music and piano instructor, Dr. Victoria Johnson will accompany the group on piano.

The 30-year veteran vocalist, conductor and instructor earned his Doctoral Degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Alabama. He earned his master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Georgia State University, and his bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Seoul. Dr. Kang previously served as the Director of Choral Activities at Oral Roberts University and Western Nebraska Community College. Dr. Kang also taught Advanced Conducting at the University of Alabama from 2009-2012 and was the assistant conductor of the University of Alabama University Singers. His love of music and talent won him the Korean American Scholars Award in 2003 and 2010 and the Korean American Embassy Award in 2010.

Dr. Kang opens the fall concert choir season with the 71-member Jones College Concert Choir’s, “New Season, New Songs” themed concert. The group will perform a variety of music including, “Come to the Water” arranged by Lynda Hasseler with soloist, Darcy Beech of Ellisville. Bonner Welch of Moselle will be the featured soloist for “Prayer of St. Francis” by Allen Pote. The song, “Order My Steps (In Your Word)” arranged by Jack Schrader will feature soloists, Lazarius Shelby of Laurel and Jaylon Sims of Laurel. Other musical selections include “Total Praise” by Richard Smallwood and “William Tell Overture,” arranged by Julie Eschliman.

The next JC Concert Choir performance will be Sunday, November 7, at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Laurel. The final concert of the semester will be a Christmas Concert with the JC Fine Arts Department on Thursday, December 2, at 7 p.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. For more information contact the JC Fine Arts Department at 601-477-4203 or email joneschoir@jcjc.edu

JC Concert Choir

Soprano

Natalie Dewitt, Laurel *

Bayleigh Hill, Laurel

Charity Miller, Brooklyn

Bralynn Newell, Newton

Anna Pickering, Laurel

Abigail Thrash, Laurel

Madison Windham, Mize

Ashley Allee, Oak Grove

Victoria Ball, Laurel

Sabrina Turner, Vinegar Bend, AL

Rachel Carlino, Waynesboro

Mackenzie Golemon, Moselle

Gracee Green, Laurel

Amberlyn Holifield, Leakesville

Destiny Lewis, Laurel

Abby Nix, Ellisville

Laiklynn Roberts, Waynesboro

Darcy Beech, Ellisville

Savannah Greene, Sumrall

Abigail Smith, Richton

Trinity Williams, Brooklyn

Kamaya Hutton, Hattiesburg

Alto

Sarah Ables, Laurel **

Virginia Fortenberry, Lawrence County

Lily Hendrix, Sumrall

Samantha Bishop, Florence

Hannah Manning, Quitman

Mackenzie Lacy, Pass Christian

Kathryn Hyatt, Laurel

Hannah Johnson, Laurel

Madison Lanier, Laurel

Bailey Rowell, Wayne

Molly Waldrop, Laurel

Natalie Walker, Laurel

Hanna Wood, Laurel

Annaleigh Ragsdale, Magee

Jennalyn Purvis, Petal

Payton Voge, Laurel *

Morgan White, Laurel

Jaelynn Peak, Foxworth

La’Lexia Murrell, Laurel

Kristen Jordan, Laurel

Tenor

Jaylon Sims, Raleigh

Michael Decou, Chatham, LA

Petara Jo’i Jones, Hattiesburg **

Jalen Poindexter, Jackson *

Josiah Raine, Picayune

Elijah Gray, Heidelberg

Jacob Strickland, Ellisville

Lazarius Shelby, Laurel

Bonner Welch, Moselle

Tellas Smith, Laurel

Wesley Carmical, Ellisville

Bass

Judah Capers, Laurel

Vincent Brown, Moss Point

David Ishee, Laurel

Alejandro Jarillo, Laurel

Donovan Williams, Laurel

Cameron Beech, Laurel

Cameron Glenn, Ellisville

Colby Marsh, Petal

Samuel Rodgers, Petal

Jarrett Darden, Seminary

Xavier Porter, Laurel

Marcus Sims, Laurel

Isaiah Spradley, Laurel

Damarie Windham, Laurel

Rayshawn Gamblin, Waynesboro

Jonah Holland, Ellisville*

Conner Smith, Ellisville

Dylan Waters, Laurel

*Section Leader

**Director’s Assistant

ELLISVILLE – When artist, Sean “Star Wars” Stewart first visited with Jones College students eight years ago, before being featured in HGTV’s Season 2 of “Home Town,” he had just moved to Laurel from New Orleans, before Hurricane Katrina. Since his TV appearance, some things have changed. During his “Art Talk” with Jones College art students, he was being documented by Mississippi Public Broadcasting for a “Mississippi Roads” segment. Also, his family has grown from him and his wife and one child to five kids with one son beating Leukemia. During the three-year battle with cancer, Stewart emphasized to students, his art didn’t change because life got serious.

“I didn’t want to think about important things like cancer research. If you are concerned with serious things OK. But I wasn’t making artwork about leukemia. Not everyone can have this much fun and that’s OK too,” said Stewart. “The cure for cancer is not going to come out of printmaking. I want to make people smile. I do what makes me happy and I’m glad people also like what makes me happy,” said Stewart.

While discussing his art, Stewart explained downtown Laurel’s popularity has grown to the point he couldn’t grow. The only option left for him was moving his studio to New Orleans to expand his art business and include offering art residencies.

“I was glad to be able to be on the (Home Town) show and share what I think printmaking is to a totally different audience. Working with Erin Napier was super great too!” said Stewart. “I also know when the show airs because I always sell a Robert Johnson print at some weird hour of the night.”

Stewarts’ nuggets of wisdom to Jones students were not all specifically art-related. Besides “making art” he encouraged students to also connect with their audience, other artists and supporters of their work in order to get their work in galleries. Early in Stewart’s career, after an art festival, he told students he didn’t sell much, and he was disappointed. However, exchanging artwork with the guy in the next tent turned out to be beneficial, beyond his dreams.

“This artist at the art festival 12 years ago, was a teacher at MSU. I still have his piece hanging and he has mine. I got an email from him, explaining he’s now the art director for an ad agency in Dallas and he thinks my work would be perfect for a restaurant company with 20 franchises. After meeting the CEO, they are going to use my imagery for advertising in different regions of the country. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t made that connection at an art festival that day. Something to remember me by for the last 12 years, turned into something super big for me. Always reach out,” said Stewart.

Social media allows artwork to be shared with a global audience faster than ever before and students should be taking advantage of these platforms Stewart also offered. Probably the most impactful for freshman, graphic design major, Jashawn Huddleston of Bay Springs was Stewarts’ advice, “Just have fun!”

“I like his style and the freedom he has in creating. I overthink, but I am beginning to realize I can be an artist and have fun too,” said Huddleston.

Sophomore, Aryn Cox of Laurel also said she can get overwhelmed with art ideas and what to create. Stewart’s free, fun-loving art has inspired her to step out of her comfort zone.

“I also think too much while trying to create art. I’m going to try to go with the flow more and be more creative,” said Cox.

The whimsical Sean “Star Wars” Stewart exhibit that was on display at Jones College’s Eula Bass Lewis art gallery recently, showed off his uniqueness. The use of bright colors, quirky pop culture characters and items, displayed on thick, large pieces of wood is purposeful. Stewart’s goal is to enjoy what he’s creating and to stand out. From “Tangy” orange whales to color-themed robots and alligators taking a bath, Stewart’s artwork is a collection of quirky, colorful images of pure, childlike fun. However, Stewart told students the most important thing every artist should do is to spend time in front of their work.

“I’m not great at drawing but I enjoy carving, so I draw what’s easy. I like the shapes of guns, robots, and animals. The wood carving adds texture to my work, giving it dimension, almost inviting the viewer to touch my art. I want people to engage in my work and enjoy it as much as I do,” said the former Virginia Beach native. “I didn’t want the fact that I couldn’t draw that well to keep me from having fun. What you draw is the fun part. That’s what I talk about. I don’t share the process of printmaking with audiences. They want to know why I have an ice cream cone smoking, with a drink in hand, wearing heels and carrying a purse. I laugh at my work because it’s funny! At this point in my life, I make whatever I want to make. I love it when people give me ideas too.”

Different artists are featured monthly at the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery which is open to the public and can be viewed from Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. through 3 p.m., and Fridays, 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. For more information call 601-477-4148.