ELLISVILLE –Jones College Geography and History instructor, Dr. Caleb Smith has been selected as the Jones College 2025-2026 Mississippi Humanities Teacher of the Year. He will be honored by the Mississippi Humanities Council and the college on Wednesday, January 28, at 10 a.m. in the Home & Health Services Auditorium. The public is invited to see his free presentation, “How the School of Pop Culture Unites, Divides and Informs,” before the MHC honors him and 29 other faculty members statewide in Jackson, on March 20.
“This honor means a lot to me because, to be included with some of the legendary instructors who have graced this campus (Cheryl Windham, Wyatt Moulds, Stacy Ruth, and Tim Morris) is really an honor,” said Smith. “There have been and are a lot of great faculty here at Jones. To win this award means that the work I have put into my discipline and the support provided by my dean and co-workers is not in vain. I work with some of the best people. I feel inspired to be selected out of this group.”
Smith began his teaching career at East Webster High School in 2002 teaching Modern U.S. History and Geography before becoming an adjunct professor at William Carey University. He began his career at Jones College in 2008 as the Adult Education Coordinator, and teaching General Education Development courses. He was named the Mississippi Association of Adult and Community Educators Teacher of the Year in 2012, and his photography skills earned him the 2020 Southeastern Geographer Cover Photo Winner for “Unstated Flag,” at the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers. Dr. Smith joined the Humanities and Social Science Division in 2020 and has garnered the Favorite Teacher Award for the graduating classes of 2023 and 2024. His presentation, he said, combines his love of geography and American history, while also being a witness to Jones County’s historical transformation.
“I see students who bring knowledge of specific events or places to the class they saw on social media or a movie. These sources, a movie or TV show can be a first look at a topic. I even find myself citing specific movies and TV shows in the class like, ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ‘Gone with the Wind,’ and ‘Forrest Gump.’ These images, videos, and brief presentations shape their perceptions and give students some background knowledge regarding the topic. Many times, the information is good and useful, but there are times that they are misled,” said Smith.
The Jones County resident also has the unique perspective of watching how the influence of a couple of creative home renovators can have on a sleepy small town.
“I have watched Laurel transform from a sleepy sawmill town to a tourist destination, because of ‘Home Town.’ The show has brought tourists to the city, allowing it to grow, and even encouraging my neighbors to move from Alaska to Mississippi. It was surreal this summer to be on a cruise to Alaska and talk with an employee of the ship about Laurel because she saw it on TV.”
Besides enjoying his family and volunteering as a Tee-Ball Coach for the Jones County Recreational League or presenting various topics at the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers, Smith advises the Rho Sigma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society at JC and he is serving on the Mississippi/Louisiana Region Advisory Board. Additionally, he is serving as the President of the Jones College Faculty Staff Association, and he was the State Representative of Mississippi for the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers in 2023-2025. Smith has shared his knowledge in numerous publications and presentations throughout the southeast over his more than 20 years of experience in the field.