ELLISVILLE – Three Jones College alumni were honored as Achievement and Excellence Award recipients during Homecoming festivities on October 28, 2023. Laurel’s Dr. Leander Bridges II, former Clara native and current Lebanon, Tennessee resident, Ashley Dean, and Richton native and current Petal resident, Austin Smith were recognized as graduates of Jones College having demonstrated professional and personal success that is recognized throughout the community and are 40 years old or younger.
“These alumni are a vital part of their communities, and we expect great things and know they will continue to change the world and touch many lives with their work,” said Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith at the Homecoming Luncheon where these alumni were recognized before hundreds of alumni and their peers.
Dr. Leander Bridges is a graduate of South Jones High School and was a member of the varsity football team, concert choir, Madrigals, Quartet, Beta Club and Student Council. In 2001, Bridges earned an associate degree at Jones College before continuing his education at USM where he earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and an MBA from the University of Southern Mississippi while simultaneously studying music. Furthering his education at William Carey University, Bridges earned both Specialist and Doctorate degrees in educational leadership. While serving in public education for more than 18 years, he has led choirs with superior ratings and championships with two residencies at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Additionally, Dr. Bridges serves his community as the Minister of Music at Springhill Baptist Church in Ellisville. The current principal of Oak Park Elementary School shared that it was one of his JC instructors who inspired him to pursue not only music but also education.
“Dr. Mark Taylor. He probably had the greatest influence on my career choice before I got into administration. As a principal, I was a choir director for eight years and had no intentions of when I got to Jones, of ever teaching children. Dr. Taylor literally changed my perspective on all of it. I still converse with him to this day because I consider him a mentor, a friend and an advocate,” said Bridges.
Reflecting on his two years at Jones College, Dr. Bridges continued to share, that being accessible to faculty and administration along with receiving “care and respect from them,” helped to make the transition to college easier and has positively impacted his future.
“Aside from my parents and my faith, Jones probably has had one of the single largest and most profound impacts on my life’s journey because it literally caused me to reevaluate my perspective professionally. It caused me to reevaluate how I dealt with people, dealing with a much larger cross-section of people. I can honestly credit Jones College as helping to shape me into the man I am today.”
He and his wife of 17 years, Tamiko have three children, Leander, III, Lauren Grace, and the late Laina Michelle Bridges.
Also awarded the Achievement and Excellence Award was Ashley Dean who currently lives in Lebanon, Tennessee. She graduated from Jones College in 2004 and continued her education at the University of Mississippi for Women, graduating in 2006. She continued her education at Northwestern University’s Prosthetic Program the following year.
Currently, Dean is a licensed ABC-certified prosthetist and BOC-certified orthotist for Hanger Clinic in Murfreesboro and Estill Springs, TN, with more than 15 years of experience. She specializes in lower limb prosthetics, treating a broad spectrum of patients, cherishing the opportunity to help improve the quality of life of many. As an active member of the Tennessee Society of Orthotics and Prosthetics (TSOP), Dean was the first female President of TSOP. Also, she serves on the East Tennessee State University’s Prosthetic and Orthotic Program Advisory Board, and she is an active member of the Junior League of Nashville, and the MUW Alumni Association.
“I’m a math and science kind of girl, so my Comp-1 teacher was amazing. The amount of knowledge that I learned in that class with Miss Mary Callahan, prepared me so that I can actually write papers! That was very impactful in my life to get that education and to get better at writing and doing papers and research and all that fun stuff,” said Dean.
Also, while at Jones, she was an editor of the yearbook, Lair, Student Government Association, and Phi Theta Kappa honor society. She said, the yearbook advisor, Rebecca Patrick also played an influential role in her life.
“Miss Patrick is a wonderful lady and I’m glad I got to spend so much time with her. My sophomore year, she became my advisor, even though journalism was not my major. I was going into prosthetics and orthotics, but Miss Patrick knew that and had a plan, so she was there to support me. She also took me on my first flight. We went to Canada for a very interesting yearbook conference. Being involved in that, seeing all the campus life come together and put it in one book that you’ll have for years to come. It’s just so rewarding. It’s been almost 20 years, but Miss Patrick really made a great impact on my life. When I applied for the MBA program at USM, she wrote a letter of recommendation for me. She and I are still in touch, and I can’t say enough great things about her and the experience that I had working with her and the entire yearbook staff at JC,” shared Dean.
With her parents, Robert and Carole Dean of Clara continuing to support her from a distance now, Dean plans to graduate from USM’s MBA program in July of 2024.
Jones College’s third Achievement and Excellence recipient is Richton native, Austin Smith, who was both a student in 2003, and a faculty member for 10 years at Jones College. Smith only intended to take summer classes at JC when English instructor, Faye Moulds changed his mind.
“The next thing I know, I registered for classes that fall, and you know, I stayed here for two years, and my focus was pre-med at the time. I intended to go to medical school and anyway, life changed. I met a lot of really good friends while I was here at Jones, and I never thought that I would come back here to teach.” He added, “Thank you to all the faculty that I had while I was here at the college. I’m also appreciative of the students who I was able to teach and inspire to go on to greatness like Kane Edwards and Stephen Billingsley. I’m also appreciative of the administration for what they have done as far as developing this campus.”
While at Jones College, Smith became very involved in Phi Theta Kappa honor society as President, before transferring to Mississippi College, completing his bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in biology.
“I was not a trust fund child, so you know, I needed college to be affordable and my involvement with Phi Theta Kappa, and a decent looking transcript while I was here at Jones, paid dividends whenever it came time for me to go to Mississippi College. I was able to get a little bit of an extra boost with a leadership scholarship and about the only thing that I had to pay for was just the dorms. I would say to any student that comes along, you know performing well in the classroom is important, but also be involved in good quality student organizations and do something; do not just don’t have your name on the list,” said Smith.
He began teaching microbiology and biology in 2009 before taking over the family business. Currently, the commercial beekeeper from Petal co-owns Smith’s Honey Farm LLC, with his father. They have more than 2,000 colonies with the honey sold in many grocery stores, produce markets and retailers throughout Mississippi. He is a certified member and the current president of the Russian Honey Bee Breeders Association. Additionally, he is active in the Mississippi Beekeepers Association having served as president and is currently serving as vice-president.
Jones College’s Alumni Association and Foundation celebrated the accomplishments of nine alumni and friends of the college during the October 28, Homecoming weekend of activities. “Rising Stars,” Lewis S. Bateman of Laurel and current Starkville resident, Mason Irby of Meridian and current resident of Madison, and Laurel’s Alise Mathews and Jermarcus Ross were honored along with Laurel’s Jim Rasberry, the recipient of the “Outstanding Alumni of the Year” award and Dr. Dewey Garner of Raleigh who received the “Legacy Award.” All the honored alumni were recognized with a medallion during half-time of the football game before recognizing the Homecoming Court.
