ELLISVILLE – At the 96th Commencement Ceremony at Jones College, in addition to the nearly 600 Jones College graduates celebrating the completion of their Associate in Arts degree, Associate in Applied Science degree, Technical Certificate or Career Certificate, eight Laurel High School students in the second class of the new Middle College Program at Laurel High School earned both their high school diploma and an associate degree from Jones College. These students, Sayuri Majae Barnes, De’Ja Dashawna Baskin, Brianna Evans, Justin Keys, Lamiya Janae Ross, Kena Monique Smith (also JC Hall of Fame) Nia Soul Stephens, and Krishna M Wright, finished their high school requirements simultaneously while attending college courses to complete a two-year degree.
“I’m very excited and honored today to also be recognized in the Jones College Hall of Fame,” said Middle College and Jones College graduate, Kena Smith of Laurel. “I missed a few things in high school, but it has been worth it to earn both degrees simultaneously.”
Graduates, and the thousands of family and friends attending the outdoor ceremony heard an inspiring message from keynote speaker, Stan Buckley that simply challenged graduates to, “spend their lives doing something that matters.” The Founder and Executive Director of But God Ministries in Jackson shared a story about Christian singer, Amy Grant’s mother encouraging her daughter to sing something that “matters.” Buckley said he realized after hearing that story, that he is not a cat. He only has “one shot” at life and he didn’t want to regret anything.
“My biggest fear is living to be an old man lying on my deathbed and wondering, what if I had gone for it? I plead with you today, do something worthwhile. Make a difference in this world. Make sure your only goal in life is not simply to accumulate things and then die. There’s more to life than that,” said the former attorney and senior pastor.
In 2011, when Buckley established But God Ministries, it was on the heels of a devastating earthquake in Haiti which killed 200,000 people and a million people were left homeless. The ministry established a community on an island where nurse practitioner, Tony West operated the medical clinic and served thousands as Jesus would.
“Mothes, fathers and children were all blessed by Tony’s love, his compassion and his care while hurting or frustrated or completely exhausted. Tony shared God’s love again and again. Tony West was a man who used his education. He wasn’t a preacher. He was a man who used his education, his training, and his skills as an R.N. and later as a nurse practitioner, to do something that matters. Thanks to Tony and many more, just like him, our efforts in Haiti have resulted in countless changed lives,” shared Buckley.
He concluded his speech with a story about a Jones College student athlete, Joshua Brown who should also be celebrating commencement but was wrongly accused of a crime and did not finish his courses on time. The JC football player is free today because Buckley and a team of people realized they needed to do the right thing and get involved.
“What I saw was wrong because what I saw was unfair and unjust. I could no longer see what was happening and do nothing,” Buckley explained. “You see, there comes a time in your life graduates, when you can no longer stand idly by and watch corruption and incompetence and callousness. There comes a time when you have to stand up for what is right. So, graduates go for it. Take a risk. You never know how God might use you in your education here at Jones College to do something extraordinary. The possibilities are endless if you’re willing to exercise a little faith and courage. Remember as Amy Grant’s mother would say, spend your life doing something that matters.”
Some Jones College graduates thanked the teachers that pushed them toward excellence and out of their comfort zone, like Natalie Graves of Laurel. The art major took on the role of College Project Director for Phi Theta Kappa, which earned the Most Distinguished College Project in Regional competition and a Top 10 award internationally.
“Mr. Brown definitely gave me a big push here at Jones,” said Graves. “At first, I didn’t really want to join PTK Honor Society, but he really pushed me, and it’s opened up a lot of doors for me. I received recognition as an artist and a student as a result.”
Earning Academic Gold Key honors, Jaylynn Conner is one of five graduating sophomores to be selected as a Tullos Scholar, Hall of Fame, and she earned one of three, College Public Relations Association of Mississippi Scholarships. The Waynesboro native finished a stellar two years as a Senior Editor of the yearbook and Editor of the student newspaper and was a Bobcat Broadcast anchor and reporter, as well as a member of the Charles Pickering Honors Institute. She said she is ready to continue her journalism career at the University of Mississippi and will miss being a Bobcat.
“I’m a first-generation graduate and I’m graduating with honors. This means the world to me to be able to have this opportunity,” said Conner. “I didn’t know what to expect but I was met with so much love and attention by my professors, staff and even the president of Jones College. It’s kind of sad to be leaving this great place.”
Also, a first-generation college graduate, Pablo Lopez of Waynesboro is most grateful for all the connections he’s made at Jones College.
“It’s been a wonderful two years of meeting lots of great people,” said Lopez. “I’m very excited to go to MSU because Jones gave me an excellent beginning which is in part because of all my professors and the staff at Jones. They played a huge role in my success, and I want to give them the recognition they deserve.”
