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ELLISVILLE – There are no signs of slowing when it comes to the growth and the additional programs being offered at Jones College’s Greene County Center in Leakesville. Supervisors and college officials broke ground on the facility in 2009 as the first of the college’s free-standing centers or “mini” campuses in the JC district. Three additional Centers have since been established in Bay Springs, Stonewall, and Waynesboro to expand the reach and opportunities offered to Jones College’s students because of the vision of college and community leaders in Greene County 15 years ago.

“This is a perfect example of a community effort driven by the leaders of Greene County to bring economic development to every home and every family that calls Greene County home,” said Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith at the grand opening ceremony, January 17, 2012.

From the beginning, representatives from the Greene County School District, the Board of Supervisors, Community Bank and Singing River Electric Power Association, worked together to secure a zero-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business Service to provide another level of education and training to help fund the $1.1 million dollar, 17,440 square foot Greene County Center which has led to the improvement of economic development prospects in the region.

“The Pipefitting lab was only 300 square-feet and now we’re teaching in a 2,200 square foot facility and I’m able to teach almost three times as many students,” said pipefitting instructor, Skip Holland who was the first teacher of the program at the Greene County Center prior to the facility’s opening.

Jones College began offering adult education and workforce welding and pipefitting classes in 2008. In 2012, academic classes were offered at the Leakesville facility, including English Composition and Psychology. The Greene County Board of Supervisors then introduced the Tuition Assistance program in 2013 and with that, combined with more students attending classes from surrounding counties, the need to expand became apparent by 2017. Dean of the Greene County Center, Alan Cook reflected on the Center’s beginnings since he has been affiliated with the facility during the initial building stage in 2008.

“I was actually involved with building the facility through our construction company, which did the electrical work,” shared Cook. “I knew everybody out there and to see how it serves the students in that area, and even since I’ve been hired as Dean of the Center, I see it more and more. There are so many students that the Center serves that would otherwise not go to college. The Greene County Center is conveniently located because the length of travel to Ellisville or the Gulf Coast prevented many from an education and job opportunity or training in the past.”

To accommodate the growing demand for services, an additional 13,680 square feet was added in 2020. Cook is excited to now offer more medical programs and expand the electrical technology program.

“Our first Phlebotomy class graduated this spring, and was offered again this fall, as well as the Certified Nursing Assistant program,” said Cook. “We are expecting approval to begin offering the Medical Assistant program very soon, and hopefully, we can also get the EMT program started in the near future. The Practical Nursing to Associate Degree Nursing Bridge Program is another opportunity for nurses to continue their education and improve their skills that we hope to be able to offer before long.”

The Greene County Center offers Welding for credit and Workforce Certification, as well as day and night classes. Additionally, the Center provides Adult Education, the Out of School Youth program, CDL-Commercial Truck Driving, and the “Smart Home” course as part of the Electrical Technology program.

“It’s the next level in electrical technology. People like new technology. It’s just like a cell phone. If a new cell phone can do something different or new, we want it. Smart Home wiring involves connecting smart devices like light switches, receptacles, thermostats, door locks and even sprinkler systems. It gives you the luxury of controlling these devices locally and or remotely. Basic installation and programming of smart devices is covered in the electrical technology course to help students learn the new technology in the electrical field,” explained Cook.  

The Greene County Center has impacted thousands of students and employees in the region who have taken classes or training to improve their skills and income. In the future, Cook said they will continue to build on the solid education and training foundation the Greene County region has enjoyed for decades to come. For more information about the Greene County Center’s programs, call 601-477-4238 or email student navigator, Menyone Barrow at menyone.barrow@jcjc.edu or visit the website, https://www.jcjc.edu/workforce/locations/greene-campus/

ELLISVILLE – Jones College’s Art Department will be hosting photographer Micah Green and his cohorts in an “Art Talk” on Tuesday, September 17, at 1:30 p.m. in the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery. The images Green and his colleagues will have on display at Jones College includes pictures from their travels to Bangladesh to cover the Alliance of Smiles project. The entire collection will be on display from September 16, until October 18, in the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery on the Ellisville campus. Additionally, Green will be speaking at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel on September 19, and he will hold a workshop on Friday, September 20.

Green was born in Texas and lived much of his childhood in Laurel, Mississippi. He graduated from Mississippi State University and began taking photographs while working at The Commercial Dispatch, a small, short-staffed newspaper during the worst years of business for print media. Since then, Green has freelanced for local newspapers around the South, and has clients like The New York Times, Bloomberg, and Reuters, along with numerous regional publications. Self-taught through experimentation, Green’s daily observations through his camera lens have given him a better understanding of and ties to the region he calls home.

Last year, Green had a photo chosen to be a part of the 39th edition of the American Photography Annual and the photo was part of an exhibit at the selection show in New York City in November 2023. He was also recently chosen to be the first photographer represented by a fine art gallery based in Mississippi. A selection of his work from across the American South is available through The Caron Gallery. According to Gulf Coast Media, the American Photography Annual is a hardcover, juried annual that offers an expansive view with hundreds of images selected from thousands of entries. The contest is regarded by creative professionals as the “book of record” and the best “source for today’s top image-makers.”

Green’s selected photo details a steer wrestling practice he captured on assignment for a 2022 story on Robertsdale Alabama high school graduate Drew Clukey, who signed to Southeastern Oklahoma State University on a rodeo scholarship. The photograph is of his friend, Josh Hyatt, in Elsanor at Luke Campbell’s farm.

American Photography, and its illustration counterpart American Illustration, “are the premier showcases for editorial, advertising, book, poster, design, animation, fine art, unpublished and student work created by established, emerging and student illustrators and photographers.” The images in this annual selection include everything from unpublished works to Prince Harry’s book cover portrait, from the aftermath of tragedy like gun violence and the war in Ukraine to high fashion and celebrity portraiture.

 Jones College will close at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, due to the expected severe weather threat in the region.  Jones College will make the following modifications to its standard operating schedule:

• All day and night classes (including credit and non-credit) have been canceled after 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11. 
• The Jones College Childcare Facility will shut down at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11. 
• The Professional Testing Center and e-Learning will close at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11. 
• On-campus housing will remain open. Housing students who plan to stay on campus must notify campus housing by 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 11.  

Jones College will reopen on Thursday, September 12, under a modified schedule:

• All Jones College offices will reopen at noon on Thursday, September 12.
  • Critical staff members may be required to return early as conditions permit. 
• Classes will resume Thursday, September 12, for students starting at the 1:30 p.m. class period.
  

Jones College Operations include the following locations:

• Jones College Main Campus, Ellisville, MS
• The Ronald Whitehead Advanced Technology Center, Ellisville, MS
• Clarke County Center, Stonewall, MS
• Greene County Center, Leaksville, MS
• Jasper County Center, Bay Springs, MS
• Wayne County Center, Waynesboro, MS

We encourage everyone to use personal discretion in determining travel conditions.

Please stay safe by monitoring local weather updates and following Jones College communication channels for further campus updates. 

ELLISVILLE – Jones College’s annual Fall Blood Drive will be held Monday through Wednesday, September 16, 17 and 18, at Jones College. On Monday, the Mobile Unit will be parked outside of the Industrial Services Building from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Vitalant will have two Mobile Units collecting donations in the Allied Health Building Parking Lot across from the D.O. Thoms P.E. Gym and in the Parking Lot in front of the Student Union Center from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The public, as well as the JC community is invited to participate by making an appointment on the Vitalant website, https://donors.vitalant.org/

“Every year Jones College’s students, faculty, and staff get to play a huge part in meeting people’s needs not only in our community, but across the state of Mississippi. Our blood drive helps provide a critical resource to sick and injured people throughout the state. Each year the need for critical blood supplies increases, and the JC students, faculty and staff step up every year and we do our best to meet the needs of our state and our community. I couldn’t be prouder of what Jones does through this one community service opportunity and we always like to say this blood drive means that the ‘blood of bobcats’ flows throughout the entire state,” said JC Blood Drive Coordinator, JCJC Emergency Technology-Paramedic Program Director and Healthcare Simulation Center Director, Benji Sessums, Ph.D. NR-P.

The overall goal for the three-days is 105 units of blood stated Sessums. To encourage donations, T-shirts will be given to all donors and Door Prizes will be available all three days for donors during random drawings.

Jones College was honored to recently host both congressional staff and State Legislators in an educational tour of its main campus in Ellisville, Mississippi. Speakers provided an overview of the college’s community impact and showcased the progress being made in its new Napier School of Design & Building Arts, its Agriculture Programs, and the ongoing expansion of the Nursing Program. Pictured seated left to right are, Christy Holifield-Jones College CFO; Flannery Egner-Senator Roger Wicker’s Special Assistant; Anna Kendall Thames-Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s Field Representative; Dr. Jesse Smith-Jones College President; Robin Robinson-State Senator Dist. 42; Katy Roberts-Senator Roger Wicker’s Legislative Assistant and Dr. Tessa Flowers-Jones College EVP of Instructional Affairs. Pictured standing left to right are Dr. Finèe Ruffin-Jones College EVP Governmental Affairs, Information Services & Marketing Officer; Joel Dunagin-Congressman Mike Ezell’s District Director; Chris Vignes-Senator Roger Wicker’s Southern Regional Field Representative; Charlie Ballou-Congressman Michael Guest’s Constituent Services Coordinator; Brady Stewart-Congressman Michael Guest’s District Director; Joel Cain-Jones College EVP Student & Athletic Affairs-Exec. Dir. Athletic Foundation; Griffin Wiggins-Congressman Mike Ezell’s Legislative Assistant; Matt Barnett-Congressman Mike Ezell’s District Director; Lance Taylor-Congressman Mike Ezell’s District Deputy Director; Juan Barnett-State Senator Dist. 34; Dennis Debar-State Senator Dist. 43; Chuck Blackwell-State Representative Dist. 88; Jon Ryan Fennell-Jones College Chief of Staff; Sebastian Paez-Senator Roger Wicker’s Legislative Assistant; Brian Rhodes-State Senator Dist. 36, and Sabrina Young-Jones College VP of External Funding.