Author: Teresa McCreery

ELLISVILLE – As Jones College students finish the spring semester, administrators are encouraging students to sign up for the BOGO Summer Classes. The Buy One, Get One special tuition discount allows students to take one class and get another class free. The BOGO summer tuition discount is open to anyone who enrolls in summer classes at Jones College. While some programs have a different charge per credit hour, all courses, including vocational, technical and academic courses will be discounted from the full tuition price.

To view the summer course listing visit https://class-search.jcjc.edu/results.php for any of the three summer term options, including the 10-week and four-week terms. Summer Session I, 4-week classes begin Monday, June 3, and ends Friday, June 28. Summer Session II, 4-week classes begin Thursday, July 4, and ends Friday, July 26. Also, Jones offers the 10-week, full summer session with classes beginning on Tuesday, May 27, and ending Friday, August 2.

Jones College is also offering free CEU’s for Mississippi K-12 teachers needing an additional endorsement or to renew a current K-12 Educator’s License. The free Jones College four-week courses are offered during the June summer session which begins June 3, through June 28.

To be eligible for the no-cost pricing, all participants must complete a Jones College Admissions Application. For a complete listing of the courses available and enrollment information, go to the website: https://www.jcjc.edu/ceu/

For more information to enroll in summer courses or free CEU’s, contact Enrollment Management at (601) 477-4257, email, enrollmentservices@jcjc.edu, or online at: https://www.jcjc.edu/enrollmentservices/

ELLISVILLE- This spring, the first Jones College student will be awarded one of hopefully many scholarships from the newly endowed, Cade Thompson Memorial Scholarship. Lorrie Thompson, a 1993 JCJC graduate and her husband Chris of Soso, endowed the Cade Thompson Memorial Scholarship on JC’s Day of Giving last November, as a way to continue the legacy of their 18-year-old son Cade, who was set to graduate from West Jones High School in 2022. He was also enrolled as a dual enrolled student at Jones College when an accident ended his life on October 20, 2021. Knowing Cade had planned to continue his education at Jones College and hopefully become a Game Warden, the Thompson’s wanted to ensure the opportunity for an education would be available for other students.  

“I want to help somebody, somebody who is not a straight ‘A’ student,” said Lorrie Thompson. “I want this scholarship to go to an average student who may not be expecting a scholarship, like Cade. He was kind of an average student.”

Most of his time was spent outdoors fishing. Cade also played left tackle and tight end for the Mustangs of West Jones High School’s football team. The Thompson’s said Cade was proud to be on the football team. He was prepared to miss the family’s annual Thanksgiving vacation to practice with the team, regardless of whether he was a starter, still earning his position, or being a friend to his teammates. Recently, the West Jones football team retired Cade’s jersey number, #56 in his honor.

“After Cade passed, the mother of a boy with special needs who helped manage the football team sent me a message. She said Cade always treated her son with respect. He would sit and talk with her son, play video games and make sure he was OK, all before football practice. Cade never mentioned it to us. We’re so proud of him,” said Lorrie.

The Thompsons have also established scholarships for West Jones High School football players and cheerleaders. They hope the new JC scholarship established on Jones College’s Day of Giving will help a student like Cade who loved fishing, football, and his family.

“He would have been proud that we were doing this, that’s what he would have wanted, but he wouldn’t want any recognition. That was not like him. He didn’t want the spotlight on him, but I could see him standing there with a grin on his face, proud,” Lorrie shared.

In fact, the family said they hope to keep building upon the Cade Thompson Memorial Scholarship, every year in memory of their son.

“To this day, we still get postcards, letters and stuff from people from Florida, Georgia, places all over. People were praying for us from the Philippines. There are just good people out there who still remember us and want to give back too,” said Chris.

For the last four years, Jones College’s Day of Giving event has surpassed goals. The JCJC Alumni & Foundation Office total last fall exceeded all expectations with a final tally of $652,616.48. Vice President of External Funding, Sabrina Young explained that establishing scholarships like the Cade Thompson Memorial Scholarship continues Cade’s legacy by providing funds that live on forever in others who also impact many more people in the community.

“I’m grateful and thankful on behalf of Jones College for the Thompson’s entrusting us with continuing Cade’s memory and his legacy. Providing the funds to endow a scholarship that will live on forever is a treasure that keeps growing, and becomes even more valuable over time,” said Young.

The Jones College Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 academic year through the JC App. Applicants must be current Jones College students, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50, and be enrolled full-time for the upcoming academic year. To learn more about how to apply for JC Foundation scholarships, click on the link: https://www.jcjc.edu/Foundation_scholarships/.

ELLISVILLE – Fifty-nine Jones College students officially became members of the International Honor Society for two-year colleges, Phi Theta Kappa, Rho Sigma Chapter. These students must be attending college full-time, have a 3.5 GPA and be in good standing with the college. More than 320 students were invited to join the organization by May 31, 2024, and the following students chose to participate in the induction ceremony held at Jones College in Ellisville last week.

Jones College PTK Spring 2024 Induction Ceremony Participants                                          

Caitlin Erianna Amerson, Ellisville

William Richard Anderson, Laurel

Kimberly Julianna Arevalo, Pearl

Daniel Gregory Baldwin, Magee

Sarah Hadley Barham, Ovett

Tanner Ralph Barrett, Seminary

Bailey Lynn Blakeney, Magee

Georgia Caroline Boudreaux, Hattiesburg

Chloe Taylor Boyles, Raleigh

Bryan David Broome, Hattiesburg

Hannah Jenay Byrd, Stateline

Jasmine Victoria Cooley, Waynesboro

Monique Shantell Crosby, Purvis

Shane Laroy Davis, Madison

Conner Omari Davis, Hattiesburg

Julianna Marie Dominguez, Ovett

Britton Caroline Dunnam, Sandhill

Tyler Garrett Freeman, Waynesboro

Josie Grace Garcia, Laurel

Abby Lynn Garner, Raleigh

Laura Elizabeth Gatzman, Laurel

Molly Kathleen Griffin, Ellisville

Kayla Nicole Hamil, Ellisville

Robert Ayden Hawkins, Taylorsville

Ann Rileigh Holder, Ellisville

Irish Nicole Horne, Pearl

Hope Katherine Houston, Laurel

Haidyn Delaney Houston, Raleigh

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Huddleston, Laurel

Anna Grace Jolly, Laurel

Mary Taylor Jones, Collins

Dannah Alex Knighton, Madison

RaeLyn Elizabeth Lee, Mize

Devin Olivia Lucus, Ellisville

Jessica Manning, Quitman

Ashley Nicole Mason, Laurel

Mersadi Nichole McCarter, Raleigh

Isaac Riley McQueen, Seminary

Hollie Grace McRae, Waynesboro

Chasity Leighann Mills, Clara

Brittany Monique Minchew, Meridian

Ember Genesis Mixon, Stonewall

Anna Hope Morris, Sumrall

Sadie Morris, Batesville

Tanika Quaina Norsworthy, Waynesboro

Baleigh Breanne Patton, Hattiesburg

Zoe Rianne Payne, Quitman

Sarah Elizabeth Riels, Seminary

Arthur Stone Ross, Waynesboro

Eddison Fletcher Settle, Prentiss

Jake Martin Shelby, Enterprise

Regan McKenzie Shoemaker, Laurel

Riley June Smith, Enterprise

Kailand Delvonna Snow, Laurel

Madison Leanne Swales, Hattiesburg

Addison Taylor Thames, Petal

Meghan Torrano, Morton

Sophie Diane Wansley, Ellisville

Hunter Michael White, Petal

ELLISVILLE – The Jones College student newspaper, The Radionian, once again took the General Excellence award at the annual Better Newspaper Contest for Mississippi colleges.

The General Excellence award is earned by the number of points scored during competition. The college also brought home four first place awards and nine second or third place awards.

 Jaylynn Conner of Waynesboro received first place in the Best News Story category for her story on the Special Olympics. Conner also received third place in Best Use of Video for her story on PTK’s community garden project, which was featured in the student broadcast’s news show.

Farrah Jordan of State Line received both the first and second place spots for Best Sports Feature Story. First place was on the discipline and determination of soccer player Lauren Carothers, and second place was on quarterback Allan Follis, who came back from an injury.

Sheridan White of Soso received first and third place awards for the Best Feature Story category. Her first place story was on the Honors College students’ participation in the Night to Shine event, hosted by the Tim Tebow Foundation, and her third place award was for a story on Sam Larson’s experience on the survival show, “Alone.” Haley Shepherd of Petal won first place in the category of Best Feature Photo for her creative take on the Philosophy Club.

Community colleges were pitted against universities in some categories this year, including Best Sports Column, in which Ollie Hammonds of Laurel received second place, and Best Use of Social Media, in which Hammonds received third place for his podcast, “Off the Record.” All colleges competed for Best Website, and the Radionian placed third.

Other winners included Jennifer Shirley of Waynesboro, third place in Best News Story for her story on the Radionian reaching its 100^th year in publication; Bryce Dupree of Bay Springs, second place in Best Feature Story for his story on Ukrainian residents who moved to Mississippi after the outbreak of war; and Kami Carter of Columbia, who received second place in Best Feature Photo for her photo of musician Carson Stanford.

The Radionian can be found at www.radionian.com, and its student broadcast can be found by searching YouTube for Jones College Bobcat Broadcast. The classes are currently accepting applications for the Fall 2024 semester. Interested students should contact the instructor at Kelly.atwood@jcjc.edu

Photo Cutline:  Pictured is the spring 2024 Radionian staff, left to right, first row, sports editor Ollie Hammonds from Laurel, and editors Olivia Hennis from Raleigh, Haidyn Houston from Raleigh, and Jaylynn Conner from Waynesboro; back row, Billy “Trey” Jones from Laurel, Haley “Kat” Shepherd from Petal, Kami Carter from Columbia, Sami Jordan from Ocean Springs, Lexi Hall from Laurel, and Kaitlyn Huddleston from Laurel.

ELLISVILLE –Jones College’s Greene County Center in Leakesville is adding new programs to its already growing number of programs offered to the region. Area healthcare clinics and hospitals have asked Greene County Center Dean, Alan Cook to offer the healthcare related programs like Healthcare Assistant (career pathway certificate), Medical Assistant (academic credit) and Phlebotomy (workforce) because of the increasing need for these skilled personnel.

“We actually started our first phlebotomy class in February and we’re trying to get the Certified Nurse Assistant and Medical Assistant programs started. We did offer an EMT class this semester, but we didn’t have enough people sign up, but we are offering the EMT program for the fall of 2024, and we hope to be able to offer the medical assistant program in the future. We’re also talking about a Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse Bridge program,” said Cook. “I would just love to see the healthcare programs we’re offering in Leakesville take off and serve our community because we have a hospital here and several clinics in Leakesville and the surrounding areas. There is a need.”

Greene County Center’s future healthcare programs currently offered include the phlebotomy course which is a seven-week workforce training program, eight hours a week with day and night class options available. Phlebotomists work in medical facilities including blood banks, like Vitalant, and labs like LabCorp. These professionals prepare individuals to collect blood specimens for clinical laboratories. During the course, students will learn legal and safety aspects of the healthcare industry, medical terminology and basic healthcare procedures preparing graduates for national certification. A phlebotomist’s salary ranges from $15-$23 an hour depending on place of employment.

The Health Care Assistant Program prepares the individual to assist the healthcare team under the direction of a health care professional. Graduates of the one semester program will be awarded the Certificate of Health Care Assistant. Students who complete the program may qualify for employment as Homemakers, Nurse Assistants, Long-term Care Aides, or Home Health Aides. This program combines classroom instruction with laboratory work and clinical practice. The curriculum emphasizes employability skills, job seeking skills, legal aspects of health care, safety in health care, communication and observation skills, medical terminology, and basic health care procedures. Included is basic life support (American Heart Association), body structure and function, human growth and development, and nutrition. Emphasis is placed on common diseases and disorders and skills required to care for the long-term care resident. Successful graduates can earn $15-$25 an hour depending on place of employment.

After completing the Medical Assistant for credit program, successful graduates can earn $13-$22 an hour depending on the place of employment. Cook hopes to be able to offer this program in the fall 2024.

For more information about Health Care Assistant, Medical Assistant or Phlebotomy programs contact the Jones College, Greene County Center by phone at 601-477-4238 or by emailing student navigator, Menyone Barrow at menyone.barrow@jcjc.edu or by visiting the website, https://www.jcjc.edu/workforce/locations/greene-campus/