Jones College prepares new students for college life
ELLISVILLE – Jones College rolled out the red carpet and introduced first time students to Jones College “Up Close.” Both parents and students had the opportunity to learn about the college’s policies, academic resources and to take care of business before classes start on August 17.
“I’m looking forward to experiencing college life and begin focusing on my culinary career,” said Journee Moffett of Laurel. “I can’t wait to prepare for the special events on campus as a culinary student!”
Also looking forward to a new chapter in her nursing education is Mackenna Beech of Ellisville. “I’m excited about starting college at Jones and enjoying some activities on campus, meeting new people.”
Jones College President, Dr. Jesse Smith encouraged students to make the most of their time here to prepare for their future and become one of the many outstanding alumni like Chapel Hart singer, Devynn Hart, Superbowl MVP, Deion Branch, plastic surgeon to the stars, Dr. Garth Fisher or TOPGUN Navy pilot, Major Nick Laviano.
“I am JC. I live and breathe Jones College and I hope you will also represent us with pride as you journey toward a successful career in life,” said Smith. “Take advantage of the resources available to you and meet new people, network with your peers and faculty. We’re here to help you build a solid foundation for your future.”
For more information about enrolling for fall classes click on the website, https://www.jcjc.edu/fall2023/
Jones College students awarded Gold Key Honors
ELLISVILLE – Five Jones College students were selected by their peers for the special recognition to be named Gold Key recipients. The Merit/Honor Gold Key recipients were engineering major, Gracye Tower of Runnelstown and business administration major, Brady Williams of Puckett. Williams was also the recipient of the Leadership Gold Key Award along with Faith Collins, a computer science major from Heidelberg. Athletic Gold Key honors went to softball pitcher, Holly Craft of Raleigh, a health-related professions major, and tennis player, Tanner Bevard of Hattiesburg who is majoring in kinesiology.
Jones College sophomores receiving the Academic Gold Key honor because of their 4.0 GPA are, William Blakeney of Raleigh; Angela Bollinger of Petal; Brooklyn Brown of Ellisville; Faith Collins of Heidelberg; Virginia Fortenberry of New Hebron; Erin Harris of Quitman; Makayla Mason of Laurel; Jessica McAlpin of Stringer; Charity Miller of Laurel; Bralynn Newell of Newton; Brodie Rials of Pearl; Christopher Ritz of Sumrall; Jennifer Shirley of Waynesboro and Reagan Veon of Petal.
Jones College FBLA students earn top spots at nationals
ELLISVILLE – Four Jones College students earned top prizes at the 2023 Collegiate National Leadership Conference of Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA) which is the nation’s largest Career and Technical Student Organization focused solely on business. The group traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, joining more than 800 college students and educators from across the country for the June 22-25 conference and competition.
Jones College students placed in the top ten in their individual and team competitions like Elizabeth Blair of Waynesboro and Blane Graham of Stringer who placed ninth in the Website Design team event. Graham also took home fifth place in Programming Concepts. Laurel’s Alondra Abad received seventh place in the Public Speaking competition. Taylorsville’s Destiny Brown, who competed in the Foundations of Accounting category, made the semifinals in the Business Presentation competition.
FBLA’s National Leadership Conference brings students together to compete for cash prizes in dozens of competitive events over four days each year. Students also had the opportunity to engage in learning workshops, network with alumni, and meet with potential employers. For more information about the Jones College Business Division check the website, https://www.jcjc.edu/programs/business/
Jones Up Close orients new Jones College students
ELLISVILLE – New Jones College students can orient themselves to campus and academic life during Jones Up Close Orientation on Wednesday, July 12. The first session begins at 9 a.m. with a second session that was recently added to begin at 1 p.m. to accommodate the growing number of students registering for fall classes.
“After seeing the number of students signing up for Jones Up Close, we decided to add an afternoon session to better accommodate the nearly 500 students already registered to attend,” explained Sarah Ishee, Jones College Dean of Students. “Students have until Friday, July 7, to sign up for these informational sessions.”
To register for Jones Up Close, check out the website https://www.jcjc.edu/JUC23/ Check-in for the first session is at 8:30 a.m. to attend the 9 a.m. session and check-in is at 1 p.m. for the afternoon session. Both sessions will be held in the A.B. Howard Gymnasium with students attending different sessions on campus for a few hours after the initial overview session. Also on the Jones Up Close website, students will be able to download the JC Mobile App, submit photos for Student ID’s, get a JC Parking Decal and sign up for a Payment Plan.
All new students planning to take classes at Jones College this fall are required to attend Jones Up Close. To “See Yourself at Jones College,” find more information about signing up for classes by browsing this website https://www.jcjc.edu/fall2023/
More Jones College HSE grads earning diplomas since pandemic
ELLISVILLE – The 2023 class of High School Equivalency graduates from Jones College will be recognized at a Graduation Ceremony on Thursday, July 20, 2023, in the A. B. Howard/Bobcat Gymnasium on the main campus in Ellisville, at 7 p.m. More than 120 graduates are expected to participate in the ceremony which is the most since the Covid-19 pandemic. Keynote speaker, Brandi Ratliff, the Mississippi Community College Board’s Professional Development Specialist, hopes to inspire the HSE graduates to continue to thrive and succeed.
“My speech will be on breaking new ground. I want them to consider that what has been torn down (the barriers and walls they had to fight through) was just clearing the land to make space for what they want to build. Receiving their HSE is not just a moment in their life, it is a movement towards everything they hope for in their future,” said Ratliff.
Ratliff, who is a researcher dedicated to finding evidenced-based resources and ideas to support learning, is also committed to exploring ways to counter poverty and increase educational and career training access for socioeconomically disadvantaged youth and adults in Mississippi. The former educator, experienced instructional leader and curricula developer passionately advocates for policies that improve student outcomes.
“Brandi Ratliff is a researcher in the field of education with a focus on policy initiatives that counter poverty and increase educational and career training access for Mississippians. She currently serves as the Specialist for Professional Development for the Mississippi Community College Board, Office of Adult Education. Before joining MCCB she spent nine years serving students in K-12,” shared Wendy Evans, Jones College’s Director of Integrated Pathways.
In addition to earning HSE diplomas, numerous HSE graduates have also earned scholarships which will be awarded during the ceremony from each of Jones College’s eight county districts. Additionally, graduates will be recognized for other academic accomplishments.