Category: News

ELLISVILLE –Jones College’s visual arts instructor, Melanie Eubanks has been selected as the Jones College 2021-2022 Mississippi Humanities Teacher of the Year. She will be honored by the Mississippi Humanities Council and the college on Tuesday, March 8, at 10:30 a.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. The public is invited to see her free presentation, “Getting to Creativity Through Ceramics.”

“It is quite an honor to receive this award. It validates so many things that are important to me, primarily, the role of the arts in examining what it means to be human,” said Eubanks.

The Pascagoula native and current Hattiesburg resident said it was her 4th grade to 12th grade gifted teacher, Charlotte Davis who allowed her to discover the many forms of art, which birthed her love for the arts.

“She took us to see art shows in New Orleans and Mobile which was fascinating as a child. She taught us architecture and we drew our dream house. It was also the first time I was exposed to Gothic Architecture and other things I wouldn’t normally be exposed to,” said Eubanks.

Her Smith County cousins also played a role in realizing art takes on many forms, including creek bed clay.

“As a child, I was OCD about getting my hands dirty. However, I was at my cousin’s house in Smith County and the boys were five or six years older than me and playing in the creek bed. They were making animals out of clay. It was counterintuitive for me to get my hands dirty, but I was hooked! I didn’t even realize my hands were dirty because it was fun creating clay animals!” Eubanks shared. “However, I was a freshman in college before making anything again with clay as an art major.”

While primarily a ceramics artist, Eubanks paints and has tried many different materials and crafts. Amongst her new favorites are weaving and hot glass/lamp work.

“Artmaking for me, is about the process of using materials to make something,” said Eubanks. “My presentation for the Mississippi Humanities Council at JC will discuss the components of the creative process and creativity in the ceramics arts. The creative process is such an important part of being human. It is a way of thinking that propels us forward.”

Eubanks serves as the president of the Mississippi Community College Art Instructor Association, which hosts a student competition each year. Over the years, she has worked on several, “Empty Bowls” projects in Laurel and Hattiesburg, she is a board member for the Hattiesburg Civic Light Orchestra, worked in community theater, and Eubanks is a member of the Women’s Art Collective and the Mississippi Art Colony.

She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting and drawing, and a minor in art history from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1992. She earned her master’s degree a year later and began teaching at JCJC in the fall of 1994. Her colleague, JC art instructor Mark Brown has been working with Eubanks for many of the 27 years she’s been teaching at Jones College and is proud Eubanks is being honored for her work.

“I couldn’t ask for a better colleague than Melanie Eubanks,” said Mark Brown. “Melanie cares greatly about the Visual Arts Department and her dedication is evidenced by the many initiatives she spearheads. Amongst the duties she manages, include the Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery, and the Student Exhibition Group and she chairs the Art Department Scholarship Selection Committee. Melanie is frequently reflective of her teaching methods to ensure that visual art students are getting what they need to move forward with their degrees.”

Additionally, Eubanks has been honored with the Lamplighter Award in 2016 and is a ceramics adjunct instructor at William Carey University. For USM’s theater department, she assisted with the set painting for the 2017 play, The Phantom of the Opera. Melanie is married to Mark Rigsby and they have one child, Hank Rigsby who is a sophomore in high school.

ELLISVILLE- From Brooklyn, Mississippi to just outside of Brooklyn, New York, Jones County Junior College 2004 alumna, Jenny Anderson’s journey to success has been spent capturing the intimate, candid moments of the stars. The University of Mississippi Journalism graduate was back in Mississippi recently for a reception in her honor to celebrate her first solo exhibit, “The In Between: Intimate & Candid Moments of Broadway’s Stars.” This exhibit gives the public a behind-the-scenes look of Broadway theater from the collection of more than 14 years of Anderson’s photos. Open to the public through the spring semester in the University of Mississippi’s Ford Center Gallery in Oxford, the exhibit captures Broadway stars on the red carpet and in numerous theaters in New York.

“It’s been a very overwhelming weekend!” Anderson admitted.  “Ole Miss asked me to do the show a couple of years ago, but Covid postponed the show until now. It has been great to have it all come together.”

The 37-year old’s journey from living her dream of working in the “Big Apple”  began before she was a freshman at Forrest County Agricultural High School. However, receiving a camera at 14 years of age was the catalyst to making her dream come true. Taking photos of life in the rural south, first as a hobby, with her grandaddy in the fields and her Mimi on the porch, to her daddy playing bluegrass music and mom on stage, gave her the confidence to pursue photography while in college.

However, it was her musical talent on the saxophone that landed the pre-med major a full-tuition marching band scholarship. She said band became her priority because it paid for tuition, and it was the only way she knew how to get a college education.

“With my mother, (Debra) teaching theater and performing in Wiggins and my dad (Doug) teaching art at FCAHS, I didn’t think we could afford college,” said Anderson. “At Jones, I started doing yearbook and newspaper and I got distracted from the original, practical goal! I really loved it! I was in the acting ensemble for the musical, Grease, and my good friend and drum major, Sarah Burkett played Rizzo. I was spread pretty thin doing a little bit of everything at Jones.”

On staff for the college newspaper, the Radionian, Jenny began writing stories and taking some photos. She fondly remembers doing a faculty profile story on Australian-born, science instructor, Fiona Qualls. Anderson said that’s when her “dramatic flair” came through. Qualls thought she sounded way more romantic than her real life.

Even though she enjoyed being a photojournalist at Jones, Anderson credits Ole Miss for allowing her photographic talent to blossom. She was the photo editor of the University’s newspaper, The Daily Mississippian at the same time, Erin Napier, of HomeTown fame and JC graduate was the Ole Miss yearbook editor.

“We worked together in the media center at Ole Miss. Erin used one of my pictures on the front spread of the yearbook. It was of my friend, Haley Strode (a current actress in LA) in the University’s play, A Streetcar Named Desire.  I knew it was an awesome photo but so did Erin. She created the most beautiful, and one of the most unique yearbooks ever designed at Ole Miss. It was gorgeous! It was all because of her designer eye.”

Soon after graduating in 2006, the then Water Valley resident applied for jobs everywhere-LA, NYC, Chicago, Nashville, and Atlanta. Getting to New York, she said was a little bit of luck while trying to be practical.

“I’ve had a romantic notion of being in NYC since I was younger. My dad blames my love of NYC on the TV show, Friends, which is probably true,” shared Anderson. “However, I wanted to move where I had a job offer. The ONLY job offer I got was in NYC as a souvenir photographer for Circle Line Cruises in Manhattan if I could get there in two weeks. I sold everything, including my car and got a one-way ticket that cost about $94, and I packed two suitcases. I probably had about $750 in my bank account and moved to NYC for that job. It’s insane to think about now, but I did it!”

Her full-time job at Circle Line got her to NYC but it wasn’t her goal. It took her two weeks to find the job that would establish her photography career; a paid internship at Broadway.com.

“I was very persistent. I didn’t hear anything for three weeks after I applied so I emailed and called every day because I knew this job was meant for me. I learned later that the photo editor was on vacation. He came back to some very strong, annoying emails from this 22-year-old southern girl desperate for this job,” said Anderson.

The job that only paid $6.50 an hour for 13 hours a week, launched her career. After six months, she was promoted to full-time after the photo editor quit. She didn’t get the title or pay raise, but she did everything expected in that role.

Her first assignment with Broadway.com was a dream for the Wicked fan. The Saturday, 8 p.m. assignment to shoot “Wicked Day” in 2007, conflicted with her job at Circle Line. After her boss wouldn’t give her the time off, she quit her full-time, safe job.

“I didn’t come to NYC to stand in a boat to take pictures of tourists. I came here to be a photographer…. It worked out by taking another waitress/hostess job at another restaurant. So, I had two different restaurant jobs plus the photographer internship at Broadway.com, in which I did all three jobs for 1 ½ years. It was crazy!”

After two years as a “photo editor,” Anderson finally got a pay raise and the title and quit the restaurant jobs. While at Broadway.com, she began shooting her favorite type of pictures, behind-the-scenes of Broadway plays; something that had never been done before. She worked 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day as the photo editor. Then, Anderson would take pictures at night and on weekends. Meeting publicists, actors, actresses and producers, established her as a Broadway photographer. Six years later, she quit to become a freelance photographer and she hasn’t stopped working. She mostly shoots editorial portraits of actors/actresses and promotional pieces, in addition to being hired by individual theaters as the “house” photographer.

“My favorite story involves shooting pictures of Glenn Close when the Broadway show, Sunset Boulevard was revised. She won the Tony Award for her role 20 years ago and they brought her back for the revival of the show. I was backstage taking pictures when she told me she was ready for her pictures in her dressing room, after she was fully dressed and in character. It was thrilling and amazing to be in that space with her! After a few pictures, she left and went to another location. I heard Glenn Close yelling from the wings upstairs, ‘photographer, photographer!’ I will never forget her yelling ‘photographer,’ for me!”

Known as the “sweet and kind one”, Anderson’s work behind-the-scenes opened the doors for her to be one of the main photographers for the Tony Awards every year. While taking pictures in 2018, she captured Taylor Louderman on the red carpet in the rain, with Radio City Musical Hall in the background. The 2018 Tony Award nominee for Mean Girls, not only posted Anderson’s picture on her social media, but Louderman’s dressmaker, Christian Siriano also used the picture on her website.

“I was standing in the rain, while the other photographers were under a tent. I thought it would be a pretty picture with Radio City Music Hall in the background. I know Taylor pretty well and she trusted me enough to walk in the middle of the rain. She just threw her dress up and the wind picked it up. It was magic!”

When the Covid pandemic closed Broadway, the “magic” ended in one area of Anderson’s life for almost two years. Fortunately, she was also employed by ABC News and covered news events, like the Presidential election and the Inauguration. She said she liked being able to use her journalism skills once again.

Then, when the pandemic shut everything down, Anderson retreated to Water Valley, Mississippi for three months. Becoming restless at home with her parents, she bought a car and traveled throughout the southeast taking “Porch Portraits.”

“Taking photos of the south, that’s the beginning of my love of photography. I hope to be able to continue to do more of that now, that I have more mobility,” said Anderson. “I credit being from a small-town community and being southern as a big reason why I am successful. I went to NYC with this hopeful, bright outlook on the world, theater, art, everything, and that got me into a lot of places I am now. I am lucky that I have a career that flourished, and hopefully continues to.”

Becoming a freelance photographer seven years ago was a little scary Anderson said. However, she still has her days and nights filled doing a variety of work. Her photos have been featured in Vanity Fair, InStyle, The Wall Street Journal, The X Magazine, The Observer, Time Out New York, PureWow, People, USWeekly, EW, and Broadway Style Guide. Employed as a freelancer, she has also worked for Disney Television, Getty Images and The New York Times.

After spending the January 28^th weekend in Oxford for the opening of her exhibit, Anderson drove back to New York the following Monday, to take photos of the Tuesday, opening night of the musical, “MJ”- the newest Broadway show about Michael Jackson. To see her work click on the website link, http://jennyandersonphoto.com/

ELLISVILLE – Sunshine and warm temperatures greeted Jones College students as they returned to campus for the first day of traditional classes. The two-year institution started classes at the end of January 2021, in an effort to avoid the Covid peak season. Because it was successful, Jones College began the 2022 spring semester on January 31. Starting later also gave students the opportunity to take a class during the 4-week mini session offered in January. For more information about the different options for classes and mini sessions, click on the website, https://www.jcjc.edu/

ELLISVILLE – Jones College’s Jazz Combo and percussion ensemble performed for hundreds of Pine Belt band students participating in the annual, Southeast Mississippi Band Directors Association clinic. The weekend clinic held on the Ellisville campus includes a weekend of clinics and rehearsals for about 400 high school and middle school band students. The clinic culminates in a concert which is free and open to the public, on Saturday, January 29, at 1 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

For more information about the Jones College Fine Arts Department or Band program, go to the website: https://www.jcjc.edu/programs/finearts/ or email Director of Bands, Dr. Ben Burge at ben.burge@jcjc.edu

 

 

 

 

ELLISVILLE-Wiggins resident and former Smith County native, Stephanie Smith is not only living proof of a miracle, but several miracles. The 40-year-old entrepreneur and mother of four children, ranging in ages from 16 to 7, could have died from a weak spot in a blood vessel in her brain that was miraculously caught before it burst. The Taylorsville native was dealing with hearing loss, vision problems and headaches when she sought help from a new doctor who discovered the brain aneurysm from an MRI. While pregnant with her daughter Kaitlynn, the then 27-year-old lost her hearing in one ear.

“After two years without any relief, I finally got the ENT to refer me to a specialist in Jackson, Dr. James House who discovered on the MRI an aneurysm. Finally, I thought!” said Smith. “I will be better!”

After having one stent and a coil surgically placed in her brain to repair the aneurysm, Smith was still suffering from hearing loss a few months later. She returned to the surgeon, pleading for help. He took the time to read the MRI scans again and discovered the Arteriovenous Malformations or AVM. An angioplasty was performed to insert a second stent in her brain. When she awoke from surgery, she was ecstatic her hearing had returned.

“I thought the angioplasty to repair the AVM was the end of my medical problems, but it caused a pseudo tumor, which mimics tumors. The side effects of the angioplasty were life altering for one year,” said Smith. “While recovering from surgeries to repair the brain aneurysm, my dad said, ‘God must have big plans for you!’”

Her journey, in and out of hospitals, E.R. visits, lots of medications and pain management over the last 13 years never fixed all of the problems. Despite visits to Ochsner’s in Slidell, Forrest General in Hattiesburg, and a hospital in Wisconsin via tele-health services were unsuccessful. Her pursuit to be pain free and the cause of her dysautonomia led Smith to a nephrologist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center last summer, and the next few miracles. Doctors explained that removing Smith’s left kidney was her best option to solve the mysterious medical condition called, Left Renal Vein Entrapment or “Nutcracker Syndrome” and hopefully, the dysautonomia too. She could have kept the kidney and surgeons would have “nested” her left kidney alongside the right kidney, but Smith wanted to donate it.

“When considering whether to auto-transplant or donate my kidney, the answer was easy. I know now it was part of God’s plan all along and he will guide us through recovery too,” said Smith. “Just thinking about everything and I’m amazed at God’s timing yet again. I’m also so happy to finally know why I had this pain and dysautonomia for more than 25 years, and to be able to hopefully save someone’s life is surreal.”

In a miraculous twist of fate, the person whose life she “saved” just two months ago in November, was Wiggins resident, Orvelle Eubanks. Suffering from kidney disease from diabetes, the 68-year-old saw a social media post from Stephanie Smith on August 4, 2021, discussing her decision to donate her kidney. 

“I was fishing and I don’t usually take my phone, but it kept buzzing so I had to look. I saw Stephanie’s post and immediately asked her if I could have her kidney!” said Eubanks. 

Smith said she’s known Eubanks, and his family for years-he is a distant relative to her children. However, the members of Red Hill Missionary Baptist Church never knew of each other’s illness.

Without hesitation, the two began the process to learn they were compatible. The only hurdle left was the surgeon’s reluctance concerning Eubanks’ age.  Nevertheless, because of his overall health, the nephrectomy to remove Smith’s kidney and transplant happened on November 16, 2021. Eubanks’ left kidney was removed and replaced with Smith’s kidney.

“I didn’t know she was ill but getting her kidney has been a miracle! I woke up from transplant surgery and the doctor said everything was perfect! I lost 12 pounds of fluid in 24 hours, and I haven’t had any problems since,” said Orvelle.

Additionally, Smith’s prognosis is just as amazing with positive reports for the future.

“Today I can say I am almost pain free. I haven’t been able to say that in more than 20 years! I have ‘phantom pains’ but I’m blessed. For some reason God still wants me here!” said Smith. “In fact, I just got over Covid and I’m fine! The surgery was a success on all levels in my opinion.”

The journey to this point, could have seemed hopeless but her kids were also her motivation to become an entrepreneur. Between Covid restrictions and the unbearable pain, working outside her home was not an option in 2021. Amazingly, Stephanie managed to start her own freight logistics business, Choice Logistics LLC, in January 2021.

“One year later, and I’ve reached one million dollars-plus in gross revenue which is unheard of in this economy for a one-person operation. I’m also expanding and hiring to keep up with the demand,” said Smith. “All the skills I learned while selling Pampered Chef- recruiting people, earning top sales and recruiting goals, prizes and more, allowed me to confidently start my own freight brokerage company from home, despite the odds and medical issues.”

Being an entrepreneur was never Stephanie’s goal, but it has been an answer to many prayers. Her initial dream, when she started college at Jones in 1999, was to be a journalist, writing news and human-interest stories, and then become a novelist. While growing up, however, college was just a pipe dream for the Taylorsville native because her family business took priority. She grew up with 10 siblings and was homeschooled while also working the family deer hunting business, selling deer lures, and sewing clothing. She said they rarely left home. Everything changed with her desire to go to church. At First Baptist Church in Taylorsville, she began making friends, including Roger and Mary Barron-Jordan, Kevin and Lana Butler, Sheila Williams, and Mary Ann Hill; each played a vital role in her life.

“With everyone’s help, I earned my GED with my fourth-grade education. They took me to the JCJC library and classes and moved me into the dorms as a student. Being JCJC alumni, the Jordans made college sound fun, filled with lots of opportunities. I had lived such a sheltered life before coming to Jones, then I was on my own in the dorms,” shared Smith. “Writing for the college newspaper and being a member of the Baptist Student Union opened more doors. Everyone was encouraging and helpful. My teachers and advisors helped me one-on-one, and I loved the classes. Science instructor, James Fitch was especially kind and encouraging. If the teachers had not been willing to work with me and encouraged me to never give up, I don’t know where I’d be without their support.”

College Algebra and “life” kept Smith from earning her Associate degree until 2016 when she graduated from Jones College. She continued her education at USM while also working in the admissions office. Today, Smith is just 11 credit hours away from earning her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Library Science.

Her medical challenges and a few other obstacles, like caring for her ailing father after quadruple heart bypass surgery and his passing away in December 2020 from dementia, forced Smith to put her education on hold, again. Despite it all, Smith still finds hope and success. She is now expanding her business because of the demand to “unclog” the national supply chain issue. Contemplating her miraculous journey, Smith said she’s looking for more opportunities to bless others.

“My source of strength is God; I can’t pretend it was me,” said Smith. “However, I couldn’t give up because of my kids. I had to keep going and I’m not done yet! A lot of people helped me along the way, and I want to pay it forward as often and as soon as I can.”