Pearl River Community College

Pearl River Community College’s Dental Hygiene program pinned 15 graduates in a ceremony Thursday at the Dr. Cecil Burt Special Events Room at the Forrest County Campus.

The students included, from left:

Front row – Emilee Ishee of Petal, Leah Shultz of Pass Christian, Megan Disbrow of Raceland, La., Savannah Rea of Slidell, La., Aubrey Moody of Gulfport, Tayler Grant of Perkinston, Kiersten Stanford of Lucedale, and Madison Layton of Magee. Back row – Molly Estep of Gulfport, Denielle Sistrunk of Poplarville, Tiffany Turner of New Orleans, La., Brittany Clancy of Baton Rouge, La., Samantha Ranger of Petal, Blake Driscoll of Bay St. Louis, Rachel Williams of Long Beach,.

Also present were instructors Dr. Frank Turnage, Donna Lund, Charity McCoy, Ellie Primeaux, and Dr. Shana Allen, Department Chairman.

Grant was named the most outstanding dental hygiene student, Rea, the Colgate Star student; Disbrow and Driscoll, the Hu-Friedy Golden Scaler students; Shultz, the Dr. Stanley Hill – Make It Happen award, Layton and Turner, the PRCC Patient Education students; Moody, the MDHA Achievement award; Clancy and Grant, the PRCC Table Clinic awards; Ranger and Williams, the Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society awards; Disbrow, the Dr. Frank Turnage Attitude Award; and Ranger, the Wildcat Way Award.

Department Chairman is Dr. Shana Allen. Instructors are Donna Lunn, Charity McCoy, Ellie Primeaux and Dr. Frank Turnage.

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit us at prcc.edu or follow us at PRCC.edu  (@PRCC_Wildcats)  (@PRCCMKTG).

Some Pearl River Community College students who are looking for a way to help cover their tuition are in luck. 

PRCC students who are residents of Forrest County, Hancock County or the City of Hattiesburg are eligible for additional help through the County Tuition Assistance Program (CTAP.)  

The program is a partnership between PRCC and local counties to provide financial support to cover the cost of regular tuition to attend PRCC. CTAP is made possible through support from County and City Officials from the City of Hattiesburg, Forrest County, and Hancock County. 

“The county tuition assistance program has been a great asset to students who need assistance paying for tuition and may not qualify for other programs,” said Director of Business Services Laura Chisolm. “This program has been extremely beneficial to students and helped reduce their student debt.” 

CTAP will cover the current cost of tuition per semester for up to a maximum of four consecutive semesters (excluding summer school.) Federal, state, and institutional scholarship aid that is awarded to a student will be applied first. Then CTAP funds will be applied to the remaining tuition balance. Non-tuition related expenses such as fees, supplies, books, and room and board are not covered by CTAP. 

HOW TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CTAP FUNDS 

The first step for eligibility is to apply for PRCC including taking the National ACT or Accuplacer Test and completing the federal aid process including the FASFA and any required verification process.  

Then the student must apply for state financial aid including MTAG, HELP, MESG, etc. at msfinancialaid.org. The deadline for HELP is March 31 and the other programs have a September 15 deadline. They must also apply for PRCC Foundation Scholarships through RiverGuide by April 1.  

Finally, the student must enroll full-time (15 credit hours) at PRCC for the fall semester immediately after graduating high school or earning their high school equivalency certificate. Anyone who entered the military upon graduating high school will be excluded from this enrollment timeline requirement.  

Continuation of CTAP assistance requires the student to pass a minimum of 15 hours per semester with a 2.0 GPA. Once eligibility is lost it cannot be reinstated. 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG). 

High school students graduating from Middle College at Pearl River Community College participated in a Cord Ceremony Monday night in the Dr. J. Cecil Burt Events Room at the Forrest County Campus.

Thirty-one students received their graduation cords and can also participate in PRCC’s graduation ceremony this Friday in Poplarville.

High school students were enrolled in high school and college courses at the same time.

“Middle College falls under the dual enrollment umbrella at Pearl River Community College,” said Dr. Karen Bond, PRCC’s Director of Dual Enrollment. “Beginning with the fall semester of their junior year, qualifying students take a full load (15 or 16 hours) of dual-credit classes at Pearl River. Then they can graduate from PRCC with an associate’s degree when they finish high school.”

She said high school qualified students from throughout the Pearl River district are either taking their classes online, on the PRCC campuses or at their high school from qualified teachers.

The 2022 Middle College graduates include:

Hattiesburg High School — Lakeria Bruce, Mason Cathey, Trinity Fountain, Zacharie Graham, Christianna Hubbard, Elvin Jackson, Rachel Johnson, Madison Maddox, Justin McCullum, Shania Moss, Alyssa Nunn, Adamari Posadas, SaMya Ruffin, Raynah Travis, Trinity Wilson.

Sumrall High School — McKenna Albert, Harrison Dye, Dylan Graves, Myles Tate, Caleigh Thompson, Shaelyn Touchstone.

Petal High School — Danielle Duffield, Ariana Foley, Kinlea Robinson, Rachel Russell, Christopher Salguero.

Lumberton High School — Kaitlyn Hendrix, Elizabeth Lee.

Purvis High School — Michael Hedrick, Kamri McLendon.

Oak Grove High School — Norris Taylor.

HOW TO BECOME A MIDDLE COLLEGE STUDENT

Students interested in more information can talk with their high school counselor or reach out to the Office of Dual Enrollment at dualenrollment@prcc.edu.

They must be entering their junior year of high school.

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats)  Instagram](PRCCWILDCATS) and Facebook(@PRCCMKTG).

Eighteen graduates of the Radiologic Technology program at Pearl River Community College’s Forrest County Campus received pins Tuesday, May 3, in a ceremony in the Dr. J. Cecil Burt Events Room marking the end of their two years of study.

They included from left: Seated - Gregory Evans of Clinton, Kimberly Holmes of Tylertown, Taylor Daley of Purvis, Lexis Picou of Picayune, Marissa Knight of Tylertown, Karrie McPhail of Bassfield, Rylee Morris of Richton, Courtney Poole of Petal, and Ethan Burge of Poplarville. Standing - Kristie Windham, Clinical Coordinator; Hope Husband, Program Director; Moez Larbi of Gulfport, Taylor Morales of Carriere, Ilyssa-Leigh Easton of Hurley, Quintavious Watkins of Drew, Levi Knight of Bay St. Louis, Jessie Quinn Shoemaker of Lucedale, Katie Wallace of Mendenhall, Jolie Williams of Hurley, Nicholas Farrell of Picayune and Jessica Dobson, Radiology instructor.

Students who received special honors include Daley, who received the Overall Outstanding Achievement and Mississippi Radiologic Society Scholarship; Easton, who received the Radiologic Technologist Choice Award and Outstanding Clinical Achievement Award; Morales, who received the Academic Excellence Award; and Farrell, Knight and Morris, who each received an Academic Achievement Award.

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats) Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS) and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG).

Wednesday night, 45 Pearl River Community College students graduated with their Associate Degree of Nursing and were recognized for their achievements. Hundreds of well-wishers including family and friends from near and far gathered in the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center of the Arts for the ADN Pinning Ceremony.

PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood delivered a congratulatory message to the students. He spoke of the challenges faced by this class, the rigor of the program, and the dedication of the faculty and staff.

“Tonight, we have the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our students,” said Breerwood. “They have a servant’s heart and a warrior’s soul. They are resilient, determined and focused on the goal. We couldn’t be more proud of you and your accomplishments.”

Prior to the pinning ceremony, four students were honored with different awards. Bryce Moran (traditional AD program) and Brandy Richardson (LPN to ADN program) were recognized for Academic Excellence. Ericka Madden (traditional ADN program) and Takiyah Williams (LPN to ADN program) were recognized for Dedication to Patient Care. Finally, Emma Smith was acknowledged as the recipient of the Spring 2022 Mississippi School of Nursing Scholarship.

The presentation of pins to the graduates included the reading of dedication cards as they accepted their diploma, lamp, and pin. Several of the graduates received their pin from a family member who is also a graduate of the PRCC ADN program.

Five of the graduates were given cords in recognition of their membership in the Mississippi Organization for Students of ADN (MOSA) for one year of service with at least 50 community service credits. Twenty-one of the graduates earned a medallion having completed two years of service and a minimum of 100 community service credits. This graduating class had the highest number of students receiving a medallion in the chapter’s history. MOSA is the only state chapter for students in the nation with the PRCC chapter participating in numerous educational, recruitment and community activities. Devon Graves served as president.

After lighting their lamps, all registered nurses in the audience were invited to join the graduates in reciting the Nightingale Pledge led by Marion Vilberg. This was followed by a thank you from Katie Taylor on behalf of the cohort. She thanked her fellow classmates, family members and faculty for their support throughout their time in nursing school.

“When we first entered nursing school, we were entering at a difficult time,” said Vilberg. “Our teachers had to embrace a new way of teaching and we had to embrace a new way of learning. Thanks to everyone’s support, we have made it.”

The evening ended with closing thoughts from Dr. Arlene Jones, Director of Nursing Education.

“You have chosen a career that will challenge you,” said Jones. “You will never be bored, and you will have immense responsibility.

“No matter where your future endeavors as a nurse take you, may you always look back with pride and remember that you are a PRCC ADN graduate. And never forget that you are a Wildcat.”

ALPHA DELTA NU HONOR SOCIETY OF NURSING

Earlier in the afternoon, eight nursing graduates were inducted into the Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society of Nursing. The ceremony was held in Malone Chapel. Fall 2021 inductees are Courtney Crosby, Devin Graves, Sydney Howell, Jessica Mixon, Dalton Reeves, Emma Smith – Vice President, Marion Vilberg – Secretary, and Takiyah Williams – President.

Guests attending the induction were given a brief history of the organization and chapter before the Capstone Project presentation. This group elected to focus on educating women about regular self-breast exams including the creation of models to learn how to do one and a door hanger with instructions. The information was passed out at the Women’s Health Symposium in January.

Each inductee was presented with a pin and cords by nursing faculty members Mrs. Rebecca Pullens, Mrs. Brittny Radosta, and Mrs. Jaclyn Smith.

SPRING 2022 ASSOCIATE DEGREE OF NURSING GRADUATES

Shalyn Ard*, Haley Brown, Adrienne Byrd, Michael Celino, III*, Abigail Cleveland**, Courtney Crosby**+, Grant Dement, Kaylyana Duran**, Devin Graves**+, Jeanetta Hayes, Angela Hemba, Sydney Howell**+, Claire Ingram**, Taylor Johnson*, Hannah Kaltvedt, Allison Keefer*, Amber Ladner, Hannah Lods**, Jennifer Lopez, Ericka Madden**, Jessica Mixon**+, Taylor Mizell, Cierra Montegue, Bryce Moran, Karly Moran**, Dalton Mulkey, Kallie Nies, Ann Powell, Tatiyana Randolph, Dalton Reeves**+, Brandy Richardson, Aryss Rose**, Kari Rush**, Renee Saavedra*, Chelsey Schlosser, Emma Smith**+, Kayleigh Smith, Hannah Taylor**, Katie-Lyn Taylor, Marion Vilberg**+, Courtney Waller**, Allison Whitehead, LaGraciea Williams**, Takiyah Williams**+, and Gabriellah Williamson**.

* Mississippi Organization for Students of ADN (MOSA) Cord & Medallion: 1- year member with 50+ community service credits
** Mississippi Organization for Students of ADN (MOSA) Cord & Medallion: 2- year member with 100+ community service credits
+ Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society of Nursing

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG).

Twenty students received pins Thursday, May 5, signifying completion of the Pearl River Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant program at the Forrest County Campus in Hattiesburg. The ceremony took place in the Lowery Woodall Advanced Technology Center.

The alphabetical list of students included:

Holli Ard of Poplarville, Elizabeth “Libby” Burgess of Quitman, Marisa Cameron of Sumrall, Taylor Chandler of Richton, Hollie Courington of Saraland, Ala., Peyton C. Czerwonka of Hattiesburg, Haylee Davis of Picayune, Tylesha Davis of Brandon, Destiny Hatten of Hattiesburg, Madison Johnson of Brookhaven, Logan Kersh of Hattiesburg, Aubree Lee of Picayune, Alex May of Gulfport, Conner Puckett of Purvis, Hannah Russell of Carriere, Amber Smith of Poplarville, Carly Smith of Poplarville, Allie Terrell of McComb, Cameron Walley of Richton and Irina Yoder of Kokomo.

OTA special award winners included: Tylesha Davis, the Clinical Award of Excellence; Courington, the Outstanding OTA Student Award; Czerwonka, the MSOTA Outstanding Leadership Award; and Walley and Yoder, the OTA Scholastic Achievement Awards.

Tim Pulver is OTA department chair and Michelle Haynes the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator. 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats)  Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS) and Facebook(@PRCCMKTG).

Photo: Pearl River Community College Award Recipients 2022; left to right Brian Maxie, Kevin Hedgepeth, Hannah Davis Aucoin, Dr. James Sones, Jr., and Steven Dick from Mississippi Power

Alumni with their family and friends, community partners, as well as current faculty and staff of Pearl River Community College gathered Thursday evening to honor this year’s recipients of Alumni Awards. The evening was hosted by the Alumni Association and Development Foundation at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg. 

During the ceremony, individuals and one organization were recognized for both personal and professional achievement while also displaying the values of PRCC. 

Young Alumnus of the Year: Hannah Davis Aucoin 
Alumnus of the Year: Kevin Hedgepeth 
Distinguished Service Award: Bryan Maxie 
Outstanding Partnership: Mississippi Power 
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. James C. Sones, Jr. 

The Distinguished Service Award and Outstanding Partnership awards do not have a requirement that the recipient must have attended PRCC for at least one semester. The other three awards do. 

Mark Wallace, a PRCC Foundation Board member, served as Master of Ceremonies and PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood greeted attendees prior to the awards being given. Both shared how nice it was to gather in person after the last two years to celebrate those who are dedicated supporters of the college. 

Delana Harris ended the evening by congratulating the honorees again and thanking those individuals and companies who support the Foundation. 

“I am thankful for everyone in this room as we all play a role in continuing to ensure that the words family, community, and home remain forever a part of who we are at Pearl River Community College,” said Harris. 

Nominations for the 2023 Alumni Awards are open at prcc.edu/alumni-awards. More information about each award is available on that page.  

Find all photos taken that evening on the PRCC Foundation & Alumni Association Facebook page.

AWARD RECIEPIENTS 
Hannah Davis Aucoin 

Aucoin is a native of Poplarville. She graduated from Poplarville High School in 2004 with honors, completing the IHL and CDC courses. She attended Pearl River Community College for the 2004-2005 school year and then returned for the Cosmetology program for the 2012-2013 school year. She represented the school in the National SkillsUSA cosmetology competition in Kansas City, Missouri, after winning at the state level in Jackson. 

“The program at PRCC gave me the education and foundation to build my career,” said Davis Aucoin.   

After finishing that program and working as a cosmetologist for six years, she opened H & Co. Salon in 2019 located in Poplarville. This came after a time of sacrifice, dedication, hard lessons learned, tears, and most importantly, growth. The salon was voted one of the Top Bridal Salons in Mississippi Magazine’s Best of Weddings Edition for 2021. 

She is married to Rian Davis Aucoin, MLS. Her parents, Rita Molina, Arthur Molina, and Ronald Davis, still reside in Poplarville.    

Davis Aucoin has a heart for helping others as evidenced by her generosity. She has donated more than $1,000 in salon services to the Pearl River County SPCA to aid in the adoption of animals, taken in large amounts of donations for victims of hurricanes Laura and Ida (and every disaster nearby), and delivered donations taken in for Hurricane Ida to Houma, Louisiana.  

She has an open invitation for cosmetology students to job shadow in the salon at any time, free of charge. And, in 2021 H & Co. Salon awarded their first scholarship to an incoming PRCC student in cosmetology. The scholarship is currently $1,000, enough to help cover the purchase of the kit all students need.   

“As a young adult in my early 20’s I felt lost and struggled to find my place and purpose,” said Davis Aucoin. “I struggled financially which was a major cause of depression and constant stress. Something had to change, so at 26 years old, I enrolled in the cosmetology program at PRCC.   

“Being in a position to give while doing something I love, was my purpose. I’ve been able to give new stylists a place to begin their careers, I am able to grow my industry by assisting students with their education and I am able to serve my community and those around me when there is a need. Ten years after beginning this journey, life has come full circle. I had nothing, not even a purpose, but now I have more than I deserve and I’m able to give to others.” 

Kevin Hedgepeth 

Hedgepeth is a native of Picayune. He graduated from Picayune Memorial High School before attending PRCC from 1984-1986 in the electrical engineering program. While a student at The River, he was active in intramural sports and was a member of the Student Council. 

After a year at Mississippi State University, he returned to Pearl River to earn his nursing degree. He then earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2016. 

Hedgepeth worked for 33 years as a nurse, spending 25 years at Ochsner NorthShore. For the past three years, he has worked at Highland Community Hospital as Director of Acute Care Services. 

He is married to Christy Sylvest Hedgepeth who also attended PRCC. They have four children. Drew, Devin, and Dalton have all attended PRCC for at least two years before matriculating into Mississippi State University for engineering degrees. Katie Anne is a sophomore at Picayune Memorial High School and plans to attend PRCC upon graduation. 

“I have been a supporter of academics and athletics since attending,” said Hedgepeth. “I always encourage students in area to attend PRCC to get the basic foundation of their education as well as CTE program.” 

Hedgepeth is active in his community including his role as Deacon/Music Ministry Band Member at First Baptist Church in Picayune (2004-Present), Vice-President/Board Member of Picayune Youth Athletic Association/Coach/Umpire (1997-2018), Board Member of Pearl River County 4-H (1997-2012), Pearl River County Economic Development Charter Board Member (2018-2021), and Picayune Chamber of Commerce Board member – Secretary/Treasurer (2021); Vice-President (2022.)  

“This award is definitely one of the greatest honors in my educational/professional career,” said Hedgepeth. “The education my family and I have received and continue to receive has helped pave the way for successful careers as well as allowing us to give back to our communities and others.  

“I don’t feel I did anything to deserve this award but am truly honored and thankful. Our family will continue to support and promote PRCC in as many ways as possible. RRR!” 

Bryan Maxie 

Maxie graduated from North Forrest High School before attending Pearl River Community College to earn an Associate in Arts with an emphasis in accounting. He earned a football scholarship in 1982 and played during the 1982 and ‘83 seasons. However, he decided to leave school to work with his dad in the construction business in January 1984. Maxie finally realized what his parents tried to explain to him all along — he needed to get his education — and returned to PRCC in January of 1987; he graduated that following December. 

“Pearl River is where what I call my ‘Adult life’ began,” said Maxie. “I will never forget my days here playing ball and making memories of a lifetime.  

“I also knew that when I made my mind up to return and finish my education that I wanted to return to PRCC and get my first degree there. They gave me my first opportunity with a football scholarship and I wanted to fulfill that commitment they made in me.” 

After PRCC, Maxie attended The University of Southern Mississippi, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Accounting in 1989. Then he furthered his education with a Healthcare Management Certificate from The University of Michigan, Ross School of Business. 

During his last two years of college, Maxie began serving as the first Ambassador (Patient Transporter) at Forrest General. He has stayed with Forrest General for over 28 years and is now the Regional Administrator for all of their regional healthcare facilities, both owned and leased. These facilities include Highland Community Hospital in Picayune, Mississippi, Pearl River Community Hospital & Nursing Home in Poplarville, Mississippi, Perry County General Hospital in Richton, Mississippi, Walthall General Hospital in Tylertown, Mississippi, Marion General Hospital in Columbia, Mississippi and Jeff Davis Community Hospital & Extended Care Facility in Prentiss, Mississippi. Four of these facilities reside in PRCC’s District. 

“The fact that I can say I started as a Patient Transporter and worked my way to the Administrative Table is something that makes me very proud,” said Maxie. 

Maxie resides in Poplarville with his wife Connie who is also a PRCC graduate and has owned Carver Realty in Poplarville for the last 25 years. Between them, they have four children (Kyle Maxie, Seth Maxie, Mary Beth Carver Matthews, and Seth Carver) and seven grandchildren. Kyle also attended PRCC and played baseball; He was drafted by the New York Mets while a member of the PRCC baseball team. Seth and Mary Beth also attended PRCC. 

Maxie serves on the Pearl River County Alumni Chapter of The Pearl River Alumni Foundation. During the last two years, he has assisted with making sure that PRCC students and staff had COVID testing when needed and helped advise the campus with COVID precautions. He also helped coordinate Forrest Health providing telehealth services for PRCC students. 

Other associations include the Mississippi Hospital Association, MHA Solutions, Inc. Board of Directors, Southeast Mississippi Air Ambulance District Board Member, Member of the Southeast Mississippi Trauma Care Region. 

“I am very honored and humbled to be receiving this award,” said Maxie. “I know there are many people out there who are just as worthy and honestly probably more deserving than me. But this is a very proud moment for me.  

“This is actually the first individual award I’ve received in relation to my professional career. The fact that it’s coming from Pearl River and recognizes my service to both the school and my community means a lot to me. I’ve always tried to be a good servant to the people and hopefully this honor shows that I may have been doing something right.” 

Mississippi Power 

Now in its 97th year of operations, Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, produces safe, reliable and affordable energy for more than 191,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Mississippi Power was a recent recipient of the Community Partner Impact Award from the Center for Energy Workforce Development for its innovative and ongoing efforts to build a diverse workforce. With nearly 160 megawatts of approved solar energy capacity, Mississippi Power is the largest partner in providing renewable energy in the state of Mississippi. The company strives to be a great corporate citizen through economic development, community readiness and workforce development. Partnerships that improve southeast Mississippi, like the one we have with Pearl River Community College, are how Mississippi Power works every day to make southeast Mississippi an incredible place to call home.  

Mississippi Power’s Heritage Scholarships are awarded to students at five community colleges in the company’s service territory. The scholarships are for students interested in technical careers in the energy industry, including lineman, automotive mechanic, electric service and more. Since the beginning of this program, over $18,000 in scholarships have been awarded to PRCC students.  

In addition to scholarship programming, Mississippi Power offers numerous internship and cooperative learning opportunities. Allowing students to learn and practice training is essential to their success and growth. Often participants in these programs find employment within the Mississippi Power Company upon completion. Together, Mississippi Power Company and Pearl River Community College are meeting skills labor and workforce needs to ensure sustainable growth within our local communities and state.  

Earlier this year, Chase Lewis, a Heritage Scholarship recipient and PRCC graduate, began his career at Mississippi Power as an apprentice electrician. While he was a student at PRCC, Lewis accepted an internship at the company in substation construction before earning a full-time job offer upon his graduation. 

Mississippi Power Company also encourages early education and career exploration. Founding the “Girls in STEM” program and “Pathways to Possibilities” allows future Wildcats to experience the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics before arriving at college. The encouragement to learn, explore and participate through interactive activities guarantees the next generation of lineman, engineers and leaders to remain vibrant and strong. 

Steven B. Dick, Community Affairs & Corporate Giving Manager, accepted the award on behalf of Mississippi Power. 

“We are here because we want to make sure that we help train today and tomorrow's workforce so we can continue to compete regionally and at the state level,” said Dick. “Thank you, Pearl River Community College, for allowing us to be a partner.” 

Dr. James C. Sones, Jr. 

Sones first came to Pearl River Community College as a student, graduating in 1960 with a focus on agriculture. During his time at The River, Sones was a member of the Mississippi Army National Guard and was sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana, for a year of active duty attending Mississippi State University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in agricultural education in 1963. 

The next decade had him teaching as a Vocational Agriculture Instructor at East Central High School in Hurley and then George County High School in Lucedale. During that time, he also completed a Master's Degree in Agriculture from Mississippi State. 

Sones then returned to PRCC as the initial supervisor of the Manpower Development Training Center in Hattiesburg from 1970 – 1972 before moving into the role of director of the newly formed Hancock County Vocational-Technical Center from 1972 – 1977. While working at PRCC, he continued his studies in adult education at the University of Southern Mississippi. For the 1977 – 1978 school year, he took a leave of absence to complete a PhD in Administration and Supervision of Vocational Education at Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Colorado.  

Upon his return, he assumed the role of initial director of the Lamar County Vocational-Technical Center for just over a year. Sones was then moved into his final role at PRCC as the Dean of Vocational-Technical Affairs with the responsibility of supervising multiple area vocational-technical centers.  

During that time, he was instrumental in the completion of the Technology Center (1989) in Poplarville and the Allied Health Center (1992) on the Forrest County Campus. He was also part of the team working to get 10 different programs nationally accredited. 

Outside of PRCC, he was an active member of the Rotary Club of Poplarville and served on the evaluation team for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 

At retirement in 2002, he had a 32-year tenure with PRCC. His selfless work to make PRCC the best community college possible was recognized when he was named the 2001-2002 Mississippi Association of Career and Technical Educators Postsecondary Administrator of the Year.  

Living out his retirement in McNeill, Sones continues to give back to others. His love of agriculture is reflected in his continued service to the Pearl River County Soil and Water Association which he has done for over 30 years. He also works with the Farm Service Agency covering Pearl River, Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties to assist producers of various agricultural commodities. 

His family also has ties to PRCC. His wife, Celecia, was in the first graduating class for the Associate Degree of Nursing (RN) program and worked at PRCC as the college nurse for over 20 years. Their children, James Aaron and Susan, both attended PRCC; their two grandchildren, Leighton and Courtney, also attended Pearl River.   

“I am humbled and honored to be receiving this award,” said Sones. “For a long time, PRCC was a big part of my life. Being recognized is only possible thanks to all the people I was associated with during my time here.  

“Most of all, I recognize that we all worked together for the students like others did for me. They are the reason why we are here.” 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG). 

Recently graduated from Pear River Community College, Hanna Lambert was overwhelmed and filled with excitement and joy upon learning she was selected as a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar. Lambert becomes the eighth recipient from PRCC in the past eight years. 

“Being a Cooke Scholar means the world to me,” said Lambert. “I can attend my dream school without placing a burden on my mom’s shoulders or incurring a lot of debt. I will be forever grateful to have school covered.” 

The Richton native found out about the honor Wednesday morning during a surprise Zoom interview with PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood and Dean of the Dr. William Lewis Honors Institute on the Forrest County Campus Dr. Ryan Ruckel. 

“You are not only representing yourself and your family. You are representing our institution for the long haul. This is something they can never take away from you,” said Breerwood. “You will be cemented into the legacy of Pearl River. … This is a really big deal.” 

The prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is awarded to the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities. The award covers a significant portion of their educational expenses, including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees.   

This year, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation received more than 1,200 applications from 332 community colleges for the highly competitive scholarship. There are 100 Cooke Scholars from 42 states from the 440 students who were named as semifinalists. 

Awardees can receive up to $55,000 per year for two to three years at a four-year accredited undergraduate school for any area of study. Beyond the financial help to complete their bachelor's degree, Cooke Scholars also receive comprehensive advisement to guide them through the transition to a four-year college and preparation for a career, opportunities for internship, study abroad, graduate school funding, and access to a network of Cooke Scholars and Alumni.  

“With the visionary support of our administration, we have built an opportunity engine that makes it possible for us to educate the whole person,” said Ruckel. “She had the opportunities through the Honors Institute and our close ties to Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, service and research projects, and the Honors Symposium, which in turn helped her become Student Government President.  

“Hanna recognized the value of these opportunities, overcame her shyness, and flourished as a result. We could see she would be an excellent JKC candidate, so Dr. Terri Smith Ruckel worked extensively with her for a year to develop the strongest possible application. We are so very, very proud of her, but we’re especially proud of her willingness to try challenging things and then always to see things through. She will be successful all her life because of those character qualities.” 

Pearl River Community College's Hannah Lambert named Jack Kent Cooke Scholar from Pearl River Community College on Vimeo.

ABOUT LAMBERT 
Lambert graduated from Richton High School. During that time, she was a member of the Beta Club and Science Club while also being named to the honor roll each year.  

As a student on PRCC’s Forrest County Campus, she has been an active member of the Dr. William Lewis Honors Institute, the Beta Tau Gamma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, and the Science Club. This year, she has served as the President of the Student Government Association. 

“Before I came to PRCC, I was rather shy,” said Lambert. “My time here has been amazing. I became a member of the Honors Institute then started taking chances and opportunities as a student that have changed my life.” 

She completed her Associates in Arts degree with a STEM pathway. She plans to attend Mississippi State University in the fall. Her goal is to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. 

Lambert sees that this will also benefit the community once her education is completed.  

“I want to help animals,” said Lambert. “My community will benefit from my caring for their animals.” 

PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS 
Past recipients from Pearl River include the following students: 

Trevor Creighton (2014): Columbia, Creative Writing (plus $200,000 JKC Graduate Scholarship to Harvard in Higher Education administration) 

Rachael Carraro (2017): Mississippi State, Landscape Architecture 

Said Otwane (2018): Columbia University, Computer Engineering (plus $200,000 JKC Graduate Scholarship; currently undecided) 

Savannah Barnes (2020): Ole Miss, Multi-disciplinary Studied, Korean, TESOL 

Riley Cleveland (2021): Mississippi State, Elementary Education 

Kyle Simpson (2021): University of Michigan, Psychology 

Quindalin Harper (2021): Ole Miss, Psychology (Psychiatric Medicine) 

Hanna Lambert (2022): Mississippi State, Veterinary Science 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG). 

Jeff Long, Vice President for Poplarville Campus and Student Services, and Dr. Jennifer Seal, Vice President for Planning and Institutional Research, represented Pearl River Community College among 29 Mississippi community college administrators who recently completed the Community College Policy Fellows Program (CPFP). The program culminated in the Washington, D.C. Legislative Summit where they advocated on behalf of community college students. 

The Community College Policy Fellows Program is a 20-month professional development initiative sponsored by the Mississippi Community College Board and directed by AdvocacyBuild, LLC.  The curriculum focuses on four national program pillars: policy, leadership, networking, and advocacy. 

“Pearl River Community College utilizes all available platforms to better serve our students,” PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood said. “We were honored for two of our vice presidents to represent the College and our students at the national level.” 

The 2022 CPFP cohort focused on two policy issues: (1) short-term Pell eligibility for short-term training programs and (2) broadband expansion throughout the State. Currently, to qualify for Pell Grants, a program must be 600 clock hours. Eligibility for shorter-term programs should be established, with safeguards to ensure that only high-quality programs receive support.  Community colleges serve all Mississippi students, including those in areas without adequate broadband capacity. Supporting these initiatives will eliminate access barriers for students and enhance equal access to higher education.  

While in Washington, D.C., April 3-6, the Fellows met with members of the Mississippi congressional delegations including Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker, and U.S. House members Michael Guest, Trent Kelly, and Steven Palazzo. The CPFP members also met with the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, the U.S. Department of Education staff, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Office. Prior to meeting with the delegates, the Fellows were briefed on policy issues by the Association of Community College Trustees, the American Association of Community Colleges, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. 

“The CPFP is an outstanding program that helped educate me on issues such as federal and state legislation, and how the advocacy process works between our system and law-making,” Long said. “I am grateful to all those involved in providing such a program, including Pearl River Community College and their support, plus Dr. Ed Davis and Tyson Elbert for their hard work making the program successful for its fellows.” 

Added Dr. Seal: “At Pearl River Community College, we advocate for students on a daily basis in a wide variety of areas. Working with the Community College Policy Fellows Program, afforded us the opportunity to champion the efforts of all Mississippi community colleges on a national platform while strengthening relationships with elected officials and their colleagues.” 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG). 

In a year’s time, you can be prepared to take on a Diagnostic Medical Sonography career, starting this fall semester at Pearl River Community College’s Forrest County Campus.

Sonography will begin in August and run for 12 months. Only 15 students will be accepted into the program.

Classes will run during the day, Monday through Thursday. The median annual income is $56,534 at the state level.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography uses high frequency sound waves to produce images of organs, masses, fluid collections, and vascular structures within the human body. Sonography is user dependent, requiring competent and highly skilled professionals to be a part of the integral health care system.

“Pearl River has worked hard to add and expand programs that both align to the needs of local healthcare providers and provide high-paying skills for the people in our district,” said Dr. James David Collum, Dean of Career and Technical Education at the Forrest County Campus.

“The fact that our healthcare providers request new programs and more graduates, speaks to the value they see in our faculty and students.”

To apply to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, a student must have graduated from a JCERT Radiologic Technology program (must include Radiographic Physics and Medical Terminology component, could be built into Fundamental of Radiography or approved by the Program Director) or an A.A.S. degree in a Health Science & Nursing or an allied health program with an acute patient care component approved by the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Director. 

Some additional pre-requisites include:

-Verification of RTR credential by the first Diagnostic Medical Sonography class.

-Prerequisites for the first Diagnostic Medical Sonography course: College Algebra, Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II with labs, English Composition I and II, Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication, Humanities/Fine Arts Elective, and a Social/Behavioral Science Elective.

All prerequisite courses must be completed with a “C” or above by the first Diagnostic Medical Sonography clinical.

Dr. Jana Causey, Vice President for Forrest County Campus, Allied Health and Nursing Programs, says PRCC is answering the call to a Healthcare shortage by implementing this new program.

“Many healthcare providers are sending people out of state to get this much needed training and we need to meet their needs by providing this service right here in the Pine Belt,” said Dr. Causey. “Our goal is to listen to our community needs and then provide training that builds and produces top notch services. We want healthcare to be the absolute best for the people in South Mississippi.”  

PRCC is only the second community college in Mississippi to offer this program. 

For information about the Sonography program, call 601-554-5505, email: jcollum@prcc.edu; or visit the Forrest County Campus on U.S. 49 South. 

To apply, go to: http://www.prcc.edu/academics/plans/health-nursing/sonography/apply

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats)  Instagram](PRCCWILDCATS) and Facebook(@PRCCMKTG).

Article written by Chuck Abadie.

Pearl River Community College student Leah Schultz of Pass Christian was recently awarded a $1,000 Scholarship from the National Technical Honor Society.

Schultz, 22, was one of 250 outstanding NTHS members to receive the Jon H. Poteat Scholarship based on their ability to consistently exemplify the seven attributes of NTHS – Skill, Honesty, Service, Responsibility, Scholarship, Citizenship, and Leadership.

She recently graduated from the Dental Hygiene program and has accepted a position at a dental clinic in her hometown. 

“I am so grateful for this opportunity,” said Schultz. “PRCC has been a great family to be a part of during my time here.”

Schultz, who graduated from Pass Christian High School, was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and the National Technical Honor Society during her time at PRCC. 

“Leah was always dependable, got along with all of her classmates,” said Donna Lunn, one of Schultz’s Dental Hygiene instructors.

“She was awarded the Stan Hill, Make it Happen Award for getting the job done in clinic. She was always early to clinic and went out of her way to stay busy. Leah excelled academically as well as clinically. She had a great rapport with her patients.”

Since 1984, NTHS has been the honor society for Career and Technical Education (CTE), serving high schools, career centers, community & technical colleges, and universities. Recognizing more than 50,000 new members annually, NTHS exists to advocate for and empower all students to pursue the technical and academic skills needed to build their careers and a skilled global workforce. 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG). 

PHOTO CAPTION:

PRCC student Leah Schultz (left) is pictured with Sam McNease, PRCC Industrial Technology instructor and a National Technical Honor Society advisor.

The Dean’s and President’s lists for the Spring 2022 semester have been released by Pearl River Community College. A total of 782 students are being honored for their academic excellence with 245 students on the President’s List and 537 students that made the Dean’s List. 

To be recognized, students must have taken at least 15 credit hours for the semester. Those who earned a 3.4-3.99 GPA were named to the Dean’s List. Students who earned a 4.0 GPA were honored on the President’s List. 

Below is a complete list of last semester’s honorees grouped by hometown. 

DEAN’S LIST 

Angie, LA: Chase Kelehan 

Bassfield: Zaporia Betts, KiMya Brown, and Emily Daniels 

Bay St. Louis: Elijah Curry, Brandon Elkins, Joshua Elkins, Brandie Hust, Khoa Nguyen, Brooke Rasco, Chase Seal, Aubrey Smith, and Sabrina Wilson 

Beldon: Halle Traylor 

Biloxi: Grace Kirby and Marcavia Shavers 

Bogalusa, LA: Lora Foreman, Karson Powell, and Mason Sandifer 

Brandon: Lexi Davis and Mason Ward 

Braxton: Jenniya Milton 

Brookhaven: Varissa Alexander, Aerianna McGhee, and Peyton Smith 

Brooklyn: Patrick Breland and Micayla Jefferson 

Buckatunna: Candace Cooley 

Bush, LA: Lane Rosser 

Carriere: Ronnie Adams, Alexis Barnett, Kolby Baucum, Christopher Beech, Melissa Bennett, Peyton Brossette, Jaiden Burns, Diana Chambliss, Evan Coig, Nikki Collier, Hannah Dossett, Robyn Fisk, Anthony Gallodoro, Marco Gomez, Eden Henley, Kaisley Kamlade, Kaylee Kennedy, Lyndsey Lee, Xavier Lockhart, Riley McKenzie, Lori Menefee, Jenna Morrison, Jillian Nicholson, Hannah Pearce, Keigan Pearson, Leah Penton, Maranda Pullens, Kyler Simmons, Hannah Smith, Jacqueline Strain, Michael Tatman, Destiny Taylor, Jamie Thompson, Dylan Wade, Cody Walker, Destiny Walker, Delaney Watkins, Annabelle Wise, and Amber Woods 

Coden, AL: Jolee White 

Collins: Jewel Riels and Amber Thaxton 

Collinsville: Javaion Merrell 

Columbia: Dasielle Diaz, Gavin Fairburn, Ontariunna Marsalis, Lindsey McLaughlin, Benjamen Morrow, and Braydon Sistrunk 

Crawford: Gracie Wells 

Curitiba, Brazil: Julio Gruba 

D’Iberville: Kenneth Irving 

Denvilles, UK: Lucy Conway 

Diamondhead: Kimberly Bolian, Hannah Coaker, Carlie Cucurullo, Gracie Frank, Eli Grover, Brayden Holmes, and Caleb Malone 

Ellisville: Joshua Freeman and Gabe Nichols 

Flowood: Merritt Wallace 

Foxworth: Bonnie Branton, Natalie Broom, Joshua Foxworth, Jared Harris, Gage Mckenzie, Jordan McNabb, Georgia Olson, Jacquelyn Patterson, Katie Sauls, and Cordarious Williams 

Franklinton, LA: Whitney Brooks, Colby Comeaux, Victoria Fletcher, Jared Jenkins, Raina McIntosh, Cynthia Schilling, Parker Seal, Adrian Stevens, and Kimberly Stogner 

Gloster: Jakayla Perry 

Gonzales, LA: Tristen Washington 

Gulfport: Ariane Boyda, Cody Bozant, Alex Emery, Cherie Hernandez, Arlene Hinton, Ana Jimenez-Becerra, Brennan Jones, Josiah Khan, Andrew Ladner, Kristofer Lanmon, Mackenzie McKinney, Durron Myers, Delaney Owen, Bailey Smith, and Gavin Taylor 

Hammond, LA: Sade Dillon and Jasmine Smith 

Hattiesburg: Marianna Acosta, Monique Addison, Devon Albert, Patrick Anderson, Kanya Bacot, Kyle Badeaux, Amanda Barnes, Hayley Bellino, Alexis Bolton, Johnny Bolton, Shakiya Bolton, Bernatsky Boone, Madison Boutwell, Tyler Bradley, Eryn Brady, Jasmine Braxton, Carter Breazeale, Ashley Cannon, Tyson Caston, Carlo Catlett, Adrienne Chandler, Alydia Cowart, Britney Diaz-Roman, Rachael Dloniak, Adoniyya Edwards, Lane Edwards, Ethan Fairley, Sungjin Farris, Janelle Fernandez Cruz, Mckenzie Fletcher, Hequinn Fox, Kathleen Galloway, Julia-Grace Garmon, Jason Garner, Wesley Green, Jason Grover, Jed Guin, Kendel Hargrove, Taylor Hilton, Harrison Holder, Alexandria Hollingsworth, Karmyn Hollingsworth, Hannah-Elizabeth Hosey, Jadyn Howell, Christianna Hubbard, Elvin Jackson, Blake Johnson, Dakota Johnson, Ebony Johnson, Bobbie Jordan, Croix Kelley, Gwendolyn Laizer, Sylvia Lauderdale, Jeromy Lee, John Lyon, Haleigh Marbury, Jenna Marsh, Gavin McCaffrey, Tamara Mccullon, Felicia McFarland, Patrick Mcgruder, Jordan McKenzie, Maximus Mcphail, Tristan Mcphail, Zsanett Molnar, Jimmy Moreno, Tessiah Naylor, Cela Neldon, Kari Nickey, Hayden Nored, Holden Nored, Alyssa Nunn, Ashlyn Payton, James Pierce, Stephanie Pipkins, AlLasia Pittman, Andrew Purvis, Jada Reedy, Janiya Revies, Kenya Robinson, River Roderick, Jadaisha Rodgers, Trinity Rogers, Kaitlyn Schock, Kayla Shaffer, Kendall Shoemake, Taurese Sibley, Matthew Simpson, David Slade, Kayla Smith, Gregory Smith, Riley Stephens, Donna Swanson, Abreonna Taylor, Summer Taylor, Lauren Thompson, Kayvon Thurmon, Raynah Travis, Shekinah Trotter, Le'Xavier Varnado, Christopher Walker, Ryan Wallace, and Keshunia Williams 

Helena, MT: Lawson Pratt 

Jackson: Genesis James, Jariya Marshall and Kierra Mcnair 

Kiln: Hailey Cabaniss, Kyle Dedeaux, Amanda Dibble, Doyle Duncan, Brandon Krumm, Julian Ladner, Tony Ladner, Kaile Lee, Rachel Lizana, Timothy Moore, Aren Peterson, William Smith, and Maya Wood 

Kokomo: Hannah Miller, and Nick Thompson 

Kosciusko: Miguel Garcia 

Laurel: Jacob Moffett and Colton Tolbert 

Leakesville: Shelby Beard, Tierren Blakely, Brittany Brown, Zaria Crumpton, and Diamond Singleton 

Liberty: Kaitlyn Holland 

Long Beach: Isabella Orozco, Austin Schruff, and Aubrey Wawrek 

Lucedale: Natalie Howell, Alex Mills, Breanna Stansberry, and Anna Vines 

Lumberton: Briana Bullock, Grant Chiasson, Kason Davis, Mckenzie Davis, Savannah Diamond, Jenica Eaton, Honor Elchos, Carey Hart, Kaitlyn Hendrix, Kristina Langley, Madison Lawler, Curtis Navis, Valerie Navis, LaCreisha Rattley, Abryah Robertson, Dustie Smith, Matthew Speed, Tenessa West, and Genesis Williams 

McNeill: Jacob Skantz and Diana Smith 

McComb: Brandon Robinson 

Mendenhall: Caden Coulson, Taysha Rivers, and Walker Wallace 

Mobile, AL: Taylor Grice, Emilee Long, and Claude Passeau 

Moselle: Travis Conner 

Moss Point: Lauren Brown, Michaelyn Lewelling, and Owen Riley 

Natchez: Josie Richardson 

New Augusta: Amara Henry and Jacob Nasrat 

Ocean Springs: Terrick Bryant, Chloe Paske, and Daniel Rempel 

Olive Branch: Avery Durdin 

Osyka: Lauren Booty 

Pascagoula: Emma Godfrey 

Pass Christian: Gavin Beech, Koby Hathorn, Aaron Rush, Tammy Salvage, and Wyatt Tomlinson 

Pearl River, LA: Jodi Cutrer, and Caleb Wells 

Pearlington: Joshua Palode and Johnie Carver 

Pelahatchie: Jacob Perry 

Perkinston: Edna Doss, Emily Prestenbach, Koda Shaw, Faith Slade, and Hayden Watts 

Petal: Kaylee Burkhalter, Jestin Clark, Shannon Collins, Shamia Cotton, Honesty Dawkins Person, Danielle Duffield, Patrick Dunkle, Chandler Dye, William Eubank, Clarissa Grames, Liberty Hinton, Harrison Hooks, Madeline Lee, Allen Lewis, Jackie McCardle, Jennifer Nieves Arvelo, Laekyn Odom, Kathryn Pearce, Ethan Pope, Jenna Rider, Roderick Stewart, and Kody Warren 

Picayune: Gabrielle Andrews, Trystian Baker, Ariana Banks, Edwin Barajas, Brooke Breaux, Catherine Bridges, William Broder, Hannah Brown, Ravin Burkhardt, Xavier Cockerham, Sierra Collum, Martha Corona, Lainey Covington, Zachary Cullum, Carson Cunningham, Hope Dabrovolskis, Thomas Daniel, Holly Falls, Peyton Ferreira, Cole Fletcher, Devin Frierson, Trenton Gascho, Timothy Gordon, Lakendra Gray, Destiny Hannah, Mitchell Harper, Timothy Helgerson, Isaac Hickman, Brooke Jamison, Mary Jarrell, Kobe Johnson, Zachary Jones, Justin Jordan, Lauren Lagman, Taylor Lancon, Payton Lee, Samantha Lee, Abbigayle Marrero, Halle McElray, Shelby McGough, Mason Miller, Shawana Miller, Blake Mitchell, Ryan Mitchell, Colbi Moeller, Zoe O’Neil, Gage Parrish, Haylie Penton, Macy Pigott, Ashantee Raine, Seth Relayson, Cecilia Roig, Antonio Smith, Elijah Smith, Terence Smith, Jessica Sramek, Ashlyn Thom, Kailey Travis, Kellie Watts, Justin Whitfield, Ladarius Williams, Sarah Williams, Brianna Wood, and Charles Wright 

Poplarville: Heather Bazor, Mason Anderson, Charles Babiowski, Brennan Barras, Jordan Belsome, Morgan Benoit, Tyler Breland, Jaycee Bridgers, Cassidy Cartwright, Jaxon Dunaway, Deanna Freeman, Eli Gentry, Kaden Graves, Brittany Head, Seth Ladner, Jacob Maroney, Hunter Martin, Brandon McCurdy, Dominic O’Neill, Rory O’Neill, Sydney Peterson, Lindsey Philyaw, Alyssa Rutherford, Erica Sanderson, Hayley Saucier, Andrew Smith, and Ciarra Walker 

Port Gibson: Brittnee Martin 

Prentiss: Antaeveon Floyd, LaJada Harper, Kivionna Johnson, Seraphina Mosley, and NakiAsia Wilson 

Purvis: Aidan Aultman, Ladd Barrett, Chelsey Brown, Thomas Bush, Ryder Evans, Tyler Ferguson, Mitchell Greer, Lindsey Jeansonne, Hunter Jochumsen, Kalynn Lawrence, Jasmine Mattison, Mary Mcclure, Kaleb McLeod, Alyssa Powell, Madison Putnam, Logan Ratliff, Hunter Robinson, Trace Roseberry, Kristin Rouse, Kaleb Shelby, Carmen Smith, Matthew Smith, Lori Steele, Taylor Toland, Marina Wardlow, and Taylor Williams 

Raceland, LA: Arvanta Coleman 

Richton: Michael Cooper, Gregory Matthews, Matt Mercer, and Callie Sizemore 

Ridgeland: Jaydon Slater 

Sandy Hook: Matthew Burns, Conner Daugherty, Sarah Kennedy, and Nicholas Vince 

Saucier: Cassady Bradford, Courtney Crosby, and Donovan Parker 

Seminary: William Jefcoat 

Semmes, AL: Emma Smith 

Silver Creek: Caribbean Adams 

Slidell, LA: Emily Bates, Hunter Dejean, Brooke Moore, Cody Pomes, and Josh Wills 

Soso: Justin Ulland 

Sumrall: Kristen Boyd, Alexis Broom, Kambrey Broome, Carley Cook, Allyson Davis, Gavin Federowski, Aleah Gibson, Robert Goolsby, Nadia Horne, Michael Lewis, Chloee Mann, Daniel Nelson, Jenna Ochenrider, Angel Saul, Brookelynn Stuart, Caleigh Thompson, Caleb Thornton, Camryn Welch, and Savannah Wolfe 

Tickfaw, LA: Molli Kinchen 

Tylertown: Jordan Bailey and Megan Clayton 

Union: Summer Henry 

Vancleave: Erin Daughtery, Katelyn Davis, Anna Groves, and Sydney Salter 

Vicksburg: Wesley Bryan, Jacob Hynum, Nicholas Powell, and Shelton Raner 

Walnut Grove: Otashae Burrage and Emma Reed 

Waveland: Makaylah Adamo, Gregory Gill, Lauren Anne Lagasse, and Dylan Raphael 

Waynesboro: Katlyn Gibson 

Wiggins: Zian Arrington, Kaitlin Crosby, Hunter Dearman, and Triston Hickman 

Wilmer: Gabriel Broadus 

Woodville: Kelsie Lee 

PRESIDENT’S LIST 

Bassfield: Ashanti Adams 

Bay St Louis: Alexander Gill and Leland Le 

Beaumont: Arabian Jones 

Biloxi: Jackson Meeks 

Bogalusa, LA: Jaleah Robinson and Emma Williams 

Brandon: Gabrielle Collier and William Martin 

Brewton, AL: Leyton Burkett 

Brooklyn: Dillon Hesterman 

Byram: Bryanna Taylor 

Carriere: Sachi Ajmera, Jorge Alcantara, Lana Bagley, Kennedy Baham, Chad Cruz Jr., Ali Dore, Victoria Faciane, Jacob Foulon, Jeremy Foulon, Madison Gay, Bryce Hintze, Jodi Jarrell, Samantha Kennedy, Logan Lumpkin, Gabriel Mitchell, Lexie Mitchell, Joshua Montes, Logan Newton, Keghan Odom, Aaron Ramsay, Calvin Rester, Emma Smith, Shane Spiers, Kayla Stockstill, and Philip Toler 

Collins: Noah Taylor 

Columbia: Elizjah Abram, Marlon Johnson, Amiya Oatis, Katherine Price, Hannah Watts, Joe Whaley, and Melody Keen 

Columbus: Ryan Burt 

Covington, LA: Madison Hunt 

Diamondhead: Macie Firchau, Jennifer Hebert, Mallory Lee, and Chandani Patel 

Foxworth: Rosa Gonzalez, Travis Little, Kaitlyn McAllister, Isaac Stampley, and Caley Thornhill 

Franklinton, LA: Elizabeth Barber, Cameron Cox, and Preston Freeman 

Gulfport: Aubrie Edwards and Martha O’Mara 

Harvest, AL: Sutton Perry 

Hattiesburg: Tobias Adams, Brennen Bennett, Christian Blythe, Jaden Bolling, Rachel Brown, Serina Carpenter, Cheyanne Clark, Ariana Clements, Xavier Daley, Weston Dubose, Ameze Ekunwe, Adrienne Evans, Carlee Evans, Jalynn Flemings, William Harrington, Kiara House, Felicia Jackson, Kristen Johnson, Harper Jordan, Chelsea Kemp, Amiyah Kerry, Jun Li, Shui Lin, Kymrie Lofton, Justin McCullum, Katie Anne McNair, Jennifer Pledger, Jayce Riggs, Estella Rincon, SaMya Ruffin, Ana Salas Mondragon, Jennifer Satcher, Kathryn Scharwath, Kaliq Sims, Britney Slade, Haley Smith, Ivory Stallings, Claire Thornton, and Jack Whittington 

Inverness: Crosby Stevens 

Kentwood, LA: Karrigan Cagley 

Kiln: Jon Amacker, Sebastian Fausett, Jolie Grindle, Carah Lowery, Charles Norris, Sidney Reesor, John Searles, and Tegan Whitfield 

Kokomo: Mikala Holmes 

Latimer: Jason Irias 

Laurel: Sam Hill, Mason Smith, and Madilyn Waters 

Long Beach: Sydney Spataro 

Louin: Vincent Keyes and Carson Ward 

Louisville: Dallyn Nance 

Lucedale: Jeb Stewart 

Lumberton: Carter Byrd, Charles Byrd, Hannah Davis, Malorie Entrekin, Sarah Harrington, Hannah Knight, Bethanna Lee, Josh Loper, Caden Newby, Bryce Overton, Camp Stewart, and Takia Young 

McComb: Hallie Creel 

Mendenhall: Kacey Wallace 

Mize: Alicia Miller 

Monticello: Oliver Moreman 

Moss Point: Gene Byron, Alyssa Cade, Reagan Cochran, and Hailey Morris 

Mount Olive: Jessie Ponder 

New Augusta: Charity Bolton  

Ocean Springs: Emma Bahr, Erin Clifford, and Lola Taylor 

Pass Christian: Brenham DeWitt and Houston Tripp 

Pearl River, LA: Madison Lang 

Perkinston: Karley Brooks, Kadence Dedeaux, and Annie Ladner 

Petal: Dalton Bond, Mckenna Byrd, Christopher Cain, Carson Chapman, Joseph Clayton, Chandler Guthrie, Carson Hillman, Kyara Osorio, Allyna Pytleski, Kinlea Robinson, and Ella Seymour 

Picayune: Edgar Barajas-Carillo, Braden Barone, Kaitlin Bennett, Breanne Berthelot, TaJanara Charles, Kaci Dean, Elise Duke, Katie Farmer, Christopher Gonzalez, Rebecca Goss, Alyssa Hand, Chandler Holifield, Makayla Hughes, Lauren Lee, Aalayah Littles, Joseph Smith, Kailee Spiers, and Mason Treat 

Poplarville: Monica Alexander, Peyton Barber, Hunter Benefield, Luke Bilbo, Akeema Bolton, Elena Borel, Mollie Brown, Anniston Childs, Melissa Cowan, Matthew Culliver, John Dufrene, Darion Harges, Macey Head, Evelyn Kimball, Garrett McCaskell, Tanner Miley, Beau Miller, , Janna Peterson, Kalyn Pullens, Mason Theriot, and Nicole Ware 

Purvis: Lauren Broome, Logan Cuevas, Jake Harris, Trenton Hartfield, Joseph Lee, Trinity Murray, Emily Smith, Haley Smith, Haegan Tynes, Kayleigh Warren 

Raleigh: Kimberly Stockman 

Richton: Hanna Lambert 

Rolling Fork: Mary Martin 

San Tan Valley, AZ: Lily Lentz 

Saucier: Alyson Waizenegger 

Seminary: Monica Knight 

Slidell, LA: Clayton Tebbs 

Starkville: Breanna Townsend 

Sumrall: Evan Bayles, Amber Breeland, Anna Bullock, Molly Kate Carley, Lindsay Garvin, Sierra Greene, Hayley Hymel, Dylan Lowe, Samuel Schwarzauer, Haley Sumrall, Myles Tate, and Niza Valenzuela 

Taylorsville: Keelyn Rogers 

Tylertown: Ethan Thornhill and Azaria Williams 

Vancleave: Anthony Foto, Conner Mallette, Payton Mckerchie, and Amber Wilson 

Waveland: Cooper Cooksey and Christian Thomas 

Waynesboro: Emily Rigney 

Wiggins: River Gates, Abby Pulver, and Jeana Valdez 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG). 

Pearl River Community College’s Marketing & Communications Department had another strong showing at the 2022 College Public Relations Association of Mississippi (CPRAM) Conference in Gulfport. The team brought home 17 total awards, which is a record for PRCC. 

The Junior Division Pearl River entered is comprised of Mississippi’s 15 community colleges.  

Individuals who were part of the PRCC Marketing and Communications department during 2021 include Chuck Abadie, Jacob Cochran, Dylan Dunaway, Mark Franklin, Richard Gleber, Corey Guerra, Candace Harper, Alexx Kennedy, Patrick Ochs, Laura O’Neill and Kari Eve Valence.  

“We have a talented group of individuals who cohesively understand the mission of our institution,” said Harper, PRCC Vice President for Enrollment Management and Business Services. “They work together day in and day out to ensure the message and quality we are producing is top notch. 

“I could not be prouder of the dedication and hard work that each of these individuals brings to the table.” 

Awards Listed by Category 

Digital Art/Photo Illustration: The Voices - 2nd place - Jacob Cochran  

Web Advertisements: Season Tickets Advertisements - 2nd place - Patrick Ochs, Jacob Cochran, Corey Guerra 

Web Page Sports: PRCCAthletics.com - 2nd place - Patrick Ochs, Dylan Dunaway, Mark Franklin 

Web Page: PRCC.edu/coronavirus - 3rd place – Richard Gleber, Candace Harper, Corey Guerra 

Multi-Media Presentation: Your Impossible Moment - 3rd place - Alexx Kennedy, Jacob Cochran, Kelly Sanner 

New Media: The Wildcat Way Show - 3rd place - Kari Eve Valence, McKinsy Harris, Jacob Cochran 

Social Media: PRCC Facebook - 3rd place - Laura O’Neill, Alexx Kennedy, Richard Gleber, Patrick Ochs, Jacob Cochran 

Single Piece of Artwork: CTE Wall Wrap - 3rd place - Corey Guerra, Jacob Cochran 

Special Publications: Hall of Fame Program - 2nd place - Patrick Ochs, Jacob Cochran, Corey Guerra, Dylan Dunaway 

Admissions & Recruitment Piece: ADN Flyer - 3rd place - Corey Guerra, Jacob Cochran 

Feature Story Sports: Jake Smith - 2nd place - Patrick Ochs   

News Story Sport: PR Runs Wild Over Holmes on Homecoming - 1st place - Patrick Ochs 

News Story Sports: No. 3 PR Sweep in Southwest - 2nd place - Dylan Dunaway 

Sports Photography: Diving Catch - 3rd place - Patrick Ochs 

Radio Spots: Rise with The River - 2nd place - Kari Eve Valence, Jacob Cochran 

Radio Spots: Next Level - 3rd place - Kari Eve Valence, Jacob Cochran  

PR Campaign: Happy to Help - 1st place - Candace Harper, Laura O’Neill, Patrick Ochs, Jacob Cochran, Corey Guerra, Dylan Dunaway, Richard Gleber  

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG). 

Image reflects all who worked in or with the Office of Marketing and Communications.
Top Row Left to Right: Chuck Abadie,  Jacob Cochran, Dylan Dunaway, Richard Gleber, Corey Guerra and Candace Harper.
Bottom Row Left to Right: McKinsy Harris, Alexx Kennedy, Patrick Ochs, Laura O’Neill and Kari Eve Valence.  

Nursing is a high demand field and Pearl River Community College is doing its part to help meet the needs of local communities. The college is expanding offerings for more students to complete an Associate Degree of Nursing (ADN) on both the Forrest County and Poplarville campuses. The Practical Nursing (LPN) program has also been expanded by 30 students. 

A survey conducted earlier this year by the Mississippi Hospital Association put the shortage of nurses in the state at more than 3,000. Within the districts served by PRCC, there are hundreds of openings for Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs.)  

“Pearl River Community College is committed to meeting the needs of healthcare in our community,” said Dr. Jana Causey, Vice President for Forrest County Campus, Allied Health, and Nursing Programs. “There is a critical need for nurses, and we will do all we can to provide the most qualified healthcare professionals to meet this need.  

“We are working with local healthcare providers to understand their needs, and we are hiring experienced and talented faculty to produce skilled nurses who are compassionate and caring about serving others.” 

EXPANDING THE ADN PROGRAM 
In Fall 2021, the Forrest County Campus (FCC) added a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to ADN evening program. This option was started with initial assistance from Forrest Health. The option is designed to give students the flexibility to continue working while attending classes. Courses are offered in the evening and the weekend in a condensed schedule compared to the traditional program. 

Traditional ADN courses have only been offered on the Poplarville Campus. That is changing thanks to funding from an Accelerate Mississippi Pine Belt Healthcare grant. PRCC will be adding both the traditional ADN program option at FCC and an LPN to ADN evening option in Poplarville. The traditional ADN program in Poplarville has also added students. In total, the college expanded the program capacity by 30 students at each campus. 

“PRCC ADN program has been in existence since 1965,” said Dr. Arlene Jones, Director of the Associate Degree of Nursing program. “To date, over 3,500 graduates have successfully completed the program and have made nursing their career.  

Many have taken the opportunity to advance their education, and some have even returned to the program as faculty. To me, that speaks volumes to the reputation the ADN program has in our community. Those responsible for the program are excited and ready for this new challenge.” 

PRACTICAL NURSING OPTION 
The Practical Nursing program is available for full-time students during the day at the Forrest County and Poplarville Campuses. An evening/weekend option is available at all three campuses (Forrest County, Hancock County and Poplarville.) Full-time students complete the program in 3 semesters (one year) while the part-time students take five semesters to finish. 

“I personally started my nursing career as a PRCC LPN,” said Dr. Melissa Bryant, District Wide Practical Nursing Department Chair/Instructor of Practical Nursing. “I can truly say that PRCC changed my life.  

“The PRCC Practical Nursing Program provides an opportunity for students to enter a career in nursing in as little as one-year. PRCC LPN’s work in a variety of healthcare settings and have the opportunity to advance. Becoming a PRCC LPN was the best decision I ever made.” 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT PRCC 
Expanding the offerings has created new positions at PRCC. This includes four 9-month full-time faculty positions and two part-time adjunct faculty positions. Both require a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Nursing as well as at least five years of clinical experience in an acute care setting.  

HOW TO APPLY TO THE ADN PROGRAM 
In addition to all PRCC admission requirements, the ADN program has a separate admission process with program specific requirements. Once accepted as a PRCC student, the ADN Interest Survey is accessed through the ADN website. The survey is open July 1 – October 1 for Spring admission and December 1 – March 1 for Fall admission.  

Specific materials required for a complete application to the program are listed on the PRCC website. Admission requirements for the programs of study are specific to each option. Applicants for all options are required to take an entrance exam. Those interested in the LPN to ADN Evening options must have all 30 credit hours of required general education classes completed before an application is filed. 

Questions about the program and application process can be sent to adn@prcc.edu. 

HOW TO APPLY TO THE LPN PROGRAM 
Like the ADN application, prospective students must first meet all PRCC admission requirements before completing the Practical Nursing application. Applicants must also take the TEAS Test completed through ATI Testing. The deadline to apply to ANY option is March 1. 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG).