NEXT Life After High School 2013-2014

2013-2014 edition

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» Insight and information for high school students on life before and during college » School and student profiles of Mississippi’s public, private and community colleges

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www.hindscc.edu

Hinds Community College offers equal education and employment opportunities and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability or veteran status in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Dr. Debra Mays-Jackson, Vice President for Administrative Services, 34175 Hwy. 18, Utica, MS 39175; 601.885.7002.

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There is a lot of money available to help you pay for college.

Mississippi provides about $30 million every year for Mississippi students to go to college.

Visit www.mississippi.edu/Únancialaid to learn more and apply online.

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Apply for admission into the Summer Developmental Program. Then apply for a Summer Developmental Program Grant to pay for it.

Learn more at www.mississippi.edu/Únancialaid.

Got Questions?

Contact the MS OfÚce of Student Financial Aid 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211-6453 Toll-free (MS residents only) 800-327-2980 p. 601-432-6997 e. sfa@mississippi.edu w. mississippi.edu/Únancialaid

A member of the Mississippi Press Association and the Alliance of Area Business Publications www.mspress.org www.bizpubs.org 200 North Congress, Suite 400 Jackson, MS 39201-1902 Main: (601) 364-1000; Toll Free: 1-800-283-4625 Faxes: Advertising (601) 364-1007; Circulation (601) 364-1035 E-mails: mbj@msbusiness.com, ads@msbusiness.com, photos@msbusiness.com, research@msbusiness.com, events@msbusiness.com Website: www.msbusiness.com NEXT! Life After High School 2013-2014 edition

CONTENTS

2013-2014 EDITION

ALAN TURNER Publisher alan.turner@msbusiness.com • 364-1021 ROSS REILY Editor ross.reily@msbusiness.com • 364-1018 WALLY NORTHWAY Senior Writer wally.northway@msbusiness.com • 364-1016 FRANK BROWN Staff Writer/Special Projects frank.brown@msbusiness.com • 364-1022 TED CARTER Staff Writer ted.carter@msbusiness.com • 364-1017 BOBBY HARRISON Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1015 LISA MONTI Contributing Writer mbj@msbusiness.com • 364-1041 TAMI JONES Advertising Director tami.jones@msbusiness.com • 364-1011

Preparing for college

7 really cool people

Mississippi colleges

6 High school checklist

22 Billy Hamilton

38 Public 4-Year Schools

8 ACT or SAT?

24 Jamie Ainsworth

47 Private 4-Year Schools

9 Campus visits

26 Alton Shaw

55 Public 2-Year Schools

College life

28 Patrick House

» CONTRIBUTORS

10 Where to live

30 Stephanie Taylor

» LISA MONTI: Monti is a freelance

11 Dorm room essentials

32 Rogers Stevens

12 College online

34 Natasha Trethewey

writer/photographer/blogger in Bay St. Louis. A University of Southern Mississippi graduate, she has hosted a radio show and co-written a travel book about Mississippi.

MELISSA KILLINGSWORTH Sr. Account Executive melissa.harrison@msbusiness.com • 364-1030 ASHLEY VARNES Account Executive ashley.varnes@msbusiness.com • 364-1013 VIRGINIA HODGES Account Executive virginia.hodges@msbusiness.com • 364-1012 TACY RAYBURN Production Manager tacy.rayburn@msbusiness.com • 364-1019 CHARINA RHODES Circulation Manager charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com • 364-1045 MARCIA THOMPSON-KELLY Business Assistant marcia.kelly@msbusiness.com • 364-1044 SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES (601) 364-1000 subscriptions@msbusiness.com

14 Greek life

20113--2014 edition

15 Social Media 16 Must-have apps

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17 Cost of college

21

Price of education

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Mississippi Business Journal

13 Study skills

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Mississippi Business Journal (USPS 000-222) is published weekly with one annual issue by MSBJ 200 N. Congress St., Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201. Periodicals postage paid at Jackson, MS. Subscription rates: 1 year $109; 2 years $168; and 3 years $214.

To place orders, temporarily stop service, change your address or inquire about billing: Phone: (601) 364-1000, Fax: (601) 3641035, Email: charina.rhodes@msbusiness.com, Mail: MS Business Journal Subscription Services, 200 N.Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mississippi Business Journal, Circulation Manager, 200 North Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201 To submit subscription payments: Mail: MS Business Journal Subscriptions Services, 200 North Congress Street, Suite 400, Jackson, MS 39201.

No material in this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent. Editorial and advertising material contained in this publication is derived from sources considered to be reliable, but the publication cannot guarantee their accuracy. Nothing contained herein should be construed as a solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities.

It is the policy of this newspaper to employ people on the basis of their qualifications and with assurance of equal opportunity and treatment regardless of race, color, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or handicap.

The Mississippi Business Journal, is an affiliate of Journal Publishing Company (JPC), Inc.: Clay Foster, president and chief executive officer.

Entire contents copyrighted © 2013 by Journal Inc. All rights reserved.

» LYNN LOFTON: A freelance writer living in Gulfport, Lofton is an honor graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi where she wrote for the Student Printz and was editor of the Communication Journal.

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» Insight and information for high school students on life before and during college » School and student profiles of Mississippi’s public, private and community colleges

ON THE COVER » For Mississippi State’s Paromita

18 Scholarships 19 Student loans 20 Military incentives

Mitra, it is rocket science. The Oak Grove High School graduate is a senior aerospace engineering major of Hattiesburg. Oh, and she’s also the reigning Miss Mississippi USA. Read her profile on page Page 41.

Photo courtesy of MSU

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» BECKY GILLETTE: A free-lance writer\photographer whose work has been published in about 50 magazines and newspapers nationwide. She received the 2008 Special Achievement Award from Sierra Club for work done to expose formaldehyde poisoning in FEMA trailers and other buildings. She was named Mississippi 2008 Small Business Journalist of the Year by the Small Business Administration. » MIKE CHRISTENSEN: Christensen is a 32-year newspaper veteran who has covered professional baseball and other sports in Jackson since 1984. He is a copy editor/writer for AgFax Media, a free-lance writer and maintains a blog (allmississippibaseball.blogspot.com). Mike is a Georgia native and a graduate of Augusta College, the University of Georgia and the University of Southern Mississippi.

NEXT! 2013 5

PREPARING FOR COLLEGE: HIGH SCHOOL CHECKLIST

N FRESHME four-year plan a Start with paratory curriculum.

le college-pre tories availab n a e v e s in o t o s h C re te » in de or career» Take aptitu h school. at compiling th r hig u in o g y e b h g u u o y ro t a th th ! Remember » Work hard this year. r PA xtracurricula cumulative G itment to one or more e mm » Make a co rds, ork, report ca a job. w d o o g f o s activities or ple ortfolio (sam sses.) » Create a p r ucce s evaluate you on of other documentati ring for sophomore year, r meeting k fo iste » Before reg m — are you still on trac gra academic pro e your goals changed? s that av H grams or job ro p ic your goals? m e r d ca ays to pay fo summer a » Look into rest. Begin researching w inte on might be of — Lynn Loft college.

SOPHOMORES Maintain, and start planning , and a low » Take pre ACT college entrance test. It’s free score won’t count against you. and are on » Make sure you are taking the right courses track for graduation. » Participate in extra curricular activities. challenging » Be concerned about your GPA, but also take classes. counselors. Talk » Investigate career choices. Meet with the g and internto adults about work. Consider job shadowin ships. d on your resume » Volunteering in the community looks goo — and can be rewarding. you. » Get organized in whatever ways work for with a wide ract inte » Avoid your comfortable cliques and variety of people with different interests and talk to people » Make a list of schools that interest you, ons. about what schools they like and for what reas — Becky Gillette

6 NEXT! 2013

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Start JUNIORS Get it in gear » If you haven’t taken the ACT and SAT, take it. » Begin visiting campuses of colleges you’re considering. » If available, sign up for an ACT/SAT workshop at a local university or at your high school. » Take the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT). » Meet with your guidance counselor to review courses, plan for senior year and discuss colleges. » Maintain your portfolio of achievements. » Attend college fairs, or write or call colleges on your list and begin reviewing their literature and websites. » Begin thinking about which teachers and others you might ask to write recommendations in the fall of your senior year. » Use your spring and summer breaks to visit college campuses. » Look into summer jobs or academic programs. » Save money whenever possible to help pay for college. » Take a life skills class.

— Lynn Lofton

Mississippi Business Journal

early with a plan Preparing for college has become a 4-year process, so get busy SENIORS First semester

SENIORS Second semester

» If planning to attend college, take the ACT or SAT college entrance tests, which are required as part of the admission requirements for college. This isn’t necessary if you took entrance exams your junior year and are satisfied with your score. » Spend some time online researching various colleges and trade schools. » Research your career options. Attend the school and college career fairs. Consider job shadowing or a part-time job in a field that interests you. » Once you have narrowed your school choices, schedule a visit to the campus. » Apply to three to five of your first choice schools.

Be sure to carefully proofread applications, and it doesn’t hurt to ask a friend or parent to double check. Make copies of applications. » Meet with the school counselor to gain additional insight into after-high-school career choices. » If available in your area, consider dual enrollment in college so you can get college credit while still in high school

» Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as close to January 1 as possible. » Research and apply for all available scholarships. » Check on housing options at colleges you plan to attend. » If you didn’t do it first semester, make sure you meet the deadlines for applying for college, paying fees, and providing requested materials like proof of vaccinations. » Build your resume with both paid work experience and volunteer jobs. » Take a career aptitude test if you want more direction on choosing a career. » Don’t fall victim to Senioritis. Keep your grades up. » Manage your time wisely. Keep a calendar! » Enjoy extra-curricular and social activities.

— Becky Gillette

Mississippi Business Journal

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NEXT! 2013 7

PREPARING FOR COLLEGE: TESTING

Testing your endurance

College entrance tests key to a higher education

ACT or SAT? Both of the well known standardized tests are accepted at Mississippi’s colleges and universities but it’s the ACT scores that are more widely requested by admissions offices.

So what’s the difference between the two?

Here’s a comparison: ACT, the organization, started out in 1959 as American College Testing in Iowa City, Iowa. In 1996 the name was shortened to ACT in a nod to all of the other workforce development programs and services the private, not-for-profit organization offers in addition to college entrance testing. More than 1.6 million high school graduates take the ACT test

How to prepare?

Both the ACT and SAT organizations have some simple advice for students: take classes that challenge your brain, then study hard and keep learning outside the classroom.

every year.

The SAT dates back to 1900 when some universities formed the College Entrance Examination Board to help identify deserving students through common entrance exams called “College Boards.”

The boards were replaced by the SAT in 1926.

Since then millions of students have taken the test at 7,000 testing centers around the world.

s Test date ACT and June 14. b. 8, April 12 e F 4, 1 c.

De , 6 Oct. 2 SAT arch 8, May 7, Jan. 25, M . ec D , 2 . ov N 5, Oct. .

3 and June 7 .org and nt de tstu Get info at ac rd.org/home. sat.collegeboa

What do the tests measure?

The ACT covers four subjects: English, math, reading and science. The test consists of 215 multiple-choice questions and takes about 3 hours to complete. If you take the ACT Plus Writing test, the written part takes an additional 30 minutes.

The SAT tests your reading, writing and math knowledge and skills. The critical reading section includes reading passages 8 NEXT! 2013

and sentence completions. The writing portion has a short essay and multiplechoice questions on picking out errors and improving grammar and usage. The math test questions include arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics and probability. Total test time is 3 hours and 45 minutes.

— compiled by Lisa Monti

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Sample questions » Here’s a sample math question from the ACT test: A DVD player with a list price of $100 is marked down 30%. If John gets an employee discount of 20% off the sale price, how much does John pay for the DVD player?

A. $86.00 B. $77.60 C. $56.00 D. $50.00 E. $44.00 » Here’s an SAT reading practice question to test sentence completion skills: Because King Philip's desire to make Spain the dominant power in sixteenth-century Europe ran counter to Queen Elizabeth's insistence on autonomy for England, ------ was -------.

(A) reconciliation . . assured (B) warfare . . avoidable (C) ruination . . impossible (D) conflict . . inevitable (E) diplomacy . . simple

Mississippi Business Journal

PREPARING FOR COLLEGE: CAMPUS VISITS

During campus visits, be sure to talk to students MIKE CHRISTENSEN

thought to ask about. She provided a wealth of information.”

ANESSA HARDY, lead counHardy said if she had to emphasize one selor at Tupelo High School, thing on a campus visit it would be talktook a group of students on a ing to current students, one from your college campus tour recentschool or town if possible. ly and came away very “Ask them lots of questions,” impressed with how the During Hardy said. “Things like to ... y tour guide depicted life r t , s it is ‘What do you love about v at the university. this school? What do dents. » Talk to stu Some of the students s. re students complain about tu » Take pic on the trip found an . ry ra lib the most? What is there » Visit the even better source. class. a n o in it to do on weekends?’”

S » t newspaper.

“They ran into a en d u st e th Hardy said that cam» Read io station. former Tupelo stue campus rad thering spot. th to n te is L pus bulletin boards » ther ga t center or o dent,” Hardy said, en d u st e th can also provide a orms. » Visit » Visit the d “and she told them all r. o ss fe ro snapshot of student life p » Talk to a nter. kinds of things they ce er re ca e th on the campus. rg » Check out hadn’t heard about or ollegeboard.o : bigfuture.c By

M

Get more at checklist. for a detailed

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NEXT! 2013 9

COLLEGE LIFE: WHERE TO LIVE

It’s all about

C I

ost and onvenience

By

Courtesy Copiah-Lincoln Community College

LISA MONTI

T’S SEEMS LIKE SUCH a simple question, but getting to an answer can be complicated.

Where are you going to live when you go to college?

Should you live on campus, in a fraternity or sorority house, in an offcampus house or apartment? Where

exactly?

If you choose a school that’s close to home, then living at home is an obvious, money-saving option. But if you’re going away to college, there are loads of things to consider. And you probably know this already: it’s all about cost and convenience. The decision you make can and probably will affect your overall college experience.

Here are some pros and cons to consid? s u p er when choosing m a C Off PROS: the best living d privacy arrangement an m o d ee Fr » oice ch r u Yo for your own t? o n e or » Roommat tchen ki a situation: g in d u cl e, in » More spac own If you live r u yo n o e » Learn to liv on campus, the convenCONS: s u p ience factor is m ca to rth g back and fo us life obvious.

You’re p » Commutin ect with cam close to classes » A disconn s st co grocery and probably » Utility and within walking distance of the library, labs, the cafeteria and social gathering places where students meet.

Campus parking could be a problem but not one you’ll have to deal with every day. And the dorm fee includes a meal ticket.

But living in a dorm comes with some potential drawbacks: a roommate not of your choosing, a shared bathroom and limited living space.

Privacy and quiet time can be hard to come by in

10 NEXT! 2013

a dorm.

Life off campus will provide some welcomed “get away” time away from classes and professors but you may feel that you’re not connected with campus life and activities. And there are added costs off campus such as pus?

On CaPRm food, utilities OS: ents and cable that h other stud it w g in iz al ci o S are included » er facilities asses and oth cl to ss ce in the dorm ac » Easy » Meal ticket fees.

On the CONS: positive side, g quarters your first se » Clo livin studying apartment or tractions from lidays is d y an m o » To and ho house can be a d for breaks se o cl s rm o »D learning experia premium » Privacy at ence in independent living that you dreamed about in high school. Keep in mind, though, that even finding a place of your own can be a major headache. On the other hand, you won’t have to move out of your place during breaks and holidays. Also, this likely will be your first experience having a landlord. That could be a pro or a con, depending on the landlord you end up with.

Check the university’s web site for help finding accommodations.

The Ole Miss site http://offcampus.housing.olemiss.edu/ offers a helping hand for the Oxford area.

The Department of Residence Life at Southern Miss has 27 residence halls offering a safe, convenient place for more than 3,000 students. The school’s web site (www.usm.edu/residencelife/campus-living ) offers this interesting tidbit on campus living: “Students who live on campus show a higher scholastic performance and are more likely to graduate than those who live off campus.”

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Mississippi Business Journal

COLLEGE LIFE: DORM ROOM ESSENTIALS

Buy, borrow or share?

BEDDING

ELECTRONICS

Just like at home, you’ll need sheets and pillow cases, a pillow or two, a light blanket for cold climates and a comforter or bedspread. Check with the school for mattress measurements before buying anything bed related.

A laptop or tablet with all the accessories, including cables and a power strip, is essential. A television set and something for music like wireless portable speakers or a DVD player will certainly come in handy for your entertainment or background noise. Good lighting helps with studying so you may want to invest in a small desk lamp. A small fan that won’t take up much space is a nice thing to have on hand for keeping the fresh air circulating in your room. Check with your roommate to avoid duplication on the shareable electronics.

BATH You’ll want to have two or three towels and wash clothes, a robe and slippers or flip flops and something in which to carry your shampoo and other bath accessories.

hecklist C m o o R Dorm Can opener

» ss pad r basket o g a b ry d n u Foam mattre » » La etergent » Sewing kit » Laundry d ing supn a e » Scissors » General cl ter bottle Refillable wa » plies or rain gear ing liquid » Umbrella » Dish wash n ca » Stapler » Small trash ags b ls sh a » Dish towe » Plastic tr st u d d n a rs om » Pot holde » Small bro c chair a v g a d » Bean b pan or han ns, medicack » Prescriptio s » Alarm clo min tion and vita » Backpack r e w o sh a d broom an » Mop and » Toiletries » Tool kit tote izer it » Hand sanit » First aid k t » Flash ligh » Tweezers rs e n » Hair dryer » Air freshe rd a o b g onin » Iron and ir

RUGS A rug for your bedside is a nice, warm touch for your room and protects from what might be well worn flooring. A larger rug makes floor sitting more comfortable and so does a nice throw.

DECOR It’s your temporary home so you might as well decorate your dorm room with framed photos, artwork or posters for the walls and maybe a bulletin board for reminders or a calendar.

Mississippi Business Journal

STORAGE AIDS KITCHEN APPLIANCES

KITCHEN BASICS

No dorm room would be complete without a small refrigerator and a microwave but don’t forget a coffee maker and toaster over. Again, check with your roommate so you won’t have two of something you only need one of.

You’ll need the obvious, including a few plates, small bowls, water glasses, silverware and coffee mugs. If you plan to prepare food in the room, you’ll need the basic pot, pan, wooden or plastic spoon and any other cook’s tool required for your needs.

CLOTHES Your wardrobe, or at least everything that will fit into your closet and other storage space.

Your dorm room likely will be small and so will the closet so make the most of the space you’ll have to put all your things. You’ll need hangars, something to keep your jewelry in, containers to store some things along the bottom of the closet and even under the bed. Food storage containers also are helpful to keep snacks and leftovers stored safely.

Compiled by Lisa Monti www.msnext.com

NEXT! 2013 11

COLLEGE LIFE: ONLINE CLASSES

By

VIRTUAL LEARNING Mississippi colleges are offering more classes and drawing more students

MIKE CHRISTENSEN

I

F EVER THERE were a stigma attached to taking college classes online, there certainly doesn’t appear to be one now.

At the University of Southern Mississippi, which recently undertook an initiative to “rebrand� its online program, the number of online students has grown from 738 in 2009 to more than 1,300 in the spring of 2013. Advances in technology have enabled schools to create “a virtual classroom� of farflung students. “We’re offering more classes now and more sections of each class,� said Amanda Cascio, USM’s online marketing director and recruitment specialist. “We offer 43 online programs, undergraduate and graduate.

Some of those are a hybrid for-

mat that have some on-campus requirements but come under our ‘distance learning’ umbrella.�

All of Mississippi public universities offer online programs, as do most of the private colleges.

The tuition cost for an instate student at Mississippi’s public universities is the same for an online class as it is for an on-campus class, Cascio said.

And it is possible to complete a degree entirely through taking online classes. “We’ve had a lot of who’ve done it,� Cascio said. “We get a lot of military personnel taking advantage of our online programs.�

Cascio makes the point that online classes might not be for everyone: “People ask if online is easier. Most people seem to think it’s harder. You have to be very self-disciplined and selfmotivated. ‌ You need good time-management skills.â€?

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Mississippi Business Journal

COLLEGE LIFE: STUDY HABITS

Remember, college is for learning By

BECKY GILLETTE

Sure, there are distractions, things that seem a lot more fun than hitting the books after class. But while you may have made it through high school just studying the night before the test, the bar is higher in college.

Don’t be content with just learning enough to get by, said Lois Coleman, counselor at Vicksburg High School.

“I advise students to go over their daily notes several times during their homework session,” Coleman said. “I guarantee them that the more they read over it, the more they will become familiar with the material, questions and answers. The material will become second nature and evolve into knowledge.”

UCLA researchers have found that academic performance suffers the day after a late night of studying. Students do worse on tests.

“Sacrificing sleep for studying seems to be counterproductive," said Andrew J. Fuligni, a developmental psychologist at

UCLA and the study’s senior author.

Knowledge will sink in best if you study ips t it b regularly during the semester rather than a h y d u St putting if off. That takes careful planning. e. stinat » Do not procra st ju t “Whether you use a wall calendar, no , ily da notes » Review class monthly planner, date book or a self-made before tests. notebook for all your important dates and , tests. ar for deadlines ll upcoming events, make it happen,” ce » Use a calend t ou e for study with Coleman said. “It is important to carve out » Set aside tim al media. a specific time that you will devote only e phones and soci er rf te activities that in to your studies. This means no distrac» Say “no” to e. tions during that time such as cell tim y with stud in binders, fold ls ia er phones, Twitter, TAG and Facebook.” at m e iz » Organ The study habits gained in college can ers. adequate study w become a personality trait and spill over lo al u yo re su » Make into other areas of life. t. bjec time for each su “You come to realize the value of time p. grou » Join a study labs. and planning,” Coleman said. y ud st ol ho sc e of » Take advantag ctor “Time management and money manwith your instru ed nt ai qu ac to » Get id agement will go hand in hand and enable ra af e student now you to ensure that you make the most of and become th your money. Once you become finanask questions. g High leman, Vicksbur cially aware, your allowance or paycheck Source: Lois Co goes further. You become conscious of managing everything that you do.”

Looking for a great education that gives you a great value?

The W is for you.

With a low tuition, The W offers a private-college feel, with a student-faculty ratio of 14 to 1. Your classes will be taught by professors who know you and mentor you.

We’ve been consistently ranked one of the top public regional universities by U.S. News & World Report, Washington Monthly Magazine, and Online College Database.

Dare.

Dream.

Achieve. at a place where you matter...

www.muw.edu/admissions Mississippi Business Journal

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NEXT! 2013 13

COLLEGE LIFE: FRATERNITIES & SORORITIES

Is Greek life for you? all of it) could be attributed to the encourage students to make choices increase in Greek enrollment. Some that are best for them.” people are shocked when they hear that To be a part of the Greek recruitment O GREEK OR NOT to percentage number because they think process, there are interest meetings for Greek may be the it is higher. In reality, that is a very those groups with the NPHC at differquestion for entering high percentage compared to other ent times throughout fall and spring college freshmen. The campuses across the Southeast and semester. “When students become colleges and universination.” interested in a certain organities of Mississippi Ole Miss senior journalism zation, they begin learning have many chapters of major Maridane Hewes joined about the organization national fraternities Delta Gamma sorority in her and go through a Recruiting and sororities which students can join. freshman year because her process called intake,” ss ce ro ent p The recruitm Although they may be known as party- cousin and other family e Wallace said. “After the th y b d is use ing organizations, fraternities and members were sorority memknown as rush ernities and intake process, the y frat sororities perform many hours of com- bers and she knew how much students who are Interfraternit . nic sororities el munity service and offer members a they loved it. “They all said it mutually chosen by the the Panh le support system for acclimating to colwas a wonderful experience student and organization lege life. and a great way to get involved,” become members of the These organizations have a long hisshe said. “Since going through organization.” tory in the United States and tradition- recruitment and becoming initiated, I The recruitment process known as ally use letters of the Greek alphabet have made some great friends and rush is used by the Interfraternity frafor names. Considered the first Greek awesome memories. With DG I have ternities and the Panhellenic sororities. organization, the Phi Beta Kappa also had the chance to get involved “Those interested in going through Society was founded at the College of with our philanthropy, Service for recruitment, register with the Office of William & Mary in 1776.

Sight, whose purpose is to stop blindthe Dean of Students and we help facilAt the University of Southern ness before it happens.” itate an orderly process where each Mississippi, 20 percent of the tradiOle Miss does not specifically person has an opportunity to visit tional undergraduate popuencourage students to join only Greek every available IFC (men) or lation on the organizations. The university does, Panhellenic (women) organization,” Hattiesburg campus however, encourage students to get Wallace said. “IFC and Panhellenic is belongs to Greek atin involved outside their academic mutually exclusive where both the stuGreek is L e m co organizations. “The ty course schedules, according to dent and the organization have to be ri ro d so Fraternity an er, average USM Greek at fr Wallace.

“Research shows that if interested in the each other.” s rd o w in from the Lat makes a 3.0 GPA, d students get involved outside of The final part of recruitment is Bid an , er th ro b which means ns sister. gives 20 hours of classes, they feel more a part of Day when students are offered a bid mea service to the comsoror, which the institution and are much from an organization and can accept or munity and raises $175 more likely to persist and matricu- decline the invitation (bid) to join the for charity each year,” late to graduation,” he said. “Getting organization. university spokesman David involved in one or more student Tisdale said. organizations might include Greek The University of Mississippi’s organizations, but we don’t specifically e: Assistant Dean of Students Scott T. encourage students to join a Greek on averag Greek life to Wallace, Ph.D., says the percentage of ty organization more or less than any ili student’s ab students pledging fraternities and » Adds to a other organization.” graduate. sororities has been between 32 and 34 The university also attempts to facilPA. her overall G percent for many years. “We have seen itate orderly processes for its Greek » Yields a hig pate in ti ar ess to p ci gn in ill w the number of men and women chooss organizations. “Each organization is difse » Increa service. ing to register for the recruitment ferent, with different founding memphilanthropic in the participation ve ti process and the NPHC (National Panac bers, different rituals, and different es at er aduate » Prolif n and post-gr Hellenic Council) intake process io values and academic expectations,” at ci o ss A i Alumn increase drastically since I began in Wallace added. “The university does events.

USM 2005,” he said. “Our enrollment also not make any recommendations about avid Tisdale, D : ce Sour has increased, so some of that (maybe joining a fraternity or sorority, but does LYNN LOFTON

T By

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Mississippi Business Journal

COLLEGE LIFE: SOCIAL MEDIA

Sharing can be for a lifetime Potential employers look at your profile

I

By

BECKY GILLETTE

T IS increasingly more important for anyone, particularly students, to be mindful of what they post on social media and what kind of photos they allow friends to post.

“Your photo having a beer at a party with a cigarette dangling from your fingers may seem like something fun to share with your friends, but the chances of it going viral are even more possible these days,” said Dr. Sue Weakley, senior editor of psdressage.com and an account executive at Phelps Media Group.

“And it's not just engaging in illegal activities. Cyber bullying or posting racial comments can not only hurt the people you disparage, the ramifications could have a lasting effect on your future.”

New social media websites are busy vying to take over market share from Facebook and as social media gains an even stronger hold in society, the chances of you being caught engaging in underage drinking or bullying are even greater. Just be smart.

Surveys have shown that up to 91 percent of employers and recruiters check the Facebook profiles of people who apply for jobs, with nearly half checking other social media sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn. So know that what you post on social media could affect your ability to get a job.

“Posts made now and even in the past can have lasting effects because you can never guarantee that anything deleted from the Internet is permanently erased,” said Olivia Ann Hurst, social media specialist, at the University of Southern Mississippi.

“More and more employers check a potential employee's social media presence before they even call for an interview, so one's presence could be the deciding factor in whether or not they even get the interview, much less the job.”

Do's and Don'ts of Social Media

» Do be discreet in sharing your personal life. » Do be aware who can see it. » Do double check your spelling and grammar. » Do be professional. » Do always respond in an adult and mature way. » Do thoroughly check your social media profiles. » Do let your profiles work for you. » Do make your social media presence part of your resume. » Do make sure you convey a positive attitude. » Do post stuff that makes you look good. » Don’t be a cyber bully. » Don't over-share small, everyday details of your life. » Don’t complain about school or your job. » Don’t get rid of your social media profiles. » Don't make your profiles completely private or hidden. » Don’t try to friend professors. » Don’t spend too much time on social media. » Don’t over share.

Other important tips: » What you post online is not always visible to just you and your friends. » Check your privacy settings at least once a month.

Good things to know: » The Internet always remembers. There's no guarantee you can ever permanently delete anything. » One in five technology industry executives have not hired an employee based on the applicant's social media profiles. » Be safe. Protect yourself and your identity. You never know who is trolling the Internet right now looking for some trusting, naive soul to exploit. Don’t give out your phone number or home address in messages that can be seen by “friends of friends”, which basically can mean “anyone.”

Source: Olivia Ann Hurst, USM social media specialist,

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COLLEGE LIFE: APPS YOU NEED

Helpful apps

Evernote Peek

Math Formulas

Employs the timetested flashcard study method but takes the work out of making the cards. Covers a variety of subjects.

Stores frequently used formulas and also displays images that enhance the function of the formulas.

Graphing

World Atlas

Shakespeare

Calculator

Provides hi-resolution images (in various styles) as well as significant facts and figures about continents, countries and cities.

Stores 41 complete plays and 154 sonnets and includes a glossary of characters and notable phrases.

“Plots and traces multiple equations on the same graph” utilizing a custom keyboard. Not free (currently listed at $2.99) but less expensive than an actual calculator.

Source: mashable.com/2012/08/27/apps-for-high-school-students/

There’s an app for almost every academic endeavor

H By

MIKE CHRISTENSEN

AVING TROUBLE deciphering Shakespeare? There’s an app for that.

Worried about words you might encounter on the SAT? There’s an app for that.

Forgotten a math formula?

Yeah, there’s an app.

In fact, there are mobile applications for smart phones and tablets that purport to help with just about every academic endeavor. The big question is, Which ones are worth your time and/or money?

Scott Albert Johnson, assistant director of college counsel-

ing at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Jackson, said he attends a national conference of counselors every year at which they are “inundated” by various companies with information about their apps.

“It’s impossible for us to know about every app out there,” he said. “The kids today are pretty savvy about finding these things. Typically, they’ll come across something and they’ll come to us to ask about it. The different apps really need to be vetted. And whether they’re useful or not usually depends on the student.”

Johnson noted a couple of apps that he thinks would be helpful for any student prepar-

ing for college.

“Princeton Review has an SAT Vocabulary Challenge that I’d recommend right off the bat,” he said. “It can be good preparation for the PSAT or SAT. … Another good one is Kaplan’s Portable SAT. It gives an overview of the test with possible questions and answers and explanations of the answers. That’s a useful one.”

In general, Johnson said, there are some good learning tools available as apps, “but the student should really check with a counselor or teacher first.”

And keep in mind, of course, that most high schools have stringent rules about the use of phones or tablets in class.

“The kids today are pretty savvy about finding these things. ... And whether they’re useful or not usually depends on the student.”

Scott Albert Johnson, assistant director of college counseling at St. Andrews Episcopal School

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Mississippi Business Journal

THE PRICE OF EDUCATION: PAYING FOR COLLEGE

It’s much more than just paying for tuition and fees By

MIKE CHRISTENSEN

HOOSING A college can get complicated. As Susan Scott of the University of Southern Mississippi admissions office says, “The decision comes from a rational place but also from an emotional place. There’s that intangible quality of fit.”

“Everybody has a pretty brochure to sell the attributes of their school,” Scott said, “but every student doesn’t fit in every school. If it’s not the right fit, you won’t be happy and you

Mississippi Business Journal

won’t be successful.”

One of the big factors in fit is cost. There’s tuition, of course, and housing and meals.

According to USM’s 2013 freshman admission brochure, the cost of general tuition for a year is $6336, housing $5,618 or $3,680 (depending on the residence hall) and meals $2,828 (all students living on campus must purchase a meal plan).

But expenses don’t stop there.

One Southern Miss student said books, especially if you have to buy a new one, can be surprisingly costly. And some classes require a subscription to an online site.

If you move off campus, rent,

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utilities, cable and Internet service become part of the equation.

On the website of each of Mississippi’s public universities there is a “net price calculator” that can help you approximate the cost of attendance at that particular school. “It can depend on many factors,” Scott said. “It’s something every prospective student should check.” » Other costs to consider include: » Travel expenses/gas (around campus, as well as to and from home). » School supplies. » Incidentals (laundry, personal care expenses, etc.). » Entertainment/recreation.

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THE PRICE OF COLLEGE: SCHOLARSHIPS

Come on and try a ‘free ride’ By

LYNN LOFTON

ITH THE COST of college tuition increasing, the push is stronger for students to secure scholarships and grants. For best results, the search needs to start early during the high school years.

Don’t be discouraged if you can’t land a full scholarship. There are ways of stacking financial aid, scholarships and grants – even the smallest dollar amounts can help. Scholarships are awarded on merit and grants are usually based on financial need.

“Everyone talks about a ‘free ride’ but I’m not sure that’s realistic these days,” said Laura E. Driven-Brown, the University of Mississippi financial aid director “We see a lot of combinations of scholarships and grants.”

This financial aid veteran offers the

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available, and we hold FAFSA following advice: » Check the official web(financial aid) workshops to e ic v d a e site of the college you plan Onlin assist students and parents to attend – or your favorite » fastweb.com with financial aid,” said Keri schools - for important Armstrong at Oak Grove High » ycg.org information. All schools School in Lamar County said. » cappex.com om .c tv ty si have the cost of attendance » That all-important Free er iv n » you m o .c online. “It’s a federal initiaApplication for Federal rs o aj » mym 1.com Student Aid (FAFSA) can be 10 rs tive that all colleges now are o aj m ge » colle required to have an online found at www.fafsa.ed.gov or ion.com » simpletuit tool for incoming freshmen, by calling toll free 800-801. » esfweb.com and this will include a net 0576. price calculator if the stu» Be aware that there are dent is receiving financial aid,” Drivenfederal grants such as Pell Grants and Brown said. state grants. Consult counselors and » Know deadlines at the college you financial aid and admissions offices for plan to attend. “They’re all different information. and a there’s a lot of preparation to be » Take the ACT and/or SAT multiple done,” she said. Talk to your parents times to get your scores up. about money, she said. » There are services to help find » Start with your high school counscholarships and financial aid. “Some of selor. “We offer assistance with college these charge fees, but we don’t recomapplications, guidance toward specific mend that,” Driven-Brown said. “Parents scholarships and financial aid that is and students have to be careful.”

the place to be.. successful >,::65 5(;*/,A :047:65

www.colin.edu Copiah-Lincoln Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or other factors prohibited by law in any of its educational programs, activities, admissions, or employment practices.

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Mississippi Business Journal

THE PRICE OF COLLEGE: STUDENT LOANS

They’re loans, not free money By

BECKY GILLETTE

COLLEGE EDUCATION is an investment in one’s own future, which is possibly the most important investment a person will ever make. But before getting a loan, exhaust all possibilities to finance college. Apply for all financial aids and scholarships that are available. Keep living expenses low.

Work part-time to help cover costs.

Borrow only what you need instead of being among those 10 percent of

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4 MAIN SOURCES OF FINANCIAL AID » Federal government » State government » Colleges. » Private scholarship providers, such as foundations, organizations and employers.

“You should start the search for private scholarships as early as possible,” Rogers said. “There are millions of dollars in aid available, but you must actively seek out the dollars and apply. Websites like Fastweb.com and FinAid.org have powerful scholarship search engines. Keep in mind that application deadlines for private scholarship dollars may be earlier than college admission deadlines.”

Typically, you will apply for institutional financial aid as part of the college admissions process; however, some colleges have separate scholarship applications. The scholarship application deadline may also be earlier than the college admission deadline.

Mississippi Business Journal

student loan borrowers who end up with $40,000 or more in debt. Realize that student loans must be repaid.

“Sometimes it is necessary and acceptable to finance an investment, but as with any investment such as that of a car or home, putting money down will reduce the overall cost,” said Jennifer Rogers, director of Student Financial Aid, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. “When financing a college education, grants, scholarships, and income from work act as money down, thereby reducing the amount of tuition and other expenses that must

FAFSA FIRST

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN LOANS

After applying to college, you should first complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), available online at www.fafsa.gov. You should then complete the state application, which is available online at www.mississippi.edu/financialaid between January 1 and September 15 every year. Mississippi students who complete the FAFSA first, can link directly to the state application via a link on the FAFSA completion page and the demographic data will transfer into the state application automatically.

Completing the FAFSA will determine whether you are eligible for a federal subsidized loan, which does not accrue interest while you are still in school. However, Rogers said even federal unsubsidized loans, which do accrue interest while the student is in school, often have repayment terms that are better than some private loans.

» What are the interest rates? » Is their loan subsidized? If so, you don’t have to pay interest while in college. » What does it cost to take out the loan (the origination rate)? » Does the loan include favorable repayment options like income-based repayment and deferments for economic hardship or additional education?

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be financed with interest. You should always seek grants and scholarships that do not have to be repaid before seeking loans.”

Loans are often packaged along with scholarships and grants in an amount equal to the college’s entire cost of attendance. Cost of attendance includes tuition, room and board, books, and living expenses. If you do not need all of the loan money offered in order to be successful in college, you should reduce the amount you borrow. You have the right to determine what you borrow.

BEWARE OF DEBT While getting through college with little or no student loan debt is a lofty ambition, the reality is that an estimated 60 percent of the 20 million college students in the U.S. borrow money to help cover the costs of getting a college degree. That has added up to a staggering $1 trillion in outstanding student loan debt in the U.S. today.

In may seem like a no brainer, but if you don’t want to join the ranks of people who may be paying off students loans until the time their kids head off to college, borrow the least amount possible.

Currently nearly 42 percent of people repaying their student loan are between the ages of 30 and 50.

It is a good idea to consider the amount of potential salary from the field of study you are pursuing when deciding how much in total student loans to take out.

“A wise investor will always consider the potential return on his or her investment,” said Jennifer Rogers, director of Student Financial Aid, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. “You should consider whether your field of study will lead to employment with a livable income. No one wants to postpone life’s major milestones, like getting married, buying a home, and starting a family, because they can’t afford to do those things and repay their student loans.”

NEXT! 2013 19

THE PRICE OF COLLEGE: MILITARY INCENTIVES

It’s a fight for scholarships Competition tough for military money to attend college By

MIKE CHRISTENSEN

ES, THERE IS scholarship money available from the various branches of the military.

No, Uncle Sam isn’t just passing money out.

The competition is steep for a military scholarship. “It’s budget-driven and GPA-driven,� said Gregory Grant, logistics technician with Jackson State University Army ROTC. “The number of scholarships given out depends on how much money is available in a given year. Candidates compete for that money at a national and state level. “We try to get the top-notch athletes, the book-smart kids.

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Obviously, we want the tors considered in e best we can get for the awarding scholarships ic v Online ad scholarship program.â€? are “GPA, class standing, m There are Army ROTC standardized test scores, Âť GoArmy.co programs at most of extracurricular activiÂť Navy.com Mississippi’s public univer- Âť AirForce.com ties, physical fitness, m o .c es sities, including the leadership qualities and in ar M Âť uard.com University of Mississippi, motivation.â€? tG as o C o G Âť rg Mississippi State JSU’s Grant said all .o d ar u G R A Âť University, the University ROTC candidates are of Southern Mississippi, subject to a medical Alcorn State University and physical in addition to an Army Mississippi Valley State University. physical.

Belhaven University, a private The service commitment can school, has an Army ROTC program, vary, Grant said, depending on how as well as Air Force ROTC. far a student advances in the Jackson State also has an Air Force ROTC program. program, and Ole Miss has a The deadline to apply for a milNavy/Marines Corp program. itary scholarship typically is Jan. According to the Naval ROTC 31 of a high school student’s senpage on the Ole Miss web site, fac- ior year.

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Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes students and employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age or qualified disability. For further information, contact the Equal Opportunity Officer at a Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Center, Campus, or the %JTUSJDU Office. Compliance is coordinated by the Vice President for Administration and Finance, Perkinston Campus, P. O. Box 609, Perkinston, Mississippi 39573, telephone number 601-928-5211.

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Mississippi Business Journal

Rogers Stevens 32

7

REALLY COOL PEOPLE

Joel Benjamin

Chris Smith

Billy Hamilton 22

Jamie Ainsworth 24

Tim Beck

Alton Shaw 26 Mississippi Business Journal

Courtesy Alton Shaw

Courtesy Stephanie Taylor

MBJ file photo

Louisville Bats

Natasha Trethewey 34

Stephanie Taylor 30 www.msnext.com

Patrick House 28 NEXT! 2013 21

7 REALLY COOL PEOPLE: BILLY HAMILTON

RUNNING I

By

MIKE CHRISTENSEN

T WAS 10:11 on Friday night, Aug. 30, when Billy Hamilton tweeted the news: “Dream Coming True.”

The Cincinnati Reds had determined their September call-ups. He was on his way to “The Show.”

Four nights later, the 22-year-old Mississippian was standing on first base at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. He was a pinch-runner with simple instructions from Reds manager Dusty Baker: “I need you to get to second base.”

It was Hamilton’s major league debut after five seasons in the minors where he stole 395 bases – including a record 155 in 2012. Now, he found himself in the midst of the National League pennant race. The Reds and Cardinals were scoreless in the seventh inning, and catcher Yadier Molina — who few baserunners challenged — was ready to thwart any attempt by Hamilton to steal second.

“At first base, I haven’t been that nervous in a long time in my life,” Hamilton told MLB.com. “When I got on first base, I had chills running down, but I knew I couldn’t be afraid. This was a big situation, so I knew I had to get to second base because it was my job, and it happened for me.”

Cardinal reliever Seth Maness threw

to first to keep Hamilton close. He threw again. And again. Then he made his first pitch to batter Todd Frazier – and Hamilton sprinted toward second base. Molina’s throw sailed slightly to the right, allowing Hamilton to slide under the tag by second baseman Kolten Wong for his first major league stolen base.

Hamilton scored three pitches later on a double by Frazier. It was the only run of the game.

A minor league star had become a major league legend.

After the game, the base he had stolen was leaning against his locker – no doubt headed back to Taylorsville, where Hamilton starred in high school.

Hamilton has something special, a gift those in baseball call a plusplus tool, a major leaguecaliber skill.

The baseball scouts who flocked to see him play at Taylorsville didn’t have to watch for long to see it.

“Billy is the fastest thing I’ve ever seen on a baseball field – and I’ve been doing this a long time,” said a Mississippi-based scout, who asked not to be identified because he works for a different National League team.

Hamilton was also a football star, good enough as a wide receiver to receive a scholarship offer to Mississippi State. And there are some

The Associated Press

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Mississippi Business Journal

MAN who argue that his best sport might be basketball.

Sports came easy to Hamilton in high school.

But there are the usual questions baseball scouts have about most high school phenoms: Does he have the makeup to survive in the pro game, where everybody was a high school star?

Is he willing to put in the years of work to make it to the majors?

“I didn’t have any doubts,” said the

Taylorsville star finally makes it to the majors with Cincinnati Reds

scout, whose organization liked Hamilton but didn’t draft him.

“In a small town like Taylorsville, you can get information on kids pretty easy. Nobody in Taylorsville said a bad thing about Billy. I’m telling you, if he had any baggage in his past, we’d have heard about it.”

Some teams assumed Hamilton was more interested in playing football at State than riding the buses in the minor leagues.

Some, but not all.

“You could see in the way he played the game that he loved baseball,” the National League scout said. “And he told me straight up, ‘I want to be a big leaguer.’ Now, he wanted to be drafted in a high round, but he was about more than the money.

He told me, ‘I want to make something of myself.’”

The Reds drafted the 6-foot-1, 150-pound Hamilton in the second round of the 2009 draft and signed him for a $623,000 bonus.

Hamilton batted just .205 in the rookie Gulf Coast League in the summer of 2009, though he did steal 14 bases in 43 games. But he improved in 2010, at Billings in the rookie Pioneer League, hitting .318, with 48 steals in 69 games.

In 2011 at low Class A Dayton in the Midwest League, Hamilton hit .278 and stole 103 bases in 135 games.

The Reds sent Hamilton to the high-A California League in 2012. In 82 games for Bakersfield, he hit .278 and cut down on his strikeouts.

He also captured the fancy of the baseball world with his base-stealing exploits. He had 104 when the Reds moved him to Double-A Pensacola.

Double-A is regarded as the biggest jump for a minor leaguer. Hamilton cleared the hurdle, batting .286 in 50 games with the Pelicans while stealing 51 more bases to set a professional single-season record with 155.

In 123 games at Triple-A Louisville, Hamilton batted .256 with 75 stolen bases. He also played in his second All-Star Futures Game.

He also has adjusted well to center field, where, Baseball America says he projects in the major leagues as a plus-defender and a potential Gold Glove winner.

“I’m not surprised by how well he’s done,” the scout said. “He’s swinging (the bat) better than I thought he would at this point in his career. I’m a little surprised at how fast he’s developed.

The Reds have done a great job with him. They’ve let Billy be Billy and use his strengths.

“I root for Billy. People in Mississippi should root for him … we should be proud of him.”

2011 - 103 stolen bases in Class A 2012 - 155 stolen bases in Class A & AA 2013 - 73 stolen bases in AAA Mississippi Business Journal

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NEXT! 2013 23

7 REALLY COOL PEOPLE: JAMIE AINSWORTH

MODEL BEHAVIOR PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIM BECK

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Mississippi Business Journal

Ainsworth finds success on and off the runway By

STEPHEN MCDILL

L

AST SUMMER flew by for JEA Model Management owner Jamie Ainsworth.

In addition to lining up jobs for fashion models at local magazines and upscale shops, she took two of her model clients to New York City to see the global fashion industry up close.

“I think I have a different take. I want to cater to the models,” Ainsworth says. “I don’t want to keep them in the dark. I want them to be comfortable with me and for us to be on the same page.”

Ainsworth graduated from Simpson Academy in Mendenhall and studied fashion merchandising at Mississippi State University and the International Academy of Design & Technology in Tampa, Fla. Her real knowledge of the industry comes from having modeled herself, a world she entered at the age of 13 after attending a photo shoot in Hattiesburg.

“Right now, I’m in the process of recruiting and getting my models because I want to get them trained first then be able to get the work.”

A college degree isn’t necessarily required to be a successful model but there is still plenty to learn if you want to get an edge in the industry.

Ainsworth organizes weekly model coaching lessons that cover everything from how to walk on a runway to having the right photos or comp cards (headshots that list a model’s

Mississippi Business Journal

Ainsworth’s favorite models Heidi Klum: For her tenacity to model commercially for years before getting her first job.

Karlie Kloss: For working with charities and giving back.

Coco Rocha: For giving wacky, beautiful faces not the more common “fierce look.” height, measurements and contact info).

“There are a lot of pretty girls but there’s a difference when someone’s been taught,” Ainsworth says. “I’m wanting to take those pretty girls and teach them how to be models.”

Knowledge is currency in the fashion industry and Ainsworth wants to represent women (and men) who are trained and know everything there is to know about the process, making it easier on the designers, stylists, and photographers they will work with.

Ainsworth signed with BMG Models in Chicago at 15 and started working on her portfolio before coming back to Jackson to sign with modeling agent Sharon Ward. Her earliest jobs were handing out flyers locally for tax services and fragrance companies. At 23, she signed with an Atlanta agency and began working for magazines and attending castings during New York Fashion Week.

“No, I didn’t finish school but I was able to work myself up the ladder,” she said. “I reached the

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point where I could do my own business. There’s not a school thats gonna teach me how to run a modeling agency.”

One thing Ainsworth tells her models up front is that she can’t guarantee them work.

“I can send someone out with all these pictures but it always depends on the client,” she said.

The behind-the-scenes world isn’t as it is sometimes portrayed on television, and models aren’t typically famous. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen is the world’s highest-paid model with $45 million in the bank, but most models barely make ends meet.

“You can’t just go somewhere and have a decent, steady, inbetween salary,” Ainsworth says.

The runway isn’t the only place in the fashion industry to earn a paycheck. In addition to modeling, Ainsworth has worked as a personal style expert and closet organizer for clients, and she was a manager for Mississippi designer Libby Story McRight.

Retail stores need buyers to pick up the latest fashions at market, and there's even work for personal shoppers who buy clothes for clients who want to be the best dressed in town.

Fashion shoots need both photographers for the client and stylists for the models.

“Buyers are usually required to have a degree,” Ainsworth says.

“It’s not just picking out the clothing but also (dealing with) money, accounting and budgeting.”

Wherever someone wants to go in the fashion industry, it takes heaps of determination and passion.

“If I didn't love it I wouldnt go out and start my own business,” Ainsworth says.

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7 REALLY COOL PEOPLE: ALTON SHAW

THR RID Wesson’s mayor loves a rush – when he’s not nursing or ministering By

LYNN LOFTON

A

Photos courtesy of Alton Shaw

Alton Shaw and his wife Christy, have two sons, Benjamin, 13, and Parker, 1.

They are thrill-seekers, and enjoy scuba diving, whitewater rafting, zip-lining and sky diving .

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LTON SHAW is a cool person doing cool things. He gets a lot done because he has mastered the art of multi-tasking. A registered nurse who works in a Hazlehurst hospital emergency room, he was elected mayor of the town of Wesson at age 28 and sworn in for his first term on his 29th birthday. This busy guy has a heart for helping others. Seeing unmet needs in the community, he began Life View Ministries in 2009. Additionally, he gets adrenaline rushes from scuba diving, zip lining and sky diving.

Asked about the time management skills that help him accomplish all that’s going on in his life, Shaw, 39, answered, “I guess I’m a workaholic. I once tried an experiment of setting my watch to go off every 15 minutes and then writing down what I did during those 15 minutes. If you do that, you’ll see how much time is wasted. Also, I don’t watch much TV.” Recently re-elected to a second term as mayor of

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ILL E Wesson, Shaw says he got involved because he wanted to make a difference. “I’m trying to help make positive changes and create an environment that people want to be in,” he said. “I hope we can keep improving the quality of life with amenities and better infrastructure.”

Located in Copiah County, Wesson has grown from a population of 1,600 to 2,000 and added some new businesses during Shaw’s tenure. He describes Wesson as a bedroom community. The town is home to CopiahLincoln Community College where a number of Wesson residents are employed.

Shaw is serving as first vice president of the Mississippi Municipal League, an organization that represents 209 cities and towns in the state, and will move up to president next year.

“Looking ahead, if the opportunity presents itself, I may run for a higher office but now I’m focused on Wesson and making it better,” he said.

Shaw was born in Oxford and lived in Holly Springs before the family moved to Wesson where his dad Mississippi Business Journal

served as police chief. After studying electronics technology, he changed direction and became a paramedic before earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in nursing at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Life View Ministries brings men and boys together for mentoring fatherless boys ages 13 to 15. The organization also raises funds for medical mission trips. The group meets weekly to discuss chapters of the book Young Man in the Mirror. They have special outings that include hunting, fishing and white water rafting too. “Some kids don’t have direction, and they have been receptive to mentoring. We have more people willing to participate than I thought we would,” Shaw said.

“Right now we have only boys but I want to expand and have a program for girls too.”

Shaw and his wife, Christy – a paramedic – were inspired to start the ministry after they went on a mission trip to Nicaragua. They save for trips rather than giving gifts to each other throughout the year. These trips have led to their unusual hobbies. “We love scuba diving. It’s amazing; everyone should try it,” he says. “Sky diving is www.msnext.com

limited because there aren’t that many places to do it. We like zip lining, too.

I think you should constantly push yourself to try something different. If you don’t, you won’t experience life to the fullest.”

The Shaws are the parents of two sons, Benjamin, 13, and Parker, 1. They live in a house that was built in the late 1800s, an abode that claims a good bit of Alton Shaw’s spare time.

Based on his career in health care, Shaw was recently appointed to the State EMS Advisory Council by Gov. Phil Bryant and also serves on the State Board of Nursing.

He can’t imagine doing anything other than what he’s doing in life. “I enjoy trying to help people. All that I do is involved in that,” he said.

Even though he has accomplished a lot, Shaw still has a goal. He has finished the pre requisites for a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. “I may take that into health care. A mayor with a health care background can do some good,” he said.

He has a bit of advice for high school and college students. “Don’t give up on your dreams. I had to work part-time jobs to get through college because I do not come from a wealthy background. Try to better yourself through education and hard work.”

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7 REALLY COOL PEOPLE: PATRICK HOUSE

From

... to one By

F THERE IS ONE resonant message in Patrick House’s story, it might be this: “Don’t fear change.”

House, best known as a winner on “The Biggest Loser,” transformed not only himself but also his career path during his time on that reality TV show three years ago.

The 31-year-old Brandon native, who dropped 181 pounds in the competition, has authored a motivational book, “As Big As A House,” chronicling his fight to lose weight and launched a nationally acclaimed program — LEAN ON ME — aimed at battling obesity in his home state.

“After the show ended, I knew I wanted to get back home to Mississippi and help my family and friends and people all over the state and even the country,” he said. “Help people who struggle like I did with weight problems and weight loss.

“Mississippi has been, for a long time, the most obese state in the country. I wanted to work on changing that.

I wanted to do what I could, use what I learned in California (during the TV show) to help people in Mississippi.”

When he was at Brandon High School (Class of 2000), House was a good student with college aspirations but was primarily motivated by a desire to play college football.

“I wanted to be a college athlete,” he said, “and I looked at colleges based on my ability to play football there.”

Delta State University, an NCAA Division II school in Cleveland, proved to be a good fit.

“I liked the football program and Coach (Steve) Campbell. It was a strong program,” House said. “My brother, Donnie, was already playing baseball

Dec. 14, 2010, won television’s “The Biggest Loser” competition, having lost 45.3 percent of his body weight. He lost 181 pounds from a starting weight of 400 pounds. Winning the competition was worth $250,000.

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MIKE CHRISTENSEN

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Mississippi Business Journal

big winner there, so that was a bonus.

“I toured the campus and really liked the atmosphere. The classes were small, and the idea that the professors knew you, that you weren’t just a seat number … I liked that. The professors were accessible. The scene there just felt right for me.”

House played offensive line, a position that requires bulk. So the 6-foot-2 House bulked up.

And up.

He played for the Statesmen in 2001 and 2002 before suffering an injury.

“I ruptured two discs in my back,” he said. “I had to have back surgery and that ended my playing days.”

Getting a degree became his new motivation, though House said he didn’t enter Delta State with a clear major in mind.

“I wanted to do something in the business area,” he said. “I met with advisors and finally decided that business management would open a lot of doors for me.

“I knew I needed a college degree to get a good job.”

House graduated in May of 2005 and went to work in sales for a food company based in Jackson. By this time, after some three years off the football field, his weight had ballooned to over 400 pounds.

He applied for “The Biggest Loser” in 2005 but was not accepted. Five years later, shortly after losing his sales job, House got a call from the show’s producers inviting him to try out for Season 10.

He survived a series of cuts — over 300,000 were in the original pool of contestants — to make the final three and on Dec. 14, 2010, on live TV, was named “The Biggest Loser,” having lost some 45.3 percent of his body weight.

The prize was $250,000 but the reward went beyond money.

“Once I was picked as a finalist, I wanted to win,” he said. “And I wanted

Mississippi Business Journal

Patrick House has plan to help state fight obesity

“Don’t make important decisions quickly. Take time to reflect on where you are and what you want to do and what will make you happy. Take it all in and enjoy college life. Make friends. Be social. It goes by fast.”

Patrick House Advice to high school students on college

DERYLL STEGALL/Stegall Imagery

to change my life.

“It was tough. I was away from my wife and kids for long periods of time. I was 400 pounds when I started, and the workouts were grueling. I worked out eight to 10 hours a day. Along with the physical work, you’re working on changing your mindset. You want to be able to keep the weight off after the show is over.

“I never thought about quitting, but there were times when I wondered if my back would hold up. … I stuck with it. I lost the weight.”

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He also resolved several other health issues brought on by his excessive weight, including sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

House, considered by some to be the face of Mississippi’s battle against obesity, has made it his mission to deliver his message to school children through the LEAN ON ME program.

LEAN ON ME is an acronym for Learn, Eradicate, Advocate, Nullify Obesity Now in Mississippi’s Educational system.

“I like to share my story,” House said.

NEXT! 2013 29

7 REALLY COOL PEOPLE: STEPHANIE BARNES TAYLOR

Building careers After changing major 8 times, Greenville native’s life work comes to Fruition

G

By

LISA MONTI

REENVILLE NATIVE Stephanie Barnes Taylor has built a career on her passion for reading, writing, analyzing and creating. Two careers, in fact.

The Harvard-educated lawyer is chief legal officer and general counsel for Singing River Health System in Jackson County. Taylor also is “chief excellence consultant” for her Fruition Group, LLC, which offers leadership development and strategic planning outside the health system. She conducts classes and seminars on various leadership topics and has written two books on leadership.

Taylor chose her company’s name for its literal meaning: bringing things to life, to completion. “One of the things I really enjoy in life is helping others to find their personal best, to bring their goals to life and to bring their ideas to fruition. I see my role as helping people make their idea a reality.”

Taylor said she sees herself as a conduit in the leadership development process.

“I don’t do anything for people other than help them capitalize on the strengths and positive aspects that they already have but they’re not really giving themselves credit for.”

In both her jobs, Taylor helps people discover their potential.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Barnes Taylor

30 NEXT! 2013

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Mississippi Business Journal

“I like to find in them what they’ve not yet found in themselves and help them realize their personal strengths and help them build confidence and to have a framework for bringing their ideas forth.”

Taylor herself needed some help along the way during college. She said she changed majors eight times before settling on one. “I had a difficult time figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up,” she laughingly said.

Finally, her love of reading, writing and analyzing led her to an English major.

After graduating summa cum laude from Tougaloo College in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English came the choice of graduate school or law school. She chose the law.

“I was very fortunate,” she said. “I had a college professor who really encouraged me to apply to schools I wanted to go to.” She put forth her best effort and applied to some top schools: New York University, Harvard, Duke, Georgetown, Yale and Emory. She was accepted by all the schools except Yale.

Applying was the first step, she said. “I think many students, particularly from Mississippi, become intimidated by Harvard Law School and don’t apply. The only thing I would be out of would be my application fee and the effort of applying so I went forward with it and was fortunate enough to be selected.”

When it came time to choose what type of law she was going to practice, Taylor stayed with what she loves. “I do a lot of contracts and don’t litigate at all. I stuck with those things I really enjoy, which

Mississippi Business Journal

are reading, writing, analytical skills and creating.”

In her career working with others in their development, Taylor said two lessons stand out: continuous learning and finding a purpose.

“There are so many things in the world to learn and to help make yourself better,” she said. “Not getting out of your comfort zone to learn new skills is a mistake and a disservice. It’s really important to not settle for being good, but to be your personal best and to strive to be great at what you do.”

Taylor said she believes everyone has a purpose and something we are passionate about. “When we tap into that, it helps us to be our personal best but it also contributes to others around us and makes them better.”

Taylor said encouraging others to succeed has helped her as well.

“It’s all about giving to others.” she said. “I really believe we should live our lives with an abundance mentality, focusing on the fact that we don’t have to keep knowledge to ourselves and we become so much better when we help others.”

In addition to her job and her company, Taylor is devoted to her family. Her husband, Dr. Jerrod Taylor, is a physician on staff at Singing River Health System.

The couple has two sons, Nicolas, 13, and Marcus, 10.

They live in Ocean Springs.

Between family, work and community involvement, finding time to do leadership development can be a challenge. “I find ways to give meaningful time to it but I’m always wishing that I had more,” said Taylor. “It’s a matter of planning. I love strategic planning so my life is a constant strategic planning exercise.”

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NEXT! 2013 31

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

Come to work every day — on time.

Make smart decisions.

Follow directions.

Concentrate on my work and care about the quality of my work.

Read, write and calculate well.

Recognize problems and find solutions.

Finish a job when I’m supposed to without sacrificing quality.

Be honest and dependable.

Work hard and take the lead.

Communicate well and get along with others — especially customers.

Dress properly and practice good grooming.

Be cooperative and have a positive attitude.

Be drug free.

601-948-1222; P.O. Box 22607, Jackson, MS 39225-2607 www.mma-web.org

For information about careers in advanced manufacturing, visit www.DreamItDoItMS.org.

7 REALLY COOL PEOPLE: ROGERS STEVENS

‘A left turn at Albuquerque’

Photo by Chris Smith/Coutesy of Rogers Stevens

From 1991 to 1999, Rogers Stevens, right, of West Point was a part of the alternative rock group Blind Melon. The band reformed with Stevens in 2006.

Law school strikes chord with Blind Melon guitarist

B

By

BECKY GILLETTE

RIGHT LIGHTS. Big cities. Playing on stages with thousands of cheering fans. Touring with the likes of the Rolling Stones and Neil Young. Playing on Saturday Night Live. Few musicians experience the success that came to the group Blind Melon, which was formed when three guys from northeast Mississippi who played in bands while they were in high school joined with two musicians in Los Angeles.

After high school, lead guitarist Rogers Stevens and his band mate Brad Smith, both from West Point, headed out for Los Angeles to make a career in music. They later invited Glen Graham from Columbus to join them, and added two musicians they met in L.A., lead singer Shannon

32 NEXT! 2013

Hoon and rhythm guitarist Christopher Thorn, to launch the alternative rock group Blind Melon.

The group was signed to Capitol Records in 1991 and released its debut album, “Blind Melon” in 1992 with the track, “No Rain,” becoming a smash hit. The album went platinum four times over. In 1993 the group toured opening for acts such as Neil Young and Lenny Kravitz, and by 1994, they began headlining their own tour. A second album, “Soup,” was released in 1995.

“We packed a lot of living in a few years,” Stevens recalls. “There were a lot of highlights. It was an intense time when our records were coming out, and we were touring with the Rolling Stones, our heroes, and other great groups. It was an incredible experience.”

Then there was a tragedy that is all too common in rock music circles. Hoon, only 28 at the time, died of a drug overdose on the band’s tour bus in

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Mississippi Business Journal

October 1995. The band released its final album, “Nico,” in 1996.

Finding a replacement for Hoon proved to be difficult, and the band broke up in 1999. Stevens went on to play for the band Extra Virgin that released one album before that band broke up in 2002.

Then, in 2006, Blind Melon reformed with a new vocalist, Travis Warren, “It was the original four guys, and our new singer, who is phenomenal,” Stevens said. “He is just a real talent.

This guy nails it.”

When NEXT! caught up with Stevens in the summer of 2013, the group had done recent tours in Spain and Mexico, and was headed to do some shows in the Midwest. A South American tour was planned in the fall.

“We have fun,” Stevens said. “Right now that is my primary goal in doing it. I’ll keep doing it as long as it is feasible for me to do it.”

But his career in music may have to take a backseat to being a family man and beginning a new career in law, something he calls “a left turn in

Albuquerque.” After being gone 10 months of the year in 2008, in 2009 Stevens went to college for the first time, studying philosophy at Temple University. Then he went on to the University of Pennsylvania. He spent this summer working as an intern for a large law firm in Philadelphia, Ballard Spahr.

“I just finished my second year of law school at the University of Pennsylvania,” Stevens said. “I‘ve got one more year. When you have a career in music, you don’t really have a home.

You just jump around to different cities. I loved touring. But the older you get, the less fun it is. I didn’t want to be on the road all the time anymore.

It was too unstable. My wife, Joanna, and I have two young children, and to sustain a career in the record business now really requires you to be out on the road a lot.”

Stevens’ mid-life career shift has roots in his youth.

“My dad was a lawyer in West Point,” Stevens said. “I grew up there watching him practice law. I got interested in law partially because of Dad and dealing

with it a lot in the record business.”

At the age of 43, Stevens is the oldest person in his class, but not the only one with many accomplishments.

Classmates include an Olympic medalist and a grand master chess champion.

Stevens doesn’t plan a career in entertainment law. He is most interested in any type of litigation. He isn’t sure what the future will bring as far as continuing to perform as a musician.

“We book shows six months in a row so I don’t know what will happen,” he said.

Stevens is proof that you can reinvent yourself at any age.

“People who know what they want to do at age 18 are rare,” he said.

“If there is something you are passionate about, you have to find a way to pursue that. It doesn’t necessarily preclude going to college. Try to get as broad an education as you can. Maybe you will be exposed to something that will show you the path. But if you don’t at least like what you do, you are setting yourself up for problems later. If you have a dream, you have to somehow reconcile that.”

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NEXT! 2013 33

7 REALLY COOL PEOPLE: NATASHA TRETHEWEY

MAKING POETRY COOL Coast’s Trethewey U.S. poet laureate for a second time

N

By LYNN LOFTON

ATASHA TRETHEWEY is helping make poetry cool. The Mississippian has traveled a path of success from her Gulfport hometown to the nation’s capital where she serves as the 19th U.S. poet laureate. The Pulitzer-prize winning poet has been named to a second term as poet laureate and is simultaneously serving as poet laureate for Mississippi.

At Atlanta’s Emory University, Trethewey is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of English and creative writing. She is the author of four collections of poetry, Domestic Work, Bellocq’s Ophelia, Native Guard – for which she won the Pulitzer Prize – and most recently Thrall. Her book of non-fiction, Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, was published in 2010.

This accomplished writer has received numerous awards, including a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Beinecke Library at Yale University, and the Bunting Fellowship Program of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard.

At 46, Trethewey is one of the youngest to hold the poet laureate title and the first Southerner in more than a quarter-century. “Permission is the word that I think of first,” she says of the appointment. “I feel as if I have permission to be the poet that I am, to have my concerns and investigate them, and that’s liberating.”

Natasha Trethewey of Gulfport is one of the nation’s youngest poet laureates.

Photo courtesy of Matt Valentine

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Mississippi Business Journal

Trethewey sees the laureateship as a type of ambassador role through which she can welcome the public to the unexpected power of poetry. “Social justice may not be the aim when poets sit down to write, but it can be an outcome,” she said.

She recalls being bored and lonely as a child and immersing herself in books, taking on an entire set of 1967 encyclopedias. “One day I came upon the section ‘Races of Man,’ where I learned what were supposed to be distinguishing racial characteristics – that if you were white, the ratio of femur to tibia was different than if you were black,” she said. “I sneaked into my grandmother’s workroom to steal away with her tape measure, thinking it would finally reveal to me who and what I was.”

Trethewey was encouraged by her father, a college professor and poet originally from Canada, to write about her feelings and experiences. “Poetry makes us more observant, more compassionate, empathetic,” she says. “I write because I cannot stand by and say nothing; because I strive to make sense of the world I’ve been given.”

She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in English and creative writing from Virginia’s Hollins University and a master’s of fine arts in poetry from the University of Massachusetts.

Finding an interest in writing early in life has helped Trethewey see the world around her more clearly. She says to young people, “Poetry remains our best means of communicating with each other, of touching not only the intellect but the heart.”

Her poems, which range from ballad to sonnet to free verse, are meditative yet straightforward, bursting with sensory imagery but not overwrought. She says she doesn’t steer clear of emotions, but embraces them, giving voice to scarred-over grievances, tightly held joys, loved ones’ betrayals, our nation’s collective dirty laundry – sometimes quite literally.

“I try to write in such a way that even a casual reader might say, ‘I know what’s being said to me, that someone is talking to me.’ I want the surface of my poems to shimmer with a type of clarity,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many

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times I’ve had students hear something they can’t understand, and say, ‘Oh, that’s deep.’ Why is it deep, because you don’t get it?”

Trethewey says she truly believes that poetry is the best repository for our most humane, ethical and just feelings. “We can be made to experience the world, the interior lives of other human beings, by reading poetry,” she said, “and I encourage students to read and write poetry.”

The poet laureate position was established in 1936 as the chair of poetry with a gift from the philanthropist Archer Huntington. The poet is selected by the librarian of Congress with input from former poet laureates, the library’s Poetry and Literature ‘Center, critics and recommendations from the public.

The official duties include working on personal poetry, giving public readings, surveying the existing collections at the Library of Congress, corresponding with authors and collectors, conferring with scholars and other poets, answering inquiries from the public and editing a quarterly literary magazine.

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NEXT! 2013 35

DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY

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Mississippi’s colleges Courtesy of Mississippi College

Public Universities Alcorn State University Page 38

Delta State University

Private Universities Belhaven University

Page 39

Page 47

Jackson State University

Blue Mountain College

Page 40

Mississippi State University Page 41

Mississippi University for Women Page 42

Mississippi Valley State University

University of Southern Mississippi

Page 55

Mississippi Delta

Copiah-Lincoln

Page 64

Page 56

Mississippi Gulf Coast

East Central

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Page 48

East Mississippi

Northeast Mississippi

Millsaps College

Page 58

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Hinds

Northwest Mississippi

Mississippi College Page 50

Rust College Page 51

Tougaloo College Page 44

Coahoma

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University of Mississippi

Community Colleges

Page 52

William Carey University

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Holmes Page 60

Itawamba Page 61

Jones County Page 62

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Pearl River Page 68

Southwest Mississippi Page 69

Meridian Page 63

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MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC COLLEGES

For Mississippi Business Journal

F » ZACKEOUS JOHNSON Major: Agricultural Business Management Liberty

Z

ACKEOUS JOHNSON is like a walking encyclopedia when it comes to Alcorn State University. He easily rattles off facts and figures showing why ASU is a top choice for students.

But, Zackeous uses his heart more than his head when talking about what “The ‘corn” has meant to him.

“Alcorn State has given me so much, I just want to give back,” said Zackeous.

A native of tiny Liberty, Zackeous was senior class president at Amite County High School, and though he didn’t grow up on a farm, he is now a junior at Alcorn studying agricultural business management.

“I went into that field because I think I can help find solutions to hunger throughout the world,” Zackeous said.

Involvement is important to Zackeous. He is the president of Alcorn’s junior class, and when not in the classroom he is usually participating in community service projects. He also likes to fish and ride bikes, work with various clubs and just hang out on campus and share with his fellow students as well as the university’s faculty and staff.

His goal is to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as enter graduate school to earn a master’s degree.

“I certainly have no regrets with my decision to come to Alcorn,” Zackeous said. “It is the best school in the state and nation as far as I am concerned, and I highly recommend it to others.”

OR MORE THAN 140 years, Alcorn State University has educated leaders in a full range of professions — agriculture, the arts, business, human services, education, law, politics, medicine, nursing, and more.

And, the university is promising to offer its students even more in the future.

Alcorn State’s main campus is in Southwest Mississippi near Lorman, about halfway between Vicksburg and Natchez. In addition to classes on the Lorman campus, “The Corn” operates the School of Business and School of Nursing as well as providing nursing classes in Natchez. It also offers a large slate of courses in Vicksburg.

The main campus encompasses 1,700 acres, and the school enrolls thousands of students each year from across the state, the U.S. and the world.

Whatever you choose to study, the university’s people will be there at every step — as you select general courses and explore majors as an underclassman to completing your courses in your major of choice.

While Alcorn State looks to the future with hope and anticipation, it also takes great pride

in its past. Founded in 1871, Alcorn State immediately became a pioneer — it was the nation’s first-ever state-supported institution of higher learning dedicated to the education of African-Americans.

Today it remains the oldest predominately black land-grant institution in the country.

But, Alcorn State has set its sights squarely on tomorrow. Dr. M. Christopher Brown II, president of Alcorn, came in several years ago, and announced a new day had dawned. He promised while the university would honor its past, it would strive to move forward, making sure its graduates were ready to go out and be the next-generation of local, state, national and world leaders.

In addition to its seemingly endless list of degrees and majors, Alcorn State offers dozens of clubs, intramural sports, student government and many, many other activities to keep you busy. The Braves play in the competitive Southwestern Athletic Conference, fielding everything from football and basketball to golf and track teams.

– WALLY NORTHWAY

» ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY » www.alcorn.edu » Address: 1000 ASU Drive, Lorman, MS 39096 » Phone: 601-877-6147 » Fax: 601-877-6347 » Email: ebarnes@alcorn.edu » Website: www.alcorn.edu » Year Founded: 1871 » President: M. Christopher Brown II » Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,208 » Financial Aid: Grants, work study, loans, scholarships » Annual Tuition: Mississippi residents - $5,712; Out-ofstate residents - $14,052 » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board

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Costs: $ 8,000 » Average ACT: 18 » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 93% for AY2012 » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 1:18 » Popular Majors: Ag Economics, Biology, Business Administration, Elementary Education, Child Development, Nursing, Pre-professional and Pre-graduate School Programs » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Natchez, Vicksburg » Director of Admissions: Emanuel Barnes » Famous Alumni: Donald Driver, Myrlie Evers, Alyce Griffin Clark, Medgar Evers, Steve McNair, Alex Haley and Michael Clark

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Duncan » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? We were named the 2012 HBCU of the Year by the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy.

We are a family with nurturing environment. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? At Alcorn, students are provided with opportunities to earn scholarships and internships, and to participate in enriching activities, like participating in President Obama's second inauguration.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC COLLEGES

D For Mississippi Business Journal

ELTA STATE University has always moved to a different beat, and that rhythm is about to make the campus dance.

Located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, the birthplace of American music, Delta State has long been a place to study music through such offerings as the university’s Delta Music Institute.

Now, plans are underway to build a Grammy Museum — yes, the same Grammy folks who you see on TV giving out awards to recording artists. It will be the first such museum outside of Los Angeles, and will add to the Delta Music Institute’s offerings.

And, that is not the only new happening at DSU. It has a new president, William “Bill” LaForge, who has hit the ground running. His father was a Delta State professor, and he has served as a lobbyist in Washington and was chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. LaForge promises to increase the university’s student recruitment efforts, build international relationships and more.

While all of this is exciting, it’s not like DSU is a stranger

» MARY LAWSON Major: Higher Education Greenwood

T

HOUGH MARY LAWSON grew up just down the road from DSU, she admits she really wasn’t leaning that way.

“I grew up in the small Delta town of Greenwood, just 45 miles from Cleveland,” Mary said. “Delta State University was not my first choice. In fact, Delta State was not an option at all.”

Instead, Mary went to a larger university. It didn’t take her long to realize she had made a mistake. “When I arrived on campus in the fall of my freshman year, I was overwhelmed by the large size and student population. Having graduated from Pillow Academy in 2009 with a class of just 67 students, I was more familiar with small classrooms and teachers who knew me by name.”

So, Mary transfered to Delta State, which turned out to be the perfect fit.

“During my time here I have had the opportunity to get involved in various aspects of student life and form meaningful friendships that will last long after graduation. The Delta State family has had a huge impact on my decision to pursue my Ed.D. in higher education so that I can mentor and help college students in the same way that the DSU faculty and staff mentored and helped me.”

to change. It started in 1924 as a teacher’s college in Cleveland.

Today, the university bears little resemblance to its early days, offering everything from English to business to nursing.

Not only can you study to enter the music recording industry, Delta State is Mississippi’s only public university that offers commercial aviation as a major.

Outside the classroom, the offerings are even wider still.

Delta State has dozens of student organizations, honor societies, religious organizations, fraternities, sororities and, of course, performing groups. The university’s Bologna Performing Arts Center is a state-of-theart facility that brings in world-class talent.

Few institutions of higher learning anywhere can match Delta State’s athletics. Its teams, both men and women, have more than 50 conference titles, and have won national championships — nine to be exact. The baseball team has played in the World Series 10 times. DSU cheerleaders have won the national championship six times.

– WALLY NORTHWAY

» DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY » www.deltastate.edu » Address: Kent Wyatt Hall Room 117, Cleveland, MS 38733 » Phone: (800) GO-TO-DSU » Fax: (662) 846-4684 » Email: admissions@deltastate.edu or gotodsu@gmail.com » Website: www.deltastate.edu » Year Founded: 1924 » Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,176 (2012-2013) » Financial Aid: Scholarships, federal aid, loans, work study » Semester Tuition: $3,006 (2013-14 year) There are no outof-state tuition fees » Average Semester Housing & Meals: $3,401 » Freshman Applicants Accepted: 797 (fall 2011) » Application Deadline: Apply for admission year-round

Mississippi Business Journal

» Average ACT: 20.5 » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 64% » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 1:12 » Popular Majors: elementary education, athletic training, nursing, business, biology, social work » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Greenville, Clarksdale, 2+2 with Hinds and Holmes » Director of Admissions: Dr. Deborah S. Heslep » Famous Alumni: David “Boo” Ferriss, Margaret Wade, Dr. John C. Merrill, Dr. Clyde Muse, Bill LaForge, David Abney, Barry Lyons, Fred Karl. » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? Student safety is a

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priority at Delta State University. The University Police Department offers an emergency text messaging alert to students, faculty and staff.

There are seven emergency phones strategically located across campus.

Other programs include campus escorts, vehicle boosts and unlocks, a bicycle theft prevention program, crime reporting, suicide prevention and health and wealth awareness. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? Delta State is home to The Fighting Okra, a student-adopted mascot. Students can earn degrees in commercial aviation and mapping technology. Our Delta Music Institute has its own record label and mobile music lab.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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I » DARRELL ROBINSON Major: Mass Communications Jackson

L

IKE A LOT of high school students, Darrell Robinson was unsure about what he wanted to do after he graduated, and he wasn’t really leaning toward college.

And then he visited Jackson State University.

“I was inspired by what I found at JSU,” said Darrell, who is from Jackson and is a junior studying mass communications. “Everybody there was so helpful, friendly — I was treated like family.” After a pause, he added, “And, they gave me a full scholarship. So, they even took care of me financially.”

Darrell says he certainly has no regrets about choosing Jackson State.

He is currently interning in JSU’s communications department — a paying job — and says he enjoys attending JSU athletic events, playing basketball and video games and generally just hanging out with friends.

Darrell says he wants to continue what he is doing now — work and school.

“I plan on going into the workforce when I finish here at Jackson State, but I want to get my master’s while I work,” he says. “My goal is to attend Columbia University and work as a journalist.”

When asked if his family was glad he stayed close to home or have gotten tired of him showing up all the time with his dirty laundry, Darrell said with a laugh, “You know, I think it’s a little of both.”

F YOU LIKE being in the center of it all, then Jackson State University is the place for you.

The university is the state’s only urban university.

Jackson State is near museums, restaurants, concert halls, dance clubs and a whole lot more. It’s definitely big time in the big city.

Students worldwide (approximately 50 foreign countries) attend JSU. Some of JSU’s most popular majors are education, economics, finance, general business and biology.

Jackson State is also a topflight research institution. In the last few years, the university has received hundreds of millions of dollars worth of contracts to study everything from homeland security to heart disease. JSU operates dozens of research centers and outreach programs.

JSU consistently ranks No. 1 in the nation in the number of degrees awarded to African Americans.

If you need a little break from class, Jackson State offers tons of intramural sports — from basketball and soccer to dominoes and billiards. And, you’re guaranteed to love the state-of-the-art Walter Payton Center, a recreational facility named for the great NFL star and JSU graduate.

Speaking of sports, Jackson State fields excellent athletes and teams. A member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the men’s and women’s Tiger teams are winners in everything from football and baseball to track and volleyball.

And, when you go to those football games, you’ll definitely want to stick around for the halftime show. JSU’s marching band, the Sonic Boom of the South, is known world-over for its sound and its moves, and is routinely pointed to as one of the finest music groups on the planet.

When it’s time to get some sleep, you’ll find Jackson State’s residence halls a dream. JSU offers a number of living options, all designed to make you feel at home, as well as plenty of eateries.

Jackson State offers a full lineup of financial aid choices. These include grants, loans, work study, scholarships and more.

If you’re wanting your college experience to be little more fastpaced yet homey, with some music and a few bright lights thrown in, as well as a worldclass education, then Jackson State may be the Mississippi public university for you.

– WALLY NORTHWAY

» JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY » www.jsums.edu » Address: 1400 John R. Lynch St. Jackson, MS 39217 » Phone: 601-979-2121 » Website: www.jsums.edu » Year Founded: 1877 » President: Carolyn W. Meyers, Ph. D. » Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,819 (fall 2012) » Financial Aid: Loans, grants, work-study, scholarships » Annual Tuition: Mississippi residents – $ 3,174; Out-of-state – $3,174 + 4,602 non resident fees = $7,776 » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board Costs: $3,639

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» Average ACT: 19 » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 91% » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 16:1 » Popular Majors: Economics, finance & general business, accounting, criminal justice, biology, computer engineering, health policy and management » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Mississippi e-Center at JSU, Universities Center, Jackson Medical Mall, 101 Centre, JSUMadison and Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium » Director of Admissions: Janieth F. Wilson-Adams » Famous Alumni: Walter Payton, NFL Hall of Fame; Tonea

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Stewart, actress; Rod Paige, former Secretary of Education; Vivian Brown, meteorologist; Cassandra Wilson, jazz artist » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? Beyond having a degree, Jackson State University graduates tend to be successful in life. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? All first-time, fulltime freshmen get iPads.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC COLLEGES

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S » PAROMITA MITRA Major: Aerospace Engineering Hattiesburg

OW OFTEN DO THE worlds of beauty pageants and rocket science collide?

For Paromita Mitra, a Mississippi State University senior aerospace engineering major and Miss Mississippi USA 2013, these worlds come together every day. Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and raised in Hattiesburg, Paromita always had many different dreams and areas of interest.

Paromita began competing in pageants at Oak Grove High School and then in Miss Teen Mississippi. She was Miss Teen Mississippi 2009 and, upon attending MSU, won the title of Miss Maroon and White 2011.

However, she see her future in aerospace engineering.

“My goal is to be an astronaut. I want to work at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas,” Paromita said.

Paromita has used both her involvement in pageants as well as with the rocket team in the MSU aerospace engineering department, the Space Cowboys, to realize her own potential. She recently spoke with Gov. Phil Bryant about the future of education and the aerospace industry in the state, as well as hosted more than 50 girls from the I Am Girl organization with the MSU Space Cowboys to teach them about aerospace science and build rocket kits.

She also traveled to the Air Force Academy in Colorado to speak to more than 900 young adults on the importance of science education “Coming to State was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Being involved in aerospace engineering made me fall in love with this place,” she said.

H

OMETIMES, FOLKS refer to it simply as “Bulldog Country.”

Officially called Mississippi State University, supporters love their school, and are not too proud to say it loud — even if that means ringing a cowbell or two.

Mississippi State certainly seems big enough to be a country. In all, the campus rings in at about 4,200 acres, making it the state’s largest public university.

MSU was founded in 1878 as an agricultural and mechanical college. You can still earn your degree in those areas, but today State offers much more.

Mississippi State counts students from every county in Mississippi, all 50 U.S. states and more than 70 foreign countries. They come to Starkville to study everything from landscape architecture and accounting to chemistry and software engineering. The land-grant university provides dozens of majors, concentrations and certificates, and perhaps is best known for its world-class research, studying everything from catfish to automobile manufacturing.

The value of a state education has not gone unnoticed.

Publications such as Kiplinger and Forbes have ranked MSU near the top in the entire nation for giving students a lot of edu-

cation at a reasonable cost.

Financial aid personnel provide support, offering scholarships, grants, loans, work study, waivers and many more options. In fact, some of the financial aid offerings at Mississippi State can be found at no other institution of higher learning in the world.

State has too many residence choices to list. The living is good on the Starkville campus that offers all of the amenities imaginable. There are also scores of places to eat, drink and just take it easy.

Out of class but want to do something? Mississippi State has intramural sports, student government, clubs, fraternities and sororities and more.

Bulldog sports fans are known for their cowbells, and can really make a racket for the Maroon and White. The university fields scores of men’s and women’s athletic teams, competing in everything from football and basketball to volleyball and track and field. And, the “Left Field Lounge” is truly one of the greatest places to watch a baseball game in the country.

There is a bit of everything at State, and room for everybody.

Visit “Bulldog Country” and see what the noise is all about.

– WALLY NORTHWAY

» MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY » www.msstate.edu » Address: Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6018, Mississippi State, MS 39762 » Phone: (662) 325-2323 » Fax: (662) 325-1MSU » Email: admit@msstate.edu » Website: www.msstate.edu » Year Founded: 1878 » President: Dr. Mark E. Keenum » Undergraduate Enrollment Fall 2012: 16,390 Financial Aid: Scholarships, grants and loans

Mississippi Business Journal

» Annual Tuition for Fall 2013: $6,772 in-state/$10,188 out-of-state » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board Costs for Fall 2013: $8,647 (a weighted average for oncampus housing plus $3550 for the ultimate meal plan) » Freshman Applicants Accepted, Fall 2012: 7,245 » Application Deadline: Rolling admission » Average ACT Fall 2012: 23.6 » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid in Fall 2012: 75% of freshmen

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» Faculty-to-Student Ratio in Fall 2012: 19:1 » Popular Majors in Fall 2012: Kinesiology, biological sciences, elementary education » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Meridian » Director of Undergraduate Admissions: Lori Ball » Famous Alumni: Hartley Peavey, E.B. McCool, John Grisham DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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D » TIMOTHY MBOGO Major: Accounting Birmingham, Ala.

T

IMOTHY MBOGO WANTS to make one thing clear to all the NEXT! readers — he is NOT the only male at the Mississippi University for Women.

“I would tell other guys not to be too intimidated by the name,” said Timothy, a native of Kenya, Africa. “It surprises me how many people know about MUW and its history, so not everyone will think of you as going to a women’s school.

“I chose MUW for several reasons,” said the accounting major. “The first reason is I wanted to get away and live on my own for a while. My parents reside in Birmingham, Ala., and I thought the college experience would be more enjoyable away from home. The second reason is MUW is a small school with a family atmosphere. I was never attracted to big schools; I was more excited about small classroom sizes, professors I could seek help from, and having close friends around me. The last reason is scholarships. Money helps a ton when making decisions.”

Extracurricular activities are another plus. “There are over 75 organizations on campus which gives each student a huge opportunity to get involved,” he said.

He said he wants to move straight into an entry-level accounting position, but he still wants more education. “I will enroll in graduate school, and continue striving to be a certified public accountant,” he added.

ON’T LET THE name fool you, fellows!

It’s called Mississippi University for Women, and, indeed, at one time it only enrolled females.

But, that was a long time ago now — decades ago, in fact — and guys now also live and study at “The W.” The addition of males was another chapter in the rich history of Mississippi University for Women, which was founded in 1884. And, while MUW has kept up with the changing times, it has made sure to honor its past, and has more historic buildings on its campus than any other public university in Mississippi.

Of its roughly 60 buildings, nearly half are on the National Register of Historic Places.

MUW offers dozens of majors and concentrations. Some of its most popular majors are education, nursing, business and culinary arts. The university has worked hard to make MUW seem small, with a low studentto-faculty ratio and a familytype atmosphere. The educational opportunity and environment draw students from all over to MUW. Located in Columbus and encompassing 114 acres, MUW’s offerings have attracted consid-

erable attention from the media.

U.S. News & World Report, Consumer Digest and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance have ranked MUW nationally for the value of the education.

One of the things that makes MUW so great is its financial aid. Again using a personal approach, MUW financial aid counselors are there to help, and can offer scholarships, work study, loans, grants and more.

While many of its buildings are historical, its residential rooms are modern and offer all the things you need to make it home away from home. The university has several residence hall choices, and, known for its culinary arts curriculum, it also offers plenty of tasty food.

When you’re looking for a little relaxation or self-fulfillment, Mississippi University for Women has choices galore.

There is a wealth of arts performances, lectures and seminars, dozens of clubs, intramural sports and student organizations.

Mississippi University for Women offers a mix of old and new, large and small. It is a good spot for someone looking to get a modern education in an historic setting.

– WALLY NORTHWAY

» MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN » www.muw.edu » Address: 1100 College St., Columbus, MS 39701-5800 » Phone: 1-877-462-8439 » Fax: (662) 241-7481 » Email: admissions@muw.edu » Website: www.muw.edu » Year Founded: 1884 » President: Dr. Jim Borsig » Enrollment: 2,650 » Financial Aid: Scholarships, state aid, financial aid, student loans, work-study » Annual Tuition: Mississippi residents – $5,640; Out-ofstate residents – $15,360 » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board

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Costs (least expensive residence hall): $6,183 » Average ACT: 22 » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 98% » Student-to-faculty Ratio: 14:1 » Popular Majors: Nursing, education, business, culinary » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Tupelo » Director of Admissions: Shelley Moss, Interim Director » Famous Alumni: Eudora Welty, author; Elizabeth Hazen, scientist; Dorothy Bush, former Democratic Party secretary; Blanche Colton Williams, writer; Evelyn McPhail, former co-chair of the Republican National Committee; Lenore Prather, first female state Supreme Court Justice in Mississippi; Valerie Jaudon, artist; Denise Dillard, playwright; Toni Seawright, first black Miss

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Mississippi. » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? The W has a strong academic reputation and has consistently been ranked by “U.S. News & World Report” and “Washington Monthly” magazines. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? The W has a familylike atmosphere, which helps prepare students to become tomorrow's leaders by focusing on scholarship, leadership, development and community service.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC COLLEGES

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O » MARITZA KENITA JOHNSON Major: Social Work Prentiss

ARITZA KENITA JOHNSON has come to Mississippi Valley State University and taken the Itta Bena campus by storm.

A native of Prentiss and graduate of Prentiss High School, Maritza is a 21-year-old firstgeneration honor student. She entered Mississippi Valley State University in the fall of 2010 as a social work student and quickly became involved in campus activities. She is a member of the University Ambassadors, The Talented Tenth Student Leadership Institute, Women’s Institute for Excellence, Student Support Services Coalition, Orlando Moss Choral Society, Baptist Student Union, Perfected Praise Choir, Wesley Foundation and the Social Work Club.

Maritza has received several honors while attending MVSU — Student of the Month, Miss University Choir and Honor Student.

She has plans to become a licensed social worker and get a doctorate degree in clinical therapy for family and marriage counseling.

M

N FEB. 19, 1950, the governor and a large crowd of supporters gathered near the Mississippi Delta town of Itta Bena to break ground on the state’s newest public university. They talked of the future and growth — pretty amazing considering that in the first year it had seven professors and 14 students.

Today, Mississippi Valley State educates students from around the world with a full range of majors and concentrations offered by “The Valley.”

MVSU offers studies in the arts, business, education, humanities, public services, pre-professional services, social sciences, sciences, social work and technology. Whatever you are interested in, odds are Mississippi Valley State has it.

There is also plenty to do on the 200-acre campus near Greenwood. Do you like competing in sports? Valley offers a wide range of friendly, intramural sports — flag football, cross country, table tennis, basketball, bowling, volleyball, swimming, badminton, softball golf, tennis — there’s more and more, too.

Mississippi Valley State is a member of the Southwestern

Athletic Conference, and one of its most famous graduates continues to be wide receiver Jerry Rice, who broke most college and NFL records. In addition to football, there are baseball, basketball, cross country, track and field, golf, softball, volleyball and soccer teams to pull for.

The university offers multiple residential hall choices for men and women. All rooms feature computer labs, study rooms, snack rooms, Internet access, phone and cable television.

The Valley offers comfort food just like mom makes or whatever your pleasure from the all-you-care-to-eat menu.

Can you smell the H.M. Ivey Cafeteria already?

The Jacob Aron Student Union is the university’s unofficial “living room,” and it provides a ton of services as well as a place rest a while or chat with a friend or two.

If you’re a little short on funds, Mississippi Valley State has all the financial aid packages you would expect from a modern, state-supported university. This includes grants, loans, employment, scholarships and other aid packages.

– WALLY NORTHWAY

» MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY » www.mvsu.edu » Address: 14000 Highway 82 West, Itta Bena, MS 38941 » Phone: (800) 462-6878 » Website: www.mvsu.edu » Year Founded: 1950 » Acting President: Dr. Alfred Rankins Jr. » Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,479 » Financial Aid: Grants, scholarships, loans and work-study » Annual Tuition: Mississippi residents: $5,916 » Annual Tuition: Out-of-state resident: $5,916 » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board Costs: $6,836 (Standard) » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board

Mississippi Business Journal

Costs: $7,387 (Premium) » Average ACT: 17.1 » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 91% » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 13:1 » Popular Majors: Business Administration, Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Social Work, Biology, Early Childhood Education, Criminal Justice (Undergraduate); Criminal Justice, Social Work, and Masters of Arts in Teaching (Graduate) » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Greenville » Director of Admissions: Jacqueline A. Williams » Famous Alumni: NFL Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deacon Jones; Jaspen Boothe, CNN Hero and Social Change Agent

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» What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? MVSU prepares students to combine their broad and well-rounded general education with specialized training so that they are ready for careers or graduate school. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? MVSU is the home of the B.B. King Recording Studio, the only Bioinformatics graduate program in the region, and our SWAC Tournament Championship women’s softball team.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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A » JONATHAN BROOM Major: Math Poplarville

J

ONATHAN BROOM is pretty fascinating. An Ole Miss senior math major from Poplarville, he and a partner developed a video game business when they were just as freshmen, got some investors and today they have several products on the market. “(Fellow Ole Miss student Ryan Rigney) came to me with an idea he had for a video game one day,” Jonathan remembers.

“He said, ‘You’re into computer programming; make it happen.’ So, we did.”

But, there is way more to Jonathan, an Honors College scholar, than computer programming and video games. He is also known around the Oxford campus for his wide range of course work. He has taken everything from cinema studies and Buddhism to advanced computer science topics — all at advanced levels.

And, he says that is why he went to the University of Mississippi.

“I’m just interested in everything, especially when it comes to math and the sciences,” says Jonathan, who admits he has changed his major numerous times. “I actually came here because of journalism — a high school friend came to Ole Miss with me for journalism, and he is now with Wired magazine.

“I would major in computer programming, but I love math so much. Ole Miss offers such a wide range of class options, I’m just taking advantage of the opportunity that is here.”

T NO OTHER place does the past and future meet like it does at the University of Mississippi. “Ole Miss” is the state’s oldest public university, founded in 1844. For almost a quarter of a century, it was Mississippi’s only public institution of higher learning, and for 110 years it was the state’s only comprehensive university.

From its first class of 80 students, Ole Miss has grown to a university with numerous academic divisions and tens of thousands of students, especially when you count the students at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

UM’s main campus of nearly 1,000 acres is in Oxford. The College of Liberal Arts and schools of accountancy, applied sciences, education, engineering, journalism and more are located on the picturesque campus in the historic city.

In addition to Oxford and Jackson, UM has satellite campuses and/or offers classes in Southaven, Tupelo, Booneville and Grenada.

In all, there’s 100-plus programs to choose from at Ole Miss. In the classrooms and lab-

oratories, Ole Miss students not only learn career skills, but also conduct leading-edge research into problems and issues with the aim of making tomorrow’s world a better place to live.

Ole Miss has also expanded and improved its campus living, offering numerous residential options and packages. In addition to the scores of options for living, there is also a multitude of choices to grab something to eat. The university truly tries to provide a home away from home.

There is also no reason to sit around when not in class. Ole Miss has tons of extracurricular opportunities, from student government and nationally recognized honors programs to intramural sports. There is also a campus full of sororities and fraternities.

Ole Mississippi is a member of the Southeastern Conference.

Baseball, tennis basketball — seemingly all sports — are offered, and there is nothing quite like a UM home game and the traditional gathering at The Grove for one of the biggest, oldest and most fun pre-game parties anywhere.

– WALLY NORTHWAY

» THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI » www.olemiss.edu » Address: P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677 » Phone: (662) 915-7226 » Fax Number: (662) 915-5869 » Website: www.olemiss.edu » Email: admissions@olemiss.edu » Founded: 1844 (Opened 1848) » Chancellor: Dr. Dan Jones » Undergraduate Enrollment: 16,060 » Graduate Enrollment: 2,734 » Financial Aid: Scholarships, federal aid, loans, work-study » Annual Tuition and Fees: Mississippi residents – $6,760; Out-of-state residents – $17,728 » Annual On-Campus Room & Board: $9,566 » Average ACT: 23.8

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» Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 77% » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 19-to-1 » Popular Majors: Accountancy, biology, criminal justice, elementary education, English, journalism, law, pharmacy, psychology » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Medical Center in Jackson, centers in Southaven & Tupelo and branches in Booneville & Grenada » Director of Admissions (Interim): Jennifer Simmons, 662-915-7226, 800-OLE-MISS (toll-free in MS) » Famous Alumni: Journalist Sharyn Alfonsi, Gov. Haley Barbour, Netscape founder Jim Barksdale, tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi, Sen. Thad Cochran, radio host Ben Ferguson, ESPN broadcaster Ron Franklin, novelist John Grisham, actress Kate Jackson, pop-rock singer Josh Kelley, pottery artist Gail Pitman,

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gold medalist Brittany Reece, broadcaster Shephard Smith, Sen. Roger Wicker, Eli Manning » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? The university has been recognized as one of the safest campuses in the country and is recognized for its academic programs. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? The university's hometown of Oxford has been named as the nation's secondbest college town by Livability.com, and has picked up numerous other accolades, including mentions from Business Insider, Smithsonian and Tailgater Monthly magazines.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC COLLEGES

For Mississippii Businesss Journal

T » HANNAH ROBERTS Major: Chemistry Mount Olive

ANNAH ROBERTS WAS all but enrolled at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. “I went for a long interview — I already had a roommate and everything,” the Mount Olive native said.

But, she decided to give the University of Southern Mississippi a look. After a tour and meeting USM students, faculty and staff, Hannah decided to stay closer to home. “I came from a small high school,” Hannah said. “I wanted a full-blown university experience, but I didn’t want to get lost in the crowd. USM was just perfect for me.” She added with a laugh, “My mother wasn’t too happy about me going to Alabama in the first place.”

And, Hannah has been perfect for USM. Last year as a sophomore, Hannah became one of only two Goldwater Scholars at Southern Miss. A violinist, she is also the reigning Miss Southern Miss.

Hannah, who is majoring in chemistry, originally was going to attend medical school. But, she has changed her focus, and now wants to go into cancer research at an institution such as St. Jude’s in Memphis after she graduates. “I certainly have no regrets about my decision to attend USM,” Hannah said.

H

HEY CALL Hattiesburg the “Hub City” because it is at a major crossroads. Want to go to the Coast, Mobile, New Orleans, Jackson? They’re all easy to get to from Hattiesburg.

Hattiesburg is also the home of the University of Southern Mississippi. It, too, is a major crossroads. No matter what direction you want your life to take, USM has what you need.

Southern Miss was established way back in 1910 as a teacher’s college. But, that was then.

Today, USM is a major research university, offering degrees for teachers as well as accountants, polymer scientists, musicians, marine biologists and about everything else in between.

Counting undergraduate and graduate, USM, Mississippi’s only public university in South Mississippi, offers nearly 200 degree programs.

In addition to its main campus in Hattiesburg, some of USM’s roughly 17,000 students attend the Long Beach campus or one of the numerous teaching and research sites scattered across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

There are seemingly endless choices about where to live and eat on campus, as well. In total,

Southern Miss offers dozens of residence halls, each state-ofthe-art, and numerous options to grab a bite to eat. Powerhouse Restaurant, Fresh Food Company, Starbuck’s — these are just a few of the many choices.

There is never a reason to get bored at Southern Miss. The university offers hundreds of clubs, organizations and extracurricular activites. Full-time students have access to the ultra-modern Payne Center fitness complex.

Greek life is alive and well at Southern Miss. Offering fraternities and sororities for nearly 70 years now, USM offers some two-dozen Greek organizations.

The University of Southern Mississippi takes great pride in its collegiate athletic teams.

Competing in Conference USA, the university fields more than a dozen Golden Eagle sports teams, from football, baseball and basketball to track and field, volleyball and tennis.

Fully accredited, Southern Miss provides all of the financial aid available. From grants and loans to scholarships and work study, the university is willing and able to work with you on tuition and fees.

– WALLY NORTHWAY

» UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI » www.usm.edu » Address: 118 College Drive #5166, Hattiesburg, MS 39406 » Phone: 601.266.5000 » Fax: 601.266.5148 » Email: admissions@usm.edu » Website: www.usm.edu » Year Founded: 1910 » President: Dr. Rodney Bennett » Undergraduate Enrollment: approximately 17,000 » Financial Aid: available to those who qualify » Annual Tuition: Mississippi residents - $6,336; Out-ofstate residents - $14,448 » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board

Mississippi Business Journal

Costs: $8,446 » Average ACT: 22 » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 70% » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 17:1 » Popular Majors: Accounting, Education, Nursing, Athletic Training, Music, Biological Sciences » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Gulf Park » Director of Admissions: Allison Bruton » Famous Alumni: Gov. Phil Bryant, Brett Favre, Natalie Allen, Jimmy Buffett » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? With attentive fac-

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ulty, nationally recognized academic programs, study-abroad opportunities and support offices for freshmen, Southern Miss is a great value. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? Your experience at Southern Miss lasts longer than four years. You’ll carry it with you throughout your life. And what you learn here — in and out of the classroom — will inspire you to make the world a better place.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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MISSISSIPPI PRIVATE COLLEGES

For Mississippi Business Journal

B » BRAD BLAKNEY Major: Business administration Brandon

A

T ONE POINT, Brad Blakney was headed to Ole Miss to play college golf. That changed when the golf coach at Belhaven continued his relentless recruitment of the Brandon native. Blakney took two visits to Belhaven, and that did it.

“I just felt at home,” said Blakney, who’s majoring in business administration. “I was really impressed with how kind they were and the model Belhaven stands for. So one day I literally just woke up and decided that’s where God wanted me to be.”

Blakney became student body president, and is on track to graduate with a GPA high enough to get him into a top business graduate school.

He has political aspirations, too. “I set my sights pretty high, so my goal would definitely be in Congress one day,” Blakney said.

He encourages those considering Belhaven to “think outside the box.”

“Don’t neglect a certain school or program just because you might be a State fan or Ole Miss fan or LSU fan or whatever. Go to the place God wants you to be at.

“For people who have decided to attend Belhaven, my biggest piece of advice is to get involved, whether that be an organization on campus or leadership position or athletic team or getting a staff or faculty member to mentor you. You never know where those connections are going to lead down the road.”

ELHAVEN University is a liberal arts university dedicated to excellence in Christian higher education.

The school is in a historic Jackson neighborhood, minutes from fine dining, good shopping and a thriving arts community.

Today’s Belhaven is the culmination of three separate institutions of higher learning which merged over the years.

Belhaven College, founded in 1883 as a privately-owned institution, merged in 1911 Belhaven with McComb Female Institute, and in 1939 with the Mississippi Synodical College.

Until 1972, the College was owned and operated by the Synod of Mississippi, Presbyterian Church in the United States, through a Synodelected board of trustees. In 1972, the Synod gave ownership of the college to a self-perpetuating board of trustees. The school has a covenant relationship with the Synod of Living Waters of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Belhaven has received national recognition for its academic programs and affordability, and has earned regional accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern

Association of Colleges and Schools. Belhaven is one of just 30 schools in the U.S. to be nationally accredited in all four of the arts: dance, music, theatre and visual art.

Belhaven was selected as one of the Top Christian Business Colleges in the country by Business Reform Magazine.

The School of Business also received special recognition as an editor’s pick for “most biblical curriculum and focus.”

In addition to traditional majors, programs of general studies are available. There are also pre-professional and certificate programs, as well as graduate degree programs.

Belhaven offers 27 undergraduate majors and a 12:1 student to faculty ratio for the traditional undergraduate program.

The university enrolled 1,150 traditional age students (18-22) on the main campus, causing leaders to utilize every available space to meet student needs.

When combined with the University’s 930 adult and graduate students at the Lefleur’s Bluff building on I-55 North, Belhaven is serving more than 2,000 students in Jackson.

– CLAY CHANDLER

» BELHAVEN UNIVERSITY » www.belhaven.edu » Address: 1500 Peachtree Street, Jackson, MS 39202 » Phone: 601.968.5940 » Fax: 601.968.8946 » Email: admission@belhaven.edu » Year Founded: 1883 » President: Dr. Roger Parrott » Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,150 » Financial Aid: It is available » Annual Tuition: Mississippi residents – $19,970 Out-of-state residents – $19,970 » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board Costs: $7,200 » Average ACT: 24

Mississippi Business Journal

» Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: More than 95% » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 12:1 » Popular Majors: Dance, Sports Medicine, Communication, Creative Writing, » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Memphis, TN; Houston, TX; Orlando, FL; Atlanta, GA; Chattanooga, TN » Director of Admissions: Suzanne Sullivan »` Famous Alumni: Joel Bomgar, Tramaine Brock (NFL), Andrew Camenisch (Lord of the Rings), Elizabeth Spencer (author). » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? We are committed to working

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with families to help make private Christian education affordable.

Belhaven cares for its students. We are here to help them grow not only in the classroom, but also outside the classroom. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? Our men’s soccer team is the reigning national champion. Belhaven’s campus is very diverse culturally and geographically. We have more than 80 international students from 28 countries and 68 percent of our freshman class is from out of state. We also have a wide variety of intercollegiate athletic teams and we are nationally accredited in all 4 areas of the arts – dance, music, theatre, and visual art.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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MISSISSIPPI PRIVATE COLLEGES

F or Miississippi Business Journal

B » NATHAN RODGERS Major: Biblical studies Fulton

ATHAN RODGERS had considered going to Nashville for college, until a friend told him about Blue Mountain College in North Mississippi.

So Rodgers started running some numbers.

Blue Mountain made sense. “It turned out that Blue Mountain was going to be more cost-effective and a shorter commute from home,” said the senior biblical studies major from Fulton.

Financial and location advantage aside, Rodgers said he liked the atmosphere at Blue Mountain. “The first thing that jumped out at me was that everybody seemed to know each other,” he said. “There was a sense of community that everybody seemed to be a part of, and wanted to be a part of. It’s always encouraging to have somebody say hello when you walk into class.”

Those considering Blue Mountain should attend of the school’s preview days, which are held throughout the year, Rodgers said.

“The reputation will stand for itself. The campus has a really friendly environment. It’s in a fairly rural town, but there’s still a lot of campus life activity. There’s intramurals, associations, a lot of things to get involved with. There’s always something going on and something to do. Everybody wants people to get plugged in. It’s not just people handing you a flyer and saying ‘hope can you make it.’”

N

LUE MOUNTAIN College was founded in 1873 by Civil War Brigadier Gen. Mark Perrin Lowrey.

Its distinctive atmosphere comes from a blending of the college’s mission as a Christian and specifically a Baptist institution, the traditions created by a distinguished founding family and Christian educators, a careful balancing of liberal arts and vocational studies, a special kind of student life with a system of student government and honor uniquely available in a small Christian liberal arts college, and a family-like environment where students, faculty and administrators genuinely believe in the worth of the individual.

Blue Mountain College was independently owned and administered until 1920, when control was turned over to the Mississippi Baptist Convention.

From 1873 to 2005, the school operated as a traditional liberal arts college for women. In 1956, at the request of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, the college opened its doors to men preparing for church-related vocations.

On Oct. 4, 2005, the school’s Board of Trustees voted to make all programs available to male students, thus making BMC fully co-educational.

Blue Mountain is committed

to providing a solid liberal arts education which has proven to be the best preparation for most professions. Through a strong education in the arts and sciences, students acquire a broad understanding and diverse skills required for life in the 21st century. Having a small, studentcentered campus, the college exhibits a climate of personal attention, respect, and inclusion.

The school offers courses leading to bachelor of arts , bachelor of science and bachelor of science in education undergraduate degrees.

Student activities and organizations are designed to enhance the overall educational experience of BMC students. The college offers student organizations where students can socialize, interact and experience leadership opportunities. Some of the clubs and organizations include theater honor society Alpha Psi Omega, Baptist Student Union, English Club, Commuter Club, Fellowship of Minister’s Wives, Ministerial Association, Ministerial Association, Physical Education Club, Physical Education Majors Club, Society of Mathematicians and Scientists, Student Body Association and the BMC Ambassadors.

– CLAY CHANDLER

» BLUE MOUNTAIN COLLEGE » www.bmc.edu » Address: 201 W. Main St., P.O. Box 160-BMC, Blue Mountain, MS 38610 » Phone: 662-685-4771 » Fax: 662-685-4776 » Email: admissions@bmc.edu » Year Founded: 1873 » President: Dr. Barbara Childers McMillin » Undergraduate Enrollment: 535 » Financial Aid: Available » Annual Tuition: Mississippi residents – $8,160; Out-ofstate residents – Same

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» Average Annual On-campus Room and Board Costs: $3,900 » Average ACT: 21 (incoming freshmen) » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 97 » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 14/1 (14 students to 1 professor in your major) » Popular Majors: Elementary and Secondary Education, Biblical Studies, Psychology, new online business degree » Satellite/Annex Campuses: NEMCC in Corinth » Director of Admissions: Austin Kimbrough, Transitional Director of Admissions

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» What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? It is Christian Liberal Arts College, affordability compared to other state universities, safe campus, Christian athletes in NAIA Conference, a friendly atmosphere » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? It produces students who can think Christianly about their subject area and because of that they make a significant contribution to society.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI PRIVATE COLLEGES

For Mississippi Business Journal

M » LILY WOMBLE Major: European Studies Birmingham, Ala.

ILY WOMBLE STARTED a youth coalition when she was in high school aimed at ending human trafficking in her home state at Alabama. She said it “awakened me to the gross inequality women and girls face around the world.”

When she graduates from Millsaps in December, she plans on continuing that kind of work.

Womble, a senior from Birmingham, is majoring in European studies, with a focus on the role of women in developing countries. Millsaps offers an ideal environment for her putting her major to use in the surrounding Jackson area.

“I loved that it felt like we were reaching out and partnering with those in the community,” she said. “I also chose Millsaps for its awesome academics that place an importance on a global perspective and thinking outside of the box.”

Leaving your comfort zone is something for which Womble said potential Millsaps students should be prepared.

“Get ready for great relationships with new people from all over the country,” she said. “I would also tell them they will be academically challenged. Your beliefs you held throughout high school, you will dig into those deeper. Even though we’re a small school the breadth of knowledge through our professors is great. Get ready because you’ll be choosing to expand your mind and learn how to engage in the world in a new way.”

L

ILLSAPS COLLEGE prides itself on creating the perfect learning environment. With one teacher for every 9 students and an average class size of 14, nobody gets lost in the crowd.

The school is associated with the United Methodist Church, and is located on 100 acres just north of the downtown Jackson.

Millsaps was founded in 1890, when Major Reuben Webster Millsaps made a $50,000 gift, which was matched by contributions from Mississippi Methodists, toward “a Christian college within the borders of our state.”

In keeping with its character as a liberal arts college and its historic role in the mission of the United Methodist Church, Millsaps College seeks to provide a learning environment that increases knowledge, deepens understanding of faith, and inspires the development of mature citizens with the intellectual capacities, ethical principles, and sense of responsibility that are needed for leadership in all sectors of society.

Millsaps offers nearly 40 majors and minors that range from accounting and business administration to sociology and Spanish. Its Else School of Management is one of the top 200 business schools nationally.

Millsaps’ academic programs are designed to foster the growth of independent and critical thinking; individual and collaborative problem-solving; creativity, sensitivity, and tolerance; the ability to inform and challenge others; and an appreciation of humanity and the universe.

The school also offers a litany of study-abroad programs. From religious research in Israel to cultural studies in Tanzania to language classes in France, study abroad provides students with a tool for understanding and appreciating the world.

Millsaps students enjoy a variety of on-campus activities and events that fill their lives outside of class. They include lectures by world figures such as Jane Goodall, conferences featuring authors like Ann Patchett, concerts and plays (spectating or performing), indie film series presented by the film directors, sorority and fraternity events, athletics, intramurals, working out in the fitness center, and over 80 clubs and organizations.

Almost 90 percent of Millsaps students live on campus in the school’s residence halls which include traditional dorm rooms, apartment-style housing and suite style residence.

– CLAY CHANDLER

» MILLSAPS COLLEGE » www.millsaps.edu » Address: 1701 N. State St., Jackson, Mississippi 39210 » Phone: 601-974-1050 » E-mail: admissions@millsaps.edu » Year founded: 1890 » President: Dr. Robert W. Pearigen » Vice President for Admissions, Communications and Marketing: Rob Alexander » Undergrad enrollment: 985 » Annual tuition and fees: $30,520 » Annual on-campus room and board: $6,416-$9,116, room rent; $5,396, meals » Application deadline: Early Action, Dec. 1; Regular Decision, Feb. 1

Mississippi Business Journal

» Middle 50 percent ACT: 23-29 » Middle 50 percent SAT: 1060-1230 » Financial aid: 67 percent receive need-based aid; the College also awards scholarships for academic achievement » Faculty-to-student ratio: 9:1 » Popular majors: Accounting, Business Administration, Biology, Chemistry, Education, English, History, Psychology, Political Science, Neuroscience, Sociology/Anthropology, and Religious Studies » Satellite/annex locations: None » What’s the most important thing a parent should know about your institution: At Millsaps College, each student is challenged to reach his or her full poten-

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tial by a faculty that is also supportive and committed to excellence. Millsaps offers every student a diverse, dynamic experience in and out of the classroom. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a prospective student needs to know: Millsaps will challenge, energize, excite and transform you like no other college. You will study – but you will also play, sing, think, explore, act, dance, volunteer, question, engage, lead and more.

You will enjoy a vibrant local scene and a location that puts you minutes away from Mississippi’s centers of business, medicine, law and government.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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MISSISSIPPI PRIVATE COLLEGES

For Misssisssippi Business Journal

M » EVAN CIARLONI Major: Biology/Medical Sciences Grenada

E

VAN CIARLONI knew he wanted to go to medical school, but he wanted something else out of college.

He also wanted to study music. Specifically, he wanted to continue playing the piano, something he’d done since he was a child.

Mississippi College offered the opportunity to do both.

Ciarloni, a senior biology/medical sciences major from Grenada, has already completed enough courses to earn a music minor.

After graduation, he plans to attend medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, as part of the Rural Physicians Scholarship Program, which will pay for his tuition on the condition he practice primary care in an underserved area upon graduation.

“The best thing about Mississippi College is the size of the school,” he said. “It’s not so big that you get lost in the crowd, but it’s not so small that you miss out on opportunities that bigger schools may provide, either.

It is easy to get involved at MC. There are many groups in which to invest, and there is a great emphasis on community in every sphere of campus life.

“To someone who is considering MC: you may be surprised by what you find here,” Ciarloni continued. “Without a doubt, this is a place like no other. Invest yourself at MC, and you may find immeasurably more than you could ask or imagine.”

ISSISSIPPI College, affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention, is a private, Christian university of liberal arts and sciences serving more than 5,300 students.

Founded in 1826, Mississippi College is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of Mississippi and second oldest Baptist university in the nation.

With more than 80 areas of study, 15 graduate programs, a doctor of jurisprudence, a doctor of education leadership degree and a doctor of professional counseling degree, Mississippi College seeks to be a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ.

Originally called Hampstead Academy and later Mississippi Academy, the school was named Mississippi College in 1830 and authorized “to confer . . . such degrees in the arts, sciences, and languages as are usually conferred in the most respectable colleges in the United States . . . “ For several years, MC was coeducational and in 1831 was the first such college in the United States to grant a degree to a woman. It was given to the Presbyterian Church in 1842, which, upon encountering financial difficulties,

returned MC to the original owners in 1850. Later that year, the Mississippi Baptist Convention obtained the school.

MC offers over 80 areas of study covering every area of a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum. Majors range from accounting and biology to social work and studio art. Semesterlong study abroad programs are offered in Austria, Brazil, Costa Rica, France, Germany, London and Spain.

With more than 40 chartered student organizations, ranging from academic societies to campus ministries, MC offers ways for everyone to get involved.

Different organizations focus on academics, intramural sports , campus ministries, cultural clubs, honor and recognition societies and music and the performing arts, to go with service clubs and social tribes.

Mississippi College also seeks to offer nationally competitive teams in hunter and jumper horseback riding, clay target shooting and bass fishing, hosted at Providence Hill Farm, to help students continue their love of the outdoors while in college and to advance the cause of Christ through outdoor sports.

– CLAY CHANDLER

» MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE » www.mc.edu » Address: 200 S. Capitol Street, Box 4026, Clinton, MS 39058 » Phone: (601) 925-3800 » Fax: (601) 925-3950 » Email: admissions@mc.edu » Website: http://www.mc.edu » Year Founded: 1826 » President: Dr. Lee G. Royce » Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,966 » Financial Aid: $39,888,662.95 » Annual Tuition: State residents, $14,120; Fees: $748 » Average Annual On-campus Room and Board Costs: $7,200

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» Average ACT: 24 » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 91% » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 15:1 » Popular Majors: Biology Medical Sciences, Business Administration, Kinesiology, Nursing, Elementary Education, Psychology » Satellite/Annex Campuses: Flowood Center in Rankin County; School of Law in downtown Jackson » Director of Admissions: Kyle Brantley, (601) 9257634, kbrantley@mc.edu » Famous Alumni: Lance Barksdale, Major League Baseball umpire; Gov. Phil Bryant; Michael Catt, Christian movie producer and pastor; Ted DiBiase, Jr., professional wrestler, Rep. Gregg

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Harper; Larry Myricks, Olympic track star; and Anita Renfroe, Christian humorist » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? Mississippi College seeks to be known as a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? Mississippi College was founded in 1826 and is the oldest institution of higher learning in Mississippi. It is also the first co-educational institution in the U.S. to grant a degree to a woman.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI PRIVATE COLLEGES

For Mississippi Business Journal

R » LARANCE CARTER Major: Social Work Vicksburg

THER THAN being awakened at 2 a.m. because someone is locked out of their room, Larance D. Carter enjoys his role as a residence assistant at Rust College in Holly Springs.

“It’s a very rewarding and fulfilling position,” said Carter, a 20-year-old junior Social Work major from Vicksburg. “It allows me to serve my school, as well as my fellow man. I am able to help with any conflict the students may have and help them to make the transition from home to college. I sometimes feel as if the position may even give me some preparation for my future career.”

That future for Carter includes obtaining a master’s degree in social work and becoming a licensed clinical social worker. “I plan to work in an agency primarily providing services to families and children. I would like to work as a social work civilian for the United States Military, particularly the Army.”

At Rust, he is president of the Student Ministry Fellowship, treasurer of the Junior Class and a member of the E.A. Smith Honor Society He said he chose social work as a major because it is the profession of helping individuals, families, groups or organizations enhance or restore their ability to function socially. “I wanted a career where I could directly see the difference I would make. I also want to, as much as I can, give children and families some of what I may not have had.”

— Frank Brown

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UST COLLEGE is a historically black, coeducational, senior liberal arts college founded in 1866 by the Freedman’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The College is related to the United Methodist Church, and dedicated to serve students with a variety of academic preparations, through instruction in the humanities, social and behavioral sciences, natural science, business, technology and education.

Rust recognizes the threefold functions of education as teaching, research and community service. Its primary mission is teaching. It offers a program designed to acquaint students with cultural, moral and spiritual values, both in theory and in practice.

Rust offers 21 degree programs, among them business administration, English, mass communication (broadcast and print journalism), biology, chemistry, computer science, political science and social work.

There are five residential halls on the Rust campus. Two are for males, Gross Hall, housing 92 students and DavageSmith Hall, housing 276 stu-

dents. Three residential halls are for females: Wiff Hall, housing 92, E.L. Rust, housing 196 and Elzy Hall, housing 200.

The on-campus capacity is 856.

There is a full-time professional who lives in each building and is responsible for the educational and operational functions of the residence hall.

The athletic and intramural programs teach sportsmanship, fair play and respect for the rights of others and provide opportunities for recreation and physical fitness. Rust participates in the following intercollegiate sports: basketball, tennis, cross-country; track and field, cheerleadering, women’s fast pitch softball, volleyball and pep squad.

Rust’s Student Activities Department provides opportunities for students to connect through college experiences.

The department encourage personal, social and professional growth and strives to improve the value of campus life for the everybody at Rust.

Activities are sponsored throughout the school year that provide learning opportunities beyond the classroom.

– CLAY CHANDLER

» RUST COLLEGE » www.rustcollege.edu » Address: 150 Rust Avenue, Holly Springs, MS 38635 » Phone: 662-252-8000 » Fax: 662-252-8863 (President’s Office) » Website: www.rustcollege.edu » Year Founded: 1866 » President: Dr. David L. Beckley » Undergraduate Enrollment: 946 (as of 09-17-13) » Financial Aid: Pell Grant, Black College Fund-United Methodist Church, UNCF, student loans » Annual Tuition: $12,900 for students living on campus; $8.900 for students living off campus. Tuition at Rust College covers classes, room and board, books and other student fees. » Average ACT: Rust College does not require a minimum ACT score; however students must have a cumulative grade point

Mississippi Business Journal

average of 2.25. » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: Approximately 93% » Faculty-to-student Ratio: 1 to 19 » Popular Majors: Biology, Computer Science, Mass Communications, Early Childhood Education » Satellite/Annex Campuses: None » Director of Admissions: Johnny McDonald, Director of Enrollment Services » Famous Alumni: Anita Ward, grammy-nominated singer of “Ring My Bell” » What is the most important thing a parent needs to know about your school? Students at Rust College are groomed to enter the professional world. Rust College

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is supported by the United Methodist Church and faculty, staff and administrators work to instill and uphold Judeo-Christian values. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? Rust College is a family-oriented institution whose alumni stretch across the WORLD! Faculty members and other personnel operate via an “open door policy,” so students are encouraged to discuss any issues or concerns they may have about their classes, student activities, or residence life. Once you’re a “Rustite,” you’re always a “Rustite.”

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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For Mississippi Business Journal

T » CHARDEN VIRGIL Major: Sociology Columbia

HARDEN VIRGIL HAS set high political goals, and Tougaloo College has already opened doors for the 20-year-old junior sociology major from Columbia.

“My career goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in Sociology with a focus on women’s equality,” she said. “In addition, I hope to continue research and publish books. I also strive to enter the political arena with hopes of becoming a United States Senator.

A first step came quickly after she enrolled at Tougaloo. “During my freshman year, I had the unique opportunity of completing an internship with the Democratic House Committee on Homeland Security under Mississippi congressman Bennie Thompson in Washington, D.C. He recruited an intern from Tougaloo College. I was the youngest and only intern representing Tougaloo College or Mississippi, so that made me feel extremely proud.”

She chose Tougaloo College because of its rich history. “Tougaloo played a very vital role in the Civil Rights Movement; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer, Robert Kennedy, and Stockley Carmichael are some of the individuals who graced this campus united, fighting for a better tomorrow. I wanted to attend an institution that would equip me with the necessary skills needed to advance in this global economy, and Tougaloo is definitely a special place that permits such special opportunities.”

To high school students looking at college, she said: “Never allow others to derail you from your dreams. If you have a vision, do not let anyone disrupt your plans to achieve that vision.”

— Frank Brown

C

OUGALOO COLLEGE is a private, historically black, liberal arts institution.

The college prepares students to be imaginative, self-directed, lifelong learners and mindful thinkers, committed to leadership and services in a global society by offering a high-quality liberal studies program.

Founded in 1869 by the American Missionary Association, Tougaloo was chartered on the principles that it “be accessible to all irrespective of their religious tenets, and conducted on the most liberal principles for the benefit of our citizens in general.”

Tougaloo acknowledges and respects its traditions, remains dedicated to the equality of all people and continues to be a value-oriented community where students are guided by a concerned faculty and staff.

The members of the Tougaloo community apply current knowledge to prepare students for lifelong learning related to new information and emerging technologies, as well as humane standards in a global society.

Tougaloo offers an undergraduate curriculum designed to encourage students to apply critical thought to all areas of life, to acquire a basic knowl-

edge of the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences, to develop skills required in selected professions; and to provide leadership in a democratic society and in a changing world.

The liberal arts curriculum at Tougaloo is based upon two assumptions: that students have a general education drawn from broad academic areas, as well as specialized training in one major department; and that students have freedom, within certain established guidelines and with the advice of the faculty, to choose their own course of study.

Tougaloo offers 29 majors, of which six allow students to add one or more special emphases such as accounting, business administration, community health, computer science, health education, journalism, recreation for special populations and social work.

Students are expected to complete most of the requirements in general education by the end of the sophomore year.

At this time, students must select a discipline or area in which they will concentrate their study. The discipline or subject area selected is referred to as a major.

– CLAY CHANDLER

»TOUGALOO COLLEGE » www.tougaloo.edu » Address: 500 W. County Line Rd., Tougaloo, MS 39174 » Phone: 601-977-7700 » Founded: 1869 » Average annual tuition: $9,740 » Average annual housing cost: $3,435 » Financial aid: Federal, state, private » Enrollment: 942 » Faculty-to-student ratio: 1:12 » Average ACT score: 18.1 » Average SAT score: 848

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» Popular majors: Pre-med; pre-law; psychology; mass communications » President: Dr. Beverly Wade Hogan » Director of admissions: Junoesque Jacobs, jjacobs@tougaloo.edu » Famous Alumni: Walter Turnbull, founder of Boys Choir of Harlem; Anne Mooday, author of "Coming of Age in Mississippi;” U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson; Dr. Aaron Shirley, founder/chairman, Jackson Medical Mall Foundation. » What is the most important thing a parent

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needs to know about your school?: One of the safest campuses in the state; the college provides a nurturing, familial environment that encourages both intellectual and character development. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school?: There are ways to get connected before graduation, like the Summer Science Program, and the SLAM programs.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC COLLEGES

F or Miississippi Business Journal

W » RACHEL BROWN Major: Psychology Columbus

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ACHEL BROWN chose William Carey University in Hattiesburg because she got a boatload of scholarship money for doing so. That was only one reason, though. The other had to do with her major and what her chosen profession would eventually be.

“The majority of it was because of the Christian environment; and with a psychology major, I wanted to have that Christian environment,” she said.

Brown, a senior from Columbus, feels at home in the tight-knit atmosphere at Carey.

“I love the people here,” said Brown, who wants to practice marriage and family therapy as a licensed counselor. “You can walk around and know people’s faces, you don’t get lost in the crowd, but at the same time there’s still space for you have your distance and your privacy. It offers the best of both a small and big school.”

Brown has straight-forward advice to anybody who has either decided to attend Carey or is considering doing so: don’t sit on an island. Take advantage of every opportunity to branch out, because you won’t regret it.

“Make sure you get involved,” she said. “There are tons of different organizations across the entire campus you can get involved with. We have student government, sororities, clubs and organizations. That’s a great way to meet fellow students and you can make lifelong friends.”

ILLIAM CAREY University has its origins in Poplarville when W. I. Thames opened Pearl River Boarding School in 1892.

Pearl River Boarding School offered elementary, preparatory and some college work. Operating for decades as Mississippi Woman’s College, it was renamed in honor of the founder of modern missions in 1954 when the school became coeducational.

The dramatic developments over the years demonstrate that William Carey University has accepted William Carey’s challenging motto: “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” William Carey University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelor, master, specialist, and the doctor of osteopathic medicine degrees.

WCU offers baccalaureate degrees in the areas of the arts and letters; education and natural and behavioral sciences; business; religion; music; and nursing. The M.B.A., M.Ed., M.S. in psychology, M.Ed. in music and M.S. in biomedical science, and M.S.N. degrees and a specialist degree in elementary education are also offered. A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine has been a

part of the Hattiesburg school’s curriculum since fall 2010.

The main campus in Hattiesburg is set on 140 acres.

William Carey University on the Coast is located on the new Tradition Campus off Highway 67 in Biloxi. The School of Nursing has a site on the campus of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Three trimesters of 11 weeks each comprise the academic year. Two summer sessions are also offered.

WCU offers many activities for the more than 3,200 students enrolled. Active campus organizations include the Student Government Association, Baptist Student Union, AfricanAmerican Cultural Society, Delta Omicron Fraternity, Serampore Players and social clubs.

WCU also has a strong intramural program, offering students the opportunity to play basketball, flag football, soccer, softball and volleyball in a friendly setting.

Athletic teams compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Southern States Athletic Conference. The institution sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports including baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, cross country and track for men, and softball, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, cross country and track for women.

– CLAY CHANDLER

» WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY » www.wmcarey.edu » Address: 498 Tuscan Ave., Hattiesburg, MS 39401 » Phone: 601-318-6051 » Founded: 1892 » Average annual tuition: $10,200 » Average annual housing cost: $4,050 » Financial Aid: FAFSA » Enrollment: 4,146 » Faculty-to-student ratio: 1:13 » Average ACT: 24 » Average SAT: not available » Popular majors: Business; nursing; education; medicine;

Mississippi Business Journal

psychology » President: Tommy King » Director of Admissions: Alissa King, admissions@wmcarey.edu » Branch campuses: Biloxi, Slidell, La. » Famous alumni: Philip Fortenberry, pianist and recording artist; L. Joseph Lee, Mississippi Court of Appeals; John Stephenson, former pro baseball player and coach; former Miss Mississippis Wanda Geddie Bricker, Dianne Evans Kennedy and Bobbye Wood Covalt » What is the most important thing a parent

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needs to know about your school? William Carey University offers a quality education in a secure and nurturing Christian environment where service is an important component of academics. » What is the coolest thing a potential student should know about your school? Common Grounds Coffee House, on the Hattiesburg campus, serves great coffee and provides a friendly location for student gatherings.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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Affordability- The average cost of attending a community college is only $2,376 a year in tuition and required fees.

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Nationally Recognized- Mississippi’s community college system has been ranked among the nation’s top four systems according to the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. We were also ranked the second most productive system according to the National Center for Higher Education and Management Systems.

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Locations- 15 community colleges offering classes at multiple locations across the state. No matter where you live, a community college is close to you.

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Mississippi Virtual Community College- The Mississippi Virtual Community College offers 3,000 courses taught online by more than 1,500 instructors and is recognized as a national leader in online higher education.

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Adult Basic Education and GED courses help those citizens who have dropped out of high school to greatly improve their lives.

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Approximately a quarter of a million of our citizens will be educated at a Mississippi community college this year.

The mission of the Mississippi Community College Board is to advance the community college system through coordination, support, leadership, and advocacy. For more information on Mississippi’s community college system, you may log onto www.mccb.edu or call 601-432-6518.

MISSISSIPPI JUNIOR AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

F or Misssissippi Business Journal

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» WAIRTERRICA GALMORE Major: Sociology Friars Point

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OPHOMORE WAIRTERRICA GALMORE is majoring in sociology and wants to be a social worker or counselor.

“As a child I wanted to be a lawyer,” she says. “I’m more of a caring person and just want to help people out.”

After growing up in Friars Point and Southaven, Galmore attended Coahoma Agriculture High School where she was valedictorian.

Galmore isn't the first in her family to attend CCC and admits that it wasn’t her first choice after high school.

“I originally wanted to go straight to a four-year school, she said. “I realized I was smart enough to do it, but not mentally ready. I’m glad I came here first.”

In addition to serving at Miss Coahoma Community College, Galmore is involved in the CCC student choir, Phi Theta Kappa and is vice-president of student government. She has also represented the school at several leadership conferences in Georgia and Tennessee.

When she’s not in class, Galmore enjoys working with weekend community programs, encouraging children to stay in school and teen girls to push themselves personally and professionally and to take pride in themselves.

“No matter what college they go to, try to get to know their teachers and advisers as well as they can,” she advises incoming freshmen.

OAHOMA Community College continues a proud Delta legacy that began in 1924 and today serves an average of 3,000 students from the surrounding counties of Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, Tallahatchie and Tunica.

When longtime president Vivian Presley stepped down in 2013 she left quite a legacy on the Clarksdale campus.

Under Presley’s leadership, CCC experienced a 200 percent increase in enrollment since the fall of 1992 and more than $26 million in facility renovations and new construction including the new Vivian M. Presley Administrative Building named in her honor in 2011.

Under new president Valmadge Towner, CCC administration and faculty will continue to foster a nurturing environment for students entering the workforce or choosing to pursue a four-year degree.

In addition to a new women’s dorm, the school continues to grow its allied health programs including new, accredited programs for paramedics and sleep disorder specialists. The college also published an online digital archive of yearbooks going all

the way back to 1948.

Traditional associate of arts degrees at CCC range from fine arts to math and science.

Students can also pursue an associate degree in nursing, a licensed practical nursing degree or earn their EMT license from the Division of Health Sciences. Coahoma’s career and technical offerings range from medical billing and carpentry to computer servicing and culinary arts.

CCC offers associate of arts degrees, associate of applied science degrees and certificates of career education giving students affordable and eclectic post-high school opportunities.

The college has also pursued public-private institution development partnerships with Delta State University, Delta Blues Museum, Baptist Memorial Medical Center and Teach for America among others.

Whether its sports or student organizations, there’s plenty to keep a Coahoma student busy outside of class.

There’s always plenty of action on the gridiron, with Tigers head coach Freeman Horton calling Mississippi junior college football, “The toughest league in America.”

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» COAHOMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.coahomacc.edu » Address: 3240 Friars Point Road, Clarksdale MS 38614 » Phone: (662) 627-2571 » Website: www.coahomacc.edu » E-mail: admissions@coahomacc.edu » Year Founded: 1949 » President: Valmadge Towner » Director of Admissions: Michael Houston » Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,305 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,100 » Annual on-campus room and board: $983

Mississippi Business Journal

» Application Deadline: August 11 » Financial Aid: Scholarships, federal aid, work-study » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:26 » Popular Majors: Health sciences, criminal justice, general education » Satellite/Annex Locations: Clarksdale, Charleston, Marks, Mound Bayou, Rosedale, Shaw, Tunica, Webb » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution? Coahoma’s commitment to academic excellence, personal attention, from faculty to

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students, the school’s rural setting assures safety. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? Students have a full calendar of social activities, sports and music, a firstclass Lyceum Series presenting drama, comedy, festivals, and entertainment.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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MISSISSIPPI JUNIOR AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

For Mississsippi Busineess Journal

T » DAISEY MARTINEZ Major: Business Wesson

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ORN IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, Daisey Martinez moved to Wesson with her parents when she was 5 years old. She earned a full scholarship to Co-Lin and is the first in her family to attend college, a situation that at first frightened her.

“I was scared,” she says. “I was freaking out but Co-Lin people came to talk to me and said the student teacher ratio is really good. It’s like the best decision I made. It has given me more opportunity than I would have had.”

Martinez dove into activities at Co-Lin, playing intramural volleyball and volunteering with Phi Theta Kappa and the Trailblazer student recruiting team. One of her favorite jobs was getting to dress up as the Mr. Wolf mascot during football games.

College isn’t just about games, though. Martinez says she’s interested in the human resources field and is taking as many business classes as possible. She is working out an internship with the local Trustmark Bank.

“Just the fact that I got into college was a major accomplishment for me,” she said. “I remember the day I told my dad because he works two jobs and said, ‘Guess what, you don’t have to pay.’ They started crying and then that makes me cry. I’m so blessed and glad I can make them proud.”

HE FACULTY AND staff at CopiahLincoln Community known to most as “Co-Lin”- have always believed that college is more than earning a degree. It’s about becoming an individual and creating lifelong friendships.

The past year has been full of good news for students wanting to attend the Wesson college, or its satellite campuses in Natchez and Magee.

The Co-Lin Phi Beta Lambda chapters captured eight awards at the National Leadership Conference held each year in Anaheim, Calif. The annual competition highlights outstanding students in business and leadership roles.

The school received a $1 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation to help build pedestrian walkways, landscaping and connectivity around the Wesson campus and promote fitness and recreation.

Co-Lin is the only community college in Mississippi that was named “Military Friendly” by one publication, and it fielded two students to the 2012 All-USA Community College Academic Team.

It’s a long way from the

school’s beginnings as an agricultural high school, but CopiahLincoln has continued to grow, and enrollment now tops 3,000.

Co-Lin offers classes and training in everything from commercial truck driving and electronics to humanities and business. Copiah-Lincoln also has several accredited career and academic tracks in the medical field, including associates or technology programs for nursing, radiology, laboratory and respiratory care.

Financial aid is available in the form of loans and grants as well as memorial, athletic and academic scholarships.

Veteran’s Administration resources and training credits are provided for returning military veterans making the switch from the battlefield to the classroom.

Dual enrollment at Co-Lin allows eligible high school juniors and seniors to enroll in college courses prior to high school graduation, giving them firsthand exposure to the requirements of college-level work while gaining high school and college credit simultaneously.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» COPIAH-LINCOLN COLLEGE » www.colin.edu » Year Founded: 1928 » Address: 1028 J.C. Redd Drive, Wesson, MS 39191 » Phone: (601) 643-5101 » Website: www.colin.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,500 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $1,175 » Annual on-campus room and board: $1,550 » Financial Aid: Scholarships, grants and loans » Students with Financial Aid: 80 percent » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:14 » Popular Majors: Education, pre-medical, business, preprofessional

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» Satellite/Annex Locations: Natchez, Mendenhall » President: Dr. Ronnie Nettles » Director of Admissions: Chris Warren » Famous Alumni: Cindy Hyde-Smith (Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner), Tricia Walker (Director of the Delta Music Institute at Delta State University/Singer/Songwriter), Boone Daughdrill (Drummer for The Band Perry), Randy Thomas (Former Lineman Washington Redskins), and Nick Fairley (Defensive Lineman Detroit Lions) » What's the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution? Co-Lin provides educational programs, development services, cultural and

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recreational opportunities through quality instruction and high expectations in a safe and friendly student-centered environment. » What's the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? Co-Lin offers many leadership opportunities, scholarships, as well as activities for students. Our students excel on the field (three State Championships in 2012-13) and off the field (Phi Theta Kappa International Awards, Robotics Team 6th Internationally, Phi Beta Lambda Largest Chapter). We offer the state's first only competitive Robotics team.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI JUNIOR AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

For Mississippi Businesss Journnal

E » TEYLOR MARTINEZ Major: Biochemistry Louisville

T

EYLOR MARTINEZ grew up in Dallas, Texas and moved to Louisville seven years ago.

The biochemistry major wants to attend medical school after earning her undergraduate and says she is interested in a career as a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon.

“I’ve always been interested in medicine and being a doctor so I can travel across the U.S. and outside the country,” she said.

Martinez is already volunteering at a nursing home and Winston Medical Center and wants to, one day, work overseas in a third-world country. “It’s about making a difference whether its one person or a hundred,” she said.

In addition to working at a local restaurant, Martinez is active in Phi Theta Kappa, the Warrior Corps student recruiting, and student government association. She also gives the invocation at basketball games.

“Class is key,” Martinez advises students. “You have to attend class.

My grades have always come first.”

AST CENTRAL Community College has exhibited a pioneering spirit since its founding in 1928.

That spirit continues to uphold its commitment to offering accessibility, affordability, excellence and integrity for students inside and outside the classroom.

ECCC continued to make headlines in the athletic arena this year. Shortstop Tim Anderson was drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago White Sox. The football and women’s soccer teams also have new coaches and are looking forward to a great season.

ECCC offers Mississippi Virtual Community College and is committed to providing quality, online instruction. For students able to live on the Decatur main campus, the school accommodates a plethora of extracurricular activities from ice cream socials to the Wall O’ Sound marching band.

The school is renovating Cross Hall where science classes are held. Student safety is paramount at East Central and the campus includes a fully certified 24-hour, on-duty police department that responds to emergencies and provides crime

prevention, criminal investigation, traffic control and other related services.

East Central’s financial aid office offers federal Pell grants, Stafford loans, state tuition grants, work-study and participates in Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership.

Athletic scholarships are also awarded to qualifying students who play baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, tennis and women’s softball. The ECCC Foundation presented scholarships valued at more than $71,300.

Burton Library and East Central’s Learning Skills Center offer students additional support as they take their first steps in secondary education.

When a student is ready to get a job or transfer to a four-year institution, East Central offers professional guidance and counseling to that will confront any challenge.

Health care education and workforce development are two of the highest staffed departments at ECCC, and students can choose a variety of routes from an associates in nursing, EMT or surgical technology to automotive technology, medical coding or collision repair.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» EAST CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.eccc.edu » Year Founded: 1928 » Address: 275 West Broad Street, Decatur MS 39327 » Phone: (601) 635-2111 » Website: www.eccc.edu » E-mail: drush@eccc.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,800 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,170 » Annual on-campus room and board: $2,880 » Application Deadline: Open » Average ACT: 18

Mississippi Business Journal

» Financial Aid: All state and federal aid, scholarships » Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 75 percent » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:18 » Popular Majors: Nursing, business, pre-engineering, elementary education » Satellite/Annex Locations: Decatur, Philadelphia, Carthage, Choctaw, Forest, and Louisville » President: Billy Stewart » Director of Admissions: Deanna Rush

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» Famous Alumni: Randy Houser, Marcus Thames » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution?

High-quality academics and guaranteed transferability of courses all at one of the lowest tuitions in the state. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? East Central has the only college rock band in the state — The Collegians.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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» DANIEL LOTT Major: Secondary Education Meridian

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HILE SOME STUDENTS might choose the junior college closest to home, Daniel Lott says EMCC was the best option for him to get out of the house and try life out on his own for the first time.

“There’s no mall in Scooba but not having any distractions was a plus for me,” he says.

Raised in Meridian, Lott is majoring in secondary education and wants to be a high school coach and English teacher.

A quarterback at West Lauderdale High School, Lott switched to playing wide receiver for the EMCC Lions and even gets to wear a headset and sit in the box with the coaches.

In addition to his on-the-field activities, Lott stays busy helping with student orientation and student government events. He also enjoys playing golf and soccer with friends, water-skiing on Okatibbee Lake and pulling for his New Orleans Saints.

“Meet people and move on to campus,” Lott advises new students. “Everybody is gonna feel uncomfortable on their first day.”

OR NEARLY A century, East Mississippi Community College has remained steadfast in its own guarantee of providing a quality education whether it’s for a new career or an advanced four-year degree.

The college continues to grow with new and varied classes and campuses for students in the Golden Triangle region.

The college’s acquisition last year of the old Columbus Country Club, for instance, created a facility for the school’s culinary arts and hospitality management programs. The school’s funeral service technology program is the only mortuary college of its kind in the state.

More than 5,000 students enroll in classes each year at the EMCC main campus in Scooba and at satellite locations in Columbus, Mayhew, Maben, Macon, and Meridian. The college’s eLearning program is also offering new intensive online courses in a condensed semester for students who can’t attend a live class.

EMCC also boasts the only welding program in Mississippi that offers a two-year associate degree.

Its automotive program is a national NATEF-certified program, one of only a few in the state. Programs are also available in cosmetology, practical nursing, and EMT services.

State-of-the-art laboratory and shop facilities combined with expe-

rienced faculty ensure vocational graduates are job-ready upon successful completion of instruction.

Financing a college education is never easy but EMCC helps every student achieve any goal. More than 80 percent of students receive financial aid, from traditional federal or state programs to memorial and institutional scholarships to money for band, cheerleading, student recruiting and other activities.

EMCC students take pride in the athletic program. The football team opened the season ranked eighth nationally, and the EMCC cheerleading squad won several awards at the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s spirit camp. Two alumni were also recently inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

Social activities range from newspaper/yearbook staff and amateur radio club to campus chapters of the Future Educators of America and Phi Theta Kappa. Intramural athletics are also plentiful and include rodeo.

For students living at the main campus in Scooba, include Sullivan, Noxubee, Gilbert-Anderson and Lauderdale halls. Up to 46 males can be housed in an honors residence hall.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» EAST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.eastms.edu » Year founded: 1927 » Address: 1512 Kemper Street, Scooba MS 39358 » Phone: (662) 476-8442 » Website: www.eastms.edu » E-mail: kbriggs@eastms.edu » Undergraduate enrollment: 4,679 » Annual tuition and fees: $2,600 » Annual on-campus room and board: $4,000 » Application deadline: Rolling » Average ACT: 18 » Financial aid: Pell Grant, FSEOG, LEAP, college work study,

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Stafford, EMCC scholarships, tuition guarantee Percentage of Students with Financial Aid: 93 percent » Faculty-to-student ratio: 15:1 » Popular majors: Liberal arts, nursing, elementary education » Satellite/annex locations: Scooba, Macon, Mayhew, West Point, Columbus AFB, Meridian NAS, Lion Hills » President: Rick Young » Director of admissions: Karen Briggs » Famous alumni: Billy Joe Cross, Eddie Briggs, Fred Adams, Antowain Smith, Beth Clay, Dr. Donald C. Simmons, Jr., LeGarrette Blount, Kortney Clemmons, Bo Wallace, Bill Buckner, Langston

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Rogers, Buster Orr, Peggy Joyce Wilson, Jack Manly, Elbert “Lum” Wright, Dr. N. James Smith, Terry Brown, Jack Carlisle » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution? EMCC takes your child’s future as seriously as you do. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? EMCC’s instructors are committed. They make time for each student and their doors are always open.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI JUNIOR AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

For Mississippi Business Journal

H » LEIGH SARRETT Major: Elementary Education Byram

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EIGH SARRETT SAYS she picked Hinds Community College so she could stay close to home and help her parents.

The Byram sophomore earned a leadership scholarship but says she is paying for college mostly on her own. That challenge, she says, helps motivate her.

“I choose to try extra hard because I don’t want to waste my money by having to drop a class,” Sarrett says. “It almost makes me appreciate my scholarship more and the money more.”

The elementary education major has a passion for history and social studies and says that in her immediate family, she’ll probably be the first to graduate from a four-year college.

In addition to working as a Hinds student recruiter, Sarrett answers the phones in enrollment services and babysits to earn extra money.

Sarrett says she enjoys bass fishing, calligraphy, painting and for fun last year entered a campus beauty pageant where she won Most Beautiful.

“I would say get to know your teachers,” she advises students.

“Make sure you put forth an effort to get to know them and let them see that you’re trying your hardest and don’t slack on homework. Even though you might have slacked in high school this is the real deal. They don't take excuses.”

INDS COMMUNITY College has come a long way from being “the Poor Man’s College” of the 1920s to the state’s largest community college system.

With campuses in Raymond, Vicksburg, Utica, Jackson and Pearl, Hinds puts as much of an emphasis on community as it does college.

There’s no better example of that than the 75,000 squarefoot Clyde Muse Center in Pearl. Named for the college’s longtime president, the facility opened in 2011 and combines classrooms with meeting facilities for the area.

Whether 18 or 80, students at Hinds can get a large-school campus experience while enjoying the personal feel of a community college through affordable costs, smaller classrooms and engaging instructors.

Whether a student is pursuing a two-year traditional degree or earning vocational certification for a job, Hinds has something to offer.

Aviation is just one of those popular fields that Hinds can prepare a student for. At the John Bell Williams airport in Bolton, Hinds continues to make headlines with its unmanned aerial vehicle pro-

gram that teaches students how to fly aircraft for the military, engineering and law enforcement sectors.

The flight school is FAAapproved and Hinds recently introduced a Homeland Security class to help train students in airport and aviation security.

Serving more than 12,000 credit students each fall semester, Hinds has grown steadily over the years and from registration to graduation, Hinds transfers more students to four-year colleges than any other community college in the state.

The dozens of vocational and technical classes at HCC can prepare any Mississippi high school graduate for a career in a number of ways including automotive mechanics, plumbing, cosmetology, graphic arts or stonemasonry. Traditional academic programs range from history and music to accounting and microbiology.

Whether taking part in athletics, joining the award-winning Hinds Hi-Stepper precision dance team or joining dozens of student groups and associations, there is plenty to do for a Hinds student when not attending class.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.hindscc.edu » Year Founded: 1917 » Address: 608 Hinds Boulevard, Raymond, MS 39154 » Phone: (601) 857-5261 » Website: www.hindscc.edu » E-mail: info@hindscc.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 13,000 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,260 » Annual on-campus room and board: $2,100 » Application Deadline: December 15 » Financial Aid: Scholarships, federal aid, student loans,

Mississippi Business Journal

work-study » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:20 » Popular Majors: General studies, nursing, biology, accounting, business administration » Satellite/Annex Locations: Raymond, Pearl, Jackson, Utica, Vicksburg » President: Clyde Muse » Director of Admissions: Kelly Trahan » Famous Alumni: Faith Hill, Zig Ziglar, Gov. Phil Bryant » What’s the most important thing a parent

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would need to know about your institution? At a very reasonable cost, students get an excellent education that will transfer to any senior college in the state or prepare for direct entry into a career. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? Students can find their niche at Hinds, whether they want art, music, drama, athletics or a leadership program.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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For Mississippi Business Joournal

G » GREY TEDFORD Major: Journalism Bruce

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REY TEDFORD SPENT this past summer dodging sandstorms and tumbleweeds.

The Holmes student and Bruce native got into cycling as a way to get around the Goodman campus. The necessity turned into invention after he decided to bike the Southern Tier cycling trail from San Diego, Calif., to St. Augustine, Fla., to raise money and awareness for amputees.

Tedford’s parents and one of his grandmothers have lived with limb loss and he says the journey was very personal him.

“Growing up and seeing my dad lose limbs was devastating,” Tedford said. “Who wouldn’t get down not being able to work or do stuff with their kids.”

In addition to his cycling and fundraising activities, Tedford is an active member of the campus student government association and the Baptist Student Union leadership and ministry teams. He next plans to major in Journalism at Ole Miss.

“Take every opportunity you have to get involved,” Tedford advises new students.

ROWTH AND expansion continues to be a big part of the Holmes Community College tradition.

Early graduation numbers for the 2013 class showed significant gains over last year with an increase of more than 14 percent, according to the college.

Holmes started out in 1911 with 82 acres and a board of trustees. The college was awarded its first associate of arts degree at the dawn of the Great Depression. After years of growth, new campuses were approved and built in Grenada and Ridgeland in 1985.

The Ridgeland and Grenada campuses of Holmes are conveniently located within minutes of Interstate 55 and also offer many liberal arts courses as well as academic and cultural enrichment. Adults and young professionals can take evening credit and noncredit courses available and classes are designed to meet the needs and interests of the area.

Holmes cares for the social as well as academic health of its students and community.

High school students have the option of both dual and early enrollment at the college, and Holmes also offers online counseling. Military servicemen and women at Holmes can earn credits for military experience toward a degree or certificate.

Students all over Mississippi have chosen Holmes not only for its flexible and comprehensive vision but for the high quality standards it imposes on its institution and faculty.

Students at the Goodman main campus can take full advantage of the school’s career programs including classes in cosmetology, welding and practical nursing.

Career offerings range from collision repair technology to heating and air conditioning technology. Those wanting a more academic flavor can pursue everything from transferable degrees in art and engineering to mathematics and criminal justice.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» HOLMES COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.holmescc.edu » Year founded: 1925 » Address: 1 Hill Street, Goodman, MS 39079 » Phone: (800) 465-6374 » Website: www.holmescc.edu » E-mail: jguest@holmescc.edu » Undergraduate enrollment: 7,100 » Annual tuition and fees: $1,938 » Annual on-campus room and board: $2,330 » Application deadline: Rolling » Average ACT: 18

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» Financial aid: Scholarships, federal aid, student loans, work study » Percentage of students with financial aid: 70 percent » Faculty-to-student ratio: 1:25 » Popular majors: Business, education, nursing » Satellite/annex locations: Eupora, Grenada, Kosciusko, Ridgeland, Yazoo City, Winona » President: Glenn Boyce » Director of admissions: Joshua Guest

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» Famous alumni: David Donald, Roy Oswalt » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution?

Holmes offers a quality education at an affordable price. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? All campuses feature highly skilled instructors and up-to-date teaching and laboratory equipment.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

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I » SETH ROYE Major: Chemical Engineering Pontotoc

S

ETH ROYE ALWAYS liked math, science and problem solving growing up, so a chemical engineering degree has been a great fit.

The Pontotoc native says he never thought about beginning his college career at ICC until the college’s Indian Delegation student recruiters visited his high school.

“Growing up so close to Fulton, I always knew people that had gone or were currently going to ICC,” Roye says. His time at ICC has since given him a foundation.

“I will have to say that the personal attention that I received from all of the faculty and staff there is at the top of the list,” he said. “I firmly believe that all of my teachers genuinely wanted me to succeed in their class, and that showed by their willingness to help me whenever I needed it.”

He enjoys hunting, fishing and Mississippi State baseball. This past summer he spent two months in Australia working in youth programs and camps at a local Baptist church.

“College is what you make it,” Roye said, advising students to find their own ways to get involved. “It will allow you to meet more friends — and in the end you will have a much better college experience.”

TAWAMBA COMMUNITY College is making sure that students in northeast Mississippi are prepared for their future careers, whether it’s on national television or back in their hometown.

From arena football star Odie Armstrong to Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Desmond Jennings, ICC puts student athletes on a solid footing.

The college also prepares students for careers in industries like healthcare and the auto industry. The college recently opened a new $18 million health education facility at its Tupelo campus that will house eight of the nine ICC health programs.

ICC also places students on the cutting edge of the automotive industry as a member of the Mississippi Corridor Consortium, a group of community colleges that handle workforce training for the nearby Toyota automotive plant in Blue Springs.

Beginning as an extension of Itawamba County Agricultural High School, ICC first organized in 1920. By 1948 the campus had developed its first full curriculum for incoming freshmen students.

With campuses in the cities of Fulton and Tupelo, ICC maintains its main purpose to provide comprehensive educational opportunities of the highest quality through academic, vocational-technical and personal enrichment programs in order to

meet local needs of students.

There are dozens of academic majors offered at ICC that prepare students for transition to a fouryear institution from law to architecture. Students interested in entering into the industrial or medical workforce upon graduation have accredited opportunities at ICC in automotive technology, nursing, EMT technology and more.

The college has an open admissions policy that provides qualified students an opportunity to pursue a low cost college/university parallel associate of arts degree, a technical associate of applied science degree or an occupational vocational certificate. The college has dual-credit enrollment as well as non-credit programs in economic and community services.

All faculty members hold degrees or advanced experience in their area of concentration and programs of leadership training and professional growth are offered to improve skills of both faculty and staff.

Many high-pay/high-demand jobs in today’s society do not require a four-year degree, and ICC maintains close relationships with businesses and industries for the placement of graduates into midlevel positions at good salaries.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» ITAWAMBA COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.iccms.edu » Year Founded: 1948 » Address: 602 West Hill Street, Fulton, MS 38843 » Phone: (662) 862-8000 » Website: www.iccms.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,899 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,200 » Annual On-Campus Room and Board: $1,500 » Financial Aid: Types – Work Study, Federal and State Loans and Grants, Tuition Guarantee, Scholarships, and the new Adult Learner Incentive Scholarship. Total Disbursed - $23, 585, 852 » Students with Financial Aid: 5,749 (83 percent)

Mississippi Business Journal

» Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:20 » Popular Majors: General Studies, Business, Nursing » Satellite/Annex Locations: Tupelo, Belden » President: Mike Eaton » Director of Admission: Cay Lollar » Famous Alumni: Former NFL players Ernest Dye, Duce Staley, Tim Bowens, Jason Ferguson, Ron Dixon, Joe Horn; current NFL player Aubrayo Franklin (Colts); Jonathan Van Every (former Major League outfielder), Tim Dillard (Brewers), Desmond Jennings (Rays); Brandon Presley (PSC commissioner), Mike Mills (U.S. District Judge), Mike McGuire (Shenandoah

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drummer). » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution? Family atmosphere, safe and secure environment. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? Students and their success are ICC’s top priority. ICC’s students leave with a foundation for their future, confidence, a multitude of friends and a place they will always call ‘home.’

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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J

» MAKAYLA ROGERS Major: Mathematics Lucedale

‘I

ABSOLUTELY LOVE math," says Makayla Rogers.

The Lucedale sophomore says its always been her favorite subject, and she can't wait to teach it to her future students and help them understand and enjoy it.

Rogers is the first in her family to attend JCJC, but says her sister has already made plans to follow in her footsteps. She is a member of the Touch of Gold and Gold Rush dance teams, the Pickering Honors Institute and the Bobcat Brigade student ambassadors.

“My favorite pep rally from last year we had a huge bonfire that we all gathered around all the while dancing and cheering for our team and wearing glow sticks,” she says. “It was an absolute blast.”

When she’s not on campus, Rogers works at the school’s district office in George County, volunteers with Distinguished Young Women programs and is an active member of her church’s praise and worship team.

Rogers says that staying active helps her relieve stress and stay positive. “There is no better stress reliever from studying for hours than to hit the weights in the gym,” she advises students. “At JCJC, we have a really nice fitness facility where students can workout for free, so I take advantage of that.”

ONES COUNTY Junior College takes seriously its slogan: “Inspiring greatness.”

The Ellisville campus has an array of well-maintained facilities to suit all of the college’s academic and technical offerings. The Agriculture Building at JCJC contains classrooms and faculty offices for the meat processing, horticulture and agriculture programs in addition to a livestock-judging arena.

Established in 1911 as an agricultural high school for Jones County, JCJC has withstood decades of growth and transition, all while maintaining a longstanding commitment to academic excellence.

The junior college also boasts a legacy of community service, leadership, innovation, integrity, entrepreneurship and stewardship.

A special two-year agreement announced this year will allow its poultry science students a smoother transition to four-year programs at Mississippi State University. Also this year, three JCJC students and their organic chemistry professor worked with the University of Southern Mississippi on research projects to combat oil spills in places like the Gulf Coast.

The JCJC Allied Health Center contains classroom, laboratory and office facilities for the associate degree nursing division as well as EMT-paramedic, healthcare assistant, radiology and other

healthcare-related programs.

The Home and Health Services Building contains classrooms and faculty offices for cosmetology, pharmacy technology and licensed practical nursing programs.

Not every student at Jones will transfer to a four-year school; some just want to start working as soon as they have valuable high-skills training in hand.

The college’s newly accredited precision manufacturing and machining program will prepare students for future careers in local industries.

Certificate options are also available in automotive technology, business and office technology, civil engineering technology, electrical technology, food production technology, heating and air conditioning technology, horticulture technology and machine tool technology.

The faculty and administration at JCJC know how important financial aid is to potential students. The college awards three types of academic scholarships – full tuition for students who have a composite ACT score of 26 or above plus awards for academic and career/technical excellence.

Institutional scholarships are also available through the non-profit Jones County Junior College Foundation Inc. – STEPHEN MCDILL

» JONES COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE » www.jcjc.edu » Year Founded: 1911 » Address: 900 S. Court Street, Ellisville MS 39437 » Phone: (601) 477-4000 » Website: www.jcjc.edu » E-mail: tara.dupree@jcjc.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,044 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $1,074 » Annual on-campus room and board: $1,738 » Application Deadline: Open » Average ACT: 19 » Financial Aid: Service scholarships, Miss Hospitality, Junior

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Miss, academic, career & technical, honors, presidential, ACT, foundation, Pell grants, MTAG, work study » Students with Financial Aid: 70 percent » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:24 » Popular Majors: Nursing, elementary education, radiography, criminal justice » President: Jesse Smith » Director of Admissions: Rick Hamilton » Famous Alumni: Deion Branch, Charles Pickering » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution? JCJC is

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still growing with a brand new social science/humanities hall and female dormitory. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know?

JCJC-TV is the college’s official online video channel including video on demand and live streaming of athletic and academic events.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

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M

» HAILEY THOMAS Major: Biology Meridian

W

HEN HAILEY THOMAS got to Meridian Community College she chose biology as a major to help fulfill her dream of being a pediatrician.

That dream started after Thomas tore her ACL playing high school basketball. "God had a reason for everything," she says. "I went to physical therapy and thought I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. I love helping people and the

medical aspects."

Thomas says MCC has a heavy medical emphasis with many nursing and pre-medical students. The college's two years of guaranteed tuition money also keeps many Lauderdale County high school graduates like Thomas in the area.

In addition to singing and dancing with the MCC show choir, Thomas is involved with the Ivy League student recruiters and is president of college's Phi Theta Kappa chapter.

She also helps with summertime Vacation Bible School at Jones Chapel Church of God in Clarkdale and volunteers for downtown Meridian events like the Street Strut for Breast Cancer, Adopt-A-Highway and the annual Jimmie Rodgers festival.

"My motto is you can do anything you set your mind to. You gotta work hard and keep your grades up and just stay persistent," Thomas advises students.

ERIDIAN Community College continues its proud tradition as an education partner in Lauderdale County and the surrounding area.

Students who choose Meridian Community College can select courses leading to an associate of arts degree from the school or a transfer to other senior colleges and universities.

The school held a record graduation for students in 2013 with degrees and certificates handed out ranging from practical nursing and cosmetology to music and truck driving.

Students wanting to live on campus have both residence hall and apartment options. Eagle Residence Hall for men houses 126 while Thornton Hall for women houses 44.

The College Crossing Apartments, located on the MCC campus, has 72 units available including one- and two-bedroom apartments.

Noted as a Servicemen’s Opportunity College, the

MERIDIAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE HELD A RECORD GRADUATION IN 2013

college welcomes veterans and military personnel, with in-house staff that can walk a returning soldier through the application, financial aid and registration process.

From fire-protection and emergency management to information and medical technology, MCC has something for any young Mississippian interested in entering the workforce with competitive skills training all while earning career and technical education certificates.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» MERIDIAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.iccms.edu » Year Founded: 1937 » Address: 910 Hwy 19 North, Meridian 39307 » Phone: (601) 483-8241 » Website: www.meridiancc.edu » E-mail: apayne@meridiancc.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,141 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,240 » Annual on-campus room and board: $3,050 » Application Deadline: April 1 » Financial Aid: Scholarships, federal aid, student loans,

Mississippi Business Journal

work study » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:23 » Popular Majors: Nursing » President: Scott Elliott » Director of Admissions: Angela Payne » Famous Alumni: Sela Ward, Gene Goldman, Videt Carmichael » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution?

MCC Foundation underwrites the cost of tuition for four semes-

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ters of study at MCC for any graduate of a Meridian or Lauderdale County High School. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know?

From residence halls to sand volleyball court to first-rate extracurricular events, students can get a myriad of college experiences.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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W » BETH BURGE Major: Nursing Tishomingo

B

EING THE DAUGHTER of an MDCC football and baseball standout, the decision to attend the college herself was in Beth Burge’s blood.

The Tishomingo cheerleader was approached about an opportunity to cheer at MDCC and says a full scholarship and the chance to live in the newly constructed women’s dorm was something she wasn’t about to pass up.

“I feel like I’m safe here,” Burge says. “It’s just like a big family.”

Burge chose a nursing degree and hopes on a career either in the emergency room or in travel nursing.

In addition to being captain of her squad, Burge is an active member of Phi Theta Kappa, yearbook staff and works in the campus admission office.

She also entered the annual MDCC beauty pageant this past year and got into the Top 10.

A self-described “polite, Southern Belle” that loves University of Alabama football and head coach Nick Saban, Burge tells new students at MDCC not to assume anything.

“It was just that step before I went to a big university,” she says.

“It’s a good step. I’ve had a good time here.”

HEN STUDENTS converge on the Moorhead campus of Mississippi Delta Community College, they are there to take full advantage of the college’s vision of providing quality educational experiences. Those experiences range from intellectual, academic, career, technical, social, cultural and recreational learning opportunities.

From the first students who enrolled in the Sunflower Agricultural High School in 1926 to today’s classes, MDCC can get any student off on the right foot from a degree in healthcare to a career in law enforcement.

Tutoring is also available through the MDCC Center of Learning, while career counselors stand ready to assist students with personality profile testing and job placement.

In addition to the main campus at Moorhead, MDCC offers classes at off-campus sites in Greenville, Greenwood, and Drew.

The school also has workforce training at the Charles W. Capps, Jr. Technology Center in Indianola.

MDCC also believes in community and partners with Delta

Courtesy of MDCC

The Harper Science building at Mississippi Delta Community College.

State University and Mississippi Valley State University to offer students the opportunity to complete their four-year degree in one location. The Greenville Center also houses conference facilities open to use for groups throughout the Delta region.

Students are encouraged to play as well as study and there are lots of activities to choose from whether it’s a quiet afternoon with friends at Trojan Lake or cheering on the Trojans at J.T. Hall Coliseum.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» MISSISSIPPI DELTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.msdelta.edu » Year Founded: 1926 » Address: Hwy. 3 & Cherry Street, Moorhead MS 38761 » Phone: (662) 246-6322 » Website: www.msdelta.edu » E-mail: admissions@msdelta.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,302 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,220 » Annual on-campus room and board: $4,760 » Application Deadline: Rolling » Average ACT: 17

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» Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:20 » Popular Majors: Allied health » Satellite/Annex Locations: Greenwood, Greenville, Indianola, Drew » President: Larry Nabors » Director of Admissions: Joseph Ray » Famous Alumni: John Benge » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution?

Classes at MDCC are still small by standards today in higher edu-

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cation that allows students to study in an environment where they are known by their name instead of a number. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? Students in Ambassadors, show choir or student public relations receive full scholarships.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

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M » CAITLYN RODRIGUEZ Major: Radiology Escatawpa

W

HEN ESCATAWPA native Caitlyn Rodriguez enrolled at MGCCC, she chose radiology for a major.

The sophomore is following in her mother’s footsteps as a student at MGCCC, and said she is, “happy with my choice.”

Training for the radiology industry has given Rodriguez many high-tech opportunities, like learning all the ins and outs of taking and studying X-rays.

“I love helping people and love the technology,” she said.

When she’s not studying, Rodriguez is active in the college’s Reflections group and student government. She also waits tables at the Mellow Mushroom restaurant in Ocean Springs.

From talent shows and cookouts to job fairs and Bulldog Day, Rodriguez says MGCCC students have plenty to enjoy when they aren't in class.

ISSISSIPPI Gulf Coast Community College was again named among the top associate degree producers in the nation, according to recent numbers.

Community College Week magazine, ranked the college at No. 78 in the nation overall, making it the tenth year that MGCCC has been named in the top 100.

The college was also named sixth in associate degrees for education majors, 49th in associate degrees for AfricanAmerican students, 20th in associate degrees for family and consumer sciences/human sciences majors and 67th in total non-minority graduates.

The college continues to broaden its horizons each year with the goal of building a world-class educational institution that is committed to student learning.

MGCCC doesn’t wait for students to enter college before it begins educating them. High school students are often bused to and from welding, culinary, foods technology and allied health programs. Academic tracks can prepare MGCCC

COMMUNITY COLLEGE WEEKLY RANKED GULF COAST 78TH IN THE NATION AMONG TOP ASSOCIATE DEGREE PRODUCERS graduates for a fruitful experience in everything from advertising and geology to medicine and liberal arts.

Founded in 1911 and originally built on donated land in Perkinston the campus has expanded to other sites including the Naval Construction Battalion Center at the Seabee Base in Gulfport.

Other post-secondary programs include apprentice electric lineman, commercial truck driving, office systems technology, accounting technology, practical nursing and surgical technology.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.mgcc.edu » Year Founded: 1912 » Address: 51 Main St., Perkinston, MS 39573 » Phone: (601) 928-5211 » Website: www.mgccc.edu » E-mail: mollie.barger@mgccc.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 9,120 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $1,800 » Annual on-campus room and board: $3,570 » Application Deadline: Open » Average ACT: 19 » Financial Aid: Scholarships, federal aid, student loans,

Mississippi Business Journal

work study » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:23 » Students Receiving Financial Aid: 61 percent » Popular Majors: Nursing, business, language arts » Satellite/Annex Locations: Gulfport, Gautier, Lucedale, Long Beach, Keesler AFB » President: Mary Graham » Director of Admissions: Terri Ormes » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution? The Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College staff have a vision for

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it to be a world-class educational institution that values integrity, diversity and leadership. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? Students can chronicle their campus life experience through MGCCC numerous social media networks.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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W » KELSEY QUINN Major: Pre-Dentistry Corinth

P

RE-DENTISTRY MAJOR Kelsey Quinn says her future goal is to become an orthodontist.

Having braces and wisdom teeth surgery in recent years fascinated her, and Quinn says she always knew she wanted to do something in the medical field.

Right now, the Corinth sophomore is just trying to focus on her grades. “I started out my first semester at Ole Miss, and I liked it but wasn’t adapting well,” she says. “I decided to come back home, and Northeast is just the closest — to be able to live at home and get better prepared."

Quinn advises students to study hard, and that if they attend Northeast they will be more than just a number.

“It’s not the 13th grade. It has challenged me,” she says.

When she’s not in class, Quinn enjoys dancing, spending time at Pickwick Lake, shopping and playing with her dog Eli, named after Ole Miss and NFL quarterback Eli Manning. “I’m getting a girl puppy and naming her Peyton (after Peyton Manning),” Quinn says.

ELCOME to Tiger Country.

Hundreds of students are making the “big decision … smart choice” each year to attend Northeast Mississippi Community College and the school continues to meet and surpass its goal of being a comprehensive college offering a convenient, affordable, quality education.

When not in class or working, students can enjoy a variety of social and recreational activities at Northeast, from intercollegiate and intramural athletics to bingo and Zumba events at Haney Union.

Associate of applied science degrees range from dental hygiene to paralegal and Northeast awards career certificates in auto body repair, automotive service technology, culinary arts, diesel power technology, heating/air conditioning, machine tool & die, office systems and practical nursing.

On the academic front, money from a 2012 federal grant is sure to open the door for more Northeast students to have access to high-skilled training programs like infor-

mation technology, medical coding and cyber security.

Associate of arts degrees are also awarded in a number of concentrations from architecture and chemistry to occupational therapy and psychology.

Classes may also be taken off-campus in Booneville, Corinth and New Albany.

Transfer, career or technical courses are offered in day, evening, weekend and online formats. Training for the NMCC hotel and restaurant management program takes place at the Tiger Bed & Breakfast in Booneville, a twobedroom efficiency apartment that is staffed by students.

Living away from home for the first time can be exciting and daunting so Northeast makes sure students are comfortable and safe on their Booneville campus including at their five multi-level residence halls for men and women.

Newly accepted students and their parents are eligible to shop at the Apple Store to purchase Mac computers, Apple software, and select accessories at special prices.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

»NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.nemcc.edu » Year Founded: 1948 » Address: 101 Cunningham Blvd., Booneville, MS 38829 » Phone: (662) 728-7751 » Website: www.nemcc.edu » E-mail: admitme@nemcc.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,700 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,100 » Annual on-campus room and board: $1,600 » Application Deadline: Rolling » Average ACT: 18

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» Financial Aid: Scholarships, federal aid, student loans, work-study, tuition assistance » Popular Majors: Business administration, nursing, education » Satellite/Annex Locations: Booneville, Corinth, New Albany » President: Johnny Allen » Director of Admissions: Lynn Gibson » What’s the most important thing a parent should know about your institution? Northeast pro-

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vides comfortable and safe residence halls for students who wish to live on campus. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? The “Tiger Dancers” hold the tradition of being one of the top precision drill and kick lines in the South.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

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W » SHARKEY LUNA Major: General Studies Germantown, Tenn.

ORTHWEST RANGERS linebacker Sharkey Luna hails from Germantown, Tenn., and says three things to know about him are, first, he works out seven days a week, second, doesn’t like chicken and, third wants to play football for the Ole Miss Rebels.

The general studies major has always enjoyed sports and meeting people and is interested in pursuing a sports broadcasting career after college, with an eye on working for ESPN someday.

Luna says he enjoyed shooting and posting humorous video shorts on the Internet as a child, and the broadcast bug really took hold in a high school television class where he helped with camera work and interviewed fellow students.

When he’s not in class or on the field, he works for Northwest student recruiting, giving tours and talking to new students. This past summer, he went on a mission trip to Zimbabwe where he worked at an orphanage and played soccer with children.

“Start early and take summer classes,” Luna advises students. “It’s a little more work but not overwhelming, and you get a class out of the way.”

N

HEN THE Roxul USA manufacturing facility opens up in Byhalia, it will have plenty of workers to draw from in the ranks of nearby Northwest Mississippi Community College.

The community college said earlier this year it would begin offering manufacturing skills training for potential employees of the plant which is expected to create 150 jobs for the area.

It’s just one more way that the school is showing its emphasis on improving its community from the classroom to the workplace.

Education majors involved in the Northwest CC Education Association take time away from class to read to kindergartners and learn firsthand what it means to be a teacher.

They also organized a special food drive for a local animal shelter.

Courses range from marketing and elementary education to surgical and aviation maintenance technology.

Tech programs in graphic design, heating/AC and refrigeration technology are

NORTHWEST WILL OFFER MANUFACTURING SKILLS TRAINING FOR POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES OF ROXUL USA also offered.

EMT students can even ride along with local firstresponders and shadow them during live rescue operations.

Tunica-based Schulz Xtruded Products recently established an endowment to provide training in the science, technology engineering and math (STEM) concentrations.

Continuing its commitment to education in the community, Northwest offers diverse academic and technical studies, including associate of arts degrees, associate of applied sciences degrees and career certificates.

A new program called CollegeFish.org was recently added to help students needing credentials and transfer services.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.northwestms.edu » Year Founded: 1927 » Address: 4975 Highway 51 N., Senatobia 38668 » Phone: (662) 562-3200 » Website: www.northwestms.edu » E-mail: recruiting@northwestms.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,242 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,250 » Annual on-campus room and board: $2,800 » Financial Aid: Scholarships, federal aid, student loans, work study

Mississippi Business Journal

» Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:26 » Popular Majors: Nursing, cosmetology, automotive technology » Satellite/Annex Locations: Senatobia, Southaven, Oxford, Olive Branch, Ashland » President: Gary Lee Spears » Director of Admissions: Larry Simpson » Famous Alumni: John Grisham, Cortez Kennedy, Ronnie Musgrove » What’s the most important thing a parent

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would need to know about your institution?

Northwest has an articulation agreement with every statewide public university agreement in Mississippi. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? At Northwest, you’ll find more than 200 academic and career and technical classes online.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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T » HOLLIE CHESTER Majors: English and Communications Gumpond

H

OLLIE CHESTER reads — constantly.

“I have a hard time keeping a supply of books,” the English and communication double major says.

Chester graduated a year early from high school and said she wasn’t sure what to major in or where to start.

“I knew that Pearl River was close and would save me money,” she says. “I wouldn't be jumping into a university with hundreds of people that I didn't know.”

Chester is an active member of the Baptist Student Union, the River Navigators student recruiting and enjoys hanging out in the campus bistro and Crosby Hall. She loves music as much as reading and plays the piano, flute and guitar in her church praise band.

“Just get involved and don’t be afraid to talk to people,” Chester advises students.

“The person sitting next to you might turn out to be your best friend.”

HE DIRT HASN’T stopped turning at Pearl River Community College.

The new $10.4 million Ethel Holden Brownstone Center is projected to be the premier venue for arts, including touring productions, in South Mississippi.

Also the recently announced $8.9 million Marvin R. White Coliseum is projected to be completed for the upcoming basketball season and will seat approximately 2,700.

Construction is also progressing on Marion Hall, a new men’s residence hall which will be finished during the coming year.

At the Forrest County Center, the Career Education Center that opened earlier this year is providing new space for the college’s electronics, HVAC and welding technology programs.

The school has come a

long way since its 1909 founding. As one of the oldest community colleges in South, PRCC has weathered political, economic and even meteorological storms, and it just keeps rolling with the punches.

In other news, BestSchools.org ranked PRCC as the nation’s 28th best community college, the school’s Phi Theta Kappa won five national awards, and the Spirit of the River marching band represented Mississippi in the 2013 Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. The RiverRoad show choir was invited to serve as host at the FAME high school show choir contest in New York City this year.

The men’s and women’s soccer teams won state and regional championships and the men’s basketball team won the state championship.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» PEARL RIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.prcc.edu » Year Founded: 1909 » Address: 101 Highway 11 North, Poplarville, MS 39470 » Phone: 601 403-1000 » Website: www.prcc.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,500 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2,450 tuition » Annual on-campus room and board: $4,200 $4,600 » Financial Aid: Several types of financial aid are available, including Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Work-Study Program, and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program » Students with Financial Aid: Approximately 64 percent in 2012-13

68 NEXT! 2013

» Average class size: 17 students » Popular Majors: General studies, business marketing and management technology, criminal justice, dental hygiene and dental assisting, healthcare data technology, instrumentation technology, medical radiography, music education, nursing, physical therapist assistant, occupational therapy. » Satellite/Annex Locations: Hattiesburg, Waveland » President: Dr. William Lewis » Director of Admissions: Dow Ford » Famous Alumni: Jimmy Buffett, Deanna Farve, Whitney Miller, first Master Chef; George Dale, former state Commissioner of Insurance; Mets player Rhyne Hughes » What’s the most important thing a parent would need to know about your institution?

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Pearl River provides the first- and second-year core curriculum at a low cost. It also offers state-of-the-art training in such fields as instrumentation technology, utility lineman technology and healthcare. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know? Pearl River is small enough that you can get to know almost all of your classmates and find study partners and friends to go with you to campus activities.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

Mississippi Business Journal

MISSISSIPPI JUNIOR AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

For Mississippi Business Journal

S » EMILY ALFORD Major: Pre-Business Progress

E

MILY ALFORD grew up singing on her family’s Progress dairy farm.

A voice student since the third-grade, she admits she is a huge fan of “American Idol.”

“I like to sing classical music but also like pop and country,” Alford says.

Alford says she was one of the first singers in the country to star in the high school musical version of “The Phantom of the Opera.”

She also won first place in singing at the Brookwood Festival in Brookhaven.

While she often sings on the Southwest campus and in church Alford doesn’t want a career in the limelight. The pre-business major is just as happy with her college internship at a local Trustmark Bank and has her heart set on a career in accounting or law.

“You can’t do anything halfway,” Alford advises students. “You can’t slack off and tighten up in the end, it doesn’t work that way. College is fun but it’s about putting in the work.”

Alford is active in student government, Bear Trackers student recruiting and the Baptist Student Union.

OUTHWEST Mississippi Community College has never forgotten its agricultural roots even after more than a century of graduating classes. For current students to remember this heritage, they needn’t look any further than the campus tree farm.

The school prides itself on being a low-cost institution. Financial aid is available in the form of scholarships, grants, work-study jobs or a combination of any of these programs and students can also earn money through part-time jobs on campus.

The college has come a long way since its days as an agricultural high school in a sleepy former resort town. The campus now includes 28 buildings, a stadium and a baseball field located around a central lake with walks, bridges and paths connecting the buildings.

The recent opening of the campus Regional Workforce Training Center will provide advanced-skills workforce

training to industries, including retail, manufacturing, oil and gas, emergency medical personnel, public works, law enforcement and all other first responders.

SMCC offers a number of academic and career/technical courses from nursing and the humanities to math to social science. Its automobile technology program prepares students for careers in automobile servicing and maintenance.

Other programs range from website design to medical billing.

Southwest has a robust athletic program including soccer, basketball, football, baseball, and softball.

All SMCC intercollegiate sports teams abide by the rules and regulations of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College and the National Junior College Athletic Association.

– STEPHEN MCDILL

» SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE » www.smcc.edu » Year Founded: 1929 » Address: 1156 College Drive, Summit, MS, 39666 » Phone: (601) 276-2000 » Website: www.smcc.edu » E-mail: mattc@smcc.edu » Undergraduate Enrollment: 2084 » Annual Tuition and Fees: $2400.00 » Annual on-campus room and board: $3010.00 5 day $3260.00 7 day » Application Deadline: Ongoing » Average ACT: 19

Mississippi Business Journal

» Financial Aid: Pell, SEOG, ACG, MTAG, MESG, LEAP, institutional, work study » Students with Financial Aid: 80 percent » Faculty-to-Student Ratio: 1:21 » Popular Majors: Nursing, electrical technology, process operations technology, and well construction technology. » President: Steven Bishop » Director of Admissions: Matthew Calhoun » Famous Alumni: Jerry Clower, Paul Ott Carruth, Glover Quin » What’s the most important thing a parent

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would need to know about your institution?

SMCC is an economical choice that provides its students an excellent quality education. » What’s the coolest thing about your campus that a potential student needs to know?

Students enjoy sporting events, school sponsored trips, religious activities, tailgate parties, musical and drama productions, and leadership opportunities.

DISCLAIMER: The information for the school profile was taken from the institution’s web site, and was assumed to be accurate at publication.

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SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

ACT Scholarships Available: Score 20 to 24 - Half Tuition ACT Scholarship Score 25 to 26 - Full Tuition ACT Scholarship Score 27 to 28 - Vice-Presidential Scholarship Full tuition, plus a $500 bookstore credit.

Score 29 or higher - Presidential Scholarship Full tuition, room and board plus a $500 bookstore credit.

Music Scholarships Scholarships Available for Band Students including Marching Band, Stage Band, Concert Choir, Steel Drum.

Other Financial Aid Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) &EDERAL 0ELL 'RANT s &OUNDATION 3CHOLARSHIPS Please visit our website at

www.smcc.edu

for more information about other scholarships and/or financial aid opportunities and requirements.

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