All Roads Lead to Ā鶹ֱ²„ās Homecoming 2025
ELLISVILLE ā Plans are underway to make Homecoming at Ā鶹ֱ²„ a spectacular event this year with gatherings honoring the 50th reunion for the JCJC Class of 1975, and the 70th reunion for the Jones County Agricultural High School Class of 1955, and seven Honored Alumni.
The weekend of activities will incorporate the Homecoming theme, āAll Roads Lead to Jonesā beginning with Ā鶹ֱ²„ students and faculty constructing floats on Monday, September 22, then a āJones Got Talentā Show showcasing student talent will happen on Tuesday, September 23, in the Fine Arts Auditorium at 7 p.m. On Thursday, September 25, at 7:30 p.m., the Homecoming Glow Pep Rally will be held at Centennial Plaza. The āGlow Pep Rallyā is sponsored by the Student Government Association and will provide glow-necklaces and glow-sticks for everyone in attendance. This event will be canceled if there is inclement weather.
Homecoming Day, Saturday, September 27, will be a day filled with numerous activities and fun for all ages. Events will begin at 9 a.m. with brunch for alumni and friends on the front lawn of the Terrell Tisdale Library. Members of the JCJC 1975 and JCAHS 1955 classes will need to come by the JC Alumni Association table and check in during the brunch.
At 10 a.m. the Homecoming Parade, led by Parade Marshall, Dr. Phil Rasberry a 1974 JCJC graduate, will wind through the streets of Ellisville and the campus beginning at the Terrell Tisdale Library and ending outside of the M.P. Bush Fine Arts building on Bush Drive. The parade features floats made by the student body incorporating the theme, as well as the Typhoon Marching Band, JC cheerleaders, Touch of Gold, and the 2025 Homecoming Queen and her court.
At 11 a.m. following the parade, the public is also invited to join the Jones family for a pep rally in front of the C.L. Neill Student Center, Centennial Plaza. At 11:30 a.m. the JCJC Alumni Luncheon will be held in the A.B. Howard Gymnasium. During this luncheon, the JC Honor Alumni, Cade Cockrell, Shivum Desai, Dr. Robert S. Billingsley, Dr. Kaylie B. Wilkerson, Beverly Young Langford, Ph.D., Billy R. Folkes and Judge Stan Sorey, will be recognized. Additionally, the JC Homecoming Court, and the members of the JCJC Class of 1975 and JCAHS Class of 1955 will be honored. Reservations for the luncheon can be made through the Alumni and Foundation Office at 601-477-4145 or by emailing, jcjcalumniinfo@jcjc.edu or the website: /alumni_foundation/events/
āTailgating under the Tentsā will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the North Endzone of Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field.
The Homecoming pre-game festivities will begin at 1:30 p.m. with the marching bandās pre-game show in Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field. The game against Holmes Community College will begin at 2 p.m.
Before the 2nd quarter, the 2025 Honor Alumni will be recognized and during halftime, the Homecoming Court will be presented with the crowning of the 2025 Homecoming Queen, Alexis McQueen before the Typhoon Marching Band and Touch of Gold perform. The festivities will end with the announcement of Mr. and Miss JC before the 4th quarter. For more information call the Foundation and Alumni Office at 477-4145 or email jcjcalumniinfo@jcjc.edu
Ā鶹ֱ²„ announces Homecoming Court 2025
ELLISVILLE ā Homecoming on the campus of Ā鶹ֱ²„ in Ellisville will be a celebration of the theme, āAll Roads Lead to Jones.ā Numerous activities, reunions and gatherings are scheduled before the culmination of Homecoming celebrations on Saturday, September 27, 2025. During halftime of the football game, Queen Alexis McQueen of Laurel, and the entire JC student-elected, 2025 Homecoming Court will be presented. Escorting the ladies will be a Ā鶹ֱ²„ student selected by the student representatives.
Queen Alexis McQueen of Laurel is a communications major at Ā鶹ֱ²„. She is a member of the Bobcat Brigade student ambassadors group, and she works on campus. Academically, McQueen has earned the Letter āJā Award and has been on the Deanās List Honor Roll, while also volunteering as a Youth Group Leader at Mount Vernon Church. The Northeast Jones High School graduate was a member of the Gold Horizon Show Choir and Student Council. Her future plans include earning her bachelorās degree at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her parents are Beverly McQueen and Len Armstrong.
āI have always wanted to be Homecoming Queen since I was in elementary school to show people who I am as a person; someone who is different but also willing to serve others. I hope to use this platform to inspire others to get involved, support each other, and make a greater impact,ā shared McQueen. āMy mom is the reason why I set such high goals. She always encouraged me to fiercely pursue my goals, and she is the one who encouraged me to attend Ā鶹ֱ²„ to pursue my education.ā
Dawson Graves of Hebron will be escorting McQueen at Homecoming. The Ā鶹ֱ²„ sophomore is majoring in electrical technology with plans to get a job in the electrical field in the future. He is also a member of the Bobcat Brigade. While attending West Jones High School, Graves was a member of the football team, Show Choir, Beta Club and Student Council. His parents are Jessica Graves and the late James Strong, III.
Destiny Velasco-Izaguirre of Ellisville is your Student Body Maid. The Laurel Christian High School graduate is majoring in International Business with French as her chosen language of study. At Jones, she is serving as the VP of the Baptist Student Union and social media, VP of Leadership for Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and VP of the Student Government Association. As a writer for the student newspaper, The Radionian, Velasco-Izaguirre won 2nd place for Best General News Story in 2024 at the Better News/Media Contest, and she has been on the Faculty List Honor Roll. Furthermore, she volunteers at First Baptist Church of Ellisvilleās Mission Monday. While at LCS, she earned numerous Speech and Debate awards including being 36th out of 238 competitors in Dramatic Interpretation at the Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament in 2024, and first place in Declamation at John C. Stennis in 2020. Her future plans include graduating with two bachelorsā degrees from USM or MSU in economics and specializing in International Business and French. With those degrees, Velasco-Izaguirre wants to create and manage a non-profit that supports the local community as well as address an international problem. Her parents are Rodolfo Velasco and Lindarena Izaguirre.
Escorting Velasco-Izaguirre will be Wesley Culbreth of Enterprise. While in High School, Culbreth was the captain of the football team, powerlifting and he was a leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The Forestry major is a member of the JC FCA, and Bobcat Brigade. His future plans include earning a Forestry Management degree at Mississippi State. His parents are Ernie Culbreth and Kim Dampier.
Harleigh Ann Fortenberry of Moselle is your Sophomore Maid, who is majoring in nursing. The South Jones High School graduate was the President of the Class of 2024, the Captain of the Bravettes Dance Team, and a member of the Student Council and Beta Club. At JC, Fortenberry is a member of the Student Government Association, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Nurses. In her spare time, Fortenberry volunteers at North Street Missions with the First Baptist Church of Ellisvilleās College Group, and she is an active member of Vision Baptist Church. While pursuing her bachelor of science degree in nursing, Fortenberry plans to work as an R.N. in labor and delivery and then work towards becoming a nurse practitioner. Dusty Fortenberry and Mandy Hughes are her parents.
Adam Nix of Ellisville will be escorting Fortenberry at Homecoming. The South Jones High School graduate was a member of the baseball, soccer and golf teams and he was fifth in the class of 2024. The chemical engineering major is a member of the Charles Pickering Honors Institute and PTK, and Nix has earned the Letter āJā Award. Nix is an active member of First Baptist Church of Ellisville where he is a leader for youth group events and various mission projects. His future plans include pursuing a degree in chemical engineering at Mississippi State University. His parents are Anthony and Stacey Nix.
Sophomore Maid, Edna Perez-Ambrocio is a graduate of Morton High School and is majoring in elementary education. The Morton native has served as the VP of Educators Rising, a Morton High School Senior Representative, President of the National Technical Honor Society, VP of Community Service of Family, Career, Community Leaders of America and Secretary of Beta Club. She has continued being active at Ā鶹ֱ²„, as a member of the FCA, JC College Choir, the Typhoon Marching Band, PTK, and the English Honor Society, in addition to earning the Letter āJā Award. Perez-Ambrocio plans to continue her education at Mississippi State University and also earn a masterās degree in accounting. Julio Domingo Chun and Mayra Ambrocio-Perez are her parents.
Her escort will be Jacey Posey of the Currie settlement. The Recording Arts major is a member of the Typhoon Marching Band, Concert Choir, and an audio technician for Jones OnStage Show Choir. While at South Jones High School, Posey shared his talents as a member of the Band of Braves and āCompanyā Show Choir. Starting an audio engineering company, while helping local ministries and businesses are Poseyās future plans. His parents are Anitra Pierce and Lyterrial Pierce.
Freshman Maid, Annah-Bryce Clark is a Sand Hill resident majoring in secondary education. The Greene County High School graduate was a cheerleader, a member of WILDPAT, and she served as president of the Beta Club. At Ā鶹ֱ²„, Clark is proud to be a member of the Bobcat Brigade student ambassadors. In her spare time, Clark volunteers with the beautification of the campus and community, supports elementary students with reading development and assists teachers with classroom responsibilities. All of her volunteer work will be instrumental as she pursues her secondary education degree with an emphasis in history at Mississippi State University. B.J. and Amy Clark are her parents.
Escorting Clark will be Cole Helton of Leakesville, where he was a member of the baseball team for Greene County High School. Helton was also a member of the National Beta Club in high school. At Jones, he is continuing to share his baseball skills as a member of the Bobcat Baseball team while majoring in engineering. His future plans include pursuing his engineering degree at Mississippi State University. Chad and Candice Helton are his parents.
Shmyricah Shyon McCann is your Freshman Maid from State Line. The Wayne County High School graduate was a member of the yearbook all four years and the volleyball team. McCann was named Class Favorite, Best Dressed and Most Outgoing while in high school. At Ā鶹ֱ²„, she is majoring in business management and is proud to have been selected to be a part of the Homecoming Court since she was in fourth grade. Her parents are Steve Morgan and Lameka McCann.
Nathan Gavin of Bay Springs will be escorting McCann. The sports journalism major is a member of the Bobcat Broadcast, and he is a member of the student newspaper, The Radionian. At JC, Gavin also enjoys playing Flag Football as part of an intramural team. His future plans include attending the University of Mississippi and pursuing his masterās degree in sports journalism with the goal of working for ESPN. Mark Gavin and Natalie Cole are his parents.
The Homecoming Court will also feature Novalee Pearl Yates as the Flower Girl. The five-year-old is a kindergartner at West Jones Elementary School. Her parents are Bill and Britanie Yates, and her grandparents are the retired Police Chief for Ā鶹ֱ²„, Stan Livingston and the current Director of JC One Card and Facility Reservations, Tina Livingston. The Crown Bearer is Mason Kole Robinson. The five-year-old kindergartner at South Jones Elementary School is the son of Macon and Alyson Walters and the grandson of Shelby and Tina Walters of Ellisville.
Ā鶹ֱ²„ hosts annual Fall Blood Drive
ELLISVILLE – Ā鶹ֱ²„ās annual Fall Blood Drive will be held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, September 15, 16, and 18, at two different locations on campus. On Monday, the Mobile Unit will be parked outside of the Industrial Services Building from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. On Tuesday and Thursday, Vitalant will have a Mobile Unit collecting donations behind the C.L. Neill Student Center on Dan Jones Memorial Drive near the Student Union from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, and until 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. The public, as well as the JC community are invited to participate by making an appointment on the Vitalant website,
āEvery year Ā鶹ֱ²„ās blood drive helps provide a critical resource to sick and injured people throughout the state. As the need for critical blood supplies increases, JC students, faculty and staff step up every year and we do our best to meet the needs of our state and our community. I couldnāt be prouder of what Jones does through this one community service opportunity,ā said JC Blood Drive Coordinator and Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Benji Sessums, Ph.D. NR-P.
The overall goal for the three-days is 105 units of blood stated Sessums. To encourage donations, T-shirts will be given to all donors and donors will have a chance to win $10,000, during random drawings according to Vitalant.
Ā鶹ֱ²„ās Typhoon Marching Bandās Drum Majors, ready to āgrooveā
ELLISVILLE ā The Ā鶹ֱ²„ football team has excelled on the road for the first two games, and now the Drum Majors for the Typhoon Marching Band are ready to debut their show before the home crowd. Returning sophomore drum majors, Elisa Cook of Meridian and Chaz Welborn of Ellisville are joined by Laney Ingram of Raleigh and they are ready to āgrooveā with the 101-member Typhoon Marching Band at Ā鶹ֱ²„.
āI am looking forward to entertaining our audience with the āElements of Groove: A Typhoon Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fireā show,ā said Cook. āI think the audience will love the extravagant sound coming from our horn players.ā
The business and marketing management technology major spent two years of leadership experience as a Clarkdale High School Drum Major, earning the title of MHSAA Superior Drum Major. Additionally, she has been a member of the marching and concert bands at Clarkdale High School, President of the FBLA, and she served as the 2024 Miss Black Queen City Talented Teen.
Welborn is also an experienced musician playing in the marching, jazz and concert bands at Northeast Jones High School. The sophomore electromechanical technology major enjoyed watching the Typhoon Marching Band in parades and at the games when he was younger. To be in a leadership role now, is an accomplishment he is proud of and takes this responsibility, seriously.
āBeing a member of a group that had a major influence in my life has been a great honor,ā said Welborn. āBand camp was a major success and Iām proud the special traditions of the Typhoon have continued.ā
Bringing a fresh excitement to the Typhoon, is nursing major from Morton, Laney Ingram who said she is, āgetting into the groove with the rest of the Typhoon.ā For the past four years as a member of the Raleigh High School band, Ingram and her twin sister Linsey have watched the halftime show at JC and are excited to finally be a part of the Typhoon.
āI wanted to be the drum major for the Typhoon so badly that I watched videos I recorded of their halftime show and you can hear me getting excited over every cool cue they added to their routine or every time I was inspired by their performance. I would often find a way to incorporate some moves into my high school marching band performance,ā shared Ingram.
Her determination, practice and lessons over the years proved to be successful. Ingram said being the drum major at JC is one of the best decisions sheās made.
āI love the Typhoon, and I hope that I can be a drum major that encourages others to join like my co-drum majors inspired me!ā
These drum majorsā first public appearance leading the Typhoon Marching Band onto the field will be on Thursday, September 11, when Ā鶹ֱ²„ hosts Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in football at 7 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field when the 2025 members of the Sports Hall of Fame are recognized.
Ā鶹ֱ²„ grad makes history as JCās 1st MS Rural Dentists Scholar
ELLISVILLE ā Just before Wendy Mendoza of Laurel graduated from Ā鶹ֱ²„ last May, she learned she was selected as one of only three college students in the state to be accepted into the Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program. She is also the first JC graduate to earn such an honor in the programās 12-year history.
āWendy Mendoza is an exceptional young woman who has worked hard here at Ā鶹ֱ²„,ā said her JC advisor and biology instructor, Dr. Melinda Butler. āNo one is more deserving of the MS Rural Dentist Scholarship than Wendy. She is self-confident, resourceful, and possesses excellent interpersonal skills. Wendy will become a caring dentist.ā
In fact, Mendoza is well on her way to becoming a dentist by being accepted into this prestigious program coordinated through the University of Mississippi Medical Center. After enduring three rounds of interviews at UMMC, and being accepted into the program in May, Mendoza took part in the initial phase of the two-year undergraduate prep for dental school over the summer. She also began the academic pathway into the pre-dental program at the University of Mississippi on August 25.
āIn July, we toured the dental school, learned about Dental Admission Tips and did waxing teeth activities during a two-day introduction at UMMC,ā shared Mendoza. āIt was a lot of fun!ā
Being a dentist is not something Mendoza has always dreamt about, but she did enjoy going to the dentist as a young child. Her original goal has always been to be a dental hygienist but then she realized there are not many dentists with a similar background as her.
āItās a male dominated field but when I was young, I had to translate every single thing for my parents because they donāt speak English. I want to be able to help those who have similar backgrounds, and Iāve always loved everything about the dentist and oral health. I even enjoyed playing dental video games as a kid,ā shared the 2023 West Jones High School graduate.
As she began her freshman year of college at JC, conversations with her advisor made her consider changing her career plans, but she had to overcome shyness. Being a member of the Bobcat Brigade and working at a local contractorās office helped her gain confidence to handle the interviews and rigors of dental school.
āJones is a great place to start. I needed this place because like any medical major, the classes are difficult. The smaller class sizes allowed me to make friends with the few people taking organic chemistry and the instructor. Being involved with Bobcat Brigade, meeting people and giving tours also helped me personally. Furthermore, my bossās wife, and EVP of Marketing at JC, Dr. Fineeā Ruffin coached me on how to handle my nerves during interviews,ā said Mendoza. āOriginally, I had a scholarship to play soccer at a different school but I didnāt feel comfortable so I thought I would see how I would do at Jones. It was better than I could ever imagine. Everything fell into place.ā
Shadowing local dentists while at Jones also helped Mendoza decide her career path and being accepted for the Rural Dentists Scholarship Program, solidified her choice. Through the MRDSP, Mendoza will have opportunities to work with and be mentored by local dentists, and she will get additional training through dental encounters. If she gets accepted into dental school after earning her bachelor’s degree, she will have up to four years of her tuition paid. In return, she plans to return to Ellisville to practice.
āEllisville is where I started so I think I want to give back here because so many people helped me here in Ellisville,ā said Mendoza. āI can even see myself mentoring other future dentists if I have my office down the road from Ā鶹ֱ²„.ā
VP of Enrollment Management at Jones, Dr. Amanda McLeod, is sure Mendoza will not only succeed but thrive. She witnessed her growth as a member of the enrollment management teamās student leaders when Mendoza was a member of the Bobcat Brigade.
āWendy Mendoza is exactly the kind of future healthcare professional our rural communities need. She is driven, compassionate, and committed to making a difference. I have no doubt sheāll make a lasting impact on the lives of the patients and communities she serves,ā McLeod said proudly.
Mendoza and Mississippi State University students, Haley Harris of Louisville, and Haley Jenkins of Meridian were also accepted into the Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program this year. For more information about the MRDSP click on the website: