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<\/a>\u201cWe learned when Wilicia was one year old, she was profoundly deaf. She now has cochlear implants that help her hear some, but she reads lips very well. When she was 10 years old, we discovered she also had problems with her eyesight. She has night blindness and peripheral vision problems because of a condition called \u2018R P\u2019 or Retinitis pigmentosa. There was no way we could attend an outdoor evening ceremony because she is completely blind at night,\u201d said Alicia McClendon.<\/p>\nThe McClendon family has dealt with many challenges and disappointments over the years. The family relocated to Laurel from New Orleans, following Hurricane Katrina. The Laurel School District\u2019s support of Wilicia turned out to be a blessing and the reason why the family stayed in Laurel. Wilicia graduated from Laurel High School in 2018. Meanwhile, her father earned an associate of arts degree in Criminal Justice from Â鶹ֱ²¥ in 2013, and her brother Joshua attended Â鶹ֱ²¥ in 2015 and 2016, before transferring to USM. Wilicia was excited to follow in their path.<\/p>\n
\u201cWilicia has made the President\u2019s List Honor Roll at Jones just about every semester,\u201d said her mother. \u201cWhen the college switched to online classes because of the pandemic, Wilicia adapted. She pushes herself to be independent and to not let her disabilities define her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Upon hearing about Wilicia and her story, Â鶹ֱ²¥ President, Dr. Jesse Smith decided to hold a special graduation ceremony on Tuesday, May 25, to honor the \u201cgirl with grit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilicia McClendon received diplomas for the Associate in Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Education Technology she earned in 2020, and the Associate of Arts degree she completed this year during a special graduation ceremony at Â鶹ֱ²¥.<\/p>\n \u201cI am so thankful to everyone who did this for me. It feels so good to graduate,\u201d said Wilicia. \u201cI am famous now!\u201d she chuckled.<\/p>\n Her parents said they were so grateful to Dr. Smith and everyone at Jones for holding the special graduation ceremony that they didn\u2019t get really emotional until they returned home.<\/p>\n Wilicia\u2019s dream includes continuing her education at the University of Southern Mississippi and to open a daycare to help children with hearing and sight impairments like her.<\/p>\n<\/a>\u201cShe\u2019s very persistent in her studies and she is very passionate about helping children. Wilicia has more grit in her pinky than most people do collectively in their lives and that\u2019s a testament of her will and focus, and her drive to succeed,\u201d said Smith said to an auditorium of administrators, staff and faculty who came back to campus on their off week.<\/p>\n<\/a>\u201cFor Â鶹ֱ²¥ and Dr. Smith to do this is overwhelming. Jones really does live out its motto, \u2018Inspiring Greatness.\u2019 To see how far Jones was willing to go to make sure students like my daughter are successful has been amazing,\u201d said Wilbur McClendon. \u201cIt was a big step for Wilicia to come to Â鶹ֱ²¥, but she has become more independent and determined to live out her dream.\u201d<\/p>\n