Browsing: People

Nestled along the quiet banks of the Topisaw Creek in Summit, Mississippi, sits a small studio where clay, creativity, and faith come together in harmony. It’s here that local artist Emily Nichols, founder of Creekside Pottery, spends her days shaping more than just clay — she’s shaping stories, memories, and moments of connection.

Tucked just south of Newton, Mississippi, along Highway 15, sits one of the state’s most remarkable treasures—Hidden Springs Arabian Horse Farm. At first glance, it looks like an unassuming piece of countryside, but within its 100 acres, visitors find themselves immersed in a world that blends Mississippi tradition with international acclaim.

MOSS POINT—Untying from the safe harbor of Beardslee Lake in Moss Point marked the beginning of an adventure that was 20 years in the making.

A Mississippi State architecture student was recently named a finalist in the 2025 Timber Design Competition at the Timber Construction Conference in Pretoria, South Africa.

PASCAGOULA—The name Todd Trenchard has become synonymous with the name Bacot after serving the Foundation and the Gulf Coast for the past 23 years.

A short film by Shrijal Thapa, a student in The University of Southern Mississippi’s Theatre program, housed in the School of Performing and Visual Arts (SPVA), has been selected for three major festivals in Los Angeles—Independent Shorts Awards, Hollywood Discovery Awards and Indie Short Fest—earning him multiple awards and nominations, including a Gold Award for Best Original Score.

The U.S. Navy is 250 years old today! On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the first American naval force.

Imagine taking a walk alongside a creek you’ve visited numerous times and coming home with a prehistoric American mastodon jawbone. That’s precisely what happened to J.P. Ketchum, 15, and his cousin, Tylnn Sanders, at a creek on family land in Yazoo County, Mississippi, in June 2025. The unique discovery has sparked local excitement and interest in the ancient history of the region. 

Shakiya Ingram and Vandell McGill, undergraduate students in The University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Ocean Science and Engineering (SOSE) Oceanography and Ocean Mapping program, recently returned from a life-changing ocean-mapping research cruise aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s vessel, Nancy Foster, in Charleston, S.C.

I moved from Mississippi to Massachusetts on September 7, 2025. Eager to finally embark on a new journey, I did not know how much of a cultural shock I would experience. Below are three of the first differences I have noticed within nearly a month of arriving. 

When one walks into the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs, the odds are that they will immediately be met by the museum’s own Ginny Garlotte. A native of D’Iberville, Mississippi and long-time patron of the arts, Garlotte is not only the face of visitor services and inquiries at the front desk of WAMA, but she is also one of the Gulf Coast’s most humble visual artists. A well-read and passionate researcher,  Garlotte has created a theme of artwork that is both strong in beauty and amusement.  

The world lost one of the most influential conservationists of the past century with the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall. Her love of the natural world and subsequent call for us to champion a balance in the way we view nature began with her ground-breaking research on chimpanzees in the forest of Tanzania, Africa. She was a household name, right up there with Mr. Rodgers, and Big Bird. She carried herself with dignity and was a forceful voice for the creatures and places she loved.

Opera Mississippi in Jackson is celebrating 80 years, highlighting Mississippi’s rich history of Opera. It is the state’s only professional opera company and the ninth-oldest continuously operating opera company in the U.S., dating back to its 1945 founding. For eight decades, Opera Mississippi has worked to produce accessible, high-quality Opera, musical theatre, and popular music experiences. Over the years, Opera Mississippi has featured notable national and international artists, including its latest executive director, John Christopher Adams from Fannin, Mississippi. 

Belhaven University is once again searching for aspiring writers to award a full-ride scholarship. In honor of well-known author and alumna Angie Thomas ’11, the University will present the Angie Thomas Writers Scholarship to one incoming creative writing major.

A medical condition called pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) caused Cathy Maberry to lose her sight partially in 2017. Within three years, Maberry went completely blind. Despite her circumstances, Maberry never lost sight of her goal to complete her degree at Jackson State University (JSU) and pursue her life’s purpose. 

Mississippi’s greatest treasures are her people. They always have been, and they always will be. No matter where a person travels within the borders of our state, I can guarantee that there will be some kind, hospitable Mississippians to greet and help that traveler along the way. Seriously, kindness and hospitality are absolutely part of our Mississippi DNA.