Browsing: People

Photography was just a hobby for teenager Juliana Skelton, but years later, she has turned it into a successful career as the official photographer of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi. 

Two outstanding students from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College – Breland Graves and Emily Montgomery – have been selected as 2024 Coca-Cola Academic Team Scholars. Graves earned the prestigious Gold Scholar designation, while Montgomery received the Silver Scholar recognition. Both students are from the Jackson County Campus.

Two students in The University of Southern Mississippi (USM)’s Art and Design program have been named to the highly anticipated 2024 Graphic Design USA (GDUSA) “Students to Watch” list.

USM Graphic Design seniors, Autumn Graves, of Hattiesburg, Miss., and Grace May of Puckett, Miss., were selected to be among this year’s cohort of aspiring designers due to their talent and potential to make significant contributions to the field.

Mississippi contributes so much to American culture in a variety of ways. One of these ways includes the contributions of several famous people who call Mississippi home. Here are some of Mississippi’s actors, authors, athletes, artists, musicians, and other notable people from the great Magnolia State:

Donna Yowell has earned the title of the “First Lady of Horticulture in Mississippi.” Born and educated in Mississippi, Yowell has a heart for farming and teaching, a passion for preservation and organization, and the determination to make a positive economic impact. For over thirty years, Yowell has worked tirelessly to bring a whole new growing and flowering cottage industry to farming in Mississippi. 

Memory Carouthers is making a difference in North Mississippi, one prom dress at a time. Memory’s Magical Dresses and Formal Wear Giveaway provides dresses, tuxedoes, jewelry, and shoes to junior high and high students free of charge for proms and dances. The non-profit organization celebrates its fifth year this month by giving out over 1,000 dresses and tuxedos to youth in the greater Tupelo area.

Pandemic entrepreneurs started over 4 million new businesses in the U.S. during 2020—the highest total on record. People responded to forced furloughs, layoffs, and business closures by starting small businesses. Some started simply out of boredom and needing to pass the time. That was how Wholly Fire Foods from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, started. James Louis, a retired teacher, enrollment officer, and recruiter for Tougaloo College, and his wife found themselves at home, looking to pass the time. Louis, an avid cook suffering from high blood pressure, decided to try gardening. 

Albine Bennett is determined and dedicated to making a difference in her community, particularly in the lives of women in northeast Mississippi.

John O’Conner is a beloved bartender and music connoisseur at Ground Zero Blues Club-Biloxi. The 65-year-old has always been passionate about live music and making people smile. So, when news traveled along the Mississippi Gulf Coast Line that John’s home burnt down and he was severely injured, Ground Zero-Biloxi staff, patrons, and the community rallied together. 

In 2012, Bryan moved to Mississippi and became an ASL instructor at Ole Miss with only 19 students. Today, Ole Miss offers a new ASL interpreting minor, and Bryan is one of four faculty teaching over 450 students.

“Excellence, discipline, grit, integrity, and teamwork” are personal values which Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michael Eubanks has built his life around and will be bringing with him to his upcoming position as Superintendent of the Laurel School District.

Love is certainly in the air this Valentine’s Day, and Millsaps College is no exception. There are some MAJOR romances (pun intended) at the private liberal arts college in historic Jackson.

Meet Rosalyn L. Robb-Herrington, owner of LaTresa’s Treats. Rosalyn is a passionate full-time baker. She has a wonderful family including her husband of twenty-three years and her two children: Taylor and Mason Jr. 

For the past 28 years, thousands of Mississippi high school and college athletes have been impacted positively by the words and actions of Scott Carter, the Southeast Director for USA Youth Outreach.

For the first time, professional mermaids worldwide will meet in Switzerland in May for the inaugural Merlympics. Pine Belt native Emily Shaw will be there representing Mississippi. The competition will test the mermaids’ aerobics and strength underwater. 

Uniformed in a chef’s hat and jacket, University of Mississippi freshman Sarah Harmon sat at a special table in the Rebel Market on Nov. 10 decorating cookies. She adorned the treats with words such as “dream,” “love” and “joy.”

These were no ordinary cookies, however, and Harmon is no ordinary baker. Harmon, who has been blind since birth, wrote the words in braille to raise awareness of those with visual impairments.