The Charles L. Pickering Honors College has had a long standing reputation of living up to the “Gold Standard” held at Jones College. This standard includes excellence, integrity and academic achievement.
The Honors College provides several opportunities to students. From guest speakers to traveling abroad, students in the Honors College are given chances to learn from experts in several fields and see the world.
Throughout the year several guest speakers are introduced to students, which provides students networking opportunities. The lecture series at the University of Southern Mississippi is intertwined into the curriculum of the Honors Forum and is partnered with meetings with important politicians/industry leaders, such as Tate Reeves.
“The Honors College is being in a room full of people that are all different, and you see viewpoints that you haven’t seen before,” said Jane Moss. “There are athletes, nonathletes, people of all classes and races, and we have all never met. We’re all from different areas, and we all still come together to have this free space to talk about these tough topics. It’s a very open ground, and I have never felt judged.”
The Honors Forum, which meets weekly, is a chance to interact with other students in similar classes and with similar interests. The Forum, which is a mandatory part of the Honors College, is somewhat flexible with sports schedules and other events as long as discussions and participation are evident in other ways.
Students in the Honors College are encouraged to participate in other activities such as sports and clubs throughout their time at Jones. Because the Honors College can fit into a busy schedule, several students play softball, tennis, do cheerleading, sing in the choir and participate in the musical.
Each year the students have the chance to sign up for a discounted trip to a learning destination. Students are asked to pay a small portion of the fee for travel, but the price is small compared to the knowledge and experience gained. Every year the trip’s destination rotates between in-country and out-of-country.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Honors!” Ollie Hammonds, sophomore in the Honors College said. “Mr. Stockstill has made the forum so much fun. We have some wonderful conversations that have pushed me to think about things from a different perspective.”
John Stockstill, who serves as director of the Honors College, was unavailable for comment due to military commitments. He has strongly encouraged high school seniors to apply for the Honors College at Jones. For questions, email Stockstill at john.stockstill@jcjc.edu.
by Rylee Burks
