The University of Mississippi

Jackson Prep took a group of seniors to visit the University of Mississippi on September 28. The bus left Prep at 6 am with Megan Thomas, the Assistant Director of Admissions, and Cole Putnam, the Ole Miss Admissions counselor for Madison and Rankin counties. Breakfast was provided for the seniors.

When the seniors got to Ole Miss, they went to Paris-Yates Chapel to hear from Whitman Smith, the Director of Admissions. They also heard from Linda Spargo, the Special Projects Coordinator, Academic Advisor and an Instructor in Business Administration. The students were informed about Ole Miss and the opportunities that they would have at the university.

The students then had the choice to visit to the Honors College, Croft Institute for International Studies, or the CME (the Center for Manufacturing Excellence). At the Honors College, the seniors heard from students who were currently in the Honors College discuss the opportunities that the Honors College has. The seniors who went to the Croft Institute for International Studies heard about the different study abroad opportunities. The seniors who went to the Center for Manufacturing Excellence learned that this major combines Accounting, Engineering, and Business. They learned about the program and got to tour the facilities. Huge steel cutting machines, factory production lines, and 3-D printing machines were part of the facilities they toured.

The Students then went to the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics and heard from a panel of current Ole Miss students about life at Ole Miss and the new Provost, Noel Wilkin. Students on this panel were from different states, countries, and some were Prep alumni. Miss Ole Miss was also a part of this panel. Prep seniors could ask any questions that they wanted about Ole Miss. The Ole Miss students told the seniors about the student organizations they are a part of like NewsWatch and Associated Student Body.

Double-Decker buses then took the seniors around the campus of Ole Miss and the city of Oxford. There was a tour guide who showed the seniors the landmarks in Oxford. After the tour, the double-decker buses brought the seniors back to the Grove.

Lunch was provided by Old Taylor Grocery at the Grove and some Prep alumni came to lunch. When the seniors ate lunch, they had the opportunity to talk to the department chairs of many majors at Ole Miss. This tour gave seniors the opportunity to see if they were interested in attending Ole Miss the next fall.

Mississippi State University

On September 5 the senior student bus to MS State departed from Prep at 6 am. Candace Johnson, a MS State admissions counselor, rode with the students on their trip to Starkville. Breakfast was provided for the seniors. Candace Johnson told the seniors about the campus and asked trivia questions on the ride to MS State.

When the seniors got to MS State, there were MS State Roadrunners (ambassadors) waiting to greet them. The seniors then went to the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex and heard advice from MS State Chancellor Mark Keenum, Football Coach Dan Mullen, Men’s Basketball Coach Ben Howland, Women’s Basketball Coach Vic Schaefer, Baseball Coach Andy Cannizaro, Jake Mangum, a Prep graduate and current MS State baseball player, and many more.

After the seniors heard from the faculty and current MS State students, they went on a tour of the school of the major they are interested in. Prep seniors who went to the Business School were shown the entrepreneurial center. When they were in this center, some of the seniors were given current shark tank ideas and had to present them to the other seniors on the business tour. The seniors watching were given fake money to vote on their favorite products. The students who went on the College of Arts and Sciences were given a presentation and packets. The other students who went to the other colleges were given tours and more information about their particular fields. Senior Miriam Box said, “I love Mississippi State because everyone there made me feel special and made me feel at home.”

Lunch from McAlister’s was provided to all of the students. At lunch Connor Watson, a Prep graduate, and Tyler McMurray, the Student President at MS State spoke, giving the students advice and answering questions.

There was an ice cream social after lunch in which Prep graduates came and talked with current Prep students. The students then left to return to Prep. This trip gave students a great insight into MS State and whether or not they would be interested in attending school there in the fall of 2018.