The stage will be set. The lawn will be overtaken with rows of chairs that feel like they go on forever. Everyone will be in their place. Family and friends will be seated. The choir will sing. The graduates will anxiously wait to walk across the stage as all the memories from the last two years come back to them. As the president steps up, a hush falls among the crowd. Finally, the day has come.
Approximately 675 students will participate in the 98th Annual Commencement Ceremony, which will take place outdoors on Friday, May 8, on the North Lawn of Jones Hall. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be open to the public with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Keynote speaker is Augustus L. Collins, a U.S. Army Retired Major General and Chief Executive Officer of MINACT Inc. in Jackson, Miss.
Destiny Velasco, a Jones student participating in the ceremony, has been highly involved in many campus clubs and activities, such as the Jones newspaper staff and the Baptist Student Union. Velasco was also recently inducted into the Jones Hall of Fame.
“I’m going to miss the small community of Jones College,” said Velasco. “It’s easy to spot the ones who are the most dedicated to serving Jones College, because they’ll be at every event. That helps me feel a sense of comradeship and gives me the motivation to strive to serve when I could.”
Dean of Students Sarah Ishee plays a significant role in graduation preparation. It is not just about setting up for the actual day but working year-round with students to make sure they are ready for life after Jones. But on graduation day, it is all hands on deck.
“Putting on a graduation ceremony truly takes a campus-wide effort,” said Ishee. “Every department plays a role. The Registrar will verify degrees; Instructional Affairs and Enrollment Services coordinate logistics; all departments, particularly Grounds and Fine Arts, set up the space, and Campus Police helps with safety and traffic flow.”
For many students graduating, Jones College has been more than just a school. Throughout campus events and clubs, students have been able to step out of their comfort zones and find opportunities that they didn’t know existed. Growth can come from many things and look different for everyone, whether it is discovering a new passion, forming new relationships or just getting better grades. For Velasco, it was personal growth that helped her find what she wanted to do after Jones. Joining different clubs and trying new things really gave her a new perspective.
“Jones College has helped me become less detached from people,” Velasco said. “There have been people at Jones College who have motivated me to campaign for titles that I never knew I could receive. (For instance,) instructors have pushed their students to apply to things such as the Hall of Fame. Jones College has helped me expand my view, and I cannot be any more grateful for that.”
Graduation is seen as a tremendous accomplishment by most students. However, it also means a lot to the people who helped them along the way.
“Graduation is incredibly meaningful to me,” Ishee said. “As Dean of Students, I’ve had the opportunity to walk alongside many of these students through challenges, growth and success. Seeing them reach this point is a reminder of why we do what we do. It’s not just about earning a degree; it’s about perseverance, resilience, and personal growth. Watching them cross that stage feels like a shared accomplishment.”
Graduating from Jones is just the first step in many of these students’ lives. It represents what the students have accomplished so far, but it also shows that there are more opportunities to grow and be successful.
“Jones College is just the beginning,” Velasco said. “It has been the foundation for my future career and graduating means to me the growth I have made, but it will also mean the growth I have left to achieve.”
Velasco encourages current students and future Bobcats to take advantage of opportunities available on campus.
“Just do it!” Velasco said. “I don’t mean to be cliché but just take any opportunity that is presented to you. Jones is probably the only place that is small enough to have positions to fill and big enough to expand from those positions. Your time at Jones is a coming of age, discovering what you like and what you don’t. You can’t discover that unless you expand your perception, and expanding perception can come from taking a class that’s rigorous and not necessarily in your curriculum, campaigning for titles, or attending different clubs.”
With graduation just a few days away, it starts to set in that for some of these students, it will be their last time at Jones. Dean Ishee leaves the graduates with one final message as they prepare to go on to do greater things.
“I would tell them: Don’t get comfortable, keep growing,” Ishee said. “The world is going to present new challenges and opportunities, and the same determination that got them here will take them even further. Stay curious, stay humble and don’t be afraid to take risks. And no matter where life takes you, always remember where you started and the people who helped you along the way.”
When the graduation ceremony comes to an end, everyone will stand as fireworks light up the night sky. Family and friends will applaud with joy. Parents and teachers will congratulate the graduates, and the graduates will breathe a sigh of relief knowing all their work was worth it. In the end, the graduates will be glad they chose the road to Jones.
by Jackson Vella
