Bobcat Bulletin
e-Newsletter  bobcat
        A publication of the JCJC Alumni Association & JCJC Foundation
                                                                     February, 2011 - Vol 1, Issue 6
In This Issue
Wanted! Volunteers
Basketball State Tournament
Grand Opening
Spring Events
Alumni Business Feature-Eric Roberts
Alumnus Accomplishment-Shawn Mercer
Alumna Accomplishment-Sicily Axton
Favorite JCJC Memory
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JCJC TV  
 
Basketball Schedule
Nov. 1   East MS    5:30/7:30
Nov. 4    Delgado              5/7
Nov. 9    Bishop St. 5:15/7:15
Nov. 15  NE MS               5/7
Nov. 18  Itawamba         5/7
Nov. 22   Meridian            6/8
Nov. 29   East MS   5:30/7:30
Dec. 2    Hinds                6/8
Dec. 6    East Central       6/8
Jan. 5     Itawamba           5/7
Jan. 6     NE MS              5/7
Jan.10    MGCCC             6/8
Jan.13   Delgado            5/7
Jan.18   PRCC                6/8
Jan.20   Southwest         6/8
Jan.24    Co-Lin                6/8
Jan.27    Hinds                 6/8
Jan.31   East Central      6/8
Feb. 3    MGCCC             6/8
Feb. 7    Meridian           5/7
Feb.10    PRCC               5/7
Feb.14    Southwest         5/7
Feb.17   Co-Lin              6/8

Feb. 21-24 State Tournament hosted by South Women's Winner

Home games indicated by bold
Hello! Alumni and Friends, 
Caroline Kelly

Caroline Ramagos

Foundation Executive Director 


     Love is in the air and no one loves you more than your Alma Mater!  To celebrate love, we are looking for, "The Love Stories of Jones."  Did you or someone you know fall in love under the wisteria?  Do you have fond memories of sitting on the rock wall with your true love? 
   In preparation for the Centennial Celebration, kicking off this coming Fall, the Alumni Office is gathering "The Love Stories of Jones."  To share your story, email [email protected]  or call the office at 601-477-4049. 
   Speaking of love,  we'd like to congratulate Alumni Coordinator, Amie Herrington, on her marriage to Shannon McQueen, who is also a JCJC alumnus.  They exchanged vows on New Year's Day.  Together, they have four boys: Brett Herrington (16), Tyler McQueen (9), Blane Herrington (7) and Conner McQueen (5).

   We wish them a future full of happiness!
 
Sincerely,
Caroline Ramagos
JCJC VP of Advancement-
Foundation Executive Director
Wanted!
  THANK YOU  for a tremendous response to our request for information for the Centennial Celebrations and reunions.  Please pass our request on to your friends and family who may also want to join in on the BIG celebration!
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  If you were a member of the Maroon Typhoon, the football team, or cheerleading squad we
wanted!
Attention!
need you!  In an effort to prepare for Centennial celebrations we would like to involve as many alumni as possible.  Please send us your contact information, which team/organization you were a member of, and the years you played. 
   Volunteers are also needed to help locate and compile the information collected. If you have the time to help, please email [email protected] or call the office at 601-477-4145.   
 
Basketball State Tournament
  The Ladies Bobcat Basketball team is on a winning streak securing a bid to the MACJC State Tournament February 21-24 after posting a win against Gulf Coast Saturday in a make-up game, postponed because of weather.  The State competition will be held at the home court of the women's South Division winner. 
   The Lady Bobcats and Coach Sandra Sumrall are hungry for another State Title and are on the heels of Co-Lin.  The wolves are currently leading the division with a 9-0 record, while the JCJC women are 8-1. 
   Overall, the women are 15-4 and the men are 9-10, and are in third place in the division with a 5-4 record.  The top four teams in each division qualify for state tournament action. 
   There are two more home games, one of which will determine post-season action.  JCJC hosts Co-Lin on Feb. 17, in the last home division game, and Meridian on Monday, Feb. 7, is a non-division game.  The remaining two away division games will be at Pearl River on Feb. 10 and Southwest on Feb. 14.  You can listen/see the games on jcjc.tv at www.jcjc.tv with Lance Pittman and Mark Easley giving you play-by-play action. 
   Go Bobcats! 

Grand Opening

     Please join us for the Grand Opening of the new Community Bank softball signPark on Wednesday, February 9, 2011.  The offical ribbon cutting will begin at 12:30 p.m. and the ceremonial first pitches will be thrown before the men's 2 p.m. game and the ladies 2:30 game. 

community bank front cu

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The men play Baton Rouge at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and the ladies square off against Holmes at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. 

    Join us and help us kick off the season in a grand way!

 

Spring Events

  Upcoming events we hope you and your friends will want to participate in this spring include:

 

  *Spring Musical, "Little Shop of Horrors" will be presented February 18 & 19 at 7 p.m. and February 20 at 2:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium.  Call the Fine Arts Department for more info at 601-477-4094.

 

  *The Golf Tournament will be held at the Laurel Country Club and has been scheduled for April 1, with an 8:30 a.m. tee time.  Sign up now to be a sponsor or to play for a worthy cause!

 

  *The Garden Symposium will be at the Whitehead Advanced Technology Center, April 28, from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.

 

 (Both events benefit students by providing scholarships.) 

  

   *Awards Day will be April 21, at 1:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

 

Call the Alumni/Foundation Office for more information at 601-477-4145 or email [email protected] for more information about these events.
 

 

 Alumnus Business Feature - Eric Roberts & Roberts Creative

   Eric Roberts, owner of Roberts Creative Ad Agency in Laurel, recently received the Business Support Award for his business' contributions to the Public Relations Association of Business support awardMississippi, Pine Belt chapter.  His agency redesigned the PRAM website offering members an innovative and engaging place to share information.   

eric roberts and julie defatta

Eric Roberts, Business Support Award winner & PRAM president, Julie DeFatta

  "It was a really fun project and we were very honored to receive the award. I must say 2011 is off to a really good start!" 

    Roberts attended JCJC from 1998-2000 and met his wife, Amanda while working on the yearbook staff as a photographer for Lair sponsor, and 1978 JCJC graduate, Rebecca Ratcliff-Patrick.  That exposure to photography got Roberts interested in the film industry.  He later graduated from USM with his Bachelor of Arts in Radio, Television and Film. 

   Roberts ventured off to Jackson to work as a producer for the production company, Eyevox.  While there, Eric worked with companies like MTV, The Discovery Channel, and HBO.  With five years of experience in the TV/Film industry, Roberts decided to move back to Laurel to open his own ad agency.   

 

    "We decided to do this because there was no one in Jones County offering this type of service," said Roberts.  

     In 2006 he renovated an old warehouse in downtown Laurel and began offering web design, graphic design, photography, videography, and advertising strategy services.  Shortly after opening Roberts Creative Ad Agency, Eric needed help.  Another JCJC student photographer, Patrick Little, who also worked on the JCJC yearbook from 2007-09, joined Roberts' agency, offering another dimension.  

Patrick Little & Eric Roberts

Patrick Little & Eric Roberts

      "He has been a huge asset to us," said Roberts.  "Patrick has kept us on top of all the trends like what Mark Zuckerberg announced recently about their new messaging service called 'Titan', which could change the way we communicate, again.  He is also responsible for the development and design of the PRAM website." 

   The newest addition to Roberts Creative, is JCJC 2010 graduate, Brooke Cole-Davis.  Eric said she is the 'grammar police' and keeps the agency organized.

 

    Some of the companies Roberts is currently working with include South Central Regional Medical Center, Trustpoint, Tanner Farms and Laurel Main Street.  The newest project, he shared, will expose his skills statewide. 

  "We are really excited to be the ad agency responsible for creative services for State Auditor Stacey Pickering's 2011 campaign,"  said Roberts.  For more information about Roberts Creative check out his website at www.robertscreative.com

 

 

   CongratulationsEric on the PRAM Award and on the success of your thriving business! 

 

Alumnus Accomplishment-Shawn Mercer

 shawn mercer and julie dafatta  Shawn Mercer (1986-87) recently received the top award for the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, Pine Belt chapter.  The Richton native earned the "Bud Kirkpatrick Practitioner of the Year Award" for his contributions to the PRAM organization and to the PR field. 

  "It's quite an honor to be selected by PRAM for the organization's top honor!"

  While at JCJC, he played football and was an All-State selection.  He transferred to USM and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations, and a minor in Speech Communications.

   Mercer has more than 20 years of experience with the Social Security Administration.  He began as a claims representative in Jackson and Hattiesburg before being named the full time Public Affairs Specialist for the agency in Mississippi. 

  He is an active member of PRAM serving on the board of directors and as president of the organization.   Mercer is a graduate of the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership's 2004 Leaders for a New Century Class and is currently serving on the alumni steering committee.  Shawn and his wife Katie have two children, 13 year-old Anna Claire and nine-year old Matt.

 

Alumna Accomplishment-Sicily Axton

Sicily Axton
Sicily Axton, '09 graduate

   JCJC 2009 graduate Sicily Axton, was recently honored at the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, Pine Belt chapter's Awards banquet.  The Laurel resident was the recipient of the Michael Fatheree Scholarship for public relations students.  The public relations major used the scholarship for her fall semester at USM and will begin her graduate studies next fall.

  At USM, Sicily is active in the Public Relations Student Society of America, Student Government Association, Campus Crusades and she is a member of Kappa Delta sorority.  

   As a member of the JCJC Honors College, she was a student correspondent for the JCJC Public Relations Office during the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.  That experience inspired her to also minor in political science.  Sicily wrote a daily blog which was published in area newspapers and WDAM-TV, as well as the JCJC student newspaper.  She was also on the yearbook staff at JCJC.

Favorite JCJC Memory

    jcjc cardinal seal Please send us your favorite JCJC or JCAHS memory or event and we will share them in our upcoming editions.  Include pictures, contact information, and date of attendance, with your special memories.  Please be brief so we can include everyone's favorite Jones moment! You can mail the information to Amie McQueen at the Alumni-Foundation Office or email [email protected]

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   Thought for the Day:  Ideas will only get you so far these days. Count on personal relationships to carry you farther. The new economy is not just about the exchange of information. It's about the exchange of relationships.

Pam Alexander, CEO Alexander Ogilvy Public Relations

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   Remember When...                    
    in 2001 when the Lady Bobcat Basketball team claimed the college's first women's State Championship title since 1948?  "We had a great year!" said head coach Sandra Sumrall.  More recently, in 2009, both the men's and women's basketball teams captured the state titles while hosting the state tournament in the A.B. Howard gymnasium. 
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Sincerely,
Amie McQueen 
JCJC Alumni Coordinator