A Brookhaven native and four other Jones College sophomores were recently selected as Tullos Scholars, the highest honor bestowed upon JC students — Katherine Wallace of Brookhaven; Rylee Brabham of Waynesboro; McKay Lee Bray of Leakesville; Faith Houston of Laurel; and Lauran Page of Bay Springs. As members of the international honor society Phi Theta Kappa and current students in the Charles Pickering Honors Institute, all five students were nominated by faculty to apply for the Tullos Scholarship at the end of their freshmen year. Each of the sophomores have distinguished themselves and impressed selection committee member and Jones College instructor Dr. Ronald Bishop.

“Recipients of the Tullos scholarship are among the brightest, most generous and the most involved students on our campus,” said Bishop, who is also JC’s dean of the Charles Pickering Honors Institute and Social Science Division chairman. “These students study hard, play hard and work hard to make the world a better place. This is a deserving group of students and I am happy that they were selected as Tullos Scholars.”

Requirements for the scholarship include being a full-time sophomore, submitting a résumé with two-faculty recommendation letters, having outstanding academic achievements, being engaged in college activities, leadership positions and participating in community service. Each student received medallions and $1,000 scholarships in recognition of being named after the scholarship donors, Gene and Nada Tullos.

Juggling a softball schedule and volunteering for numerous organizations in Brookhaven, Jones County and internationally through her church missions’ program, Katherine Wallace is also majoring in math. Inspired by her grandmother, a high school math teacher, Wallace is pursuing a career in accounting. However, she also pursues a daily “calling” to make a difference.

“While at Jones, I aspire to make a difference in the people I encounter daily. From the cafeteria servers to my softball teammates, I hope what I do and how I treat others makes a difference in their lives.  Starting at Jones College, we can make the world a better place and that begins with serving others,” said Wallace.

Bray is Mississippi’s Miss Hospitality 2020 and a biology/pre-med major. Houston and Page are pharmacy majors. Brabham plans to be an architect and interior designer.

For more information about Jones College, visit https://www.jcjc.edu.