September 2, 2026
For Mary Catherine Galloway, 91福利 was never simply the institution where she earned a degree. It became a place where she found a support system that helped her not only build the career she had dreamed about, but became a place where living her legacy grew to a passion she will continue to grow for years to come.
A Columbia native who was homeschooled, Galloway first considered PRCC because it was close to home. But when she toured the Poplarville Campus on her 17th birthday, she quickly discovered something that would come to define her entire PRCC experience.
It felt like family.
鈥淭he people and the environment are just so warm and very welcoming,鈥� she said. 鈥淧RCC accepts and welcomes you no matter your background, your ACT level or where you are starting.鈥�
She would ultimately spend four years at The River, affectionately referring to herself as a 鈥渟uper sophomore.鈥� She completed two years of prerequisite coursework before beginning PRCC鈥檚 Associate Degree Nursing program in 2022.
Those four years gave her plenty of opportunities to experience life as a Wildcat.
She participated in the Spirit of the River Marching Band for two years, Concert Band for one year, The Singers, Baptist Student Union and other campus activities. She also served as a resident assistant in the Forrest Hall dormitory, a role that connected her even more deeply with the students around her.
Years later, many of those relationships remain.
鈥淚 still see people today that I met at PRCC and in the dorm,鈥� she said.
For Galloway, those connections are part of what makes Pearl River special. It was not only classmates or instructors who made her feel at home, but faculty and staff members across campus who took the time to learn students鈥� names, recognize their faces and make sure they knew someone was in their corner.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the people who make up PRCC that make it so special,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the faculty and staff, the cafeteria ladies who learn your face and know your name. There is such a familial spirit at The River.鈥�
That spirit became especially important as she entered nursing school.
Galloway had always been drawn toward helping others and remembers being fascinated by nurses and doctors from an early age. Nursing felt like a natural path, but that did not mean the path was always easy.
She ended up repeating her first semester of nursing school. This is something she now speaks about openly and encourages other nursing students not to let define their experiences or profession.
鈥淩epeating a semester does not define you as a student,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome of the best nurses I have ever met have repeated semesters or retaken exams. Don鈥檛 let that bring you down or define your self-worth.鈥�
Looking back, she believes the 鈥渟etback鈥� ultimately placed her exactly where she needed to be.
鈥淕od put me where I needed to be when I retook that semester,鈥� she said.
She was able to be a mentor and guiding light to the new students to that level. An experience she wouldn鈥檛 trade for the world. She hopes that her sharing her experiences can inspire and encourage upcoming nursing students to believe in themselves and put their all into not only their own studies but supporting each other.
鈥淒on鈥檛 give up on yourself,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here is light at the end of the tunnel, and you are going to love your job as a nurse.鈥�
She credits PRCC鈥檚 nursing faculty with helping her push through those difficult moments and preparing her for the realities of patient care.
鈥淎ll of my nursing school professors were fantastic,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey truly have the best interest of their students at heart.鈥�
She remembers instructors welcoming students into their offices, breaking down difficult concepts one-on-one and reminding them to stop by or send an email anytime they needed help. Among the many amazing faculty members who became especially valued mentors were Anna Busby, Amy Eslinger, Cindy Boutwell and Susan Campbell.
鈥淭hey really pour into their students,鈥� she said.
Over time, many of those instructors became more than teachers. Through clinical rotations and her professional career, she has continued to see members of the PRCC nursing faculty and now considers many of them friends and extended family.
That support, paired with the resources available to her as a student, gave Galloway the confidence that she had what she needed to succeed.
She remembers long nights studying in the library, utilizing online library materials and leaning on both her family at home and the family she had found at The River.
鈥淚 got through difficult exams and long study nights knowing I had a support system, not only in my own family, but in my PRCC family,鈥� she said. 鈥淜nowing I had the information, resources and people there to help me be successful made it all possible.鈥�
After graduating from PRCC, Galloway passed her nursing boards and began working at Forrest General Hospital in the postpartum unit. She trained across additional areas of care and now works in pediatrics.
It is a career that allows her to live out the helping spirit that first drew her toward nursing.
She continued her education at The University of Southern Mississippi, where she earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree, and hopes to eventually return to school to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Still, if she had been given the option, there is one thing she would have changed.
鈥淚 wish I could have gotten all of my degrees at PRCC,鈥� she said.
A sentiment shared by many alumni of PRCC.
Recognized for Excellence
Throughout her educational and professional journey, Galloway has received a number of scholarships, honors and awards recognizing her academic achievement, service and dedication.
Galloway was selected for the Hannah Laborde scholarship that is designated for a PRCC ADN student that exemplifies a servant’s heart. She was also selected by the MOADN organization for associate degree nurses for the Nurse in Practice Award. Additionally she was the recipient of the DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses and was nominated two other times. As far as nominations go, Galloway has been nominated four times for the WE CARE award and once for the Nurse Rookie of the Year award.
Outside of her professional work, Galloway remains active in her faith community at Temple Baptist Church and describes herself as 鈥渂lessed beyond measure鈥� by the opportunities and relationships that have shaped her life.
When asked what she would tell someone considering 91福利, there is no hesitation.
鈥淕o to PRCC,鈥� she said. 鈥淲holeheartedly.鈥�
She believes community college provides students with a strong foundation regardless of where they hope their education will ultimately take them.
鈥淐ommunity college gives you a strong foundation for whatever your goals may be,鈥� she said. 鈥淧RCC prepared me for my life and my goals.鈥�
And her connection to The River is one she hopes will be continued through her legacy.
鈥淚 hope to have kids one day,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd I hope they go to PRCC too.鈥�
For those at Pearl River who have spent years watching students walk onto a PRCC campus unsure of exactly where they belong and leave knowing exactly what they are capable of, stories like Galloway鈥檚 are a reminder of what makes The River different.
Programs prepare students for careers. Classrooms give them knowledge. Hands-on experiences give them confidence.
But it is the people, the instructor who stays late to explain a concept one more time, the staff member who remembers a student鈥檚 name, the classmate who becomes a lifelong friend and the community that refuses to let a difficult semester become the end of someone鈥檚 story, who make 91福利 home.
As Galloway鈥檚 legacy is formed and she finds her way, she can always remember that she will always be a Wildcat.
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Article by Alexx Kennedy. Photography provided by Mary Catherine Galloway.
