June 2, 2026
91福利鈥檚 Adult Education Graduation was held on Thursday, May 29, at the Marvin R. White Coliseum on the Poplarville Campus. During the ceremony, 211 students were recognized for receiving their high school equivalency diplomas, with 144 participating in the procession.
Graduates heard from Jenny Smith of Foxworth, known to many as Mississippi MeMaw. She is a storyteller and a content creator known for sharing real-life stories and Southern humor. Smith completed her high school equivalency at PRCC in 1998 and graduated from the dental assistant program in 2001.
鈥淪tanding here tonight is something I never saw coming, not in all my wildest dreams,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淒on’t ever let anybody make you feel less than you are. A GED is not a shortcut. It’s not an easy way out. It takes courage. It takes grit. It takes making that commitment when it would have been easier to stay down. Every single person sitting here tonight didn’t take the easy road, you took the road that required something from you, and that matters.
鈥淚’m standing here because when life knocked me down, I got back up, even if it took me longer. I’m standing here because I refuse to let my starting point decide my ending. And that’s what I want every single one of you on this stand tonight.鈥�
Smith shared how it was love of her young children that propelled her to finish her education and do something more. She encouraged others to forge their own path, no matter when they start.
鈥淚t is never too late to become who you want to be,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淚t’s not too late to go back to school, not too late to change your path, not too late to build the life you dreamed of, not too late to prove to yourself that you can. Because if a pregnant teenage dropout from Clarksburg, Mississippi, can stand here today, then there is nothing stopping you from standing where it is you’re meant to be. Keep going, keep pushing, and don’t you ever count yourself out.鈥�
Students wearing a gold cord completed a workforce training program. Graduates with a white cord completed and received career readiness certification, a nationally recognized certification, earning a silver or higher on the ACT WorkKeys test, and received the Smart Start Credential. Others received the President’s and the Chancellor’s Youth Award today for participating in the Youth Start Program.
Provost Dr. Martha Lou Smith distributed the diplomas to each graduate. Ida Coleman led those gathered in prayer to begin the ceremony.
The annual event is one of the most special days of the year, according to Assistant Dean of Adult Education and Youth Services Ruby Lumpkin Smith.
鈥淥ur annual AE Graduation is more than a ceremony; it’s a celebration of hard work, resilience, and new beginnings,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淲atching our Adult Education students reach this milestone and step confidently into their futures is truly inspiring.鈥�
ABOUT ADULT EDUCATION AT PRCC
Adult Basic Education, a tuition-free program, offers adults the opportunity to prepare for a high school equivalency exam (GED or HiSET), college entrance, career-technical education, or career readiness skills. Class instruction is offered in small groups, tutorial services, and computer-based learning.
Classes are available for anyone in PRCC鈥檚 six-county district (Forrest, Hancock, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Marion, and Pearl River counties) who is 17 or older and not enrolled in high school. Locations for in-person classes include Columbia, Hattiesburg, Kiln, Picayune, and Poplarville. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are offered at the Hattiesburg, Picayune, and Poplarville locations.
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Article by Laura O’Neill. Photography by Patrick Peerboom.
