Poplarville, Mississippi — Five Pearl River Community College students have been selected as 2024 Mississippi Space Grant Consortium (MSSGC) STEM Student Scholarship Award recipients.
Applicants were selected based on active membership in a STEM club, teaching at PRCC, service to the school and community, and recommendation by an instructor. Each student receives $750, which can be used to benefit and continue their education.
This year's recipients are Noah Bowman, Brenin Carlisle, Mason Holladay, Destiny Taylor, and Sydney Thornton.
“Since 1993, PRCC has been an active participant in this statewide nonprofit organization, with support from NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, which provided funding to community colleges for this program.” said Melinda Miller, PRCC Space Grant (MSSGC) coordinator and biology instructor. Human A&P and Forensic Medicine. “We would like to thank the PRCC administration, NASA’s Mississippi Space Grant, and the Office of STEM Engagement for their invaluable support in achieving our program goals.”
“We congratulate these deserving STEM students and look forward to their accomplishments as they pursue their academic career paths.”
2024 STEM Award Winners
Bowman is a sophomore from Varnado, LA. He graduated from the PRCC adult education program after being educated at his home.
At PRCC, he is an active member of Phi Theta Kappa and the concert band. He also works as a peer tutor for his Student Support Services/TRIO. After graduation, he plans to attend the University of Southern Mississippi to earn a bachelor's degree in biochemistry and then apply to Louisiana State University's veterinary medicine program.
“This award will help me reach my educational goals by paying for summer tuition so I can take all the classes available here,” Bowman said.
Carlisle is a sophomore from Poplarville and graduated from Lamar Christian School. He is an intern in the Career and Technical Education Building on his Poplar Building campus and frequently assists with activities in his Science Building.
Mr. Carlisle will graduate from the Automation & Control Technology (Instrumentation) program in May of this year. He plans to get a job at the Stennis Space Center and hopes to work on some personal projects to get more people interested in his STEM.
“I work a lot with 3D printing and like to visit different schools to teach kids about the benefits of 3D printing,” Carlisle says. “This money will help me expand my own personal knowledge and improve my ability to teach others.”
Holladay is a sophomore at Kiln College and graduated from Hancock High School. He is currently enrolled in the Health Sciences and Pre-Nursing programs. After graduating from PRCC, he plans to attend the University of Southern Mississippi and earn a bachelor's degree in nursing.
“I am very grateful for this scholarship,” Holladay said. “I plan to use the money to pay for housing while attending USM.”
Taylor is a native of Carrière and a graduate of Pearl River Central High School. She is currently a student in the Electronics Technology program and is active in the Esports Club and the Ally Club.
After graduation, students seek to gain engineering or scientific skills and experience through internships and job opportunities.
“I plan to use this award to fund my education and supplies so I can excel as an electronics engineer,” Taylor said. “This is an important step in achieving my career goals and making a meaningful contribution to this field.”
Thornton is a sophomore at Sumrall who graduated from Sumrall High School. She is a member of the William Lewis Honors Institute and has been a member of the Spirit of the River Marching Band for two years, serving as lead trombone this year, as well as being a member of the Jazz Cats. He is also a member of. Her other activities include the Student Advisory Board, Student Government, and Phi Theta Kappa. In addition, she is also a research associate in the science department, where she supports activities such as the recently held Women in STEM symposium and solar eclipse viewing party.
Thornton is in the health sciences and pre-nursing courses. She will graduate in May and she plans to attend the University of Southern Mississippi.
“I was just accepted into the USM nursing program and can’t wait to take the next step,” Tronton said. “This award will help me further my education at USM and continue working toward my goal of becoming a registered nurse.”
About PRCC Space Grant
The PRCC Space Grant program is an affiliate of the Mississippi Space Grant Consortium (MSSGC). The MSSGC program is designed to empower, strengthen, and inspire the next generation of Mississippi explorers through opportunities to engage with and contribute to NASA's mission.
The PRCC Space Grants Program is designed to focus on human research programs, NASA's mission to apply knowledge and technology to improve our nation's competitiveness, education, and quality of life on Earth. STEM Student Scholarships are designed to assist a student with current or future educational expenses or ongoing project needs in her STEM field of focus.
PRCC is one of 10 community colleges in Mississippi participating in the program. Along with STEM student scholarships, funds will support biology and zoology honors projects, middle school and high school science competitions, K-12 STEM teacher development, community college his STEM professional development opportunities, and used to help promote STEM to the general public.