2015-2016 STENNIS, BARBOUR, COLLINS, AND ALLEN SCHOLARS

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Charles Allen Barbour (on the extreme left) is a freshman John C. Stennis Scholar from Jackson Preparatory School. He was elected Attorney General at Boys State, served as a U.S. Senate page, and served as Senior Captain of his high school's Debate Team. Allen is also an Eagle Scout, attended Youth Legislature, and campaigned for Senate Thad Cochran's re-election. He is currently serving as Executive Director for the state Students for Rubio Presidential Campaign. He plans to attend law school after graduation.

Jamie Aron (2nd from the left), a senior at MSU, is our Haley Barbour Scholar. Double majoring in Political Science and Mathematics, she is also a Presidential Endowed Scholar and a member of the Shackouls Honors College. Jamie is the creator and director of WE Lead (Women Empowered Leadership Conference), an annual conference for high school women which promotes leadership in academia, business, and public service. She studied abroad in Spain and at Oxford University in Great Britain during their Trinity Term in the summer. Jamie was one of three women in the nation chosen to intern at the Andi Leadership Institute in D.C., where she discussed conflict resolution and peace negotiations with women from the Middle East, Northern Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia. This past summer, she studied at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School for Public Policy and International Affairs. On campus, Jamie is active in the Student Association, where last year she served as Director-elect of Community and Governmental Relations and where she currently serves as Chief Justice. Jamie is involved with MSU's annual Mississippi Model Security council as well, currently presiding as Secretary General. She has served as the undergraduate representative on the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and is a member of the American Association of University Women. She is MSU's most recent national Harry S. Truman Scholar.

Nicki Reeder (3rd from the left) is our new Tip Allen Scholar. She is a junior and a Stennis Finalist from Our Lady Academy. Nicki has been a member and held leadership positions in the Stennis Montgomery Association, the MSU College Republicans, and the MSU Student Association Senate. She served a term as a U.S. Senate page for Senator Roger Wicker and has been an intern with the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms for two summers. In Spring of 2015, Nicki studied public policy and Spanish in Spain where she tutored ESL students and advanced her Spanish-speaking skills. She has been involved in coordinating GOTV campaigns in recent local and state elections. Nicki spends some of her spare time volunteering for the Oktibbeha County and Columbus-Lowndes Humane Societies. After graduation Nicki plans to be involved in shaping public policy by pursuing either a masters in public policy or a law degree and working in the realm of politics.

Holly Travis (3rd from the right) is a junior Stennis Scholar and graduate of Starkville High School. She is currently double majoring in Political Science and Criminology with minors in both Spanish and Pre-law. Holly is a member of the Shackouls Honors College and a Presidential Scholar (formerly known as Distinguished Scholar). As a freshman she was a member of Freshman Forum, the Mississippi State Pom Squad and a counselor for MSU's inaugural New Maroon Camp. Holly is currently a Roadrunner, a member of Student Association's Cabinet serving as Co-Director of Freshman Forum, and serving on New Maroon Camp's executive staff as Co-Counselor Trainer. In addition to these involvements, she is a member of Chi Omega sorority and a mentor/tutor at Brickfire Project. In the summer Holly studied in Cusco, Peru where she also worked in an orphanage for victims of human trafficking. After graduation Holly plans to attend law school and pursue a career as a criminal defense attorney.

Elise Moore (2nd from the right) is a freshman John C. Stennis Scholar from Madison Central High School. She is currently double majoring in Political Science and Communication with a minor in Biology. Elise is a Presidential Scholar and a member of the Shackouls Honors College, the Day One Leadership Program, the Student Association's Homecoming and Pageants Committee, Freshman Forum and State Dance Marathon, and a pledge member of Chi Omega Fraternity. At Madison Central, Elise was the Executive Vice President of her SGA and founding leader of her school's student senate, as well as class representative for two years. Other leadership positions include serving as Junior Ambassador for the Madison Chamber of Commerce, on the Youth Ambassadors Council for the Mississippi Children's Museum, and as Co-Vice President and Secretary of the Rotary affiliate Interact Club. Elise's considerable community service includes organizing and leading a mission trip to Jamaica, and six mission trips to five major American cities. After graduation she plans to pursue a Master's Degree in Public Health or a related field.

Anthony Laudadio (on the far right) is a junior Stennis Scholar from Walnut, Mississippi. He has been very active in politics since coming to MSU, having helped rebuild the university’s chapter of College Republicans and having served first as secretary and currently as executive director. He is also a part of Generation Joshua youth advocacy group’s leadership corps and has served with numerous statewide and local campaigns, including Rick Scott for governor, and Rita Parks for state senator. He interned for Governor Phil Bryant in Jackson in summer 2014 and traveled to Washington, D.C., with the Stennis Montgomery Association in spring 2015. In addition to his political activities, he is a member of the Shackouls Honors College, and serves on the Honors Council. He is engaged with the Student Association, having served on the elections committee and the communications committee. He most recently spent a summer studying abroad in Rome. After graduation, Anthony plans to pursue a Master's degree in public policy and to pursue a full-time career in public service through both political and non-profit work.

Caroline Collins (pictured above with Amy Tuck) of Bay Saint Louis is a Senior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Economics. As a John C. Stennis Scholar and a recent inductee into the Society of Scholars, Caroline has maintained a 4.0 GPA each semester. She is a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and MSU Involvement Ambassadors and is a former President of the Stennis-Montgomery Association and the Mississippi State Freshman Class. She has served as Senator of the College of Arts and Sciences, Chairman of the Mississippi State College Republicans and Chairman of the Mississippi Federation of College Republicans. Additionally, Caroline has served as a United States Senate Page for Senator Thad Cochran, an intern for US Congressman Steven Palazzo, and has studied in Rome. After being selected to attend the AIPAC Policy Conference in D.C. last March, Caroline was chosen for an expenses-paid trip to Israel where she learned about the intricacies of the U.S.-Israel alliance. Recently, Caroline became the first recipient of the Lt. Governor Amy Tuck Spirit of Service Award for her work in rebuilding the MSU chapter of College Republicans. Following graduation in May 2016, Caroline will pursue a law degree at Washington University School of Law in Saint Louis.

Melissa Weitzel (not pictured) is a sophomore John C. Stennis Scholar. A resident of Gulfport, she is a graduate of St. Patrick Catholic High School in Biloxi. Actively involved in organizations throughout high school, Melissa was President of her school's chapter of National Honor Society and Vice-President of Spanish Honor Society. Melissa's most notable involvement during high school was with Mississippi Youth and Government. Within that organization, she held numerous positions such as Speaker Pro tempore and Committee Chair, and attained awards such as the Most Outstanding Legislator. Through Mississippi Youth and Government, Melissa was elected as the Youth Governor of the State of Mississippi, which allowed her to attend YMCA's Youth Governors Conference in Washington, D.C. While attending Mississippi State, Melissa has earned a third place award at the Martin Luther King Jr Orator Competition, is treasurer of the Stennis-Montgomery Association, and is on the President's list. She is also the Chancellor and founding member of the budding Mississippi Speculative Debate Society and a student in the Shackouls Honors College. Over the summer she attended Mississippi N.E.W. Leadership conference, was a counselor at Mississippi State's W.E. Lead, and a district intern for Congressman Steven Palazzo. Her plans for the future include working for an international human rights organization with a focus on ending war crimes.

Allyra Williams (not pictured) is our new Bill Collins Scholar. She is a junior who has a Pre-Law concentration. The daughter of a career Army father, Allyra has lived in over six states including Hawaii. In high school, she traveled to the state Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia and partook in mock trials. This allowed her to see how bills are passed through the Senate and House of Representatives. She is Vice President of Sigma Alpha Lambda, and a member of Alumni Delegates, The National Society of Collegiate Scholars, The Pre-Law Society, and The Student Veteran Association. She plans to attend law school and become a practicing attorney. She enjoys spending time with fellow Alumni Delegates, tutoring young children at Henderson-Ward Stewart Elementary, and doing community service.

Cole Wood (not pictured) is a junior John C. Stennis Scholar from Starkville Academy. Cole served as Pledge Class Vice President and as Chapter Annotator for Sigma Chi Fraternity. As a member of the MSU Student Association Cabinet, he serves as Assistant Elections Commissioner. In high school and junior high, Cole served in student government each year, as a student council representative three times, as Student Council Vice President and then President, and as Class President on four occasions. The Vice Mayor of the Starkville Mayor's Youth Council for two years, Cole has also been a member of the Oktibbeha County Republican Party and has paged for the Mississippi House of Representatives. An Eagle Scout, he has been a mentor for many younger scouts. Cole plans to attend law school and aspires to one day run for Congress.

Andrew Yates (not pictured) is a sophomore John C. Stennis Scholar. He is a graduate of Grace Christian School in Louisville. While in high school, Andrew was elected Student Body President in his senior year, and served as Student Council Vice President the previous year and as Student Council Representative the two preceding years. He has participated in numerous leadership programs, such as the Hugh O'Brian Leadership Conference, the EMEPA Youth Leadership Conference, and the Boy Scouts. A member of Winston County Teenage Republicans, Andrew has campaigned for Governor Phil Bryant, former governor Haley Barbour, and Congressman Gregg Harper. He also has athletic talents, lettering and serving as team captain of his school's basketball team, and being manager of its baseball team for four years. Andrew plans to attend law school and to eventually work in the Republican party.

Stennis Scholar alumni Whitney Holliday and Shelley New enjoyed a view of Washington, D.C., while attending the inauguration of President Obama as students as part of the Stennis-Montgomery Association's annual D.C. trip. They are shown in the photo above.

Students in our department have the opportunity to meet prominent public officials, such as the governor and lieutenant governor. In the photo above, Stennis Scholar (now alumnus) and SA Vice President Lee Weiskopf met with 2-term Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck, a graduate of our department.

In the picture above, Barbour Scholars (now alumni) Jane Anna Harris and Tonya Thorton-Neaves pose with 2-term Governor Haley Barbour after a breakfast with him and the MSU President. Barbour offered the students invaluable advice about networking and job hunting in Washington, D.C. After graduation, Jane Anna served as the Staff Director for the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Tonya is a Research Fellow and Project Coordinator at the Social Science Research Center at MSU.

One annual conference that some of our students attend is the Southern Women in Public Service program sponsored by the Stennis Center. In the photo above, Stennis Scholar (now alumnus) Tamikia Carr met with then-Vice President Al Gore's wife, Tipper.

Our students also meet with numerous other public figures who visit our department. In the above photo, political science students (now alumni) Nikita Gandy, Ben Needham, and Ta'Shia Shannon (a Collins Scholar alumnus) are to the left of former Congressman Mike Espy. Espy was the first African-American from a rural district elected to Congress. Students Yashica Tate and Terrance James are to the right of Espy.

Our department's John C. Stennis Scholars are named in memory of MSU alumnus John C. Stennis, who served in the United States Senate from 1947 to 1988, rising to the powerful position of President Pro Tempore of the senate and fourth in line for the presidency. Senator Stennis also served as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee and previously as chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He was so respected in the senate that Congress named a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier after him, which was commissioned into service before the carrier honoring former president Harry Truman. Because John Stennis inspired Mississippians to be active in public affairs, we include our department's Bill Collins (the founding director of the Stennis Institute of Government) and Haley Barbour (our two-term governor and a formidable Stennis challenger in 1982) scholars on this webpage.

To learn more about Senator John Stennis, click here.

The Haley Barbour Scholars are named after a distinguished public servant and native of Yazoo City who rose to the position of Chair of the Republican National Committee. As RNC Chairman, Haley Barbour inaugurated an aggressive fundraising, public relations, and candidate assistance program that led the GOP in 1994 to majority control of both houses of Congress for the first time in 40 years. Barbour was elected Governor in the 2003 state elections, when for the first time Republicans won half of Mississippi's statewide executive offices as well as historically high percentages of state house and state senate seats. When Barbour was re-elected governor four years later, he swept his party to control of every statewide elected office with one exception.

The Bill Collins Scholar is named after a distinguished educational leader, who was the first Director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University. A Bill Collins Speakership series was established in his honor in the MSU Library.