Sofia
Alvarez is a senior Marty
Wiseman Scholar from Belmont, Mississippi. A member of the Shackouls Honors
College at MSU, Sofia is also the Community Outreach Chair of the Latino
Student Association, the Treasurer of the International Student Advisory Board,
and a member of the Pre-Law society and the College of Arts and Sciences
Ambassadors. In addition, she is also a member of the Honor Code Council. She
has attended the Public Policy Leadership Conference at the Harvard Kennedy
School and the Explore Law Program at Penn State Law School. During the summer
of 2019, she studied at the University of Oxford, England. After she attains
her Bachelor's degree, she plans to pursue a career in immigration law.
Jonathan
Bailey is a junior John C. Stennis Scholar from Brandon High School in
Brandon, Mississippi. Jonathan is currently serving as Vice-Chairman of the MSU
College Republicans, where he spearheaded efforts to host the state’s first
gubernatorial primary debate in April 2019. That same month, Jonathan was
elected Vice-Chairman of the Mississippi Federation of College Republicans,
which oversees 8 active chapters across the state. In that role, he has pushed
to increase involvement and activism to fight increasing political apathy on
college campuses. An MSU Provost Scholar, Jonathan’s other on-campus activities
include the Shackouls Honors College, the Stennis Montgomery Association, and
Beta Upsilon Chi. Jonathan currently serves as Deputy Campaign Manager and
Communications Director for Michael Watson’s campaign for Secretary of State
and plans to continue working in Mississippi politics after graduation.
Flannery
Egner is a junior John C. Stennis Scholar and Haley Barbour Scholar. A
graduate of Center Hill High School in Olive Branch, Flannery served as
President of the Interact Club, being active in projects raising autism
awareness and fighting world hunger and poverty. A Mississippi Scholar and
founding member of her school's Youth and Government club, she was also an
active Student Council Representative, member of National Honor Society, and
served as Freshman and Sophomore Class Secretary. Named an Outstanding Senator
at the Mississippi Youth Legislature, Flannery plans to serve Mississippi after
graduation as a state legislative staff member, with intentions of one day
serving in The White House as a senior staff member.
Chloe Jackson is a freshman John C. Stennis Scholar.
Rebekkah Malone is a junior Bill Collins Scholar.
Ann Olivia Radicioni is a freshman John C. Stennis Scholar.
Mia
Robertson is a sophomore John C. Stennis Scholar from Starkville,
Mississippi. At Starkville High School, she was co-President of the Political
Millenials Club, Captain of the Speech and Debate team, a Senior Representative
in the Student Council, a member of the National Honor Society, and President
of the French Club. Mia was one of only two Mississippians chosen for the
American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation program in Washington, D.C., where she
debated legislation and presented her own bill to Mississippi's U.S. Senators.
Further, she is a National Speech and Debate Association Academic All American
and a five-time qualifier to the national tournament. Her community service
work includes summer volunteering at We Will Go Ministries in Jackson and
leading Camp Hope for needy children, as well as serving in the children's
ministry at her home church for the extent of her high school career. At MSU,
Mia is a member of the Hail State Debate team, Mississippi Model Security
Council, Student Association Freshman Council, and the MSU Chamber Choir.
Javontae Triplett is a senior Charles Menifield Scholar from
Cleveland Mississippi in Bolivar county. At MSU, he is a member of the Stennis
Montgomery Association where he has worked to help people register to vote, and
a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. In high school,
Javontae was a core member of the National Honor Society and was a member of
the Beta Club. In the latter, he organized care packages for the elderly and
worked to clean up his city by picking up litter in public spaces. Javontae was
also elected as Mr. East Side for his high school, which is the male
representative who leads both academically and through character. He plans to
attend law school.
Jacob Wubben is a junior John C. Stennis Scholar from Starkville High School. A well-rounded person with diverse interests, Jacob is a National AP Scholar with perfect scores in four subjects. His commitment to multiculturalism in this age of globalization is reflected in his study of two foreign languages. The CEO of the award-winning Starkville High robotics team, Jacob also served as Section Leader of the school's "superior" marching band. He plans to earn a PhD and join the U.S. diplomatic corps.
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.
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 Scholars are 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.
The Tip Allen Scholars are named after retired (now deceased) professor Tip H. Allen Jr., whose decades of teaching political science at MSU helped so many of our students that he was awarded the department's outstanding teaching award on two occasions. One student whom he mentored went on to become an MSU President (Dr. Malcolm Portera, who then became the Chancellor of The University of Alabama System).
The Marty Wiseman Scholars are named after retired professor Marty Wiseman, a Mississippi native who earned four degrees at MSU and who directed the Stennis Institute of Government for two decades.
The Charles Menifield Scholars are named after former professor Charles Menifield, a Mississippi native who earned a BA in political science and an MPPA degree from MSU, and who rose to the position of academic Dean at Rutgers University.