Below are all of the Allied Health Pinnings for the 2024 – 2025 School year.
PRCC Respiratory Care program – December 2024
Graduates of the Respiratory Care program at Pearl River Community College’s Forrest County Campus received their diplomas and pins during a ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 5 at the Forrest County Campus in Hattiesburg.
They are from left: Seated – Olivia Skye Ahlers of Kiln, Rebecca Carolyn Robinson of Greenville, Abigail Nicole Short of Poplarville, Erika Gabrielle Hawkins of Magee, India Aliah Edwards of Sumrall and Kali Marie Petro of Gulfport. Standing – Frances Wright, Program Director; Becky Stephens, Instructor; Kristy Kadijah Triplett of Pascagoula, Caleb Reece Daniels of Petal, Elijah Michael Barela of Gulfport, Misael Benjamin Romero of Purvis, Isabella Grace Patterson of Moselle, Krysten D’Lynn Beech of Ellisville, Emma Marie Patterson of Moselle and Casey Mallett, Director of Clinical Education/Instructor.
Barela was selected as outstanding student and Clinical Excellence of the year award, Romero received the top academic award, Barela and Romero graduated with special honors, and Edwards, Emma Marie Patterson, Isabella Grace Patterson, and Triplett graduated with honors.
Program Director Frances Wright and Instructors Casey Mallett and Becky Stephens pin graduates.
PRCC Surgical Technology Program – December 2024
Graduates of the Surgical Technology program at Pearl River Community College’s Forrest County Campus received their diplomas and pins during a ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 5 at the Forrest County Campus in Hattiesburg.
They are from left: Sitting – Jimesha Russell of Philadelphia, Sarah Rawls of Poplarville, Melissa Parimon of Beaumont, Krishunna Walker of Pascagoula, Madison Chapman of Jackson, Sarah Bradley of Waynesboro and Alivia Rushing of Tylertown. Standing – Daysha Wilson of Columbia, Justin Lee of Sumrall, Victoria Ladner of Poplarville, Jeannie Koenig of Carriere, Madison Hitt of Columbia, Jena Larriviere of Mandeville, La., Josefine Aultman of Sumrall, Georganna Allen of Summitt, Rebecca Watson of Laurel Aalaiyah Backstrom of Philadelphia, Braeden Myers of Hattiesburg, and Darielle McSwain of Richton.
Lee was presented with the Outstanding Clinical Award. Program Director is Tammy Allhoff. Instructors are Monika Phillips, Misty Lucas and Deidre Brumfield.
PRCC Dental Hygiene Program – May 2025
Pearl River Community College’s Dental Hygiene program pinned 13 graduates in a ceremony Thursday (May 1) at the Dr. Cecil Burt Special Events Room at the Forrest County Campus.
The students included Samantha Rocha of Gulfport, Leah Brienne Penton of Carriere, Sarah Smalley Sims of Petal, Allison Grubb of Apple Valley, Minn., Heather Royston of Necaise, Jacie Cross Eason of Picayune.
Leslie Santiago of Laurel, Michelle Mendez of Laurel, Raven Hall of Gulfport, Mary-Hannah McArthur of Hattiesburg, Libby Williams of Hurley, Mary Claire Carbo of Prairieville, La., Rankia Joseph of New Orleans.
Penton was named the most outstanding dental hygiene student; Sims the Colgate Star student award; Penton the Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society award; Joseph the Hu-Friedy Golden Scaler student award; Rocha the Dr. Stan Hill Make it Happen Award; McArthur the PRCC Patient Education student award; Sims, Preston, Joseph and Carbo the PRCC Table Clinic awards; Eason the Dr. Frank Turnage Attitude Award; and Mendez the Recognition of Excellent Achievement Award.
Department Chairman is Dr. Shana Allen. Instructors are Abbie Johnson, Charity McCoy, Veunka Gulley; Drs. Frank Turnage and Mitch Guess, adjunct dentists; and Kaylie Hatten, administrative assistant.
Penton was student class president and Royston the student class historian.
PRCC Medical Radiologic Technology Program – May 2025
Twenty-one graduates of the Medical Radiologic Technology program at Pearl River Community College’s Forrest County Campus received pins May 1 at the Dr. Cecil Burt Special Events Room.
The ceremony marked the end of their two years of study.
The 2025 graduates included Beatrice Bonner of Savannah, Ga., Denise Bonner of Savannah, Ga., OMira Breland of Wiggins, Tessa Bullock of Picayune, Karsen Cochran of Wiggins, Macie Firchau of Diamondhead, Lawrence Greer of Purvis.
McKenzie Fletcher of Hattiesburg, Cameryn Holliman of Bay St. Louis, Anna Claire Johnson of Foxworth, Jessica Johnson of Oak Grove, Makayla Ann Lee of Columbia, Zsanett Molnar of Hattiesburg, Ella Montgomery of Joliet, Ill.
Avery Phillips of Columbus, Kendalyn Pierce of Richton, Madison Putnam of Purvis, Laya Bryan Riser of Forest, Naomi Stockstill of Carriere, Madison Warren of Slidell, La. and Tori Williamson of Mendenhall.
Students receiving special honors include Lee, who received the Overall Outstanding Achievement award, Bullock received the Academic Excellence Award; Breland the Outstanding Clinical Achievement Award; and Cochran received the Radiologic Technologist Choice Award.
Program director is Hope Husband, clinical director is Jessica Lumpkin and instructor Jessica Fudge.
PRCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program – May 2025
Seventeen students received pins Thursday, May 7, signifying completion of the Pearl River Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant program at the Forrest County Campus.
The pinning ceremony was held at PRCC’s Lowery A. Woodall Advanced Technology Center.
They include Jordan Bailey of Tylertown, Presleigh Box of Sumrall, Jah’Nyce Burse of Clinton, Maya Clark of Diamondhead, Hanna Chancellor of Laurel, Haley Crawford of Pearl River, La., Aubrey Johnson of Sumrall, Brooke Larsen of Picayune.
J’Leigh Mazingo of Pascagoula, Sam Miller from Poplarville, Michaela Park of Bay Springs, Jessica Patterson of McComb, Chloe Smith of Hattiesburg, Emma Spell of Petal, Kaylin Tate of Starkville, Simon Waldrop of Mobile and Kaliah Woodard of New Hebron.
OTA special award winners included: Clark, the Clinical Award of Excellence; Waldrop, the Outstanding OTA Student Award and the OTA Scholastic Achievement Award; Larsen, OTA Scholastic Achievement Award; Tate, MSOTA Outstanding Leadership Award; Box, Clark, Larsen, Miller, Tate and Waltrop, OTA Dean List Awards.
Class officers: President, Waldrop; Vice President: Tate; Historians: Burse, Chancellor, Johnson and Park.
Michelle Haynes is the OTA program director and Kristi Mikell, the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography July 2025
Pearl River Community College’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography program graduated its third class on Wednesday, July 23 at the Woodall Advanced Technology Center.
The students include: First row – Alyssa Thompson of Jayess, Jazmine Ringgold of Mt. Olive and Olivia Cangiamilla of Madisonville, La. Second row – Angela Boyd of Purvis and Laila Peters of Hattiesburg. Third row – Alandria Smith of Waynesboro, Margaret Pruitt of Brandon and Bryana McKenzie of Quitman. Fourth row – Katherine Price of Columbia and Natalie Mulford of Foxworth. Top row – Megan Hodum of Walnut and Barshae Bingham of Columbia.
Cangiamilla won the Academic Excellence Award, Mulford won the Technologist’s Choice Award, and Thompson won the Clinical Excellence Award. All 12 graduates have accepted positions at health-care sites.
Program director is Micki Jo Robertson (standing, far right) and Clinical Coordinator is Kendall Conerly (standing, far left). For information about the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, call 601-403-1831, email: mjrobertson@prcc.edu; or visit the Forrest County Campus on U.S. 49 South.
Medical Laboratory Technology July 2025
The 2025 Medical Laboratory Technology class at the Forrest County Campus of Pearl River Community College received pins and certificates on Thursday, July 24 at the Lowery Woodall Technology Center. The students included Ariana Clements of Hattiesburg, Cori Renee Jeffers of Poplarville, Jeremy Lane of Lumberton, Chloe Mixon of Franklinton, La., Jessica Taylor Putnam of Poplarville and Lace Elliott Reid of Hattiesburg. Not pictured is Daniel Rempel of Pascagoula.
Program instructors are Keri Sanford and Melissa Patterson.
Dental Assisting July 2025
The 2025 Dental Assisting Technology class at the Forrest County Campus of Pearl River Community College received pins and certificates on Thursday, July 24 at the Woodall Advanced Technology Center.
The students included Kayla Bartholomew of Chalmette, La., Harley Chain of Mount Olive, Brooklyn Dyess of Columbia, Kailyn Gray of Brooklyn, Rebeccca Heffner of Picayune, Alexis Johnston of Richton, Haylee Leverette of Prentiss, Mashanti Mckenzie of Columbia, Sidney Rayborn of Baxterville, Sarah Sabree of Diamondhead, Preslie Stuart of Sumrall and Alexandra Valdez of Carnes.
Program instructors were Cassandra Collins, Dr. Shana Allen and Veaunka Gulley.
Surgical Technology July 2025
Graduates of the Surgical Technology program at Pearl River Community College’s Forrest County Campus received their diplomas and pins during a ceremony on Thursday, July 24, at the Woodall Advanced Technology Center.
They are Laken Anderson of Poplarville, Taylor Breland of Richton, Anna Broome of Petal, Sharvielle Brown of Columbia, Shardaina Galloway of Wiggins, Betty Johnson of Wiggins, Gabrielle Jones of Hattiesburg, Callie Lee of Carriere, Jayla Nash of Hattiesburg, Ranastassia Neal of Sumrall, Shamaria Norwood of Magee, Mckendra Owens of Beaumont, Jade Purvis of Petal, Karina Ross of Waynesboro, Brandi Scharff of Petal, Isabelle Smith of Richton and Sydney Starbuck of Raleigh.
Surgical Tech Program Director is Tammy Allhoff. Instructors include Monika Phillips and Deidre Brumfield.
Massage Therapy July 2025
The 2025 Massage Therapy Program at the Forrest County Campus of Pearl River Community College graduated its fourth class on Thursday, July 24 at the Woodall Advance Technology Building.
The students included Dakota Andrews ofTylertown, William Tyler Dubose of Hattiesburg, Jessica Garrett of Petal, Tucker Golden of Poplarville, Melissa Grimes of Petal, Claire Hughes of Meridian, Justin Leggett of Hattiesburg (not pictured), William Haeven Grant Matheny of Sumrall, Jori Neal of Columbia, Gracie Scherbarth of Lincoln, Neb., Chiquita Smith of Hattiesburg and Scotie Lynn Soetaert of Buckatunna.
Andrews, Garrett and Soetaert were members of the National Technical Honors Society. Garrett and Grimes were Phi Theta Kappa members. Dubose, Garrett, Neal and Scherbarth made the Dean’s List and Grimes made the President’s List.
Program instructor is Shannon Scharwath-Busby.
For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), Facebook (@PRCCMKTG), and TikTok (@prcc_wildcats).
Article by Chuck Abadie.
