September 16, 2024
Pearl River Community College recently welcomed Marshall Ramsey to campus. His story is one of dedication to a calling and the ability to embrace change and persevere. Before the main presentation, Ramsey spent time with Dr. William Lewis Honors Institute students for a Q&A session.
The Honors Institute Lyceum Lecture Series seeks to host speakers who engage, challenge, provoke, and change lives. A generous sponsorship from the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation makes hosting high-caliber speakers possible.
“It was such a pleasure to observe the interaction between the experienced and acclaimed Mr. Ramsey and the eager yet malleable honors students,” said Executive Vice President for Planning and Accreditation and Dean of the Dr. William Lewis Honors Institute, Poplarville Campus Dr. Jennifer Seal. “Their questions ignited his passion while his answers sprinkled encouragement throughout the exchange.”
Honors Institute Q&A
Ramsey spoke with dozens of honors students at an intimate Q&A session in White Hall. He shared highlights of the moments defining his successes – from his declaration at the age of eight that he was going to be an editorial cartoonist to the shifts in the industry that led him to pivot and diversify his work. Mentions of his father Dave Ramsey’s impact on his life were scattered throughout.
“Realize that change is not a threat, but it’s actually more of an opportunity,” said Ramsey.
Ramsey addressed changes in how people consume their news and how two people may be operating with completely different sets of facts.
Several students were able to ask questions, including one on the impact of challenges on both mental and physical health, how to be organized, and what he considers a ‘healthy news diet.’
Addressing the students, Ramsey said, “You grew up in a different world than we did. The mental health aspect of success makes it really important to understand why you are the way you are and what you can do to be better at what you are doing.”
Speaking on why someone should attend college, Ramsey emphasized the importance of making connections. He shared about connections he made because of attending the University of Tennessee that have helped him through the years.
“It is not just what you learn, but learning to make connections,” said Ramsey. “Talk to people and learn from them. Take advantage of every moment that you can because you never know when a door will open up so that opportunities come around.”
Cataryna Brack from Petal is a freshman on the Forrest County Campus studying forensic psychology. She found Ramsey very down to earth and interactive with the group.
“Talking to people who enjoy expressing their stories of success and failure conjures up an overwhelming sense of hope for me and my future endeavors,” said Brack.
His statement about change as a catalyst for creativity inspired her to ask him more about it.
“Being creative has always come naturally to me; however, I have an extremely uncomfortable relationship with change,” said Brack. “Mr. Ramsey conveyed that change can either control me or I can allow change to be my muse and help me shape my life.”
Main Presentation
An impending hurricane didn’t keep several students and community members from attending Ramsey’s presentation. Parts of his shorter presentation to the honors students were expanded with many examples of his work shown on the screen.
A love of editorial cartoons was born during his youth as he saw the way current events topics were approached including the OPEC oil crisis and Jimmy Carter’s time as the Governor of Georgia and then President of the United States. Family dinners included lively discussions of current events with his sisters and parents.
While he enjoyed success as an editorial cartoonist during high school and college, his entry into the professional world was slower in coming. Instead, he was the janitor at Pope High School until he was able to start working at a local newspaper. Ramsey was the youngest person in the newsroom when his first editorial cartoon ran on December 17, 1996.
Attendees were treated to walk through some of his most iconic and impactful cartoons with a mixture of current events like 9/11 and political happenings. His April 2018 drawing of Barbara Bush reunited with her daughter, Robin, and subsequent drawing upon President George H. W. Bush’s death in November 2018 resulted in Ramsey entering the national spotlight. Along with moments of fame, he was humbled by the outpouring of gratitude from around the globe.
“When you throw your creations into the universe, you never know what you’ll get in return – especially when you have no expectations in return,” said Ramsey.
Freshman Austin Crawford of Columbia was particularly inspired by Ramsey’s talk. Crawford is pursuing a Film and Video Technology degree, a field that merges creativity with technical skills.
“As a film student, I appreciate the aspect of it from a creative standpoint,” said Crawford. “I have an assignment right now that needed inspiration, and his talk helped.”
Ramsey’s response to the question ‘Why Mississippi?’ as being about the people resonated with Crawford. Ramsey finds Mississippi to be a rich and very interesting place to be a storyteller.
“I saw a lot of the connectedness of human nature when he referred to the church van with the chainsaws and casseroles,” said Crawford. “He spoke a lot about the state of the world right now and the separation of people. I believe, at some level, we will always have connectivity within the human spirit. The indifferent cruelty of the universe will always be in a battle with the indomitable human spirit.”
ABOUT MARSHALL RAMSEY
Marshall Ramsey is the Editor-At-Large for Mississippi Today, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, and an Emmy Award winner. His nationally syndicated cartoons have appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, and The Clarion-Ledger. Ramsey is also a prolific author, with several books to his name, including three cartoon collections, two short story collections, and the children’s book Banjo’s Dream. His newest title, Saving Sam! A Banjo the Dog Story, is now available and was inspired by the coloring pages he created during the pandemic, featuring his beloved dog Banjo. In addition to his writing and artwork, Ramsey hosts the radio show Now You’re Talking and the television program Conversations on Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
A melanoma survivor, Ramsey actively advocates for skin cancer awareness through cartoons, speeches, and events. He has been recognized by the Melanoma Research Foundation and the American Cancer Society for his contributions to cancer education and research.
Ramsey, his wife Amy, their three sons and precocious dog Pip live in Mississippi, the best state for politics, storytellers, sweet tea, and raising a family.
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 Laura O’Neill. Photography by Lauren Johnson.
