January 28, 2025
Hundreds of women packed Pearl River Community College’s Poplarville campus for its 18th annual Women’s Health Symposium, a day to celebrate strength, health, and resilience. The event held Saturday, January 25th, offered a powerful combination of expert insights, interactive sessions, and community bonding, all aimed at helping women conquer barriers and prioritize their well-being.
The event was made possible through the generosity of its sponsors, whose support ensured a memorable and impactful experience for all attendees. Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation served as the Grand Sponsor; Pearl River County Hospital & Nursing Home as the Gold Sponsor; and Aladdin Campus Dining, Hancock Whitney, Highland Community Hospital, and Mississippi Power as Silver Sponsors. Bronze Sponsors included BankPlus and Southern Bone & Joint Specialists, P.A.
Dr. Jennifer Seal, Executive Vice President for Planning and Accreditation/Dean of Honors Institute and Chair of the Women’s Health Symposium Steering Committee, and Ms. Janie Walters, CEO of Champion Communications, greeted the women attending before the keynote began.
“It is always such an honor to host these ladies who love to listen, learn, and laugh,” said Seal. “We were inspired, challenged, and invigorated, and we are so thankful that our generous sponsors partnered with Pearl River to provide this opportunity.”
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY ELIZABETH HEISKELL
Southern Living and Today Show Food Contributor Elizabeth Heiskell captivated attendees with her inspirational journey from a Mississippi Delta caterer and chef to a nationally recognized culinary personality. She shared her path to launching her popular home-grown Debutante Farmer Bloody Mary Mix and becoming a Today Show regular. As the author of three best-selling cookbooks, Heiskell reminded the audience that success often comes from perseverance and creativity.
“The thing that I never let take hold of my dream were the things that I called dream killers, which is the who, the what, the how, and the why,” said Heiskell. “If I had, the dream would have died immediately.”
She also shared her health battle after a breast cancer diagnosis in 2022, moving attendees with her candidness and humor.
“At that point, I decided to focus on the silver linings,” said Heiskell. “I realized that same brain that I had that got me to the Today show, that same dreamy brain, the one that got me through the tomatoes and all of these other things, could be used to create fearful scenarios. Rather than using my creativity for bad, I decided that I was only going to use it for good.”
Heiskell concluded by applauding attendees for valuing their health and taking time to focus on themselves.
Breakout Sessions, Screenings, and Camaraderie
Breakout sessions focused on health, wellness, and practical life skills, were held immediately following the keynote presentation. The sessions were “Breast Cancer – What You Should Know” with Deena Branum, “Diabetes Prevention” with Linda Gwaltney, “Estate Planning/Protection” with Richelle Lumpkin & Rhea Sheldon, “Health Benefits of Tea” with Penny Ward, “Medicare Made Simple” with Bryan Massery, “Protecting Mental Health” with Joseph Anderson, “Remember I Love You, Caretaker Session” with Barbara Gandy, and “Stress Management/Better Sleep” with Jodi Ryder.
Also, Elizabeth Heiskell hosted a cooking demonstration on creating a quick, healthy vinaigrette to top a roasted root salad.
Between sessions, laughter and chatter filled Crosby Hall as attendees browsed handmade goods at the Art Walk, pampered themselves with chair massages, and explored health screenings. The cheerful hum of connection and support underscored the day’s theme: women uplifting women.
The symposium’s impact extends beyond one day, with $1,100 raised for the Dr. Becky Askew Scholarship for Medical Students. These funds will empower future female leaders pursuing careers in pre-med and allied health, a testament to the event’s commitment to fostering health and education.
Attendees included a mix of new and returnees. For those returning, the event is a highlight of their January. Several new attendees were thrilled to have the opportunity to come.
For three generations of Poplarville residents, the Women’s Health Symposium was a meaningful first-time experience. Brooke Wiltshire attended with her mother, Darlene Burge, and teenage daughter, Charlotte.
“We really enjoyed the community and the speaker,” said Brooke. “It’s just an important day for us, and I enjoyed having all three of us here.”
“The Women’s Health Symposium is a great event that Pearl River puts on with lots of support from community sponsors; not just from Poplarville and Pearl River County, but also Hattiesburg. It was impressive to see the community support.”
Her daughter, Charlotte, agreed that the day was special.
“All the activities planned were so incredibly directed to women of all ages,” said Charlotte Wiltshire. “It was really cool to see the camaraderie between old friends seeing each other and making new friends. I will absolutely come back.”
During the luncheon, Walters entertained guests with a few thoughts around the theme of “Overcoming with Grace.” She encouraged attendees to reframe the way they approach the struggles they face with the use of humor to provide examples.
“If you live, you’re going to have some difficulties,” said Walters. “One way to get through them is using acts of kindness and generosity that we extend to others. We overcome with grace, if we will actively find opportunities to uplift and support other people.”
Walters also assisted Seal in drawing for each session’s grand prize winners. Smaller door prizes were listed in advance for attendees to claim during their session. Attendees were excited to leave with two gifts: a bracelet and an umbrella-style windshield sunshade.
VENDORS AND ART WALK PARTICIPANTS
Vendors for the 2025 event included Beehive Homes of Picayune, Crown Care Communities, Dermatology South – Hattiesburg Clinic, Forrest General Home Care and Hospice, Hattiesburg Eye Clinic, P.A., Highland Community Hospital, Hypnotherapy Services, Mississippi State University Extension, Park Place Pharmacy, Pearl River County Hospital & Nursing Home, Poplarville Woman’s Club, PRCC Associate Degree Nursing Program, PRCC Cosmetology Program, PRCC Dental Hygiene Program, PRCC Massage Therapy Program, PRCC Medical Laboratory Technology Program, Pearl River County Putting on the Pink, Solace Hospice, Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative, Inc. (SeMRHI), Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A., Team Merry Heart, The Poplarville Clinic, and The Wellness Collective/Simply Mills.
Art walk vendors displayed their handmade items available for purchase. They included DeDe English (Sew Unique), Kathy Guillot (Kathy’s Creative Art), Kay Kammer (Blue Cricket Designs), Ashley Smith, Stacey Dengler, Gail Taylor & Callie Lirette (Stained Glass Sentiments), Teresa Card (The Spicy Mermaid), Richard Cullen (EmbroideryMeister), Erin Giaise (Elizabeth Clare Soaps), Tony Guerra (Southern Charmed), Dana Danby (Just Write), LeAnn Lundy (Girly Productions), Jolie Pervel (PRCC Connecting Threads), and Austin Smith (Mystical Potions.)
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 Juliana Moore and Laura O’Neill.
