Maisie Brown becomes first JSU student named Truman Scholar

Jackson State University political science major Maisie Brown has been named a Truman Scholar, the first in the university’s history. The senior is one of 62 new Truman Scholars selected from 705 candidates nominated by 275 colleges and universities. Brown was one of only two HBCU students up for the award.

“It is such a surreal feeling to receive this scholarship because I suffered from imposter syndrome and almost dissuaded myself from applying. I hope this shows Jackson State students and other HBCU students that we are just as well equipped and capable of receiving the same honors as everyone else. I hope to help other students who wish to apply and encourage them to step out on faith. Just do it,” said Brown, whose grassroots advocacy has been recognized by BET, CNN, Morning Joe, MSNBC, Essence and more.

Brown was surprised by the news from JSU Acting President Elayne H. Anthony, Ph.D., while surrounded by JSU administrators.

“What we wanted to do as a “Thee I Love” family was to tell you that you have been awarded the Truman Scholarship,” Anthony informed Brown in the president’s conference room.

Brown said she was overwhelmed and excited to learn she was a recipient. “Oh my gosh. My nerves have been so bad about it. I’ve been checking my email every day,” she said.

The Truman Scholarship will help financially support the post-graduate academic endeavors of those in public service leadership. To continue her higher-education journey, Brown has her sights on Georgetown University due to their transformational education master’s program.

“I’m really interested in the intersection between social justice, education and policy. That’s my top choice right now, but I’m going to see…where the money resides, I guess,” she said before laughing.

Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Bessie HouseSoremekum, Ph.D., said she is absolutely pleased that Brown is now a Truman Scholar.

“This is the first time we have had this happen at Jackson State University. I am thrilled that you are a student in the College of Liberal Arts, one of the leading colleges on the campus,” said Soremekum. “You exemplify so many good things that our students should look up to. You are a sterling scholar, and you have been able to succeed despite the odds that you have faced.”

Anthony shared that she hopes Brown’s achievement will entice other students to look at scholarship opportunities such as Truman and for others to know what JSU students are all about.

Mother to a one-year-old daughter, Brown is setting the standard on how to balance life, service and academia. In addition to her co-curricular activities, Brown holds a 3.5 GPA.

Political Science Professor

D’Andra Orey, Ph.D., has been one of her biggest supporters. He acknowledges the servant’s heart that Brown has personified since she was a Jackson Public School youth.

“Maisie has been on the ground working all her life. From helping to organize the second-largest civil rights protest in Mississippi’s history as a high school student to being the public face of the Jackson water crisis, she has managed to do all of this while at the same time excelling in academics. She is the epitome of what this scholarship embodies,” said Orey.

Director of Honors Student Services and Activities Pamala Heard, Ph.D., echoes Orey’s sentiments. The director encouraged Brown to apply and complete the intense Truman Scholar application and vetting process.

“I am so proud of Maisie. She is a fantastic student that accepted the challenge and received the award. She is a history maker, the first finalist for the Truman Scholarship from Jackson State University, and the first Truman Scholarship recipient from Jackson State University. She is an example of what students can do if given an opportunity,” said Heard.

Established by Congress in 1975 as the living memorial to President Harry S. Truman and national monument to public service, the Truman Scholarship carries the legacy of the 33rd President by supporting and inspiring the next generation of public service leaders. When approached by a bipartisan group of admirers near the end of his life, President Truman embodied this commitment to the future of public service by asking Congress to create a living memorial devoted to this purpose rather than a traditional brick-and-mortar monument. The Truman Foundation has fulfilled that mission for over forty years: inspiring and supporting Americans from diverse backgrounds to public service.

This year’s 62 awardees join a community of 3,504 Truman Scholars named since the first awards in 1977.

Jackson State’s Department of Political Science celebrates 50 years

Anthony Howard JSU Public Relations

Jackson State University’s Department of Political Science celebrated 50 years of existence with an anniversary jubilee in honor of its founder, Leslie-Burl McLemore, Ph.D. Several distinguished political science alums and retired faculty members came to pay respect to the department and educators who laid the foundation for their professional careers.

“Over the last 50 years, the political science department has produced outstanding alums, who have gone on to make a significant impact on our communities, nation and the globe,” said Provost Alisa Mosley, Ph.D. “Many of our graduates have pursued successful careers in government, law, international relations, public administration, advocacy and more. As a result, we have all benefitted from their careful connection to their work and the need for them in the construct of our democratic society.”

The Department of Political Science department was established in September of 1972 under the leadership of McLemore, who served as chair until 1984. The retired professor gave reflections at the opening of the celebration. He spoke about the department’s emphasis on critical thinking, rigor in writing and analysis, imposing questions of the day, and not being afraid to question authority.

“We were an active department. The activism stemmed from the fact that when I came to Jackson State, I’d been a part of the Civil Rights Movement,” recalled McLemore. “We produced students that were active, and during the early years of the department, we held forums on the campus, and our students were known for being outspoken. We introduced political science from a Black perspective, which is how I taught my classes.”

McLemore called upon each audience member to stand and introduce themselves during his address. He closed by expressing the importance of hosting such events to recognize the success of the university’s various colleges and departments and build stronger relations with JSU’s National Alumni Association.

“It is important that we look at our infrastructure. We deserve a bold and demanding national alumni association that is involved in the life of the university and has an impact on what happens at Jackson State University,” he said.

Following his speech, District 26 Senator John Horhn presented McLemore and the political science department with an official resolution from the state senate recognizing the department’s 50 years of service. .

“For us to be around for 50 years, that’s something because a lot of people believe we don’t know how to do things right at HBCUs,” said Chair of the Department of Political Science Maruice Mangum, Ph.D. “That speaks to the type of faculty we’ve had throughout the years and the kind of students that have come out of the department. We’ve shown our worth.”

That evening, the political science department ended the jubilee with an anniversary reception, including the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society induction ceremony, graduate and professional school announcements, and awards presented to exceptional political science students. Political science student Maisie Brown presided as moderator over the final event after a day full of activities, including panels and presentations. Brown is also a recently announced 2023 Truman Foundation Scholarship recipient. The senior was awarded the $30K scholarship due to her public service leadership before and during her time at JSU.

Senior political science major Kennedy Harrison revealed that she plans to attend Vanderbilt University after graduating from JSU. Erin Eatman, also a senior political science major, shared that she will be attending the University of Florida post- graduation JSU alumnae Jerbrina Johnson, J.D. gave encouraging words during the closing reception challenging students to pursue their purpose with a desire and determination to make a difference.

JSU alum and US District Judge Carlton Reeves presented the Keith Madison Award to political science student Christian Mannery. The award was named after Madison, a political science honor student who passed away from a kidney disease in October of 1984 while attending Jackson State.

“Cherish that award because it means so much to all of us,” said Reeves. “Not only did Keith influence us, his classmates and friends, but his faculty members who thought it was necessary to name an award after Keith Wayne Madison, who was my friend.” Reeves also gave tributes to distinguished graduates and retired professor Charles Holmes who received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the department. Mary Coleman, Ph.D., also received a Leadership in Education award.

Outspoken performs during Art Night at the Mississippi Museum of Art

Jackson State University’s student organization Outspoken Arts and Collective members showed out during their performances at “Art Night” hosted by the Mississippi Museum of Art.

On April 18, 2023, three members of Outspoken were featured as primary performers for the Mississippi Museum of Art’s “Art Night”. The members included Jamee “JEM” McAdoo, Ja’Miyah “JAMS” Stokes, and Jasmine “JT” Thomas.

Each artist performed a powerful poem based on different art pieces that were on display in the museum’s permanent exhibit.

The first performer was Stokes, the Vice President of Outspoken and a junior physiology major from Chicago, Ill. Her powerful performance immediately set the tone for the rest of the night. Her poem was based on the art piece, “The Mississippi Wilderness”, which displayed a black girl in a blue dress surrounded by a beautiful array of colors and trees.

Stokes seemed comfortable on the stage as if she was performing in front of her peers back on campus. However, Stokes expressed that the two felt like two different environments.

“I have been performing on campus since my sophomore year so in my opinion there was an extreme difference,” stated Stokes. “During my performance, I can say that I was nervous but I felt so grounded.”

The next performer was McAdoo, a senior Journalism and Media Studies major from Little Rock, Ark., and 20222023 Miss Outspoken Arts Collective. McAdoo is a professional poet, award-winning playwright, former onair radio personality, published author, and influencer. She also serves as JSU’s MADDRAMA Performance Troupe’s Performance Coordinator.

Her performance was based on a painting named “Kudzu”. McAdoo claimed that she was inspired by this piece due to her love for nature.

“The name of the piece I wrote was ‘Kudzu’ which is a type of plant,” stated McAdoo. “I was drawn to this painting because I resonated with the young girl standing alone in the wilderness.”

McAdoo’s performance was just as vibrant and colorful as the painting. Although McAdoo has performed in front of several crowds, she also expressed that the Art Night audience was much different compared to the campus crowd.

“It definitely is a different vibe performing in the community versus on campus,” stated McAdoo. “The energy was great but there were less familiar faces. Seeing members of Outspoken come out to support definitely made me less nervous!”

After JEM’s performance, Thomas, a Jackson State University alum from Atlanta, Ga., had the final performance of the segment.

Thomas has a B.A. in media studies and performing arts from Fort Valley State University and a Masters in Journalism and Media Studies from Jackson State University.

JT has been writing and performing poetry for over 15 years. She has also been featured in several productions in her years of performing.

Her highlight performances are “Beyond the Cave”, the Nick Cave exhibit at the Mississippi Museum of

Art, “Poetry Out Loud”, and the Def Poetry Jam reunion tour in 2020.

Her performance was emotional and had the crowd on the edge of their seats as she poured her heart out about the struggles of African-Americans and identifying their roots.

After the main performances of the three Outspoken members, more members of the organization took their talents to the stage during the Open Mic segment.

Kyndal Smith, also known as “Kynētic Energy” is a freshman elementary education major from Indianapolis, Ind. Her poem was entitled “Stupid

Boy”, a piece that was written during the performance of her peers. Although the poem was written on short notice, she made a lasting impression.

When reflecting on the inspiration behind the piece she claimed that it was fueled by her past experiences.

“I was driven by old memories with a person that I’ve gladly left in my past,” stated Smith.

Smith then explained that her purpose in writing is to express herself as much as possible without any censorship.

“I aim to make my writing as authentic as possible, no time for sugarcoating. I live the truth so I write the truth.”

Outspoken allowed local artists to step out of their comfort zone throughout several on-campus events. The growth of the organization continues to increase as the semester comes to an end.

Smith expressed that Outspoken has caused her to grow not just as an artist, but also as a person.

“Outspoken has grown me in more ways than I thought possible, both on and off the mic. they truly made me believe in the power of my pen and my voice,” stated Smith. “I wouldn’t change anything about how my time with my OAC family has been, because they have embodied the meaning of the word in every sense.”