On May 13, Jackson State University (JSU) shared on social media that Joel Murchison of the Class of 2025 had been selected as a Better Futures competition semi-finalist.
He was expected to pitch his disaster recovery program to executives from Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, and more.
JSU also announced that doctoral student Oketola Oluwaseun won an award for nuclear waste management research.
His work aims to develop eco-friendly materials to remove hazardous materials from wastewater and enhance lithium/sodium-ion batteries for EVs.
This past May, Jackson State honored more than 800 graduates during two commencement ceremonies, marking the conclusion of the 2025 spring semester and celebrating the university's legacy.
Among the graduates, Carter Smith achieved an impressive 4.0 GPA and secured a job on Wall Street.
The loss of his father just before his senior year of high school was devastating, yet it motivated him to excel.
He graduated as a salutatorian from his high school and completed community college in just one year.
Graduating from JSU with a 4.0 GPA a year early was a significant achievement he had never imagined.
Notably, he is the first JSU student selected for the S&P Global Ratings Program, part of their credit division.
Following his internship, he was offered a full-time position and will return to New York this fall as a credit ratings analyst.
Throughout his journey, Smith has been fortunate to receive incredible support.
Mentors in the College of Business believed in his potential, including JSU alumna Guyna "Gee" Johnson, managing director and head of Global Fund Ratings at S&P Global and chair of the JSU Development Foundation Inc.
This spring, he was honored to be named a Student Marshal for the College of Business and to be inducted into the 2024–2025 JSU Hall of Fame.
Another standout graduate, Kevia Miles, discovered her passion during the International Collaborative Experiences to Track Arctic Lake Systems fellowship program.
Miles collaborated with graduate students and scientists from around the world to study global warming and conduct field research in Europe.
Participants received a stipend and all-expenses-paid travel. This May, Miles graduated from her mother's alma mater with immense pride.
Losing her mother to cancer at age 14 was a significant hardship, but it fueled her determination.
She set a precedent as one of the first students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to travel to Sweden for research through a partnership between the University of New Hampshire and Jackson State University's new ecology and biology internship program.
In more recent news, Jackson State faculty member Berneece Herbert, Ph.D., received a $499,996 grant from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to lead a vital workforce development initiative aimed at preparing minority youth for careers in the growing clean energy sector.
The initiative, titled "Strengthening Minority Opportunity Youth Participation for a Future-Ready Energy Literate and Resilient Workforce," is focused on energy literacy and resilience training.
It aims to enhance youth participation in a future-ready workforce and accelerate the transition to net-zero energy industries in the state of Mississippi.