Building Brighter Futures: PRCC Hosts 2025 Adult Education Graduation
May 29, 2025
Pearl River Community College’s Adult Education Graduation was held on Thursday, May 22, at the Marvin White Coliseum on the Poplarville Campus. During the ceremony, 219 students were recognized for receiving their high school equivalency diplomas, with 147 participating in the procession.
“Tonight’s ceremony is a microcosm of everything we’re trying to do here at our college,” said PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood. “It’s just simply creating life-changing options for these students. Their resiliency and their hard work have paid off — and we hope this is just the beginning.”
Graduates heard from Nikitna Barnes, Assistant Director of Adult Education for Grants and Special Programs at the Mississippi Community College Board. She talked about how each graduate can invest in themselves to create a brighter future.
“It’s about saying, ‘I am worth the time, the energy, and the work’,” Barnes said. “That mindset, that belief in your own potential, is the foundation of everything else you will do.
“Remember that you don’t have to have it all figured out today, but you do have to keep moving, keep learning, keep investing in who you are and who you are becoming. Your high school equivalency is the beginning of a powerful new chapter. You invested in yourself and your return on that investment is limitless.”
The annual event is one of the most special days of the year, according to Assistant Dean of Adult Education and Youth Services Ruby Lumpkin Smith.
“This graduation marks more than achievement—it’s a turning point,” said Smith. “Each diploma represents a life transformed, a family empowered, and a stronger community. Our graduates are proving it’s never too late to learn, grow, and lead.”
Amauri Magee, 19, of Tylertown was unable to graduate from high school last year, so he enrolled in Adult Education to help him finish.
“I didn’t pass one of my state tests, and I couldn’t graduate,” said Magee. “We found a counselor here that brought me to the Adult Education program in Hattiesburg and told me I could finish there.”
He plans to attend PRCC for the lineman technology program on the Poplarville Campus.
Barbara Pitt-Daniels, 46, is originally from Los Angeles, CA, but now calls Hattiesburg home. She left high school to concentrate on raising a family. Yet, she always planned to go back and earn her diploma.
“Once my kids were grown, that’s when I said this is my time to go back and prove to them that you are never too old to go back to school and get what you need to get,” said Pitt-Daniels.
She plans to pursue training to become a phlebotomist, a path she was pursuing but had to drop because she lacked a high school diploma.
Lena Russell, 50, of Petal sought out her high school equivalency as a way to do better in life. Her grandfather had set an example by earning his diploma in his 60s.
“I promised my grandpa before he passed away that I would do it,” said Russell. “He told me it is never too late, and I also wanted to do this for my kids.”
She is planning to earn several certificates through PRCC, including obtaining her forklift license, a CDL license, and welding, so she can have better opportunities.
Kaitlyn Hurkes, 24, of Petal left high school after social anxiety took hold. She enjoyed learning, but allowed her fear to take hold and quit. She entered the Adult Education program to help her achieve her dream of entering healthcare as a career.
“One of my big goals was to be an EMT and maybe eventually a paramedic,” said Hurkes. “Without my high school degree, there was no way to achieve it.”
After completing her high school equivalency, Hurkes enrolled in the EMT program at Pearl River. She completed it this month and is currently applying for a position in the field to get hands-on experience before returning to school to become a paramedic.
Adult Basic Education, a tuition-free program, offers adults the opportunity to prepare for a high school equivalency exam (GED or HiSet), college entrance, career-technical education, or career readiness skills. Class instruction is offered in small groups, tutorial services, and computer-based learning.
Classes are available for anyone in PRCC’s six-county district (Forrest, Hancock, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Marion, and Pearl River counties) who is 17 years or older and not enrolled in high school. Locations for in-person classes include Columbia, Hattiesburg, Kiln, Picayune, and Poplarville. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are offered at the Hattiesburg, Picayune, and Poplarville locations.
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 and Laura O’Neill.
