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GOODMAN, Miss. — Holmes Community College held the 98th Commencement Exercises on Thursday, May 14 in Frank Branch Coliseum on the Goodman Campus, recognizing student achievement and academic excellence. The Ridgeland Campus and Yazoo Center ceremony was held at 10 a.m., and the Goodman and Grenada campuses, along with the Attala Center, held a combined ceremony at 2 p.m. The ceremonies were also live streamed at holmesccmedia.com/white-channel.
Vice President for Academic Programs/eLearning Dr. Jenny Jones and Vice President of Career-Technical Education Dr. Amy Whittington served as keynote speakers for both ceremonies.
Each ceremony began with a faculty and administration processional. For the first ceremony, Mika Maehata of Jackson served as macebearer and Ashlyn Dodd of Flowood delivered the invocation. Maehata is a Phi Theta Kappa vice president, STEM Club co-president and All-USA Academic Team member. Dodd serves as an Ambassador, Phi Theta Kappa president and Student Government Association president. Both were inducted into the 2026 Holmes Hall of Fame.
For the second ceremony, Hannah Karol Stanley served as macebearer, and Maeson Jolley gave the invocation. Stanley is an Ambassador, Phi Theta Kappa vice president and Student Government Association member. Jolley serves as an Ambassador, Baptist Student Union president and Phi Theta Kappa vice president. Jolley was also a 2026 Hall of Fame inductee.
Holmes President Dr. Jim Haffey presented special awards during both ceremonies. The awards given were the M.C. McDaniel Scholarship Award and the Outstanding Phi Theta Kappan Award. The M.C. McDaniel family established this scholarship to be presented to outstanding graduating sophomores who plan to further their education at an institution of higher learning. Alisha Grace Davis of Flora was the M.C. McDaniel Scholarship recipient for the Ridgeland Campus; Diana Garcia of Kosciusko for the Goodman Campus and Christopher Michael Beach of Duck Hill for the Grenada Campus.
Alisha Davis is a pre-physician assistant major who plans to transfer to the University of Southern Mississippi to pursue a degree in sports medicine with the goal of becoming a physician assistant. Davis currently works as an emergency room technician at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center and is interested in emergency medicine and orthopedics. While at Holmes, she has been active as an Ambassador, vice president of Student Government Association, a member of Phi Theta Kappa and of the Content Creators Club. She has earned President’s List honors, a STEMMY Award and recognition as STAR Student of the Semester in Dr. Gates’ Medical Terminology course. Davis was also voted Ridgeland Campus Student Body Maid and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Diana Garcia is a pre-radiological sciences major who has served as MOSAIC community service chairperson and was inducted into the Holmes Hall of Fame. She is active as a Holmes Ambassador, Phi Theta Kappa member, Student Government Association member and MOSAIC tutor, as well. She is also known for volunteering her time to assist non-English speakers by translating medical appointments and important documents. Upon graduation, Garcia plans to attend the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s radiology program.
Christopher Michael Beach is a history major who earned President’s List honors and is an active member of Phi Theta Kappa and the Baptist Student Union. He was elected as Mr. Holmes Grenada and as a Hall of Fame recipient, as well. Upon graduation, Beach plans to either transfer to the University of Mississippi or join the National Guard.
Phi Theta Kappa awards were presented to Mary Crawford Canard of Madison for the Ridgeland Campus, Lawson Nichols of Benton for the Goodman Campus and Aubrey Lexi McClain of Vaiden for Grenada.
Mary Crawford Canard is an English writing major who was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Her academic achievements include membership in Phi Theta Kappa honor society, President’s List honors and an ACT Scholarship. Canard plans to transfer to Mississippi State University to continue her studies in English writing. She is currently working on a novel and aspires to build a career in publishing, with the long-term goal of opening her own publishing house in Mississippi.
Lawson Nichols is a secondary education English major who has earned President’s List honors and serves as Phi Theta Kappa vice president of campus projects. He is also a Hall of Fame inductee. A member of the Holmes cheer team, Nichols was named Most Valuable Freshman and has participated in numerous service activities through cheer and research initiatives focused on student mental wellness. Nichols plans to attend Northwestern State University to complete his degree and continue cheerleading before pursuing a master’s degree in educational administration.
Lexi McClain is a pre-medicine major at Holmes who has earned the Dean’s Scholarship as well as President’s List honors. McClain was also inducted into the Hall of Fame, selected as Grenada Student Body Maid and elected as Miss Holmes Grenada. She has served as president of the Student Government Association and president of Phi Theta Kappa and is also a member of the Baptist Student Union and Content Creator’s Club. Additionally, she has served as an Ambassador. After Holmes, McClain plans to attend Mississippi State University before applying to medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, with the goal of pursuing a career in orthopedic surgery.
The ceremonies marked the culmination of students’ academic journeys as they prepared to transition into the workforce or continue their education.
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IN THESE PHOTOS:
1. (top left) Pictured are (left to right) Ridgeland M.C. McDaniel Scholarship Award recipient Alisha Davis of Flora, Holmes President Dr. Jim Haffey and Ridgeland Campus Outstanding Phi Theta Kappan Mary Crawford Canardof Madison.
