College of Education graduate student named a part of scholars program

Alexis Jackson, a clinical mental health counseling student, has been named a Southern Regional Education Board -State Doctoral Scholars Program award recipient.

The Dr. Harold Grier Doctoral Scholar's program is complete with a Southern Regional Education Board State Doctoral Scholars Program Institutional Fellowship, sponsored by the Office of Inclusive Excellence, the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, as well as the Graduate School at Mississippi State University. For the past three years, the Dr. Harold Grier Doctoral Scholar's Program has accepted nine underrepresented doctoral scholars and provided access to resources, mentorship opportunities and teaching guidance.

"I am so grateful for this program," Jackson said. "The Dr. Harold Grier Doctoral Scholar's program, in conjunction with the SREB State Doctoral Scholars Program Institutional Fellowship, will assist me in moving towards my goals as a graduate student and beyond."

Jackson, a Spanaway, Washington native, was nominated by Dr. Peter Ryan. Jackson expressed gratitude towards Ryan and her advisor, Dr. Looby, Mrs. Lindsey Shelton, Dr. Peter Ryan, and Dr. Brian Henry, for the resources and assistance they have provided for graduate students.

"I am extremely proud of Alexis's selection as an SREB Doctoral Scholar. This award comes as no surprise to me, as her diligence, motivation, dedication to learning, and performing above expectations have shone through in the counseling program,” Looby said. “Further, her previous record of scholarship illustrates that knowledge and academic success are integral components of her development as a professional. Her skills and competencies bode well for her continued success in academia and in counseling. She is just getting started; there are more accomplishments to come."

SREB Doctor Scholars receive full-time graduate assistantship support, tuition remission and payment of mandatory fees for at least three years. In addition, SREB Scholars have access to professional development resources and opportunities.

A part of the Clinical Mental Health and Counselor Education program, Jackson's research interests include studying trauma in disaster victims, breast cancer concerns and interventions for women and their family members, and the benefits of therapeutic art interventions in child and adult populations.

In addition to the Southern Regional Education Board's State Doctoral Scholars Program award, Jackson was an MSU 2019 3-Minute-Thesis finalist for her research on the impacts of art therapy on youth who have experienced trauma. Other awards include MSU's Graduate Recruitment and McNair Scholars' Fellowships.

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works side-by-side with policymakers such as state legislators and education agency officials as they implement policies to help students achieve more, prepare students for college and careers, and boost college completion. One important SREB initiative is to increase faculty diversity by offering the SREB Doctoral Scholar Award. The Doctoral Scholars Award Program's goal is to increase the number of minority students who earn doctorates and choose to become faculty at colleges and universities.

Established in 1903, MSU's College of Education is now home to six academic departments, one research unit and numerous service units. For more about the college, visit //www.educ.msstate.edu/.

MSU is Mississippi's leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.

MSU PHOTO ID: Photo by Megan Bean