Five JSU students have been awarded Toyota-Haley Barbour Scholarships of $8,000 per year for four years totaling $32,000 each.
To qualify for the scholarships, students must be majoring in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) studies and meet high academic requirements as incoming freshmen. This is the first installment of the awards at JSU, as part of an ongoing scholarship program.
The students are:
Phylana Adams, Civil Engineering, Osyka, Miss.
Jeremiah Cazenave, Biology, Dallas, Ga.
Gerald Daniels, Computer Engineering, New Orleans
Ralph Smith, Computer Science, Jackson, Miss.
Taylor Turley, Chemistry, Florissant, Mo.
Dr. Wilbur Walters, associate dean, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, congratulated the students and praised the scholarships as both “a valuable and welcome” program.
That’s especially so, he said, “with the growth of the auto manufacturing industry in Mississippi,” since “it supports those sectors in Mississippi workforce development.”
The scholarships are a win-win-win for students, the university and private enterprise, he said.
“It has given us the opportunity to bring in students and support them to enter in to automotive manufacturing not only through coursework but potential internships and, ultimately, career opportunities,” he said.
Established by Toyota Manufacturing Mississippi, the scholarship program was announced in Jan. 10, 2012, as a result of the locating of a vehicle assembly plant in Blue Springs, Miss.
Jackson State was awarded $800,000 — $160,000 per year over five years — for the scholarships for up to five incoming freshmen each year. Grants were also awarded to support programs and research to enhance the manufacturing industry in Mississippi.
The funds are directed toward the Mississippi e-Center at JSU and three other research universities in the state as well as four community colleges.
The scholarship program was named for Haley Barbour, a Yazoo City native, who was governor from 2004-12 and was instrumental in bringing the Toyota plant to Mississippi.
The $800 million Blue Springs auto plant opened in Nov. 17, 2011.