Mississippi
Institute for Disability Studies, Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services Partner to Hold Multiple Job Extravaganzas, Future Career Exploration Events – WXXV News 25
Fri, 05/10/2024 – 10:35am | By: Rebecca Holland
The Institute for Disability Studies (IDS), at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services have extended a partnership to continue providing the successful Job Extravaganza program for the next year with renewal option up to five years.
The Job Extravaganza program is a specialized opportunity for students with disabilities, ages 14-21, to participate in a hands-on job experience, provided by local businesses in the area. Job Extravaganza is a fun-filled and educational experience with the primary purpose of providing an inclusive business learning experience.
The goal of the Job Extravaganza is to provide an environment where students can explore a variety of careers freely at their own pace, which can lead them to discover what career options best fit their preferences, strengths, and interests.
Each Job Extravaganza event begins with a virtual pre-session for student attendees to review the in-person day agenda and discuss rules, student roles, business experience opportunities, and overall expectations. The in-person event consists of businesses from the local areas that provide job skill stations. Students can visit these stations, learn various employment tasks, and receive valuable feedback.
In addition to the students visiting all job stations, they are provided lunch, have time to network, and receive direct pre-employment training. Within two weeks after the in-person event, students participate in a virtual post-session to review event activities, discuss the businesses and skill opportunities, and plan for next learning steps.
“Since November 2022, the Institute for Disability Studies has piloted three Job Extravaganza events in Long Beach, Pearl, and Bay St. Louis, for over 180 secondary students with disabilities,” noted Dr. Jerry Alliston, IDS Associate Director. “Our transition team is excited for this multi-year initiative as we have already seen the impact on students in learning new skills, exploring potential employment options, and even obtaining actual jobs.”
The Job Extravaganza is a service provided by IDS at The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, and is funded by The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services as part of a partnership between the two entities.
To learn more about Job Extravaganza or to request an event in your area, visit www.usm.edu/ids, call 601.266.5163, or email ids@usm.edu.
We interrupt your downpour of college baseball news for a reminder that some basketball programs are still building out their roster for next season.
Mississippi State landed a commitment from Ashton Magee on Saturday.
Magee becomes the latest piece in what has turned into a near-total roster rebuild for Mississippi State, and his addition fits the broader theme of what the staff has been chasing this spring.
He’s a 6-7 forward coming off his freshman year at Southern University, where he played steady rotation minutes and showed enough long-term upside to draw interest once he hit the portal. He’ll arrive in Starkville with three seasons of eligibility and the option to redshirt if the staff wants to stretch his development.
The Laurel native and South Jones product didn’t put up big numbers in Baton Rouge, but he played in 31 games and logged 350 minutes as a true freshman.
Magee shot 44.4 percent from the field, averaged 3.0 points and 1.7 rebounds, and got a taste of what a full college season feels like. Southern finished 17-17 and 11-7 in SWAC play, and Magee’s role grew as the year went on.
His path to Mississippi State has already taken a few turns. Magee originally committed to Kansas State out of high school before reopening his recruitment and signing with Southern.
Now he’s back in his home state with a chance to carve out a role on a roster that has plenty of room for new contributors.
And that’s the real context here. Mississippi State returns only one full-time starter in rising senior Josh Hubbard, who will carry the scoring load again.
King Grace is back after playing meaningful minutes as a freshman, and redshirts Cameren Paul and Tee Bartlett will finally get their first real look after sitting last season. Everything else is open. Everything else is up for competition.
Mississippi State Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker
Women
Incoming
- Reese Beaty, 5-8, G, Fr. (Iowa State)
- Aryss Macktoon, G, 5-11, So. (La Salle)
- Arianny Francisco De Oliviera, F, 6-4, So. (Gulf Coast State College)
- Macie Phifer, 6-1, G, Fr. (Middle Tennessee)
- Cali Smallwood, 5-9, G, Jr. (UAB)
Outgoing
- Awa Fane, 5-8, G, Jr.
- Nataliyah Gray, 6-3, F, Fr.
- Rocío Jiménez, 6-7, C, R-So.
- Saniyah King, 5-7, G, So.
- Jaylah Lampley, 6-2, Fr.
Men
Incoming
- Thomas Bassong, 6-8, F, Fr. (Florida State)
- RJ Johnson, 6-4, G, Jr. (Kennesaw State)
- Ashton Magee, 6-7, F, Fr. (Southern)
- ND Okafor, 6-7, F, Sr. (Washington State)
- Kendyl Sanders, 6-8, F, Fr. (Utah)
- Tajuan Simpkins, 6-4, G, (Seton Hall)
Outgoing
- Gai Chol, 7-0, C, Jr.
- Jamarion Davis-Fleming, 6-10, F, Fr.
- Dellquan Warren, 6-2, G, So.
- Amier Ali, 6-8, G/F, So.
- Sergej Macura, 6-9, F, So.
- Brandon Walker, 6-8, F, Sr.
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Softball
May 16, 2026
Alyssa Faircloth’s no-hitter is Mississippi State’s first in NCAA softball tournament
May 16, 2026
Alyssa Faircloth threw a no-hitter in Mississippi State’s regional win over Oregon, the Bulldogs’ first in an NCAA tournament game. Watch the extended highlights from the no-hitter here.
Despite scoring 33 runs in its final three-game series, Mississippi State baseball didn’t leave College Station, Texas, with a series victory.
No. 10 Texas A&M beat the visiting No. 12 Bulldogs 7-6 on May 16. It was the rubber match of the three-game series. MSU (39-16, 16-14 SEC) won the first game 18-11 and Texas A&M (39-13, 18-11) took the second game 11-9.
The Bulldogs are still entering the postseason in good position. MSU will be anywhere between the No. 8 and No. 10 seed in the SEC Tournament and has a case to be awarded a top-16 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
MSU can hit and does it well. The Bulldogs entered May 16 with the No. 2 batting average in the SEC (.314) and the third-most runs (471). Pitching was more hit-or-miss.
Here’s what stood out regarding MSU’s pitching in the regular season finale as the Bulldogs head into the postseason.
Ryan McPherson is back, but can he find peak form?
Getting star sophomore Ryan McPherson back in any capacity is big for MSU, but the Bulldogs need him to look like his old self to have their best chance at a deep postseason run.
McPherson started Game 3 against Alabama. He pitched 2⅓ innings, allowing one earned run on 44 pitches. He got into some trouble in the third inning and was pulled.
McPherson has only pitched one other time since March 20, when he suffered a forearm strain against Vanderbilt. That was on May 9 vs Auburn, but he only threw 1⅓ innings before he injured his ankle after tripping behind home plate while backing up a potential throw in the second inning.
At his best, McPherson has lights-out stuff that can win a postseason game. He was 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA before getting injured.
Ben Davis quietly shined in bullpen
The MSU bullpen got plenty of action against Texas A&M. Senior reliever Ben Davis pitched all three days.
Davis threw one inning in the first game, 2⅓ in the second game and 1⅓ in the finale. Across the 4⅔-inning span, Davis allowed four hits and no earned runs. He struck out three.
It’s the first time this season Davis pitched three consecutive days.
Walks, not hits, cost Mississippi State the series
The Bulldogs outhit the Aggies 11-7 in Game 3, but the discrepancy in walks was too much to overcome.
MSU walked 13 batters and drew just one.
Four of the walks went on McPherson’s ledger, but the bullpen struggled with control as well. Five of the six relievers who pitched after McPherson walked at least one batter. Only 96 of the 176 pitches MSU threw were in the strike zone.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
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