Jessica Herron finds success on her liberal arts pathway to Lyceum Scholar.
Jessica Herron had a decision to make. As a rising college freshman with an ACT score of 24, she realized that she might not be competitive for merit-based scholarships at the University of Mississippi.
In weighing her options, the Charleston resident ultimately chose to attend Northwest Mississippi Community College, a choice that would lead her down an amazing path in her college career.
At NWCC, Herron followed a liberal arts pathway, knowing that she would eventually want to major in English. She was elected vice president of the college’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, which stresses academic achievement and encourages a cultivation of leadership skills that are imperative after graduation.
“Given the small size of community colleges, I believe that they offer students unique opportunities,” Herron said. “As a part of my work at the Northwest Writing Center, I had the opportunity to tutor alongside an instructor in a first-year writing course.”
In preparation for her transition to Ole Miss, Herron researched transfer scholarships and made sure she was eligible by maintaining her 4.0 GPA and being involved with numerous organizations and community service projects. And her hard work and diligence was rewarded.
Upon transferring to the university, she was awarded the Lyceum Scholar Award and a Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship.
“To me, these scholarships symbolize the fact that though our paths to our intended destination may not be straight, hard work and dedication will always see us through the journey,” Herron said.
That journey through college also included numerous internships, in which Herron was able to translate all that she learned in the classroom into real-world experience. She worked as a communications and research intern for the Republican National Committee, an assistant for JLV Consulting and an assistant for the inaugural advance of Gov. Glenn Youngkin in Virginia.
Herron works as a government relations intern for IDEMIA, a multinational technology company that sells biometric identification products and other software to companies and governments, and as a freelance political writer.
At times, it was difficult to land positions in politics, considering her educational background, but she was able to advocate for herself and earn the positions that she wanted, she explained.
“UM’s robust liberal arts college has afforded me the writing, critical thinking and communication skills needed in each field,” she said. “Unsurprisingly, any compliment that I have received from my superiors, whether it be for a written product or another assignment, is a direct result of the skills I have gained at UM.”
Ultimately, Herron wants to pursue a career in government relations and lobbying, but immediately after graduation, she will be leading the new internship program at IDEMIA. After the program’s completion, Herron plans to work on Capitol Hill to gain experience with legislation before pursuing a master’s degree in international affairs or a law degree.
“I would like to specialize in technology policy, and with the skills that I have gained at the University of Mississippi, I am confident that I can make an impact in these conversations,” Herron said.
By Lydia Lagarde, College of Liberal Arts
