糖心直播

ELLISVILLE 鈥� Of the seven alumni recognized during 糖心直播鈥檚 Alumni Recognition Program held during Homecoming celebrations, Judge Stan Sorey of Raleigh was honored with the 鈥淥utstanding Alumni of the Year Award.鈥� During the Homecoming Alumni Luncheon, 糖心直播 President, Dr. Jesse Smith explained this year鈥檚 recipient carries a heavy burden in his profession as a judge, protecting our rights individually and as a country.

鈥淭he Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award recognizes the accomplishments and the service of our alumni who have exhibited exceptional service and brought honor to the college,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淭he honorable Judge Stan Sorey is a senior judge for the 13^th Circuit Court District of Mississippi among the list of ways he鈥檚 served his community, successfully and honorably.鈥�

The 1992 糖心直播 alumnus serves the counties of Covington, Jasper, Simpson, and Smith counties as the 13th Circuit Court District of Mississippi. After graduating from Mississippi College and the Mississippi College-School of Law, he served six years in the Mississippi National Guard, including active duty in Operation Desert Storm. Prior to his judicial service, Sorey practiced law privately for more than 16 years, serving as Smith County Prosecutor, municipal prosecutor for Mize and Taylorsville, and board attorney for the Smith County Board of Supervisors. Elected to the circuit bench in 2016, Judge Sorey has provided leadership in the legal profession, serving as president of the Smith County Bar Association and as a member of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance and the Mississippi Opioid Advisory Commission. Judge Sorey and his wife, Alison, live in Smith County, and he is the proud father of one son, John Robert.

鈥淚 never would have thought that I would have been recognized in this way. It is so humbling to have this honor, and I want to thank all the faculty and staff, and everybody from the President all the way down to the guy that鈥檚 cutting the grass because it’s a team effort here. It always has been at Jones. That鈥檚 the way they take care of the students and that鈥檚 the way they take care of the alumni,鈥� said Sorey. 鈥淚 saw that when my parents, Robert Sorey and Lou Ellis Hollingsworth were honored. They got their start at Jones, and I was honored to have them lay that foundation for me, and the good reputation for me to follow in their steps here at Jones. It was a great experience for me here too.鈥�

In addition to the Outstanding Alumni of the Year, two alumni, Cade Cockrell of Magee and Shivum Desai of Hattiesburg received the Rising Stars Award during Homecoming celebrations. Dr. Robert S. Billingsley of Laurel/Jackson and Dr. Kaylie B. Wilkerson of Ellisville/Hattiesburg received the Achievement and Excellence Award, while Ellisville native, and current Oxford, Mississippi and Atlanta, Georgia resident, Beverly Young Langford, Ph.D. was bestowed with the Distinguished Service Award and Billy Royce Folkes of Seminary was recognized as the 鈥淟egacy Award鈥� recipient.

ELLISVILLE 鈥� Of the seven alumni recognized during 糖心直播鈥檚 Alumni Recognition Program held during Homecoming celebrations, two alumni were honored with the 鈥淎chievement & Excellence Award.鈥� Dr. Robert S. Billingsley of Laurel and Dr. Kaylie B. Wilkerson of Ellisville were each recognized during the Homecoming Alumni Luncheon.

鈥淭hese alumni have demonstrated outstanding success in their chosen fields, and they serve as role models of leadership, dedication and integrity. Also, their accomplishments bring honor within their field, and honor upon the college, and they inspire future generations,鈥� 糖心直播 President, Dr. Jesse Smith said of Billingsley and Wilkerson at the Homecoming Alumni Luncheon.up

Laurel native and current resident of Jackson, Dr. Robert Stevens Billingsley, is in his second year of fellowship training in cardiovascular disease at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The former 糖心直播 baseball player went on to graduate with honors in Biological Sciences from Mississippi State University and earned his medical degree from UMMC, where he received academic scholarships and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Billingsley acknowledged the variety of experiences he gained as a baseball player under Coach Christian Ostrander still influences his life to this day. In addition, former biology instructor, Austin Smith, is credited for his success in medicine as well.

鈥淔rom a baseball standpoint, I learned three times more about life than just having a good work ethic and how to take each day, head on and work through various trials. To make decisions today, I have drawn on all of my experiences at Jones,鈥� said Billingsley. 鈥淎ustin Smith was probably one of my biggest influences at JC. He was very personable, and a guy that I felt like I could talk to directly because I had his phone number. He was the one, when I had doubts about my career path, questioning if I was good enough to go into the competitive field of medicine, he was always that voice of reassurance, that voice of positivity and he taught me quite a lot that that just helped me personally. Miss Rhonda Robertson, my chemistry instructor, definitely laid the foundation to pass the MCAT.鈥�

The West Jones High School and 2014 JC graduate completed his residency in Internal Medicine at UMMC, where he distinguished himself as Chief Resident. Alongside his clinical practice, Billingsley has presented original research, led quality improvement initiatives, and volunteered at free clinics. He is the son of 鈥淧ic鈥� and Nancy Billingsley and is married to his high school sweetheart, Kelsey and they have one daughter.

Also achieving greatness in medicine is Dr. Kaylie Bradshaw Wilkerson who earned her Associate of Arts degree in 2014 before continuing her studies at Mississippi College and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She received her Doctor of Medicine in 2021 before completing her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at UMMC in June 2025 and began practicing at Hattiesburg Clinic. 糖心直播 helped give her a foundation she explained, to help her be successful in her career.

鈥淚 was a member of both Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and Bobcat Brigade, student ambassadors. I think both of these groups were fantastic organizations for me to have been a part of because they gave me the opportunity to work with other people who actually became healthcare professionals as well. And so, looking back, you know, the friendships and the connections that we made through working at events, but also the volunteering for different projects, I鈥檝e made a lifetime of connections with people that helped cultivate an environment that was fun for learning, but they also taught me some life lessons and how to be a lifelong learner,鈥� shared Wilkinson. 鈥淭his place is where I also made lifelong connections academically with my instructors and classmates. I really do feel like Jones gave me a fabulous foundation as far as learning and Jones did a really great job preparing me for the next step.鈥�

During her training, Wilkerson received numerous honors, including the Bryan D. Cowan, MD Research Award, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology Award, and the Joey Purvis Memorial Fund Award. Additionally, she was awarded the Society of OB/GYN Hospitalists Resident of the Year, and she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Beyond medicine, Wilkerson is actively engaged in her church and community, mentoring youth and supporting outreach programs.

In addition to the Achievement and Excellence Award recipients, two alumni, Cade Cockrell of Magee and Shivum Desai of Hattiesburg received the Rising Stars Award during Homecoming celebrations. In addition, Judge Stan Sorey of Raleigh was honored as 鈥淥utstanding Alumni of the Year,鈥� while Ellisville native, and current Oxford, Mississippi and Atlanta, Georgia resident, Beverly Young Langford, Ph.D. was bestowed with the Distinguished Service Award and Billy Royce Folkes of Seminary was recognized as the 鈥淟egacy Award鈥� recipient.

ELLISVILLE 鈥� Of the seven honored alumni during 糖心直播鈥檚 Alumni Recognition Program held during Homecoming celebrations, two alumni were named 鈥淩ising Stars.鈥� Included in the distinguished group of alumni achieving great success were Cade Cockrell of Magee and Shivum Desai of Hattiesburg.

鈥淛ones alumni who have achieved early success in their career and are already making a meaningful impact both professionally and within their communities are being honored as Rising Stars,鈥� 糖心直播 President, Dr. Jesse Smith announced at the Homecoming Alumni Luncheon. 鈥淭oday we have two Rising Stars who are certainly making an impression on their peers, their communities and us. Despite being in very competitive professions, these two are rising to the top.鈥�

Glen Cade Cockrell of Magee is a 2017 糖心直播 graduate whose career is 鈥渞ocketing鈥� to the moon. The Senior Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin Space has more than five years of experience in aerospace and defense. After earning his Associate of Arts degree from 糖心直播 and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Mississippi State University, he is building a career marked by innovation and leadership. Cockrell attributes his success in part to JC instructors Tim Rayner and Mary Boleware.

鈥淭he trajectory of my path is due in part to (Mary Boleware鈥檚) impact that she had on me early on in her physics class. She opened my eyes to things that I would never have considered, and I would never have thought that I would have a chance to accomplish. I really appreciate her challenging me,鈥� shared Cockrell. 鈥淚 always felt like she genuinely cared not just for me, but for all of her students, and to see our development and to see us succeed, to have someone there that genuinely cares and wants to see you succeed is honestly a rare experience throughout college.鈥�

Holding key engineering roles at Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Northrop Grumman Space Systems, and Stark Aerospace, Cockrell has contributed to mission-critical projects and is driving advances in modeling, simulation, automation, and systems performance. Recognized for his technical expertise and his ability to foster collaboration, Cockrell continues to empower teams while delivering solutions that directly impact national defense. He offers this advice for other aspiring engineers.

鈥淎sk more of yourself the things that you think are impossible, the things that you think might be out of reach. Try your best to shoot for those things,鈥� Cockrell said. 鈥淓ven if you fail, learn something through failure and keep asking more of yourself and push farther and harder. Never give in. Don’t settle for less. If you know what you want, go get it.鈥�

Rising to the top of the medical field, is Shivum Desai, a 2019 graduate of 糖心直播 and summa cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Medicine degree at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, with an expected graduation in 2026. An accomplished researcher, he has contributed to studies in neurology, anesthesiology, pediatrics, and plastic surgery, earning multiple presentations and publications. His research interests include dementia risk, transfusion practices, pediatric cardiac outcomes, and public perceptions of medical specialties.

鈥淏eing here at Jones, helped me to develop professionally and allowed me to develop critical skills that I still use to this day. I have become a much better person in terms of time management and I鈥檓 more confident in just meeting people and talking to people. These soft skills especially, are what has helped me pretty much go further into my career,鈥� shared Desai.

Beyond academics, Desai serves as Executive Director of Jackson Community Response, leads youth initiatives at the BAPS Jackson Temple, and owns and operates a Baskin-Robbins franchise in Hattiesburg. At 糖心直播, Desai served as the President of PTK, and he earned the PTK Academic All-Mississippi First Team Honors in addition to being selected as one of four, Gold Scholars on the Coca-Cola 2019 Academic Team. The Oak Grove High School graduate was also named as one of five, Tullos Scholars at JC and he remains dedicated to service, education, and advancing healthcare in Mississippi.

鈥淢y advisors in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society helped me get to this stage in life along with the other mentors and my peers involved in PTK. I got involved in many campus activities. I鈥檝e met a lot of people; faculty, staff and administrators, who are still friends today,鈥� Desai said. 鈥淎mongst my professors at JC, Dr. Kandula, my physics professor helped me to become more critical in terms of my education. As I apply for residency positions, I hope to be able to return and practice in the community that gave so much to me.鈥�

In addition to the Rising Stars honored during Homecoming celebrations, two alumni, Dr. Robert S. Billingsley of Laurel and Dr. Kaylie B. Wilkerson of Ellisville each received the 鈥淎chievement and Excellence Award.鈥� In addition, Judge Stan Sorey of Raleigh was honored as 鈥淥utstanding Alumni of the Year,鈥� while Ellisville native, and current Oxford, Mississippi and Atlanta, Georgia resident, Beverly Young Langford, Ph.D. was bestowed with the Distinguished Service Award and Billy Royce Folkes of Seminary was recognized as the 鈥淟egacy Award鈥� recipient.

ELLISVILLE 鈥� 糖心直播鈥檚 Alumni Association and Foundation鈥檚 expanded Alumni recognition program honored seven alumni, including 鈥淩ising Stars,鈥� Cade Cockrell of Magee, and Shivum Desai of Hattiesburg, during Homecoming celebrations. Additionally, two alumni, Dr. Robert S. Billingsley of Laurel and Dr. Kaylie B. Wilkerson of Ellisville each received the 鈥淎chievement and Excellence Award.鈥� In addition, Judge Stan Sorey of Raleigh was honored as 鈥淥utstanding Alumni of the Year,鈥� while Ellisville native, and current Oxford, Mississippi and Atlanta, Georgia resident, Beverly Young Langford, Ph.D. was bestowed with the Distinguished Service Award and Billy Royce Folkes of Seminary was recognized as the 鈥淟egacy Award鈥� recipient.

鈥淭oday, we have a distinguished group of alumni. These achievements span across many fields, and each honoree has a powerful reflection of their values, their spirit, and their excellence that define 糖心直播. This afternoon, we鈥檙e going to celebrate their remarkable accomplishments and hear how their time at Jones shaped their journeys,鈥� shared 糖心直播 President, Dr. Jesse Smith during the Alumni Homecoming Luncheon.

The Legacy Award spotlights an alumnus of 糖心直播 who has illustrated over the years continued support with consistent contributions as well as someone who has made an impact in their field of study to honor the college. Billy Royce Folkes was recognized for a lifelong career in education and leadership. After graduating from Sanford High School in 1956, he began his college education at JCJC, where he met his future wife.

鈥淛CJC would pick up students from the surrounding counties in buses. I got on in Seminary and the bus went to Collins to pick up students. There was a beautiful, beautiful young lady sitting on the opposite side of the bus,鈥� said Folkes. 鈥淭hat is how I met my wife of 67 years now, Sarah King Folkes. In chapel, you were assigned a seat and Sarah was assigned to a seat next to a guy named Terrell Tisdale. We were friends, but there was another man who was upset that Sarah liked me.鈥�

Not long after graduating from Jones County Junior College, Folkes married Sarah while continuing his education. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1960 and later completed a Master of Combined Sciences at the University of Mississippi in 1963, along with doctoral coursework in education administration.

He began his career teaching mathematics in Greene County, and then taught at Rankin County, and Jackson Public Schools before serving as a math instructor and Administrative Assistant to the President and Director of Special Activities at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. In 1977, he served The University of Southern Mississippi in the roles of Director of Professional Development, Independent Study, USM Jackson Division of Continuing Education and Public Service, Assistant Dean in the Division of Lifelong Learning and Director of Administration in the College of International and Continuing Education. While working close to Ellisville, Folkes took on more responsibility at his alma mater, serving as President of the JCJC Alumni Association. He continued his career with Mississippi College in 1992, serving as the Director of Continuing Education until 1995.

鈥淢r. Billy Royce Folkes graduated from Jones, and he devoted his career to education and leadership, serving as a teacher and administrator, while leaving a legacy that shaped countless students and colleagues,鈥� Smith shared. 鈥淲hile rearing an outstanding family, his son Wayne Folkes is on our Foundation Board and was honored as an outstanding leader in his own right. His sister, Madelyn Folkes Lofton came to Jones for two years, 1978-1980 and was on the Lady Bobcat Basketball team. Wayne鈥檚 two children, Will and Katie are also JC alumni along with their mother, Karen, who met Wayne on the bus to JC too.鈥�

Billy Royce Folkes said he was honored to devote decades of his life to expanding education, professional development, and lifelong learning across Mississippi. Humbly, Folkes told friends and family at the JC Homecoming Alumni Luncheon, 鈥淭here are a lot of people who came here who deserve this award more than me, but I thank you.鈥�

The Covington County native鈥檚 legacy of service and commitment to advancing education has had an impact on countless students and colleagues, and that is why 糖心直播 honored Billy Royce Folkes with the 2025 Legacy Award.