• Meridian’s Kenya Jones served as captain of a mock trial team from Mississippi Valley State University that recently competed at the Third Annual ODY Owl Classic at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus.

The team had a strong showing, with Kambreca Mitchell, a third-year Pre-Law/Legal Studies and Government/Politics major from Greenwood winning the Top Attorney Award. Mitchell gave the opening statement for the prosecution, directed a witness and cross-examined a defense witness. Other members of the team included Darius Bailey of Montgomery, Ala.; Nadia Crawford of Atlanta, Ga.; Donovan Brownlee of Columbus, Ohio; Lasharda Leasy of Greenville; and Jada Brinson of Miami, Fla.

Educator coach for the Mock Trial Team is Dr. Larry W. Chappell, university pre-law advisor and coordinator of the Pre-Law/Legal Studies program. Attorney coach for the team is Neysha Sanders; Esq. Sanders is a member of Sanders and Sanders Law Firm and also teaches courses in MVSU’s Social Sciences department.

The program is sponsored by the Department of Social Sciences, the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of University Advancement, the Office of Sponsored Programs and the Office of the President. Additional funding was also provided by the Leflore County Board of Supervisors.

The team is scheduled to compete in a regional competition in Jackson from Friday to Sunday. The regional tournament is the qualifying tournament for the opening round of the national championship competition in Memphis.

• DECATUR — Sarah Laird of Meridian was selected Surgical Technology Student of the Year at East Central Community College during the program’s annual pinning ceremony held recently in the Vickers Fine Arts Center. 

Laird was presented the award in recognition of her academic excellence in the classroom and performance in clinical settings.

• BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Jason B Copeland of Philadelphia, Mississippi, graduated from Samford University during recent commencement exercises.

Copeland earned a master of science degree in nursing from Ida Moffett School of Nursing.

• BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Caleigh E Smith of Butler was named to the fall 2017 Dean’s List at Samford University. Smith is a freshman Pre-Pharmacy major.

Samford releases dean’s lists after the close of the fall and spring semesters each academic year. To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must have earned a minimum 3.5 grade-point average out of a possible 4.0 while attempting at least 12 credit hours of coursework. Dean’s List is the highest academic recognition given by the school at the end of each semester.

• TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — The following local and area residents were named to the Dean’s List and President’s List at University of Alabama for the Fall 2017 term:

President’s List — Antonio Padilla Denis, William Cope, Tatum Dye, Christopher Hicks, Morgan Ross and Avery Watson, all of Meridian, Mississippi; AnnaLaura Campbell of Bailey, Mississippi; Natalie Lowry of Macon, Mississippi; Bilal Ahmad of Marion, Mississippi; Holly Ford of Waynesboro, Mississippi; and Reagan Sandoz of Gilbertown.

Dean’s List — David Majure and Connor Webb, both of Meridian, Mississippi; Margaret Moody of Butler and Anna Pope, both of Butler; and Caroline Wigley of Gilbertown.

A total of 12,594 students enrolled during the 2017 fall semester at the University of Alabama were named to the Dean’s List with an academic record of 3.5 or above or the President’s List with an academic record of 4.0 (all A’s). The UA Dean’s and President’s lists recognize full-time undergraduate students. The lists do not apply to graduate students or undergraduate students who take less than a full course load.