JTC 24: The Right Match

The integrated marketing communications program at the University of Mississippi has been a perfect fit for Quiana White. The Jackson native is described by her friends and teachers as tenacious, bubbly and a natural leader.

But finding the right match required some adjustments. Her initial plan was to study nursing, and she switched to the IMC program in the School of Journalism and New Media after finding it was what she enjoyed more.

"As we were transitioning to come back for the spring semester, I was like, 'I don't think this is what I want to do,'" White said. "Really honing in on what I enjoy doing. Let me find something that matches that a little bit more than just going into nursing because I know I like the stability of it."

When White first switched to the IMC program, she was reserved and did not interact with her classmates. With time, though, she felt she had become a part of the community.

"Coming to IMC, I was a little scared and kind of feeling alone," she said. "I finally started interacting and talking to my classmates and being able to make connections.

"Once I started to feel like I became a part of the community, you could say it really started. It all came full circle for me."

White found supporters among faculty and administration. Jennifer Simmons, assistant provost, met White when she came by to discuss her education. Simmons also serves as an adviser for Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, of which White is a member.

"She's a natural born leader and her bubbly personality makes people want to engage with her," Simmons said.

Mounting leadership achievements mirrored her academic progress. In her time at the university, White was involved in several student organizations on campus, including the Black Student Union – serving as the 2023-24 president – and the Mississippi Outreach to Scholastic Talent program, in which she served as a mentor.

She aims to inspire other students to get involved with organizations on campus.

"Once I got involved with the Black Student Union, which is kind of the first way that I got involved here at the university and just seeing how those connections and being in the atmosphere, it started to make me love Ole Miss a lot more," White said. "I wanted to figure out ways to be involved to not only encourage or just inspire prospective students, but also encouraging current students that are here."

Karrye Tynes, assistant director for access and recruiting initiatives and adviser for the BSU, met White when she served as the BSU's president's chief of staff. White's leadership abilities in the organization were exceptional, Tynes said.

"Even as BSU's president's chief of staff, Quiana's leadership abilities were impressionable," Tynes said. "She's small but mighty, and has never shied away from going the extra mile to get things done to ensure the success of BSU.

"During her tenure as president, I can confidently say her hard work and commitment paid off."

Tynes praises White's leadership abilities and her aspirations to work in marketing.

"Quiana's desire to 'never stop learning' will ensure her success in whatever she lands," she said. "She has aspirations to work in the world of marketing, and I believe without a doubt that she will accomplish this.

"She is a team player and will work hard to ensure that she meets any goal she sets."

After White graduates, she aims to work at a marketing agency or nonprofit organization in a marketing communications role. She wants to explore various aspects of the marketing field instead of a specialization such as social media or public relations.

"That's been another big thing for me of trying not to necessarily put myself in just one box," White said. "I want a job that allows me to do all of it in a way.

"Whether that is working for a marketing agency or working for a nonprofit and being their marketing communications person, that is where I want to be."

See more photos from Quiana White's Journey to Commencement