Ellisville, MS – This year’s recipients of the Achievement and Excellence Award are Justin Archer Burch and Sean McDonald. The Achievement and Excellence Award recognizes alumni of Jones College, forty years and under, who have demonstrated professional and personal success throughout the community.
Justin Burch
Justin Archer Burch is a nationally recognized economic and community development leader whose career has been dedicated to creating economic opportunities, strengthening rural communities, and bringing investment to the Mississippi Delta and communities throughout the American South.
Burch is the founder, president, and CEO of Delta Compass, a Greenville-based organization focused on economic and community development, philanthropy, and regional investment. Through his leadership, the organization works to strengthen rural communities by connecting workforce development, entrepreneurship, justice, and the arts with opportunities for economic growth and community revitalization.
With more than 15 years of experience, Burch has held leadership positions with several prominent regional and national organizations. Before founding Delta Compass, he served as national economic development director for the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, where his work supported communities across all 50 states and two U.S. territories. He previously served as director of programs for the Delta Regional Authority, overseeing economic development, infrastructure, workforce, and job creation initiatives throughout the eight-state Mississippi River Delta region.
Earlier in his career, Burch served as head of community development for the Foundation for the Mid South, supporting efforts to reduce poverty and expand economic opportunities across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Throughout his career, Burch has helped secure tens of millions of dollars in philanthropic and government investments while building partnerships among government agencies, businesses, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders. His work has supported initiatives ranging from workforce and small business development to infrastructure improvements, cultural preservation, and neighborhood revitalization.
His leadership has earned recognition through several prestigious national programs. Burch is a Presidential Leadership Scholar, an initiative associated with the presidential centers of four former U.S. presidents. He was also selected among the first 100 Americans to participate in President Barack Obama’s leadership network and is a member of the Obama Foundation’s global leadership community.
Additionally, Burch was named a 2025 Aspen Ideas Fellow and has participated in leadership development programs through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. He has also served in leadership and advisory roles with the Southern Economic Development Council, Delta Philanthropic Forum, and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ Memphis Zone Community Development Advisory Council.
Burch earned an Associate of Arts degree from Jones College before receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Mississippi and a Master of Social Science degree from Mississippi College. His continuing education includes professional studies through Harvard University, Indiana University, the University of Tennessee, and the National Development Council.
Despite his work with national organizations and institutions, Burch remains deeply committed to the Mississippi Delta and the communities that shaped his career. His approach to economic development emphasizes the importance of preserving the history, culture, and identity of rural communities while creating opportunities for future generations.
Through Delta Compass and his continued leadership, Burch works to demonstrate that economic growth and community preservation can go hand in hand, allowing rural communities to build stronger futures while celebrating the people and traditions that make them unique.
Burch and his wife, Cameryn Miller Burch, are the proud parents of two children, Catherine Lawrence and Archer Henry.
Sean McDonald
A 2012 graduate of Jones College’s Electrical Technology program, Sean McDonald has built a career rooted in his lifelong passion for agriculture and a commitment to serving his community.
As a poultry and row crop farmer in Jones County, McDonald has earned recognition for his accomplishments in agriculture. In 2019, he received the Mississippi Farm Bureau Achievement Award and went on to be named one of the Top 10 finalists for the American Farm Bureau Achievement Award.
Beyond his agricultural career, McDonald remains actively involved in his community. He and his family are members of the First Baptist Church of Ellisville, where he serves as a deacon. He also volunteers his time as a member of the Johnson Volunteer Fire Department, demonstrating his commitment to serving and supporting the community.
McDonald and his wife, Morgan, a 2011 Jones College graduate, are the proud parents of two children, Blake, 11, and Baylie, 8.
Grateful for the opportunity to pursue his passion for agriculture while raising his family in the community he calls home, McDonald continues to make a positive impact in Jones County through his work, service, and dedication to others.