{"id":6954,"date":"2026-08-21T09:56:07","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T15:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/?p=6954"},"modified":"2026-08-21T09:56:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T15:56:07","slug":"one-desk-thousands-of-conversations-the-impact-of-latrece-evans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/social-media\/one-desk-thousands-of-conversations-the-impact-of-latrece-evans\/","title":{"rendered":"One Desk, Thousands of Conversations: The Impact of LaTrece Evans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_2769-1-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6955\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_2769-1-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_2769-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_2769-1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_2769-1-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_2769-1-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LaTrece Evans, Student Services Specialist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ellisville, MS &#8211; For LaTrece Evans, the heart of Jones College has always been its students.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On any given day, it isn\u2019t unusual to find students gathered around Evans\u2019 desk in the Jones College Administration Building. Some arrive with questions, while others need help solving a problem. And some simply stop by just to talk.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No matter the reason, Evans wants them to leave knowing one thing: they matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI want them, whenever they come in, to make sure they were heard,\u201d, Evans said. \u201cThey were made to feel important, and I guess that they just matter, because you don\u2019t always get that everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her ability to connect with students comes, in part, from knowing what it feels like to need a little reassurance herself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"1280\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 720 \/ 1280;\" width=\"720\" controls src=\"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/67f90f665cf443448818f15ed55aa1be.mov\"><\/video><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Evans &amp; Jones College students participating in a trend for social media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Evans didn\u2019t follow the traditional path to college. At 46, she returned to the classroom at Jones as a nontraditional student, admittedly terrified about starting over. She was navigating real-life responsibilities and challenges while also wondering whether she could still succeed academically.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She quickly proved to herself that she could.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Evans remembers comparing grades with her then 17-year-old son after their first semester. When he proudly announced his 3.97 GPA, she celebrated his accomplishment before revealing one of her own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMom is so proud,\u201d she recalled telling him. \u201cBut Mama got a 4.0!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Behind the humor was an accomplishment that meant much more than a number.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think that\u2019s what I\u2019m most proud of, is that I was finally able to overcome the, \u2018Oh my goodness, I can\u2019t do this\u2019,\u201d Evans said. \u201cI am going to do it, and I\u2019m going to do it well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The experience now allows Evans to recognize the same uncertainty in students who come through her door. Some are fresh out of high school and learning to navigate college for the first time, while others are returning years later, wondering whether they waited too long. Some have strong support systems waiting for them at home, while others may be trying to figure out everything on their own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Evans wants all of them to know there is a place for them at Jones.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYour road doesn\u2019t have to be the same as others,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s just never too late. If it\u2019s truly a dream, then one day it\u2019s obtainable.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And for anyone convinced they are simply too old or that their opportunity has passed, Evans has an even shorter answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe devil is a lie,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her own experience as a student ultimately inspired the kind of employee she wanted to become.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy experience was so great that it just inspired me to make sure that I wanted to give the same, no matter if it was the traditional student coming out or the nontraditional student,\u201d Evans said. \u201cI wanted to make sure every student that came through there got that same experience and knew that they were cared for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes that care means answering a simple question about a student ID and making sure the student leaves with answers to questions they didn\u2019t even know they had. Other times, the need is much greater.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Evans has helped connect students with scholarships when finances threatened to end their semester. She has helped students struggling in class find the support they needed to keep going. She has connected students with counseling, jobs, and opportunities to become involved on campus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She has even encountered students facing homelessness and stepped in to help them find stability while they continued their education.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Evans, those moments are what define a successful day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s the success &#8211; literally knowing that I helped somebody through their day,\u201d she said. \u201cRegardless if it\u2019s getting them in counseling, if it\u2019s getting them a scholarship, if it\u2019s getting them in Bobcat Brigade or just getting them a job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/615160614_1314085177424667_3209791228054979168_n-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6957\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/615160614_1314085177424667_3209791228054979168_n-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/615160614_1314085177424667_3209791228054979168_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/615160614_1314085177424667_3209791228054979168_n-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/615160614_1314085177424667_3209791228054979168_n-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/615160614_1314085177424667_3209791228054979168_n.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Evans visiting with students in the cafeteria on campus <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her commitment to others has not gone unnoticed. From beginning her Jones journey as a student to later being named Jones College Employee of the Year, Evans has experienced firsthand how one decision to keep moving forward can lead somewhere she never expected.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But when asked what makes her want to continue showing up and giving so much of herself to Jones, her answer has little to do with awards or recognition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe students,\u201d Evans said. \u201cIt is 1,000 percent the students.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the student who walks onto campus confident and ready, Evans is there to cheer them on. For the student who arrives unsure, overwhelmed or afraid to ask for help, she is there for them, too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because Evans knows firsthand that everyone\u2019s road looks a little different. And while all roads may lead to Jones, it\u2019s people like Evans who help students believe in where their road can take them next.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ellisville, MS &#8211; For LaTrece Evans, the heart of Jones College has always been its students.&nbsp; On any given day, it isn\u2019t unusual to find students gathered around Evans\u2019 desk in the Jones College Administration Building. Some arrive with questions, while others need help solving a problem. And some simply stop by just to talk.&nbsp; &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/social-media\/one-desk-thousands-of-conversations-the-impact-of-latrece-evans\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;One Desk, Thousands of Conversations: The Impact of LaTrece Evans&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6955,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6954"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6954\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6974,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6954\/revisions\/6974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jcjc.edu\/jcnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}