Podcast No. 87: Dr. Lana Hamilton of Jackson State Community College
Jackson State Community College celebrated their fifty-year anniversary this year, and now that class is back in session for the semester, the rubber is hitting the road for new president Dr. Lana Hamilton. Today on our podcast, Kevin Adelsberger interviews her about her move to Jackson and what she has planned for her time at JSCC.
To learn more about Jackson State, visit their website.
Kevin Adelsberger and his wife Renae moved to Jackson for college (proud Union alumni) and have stayed ever since. Jackson has since taken hold of Kevin’s heart, and he looks forward to continuing to grow with the city. Kevin opened Adelsberger Marketing in 2014 and saw working with Our Jackson Home as a way that he could serve the city he loves. Kevin and Renae are members of First Baptist Church and volunteer with the youth group there and with Madison County CASA.
Production, editing, and photography by Kevin Adelsberger.
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We’ve all been there: mindlessly scrolling through Facebook only to be caught completely off-guard by a disturbing photo, a shocking headline, or an ignorant comment. It’s pretty common these days to interact with social media a bit like a minefield, but it’s rare for those “explosions” to produce laughter and “amen.” Susannah B. Lewis is one of these unique Facebook-dwellers, and I’ll never forget the day I first stumbled across this striking blonde with a smart mouth speaking some things that needed saying. I was a little mesmerized, I must admit.
It’s finally fall! Well, almost. Join us as we gear up for arguably the most beautiful time of year in Jackson as we celebrate with drinks, music, and all kinds of outdoors fun.
George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Like any place, Jackson, Tennessee, has its fair share of history, some things worth celebrating and others worth mourning, but all are worth remembering so that we can move forward in hope for change. One of those historically significant events for our community (and hundreds of others across the U.S.) is the brutal lynching of African Americans—not just one, but three. Jacksonians Jesse and Mary Chandler Wooten gave birth to a daughter in 1883.
Standing in the center of the walkway, I found myself staring anxiously at the building before me: the University of Memphis at Lambuth. It was my first day back to college since graduating from Jackson State Community College a little over a year before, and I reluctantly confessed to myself that I was a bit nervous. I couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason for this nervousness; I had been through the “first day of school” more times than I could count, yet I still felt the same anxiety as I had in previous years.
I have always felt some connection with Jackson, Tennessee—possibly because my grandfather was the first chiropractor in Jackson. (For those who might of known him, he was located off 45 down from the Red Cross building.) So in part you could say my roots are here in Jackson.I was born and raised in Lexington, Tennessee. Growing up, my mom, twin sister, and older brother would load up into a red station wagon and head out to Jackson, listening to Neil Diamond’s “Cracklin’ Rosie” cassette tapes.
So we were on the hunt again. Charles and I had not been geocaching for a long time, and I decided it was the best way to spend an afternoon off work, to which he replied, “Okay,” in his signature shrug and half-smile. Our first geocaching adventure was nearly nine years prior to this. We had found a few by the Love’s truck stop in Jackson and more by some historical landmarks around town. At the time I saw this as a simple act, two friends doing something random together just because.
Poet and Nobel Prize winner T.S. Eliot once said, “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” This is certainly true for higher education opportunities that may have not been available to many students based on the space in which they find themselves in life. However, community colleges around the country have given a new hope to these students, providing them with an opportunity to “Stay Close, Go Far.” In fact, this is the slogan of Jackson State Community College.
I remember standing there looking at the thousands of books that lined the University of Memphis library. French literature, Biblical history, new theories in neurology, African American authors, North American archeology; all of these and much more laid before my eyes. I was truly overwhelmed. Thankfully, I am not the only one to feel the very existential tingle that shoots through my mind when I think of a good book. There is some strange power in a book.
Tranquil excitement, an exotic assortment of colors, and upbeat music greets my senses as I walk through downtown Jackson. I can't make out the words of the deep melody that I hear, but it reminds me of the Turkish music so dear to my heart. Walking through the streets of East Main and Highland, I feel more like I am back in Mexico City or Istanbul rather than West Tennessee.
Before opening his bakery’s doors, Matt Childress spent several years racing cars competitively. Because of his competitive background, he grew up knowing he didn’t want to work a “normal job.” He took his love for vintage aesthetic, his mom’s cake recipes, and his dad’s idea for a name—Woodstock Bake Shop—and ran with it. September 11, 2012 he opened for business on Innsdale Cove in Jackson.