“More women now earn college degrees than men," said Rachel Allison. "While women still face barriers and challenges in the workforce, including their lower pay [compared] to men, women’s greater education may allow them to hold jobs that make homeownership more possible. There is also decreasing societal stigma to women’s singleness.”

The Reflector student journalists took home three first-place awards this spring at the Mississippi Press Association’s O.C. McDavid Journalism Summit––walking away with a dozen top awards.

When licensed professional counselor and Mississippi State alumna Julie Vence Hepp announced the creation of the Thomas J. Vence Memorial Endowed Scholarship in March 2025, it was more than a gift—it was a tribute.