Press Release

Dr. Beverly Smallwood to present at RHCJC Media Mentors

Abria Turner • July 24, 2026

HATTIESBURG — Dr. Beverly Smallwood, psychologist and founder of The Hope Center, will share strategies for staying grounded while navigating life’s challenges at the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s Media Mentors program on July 24. The session will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Intermezzo at Marsh Hall on The University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus.

Head-and-shoulders portrait of Dr. Beverly Smallwood, a smiling woman with short white hair, wearing a bright pink top, a chunky pink beaded necklace and pink earrings, against a softly blurred background. — Dr. Beverly Smallwood, psychologist and founder of The Hope Center, will present “Leading Through the Storm: Building Resilience and Purpose in a Chaotic World” during the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s Media Mentors program on July 24 at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus. (Beverly Smallwood)

Leadership in high-pressure environments, such as media, requires emotional strength, clarity and the ability to make decisions that reflect integrity and create impact. Drawing from both psychological insights and real-world experience, Smallwood will address leadership in her presentation, “Leading Through the Storm: Building Resilience and Purpose in a Chaotic World.”

The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center hosts monthly Media Mentors sessions to connect students with media professionals and expand their professional networks. The program introduces students to a wide range of careers within the media industry through guest speakers who share insights into their career paths, discuss the skills needed in today’s media landscape and engage with attendees through an interactive Q&A session.

Media Mentors is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged at rhcjcnews.com/mm.

For more information about Media Mentors, visit rhcjcnews.com or contact Abria Turner at [email protected].

About the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center

The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center works to strengthen local journalism in southeast Mississippi by producing people-centered, issue-focused reporting, offering hands-on training for student journalists and building partnerships with regional media organizations. The center also works to combat misinformation and disinformation through community training and partnerships.

Established in 2025, the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center is based at the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Media and Communication and is supported by a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation. For more information, visit rhcjcnews.com.