Recent W Alum Plays Johnny Cash in New Musical

Alex Jenkins, who graduated from the W with a degree in theater last month, has landed a role in a new musical at William Carey University, "Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Story." The show opens on Thursday (June 10th) and will continue through June 26th in Hattiesburg. Alex plays one of eight versions of Johnny Cash in the show, and will perform the song "A Boy Named Sue."

"I heard about the auditions at CDT (Carey Dinner Theatre) through Peppy Biddy, the Chair of Music and theatre at the W," Alex explains. "CDT and the W have had a good working relationship for several years now as many of our students have held summer jobs here." In fact, two other W students, junior Jessi Tidwell and sophomore Corbett Estes, are also performing with the CDT this summer.

This will be Alex's fourth summer working at an established regional theater. The previous two years, he was a performer at Flat Rock Playhouse, the state theater of North Carolina. He has performed in a number of theater productions over the years, and lists several of his W performances as among his favorites: Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Chester in Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, and Tom in The Glass Menagerie.

In addition to his impressive theater work, Alex also recently took part in the MySpace auditions for a role on the hit FOX television show Glee, amassing several thousand votes from online viewers. 

Tickets to "Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Story" are $27.50 and include dinner and the cost of the show. The show takes places in the O. L. Quave Theatre on the William Carey campus in Hattiesburg. The reservation line is 601-318-6221 and the box office is open Monday through Saturday from 10AM to 7PM.

New Graduate Profile: Chelsey Trayal

By anyone's definition, recent graduate Chelsey Trayal was a very busy student in her years at the W. Chelsey graduated with a double major in Paralegal Studies and English with an emphasis in Creative Writing, and a double minor in Women's Studies and Religious Studies (for which she received an award for outstanding performance in that subject). In addition, Chelsey was involved in the Jester Honorary Social Club (Jester #2 and Vice President).

When asked why she chose the W for college, Chelsey responds, "I would say that fate brought me to the W. I remember in high school I always knew I would go to college, but I had no idea where I wanted to go. In your senior year of high school, colleges bombard you with letters and information, and thankfully the W was one of those colleges. I had never thought about the W before, but one day, while sitting in class, I realized I had stuffed a W pamphlet into one of my notebooks, and I pulled it out and started reading about the school."

"What initially caught my attention was the student-to-teacher ratio that the W boasts," she continues. "It seemed to be a college that was very intimate and small, but offered a university education. As I continued reading, I realized that they offered the Paralegal program, and from that moment I was sold. When I applied, I told my parents if I didn't get in to the W that I wasn't going to go to college. The rest is history!"

Now that she has graduated, Chelsey intends to continue her education in graduate school. "I was recently accepted into the M.A. of English program at MS State, so this fall I will be hitting the books again," she says. "I do plan on trying to work my way through graduate school; I just haven't found the right job yet that will offer a flexible schedule and decent pay for a recent college graduate."

Chelsey feels that MUW has provided her with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed on the graduate level. "The W has helped me realize the importance of a good education and how crucial that is in doing anything these days," she says. Chelsey credits the W faculty with providing valuable guidance as she moved toward graduation. "My teachers have also had a major role in preparing me for the 'real world,' so to speak. I would have never applied to the graduate program at State if not for Dr. [Kendall] Dunkelberg. He really set the ball in motion and with his push, I found the confidence to apply to graduate school. My teachers have been so supportive and have helped me tremendously, whether they were writing recommendation letters or just lending an ear when I needed advice. It's that kind of support that I don't think I would have gotten else where and because my teachers care about me as a student, I care more about my education and how far I can go with continuing my education."

As Chelsey explains, the supportive relationships with her W professors have put her on the path to a worthwhile career. "They have inspired me to want to teach," she says, adding, "I think in order to be prepared for the next step, you have to have an understanding of what you are getting in to, and you have to want to take the next step. The W made me want to keep going, and I'll always be grateful for that."

"I will miss a lot of things about the W," she continues. "The beautiful campus, the memories I made and shared at the W, and, as nerdy as it sounds, I'll miss my teachers. It's hard to narrow it down to one specific thing because I'll miss it all. I love the W!"

When asked whether she had a favorite professor or class while at the W, Chelsey cannot choose just one: she enjoyed all of her classes with the English faculty. "As far as classes go, I would say that my favorite class was probably either Women in Religion or World Religion with Dr. [Kim] Whitehead," she says. "Religion is always an interesting and controversial topic and I just love learning new things about what other people believe or what they don't believe. If for some reason the whole English career doesn't pan out for me, I would love to delve further into studying religion and how to teach it."

Chelsey's love for the W includes a strong desire to do her part in ensuring the school's continued success. "I personally don't support a name change because I'm a stickler for tradition and the historical importance of the name," she explains. "And while I also don't feel a name change or merger will solve the college's financial problems, I feel that those problems stem from people who, for whatever reason, have chosen not to give money to the school. I love the W, and even though I don't support the name change, if the name is ever changed, I'll still give money back to my Alma Mater because money and support are the only things that will keep the school alive. I think some people get up in arms and forget how important money is to the future of the W."

Congratulations, Chelsey, and best of luck as you continue your education!

New Graduate Profile: Danielle Grimes

Danielle Grimes graduated from MUW with a degree in English (concentration: creative writing) and a minor in women's studies. While at the W, she actively participated on campus as a member of the Jester two-year social club. In the fall, Danielle will be attending McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA, to pursue an MFA in creative writing. 

Danielle's reasons for attending the W were based on excellent first impressions and the scholarship opportunities with which she was presented. "I chose the W because I thought the campus was beautiful and they offered me the most money," she says.  "Everyone I met at McDevitt Day was so warm and welcoming, and I knew some people who had had great experiences at the W."  

MUW's creative writing concentration has steadily grown in the past several years, and Danielle credits the program with developing her skills and preparing her for graduate school. "I feel that the W's creative writing program has really improved the quality of my writing and helped me to become a more disciplined writer and scholar," she explains.

When asked whether she has a favorite W professor, Danielle cannot bring herself to choose just one. "I can honestly say I've learned something in and enjoyed every class I've taken," she says. "My professors have been immensely helpful in graduate school application process, especially Dr. Kendall Dunkelberg [director of the creative writing program]."  

Though her time at MUW has now passed, Danielle will remember her undergraduate days fondly: "The thing I'll miss the most about the W is being part of a community of like-minded people who value knowledge and tradition as much as I do." 

Speaking of tradition, Danielle believes that last year's proposed name change will do little to raise enrollment or allay the university's financial straits. "I think the key is to market the school as what it is: an affordable, historical, and intimate liberal arts college with a women's mission," she states.

"I think it's a mistake to try and turn the W into another State or Ole Miss, because students who want to go those places will just go there," she adds. "The W doesn't have everything those schools have, but those schools can't touch MUW either." 

Congratulations, Danielle, and best of luck as you continue your academic journey! 

New Graduate Profile: Juna'uh Allgood

Today we start a new series of Alumnae profiles--those being profiled are new graduates.  Some just graduated from The W; others are MUW graduates who just graduated from other universities.

Our first guest is the 2009-2010 Spectator editor, Juna'uh (pronounced "juh nay uh") Allgood of Meridian, MS.  A member of the Honors College, SAA, Mortar Board, Psi Chi, NOW, Torch, Aristos, the Psychology Club and a #12 Reveler, Allgood was a double major in psychology and communication and minored in women's studies.

She is currently looking for a job, either in the psychology field or in public relations/event promotions. Eventually she plans to continue onto Graduate school.  She believes Mississippi University for Women has prepared her for this step because "My time at the W has broadened my knowledge of local, national and international issues and prepared me for dealing with challenges with poise and intelligence."


Juna'uh will miss the W's phenomenal learning environment and campus unity.  She'll also miss her favorite professor, Margaret Mary Henry, who first got her onto the Spectator and taught her about much more than newspapers. When asked about her favorite class, she said "I didn't have a favorite class as I genuinely enjoyed almost every class I took."

Juna'uh picked the W because out of all of the southern schools she considered, it seemed to be the most student-oriented. Further, she knew many alums and their passion for MUW made her want to attend a university that could impact someones life so much. Once she got there, The W surpassed all of her expectations.  It  truly became her home and  "I will forever have a part of my heart sectioned off for the W." She recommends the school to friends in the area, those from her hometown and to those she meets in her travels.  She believes students who are driven to excel, are intelligent and have a passion for life are the type who best fit at The W.