PEARL – Mariah McGill’s journey at Hinds Community College began as a band student at the Raymond Campus, where she was the lead drum major in fall 2024.
Now she is continuing her journey in the Associate Degree Nursing program at Hinds’ Rankin Campus and as the winner of the 2026 annual Carla McCulloch Scholarship that will pay her tuition for the 2026-2027 academic year.
“I come from a single-parent household. My mother’s a single parent. Going to nursing school, in general, is a financial strain for my family. I think it is for a lot of people who choose to go,” said McGill, 21, a Pelahatchie resident. “This scholarship will take a lot of the burden off my mother because I can’t be financially independent like I usually am. I can’t work as often. So she’s kind of helping me on the financial side of things and this helps lift that burden off her shoulders too.”
Carol McCulloch of Roanoke, Va., left, viewed the presentation of the nursing scholarship in her daughter’s name by Zoom. The recipient is Mariah McGill of Pelahatchie, center, who is with Angela “Shay” Jennings, Hinds Director of Associate Degree Nursing.
The Carla McCulloch Scholarship has been given to a second semester Associate Degree Nursing student since 1991. It was created by Carla’s parents, Larry and Carol McCulloch. The McCullochs formerly lived in Magee but moved to Virginia a number of years ago. Larry McCulloch recently passed away.
Their daughter Carla graduated from Simpson Academy and was a Hinds nursing student at the time of her death in an April 1991 accident. The family requests that a student receiving the scholarship exhibit the same kind of passion for caring for people and bubbly, fun-loving personality as Carla.
“I definitely resonate with that 100 percent, fun-loving, outgoing, all of those things,” McGill said.
She believes her time in the band and as the lead drum major was excellent training for her current program of study.
Carla McCulloch Scholarship recipient Mariah McGill of Pelahatchie was the lead drum major in the Hinds band in 2024 before entering the nursing program on the Rankin Campus in fall 2025.
“You get so many life skills with band – communication skills, problem-solving skills, time management skills, things of that nature. All of those skills can be applied to nursing school, especially time management. Everything is on a schedule; everything has deadlines,” McGill said. “I feel like those having those skills early set me up for success when it came to nursing school.”
McGill’s next step after Hinds nursing school is to work in a hospital with an ADN (Associate Degree Nursing) to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program
“that will allow me to continue working while I’m getting my education to get my bachelor’s.”
Ultimately she wants to become a Nurse Practitioner or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
To learn more about the nursing program available at Hinds visit the website at https://www.hindscc.edu/pathways/health-sciences/associate-degree-nursing
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With six campuses in central Mississippi, Hinds Community College is a comprehensive institution offering quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills.
Our Mission: Hinds Community College is committed to moving people and communities forward by helping develop their purpose, passion and profession.
Our Vision: Hinds Community College will be a catalyst to create a competitive economy and a compelling culture for Mississippi.
Our Values: Hinds Community College aspires to the following IDEALS: Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, Accountability, Leadership, Stewardship.
To learn more, visit www.hindscc.edu or call 1.800.HindsCC.