POPLARVILLE, Miss. — For many prospective students, the Office of Recruitment is one of the first encounters they have with Pearl River Community College. The River Navigators, PRCC’s student ambassadors, are a crucial part of the recruitment team and represent some of the best and brightest students Pearl River has to offer. 

Representing PRCC to future Wildcats and their families is the primary responsibility of a River Navigator. Their tasks include providing campus tours, assisting with recruitment and school events, participating in community service projects, and serving as hosts to a variety of groups who visit our campus.  
 “This group of young men and women embody what it means to be leaders at The River,” said Kari Eve Valence, coordinator of recruitment and marketing. “The 2021 team is comprised of members of our Honors Institute, championship winning student-athletes, class tutors, SGA leaders, members of our Spirit of The River marching band, as well as a slew of other extracurricular and off-campus commitments.” 

The Office of Recruitment hosted the 2021 River Navigators for a meet and greet lunch inside the Olivia Bender Cafeteria on the PRCC Poplarville campus. The group was then escorted by the PRCC Recruiters across campus on an hour-long walking tour to demonstrate how to best highlight all that The River offers. A partnered scavenger hunt across campus helped to challenge their memory and geographical skills as a way to measure how much they retained from their tour.  

Kaylee Fortenberry, this year’s lead River Navigator said the day set the tone for the 2021 – 2022 school year. 

“I know what Mrs. Kari Eve and the Recruiters expect of us, they want us to represent PRCC just as they do and show our future Wildcats how proud we are to be a part of The River and what an amazing school and family it is,” Fortenberry said.  

These positions are highly sought after by PRCC students both for the experience and the service scholarship they receive each semester. They also earn one credit hour for their work. 
 “To be chosen as a member of the PRCC River Navigator team is an honor and testament to that student’s dedication to living their life The Wildcat Way – with Pride, Respect, Class and Character,” said Valence. “This diverse group works diligently to appeal to our future Wildcats’ various interests and ideals about college life — and they do so in the hopes of growing our Wildcat Family.” 

Prospective students can contact the Office of Recruitment to schedule a campus tour by calling 601-403-1197, emailing recruitment@ prcc.edu, or visiting the webpage Prcc.edu/recruitment. 

Applications for future spots are accepted in the spring with interviews held in May or June. More information is available at PRCC.edu/financial-aid/service-scholarships. 

For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG).