State Auditor Shadrach Blanc issued the following statement.
State
Auditor Shad White announced his office has established the new “Stay
in the ‘Sip Fellowship” in an effort to fight
“brain drain” and attract talent to the Auditor’s office. The
fellowship pays for college tuition, books, and fees of accounting
students for up to three years. In return, the students agree to work at
the Office of the State Auditor after graduation for a
period of time. All accounting students at Mississippi colleges and
universities are eligible to apply for the fellowship, which also
includes a paid internship.
“I’ve
traveled the state these last three years telling young people why they
should stay in Mississippi,” said Auditor White, “but Mississippi needs
to find new ways to entice young people to stay
here through professional opportunities.”
Aside
from tuition, books, and fees, ‘Sip Fellows will have access to health
insurance and other workplace benefits while part of the program, even
as a student.
Before
applying, undergraduate students must have completed at least 58
college credit hours toward a degree in accounting. To participate as a
graduate student, applicants must have been accepted
into a master’s of accountancy program at a Mississippi college or
university. All students must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA to apply and
participate in the fellowship program. Participants must also commit to
working at the State Auditor’s office for at least
two years after graduation.
“This
scholarship model has worked in other places,” said White. “Our Stay in
the ‘Sip Fellowship will convince some students that might otherwise
leave to stay in the state. My hope is this will
start a conversation about other policies the state can adopt to keep
talent here.”
Faith
Gilmore—a senior accounting student at Millsaps College in Jackson—is
the inaugural Stay in the ‘Sip Fellow. She will use the fellowship to
complete her undergraduate degree this spring and
a master’s degree in the next academic year. She will begin interning
at the Auditor’s office this summer as she begins work on her master’s
degree.
Visit www.stayinthesip.com to learn more about Stay in the ‘Sip Fellowship requirements and deadlines. Questions can be directed to the State Auditor’s Chief of Staff, Charles Woods at Charles.Woods@osa.ms.gov or (601)-576-2616.
30 comments:
Shad White for President of the United States.
This is meant to be a joke right?
I am a not a native of Mississippi, but have lived here for most of my adult life. There are many positives about the state, but no more than in any other. I first moved here to go to college. If I had known then what I know now about Mississippi I would have looked elsewhere for a place to settle. As I said, there are many positives about living here, but in so many other places the residents don't have to put up with the never ending crap that we do here.
Lipstick on a pig....nothing but self-serving political opportunism by Mr. White. If you don't address why they're leaving in droves.... it's a farce.
Well ? The man literally needs an army to fight the coming years court with PPE ETC...FRAUD that has happened TOP to bottom in the "Sip". Sure, it will turn into an Army of Darkness years down the road but for now.....go for it. Hold these elected accountable for the big screens, hot tubs, high end rides, real estate and whatever else they did with the money mis used for their own gain. Cause guess what , WE don't see what it was actually for any where . Not in the buildings...not in our schools (unless it's a brand new gym) SHOW US where it was used. We will wait.
If you don't address why they're leaving in droves.... it's a farce.
Why don't you start? Top 5 reasons why they're leaving "in droves", which is an exaggeration. Put up, otherwise your comment is a farce.
I thought all we had to do was restore Farish St and open a bunch of daiquiri bars there and downtown? We were told the creative class love, love, loves daiquiris.
Shad White is right about one thing.
Keeping the young in Mississippi is all about jobs.
None of that other BS matters.
Biden's 3-letter word. Jobs.
Mississippi's curse is its lack of quality human capital. So many of our people are not only unemployed, they are unemployABLE in a modern society for all but the most menial of tasks, and are largely dependent on the welfare system for their daily bread.
For comparison, look at Iowa. Roughly the same geographical size as Mississippi, roughly the same population. Both states have a largely agrarian economy. Mississippi has mineral resources that Iowa doesn't have. We have a tourism industry, we have access to the Gulf of Mexico and a seafood industry -- things that one would think would give us an advantage. Yet Iowa's per capita GDP is $61K and Mississippi's is $38K [2020 figures]. https://countryeconomy.com/countries/usa-states/compare/mississippi/iowa
So of course a lot talented people leave given the choice to do so. Who, being in their right mind, would want to expose their family to a place like Jackson -- or other towns that are becoming like Jackson in many ways.
@12:21
It seems like he is addressing one of the problems...a lack of professional employment opportunity. He's literally giving them a job.
I bet people like you don't even like ice cream.
The commentors on this blog will literally bitch about anything. I bet none of the negative Nancy's have much to live for or have done much for the good of their surroundings.
12:50 PM
The number one reason they're leaving: Jobs. Who do you think is the largest employer in the state? I'll go ahead and spoil it for you. It is the State Government.
Wait, Shad. Aren't colleges liberal? Isn't it "gub'ment overreach" to provide stipends for education? College shouldn't be free, huh?
Typical politician speak. Shad doesn't believe in anything but his own ego and ambition.
Wasn't "Clean Coal Carbon Capture " supposed to have a lot of good jobs?
What about that Green Tech Auto? Had my resume in there years ago and still haven't heard nothing!
Creating one job doesn't exactly swing the pendulum on the brain drain problem. Holding news conferences and issuing press releases about your creation of one job is plain silly and obviously political.
So this is code for I have some great folks but they are all fixing to go into PERS about the same time. Just imagine a bunch of 20 something liberal graduates going thru stacks and stacks of.............i'm busting a gut. Liberal 20 somethings burning the midnight oil ? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahaahahah !!
Shad would be more successful in attracting and retaining talent if he moved the Auditor's offices to Oxford or south of I-10.
Damn there is a lot of bitching on this blog. People bitching that don't even know what they are bitching about. People trying to find something to bitch about.
Yes, I read it regularly, and find the commentators (the few of them that make up much of the rhetoric) sometimes interesting.
In this case - what the hell is there to bitch about. Whether this will work or not? Who knows? But if it does, at least to some extent, what the hell is wrong with it?
The state provides all kinds of incentives in the way of tuition et al for folks in certain professions if they will stay in the state and practice: teachers, doctors, nurses, and who the hell knows what else.
If this program of White works - what the hell can you bitch about? What's wrong with it.
For those of you that are too young, and too ignorant, and think you know it all as a gen-whatever, one of the greatest conservative minds of the last and current century was William Buckley. And the concept proposed here by White, as could in ways apply to these other statutory programs of MS, fits totally within Buckley's book GRATITUDE. If you haven't read it (which I'm sure all these informed anonymous commentators her have not done, try looking at least at the idea before you jump in with your complaints.
I’m in my early thirties, and have grown up in Jackson. I love Mississippi, and even parts of Jackson(NE). Many of the young friends my wife and I have made over the past five years have left the state. They left for better jobs in bigger cities. If you want a rural or suburban lifestyle Mississippi offers that, but every state needs a functioning metropolis. Mississippi doesn’t have that, it has worse: Jackson. Jackson is holding the state back, and the state can’t afford to ignore it. Jackson doesn’t need to become the next Nashville, it just needs to be average. Many young people want to live in a town bigger than Madison, with all the entertainment and job opportunities that involves, they just don’t want to get shot in the process. Mississippi can give that to them if it starts taking Jackson’s problems seriously. Even if it means taking over the city, do what it takes to bring our capital up to mediocrity. It won’t solve everything, but it’s a good first step.
Sharing a solid article explaining why folks such as myself left this POS state. Born and raised Jacksonian, lived in NE Jackson for 26 years, MSSTATE grad, right of center. Moved to Austin, TX metro a while back and quality of life is excellent! I'm excited to have set my family up for success in a thriving community and not a dilapidated $h!t hole still stuck in the Jim Crow era like MS. The vast majority of my friends both left and right of center have departed. Culture is a huge reason why.
"Seniors are set to leave the state: Brain Drain presents pressing problem for MS"
http://www.reflector-online.com/news/article_6de6dc84-822f-11ec-bd39-3b8fdee7ca23.html
Where does the state auditor get the authority or the money to give away scholarships?
10:21 : Living in downtown Austin huh ? You mean the liberal beacon of light that almost burn to ground a couple years ago ? Lol, the same city who backs the Beto ? Your sarcasm is mighty.
But we changed the state flag! Where are all the companies that were lining up to move here when Mississippi got a new flag? I though Donna, the NCAA, NAACP, and sell-out Republicans promised great jobs and opportunities when the flag was changed!
Super Bowl should come to Jackson next year, unless their RACIST!
What a joke.
The young people of Mississippi that have any sense and talent leave as soon as they can.
We came from Connecticut and chose to stay.
Mississippi has a lot of issues, but every state does. Incredibly beautiful state and a hidden gem.
As far as professional development for young grads--Mississippi is perfect--there is so much need here--a 22-28 year old can be but in positions of high need that quickly are middle management and get experience that in other states someone would not get until 10+ years out of graduation.
He is an idiot. I wonder how Uncle Phil will benefit from this!
Why is the State Auditor 'traveling the state' preaching the benefits of remaining here? Is that his job? This state is awash in accountants. Paying for college for these students is not the solution. Raising state employee pay is the solution. Pay for my education, then I'll work for you for a year and a half, as required, then I'll leave for twice the money.
No other student working in internship type employment while in college has 'access to' benefits and insurance. How is this possible with his office? Sounds like he's into creating his own little fiefdom. Does the name Lynn Fitch come to mind? Is he also going to create an 'office furniture procurement division' with the department?
There are probabaly 3,000 degreed accountants living and working in this state and maybe half that many CPAs. How many of them chose jobs in the public sector? If you think the cost of their education was the determining factor, you're smoking the same thing as Chokwe. Unless Shadrack can promise a 100% increase in the pay schedule, he's farting in a whirlwind.
If the legislature doesn't rein him in, this program will turn out just like the industrial development tax-abatement program...Hi-Tail it out of town as soon as your agreement is fulfilled. Who cares if you leave an empty building or an empty cubicle?
In order to be eligible for benefits, including insurance, persons reporting to work at a state agency have to be state employees. In order to qualify and be hired as an accountant, a state employee must meet minimum job requirements. The only other possibility would be getting the State Personnel Board to create new positions, PIN Numbers and job titles for trainees in accounting. Being a student in an intern capacity does not meet the minimum requirement for an accountant at any state agency. Interns are not eligible for benefits, just as called-back contract workers are not eligible for benefits.
Unless the legislature carves out an exception for the Auditor's Office, his dream program won't fly. Maybe he can get the governor to call a special session due to him having two accounting vacancies.
@ 10:21
Living in suburbia Williamson County, solid red like me and love it. I work and play in Austin only as do many of the young professionals and families do. Austin is a fantastic city to work and play. I cannot say enough how fantastic the quality of life is here compared to MS.
Imagine living in a place so terrible that the political leadership has to travel the state pushing propaganda no one believes, begging school children not to leave when they grow up.
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