Page 156 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2026

BEYOND
THE
BOX
Across South Mississippi, Women Are Breaking Old Stereotypes,
Redefining STEM, and Inspiring the Next Generation
story by Cherie Ward
photos courtesy of Michelle Anderson, Rhonda Price, and Amanda Sharrow
For generations, girls were encouraged to choose careers that
fit neatly inside a box—teacher, nurse, assistant. STEM—
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—often felt
like worlds reserved for someone else—someone better at math,
someone smarter, someone usually male.
Today, women across South Mississippi are shattering
those old assumptions. From inspiring future astronauts and
engineers to leading classrooms, laboratories, and industries,
they’re redefining what STEM looks like—and encouraging
the next generation to think beyond the limits they once faced
themselves.
At INFINITY Science Center, Michelle Anderson believes one
of the biggest misconceptions about STEM is that it belongs
only in laboratories or on launch pads—but feels it actually
happens wherever curiosity meets creativity. As chief executive
officer and executive director, she sees science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics woven into nearly every
profession.
“I think there’s STEM in everything,” she said. “Reading
matters. Writing matters. Every industry, every job, every role—
you see a little bit of STEM in everything.”
And she’s passionate about helping young people discover a
much broader reality—one where curiosity, communication,
creativity, and problem-solving all have a place.
Her advice is as simple as it is empowering. “Think infinitely
and beyond.”
That willingness to embrace possibility has shaped careers
across the Gulf Coast, including Rhonda Price’s.
Price, director of the Office of Restoration and Resiliency and
director of the Mississippi Coast National Heritage Area for the
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, began her career
at NASA’s Stennis test site before pursuing archaeology through
156 | September 2026 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living