Page 157 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2026

STEM STEMWOMEN IN
science | technology | engineering | mathematics
Michelle Anderson
Rhonda Price Amanda Sharrow
geographic information systems and remote sensing.
“My dad said I was going to starve,” Price said with a laugh.
Instead, one opportunity led to another. A former NASA
director recruited Price to help build a GIS and remote sensing
program at the Department of Marine Resources, launching
what has become a 30-year career protecting Mississippi’s
coastal resources.
Looking back, she realizes the most meaningful opportunities
weren’t always the ones she planned. She also has watched the
profession change. Early in her career, women were a rarity in
engineering and science. “Now, when you walk around, you’re
not the only woman in the room anymore,” she said.
Her advice to young women is one she’s lived herself. “Don’t
get discouraged if you have to pivot and take another course or
another direction,” she said.
Helping students discover that same confidence is what
inspires Amanda Sharrow at Mississippi Gulf Coast
Community College in Harrison County Campus.
As a physics instructor and leader of MGCCC’s STEM
initiatives, Sharrow said watching students recognize their own
potential is the most rewarding part of her work.
“I love watching students challenge themselves, work through
difficult problems, and experience the confidence that comes
from realizing just how capable they are,” she said.
Through MGCCC’s National Science Foundation-funded
Excelerate in STEM Scholarship Program, students gain more
than financial support. They build relationships with mentors,
connect with industry professionals, and develop the confidence
to pursue careers they may never have imagined.
“Never let self-doubt decide your future,” Sharrow said. “You
don’t have to fit a certain mold to succeed in STEM.”
Their paths looked different. Some discovered possibilities
they never expected. Others found purpose through unexpected
turns or by helping students believe in themselves. Together,
these women are expanding what STEM looks like across South
Mississippi—and, in their own way, reaching back and saying,
“Come on. There’s room for you too.”
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net September 2026 | 157