Dr. Raymunda Barnes: Passionate About Learning

Good Neighbor - October 2024

As vice-president of the Hancock County campus of Pearl River Community College, Dr. Barnes takes the education and well-being of his students seriously.
 
- by Maurice Singleton

Dr. Raymunda Barnes (front/center) receives the Citizen of the Year Award from the Hancock Chamber of Commerce in 2017. (Shoofly file photo)

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Dr. Raymunda Barnes is well known for his dedication to improving the lives of young people and guiding them along the path of success. His passion is his driving force; it’s who he is. His parents, along with many others, influenced and inspired his career as an educator.
 
After graduating from Alcorn State University’s History Education program, Dr. Barnes earned his master’s degree from William Carey University and then his doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi. His education is impressive, and so is his desire to see his students achieve success.
 
He has high expectations of the students at the Hancock County campus of Pearl River Community College. PRCC has recently relocated from a shopping center in Waveland to Kiln adjacent to Stennis International Airport. In April, 2023, the Shoofly Magazine published an article about the new PRCC Campus and its aviation program: https://www.bslshoofly.com/bay-st-louis-lifestyle/hancock-aviation-aerospace-workforce-academy-coming-to-hancock-county
 

PRCC photo

 
Kavonna Bradley, a graduate of PRCC’s Hancock County campus, credits Dr. Barnes for inspiring her to continue her education. Bradley graduated from Bay High School in 2012 and earned a full scholarship to Delta State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in speech language pathology. From there, she attended Southern University and A&M College, where she completed her graduate studies. She is now a speech language pathologist working in Houston, Texas.
 
“Dr. Barnes’s guidance and encouragement played a major role in my college journey and becoming a professional,” said Bradley. “He led our campus with dedication and compassion. You knew that he wanted you to be successful and reach your highest potential. Giving up was not an option. It is always good to have a person like him in your corner.”
 
Barnes is in his 17th year at Pearl River Community College and serves as vice president of the Hancock County campus. He joined PRCC with dual roles as a lead instructor and also as an administrator responsible for compiling student outcome data. Prior to working at PRCC, Barnes was an instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
 

 
His strengths as an instructor include social studies and adult education. The latter he has a special affinity for. “That’s why my affection for adult education is so strong here at Pearl River,” Barnes explained. “They knew me from working adult ed, so I do all I can to promote that department, to get people to earn their high school equivalency credentials, because I know the importance of it.”
 
After several years as a lead instructor, he was promoted to the role of Hancock County campus dean. This position led Barens to several more promotions, including assistant vice president and now to vice president, the position he has held for the past three years.
 
“I thank God for everything, and I think back to my late pastor, Dr. E.H. Potter,” said Barnes. “I think back to my former president, Dr. William Lewis, who was president here for about 17 years. Then, of course, my mother being in education, I’ve been around the schoolhouse, and I think that holds true not just for me, but my siblings as well.”
 

 
Of his three siblings, two are also educators. His brother is principal of one of the “largest schools in Houston (Texas).” One of his sisters is principal of Florida A&M University’s elementary school.
 
“My mother had an influence on that as well,” said Barnes. “And I guess, to some extent, that’s all I really know.
 
“But those are immediate influences,” Barnes continued recalling those who inspired him. “I can think back to Alcorn, Dr. Walter Washington, who has a building named after him at USM. I believe he is the first African American to earn a Ph.D. at USM. And our cousin, over in Louisiana, was the first African American Supreme Court justice for the state of Louisiana. It was people like them. I’ve always been able to observe and see what education could get you.”
 

 
He also mentioned his mother’s sister, Aunt Carol, an attorney who he considered emulating by going to law school after completing his studies at Alcorn.
 
In addition to influences in the community and professional circles, Barnes repeats his parents’ roles in his development as well as his siblings. “It’s a testament to my mother and my father. I think it was my dad’s belt and my mother’s love,” he laughed. “You mix those two together, that’s a recipe for success.
 
“I always owe a debt of gratitude to my parents. Those two came together and raised four children and taught us the value of work and handling your business,” Barnes explained. “Not only from the perspective of ‘how you need to be,’ they also came from the perspective, ‘this is how you’re going to be.’”

 
Tish Williams, executive director of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce, recalled contributions made by Barnes, the former Hancock County Citizen of the Year: “The Hancock Chamber has been blessed to have the leadership of Dr. Barnes. For decades, he has led the initiatives of the Chamber Education Committee to recognize and support our educators and students through annual teacher appreciation dinners and classroom grants programs, the annual high school seniors’ breakfast each spring. When PRCC made the decision to establish the Hancock Center, he soon led the efforts to offer local access to higher education here.
 
“All of these efforts led to the establishment of the new PRCC Aviation and Aerospace Academy, taking career technical opportunities to the next level to grow our workforce here at home,” Williams explained. “It’s no surprise that the Hancock Chamber recognized him as a Citizen of the Year a few years ago. As a dedicated educator, he has literally changed lives of many in our community. We thank him for his leadership and dedication.”
 
Thank you, Dr. Barnes, for your dedication to our community and the passion you show for teaching and inspiring! 

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