POPLARVILLE, Miss. — A devoted Pearl River Community College family member and active Hancock County community member has moved into an exciting new role at The River.  

Since coming to PRCC 15 years ago, Dr. Raymunda Barnes has held several roles including Lead Instructor, Campus Dean, and Assistant Vice President of Hancock Campus. As of July 1, he has moved into the role of Vice President of Hancock Campus. 

“Dr. Barnes is a phenomenal leader who has served Pearl River in a variety of roles and responsibilities over the past many years,” said PRCC President, Dr. Adam Breerwood. “He represents our institution to the highest of standards and has a genuine love for our faculty, staff and students.  

“We are blessed to have him on our team and I look forward to his continued success. Having been closely associated with Dr. Barnes for many years, I know he is the perfect fit to lead our new Hancock Campus.”  

Stepping into the new role, Barnes has laid out a vision for the Hancock Campus. He seeks to develop and connect career-ready learners with advanced educational programs that will prepare students to be trailblazers in their respective fields of study, challenging them to influence society in a positive way regionally, nationally, and internationally. 

“When the final chapter is written about my time in Hancock County, I want to be known as a man who gave his all to promote Pearl River Community College and did his best to shape the lives of Hancock County residents,” said Barnes. “Over the years, I challenged each student at the Hancock Campus to leave PRCC and make a difference.” 

A native of Biloxi, Barnes graduated from D’Iberville High School. He began his college career at Alcorn State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. He then earned his Master of Education from William Carey University and his Doctor of Education from the University of Southern Mississippi in Higher Education Administration. 

Barnes continuously takes an active role within his community. One of those roles includes being the Pastor of the St. John Baptist Church in Gulfport. He also currently serves as Vice President of the Hancock County Library Foundation Board and Chairman of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. He is an active member of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Ochsner Medical Center-Governing Board, Gulf Coast Community Foundation Board of Directors, and the Coast Electric Advisory Board. 

His outpouring of service into the community has earned him several accolades. He was elected Citizen of the Year in 2017 through the Hancock Chamber of Commerce and was recognized as a 2016 One Coast Top 10 Community Leader. He recently completed the American Association of Community Colleges Future Presidents Institute in Washington, D.C.  
ABOUT HANCOCK CAMPUS 
The Hancock Campus serves the local communities with several general education classes and career technical programs including Coding Technology, Court Reporting Technology, Practical Nursing, Unmanned Systems Technology, and Welding and Cutting Technology. 

Currently housed in Waveland, the campus will move when construction of the PRCC Aviation Aerospace Workforce Academy is completed in a few years. The hangar and Academy will add 55,000 total square feet of educational space. 

Department of Economic Development Administration, Gulf Coast Restoration Funds, BP RESTORE Act grant award, as well as state and local investments are making the PRCC Aviation Aerospace Workforce Academy and Hangar a reality. 

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