​My name is Jaylynn Sierra Conner, and I am a proud Mississippi native from Waynesboro. I currently attend the University of Mississippi where I am majoring in journalism with an emphasis in multimedia news reporting and a minor in English. I am anticipated to graduate in the spring 2026 semester with plans to attend graduate school. As a journalism major, I have a passion for writing paired with a passion for research, and I was able to focus on that pairing of passions during the 2025 Mapping Freedom Program at Southern Miss. During May 27-July 17, I was given the opportunity to participate in this cohort, where I conducted research on the Civil War and Reconstruction. (Insert particular research topic and experience) ​