Jones College Adult Education instructor, Thalia Jacquita Smith has been selected to represent Mississippi as the 2026 State Advocate for Adult Education Fellow which is a national honor recognizing leaders committed to advancing adult education policy and access. The fellowship, administered by the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), is a year-long program designed to develop leaders who advocate adult learners at the state and national levels. Participants engage in policy discussions, leadership training, and grassroots advocacy efforts aimed at increasing visibility and funding for adult education programs. Smith, who has worked in adult education for nearly a decade, said the opportunity is both professionally and personally meaningful.
“Being selected to participate in the State Advocate for Adult Education Fellowship is deeply meaningful because it affirms the importance of the work happening in adult education classrooms every day,” Smith said. “Through this fellowship, I’m able to represent the students and colleagues whose stories deserve to be heard at decision-making tables, but whose voices often get muted.”
For the past two-and-a-half years, Smith has been the adult education instructor at Jones College’s Wayne County Center in Waynesboro. However, her career has focused on non-traditional education pathways, with previous roles in Alabama, Chicago, and a state correctional facility. She said her passion for adult education is rooted in its transformative impact.
“I believe education is not only about earning credentials; it’s about access and agency,” said Smith. “Adult learners are some of the most determined individuals I’ve ever met. Many are overcoming past setbacks while balancing work, family and financial strain, yet they continue to show up.”
Smith also shared that her advocacy is inspired by her family. Her grandmother, Lillie Mae Smith, earned her high school equivalency diploma later in life, creating new opportunities for future generations.
“To now serve as a fellow feels like coming full circle,” she said. “From seeing education transform generations at my family’s kitchen table to sitting at the policy table and helping ensure others have access to that same life-changing opportunity.”
Through the fellowship, Smith will participate in national and regional policy discussions while working alongside a network of advocates dedicated to strengthening adult education systems. The program has grown significantly since its launch in 2021 and now includes representatives from nearly every state. Smith said she hopes to gain a deeper understanding of policy and advocacy strategies to better support her students.
“I want to strengthen my ability to translate classroom realities into compelling data and stories that influence sustainable support for adult education,” she said. “Advocacy is an extension of teaching, and I see this fellowship as expanding my classroom beyond four walls.”
Director of Adult Education at Jones College, Tiffany Culpepper, praised Smith’s impact on both students and colleagues. Culpepper explained that Smith’s encouragement has helped many adult learners achieve goals they once thought were out of reach.
“Jacquita has proven to be an invaluable asset to our adult education team,” Culpepper said. “Collaborative and innovative, she consistently challenges colleagues and students alike to become the best versions of themselves. As a passionate advocate for her students, she not only believes in their potential but empowers them to believe in themselves.”
As part of the fellowship, Smith joins a growing network of more than 200 advocates nationwide who have played a role in shaping adult education funding and policy. Fellows have previously contributed to successful efforts to restore federal funding for adult education programs through coordinated grassroots advocacy. Smith said she plans to use the experience to ensure adult education remains a priority in broader conversations about workforce and community development.
“My goal is to amplify the voices of adult learners and build stronger bridges between educators and policymakers,”
she said. “Adult education should never be an afterthought, it’s essential to economic mobility and community well-being.”
COABE represents 55,000 adult educators that serve the more than 1.5 million adult learners nationwide. Its mission is to inspire educators, so adults succeed and communities thrive with the help of Fellows like Smith.
“This program has been incredibly successful since the launch of cohort one in 2021,” said Sharon Bonney, Chief Executive Officer of COABE, citing the Fellowship’s impressive accomplishments and measurable impact.
Last summer, when adult education funding was temporarily withheld, SAAEFs nationwide, in coordination with COABE, actively engaged with federal legislators to advocate for the field. Their intentional grassroots efforts were instrumental in securing the release of the funding, demonstrating the power of local advocacy to effect national change. Each year, the Fellowship continues to expand, and 2026 will mark the first time nearly every one of the 50 states in the nation will be represented by a State Advocate Fellow.
About COABE
COABE’s mission is to inspire educators so adults succeed and communities thrive. COABE exists to provide leadership, communication, professional development, and advocacy for adult education and literacy practitioners to advance quality services for all adult learners. COABE represents the field of 82,000 adult educators and provides a variety of services, including professional development through annual, state-of-the-art national conferences, more than 50 webinars annually, and a peer-reviewed journal. Learn more at COABE.org.
