Project SEARCH Class of 2025 Graduation Ceremonies at Singing River
Singing River hosted graduation ceremonies for the Project SEARCH Class of 2025 on Wednesday, May 7, at Pascagoula Hospital and Ocean Springs Hospital. Singing River Gulfport’s graduation ceremony was held on May 22.
These events celebrate a major milestone for interns who have completed the year-long program, many of whom have already secured employment with Singing River or its dining and hospitality partner, Morrison’s.
Project SEARCH is a business-led transition program that helps young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities gain real-world job experience and successfully transition into competitive, integrated employment. It is the first initiative of its kind on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and is a partnership between Singing River, local school districts, and the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services.
The program offers unpaid internships that allow participants to rotate through various departments, where they learn essential skills for employment. Training focuses on areas such as workplace readiness, communication, and independent living to help prepare interns for long-term success in competitive job settings.
During the 2024–2025 program year, interns gained experience at several key locations, including:
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center
- Environmental Services
- Facilities Department
- Singing River Healthcare Academy
- Singing River Healthplex
- Jackson County Exceptional School
- Medical Records
- Morrison’s Singing River Café
- Patient Access
- Radiology
- Surgery Waiting
- Telecommunication/Information Services
- Women & Children | OB/GYN
- Wound Care
Pascagoula Hospital Graduates
Ocean Springs Hospital Graduates
Singing River Gulfport Graduates
To learn more about the Project SEARCH program and how to apply, contact Brandy Nickles, Project Search Mississippi coordinator at (601) 506-5240.