Cleared for Takeoff: JMAA’s 2026 Summer Interns Set Their Sights on Aviation Careers

By LSherie Dean, Director of Communications, Marketing & PR
Jackson Municipal Airport Authority

The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority (JMAA) is excited to welcome its 2026 summer interns, four outstanding students with a shared passion for aviation, technology, leadership and professional growth. Through JMAA’s internship program, students gain valuable hands-on experience while working alongside industry professionals in airport operations, information technology, marketing and communications.

This year’s interns include Keygan Ammons, a Mississippi State University business administration student and aspiring commercial pilot serving in JMAA’s Marketing & Communications Department; John Richard May III, a Jackson native and rising senior at the University of Mississippi majoring in computer science, who is gaining firsthand experience within JMAA’s Information Technology Department; Preston Pennington of Pelahatchie, MS, an East Central Community College student pursuing a future in aviation management and operations and Mary Topik of Brandon, MS, a Louisiana Tech University Aviation Management major with aspirations of becoming an air traffic controller.

JMAA’s internship program reflects the Authority’s ongoing commitment to investing in the next generation of aviation and business professionals while strengthening the workforce pipeline throughout Mississippi and beyond. By providing meaningful learning opportunities and real-world exposure to airport operations, strategic communications, technology and aviation management, JMAA is helping students transform their career aspirations into achievable goals. The Authority is proud to support these future leaders as they gain firsthand experience in one of the nation’s most dynamic industries while contributing to the continued success of Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport and Hawkins Field Airport.