MS PFP | Meeting Five Planning & Logistical Reminders

PFP Fellows,

We look forward to seeing everyone again as we continue the 2025-26 cohort of the Mississippi Policy Fellows Program. The February meeting will take place tomorrow (Tuesday, February 17th). The meeting will be split between two locations. We will begin the morning at the Mississippi State Capitol. We will then individually commute to the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) to conclude the day. 

Please find below planning information and specific calls to action in advance of the fifth meeting.

Planning & Logistical Information - - Morning Session

-- Meeting Date: The fifth meeting of the Mississippi PFP Program will be held on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026.

-- Morning Session Beginning & Ending Times: The Mississippi Capitol Morning will unofficially begin at or around 10:00 am and conclude at or around 12:00 pm. Please make sure to plan accordingly and arrive at the capitol in advance of 10:00 am, especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. Please note that meetings scheduled before the unofficial 10:00 am start-time are encouraged as needed. Likewise, meetings scheduled after the unofficial 12:00 pm conclusion are encouraged as needed. Please see below for further guidance on scheduling meetings. 

-- Morning Session Location: The Mississippi Capitol Morning will be held at the Mississippi State Capitol, located at 400 High Street, Jackson, MS 39201. 

-- Morning Session Parking: Parking is available across the street at the Jackson First Baptist Church or Sillars Office Building lots. Both are at the intersections of High Street and President Street. Please find attached a map showing their locations. 

-- Attendance: In-person attendance is mandatory.

-- Morning Session Dress: Business dress is required for your Mississippi Capitol Morning meetings.

-- Name Badges: Bring and wear your name badges so that those you speak with (speakers, panelists, & elected officials) may know your name, position, and institution. 

Planning & Logistical Information - - Lunchtime Commute

-- Lunchtime Commute: Upon completion of your Mississippi Capitol Morning meetings, please proceed to join the cohort at the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) located at 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211. 

-- Lunch on Your Own: The program will not provide lunch at the February meeting. Please make sure to plan accordingly and schedule time to pick something up on your commute from the capitol to MCCB.

Planning & Logistical Information - - Afternoon Session

-- Afternoon Session Beginning & Ending Times: The afternoon session will begin at 1:00 pm and conclude no later than 4:00 pm.

-- Afternoon Session Location: The afternoon session will take place at the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) located at 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211. We will be meeting in the Boardroom located on the Fifth Floor.

-- Afternoon Session Parking: Please park in the parking lots on the north or south sides of the building. Parking is available at no cost. 

-- Attendance: In-person attendance is mandatory.

-- Meeting Dress: The afternoon session will be an informal debrief. We recommend business casual dress with a priority given to comfort. The thermometer is out of our control; please consider bringing layers if you get hot or cold easily. 

Meeting Materials

-- Meeting Agenda: Please find attached the agenda for tomorrow's meeting. In the afternoon, we will focus on (1) debriefing your meetings with elected officials and (2) beginning to prepare for the Washington Legislative Summit (WLS).

Calls to Action

-- Schedule Meetings: There is no formal agenda for your time at the capitol; we instead want you to use the time to schedule meetings as needed. In advance of your time at the capitol, please reach out to your elected officials (state representatives and senators) to set up in-person meetings. The unofficial agenda window for scheduling meetings is 10:00 am - 12:00 pm. Please note that meetings scheduled before the unofficial 10:00 am start-time are encouraged as needed. Likewise, meetings scheduled after the unofficial 12:00 pm conclusion are encouraged as needed. While Tyson Elbert and Ed Davis will be at the capitol during this time, there is no reason to check in or out. The time is yours. We will debrief your meeting experiences at the beginning of the afternoon session. 

-- Prepare for Meetings: Please continue to prepare for your meetings with elected officials. You have (1) issue standby document templates and (2) meeting scripts for reference. 

-- Presidential Approval: The program has a strict rule of "doing no harm" to existing relationships and advocacy efforts. We do not want to confuse, complicate, or contradict policy positions or existing relationships that your college's leaders or government relations professionals have developed. Prior to your meeting with state legislators, please have a conversation with the appropriate professionals and get approval on (1) who you will meet with and (2) what you will say.

-- Institutional Government Relations Staff: If your college has government relations staff or if your president is assigned to be at the capitol on Tuesday, February 17th, please consider attending meetings with them or asking them to attend meetings with you. 

-- One-Pagers / Leave Behinds: Please remember to print (cardstock, color, duplexed preferred) in advance the MACC Legislative Priorities one-pager. For your convenience, a PDF copy of the document is attached below. If your community college has other one-pagers that you can or should include, please make sure to have them printed and ready for distribution as well. 

-- Business Cards: If you have business cards, please have them available to distribute as needed.

Again, if you have questions as the fifth meeting date approaches, please don’t hesitate to call or text me at (202) 550-4868. You may also email me at tyson@advocacybuild.com.

Sincerely,

Tyson Elbert