Young Alumna Spotlight: Elizabeth Pettit ('13) Named Top 20 Under 40

St. Agnes Academy is proud to share that alumna Elizabeth Pettit, Class of 2013, has been named one of the Top 20 Under 40 in Oxford, Mississippi. A 2017 graduate of Mississippi State (ironically!) with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture, she has made her home in Oxford as a Lead Florist at Oxford Floral.

Elizabeth’s creativity and flair for design bring joy and beauty to all kinds of events-weddings, sorority recruitments, floral design parties, and more. Lucky for us, Elizabeth often shares her talents with SAA, from helping with sports senior nights and galas to hosting class reunion events at her parents’ home here in Memphis.

Elizabeth shared, “It was such an honor to be recognized among so many well-deserving nominees for Oxford’s Top 20 under 40! Knowing that this was a public voting process shows me that the town I love and serve as a leader on the Oxford Floral team sees and appreciates the love and hard work I put into my career every day.”

The young professionals chosen for this honor are all between the ages of 21-40, working and living in Lafayette County, MS. The award criteria state that these young professionals must be hard-working, community minded and always looking to be the best versions of themselves.”

The following excerpt from The Oxford Eagle appeared in October:

What inspired you to take your career path?

Growing up, my father being a landscaper pushed me towards Horticulture. My freshman year I took a Floral Design class, and I fell in love. My senior year I interned with Oxford Floral and just fell in live with the shop and the people there.

 What is your favorite part of your workday?

I love all of the different events, weddings and parties we get to help with in town. Getting to see a client’s reactions to a completed vision and the camaraderie of our team as we pull together keep me coming back every day.

Upper School Dean Heather Valdez was Elizabeth’s English teacher during high school and  shared: “Elizabeth was very creative and always willing to help out/assist her classmates. I loved having her as a student-she always had a smile on her face.”

Elizabeth is married to Cameron Bryant, Executive Chef at Saint Leo Restaurant of Oxford. Her sister, Mary Catherine, is a member of the SAA Class of 2015. And, if the Pettit name sounds familiar-you have probably met her mother Susanne who is the tireless coordinator of the SAA-SDS Spirit Shop.