26 May First students complete academic dual enrollment initiative May 26, 2021 By Thomas, Donna S. General 0 Two New Albany High School students Jill Gafford and Joseph Fennell are the first completers of an academic dual enrollment initiative between the CREATE Foundation, Itawamba Community College and Northeast Mississippi Community College. According to the agreement, the students were selected on the basis of applications, which were evaluated by a joint committee of ICC and NEMCC personnel. Among the eligibility requirements were minimum overall 3.0 GPA on a 4.o scale on all high school courses and with successful completion of at least 14 core high school units or a minimum of a 3.0 GPA on all high school courses and a minimum composite ACT score of 30 or the equivalent SAT score. Both Gafford and Fennell will receive postsecondary credit for their coursework. The initiative offered both health- and computer-related pathway options. Gafford and Fennell, who both chose the health-related path, completed Introduction to Health Professional I at Northeast, and Medical Terminology in Allied Health and Personal Community Health at ICC. They have enrolled every term since the MOU was established in the spring of 2020 and completed the cohort this month. Gafford and Fennell will attend Mississippi University for Women on a full scholarship as nursing majors. Gafford is the daughter of Jeff and Rhonda Gafford, and Fennell’s parents are Mac and Laura Fennell. “The Toyota Wellspring Education Fund offers students in the Pontotoc, Union and Lee County school districts an opportunity to participate in and complete dual enrollment courses aligned to the high demand work sectors of Northeast Mississippi,” said Dr. Kristy Luse, vice president of the Toyota Wellspring Education Fund. “Through the courses, students engage in classes directly which are tied to degreed pathways in many career fields found in our region. We encourage our PUL students to take advantage of this opportunity to create their future and make their impossible, possible!” “Itawamba Community College is most appreciative of the partnership we have with CREATE and the opportunities it continues to offer to strengthen both our communities as well as innovations in education that would otherwise not be possible,” said Dr. Jay Allen, president. Related Articles IHL/MCCB relaunch Complete 2 Compete program; significant benefit to ICC students In 2017, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning and the Mississippi Community College Board launched the Complete 2 Compete program focused on increasing the degree attainment rate in Mississippi. As at Itawamba Community College, the initiative concentrated on removing barriers that keep adult learners from returning to complete their degrees. Within a year, a new university degree program and renewable C2C Grant were established to facilitate adult learners returning to complete their degree. Mississippi’s public community colleges and universities expanded the number of online classes, and many developed student services tailored to provide working adults with greater access. Additionally, teams of coaches were commissioned across all of the institutions providing greater coordination, streamlining the review of transcripts and maximizing application of earned credits. In just over two years, the program assisted more than 2,100 former students in returning to complete their degrees. In addition, more than 4,000 former students, who had not been enrolled in classes for more than two years, were enrolled on a fast path to degree completion. In October 2020, complicated ... ICC ranks among leaders in state enrollment for 2025 fall semester Itawamba Community College ranks among the leaders in the state in enrollment, according to figures released this week by the Mississippi Community College Board. ICC currently shows a 2 percent increase in headcount and a 3.5 percent increase for full-time enrollment from fall 2024 to fall 2025. Most importantly, figures show a 14 percent increase in enrollment since fall 2021, a four-year consecutive enrollment increase. ICC remains the fifth largest community college out of 15 with more than 5,300 credit students enrolled. The continuing increase can be attributed to multiple factors, according to ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. They include recent additional housing opportunities tailored to student needs, including the addition of 240-capacity Magnolia Hall, exclusively for student leaders, and reopening of both Sheffield and Monroe Halls last fall with spaces designed to accommodate the ICC student of today as well as an enhanced emphasis on activities. Even with the addition of multiple housing options, ICC’s residence hall waiting list reaches into the hundreds. “This very exciting news demonstrates a collaborative effort between all ... ICC ranks among state leaders in full-time enrollment increase Itawamba Community College ranks among the leaders in the state in full-time enrollment increase, according to figures released this week by the Mississippi Community College Board. With spring enrollment at 4,774 at the end of the 10-day reporting period, figures from spring 2024-spring 2025 show a 6.7 percent increase, which comes after a multi-year increase in both fall and spring enrollments. The continuing increase over the last two reporting periods can be attributed to multiple factors, according to ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. They include additional housing opportunities tailored to student needs, including the addition of Magnolia Hall, exclusively for student leaders, and reopening of both Sheffield and Monroe Halls with spaces designed to accommodate the ICC student of today as well as an enhanced emphasis on activities.” “This very exciting news demonstrates a collaborative effort between all areas of the college to allow for continued enrollment growth,” Allen said. “What the figures don’t show is that residence halls remain at a more than 95 percent capacity this spring. The increase in the number of students that ... ICC enrollment increases again - continues to rank among state's leaders Itawamba Community College ranks among the leaders in the state in full-time enrollment increase, according to figures released this week by the Mississippi Community College Board. With fall enrollment at 4,476 at the end of the 10-day reporting period, figures from fall 2023-fall 2024 show a 4.1 percent increase, nearly double the state average. In addition, enrollment was up 7 percent the last two semesters, statistics show. The continuing increase over the last two reporting periods can be attributed to multiple factors, according to ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. They include the addition of significant housing opportunities tailored to student needs with the opening of Magnolia Hall last fall and the reopening of Sheffield and Monroe Halls with spaces designed to accommodate the ICC student of today at the beginning of this semester, and an enhanced emphasis on activities. “This is very exciting news,” Allen said. “The increase in the number of students that ICC is serving is significant because we have additional opportunities to provide a solid educational foundation and the best start ... ICC public health students complete Southern Miss research fellowship Two Itawamba Community College students recently completed an 11-week training program through the University of Southern Mississippi designed to prepare participants to help identify and address public health needs in their communities. Khandra Ivy of Okolona and Jakera Gladney of Aberdeen, both students in ICC’s Public Health Technology program in the School of Health Sciences, completed the Community Research Fellows Training program. They attended weekly evening sessions from May 26 through Aug. 4, studying evidence-based public health research methods. The program expands participation in research among racial and ethnic minority groups and other underserved populations by strengthening partnerships among university researchers, public health professionals, community organizations and community health workers across Mississippi. Participants commit to applying evidence-based, culturally appropriate approaches to address needs in their communities. Ivy is also gaining practical experience through an internship with United Way of Northeast Mississippi, where she is learning how local agencies coordinate resources and services to meet community health needs. “This experience has been very valuable to me and has allowed me to connect what I am learning in my public health coursework to real-world experiences,” ... ICC's CR staff receives record number of CPRAM awards Several Itawamba Community College staff members received awards from the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi, which were presented during a recent virtual conference. The 21 awards were the most in the Community Relations Department’s history. They include C.J. Adams of Fulton, first place in View Book for “2020 ICC Recruiting Lookbook;” first place in Admissions and Recruitment Piece for “ICC Recruiting Trifold;” first place in Television Spots for “ICC SkillUp Commercial;” third place in Television Spots for “ICC Tomorrow Commercial;” first place in Radio Spot for “SkillUP Radio Commercial;” third place in Radio Spot for “Start on Time, Finish Early:” first place in Public Relations Campaign for “A New Look for a New Decade: A New Identity for ICC;” second place in Public Relations Campaign for “Navigating the Pandemic: The First Six Months;” grand award in the junior division in Electronic Media for “ICC SkillUP commercial;” second place in Advertisements for “ICC Veterans Day Ad;” Lee Adams of Fulton, first place in Single Piece artwork – Sports for “2020 ICC Football Poster;” second place in Single Piece Artwork – Sports ... Comments are closed.