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 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'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 ... Work of 94-year-old Virginia Jackson, one of ICC's first students, currently on display in Fine Arts Center Gallery “The Gift of Life,” a collection of paintings by 94-year-old Virginia Jackson of Tupelo, is currently on display in the W.O. Benjamin Fine Arts Center Gallery at the Itawamba Community College Fulton Campus. The show includes Jackson’s acrylic paintings of landscapes and country scenes as well as two acrylic paintings by her granddaughter, Morgan Davis. Jackson’s first recollection of an interest in art was when she received a box of Crayola crayons at the age of five. She recalls coloring the embossed flowers on doilies (small napkins or decorative mats), but she didn’t start painting until the age of 91 when her daughter, Jill Jackson King, bought her a set of acrylic paints. She describes herself as self-taught and paints most scenes from memory. Most of her paintings are landscape scenes of farm life and “pretty flowers,” but she experiments with abstracts, also. She was born Virginia Anthony in 1929 in her family’s home outside of Tremont. Her father built their house and raised crops, cattle and hogs on their farm during the Great Depression. Growing up, she ... ICC leads state in full-time enrollment increase Itawamba Community College ranks first in the state in full-time enrollment increase and in the top three in overall enrollment increase, according to figures recently released by the Mississippi Community College Board. With fall enrollment at 5,034 at the end of the 10-day reporting period, figures from fall 22 to fall 23 show an 8.5 percent increase. The increase can be attributed to multiple factors, according to ICC President Dr. Jay Allen, including the addition of Magnolia Hall, a state-of-the-art residence for honors students and student leaders accommodating 246 additional students which opened last fall 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 for those in our five-county district and beyond.” “Statistics show that the more students are engaged, the more successful they will be in the classroom,” according to ICC Vice President of Student Services Dr. Brad Boggs. “Having an attractive, comprehensive student activities ... Comments are closed.