20 January Furniture Academy January 20, 2017 By Thomas, Donna S. General 0 Itawamba Community College will provide a first-in-line opportunity for a furniture manufacturing job with the inception of the Furniture “Certified” Academy. The purpose of the 28-hour course, offered by both ICC and Northeast Mississippi Community College, is to give graduates a chance to go to the front of the hiring line at participating furniture industries, which will result in a higher base pay when they are employed. Graduates will also earn two national credentials (OSHA 10 and WorkKeys Career Readiness Certificate) when they pass the courses. “The Furniture Academy will ensure Northeast Mississippi has a skilled, robust workforce to meet the demand of the region’s manufacturers,” said Miss. Gov. Phil Bryant in making the announcement at the Tupelo Furniture Market, Jan. 12. “I am grateful to the local industries, educational systems and community organizations whose partnership made it a reality.” The curriculum of the academy is an introduction to furniture manufacturing, teamwork and problem-solving, role of employer and employee/work ethic, financial awareness/life skills, OSHA 10 and WorkKeys Career Readiness Certificate. The course is flexible to meet the time needs of the participants, and scheduling will be set up based on the needs of those who sign up. The first classes are scheduled to begin Feb. 13. ICC President Mike Eaton said the event was “a very special occasion, an extraordinary day.” He commended Gov. Bryant for his vision. “When you start a collaboration and having the financial support and backing, great things are going to happen. Not only are we improving the workforce, we are going to change lives. We at Itawamba are proud to be a part of this.” Those interested should visit their local WIN Job Center or go online to www.StepToTheFrontOfTheLine.com to apply. Applicants should ask about free tuition. This is the first program of the Mississippi Works Fund legislation signed into law by Gov. Bryant in 2016. Related Articles Early Childhood Academy April activities Itawamba Community College’s Early Childhood Academy has scheduled several events for April. An Early Childhood Academy Vision Board Workshop will be Apr. 2 from 6-8 p.m. in room 608 of the Belden Center and Apr. 5 from 6-8 p.m. in room 126 of the Student Support Center at the Tupelo Campus. The two-hour workshop will explain how to reach goals by creating a vision board, which is a collection of pictures, phrases and art outlining goals for the year. Scheduled for the Week of the Young Child are the following events: Apr. 16, 1-2 p.m. – Music Monday – Sing, Dance, Celebrate and Learn activities including Brain Boogie Busters, Zumba for Kids Song and Dance Activity and Nursery Rhymes; Apr. 17, 1-2 p.m. – Tasty Tuesday – Healthy Eating and Fitness at Home and School, including apple, fruit, donuts activity; food group sorting from the My Plate website and Green Salad craft; Apr. 18, 1-2 p.m. – Work Together Wednesday – Work Together, Build Together, Learn Together – floating structures and gumdrop bridge; Apr. 19, 1-2 p.m. – ... Mills, Nichols selected for MCC Leadership Academy Itawamba Community College’s Dr. Jada Jamerson Mills of Fulton, Natural Science Division chair and biology instructor, and Diann Mills Nichols of Golden, assessment coordinator, have been selected as participants in the 2019-20 Mississippi Community College Leadership Academy. Mills, who has been a member of the ICC faculty since 2010, also serves as Science Club sponsor. She earned the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Mississippi. Among her honors and awards are ICC Leadership Development Institute, past Faculty Association president, Meritorious award and Award of Excellence; and at the University of Mississippi, both Outstanding Doctoral Student and Master’s Degree Student, Graduate Instructorship for NSF grant and Advanced Placement Institute graduate for AP biology. Mills also serves on various committees at ICC. Her professional memberships include Mississippi Academy of Sciences, Phi Kappa Phi and Women in Higher Education Mississippi Network. She is also a member of the board of directors for the Mantachie Rural Health Center, active member of the Fulton United Methodist Church and member of the Itawamba County Republican Women’s Club ... ICC's Todd completes Mississippi Academy for Simulation Training Itawamba Community College Associate Degree Nursing instructor Dr. Cathy Todd of Fulton has earned more than 25 hours of continuing education to complete the Mississippi Academy for Simulation Training through the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The Mississippi Academy for Simulation Training provides statewide simulation educator training, access to University of Mississippi Medical Centers through the office of Interprofessional Simulation, Training, Assessment, Research and Safety and communicates a statewide expectation for recognition of the value of pedagogically-advanced training curricula, contemporary educational/workplace communication techniques and the highest ethical standards in the use of simulation in healthcare education. “The MAST course provided me with teaching strategies that I will use to engage students in learning opportunities using simulation,” Todd said. “The knowledge and experience gained by students using simulation can contribute to increased patient safety and positive outcomes.” Todd’s educational background includes the associate’s degree from ICC; bachelor’s degree from Mississippi University for Women; master’s degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the doctoral degree from Samford University, all in nursing. A member of the ICC faculty since 2006, she also serves ... ICC's Gammill, Gray graduate from MCC Leadership Academy Itawamba Community College’s Josh Gammill and Holly Gray, both of Fulton, are among the 2024 graduates of the Mississippi Community College Leadership Academy. Gammill, who is director of continuing education, has been a member of the ICC family since 2015, previously serving as career navigator and pathway coordinator. He earned the bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and the master’s degree from the University of Mississippi. Gammill’s honors include graduate of the ICC Leadership Development Institute, successful completion of DDI Leadership Facilitator Training, Certified Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) and Certified Career Pathways Leadership (NCPN). He is a deacon of Bethel Baptist Church. Gammill and his wife, Sara, are the parents of three children, Reed, Nora and Charlie. Gray, director of ICC’s libraries, began employment at the college in 2016, following serving as media specialist at Tupelo High School. She earned the associate’s degree from ICC, bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and master’s degrees from both Mississippi State University and the University of Alabama. Her honors and awards include graduate of ... ICC's Harris, Stevenson selected for MCC Leadership Academy Itawamba Community College’s Chris Stevenson of Fulton and John Wayne Harris of Shannon have been selected as participants in the 2024-25 Mississippi Community College Leadership Academy. A member of the ICC family since 2010, Stevenson, who is the dean of Academic Instruction, previously served as American History instructor and chair of the Social Science Division. He earned the associate’s degree from ICC, bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University and the master’s degree from the University of Mississippi. His honors include William Winter Scholar (2014) and John and Beth Cleveland Instructor of the Year (2018). Stevenson is a member of Mississippi Professional Educators. He and his wife, Jessi, have two children, Rourke and Riley. They attend the Orchard in Fulton. Harris, who is the director of Physical Plant Operations, joined the ICC family in 2008. His previous positions include sound technician, maintenance technician/energy manager and director of projects and energy management systems. He earned the associate’s degree from ICC and the bachelor’s degree from Everglades University. Harris’s honors are Eagle Scout, Siemens Building Technologies – Master Operator (2012), ICC Support ... ICC's Vaughn completes MCCB Leadership Academy Tonya Vaughn of Mantachie, dean of Health Science Instruction at Itawamba Community College, has completed the year-long Mississippi Community College Board Leadership Academy. The program, which provides face-to-face and virtual sessions, included a variety of learning topics, modules, book studies, lectures, role play and group discussions. An alumnus of ICC, Vaughn earned the bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama and the master’s degree from Western Governors University. She has been employed at ICC for 25 years, previously serving as director of the Surgical Technology program. Vaughn’s professional memberships are the Association of Surgical Technologists, Mississippi Board of Nursing, Association of Surgical Technology (curriculum writing team), Association of Career Technical Educators, Career Technical Officers Association and advisory committee for Pontotoc and Itawamba County Allied Health. During her tenure with ICC, Vaughn has been instrumental in coordinating efforts with healthcare partners, including all sites of the North Mississippi Medical Center, Specialty Orthopedic Group, Baptist Memorial Hospital facilities, Magnolia Regional in Corinth and the OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville. She attends Connect Church in Tupelo. Married to ... Comments are closed.