18 June ICC breaks ground on innovative Connection Center June 18, 2024 By Thomas, Donna S. Career Center, General 0 Itawamba Community College ceremonially broke ground today for its Connection Center, which is expected to open on the Fulton Campus during the 2026 spring semester. In bringing greetings on behalf of the ICC Board of Trustees, Chairman Steve Coleman of Pontotoc called the ceremony “a celebration of the future of ICC and our continued focus on student, employee and community engagement. This outstanding facility will not only serve the students who are enrolled in 2026 but countless students and community members for many years to come.” ICC President Dr. Jay Allen said that today’s ceremony was an opportunity to participate in and celebrate another milestone for the College since he arrived as president in 2017. “This groundbreaking is another significant milestone along this ever-changing journey. The building of this $4.9 million innovative student- and community-friendly Connection Center will provide state-of-the-art meeting space and a new dining option for all to enjoy.” The facility, which is being built in the front portion of the Band Hall parking lot, will include a multi-use conference center space and a Chick-fil-A. The approximately 10,000 square feet of meeting space will provide all audio/visual capabilities and can be configured into one large meeting space or two smaller meeting spaces, Allen said. It will be used for college and community meetings, events and instructional activities. The remaining 3,000 square feet will house Chick-fil-A through Sodexo, ICC’s food service provider. It will be open to students, employees and the community. Although it will not have a drive-thru, it will provide the same great service and dedication to detail, according to Allen. Allen also said that construction will begin soon on a new sidewalk that will begin on the Fulton square and continue to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway made possible through a partnership with the city and a grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation. “ICC’s Connection Center will not only serve as a new staple for our college experience, but it will serve as an asset to our local communities with its convenient location adjacent to the new pedestrian walkway,” Allen noted. Additional program participants included Michael Taylor, president of PryorMorrow Architects, and Charles Diggs, district manager for Sodexo, which has been in discussion with ICC for this opportunity for more than three years. Fulton and Itawamba County-based JESCO Construction will be the contractor. Local and state funds are supporting the construction of this facility, in addition to a more than $1.2 million investment by Sodexo. Related Articles Itawamba Community College receives $100,000 and joins 41 other schools across the US as All Within My Hands' Metallica Scholars Initiative expands in year five Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands, continues its multimillion-dollar investment in critical workforce programs at community colleges nationwide. Among the schools, Itawamba Community College was selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive $100,000 to transform the futures of students in the community. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the recipients of the prestigious All Within My Hands grant, which will significantly impact our career education programs, providing funding for students to pursue a pathway and their best start,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College and reinforcement of the mission that students and their success are our top priority.” The Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI) was launched in 2019 by Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). The workforce initiative marks its fifth year with an ambitious expansion into new curricula. MSI now directly supports 42 community colleges across 33 states, and by the end of this year, it will have helped ... ICC breaks ground on Commercial Truck Driving Training Center Itawamba Community College broke ground today (Oct. 21) for its Commercial Truck Driving Training Center which will be located at the new driving range across the street from the Tupelo Campus at 2176 So. Eason Blvd. The 8,504-square-foot facility will include multiple truck bays, lab with a truck driving simulator, classroom, exterior wash bay, three offices and storage space. “Today we break ground on a facility that will not only enhance our institution but will also help us to better meet a need in our region and beyond,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “This new Commercial Truck Driving Training Center symbolizes more than the start of another construction project, but represents our continued commitment to education, workforce development and the future of our students. Our goal, as always, is to provide sustainable pathways to success, and this center will do just that by providing a space for our students to learn and train for a critical role in today’s economy.” ICC Vice President of Career and Workforce Education Barry Emison shared the importance of the trucking industry ... ICC, Regional Rehab Center launch innovative partnership Itawamba Community College and the Regional Rehabilitation Center have launched an innovative partnership with the addition of free adult education classes. ICC President Dr. Jay Allen and Adult Education Director Linzy Patterson and Regional Rehab Center Executive Director Robby Parman welcomed the first students to class, Jan. 5. “For ICC, we’ve had a long-standing relationship with the Regional Rehab Center, so this partnership was a no-brainer,” Allen said. “The idea was to move the needle for the communities we serve, and the Regional Rehab Center has a great ministry. The path to prosperity goes through education, and this is a tremendous opportunity to help people who did not achieve that education in high school, and we’re really good at that.” Allen said that both entities refer students and clients to each other, and over the years, ICC has hosted numerous fundraisers for the Regional Rehab Center, so this is an ideal partnership. The classes meet from 1-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays at the center, which is located at 615 Pegram Drive in Tupelo. Parman said that the idea for ... ICC continues to elevate student experience with construction of Connection Center, Chick-fil-A Plans to elevate the ICC Experience continue with the announcement of the construction of The Connection Center, a multi-use conference center space, and a Chick-fil-A on the Fulton Campus. According to Tyler Camp, Chief of Staff, the facility, which will be built in the front portion of the Band Hall parking lot, is expected to open during the spring 2026 semester. Following the announcement, Camp said that initial estimates for the project have been received, but bids will be accepted within the next 45 days. Capital from unexpended plant allocations or local monies with an injection of funds from Sodexo, ICC’s dining services provider, which will operate Chick-fil-A, will be used for construction of the facility. “We have been in negotiations with Sodexo and Chick-fil-A over the past three years,” Camp said. “We are continuously looking at ways to expand our experiences for our students, employees and the communities that we serve. CFA is a household name and ... ICC offers innovative Senior College beginning Jan. 16 at Belden Center Itawamba Community College has an answer for those who are retired and looking for something fun to do. Its innovative Senior College will begin Jan. 16 at 9 a.m. with Jack Reed Jr. hosting the kickoff. He will share excerpts from his recently released book, “A Time to Listen,” which includes the best of thoughts collected from theologians, ministers, teachers and inspirational role models and have become the building blocks of the architecture of his own theology and philosophy. “With ICC’s new Senior College, we wanted to offer something that will appeal to the diverse interests of people living in retirement,” said Josh Gammill, director of Continuing Education. “The sessions will offer wonderful opportunities for community members to learn more about topics specific to our area, stay active in the community and engage with other participants who share the same enthusiasm and zest for life and learning as they do.” Additional programs include Feb. 20, Chair Yoga; Mar. 20, Clark Richey with the Claude Gentry Theatre in Baldwyn and lunch at Tom’s Soda Shop (transportation provided); ... ICC breaks ground for residence hall Itawamba Community College broke ground today on the Fulton Campus for a 72,000-square-foot three-story residence hall that is expected to be completed in the fall of 2022. The facility will have 246 beds, customizable halls/wings for separated male and female occupancy and two efficiency apartments as well as one for the hall director. The spacious first floor lobby will also feature study rooms for residents. In addition to improved parking lots, there will be a safer pedestrian sidewalk to Sheffield Hall and a safer crosswalk to connect residents to the campus. “This residence hall will provide an opportunity for 246 additional students to experience the total college with on-campus housing,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “We express our appreciation to our Board of Trustees for their leadership and foresight to proceed with this much-needed project.” Housing Director Dr. Chad Case said that the facility will enable more students to participate in extracurricular activities. “Students who live on campus complete more credit hours and have higher grade point averages, become more engaged with ... Comments are closed.