21 March ICC hosts MCCAI State Community College Art Competition for first time since 2016 March 21, 2025 By Thomas, Donna S. General 0 The work of several Mississippi community colleges is currently on display at Itawamba Community College’s W.O. Benjamin Fine Arts Center gallery at the Fulton Campus. ICC is hosting the annual MCCAIA State Community College Art Competition for the first time since 2016. Participants include Copiah-Lincoln, East Mississippi-Golden Triangle, East Mississippi-Scooba, Hinds-Raymond, Holmes-Ridgeland, ICC, Jones, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Northeast, Northwest-Senatobia and Southwest. Award winners from ICC include Dalton Brandon of Dennis, honorable mention, Ceramics, “The Smiths Dream;” Isaiah Pannell of Pontotoc, second, 2D Design, “Self-Portrait Triptych;” Noah Sartin of Saltillo, second, Painting, “Shadowlands;” Christopher Smith of Shannon, honorable mention, Computer and Graphic Art, “Untitled;” Sydney Ladd of Tupelo, first, 3D Design, “Mouse Attack;” honorable mention, 3D Design, “Guitar;” third, 2D Design, “Contamination;” and Bryan Martinez of Tupelo, honorable mention, Computer and Graphic Art. Additional ICC participants are Raheim Blanchard of Aberdeen; Kylie Long of Eldridge, Ala.; Reja Anderson of Eupora; Emily Tibbs of Fulton; Ekkaleo Quartey of Jackson; James Lesley, Rebekah Sheffield, both of Mantachie; Josie Warren of Pontotoc; Bryan Martinez of Saltillo; Callie Beasley of Tremont; and Sarah Hippensteel of Tupelo. The awards ceremony and reception will be Apr. 4, the last day of the exhibit, at 10 a.m. in the gallery of the W.O. Benjamin Fine Arts Center. The prizes for award winners include first place, $100; second place, $75; third place, $50. Liliana Blackwell of Northwest Mississippi Community College received $200 for Best in Show for “The Death of Creativity.” Ke Francis of Tupelo and Aaron Benson, chair of the art department at the University of North Alabama were judges. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except when ICC is closed for holidays. Admission is free. For more information, contact Shawn Whittington, ICC fine arts instructor and gallery director, (662) 862-8301 or eswhittington@iccms.edu. 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 ... WalletHub ranks ICC first among all state public two-year institutions Itawamba Community College has ranked first among all public state two-year institutions in a WalletHub study that surveyed hundreds of community colleges across the United States. In order to determine the best community colleges in the United States, the financial institution WalletHub selected a sample of 698 schools from the list of member institutions in the American Association of Community Colleges. The schools were evaluated based on cost and financing and both education and career outcomes. “For 70 plus years, providing affordable and accessible education has always been a significant component of Itawamba Community College’s mission,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “National recognition of the College in this area is an indication that ICC is fulfilling that mission and serving our students who are our top priority. Their success is our success.” According to WalletHub, community colleges are a more attractive option especially this year as many individuals are struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other than affordability, community colleges provide more flexible schedules, smaller classes sizes and rigorous coursework. The average age ... Community college faculty renew plea for funding, salary increases JACKSON – Mississippi has one of the lowest workforce participation rates in the United States, yet the 15 community colleges, which are ideally positioned to offer the programs that impact the state’s job growth, continue to be chronically underfunded. Mississippi has more than 40,000 job openings but the majority of those jobs require some education and training beyond high school, but not a bachelor's degree. Community college career and technical programs are demand-driven educational programs tailored in each community to meet local needs. The Mississippi Faculty Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MFACJC) wants to make sure legislators and communities understand how beneficial the community college system is to our state, said MFACJC President Mary Warren, who teaches at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. However, to make good on the promises of those benefits of a quality education, educational resources need to improve. That includes salary increases for faculty who have not had a state-funded raise since 2008, she said. “I can truly appreciate all the work our legislators do to make Mississippi a better place to live, but I think it’s time we fund ... ICC named one of nation's top 150 community colleges Today, the Aspen Institute named Itawamba Community College one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. Those selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds. The 150 eligible colleges have been invited to submit data and narratives as the next steps in an intensive data and practice review process, culminating in the announcement of the Prize winner in spring 2023. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation and to be afforded the opportunity to compete for the significant Aspen Prize,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College, its continuing status as a premier community college and a testament to our exceptional faculty ... Aspen Institute names ICC as a Top 150 U.S. Community College Aspen Institute Names Itawamba Community College as a Top 150 U.S. Community College Eligible for 2021 Aspen Prize $1 Million Prize Recognizes Excellence in Equitable Outcomes for Students in and After College The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program today named Itawamba Community College as one of 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. Based on strong and improving in student outcomes—including in learning, completion rates, employment rates and earnings and equity—15 percent of community colleges nationwide have been invited to apply for the Aspen Prize. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation and the opportunity to compete for the significant Aspen Prize,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College, its status as a premier community college and a testament to our exceptional faculty and staff.” The 150 community colleges named today as eligible to compete for the ... Aspen Institute names ICC as one of nation's top 150 and eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Today, the Aspen Institute named Itawamba Community College as one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation and to afforded the opportunity to compete for the significant Aspen Prize,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College, its continuing status as a premier community college and a testament to our exceptional faculty and staff, without whom it would not be possible.” ICC was selected as a top community college in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 and as a semifinalist in 2023. The Aspen Prize spotlights exemplary community ... Comments are closed.