28 February ICC joins in MACJC effort for legislative support February 28, 2019 By Thomas, Donna S. General 0 JACKSON- In an effort to get the Mississippi Legislature’s attention, community college presidents, faculty and students reminded everyone at a Capitol building press conference Feb. 27 that community/junior colleges provide a vast array of educational and economic opportunities for everyone. “The annual MACJC Capitol Day is an opportunity for the 15 community colleges to have a unified voice since we are all working toward the same goal, which is to provide quality instruction while preparing students for successful futures,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. Additionally, the two-year college system also provides a healthy return on every dollar spent on the nation’s oldest community college system. MACJC Legislative co-chair and Jones College President Dr. Jesse Smith encouraged legislators to “face the facts.” “For every dollar invested in the community college system, the return on the investment is four-dollars and eighty-six cents. That’s a worthwhile investment if you’re just talking about an investment but what about the people?” asked Smith. Long lists of facts were shared with the crowd, like Mississippi ranks fourth in the nation in the percentage of students who transfer from community colleges to four-year universities, beating the national average by eight-percent. In 2017, community/junior college students earned 20,432 degrees, certificates and awards which is a 42-percent increase over 2011. In regard to economic development, community colleges served 551 companies with workforce training. “Folks, we have to pay the bill,” said MACJC President and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College President Dr. Mary Graham. “It’s time Mississippi legislators get some help for our community/junior colleges. People continue to pat community colleges on the back, saying ‘You’re doing a great job’ but continuous pats on the back without financial support begin to feel like kicks in the teeth.” Northwest Mississippi Community College’s Adam Conner has experienced similar disappointment when he had to quit college the first time he took classes at Northwest because of difficulties in chemistry. When he tried to return a year later, he learned he was not eligible for the Pell Grant. Conner didn’t feel financially apt as an 18-year-old to take out a loan so he waited until he turned 24 to be eligible for aid as an independent student. “A quality education provides an array of benefits but there are many barriers to success. Rising tuition, time and financial aid restrictions keep countless Mississippians from accessing higher education,” explained the Student Government Association president at Northwest. “Every Mississippian is entitled to opportunities for educational and professional growth.” Without more support for community colleges, Dr. Jim Haffey is concerned more people will be dependent on the state. The MACJC Legislative co-chair and Holmes Community College President shared his mother’s story. She earned her nursing degree at Hinds Community College after 20-years of raising children and being a housewife. He calculated a 1,600 percent return on the states’ investment into her education from the state taxes she paid over the 26 years she worked at a rural county hospital. Haffey is challenging legislators to provide support to anyone who wants an education to be served. “There are hundreds of Mississippians who do not get a chance to enroll in an allied health program every year because we have limitations on our space. We stand poised to help hundreds but we cannot open or expand new programs without a strong commitment from the state. Two years ago, the community colleges were cut 11 percent while the state made other areas a priority. I’m asking the Legislature to restore those cuts immediately and invest in a proven economic development entity, the Mississippi Community Colleges.” Dr. Andrea Mayfield, the executive director of the Mississippi Community College Board added community colleges are the best value for the taxpayers and individuals seeking an education. “The community college system does it all while offering affordable college tuition and with every experience you can find at a university. But, you can also (earn a degree) and begin work without a large debt. The community college’s purpose is to put people to work, and it’s the best value to Mississippi’s economy.” Longtime community college supporter and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann urged community college leaders to continue to share their “good value” message because two-year colleges make a difference. While visiting schools across the state, Hosemann said he has met first-generation college graduates and problem solvers thanks to community colleges. “The first autistic child was diagnosed in 1947 in Mississippi. It’s a growing problem but what are we going to do? How are we going to educate teachers who haven’t been faced with the challenges of teaching an autistic child? We went to the community colleges, and they devised a program and it’s taught at Holmes.” While the successes of community colleges are abundant, administrators are faced with the challenge of funding a system that continually lacks support from legislators. For every dollar spent on education, only seven cents go to community colleges with 18 cents going to the Institutes for Higher Learning, and 75 cents fund kindergarten through 12th grade. Community college leaders are asking for legislators to spend a dime of every dollar to educate the 100,000 students and the additional 70,024 individuals seeking skilled training. “We are not just another group of people who want more money,” said Meridian Community College Associate Degree Nursing instructor Dr. Holly Crane, R.N., CNE. “We, the community colleges are the catalyst that grows this economy and we are simply asking our legislators, our leaders, to invest in us like we invest in our students.” 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 receives AACC grant to support National Voter Registration Day event Itawamba Community College has received a grant from the American Association of Community Colleges to host an event to support National Voter Registration Day. The $2,700 grant will be used to engage students in voter registration, according to Nathan Ward, director of Instructional Support Services, who along with Lynn Millender, Social Science division chair, submitted the application. “For several years, our Social Science Division has coordinated our annual Constitution Day event at ICC, and many of those focused on voter registration,” Millender said. “With this award from AACC, this year we will have an opportunity to impact students on both the ICC Fulton and Tupelo campuses as well as the Belden Center by participating in National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, September 17. In addition, we plan to launch a social media campaign and provide printed material that will help students better navigate the entire voting process,” she continued. “Organizations such as ICC’s Humanities Club, elected Circuit Clerks in counties within the college’s service district (Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc) and ICC’s faculty and staff will all work together ... ICC announces Cadence Bank’s continued support of its Career Pathways program Itawamba Community College today announced Cadence Bank has continued its long tradition of supporting ICC students with a $15,000 donation to its Career Pathways program. The program connects low-income individuals and adult education students with workforce training to enable them to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for finding employment in a high-demand career field, according to Josh Gammill, director of continuing education at ICC. “As the need for skilled workers becomes more abundant in our community, graduates of Itawamba Community College’s workforce training programs will increase the number of available workers within the community, positively impacting economic development efforts in the region,” he said. Cadence Bank’s donation will be used to pay for the tuition of one of Itawamba Community College’s workforce training pathways, which includes programs such as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and EMT-Basic. “ICC staff members communicate with students in this demographic, and while there is interest in the programs, they often do not have the funds necessary to be able to pay for training courses,” Gammill said. Because the programs are short-term and non-credit, no state or federal ... BancorpSouth supports ICC's high school equivalency program BancorpSouth Bank (NYSE: BXS) is committed to its communities. The bank recently donated $3,000 to Itawamba Community College’s high school equivalency program. The adult education/basic skills program, formerly known as the GED program, enables students—ages 16 and older—to complete a high school equivalency diploma through classes offered in the college’s five-county district, which includes Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc counties. “We are grateful for this significant donation from BancorpSouth,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “None of the work we do would be possible without the generous support of individuals and companies, like BancorpSouth, that believe in the mission of Itawamba Community College and our communities as a whole.” ICC received the donation from BancorpSouth on Aug. 20, when Allen was invited to speak to community leaders about the college’s work with students enrolled in the adult education/basic skills program. Last year, ICC served more than 800 individuals, including 30 in Itawamba County, through the program. “ICC is providing students with a second chance at receiving a high school equivalency diploma and is helping them reach their full potential,” said BancorpSouth President - ... ICC joins National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week celebration, Sept. 15-21 Itawamba Community College’s Adult Education Department is celebrating September 15-21 as National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week. ICC President Dr. Jay Allen kicked off the commemoration with the signing of a proclamation designating the nationwide event. Additional activities will include Adult Education staff reading to students in both of ICC’s Early Learning Centers (Fulton and Tupelo) during the week. “The goal of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week is to work side-by-side in every state, territory and district to heighten public awareness, strengthen alliances, leverage resources and increase the number of people who understand the vital role adult education and family literacy play in our nation’s and state’s well-being,” according to Audra Perry, ICC director of Adult Education. In signing the proclamation, Allen said that he “supports the goals and ideals of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week and recognizes the efforts of ICC’s Adult Education Department and its instructors in Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc counties and encourage the participation of all individuals to achieve a high ... Itawamba Community College joins national initiative on College Cost Transparency Itawamba Community College has joined the College Cost Transparency Initiative, a coalition of more than 360 higher education institutions that have voluntarily committed to follow a set of principles and standards that ensure transparency, clarity and understanding around student financial aid offers, which was announced this week. Together, these institutions serve more than 3.5 million college students in the United States. “Choosing to attend college is one of the most significant financial aid decisions a student or family can make,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “Knowing how much it will cost up front is crucial, and ICC is committed to providing students clear and accurate financial information. We are proud to be a partner in this work.” The monumental commitment comes as lawmakers, think tanks and government entities continue to scrutinize the financial aid offers that colleges and universities present to students. The principles and standards recommended by the CCT – a task force composed of the leaders of 10 higher education associations representing college presidents, financial aid offices and admissions and school counselors which originated ... Comments are closed.