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• ICC, TPSD sign MOU for innovative Associate Degree Nursing Preferred Candidacy Middle College program to begin this fall

  Itawamba Community College and the Tupelo Public School District signed a memorandum of understanding today to announce the innovative Associate Degree Nursing Preferred Candidacy Middle College program, which will begin this fall.             The agreement, which was signed by ICC President Dr. Jay Allen and TPSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Picou in a formal ceremony, will promote early entry into the two-year nursing program. Qualified applicants will begin this track in their junior year.             “Graduating seniors are often attracted to the idea of ‘going away’ to experience the first year of college,” Allen said. “Many of those graduates return home for various reasons and do not have a degree. If we can attract graduates early, we can educate them and give them an opportunity early that will open unlimited doors.”             “Nursing offers a variety of job opportunities, both locally and beyond,” said Dr. Dana Walker, director of ICC’s Associate Degree Nursing program. During recent years, nursing programs across the nation have experienced a decline in qualified applicants. “The early entry opportunity would offer high quality students who are focused on ...
• No tuition increase at ICC this fall

  When Itawamba Community College begins its fall semester in mid-August, there will be no tuition increase.             “We realize that with the economy and price increases, such as fuel, now more than ever, the College needs to make extra sacrifices to meet the needs of the people we serve,” according to ICC President Dr. Jay Allen.             “By not increasing tuition, Itawamba Community College can continue to make education more affordable to help families during these stressful economic times,” Allen said.             Again, this summer, ICC has extended its workday hours from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays, and closed on Fridays to conserve energy, which has been especially important during the extreme heat during June and July. The College also reviews each employee departure and evaluates if a reorganization and absorption of duties is a better fit for the College at that time or should the position be rehired. “Like our business partners and private citizens, ICC is doing more with less,” Allen said. “ICC continues to attempt to remove barriers and increase access to education while maintaining its reputation for academic excellence.”             ...
• ICC reopens key health program this fall using innovative instructional delivery method

              Itawamba Community College is reopening a key health science program this fall using an innovative instructional delivery method.             Diagnostic Medical Sonography will combine an in-person boot camp/lab session at the beginning of both the fall and spring semesters, clinical rotations and online didactic courses. DMS will begin as a one-year (three-semester) program in general sonography, according to instructor Amanda Stone. Graduates will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and will be eligible to take the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography examinations, including Principles and Instrumentation to become a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer in Abdominal and Obstetrics/Gynecology.  There will also be an option for students to continue into a second year of Cardiac and Vascular Sonography. Beginning in the fall of 2023, licensed professionals may enter that option. The program format will offer an opportunity for potential students from outside ICC’s geographical area to participate as long as clinical sites are approved, Stone said. “We are excited to offer an innovative curriculum that encompasses both in-person labs and clinicals with online didactic courses,” Stone ...
• ICC's Brown returns to the classroom this fall from nine-month deployment to Kuwait

              Service is an important word to Itawamba Community College instructor Ashley Brown of Blue Springs.             Fresh off a nine-month deployment to Kuwait, Brown has returned to the classroom this fall as an industrial maintenance, robotics and electrical technology instructor at the Belden Center. He is now in a different kind of service.             He is responsible for recruiting students; building and maintaining the curriculum; ensuring students achieve the skills necessary to be functional, entry-level employees in related career fields; maintaining relationships with industry and prospective employers and linking them.             That’s a long way from what Major Brown was doing in western Asia, where he was the logistic officer for a rotary aviation maintenance unit.             Brown has been in the military for more than 17 years, beginning as an enlisted private. He has served as an armor crewman in an M1A1 Abrams tank, a calvary scout, completed a 12-month deployment to Iraq and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. After six years of enlisted time, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and became ...
• ICC's enrollment increases this fall

  Itawamba Community College’s fall enrollment has increased even during turbulent economic times, according to figures released by the Mississippi Community College Board.             With full-time enrollment beginning at more than 4,700 and an increase in credit hours, the increase equates to 1.3 percent.             The increase is determined by comparing enrollments for the 2021 and 2022 fall semesters. In August, ICC opened Magnolia Hall, a state-of-the-art residence for honors students and student leaders at the Fulton Campus, which accommodates 246 additional students, and an increased emphasis has been placed on student activities, said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen.             “This is very exciting news, since the increases are in headcount, full-time equivalencies and credit hours and places us on an upward trend to pre-pandemic enrollment,” 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 on campus, the more successful they will be in the ...
• ICC adds significant scholarship opportunity in fall 2025

  Itawamba Community College is adding a significant scholarship opportunity beginning in the fall of 2025.             The Impact Scholarship program will support students who have financial hardship and help them achieve their educational goals and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities, according to Michael Upton, director of Advancement.             “These scholarships are given by an anonymous donor who has experienced the results of a life focused on accepting the love of Jesus and giving forgiveness to others,” Upton said. “They want to both help future ICC students as well as recognize the tremendous impact that teachers have on their students’ lives.”             In addition, the initiative fosters local talent and empowers individuals to contribute to the economic and social well-being of Northeast Mississippi.             “The Impact Scholarship program fosters a culture of gratitude and appreciation by requiring students to write an essay about a teacher who significantly impacted their lives, which strengthens the bond between the recipients and educators and highlights the importance of mentorship and guidance in the learning process,” Upton noted.             Students who are interested in applying ...