25 April ICC students, faculty among Mississippi Community College Creative Writers Association competition winners April 25, 2023 By Thomas, Donna S. General 0 Itawamba Community College students and faculty were among the winners in the 2023 Mississippi Community College Creative Writers Association competition. They include Kent Humphries of Vina, Ala., first place in dramatic writing for “Nun with a Gun;” Emma Logan of Fulton, second place in literary essay for “Literature and Disney Classics;” editor-in-chief Shawn Whittington of Saltillo, poetry editor Keith Morris of Tupelo, and student poetry editors Connor Monaghan of Aberdeen and Jessica George of Tupelo, first place in literary magazine. This is the sixth year in a row that ICC has won the dramatic writing category and the second year in a row, the literary magazine category. The competition included poetry, short story, essay (creative nonfiction), literary essay, dramatic writing and college literary magazine. First and second place winners received monetary prizes of $100 and $60, respectively. 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's Chris Stevenson selected Mississippi Community College Faculty Association vice president Chris Stevenson of Fulton, Social Science Division Chair and history instructor at Itawamba Community College, has been selected as vice president of the Mississippi State Community College Faculty Association for 2021-23. A native of Guntown, Stevenson has been employed at ICC since 2010. 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. He has additional graduate hours from Ole Miss and Delta State University. He is married to Bruce native Jessi Stevenson, and they have two children, Rourke and Riley. As vice president, Stevenson’s role includes support of current state president Brandi Pickett, and he will automatically become president at the conclusion of his two-year term. Stevenson said he plans to emphasize the value and the quality of instruction that originates in the community college classroom to state leaders as well as all residents of Mississippi. 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 selected among winners of Mississippi Business Journal's 2023 Best Places to Work in Mississippi Itawamba Community College has been selected among the winners of the Mississippi Business Journal’s 2023 Best Places to Work in Mississippi. ICC was a finalist in the large category, which includes businesses with 150 or more employees. “On behalf of our Itawamba Community College family, we appreciate this significant honor from the Mississippi Business Journal, which is a testament to how our employees see us,” said President Dr. Jay Allen. “At ICC, we are more than administrators, faculty and staff members. We are friends, and most importantly, we are family.” According to Mississippi Business Journal Publisher Tami Jones, “We are so pleased to have such great companies that set the example of a great place to work. It is even more exciting that this award comes from how the employees view their employers. What better way to gauge and interact with your employees and the success of your company?” ICC opened its doors, Sept. 1, 1948, and is celebrating its diamond anniversary. It is situated on what was once a cotton and corn field on a 100-acre parcel of ... ICC selected among 25 semifinalists nationwide for prestigious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Today, Itawamba Community College was selected among the 25 semifinalists for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a milestone in the award selection process. ICC and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College were the only public two-year institutions in the state to be selected for this prestigious honor. The $1 million Aspen Prize is the nation’s signature recognition of community colleges that are achieving high, improving and equitable outcomes for students. In years past, only 10 finalists have been named, and this change is designed to highlight the increased number of colleges across the country doing excellent work, according to the announcement from the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “Being selected as a semifinalist from among eligible community colleges across the nation is not only an honor, but it is monumental for ICC to be chosen among the top two-year institutions across America to continue to compete for the significant Aspen Prize,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the ... ICC students among state art competition winners Three Itawamba Community College students are among award winners in the 2022 MCCAIA State Student Art Competition hosted by Jones College in Ellisville. They include Kaitlin Stegall of Pontotoc, first place in drawing for “Plum Tea” and honorable mention in drawing for “Caleb’s Sunset;” Mia Coggin of Nettleton, third place in painting for “Cooper Dyes His Hair” and honorable mention in graphic design for “Eye Eye Captive;” and Elliana Parker of Saltillo, honorable mention in 3D design for “Patterned Gogh.” More than 170 pieces of art are featured from students competing in eight categories from painting and mixed media to drawing, 2D design, 3D design, digital/computer art, photography, printmaking and ceramics. Additional ICC students who participated include Taylor Braxton of Amory; Bayleigh Caldwell of Caledonia; Olivia Jones of Mantachie; Michaela Pearson of Pontotoc; Camille Campbell and Ana Chambers, both of Tupelo. ICC students competed with full-time students from Copiah-Lincoln Community College, East Central Community College, East Mississippi Community College, Hinds Community College, Holmes Community College, Jones College, Meridian Community College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Northwest Mississippi ... Comments are closed.