19 September ICC, The W sign MOU to provide educational opportunities for students pursuing sspecific career education programs with desire to earn bachelor's degree September 19, 2025 By Thomas, Donna S. Career Center, General 0 Itawamba Community College and Mississippi University for Women signed a memorandum of understanding today [Sept. 19] to provide educational opportunities for students pursuing careers in specific career education programs with a desire to eventually earn a bachelor’s degree. The agreement establishes a pathway by which students earning an appropriate Associate of Applied Science degree from ICC may complete a baccalaureate degree at The W. According to the agreement, both institutions will work together to enroll students in degree completion programs for ICC’s career education graduates. Both colleges will advise and encourage ICC students, alumni and constituents to promote these programs to each institution’s stakeholders and throughout the local community college district. The pathways will provide for students in certain degree areas to transfer up to 90 credit hours to The W after graduating from ICC. Included are computer networking and cybersecurity, computer programming, business and marketing management, hospitality management, paralegal and construction management. According to Dylan Baldwin, dean of Career Education at ICC, “This partnership with Mississippi University for Women creates a remarkable pathway for our students. By completing three years of coursework at ICC before transferring, they can save significantly on the cost of a bachelor’s degree while still receiving a high-quality education. It’s an incredible opportunity that makes higher education more accessible, affordable and achievable for our career education students.” “For decades, ICC and The W have shared a strong partnership, and today’s agreement is a natural extension of that longstanding relationship. Through this pathway, students in career and technical education programs can earn both an AAS and an AA from ICC in just three years, then complete a BAS at The W in only one additional year without sacrificing their technical credits,” said Dr. Scott Tollison, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at The W. “Beyond that, they can finish an MBA with us in just one more year. It’s a 3+1+1 model that accelerates opportunity while emphasizing quality.” “This agreement will allow our students to now have an opportunity to transfer their credits and work toward a bachelor’s degree at MUW in a discipline in which they are truly passionate,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “This degree opportunity recognizes the value of career education degrees offered at Mississippi’s community colleges and the impact they are making on Mississippi’s workforce. This allows our previous, current and future career education majors a natural progression for post-ICC educational endeavors while transferring academic credits.” Both ICC and The W advisers will collaborate to ensure seamless transition between programs. Participants in the signing included in addition to The W’s Dr. Scott Tollison and ICC’s Baldwin and Allen were Barry Emison, ICC vice president of Career and Workforce Education; Jodi McCrimon, ICC Business and Marketing Management Technology program director and instructor; Scott Emison, ICC Construction Management program director and instructor; Kelly Woodford, dean, business and professional studies/professor; and Dr. Dee Dee Larson, department chair/professor and Master of Business Administration coordinator. Related Articles ICC, The W sign memorandum of understanding to provide opportunities for Early Childhood Education majors Itawamba Community College and Mississippi University for Women signed a memorandum of understanding today (July 14) to provide educational opportunities for students pursuing careers in early childhood education. The agreement establishes a pathway for ICC students who are earning an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Technology to have the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree at The W. According to the agreement, ICC and The W will work together to enroll students in the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development program, including advising and encouraging students, alumni and constituents who qualify. The W agrees to share information regarding the rotation of its Early Childhood Development courses so that eligible ICC graduates may make informed advising decisions and complete degree requirements in a timely manner. “I am so pleased that Itawamba Community College and The W are partnering to provide 2+2 pathways for their students to become ours upon completion of their associate degrees,” said Nora Miller, W President. “These pathways streamline students’ transition to our bachelor’s programs, allowing them to plan their schedules so they won’t lose credit hours when ... ICC/The W sign MOU for bachelor's degree program in elementary/special education Itawamba Community College and Mississippi University for Women signed a memorandum of understanding today (Nov. 1) to offer an undergraduate program of study that will lead to a bachelor’s degree in elementary education or special education from the School of Education at The W. “We are excited to announce this partnership with ICC that strengthens our commitment to providing access and new pathways for our students,” said W President Nora Miller. “Together we are dedicated to fostering academic growth and preparing teachers for their classrooms.” “This agreement will allow our students to now have an opportunity to transfer their credits and work toward a bachelor’s degree at MUW in a discipline in which they are truly passionate,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “This degree opportunity recognizes the value of both elementary and special education degrees offered at Mississippi’s community colleges and the impact they are making not only on Mississippi’s workforce but to provide an unparalleled foundation for our children in the state and beyond. This allows our previous, current and future elementary education or special education majors a natural ... Metallica's All Within My Hands grant significantly impacts lives, futures of ICC students A $50,000 grant from Metallica’s All Within My Hands foundation is significantly impacting the lives and futures of more than 50 Itawamba Community College career education and health sciences students. They were selected based on an application process, which included information about the difference that receiving the scholarship will make in continuing their educational journey, according to Dylan Baldwin, dean of Career Education, who wrote the grant proposal. “This significant opportunity is making the difference in enabling many of the recipients to continue enrollment in their programs,” Baldwin noted. “Sometimes we don’t realize the struggles that students have to overcome to earn their ICC degrees to ensure a better future not only for themselves, but also in many instances, their families.” Among the student stories are, “My husband and I are struggling with money because of doctor bills…I am a 40-year-old veteran, 80 percent disabled trying to do something different with my life, something that’s not as physically hard labor as I’m used to…I am a 4.0 honor roll student, have maintained a 4.0 GPA since being in college ... 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 ... ICC, one of two in Mississippi, receives Metallica's All Within My Hands grant All Within My Hands, the nonprofit, philanthropic organization created by the members and management of Metallica, has announced the largest expansion of its Metallica Scholars Initiative and its largest grant to date. With the launch of year six, 18 new colleges join the roster of existing MSI community colleges. The Metallica Scholars Initiative now has a presence in 60 colleges across all 50 United States and the territory of Guam. Itawamba Community College, which is in year two, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College represent Mississippi. ICC’s $50,000 grant will focus on recruiting underserved populations to enable individuals to attain job skills and opportunities to equip them for employment to better position them for success and a better future. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the continuing recipients of the prestigious All Within My Hands grant, which will significantly impact our career education programs and the lives of those who will receive scholarships to pursue a pathway and their best start,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of ... ICC joins in commemoration of February as Career Education Month Itawamba Community College is joining two-year institutions across the United States in commemorating February as Career Education Month. “Career education is a major part of the solution to such economic and workforce issues, including high school dropout rates, a weakened economy, global competitiveness and massive layoffs,” said Dylan Baldwin, dean of Career Education at ICC. “Career education associate’s degrees can pay $10,000 more per year than those in other fields, sometimes even more than bachelor’s degrees, while limiting student debt.” Recent news reports indicate that those who now realize that immediate employment in the skilled trades and no student debt lead to promising careers are referred to as “The Toolbelt Generation,” Baldwin said. “Many are benefitting from the secure job track and high earnings potential these career education jobs now provide. Additionally, federal data shows that trade school students are more likely to be employed after school than their degree-seeking counterparts and much more likely to work in a job related to their study.” According to the latest figures available from the Association for Career and Technical Education, 21,897 ... Comments are closed.