Newsroom

rss

ICC Newsroom

Subscribe to receive news from ICC!

ICC's Patterson selected state MAACE Administrator of Year

           Linzy Patterson of Amory, director of adult education at Itawamba Community College, has been selected as the recipient of the 2021-22 Mississippi Association of Adult and Community Education Administrator of the Year award.

            In January 2018, Patterson joined ICC’s Adult Education department as an instructor at the Amory WIN Center, and in 2019-20, he was transferred to the Belden Center to serve as lead instructor. During this time, he was a member of the state SmartStart professional development committee as well as the TABE Frequently Asked Questions Manual committee. In August 2021, he was promoted to ICC’s director of adult education.

            Patterson began his professional career with the Amory School District in 2010, serving as a special education instructor along with assistant football, soccer and tennis coach. He was selected as Teacher of the Year for the 2014-15 school year.

            Patterson’s nominator for the award said, “Having come from a special education background, he is especially sensitive to the needs of those students. He has established connections with community groups, including the Regional Rehabilitation Center and the Lee County Youth Court, and brought in psychometrists for assessments for learning disabilities to lead to those students achieving more success.

            “He is a natural leader. He loves the classroom and misses being in it, but he still visits and interacts with the students daily. He has a passion for education, but what stands out most is his humor and his positive attitude. Adult education students respect and admire him because he doesn’t judge. He meets them where they are and gives them tough love to change their situations and their lives.”

            Patterson attributed his success to ICC’s adult education team. “I am extremely honored to receive this award,” he said, “but this is a direct reflection of the program we have at Itawamba Community College. An individual in a leadership/administrative role is only as good as his team, and we have built one of the best teams in the state. I am just so proud to receive this award on behalf of Itawamba Community College’s Adult Education program because they are making a difference. For us to receive recognition for all the hard work that goes into helping those within our district day in and day out is humbling.”

            Patterson also expressed his appreciation to ICC President Dr. Jay Allen for his support of the adult education program. “Directors such as Linzy Patterson are what makes ICC such a special place,” Allen said. “He takes a personal interest in each student. He knows their stories, and he evaluates and individualizes their keys to success. This award demonstrates that he is changing lives, many of which have had difficult beginnings.”

            The award was presented during the 2022 annual adult education conference, June 6-8, at the Hilton Jackson. The conference theme was Skills2Strive4: Achieving Excellence in Adult Education.

 



Comments are closed.