21 June Support Staff of the Year June 21, 2017 By Thomas, Donna S. General 0 Three Itawamba Community College employees have been selected as recipients of the 2016-17 Recognition of Excellence, Support Staff Employee Award. They include Colby Hannon of Pontotoc, PC/telecommunications and network technician; Jennifer McFerrin of Mantachie, library technical specialist; and Candice Pitts of Mantachie, Advising Center office specialist. Hannon graduated from ICC in 1998, which is the same year he began his employment in the Learning Resource Center. After two years, he transferred to Telecommunications and Information Service. He is married to Debbie Hannon, and he attends The Orchard Methodist Church in Tupelo. McFerrin earned the associate’s degree from ICC, the bachelor’s degree from Mississippi University for Women and in 2014, Library Support Staff Certification. Her work experience includes the North Mississippi Medical Center, Community Development Foundation, Mantachie First Baptist Church and Mantachie Printing. McFerrin joined the ICC staff in 1991, serving as library technical specialist at the Tupelo Campus. Since January 1997, she has been at the Fulton Campus, where she has also proctored online testing prior to her current duties. She has served as Sunday School secretary at Mantachie First Baptist Church since 1985 and is past secretary and member of the Itawamba Historical Society and past Matron and secretary of the Fulton Chapter Order of the Eastern Star. She is the daughter of Dorothy McFerrin and the late Keyron McFerrin. She has one brother, Randy. Pitts earned the associate’s degree from ICC, where she joined the staff in 2005. She has served as office assistant to the associate dean of Career and Technical Instruction on the Tupelo Campus, and in 2011, she began working as office assistant to the Director of Advising. Pitts is a member of The Orchard Northside Church in Baldwyn, where she is a praise team member and assists with leading worship. She also provides vocal entertainment at various area events. She and her husband, Tom, have one daughter, Virginia Rose, 9. Criteria for selection for the award include continuously striving for attainment of new knowledge and skills through professional development and demonstrating high standards in job performance, knowledge and skills; customer service; dependability; attitude; integrity, professionalism and relations with fellow employees, students and/or public. They must also be full-time employees for at least five years. 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 joins in MACJC effort for legislative support 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 ... Ten ICC staff, faculty selected for prestigious LDI Ten members of Itawamba Community College’s faculty and staff have been selected to participate in its Leadership Development Institute for 2022-23. They include C.J. Adams of Fulton, marketing specialist; Terry Bland of Mooreville, financial aid director; Josh Gammill of Fulton, pathway coordinator; Adam Gore of Fulton, sports information and media relations director; Holly Gray of Fulton, library director; John Wayne Harris of Fulton, project and energy management systems director; Dr. Robert L. Solomon of Belden, director of admissions and registrar; Chris Stevenson of Fulton, social science division chair and history instructor; Dr. Dana Walker of Tupelo, Associate Degree Nursing program director; and Steven A. West of Mantachie, systems analyst and programmer. Adams, who has been employed at ICC since 2018, earned the A.A.S. degree in computer servicing at ICC. He is the recipient of 18 awards from the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi, including the 2021 grand award for electronic media and the 2020 Mississippi Press Association best general news photo in the collegiate junior division. In 2016, he cofounded The Square ... Three years later...Neither ICC nor TPSD could have imagined magnitude of Middle College success Three years ago, neither Itawamba Community College nor the Tupelo Public School District could have imagined the magnitude of success of its Middle College partnership. The accelerated journey to simultaneously achieving diplomas from both institutions has grown significantly, according to Brittany Terrell, transition counselor. “When reflecting on the past three years of the Middle College program, I am proud of the success these students have shown. I have witnessed students come out of their shell and find confidence in their academic abilities. Not only have they blossomed academically, but they are heavily involved with ICC’s extracurriculars, clubs and organizations.” Jay Salters of Tupelo, who received both his Tupelo High School and Itawamba Community College diplomas last spring, was president of the Tupelo Campus Student Government Association, one of only 12 members selected by faculty and staff members to the prestigious Hall of Fame and a member of the ICC Indian Delegation and a THS Ambassador. He was invited into membership in both Phi Theta Kappa (ICC) and the National Honor Society (THS). However, he’s not the only example. Austin Acosta, currently a ... ICC to honor Alumnus of the Year, Athletic Hall of Fame Sept. 23 Itawamba Community College will honor its 2021 Alumnus of the Year and Athletic Hall of Fame inductees during Homecoming activities, Sept. 23, at the Fulton Campus. They include Karen Camp McFerrin of Mantachie, Alumnus of the Year; and Cameron “CeCee” Austin Cavanaugh of Pontotoc and Jeff Tally of Saltillo, Athletic Hall of Fame. From 1968-70, McFerrin attended ICC, where she earned the associate’s degree. She was a Wesley Foundation officer, Drum Major, vice president of the Home Economics Club and charter member of Phi Theta Kappa, Hall of Fame, IJC Beauty and Dean’s List Scholar. She continued her education at the University of Mississippi, where she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in home economics. She began her career working for the Mississippi Extension Service in Tylertown before returning home to accept a position at ICC, where she served as a recruiter, teacher and adviser. McFerrin played a vital role in the organization of the Indian Delegation. Through teaching nutrition classes, she empowered many nursing students to understand and implement the vital link between nutrition and health in their ... ICC alumnus Jason Dickinson returns to become Campus Police Chief 28 years after he first enrolled as a student Itawamba Community College alumnus Jason Dickinson of Mantachie has returned to his alma mater to become Campus Police Chief 28 years after he first enrolled as a student. On July 1, Dickinson started his new job after spending 23 years working patrol and investigating. Dickinson said he applied because he wants to make a difference in the young lives of the students. Although he has never worked in the college environment, he wants to help or keep them on the right path and explain to them what a bad decision can bring. Dickinson earned two associate’s degrees from ICC, one in agribusiness and the other, in Law Enforcement Technology. “My first stint as a student was in 1993, and it was an adjustment straight out of a small high school. The best part was I met my wife of 25 years now in music appreciation class.” Dickinson’s second time as a student begin in 2015, when he enrolled to obtain a law enforcement degree. He was working full-time as an investigator with the Itawamba County Sheriff’s ... Comments are closed.