MSCC Meeting Regional Needs with Current, Future Programs

In a continuing effort to lead the region as an energetic, innovative, and resourceful organization focused on individual and economic growth, Mid-South Community College is meeting challenges for 2012 and beyond.
 

“We have great facilities, great technology, and great people,” says MSCC President Dr. Glen Fenter. “There’s not a better place on the planet to pursue higher education than Mid-South Community College. Nobody cares more about students, and nobody’s going to work harder to help them to succeed or be more excited when they are successful.”

 

 Nearing two decades of service to Crittenden and surrounding counties, MSCC continues to provide everything from literacy training to access to master’s degrees from regional universities. The goal remains unchanged.
 

“We help people change their lives, and that is an amazing opportunity and an awesome responsibility,” Dr. Fenter said.
 

With technical education programming that is nationally recognized to general education courses that have prepared students to transfer to more than 140 colleges and universities throughout the country, MSCC provides world-class opportunities.
 

The College offers credit classes in Addiction Counseling; Allied Health Sciences (Pharmacy Technology, Medical Assisting, Respiratory Care, Emergency Medical Technician, and Nursing Assistant); Aviation Maintenance Technology; Biology; Business; Chemistry; Computer Applications; College “Survival” and Study Skills; Computer Basics; Cultural Anthropology; Developmental English, Math, and Reading; Diesel Technology; Economics; Education; Emergency Management; English; Geography; History; Health and Physical Education; Information Systems Technology; Machine Technology; Manufacturing; Math; Music; Philosophy; Political Science;
Physical Science; Psychology; Renewable Energy Technology; Sociology; Spanish; Transportation/Logistics, and Welding.
 

Students at MSCC can select from several certificate and degree options. The Associate of Arts (transfer) degree allows students to complete the first two years of college in a smaller, more student-centered environment than most four-year institutions provide. AA recipients can use those courses to enroll in a four-year program through the College’s University Center, or they can transfer them to another location where they can work toward a bachelor’s degree.
 

Mid-South also offers an Associate of Arts in Teaching degree that is designed to give students the foundation for a career in a middle level or P-4 classroom.
 

In addition, the College offers degrees and certificates designed to prepare graduates to enter the work force, and the college provides training designed to lead to professional licensures and/or certifications as well.
 

Associate of Applied Science degrees available at MSCC include Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Business Technology (Business Administration or Applications Specialist), General Technology, Information Systems Technology (Certified Internet Web Professional or Cisco Networking), Logistics and Supply Chain Technology, Medical Assisting Technology, and Renewable Energy Technology.
 

 In addition to MSCC’s two-year associate degrees, the college works in partnership with Arkansas State University to provide a registered nursing program on the Mid-South campus.
 

Students can pursue Technical Certificates in Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Aviation Airframe, Aviation Powerplant, Diesel Maintenance Technology, Logistics and Supply Chain Technology, Pharmacy Technology, and Renewable Energy Technology.
 

Certificates of Proficiency are available in Administrative Office Procedures, Advanced Manufacturing, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Chemical Plant Operations, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Emergency Medical Technician, Diesel Maintenance Technology, Internet Web Professional, Machine Technology, Microcomputer Upgrade and Repair, Nursing Assistant, Renewable Energy, Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations, and Welding Technology.
 

MSCC continues to expand bachelor’s degree and post-graduate opportunities through its University Center on the South Campus.
 

Mid-South partners with Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, Bethel University, Franklin University, Montana State University-Northern, the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the University of Central Arkansas, and Victory University (Memphis) to provide access to strategically-selected and highly successful educational and training programs.
 

The College also continues to pursue partnerships designed to enhance training and employment opportunities in the region. Among many others, MSCC works with FedEx Express, the Manufacturing Institute, Memphis BioWorks, Dassault Falcon Jet, and Aviation Repair Technologies to create and align curriculum with manufacturing and business needs.
 

In the near future, MSCC will open the doors to its $9 million Marion Berry Renewable Energy Center, a facility with tremendous potential to change the economic fortunes of the Arkansas Delta. The Center will provide the region with the capacity to develop a well-trained workforce for the rapidly-evolving transportation, agriculture, and heavy construction industries.
 

The structure boasts technology and equipment that is second to none in Arkansas, west Tennessee, north Mississippi and southeast Missouri, and students will have the opportunity to participate in training experiences that will prepare them for “green” jobs of the present and the future.
 

Through partnerships Arkansas State University and the University of Memphis, this facility will support applied research in biofuel production including testing the effects of alternative energy sources on engine performance and durability. In addition it will provide incubation resources for biofuel entrepreneurs and provide advanced capacity to the transportation industry for equipment development and implementation.
 

The 35,120 square foot structure includes eight full-scale diesel bays that will support a career pathway in diesel technology, from high school through a baccalaureate degree. The baccalaureate degree, which is offered by Montana State University-Northern, provides students the skills to support big-bore engines such as those found on locomotives and ocean-going vessels.
 

The building also houses a biofuel production facility including an ethanol distillation unit and a pyrolysis-gasification unit (under development with the University of Memphis) which converts biomass to syngas and fuels. A second-generation microbiodiesel refinery, developed at the college, will be housed in the center and will serve as a production, research, and workforce development tool. Technology needed to create a fully-integrated biomass-based biofuel refinery is in place, and production of alternative fuels for automobiles and jets is expected to begin in 2013.
 

Work has begun on MSCC’s $5.25 Wellness Center and FEMA Safe Room that will meet a variety of student and community needs. The facility will include a large, weather-resistant room for students, staff, and people who live near the college, as well as a gymnasium, classrooms, fitness room, dressing rooms, training room, and an area for student activities.
 

Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Education (Title III Predominantly Black Institution program) are providing significant resources toward the construction process.
 

Designed by Pat Kelley Magruder Architects of West Memphis in collaboration with Wittenberg, Delony & Davidson Architects of Little Rock, the 34,650 square foot structure will be built by Kinco Construction Company of Little Rock. The initial phase of the wellness center construction will cost approximately $5.25 million and will be completed by Jan. 1, 2013.
 

Title III PBI funds will support the inclusion of a gymnasium which will be used by the Greyhound sports teams as well as physical education classes and intramural teams. Higher education research shows that social engagement is a very important factor in the retention of students, particularly among African-American males who have the lowest retention rate of all community college students.
 

“The Wellness Center will serve as a vital location for students and members of the community to gather,” said Dr. Dwayne J. Scott, MSCC Vice President for Student Affairs. “It will serve as a multipurpose facility that will allow for unique programming opportunities in the areas of recreation and cultural awareness activities.”
 

“The Wellness Center will allow MSCC to promote healthy living styles, social awareness, and intellectual growth among faculty, staff, and members of the community.”
 

Jason Carmichael, MSCC Dean of Students and Athletic Director, said he expects the facility to be an instant hit with students.
 

“I think it’s going to be a hub for campus activities, and we’re very excited about what it will mean to our campus,” Carmichael said. “We consistently see on our surveys that our students are looking for social engagement on our campus, and the wellness center will give us the physical location we need to provide that.”
 

On the sports side of the equation, the center will give the Greyhounds a place to call their own.

“If everything goes as planned, we could be playing in there as early as February 2013, and we’re excited about that possibility,” Carmichael said.
 

The building will be capable of seating 700-800 people with moveable chairs and tables for larger events. Long-range plans call for a “black box” theater area that could be used for performances and presentations. The building’s lobby will have the potential to serve as a gathering place for students, something the college currently lacks.
 

“Many really cool things are happening at the college right now; the list is almost endless,” Dr. Fenter said. “Clearly, divine intervention has played a major role in our accomplishments, and we are indeed blessed in many ways. We remain firmly committed to the people of our region, and we consider it an honor of the highest order to be able to help individuals change their lives.”
 

For information about learning opportunities at Mid-South Community College, call (870) 633-6728, email admissions@midsouthcc.edu, visit the website at www.midsouthcc.edu, or come to the campus at 2000 West Broadway in West Memphis.