Assisi Foundation Awards $650,000 Grant to MSCC for Aviation, Manufacturing Training Facility

The Assisi Foundation of Memphis, Inc., has awarded Mid-South Community College a $650,000 grant in support of its proposed $3 million Mid-South Aviation and Manufacturing Training Facility.

“The people of our region deserve a first-class facility and the opportunity to compete for great jobs, and this generous grant from the Assisi Foundation will help us move forward with a vitally-important educational program,” said Dr. Glen Fenter, MSCC President.

“We are committed to developing a world-class training initiative that is completely responsive to the Memphis metropolitan area workforce needs, and our goal continues to be the creation of a workforce that will be second to none in the nation,” added Dr. Gibson “Sunny” Morris, Arkansas Delta Training and Education Consortium Liaison for Special Projects at MSCC.

Southern Business Magazine Ranks MSCC in Workforce Training Top 10

Southern Business & Development magazine has recognized Mid-South Community College in its 11th Annual Top 10s Edition published in April and distributed in May.

SB&D’s Winter 2013 issue lists MSCC as one of “Ten Outstanding Southern Community Colleges for Workforce Training.”

Southern Business & Development, in its 21st year of publication, is the South’s only economic development magazine. In the past two years, the publication has been quoted and/or featured on CNN, Time, AP, ABC News, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC, PBS, The Huffington Post, Yahoo, Al Jazeera, the BBC, and many other electronic media, as well as in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, USA Today and The New York Times.

MSCC Reorganizing Foundation, Marketing Departments, Names Executive Director

Todd Pendergrass, who came to Mid-South Community College as coordinator of Career Services, has been promoted to Executive Director of Institutional Advancement as part of the College’s ongoing restructuring.

Pendergrass will oversee MSCC’s Foundation and Marketing/Public Relations department in his new role. The retirement of Len Grice, Marketing/PR Director at the college for more than four years, played a part in the administrative decision to merge the two departments.

“Todd brings an excellent background in working with people and with new media, and he’s had a good deal of exposure to successful marketing concepts,” said Dr. Glen Fenter, MSCC President.

Southland Park to Continue MSCC Greyhound 5K Sponsorship

Southland Park Gaming and Racing has once again agreed to participate as the title sponsor for the Mid-South Community College Greyhound 5k Run/Walk.

The second annual fund-raising event will be held in West Memphis on Saturday, Oct. 5.

“Our goal is to build upon the phenomenal success of the 2012 race, and Southland Park Gaming and Racing has given us a great start,” said MSCC’s Todd Pendergrass who is serving as Race Coordinator. “We’re excited about the potential we have to make this a premier event in our region.”

Lenny’s Sub Shop of West Memphis has also rejoined the effort and will again serve as the food sponsor.

Eleanor, Solon Anthony Remember Fathers with MSCC Scholarship

Eleanor and Solon Anthony have established a Mid-South Community College Foundation scholarship to honor the memories of their fathers Mr. Porter Bennett and Mr. Luke S. Anthony.

“We’re educators, and we felt that if we could do anything to help any child in the school business, we needed to do it,” Mr. Anthony said. “We thought this would be a good way to honor the memory of our fathers as well, and we welcomed the opportunity to come on board.”

The Anthony Bennett Memorial Scholarship Fund supports the awarding of one $250 scholarship to a Mid-South Community College student each fall and spring semester. This award is designed to help students purchase textbooks for MSCC courses.

MSCC Recognizes Jeremy Smith as Outstanding Alumnus

Jeremy Smith a 2003 graduate of Mid-South Community College has been named the college’s Arkansas Association of Two-Year College’s Outstanding Alumnus for 2012-13. Smith serves as director of MSCC’s Pharmacy Technology program.

“It feels very rewarding to receive an honor of this significance,” Smith said. “When I graduated from high school, I was the probably the least likely out of all of my family to go to college. That makes me appreciate the award even more.”

Two coworkers at MSCC praised Smith for his approach to his profession.

“I would consider Jeremy Smith a ‘natural instructor,’” said Dr. Craig Lafferty, MSCC Academic Coordinator for Allied Health & Natural Sciences. “Jeremy has adapted extremely well in the academic environment, and students have informed me that they love his teaching style because he is very personable.”

MSCC TRiO Students Encouraged to Believe in Themselves

Students involved in the TRiO Student Support Services program at Mid-South Community College received an inspiration and motivational message during the recent Ninth Annual End of the Year Recognition Program.

Keynote speaker Dr. Trenia Miles, former MSCC Director of Retention Services and Program Coordinator for College Study and Survival Skills, encouraged students to tap into their internal strength.

“Everything you need to be successful is already in you,” said Dr. Miles, who serves as associate director for the Arkansas Department of Career and Adult Education. “You just have to believe and do the hard work it takes to make it happen. People will put limitations on you if you let them.”

MSCC Sets Summer Registration for Tuesday, May 28

For students willing to give up sun burning for learning this summer, Mid-South Community College is offering nearly 160 academically-challenging and career-building classes and labs beginning Monday, June 3.

Registration for MSCC’s summer classes will be Tuesday, May 28, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 5-6:30 p.m. in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Educational Excellence on the South Campus. The College is located at 2000 West Broadway in West Memphis.