MSCC Provides Clothes, Toys to Kids at Three Elementary Schools

Mid-South Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society chapter has made the holiday season much brighter for students at Faulk, Jackson, and Weaver elementary schools in West Memphis.

With a generous response from MSCC students and staff, Phi Theta Kappa provided more than $700 worth of Christmas cheer to children in special needs classrooms at the three schools. PTK collected dollars, spare change, and direct donations for about a month to help put smiles on the faces of more than 50 West Memphis-area children.

Honor society members and other campus volunteers gathered Tuesday, Dec. 16, to wrap presents for the youngsters. MSCC representatives, as well as Santa Claus, went to the schools on Wednesday, Dec. 17, to deliver the gifts. PTK member Laura Buralli participated in the gift distribution, and fellow member Robin Abbott devoted time to the organization’s fund-raising effort at the basketball concession stand and helped to prepare the gifts for the children.

West Memphis Rotary Donates $1,000 to Literacy Council

The Crittenden County Literacy Council, based at Mid-South Community College, has additional funding for educational supplies and promotional efforts thanks to a generous contribution from the West Memphis Rotary Club.

Local Rotarians recently donated $1,000 to the Literacy Council to support efforts to reach out to area residents in need of educational assistance. As many as one in three Crittenden County citizens is considered functionally illiterate, which means they read at or below the fifth-grade level.

“The West Memphis Rotary Club’s donation is a significant blessing for us,” said Jacki Murase, Literacy Council Coordinator. “Our Council has grown to 30 students and 20 tutors in the last three months, so our need for additional supplies and educational materials has increased considerably.”

MSCC’s Adult Ed Overcoming Misinformation, Meeting County Needs

One year ago, Mid-South Community College’s Adult Education department began bracing for a major change that some thought would sink the program.

A new General Education Development® examination had been created, and the cost of the test was expected to go from free to more than $100, effectively ending access for many of those who needed the service and opportunity the most.

Today, however, MSCC’s efforts to help Arkansas citizens earn a high school diploma equivalency are going strong thanks to some last-minute adjustments by the state.

Gov. Beebe Appoints Dr. Barr to MSCC Board of Trustees

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe has appointed Marian Barr, M.D., to the Mid-South Community College Board of Trustees. Dr. Barr, whose term runs through July 1, 2019, replaces Milton Nicks Jr. who stepped down after winning election to the Arkansas House of Representatives (District 50).

“We are certainly excited to have Dr. Barr on the board,” said MSCC President Dr. Glen Fenter. “She is a great proponent of higher education, and her roots run deep in Crittenden County. Dr. Barr previously served with distinction on our Foundation Board, and her insight and vision will be invaluable to our efforts to keep the institution moving forward.”

MSCC to Discuss Possible Merger with Arkansas State University

Mid-South Community College’s Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to engage in formal conversations with the Arkansas State University System to investigate the possibility of a merger.

“We have carefully considered the opportunities for continued growth and long-term success of Mid-South Community College and believe as a board that a merger could help us do more for our city, county, and region,” said Chair Mary Meux Toney, who has been a trustee since the College’s inception.

“Dr. Fenter and his staff have done a wonderful job in taking us further than anyone ever imagined, and now we see the need to consider additional support at a very important time in our region’s history.”

If the merger were to happen, MSCC would likely become known as Arkansas State University Mid-South.

The ASU System currently features campuses/presences in Jonesboro, Beebe, Mountain Home, Newport, Searcy, Marked Tree, Heber Springs, Paragould, and the Little Rock Air Force Base.

“Arkansas State University’s stock has risen dramatically in the last decade, as has Mid-South Community College’s,” said MSCC President Dr. Glen Fenter. “There are some things going on right now in a very narrow window that we must capitalize on while the opportunities are available to us. We can’t afford to look back a year from now and wish we had done something differently.”

“A merger with the ASU System could potentially give us the edge that we’ve never had on our own. If it is approached in the right way, I think it has the potential to become a very powerful catalyst for our region to maximize some great opportunities.”

Dr. Fenter said MSCC has managed to reach the pinnacle of workforce training and education because of its ability to foster partnerships throughout the region.

“If this institution has been an example of anything, it is the power of partnerships, whether you chronicle the humble beginnings of the nationally-recognized biodiesel program, the world-wide listenership of the KWEM radio station, the recent $9.8 million TAACCCT IV grant, or the $65 million in resources that has been brought to a consortium of two-year colleges that has set the model now for the entire state.”

“Everyone recognizes that we are at a place that is desirable for an institution, one where it would be easy to just talk about how cool we are, but because of our accomplishments, we also have an elevated sense of responsibility to continue to maximize our opportunities for the communities that we serve.”

Two opportunities in particular – the Big River Steel project and the workforce training efforts by the Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce – require immediate attention.

“Mississippi County has now created the potential for something like 3,000 jobs in the last six months, jobs that can forever change eastern Arkansas. We have an opportunity that hasn’t existed in our lifetime. Some of the companies that will come to this area in support of Big River would like to locate in Crittenden County, but they have to have a reason. We have to create those opportunities, and having ASU in our corner would be a great asset.”

“Our involvement in the GMACW puts us in a very good position to engineer unparalleled growth opportunities in eastern Arkansas. We have to embrace the potential power of what Memphis represents just as DeSoto County, Miss., did. That whole region represents one of the fastest-growing retail markets in the nation.”

“The good news is that growth is not over; it’s not stopping. It simply has to have a reason to redirect itself. We have to find ways to be attractive to those folks, and having an alliance with Arkansas State would strengthen our ability to affect positive change.”

MSCC’s president pointed out that the time to act is now.

“In the next five years, there could be as many as least six automotive plants reshoring in the South, giving states like Arkansas the chance to reinvent a part of their economic future. For us to be one of those states, or to attract any other significant economic development opportunity, we have to have a skilled workforce in place. The concept of jobs coming back to this country through reshoring is the greatest opportunity for job growth that the South’s ever had.”

“If we’re going to participate in that, we must have all of our ducks in a row. There probably won’t be any second chances. We have to do some bold things to make certain that we capture every opportunity we can. If we do this right, we have a chance to skip a couple of decades’ worth of normal progress because we accelerated our model.”

Dr. Fenter said one of the key points of any merger agreement will be local autonomy. In its “Membership Benefits” document, the Arkansas State University System asserts a commitment to allowing “significant autonomy to each member campus,” including the appointment of a local board and the freedom for campuses to develop or maintain their unique identity, mission and purpose.
“If our board members determine that a merger would be of benefit, the Board of Trustees would become a ‘Board of Visitors’ and would remain intact. They would have similar responsibilities to what they have now.”

Dr. Fenter said the board has assured him that it will not vote to merge “until we get the agreement the way we like it.”

He said the College’s organizational structure would remain the same, except that the president would become a chancellor.

“We’re not plowing brand new ground,” Dr. Fenter said. “There have been a number of people who have chosen this option for their institutions for the last couple of decades.”

Fenter emphasized that any merger agreement would not include additional funding to MSCC in the short run.

“It doesn’t mean more money; it means we could have more people rowing our boat. Arkansas State University needs a presence in economic development and workforce training, and they know we are viewed as a leader in the state in those efforts. We need their support to help us speed up changing the state’s funding formula for workforce training-related efforts.”

“At the end of the day, their resources as a system can’t help but positively impact what we’re doing, and I can think of a 1,000 benefits in our direction. I am absolutely, totally convinced that pursuing this merger is the right thing for us to do and believe it’s a tremendously exciting and powerful opportunity for our students, faculty, staff and the region that we serve.”

Academic All-Star Beats Odds, Shines Brightly

By his own admission, Mid-South Community College student Treyvon Olden is unaccustomed to recognition for academic success. To this point in his life, most of the 19-year-old’s accolades have come from athletic endeavors. So when he earned our institution’s highest honor for a student, he had a simple question – why?
 

The answer is also very simple; the story behind it is much more complex. Treyvon Olden is a classic example of why Mid-South Community College exists. Raised in a one-parent home in a rough section of Memphis, Olden’s prospects for the future looked bleak at best. He has described his surroundings as hostile and has shared that he felt he came from a “generation that’s cursed. My father’s father was not in his life, and my father was not in my life. My father really didn’t want to have anything to do with me.”

Youthful, Energetic Lady Greyhounds Face Challenging Schedule

Mid-South Community College’s women will play 16 games against Division I foes this season, and the Division II Lady Greyhounds are counting on energy and enthusiasm to help them collect their share of victories.

“It’s going to be a challenging year,” said veteran coach Andy Stoglin who takes over for Kim Ezell this season. “We have a lot of young ladies who have potential, but we’re very young overall. Based on our schedule, we’ll need to grow up in a hurry.”

Greyhounds Feature Athleticism, Size, Entertaining Style

Mid-South Community College’s men are looking to improve on last year’s regional championship finish, and the Greyhounds are primed for that opportunity with a generous portion of size and athleticism.

MSCC will open the season on Oct. 31 against Kaskaskia College in the first round of the Greyhound Tipoff Classic presented by RJ Young.

“We will put an extremely entertaining team on the court for our fans,” said Coach Parker. “We have a lot of athleticism, and we have, by far, more size than we’ve ever had. We have seven guys who are 6-5 or taller; that is unprecedented for our program.”

Former U of M Distance Runners Win Greyhound 5K Titles

Trent Scott and Alisha Fitch, who ran cross country for the University of Memphis, captured the men’s and women’s division of the Third Annual Greyhound 5k at Mid-South Community College on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Scott crossed the finish line in 16:38.92 to take the men’s crown, and Fitch ran a 19:37.46 to prevail in the women’s competition. Both runners set Greyhound 5k records, easily eclipsing last year’s winning times of 17:43.09 and 21:23.44.

Martavious Johnson placed second in the men’s bracket with an 18:29.45, and Robert Wilson came in third at 9:15.01. Stacy Chick finished as the women’s runnerup with a 20:54.58, and Paris Perkins placed third with a 23:44.20.

Diane Hampton, MSCC Vice President for Institutional Advancement, called the event a winner for everyone involved.

FedEx Donates $250,000 to MSCC for Aviation Maintenance Facility

FedEx Express, whose support helped Mid-South Community College establish an FAA-certified Aviation Maintenance Technology training program in 2011, continues to demonstrate its long-term commitment, this time with a $250,000 gift.

MSCC will use the funds toward construction of a program-specific facility that will dramatically increase the number of students it can train for the high-tech, high-demand profession. In recognition of the ongoing support, MSCC will name the building the FedEx Aviation Technology Center.

Greyhound 5k Features Cash Awards for Top Finishers

The top male and female finishers in the Third Annual Greyhound 5k Walk/Run on Saturday, Oct. 4, will take home nice cash prizes for their efforts.

The first male and the first female to complete the 3.1-mile course will earn $250 each. Second and third place overall males and females will also receive cash prizes.

Winning times for the 2013 Greyhound 5k were 17:43.09 (men) and 21:23.44 (women), so lace up your shoes and get ready for the competition, fun, and excitement at the Greyhound 5k.

Greyhound 5k Features Plenty of Fun for Kids

A Pup Dash, train rides, a three-attraction inflatables “park,” and face painting make the Third Annual Greyhound 5k Walk/Run at Mid-South Community College a great event for kids.

Activities will take place on Saturday, Oct. 4, near the Marion Berry Renewable Energy Center on MSCC’s North Campus. The 5k begins at 9 a.m., and the Kids’ Zone, sponsored by The Works Health and Fitness Center, is scheduled to open at 9:15. The Pup Dash, open to kids of all ages, will start at 10.

Registration for all events is available at http://greyhound5k.racesonline.com. Online and mail-in signup are available, and the 5k fee is $20. For students at MSCC and area high schools, a special $10 entry fee applies through Thursday, Oct. 2. Registration for the “Pup Dash” is only $10 as well.
Proceeds from the race will go toward scholarships for MSCC student-athletes.

Registration Continues for Oct. 4 Greyhound 5k

Registration continues at http://greyhound5k.racesonline.com for the Third Annual Greyhound 5k Walk/Run scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, at Mid-South Community College.

Online and mail-in registration options are available, and the event fee is $20. Students at MSCC and area high schools qualify for the special rate of only $10 through Thursday, Oct. 2. All paid participants will receive a custom Greyhound 5k T-shirt and will have the opportunity to partake in post-race fruit, snacks, and drinks.

MSCC President Joins State Panel for Sept. 23 Workforce Summit

Mid-South Community College President Dr. Glen Fenter will be among the featured speakers at the “Jobs NOW: Arkansas Works When We Do Summit” scheduled for Sept. 23 in Little Rock.

The event, to be held in the Governor’s Hall at the Statehouse Convention Center, will focus on statewide efforts to improve Arkansas’s workforce.

Dr. Fenter will join Joe Quinn, Senior Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations, Walmart, Inc., and Chris Masingill, Federal Co-Chairman, Delta Regional Authority, for an afternoon breakout session.

Greyhound 5k Offering $10 Registration for High School, MSCC Students

Students at Mid-South Community College and area high schools can register for the Third Annual Greyhound 5k Run/Walk for half price before online registration closes on Thursday, Oct. 2. 

 

The regular signup fee is $20, but students qualify for the reduced rate of $10. All paid participants will receive a Greyhound 5k T-shirt and will be able to enjoy post-race fruit, snacks, and drinks.

Online registration is available at http://greyhound5k.racesonline.com. 

MSCC, in collaboration with Southland Park Gaming and Racing and Start 2 Finish Event Management, is hosting the event on Saturday, Oct. 4. Proceeds from the race will go toward scholarships for MSCC student-athletes.

MSCC Sets Greyhound 5K Fundraiser for October 4

Mid-South Community College, in collaboration with Southland Park Gaming and Racing and Start 2 Finish Event Management, will host the Third Annual Greyhound 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, Oct. 4. Proceeds from the race will go toward scholarships for MSCC student-athletes.

The Greyhound 5K, which will start and finish on the Mid-South campus in West Memphis, is expected to attract hundreds of participants, from serious runners to families with strollers. The 2013 race drew more than 400 registrants from 31 cities and towns in Arkansas, Colorado, California, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Greyhound 5K Important to Student-Athletes, Community

The third rendition of Mid-South Community College’s Greyhound 5K Run/Walk is less than seven weeks away, and the excitement and anticipation is building on our campus and in our community. With ongoing, generous support of Southland Park Gaming and Racing (our title sponsor all three years), the annual event will start and end on our beautiful campus on Saturday, Oct. 4.

This race, in terms of its potential proceeds, plays a major role in our institution’s efforts to provide athletic scholarships for our basketball players. Three years ago, Tommy Goldsby made a $75,000 commitment in honor of Terry McFarland to fund the awards through the 2014-15 season (up to $25,000 per year). We promised Mr. Goldsby that we would create an event or series of happenings which would supplant that financing going forward. The Greyhound 5K has become that event.

Fall Semester Generates Excitement

While our campus buzzes with excitement and activity throughout the year, our intensity levels begin to rise significantly as the fall semester approaches. A flurry of events began this week and will continue through the start of fall classes on Monday, Aug. 18.

This week, we hosted two sessions of New Student Orientation. Next week, we will begin working with our high school students planning to take college-level classes through our Concurrent Enrollment, Secondary Technical Center, and Academies of West Memphis programs. On Aug. 11 and 12, we’ll have regular registration for folks who haven’t enrolled already. We can’t help but be excited about the new or ongoing opportunities our students will have when classes resume.

The orientation process is a great start toward the first day of classes. Talking and working with first-time college students, as well as those attending our institution for the first time, is always an interesting proposition. Sometimes their stories can be enlightening and encouraging. Other times, they are a little more sobering.

Hino Scholarships Helping Students, Region

Thanks to the ongoing generosity of Hino Motors Manufacturing, U.S.A., area students seeking a degree in manufacturing technology or a related field have access to a great scholarship opportunity. The Hino award is worth as much as $10,000 over a four-year span and certainly goes a long way towards helping the students and their families – as well as the entire region.

For the 2014-15 academic year, William Robinson and Dequan Andrews, MSCC Technical Center students and graduates of Marion High School, will receive the coveted award. They join previous MSCC winners Tony Fleming, Kitiara “Kit” Howell, Clinton Jones, Dustin Laws, Tyler Whatley, and Jordan White as scholarship recipients.

The award is open to top-notch students at the five Arkansas Delta Training and Education Consortium institutions – MSCC, Arkansas Northeastern College, Arkansas State University-Newport, East Arkansas Community College, and Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas. The program also includes the possibility of a summer internship at Marion plant which gives students and the company a chance for invaluable professional interaction.

MSCC Sets July 29 Orientation Sessions for First-Time Students

All first-time, degree-seeking students at Mid-South Community College are required to attend a morning or evening session of New Student Orientation on Tuesday, July 29, before enrolling in fall 2014 classes.

Orientation sessions will be held at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. in Magruder Hall on MSCC’s South Campus. To register for New Student Orientation, please call (870) 733-6775 or email lgstevens@midsouthcc.edu.

Students who need financial assistance to pursue higher education should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. Help with the form is available on the MSCC South Campus 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

MSCC, University of Memphis Expand Collaboration

With unanimous endorsement from our Board of Trustees, Mid-South Community College has partnered with the University of Memphis to enhance applied research and training activities related to transportation and chemical processing. Our collaboration with UofM goes back several years, but this memorandum of understanding solidifies and formalizes our relationship.

The University of Memphis recently hired a new president, Dr. M. David Rudd, and he has spent a fair amount of time watching what we’ve been doing, particularly in the alternative fuel arena. He understands that we have a fantastic facility and sees the wisdom in a collaboration that will generate great benefits in western Tennessee and eastern Arkansas. And we recognize that UofM has assets that will be particularly beneficial for us as well.

Without a doubt, this new partnership is a win-win situation. Our institution possesses a multitude of advanced laboratory resources in the Marion Berry Renewable Energy Center, and we also have technicians and instructional staff that can support applied research activities. What we don’t have is the depth of science and engineering talent to maximize utilization of our cutting-edge facility. I have said on more than one occasion that the Marion Berry Center is a Ferrari, and we need more people who can drive it. The University of Memphis can provide us with those Ferrari drivers.

Teacher Ed Program Producing Home-Grown Talent

Our community, state, and country have never needed great people to be great teachers more than we do now, and Mid-South Community College is doing its part to send top talent to local classrooms.

What we’ve been able to do over the last few years, with a lot of help, is create a situation where an aspiring educator can complete everything that is required to become a great teacher right here at Mid-South Community College. Through our University Center, we have helped more than 60 people earn a bachelor’s degree in education, and most, if not all of them, are employed in our communities today in jobs that they might never have had access to without the program.

A student can come here straight out of high school, or even start taking basic requirements while still in high school, take everything that is required, and then enroll in a four-year program through our ongoing collaboration with Arkansas State University. And returning learners have the opportunity to pursue lifelong dreams through the program. We have folks, 30 years of age and older, married with children who have returned to school because of the opportunity that has been afforded them. What we have done is let these students know that their dreams are certainly within reach and that they can do it all right here in Crittenden County.

Need Money for College? MSCC is Ready to Help

Going to college can be financially challenging, even at an affordable institution like Mid-South Community College, but MSCC's Financial Aid Office and Educational Opportunity Center stand ready to help.

With the College’s fall semester scheduled to start on Aug. 18, the time is now to find out what assistance may be available. Over the next month, MSCC is concentrating on assisting students in applying for money to help pay for college. Application hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. 

“The best time to fill out a financial aid application is today,” said Carol McHann, interim director of Financial Aid. “Applying for financial aid is really easy, and it’s completely free.”

Goldsby Scholarship Worth Its Weight in Gold

New and innovative ideas are often greeted with everything from benign interest to outright denunciation, and such was the case with the Thomas B. Goldsby Jr. Scholarship program at Mid-South Community College. Established through the tremendous generosity and vision of the Goldsby family, the program is now considered the gold standard for providing students with great higher education opportunities while still in high school. Experts all over the country are saying we need more programs just like it.

That certainly wasn’t the situation in the early days of the effort. When Tommy Goldsby came to the College to ask what we would do with a substantial monetary gift ($500,000 at the time), we told him we would create a scholarship program to give deserving, qualified high school students a head start on their higher learning experience. He liked the idea and gave us half a million dollars to get it rolling. We soon discovered that other folks weren’t quite as enthralled with the concept.

Big River Steel Equals Big Opportunities

It hasn’t hit us yet, but in the next three months, a name we haven’t heard much will likely become a household term in eastern Arkansas – Big River Steel. If the company’s financing falls into place as most expect, Big River Steel LLC will become a fixture in, and make a huge economic impact on, our region.

Big River Steel is a $1 billion “mini mill” project that will employ about 2,000 construction workers at the height of the building process and more than 500 permanent workers when it is complete. So what possessed the company to select a site near a Mississippi County town that has a population of around 7,800 on a good day? They settled on Osceola partly because they found affordable property, relatively cheap utilities, and easy access to the Mississippi River. But Osceola is certainly not the only place in the world that can offer those benefits, so that’s only a piece of the story.

KWEM Relaunch at MSCC Brings Musical History Alive

Mid-South Community College, through divine intervention and hard work, brought historic KWEM Radio back to the airwaves on Thursday, May 29, during a much-anticipated “Flip the Switch” ceremony.

“We’re taking a very major step in what we believe is an important journey, an effort that has been years in the making and has involved an entire army of people from time to time,” said MSCC President Dr. Glen Fenter.

Relaunch of Historic KWEM Radio Making International News

History is being revived at Mid-South Community College as KWEM Radio, which influenced the course of modern music, returns to the airwaves and draws the attention of media from coast to coast and beyond.

With the help of an Associated Press story by reporter Christina Huynh, the news of KWEM’s resurrection has reached media outlets in New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Washington, Washington D.C., Louisiana, Texas, Wyoming, California, and even Ontario, Canada.

MSCC “Flips the Switch” for Relaunch of Historic KWEM Radio

KWEM Radio, an historic West Memphis radio station that influenced the course of modern music, will return to the airwaves on Thursday, May 29, as a streaming Internet station at www.kwemradio.com

Mid-South Community College operates the Web-based station and owns the numerous artifacts related to its rich musical history. The college has also created a campus-based replica of the KWEM studio which was originally located at 231 Broadway Street in downtown West Memphis.

Athletic Program – Another MSCC Success Story

We get accused on occasion of being more concerned about doing cool things than stopping long enough to explain how cool some of those things really are. We are probably even a little guilty of that, especially when so many great things are happening on our campus. But you don’t have to spend much time on this blog site to know that our fledgling athletic program has come a long way in very short period of time.

To put it in perspective, at this time four years ago, the dream of an intercollegiate sports program on our campus was just a dream. Now we are the defending men’s and women’s Region 2 champions, and several of our players are moving to the next level at four-year institutions where somebody else will pay for them to be there. That is exactly what we intended to see happen. Our goal has always been to put deserving student-athletes in a program that improves their academic and athletic skills, give them the opportunity to become mature and well-rounded on and off the court, and allow them to capitalize on their athletic skills to advance their education.

State Representative to Speak at MSCC Graduation on May 8

Dr. Deborah Ferguson, who represents District 51 in the Arkansas House of Representatives, will present the keynote address at Mid-South Community College’s graduation on Thursday, May 8.

“Deborah Ferguson has provided great support for Mid-South Community College both as a private citizen and as a state legislator,” said Dr. Glen Fenter, MSCC President. “As a healthcare professional for 25 years, she certainly recognizes the importance and value of higher education, and as a public servant, she is clearly dedicated to making our state a better place to live.

FedEx Pilot Encourages MSCC Aviation Students to Stay Focused

Prospective pilots should consider their career progression as their No. 1 hobby and No. 1 job to succeed at the highest levels, says a former Navy pilot and current captain with FedEx Express.

Brad Smith, senior MD-11 crewmember at FedEx, visited the Mid-South Community College campus recently to speak with students in the MSCC/Upper Limit Aviation Professional Pilot Program.

“Getting a job and moving on with your career should be the complete saturation of your brain,” said Capt. Smith, who has worked at FedEx for 24 years after serving 7 years in the Navy. “The only way to get where you want to go is to have a plan and a clear path and follow it.

Business/Industry Training Comes to Forefront

While Mid-South Community College doesn’t generally function as an employment agency, we are working diligently with area business and industry to develop relevant, focused training designed to put people to work. Thanks to our cooperative partnership with Southwest Tennessee Community College and the creation of the Greater Memphis Workforce Development Institute, we have an enhanced level of resources to meet the needs of our region.

On April 17, we hosted an Employer’s Forum to solicit feedback from area businesses and industries about services they would like to see us provide. We were encouraged by the number of companies that participated, as well as the insights they offered, and we are excited about the opportunities in front of us. Most of what the Forum participants described to us is what we hear from employers every day – they can’t find the kinds of employees they need to sustain or grow their business. With this new partnership, we want employers to look to us to fill those workforce voids.

Millington, Jonesboro Students Take MSCC Speech Titles

Erin Clark of Millington, Tenn., won two first-place awards, and Eric Gladden of Jonesboro earned a first and a second at Mid-South Community College’s 2014 Speech Contest held on Wednesday, April 9.

Clark prevailed in the Prepared Speaking MSCC Topic and Prepared Speaking Open Topic categories. Gladden won the Impromptu Speaking competition and placed second in Prepared Speaking Open Topic.

Fenter Family Endows MSCC Scholarship in Memory of Roy L. Gray

Mid-South Community College President Dr. Glen Fenter and his family recently converted an annual scholarship into an endowed one that assures it will continue indefinitely.

Established in 2005 in honor of Dr. Fenter’s maternal grandfather, the Roy L. Gray Endowed Scholarship provides financial assistance to working parents who have earned a GED®.

“I learned a lot from my grandfather, and I think the lessons that I learned watching him have clearly served me well in my present career and hopefully for the rest of my life,” Dr. Fenter said. “They have certainly been lessons that I have tried to impart to my children.”

MSCC Appreciates High School Counselors

Can you imagine working at a job where one minute you are writing a scholarship recommendation letter and the next minute you are serving as a crisis intervention specialist? Such is the life of a school counselor. Last week, Mid-South Community College had the privilege of welcoming guidance professionals to campus for our annual Counselor Appreciation Day. While providing a free lunch and some door prizes doesn’t even begin to express our gratitude, it at least gives us an opportunity to demonstrate in some small way how much we appreciate counselors for the daily contributions they make to our community and region.

I moved to West Memphis in 1990 as a high school principal, and it didn’t take me long to recognize how important counselors are to the educational process. While their job descriptions are varied and their responsibilities are many, they all have a common mission: to play an important (and sometimes irreplaceable) role in shaping the lives and the futures of our young people. Their job is often a juggling act of mammoth proportions as they prioritize, multitask, and discern while serving as many as 300 students – and that’s almost the best-case scenario in terms of numbers. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250-to-1, but the national average is closer to 470-1, based on figures from the 2010-11 school year. We’re doing better than that in Arkansas at 316-1, but that still means a ton of work for someone who deals with everything from bullying and abuse to clerical requirements.

Scholarship Luncheon Honors Donors, Salutes Recipients

Eleven years ago, Mid-South Community College began a tradition that links visionary, generous, passionate, and resourceful donors with the men and women directly benefitting from their amazing investments. The annual Mid-South Community College Foundation Scholarship Luncheon is truly a great event and is a highlight of every spring semester.

The luncheon gives us an ideal opportunity to connect two vitally important pieces of our puzzle. Our donors have the opportunity to see the results of their investments in the lives of our students, and the students have the opportunity to personally thank those who have positively affected their lives. We all know that we can put a quantitative value on the dollars that are invested in these scholarships, but none of us could hazard even a rough estimate as to the ultimate impact of those dollars in changing lives. It is such a tremendously powerful agent within this educational process, and it is something that we can never celebrate enough.

MSCC Working with Memphis Chamber, SW Tennessee CC

As a member of the Arkansas Delta Training and Education Consortium and the Mississippi River Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Consortium, Mid-South Community College grasps the value and efficacy of regional partnerships. We understand that strategic collaborations to pool and maximize the resources of multiple stakeholders are not only logical but are crucial to the future of this part of country.

So when the Memphis Chamber of Commerce approached us about a partnership with Southwest Tennessee Community College, an institution some might consider as a competitor of MSCC, but a fellow member of the Mississippi River consortium, our Board of Trustees recognized the value. Trustees recently approved a fairly straightforward, cooperative agreement that teems with tremendous potential for positive change. In a short period of time, we have been able to create a very strong relationship with Southwest Tennessee, primarily driven by the Memphis Chamber of Commerce’s desire to better integrate Mid-South Community College into the Memphis business and industry world.

Students Step Up at MSCC Spoken Word Poetry Contest

Seven students demonstrated their considerable writing and presentation skills during Mid-South Community College’s Spoken Word Poetry Competition on Wednesday, March 12, and when the applause ended, David Washington of Proctor earned top honors.

In a closely contested battle for first place, Washington edged Taylor Creekmore of West Memphis by the slimmest of margins. Erin Clark of Millington came in third. Poems of the top three finishers will be entered into a national writing contest.