1995

WEEi< OF 9- l \ - 95

Oine folks: Community colleges advocated

,. ter of science in communications at Mississippi College. "I wish I had stayed in school and gone straight through and got my master's degree,'' he said. "It's real important in this day and time to go as far in educa– tion as you can. You can't get a job witho-qt experience or educa– tion and y"ou can't get experience without education." Ravencraft said he likes to return home to see his parents when he has time. He alSo likes to exercise and read. Ravencraft said he has become fascinated with the Choctaw Indians since he moved to Decatur. He said he has visit– ed the reservation several times because he wants to learn more about the tribe.

Jarrod Ravencraft credits community colleges with getting him where he is today. "If I had gone from high school stra1ght to (the Univer::-i· ty of) Southern (Missis:.ippi), I probably wouldn't have done as well as I have," Ravencraft. who serves as assistant to the Direc– tor of Public Information at East Central Community College in Decatur, said. "I'm a big advocate of commu– nity colleges, and not just because I went to one and work at one," he said. Before coming to ECCC, Ravencraft worked for three years as administrative assis– tant for Institutional Advance– ment at Hinds Community Col– lege.

Ravencraft, who attended HCC. said ::-mall-town stu–

dents who go ...traight to a university nfter leaving high c:chool often end up back at a community col– ,_R_a_v-'e'-nc-=ra"-'-ft-'-"--~' lege after one semester. "Community colleges make the transition easier for small– town students." he said. "It's a series of step::. Community col– lege is the step between the high school and the uni\·ersity." Ravencraft, a native ofLiber– ty, also graduated from USM. He is currentl) pursuing a mas-

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