2003

WEEK OF »arc" J

EC Selected for Community College Initiative

program will connect participating colleges to Extension educators located in state land-grant institu– tions across the natiOn. Dr. Phil Sutphin, President of East Central Community College, commented thal ''East Central has a long history of service to the counties in our senice area. The College's selection as a Rural Community College Initiative insti– tution will provide opportunities for us to more effectively serve our area. We are serious about coordi– nating our resources with the local communities in our area to further economic and community develop– ment that will enhance the quality of life in east central Mississippi." Bo Beaulieu, director of the Southern Rural Development Center, stated, "We are excited that this new initiative is bringing the talents of rural community and trib– al colleges together with those of our land-grant university Extension programs. .

This powerful new partnership means that rural communities in the targeted states will have access to some of the best community col– lege and Extension educators who care deeply about the well being of rural people and communities in this country." The Rural Community College Initiative will involve participating colleges in annual RCCI institutes, specialized training programs and field trips that will showcase prom– ising economic and commumty development strategies. The first RCCI Institute, to be held next month in Kansas City, Missouri, will offer the team from ECCC an opportunity to learn about innova– tive approaches for strengthening the economy of rural communities, extending the valuable resources of the community college to new audiences and enhancing the involvement of local citizens m community improvement activi– ties.

East Community College has received word that it has been selected to be part of a national Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) demonstration project funded by the Ford Foundation. The two-year pro– gram is being jointly administered by the Southern Rural Development Center located at Mississippi State University and the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development located at Iowa State University. The RCCI is designed to accelerate the ability of rural community and tribal col– leges to meet the expanding needs of rural communities located in their service areas. ECCC will join 14 other institu– tions from Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolin,a, North Dakota and Texas in this national learning network of rural community colleges. In addition to linking community and tribal colleges to each other, the RCCI Central

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