2009

NEWS

and led the DiamondWarriors to a first-ever state title 1n 1998 en route to a32-22 record and was named "MACJC Baseball Coach of the Year." Emily Thrash of Sebastopol was selected ECCC's 2008 Homecoming Queen. Homecoming Court members included maid-of-honor Briana Edison of Collins; sophomore maids Joy Hayes and Candi Vance, both of Decatur; and Becky Culpepper of Forest; freshman maids Kayla Hampton of Louisville; Hannah Watkins of Sebastopol, Bailey Brown of Morton and Savanna Smith of Ocean Springs. ECCC classes of 1948, 1958, 1968, 1978, 1988 and 1998 observed class reunions during the 2008 Homecoming celebra– tion. The activities also boasted an ECCC Gospel Cho1r Reunion Concert and aSK Run. Also honored during Homecoming activities were members of the 1998 State Champion Baseball Squad and former Warrior tennis players. Tl'le Board of Trustees wel– comed new/reappointed mem– bers including Monte Ladner, Leake County Superintendent of Education; Tommy Dearing, lntenm Neshoba County Superintendent of Education R1cky Goldman, Neshoba County representative; Beverly Hart, Newton County represen– tative; Pat Ross, Newton County Superintendent of Education; Vernon Crotwell, Scott County representative; and Leo Parker, Winston County representative. ECCC Pres1dent Dr. Phil A. Sutphin was elected to serve as vice chair of the Rural Community College Alliance and was nominated for Chair Elect of the Mississippi Association of Colleoes.

ball coach; Lynne Smith, English teacher; and Denita K Thomas, associate degree nursinginstructor. Forty-five general education development (GED) graduates received their diplomas during the annual GED commence· ment held July 24, 2008 at in Huff Aud~onum. ECCC students Crystal McGee of Philadelphia and Brandi Carter of Louisville won second-place honors in the Occupational Health and Safety competition at the National leadership and Skills Conference held in Kansas City, Mo. Also placing at national SkillsUSA competition were Travis Jordan of Philadelphia, who finrshed 12th in the collision reparr divis1on and James Johnson of Madden. who placed 13th in the residential wiring division. The College's first certified nursing assistant (CNA) class was offered in Philadelphia and was held at the Neshoba Regional Healthcare Educat1on and Tra1mng Center. ECCC enrolled high school semors rn the new Dual EnrollmenVDual Credit Practical nursing program. Nine students from the College's five-county district took advantage of the new program, which was fund· ed by a grant from the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges. Students enrolled included Brittany Brown and Ethan lewis, both of Newton County Academy; Ashton Acord, Stormie Corsaro and Amanda Graham, all of Newton County; Sha'Nequa Pinkston, Union; Fallon Mattar, Neshoba Central; and Casie McClendon, Morton. Melanie Pinter was the instructor. ECCC students returned to

the Decatur campus with first– place awards for the first time and other honors following com– petition at the 2008 National Phi Beta Lambda Leadership Conference in Atlanta.Four stu– dents, Carlos Rice of louisville, Drew Harrison of Little Rock and Leslie Nash and Josh Dickerson, both of Union, won top honors in the Parliamentary Procedure competition, which qualified them for the honor of being inducted into the Mississippi PBL Hall of Fame at the organization's State Leadership Conference in 2009. The Dustan Todd Scholarship endowment was completed by Todd's family in memory of the 2004 graduate, who lost his lffe in an automobile/motorcycle accident on April 28, 2004. ECCC Warrior Club Officers for 2008-09 were selected including, Brenda Chaney of little Rock, president; Jerry Wooten of Lake, vice president; and Krissi Munn of Decatur,

Several members of the ECCC Board of Trustees were honored for their years of serv– ice during the annual Mississippi Community and Junior College Trustees' Association Conference held in Biloxi. Board members recog– nized included Board Chairman Prentice Copeland of Philadelphia, 40 years; Randal livingston of louisville, 20 years;and Board Vice President Jack Winstead of Lawrence, 10 years. The College .welcomed sev· eral new faces to its staff includ– ing Christopher Brady, art instructor; Thornese Brooks, secretary to the dean of aduh and continuing education; Kristin Chaney, athletic advi– sor/assistant coach; Cornelius Gilley1en, assistant men's bas– ketball coach; Gennie Phillips– Odom, publications coordinator; Melanie Pinter, dual enrollment practical nursing instructor; Derek Pouncey assistant foot·