2016-2017 President's Report

Student Success

PBL NATIONAL HONORS – East Central Community College’s Theta Chi Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda—the largest community college chapter in the na tion—and 14 students received national recognition during the PBL National Leadership Conference held June 24-27 in Anaheim, Calif. More than 2,500 stu dents from colleges and universities across the nation participated in more than 50 events. Theta Chi was the only Mississippi chapter to receive the Diamond Chapter Award and was also named a Gold Seal Chapter, one of only two awarded in Mississippi. Paxton Holmes of Morton was honored with induction into Who’s Who in PBL, which is awarded to only one student per state. Jessica Everett of Decatur was recognized as Mississippi PBL state president. Fourteen other students received individual awards during national competition.

AWARDS DAY – The six newest members of the college’s Hall of Fame were recognized at the 2017 ECCC Awards Day ceremony April 20 in Huff Auditorium. Selection to the Hall of Fame is considered the highest honor a student can receive at the college. Hall of Fame inductees for 2017 and their respective high schools include (from left) SammThompson of Newton County, Katie McCool of Louisville, Makenzie Byrd of Sebastopol, Anastasia Crout of Lake, Khalil Triplett of Philadelphia, and Sydney Battle of Philadelphia. Awards were also presented in career, technical, healthcare, alumni memorial, faculty memorial and special categories.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SCHOOL – Four May 2017 ECCC graduates were selected to participate in the highly competitive summer entering class of Occupational Therapy School at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Lindsey Ayllon of Newton, Sydney Battle of Philadelphia, Kaitlyn Thrash of Madison, and Stephanie Smith of Louisville are members of the last entering class without a bachelor’s degree.

4