2018-2019 President's Report

2018-2019 President’s Report

President’s Message

On June 18, 1928, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean as a passenger aboard a Fokker tri-motor aircraft that was piloted by Wilmer Stultz and Louis Gordon. That same year, the Legislature of the State of Mississippi adopted the first basic laws for the organization and operation of Mississippi public junior colleges and East Central Junior College opened its doors to a freshman class of 20 students for the first regular session in September. For over 90 years now, our institution has been meeting the postsecondary educational and training needs of our citizens through the efforts of many dedicated and compassionate faculty and staff, of which I am proud to be part. In 2013, in an effort to build upon the successes of our past, the Board of Trustees of East Central Community College (ECCC) adopted 2020 Vision as the College’s roadmap for the future. Academic year 2018-2019 marked the

sixth year of implementation of our 2020 Vision strategic plan with an emphasis on our institution’s commitment to Student Success, Teaching & Learning, Community Partnerships, Resource Planning & Development, and Communication. Over those six years, ECCC has been fortunate—through the hard work of our campus community and with the valued support of our alumni and friends—to implement many of the initiatives originally outlined in the plan and those that have arisen as we anticipated and responded to the changing needs of those we serve. The success of 2020 Vision has made us a stronger and more effective community college in many ways, but most importantly in our ability to provide the best education possible for the citizens of our five-county district, and beyond. On the pages that follow are brief snapshots of the results of our College successfully implementing the action plans and initiatives of 2020 Vision over the past fiscal year. I hope you will take a few moments to see all that we have accomplished together. I will conclude by sharing that one of my favorite movies has to be Facing the Giants . There were many scenes in that movie that made a tremendous impact on me, but there was one in particular. The scene involved Mr. Bridges and Coach Taylor. Mr. Bridges entered Coach Taylor’s office to encourage him to remain with the football team and “bloom where he was planted.” As Mr. Bridges left, Coach Taylor followed and in the hallway admitted his frustration with not seeing God move on the campus of the school. In response, Mr. Bridges told Coach Taylor a story about two farmers who desperately needed rain. He said that both farmers prayed for rain, but only one farmer went out and prepared his fields to receive it. Then Mr. Bridges asked, “Which one do you think trusted God to send the rain?” to which Coach Taylor replied, “The one who prepared his fields for it.” Mr. Bridges then posed a most poignant question, “Coach Taylor, which one are you?” and then said, “Coach, God will send the rain when He’s ready. You need to prepare your field to receive it.” In many ways, we have been, we are, and we will be doing just that—preparing our fields for rain. As always, thank you for your continued support of our community college as we “prepare our fields for rain.” We look forward to cooperatively charting the course of ECCC beyond the year 2020. I don’t know the future, but I know the One who does and I trust Him that it will be a bright one for our College. It’s a GREAT day to be a Warrior!

Dr. Billy Stewart President

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PBL-Sponsored Food Pantry Opens on Campus

A ribbon cutting was held in February for a new campus food pantry spon sored by the college’s The ta Chi Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda. Warrior POST (Providing Others Support Together) provides free non-perishable food items and other life necessities to currently enrolled students with demonstrated need. It is located in the Tucker

Applied Technology Center. The idea originated from ECCC academic counselors Lanette Hanna and Jennifer Savell, who recognized the need during conversations with students on campus. Hanna and Savell reached out to PBL sponsor Christy Ferguson, whose student organization was more than willing to adopt the pantry as a service project. To apply for assistance, stu dents must complete and sub

mit an online application form, which is available on the Warrior POST website at www.eccc.edu/ warrior-post. Any person or organization can make donations of non-per ishable food items and other necessities to the food pantry. A list of currently needed items is on the website. PBL is a national business ed ucation association for students interested in careers in business and business-related fields.

EC Day at the Fair The annual EC Day at the Fair was held July 30 at the Founders Square Pavilion at the Neshoba County Fair in Philadelphia. There was another great turnout of ECCC alumni, students, parents and friends. The Collegians rock-n-roll band, Centralettes dance line, and cheerlead ers performed, and President Dr. Billy Stewart gave a college update. A new event was an Alumni Association Social held from 5-7 p.m. in front of the David and Ro berta Wheeler Byars Cabin No. 79. ECCC Trustees Honored Five members of the Board of Trustees were recog nized for years of dedicated service at the 2018 Missis sippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges’ Trustees Annual Conference in Biloxi in July, including Prentice Copeland of Philadelphia, 50 years of service;

Randal Livingston of Louisville, 30 years of service; Dr. Jimmy Hollingsworth of Lake, board chairman, 15 years of service; and Van Lucas of Newton, 10 years of service. Ricky Goldman of Philadelphia was honored at the Au gust meeting of the ECCC Board of Trustees for 15 years of service. Scholarship Recognition Reception A record 152 scholarships valued at more than $170,000 were presented during the 2018-19 Scholar ship Recognition Reception held in August in Brack een-Wood Gym. More than 400 donors, students, and their families attended the annual event. Eight of those students gave video testimonials about how their Foun dation scholarship will assist with their academic and career pursuits.

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ground; assisting in the burying of cable and other related work; operating vehicles and equipment safely, including bucket trucks, digger derrick trucks, and forklifts; differentiating between an energized and de-energized structure and recog nize hazards; making basic connections and dis connections; and checking voltage/amperes. Participants learn all aspects of the American Public Power Association Safety Manual and read and understand general information in the Rural Electric Association spec book. Successful stu dents earn certifications including a Class A Com mercial Driver’s License, First Aid CPR, and OSHA 10-Hour. The students use utility poles of various sizes that have been positioned on the north end of campus. First Students Complete Electrical Utility Lineman Program

T he initial cohort of eight students who completed ECCC’s first 16-week course in Electrical Utility Lineman were honored during a ceremony held May 23 on campus. The college’s Workforce Development Center be gan offering the new 16-week program in February on the Decatur campus. The new non-credit program is designed to pre pare students for entry-level employment in the field of utility power transmission and distribution construction, troubleshooting, and repair. The program incorporates hands-on learning activities including making connections of me ter loops, transformers, and other equipment on de-energized poles; assisting with the framing and installation of utility poles and apparatus on the

Dual Credit Preview Day ECCC hosted its first Preview Day for dual credit high school students in August. The event was designed to introduce the students to ECCC and college life. Those participating learned about the advantages of being a dual credit student at East Central, including free admission to athletics and other events, use of the college’s Wellness Center, student ID cards, college email addresses, and other benefits. There was also information on preparing for college academics and the use of Remind101 to receive important information about college deadlines and events. The Preview Day concluded with an ice cream social and students getting their ID cards made.

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52

Percentage of spring 2017 graduating seniors from district public high schools who matriculated to ECCC within one year of graduation.

23

Percentage of ECCC’s fall 2018 students taking dual credit courses in district high schools.

Alumnus Rutigliano Joins State Sports Hall of Fame

E CCC alumnus Sam Rutigliano, who coached high school, college, and professional football teams over a combined 46 years, including the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, was induct ed into the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame during a special ceremony held in April on the Rankin Campus of Hinds Community College. Rutigliano came to East Central in 1950 from Brooklyn, N.Y. He played football and basketball and went on to play football at the University of Tennessee and the University of Tulsa. He was selected to the ECCC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

He was head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1978 to 1984, being named NFL Coach of the Year in 1980. He later went on to be a football analyst for NBC Sports and ESPN. In 1988, he became head coach at Liberty University and was there for the next 11 years becom ing the winningest coach in school history. He would then go on to be an assistant coach under Jack Bicknell for NFL Europe teams the Barcelona Dragons and the Scottish Claymores. Rutigliano established Coach Sam’s Inner Circle Foundation. Providing elementary students with the opportunity for greater lifetime success, the Foundation strives to develop a well-rounded child by in stilling the necessary skills to succeed in school and beyond.

Four-Year Graduation Success A study released by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning in August showed that ECCC led all 15 community colleges in the state of Mississippi over the past five years in the percentage increase in students who transferred from ECCC to one of the state’s eight public, four-year institutions and graduated with a bachelor’s degree. The study showed that the number of ECCC students who received a bachelor’s degree at one of the state’s public institutions climbed from 127 in 2014 to 173 in 2018, or a 36.2 percent increase. Common Reader Offered East Central offered students an opportunity to experience learning beyond the traditional classroom environment with Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” as the common reader for the 2018-19 academic year. All students, faculty and administration were encouraged to read the novella,

which was available in electronic and print formats. The reading was incorporated into numerous college cours es, and the college’s Literacy Committee integrated fun activities such as a book club, movie night, Jekyll and Hyde haunted house, and surprise appearances by Jekyll and Hyde throughout the year. Football ‘Be Our Guest’ Night A record 636 high school students attended the an nual “Be Our Guest” Night at Bailey Stadium September 13. The previous record attendance was 576 in 2016. In addition to watching the football Warriors defeat South west, the area high school students were treated to free admission and door prizes. The Neshoba Central High School Big Blue Marching Band performed at halftime and the school’s Rockettes Dance Line performed during pre-game. One of the visiting students kicked a 20-yard field goal for free tuition during the fall 2019 academic semester.

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F or the second year in a row, the ECCC Foundation awarded Oliphant-Martin Faculty Excellence Fund Grants to various college departments to fund purchases that will enhance the college’s institutional commitments of Teaching & Learning and Student Success. The East Central Community College Faculty Excellence Fund, established in 1997, was renamed in 2010 to the Oliphant-Martin Faculty Excellence Fund to acknowledge the many generous contribu tions of alumna Dr. Beverly Henry Oliphant-Martin (’58) and her husband, John Martin. This year, a $10,000 grant was awarded to the Science Division for updated laboratory equip ment, allowing for a hands-on approach to learn ing science skills and a more rigorous science curriculum to better prepare students. Warrior Wellness Week The college’s second Warrior Wellness Week was held October 29-November 2. There were fun and educational events and activities offered each day. Among the events was the Warrior Wellness Symposium; Warrior Worship Spiritual Messages, a morning of healthy food, motiva tional speakers, and music; color, glow, electric, mud, and other “fun” runs; Culinary Creations and a Cooking Contest designed to demonstrate nutritional dishes; and a professional development session on healthy food and snack options. The week is part of the college’s War rior Wellness initiative designed to create and sustain a culture of wellness on the college’s campuses and in the local communities. Oliphant-Martin Faculty Excellence Grants Awarded

The Collision Repair Technology and Automo tive Technology programs together were awarded a $5,000 grant to purchase Snap Circuit Trainers, which provide students in both programs with training simulation and real-world application of electronic diagnosis. Also receiving a $5,000 grant was the Mathematics and Computer Science Division which purchased flip-top tables and wiring to conceal all exposed components of the computer lab, to provide a safer student environment and allow for a reorganized classroom promoting better instructor-student interaction. Selection criteria included items such as the number of students and staff positively affect ed, creativity, and the impact on the institutional commitments of Student Success and Teaching & Learning found in the college’s 2020 Vision strate gic plan. Warrior Wellness Symposium Dr. Mike McMullan, professor of medicine and chief of cardiology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and director of the Adult Congenital Heart Program, and Dr. Stan Buckley, founder and exec utive director of But God Ministries, were keynote speak ers at the second Warrior Wellness Symposium October 29. McMullan spoke to students on the core require ments and process to become a physician or medical professional. McMullan and Buckley then presented a public session on Medical Missions. Breakout sessions for students were presented by ECCC alumni in various healthcare occupations.

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Average GPA at baccalaureate graduation in spring 2018 of ECCC students who transferred. 1 ECCC’s rank among Mississippi community colleges in average grade-point average at baccalaureate graduation in spring 2018 of students who transferred to one of the state’s eight public, four-year universities. 3.34

REPORT CARD

E nglish H istory S cience M ath

A +

MI-BEST Week The college’s MI-BEST program spon sored special activities on campus in October in conjunction with statewide MI-BEST Week. ECCC’s MI-BEST represen tatives set up an information booth in the East Mall area outside of Mabry Cafeteria and provided information on MI-BEST and give-a-ways. Prospective students also received a pass to the East Central vs. Jones College football game October 25. MI-BEST allows qualified applicants to take courses they need to prepare for the high school equivalency exam while at the same time training for jobs in several technical fields. Annual Report Card The annual Community College Perfor mance Profile once again gave ECCC high marks in several areas. In the 2016-2017 Report Card, the college was among the best in the state in the areas of College Readiness, Student Success, Student Re tention, and Student Progress. In College Readiness, ECCC ranked among the top in average ACT composite score of entering freshmen. In Student Success, ECCC ranked among the state’s elite in the percentage of full-time en tering freshmen graduating within three years. The college also ranked high in the percentage of students transferring out to Mississippi public four-year universi ties. In Student Retention, East Central was among the top in retention rate of stu dents in for-credit transfer degree pro grams and in total retention. In Student Progression, ECCC showed strength in helping full-time students earn credits to graduation at a pace aligning with on-time completion. East Central ranked near the top in developmental mathemat ics students completing College Algebra.

S ophomores Rebekah Scitzs of Collinsville and Marzell Triplett of Forest were named to the 2019 Phi Theta Kappa Community and Junior Colleges All-Mississippi Academic Team. The All-Mississippi Community College Academic Team recognizes scholarly achievements and leadership accom plishments of students enrolled in the state’s two-year col leges. Scitzs, a nursing major, was one of 15 students named to the First Team. She received a $1,000 scholarship. Triplett, a computer science major, was one of 48 students named to the Second Team. They were honored along with other outstanding commu nity and junior college students from across the state during an event in Jackson in April. Both honorees received medallions, certificates, and print ed resolutions from the Mississippi Senate and House of Representatives. Scitzs, Triplett Named to All-Mississippi Academic Team

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College Holds First EC Cares for our Community Day

D ozens of ECCC stu dents, faculty, and staff performed community ser vice across the five-county district on the first EC Cares for our Community day March 8. The locations chosen for the inaugural day of service included Roxy Theatre in Newton, Newton County Courthouse in Decatur,

shelving books, office work, and playing games and interacting with residents, among other re quested tasks. T-shirts were provided to those who volunteered for what the college hopes will become an annual day of service. The project originated among members of the college’s Ad ministration, Faculty, and Staff Association.

EXCEL of Morton, We Care Mis sions in Morton, Northside Park in Philadelphia, Philadelphia/ Neshoba County Library, Trend Health and Rehab of Carthage, Walnut Grove Public Library, Car thage Public Library, and Hope Missions and Baptist Children’s Village, both in Louisville. Service activities included cleaning and organizing, paint ing, landscaping, carpentry,

Military Appreciation Breakfast U.S. Army Brigadier General (Ret.) and Decatur native David Oren Smith was the guest speaker at the college’s Military Appreciation Breakfast November 9. ECCC annually honors military veterans at the breakfast. At the con clusion of the event, the veterans in attendance were saluted by students, faculty, and staff as they exited through the main cafeteria dining area. Special Needs Prom Theta Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges at ECCC, hosted its third “Fairy Tale Ball” prom for special needs students in November at Pierce Castle in Newton County. This has become a very popular annual event for students who receive special services from schools in the ECCC district of Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Scott and Winston counties. Theta Xi members raised money to stage the prom through various fundraisers and the help of area businesses that purchased sponsorships. The special needs students who attended were served a meal and received prom party favors. East Central students served as their dates.

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84

Percentage of ECCC’s fall 2018 student body residing within the college’s five-county district.

5,283

Number of people in the five-county district trained through ECCC’s Workforce Development division during fiscal year 2018.

Tennis Teams Finish Season Nationally Ranked

W hat is believed to be the first ECCC tennis team to compete at a national championship, the college’s men’s tennis team returned to Decatur after reaching its goal of a top 20 finish. The Warriors finished in 19th place at the 2019 NJCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championship held May 13-17 at the Reffkin Tennis Center in Tucson, Ariz. East Central finished third among the MACJC teams in the national tournament. First Place Design Freshman Ashley Clark of Noxapater had the winning design in the SkillsUSA pin design contest sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Education. Her design was transformed into the state pin that was given to all Mississippi participants at the National Leadership and Skills Conference in June 2019 in Louisville, Ky. Clark is a student in the college’s Carpentry Technology pro gram.

The men’s tennis team posted a 10-9 record in spring 2019, after going 1-13 a season before. Both the ECCC men’s and women’s tennis teams were ranked in the final Oracle/ITA NJCAA Top 25 poll of the spring season. The ECCC men were ranked No. 19 in the nation, while the ECCC Lady Warriors were ranked No. 24. East Central was one of only two community colleges in Mississippi to have both the men’s and women’s teams ranked in the final Top 25. Students Paint Art Mural Art students at ECCC brightened up an area of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services building in Decatur by painting a mural on the wall of the Family Visitation Room. The MDCPS reached out to the Art Department requesting the room be painted to provide a more pleasing space for the foster youth they serve.

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Alumni Honored at Annual Homecoming Celebration

F our outstanding alumni re ceived special recognition during the 2018 Homecoming celebration October 4. George Taylor of Forest, retired vice chairman of Community Bank of Mississippi, and Gina Hollingsworth Gordon, gifted education teacher with the New ton Municipal School District, were recognized as Alumnus and

Alumna of the Year. Aubry Cox of Carthage, a former Warrior basketball standout, and Kristin Chaney of Little Rock, a former basketball and softball standout and the college’s only two-sport All-American, were inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition, the Class of 1968 celebrated its 50th reunion and the 1998 Warrior baseball team was on hand for the 20-year an

niversary of winning the college’s first state baseball champion ship. The Alumni Association also held its annual tailgating event inside Bailey Stadium prior to the Warriors vs. Copiah-Lincoln football game. Sophomore nursing major Jas min Cole of Hickory was crowned Homecoming Queen during halftime.

Basketball ‘Be Our Guest’ Nights The college offered the first “Be Our Guest” nights at basketball games for high school students in each of the counties in the district in January and February. High school students in Leake County visited January 10 for the games against Pearl River, high school students in Scott County visited January 14 for the games with Co-Lin, stu dents in Newton County were the guests January 28 when Southwest visited Brackeen-Wood Gym, students from Ne shoba County were in attendance January 31 when East Central faced Gulf Coast, and students from Winston County were guests at the February 11 games with Jones. The students were admitted free and door prizes were awarded. DECA State Awards Three sophomore DECA students received awards during the state competition in February and advanced to international competition in Orlando, Fla. Winners included Tori Ferguson of Decatur, second place in Financial Accounting; Chris Brown of Carthage, first place in Managerial Accounting; and Hunter Thrash of Philadelphia, sec ond place in Marketing Management. DECA is an international association of high school and college students and teachers of marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service. Black History Month Celebration East Central Community College held its annual Black History Month program February 20 in the Vickers Fine Arts Center auditorium. Philadelphia Mayor James Young served as guest speaker. The ECCC Gospel Choir sponsors the Black History Program and also performed.

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# 1

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# 1 # 1

Number of years out of the last six that ECCC students who transferred to one of the state’s eight public, four-year universities had the highest average GPA at baccalaureate graduation among all Mississippi community colleges.

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2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

S tudents who transferred from East Cen tral to public four-year institutions in Mississippi earned the highest cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of all communi ty and junior college transfers in the state of Mississippi in both 2017 and 2018. According to data released by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), students who transferred from East Central to one of the state’s eight public, four-year institutions earned a 3.34 GPA at baccalaureate graduation in both 2017 and 2018. The 3.34 GPA was the highest cumulative grade point average of any community or junior college in Mississippi over the past six years. Students from the community/junior college with the sec ond highest GPA in 2017 earned a 3.28 and in 2018 a 3.26. The average GPA for all 15 commu nity/junior colleges combined was a 3.18 in 2017 and a 3.19 in 2018. In four of the past six years, students who trans ferred from ECCC to a public four-year college or university in Mississippi earned the highest GPA of all state community and junior colleges. The report also again showed that community college transfer students performed academi Humanities Instructor of the Year Chas Evans of Conehatta, guitar instructor and chair of the Fine Arts Division, was ECCC’s recipient of the Mississippi Humanities Council 2018 Humanities Teach er of the Year Award. He was recognized on March 12 when he presented a special program titled “Song Anatomy” in Vickers Fine Arts Center auditorium. He was also honored at the Mississippi Humanities Council Public Humanities Awards Ceremony April 5 in Jackson. The award came with a $400 cash prize. PBL State Honors Fourteen members of ECCC’s Theta Chi Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda participated in the 2019 State Leader

ECCC Again Tops in Transfer GPA

cally as well or better in university courses than students who began their education at the senior institutions. The “native” students earned a 3.15 GPA. ship Conference in March and all placed first in their respective events. The chapter also received first place in raising funds for the March of Dimes, received Foun dation Recognition, and was recognized as a Gold Seal Chapter. Individual recognition was given to Justin Wilcher of Philadelphia, who was elected state PBL pres ident and also received the Rufus T. Jones Scholarship, and Hanna Stokes of Philadelphia, who was elected state PBL parliamentarian. Inducted into the Mississippi Phi Beta Lambda Hall of Fame in recognition of a first-place award at the 2018 National Leadership Conference were Samantha McMullan of Decatur, Jackie Cates of Newton, and Nicole Ferguson, Khalil Triplett, Shelby Greenwood, Sam Loper, and Wilcher, all of Philadelphia.

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ECCC President Receives PTK’s Gordon Award

‘Freaky Friday’ Production The college’s Encore Players student performers presented Disney’s “Freaky Friday” March 29-April 2, including three matinee performances for schoolchildren in the district. The musical is about an overworked mother and her teenage daughter who magically swap bodies and have just one day to put things right again. By spending the day in each other’s shoes, they come to appreciate one another’s struggles, learn self-acceptance, and realize the immeasurable love and mutual respect that bond a mother and daughter. ECCC’s Most Beautiful Sophomore psychology major Iris Keen of Louisville was crowned East Central Community College’s Most Beautiful 2019 at the annual beauty pageant March 11 in Huff Auditorium. Also named beauties were sophomore nursing major Marla Hudson of Louisville, sophomore English major Ramiah Johnson of Morton, sophomore college presidents who have shown strong support of student success on their campuses by recogniz ing academic achievement, leadership, and service among high-achieving students. Stewart was nom inated for the award by student members of East Central’s Theta Xi Chapter of PTK. The Shirley B. Gordon Award is Phi Theta Kappa’s most prestigious award for community college presidents. P resident Dr. Billy Stewart received the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction during the society’s annual convention April 5 in Orlando, Fla. PTK’s Shirley B. Gordon Award is presented to

nursing major Rebekah Scitzs of Collinsville, and soph omore speech pathology major Shelby Greenwood of Philadelphia. Junior Days The college hosted its annual Junior Days March 28 29. Nearly 1,400 high school juniors from across the five-county district were on campus those two days. Student Services had several activities and learning opportunities planned, including the annual Information Showcase both days in Brackeen-Wood Gym. State Art Competition Winner ECCC art major Keli Smith of Forest received a first-place award for her entry “Consumption” in the Three-Dimensional Design category of the Mississippi Community/Junior College Art Instructors Association 2019 state art competition in March. The event was hosted by Copiah-Lincoln Community College. the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them grow as scholars and leaders. PTK has more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in the United States and nine other countries. “I am deeply humbled and honored to receive this award from Phi Theta Kappa,” said Stewart, who was named the eighth president of ECCC in July 2012. “The fact that I was nominated by our own East Central Community College PTK students makes this honor even more rewarding. Although I may be on stage accepting the Shirley B. Gordon Award, I will do so on behalf of the entire ECCC family who support and value the success of all of our students.” PTK is the premier honor society recognizing

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58

Percentage of first-time, full-time entering freshmen receiving institutional scholarship aid in academic year 2017.

C riminal Justice Technology and Cybersecurity Technology were among new academic offerings at ECCC beginning with the Fall 2018 semester. The Criminal Justice Technology program pro vides students with the skill base necessary to become professionals in law enforcement, correc tions, and other criminal justice fields. Those com pleting the program earn an Associate in Applied Science degree, which could lead to employment or transfer to a four-year college or university. Options for a Career or a Technical certificate are also available. The Cybersecurity Technology program provides students with the skill base necessary to become professionals in network administration, network support specialist, computer network defense, intrusion detection systems, red team technician, and penetration testing. Students in the Cybersecurity Technology pro gram have the opportunity to earn certifications ECCC Begins Offering Cybersecurity, Criminal Justice Student Hall of Fame The 2019 ECCC Awards Ceremony April 25 was again held in the evening to better accommodate students and their families. Recipients of Hall of Fame and other hon ors were recognized during the annual program. Selec tion to the Hall of Fame is considered the highest honor a student can receive at the college. Hall of Fame induct ees for 2019 were Shelby Greenwood of Philadelphia, Ryan Ethridge of Collinsville, Anna Burns of Carthage, Rebekah Scitzs of Collinsville, Nicole Ferguson of Phila delphia, and Joshua Warnsley of Decatur.

in CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Security+. Those completing the program will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree. Options for a Career or a Technical certificate are also available. National Pitcher of the Week Warrior baseball pitcher Thomas Boothe was named both the NJCAA Division II National Pitcher of the Week and the MACJC Pitcher of the Week in April. The sopho more right-hander from Fairhope, Ala., pitched a nine-in ning no-hitter and struck out 14 batters to power ECCC to a 4-0 win over the Northeast Tigers April 6. Earlier in the week, he earned a save to help preserve ECCC’s 5-4 win over No. 7 ranked Jones College.

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New Diesel Technology Program to be Offered

T he college announced in February it will offer a new program in Diesel Equipment Technology in Philadelphia beginning in Fall 2019, pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The instructional program will be located at the former U.S. Motors plant and will provide stu dents with competencies required to maintain a variety of industrial diesel equipment, including agricultural tractors, commercial trucks, and con struction equipment. It will include instruction in inspections, repair, maintenance of engines, power trains, hydraulic systems and other components.

Students can select between several pathways, including a career certificate, technical certificate or an Associate of Applied Science degree. Coursework will include Fundamentals of Equip ment Mechanics, Electrical/Electronic Systems I, II, and III, Hydraulics I, Diesel Systems I, II, and III, Preventive Maintenance and Service, Transporta tion Power Train, Air Conditioning and Heating Systems, Advanced Brake Systems (Air), Steering and Suspension Systems, and Heavy Equipment Powertrain. According to recent statistics by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, experienced diesel technicians in the East Central Community College area can earn up to $26.12 per hour or $54,324 annually.

SkillsUSA State Honors Numerous Career & Technical students took top honors in the Mississippi SkillsUSA state competition in April. Those receiving first-place honors represented Mississippi at the National Skills and Leadership Conference in Louisville, Ky, in June. ECCC students took first-place honors in Promotional Bulletin Board, State Pin Design, Industrial Motor Control, Action Skills, Carpentry, Cabinetmaking, Collision Repair, Auto Refinishing, and Restaurant Service. SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization serving high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations, including health occupations. Coca-Cola Gold Scholar Sophomore nursing major Rebekah Scitzs of Collinsville was named a 2019 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar and received a $1,500 scholarship. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Academ ic Team program by recognizing 50 Gold, 50 Silver, and 50 Bronze Scholars with nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually.

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S ophomore Mario Asagunla of Jackson and English instructor Pam Croswell of Union represented the college at the 2018-19 Higher Education Appreciation Day: Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE) program held in Jackson in February. The annual HEADWAE observance was estab lished by the Mississippi Legislature to honor aca demically talented students and faculty members Asagunla, Croswell Named HEADWAE Honorees Percentage of first-time freshmen enrolling at ECCC who graduated in academic year 2018 within 150 percent of the minimum length of a program of study. Percentage of first-time, full-time entering freshmen enrolling at ECCC who experienced a successful outcome of graduation and/or transfer in spring 2017. 61 42

from each of the 36 public and private member institutions of the Mississippi Association of Colleges. Asagunla is a sophomore mechanical engineering major and a graduate of Hillcrest Christian School in Jackson. He was named an NJCAA Academic All-American and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Croswell has 25 years in the field of education and has been employed at East Central since 2006. She was selected the college’s Academic Instructor of the Year in 2015 and was a Lamplighter Award recipi ent in 2013 The HEADWAE program begins at the State Capitol and is followed by a luncheon in downtown Jack son, during which each student and faculty honoree is recognized in front of their guests, institution leaders, corporate sponsors, and legislators.

TVA Stem Scholarship Sophomore Joshua Warnsley of Decatur was awarded one of two $2,250 STEM scholarships from Tennessee Valley Authority and Phi Theta Kappa. The scholarship is awarded to PTK members in Mississippi who plan to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). The students were selected based on academic achievement, leadership, campus and community service, and faculty assessments. TVA will also provide mentorship opportunities for the scholars.

Commencement The 2019 Commencement Ceremony was held May 3 at the Neshoba County Coliseum in Philadelphia. Some 541 students received diplomas and/or certificates this year. Those participating in the commencement pro gram included graduating sophomores Ryan Ethridge of Collinsville, who gave the invocation; Rebekah Scitzs, also of Collinsville, commencement speaker; and Josh ua Warnsley of Decatur, benediction. Presenting the musical selection “Homeward Bound” were graduating sophomores Anna Brooke Skinner of Union, and Jack son Lovorn, Courtney McNair, and Courtney Smith of Philadelphia.

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Construction Begins on Warrior Hall

T he college held a groundbreaking cere mony in November to mark the begin ning of construction on its new Warrior Hall football operations center. The estimated $2.6 million, 12,300-square-foot facility will be located just outside the north end zone of Warrior Field at Bailey Stadium. The facility is expected to be ready for use when the spring term begins in January 2020.

Warrior Hall will contain locker rooms for play ers and for coaches, a team meeting room, posi tion conference rooms, coaches’ offices, an equip ment room, a players’ lounge, and a laundry room. It will also house a state-of-the-art training room to be used by student-athletes in all nine varsity sports at the college. The architect for Warrior Hall is Eley Guild Har dy Architects of Biloxi. The contractor is J&J Con tractors Inc. of Collinsville.

Kids’ College The college again hosted its annual Kids’ College program in June 2019. The event, which featured numerous courses and combined fun and learning for ages 5-12, included a Kids’ College T-shirt for each participant. Course offerings included Lil’ Warriors Tennis, Creative Chefs, Painting/Drawing, Spa Camp, Lil’ Warriors Soccer, Budding Bakers, Celebrity Acting, and Singing Superstars. Grace Hopper Scholarship Sophomore Breshia Donald of Forest was awarded a scholarship to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration in Octo ber 2019 in Orlando, Fla. The conference is the world’s largest gathering of women technologists. Scholarships for the celebration are awarded to students enrolled full-time in computer science, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline and are based on the student’s activity in their community and campus, as well as work toward the advancement of women in computing. PBL National Honors Members of the college’s Theta Chi Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda received eight awards overall, including first place awards and $1,000 in cash prizes in the Community Service and Parliamentary Procedure categories, at the organization’s 2019 National Leadership Conference in June in San Antonio, Texas. Sophomore Justin Wilcher of Philadelphia was recognized for Mississippi Who’s Who in Phi Beta Lambda, awarded to only one student per state each year. SkillsUSA National Honors Career & Technical Education students received several awards during the 55th SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Competition held in June in Louisville, Ky, including sixth place in Promotional Bulletin Board Team, sev enth place in Action Skills, and seventh place in Industrial Motor Controls. Student-Athlete Academic Honors Sixty-five student-athletes were honored by either the National Junior College Athletic Association or the Missis sippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges, or both organizations, for their academic performance during the 2018-19 academic year. In all, 39 ECCC student-athletes were recognized by the NJCAA and 65 were honored by the MACJC.

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28

Percentage of ECCC students residing in on-campus housing during the fall 2018 semester.

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ECCC’s rank among all 15 community colleges in Mississippi in percentage of students residing on campus for the 2018-19 academic year.

Men’s Residence Halls Receive Improvements

T he college continued its quest to make comfortable campus living a priority with the renovation of three men’s on-cam pus living facilities. Neshoba, Scott, and Winston halls received new paint, flooring, and furniture. The rooms at Neshoba Hall and Scott Hall have new beds, desks, chairs, and wardrobes with draw

ers. Winston Hall, which has built-in study and closet areas, has new beds and chairs. All three have new flooring and paint. The work began May 6 and concluded before the fall 2019 term began. Newsome Hall and Todd Hall, also residence halls for men, underwent extensive renovations during summer 2015, and New Women’s Resi dence Hall opened in fall 2017.

Athletic Team Academic Success Led by the Lady Warrior softball team, five varsity sports teams earned NJCAA Academic Team of the Year Hon orable Mention awards for having met the grade-point average requirement of 3.00 or better for the 2018-19 aca demic year. With a 3.65 team GPA, the softball team led all such programs in the 15-team MACJC and finished tied for third among all softball programs in the NJCAA. The women’s tennis team finished seventh among all women’s tennis programs in the NJCAA with a 3.56 GPA. The Lady Warrior tennis team was No. 4 among all such programs in the MACJC. The men’s tennis team finished the year with a team GPA of 3.34, which ranked No. 5 in the nation and No. 2 in the state among men’s tennis programs. The Warrior baseball team compiled a 3.30 GPA and was tied for 23rd in the NJCAA among baseball teams and was No. 3 in the MACJC. The ECCC women’s soccer team had a 3.08 team GPA and was tied for No. 50 in the NJCAA.

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mation sciences. According to the Center for Cyber Security and Education, women comprise only 11 percent of the information security workforce. With the grant, East Central sponsored four Cy berWarriors GenCyber Camps in summer 2019 in Decatur, Choctaw, and Louisville. Each camp provided hands-on learning activities that allowed participants to learn cybersecurity vulnerabilities, cybercrime, and how attention to safe online behavior is crucial to their personal safety. Guest speakers introduced the campers to computing careers, with particular attention to cybersecurity and the importance of continuing education. All participants received a Sphero robot to take home to continue learning and to share knowledge gained with friends and family. ECCC Awarded Grant for Cybersecurity Camps

E ast Central was awarded a $74,646 grant from the National Security Agency and National Science Foundation to offer free GenCyber Camps for girls in summer 2019 in four locations throughout the col lege’s district. The grant was part of the National Security Agency’s GenCyber Program 2019. The free camps for girls entering grades three through five in fall 2019 were designed to get more females interest ed in careers in the computer science industry. According to the National Center for Women in Technology, women earn 57 percent of all under graduate college degrees, but only 18 percent of all undergraduate degrees in computer and infor

Mr. and Miss ECCC Sophomore pre-nursing major Rebekah Scitzs of Collinsville and sophomore secondary education major Austin Blaine of Louisville were selected Mr. and Miss East Central Community College for the 2018-19 school year by a vote of the student body. Road Warriors Tour The ECCC Alumni Association announced its first Road Warriors Tour held in July 2019. President Dr. Billy Stew art, Director of Athletics Paul Nixon, and other college officials scheduled lunch stops in each of the five counties East Central Community College serves, including Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Scott and Winston, on select days during the month. The one-hour events included a Dutch-treat lunch, brief college and athletics updates, and door prizes.

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2018-19 Board of Trustees

Bobby Boone Leake

W.B. Jones Leake

William Kitchings Leake

Alan Rhea Leake (Secretary)

Billy Mack Wilbanks Supt. of Education

Janie Wilbanks Leake

Dr. Lundy Brantley Supt. of Education

David Byars Neshoba

Edsel Cliburn Neshoba

Prentice Copeland Neshoba

Ricky Goldman Neshoba

Jerry Smith Neshoba (Vice Chairman)

J.O. Amis Supt. of Education

Rodney Bounds Newton

Pat Cleveland Newton

Beverly Hart Newton

Dr. Danny Lanier Newton

Van Lucas Newton

Rebecca Farris Scott

John Johnson Scott

Dr. Jimmy Hollingsworth Scott (Chairman)

Dr. Tony McGee Supt. of Education

Tommy Harrison Scott

Annie Stowers Scott

Patsy Clark Winston

Delane Hudson Winston

Randal Livingston Winston

Dr. Randy Grierson Supt. of Education

Jerry Nance Winston

Leo Parker Winston

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2018-2019 President’s Report

877-GO-2-ECCC

www.eccc.edu