Dr. Rick Young

Doing a lot with a little

 Some people say community colleges are the best-kept secret in Mississippi, but the truth is that’s where you’ll find almost 70 percent of all college freshmen in the Magnolia State. Expand the view a little, and you’ll discover that about half of all undergraduates in the state are enrolled in community colleges. That’s a lot of people, representing a large investment in our future.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Community colleges also offer career and technical programs for young adults who don’t want or need four-year degrees – and older, “non-traditional” students who are shifting from one career track to another. The time needed to complete these programs ranges from eight weeks to two years. Upon completion, some students earn vocational certificates while others cross the stage at graduation with associate’s degrees.

It doesn’t stop there, either.

East Mississippi Community College and 14 other community and junior colleges in the state also offer Adult Basic Education and help people earn GED diplomas. Displaced homemakers, people of modest means, students with limited English proficiency, people who need a little help developing good study habits and students who are the first in their families to attend college find a helping hand in a constellation of support programs.

And here’s more.

When business and industry leaders start looking for places to locate new facilities, or expand existing facilities, EMCC partners with local economic development leaders to provide workforce training. The result is vibrant growth in the Golden Triangle area. The college works with 78 businesses, training and retraining employees – including PACCAR, the area’s newest corporate citizen, scheduled to open a 400,000-square foot diesel engine plant near Columbus next year.

The way we feel about it, education is education. Whether you’re studying welding or completing your first two years before university transfer or upgrading your skill set in the face of changing technology, the ultimate goal is the same.

We all want to go to work.

Community colleges offer people affordable ways to make their lives better. And that brings me to funding. In fiscal year 2008, K-12 schools received almost 73 percent of the funding allocated to public schools. Universities received almost 21 percent, and the state’s 15 community colleges shared 6.5 percent.

Earlier this year, community and junior colleges asked the state Legislature for “mid-level funding,” a per-student appropriation mid-way between the state-funded amounts for a K-12 student and a regional public university student.

We didn’t get it. But we did get a 6.49 percent increase in our appropriation – one of the largest increases of any state agency. We know it’s not easy being a state legislator, and we know they’re pulled in every direction by people who believe in their causes as much as we believe in ours. We’re grateful for the increase and we’ll strive to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money.

So, come see us. We’re here for you.

For more information or to schedule a visit, call the Scooba campus at (662) 476-5000 or the Golden Triangle campus at (662) 243-1900.

Dr. Rick Young
EMCC president