June 30, 2026

By Michael Stewart

East Mississippi Community College Dean of eLearning Dr. Coranette “Chris” Calhoun has completed the 2025-26 Mississippi Community College Policy Fellows Program (CPFP). In addition, Calhoun has been recognized for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who in America honoring notable professional achievement and leadership.

Calhoun was nominated to represent EMCC in the 2025-26 cohort of the CPFP. She was joined by participants from other colleges across the state in the program designed to strengthen leadership capacity and deepen understanding of state and federal policymaking processes among leaders within Mississippi’s community college system.

During the year-long program, Calhoun participated in seven full-day seminars in Jackson, as well as virtual policy sessions, a day at the Mississippi State Capitol and a week-long national legislative summit in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Training sessions for the CPFP cohort focused on leadership, networking, policy, and advocacy. The program culminated with the legislative summit in Washington, D.C., which took place June 8-12. Members of the cohort met with Mississippi’s U.S. Congressional representatives and senators, their staff members and other national education policy leaders.

Among other things, the cohort advocated for Pell Grant eligibility for workforce training and continued funding for workforce programs of study. Calhoun said that engaging directly with lawmakers helped her gain firsthand insight into the legislative process.

“Advocating on behalf of Mississippi colleges was a great, great experience,” Calhoun said. “I really enjoyed that. This experience provided a valuable perspective on public policy development, higher education advocacy, and the role of community colleges in shaping workforce and economic development initiatives across the state.”

In addition to completing the CPFP, Calhoun has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who in America, a longstanding biographical publication recognizing individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional accomplishments, leadership, and service within their respective fields. Selection is based on career achievements, community involvement, and overall professional impact.

“These milestones represent meaningful opportunities for growth and service,” Calhoun said. “Participating in the Policy Fellows Program, including direct engagement at the State Capitol and at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., has strengthened my understanding of legislative processes and effective advocacy. I am honored to be recognized by Marquis Who’s Who in America, and I remain committed to serving students, institutions, and communities with excellence.”

In addition to overseeing all aspects of eLearning at EMCC, Calhoun supervises the Center for Teaching and Learning. She is also a computer science instructor at EMCC and serves as an adjunct professor in a doctoral program, where she is credentialed to teach in the areas of Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Information Technology, Project Management, and Artificial Intelligence.

Calhoun earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems at Mississippi University for Women and a master’s degree from Bellevue University with an emphasis in Computer Information Systems. In February, she completed her doctorate at Liberty University with concentrations in Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, and Project Management.

Calhoun’s dissertation for her doctorate was titled “How to Incorporate Artificial Intelligence into Higher Education: An Analysis of Benefits, Challenges and Best Practices.”

“The reality is that artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay, and the impact of AI will be far greater than most people expect,” Calhoun said. “What we can do, however, is ensure that people understand how to use it responsibly. This is especially important in education, where AI has the potential to support students, assist educators, and streamline administrative tasks. When used thoughtfully and ethically, it can be an incredibly powerful tool.”

Calhoun first began working for EMCC in 2006 in the Information Technology department. A year later she was asked to fill in as an administrative assistant in Distance Learning, which was followed by a quick succession of promotions that led to her current role as dean of eLearning.

When she isn’t working, Dr. Calhoun enjoys traveling, reading, cooking, continuing to learn, and spending quality time with her daughter, Madison.