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Misty Little Finds Success in MIBEST
Contributed by Adult Education College and Career Navigator Allison Brady
MOORHEAD, Miss. (Sept. 15, 2022) - Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) is celebrating Adult Education (AE) and Mississippi Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (MIBEST) week from September 19-22. As a result, we would like to spotlight one of our amazing adult education and MIBEST students, Misty Little.
After leaving high school in the 9th grade, Misty Little struggled with homelessness and drug addiction. She recounts that everything changed for her the day she woke up in a “6’ by 9’ cell and nobody but me and Jesus.” She credits being incarcerated with ultimately saving her life and says she “made a pact with myself that the day I walked outside the gates, I would be a better person, not only for myself but for my children and my family.” Through Mississippi Delta Community College’s Adult Education program, Misty has been able to achieve just that.
In March 2022, Misty enrolled in the MDCC Adult Education program on the Greenwood campus with the intent of completing her High School Equivalency (HSE) and making her family, particularly her father, who supported her through all of her life challenges, proud. Throughout her time in AE, Misty’s instructors were responsive to her individual needs and always gave her the tools she needed to succeed academically.
Outside of academic instruction alone, her instructors also supported her personally and were willing to help however they could, even if it was outside of traditional working hours. She is thankful that her instructors went above and beyond to ensure she completed her educational goals. Through MDCC Adult Education, Misty completed SmartStart, learned key employability skills, earned a Gold on the National Career Readiness Certificate, and ultimately passed all four parts of the GED exam and received her HSE in May 2022.
Misty describes achieving her HSE as freedom. She says that “a weight has been lifted off my shoulders” since she now has the necessary prerequisite degree to pursue further education. She is particularly thankful that she was able to complete her HSE before the tragic passing of her father in June 2022. Misty’s father had always been her biggest supporter. Achieving her HSE was a way of demonstrating to him that his faith in her was not misplaced and that she was capable of overcoming the dark moments that had plagued much of her earlier life.
Misty plans to continue her education by starting classes in Business & Office Technology (BOT) at MDCC in Fall 2022 through the MIBEST program, which is funded through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The MIBEST program allows adult education students to begin taking college-level courses in a career-technical field while working towards their HSE.
MIBEST also provides wraparound services, such as school supplies, HSE test vouchers, and transportation support, to students as needed. Through MIBEST, Misty’s ultimate goal is to earn her Associate of Applied Science degree from MDCC.
She is excited to study BOT because it is a high-demand field that provides opportunities for life-long learning as the business world constantly evolves. Misty is also excited to be part of the campus community at MDCC and the myriad of other opportunities that await her on campus.
While Misty acknowledges that she regrets not going back to school earlier in her life, she imparts this wisdom: “If you didn’t do it in your twenties, do it in your thirties. If you didn’t do it in your thirties, then do it in your forties. There’s no age limit to success. Every day is a blessing, and we should take advantage of that.”
With her incredible tenacity, drive, and heart, Misty is truly an inspiration to everyone she meets, and she will undoubtedly flourish in this next step of her journey.
If you or someone you know is looking to complete their high school diploma, Mississippi Delta Community College’s next Adult Education registration will be held October 10th-13th from 8:15 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. daily. Prospective students can register at MDCC’s Moorhead campus, the Greenville Higher Education Center (GHEC), the Greenville WIN Center, or the MDCC Greenwood Center. Students must be at least 16 years old and have a valid state-issued photo ID.
For additional information about Adult Education registration, please contact MDCC’s Director of Adult Education Christopher Lee at (662) 246-6572. For further details on the MIBEST program, please contact College and Career Navigator Allison Brady at (662) 374-0529.