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MDCC Completes First Semester in State Penitentiary
MOORHEAD, Miss. (May 18, 2021) – Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) celebrated the end of its first semester at the Mississippi State Penitentiary (MSP) at Parchman on May 11.
MDCC originally planned to launch a prison education program a year ago, but the project was paused due to COVID-19. However, MDCC was able to secure a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation through the Mississippi Humanities Council (MHC) to make the plans a reality this spring.
MDCC Vice President of Instruction Teresa Webster has high hopes for the partnership with the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC).
“MDCC is dedicated to improving the community through intellectual and cultural opportunities, and we believe that community includes incarcerated students. With support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, we were finally able to begin our work at Parchman this spring teaching three humanities courses,” said Webster.
The recognition ceremony began with a welcome from tenured Correctional Officer Dianna Jackson-Washington. Following this, there was a time for words of inspiration to be shared. Speakers included: Webster, MDCC President Dr. Tyrone Jackson, Enrollment Coordinator & Registrar Jay Gary, MHC Assistant Director Carol Andersen, MSP Superintendent Timothy Morris and MDOC Director of Education Shaniece Mabry.
State Representatives Abe Hudson, Otis Anthony and Tracey Rosebud and State Senator Sarita Simmons also had words of encouragement to share. The MDCC students of MSP were then given time to reflect upon their first semester. Three students stepped forward to deliver powerful and impactful words about how much the opportunity to attend a college class has meant to them.
After the students spoke, Webster and Jackson presented certificates of completion to students who completed their first semester.
Following the ceremony, Gary answered any questions that students may have had and assisted them in getting registered for future classes.
“We’re always excited to see our students succeed and are particularly proud of these students taking steps to improve themselves. We look forward to the continuation of this partnership and to what the future holds,” concluded Jackson.