Main Content Section
New Faces in MDCC Student Services Leadership
MOORHEAD, Miss. (Oct. 19, 2022) – The office of student services at Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) has recently added some new faces while undergoing reorganization in order to better serve the student body.
Willie Gant Jr. was recently hired as the assistant dean of student services, while Nakeshia Fipps began serving as associate dean of student services during a reorganization at the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1.
Gant is responsible for judicial affairs, the Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA), student housing and resident life, and Title IX.
Fipps, who previously served as counseling & disability support services coordinator, is now responsible for counseling and disability support services, student activities and recreation, student development, and student organizations. She also serves as COVID-19 coordinator.
Gant, who joins the Trojan family from Delta State University, sees this as a growth opportunity for himself and the students of MDCC.
“I am truly humbled to have been chosen for this position! I’ve always had the desire to advance in higher education, particularly in student services,” said Gant. “This will be an opportunity for me to have an impact on the students of Mississippi Delta Community College, which in turn will foster an even greater sense of personal and professional growth in me.”
Fipps and Gant take their new position under the leadership of Dr. Steven Jones, who serves as vice president of administrative and student services. Prior to adding student services under his umbrella of leadership, Jones served MDCC as vice president of administrative services for three years.
“When I took over Students Services in November 2021, I began to work with our student services personnel to evaluate our policies, procedures, and practices with the sole purpose of improving the quality of student services through a student-centered approach to leadership,” explained Jones. “The goal is to streamline our processes, update our practices, and forge new relationships that yield positive dividends for our students. We have made major strides in a short period of time, but there is more work to be done.”
“As we continue to move from good to great, we must not lose sight of why we serve – the students. In doing so, we must have bold, creative, and innovative leadership willing to explore new paths to success,” Jones continued. “I am confident Deans Fipps and Gant are the right individuals for the job, so it’s with great enthusiasm that I welcome them to the division’s leadership team. I look forward to their continued success along the way. It’s a great day to be a Trojan!”