| East Mississippi Community College claims 2010-11 Halbrook Award for graduation rate excellence |
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ITTA BENA – East Mississippi Community College has earned the Halbrook Award for having the highest graduation rate among all of Mississippi’s community college athletic programs during the most recently completed academic year. The award was presented at a luncheon last week (Oct. 3-4) in conjunction with the 78th annual Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities Conference held at the Charles R. Lackey Recreation Center on the Mississippi Valley State University campus.
In the first-ever tie for top honors among the state’s 15 two-year colleges, EMCC and Hinds Community College shared this year’s Halbrook Award at the community college level after posting identical 98 percent graduation and completion rates during the 2010-11 academic year. Also at last week’s MAC luncheon, East Mississippi CC collected the John C. and Ernestine McCall Halbrook Award, which is a cash award presented to the institution that showed the greatest improvement in percentage of athletes graduating. Administered cooperatively by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Community College Board, and the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges, the purpose of the Halbrook Awards program is to annually recognize colleges and universities that maintain and achieve high academic standards for student-athletes and thus encouraging high graduation rates. “Earning the coveted Halbrook Award is another aspect of our total commitment to excellence of the mind, body and spirit here at East Mississippi Community College,” EMCC President Dr. Rick Young said. “This accomplishment also emphasizes EMCC’s commitment to providing high-quality education, graduating young men and women, and preparing all students for the next level.” Established in 1984, the Halbrook Awards program was named in honor of its founder and endower, former Representative David M. Halbrook and his brothers, John C. Halbrook, James G. Halbrook, and J.A. Halbrook. This year marks the sixth time that East Mississippi Community College has received the Halbrook Award but the first time since the 1992-93 academic year. EMCC previously claimed the honor four times (1983-84, 1985-86, 1988-89 & 1989-90) during a seven-year span just after the awards program was authorized in 1984. “This tremendous achievement should be shared by our entire coaching staff, administrative support staff and, of course, our excellent student-athletes and outstanding faculty members here at East Mississippi Community College,” EMCC Vice President/Director of Athletics Mickey Stokes added. “There are many individuals to be recognized for this combined effort, but I’d like to give a special mention to our athletic advisor Brittany Wagner-White for her commitment and dedication to EMCC’s student-athletes. This is certainly a great way to put the finishing touches on a very successful 2010-11 academic year here at EMCC, both in our classrooms and on our athletic playing fields.” For the first time in school history, all of East Mississippi Community College’s athletic teams participated in postseason competition during the 2010-11 academic year, including MACJC North Division championships in both men’s and women’s basketball as well as softball. In addition, all six of EMCC’s MACJC-affiliated athletic teams received Academic All-State team honors, highlighted by softball, women’s basketball, baseball and men’s golf receiving NJCAA All-Academic Team recognition. In the Public Universities Division, the University of Mississippi was the 2010-11 Halbrook Award winner for the highest percentage of female athletes graduating, while the University of Southern Mississippi took honors for the highest percentage of male athletes graduating. Millsaps College was the recipient in the Independent College Division. |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 14 October 2011 ) |
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