Tiger Talk Podcast by Northeast Mississippi Community College

In episode 141 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss a variety of topics that are happening at the college. Ford, who recorded his segment from the state's capital, talks about the effect that COVID-19 still is having on the college and society but points out that the COVID-19 numbers are going down as the vaccine rollout has ramped up. Ford talks about the college's collaboration with Baptist Memorial Hospital in Booneville to try to make vaccines available to NEMCC employees but encourages those in categories who can get the vaccine quicker, to go ahead and get vaccinated if they should so choose to do so. Recruiting is going to be big going into the 2021-22 school year and Ford wants all employees to focus on bolstering the ranks of the Northeast student rank and file with consorted effort to help boost enrollment for years to come. Ford talks about the upcoming Orientation -- one in the spring and one in the summer. Dual enrolled/Dual credit students will get a chance to go through Orientation in April while Orientation sessions will return to face-to-face in the summer as graduated high school seniors come to Northeast to make out their schedules for the fall. Ford, who is in Jackson, talks about the legislative needs of not only Northeast but the other 14 community colleges around the state discusses the need for more appropriations to the community colleges to help them keep the high-quality of education to the students. Ford gives an update on two construction projects - the Northeast at Ripley center and Northeast's Corinth campus becoming one of the largest COVID-19 vaccination sites in northeast Mississippi. Northeast at Corinth's partnership with Magnolia Regional Health Center sees the center open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. and even open during the upcoming Spring Break. Ford talks about two awards -- from the Mississippi Historical Society and the Mississippi Forestry Commission as well as discusses changes to the Mobile Learning Conference for the summer during this week's episode. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

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Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 140 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. Ford talks about the legislative agenda for the college and not just Northeast but the 15 community college's around the state. In addition to addressing the legislative needs of the community college system, the college president talks about the changes to the dual enrolled/dual credit system that is slowly making its way through the Mississippi legislature. Ford also focuses on the student process at the college from recruiting to enrollment and retention of students once they reach Northeast whether it is the Booneville, Corinth, New Albany, soon-to-be-open Ripley, hybrid, or virtually. Ford wants all the Northeast family to focus on recruiting and retaining students once they become part of the Northeast family. Ford also talks about a pair of awards the college has received in the last few weeks. One from Tree City USA and another from the Mississippi Historical Society. Ford also talks about workforce and economic development and addresses the idea of Ashley Furniture, Inc., bringing a plant to Booneville. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

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Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 139 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. Ford talks about the college trying to return to as much of a normal schedule as possible and that includes all facets of the college from academics to athletics to career and tech to many more things happening. Ford addresses the opening of athletics for the Spring 2021 semester and talks about the basketball games that have happened in the last week or so with the men's teams opening 2-0 while the women's teams started the season 1-1. Ford encourages everyone to go out and attend games at The Plex with baseball opening this weekend (Friday, January 29) against Itawamba and East Mississippi and the softball team starting on Saturday, February 6. Ford revisits the Legislative agenda for not just Northeast but the 15 community colleges around the state and gives the six top priorities that the community colleges are looking for from state legislators. In his second week on the show, Sodexo Operations Manager Don Knowles talks about the payment options available at the Tiger Grill including a perk for those living in the college's residence halls -- Tiger Bucks. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 138 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. Ford talks about a push in recruitment to help bolster the enrollment numbers at the college for the Fall 2021 campaign along with a discussion about the COVID-19 vaccine that will be available to employees in February. Ford gives insight on athletics picking back up in the spring with basketball taking on Holmes Community College on Thursday, January 21, baseball kicking off on Saturday, January 30, softball just a week later on February 6 and golf on February 22. While talking about COVID-19, Ford reveals that there is some more CARES Act money coming to the college and that the college has already put up shields and dividers in most of the labs on campus to help prevent the spread of the virus. For the first time since March 3, 2020, a second guest joins the show as Sodexo Operations Manager Don Knowles visits to talk about the Tiger Grill and its offering including a SubConnection where fresh baked bread is featured each day and the addition of the Tiger Grill which serves not only a Tiger burger but chicken strips and chick wings. Tiger Grill is located in the Haney Union and is open Monday-Thursday. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 137 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. Northeast is coming off its holiday break that saw the students spend nearly two months away from the campus and employees were off for the Christmas break before returning on Monday, January 4. Ford and Kollmeyer talk about a variety of topics in the first podcast of the semester including enrollment numbers and how to drive enrollment to Northeast. In addition to enrollment, Kollmeyer and Ford discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the steps the college has taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on campus. Ford also talks about the ongoing construction projects the college has including finishing the HVAC work in Seth Pounds Auditorium and ongoing renovations there, the remodeling of the Magnolia Room on the second floor of the Haney Union, and reaching the completion of the Northeast at Ripley center in Tippah County. If you or someone you know want to further your/their education, Northeast is the right place for you/them.  Ranked as one of the top community colleges in the nation, Northeast has a variety of options to fit anyone's schedule from face-to-face classes to hybrid to Zoom to TigerCast and fully online courses to help everyone achieve their educational dreams. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 136 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. In this week's update, Dr. Ford welcomes all listeners and talks about a variety of different topics including a recap of the Fall 2020 semester and a preview of the Spring 2021 semester as the college puts a focus back on face-to-face classes. However, the college will still offer online, ZOOM, and hybrid classes for students, who are not ready to come back to face-to-face classes just yet. Ford announces some big news of the college in two parts of the podcast including shifting the date that the college will close for the 2020 holiday season -- shifting from Thursday, December 17 back to Friday, December 11 and a major milestone as the Northeast story has climbed up the corporate ladder at Apple, Inc., and is headed for CEO Tim Cook. Northeast will reopen the 2021 Spring Semester on Monday, January 4, and will look forward to opening its Northeast at Ripley center as well. As the students head home for the holidays at the Thanksgiving break, Ford and the college will turn their attention to the 2021 Mississippi Legislative calendar and will band with other presidents in the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges (MACC) to present six legislative priorities for the 2021 budget. Those priorities include 1) restoration of the 2021 reduced appropriation, 2) a 5% funding formula increase, 3) a 3% salary increase for all community college employees, 4) a focus on career-technical education by adding new programs and enhancing the ones already in the system, 5) examining a dual credit scholarship program for high schoolers enrolled in those classes and 6) $35 million capital improvement bonds for the upcoming year. Ford also brings to light the Mississippi Online Workforce College, which is very similar to the Mississippi Virtual Community College system, that will allow working professionals to receive additional training and certificates at their job place in hopes that this will help to accelerate their career paths. Ford gives an update on the Mississippi Department of Transportation Project's second round of funding that will see new sidewalks, lighting, and crosswalks put into campus around Cunningham Boulevard and north to George E. Allen Drive/Veterans Boulevard and then back along Church Street to make sure that all of our students are safe. This will also include new crosswalks for those making the trek across Church Street from Hines Hall to the Baptist Student Union, Mississippi Hall, or the Band Practice Field down SMU Drive. In addition to the second round of the MDOT funding, Ford talks about the college's application for GEARS grants through the Mississippi governor's office and how they will benefit the college. In a look at athletics, Ford discusses the 2020 football season and how the team had been successful on the field (5-1 with a season-ending win over Itawamba Community College in Fulton) and off as well thanks to the athletic training staff that made sure that the team did not go under quarantine during the season. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 135 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. In this week's update, Dr. Ford welcomes all listeners and talks about the end of the Fall 2020 semester and his concerns for the rising COVID cases not just in Mississippi but around the nation as well however, Ford does let listeners in on conversations that will affect Northeast employees at the college is debating releasing for the holiday break on Thursday, December 11 instead of December 18. No decision has been made but the president wanted all employees to be aware that the change may happen. Ford also discusses the Ellucian Digital Transformation Impact Award and what a big honor it is for the NEMCC. Northeast was the only school -- community college, 4-year college or university or any other school that applied -- in the nation to earn the Digital Transformation Award. The only other school honored was the University of Greenwich in London, United Kingdom. Ford places special emphasis on the beginning of an eSports team at Northeast and encourages everyone to sign up for it and speaking of Athletics, Northeast's football team takes on Itawamba Community College on Thursday, November 12 in Fulton. Northeast (4-1) is looking to complete its regular season and still has a chance to make the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) State Championship game for the 2020 football season. For those who cannot make it to Fulton, the game will be streamed live on the NEMCCTV.com "Black Channel." Ford lets listeners in on a variety of construction/remodeling efforts that will be happening at the college over the next few weeks including the Magnolia Room on the second floor of the Haney Union and renovating the Mississippi Department of Safety's Driver's License Bureau at the Northeast at Corinth campus to give them more room to operate. In a rundown of events for this week, Ford touches on the Campus Country concert that's slated for Thursday, November 12 on the front steps of the Ramsey Student Services Building, a possible change to the college's Board of Trustees' meeting in December, the fall semester's Practical Nursing Education graduation on Thursday, November 19 along with a signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of West Alabama that will allow a seamless transition between Northeast students transferring to the Livingston, Alabama-based college. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 134 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. In this week's update, Dr. Ford welcomes all listeners and talks about a return to normal face-to-face classes in the spring 2021 semester for both faculty and students. Ford states that while the college still has options available for online learning such as Zoom classes, hybrid and fully virtual through the MSVCC and Northeast, that face-to-face classes will be the primary form of instruction at the college during the Spring 2021 semester. Ford talks about the postponement of the annual rivalry football game against Itawamba Community College, the Perkins audit and many other topics of interest. Remember if you have not signed up for classes for the Spring 2021 semester and are currently a student at Northeast, priority registration day was Friday, October 30 so get your courses selected and if you want to join one of the best community colleges in the nation, open registration begins on November 9. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 133 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. In this week's update, Dr. Ford welcomes all listeners and talks about Priority Registration Day coming up on Friday, October 30 and how important it is for students to get their schedules in early. Sophomores can begin registering at 8 a.m. while freshman can put their schedules in at 9 a.m. Ford also addresses classes for the 2021 Spring Semester and announces a new class format as the college returns to more face-to-face classes. Northeast, in addition to traditional face-to-face classes, hybrid and online classes will now offer a Zoom option for faculty and students to take part in a real-time, virtual course where the student can interact with the instructor instantaneously. Ford gives an update on the Perkins Audit that happened at Northeast and says the college passed with flying colors. In addition to giving an update about upcoming events such as the Sodexo Halloween Costume Contest on Thursday, October 29, Ford talks about how the college has handled the COVID-19 pandemic and what Northeast employees, students and community members can do to help reduce the spread of coronavirus - 1) Wear a mask, 2) Social distance and 3) wash hands regularly. In his Athletics' update, Ford talks about the Tiger Golf team and the success it has had during the fall portion of its schedule and about baseball and softball's successful fall schedules. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

In episode 132 of the TigerTalk podcast presented by Northeast Mississippi Community College, host Will Kollmeyer welcomes Northeast president, Dr. Ricky G. Ford, to the podcast as Kollmeyer and Ford sit down to discuss what is happening at the college. In this week's update, Dr. Ford welcomes all listeners and talks about the college's recent virtual visit with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - Commission on Colleges where Northeast only received three recommendations. Ford also addresses the need to stay vigilant with COVID 19 guidelines between students, employees, and community members. Ford says that people still need to socially distance themselves and wear a mask to help us reduce the number of COVID 19 cases and to help Northeast, Booneville/Prentiss County, Mississippi and the United States overcome this pandemic. Ford takes the time to thank the employees of the Facilities and Maintenance department along with Building and Grounds for the job that they are doing, did during Homecoming, and for everything they will do in the future to make Northeast one of the best campuses in the nation. Ford gives an update on the Northeast at Ripley center and says that the college will take over the center from the construction firm in November and have the campus ready to open in January with an open house to show off the new facility during the early part of the Spring semester. In order to aid our students when transferring after their first two years at Northeast, Ford points out agreements that Northeast has with surrounding universities that aid in the transfer process. Ford talks about the agreement with the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama, a memorandum of understanding with Mississippi State University that focuses on our career and technology students transferring there to receive a Bachelors of Applied Science and an upcoming transfer agreement with the University of West Alabama in Livingston, Alabama that will make the process of Northeast students transferring there less hectic. Northeast and the University of West Alabama's transfer agreement will allow for Northeast students to receive scholarships based on grade point average along with other factors such as on- or off-campus housing at UWA. Ford reminds all students -- current, returning, or prospective students -- that Northeast will return to its regular schedule of classes in the Spring and will offer more face-to-face classes to those that want them. In helping students interact more with faculty or ask timely questions, Northeast will also be rolling out synchronous Zoom classes to allow students to ask timely questions but also have the online class feeling. Don't forget that if you want to sign up for classes in the spring, sign-ups are just around the corner. Priority Registration will open for sophomores and freshmen on Friday, October 30. Sophomores will get a chance at classes at 8 a.m. while freshman will start scheduling at 9 a.m. Students must meet with their advisors to discuss their DegreeWorks academic plan before registering for classes in the spring. 

🎙️TigerTalk – where Northeast tells its story, one episode at a time.

For those who may have missed an episode, all Northeast TigerTalk episodes are archived at https://nemcctigertalk.simplecast.com.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.