MDCC Secures MCCB Grant to Expand Pathways for Nontraditional Career Students

MOORHEAD, MS (Nov. 10, 2025) – Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) has been selected as one of only three institutions statewide to receive the 2025–2026 Non-Traditional Recruitment and Retention Grant from the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB). MDCC’s Career-Technical and Health Sciences divisions have been awarded $5,000 to support initiatives aimed at increasing enrollment and retention of students in non-traditional career and technical education (CTE) programs.

The grant will fund the “Career-Technical and Health Sciences Discovery Day,” an event tentatively scheduled for March 24, 2026, that will bring high school juniors and seniors from CTE centers across MDCC’s seven-county service area to the Moorhead campus. The day will feature hands-on exploration, sessions with nontraditional student role models, and activities designed to spark interest in high-demand fields.

“As Provost, I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity to help students discover career paths that align with their interests and talents,” said Dr. Valarie Morgan, Vice President of Instruction and Accreditation/Provost. “By offering hands-on experiences and personal connections with professionals in these fields, we’re opening doors for students to see themselves in careers they may never have imagined.”

The project includes hands-on learning opportunities, mentorship engagements, and strengthened partnerships with industry and schools. It is designed to support recruitment into programs where one gender comprises less than 25% of the workforce, such as Construction Equipment Operation and Welding for female students and Practical Nursing and Dental Hygiene for male students.

“At Mississippi Delta Community College, we’re committed to creating pathways that empower every student to see themselves in high-demand, high-skill careers,” said Allison Folk, Dean of Career-Technical and Adult Education. “The Career-Technical and Health Sciences Discovery Day will allow high school students to experience these opportunities firsthand, meet role models who have succeeded in nontraditional fields, and envision their own future in a career they might not have considered before.”

Dr. Patricia Kelly, Dean of Health Sciences, emphasized the value of hands-on exposure. “MDCC’s Career Technical and Health Sciences Discovery Day will give students the chance to explore career paths they may have never considered,” Kelly said. “High school juniors and seniors will engage in hands-on exploration within our labs, clinic, and technical training spaces, enabling them to expand their awareness of high demand professions, particularly in fields where their gender has been historically underrepresented.”

The project’s success will be measured through pre- and post-event surveys, enrollment tracking, and retention data, with an anticipated 10–15% increase in nontraditional enrollment in targeted programs. The grant project will be completed by June 30, 2026.