ELC wraps up its year with Welcome Wings presentation

Members of ELC pose for a pre-graduation photo before their final presentation. From left are Tony Boutwell, Marlo Turner, Brandy Hill, Kristi Williamson, Mandy Hurtt, Whitney Stevens, An Howard Hill, Cyndy Bratu, Mitch Brantley and Victoria Liddell.  

In this semester's completion season, another group of soon-to-be graduates will celebrate a milestone. 

The Eagles Leadership Convocation (ELC) is an academic year-long professional development and leadership program designed to equip participants with the skills they need to excel in their roles. This year's cohort includes Tony Boutwell, Mitch Brantley, Cyndy Bratu, An Howard Hill, Brandy Hill, Mandy Hurtt, Victoria Liddell, Whitney Stevens, Marlo Turner, and Kristi Williamson, who met monthly to cover a range of leadership topics and network with lecturers and college cabinet members. Book reviews were also a part of their monthly tasks. 

And, like other academic term conclusions, ELC had its "exam” - a final group project that focused on identifying a College need and developing a program/solution. This first ELC class project: Welcome Wings. 

In explaining the project to the cabinet, Brandy Hill said new employees face a lot of information when coming to the College. "Our Human Resources department does a fantastic job of presenting HR information, payroll information, and things that pertain to their area of the College, but there's so much more a new team member needs to know other than just payroll and benefits. And it’s not possible for them to absorb it all at one time,” she said. 

The ELC's solution for the information overload is to create a committee to serve as a resource for new employees from meeting face-to-face, giving campus tours, crafting special emails, gifting College branded items, and checking in with the new employees. 

“I couldn't be happier about this project," said MCC President Dr. Tom Huebner to the group. "Your work will make a difference and be very important to us," he added. Vice President for Workforce Solutions Joseph Knight offered kudos to the participants and applauded the project. "I think it demonstrates when a group of people come together and try to solve a common problem, that there's always a way to improve the process. I was impressed." 

Reflecting on their ELC experience, participants expressed a sense of bittersweetness at the program's completion. "I'm excited about the new chapter to implement what I've learned through this leadership course, but I'm also sad that it's ending because I have enjoyed learning more about my coworkers and getting to know them on a more personal level," said Hurtt. 

Turner agreed that by joining the program, she better understood herself and how to work with others who are different from her. 

"This was a huge growth experience," said Brantley about his ELC participation. "At first, I was out of my comfort zone with the group, but I developed leadership skills, and I knew I needed that," he added. A bonus for Brantley was the opportunity to be mentored by Leia Hill, vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the MCC Foundation who oversaw the ELC, and Dr. Huebner. 

"It was just a wonderful experience, and I highly recommend it," he added. 

To learn more about the Eagles Leadership Convocation, contact Leia Hill at leia.hill@meridiancc.edu, 601.484.8612.