Nine MCCers begin leadership training program
It’s a new academic year, and nine Meridian Community College faculty and staff members are taking part in the Eagles Leadership Convocation (E.L.C.), a yearlong program designed to strengthen leadership skills and build connections across campus.
Sponsored by the MCC Foundation, this College-based professional development program helps participants grow in communication, leadership, and teamwork. The goal is to improve the College while also creating opportunities for personal growth and success.
The Class of 2026 includes Veronica Fox, assistant director of student accounts; Jawanda Huggins, biological science instructor; Eric Jones, Welding Program coordinator and instructor; Chris King, director of bands; Parker Manley, workforce project manager; James Runnels, systems analyst; Rhonda Smith, college and career navigator; Crystal Sterling, mathematics instructor; and Dr. Tommy Winston, Physical Therapist Assistant Program coordinator and instructor.
MCC President Dr. Tom Huebner and Dr. Leia Hill, vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the MCC Foundation, serve as program facilitators. Courtney Pitts, executive assistant to the vice president for institutional advancement and MCC Foundation office coordinator, is the program assistant.
The group will meet monthly through May 2026, covering topics such as diversity and inclusion, legal and human resources issues, crisis and meeting management, and building relationships and teams. At the end of the program, participants will present a group project that addresses a College need and offers a solution.
Those who complete the nine-month program will receive a $500 stipend. The first session included orientation, and participants are already eager to engage.
Fox noted the first session was exciting. “It was energizing to connect with new people, share ideas, and start building relationships that I know will grow throughout the program,” she said.
She added, “I wanted to join E.L.C. because I see it as an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. E.L.C. offers the chance to learn from leaders across the college, develop new strategies for solving problems, and gain a broader perspective on how different departments work together towards shared goals.”
To learn more about E.L.C., visit meridiancc.edu/elc.