Mayor tours MCC Adult Education Department
Posing for a photo opportunity are Jennifer Whitlock, MCC director of adult education,
Meridian Mayor Jimmie Smith, MCC President Dr. Thomas Huebner, and Joseph Knight, MCC vice president for workforce solutions.
New in his administration, Meridian Mayor Jimmie Smith got a closer look at Meridian
Community College’s Adult Education Department.
“I’m impressed in what y’all are doing here,” Smith said as he toured and talked to staffers and students at MCC’s Ralph E. Young, Jr. Center for Adult Basic Education. “It’s almost unbelievable we have this kind of jewel in Meridian,” he said. “I think it’s wonderful.”
Jennifer Whitlock, MCC director of adult education, led Smith through the center, telling him who the center serves and how they are taught; she also shared that the College’s facility is the only one in the state to have a building dedicated for just adult education. “We’re thankful for the support from the City,” Whitlock said.
MCC’s Adult Education (AE) Program provides foundational math, reading, and writing skills to help students acquire the skills needed to earn a High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma, go to college, and/or join the military.
Additionally, the AE program manages HSE Testing. When an examinee successfully passes an HSE test (GED or HiSet), MCC gives them one free academic or workforce class. Basic reading, math, and writing refresher skills are offered to individuals that already have a high school diploma but are deficient in at least one of these areas.
Whitlock noted all instructional services are free of charge. “We have funding to assist with testing and workforce classes for those who qualify,” she noted.
Other services include workforce classes, literacy training, and the Mississippi Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (MI-Best) Program. With MI-Best, qualified participants can simultaneously earn their high school equivalency and enroll in a career and technical education program. Smart Start, another adult education program, teaches participants how to prepare, obtain, and maintain employment.