The Northwest Mississippi Community College Art Department will hold its first annual Scholarship Art Competition and Exhibition Jan. 21- 25. Tuition scholarships to Northwest will be given to the winners.

The competition is open to all incoming freshman, according to Lawayne House, chairman of the Art Department. All media is accepted and will be juried by the Northwest Art faculty.

Each entrant must submit five works, all of which must be neatly matted or framed. Labels should be neatly taped to the top right back corner of each two-dimensional works and on the bottom of all three-dimensional works. Labels should list title of work, student’s name, high school (if applicable), student’s home address, and student phone number.

The deadline for entries is Monday, Jan. 15. All entries must be delivered to the Northwest Art Gallery anytime between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

An opening reception to announce the winners will be held on Sunday, Jan. 21 from 2-4 p.m. in the Northwest Art Gallery.

For more information, contact House at 662-562-3399 or e-mail lhouse@northwestms.edu.

Hannah Little of Arkabutla has been named editor of The Ranger Rocket, Northwest Mississippi Community College’s student newspaper, according to Renate Ferreira, coordinator for Student Publications. Little assumed editor duties for the November issue of the paper. A freshman, Little is a 2006 graduate of Magnolia Heights in Senatobia. She is a journalism major at Northwest where she was named Outstanding Journalism Student for 2007-08. “Hannah is doing an outstanding job with the paper,” said Ferreira, who is completing her first semester as coordinator for Student Publications at the college. “She is working well with the staff and showing signs of good leadership,” she said. The Ranger Rocket has traditionally earned top honors in state competition with the Mississippi Community/Junior College Press Association and with the Better Newspaper Competition which is sponsored by the Mississippi Press Association.

This year the paper received a grant from the Mississippi Press Association Education Foundation which allowed for the purchase of InDesign software and a printer.

“The software allows us to use the same applications that are used in newspaper publishing across the state and nation,” said Ferreira.

For more information about Student Publications at Northwest or journalism and public relations programs of study, contact Ferreira at (662) 562-3275.

Registration dates for Spring 2008 day and evening classes at Northwest Mississippi Community College have been announced by college officials.

Open registration for day classes (for students who have not previously registered) will be held on Jan. 10 from 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. at all campus locations including Senatobia, Southaven and Oxford. Evening school registration will be held on Jan. 8 and 9 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on all campuses.

Students who have not completed the pre-registration process must do so on Jan. 8 or 9.

Classes begin on Friday, Jan. 11. The college will close for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday on Monday, Jan. 21, and classes will resume the following day. Late registration will continue through Friday, Jan. 18.

Tuition for all full-time students is $850 per semester. For full time out-of-state students, there is an additional fee of $1,000. Cost per semester hour is as follows: in-state, $80; out-of-state, $155. Residence Hall fees vary from $425 to $725 per semester. Meal plans vary from $175 to $825 per semester.

Courses will also be offered through the Mississippi Virtual Community College. To learn more about Northwest's virtual classes, visit www.msvcc.org.

For more information on the Spring 2008 semester, contact the Registrar’s office at 662-562-3219. or visit www.northwestms.edu.

For Henrietta Henderson, a busy mother of four teenagers, going back to college seemed like an impossible dream. The technology available through the Distance Learning program at Northwest Mississippi Community College made Henderson’s seemingly impossible dream come true. “I started in January, 2006, and took classes while I was working full-time managing an auto collision repair center. In August of this year, I started as a full-time student. I will graduate next May with a degree in Medical Office Technology, and I took every class online,” Henderson said. When the Batesville native decided to go back to school, she was looking for an online program that would fit her needs. “Northwest had what I needed. It was a good fit for my life,” Henderson said. For Henderson, taking classes online gives her more time with her family, and she likes the convenience online classes offer. “It really worked well when I was working full-time. It takes self-discipline though. As long as I keep up, I can do the class work when I want to,” she said.

Henrietta Henderson of Batesville is an online student at Northwest Mississippi Community College. She will graduate with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Medical Office Technology next May. Henderson has completed all of her required classes online. (Photo by LaJuan Tallo)

She credits Distance Learning Coordinator Phyllis Johnson and her assistant Kim Steinman for their caring attitudes. “They were wonderful to me. They are very patient and caring toward the students,” Henderson said. This was Henderson’s first college experience. She graduated from South Panola High School in 1990.

"To me, this (the online program) is great for adult students. To do this, you need to be responsible and self-disciplined. You must do it yourself and be disciplined enough so you won’t fall behind,” she said.

Henderson is excited about the opportunities that await her when she is finished with her degree. She feels there are plenty of options available in the medical field, and in pharmacy and even legal environments. “It is never too late to go back to school and get an education or a new career. There is always that opportunity. Northwest’s online program was a great way to do it,” Henderson said.

For more information, visit the Distance Learning Center at www.northwestms.edu, or contact Johnson at 662-562-3317 or e-mail dlc@northwestms.edu.

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Symphonic Winds will present “Winter Wonders” on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Senatobia campus.

The group is under the direction of John Ungurait, Northwest director of bands. Also conducting is John Mixon, assistant director of bands. The evening’s music will include selections such as “Shenandoah” and “A Fresh Aire Christmas,” a medley of five favorite Christmas songs. Two new works by Samuel R. Hazo, “Solas Ane” and “Rush” will also be featured at the concert, which is free to the public.

For more information, contact Ungurait at 662-562-3335, or e-mail jbungurait@northwestms.edu.

Just in time for that last minute Christmas shopping, Les Fauves, the art club at Northwest Mississippi Community College, will hold its annual Christmas sale Friday, Dec. 7. The sale will be held from 8 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. in the Art Gallery on the Senatobia campus.

Pieces for sale will include pottery, drawings, paintings, collages and photography by art students and Northwest art faculty Lawayne House, Eunika Rogers and Ashley Chavis. Proceeds from the sale go to the club.

For more information, contact House at 662-562-3399 or e-mail lhouse@northwestms.edu.