On a recent trip to Washington, Dr. Gary L. Spears (right), president of Northwest Mississippi Community College met with U. S. Senator Trent Lott in the historic Senate Minority Whip office. Senator Lott took time from an important Senate vote to meet with Spears. Spears provided Lott and other members of the Mississippi Congressional delegation with an update on the college and a proposal to seek future funding for the addition of new allied health programs to Northwest’s curriculum. Spears has initiated a $17 million /Building on Tradition/ program which is fully funded, but is looking beyond Phase I to the second phase which, hopefully, will include a new Allied Health facility. “We recognize the interest of our students and the needs of the medical community to introduce new programs such as Dental Hygiene, Radiological Technology, and Medical Laboratory Technolgy. To build this facility and to establish these programs will require several funding sources,” said Spears. After meeting with the Congressional delegation, Spears was “encouraged by their interest and support.”

Auditions have been set for the spring production of "Guys and Dolls" at Northwest Mississippi Community College, according to Northwest Speech Instructor Jo Ellen Logan, who will be directing the play. Auditions will be held at the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Senatobia campus on Monday, Nov. 5 and Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m.

"Auditions are open to everyone," Logan said. "We need actors, singers and dancers. We also need a few people who can sing and play band instruments. Singers who are auditioning for the play should bring music, preferably 16-bars of a Broadway or pop song."

Logan said that Tiffany Harrison, the choreographer for the show, will be teaching everyone a short dance routine, so those who audition should be prepared to dance. Scripts are available to borrow, Logan said.

According to Stageagent.com, "Guys and Dolls" is a successful 1950 musical. On Broadway, it enjoyed a long initial run (1,200 performances), as well as three revivals (totaling another 1,397 performances). On Nov. 3, 1955 the film version debuted starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons and Vivian Blaine (who along with Stubby Kaye starred in the original Broadway production as well as the movie.)

Frank Loesser both composed the music and wrote the lyrics. The book was adapted by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows from "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown," a short story by Damon Runyon. It also borrows characters and plot elements from other Runyon stories, most notably "Pick the Winner."

For more information, contact Logan at 662-562-3328, or e-mail jelogan@northwestms.edu.

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Singers and Chamber Choir will present a fall concert on Tuesday, Oct. 30 in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Senatobia campus.

This fall’s concert will feature a variety of music. “Over the Sea to Skye” is a lovely Sottish tune about Charles Edward Stuart, also known as “Bonnie Prince Charlie” and the “Young Pretender to the English throne.”

The music also includes excerpts from the Mass No. 2 in G Major by Franz Schubert; “My Bonnie Lass,” a madrigal that was originally written in 1595 for five voices by Thomas Morley; “Homeward Bound,” by Marta Keen; and a tribute to the armed forces. Two poems set to music, “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allen Poe, featuring Dr. Kim Hamilton-Wims, a Chemistry instructor at Northwest on violin and “Always Something Sings,” with words by Ralph Waldo Emerson will also be performed.

The choirs are under the direction of Susanne Spencer VanDyke, and the accompanist is Saundra Bishop.

The concert is free to the public. For more information, contact VanDyke at 662-562-3337 or e-mail svandyke@northwestms.edu.

Participants in Northwest Mississippi Community College's October Reading Roundtable will get a chance to “visit” with Alabama author Rick Bragg via a conference call, according to Margaret Rogers, director of learning resources. The October session will feature a discussion on Bragg’s book “All Over but the Shoutin’” led by Crystal Giles, Northwest technical services librarian.

The book is a thoughtful and loving account of Bragg’s mother, who endured much hardship to bring up her sons. It recounts a close family of aunts, uncles and cousins, and shares life lessons learned from the author’s mother. The most important lesson is “every life deserves a certain amount of dignity, no matter how poor or damaged the shell that carries it.”

A special guest at the session will be Tommy Hornsby, My Life editor of the Commercial Appeal, and friend of the author.

The October session of Reading Roundtable will be held at 2 p.m. on Tues., Oct. 30 in the R. C. Pugh Library on the Senatobia campus.

The purpose of the program is to provide a forum for senior adults to read and discuss a variety of books during the course of each semester.

Discussions will be led by library faculty at Northwest.

The November Reading Roundtable will be held on Tues. Nov. 27 and will feature the book, "River Jordan.”

For more information, contact the Northwest library at (662) 562-3268 or e-mail mrogers@northwestms.edu.

A new scholarship through the Northwest Mississippi Community College Foundation honoring William Hickey of Charleston was announced Oct. 11 at the monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees by Sybil Canon, director of Development. Hickey was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 1999.

Mississippi State Representative Tommy Reynolds provided matching funds up to $2,500 that were readily matched by residents of Charleston and members of the Northwest Board of Trustees. Additional matching funds will be added by Morgan Freeman who has provided annual matching grants since 1997.

A retiree from the Mississippi State Highway Department, Hickey serves as a member of the Building Committee and the Personnel Committee. He was the Election Commissioner for District 1 in Tallahatchie County for eight years.

Hickey attended East Tallahatchie High School and is an alumnus of Northwest. He and his wife Pat, a retired school teacher, reside in Charleston.

The scholarship, when endowed, will be awarded to a student from Tallahatchie County.

Rangers of all ages are invited to join in Northwest Mississippi Community College's Homecoming celebration on Saturday, Oct. 20.

The day will begin at 9 a.m. with Homecoming receptions and reunions.

All alumni, friends, faculty staff and administration is invited to attend the Homecoming celebration at 11 a.m. Dr. Gary Lee Spears, president of Northwest has been named 2007 Alumnus of the Year. Spears will be honored at the celebration, along with the Class of 1957. Both celebrations will be held in the Haraway Center.

A picnic barbecue lunch prepared by Northwest alumni, and a pep rally featuring the Ranger cheerleaders and Ranger Marching Band will follow from noon to 1:30 p.m. on the Haraway Center grounds. The cost of the barbecue is $5 for adults.

At 1:30 p.m. the pre-game show, featuring the Ranger Band will begin on Bobby Franklin Field in the Ranger Stadium.

The Northwest Rangers will take on the Itawamba Indians on Bobby Franklin Field at 2 p.m. The cost of the game is $5 for adults, and will include the presentation of the Homecoming court, special recognitions, and a performance by the Ranger Band.

“We sincerely hope that everyone will join us for Homecoming. The celebration is for everyone; not just reunion classes. The public is certainly invited to join us that day,” said Dolores Wooten, manager of Alumni Affairs.

According to Wooten the Haraway Center will be open all afternoon that day for those who do not wish to attend the ballgame. For more information, call Wooten at 662-560-1103 or e-mail dbwooten@northwestms.edu.