Panola College
February 5, 2025 - Panola College is proud to announce that Kaleb Hathaway, a second-year band student, has been selected as the first chair trumpet player for the 2025 Texas Community College Band Directors Association (TCCBDA) All-State Band. Hathaway was chosen as the top trumpet player from over 30 community colleges across the state of Texas.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to be selected for All-State this year, especially because it's my first time making first chair,” Hathaway said. “I have come close during my high school years but never quite made it, so this is a big milestone for me.”
Hathaway will travel to San Antonio for a three-day rehearsal session, working with Dr. Matthew McInturf, the director of bands at Sam Houston State University. The rehearsals will culminate in a concert on February 15 for the Texas Music Educators Association, where Hathaway will join the TCCBDA Wind Symphony.
Dwaine Hubbard, director of bands at Panola College, expressed his pride in Hathaway’s accomplishment. “This is a tremendous honor for Kaleb to be selected for this prestigious group of musicians, and to be chosen as first chair is an even greater achievement. We are extremely proud of his hard work and dedication.”
Panola College, one of the founding members of the TCCBDA, has participated in the All-State process every year since its inception in 1974.
February 3, 2025 - Panola College was awarded a $255,633 Nursing Shortage Reduction Program (NSRP) grant by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board aimed at addressing the nursing shortage in Texas by ensuring the availability of skilled nurses able to meet public health needs.
The Associate Degree Nursing program will utilize the funds to provide a second entry point for students applying to the LVN-RN 1-year transition track. This will allow for the admission of more students into the program and offer a face-to-face learning option.
“The addition of a spring start for the track will provide an additional opportunity for students to progress their nursing education and provide an increased number of Associate Degree Nursing graduates in the East Texas area,” said Annissa Jackson, chair of nursing programs at Panola College.
The grant was coauthored by Jackson and Natalie Oswalt, dean of career and technical programs. Eligibility for the grant is based on being in good standing with the Texas Board of Nursing and increases in enrollment, graduates, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board CBM reporting system.
Learn more about the Associate Degree Nursing program at www.panola.edu/healthsciences.
January 21, 2025 - Panola College will cancel all classes for Tuesday, January 21. All Shelby County campus operations will be closed today; however, the Marshall and Carthage offices will remain open for regular business hours.
January 8, 2025 - The Panola College Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for its 2025 Alumni of the Year award. Nominations may be submitted online through February 3 at panola.edu/alumni.
The Alumni of the Year award is presented annually during the spring semester, recognizing alumni who have enhanced the reputation of the College by distinguishing themselves in their careers and have made significant contributions to their community through professional service, public service, and civic activities.
To be eligible, nominees must be a Panola College alumnus, someone faculty, staff, students, and alumni will take pride in and be inspired by, and be present at the May 2025 commencement ceremony.
The complete list of criteria may also be found by visiting the alumni webpage. Those with questions may contact the Office of Institutional Advancement by calling 903-693-2029 or emailing alumni@panola.edu.
January 3, 2025 - Panola College is proud to announce the students named to the President’s List for the Fall 2024 semester.
To qualify for the President’s List, students must complete the semester with a GPA between 3.8 and 4.0 with a minimum of 12 semester credit hours. Only courses applying toward an associate degree or certificate are included in the computation.
The Fall 2024 President’s List is as follows:
Archdale, N.C. - Shila Williams
Avinger - Alyssa Hicks
Beckville - Lauren Brown and Rebekah Dragoo
Budva - Renata Mijovic
Calgary - Trey Mackwood
Calhoun, Ga. - Mackenzie Henson
Carthage - Latrice Allison, Brian Alvarez, Jennifer Alvarez, Braxton Bagley, Jadyn Baker, Reagan Beatty, Jacie Dorsey, Natalie Escobedo, Jazmine Griffin, Rodriguez Hernandez, Kade Holder, Cy Howsmon, Mariah Jernigan, Sara Kinney, Maya Ladiwala, Gabriella Laney, Nathan Lenox, Torey McLemore, Shila McMillan, Cota Medrano, Jason Meek, Austin Powell, Ivy Rodriguez, Lizett Rodriguez, Gabrielle Sapp, and Sixt Von Kapff
Cedar Hill - Madison Caldwell and Cenaya Calhoun-Jingles
Center - Gracie Burch, Amanda Denmon, Chasity Fountain, Laribel Galvan, Alondra Hernandez, Luis Hernandez Ramirez, Liela Klein, Braileigh McDaniel, Hailey Mooney, Angie Morales, Brisa Morales, Tori Ramirez, Donneshia Roland McCowin, Elizabeth Spruiell, Kenneth Stone, Cathy Whisenant, and Marygrace Whittlesey
Centerville - Jordan Dildine
Coboconk - William Grainger
DeBerry - Jakiya Jackson, Lauren Light, and Ashley Wolfe
Fresno - Brianna Maseno
Frierson, La. - Hailey Meeks
Frisco - Hannah Carr
Garrison - Caly Blacksher, Dallas McFadden, Gavin Pollard, and Susana Tapia
Gary - Caleb Commiato, Isabel Crawford, Joel Mitchell, Eric Moreland, and Macy Oliver
Henderson - Keira George, Lilly Haynes, and Ella St Clair
Houston - Caden Wellmann
Jefferson - Aiden Cooner, Faith Franklin, and Christiana Justice
Joaquin - Brandi Arnold, Kelley Fountain, Kaylea Neal, and Kannon Rogers
Karnack - Micheala Latham
Keatchie, La. - Ava Salley
Kilgore - Kaylee Yandell
Kingwood - Joshua Arquette
La Grange - Bennett Barber
Lakeside, Conn. - Chandler Coe
Laurel, Md. - Tunmise Sofola
Little Elm - Avery Armstrong
Longview - Kynlie Hooper, Chanireya Jones, Jakayla Morrow, Kamdyn Scott, and Christi Thompson
Lubbock - Brady Boles
Magnolia - Troy Peters
Marshall - Savannah Bertolis, Katelynn Byrd, Alondra Carbajal, Robynn Closure, Chance Commander, Jocelyn Galvan, Eric McCulloh, Dayana Mendoza, Blaize Putnam, Taylor Skinner, Rylie Staton, Gracey Struwe, and Tniya Thomas
Mirabel - Justin Anctil
Mount Enterprise - Levatus Mikell
Nacogdoches - Asher Davis, Jackson Glymph, Lindsay Self, and Christopher Wheeler
Nederland - Gage Driskell
Orange - Eric Blackman
Plano - Tresur Bennett
Saint George - Akinde Redhead
Shelbyville - Kendall Murry
Spring - Dillon Staples
Spurger - Riley Minter
Surprise, Ariz. - Travis Torain
Tenaha - Aaron Flores, Renee Gomez, Cindy Hernandez, Luna Lopez, and Maria Rojas
Timpson - Emily Bennett and Dafne Pelcastre
Victoria - Andrew Rivera
Waskom - Riley Otwell and Pepper White
Wichita, Kan. - Awa Fane
Winnipeg - Waqarra Tessema
January 3, 2025 - Panola College is proud to announce the students named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2024 semester.
To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must complete the semester with a GPA between 3.5 and 3.79 with a minimum of 12 semester credit hours. Only courses applying toward an associate degree or certificate are included in the computation.
The Fall 2024 Dean’s List is as follows:
Arp - Abigail Bishop
Beckville - Stephen Hammons, Kaytlin Harris, Dulce Ibarra, Olga Rivera, Mariana Salgado, and Katherine Thompson
Belton - Bradley McGehee
Branch, La. - Sarigh Mitchell
Bronson - Jordan Lay and Varinia Parrish
Carthage - Boston Adkins, Anna Bagley, Olivia Blissett, Coleman Bullock, Hailey Compton, Alexandria Cremeans, Hope Delk, Taylor Dixon, Koray Erdogan, Isaac Feltman, Addison Glaze, Sharmetria Hall, Kaleb Hathaway, Miller Ivy, Abi Jasso, Emmanuel Juarez, Kaileigh McDaniel, McKenzie Ortigo, Clayton Peters, Priscila Piedra, Drew Pitts, Darren Preston, Josue Ramirez-Rico, Bailey Spears, Katie Thomas, Kendal Tinkle, Landon Williams, and Talynn Williams
Center - Franuel Araujo, Kenia Chavez, Lucero Espinosa, Madison Fenley, Aung Khaing, Maelynn McKinney, Colby Melton, Micah Pickett, Briley Pope, Thomas Powell, Yareli Ramirez, Mahalia Raymond, Victor Romo, Nguyen Tran, and Victoria Warren
Chireno - Aloura Packard
Colfax, La. - Anna Williams
Copley, Ohio - Jayden Maxwell
Corpus Christi - Matthew Ruiz
DeBerry - Riley Hopper, Jordan Light, and Taylor Marshall
Garrison - Kendall Van Horn
Gary - Kristin Howard, Brevan Hurst, Abigail Johnson, Katrina Pugh, Alexis Rowe, James Shaub, Destiny Shepard, Kyle Stephens, and Summer Stuart
Hallsville - Brooke Mullenix
Harleton - Hannah Adams
Helotes - Lance Gorman
Hemphill - Hollie Davis
Henderson - Miriam Peters, Briana Rebolloso, Raygan Rogers, Amelie White, and Kylie York
Ikorodu - Daniel Albert
Jefferson - Nevaeh Burns and Karen Montuerto,
Joaquin - Melissa Arcibar, Latisha Cummings, Jackson Griffin, Mary Hilliard, Lauren Neal, and John Penning
Kaufman - Sadie Grace Lovell
Kilgore - Mihir Patel and Ke'Asya Polk
Kingwood - Blake Russell
Laurel, Md. - Tamilore Sofola and Tofunmi Sofola
League City - Matthew Alan Novominsky
Liberty, Miss. - Colby Curry
Logansport, La. - Shasta Gamble and Roper Smith
Longview - Jaydah Griffin, La'Joyra Jackson, Preston Lebrun, Genice Lopez, Brody Slaten
Louisville, Ky. - Mershon Dickerson
Lumberton - Carson Rea
Marshall - Ihandra Arias, Beatriz Bedolla, Edward Carbajal, Gustavo Celestino, Lilyjo Gronwald, Tanner Harmening, Brendan Loveless, Yanireth Martinez, Logan McNeil, Verlesha Moning, Ecaterina Sleazina, Kevin Tinoco, Nathaly Tinoco, and Samantha Wall
McKinney - Hudson Boring
Montgomery - Preston Lynch
Mount Enterprise - Jacob Gafford
N Chesterfld, Va. - Clifton Robinson
Nacogdoches - Martha Chavez-Molina, David Garcia, Diego Porras, Taylor Roberts, Alexis Robertson, and Ashley Smith
Okeechobee, Fla. - Trent Tuten
Pearland - Charles Jarrell
Pollok - Dania Ramirez
San Augustine - Xitlaly Salazar-Lopez and Mariah Smith
Tatum - Allison Hamilton, Eddie Harris, and Micah Kisner
Tenaha - Britney Barona, Korneilia Hill, Selena Mendoza, Josiah Menefee, Rheanna Richardson, Erick Salazar, and Salvador Santana
Timpson - Dillon Galaviz, Matthew Mooney, Jasmin Rojas, Jaleah Thomas, Caroline Timmons, Britney Vargas, and Nathan Vu
Vermilion - Mitchell Heinrich
Waskom - Felipe Castillo, Tanisha Gordon, Kameron Hill, and Ridge Riley
Yenagoa Bayelsa - Gloria Tony
December 18, 2024 - Panola College has received a $279,280 Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) grant, aimed at advancing four key health science programs. The funding will enable the College to offer specialized training and develop Occupational Skills Awards in remote patient monitoring. The grant, awarded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, will benefit students and the community by providing essential skills and improving patient care in East Texas.
Through a collaborative partnership with UT Health East Texas Home Health, the grant will facilitate the placement of remote monitoring equipment into the homes of East Texas Residents. Students in health science programs will gain hands-on experience with the equipment, emphasizing practical skills and real-world applications, empowering them to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
The grant will support four health science programs at the College, including Associate Degree Nursing, Health Information Technology, Medical Assisting, and Occupational Therapy Assisting. The training will equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to serve underserved residents in our communities, addressing healthcare disparities caused by limited access to equitable care.
“I am incredibly thankful for the interprofessional partnerships between our health science programs, UT Health East Texas Home Health, and the financial support from the TRUE grant award,” said Julie Green, chair of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. “This program exemplifies the transformative power of collaboration, combining education with community connections to foster a healthier future for East Texas residents.”
The grant was coauthored by Green and Natalie Oswalt, dean of career and technical programs.
In addition to gaining valuable experience, students in these programs will earn Occupational Skills Awards, which are recognized as stand-alone credentials and also integrated into existing award programs. These credentials provide essential skills and address the growing demand for specialized healthcare professionals.
“We are confident that this program will not only elevate the quality of care provided by its graduates but will also help to meet the growing demand for specialized healthcare professionals in our region,” said Dr. Mike Little, joint venture president of UT Health East Texas Home Health. “We also believe this will significantly contribute to addressing the skills gap and preparing a new generation of healthcare professionals.”
For more information about Panola College’s health science programs, visit panola.edu/healthsciences.
December 9, 2024 - Panola College celebrated the renaming of the Gregory S. Powell Science Center with a special dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 3, honoring Dr. Gregory Powell and his remarkable 24-year tenure as the College’s 10th president.
“Today, we honor a leader who has profoundly shaped the College’s legacy,” said Dr. Jessica Pace, president of Panola College. “Under Dr. Gregory Powell’s exceptional leadership since 2000, the College flourished, doubling its enrollment, awarding more than 10,500 degrees and certificates, and earning 12 consecutive years of national recognition as a ‘Great College to Work For.’”
The Board of Trustees voted unanimously on August 26 to rename the building in honor of Dr. Powell’s dedication and service. Prior to his retirement, the Board also honored Dr. Powell with the title President Emeritus.
During the ceremony, remarks were made by Dr. Pace and Reece DeWoody, representing Texas Senator Bryan Hughes, who presented Dr. Powell with a special gift. Ray Wilson, representing U.S. Congressman Nathaniel Moran, was also in attendance. The ribbon was cut by Dr. Powell, surrounded by his family, Board members, Dr. Pace, faculty, staff, and community members.
The Gregory S. Powell Science Center will serve as a lasting tribute to Dr. Powell’s visionary leadership and commitment to the College and its students.
December 9, 2024 - Panola College regular registration is currently in progress for the WINTER term through December 11th and the SPRING term through January 14th. It is definitely not too late to start your college journey!
Not sure where to start? We welcome your visit to our office at 678 Roughrider Drive Monday-Wednesday 7:30-5:30. A friendly advisor will take the time to discuss various pathways that may interest you and help you with the steps to get started toward your goals.
Panola College is an Equal Opportunity Institution that provides educational and employment opportunities on the basis of merit and without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, or genetic information.
November 22, 2024 - Panola College and UT Tyler signed a co-enrollment agreement on November 19, 2024, creating a seamless pathway for students to earn their associate and bachelor’s degrees at the same time. This initiative will provide significant cost savings, personalized advising, and access to exceptional academic resources from both institutions.
“This agreement will allow our students to enroll simultaneously at both Panola College and UT Tyler, enabling them to work toward their bachelor’s degree while they are completing their associate degree here at Panola,” said Dr. Jessica Pace, Panola College President. “Not only does this ease their transition from Panola to UT Tyler, but it also provides them a smoother and more accessible pathway to a four-year degree.”
With pathways already established between the two institutions in Engineering, Human Resource Development, Pre-Pharmacy, Psychology, and many more in development, this collaboration opens exciting opportunities for students to achieve their academic and career goals.
Furthermore, any UT Tyler-required in-person courses, such as those in the Engineering program that require hands-on experiences will be held at the Longview campus, ensuring greater accessibility for students from Panola, Harrison, Marion, and Shelby counties.
From left: Dr. Julie V. Philley, UT Tyler President and Dr. Jessica Pace, Panola College President
“We are extremely excited about this special partnership with UT Tyler,” said Dr. Rebecca Morris, Dean of Academic Transfer at Panola College. “This innovative collaboration will empower students with the education, resources, and support they need to excel.”
Visit uttyler.edu/co-enrollment/panola-college to learn more about the Panola College and UT Tyler partnership.
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