Shelby County Today

August 2, 2018 - Panola College at our Shelby College location in Center, is offering Certified Nurse Aide Courses beginning August 22-December 5, 2018. We have two options for prospective students. On Monday and Wednesday evenings from 4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. For more information and to register, contact the Shelby College Center at 936-598-9543 or email: tmccann@panola.edu.

July 18, 2018 - Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education named Panola College as one of the “Great Colleges to Work For” and presented the institution the Honor Roll designation for the seventh consecutive year.

One of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country, “Great Colleges to Work For” identifies colleges and universities that work to provide an exemplary work environment for faculty and staff. The results, released today in The Chronicle’s eleventh annual report on The Academic Workplace, are based on survey responses from more than 53,000 people at 253 colleges and universities. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.

“The unity of purpose among faculty, staff, students, the community, and our Board of Trustees is what makes Panola College a great place to work. The word "family" is frequently used to describe Panola College,” said Dr. Greg Powell, President of Panola College. “I am proud of our caring culture and our strong commitment to help students succeed.”

Panola College is listed as one of only 84 institutions that achieved the “Great College to Work For” recognition and one of only 12 two-year institutions to make the Honor Roll, which recognizes distinguished institutions for creating exceptional work environments.

Panola College was also placed on the Honor Roll as a stand out college in its size category for winning honors in 11 categories this year. These categories included:

Collaborative Governance: Faculty members are involved appropriately in decisions related to academic programs.

Compensation and Benefits: Pay is fair, and benefits meet the needs of employees.

Confidence in Senior Leadership: Leaders have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience for institutional success.

Facilities, Workspaces and Security: Facilities adequately meet needs, the appearance of the campus is pleasing, and the institution takes steps to provide a secure environment.

Job Satisfaction: Provides insight into the satisfaction with job fit, autonomy and resources.

Professional/Career Development Programs: Employees are given the opportunity to develop skills and understand requirements to advance in their careers.

Respect and Appreciation: Employees are regularly recognized for their contributions.

Supervisor/Department-Chair Relationship: Supervisors make expectations clear and solicit ideas.

Teaching Environment (Faculty only): Faculty members say the institution recognizes innovative and high-quality teaching.

Work/Life Balance: Policies give employees the flexibility to manage their personal lives.

“Great Colleges to Work For® looks at employee perceptions of the quality of their work environment. It examines aspects of the worker experience in a quantifiable and measurable way. This allows you to act on your faculty’s and staff’s feelings about job satisfaction, interdepartmental collaboration, pride in work and other important areas,” states Liz McMillen, editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Great Colleges to Work For is one of the largest and most comprehensive workplace study in higher education. To administer the survey and analyze the results, The Chronicle worked with ModernThink LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm that has conducted numerous “Best Places to Work” programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide.

July 10, 2018 - Panola College and Timpson ISD are graduating high school students with their Associate’s Degree, core complete, and with technical certifications.  President Dr. Powell, Dean Oswalt, Vice President Don Clinton and Dr. Mid Johnson Superintendent of Timpson ISD were on campus to congratulate the Seniors of Timpson High School.  The success students at Timpson are incurring would not be possible without the partnership we have with Panola College.

Timpson ISD (TISD), through its Collegiate Center offers to pay tuition, books, and fees for students to earn an Associate’s Degree or gain college credit for courses that will earn students a certificate or license in the vocational and technical fields. The number of students taking dual credit college classes through Timpson ISD has more than tripled in the past 2 years.

In many cases, taking dual credit classes is the only way many students will be able to afford college. In addition to having the cost of tuition, fees, and books paid for by the school district, students can also save on cost because they are living at home and do not pay fuel cost or dormitory housing expenses.

Many of our Timpson ISD students did not think they had the ability to pass a college class, but after being successful in their first college class, they are inspired to continue towards their goal of earning their Associate’s Degree and eventually their Bachelor’s Degree.  Helping our students to complete a college degree or earn a vocational technical certification will not only benefit our students and their future families, but will also benefit the community by enabling them to be tax payers and contributing members of society. 

Timpson ISD currently has over half of its high school student body taking dual credit college classes that lead toward an Associate’s Degree or certification/licensing program. 

After graduation, students will have the opportunity to continue taking classes at the Timpson Collegiate Center. Although the district will not pay tuition, books, and fees after students graduate, the district will provide a place in town for former students to take college classes that work into a Bachelor’s Degree. This will allow former students to save on fuel and housing cost and continue their educational goals.

Timpson ISD had a passing rate of 92% of students who took college classes during the Fall 2018 semester. This high 92% passing rate of students was possible because a monitor is assigned to each room where students take classes. The monitors ensure that students are focused and are on task. Monitors also teach students study skills, test taking skills, and arrange for them to get tutoring from fellow high school teachers, if needed. Mrs. Tina Samford and Mr. Vernett Richardson have years of experience here at Timpson ISD working with dual credit students.  

The staff members at Timpson ISD are committed to ensuring that every student who graduates from Timpson High School can exit THS High School doors with something more than a high school diploma. The Timpson community passed a $9,000,000 million dollar bond to build the Timpson Collegiate Center and we are currently on track for move into the new facility in August/September of 2018.

The Collegiate Center excitement and ongoing program success is reaching out into the surrounding communities. Timpson has also had an increase in districts’ enrollment, adding students who have transferred into Timpson ISD to further their education, students who truly care about getting an education. Research shows that if a student takes at least one dual credit class while in high school it doubles their chances for successfully graduating.

Timpson ISD is striving to also implement another exciting program: “Grow Your Own Teachers.”  The Grow Your Own program main focus is to recruit teachers. The Grow Your Own Teachers program will allow staff members and student to gain either a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree and become the next generation of educators.

The parents of the Timpson ISD community have continued to support, guide, and stand side by side the students to keep them encouraged throughout this amazing transition period. The Timpson ISD teachers and staff are committed to making a difference in lives of our students. 

(L to R) Harley Wilson and Nat Lankford with a check for the Charlie Woods Memorial Scholarship to the Panola College Foundation.

June 29, 2018 - On Wednesday, June 27, 2018 Harley Wilson and Nat Lankford presented the Panola College Foundation with a check for $13,501.39 towards the Charlie Woods Memorial Scholarship.

The Charlie Woods Memorial Scholarship was established six years ago by his friends and family to help sophomore students enrolling in Panola College’s petroleum technology program. Scholarship funds are raised through an annual raffle and the Charlie Woods Memorial Fishing Tournament held each year on Toledo Bend in May.

Charlie Woods graduated from Carthage High School in 1972.  He attended Panola College before entering a Ranch Management Program at Texas Christian University. Following graduation Charlie worked most of his life in the oilfield.

Charlie was an avid fisherman. His love of the sport began at an early age when he fished with his “Papaw” Spurlock. Charlie fished the FLW Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League where he won first place in one of the tournaments on the Texas Tournament Trail. He also took first place in the Texas Oilman’s Tournament and the Louisiana Oilman’s Tournament. He and Harley Wilson also won a boat at the Toledo Bend Classic tournament. Charlie was also a member of the Carthage Bass Fishing League. He particularly loved the fishing trips with his friends to Lake Falcon in South Texas on the Texas – Mexico border. His plans were to eventually travel to Brazil to fish for Peacock Bass.