Panola College

Panola College

Mark Brandenburg Named Panola College 2022 Alumnus of the Year

May 2, 2022 - The Panola College Alumni Association is proud to announce Mark Brandenburg, a 1990 graduate of Panola College, as the 2022 Alumnus of the Year. While attending Panola College, Brandenburg was a member of the Panola Ponies baseball team and earned the 1990 all-conference MVP honor along with the Buddy Lowery award. He was also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and was involved in the Baptist Student Union on campus.

After graduating from Panola College with an associate’s degree, Brandenburg transferred to Texas Tech University. Upon graduation, he played baseball professionally in both the minor leagues and the MLB over eight seasons with the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox.

Brandenburg grew up in Humble, Texas, and currently resides in Coppell, Texas, with his wife Cristy, where they have lived for their 23 years of marriage. They have four children, Peyton, Ryan Kate, Clay, and Kylee. All four of Brandenburg’s children are active in various sports and activities, and he has enjoyed coaching and attending his children’s many events and activities throughout the years. They are members of Irving Bible Church and are involved with various other local organizations.

Professionally, Brandenburg is a senior managing director in the Dallas office of JLL Capital Markets. He has been involved in commercial real estate since 2000 and his primary areas of responsibility at JLL involve capitalizing commercial real estate with various finance solutions, such as senior mortgages, subordinate debt, and joint ventures.

When asked about his favorite memories while at Panola College, Brandenburg recalled the simple routine of campus life: the help and encouragement received as a student; the smiles received in the cafeteria lines each day from the staff; the excitement of getting a letter from family when notified by the College Store that he had mail; the pizza each Wednesday at the Baptist Student Union; and lastly, most fondly, all of the hours spent with his baseball teammates and coaches.

Today, Brandenburg focuses on his faith and putting it into action in his home life, profession, and through community involvement.

“My time at Panola College was special and helped shape my future during some very formative years as a student away from home for the first time,” said Brandenburg. “Carthage, and Panola College specifically, is a very special place.”

Dr. Berri O’Neal, Panola College Alumni Association chair, will honor Brandenburg with an award on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the spring commencement ceremony.

Panola College’s Phi Theta Kappa Chapter Holds Induction Ceremony

April 13, 2022 - The Panola College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa held its spring induction ceremony on April 7 in the Frances B. Ross Ballroom of the Charles C. Matthews Foundation Student Center. The ceremony featured a performance by the Panola Pipers singing group, along with a speech from Sharon Roberson-Jones, the executive director of Excellent Teen Choice.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership, and service programming. To be eligible for PTK membership, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above and have completed a minimum of 12 transferable hours through Panola College.

Pictured are the students who participated in the induction ceremony. From left to right, front to back: Krystle Perkins, Gerardo Salgado, Julius Robert Johnson, Mary Wyatt, Emma Rice, Ruth Rodriguez Martinez, Angela Sanchez, Britany Vargas, Andrea Horton, Zachary La Grone, Abby Mercer, Alexander Wohllaib, Ariana Wells, Ashlynn Poland, Ty Ransom, and Tracey Tindall

Panola College Offers Eligible Students Texas Reskilling Grants

March 22, 2022 - Panola College received an additional $300,000 in Texas Reskilling Grants from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to provide support in the form of financial aid to eligible Texas students who plan to enroll in a qualifying degree or certificate program this summer or fall.

To qualify, students must plan to enroll in one of the following programs: Associate Degree Nursing, Health Information Technology, Vocational Nursing, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Coding, Medical Assisting, EMT/Paramedic, Residential/Commercial Electrician, Electrical and Instrumentation, Maintenance Technician, Natural Gas Compression, Petroleum Technology, Heating/Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Basic Welding, Intermediate Welding, Welding Technology, Certified Nurse Aide, Dental Assisting, Phlebotomy, Pharmacy Tech, and Truck Driving.

These emergency aid grants may cover up to $2,500 in tuition and fee expenses for eligible students. If awarded, funds may be applied only after all other grants and scholarships an individual may have received.

To be eligible, students must be a Texas resident, must have completed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), must be Title IV eligible, must not have been enrolled in college in the last semester, and must have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Visit panola.edu/reskilling to learn more and access the application.

Panola College Offers Opportunity for Free Course This Summer

March 7, 2022 - Panola College is proud to announce its new JumpStart Scholarship, designed to offer students the opportunity to take one free class of their choice this summer to help begin their college career or help students return who may have had to pause their education due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The scholarship will cover the cost of one course (up to $500) in the upcoming Summer I five-week term, which begins May 31.

To be eligible to receive the JumpStart Scholarship, a student must:

Enroll in the Summer I five-week term
Not have been enrolled in the Spring 2022 semester at Panola College
Have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic

“The JumpStart Scholarship provides students with a great opportunity to further their education,” said Jessica Pace, Vice President of Institutional Advancement. “The past two years have been challenging, especially with Covid-19, and we hope that this exciting new scholarship will help jump start students’ education.”

Students who wish to apply for the JumpStart Scholarship must complete a brief application online at panola.edu/scholarships.

Those who are interested but have never been enrolled at the College must apply to become a Panola College student prior to applying for the JumpStart Scholarship. To access the online application, along with information regarding Panola College’s admissions process, visit panola.edu/admissions. Summer I registration opens April 6.

Panola College Receives $20,000 Donation from The Crain Foundation, R. Lacy Services

Panola College School of Energy students stand behind new portable electrical trainers in the technology lab.

March 2, 2022 - Panola College School of Energy students will begin learning on new portable electrical trainers the program purchased from a $20,000 donation received from The Crain Foundation and R. Lacy Services. Students will use the new portable electrical trainers for basic and advanced electrical courses in programs such as electrical and instrumentation, residential commercial electrician, natural gas compression, petroleum technology, maintenance technician, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

The new portable electrical units will teach students about electrical AC and DC theory, relay theory, and simple and advanced circuitry. The training units provide opportunities for students to learn how to use a multimeter to measure four different electrical quantities. A variety of switch styles are represented on each unit to familiarize students with common switches found in commercial and residential applications. Light and sound components provide students feedback of their work with visual and auditory representation.

“We are grateful to The Crain Foundation and R. Lacy Services for providing state-of-the-art trainers that allow our students to have hands-on experiences,” said Michael Pace, School of Energy instructor. “The new portable basic electrical trainers enable us to reach more students by carrying the units to any available lab at Panola College Center or Carthage location.”

Panola College Seeking Alumni to Feature During 75th Anniversary

February 24, 2022 - Panola College is seeking a number of alumni to feature on outdoor banners during its seventy-fifth anniversary festivities this fall. The banners will be displayed on light posts across campus.

“We are looking forward to featuring alumni who span Panola College’s seventy-five-year history,” said Jessica Pace, Vice President of Institutional Advancement. “This is a great opportunity for us to showcase our alumni’s accolades to our students and the community while we commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the College.”

Panola College was established in 1947, and later launched off-campus locations in Center and Marshall, Texas. A lineup of events is scheduled for this fall on the Carthage campus to celebrate the milestone anniversary, including an outdoor event that will be open to the public. Information regarding the events will be announced in the coming months.

Alumni who are interested in being featured on an outdoor banner, or those who would like to submit a nomination, may complete the online form found at bit.ly/pcfeaturedalumni. The form will close on February 28.

Panola College Partners with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

February 22, 2022 - Panola College is in partnership with the Texas A&M Agri Life Extension to offer Step Up Scale Down and Growing and Nourishing Healthy Communities Garden Courses. Classes will be held at the Shelby College Center.

Step Up Scale Down - March 1 - April 26. 2022 (Tuesdays - 5:30 - 6:30 pm)
This is a 12-week educational program, intended to help Americans choose a healthful eating plan within their calorie requirements to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. This course is $40.
Growing and Nourishing Healthy Communities Garden Course - March 31 - May 5, 2022 (Thursdays from 5:30 - 6:30 pm)
This course will help increase the availability of fresh produce through teaching participants how to grow fruits and vegetables in community and backyard gardens. This course is FREE!

For more information and to register, contact Shelby College Center at 936-598-9543 or email: tmccann@panola.edu.

UT Health East Texas Donates $500 to Panola College Foundation Toward Endowed Scholarship

January 21, 2022 - UT Health East Texas donated $500 to the Panola College Foundation on Thursday, Nov. 20 at the Rotary Club’s weekly meeting. For the past several months, the Rotary Club of Carthage has been raising funds in order to complete the endowment of the UT Health Carthage Auxiliary Scholarship. With the contribution of UT Health East Texas, the endowment has been fully funded. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a Panola College nursing student.

From left to right, Cameron Phillips, President of the Rotary Club of Carthage; Dr. Barbara Cordell; Shelbea Comer; Mark Leitner, CEO of UT Health East Texas; and Jessica Pace, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Panola College.

Panola College Announces 2021 Fall Semester Dean’s List

January 14, 2022 - Panola College is proud to announce the students named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2021 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 2021 dean’s list is as follows:

(Shelby County Home Towns)

Center - Maritza Aldaco, Leonardo Arizak, Mayra Cardena, Sirmarion Cartwright, Malaney Cooper, Camryn Crouch, Mallory Fausett, Luis Gonzalez, Osvaldo Guevara, Evelyn Hernandez, Paola Hernandez, Jackelyn Hernandez-Cervantes, Krystal Keys, Jose Landin, Alexandria Spruiell, and Kira Windham

Joaquin - Skylar Harvey

Shelbyville - Brieanna Hooper

Tenaha - Eduardo Flores, Angel Garcia, Azjha Glenn, Krislynn Joseph, Julien Lawrence, Corey McDonald, Vanessa Romero, Hunter Sample, and Riley Sherrod

Timpson - Jeffrey Brown and Jalaila Pina

(Other Area Home Homes)

Aledo - Max Lucas

Isaac Ingram, Basile, La

Beckville - Holly Alexander, Madisyn Bridges, and William Morrison

Bronson - Delanie Wells

Carthage - Ana Aguero, Isdabella Aguilar, David Albert, Izabely Benjamin, Austin Burney, Andrea Bea Canlas, Tai Chung, Brandi Creech, Kylee Cunningham, Taylor Cureton, Morgan Farr, Luisa Hoffman Araujo, Julia Holbrook, Heather Huffman, Jaydon Jacks, Hunter Lambright, Vitoria Mattos, Ana Carolina Melo, Katherine Noakley, Jadan Odom, Todd Page, Andressa Ribeiro Soares, Jaston Ritter, Sawyer Smith, Timothy Smith, Tabitha Stroud, and Britany Vargas

Chicago, Il - Tania Allen

College Station - Colby Smart

Garrison - Maci Mitchell and Brittany Westbrook

Gary - Ashley Jones and Macy Oliver

Groves - Ryan Sosa

Henderson - Colter Klingler and Jalisa Williams

Houston - J'mya Thomas-Eubanks

Huntington - Allie Endsley

Jasper - Tyler Brown

Jefferson - Brittany Hager, Cadee Humphrey, and Dale Sherrill

Karnack - Carlysa Jones

Keatchie, La - Katy Cash

Keithville, La - Angie Hendrix

Keller - Thomas Wrehe

Lewisville - Courtlyn Loudermill

Kirsten Riley, Lindale

Heath Endsley, Linden

Jessica Aloia, Longview

Kaylen Davis, Lufkin

Marshall - April Bailey, Shelby Battershell, Joshua Beasley, Kaylee Fletcher, Kathryn Harris, Monica Hernandez, Monserrath Jaimes, Jimena Olvera, Abigail Pogue, Gardenia Sanchez, Hannah Sellers, Yemeli Solis-Santana, Chelsea Trahan, and Kaitlyn Voyles
Mount Enterprise - Chelsey Caldwell

Nacogdoches - Lauren Beasley, Melody Duncan, Cody Kolb, and Seth Rustin

Pearland - Austin Dean

Pineland - Shelbie Martin

Port Neches - Thomas Reinholt

Purvis, Ms - Neely Grover

San Augustine - Hanna Bailey, Jennifer Cortes, Alshanka Garner, and Bayley Williams

Shreveport, La - Brock Lambert

Stonewall, La - Makailey Parker

Sumner - Trent Nickerson

Tatum - Stephany Gonzalez, Dena Rabius, and Lance Welch

Troup - Yamilett Villanueva

Tyler - Jessica Carter

Van - Brailey Cheaney

Waskom - Aubrey Connell, Heather Schmidt, Zachary Stump, Marjorie Tackett, Tracey Tindall, and Elisabeth Toole

Youngsville, La - Bryce Stansbury

Panola College Announces 2021 Fall Semester President’s List

January 14, 2022 - Panola College is proud to announce the students named to the president’s list for the Fall 2021 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 2021 president’s list is as follows:

(Shelby County Home Towns)

Center - Caren Adams, Nicole Aguilar, Taylor Burch, Trace Clark, Brent Dance, Chloe Eaves, Makayla Ethridge, Jacqueline Gonzalez, Marco Gonzalez, Ashley Harkness, Kassey Harkness, Brooklyn Ikner, Daniela Leon, Ariel Liker, Brisa Martinez, Andrea Morales, Stefany Moreno, Thazin Mu, Aracely Perez-Gonzalez, Rachel Powell, Erik Ramirez, Stephanie Ruan, Marlin Shofner, Anthony Tello, Ashley Warren, and Jayden Wiggins

Joaquin - Abram Arcibar, Cesar Arcibar, Bailee Bradshaw, Savanna Chadbourne, Jacy Covington, Nichole Hardy, Madelynn Hutchins, Rebekah McGhen, and Julia Prewitt

Tenaha - Annette Castillo, Samantha Coleman, and Lourdes Perez

Timpson - Leonardo Ayala, McKayla Huss, and Cara Searcy

(Other Area Home Towns)

Allen - Blaine Thomas

Alvin - Raeann Hernandez

Beckville - Allison Baker, Kristin Hanson, Shelby Lindsey, Emery Smyers, and Rayna Sokol

Burnaby - Flynn Ridley

Carthage - Joshua Adams, Dakota Cargil, Dalton Collinsworth, Leticia Correa, Micaela Cotton, Keri Dixon, Chukwudalu Egbejiogu, Hanna Elliott, Edward Farias, Tramaine Hawkins, Heaven Henson, Ally Kruebbe, Anna Kruebbe, Faith Kruebbe, Zachary LaGrone, Mehek Ladiwala, Duncan McLaughlin, Jazmin Monreal, Leah Morales, Austin Morgan, Scott Norman, Odunayo Olurotimi, Haleigh Parker, Maegan Powell, Anthony Pugh, Gabrielle Sapp, Autumn Shelton, Eric Solis, Hannah Solis, Caroline Stacy, Kennedy Stanley, Lawrence Thompson, Andres Valenzuela, America Valerio Aguilar, Madison Weems, and Abigail Wilkerson

College Station - Ashlynn Poland

DeBerry - Derra Barnett and Gage Campbell

Etoile - Emily Wheeler

Fallbrook, Ca - Bineta Diatta

Garrison - Austin Adkison and Makedric Collins

Gary - Gracie Johnson and Alyssa Travis

Henderson - Tayton Best

Hot Springs, Ar - Preston White

Jefferson - Katelyn Holliday

Karnack - Hannah Lane

League City - Matthew Etzel

Liberty - Bradford Fisher