Panola College

September 13, 2022 - Panola College is still one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For program.

The results, released today in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a survey of 212 colleges and universities. In all, 68 of those institutions achieved ‘Great College to Work For’ recognition for specific best practices and policies. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with Panola College included among the institutions with 500 to 2,999 students.

Panola College won honors in nine categories this year:

  • Job Satisfaction & Support;
  • Compensation & Benefits;
  • Professional Development;
  • Mission & Pride;
  • Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness;
  • Confidence in Senior Leadership;
  • Faculty & Staff Well-being;
  • Shared Governance;
  • Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Panola College was also named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll, a status granted to only 42 colleges in the nation each year who are highlighted most across the recognition categories.

“Being recognized in this way for 11 consecutive years is a very satisfying affirmation of Panola College, but our real goal is not recognition – it’s being a community that values the needs and contributions of every individual,” said Dr. Greg Powell, Panola College President. “I am extremely proud of the Board of Trustees, the faculty, staff, and all of our students.”

The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback. 

The Great Colleges to Work For program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all current and previously recognized institutions, visit the Great Colleges program website at GreatCollegesProgram.com and GreatCollegesList.com. ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results.

September 1, 2022 - Panola College drama will present ‘The Mousetrap’ by Agatha Christie as its annual dinner theatre production on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16 and 17, and as a dessert matinee on Sunday, Sept. 18. ‘The Mousetrap’ is produced by special permission from Samuel French, Inc.

As news spreads of a murder in London, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at a remote countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst. One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts. Which one is the murderer? Who will be the next victim? Can you solve this world-famous mystery for yourself? For almost 70 years, Agatha Christie’s ‘The Mousetrap’ has kept millions of people from every corner of the globe on the edge of their seats. Due to the surprise twists of this show, audiences are asked not to reveal the ending.

The show features Mollie Ralston, Taylor Alexander, Sophomore, Gary; Giles Rolston, Jared Jackson, Freshman, Alto; Christopher Wren, Scott Eddins Jr, Freshman, Colmesneil; Mrs. Boyle, Autumn Stewart, Freshman, Maydelle; Major Metcalf, Jacob Phillips, Sophomore, Mt. Enterprise; Miss Casewell, Jessica Bailey, Sophomore, Nacogdoches; Mr. Parvacinni, Turner Mullican, Freshman, Palmer; Sgt. Trotter, Dylan Essery, Sophomore, Gary; and Radio Voice, Julien Lawrence, Sophomore, Timpson; and MC, Jaedon Lewis, Sophomore, Mt. Enterprise.

Crewing the production are Assistant Director, Sarolyn Musick, Sophomore, Gary; Stage Manager, Dawson Windham, Sophomore, Shelbyville; Assistant Stage Manager, Caleb Ridgeway, Sophomore, Shelbyville; Lights, Donovan Williams, Sophomore, Gary and Kady Matthews, Freshman, Union Grove; Dramaturgy, Andrea Rosenbaum, Freshman, Portland; Sound Design; Cason Grimaldo, Sophomore, Grapeland; Costume Design, Haven Heiman, Freshman, Shelbyville; Props, Katelyn Guerro, Freshman, Colmesneil; Make-Up, Hair, and Poster Design, Chelsey Caldwell, Sophomore, Mt. Enterprise, assisted by Evelyn Boles, Freshman, Mt. Enterprise; Special Effects, Estrella Villanueva, Orange, and Center Piece Design Tameka Alexander, Freshman, Centerville, and Scenic Painter, Katy Chance.

The production is staged in the Elizabeth R. Hedges Studio Theatre located on the Panola College campus. Seating is limited and reservations are required. For the dinner theatre productions on Friday, Sept. 16, and Saturday, Sept. 17, dinner starts serving at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 6:40 p.m., with the show starting at 7 p.m. For the dessert matinee production on Sunday, Sept. 18, doors open at 12:30 p.m. and the show begins at 1:30 p.m. Dinner will be a full Italian meal with salad, a side, bread, dessert, water, coffee, and tea. Dessert will feature a selection of pies, cake, and cookies, along with water, coffee, and tea.

Tickets for the dinner theatre are $40.00 for adults and $35.00 for seniors, students, and children. Dessert matinee tickets are $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for seniors, students, and children. All tickets are pre-paid and no tickets are sold at the door. Tickets go on sale Saturday, Sept. 3, and are available at panola.booktix.com. Tickets may be pre-purchased via check or cash by visiting the theatre department at Panola College. For more information or to make arrangements to pay by check or cash, email tickets@panola.edu or call 903-693-2064.

August 18, 2022 - The Panola College Foundation awarded a record 32 grants to 21 different programs in eight areas at Panola College this year. The grants, which totaled $93,701, will go toward supporting various programs and initiatives at the College.

The grants allow employees at Panola College to pursue high-quality, imaginative, and innovative improvement of student success, professional development opportunities, and minor program enhancements such as equipment and supply purchases.

Vicky Hudson, the 2021-2022 chair of the Panola College Foundation, announced the recipients of the grants at a faculty and staff meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at the College.

“The Panola College Foundation is proud to support the faculty and staff at Panola College,” said Hudson. “Panola College employees’ dedication and commitment to their students are apparent through the numerous applications we receive each year.”

The 2022-2023 grants include funding for the following:

Becky Walker: Breast and Testicular Self-Exam Models
Cancee Lester and Doug Snodgrass: SMART Board Interactive Display and Accessories
Carol Brightwell and Tana Searcy: CPR Equipment
Chasity Klingler: Three iPad Pros with Keyboards and Pencils
Corey Johnson: 3D Printer to Print Anatomy Models for Commuting Students
Dale Saenz: Adult Legos
Daron McDaniel: Texas Speech Communication Association Annual Convention
Doug Snodgrass: Two Vascular Arm Models
Dwaine Hubbard: Five Stands with Logos for the Band
Dwayne Ferguson: Microsoft Office Systems Exam Vouchers for 20 Students
Haylie Handley and Amanda Clements: Fall and Spring Museum Field Trip for Students
Jacky Andreatta: Sports Medicine Portable Table with Logo
Julie Green: ‘Breathe for Change’ Training, Course Manuals, and Yoga Mats
Karen King: 100 Storage Bins for Props and Costumes
Karen King: Four Altman PHS LED Lighting Instruments
Katy Chance: Easter Egg Hunt Prizes
Katy Chance: Giant Outdoor Games
Katy Chance and Amanda Clements: Printing and Framing for Student Exhibits
Katy Chance and Texas Reardon: E-sports Gaming Room Equipment
Kevin Rutherford: Vascular Arm for Marshall A&P Lab
Laura Wood: College Store Vending Machine for Marshall Campus
Lisa Miller: Two IV Arm Manikins for Center Campus
Mary Chance, Don Clinton, Bruce Koch, and Whitney McBee: Self-defense Training for Students and Employees, Equipment for Training
Michael Pace: Electrical Tools, 3-plane Laser, and Hand Tools
Rebecca Courtney: Displays, Shopping Baskets, Product Photography Bundles
Rebekah Burkhalter and Laura Wood: 240 GED Ready Vouchers
Sandra Bauer and Dwaine Hubbard: Symphony Concert Field Trip
Shay Joines: 8 Archival and Display Cases, Preservation Sheets, and Binder Cases
Texas Reardon and Katy Chance: Gaming Bus for National Gaming Day
Veronica Wilkerson: Lumen Tracking Camera for Recording Instruction
Wendy Fehner: Hydraulic Patient Lift and Universal Sling
Whitney McBee: Mental Health Instructor Training


Pictured are (from top to bottom, from left): Michael Nesbitt, Clint Bray, Steven Lucas, Brian Fenton, Riley Seegers, Matthew Stapleton, Kori Hooker, Marie Graham, Antiquene Nichols, Jennifer Self, Tamisha Culberson, Jessica Rittenberry, Erik Choron

August 8, 2022 - Panola College is proud to announce 14 new hires for the fall of 2022.

  • Clint Bray – Maintenance Technician
  • Erik Choron – Professor, Cybersecurity
  • Tamisha Culberson – Director of Information Technology Services
  • Brian Fenton – Instructor, Cybersecurity
  • Marie Graham – Professor, Mathematics
  • Kori Hooker – Instructor, Vocational Nursing
  • Chelsea Hudson – Head Women’s Basketball Coach/Faculty Member
  • Steven Lucas – Instructor, Energy
  • Michael Nesbitt – Head Men’s Basketball Coach/Faculty Member
  • Antiquene Nichols – Chair/Professor, MLT
  • Jessica Rittenberry – Academic Fieldwork Coordinator/Instructor, OTA
  • Riley Seegers – Dual Enrollment Specialist
  • Jennifer Self – Instructor, Vocational Nursing
  • Matthew Stapleton – Computer Technician  

June 13, 2022 - Panola College is proud to announce Chelsea Hudson as the head coach of the women’s basketball team beginning in Fall 2022. Hudson returns to the College after serving as assistant coach from 2017 to 2019.

Hudson is set to head the program following a successful season as an assistant coach at Tyler Junior College, where the team won a national title. Along with the title, coaching the tournament MVP and NJCAA All-American, Hudson was named the 2022 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches assistant coach of the year.

From July 2019 to 2021, Hudson coached two years at the NCAA Division I level as an assistant coach at Tennessee State University. Hudson, who played four seasons at Tennessee State from 2011 to 2015, is the program’s 11th all-time leading scorer. She also led Tennessee State to an OVC championship and NCAA berth in 2015.

A 2019 WBCA Thirty Under 30 honoree, Hudson went to Tennessee State following two years as an assistant coach at Panola College. In her first year with Panola, the Fillies were the Region XIV regular season champions and earned an NJCAA National Tournament at-large bid. Panola also ranked 19th in the nation during the 2017-2018 season.

Prior to joining the Panola staff, Hudson had a successful stint with Pearl Cohn High School in Nashville, Tenn. Hudson helped lead the girl’s basketball team to a 25-5 record in 2016-2017 while clinching a TSSAA Class AA State appearance for only the second time in school history. Hudson was named District 10-AA assistant coach of the year after coaching the Lady Firebirds to TSSAA Class AA State Runner Up, Region 5-AA Runner Up, District 10-AA Tournament Champions, and District 10-AA Regular Season Champions.

As an undergrad with the TSU women’s basketball team, Hudson’s accolades included All-OVC Tournament team, two-time All-OVC second-team, BoxtoRow All-American and two-time BoxtoRow National Player of the Week. Hudson was also nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award and was named the TSU female athlete of the year in 2015, and as of late OVC 2019 legend.

A native of Midland, Texas, Hudson graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Tennessee State in 2013 before earning a Master’s in Education in 2015.

“I am so excited for the opportunity to serve at Panola College, a place I consider home,” said Hudson. “I believe we have the community, facilities, and talent to be successful. I would like to thank the Board of Trustees and all of those I have worked with or under who have helped prepare me for this moment.”

June 9, 2022 - Panola College is in partnership with Shelby County 4-H to offer Culinary and Craft Camp. Classes will be held at the Shelby Regional Training Center.

The camp dates are July 18-21, 2022, from 8am until 12 noon. All participants must be entering 3rd through 7th grades. The cost of the camp is $50.

Students will make their own creative snacks and participate in a variety of activities! Thank you, Center Walmart Community Grant for sponsoring our camp supplies this year!

For more information and to register, contact Shelby Regional Training Center at 936-591-9075 or email ccutsinger@panola.edu.

May 24, 2022 - Panola College is proud to announce the Academic Excellence Award recipients for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The Academic Excellence Awards were created by Charles Moore, a math professor at Panola College for many years. Moore’s goal was to acknowledge students who excelled academically and recognize them with an award for their accomplishments.

Each department or field of study nominates two students who meet select criteria. The student must have, or be completing, 30 hours of coursework and be enrolled in two courses relating to the field in which they are nominated.

The recipients of the 2021-2022 Academic Excellence Awards are listed below, followed by the town they are from, the field of study in which they are nominated, and their professor.

  • Austin Adkison, Garrison, Music, Sandra Bauer
  • Tayton Best, Henderson, Electrical & Instrumentation, Daniel Hall
  • Donna Box, Nacogdoches, Health Information Technology, Lynn Hanson
  • Taylor Burch, Center, Occupational Therapy, Terrie King
  • Destiny Burton, Mansfield, La., History, Bill Offer
  • Jaycee Campbell, Timpson, Biology, Kevin Rutherford
  • Dalton Collinsworth, Carthage, Math, Emily Zabcik
  • Brandi Creech, Carthage, Office Professional, Dwayne Ferguson
  • Abigail Garcia, Carthage, Occupational Therapy, Terrie King
  • Levi Grubbs, Carthage, Psychology, Don Cocklin
  • Jackelyn Hernandez-Cervantes, Center, Business Administration, Dwayne Ferguson
  • Raeann Hernandez, Alvin, Criminal Justice, Mark Dickerson
  • Carli Morton, Nacogdoches, Drama, Karen King
  • Ashlynn Poland, College Station, Government, Brian Naples
  • Jeremy Puckett, Shreveport, La., General Business, Dwayne Ferguson
  • Anthony Pugh, Carthage, Electrical & Instrumentation, Daniel Hall
  • Abigail Smith, Tatum, Biology, Darrell Hudson
  • Lindsey Solis, Beckville, Nursing, Christine Gish
  • Blaine Thomas, Allen, English, Jaynellen Wylie
  • Tracey Tindall, Waskom, English, Jaynellen Wylie
  • Emily Wheeler, Etoile, Drama, Karen King
  • Chelsea Whiteman, Haughton, La., Nursing, Joslyn Sullen

May 17, 2022 - Panola College is proud to announce Mike Nesbitt as the head coach of the men’s basketball team beginning in Fall 2022. Nesbitt, who has multiple years of experience at both the NCAA Division I and junior college levels, served as the assistant coach at Panola College during the 2018-2019 season and returns following two seasons at Bradley University.

During his time at Bradley University, Nesbitt held the positions of coordinator of player development and video operations in 2020-2021 and director of basketball operations in 2021-2022. The Bradley Braves enjoyed success on and off the court during Nesbitt’s tenure, finishing the 2021-2022 season with 11 conference victories – tied for its most in the last 21 seasons – while also posting its highest NET ranking in 13 years.

Nesbitt worked with three all-conference performers, one league newcomer of the year, and two all-rookie team selections while at Bradley. The Braves also added six MVC scholar-athlete honorees in his two seasons on campus, the most of any school in the conference during that span.

Prior to joining Bradley, Nesbitt spent the previous two seasons at Panola College and New Mexico Junior College. While at Panola College, he assisted in leading the Panola Ponies to a 23-9 record and a second place Region XIV finish. He served as the offensive coordinator and academic coordinator, while also overseeing the strength and conditioning program and leading the guards in skill development. During his two seasons at the junior college level, Nesbitt coached and recruited seven student athletes that signed with Division I programs.

A native of Evansville, Ind., Nesbitt first entered the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at New Mexico in 2016 before spending a year at Southern Utah University. During the 2017-2018 campaign with the Southern Utah Thunderbirds, Nesbitt was part of a staff that nearly tripled its Division I win total from the previous season and appeared in the Big Sky Tournament semifinal, a first for the school.

Prior to his coaching career, Nesbitt played three seasons at Missouri S&T before transferring to New Mexico for his final season of eligibility. He started his prep career at Evansville Memorial High School, where he was a second team all-area selection as a sophomore and first team all-conference as a junior.

“I would like to thank Dr. Powell, Coach Don Clinton, and the Board of Trustees. I am very fortunate to have been chosen for this position,” said Nesbitt. “Panola College is a special place and offers a great opportunity for student athletes at the junior college level. I look forward to continuing the tradition of excellence displayed by the previous coaches.”

May 12, 2022 - Panola College’s Shelby Regional Training Center (SRTC) is hosting College Night on Thursday, May 12, 2022 from 5pm until 7pm.

Whether you are returning to learning or a graduating senior you won’t want to miss out on this fun and informative night!

  • Assistance with Apply Texas
  • Help with Financial Aid applications
  • Set an appointment with the advisor
  • Schedule TSI testing
  • Not sure? Help with career exploration
  • Tour Shelby Regional Training Center
  • Meet Shelby County instructors
  • Learn about programs on all campuses

Snacks and door prizes will be available! Shelby Regional Training Center is located at 678 Roughrider Drive, Center, Texas 75935 or call 936-591-9075 for more information.

Help us be ready for you! While an RSVP is not required, we would appreciate your taking the time to complete a form to let us know of your intention to attend College Night. (https://www.jotform.com/221093751043145)

May 4, 2022 - Panola College hosted its annual ‘Women in Energy’ event on Wednesday, April 27, bringing to campus junior and senior female students from Beckville, Center, Gary, Shelbyville, and Timpson Independent School Districts. The event was an opportunity for students to learn about the energy industry and the possible career paths available to them.

“It was great to see all of these students on campus and learning about what the energy industry has to offer,” said Natalie Oswalt, Dean of Arts, Sciences, & Technology at Panola College. “We hope the students left the event with the knowledge that this path is an option available to them as they look toward their futures after high school.”

Students had the opportunity to interact with female representatives from a number of companies, including Eastman, Estis, Holt Cat, JW Power, Texas Floor, and Yellowjacket. In addition to meeting the representatives, students were guided on a tour of the Panola College campus and took part in activities in the School of Energy’s lab.

Panola College and the School of Energy would like to thank each industry partner as well as the high schools that brought students to the event.

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