Welcome to the 398th episode of TigerTalk, the award-winning show from Northeast Mississippi Community College — proudly recognized as Mississippi’s longest-running community college podcast.
Northeast Mississippi Community College President Dr. Ricky G. Ford and Marketing and Public Relations Specialist Liz Calvery look at what piece of advice that President Ford would give to a student graduating from Northeast. Ford not only shares one piece of advice, but offers multiple insights to help graduates transition into the workforce or continue their education at a four-year college or university. He emphasizes that graduation is not the end of learning, but only the beginning, reminding students that growth continues every single day. Ford encourages graduates to keep showing up, noting that effort is never wasted — even when no one is watching. He highlights the importance of character and integrity as some of the most valuable assets a person can possess, while also stressing the need to remain humble and never forget those who helped along the way. Above all, Ford reminds students that they carry with them their experiences, resilience, and a powerful personal story that declares, “I made it. I am worthy of who I am and where I’m going.”
Plus, get the latest updates on athletics, academics, workforce development, and all the incredible things happening at one of the nation’s premier community colleges.
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Northeast Mississippi Community College proudly presents the longest running community college podcast in the state of Mississippi, Tiger Talk. Tune in each week. As Northeast President Doctor Vicky Ford talks about all things northeast, from academics to career in tech to workforce and all things in between. It's Tiger talk. And now northeast president doctor Vicky
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Ford. Hey, everyone. Welcome to this week's episode of Tiger Talk with President Doctor Ricky forward and myself.
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Selfless Calvary. We can't wait to share with you all of the great things going on in Northeast Mississippi. Community College president Ford, with graduation coming up. What's one piece of advice you have every graduate take? Smith Liam, I do want to say and appreciate everyone for listening to the tiger talk. It's a way to keep up with everything is going on here at Northeast Healthcare course of their educational journey here at northeast, or any educational institution they students receive a lot of advice.
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And sometimes you think that they're not listening to you, but they are. So as the students prepare to leave North East, some words of advice that I would give them and hope they take with them is know number one, keep showing up. You know, the world may not always reward your effort, but remember that effort is never wasted.
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Characters built during those quiet moments when no one is watching and there's no applause whatsoever. And stay teachable. No matter what you achieve. Never become too proud to learn from others. The future belongs to those who can grow, adapt, and remain open to wisdom from the most unexpected places. And then another thing. Some words of advice would be this is not the finish line.
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A lot of people let up and relax when they graduate, and they got to understand this is not the finish line. This is just the starting line. Don't look at your glory as as the finish line. It's proof that you can finish something that's challenging, that you can commit, and you can endure and you can succeed, and that matters greatly.
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But it also means that you're ready for new challenges. And then another word of advice would be guard your integrity. Your name is one of your most valuable assets that you have. Titles, jobs and circumstances and everything may change over the course of your lifetime, but your character goes with you everywhere that you go. Build it with intentionality and build it with care.
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Value people. Value the people around you. Learn to respect those who think, work, and live differently. The ability to collaborate and connect with other people is not just a small skill, it is a life skill that can open doors. Talent alone cannot open. And then also remember those who helped you. Never forget those who helped you reach this point.
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Behind every graduate, there's a circle of friends, a circle of people that prayed. They encouraged. They corrected. They sacrificed and they believed in you. Honor them and carry their love with you. Gratitude has a way of keeping success honest. So humility is a huge part of some of the advice that I would be. Always remain humble. You're leaving north east Mississippi community College with more than just credentials.
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You're taking with you experience, resilience and the story that says, I made it through. I'm worthy of who I am and where I'm going. And then last probably, word of advice will be go forward with purpose. Go forward with courage. Go forward with humility. Go forward with purpose wherever life may lead you. Let your work speak for you.
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Let your character stand out. Let your future be shaped by the values that have brought you thus far. So these are some words of advice that I would give the graduates as they move forward and start breaking new ground to their job, or continuing their education somewhere else. Now for everyone's favorite part of the week, can you give us an update on the northeast news?
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So we do have a lot of things going on here at Northeast Mississippi Community College. Big thing on the horizon is graduations. We have five ceremonies scheduled for this year. Thursday, May the 14th. We have 2 p.m. our Associate of Arts, the university transfer student with the last name of a through veil. And at 6 p.m. we have Associate of Arts University transfer students with the last name of M through Z.
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And then on Friday, May the 15th at 2 p.m., we have our career Tech Education Associate of Applied Science and Certificate. And then in 6 p.m. we have our Health Sciences associate of Applied science or certificate. And then on Monday, May the 18th at 6 p.m., we have our GED and our high set graduation scheduled. All of these graduation ceremonies will take place in Bonner Arnold Coliseum.
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We have a present completion ceremony next week. So this is a great opportunity to recognize our prison education program. And the the inmates at the
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Arco County Correctional Facility that are taking classes and will be completing those classes. Our swimming pool is cleaned and it's drained and it's ready to go. And we've actually had some students already utilizing that now.
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We had fueling for finals on Monday, May the 4th. We will provide pizza to our students on Tuesday, May the 5th. All of our dorms as they wind down the semester and they're preparing for their finals. Dorm students will be moved out of the dorms by 4 p.m. on Thursday, May the 7th, and then renovation and demolition will begin at White Hall on Monday.
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As I said, the dorm students will be moving out this week and so will make cleaning and repairing dorms for campus. And as I mentioned, White Hall is scheduled to begin renovations a week after next. We have several positions open here at North East, and if anyone interested in applying for those, we have positions that are posted and are on our website.
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We are seeking a biology instructor. We have looking for a Computer Science instructor,
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economics instructor and a psychology instructor. We have jobs that are in progress and they have actually closed, but we're looking for two custodians for landscape technician, a theater instructor. We've had those final interviews and that position has been filled. Dawn supervisor application packets are being reviewed now.
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And some changes that we've made. Anna Bolden has been promoted to a director of sports medicine athletic training also generally, Lyles has been promoted to our current center director, and she will be directing activities and things going on at the Coaching Center. Last week, Athletics softball team split their first two postseason games, defeated Meridian 9 to 1 on Saturday to enter the double elimination portion of the bracket, then lost to host Pearl River on Sunday afternoon.
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Softball team is ranked number 20 in last week's NJCAA Division two rankings. So after a play in game this past week in, our softball team won the first first game that defeated arrival Little Wamba Community College in a game Monday afternoon. And then Monday night defeated Jones College a so they're still ranked number 20 in the latest NJCAA Division two rankings.
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So when we share a softball team, the best of luck is they compete for that region and state championship. Baseball team completed its regular season with this. They split with Meridian and lost the opener 6 to 2, and rebound to win the nightcap to secure their spot in the region playoffs. And after a hard fought battle loss to East Mississippi on Monday and the baseball season is now completed, and to congratulate them for a fine season.
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Feeling for finals, as I mentioned, was 9 to 10 p.m. on Monday, May the 4th will have the pizza truck at the dorms on Tuesday, May the 5th at three different times at seven 740 and 815. We have flea bottom bottom of graduation at Wrigley at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May the 5th. Thursday, May the 7th. We have a health sun spinning ceremony at Hargett Hall Auditorium pending for a medical lab, medical assisting, respiratory and radiology, and all of these Mississippi Football Coaches Association all stars are coming in next week, and they're all star.
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Game will be Wednesday night before our graduation ceremonies on Thursday and Friday. Boonville High School will be having a spring game at 6 p.m. at Tiger Stadium on Thursday, May the 14th, and we have police department,
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Taser training on May the 22nd at 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Continuing education Firearms Safety for women's course is coming up and EMC
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instructor, our nursing instructor has been selected as Mississippi Organization for Associate Degree Nursing Educational Director, NSA Continuing Education to host vehicle tactics training for law enforcement in June, adult education hosted last week and approximately 40 individuals representing the five counties we serve.
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Participants conducted mock interviews with all of our adult education students to get them prepared for entering the workforce. Adult age graduations are. Preparations are ongoing for May 18th. Currently, we have 170 GED completions and invitations have been mailed to all the graduates. Hopefully they will all work. We recently partnered with caterpillar to provide classes at their site for employees lacking a high school diploma.
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To date, five students have earned their diploma, and caterpillar will host a recognition ceremony on Thursday, May the 7th. North East will participate in that all Adult Education night classes will end on May 26th. For the current program, year night classes will resume in the fall, usually in August. We're very, very busy with admissions and records, accepting applications and getting transcripts in place from high school students and transfer students.
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They're very, very busy answering emails assisting students to finalize this admissions process. Also, working with students that are planning on attending summer school, we have campus visit schedule that include current seniors, juniors, transfer students, but we take care of walk ins. So if anyone out there is interested in enrolling for summer or summer of 26, say the first semester or second semester, or any of our short term courses, please reach out to our admissions office.
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We're working with the high schools now to follow up with students that need to register for classes or have questions about housing and financial aid. We are working on a list of students who completed the fast fill but have not applied for admission, so we're very busy in admissions office getting ready for the summer and getting ready for the fall semester of 2026.
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Currently, we're running about 100 students ahead of a registration process as of last year, so we're looking forward to increased enrollment for the fall semester of 2026. So we're here to help. Please reach out if we can assist anyone in any way possible. And thank you again to our tremendous employees that we have, as I always say, we could not be the great
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premier institution we are without the tremendous employees that we have working here at northeast, who is so passionate and energetic about our students and about our institution.
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So as always, ladies and gentlemen, let's go Tigers.
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Thank you for listening to this week's Tiger Talk podcast. If you or someone you know wants to further their education through academics, career and technical programs or even continuing education and workforce, give northeast a call at 1-800-555-2154. Tiger talk is brought to you by Northeast Mississippi Community College. For more information about northeast, visit WW, WDM, cc.edu.