April 15, 2010
Vol. 77 No. 8
Ellison, Waller named to All- Academic team
- Students recognized before State legislature
By: Athina Johnson
Two Northwest students were honored in Jackson on March 25, for being named to the first and second All-Mississippi Academic Team. They were first-team honoree Ashley Ellison, an Elementary Education major of Southaven, and Daniel Waller, a sophomore Business Administration major from Batesville, named to second team.
Phi Theta Kappa honorees were introduced to the Northwest Board of Trustees April 8 in Senatobia. Northwest President Dr. Gary Lee Spears (far right) congratulates (l-r) faculty members from the Senatobia campus Judy Barham and James Baker, Daniel Waller of Batesville, DeSoto Center faculty member Dawn Stevens, and Ashley Ellison of Southaven. (Staff photo)
Ellison and Waller, along with 54 other Mississippi students were presented in front of the State Senate and the House of Representatives where they were congratulated, honored and given a certificate for making the All U.S. Academic team. Originally from Michigan, Ellison began attending Northwest at DeSoto Center in Spring 2009. She was inducted into the Alpha Gamma Chi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. She is an assistant teacher at Greenbrook Elementary for the special education inclusion class and volunteers with special needs children at the YMCA one night a week.
According to Dawn Stevens, business instructor at DeSoto Center, “Ashley is earning grant money by volunteering with the AmeriCorp program.” She is enrolled in 12 hours this semester in the evening program and will continue her education with the 2+2 program at The University of Mississippi-DeSoto Center. Full story
Twin Creeks Technologies announces plans to establish manufacturing plant in Senatobia
By: Nancy Patterson
While most of the Northwest employees and students were on Easter Break on Friday, April 2, a major announcement for Senatobia and Tate County was being made in the Haraway Center on the Senatobia campus. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour announced before a standing-room only would locate a solar panel manufacturing plant in Senatobia, creating more than 500 jobs over the next five years.
Dignitaries on stage during the announcement of a multimillion dollar solar panel manufacturing plant to be located in Senatobia include (l to r) Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Gray Swoope, Entergy Mississippi President/CEO Haley Fisackerly, Northwest President Dr. Gary Lee Spears, Senatobia Mayor Alan Callicott, Twin Creeks Technologies Chairman/CEO Dr. Siva Sivaram, and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. (Staff photo)
Company Chairman and CEO, Dr. Siva Sivaram told the crowd that Northwest played a part in their decision to locate in this area. “When we came looking at sites, we looked at several states and even international sites, but it was the business climate and the people in the infrastructure
that made us choose Senatobia.Through Northwest, we will be able to identify potential candidates for skilled laborers and unskilled workers early on so we can train them.” Full story
Comedian, MOD visit Northwest Improvement of Study class
By: Takila Gross
Funny man Rodney Johnson who has entertained Northwest students at Homecoming for more than three years, changed his routine when he visited Julie Correro’s Improvement of Study class March 29. Johnson was accompanied by Dr. Eddie Morris, Founder and President of Men of Destiny, and Kelly Cole, also with MOD.
Dr. Eddie Morris, Kelly Cole, and Rodney Johnson encouraged students to find their destiny and strive for success in life. (Photo by Takila Gross)
Other education instructors, Joan Rose and Pam Simpson, overheard the presentation and requested that their classes also be included. During the 9 and 10 a.m. sessions, students were packed into the classrooms to hear the presentation.
According to Pam Wooten, manager of Student Activities, the three returned for another presentation that evening in the Fine Arts Auditorium.
Dr. Morris spoke about his childhood in the inner city of St. Louis and how he came from the largest drug dealing family. He told the students that he had faced a judge for a sentence of 30 years in prison, but the judge gave him a second chance at life, and he took it and turned his life around. “It’s about choices,” he told the students. “Quit blaming someone else and take responsibility for your actions.”
The main message of the presentation was “that no matter where you come from, who your momma is, what neighborhood you grew up in, or what you’ve been told you cannot succeed at, you can be successful in life.”
Johnson said that he has been the joker of his family and school. He would get in trouble in school by cracking jokes in class. One day he realized that making people laugh was his destiny, and now he is a well-known comedian who makes money by making people laugh. He lets students know that “your destiny is already built in you, all you have to do is find it and use it.”
Cole talked about financial possibilities that come with self-confidence. “When it all boils down, you control your future, and your future is your destiny,” said Cole.
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