Coahoma Community College provides much for students and employees, but it also has an influence on Clarksdale’s quality of life.
Coahoma Community College president Dr. Valmadge Towner spoke about economic and educational benefits the school has on the area as well as those abstract blessings at Clarksdale Baptist Church Sunday morning.
“There are economic catalysts and an economic benefit of having a college here,” Towner said.
Towner said CCC has been around nearly 71 years, about 300 people are hired full-time, it has a payroll of more than $1million a month and about 85 percent of people employed at the college live in Coahoma County. He added that means those employees pay taxes and spend money locally, noting a study shows the dollar turns around in community at least eight times.
Towner, a Marks native, said he parents worked in Coahoma County and he spent first through sixth grade at St. Elizabeth Catholic School before graduating from high school in Marks. He said he is a member of Silent Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Marks, but it has not been meeting since the COVID pandemic.
Towner said he would like to see Clarksdale Baptist Church invite the CCC choir to perform after the pandemic clears up.
Towner said CCC primarily Tunica, Quitman, Coahoma, Bolivar and Tallahatchie counties. He said approximately 90 percent of students receive Pell grants and spend the money in the community.
Although enrollment is down 11 percent this semester due to COVID, Towner said the average decrease for the 15 sister schools is 8.8 percent.
He did say CCC students have received CARES Act dollars because of the pandemic and spend the money in the community.
Towner discussed the schools four departments that are academics, health sciences and career technical education.
He said the health sciences department includes nursing, paramedics and emergency management training. He added Clarksdale Baptist Church member Beverly Overton is the dean and the department ranks in the top five of CCC’s sister colleges.
“It’s a very top-notch program,” Towner said. “Mr. Shaw (Towner’s chief of staff Jerone Shaw) was one of the persons that got that program started 20 years ago.”
Towner said the CTE program consists of carpentry, welding and more and heating, ventilation and air conditioning and diesel technology are about to start.
“We have litany of programs that students can come and stay with us a semester or a year depending on what route they’re trying to take – a certificate or degree,” Towner said. “Once they complete that program, they’re able to then take a test for license to be certified in electric or in plumbing or in welding or whatever. They tell me, when you go into those non-academic areas, you can make as much money as you want to make. It just depends on how hard you want to work.”
Towner said those work in welding and brick masonry sign up with crews and may be gone during the week, but they can make a lot of money, reside in Coahoma County and their dollars come into the community. He said as much as 75 percent of CCC graduates stay in Coahoma County.
Towner said the workforce building is on Highway 49 South. He said it teaches skill readiness, interview skills, putting together a good resume and training for the employment world.
Towner said CCC partners with PeopleShores - a technology enterprise, providing digital services that impacts the business operations of customers while providing a social benefit – to train 12 students for jobs. He added PeopleShores wanted to train 25 students, but only 12 did the program.
“Four-year colleges are many times, ‘more prestigious’ – Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Valley, Alcorn – more prestigious and may have more clout, but community colleges are where it’s happening,” Towner said. “We literally help people in real time and we can do it really, really fast.”
Towner said CCC is one-third the cost of four-year schools with no indebtedness.
Towner said CCC hosted the Clarksdale\Coahoma County Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet with over 400 on campus for the event. He said CCC and the Chamber have partnered in other ways. He hopes to continue the community outreach.
“We need more people from our community to at least come to our campus,” Towner said. “Not asking for anything. Not asking for a check. Just come to the campus. Come to a ballgame. Do this first. Just ride the campus. It’s safe. People say Clarksdale may be not safe. Our campus is safe and that’s not because I say so. We receive rewards based upon the safety of our campus.”
Towner said he knows there is fear of crime in Coahoma County and there are some issues on all campus. However, he said CCC is safe and nothing will happen.
Towner acknowledged racial tension exists in the community and said he is trying to improve the campus’ diversity and inclusion. He said basketball season starts in February, baseball games are in the spring and he encouraged everyone to attend. He added he would send tickets to the church for anyone who would like to see a game.
“If you saw our baseball team, the joke is you would be like, ‘Wait a minute – is that Coahoma?’ Anybody could guess why?” Towner said with a smile. “It doesn’t look like a historically black college.”
Towner said there are maybe two or three African-Americans on the baseball team, Lee Hodge from DeSoto County, who is white, is the coach. He said that was not planned, but the best players happen to be white.
Towner said CCC, after going 3-2, had its first winning football season since 2008 and third since 1975 when the school brought football back.
Shaw briefly spoke about the capital improvement projects and how the campus looks very different than 15 years ago.
“Over the last 14, 15 years, I did an analysis,” Shaw said. “We have spent $32.2 million. He mentioned spending money in the community. We’re building, renovating buildings and other things with that $32.2 million including the three big projects that we have afoot right now.
“I think we’ve been good stewards of the taxpayers’ money.”
Ray Keith, 92, a Clarksdale Baptist Church member, invited Towner to speak Sunday.
“Mr. Keith is such a delight to be around,” Towner said. “I’d just tell you 92 years young, is such a marvelous blessing.
“Psalm 90 says give us 70 years and then with reasonable issues 80 years, but he’s on bonus time. So 92 years.”
