PBI

Southwest Mississippi Community College (SMCC) has been awarded a Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) Grant through the United States Department of Education totaling more than $2.8 million. The PBI Grant Program at SMCC, “Building the Capacity for Success” will use the funding to support SMCC’s transformational efforts to increase college enrollment, attrition and success among Black students at the college in Summit, Mississippi.

Grant monies will go toward enhancing SMCC’s efforts to improve and enhance the educational outcomes for SMCC students through the development of a college-going culture. The “Building the Capacity for Success” program will provide focused professional development, curricular activities centered around the active learning strategies that enhance the Black student experience inside and outside of the classroom, provide new STEM-related programs that offer students the opportunity for career exploration through the newly developed Electrical Lineman Training Course (ELT)  and Academic Coaching to help provide students with the resources and materials needed to succeed at SMCC. 

Our services are designed to improve the educational outcomes of SMCC students, particularly African American male students, by addressing low retention and degree completions. We provide academic coaching, tutoring, and peer tutoring services to reduce student failure rates. Our Academic Coaching program will help students build confidence in their ability to succeed and provide sound support in navigating college; the program will also help them explore the many career opportunities available to college graduates, especially in STEM fields. To better serve students’ academic needs, we also provide professional development for all faculty in best practices in online course delivery and help them infuse these practices into their coursework.

PBI Staff:

PBI ACTIVITIES

The Activities requested for support under Title III were developed with the mission, purposes and goals of the College in mind. Each activity under Title III is governed by a set of objectives, and each objective is related specifically to one or more of the institution’s long-range goals. In order to ensure its continued success and the implementation of all planned activities, the administration will:

• Recommend policies and develop procedures to ensure adherence to Federal regulations and provide a clear audit trail;
• Provide support services to facilitate maximum implementation of funded activities;
• Recommend policies and develop procedures to facilitate Title III proposal development and submission;
• Recommend changes to activities which will enhance the program in line with expected goals and objectives.

Title III will establish, encourage and facilitate programmatic activities focused on physical plants, financial management and academic resources in order to strengthen and enhance Southwest Mississippi Community College.

PBI Positions

PBI Administrator/Director:

 The project will be led by the Project Director, who will ensure that all program objectives and outcomes have demonstrated ability and commitment to the success of underrepresented students, plus excellent management experience. The Director will ensure open and equal access in the selection process.

 Located at the SAS-C in the Ford Library

PBI Administrative Assistant Kim Stokes is located at the SAS-C in the Ford Library. 

ROLE OF THE REMOTE LEARNING SPECIALIST

The Remote Learning Specialist will supervise and implement professional development for faculty in online learning, emphasizing active learning and other strategies that address the needs of at-risk and underrepresented students, with emphasis on the learning styles and needs of Black students. The Remote Learning Specialist will explore ways that technology can be better used to support active learning and ensure that services for online students with disabilities support equal treatment and access.

 Located in Room 110 of the Brumfield Building

ROLE OF THE ADVISING SPECIALIST

Reporting to the PBI Director, the Advising Specialist will work with personnel on the PBI staff and at SMCC to incorporate developmental advising and related self-efficacy theory into support services, with emphasis on the needs of Black male students. Other responsibilities: Develop and stage professional development for staff and faculty advisers, and lead implementation of the Academic Coaching program while supervising and training Academic Coaches

 Located in the SAS-C at the Ford Library

ROLE OF THE ACADEMIC COACHES (PART-TIME)

The Academic Coaches will assist SMCC students, focusing on Black male students, in developing clear career goals, planning education and career goals, and meeting with their assigned advisees at least three times each semester to help students build confidence in their ability to succeed and track their progress. The Academic Coaches will also use the College’s SIS system to track student progress and intervene if the students encounter academic or other difficulties that would lead to early exit.

 Located in the SAS-C at the Ford Library

ROLE OF THE STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER

The Student Success Center provides services and materials to support instruction on campus as well as online. The program is designed to work with students to help to supplement the curricula and enhance the educational and personal interests of the students, faculty, staff, and community.  The SSC helps students of widely differing ability levels, instructing them in curricula, computer use, and research using tutoring and academic coaching services. SSC orientation sessions are offered for classes meeting on campus or students wishing to use the services.  SSC also provides one-on-one instruction for students. 

Student Success Center (SSC) Coordinator-  Carter Gholson

Located in the SAS-C at the Ford Library

Hours are Monday through Thursday 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. Friday 7:30 am to 3 pm. 

SMCC STUDENT ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER

 The center will be student centered and focus on improved educational outcomes of SMCC students, particularly African American male students, by addressing low retention and degree completions.

Denisha Johnson for remote learning and online tutoring services

djohnson@smcc.edu     601-276-4826

Kim Weathers for Academic Coaching and mentoring services

kweathers@smcc.edu   601-276-3747

Cindy Henderson

SMCC PBI Administrator. Program Registration and other information

chenderson@smcc.edu

(601)276-4813

Carter Gholson

SMCC Student Success Center Coordinator

cgholson@smcc.edu

To schedule appointments for tutoring (online or in person) contact Kim Stokes, Administrative Assistant to the PBI Grant Administrator

kstokes@smcc.edu

(601)276-2036