Coahoma Community College was founded in Coahoma County in 1949 as an extension of Coahoma Agricultural High School (1924), Mississippi's first agricultural high school for black students. Upon the establishment of the college, the high school was renamed Coahoma Junior College and Agricultural High School. The college initially offered courses to black students under the separate but equal doctrine. It was the first community college in Mississippi for black students.[7][8]
Before becoming affiliated with Mississippi's public junior colleges system in its second year of operation, CCC was fully-funded by Coahoma County.[7]
In 1989, the Board of Trustees and State Board for Community and Junior Colleges approved renaming the junior college to Coahoma Community College.[9]
In 1995, the Mississippi legislature granted the college its own district consisting of Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, Tallahatchie, and Tunica Counties.[9]
Superintendents and presidents
Prior to 1945, the college was led by a superintendent. Superintendents and presidents of the college have included:[10]
M. L. Strange, 1924–1925
J. M. Mosley, 1924–1929
J. W. Addison, 1929–1937
J. B. Wright, 1937–1945
B. F. McLaurin, 1945–1966
J. E. Miller, 1966–1979
McKinley C. Martin, 1980–1992
Vivian M. Presley, 1992–2013
Valmadge Towner, 2013–present
Administration and organization
CCC operates under four divisions: Academic, Career & Technical Education, Health Sciences and Workforce Development.[10][11]
A typical academic year contains two 15-week terms during the fall (August–December) and spring (January–May). Within the full terms are two accelerated eight-week terms each fall and spring, as well as a two-week winter session (December–January).The full summer term is eight weeks long (May–July) and contains two accelerated four-week terms. An academic year begins on the first day of the fall term and ends on the last day of the summer term.[10][12]
CCC's endowment had a market value of approximately $2.77 million in the fiscal year that ended in 2019.[13]
The college offers dual enrollment programs to local high school students.[14] In addition to its associate and certificate degree programs, CCC offers adult education courses as well as non-credit continuing education and workforce development courses.[15][16]
CCC has transfer agreements with every public four-year institution in Mississippi. The agreements allow students to automatically transfer after completing an associate degree at CCC.[17]
CCC is a TRIO program participant through its Educational Talent Search program, which is a government-funded program that supports low-income and first-generation college students in achieving their postsecondary, career and economic goals. The program offers educational support, high school and college entry guidance and academic advising to local students in grades 7 through 12.[18][19]
Student life
Student body
As of fall 2020, CCC's student body consisted of 1,612 students. There were 78 percent full time and 22 percent part time students.[1]
More than 30 student clubs and organizations operate at CCC, including student government, special interest and service organizations.[21]
CCC holds '"Mr. Coahoma Community College" and "Miss Coahoma Community College", annual beauty pageants that honor a select group of current, high-achieving students within the college's student government association.[22]
^Ownby, Ted; Wilson, Charles Reagan; Abadie, Ann J.; Lindsey, Odie; Thomas, James G. Jr. (25 May 2017). The Mississippi Encyclopedia. Univ. Press of Mississippi. pp. 256–257. ISBN978-1-4968-1159-2. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
^ ab"History". Coahoma Community College. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
(*) The community college main campus and early college (formerly agricultural) high school are not in the city limits while one college building away from the main campus is in the city limits; Clarksdale is in the community college's service area (the city was in the service area of the Mississippi Delta Community College until 1995) Coahoma County Junior-Senior High School of the Coahoma County School District is within the Clarksdale city limits, but does not serve the City of Clarksdale
(*) Bayou Academy is in an unincorporated area near Cleveland and is not in the city limits. (**) The community colleges do not have their main campuses in Cleveland nor do they have any other facilities in Cleveland, but Bolivar County is within their service areas