The RCCI Impetus for the
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
(MBCI) + (ECCC)
East Central Community College
Partnership
RCCI Institute
April 5, 2006
ECCC /RCCCI
Team - Presenters
 Tim Tubby
MBCI/CHI Executive Director
 Ronnie Westbrook
ECCC Small Business Development Director
 Roger Whitlock
ECCC Workforce Development Director
Commission on the
Future of East MS and
West AL
Benchmarks for
“Closing the Gaps”
The RCCI Tracts
 Civic Engagement
– Commission on Future of East MS/West AL
– ECCC District Workforce Council
– ECCC RCCI Team
 Educational Access
– ABE/GED Classes
– College Credit Courses (Academic/Technical)
– Workforce Development Training Sessions
 Economic Development
– Small Business Assistance/Counseling
– Choctaw Hospitality Institute
– Integrated Technologies Training Center
MBCI+ECCC = RCCI Partnership
 Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI – Since 2003)
• ECCC Committed to Be “A College for the Community”
• ECCC Became “More Than Just a College” for the District
• ECCC Partnered with Entities by Responding to ”Rural Voices”
 Small Business Development Center Services
• Offered Childcare, Healthcare, Forestry and Poultry Workshops
• Expanded Entrepreneurial Education Offerings and Counseling Services
• Conducted “Making Money Work for You” Workshops
 Basic Skills Specialist Services
• Offered GED Prep and Workplace Basic Skills Classes
• Delivered Sessions for Overcoming Communication/Language Barriers
• Developed Computer Applications Training Sessions
 Workforce Development Center – (Integrated Technologies Training Center)
• Scheduled Employability Training Sessions
• Structured Workplace Success Classes
• Established Job-Specific Skills Certification Training
 Academic and Career-Technical Coursework
• AAS Degrees - Hotel/Restaurant Mgt. and Industrial Maintenance
• Credit Coursework for Earning Associate’s Degrees
• Coordinated Articulation Opportunities with Universities
Mississippi State University
Land Grant Cooperation
 RCCI – Coaching/Extension Support
- Extension Contact/RCCI Coach - Chance McDavid
(662) 325-3144
- MSU-SRDC Associate Director - Dr. Alan Barefield
(662) 325-3207
 Extension Service Offerings
- Enterprise/Community/Food/Fiber State Program
Leader - Dr. Virgil Culver (662) 325-2160
- Family/Consumer/Childcare /Healthcare- State
Program Leader - Dr. Beverly Howell (662) 325-3032
 Continuing Education Coordination
-
Industrial Services Outreach Team - Ben Rosenkrans
(662) 325-2650
MSU-Southern Rural
Development Center

Mission - To enhance the capacity of the land-grant
system and its partners to address the unique
challenges faced by the rural South
 Capability - To draw on an extensive network of
community and economic development
specialists

Coordination of Rural Community College Initiative
(RCCI) - Designed to assist rural community
colleges to become more meaningful participants
in the economic and social development of their
communities
How Have We Done?
Since RCCI
in March 2003
16,763 Lives
Touched
1,028 Offerings
Arranged
$1,671,170
Support Funds
Rural Community College Initiative
(Since 2003) ECCC’s Reminder to –
“Customize the College Convenient to
the People Affected through
Economic Development Attempts”
Integrated Technologies
Training Center
Located in Advanced TechParc
on the MBCI Reservation
Training Locations Positioned within
10 Minutes of Anyone in the ECCC
District of Leake, Newton, Neshoba,
Scott and Winston Counties
East Central Community College
MS Band of Choctaw Indians
Integrated Technologies Training Center
MBCI/ECCC Integrated
Technologies Training Center
Promotional Video
Shown at Ribbon-Cutting
January 25, 2006
MSU-Continuing Education
Safety & Environmental Training
Safety & Health Courses
Confined Space Entry: Train-the-Trainer
Respiratory Protection: Train-the-Trainer
Safety Orientation for Managers (30-Hour OSHA) Course
Safety Orientation for Managers (10-Hour OSHA) Course
Written Safety Programs Required by OSHA
Hazardous Waste Operations and
Emergency Response (HAZWOPER)
8 Hour HAZWOPER - First Responder
24-Hour HAZWOPER - Hazardous Material Technician
40-Hour HAZWOPER - Hazardous Waste Site Workers
Annual Refresher
MSU-Extension Service
Enterprise and Community
Resource Development
Tourism Development
Leadership Development
Strategic Planning for Businesses and Communities
Business Retention and Expansion Programs
Feasibility Studies
Economic Impact Analysis
Market Analysis
Retail and Service Analysis
Economic and Demographic Studies
Government Technical Assistance
Public Official Training and Certification
MSU-Extension Service
Health/Home/Family Instruction
Health
Home/Family
Human Health
Health Coalitions
Rural Health Economics
Rural Medical Scholars
Clothing
Food and Nutrition Education
Family Life
Family Nutrition
Food Preservation
Food Safety
Food Safety Certification Course
Energy Conservation
Financial Management
Human Nutrition
Housing
Nurturing Homes Initiative
Office of Nutrition Education
WIRED Grant - $15M
Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development
 Two States/Two Universities/Thirty-Six
Counties/Eight Community Colleges
The Ala-ssippi Region
“Where Progress Knows No Boundaries”
 Entrepreneurial Support System
– Montgomery Institute – Clearinghouse for Small
Business Assistance and Entrepreneurial Resources
 Workforce “Branding” System
– Credentialing Process for Qualifying Skilled Workers
to Meet Expectations of Focused Employment Sectors
How the “Partnership” Works!
MBCI Enjoys:
 Tremendous Economic Development Reputation;
 Centrally Located Facilities; and
 Advantages for Recruiting High-Tech/High-Wage Jobs.
ECCC Enjoys:
 Personal Interface with a Diverse, Rural Customer-Base;
 Comfort-Level as Being ‘One of Them’ with the People; and
 Responsive Reputation for Offering Quick, Quality Solutions.
Montgomery Institute Enjoys:
 Credibility as a Respected ‘Voice for the People;’
 Tremendous Collaboration/Research Capacities; and
 Blue-Chip Expertise with Grants/Funds/Resources.
If WE adopt a ‘servant attitude,’ endeavor to hear rural voices and
combine to offer OUR best solutions –The PARTNERSHIP enables
endless opportunities for Rural Development!
Keys to the
MBCI + ECCC Partnership
 Vision/Commitment from Top-Level
Leadership
 “Role Players” at Each Level with a “Desire
to Deliver” Quality Provisions
 Willingness to “Pursue Success” in the
Best Interest of Others
 Entrepreneurial Attitude in Providing
Educational Access in Creative Ways
 Listening to “The Rural Voices” and
Responding with “The College Try”
“Leaders” in the Partnership
Phillip Martin, Tribal Chief
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Dr. Phil Sutphin, President
East Central Community College
Mike McGrevey, President
The Montgomery Institute
“Players” in the Partnership
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
1-800-557-0711, Ext. 1329 or www.choctaw.org
Tim Tubby, CHI Executive Director
Tim Ben, Education/Personal Development
Ivy Owen, Economic and Community Development
East Central Community College
1-877-462-3222, Ext. 299 or www.eccc.edu
Joseph Knight, Workforce Development Coordinator
Ronnie Westbrook, Director Small Business Development
Roger Whitlock, Director of Workforce Development
Concluding Remarks
Partnership Effectiveness Is a Work in Progress
Consider This Type of Potential for Your Area
Identify and Seek Out Your “Rural Voices”
Questions and/or Comments
YOU Can Be a “Player”
Engaging Rural Populations
in Your Area!
Thanks for Participating in this RCCI Institute!