Stennis Lecture Series
2005 speech by Glenn McCullough, Chairman, Tennessee Valley Authority
2004 speech by Gray Tollison, Mississippi State Senator
2003 speech by Sid Salter, Perspective Editor, The Clarion-Ledger
2001 speech by Dr. Clyde Muse, President, Hinds Community College
2000 speech by Mary Libby Payne, Judge, Mississippi Court of Appeals

Each year at the MidSouth Community College Fellowship Program (MCCFP), the Stennis Center sponsors the John C. Stennis Lecture Series. The Stennis Center selects a leader who exemplifies the positive qualities of the late Senator John C. Stennis to deliver a special address to the program’s participants.

MCCFP was established in 1994 with assistance from the Phil Hardin Foundation. Since 1995, participating colleges and the Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges have also provided substantial financial support. Initially developed as a one-week leadership program, MCCFP is the first and only university program in the state of Mississippi focusing on future community college leadership. It has proven to be a successful vehicle for (a) providing professional development, (b) encouraging university-community college collaboration, and (c) involving diverse agencies and individuals in the process of preparing and supporting the next generation of community college leaders.

Nearly 30 teachers and administrators from community colleges and other institutions in five Southern states participate annually. The program provides a range of activities that help prepare the next generation of campus administrators. To date, MCCFP has provided training for 215 community college professionals. Also, what began as an all-inclusive weeklong summer format has expanded over time to encompass an entire academic year that includes completion of a required service project and participation at a follow-up training conference during the winter.