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College of Education and Human Sciences celebrates inauguration week

Ewing Hall

Continuing a weeklong celebration marking the inauguration of President William N. LaForge, the College of Education and Human Sciences at Delta State University will showcase some of its highlights that fit with the inaugural theme — “Celebrating Excellence.”

“The many options our programs now offer for internships and field experiences, and the flexibility of programs, makes this an exciting time to consider one of the many degrees the College of Education and Human Sciences has to offer,” said Dean Leslie Griffin.

The school recently received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Dept. of Education to prepare educational leaders for regional schools. In addition, the counselor education program received over $200,000 from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture to provide training, scholarships and services in the area of counseling and mental health.

For students interested in child development, a model early childhood training lab is currently being implemented through a grant from the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi.

All programs in the College of Education and Human Sciences are fully accredited by the respective accrediting bodies and meet rigorous guidelines for professional preparation.

Each program has online course offerings for flexibility. Elementary and special education master’s degrees are offered totally online, as well as the specialist degrees in elementary education and administration.

“We have such a diverse range of degree offerings — outdoor recreation, to athletic training, dietetics, psychology, education — just to name a few,” added Griffin. “Faculty are attuned to students and meeting their needs. I encourage prospective students to make a campus visit.”

The college’s full day of inaugural activities begins with a classroom lecture by Doris Dixon of the U.S. Department of Education at 8:30 a.m. in rooms 227-228 of James M. Ewing Hall. Dixon will be followed by a Q&A session with Mike Neyman, a consultant on leadership and school reform, at 10:30 a.m. in the Jacob Conference Center.

Neyman, a Delta State alumnus and former principal at Cleveland High School, continues with a luncheon presentation at noon, also in the Jacob Conference Center. Neyman works with the Institute for Education and Workforce Development at the University of Mississippi.

At 2 p.m., the public is invited to attend an open house complete with tours and information about the numerous opportunities available through the college.

Following Tuesday’s open house, the college hosts a reception at 4 p.m. inside the Jacob Conference Center. At 5 p.m., the Delta State University Colloquia lecture series continues with a speech by Dixon.

Dixon and President LaForge were colleagues on various projects in the nation’s capital, and worked together frequently when she was a legislative assistant during LaForge’s time under Sen. Thad Cochran.

In the early 1980s, Dixon served as the membership director for the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce. She currently works as a legislative policy staff member in the office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs for the U.S. Dept. of Education.

In the 80s and 90s, she served as a professional staff member to both Democratic and Republican members of the U.S. Congress, the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee and the U.S. Dept. of Education’s Office of Legislative Affairs.

Dixon left Capitol Hill in 1995 to become the first director of federal relations for the National Collegiate Athletic Association, where she established and managed the legislative affairs office for the nation’s preeminent college sports organization.

For more information on the unique opportunities available through Delta State’s College of Education and Human Services, visit www.deltastate.edu/college-of-education.

— All inauguration events are funded through support provided to the Delta State University Foundation. No university funds are being used during the week of activities.