Joining President LaForge is Dr. Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University.
In conjunction with Delta State University’s fifth annual Mayors’ Summit, held on June 19, Dr. Mark Keenum and I held a press conference to announce a partnership between our two universities that will benefit local government leaders.
The focus of this new program, titled the Local Government Leadership Institute, is to assist Delta communities in addressing governance challenges by providing local officials with the knowledge and tools needed to run their municipalities effectively and efficiently. Well‐managed local governments are important not only to the citizens they serve, but to the businesses, industries, and other institutions that are located in those communities. The leadership, management, and infrastructure provided by local governments are key elements in a community’s delivery of services and quality of life efforts.
Delta State hosts the Local Government Leadership Institute in partnership with the John C. Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development at Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Municipal League.
Mississippi State’s Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to bear on real-world issues, and they have been a valuable partner in developing the curriculum for the program as well as delivering the workshop sessions. The Mississippi Municipal League, which comprises a voluntary group of elected officials from Mississippi cities and towns, has been a key partner in allowing its members to earn credits in their Certified Municipal Officials Program by participating in the Local Government Leadership Institute.
Since November 2017, the Local Government Leadership Institute has provided training for more than 130 elected leaders across the Mississippi Delta. These leaders represent nearly 35 Delta area cities and towns. Through the Leadership Institute, participants have collectively earned more than 225 Certified Municipal Officer elective hours offered by the Mississippi Municipal League.
In other news on campus, final exams are taking place this week for the Summer I session. If you are interested in taking classes this summer, registration for second term summer school is open until July 3. On Thursday, June 28, we will host the second orientation session for new students. We look forward to having the newest members of the Delta State family on campus for this exciting event. If you plan to enroll at Delta State in the fall, there’s still time to register for the last orientation session, which is scheduled for July 16.
To keep up with all of our news, events, and activities, and for more information on registering for orientation or Summer School, please visit our website at deltastate.edu.
