ICC to Host WHEMN Conference

BELDEN, Miss. (Press Release) — Itawamba Community College will host the leadership conference of the Women in Higher Education Mississippi Network, Feb. 19-20, at its Belden Center.

Members of the organization, which include women administrators in both two- and four-year colleges, are invited to attend the conference which focuses on “Empower…Inspire… Celebrate.” The presenters include Dr. Ketra Armstrong, associate dean for Graduate and Faculty Affairs and professor of Sports Management at the University of Michigan; Dana Hale, chair of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Division, ICC; Amy Whitten, The Whitten Group; Amy Tuck, vice president of Campus Operations, Mississippi State University; Sue Mitchell, educator and learning specialist depicted in The Blind Side; Amy Tate, manager of Government Relations of the Tennessee Valley Authority and Mississippi University for Women National Alumni President; Dr. Mary Graham, president of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College; Dr. Carmen Walters, vice president of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Jackson County Campus; and Elizabeth McCormick, Soar 2 Success International, LLC.

Mitchell, who was portrayed by Kathy Bates in The Blind Side, tutored the Baltimore Ravens/Tennessee Titans Michael Oher from a .6 GPA to a 2.05 in high school, and finally to a 3.75 Dean’s List student in college. Her career spans more than four decades in education, with experience from elementary to the collegiate level. A native of Memphis, Tenn., Mitchell earned the bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and the master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. She began her teaching career in Atlanta, Ga., but after three years, returned home to Tennessee and taught elementary school for three years, elementary school for 10 years and high school for 23 years. Following her retirement, she accepted a position at Ole Miss as a learning specialist. From 2005-09, she worked with the athletic department tutoring Oher and other athletes with similar backgrounds. Mitchell will take the audience behind-the-scenes of The Blind Side, telling the story from her perspective as an educator and learning specialist.

As seen on ABC News “20/20,” CBS News, MSNBC, FOX News and the front page of the Dallas Morning News and featured in the Wall Street Journal, McCormick of the Dallas-Fort Worth area has flown air assault/rappelling training missions; VIPs; command and control battlefield management operations and Military Intelligence missions as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. With her unique message, she takes the challenges she faced as a pilot and Chief Warrant Officer of the United States Army and shares empowering stories with relatable and actionable lessons. McCormick also supported United Nations peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. A disabled veteran after suffering a career-ending injury and forced into medical retirement, McCormick is an advocate for veterans, serving on the board of directors for Grace After fire, a non-profit organization helping women veterans help themselves. She is a founding member of the John Maxwell Team of certified speakers, as well as an award-winning sales consultant. McCormick is a best-selling author with more than 12 books published including her personal development book, The P.I.L.O.T. Method.

The mission of WHEMN is to identify, develop, advance and support women in higher education in Mississippi.

Dr. Jan Reid-Bunch, executive director of Community Relations at ICC, is the 2014-15 WHEMN state coordinator; and Tilda Bouchillon, administrative assistant for Community Relations at ICC, is the state treasurer/recorder.

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