By Julia Kim, MCC Public Relations Intern
Being one of only 20 community colleges nominated across the country, McLennan Community College has been recognized, for the fifth time, as a shining example of inclusivity and excellence in education. Categorized as one of the 2023 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD), MCC stands as a beacon of the Waco community.
This nomination reaffirms MCC’s dedication to providing an inclusive learning and working environment. The college’s commitment to diversity is reflected in its student and staff recruitment and retention practices, inclusive learning environments, meaningful community service and engagement opportunities. These practices ensure that students and faculty not only feel welcomed but valued.
“At MCC, teachers not only have a passion for our craft or field of study, but we work with a common denominator of the success of our students,” Mandy Morrison, Associate Professor of Music, said. “That commonality is the driving factor in all of our decisions.”
MCC’s impact extends far beyond the campus walls. It plays a vital role in the Waco community, offering education and opportunities that transform lives. MCC extends a helping hand to the community through its outreach efforts like the Highlanders for Community program. This program allows opportunities for students to volunteer and become more involved in the Waco area. The college also offers work-study opportunities for students so they can learn about different job environments.
“I have always experienced a friendly community at MCC as a student and employee,” second-year student, Alex Flores said. “Working at the college as a student has helped prepare me for the jobs I would like to have in the future.”
With this latest accolade, McLennan Community College reaffirms its status as an example of inclusivity, diversity and excellence, leaving a mark on the hearts and minds of students, staff and the Waco community.
McLennan Community College Hosts Annual Trunk or Treat Event
As the temperature cools and autumn leaves paint the campus, McLennan Community College is gearing up for an event that promises fun, laughter. and a sense of community. From 5-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, McLennan Athletics will host their “Trunk or Treat” event, bringing together students, faculty, and the Waco community for a safe and enjoyable Halloween celebration.
The event will be held in Parking Lot outside The Highlands gym, on the MCC campus. It will feature trunks decorated by MCC students, faculty and staff members, and numerous student groups. Local food trucks will also be on hand for those with an appetite for something other than candy.
“We are thrilled to host our annual Trunk or Treat,” Sports Information Specialist Candice Kelm said. “This event is a fantastic opportunity to embrace the Halloween spirit and foster a sense of togetherness among our diverse community.”
Attendees are encouraged to continue the fun at McLennan Madness beginning at 7 p.m. inside the gym. The pep-rally style event will include player introductions, special performances, fan costume contests, giveaways and more for attendees as MCC prepares for the start of basketball season Nov. 1.
Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend both events. For more information, email [email protected].
McLennan Community College’s (MCC) Small Business Development Center, in partnership with Dallas College’s Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, will host an engaging Small Business Networking Forum on July 25 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the MCC Conference Center, located at 4601 North 19th Street, Waco, Texas.
This forum offers small business owners a valuable opportunity to connect with resources dedicated to fostering success in their ventures. Participants will gain access to crucial information about the McLennan Community Investment Fund, Start-Up Waco, MCC’s Small Business Development Center, local Chamber of Commerce organizations, and various other small business advocacy groups.
A highlight of the forum will be a presentation from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, an investment program to support the growth and job creation of small businesses by offering education, capital, and business support services. Over 12,800 business owners from all 50 states including Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, have graduated from this program to date.
The Forum will conclude with networking and one-on-one meetings with small business resources and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses representatives.
Registration for this free event is at https://qrco.de/be7eIt. For more information, contact Dr. Frank Graves, Dean of Workforce & Public Service at MCC, at 254-299-8126 or[email protected].
By Sarah Chavez
MCC Social Media and Communications Specialist
In March we celebrated Women’s History Month and reflected on the contributions women have made throughout history to our society and Waco community. While the month-long celebration is over, we will continue to celebrate their contributions and wanted to highlight some of the stories of influential women on the MCC campus who have changed the lives of many.
Growing up in a small town like Palestine, Texas inspired MCC professor and NAACP president of Waco Chapter, Dr. Peaches Henry to value community and equality which led her to create programs dedicated to young women in STEM and social justice programs.
During Henry’s elementary school days, her friends would run past and whisper to her that her dad was on campus. Her father prioritized her school’s community and showed up to the PTA meetings. Henry’s favorite memory is when her dad guaranteed her segregated elementary school was the first school in town to get air conditioning.
“My parents were involved in the NAACP. They instilled in me a desire to make sure that everyone had their rights. It came naturally to me because of my upbringing. I wanted to advocate on behalf of people. The NAACP is an organization that has been fighting for that for over a hundred years. I was inspired to become a part of that fight going forward,” Henry said.
Henry’s “Hidden Figures” STEM project based on the inspiring book and film motivates and empowers middle school girls to learn engineering, technology, science, and math. Henry recently saw one of the students who took this class and the student told Henry about how the program made her realize she could go to college and major in science.
“What we need to remember is that I may have impacted 50 or so girls, but each of those 50 girls will impact even more,” Henry said.
MCC’s Director of Visual & Performing Arts, Lise Uhl’s life has been influenced and changed by music from listening to Ella Fitzgerald records in her childhood home, to transferring to a university in Ohio for a music program, to meeting her husband at the Waco Civic Theatre in the production of “Brigadoon”.
This summer, Uhl will celebrate 43 years of working at MCC. She says the program’s growth is more than she could have expected. After establishing a real budget, the program turned around because they finally had the budget for productions and costumes.
“I mean, I just did what I had to do to make it go, to deliver the program. It went from little, tiny productions with pianos to full scale operas,” Uhl said.
Extra time and effort from the theatre faculty is how the program thrived. Faculty helped with costumes and production sets with no credit or payment. She was thrilled and grateful for their willingness to put in extra time for the program.
“At the time, these were the very best people in the world. They were not receiving any payment for it. They were doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. I’m grateful to Danny Vamos for seeing that vision with me,” Uhl said.
Uhl hopes in the future the program will have a stronger relationship with four-year universities and create a music degree for students to continue their education at MCC.
“We have a lot of students who come here for a music degree. They get their start here. They’re here for two years and that goes fast for them. Many of them are hesitant to move on because they’re so comfortable here. They like the way they are taught,” Uhl said.
These are just a few of the stories out of the many strong, influential women who have changed the lives of many at MCC and in the greater Waco community.
The McLennan Community College Board of Trustees has appointed Jonathan Hill as their next board member, filling the District 1 position that was vacated when board member Doug McDurham moved out of the district.
Hill is senior brand strategy specialist at Baylor University. He graduated from MCC in 2013 with an associate’s degree in general academics and from Tarleton State University-Waco in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. He continued his education and graduated in 2018 with a master’s in educational leadership from Baylor University.
Hill has served on a variety of local and statewide boards, including the City of Waco Transit Advisory Board, Bosqueville Excellence in Education Foundation Board, the City of Waco Animal Welfare Advisory Board, Baylor Sport Management Association, and the Texas Junior College Student Government Association.
“As an alum of both MCC and the University Center, I am thrilled for this opportunity to serve the college’s faculty, staff, students, and the community as a trustee,” Hill said. “MCC never shut the door on me and offered me patience and grace as a student when I needed it the most. I hope to give back even a fraction of the gift that the college has been to me and my family.”
District 1 includes precincts 1, 9, 10, 12, 14, 17, 38, 39, 41 (partial), 42, 45, 46, 47, 48, 54 (partial), 88 and 89. It encompasses the area around the MCC campus on 19th Street and College Drive, as well as parts of North and East Waco. Hill will take the oath of office at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 during the regular board meeting at Northwood House at MCC.
Hill is married to Erin, a licensed social worker at Baylor University. They have one son, Jameson, and live in the Cedar Ridge neighborhood in Waco.
Read more about Hill on the MCC website.
Reservations are open for the 21st Annual Hearts in the Arts Gala sponsored by the McLennan Community College Foundation. This year’s gala on Feb. 23 features a McLennan Theatre performance of “The Addams Family-A New Musical” at the MCC Ball Performing Arts Center.
Tickets are $100 each and include drinks and dining at 6 p.m. and the performance at 7:30 p.m. Dessert will be served at intermission. Tables for eight are $800 and include preferred dinner seating.
Guests will be transported to the Addams’ ethereal Central Park mansion for an evening hosted by the most macabre family in the neighborhood. Wednesday Addams, daughter to the delightfully spooky Gomez and Morticia, has invited her new boyfriend, Lucas, and his parents over for dinner. There is only one catch: Lucas is a well-mannered suitor from Ohio who does not have a ghoulish bone in his body. Musical comedy carnage ensues as Gomez and Morticia try to persuade the family to act “normal” for Wednesday’s sake. Also appearing are familiar Uncle Fester, devious brother Pugsley, stoic butler Lurch, and the ever-helpful Thing.
The McLennan production will be directed by Kelly Parker and choreographed by Joe Taylor and will feature elaborate costuming and sets to immerse the audience in the Addams Family vibe. Honorary Hearts in the Arts Chair Nell Hawkins will host the evening as the elegant Morticia Addams.
Hearts in the Arts is an affinity group of the MCC Foundation that supports the arts at McLennan. All proceeds from the gala benefit McLennan scholarships and special projects benefitting visual and performing arts students and faculty.
Gala reservations are due by Feb. 16. For more information, visit www.mclennan.edu/foundation/hearts. To make reservations, contact the McLennan Community College Foundation at 254-299-8604 or [email protected].
McLennan Community College has unveiled a new logo as part of its ongoing project to unify its brand and create an identity that portrays the value of an MCC education and the focus on student success, a news release said.
The College partnered with World Design Marketing, “a firm with extensive higher education experience,” the release said. “WDM researched the college and held numerous workshops with students, employees, the Board of Trustees, and community leaders to gain understanding of the college.”
The new logo combines features that reflect MCC’s history, location, and values. “The outer ‘M’ represents the Bosque River, where the campus is nestled along the banks, and the greater Waco family. The inner ‘M’ signifies the culture of the college as the MCC Family. The chevron heart ties back to the McLennan Family Crest and represents the students and their families.”
Doug McDurham, District 1 trustee, has resigned from the McLennan Community College Board of Trustees effective Jan. 1. The Board officially accepted McDurham’s resignation at its monthly meeting Dec. 8. McDurham was first elected to the Board Aug. 17, 2015, and resigned from the position due to moving out of the district.
“Board member Doug McDurham will be missed,” said MCC President Johnette McKown. “From his commitment to the success of our students to his advocacy of our employees, Doug has made a difference. His leadership is much appreciated. I wish him well in his new adventure.”
“Doug’s background as a social worker and professional experience in the food insecurity field made for terrific insight to the improvement of student services. We will miss his keen insight,” said MCC Board of Trustees’ Chair K. Paul Holt.
McDurham said it has “been an honor to serve” as a MCC trustee. “MCC is the best opportunity for many people in our community to improve their quality of life. My focus has been to support the college’s efforts to address the unique needs of diverse populations, as well as the needs of students who struggle to afford college. Our staff, faculty, and administration excel in providing a quality education that is also affordable and obtainable. I’m humbled to know I’ve been able to contribute to that effort.”
District 1 includes parts of North (including the area around the college) and East Waco. This includes the following precincts: 1, 9, 10, 12, 14, 17, 38, 39, 41 (partial), 42, 45, 46, 47, 54 (partial), 48, 88, and 89.
To hold the office of trustee, one must be a qualified voter, hold residency in the State of Texas for at least 12 months, reside in District 1 for six months before the day on which the appointment is made, serve without compensation, and take the proper oath of office before taking up the duties thereof.
The person appointed to fill the unexpired term by trustees for District 1 will serve until the expiration of the term in May 2023.
Applications will be available for download on the MCC’s website. Applications should be returned to the president’s office in person or electronically by email to Lindsey Vanek ([email protected]) no later than 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23. Interviews with current trustees will take place Feb. 13, and consideration and appointment of the new member will be Feb. 28.
By Clara Lincicome
College students often face circumstances that make pursuing their education especially challenging. An online student at McLennan Community College recently let the school know that a broken had prevented him from finishing a semester.
Shanna Rogers is project director for MCC’s Campus Resources Education Web (CREW), which is a program to help students struggling to meet their basic needs. Rogers learned of the student’s broken laptop and connected him to the library, which had recently received a grant to lend laptops to students in such situations. The student had no form of transportation, so Rogers drove the laptop to him in Killeen.
“When he got the laptop he got reinvigorated,” she said. “He was able to get back on his feet.”
CREW is funded by a federal grant and is MCC’s latest initiative to support students with their nonacademic needs. CREW “strives to ensure every student who wants an education can receive one without being hindered by basic needs insecurities.”
CREW meets with students and faculty on an individual basis to assess their needs and connect them to a resource that can help, ranging from child care, to groceries, to gas money.
Another resource CREW provides is Paulanne’s Pantry – a stop-and-go place to shop for free groceries. Shoppers at the pantry are given autonomy to select their food, rather than given a bag of miscellaneous items. On the backend, CREW orders food and gets shipments twice a month to fill the pantry. Student volunteers are also a part of keeping the pantry stocked.
Not only does CREW offer their own resources, they also partner with other organizations in Waco and McLennan County to best serve students.
“We work to connect them with different resources off campus,” Rogers said. “That means learning about the resources, but also building those relationships with the resources off campus so we know that we have them. For instance, Shepherd’s Heart.”
Shepherd’s Heart is a food pantry in Waco that provides the community with free groceries through mobile distribution, hosting food pantries in four local schools and delivering groceries to seniors.
“We have Shepherd’s Heart that comes on to campus now to help deliver food to students, faculty, staff, or anyone in the community that could use it,” Rogers said. “It provides a location where students don’t need to drive all over town to get food.”
CREW hosted a Resource Fair Sept. 15, where dozens of organizations from the Waco area came to MCC’s campus to talk to students about what they provide.
In addition, the first “Third Thursday Thoroughfare” will be hosted in the Student Life Center Oct. 20, where several local resources are going to be available to talk to students over lunch about their services, the student’s eligibility, and how they can apply.
CREW hopes to remove any stigma around using available resources. Emma Cartisano, a doctoral intern for student engagement at MCC, researches stigma in her study of higher education.
“The biggest act towards removing stigma is by talking about it,” she said. “Stigma gains its power through silence. As much as we can, we will talk about resources available for students. There is no shame in using them.”
Rogers noted that many students need help, which is why MCC is dedicated to the effort. “I haven’t met many college students who haven’t needed extra help,” she said. “Usually the ones who don’t need help are the exception to the rule, not the rule.”
For more information, check out the webpage.
Clara Lincicome is a senior journalism major on the PR track at Baylor University from Washington state. Her minors are corporate communication and leadership studies. She is a PR intern for the Department of Marketing and Communication at McLennan Community College and a tour guide for Baylor University.
By Clara Lincicome
On your way to class through the McLennan Community College campus, you might run into Morgan Wishart, a 22-year-old human development and family studies major from Mineola. Her zip-up jacket boasts the words MCC Dance Company, and she presents herself with a bright smile and excitement for a challenge.
Off the bat, you might assume she is a member of the dance company, a student at MCC, and that she came to MCC directly out of high school. What you likely will not imagine upon first glance is that Wishart spent the past four years as a corporal in the Marine Corps before arriving at McLennan Community College.
Wishart grew up in an Army family — parents, uncles, and both sets of grandparents. But after talking to an Army recruiter, she said she did not get the “homey” feeling she was hoping for. Then, Marine Corps recruiters visited her school in September 2017.
“You know how they come to high schools and you do the pull-ups and everything?” Wishart said. “Well, I did that, and I got their number from there. … I signed the papers that day.”
Wishart graduated from Lindale High School in June 2018 and left for boot camp at Parris Island in South Carolina one month later. She described boot camp as nerve-wracking, especially since she was one of few females. The process of getting there was a blur for Wishart, she didn’t know where she was flown into and was without a phone or any form of communication.
“You get off the plane, then they put you on this bus. They’re just screaming at us, and we’re putting our heads down for the whole ride to Parris Island. I don’t know how long it was,” Wishart said. “It was dark, and my legs were shaking, I’m flustered just thinking about it.”
Upon arrival at Parris Island, Wishart recalled seeing the infamous yellow steps in person for the first time.
“That is your ‘entering into learning how to be a Marine,’” she said. “And there are literal yellow footsteps on the ground, every Marine has stepped on those footsteps. It was like, ‘I’m really here.’”
Wishart emphasized that the purpose of the three-month boot camp was to “break you down from individuality and build you up as a Marine.” When calling her parents for two minutes to let them know she arrived at Parris Island, she read a script, and could not use the words “I,” “me,” or “love you.” “There is no ‘I’ or ‘me’ in boot camp. No one cares about you,” she said.
The culmination of boot camp and the last step in becoming a Marine is the Crucible, notoriously the hardest three days of the three months spent at Parris Island, Wishart said. She got four to six hours of sleep total as they completed obstacle courses that simulated war, with the goal of completion without losing gear or a teammate. After completing the Crucible, recruits receive their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, the emblem of the Marine Corps.
After boot camp, Wishart went to San Diego for Marine Combat Training.
“You’re just shooting guns, out in the field for weeks,” Wishart said. “You only get one porta-potty, and you’re sharing it with your company, like 300 people. No showers, lovely baby wipes, and sleeping under the stars. It was not the time of my life.”
From there, Wishart was sent to Jacksonville, N.C., for a short time before being stationed at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., where she worked and attended Pensacola State College.
“They just put you wherever they want you,” she said. “You’ll hear it forever in the Marine Corps, where they need you is where they’ll put you.”
Wishart worked in supply and was in charge of a $4 million account managing the station’s money and tracking where it went, making sure students had everything they needed to complete their training.
Marines have a four-year contract, starting the day before departure for boot camp, followed by a four-year reserve. Wishart’s contract was up on July 15. She decided to fulfill her goal of becoming a member of the MCC Dance Company.
“MCC has always been a dream of mine,” she said. “My sister went here from 2017-19, and I got a glimpse that this was what I wanted. Ten-time national champions? I want to be a part of that!”
Dancing since she was 12 years old, Wishart grew up attending MCC workshops and competitions. She spoke highly of director Ashlee Keyes, as well as the alumni base of the dance company.
“So many alumni come back and talk to us, and I love that,” Wishart said. “I love to have people that have been in my shoes give me advice on how they became national champions.”
Being part of the Marine Corps has impacted every aspect of Wishart’s life, including her role as a teammate on the MCC Dance Company.
“My formative years, 17-21, I was in the Marine Corps. It’s crazy how different you become,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine myself without the Marine Corps and what I was taught. Everything I think about is from my Marine Corps standpoint. It’s all I know.”
Wishart regards Veteran’s Day as an opportunity to honor and remember those who paid the price for us to live in the United States.
“My whole family was in the military, and they have friends that aren’t with us today,” she said. “My Marine Corps brothers and sisters, my family’s Army brothers and sisters all went out there and fought for us to live this life that we have. It has always been the same for me, respecting our veterans that are here and aren’t here with us today.”
Clara Lincicome is a senior journalism major on the PR track at Baylor University from Washington state. Her minors are corporate communication and leadership studies. She is a PR intern for the Department of Marketing and Communication at McLennan Community College and a tour guide for Baylor University.
The McLennan Community College Foundation’s Highlander Alumni & Friends Association honored Mandy Loftin-Conner and Killian Hutchison recently with two MCC alumni awards. Loftin-Conner received the Distinguished Alumni Award, and Hutchison received the Distinguished Leader Award.
Loftin-Conner is a graduate of China Spring High School and attended MCC as a theatre major 1991-93. She then continued her education at Texas Tech University and has taught locally for 25 years. During that time, she earned 13 trips to the regional UIL One Act Play Meet and eight trips to state.
In addition to teaching and directing, Mandy is an established playwright. She has published the well-received play, “Lafayette No. 1,” which has been produced in 31 states, Canada, and Australia. She has also published “AGO,” “Should Not Cause Harm,” “Unclaimed,” “Dirt,” “11,” and “Rue.”
Most recently, Mandy partnered with Creative Waco to create a pair of life-sized Columbian Mammoth puppets that will be used by Mayborn Museum and the Waco Mammoth National Monument.
“Mandy is deeply grounded in her personal faith and values,” said Creative Waco’s Fiona Bond. “She embodies those values in her work and creative practice, inspiring others, and giving those who feel unseen the opportunity to find their voice and shine.”
Hutchison, of Waco, came to MCC as a Presidential Scholar. She maintained a 4.0 GPA at MCC in the nursing program, while working a part-time job, serving on the Student Advisory Committee and volunteering at several Waco nonprofits.
Killian did all of this during the peak of a pandemic. She volunteered to help vaccinate our community. Killian is an all-around incredible person, and is the epitome of McLennan’s drive to build future leaders and heroes. Killian will continue to serve our community as a NICU nurse at Ascension Providence.