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ASPEN AYLF Delta Cohort
Last year, the Aspen Institute announced three cohorts of its 2020-2021 Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship (AYLF), located in Chicago, St. Louis, and the Mississippi and Arkansas Delta. The fellowship aims to identify, cultivate and amplify rising generations of talent to engage in values-based leadership essential for transforming their lives and society for the better.
According to the organization’s website, each year, 30 fellows ages 18-22 are selected from each locality based on talent and potential, with particular attention paid to recruiting low- and moderate-income youth. The program lasts one year and includes 150 seminar hours, a paid internship, the launch of a community impact project, and access to an opportunity ecosystem supporting the fellows’ development. Upon completion, fellows enter a lifelong network designed to aid their success.
The 2020-2021 Mississippi and Arkansas Delta cohort has a wellrounded mix of 12 current and former CCC students.
Troy Holt, a sophomore general studies major from Greenville, Mississippi, is a current cohort member. He is thankful for the opportunity to participate in the program and finds that the initiative grows and develops one’s confidence and competencies. “Being a part of the Aspen community is an honor for a young Black male striving for greatness. In a world that is said to be biased on some levels, this gives me hope, inspiration, and a different outlook on life as a whole. Especially being a minority, Aspen has boosted my confidence, and the sky is the limit from here.”
Each year in the Delta, AYLF looks for up to 30 fellows with raw talent, creativity, and a passion for serving their communities. The program does not base participant selection on top grades or polished resumes. Rather, the ideal fellow believes they can make a difference and is willing to put in the work to do so.
“I hope to gain genuine positivity that is based on empathy and connection in acceptance of this opportunity. And no matter what life throws at me, I will be able to find ways to move forward whether the situation is good or bad, being thankful for what I have,” Holt added.
Holt credits a supportive CCC community for providing access to rich opportunities. “I am a resident assistant here at Coahoma Community College, where I interact with a lot of people in very prestigious roles,” said Holt. “One day, I was having a discussion with the director of Student Engagement about bettering my hometown and different ideas I had about a lot of fun and main
attractions for my city. Karen Woods-Done then told me about the Aspen Program, so I didn’t hesitate to complete the application. I was nominated, and here I am.”
Woods-Done, director of the Division of Student Engagement, played an instrumental role in connecting CCC with the Aspen Institute. She sees the connection as a needed opportunity for students to receive real-world experiences and cultivate exponential growth.
“It is essential that CCC students participate in experiences like Aspen because it broadens their horizons. The fellowship accelerates leadership development, which is a skill that we want to ensure our students nurture and foster during their tenures at Coahoma Community College,” said Woods-Done.
AYLF cultivates local adult stakeholders through community institutions who, with support and training from the AYLF team, grow to own and execute their programs over time. Through AYLF, the Delta community benefits from developing a critical mass of young leaders while simultaneously cultivating local adult and organizational talents to accelerate and sustain these efforts.
“The Aspen Youth Fellowship also allows students to create change individually and collectively, both inside and outside of their communities. Students who participate have had the opportunity to visit various places and meet with many Aspen graduates,” added Woods-Done. “Most notably, they shared time with the mayor of New Orleans and even participated in a Zoom conference with Stedman Graham. This is unparalleled exposure that I want our students at CCC to use to their advantage.”
For more information about the AYLF and other student enrichment activities, contact Karen Woods-Done at 662.621.4155 or kwdone@coahomacc.edu.
Earlier this year, CCC announced that Greenville, Mississippi, native Larry Webster Jr., Ph.D., would assume the role of dean of the Division of Career and Technical Education (CTE).
Succeeding longtime dean and 2020 retiree Anne Shelton Clark, Webster seeks to ensure that all sights in his division are set on a shared vision that meets students’ needs. Through this vision, he hopes to unlock limitless paths to personal, professional, and institutional growth.
“I believe that my new leadership role here as CTE dean means that I will have an opportunity to establish and cultivate relationships with faculty, staff and administrators across the College that will allow the CTE division to aid in advancing the overall mission of the institution,” Webster detailed. “And in turn, I want to position CCC to become one of the preeminent institutions and training hubs within our state for growing a skilled workforce that prepares our students to compete in a global economy.”
He also seeks to develop the external relationships essential to the ultimate advancement of Career-Tech programs.
Webster received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Mississippi Valley State University, both a master’s degree in community development and a Master of Education in social science from Delta State University, and a doctorate in human capital development from the University of Southern Mississippi.
He credits his parents, Leo and Joyce Jennings, and grandmother Almeta Rhodes for preparing him for entrance into a fresh stage of his career.
“They instilled in me at an early age the importance of having a good work ethic and setting goals,” he said.
Past supervisors, including Dr. Glenn Boyce, Joan Rowe, Dr. Deborah Moore, Sherrie Cheek, Dr. Jim Haffey, Dr. Amy Whittington and Dr. Valeria Williams, have also played a part in sculpting him for his current role.
CCC President Dr. Valmadge T. Towner says Webster’s background, experience and passion could catapult the Career-Tech division to high altitudes of departmental success.
“We are optimistic about Dr. Webster joining our team,” said Towner. “He is eager to build on the past successes of the CTE division, and he is anxious to partner with faculty and staff in an effort to help our students reach their goals.”
CTE is a broad term for education that combines academic and technical skills with the knowledge and training needed to succeed in today’s labor market.
The various curricula prepares students for the world of work by introducing them to workplace competencies in a real-world, applied context.
The CCC CTE division’s core values are a commitment to excellence in everything they do, continually striving to reach optimum performance, producing work that is respected and has meaning and value to the individual, the employer, and society regardless of the level of financial compensation, & always adapting and upgrading individual skills in a rapidly changing world.
Compared to vocational education of decades past, modern CTE spans nearly every industry. In addition to traditional pathways like automotive repair and construction, today’s CTE programs cover health sciences, engineering, entrepreneurship, computer science, sustainable agriculture, theater arts production, media, culinary arts, and many other fields.
Webster sees many great opportunities to revitalize and reimagine CTE programs on the Coahoma campus. He believes connecting with individuals early in life will open their eyes to the potential possibilities that exist in the world of work.
“In recent years, CTE has expanded dramatically in high schools across the country. CTE doesn’t replace academic learning; it complements traditional education by helping students at every level—middle school, high school, and college—develop practical skills,” said Webster.
The CTE division’s mission at Coahoma is to prepare students from diverse backgrounds with the technical skills needed to meet the employment demands of the business and industry located in the five counties that the college serves by offering experiential learning, post-secondary credit, and industry certifications. Webster plans on doubling down on that mission by incorporating new technology and programs to meet the needs of an expanding student base.
Currently, students are being introduced to pathways that will allow them to complete the skill-building courses required to work professionally. This summer, Coahoma made room for the Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning Technology, Electrical Technology, and Diesel Mechanic Technology programs, expanding its CTE offerings.
Webster emphasized the opportunity to attain nationally recognized credentials as part of the attributes that might interest prospective students in the newly added programs of study. The division’s ‘stackable credentials structure’ presents students with a trio of options, also considered exit points, that will qualify students for employment in the fields. Compiling 30 hours of credited courses amounts to a technical certificate, 45 hours grants an Advanced Technical Certificate, and 60 hours of study qualifies a student for the Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS).
Students, as well as those who may be looking for a career change, should consider enrolling in one of the three offerings for several reasons, said Webster.
Within a year, skills in the occupations can be developed, allowing for access to credentials and employment.
“The time to completion along with the lighter financial burden contributes to a superior earning potential,” Webster explained.
The new CCC staffer is the husband of Michelle Byrd and father of Branden, Ebonee, and Larry Caleb, four beloved individuals with whom he loves spending time.
Webster is a proud member of the Rho Gamma Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., as well as a member of the Community Development Society, the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County board of directors, the Chief Career Technical Officials and Deans Association, the Human Capital Development Society, and various other organizations.
He also enjoys golfing and traveling.
