MECC History: The First 30 Years

to commemorate the anniversary by building an “ellipse” on the campus. The half-acre oval of beautifully landscaped greens, trees, and flowers would be completed by June of 1996. The leafy and tranquil setting would become a focal point for student recreation. It was one of the many efforts of the college to enhance campus beauty under the leadership of President Robert Sandel.

The college’s criminal justice club, Lambda Alpha Epsilon, sponsored the 1996 Miss Mountain Empire Community College Pageant, held on March 9. Winners were Meri Lynn Pippin of Gate City, Miss Congeniality; Tiffany Taylor of Big Stone Gap, second runner-up; Carmen McNeil of Wise, first runner-up; and Mardee Freeman of Norton, Miss Mountain Empire.

Twelve students and three faculty members from MECC won awards at the 59th Annual National Conference of the American Criminal Justice Association during March 16-23 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Student winners were Jeff Sackett, Thelma White, Tony Rhoton, Denny Potter, and others. Faculty winning awards were Narda Boggs, William Osborne, and Cindy Mongle.

MECC alumna Rita Sims Quillen returned to campus as the featured speaker for the 20th annual John Fox, Jr. Festival on March 28 in the Dalton-Cantrell Auditorium. Quillen had published two collections of her works, October Dusk in 1987 and Looking for Native Ground: Contemporary Appalachian Poetry in 1989. She was an Associate Professor of English at Northeast State Technical Community College in Tennessee. Appearing on the program with Quillen was George Salaita, a historian, who spoke of Southwest Virginia’s role in the American Civil War. The college announced a new major in industrial distribution beginning in fall semester. The VCCS approved the new curriculum in March, the first two-year industrial distribution program in the nation. Future graduates from the two-year program could choose careers in the burgeoning industrial distribution job market or transfer into four-year programs. Before classes began in the program, it won recognition from the Virginia Council of Vocational Education as a Tech Prep model program. Program Coordinator J. E. Fugate and MECC Division of Industrial & Engineering Technology Chairman Richard Phillips accepted the award during a meeting in Richmond on June 21.

Enrollments rose once again beyond projections. With a projection of 1,645 students for its 199596 budget, MECC had an FTE count of 1,733. MECC President Robert Sandel said the college was carrying a headcount of 200 more students than funded in its budget.

Members of MECC’s Omega Tau Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda won contests during the 40th Annual PBL Leadership Conference in Staunton, Virginia. First-place winners were Tina Robinette, computer concepts; Jamie Buckles, desktop publishing; and Frances Sandidge, machine transcription. Third-place winners were Mary Burke, business communications; Shirley Austin, desktop publishing; and Jennifer Blair, information management. Advisers attending the conference were Ann Davis, Shirley Wells, and Peggy Rusek.

Over 250 students graduated from MECC at ceremonies held on Friday, May 10, at 6 p.m. Gary Burchette, Vice President for Manufacturing for DeRoyal Industries in Rose Hill, Virginia, was the keynote speaker.

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