ICC hosts conference to discuss future of higher education in Miss.

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Itawamba Community College has been playing host to representatives from colleges and universities across Mississippi discussing the future of higher education.

Nearly 200 college presidents and administrators attended the Mississippi Association of Colleges, also known as MAC, annual conference at the ICC Belden campus.

Topics such as mental health, spotting signs of human trafficking and drug use, social media use, and others were discussed during the two-day conference.

Also, college and university leaders are always looking at ways to combat “Brain Drain”, the term used when young people leave Mississippi to pursue school and careers in other states.

ICC President Dr. Jay Allen says colleges and universities are also looking at ways to reverse the brain drain.

“We have to start brain gain, attracting people to move to Mississippi, to be part of our educational process where they can get a credential of value or bring that credential of value with them and take one of the many jobs in our state where they are looking for individuals to help us add to the Mississippi economy,” said Allen.

The conference wrapped up with the presentation of the Halbrook awards, recognizing graduation rates among athletes at colleges statewide.

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