Welcome from the Chairman of the Board

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share a bit about me personally and about the MDCC Foundation. I am a native of Sunflower County and my father, the late Jim Randall, was the head football coach and Athletic Director at MDCC from 1952 until the mid-1970s. Thus, my attachment to the college runs deep. I was literally born on the campus and spent my childhood roaming the campus grounds, buildings and athletic facilities. It was a simple world back then. The students and the athletes practically all stayed on campus in the dorms. They ate in the cafeteria and hung out in the old canteen…rarely going home other than for holidays. Even as a youngster, I got to know so many of them as the entire atmosphere was so family-like. Everyone knew each other and there was an indelible intangible that to this day evokes very special memories for me and for all who were a part of those times.

I am nearing my 27th year of service, and I was asked to chair the Board about 15 years ago and have enjoyed serving in this role. When I reflect on the positives of the Foundation and its success over the years my mind goes directly to scholarships. Each year our Foundation awards over 70 students with monies to help them meet their financial needs. We give in excess of $100,000 in total scholarship monies each year. That speaks volumes to me and conveys the main purpose of our Foundation. We also assist various departments of the college with certain projects they may have on the table or capital needs for particular equipment etc.

My primary goal for the Foundation is to continue to solicit donations. I have a personal goal of seeing our endowment at a $5 million level within the next 4-5 years. If we can motivate our board members and our key alums, I think we can network and make this goal attainable. The college has many needs. I am so anxious for the Foundation to be in a position to help the academic arena as well as the athletic departments. The Delta has faced so many challenges and it frustrates me to see us fall behind other community colleges who are in more densely populated areas. What we have to offer is a quality faculty, a nurturing environment, and a personal family-like atmosphere. I emphasize the latter. We have a solid product and we need to work harder to sell our product to past alums and key businesses in the Delta and to incorporate them into the MDCC team.

In closing, I encourage all alums, all faculty members, all administrators of the college , as well as all business leaders in the Delta, to reach out to Jim Aycock , our Executive Director, or to me personally if they have a desire to hear the MDCC story and purpose. I feel once they hear it, they will want to join us as we strive to better lives, which is frankly what we are about.