Latest News

Join Enterprise State Community College’s Fine Arts Division this March as students and community members share what life is like while working “9 to 5” in the College’s spring production of the hit musical.

According to the Music Theatre International website, “’9 to 5 The Musical,’ with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick, is based on the seminal 1980 hit movie. Set in the late 1970s, this hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era is outrageous, thought-provoking and even a little romantic.

“Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy – giving their boss the boot! While Hart remains ‘otherwise engaged,’ the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down. Hey, a girl can scheme, can’t she?”

Tickets sales are open for community members and ESCC students. Tickets can be purchased at escc.edu/9to5 or through the ESCC Business Office. General Admission tickets are $15, and student tickets are $5. Students must purchase their tickets through the Business Office and be able to show their Student ID.

Performances of “9 to 5” will be March 14, 15, and 16 in the Student Center MPR. Each performance will begin at 7 p.m.

**Originally published by the Dothan Eagle

By Jon Johnson

Read the article here: https://dothaneagle.com/sports/college/enterprise-state-to-add-mens-soccer-as-sanctioned-sport/article_6a985fee-b707-11ee-92a9-cbe8ac49ed0d.html

ENTERPRISE – Enterprise State Community College is adding men’s soccer to its ever-growing sports programs it was officially announced on Friday.

After a trial run of sorts this past fall as a club sport, ESCC soccer will transition into being a sanctioned sport competing within the Alabama Community College Conference beginning next fall.

Up until now, Southern Union was the only school in the ACCC that fielded a soccer team.

Former Enterprise High soccer player Cade Stinnett, who led the club program, will also be the head coach of the new team, which will offer scholarships to recruited players.

“I’d like to say thank you to President (Danny) Long and the administration for giving me a chance to coach and build this program,” Stinnett said. “My goal for this program for this first season is to bring light to southeast Alabama and the surrounding area the opportunity for young men to play soccer and further their education past high school.

“My expectations are to be highly-competitive and to make a name for ourselves from the start. My coaching philosophy centers around hard work, effort and integrity. If I can get the team to buy into the system that we will put into place and give effort to better themselves individually and as a team, then we will be a successful program. I’m beyond excited to get this program up and running.”

Stinnett, who was also a standout placekicker on the Enterprise High football team and on the college level at Jacksonville State, became a volunteer assistant soccer coach at Jacksonville High School and eventually was elevated to head coach before returning back to Enterprise, where he spent time coaching the EHS junior varsity team.

“It’s exciting and nerve-racking at the same time, because I don’t have much to go on and I’m figuring it out as we go,” Stinnett said of being the head coach of a brand new program. “But it’s also exciting to start it and then eventually see where it’s going to end up, too.”

He believes the club soccer team at ESCC was actually a good recruiting tool for moving forward to a sanctioned sport.

“We started off with 12 players, so not as much as I had hoped for, but enough to play,” Stinnett said of the club team. “Then going from there, my two goals for this club season was have enough on roster and get games on schedule, and we were able to do that.

“We ended up playing Southern Union reserve team twice, and the rest of the teams we scheduled were U17, U18, U19 club teams from Panama City, Dothan, Enterprise and Wetumpka, which helped as far as the recruiting aspect for this upcoming season in getting the word out we’re starting the program.”

Stinnett will now hit the recruiting trail.

“I believe we have 24 scholarships and the amount of walk-ons is limitless,” Stinnett said. “We’re hoping for around 30 (players).

“I’m mostly looking to stay within the area. Also, the panhandle of Florida is virtually untouched for junior college (soccer), so anywhere from Montgomery to panhandle of Florida is mostly going to be my recruiting area.”

Besides putting together a roster, Stinnett will have to form a schedule against teams out of state with the exception of Southern Union.

“We know we’ve got to play them (Southern Union) at least twice and have a couple of dates set with them,” Stinnett said. “Other than that, there’s a lot of junior colleges in Mississippi, so that’s going to be a heavy bit of our schedule, and a handful of Georgia. So there’s going to be a lot of distant traveling for away games.”

In recent years, ESCC added volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country and men’s and women’s golf to its long standing sports of men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball.

The men’s soccer program may eventually lead to yet another team on campus.

“Today is a day that we make school history,” ESCC athletics director Jeremaine Williams said. “We’re getting ready to start men’s soccer. We’re looking to add women soccer later on when we complete our renovations when we’re able to accommodate all of the sports.”

The team will have several options to use as a home field, including Bates Memorial Stadium, a soccer field that is already in place on campus or some new soccer fields that are being built by the City of Enterprise on campus through a partnership with the junior college.

“They (City of Enterprise) have three multi-purpose fields that are going up on the west side of our campus and those are close to getting done,” ESCC president Danny Long said. “They did that out of the demand of the local recreation teams for soccer.

“We just thought with the investment they were putting into the sport locally and with the interest that Cade was able to generate with the club team this year, it (men’s soccer) was worth the investment.”

For more information, contact Stinnett by email at jstinnett@escc.edu.

The Enterprise State Community College Cerebral Weevils is calling for teams for its first Middle School Scholars’ Bowl Tournament on March 1.

The tournament is open to homeschool, public and private school teams. Team members must be in grades 5-8, and all participants must be under 14 years old.

Cost to participate is $100 per team, which includes lunch for one coach or sponsor and five team members. There will be an additional $10 fee for meals and snacks for every extra attendant.

Schools can also receive a $10 buzzer discount, limited to one per team (not per school). A school can have multiple teams participate in the tournament.

To register your team or learn more about setting up a middle school team, visit www.naqt.com. Registration for the event will be completed entirely online.

For questions about the tournament, contact Kathy Pattie at kpattie@escc.edu.

The Alabama Aviation College, a unit of Enterprise State, celebrated the re-opening of its James Douglas Brown, Sr. Building with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, January 19.

The facility, known as the Brown Building, was originally named the Alabama Institute for Aviation Technology. It served as one of the only civilian schools in the nation in 1960 that offered courses in aircraft maintenance for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. The first classes were held on October 3, 1960, and 118 students were enrolled. 


In 1967, the building was renamed as the James Douglas Brown, Sr. Building in honor of the former mayor of Ozark, who served two terms beginning in the 1940s.

“Mr. Brown – Mayor Brown – was instrumental in not only getting this campus started, but he was also instrumental in getting Enterprise State in [the City of] Enterprise when the community college system launched in the mid-60s,” Enterprise State Community College President Danny Long said.

The $5 million renovation project to the building has resulted in three updated aviation classrooms/labs, an updated CDL classroom and an aviation hangar that will allow the College to train students for their future careers.

Since 2016, the College has seen in increase in enrollment, especially in the A&P program, resulting in the need for more classrooms and labs. AAC Campus Director Stan Smith said that the current enrollment numbers in the A&P program puts the College “in the very top of schools in the United States.”

“The real reason for growth is the demand for our graduates,” he said. “All of our programs on campus offer careers that offer enough income to support a family. I believe our best recruiters are those that graduate and get a job.”

To highlight the need for skilled workers in the aviation industry, Stan Smith said that a search on an aviation job site showed over 3,400 open aviation maintenance job openings, over 2,400 Avionics job openings, and almost 400 aviation composites job openings.

“It’s obvious there’s a shortage of skilled workers, and we exist to help solve that problem,” he said.

Holle Smith, president of the Ozark-Dale County Economic Development Corporation, said that the College is used for recruiting industry and aiding current industry in the area.

“The growth we’ve seen at the College, we feel like, is not only a reflection, but also a projection of the growth of the community,” she said, sharing thanks for the partnership with the College.

AAC currently has dual enrollment partnerships with Dothan City, Houston County, Ozark City, Dale County, Pike County, Troy City, Enterprise City, Coffee County, Geneva County, Geneva City, Andalusia City and Covington County Schools Systems to train high school students for high-demand careers through the Aviation Maintenance Technician (also known as A&P), Avionics and Mechatronics programs.

The College also has numerous partnerships with business and industry throughout the Wiregrass, including M1 Support Services at Fort Novosel, CAE USA, Arista, McDermott Aviation in Andalusia and Commercial Jet.

Rep. Steve Clouse, whose support has helped see many of the renovations happen on AAC’s campus, said during the event, “This is THE Alabama Aviation College. It is certainly a gem for the City of Ozark, for Wiregrass and for the whole State of Alabama.”

Troy Maharrey will serve the Alabama Aviation College as its 2023-24 SGA President.

As SGA President, Maharrey hopes to build a sense of community on campus while also focusing on academic growth.

His goals include adding a National Business Association Chapter or a Women in Aviation Chapter to further promote students in a positive light for future business opportunities. He said that “adding more of these social events would not only make the college more welcoming but also relieve stress after a long day of learning.”

Maharrey hopes, while holding this position, to learn how to truly be a leader and work with other students to push advancement as a student body. “With everyone’s help, we can unlock the school’s full potential,” he said.

“I ran for SGA President to ensure that I can give the future students and current students of the school not only the amazing experience I have received but also more opportunities for advancement in their future career and education through this esteemed institution.”

Voting was held on October 2-3. Officers were announced on October 4. Maharrey will serve with Vice President Alexandra Cole, Secretary Trinity Everett, Sophomore Senator Chevy Skinner, and Freshman Senators Grayson Bell, Owen Carpenter and James Chambers.

Ms. Gracie Spink will serve Enterprise State Community College as its 2023-24 Miss ESCC.

Spink was chosen to wear the crown out of five contestants and was also named the interview winner and Most Photogenic during the Miss ESCC pageant held Thursday, October 5. She was crowned by the 2022-23 Miss ESCC Joycelyn Tinker.

Spink is the daughter of Joseph and Renee Spink and Mike and Tiffany Forrester. She is a freshman general studies major. Spink is an active member of the Student Support Services Advisory Board. When she is not active with community and college activities, she enjoys reading for leisure, spending time with her family and friends and going to the gym.

As Miss ESCC, Spink will represent the College’s values and programs on campus and throughout the local communities. She will also be eligible to receive a $2,000 scholarship.

Out of the remaining four participants, sophomore special education major Mckenlie Jerkins was named first runner up. Sophomore business and management major Taylor Revels was named Miss Congeniality.

All five contestants in the 2022-23 Miss ESCC pageant were Gracie Spink, Mckenlie Jerkins, Taylor Revels, freshman pharmacy major Kelcy Cooper and sophomore general studies major Gracie Moran.

To invite Miss ESCC to visit your event or organization, please call 334-347-2623 ext. 6800.

Six mechatronics students from Enterprise State Community College have received scholarships from Rex Lumber.

This year’s Robert and Kathryn McRae/Rex Lumber Scholarship recipients were Easton Booth, Seth Daugherty, Preston Garner, Wesley Garner, John Hatten and Jacob Mock. The scholarship is offered to students pursuing their associate degree in Mechatronics. Each scholarship is a one-year scholarship for 33 semester hours of tuition and/or books and supplies for required classes.

To apply, students must have a minimum 2.5 high school GPA and must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA every semester enrolled at ESCC. Students can reapply for the scholarship for their second year in the Mechatronics program.

ESCC’s Mechatronics program offers students the opportunity to complete individual and industry-recognized certifications, short-term certificate training, and the transferable associate degree.

Charles Mills is a father, husband and worker, with plans to own his own business one day. Thanks to online classes at Enterprise State Community College, he’ll be ready for his future when he completes his associate degree this fall.

Mills first attended classes at the Alabama Aviation College, a unit of Enterprise State, after graduating from high school; however, life happened, and he had to step away from his education.

He has since spent the next several years working, sometimes holding three jobs at a time. His working career and personal life changes led Mills to realize that he wanted to return to school in 2021 and complete an associate degree in business and administration with a focus in management and supervision.

“When my father passed, that was one thing, and then working so much, I wanted to get a degree to make it easier,” he said. “I want to start a business, just something to get me where I’m on my own and making myself money.”

Mills said online classes has been the best option for him to return to school.

“Online classes are great,” he said. “I’ve loved it. [I’ve gotten} support from the instructors. You can have tutoring sessions. I run into some people that I didn’t even know were in my class, and I’m friends with them. You make friends within the [class], and you can talk to them. We stay in touch with each other.”

He said that he would encourage anyone who may be thinking about returning to school, whether in-person or online, to do it.

“Don’t give up,” he said. “Just do your best and try. Just be proud of yourself. Don’t say you can’t. That’s the biggest thing.”

Mills also said he is ready to take part in graduation next May.

“I am going to walk [at graduation],” he said. “I am excited. I told my wife, ‘I haven’t walked since 2006, so I’m going to do it. I think it’ll be pretty cool.’

“I have my high school diploma, and then I’m going to have my college degree.”

On Tuesday, October 17, community members will have the opportunity to see what resources are available to them.

Hosted by Wiregrass Educational Opportunity Center (EOC), Coffee County Association of Service Agencies, and Enterprise State Community College Student Services, the Community Resource Fair will be held from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the ESCC Student Center. The fair, which will include participants that provide mental health resources to community members, will be held as part of activities recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month.

The event is free and open to the public.

“Please join us at ESCC to connect with local community services and mental health care organizations,” Wiregrass EOC Director Jennifer Braden said. “Representatives from organizations such as Spectracare, Christian Mission, Bradford Health, Coffee County Health Department, local food pantries, and more will be available to share information about available services, many of which are free. There are many available opportunities for individuals to receive assistance and support from their community organizations and this resource fair provides agencies and individuals the chance to connect.”

EOC also invites interested agencies and organizations to participate in the event and share resource information to community members. Any agencies interested in taking part in the event can contact Braden at jbraden@escc.edu or by calling 334-406-0495.

This August, Enterprise State Community College was officially designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C).

According to the NCAE-C website:

“NCAE-C program aims to create and manage a collaborative cybersecurity educational program with community colleges, colleges, and universities that:

• Establishes standards for cybersecurity curriculum and academic excellence,

• Includes competency development among students and faculty,

• Values community outreach and leadership in professional development, 

• Integrates cybersecurity practice within the institution across academic disciplines,

• Actively engages in solutions to challenges facing cybersecurity education.”

The CAE-CD designation is reserved for academic institutions that offer cybersecurity degrees or certificates at all degree levels. ESCC offers an associate of applied science in Computer Information Science (CIS) with an Information Security and Assurance (ISA) Option.

“It informs our students and the community that our CIS ISA degree is recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security to provide a quality education in cybersecurity,” CIS Instructor Rosalyn Warren, whose work led to ESCC receiving the CAE-CD designation, said. “It provides student scholarships, grant opportunities, networking events, cyber curricula, and professional development opportunities.”

Before applying for the designation, Warren and CIS Instructor Lee Scarborough worked with an advisory committee and partners like CompTIA, EC-Council, Cisco and Fortinet to offer industry-recognized certifications within the degree’s courses, and she had to ensure that the ISA degree curriculum met the National Institution for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) framework.

“I’ve been working on the CAE-CD designation for about a year,” Warren said. “The National Security Agency (NSA) provides a schedule for each phase. We started in October 2022 and were awarded the designation in August 2023. The ISA program was validated by the NSA in February 2023 and designated in August 2023.”

In addition to the ISA program being validated by the NSA this year, ESCC also previously joined the Microsoft Learn for Educators program, which adds Microsoft certifications into CIS curriculum, and AWS (Amazon Web Services) Academy, which provides access to ready-to-teach cloud computing curriculum. 

Warren said there will be more cybersecurity activities on ESCC’s campus to engage and educate students and the community because of this designation. 

The College will hold the CAE-CD designation until 2028 and will need to reapply for the designation every four years.