Lauderdale County officials joined Meridian Community College administration and community leaders in celebrating Thursday the opening of the new MCC L.O. Todd/Billy C. Beal Student Success Center.
MCC President Tom Huebner said the opening of the center comes after years of discussion and planning. Offering everything from advising, tutoring and a sensory-friendly room, the vision was to create a place where students can come to get the help they need to succeed.
“Navigating the world in 2026 is just different. Sometimes students need to have someone help them put all the pieces together so they can meet their goals, achieve their dreams and become what they were created to be,” he said.
Years ago, as a professor, Huebner said he recalls sending students all over campus to piece together the help they needed. The idea of centralizing that help and putting it all in one location became a goal he swore to reach if it ever became possible.
“This building reflects years of planning, renovation and a shared commitment to making sure our students have what they need to succeed,” said MCC Chief of Staff Leah Hill.
Funding for the new Student Success Center came both from grant funding and donations, Hill said, including funds from the Phil Hardin Foundation, Srivastava family, Chip Taylor and others. The donations, however, went much further than just monetary support, and the tools and resources they helped provide for MCC students will leave lasting impacts for years to come.
Lloyd Gray, president of the Phil Hardin Foundation, said MCC has long proven its dedication to student success and making sure every dollar makes the biggest possible impact.
“We at the Hardin Foundation have a lot of partners in the community and around the state of Mississippi, but none is more trusted and respected as a recipient of Hardin grant funds than Meridian Community College. That’s because we know that the funds that are invested here will be wisely used for the greatest possible good for our community through ensuring MCC students have the opportunities they deserve,” he said.
Meridian Community College is fortunate to have strong community support, Huebner said, including funding from both the city of Meridian and Lauderdale County. The support they provide is critical to the college’s efforts and local economy.
“Both those bodies provide resources for this college that are important, that make a difference for us, and we could not make it without your support,” he said. “We’re grateful for you.”
For more information about MCC or the Student Success Center, visit meridiancc.edu.