A rose to East Mississippi Community College for its plans to expand its nursing and health science programs by moving them into a dedicated space in what was formerly the workforce development center on the Mayhew campus. Workforce programs have moved to the Communiversity, creating space for an expanded nursing/health science program. Once renovations are completed, the $4 million project will allow those programs to have a centralized location with room for further expansion. There are currently shortages in health care services, especially nursing and EMCC has mobilized its resources to meet that challenge. Some of that work has started even as the renovations continue. The number of Associate Degree Nursing students doubled in March with the addition of a second cohort of students. In August, those students merged with the ADN cohort that began in January to form a single class of about 50 students. We applaud EMCC for its efforts in meeting the challenges faced by nursing and health care worker shortages.

A rose to Mississippi University for Women for its decision to delay a final decision on the university’s new name in the wake of outspoken criticism. After two years of discussion, surveys and focus groups, university president Nora Miller announced on Jan. 8 that the new name would be Mississippi Brightwell University. The negative reaction was immediate and unrelenting. With the knowledge that any proposed name would face criticism and given the amount of time and resources devoted to the effort, it would have been easy enough for the administration to push forward with Brightwell. Instead, it paused its efforts, apologized for leaving stakeholders out of the final decision and opened the discussion for other possible names. On Friday, the university released a full list of submitted names as well as a survey which solicited feedback on the top three name options. These actions will go a long way to mending fences as the university proceeds with the name change process. No name will have 100% support, but the university’s sensitivity to feedback should be commended. Those efforts should make the eventual name more palatable to everyone.

A rose to Black Prairie Blues Museum advisory board member Bill Ferris, for his induction into the Memphis-based Blues Hall of Fame. Although the Warren County native is neither a songwriter or performer, his contributions to the genre warrant such an honor. Beginning as a teen, Ferris realized the hymns sung at the Black church he attended were never published. His efforts to preserve the history of music – especially blues – has carried him all over the South and into classrooms at Jackson State, Yale, the University of Mississippi and, most recently the University of North Carolina. His induction was based on his work as an “author, folklorist, professor, lecturer and administrator,” the Blues Foundation’s website said. Closer to home, Ferris’ work as a board member at the Black Prairie Blues Museum has been an important part of the museum’s success. We congratulate Ferris on a lifetime spent in preserving this important part of American cultural history.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.