Bishop State Students Honored as

All-Alabama Academic Team Members

Congratulations to Marcus English and Trenice Paige for being named to the 2025 All-Alabama Academic Team! The prestigious recognition celebrates the academic excellence, leadership, and community service of top-performing students across the Alabama Community College System (ACCS).

Marcus and Trenice, both members of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, were honored at the 30th Annual All-Alabama Academic Team Recognition Program held in Birmingham. As part of this honor, each student received a $1,000 scholarship from the Paths for Success Foundation to use at the college or university of their choice upon transfer. Marcus was also named a Bronze Scholar by the Coca-Cola Academic Team.

Bishop State Community College is excited to announce the expansion of its athletics department with the return of its cheerleading program and the introduction of women’s flag football, both of which will begin in the 2025-2026 academic year.

Bishop State Community College extends its heartfelt thanks to Representative Napoleon Bracy for his generous contribution to the Bishop State Foundation. His donation will have a lasting impact, helping to remove barriers, create opportunities, and support the academic and career endeavors of Bishop State students.

Representative Bracy’s continued commitment to education and community advancement reflects a shared vision for a brighter, stronger future. We are deeply grateful for his partnership and investment in the next generation of leaders.

Bishop State recently had the honor of inducting 94 new members into its Alpha Epsilon Nu Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society!

PTK is the largest honor society for community colleges worldwide, offering its members access to scholarships and leadership opportunities. PTK students represent the top 3% of the college's student body. To be inducted, students must complete 12 credit hours with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) visited Bishop State to promote and raise awareness of its Wave 1 scholarships, which are now open. Representatives met with students to discuss opportunities. Four students, Demorio Sheffield, Shvonda Bassett, Artoya Smith, and Jernae Ramsey, received an opportunity to be considered for a $1,000 scholarship to use at a Historically Black Community College (HBCC) in Fall 2025.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) will be back to visit all campuses on Wednesday, April 16th. Learn more details about this event in the "Upcoming Events" section below!

Twelve hardworking students graduated from Bishop State's Lineworker Training Program in March, taking their first steps toward a career in the utility industry. This training prepared them for the demands of electrical distribution work and equipped them with the skills needed to keep our communities powered.

Thanks to Alabama Power for supporting this program, and congratulations to the graduates on their achievements. We look forward to seeing their impact in the field.

Bishop State celebrated a major milestone in workforce development during a series of National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Signing Day events.

More than 125 students participated in the ceremonies, publicly committing to pursue majors in CTE. Much like signing day events for athletes, these events recognized students for choosing to advance their futures through hands-on, high-demand training in fields that keep our communities moving forward.

Congratulations to the nine newest graduates of the HVAC Fast Track program! They are now equipped with the knowledge and the skills to begin a career in the HVAC field. Thank you to Alabama Power, all our supporters, and the team who worked behind the scenes to make this program possible.

The Division of Business and Information Technology of Bishop State Community College is proud to announce that its business-related programs — accounting technology, computer information technology, and office administration — have been reaffirmed by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

This reaffirmation signifies continued global recognition and excellence in our business education offerings. ACBSP accreditation is a mark of international distinction, and our programs have proudly maintained membership with the organization since 2001.

Congratulations to the division, and thank you to Lyle Coleman, Department Chair of Business and Information Technology and Early Childhood Education, for your work and leadership on this project!

It was an honor to host the annual Gene Haas Technical Educators Conference (HTEC) for the Gulf Coast Region!

HTEC provides an opportunity for educators training in CNC technology to meet, collaborate, and learn from each other. Industry leaders represented products and resources that educators need to build successful CNC training programs.

Bishop State's music department, led by Mr. Willie Williams, hosted the 2nd Annual Mobile Area HBCU Experience. The event brings together HBCUs and high schools to offer college scholarship exposure for students with an interest in music or dance.

The program included band scholarship auditions, a dance clinic, a choral music workshop and audition, and even a highly competitive drum line battle. Almost all 40 participants received scholarship offers from the 11 HBCU band programs participating - totaling about $2.7 million! What an impact one Saturday can make!

The 2025 Wildcat Road Trip season has officially come to a close, and what a journey it has been! By bringing our full team (admissions, financial aid, advising, support services, programs, and more) directly to area high schools, we were able to meet students where they are and remove barriers to higher education. The impact was powerful, helping hundreds of students take meaningful steps toward their futures at Bishop State.

Thank you to every faculty and staff member who played a role, big and small, and a special thanks to Britney Finley for leading this incredible effort with heart, vision, and dedication.

As part of our strategic planning process, Bishop State took an intentional look inward to reflect on who we are and what we do.

On April 9, 2025, the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees approved the college's updated mission, which is now officially in effect. It reads:

“Bishop State Community College provides an accessible and affordable higher education through quality academic pathways, relevant career-focused training, and innovative technology that empowers individuals to succeed in a rapidly changing world.”

Thank you to everyone who shared valuable input in helping shape our new mission statement.

Join the Health Sciences department for its virtual informational sessions on the third Thursday of each month from 12pm-1pm. The health sciences staff will explain the admissions requirements, application cycles, and relevant information for each program. Questions? Contact Devin Blackmarr at dblackmarr@bishop.edu.

• TMCF Campus Visits - April 16

• Volleyball Signing Day - April 16

• Shipbuilding Graduation - April 17

• Skills USA Competition - April 21-23

• Baseball Home Game - April 19

• Nat'l Technical Honor Society Induction - April 28

• Spring Clean Up - April 29

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www.bishop.edu

~ A member of the Alabama Community College System ~

~ Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ~