New year, new classes! Copiah-Lincoln Community College is welcoming back faculty, staff and students after the holidays, and we would like to welcome you to join the long line of people that have benefited from our Special Interest program. As the New Year kicks off, I encourage you to consider doing something for yourself. That something can be as simple as signing up for a non-credit class, which will allow you to acquire or enhance skills that could help you in your personal or professional life. There are a wide variety of classes available this spring.

If you are looking to be healthier and get moving after the holidays and have fun while doing it, then hit the courts with us for Tennis (four weeks) any month this semester. There will be a session each month from January through April on Tuesday evenings! Sign up for one or all! Tennis is taught by a Board Certified USPTA Elite Professional at an unheard of low rate.

I am also excited to announce that there will be numerous opportunities to gain skills to aid you in the pursuit of your professional goals! Microsoft Word Extreme (two weeks) starts on Jan. 17 and meets twice each week.  Spanish for Beginners (four weeks), which could be useful in the workplace or when traveling, begins on Feb. 2. Grant-writing Basics (one week) will meet on Feb. 28 and March 9. This class will give the groundwork to building a successful grant proposal, but then you have the chance to follow that up with Grant-writing Advanced (four weeks), starting on March 23rd.  Due to popular request, Advanced Excel (two weeks) will start on Feb. 28 and meet twice each week. Lastly, we are introducing Microsoft Access for Beginners (four weeks) on March 28 for those that would benefit from a deeper knowledge of databases.

Again, this semester we have two opportunities to learn the process of creating beautiful wreaths for your door or for a friend! Mardi Gras Wreath Making will be on Jan. 24 and Spring Wreath Making will be on March 9.

For those that enjoy learning about history and other cultures, Six World Religions: Their Unique Histories and Beliefs (six weeks) is the class for you! This class will start on March 23 and will explore Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Mormonism. You will leave with a better understanding of your neighbors and world events.

Finally, as we do each spring, we will hold the Benefits Available to Veterans class again on Wednesday, April 12. This class, offered at no cost, will be a “lunch and learn” format with a light lunch provided. If you are a veteran, you deserve to understand and take full advantage of the benefits that are available to you. Let us help. If you have attended this workshop in the past, know that it could still be beneficial, as policy updates will be addressed.

All classes are offered at lowest possible cost and are designed to be stress-free. Our aim is to provide an avenue for life-long learners in our community striving toward new skills, hobbies or personal enrichment. This program is created with you in mind, so as always, I welcome any and all feedback!  Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for some classes. For more details on classes available, please contact Emily Edwards at 601-446-1103 or email emily.edwards@colin.edu.  You may also register at the Willie Mae Dunn Library on the Co-Lin Natchez campus, and don’t forget to keep an eye on our Facebook page (Co-Lin N-Sights). Pre-registration is required for all courses.

All courses must meet a minimum number of participants to prevent cancellation, and some courses have limited space available. If a class is canceled for any reason, full refunds will be available.

On behalf of the Co-Lin family, I invite you to take full advantage of any classes in this program that would benefit or interest you. Give yourself the gift of the life-long learning experience.

Emily Edwards is the learning resources coordinator for the Natchez campus of Copiah-Lincoln Community College.