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. There are a wide variety of classes available this spring that could aid you in your personal and/or professional life.

We will kick off the semester with a new class from Devin Klugh of Film Natchez, Cinema History & Film Criticism (5 weeks), which will start on Jan. 29. This course will be a study of the major aesthetic, technological and cultural developments in motion picture history and will help you develop skills to recognize, analyze, describe and enjoy film as an art and entertainment form.

Have you always had a fascination with Egypt? Would you like a way to better share this type of history with your classroom? If so, you will have two opportunities to take Ancient Egypt: More Than Mummies (2 weeks each), either on February 4 or March 24. This will be a very hands-on class that will dive into the everyday lives of ancient Egyptians. You’ll even learn to write in hieroglyphs and make your very own clay amulets! Another perfect class for teachers and any one interested in team building group activities is Escape Rooms for Your Classroom (2 weeks). It will start on Feb. 13 and guide you through the entire design process of escape rooms.

As always, we have several technology-based classes available this semester. iPad Basics (4 weeks) will start on February 5. This class will require you to have the latest software release from Apple, and will teach you to transform your iPad into a productivity machine. Then, Office Ready (1 week) will be held on March 3 and 5, and will help you to unlock all the possibilities of Microsoft Word. Finally, beginning on April 14, Excel (3 weeks), will enhance your skills using formulas, charts, graphs, and more!

For those looking to further their professional goals or better give back to the community, Tuwanna Williams will be offering two such classes this semester. How to Become a Consultant in 30 Days (2 weeks) starts February 13. Participants will learn the strategy and practical steps to turn their existing skills and talents into income! Then, the ever-popular Grant-Writing Basics (2 weeks) will start on March 26.

Finally, I am thrilled to announce another new class for all literature lovers.  James Baldwin: 3 Essays, 3 Stories, 3 Films, 3 Days (3 weeks) will begin on March 18.  This class will examine the works of one of the most influential writers of the mid-20th century, and his explorations of class, culture, and race.

All classes are offered at the lowest possible cost and designed to be stress free.  Our aim is to provide an avenue for life-long learners in our community striving toward new skills, hobbies, and 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 ALL classes, but require pre-approval and payment of the CEU Fee.  For more details on classes available, please contact Emily Williams at 601-446-1104 or email emily.williams@colin.edu.  You may also register at the Willie Mae Dunn Library on the Co-Lin Natchez campus and remember to keep an eye on our Facebook page. Pre-registration is required for all courses and class sizes are limited.  Sign up today and give yourself, or a loved one, the gift of life-long learning.

Emily E. Williams is the learning resources coordinator and Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration coordinator at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Natchez Campus.