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Holiday ham raffle supports Cultural programming at Northeast

by Michael H. Miller

BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- (11/03/2026) — A chance to bring home a holiday ham will help Northeast Mississippi Community College bring cultural experiences to campus, continuing programming that has included civil rights speakers, dance performances and explorations of Mississippi history.

Northeast's Cultural Arts Committee is selling chances on three 8-pound Honey Baked Hams from the Honey Baked Ham Company in Tupelo.

Proceeds will support cultural programming at the college.

Tickets cost $5 each or five for $20.

Buying the five-ticket bundle reduces the price to $4 per ticket, a 20 percent savings compared with purchasing tickets individually.

Ticket sales end December 5.

During the December 9 drawing, the committee will select three winners.

Each will receive a voucher for an 8-pound ham from the company's Tupelo location.

Behind the drawing is a committee responsible for much of Northeast's cultural programming. Its work gives students and employees opportunities to hear personal accounts of history, experience the performing arts and learn from speakers whose experiences extend beyond the classroom.

Civil rights history has been part of that effort.

In 2022, the committee helped bring James Meredith to campus for "Mississippi's Moral Uplift."

Northeast welcomed Freedom Rider Hezekiah Watkins for Black History Month in 2025, giving audiences another opportunity to hear from someone who participated in Mississippi's civil rights movement.

As the group responsible for Northeast's Black History Month programming, the committee also presented "Harmonies of Hope: Celebrating Excellence in African American Artistry" in February 2026. That event included a concert by the Northeast Voices gospel choir.

Other programs have introduced campus audiences to different forms of artistic expression include visits by the Doniphan Dance Project that have exposed students and employees to interpretive dance, while the annual Humanities Teacher of the Year presentation highlights the work of a Northeast educator each spring.

Past events have also connected Northeast with familiar faces and subjects rooted in the region. Cultural Arts helped bring former Northeast Tiger and social media influencer Tre Welch back to campus and helped sponsor one of the first showings of "Jesus Was a Democrat," a film featuring longtime Mississippi state representative Steve Holland.

Former Northeast theater instructor Christopher Schager also delivered a presentation on the Cahokia settlement, adding an examination of early North American history to the committee's offerings.

In addition to stand-alone offerings, the committee has also joined with college's art department to sponsor artist talks, which correlate with the exhibition in the Anderson Hall Art Gallery. Each artist talk allows students and members of the public to understand more about the exhibits in the gallery and the thoughts and methods behind how each artist decided to develop their pieces.

To purchase tickets, contact any member of Northeast's Cultural Arts Committee or committee chairperson Dr. Elizabeth Grisham at ecgrisham@nemcc.edu.

--NEMCC--

Information about Northeast Mississippi Community College

Northeast Mississippi Community College is a leading educational institution that provides comprehensive academic, technical, and workforce training programs to empower students and promote lifelong learning. With a commitment to excellence, Northeast Mississippi Community College fosters a supportive environment that prepares individuals for success in their chosen fields.

For more information about Northeast Mississippi Community College, visit http://www.nemcc.edu.

EG
Elizabeth
Grisham
  • Tupelo, MS
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