- President
Dr. Jay Allen became the seventh president of Itawamba Community College on July
1, 2017 after serving as president and chief executive officer of Hopkinsville
Community College in Kentucky since January 2014.
A native Mississippian, Dr. Allen has served in several leadership positions at Hinds
Community College and as a senior-level administrator for Mississippi Gulf Coast
Community College – Perkinston and the George County Center – for a combined
total of 25 years. He earned the Associate of Arts degree in May 1991 from Hinds;
the Bachelor of Science degree in 1993 and the master’s degree in 1995, both from
Mississippi State University; and the doctorate in higher education administration,
from the University of Mississippi in 2009.
His experience includes both academic and career and technical education, student
services, institutional development, information technology, business services,
athletics, workforce and other non-credit areas. He currently serves on numerous
local, state and national boards. He serves as Chair of the Mississippi Association of
Community and Junior Colleges State Workforce Education Committee, Chair of the
Mississippi Education Achievement Council responsible for the statewide educational
attainment goal, Co-Chair of the HERDI South Executive Board, Mississippi
representative on the Community Colleges of Appalachia Board of Directors and a
member of the American Association of Community Colleges Board of Directors. He
was nominated in 2019 by students and awarded the national Paragon Award
recognizing college presidents who show exceptional dedication and support of
student success by emphasizing academic achievement, leadership and service
among high-achieving students at their college. He was recently recognized as a Top
CEO in 2023 by the Mississippi Business Journal.
Dr. Allen and his wife, Belinda, have two daughters, Emma Grace, a junior at
Mississippi State University; and Mollianne, a sophomore in high school.