Welcome to the Coahoma County Higher Education Center (CCHEC), anchored by the historic Cutrer Mansion! I am excited about all of the wonderful programs and events we have going on here at the CCHEC now and in the future which includes the Healthy Campus/Community Initiative (HCCI), the MS Delta Tennessee Williams Festival (MDTWF), the community book talk lecture series and community concerts, the new Writers for Life (WFL) program which starts in September 2022, and the MS Delta Cultural Tours (MDCT) which are still in the planning stages, but hope to begin in May or June 2023. 

 

The mission of the CCHEC is to expand educational and cultural opportunities for the people in Coahoma County, and the surrounding communities, by offering classes and events that will encourage personal development and promote a higher quality of life for all people in the Mississippi Delta.

 

Our Healthy Campus/Community program is a wonderful opportunity you should check out. Call Taylor to get more information about the current schedule and pricing. Our most recent slate of fitness classes include Circuit Training taught by Bridgette Walton, Tai Chi taught  by Kim Wong, and Yoga taught by Jackie Dean.

 

Another great opportunity coming up is the MS Delta Tennessee Williams Festival in October. This year's dates are October 13-15, 2022, and you can sign up to be on our MDTWF mailing list at deltawilliamsfestival.com. We have a wonderful slate of scholars and actors on the schedule to participate this year and lots of fun activities, a tour through Clarksdale's historic district and other downtown areas; a MDTW festival reunion and a look at festivals past; a movie screening of the acclaimed 1958 film Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on the lawn of the Cutrer Mansion; academic presentations from scholars from around the country including Williams Scholar, Dr. Kenneth Holditch; Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, Richard Ford; Award-winning author, W. Ralph Eubanks; Moorman Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, Dr. Andrew Haley; Award-winning Highway 61 Radio Host, Writer and Researcher, Scott Barretta; Williams Historian and Director of the Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum, Karen Kohlhaas; and Academy-award winning producer, Milton Justice; as well as performances by both professional and community actors; a High School Student Drama Competition; Cultural workshops with talks by Delta Ambassadors; our signature Porch Plays in the historic district; and fun social gatherings with food and music as well.

 

We are also thrilled to announce that award-winning producer and former professor at the Stella Adler Academy and also the Stella Adler Conservatory, Milton Justice will direct a full production of A Glass Menagerie on Saturday afternoon in Clarksdale. This event will begin around 4pm and we will announce the location soon.

 

Organizers are also working on a fun, family-friendly Community Book Fair to be held on the lawn of the Cutrer Mansion on Thursday from 10 AM to 3 PM. More details coming soon.

 

The Cutrer Mansion and the Norman Brown Commons (old gymnasium) are also available for weddings, receptions, retreats and conferences. We also give tours of the Cutrer Mansion by appointment. 

 

The center is supported by Coahoma Community College, grants and private donors like you with past support from the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors. 

 

Please take some time to look over our website and see what might be available here for you. For more information about the CCHEC, please call the office at 662-621-9344 and talk to Taylor or Jen. Either of us will be glad to tell you all about the Cutrer and what we offer here!