New leaders at the Ross Collins Career and Technical Center plan to shine a light on the importance of career and technical education.

The school, located on the campus of Meridian High School, serves students from the Meridian Public Schools, Lauderdale County Schools, Home Schoolers Association, and area private schools. It offers classes in STEM, Computer Science, Health Sciences, Transportation, Culinary Arts and Construction and Manufacturing. 

Matt Johnson was recently named the center’s new director, after serving as  assistant director and the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Test Coordinator for the past three years.

“I’m extremely excited about my new position as director of Ross Collins Career and Technical Center,” said Johnson. “In this new role, I’m able to oversee more of the programs to follow what the students are doing. This allows me to see the different career pathways that they’re going into and just ensure that all of our students are successful within the career pathway that they choose.”

Johnson said he plans to bring more awareness to Ross Collins, not only with the students but within the community.

“I look forward to increasing enrollment,” Johnson said. “I feel that all students should take a CTE course to make sure our students are employable in the community.”

“We teach many life skills, soft skills, what you’re supposed to do to find employment, such as building resumes and mock interviews, just a lot of things to prepare our kids for the real world,” Johnson emphasized.

Johnson graduated from East Mississippi Community College in 2003, and he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Mississippi State University in 2011. Additionally, he graduated with his Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University in 2016.

Johnson has worked for the Meridian Public School District since 2007 and has spent most of his time at Ross Collins, where he taught the automotive service technology program. He also served as a dual credit instructor with Meridian Community College.

Stepping into the new role of assistant director at Ross Collins is former Carver Middle School Principal Felicia Ruffin.

Ruffin comes to the role after working in the Meridian school system for 23 years. With recent changes in the school district, she’s excited about the new opportunities and challenges as the assistant director at Ross Collins. 

“I’m looking forward to seeing the center grow and prosper,” Ruffin said. “We want to provide students with opportunities to advance in the workforce and sharpen their career development.

Ruffin served as principal of Carver for five years before its closing and as an assistant principal at Meridian High School for five years.