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*A fresh new voice!*

Northwest Mississippi Community College sophomore pre-engineering majors, Melissa DiFillippo (left), and Chris Shackleford (second from right), both of Southaven, were awarded full-tuition scholarships to Northwest by Twin Creeks Technologies founder and CEO, Dr. Siva Sivaram (right), and Robert Tolles (second from left), also of Twin Creeks Technologies. Dr. Gary Lee Spears (center), president of Northwest, was also on hand to congratulate DiFillippo and Shackleford, both members of Phi Theta Kappa. (Photo by Brittany Greer)

Twin Creeks Technologies founder and CEO addresses faculty, awards scholarships at Northwest

August 10, 2010

Senatobia.—Twin Creeks Technologies founder and chief executive officer, Dr. Siva Sivaram, offered words of encouragement and partnership in his keynote address to more than 300 faculty and administration at Northwest Mississippi Community College’s opening day faculty meeting after awarding full-tuition Twin Creeks Technologies Scholarships to two Northwest students.

This keynote address and scholarship presentation follows the April 2 announcement by Gov. Haley Barbour that Twin Creeks Technologies will locate its solar panel manufacturing plant in Senatobia, creating more than 500 jobs over the next five years.

“There is no reason the Mississippi Valley cannot be the Silicon Valley for green technology,” said Sivaram. “This area is going to supply the intellectual capital to make it happen.”

Sivaram emphasized the growing importance and necessity for alternative energy sources, describing the current environment as the age of energy.

“Providing that energy is going to be the biggest opportunity put in front of students today,” said Sivaram. “The demand is very large around the world, and there are many opportunities to be had. I want your students to know this revolution is happening. For us to grow—to become the green capital of the world—we need your help.”

Scholarship recipients Melissa DiFillippo and Chris Shackleford, both sophomore pre-engineering majors from Southaven, submitted 500-word essays about the importance of alternative energy sources and maintained a minimum 3.8 grade-point-average—both criteria necessary to be considered for the Twin Creeks Technologies Scholarship. Forty Northwest students were eligible to apply for the scholarship.

“I feel privileged to be selected out of so many applicants,” said DiFillippo, a member of the 2009-10 NWCC Rangerettes dance team. She is currently a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society and the Memphis Grizzlies dance team.

“I am very grateful. This scholarship will help me financially,” said Shackleford, who is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa.