Emergency Services Division Moves to Woodfin Career & College Promise Expanded Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast Hires Top-Notch Talent Autumn in Asheville Event Raises Record Amount Education Journal A-B Tech Fall 2014
A-B Tech Foundation increases scholarships.
A-B14 Tech Construction Sites
Board13 Member Mary Ann Rice
Emergency8 Services Relocated
Discover the resources the college has for job seekers.
Career7 Coach
Composites13 Training Center
Autumn15 in Asheville
Board of Trustees
Volume
Photo credit: Stewart O’Shields
Meet the instructors who bring years of experience to the Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast.
The number of dual-enrolled high school students at A-B Tech is growing.
Managing Editor
New Chair of the Business Administration department brings decades of experience to A-B Tech.
Issue
A-B Tech Composites Training Center of Excellence to open with Aerospace and Structural Composites classes.
A new dedicated space is open for student veterans.
DavidMandyWilmaMaryFrancesJohnKayeDonRichardWilliamMikeWayneTroySpellsBallBrigmanFryarA.HartJr.HurleyC.Locke,Ph.D.A.MyersParhamJr.,MD.RamseyAnnRiceSherrillStoneWyatt
Student AssociationGovernmentPresident
Equal Opportunity Educational AllInstitutionrightsreserved. No parts of the material printed may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including Asheville-BuncombeisA-Bcost128,000ofsysteminformationrecordingphotocopying,orbyanystorageretrievalwithoutthepermissionthepublisher.copiesprintedataof.10centseach.TechEducationJournalpublishedbytheTechnical
A new classroom building to open at the Buncombe County Public Safety Training Campus in Woodfin.
ScholarshipsAdvancement12
Kerri Glover
Clarence10 Robinson Foundations in Culinary graduate named Minority Restaurateur of the Year.
Elaine6 Beattie
Writer Martha Ball
Chair
Vice Chair
View photos from the annual fundraiser with its Harvest Moon theme. 2 | 4 | Fall 2014
Jayne English
Career5 and College Promise
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Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Kyle JoshJenniferLevitanMoranWeaver
Publisher Dennis King, Ed.D.
DesignBuild11 at YWCA
Craft4 Beverage Institute Instructors
Summer building projects benefit the YWCA of Asheville.
Community College Office of Community Relations & Marketing.
Lisa Alford
A drone camera provides a bird’s-eye view.
Education A-B Tech Journal
Ray
Design & Photography
Asheville Center for Professional Studies created for professional development and training.
Joe Brumit
On the cover: Emergency Services Training at Woodfin
A-B Tech welcomes Mary Anne Rice to the Board of Directors.
Asheville14 Center for Professional Studies
Veterans7 Café
President
A Message from the President 8 Emergency Services Relocates 15 Autumn in Asheville
Dennis King, Ed.D.
VALUES
~ Occupational Therapy Assistant AAS
There are many exciting things happening at A-B Tech this fall. I encourage you to read this issue of our magazine to learn more about the new Emergency Services Education Facility in Woodfin, the opening of the Composites Center of Excellence developed through our partnership with GE Aviation, our new Craft Beverage Institute instructors, the new chair of Business Administration, the success of our Autumn in Asheville event, and much more.
~ Health and Fitness Science AAS
As we begin the Fall Semester of a new year, I am embarking on my 23rd year on the lovely A-B Tech campus, but my first year as President of the College. I am honored that our Board of Trustees has entrusted me as a partner in setting a path for A-B Tech’s future.
6 Elaine Beattie
Excellence, Learning Supportive Environment, Innovation, Inclusiveness, Continuous Improvement
First and foremost, I consider A-B Tech to be an integral part of economic development in our community. Our primary objective is to provide relevant education and workforce development for the employers and residents of this region. After consulting with our board members, College leadership, faculty and members of our community, I have determined several broad objectives for the first year in my new role. Briefly, they include:
~ Aviation AAS
• Complete master facilities planning to guide our growth for the next 10 to 15 years. One of the major goals includes building a new access road from our Asheville campus, which is currently served only by Victoria Road and would be difficult to evacuate in the event of an emergency.
~ Physical Therapy Assistant AAS
A-B Tech inspires, nurtures and empowers students and the community toward a better quality of life through progressive teaching, bold innovation and support collaboration.
• Develop new programs to meet community and employer demand. We are exploring the following potential new programs:
Locally Committed, Regionally Dynamic, World-Class Focused
~ Environmental Engineering AAS
A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal | abtech.edu 3
VISION
~ Barbering AAS
~ Cardiovascular Sonography Certificate
• Establish a Faculty Development Fund that will enable our faculty to keep up to date on their professional education and credentials.
MISSION
• Increase the diversity of our student body and faculty to better reflect the community we serve.
Irvin has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Iowa State, a master’s degree from the University of California at Davis Master Brewers program, and an IBD diploma from the Institute of Brewing & Distilling in London.
When A-B Tech hired Jeff “Puff” Irvin as brewmaster in July 2013 to launch its Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation degree program, the college’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast got a leader with stellar education and brewing credentials.
“I volunteered our system (at Highland) and it turned into me being an adjunct,” Lyda said. “It wasn’t the intention, but teaching has been interesting.” The Siebel graduate teaches a class teaches a class with Irvin to the second-year students.
Jeff “Puff” Irvin
With a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Duke University, Wadkins enjoys the science behind the brewing process. “There are a lot of different scientific aspects behind the scenes, including chemistry and microbiology,” he said.
As vice president and brewmaster at Highland Brewing, Lyda admits he hadn’t planned on sharing his knowledge with a group of A-B Tech students in an advanced brewing class.
The Craft Beverage Institute also conducts conferences and workshops and has scheduled its popular Brew Start I and II workshops for January 22 and 23. Brew Start is designed for people who want to start a craft beverage business. For more information, visit abtech.edu/cbi
“We are very lucky to have them share their vast knowledge and experience in all areas of brewing, distillation and fermentation,” Irvin said.
Wadkins teaches craft beer brewing and sensory evaluation, as well as two chemistry classes. “I’ve always wanted to teach,” he said. “I met Jeff Irvin when I was giving a talk at Appalachian State. I am enjoying teaching. I have a great group of students.”
A love of science and beer drew Lyda to brewing 30 years ago and he’s been brewing professionally for 20 years, since Highland first started. “I like good beer, even in high school when everyone else was buying the cheap stuff,” he said.
Wadkins, or “Dr. Tim” as he is often called, has extensive brewing experience that includes positions as director of quality assurance for Victory Brewing Co. and director of quality control for Oskar Blues. He currently has a part-time quality control position at Highland Brewing.
Noticing how much money he was spending on Belgian beer, Lyda’s mother bought him a home-brew kit at a church rummage sale. His calling was found and his career path sealed. “Every day in brewing is different,” he said.
Tim Wadkins
Adding to Irvin’s experience, A-B Tech has hired Tim Wadkins and John Lyda as adjunct instructors for the Craft Beverage Institute. Both are well known in the brewing industry and have impressive backgrounds.
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Currently in its second year of operation, the Craft Beverage Institute educates 48 students a year in its competitive Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation degree program, as well as more than 500 students per year through professional continuing education, such as certification courses in the business of beer and critical tasting training.
John Lyda
He also was the Master Brewer for Olde Main Brewing Company in Ames, Iowa, where he oversaw construction of the brewery. His experience was perfectly suited for building A-B Tech’s new program and brewery.
Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast employs skilled professionals as instructors
A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal | abtech.edu 5
A concerted effort involving local public and private schools, as well as homeschool families, has resulted in A-B Tech boosting its dualenrollment student population consistently during the last three years. In the past year alone, the College has seen its “Times19%,headcountdual-enrollmentunduplicatedgrowbyaboutfrom1,026studentsinFall2013to1,224inFall2014.havechanged,andmoreandmorehighschoolstudentsaretakingcollegeclasses.Tuition-freedualenrollmentcansavestudentsthousandsofdollars,anditreducesthetimeittakestocompleteacollegedegree,”saidDr.MichaelDempsey,DirectorofEducationalPartnershipsatA-BTech.Threeinitiativeswerethemain
growth areas for dual enrollment. The Academic-Related Instruction Department is delivering ACA courses to all sophomores at Madison High School and all freshmen at the Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. Discovery Academy, which is Buncombe County’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math high school. In addition, the Criminal Justice Exploration Certificate program continues to expand, and is available at most local high schools. These three efforts alone account for about 450 students.
In addition to traditional high schools and the Nesbitt Discovery Academy, the College also partners with two early colleges (Buncombe and Madison), Buncombe County Middle College, the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville (SILSA), and Asheville Christian Academy. “A-B Tech has been blessed with innovative partners. The school districts in our area are tremendous, and these programs are a testament to their enthusiasm for providing students with a well-rounded educational experience,” Dempsey said. For more information about dual enrollment at A-B Tech, contact Dempsey at michaelmdempsey@abtech.edu or (828) 398-7484.
A-B Tech’s Gerald Wolf, left, helps a student at the Asheville High College Readiness Center.
Students who participate in dual enrollment earn credit on both their high school and college transcripts upon completion of an A-B Tech class.
Dual enrollment skyrockets at A-B Tech
A-B Tech’s College Readiness Centers (CRC) also provide access points for students who are interested in getting a head start in college. The College currently has three CRCs, at Asheville, Roberson, and Madison high schools. CRCs offer high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to improve their academics prior to enrolling in college, and thus decrease their chances of having to take remedial coursework upon being admitted to college. Furthermore, the CRCs provide learning opportunities that can lead to admission to the Career & College Promise program.
According to Dempsey, the recent growth in dual-enrollment is a triumph for the entire College. “All academic divisions and student services departments have been involved in the expansion. The boom signifies A-B Tech’s collective desire to improve student access to postsecondary learning,” he said.
A-B Tech Community College has intensified its efforts to deliver tuition-free college coursework to high school students through dual enrollment, which includes the Career & College Promise program.
“(A-B Tech) has an outstanding hospitality program and I really wanted to keep my hands in the industry. It’s my
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As chair of the Business Administration Department at A-B Tech, Beattie hopes to increase program graduate rates and grow the five programs she oversees.
from New York City, Beattie has experience in her parents’ family-owned business, the corporate world, nonprofits and in franchises. She also owns a Curves Fitness Center in “MyArden.realbackground is a combination of leadership and start-ups,” she said. “Entrepreneurship is a personal passion. I have always been committed to growing and supporting leaders.” Beattie has also taught at the A-B Tech Small Business Incubator and Mountain BizWorks, coaching new business owners.
Beattie spent much of her career working for large hotel chains in hospitality leadership and management. She has handled daily operations and budgets of more than $8 million, recruited thousands of employees and managed a staff of more than 450 people of diverse backgrounds. She made a shift in 2003 when she became a corporate coach and moved to Asheville. For the past 11 years, she has been coaching, speaking and facilitating team building, customer service training and leadership development.
Beattie earned her B.A. in Business Administration from Simmons College and her master’s degree in Leadership and Management from Montreat College. She serves on the board of directors for Manna Food Bank and the Asheville Chapter of the Links Incorporated. She is married to Dr. Charles Beattie II, a minister, Blues musician and entrepreneur.
FACULTY
“I would really love to see the Entrepreneurship program looked at as a cutting-edge, innovative program that really teaches people how to be professional, knowledgeable and successful, while being wildly creative. It’s critical that we instill in business owners they must focus on growing businesses that are thriving whereby they are able to create a family legacy,” she said.
BeattieSPOTLIGHTbrings experience to Business Administration at A-B Tech
Beattie is excited about working with the students and believes the College’s mission can help them succeed. “Every student is different. It’s so amazing to hear their stories and who they are. I think that’s what’s so exciting working with our students here. I enjoy trying to figure out what’s best for people and get them working,” she said.
opportunity to assist in developing young leaders. I have been so proud teaching for the program. I love my colleagues. They are passionate, educated, experienced and talented,” she Originallysaid.
Beattie joined A-B Tech in 2005 as an adjunct instructor in the Hospitality Department. She had taught in community colleges in New York and Florida and thought A-B Tech might be a good fit.
“I would really love to see the Entrepreneurship program looked at as a cutting-edge, innovative program that really teaches people how to be professional, knowledgeable and successful, while being wildly creative. ”
Elaine Robinson Beattie has been named Chair of the Business Administration department at A-B Tech Community College, where she brings more than 30 years of experience in the industry.
Career Coach
Volunteers, veterans and A-B Tech employees enjoy refreshments and camaraderie during the Veterans Café grand opening.
Helping students
The café was first established in early 2013, using classroom space during times when it wasn’t in use. The new café is a dedicated space located in the Ferguson Building on the Asheville campus. The Veterans Café is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and a volunteer tutor is available at posted times.
A-B Tech Community College not only cares about students’ success in the classroom, but in the job market as well. The college offers career counseling to its curriculum students and access to Career Coach and Job Board to all residents of the Peggyregion.Bulla,
A-B Tech’s Career Counselor, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor. “Research indicates that when engaged in work that requires traits, skills and interests one naturally has, the chance of experiencing career success and satisfaction increases,” Bulla said.
A-B Tech also was recently designated once again as a 2015 Military Friendly® School by Victory Media, the leader in successfully connecting the military and civilian worlds. Now in its sixth year, the Military Friendly® Schools designation and list by Victory Media is the premier, trusted resource for postmilitary success. Military Friendly® provides service members transparent, data-driven ratings about post-military education and career opportunities.
Career counseling helps students identify and understand their interests, abilities, values, skills, personality type; critical information about environmental factors and work demands; how to verify that a career path and/or employer is the best fit; how to craft a proper resume and cover letter and prepare for interviews.
A-B TECH VETERANS CAFÉ HOLDS GRAND OPENING
Career Coach is the latest tool offered for those who seek current local data on job outlook, employment numbers, wages, job postings, related careers, and customized demographics with associated education requirements. As an added feature, A-B Tech majors are built into the program, so graduates and current students can easily find available jobs in their field.
Veterans, volunteers, faculty and staff gathered in August to celebrate the college’s new Veterans Café. Created to serve the more than 300 students with veteran status at the college, it is a place for veterans to take a break, network with other veterans, study and receive tutoring, as well as have access to a full computer lab and other college resources.
All job seekers are also encouraged to join A-B Tech’s Job Board, serving Buncombe, Madison, Henderson, Haywood, Yancey and McDowell counties, for local area job postings. For more information, call (828) 398-7209 or visit abtech.edu/careers
BEYOND GRADUATION
Powered by zip code labor market data and real-time job postings by Indeed. com, Career Coach can be a self-guided resource to assist in choosing a career or for those employment.seeking
Simple keyword searches by career title, A-B Tech programs, or other majors, provide four main topics of information: Earnings shows regional wages for each occupation giving a general sense of earning potential Employment trends help one understand how many people actually do “X” in our area and if demand is decreasing, steady, or increasing Education and training is automatically linked for each career with recommended A-B Tech majors where applicable Job postings for our region are powered by Indeed.com
A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal | abtech.edu 7
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A-B Tech and Buncombe County have completed construction of a new classroom building at the Buncombe County Public Safety Training Campus in Woodfin.
Emergency Services Division to Relocate to New Education Facility in Woodfin
“The new building is a state-of-the-art facility that will enable every program in our division to grow by at least 2.5 percent annually,” said Skye Myrick, A-B Tech’s dean of Emergency Services. “The building is designed to provide real world, hands-on experience for students in our programs.”
County Commission Chairman David Gantt said, “We are proud of this campus and everyone who has been a part of making it possible. Being able to provide our firstresponders with state of the art training and instruction is crucial to the continued safety of our community.”
A-B Tech offers degree and certification programs for students, as well as professional continuing education for all area fire, law enforcement, emergency sciences and support agencies.
The two-story, 41,000-square-foot building will house A-B Tech’s Fire Services Technology, Criminal Justice, Basic Law Enforcement Training, Emergency Medical Sciences and Critical Care Transport programs.
A-B Tech currently conducts professional continuing education at the training center and will move its Emergency Services Division academic programs to the new building in January. Construction on the new $5.9 million academic training center began over a year ago immediately after the official opening of the Public Safety Training Campus, which also includes a burn building, apparatus training buildings and a driving track.
Professional Continuing Education Staff, who report to the program chairs, are Tommy Brooks, coordinator of Fire Services Training; Robin Lyles and James Hammond, part-time coordinators of Law Enforcement Training; Randy Fugate and Corey Pittman, coordinators of Critical Care Transport, in conjunction with University of Maryland at Baltimore.
“The college is extremely appreciative of the support we have received in this project from Buncombe County management and Commissioners,” said A-B Tech President Dennis F. King. “The college is extremely appreciative of the support we have received in this project from Buncombe County management and Commissioners,” said A-B Tech President Dennis F. King.
• Six specialty emergency sciences labs: Airway Lab, Cardiac Lab, Adult Sim Lab, Pediatric Sim Lab, IV Lab and Pharmaceutical Lab.
A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal | abtech.edu 9
Emergency Services also runs certificate programs in Fire Services Technology and Criminal Justice Technology in all Buncombe and Madison county high schools and Asheville High.
“Theinstructors.newbuilding is a state-of-the-art facility that will enable every program in our division to grow by at least 2.5 percent annually,” said Skye Myrick, A-B Tech’s dean of Emergency Services. “The building is designed to provide real world, hands-on experience for students in our programs and it enables us to provide higher level training.”
• Tiny Town, a 1:87 scale replica of a community used to train emergency services agencies and support personnel (hospitals, heath care facilities, public works departments, schools, etc.) in managing large-scale emergency incidents or disasters. Tiny Town provides a 3D view of the entire community involved in the training exercise and can be configured to meet the needs of multiple scenarios. It includes streets, a highway, an interstate, a river, a railway, an airport, a commercial/ retail area, and a residential area.
Skye Myrick serves as Dean to the Emergency Services Division. Chairs are John Witherspoon, Fire Protection Technology; Daryl Fisher, Criminal Justice Technology; Keith Owens, Emergency Medical Science and Dianne Davis, Basic Law Enforcement Training.
Myrick, who worked with County Planners and other stakeholders to design the building over the last three years, cited significant new program elements in the building, including:
A-B Tech’s Emergency Services Division serves 565 students in its curriculum programs and more than 6,700 professional continuing education students. The division employs 24 full- and part-time employees and 245 adjunct
• A fuming hood located in the Criminal Justice program’s new “crime scene apartment” for forensics and crime scene processing of latent fingerprints.
“I was getting acknowledged for my cooking and recognized for something positive — and for my mother to be there with me and see people clapping for her son,” Clarence said, Standing at his mother’s elbow while he was a child, Clarence was fascinated with the cooking techniques she
JobsNOW graduate wins Restaurateur of the year
Four years ago, Clarence Robinson was riding high on his Heaccomplishments.hadcompletedaJobsNOWcourse in the Foundations of Culinary at A-B Tech and was looking forward to becoming a chef.
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The week is an annual national effort celebrating minority businesses and highlighting entrepreneurial resources in communities.
His mother, Priscilla Ndiaye, was also passionate about Clarence. “Clarence has always been like three children in one – a little bit of Curious George and Dennis the Menace,” she said. “He traveled down a bad road and led me on a journey of worry while he was in and out of juvenile
“Theredetention.”wasa
time in my life I had nothing to do but get in trouble,” Robinson said. “Once I found doing what I love, I could occupy my time in a better way. Cooking gave me strength and empowered me.”
Clarence eventually started making better choices and earned his GED and then enrolled in a culinary program at A-B Tech. He is looking to expand his business by moving into a food truck and then a restaurant to provide more for his family.
Clarence Robinson is congratulated by his mother Priscilla Ndiaye after completing the Foundations of Culinary course through the JobsNOW program at A-B Tech.
used. “She was very passionate about food and I loved to watch her,” he said.
Clarence enjoys experimenting with food pairs that normally wouldn’t be put together and admits he makes a fine beef brisket. “My favorite food is the one I haven’t made yet,” he said. “You never know what might be coming next.”
His catering business keeps him busy enough to hire a part-time person when needed for huge jobs. He has branded his cooking with comedy and is completing a business plan to help him on his way.
Now, he is not only a cook at The Broken Egg in Biltmore Park, but he owns a catering company – Cooking with Comedy – and was recently presented the Minority Enterprise Development Week Minority Restaurateur of the Year Award.
“We were thrilled to see the partnership between Asheville Design Center and A-B Tech flourish this summer,” said Chris Joyell, Executive Director of the Asheville Design Center. “We really appreciated the use of the wood shop and classroom. And having Brian and the A-B Tech Foundation take part in the program signified a major milestone for our program.”
The students also completed designs for an edible memorial garden in honor of Laurey Masterton, Asheville activist and owner of Laurey’s, who passed away in February.
“A-B Tech was honored to be a part of another truly outstanding community design/build this year. It was a great project and I loved the design. The Asheville Design Center folks put a ton of energy into these classes and projects and it really shows,” said Heath Moody, Construction Management Chair at A-B Tech.
In the spring the Design Center solicits proposals from non-profit organizations in the community. The 2014 project selected is an outdoor classroom at the YWCA of Asheville, which included a covered walkway from the building to the parking lot.
DesignBuild Studio project benefits YWCA
The college has provided shop and classroom space and even an instructor or two to lend a hand. This year, A-B Tech was able to have Construction Management student Brian Walgreen participate thanks to the A-B Tech Foundation and an anonymous donor providing a scholarship for him.
The Asheville DesignBuild Studio, a program of the Asheville Design Center, is a multi-disciplinary, hands-on, educational experience. Participants will come together as a team, draw upon their wide range of design and technical disciplines to gather community input, define a project type, design and develop the concept, and build their design.
For the past two years, A-B Tech Community College has collaborated with the Asheville Design Center to run a DesignBuild studio 10-week summer program under the umbrella of continuing education.
More than 200 children come and go from the YWCA daily. Located in a residential neighborhood with nowhere to grow, the YWCA needed help to ensure efficient use of the outdoor space, parking lot and optimum traffic flow.
A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal | abtech.edu 11
Instructors Luke W. Perry and Mirian Gee led seven students from around the country to design and build the project in 10 weeks. “We cannot be more pleased to be chosen for the project,” said Beth Maczka, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA of Asheville. “It so far exceeded what I could imagine. There is now positive energy infused into the previously unused space.”
Participants in the DesignBuild Studio with their covered classroom project.
· The AAUW’s GEM Fund Scholarships will grow by one additional scholarship through a gift from an anonymous donor.
Valeria Concio, a Criminal Justice Technology student, is the latest recipient of the award. “I am extremely appreciative of this scholarship, especially for my parents,” she said. “Paying for school has been a struggle.” Valeria will graduate in May and hopes to become a homicide detective.
The Sgt. Jeffrey Hewitt Memorial Endowed Scholarship, established in 2006 at A-B Tech, received a boost from the proceeds from a 5k race the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office held in April at the Cliffs at Walnut Cove, the day after the 10th anniversary of his death.
· The Conrad Family Scholarships were created in honor of members of the Conrad family, founders of A-B Emblem. Three full scholarships will be awarded to students in AAS degree programs.
Valeria Concio, recipient of the Sgt. Jeffrey Hewitt Memorial Endowed Scholarship, speaks with Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan during a check presentation for the scholarship.
Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department
MAKES DONATION TO HEWITT SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Other recent scholarships created and growing through the A-B Tech Foundation include the following:
· Collaboration with UNC-Asheville continues in support of a new scholarship initiative: the CORE Scholarship – Creating Opportunities for Regional Excellence – designed for students completing the 2-year AA/AS degree at A-B Tech and the Bachelor’s degree at UNC-Asheville.
advancement.LaureyMasterton
“This means an awful lot to us and it would to Jeff. It was a lot of hard work but became more than what we ever dreamed,” said Pat Hewitt, Jeff’s mother.
Sgt. Hewitt served with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for 11 years. He was fatally shot while attempting to serve involuntary mental commitment papers on April 4, 2004. He received many outstanding awards during his career with the Sheriff’s Department, including 2001 Officer of the Year. Hewitt also had taken law enforcement classes at A-B Tech.
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· Overall, 29 new or increased scholarships funds are in place for fall 2014, totaling $479,082.
The family of Sgt. Jeff Hewitt, along with the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, donated funds for a scholarship in Hewitt’s memory. From left are, A-B Tech President Dennis King, Scholarship Recipient Valeria Concio, Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan, and Hewitt’s mother, Pat Hewitt, his father, Bill Hewitt and sister, Susan Hewitt.
· The Elizabeth G. Baker Memorial Scholarship for Madison County CNA students was created through a generous contribution by Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Karen Baker in honor of his mother. Many friends of Mrs. “Lib” Baker have made honorary donations to the scholarship fund.
· Colleagues are honoring Barbara Brownsmith Campbell’s service and upcoming retirement with a generous gift to the GED Bridge Scholarship.
· Our Universal Campaign begins this month in support of faculty and students. And the upcoming Autumn in Asheville event will support Hospitality Education scholarships and program needs.
To learn about these and other programs available at A-B Tech, visit abtech.edu/
Sheriff Van Duncan and members of Hewitt’s family presented a check on August 15 for $4,745 to the A-B Tech Foundation for the scholarship, which is awarded to students enrolled in the Criminal Justice Technology, Emergency Medical Science (EMS) or Fire Protection Technology programs.
· Pisgah Investments Foundation is creating 10 new $1,000 scholarships and it also plans to begin a new initiative for scholarships to support members of the Shiloh Community.
· The Laurey Masterton “Don’t Postpone Joy” Scholarship will fund students in the Culinary Arts program who embody Laurey’s love for food.
A native of Asheville, Rice is a graduate of UNC and a Senior Vice President of the State Employees’ Credit Union. Currently based at the Biltmore Village location, she has opened and supervised numerous SECU branches in Western North Carolina. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Arboretum, on the A-B Tech Foundation Board and is a member of the Women’s’ Society for Mission Hospital. She has received the state’s highest honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
Composites teaches a basic knowledge of ”A-Bonmanufacturingcompositesandhands-experiencewiththetoolsandtechnologyusedintheprocess.Techisexcitedabouthavingastate-of-the-artfacility,oneofakindinWesternNorthCarolina,totrainpeopleinaerospaceandgeneralcompositesstructureandrepair.Thisisahigh-techcomponentofadvancedmanufacturingthatwillseetremendousgrowthinthefuture,”saidKevinKimrey,A-BTech’sDirectorofEconomic&WorkforceDevelopment.Compositesareusedextensivelyintheaviation,automotive,autoracing,marineandsatellitecommunicationsindustries.
The A-B Tech Composites Training Center of Excellence will launch this fall to reinforce the college’s commitment to training people for jobs.
Andy McNeal, who has 43 years of aircraft manufacturing experience, is the lead instructor for the training center. He began working with airplane composites in 1974 during his service in the U.S. Air Force.
Composites Training Center of Excellence trains for future jobs
Andy McNeal, Lead Instructor for the Composites Training Center of Excellence, works in the lab on the A-B Tech Asheville campus.
The college received a $200,000 grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation to assist with purchasing and installing equipment in the center and to support the development of the training program.
The college currently has a partnership to train GE Aviation employees in the use of composites for aircraft and will begin training its new hires next year. There are many job opportunities in Buncombe County and surrounding areas, including upstate South Carolina, East Tennessee, Hickory, Mooresville, Charlotte and Greensboro, according to Kimrey.
Mary Ann Rice has been appointed to the A-B Tech Board of Trustees for a four-year term by the governor.
The center also is offering continuing education classes to introduce students to the manufacturing processes and use of today’s aerospace composites. Aerospace and Structural
RICE APPOINTED TO COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The center was created in response to GE Aviation’s new 170,000-square-foot facility in Asheville, which will be the first in the world to mass-produce ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). A-B Tech is currently training incumbent GE Aviation employees.
A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal | abtech.edu 13
surveyors, and civil engineers including welding certification, geodesy, and landslide mapping in Western North Carolina. The goal is to expand more professional development options to keep those required professional development training dollars in Western North Carolina with the added benefit of reducing the travel and expenses for employers. “When the employees can fill their professional development requirements and go home to be with family and sleep in their own bed, there is quality of life,” Morosani observes.
The Center offers a variety of sessions in industry specific required professional development for welders, land
TARGETS PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT
“Another piece I am excited about is Lean Six Sigma green belt and black belt,” Morosani said. “People think Six Sigma is only a manufacturing improvement tool but I earned my green belt in financial services and IT. Everyone who uses processes can use Six Sigma to perform better, increase client satisfaction, decrease waste or unnecessary expense. If you’re selling, making products, performing services or anything with a process. All businesses can benefit from reviewing their processes and listening to the voice of the customer.”
Asheville Center for Professional Studies
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The Asheville Center for Professional Studies opened this past December at the Business Acceleration Site at Enka (BASE) with three main objectives in professional development and training.
Asheville Center for Professional Studies, is expanding into the business of brewing working with the College’s Southeastern Craft Beverage Institute on investigating the “how tos” in creating a craft beverage business starting with how to build a business plan and what budding entrepreneurs need to know legally, financially, and about marketing. In a similar partnership with AdvantageWest’s Blue Ridge Food Ventures epicures will learn how to start a food-based business. “It’s in an evolution. I’m looking for community input and what the community needs,” Morosani said.
According to Katherine Morosani, the Director of the Center, engaging people, streamlining processes and innovating products are the keys to running a successful business. “Our custom and open programs are specifically designed to improve corporate performance and competitiveness for all your business and professional training needs,” Morosani said.
Katherine Morosani, Director of the Center
“We want to keep training dollars in Western North Carolina rather than sending them anywhere in the United States. The grander vision is to bring people here to Asheville from the Mid-Atlantic or Eastern seaboard for economic development.” For more information about the Asheville Center for Professional Studies and course offerings, visit AshevilleProfessionalStudies.com
A “BIRD’S EYE” VIEW OF A-B TECH’S CONSTRUCTION SITES, courtesy of Dean R.J. Corman and his drone camera, showing the Allied Health/Workforce Development building, downtown Asheville and the area where the parking garage and multipurpose building will be constructed.
An initiative of the A-B Tech Education and Entrepreneurial Development Foundation, the Center utilizes key partnerships with community leaders, industry, and subject-matter experts to develop interesting, practical, and relevant content offerings with learning immediately applicable to real-world, on-thejob situations. “How participants apply what they learn at work the next day is one criteria for us to judge our success” Morosani explains.
December 22 – January 3 College Closed, Winter Holidays
November 26-27 College Closed, Thanksgiving Holiday
January 12 Spring Semester Classes Begin
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December 5 Gifts that Give Alternative Marketplace 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Coman Student Center
More than 200 guests and members of the college community participated in A-B Tech’s annual Foundation fundraising event on October 2. Autumn in Asheville, with its Harvest Moon theme, raised $30,000 and showcased the talents and expertise of the culinary and hospitality students and their faculty. The A-B Tech Foundation awarded more than 377 scholarships totaling more than $479,800 for 2014-15. According to a scholarship recipient who volunteered at the event, “The people who give to these scholarships are, for many of us, the only people who have ever believed in us.” Funds raised during Autumn in Asheville will support the work of the Foundation and the Culinary and Hospitality departments.
Welcome to Autumn in Asheville Harvest Moon
AUTUMN IN ASHEVILLE CELEBRATED THE HARVEST MOON
December 1 Spring Registration Opens for All Students
Calendar of Events
Are You an A-B Tech Alumnus?Wewanttoconnectwithyou! Call (828) 398-7761 or email jeralieeandrews@abtech.edu by December 1 and you will be entered to win an iPad Mini.
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To join the Alumni Association, visit abtech.edu/alumni TechnicalAsheville-BuncombeCommunity College 340 Victoria Road Asheville, NC 28801 NONPROFIT ORG U.S. PERMITASHEVILLE,POSTAGEPAIDNCNO.440ECRWSS
