ALLEGHENY VIEW
Community College of Allegheny County - Allegheny Campus - Pittsburgh, PA
COUGAR CONNECTIONS
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES EDITION
Opening Doors:
A Look into OVR and PETS’s Impact for Students
College Bound with OVR
By MALIK VINCENT and LORI HAMBLIN Special to the Allegheny View Despite naturally occurring challenges that take place in how humans learn, CCAC’s Allegheny Campus is dedicated to bridging the gap between all people and their futures. The campus has featured four mini open house events, which ran from late April to mid-May, that have allowed students from local high schools to explore campus facilities and learn about programs that can ease the stress of college. Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) is an agency that assists individuals with documented disabilities who may experience and face barriers with training or employment. OVR assists with career choices that build one’s strengths, providing guidance and counseling throughout their path to successfully obtain employment. There are multiple services available through OVR including evaluations (academic, psychological, or vocational), possible financial aid for training (trades, vocational, post-secondary), pre-employment transition services (PETS), and job coaching services. The Office of Supportive services at CCAC works with a liaison from OVR each Friday to help students with learningrelated obstacles achieve their academic, interpersonal and professional goals. “Our job is to get those who may have some challenges in their lives here, from a learning standpoint, the tools that they need to be successful,” Lori Hamblin, the director of supportive services at Allegheny campus, said. Pre-employment transition services (PETS) are opportunities for high school and college students (up to age 21) with
disabilities to practice and improve their workplace skills, to consider their career interests, and to get real world work experience. PETS may include services such as job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, counseling on opportunities for enrollment in postsecondary educational programs, workplace readiness training to develop social skills/independent living, and instruction in self-advocacy. OVR provides these services for students with disabilities to engage in career planning activities, leading to a better understanding of one’s self and the services available in communities. Because of these services, OVR may also be able to assist with finding a part-time job while attending school. Each year, OVR hosts several college events and programs such as PAS (Promoting Academic Success), College Bound, and University Bound to provide high school students with opportunities to experience college. OVR and CCAC have a long history of partnership because they believe that community colleges are an excellent place to begin college careers. Community colleges offer a wide range of courses at a lower cost and are a great place to take pre-requisites in smaller classes. For more information or to apply for OVR services, please call 412.392.4950. Malik Vincent is a co-advisor of the Allegheny View student newspaper. He can be reached at mvincent@ccac.edu. Lori Hamblin, director of supportive services at CCAC’s Allegheny Campus, can be reached at lhamblin@ccac.edu.
CCAC partnered with the Office of Vocation Rehabilitation to provide local high school students with information on post-secondary options at the college.
Students participated in a campus scavenger hunt. The goal was to visit various student support departments throughout the campus.
Student Life and the Cougars Selfie Station was a favorite stop during the campus scavenger hunt.
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ALLEGHENY VIEW COUGAR CONNECTIONS
OVR/PETS Spotlight
By MALIK VINCENT In honor of the CCAC OVR/PETS Open Houses that have taken place on April 25th, May 3rd, May 8th and May 10th, The Allegheny View would like to spotlight an administrator, faculty member, and student that has exemplified the learning environment here at Allegheny Campus. Malik Vincent is the co-advisor of the Allegheny View student newspaper. He can be reached at mvincent@ccac.edu.
Lori Hamblin, M.Ed. Administrator Director, Supportive Services Arriving less than a year ago, Hamblin provides many different professional roles and experiences to Allegheny Campus. As a varsity soccer player, Hamblin completed a bachelor’s of arts degree in criminal justice from Mercyhurst College. Alameda, Calif. Raised, she also earned her master of education degree from Slippery Rock University. After that, Hamblin returned to her original alma mater to take a position as the Director of Learning Differences at its North East campus. As a board certified behavior analyst she has worked as a behavioral consultant and an autism specialist during her diverse career. Quotable: “I think that I’m passionate about working with students and I’m blessed to be able to get back into a position that I’m able to work with them and help them get the support that they need in getting their degrees.”
Dr. Ebony English, MSW, Ph.D. Faculty Professor, Social Work
Audra Hamlett Student CCAC Class of 2016, A.S. Criminal Justice
Dr. English began her education at CCAC and then finished a dual major in criminology and sociology at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). She then took the Administration and Social Action (C.O.S.A.) track at the University of Pittsburgh on her way to earning a master of social work degree. She returned to IUP to earn her doctorate in criminology. For five years, Dr. English served a psychiatric counselor for children exposed to drugs in-utero and has been with the college as a professor for the past 12. She also worked in mental health, D&A, training and development, and direct practice with correctional populations.
After participating in commencement exercises on May 18, Hamlett walked away with a degree in criminal justice and has aspirations of attending law school someday. Her next step is to pursue her bachelor’s degree at Carlow University, beginning this Fall. With a graduating GPA of 3.5 at CCAC, she’s served as the president of the criminal justice club at Allegheny Campus and was a part of the college’s honors program.
Quotable: “The experience, overall, has been very positive. My greatest opportunity has been to get students from the very beginning. Being there for both the educational and psychoeducational process of many has been quite rewarding, personally.”
Quotable: “I enjoyed the small classes and the ease I was able to have in contacting my professors, either in person or online. I also loved the presentations and speakers would come to the college. I was able to attend a few (mostly the ones that dealt with criminal justice). I also enjoyed being a part of the Criminal Justice Club and the Honors Program. Being a part of the Honors Program meant a lot especially because I received assistance from supportive services.”
ALLEGHENY VIEW SUPPORTIVE SERVICES EDITION
Walkin’ Down Ridge Avenue By LYNDSEY KUZAK and CHRISTINE Allegheny View Advisors
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MCQUAIDE
Question: “What surprised you the most about CCAC’s Allegheny Campus?
“I didn’t know there were so many buildings on campus, and what goes on within them.” -Summer Karl, Mt. Lebanon
“The campus is easy to navigate because it is laid out so well.” -Ben Maniet, Mt. Lebanon
“I really enjoy my visit and overall experience on campus.” -Tristan Halligan, Mt. Lebanon
“What amazed me was the organization and cleanliness of all the buildings.” -Mariah Bianchi, Mt. Lebanon
“I’m surprised how close and accessable campus is to everything.” -Luke Martin, Mt. Lebanon
“The campus is great, and the courses are expansive enough to provide various possibilities for the future .” -Theo Callas, Upper St. Clair
“I am impressed with the variety of programs that CCAC offers.” -Jafei Reeves & Cruzer, Western PA School for the Deaf
“I am excited about the offerings in social work, and the opportunities that CCAC provides for my future.” -Tori Reeves, Western PA School for the Deaf
CCAC is Keeping the Promise By DR. ROSLYNNE WILSON Dean of Student Development CCAC is committed to supporting the vision and goals of the Pittsburgh Promise. We also want our students to be prepared for successful and meaningful lives. The Promise has stated their work “is to promote academic success and encourage their students and communities to dream big and work hard toward high aspirations and hope.” CCAC
has had a Promise Office since 2008. Our Promise Student Success Coaches support our CCAC students by monitoring their grades, providing assistance with time management, study skills and strategies to navigate the college processes and procedures. The CCAC Promise office is located on the 4th floor of the Library Building at the Allegheny Campus. We look forward to seeing you on campus in the fall. For more information about the CCAC Pittsburgh Promise Extension Program (stu-
dents who do not qualify for the Pittsburgh Promise funding due to high school grade point average below a 2.0) contact Ms. Chalese Floyd at 412-237-2714 or cfloyd@ ccac.edu or CCAC Pittsburgh Promise contact Mr. Miles Hines at 412-237-2722 or mhines@ccac.edu. Dr. Roslynne Wilson is the dean of student development at Allegheny Campus. She can be reached through LaRita Alston, her administrative assistant, at lalston@ccac.edu.
CCAC Allegheny Campus
ALLEGHENY VIEW Student Life Physical Education Building 808 Ridge Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15212 Contact Information:  (Phone) 412.237.4632 (Email) cmcquaide2@ccac.edu Layout and Advisors: Lyndsey Kuzak Christine McQuaide Malik Vincent In this edition: Lor Hamblin Roslynne Wilson Malik Vincent Editorial Policy: The VIEW is published as a service to the campus community. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of CCAC administration, faculty, staff and/or student body.