March 2016 month n review

Month

The March 2016

Review

Arkansas State University - Newport

Volume 3, No. 3

Gross Named Recipient of John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award Arkansas State University-Newport announced in March that ASUN Registrar Candace Gross has been selected as the winner of the 2016 John and Suanne Rouche Excellence Award.

The annual award is given by the League for Innovation in Community College.

In recognition of the long tradition of excellence in community college teaching and leadership, the League established the John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Awards in 2012. These awards are open to League Alliance member institutions to celebrate outstanding contributions and leadership by

community college faculty and staff. Recipients are recognized in a series of activities and promotions, and honored at special events at the League’s Innovations conference each spring.

In her acceptance, Gross remarked, “The work I do is not only a great responsibility which I treasure, but also an immense privilege which completes my life. I feel very blessed, and in turn wish to empower others to success as they travel their educational journey. I know I have done my mission to its utmost when graduation occurs and I see completers walk across our stage, ready to craft brighter futures for themselves.”

Candace Gross

ASU-Newport Students Win at ALPNA Student Skills Competition Two Arkansas State Univer- students from over 10 schools marked the second consecutive dents have placed in the comsity-Newport Practical Nursing from across the state. 2016 year that ASU-Newport stu- petition. students brought home trophies from the Arkansas Practical Nurses Association Skills Competition and Conference held March 17-18 on the campus of the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope.

Darbi Jaynes, a Practical Nursing student from Jonesboro, finished in first place in the Nutrition competition, while Gwendolyn Conley, also a Practical Nursing student from Jonesboro, finished second in the Prepared Speaking competition.

The ALPNA event is a statewide student competition for nursing students.

ASU-Newport students Darbi Jaynes of Jonesboro won the Nutrition Gwendolyn Conley of Jonesboro placed second in the Prepared Speaking competition. competed with more than 30 competition.

www.asun.edu

ASU-Newport Begins Partnership with Daimler Arkansas State University-Newport and Daimler Trucks North America announced in March that the college has entered into a “Get Ahead” agreement with DTNA to provide training for ASUN’s Diesel Technology students through DTNA’s industry-level web-based training system.

Joining ASUN in the partnership with DTNA is Truck Centers of Arkansas, an industry-leader in the state that represents a major contributor to the ASUN Diesel Technology program.

The Get Ahead partnership will allow ASU-Newport students to participate in Diamler training that will strengthen their knowledge on basic skills and overall Freightliner systems.

As students earn their Technical Certificate in Diesel Technology, they will also earn DTNA Systems level certifica-

Jerry Tracy (far left) and Johnny Powell (far right), Instructors of Diesel Technology at ASU-Newport, are joined by Diesel Technology students with the Freightliner truck provided to ASUN by Truck Centers of Arkansas. ASUN and TCA have partnered with Daimler Trucks of North America to provide training for our students through the DTNA Get Ahead program. tions that are recognized by any DTNA service network employer. These certifications comprise the core requirements of

a Daimler Systems certification, which in addition to expanding the students’ knowledge base, is necessary to perform warranty

work. Those credentials can help provide ASUN graduates an advantage in the hiring process as they seek employment.

ASUN-Marked Tree Hosts Automotive Skills Seminar The Marked Tree campus of Arkansas State University-Newport played host March 29 to the 16th annual Automotive Skills Seminar for high school students. Students from nine high schools from across Northeast Arkansas competed in the event, with Wilson Felkins of Westside High School taking top honors in the Auto-

motive Skills division, and Jensen Russell of Westside winning the Collision Repair and Refinishing division.

Finishing second in the Automotive Skills division was Mason Mitchell of Paragould High School, while Dylan Hatcher of Valley View High School took third place honors.

In the Collision Repair division,

Winners from the Automotive Skills competition were (from left): Michael Nowlin, ASUN Instructor of Automotive Technology; second place winner Mason Mitchell of Paragould High School; first place winner Wilson Felkins of Westside High School; third place winner Dylan Hatcher of Valley View High School and Robert Summers, ASUN Dean for Applied Science. Felkins was awarded a full tuition renewable scholarship to ASUN for winning the competition, Mitchell was awarded a $750 renewable ASUN scholarship and Hatcher was awarded a $500 renewable ASUN scholarship.

Mackenzie Butler of Greene County Tech finished in second place, with Ashton Exum of Paragould High School rounding out third place.

Winners in each division received a full tuition renewable scholarship to ASUN along with tool kits.

Second place finishers were awarded $750 renewable schol-

arships to ASUN and tool kits, while third place finishers received $500 renewable ASUN scholarships and tool kits.

Along with students from Westside, Paragould, Valley View and Greene County Tech, students from Jonesboro, Bay, Harrisburg, Riverside and Nettleton took part in the competition.

Winners from the Collision Repair and Refinishing competition were (from left): David Milam, ASUN Instructor of Collision Repair Technology; second place winner Mackenzie Butler of Greene County Tech High School; first place winner Jensen Russell of Westside High School; third place winner Ashton Exum of Paragould High School and Robert Summers, ASUN Dean for Applied Science. Russell was awarded a full tuition renewable scholarship to ASUN for winning the competition, Butler was awarded a $750 renewable ASUN scholarship and Exum was awarded a $500 renewable ASUN scholarship.

ASUN Students, Staff Visit Mexico, Jamaica and Grand Cayman Over Spring Break Arkansas State University-Newport students Sarah Sanford of Bradford and Leslie Decker of Swifton were joined by faculty members Traci Burgess and Dr. Misty Stroud during spring break as they traveled to Mexico, Jamaica and Grand Cayman aboard the Liberty of the Seas cruise liner. The four experienced many cultural and educational locations and attractions such as the ruins of Tulum, Dunn’s River Falls, the Historical Botanical Gardens and Mayan Dance Exhibitions.

As a restructured travel/study experience ASU-Newport is excited as the institution re-instiTraci Burgess, Sarah Sanford, Leslie Decker and Misty Stroud, Leslie Decker and Sarah Sanford tutes this opportunity.

Misty Stroud aboard the Liberty of the Seas. enjoy the Jamaica Historical Botanical Gardens.

ASUN Well Represented at Newport Chamber Banquet

Robert Summers (left)ASUN Dean for Applied Science and outgoing Chamber of Commerce President, passes the gavel to president-elect Mark Manning (top photo). ASU-Newport faculty and staff (right photos) enjoyed the program and meal at the annual affair.

Chancellor Hosts Local Leaders

Arkansas State University-Newport Chancellor Dr. Sandra Massey hosted various groups from the communities we serve during the month of March to review ASUN’s Campus Master Plan and discuss the various ways that the college will impact the Delta region in the coming years. Dr. Massey hosted Jackson County civic leaders (left, top photo), local superintendents from schools in the area (left, bottom photo) and retired teachers (above).

The ASU-Newport Mission Statement ASU-Newport provides an accessible, affordable, quality education that transforms the lives of our students, enriches our communities and strengthens the regional economy.

Images of Success and Service at ASU-Newport ASUN Staff members Van Provence, Jeremy Shirley and Jake Antonovitch were recipients of Medallion and Paragon awards in March from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. Medallion awards, which are earned at the district level, went to Provence, who earned a Bronze for his work on the ASUN YearN-Review, and to Antonovitch for his work on the ASUN short video “It’s Your Time.” Shirley was awarded a Silver for his work on the ASUN website and Gold awards for his work on ASUN’s program brochures and Strategic Plan. Paragon awards, which are earned on the national level, went to Shirley for his work on the ASUN Strategic Plan, which received a Silver Paragon, and for work on the program brochures, which were awarded at the Gold Paragon level. With the exception of the video and online awards Art Advertising of Jonesboro contributed the graphic design work on all of the award-winning printed material.

Two groups of students enjoyed March field trips to local radio stations, with Irina Reynolds’ Oral Communications course (left) visiting 96.7 River Country in Newport, and Lana Holt’s Hospitality Marketing course (right) visiting Jonesboro Radio Group.

Students at all three campus locations were treated to a “Game Day” during the month of March by the Office of the Dean of Students. Participants took a break from academic rigor to compete in various games and competitions. The day included food, drinks and prizes for the winners.

Images of Success and Service at ASU-Newport

ASUN Assistant Professor of Mathematics Andrew Muse (left) is joined by Batesville High School students Dalton Collins and Riain Florczak and their FIRST robotics team project. Muse has been a volunteer on the project, assisting students with the creation of the robot in the school’s first year of participation. The group competed at the Arkansas Rock City Regional in Little Rock at Barton Coliseum March 10-12, earning a regional win that qualifies them for the World Championships in St. Louis in April. In addition, Muse was recently nominated for Jonesboro’s Premiere Magazine “30 Under 40” award, which is given to Northeast Arkansas residents who are contributing to their community and making a positive impact.

Lana Holt’s (left) Food & Beverage Management course hosted James Gray(second from left) of the Hilton Garden Inn and a Hospitality Advisory Board member, and ASUN Librarian Jennifer Ballard (right) for a “mocktails” class project in midMarch. Gray and Ballard served as judges for the course project.

Irina Reynolds, ASUN Coordinator of College & Life Skills, spoke at the Arkansas Student Success Symposium held in March on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Reynolds addressed faculty and staff from across the state about student success and how ASU-Newport has used the ACE (Academy for College Excellence) model to enhance student success at the college.

Shelle Stormeo from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Center spoke to ASUN students during the month of March, giving a presentation about Native Americans and the Trail of Tears.

The presentation focused on the tribes of the southeast that were forced to walk through Arkansas during the 10 years after the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

Images of Success and Service at ASU-Newport

The ASUN High Voltage Lineman program recently purchased a digger truck (upper photo) and a bucket truck (lower photo) to replace older models that had been in use in the program. The new trucks will allow our students to train on newer, more advanced models, thus enhancing their learning experience.

Students and staff were joined by members of the HVLT Advisory Board as they displayed the new purchases.