OCTC Cultural Diversity Newsletter Spring 2023

All Are Welcome!

The Office for Diversity is committed to creating a campus environment that values the exploration, appreciation, and celebration of diversity, while promoting inclusiveness, multiculturalism, and global awareness by promoting collaborative relationships on campus and community partnerships. The Office for Diversity is located in the Counseling Center (lower level of the Campus Center, CC102).

Sharmy Davis,

MBA,

MPA Interim Associate Dean of Student Affairs

270-852-8159

sharmy.davis@kctcs.edu

OCTC Diversity Statement

Owensboro Community and Technical College embraces the diversity of its faculty, staff, and students as well as the region it serves. All are welcome.

Recognizing that all individuals contribute to a rich, broad education, the college is committed to fostering a learning community where students feel supported and encouraged to explore ideas and share experiences in ways that connect us and challenge us to grow. To that end, the college offers the following services, student organizations, and policies:

Anti-Harrasment & Discrimination

Counseling Center

Disability Services

Military and Veterans Multicultural Association

Office of Diversity Programs

SAFE LGBTQ

Title IX

*TRiO

*Ready to Work

*The TRiO program offers academic and personal support for students with disabilities, those who are first-generation college students (meaning neither parent graduated with a 4-year degree), or individuals who are income eligible. Ready to Work is an income based program to help students find work and childcare while in school.

Approved March 2021

Sharmy Davis

Breaking the Cycle Mentorship Opportunity

opportunities to all students with handson, learning options that will build strong foundations for educational and career successes.

To help accomplish this, the ELC offers workshops that help students identify and prepare for different careers. One of the classes we are teaching this semester, required for OCTC’s new Career and Life Skills certificate for students with intellectual disabilities but available to all students, is Career and Life Skills (CLS) development. CLS development looks at the importance of appropriate social behavior and interaction in the workplace. It is designed to help build the skills necessary for job searching, self- and time- management, and adapting to changing demands and expectations in life and the workplace. Another class included in the CLS certificate and available to all students is Experiential Education, which includes a planned and evaluated learning work experience such as job shadowing or an internship. The experience may be related to the student’s major or may be exploratory in nature.

The Office for Cultural Diversity is collaborating with Breaking the Cycle to provide mentorship opportunities for OCTC students. Students will participate in an experiential learning internship, through which they will mentor up to 10 area youth who are served by the Breaking the Cycle project during the fall 2023 semester. Participating students will enroll in EX 196 (Experiential Education) and earn college credit. Tuition for the course will be waived, allowing students to participate at no cost.

Interested students should contact Maurice Calhoun to learn more.

OCTC’s ELC

The Experiential Learning Center (ELC) is working to give every OCTC student the tools and resources needed for success. We want to provide open and equitable

The ELC workshops offered cover a variety of valuable skills such as building resumes, writing an effective cover letter, developing strong study habits, time management, and more! These workshops are open to everyone and are Merit approved to help build a strong, co-curricular resume. We share internship and job opportunities through Handshake, which connects students with potential employers across the country. The ELC can help students navigate this all-in-one, early-talent, recruiting platform to discover employment and internship opportunities.

The ELC is funded by a US Department of Education Title III grant. For more information about the ELC, please contact us at octc.elc@kctcs.edu or by stopping by the Pathfinder Den.

REGIONAL DIVERSITY CONFERENCE

On February 2 and 3, Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) hosted the inaugural Regional Diversity Conference. What began as a dream for OCTC’s Cultural Competency work group, blossomed with the support of the local college presidents and grew to a collaborative partnership with regional postsecondary partners, including: Brescia University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Murray State University, Western Kentucky University, and OCTC.

The goal of this conference was to bring the Owensboro community together and offer people the opportunity to explore and engage in all aspects of diversity. The community responded with enthusiasm and we had almost 300 folks register for the event, more than 150 attended in person and were treated to local vendors.

Thanks to the financial investment by all the partner schools and lead sponsors Jagoe Homes and Southern Star, there was no registration fee. Topics during the two-day event included: discussing disabilities, the future of the Spanish language in the United States, diversifying the workplace, cultural competence, intersectionality, and more.

Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green has agreed to host the 2024 conference with plans to expand the partnership opportunity to more of the community and technical colleges! More info and dates coming soon!

ESL-to-Welder Program a SkillTrain & International Center Partnership

OCTC’s Workforce Solutions and the International Center have collaborated to introduce a program for students learning English as a second language (ESL).

The ESL-to-Welder, began March 1, and this unique program offers refugee ESL students a way to advance their Englishspeaking skills while preparing for career opportunities. There are currently 10 students enrolled in the program.

Diane Ford, site director for the International Center, approached OCTC’s Lindsey Kafer after noticing the lack of time students have to attend ESL classes while also maintaining a full-time work schedule.

Employment is the biggest barrier for new refugee arrivals in the community, and English proficiency is their biggest hurdle in gaining employment. The ESL-to-Welder program is not limited to Afghan refugees, but is open to any ESL student and International Center client with the ability to participate in the program.

The goal of the program is to give International Center clients the opportunity to advance their skills and knowledge in a field they already have experience and interest in, and attain English skills that are necessary to successfully integrate into the community, while making connections with agencies outside of the center.

During the ESL-to-Welder program, students attend eight weeks of “intensive” ESL classes, followed by 12 weeks of paired ESL and competency-based instruction in

WLD 152 Basic Welding.

Once students complete the course, they will have earned a Welder Helper certificate and the language skills needed for basic work-related conversations.

The English language training in the welding lab is focused around safety, communicating with the instructor, which carries over to communicating with supervisors. Preparing them to be on the job with the needed language and technical skills.

The eight week ESL section of the program does not count toward college credits, but the 12-week welding session allows students to earn five college credit hours and a Welder Helper certificate.

For more information on the ESL-to-Welder program, contact Lindsey Kafer at 270-686-3781.

TRiO GIVES BACK at the Opportunity Center

National TRiO Day, which was designated and declared on February 28, 1986, commemorates the annual achievements of all Federal TRiO programs across the country. Many TRiO programs celebrate by using this day to advocate and raise awareness of the programs by visiting state capitols and volunteering with nonprofit organizations, shelters, and other public agencies.

OCTC TRiO SSS believes in giving back to its community through acts of service. This year, TRiO SSS staff and members played games with individuals with various disabilities whom receive adult day training at the Owensboro Opportunity Center.

The Owensboro Opportunity Center provides transitional support services from school to adult responsibilities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to help them live as independently as possible within their community. In addition, TRiO SSS members and staff assisted with moving furniture and connecting computer systems for new workstations for clients and staff. New friendships and connections were developed through this experience, along with an appreciation and awareness of the importance of community service.

OCTC TRiO SSS was awarded a renewal $1.3 million grant in 2020 to support 144 first-generation, income-eligible, and disabled adult college students. Additional information regarding this valuable support service program, OCTC TRiO SSS Alumni video testimonies, and online membership application can be obtained by visiting https://owensboro.kctcs.edu/currentstudents/academic-resources/trio.aspx

The Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) program celebrated National TRiO Day at the Owensboro Opportunity Center on February 24, 2023.

Carey Portell

6th Annual Girl’s Empowerment Dinner

The Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) Foundation, Inc. hosted the 6th Annual Girls Empowerment Trailblazer Dinner on Thursday, March 2, with guest speaker Carey Portell. Earlier that day, Ms. Portell also hosted a workshop, Breaking through Limitations, geared toward high school-aged students to encourage young women to overcome barriers that may hinder their goals. Many attendees came early to sign in and talk to faculty about OCTC programs such as automotive, business, radiography, veterinary technology, GO FAME, fiber optics technology, nursing, and paramedicine.

Carey Portell shared her powerful and emotional story of persevering through challenges after an accident with a drunk driver. She raises cattle on her farm in Missouri and has been featured on RFD-TV’s series, FarmHer, which highlights impressive women in agriculture. Carey motivated and inspired her audience to break through limitations, to believe in themselves, and tap into their higher power as a source of inspiration. A limited number of copies of her book, Facing Life Head On: Healing with Courage, Attitude, and Gratitude, were provided to attendees due to the generous support of our sponsors and the OCTC Foundation. The presentation and dinner were well attended with approximately 130 guests including middle school students, high school students, families, and organizations. Registration was free and included a commemorative t-shirt and meal from Chick-Fil-A.

The 6th Annual Girls Empowerment Trailblazer Dinner was sponsored in part by Independence Bank, The Marilyn and William Young Charitable Foundation, the Hopkins County Business and Professional Women, and the Kentucky Business and Professional Women’s Foundation. A recording of the event is on the Owensboro Community and Technical College Facebook page. More information and video clips of Portell can be found on her website: https://careyportell.com. To learn more about the OCTC Foundation, visit owensboro.kctcs.edu/giving.

Celebrating

COMMUNITY COLLEGE MONTH

In honor of Community College month, Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) would like to recognize some exemplary team members. OCTC’s Dr. Eunice Taylor has been a member of the Nursing Faculty since 2004. She has spent her entire career serving others as a nurse, as an officer in the US Air Force, and as an educator. Taylor works tirelessly to ensure that students are well-served and is committed to providing relevant, realistic learning experiences in the nursing lab while improving nursing students’ lab experiences. In addition to her commitment to student learning, she serves the community as the president of the Owensboro Human Relations Commission, a member of the Equal Justice Initiative Group for Owensboro, and actively participates on the planning team of the Commonwealth West Healthcare Workforce Innovation Center and contributes her extensive knowledge and expertise to ensure that it meets the needs of students and the community. Taylor was awarded the 2022 OCTC Faculty Award of Excellence. Taylor has been at OCTC since 2004 and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Education from Capella University, a Master of Science degree in Nursing Education and Health Care from the University of Phoenix, a Master of Arts degree in Human Resource Development from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Management from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and a Diploma in Nursing from Freedman’s Hospital School of Nursing in Washington, DC.

Cadie Underwood, is an Advancement Specialist in OCTC’s Resource Development Office. Underwood has been at OCTC since 2017; she holds a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University (WKU), a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from WKU, an Associate in Arts, and an Associate in Applied Science in Agriculture Technology from OCTC. Underwood has extensive experience raising livestock on her farm.

“Always looking for ways to give back and pay it forward, Cadie goes the extra mile every day to ensure students, faculty, and staff have the support they need from OCTC Institutional Advancement. Her dedication to OCTC is unwavering and she is always searching for ways to promote OCTC and OCTC alumni”, stated Mike Rodgers, OCTC Chief Institutional Officer.

In the Resource Development office Underwood demonstrates a passion for helping students. She works with them on emergency students loans, and in the repayment of those funds, always allowing the student dignity and grace in their time of need. Underwood leads and coordinates fundraising events, demonstrating organizational skills and attention to detail. Underwood also interviews, writes and shares the success stories of our alumni. She has a servant’s heart and is willing to go above and beyond to ensure student success. In November of 2022, Underwood was honored with the OCTC Staff Award of Excellence.

Allyson Sanders is the Director of Sales and External programming for OCTC’s Workforce Solutions unit. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Arts from Kentucky Wesleyan College. Besides being good at her college job as the Director of Sales and External Education Programs, she excels at her other interests, including being co-owner of The Party Space Place in Owensboro. In addition to being a devoted wife to Marshall, and mother to two bold, strong and smart daughters, Analea and Amari, Ally has a passion for and commitment to non-profit organizations. She is an active board member of the YMCA, My Sister’s Keeper, and Habitat for Humanity. Her talents and involvement often result in her being asked to speak at community events, and she always manages to add OCTC into everything she does. Her lively personality is the perfect tool for empowering individuals in the community, just as it does her students. She was awarded the 2022 Pillar Award: Community Service from OCTC and was named by the Great Owensboro Chamber of Commerce as the Minority Business Leader of the year in January 2023.

Grae Greer is an adjunct instructor at OCTC. She earned a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree from Marshall University in Theatre Performance and Production. After her professional acting contract ended in New York City, she returned to Owensboro and worked to enhance the arts community in the region. Her courses at OCTC focus on Shakespeare, Technical Theatre, and Acting Techniques. She is deeply passionate about the connection between human development and the arts and breaking the barrier that “imagination is only for kids”. Greer founded Bluegrass Community Theatre in 2018, where she has the opportunity to connect, develop, nurture, and advocate for theatre people of all ages, at all levels and abilities. She is also the Marketing Director and resident educator at RiverPark Center, where she teaches art, costuming, and technical theatre classes for elementary through high school-aged students.

She was awarded the 2022 President’s Award for Adjunct Instruction at OCTC for demonstrating excellence or innovation in the classroom or online instruction. Greer played a vital role in reviving OCTC’s Oak Island Theatre on the post-COVID campus. She brings energy and enthusiasm and continues to work to advance the program through collaborations with local theatre groups, area high schools, the Bluegrass Children’s Theatre, Encore, and the Riverpark Center. Her loyalty and heart for Oak Island Theatre and OCTC students are a testament to her extraordinary devotion and efforts to enhance student learning and experiences.

Dr. Eunice Taylor

Cadie Underwood

Allyson Sanders

Grae Greer