21 minute read
Adjunct Faculty, Alumni Awards at Fall Convocation
Jonathan Chastain
Jonathan Chastain, who teaches mathematics classes for our comprehensive studies department, received the College’s 2020 Adjunct Faculty Presidential Award.
This award is given annually at fall convocation to the adjunct faculty member who is recognized for excellence in teaching, who has consistently high student evaluations and who supports the philosophy and goals of the College.
For three-and-one-half years, Chastain has taught at the College and assists with advising, orientations and staffing the Math+Lab.
“Jonathan is always willing to go above and beyond and step up when the department and our students need him,” said Jennifer Hulehan, dean for academic and career foundations.
“Jonathan has risen to the occasion more times than I can count. Whether it was responding to a student in distress, filling in for an absent instructor, or helping other instructors better serve students, he’s always ready, willing and more than capable,” Hulehan said.
Kellie Smith Boone, Class of 2001, Receives 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award is given each year at commencement and highlights a graduate’s dedication to his/ her alma mater. The recipient of this award must have been awarded a degree, diploma or certificate from Tri-County; must have graduated at least one year ago and must have made significant contributions to the College, the Alumni Association or the community.
Nineteen years ago Kellie Smith Boone walked across the stage at the Anderson Civic Center and received her associate in arts degree at Tri-County Technical College’s spring commencement.
Since that day, she has worked in manufacturing facilities in Oconee County, beginning her career at Koyo Bearings in Walhalla, where she started as an operator in production and quickly moved up the ladder into human resources. She says her Tri-County degree paved the way.
Boone spent 16 years at Koyo - most recently as a human resources generalist until joining Horton’s team as human resources manager late last year. (Horton is Oconee County’s newest manufacturing facility.)
She always is pleased when she sees Tri-County on an applicant’s resume -- whether it’s an associate degree or the South Carolina Manufacturing Certification (SCMC). “Tri-County graduates will play a vital role in Horton’s success,” she said.
Horton’s proximity to the College’s Oconee Campus is a real plus, she said. “Tri-County will serve as a feeder for us. Tri-County and the Hamilton Career and Technology Center, are our partners in supplying future employees. It makes me smile that we are located so close to the campus.”
Horton and other industries are part of the Oconee Industry and Technology Park, located on Highway 11 in Westminster. It co-locates the Oconee Campus of Tri-County Technical College, the career center for high school Kellie Smith Boone students and industry.
“We are excited about having a potential skilled workforce nearby,” she said.
As human resources manager, Boone is responsible for recruiting and hiring for all hourly and salaried positions, payroll and benefits, training and development and employee/public relations. When seeking candidates for job openings, she says she looks for Tri-County Technical College when reviewing resumes. “I know what Tri-County graduates can do,” said Boone. “I’m proud I started at Tri-County.”
“I Am Amazed at Your Resilience” President DeHay Tells Grads
In a virtual commencement address July 31 to the Class of 2020, President DeHay praised the graduates’ resilience and ability to persevere during the spring semester. He said:
“As I reflect back over the past several months and the extraordinary challenges we have faced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, I continue to be amazed at your resilience and the resolve you have shown in getting to where you are today.
Building resiliency is like building a muscle. It takes time and commitment. Many of you have been on the fast-track to building resiliency as a result of the pandemic.
You may not be able to see it now, but this newfound resilience will help you succeed in both life and work. It will equip you to meet future challenges and embrace opportunities. And it will no doubt continue to empower you to grow and improve your life. Linda Jameison, vice president of student support and engagement, Brag & Share extends a big thank you to the 2020 commencement event team. She writes: “The July 31 commencement was a celebration of our students’ accomplishments. But, it also provides an opportunity to give kudos and thanks to the team of people who made this happen. Scott Harvey and the graduation committee (representing all college divisions!) started planning the May ceremony many months ago. Then, when that live event was moved to July and to a new location, they shifted plans and created what would have been a great outdoor event. Then, when it was apparent this event needed to be virtual, they shifted plans again, and created the video event. Afterwards, team members came together to package and send our graduates their credentials and other items that celebrate their accomplishments. Plans changed, and changed and changed. Through it all, Scott and the team remained flexible and adaptable and accomplished this very important TCTC milestone. Many thanks to this team of people who continued to rise to the challenge.” Ken Kopera, director of our physical plant, extends a big thank you to folks on campus who worked tirelessly to prepare for the first day of classes amid the challenges of
COVID-19. “I just have to brag on the physical plant team and all they’ve accomplished to prepare the campuses for the fall
Stand tall class of 2020. You have not only survived this crisis, you have thrived. As the pandemic continues to evolve and pose new challenges, I am confident that you will triumph because you are resilient. You are the class of 2020. And you have a story to tell.
Congratulations to all of you. You have a bright future ahead of you, and I wish you all the best.”
GRADUATION AT A GLANCE • 1466 graduates for fall 2019 and spring/summer 2020 • 487 are from Anderson County • 217 are from Oconee County • 473 are from Pickens County
• 289 are from out of county semester. This includes implementing physical distancing measures in 156 classrooms and labs along with Learning Commons, common areas, computer labs, lounges and breakrooms. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray and wipes, masks, gloves and face shields, were distributed to these areas, as well. Hundreds of coronavirus-related signs have been placed throughout all facilities.
All of this wasn’t done by the physical plant alone. Gayle Arries and the marketing team turned sign requests around in a flash. Matt Whitten and Amanda Massey in purchasing worked relentlessly to procure PPE and disinfecting supplies. The print shop turned around requests in hours and, in some cases, minutes. Mandy Elmore and the EIT team took the lead and proactively made their labs safer from a physical distancing standpoint. Our janitorial partner, the Budd Group, applied an antimicrobial product to all high-touch surfaces and reacted immediately to clean and disinfect any areas suspected of contamination.
It wasn’t all easy, and when a quick fix wasn’t readily available, folks huddled and came up with a solution. I’m super proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish to date.”
Lou Moritz, director of administrative services, received a glowing review from a parent who used the online textbook ordering/pickup service.
“It was so easy and quick!” is how she described the experience. “This kind of email makes me proud! Excellent service is recognized! Thanks for making TCTC shine today!” said Cara Hamilton, vice president for business affairs.
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Kaylyn Brown, right, the daughter of Stephanie Brown, program director/instructor in our veterinary technology program, left, graduated from our veterinary technology program last week.
Stephanie, a 1992 alumna of the veterinary technology program, sent this photo of them celebrating her graduation. Kaylyn is working at Craven Creek, a new veterinary clinic that just opened in Powdersville. She also will be getting married in September.
Students Welcomed Back To Campus
We continue to do things differently amid the coronavirus pandemic as we welcome new and returning students back to campus.
“Our plan this fall is grounded in two priorities: create a healthy and safe learning environment and continue to deliver high quality learning experiences,” said President DeHay. “We continue to balance the health and safety of our students and employees with the need to fulfill our vision of transforming lives and building strong communities one student at a time.”
TCTC is currently offering face-to-face, online and hybrid (a combination of face-to-face and online) courses. Most courses have a combination of online and on-campus instruction, and courses that require hands-on learning continue in person as much as possible.
Glenda Waters, left, greets Emily Hafner, of Salem, a media arts production major, on the first day of classes. Students received welcome bags filled with snacks and supplies.
Commissioner John Powell to Be Recognized Nationally with ACCT Award
Congratulations to Commissioner John Powell, who will be recognized nationally for his commitment to advancing the community college movement. He was notified July 30 by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) that he is the recipient of the Southern Regional Trustee Leadership Award. This award will be presented to him at the ACCT Leadership Congress.
Powell is one of five community college trustees representing five geographic regions in the U.S. The national winner will be named at ACCT’s annual association awards ceremony.
Earlier this year, Powell was the recipient of the 2020 South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners (SCATCC) Trustee Leadership Award. The award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to promote the technical or community college concept.
TCTC Employees Learn About Leading Inclusively
In a thought-provoking hour with La’wana Harris, a certified diversity executive, Leading Inclusively provides guidance and helps start individuals on the journey toward inclusive leadership. Participants gain insights and tools to help them and their organization value and leverage the unique strengths and talents of all individuals.
Dr. Jackie Blakley, dean of the business and public services division, Dr. Jackie Blakley said the “training was very informative and provided a number of opportunities for self-evaluation related to inclusion.”
Dr. Blakley found opportunities like the COMMIT SelfAssessment to be very useful as the results suggest areas of opportunity. COMMIT is an acronym for: • Commit to courageous action • Open your eyes and ears • Move beyond lip service • Make room for controversy and conflict • Invite new perspectives • Tell the truth even when it hurts
Overall, Dr. Blakley went on to describe two key learning points from this session. 1. Individuals should leverage power and privilege to enable inclusion, and those with power and privilege should be thoughtful and effective allies for underrepresented groups. 2. We should embed inclusive behaviors as a way of doing business.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, TCTC made three major changes to the fall 2020 academic calendar: first, fall break has been shortened to one day (November 3); second, classes for sessions A, C and J will end on November 24; and third, since students will not return to campus after November 24, any exams occurring after this date will be done online.
A copy of the revised fall 2020 academic calendar is available on our website.
The Professional Development Day, previously scheduled for November 3, has been canceled. As an alternative, faculty and staff are encouraged to engage in professional development opportunities in SPARK as time permits. A copy of the revised fall 2020 academic calendar is available at tctc.edu/calendar.
Dr. Amoena Norcross, curriculum consultant in the office of academic development, also attended and shared her key learning points:
“What I personally found most impactful from attending the Leading Inclusively Leadercamp is that there are two different kinds of allyship: Performative Allyship and Thoughtful Allyship. Performative Allyship, according to La’wana Harris, is defined
Dr. Amoena Norcross as ‘superficial acts of solidarity from a non-marginalized group that are self-centered and not supported by a long-term commitment to meaningful action.’ Examples of this kind of allyship include passive actions like Black Lives Matter or Say Their Names hashtags/postings on social media.
On the other hand, Thoughtful Allyship focuses on actions that create change. According to La’wana Harris, ‘becoming a thoughtful and effective ally for underrepresented groups’ means I need to do more of the following: • Engage at the systemic level to impact policy • Speak up even when I feel uncomfortable • Use my privilege to benefit underrepresented groups • Acknowledge that even though I feel pain, the conversation is not about me • Understand that my education is up to me and no one else
Attending the Leading Inclusively Leadercamp and learning about the two types of allyship has empowered me to become a thoughtful ally. I encourage all TCTC employees to view the
Changes to Fall 2020 Academic Calendar
recording of the Leading Inclusively Leadercamp!”
Employee Recognition
Let’s spread the word about our fellow employees who go the extra mile and let everyone know about their contributions. Laura McClain, medical assisting program director and a member of our Service Excellence Team (SET), asks if anyone has any specific person or group they would like to recognize, please send that information to her with a brief description. Or you can always go to the Recognition Portal on eTC (Employee Tab–Celebrate Excellence–Employee Celebration and Recognition) to recognize or thank those who are making a difference. If you have questions, contact McClain at 864-646-1352 or lmcclain@tctc.edu.
OurCollegeFamily
excellence through service
Congratulations to Mary Orem, director of the learning commons, who was elected to the PASCAL Board of Directors. Orem will serve as a member-at-large for a three-year term (2020-2023). PASCAL is the Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries which serves nearly 200,000 students at 56 colleges and universities.
TCTC’s membership in this consortium provides our students and faculty a higher level of academic content and services at a dramatically lower cost than individual libraries could provide on their own. Mary Orem
Laneika Musalini, director of grants, has been selected to participate in the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) Equity Leadership Team. Her team was selected for the NAPE Equity Leadership Academy which consists of two persons from State Tech, two persons from a technical college and a student.
Musalini also was a co-presenter at the 62nd Annual Meeting for Laneika Musalini the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) held virtually. She copresented a kick-off session for newcomers and first-time attendees on August 6. She also presented a session entitled, “Diversity & Inclusion to Further Your PI’s Research” on August 11. Musalini currently serves as the chair of the organization’s presidential task force on diversity and inclusion. Earlier this year, she was honored by NCURA with the 2020 Distinguished Service Award for Region III.
In 2019, the Learning Commons’ tutoring program earned its Level 1 Stage 1 College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) certification, which is the industry standard for tutor training programs. Certification is based on tutors’ completed hours of CRLA-approved training topics and actual hours spent tutoring. On May 2, 2020, our tutoring program became recertified at Level 1 Stage 2, which indicates that tutors are able to apply the skills, attitudes and behaviors learned in Level 1 training and appropriately incorporate those strategies into tutoring sessions. This certification is valid until 2023.
Congratulations to Chief Marcus Guess, who drove to Columbia July 8 and took and passed the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Law Enforcement Certification test. Chief Guess joined the College in February as chief of police. Chief Guess, who has worked in law enforcement for more than 16 years, spent the last decade at Albany State University Police Department in Georgia, where he served in various capacities, most recently as interim chief of police.
Chief Marcus Guess
Jeremy McCracken is the incoming Faculty Senate president.
Faculty Senate is comprised of full-time and adjunct representation from each instructional division. Meetings are held monthly. The goal of the Faculty Senate is to coordinate the efforts of the entire faculty, to maintain faculty morale and to further the understanding between the faculty and the administration.
Jeremy McCracken
Grayson Kelly
Grayson Kelly, vice president for institutional advancement and business relations, was honored this month by GSA Business Report as a member of its 2020 class of Forty Under 40.
The Forty Under 40 awards were initiated to recognize success and community involvement of 40 professionals under age 40 who are making their mark on the Upstate from a mix of industry, professional and community sectors.
Lisa Garrett, public relations associate, recently was honored with a 2020 Hermes Gold Award in the Writing category for the College’s most recent 2018-2019 Annual Report. Hermes Creative Awards is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.
Fiscal Affairs Honored with CAFR Award
Our Fiscal Affairs Office was honored for the 20th straight year with the highest recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting.
The College received notification from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) that, once again, we earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (CAFR). The CAFR contains information on the counties’ assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenditures in conformity with the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The GASB establishes accounting and reporting standards for governments to provide accurate, consistent, and transparent financial information. The goal of the program is not to assess the financial health of participating governments, but rather to ensure that users of their financial statements have the information they need to do so themselves.
“I am very proud of the fiscal affairs team for continuing to receive this honor each year,” said Tracy Wactor, controller/ director of fiscal affairs. “While the award is tied to a single document, what is included in this document is the culmination of their efforts over the past year. Obtaining this recognition is accomplished through what the team does every day to ensure the College’s books and records are accurate and up-to-date with their attention to detail and commitment to excellence. I appreciate each member of the team and say thank you for their daily contributions.”
Two Officers Promoted to Sergeant
Congratulations to Billy Albert and Shaun Chastain, two committed and dedicated police officers who have been promoted to the rank of sergeant.
“Promotion shows you have chosen the right people who are willing to grow in their roles and responsibility,” said Cara Hamilton, vice president of business affairs.
“Billy and Shaun understand and embrace community policing and student success,” she added.
“Serving others is at the heart of this police department,” added Chief Marcus Guess.
“You live the creed every day,” said President DeHay. “To Billy and Shaun, congratulations. You have prepared yourselves. It’s time for you to shine and to provide leadership and guidance. And, to our police department, you are a team. It takes all of you to be successful.”
Chief Marcus Guess with Sergeant Billy Albert
Chief Marcus Guess with Sergeant Shaun Chastain
President DeHay Celebrates 21st Anniversary
President Galen DeHay celebrated 21 years of service at Tri-County August 19. Last year Dr. DeHay was named the college’s fourth president. He joined the college as a science instructor/department head before moving into executive leadership roles, including senior vice president.
Students Demonstrate Skills at Heavy Equipment Rodeo
Students in the Heavy Equipment certification classes recently participated in a rodeo where they showcased their skills for potential employers who are looking to fill these in-demand jobs across the state.
South Carolina employment data indicates the job market is wide open in this field, and employers are looking to fill new positions and openings created by a retiring workforce.
The rodeo serves as a demonstration of the students’ skills obtained during their classroom and skills training through the College’s Corporate and Community Education Division.
From left, instructors Kevin Warren and Patrick “Pat” Condon are pictured with graduates Patrick Donnald, Demetrius Pruitt, Reggie Blassingame, Brian Reed, Nicholas Whitten and Program Director Mike Sanders.
RN/LPN NCLEX Scores Surpass State, National Pass Rates
Students in the associate degree nursing and practical nursing programs continue their status of surpassing state and national pass rates on the state certification exam—amid the challenges of shifting to remote learning mid-semester in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I am so proud of our students and faculty for their dedication and resilience. These are challenging times. We all just had to do it a different way this semester,” said Jackie Rutledge, nursing department head.
The College’s associate degree nursing (ADN) program reports a 93.18% pass rate for first-time candidates taking the NCLEX-RN (Registered Nurse) exam for second quarter reporting (January 1 to June 30).
According to the National Council State Board of Nursing, the state pass rate is 91.34% and the national average is 88.93%.
The second quarter score for Tri-County students taking the NCLEX-PN (Practical Nursing) is 100%. The state average is 96.25% and the national average is 84.52%. The Engineering and Industrial Technology Division hosted its annual summer camp virtually this year on Saturday, July 25, from noon to 3 p.m. The camp is held for under-resourced children, ages 8–17, from the Silent Victims of Crime organization. Participants were sent their kits by mail. Under
Since 2016 this is the third time that both programs exceeded state and national averages on the certification exams.
The NCLEX exams for both PN and ADN programs are computerized exams that test a graduate’s basic nursing knowledge and decision-making ability on commonly encountered healthcare situations. Graduates of both programs must pass the exam to work as RNs and/or LPNs in the state. In mid-March the pandemic required College officials to shift the classroom-based spring course offerings to an online format. Tri-County transitioned to online instructional delivery with the goal of all students completing the spring semester. Course content, including labs and clinicals, was moved to an e-learning format.
“We banded together as a team and were determined to make this work,” she said.
Tri-County’s nursing departments are fully accredited by the State Board of Nursing in South Carolina and the Accreditation
Virtual Summer Camp Held July 25
Commission for Education in Nursing. the direction of camp instructors Brittany Talbert, academic resource specialist, and Foster Sims, adjunct instructor for general engineering technology, they built bots, learned binary with LEGO and learned how circuits work.
College Partners with Medshore for EMT Training
The College partnered with Medshore Ambulance to offer free accelerated EMT classes which began July 20.
Twelve individuals were accepted into the EMT-Basic course with free tuition, certification and testing. Classroom instruction is provided by TCTC instructors at Medshore’s headquarters in Anderson.
The company plans to offer this course again in the fall and on a regular schedule in the future. The free, accelerated program for EMT training is the first of its kind in the area.
“The EMS industry has a real need for talented, dedicated students to begin their careers in EMS,” said Medshore Ambulance General Manager Josh Shore. “Medshore Ambulance has positions immediately available for these students and this course is the first stepping stone towards continuing to develop
Laura McClain
(continued from page 1) “Laura is a valued faculty member of the College who has been constantly working and improving the medical assisting program since she was hired,” said Donna
Palmer, health professions department head. “She works tirelessly to promote her program, ensures her students’ success and represents the College on multiple levels.
She is enthusiastic and passionate about the medical assisting program and profession and her personal and professional growth.”
Tina Burton
(continued from page 1) “Tina defines what it means to be a servant leader.
She works tirelessly to serve not only our students, but her colleagues. Members of our team actively seek her advice and guidance because of her experience and know-how. Words cannot describe how thrilled I am for Tina to receive this deserving award,” said Tiffany
Blackwell, director of recruitment, admissions and orientation. Burton joined the College in 2010 as an administrative specialist for the Information Center and continued to successfully grow into new positons and new responsibilities. She is a 1994 graduate of our office systems technology program (now administrative office technology) and previously served on the College’s Alumni
Association board of directors. their skills in EMS or entering other areas of the healthcare and public safety field.”
Students will be fully trained and onboarded to begin working on a Medshore ambulance in eight weeks upon passing the national registry exam. The course is offered with a two-year employment commitment.
“By providing a free class and a wage for them to complete training full-time, we hope to remove all financial barriers towards that goal,” said Medshore Ambulance Vice President of Operations Jason Cooke. “Upon passing their exam, our students are immediately able to work on an ambulance making up to $30,000 a year. With a company-sponsored paramedic class, they can advance their career to make up to $45,000 a year in a
short time. This is a great opportunity.”
EIT Team Makes Hands-Free 3-D Printed Door Openers
As employees returned to campus in the reopening phases leading to fall semester, they received a no-contact, multi-use door opener, a safety product made by our Engineering and Technology Division in an effort to minimize touching surfaces during the coronavirus pandemic.
These gadgets are made of ABS plastic and help to mitigate the spread of germs by allowing people to perform everyday tasks hands free. Individuals can use the device to open doors, turn on faucets, pull drawers open and push elevator buttons without touching those surfaces. Many thanks to Foster Sims, adjunct instructor for general engineering technology, who has been operating the 3-D printer lab, making thousands of these gadgets for faculty, staff and students.
