Excellence Through Service

Service Excellence Team Holds Inaugural Transformative Service Awards Dinner

• Cathy Strasser, Program Assistant, Academic and Career Foundations Division

• Precious Vandiver, Nursing and EMT Administrative Specialist, Health Education Division

• Elizabeth Wallace, Learning Support Coordinator, Academic and Career Foundations Division

Rural Educators Academy Cohort

The Service Excellence Team (SET) held its first employee Transformative Service Awards banquet April 19. Faculty, staff and administrators were nominated by their peers and 19 colleagues received a Transformative Service Award. This award recognizes individuals who exemplify transformative service and consistently demonstrate the College’s core values of integrity, respect, learning, collaboration, innovation and diversity and inclusion.

Dr. DeHay praised Laura McClain and Travis Durham (co-chairs) and the Service Excellence Team.

“Thank you for providing an opportunity to recognize great employees who are committed to excellent service. I also heard from numerous recipients they truly felt appreciated. I am deeply appreciative that each of you show what it means to be invested, competent, approachable, responsive, and engaged! You truly care!”

Congratulations to all of our inaugural winners!

• Julie Beard, Program Director, Licensed Practical Nursing

• Dr. Jackie Blakley, Dean, Business and Public Services Division

• Frances Boyce, Academic Resource Specialist, Arts and Sciences Division

• Beth Brown, Office of Institutional Advancement

• Priscilla Curvin, Success Coach

• Beverly Franklin, Procurement Specialist

• Virginia Gamble, Continuing Education Adjunct Instructor for Health Care

• Dr. Sharon Homer-Drummond, Instructor, Biology

• August Johnson, Instructor, Business Administration

• Greg Kelley, Instructor, Business Administration

• Dr. Beverly McAdams, Director, Anderson Campus

• Laura McClain, Program Director, Medical Assisting

• Heidi Mathis, Administrative Assistant, Business and Public Services Division

• Stacey Schiff, Instructor, Media Arts Production (MAP)

• Sarah Shumpert, Organizational Development Strategist

• Matt Simon, Instructor, English

This year the first cohort of faculty and staff participated in a new professional development venture called the Rural Educators Academy, organized by Community Colleges of Appalachia (CCA).

The goal is to increase awareness of challenges and struggles of our underresourced students and to provide practical interventions for faculty and staff to incorporate into their practice.

Pictured from left are Som Linthicum, Shallin Williams, Dr. Sharon Homer-Drummond, Travis Durham, facilitator, Tracey Hotham, Linda Jameison, and Dr. DeHay, who serves as chair-elect of the CCA board. Not pictured are Amelia Borders and Rebecca Pokorny.

TCTC is a partner with CCA, who received funding from the Ascendium Education Group for Developing the Rural Educators Academy (REA) project over a 24-month grant period, which began November 1, 2021.

Leanne

Cobb Is VP of Anderson Area SHRM

Leanne Cobb, work-based learning coordinator in the Career and Employability Resources office, was sworn in May 4 as vice president of the Anderson Area Society for Human Resource Managers.

Stacy Smith Elected Faculty Advisor For SNA State Board

Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) instructor

Stacy Smith was elected Faculty Advisor for the Student Nurses Association (SNA) State Board at the state convention held in Greenville recently. Smith and ADN instructor Katie Anderson serve as co-faculty advisors for TCTC’s SNA.

Paul Hyde Elected to Greenville Chorale Board

English instructor Paul Hyde recently was elected to the board of directors of the Greenville Chorale, the 160-voice chorus celebrating its 62nd season. The Chorale often performs the cornerstone works of the orchestra-and-choral repertoire with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Hyde has sung with the Chorale for the past four years. A longtime arts journalist, Hyde also serves on the boards of Glow Lyric Theatre and Clemson Little Theatre.

Hulehan and Johnson Attend Resource Fair for MultiLingual Families

Jennifer Hulehan, dean of the Academic and Career Foundations Division and the Arts and Sciences Division, and Averie Johnson,

Award Winners

SGA Honors Tracey Hotham With Student Advocate Award

Tracey Hotham, learning strategist in the Learning Commons, received the Student Advocate award in recognition and appreciation of her outstanding vision, commitment to excellence, and dedication to student success.

Each year the award is presented by the Student Government Association at spring convocation. A student’s nomination highlighted Hotham’s passionate dedication to her students and their success.

The student met regularly with Hotham in one-on-one coaching sessions to discuss time management tips and study methods. The student writes: “She has always made me feel safe and heard when I opened up about the struggles I was facing both academically and in my personal life. Tracey is a positive force at TCTC and makes an impact on students who just need that extra helping hand to get their foot through the door in college.”

The College’s Plastic Injection Molding (PIM) program received the Instructional Program Award at the 30th annual Community Colleges of the Appalachia (CCA) annual conference June 6. Josh Ledbetter, instructor, left, and Bryan Manuel, dean of Integrated Workforce Solutions, accepted the award.

PIM is an industry-driven workforce development program designed enrollment counselor in Academic and Career Foundations, attended the “Your Future Is Bright Fest” resource fair for multi-lingual families in Anderson District 1. They talked with prospective students and parents from the Hispanic community in the Pelzer/Williamston area.

Dr. Carolyn Walker Serves as Judge In Speech Competition

Dr. Carolyn Walker, administrative office technology program director, served as a judge in the Prepared Speaking competition at New Horizons JAG-S.C. Career Development Conference on May 4 in Columbia, SC. JAG (Jobs for Americas Graduates) helps youth facing significant challenges to reach economic and academic success. A total of 234 high school students participated in competitive topics such as financial literacy, career preparation, and employability skills.

to support the career and technical advancement of plastics workers throughout Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties. On December 15, 2022, 14 students employed at Baxter Manufacturing, Clarios and Horton successfully completed the seven week, 20-hour program that was taught at TCTC’s Oconee Campus.

There are 75 businesses in the tri-county region that perform plastic injection molding. In recent years occupations in plastic injection molding have grown significantly and are projected to continue to grow 5-10% over the next 10 years, according to data from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. Tri-County’s PIM program targets companies with workers at the operator level who have interest in processing, mold technician and setting work.

TCTC’s Marketing and Public Relations department was among the winners at the South Carolina chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (SCPRSA) Mercury Awards Ceremony and Professional Development Conference.

TCTC was awarded two silver wing awards of merit for Single Issue Publication Print (60th Facts Booklet) and Websites (External). Individual Award Winners were Karen Potter, senior director of Strategic Communications and Engagement, who received the W. Thomas Duke Distinguished Public Relations Practitioner award, and President DeHay, who received the Executive Excellence Award.

SCPRSA is the state’s largest professional association for public relations and communications professionals.