“We pride ourselves in training. We invest time in doing this for our employees,” Tony Pierre told a group of mainly second-year students in Department Head Bob Owen’s Mechanical Drafting program last week. “If you apply yourself, you will move up in the company.”

The company to which Pierre was referring is Affiliated Engineers Inc. (AEI), where the Jamaican native is senior designer at the Chapel Hill office, one of seven field offices across the United States. The company, currently ranked fourth in the nation among design firms, has earned its reputation as a designer of mechanical, electrical, piping, and infrastructure elements in hospitals and research laboratories. Consequently, Pierre seeks only the best employees when openings occur.

Pierre started at the Chapel Hill office in 1999, but has been with AEI for 24 years. His relationship with Owen and ACC began a dozen years ago and has thrived ever since.

“I tell you the absolute truth,” he said, “before we advertise for new employees, I will look to see what Bob Owen’s latest class has to offer.” Currently, ten graduates of ACC’s Mechanical Drafting program are employed at the company at various levels as drafters or designers in the mechanical, electrical, and piping divisions.

Two of those ACC graduates, now employed by AEI, accompanied Pierre to tell Owen’s current crop of students the realities of working as a drafter or designer at one of the country’s top firms.

Bridgett Dawson, who graduated from Owen’s program in 2003, served her co-op apprenticeship at AEI and was hired by the company upon graduation. She now works in the TeleCom department, designing infrastructure for computers.

Joe Hunt, a 2006 ACC graduate, followed a similar path and was hired from his coop experience by AEI. He works in the mechanical department, designing air conditioning and heating systems.

“The big thing now in the industry is mechanical 3D,” says Dawson. “That’s what you’re learning here at the College. When you go to most any design firm, they will train you in their own software applications. What you learn here at ACC will get your foot in the door.”

“Technology is changing so much,” Hunt told the students. “Within a month or two after I was hired, I was put into a software class to learn AEI’s system. But don’t let that scare you. You have two excellent teachers here in Bob Owen and Jesse Vaughn. They teach you what you need to know to get the job. You just have to be ready to learn.”

“Bob Owen has sent me the most highly qualified of his students over the years for interviews,” Pierre said. “What I look for is ambition and a desire to succeed. AEI stands for perfection in everything we do. There is no room for error. We at AEI know we can rely on every graduate Bob sends to us.”

 

Rita Agnew, a 1986 graduate of ACC’s Nursing program and currently an oncology outreach nurse at Alamance Regional Medical Center, has been named a 2008 recipient of the Great 100 Award. The Great 100 is a volunteer organization that selects 100 nurses from across the state each year for recognition of excellent nursing care and a commitment to the nursing profession.

In her role as oncology outreach nurse, Agnew speaks to community groups about cancer, assists in coordinating cancer screenings, and helps ensure patients have access to needed medications.

Agnew received ACC’s Distinguished Alumna Award in 2006. In addition to her career, she has actively participated in numerous volunteer efforts that benefit cancer patients, including Relay for Life, Cancer Survivors’ Day, KidsCan!, the Pat Bynum Fund, and many others.

 

Horticulture Technology’s FLORA Club has chosen the Woodlawn School as a community service project this year. Students have been involved with everything from landscape design and plant selection to the layout of the beds and planting of the grass, according to Justin Snyder, department head.

“This has been a project that has given our students valuable hands-on experience and a way to give back to the community,” said Snyder. “We have taken the things we teach in the classroom and allowed the students to demonstrate their mastery of the concepts.”

Working with volunteers from Lowe’s Home Improvement, the Horticulture students took a leadership role making sure the plants were properly planted by teaching proper planting techniques.

The Woodlawn School is a 1911 one-room school house that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Located on Mebane Rogers Road in Burlington, NC, the historic school is nearly finished with its multi-year renovation as a result of the help by ACC’s Horticulture students.

Kumar Lakhavani has joined the College as Director of Information Services. He replaces Dennis Rasmussen, who retired on Oct. 31 after 27 years.

Lakhavani is a 1981 graduate of St. Louis Community College in Missouri where he earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in engineering and computers. He followed that with a Bachelor of Science in business administration and information systems at Guilford College. In 1990 he earned his MBA in business administration and database administration from UNCG.

Lakhavani comes to ACC after working as project manager in the information technology program at New Breed Corporation in Greensboro. He has also served as regional director for Samaritan’s Purse International Relief organization in Boone, NC, and as country director for the U.S. Peace Corp in Washington. His community activity has included serving as president of the Greensboro Jaycees.

A large number of Criminal Justice students listened on Oct. 23 as ACC graduate and current Caswell County, N.C. Sheriff Mike Welch spoke about his education at the College that catapulted him into a rewarding career in law enforcement.

Sheriff Welch spoke as part of the College’s 50^th Anniversary celebration Fall Speaker Series.

Sheriff Welch, who was presented with the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award from the College, enrolled in ACC’s Criminal Justice Technology program at age 21 after a three-year stint in the U.S. Army. He became president of the Criminal Justice Club and was elected as a senator in the SGA. He was selected for the first class of ACC Student Ambassadors, crediting that experience with good training for his public speaking ability as a law officer.

In 1989, Welch earned his degree in criminal justice, finishing with the highest GPA in the program. At UNC-Charlotte, he earned his B.A. and completed the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET). Hired as a deputy with the Caswell County Sheriff’s Department, he became D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer and was appointed Community Policing Administrator. Losing his first bid in the election for Caswell County sheriff at age 32, Welch moved to the Roxboro Police Dept., joining its Criminal Investigative Unit. In 2002, he was elected sheriff of Caswell County.

Addressing his comments to the students in attendance, Welch said, “The choices you make, and your decisions even on a small scale, will impact your lives…Keep your integrity and don't choose a downward path. Stay with your goals and see them through, even if it takes years.”

Welch said he often took promotions he did not necessarily enjoy in order to gain experience he needed to move to the next level in his career.  

Welch outlined important rules for life he has learned: Set obtainable goals; understand it may take years to reach your ultimate career goal; take advantage of opportunities that provide you with more experience; think outside the box in how to obtain goals; and never forget those who have had a positive influence on you.

Dept. Head of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Sherri Singer, contributed to this article.

Plans for two new buildings on ACC’s Scott-Carrington main campus are underway.

By this time next year, construction of a stand-alone facility for the College’s literacy and basic skills programs should be progressing. The cost of the new building, to be located east of  A-Building, will be paid from funds remaining from the local 2005 bond referendum. Work on the 10,000 square foot facility is expected to begin in the summer of 2009 and will take approximately eight months to complete.

“We've had our first programming meeting with the architect and key users of the facility,” said David Cheek, vice president for administrative and fiscal services. “The ACC Board of Trustees has approved a tentative budget at their last meeting and we are in the process of getting final paperwork for the architect's contract put together. We have a second programming meeting scheduled in November to see concept drawings of the facility. We are definitely moving along with this project.”

In the meantime, the board of trustees has approved the hiring of an architect for a 45,900 square foot Advanced Applied Technology building, to be constructed after the literacy building. It would be located adjacent to the student parking lot south of the main building, with another parking lot added before construction begins.

Five current programs will be housed in the new Advanced Applied Technology Building: Machining Technology, Welding, Carpentry, Automotive Technology, and Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration. 

ACC President Dr. Martin Nadelman said moving forward with a new facility for these programs is “an affirmation that ACC is staying with our roots of providing the kinds of training in careers that are demanded by the public.”

The spaces vacated by these curricula will be used by other programs; for example, Horticulture Technology would move into the welding shop and maintenance operations would take over the automotive shop.

 

ACC has inducted eight new student ambassadors to join two senior ambassadors for the 2008-09 academic year. All the students were nominated by faculty or staff and were selected as ambassadors by a screening committee. All are dedicated to their education at ACC and are focused on future goals and careers.

The program was established in 1987 by the ACC Foundation and more than 200 students have represented the College since then. Their duties as ambassadors include representing ACC at public events on and off campus, helping conduct tours for prospective students, and providing a link between the College and the local community.

“Being an ambassador helps prepare these individuals to step up to leadership roles at the college and beyond,” said Natalie Miles, advisor.

This year’s group includes:

Sara Ambriz, originally from Mexico, is a senior ambassador this year. Enrolled in the pre-nursing curriculum, she is employed as a support professional for a home health care company.  Sara chose health care with the goal of becoming a traveling nurse. Sara is a member of Sigma Psi, is a Dean’s List student and served as a graduation marshal.

Veetta Parker, also a senior ambassador, is a graduate of Vandalia Christian School and is currently employed with Greensboro Veterinary Hospital. She chose Horticulture Technology to help her pursue a long-term goal of owning her own garden center and design business. She will graduate from ACC in spring 2009.

Bunyanech “Kay” Corbett is a native of Thailand and enrolled in Accounting. She came to the U.S. in 2003 as an au pair (professional nanny) in an effort to better learn the English language.  Kay has a degree from Khon Kaen University in Bangkok in hotel and tourism management.   Kay works for an orthopedic office in Burlington and plans to obtain her CPA after graduating from ACC in 2009.

Amanda Hill, a university transfer student, has planned for pharmacy school for many years. She has experience working in a pharmacy but has enrolled at ACC to pursue her goal of earning a pharmaceutical degree at a four-year university. At ACC she has maintained a 4.0 GPA, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and has served as a graduation marshal. She is currently a work-study student in the ACC English department.

Keitra Johnson, enrolled at ACC in Criminal Justice, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and is currently a work study student in Student Development Office. She came to ACC with a desire to work with children and found that there are many opportunities in the criminal justice system to pursue this goal. She plans to transfer to a four-year college or university toward her goal of working in a program that helps reunite families with their missing children.

Candace Lawson, enrolled in Culinary Technology, had already completed her bachelor’s degree in theater arts when she came to ACC. But she has since decided her true passion is in the kitchen. After earning her associate degree in Culinary Technology, she hopes to blend this love of food with her theater degree to open a dinner theater.

Travis Moore is a 2007 graduate of Alamance Christian School and is an Industrial Systems Technology student at ACC. He plans to pursue a career in aeronautics. He has been named to the President’s List and Dean’s List, and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa.

Veronica Penn-Bartoo is participating in the C-STEP program at ACC and will transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall of 2009. Veronica chose ACC over Appalachian State University to be close to family. She is a member of the History Club, volunteers at church and in local theater, and hopes to pursue a career in law.

Anna Smith, a university transfer student, graduated early from Cedar Ridge High School and spent much of her senior year as a foreign exchange student in Panama. She is secretary of the History Club, has been named to the President’s List, and plans to transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill to study communication and languages.

Allen Thaxton graduated from Southern Alamance High School and is enrolled in ACC’s Business Administration program. A longtime resident of Snow Camp, Allen maintains a 4.0 GPA at ACC while working part-time. Allen plans to transfer to UNC-Greensboro Bryan School of Business after leaving ACC.

 

Dr. Barry Weinberg has joined ACC as Executive Vice President. He replaces Dr. Janyth Fredrickson, who retired on September 30.

As Executive Vice President, Dr. Weinberg will oversee all academic and curriculum matters, working closely with associate deans.

Dr. Weinberg brings with him many years of experience in higher education and vast experience at the community college level. Since 1982, he has served in various capacities at five community colleges, including those in Guilford County, Rockingham County, and from 2001-2005 was president of Fulton-Montgomery Community College in Johnstown, New York.

He earned his undergraduate degrees in education and student personnel services at the State University of New York. In 1981, he received a Certificate of Continuing Studies in Applied Behavioral Sciences from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He received his Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration in 1988 from Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Dr. Weinberg’s previous duties have included those of director of financial aid and dean of students. At Rockingham Community College, he served as Vice President for College Advancement.

A former Student Government Association president, who used his ACC education to acquire a biomedical career, told an audience of students and employees recently about his success.

John Noblitt graduated from Technical College of Alamance (TCA), as the College was then known, in 1985. But earning his associate degree only came after a few years of soul searching.

“I was a very typical community college student,” he said.

Noblitt said his college education followed a circuitous route. Following his high school graduation, Noblitt enrolled at Stanley Community College in 1978 not truly knowing what he wanted to do. Leaving after a semester, he turned to the job market because “I really wanted to earn some money.” Eventually a job in construction led him to Burlington. It was then he decided he needed more education if he was to become successful. He looked into the programs at TCA and discovered it had a biomedical technology program (since evolved into other science curricula).

Noblitt stayed two years and served as the college’s SGA president. He graduated from TCA with an associate degree, Magna Cum Laude. He transferred all allowable 64 credit hours (of 128 earned) to Western Carolina University in Cullowee.

“The community college system has been here for whoever wants an education,” Noblitt said. “They were here for me countless times. It is the institutional agency that’s broken the cycle of generational poverty.”

Noblitt began his biomedical career with SunHealth, Inc. This company gave him his first opportunity in the profession. From there he went to Corometrics Medical Systems as a field service engineer. During his year with the company, Noblitt won the National Service Award, just one of four given to a pool of about 80 engineers across the U.S.

Through it all, Noblitt said, he has conducted his career with the same focus: customer service.

“When you begin your career,” he said, “you should always ask yourself, ‘Who is my client? Who am I really working for?’ This will help you be a better employee in your chosen career.”

Noblitt is now in his 16^th year at Caldwell Community College as biomedical equipment technician (BMET) program director. He teaches 23 hours, and is taking six hours of a graduate program. He is also very involved with the N.C. Biomedical Association, one of the largest state agencies of its kind in the U.S.

“There are always going to be opportunities for you to help people in the community. That’s a wonderful thing about education, it allows you those chances.”

Noblitt closed by talking about his family’s history with North Carolina’s community colleges. After Noblitt’s father obtained a job teaching at Wilkes Community College, his mother gained employment at the same college as a switchboard operator. Years later when she retired, it was as the vice president of instruction.

Similarly, Noblitt’s wife had a degree from Appalachian State University when they married, but she returned to school at the community college level. She transferred those courses back to ASU where she earned her Bachelor in Social Work (BSW).

“Don’t let anyone tell you ‘it’s only a community college.’ It can be a stepping stone, like it was for me, to a career,” said Noblitt. “Learning is for life. It’s doesn’t stop at a bachelor’s degree, it doesn’t stop at a master’s degree or beyond. It’s what you put into the college, and what you can take from it that will be most beneficial to you in life.”

ACC served as host to the N.C. State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) fall retreat Oct. 15-17. The State Board last met at ACC in the spring of 1985, which was the first time the board held an off-site spring meeting, according to Richard Sullins, Secretary to the SBCC.

The State Board of Community Colleges serves as the governing authority for the North Carolina Community College System. The Board adopts and carries out the policies, regulations and standards necessary to operate the nation’s third largest system of community colleges. Ten of its 21 members are appointed by the Governor, four are appointed by the General Assembly, and three serve as ex officio members by virtue of position--the lieutenant governor, the state treasurer, and the student president of the N4CSGA (state SGA).

Among the dignitaries attending the ACC event was new North Carolina Community College System President, Dr. R. Scott Ralls.

During their three days on the ACC campus, State Board members participated in a number of work sessions, including ones on financial and capital needs and policies that affect all community colleges. The College also hosted a formal dinner for the dignitaries and gave them a walking tour of the campus during their visit.

Ed Williams began his duties on October 6 as the College’s new Director of Public Information and Marketing. He also serves as Public Information Officer (PIO).

Williams replaces Vicki Wilson, who retired on September 30.

Williams, a 37-year journalism veteran, earned his Bachelor of Arts in journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. He worked for more than 20 years at the News & Record of Greensboro, NC as a reporter, editor, human resources staffer, and marketing director. Among his duties at the News & Record were recruitment coordinator, business editor, online content producer and, most recently, brand marketing manager. He also continues to write the newspaper’s wine column.

In 2008, Williams participated in IMPACT Greensboro, a leadership program that pairs citizens of diverse backgrounds in an attempt to solve differences and find shared values and solutions to day-to-day issues in the community.

With registration for the spring semester beginning on Oct. 15, 2008, students are encouraged to consider ACC’s many hybrid classes as an alternative.

Hybrid courses are exactly what they sound like: part online and part traditional classroom.

“Conceivably a student could take a full schedule of hybrid classes and only come to class once a week,” says Don Miller, Coordinator of Distance Learning. “Many instructors and students feel that hybrids offer the best of both worlds. They get the flexibility of an online class, but they still get the face-to-face attention that some of them desire.”

“Enrolling in one or more hybrid classes is a great way to get your credits but also save on gas with less trips to ACC,” adds Cathy Johnson, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences. “In addition, students who have a job find these courses very convenient.”

Miller says several ACC faculty members work together to ensure some hybrid classes meet on campus the same day. For example, sociology instructor Sherri Singer, English instructor Anne Helms, and humanities instructor Clara Vega this semester scheduled, respectively, Sociology 220, Humanities 115, English 111, and Religion 212 in consecutive order on Tuesday mornings to accommodate students.

“The nice thing about many of these hybrid courses,” says Johnson, “is that students practice assignments online and then have the opportunity to get further explanation or instruction during class time once a week.”

Alamance Community College has accumulated a bevy of online classes over the past few years. As the list of these classes has grown, Cathy Johnson, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences, noticed something.

“I realized that our online classes only lacked two or three to fulfill requirements for an associate in arts degree,” she explained.

Johnson and Don Miller, Distance Learning Coordinator, began investigating. With the addition of a biology class and a couple of others, the 2008 fall semester is the first time ACC has been able to offer a full associate in arts degree program completely online. Johnson says ACC is one of only a few colleges offering this.

Miller says the online associate degree taps into a population not targeted before. “Ideally, this online degree program is for non-majors, for those who need specific courses to fulfill a degree,” he says. “But it can also be for the stay-at-home mom to start from scratch and obtain her two-year degree from her home computer.”

The idea is not completely new. ACC’s Accounting program, for example, has offered all of its certificate programs totally online in recent years. Instructor Tom Conally has taught chemistry online for several years. Culinary Technology has offered an online American Culinary Federation (ACF) certification program for professional chefs. But the stumbling block for the online two-year associate in art degree, says Miller, related to science labs.

“Some educators told me lab work was the major problem with distance learning,” says Miller. “But that is no longer a concern.”

With modern technology, biology students can dissect a frog using an online package of virtual dissection software. According to ACC Biology Instructor Alex Bailey, the student utilizes a Web site operated by textbook publisher McGraw-Hill and accesses an online lab that corresponds to a chapter in the textbook. The student is guided through the process via an online video before being given the virtual frog. Using the mouse to select tools, the student performs the virtual dissection, which includes pulling back the frog “skin” to identify the organs on the screen.

“This is equal to doing a dissection in a real classroom, but without the worries that your lab partner will make a mistake,” says Bailey.

“Entire online programs are becoming something of an expectation for young people especially,” comments Miller.

Johnson adds that students are searching for opportunities like this. She says many students view online classes as a composite deal. “They will shop around and take an online class at one college, shop more and take another somewhere else, wherever the class is available. I think online classes could also start reaching out to home schooled students.”

But Miller cautions that online students focused on earning the associate in arts degree need to be committed and take it seriously. “Just because they are doing this from their home computer doesn’t mean they can afford to take it easy,” he warns. “They must look at this as if the two-year degree they’re seeking is on campus, rather than on their home computer. For example, reading online is very important. A student must be willing to put in the time it takes. Otherwise it’s very easy to get lazy and never complete the degree.”

ACC has nearly double the number of online classes that it did in 2004, according to Miller. “Two years ago we offered 60 individual classes. Now we have 100.”

New technology developed for online classes has made studying easier for students. One tool in Blackboard (a software used to manage online learning) called Learning Unit allows a student to simply click on virtual textbook “pages” and turn them using a mouse. More and more online instructors are posting video lectures, sometimes utilizing YouTube for this purpose.

“Online courses are becoming more dynamic,” says Miller, “but it’s another level of responsibility, too.”

Johnson says the important aspect of this is that ACC can now cover the gamut of educational offerings either through online, hybrid, or on-campus classes.

“Our goal is to provide quality education and give as many options as we can,” says Johnson. “Distance Learning’s associate in art degree now provides an additional way to get a full education.”

 

 

The Academic Advising Center formally opened its doors to students in early September 2008. Located adjacent to the lower student commons of the main building (in the old bookstore site), the center provides a wealth of information for ACC’s enrolled students. 

Coordinator Mary-Charles Barrett says students can meet with advisors and receive support as they make decisions regarding their educational plans. Within the Academic Advising Center, students can register for classes, drop and add classes, as well as make changes to their academic program or major. 

University Transfer resources are available to provide information about four-year university or college options. Students will have the opportunity to explore different career options through career assessments and workshops held throughout the year. Barrett says faculty advisors will be scheduled in the Advising Center closer to registration times.

Barrett adds that she is available to advise students anytime. No appointment is necessary. Virginia Jeffries is Senior Office Assistant in the center.

“I encourage students to stop by and get the help you need to achieve your goals at ACC,” says Barrett.

 

After months of renovation, the new Student Activity Center opened for students in time for the fall 2008 semester. Adjacent to the new, expansive book store, it includes a student lounge, TV room, Internet café, SGA office, and meeting room.

The concept for the 7,500-square-foot space was developed by the Student Government Association (SGA) and Student Development, but the idea began with ACC President Dr. Martin Nadelman.

At the outset of renovations last year, Dr. Nadelman stated, “Space such as the commons area has been overwhelmed as enrollment has exploded over the past seven years. We needed a location where students could gather and still feel like they were a part of the College.”

Here is what the Student Activity Center offers students:

New College Bookstore - space increased about 50 percent from the previous site, roughly 1500-1800 square feet.

Student Lounge – behind the bookstore with a view of the Gee Building, this encompasses 1800-2000 square feet with couches and tables where students may visit or study.

TV Lounge – this offers students leisure time as well as a chance to view CNN on large flat screen television.

Internet Café – a wireless network services the entire student activity center and student commons area, including the soundproof Internet Cafe where students may connect laptops to work.

Activity/Meeting Room – near the Internet Café, this room allows students or campus clubs to gather.

SGA Office – a glass-enclosed office for the SGA. This is adjacent to an office for a student development staff member.

At the beginning of a year-long celebration of its 50^th anniversary, Alamance Community College proved once again that its place in the community is an important one as hundreds of family members and friends turned out  on July 18 to see nearly 900 students earn degrees, diplomas, and certificates that will change their professional lives for the better.

The graduation exercises witnessed 552 curriculum students earn 369 associate degrees, 89 diplomas, and 292 certificates. Students receiving High Honors (3.8+ GPA) numbered 89; 154 students earned Honors (3.3-3.7 GPA). Furthermore, 277 students were presented with their General Educational Development (GED) diplomas and 36 students earned Adult High School diplomas. In all, ACC graduated 865 individuals in 2007-08.

Dr. Janyth Fredrickson, Executive Vice President, announced that ACC’s 277 GED graduates spanned the ages of 17-62. Six GED graduates score 3400 or higher, placing them in the top 1 percent of their class. Highest ACC scorer was Andrew Hardman with 3600 points. The eldest Adult High School graduate, passing all 22 credits available, was 69-year-old Queen Dark.

ACC's Horticulture Technology program played host on June 5-6 to the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association CLT (Certified Landscape Technician) Exam. Despite temperatures in the high 90s, approximately 40 people from across the state enjoyed the hospitality of the College for two days of testing. The first day consisted of classroom written tests but the following day put the participants outdoors in the heat for the hands-on portion of the multiple certification exams.

In all, about 90 professional judges, participants and representatives from the state and national organizations participated on the ACC campus both days. The high turnout was a result of this being the state organization's only certification event in 2008.

"It's great for our program to host this statewide event," commented Justin Snyder, Horticulture Technology Department Head. "This is a very big deal. It gives all these professional judges and the students from all over the state an opportunity to see our facility and the excellent horticulture program we have at ACC."

Since taking over Horticulture Technology in 2003, Snyder has increased the program's enrollment and taken his students to numerous competitions that include the N.C. State Fair and Alamance County Fair, winning several blue ribbons. Snyder has also taken his students to the annual Professional Landcare Network's Student Career Days each March that is held at a major out-of-state university where they network, learn, and compete.

Last week's CLT exams included two ACC students, Donald Sandoval and Samantha Wagstaff, who won $200 scholarships from the N.C. Nursery and Landscaping Association to pay for the hefty registration fee. Wagstaff will graduate this July with a degree in Horticulture Technology. Another ACC horticulture student, Ben Rooney, also took the certification exams in his first year in the program.

Chad Huggins, the College's Grounds Maintenance Supervisor, also took four certification exams to improve his job knowledge. Huggins's exams, for example, included tree planting, plant ID, and sod installation.

To become a Certified Landscape Technician, an applicant must pass the "common elements" exam plus a core test. Successful completion of the "installation" test demonstrates that an individual has the skills to take a landscape blueprint and implement the design in the field. Passing the "maintenance" test shows that a person has the skills to maintain a landscape project in a professional manner.

"Certification is important because more and more landscape companies now are requiring their employees to be certified in order to become supervisors," says Snyder. "It's also where the horticulture industry is headed. Just like plumbers and contractors must be certified to prove their skills and knowledge are high quality, horticulture and landscaping certification will raise the public's perception of what we can do."

Judges at the certification, licensed with the N.C. Nursery and Landscaping Association as well as the national organization, were required to grade the participants on proper technique, safety standards, and making sure each student knew how to maintain and start equipment being used. For the sod installation, for example, the students had to show that they could install it correctly as well as explain what they were doing and why.

The brick layout for one event, paver installation, will remain with Snyder at the College and be used to teach his own students how to properly lay a brick patio in future classes. It can be used as a jigsaw puzzle, taken apart, and put back together.

Alamance Community College alumni Daniel Danieley and Cindy Brady were honored by the College on June 5 at the 2008 Celebrating Excellence Awards, hosted by the ACC Board of Trustees and the ACC Foundation Board of Directors. The dinner was held at Alamance Country Club.

Daniel H. Danieley, Executive Director of the Burlington-Alamance Airport Authority, was named the College's 2008 Distinguished Alumnus for his 20 years developing one of Alamance County's largest industries. Danieley enrolled in an aviation course at Technical College of Alamance (as ACC was then known) in 1981, thus beginning his long career in the aviation field. Soon afterward, he was hired by the College to oversee its emergency services training for Alamance and Orange counties, while simultaneously gaining corporate flying experience. Danieley says his years working at ACC gave him valuable experience in administrative management that ultimately led to his current position. Under Danieley's tenure, the Burlington-Alamance Airport has added parallel taxi runways, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) office has been installed, and more than 100 flights per day occur. It is today one of the top three general aviation airports in the state. Danieley was presented with the College's Presidential Medallion at the awards ceremony.

Cindy Brady, President of the United Way of Alamance County, was recognized with the Inspiration Award as a result of her humanitarian efforts that have helped so many individuals through her work. In the 1980s, she took accounting classes at ACC, receiving honors recognition. She subsequently graduated from Elon University with a degree in Public Administration. Over the years, Brady has dedicated her talents and abilities to provide a better life for hundreds of Alamance County residents. She has had leadership positions at Elon Homes for Children, Inc., Alamance County Area Chamber of Commerce, and Healthy Alamance prior to taking the president's position at the United Way. Among her dozens of other charitable endeavors, Brady has made presentations on tobacco-free schools, childhood asthma case managment; she has developed programs for Santa's Helper, Pediatric Asthma Center, and Alamance Walks; and she has been a member of Service to the Elderly, Regional Workforce Development, Women's Resource Center, and SafeKids Coalition. One ACC selection committee member commented, "Her high energy and enthusiasm for all she does makes her inspiring to be around."

Also honored at the event were:
John Neathery, sociology instructor since 2003, as the College's Excellence in Teaching award recipient.
Judy Nunn-Snipes, a part-time marketing and business instructor since 2007, as Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year.
Reggie Turner, Director of Special Programs in the Continuing Education division since 2006, as the Staff Member of the Year.
Virginia Jeffries, Human Resources Development instructor at the Burlington Center since 2002, as the Continuing Education Instructor of the Year.
Student Academic Award winners: Shawn Royster, a 2008 graduate-elect in the university transfer program, who has been accepted to UNC-CH where he plans to study allied health; and Chuck Loy, a Medical Laboratory Technology graduate-elect, who came to ACC after being laid off after 20 years with an upholstery business.

It didn't take long for 2007 ACC graduate Heather Harden to realize the skills she learned in the College's Advertising and Graphic Design program had everything to do with landing a job with the Herald-Sun newspaper in Durham. In fact, she was approached about the job before she had degree in hand.

Shortly after attending a graphic design convention in Dallas, Texas during the 2007 spring break, Heather was hyped about her post-graduation career plans. She was in the midst of preparing her final portfolio project, a meticulous and challenging mandatory assignment for all prospective graduates in the program. Then she heard about an opening for an ad designer at the Herald-Sun newspaper.

Following two successful interviews, the ad director at the newspaper told her he needed someone to start immediately, but Heather had to back off because she was just beginning her final summer term at ACC before graduation. But within a few days, the supervisor called and asked if she was interested in a part-time position to start.

"He said I was making history with their department because they rarely hire someone for part-time work," says Heather, "especially before I had my degree in hand."

The creation of a personal Web site in one of her graphic design classes proved important to landing the job, she says. It allowed her employers to view her creative abilities online even before the first interview. Her part-time position during last year's summer term turned full-time two days after graduation in July.

"You spend two years with these great mentors, Denise Archuletta and David Davenport, and the experience they have is invaluable. They have walked in your shoes and know what is expected in the real world to make it in this field," she says.

Heather says she quickly realized she had more technical skills than another new co-worker, a graduate of N.C. Central University's graphic design program. "Everything I had learned in the graphic design program at ACC came into play on the job," she says. "This is a very competitive field, and it's very hard to get your foot in the door."

Heather says she didn't always have that passion for her work. Before making the decision to enroll at ACC, the single mom made her living as an office manager but wanted to utilize her creative streak. "I took two years out of my life, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made," she says. "Once I got into the graphic design program, I went above and beyond. You must do what is expected and what is unexpected because, once your start your career, that passion will be very important."

She says she loves the variety of the design work she does at the Herald-Sun. She has had the luxury of including her son and her dog in some ads she designed, and had her work published in the Duke University basketball program.

"What has made me successful is that I have fire," Heather says. "I think about my work beyond my desk, beyond the walls of my office. You must think about ideas on the drive home. You must eat, think, and drink what you do because it's what you love."

If you've ever heard the old saying "when it rains, it pours," you will understand how ACC accounting student Angela Parris must have felt when she became the recipient of not one, but two $1,000 scholarships.

Both the North Carolina CPA Foundation, Inc. and the James L. McCoy Fund awarded her a total of $2,000. Historically, these scholarships are usually awarded to an accounting student at a four-year school, but due to Angela's academic prowess in the program, she became the lucky student. In addition, Angela was offered a complimentary one-year membership in the N.C. Association of CPAs.

Originally from Atlanta and a graduate of Emory University, Angela did not always desire a career in accounting. Back in the 1990s, she gained employment in a work study job at an Atlanta community food bank. She found she loved the working environment of a nonprofit and her career ambitions grew from that. She earned a bachelor's in psychology and a master's in social work from UNC Chapel Hill. She became an out-patient counselor and, in fact, currently works as a care manager.

"As a social worker, I didn't feel it was the best fit for my skills," she says. "What drew me into the nonprofit sector originally was the operations side, using my skills to keep a nonprofit running smoothly. So that's when I started looking into an accounting education. I was more interested, when I was young, in English and especially Latin classes. I think the rules that apply to Latin are similar to accounting. Both deal in logic and basically filling in the missing pieces to make it work. That has always interested me."

While doing research, Angela came across Alamance Community College and realized this could be a stepping stone toward another master's degree. She talked to Accounting Department Head Brenda Fowler.

"She told me not only could I qualify to sit for the CPA exam with a two-year degree at ACC, but I could do most of my courses online since I had a day job," explains Angela. "I was a little skeptical at first about doing so many classes online, but I realized very quickly that the instructors and the teaching were very high quality."

Angela is earning all three certificates and the two-year associate degree in accounting. She will graduate in spring 2009, and then sit for the CPA exam.

According to Fowler, about 75 percent of the courses in which Angela enrolled are online. "Angela has maintained a 4.0 GPA and I can always count on her to have her work in on time, whether she is in an online or a seated course," said Fowler.

"That has made things very doable," Angela says. "I can do my school work after my son, who's three, goes to sleep at night. This semester was the first time I took on-campus classes in the accounting curriculum. That was nice to be able to meet fellow students and your instructors after only knowing them via the Internet."

When Angela decided to apply for the two accounting scholarships, she found that the questions were a good fit for her ambition. "The essay portion was easy because it dealt with how I would use my accounting education in the community," she says. "That spoke to me since I want to continue my work in a nonprofit and allow my career to make me a better citizen of the world."

"I'm really glad I found ACC," adds Parris. "It's really helped me achieve what I wanted for my life."

The Scott Collection now has its own Web site and the Alamance Community College students who designed it gave a hands-on navigation lesson to family members on its first day of operation on May 12.

The Scott Collection, housed in the Gee Building at ACC, is the archived memorabilia, photos, and information that highlights the contributions of the Scott family of Alamance County, which has produced two governors and a U.S. Senator, as well as many other important achievements in politics and medicine.

Meg Scott Phipps, Henderson Scott, and Dr. Sam Scott were visibly impressed with the Web site as they talked with the students in a College computer lab during an official launch party.

The students, all members of Instructor Lakeisha Vance's Web Design 210 class, began working on the project in late February at the request of Curator Peggy Boswell. Vance said the students visited the Scott Collection, researched the information in the audio-visual kiosks, and spent about 40 hours each working the project.

"Their goal was to take the message of the Scott family history at the library and convert it into a Web site design," said Vance.

Students who worked on the Web site design are Julie Pruitt, Ajana Parker, Darlene Watson, Sandra Moore, Ryan Wagner, Jeff Cooke, Teresa Wade, and Melissa Doellinger.

"While I was working on the project, I became really interested in this history that I didn't know before," commented student Ryan Wagner.

"I am very impressed with the students' work," said Dr. Sam Scott after studying the site with student Darlene Watson.

"This Web site supports the physical collection in the library very well, and allows further development of the site," said Vance.

Meg Scott Phipps said she especially appreciated the inclusion of a timeline at the top of the homepage which provides an overview of the family's history and contributions.

The Scott Family Collection Web site can be found at www.scottcollection.org.

Alamance Community College graduate Leslie Thompson may have thought she might get a chance to shake the hand of former President Bill Clinton when he campaigned for his wife at Elon University in April. But her ambition on behalf of a friend ultimately led her to meet the former U.S. President one-on-one.

Through a plethora of phone calls to the Hillary Clinton campaign, Thompson arranged the meeting between herself, Clinton and Crystal Lee Sutton. Sutton is the Alamance County resident upon whose unionization exploits in the 1970s were the basis of the Sally Field film, "Norma Rae." Last year Sutton donated much of her memorabilia to Alamance Community College and Thompson took on the job of organizing the material for the College's archives.

"Crystal Lee Sutton and her husband were very happy. She loves Bill Clinton," explained Thompson, a 2006 ACC graduate and recent UNC Chapel Hill graduate.

Thompson says she initially only intended to take Sutton to the rally. On a whim, she began making phone calls to the Clinton campaign to make it known that Mrs. Sutton was going to attend and of her importance to the history of North Carolina and national labor history.

"I left word with as many people as I could," explains Thompson.

Around 4 p.m. the day before the rally, Thompson says she received a call from the campaign asking if Mrs. Sutton would be willing to meet with the President.

"Mrs. Sutton was elated," says Thompson. "It was the perfect gift to give someone who has given so much in my life, to Alamance Community College, and to so many others."

Thompson escorted Sutton and her husband to the Elon University campus the following day where they met President Clinton upon his arrival, along with other Elon officials.

"It was an amazing experience," recalls Thompson.

Following this exciting event, Thompson is taking her recently awarded bachelor's degree in political science from UNC and working as an intern in the office of N.C. Rep. Alice Bordsen during the short General Assembly session.

"I will be conducting research for the North Carolina Commission on Children, Youth and Families," she explains. "I am really looking forward to working at the General Assembly and with public policy."

Eleven students who completed the Minority Male Mentoring program this year were feted with a graduation luncheon on May 13, attended by family, faculty, and ACC administrators.

Reginald Turner, Director of Special Projects and coordinator of the program, presented each student with a plaque and allowed them to express their thoughts on the occasion. Most noted that they were hesitant at first to participate in the program, but in retrospect realized how it had dramatically changed their academic progress and their lives.

"I have been through some bad times in my life," commented an emotional Orlando Maynard, "but this program and Mr. Turner have made a huge difference to me, and to all of us. I know we are all going to make it."

Financed through a grant from the N.C. Community College System, the Male Minority Mentoring program strives to promote academic success and retention of students and encourages academic excellence, self-esteem, and personal growth.

Keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Jonathan Livingston, an assistant professor in psychology at N.C. Central University. His comments, accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation, highlighted the need to support the male minority population in their educational endeavors.

"You, gentlemen, are our latest ambassadors for this program and this college," commented ACC President Dr. Martin Nadelman.

In addressing the graduates, Executive Vice President Dr. Janyth Fredrickson noted that, although the reality of life may cause them to stumble and have disappointments in the future, the success they have realized in this program will keep them focused on their future educational and career goals. "You should be very proud of yourselves," she said.

In April 2008, ACC's Michael Dunklebarger, Department Head for Computer Information Technology, traveled to Tucson, Arizona at the invitation of well-known textbook publisher McGraw-Hill. While the desert setting was beautiful, Dunklebarger was there not to play but to brainstorm with eleven other college and university instructors who teach information technology.

The symposium was hosted by Scott Davidson, publisher in McGraw-Hill's computer books division. All costs were paid for by the publisher.

"It was exciting to have direct access to the person who publishes the kinds of books we use in our classrooms," says Dunklebarger, "and being asked for our opinions as instructors in this field."

Davidson was hired in late 2007 from Pearson Publishing, says Dunklebarger, to help make McGraw-Hill more competitive. Dunklebarger was tapped for the symposium by a local textbook representataive at the bequest of Davidson. Altogether only twelve instructors were invited, mainly from East coast community colleges and universities.

"We began with a group meeting, talking about the courses we teach," says Dunklebarger. "Then he broke us up into smaller groups so we could brainstorm about the textbooks we use in our courses, as well as discuss other delivery methods we use."

Dunklebarger says he enjoyed networking with his peers from around the country, learning varying methods of teaching information technology.

"One example I described to the others is an exercise in which my students shop for a computer that must include specific features," he says. "It forces them to learn the capabilities of different components and software."

Upon their departure, Dunklebarger says he and the other instructors were given proofs of a new, unpublished textbook to critique. "But I'm not allowed to discuss or show it to anyone," he adds with a smile.

Virginia Jeffries, Human Resources Development (HRD) instructor in Continuing Education, has received the Continuing Education Excellence in Teaching Award for 2008.

Jeffries, laid off from Lucent Technologies, found a new career by teaching unemployed workers at the College's Burlington Center in 2002. Most of her students are her contemporaries, whose incomes and pensions have been cut short by industrial downsizing. Jeffries teaches adult students skills in computer literacy, resume' writing, and Internet knowledge--all necessary to compete in today's job market.

"Mrs. Jeffries' patience and her genuine determination to get all students computer literate exemplifies a hard working and dedicated instructor that cares," wrote student Marilyn Slade, who nominated Jeffries. "She has a deep passion and a focused goal of getting you excited and eager to learn more and more about the computer."

"It's so rewarding for previous students to stop you and thank you for not giving up on them," says Jeffries. "They tell you how just listening and being sympathetic and understanding to their situation made a difference in their success of continuing their education and regaining employment. I'm continuously grateful for being given this opportunity to help adult students integrate into a technological job market."

Shannon Overman, who served as interim president of the N.C. Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association (N4CSGA) this year, has been elected to that office in her own right for the 2008-09 year.

Overman began the school year as the N4CSGA vice-president. In January 2008, she was appointed to complete the presidential term of ACC student Bently Pagura when he took a teaching position at the College. In March, she ran for the office of president and was elected.

The office of president oversees the interests of more than 700,000 community college students in the state, and serves as a liaison to the N.C. Legislature and other government agencies.

A graduate of Southern Alamance High School, Overman was first elected the College's SGA secretary in 2004 alongside her mother, Teresa, who was elected treasurer that year. She subsequently won re-election the next two years.

"As president of the state board, I usually go to Raleigh once a week," Overman says. "We meet with state senators and talk to them about increasing the community college budget, among other things. I stay pretty busy."

Overman said her current duties will help prepare her for a possible run for state political office in the future. Currently enrolled in both Dental Assisting and Medical Assisting Technology at ACC, she plans to transfer to Lenoir-Rhyne College and major in political science.

Nineteen young men have been participating this year in the Minority Male Mentoring program. Financed with $30,000 through a grant from the N.C. Community College System, it strives to promote academic success and retention of male minority students through support that encourages academic excellence, self-esteem, and personal growth.

"The bottom line is to get students interested in school, monitor their progress, and help them through to graduation," says Reggie Turner, Director of Special Programs in Continuing Education. "I want them to know it's okay to ask for help."

This year's program has shown success. "Many of these students' instructors have reported dramatic improvement in the men's class attendance and performance," says Turner.

Each student has individual mentoring sessions with Turner every other week. During these sessions, Turner and the student develop realistic but "stretch" goals, including increasing the number of hours he has committed each week to studying.

"It keeps you on the right track," says participant Orlando Maynard, a university transfer student. "It becomes a team effort with the other guys, helping each other out. Mr. Turner is always in my ear, helping me with financial aid information, making sure I go talk with my advisors. Mr. Turner has made the difference."

During the week the students do not meet with Turner, but touch base with him via e-mail or a phone call. The students are required to attend several group activities to help strengthen their interpersonal skills and become more comfortable bonding and sharing with other minority males.

"Before I started with this program, I was losing focus. I wouldn't put my whole heart into class," explains participant Branden Perry, enrolled in Criminal Justice Technology. "Mr. Turner helped me regain my focus. The program holds you to a higher standard. It creates a camaraderie."

Ten of the students attended the Minority Male Mentoring State Conference in Durham in early April, including both Maynard and Perry.

"The speakers were good because they were guys that had similar backgrounds as us," says Maynard. "Some had been through worst situations in life, so they showed that it's possible to be successful."

Turner  has been assisted in the program by two coordinators: student Shawn Royster, who was active in the mentoring program last year, and Jauron Holman, who works in the assessment center. Criminal Justice Instructor Rodney Ellis also mentored and facilitated several of the workshop sessions.

"One of the main things I've gotten from the program is knowing someone is concerned about my well-being," says Perry.

A dinner meeting hosted by Alamance Community College President Dr. Martin Nadelman on April 3 brought together members of the Alamance County Board of Commissioners, Alamance-Burlington Board of Education, and the ACC Board of Trustees to showcase the successful partnership between ACC and Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS).

"Between our two institutions, we are now serving more than 34,000 Alamance County residents or about one quarter of the total county population," said Dr. Nadelman. "We are producing a better educated populace, which in turn can earn greater salaries, thus providing a higher standard of living and a great quality of life for all in our community."

Dr Randy Bridges, ABSS Superintendent, spoke about the importance of communication and relationships between the schools and business, and how to build both, to ensure a world-class education system that is vital for a thriving community. Also providing an ABSS perspective was Lillie Cox, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.

Dr. Nadelman said he and Dr. Bridges know the public will be more supportive of both ACC and ABSS when it sees they are trying to maximize tax dollars by ensuring there is no duplication of educational offerings. He added that county commissioners should appreciate that each body is trying "to educate Alamance County citizens economically using resources fruitfully."

Dr. Janyth Fredrickson, ACC Executive Vice President, spoke about the venues the College uses to provide professional development for teachers locally. Adam Self, Machining Technology Department Head, explained ways in which a $100,000 grant from WIRED will help educate ABSS students in the realities of modern machine technology.

County Commissioners present included Larry W. Sharpe, Chair; Dan Ingle, Vice Chair; and Ann Vaughan. ABSS board members included Jackie Cole, Brad Evans, Gayle Gunn, Mary Alice Hinshaw, Vice Chair; Steve Van Pelt, and Tom Manning, Chair, who offered closing remarks on the program.

Bill Woodruff, Department Head and instructor in Alamance Community College's Biotechnology program, has been named "Educator of the Year" by the N.C. Community College System (NCCCS) BioNetwork.

The award was presented on April 9 at Forsyth Technical Community College during the annual BioForum state conference. It was presented to Woodruff "for extraordinary success in Biotechnology training and education."

"I was flabbergasted," said Woodruff. "You just try to do good work and never think about winning awards. So this was a nice surprise."

Through Woodruff's initiative, ACC's Biotechnolgy curriculum stands proudly at the forefront of other similar programs in the state. In 1985, ACC became the first North Carolina community college to offer a two-year associate's degree in this advancing science, and is one of only a handful of two-year institutions that offer biotechnology in the nation.

"Among North Carolina community colleges, Bill is Mr. Biotechnology," commented Dr. Janyth Fredrickson, ACC Executive Vice President. "Not only has he developed an outstanding program here, he has helped colleges across the state develop their biotechnology programs."

"I can think of no one more tied into their program than Bill Woodruff," said ACC President Dr. Martin Nadelman. "For twenty years, Bill has been at the forefront of state and national community college biotech program development and innovation. It is a pleasure to see him recognized for his lifetime of giving to the profession."

Woodruff has been with ACC's Biotechnology program almost from the beginning, serving as department head and instructor since 1987. Woodruff began his education at North County Community College in his native New York, earning an Associate in Applied Science in Laboratory Techniques. Later he earned a B.A. in biology from State University of New York, a M.A. Ed. in Adult Education Distance Learning from the University of Phoenix, and has additional studies at Wake Forest University.

ACC's Biotechnology program has graduated more than 180 students, nearly all of whom have found careers with such employers as LabCorp and several located in Research Triangle Park (RTP).

Woodruff downplays his own importance, but it is no accident that he is the Southeastern Regional Director for Bio-Link, whose mission is to improve and support two-year biotechnology education.

The program's importance necessitated a move in fall 2007 to the Powell Biotechnology/Allied Health Building which gave Biotechnoogy the entire third floor. One needs only examine the growth in enrollment over the past few years to justify the expansion: 24 students in 2002 to 49 in 2004 to 74 in 2007.

"Biotechnology really involves helping out our world," says Woodruff. "It's really about using living organisms to solve human problems. Most people probably don't realize that human insulin is a biotechnology medicine, using bacteria with a human gene to make it. That's why it is so important that we keep our program constantly updated to give our students a real workplace environment in which to learn."

ACC's Horticulture Technology students came away with honors at the annual Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) Student Career Days held at North Metro Technical College in Atlanta, Georgia.

The annual event, held March 24-30, gives the students an opportunity to attend student workshops, attend a career fair representing more than 100 companies, and pit their skills against other students in 27 horticulture competition events.

This year's PLANET event was attended by 67 universities and community colleges and brought more than 970 students from across the country, according to ACC Horticulture Technology Department Head Justin Snyder.

ACC's team finished in 16th place out of the 67 attending schools and fifth place among the 22 community colleges attending. Student Nathan Roach was ACC's high individual scorer, finishing 10th place overall and, for the second consecutive year, was high scorer from the state of North Carolina.

Other individual honors for ACC students included Deborah Cornell, who finished fourth in the Safety Management Event; and Justin Minter, a dual enrollment student, who attended with Southern Alamance High School and won the Future Farmers of America (FFA) portion of the Woody Plant Identification Event.

"We had other students place in the top fifteen of their individual events," added Snyder, "which is quite an accomplishment as most events had 90-plus students competing. This year we set our own bar a little higher finishing with our highest point total ever, more than 350 points higher than last year."

Alamance Community College has announced its faculty and adjunct instructors of the year. Named the 2007-08 W. Ronald McCarter Employee Excellence winners are John Neathery, full-time instructor in sociology, and Judy Nunn-Snipes, an adjunct business administration and marketing instructor.

The College faculty voted from nominees for full-time faculty and adjunct honors. Each winner will receive a cash award from the ACC Foundation and a plaque. Additionally, Neathery will serve as the College's nominee for the state's Excellence in Teaching Award and the CCB Gold Star awards program this fall.

Other faculty nominated for the awards were Betsy Adams, Alex Bailey, Rodney Ellis, Ray Harclerode, and Tom Lucier; finalists were Perry Hardison and Sara Davis. Adjunct faculty finalists were Michael Sileno and Alan "Bud" Cato.

John Neathery has taught at the College since 2003. An instructor since 1997, he graduated with honors from Appalachian State University where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in sociology. He also earned an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) post-graduate degree in Higher Education Teaching, with a concentration in Criminal Justice.

"John's students have great stories to tell about him," says nominator Alexandra DeSiato, an ACC English instructor. "When he teaches the concept of social deviance, John shows up in a Darth Maul mask [from Star Wars]. It captures the students' attention and brings home his lesson on deviance. John makes difficult concepts easier to understand."

A student told DeSiato, "He really seems to love teaching his class and being with the students. He never appears intimidated or distrustful of his students. He is always passionate about what he talks about. He's just a great teacher."

Neathery says he uses a variety of activities to stimulate the learning environment inside his classroom. In addition to donning a Star Wars mask, these include using music to introduce various sociological concepts, teaching from the back of the room, and playing games with sociological themes.

"My commitment to my students inspires me to create an enjoyable, exciting, and stimulating learning environment in which students have the opportunity to express themselves freely and actively participate in their own educational experience," says Neathery.

Judy Nunn-Snipes has been teaching at ACC since 1988, but as an adjunct instructor since 2003 following her retirement from full-time teaching duties. Previously she served as Coordinator of Marketing and Retailing Business Administration. At UNC Greensboro, she earned a Bachelor of Science in home economics, clothing/fashion merchandising, and a Master of Education in clothing and textiles.

"Judy always shows a devotion to her students, to our college, and to our profession simply because she loves what she does," wrote one nominator Otha Hawkins, Department Head of Industrial Management Technology.

One graduate, now working as a special events manager, wrote, "I can't begin to fully explain the impact you made on me--wonderful spirit, patient educator, glowing personality, and an overall compassion for all those around you."

"I take pride in establishing good rapport with my students as professional salespeople do," says Nunn-Snipes about her teaching style. "In the classroom, I try to allow my students to realize their talents first, gaining the confidence needed to pursue their dreams."

ACC adjunct English Instructor Julie Trotter won the Nell Ann Pickett Adjunct Presenter Award for an innovative teaching proposal she developed. The award was presented by the Two-Year College English Association--Southeast.

As winner, Trotter received a $550 stipend to attend the regional conference in Louisville, Kentucky last month where she presented her winning program, "The Science and Sport of Teaching English."

"I thought if I'm going to the conference anyway, why not give it a shot?" explained Trotter. "Maybe something I'm doing in class already will help other teachers."

Trotter explained her teaching proposal this way, "Science labs and athletic teams build tightly-knit, motivated, and skilled groups to accomplish long-term goals. I used the same approach in my English expository writing classes that allow students to develop confidence, staying power, and composition skills to become better writers."

Teaching was not Trotter's first career. After earning a degree from UNC in psychology and physical education, she worked for several non-profit organizations, gaining experience in event management. Enrolling at N.C. State University, she earned a Master of Liberal Studies in English and Humanities, combining two loves which she has been teaching part-time at ACC for two years.

Trotter's teaching style, as presented in her winning proposal, entails a variety of elements. She administers cooperative games and exercises throughout the semester to help foster camaraderie among her students. Split into small research groups, students perform peer reviews of one another's assigned writing compositions.

"I make sure they understand that peer review is about the paper, not about them personally," says Trotter. "When they realize that, they relax a bit. Hopefully a shy person within a group will feel comfortable because the groups are small, making it easier to trust the other members when they critique your writing."

At the beginning of each semester, Trotter asks students to write their dislikes about past classes on the blackboard. Usually these end up being about a teacher's personality or teaching style, but then Trotter gets her turn by listing what she dislikes about student class behavior.

"It serves as a communication tool between us," she says, "and gets them to take ownership of the classroom."

Another classroom exercise, which Trotter demonstrated at the conference through participation of English teachers, is having students write down their individual writing processes on a large sheet of paper posted in the classroom. During the semester, students add newly developed writing processes to the list. Further, they will adopt the processes of classmates as these are added.

"It becomes a visual thing for them to see," says Trotter. "They learn that they can take these new writing tools with them to other classes. All these exercises are directly related to the way teams work together in science labs and on the athletic field."

Students from five Alamance County high schools were guided through the College's Machining Technology program on March 18 as part of a new grant to promote machining as a career option.

The Duke Energy-financed Wired Talent Development Grant provides funding for initiatives to attract a new generation of students in Machining Technology. The project is in partnership with the Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS), JobLink, the Alamance County Area Chamber of Commerce and five major industries in the area including Sandvik, GKN, Honda, ECI, and P&S Machines.

"A major push of this project will be to change the inaccurate image of machining to the reality of today's machining careers that are computer-driven with good salaries and benefits," commented Wally Shearin, Associate Dean for ACC's Industrial and Graphics Technologies division.

The high school students rotated in three groups and heard local machining industry spokespersons tell about "Life and Opportunity in Machining"; College personnel informed them about "Getting Started at ACC"; and Department Head Adam Self and instructors showed the nuts and bolts of the curriculum in the Machining Technology lab for "Inside Machining Technology."

Two Alamance Community College students have been accepted into a highly competitive degree program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Kristi Janey, 21, and Sarah Petty, 26, were named to two of seven slots available in the first round for the Bachelor of Science Radiologic Science program at UNC. Only 12 slots total are available each year. Two more rounds will choose five additional students.

Radiology is the specialty that deals with medical imaging technologies to diagnose and sometimes treat diseases. Upon graduation from UNC, Petty and Janey will become certified as Radiologic Technologists, allowing them to handle an array of imaging technologies, such as ultra-sound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Careers in this field are estimated to start at about $40,000 per year.

A graduate of Alamance Christian School, Kristi Janey was uncertain about where to attend college before opting to enroll at ACC as a university transfer student.

"I became interested in radiology because I have a friend who works at UNC hospital in that field," she says. "I've always liked to look at bones and see the complexity and how they all work. I'm most interested in how to position the arms and legs just right for the scans."

A resident of Chapel Hill, Sarah Petty was valedictorian of her six-member senior class from a Pittsboro charter school. She first attended Durham Technical Community College and studied the paralegal profession, but soon left and went to work. But college remained on her mind.

"I had a friend who was enrolled in ACC's culinary program and talked a lot about what a good school it was," says Petty. "So I came here with my mind set only on earning an associate in arts degree. I also had a friend in radiology who had gone to Duke and that got me interested in the field. Radiology could let me do a little bit of everything in the health field."

Even though both Janey and Petty were classmates in Instructor Dan Timmons' physics class at ACC, they were not well acquainted until they discovered each had applied to UNC's radiology program. With only a dozen slots open, were either of them intimidated when applying?

"Yes," they say in unison, laughing. But as Janey explains, "We both wanted to apply for this first round of seven slots. If we didn't make it, at least our names would be rotated to the next rounds for consideration. But fortunately, we got in first thing."

The application process consisted of both an oral interview and a written exam; both women agree the written test was much more difficult.

"Going in, you have no idea what the questions will be," explains Janey. "You're set down in front of an unfamiliar computer to answer questions about time management and what media-reported health issues are most important to you."

Notification of their acceptance or denial was sent via e-mail and both say it was agony waiting.

"I kept checking my e-mail, even at night," Petty says. "I couldn't stand it."

As they waited for the results, they would catch one another's eye in Timmons' class each day. "We'd kind of 'sign' to one another, 'Did you find out yet?' and we'd be trying to figure out what the other was saying," recalls Janey. "When we found out both of us had made it, we couldn't keep quiet about it."

UNC subsequently informed them that a higher number of applicants vied for these slots than usual, although they don't know the exact number. Radiology is considered a highly competitive field.

Both Janey and Petty say they are very glad they decided to come to a small college like ACC first. Petty says being at ACC helped keep her GPA up, very important when applying to a four-year university and particularly to a specialized program such as this.

"I came from a very small private high school," says Janey. "I know coming to ACC helped in my transition from there and now going to a large university like UNC. I'm older now and more prepared."

"I knew that taking the prerequisite sciences in big classes of 300 people would have been awful," says Petty. "I really have liked the special attention here. It's helped get me ready for the university setting."

According to the Web site of the U.S. Dept. of Labor, the radiology profession currently is experiencing more job openings than radiographers to fill the positions. This bright job outlook spreads nationwide and for the next decade.

Chuck Loy and Shawn Royster, both non-traditional students at Alamance Community College, have been selected as the College's honorees to receive the N.C. Community College System Academic Excellence Awards for 2008. They join student recipients from the state's other 58 community colleges who have been similarly honored based on GPA and faculty recommendation.

Loy and Royster will accompany ACC President Dr. Martin H. Nadelman to the N.C. Community College System Academic Excellence Awards Luncheon in Raleigh in April.

Chuck Loy, 47, is a second-year student in the Medical Laboratory Technology program. He is currently completing the second-year modules at Laboratory Corporation of American, Inc. (LabCorp) and begins his 16-week clinical rotation this month. Chuck came to ACC seeking a new career path after the upholstery business where he worked for 20 years closed.

"Chuck is eager to learn and puts forth the effort to fully understand each concept or skill he's taught in the classroom and lab," commented nominator Pam Hall, MLT Department Head. "His high level of professionalism and dedication make him an outstanding student and will make him an excellent medical laboratory technician."

"I'd like to work at one of the hospitals, or in a clinic setting," says Loy. "I have often entertained the thought of teaching, as well."

Shawn Royster, 36, is a university transfer student. This year's recipient of the Jean Slaughter Memorial Scholarship, Shawn is a student ambassador and serves as student coordinator of the Minority Male Mentoring Program on campus. Shawn enrolled at ACC in 2005 and plans to transfer to UNC in the fall and pursue a degree in the allied health field. Shawn says he chose ACC because of the College's strong support of non-traditional students. Married and the father of two children, Shawn is interested in nutrition and fitness.

"I hope to continue my work mentoring others who are interested in pursuing the allied health field," he says. "I find fulfillment in giving back to a community that has given me so much."

Caroline Scharlock, Natural Sciences Department Head, participated as a panelist on January 22, at N.C. State University at the invitation of the UNC Chapel Hill graduate division.

Scharlock joined fellow academics from N.C. State University and N.C. A&T State University to talk to future faculty about teaching options at different types of institutions. Graduate students in biology, chemistry, and engineering posed questions of the panelists to gain insight into career options in academia. Topics discussed included interviewing and the hiring process, tenure and advancement, teaching loads, student demographics, and non-teaching job responsibilities.

The event, held at Talley Student Center at N.C. State University, was sponsored by Melissa Bostrom, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Teaching Prog