2015 Winter/Spring A-B Tech Education Journal | Volume 3 | Issue 1

Education A-B Tech

Journal

Winter/Spring 2015

Advanced Manufacturing needs skilled employees New Programs announced for Fall 2015 Electric vehicle charging station opens on A-B Tech campus

Education

A-B Tech Education Journal is published by the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Office of Community Relations & Marketing.

A-B Tech

Journal

Publisher Dennis King, Ed.D. Managing Editor Kerri Glover

Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Winter/Spring 2015

4 New Programs Six new programs from aviation to environmental engineering will begin this fall

5 Faculty Spotlight R.J. Corman, Dean of Business and Hospitality Education, will lead the new Aviation program

6 Stand Against Racism Event featured solutions to end institutional racism

Writer Martha Ball Design & Photography Lisa Alford Kyle Levitan Jennifer Moran Josh Weaver

Board of Trustees Chair Joe Brumit

7 Advanced Manufacturing Manufacturing companies in WNC need an education workforce

9 Cindy Messer Meet the coordinator for the new RAMP program

9 RAMP Grant A-B Tech receives state grant to promote advanced manufacturing careers

10 Electric Vehicle Charging Station Station opens at A-B Tech featuring a DC Quick Charger

11 Art Exhibition A-B Tech student art exhibits held at the Satellite Gallery

12 Dallas Herring Award Student Stella Gaylean wins prestigious award

12 New Century Scholar Paulette Gardner is awarded national Coca-Cola scholarship

13 SGA President Brandon Priester found his home at A-B Tech after a rough start in high school

13 Small Business Center The statewide network celebrates 30 years

Vice Chair Ray Spells Wayne Brigman Mike Fryar William A. Hart Jr. Richard B. Hurley Don C. Locke, Ph.D. Kaye A. Myers John Parham Jr., MD. Frances L. Ramsey Mary Ann Rice Nathan Ramsey Mandy Stone David Wyatt Student Government Association President Brandon Priester

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.

Equal Opportunity Educational Institution

14 News Briefs

15 Calendar of Events

Cover photo credit: Stewart O’Shields

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All rights reserved. No parts of the material printed may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system without the permission of the publisher.

128,500 copies printed at a cost of .17 cents each.

4 New Programs for Fall 2015

6 Stand Against Racism Event

10 Electric Vehicle Charging Station

A Message from the President It is hard to believe we’re coming to the end of another school year.

With commencement scheduled for Saturday, May 16, we are already looking ahead and planning for Fall 2015 – and it’s going to be an exciting year!

I’d like to begin by congratulating our 2014-15 graduates. Teaching students and preparing them for careers and/or more education is A-B Tech’s core mission and the reason we choose to work in higher education. Commencement is the culmination of our Dennis King, Ed.D. students’ hard work and dedication, as well as a critical step toward fulfilling their dreams. It is the highlight of our year as we come together with our graduates’ friends and families to celebrate their success.

Among students receiving degrees this year are 18 students in the first graduating class of our Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation two-year degree program, the curriculum component of our Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast.

Additionally, we’re proud to say they are the first graduates of any two-year degree program in the United States. These students were our pioneers and helped develop the program, along with our partners in the Asheville brewing community.

We are grateful to them all for helping us build a fine program.

Science AAS; Environmental Engineering AAS; Associate in Engineering; HVAC AAS; and Cardiovascular Sonography Certificate.

We also have hired a full-time director to develop a new Occupational Therapy Assistant degree program and oversee its accreditation.

In conclusion, I must be candid about the budgetary challenges facing A-B Tech and all community colleges in North Carolina as demand accelerates and funding from state and local resources declines. We will have to make some difficult decisions this year, but I am satisfied that we are going to be able to maintain the quality of our core mission as we look for ways to save money and balance our budget. Teaching and serving the needs of our community will always remain our top priorities.

Dennis King, Ed.D. President

VISION

Locally Committed, Regionally Dynamic, World-Class Focused

Next year is shaping up to be a historic one for A-B Tech as we open critical new facilities and programs. Barring any unforeseen construction delays, our new Ferguson Allied Health Building and a soon-to-be-named multipurpose building with an 800-seat auditorium will open by January 2016. We’re grateful to Buncombe County for its stewardship of these much-needed additions to our main campus.

MISSION

We also have a number of exciting new programs that will begin next fall. They include: Aviation AAS; Health and Fitness

Excellence, Learning Supportive Environment, Innovation, Inclusiveness, Continuous Improvement

A-B Tech inspires, nurtures and empowers students and the community toward a better quality of life through progressive teaching, bold innovation and support collaboration.

VALUES

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New Programs Available for Students Starting in the Fall American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers for examinations in physics, cardiovascular physics, vascular physics, and adult echocardiography.

Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology is now offering an associate degree in HVAC. The curriculum provides the basic knowledge to develop skills necessary to work with residential and light commercial systems.

The diploma program, which A-B Tech had in placed, covers air conditioning, furnaces, heat pumps, tools Health and Fitness Science is one of six new degree programs starting at A-B Tech in the fall. and instruments. In addition, the associate degree will cover residential building codes, residential new system sizing, and advanced comfort systems.

A-B Tech Community College has six associate degree programs slated to start in the fall, including the region’s first aviation program.

Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology started early registration in March with a kick-off event that was well attended at WNC Aviation adjacent to the Asheville Regional Airport. The program prepares individuals for a variety of aviation and aviation-related careers including the commercial airlines, general aviation, the aerospace industry, the military, and state and federal aviation organizations.

There will also be three certificates offered for Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot and Private Pilot.

The Health and Fitness Science program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in the fitness and exercise industry. Students will be trained in exercise science and be able to administer basic fitness tests and health risk appraisals, teach specific exercise and fitness classes and provide instruction in the proper use of exercise equipment and facilities.

The Cardiovascular Sonography curriculum teaches the knowledge and skills necessary to acquire, process, and evaluate the human heart and vascular structures. A cardiovascular sonographer uses high frequency sound waves to produce images of the heart and vascular structures. Graduates may be eligible to apply to the

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The Associate in Engineering degree is a college trans¬fer program designed to provide the required general education and prerequisite courses that are accept-able to all state funded Bachelor of Engineering pro¬grams. Students who follow the degree progression plan will meet the entrance requirements at all of the North Carolina public Bachelor of Science Engineering programs.

The Environmental Engineering Technology curriculum will teach students to use mathematical and scientific principles to modify, test, and operate equipment and devices used in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental problems and development of environmental remediation devices. “It’s green technology and very important for clean water and clear air. Students will learn the proper way to clean if something happens. The ideal student is someone with a quantitative mindset and math and science,” said Engineering Technology Chair Jim Sullivan.

All new programs are pending final approval by the NC Community College System and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Registration for current and returning students is open.

New students may register starting July 6 for the fall 2015 semester. For more information, visit abtech.edu/ register2015 or call 398-7900.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Richard “R.J.” Corman Launching New Aviation Program Richard “R.J.” Corman was introduced to flying at an early age, growing up with a father who flew helicopters, but he didn’t always want to be a pilot. Instead, he chose to go a different route after graduating from high school.

“I joined the Air Force right out of high school. I guarded the planes sometimes, but I never had an interest in flying in one,” he said.

Still unsure about his future after serving four years in the Air Force, Corman looked to Aviation as a possibility and began flight training. He attended Lenoir Community College (LCC) in Kinston, NC, where he earned his Associate in Applied Science degree in Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology.

While at LCC, Corman earned his private pilot, instrument rating, and commercial pilot licenses. After completing his time at LCC, Corman earned FAA Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFI-I) and became a flight instructor at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) while earning a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace.

“I came up through a similar system that any A-B Tech student would do,” Corman said. “I started at LCC, transferred to MTSU and got my BS in Aerospace. I went through the same training A-B Tech students will go through.”

Upon completing his Bachelor’s degree, Corman worked as a full-time flight instructor at WNC Aviation at the Asheville Regional Airport. Corman also held positions at Piedmont Airlines, a US Airways subsidiary, and at LCC as the Program Chair of Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology for three years, then as the Associate Dean of Business, Industry, and Emerging Technologies before joining the A-B Tech community in 2013.

Currently, Corman is the Dean of Business and Hospitality Education where he is always looking to increase and improve the program.

“I hope to expand our foothold in the technology field,” Corman said. “There are a lot of opportunities for training people in computer technology. But I also aim to expand in the business side, with finance and global logistics; keeping up with the beer industry and the medical office field, which are both rapidly growing in our area.”

Recently, Corman added two new titles to his belt. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and in February 2015, was named Chairperson of the Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology program.

“At the end of the program, students will be FAA certified to be licenses pilots. They can either transfer to a four-year college, or start flying privately and commercially,” Corman said.

Beginning Fall 2015, Corman will launch and be the primary instructor in the new Aviation Management and Career Pilot Technology program at A-B Tech.

“Students will study both sides of the program,” Corman said.

“Once completed, they will be able to gain employment in either field.”

Aviation Management will prepare students for any job in the business field specific to the aviation industry; consulting, finance accounting supervisors, airport management. Career Pilot Technology focuses solely on flying.

“At the end of the program, students will be FAA certified to be licenses pilots. They can either transfer to a four-year college, or start flying privately and commercially,” Corman said.

Corman’s passion for aviation and excitement for success sets a sturdy foundation, not only for the new Aviation program, but also the entire Business and Hospitality Education department.

To learn more, visit abtech.edu/aviation.

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Stand Against Racism Community-Wide Event Held at A-B Tech A-B Tech Community College and the YWCA of Asheville partnered to bring the Stand Against Racism event to the college March 26. Jacquelyn Hallum, Director of Health Careers and Diversity Education at the Mountain Area Health Education Center, was the keynote speaker.

Jacquelyn Hallum

Asheville Police Department

The community-wide event was part of the national YWCA Stand Against Racism campaign, which is designed to build community among those who work for racial justice and to raise awareness about the negative impact of institutional and structural racism. This was the seventh year it has been held in Asheville.

Hallum offered guidelines for overcoming institutional racism. “As an organization, you need to continuously every day take a stand, not in March or not in April but every day let it be weaved into the fabrics and the threads of your organization’s existence. Continue to create and heighten awareness about institutional racism. Systemically, it has been there and it is a disease and it has to be treated. You have to have therapy and if that doesn’t work you try something else until it is eradicated. Because if your organization is not healthy, things happen to the people who are most oppressed. It’s an ongoing process,” she said.

Following Hallum’s address, a panel discussed the history of racism in Asheville and a second panel on how employers in the region are recognizing and addressing organizational racism.

PANEL ONE FEATURED: • D r. Darin Waters, UNC Asheville History Department Housing and how it relates to employment in the Asheville community • O ralene Simmons, MLK Association Her personal experience growing up in Madison County, being a member of ASCORE, working for the City of Asheville, and being the first African American woman at Mars Hill University • B eth Mazcka, YWCA How the YW played a role in helping to desegregate Asheville 6 abtech.edu | A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal

Darryl Rhymes

• S haron West, YMI Cultural Center and the VA Hospital Medical disparities within Asheville THE SECOND PANEL FEATURED: • L isa Eby, Buncombe County Health and Human Services What Buncombe County is doing to address institutional racism through employment and services • S heila Meadows, WNC Diversity Engagement Coalition How the 6 largest employers in Buncombe County have come together to provide training and networking to support people of color through gaining employment, retention, promotion and community • S heriff Van Duncan, Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department How the Sheriff’s Office is addressing institutional racism through employment and training of officers • J ames Lee, Racial Justice Coalition How organizations that have a mission or program of racial justice have come together to speak against injustice, provide education on citizen rights and build relationships between community members and law enforcement Darryl Rhymes, Employment Coordinator and Special Assistant to the President for Inclusion for A-B Tech, was also on the second panel to discuss what the college is doing to address institutional racism through employment. His position was recently created to facilitate the planning and implementation of college-wide recruitment activities that are focused on meeting and exceeding the college goals for achieving a diverse workforce.

Annie Burton, Executive Director of School and Community Engagement at UNC Asheville, served as moderator for the panels. Members of the Racial Justice Coalition had displays available for public viewing during the entire event.

Advanced Manufacturing Center at A-B Tech Works to Dispel Myths One of the more difficult issues facing advanced manufacturers in the region is finding well-qualified trained employees. The shortfall comes from the belief that manufacturing is dead in Western North Carolina and any work available is dirty, repetitive and low-paying.

The truth is there are more than 600,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States that go unfilled because the employers can’t find qualified workers, according to a study by the Manufacturing Institute.

“Every day we have an employer calling us looking for students ready to enter the workforce to fill the demand,” said Vernon Daugherty, Dean of Engineering and Applied Technology at A-B Tech.

In 2013, the manufacturing industry in North Carolina accounted for 11.1 percent of total employment in the state, higher than the national total of nine percent. Those jobs have an average, annual salary of $54,000 in North Carolina, according to the state Department of Commerce.

Advanced Superabrasives in Mars Hill manufactures resinbonded diamond and cubic boron nitride grinding wheels.

The work requires precision and the ability to use CNC controlled equipment. Jonathan Szucs, General Manager, is an A-B Tech graduate and hires A-B Tech graduates in his facility.

“Yesterday’s idea or understanding of an employee being a laborer on an assembly line for forty years with little chance for advancement are gone. Advanced manufacturing facilities are clean, safe, and environmentally friendly. Positions demand individuals possessing skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said Alan Burnette, Human Resources Manager for Baldor Electric Company.

“I know A-B Tech gives its students the hands-on training they need to understand how the process works inside an advanced manufacturing facility. I have seen what is taught at other schools and while the theory and textbook information are important, it doesn’t compare to real-world experience,” Szucs said.

A-B Tech has created programs and an Advanced Manufacturing Center to help train potential employees and prepare them for jobs waiting to be filled. The Center is located on the Asheville campus in the former Maple Building.

Brian Jones graduated with his Mechanical Engineering Technology degree from A-B Tech and now works for Szucs. “I was intent on transferring to a four-year college. Once I got into the field, I realized I could get the experience without having to get my bachelor’s,” he said.

“Our manufacturing industry partners told us that demand for advanced manufacturing technicians was reaching the critical mark. And, that this was fueled by their increasing dependence on automated and mechanized equipment,” said Dennis King, A-B Tech’s president. “They have to keep this equipment up and running 24/7. We knew we had to respond quickly to help create workforce capacity.”

He enjoys his job because he gets to see and use the latest technology and each day brings a new challenge. “I get to do everything. I had a customer with an issue in Italy and I got to troubleshoot across the ocean,” Jones said. In addition to having customers all over the world, Advanced Superabrasives has opened a facility in Hong Kong.

“In response to that, the college worked with Duke Energy Foundation to secure $499,614 in grant funding,” King said.

With this funding, A-B Tech will be adding mills, lathes, soldering stations and microscopes, industrial control systems trainers, hydraulic/pneumatic A-frame trainers, a flexible manufacturing system, a pumps training system, a mechanical training system, and specialty process logic control (PLC) trainers.

“North Carolina’s future depends on a workforce that can support and advance emerging industries,” said Mike Hughes, Duke Energy vice president, community relations. “ We’re proud to partner with A-B Tech and its Advanced Manufacturing Center as it prepares our next generation workforce for success.”

Employees at Advanced SuperAbrasives build a machine to sharpen their grinding wheels.

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A-B Tech has a number of Advanced Manufacturing college degree pathways, credential and short-term training options, some of which students can begin in high school. Students can discover the world of robotics, electronics, computers, mathematics, and engineering through these programs.

“A-B Tech is showing its commitment to short-term training in advanced manufacturing to better serve local business and industry and the local workforce. We are focusing on several sectors important to local industry such as machining, CNC operations, engineering design, electrical components and assembly, composites, industrial systems and maintenance, automation and robotics, mechatronics,” said Kevin Kimrey, Director of Economic and Workforce Development.

For more information, visit abtech.edu or call 398-7900.

Jonathan Szucs, General Manager at Advanced SuperAbrasives, in the company’s Hong Kong facility.

STAFF PROFILE

Messer Tapped to Lead RAMP PROGRAM AT A-B TECH Cindy Messer’s extensive knowledge and experience in manufacturing technology makes her the perfect leader of the new Raising Awareness of Manufacturing Possibilities (RAMP) program at A-B Tech.

Messer is a native of Western North Carolina, residing in Waynesville. While working

After several years with Haywood County, Messer was eventually promoted to Western Regional Manager of the N.C. Department of Commerce. Messer was in charge of recruiting new businesses and industries to 23 counties in the western region and assisting with existing business expansions.

“I really found my niche in economic and community development that created high quality workforce opportunities,” Messer said. “I enjoyed recruiting manufacturing companies, and being part of creating jobs that are nontraditional and more advanced.”

Messer joined A-B Tech as the RAMP Coordinator where she will looks for ways to expand the Advanced Manufacturing program by introducing the technology to high school students and helping them access career pathways that lead to careers.

“I’m excited about helping students access career pathways through A-B Tech and become successful beyond high school, while building a solid pipeline of skilled workers for area manufacturers,” Messer said. towards her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health at Western Carolina University, Messer was working as the Assistant Public Works Director for the Town of Waynesville.

‘This position allows me to use knowledge and experience that I gained working with manufacturing companies and focus on increasing the awareness of high performance and high paying workforce opportunities for high school students,” Messer said. “I want to show them that it is a flexible, easily accessible and streamlined approach to accelerate higher education and progress towards gainful employment.”

“Our students will leave our program adequately equipped with the skills to enter the local workforce immediately and be extremely marketable at an earlier age, or have the opportunity to enter a university earlier,” Messer said.

Messer’s experience in advanced manufacturing and workforce development allows her to reach out to potential students in a way that will open their eyes to an opportunity that they may not have considered.

A-B Tech Receives Grant

TO PROMOTE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING A-B Tech Community College has received a $70,000 two-year grant from the North Carolina Community College System through its NCWorks Career Pathways Program to support the Raising Awareness of Manufacturing Possibilities (RAMP) initiative.

Funds are being used to create career pathways for high school students to raise the technical skills level of American workers. This is a community-wide effort to create opportunities for people to get the training they need to be able to fill well-paying jobs in manufacturing.

“Over time individuals form opinions of what manufacturing is and what the jobs consist of. Today’s manufacturing is evolving rapidly with the development of new technologies that change the way we do business. Technical training is a key starting point for entry level employment and those that develop and expand their skills become very desirable for the next level promotions and career advancement.” said Alan Burnette, Human Resources Manager for Baldor Electric Company.

“A-B Tech is committed to working with local employers, education partners, and the workforce development board to develop and implement strategies to meet this need,” said Cindy Messer, RAMP Coordinator. “It is imperative that we help students realize the career possibilities that are available in high-tech, high-paying advanced manufacturing fields.”

The RAMP program is sponsored by A-B Tech Community College, Asheville City Schools, Buncombe County Schools, Madison County Schools, the Land-of Sky Regional Council and a number of advanced manufacturers.

Classes taken while in high school are tuition-free. All participants in the program have the opportunity to pursue internships and other work experiences that will allow them to jump right into the advanced manufacturing industry.

To learn more, contact Messer at (828) 398-7838 or cindymmesser@abtech.edu.

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A-B Tech opens Electric Vehicle Charging Station A-B Tech President Dennis King, left, watches Daniel Stokoe, Clinical Coordinator/Surgical Technology Instructor, charge his electric vehicle.

A-B Tech Community College has installed a new electric vehicle charging station featuring one of Western North Carolina’s first public access DC Quick Chargers. The station was funded by a $27,000 grant from Nissan USA Corporation.

The Quick Charger can charge a vehicle to 80% in 30 minutes or less. The college also purchased two Level II chargers that can charge within four to eight hours. The Quick Charger and Level II chargers were made locally by the Eaton Corporation facility in Arden.

The station is located in the parking lot nearest to the Meadow Road entrance to A-B Tech’s Asheville campus and will be available for public use. The college will only charge cost recovery for the units and will run it as a not-for-profit system.

“A-B Tech works with business, economic developers, nonprofits, and government officials to contribute to the sustainability of Western North Carolina by striving for fiscal stewardship, environmental consciousness and social responsibility,” said A-B Tech President Dennis F. King. “These electric vehicle charging units are an example of this important work in action.

“We are grateful to have had so many dedicated partners helping to make this project a reality, including Nissan USA, Eaton Corporation, Duke Energy, and the Clean Vehicles Coalition.”

Bill Eaker, Coordinator of the Land of Sky Clean Vehicles Coalition in Asheville, said the Coalition and its Electric 10 abtech.edu | A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal

Vehicles Committee have been working for about four years to get the Asheville Metropolitan Area ready for the roll out of the plug in electric vehicles (PEVs). PEVs include all-electric vehicles like the Nissan LEAF and Ford Focus and the plug-in gas-electric hybrids such as the Chevy Volt and Ford Fusion.

The Coalition developed an Asheville Area Electric Vehicles Plan in 2013 and participated in the development of a Statewide PEV Roadmap.

“The main goals of these plans include increasing public awareness of the benefits of electric drive vehicles and the development of a network of public access charging stations to help make drivers comfortable with purchasing these vehicles. As of mid-2014 there were more than 200 PEVs in the region and over 3,400 registered in NC and the numbers are growing at a fast rate,” Eaker said.

Eaker said most charging is done at home overnight, but that over the past four years local partners have installed more than 80 public and workplace charging stations at over 36 locations in the metro area. “Most charging stations are in Buncombe County so the Coalition is working to expand the network into other nearby counties. We’re making great progress,” he said.

Daniel Stokoe, Clinical Coordinator/Surgical Technology Instructor at A-B Tech, owns a Nissan Leaf, an electric vehicle he purchased two years ago. “I made a good choice for me, environmentally and monetarily, since I do so much traveling for the college.”

Acting as a private citizen, he researched charging stations and about a year later was put in touch with Nissan North America, which was offering the chargers through a program that was slated to end. Stokoe worked with A-B Tech leadership to help secure the grant.

Students’ Talents Showcased at Art Exhibition A-B Tech’s Fine Arts Department held its 2015 Student Art Exhibition at The Satellite Gallery in downtown Asheville, as an opportunity for A-B Tech’s Fine Arts students to showcase their work.

The College has offered an Associate of Fine Arts Degree since 2003 and graduates pending a portfolio review are eligible for admission into a BFA program in area universities.

The exhibition included works in painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and digital art, and was by Dr. Rick Cary, Chair of the Art Department at Mars Hill University.

The following are the award recipients from the show: Best in Show: Zache Hodge, “La Chispa, Valladolid, Mexico” Digital Photo First Place 2-D: Joanna Maldonado, “Shrill Life I” Acrylic on Canvas First Place 3-D: Ashley Rochester, “Teapot” Ceramic Honorable Mentions: Jodi O’Hara, “Rust is Redemptive”, Oil on Canvas Adam Coulter, “Yellow #5”, Digital Photo Joanna Maldonado, “Singer”, Graphite Kat Fitzgerald, “Rustic Lotus Cup”, Ceramic Katlyn Garrison, “La Calavera” Ceramic Elliot Beam Hurst, “Esoteric”, Ceramic

BEST IN SHOW: DIGITAL PHOTO BY ZACHE HODGE Following is an account of the story behind Hodge’s award-winning photo: In June of 2014 I was part of a Sister Cities intern program that was working in Valladolid, Mexico. I was invited to photograph the reenactment of La Chispa, the spark of the Mexican Revolution. This incredible event shown in my photograph shows the passionate response against oppression 104 years ago. This scene is a reenactment of The Rebellion of Valladolid. This blood, shed on the streets throughout Valladolid, led to the virtuous fight for freedom that eventually led to the Mexican Revolution.

In 1910, in the early hours of the third and fourth of June, a spark was lit in the heart of Mexico. Insurgents made up a voluntary force consisting of mainly peaceful Mayans that had been recruited, and laborers from the close by Haciendas came together as well in order to attack the town of Valladolid. This was in direct response to the dictatorship of President Porfirio Diaz. During this revolt the rebels killed political leader Luis Felipe de Regil. By the fourth of June the city was in the hands of the insurgents. They immediately dismantled the railroad tracks that led from the city to the capital of Merida. By the ninth the government rolled into Valladolid with 600 soldiers. The bravery of the rebels made it hard to for the soldiers to overcome them. After the fighting stopped the bloodied bodies of the dead were scattered through the streets of Valladolid. This prompted a new beginning for Mexico, a result of the spark of the Revolution, La Chispa.

Valladolid is a city that serves as a hub for commerce and cultural happenings for all of the surrounding villages. Located halfway between Cancun and Merida, Valladolid is a colorful and culturally rich Mayan City as well as a sister city of Asheville, North Carolina.

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A-B Tech student wins PRESTIGIOUS DALLAS HERRING AWARD

A-B TECH STUDENT GARDNER NAMED NEW CENTURY SCHOLAR

Stella Galyean has been named the statewide winner of the Dallas Herring Achievement Award by the North Carolina Community College System for her accomplishments at A-B Tech Community College.

The award was established to honor the late Dr. Dallas Herring whose philosophy of “taking people where they are and carrying them as far as they can go” is the guiding principle of NCCCS. The award is given annually to a current or former student from one of 58 community colleges who best embodies Dr. Herring’s philosophy.

Galyean is the first person in her family to earn more than a sixth-grade education. She grew up in a home with a mother who had a drug abuse problem and was married into an abusive relationship at 13. When she first earned her GED at A-B Tech, she herself was a sixth-grade dropout.

“If someone had told me five years ago that I would be a college student and would soon be starting on a bachelor’s degree, I would have thought they were out of their mind,” said Galyean. “I never thought I would go anywhere.”

After receiving her GED, she took a College Bridge Class where she learned more about what A-B Tech had to offer. She has since earned a certificate in Substance Abuse Studies, an Associate in General Occupational Technology and will graduate in May with honors with an Associate in Arts to use to transfer to East Tennessee State University.

“Stella has risen above the challenges of her past to excel as a student and as a leader on our campus. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to lead others with a quiet grace that both inspires and provides the means for others to grow their own leadership skills,” said A-B Tech President Dennis King.

She is the president of the college’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges. In 2013, she was vice president of the Phi Theta Kappa Carolinas Region, and in 2014, she was an international officer candidate.

“After years of hearing that I was stupid and that I would never amount to anything, it was time for a change. A-B Tech has given me the tools I need to be a successful student,” she said.

The mother of five children, Galyean also received the Wachovia/ Wells-Fargo New Futures Scholarship and the K. Ray Bailey Golf Classic Scholarship from A-B Tech’s Foundation. She was selected as a CocaCola Silver Scholar and placed on the All-USA Community College Academic Team. After overcoming cervical cancer, Galyean found time to give back to her community and A-B Tech by volunteering at numerous events and fundraisers.

“Stella has the most inspirational story of any student I’ve worked with.

She is amazing and we are very proud of her,” said Dr. Beth Stewart, Dean of Arts and Sciences at A-B Tech.

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Paulette Gardner, an Entrepreneur student at A-B Tech Community College, was named one of 50 community college students from the United States and American Samoa selected as 2015 New Century Scholars.

The New Century Scholars Program is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation, Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, Phi Theta Kappa, and the American Association of Community Colleges.

An active member of A-B Tech’s Alpha Upsilon Eta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, Gardner was elected President of the Carolinas Region for the organizations. She has received Hall of Honors Awards from the society and maintains a presence on the President’s list at A-B Tech.

The New Century Scholars Program and AllUSA Community College Academic Team, which is sponsored by Follett Higher Education Group and presented by USA TODAY and Phi Theta Kappa share a common application and together recognize outstanding community college students. More than 1,700 students were nominated from more than 1,000 community colleges for recognition. Judges consider grades, leadership, activities and most importantly, how students extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom.

New Century Scholars are the highest scoring student in each state, plus one student from among one of the seven sovereign nations where Phi Theta Kappa is recognized internationally. Each scholar will receive a $2,000 scholarship and be presented at the American Association of College Presidents convention in San Antonio, Texas, in April.

SGA President FINDS SUCCESS AT A-B TECH When Brandon Priester was in high school, he was told that he wasn’t a good fit and maybe he shouldn’t be there. “I didn’t have a good experience in high school,” he said. “I didn’t think I was student or university material.”

Brandon enrolled at A-B Tech when he was 16 to earn his GED. “I loved it so much I came back here after they gave me the information I needed to know I could actually to go to college,” he said. As the son of a single mother, finances were often tight. “We didn’t have the money to come to school so I just thought that left me out. A-B Tech turned my life around. I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t had the opportunity to know about the Pell Grant.”

As a student, Brandon founded the Media Production Society, which led him to the Student Government Association. He served as vice president and this year he is president of the organization, which makes him a member of the college’s Board of Trustees.

“When I first enrolled, the faculty and staff were so friendly and so nice.

They really pushed me to succeed and they have been pushing me ever since and it has led me to be able to attend UNCA,” Brandon said.

He plans to study in a media program and eventually shoot for a master’s degree.

Brandon has had his share of obstacles, including becoming a father at 19. His five-year-old son is now the center of his life. “I am proud to say that I am his father and he looks up to me. We put our bookbags on together in the morning and he goes to school, just like me. I want to pass the value of education on to my son. I never had a father and I am currently breaking the cycle,” he said.

Brandon also works 25 hours a week in a student worker position, in addition to his classes and SGA duties. He is the first person in his family to go to college. When he earned his first degree from A-B Tech, his mom was there to see him walk across the stage. “It’s a really great feeling. I never graduated from high school and it was really powerful.

If they taught me anything here, it’s the value of education,” he said.

“There is no reason a student should not be successful here. All you have to do is apply yourself in your classes and everything else is there for you. I would say I am a perfect example of how a community college can benefit anyone in the community. The faculty and staff and their commitment to the students is great. There are so many names of people who have pushed me and inspired me. As I continue my higher education, it makes me want to be successful because all these people invested in me and they didn’t have to. So I feel like I owe A-B Tech. I owe them a lot. I feel the best way I can is to represent the school well,” Brandon said.

SMALL BUSINESS CENTER NETWORK CELEBRATES 30 YEARS The Small Business Center Network of the NC Community College System is celebrating 30 years of providing support and assistance to small businesses and start-ups across North Carolina.

Small Business Centers (SBCs) are located at each of the state’s 58 community colleges, providing confidential business counseling and seminars to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Created in 1984 when the North Carolina General Assembly funded 14 SBCs, the Small Business Center Network (SBCN) had expanded to include at least one SBC at each community college by 1995.

Each year, the centers assist in starting an average of 650 businesses and help create and retain more than 3,000 jobs.

Today, with more than 60 sites, the Small Business Center Network is known as the most expansive state-funded technical small business assistance program in the United States with locations within a 30-minute drive of almost every North Carolinian.

The mission of the Small Business Centers is to increase the success rate and number of viable small businesses in North Carolina by providing high quality, readily accessible assistance to prospective and existing small business owners, with the goal of job creation and retention.

The A-B Tech SBC is led by Executive Director, Jill Sparks, who was recently named the Western Region SBCN Director. She will be responsible for mentoring new directors within the region and assisting with state-level communications including the coordination of regional meetings and events.

The Western Region includes A-B Tech, Blue Ridge, Haywood, Isothermal, Southwestern and Tri-County community colleges. “I look forward to collaborating with the SBCs in WNC in order to collective strengthen the programs and services we offer to entrepreneurs in our community,” Sparks said.

As a result of services provided during 2013 -14, the A-B Tech SBC: • helped create 27 new businesses.

• helped create or retain 76 jobs.

• provided business training to 1,295 entrepreneurs.

• offered more than 106 seminars.

• provided business counseling to 335 entrepreneurs.

For more information, see abtech.edu/sbc.

A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal | abtech.edu 13

News Briefs SPEIGHT NAMED REGISTRAR AT A-B TECH La Candance Speight has been named Registrar at A-B Tech Community College as of April 1. Previously the assistant registrar at the University of Maryland University College, she also brings experience from the University of Maryland, National Labor College and Everest College.

Speight received her bachelor’s degree from Wesley College in Dover, DE and an MBA from Stayer University. “I want to make sure the students are put first,” she said. In her position at A-B Tech, she will direct the office of Records and Registration and the Student Services One Stop Center.

SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON CELEBRATES MORE THAN 200 RECIPIENTS The 14th annual Scholarship Luncheon held March 24 at the Crowne Plaza Expo Center provided an opportunity for students to meet their scholarship donors in person over lunch, and for members of the College and community to hear from a few of our students and alumni. More than 300 student scholarships were awarded for the 2014-15 academic year.

During the program portion of the luncheon these guests had the opportunity to hear personal stories from Detria Greene and Ashley Eskew, two of the 2014-2015 Scholarship Recipients. A-B Tech Alumna and former Lavender Fund Scholarship Recipient Francine Weinhagen also shared her story.

WELDING STUDENTS CREATE HERITAGE WHEEL FOR MARS HILL UNIVERSITY A-B Tech President Dennis King and Mars Hill University President Dr. Dan Lunsford with the University’s Heritage Wheel, which was fabricated by A-B Tech Welding students. “I know that Todd Creasman (Welding Technology Chair) and his students put much effort into it,” King said.

Creasman’s students took designs from Mars Hill University students and translated the drawings into a memorable metal sculpture for its campus.

One the piece was complete at A-B Tech, it was transported to Mars Hill where their art department completed the look. The piece was unveiled in March.

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT UPDATE A-B Tech’s new Ferguson Allied Health Building (left) and a new building with an 800-seat auditorium and parking garage (right) are scheduled to open late this fall.

14 abtech.edu | A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal

News Briefs RAMSEY JOINS A-B TECH BOARD OF TRUSTEES Former state legislator Nathan Ramsey of Fairview has been sworn in as a member of the Board of Trustees at A-B Tech Community College.

Gov. Pat McCrory appointed Ramsey. He replaces former legislator William Sherrill of Asheville, who moved onto the board at UNCA Asheville, Ramsey served in the NC General Assembly 2013-14 and is a dairy farmer. He was chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners from 2000 to 2008.

FREE PROFESSIONAL CLOTHING AVAILABLE AT THE LOCKER The Locker is a professional clothing closet that offers free men and women’s business attire to A-B Tech students and the Asheville community. Sponsored by A-B Tech’s Phi Beta Lambda chapter, The Locker includes an assortment of seasonal clothing, shoes and accessories.

“The Locker is a great way for students to prepare for their upcoming business careers without having to spend a lot of money on new clothing,” said Marlene Frisbee, Co-Adviser of Phi Beta Lambda, A-B Tech chapter.

Phi Beta Lambda is a national business organization that strives to guide and promote professional development. In opening and operating The Locker, Phi Beta Lambda hopes to serve their community by allowing for professional growth.

Gently used business clothes are donated to The Locker by businesses and individuals in the Asheville community. Phi Beta Lambda welcomes all members of the community to donate unwanted professional attire for all seasons to their project.

“Without community members willingly donating clothes they no longer wear, we would not be able to provide this service to our students and community,” said Frisbee.

Hours of Operation are: Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tuesday: 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday: 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Thursday: 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Or by appointment To set up an appointment, or for more information about The Locker or Phi Beta Lambda, contact Marlene Frisbee at 828-398-7247.

Calendar of Events April 20 F all Registration Opened for Current/Returning Students

July 1-3 I ndependence Day Holiday, No Classes

May 16 Commencement

July 3 I ndependence Day Holiday, College Closed

US Cellular Center, 2 p.m.

May 20 Summer Classes Begin May 25 M emorial Day Holiday, College Closed

July 6 F all Registration Begins for New Students

June 5 1 2th Annual K. Ray Bailey/A-B Tech Invitational Golf Classic Mt. Mitchell Golf Club, Noon A-B Tech EDUCATION Journal | abtech.edu 15

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