Bluegrass Under the Strars CMT featured students book

Special Event for High School Juniors and Seniors April 4, 2015 Tri-County Technical College Pendleton, SC

Welcome High School Juniors and Seniors, Last year Tri-County Technical College was one of 14 community colleges nationwide selected to participate as a partner in Country Music Television’s (CMT) Empowering Education campaign, which provides online resources and special events to help potential students overcome commonly perceived obstacles to furthering their education.

Today you will meet Tri-County students and graduates at this special event hosted by CMT and Tri-County Technical College. You also will view video testimonials and learn more about their individual educational journeys during a panel discussion moderated

by CMT and in the pages of this booklet.

Videos of their stories will be posted on CMT’s Empowering Education website at www.CMTEmpoweringEducation.com.

As high school juniors and seniors preparing for college, you can learn how Tri-County can help you to get started in a great career. Today you will receive important information on admissions, financial aid, majors, and internships and co-ops at Tri-County. We’ll also waive your application fee today, should you choose to apply.

Tri-County is YOUR community college, and we would love to have you join the TCTC family. Good luck to you as you complete your high school studies.

Sincerely,

Ronnie L. Booth, President Tri-County Technical College

Meet Our Shining Stars

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5 Nikki Giba

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Selena Valdizon

7 Quin Magee

8 Lindsey Montjoy

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Carly Heventhal

10 Stormie Moore

Sidney Davis

NIKKI GIBA Small town is an understatement, says Nikki Giba when describing her hometown of Cherokee, Alabama, population 1,031. The town welcomed its first fast food restaurant, a Subway, last year. The closest movie theatre is 35 minutes away. Its biggest claim to fame is the Seven Springs Lodge Resort and Rattlesnake Saloon.

Nikki was one of 30 seniors who graduated from Cherokee High School in 2013. “I can count on both hands those who went on to college,” she said. For most of them, it was the University of North Alabama, located in Florence, just 30 minutes from Cherokee where most of her friends plan to make their homes and settle into careers after graduation. “They don’t want to leave,” she said. “But I did. I wanted more.”

Nikki was the only graduate who moved out of state to go to college. Two years later, in her last semester as a University Transfer student at Tri-County Technical College, she is preparing applications to three South Carolina universities, with Clemson at the top of the list.

“It’s been a learning experience. I’ve grown up a lot,” says Nikki, who holds down two part-time jobs as a full-time student to support herself financially.

“I’ve seen what no education does,” said Nikki, a first-generation college student. “I’ve spent the past two years at Tri-County creating a career plan.”

As a junior high school student, she found solace and joy in career technical education – specifically agricultural communication projects and public speaking competitions through her participation as a member and later state officer for Future Farmers of America (FFA). She served as president of her high school’s chapter, was state officer for Alabama, and was the prepared public speaking champion for Alabama her senior year in high school. In 2014 she was a national officer candidate for the state of Alabama and attended the week-long national FFA convention in Kentucky.

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When Nikki delivered her first public speech as an eighth grader through FFA, she knew she had found her calling.

“I knew right then I had found my niche. I knew it could direct my future career,” said Nikki, who garnered funding for college from her first-place win in the Alabama speech competition.

She applied to Clemson right after the trip. She was accepted and began to make plans, but after doing the math, she realized that out-of-state tuition was too costly, and she didn’t want to dive into debt.

She searched the Internet for smaller, less expensive colleges near Clemson and found Tri-County just five miles down the road. An added bonus was that Tri-County’s college transfer courses easily transfer to Clemson.

“Tri-County was affordable, it was close to Clemson, and the institutions are partners in many projects,” she said. “Most important, Tri-County was in my price range,” said Nikki, who now is a community college advocate. Not once during the past two years has she felt shortchanged on the college experience.

“Because of Tri-County, I feel 100 percent prepared academically,” says Nikki.

SELENA VALDIZON When Selena Valdizon celebrates her 20th birthday July 29, she will receive the best gift ever when Tri-County Technical College President Ronnie L. Booth presents her with a college diploma during summer commencement.

“What a gift to graduate on my birthday. Actually, it’s a gift to the entire family,” said Selena, the daughter of Latino immigrants who barely spoke English when they moved to Walhalla from New York 17 years ago. (Her mother is from Mexico, and her father is from El Salvador.) Being the first in her family to attend college is a big deal, she said. “They are so proud of me.”

As a senior at Walhalla High School, she began considering college options, but admits she didn’t know where to begin at first. Like many first-generation college-bound students, she had no roadmap. Her parents had no experience to guide her in the admissions and financial aid systems so she was on her own to navigate this sometimes daunting process. “My parents completely supported me but couldn’t actually help me with applications and the FAFSA. I had to figure it out on my own. I was overwhelmed with details about applying for college, sending transcripts, attending orientation, applying for scholarships, and even determining what prerequisites were. But luckily my high school counselor was extremely helpful. I learned to ask for help and when you have the opportunity, you learn to grab it.”

Attending the first two years of college at Tri-County is the smart choice, she said. “It’s financially smart and the perfect route for someone like me who prefers small class sizes and one-on-one interaction with instructors,” she said. With the LIFE scholarship, a Foundation-sponsored Ruby Hicks scholarship, and Pell grant, all expenses were covered, excluding a few textbooks. Selena will graduate debt free.

She earned a spot on the Dean’s List and membership into the Alpha Zeta Beta honor society, where she serves as secretary. She also was elected president of the Student Government Association (SGA) last year and was involved as a Student Ambassador and a member of the Choir and the Spanish Club.

As SGA President, Selena accepted the first-place honor for the SGA Community Involvement Project award at the South Carolina Technical Education Association conference in February.

Selena says she wants to be a role model for other Hispanic women and for her family, especially her 18-year-old brother, who is a high school senior and plans to enroll at Tri-County when he graduates this year.

“I will be the first in my family to earn a college degree but not the last,” she said.

After earning an Associate in Science degree from Tri-County this summer, she hopes to transfer to Clemson to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a degree in International Health Science. She is contemplating working as a nurse or as a translator in the health care field.

Being free of financial burdens gives her the chance to really focus on academics and getting involved in extracurricular activities.

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QUIN MAGEE “Starting out at a two-year college was the right choice for me,” said Quin Magee, who graduated with a double major in Industrial Electronics Technology and Mechatronics in May 2014. One week later, he was employed as a Production Technician at The Robert Bosch Corporation in Anderson. He says he owes it all to Tri-County and the Bosch Technical Scholars program.

“Attending a college like Tri-County can open your eyes and help you figure out what you really want to do,” he said.

During their last semester, the Technical Scholars are chosen for the intense four-month program that is designed to give students a real, on-thejob experience that complements what they are learning in the classroom. The Technical Scholars are hired to work full time during the day at Bosch while they continue their studies in the evening. The students graduate with a degree in Industrial Electronics or Mechatronics and move right into a technical position at Bosch.

Tri-County’s partnership with Bosch is an answer to supplying industry with a pipeline of qualified technicians.

“My Tri-County degrees and my Bosch training really helped me and gave me a well-rounded understanding of the equipment, the processes, and how it all works together,” said Quin.

“Everybody is struggling to find technicians,” said Doug Wilson, senior associate development specialist at Bosch in Anderson, who worked with Tri-County to design, launch, and lead the Bosch Technical Scholars program.

“Usually, it takes five to six weeks to fill a technician job at Bosch,” said Wilson. “With this program, we’re getting ready-made technicians who will feel engaged right from the beginning, and therefore have a personal and professional investment in the company,” said Wilson.

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“Quin was a successful student because he was laser focused on the material in class and very engaged. He always wants to learn more,” said Cheryl Garrison, job placement coordinator in Career Services at Tri-County. “He knew that earning two degrees would make him more marketable, more knowledgeable, and a better candidate in today’s job market. Quin has excellent verbal and written communication skills, he has a great work ethic, and he is a team player.

Those 21st-century workplace skills are exactly what companies are looking for.”

LINDSEY MONTJOY Lindsey Montjoy is a self-described planner and a goal setter and it has paid off.

At age 31, she has earned four college degrees – two from Tri-County Technical College and two from Clemson University. She has advanced from an LPN to a lecturer in the School of Nursing at Clemson University in just a decade.

“It’s important to set goals. They keep me motivated,” said Lindsey, who after earning Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) and Associate Degree Nursing degrees from Tri-County, went on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Clemson, while working full time as a registered nurse.

“It’s a manageable goal,” she tells others interested in going the LPN to Professor route. “You can work and pursue a degree.” She learned about this career pathway while an LPN student at Tri-County. After earning her degree in 2003, she entered into the Associate Degree Nursing program and became an RN in 2006. She worked in the AnMed Behavioral Health Unit until 2012.

Lindsey had thoughts of continuing her education while nearing completion of her ADN degree but figured it was impossible in terms of finances and time. She had accepted the job at AnMed Health and didn’t know where more college could fit in. But after hearing about the LPN to Professor initiative, a partnership with Tri-County, the hospitals in the service area, and Clemson University, she changed her mind. “It sounded easy. I could earn my BSN in three semesters by attending classes one day a week at the University Center in Greenville. It’s convenient and manageable, even while working a full-time job. You aren’t burned out at the end. And AnMed Health has a tuition assistance program,” said Lindsey.

School of Nursing (mental health nursing) for more than a year.

She always thought about teaching, even as a student at Westside High School. Along with education, she also was interested in nursing, so as an undecided freshman she entered Tri-County and found the LPN program and loved it. “The LPN program gave me a good foundation and helped me to be successful,” she said.

Lindsey earned her master’s in Nursing (specializing in Family Nurse Practitioner) from Clemson in 2012 and then began working as a nurse at the CVS Minute Clinic in Clemson.

She was a graduate teaching assistant while pursuing her master’s. “I loved that job,” she said. “I love this job. I am so happy. This will be my lifelong career.” She continues to work as an R.N. on weekends.

“I’ve got the best of both worlds,” said Lindsey, whose next goal is to earn a Ph.D.

“It helps to have encouraging counselors and instructors like I had at both Tri-County and Clemson,” Lindsey added. “I try to be that for my students now,” said Lindsey, who has been working as a full-time lecturer in Clemson’s

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CARLY HEVENTHAL Carly Heventhal entered the Connect to College program as a 10th grade dropout with only 12.5 high school units. Eighteen months later, she graduated with her high school diploma from T.L. Hanna High School, along with 44 semester hours of college credit and membership in Tri-County’s Alpha Zeta Beta honor society.

Perhaps her greatest achievement, she says, is acquiring self confidence as a student, which she credits to the staff of Connect to College, a collaborative offering of the school districts of Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties and Tri-County.

The Connect to College program has evolved to meet the diverse needs of area students by offering academically capable youth between the ages of 17 and 20 the opportunity to simultaneously earn their high school diploma and college credit, up to and including a postsecondary credential. The first of its kind in South Carolina, C2C is a program for students who, for a variety of reasons, have faced difficult challenges in traditional high school environments.

“C2C appeals to a diverse population of students, yet they all share two common denominators: they all have considerable academic ability and/or potential and they all have postsecondary goals,” said Diana Walter, director of the program.

Carly took full advantage of C2C’s many opportunities after finding the program in the summer of 2011. “I’ve grown,” said Carly, who admits she was on the wrong track. “I chose the wrong crowd and made bad decisions. It was either change my life or end up constantly struggling and questioning my abilities,” she said.

After a series of dead-end, part-time jobs, she took the advice of her uncle, an adjunct instructor at Tri-County, who urged her to apply to C2C and to move in with him and his wife. Things started to change. “It was always a dream of mine to go to college, and Connect to College

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gave me that opportunity. It’s a way to get back on track and succeed,” said Carly.

“Who I was five years ago is not who I am today. I wanted to have a better life and make my family proud of me. Earning my high school diploma proves to me I can do anything. I’ve achieved my goal, and I couldn’t have done it without Connect to College. They have gone out of their way for me and everyone else in the program to provide support and motivation. They won’t let you fall behind or give up.”

After a year of University Transfer classes at Tri-County, Carly was accepted into Clemson University’s Nursing program and was recently named to the Dean’s List. She will graduate in December.

STORMIE MOORE Graduating from Tri-County Technical College was the second most emotional day in Stormie Moore’s life—the first being the birth of her daughter. “I left Tri-County with good memories,” said Stormie, as she reflected on her transformational seven-year journey from pregnant high school dropout to college honor graduate. She readily admits she could have been a statistic.

“Many studies show that more often than not, adolescent mothers are undereducated and thus are more likely to suffer the effects of poverty.

I’m extremely proud to say that I’m not going to be that statistic. Thanks to some encouragement and motivation from some wonderful people, I don’t have to be,” said Stormie, who is a Nurse Manager at Heartland Health Care in Greenville.

“Not everyone has to be some tally mark on a chart somewhere just because he or she hit a bump in the road. But at the same time I’ve been very lucky and fortunate to have had an outstanding support system. I’ve had wonderful instructors who are responsive and engaging and who know me by name. If you gear your mind to it, you really can do anything that you set out to do. If you’re lucky enough to have help along the way, it makes you appreciate the journey even more,” she said.

The road was rocky in the beginning for the self-described rebellious teen who gave birth at 15 to daughter, Makynzi, now eight, and dropped out of high school. She said the social stigma of being an unwed teenage mother, along with a sketchy attendance record and blasé attitude toward academics, were major reasons for dropping out. “I had no motivation or support. The easy decision was to not go back to school and repeat the 10th grade.”

With the arrival of her daughter came a newfound determination. “My daughter gave me super powers. I knew I needed a life change.

She was my reality check,” said Stormie. Intent on making a great life for Makynzi, she began to formulate a plan that included education.

She found the Parenting Education and Family Literacy Program in Pickens and began to attend

GED prep classes and took advantage of onsite child care.

She also discovered Palmetto Youth Connections (PYC) who paid for nurse aide classes at Tri-County. After completing the work experience program, she got her first job as a certified nurse aide. She continued classes in the College’s Corporate and Community Education Division with PYC providing more funding toward CPR, Medical Terminology, and Phlebotomy certifications.

“It felt amazing to reach these milestones in my education,” said Stormie, who entered Tri-County’s Associate Degree Nursing program in 2010.

While a student she was named to the Dean’s, President’s, and Academic Distinction lists and was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa national honor society.

“I recall the first day of class when nursing instructor Janet Fuller asked us to look around the classroom. She said ‘this is your family for the next two years.’ I thought she was crazy. But I’ll be darned if she wasn’t right. Because of these people, I’ve met goals I didn’t even know I had,” Stormie said. “The decisions we make today can affect us for the rest of our lives—if we let them.

Life will have its up and downs. But there are more ups than downs if you have an education.”

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SIDNEY DAVIS Sidney Davis never even considered Tri-County when he was a high school senior making decisions about college. “I didn’t want to go to college near my home,” said the Westminster resident, so he headed to Spartanburg Methodist where he received an Associate Degree in Science. He went on to USC-Upstate where he planned to study communications. “I wanted to work in broadcast journalism, but I discovered I’m not a writer,” he said. He came home after a year and began looking for work – and training for a career.

“Looking back, if I knew what I do now, Tri-County would have been my first choice,” said Sidney, who is now enrolled in the Industrial Electronics Technology (IET) program. “I’d be 21, with a degree, and working in a good job in industry. It should have been the route I took. I just didn’t know what a Tri-County degree can do for me.”

Everything is a valuable experience, he noted.

“At Spartanburg Methodist, I learned how to study.’ And he brought 90 credit hours with him when he entered the IET program last year. “I finally found a place I fit in. College finally makes sense,” said Sidney. “Everything I’m learning is applicable in the work place.”

He says he appreciates the good academic and career advice he has gotten from instructors.

“They care about you and your grades,” he said of instructors/mentors Ron Talley and Shan Smith. “I work 10-hour days on third shift at Itron, and I leave work and come to morning classes.

I’ve got the best GPA I’ve ever had because of instructors who make the material interesting and easy to understand. I admire their wisdom and knowledge. They’ve pushed me to succeed.”

Sidney will graduate this summer, thanks to the 2014 David A. Harvey Memorial Scholarship he received last year. Four IET students received $1,125 to assist with tuition and book expenses for summer 2015. Scholarship recipients must have a 2.8 GPA or higher and be an IET major.

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Sidney will graduate this summer, thanks to a scholarship he received. Last year Summit Media Group selected Tri-County Technical College as the recipient of the 2014 David A. Harvey Memorial Scholarship. Representatives from the College accepted the $4,500 check at the May 20 – 21 Automation Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Sidney was among the four Industrial Electronics Technology students who received $1,125 to assist with tuition and book expenses for summer 2015. Scholarship recipients must have a 2.8 GPA or higher; must be an IET major; and all applicants wrote a 300 – 500-word essay describing the reason they decided to major in IET and where they see themselves in five years.

“We’re pleased to acknowledge Tri-County’s innovation and success and hope this scholarship makes the journey to a career in manufacturing a little easier for deserving students,” said Jim Chrzan, vice president/publisher, Automation World.

“The scholarship is the reason I can graduate on time,” said Sidney.

Fall 2015 Enrollment Calendar Event/Deadline

Date

Enrollment Process Begins for New, Returning, Tuesday, March 31 and Transfer Students for Fall 2015 Includes orientation, advising and registration for classes Registration Opens for Transient and NonDegree Students for Fall 2015

Monday, April 20

Financial Aid Priority Date

Friday, July 3 Students with incomplete files after July 3 must make payment arrangements prior to August 11. See “Payment Due” details below.

Residency Priority Date

Tuesday, August 4 In order for residency status to be evaluated before the tuition due date, the residency packet must be submitted to the residency officer (190 Miller Hall, Pendleton Campus) no later than August 4. Applications submitted after August 4 through the last day of classes will still be considered. However, the student must pay out-of-state tuition prior to August 11. If in-state residency is then granted, the student will receive a refund of the tuition difference.

Admissions Priority Date

Friday, August 7 To be admitted, Admissions must receive before the close of business: Application, available at tctc.edu/apply; application fee of $30; and Compass writing, reading, and math scores within the last three years or proof of college credit-level English and math courses with minimum grades of “C.” Transient, non-degree, and Session C students may be admitted past this date on a case-by-case basis.

Payment Due; Student Schedules Deleted for Non-payment

Tuesday, August 11 Students will lose their schedules if payment arrangements are not made by this date. Between August 12 and August 17, payment for additional credit hours or schedule changes must be paid by August 17, 6:30 p.m. After August 17, payment for additional credit hours or schedule changes must be paid by August 21, 2 pm.

Students with incomplete financial aid files must enroll in the college’s payment plan by the payment due date or pay in full by cash, check or credit card. Students may pay online under Step 6 of the eTC Get Set tab. Students re-registering for classes due to schedules cancelled for non-payment will be assessed a registration fee of $40.

This fee does not apply to schedule changes (adds and/ or drops) made during this time.

Payment Plans Enroll online by August 1: $0 down and 4 payments (August - November) After August 1: 25% down and 3 payments (September - November)

Last Day To Register (ALL STUDENTS)

Friday, August 14, 2 p.m.

Transient, non-degree, and Session C students may register past this date on a case-by-case basis.

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Tri-County Technical College P. O. Box 587, Pendleton, SC 29670 Main Number (864) 646-TCTC (8282) Toll-free 1-866-269-5677 TDD/Voice 1-800-735-2905 Website www.tctc.edu

Campus Locations Pendleton Campus 7900 Highway 76, Pendleton, SC Anderson Campus 511 Michelin Blvd., Anderson, SC Easley Campus 1774 Powdersville Rd., Easley, SC Oconee Campus Hamilton Career Center 100 Vocational Dr., Seneca, SC