Clemson Downs Supports Nursing Scholarship

Clemson Downs made a $1,500 donation to the College’s Foundation to continue its support of a scholarship for a nursing student in Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties. James Hill, executive director of Clemson Downs, second from left, presented President DeHay, third from left, with the check. Also pictured are Ruthie Millar, director of community outreach at Clemson Downs, left, and Courtney White, director of development for Institutional Advancement at Tri-County.

After 16 years of representing Anderson County on the College’s Commission, Pruitt Martin, left, pictured with Chair John Powell retired in February. Commissioners honored him at the February 3 meeting. “I appreciate your friendship,” he told fellow Commissioners, President DeHay, members of the Executive Leadership Team, and other attendees. “It’s been a humbling experience and something that I will never forget,” he said. Mr. Martin has represented Anderson County on the Commission since June 2004, serving as Secretary/Treasurer for many years. Throughout the years, he also served on the Finance, Foundation, Building, and Curriculum and Instruction committees.

The Office of Academic Development (OAD), Faculty Development, Learning Commons, Accessibility Resources, and Information Technology hosted the TLC Café January 15. Guests enjoyed learning more about how these offices provide ongoing support of teaching and learning efforts. Here, Sarah Shumpert, director of OAD, talks with Roger Burgess, center, and Ken Fletcher.

Rep. Gary Clary spoke to members of the TCTC Association of Political Scientists (TAPS) recently. Rep. Clary reflected on his career as a retired S.C. judge and discussed his current work in the State legislature. “Find a career you enjoy,” he advised the students.

Practical Nursing Program Director Julie Vernon and instructor Julie Beard received their Nurse Educator Certification in Medical Surgical Nursing.

The Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) certification in any field is a mark of professionalism. For academic nurse educators, it establishes nursing education as a specialty area of practice and creates a means for faculty to demonstrate their expertise in this role.

By becoming credentialed as Certified Nurse Educators, Julie Vernon and Julie Beard serve as leaders and role models. The mission of the Academic Nurse Educator Certification Program is to promote excellence in the advanced specialty role of the academic nurse educator. Julie Vernon

Grants Director Laneika Musalini has been selected to participate in the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) 2020 Executive Leadership Program (ELP). The ELP is NCURA-centric and expressly designed to develop those leadership traits considered necessary to lead

Brian Burke is the Statistical and Research Analysist III in our Student Data Center. He and his family moved to Anderson from Oregon where he was a Family Resource Facilitator for Douglas Education Service District for two years. Prior to that he was an Educational Talent Search Advisor for Umpqua Community College from 2015–2017. He holds a B.S. in Liberal Studies with a minor in Business Administration, Sociology/Anthropology from Eastern Oregon University, and he received his MBA in December from Grand Canyon University. He is a member of the Judah Church (Church of God Pentecostal) in Anderson. He and his wife, Rachael, have two children, Madison, 14, and Patrick, 2. Brian Burke Julie Beard

Laneika Musalini

Stacey Frank

NCURA into the future and to ensure future leaders emerge with an understanding of NCURA’s organizational structure, goals and objectives. Laneika has been a member of NCURA for 12 years and currently serves as Chair of its Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce and as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisor for the Southeast region, Region III.

Social Sciences Department Head Stacey Frank has partnered with MUSC faculty to create a new international journal. She is CoEditor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Innovative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (IJITLHE). Stacey invites all faculty to consider sharing a manuscript submission and/or apply to be a reviewer. To learn more, go to https://www.igi-global.com/ journal/international-journal-innovative-teaching-learning/217719.

The CATbus service added a new route that connects the Seneca CATbus service to our Oconee Campus located in the Oconee Industry and Technology Park near Westminster.

The new route offers service to the Oconee Campus beginning at 6:20 a.m. and running until about 6:20 p.m. Monday-Thursday. On Fridays, the bus will start at 6:20 a.m. and run until 3 p.m.

Many thanks to Seneca and the Oconee County Council for providing matching funds for the two electric buses Seneca purchased with the help of State and federal funds.

Dr. Brian Swords, senior director for community campuses since 2017, retired from the College December 30 after nearly 27 years of service. Brian is entering a new phase of his career—he accepted a job as Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing at his alma mater, Southern Wesleyan University. He will continue to serve as Chairman of the Pickens County School Board.

“Brian has been committed to our students’ success throughout his tenure with the College. Equally important, he has been a trusted colleague, a mentor, and a friend for so many of us,” said Linda Jameison, vice president for Student Support and Engagement. “We appreciate his 26-plus years of outstanding leadership and loyal service, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors. He will be greatly missed.”

Until his position is filled, Tim Bowen, director of our Anderson Dr. Brian Swords

Campus, has agreed to provide interim leadership for our Community Campus network. Shannan Holland, Carlos Howard, and Tracy Wood will continue to provide day-to-day support and resources to our Easley Campus students.

Brian joined the College in 1993 as a Student Services Specialist in the Registrar’s office and later worked as Admissions Team Leader and Coordinator of Admissions Processes and Technology for the Admissions office. After serving as Coordinator of Computer Training for the College’s Business Training Center, he became Director of Operations for the Corporate and Community Education Division. While in that position, in 2009, he coordinated and taught the College’s first apprenticeship class, making Tri-County the first technical college in the State to have a registered customer service apprenticeship through Apprenticeship Carolina.

Brian holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Southern Wesleyan University, a master’s in Technology and Human Resource Development, and doctorate degree in Vocational and Technical College Administration from Clemson University.

Below is a letter from Dr. Brian Swords written at the end of December.

It is amazing how quickly the years have flown by since I first stepped onto TCTC’s campus as an employee back in 1993. And now, in a few days, I’ll be officially retiring! I wanted to take this opportunity to let each of you know that I have enjoyed working with you over the years, and I value the friendships we have developed.

As many of you know, I am absolutely terrible at golf, and God has yet to grant me the patience to fish so, I’m going to be moving into a new chapter in my career in January at Southern Wesleyan. I look forward to continuing to work with many of you in this new role.

Rocky Ann Jablonski retired from the College in December after 19 years of service. For the past five years she worked as a Customer Support Specialist in the Corporate and Community Education Division.

Rocky Ann worked at the College from 1992–2010. She worked 13 years in our Counseling Center as a Receptionist and later Administrative Specialist and five years as Office Manager for WIA. She returned to the College in 2014 after working as a Financial Assistant with ResCare Corporation Employment and Training. Rocky Ann is a 1990 graduate of our Office Systems Technology program (now Administrative Office Technology).

“Rocky Ann always made sure the students were well-informed and had everything they needed for their programs,” said Carolyn Stewart, Healthcare Program Director. ”Their success meant a lot to her, and she took pride in seeing them meet their academic goals.” Rocky Ann Jablonski