Connection Newsletter March - April 2021

A Publication from the Office of the President

In this Issue…

April Is Community College Month........................ 4–5

Clemson Downs Donation Supports Scholarships............... 5

Amanda Blanton Retires With Great Memories...............10

Standout Students...................12

March/April 2021

President DeHay Named 2020 CEO of the Year by SCATCC President Galen DeHay has been named the 2020 Chief Executive Officer of the Year by the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners (SCATCC). The award honors the tremendous services of and contributions made by a technical or community college chief executive officer.

Commission members surprised Dr. DeHay by making the award announcement during their bi-monthly meeting on April 5.

Dr. DeHay says he shares the award with the TCTC faculty and staff. “This recognition is a testament to the great team we have here at Tri-County,” he said. “I believe individual awards President Galen DeHay are team awards. Everyone here believes in the mission and vision of the college and works together on initiatives that move TCTC and the community forward.

That makes all the difference in our programs, strategies, and services.”

Dr. DeHay assumed the duties of president of TCTC on July 1, 2019. Just seven months later, the pandemic challenged specifically how Tri-County delivers educational experiences. Faced with balancing teaching and learning and its workforce mission with the health and wellness of students, employees and the community, Dr. DeHay was dedicated to remaining flexible without compromising TCTC standards.

One of his highest priorities remains to create more intentional partnerships and pathways to benefit students. Dr. DeHay has been dedicated to working with faculty, staff and stakeholders to help adapt strategies for improving workforce opportunities through innovative programs and services.

Recent examples of how the College has created new ways of doing business include: • A new Youth Apprenticeship Program joins K-12, business, industry and TCTC working in a structured way to create education and workforce pathways. The program is designed to assist Upstate industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, information technology and others, with building a skilled workforce.

• Certified nurse aides (CNAs) employed at the Richard M. Campbell Veterans Nursing Home in Anderson will have an opportunity to pursue a licensed practical nursing (LPN) credential on site this fall, as part of a new partnership between TCTC, the nursing home and Honor Health Career Programs (HHCP). A shortage of LPNs at the nursing home prompted HHCP to contact TCTC to initiate an agreement—the first in the state—that would create an educational pathway for qualified CNAs to enroll in the three-semester program. Offering an on-site LPN program provides a low-cost education to the student and creates a career pathway in healthcare.

• The College partnered with Medshore Ambulance to offer free accelerated EMT classes.

Individuals accepted into the EMT-Basic course receive free tuition, certification and testing. The EMT Academy is the first of its kind in the state.

Passionate people TRANSFORMING LIVES

AND BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES ONE STUDENT AT A TIME.

(continued on page 8)

Connection is published ten times each year by the Office of the President and the Public Relations Department.

Mailing Address (All Campuses) P. O. Box 587 Pendleton, SC 29670 Pendleton Campus 7900 Highway 76 Pendleton, SC Anderson Campus 511 Michelin Blvd.

Anderson, SC Easley Campus 1774 Powdersville Rd. Easley, SC Oconee Campus 552 Education Way Westminster, SC Main Number (864) 646-TCTC (8282) Toll-free 1-866-269-5677 Website tctc.edu

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

Tri-County Technical College does not discriminate in admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, qualifying disability, veteran’s status, or national origin.

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Connecting

M

One Year Later: A Return To Normal

arch 31 marks one year since South Carolina

Dr. Galen DeHay

President Governor Henry McMaster issued an Executive Order to close the College and shift classes online as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The past year has been both challenging and distressing to say the least, but the bright spot in all of this has been our faculty and staff and their unwavering commitment to student success. Together, we found creative solutions to what seemed like overwhelming problems. We redesigned courses, safeguarded our facilities against the spread of COVID-19, and provided services to students in ways we’ve never done before.

We also brought a limited number of students back to campus for in-person learning and managed to complete two (soon to be three) semesters uninterrupted.

We have accomplished a great deal over the past year, and student grades indicate that we have been successful at teaching online. However, we know that online courses are not the best delivery mode for many of our students. Our students want in-person, on-campus learning. They want and need to develop relationships with their instructors face-to-face. They want to connect with, problem solve and network with fellow students, and they want to build meaningful relationships with one another—all of which is difficult to accomplish through a computer screen. These relationships are key elements to delivering the Tri-County student experience.

Given that infection rates are declining and a substantial number of students, faculty and staff will likely be fully vaccinated in the coming months, we plan to increase our inperson offerings for the summer and return to normal operations by fall. This means that we plan to offer the same number of face-to-face classes in the fall as we did prior to the pandemic, and class sizes will return to pre-pandemic levels. However, we acknowledge that uncertainties still exist, and we are prepared to return to an online learning environment should conditions warrant it.

The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff remains a top priority. As we work towards a return to normal operations, our new normal will include the health and safety protocols currently in place, such as frequent cleaning and sanitizing of facilities and workspaces, wearing a face covering/mask, reviewing a weekly health screening online, and reporting exposure to, symptoms of and/or a positive test for COVID-19.

These health and safety practices, coupled with vaccination, are critical to our ability to return to pre-pandemic life.

I am proud of the great work that has been put forth over the past year and the planning going on now that will enable us to return to full in-person, on-campus learning.

The light at the end of the tunnel is within reach, and I eagerly await the day that I can welcome everyone back to campus.

In your service,

Galen DeHay, Ph.D. President

Spotlight

on Child Care Access Means Parents in School

CCAMPIS Grant Allows Students to Persist in Studies Kimberly Martin joined the College’s Student Support team as the part-time coordinator for the new Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant.

CCAMPIS is a new initiative at TCTC and is funded by a fouryear $378,680 grant received last year from the U.S. Department of Education.

The goal of the grant is to help low-income student parents persist in their studies and ultimately graduate from TCTC. One way to do so is to provide them with access to affordable and flexible child care services.

Alexandria Smith, an early child education major who is enrolled in five classes this semester, says the grant was a “make or break factor” in her decision to remain in school this semester.

Smith, who is in her final semester and set to graduate in May, says she would have had to drop out of classes if she hadn’t received child care for her two younger children, ages 3 and 4.

Alexandria is the first Tri-County student to receive these funds that cover nearly 100% of her child care costs.

This semester, the grant allows for up to 20 eligible low-income student parents to receive child care/aftercare for their children ages birth to 12 years. To be eligible, student parents must be enrolled in six or more credit hours of classes, be a Pell grant recipient, have a FAFSA on file and remain in good academic standing (2.0 or higher GPA). The College has partnered with 17 licensed child care providers in the tri-county area to provide child care/after school care.

The CCAMPIS program at TCTC uses a sliding-fee scale similar to the SC Voucher Program. TCTC makes direct payments to approved childcare providers, and student parents are responsible for co-payments of approximately $6 to $20 per child per week, depending on their income.

Students must apply each semester for the grant.

“For many student parents, the lack of child care is a major barrier to completing their education,” said Kimberly.

As coordinator of CCAMPIS, she identifies licensed child care providers in the tri-county area and secures partnership agreements with them. She is responsible for ensuring the participating child care facilities maintain DHEC licensure and works with students to ensure their daily needs are met. She holds monthly parent support group meetings where she leads activities concerning stress reduction and money management.

Alexandria Smith, pictured with her children, ages 3 and 4, and Kimberly Martin, inset

She also is available to students as a support system to help connect them with college resources such as tutoring as well as putting them in touch with outside agencies.

Kimberly has worked with various colleges and agencies in grant management projects for 15 years. She was employed at Palmetto Goodwill as deputy director of workforce development and successfully managed several Department of Labor and Welfare to Work grants.

She also was employed by Greenville Technical College under a Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACT) grant. She served as the director of the Adult Post -Secondary Transition Center (APTC).

Kimberly is on the Pendleton Campus Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Her office is located in the Student Success Center, Suite 120. She can be reached by email at kmarti52@tctc.edu.

March/April 2021 • 3

April Is Community College Month Our role is to help students get from where they are now to where they want to be.

April is Community College Month, a time to recognize and spread awareness of the hard work and achievement happening every day at Tri-County Technical College and other community college campuses across the United States.

These institutions serve an incredibly diverse student population and put millions of people’s educational and career goals within reach.

life lessons. For Travis, the layoff was the catalyst for change that resulted in, at age 37, a surprising new career calling—nursing.

He held bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture and real estate development from Clemson University. Following the economic downturn in 2008, he entered TCTC where he earned an associate degree in nursing and later a bachelor of science degree in nursing at Clemson University. He is a registered nurse at AnMed Health.

Student Success Is Our Top Priority

The Lottery Tuition Assistance Scholarship, Pell grants, Foundation scholarships, SC WINS, industry tuition reimbursement programs and other forms of financial aid make attending Tri-County affordable. Many students graduate debt free. Jacob Zambrano, Student Government Association president and a Media Arts Production major, will graduate Jacob Zambrano in May with no debt, thanks to LIFE and TCTC Foundation scholarships. He will transfer to USCColumbia this fall.

Tri-County offers small classes taught by full-time faculty with real-world backgrounds who can offer practical, one-on-one instruction. We have a 19:1 student-faculty ratio and the highest success rate among the 16 technical colleges in the state. In addition, we are ranked in the top 1% nationally for successful transfers to four-year colleges and universities.

Graduate Debt Free

Technical or Transfer—We Offer Both

What a Value A two-year degree at Tri-County costs roughly less than one semester at a four-year college or university. Tri-County has the lowest tuition of all colleges and universities in the Upstate and ranks in the lowest quartile among the 16 technical colleges in S.C.

Different and Diverse Routes Students of all demographics come to TCTC at different stages of their lives. Some are traditional, others very non-traditional. Among the student population are working moms, displaced workers, those embarking on second careers, and recent high school graduates, as well as high school dropouts. They take different and diverse routes to arrive Travis Rice at the same destination.

Travis Rice is a testament of how sudden and unexpected events in life, like losing a job (he was an architect), can turn into 4 • CONNECTION

Tri-County appeals to those looking for a technical degree.

We’re also a lead-in for those students planning to go the university transfer route and continue their studies at a four-year college or university. There are options for everyone.

For two years, Maryann Klaiber prepared to transfer to Clemson University by working toward an associate in arts degree at Tri-County.

Being a Clemson student has been a lifetime goal of Klaiber’s.

She earned 60 hours of transferrable credits while saving money with our affordable tuition coupled with her LIFE scholarship.

But when the COVID-19 crisis struck, she began to weigh her options and deferred enrollment at Clemson. “It was the most economical, the smartest and the most comfortable choice for me,” she said.

Foundation News Help Students to SOAR

Providing a Clear Path to Success There are so many good things about the College’s Technical Career Pathways program that it’s hard to pinpoint which one is best. At the top of the list is free tuition, compliments of the SC General Assembly, who approved funding to cover tuition and related expenses for high school students taking college courses in Technical Career Pathways. These students also earn a credential (Technical Operator I certificate) from Tri-County before they graduate from high school.

Industry leaders tout the program as an answer to finding trained and competent graduates with the skills needed in advanced manufacturing and other STEM-related careers.

For years Faculty Senate funded and presented a Faculty Choice award to a deserving student. The award recently has been revamped and revised and is now known as the Faculty Strive Overcome Achieve and Rise (SOAR) Award.

It is still funded entirely by contributions from faculty and is given by the faculty to a student of promise whom, they believe, has the inherent tenacity to persevere despite whatever obstacles may confront them.

Som Linthicum, associate librarian and a member of Faculty Senate, says Faculty Senate has been concentrating its recent efforts on building the fund. “With the help of our wonderful partners in Institutional Advancement, the fund has been gradually recovering. We hope to reach the point next year when we’ll be able to once again grant the award to deserving TCTC students,” he said.

To donate a one-time gift or set up a payroll deduction go to tctc.edu/give or contact Beth Brown in the Institutional Advancement office at 646-1372.

Clemson Downs Donation Supports Scholarships

Co-ops and Internships: Earn While You Learn Work-based learning opportunities are the key to producing work-ready graduates with 21st-century workplace skills.

TCTC’s new youth apprenticeship is designed to assist Upstate businesses, including manufacturing, healthcare, information technology and others, with building a skilled workforce. Sixteen-year-old Austin Shingleton signed on as the first official youth apprentice in the state under the new Department of Labor grant. He attends classes at both T.L. Hanna High School and TCTC while working part-time at Arthrex, Inc., as a CNC machine operator youth apprentice.

Clemson Downs, CARC Foundation, Inc. and the Clemson Downs Volunteers each made a $1,500 contribution totaling $4,500 to Tri-County Technical College’s Foundation to continue its support of the TCTC nursing program. This donation will support three future nurses as they continue their education at TCTC.

Flexible Class Schedules and Close to Home Making college accessible, available and affordable is a priority. The Anderson and Easley campuses, along with the Oconee Campus at the Hamilton Career Center, and the Industrial Technology Center in Sandy Springs, serve several of the College’s goals by bringing its services closer to residents.

March/April 2021 • 5

Partnership Creates Career Pathway for Law Enforcement The SC Technical College System and the SC Criminal Justice Academy announced March 2 a partnership that provides a new career pathway for individuals interested in entering law enforcement.

This pathway, which will be offered this fall at TCTC, as well as at the state’s other 15 technical colleges, is based on workforce development. The Law Enforcement Training Council gave the technical colleges the green light to offer the Police PreAcademy Training Certificate program in February and the TCTC Commission unanimously approved the program at a special called meeting.

The four-course certificate program can provide a simple path to becoming a law enforcement officer and was developed in partnership with the SC Criminal Justice Academy.

“This is a good example of how technical colleges work with business, industry, and government to respond to a need,” said President DeHay. “There is a shortage of qualified officers across the nation and by increasing their educational levels we can address the industry’s current workforce shortage and enhance the policing profession overall.”

The first step for candidates interested in enrolling in the new Police Pre-Academy Training Certificate is to apply to TCTC and complete the 14-week certificate program. Over the 14 weeks, candidates will learn basic and introductory law enforcement

Spring 2021 Commencement Spring Commencement will take place Tuesday, May 11, at Littlejohn Coliseum. Due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Tri-County will host three commencement ceremonies: • Noon—Graduates from the Arts and Sciences Division and the Business and Public Services Division • 3 p.m.—Graduates from the Engineering and Industrial Technology Division • 6 p.m.—Graduates from the Health Education Division Each graduate is permitted to bring up to four guests.

Graduates will be seated six feet apart from one another in front of the stage, and guests will be seated along the perimeter in groups of four with six feet of distance between each group. Face coverings/masks are required.

For more details, visit tctc.edu/graduation.

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training, tactics, and procedures. In total, they will complete four courses totaling 12 credit hours that can apply toward the 66 credits required to earn an associate degree should candidates decide to further their studies.

Next, candidates secure employment with a South Carolina law enforcement agency within one year. Once employment is secured, candidates must pass a cumulative exam and physical assessment test administered by the SC Criminal Justice Academy. If candidates pass the exam and physical assessment test, they complete an eight-week training program at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia.

Once these steps are complete, candidates are ready to begin their career as a certified law enforcement officer in South Carolina.

Over the past year, a criminal justice work group comprised of criminal justice faculty representatives from Greenville, HorryGeorgetown, Orangeburg-Calhoun, TCTC and Trident technical colleges teamed with SC Criminal Justice Academy Director Jackie Swindler to design a certified statewide law enforcement certificate.

The curriculum will prepare individuals to work in the diverse and multicultural communities they will serve. By increasing their educational level, they can develop creative problem-solving skills and therefore relate better to their communities.

Laneika Musalini Participates In ACE DEI Video Laneika Musalini, director of grants, was selected to participate in the American Council on Education (ACE) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Community of Practice last summer. She also sat on the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy and Practice subgroup, who created a resource toolkit, which she co-authored. The video is titled “Combating COVID-19 in Laneika Musalini Higher Education with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lens.” Members of ACE’s DEI Community of Practice discussed the importance of DEI work, reflected on their experience in the Community of Practice, and provided information on resources institutional leaders can use to combat COVID-19 with a DEI lens.

Dr. Rashad Anderson Delivers Keynote Address at Men of Color Luncheon Dr. Rashad Anderson, assistant professor of teacher education and the campus director of the Call Me MISTER program at SC State University, was the keynote speaker at the College’s Men of Color luncheon. The event was held April 7 virtually and in person. Dr. Anderson discussed how engaging with men of color (African American and minorities) on campus can contribute to their success both in the classroom and beyond.

The event was sponsored by the Business and Public Services Division and the TCTC Foundation.

Alumnus Tony Webb Attends Men of Color Luncheon Alumnus Tony Webb visited his alma mater and attended the Men of Color luncheon. “I’m always looking for ways to make my community better and supporting Tri-County is one way to do so,” he said.

Tony, who has been an educator for 11 years, is assistant principal at Hopkins Elementary School in Columbia. He received an associate in science degree in 2006 and is the Tony Webb College’s first graduate to enter the nationally known Call Me MISTER program, where black males are recruited, trained, and certified to become elementary teachers in S.C.’s public schools.

Tony transferred to Clemson University where he earned an Elementary Education degree (high honors) in 2009, taught fourth grade at Blue Ridge Elementary School in

Seneca and later moved to Columbia, where he was a teacher before becoming Dr. Rashad Anderson assistant principal. He tells his students today that he struggled academically in high school and even college, where he initially earned a Computer Technology degree from Tri-County in 2004.

He became energized about the teaching profession after finding the Call Me MISTER program and decided to change careers. He continued to struggle in university transfer studies, but through the support of TCTC and the MISTER program, things started to turn around. “I went from being a high school student who barely graduated to being named to the President’s List at Tri-County. There were teachers along the way, in high school and college, who encouraged me and saw potential in me I didn’t know I had,” said Tony. “Tri-County instructors are supportive of where you are and where you need to be to be successful,” he added.

In Memoriam Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family of Al Norris, former dean of students, who passed away March 20.

Mr. Norris came to Tri-County in 1972 as Assistant Dean of Student Services and over the years built the Student Development Services program into a model for the technical college system.

He retired in 1994 after 22 years as Dean of Students, and was known as one “who works by the heart as well as by the book.” Over the years, his extraordinary commitment to helping students attain their educational goals was at the forefront of his actions. He and his team developed a program of student services that rivaled any two-year college. He was often cited as a role model not only by the Student Services Division staff but the entire College community.

He always said the greatest honor bestowed upon him in his lifelong career in education was a scholarship endowed in his name at Tri-County Technical Al Norris, 1935–2021 College in 1994. You can contribute to his scholarship fund at tctc.edu/give.

“The scholarship helps students financially, therefore making Tri-County accessible to one student a year. It’s always a pleasure to meet the recipients. I’m always impressed by them,” he said at the time.

March/April 2021 • 7

Our College Family excellence through service Laura McClain, medical assisting program director, was one of two medical assisting professionals in the U.S. asked by Goodheart-Willcox publishing company to review a proposal for a new professionalism text for healthcare professionals.

Several years ago she was chosen to review the third edition of “The Electronic Health Record for the Physician’s Office” for SimChart by Elsevier.

Laura McClain

Billy Carson

A non-traditional field is one that is enrolled by less than 25% of a gender.

Grayson Kelly, vice president for institutional advancement and business relations, has been selected by the Multiplying Good Board to be a member of its 2021 Upstate ChangeMakers class. ChangeMakers are a distinguished group of community leaders in the Upstate who have demonstrated a commitment to service and the potential to move South Carolina forward.

Jeremy McCracken, a social sciences instructor in the Arts and Sciences Division, has been reLaura McClain, elected Faculty Senate medical assisting program President. director, and Billy Carson, Faculty Senate is computer and information comprised of full-time and technology program adjunct representation director, are among the from each instructional Grayson Kelly Jeremy McCracken Marcus Guess 27 faculty members from division. Meetings are the state’s 16 technical held monthly. The goal of the Faculty Senate is to coordinate colleges who were chosen to participate in the Faculty Academy the efforts of the entire faculty, to maintain faculty morale for Teaching in Non-Traditional Fields. and to further the understanding between the faculty and the The SCTCS Faculty Academy in Non-Traditional Fields is a administration. practical, hands-on program that allows faculty to explore specific topics designed to recruit and retain students in non-traditional TCTC Chief of Police Marcus Guess has met the qualifications fields. This initiative will focus on non-traditional career and to be an instructor in the SC Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) based on the transfer of his training from Georgia. technical education fields as defined by the Perkins V legislation.

IDEA Council Launched

SCATCC CEO of the Year

The College’s Diversity and Inclusion Project Team is transitioning to a standing committee known as the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access (IDEA) Council. The council’s primary purpose is to guide, oversee and champion the College’s diversity, equity, access and inclusion initiatives.

The council will be made up of representatives from across the college and have two executive sponsors: Marcia Leake, associate vice president of human resources, and Jenni Creamer, assistant vice president of college transitions.

(continued from page 1)

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• The SC Technical College System and the SC Criminal Justice Academy announced March 2 a partnership that provides a new career pathway for individuals interested in entering law enforcement. This pathway, which will be offered this fall at TCTC, as well as at the state’s other 15 technical colleges, is based on workforce development. The four-course certificate program can provide a simple path to becoming a law enforcement officer and was developed in partnership with the SC Criminal Justice Academy.

in transition Susanna Powers joined us in March as a financial aid advisor.

A graduate of D.W. Daniel High School, she took prerequisite courses at TCTC and the University of South Carolina before transferring to Clemson University, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in supply chain management.

Susanna Powers She worked for STTAS, a UPS company, as a customs compliance analyst for four years and at BMW Manufacturing as a customs and export control analyst before accepting this job. She lives in Central.

Ann Turner recently accepted the full-time TC Central specialist role. She joined the TCTC team in September of 2020 in a part-time capacity and played an integral role in providing direct student support in the areas of Admissions, Recruitment and Orientation, Financial Aid, and Registrar/Student Data Center.

Her work experience includes four years as area human resources manager for Lowes Companies, Ann Turner covering six stores in the Upstate.

Prior to that she was human resources operations manager for Belk in Greenville for seven years. She also worked in banking as vice president of retail branch operations from 2001 to 2008 and at Trustmark National Bank as vice president branch administration in Jackson, Mississippi.

Ann took university transfer classes at TCTC before transferring to Anderson University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and development in 2013. She and her husband live in Anderson.

Michelle Martin is a student services coordinator in TC Central.

She comes to the college from the Social Security Disability office where she was a disability examiner for seven years. She holds a bachelor of science degree in human services from the University of Phoenix-West Michigan Campus. She and her husband, Michael, have six children, Chloe, 22; Isaiah, 21; Jacob, 14; Olivia, 13; James, 10; and Grace, 7.

Michelle Martin

Jess B. McCoy joined the Criminal Justice department faculty last fall. She has seven years of law enforcement experience working as an officer at the Asheville, NC, Police Department, at Greenville Technical College and GSP International Airport. She also was a CRJ adjunct faculty member at Greenville Tech and USC Upstate from 2019 to 2020. She currently is a reserve police officer for the Lyman Police Jess B. McCoy Department. She holds a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from USC Upstate and a master of science degree in criminal justice administration from South University. She lives in Lyman.

Dr. Carolyn Walker is the program director for Administrative Office Technology (AOT). Her career in education includes working in public schools as well as technical colleges in the state. She began her career as a business education teacher at West-Oak High School in Oconee County and later served as an adjunct for our AOT program (then Office Systems Technology) from 2002 to 2006 and later at Greenville Dr. Carolyn Walker Technical College, where she was a faculty member for 14 years and AOT department head from 2011 to 2014.

Dr. Walker has authored several articles about experiential learning which have appeared in several research journals.

She served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1987 to 2008.

She is a 1989 graduate of our computer data processing program and transferred to Southern Wesleyan University, where she earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration and later a master of science in career and technology education from Clemson University. She earned an Ed.D. in community college executive leadership from Wingate University.

She is a member of the International Association of Administrative Professionals and serves on its certification administration committee. She served as a board member for the SC American Association of Women in Community Colleges from 2019 to 2020. She has served on the FIARC Ministries Board since 2014 and is a member of the South Carolina Technical Education Association and the Toastmasters Club.

She resides in Seneca

March/April 2021 • 9

Amanda Blanton Retires with Lots of Great Memories She has changed the lives of thousands of students in our service area and the ripple effect is immense.

Those were the words spoken by Jenni Creamer, assistant vice president for college transitions, at a farewell reception for Amanda Blanton, who retired April 2 after 23 years at the College.

Over the years Amanda has become the face of Tri-County for the College’s K-12 partners in her various roles, most recently as director of high school engagement and outreach.

President Galen DeHay recognized Amanda’s leadership skills, dedication and drive to make a difference and provide a transformative experience for every student.

“She has worked in so many capacities,” said Dr. DeHay. “It will be impossible to replace her and her heart for service.”

For the last eight years Amanda’s tireless work with public school officials and industry leaders led to the development of a unique technical career pathways pilot program that was so successful the College was able to garner funding through a state proviso to support full-scale implementation across seven school districts.

She directed the Technical Career Pathways (TCP) program whose goal is to develop a pipeline of individuals who are skilled and ready to fill in-demand jobs at manufacturing facilities across the Upstate.

Workforce development is just one of the many advantages of the program that since its inception in 2013 has provided high school juniors and seniors with a clear path to a debt-free education that prepares them for careers in manufacturing.

The program began with seven students from Crescent High School and to date, more than 700 have participated in a pathway. Eighty-four percent of those who successfully completed their pathway in high school have entered Tri-County to complete

Amanda Blanton helps a TCP student prepare for graduation.

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Amanda Blanton and husband, Rex

an associate degree in the following majors: CNC Programming, General Engineering Technology, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Industrial Electronics, Mechatronics and Welding.

There is no cost to high school dual enrollment students enrolled in a Technical Career Pathway—the program is state funded.

“Tri-County and our educational partners help us educate the community about in-demand career options. Our partners are important because it takes all of us to deliver the message to our students and parents about career options and how important the jobs are in our community now,” said Amanda.

In every role she has had at the College, her desire has been to see every student experience the benefits of higher education and the high-demand, high-wage careers that follow.

For eight years she served as director of collaboration and special projects. In 2008 she was named dean of enrollment management for the Student Affairs Division and directed the admissions, financial aid and records offices, along with the Education and Economic Development Act objectives, dual enrollment and the Bridge to Clemson program.

She also managed the Partnership for Academic and Career Education (PACE) Board, whose goal is to identify, create, and articulate seamless career pathways from K-12 to post-secondary to business and industry.

Amanda joined the College in 1998 as a career specialist and later became interim director of the PACE Consortium. She is a graduate of Leadership Anderson and Leadership Pickens and is a Certified Global Career Development Facilitator. In 2015 and 2016 she was the College’s nominee for the A. Wade Martin Innovator of the Year award. She completed the South Carolina Technical College System’s Leadership Academy in 2007.

She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Clemson University. She and her husband, Rex, have one son, Brightin, a graduate student at the University of Mississippi. They live in Seneca.

Alumna Hannah Smith Receives Outpatient Care Team Member Of the Year Award Hannah Smith, a nurse at the MUSC Health Transplant and Telehealth Center in Greenville, received a belated birthday gift in true COVID-19 style. During a called Zoom staff meeting with her colleagues at the Greenville and Charleston offices, she was presented the Transplant, Nephrology and Hepatology ICCE Outpatient Care Team Member of the Year Award for 2020.

“It was a huge surprise and the best birthday present,” said Hannah, who earned a licensed practical nursing degree from Tri-County Technical College in 2019.

“Hannah is a great asset to our team and has shown tremendous growth since she first started,” said Zachary Sutton, physician’s assistant for the Department of Transplant Surgery, who is her supervisor and who hired her to help establish the Greenville Transplant Outreach and Telehealth Clinic in Greenville.

“However the COVID-19 pandemic hit amid opening the Greenville office in 2020,” said Sutton. “Hannah was able to adapt to whatever was asked of her from ordering supplies to helping set up the new clinic, managing pre/post-transplant patients, volunteering for COVID-19 test sites, giving COVID-19 vaccinations, scheduling patients, performing as a telehealth presenter, traveling to other outreach sites, and training in multiple transplant specialties,” he said.

She currently helps run the heart failure clinic in Greenville once a month, assists with evaluation of liver, kidney, pancreas and lung transplant patients, and actively follows post-transplant

Alumna Hannah Smith received the MUSC Outpatient Care Team Member of the Year Award. She is pictured with Transplant Nephrologist and Transplant Outreach Director Dr. Carlos Zayas, left, and Zachary Sutton, physician’s assistant for the Department of Transplant Surgery, who is her supervisor.

kidney patients while also coordinating transplant uutreach schedules across the state.

Transplant Nephrologist and Transplant Outreach Director Dr. Carlos Zayas said, “Hannah has energized our MUSC Grove Outreach Clinic with her enthusiasm, great disposition and superb care. She always anticipates the needs of our patients and makes sure that they get the best MUSC care in the Upstate.

We are privileged to have Hannah share her nursing passion with us and our patients.”

BASF seeking apprentices for “earn and learn” program BASF is seeking applicants for a new apprenticeship program at its Seneca facility. The program is part of the company’s North American Apprenticeship Development Program (NAADP), which aims to meet future talent needs for a skilled and diverse technician workforce with an emphasis on attracting more females to these roles.

The 12-month apprenticeship program in South Carolina pays apprentices a full-time wage to participate in on-the-job training while earning a certificate in Process Technology from TCTC. In addition to paying a competitive wage, BASF offers benefits and covers the cost of tuition, books and fees associated with the certificate program. At the end of the

program, apprentices have the skills and credentials to be placed in permanent positions.

Visit basf.com/us/en/careers/apprenticeship.html for more information.

March/April 2021 • 11

Standout Students Lindsey Sanders, LPN and office manager for CareConnect Anderson, PNS Resource Team, sent this e-mail to President DeHay about our nursing students who have been assisting at the COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Anderson Civic Center.

“I wanted to reach out to tell you how impressed I am with the students that have been through the COVID-19 vaccine clinic.

They have been so helpful and they’re eager to get in there and have an active role.

Special kudos to a few standout students—Olivia Preciado, Danielle Shaffer, Samantha Olvera, Emily Kelley and Chelsea Jennings. We’ve invited them to apply for temporary positions with us until they take their state board exams.

Thanks for all you do and thanks for doing it so well.”

Around 500 community members, including our faculty and staff, received COVID-19 vaccinations at a March 27 clinic hosted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) in the Anderson Hall Event Center. “There are so many rock stars behind the scenes,” said Marci Leake, associate vice president of human resources. “This is one great example of cross-functional interdependency. None of us could have made this happen without the collaboration and partnership of others. Having this vaccination clinic is a great way to show our passion and commitment to changing communities, one person at a time.”

Lindsey Sanders’s wide range of skills gained through two TCTC degrees (LPN and Medical Assisting) have served her well in her 17year career in health care.

At AnMed Health, she has worked in administrative, clinical and special project positions. Currently she is an LPN and office manager for CareConnect Anderson, while Lindsey Sanders also serving as vaccine clinic manager for AnMed’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic site at the Anderson Civic Center. She also manages the Physician Network Services Resource Team.

Lindsey received her Practical Nursing degree in 2011.

She earned a Medical Assisting degree in 2003 and worked as a certified medical assistant.

TCTC nursing students Amee Patel and Arnett Cobb, with Lindsey Sanders, LPN, vaccine clinic manager, standing, left, have been assisting at the AnMed Health COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Anderson Civic Center.

Mentors Matter Mary Johnston, who left full-time employment at the College in 2016, is working part-time for the Institutional Research and Evaluation department. Mary surveys alumni via phone and e-mail to obtain job placement data for the Commission on Higher Education (CHE).

Mary recently sent this e-mail to CNC and Welding Department Head Paul Phelps after she spoke with John Long, one of his graduates.

“I am beginning my annual graduate research to get placement data required by CHE. I talked to John Long this morning, and he spoke very highly of you. He told me he didn’t know a thing about welding when he started at TCTC and was

12 • CONNECTION

trying to figure out life—you took him under your wing and helped him double up on classes and graduate in one year.

John said you are fabulous and wanted me to thank you.

John moved to Denver, CO, after graduation and worked as a welder at Road Runner Fabrication. He lost that job last year due to COVID-19 cutbacks and is now working at Sherwin Williams doing stack welding and construction estimation. And he’s using his Spanish a lot. John said things are going very well for him.

Thank you, Paul, for making a difference in the lives of our students. Even after graduation, they still remember the impact you made.”

Men on the Move TCTC and Clemson University’s Tiger Alliance joined forces during a March 16 virtual event to provide information about opportunities at TCTC for African American, Latino and Hispanic young men of color in grades 9–12.

The focus was on TCTC programs and services, including financial aid and support resources, as well as Tiger Alliance, a college-access program designed to help create pathways to college and build a college-going culture for African-American and Hispanic ninth- to 12th-grade high school students in the Upstate. President DeHay announced that any Tiger Alliance high school graduate in our service area who enrolls at Tri-County is eligible for a $500 scholarship.

The event featured videos of interviews with two Tri-County students, Jacob Zambrano, Student Government Association president and a Media Arts Production (MAP) major, and David (Ahmad) Pendergrass, a Bridge to Clemson student and Call Me MISTER participant. They talked about their experiences at TriCounty and their future plans.

Jacob was a member of Tiger Alliance when he was a student at Daniel High School in Pickens County. Jacob did not receive

a $250 scholarship because scholarship awards will begin this year. He did receive LIFE and TCTC Foundation scholarships and is attending Tri-County debt free.

His biggest lesson from Tiger Alliance was “to never be afraid to ask questions and it’s always good to be curious.” He will graduate from the MAP program in May and is transferring to USCColumbia to study visual communications. Tri-County was the best option for him financially and was close to home, he added.

Ahmad is in his second semester at TCTC and will transfer to Clemson where he will major in Elementary Education. He is attending TCTC/Bridge to Clemson on a LIFE scholarship and Call Me MISTER stipend.

He says he appreciates instructors who are “willing to go above and beyond” and TCTC has been very welcoming—a place where he has met lifelong friends.

He said Biology is not his strong suit, but participating in the Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions improved both his grades and his confidence level in the class. SI is a best practice to improve retention, persistence, and grades in traditionally difficult courses.

TCTC Freezes In-County Tuition for 21-22 Academic Year The Tri-County Technical College (TCTC) Commission approved a freeze for in-county tuition rates for the 20212022 academic year at its April 5 meeting. This is the second year in a row that Tri-County has not raised its in-county tuition rates, which are the lowest of any technical college in the Upstate and the second lowest in the S.C. Technical College System.

“Tri-County is committed to providing affordable, accessible, high-quality learning experiences,” said TCTC Commission Chair Al Young. “Many of our students are struggling with the impacts of COVID-19. By not raising tuition, we can ease some of their financial obligations and help them remain on track academically and meet the goals they set prior to the pandemic.”

In spring of 2020, Tri-County disbursed more than $2 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to students, and in spring of 2021, the College disbursed nearly $3 million in Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act funding.

Both federal funding sources are aimed at reducing the economic hardships that COVID-19 has placed on students and their families.

“The more than $5 million of federal funding that we have disbursed to students over the past year has gone a long way in helping to ensure our most vulnerable students have an opportunity to remain in school and earn their credential. It also has allowed new students to start their college career when they previously thought they could not afford to do so,” said President DeHay. “Freezing in-county tuition rates is another way that we can support our students during this difficult time. I commend the Commission on their decision and their commitment to affordability and accessibility.”

Tuition rates are published on Tri-County’s website. Rates are based on residency and the number of credit hours taken per semester. Increases in tuition are typically based on an evaluation of the Higher Education Price Index, an inflation index designed specifically for higher education institutions and other operational funding needs.

March/April 2021 • 13

P.O. Box 587 • Pendleton, S.C. 29670

TCTC in 1963

TCTC today

Did You Know?

South Carolina’s 16 technical colleges were created as tools for economic development. In 1961 South Carolina faced a bleak future. Young people were leaving the state in droves because there were few jobs for them.

The late U.S. Senator Ernest Hollings, who was then governor, commissioned a group of legislators and representatives of the State Development Board to look at S.C.’s depressed economy at that time. The committee traveled around the United States viewing technical education systems in other states. After a year-long study, they filed a report that said the only way for South Carolina to improve its economy would be to develop its most valuable resource—its people.

Less than a year after the committee filed its report, tricounty leaders talked about working together to become a part 14 • CONNECTION

of the movement to improve the economy in the region and state. Political leaders and economic developers believed that an investment in improving the knowledge and skills of all South Carolinians would be recouped through an expanded economy.

Tri-County was founded in 1962 when the tri-county leaders pooled their resources to plan the College after Act 323, Section 23, of the South Carolina General Assembly established the State Committee for Technical Education and provided for the establishment of regional centers.

Governor Hollings signed Act 905 of the General Assembly on April 7, 1962, creating what would eventually become Tri-County Technical College.

Tri-County Technical Education Center opened its doors September 10, 1963.