Connection Newsletter November-December 2023

Connection November/December 2023

In this Issue …

Clemson Mayor Encourages Student Engagement............................3

Professional Development Day.......5

Comprehensive Studies Hosts First BudgetCon Event........................8

Bakari Sellers Headlines Fifth Annual Men of Color Luncheon Each year the College hosts a luncheon organized by the Men of Color (MOC) committee that allows middle school, high school, and college students to come together with community leaders to build their social capital by networking and learning from one another. The fifth annual MOC luncheon was held Thursday, November 2, with Bakari Guest speaker Bakari Sellers, right, engaged in a dialogue with WSPA’s Sellers, former South Carolina Jamarcus Gaston about his life and career and his advice for young men representative, New York Times looking to forge their own path to success. bestselling author, civil rights activist, attorney, and entrepreneur as guest speaker.

In lieu of a speech, Sellers engaged in a dialogue with WSPA’s Jamarcus Gaston about his life and career and his advice for young men looking to forge their own path to success.

“The luncheon is part of the College’s Men of Color initiative, which aims to educate, motivate, inspire and empower students Many thanks to South State Bank, who was the presenting sponsor of color to expand their endless this year. Pictured from left are Logan Queen, consumer lender; Luis possibilities in life and to let them Martinez, vice president/commercial lender; Jimmy Lindsey, Foothills know they have a place at TCTC,” regional president; and Sedrick McCallum, senior vice president/ said President Galen DeHay. community development officer.

“Through this luncheon, our goal is to empower male students of color by cultivating and showcasing leadership skills and developing intentional practices to achieve success,” said Dr. Jackie Blakley, dean of TCTC’s Business and Public Services Division and chair of TCTC’s Men of Color initiative. “Bakari Sellers is a terrific role model for young men in our region, and we appreciate that he shared his journey with our students and the broader community.” (continued on page 9)

Connection

Connecting

is published six 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 tctc.edu

Tri-County Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Tri-County Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

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.

2 • CONNECTION

A Seamless Path for Transfer Students

I

Dr. Galen DeHay t is more common for students, especially low-income students President and students of color, to start their college career at a two-year community college and then transfer to a four-year college or university to earn a bachelor’s degree. This approach is supposed to save students time and money. However, that is not always the case.

In early November, the U.S. Department of Education held a summit with 200 higher education leaders focused on making it easier for students to transfer from one college to another. The summit is part of the Education Department’s Raise the Bar: Attaining College Excellence and Equity Initiative, which seeks to ensure students of all backgrounds can earn a college credential and go on to a better life.

As part of the summit, the Education Department shared that while nearly 40% of students transfer at some point in their post-secondary journey, they lose more than 40% of their credits on average when they transition between schools. As a result, their journey takes longer and is costlier. The good news is some schools are bucking this trend, and TCTC is one of them.

New data released by the Education Department spotlights the two-year and four-year institutions with the highest bachelor’s completion rates for students who transfer between the two institutions. In South Carolina, the top performing institutions are TCTC and Clemson University. In fact, TCTC and Clemson boast the highest bachelor’s completion rate in the nation with 20% of Title IV students (those who receive federal financial aid) who start at TCTC successfully earning a bachelor’s degree from Clemson within eight years.

Comparatively, on average, only 13% of Title IV students who start at a community college and transfer to a four-year institution earn a bachelor’s degree within eight years.

So, how did the TCTC and Clemson partnership get to be one of the top performing partnerships in the country? Dedicated faculty and staff and a long-term commitment to the infrastructure needed to support transfer students. Individuals at both institutions work tirelessly to ensure students have access to the educational tools and support services they need to succeed. They also ensure courses at TCTC provide similar experiences to those at Clemson and that students receive academic and advising support from both institutions.

In short, both institutions have dedicated resources and developed processes that span decades and are not person-dependent.

I am proud of the long-standing partnership we have built with Clemson and humbled by our work and its impact on our students. I am thankful for the people who make this work happen each and every day and for the students who entrust us to deliver an exceptional and affordable learning experience that improves their quality of life.

In your service,

Galen DeHay, Ph.D. President

Engineering Systems Technology Spotlights Projects The EST (Engineering Systems Technology) program hosted its fall semester student showcase on November 16 in the Student Success Center on the Pendleton Campus. The showcase featured innovative student projects designed and created in the EST Basic Electronics course, Advanced Electronics course and Advanced Pneumatics course. Exhibits included advanced pneumatics automation systems and both basic and advanced electronic projects.

left: Dell Howard’s project was a pneumatic vehicle that uses compressed air as a power source. The brain for the device is a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). center: Shana Medlin, left, and Michael Nicholson’s project was a pneumatic device that climbs a wall by coordinating pneumatic cylinders for movement and

vacuum generators that drive suction cups. The brain for the device is a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). right: Lane Hardy, left, and Ryan Baucom demonstrate a device that turns a lamp on and off by clapping. The controller is a 555 timer.

Clemson Mayor Halfacre Encourages Students to Become Engaged in Their Communities Clemson Mayor Robert Halfacre spoke to a full house during a recent TAPS (TCTC Association of Political Scientists) meeting.

Mayor Halfacre discussed Clemson’s impactful initiatives and the importance of servant leadership. In addition to serving as mayor, Halfacre works with Park National Bank as the senior vice president, commercial banking officer, and market executive covering Pickens and Oconee counties. He also is a member of the TCTC Board of

Visitors. Following his comments, he answered questions and talked with students about ways to become engaged in their communities. above, left: Mayor Robert Halfacre poses with students and faculty advisors at the recent TAPS meeting. above, right: Charles Nix, left, attended the session and after the presentation took the opportunity to give Mayor Halfacre a copy of his resume.

November/December 2023 | 3

ITW Hartness Technical Scholars Program Sets TCTC Student Adam Roberts Up for Success Twenty-year-old Adam Roberts says the skills he is learning as a full-time TCTC CNC student, coupled with his work-based learning experience as an ITW Hartness Technical Scholar, are setting him up for success when he graduates.

“It’s been a great experience,” said the 2021 T.L. Hanna High School graduate who was selected as one of two TCTC students for the Technical Scholars program at the Greenville-based company which is a total packaging solutions provider with more than 100 patents and installations throughout the world. “At times it doesn’t even feel like work,” said Roberts, who works on manual milling machines.

“There is a lot of hands-on precision work which I enjoy.” Roberts works three eight-hour days a week at the plant and takes CNC classes at TCTC’s Industrial Technology Center in Sandy Springs. (Roberts was enrolled in TCTC CNC dual enrollment classes when in high school.)

ITW Hartness Technical Scholars must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA; be full-time students (12 credit hours); must work at least 20 hours per week at the facility; and complete the ITW Hartness aptitude test.

“This was the first year that ITW Hartness opened its Tech Scholar program to TCTC students,” said Leanne Cobb, work-based learning coordinator for TCTC. “They were very eager to meet our students and quickly agreed to host an information session where they talked with our students about the company, the culture and environment, the Tech Scholars program and benefits, and the career paths this opportunity can put them on. Adam attended this presentation and took the initiative to introduce himself to Whitney Long, the company’s human resources manager, and followed through on applying for the opportunity. We consistently stress to students the importance of taking advantage of opportunities

4 | CONNECTION

to meet the right people and to be proactive in building your professional network. Adam took this advice and it paid off for him in the form of an amazing work opportunity that not only pays a competitive wage but also pays tuition expenses, puts into practice what he learns in the classroom, and allows for him to strengthen his technical skill foundation and build more complex skills that will make him a top candidate in the job market,” she said.

Long said not only was she impressed with Roberts’ skills and his dedication to the craft, but also his persistence.

She said days after his interview for the scholars program, he stopped by the ITW Hartness table at the TCTC career fair to express his interest again.

“He wants to be here. Those are the students we want,” she said.

The scholars program allows students to learn by doing, said Long. They also gain exposure to the business’s diverse culture and work side-by-side with experienced leaders who serve as mentors, she added.

“The Technical Scholars program, in its second year, is a way to build our workforce,” said Long. “These students want to learn; they are very moldable. They want these opportunities. Our scholars take what they learn in class and apply it here in the plant. The program is an investment in our company.”

ITW Hartness Technical Scholars have the opportunity to apply for a full-time position when they graduate. “They now have the experience and the exposure to go on and become successful in their careers at ITW. But their work experience and their technical education sets them up to succeed wherever they go,” Long added.

Another bonus is Roberts will graduate debt free, thanks to a workforce scholarship. ITW pays the remainder of the balance along with book reimbursement.

“It’s a great deal,” said Roberts.

Scenes from Professional Development Day Fall Professional Development Day was held on Tuesday, November 7.

Community Action Poverty Simulation

Yoga

The IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) Council partnered with United Way of Anderson County to offer a Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS). CAPS is an interactive immersion experience. This experience sensitizes community participants to the realities of poverty.

Dr. Amoena Norcross, of Purple Lotus Yoga LLC and former TCTC faculty member, led yoga sessions where participants practiced various gentle body movements and breathing techniques for reducing stress and tension.

Instruction with Video Project Update

Facilities Updates: Peeking Over the Fence

Shelby Duffy, assistant dean of Humanities in the Arts and Sciences Division, Suzanne Konieczny, Computer/Information Technology program director, and Luke VanWingerden, CIO, led the instruction with video project update.

They presented the information they have gathered from faculty and students on using video in the classroom. This information is being used to standardize the process on using video for instruction.

The team also talked about the process they used to gather this data, the results from the campus-wide survey and possible next steps in the process. Pictured here in a small group discussion are, from left, Stacey Frank, George Fiori, Cara Hamilton and Dr. Mark Dougherty.

Richard Macbeth, project management director, led this session that provided updates on the Oconee Hall, Pickens Hall and Anderson Campus projects.

November/December 2023 | 5

Our College Family excellence through service Congratulations to Elizabeth Wallace, learning support coordinator for Academic and Career Foundations, for being named one of the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce’s Top 20 Under 40.

TCTC’s Educators of the Year Congratulations to the three faculty/ staff members who will be honored as TCTC’s Educators of the Year and will be Elizabeth Wallace recognized, along with other winners from our technical college system, at the annual South Carolina Technical Education Association (SCTEA) conference February 15-17, 2024, in

Dr. Mandy Elmore

Ross Hughes

Erin McAleer

Myrtle Beach, SC. Dr. Mandy Elmore, assistant vice president of Curriculum and Instruction, is the College’s outstanding administrator.

Ross Hughes, I-BEST instructor in the Academic and Career Foundations Division, is the outstanding faculty member.

Erin McAleer, learning support coordinator for the Academic and Career Foundations Division, is the outstanding staff member.

in transition Kari Logan has been hired as the student engagement coordinator for Student Development. In this role, Logan helps lead and support TCTC’s cocurricular and extra-curricular events and activities, including student clubs and organizations. She previously worked part-time in student support, student engagement and the learning commons.

Cathy Cole has returned to the College in the inaugural role of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) administrator for Tri-View. In this new role she is responsible for overseeing the administration of our new CRM working with functional and technical staff for the successful campus-wide launch and longterm maintenance of the product. Cole brings an unsurpassed level of TCTC knowledge and history back to the institution.

Miranda Crawley-Fowler is the new program director for Surgical Technology.

She is responsible for all aspects of the program including but not limited to student success, organization, maintaining accreditation, academic oversight and continuous quality review and improvement of the program. She has been a surgical technician for 26 years specializing in Neuro, Ortho, Robotics, and Trauma. She has previous experience as a program director and has been a clinical educator for various hospitals.

Leanne Cooper is our new marketing account coordinator. She will be handling all social media for the College and working with colleagues across campus to ensure the College’s programs and services are promoted effectively. She brings a wealth of experience in marketing.

Steve Logan is a HVAC instructor based at the Pickens County Career and Technology Center. He has more than 30 years of experience in the HVAC/R industry and owned and operated a very successful refrigeration company in Easley.

6 | CONNECTION

Alumni Spotlight on Marcus Leach Marcus Leach currently serves as a managing director in the Deal Advisory & Strategy practice at KPMG, one of the world’s largest and most distinguished professional services firm. In this role, he is responsible for leading performance improvement, merger and acquisition strategy, and sustainability strategy engagements at Fortune 1000 corporations and bulge-bracket private equity firms.

When discussing his unique journey that led him to his current executive role, Leach fondly recalls his time attending TCTC and graduating in 2009.

“Looking back, I would not have done it any other way,” said Leach, a Clemson native who graduated from D.W. Daniel High School. “At the time, my decision to enroll at TCTC was financially driven; it was my only option. The end result was that I received a great education and captured general education courses at a significantly discounted rate. My time at TCTC really exceeded my expectations due to the quality of the professors and the accessibility I had to them in small classroom sizes.”

Leach took university transfer courses at TCTC and earned an Associate of Arts degree in 2009. He transferred to Clemson University to pursue a degree in International Trade.

While at Clemson, he worked in the evenings as a market research supervisor at a national market research firm.

“It was a blessing to be at TCTC,” said Leach, who graduated with significantly less debt than had he taken equivalent courses at a four-year institution. “That was a big deal for me, and it’s a big deal for current students in today’s economy,” he said. “TCTC offered invaluable access to transferable curriculum and resources. The faculty and staff were amazing, and I had a great experience. I was beyond equipped for Clemson and TCTC provided a great jumpstart.”

After college, Leach worked as a management consultant for several boutique firms including Brooks International, MTG, Advisian (Worley) in roles of increasing responsibility.

He later launched an independent consulting firm, Marcus Leach Consulting & Capital, before joining KPMG’s Strategy practice in 2017.

A typical day for Leach, who is based in Palm Beach, Florida, begins on an airplane enroute to/from a client. “Strategy consulting is notoriously strenuous travel with most roles requiring 80%+ travel, usually Monday-Thursday at clients and Friday’s in office or working from home,” he said. For the dayto-day work itself, Leach oversees teams of consultants who help executive teams at large organizations solve some of their most challenging issues, such as, ‘How do we develop/maintain competitive advantage? Where should we focus to grow market share? What initiatives should we take on to increase profitability?’”

“Strategy consulting is the furthest thing from repetitive tasks.

This career provides the opportunity to take on new and exciting work every day—consistently tackling some of the most challenging issues in business,” said Leach.

When asked what guidance he would give to students considering enrolling at TCTC, Leach said, “If I were an 18-year-old high school senior today, I would go directly to TCTC after graduation to earn a two-year degree and gain some work experience before working toward an advanced degree. The value of an education at TCTC is unparalleled. To graduate debt free in today’s economy is unheard of.

In addition, you can develop a stronger perspective on your career goals, which can define where you want to go.”

Associate Degree Nursing Alumni Return to Campus Several of our Associate Degree Nursing alumni returned to campus to speak to our nursing students.

Terri Teramano (right), a 2010 graduate, is now a senior lecturer for Clemson University’s School of Nursing.

She presented to our NUR 221 students about resume writing, cover letters and interviews.

The Student Nurses Association (SNA) sponsored an Ask-a-Nurse panel discussion on October 3 for all Nursing students. Sherry McLaughlin, a 1992 alumna, who is a nursing supervisor for the Oconee County School District, third from left on stage (below), joined from left, Beth Trivierge, nurse manager, R.N., for Prisma Health; Brittnie Hawkins, OR R. N., AnMed; and Amy-Jo Wess, flight R.N., Med Trans/Life Flight AnMed ER.

November/December 2023 | 7

Comprehensive Studies Hosts First BudgetCon Event

IDEA Council Members Attend DEI Summit

Comprehensive Studies hosted its first BudgetCon event in November. The First Year Experience Committee organized the new BudgetCon event which is a simulation workshop where students worked through various stations to create a monthly budget based on the entry-level pay for their chosen career field. This event was available to all TCTC students and required for COL 103 students.

BudgetCon included information on deductions from gross pay to net pay, choosing realistic housing and transportation options, information on student loan repayment, investments, and savings, as well as additional information on building and managing credit. Financial Aid was present to help facilitate some of the stations.

Several members of TCTC’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Council attended the 2023 Diversity & Economic Inclusion Summit sponsored by the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. The Diversity & Economic Inclusion Summit is an annual conference that educates attendees regarding the important work of diversity, equity and inclusion. The purpose of the IDEA Council is to guide, oversee, and champion diversity, equity, access, and inclusion initiatives for the entire college community.

Leadership SC Visits Campus Each year, Leadership South Carolina selects around 50 highly motivated candidates from hundreds of possible applications for its nine-month core program (September to April). The program gives them an opportunity to advance their leadership qualities while broadening their understanding of issues facing the state.

Courtney White, executive director of the TCTC Foundation, is participating in the program this year. The group visited our campus on November 17 and toured TC Central and the Student Success Center before engaging in a presentation with President DeHay on economic mobility and under-resourced populations.

Political Science instructor Lara Wrightson was among the faculty who participated in the event. Here she talks with a student about housing and utility costs.

Faculty member Alex Eaton discusses budgeting for basic needs.

8 | CONNECTION

GET Grad Opens Second Business, The Office of Oconee Since graduating from TCTC 10 years ago with a General Engineering Technology degree, Candace LeRoy’s career path has been everevolving.

After a year as an applications engineering assistant at a small business, she accepted a job as an engineered wood designer for Yoder’s Building Supply where she was the first female leader and earned the Top Gun designer award for the Southeast region for Weyerhauser. Five years later, she added project manager for residential homes to her resume.

Her journey continued—three years ago she started her own business, Three Broomsticks Cleaning. This month the Westminster entrepreneur branched out and with business partner Trista Ezell opened a second business, The Office of Oconee, located at 101 Castlebrook Drive in Walhalla, which serves as a hub for professionals, including entrepreneurs, contractors, sub-contractors and small business owners.

She provides a monthly subscription service that offers advertisement and office space for new businesses and already-

established businesses. “The Office (of Oconee) wants to bring old school personable customer service to the community while also contributing with new age technology,” she said.

In The Office there is a daily coffee bar, a conference room, access to private work spaces, local job postings and resume bulletin boards, printing services, and secretarial services. They also host monthly networking and educational events. The space is also available to rent as an event venue after hours and on weekends.

As a small business owner operating out of her home, LeRoy knows the value of having an office space. “I also know the value of community connections and resources,” she said. “For less than the price of a cup of coffee per day (or $75 monthly), you can have access to office space and resources. When I started my business, I was bogged down with paperwork. I know how beneficial it is to gather valuable resources in one spot for small business owners,” she said.

“If we can’t help you, we can put you in touch with someone who can.”

Fifth Annual Men of Color Luncheon (continued from page 1)

South State Bank was the presenting sponsor this year. Sedrick McCallum, senior vice president/community development officer, welcomed the group and expressed thanks for the influences in his own life (parents, teachers, his wife and children). “The older me would tell the younger me to pay attention to the influences. Embrace diversity and your experiences,” he said. “Make opportunities count. Embrace people. Care about people and relationships. Push yourself to be better than you are today.”

The luncheon has continuously grown in number, and this year included nearly 300 attendees.

The Men of Color committee’s goal is to educate, motivate, inspire, and empower minority students and to let them know they have a place at TCTC. The committee works intentionally to create an inclusive learning environment that fosters success where young men and women of color feel safe, welcomed and valued. Pictured from left are Travis Durham, Taliah Wheatley, Rodney Estrada, August Johnson, Dr. Jackie Blakley, Dr. Brian Smith and Dr. Beverly McAdams.

November/December 2023 | 9

P. O. Box 587 Pendleton, SC 29670 tctc.edu

Students Attend Mini Gradfest right: Tiffany Hart, middle, pictured here with son, Wyatt, five, and Taliah Wheatley, academic resource specialist for the Business and Public Services Division, was among the soon-to-be graduates who attended a mini Gradfest celebration where students get together for food and festivities and pick up their regalia for the upcoming fall commencement. Hart will receive an associate degree in Nursing on December 18. She accepted a job as a critical care nurse at Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital. left: Rita Rao, a retired toy industry executive, will address the fall graduates Monday, December 18, at 6 p.m. at the Brooks Center in Clemson. Rao’s career began as an entry-level marketing research analyst and concluded as executive vice president for the largest toy company in the world, Mattel, Inc. Responsible for worldwide product design, engineering, manufacturing and marketing, she managed $2 billion in sales with one of the biggest brand names in history, the Barbie doll.

Rao began her career journey when the business world was mostly devoid of women. She was the only female business major in her graduating class at Indiana University.

Throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s, few corporate doors were open, but with quiet perseverance, she found the keys to unlock those doors.

10 | CONNECTION

Throughout that journey, Rao also broke the glass ceiling in the investment brokerage business and became the second female stockbroker to be registered on the New York Stock Exchange. For eight years she had her own company, designing and manufacturing toys for key retailers such as Walmart, Target, etc.

After her retirement, Rao and her husband, Bob, left Los Angeles and moved to Lake Keowee. She served on the Oconee Hospice of the Foothills board, the Oconee Memorial Hospital Foundation Board, and was a founding member of the Women in Philanthropy organization.