Warf Building Update

Plant Ops is moving cabinets and such back into the Warf Building, as much of the construction for the classroom side of the building is about finished. Work continues on the areas near the new Mechatronics wing and faculty offices. We were given permissions to take a peek inside last week, and as noted by many, - you won't recognize the place. Warf is much more open now, with wider spaces and bigger offices. And of course everything is nicely updated. Furniture is on the way soon.

The Microbiology lab features a new scrub room with sinks and lockers. Each lecture room will be outfitted with a HoverCam electronic teaching station. Dr. Faulkner demonstrated those at convocation last year.

The building is still not open to visitors, except for those authorized. So, here are some pictures in the meantime.

Vol State in the News

The recent Tennessee Comptroller's Report focused primarily on business practices at the college. And while we did have one finding to respond to regarding IT security, overall it was a good audit report. The findings did include a section on enrollment and the strength of new programs which was very positive. The Tennessean did a story about that section of the audit.

Wilson County Campus Fundraiser

The College Foundation held an event at Beretta Vineyards in Mt. Juliet recently to launch the effort to locate a Vol State campus in Wilson County. The McFarland family has donated 2.5 acres and the college is purchasing an additional 7.5 acres for the campus. The college is raising funds for the development and design of the campus. It will be located on East Division Street in Mt. Juliet, a half mile east of the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce Building. The college is currently working through a multi-part State of Tennessee process for the new campus. The finished facility will have multiple classrooms and other educational facilities that will allow Vol State to offer a variety of classes. The size of the building and a timeline for the project are still being determined.  

Pictured left to right, seated: Sandra McFarland and Vol State president, Jerry Faulkner. Standing: Susan Redmond-Vaught, daughter; and College Foundation executive director, Karen Mitchell.

Meet the New Dean of Business and Technology

Andrew White is the new dean of Business and Technology. He worked at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville as director of the Aerospace and Defense Business Institute and as director of the Aerospace and Defense MBA Program. He also served with the United States Air Force as squadron commander and public affairs director. In his new role, White will oversee the Business and Technology academic division at Vol State, which includes such diverse programs as Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Accounting, and Computer Information Systems.

“Access to higher education changed my family’s life and that’s inspired me to choose this profession,” White said. “My father grew up in a coal miner’s family in Fentress County. Through the G.I. Bill he got a college degree and that changed our lives forever. That’s why it’s exciting for me to be working in a place like this.”

When asked about his immediate plans at Vol State White mentioned community relationships. “We need to strengthen the partnership and alignment between the college and employers, to ensure that we continue to graduate students ready to work and to excel in that work.”

White holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Tennessee; a Master of Science in Public Administration from Central Michigan University; and an Ed.D. in Education Leadership from the University of Southern California.

WVCP is Hot in Germany

Vol State radio WVCP-FM has plenty of loyal listeners in Middle Tennessee, but a new report shows they have a streaming audience across the country and the world. Listeners in Germany clocked more than 1,600 listening hours in March. That's almost as much as the total for the United States. Those U.S. listeners come from 13 different states. When WVCP started streaming in 2004 they had 82 listening hours in a month. Last March they totaled 3,327 hours.

You too can stream WVCP. You can find the link on their web page. If you would prefer old fashion FM tune into 88.5.

Rotary Award and Installation in Cookeville

Stephanie Voris, facility coordinator and adjunct faculty member at the CHEC campus, has been honored with the Rotarian of the Year award from Sunset Rotary in Cookeville. In addition, CHEC faculty member Mark Green was installed as an officer recently.  Two more examples of Vol State folks involved in the community.

Adult Literacy Award

Faculty member David Johnson has been honored with the Burks Award for his work with the Adult Literacy Council. The publisher of the Cookeville Herald-Citizen newspaper presented him with the award.

Vol State in the News

The Cyber Defense Program in Livingston is in the Overton County news.

The P-16 Council, led by Vol State, is accepting applications to honor people in the business and professional community who support education. Nominations for the BEST awards are open now in several counties. The Hendersonville Standard has the details.

Logistics Student Scholarship

Vol State student Sara Carmack received a $1000 scholarship recently from the Delta Nu Alpha (DNA) Transportation Society. Carmack is a student in the Logistics program. Pictured left to right: Jim Hall, past president of DNA; Tamara Dunnabacke, DNA board member; Sarah Carmack; and Don Ellis, Vol State Logistics faculty member. 

Wild Campus Visitors

Apparently human parents are not the only ones comfortable sending their kids to Vol State. Keith Bell took some video of these visitors on campus recently.

Dr. Faulkner: Weather Alert

I appreciate the scientific advances that now provide us with more accurate forecasts and the advance notice we receive about impending events.  I also understand that the main factor affecting the ratings for local news programs is the weather segment.  And so some TV meteorologists feel the pressure to be engaging to the point of melodrama. 

In the late 1960s, George Carlin originated a comedy routine called the Hippy Dippy Weather Man.  He often repeated it throughout his career.  It was a satire of television weather forecasters and became a classic in the comedy world.

Given the hyperbole of current weather forecasts, I have wondered how Carlin might satirize them now.

Announcer: We now go immediately to meteorologist Wendy Rein for a breaking weather alert.

Wendy Rein: Viewers we have a breaking weather situation that I need to make you aware of immediately. The U.S Weather Service has issued a warning for our area. At 6:34 p.m. the U.S. Weather Service issued an advisory that at 7:02 p.m. the sun will go down and it will become dark. This is a dangerous meteorological situation as this will leave thousands in our area in the dark. We urge you to immediately seek a safe place where you can protect yourself. Please be sure that you have an alternate source of light like an electric lamp. In an extreme situation you may need to equip yourself with a battery powered flashlight. If you are outside you need to seek shelter indoors or you may find yourself in the dark.

We now want to show you this video from our sister station to the east where this phenomenon has already struck. You can clearly see the devastation of darkness and can see people in this area have had to resort to turning on their car head lights.

Again this darkness is imminent and unavoidable, so please take necessary precautions immediately. As the situation progresses we may break into regularly scheduled programming to update you on this situation.

Now would be a good time for you to download the Weather Action app for your cell phone so you can know every night what time sunset will occur.

This is Wendy Rein. Back to our anchor desk.

Gallatin Underground Utilities Project

This word from Plant Operations:

The Gallatin campus will be undergoing an Underground Utilities Update Project this summer.  It will update or replace the remaining underground direct buried cable. Most work will occur in areas that will not interrupt daily business. The area impacted is on the map below.  All work is expected to be completed prior to fall semester.   

Vol State in the News

The Overton County News has the story of our new evening degree program in Livingston.

We're conducting a survey in Smith County to see if residents there would be interested in classes, primarily linked to other campuses via Zoom technology. Here is the story in the Smith County Insider and another from Stonecom radio.

TBR Meeting a Success

The Tennessee Board of Regents held their quarterly meeting on the Gallatin campus last week. They had an opportunity to tour some of our programs, including Health Sciences, Vet Tech, and Humanities. Many Vol State faculty, staff, and students helped with the hosting duties for the event. Kudos to everyone involved.

Vol State in the News

Livingston recently celebrated the opening of a new Nursing Lab on property owned by Livingston Regional Hospital. The Overton County News has this story.

PTA Program Service Learning this Summer

The Vol State Physical Therapist Assistant program is partnering with Veranda Ministries in a Service Learning project. Veranda Ministries is a multi-denominational respite program for those with a form of dementia. The Veranda is one of few day respite programs in Middle Tennessee and they are leading the way to provide a service that is in demand.  

PTA students will be volunteering at least two hours each this summer at the Veranda facility in Gallatin. Student will gain direct experience in interpersonal communication skills. This introduction to client support will be valuable as they prepare for clinical education externships that will occur in the fall of 2019 and the spring of 2020.  The volunteer experience will also support the Veranda staff members as they plan and direct daily activities for their clients. 

Pictured: The Veranda recently spoke to the PTA students and held a session on inter-personal engagement.

Trahern Collective Show at Vol State Gallery

This summer, the Volunteer State Community College Art Gallery is featuring the works of a group of artists, all of whom earned degrees from Austin Peay State University (APSU). They call themselves the Trahern Collective.

Rachel Hall Kirk is an associate professor of drawing in the Department of Art and Design at Central Washington University. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Drawing and Painting from the University of Tennessee, and a Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) degree from APSU. Her abstract mixed-media artwork has been exhibited nationally.

Nashville artist, Olivia Molinaro Landry, grew up in a rural town in West Tennessee. She earned a BFA in Studio Arts at APSU. He work focuses on the vibrancy of colors, and the juxtaposition of patterns and textures in everyday life

Miranda Herrick was born in Vicenza, Italy. Her father’s military career took her family many places before they settled in Clarksville. Herrick graduated from APSU with a BFA, concentrating in Drawing and Ceramics. She currently lives in Madison.

Native Tennessee artist, Marc Pewitt, graduated from APSU with concentrations in Studio Art and Design. Pewitt has worked in the publishing industry as a layout and feature design artist with the Nashville Scene and area newspapers. He has said that he has returned to his first love of painting.

The Vol State show runs from June 17 until August 8. There will be a reception for the artists on June 29 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Vol State Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the Steinhauer-Rogan-Black (SRB) Humanities Building on the Gallatin campus at 1480 Nashville Pike. The summer Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday from Noon to 4 p.m. For more information call 615-230-3202.

Pictured: “Namaste”, acrylic painting by Olivia Molinaro Landry.

Software Development Meet-Up at Vol State Gallatin

Vol State in the News

Local media have published stories with updates on plans for a Vol State Wilson County campus. The primary update is an announcement of the location in Mt. Juliet. The Wilson Post has this story. The Tennessean ran this piece.

Congrats to PTA!

The Vol State Physical Therapy Assistant program received some big news recently. The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education re accredited the program for 10 years. Here are some stats they cited:

Student Achievement	Program graduates
Graduation Rate for students graduating in 2017, 2018	98.55%
Licensure Examination Pass Rate- ultimate Pass rate for students graduating in 2016, 2017*	91.94%
Employment Rate for students graduating in 2016, 2017	100%

*Reported by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy; data current as of March 28, 2019

Congrats to everyone involved!

Vol State in the News

The Tennessean did a nice story about the retirement of Sue Pedigo.

The Volunteer Gardener TV show on Nashville Public Television taped a segment at the Vol State Community Garden this spring. The episode is due to air on Thursday 6/20/19 at 7:30pm. The same episode repeats on Sunday 6/23/19 at 9:30am. It will broadcast on all the public television stations in TN after NPT’s debut. The show will be posted at wnpt.org on 6/24, after both of the Nashville broadcasts. 

The Ledger Newspaper in Nashville has an article about the need for our new Nursing program.

Vol State in the News

The push is on for new TN Reconnect students. The Lebanon Democrat has our news release.

Graduate Profile: Isaac Ramirez

Isaac Ramirez is one motivated college student. “I’ve been pushing myself more and more every semester,” he said. He has a love for learning and a passion for science. His family is a big part of the reason he seeks out challenges.

“My parents came from Mexico when I was one-year-old,” he said. “My dad worked at a plant in Portland. He liked it and decided to stay. He started as an engineer and now he’s a supervising engineer.”

Life in a new country was difficult for the Ramirez family. “My parents struggled with learning English. I picked up Spanish from home and English at school. My dad never had the opportunity to do much in higher education. He was educated through his work. When we came here, their goal was to give us a better life through education. Everything they do involves getting me and my sisters into college.”

And so Isaac came to college; not out of high school, but rather as a high school junior. He’s a Sumner County Middle College High School student. His classes for the last two years have been at the Vol State campus in Gallatin. He will graduate in May with a Vol State associate’s degree and his high school diploma.

“I’ve been able to find classes I never would have been able to take at high school. The one that stands out the most is microbiology. I absolutely love it.”

His science classes at Vol State have been a launching pad for his dream to be a medical researcher.

“I want to go into pharmaceutical research. My main goal is to do research into superbugs and bacteriophages. That’s a form of virus that infects bacteria. They’re trying to use that to provide a way to fight bacteria without raising the chance that it becomes resistant to treatment.”

His next step is the University of Alabama at Huntsville, where he has received a full-tuition scholarship and a seat in the Honors College. He plans to pursue a dual degree in biology and chemistry. His Vol State classes have provided a jump start on his bachelor’s degree. “I should be able to finish in two and a half to three years.”

His parents will be watching closely. “They’re checking-up on every single step. They’re super-excited for me to go out into the world and find a way to do what I love doing.”

Graduate Profile: Brianna Hogan

Riding in a cop car can be a life changing experience. So it was for Criminal Justice major, Brianna Hogan. During her final year of high school, Brianna accompanied a police officer on a ride-along to see what the job was all about. Initially the ride-along was simply intended to check the proverbial box to fulfill her job-shadowing requirement for TN Promise. Little did she know it would become her future career path.

“He went on his daily rounds, he showed me everything he has to do, I think there was like two or three calls we went on. We did a couple of traffic stops, it was just, like, exciting. I was like, oh this is definitely what I think I wanna go into,” she said. “I want something that challenges me on a daily basis, so I thought that it would be a good field to go into because you don’t know what’s gonna happen in a day, it could quickly change.”

Her eventual goal is to join the FBI. After Vol State, she plans on pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Austin Peay State University. There she intends to double major in Criminal Justice and Foreign Language with an emphasis in either Spanish or Chinese, both of which she currently studies at Vol State.

“TBI (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation) has a position for foreign language translators, so I could pair the two that I want to do, that’s my goal right now … I guess I’d like to work my way up either to an ATF agent or a U.S. Marshal or something like that.”

Brianna has been a Vol State President’s Ambassador this year. She said she’s going to miss the familiarity of the college, but she’s excited to move on and continue her education.

-Rachel Keyes

Vol State in the News

Vol State students did great in the SkillsUSA state tournament recently. The Overton County news has the story.

A recent exam pass rate in the Mechatronics program has received attention. Here is a story in the Lebanon Democrat.

The push is on for summer class registration. The Hendersonville Standard has this piece.

Vol State faculty members work hard in organizing community academic events, such as the annual Tennessee Math Teachers Association math contest. Here is a story about the latest competition.

MLT Students Win at Conference

Congrats to students in the Medical Laboratory Technology program. They participated in the Tennessee Annual Laboratory Conference recently. The conference took place at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Students attended a variety of educational lectures on current laboratory topics. The Vol State program had three teams participate in the Student Bowl competition. One of our teams won in the MLT category, and only fell behind 10 points in the end from winning against the MLS category winners. Thanks to MLT Director Kimberly Helton for the leadership to get them there!

Graduate Profile: Bobbijo Andrews

Bobbijo Andrews of Cookeville is a Gold Medalist in Extemporaneous Speaking and you may think that means she has the gift of gab, but that isn’t the case at all.

“I was recruited for the SkillsUSA competition,” she said. “Public speaking is not my thing, but I’m getting better at it. It was very much out of my comfort zone to speak in public and compete, but I think I needed it to boost my confidence.”

That’s a common theme for Andrews, who was home schooled and worked for 12 years before deciding to take the plunge into college.

“I never gave myself enough credit. I was living paycheck to paycheck and I was tired of it. I’ve been eager to learn and participate. If you go into school with that outlook, you will do well.”

She attended classes at the Vol State Livingston campus and the Cookeville Higher Education Campus (CHEC). “Both campuses are so welcoming. You’re like family.” She plans to major in Audiology and Speech Therapy at university in the fall.

“I have worked with mentally disabled adults and they sometimes need speech therapy. They are such grateful individuals and the work is really important to their lives. That’s why my heart is in it.”

While at Vol State, Andrews participated in the Sign Language Club, a new offering at CHEC, and also in the Green Team, responsible for environmental activities, such as CHEC Earth Day. She will also be speaking publicly again- participating in the national competition for SkillsUSA in June.

Her next step after that will be Middle Tennessee State University and while she admits the size of the school is a bit scary, it’s clear that she is ready to overcome that as well. “I am a nervous wreck. I’m a small town girl. But I’m excited.”

Vol State in the News

Nice story in the Tennessean about the long-running Hendersonville Rotary mission trips to Guatemala, led Dr. Bill Taylor, and the involvement of our Ophthalmic Program in that work.

The new Nursing program application deadline is coming up on May 1. The Herald Citizen and other media have been promoting meetings designed to answer student questions.

Graduate Profile: Zachary Houtman

There was recently a milestone announcement in the science community: the first picture of a black hole. The achievement is more than just another news story for Zachary Houtman- it is inspiration. He is feeding his love of science by pursuing a career in engineering or physics.

“If I could see humanity expand from Earth in my lifetime that would be great to see,” he said.

And Zachary doesn’t want to be on the sidelines of space exploration- he intends to be part of the scientific process that takes humans to the far reaches of our solar system. To do that, the Middle College High School student will need a top-notch education. His acceptance and full-ride scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is just the latest step for him. RPI is one of the top science research universities in the nation.

“I spend a lot of my free time looking at topics like relativity,” he said. “I’d like to be a researcher at NASA. There’s one topic I’m really interested in right now called the Alcubierre Drive.” He’s speaking about an idea in theoretical physics that is based on the equations of Albert Einstein in general relativity. It speculates that humans could achieve faster-than-light travel by creating a spacecraft that could contract space in front of it and expand space behind it.

“You create a gravitational anomaly,” he said. The sparkle in his eyes when discussing the idea gives you just a hint of how much he enjoys science. He was able to explore more of math and science through the Sumner County Middle College High School program. He transferred from Portland High School after his junior year.

“The biggest thing with Middle College was the opportunities. I’ve taken nine math classes in my high school career. Being in an environment where everyone is motivated to do better is refreshing.”

Zachary will graduate with his high school diploma and an associate degree in May, a unique opportunity for students in Middle College. He plans an advanced education after completing his bachelor’s degree at RPI, perhaps even a PhD. He is already considering thesis topics.

“If I had to choose my thesis right now it would be relativity. The large scale of the universe is amazing.”

Welcome Kyle Barron

Kyle Barron is the new assistant vice president for Student Services. He comes most recently from Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College in Bowling Green, KY, where he held the position of director of Student Life and Engagement.

"Being from Bowling Green, I knew about Vol State and the reputation it has in the community,” Barron said. “The students-first philosophy aligns well with my personal beliefs about student success.”

Barron is a first-generation college student and community college graduate. He said that perspective helps when considering what community college students need to succeed.

“Retention of students, in many different areas, will be a big focus for me. That can come in the area of career. It helps when students know about job possibilities and how they can get there. I want to look at tailoring events to better engage students, so they stay with college and walk across that stage someday to get their diploma.”

Barron has an associate of arts degree from Richland College, a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree from the University of North Texas, and a Master of Education: Higher Education degree, also from the University of North Texas. He has completed his work for an EdD degree from the University of Kentucky. His dissertation title is “It’s Not the Program, It’s the People: Building Human Levers of Retention in Community Colleges.” He expects to receive the degree in May.

Farewell to these Retirees

A group of amazing people are retiring this year and last week we had an opportunity to celebrate their careers. It was a lovely ceremony with fun stories and, of course, some tears. We wish the best of luck to the group. Here are photos of the attendees receiving their retirement honors.

Robert L.	Alexander
Mark John	Conrad
Glenda B.	Godwin
Paul M.	Hammock
Larry D.	Harber
Peter J.	Johnson
Leslie M.	Lachance
Debra L.	Lindsay
Jane M.	McGuire
Judy L.	Merritt
Robert Lewis	Morris
Rebecca S.	Pedigo
Louise M.	Stephens
Betty C.	Williams

Vol State Students Win in Statewide Job Skills Competition

College academic work can lead to job skills. Volunteer State Community College students had an opportunity recently to show off those skills at the statewide SkillsUSA competition in Chattanooga. Vol State students scored top honors in four categories and placed in several others. SkillsUSA is an organization that provides educational events, competitions, and programs that support technical and career education across America.  The competition also connected students with businesses that need skilled workers.

“Several of our students made contacts that could lead to careers upon graduation,” said Vol State Mechatronics faculty member, Tim Dean. “I had more than one employer comment to me that they were quite impressed with not only the technical skills of the students, but also the professionalism that they demonstrated.”

“We are excited that our students have such a broad spectrum of areas of expertise,” said assistant professor of Communication, Cindy Thrasher. “They competed not only in technical areas, but also in Leadership areas like Public Speaking and Interviewing.”

The Gold medalists will go on to compete in the national SkillsUSA competition in Louisville in June.

Pictured: The Vol State competitors, left to right. Front row:  Jarissa Woolbright, Cookeville, Gold Medal, Restaurant Service; Preston Carr, Cookeville, Gold Medal, Culinary Arts; Hannah Foley, Cookeville, Gold Medal, Commercial Baking; and Delenn Strong of Gainsboro.

2nd row:  Tim Dean, Mechatronics program director; BobbiJo Andrews, Cookeville, Gold Medal, Extemporaneous Speech; Melody Montgomery, Livingston, Bronze Medal, Prepared Speech; Pam Davis, Cookeville; Jarrett Talbott, Cookeville, Bronze Medal, Motorcycle Repair; Nicholas Drake, Cookeville; and Cindy Thrasher, assistant professor of Communication.

3rd row:  Josiah Watson, Celina; Miguel Ortiz, Baxter, Silver Medal, Technical Computer Applications; Tallen Gooch, Sparta, Bronze Medal, Team Mechatronics; and Samuel Griffin, Sparta, Bronze Medal, Team Mechatronics.

A Big Win for Respiratory Care Students

Vol State’s Respiratory Care 2019 Cohort attended the Tennessee Society for Respiratory Care Conference in Gatlinburg recently. The students competed in an event called the “Sputum Bowl”. It consists of a panel of students from each institution competing against each other to answer respiratory related questions. There were 4 rounds of timed questions the teams competed in. The Sputum Bowl consisted of 6 teams from around the state of Tennessee from various respiratory care programs. Our Vol State Respiratory Care students won the Sputum Bowl event!

Vol State in the News

A WPLN Nashville radio story that aired a few months ago went national yesterday, appearing on National Public Radio (NPR) and on the front page of their website today. It focuses on the opportunities and challenges with the TN Reconnect program. Emily Siner from WPLN did the reporting. Thanks to all of the students and staff who participated.

The recent statewide honor for faculty member Girija Shinde was featured in the Overton County News.

Honors for Sue Pedigo

Outgoing Financial Aid Director, Sue Pedigo, was recently presented with the Special Milestone Award from the Tennessee Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (TASFAA). The award honors her many years of service to the profession of Financial Aid. The financial aid director at MTSU, Stephen White, made the presentation at the 51st. Spring TASFAA Conference. Sue was selected out of all the financial aid professionals in Tennessee.

Sue will soon be leaving Vol State for retirement. This recognition is just one example of the impact she has had, not only on Vol State, but on higher education in Tennessee.

Vol State in the News

Math and Science faculty member Erin Bloom has been exploring crayfish, including a unique species now named the "Screaming Eagle Crayfish." WPLN radio explains.

WVCP Vol State radio recently celebrated 40 years on the air. The Hendersonville Standard has the story.

Shinde Named Faculty Member of the Year for TBR

Congratulations to Dr. Girija Shinde on being named Community College Faculty Member of the Year at the Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition (SOAR) celebration in Nashville last night. Professor Shinde has been teaching Biology at Vol State at Livingston since 2002.

The SOAR Awards are designed to highlight student, faculty, and staff achievement in the TBR system.

“The mission of our College System and each of our community and technical colleges is the success of all our students and the development of Tennessee’s workforce. It’s appropriate that we recognize the outstanding students – and the outstanding faculty and staff members on our campuses who work with students daily to help them succeed,” said TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings.

Eighteen finalists for the individual awards advanced through college- and regional-level competitions in East, Middle and West Tennessee to the final interviews with a panel of judges this week. One winner was announced in each the three categories for the Community Colleges and for the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) – for a total of six individual award winners.

Pictured: TCAT Faculty of the Year, Rebecca Russell of Knoxville, and Girija Shinde, Community College Faculty Member of the Year.