Tansey Topics: A weekly look at what's happening at BCCC | Eastern North Carolina Now

    It's been a busy week for all of us at Beaufort County Community College as we recognized the second group of BCCC's Best, a new student club was organized and planning continued for our spring festival, Gullfest, and our salute to advanced manufacturing.

    Here's a quick look at just some of the activities this week at BCCC:

    Academic Excellence Award

    • Vickie Wilkinson, who is studying to fulfill a life-long dream of a career in education, has been chosen to receive the 2014 Academic Excellence Award at BCCC. Wilkinson, of Chocowinity, who will be graduating in May 2014, is pursuing an associate's degree in school age education and would love to fulfill her dream by one day working as a teacher's assistant in the local public schools.

    Allied Health

    • Information sessions are scheduled in the next few weeks for two programs in our Allied Health Division that offer training for high-demand jobs. Information sessions about the Health and Fitness Science Program will be noon, Monday, March 10, and 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, in Room 102 of Building 4. An information session about the Medical Lab Technology Program will be noon and 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 24, in Room 1217 of Building 12. Thanks very much to Allied Health Dean Erica Schatz, Lead Health and Fitness Instructor Ron Baldwin and Allied Health Admissions Director Phylicia Bridgers for their work on these sessions.

    Administrative Services

    • BCCC Human Resources Office is now using an electronic applicant tracking system through People Admin for employment applications, according to Director of Human Resources Emily Woolard. Job applicants will complete and submit their applications through the Employment Opportunities page of the BCCC website and no longer complete paper applications. People Admin streamlines the application process for the applicant, those reviewing the applications, and the Human Resources Office. BCCC will begin using the Performance Management module of People Admin for the employee evaluation process this spring. Thanks very much to Emily and her team for their work on this project.

    BCCC's Best

    • Eighteen students were recognized in a ceremony on Tuesday afternoon for displaying the character trait "respectful." They are Divine Best, Trent Davis, Earl Hines, Corey McClain, James Porter, Brittany Scherer, and Kenyana Smith of Washington; Mary Lewter of Aurora; Carmilla Oden of Bath; Charles "Cam" Martin and Jordan Pooser of Belhaven; Lee Brame of Blounts Creek; Wilbert Nobles of Chocowinity; Steven Mason and Brianne Voliva of Columbia; Serisa Moore of Grimesland; Martin Overholt of Pantego, and Trista Spencer of Swan Quarter. The character trait for March is "trustworthy." Please submit your nominations for the next BCCC's Best to Kimberly Jackson and watch for more information about this program.

    Black History Month Celebration

    • East Carolina University Football Coach Ruffin McNeill highlighted an inspirational evening on Thursday when BCCC's minority male mentoring group, Men of Success, served as hosts to a celebration of black history. The event, attended by about 60 people, also featured an inspirational message from BCCC's own Daniel Garza Salazar of Columbia, N.C. Thanks to Admissions Director Daniel Wilson and the Men of Success for their hard work on this event.

    Business and Industrial Technology

    • The Advanced Manufacturing Awareness Week committee has scheduled an Open House for 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 8 to give members of the public the chance to see the latest in equipment and training for careers in manufacturing. Following the Open House, attendees will have the chance to tour PAS, a local industry to see advanced manufacturing techniques at work on the factory floor. I hope all of our prospective students, economic development leaders and others interested in the new world of manufacturing will take the opportunity to learn how BCCC is preparing our area residents for some of the emerging careers in manufacturing. Thanks very much to the committee for its hard work on this event.

    Great Eight Late-Start Classes

    • Don't forget that registration is under way and will continue through Monday, March 10 for several eight-week classes that will give those interested in enrolling in college or those who would like to add an additional class a chance to do so. And about 80 percent of these eight-week courses are available online as part of BCCC's continuing effort to serve those students who live at a distance from the college. The eight-week classes begin Tuesday, March 11. Thanks to Vice President of Academics Crystal Ange and her team for putting together this selection of classes.

    Gullfest

    • Planning continues for the BCCC spring festival, Gullfest. We continue to seek sponsorships for the event and arts and crafts vendors to help fill out the day's activities. Sponsor support levels are $200 for Gull Benefactor, $100 for Gull Patron, $50 for Gull Supporter and $25 for Gull Fan. If you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact Gullfest Chairman Theresa Edwards at 252-940-6217 or by email at theresae@beaufortccc.edu.

    New student club

    • BCCC's running club is "off and running" with 51 people signed up to participate. The purpose of the club is to encourage students and faculty of all fitness levels to run or walk together or off-campus in a fun and nonthreatening environment. The club will use a Couch to 5K plan that requires 30 minutes of walking or running three times a week with the goal of culminating their training with a five kilometer fun race on May 3. The next meeting of the club is noon, Monday, March 3, in room 115 of Building 2. The brief meeting will be following week a group walk for Week 1, Day 1 of the C25K program. Thanks very much to Office Administration and Medical Office Administration Instructor Michele Mayo for her work with this club. It will be a great way for all of us to improve our fitness and our health.

    Personnel and Personal Notes

    • Congratulations to two BCCC students who have been nominated for statewide awards. C.J. Middleton was nominated for the Dallas Herring Award and Ronnie James was nominated for the Robert W. Scott Leadership Award.

    • Congratulations to Lead Electrical and Electronics Engineering Instructor Mark Carawan who has been recognized as a Certified Engineering Technologist and to Lead Mathematics Instructor Kimberly Mullis who was recently names an N.C. Ready for Success Alignment Fellow.

    And in the coming weeks, watch for the following:

   •  March 3  -  BCCC Running Club meeting, noon, Room 115, Building 2.

   •  March 4  -  True Colors, professional development, noon, auditorium, Building 8.

   •  March 4  -  Gamma Beta Phi, noon, Room 928, Building 9.

   •  March 5  - Planning Council, 9 a.m., Board Room, Building 10.

   •  March 5  -  Read Day/No Classes.

   •  March 6-7  -  Student/Faculty vacation.