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

    Beaufort County Community College will host a "conversation on entrepreneurship" from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 5, in the auditorium of Building 8 on the BCCC campus. At this meeting, a team from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will share the results of their research on the opportunities to support entrepreneurship in Beaufort County and ideas that have worked in similar communities. Among the issues to be discussed are topics such as how the economic development and business interests in the community can work together to help more businesses open, help the businesses that do open thrive and help attract more people with good ideas to the county. Thanks very much to Small Business Center Director Lentz Stowe and his team for his work on this event.

    Here's a look at what has happened on the BCCC campus this week:

    Allied Health

    •   The Medical Laboratory Technician Program at BCCC has been re-accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences for seven years. NAACLS, in collaboration with its professional organizations, provides comprehensive services including program accreditation, program approval, consultation, and continuing education. The BCCC MLT program will be up for re-accreditation again in 2021. Congratulations to Allied Health Dean Erica Schatz and her team for their successful work on this re-creditation.

    BCCC's Best

    •   BCCC recognized 21 students at as "BCCC's Best" in a ceremony on the college campus Tuesday. The students were cited for displaying the character trait "hard worker." Those honored were Patricia Henson Daniels, Josephine Hawkinson, Ronnie James, Donnell Landen, Christopher Moore, William Anthony Moore, Suzanne Sizemore and Angelia Stilley of Washington; Martin Wynn of Bath; Joe Midgette and Jordan Pooser of Belhaven; Carlton Lee Brame of Blounts Creek; Michael "Andy" Crisp and Deborah Jones of Chocowinity; Kevin Steward of Columbia; Sytisha Tetterton of Edward; Rolanda Coburn of Greenville; Tyler Burch and Krista Silverthorne of Jamesville; Autumn Hamman of Pinetown, and Suzanne Hamilton of Williamston. Congratulations to these students and thanks to Vice President of Student Services Rick Anderson and Counselor Kimberly Jackson for their work on this project.

    •   BCCC Foundation Events

    •   About 50 scholarship donors and scholarship recipients attended the BCCC Foundation's second annual Legacy Luncheon on Tuesday. The event gives our scholarship donors the chance to meet the students their donations have helped and see what a difference their generosity makes in the lives of our students. Thanks very much to Foundation Director Judy Jennette and Foundation Specialist Marcia Norwood for their hard work on this event.

    •   In news regarding the Digital Sign Campaign, Judy reports that a total of $31,619 in donations and pledges have been received for the Digital Sign Campaign at BCCC, about 40 percent of the way towards the final goal. To make a donation, contact Judy at 252-940-6326.

    Gulls on the Run

    •   BCCC's running club, Gulls on the Run, will have about 20 members participating in The Great Glow Run, at 8 p.m.,Saturday, May 3, beginning a the Town Common in Greenville. This is a culmination of the Couch to 5K training the club has been doing this semester. Thanks to Office Administration and Medical Office Administration Instructor Michele Mayo and the club's officers for their hard work this semester and let's all cheer for our BCCC Gulls as they tackle this challenge!

    SACSCOC Leadership Committee

    •   In preparation for BCCC's five-year review by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the SACSCOC Leadership Committee heard reports Tuesday and Wednesday from campus committees charged with implementing SACSCOC standards. I thank the following committees for their hard work in helping improve programs, services and facilities for our students: Professional Development, Planning, Personnel Evaluation Systems, Staff Credentials, Student Appeals, Chemical Hygiene, Mission Review, Curriculum, Assessment Coaching, Program Review, Health, Safety and Clery Act, Writing Across the Curriculum, Academic Online Standards, Distance Education, Credit for Prior Learning, Admissions and Academic Affairs and Marketing/Public Relations and Recruitment. Based on these reports, I am happy to say BCCC has made great progress and worked hard to make our five-year review and subsequent 10-year review a good one.

    Tornado Relief

    •   While BCCC escaped damage during this past weekend's tornado outbreak some of our staff and students were not so fortunate. To help them, Instructor Ken Robol led a drive to collect cleaning supplies to be donated to the Salvation Army. Watch this space and watch future emails for more information about efforts by BCCC students, faculty and staff to aid those who were affected by the storm.

    Personal and Personnel Notes:

    •   I am pleased to welcome new Coordinator of Special Projects Justin Rose who will begin work in the Division of Continuing Education on May 5. In other continuing education news, I give kudos to Workplace Initiatives Coordinator Lou Stout who has completed her master's degree and will be attending graduation next week. The Division of Continuing Education today at 2 p.m. will host a ceremony for our friend and co-worker David Crosby when a tree was planted in his memory. A ceremony is also being planned for Donald Moore and more information will be available soon about that event. There's good news for and best wishes to extend to two BCCC employees - to Custodian JoElla White, now Turnage, and Customized Training Coordinator Lauren Spruill, now Dudley, on their recent marriages. I hope for many happy years ahead for these two newly-weds.

    And in the coming week, watch for the following:

    •   May 6 — Car Wash sponsored by Gulls on the Run and the BCCC Travel Study Group, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., outside of Building 6.

    •   May 6 — Associate Degree Nursing Senior Class Meeting, 9:30 a.m., Room 1206, Building 12.

    •   May 6 — Gamma Beta Phi Meeting, noon, Room 928, Building 9.

    •   May 13 — Reception in honor of Dell Enecks, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Board Room of Building 10.

    •   May 13 — Practice for Associate Degree Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 2 p.m., Wesley Hall, First United Methodist Church, Washington.

    •   May 14 — Service Awards Cookout, noon, Parking lot between Buildings 1 and 9.

    •   May 14 — Graduation Rehearsal, 6 p.m., Auditorium, Washington High School.

    •   May 15 — BCCC Foundation trip participants depart for England.

    •   May 15 — Associate Degree Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 1 p.m., Wesley Hall, First United Methodist Church, Washington.

    •   May 15 — Graduation, 7 p.m., Auditorium, Washington High School.

    •   May 17 — BCCC Foundation Cutthroat Croquet Tournament, Bonner Point, Bath.

    •   May 22 — Graduation for the Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 BLET Academies, 6 p.m., Multi-Purpose Room, Building 10.