April 2024 Volume 7 Issue 9

Update from the President

by Dr. Shanna L. Jackson

Greetings Fellow Falcons,  

We are in the final days of the spring semester. The end of term activities such as the student honor convocation, honor society inductions, and pinning ceremonies are a wonderful way to recognize the accomplishments of our students.  My favorite day of the year, Commencement, is right around the corner.  As we prepare to end the spring and look toward summer, below are a few updates for the Office of the President:

Commencement – Commencement will take place on May 7 at 6:00 pm at Lipscomb University.  A special thanks to Evelyn Hadley and the Commencement Committee for the months of planning that have taken place to make it a great event.  I am excited to have Nashville’s new mayor the Honorable Freddie O’Connell address our graduates.

The Doug and Robbie Odom Building –On April 29 we held a beautiful ceremony with the siblings and family of Doug and Robbie Odom at the North Davidson campus. The Tennessee Board of Regents approved the naming of the building last year. TBR Chancellor Flora Tydings and Senator Marsha Blackburn gave remarks during the unveiling ceremony.  The Odom family established the Doug and Robbie Odom Endowment with a $1.25 million gift to the College Foundation. As I shared previously, the building is now named but it will remain the North Davidson Campus.

Clarksville Campus Expansion Groundbreaking – On May 15, at 10:00 am we will have a groundbreaking ceremony at the Clarksville Campus.  All are invited.  There are two phases to the expansion.  Phase I is the construction of a new two-story building in front of the existing campus.  Phase II is a renovation of the existing campus.

Office of the President Searches –I am excited to share that Dr. Alexis Pope will join Nashville State as our new Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management on June 17.  Special thanks to the search committee and all that participated in the campus sessions and forums.  I appreciate everyone who provided feedback. The search process is underway for both the Executive Director of the Foundation and an Administrative Assistant for the President’s Office. 

Sharing the Good – For the first time since I joined Nashville State in 2018, we participated in Skills USA, which is a workforce development organization dedicated to helping middle school, high school and college/postsecondary students nationwide hone their hands-on skills against current industry standards in more than 130 occupational areas. Peter Ortner led a team of students in the statewide competition in Chattanooga who won gold in Robotics. They will move on to compete at Nationals in Atlanta June 25-28.  Faculty that are interested in learning more can visit the Skills USA website and contact their dean about the process of forming a student team.

Enrollment Update – Early registration for summer and fall is underway.  As of April 30, summer enrollment is up 20% headcount and 18% FTE in large part due to Dual Enrollment.  However, it should be noted we are up 7.4% headcount and 9% FTE in continuing students. Applications for fall are up 6.9% and fall enrollment is on a good trajectory.  We are up 5.9% headcount and 7.2% FTE.  We are slightly down in continuing students –1.9% headcount and -.2% in FTE.  That will continue to be an area of focus over the summer months. Stay data informed by visiting the Institutional Research website, where you can access internal and external resources. Highlighted dashboard links are below.

Support – Please reach out to the resources available if you or someone you care about needs support.  EAP services are offered at no cost to all benefit-eligible employees and eligible family members. Visit Here4tn.com for more information. 

I am so proud to be a part of our Falcon Family!  We have remained Nashville State strong through many challenges.  At Spring Convocation, I talked about the positive momentum we are building.  We can see it in our applications, enrollment numbers, the new partnerships and the variety of recognitions our students and fellow Falcons receive.  Thank you for being committed to Vision 2030: A Student Ready College.  What you do each day makes a real difference.

Autism and Accommodations

By Luke Moret, Reader/Scribe, Access Center and Elizabeth Jerrolds, Access Services Coordinator

At Nashville State Community College, providing each student with adequate support and resources to succeed in the classroom is a top priority. Students registered with the Access Center are to be treated like any other student. The only change in expectations for behavior or knowledge/skill acquisition is the need to utilize approved accommodations. The Access Center provides accommodations to students with documented physical, emotional, or educational disabilities and will advise faculty/staff on the approved accommodations for these students. In each monthly newsletter, we will highlight a specific diagnosis that our students have in hopes of bringing insight to the community, along with the accommodations students could receive with this diagnosis.

Autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder, impacting social, communication and behavioral skills is identified in 1:36 children, is more common in boys than girls, and in the next decade approximately 200,000 students with Autism will enroll in colleges across the US.

At NSCC just under 7% of student registered with the Access Center have Autism as their primary diagnosis. Symptoms of Autism have a large range of severity but most of them may interfere with daily functioning and could include: 

  • Social Interactions
  • Hyperfocus on a task – especially to completion if the task is broken up
  • Communication
  • Difficulty with a change in schedule
  • Overstimulation
  • Hypersensitivity to loud noise, bright lights, and crowds

For staff or faculty who engage with students diagnosed with Autism, the first step is being aware of how their diagnosis can affect their daily lives. Individuals with Autism may want to work alone, need to finish a task before leaving class, get overstimulated in large groups, and not adapt well to change. Understanding that students affected by Autism have brains that work and think differently can prove beneficial in your relationship with them. 

Here are some of the accommodations offered to students diagnosed with ADHD:

  • Flexible assignment deadlines- often set at 48 hours
  • Extra time on tests often set to 2x
  • Private testing rooms
  • Noise cancelling headphones

If you have any questions or would like to receive additional information, please contact us or visit our webpage!

Phone:615-353-3770

Email:accesscenter@nscc.edu

Link:https://www.nscc.edu/student-experience/student-support-resources/disability-and-accessibility-information/access-center.php

Student Life Events from Spring Semester! 

By Kelsey A. Johansen, M.Ed, Director, Student Life

Enjoy some photos from our Student Life events from spring semester.

Welcome to the Nest!

By Dr. Nicole Hubbs, Director, Welcome Center and Career Services

Greetings Falcons! I am excited to share updates to our in-person New Student Orientation program. Renamed to: Welcome to the Nest.

New students who have been advised by their Student Success Advisor will be invited via email to attend a Welcome to the Nest session where they will learn all about being a student at Nashville State. These sessions will take place in the summer May-August on all campuses. Students will take part in three sessions including technology basics, the logistics of being a student, and student expectations.

We have always had an in-person orientation for new students, but we are changing the process this year to host fewer events with more students. For the Saturday events, we will still be running our Enrollment Events concurrently to assist continuing students with registration and financial aid. With more students on campus and all campuses hosting events at the same time, we need your help. Consider this your invitation to help assist new Nashville State students this summer!

Here is the link for the volunteer sign up to see all the dates, times, and roles that you can be a part of. Add your name to the role and day that you can help. We will follow up with volunteers to provide more information.

We would love to have you!

24 WTTN Volunteer Needs.xlsx

If there are any questions about these events, please let me know. You can contact me at Nicole.hubbs@nscc.edu or 615.353.3232

Dr. Jessica Rabb, Headshot

“Cicadian” Rhythm

by Jessica Rabb, Ph.D., Professor of Biology

The 2010 Nashville Flood swept through at the end of my first year at Nashville State. The next year the cicadas invaded, the emergence of a 13-year periodical cicada brood in 2011. I had never seen a flood or a cicada growing up in the dry plains of Colorado. The volume of cicada mating calls, the crunch of cicada exoskeleton debris, and my collisions into their clumsy flight paths were horrifying and exhilarating. The flood did not wash them away. Now after 13-years underground, their babies are back. Periodical cicadas do not return year after year but wait an astounding 13- or 17- years out-of-sight. Pale, crawling, lonely adolescents are surfacing to transform into red-eyed, winged, sex-crazed adults, ready to speed-date before they die this summer. I could not be happier.

Periodical cicada numbers overwhelm predators when they briefly fly above ground searching for mates, chatting like chainsaws after a prime number of years slowly eating plant roots. So much has happened above ground in the past 13-years, I think the cicadas may be on to something, privately sheltering in the dirt. I plan to commune with my temporary cicada neighbors, and you can too. Cicadas do not bite or sting. They drink water from trees, just watch out for their remarkable sprays of urine. I will bravely let the cicadas know what it was like the last 13-years: more flooding, elections, a pandemic, and my personal highs and lows.

I will tell them I hope to meet their offspring conceived this summer in 2037, but their brief exuberant presence reminds me that life above ground is fleeting. In my time that is left, I need to take care of my brood of family and friends and see the world around me. I need to recognize that it is never too late for metamorphosis, though I do not expect red-eyes and wings.

P.S. In Illinois, a 17-year brood is invading at the same time as this 13-year brood, a double bombardment. I am raring to go.  

The Process of Publishing a Paper

By Zaki Daouk, NSCC Honors Student, Electrical Engineering

I am an Electrical Engineer transfer student interested in the field of psychology. When the opportunity arose to write an honors paper, I chose to write it for Dr Wills’ psychology class. While working on my calculus and calculus-based physics chops, I noticed a transformation in my thinking ability and creativity. That creativity was first reflected in my photography, where I launched one of my most adventurous projects to date, a black and white film-based photo comic book series of which two issues have been published, and four are in the works. During the process, I felt like a trampoline under me was accelerating my forward motion.

As you read part one of my paper published by the EFPSA ‘Research Programme & Journal of European Psychology Students,’ learning complex material like calculus directly impacts the growth of synapses in the brain along with the proper diet, exercise, and brain health supplements. There is a unique experience when we mix science and the arts, calculus with poetry, and physics with photography. It seems to allow the brain to function at an optimum capacity rather than keeping these fields separate in the education course of our majors. Accepting the paper to be published takes considerable time to ensure it fits the format of EFPSA.

While last summer was packed with “Intro to Fiction” in Japan with TnCis and a research internship with Fisk University that Dr. Bir Bohara prompted, this summer will be set aside for my transfer process to TSU for a double major in Electrical Engineering and Psychology while working on my photography project.

The Journal of European Psychology Students has published my honors paper that I wrote last semester in a two-part blog.

Here is the first part published on their site:
The Perfect Cocktail for the Brain

The second part of my research paper will be published this summer.

Nashville State has been instrumental in helping me launch the second part of my future career. The support from the professors, staff, family, and friends helped me persevere and push myself to succeed.

Amy Bryant Headshot

Fall Flourish: Refreshing Our Teaching Toolbox August 16 – 22, 2024

by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director, The Teaching Center

You are invited to attend Fall Flourish: Refreshing Our Teaching Toolbox, an educational conference designed specifically for NSCC employees.

As we embark on this journey together, our theme, “Fall Flourish: Refreshing Our Teaching Toolbox,” resonates deeply with the essence of what we aim to achieve throughout this conference. The changing seasons bring with them opportunities for renewal and growth, mirroring the evolution and adaptation essential to effective teaching practices.

Throughout the conference, we invite you to immerse yourself in a rich tapestry of innovative ideas, practical strategies, and collaborative dialogue. Together, we will explore approaches to pedagogy, embracing new technologies, pedagogical methodologies, and evidence-based practices that empower us to flourish in our roles as educators.

This conference serves as a platform for sharing insights, fostering connections, and igniting inspiration that will enrich your teaching journey. Through engaging workshops, enlightening presentations, and interactive discussions, we aim to cultivate a vibrant learning community dedicated to continuous improvement and excellence in education.

Audience encouraged to attend:

  • Faculty
  • NSCC Staff Members
  • NSCC Administrators

Badging: NSCC employees who engage in 8 professional learning sessions presented by the Teaching Center and Online Learning between August 16 – 22 will earn the Fall Flourish badge.  

Conference Schedule The schedule for Fall Flourish: Refreshing Our Teaching Toolbox is available now on The Teaching Center website.

Federal Work Study (FWS)

By Brian N. Lee, Dual Enrollment & Federal Work Study Coordinator, Financial Aid

Federal Work Study (FWS) is a financial aid program which provides part-time employment opportunities for NSCC students with financial need as determined by the FAFSA.

Job opportunities are available both on-campus and with various community partners.  Students can work up to 20 hours per week and earn between $13.00-$18.00/ hour, depending on the specific job placement.  NSCC faculty & staff can serve as supervisors and request FWS students.  If you are interested in serving as a FWS supervisor, contact FWS Coordinator Brian Lee (brian.lee@nscc.edu).

Gregory Pagani is an NSCC freshman working on completing an Associate of Arts degree in History.  Gregory works as a FWS student worker in the Office of Financial Aid under the supervision of Rosemary Hackney, Assistant Director. 

Faculty Earn ACUE Microcredential in Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Life-Long Learners

by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director, The Teaching Center

19 NSCC faculty have earned the ACUE Microcredential in Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Life-Long Learners.  During this semester, these faculty have engaged in professional learning about inspiring inquiry, implemented inclusive and supportive practices in their courses, reflected on the impact of these practices, and planned for how to use these practices in their teaching moving forward.  Teaching practices included motivating students, providing clear directions and explanations, using concept maps and other visualization tools, using student achievement and feedback to improve your teaching, using advanced questioning techniques, and developing self-directed learners.

Audrey Avery
Belkis Barrios
Vickie Bissinger
Kristen Bradley
Courtney Foley
Michael Kiggins
Jennifer Knapp
Philip Lee
Diane Leonard
Eulunda Maxwell

Scott McRoberts
Zach Mills
Barbra Mullaney
Eli Nettles
Eric Richardson
Marian Soliman
Dara Talibah
Breanna Waller
Beth Youngblood

Faculty Earn ACUE Microcredential  Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses

by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director, The Teaching Center

19 NSCC faculty members have earned the ACUE Microcredential in Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses.  During this semester, these faculty members have engaged in professional learning about designing learner-centered courses, implemented inclusive and supportive practices in their courses, reflected on the impact of these practices, and planned for how to use these practices in their teaching moving forward.  Teaching practices included ensuring learner-centered course outcomes, designing aligned assessments and assignments, aligning learning experiences with course outcomes, creating equity with checklists and rubrics, developing equitable grading practices, and preparing an inclusive syllabus.

Audrey Avery
Belkis Barrios
Vickie Bissinger
Kristen Bradley
Courtney Foley
Michael Kiggins
Jennifer Knapp
Philip Lee
Diane Leonard
Eulunda Maxwell

Scott McRoberts
Zach Mills
Barbra Mullaney
Eli Nettles
Eric Richardson
Marian Soliman
Dara Talibah
Breanna Waller
Beth Youngblood

The Workforce Minute

By Megan Murray, Business Operations Coordinator, and John Cunningham, Director of Healthcare Partnership Solutions, The Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education

Here at the Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education, we wanted to take the April Edition of the Workforce Minute to update you on the latest within our Healthcare programming!

  • Tennessee Oncology’s 2nd Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Prep Course launched on April 2nd, consisting of 23 students!
  • Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s 7th Medical Assistant Cohort wrapped on April 11th. Cohort 8 was quick to follow, beginning on April 22nd with a total of 19 students. We look forward to welcoming Cohort 8 to the North Davidson Campus on April 29th!
  • And under the Advancing Workforce Equity Grant, we’ve now completed 2 Patient Care Technician (PCT) Cohorts with a total of 18 students.
  • Of note, we’ve reached over 100 enrollees in our VUMC Medical Assistant programs with Cohort 8 putting us at a total of 123 enrollees! Overall Medical Assistant Workforce programming enrollment over the last two years sits at 156 students.

This day-to-day success would not be possible without the help of our valued Senior Administrative Assistant, Jayla Crawford. So, in honor of Administrative Professional’s Day which took place on April 24th, all of us in the Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education want to give a special shout-out to our super hero in the office. Jayla, thank you for all you do! 

Faculty Earn Certificates in Effective College Instruction

by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director, The Teaching Center

Audrey Avery
Belkis Barrio
Vickie Bissinger
Kristen Bradley
Courtney Foley
Michael Kiggins
Jennifer Knapp
Philip Lee
Diane Leonard
Eulunda Maxwell

Scott McRoberts
Zach Mills
Barbra Mullaney
Eli Nettles
Eric Richardson
Marian Soliman
Dara Talibah
Breanna Waller
Beth Youngblood

Have earned a nationally recognized teaching credential through the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). These faculty have earned the Certificate in Effective College Instruction from the Association of College and University Educators and the American Council on Education.

They have demonstrated their commitment to teaching excellence and to ensuring that our students receive the best education possible by completing ACUE’s rigorous, 25-module course in Effective Teaching Practices, which required them to implement evidence-based teaching practices in their classes.

These teaching practices are proven to help students learn more, stay engaged, and graduate in higher numbers, as well as close equity gaps. Please join The Teaching Center in celebrating this accomplishment.

Facilities Management Projects Update

by Christopher Bledsoe, Facilities Management Department Manager

March was a busy and productive month for our team, with the ongoing construction activities and several events at White Bridge. Our team remained committed to goal of students first. Their dedication and hard work were instrumental in maintaining our operations at a high standard throughout the month 

Current activities per Campus: 

  • Clarksville:
    • GC Awarded
    • Interior finishes selections
    • Groundbreaking May 29th 
  • Dickson:
    • New Building Programming Phase
    • Project Sign hung 
  • North Davidson:
    • HVAC – Tile Floor has been fixed
    • Duct Work Leak still in process
    • HOAR Underway on repairs
  • South East:
    • Refurbishment Project has been approved 
    • Culinary Kitchen Equipment purchases hasbeen approved
  • Waverly:
    • Miscellaneous Repairs
    • Lab hoods have been serviced and now certified
  • White Bridge Road:
    • H – K – C – A- Building Project
    • Van Bates Surgical Technology group started classes 
    • Central Plant Phase #1 – Bid Awarded – Phase #2 in Design

The NSCC Voice

Founded 2017

Cliff Rockstead, Managing Editor
David Gerth, Assistant Managing Editor
Kyle McBay, Layout

April 2024 Contributors

Christopher Bledsoe
Amy S. Bryant
Zaki Daouk
Tom Hayden
Dr. Nicole Hubbs
Dr. Shanna L. Jackson
Elizabeth Jerrolds
Kelsey A. Johansen
Brian N. Lee
Luke Moret
Jessica Rabb