Update from the President
by Dr. Shanna L. Jackson
Greetings,
I am so excited that fall weather has arrived and that the colors on the trees are changing. Just as the leaves are preparing for a new season, the same is true for Nashville State. As we enter into early Spring registration, it is my hope that the outstanding efforts being made by faculty and staff to retain students will positively impact persistence. Please know that the important work you do each day does not go without notice. In fact, I have been meeting students during Popcorn with the President who are sharing the positive experiences they are having on campus. The extra time you take with a student, the encouraging words and simply asking how you can help are making a difference and moves us closer to Vision 2030: A Student Ready College.
Below are updates from the Office of the President:
Humphreys County Campus – We are still working with the county to address what is needed to re-open the campus. We are thankful to Workforce Essentials, which is allowing us to work a few days each week from its location. IPCT students will be able to return soon to complete the hands-on portion of their program.
Support – Special thanks to our constituency leaders Jessica Rabb, Katrina Dubree, and Renee Johnston for working with their groups to provide real tools and activities for addressing mental health and wellness. Please remember EAP services are also offered at no cost to all benefit-eligible employees and eligible family members. Visit Here4tn.com for more information.
Sharing the Good – Please join me in congratulating the Teaching Center for an important milestone. Over 3,000 hours of professional development have been completed since its creation in fall 2019. There are many wonderful things happening at Nashville State! Please use this Good News Submission Form to recognize an individual (faculty, staff, or student), department, program, or group that has had a significant accomplishment or made a difference.
Budget – Our October revised budget has been submitted to TBR. The revenue projections have been adjusted for the 7% decrease we experienced this fall and the projected 5% decrease expected in Spring. While there is a budget shortfall for FY22, we have identified budget reductions that do not impact personnel. There is a real opportunity for the college to further reduce the shortfall with an enrollment increase for Spring 2022. I am grateful each day for the opportunity to serve Nashville State. Just as I am concerned about the success of our students, I am also concerned about your wellness and success. You are important to me. As your President, I want you to know it is ok “not” to be ok. We are still in a period of constant change but we must keep Moving Forward. Together, we are Nashville State Strong and together we can make a real difference in each other’s lives and in the lives of the students we serve. When Nashville State LEADS, Students SUCCEED!
Nashville State Community College Foundation Announces 2021-2022
Board of Trustees
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
On August 30 the Nashville State Community College Foundation announced their 2021-2022 Board of Trustees. Beginning a three-year term, Tyson Norman and Dee Patel will join 20 other board members. As Young Leaders Council Intern, Karla MacIntyre will serve a one-year term.
“I am delighted to welcome these distinguished leaders,” said Joey Hatch, Foundation board chair who retired in 2018 as an executive for Skanska USA and is a Nashville State Community College alum. “Our mission is to help strengthen Nashville State’s efforts to expand access to higher education, promote student success, and further regional workforce and economic development for Middle Tennessee.”
Tyson Norman serves as financial products division chief information officer for Caterpillar Financial Applications, Infrastructure and Business Process Support. Norman began his career with Caterpillar in 1997. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from North Central College and an MBA from Millikin University.
Dee Patel is the managing director of The Hermitage Hotel, Tennessee’s only five-star hotel. She resides on several boards, including the Nashville Downtown Partnership Board, the Nashville Civic Design Center, Centennial Park Conservancy, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Historic Capitol Corridor Foundation, Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association, and the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association. A graduate of Johnson & Wales, Patel was born in the United Kingdom.
Karla MacIntyre is college success coach at Conexion Americas. She has also served at senior undergraduate admissions counselor at Lipscomb University and youth organizing fellow with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. MacIntyre earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Lipscomb University.
“I am honored to work with this dynamic group of leaders to further our mission of empowering all Nashville State students to achieve their dreams,” said Lauren Bell, executive director of the Nashville State Community College Foundation. “Each member of our Board of Trustees is deeply committed to ensuring all students have the resources needed to thrive in their communities.”
The full list of 2021-2022 NSCC Foundation Board of Trustees:
- Joey Hatch (retired), Board Chair
- Vic Alexander, Kraft CPAs, Treasurer
- Scott Brisson, UBS
- Ginna Burrell, Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin, PLLC
- Kathy Cloninger, Girl Scouts of the USA, CEO Emeritus
- Ashlee Davis, AllianceBernstein
- Troy Edwards, FreshPoint Nashville
- Nancy Eisenbrandt, Consultant, Vice Chair
- Lisa Ferrelli, Bank of America
- Paula Harris, Barge Design Solutions
- Chef Max Knoepfel, Music City Center
- Andy Marshall, A. Marshall Hospitality
- Greg Martz (retired), Chemours
- Karla MacIntyre, Conexión Américas, Young Leaders Council Intern
- Tyson Norman, Caterpillar Financial
- Jovonna Palmer, Amazon
- Dee Patel, The Hermitage Hotel
- Sharon Reynolds, DevMar Products, LLC
- Dr. Rich Rhoda (retired), Tennessee Higher Education Commission
- Robert Sherrill, Imperial Cleaning Systems
- Laquita Stribling, Randstad USA
- Deb Varallo, Varallo Public Relations
- Rod West, Dollar General Corporation
Nashville State is Clarksville’s Best Local College
by Jessica Luna, Student Services Specialist II (Clarksville Campus)
On Thursday, October 7th, Nashville State Community College – Clarksville Campus won Best Local College at Best of Clarksville 2021. The campus beat out Austin Peay State University, Bethel University, Daymar College, and North Central Institute for the coveted title. The Clarksville Campus previously won this award in 2019.
Best of Clarksville is a local fundraiser held each year at the Governor’s Square Mall. The event recognizes outstanding local businesses through a system of nomination and popular vote. All of the proceeds from the event go to local non-profits. This year marked Best of Clarksville’s 25th anniversary.
In addition to winning Best Local College, the Clarksville Campus staff handed out promotional merchandise, informational pamphlets, and candy to residents of Clarksville at the event. Alumni also showed up to support the campus.
Engraved Brick Campaign
by Lauren Bell, Executive Director of Development, NSCC Foundation
If you were out and about on the White Bridge Campus recently, you may have noticed that engraving on the first round of bricks started in the area between the K and W buildings.
Didn’t order your brick? No worries, there is still time to leave your lasting impression!
You can secure your spot by completing the order form here. Bricks are $150 each.
Funds from the brick sales support the Visionary Fund that was established in honor of the college’s 50th Anniversary. These funds will help position us to support innovative new programs and existing and future needs of our students as we work to implement Vision 2030. These bricks will help pave the way to becoming a student-ready institution.
Questions? Email us at foundation@nscc.edu
Light and Airy Announcements
by Katrina Dubree, Administrative Assembly Chair, Renee Johnston, Staff Assembly Chair, and Jessica Rabb, Faculty Assembly Chair
As we head into shorter days, your Assembly Chairs wish to lighten the load you may feel. For the rest of the term, we’ll send a Campus Announcement each week with a lighthearted theme and notice of activities we hope will help bring you and your colleagues some comfort and cheer.
In our first announcement, we focused on gratitude including gratitude for the joy our pets bring us. We’ll keep the virtual bulletin board up all term, so you can revisit or post more pet photos. https://padlet.com/jessicawrabb/q351qygpk7b6dr7y
As of writing this, the bulletin board has photos of:
- 25 dogs and 25 cats, a goat, a snake, a library spider, hedgehog and possum.
While not a contest, there are some clear bulletin board superlatives!
Saddest Photo That Makes Me Happiest
Best Not Dog Not Cat on Bulletin Board
- Amy Bryant’s daughters’ goat Luna
Best Pet Name
- First Place: Severus Snake — Lisa Shaw’s family snake
- Honorable Mention: PK (Penalty Kill) – Emily Bush’s dog
Dog Having the Best Dog Day
Most Ready to Model in Modern Cat
Thanks for the photos. We look forward to engaging you with more topics like exercise, food, and meditation to help relieve stress this term.
NSCC Faculty Earn the ACUE Microcredential
by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Fellow, The Teaching Center, and Tammy Ruff, Senior Affiliate Faculty, Psychology
36 NSCC faculty have earned the ACUE Microcredential in Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment. During the months of August, September, and October, these faculty have engaged in professional learning about creating inclusive and supportive learning environments, 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 focusing on leading the first day of class, promoting a civil learning environment, engaging under prepared students, helping students persist in their studies, embracing diversity in the classroom, checking for student understanding, and providing useful feedback.
Jesmin Akther
Valerie Belew
Amy Bryant
Kurstin Bush
Genevieve El Chaer
Jill Cooksey
Audrey Cross
Christie Ferguson
Desiree Genter
David Gerth
Doug Godwin
Mark Helm
Karen Kendrick
Gracie King
Robert Ladd
Robyn Lear
Devora Manier
Connie Mathews
Roslyn Mize
Cynthia Morgan
Jennifer Paulk
Harlan Pease
Nikki Pergram
Marla Perry
Janusz Polanowski
Karen Powers
Jessica Rabb
Elizabeth Schoenfeld
Piper Sesnan
Neely Ann Sheucraft
Maria Smith
Kathy Sorenson
Ruth Elizabeth Stein
Donald Turner
Rhonda Watson
Mary Elizabeth Wilson -Patton
Congratulations!
Ask the Jolly Librarian (and Learn about College Resources)
by Faye Jones, Ph.D. Dean, Learning Resource Center
Dear Jolly Librarian,
How is it possible to keep up with all the happenings in higher education? Covid? Budgets? Government policies? To make matters worse, some of my colleagues are always current. What is their secret?
Signed, Ignorance Is Not Bliss
Dear Ignorance,
The Jolly Librarian suspects that your colleagues know that NSCC subscribes to The Chronicle of Higher Education, one of the leading publications about matters concerning faculty and staff. Just go to the library database page (https://nscc.libguides.com/az.php) and click on C. In the next academic debate about college funding, you will amaze your peers.
Dear Jolly Librarian,
Recently, I have realized that data is my life. Nothing makes me happier than reading statistical analyses and doing some of my own. However, I have also realized that I need to learn Microsoft Access to really achieve my data dreams. I don’t have time to take a class right now. Do you have any advice for me?
Signed, Data Diva
Dear Data Diva,
The Jolly Librarian likes nothing better than helping people achieve their dreams. Especially when it’s easy-peasy. The College subscribes to LinkedIn Learning for everyone: staff as well as students. Log into MyNSCC and then scroll down the right side until you get to ‘general.’ There are courses and lessons in everything from software to soft skills. Also, O’Reilly Technical Books (formerly called Safari) has eBooks and videos in a variety of technical fields. This database can be found on the library database page under “O.” Soon you will be dazzling your colleagues with your databases!
Teacher Residency Program
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
On September 10, during a ceremony on Austin Peay’s campus, 43 future educators joined the Teacher Residency Program. This program is available to Clarksville Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) classified employees and graduating seniors, and Montgomery County residents.
Participants will enter an accelerated 3-year teaching program to become CMCSS teachers. The first year and a half will be with Nashville State’s K-5 Elementary Education A.S.T. program. Upon graduation from Nashville State, students will transfer to APSU and complete a Bachelor of Science in K-5 Education in a year and a half.
Resident students are funded through TN Promise or TN Reconnect, if eligible, with CMCSS covering all additional fees. As a resident, they will work and be paid as an educational assistant in a CMCSS Title I elementary school.
“The Clarksville Montgomery County School System, Austin Peay State University, and Nashville State partnership ensures that the future education workforce needs are filled with local teachers who love this community and are passionate about teaching.” Stated Dr. Carol Rothstein, Nashville State vice president of Academic Affairs.
MNPS and Nashville State Collaboration to Bring New Higher Education Opportunities to Historically Underserved Students
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
Nashville State Community College announced today that it has received a $306,000 grant from the PNC Foundation to establish an Early College Partnership program at Metro Nashville Public Schools’ (MNPS) Whites Creek High School.
The four-year grant will allow Nashville State and MNPS to create a pilot program that will launch this fall, enabling 40 students at Whites Creek High School to obtain college credits toward an associate degree at no cost while fulfilling requirements for a high school diploma. The classes will take place on the high school’s campus. Notably, Whites Creek is one of three MNPS high schools with less than 30% of its students enrolling in college. A key component of PNC’s grant will provide the participating students with financial literacy education tools and resources to help build a strong financial future and support the economic sustainability of the communities where they will one day live and work.
“This collaboration represents an important step toward closing the educational achievement gap in our community,” said Mike Johnson, PNC regional president for Tennessee. “The goal is to create meaningful and sustainable opportunities for students most in need, along with providing a path to greater earning potential and a brighter economic future through higher education.”
This grant is part of PNC’s $1 billion commitment to support the economic empowerment of Black Americans and low- and moderate-income communities, announced last year.
“The Early College model is a proven method to help students advance to a four-year degree program or join the workforce early, with strong credentials in hand, so they can start building their careers in the Nashville economy,” said Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools. “We are extremely grateful to the PNC Foundation and our longtime partners at Nashville State Community College for making new academic and career pathways available to Whites Creek students.”
Adrienne Battle
This will be the second Early College partnership between MNPS and Nashville State. The first is on Nashville State’s White Bridge campus. In early 2020, Nashville State and MNPS launched ‘Better Together,’ a joint venture to help MNPS graduates prepare for, attend, and complete college.
“The opportunity for students to earn college credit while still in high school builds confidence, knowledge and skills,” said Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, president of Nashville State Community College. “Early College provides a clear pathway to completing college with embedded student supports. The PNC Foundation’s strategic investment removes barriers for students and strengthens Nashville State’s Better Together joint venture with Metro Schools to increase college readiness and completion.”
Dr. Shanna L. Jackson
About PNC Foundation
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
About Metro Nashville Public Schools
Metro Nashville Public Schools is one of the nation’s top 50 largest school districts, preparing more than 80,000 students for higher education, work and life. With the goal of being the premier large urban school district in Tennessee and beyond, MNPS wants to ensure Every Student is Known by meeting focused outcomes that will help each child achieve growth from an academic and social-emotional perspective. The governing body for Metro Schools is the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Public Education, a nine-member elected body. For more information, visit MNPS.org, or follow us on Twitter @MetroSchools or Facebook /MetroSchools.
About Nashville State Community College
Nashville State Community College provides comprehensive educational programs and partnerships, exemplary services, an accessible, progressive learning environment, and responsible leadership to improve the quality of life for the community it serves. With soon to be seven campuses and virtual and online options, the college serves a broad geographic area comprising Davidson, Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, and Stewart counties. Nashville State offers more than 80 associate degree and certificate programs of study, some of which can be completed in one year, that prepare students to enter the workforce or transfer to a university upon graduation.
Maintenance and Operations Department Report
by Christopher Saunders, CFM, Executive Director of Operations & Facilities
The NSCC Major Projects Update for this month are detailed below.
Projects Brief:
- Clarksville: LED – Camera Project:Ready to Bid
- North Davidson: installing irrigation system, wood ceiling, flooring, cabinetry, stairs, and carpet; rear area grass being installed, final grading underway, forest being cleaned out
- South East: Chillers:ICT – JC – NSCC reviewing structural specifications for a roof mounted chiller and chiller type options
- Waverly – Cleanup: Great Progress is being made by BELFOR, all the tile, carpet, wood furniture, and all contents are boxed up. Environmental Testing Complete – the Building Passed!
- White Bridge Road
- LED Lighting Project: TBR Project being Bid for the K – W – S Buildings
- Welcome Center:Installed wood drop ceiling, carpeting, lobby worksurfaces, glass front doors, and the fire sprinkler systems is being updated
Both the new Campus and the Welcome Center will be completed within the next 60 days.
Thank you all for your ongoing support.
Human Resources News
by Janet Dennis, Personnel Assistant, Human Resources
| Employee | Title | Department | Date |
| Kelsie Clement | Student Services Specialist | Welcome Center and Career Services | 10/18/21 |
| Johannah Williams | Dean of STEM | STEM | 10/18/21 |
Please welcome our new employees to NSCC!
