April/May 2023 Volume 6 Issue 9/10

Throughout the month of April, the Clarksville Campus Poetry Club, led by English professor Thomas Holmes, held several activities to celebrate the wonderful world of poetry.  On display during the month of April a” Poetree”, created and donated by adjunct art professor John Campbell, displayed poems (some original, some inspirational) written on leaves by students, faculty and staff.  The tree was surrounded by examples and definitions of various forms of poetry.  A BIG “thank you” goes out to John Campbell for his generous donation of this wonderful piece of art to the Clarksville Campus. 

On Thursday, April 20, the campus held an Open Mic night where students, faculty, and staff came together to read poems and discuss poetry in general.  The event was held not only in person, but also virtually.  The event proved to be a huge success, with many taking advantage of both options available for attending.

In addition to the open mic night and “Poetree”, biographies of different poets have been displayed around campus.  We also have “Poem in Your Pocket” stations set up around campus that will remain available until the end of the month. The “poem in Your Pocket” stations contain various poems for anyone to take and enjoy, carrying them in their pocket.

We have had a wonderful time celebrating poetry in the month of April, and hope this has broadened our students’ view of poetry and increased their desire to join our Clarksville Campus Poetry Club.

20 NSCC faculty have earned the ACUE Microcredential in Promoting Active Learning. During the last months of the fall semester, these faculty engaged in professional learning about developing effective class sessions and lectures, teaching powerful note-taking skills, using groups to ensure active learning, using the active learning cycle, planning effective class discussions, and facilitating engaging class discussions.

These faculty learning about active learning, implemented active learning teaching practices in their courses, reflected on these teaching practices, and planned for how to continue using active learning practices in their courses for the future. Please join The Teaching Center in congratulating these faculty on their achievement.

Amy Blum
Bir Bohara
David Edgington
Melissa Fleck
Michael Glenn
Jennifer Goncalves
Beth Gorham
Jeff Green
Thomas Holmes
Janessa Jacobs
John Knox

Rachel Lewis
Landon Mason
Aggie Mendoza
Emily Naff
Maayan Ornath
James Rollins
Kassidy Schmidt
Michele Singletary
Leah Welker
Donna Whitehouse

23 NSCC faculty have earned the ACUE Microcredential in Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment.  During the fall semester, 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 underprepared students, helping students persist in their studies, embracing diversity in the classroom, checking for student understanding, and providing useful feedback.

Amy Blum
Bir Bohara
Laura Burridge
David Edgington
Melissa Fleck
Michael Glenn
Jennifer Goncalves
Beth Gorham
Jeff Green
Thomas Holmes
Janessa Jacobs
John Knox

Rachel Lewis
Landon Mason
Aggie Mendoza
Emily Naff
Maayan Ornath
Kassidy Schmidt
Michele Singletary
Omari Smith
Leah Welker
Donna Whitehouse
Robin Cooper-Wilbanks

The Office of Online Learning (OOL) is excited to announce that Nashville State Community College will be transitioning supported video platforms in D2L from Kaltura to the Yuja Video Platform. 

Why are we changing tool providers?

In June 2023, NSCC’s three-year contract with Kaltura will end. Based on faculty feedback and a lack of documented support, the OOL started reviewing vendors that could provide improved functionality, support, and cost-saving options for both video and accessibility tools supported in D2L. YuJa tools were demonstrated to the Distance Education and Accessibility Committees, and in featured workshops during the Spring 2023 in-service events. Yuja was selected as the replacement for Kaltura as it best meets the broad needs of faculty and staff at NSCC, providing more features and better support than we currently have available in Kaltura and Ally. Additionally, NSCC is also integrating Yuja’s Panorama accessibility tool to replace Ally.

What will happen to my Kaltura videos?

Video content in Kaltura will be migrated into Yuja. Before we initiate a video migration process, we are asking instructors to access their Kaltura Media and delete content that is not planned to be used in future courses, primary examples being saved video recordings of virtual courses from previous semesters. We ask that instructors delete unwanted video content in Kaltura by May 8th, 2023. The Office of Online Learning plans to start the video migration in early May to ensure video content in summer courses is available. Both Yuja Video and Kaltura tools will be available during this migration period so the OOL can assist with video migration through June. The Kaltura tool will be available until June 30th.

Note: any Kaltura videos linked in D2L courses will need to be re-linked to the video in YuJa. OOL can help with this process.

Changing accessibility tool providers

NSCC’s contract for Blackboard Ally Accessibility Checker is also ending in June. Ally was bought out by another company in 2022 and due to rising costs and a lack of support or notable improvements since adoption, it was decided among involved committees to include the Yuja Panorama accessibility tool as part of the video package to house multiple products under one service. No actions need be taken by faculty for changing accessibility tool providers. The transition from Ally to Panorama will be seamless and the new accessibility tool will be available as soon as OOL can update resources and training materials.

What is the timeline for changing video and accessibility tools?

April 2023 – Yuja implementation and admin training.
May 8, 2023 – Deadline for faculty to delete any unused or unwanted video content from Kaltura.
May 2023 – OOL will start migrating content from Kaltura to Yuja. OOL will update resources related to supported D2L video and accessibility tools.
Late May 2023 – Yuja Video and Panorama will be live for summer 2023 courses. Yuja training workshops for faculty will be available.
June 2023 – OOL will help complete migration of video content for all courses.
August 2023 – Additional Yuja training sessions offered during Fall 2023 in-service.

Yuja Information Links for Supported Tools:

yuja.com/lecture-capture/
yuja.com/panorama/

The Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts is located at the Southeast Campus.

The Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts.

Randy Rayburn is the owner of the famous Midtown Café as well as other restaurants. Over the years, he has been a resource, a mentor, and a friend to NSCC and especially its culinary program. He has also served on the NSCC Foundation Board.

What you may not know is that the program started in 1997 (with community support from Rayburn) in the first floor of the C Building on the White Bridge Road Campus. The first director was Ken Morlino pictured here with Dr. VanAllen, Randy Rayburn, and culinary arts faculty and students.

Dr. Paul Brennen is the current director of the Culinary Arts Program.

Besides providing Nashville with well-trained chefs and the staff with the occasional snack, the culinary program has also cooked and donated turkeys for Room at the Inn at Thanksgiving.

The following article written by Amy Stumpfl, and photo by Angelina Castillo, was printed in the Nashville Scene March 16, 2023 issue and is about one of our Music Program students Mr. James Randolph II.

James Rudolph II may not have planned on a career in the arts, but he’s always been a performer. 

“I was sort of a party trick for my family,” the Nashville native says. “It was like, ‘Jay, come do that thing you were working on!’ I’m sure there’s probably video somewhere of me doing Michael Jackson’s Thriller — I mean, I had every move down. So, I always loved to perform, but I never saw it as a viable career.”

Rudolph says he received plenty of encouragement from teachers and friends over the years, but it wasn’t until someone suggested he audition for a show at Street Theatre Company that he really considered a future on the stage.

“I was 24, working in a restaurant, and people kept asking me if I was an actor or comedian,” he says. “It felt like the universe was trying to tell me something. I ended up trying out for Bat Boy: The Musical at Street Theatre, and it just took off from there.”

Since then, Rudolph has worked with virtually every company in town, including Nashville Rep, Studio Tenn, Nashville Story Garden and Kindling Arts Festival, to name a few. This season has kept him particularly busy at the Nashville Children’s Theatre, where he regularly performs and also works as a teaching artist.

“Working with the Children’s Theatre is one of the coolest things I’ve done as a professional actor,” says Rudolph, who’s currently gearing up for NCT’s Hip Hop Cinderella and recently earned his Actors’ Equity card. “I grew up coming to this theater, and now I get to be part of the next generation of artists. It’s an honor and a privilege that I do not take lightly. I’ve grown so much as an artist here, and get to play such fun characters. I mean, where else could I play a snail or a robot?”

But as much as Rudolph enjoys playing such varied roles, he wasn’t quite prepared for all the backlash — including national headlines, threats and more — surrounding his performance as Miss Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West in NCT’s recent staging of The Wizard of Oz.

“The thing that was so frustrating was that everyone skipped over the fact that we had women playing the traditionally male roles of the Wizard and the Lion,” he says. “They just wanted to be mad about the boy in the dress, because they equated that with drag. There’s so much to talk about with that production — actors playing their own instruments, a woman of color in the lead role. But no — for some people, it was all about me wearing a dress. To me, playing the Witch is no different than playing a snail or a robot. The only difference was this ridiculous internet outrage. But the kids loved it, so that’s my focus. As long as my director’s happy, and the kids are happy, then I’ve done my job. People can say what they want. I’m going to focus on the work.”

That focus seems to carry through in all of Rudolph’s pursuits. Currently pursuing a music degree, he plays several instruments, enjoys writing and even has his own baking business — JR’s Cake Company. 

“My mom had three boys, and made sure we all learned to cook,” he says. “But I was always in charge of desserts. I remember making a SpongeBob cake for my nephew, and my brother said, ‘Where’d you buy that cake?’ I thought, ‘Well, all right, maybe I can do this!’ Over the years, I’ve had to set it aside and pick it back up, depending on my schedule. But I love trying new recipes — new ideas for cakes. I guess it all just feeds that artistic side of me. My art, my cakes — they’re all part of who I am.”

Link to the Nashville Scene and article:

https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture/the-people-issue-2023-renaissance-man-james-rudolph-ii/article_9f881cbe-c2aa-11ed-ad95-13c2668aba7e.html

John Cunningham has been hired as director of Healthcare Partnerships at Nashville State Community College, and will focus on building successes by taking engagement and coordination to the next level through Nashville State’s Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education.

This department works with local industries to build curriculum, train and upskill incumbent employees, and address workforce shortages. There are many successes, such as the partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which was recently recognized as an exemplary model.

John is excited about the next steps for this program and his career. 

“As I transitioned from my previous role to Nashville State, a common refrain of the healthcare partners I worked with was the repeated success they had experienced with Nashville State-trained students.”

Cunningham most recently worked at Tennessee Donor Services, where he established and incorporated development plans in assigned hospital systems regarding donation processes, assisted in the creation of curriculum, and fostered collaboration among internal hospital groups.

“The combination of this anecdotal evidence and the resounding commitment of Nashville State to shepherd strong partnerships with current and future healthcare partners alike is a reassuring signal to healthcare companies across the state,” said Cunningham.

John will also collaborate with The School of Health Sciences to support current and future initiatives between divisions. 

“It’s a signal that the College is passionate in its commitment to serving students, healthcare organizations, and, ultimately, the patients impacted by the outstanding care of Nashville State-trained healthcare professionals.”

In addition to healthcare, the Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education also focuses on education, information technology, and advanced manufacturing curriculum development and training.

Renaissance Hotel Nashville Pastry Chef Paul Burnash recently spent the morning with Advanced Baking students from The Randy Rayburn School of Culinary Arts at Nashville State.

Over the last month, Welcome Center staff at White Bridge Road have had the chance to celebrate exciting milestones of graduating high school seniors.

Seanna Petr and Kelsie Clement partnered with Dr. Justina Rogers and Student Success Advisors to hold a New Student Orientation at KIPP Nashville to register 23 students admitted to Nashville State for the fall semester.

Welcome Center staff also held orientation sessions for Overton High School students at White Bridge Road and Southeast campuses to enroll students before they graduate from high school.

Nashville State was also present at the annual MNPS signing day where seniors from around the county voiced their intent to attend Nashville State in the fall. Lastly, LEADS invited Nashville State to attend their signing day where many of their graduates shared their plans to attend Nashville State! It was a joy to see these new students’ excitement for their futures!

Additionally, the Welcome Center at White Bridge Road hosted 33 group tours during the school year with a total of 975 prospective students! That group included 15 high schools in Davidson County, 4 middle schools, and 2 elementary schools.