Update from the President
by Dr. Shanna L. Jackson
Greetings,
Fall classes are underway, and it is wonderful to see so many students on campus. As I have been connecting with students you see the hope and excitement but also the uncertainty and anxiety on their faces. It does not take long to discern those who are not quite sure if they can do “college” or those who are discovering the reality of how difficult it will be to manage school with work and/or family.
The first few weeks are critical for the students who are wavering about staying at Nashville State. I encourage each of us with roles inside and outside the classroom to connect with the students we see. Sometimes a simple “hello, how are you doing?” can make a big difference. If you are not familiar with the variety of resources available to our students, please visit the Student Support Services webpage for resource information and the Care Team Referral Form. I don’t expect everyone to specifically know how to help students, but as a Student Ready College every employee can encourage a student and direct them to the right area for support.
Taking time to intentionally connect with students is the student-centered culture we need to embody to reach Vision 2030. As we discussed during Convocation, to go from a good college to a great college, we have to separate ourselves from the pack. I am excited about the work taking place at the Nashville State and our focus on Building a Culture of Excellence in People, Programs and Places. I look forward to building new traditions with you, being intentional about connecting with one another and having fun! I cannot wait to see who comes in second to me in Fantasy Football at the end of the season.
Updates from the Office of the President
Dickson Campus
On August 1 we transitioned to TCAT Dickson for the Fall semester. We are working with the city and anticipate approval to use their Senior Center beginning Spring 2023 for the next 3-4 years. We are actively working on finding land and resources to build a permanent campus.
Clarksville Campus
On September 29, we will hold a 10-year celebration for the Clarksville Campus! A wonderful day of celebration is being planned. The bid process for an architect for the Clarksville Expansion has been completed. The design process will take around a year, and we project breaking ground early 2024 with an expected opening in 2025.
Enrollment Update
Nashville State and TBR Dashboards are available for viewing. Our dashboards are updated daily and TBR’s is updated every Monday.
Employee Support
Please remember we have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with services offered at no cost to all benefit-eligible employees and eligible family members. Visit Here4tn.com for more information. In addition, the United Way of Greater Nashville provides free financial counseling. You can make an appointment by calling 615-748-3620.
Nashville State, I know a lot of changes have happened in a very short period of time. But I hope we stand in agreement that we do not want to become another Blockbuster. As technology and the needs of our students change, we cannot go backwards, we cannot stay still, we must keep Moving Forward! That is why we must invest in Building a Culture of Excellence in people, programs and places. The success of our college starts and ends with us. Together, we will remain Nashville State strong!
A Journey Often Times Has Many Twists
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
Growing up in Somalia, Mohamed Jama Mohamed had a peaceful childhood. It was while working for the country’s agricultural department as a young adult serving dozens of villages when trouble hit. He was helping a friend pour gasoline into reserve containers when someone walked in with an open flame, unaware of what was going on, and then everything exploded, burning Mohamed badly.
This horrific accident and the journey to recovery are the beginning of this story. Nearly two months after the injury, where he was able to only superficially treat his wounds, he left his homeland due to an intensifying war, and found his way to Kenya. It was there where he received the majority of his medical treatment. A nurse by the name of Lintari went out of her way to comfort and treat him.
At the end of his treatment, Lintari took him to her house for a goodbye cup of tea. On the walk, Mohamed asked:
“You don’t know me. We are from different countries. We don’t speak the same language. You have a different culture. What makes you go that extra step?”
She responded, “I believe if I do good, I will get good.”
Fast-forward a couple of years later. Eventually settling in Nashville and after working several varying jobs, he “decided to go to school for a career in healthcare, because of the care I received when I was an injured, poor man.”
Lintari’s care, compassion, and kindness set into motion Mohamed’s desire to serve others in the form of healthcare.
To quickly get up to speed and to boost his confidence, he took some remedial and ESOL courses at Nashville State, before deciding on the Surgical Technology program, which he “saw as a gateway to the healthcare profession.”
“The Learning Center helped me with writing and vocabulary. They really built me up.”
After graduating from the Surg Tech program, he worked at Centennial Medical Center and then Vanderbilt University Hospital before becoming a traveling surgical technologist for a short time. It was in late 2000 when Mohamed moved to Minnesota and went back to school to get a bachelor’s in Nursing.
For the past twenty years, Mohamed has been at MHealth Fairview, a University of Minnesota affiliated facility, where he is now a charge nurse, supervising others.
By chance, he was recently able to reconnect with Lintari, who is now retired from her work as a nurse.
If he is not at work or spending time with his wife and four children, Mohamed can often be found working on the non-profit he started, Healthcare Extension, Promotion and Training Organization (HEPTO). The mission is to bring healthcare supplies and training to countries in Africa, such as Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Lintari is helping him fulfill the mission.
HEPTO is based on the universal understanding of “give a man a fish you feed a day; teach a man how to fish and you feed him a lifetime,” remarked Mohamed in a conversation with his alma mater.
“I have always loved hearing and sharing uplifting stories,” he said. “A good portion of my story comes from my time at Nashville State.”
Welcome Back Week!
by Kelsey A. Johansen, M.Ed., Director of Student Life
Lindsay Hager, Manager of Peer Mentoring, playing students in giant Jenga.
This week the Office of Student life was happy to welcome students back to all of our campuses with ice cream, music, mini golf, and bubbles! Please visit the college events calendar or follow us on Instagram and facebook @NashStateStudentLife to learn about more upcoming events.
Adjunct of the Year 2021-2022 Awards
by Devora Manier, Associate Professor, ESL
Adjunct instructors are the backbone of Nashville State. Without this dedicated group of professionals, our mission “to provide 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” would not be achievable.
Over the past several years, Nashville State has tried to strengthen the support offered to adjunct faculty. Course Leads were established to offer guidance and mentorship to adjuncts. Additionally, the Nashville State Teaching Center offers professional development opportunities, not only to full-time faculty but also to adjunct faculty.
In our evolving efforts to support our adjunct faculty, last year the Faculty Senate and college administration unanimously approved Adjunct of the Year Awards. These will be awarded annually to an outstanding adjunct faculty member in each division.
Business, Management, and Hospitality Division
Patrick Morrison, an Adjunct Instructor of Paralegal Studies, won the Adjunct of the Year Award for the Business, Management, and Hospitality Division because his dedication to helping students has gone beyond the call of duty. Furthermore, he has developed creative ideas to assist students in gaining experience and meeting course objectives.
English, Humanities, and Creative Technologies
Dara Talibah, an Adjunct Instructor of Communication Studies, won the Adjunct of the Year Award for the English, Humanities, and Creative Technologies Division. NSCC is fortunate to have Dr. Dara Talibah on board. With a focus on student success, she pursues teaching from a student-centered perspective. Furthermore, Dr. Talibah learned new teaching practices and attended professional development workshops offered by the Teaching Center throughout the academic year.
Healthcare Professions
Bethany Pierce, AAS CST CSPDT, Adjunct Instructor of Surgical Tech/Central Processing, won the Adjunct of the Year Award for the Healthcare Professions Division for her work as a clinical site instructor and adjunct instructor. She has worked with the division for more than five semesters as part of the Surgical Technology and Central Processing programs. As a certified teacher in both fields, she has taught classes, labs, and clinicals for us. In addition to keeping our labs organized, Bethany has served as a clinical site instructor during our students’ clinical rotations. When one of our full-time instructors needs assistance, she can step into most classes thanks to her expertise and familiarity with both subjects.
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Leigh Smith, an Adjunct Instructor of Education, won the Adjunct of the Year Award for the Social and Behavioral Sciences Division. Over the past three to four semesters, Leigh has worked with the education program. Since starting at NSCC she has carefully followed the course in D2L, met all of the assignment expectations, and maintained excellent communication with the Course Lead. One of the principals with whom we work even highly praised two of her students on their excellent training!
STEM
Rafie Boghozian, an Adjunct Instructor of Chemistry, won the Adjunct of the Year Award for the STEM Division. Mr. Boghozian has exemplified team spirit, frequently offering assistance to his fellow adjuncts. Furthermore, he is dedicated to helping his students master the lessons presented. Finally, he has exhibited reliable stewardship of the labs, always leaving them spotless for the next instructor’s use.
Our sincere gratitude goes out to these adjunct faculty for making such a positive impact at Nashville State.
Nashville State Community College Foundation Announces New Executive Director
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
Nashville State Community College announced that Cecily Stone has been hired as executive director of the Nashville State Community College Foundation. She started on August 1, 2022.
As a senior leader at the College, Stone’s responsibilities include donor development, retention, and recognition; cultivating relationships with internal and external constituents to build, sustain and support the College’s mission; sustaining college/alumni relations; and coordinating special fundraising events.
The executive director serves on the President’s Cabinet.
“I am confident that Cecily will fit in well with the dynamic, innovative, and supportive culture of the College that continues to focus on serving students instead of students serving the institution,” said Joey Hatch, chair of the Nashville State Foundation, a former longtime construction executive, and a Nashville State alum.
“Creating accessibility, equity, and value within the higher education space is what drives my passion of service to others,” said Stone. “I am beyond excited to pursue my passion with the Nashville State Foundation and as a leader at Nashville State Community College.”
Stone comes to Nashville State with more than 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector. She served as director of corporate and donor relations at the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis for more than 15 years, where she was actively involved in a successful $4.7 million fundraising campaign. She was awarded the President’s Special Recognition Award for her work on this campaign and for advancing a culture of philanthropy at the college.
Before Southern College of Optometry, she served as the Membership and Development Manager for The Children’s Museum of Memphis.
Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, president of Nashville State, said, “I know Cecily has the heart, passion, and drive to be successful in her role and be a leader in helping Nashville State eliminate inequities in educational attainment and increasing economic mobility in the communities we serve.”
Cecily holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Memphis.
Nashville State Introduces New Access Center Staff
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
Nashville State Community College welcomes Jonathan Beaty as Director and Elizabeth Jerrolds as Coordinator of the Access Center.
The Access Center, reporting to the associate vice president of Student Affairs, determines, coordinates and provides accommodation’s to students with a documented physical, emotional, or learning condition. Access Center staff work with faculty and staff on behalf of and in coordination with students. They also provide reasonable accommodations to community members attending one of the College’s events.
Beaty comes to Nashville State after most recently serving the past five years as assistant program manager of the Kelly Autism Program at Western Kentucky University. In this role, he provided academic, social, and executive functioning support to students under the autism spectrum. He previously worked at Growing Minds Learning Center and Community Options, both in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Exceptional Education, and is nearing the completion of his doctorate of education in Organization Leadership from Western Kentucky University.
Jerrolds was a longtime special education teacher in the Sumner County Schools System, while also serving a few years as an adjunct professor of Special Education at Trevecca Nazarene University.
She earned a Bachelor of Education in Human Services from the University of Tennessee Knoxville, Masters of Education in Special Education from the University of West Florida, Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Tennessee Martin, and a Specialist in Education, Curriculum Design and Instruction from Liberty University.
While the Access Center is in the Student Services Building on the White Bridge campus, they serve all students. For questions or assistance, please email accesscenter@nscc.edu, or call 615-353-3363.
45 Earn ACUE Certification in Effective College Instruction
by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director, The Teaching Center
45 individuals were honored in a pinning ceremony on August 10 for earning a nationally recognized certificate in effective teaching practices. 42 Nashville State faculty and 3 Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) faculty earned the ACUE certification in Effective Teaching Practices that is endorsed by the American Council on Education. To earn the certificate, faculty engaged in extensive professional learning on designing an effective course, establishing a productive learning environment, using active learning strategies, promoting higher order thinking, and assessing to inform instruction and promote learning. On average, faculty learned 55 new teaching practices and learned more about 88 teaching practices.
ACUE Effective Teaching Practices Certified Faculty:
Jesmin Akther
Kinan Al Rifai
Valerie Belew
Amy Bryant
Kurstin Bush
Jay Chambers
Jill Cooksey
Audrey Cross
Valencia Darnell
Genevieve El Chaer
Christie Ferguson
Desiree Genter
David Gerth
Franklin Doug Godwin
Gail Harris
Mark Helm
Kellee Hill
Karen Kendrick
Gracie King
Robert Ladd
Robyn Lear
Leda Longwood
Devora Manier
Maria Marable
Connie Mathews
Roslyn Mize
Cynthia Morgan Jennifer Paulk
Harlan Pease
Nikki Pergram
Marla Perry
Janusz Polanowski
Karen Powers
Jessica Rabb
Anna Richards
Elizabeth Schoenfeld
Piper Sesnan
Neely Ann Sheucraft
Yvonne Simerman
Maria Smith
Katherine Sorenson
Ruth Elizabeth Stein
Donald Turner
Rhonda Watson
Mary Elizabeth Wilson-Patton
Connect Fall 2022
by Amy S. Bryant, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Director, The Teaching Center
During Connect Fall 2022, The Teaching Center and Online Learning offered 31 workshops for NSCC employees to engage in professional learning. Connect Fall 2022’s purpose was to connect employees with the resources that they need at Nashville State Community College to recharge their teaching and their motivation for the fall semester. Just like we charge our devices, we must recharge ourselves and our teaching approaches to be able to be better student-centered professionals. Through the professional learning activities offered, employees connected with other colleagues, connected with leaders, connected culturally responsive teaching practices to courses, and connected to our student-centered focus.
667.11 hours of professional learning was completed during Connect Fall 2022. As we connected to our strategic goals, we completed 489.93 hours of professional learning about Learning, 308.5 hours of professional learning about Equity Driven, 200.5 hours of professional learning about Accountability, 237.5 hours of professional learning about Data-informed, and 476.93. hours about Student-centered.
27 employees earned the Connect Fall 2022 Digital Badge by engaging in 10 workshops or more. They are:
Jesmin Akther
René Bataille
Kristen Bradley
Amy Bryant
Kurstin Bush
Audrey Cross
Anna Everett
Elizabeth Gorham
Gail Harris
Karen Kendrick
Jennifer Knapp
Rachel Lewis
Barbra Mullaney
Robert Overall
Harlan Pease
Marla Perry
Janusz Polanowski
Jessica Rabb
Amelia Rinehart
Cliff Rockstead
Neely Sheucraft
Yvonne Simerman
Elizabeth Slade
Maria Smith
Laurie Swanson
Leah Welker
Sandra Wills
Nashville State LEADS: the Professional Learning Program
by Donna Whitehouse, Associate Professor, OTA Program and Project Coordinator, Office of the President
The Nashville State LEADS Professional Learning Program was shared with the college community during the Fall 2022 convocation.
This program, which will be implemented in phases, has four components.
- Nashville State 101: Foundational information important for all Nashville State employees.
- Nashville State LEADS: Learning opportunities for all.
- Nashville State Experts: (in development phase) Learning opportunities targeting expertise in teaching, management, and innovation.
- Presidents Leadership Academy: (in development phase) Cohort-based, selective application program targeted at building the next generation of Nashville State leaders.
For this academic year, employees individually track their participation in professional learning activities.
- for every 10 Nashville State 101 activities completed, employees can request a digital badge.
- for every 10 Nashville State LEADS activities completed, employee can request a digital badge.
All employees have access to the Professional Learning calendar. To access go to your Microsoft Outlook calendar, click on “add calendar”, and search for “Professional Learning”.
For questions about programming, accessing the calendar, or digital badge requests, contact professionallearning@nscc.edu
Watch for more information about the Professional Learning program throughout the year.
Teacher Residency Program Signing Held August 4
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
During a special ceremony on August 4, on the campus of Austin Peay State University, 35 future elementary school educators officially joined the Teacher Residency Program.
The program is a partnership between Nashville State, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, Austin Peay, and the Nashville State Foundation.
Nashville State is providing the K-5 Elementary Education Associate of Science in Teaching (AST) degree as part of the program. Students go on to receive their bachelor’s degree from Austin Peay.
11 Questions with Jay Chambers
by Harlan Pease, Associate Professor of Communication, EHCT
Jay is an Assistant Professor in the Surgical Tech department, and he is the recipient of this year’s Faculty of the Year award. Here are his answers to 11 questions to get to know him better.
1. What are some favorite books/movies and why?
I big fan of John Grisham and Lee Child, and John Eldridge. For me, reading just provides a nice escape and a chance to get out of my head for a little bit. For movies, anything military action and adventure, like the Marvel movies. My son and I really like watching those. My wife and I like watching some of the crime thriller series like The Blacklist. I really want to be as cool as Raymond Reddington!
2. If you were stranded alone on a desert island, assuming food and shelter were not a problem, what three items would you want to have with you?
A picture of my family, my Bible, and a bottle of Jack Daniels!
3. What do you miss most about being a child?
Having a childlike perspective, and not being jaded by all that’s going on around me the world.
4. What are some favorite hobbies or activities?
Camping, woodworking, and beekeeping. Do you harvest honey? Yes. When you say camping, do you mean camping in a camper or…? Yeah, we’ve graduated up. I’m not sleeping on the ground. We did the Appalachian Trail a few years ago, and I think that was my last time sleeping on the ground. I do like the idea of hiking and overnight camping, sleeping on the ground, and I have the aspiration to do that, but then I get in my camper and think, “do I really want to sleep on the ground?”
5. What do you like best about working at Nashville state?
It’s forced me to be a better student. In Surgical Tech, “new” is happening every day. Students will often come to me and ask, “what do you know about this surgical procedure or this piece of equipment,” and I don’t know because I’m out of the clinical setting on a daily basis, so this forces me to research and I have to go dig in to be able to answer their question. That’s opened up a lot of doors for me in terms of learning new things, and it’s forced me to be a better student which in turn has helped me be a better teacher. I also like the camaraderie of working with other faculty who are in the same boat, but who have come from different areas. I could go on and say working with students, but that comes with the territory; and to be honest, I wouldn’t be here in the first place if I didn’t like working with students. What I really love is watching students come into our program, and seeing their life change, watching them achieve a dream or a goal.
6. What did it mean to you to win the faculty of the year award?
I was honestly floored. To be honest with you, I don’t think anything I’ve done, or the reasons put out there for me to win the award, are really that outstanding in my mind. It’s just what I do to get a student through the program, or to help another faculty member answer a question. To me it’s not that outstanding; it’s just what you do. Everybody ought to win it if they’re doing their job.
7. If you could go back in time and witness one historic event, what would it be?
I think the signing of the Declaration of Independence would be kind of cool. I’d like to see the people in the background who had opposition to that and see how they processed it. The thing that blows my mind is that those people, that long ago, had that kind of perspective, because to me that kind of thinking and vision is very hard to find in today’s culture.
8. What’s new in your department/your teaching this year?
I’m teaching my first section of NSCC 1010, which I’m really excited about! In my department, we have new classes that we’ve not offered before this Fall. One very exciting thing is that right now in the workforce there is such a need for people in Surgical Technology and Central Processing. Just yesterday, I spoke to eight hospitals who are trying to fill their Surgical Tech and Central Processing employment gaps. We desperately need to expand our enrollment in these programs to help our clinical partners fill these gaps. Vanderbilt is pulling current employees who want to get into central processing, people who work in housekeeping, dietary, truck drivers, etc., who want to work the career ladder into more patient care related roles, and they want us to come up with a program to streamline them into the Central Processing profession. What is central processing? Central processing is the maintenance, sterilization, sharpening, packaging, etc. of all the tools used in surgery. The way I describe Central Processing to prospective students is: Central Processing is step number 1 of 4,793 steps for a surgical case to be successful. If step number 1 is not done correct, none of the steps after it can be completed.
9. Who has inspired you in your life, and how/why?
In my professional life, since I have been in the Surgical Technology profession, Van (Bates) has been such a good mentor to me. He’s put a lot of opportunities in front of me, and he’s given me direction on how to approach those. I always go to him and say, “I need your perspective on this,” because I can sometimes be way over here (gestures right) in my thinking and I need to be over here (gestures left), and he’s always been good at seeing the big picture and how the ripple effects are going to play out.
10. If you won $10 million in the lottery, what would you do?
Buy a hundred acres, put a house square in the middle of it, with one gate – and lock it!
11. What is a favorite quote?
“Set the value of people so high, it makes you nervous to mistreat them.” – Andy Stanley
Collaborative Launched to Expand Law Enforcement Career Exploration and Education Pathways
by Matthew Gann, Associate Vice Chancellor for Marketing, Digital Strategy, & PR, TBR
The Tennessee Board of Regents, Mayor John Cooper, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and Nashville State Community College announced on Tuesday August 23 a partnership to increase student interest in law enforcement careers through new career exploration opportunities and educational pathways.
The priorities of the new Law Enforcement Collaborative are to help students achieve their career goals, highlight positive engagement opportunities for youth, and help MNPD meet its needs for more trained professionals. The initiative encompasses a broad range of opportunities for students to explore civilian and commissioned officer careers at MNPD and to pursue the education and training they will need to achieve their career choices.
For example, high school students may enroll in dual enrollment courses enabling them to earn college credit in such programs as Criminal Justice, Information Technology, Legal Process, Criminal Investigations, and Law Enforcement, then continue their education and earn an associate degree at Nashville State Community College. Nashville State, with four campuses in Davidson County and online, has already established collaborative programs with MNPD and MNPS – including “Better Together” and “Educate the Blue,” which works with Metro Police Academy. There are also internships and apprenticeships available.
The initiative also highlights positive engagement opportunities for students of all ages that enable them to explore law enforcement careers for civilians and officers. High school students may enroll in MNPD’s Cadet program and Youth Citizens Police Academy. Middle school students may participate in the Police Activities League, summer camps and carnivals, and DARE. For elementary school students, the program highlights Read Me Days, youth camps and other outreach events.
“This is a fantastic partnership that will help create the next generation of public servants protecting our community,” said Mayor John Cooper. “Critical thinkers and problem solvers make great police officers. I’m excited that this innovative program will link our educators with our police leadership so we can effectively train and support future MNPD officers and personnel with the tools for a successful career. I’m also grateful to Dr. Jackson, Dr. Battle and Chief Drake for their leadership in making today’s important partnership a reality.”
MNPD Chief John Drake said, “While we welcome all who want to begin or transition to a law enforcement career in Nashville, we, at the same time, need to demonstrate to students beginning in the elementary years and continuing on through the 12th grade that it’s cool and rewarding to pursue a career in public service in their hometown. One of my fondest memories this year is going to Madison in March to join with other officers in reading to classes of elementary students. They knew we were coming, and many of them even dressed up as police officers. It is that kind of excitement about public service that we want to continue nurturing throughout a student’s school life.”
Although the initiative is launching in Nashville, the Tennessee Board of Regents will use it as a model for similar partnerships among the public community and technical colleges and local law enforcement agencies across the state. In addition, the technical colleges (Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology) are also expanding local correctional officer training programs, including apprenticeships and certifications.
Dr. Adrienne Battle, MNPS Director of Schools, said, “Our goal as a district is to provide a robust set of early post-secondary opportunities for our students so they can be college and career ready on the day they graduate. Providing a pathway for students to have a rewarding career with the Metro Nashville Police Department not only sets them up for success, but also helps to address inequities in policing by having more officers, like Chief Drake, who understand and reflect the communities they serve.”
“I want to thank all the partners who have joined us in this collaborative, with special thanks to the working group of representatives from TBR, MNPD, MNPS and Nashville State who developed this model,” said TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings. “It creates pathways in high school and our colleges to help students achieve their career goals. And it furthers our critical public service mission by helping law enforcement agencies meet their workforce needs.”
“I believe Nashville State’s strategic Better Together Partnership with MNPS and Educate the Blue with MNPD creates a natural bridge for the exciting collaborative to start in Nashville,” said Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, President of Nashville State Community College. “Nashville State stands committed to increasing college and career readiness for high school students and being a workforce solution partner with our area employers.”
Dr. Jothany Blackwood, TBR Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, is leading the initiative for the college system. “As the Law Enforcement Collaborative expands, TBR will continue to scale up robust opportunities for student engagement, education and training, while meeting the needs of law enforcement agencies statewide. I look forward to the Collaborative serving as the nexus for collaboration and promising practices that engage communities with law enforcement through exploration and careers,” she said.
Nudge Student/Faculty Communication
by Jessica Rabb, Ph.D., Professor of Biology
Communication with Students’ Current Instructors
Faculty and student communication during a course occurs in many forms: in-person, on-Zoom, office phone, cell phone, text, and many, many emails. Student and faculty communication is an important feature of student and faculty success. Students evaluate faculty communication as part of our end-of-term evaluations with questions like:
- The instructor responded when I contacted them outside of class.
- The instructor would meet me if I needed help.
- The instructor provided options to meet in person, virtually, by phone call, and/or via email.
If you encounter a student unable to reach their instructor, especially at the start of the term, find out what they have tried. All faculty (full-time and adjunct) include their contact information at the very least, in their syllabus. So, nudge the student for more information and help us lower barriers between student/faculty communication.
Communication with Students’ Faculty Advisors
You may encounter a student that needs to reach their faculty advisor. In this case, the student may not know how to reach the faculty member, they may have never met. Asking the student to email the advisor may be a disappointing response. While full-time faculty have committed to responding to student inquiries in one business day, a student may be skeptical. So, how can you turn this interaction into something positive and proactive? One way is to let the student know that all full-time faculty are available for appointments and to facilitate appointments with our students and advisees, all full-time faculty are trying a scheduling app this term. Most faculty are using either Calendly or Microsoft Bookings. The appointment app may be reached via a link or QR code on the door schedule. If you are near the faculty member’s door, you can refer students to the door schedule, if not, Deans and Directors have the appointment link and QR code for all full-time faculty. Here is my appointment scheduling link and QR code.
Flexibility and Persistence
A door schedule with unchanging office hours for the entire semester has given way to flexibility to meet at times and modes most convenient to the student. Trying scheduling apps allows us to show our availability in real-time. As we all know, there is no perfect way to reach all students, but with persistence and dedication to a student-centered culture, faculty strive to improve student/faculty communication.
Upward Mobility Created Through Patient Care Technician Program
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing
Hazel Bryant has been a caregiver for 41 years. She found herself wanting to be in a role where she “had a chance to grow within a company.” Hazel heard about the Patient Care Technician program at Nashville State.
Upon completing the short, free program, she listed the certification on her resume “and immediately got a job opportunity less than two minutes from my house.” She has already begun working at Ascension St. Thomas Hickman Long Term Care.
The Patient Care Technician Program is a partnership between the College, Nashville State Foundation, Nashville State Workforce and Community Development, TriStar Health, the HCA Healthcare Foundation, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and The Academies of Nashville.
FAFSA – Get Your Ducks in a Row
by Jennifer Byrd, Director, Financial Aid Office
Fun Fact: Congress created the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in 1992, which means that the FASFA turned 30 this year.
In the 2020-2021 aid year, 95% of our full-time students enrolling for college for the first time received grant/scholarship aid. All federal and state financial aid programs, including TN Promise and TN Reconnect, require a student to file a FAFSA to be considered for awards.
It is essential to note the FAFSA for Fall 2023 – Summer 2024 will be opening up on October 1, 2022. Students can complete their FAFSA by going to https://studentaid.gov/. This FAFSA will be based on income from the 2021 tax year.
We are working hard to encourage our students to file their FAFSA early. The benefits to early filing include:
- More time for processing before registration starts
- Ensuring students meet all early scholarship and grant deadlines
- Putting students in consideration for limited funds (usually gone by the time late applicants apply).
What can you do to help?
- Ask students if they have done their FAFSA
- Encourage them to file early – we would love to see current students file before they leave for Christmas break
- Encourage students to attend our FAFSA sessions – we will have sessions the first week in October (watch for Campus Announcements for exact dates) – students will need have gathered their 2021 tax returns (and if dependent, their parents’ 2021 tax returns) to bring with them to the event
- Faculty – if you ever offer extra credit assignments, showing they filed their FAFSA might be a simple and very helpful way to gain extra credit while ensuring students are being proactive (students get a confirmation page when they file the FAFSA)
Our theme for our FAFSA events this year will be “Get Your Ducks in a Row”. We want to help our students to be proactive and have their financial aid paperwork done timely to ensure their success. Please feel free to reach out for questions.
NSCC Historical Minutes
by Faye Jones, Ph.D., Dean, Learning Resource Center
Richard Williams
In the April 2005 edition of The Falcon, faculty member Quenton Pulliam wrote an elegy for Richard Williams. He stated, “I have never known anyone who worked so tirelessly and with such passion for the best interests of his students.” Richard’s dean, Karen Stevenson, agreed: “We will always remember Richard for his huge heart and tremendous love for his students. He never allowed his health to interfere with his strong desire to teach and help others.”
Richard first appears in the 1998-1999 catalog as an instructor in the business department. From 2004-2005, he is listed as an associate professor. He was a fierce advocate for his students, and it’s true he never let failing health get in his way. His enthusiasm for teaching didn’t dim a bit, even when he moved to teach from a wheelchair.
Although Richard’s years at NSCC were at the end of his career, his ideas about distant education were current. When Richard first came to Nashville State, distance education was mostly through video courses. Each semester, students came on campus for an orientation with their instructors and then check out a box of videos from the library. Imagine hundreds of students lined up out of the library and down the hallway as library staff checked out boxes for them. Students then would come on campus a few times to test in the Testing Center.
Richard served on the original NSOnline Committee; its charge was to get online courses up and running at Nashville State. This group made the first steps to what has become a thriving program. The NSOnline committee approved the first web courses and worked out the procedures and responsibilities of the faculty who developed and taught them.
Richard’s legacy lives on every time someone takes an extra moment with a student and considers how campus decisions will affect a student’s wellbeing.
Standing: Richard Williams, Doug Jameson, Judy Kane, David Gerth
Electrical Engineering Alum Finds Career and Success
by Tom Hayden, Associate Vice President, Office of Communication and Marketing
Travis White came to Nashville State to change his career path and increase his earnings. Using the Tennessee Reconnect tuition assistance grant, White studied Electrical Engineering Technology.
Shortly after graduation, White was offered and accepted a position as associate engineer in the Nashville Electric Services (NES) energy services department.
Congrats on your success, Travis!
Library Resources for Faculty/Staff
by Faye Jones, Ph.D. Dean, Learning Resource Center
Welcome or welcome back, colleagues! I hope we all have the best year ever! The Mayfield Library is always here for you, and here are some of those ways:
You have access to all the library databases. Here are three that might be of special interest:
- The New York Times. You have full access to the NYT website. Sign up here.
- The Wall Street Journal.
- Chronicle of Higher Education.
If you need a book or an article that our library doesn’t have, you can make a request through interlibrary loan.
Also, every employee has an account with LinkedIn Learning, which has courses on just about everything work-related from Python to procrastination. This can be found in MyNSCC under the general subheading under “Quick Picks.”
Check our services by coming by the library, looking at our webpage, and/or chatting with us online. We are here to serve you, no matter your campus!
Staff Assembly News
by Renee Johnston, Chair, Staff Assembly
Are you a full-time or part-time non-faculty Staff Member? A special Professional Development time will be held on October 11, 2022, just for YOU! Classes will be out for Fall Break. So, this is the perfect time to focus on “Us” as Staff.
Our training will be held at the White Bridge Campus, H Building.
Time: 8:30am-12:30pm
Theme: The Student Success Experience
Staff Members from ALL campuses are included. There will be learning, fun growth, fun…and did I mention FUN?
You will want to be a part of this event!
Event Hosted by your Staff Assembly Officers
- Chair: Renee Johnston
- Chair-elect: Karina Davis
- Secretary: Jaclen Christian
- Secretary-elect: Ruth Green
- Finance and Budget: Edward Abel
- Parliamentarian: Randa Thompson
Facilities Management Department Report
by Christopher Saunders, CFM, Executive Director of Facilities Management
Clarksville Campus
- LED Lighting and Cameras Upgrades Project:
- Electrical trenching – fixtures – JOB STARTING 8-23-22
- 10th Anniversary YARD Repairs – COMPLETE
- New Campus: TBR Designer Selection – NSCC – TBR – State Architect – COMPLETE
Dickson – Campus Options:
- Lab Equipment Moving to Waverly – North Davidson: COMPLETE
- Move Out – COMPLETE
Humphreys County – Retrofitting the Building
- Roofing Contractor – COMPLETING WORK
- Lab Case Goods – Cabinets – DELIVERING 9-16
- Grade School Move-In – COMPLETE
- Final Clean Up – COMPLETE
North Davidson
- Dishwasher – Disposal – ADA Unit -COMPLETE
- Conference Room Door Locks – ON ORDER
- Emergency Button’s – Gallaher – INSTALLING THIS WEEK
- Hood Certification – HOAR – 4 – COMPLETE
- Campus Landscaping – Clean Up – COMPLETE
Southeast Campus
- Temp and New Chiller:
- Removal of old unit – COMPLETE
- New Unit Installation – UNDERWAY
- TBR Refurbishment Project:
- TBR Designer adjusting the Project Scope – COMPLETE
- Projects GC Bidding Documentation – UNDERWAY
- Clean Up: NSCC Surplus Sale – UNDERWAY
White Bridge
- LED – Replacement Lighting Project: TBR Project Being Bid – START BEING SCHEDULED
- Welcome Center S-Building: Directional Signage in production – UNDERWAY
- Access Center Relocation: TSD and FM user moves – COMPLETE
- Building Medical Renovation Project:
- Schematic Design Pricing Phase – UNDERWAY
- Purchasing of Equipment by Mark – Van – UNDERWAY
- Departments to be relocated – COMPLETE
- HVAC Central Plant Upgrades:
- TBR Designer Selection – COMPLETE
- Planning and Pricing of Repairs – PENDING
- Labs Review
- Emergency Eye Wash – Shower Certification – COMPLETE
- ICT Engineering Report for the Labs – FINALIZING
- Room and Hood Testing – Certification – COMPLETE
- SLA – Service Level Agreement – ON HOLD
Human Resources News August 2022
by Janet Dennis, Personnel Assistant, Human Resources
New Hires
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Plowman | Mathematics Instructor | STEM |
| David Butler | Testing Technician II | Testing Center |
| Walter Chudzik | Chief of Police | Police and Security Services |
| Hannah Hurdle | Instructional Designer | Online Learning |
Status Change
| Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsay Hager | Student Success Advisor, Student Succes/Nashville GRAD | Manager of Peer Mentoring, Student Life |
| Jaclen Christian | Student Specialist I, Clarksville Campus | Financial Aid Technical Clerk, Clarksville Campus |
Separation
| Name | Position | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Carter Ayers | Science Lab Technician | STEM |
| Nanci Cross | Healthcare Management Instructor | Business, Management, and Hospitality |
The NSCC Voice
Founded 2017
Cliff Rockstead, Managing Editor
David Gerth, Assistant Managing Editor
Dale Rogers, Web Developer and Word Press Wrangler
Isabella Putman, Web Layout Editor
August Contributors
Amy S. Bryant
Jennifer Byrd
Janet Dennis
Matthew Gann
Tom Hayden
Dr. Shanna L. Jackson
Kelsey A. Johansen
Renee Johnston
Dr. Faye Jones
Devora Manier
Harlan Pease
Dr. Jessica Rabb
Christopher Saunders
Donna Whitehouse