SPCC named Military Friendly School

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1 SPCC named Military Friendly School Next page Also inside... Dr. Sidor s column Important dates for SACS visit Seen around campus SGA activities New employees Iron the Shirt October birthdays Brain Teaser

2 SPCC named Military Friendly School Victory Media has named South Piedmont Community College to its Military Friendly Schools list. The 2013 Military Friendly Schools list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America s military service members, veterans and spouses as students and to ensure their success on campus. Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools shows South Piedmont Community College s commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students, said Sean Collins, director for G.I. Jobs and vice president at Victory Media. As interest in education grows, we re thrilled to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools. We are very pleased to be selected as a Military Friendly School, said SPCC Financial Aid Director John Ratliff, who is a veteran himself and is also the school s director of Veteran Affairs. SPCC fully supports veterans and their families as they seek to achieve educational and career goals at our college. Providing access and promoting success for our students is our daily mission and our motto is: Start here Go anywhere! We look forward to being of service. John Ratliff is very connected to the needs of veterans and has done an excellent job finding and creating opportunities for them to continue their education, SPCC President Stan Sidor said. The Military Friendly Schools media and website, found at feature the list, interactive tools and search functionality to help military students find the best school to suit their unique needs and preferences. The 1,739 colleges, universities and trade schools on this year s list exhibit leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience. Ratliff Now in its fourth year, the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools was compiled through extensive research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 VA-approved schools nationwide. The survey tabulation process, methodology and weightings that comprise the 2013 list were independently verified by Ernst and Young LLP. Each year, schools taking the survey are held to a higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board consisting of educators from across the country. A full list of board members can be found at www. militaryfriendlyschools.com/board. A full story and detailed list of 2013 Military Friendly Schools will be highlighted in the annual G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools, distributed in print and digital format to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel in early October. Complete survey methodology is available at

3 Time to tell our story with pride This month is all about SACS. Beginning on Sunday, Oct. 21, the visiting team will begin arriving in Monroe to prepare for our 10-year reaccreditation visit. Between Oct. 22 and their eventual departure on Oct. 24, they will be immersed in our institution, meeting with many of you to learn our story and examine our practices. This is the time for everyone to tell our story with pride and conviction about how we fulfill our mission of Learning, Student Success, and Workforce and Community Development. Over the next few weeks, reflect upon how you individually impact our mission and what our mission means to you. Stan Sidor SPCC President Please take advantage of the additional training over the next two weeks, and participate in the campus cleanup day on the 19 th. The training will be the best time to raise any questions or concerns and to dispel any myths or rumors regarding SACS. I am looking forward to this visit and the opportunity for me to tell the visiting team what I do to support our mission. Thank you,

4 Important dates regarding SACS visit By now, most of you are well aware that the on-site visit by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools will be Oct A team of 10 people will be on campus for third phase in the reaffirmation of accreditation for the college. Before then, however, there are a couple of important dates to keep in mind. Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company Conference Center, Building A, Old Charlotte Highway Campus: Mandatory training session for all employees, staff and faculty. If you are a faculty member who will be teaching during the training session, see your supervisor or Jill Millard about getting copies of the training materials. Oct. 19 has been designated as the official campus clean-up day in preparation for the SACS team s visit. Watch your for more information as the date gets closer.

5 Seen around campus Sonography mannequin SPCC is looking into purchasing a mannequin that could be used by Medical Sonography and EMS students. It can be programmed with different scenarios that the students would have to interpret. Faculty members got a demonstration and a chance to try it out last month. At left, Medical Sonography Program Director Janet Otton watches the monitor as she scans the mannequin. Formica brings the magic Author and customer experience coach John Formica addressed a full house in the Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company Conference Center on SPCC s Old Charlotte Highway Campus on Sept. 18. Titled Making the Customer Experience Magical, Formica s presentation included tips he learned during his time with Disney. His visit was hosted by SPCC s Small Business Centers.

6 SGA activities The Student Government Association hit the ground running when the new school year started, beginning with the inaugural Carolinas Emerging Music Festival on Sept. 7 on the Old Charlotte Highway Campus. Attendance was less than hoped for, but those who came enjoyed three good bands and free hot dogs for those who filled out a brief survey. Also, Club Sandwich Days were held on Sept. 17 on the Old Charlotte Highway Campus and Sept. 18 on the L.L. Polk Campus. At right, Medical Office Administration student Ronald Evans and Placement Testing Coordinator Vickie Cameron make their way through the line at OCH.

7 New employees Kelly Gordon is the new Accelerating Opportunity instructor. Previously, she taught first grade at Wesley Chapel Elementary School and had also worked part-time at SPCC teaching Compensatory Education classes since January She earned her B.S. in Elementary Education at Wingate University. Outside of work, she enjoys anything outside and has two little kids that keep me busy, she said, referring to children Ethan, 8, and Rylie, 5. Gordon Jennifer Ricketts will be the new Coordinator of Purchasing and Equipment upon the retirement of Joe Cameron in December and has already started learning the ropes. Previously, she worked as controller and Human Resources manager for a manufacturing company in Wadesboro. She earned a degree in Accounting, with a minor in English, at Wingate College. A native of Peachland, Ricketts she still lives there with her husband, Kevin, and sons Seth and Zach. Her interests include being active in Peachland Baptist Church, enjoying her family, playing piano and reading.

8 Iron the Shirt Renee Faulcon Colene Burnop This month s Iron the Shirt winners are Accounts Receivable Technician Colene Burnop and Nursing Instructor Renee Faulcon. Burnop was nominated by Assistant Director of Admissions Amanda Secrest, who wrote, There was an issue this week with a student that received incorrect information which resulted in her being dropped from her classes. The student was told she would not owe anything for her summer classes that she had to withdraw from due to a medical emergency. The student went along thinking all was well for the fall semester. In the meantime, the student was dropped from her courses. The student contacted Colene because she received a communication from the business office regarding the balance. When the student started explaining the situation, Colene started ing and calling folks to see if the student could somehow get back into the course. After much coordination on Colene s part, the student took care of the balance and was able to get back into her class. The student stopped by the next day to thank Colene for all of her assistance.

9 I believe Colene is deserving of the award. There have been several folks that would have told the student to pay the balance and try again for the spring or refer the student to someone else. Faulcon was nominated by Vicki Geddings, assistant to the vice president of the School of Arts and Sciences, who wrote, This morning, a high school health occupations student arrived at OCH B Building for her appointment to shadow Ms. Rumble s nursing class. I informed her that the nursing class had been relocated to the Airport Road facility, but she was not familiar with the location. I was giving her directions when Renee Faulcon, SPCC nursing instructor, volunteered to drive to the Airport Road location so this young lady could follow her. Renee also teaches at Airport Road but did not have a class there today. Renee went out of her way, expending valuable time and expensive gas, to personally show this potential future student how to get to the other location. About Iron the Shirt The Iron the Shirt award is named after an interaction in a Raleigh clothing store where a clerk helped a man who was buying a shirt by offering to iron his shirt for him. At SPCC, the award has been presented to employees who demonstrate exemplary customer service. To nominate someone for the award, Jim Muldrow at jmuldrow@spcc.edu with a brief description of a specific action deserving recognition.

10 October birthdays Oct. 1: Robby Smith Oct. 2: Carilyn Raymond Oct. 3: Dan Merle, James Minor Oct. 4: Kim Gilmore Oct. 6: Amber McCraw Oct. 7: Jeff Groves Oct. 8: Tracy Hutchens Oct. 11: Vicki Geddings Oct. 12: Dr. Chuck Palmer Oct. 16: Fedder Williams, Bob Winfrey Oct. 23: Mary Berger, John DeVitto Oct. 28: Gail Baucom, Jennifer Ricketts Oct. 31: Jody Chartier, Carol Courtney

11 Brain Teaser Why was the Rose Bowl played in Durham, N.C., instead of Pasadena, Calif., in 1942? your answers to Jim Muldrow at Be sure to put Brain Teaser in the subject line. All correct entries received by noon Oct. 15 will be placed in a drawing to determine the winner. Last month s winner Sandra Martin, assistant to the vice president of the School of Applied Science and Technology, poses with the SPCC apron and $20 gift card to Chili s she won after her entry was drawn at random from all the correct entries received last month. The question was A woman who lived in Germany during World War II wanted to cross the German/Swiss border in order to escape Nazi pursuers. The bridge that she has to cross is a half mile across, over a large canyon. Every three minutes, a German guard comes out of his bunker and checks if anyone is on the bridge. Anyone caught trying to escape the German side is shot. Anyone caught crossing from the other direction without papers is sent back. She knows it takes at least five minutes to cross the bridge, in which time the guard will see her crossing and shoot her. How does she get across? The correct answer was she waits until the guard goes inside his hut, then begins to walk across the bridge. She goes a little more than half way, turns around and begins to walk toward the German side. The guard comes out, sees that she has no papers and sends her back to the Swiss side.