March 2008

March 31, 2008

Sherrill Doubly Honored by Gaston College: Receives Altrusa & Staff Awards

Audrey Sherrill, Director of Counseling at Gaston College, was doubly surprised at the college’s annual faculty/staff appreciation luncheon on March 20. Pam Smith, president of Altrusa International of Gastonia, presented Sherrill with the 2008 Altrusa Award for Excellence and Dr. Linda Greer, Vice President of Economic & Workforce Development at Gaston College, presented her with the college’s staff award. Sherrill received two checks and two plaques.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in counseling from Wingate University where she was a point guard for the 1987-88 women’s basketball team. Sherrill was recognized in 2007 as a member of “Wingate University’s Team of Distinction”. She received her Master of Science degree in counseling from UNC-Charlotte.

Sherrill’s entire career has focused on students and helping them make good career choices. She worked in various counseling capacities at Isothermal Community College for eight years before Gaston College hired her as director of counseling in 2003. She was appointed interim Vice President of Student Services in July 2007, and served in that capacity until January of this year. During her tenure in the latter position, enrollment increased significantly.

Sherrill serves on numerous college committees, including the President’s Cabinet, the Strategic Planning Committee, Enrollment Management Taskforce, and the Student Affairs Leadership Team, where she plays a leadership role in making decisions that affect students in Gaston and Lincoln counties.

The Altrusa Club of Gastonia established the Altrusa Award for Excellence through the Gaston College Foundation to recognize excellence among Gaston College employees. The award is presented to a full-time employee of Gaston College who personifies the mission of the college and the ideal of lifelong learning through their life both on and off the campus. Candidates were judged on their involvement with students and their impact on the educational life of Gaston College.

A separate selection committee composed of her peers chose Sherrill for the staff award. She will represent Gaston College in the state-wide selection of the Staff Person of the Year by the North Carolina Community College System this fall.

“We are fortunate to have folks like Audrey here at the college” commented Dr. Patricia Skinner, Gaston College president. “She is an advocate for students in all that she does and serves as a role model for students and staff alike.”

March 28, 2008

GASTON COLLEGE BIOTECHNOLGY PROGRAMS SERVE AS MODEL

Representatives from Marshall Community College & Technical College in Huntington, West Virginia, were in the area recently to learn about Gaston College’s biotechnology programs.

Dr. Keith Cotroneo, Marshall’s President, and Jean Chappell, Dean of Allied Health, spent the day meeting with Gaston College faculty and staff in the biotechnology areas. The pair toured the Duke Energy Biotechnology Lab and the BioEd Center, both on the Dallas Campus, and gathered information about the various biotechnology degree and certificate programs offered at Gaston College.

Gaston College was the first community college in the Charlotte economic region to offer curriculum courses for college transfer students in biotechnology and genetics. Also the college offers biotechnology training programs for high school and middle school students.

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March 20, 2008

ITEMS OF INTEREST

• Gaston College will offer a Business Fast Track Program at the East Campus in Belmont beginning this fall. The program enables students to earn an associate’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources Management or Logistics in two years by taking traditional classes in Belmont two nights a week and enrolling in online courses. A sequence of business courses will be offered at the East Campus in Belmont on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 5:30 p.m. and ending no later than 10:00 p.m. Information sessions for the program will be held Tuesday, April 15 and April 22 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Harney Hall, Room 201 at the East Campus of Gaston College, Belmont, NC.
  
  For program specific schedules go to www.gaston.edu and click on Fast Track Programs Admission Information or call Michelle Byrd at 704.922.6268 and Karen Jenkins at 704.922.6263.
  
  
• Gaston College is offering a refresher course for nursing assistants who are preparing for the competency exam. Sessions will be held on two consecutive Saturdays, April 12th and 19th, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Dallas Campus. Participants must attend both days to get credit. This course will assist nursing assistants with expired NC nurse aide registry listings, out of state nursing assistants who want a refresher to help them pass the North Carolina competency exam, and those who have been working in a care giving field such as home health care who are required to be listed on the registry. For more information call 704-922-6372.
  
  Also, summer nursing assistant classes will be offered Monday through Thursday, May 19-July 17 from 9 a.m. - 1:50 p.m. on the Dallas Campus, and from 5:30-10:20 p.m. on the Lincolnton Campus. A nursing assistant II class will be offered the same days from 9 a.m. - 2:20 p.m. at the East Campus in Belmont. To be eligible to register students must call 704-922-6372 beginning at 8:00 a.m. on April 15. For more information call 704-922-6372.
  
  
• Gaston College Study Tours will be headed on an exciting tour to Buenos Aires, Argentina, along with a visit to South America's most beautiful waterfall (Iguazu Falls, in the jungle on the Brazilian border) November 22 - November 29, 2008. For more information, contact Bob Blanton at 704.922.6339 or Blanton.bob@gaston.edu.
  
  
• The Gaston College Small Business Center and 7 other community colleges biz centers known as the Charlotte BioBusiness Service Hub, will host “Life Sciences in the Charlotte Region: What’s in it for me” on Monday, March 31 from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., at CPCC Harris Conference Center, 3216 Harris Campus Drive, Charlotte. The program focuses on biotechnology and life science and how the combination can result in higher paying jobs, increased tax base and more opportunities for existing businesses. Highlights include keynote address by Norris Tolson, President & CEO of the NC Biotechnology Center, a panel discussion featuring Ronnie Bryant, President and CEO of the Charlotte Regional Partnership; Sam Taylor, President of the Biosciences Organization; Tim Janke, Executive Director of the IMAF Fund at the Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC); and Dr. Jennifer Montague, VP of Business Development, BioCytics. The event will conclude with tours of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) BioNetwork Mobile Laboratory. To find out more about the program agenda log on to the website at http://biobusinesshub.net/marchevent.aspx.
  
  
• A panel discussion on the topic of “Privilege: A System of Advantage” will be held on Wednesday, April 9 at 11 a.m., Lena Sue Beam Auditorium, Gaston College, Dallas Campus. The panel comprised of community leaders and policy makers will talk about the unstated assumptions of privilege in our society focusing on the causes and effects of a system of advantage. Also, the panel will provide recommendations for positive changes in work and social structures as well as individual accountability. A question and answer session will follow. The event, sponsored by the Minority Affairs Committee of Gaston College, is free and open to the public. For more information, call Erin Brassell at 704.922.6293.
  
  
• “Professional Imaging: Creating an Excellent You” will be held on Monday, April 14th from 9 a.m.-11 a.m., 2nd floor Commons Area, Gaston College Lincoln Campus at 511 S. Aspen Street in Lincolnton. This event is designed to help Gaston College students prepare for a job interview and their first job. Information booths will be available providing assistance with resume preparation, cover letters, interview tips, haircare, skin care, nail care, relaxation techniques, blood pressure checks, and short chair massages. The fair will culminate with a fashion show and door prizes. For more information, call Juanita Gunnell at 704-748-1065.
  
  
• The Health Education Department at Gaston College will host its annual Health Fair on Thursday, April 24th from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Myers Center breezeway on the Dallas Campus. There will be many types of displays and booths available with information on health, nutrition, and exercise. Also, chair massages, yoga and cosmetology demonstrations, and other community related booths will be available to provide helpful information. Students, faculty and the general public are invited.
  
  
• Gaston College is hosting an Open House for prospective students on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. until noon on the Dallas Campus. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. There will be information booths and a variety of activities including presentations, demonstrations, and campus tours. Prospective students can complete an application and begin the financial aid process for admission into Gaston College, fall 2008.
  
  
• The Gaston College Spring Graduation Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 8 at 7 p.m. at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, 1960 13th Ave. Drive SE, Hickory, NC. For more information, visit the college website www.gaston.edu under "Graduation Central” or call Lynn Dellinger at 704.922.6539.

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March 13, 2008

PANEL DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON CAUSES AND EFFECTS
ON SOCIETY OF “PRIVILEGE: A SYSTEM OF ADVANTAGE”

DALLAS, NC. . . A panel discussion on “Privilege: A System of Advantage” will be held at Gaston College on Wednesday, April 9 at 11 a.m., in the Lena Sue Beam Auditorium, Dallas Campus.

The panel, comprised of community leaders and policy makers, will talk about the unstated assumptions of privilege in our society focusing on the causes and effects of a system of advantage. Also, the panel will provide recommendations for positive changes in work and social structures as well as individual accountability where privilege as a system exists. A question and answer session will follow the panel discussion.

This event, sponsored by the Minority Affairs Committee of Gaston College, is free and open to the public. For more information, call Erin Brassell at 704.922.6293.

March 11, 2008

INSIDE/OUTSIDE TRAVELING ART EXHIBIT ON DISPLAY AT GASTON COLLEGE IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH IN MARCH

DALLAS, NC . . . In celebration of Women’s History Month, Gaston College will present The Work of ARPA: Inside Outside. This exhibit featuring artist from the Southeast will be on display March 10 – April 30 in the Jeanne Rauch Gallery, Rauch Science and Fine Arts Building on the Dallas Campus. This traveling group exhibition is comprised of fine art by a group of 10 former resident artists of the McColl Center for the Visual Arts in Charlotte, NC. The work for this exhibit was guided by Professor Jae Earling, a University of North Carolina at Charlotte faculty member and contemporary art historian. The curator of the exhibit at the college is Paula Smith, a ceramics instructor at Gaston College.

“Our group first met at the McColl Center in 2005, and over a four month period we continued to meet regularly to socialize and discuss each other's work.” Says Paula Smith. “The working relationship we developed as a group was very productive, so we ultimately establish a strong bond as friends and decided to continue to meet long after our residencies ended. One evening we were meeting at a Charlotte restaurant called ARPA (Spanish for harp), and the idea of a group exhibition arose naturally, as points of similarity and disparity sparked debate about the group's place in the art world. Nevertheless, the group's first show was at the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation in Watkinsville, Georgia, and we’ve continued touring together in this traveling exhibit.”
said Smith.

The ARPA exhibit includes large, small, and "shaped" paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor, encaustic, and unorthodox materials such as tar. Installations in the display are also comprised of video, polyurethane castings, wax paper blocks, and recycled plastics. Certain ceramic pieces involve painting, sculpture, and installation. Themes throughout the show include identity, re-emplacements of landscape, minimalism, environmental concerns, obsession with writing, mark making, ritual, gender issues, and child rearing.

The ten artists are featured in the exhibit are: Linda Luise Brown, painter; David Edgar, sculptor; Jennifer Parham Gilomen, mixed media; Laura McCarthy, painter; Charles McMurray, painter, sculptor, and graphic artist; J. Michael Simpson, painter; Paula Smith, Ceramists; Amy Sanders, Ceramists; Felicia Van Bork, painter; and Alyssa Wood, sculptor and ceramists.

Professor Emeritus, Dr. Peg DeLamater of Winthrop University who has analyzed the exhibit commented, “These artists constitute and eclectic celebration of multiplicity. Rather than stemming from a common philosophy or a single approach to making art, the interaction and respect for each other's work that developed mirrors the insistence of the contemporary art world on diversity and individual expression. It was this realization that lead to the subtitle of the exhibit “Just Works.”

A reception for the artists will be held on Thursday, March 13 at 6 p.m. in the Jeanne Rauch Gallery. Gallery hours are Monday – Thursday, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.The exhibition is free and open to the public.

The Work of ARPA: Inside Outside Artist from the Southeast is coordinated by the Gaston College Minority Affairs Committee. For more information, call Paula Smith at 704.922.6343 or to schedule tours, call Gary Freeman at 704.922.6344 or freeman.gary@gaston.edu.

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March 10, 2008

ITEMS OF INTEREST ABOUT GASTON COLLEGE

DALLAS, NC. . .The Gaston College Board of Trustees will hold its monthly board meeting, open to the public, on Monday, March 31st, at 4 p.m. in the Myers Center, 2nd Floor Boardroom, Dallas Campus.

Current members of the Board of Trustees are: Mr. Don Ballard, Mr. Steve Campbell, Sheriff Alan Cloninger, Mr. Wayne Lowe, Mr. Tom Keigher, Mr. Duane McCallister, Ms. Rhonda Mc Lean, Ms. Ann Neal, Mr. James Ragan, Dr. Stephanie Rauch, Mr. James Smith, Mr. Bill Sudyk, Mr. Randy Vinson, and Ms. Barbara Voorhees.

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March 7, 2008

ITEMS OF INTEREST ABOUT GASTON COLLEGE

• The Gaston College Career Day will be held on Wednesday, March 12, from 9:30 until 12:00 noon in the Myers Center Auditorium. This annual event is for employers and students. Over 60 representatives from regional manufacturers, high tech and computer companies, health providers, governmental agencies, service providers, retail sales firms, and various branches of military service will be available to talk fair goers. For more information, call Brenda Kincaid at 704.922.6525.
• Gaston College, in celebration of Women’s History Month, will present “The Work of ARPA: Inside Outside, featuring artists from the Southeast on March 10 – April 30 in the Jeanne Rauch Art Gallery, Rauch Science and Fine Arts Building on the Dallas Campus. A reception for the artists will be held on Thursday, March 13 at 6 p.m. in the Jeanne Rauch Gallery. The ARPA exhibit is comprised of ceramics, sculpture, painting, and mixed media. The artwork of Ms. Paula Smith, a ceramic and sculpture instructor at Gaston College will be included in this collection.  Ms. Smith’s art has been shown at various galleries in North and South Carolina.  This event, sponsored by the Gaston College Minority Affairs Committee, is free and open to the public.  For more information on the exhibit, call Paula Smith at 704.922.6343 or email: Smith.Paula@gaston.edu. To schedule tours, call Gary Freeman at 704.922.6344 or email: Freeman.Gary@gaston.edu.
• The challenges experienced by women with chemical addictions will be discussed in the presentation Women and Addiction: Shame and Empowerment on Thursday, March 13^th at 11 a.m. at Gaston College in the Lena Sue Beam Auditorium, Dallas Campus. Speaker Ann Elliott, a psychology instructor at Gaston College, will talk about the multiple issues and current research findings pertaining to women and addiction in our society. The issues she will discuss include: chemical abuse and dependency impact, sociocultural aspects, race and ethnicity, family connection, self-esteem, health risks, treatment barriers, gender specific treatment, and community support. This event is sponsored by the Minority Affairs Committee of Gaston College and is free and open to the public. For more information, call 704.922.6200.
• Gaston College is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2008-2009 school year. The deadline is Monday, March 31^st.   For applications, visit www.gaston.edu or call the Gaston College Financial Aid Office at 704.922.6227.

• The Gaston College Facilities and Finance Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 25 at 3 p.m. and the Board of Trustees will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, March 31, at 4 p.m.  Both meetings will be held in the 2^nd floor board room in the Myers Center, Dallas Campus.

• The GED/Adult high school graduation is scheduled for Friday, April 4^th at 7 p.m. in Myers Center on the Dallas Campus. Nearly 60 students are expected to participate in this year’s ceremony.          
• The Creative Writing Program at Gaston College welcomes award winning poet Jonathan Rice on Tuesday, April 8^th at 7 p.m. in the Morris Library, 2^nd Floor on the Dallas Campus.  He is the editor and publisher of Iodine Poetry Journal and will present his poetry and talk about how to submit poems for publication. Rice authored his first chapbook, Shooting Pool With A Cellist, in 2003. His latest book, Ukulele and Other Poems, (Main Street Rag, 2006) is a full-length collection. His poetry has appeared in many periodicals, including The Aurorean, Cold Mountain Review, Comstock Review, Main StreetRag, Pedestal, Sacred Journey, Slipstream, Sundog: A Southeast Review, and work forthcoming in Gargoyle, HazMat Review and Right Hand Pointing. He has also been a longtime host of poetry readings in Charlotte since 1999. For more information, call Scott Temple at 704.922.6311 or email Temple.scott@gaston.edu.

• A panel discussion on the topic of “Privilege: A System of Advantage” will be held on Wednesday, April 9 at 11 a.m., Lena Sue Beam Auditorium, Gaston College, Dallas Campus. The panel comprised of community leaders and policy makers will talk about the unstated assumptions of privilege in our society focusing on the causes and effects of a system of advantage.  Also, the panel will provide recommendations for positive changes in work and social structures as well as individual accountability. Following the panel discussion there will be a question and answer session. The event sponsored by the Minority Affairs Committee of Gaston College is free and open to the public. For more information, call Erin Brassell at 704.922.6293.

• The Professional Imaging, Creating an Excellent You Fair will be held on Monday, April 14th from 9 a.m.-11 a.m., 2^nd floor Commons Area, Gaston College Lincoln Campus at 511 S. Aspen Street in Lincolnton. This fair is designed to help Gaston College students prepare for a job interview and their first job. Information booths will be available providing assistance with resume preparation, cover letters, interview tips, hair care, skin care, nail care, relaxation techniques, blood pressure checks, and short chair massages. The fair will culminate with a fashion show and door prizes. For more information, call Juanita Gunnell at 704-748-1065 . 

• The Second Annual Second Chance Prom for Adult High School and GED students is scheduled for Friday, April 18 from 7 to 10 p.m. in Myers Center Café.  Tickets for the prom will go on sale Monday, March 17^th.  Donations of prom attire are still needed for students.  A Goodwill Truck will be located at the Pearson Life Skills building at the Dallas Campus on Friday, March 28, 2008. For more information, call 704.853.5328, ext. 251 or email: morrow.joy@gaston.edu.

• Gaston College will be participating in the Community Foundation’s Run for the Money” fundraising event on Friday, April 19^th.  Gifts received through the Community Foundation will provide mini-grants for Gaston College faculty, staff and students.  All gifts up to $10,000 will be matched if they are received by the April 25 deadline.  For information, contact bajorek.sylvia@gaston.edu or call the Community Foundation at 704.864.0927.

• The Health Education Department at Gaston College will host their annual Health Fair on Thursday, April 24th from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Myers Center breezeway of the Dallas Campus. There will be many types of displays and booths available with information on health, nutrition, and exercise. Also, chair massages, yoga and cosmetology demonstrations, and other community related booths will be available to provide helpful information.  Students, faculty and the general public are invited. 

• Gaston College is hosting an Open House for area high school students on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. until noon on the Dallas Campus.  Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. There will be information booths and a variety of activities including presentations, demonstrations, and campus tours. Prospective students can complete an application and begin the financial aid process for admission into Gaston College, Fall 2008.

• The Gaston College Spring Graduation Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 8 at 7 p.m. at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, 1960 13th Ave. Drive SE, Hickory, NC. For more information, visit the college website  www.gaston.edu under "Graduation Central” or call Lynn Dellinger at 704.922.6539.

• Earn your GED in two Saturdays through the GED Fast Track program. The program will be held on Saturday, May 24 and Saturday, May 31 from 9 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Dalpiaz Student Success Center, Room 219 on the Dallas Campus. A placement test must be taken prior to starting the class. The classes are free. For more information contact Lisa Woodall, GED Coordinator, 704-922-6320.
  
  
• Gaston College is offering testing for the North Carolina Career Readiness Certification workforce development resource that helps businesses boost the skills of employees and helps individuals get the training they need to perform successfully in their jobs. The testing fee for the Career Readiness Certification is $30 per individual. To schedule a testing time, call Joy Morrow at 704.922.853-5328, ext.251.
  
  
• The deadline has been extended for Gaston College GED students to complete all GED Testing for the 2002 series. Scores will be good for 5 years and all testing for this series must be completed from 2007 to 2010. Examinees must finish the 2002 series by December 31, 2010.  For more information, contact Lisa Woodall, Coordinator of Adult Basic Education, GED and Compensatory Education Programs at 704.922.6320.

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