Noteworthy
John T yler Community College
2012-2013 Annual Report
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Noteworthy
This was a joyous year of firsts and lasts. We celebrated the continued
success of our first class of engineering graduates as they shared news of
their upcoming graduations from places like the University of Virginia and
Virginia Commonwealth University. We cheered the first student in the
Great Expectations program as he crossed the stage at commencement and
received his degree. We prepared to say goodbye to Dr. Marshall W. Smith
after his 23-year presidency. We celebrated the retirement of three faculty
members who served the College for a combined 126 years. We looked to
the future with bold hope and excitement for all that is to come as a new
era is set to begin at John Tyler Community College. It was certainly a
noteworthy, and memorable, year in the College’s history.
Turn the page (click a corner), and see why.
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Dear Friends:
I have given considerable thought to the composition of this letter, my
last to you as president of John Tyler Community College. Twenty-three
years gives more than ample reflection time, even when the volume of
change has been so significant. I was honored and privileged to offer the
commencement address this year, and I took as my theme: “Where are
you? Where were you? How far have you come?” It seems a fitting basis
for this letter as well, so I will reuse the theme.
The College has changed in very fundamental ways over the past 23
years. It has doubled in enrollment. It has grown from one campus to
two campuses and two centers. It has expanded its academic offerings,
and it has almost doubled its faculty. Now an institution of 10,000 and
more students, its reputation and reach extends throughout its service area
of seven counties and three cities. Through programs for baccalaureate
transfer, through workforce development activities, and through degrees
in specialized and technical education, John Tyler has become the “go to”
College in our region.
No institution can be greater than the quality and diversity of its
teaching faculty, and I am especially proud of the present group. Our
faculty represent over 200 institutions of higher education and seven
foreign countries. They are extremely well prepared academically,
and they are dedicated to the profession of teaching and the success
of our students. Our adjunct faculty represent the best metropolitan
Richmond has to offer. Our staff strongly support the teaching faculty
in their endeavors, and our senior management is outstanding. All this
leads to students whose lives are changed by their experiences with us.
How far have we come? I would say a considerable distance indeed.
From my perspective, that makes the future very bright for John Tyler.
The dedicated work of hundreds of outstanding professionals who strive
every day to produce a “success story for every student” will ensure it.
Sincerely,
Dr. Marshall W. Smith, President
John Tyler Community College
JTCC By The Numbers
65-over
.002%
Ethnicity
American Native
ENROLLMENT
age
65
Asian402
14,116
Headcount Enrollment
5,864
Full-time Equivalency
Enrollment
Black3,640
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
107
Hispanic843
Two or more
438
Unknown/not specified
110
White8,511
Enrollment by Programs
College transfer
STATUS
5,011
Career/technical3,757
2,168
11,948
Full-time Students
Part-time Students
Non-curricular5,348
Dual Enrollment
2,591
Degree/Awards Conferred
Associate degrees designed for transfer
409
Career/technical associate degrees
343
Certificates637
Total1,389
RESIDENCE
13,786
330
In-State
Out-of-State
GENDER
5,819
8,297
Male
Female
Enrollment by Service Area
Amelia County
40-49
7.5%
225
Charles City County
62
Chesterfield County
8,566
City of Colonial Heights
346
Dinwiddie County
266
City of Hopewell
303
City of Petersburg
459
Prince George County
430
Surry County
54
Sussex County
48
Out-of-service-area3,357
35-39
5%
5064
4%
17 and
under
15.5%
30-34
7%
18-19
22%
25-29
11%
22-24
12%
20-21
16%
About John Tyler
Our Mission
John Tyler Community College provides quality educational opportunities
that inspire student success and community vitality.
Our Vision
A success story for every student.
Our Faculty and Staff
During the 2012-2013 academic year, 101 full-time faculty and 350 parttime faculty taught courses at the College. In the same year, 152 classified
staff members served the College community in a variety of roles – from
security and counseling to facilities operations and testing services.
Strategic Plan for 2012-2015
At the College’s annual leadership retreat in the summer of 2012, leaders
from the College’s academic, administrative, and student support services
areas reviewed data, discussed progress on goals, and made plans to move
the institution forward. The nine strategic goals for 2012-2015 are:
• Improve success in developmental courses
• Improve first-year student success
• Improve student success in distance learning
• Increase STEM-H enrollment
• Promote dual enrollment
• Diversify extracurricular activities
• Enhance affordability
• Increase awareness of the College
• Improve data organization and access
Each department and division at the College will use the goals in planning
and evaluating new programs, activities and projects over the next three
years.
Retracing the Steps
of Gods and Heroes
A group of John Tyler students retraced the footsteps of gods and heroes in
Greece as a part of the College’s Summer 2012 international education program.
Before leaving the U.S., faculty and students met several times to discuss what
they would see in Heraklion, Santorini, Mykonos, Piraeus, Athens, Delphi,
Olympia and Nafplio, among other stops.
Then, for two weeks, the group toured the country, visiting museums, ancient
ruins and shrines, while studying Greek history, culture and philosophy. Kerri
Rosenzweig, a marketing teacher at Clover Hill High School who took part in
the study abroad trip for her recertification, said, “It was absolutely one of the
best experiences of my life and certainly the most enjoyable and educational six
credits I’ve ever taken.”
Each year the College coordinates study abroad trips. Get set to book your trip at
www.jtcc.edu/internationaleducation.
Celebrating Scholarships
“What a pleasure it is to see donors, scholarship recipients, and their
families meet for the first time. In many cases, students would not be
able to attend John Tyler without financial support. Donors are able to
see and hear ‘firsthand’ just how important their scholarship investment
really is and what a positive difference they are making in the lives of these
students,” said Beverley Dew, executive director of the JTCC Foundation,
as she described the John Tyler Community College Foundation’s Annual
Scholarship Celebration Night on August 15, 2012.
More than 110 students received assistance with their 2012-2013 college
education expenses thanks to $171,785 in scholarships awarded by the
John Tyler Community College Foundation. This was a record-breaking
year for the Foundation’s scholarship program, because not only was
more scholarship money than ever awarded, but more total scholarships
than ever were awarded, 111, and more students than ever applied for
scholarships, 249. Students received scholarships based on academic
performance, programs of study and financial need.
More information can be found at www.jtcc.edu/scholarships.
Our
QEP
topi
c:
What’s your
QEP?
Quality
Enhancement
Plan
What’s Your QEP?
As a part of the reaffirmation of accreditation process, the College outlined a new
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The QEP, which addresses improving the first
year experience, was named Tyler Connections: Making the First Year Count.
The plan, which focuses on student orientation, advising, active learning and
student communications, was heavily promoted on campus during the Fall 2012
semester and will be implemented over the next five years.
Learn more at www.jtcc.edu/qep.
Helping STEM the
Tide of Unfilled Positions
Even in today’s competitive job market, there are well-paying jobs going
unfilled. Why? Because, there is a shortage of qualified applicants in the fields
of science, technology, engineering, math and health care, also known as
STEM-H.
John Tyler Community College is working side-by-side with industry,
government and local secondary school systems to educate the workforce of
today and tomorrow in the STEM-H fields. Here’s a sampling of our work:
The College received a $38,000 grant from the Virginia Community
College System’s Chancellor’s Innovation Fund to enhance college math
readiness. Through the grant, the Virginia Placement Test was given
to approximately 500 juniors and seniors from five high schools in the
College’s service region. JTCC faculty and administrators then partnered
with these high schools on interventions for students who are not qualified
for college-level math classes. A math summer bridge program was piloted
in Summer 2013 with the goal of rapidly remediating a subset of entering
John Tyler students. If successful, this pilot could be expanded and used
during the academic year with current high school students.
Ken Williams, associate professor of mathematics, worked with Virginia
State University (VSU) on a National Science Foundation grant designed
to encourage students from underserved populations to become secondary
mathematics teachers. Two John Tyler students were accepted in the
VSU summer internship program as a part of the Central Virginia
Undergraduate Mathematics Scholarship Program.
A team of the College’s dual enrollment students, led by Associate
Professor of Mathematics Pete Peterson, were national finalists in the 2012
High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling, a 36-hour competition
with 518 competitors.
For the past two years, Associate Professor of Engineering Subhotosh
Khan has mentored a For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology (FIRST) robotics team at a local high school. In 2013, the
team won the Virginia Regional Competition, which challenged teams to
build robots that could toss Frisbees into goals, climb 10-foot pyramids
and block competing robots from scoring. Khan’s team built its robot
in just six weeks, and the team came out on top of 65 competitors at the
Virginia Regional Competition. The team, which includes students who
take John Tyler dual enrollment courses at their local high schools, went
on to compete in the national competition in St. Louis.
Want to know more? Watch “Intro to STEM-H at JTCC” at
www.youtube.com/johntylercommcollege.
FormerFirst Lady
Expresses her Great Expectations
The rainy weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of the students and
John Tyler faculty and staff who gathered on the Chester Campus for
a visit with Virginia’s former first lady Anne Holton on September 18,
2012. Holton, the wife of former Virginia governor and then U.S. Senate
candidate Tim Kaine, is a major proponent of Great Expectations, a
Virginia Community College System program designed to provide
financial and academic resources to youth affiliated with the Virginia
Foster Care System.
During the JTCC visit, Holton sat down with more than a dozen Great
Expectations students and asked them to share with her what programs
they were studying, how long they had been at Tyler, and what their
favorite class was. The students talked about their wide-ranging interests
and how the Great Expectations Program was helping them. They also
expressed their curiosity about Holton, asking her what prompted her
interest in Great Expectations. She explained that her passion for helping
foster youth began when she was a judge and grew from there.
Before meeting with the Great Expectations students and coach, Holton
toured the newly renovated Chester Library. She also toured Godwin Hall,
where she learned about the College’s technical programs and discussed
the College’s partnership with Rolls-Royce.
In January 2013, the Virginia Community College System named Holton
program director of Great Expectations.
Learn more at www.jtcc.edu/greatexpectations.
Full Moon Madness Breaks Record
On October 6, 2012, the John Tyler Community College Foundation,
in partnership with Chesterfield County, hosted the third annual Full
Moon Madness at the College’s Midlothian Campus. Over 190 people
participated in the Full Moon Madness 5K, and close to an additional 120
people opted to participate in the 1-Mile Moonwalk.
The event also featured a variety of activities to encourage a healthy
community, including a Moonlight Clinic with free health screenings
provided by the College’s nursing students and faculty; a haunted house
presented by the Theatre Club; costume contests for kids, adults, and pets;
and storytelling in the Library.
Most importantly, the event, which raises money for the John Tyler
Community College Foundation, generated $94,390 in sponsorships,
breaking the record for dollars raised at the event by over $16,000.
Photos from the event are available on the College’s Flickr page at
www.flickr.com/johntylercc, and video is at
www.youtube.com/johntylercommcollege.
Career Coaches Honored
Trying to figure out what you want to do with your life can be complicated –
especially when you’re in middle school or high school. What kind of career
do you want to pursue? What skills do you need for that type of work? What
can you do now to prepare? Discovering the answers to these questions can
be an overwhelming task unless you have someone who can offer guidance
– like a career coach. Career coaches are community college employees
who work in high schools and middle schools to help students get the
information they need to make informed decisions about their future careers
and educational plans.
John Tyler Community College’s Career Coach Program was honored
with the 2012-2013 Chancellor’s Award for Exemplary Career Coaches in
the amount of $30,000. Jasmine Philip, a career coach at Petersburg High
School, and Cynthia Knupp, a career coach at Meadowbrook High School in
Chesterfield County, were recognized for their hard work and commitment.
Knupp has been the career coach at Meadowbrook for six years. During
that time, she has worked with students, helping them develop their career
pathways and introducing them to colleges and employers through a variety
of field trips. She also is involved in the Gear Up Program, which helps
low income families prepare for successful transitions to postsecondary
educational institutions, and she offers training and assistance to new career
coaches.
Philip has been a career coach at Petersburg for more than five years. To
help students make informed decisions about their career and educational
options, Philip organizes trips to career fairs, coordinates community
services projects, and creates presentations and workshops designed to teach
students about job skills and interviewing techniques. She also is actively
involved in the Gear Up Program.
In 2012-2013, JTCC’s Career Coach Program also captured the attention
of Bank of America, which gave the JTCC Foundation a $10,000 grant in
support of the program.
A New View
Several facilities at Chester had upgrades during the 2012-2013 academic
year. A former police science lab in Moyar Hall was completely renovated
into a state-of-the-art instructional biology lab. The space contains
Smartboard instructional delivery, collaborative lab tables, multiple display
units and high-efficiency LED lighting. The new laboratory allows the
College to greatly expand offerings of BIO 101, an in-demand course.
The Nicholas Student Center also received aesthetic upgrades, including
new carpet, paint, LED sconce lighting and large-scale artwork that
features a photograph from each of the cities and counties that comprise
the College’s service region. Petersburg’s image is pictured to the left.
The renovated Library at Chester opened the first day of the Fall 2012
semester. In addition to quiet study areas, collaborative study areas are
available for use, including nine study rooms, one of which is a larger
room for student group meetings. For the first time, the study rooms have
white boards and flat screen monitors that can be connected to laptops for
presentations and viewing videos.
The End of an Era
When he was a college student, Dr. Marshall W. Smith planned to pursue
a law career. But, an internship intended to help pay the bills ignited a
passion for working in higher education and set him on a different path.
More than 45 years later and more than 22 years after becoming president
of John Tyler Community College, Dr. Marshall W. Smith announced in
November 2012 that he would retire August 1, 2013.
Dr. Smith became the sixth president of John Tyler Community College
in September of 1990, and in the time since, he has become the College’s
longest serving president. Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, the College grew
to two campuses; added a Nursing Education Center; nearly doubled in
enrollment; became the first Virginia community college to construct an
environmentally friendly building that received a Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) certification; expanded its offerings,
dual enrollment program and workforce efforts; built new business
partnerships with companies such as CJW and Rolls-Royce; added online
classes and a myriad of scheduling options; and more.
Reflecting on his tenure, Dr. Smith says there are many things he is proud
of accomplishing, including the establishment of the Midlothian Campus,
an undertaking that began soon after he took over the presidency and
that lasted nearly 10 years. But, there is another, more personal matter.
In an article announcing his retirement to the College’s faculty and staff,
Dr. Smith wrote, “I am proud of many things that have occurred over the
years here, but I am the proudest of the quality of the people of the College
family. You come to work each day and quietly go about the business of
changing the lives of our students for the better. You do it professionally,
with compassion. You have answered what is truly one of the highest
callings of all.”
A Labor of Love
Brush meets canvas, swirls of color begin to take form, and faces emerge.
Some greet you with impish grins and bright eyes that hint at mischief.
Others are more restrained, slightly shy and uncertain. These are the
faces of the children of Vietnam, and John Tyler Community College art
students spent the Fall 2012 semester painstakingly recreating their images
using only the photographs provided to them. This is not just a class
project; it is a labor of love because each portrait is a gift for a child who
has few, if any, possessions. The portraits, painted by students in Professor
Colin Ferguson’s Painting III and Painting IV classes, are part of the
Memory Project, an initiative that gives children from all over the world
who have been abandoned, orphaned, abused or neglected a personal
keepsake. For the project, Ferguson and more than 13 of his students
were each given a photograph, and from that image, each artist created a
portrait. The completed artwork was sent to the child as a gift.
This is the seventh time Ferguson’s upper-level painting students have
participated in the project. In past semesters, they have painted portraits
of orphans from Afghanistan, Peru, Uganda, Myanmar, Haiti and Ecuador.
Students involved in the project get a rigorous lesson on portraiture
painting, but as Ferguson points out, the lesson goes far beyond technique
and grades. “This assignment continues to be one of the most significant
to the students and the quality of the work testifies to this,” says Ferguson.
“Ben Schumaker who created the Memory Project told me the portraits
from John Tyler are consistently among the best he receives each year.
We recently received photos of the children from Afghanistan holding
the paintings we did. Seeing these orphans with their portraits make it
so worthwhile for these students. They know their art has truly made an
impact.”
See the portraits on the College’s Flickr page at
www.flickr.com/johntylercc.
800 Wishes Granted
For the past eight years, the College has sponsored the NBC12/Salvation
Army Angel Tree Program as a way to inspire our students to succeed and
serve our community.
Since the partnership began, the College community has adopted 800
angels – each representing a child and his or her wish for the holiday
season – and given gifts of clothing, toys and books.
In addition to adopting 100 angels each year, the College also organizes
group volunteer dates for students, faculty and staff at the Salvation Army’s
Angel Tree Distribution Centers in Petersburg and Richmond.
Learn more about the College’s commitment to Angel Tree at
www.jtcc.edu/angeltree.
Developmental English Redesign
In Spring 2013, the College began a new developmental English program
designed to improve retention rates for JTCC students required to take
developmental classes.
“...save money,
persist in
college,
and graduate
in less time.”
Instead of offering separate reading and writing developmental courses
and requiring students to take a series of non-college level classes for a
year or more, the new developmental English courses integrate reading
and writing instruction. These courses of varying credit levels can be
completed in a single semester.
For students with the weakest reading and writing skills, an 8-credit course
(ENF 1) was offered. For students needing less remediation, a 4-credit
course (ENF 2) was offered. Finally, students who just needed a little work
on reading and writing skills were able to sign up for Freshman College
Composition along with a supplemental 2-credit course (ENF 3). Support
services such as a new Writing Center, embedded tutors, and computer lab
access were initiated to help students succeed in these new classes.
The English redesign was part of an initiative of the Virginia Community
College System, and 437 JTCC students enrolled in the Spring 2013
developmental English classes. The System and the College will be
monitoring these students to see if this redesign impacts retention and
graduation rates. The goal is that students will be able to save money,
persist in college, and graduate in less time.
A New Dimension
With sharp angles juxtaposed against flowing lines, the artwork that won
the 2013 John Tyler Community College Art Award makes a dramatic
statement. It also makes history. It is the first three-dimensional sculpture
to take the top prize in the Foundation Art Award contest. Using cardboard
and acrylic, Alexander Huneke created the winning entry, After Picasso,
“Woman with Pears” (sans Pears), during his Fundamentals of Design
II class. “The goal was to take a Cubist painting and interpret it as a 3D
sculpture – to make the two-dimensional three-dimensional,” says Huneke,
who is pursuing an associate degree in Tyler’s Visual Arts Program.
An image of Huneke’s artwork is featured on the 2013 Foundation Art
Award poster, which is used in friends-raising and fundraising efforts that
support the Foundation and the College. Ian Glass, a student employee in
the Department of Visual and Preforming Arts, photographed the piece for
the poster.
Students and Advocates
The stories were personal, and like every John Tyler Community College
student, unique. For Donna Simmons, a single mother, Tyler’s flexible
scheduling allows her to juggle family, a full-time job and classes as
she works on a degree that will allow her to transfer to a four-year
university. For Luke Griles, a home-schooled student, JTCC is giving
him a jump-start on his college education. And, for Joe Herbert, John
Tyler Community College has shown him he’s not limited academically
– something he believed after dropping out of high school. These are just
a few of the stories that ten JTCC students shared during two trips to the
General Assembly in 2013.
During the trips, students and Dr. Marshall Smith met with Sen. Frank
Ruff, Sen. John Watkins, Del. Betsy Carr, Del. Kirk Cox, Del. Rosalyn
Dance, Del. Riley Ingram, Del. Rick Morris, Del. Joseph Morrissey, Del.
Roslyn Tyler, Del. Lee Ware, and Del. Thomas Wright to discuss how John
Tyler Community College has benefited them and the community. The
students also shared information on the College’s 2013 legislative priorities:
funding for Phase III of the Midlothian Campus, protecting affordable
access to higher education, support for the infrastructure that 21st century
higher education requires, and fully funding the operations of Virginia’s
community colleges.
Learn more about the College’s legislative advocacy at
www.jtcc.edu/advocacy.
\\ at Midlothian
Phase\
In 2013, construction of Phase III at Midlothian was approved by the
General Assembly. Plans include a new 70,000-square-foot building and a
parking garage, as well as a new campus entrance and an extension of the
loop road on campus.
The new building will include specialized instructional spaces, including
a fitness classroom, a dance/performance classroom, an engineering
classroom, and a music classroom complete with practice rooms. The
auditorium/theatre complex will feature a green room, dressing rooms, an
area for set creation, and a box office.
Plans also call for a new area devoted to student services, such as
counseling, career resources and testing, as well as faculty offices, an
instructional technology area and a food services facility.
The new parking deck will hold approximately 350 cars. This deck will be
constructed utilizing the downward slope of the site so that only the top
floor of the deck will be visible from Hamel Hall, the new building and the
quadrangle.
Ground is expected to break on the project later in 2013, and Phase III of
Midlothian is scheduled to be completed early in 2015.
inspiring
student
success
The Write Place
In Spring 2013, the Writing Center opened its doors on the Chester
Campus in Moyar Hall. In keeping with the John Tyler Community
College mission statement of inspiring student success, the Writing Center
offers a supportive environment to assist students with any and all stages
of the writing process.
In a single semester, the Writing Center served 199 students and
conducted 356 tutorials. It played a pivotal role in assisting and
supporting both students and instructors during the first semester of the
developmental English redesign process, serving over 70% of the College’s
developmental English population.
In Fall 2013, the Chester Writing Center will expand its hours, opening its
door to more students. A Midlothian Writing Center is also planned for
the 2013-2014 academic year.
Rock-n-Roll Writer
The College’s 18th Annual Literary Festival celebrated the rhythm of words
and the stories of rock-n-roll with special guest Joe Oestreich, an author,
songwriter and musician whose memoir, Hitless Wonder: A Life in Minor
League Rock and Roll, documents his twenty-plus years in the rock band
Watershed. During the festival, Oestreich led writing workshops for John
Tyler students and participated in a reading and book signing event open
to the community.
Oestreich’s work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Esquire, Ninth Letter,
Fourth Genre, and other publications. He is an assistant professor of
English and creative writing at Coastal Carolina University.
A Festival for the Community
Each April, two huge tents – the Art of Learning Tent and the Celebrate
our Earth Tent – go up on the Midlothian Campus in preparation for the
College’s annual Fool for Art Festival. The festival, which is presented in
partnership with Chesterfield County, features more than 100 art and craft
vendors, lots of hands-on activities, free educational sessions, information
on how to go green, food, music and so much more. The festival is free and
open to the community.
Fool for Art is designed to showcase the diversity and quality of the
College’s faculty and academic programs to the community, and John Tyler
faculty and staff pack the day with fun activities for all ages, including
basketball-playing robots, nature journals, sun visors, storytelling,
music, photography sessions, technology classes and so much more.
New activities and sessions in 2013 included yoga, funeral planning,
filmmaking, beekeeping, a Civil War primer, Irish dancing, personalized
tote bags, soccer drills and Roman coin painting.
All the foolishly fun details are found at www.jtcc.edu/foolforart.
“Research is
formalized curiosity.
It is poking and
prying with a
purpose.”
– Zora Neale Hurston
Prying with a Purpose
In 2013, the Library worked to make “formalized curiosity” easier by
debuting Quick Search, a new way to search for books, periodicals,
streaming video, DVDs and other digital content using a single, unified
search box on the Library’s web site.
Thanks to collaborations with other Virginia Community College System
colleges, additional electronic resources are now available to John Tyler
students through Quick Search. Titles include: The Oxford Companion
to American Politics, The Oxford Companion to Comparative Politics,
The Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art and Architecture, The Oxford
Encyclopedia of American Political and Legal History, and The Oxford
Encyclopedia of American Social History.
Finally, the Library offered more than 116 workshops to the campus
community on research, information literacy and new technology. New
topics this year included, The Mobile Library: Information on the Go;
Extreme Googling: How to Optimize Your Google Experience; Media
Literary: Seeing is Believing…or Is It?; and Election 2012: Checking the
Facts.
Start prying today at library.jtcc.edu.
Mother. Student. Advocate.
Jennifer Silva wants to teach you three words: tuberous sclerosis complex. If
you’re like most people, you’ve never heard of this medical condition, also
known as TSC. Silva, too, was unaware of this disease until her son, Jared,
was diagnosed with TSC when he was 18-months-old, nine months after he
suffered his first seizure.
TSC is a disease that causes tumor growths in organs such as the heart,
brain, lungs, kidneys and skin. In Jared’s case, TSC has caused three brain
tumors, and because of them, he suffers from seizures as well as learning and
behavioral problems. TSC is considered rare, but Jennifer says more and more
people are being diagnosed with it. So, in addition to caring for her son, Silva is
taking steps to raise awareness of and funds for TSC, and she’s doing all of this
while studying to become a nurse at John Tyler Community College.
For a time, Silva put aside a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse to focus on
Jared’s care, but she didn’t turn her back on medicine. She took a job at a
veterinary clinic and worked there for seven years before concluding that she
really wanted to work with humans. That’s when she turned to John Tyler
Community College. Silva is currently in the Nursing Program’s hybrid track,
which gives her the flexibility to juggle coursework and responsibilities at
home.
Silva’s goal is to graduate in December 2014 and to then work on a bachelor’s
and a master’s degree. She hopes to one day use her skills to teach or to work in
a clinic that specializes in the care of TSC patients.
In the meantime, Silva continues to advocate for TSC awareness and research.
She is currently chair of Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance of Virginia and works
closely with those who are newly diagnosed with TSC. This past spring, she
and Jared, who is now 11, traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with members
of Virginia’s Congressional delegation to discuss the need to continue funding
a grant that supports the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Research Program.
Learn what it takes to join the ranks of committed nursing students like Silva
at www.jtcc.edu/nursing.
A New Leader is Named
On May 6, 2013, Dr. Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community
Colleges announced that Dr. Edward E. “Ted” Raspiller will become the
7th president of John Tyler Community College beginning August 5, 2013.
Before accepting the position at John Tyler, Raspiller was president of the
Brazos County Campuses at Blinn College in Bryan, Texas. Previously,
he directed the Community College Leadership doctoral program at Old
Dominion University.
“I’ve known Ted for more than a decade,” said Dr. DuBois. “He brings
to the table the right skills and the right experience to lead John Tyler
Community College to the next level.”
“The JTCC College Board, faculty, staff, and students are excited about
Dr. Raspiller’s arrival as our new president – and his enthusiasm and
commitment to creating a success story for every student,” said Art Heinz,
chair of the John Tyler Community College Board.
“Words cannot describe how excited I am to become the next president of
JTCC,” Dr. Raspiller said. “I am excited to work with JTCC and the entire
Virginia Community College System team to build upon the great legacy
that will be left behind by Dr. Smith.”
“Now more than ever, we are dependent upon community colleges to build
and maintain a strong, quality workforce. I look forward to bringing my
skills and experience to build upon the strong foundation of programs and
services already in place,” he said.
Learn more about Dr. Raspiller at www.jtcc.edu/news.
A Top Honor
A lot can change in three years. That’s what Julianna Morgan discovered
during her time at John Tyler Community College. When Morgan started
taking classes at Tyler three years ago, she was a very different person. At
the time, she was a 27-year-old single mother with a one-year-old son. She
lacked confidence, and she doubted herself academically, in part because
she had dropped out of high school.
The first day of class was admittedly tough, but Morgan says things quickly
got easier thanks to the encouragement she received from the College’s
faculty and staff. Morgan excelled academically at the College, and in
2013, she earned a coveted spot on the Top Ten All-Virginia Academic
Team, a recognition that showcases the best community college students in
the Commonwealth as ranked by USA Today, the Phi Theta Kappa honor
society, and the American Association of Community Colleges.
As she prepared to graduate in May 2013, Morgan was looking forward
to celebrating her achievements, but she was also looking ahead to her
next goal — a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.
After that, she hopes to continue her education in history by earning a
master’s and eventually a doctorate degree.
College,Then High School,
Graduates
Andrew Hart and Emily McGee don’t know each other, but they share an
important distinction. They are the first high school students to graduate
from John Tyler Community College with an associate degree before
completing high school.
To earn a college degree before graduating from high school, both had to
complete their high school and their associate degree programs at virtually
the same time. Hart and McGee both took classes on campus and online
and completed their degrees through a combination of dual enrollment
classes, concurrent courses, and AP credits.
Andrew graduated from Tyler in May 2013 with an Associate of Arts
in Liberal Arts with an International Studies Specialization. He later
celebrated his graduation from Chesterfield County’s Clover Hill High
School. Using a transfer agreement, he will continue college at Virginia
Commonwealth University, where he plans to double major in political
science/international relations and homeland security. After that, he is
considering working toward a master’s degree. His goal: to get a job with
the State Department.
Emily also graduated from John Tyler in May 2013. Her degree was an
Associate of Science in General Studies. In June, she received her diploma
from James River High School in Chesterfield. She will continue her
studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she plans to study
fashion merchandising. She hopes her head start on college will give her
the ability to take advantage of internships and study abroad opportunities
sooner, which will help her get ahead in the very competitive fashion
industry. Eventually, she says she’d like to own a boutique and sell her own
clothing designs.
Foster Youth Beats the Odds
94% of foster youth will not graduate from college, but Thomas Wise
refused to be a part of that statistic. Wise grew up in the foster care
system, and at the College’s 2013 commencement exercises, Wise earned
his Associate of Science in Business Administration, becoming the first
student in the John Tyler Community College Great Expectations program
to graduate.
Great Expectations provides much-needed support to youth who
are aging out of the foster care system. This support comes in many
forms. Sometimes it’s helping a student navigate the financial aid or
class scheduling process, and sometimes it’s helping a student find
transportation or a place to live. The support also comes in the form of a
mentor, who offers encouragement, advice, and when necessary, a little
nudge to get back on track.
Wise says the support he received through Great Expectations was critical
to his success, especially when he realized he might want to change
his degree focus. Originally, Wise planned to go into engineering. He
found the program to be challenging and the material and instructors
to be interesting. But, then he got a job as a retail merchandiser, and he
discovered he loved the work. His mentor encouraged him along the way,
and with her help, he transitioned out of the Engineering program and into
Business Administration.
Wise’s mentor, Executive Assistant to the President Mara Hilliar, also
helped him plan for his next academic steps – a bachelor’s degree at
Virginia Commonwealth University.
Learn more about Great Expectations at www.jtcc.edu/greatexpectations.
126 Years of Service
Joe Jordan, associate professor of mathematics, began teaching at John
Tyler Community College in 1968. Huey Singleton, assistant professor
of administration of justice, arrived in 1973. And, Johnnie Humphrey,
associate professor of child care, entered her classroom in 1974.
Each taught for more than 40 consecutive years at John Tyler Community
College, and all three retired at the end of the 2012-2013 academic year.
Jordan, Singleton and Humphrey all came to Tyler soon after the College
opened in 1967, a time when the community college concept was new
in Virginia. Over the years, the three worked for a number of presidents,
witnessed a fire on the Chester Campus in 1988, and watched the role of
the College in the community expand.
The College’s Faculty Association recently described them as “forever a part
of the heart and soul of the College,” and that is certainly true. They will
forever be a part of the history of John Tyler Community College.
Watch a video of the three at www.youtube.com/johntylercommcollege.
Welcoming Home-schooled
Students
Over the past year, the College has seen a 12% increase in the number
of the home-school students concurrently enrolled, so in May 2013, the
College held an information session for home-schooled students and their
families.
Approximately 90 attendees were introduced to the concept of concurrent
enrollment. Under this option, home-schooled and high school students
who are at the junior- or senior- level can take regular, college-level
courses at John Tyler.
During the information session, attendees had an opportunity to talk to
home-schooled students currently enrolled at the College and to take tours
of the campus.
Steps for admissions for high school students are available at
www.jtcc.edu/admissions.
Infusing Critical Thinking
into the Classroom
In May of 2013, John Tyler Community College and J. Sargeant Reynolds
Community College co-presented a Critical Thinking Workshop for faculty
in the Virginia Community College System, and a number of JTCC faculty
participated.
The JTCC group, comprised of full- and part-time faculty members from the
departments of history, engineering, English, philosophy and mathematics,
was organized by Instructor of Philosophy Samantha Emswiler.
A fellow of the Foundation for Critical Thinking led the workshop and
taught participating faculty how to infuse critical thinking into their
curriculum, instruction, and the very culture of their classrooms, focusing
on analytical reading and writing strategies as modes of critical thinking.
Now’s the time to complete
your FAFSA.
Summer 2013 guarantee date
is March 31, 2013.
You can now charge books.
Investing inTomorrow
Financial Aid is constantly changing. It is common for each year to bring
a new regulation or requirement that affects how students receive Financial
Aid. That’s why the Financial Aid Office at John Tyler Community College
decided to add social media to its communications plan. Facebook and
Twitter give students a relevant channel for information and also provide
an outlet for students to ask questions and get clarification.
Financial Aid staff also partnered with area high schools and local
organizations to prepare prospective students to enter college. Staff
participated in workshops for high school counselors and Career Pathway
advisors to ensure that those who work directly with prospective students
are well-equipped to assist students with navigating the financial aid
process.
New Options in Welding
John Tyler students interested in welding can now earn an industry
certification in addition to a traditional degree or certificate at the College.
Through the American Welding Society’s Schools Excelling through
National Skill Standards Education (SENSE) program, John Tyler will be
able to issue nationally recognized certifications to students who complete
certain welding classes and demonstrate proficiency.
SENSE sets skills standards and provides program guidelines for training
entry-level welders. John Tyler now follows a set program of instruction
and skill training and can offer students certifications as Level I – Entry
Welder and Level 2 – Advanced Welder.
Details of the College’s academic offerings in welding can be found at
www.jtcc.edu/academics.
Cèilidh Honors Dr. Smith
On the evening of Saturday, June 8, 2013, with bagpipe music in the air, 150
faculty, staff, board members, friends and family gathered at the Nicholas Student
Center on the Chester Campus for a cèilidh to celebrate Dr. Marshall W. Smith’s
retirement.
A cèilidh is a Gaelic celebration with stories and tales, poems and ballads,
music and food, and the evening included all of those elements. Dr. Smith’s
daughter, Heather, welcomed guests, and Smith family friends Marsha Summers
(soprano) and Suzanne Riehl (keyboard) performed songs by Robert Burns.
Faculty members Kerrigan Sullivan and Sandy Via read poetry by Robert Louis
Stevenson, Robert Burns, Carol Ann Duffy and Helena Nelson.
Delegate Riley Ingram presented Dr. Smith with a resolution created in his honor.
Executive Director of the John Tyler Community College Foundation Beverley
Dew and members of the Foundation Board announced that through generous
donations from the community; the College family; and Dr. Smith’s colleagues,
family and friends, the Dr. Marshall W. Smith Endowed Scholarship had been
established.
Dew and Foundation Board members also presented Dr. Smith with a large,
framed drawing of Dr. Smith (at left) created by Professor of Art Colin Ferguson.
The drawing is a study for a painting of Dr. Smith that will be hung on campus.
Three videos were also shown during the evening. The first featured many of
Dr. Smith’s former and current colleagues and employees telling funny stories
about working with Dr. Smith. The second video detailed Dr. Smith’s many
accomplishments during his career, notably the quarter system conversion, the
establishment of dual enrollment, and the creation of the Midlothian Campus.
The last video was a chance for many to let Dr. Smith know just what he has
meant to them in their careers.
After Dr. Smith’s son, Matt, gave a final toast, the group closed the cèilidh in the
traditional manner by joining hands and singing Auld Lang Syne.
More photos of the event are available on the College’s Flickr site,
www.flickr.com/johntylercc. Donations to the Dr. Marshall W. Smith Endowed
Scholarship can be made at www.jtcc.edu/giving.
3D PrintingPioneers
The road to becoming an engineer is challenging. You have to be
determined. You have to be focused. You have to build a strong educational
foundation. And, as technology advances, you have to be ready to learn
new things. Two brothers, Steven Easter and Jonathan Turman, decided
to embrace those challenges together. They enrolled in John Tyler
Community College’s Engineering program when it was brand new and
became members of the program’s first graduating class. After completing
their associate degrees in 2011, Easter and Turman used a guaranteed
admissions agreement to transfer to the University of Virginia’s (U.Va.)
School of Engineering and Applied Science. Both brothers excelled, and
in the spring of 2013, they completed their bachelor’s degrees. Easter also
earned another distinction: he was named the top academic graduate of
the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
During their time at U.Va., the brothers garnered lots of attention
for building a fully functional plane using cutting-edge 3D-printing
technology. The two spent countless hours working on their unmanned
aerial vehicle, or UAV, as part of an internship with MITRE Corporation –
an organization that manages federally funded research. Their success with
the UAV led to national media attention, an extension of their internships,
and a new project – a second UAV, which was completed early in the
summer of 2013 and is now undergoing testing with MITRE.
Lectures, Tours and even C-SPAN
The College’s History Club had a busy schedule this academic year.
In addition to tours of the Virginia State Capitol building, Hollywood
Cemetery, and the Virginia Historical Society, the History Club again
coordinated a series of events for Black History Month. These events
included historical documentaries and lectures by historians from Virginia
Commonwealth University and the Department of Historic Resources on
topics such as the Civil Rights Movement in Virginia, Rosenwald Schools
in Virginia, and historic preservation in Jackson Ward.
The History Club also took a whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C. The
group toured the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, Library of
Congress, National Archives, Museum of Natural History, and National
Zoo. A few students even had a very quintessential D.C. experience: being
on C-SPAN. The students appeared behind Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
as she gave a press conference in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.
Partners in Innovation
The innovative partnership forged between Rolls-Royce Crosspointe and
John Tyler Community College received statewide recognition at the
annual Creating Excellence Awards Program ceremony held on
June 13, 2013. The program, which highlights outstanding Career and
Technical Education (CTE) and partnerships, is a collaboration of the
Virginia Department of Education, The Virginia Career Education
Foundation, and the Virginia Community College System (VCCS).
Rolls-Royce Crosspointe was honored with a VCCS Postsecondary CTE
State Award in the category of Business and Industry Partnerships. The
company was nominated for the award by John Tyler Community College.
Since 2008, the Rolls-Royce Development Team has partnered with John
Tyler to ensure a solid platform for workforce development and to create
a pipeline for the Crosspointe facility in Prince George County, as well
as other advanced manufacturers in the region. In the time since the
partnership began, Rolls-Royce has provided invaluable input into the
development and refinement of coursework and curricula; provided new
machines, tools and resources for hands-on training at JTCC; joined
JTCC’s Precision Machining Advisory Committee; and joined JTCC’s
Foundation Board.
Thomas Loehr, executive vice president – Crosspointe, and Brian Dail,
development team senior business analyst, accepted the award on behalf of
Rolls-Royce. “What we’re doing as a team is serving as a best practice for
other public/private partnerships, and it is an honor to be recognized,” said
Loehr.
Melodies in the Mountains
Each year, the John Tyler Community College Foundation awards
mini-grants to encourage faculty, administrators and staff to develop and
implement innovative projects aimed at improving the quality of programs
and services at the College. Projects often focus on faculty professional
development.
In the summer of 2013, Keith Hanlon, a lecturer in music, was awarded
a mini-grant to attend the Wildacres Flute Retreat. The Wildacres Flute
Retreat is a week-long flute course on a mountaintop near the Blue Ridge
Parkway, combining the beauty and peacefulness of a natural setting with
instruction and inspiration from world-renowned flutists. The course is
open to professional flutists, teachers and students. Master classes were
offered on solo flute literature, orchestral excerpts and technique. Hanlon
was selected to perform at the retreat and also was offered a scholarship
from the retreat to take a course on period instruments.
Hanlon plans to use what he learned at the retreat to enrich the experience
students have in his Basic Musicianship and Music Appreciation courses at
the College.
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hallo
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привет
The World at Your Fingertips
In spring and summer of 2013, 52 John Tyler students took advantage of
the opportunity to take online classes though the Shared Services Distance
Learning (SSDL) network.
Offered through Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) as
part of the Virginia Community College System’s (VCCS) cost-sharing
initiative, SSDL joins John Tyler Community College with eleven other
VCCS partner colleges. SSDL allows students from the participating
institutions to take courses online that would be difficult to staff or fill with
enough enrollment at the individual colleges. Participating colleges share
enrollment numbers and tuition revenues with NVCC.
Thanks to SSDL, John Tyler Liberal Arts students may now fulfill their
foreign language requirements by taking Arabic, French and Spanish on
campus or Chinese, German, Japanese, and Russian online.
Congressional Foster Youth
Shadow Day
A chance to connect, share, learn and hopefully, influence change.
That’s what three students from John Tyler Community College’s Great
Expectations program say they experienced after being selected to
participate in Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day. The three –
Christine Malone, Silvia Garcia Murcia, and Thomas Wise – were among
40 foster youth from across the country chosen to travel to Washington,
D.C. to participate in the event. Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day
gives foster youth an opportunity to learn from each other; to discover
how government works – especially in relation to the child welfare system;
to shadow a member of Congress; to share their personal stories; and to
discuss ways to improve policies that impact children and youths.
Reaffirmation of Accreditation
After intense preparation and report writing and rewriting for
reaffirmation of accreditation, the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools Commission on Colleges on-site visiting team came to John Tyler
Community College, October 15-18, 2012, to review college documents;
to interview students, faculty, and staff; and to refine the College’s Quality
Enhancement Plan on improving students’ first-year experience.
And, it is now official. At the June 2013 meeting of the Commission on
Colleges, John Tyler Community College was reaffirmed for accreditation.
The College’s next reaffirmation will take place in 2023.
College Administration
Dr. Marshall W. Smith, President
Dr. L. Ray Drinkwater, Vice President of Student Affairs
Dr. William C. Fiege, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Mr. Mac McGinty, Vice President of the Community College Workforce Alliance
Mr. Fred Taylor, Vice President of Finance and Administration
Dr. Mikell Brown, Dean, Division of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Ms. Sandra Kirkland, Dean of Students
Dr. Melody Moore, Dean, Division of Engineering, Business and Public Services
Dr. Deborah Ulmer, Dean, Division of Health Sciences
Dr. Johanna Weiss, Dean, Division of Mathematics, Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Ms. Beverley Dew, Executive Director of the JTCC Foundation
Ms. Mara Hilliar, Executive Assistant to the President
Ms. Joanne Horton, Director of College Relations
Dr. Donna Jovanovich, Director of Institutional Effectiveness
College Board
Officers of the Board
Mr. Art Heinz, Chair
Mrs. Sammie Cotman, Vice Chair
Dr. Marshall W. Smith, Secretary
Amelia County - Ms. Bekki Morris
Charles City County - Mrs. Sammie Cotman
Chesterfield County - Mr. Art Heinz, Mr. John B. Titus and Dr. Joyce Rowe
City of Colonial Heights - Mr. Thomas Mattis
Dinwiddie County - Ms. Gloria G. Harvell
City of Hopewell - Dr. Clara Lynn Sodat, Mr. N. Greg Cuffey and Ms. Linda Hyslop
City of Petersburg - Dr. Germaine S. Fauntleroy
Prince George County - Ms. Janie Williams
Surry County - Mrs. Sophenia Pierce
Sussex County - Dr. Mary W. Wilson
Foundation Board
Officers of the Board
Mr. E. Wilson Davis, Jr., President
Mrs. Karen Gammon
Artist & Author, John Tyler Alumna
Director of Economic Development
Chesterfield County Economic Development
Mr. Art Heinz
Mr. Michael White, 1st Vice President
Mr. David Bowen Hyatt
Mr. Edward Cahill, 2nd Vice President
Mr. Bryce D. Jewett, Jr.
Owner, Dragon’s Den Gaming, LLC
President, Jewett Machine Manufacturing Company, Inc.
& Jewett Automation
Mr. Dennis J. Falk, Treasurer
Mr. Vandy V. Jones, III
Dr. Marshall W. Smith, Secretary
Dr. Roy Kaplan
President & CEO, Virginia Asset Management, LLC
Senior Vice President, Treasurer & Controller
Village Bank
President, John Tyler Community College
Ms. Cathee Andrews
Human Resources Director
Amsted Rail
Ms. Jo Anne C. Cole, Member Emeritus
President, J. A. Cole Associates, LLC
Ms. Pamela M. Comstock
President, Gilbert C. Martin, Co., Inc.
Dr. Kevin T. Corby
Technology Director
DuPont Protection Technologies, E.I. DuPont Co.
Ms. Elizabeth Crabtree
Nationwide Insurance
President, Insulation Specialties, Inc.
Director of Economic Development
City of Petersburg
Associate Professor of Chemistry
John Tyler Community College
Mr. David O. Ledbetter
Partner, Hunton & Williams, Retired
Ms. Margaret G. Lewis, FACHE, Member Emeritus
President, HCA - Capital Division
Mr. Tim McManus
CEO, HCA Virginia
Chippenham & Johnston-Willis Hospitals
Mr. Nicholas Narro
John Tyler Community College Student Representative
Ms. Christine Schwab
Vice President & Chief Risk Officer, Dominion
Vice President, Financial Services
Davenport & Company LLC
Mr. Craig Schwartz
Mr. Brian Dail
Mr. John H. Settle, Jr.
Business Analyst – Crosspointe
Rolls-Royce North America
Senior Vice President, PMUSA
Senior Vice President
Wells Fargo Private Bank
The Honorable Rosalyn R. Dance
Mr. William H. Talley, III
Mr. Tim Davey
Mr. Gary Thomson
Virginia House of Delegates - 63rd District
Chairman, William H. Talley & Son, Inc.
Contact Information
Chester CampusMidlothian Campus
13101 Jefferson Davis Highway
800 Charter Colony Parkway
Chester, Virginia 23831-5316
Midlothian, Virginia 23114-4383
804-796-4000 • TDD: 804-796-4197 • Toll-free in Virginia: 800-552-3490
Senior Partner, Dixon Hughes Goodman, LLP
Visit us online at www.jtcc.edu.
Mr. Homer C. Eliades, Member Emeritus
Partner, Eliades & Eliades
Mr. Ricardo Torres
Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/johntylercc.
Mr. Peter Eliades
Mr. Ron White
Principal, Timmons Group
Partner, Eliades & Eliades
Mrs. Betty Forbes
Community Volunteer
President & CEO, National Student Clearinghouse
District Representative & Military Liaison
Office of Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04)
Get news and updates at www.twitter.com/johntylercc.
See our photos at www.flickr.com/johntylercc.
Watch us on YouTube at www.youtube.com/johntylercommcollege.
If you’ve never considered
John Tyler, now’s the time.
How will we make you
noteworthy?
www.jtcc.edu/noteworthy