Cougar Bytes for June 18, 2015

Congratulations June Employee of the Month: Vicky Wesner

Vicky Wesner is a team player and willing to do whatever it takes to maintain a top-notch, well-respected dental program. Vicky has dedicated countless hours to complete the Commission on Dental Accreditation Self-Study documents for both Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting.

Vicky has a direct impact on every student within the Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting programs. Her dedication in providing the support and direction students need to be successful--not only in our program, but as dental professionals--helps each student obtain their dream.

Vicky made time to attend the Health and Human Services Committee hearing for the reading of a new bill that would allow dental hygienists to administer local anesthetic. She organized educators to respond to the exclusion of community colleges in providing this education to dental hygiene students. As a result, a meeting was scheduled with the NC Dental Society to amend the bill language to include community colleges, which will allow this skill to be taught to our students and in turn allow our Dental Hygiene Programs to maintain accreditation.

Vicky serves as the Site Director at WB Wicker and has been instrumental in developing a site manual including emergency procedures. She serves on the interview committee to select the next head of security for WB Wicker. Vicky completed all of these tasks while mentoring an entirely new faculty team. Vicky's self-less dedication definitely deserves recognition, she is truly an unsung hero.

Vicky Wesner
Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting Program Director

Q.   How long have you worked for CCCC?

A.   It will be eight years as of August 1, 2015.

Q.   What brought you to CCCC?

A.   I had been practicing as a dental hygienist for over seven years and had the desire to teach my profession. I saw the opportunity that CCCC was offering with the new Dental Hygiene Program in 2007 and took a chance. I was overwhelmed with joy that the college chose me to be program director of the dental hygiene program. It has been such an honor to work with the college, students, and residents of our surrounding counties. In 2012, I also became program director of the dental assisting program.

Q.   Describe what you do for the College.

A.   I serve as the program director for the dental hygiene and dental assisting programs. I participate in many career fairs and health fairs to promote our dental programs. Our dental assisting students gain their experiences from the local dental offices, to whom we owe great gratitude. Our dental hygiene students treat patients in our dental clinic for four semesters. It is exciting to see our students learn their new skills and interact with patients in our community. I am responsible for maintaining the facility and ensuring that our programs have the adequate equipment and supplies needed for instruction and student learning. I also serve at the Site Director of the WB Wicker site and work with Brick Capital, College and Career Readiness, Continuing Education, and our security personnel as needs arise.

Q.   Where were you born?

A.   Fayetteville, NC

Q.   Where did you grow up?

A.   Hope Mills, NC

Q.   Educational credentials?

A.   South View High School, Hope Mills, NC; BS in Zoology from NC State 1992; Associates in Dental Hygiene from Fayetteville Technical Community College 2000; MEd in Adult and Community College Education from NC State 2011.

Q.   Where do you live now?

A.   Carthage, NC

Q.   Tell us about your family (relatives, spouse, children, grandchildren, etc.).

A.   My husband is Matt Wesner. He is a tool and die maker at Static Control in Sanford. We have been married for six years. We have a five-year-old daughter named Olivia. My husband has a daughter named Kayla, age 21, and I have a daughter named Victoria, age 18. We have two grandchildren, Evelyn, age 17 months, and Savannah, age four months.

Q.   What are some of your hobbies or other interest outside of CCCC?

A.   I enjoy participating in church activities such as Sunday school and the church choir. My husband's family and my family like to have family gatherings, pig pickings, etc. My husband and I acquired a home built in the 1870s and we have been slowly bringing the home back to its former glory. It is a work of the heart. The house was on its way to being condemned when we purchased it. We have flipped several small homes in the past. I also love going on vacation, especially cruises. And I love window shopping for antiques.

Q.   Anything else you'd like to share with the CCCC family?

A.   I believe our number one job at CCCC is to prepare students for a future career. Nothing is more gratifying than seeing our students participate at our annual pinning ceremony or the college graduation ceremony and watching the smiles and hugs that take place, and sometimes tears. Witnessing the growth of knowledge and skills unique to our dental students makes the job well worth the momentary frustrations that may occur along the way. And then finally seeing our graduates acquire jobs that will help those individuals support their families, build confidence that was once not there, and contribute to the well-being of the local community is so amazing. I was a single parent for 11 years and the field of dental hygiene helped me to be able to stand on my own two feet and support my daughter. I will forever be grateful to our sister dental hygiene program at FTCC for providing me with my dental knowledge. My associates degree is what ultimately gave me the skill set to be able to work. My BS and MEd degrees have contributed to my ability to be where I am today. But it was community college that ultimately gave me the skill set to be an independent person. The community college system is an invaluable asset to our community and I am so thankful to be a part of that system.

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VUB Program Assists Veterans

Since October 2012 over 200 veterans have been served through the Veterans Upward Bound program.

"Veterans Upward Bound helps veterans prepare for college academics and the college environment in a way that reduces the intimidation factor that adults sometimes feel when they think about returning to school, and builds their confidence so that when they enroll, they know they will be successful," said Ashley Tittemore, CCCC's Director of TRiO Programs.

Wilson Lester, Outreach Coordinator with the VUB Program, notes that he would convey to veterans that VUB is a Battle Buddy in the preparation and pursuit of postsecondary education. "We team with veterans to support their endeavors in academic success and personal progress," he said.

Central Carolina Community College is proud to be a Military Friendly(R) School as designated by Victory Media. The Military Friendly(R) Schools designation is awarded to the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace military students, and to dedicate resources to ensure their success in the classroom and after graduation.

The Veterans Upward Bound program at CCCC is actively seeking applicants for the program throughout the summer. Veterans can apply to CCCC's VUB program by completing an application available at the website www.cccc.edu/vub, visiting the office in Hockaday Hall on CCCC's Lee County Campus, or by calling 919-718-7463.

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Second CCCC Foundation Chatham Golf Classic a Winner

Opportunity was the big winner as golfers wrapped up the second Central Carolina Community College Foundation Chatham Golf Classic on May 13 at The Golf Club at Chapel Ridge. The Chatham County Golf Classic was a Four-Person Captain's Choice Flighted competition.

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Resolution Supports Pay Raises

SANFORD -- The Lee County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution supporting community college pay raises. The resolution will be sent to the local delegation and leadership of the N.C. General Assembly, as well as to the Governor.

The resolution notes that Central Carolina Community College has been named as one of the top 50 community colleges in the United States and has received many awards for its high level of educational achievement in educating the citizens of Lee, Harnett and Chatham counties.

The resolution goes on to say:

"Whereas, the Lee County Board of Commissioners and the CCCC Board of Trustees, meeting in a joint session on May 26, 2015, unanimously support the incredible work that the College does in educating our citizens and preparing them for our workforce; and

"Whereas, CCCC serves as economic catalyst for our three county region and needs to recruit, retain and enrich qualified faculty to provide the educational opportunities needed in today's global economy; and

"Whereas, serving the public in the role as community college instructor or staff position should be an honorable profession and one that the leaders of this community and State support and hold in high regard.

"Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Lee County Board of Commissioners hereby publicly expresses their support for the North Carolina House of Representatives budget - House Bill 97 - that allocates 2 percent raises for Community College faculty and staff and encourages the North Carolina Senate and Governor to support this provision in the State budget."

Amy Dalrymple, Chairwoman of the Lee County Board of Commissioners, said she is excited the N.C. State House has included the 2 percent increase in its state budget recommendation. "It was the right thing to do for our board to go along with the House decision," she said. "The community college system is so tremendously important to move North Carolina forward."

Julian Philpott, Chairman of the CCCC Board of Trustees, said he is very grateful for the Lee County Commissioners' action showing their support of CCCC in the budget discussions and of the CCCC administrators, faculty, and staff by the resolution they passed. "The Commissioners' unanimous passage of their resolution asking our delegation in the General Assembly to support the two percent salary increase included in the House budget demonstrates the Lee County Commissioners' recognition of the dedication, passion, and quality education our CCCC employees are delivering to our students every day," said Philpott.

"The two percent raise, if also approved by the North Carolina Senate, will be appreciated by our employees," said Philpott. "Our Lee County Commissioners continue to be very supportive of Central Carolina Community College as have the commissioners in Chatham and Harnett counties. This outstanding support from our elected officials, for which we are thankful, has enabled CCCC to become one of the top community colleges not just in North Carolina, but in the nation as well."

The CCCC Board of Trustees has previously passed a resolution publicly thanking the faculty and staff of the college and committing itself to advocate for their salary increases.

"I am very, very grateful for the support the Lee County Commissioners are giving us with this resolution," said Trustee Martha Underwood, who has worked tirelessly for faculty and staff pay raises. "It was really kind of them and they've always been good supporters of the college. They have a lot of respect for what we do to help the community."

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Desk Exercises for Compressed Work Week

by Daisha Gaines, Director of Human Resources, and Shelly Watkins, Biology Instructor

As we continue with our compressed work week schedule, it is important we remind ourselves to stretch and move! Please read some convenient exercises you can do without having to leave your office.

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Creative Writing Represented in Competitions

Linda Johnson won honorable mention in the 2015 Carolina Woman Writing Contest for her short story "Birthday Cake," which was penned in a fiction class led by Ruth Moose. Writer and workshop leader Ashley Memory won honorable mention for her poem "Ode to My Ironing Board," which was written in a class led by Ralph Earle. A CCCC workshop leader, Tara Lynne Groth, also won honorable mention for her story "Money Changes Everything." All pieces will published in an upcoming issue of Carolina Woman.

Local student poets also placed in 2015 contests sponsored by the N.C. Poetry Society. Ashley Memory earned second place in the Carol Bessent Hayman Poetry of Love Award for her poem "Napoleon and Antosia," as well as second place in the Mary Ruffin Poole American Heritage Award for her poem "Phalaenopsis." Patricia Cole and William Hubbard won honorable mention in the Katherine Kennedy McIntyre Light Verse Award for their poems "The Story of My Crisper Drawer" and "Carolina Wren," respectively.

Read all winning entries at the Carolina Woman website, Power of the Pen.

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New Supply Store Catalog

A revised Supply Store Catalog dated June 2015 is now available. Print the revised catalog and begin using immediately. Please make sure you discard your old list as item numbers and prices have changed.

Download Supply Store Catalog here.

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CCCC PowerPoint Template

An approved PowerPoint background with the logo design is available for your use and can be downloaded from the Marketing section of the Intranet.

Want to know more? Download the Branding Guide for guidelines on using the CCCC logo.

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Sweet Celebration

The Foundation's 3rd Annual Sweet Celebration to honor its donors was held on June 2 at the Venue at Cafe 121. This event highlights the generosity of the Foundation's donors to the Annual Fund Drive. It is a small token of thanks from the Foundation staff to their donors for assisting them in being able to impact the lives of CCCC students through scholarships, endowments, and supporting other needs of the college.

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Staff T-shirts For Sale

Buy your 2015 New Student Orientation Staff T-shirts. To order visit http://goo.gl/U3sGrb or call the College Success Center 919-718-7485.

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Financial Aid Door Prize Winners

Financial Aid has awarded door prizes to students who participated in the recent FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Days program. The FAFSA Days program was designed to raise awareness of the importance of completing the FAFSA as early as possible so students were considered for as much aid as possible, according to Julie Ahouse, CCCC's Financial Aid Assistant Director. Pictured are, left to right: CCCC Financial Aid Specialist Dana Diaz Cuellar; door prize recipients Cameron Childress, Tony Martin, Tina Barrett, Desiree Freeman, and Tekesha Minter; and CCCC Financial Aid Assistant Director Julie Ahouse.

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Curriculum & Student Learning Leaders Escape Campus!

by Brian Merritt, Vice President of Student Learning

Department chairs, deans, provosts, and directors from the Curriculum & Student Learning Team participated in a two-day retreat at Raven Rock State Park on June 15-16. Steve Smith from the National Great Teachers Movement engaged the group in a series of well-facilitated group sessions focused on both innovations and challenges in college teaching. The overall purpose was to model a method of professional development that empowers faculty/staff as the experts who can learn from each other about best practices in college teaching and learning.

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Upcoming Student Orientation Sessions

The College Success Center at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) will host eight New Student Orientation sessions over the course of the summer in preparation for the fall 2015 semester. The New Student Orientation program hosts organized, purposeful, and positive introduction sessions for all new CCCC students and their families. These sessions help them become familiar with services and programs vital to their successful transition as full and active members of the CCCC community. Partnering collaboratively with other college offices and departments, these sessions help students gain the skills, information, and meaningful relationships important to successful long-term academic and personal outcomes. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to take placement tests and meet with an academic advisor to register for fall courses. CCCC will host orientation sessions on all three campuses.

• Chatham County (Chatham Campus, Pittsboro)
  June 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  July 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Harnett County (Harnett Campus, Lillington)
  June 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  July 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Lee County (Lee Campus, Sanford)
  June 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  July 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Aug. 6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Aug. 13, 6 to 8 p.m.

To register and for more information, students can visit http://www.cccc.edu/orientation. For questions, ask your students to contact the College Success Center at 919-718-7485.

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The CCCC Patrick Barnes Memorial Poker Run

Thanks to all who participated in the CCCC Patrick Barnes Memorial POKER RUN on June 13! Riders mounted up at the college's Siler City Center, traveled down U.S. 64 to the Chatham Campus in Pittsboro, then followed N.C. 902 to 421 to visit the Lee County Campus in Sanford, then headed south on U.S. 421 to the Harnett County Campus in Lillington before continuing to Dunn where the event concluded at the Dunn PALS event.

Mindy Barnes, Patrick Barnes' daughter, was the grand marshal. She welcomed everyone, thanked them for coming, and spoke about how much her father loved CCCC and education. "Patrick Barnes was a loyal and faithful member of our college's Board of Trustees, in addition to his service on our college's Foundation board," said CCCC President Dr. T.E. Marchant. "We are appreciative of his service - and his love for this school will continue to be felt through The CCCC Patrick Barnes Memorial Poker Run." Proceeds from the event are helping purchase needed equipment and supplies for both the Veterinary Medicine Technologies program and the Motorcycle Mechanics program.

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SACSCOC Tips of the Month!

by Kevin Pearson, Coordinator of Accreditation & QEP

What is "Gen. Ed."? What's the purpose?

All SACSCOC member institutions are required to address general competency components (Comprehensive Standard 3.5.1). The general education program defines the underlying learning experience that supports the institution’s mission and traditionally provides the “breadth” component to an undergraduate education.

Through general education, students encounter the basic content and methodology of the principal areas of knowledge that introduce a breadth of knowledge and reinforce cognitive skills and effective learning opportunities for each student. The successful completion of a general education component at the collegiate level

1. is a substantial component of each undergraduate degree,
2. ensures breadth of knowledge, and
3. is based on a coherent rationale.

For degree completion in associate programs, the component constitutes a minimum of 15 semester hours. These credit hours are to be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/mathematics.

Ever heard the phrase, "There is a method to the madness"?

The expression perfectly describes the necessity of Institutional Effectiveness (IE) within the college. IE is not only a division of CCCC but is explicitly outlined as an accreditation requirement. SACSCOC Comprehensive Standard 3.3.1 states, "The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of the results in each of the following areas."

Although much of our work is behind-the-scenes, IE supplies information and guides the planning and decision-making processes for all aspects of the college, including admissions, enrollment, student success, general education, program plans, student learning outcomes and many more. IE offers information in context with a given issue to our local college administrators, as well as state, federal and accrediting agencies, in support of our continued good standing with all bodies of oversight.

So even though our methods may seem like madness at times, they are for the benefit of all!

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News From The Library

by Tara Guthrie, Director of Library Services

Summer Reading Program

The Summer Reading Program is now in full swing, and it is not too late to participate! All faculty, staff, and students are invited to participate in our annual summer reading challenge. Stop by the Lee or Harnett campus libraries to sign up and create a summer reading goal for yourself. The challenge runs through July 30. Participants who meet their goals will be rewarded!

Book Order Requests

Faculty who would like to suggest library book purchases for their program, or for general reading, are encouraged to submit order requests electronically through our online library purchase suggestion form. You may access the form here. You may also send your requests or questions via email to the contact for your campus:

• Chatham & Lee Campuses: Tara Guthrie, Director of Library Services tguthrie@cccc.edu
• Harnett Campus: Barbara Wood, Library Assistant bwood777@cccc.edu

Send us your suggestions early, and we can order them as soon as we get our new book budget! Please see the Collection Development section of our Faculty Library Services Guide for order request guidelines and more information.

New Language Learning Resource

Planning a trip abroad? Or just want to brush up on some foreign language skills? NC LIVE has a new language learning resource called Pronunciator. Pronunciator is an interactive tool for learning 80 languages, as well as ESL for 50 non-English languages. It includes audio lessons, interactive textbooks, quizzes, phrasebooks, and pronunciation analysis. Users must create a personal account after logging in to use this resource and to track personal progress. Get started with Pronunciator today! (Password required. Contact the Library at 919-718-7244 to obtain the password.)

New Library Brochure

The new library brochure for 2015-2016 is available online.

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On-Demand Professional Development Training Modules

by Daisha Gaines, Director of Human Resources

Over 100 trainings in six categories, each with a printable completion certificate:

• At-Risk Populations
• Campus Safety
• Organizational Development
• Student Success
• Teaching & Learning
• Technology

Click here for directions on how to login and access the modules.

To access, go to www.go2knowledge.org/cccc. Enter username: cccc and password: Go2cccc

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Welcome New Employees!

Full-time employees as of June 1

• William Hunt: Lee Campus, Security
• Mary Lozana:, Harnett Campus, ABE ESL Harnett
• Adam Wade, Lee Campus, Title III Lead Success Coach

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Note of Thanks

Dear CCCC family,

Wow!! We can't express in words our gratitude for the support we received during our first "Veterans Upward Bound Spirit Night" at Chick-Fil-A on June 2. To those of you that braved the storm and brought your families for bite to eat or visited the drive-thru, your decision is going to impact the ability of a veteran being able to attend school at Central Carolina Community College this fall. Please know that if you could not make it out, there will be other opportunities or you can make a donation directly to the Central Carolina Community College Foundation earmarked for Veterans Upward Bound.

Thank you again for the tremendous support demonstrated by CCCC administrators, faculty, and staff.

Wilson Lester
Outreach Coordinator

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Employee of the Month Program

by Daisha Gaines, Director of Human Resources

Please join me as we continue recognizing our full-time faculty and staff for their exceptional contributions and customer service. The purpose of this award is to:

• Promote positive employee-to-employee and employee-to-student interactions on campus in order to further a learning first culture
• Increase employee engagement through recognizing positive employee behaviors

The Employee Recognition Committee is currently accepting nominations. All nominations are due by the first Monday of the calendar month to be recognized the following month.

Read Employee of the Month Program Eligibility & Guidelines. To nominate a deserving colleague, please click: Employee of the Month Nomination Form

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Birthdays

Birthday list provided by Human Resources

6/18	David Myers
6/20	Carlton Bryan
6/22	Linda Bradford
6/22	Daisha Gaines
6/23	Teresa Butler
6/24	Frank Bedoe
6/24	Wilson Lester
6/24	Doris Stone
6/25	Diana Cagle
6/26	Vadrin Colvin-King
6/29	Randy Baker
6/29	Donald Haspel
6/30	Jessica Scott
7/2	William Warner
7/5	Melody McGee
7/6	Billie Gardner
7/7	Misty Davin
7/7	Lennie Stephenson
7/8	Lisa Baker
7/8	Carlton Peterson
7/8	Rodney Powell
7/15	Betty Carter
7/16	Vicky Wesner
7/17	Carla Strickland
7/18	Cathy Giles
7/18	Ramona Leftwich
7/20	Rhonda Jones
7/21	Tia Bell
7/21	Meghan Brown
7/21	Morgan Steele
7/22	Kaan Ozmeral
7/23	Shelly Watkins
7/24	Sue Atkins
7/26	Heather McCracken
7/27	Nancy Wiser
7/28	Amy Baker
7/29	Cathy Swindell
7/30	David Butler
7/31	Richard Biggs
7/31	Elizabeth King

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News From The CCCC Family

Bereavements

Cathy Phillip's father, James Alfred Lindley, 84, of Center Church Road, Pittsboro died Saturday, June 13, 2015 at Duke University Hospital, Durham. James was born in Chatham County on Feb. 24, 1931, the son of Walter Alfred and Mary Frances Perry Lindley who preceded him in death. The greatest joy of his life was his family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Silk Hope Ruritan Scholarship Fund, c/o Johnny Johnson, 3341 Tom Stevens Road, Snow Camp, NC 27349.

We regretfully announce the passing of Terri Blumatte, Human Resources Coordinator for Chatham County. In her short time with us, Terri made many friends throughout the Chatham CCCC community, as well as, Lee and Harnett Counties.

Terri was a hard and dedicated worker, who was committed to enriching and improving the lives of Chatham County residents through her work. She always greeted everyone with a smile, regardless of her circumstances. Terri will be sorely missed, but not forgotten. Services were held on June 9 at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Sanford, 901 Nth Franklin Dr. Sanford, NC.

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Dates to Remember

June 18 The Central Carolina Community College College & Career Readiness/GED graduation, 7 p.m. at the Dennis Wicker Civic Center in Sanford.

July 1 Fourth of July Holiday Observance

July 2 Fourth of July Holiday Observance

July 22 The Central Carolina Community College Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, at the Lee County Campus.

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Cougar Pets News

by Jonathan Loftis, Animal Facilities Manager

Are you interested in adopting an animal? Anyone interesting should visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CougarPets for more information and pictures of all the animals that need homes.

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Things For Sale, For Free Or For Adoption

Retired CCCC Marketing writer Kathy McDonald, and her husband, Tom, are enjoying the sunshine in California and are eager to sell their North Carolina home. It is located at 105 Ridge View Drive, The Highlands at Sherwood Forest, off Highway 27 in western Harnett County.

The house has about six-tenths of an acre, with a small woods at the back of the property. The location is about 20 minutes from Fayetteville, Sanford, Southern Pines, and Lillington. The 1,500-square-foot home has two bedroom suites, one at each end of the house. The small room adjoining each bedroom can be used for an office, library, playroom, nursery, etc. The living-dining area and kitchen are in the middle of the house. The house has an attached garage, screened porch and a wood-burning fireplace in the living room. It comes with dishwasher, range, refrigerator, washer and dryer. The home was bought for $106,900, but is being offered for $82,000. To see it, contact Teresa Wolf at ERA Strother Real Estate, 919-770-0364, or teresalwolf@gmail.com.

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Contribute to Cougar Bytes

Cougar Bytes is a monthly newsletter distributed to staff and faculty. Is there a college event you would like to promote? Perhaps you have a success story you would like to share? We welcome any events, stories, photos, or shout-outs in our next issue. Please submit any contributions to marketing@cccc.edu.

Our deadline for contributions is July 21 for the July issue. Thank you!

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