May 9, 2008

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS

Catching Up with an Old Friend

Administrative Office Professional graduate and former Harrisonburg Campus staff member Vickie Pullen recently paid a visit to her alma mater to talk about her experiences since leaving the campus last fall to work for the Harrisonburg operation of an $11.5-billion global corporation which provides printing & related services.

Vickie knows from experience how a valuable education can keep one “marketable” in the global marketplace. When she was the career center director for the campus, “one thing I tried to stress to students…your job security is not in the company, it’s in your skills,” she says. ”It’s all the more reason to just gain as much as you possibly can” from each work experience.

“National changed my life tremendously”

With her National College degree, Vickie has gained a wide variety of experience, having served as both community resource coordinator and career center director for National College, as well as a human resources specialist for a local engineering firm. Her education and experience paid off handsomely with a lucrative offer last September that led to her current position as a human resources generalist. She now handles an array of duties including hirings and separations, equal opportunity, and employee relations for a 1,000-employee operation.

“I think I have utilized every class I have taken, even those that I thought I would never need,” she admits with a chuckle. “Everything I have taken, both professionally and personally, because National changed my life tremendously, [from] instilling self-confidence, to the ‘book smarts’.”

KNOXVILLE

Sure Beats the Retail Counter

Eunice Cherry was working at a retail store when a couple of her co-workers heard her talking about her dream of working in the medical field. They convinced her to check out National’s Knoxville Campus, where they were enrolled themselves. For her part, Eunice was tired of working retail, where she had to work nights, weekends, and holidays. “I was burnt out,” she admits.

That all changed when she enrolled in the medical assisting program. She found that she really enjoyed “sticking” patients–slang for invasive procedures such as drawing blood and giving injections–and found the classes and instructors both rewarding and challenging.

“Hopefully I can enroll again,because I don’t ever want to leave”

Like many National students, Eunice has found permanent employment through her externship, in this case with NetGain Corportation, where she will work providing security screening for personnel assigned to Oak Ridge National Laboratory. “My dream spot was the E.R., because I just love that fast pace,” she says, but soon found the environment at NetGain more to her liking. “I really like it out here…I really enjoy the atmosphere,” she continues. “You don’t find people who actually care about you and your family too much anymore, and this company does.”

It’s a caring attitude she finds equally valuable at the Knoxville Campus, as well. “Hopefully I can enroll again, because I don’t ever want to leave…I love everybody!”

RICHMOND

Quarterly Assembly

At the end of April, the Richmond Campus held its quarterly assembly to honor students who received perfect attendance and made the Dean's List. Student of the Month certificates and the Teacher of the Quarter award were presented as well.

During the Assembly the Campus also commemorated Earth Day, Cinco De Mayo, and Administrative Office Professional Day. For Earth Day, the Student Activities Committee (SAC) decorated the tables with flowers which were later given away as door prizes for the students. In honor of Cinco De Mayo, SAC ordered Mexican Food from Casa Fiesta; and in recognition of Administrative Office Professionals Day, students in the Administrative Office Professional or Administrative Office Specialist programs received a goody bag to celebrate their major.

Instructor Stacy Austin (left) and Financial Planning Representative Alethea Proctor (center) are pictured in festive attire during the quarterly assembly with Campus Director Keeley Gadd (right).

Partner Appreciation

The Richmond Campus recently presented two new Partners in Education with plaques to show appreciation for participating in the Business Partnership Grant Program. Acres of Land Winery is a local agri-tourism business that combines the winery, a restaurant, special events facilities and tours of the winemaking operation.

Community Resource Coordinator Wm. Clark Siler (left) and Regional Director of Community Development Donna Stoutenborough (right) are pictured at right presenting the plaque to winery owner Katherine Land (2nd left) and employee April Uribe. April is a student in the Business Administration-Accounting program. She said she is pleased with her National education. She said, "I am surprised that there are many things that I thought I knew that I really didn't."

Sherwin Williams’ Richmond plant is the only manufacturer of automotive paint within the Sherwin Williams Corporation. As a company they are most willing to work with their employees in the process of furthering their education. In fact, for new student Arthur Caldwell, they went so far as to rearrange his work schedule so that he would be able to attend a full load of classes in the Business Administration-Management program.

Donna and Clark are pictured at left giving a plaque of appreciation to Human Resources Manager Amanda Baker.

ROANOKE VALLEY

Winning Students!

The Roanoke Valley Campus is proud to announce the accomplishments of three Medical Assisting students, Stephanie Einhellig, Cynthia Adams, and Holly Fitch. On April 25th, the trio attended the Virginia Society of Medical Assistants (VSMA) spring state convention with Director of Health Care Education MJ Williams. They competed and won first place in a medical terminology competition with students from two other area colleges. Stephanie also took home first place in the individual competition.

At the event, they were among approximately 150 participants who enjoyed several workshops and seminars in two days. In addition to taking home a cash prize, the students also learned the importance of being involved with a professional affiliation and networking.

Stephanie, Cynthia, and Holly are pictured with MJ at the VSMA convention.

Kite Festival

The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce just completed its Tenth Annual KiteFestival at Greenhill Park in Roanoke County. The day started out overcast with very little breeze, but the winds began to pick up to a perfect kite flying tempo as the first of approximately 10,000 kite enthusiasts started to arrive at 9:45 a.m. Several students along with the Chair of the Tourism and Hospitality Program, Khari K. Ryder, proved indispensable in assisting the County police with the massive parking operation at the venue.

“The Kite Festival has always been a wonderful family attraction,” said student Cary Linkswiler, who volunteered last year and helped this year in coordinating the volunteers from National. In addition to students, other volunteers included Career Center Director and Chamber Ambassador Cathy Fortune, Community Resource Coordinators Diana Quick and Steve Watson, and Campus Director and Chamber Board Member Lew Bishop. "National was very well-represented again and significantly helped this year's Kite Festival be the outstanding success it turned out to be," enthused Chamber Executive Director Debbie Kavitz. "Year after year, we look forward to and love the energy and great customer service orientation of National College students."

Tourism and Hospitality students who volunteered their time at the Kite Festival are pictured in the front (l to r) Treysa Howell, Cary Linkswiler, April Garman, Patricia Alls and in the back are Khari Ryder (Department Chair for the Tourism and Hospitality Program), Michael Smith, Donald Horne, Jr.

National Poetry Month

April was National Poetry Month, and to celebrate, the Roanoke Valley Campus sponsored poetry readings on April 30th for both day and evening students. The poetry was written by several of our students, and the readings were attended by students, staff, and faculty. The poetry and the emotion ranged from the powerful description of dealing with domestic violence to the loving comparison/contrast between a brother and sister. Another poetry reading has been scheduled in June.

Business Administration-Management student Tina Crowder is pictured as she reads her poem.

DANVILLE, VA

Candidates Forum

On Thursday, May 1st, the Danville campus hosted an open forum with the candidates for Danville's City Council. The Danville Democratic Committee sponsored the event so Danville voters could have one more chance to hear the candidates’ views on jobs, crime and transportation before the May 6th election. Participating in the forum were six candidates who answered questions from a three person panel and later from the general public. Approximately 100 guests participated in the event.

Walter Davis, a student in the Business Administration-Management program, is pictured as he asks the candidates how they will bridge the gap between young people in the community and the older generations.

LOUISVILLE

“Getting Me Out in the Field Quicker”

Toni Davis had reached a crossroads in her life. A stay-at-home mom with two teenage girls, she found herself ready to enter the workforce after a divorce. Interested in the medical field, Toni looked at National College’s surgical technology program. “It was either this or an R.N. program, and this was going to get me out in the field quicker,” she says. “This is the way I went, and I love it.”

As a working mom, Toni needed not only a solid education on which to build a promising career, but flexibility as well. National fit the bill perfectly. “In the very beginning I needed night classes [and] I could take night classes; now I’m back to where I can do day classes,” she says. “No other school could give me the kind of flexibility that I’ve been able to have here.”

“This is the way I went, and I love it.”

When we spoke to Toni, she was a few weeks into her externship at the Norton Healthcare Pavilion in Louisville. She found her classroom preparation more than adequate for the real world, and she’s inspired to continue her education in the healthcare field. Having particularly enjoyed her microbiology (SRG 105) course, she hopes to continue her studies in the field of cytotechnology (microscopic study of cells for evidence of disease).

Toni finds that her decision has changed not only her life as well. “This is something that I just really want to do for me, and I’ve maintained a 4.0 through the whole thing,” she says. “That sets a standard in our household that the girls…strive to reach the same thing.” Your family is justifiably proud of your accomplishments, Toni, and so is National College!

Dress For Success

On April 22nd, the Louisville Campus held a Dress for Success competition with 41 exhibitors offering professional dress resources. Exhibitors offered support from handwriting analysis, make up, clothing, and health and wellness products. During the event, the campus and participating vendors offered resume tips, ways to make a good first impression, and empowerment. There was a fashion show with students and staff modeling items from JC Penny’s, Zappo shoes, and CK Millinery. The event also served as a philanthropic project for the campus. Students, faculty, and staff donated clothes for the Dress for Success organization and the Men’s Closet at the Center for Accessible Living. Both organizations were so appreciative of our donations.

Special thanks to all the staff that helped at the event and the following students that worked the event Lori Price, Della Dixon, Lo Toya Fox, Denise Taylor, Walter Shields, Jerod Child, Marva Skinner, Nevickya Barbour, and Charlotte Schoenagel.

Community Resource Coordinator Elaine Jetton is pictured with the fashion show commentator, Michael Ellis from BB&T, who won a door prize for his participation.

BLUEFIELD

Professional Medical Tips

On April 22nd, Dr. Jana Peters and Counselor Mary Williams, with New Hope Family Practice, came to the Bluefield Campus to talk to students in the Pharmacology and Terminology of Body Systems classes. As many as 35 students listened to Dr. Peters detail the problems that can occur every day at the office. She had a list of difficulties that she had and her office staff had experienced through the years which also included some important “do’s” and “don’ts.”

Dr. Peters and Ms. Williams noted the importance of wearing the proper attire including shoes that completely cover the foot. They explained that a staff member had an accident where she walked into a needle and pierced her heel. They warned students on jewelry that can cause problems on the job like dangling earrings or necklaces that a young child could grab. They advised that employees of any doctor’s office should immediately remove their clothing and take a shower when they get home. They also offered advice on dealing with challenging patients and expressed the importance of proper customer service.

The campus was honored to have these two extremely busy professionals take time out of their extremely busy schedules to spend quality time with our students. The feed back from both instructors and students was overwhelmingly positive.

Dr. Jana Peters is pictured on the right talking to Bluefield students about the medical office environment.

STOW

POWERcorps

Kayla McDonald, Admissions Representative at the Stow Campus, is an active member of AmeriCorps and recently solicited support from fellow staff, faculty, and students. She collected flowers and coffee mugs from campus supporters for National Volunteer Week. During the week of April 28th, POWERcorps volunteers, a subsidiary volunteer organization of AmeriCorps, will visit the homes of 100 senior citizens and bring flowers potted in coffee mugs to each that receive delivered meals from the agency.

AmeriCorps is a national service organization and POWERcorps is the Portage County or local version of this organization. These volunteer organizations stem from the Family and Community Services Program which provides recreation and volunteer opportunities for adults who are eligible for services from the Portage County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD).

MEMPHIS

Healthy Tips

Roberta Sitter-Russell, Registered Dietitian from the Shelby County Health Department, recently visited the Memphis Campus to talk to students in Director of Health Care Education Afework Keskessa’s class on obesity. She talked about the importance of eating breakfast and exercising to stay healthy. Because Memphis is known as the “fried food capital of the South,” she warned students about good fats and bad fats and the reasons a balanced diet is needed everyday. She also expressed the importance of eating from the four food groups recommended by the UDSA. Students were given excellent information on how to cut back.

Court Visit

Instructor Effie Tucker recently took students in her Health Law and Ethics class on a field trip to visit the courtroom of Judge Otis Higgs. They were able to sit in the jury box to observe law “in action.” Prior to their visit to the courtroom, students learned the legal and ethical rules affecting their various health professions. They learned the legal consequences of improper dealings in their different professions. On their field trip, legal and ethical scenarios were under discussion, too. Their lessons were re-enforced with this courtroom visit.

Judge Higgs acknowledged the visiting students and gave a description of his job, the court system and the various opportunities available to them. Participating students were attentive and they learned additional information about the legal system, as well as employment opportunities.

BARTLETT

Friendly Competition

On May 1st, the Student Activities Council (SAC) at the Bartlett Campus sponsored an afternoon of bowling at a local bowling alley. The event created camaraderie among students and encouraged more involvement at the campus. Business Administration student Amber Butts, who had never bowled before, enjoyed the student event. She said, "I had never [bowled] before, and I really didn't think I was going to have as much fun as I did." Business Administration student Christina Thomas also said she had a lot of fun. Students Sara Henderson, Patricia Hines, Sheena Jointer, Brian Lewis, and Marcus Palmer enjoyed the friendly competition amidst the fun activity.

Business Administration student Marcus Palmer is pictured as he releases a shot hoping for a strike.

INDIANAPOLIS

Pursuing Success

Dianne Myers is a pioneer in her academic and professional pursuits. She is a student at the Indianapolis Campus with a Business Administration – Management degree and recently applied her business acumen to launch her self-published novel, A Unique Love Story. She will obtain her associate degree in June and has maintained a 3.68 cumulative grade point average. Dianne is also one of the first students to enroll in the campus’s Business Administration bachelor’s degree program. We are proud of her success as an author and student!

DAYTON AREA

There and Back Again

Just a few years out of school and working full-time as a cashier at a car dealership, Dayton Area Campus graduate Leah Bomberry felt something was missing. “I kind of felt bad about myself, I needed to go to school, I needed to do something.” Having heard about National’s new campus in Kettering a few months before, she took the big step of enrolling in the Pharmacy Technician program. She was able to complete her program in under a year and was offered a job at her externship site. She then went on to enroll in National’s medical assisting program.

Then her former employer lured her back with a great offer–and about the same time, as part of her medical assisting curriculum, she took Accounting 101. She knew she had found her true calling, and so she changed majors into the Business Administration–Accounting associate degree program. She now handles accounts payable for the same car dealership, and puts her degree (which she completed last November) to work every day. “I enter every single invoice that comes in to the dealership into our computer system,” she explains. She handles payments to all of the dealership’s vendors and reconciles all of the billing statements. And she pays for gas…a lot of gas. “We have a very large gas account,” she says. “We use about 60,000 gallons of gas a month.”

Leah credits her National instructors with giving her both the skills and the confidence she needed to succeed. “Mr. Morris was the best teacher,” she says, referring to Accounting Department Chair Wil Morris. “If it weren’t for Mr. Morris, I probably wouldn’t have made it through accounting…he’s an awesome teacher.”

It just goes to show you that life can work in some interesting ways–but no matter where life takes you, National can provide the education you need to make your career dreams come true.

In compliance with regulations of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, in Tennessee National College is National College of Business and Technology. All references to "National" or "National College" within this email refer to "National College of Business and Technology" in the state of Tennessee.