Roane State Community College Archives

Roane State partners with Bellevue University, grand opening set for Tuesday

Posted at 1:32 pm April 16, 2018
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

Roane State associate degree graduates and those with 60 credit hours can obtain a bachelor’s degree in 18 months under an innovative new partnership between Roane State Community College and Bellevue University.

In the program, 100 percent of associate degree credits transfer to the fully accredited, non-profit, four-year university located in Bellevue, Nebraska. Credits aren’t lost, and classes don’t have to be retaken.

A grand opening celebration for Bellevue will be held on Tuesday, April 17 from
11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Atrium at the Oak Ridge campus, which is at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. All are invited, a press release said.

Students who attend the grand opening will have the opportunity to enter to win one of two $1,000 grants. Free refreshments will be provided. [Read more…]

Former ambassador to discuss Syria at Roane State on Wednesday

Posted at 1:02 pm April 16, 2018
By Katherine Smith Leave a Comment

Margaret Scobey

Former Ambassador Margaret Scobey will discuss Syria at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge on Wednesday. Her talk is titled “Syria: Challenges to U.S. and Regional Interests.”

The community lecture is sponsored jointly by ORICL (Oak Ridge Institute of Continued Learning) and Roane State. It is free and open to the public.

Scobey’s appearance will begin with a reception at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the Visitor’s Lobby of the Coffey/McNally Building, a press release said. Following the reception, Scobey will speak in the City Room, A-111, of the same building. After her presentation, Ambassador Scobey will respond to questions from the audience.

Scobey retired as career minister from the U.S. Foreign Service following a 32-year career, the press release said. She served as U.S. ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt from 2008 until July of 2011. Prior to that, she served as the U.S. ambassador to Syria from late 2003 until early 2005, when she was recalled in protest to the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Her last assignment in the Foreign Service was as deputy commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. [Read more…]

Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit has presentations on energy, manufacturing, security

Posted at 5:46 pm March 18, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit in Oak Ridge in May will feature presentations on advanced manufacturing, clean energy and a nuclear renaissance, and national security and cyber security.

The 2018 TVC National Summit is scheduled from May 29-31 at the New Hope Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. It will be hosted by Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch in cooperation with U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann.

Agenda topics include: [Read more…]

Cybersecurity expert shares career opportunities with Roane State students

Posted at 8:23 pm March 11, 2018
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

Cybersecurity expert Rob Ashcraft of Sword & Shield Enterprise Security discusses career opportunities with Roane State students. (Submitted photo)

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

In this era of online hacking and ransomware, jobs in cybersecurity are booming, and they pay extremely well, an expert in the field told Roane State Community College faculty and students.

Rob Ashcraft, with the state’s largest firm of its kind—Sword & Shield Enterprise Security of Knoxville—recently gave an overview of the various positions available in the profession.

The demand for those jobs is growing 350 percent faster than other information technology positions, and those with the appropriate certifications can make as much as $55 an hour.

“I think you made a good choice,” Ashcraft told students now enrolled in Roane State’s new cyber defense program, which was launched in the fall 2017 semester. “It’s a great career, and it’s a lot of fun.” [Read more…]

Roane State launches office, website to help parents stay engaged with students

Posted at 7:21 pm March 11, 2018
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

Roane State’s new parent portal is online at www.roanestate.edu/parents. The portal offers parents access to campus news and deadlines, personalized newsletters, alerts, and insights into students’ progress and financial details. (Submitted image)

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

There’s a new office promoting family involvement and providing ways for families help their students succeed at Roane State Community College.

It’s called the Office of Parent and Family Engagement. An integral part of this new office is providing a “parent and family portal” developed by CampusESP. The portal is online at www.roanestate.edu/parents.

The portal, available on any device, allows parents to learn more about their children’s college experience, from campus news and events to notices about tuition and grade-point averages.

Students will be able to determine what access is given to parents or guardians through the new portal. [Read more…]

Roane State Success Coach program honored

Posted at 1:24 pm March 2, 2018
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

Roane State’s success coach program won a statewide certificate for excellence and has become a benchmark for programs throughout the state’s 12 other community colleges.

“Roane State has been a leader in developing student success opportunities,” said Kim Harris, the college’s director of workplace training and placement.

Harris nominated Roane State’s success coach program for the award, and it won out over other nominees among Tennessee’s community colleges.

The recognition was bestowed by the Tennessee Alliance for Continuing Higher Education. The organization is comprised of continuing education professionals. [Read more…]

Tuition-free college for adults is here; Get Reconnect Ready at Roane State on March 1

Posted at 7:34 am February 22, 2018
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus is a great place for adult students to reconnect with their education, a press release said.

And the timing has never been better. Beginning this fall, the Tennessee Reconnect grant will provide eligible adults with the opportunity to attend Roane State tuition-free.

To learn more about Reconnect, come to Roane State’s free Reconnect Ready event at the Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Avenue, on Thursday, March 1, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. [Read more…]

Exhibit featuring Syrian refugee artists on display at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus through Feb. 9

Posted at 12:43 pm February 5, 2018
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

An exhibit of artwork by refugees from war-ravaged Syria will be on display at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Ave., through Feb. 9. (Submitted photo)

An exhibit of artwork by refugees from war-ravaged Syria will be on display at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Avenue, through February 9.

Roane State’s International Education Department has coordinated with St. Louis Community College to bring the traveling exhibit to Oak Ridge, a press release said. The exhibit is located in the Coffey-McNally Building next to room C-120.

Scholar Rihab Sawah from St. Louis Community College organized the traveling exhibit. Sawah began presenting on topics related to Syria and the Middle East in her early 20s, when Amnesty International invited her to speak about her father, who was a political prisoner in her homeland, the press release said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum, Tennessee Bluebird societies have two programs on bluebirds this month

Posted at 2:55 pm February 4, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Learn about bluebirds and their environments

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society and the Tennessee Bluebird Society will present two programs on bluebirding this month, a press release said.

A program titled “Bluebirding Basics” will be held on Tuesday, February 6, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge campus, Goff Room 104.

A second program, “Bluebird Nest Box Trail Monitoring Training,” will be held on Thursday, February 15, at Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge campus, from 7 to 8 p.m., City Room.

If you are interested in bluebirds or want to learn more about them, you are invited to attend these free programs, the press release said. [Read more…]

Roads slippery, snow-covered; schools, Key Springs closed

Posted at 9:09 pm January 16, 2018
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Streets in Oak Ridge, including main roads, were snow-covered and slippery Tuesday evening, Jan. 16, 2018, and schools announced they would be closed again on Wednesday. Above, the Oak Ridge Police Department responds to a crash on South Illinois Avenue near Centrifuge Way on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo courtesy ORPD/City of Oak Ridge)

Streets in Oak Ridge, including main roads, were snow-covered and slippery Tuesday evening, and schools announced they would be closed again on Wednesday. Key Springs Road—a steep, curvy road that goes down Black Oak Ridge from north Oak Ridge to Marlow—was closed.

The Oak Ridge Police Department advised residents to stay home if they don’t have to be on the roads tonight.

“All roads are snow-covered,” the ORPD said Tuesday evening. “(Oak Ridge) Public Works crews are working to clear and treat roads.”

Even heavily traveled main roads such as Illinois Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike were snow-covered and slippery Tuesday evening. Side streets were as well.

The snow, which had started at about 1 p.m. Tuesday, continued past 7 p.m. The forecast had called for a few inches. [Read more…]

Roads icy: Oak Ridge Schools, Roane State closed today

Posted at 8:46 am January 8, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A tractor-trailer jack-knifed on Interstate 40 West at mile marker 349 in Roane County. That roadway is closed, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said. I-40 East at MM 349 has one lane open. Roads are very icy in this area, TDOT said Monday morning, Jan. 8, 2018. The Oak Ridge/Gallaher Road exit is Exit 356. (Photo courtesy TDOT)

Note: This story was last updated at 10 a.m.

Oak Ridge Schools are closed today as a layer of ice coated the ground in Oak Ridge, making roads and sidewalks slippery.

The schools had originally planned to open two hours late.

Other local school systems are also closed today (Monday, January 8) as the forecast had called for freezing rain or a wintry mix of precipitation around school arrival time this morning. Among the other school systems closed are Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County. Roane State Community College is closed today as well (see here for more information). [Read more…]

Take advantage of Roane State’s extended business hours

Posted at 12:11 am January 4, 2018
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

Roane State Community College will offer extended business hours to help students get ready for the start of spring semester, a press release said.

January 2-4: The Roane and Oak Ridge campuses will be open until 6 p.m. local time. All other campuses will be on their normal Monday-Thursday schedule or Monday-Friday schedule. The Roane and Oak Ridge campuses will be open until 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, January 5.

January 8-11: The Roane and Oak Ridge campuses will be open until 6 p.m. local time. All other campuses will be on their normal schedule Monday through Thursday. [Read more…]