Oak Ridge Today

Roane State participating in prestigious Achieving the Dream National Reform Network

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Chris Whaley

Chris Whaley

Roane State Community College is now a part of the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network, becoming one of the first community colleges in Tennessee selected for this nationwide network working to improve student success.

The Achieving the Dream National Reform Network includes more than 200 community colleges. The network is led by Achieving the Dream Inc., a national nonprofit considered one of the most comprehensive, non-governmental education reform organizations in the country.

“We are honored to participate in the Achieving the Dream National Reform Network,” Roane State President Chris Whaley said. “Through our participation in the network, we will learn evidence-based best practices from other colleges and from the network’s team of experts. Participation in Achieving the Dream gives us an opportunity to learn from the best, and to bring those ideas to Roane State to help our students succeed.” [Read more…]

Roane State Education Department to host April 28 Open House

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The Roane State Community College Education Department will host an April 28 Open House for anyone interested in becoming a K-12 teacher.

The event will begin at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, at the college’s Roane County campus, 276 Patton Lane in Harriman. Visitors will meet in Room 224 in the O’Brien Humanities Building.

Visitors will be able to meet with faculty, tour classrooms, and learn about the college’s 2+2 elementary education program with Tennessee Tech. The 2+2 program allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree while taking all of their classes at Roane State.

For more information, contact Stacie Bradshaw, (865) 354-3000, ext. 4773, or bradshaws@roanestate.edu.

From cotton picker to college president

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Shirley Raines

Shirley Raines

Shirley Raines of Oak Ridge has an amazing and inspiring story to tell.

Now president emeritus of the University of Memphis, she will describe her career and provide advice on leadership at the third in a series of Roane State Community College–Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Education Intergenerational Lectures.

Her talk begins at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in the large lecture hall (Room 107) in the Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building on Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. Raines will speak on “How a Kindergarten Teacher Became a University President.”

Born in Jackson in West Tennessee, she grew up on a cotton farm outside Bells, where she picked cotton by hand for the family business. She recalled that her mother was very smart and could have been a teacher or lawyer but lacked the opportunity to get a higher education. [Read more…]

Roane State has open house in Oak Ridge on Thursday

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Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge will have an open house on Thursday, April 16. All are invited, a press release said.

The Oak Ridge campus is located at 701 Briarcliff Avenue.

Check-in will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the Open House will be held from 6-8 p.m. Prospective students will have opportunities to talk one-on-one with faculty and staff; to hear presentations on admissions, majors, dual enrollment and financial aid; and to tour the campus. [Read more…]

TN Promise students can earn community service hours in Roane State garden

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Promise Garden

Roane State student Georgette Boozer works in the college’s Community Garden near the main campus in Harriman. Tennessee Promise students are invited to work in the garden April 25 from 8 a.m.-noon to earn some of their required community service hours. (Submitted photo)

 

Tennessee Promise students can complete up to four hours of their required community service by working in Roane State’s Community Garden on April 25.

The college is hosting a special Tennessee Promise Day in the Community Garden from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, April 25. The garden is located near the college’s main campus in Harriman.

Half of the bounty from Roane State’s Community Garden is donated to local charities to help feed the needy. During the spring, help is needed to clear the garden for this year’s crop. [Read more…]

Social benefit or Frankenfood? UT scientist cites value of genetically modified crops

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Tessa Burch-Smith and Mike Laman

Tessa Burch-Smith speaks with Michael Laman, dean of health sciences at Roane State Community College. He introduced her talk on genetically modified foods. (Submitted photo)

 

In developing countries where white rice is the dominant food, a half million pregnant women and young children become blind and two million die every year because of a Vitamin A deficiency.

On a mission to use genetic engineering to benefit humankind, scientists have genetically modified one type of rice so the grain, not just its leaves, makes Vitamin A. One published study showed that the improved nutritional content of “golden rice” could save sight and lives.

Golden rice was ready to be marketed in 2002, but critics have been calling it a Frankenfood. Golden rice is still not commercially adopted, even though in 2013, Pope Francis personally blessed its use.

This is one of the examples that Tessa Burch-Smith gave in her recent talk as part of the new Roane State Community College–Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning Intergenerational Lecture Series. An assistant professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, she teaches and conducts research in UT’s Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology. [Read more…]

Roane State women’s basketball coach, players earn honors

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Roane State Basketball Honors

From left are Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) freshman of the year Haley Cornellison, second-team all-conference Shanae Brown, TCCAA coach of the year Monica Boles, TCCAA player of the year Shauntae Brown, and second-team all-conference Kassidi Freeman. (Photo by Roane State Community College)

 

Roane State Community College’s women’s basketball program swept the top Tennessee Community College Athletic Association awards.

Head coach Monica Boles was named TCCAA Coach of the Year. Sophomore guard Shauntae Brown is the TCCAA Player of the Year, and Haley Cornellison is the Freshman of the Year.

Brown was also named first-team all-conference. Shauntae’s twin sister, Shanae, was named second-team all-conference along with sophomore Kassidi Freeman. [Read more…]

Roane State library in Oak Ridge hosts book sale March 31, April 1

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The Coffey Library at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus will host its annual “Love Your Library” book sale March 31 and April 1 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. each day.

The sale will include paperbacks, textbooks, cookbooks, computer software books, children’s books, craft books, and more. Only cash and checks will be accepted. Checks need to be payable to the Roane State Foundation. Prices range from $1-3.

The campus is located at 701 Briarcliff Ave. For more information, contact Christi Moss at (865) 354-3000, ext. 4739, or mosscl@roanestate.edu.

Roane State has ACT Prep Workshop on April 11

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Students can sign up now through April 4 for an ACT Prep Workshop at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus on April 11.

Students will learn hidden rules of the ACT during the workshop, which is presented by Roane State Community College and SailAway Learning at the college’s Oak Ridge campus, a press release said.

Seating is limited, and the registration deadline is April 4. [Read more…]

WVLT-TV meteorologist Haley to discuss ET weather on Saturday

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Heather Haley

Heather Haley

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Are you interested in our ever-changing weather in East Tennessee? Do you often wonder what contributes to some of our extreme weather?

Bring your questions and learn more from meteorologist Heather Haley of WVLT-TV Local 8 Now on Saturday. She will talk about our interesting weather phenomena and explain how she delivers her message to viewers at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21, in the City Room at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge, a press release said. Sponsored by the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society, this talk is open to people of all ages. [Read more…]

Expert to present wildflower talk on Thursday

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University of Tennessee Arboretum Society Logo

Dennis Horn, one of the country’s most renowned wildflower experts, will present a talk on wildflowers on Thursday evening in Oak Ridge.

The talk is presented by the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society. It’s scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, in the City Room at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Genetically modified food the topic of RSCC-ORICL lecture on March 26

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Tessa Burch-Smith

Tessa Burch-Smith

Golden rice is a genetically modified food that could save the eyesight and the lives of many young children in countries where plain rice is the dominant food.

Yet, in many nations it has been called a Frankenfood. Even so, Pope Francis has blessed golden rice. Why?

This question and other issues regarding genetically modified foods will be addressed in the second in a series of lectures sponsored by Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge Branch Campus, and the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning.

The lecture, which is open to the public, will be delivered at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in the Large Lecture Room (Room 107) of the Goff Health Science and Technology Building at Roane State in Oak Ridge. Refreshments will be available after the lecture. [Read more…]