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Grant to fund scholarships for high school students to take mechatronics at Roane State

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Roane State Community College has been awarded a $250,000 grant that will fund scholarships for high school students to complete Roane State mechatronics courses.

The scholarships will pay for tuition, all fees, all books, all supplies, a specialized mechatronics toolkit, and transportation costs, a press release said. Approximately 30 students will be selected for the scholarships, which will be awarded beginning with the fall 2018 semester for the 2018-19 academic year. The grant was awarded by the Community College System of Tennessee.

Roane State offers a one-year certificate and two-year associate degree in mechatronics, and courses are offered at the college’s Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility in Clinton. Mechatronics students learn how to troubleshoot and repair modern automated production equipment, and elective classes include robotics, the press release said. [Read more…]

Roane State offers training to become a chemical operator

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Photo courtesy Roane State Community College

Photo courtesy Roane State Community College

 

Submitted

A new Roane State curriculum that trains people to become chemical operators will begin in the fall semester, said Markus Pomper, dean of the college’s Division of Mathematics and Sciences.

A chemical operator monitors, controls, and troubleshoots automated chemical processes. The work environment can range from processing uranium at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge to making bulk food products, such as high-fructose corn syrup.

The operator monitors data and remotely adjusts controls as needed to ensure chemical processes operate properly. If equipment breaks down, the operator also maintains and repairs valves, pumps, regulators, and sensors. [Read more…]

Golf tournament raises funds for new Roane State golf teams

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From left to right are Roane State alumni who were members of the original golf team at the community college: Chris Griffin, Eddie Evans, Bobby Tipton (in back), Tom Flynn, former Roane State Golf Coach Eddie Liskovec, Mike Emery, John Thomas, Mike Fuller, and Randy Button. (Photo courtesy Roane State Community College)

From left to right are Roane State alumni who were members of the original golf team at the community college: Chris Griffin, Eddie Evans, Bobby Tipton (in back), Tom Flynn, former Roane State Golf Coach Eddie Liskovec, Mike Emery, John Thomas, Mike Fuller, and Randy Button. (Photo courtesy Roane State Community College)

 

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

A recent golf tournament at Oak Ridge Country Club raised funds to support a revived men’s golf team at Roane State Community College along with the startup of a women’s squad.

Proceeds from this year’s tournament will help in the purchase of equipment and supplies for the teams, and plans are in the works for future tournaments to support the teams, said Coach Chris Griffin, who is spearheading the effort.

Griffin and a special committee of staff and alumni, in partnership with the Roane State Foundation, organized the tournament, which also included a silent auction of items, events, and trips.

Contributions were received by the Roane State Foundation to support the effort, said Scott Niermann, executive director. The foundation is a not-for-profit entity that provides financial support for the college’s students and programs. [Read more…]

Tryouts will be held June 28 for Roane State golf teams

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Chris Griffin

Chris Griffin

 

Tryouts for the revived Roane State men’s golf team and the first-ever women’s team at the community college will be held Thursday, June 28, at Oak Ridge Country Club, 150 Gum Hollow Road.

Chris Griffin, a Roane State alumnus who was a member of the college’s golf team, is volunteering his time to reactivate the men’s squad and launch a women’s team, a press release said.

Rising Roane State sophomores and students who have graduated from high school and are enrolling in Roane State this fall are invited to try out, Griffin said.

Those tryouts will consist of a single 18-hole round, and tee times will begin at 1 p.m. Contact Griffin at (865) 898-0043 to reserve a tee time. [Read more…]

NRA Foundation awards grant to national champion Roane State Shooting Sports Team

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Roane State’s national championship Shooting Sports Team has been awarded a grant for supplies from the NRA Foundation. Shown after winning the national title last fall are, from left, Assistant Coach James Wattenbarger, Head Coach Kenneth Carey, Ty McCaskey, Nathan Wattenbarger, Andy Carey, Codey Dean, Assistant Coach Kevin Hembree, and Nathan Hembree. (Submitted photo)

Roane State’s national championship Shooting Sports Team has been awarded a grant for supplies from the NRA Foundation. Shown after winning the national title last fall are, from left, Assistant Coach James Wattenbarger, Head Coach Kenneth Carey, Ty McCaskey, Nathan Wattenbarger, Andy Carey, Codey Dean, Assistant Coach Kevin Hembree, and Nathan Hembree. (Submitted photo)

 

The national champion Roane State Community College Shooting Sports Team has received a Friends of the NRA Foundation Grant for supplies valued at more than $4,400, a press release said.

“We greatly appreciate the foundation’s support for our athletes,” team coach Kenny Carey said.

Through the grant, the team will receive Winchester 12-guage shotgun shells, Winchester 20-gauge shotgun shells, and a promotional banner.

The Roane State Shooting Sports Team participates in trap, skeet, sporting clays, and five stand competitions. The team has received state and national recognition for its performance, including a first-place finish in the Scholastic Clay Target Program last fall. The competition included more than 200 athletes from 14 states and 21 colleges. [Read more…]

Flexible Roane State financial services program was good fit for working student

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June 4, 2018
Flexible Roane State financial services program was good fit for working student

By Bob Fowler
Roane State staff writer

JAMESTOWN, Tenn. — It took determination, and Tiffany Atkins persisted.

Now Atkins is one of the first graduates to obtain Roane State’s associate degree in financial services — a flexible, adult-friendly program designed for those who want to start or advance their career in banking, finance, or insurance.

It wasn’t easy balancing a full-time job as a teller at the Bank of Fentress County with taking classes. To help fit the program into her schedule, Atkins took online classes and courses at Roane State’s nearby Fentress County campus in Jamestown.

“I loved being able to do interactive (live video) classes at Fentress County,” Tiffany said.

Roane State officials were more than helpful as she pursued her degree, she recalled. “Everyone was wonderful and I never had a problem. They knew I worked, and they worked with my schedule. I got help with everything I needed.”

Roane State’s financial services program is now one of the college’s most flexible options. Students have the opportunity to attend classes from their personal computer or mobile device from anywhere. Through Roane State’s new distance education platform (Zoom), students can attend interactive classes with live lectures, or record the classes and take them at their convenience.

Tiffany started her college studies when she was 19 and completed them three years later. Her financial services studies meshed nicely with her training at the bank, where she was being groomed as a loan processor. “I could use what I was learning in class for work, and vice versa.”

Now, Tiffany is 24 and prepares loan documents for the Bank of Fentress County while her husband, Aaron, works at Cumberland Farmers Cooperative in Crossville.

They’re getting ready for the birth in August of their first child, a boy they plan to name Mason.

“She (Atkins) is an excellent example of how you can come back to Roane State as a returning, busy working adult and finish a degree,” said Roane State Vice President of Workforce Development Teresa Duncan.

“Now she is going to soon have her first child, and she can head into motherhood as a college graduate who can provide even more opportunities for her child in the future.”

To learn more about Roane State’s two-year financial services program, visit roanestate.edu/financialservices or contact Mike Farmer, [email protected] or (865) 354-3000 ext. 4862.

Remember, eligible adults can now attend Roane State tuition-free with the new Reconnect grant. Learn more at roanestate.edu/reconnect.

Roane State student thrives in Middle College program

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June 4, 2018

By Bob Fowler
Roane State staff writer

Ask Connor Murphy about Roane State’s Middle College program, and his face lights up.

“I really like it,” said Connor, 17, who completed his first year of the innovative program while achieving academic honors.

In Middle College, eligible high school juniors attend Roane State classes in the mornings and return to their respective schools in the afternoons to complete their high school courses.

By the time Middle College students graduate from high school, they also receive associate degrees from Roane State, giving them a two-year head start toward a bachelor’s degree.

Connor thrives on courses like Calculus II and Calculus-based Physics, but he found the Roane State art appreciation course last fall to be a bit daunting and filled with concepts new to him.

“I thought Connor could coast through that (art appreciation),” said his father, Jack Murphy. “But there were quizzes every week, and it was challenging.”

Connor’s abilities in math and science perhaps aren’t too surprising, especially for someone whose hobbies include computer programming and mining cryptocurrencies.

Connor has been a familiar sight around the college’s Oak Ridge campus this year, piloting his motorized wheelchair with his 85-pound golden retriever, a service dog named “Tank,” by his side.

Connor has an ailment called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. His mom, Lise Murphy, accompanies him to Roane State and helps out when needed. Both parents have become huge fans of Roane State and its Middle College program as a result of their son’s experiences.

“I love it,” Lise Murphy said. She’s been going to school with Connor since kindergarten, but her role has changed over the years. “I used to help the teachers, but now, I’m just trying to keep up with the classes,” she said.

“The (Roane State) teachers have been so wonderful, and I’ve seen this first-hand. It’s been a great, great experience, and I give huge kudos to the professors.”

“Middle College gives the kids a chance to excel in academically challenging classes,” Jack Murphy said. “I think Middle College is a huge opportunity.”

Both parents and Connor’s aunt, Marianne Murphy, heap praise on college officials for being so accommodating. “They can’t do enough (for Connor),” Lise Murphy said.

One of Connor’s courses was moved to a downstairs classroom in the college’s Coffey-McNally Building when an elevator was briefly out of order, Marianne Murphy recalled.

For Connor, Roane State’s fall semester will include more challenging courses, especially in math and science.

He’s completed the necessary requirements to graduate from Clinton High, but he still goes there for robotics club and National Honor Society meetings.

Then, it’s on to a university — perhaps the University of Tennessee — where he wants to major in bioengineering.

To learn more about Middle College, visit roanestate.edu/middlecollege or contact Middle College coordinator David Lane, (865) 354-3000 ext. 4223 or [email protected]

Roane State Community College Receives Training Ambulance from Lifeguard Ambulance Service

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June 1, 2018

By Bob Fowler
Roane State staff writer

KNOXVILLE – Roane State Community College EMS students now have an ambulance for hands-on training, thanks to a donation from Lifeguard Ambulance Service in Knoxville.

Officials recently accepted the keys and title to the vehicle at the college’s Knox County Center for Health Sciences.

The gift of the 2002 Ford Type II ambulance “is very much welcomed,” said Roger Badger, who teaches EMT and paramedic classes. “We’ve got a lot of opportunities here.”

The ambulance will be outfitted with standard response equipment and allow college faculty to offer an emergency vehicle operations course, which must be completed as a new hire with an EMS service.

“This will make our programs even stronger so graduates can handle any emergency they may face in the field,” said David Blevins, Roane State Director of EMS Education.

Students will learn first-hand how to work in an ambulance’s close quarters, said Kristin Davis, operations supervisor for Lifeguard Ambulance. As part of the company’s policies, the ambulance – which has more than 500,000 miles on it — was retired from service and donated to Roane State.

“We got together (with Roane State) and made it happen,” said Bernie Hayes, director of Lifeguard’s Knoxville office.

The college offers classes for Emergency Medical Technician, advanced EMTs, paramedics and critical care paramedics.

“We’re excited to provide our students with more in-depth training prior to their ride-alongs with EMS services during their education,” Blevins said. Students beginning their EMS careers and those wanting to obtain more degrees or certifications will benefit from the donation, he added.

The donation occurred during National EMS Week May 21-24.

This generous gift in support of Roane State health sciences programs was arranged in partnership with the Roane State Foundation. The foundation is a 501c3 corporation governed by an independent Board of Directors and established to provide financial support for Roane State students and programs.

The Roane State Foundation seeks to enhance community awareness of the college, to secure private contributions and bequests, and to manage donated monies and properties. Learn more at roanestate.edu/foundation.

To learn more about Roane State’s EMT and paramedic programs, visit roanestate.edu/ems or contact Blevins at 865-354-3000, extension 4768 [email protected] Eligible adults can now attend Roane State tuition-free with the new Reconnect grant. Learn more at roanestate.edu/reconnect.

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Caption: Roane State Director of EMS Education David Blevins, center, accepts the donation of training ambulance from Kristin Davis, Operations Manager (left) and Bernie Hayes, Director (right) with Lifeguard Ambulance Service in Knoxville.

Roane State art students honored

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May 29, 2018

Archie Clark won top honors for outstanding achievement in art in Roane State Community College’s annual juried student art show, said Art Professor Stacy Jacobs.

Kevin Rodriguez was awarded the Anne Powers Promise Award, given to an artist deemed to have exceptional potential, while an entry titled “Dripping Pillow” by Taylor McMahan won the Art Spirit Award for experimentation in media.

Rodriguez took best in show for his entry, “Party Animal,” while Gracie Scott’s creation, “Assimilation Sub-Cult,” was second place, and Samantha Allen won third place for “Jumpshot.”

Honorable mentions were “Daydreaming” by Rodriguez, Braeden Gibson’s “Untitled,” “Inner Demons” by Victoria Waterman, “Curly Sue” by Samantha Allen, “Suspended Rings” by Gibson, and “Belle Meade Carriage House” by Clark.

Jacobs said a new scholarship has been established in memory of Jason Lee Golliher, a Roane State graduate who won a scholarship to study at The Art Institute of Boston and passed away in 2016.

“The Roane State Foundation is honored to award this scholarship in Jason’s memory to help other talented art students achieve their dreams,” a news release announcing the award stated.

Golliher’s mother, Susan, attended the scholarship presentation. This year’s recipient is Jessica Symonds.
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Caption: Pictured, from left, are winners of the Roane State juried art show: Samantha Allen, Gracie Scott, Archie Clark, Victoria Waterman, Kevin Rodriquez and Braeden Gibson.

Roane State dental hygiene students continue outstanding performance on board exam

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This unblemished record by graduating members of the Roane State dental hygiene program remains intact.

For the sixth consecutive year, 100 percent of the class passed the rigorous Dental Hygiene National Board examination on their first try, said Melinda Gill, program director. The students’ scores place Roane State dental hygiene students in the top 3 percent nationally of the more than 300 accredited dental hygiene programs where dental hygiene students take the exam, Gill said.

“I’m very proud of the students’ accomplishments and their dedication to success,” said Gill, who became program director six years ago.

Students took the national exam in March. The comprehensive exam features a lengthy blend of multiple choice questions and detailed questions about dental case studies. Only 12 students are selected each year to participate in the college’s dental hygiene program, and more than 100 routinely apply, Gill said.
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Pictured with director Melinda Gill, center, are members of the Roane State Dental Hygiene class who continued the department’s perfect record on national board, for the past six years. Front row, from left: Veronica Koon, Carrie Wheeler, LaTosha Wiggington, Jessica Rickman, and Natalie Beeler. Back row, from left: Kelly Tallent, Hannah Fox, Rachel East, Gill, Katie Zielinski, Bianca Gordon and Sydney Bailey.

Roane State dental hygiene students earn honors at poster competition

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May 16, 2018

Roane State dental hygiene students placed first and third in the annual 2nd District Dental Hygiene Society’s poster competition, said Melinda Gill, program director.

First-year students Alma Almanza of Lenoir City and Jennifer Cowan of Knoxville won first place among 16 competitors in the Second District competition for their entry, titled “Out of This World Ozone.”

Second-year students Natalie Beeler of Knoxville, Carrie Wheeler of Oak Ridge and Sydney Bailey of Lenoir City had a third-place finish for their poster, titled “Human Papilloma Virus, STDS and Oral Cancer.”

Both entries were in competition with dental hygiene students from Hiwassee College in Madisonville and other first- and second-year dental hygiene students from Roane State Community College.
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Caption: From left, Roane State dental hygiene student Alma Almanza and Jennifer Cowan.

See latest high-tech automation technology at Roane State’s Clinton facility on May 23

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May 15, 2018

By Bob Fowler
Roane State staff writer

Learning and technology will be at the forefront of presentations and tours on Wednesday, May 23, at Roane State Community College’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility.

That’s when a tractor-trailer named the Siemens Mobile Showcase will roll onto the campus, located off Charles Seivers Boulevard at 214 Nave St.

That 38-foot-long “demonstration-on-wheels” is “packed full of the latest and greatest high-tech automation, communications and instrumentation technology,” said Gordon Williams, mechatronics program director.

High school students from Anderson, Morgan, Roane and Loudon counties have been invited to tour the trailer displays between 9:30 and 11 a.m., and Williams said members of the public are also welcome then.

The displays will highlight how “Siemens technology can benefit a customer in the areas of designing, commissioning, monitoring and maintaining their automation equipment,” according to a news release.

Then, from 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., there’ll be an invitation-only, on-campus lunch for employees of local industries who are experts in engineering and technology.

Those 30 to 40 representatives will also be given a tour of Roane State’s Clinton campus as well as the mobile showcase. Those employees are invited to two technology-based presentations from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Siemens is a German industrial conglomerate and Europe’s largest industrial manufacturer. Brozelco of Rockford, Tenn., a supplier of Siemens products, is also helping facilitate the event.

For more information, contact Williams at (865) 354-3000 ext. 4899 or [email protected]

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