Oak Ridge Today

Reception for Roane State Student Art Show is April 27

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Roane State Community College will host an April 27 reception as part of its annual Student Art Show in the O’Brien Art Gallery on the Roane County campus.

The reception and awards ceremony is Thursday, April 27, at 1 p.m. in the art gallery. The public is invited.

This annual event (April 12-27) is open to all Roane State student artists and is an opportunity for students to hone their skills and gain exhibition experience. This year’s juror is Brian Jobe.

For more information, please contact Stacy Jacobs at jacobssl@roanestate.edu, (865) 354-3000, ext. 4311; or Bryan Wilkerson at wilkersonbs@roanestate.edu, (865) 354-3000, ext. 4748.

This press release was submitted by Owen Driskill.

Roane State music students attend Country Radio Seminar in Nashville

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These five Roane State music students attended the Country Radio Seminar held in downtown Nashville last month. In front, from left: Bryce Laughlin, Raegan Kennedy and Elana Douglas. Behind them: Olivia Parker, left, and Cassi Maggard. Also attending was Roane State Humanities Dean Myra Peavyhouse. (Photo courtesy Roane State)

These five Roane State music students attended the Country Radio Seminar held in downtown Nashville last month. In front, from left: Bryce Laughlin, Raegan Kennedy, and Elana Douglas. Behind them: Olivia Parker, left, and Cassi Maggard. Also attending was Roane State Humanities Dean Myra Peavyhouse. (Photo courtesy Roane State)

 

For the fourth consecutive year, Roane State was the only two-year educational institution in Tennessee whose students were invited to participate as volunteers at the Country Radio Seminar in downtown Nashville.

The three-day event brings together some of the leading notables in country music, a press release said. It’s an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas and business practices in the country music industry. There were more than 2,500 attendees last year.

The seminar’s agenda included performances, presentations, informative panels, and educational opportunities.

Attending were Roane State music students Elana Douglas, Bryce Laughlin, Cassi Maggard, Raegan Kennedy, and Olivia Parker. Myra Peavyhouse, Roane State’s Dean of Humanities, also attended. [Read more…]

Roane State paramedic alumnus honored

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Rick Valentine, left, a 1990 graduate of Roane State's Paramedic Program and now director of the Sevier County Ambulance Service, along with Greg Miller, right, chief of the Gatlinburg Fire Department, were recently awarded the Tennessee Ambulance Service Association's President's Award. In middle is TASA President Andrew Reed. (Photo courtesy Roane State)

Rick Valentine, left, a 1990 graduate of Roane State’s Paramedic Program and now director of the Sevier County Ambulance Service, along with Greg Miller, right, chief of the Gatlinburg Fire Department, were recently awarded the Tennessee Ambulance Service Association’s President’s Award. In middle is TASA President Andrew Reed. (Photo courtesy Roane State)

 

Rick Valentine, a 1990 graduate of Roane State Community College’s Paramedic Program, has been awarded the Tennessee Ambulance Service Association’s President’s Award for Leadership.

After serving as deputy director of the Sevier County Ambulance Service for many years, Valentine was named the service director last year.

In a Facebook post, Valentine said he was “surprised, honored, and humbled” to receive the award during the association’s annual conference in Gatlinburg in February. [Read more…]

Roane State Playmakers to perform production of Lionel Bart’s ‘Oliver!’ April 21-23

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During a rehearsal, Sophie King of Arts in Motion teaches the children who play orphans the choreography for "Food Glorious Food." (Photo by Roane State)

During a rehearsal, Sophie King of Arts in Motion teaches the children who play orphans the choreography for “Food Glorious Food.” (Photo by Roane State)

 

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

The musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ famous novel, “Oliver Twist,” comes to Roane State’s O’Brien Theater for only three performances in a rare collaboration of the college’s Music and Theatre Arts departments.

The curtain goes up on Lionel Bart’s “Oliver!” at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 23.

It’s the story of a 9-year-old orphan and his misadventures, from being half-starved in a workhouse and famously asking for more gruel, to learning how to be a pickpocket on the gritty streets of 19th century London.

Memorable songs abound, from “Where Is Love?” to “Food Glorious Food” and “It’s a Fine Life.”

“It’s one of my favorite shows and a classic musical from the 1960s that’s been updated to add new songs,” said director Clarissa Feldt. “It’s a really fantastic big production.” [Read more…]

How Roane State helped a young student on her road to MIT

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Emma Batson, who took online classes at Roane State, is now a freshman at MIT. (Submitted photo)

Emma Batson, who took online classes at Roane State, is now a freshman at MIT. (Submitted photo)

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

It’s a long way from being a bright middle school student to becoming a successful freshman at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

But a Roane State Community College employee helped span that gap, and a mom is forever grateful.

Maria Gonzales, director of student enrollment and recruitment, played a transformative role in helping Emma Batson, 18, now in her second semester at MIT.

“You never know what one person can do to change the trajectory of a person’s life,” said Emma’s mom, Tresa Batson of Karns. “I wanted to let Roane State know what a special person they have in admissions.”

Tresa Batson is a Roane State grad and a Tennessee Promise mentor. “Roane State has a big place in my heart,” she said. [Read more…]

Roane State’s Stephens honored for poetry

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DeAnna Stephens

DeAnna Stephens

While she loves writing poetry, the challenging act of “paring and refining” her efforts is as enjoyable and intellectually challenging, Roane State Community College assistant professor of English DeAnna Stephens said.

Stephens’ poem, “Bundt Season,” was recently a finalist in the prestigious Lascaux Review. That literary journal provides a showcase for emerging and established writers and artists whose talents have lingering impacts.

Her poem “deals with the rituals surrounding death, and the complex ties we maintain with family,” said Stephens, who said she wrote her first poem when she was 13.

“I am drawn to poetry…because it connects the individual experience to the universal in a way that is different from other genres,” she said. [Read more…]

Health care employers invited to participate in Roane State job fair

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Employers are invited to participate in a March 29 job fair at Roane State Community College for students who are pursuing careers in health care and plan to graduate this year.

The fair is planned for Wednesday, March 29, from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. Setup begins at 11 a.m. in the Coffey-McNally building.

Employers are asked to register by March 24. There is no registration fee. To register, visit www.roanestate.edu/jobfair. Limited space is still available. [Read more…]

Hackworth, of Oliver Springs, named head softball coach at Roane State

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Jessie Hackworth

Jessie Hackworth

 

Jessica Hackworth has been named Roane State Community College’s head softball coach.

She had served as the interim coach. Hackworth succeeds Sue Niemi, who has taken a student services position at the college.

Hackworth, who is from Oliver Springs, was a Roane State assistant coach for five years. In addition to coaching duties, she organized remodeling of the softball locker room, ran fall tournaments, and worked closely with players to ensure their academic success. Roane State softball players have received numerous conference honors for their academic performance. [Read more…]

Roane State NASA scholars named for spring 2017

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Four Roane State Community College students have received NASA scholarships worth $2,850 to support their pursuit of degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields.

NASA provided funding for the scholarships through a $499,689 grant it awarded to the Tennessee Community College Space Grant Consortium. Roane State, Cleveland State Community College, Columbia State Community College, Northeast State Community College, and Pellissippi State Community College are part of the consortium.

The recipients are Jose Coronilla of Philadelphia (pre-engineering), Gregory Eaton of Kingston (pre-engineering), Ronnie Lewis of LaFollette (mechatronics), and Horace Parrott of Jellico (mechatronics).

To learn more about STEM majors at Roane State, visit roanestate.edu/stem.

Roane State to host ACT workshops March 18, April 1 at main campus in Harriman

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For college-bound high school students, it’s the biggest test to date of their academic careers: the ACT exam. The test evaluates students’ readiness for college, and scores can determine whether they are admitted to the college of their choice.

Roane State and the private education institution, SailAway Learning, are offering workshops on preparing for the ACT on two Saturdays, March 18 and April 1.

The workshops, titled “Hidden Rules of the ACT Prep,” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days on Roane State’s main campus in Harriman. Check-in will be from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. [Read more…]

Wilsons expand Roane State Foundation endowment to provide scholarships for more students

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James Frank and Patricia Ann Wilson (Photo courtesy Roane State)

James Frank and Patricia Ann Wilson (Photo courtesy Roane State)

 

James Frank and Patricia Ann Wilson recently established a scholarship endowment with the Roane State Foundation, the James Frank and Patricia Ann Wilson Morgan County Campus Scholarship Endowment.

Now, they have submitted an additional gift that will expand scholarship opportunities to nursing and allied health sciences students in Morgan County, a press release said. The Wilsons said: “We are pleased to double down on our commitment to these scholarship beneficiaries. It is very important to us. We ask that you determine what is important to you and do the same now rather than later.”

Recipients must be a current or former Morgan County resident, have financial need, and meet special criteria as set by the Roane State Community College Foundation Scholarship Committee. [Read more…]

Author Mascaro to speak at Roane State Oak Ridge campus March 1

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Knoxville area author Marilyn Mascaro will be the featured speaker at the new Arts and Lectures series at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus.

Mascaro—an educator, writer, traveler, and East Tennessee native—will discuss her latest book, “Surviving History: The Life of B.Y. Harris in East Tennessee.”

It’s described as “creative non-fiction” and is about a relative who fought in the Civil War.

The event will be held in the Oak Ridge City Room (A111) at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1. Mascaro will be introduced by DeAnna Stephens, a Roane State assistant professor of English and humanities. Stephens organized the new Arts and Lectures series, titled “Writers at Roane State.” [Read more…]