Cougar Bytes for September 16, 2011

Outstanding CCCC Employees

Ellen Bland, Drama & Communications Instructor, Pittsboro campus, has been named Instructor of the Year for 2011.

MontE Christman, Associate Director & System Administrator, Sanford campus, has been named Staff Member of the Year for 2011.

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Library Receives Grant for Technology Collection

by Tara Guthrie, Director of Library Services

The CCCC Library has been awarded an $18,505 grant by the State Library of North Carolina to update and expand the library's collections in the technology program areas serving students in Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties.

The State Library, a division of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, awarded the grant from funds provided through the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants to States program.

The CCCC Library will use the grant to provide books, eBooks, and DVDs for the following technology programs: Alternative Energy - Biofuels; Sustainability Technologies; Laser and Photonics; Electronics Engineering; Computer Information Technology; Computer Engineering Technology; Networking Technology; and Telecommunications Installation and Maintenance.

Tara Guthrie, Director of Library Services, said that the library will work with faculty in these programs in selecting purchases to ensure that the new materials align the collections with what is being taught in classes and labs. The grant will allow the library to provide students with up-to-date library materials in these technology fields of study.

The CCCC Library received one of the 112 LSTA competitive grants awarded to North Carolina libraries for fiscal year 2011-2012. The grants were funded by a federal allotment of more than $4 million. North Carolina LSTA grants fund projects across the state that help libraries deliver learning opportunities for a lifetime, support libraries in their mission to provide cost-effective access to the Internet and to information expertise, and make library resources more accessible to all users.

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CCCCAEOP Awards Scholarships

by Sue Whitman, Industry Services and SBA Assistant

The CCCC chapter of the Association of Educational Office Professionals awarded four scholarships to CCCC students at a luncheon held on August 25th at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center. The group holds a Silent Auction in December each year to raise money for their scholarship fund. Students enrolled full-time in a curriculum program at CCCC are eligible for consideration for AEOP scholarships.

Back row: Dr. Bud Marchant, CCCC President; Sue Whitman, CCCCAEOP President; Peggy Cotton, Scholarship Committee Chair. Front row: Anna L. McKellar, Patricia L. Sellers, James M. Knight. (Not present: Deborah R. Smith)

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SECU Investment Minimum Lowered to $250!

We are pleased to announce that Credit Union Investment Services (CUIS) has lowered the minimum amount required to open an investment account to $250. When investment accounts were first offered in 2007, the minimum opening balance was $3,000. At the end of that first calendar year, there were 368 investment accounts and $8.4 million in assets. As of July 2011, there are over 2,700 accounts and $100 million in assets. The lower minimum will now allow even more members to begin a long-term investment strategy.

Click here to download the rest of the SECU article (.doc).

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News From the Office of Grants

by Brian Merritt, Director of Grants, Sponsored Programs and Alumni Relations

Congratulations to the following recipients of recent grants!

• The Triangle Community Foundation awarded the CCCC Foundation $8,000.00 in unexpected scholarship funding for the 2011-2012 academic year. If you know students of Mexican origin, please ask them to complete a scholarship application and return it to the CCCC Foundation as soon as possible. (All students should be encouraged to complete the application for other spring 2012 scholarship awards.)
• Carl Bryan and Talia Higgs were recently awarded a $15,000.00 grant from the NC Community College System Office to launch a Minority Male Mentoring program. The new program is called MADE (Men of Academic Distinction and Excellence) with the mission to provide an enhanced educational opportunity for minority males. If you know male students who may benefit from this extra support, please refer them to the Academic Assistance Center at 919-718-7505.
• Karen Allen, Mike Neal, and the CCCC-Pittsboro campus were awarded a $1,195.00 grant from the Chatham County Parks and Recreation Department to help install signage at the disc golf course.
• Theresa Cry, Dave Leperi, Sue Boyd, and Lydia Farmer helped lead the effort to secure a $30,000.00 grant for Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training. Secured from the NC Community College System, this Perkins Professional Development funding will provide instructor certification for career and technical community college faculty/staff from around the NCCCS on October 24-26 on the Lee Campus. Participants will then offer a professional development session on their respective campuses. Look for an announcement soon with information about registration for the training.

For more information about the Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs, visit www.cccc.edu/grants, or call (919) 718-7426.

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Third Friday Art Walk

by Sandra Martin, Secretary, Sculpture/Pottery Studio at Arts Incubator

Visit our CCCC Student Gallery September 16th at 138 N. Chatham Avenue, in downtown Siler City. Don't miss our fantastic student art work on exhibit. We have stone, ceramics, metal sculpture, and paintings.

All shops and galleries will be open with live music by Nitro Express (Rockabilly genre) in the Courtyard. Lead singer and songwriter, Ron Braugham, has a new single out by the name of "Fishin." 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Sandstone carving "Irish Jig"

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News From the Alumni Office

by Brian Merritt, Director of Grants, Sponsored Programs and Alumni Relations

Inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award - Nominate Now!

Beginning in 2012, the Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) Alumni Association will present the Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA). This will be an annual award presented to an individual guided by the following criteria. Nominees will be alumni of CCCC defined by being a CCCC graduate with a degree, diploma, or certificate, or by having successfully completed at least one class.

Nominees will also possess a combination of the following:

1. Demonstrated dedication and support for CCCC and/or the CCCC Foundation
2. Commitment to serving the citizens of the CCCC service area in Lee, Harnett, and/or Chatham counties
3. Outstanding achievements in their profession and/or civic and community affairs

The award recipient will be announced in spring 2012 with a ceremony to occur at the end of the 50th Anniversary Year.

To download the nomination packet, visit www.cccc.edu/alumni. Deadline is December 9, 2011. Call the Office of Alumni Relations at (919) 718-7426, or send an email to alumni@cccc.edu.

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Personnel Updates

Jamie Tyson Childress has accepted the position of College Registrar. Jamie will be in transition from her current position as faculty member, Huskins Coordinator, and Co-op Director over the next few weeks and will be functioning full time in her new role about mid-October.

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Greetings from Shuya Che

Here is the text of an email received from Prof. Shuya Che after she arrived home last month:

Dear friends,

Everybody is home safe and sound, including my dog, Haohao! Everything is going very well except being tired of the flight. Both of our flights were on time and smooth. I didn't feel very bored with my family together in the airplanes. We took a bus to my home from Shanghai since we did not catch the last high-speed railway train. We got home at around 3 a.m. on August 24th. My daughter, Xiaoxiao, slept a couple of hours and went to school at 7:30 a.m.

We got my dog, Haohao, back home from the kennel at 9 a.m. She was very, very excited when she saw us. I was glad that she still remembered me. We spent the whole day to take care of our bags and clean our apartment yesterday. We took some pictures to share with you this afternoon.

We like the paintings from my friends, and will remember you all, my good friends.

Best regards,
Shuya

Dr. Shuya Che, who served as the college's Confucius Classroom instructor from 2009 to 2011, is happy to be back home in Nanjing, People's Republic of China, with her daughter, Xiaoxiao, and husband, Dr. Xiangyang Cui. The plate on the table says, "Home away from home: Sanford NC America," and is painted with a picture of past president Dr. Matt and Becky Garrett's home, where she lived for her two years at the college.

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Foundation News

by Emily Hare, Associate Director, Foundation

The Foundation's Annual Golf Classic will take place on Wednesday, September 21st at the Sanford Golf Course. Call Emily Hare at ext. 7230 for information.

Thadd McElreath, Instructor, with the newly installed bleachers from the CCCC Foundation's Have a Seat! Campaign. There will be a ceremony at the Wake Tech basketball game on November 10th honoring the donors whose contributions made it possible to purchase the bleachers.

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Could You Be Charlee the Cougar?

Are you interested in being the college mascot? We are accepting volunteers for Charlee the Cougar, the official mascot of CCCC. College faculty, staff, and full-time students are eligible to be the mascot. The mascot will be making appearances at college and community events and activities throughout our service area. We are hoping to have several volunteers, so that volunteers would work on a rotating basis to make appearances. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Rebecca Howington at 718-7320.

Charlee the Cougar with friend at CCCC 50th Kickoff Event.

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Help CCCC Win $50,000!

by Brian Merritt, Director of Grants, Sponsored Programs, and Alumni Relation

Support Chef Hamm's effort to "Sustain Local, Natural & Holistic Culinary Education Programs at CCCC."

Vote every day in September!

Vote online at: www.refresheverything.com/cccc
or
Text your vote to 108782 to 73774
to vote from your mobile. Vote every day in September!

Use codes from Pepsi products for Power Votes (up to 100 extra/day).

Share w/ all your friends and colleagues!

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Cougar Pets News

by Jonathan Loftis, Animal Facilities Manager

If you need to add a little beauty and grace to your life, our candidates for adoption this month are worth considering. These animals, waiting patiently for permanent homes at the CCCC vet tech facility, are healthy, have all their shots, and have been spayed/neutered. They are ready to love you.

Natashia is a grey beauty with green eyes. She is shy and independent but responds to affection and is very loving when she learns to trust you. She prefers the company of humans to other animals, so she would prefer being your exclusive feline.

Snuggles is a sleek black and white female cat who will do well with someone willing to work with her on trusting humans again. Once she gets to know you, she will warm up and be your best buddy.

We are pleased to report that Paddington and Oliver, two beagles, have gone to permanent homes.

Visit the Cougar Pets website at cougarpets.webs.com/index.html for more information and pictures of pets available for adoption. Call 919.718.7465 or email jloftis@cccc.edu if you want to adopt.

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Cougar Profile

Chris Jackson
Machining/Tool & Die Instructor

When the 50th Anniversary planning committee decided they wanted a giant-sized version of our 50th anniversary logo, they went to our resident CAD/CAM specialist, Chris Jackson, to translate the small black and white original design into industrial computer software that would make it possible to cut a big version out of metal. The end product, the result of hours of teamwork, is presently installed in front of the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center on the Sanford campus.

"Sanford Steel & Pipe donated the metal sheets that were used to make the sign," Chris told us, "and the dimensions of those sheets dictated the size of the sign." He credited the following members of CCCC's faculty and staff, as well as students, whose close cooperation and many hours of work over a two month period produced the striking final product:

• Dean Stephen Athans coordinated the team effort.
• Allen Howington, Wesley Womack, Chuck Mann, Bill Jones and Edwin Thomas contributed their expertise.
• Kenneth McLamb and students in his classes did the welding required to put the sign together.
• Bill Eubanks supervised the painting of the sign. His student, Edgar Soto, did the actual painting as well as participating in the welding.

Chris tells us that the 50th logo sign was the biggest object he has ever worked on. Chris and all of the team members involved are very proud of the end result.

Chris was born and grew up on a farm at the northern edge of Sanford where he still lives. He is a graduate of Lee County High School and of the machining program at CCCC. Chris earned his credentials as a journeyman toolmaker at Moen. He has gone on to obtain a B.A. in Business Management and an M.B.A. from Liberty University. He is currently working on a Ph.D. in business administration. Chris came onboard as a full-time faculty member last August as a machining/tool & die instructor after several years as an adjunct instructor.

Chris is enjoying teaching full-time on the Sanford campus. "100 per cent of the graduates of the Machining/Tool & Die programs find employment quickly in the local market," he said. "Tool and die making is a good profession for our students to consider because there are so many job opportunities in the field."

Outside of his academic work, Chris helps his father work the family farm where they grow vegetables and beef cattle. If he has any spare time, he enjoys saltwater fishing.

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News From the CCCC Family

They say life must and does go on, but I don't think it could have been possible without your cards, flowers and words of sympathy. My sister was the most kind and gentle person you could have ever known and she has left all of us an example to follow. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Blessings, Mary Holder

Retiree Janet Carter's brother, Kevin Lloyd Tabor, passed away on August 22 in Chicago. Burial was held on September 6 in Hendersonville, NC. Janet's address is: 5041 Bluebird Drive, Sanford, NC 27332.

Retiree Sue Tipton's brother, Dennis Ray Iseley, passed away on August 28 in Durham. Burial was held in Burlington on August 31. Sue's address is: 215 Edgewater Drive, Broadway, NC 27505.

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Birthdays

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Dates to Remember

Sept 21 - CCCC Foundation Golf Classic, Sanford Golf Course

Nov 10 - Presentation of new bleachers, Wake Tech basketball game, Sanford campus

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Things For Sale, For Adoption or for Free

Need Ride from Sanford to Pittsboro campus and return for class on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Starting September 28th for six consecutive weeks. Willing to pay a small stipend and contribute to gas expense. Call Irene Smith, (919) 718-7518 or (919) 777-9668.

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