Archive for July, 2009

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Pellissippi State student wins disability services group scholarship

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Jeanmarie Willson, a Pellissippi State Community College student, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Tennessee AHEAD.

AHEAD is the acronym for the Association on Higher Education and Disability. Tennessee AHEAD is an affiliate of the national AHEAD organization, the professional group for disability service providers in higher education.

The organization awarded two scholarships this year: one to a community college student and one to a student of a four-year institution. Willson is the first Pellissippi State student to win the award. She was chosen based on faculty recommendations and on an essay she wrote on self-advocacy.

“Self-advocacy is the set of skills a student with a disability uses to help herself/himself ‘level the playing field’ in order to accomplish academic goals,” said Ann Satkowiak, Pellissippi State’s director of Services for Students With Disabilities.

Skills include talking with professors and other college staff about students’ legal rights for accommodations and knowing when to ask for assistance from appropriate college offices.

AHEAD has more than 2,500 members around the world.

For more information on Services for Students With Disabilities at Pellissippi State, visit www.pstcc.edu or call (865) 694-6751.

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Pellissippi State offers more work-study positions

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

This fall Pellissippi State Community College will have additional work-study positions and more money for Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants available for all students who qualify.

It’s not too late to apply, says Paul McKinney, director of Financial Aid. The priority deadline for both need-based programs is this Friday, July 31.

Work-Study is designed to help students meet their educational expenses through meaningful employment. The Financial Aid Office assists students who qualify find part-time work. Jobs vary throughout the college and range from assisting in various departments to working in the library or tutoring children in the America Read’s program.

SEOG funds are offered on a first-come first-served basis. They provide funds for students who have financial need, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and their eligibility for other types of financial assistance. Because it is grant money, the SEOG usually does not have to be repaid. Awards range from $100 to $1,500 per academic year for eligible Pellissippi State students.

Interested students should apply by first going to the Web site www.fafsa.ed.gov and completing the FAFSA.

Once the FAFSA has been completed online, students can download the Work-Study forms at www.pstcc.edu/financial_aid, then return them completed to the Financial Aid Office on the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road.

Since the SEOG is tied directly to the FAFSA, no additional application is required.

For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office at (865) 694-6565.

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Pellissippi State sees older students benefit from HOPE Scholarship

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Older students are going back to college, and for students who qualify, the Tennessee Education Lottery, or HOPE, Scholarship is an excellent resource to help pay for school.

Pellissippi State Community College has seen a rise in the number of “nontraditional” students—those who are 25 years and older—who are enrolling: an increase of 273 from fall 2008 to spring 2009.

The HOPE Scholarship may pay $2,000 a year toward their tuition, not to exceed the cost of attendance.

To qualify, students must be at least 25 years old, says Paul McKinney, director of Financial Aid at Pellissippi State. They must have been out of college for at least two years or be entering as a first-time freshman, they may never have earned a bachelor’s degree, and they must have an adjusted gross household income of $36,000 or less.

Qualified applicants must attempt 12 semester hours and have at least a 2.75 grade point average before receiving HOPE money. Students are required to maintain continuous enrollment while trying to qualify for the scholarship.

“We have seen students who have been out of school for 20 years who come back and get the scholarship,” said LeChelle Davenport, a Financial Aid coordinator at the college.

“This is an excellent way to fund their education. Students can use financial aid (if eligible) or pay out of pocket to get started that first semester.”

For information about the HOPE Scholarship, as well as Pellissippi State Foundation scholarships and other financial aid, contact the Financial Aid Office at (865) 694-6565 or visit www.pstcc.edu/financial_aid.

Posted in Financial Aid, Registration, Students | Comments Off

Pellissippi State’s Blount County Campus construction progresses on schedule

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Construction of Pellissippi State Community College’s Blount County Campus continues on schedule for completion in May 2010.

“We expect to have the building under roof by late October,” said David Walton, director of the college’s Facilities, Safety and Security.

The walls are going up, the underground utilities are installed, and the parking area grading is near completion at the 40-acre site. The Blount County Campus will be home to a two-story, 70,000-square-foot building that can accommodate up to 1,000 students.

The college broke ground on the $22 million state-of-the-art campus in May 2008. Funding for the new site comes from the state, sale of the former campus property and private donations generated through a major gifts campaign by the Pellissippi State Foundation. The goal of the ongoing campaign, Connecting Communities, Changing Lives, is $2 million. Campaign gifts and pledges to date are $1,855,240.

The Blount County Campus is expected to open in time for fall 2010 classes.

The college began offering classes in Blount County in 1985. Pellissippi State currently offers classes at the Blount County Center, which is housed in the former Bungalow Elementary School on Middlesettlements Road in Alcoa. Last fall, 850 students took classes at Blount County Center.

The new Blount County Campus is located at 2731 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway (U.S. Highway 321) in the Friendsville community.

Posted in Blount County, Pellissippi State Foundation | Comments Off

Nurse Aide Training program offered at Pellissippi State

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Tennessee is expected to have the highest nursing shortage in the Southeast by 2020, according to the “Tennessee Nurse,” the official publication of the Tennessee Nurses Association. The shortfall cited at the 2009 Nursing Education Capacity Summit in Baltimore, Md., was a projected 35,000 registered nurses.

The Tennessee Health Care Education Summit in Nashville in June brought together stakeholders from across the state to address Tennessee’s growing nursing and allied health professionals shortage.

Anthony Wise, chief academic officer and vice president of the Learning Division at Pellissippi State Community College, took part in the summit. Pellissippi State is among the colleges and universities working to increase the number of RN and other health-profession graduates.

The institution, in partnership with the American Red Cross, offers a Nurse Aide Training program at the Magnolia Avenue Campus, 1610 E. Magnolia Ave. While many who attend plan to work permanently as a certified nursing assistant, others will use the training and job experience as foundation for an eventual licensed practical nurse or RN position.

In either case, the NAT program helps prepare its graduates for finding employment in the high-demand field of health care. The program is authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and meets all state and federal requirements.

The program offers two scheduling options, depending on the time of year: a four-week day and a seven-week evening curriculum. Instruction in both includes hands-on, real-life experience and thorough training designed to prepare students to take and pass the CNA exam.

The next two sessions—Aug. 31-Oct. 15 and Oct. 21-Dec. 10—are scheduled 5:30-9:30 p.m. Clinicals take place at local nursing facilities for four days, during the hours of 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

To register or request additional information, call the local Red Cross, (865) 584-2999, or visit www.knoxarc.org.

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Pellissippi State’s Pink Panthers row ’n’ raise nearly $4,600 for homeless

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Pellissippi State Community College’s volunteer rowing crew, the Pink Panthers, competed in its first Knoxville Dragon Boat Race on June 27 and raised an impressive amount for charity.

Fifty corporate and community organizations paddled the Tennessee River in 41-foot dragon boats to raise money for Knox Area Rescue Ministries. In its first year at the races, the Pink Panthers raised $4,592. Overall, teams raised $96,000 for KARM.

Pellissippi State’s Pink Panthers team was one of only two all-female rowing groups. The team’s 21 members wore pink Hawaiian leis for the race, and some donned tiaras and sprayed their hair pink.

The Pink Panthers will return, assured one team member.

“We will absolutely participate again next year and may even expand by adding a co-ed team in addition to our all-female Pink Panthers,” said Amanda Walton, who organized the rowing team. Walton coordinates Pellissippi State’s Dual Enrollment program, in which high school students can earn high and school and college credits simultaneously.

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Zoo’s Einstein to perform at Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Many Knoxvillians know of Einstein, the Knoxville Zoo’s African grey parrot and star of “The Bird Show” there. What most likely don’t know is that Einstein blogs.

An excerpt: “Interests—lying on my back and chewing my nails; dancing and singing; imitating my trainers (I love my ladies!); learning new words and sounds, trying for at least two per year.”

Though Einstein is enough of a modern celebrity to have a blog, it will be the fundamentals of performing that are showcased when the 22-year-old bird appears at the sixth annual Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival. Scheduled for Sept. 25 and 26, the festival brings balloonists from across the country to an event that is ranked by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the Top 20 in the Southeast for September 2009.

Making a special appearance at this year’s festival is the Energizer Bunny Hot Hare Balloon, the tallest hot air balloon in the world. Also featured are live music and entertainment, children’s activities, food, arts and crafts vendors and tethered balloon rides (weather permitting). The “balloon glow,” always the most popular activity, lights up the night sky beginning at dusk each evening.

Einstein is well-known in Knoxville. Discovered while living in California, she—yes, Einstein is a female—has been performing with the Knoxville Zoo since the age of 5. When she first began her act, Einstein knew only a few cues; she now has approximately 200 words in her vocabulary.

Einstein has also made a name for herself outside of East Tennessee. She has appeared on Animal Planet’s “Pet Star” and can be viewed on the show’s Web site as one of its “Most Watched Pet Stars.”

As for that blog, Einstein “wrote” about her appearance at last year’s balloon festival: “It was so great to see how many people came to see me.… I almost couldn’t believe it. There were people waiting an hour before I was even supposed to go on just to make sure they had a good spot in the audience.” In other words, arrive early for Einstein’s portion of the show.

Admission to the 2009 Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival is $10 for a vehicle pass, per day. All proceeds support student enrichment opportunities through the Pellissippi State Foundation. Hours for the event, located at 10915 Hardin Valley Road, are 4-9:30 p.m. on Friday and 12-9:30 p.m. on Saturday.

For additional information, visit www.pstcc.edu/balloons or contact event coordinator Pat Myers at (865) 539-7242 or pmyers@pstcc.edu.

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New and potential students invited to free Pellissippi State ‘Study Smart’ workshops

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

You need more than a computer to make good grades in college.

Whether you’re a first-time college student or an adult returning to campus years later, brushing up on your study and organizational skills will make furthering your education a little easier.

Pellissippi State Community College invites you to attend a free “Study Smart” workshop in August. In it, new and potential students will learn how to develop a personal study plan, create a system to retain information, become an active learner, maximize organizational skills and improve academic and classroom study skills.

The workshop will be offered three times: Aug. 4, 12-2 p.m.; Aug. 10, 4-6 p.m.; and Aug. 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Each session takes place in Room 151 of the Alexander Building on the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road. Parking is free.

To make a reservation, contact Gayle Wood at (865) 539-7160 or gwood@pstcc.edu.

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Pellissippi State balloon festival lights Tennessee night sky

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

Imagine a pond surrounded by glowing hot air balloons, set against the nighttime backdrop of an East Tennessee rolling landscape. That’s exactly what spectators will see on September 25 and 26 on the main campus of Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The sixth annual Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival brings balloonists from across the country to participate in the festival, which also features live music and entertainment, children’s activities, food, arts and crafts vendors, and tethered balloon rides.

The “balloon glow,” always the most popular activity, lights up the sky beginning at dusk each evening. The Southeast Tourism Society has ranked the festival as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast for September 2009.

Making a special appearance at this year’s event is the Energizer Bunny Hot Hare Balloon, the tallest hot air balloon in the world. The Hot Hare is touring 20 cities as part of the 20th birthday of the Energizer Bunny.

Admission is $10 for a vehicle pass, per day. All proceeds support student enrichment opportunities through the Pellissippi State Foundation. Festival hours for the event, located at 10915 Hardin Valley Road, are 4-9:30 p.m. on Friday and noon-9:30 on Saturday.

For additional information, visit www.pstcc.edu/balloon or contact event coordinator Pat Myers at (865) 539-7242 or pmyers@pstcc.edu.

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Pellissippi State seeks ’79, ’89, ’99 graduates for reunion

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

Alumni from 1979, 1989 and 1999 are invited back to Pellissippi State Community College for a reunion on Sat., Sept. 26, during the 2009 Pellissippi State Hot Air Balloon Festival.

The class welcome begins at 4 p.m., and a VIP picnic starts at 5. For only $10, participants will enjoy not only the reunion but also special front-row seating for the evening’s entertainment, an event memento and a Saturday vehicle pass.

The balloon festival, the college’s main fundraiser to benefit students, has been named one of the “Top 20 Events in the Southeast for 2009” by the Southeast Tourism Society. The two-day festival features hot air balloons, entertainment, a balloon glow each evening (weather permitting), arts and crafts, children’s activities and a wide variety of food. Hours are 4-9:30 p.m. on Fri., Sept. 25, and noon-9:30 on the 26th.

“We hope many of our former students will take this opportunity to come back to reconnect with old friends and to make some new ones,” said Allen Edwards, Pellissippi State president.

To learn more about the alumni picnic, contact Brooke Cranfield at (865) 539-7275 or log on to www.pstcc.edu/balloons.

Posted in Alumni, Balloon Festival, Pellissippi State Foundation | Comments Off

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