Pellissippi State’s Swing Big tournament: Enjoy a round of golf, support students

Posted on April 23, 2013 by elsimpson

About 5 men practicing their golf swing early on the green golf course

Early May in East Tennessee usually offers perfect golfing weather. It also offers the perfect opportunity to assist area students while enjoying a round of golf.

Pellissippi State Community College’s ninth annual Swing Big for Students Golf Tournament, scheduled for May 7, brings together players united in a friendly game that ultimately benefits students pursuing their education. Registration is open until May 3.

This year, the Swing Big Signature Sponsor is Pilot Travel Centers. And thanks to Hole-in-One sponsors Karen’s Jewelers and Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson, a player who sinks that perfectly timed hole-in-one could walk away with a diamond ring or ride off on a Harley.

The tournament, hosted by the Pellissippi State Foundation, raises money that goes toward programs that directly impact deserving students. Funds have been used not only to provide student scholarships and emergency loans but also to improve facilities and secure new equipment. The tournament has raised more than $114,000 during the past eight years.

A portion of the proceeds from the 2013 tournament will be awarded to a recipient of the Swing Big for Students Scholarship, which was established in 2010 for Pellissippi State students in Exercise Science or Sport Management.

The golf event takes place at Egwani Farms in Rockford, and shotguns are scheduled at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cost is $100 per player or $400 for a four-person team. Entry fee includes 18 holes of golf, cart, driving range, snack, lunch and prizes. In case of inclement weather on May 7, a rain date is scheduled for May 21.

Sponsorship opportunities begin at $150, and a limited number are still available. To learn more about sponsoring, contact Pat Myers, tournament director, at (865) 539-7242 or pmyers@pstcc.edu.

To register, visit www.pstcc.edu/foundation/golf/ for the entry form. Completed forms may be faxed to (865) 539-7241 or mailed to the Pellissippi State Foundation, P.O. Box 22990, Knoxville 37933-0990.

Posted in Community, Pellissippi State Foundation, Sports & Activities | Comments Off

Choral music featured at Pellissippi State’s season-ending free concert

Posted on April 22, 2013 by elsimpson

Rows of choral students in pews at a church stage.

The Music Concert Series presented by Pellissippi State Community College comes to a close for the 2012-13 season on May 2 with an evening of choral music. Free and open to the public, the Spring Choral Concert features performances by the student groups Concert Chorale and Variations Ensemble.

Included in the concert is a multimedia presentation of the Variations Ensemble’s Spring Break 2013 tour in Barcelona, Madrid and Segovia, Spain. As the choir sings, the audience will experience the tour through video and still photography. The concert’s piano accompaniments will be performed on Steinways, in keeping with Pellissippi State’s status as an All Steinway School.

The nine-day Variations tour included concerts in Barcelona at three public schools and in the Sagrada Família, a church designed by famed architect Antoni Gaudí. The choir also sang in such venues as the Segovia Cathedral and the Municipal Auditorium in Madrid. While touring the historic city of Salamanca, the group gave an impromptu concert in the town square as well.

The 2012-13 Pellissippi State Music Concert Series is one component of Pellissippi State’s arts series, “The Arts at Pellissippi State.” The series brings to the community cultural activities ranging from music and theatre to international celebrations, lectures, and the fine arts.

Like all events in the series, admission to the Spring Choral Concert is free. However, donations will be accepted at the door for the Pellissippi State Foundation on behalf of the Music Scholarship Fund.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. in the Clayton Performing Arts Center at the Hardin Valley Campus. Ample free parking is available.

For additional information about the Pellissippi State Music Concert Series or The Arts at Pellissippi State, call (865) 694-6400 or visit www.pstcc.edu/arts.

To request accommodations for a disability, contact the executive director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at (865) 694-6607 or humanresources@pstcc.edu.

Posted in Events, Music, The Arts | Comments Off

Pellissippi State exhibit features art of graphic design students

Posted on April 19, 2013 by elsimpson

wall with framed artwork hanging on it in black frames. There are two younger females at the left side looking and pointing to some artwork.

Andy Warhol is arguably the most famous commercial illustrator-turned-artist. His iconic early images of Campbell’s soup cans and Coca-Cola bottles went on to become some of the most expensive art ever sold.

An upcoming student exhibit at Pellissippi State Community College celebrates the art of commercial design, displaying the real-world artistry behind communication graphics. Scheduled for April 22-May 10, the Communication Graphics Technology Student Design Exhibit is free and open to the public.

Just as Warhol earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design, students displaying their work in the exhibit are pursuing a degree—an Associate of Applied Science in Media Technologies with a concentration in Communication Graphics Technology.

Pellissippi State students who pursue the CGT concentration learn the visual fundamentals and visual/verbal concept developments for application in advertising, graphic design, and illustration. In addition to the CGT concentration, Pellissippi State’s Media Technologies program offers concentrations in Photography, Video Production Technology and Web Technology.

The exhibit is one component of Pellissippi State’s arts series, “The Arts at Pellissippi State.” The series brings to the community cultural activities ranging from music and theatre to international celebrations, lectures, and the fine arts.

The CGT Student Design Exhibit will be on display in the gallery of the Bagwell Center for Media and Art at Pellissippi State’s Hardin Valley Campus. Regular exhibit hours are 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

The community is also invited to the free CGT Student Design Showcase on April 25, 4-8 p.m. During the showcase, Pellissippi State students completing their studies in Communication Graphics Technology display their portfolios for invited industry professionals. The event, also in the Bagwell Center for Media and Art, is like a graduation, celebration and potential job interview all rolled into one evening. Light refreshments will be served. For more information about this event, visit www.pstcc.edu/cgt_showcase/.

For additional information about the CGT Student Design Exhibit or The Arts at Pellissippi State, call (865) 694-6400 or visit www.pstcc.edu/arts.

To request accommodations for a disability, contact the executive director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at (865) 694-6607 or humanresources@pstcc.edu.

Posted in Events, Students, The Arts | Comments Off

May 2013 graduates invited to celebration breakfast

Posted on April 18, 2013 by elsimpson

All Pellissippi State students who are set to graduate next month are invited to celebrate their accomplishments by attending a Graduates’ Breakfast With the President.

Join other graduates and Pellissippi State President L. Anthony Wise Jr. for breakfast refreshments. All breakfasts are 9-10 a.m., and you can choose from the following dates and campus locations:

Wednesday, April 24, Magnolia Avenue Campus, Community Room

Tuesday, April 30, Hardin Valley Campus, Goins Building College Center

Wednesday, May 1, Blount County Campus, Dining Room

Friday, May 3, Division Street Campus, Dining Room

Graduates’ Breakfast With the President is sponsored by the Pellissippi State Alumni Association.

R.S.V.P. to Brooke Pannell, Alumni Relations coordinator, at (865) 539-7275 or alumni@pstcc.edu.

Posted in Alumni, Graduation, President, Students | Comments Off

En garde! Dueling takes center stage in Pellissippi State’s Faculty Lecture Series

Posted on April 11, 2013 by elsimpson

Two men dueling on stage

Charles R. Miller, head of theatrical productions and a Theatre faculty member at Pellissippi State Community College, is throwing down the glove, so to speak. He defies anyone to fail to enjoy his upcoming presentation, “The History of the Duel.”

The lecture, the last in the spring 2013 Faculty Lecture Series, takes place April 23 at 12:30 p.m. in the Clayton Performing Arts Center on the college’s Hardin Valley Campus.

Miller’s lecture encompasses the origin of the duel and how it has changed throughout history. He also covers weapon styles and how they have changed, as well as the reasons duels were fought.

portrait of man with goatee in a dark gray striped shirt.“I will be giving some examples of very unusual duels,” he said, “because, historically, there have been some very odd things that happened.”

Miller will draw on his experience choreographing fights, and he will have support from students and colleagues when they demonstrate duels, weapon styles, and duel etiquette.

Given his background and interests, the duel is a natural lecture topic for Miller. He also says that he felt compelled to present something visual and theatrical after seeing some of the other faculty lectures given this academic year by his peers.

“Everybody has been doing theatrically based lectures—from Tyra Barrett’s ‘Economics: the Musical’ to Keith Norris’ lecture where he had fellow musicians and singers,” Miller said. “I had to try to do something very theatrical.”

As one of the Faculty Lecture Series presentations, the April 23 event is part of The Arts at Pellissippi State series. The series brings to the community cultural activities ranging from music and theatre to international celebrations, lectures, and the fine arts.

For additional information about “The History of the Duel,” call (865) 694-6400. To learn more about The Arts at Pellissippi State, call (865) 694-6400 or visit www.pstcc.edu/arts.

To request accommodations for a disability, contact the executive director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at (865) 694-6607 or humanresources@pstcc.edu.

Posted in Events, Faculty Lecture Series, The Arts | Comments Off

Pellissippi State to confer record number of degrees at May 10 Commencement

Posted on April 10, 2013 by elsimpson

Pellissippi State Community College will once again confer a record number of associate’s degrees when this year’s Commencement program takes place May 10 at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.

The two-year institution will confer 1,393 associate’s degrees during the ceremony. Approximately 938 students also completed certificates during the academic year. In 2012, another graduation record was broken when 1,166 students were awarded associate’s degrees.

Pellissippi State’s Commencement begins at 7 p.m. The Knoxville Civic Coliseum is located at 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave.

For additional information regarding the ceremony or Pellissippi State, call (865) 694-6400 or visit www.pstcc.edu.

Posted in Awards, Commencement, Graduation, Students | Comments Off

Pellissippi State celebrates Earth Day with recycled-art exhibit, festivities

Posted on April 9, 2013 by elsimpson

In celebration of April 22’s Earth Day 2013, Pellissippi State Community College is hosting a unique art exhibit that is available both in an online gallery and in Pellissippi State’s Bagwell Center for Media and Art. All artwork to be on display is crafted entirely from recycled materials.

There will also be Earth Day festivities at the Hardin Valley Campus on April 19. The exhibit and celebration are free and open to the public.

Pellissippi State students will be joined as exhibiting artists by students from the community who take part in the after-school arts programs of the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office.

The CLO works in conjunction with the Arts Academy and The Zone, both of which are funded by the East Tennessee Foundation, to offer after-school programming to local youth. Students explore various art forms, including art, dance, music, theatre and science. The complete exhibit can be viewed online April 15-19, with selected pieces on “traditional” display on campus during the same dates.

The April 19 celebration takes place 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Hardin Valley Thunder, Pellissippi State’s bluegrass ensemble, performs at noon. There will be information tables, light refreshments and a brief Earth Day welcome by L. Anthony Wise Jr., president of the college.

This year marks the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day. It is estimated that more than one billion people will take part in Earth Day 2013 observances and events worldwide.

Founded in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin who was concerned about a massive 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, Calif., Earth Day is celebrated each April. The first Earth Day witnessed more than 20 million Americans staging rallies and demonstrations to encourage environmental awareness and reforms.

The exhibit is viewable online at http://blogs.pstcc.edu/earthdayart2013/ and in the lobby of the Bagwell Center, located on the Hardin Valley Campus. Regular building hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

For information about the art display, email jmbrickey@pstcc.edu. To learn more about other Earth Day activities, call (865) 694-6400. To request accommodations for a disability, contact the executive director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at (865) 694-6607 or humanresources@pstcc.edu.

Posted in Community, Events, Students | Comments Off

Pellissippi State plans ‘Art of Propaganda’ lecture

Posted on April 8, 2013 by elsimpson

Are shopping bags and iconic posters turned Internet pop memes simply entertainment … or are they methods of propaganda?

That’s the question Knoxville-based sculptor and performance artist Caroline Covington will seek to answer during her free, Gnosis-sponsored lecture, “The Art of Propaganda,” at 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 10, in the Goins Building Auditorium.

“It’s an exciting genre because we love it. We love the bright colors and being able to look at an image and know immediately what it is,” said Covington, a 3D studio technician for The University of Tennessee’s School of Art.

According to Covington, popular art and entertainment of today often finds its roots in political propaganda, even in early 20th century Russian and Italian Fascist and Communist art. Take, for example, the “Hope” posters, designed by Shepard Fairey, which became nearly synonymous with President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

“The iconography is very similar to what you would see in Russian poster art: cut and paste design, bold washes of color and simple, concise text. Even if you’re not politically savvy, it doesn’t matter. You can look at the image and immediately get what it’s trying to convey,” said Covington.

Covington said a 2009 advertising campaign by Saks Fifth Avenue used colors and symbols – such as raised fists – to mimic Russian and Italian political propaganda showing women “empowered to shop,” and art by Barbara Kruger is similar, proclaiming slogans such as “I shop therefore I am.”

“Art, at its core, presents the viewer with an image or object to interpret. What may seem simple often reveals several layers of meaning. We may think we’re just looking at a well-designed poster, but after picking apart the references, you see it’s doing another job: it’s selling you on something … it’s an interesting parallel,” Covington said.

The lecture is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Gnosis student club.

Caroline Covington is a sculptor and performance artist living and working in Knoxville. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Rinehart School of Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2012, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture and a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history from the University of Georgia in 2007.

For information about other Gnosis lectures, contact faculty sponsor Annie Gray at ajgray@pstcc.edu or call the College at 865-694-6400.

To request accommodations for a disability, contact the executive director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at 865-694-6607 or humanresources@pstcc.edu.

Posted in Events, Gnosis | Comments Off

Pellissippi State Art instructor named University of Wyoming Visiting Artist

Posted on April 4, 2013 by elsimpson
Two photos together. First is a wall with and orange ties running horizontally towards a window corner looking at trees. Second photo is a male in a black jacket and blue jeans walking along a wall that has cinder blocks next to them.

“Meridian Angle” (cinderblock, spray chalk, welding chalk, roofing felt; 2013); Covenant College Art Gallery, Lookout Mountain, Ga.; photo credit: Jason Kisner

His recent and upcoming travel itinerary includes art installations in Florida, Georgia, New Mexico and Texas. Add a jaunt to Wyoming in April to serve as a Visiting Artist in Foundations for one week at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, and Brian R. Jobe, an Art faculty member at Pellissippi State Community College, is one busy artist.

Jobe is scheduled to speak at UW on April 16. In his talk, he will share with students his approach to art making, his experience working in site-specific environments and his influences. In addition, he will make an outdoor earthworks-based piece on site with the assistance of art students during the week.

In 2010, Jobe served as curator of an exhibit at Pellissippi State that brought the works of Wyoming artists to Tennessee. “Isolation: Industry” featured the art of David Lawrence Jones, Patrick Kikut and Shelby Shadwell, all instructors at UW.

Earlier this year, Jobe’s works were displayed in the Center for Emerging Media at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Ga.

Jobe’s art is not small. He spent two days installing his pieces for the Florida exhibit and four days working on the Georgia installation.

Art piece with various intersecting wooden pieces containing concrete.

“Lifted Jacked” (gravel, wood, cinderblock, cast concrete, steel, packaging foam; 2013); Center for Emerging Media, University of Central Florida, Orlando; photo credit: Brian R. Jobe

“Lifted Jacked,” which was on display in Florida, is a mixed-media piece consisting of gravel, wood, cinderblock, cast concrete, steel and packaging foam that measures approximately 4 x 12 x 20 feet.

Even larger is Jobe’s room-size piece exhibited in Georgia: “Meridian Angle” is roughly 4 x 16 x 32 feet. Also a mixed-media piece, it consists of cinderblock, spray chalk, welding chalk and roofing felt.

Following Jobe’s appearance in Wyoming, he exhibits his work in New Mexico this May. “An Investigation of Extra-Terrestrial Issues for the Uninitiated” is an exhibit at The Cube, a gallery in Roswell that also features the Culture Laboratory Collective, a national artist collective of which Jobe is a member.

September takes Jobe to Texas, where he participates in the group exhibit “TransAMplitude,” at BLUEorange, a contemporary art gallery based in Houston.

Jobe is slated to teach “Survey of Art History II” this summer at Pellissippi State and “Drawing I,” “Three-Dimensional Design,” and “Survey of Art History I” in the fall. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Tennessee and an M.F.A. from the University of Texas at San Antonio. For more information about Jobe, visit his website at brianjobe.com.

The application deadline for Pellissippi State’s summer classes is May 20, and the fall application deadline is Aug. 14. For additional information on Jobe’s classes or any other courses, visit www.pstcc.edu or call (865) 694-6400.

Posted in Awards, Faculty/Staff | Comments Off

Community invited to Pellissippi State’s April 25 Student Design Showcase

Posted on April 3, 2013 by elsimpson

A brunette female showing her portfolio to a man with red hair and glasses in a hallway.

It’s not often that graphic designers get to display their work and potentially receive multiple job offers during one four-hour event at one location.

That’s the scenario at the annual Communication Graphics Technology Student Design Showcase scheduled for April 25 at Pellissippi State Community College. Community members are invited to attend the free event, which showcases the work of Pellissippi State students completing their graphic design coursework this spring.

This year, 22 students present their portfolios for viewing and evaluation by invited area design professionals. Each student has his or her own table display, business cards and resumes for the industry professionals to view.

The event is like a graduation, celebration and potential job interview all rolled into one evening. This year’s theme is “Point to Point.”

The showcase is one component of Pellissippi State’s arts series, “The Arts at Pellissippi State.” The series brings to the community cultural activities ranging from music and theatre to international celebrations, lectures, and the fine arts.

The CGT Student Design Showcase is 4-8 p.m. in the Bagwell Center for Media and Art at Pellissippi State’s Hardin Valley Campus. For more information about the showcase, visit www.pstcc.edu/cgt_showcase.

For additional information about The Arts at Pellissippi State, call (865) 694-6400 or visit www.pstcc.edu/arts. To request accommodations for a disability, contact the executive director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action at (865) 694-6607 or humanresources@pstcc.edu. Requests should be made at least two weeks in advance.

Posted in Events, Students, The Arts | Comments Off