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Nashville State Community College

Upcoming
Fifth Annual Golf Classic of Nashville State Community College Foundation, 11 a.m. registration and lunch followed by tournament shotgun start at noon Monday, Oct. 8, Temple Hills Club, 6376 Temple Road in Franklin. Co-chairpersons are Amy Grant and Vince Gill. 353-3743 or e-mail foundation@nscc.edu. www.nscc.edu/foundation.
—The Tennessean "Business Calendar Website" September 10, 2007

First classes begin at Dickson County Higher Education Center
Savannah Redferrin of Burns couldn't be happier as one of several students in Jon Sloan's history class at the new Dickson County Higher Education Center, which officially opened Monday in Dickson.

The class was the first to convene at the new higher education center.
The center was the dream of Dickson County Mayor Robert Stone when he took office last September. In fact, it was one of his campaign pledges.

Since then, a steering committee of several community educators and leaders appointed by the mayor made the dream of a local college a reality with classes offered through Nashville State Community College and Austin Peay State University.

But that's just the beginning.

The goal, according to the mayor and the steering committee, is to eventually establish a campus instead of the current five classrooms in the Dickson County Board of Education-owned building on McLemore Street.

Officials say it won't be long before the center outgrows its classrooms.

"I'm just overly thrilled," Stone said after the center began classes Monday. "We've been made aware that we're going to have to move from a steering committee to a foundation-type of thing to raise money. We've been made aware that from this early success that probably by spring we're going to outgrow our current location."

Stone said the cost to renovate the five classrooms at the old Oakmont Elementary School for college class purposes was about $7,500.

"This has come from public funds, contributions from the business community of Dickson County and the generosity of private citizens," Stone said. "The board of education owns the building. Management and staff of county government and the school board put in a lot of hours to upgrade it (the building) for this use."

In addition, he said, both colleges contributed $5,000 each to go toward marketing of the new education center.

"I'm very proud to see this building, which once housed grades one through five, become the first college building in Dickson County in almost 100 years," the mayor said Monday.

Redferrin, 18, said a local college has been a long time in coming.

She said she's excited about the opportunity to take classes locally and plans on continuing her education at Trevecca Nazarene University to become a kindergarten teacher.

"I think it's been long needed," she said. "I'm glad that it's finally here. It's definitely going to be an asset to Dickson County."

While the vision began in September, the physical labor and hustle hit the ground running in May, according to Dickson County School Board member Sue Story, Sixth District, who chaired the steering committee.

Monday morning Story stood outside the college and admired the sign donated by local sign maker Charles Hampton and took pictures.

"Isn't it wonderful! It has been a good thing from the start to right now," she said. "One day we're going to have our own campus and we'll have a two- or four-year college in this county."

Story said Hampton also donated the signs inside the facility.

"We've had so much good help," Story said. "I can't begin to tell you how much people have donated and given of their time, their money and their efforts. It's just been a good trip for me."

Now, Story said, fundraisers will begin to help pay for the nearly one dozen laptop computers that recently arrived for a computer class that will begin next week and to raise money for the new campus.

"Now that we've got the college up and running we've got to start raising money to pay our bills," Story said. "That will be our next step."

"I think it's a great thing to have a college here in Dickson for the first time in almost 100 years," Somerville said.

"What an opportunity not only for young people but people of all ages to come to a college that's right on their doorstep and to earn degrees without long commutes and other complications. It's just fabulous."
—Dickson Hearld August 29, 2007

Awards
Andrew Bailey designated a $1,500 award to the Nashville Sate Community College Foundation after being named Volunteer of Distinction at Dell.

—Nashville Business Journal August 2007

Home briefs
College announces horticulture classes
If you love plants, consider registering for a horticulture class at Nashville State Community College.
The fall offerings include Introduction to Horticulture, Arboriculture, Landscape Plant Materials and more. Registration continues through Aug. 27 at the main campus, at 120 White Bridge Road. Classes begin on Aug. 27.
For more information, call Jim Janosky at 353-3348, e-mail jim.janosky@nscc.edu or visit www.nscc.edu.
—The Tennessean August 12, 2007

Nashville State boasts music technology program
Community college makes upgrades to recording equipment, offers students hands-on experience

A recent advertisement released about Nashville State Community College boasts its music program as the city's "best kept secret."
Though maybe a little biased, NSCC music instructor Eric Richardson agrees.
"I'm surprised of how many people enroll in our program and aren't aware we exist," he said.
He said small class sizes Ñ 12 students in labs and 20 students in lecture classes Ñ coupled with affordable tuition, personal attention and hands-on work keep his classes full.
"When you have a smaller class size it is easier to meet someone's specific learning needs," he said.
The department recently made major upgrades to equipment including a new 48-channel analog recording console, digital surround sound mixing room and ProTools HD system.
Student chases his rainbow
Richardson focuses his classroom time on teaching his students how to use the programs rather than spending months on terms.
"In the work place, what you're going be asked to do is work, not rattle off a lot of terms from a textbook," he said.
That is exactly what Zack Martin hopes to accomplish this fall. The incoming freshman is moving from Cape Girardeau, Mo., to earn a certificate from the college in music technology.
"I want to own my own independent record label," he said. "With independent versus major it is easier to do independent and you have more control over what you release and it is more a friendship with the bands instead of business partners."
Colleges near Martin's hometown offered more audio production classes, and he is more interested in the business end of the industry.
Martin said he knew music would be part of his life. He grew up singing Alan Jackson songs.
"My first sentence was 'Chasing that neon rainbow,'" captured on video by his dad, Tony Martin.
"We searched quite a bit, and this seemed the best fit for him," Tony Martin said.
More producing own audio, video
The Martin family drove to Nashville to find Zack an apartment and enroll him in classes.
When students finish the NSCC program, Richardson said most will have the skills to work as an assistant engineer or start their own business.
The school works with serious students to find internships and job possibilities.
"It helps to know someone to try to get in or make your own way," he said. "Knowing someone in the industry is helpful," and Richardson, himself a freelance engineer, knows many on Music Row are looking for interns.
He said many students who complete the music program go on to work in their own basement studios.
"More and more are showing interest in doing their own thing . . . using iTunes, making videos and putting them on YouTube and Myspace," he said. "The industry is changing. Everyone has more freedom on how to be successful."

—The Tennessean August 8, 2007

What's new at school?
Nashville School of the Arts (9-12)
Address: 1250 Foster Ave.
Phone: 291-6600
What's new:
Nashville State Community College opened a branch on the campus about 50 yards away from NSA. "So, this year we will have Dual Enrollment program for about 50-60 seniors to take one or two college classes during the school day for college credit," said Principal Bob Wilson.
Numbers are increasing this year from 640 to 720 to accommodate the increase in applications
—The Tennessean August 3, 2007

Mario Andretti
What: race car driver Mario Andretti to speak at Nashville State Community College.
When: 10 a.m.
Where: NSCC's Clement Auditorium, 120 White Bridge Road.
How: free and open to the public. For details, call 353-3604.
—The Tennessean "Midstate Datebook" June 25-28, 2007

Calendar: This week in Davidson, June 27-July 3
Mario Andretti: The public is invited to hear former Indy car racer Mario Andretti speak to Nashville State Community College engineering students, faculty and staff on June 28. Andretti will talk about his life and about automobile tire safety 10-11 a.m. in the Clement Auditorium. Free. For details, call 343-3743.
—The Tennessean June 27, 2007

BRIEFLY: Andretti to speak at Nashville State
Former Indy car racer Mario Andretti will speak to Nashville State Community College engineering students, faculty and staff on June 28.
Andretti will talk about life experience and automobile tire safety in Clement Auditorium from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The lecture is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Nashville State Community College Foundation office at 343-3743.

—The Tennessean June 27, 2007

Egypt refugee carves out bright future
Glencliff senior praises God for family's blessings

ANTIOCH Ñ The life story of Demiana Abdallah, salutatorian at Glencliff High School, has been one of fear, hope and spiritual endurance.
Demiana and her family fled Egypt, making their way to the U.S. in 1999. The reason, she said, had to do with religious persecution. Demiana and her family are Christians.
My dad came here 15 years ago. He was working two jobs so he could send us money," she said.
When she and the rest of her family came, they first went to New Jersey. Shortly thereafter, they decided to settle in Nashville.
"It's more safe here; it's calm," Demiana said.
Demiana said persecution of Christians is a problem that has really escalated in Egypt in recent years. When her parents were young, "it was bad," she said. "(But) it wasn't that bad back then," she added.
Demiana's story was told in a letter of recommendation by Glencliff guidance counselor Susan Cobb for The Sponsors Scholarship, which Demiana received this year.
Family wanted better life
Instead of focusing on her past, Demiana said she prefers to talk about the positive ways in which God has worked in her life.
"We moved here because of religious freedom, a better education, a better life," Demiana said
When Demiana's family arrived, she was in fifth grade. She knew no English.
In the sixth grade, however, she read 167 books in English.
"That improved my reading," she said. "The more I became fluent in the language, (the more) I wanted to get involved in so many things."
Demiana was president this year of the Glencliff chapter of the National Honor Society and president of the school's 4-H Club last year.
She also served on the Mayor's Youth Council, helping to organize the First Day Festival and the citywide talent show.
While finishing high school, Demiana took evening classes at Nashville State Community College to complete her requirements for college level chemistry and physics.
Demiana initially planned on studying to become a pediatrician, because she wanted to work with children.
"Kids are the most precious gift from God," she said.
—The Tennessean May 26, 2007

First "Middle College" graduates get their degrees' er, diplomas
Many times, Pedro Garcia, director of Metro Schools, has stated that high school reform is one of the biggest areas of focus for him and his district. Yesterday, he saw one more alternative program prove successful.

Teri Huff was one of the first 18 students to graduate from Metro Schools' "Middle College," an alternative high school with a mission to "prepare mature, motivated and responsible students for successful college careers through a challenging curriculum."

"Coming to "Middle College" is just different - being an opinionated person is not a good thing at a high school and at college they expect you to have opinions," Huff said. "Your opinions are valued not only to your classmates, but to your teachers."

The high school completed its first year, housed on the campus of Nashville State Technical Community College on White Bridge Road. There, the students complete their regular high school course work, but also take college level courses that can count for high school credit.

It was a concept developed more than 30 years ago in New York, before Metro Schools' adopted its own version last year - the fifth such venture in Tennessee.

School Principal Ervin Tinnon said it really takes a mature student to go through the program because it is not like a normal high school situation.

"I think this [graduating] class is going to set a tone for everybody else," Tinnon said. "This was a class that when you look at them individually, then look at them as a group they were extremely focused. They were mature. It takes a mature student to operate in this environment."

Most of the graduates said they appreciated a more intimate learning environment, yet managed to stay connected with friends at their zoned high schools.

Marquinn Steven, who plans on attending Tennessee State University after graduation, said he wanted to go through the "Middle College" program because he had already excelled at many of the Advanced Placement classes he took at Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School prior to his senior year.

"Here you get less of the confusion," Steven said."It's more like you have time to get things done because the teachers are one-on-one."

The school currently has about 50 students, serving grades 10 to 12.

Principal Tinnon said although the program is designed for a more mature student, he has also had students who did not complete the program.

"We had a couple of them fail a college class and we had a couple of them to come up short in a high school class," Tinnon said. "The learning lesson behind that is these college professors don't play. You got to be in class and no matter how we feel as parents - welcome to the real world."

Some of the students will continue their college career at Nashville State Tech and others are moving on to area colleges, including Middle Tennessee State University and TSU.

According to Metro Schools' 2007-08 budget projections, the school district is planning to continue the program next year.
—Nashville City Paper May 18, 2007

Education
Nashville State Community College has announced these staff additions:
Stephen Hooks is coordinator of recruitment. Hooks will promote and market enrollment management initiatives, college entrance requirements, ACT testing and other assessments for college admission.
Jenny Newman is coordinator of development. Newman was a fundraiser/event planner with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Justin Maples is an industrial process control technology lab technician at the college's Humphreys County Center for Higher Education in Waverly, Tenn. Maples will write and set up labs for the PTEC courses, a two-year degree program in the Information and Engineering Technology division.
—The Tennessean April 30, 2007