Progress Energy Endows Scholarship

Progress Energy's David Phillips and Nancy Thompson presented President Bailey and the A-B Tech Foundation with a $10,000 scholarship check in February. The endowed scholarship will be used to assist students in the fields of math and science.

Culinary Student Receives Scholarship

A-B Tech Culinary Student Ashley Ware, president of the culinary club, member of the regional champion hot food team and a shining example of a good student, was recently awarded a $1,000 James Beard Foundation Scholarship.

Ashley, who works as a sauté line cook at Café Pacific to pay tuition, plans to graduate in August. The 24-year-old, whose family is originally from Asheville, said her goal is to establish herself in a specific cuisine at a large restaurant in a big city. Then she would like to return to Asheville and open her own restaurant.

She said A-B Tech has helped her reach her dreams, especially with the scholarship. "Chef (Sheila) Tillman is really good about hanging up scholarship information. That's how I found out about it." Ashley said the culinary program has more than prepared her for her future as a chef. "You get the theory and technique here. And if you have a dream and a goal they will help you meet that; they are versatile in that way."

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Culinary Program Hosts Competition, Wins Scholarship

The A-B Tech Culinary Program, which hosted the 2003 South Central Jeune Commis (young chefs) Regional Competition Feb. 8, was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the sponsoring group, La Chaine des Rotisseurs.

In A-B Tech's kitchen, competing young chefs were given a mystery basket full of a few key ingredients and orders to prepare a three-course meal to serve four people within a three-hour period.

A recent A-B Tech graduate, Donny Paleno, was this year's silver medal winner and is now eligible to compete at the national level. "We were honored to be able to host this event," says Sheila Tillman, Chairperson of Hospitality Education. "We are truly thankful to have this money for students."

The South Central Region is comprised of six states - Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

This was A-B Tech's first time hosting the event, which has traditionally been held at Johnson and Wales University in Charleston. Tillman said it was a privilege, adding that A-B Tech was invited to host the event by the local Chaine chapter and president Thomas Ruff, Senior Vice President, Biltmore Estate, and Karl Kunisch, president of the South Central Region.

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A-B Tech Students Form Marketing Agency

Three of the nine students, called the Peak Group, chosen to participate in the Honda Element College Program brainstorm for the upcoming marketing campaign. They are Tracey Shoves, Laura Pearson (seated), and Ty McLean.

A-B Tech marketing students are banding together to form their own marketing agency as part of an industry-education program sponsored by Honda. Based on curriculum, Honda picked 28 colleges or universities to participate in its Honda Element College Program and A-B Tech was one of them.

With a $2,500 budget, students will create a working marketing agency, which they have already named - The Peak Group. The group, made up of nine select students, is responsible for researching, implementing and evaluating a promotional campaign for the company.

"This is an excellent opportunity for the students to apply what they learned over the past two years," Marketing Instructor Kathy Toler said.

Students will research an identified target market, design an interactive event, present the plan to Honda, implement their campaign and evaluate its impact on the target market. The students will also deliver a formal agency-style presentation

The marketing curriculum also receives $500 for being chosen. The student agency will be eligible to compete for the Honda Element College Program Scholastic Achievement Award, a national honor that offers a $5,000 scholarship.

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Rachel Tipton, a Tool, Die, and Mold Making student, works with the HAAS CNC (computer numerical control) milling machine. This state-of-the-art machining center manufactures machine parts.

campusconnection

Program: Tool, Die, and Mold Making

Chair: Larry Boyd

Established: 1964

Location: Dogwood

Mission: There are 34 tool shops in Western North Carolina and A-B Tech is the only college to support those tool shops and provide them with toolmakers.

Highlights:

• Every toolmaker in the local area came through this program - the "owners of the shops that make big bucks," Larry Boyd said. These shop owners rely heavily on the hiring advice of Instructors/NC Certified Master Toolmakers Sam Barnes and Clarence Allison.
• An average of two students annually receive "Tools for Success Award" from Miller Brewing Company, which presents them with $3,000 worth of tools.
• Despite the closing plants and a struggling manufacturing base, Boyd said small tool shops are still "going strong."
• A growing trend in the program is the use of CNC (Computer Numerical Control) computerized equipment.

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Tech Talk is published for employees of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College by the Communications Office.

Executive Editor: Mona Cornwell

Managing Editor: Jodi Ford

Send submissions to Mona Cornwell, director of communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu Publication of the next issue is scheduled April 1. The deadline for submissions is March 17.

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