Superior BBQ For A Superior College

A-B Tech faculty and staff enjoyed a feast prepared by Welding Instructor Charlie Farmer and the A-B Tech Cafe july 2. (See also, Campus Connection) Hosted by Instructional Services, the BBQ was in honor of A-B Tech's third Superior rating in a row. Farmer manned the cooker for 24 hours straight. The custom-made cooker was created by Farmer and his students Don Joyner, Clayton Moore, Aurethia Scott, Sam Mabery, Levin Metcalf, Thomas Jones, David Bartholomew, Ernie MacDaniels, Travis Merrill, and Derek Flynn. The four deans, Robert Anderson of Engineering and Applied Technology, Tom Dechant of Arts and Sciences, Ned Fowler of Allied Health and Public Service Education, and Joe Franklin of Business and Hospitality Education were recruited to chop and serve the BBQ.

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For She's A Jolly Good Fellow

Dr. Sharon Morrissey, Vice President of Instructional Services, has been selected by the North Carolina Community College System as one of the first Dallas B. Herring Fellows. Dr. Morrissey attended the Institute for Future Presidents at the W. Dallas Herring Leadership Development Institute in Chapel Hill July 29-Aug. 1. The leadership training is an opportunity for community college presidents and faculty to interact with attendees in seminars and workshops focused on developing presidential leadership skills.

NCCCS President Martin Lancaster wrote that the first five fellows selected were some of the System's "brightest stars."

Dallas B. Herring is considered one of the founding fathers of the Community College System. As chairman of the State Board of Education from 1957-1977, he was instrumental in the development of a statewide system of industrial education centers. These centers were part of a network of technical and vocational institutions for adults and high school students. He was a tireless advocate for the "open door" policy that is now a standard in the Community College System.

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A-B Tech Welcomes New Employee

Scott Douglas has been hired as the Registrar. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a B.A. in College Scholars. He received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.B.A. from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He comes to A-B Tech from Boys, Arnold and Company, where he was the manager of information services.

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Phi Beta Lambda Returns As Winner

Returning victorius from Dallas are (l to r) advisor Kathy Toler, Glenda Pulley, Heidi Metcalf (a professional division member and former A-B Tech student) Amanda Lehman, Josh Shriner, Martha Holland, and Steven Smith.

A-B Tech's Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) students won 12 awards at the Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas, June 28 - July 2. PBL prepares students for careers in business, and its mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.

Students placed second in the Partnership with Business competition. Their project, "Dickens in the Village," gave students the opportunity to network with the Biltmore Village Association in planning the entertainment for the three-day Historic Biltmore Village Christmas festival. Students Josh Shriner, Ty McLean, and Stephen Smith prepared a 30-page report and a 10-minute speech complete with PowerPoint presentation. A-B Tech's PBL has placed nationally in this event for the past 14 years.

Students competing in individual events took the following awards: Sean Pressley, fifth, Telecommunications; Ty McLean, seventh, Job Interview; Kathy Woods, tenth, Computer Concepts; and Josh Shriner, tenth, Java Programming.

The chapter received the prestigious Gold Seal Award of Merit, an award for Local Recruitment of Chapters. Adviser Kathy Toler was recognized as a new inductee of the Advisers' "Wall of Fame." This recognition requires that nominated advisers have 20 or more years of service, have participated on state and national levels by administering competitive events and conducting workshops, and meet other criteria such as receiving the Outstanding Local Adviser Award.

Three students attended the Phi Beta Lambda Institute for Leaders, a specialized leadership development program, and all graduated with honors. Amanda Lehman attended the Principles of OfficerShip Track and Stephen Smith and Glenda Pulley attended the Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Track, where Stephen's group business plan took first place and Glenda's group plan took third place.

Kathy Woods received certification in Microsoft Office Specialist-Access and Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC2) at the conference. Adviser Kathy Toler and A-B Tech Professional Division member Heidi Metcalf served as event administrators.

"Our students were so professional; they attended workshops and presentations and represented our school in an exceptional manner," said Toler. Students also visited the JFK Sixth Floor Museum, the Museum of Art, the Dallas Zoo, and the Aquarium.

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Marveling Over Medical Marvels

Myra Fields, the parent of a Medical Marvels and Public Service summer camper, wrote to Ned Fowler, Dean of Allied Health and Public Service, thanking him and Stacy Lowe, instructor in Medical Imaging and camp coordinator. She writes: "The entire experience was well organized, communication to both participants and parents was excellent, and the activities were a good mixture of learning and fun." The two-week camp consisted of rotations and demonstrations of different Allied Health and Public Service programs on the campus of A-B Tech, along with trips to neighboring medical facilities.

Together We Read

The North Carolina Humanities Council has awarded Together We Read, a program sponsored by A-B Tech and other local agencies, $5,000. The program encourages participants in all 16 counties of Western North Carolina to read a selected book. Last year, over 10,000 people in Buncombe and Madison counties read Wilma Dykeman's "The French Broad." This year's selection is "Brighten the Corner Where You Are," by Fred Chappell, a native of Haywood County.

She Wouldn't Trade Her Space Now

Amy Saunooke, an A-B Tech graduate and instructor at Reynolds High School in Criminal Justice Technology under the Huskins Bill, was featured with her daughter in the June 26 edition of The Asheville Citizen-Times. Her daughter, Lexi, who has recovered from cancer of the pharynx, had her room decorated by television designer and personality Frank Bielec from The Learning Channel's "Trading Spaces." The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western and Central North Carolina arranged for the transformation.

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