An ACA 115 student had this to say about A-B Tech in his Educational/Career Plan project: "My experience here at A-B Tech more than anything has given me the opportunity to take the time I've needed to grow into the kind of student I've always wanted to be but never knew I could. The instructors here have been so wonderful about being fair and flexible. I could not be more pleased with the professionalism and talent on the part of A-B Tech employees."
Brenda Causey, Nursing Chair, is A-B Tech's representative for the Associate Degree Nursing Curriculum Project. The curriculum is going from a "content-based" curriculum to a "concept-based" because of changes in the standards for nursing education that became effective in January.
Pat Springer, a Civil Engineering Technology graduate sent a note of appreciation to Brian O'Connor, Civil Engineering/Surveying Technology instructor, for all the help received getting his degree. "I use things I've learned there every day in my job and it has already been worth every minute I spent there. I still have my award-winning mousetrap car and show it off every time I have the chance. I hope you continue to reach people the way I have seen you do it. I try to send people over every day."
Three A-B Tech staff members have had their proposals accepted for presentations at the Compensatory Education state conference Feb. 28 and March 1. Tom Rash, Compensatory Education coordinator, will present "Helping Compensatory Education Students Handle Complex Social Interaction" and Shelley White, Human Resources Development coordinator, and Nancy Troxler, Technical/Industrial Training coordinator, will present "Career College."
A-B Tech was the number four top-performing school in the nation for Ed2Go in December. Congratulations to the Continuing Education Computer and Technology Training Department.
Fran Clark, an A-B Tech student and a Hillcrest Head Start employee, wrote a thank you note after the SGA Children's Holiday Party. "The children were so happy to receive their presents. For some of them, these will be the only gifts that they will receive for Christmas."
Dr. Toby Mapes, Biotechnology chair, was one of 24 people accepted into the American Society for Microbiology BioQUEST Bioinformatics Institute March 8-11 in Washington, D.C. at the ASM headquarters.
Max Queen, vice president of Continuing Education, has been named to a three-year term on the Economic and Workforce Development Committee of the North Carolina Community College System.
Queen will represent the Western region on the committee, which oversees the Continuing Education master course list and advises the system office on economic and workforce development polices and procedures.
Elizabeth Scarbrough, Criminal Justice Technology instructor, was selected by her peers to be a presenter at the Continuing Legal Education Conference for the State Bar of Georgia on Jan. 26 in Atlanta. She presented "Ethics and Professionalism in the Legal Community" to peer prosecutors, as well as criminal defense and other public and private sector attorneys.
Rhonda Dunn, a 1983 A-B Tech Hotel and Restaurant graduate, has opened a restaurant with her family. Riverside Family Grill is located on Long Shoals Road just past the I-26 junction.
A-B Tech Trustee and former Buncombe County Commissioner Doris Giezentanner received the annual King Humanitarian Award at the 26th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast Jan. 13.
Russ Yelton, director of the Small Business Center/Incubator, has been re-elected chair of the Board of Directors for the Mountain South Incubator Alliance. MSIA is a regional organization made of 19 economic development groups from five states to promote the Appalachian Region for business development. The group recently received a $15,000 grant from the USDA to provide training for rural entrepreneurs. This training will include workshops and streaming video from the MSIA website, which will be functional by June.
Tech Talk is published by the Communications Office for employees and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Editor: Mona Cornwell, Writer: Martha Ball, Designer: April Sides
Send submissions to: Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu