Welding Students Create Memorial Arch for Mars Hill
Welding Technology Students Kallen Dehart, left, and Jonathan Griswold create pieces for the scrollwork on the top of the Mars Hill College Memorial Arch under the supervision of Charlie Farmer, Welding Technology instructor.
Students in Charlie Farmer's summer welding class already have a large project on their hands. They are creating a memorial arch for Mars Hill College to stretch across the street near Owen Hall on campus.
"This is decorative work and it's a very large project," said Farmer, welding instructor. "I'm going to have eight students working on it at one time or another."
The students have finished the scrollwork that sits on top of the arch and started assembling the arch at the end of May. "To fabricate it here in the shop, it's going to take about a week and a half," said Farmer. That amounts to three long classes and 16 hours.
The students are also learning some surveying skills because the pieces in the arch have to be laid out in degrees, according to Farmer.
Mars Hill College has had a memorial arch before. It was erected in 1906 for the 50th anniversary of the college, and has long since rusted away. "We are doing a historical recreation for the 150th anniversary," said Farmer, who also happens to be a 1969 alumnus of Mars Hill. "The current head of the alumni association was the first guy I met when I stepped foot on campus. He asked me if I wanted to do this project for the college."
Haverly Memorial Tree
Faculty and staff gather to remember Basic Skills Assessment/ Retention Specialist employee Gail Haverly, who passed away in June 2004. A tree was planted in front of the Pines Building in her memory. Gail started working at the college in 1998.
150 Attend Business Computer Technologies Showcase
Digital Media Technology student Richard Kimbley demonstrates his project to Rick Purcell of Public Consulting Group. Purcell came to the showcase to interview potential employees.
Student capstone projects were on display during the inaugural Business Computer Technologies Showcase May 9 in the Balsam Technology Center. Majors represented were Computer Programming, Digital Media Technology and Information Systems.
"We had very positive feedback from the students that participated," said Pam Silvers, Business Computer Technologies chair. "This was a really good chance for them to talk about what they had learned in the career. It also prepares them to go to interviews and talk about their skills." It was estimated 150 people attended the showcase.
"The students worked very hard on their capstones and had a chance to show them," she said. "We told them at beginning of semester they would be doing it and it gave them a sense of added pride knowing they would show it to other people."
A potential employer even scheduled interviews that day and has called students back for second interviews. "Employers who came were very positive about what students had done," Silvers said. "The A-B Tech community said it was nice to see what our students could do, and first-year students also came and said it was exciting to see where they would be when they finished."
Due to the success of the presentation, this is going to be an annual event for graduating students. "It was something we had talked about," Silvers said. "UNCA had something similar and we thought we should have one. Next year we are considering having attendees vote and give an award for the best presentation."
Continuing Education's Career College Celebrates Kickoff
Don Kent, Plant Operations coordinator, discusses the responsibilities of a custodial maintenance technician with area high school students during Career College kickoff May 5.
A-B Tech's Continuing Education Division hosted a Career College kickoff for high school students May 5 on the Asheville campus.
Career College is a new program designed for high students who graduate with an Occupational Course of Study diploma to transition into additional vocational training at the college level. It was created through A-B Tech in cooperation with the transition coordinators from Asheville City and Buncombe County schools and Vocational Rehabilitation.
About 80 students from area high schools attended a brief information session, and then went on a tour of the A-B Tech campus to see the four programs of study available in Career College.
The students seemed very interested during the sessions," said Shelley White, Human Resources Development coordinator. "They asked questions and were able to do some hands-on participation. They were able to really see what working in that type of career involved."
Programs initially offered will be electrician's helper, facility maintenance assistant, masonry helper and custodial maintenance technician. "All four of these areas have a very high employment rate and will continue to have a high rate in North Carolina," said Nancy Troxler, coordinator of Technical and Industrial Training. "The wages are much higher than what these students would be able to earn with just a high school diploma."
Career College is planned to start in late August as a one-semester program. Students will attend three days a week in the late afternoon or evening.