A publication for employees, students, and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Vol. 15 Issue 6June 2009
 

Headlines

A-B Tech Awards 499 Degrees and Diplomas at Spring Commencement

Lanier Cansler gives commencement address

Lanier Cansler, secretary of Health and Human Services for North Carolina, gives the commencement address during A-B Tech's Spring Commencement.

Chris Fay receives Faculty Member of the Year

Dr. Sam Dosumu, Instructional Services vice president, introduces Chris Fay, Criminal Justice Technology Chair, as Faculty Member of the Year.

Darin Jackson receives Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year

Darin Jackson, Emergency Medical Science instructor, is congratulated by Dr. Sam Dosumu, Instructional Services vice president, as Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year.

Graduates celebrate

Graduates were in the mood to celebrate during commencement.

A-B Tech graduates were encouraged to look toward the future and to keep their humor by speaker Lanier Cansler, Secretary of Health and Human Services for the State of North Carolina.

Cansler gave the address during commencement exercises May 15 in the Asheville Civic Center. Four hundred and ninety students received 499 degrees and diplomas during the college's largest spring ceremony.

"Commencement may seem like it's the ending of a time, but it really means the start," Cansler said. Comparing life's choices to a subway station, he told the graduates they were once again on the platform deciding which train to take next.

"You have choices to make, and you've been on that platform before. All of you made decisions and took a train two years ago to get you to this point," Cansler said. "Use the mix of experiences you have to date and the experiences you have from A-B Tech to decide what train to take next."

Outlining five pieces of advice, Cansler persuaded graduates to plan for the future, to keep from living in the past, to not be afraid of change, to keep their humor and to always give something back. "Make decisions, make goals and work to achieve them. Accept the challenge. Live life to the fullest. It is time to pick the train."

Cansler was elected to the N.C House of Representatives for the 51st district in 1994 and was re-elected in 1996, 1998, and 2000. In 2001, he became the deputy secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. In January 2009, he was asked by Gov. Beverly Perdue to join her cabinet as secretary.

Instructional Services Vice President Dr. Sam Dosumu recognized two employees chosen for honors by their peers, Chris Fay and Darin Jackson. Chair of the Criminal Justice Technology program, Fay is the College's Faculty Member of the Year.

"Chris has more than 20 years experience teaching criminal investigations, internal affairs investigations and police leadership and management," Dosumu said. "He has worked in police academies as well as higher education institutions. He is a certified North Carolina police officer and a Law Enforcement certified instructor."

According to Fay's nomination, "He brings a wealth of practical experience combined with wide-ranging academic ability to the classroom. His broad perspective gives our students an excellent overview of the field of Criminal Justice, as well as realistic expectations about career opportunities in this field."

Jackson, who teaches Emergency Medical Science, is Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year. "Students find him easy to connect with. His dean writes, 'When DJ is telling one of his stories, you can bet there will be a crowd of students bunched up laughing and grinning'" Dosumu said.

"Darin is a dedicated instructor and has been known to do more than is required of him. He volunteers for many tasks such as assisting with the EMS Academy recruitment activities, working one-on-one with students who need extra help, giving building tours to prospective students, and much more," Dosumu said.

Graduates List  Photo Gallery

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Tech Talk is published by the Communications Office for employees, students, and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Editor: Mona Cornwell, Writer: Martha Ball, Designers: Justin Page, April Sides
Send submissions to: Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu
Publication of the next issue is scheduled for July 1. Deadline for submissions is June 15.