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NUMBeRS TO NURSINg Welding VeTeN Chance SECOND ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN TECHNICAL COLLEGE MAGAZINE | FALL GUIDE 2017 BReaKINg gROUNd
numBers to nursing
WeldingVeteran
ChanceSECOND
ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN TECHNICAL COLLEGE MAGAZINE | FALL GUIDE 2017
Breaking ground
“Orangeburg and Calhouncounties are on the verge ofunprecedented economicgrowth. Volvo’s presence inBerkeley County will drivethe development ofautomotive suppliers in ourarea. The latestannouncement of Wanli Tirecoming to OrangeburgCounty is just the tip of theiceberg. It’s been projectedthat nearly 10,000 new jobscould come to the region overthe next five years. Thosejobs will be not only in themanufacturing sector – wewill see tremendous growthin education, healthcare, lawenforcement, business,logistics and other careerfields as a result of aerospaceand automotive companiesand their correspondingsupplier network makingtheir home in this region ofSouth Carolina. OCtech isTHE place to get ready forthose jobs.” Dr. Walt Tobin, President of OCtech
ANNUAL TUITION COMPARISON
$ave money by starting here$11,525
$4,250$1,970
SEE HOW YOUCAN SAVE EVEN
MORE MONEY AT OCTECH WITH LOTTERY
TUITION ASSISTANCE
OCtech2016
-201
7 average for 4-year S.C. public institutions
Source: S.C. Commission on Higher Education
2017
-201
8
imPortant datesAUGUST 7fall tuition and fees due by 5pm (to avoid the $50 late fee)
AUGUST 15fall orientation tuition deadline
AUGUST 21fall classes and mini session I begin
SEPTEMBER 18mini session II begins
OCTOBER 16mini session III begins
OCTOBER 23advisement and registration begin for spring 2018
orangeburg-Calhoun technical Collegeis committed to getting you on the fasttrack into school and on to a great
career! our new Fast track is designed to meetyour individual educational needs while savingyou valuable time when you need it most.Whether you’re on your lunch break or headingto or from work, our staff is available to quicklyand efficiently assist you so that you can beginyour academic journey today.
We would love for you to tour our campus,but we understand your schedule may not allowfor that. That’s why we’re bringing the tour toyou! Just follow the signs on campus and park inthe designated spaces in front of the Patrickstudent services Building, in the circle aroundthe fountain. as you walk into the building’satrium, you will be greeted by just some of thetechnology used to assist you in your learning atoCtech. From kuKA robots to healthcaremanikins and the new zspace all-in-one mixedreality computer stations, we offer state-of-the-artlearning close to home.
START NOW and be ready for thethousands of new jobs coming to our region.scholarships are available in select programs –you could attend college at little or no cost to you.explore your options and enjoy the career you’vealways wanted.
We look forward to seeing you on campus!
CONTACT Admissions803.535.1234 | [email protected]
get set for a great career
ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN
TECHNICAL COLLEGE
FROM COLLEGE TO CAREER
Jeff lamb is a huge proponent oftechnical colleges. He and his wife,gina, are both graduates oforangeburg-Calhoun technical
College.“We got our associate in arts degrees
on the same day,” said Jeff, director ofmaterials management at Zeus. “i thinkmost kids should go to a communitycollege before going to a four-year school.Community colleges do an unbelievablejob, and it’s a shame more people don’tuse them. i don’t get spending $40,000 tosit in a class to learn english 101. iunderstand when you get to your majorclasses, but not for freshman year, not foryour non-major classes.”
Jeff – a new Jersey native who grew up
in Virginia and lives with his wife andthree children in lexington – said hejoined the army straight out of highschool to get money for college. Fouryears later, he left the military and startedworking in inventory control andmanagement at mickey’s of Hollywood inthe former disney-mgm studios ThemePark (now disney’s Hollywood studios).
“i actually started there the summerthey opened,” he said. “i worked there forfour years and went to ValenciaCommunity College in orlando as timepermitted. When i got a sales job at Zeus,my wife and i moved and we immediatelystarted looking at community colleges inthe area. oCtech took a lot of my creditsfrom Valencia, and i got my associate
degree from there in about a year.”after completing his studies at
oCtech in 1998, Jeff went on to earn abachelor’s degree in business fromsouthern Wesleyan university and aprofessional mBa from the university ofsouth Carolina. meanwhile, gina earneda bachelor’s degree in elementaryeducation from south Carolina stateuniversity and her master’s in educationfrom Cambridge College. she taughtfourth and sixth grade in lexingtonschool district 4 for several years beforetheir children were born.
Jeff said he knows what it’s like to be aworking professional going to school – heearned all of his degrees at night whileemployed full-time.
Beginning in fall 2017, students will have the opportunity to earn an Associate in Applied Science in Business Administration with a concentration in EnterpriseManagement. This degree will take the place of our General Business program and includes courses that provide the skills needed to manage operations in any industry, especially in a manufacturing environment. Courses offered include Decision Support Systems (ERP systems), Supply Chain Management,
Logistics, Operations Management and Project Management. Students may start the program in any semester and take advantage of OCtech’s Evening College.Flexible courses are designed for working students, and many courses – including general education requirements – are offered online. An Accounting
concentration is also available. Transfer opportunities are available with Claflin University, Columbia College, South Carolina State University and The Citadel.
eVening CollegeZeus manager Credits night Courses with success
“When i was 21, i made a big mistake and went to prison. i came home,got married, had a son, and from the time i got home to the time i had
my son, i worked five different jobs. i didn’t have any direction for whati wanted to do, so i decided to go to truck driving school. oCtech’s
Professional truck driver training program helped me get more thanjust a job – it gave me a new outlook on life. ms. Cindy strother was
more of a mother figure than an instructor. if she saw you gettingfrustrated, she gave you a moment to get yourself right and then
encouraged you to try again. she taught me how to drive a truck andhow to be a better person. today, i own my own truck – a 1996
international that i paid $8,500 for – and drive as an owner-operatorwith alabama Carriers. i go where i want to go, and i get 77% of the
money made on a haul. truck driving isn’t for everybody. it’s more thansitting in a truck and holding the wheel. You’ve got to drive for the car in
front of you, beside you, behind you, and coming off the on ramp. it’s stressful and there are long days, but i would recommend it to this
day. my bills are paid for and i can give back to my family. going tooCtech was the best decision i could have ever made.”
damien daVenPortProfessional Truck Driver Training
CONTACT Debra JonesBusiness Program Coordinator803.535.1316 | [email protected]
“i would invite anyone working to lookat oCtech’s night program and map it out,”he said. “There are a lot of good options,and the professors often understand whatit’s like to be a night student.”
in addition to working full-time at Zeusfor more than 23 years – he was promotedto his current position 15 years ago – Jeffteaches business classes as an adjunct atoCtech. This fall, he will be teachingsupply Chain management andoperations management.
“at Zeus, i’m in charge of most of thesupply chain,” he said. “it’s mainly shippingand inventory. We have a productdefinition department that i’m in charge of– they basically design our parts. over thelast five years, part of my job hastransitioned into business analytics. Weuse programs to get large volumes of dataout to help us make decisions.”
“i’d always been interested in teaching,”Jeff said. “i understand what it’s like to be astudent trying to get your degree whileworking full-time, and i wanted to giveback. i taught for a few years, but when mysecond daughter was born, i gave it up. acouple of years ago, i ran into (BusinessProgram Coordinator) debra Jones, andshe said to call her if i ever wanted to teachagain. my children were a bit older then, soi talked with my wife about it and decidedto start teaching again.”
Jeff said while he chose to earn all of hisdegrees in face-to-face night classes, thereare many options – including onlinecourses and degree programs – available toworking students.
“i could have earned my whole PmBawithout ever setting foot in a classroom,but i was never a good online student. ineeded to sit in front of a professor, hear a
lecture and see them do a problem on theboard. i needed to be able to interact andask questions,” he said. “oCtech’s Businessprogram does a great job with hybridclasses. They’re cutting class time downwhile increasing the online component.students get the best of both worlds. Theygo to campus, sit in on a lecture, ask theinstructor questions, get caught up onwhere they’re supposed to be and then dosome online work so they don’t have to sitin a classroom from 6 to 9.”
“one of the very first things i tell mystudents is i’ve been where they are,” Jeffsaid. “i did not go to a traditional college. idid not go to a traditional mBa program.it can be done – it just takes drive anddetermination and doing the work.”
OCtech’s Professional Truck Driver Training students are now eligible to receivefederal and state financial aid. Eligibility for federal aid – including Pell Grants,
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and student loans – and SC Need-based Grants is determined by the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Students are also
encouraged to apply for OCtech Foundation scholarships.
Veterans, their spouses and legal dependents, and individuals who are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces
may be eligible for additional financial assistance.
CONTACT Amanda Eisman-LindsayProfessional Truck Driver Training Program Coordinator
803.535.1386 | [email protected]
damian Jones had a successful careeras a certified public accountant. a2011 graduate of the university of
south Carolina, he landed internships and ajob with the largest accounting firm in theworld, deloitte, in los angeles and sanFrancisco before moving back to greenvilleto work for regional accounting firm elliottdavis.
But something was missing in damian’slife.
“even though i was making good moneyand had great coworkers, i wantedsomething more,” he said. “i have alwaysbeen a people person. my aunt had recentlybecome a licensed practical nurse and toldme i should think about nursing school. so i
researched it and reached out to friends whoare nurses, and they all told me how muchthey loved their job and how they wouldn’ttrade it for the world. i loved that there wereso many opportunities in the field.”
“it took me a whole year to decide toreturn to school,” damian said.
after resigning from his position withelliott davis, the oldest of six childrenmoved back to his mother’s house inBamberg and started classes at oCtech. inmay, damian graduated from the associatedegree nursing program.
“it took a lot for me to move back home,but it was the best decision i ever made,” hesaid. “at first, i was going to do the Practicalnursing program. i didn’t want to do the
adn program because i didn’t think i wasgoing to be able to afford it. i met one of mybest friends (fellow adn graduate)samantha Whittle in our first biology class,and she’s the one who told me, ‘You need togo into the adn program.’ my biologyinstructor, ms. mary Pittman, alsoencouraged me to do the adn program. Buti still wasn’t sure.”
after meeting with retired adn ProgramCoordinator Connie Varn – who agreedthat’s where damian belonged – he took theplunge, all the while watching his bankaccount drain and maxing out his creditcards. He said oCtech Foundationscholarships and support from his familywere instrumental in his success.
graduate follows his passion from CPA to RNnumbers to nursing
CONTACT Candance TooleyDean of Nursing & Health Science803.535.1340 | [email protected] average annual salary for registered nurses in S.C. in 2016 was $60,980, according to careerinfonet.org.
TRANSFER SEAMLESSLY TO CHARLESTON SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY, CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA-UPSTATE OR USC’S PALMETTO COLLEGE. RN to BSN
sHariCKA taYlorPractical Nursing“i’ve always wanted to be a nurse and to help people. my mom really wanted me to be ateacher and i didn’t want to let her down, so i went to Claflin university and graduatedwith a degree in early childhood education. But i didn’t love teaching, and life is tooshort not to do something that you love. so i immediately came to oCtech. i love thePractical nursing program. The instructors are so helpful. They are available 24/7 andrespond to emails very quickly. There are study tools and resources available to help youdo your best. and the clinicals are informative and rewarding. i believe everythinghappens for a reason, and the skills i gained as a student at Claflin have helped me besuccessful at oCtech. if you love helping people and have a passion for it – and youwant to be in a program that’s going to prepare you to be not just a nurse, but a great,competent nurse – then you belong in the Pn program at oCtech.”
“looking back and seeing where i amtoday, it was all worth it,” he said.
a week after graduation, damian passedthe nCleX – the nursing licensure exam –and he has started two new jobs. He worksfull-time in dialysis with Fresenius inorangeburg and part-time at the inpatientrehabilitation facility Waypoint recoveryCenter in Cameron, which opened its doorsthis summer.
“i like the fact that there are so manydifferent areas of nursing you can work in,”he said of his new career. “if i don’t want todo one kind of nursing any more, i canswitch it up and try something else.”
damian said he has always had a lot ofrespect for the nursing profession.
“i remember how the nurses took suchgood care of my granddad in the nursinghome, before he passed away,” he said. “iremember thinking, ‘You know, they reallyimpact someone’s life.’ Just being there andtaking care of someone when they’re sick,that’s special. i think that’s what really drewme to it.”
However, there were moments of self-doubt that threatened to derail his newcareer before it even started.
“There were times when i would think,‘am i doing the right thing? is it worth it toleave a good-paying job and go back toschool?’ But now, i don’t regret my decisionat all,” damian said. “if you want to be a greatnurse, come to oCtech. i’m not saying it’seasy, because it’s not. You’re going to workhard, but you’re going to learn so much. Thefaculty is amazing, and i met so many peoplein the program who have become greatfriends. That has been a blessing.”
“in life, i think everyone should questiontheir happiness,” he said. “Question yourselfand question your happiness, because ifyou’re doing something you’re notnecessarily happy doing, then it’s time totake that leap of faith.”
Breakingground
This summer, the college will beginconstruction of its new 30,000 squarefoot Nursing and Health Science building.This state-of-the-art facility will feature alarge tiered classroom, computer lab,study rooms, skills practice lab andsimulation labs with the latest technologyto prepare students for successfulcareers as healthcare professionals.
nursing+Health science Building
eric Carn’s first stop on the road to
becoming a game warden was oCtech.
The st. george native earned his
associate degree in applied science
in Criminal Justice in may.
“i love my community and want to
make it a better place,” eric said.
“oCtech’s Criminal Justice program is
great. i like that it’s hands-on and you
learn so much about law enforcement.
my trio counselors pushed me hard
to get good grades. They expect a lot
out of you and want you to do well.”
eric will transfer to south Carolina
state university in the fall to get his
bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
From there, he hopes to get a job as a
south Carolina department of natural
resources law enforcement officer and
eventually become a certified personal
trainer, as well.
“i enjoy hunting and fishing and
just being outdoors,” eric said. “my
cousin, Jeffrey Brown, is a game
warden and started at oCtech before
going to Claflin university. He told me
how good the college’s Criminal
Justice program was.”
eric said he always enjoyed the
stories his cousin would share about
being a game warden and the ins and
outs of the job.“He said it’s a fun job, but it has its
challenges,” eric said. “You have to be
able to handle the wildlife and nature
side of it and also the law enforcement
side of it. But i’m ready for the
challenge. i think it will be a great
career for me.”
Criminal Justice graduateplans to help his community
TRANSFER SEAMLESSLY TO CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY, COLUMBIA COLLEGE,
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH
CAROLINA, USC’S PALMETTO COLLEGE, USC-UPSTATE OR THE CITADEL.
CRIMINAL JUSTICEBACHELOR OF ARTS
CONTACT Williette Waring-Berry
Dean of Business, Education & Pub
lic Service
803.535.1389 | [email protected]
u
Do you want a career where you can make a difference?
Our Criminal Justice program will gi
ve you the knowledge and skills nee
ded to serve your
community as a law enforcement of
ficer, youth services officer, probati
on and parole officer,
and more on the local, state and fed
eral government level or in the priva
te sector.
The average annual salary for sherif
f’s deputies in S.C. in 2016 was $39
,610, according to
careerinfonet.org.
Join the force right out of OCtech or
transfer to earn your bachelor’s de
gree.
Certificates are also available in For
ensics and Security.
Veterans looking for a solid careermove should consider welding, larryosborne said. The adjunct weldinginstructor and lab assistant shouldknow – he did just that.
after graduating from edisto Highschool, larry served in the u.s. armyfrom 1993 to 1996. He did basicparatrooper training at the airborneschool in Fort Benning, ga., but gotinjured after a few jumps and wasdischarged.
“it took a while for me to come back toschool,” he said. “i bounced around fromjob to job.”
larry started oCtech in 2013 underthe u.s. department of Veteran affairs’Vocational rehabilitation andemployment program designed to helpveterans with job training andemployment.
“i was here for almost three years
accumulating credits, taking 17 credithours a semester,” he said. “i got mycertificates for welding and an industrialmaintenance associate degree.”
With his degree in hand, larry went towork in greenville. a few months later,Program Coordinator Jimmie Johnsonasked him to help teach welding atoCtech.
“For three years, i had Jimmie rightthere teaching me the way he wants itdone,” larry said. “Welding and teachingwelding is all i want to do now. i havefound what i love.”
larry is only two classes away fromgetting a second associate degree inmechatronics.
According to careerinfonet.org, the average annual salary for S.C. welders in 2016 was $38,330.
CERTIFICATESn Basic Weldingn Intermediate WeldingnWelding Fundamentals
ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN APPLIED SCIENCE/GENERAL TECHNOLOGYnWelding and Industrial Maintenance
CONTACT Jimmie Johnson, Welding Program Coordinator | 803.535.1299 | [email protected]
“Welding is a goodoption for veterans.Most veterans can usethe skills andknowledge they havegained for welding. Ittakes discipline, andit’s a good curriculumto get into. There are a lot of jobs andopportunities outthere for welders.”Larry Osborne
octechsc/Veteran Welder
WORK INn Energy Productionn Transportationn Construction n Manufacturingn Engineeringn Educationn Military
Welding Veteran
Alice and he
daughterMorgan
Chancein march 2012, alice Houser faced
perhaps the darkest chapter of herlife. The mother of two was
diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer.“i am not supposed to be here,” she
said. “They gave me a less than 17 percentchance to live five years, so this is a bigaccomplishment in a lot of ways.”
alice, wife of orangeburg municipaljudge Barney Houser, graduated in maywith an associate in arts degree fromoCtech. she completed more than 70credit hours online as a way to keep hermind intact when it felt like her life wasfalling apart.
“my family would look at me like i wascrazy,” she said. “in my brain, i was talkingto them, but my mind and my mouthweren’t connecting. i couldn’t even count.nothing was making sense.”
a long-time substitute teacher atorangeburg Preparatory schools anddriver’s education instructor, alice tookthe advice of her psychologist to return toschool to exercise her brain and regain asense of normalcy.
“i started taking classes in fall 2014 tohelp with my cognitive skills,” she said. “iremember sitting in the oCtechadmission’s office, and i had convincedmyself i couldn’t do this. i was too old. mybrain didn't work. i would fail the entrancetests and not be admitted, and then iwould be humiliated.”
alice credits her friend Faith mcCurry,dean of marketing and development at thecollege, with giving her the final push sheneeded to apply that day.
“she sat down with me and told mehow much i had helped my formerstudents, including her children,” alicesaid. “she kept saying, ‘You can do this!’ ifit hadn't been for her, i would have gottenup and left, never knowing what i couldaccomplish.”
also helping her along the way were
instructors like Janice Brunson, whoteaches math at oCtech.
“she was just wonderful,” alice said. “iwould call her up and say, ‘i don’t think ican do this,’ and she would say, ‘Just takeyour time.’ i never planned on getting adegree or anything. But i startedaccumulating credits, and tracy dibble –director of counseling and services forstudents with disabilities – said, ‘You mayas well get a degree.’ and here i am.”
alice has been in remission sinceoctober 2013. in the months and yearsfollowing her diagnosis, she has helpedothers struggling with similar diagnosesby sharing her personal trials andtriumphs.
“i have been mentoring cancer patientsever since i was diagnosed,” she said. “Thistime last year, my best friend – who wasdiagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer thesame time i was diagnosed – passed away.i had been with her for the last two years,helping her and her family. she told me,‘You really need to get this degree andshow people that anybody can do this.’That kind of reinforced to me what ineeded to do.”
This fall, alice will continue hereducation at the university of southCarolina, where she plans to major inhuman services and health promotion andminor in psychology and sociology. shewould like to continue helping peoplestruggling to make sense of theuncertainties of life.
“i really want people to know thatcancer doesn’t define you. it doesn’t definewho you are and who you will be,” shesaid. “god put me here for a reason. if mytalking about cancer helps other people,then that’s what i aspire to do.”
not only did alice find a renewedpurpose through her life-changing illness.upon returning home to help care for hermother, morgan Houser left her job as a
quality assurance chemist in Charlestonand found herself back in school atoCtech.
“my mom getting sick kind of openedmy eyes to what i really wanted to do –nursing,” morgan said. “my experience inthe associate degree nursing programwas great. everyone is so close-knit andalways willing to help. it’s like a family, acommunity.”
after completing the adn program in2014, morgan began working at themedical university of south Carolina. sheearned a bachelor’s degree in nursing fromusC-upstate and will begin workingtoward her doctorate in nursing this fall.
morgan said she is proud of hermother’s academic achievement. not onlydid alice earn a degree – she was alsonamed the top honor graduate for thedivision of arts and science at the maygraduation ceremony.
“she set her mind to it when she didn’tthink she was going to be able to carry onconversations with us,” morgan said.“seeing her graduate is pretty amazing.”
alice said she has always promotedoCtech to the students at oP – and iseven more adamant about it today.
“i tell them to go to oCtech first andfind out what they really want to do, andthen go to a four-year college if they feellike they need to further their education,”she said. “many students, like morgan,have a four-year degree and are going backto oCtech because they can’t find a job orfor whatever reason. everyone at thecollege is just so wonderful and willing tohelp you succeed.”
Mom finds a renewed purpose after her battle with cancer
SECOND
e r r,n
“”
I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH
GOOD THINGS ABOUT OCTECH.
katherine king, valedictorian of Hunter-kinard-tylerHigh school’s Class of 2017, said choosing oCtech justmade sense to her.
“it’s close to home, and i didn’t want to spend a whole lot ofmoney going to a university," she said. “student loan debt is nojoke, and oCtech is an excellent school. i have heard a lot of greatthings about the nursing program. it’s top-notch.”
katherine will begin the associate degree nursing Prepprogram in the fall to complete the general education coursesneeded to apply to the college’s adn program. Her mother is anurse, but that doesn’t mean katherine always wanted to be one.
“i wanted to do something with english or writing, maybebecome an english teacher,” she said. “But then i went to Copearea Career Center, and i just fell in love with the way (Healthscience technology instructor) ms. teresa Huber taught us. shetaught me to care about people, and i learned so much about thehuman body. it became something that really interested me.”
Thanks to the training she received at CaCC, katherinebecame a certified nursing assistant in June and is now in theprocess of finding a job in her field so that she can earn moneywhile going to school.
“i do enjoy helping the elderly,” she said. “However, i think iwould like to work in a hospital, possibly in a trauma unit,because it would never get boring!”
“From what i’ve learned, nurses and Cnas are the backboneof any healthcare facility,” katherine said. “seeing my motherwork as a nurse in different settings throughout the years hasbeen such an inspiration to me. she is who i look up to and striveto be like as i make my way to a career in nursing.”
middle College
PatHWaYs
decisionWise
OCtech’s Middle CollegeCareer Pathways will getyou in a solid career in
just two years or less afterhigh school graduation!
Great careers are waitingin healthcare, advancedmanufacturing, business,criminal justice and more.
Talk to your guidancecounselor about how to
get on track today.
robert tanner Hallman ofspringfield celebrated twograduations this year. on may15, the homeschooler officiallycompleted high school. The nextday – may 16 – he received anassociate degree in electronicinstrumentation technology.
“Homeschooling gave me theopportunity to work at my ownpace, so i was able to get ahead ofthe traditional schedule,” tannersaid. “i attended somehomeschool co-ops in Columbiaand lexington in high schoolbefore attending oCtech. mydad, who is an advisor for theeit program and a 1987graduate of this program,suggested it would be a goodintroduction to the engineeringfield.”
The first college coursetanner took was History 101 thesummer after his sophomoreyear, mom denise Hallman said.This allowed him to ease into adifferent learning environment.
tanner made the President’slist every semester except one –he was on the dean’s list thatsemester – and was inductedinto the college’s alpha alphadelta Chapter of Phi Thetakappa international Honorsociety last year. This spring, he
was named to the southCarolina technical Collegesystem’s Phi Theta kappa all-state academic team.
not only does tanner excelacademically – the 18-year-old isalso an eagle scout who servesas pianist at Pleasant Hill BaptistChurch and teaches piano.
“He’s self-motivated,” denisesaid. “most subjects come easyfor him, but he does work hard
when he needs to and knowswhat he has to do to do well in aclass.”
in august, tanner will beginthe electrical engineeringprogram at Clemson university.He said the eit program hasprepared him well for his futureacademic pursuits.
“The instructors areincredible. everyone wants youto succeed,” he said. “i was
fortunate to be able to attendoCtech as a middle Collegestudent and earn an associatedegree. i’ve made many life-longfriends.”
“i hope Clemson has thesame kind of welcoming andencouraging atmosphere asoCtech,” tanner said. “This wasthe best route for me tocomplete my high schoolstudies.”
Double AchievementHigh school diploma & College degree
CONTACT Deborah Cooper-DavisMiddle College Director803.535.1409 | [email protected]
CONTACT Richard MurphyDean of Computer, Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing 803.535.1300 | [email protected]
octechsc/Double GraduateTRANSFER SEAMLESSLY TO COLUMBIA COLLEGE, SOUTH CAROLINA STATEUNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA’S PALMETTO COLLEGE.Bachelor of Science
For 13 years, andi odumworked as an emt andparamedic in new mexico,Virginia and, most recently,Calhoun County. in august –after graduation and once shepasses the licensure exam – shewill become a respiratorytherapist.
“i always knew i was goingback to school,” andi said.“initially, i thought i was goingto go to nursing school, but iworked in emergency rooms as a
second job for a long time and ijust felt like nursing wasn’t whati really wanted to do after all. ihave always loved respiratoryand cardiac care, and after seeingrespiratory therapists at work inthe hospital, i decided that’s thefield i wanted to get into.”
andi said the mobilityrespiratory therapists enjoy inthe workplace was a big decidingfactor for her.
“if you’re a nurse and you’rein the er, you’re in the er. if
you’re a nurse and you’re in theiCu, you’re in the iCu,” she said.“You can always transfer units,but that’s the only way you cango from one area to the next.With respiratory therapy, youmight be in med-surg one dayand the next day, you’re in theneuro or cardiac unit. it’s not thesame thing every time you go towork. There’s a lot of varietyfrom day to day. Being aparamedic is like that – younever know what kind of call
you’re going to have. i think it’s asmoother transition torespiratory than it would havebeen to nursing.”
andi said oCtech’srespiratory Care instructorsgive students the tools they needto do their best in the field.
“They have a lot ofexperience, and they work hardfor the students,” she said.“(Program Coordinator) ms.amanda Coffey stresses theimportance of us gettinginvolved in professionalorganizations like the americanassociation for respiratory Careand south Carolina respiratoryCare society. she sees where thefuture of respiratory care isgoing and works to keep herlessons relevant and up-to-date.”
This summer, andi isinterning at Palmetto richlandin Columbia. she saidrespiratory therapy is a solidcareer choice not only becausethe hours and salary are good,but because it’s a field in whichshe can really make a differencein someone’s life.
“Patients who are onventilators and in the hospitalfor respiratory issues are thesickest of the sick,” andi said.“Your patients truly need youand are going to benefit fromwhat you can do for them.”
“I loved my time at OCtech. Everyone was so helpful, and they prepare you for the future.The instructors are there for the students and care about your success. It was like a family.I'm always telling people they should consider earning their degree from OCtech.” Loranda Bates, Respiratory Therapist at Colleton Medical Center
CONTACT Amanda CoffeyRespiratory Care Program Coordinator803.535.1344 | [email protected]
The average annual salary forrespiratory therapists in S.C. in 2016 was $55,010, according to careerinfonet.org.
Breathe new life into Your Career
Andi will graduate from the Respiratory Careprogram in August.
TRANSFER SEAMLESSLY TO COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY OR COLUMBIA COLLEGE WITH YOUR ASSOCIATEDEGREE IN NURSING, PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT, RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY OR RESPIRATORY CARE. Health Administration
BACHELOR OF ARTS
The U.S.
Dep
artm
ent o
f Edu
catio
n requ
ires d
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re of c
erta
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r certificat
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nd d
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gainful
employ
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n m
ore, go to
www.oct
ech.ed
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Criminal JustiCe+legal studiesASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCECriminal JusticeParalegal/Legal Assistant
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCEIN GENERAL TECHNOLOGY Fire Science/Criminal Justice/EMT
ASSOCIATE IN ARTSCriminal Justice (Citadel & USC Upstate)
CERTIFICATESForensicsSecurity
ComPuter teCHnologYASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCEComputer Technology• Computer Programming • Network Security & Information Assurance
CERTIFICATESDatabase Internetworking - CISCONetwork Engineering - MCSENetwork Specialist
engineering teCHnologY ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE Electronics Engineering Technology• Electronic Instrumentation Technology• Engineering Technology ProgrammingEngineering Design Technology
CERTIFICATESComputer Aided Design I, II
Pro
gra
ms o
F stu
dY
HealtH sCienCeASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE Physical Therapist AssistantRadiologic TechnologyRespiratory Care Technology
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE IN GENERAL TECHNOLOGYFire Science/Criminal Justice/EMTMedical Assisting/Administrative Office TechPatient Care Technology/Biological Science
ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCEMedical Assisting PreparatoryPhysical Therapist Assistant PreparatoryRadiologic Technology PreparatoryRespiratory Care Preparatory
DIPLOMA IN APPLIED SCIENCEMedical Assisting
CERTIFICATESEmergency Medical TechnicianGeneral Radiologic TechnologyPatient Care Technician
ADVANCED CERTIFICATES Magnetic Resonance ImagingMammography
nursingASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCEAssociate Degree NursingLPN to ADNLPN to ADN Flex
ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE Associate Degree Nursing PreparatoryLicensed Practical Nursing PreparatoryRN to BSN (USC Upstate)
DIPLOMA IN APPLIED SCIENCEPractical NursingPractical Nursing Flex
CERTIFICATECertified Nursing Assistant
agriCultureASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCEIN GENERAL TECHNOLOGYAgriculture/Business
ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCEAgriculture Education (Clemson)Food Science (Clemson)Soils and Sustainable Crops (Clemson)
CERTIFICATESustainable Agriculture
teaCHer eduCation transFer+earlY CHildHood eduCation ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCEEarly Care & Education
ASSOCIATE IN ARTSTeacher Education Transfer (Claflin, SCSU & USC) • Early Childhood Education• Early Childhood Education (1Year Transfer Option)• Elementary Education• Middle Level Education
DIPLOMA IN APPLIED SCIENCEEarly Childhood Development
CERTIFICATEEarly Childhood Development
transPortation+logistiCsASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE Automotive Technology
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE IN GENERAL TECHNOLOGYAutomotive/Diesel Technology
CERTIFICATESBasic Diesel MaintenanceLogisticsProfessional Truck DrivingUndercar Specialist
BusinessASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCEAdministrative Office TechnologyBusiness Administration• Accounting• Enterprise Management
ASSOCIATE IN ARTSBusiness Administration (Citadel)
DIPLOMA IN APPLIED SCIENCEAdministrative Office Technology
CERTIFICATESBasic AccountingLogistics
uniVersitY transFerASSOCIATE IN ARTS
ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE
CERTIFICATEGeneral Studies
adVanCed manuFaCturingASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE Industrial Electronics Technology• Electrical/Mechanical• Electronics Machine Tool Technology
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE IN GENERAL TECHNOLOGYEngineering Graphics Technology/Machine ToolMechatronics Technology/Industrial MaintenanceWelding/Industrial Maintenance
CERTIFICATESBasic ElectricianIndustrial ElectricianProduction OperatorBasic Industrial MaintenanceIndustrial Maintenance-Mechanical & Electrical I, IIMechatronics I-FundamentalsMechatronics II-Automated ControlsMechatronics III-Advanced Automated SystemsBasic WeldingIntermediate WeldingWelding Fundamentals
PATH01 MIDDLE COL
LEGEEarn high
school and
college credits
before you graduate
PATH02 CAREER
TRAININGBe
workforceready in as
little as one semester forcertificateprograms and five
semesters for an
associate degree
PATH03
UNIVERSITY
TRANSFERTake your
credits with you to most
S.C. colleges
and universities
no matter where you arein life, oCtech has aplace for you. earn
college credits before you leavehigh school. Work toward acertificate, diploma or degree inadvanced manufacturing,healthcare, business, criminaljustice and more and enter theworkforce prepared for the careeryou’ve always wanted. Jumpstartyour four-year degree by takinggeneral education courses with us.
First-YearCollegeeXPerienCe
EDUCATIONAL – tutoring, college skills courses, peer-assisted study sessions and study skills workshops
CAREER – career exploration, job readiness resources andworkshops, and career skills training
FINANCIAL – scholarship information, public benefits access,application assistance and community service referrals
t Counseling and advising servicest “learn it! live it! Workforce readiness”
Quality enhancement Plant new student orientationt students with disabilities servicest testing Centert student success Centert trio student support servicesCONTACT Student Services803.535.1224 | [email protected]
oCtech’s student support services, programs and activitiesare designed to enhance your education and help yousucceed! our comprehensive resources help all students andgraduates develop the skills necessary for academicexcellence and prepare for the workforce.
What we offer
Also available
our student success Center offers in-person and online tutoring inmany subject areas, as well asacademic resources, test preparation,study and computer skills workshops,study rooms and more. The center is
located on the second floor of the Patrick student servicesBuilding. This fall, the student success Center will relocate tothe oCtech library, located on the second floor of thegressette learning Center.CONTACT Ellen Olson, Student Success Center Director803.535.1376 | [email protected]
Find Your Way Here
uniVersitY transFerOur specialized transfer agreementswith four-year colleges anduniversities statewide make workingon your bachelor’s degree easier thanever. More than 80 courses willtransfer to any S.C. public college oruniversity and most private colleges inthe state. Save money by earning yourgeneral education credits at OCtech.
Career trainingTrain for jobs in new and expandingindustries or upgrade your skills. Smallclasses give you the individualized attentionneeded to realize your full potential. Our toppriority is your success in school and beyond.All coursework relates directly to your chosenprogram of study and the skills needed forprofessional advancement after graduation.Make the most of your time at OCtech.
middle College Save thousands of dollars in tuition costs.Experience a smoother transition into collegeacademics. Take advantage of small classsizes. Earn dual credit. Our Career Pathwayshelp you select courses relevant to yourchosen field or interest. Middle Collegeclasses are offered at high schools, careercenters, online or on campus. Talk to yourguidance counselor for more information.
u u u
Where do you fit?
get on the right path at OCtech
Five women now have hopefor a better future, thanksto a federally funded grant
program available at orangeburg-Calhoun technical College.
Project HoPe – Healthcareoccupations Preparation foremployment – has beenproviding low-income southCarolina residents with educationand training in healthcare careersat state technical colleges fornearly eight years. However, this isthe first time that the program’sboot camps have being offered atoCtech.
“students in our boot campsare guaranteed admission to thehealthcare program of their choiceand receive a full scholarship toattend,” said toni mclaurin-Hyde, midlands regionalcoordinator for the s.C.department of social services’division of employment services.“They go through the admissionsprocess during boot camp. Theboot camp is actually collegepreparation. students get certifiedin CPr and HiPaa, and learntime management, financialmanagement, notetaking andstudy skills – all before they go toschool.”
The five-week boot camps arean intensive academic and hands-on training session taught by ateam of health science instructorsfrom the college. students alsospend a week job-shadowing.
“it’s amazing. it’s life-changing,”mclaurin-Hyde said. “We havestudents in our program right nowwho saw no way of going tocollege. They may come fromgenerational poverty and havenever seen anyone else in theirfamily even attempt college. Theysee this as a new start. When theyget into our program, they get soexcited.”
Project HoPe is a HealthProfession opportunity grantfunded by the u.s. department ofHealth and Human servicesadministration for Children andFamilies. students must have ademonstrated financial need toqualify. eligible participants arethen interviewed and must pass abackground check and drugscreening before being enteredinto a lottery for the program.
“up to 16 individuals can
participate in the boot camp atoCtech,” mclaurin-Hyde said.Those who are not selected arereferred to other programs forwhich they may qualify.
“We also have a program called2gen,” she said. “We focus on thesecond generation – not just thestudents who are here now, buttheir children – to let them see,‘look at mom. look at dad.They’re doing something great,but you can do this, too.’”
The first boot camp began may15 and concluded with agraduation ceremony on June 15.
“Project HoPe opened myeyes to see that nursing is what ihave always wanted to do,” saidtalaysia Johnson, who has alreadytaken some of her prerequisitecourses at the college and willbegin oCtech’s adn Prepprogram in the fall. “not everyoneis financially able to get throughschool. Whatever you can’t dofinancially, Project HoPe will dofor you.”
“now that i’m actually in thisprogram and getting a feel forwhat nursing is like, it’s pushingme to achieve my goal,” she said.
APPLY FOR PROJECT HOPECONTACT [email protected] McLaurin-Hyde | 803.898.7803OCtech Admissions | 803.535.1234Kim Miller | 803.535.1233LEARN MORE www.dss.sc.gov
Students in OCtech’s first Project HOPE boot camp were honored during a specialgraduation ceremony on Thursday, June 15. From left are graduates Jessica Jones,Talaysia Johnson, Charlene Tyler, Sherry Robinson and Sheila Woods.
ProJeCt HoPe boot camp trains students for healthcare careers
Dana McAlhany, right, ADN freshman-level coordinator and simulation lab manager at OCtech, helps Project HOPE studentsCharlene Tyler, left, and Jessica Jones work with a manikin in the college’s simulation lab.
ECLIPSE 101FREE INFORMATION SESSIONS
JULY 19JULY 27 JULY 31AUGUST 3
Don’t be left in the dark!
On Monday, August 21st, portions of the United States from Oregon to South Carolina – including much of Orangeburg and Calhoun counties – will experience a total eclipse.
Do you know WHY? Do you know WHEN? Do you know HOW to safely view it? Learn all of that and more during ECLIPSE 101, a series of information sessions open to the community.
THE FIRST 50 PEOPLE EACH EVENING WILL GET A PAIR OF ECLIPSE SHADES!
6:00-7:00PM ON CAMPUS/BUILDING ROPTIONAL SOLAR VIEWING 5:30-6:00PM
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College3250 St. Matthews Road l Orangeburg, SC 29118
OCtechvisitwww.octech.edu
call 803.535.1234 or 1.800.813.6519
hours monday – thursday 8:00am to 7:00pmfriday 8:00am to 1:30pm
office of admissions located in Building S
NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE PAIDORANGEBURG SCPERMIT 122ECRWSSEDDM
POSTAL CUSTOMER
noW n CamPuszspace combines elements of virtual reality and augmented realityto create interactive and lifelike computing experiences. each all-in-one computer features tracking eyewear and a stylus, allowingstudents to interact with objects and understand the conceptsbehind them. students are empowered to learn and experiment inan environment where it’s easy to undo mistakes, make changes andnot worry about material costs or clean up.
ten zspace stations will be operational across oCtech’s campus thisfall – three in the main library for student use, one in the studentsuccess Center for tutoring, and the rest in biology, engineeringtechnology, automotive and health science classrooms.
