Pellissippi State

VOL. 12, No. 2

FALL 2017

ABOUT PELLISSIPPI STATE A Comprehensive Compendium of Miscellanea

A •B • C •D •E •F • G •H • I • J •K •L •M •N • O •P• Q •R • S •T •U •V •W •X •Y •Z

From

From the PresidentThis fall semester has proven to be an exciting and rewarding time for me as president of Pellissippi State Community College.

We welcomed over 11,000 students for only the second time in our history and actually broke records for students in online and Dual Enrollment courses. However, the highlight for me in the fall census report is the dramatic increase in adult students—students who never had the opportunity to attend college or who dropped out because life got in the way. I am pleased that these adult learners have found their way to Pellissippi State through Reconnect Now and that we have an opportunity to help them achieve their goals and dreams.

Reconnect Now is the last-dollar scholarship program for adults that the College funded this year; it will be available statewide next fall as Tennessee Reconnect. I am proud to say that nearly 23 percent of our current students are new students who qualified for Reconnect Now, and nearly one-seventh of the College’s total enrollment actually received Reconnect Now funding.

Although significant, a growing enrollment isn’t the only notable thing happening at Pellissippi State. We are working hard on having a record number of associate degree completers from the College for the 10th year in a row and preparing those graduates for a successful transition to the workforce or a four-year institution. This issue of Connections celebrates many of the other achievements, offerings and special people that make up Pellissippi State. I hope it gives you a better idea of what we’re about and why I am so excited about what 2018 will bring.

editorsJulia Wood

jwood@pstcc.edu

Joel Southern jbsouthern@pstcc.edu

designerMark Friebus

mafriebus@pstcc.edu

photographerJessie Tipton

jwtipton@pstcc.edu

writerHeather Beck hnbeck@pstcc.edu

Connections is published twice a year by the Marketing and Communications office of Pellissippi State Community College to spotlight the people, programs and initiatives of Pellissippi State.

Contact us at 865.694.6530 or email marketing@pstcc.edu

Address ChangesChange of address notices should be sent with

the mailing panel on this magazine to:

Pellissippi State Foundation10915 Hardin Valley Road

P.O. Box 22990Knoxville, TN 37933-0990

L. a n t hon y wise Jr.Pr esident Pell issippi State Communit y College

You may have noticed that each issue of Connections has a theme.

This issue continues to tell you all about Pellissippi State's incredible events, projects, initiatives and work — in a brand new way.

This is the A to Z of Pellissippi State, a comprehensive compen-dium, from the arts to zero waste projects.

We hope you enjoy it.

Pellissippi State

VOL. 12, No. 2FALL 2017

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{A}Arts at Pellissippi State

The Arts at Pellissippi State — through free and inexpensive theatre and musical productions, art exhibits and cultural programs — ensures everyone can experience the transformative power of the arts. The Arts at Pellissippi State is a yearlong slate of world-class art experiences, close to home.

MUSICLongfellow said that music is the “universal language of mankind.” Mu-sic unites each of us in the power and emotion of the human experience and allows us a deeper understanding of one another.

All performances are free and held in the Clayton Performing Arts Center.

Faculty RecitalFebruary 1, 7 p.m.

Knoxville Jazz Youth OrchestraFebruary 15, 7 p.m.

Winter Choral ConcertFebruary 22, 7 p.m.

Student Honors RecitalFebruary 27, 7 p.m.

Jazz & BluegrassMarch 27, 7 p.m.

Instrumental ConcertApril 5, 7 p.m.

Spring Choral ConcertApril 26, 7 p.m.

Special performance: America, Our Way! with the Michael Shirtz QuartetSaturday, February 3, 7:30 p.m.

A performer, producer, composer and conductor, Michael Shirtz is known for his versatility with jazz, contemporary and classical music.

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{B}Ross Bagwell Collection

To the students who walk by, it may seem like a blast from the past – but the permanent Bagwell Collection exhibit in the Bagwell Center for Media and Art is in fact a snapshot of the wonders of the video production industry.

The production equipment and television props in the Bagwell Collection were generously donated by Ross K. Bagwell Sr., of Bagwell Entertainment, LLC. As a former production assistant with NBC Television Network, Bagwell is best known for his work as the chairman and CEO of Cinetel Productions, one of the largest independent cable network production companies in the U.S. in

the early 1990s. In 1994, Cinetel Productions was sold to what is now known as Scripps Networks Interactive, the leading developer for brands such as HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network and the Cooking Channel.

The Bagwell Collection showcases the ever-evolving technology of the past 50 years in video production. The display items are examples of the past and illustrate the phenomenal technological progress that has been made in the industry. Today, cameras that can be carried in your pocket have a higher production quality than portable cameras from the 1970s that weighed more than 22 lbs.

VISUAL ARTSThe visual arts explore the nature of beauty — a subjective but common truth — and connect us to the intricacies of the past and the uncertainties of the future. Explore the rich visual textures of amazing paintings, sculptures and more on this exhibit.

All exhibits are in the Bagwell Center for Media and Art. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Tatiana Potts: Magic in Folds of TajtaniaJanuary 16-February 2

Tatiana Potts is an artist, instructor, printmaker, bookmaker and ceramist. She pulls influence from her travels and her Slovakian heritage. Forever inspired by drawing, she is very much interested in a “world of making.” She constructs, reinvents and combines environments—revealing shadows of the self—using composites of memories, imaginations and architectural structures.

Fe: Women working in iron, bronze, aluminum and steel February 5-23

Fe is a sculptural exhibition showcasing female artists who work predominantly in cast, welded and forged metals.

Annual Juried Student Art ExhibitionMarch 26-April 13

This annual juried exhibition features student paintings, drawings, sculptures, metalworkings and ceramics.

CGT Student Design ShowcaseApril 19, 4-8 p.m.

Sponsored by the College’s Communication Graphics Technology concentration, the Student Design Showcase will feature student portfolios. The portfolios are the original work of candidates for the Associate of Applied Science degree in Media Technologies with a concentration in Communication Graphics Technology.

Media Technologies Design ExhibitApril 16-April 27

This exhibit is a display of Media Technologies student design projects completed during the 2017-2018 academic year from the Communication Graphics and Design for Web and Print concentra-tions. The exhibit will showcase an extensive range and variety of visual communication solutions.

2018 IDT ShowcaseMay 1, 7-9 p.m.

The IDT Showcase provides a visual exploration of interior design study through the student experience. Students work through extensive coursework and design studios to earn their Bachelor of Science in Interior Design through East Tennessee State Univer-sity or an associate degree through Pellissippi State Community College, both taught entirely on the Hardin Valley Campus.

THEATRENothing compares to the magic of live theatre performances. Experience the thrills and emotions of the actors; share laughs and tears with your fellow audience members. Discover the theatre.

All performances are in the Clayton Performing Arts Center.

The Seagull by Anton Chekhov

April 13-14, 7:30 p.m, April 15, 2 p.m.April 20-21, 7:30 p.m., April 22, 2 p.m.

Hailed as “one of the best dramas of modern theater,” The Seagull is a story about the interplay between love and art and is set in the Russian countryside at the end of the 19th century.

7th Annual Circus Extravaganza – Dragonfly Aerial Arts

March 9-10, 7:30 p.m.March 10–11, 2 p.m.

This year’s theme is Outta Space.

Explore this family-friendly inter-planetary circus spectacle with astronauts, aliens and distant destinations. Join our aerialists, stilt walkers, jugglers, acrobats, wire walkers and clowns for laughter and daring adventures in outer space.

FACULTY LECTURE SERIESThe spoken word is one of the oldest forms of sharing information. Vibrant lectures on relevant topics challenge our beliefs, jumpstart our learning and broaden our horizons. Pellissippi State faculty members share what’s on their minds over your lunch break.

All lectures are held in the Goins Building Auditorium.

Annie Gray: The Secret of Life: The American Transcendentalists and Life's Open Secret

February 15, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

English Professor Annie Gray explores the philosophy of America’s Transcendentalists, who emphasized intuition in their comprehen-sion of the divine in daily life.

Kate O'Meara: Lost in TranslationMarch 6, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) instructor Kate O’Meara investigates the cultural and social misunderstandings that occur when people make incorrect assumptions based on their own experience and culture of origin.

Stephanie C. Gillespie: You Should Have Bought a Squirrel! Fake News and the Price of Information

April 12 12:30-1:30 p.m.

The latest apps, customer reward cards, news, scientific studies – they’re free! Or are they? Pellissippi State librarian StephanieGillespie discusses how information is bought and sold, what it means for credibility and what we can do to fight fake news.

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{C}Career Programs

What’s a career program?

In short, Pellissippi State career programs prepare students to enter into the workforce or advance in their career upon graduation.

Our career program placement rate — the rate at which our graduates find work — is consistently above 90 percent, on average.

We design and frequently revise our career programs with feedback from local employers and industry. All career program graduates earn Associate of Applied Science degrees in their field of study and can specialize in a wide array of concentrations.

{D}Distinguished Alumni 2017: Marilyn Harper

Former student Marilyn Harper now teaches at Pellissippi State.Marilyn Harper first stepped onto the College’s campus in 1990, accompanying her son Jeff Hacker, who has cerebral palsy, to his classes. She took notes for him and assisted with his transportation around campus. As she sat through Jeff’s classes, Harper realized how much she loved learning, and before long she’d signed up for a class herself. She soon found herself assisting other students with classwork, taking additional classes and finally learning a new language, Spanish.

“When I found Spanish, I fell in love. It was so alive to me. I couldn’t get enough of it: I needed to know what this word meant, what that word meant, how to say this,” Harper says.

Harper graduated with highest honors and an associate degree in 1994, earning the Foreign Language Department’s Academic Award, the Presidential Award as the College’s outstanding student, and a $1,500 transfer scholarship. By 1998, she had earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in education from the University of Tennessee. She worked through financial and marital difficulties to attain her degrees, all while also raising two children.

Harper taught Spanish at a local high school for six years. In 2001 she returned to Pellissippi State as a part-time instructor and was hired full-time in 2004. She worked as director of the Academic Support Center — which offers tutoring services to students — and has recently returned to the classroom to teach. She has even taught Spanish in both Spain and Mexico through the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies.

This year, Harper has been named as Pellissippi State’s Distin-guished Alumni of the Year. The award recognizes significant professional achievement, service to the community and support of the College and the Pellissippi State Foundation.

“It was always my dream to come back and work with students at Pellissippi State. People here were so good to me and so good to my family; I wanted to not only return some of that support but also pay it forward,” Harper says.

“There are a lot of things about Pellissippi State that helped me develop confidence in myself. It was the catalyst that opened up a whole new world for me. That’s why I have a lot of love and respect for this place.”

Lois Reynolds, retired assistant vice president of Academic Affairs at Pellissippi State, says in a nominating letter, “Marilyn Harper is the embodiment of Pellissippi State’s vision for its alumni.

“As a teacher, she is innovative and concerned. She tries to be attuned to the needs and comprehension level of the students and adjusts her lesson plans and class activities as required to help them progress.”

Harper has won a number of awards during her tenure at Pellis-sippi State. In 2008, she was named Outstanding Full-time Faculty at Pellissippi State, and in 2009, she was a recipient of a National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Award. In 2013, Harper was awarded Pellissippi State’s Innovations Award for her work to improve the use of tutoring resources through the Academic Support Center.

Harper also has been a Student Success Coordinator at Pellissippi State, and has been head of the College’s Foundation of Excellence projects since 2006.

Harper volunteers at her church, Farragut Church of Christ, and with the United Cerebral Palsy group home in Knoxville, where her son resides. Both of her children, Jeff and Jennifer Hacker, are also Pellissippi State graduates.

Administrative Professional Technology Medical Office Concentration

Business

Accounting Concentration

Culinary Arts Concentration

Hospitality Concentration

Management Concentration

Computer Information TechnologyCyber Defense Concentration

Networking Concentration

Programming Concentration

Systems Administration and Management Concentration

Criminal Justice

Early Childhood Education

Engineering TechnologyAutomated Industrial Systems ConcentrationCivil Engineering ConcentrationElectrical Engineering ConcentrationIndustrial Maintenance ConcentrationManufacturing ConcentrationMechanical Engineering ConcentrationSustainable Design Concentration

General Technology

Interior Design Technology

Media TechnologiesCommunication Graphics Technology Concentration

Design for Web and Print Concentration

Photography Concentration

Video Production Technology Concentration

Web Technology Concentration

Nursing

Paralegal Studies

Welding Technology

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{G}Great Colleges to Work For

Pellissippi State is one of America’s “Great Colleges to Work For,” as named by the Chronicle of Higher Education. Only 93 institutions across the country were recognized as a 2016 Great College to Work For, and only 25 of those — including Pellissippi State — are two-year institutions.

“Pellissippi State is proud to be recognized by both Great Colleges to Work For and by our own employees as a great place to work,” said L. Anthony Wise Jr., Pellissippi State’s president. “We strive to provide not only the best educations for our students, but the best working environment for all of our employees.”

Now in its ninth year, the Chronicle’s Great Colleges to Work For survey is one of the largest and most respected workplace recogni-tion programs in the country. The Chronicle awards colleges based upon institutional audits and the result of anonymous surveys distributed to college employees as part of a random sample.

Pellissippi State was recognized in two categories — Job Satisfac-tion and Teaching Environment — which recognize innovative and high quality teaching, as well as satisfaction with job fit, autonomy and resources.

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{E}Evening Classes

Traditional classes and class times don’t always fit into students’ busy schedules, so Pellissippi State offers convenient classes and degree programs in the evening. Evening classes are par-ticularly popular with adult students, who can earn their degree in select programs entirely in the evenings. We offer evening courses at a campus near you, so you never have to travel far.

If you’re considering returning to college, consider evening classes at Pellissippi State’s Blount County, Division Street, Hardin Valley and Strawberry Plains campuses.

{F}Foundation

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Pellissippi State Foundation. Chartered in 1982, the not-for-profit organization raises funds to support the educational, cultural and service goals of Pellissippi State. Each year, the Foundation provides more than $215,000 to students in the form of scholarships and awards and $6,300 in awards to faculty and staff for their achievements. In addition, the Foundation provides funding for new buildings, labs and classrooms at Pellissippi State, including equipment and supplies.

To support Pellissippi State, its students and its mission, you can give at giving.pstcc.edu. {H}Hardin Valley Thunder

Since 2009, Pellissippi State’s bluegrass ensemble, Hardin Valley Thunder, has shared its music across the region — most recently performing at Bluegrass Ramble, the International Bluegrass Music Association festival in Raleigh, N.C. Pellissippi State was one of a handful of colleges from across the nation that participated, and the only community college to do so.

“The bluegrass ensemble began in 2009 as both a band and an academic class that is part of our Associate of Fine Arts program. Students audition for it and then receive academic credit for the course,” says Larry Vincent, associate professor of music and director of the ensemble.

“It’s much more like a team than a class in that way. If one person misses, sometimes the performance can’t go on. It’s a commitment in a way that’s different than a math class. Our students learn from one another: some come from a bluegrass background and some don’t. They each bring something unique to the table.”

Hardin Valley Thunder has performed not only at events for the College, but at the Bijou and Tennessee theaters, for the WDVX Blue Plate Special and even overseas. In 2014, for their fifth anniversary, the band performed in China.

Vincent credits Hardin Valley Thunder’s popularity and success to the support of the College. The ensemble started at the suggestion of President Emeritus Allen Edwards. The recent performance in Raleigh was attended by President L. Anthony Wise Jr., Liberal Arts department Dean Jonathan Fowler and all of the College’s full-time music faculty.

“Our students represent an amazing mix of returning adults and first-time college students. The adults sometimes bring in as much as 20 years’ experience playing their instrument, and they’re a good example of dedication and expertise to our younger students. I think that’s an amazing thing to see in the classroom and on the stage,” Vincent says.

Charles Ridenour, a student veteran and longtime musician, is also a member of Pellissippi State’s

bluegrass ensemble, Hardin Valley Thunder.

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{I}Ivy Smothers gives back through dance

Ivy Smothers’ passion for dance is contagious. When her human psychology course required that she pledge 15 hours of community service through Pellissippi State’s Service-Learning program, she decided to teach dance to young girls at Knoxville’s Wesley House, a Christian ministry to inner-city families.

“It’s been life-changing to volunteer,” Smothers says. “All of those girls are so very, very special.”

And it is clear that these girls just adore “Ms. Ivy.” Knoxville Lead-ership Foundation set up the service opportunity for Smothers, and watched as she expanded her service hours to make room for a second dance class. KLF named her as their Group Mentor of the Year for her commitment, hard work and infectious enthusiasm.

Smothers has also inspired others to give.

“When I started, I had an empty room and eight girls,” Smothers says. “Over the past semester, people have been so inspired by the stories I tell about these girls that they’ve given money to buy equipment and costumes. I remember when I was young that was one of the most exciting parts about dance lessons, the costumes and the shoes and all of that, and I wanted to be able to provide that to these girls.”

“We had a need in the community at the Wesley House for their afterschool program with the middle school girls there,” says Mike Jacobs, assistant director of mentoring initiatives at Knoxville Leadership Foundation. “Ivy essentially created that mentor opportunity there. She shared an idea to use her dance experience to reach out to those girls. Ivy has created that group. They’ve done recitals and have even done things outside of dancing.”

“She is an incredible young lady. She earned that award through her leadership and involvement in launching the dance group at Wesley House. She’s a standout in our group of mentors,” Jacobs says.

Smothers, a Tennessee Promise student, will graduate next spring, then transfer to a four-year institution to complete her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She wants to teach elementary school and high school math.

As if that weren’t enough, Smothers recently applied to join the Air National Guard.

“I’ve been taught so much about myself through doing this,” Smothers says. “I can’t say enough kind things about Knoxville Leadership Foundation and Wesley House. I’m blessed to have found them.”

{J}Excellence in Teaching Award:

Judith SichlerMany professors focus on the student experience, but Judy Sichler,

Pellissippi State assistant professor of anthropology, focuses on the human experience.

“My purpose is more than just teaching. My role is not just to stand at the front of a classroom and spew knowledge, but to pay attention to the whole student — to know my students and to teach my students to know who they are as people,” Sichler says.

Sichler is the 2017 recipient of Pellissippi State’s Excellence in Teaching Award, which recognizes innovative teaching techniques and the positive impact they have had on students. Sichler has integrated unique and interactive learning opportunities into her classes that aim to increase engagement and inspire students.

“Everyone says it’s an honor to be nomi-nated, but it truly is. I was nominated by my peers and by alumni and students I have taught. Their thoughtfulness just blew me away,” Sichler says. “To win means knowing that what I do has an impact not just in the classroom, but in what my students say and in who they are.”

Heather Woods, a Pellissippi State alumna, who is now a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Tennessee, wrote one such recommendation for Sichler.

“I chose to take a human origins class at Pellissippi to fill an elec-tive requirement … I enjoyed [Sichler’s] teaching so much that first day that I immediately added myself to her prehistoric archaeology class,” she writes.

Woods, a first-generation college student who returned to college as a working mother, had a goal of becoming an English teacher. How-ever, she was so inspired by Sichler’s teaching that she eventually changed her major to anthropology.

“More than 20 years of dreaming and planning for an English degree … ended up in second place to anthropology,” Woods says. “Dr. Sichler literally made such an impact in my education and life that I am following in her academic footsteps. Any college would be hard-pressed to find even one professor with her skills, heart and dedication.”

Sichler worked as an archaeologist before coming to teach at Pellissippi State in 2010. Today, she teaches cultural anthropology courses, and has embedded Service-Learning components into them. She also teaches a cultural anthropology study-abroad course in South Africa.

“The best decision I ever made was to teach full-time,” Sichler says. “My favorite class to teach is cultural anthropology because I ask students to ponder human diversity. I really want them to talk to each other. I want them to debate perceptions and talk about

how and why cultures are different, and what the basis for those differences are.”

“Dr. Sichler is one of the most passionate instructors I have ever encountered,” says student Sarah Woodside. “It’s hard to walk out of her classes and not feel that you’ve really learned something about the world.”

In her classes, Sichler urges her students to consider the universal similarities all humans share, as well as to explore personal opinions and diversity. Such discussion exposes students to the differences among people in ways that are safe and welcoming, and that challenge students to understand and interact with those different than they are.

“I feel like what I do is relevant not just as a credit to earn your degree, but to become

a better human,” Sichler says. “Of course, the ability to think critically and to empathize with others is a skill that all employers want, but more than that, the ability to respect differences is a trait of a well-rounded person.

“One of my favorite teaching moments is when you see the lightbulb come on in a student’s eyes — when what you have said resonates with them, not just as a part of a classroom discussion, but as a way for students to view life on Earth. For me, teaching is not work. It’s not a job. It’s what I feel is the right thing to do.”

“Dr. Sichler is one of the most passionate instructors I have ever encountered”

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Judy Sichler teaches cultural anthropology to study-abroad students in South Africa.

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{K}Knox and Blount County

With five campuses in Knox and Blount counties, Pellissippi State is convenient for our students.

Our commitment to — and our history in — our community is deep. We give back through everything from community service and sustainability initiatives to our economic impact in East Tennessee. Since the time the College was founded as State Technical Institute at Knoxville in 1974, we have sought to enrich East Tennessee through everything we do, every day.

Over the past five years, Pellissippi State Community College has contrib-uted an average of $263 million per year into the local economy. Since 2011, that amounts to about $1.3 billion of direct economic value to Knox and Blount counties.

“Pellissippi State’s impact in our community is important, but we at the College consider it of greater import that we work to change the lives of everyone who comes through our doors,” says Pellissippi State President L. Anthony Wise Jr. “Our most significant impact comes from graduates who pursue their dreams and, in turn, give back to our community.”

According to the American Association of Community Colleges, associate degree graduates can expect to earn about $470,800 more over their work lifetime than if they only had a high school diploma. For Pellissippi State’s 1,429 graduates in academic year 2015-2016, this means an additional $673 million in lifetime earnings and $2.7 million in additional annual tax payments, which benefit the economy.

{L}Lifelong Learning

Explore your passion. Expand your mind. Do something just for you.

In addition to its traditional degree programs, Pellissippi State offers non-credit courses that are available at convenient times at several of the College’s five campuses in Knox and Blount counties.

We offer lifelong learning opportunities in everything from professional training to self-improvement to personal hobbies. With classes ranging from arts and culture to personal fitness, from handgun safety and self-defense to motorcycle safety and financial planning, you can find everything you’re looking for in our lifelong learning classes.

Visit www.pstcc.edu/bcs.

{M}Mission Statement

Pellissippi State Community College is a transformative environment fostering the academic, societal, economic and cultural enrichment of the individual and the community.

{N}Nursing and Welding Camps

Pellissippi State hosted students from the Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley at its Strawberry Plains Campus for a week-long summer camp learning skills related to either nursing or welding technology.

This is the first year Pellissippi State has offered the intensive camps to high school students.

“We came up with this idea of a reality-based camp that would allow students to experience what it is actually like to work in nursing and welding, both the positive aspects and the challenges of those fields,” says Strawberry Plains Campus Dean Mike North.

“The camps were so successful. The students would go to lunch and the moment they finished eating they would ask to go back to the labs so they could work and learn,” North says. “I was thrilled. I hope this camp becomes a permanent partnership, where we get students enthralled with these fascinating fields early.”

Andrew Whittemore is a high school junior who hopes to be a physician. He took part in the nursing camp.

“We’ve been studying health careers and nursing. We’ve been taking blood pressure and learning how to use a stethoscope. It’s been really cool,” Whittemore says. “This experience has broadened my horizons about the health care field. This is a good introduction to health careers, from being a physician to a nurse to a surgeon.”

Student Shavonna Young was impressed with the nursing sim-ulation center at the College’s Strawberry Plains Campus, which features lifelike simulation dummies to train nurses in everything from basic health care to major surgery. The students saw the SimMan “patients” simulate heart murmurs, diabetes and even childbirth.

“The technology in the labs is very advanced. There’s even a simulator baby — you can hear its heartbeat and see how a baby’s body works, and even see how a baby is born,” Young says.

Coryean Davis, a high school senior, attended the welding camp and is now considering welding as a career.

“The instructors taught us three types of welding and we have been practicing on models. It’s really important to take your time and to go slow when welding,” he says. “I had never thought much about welding, but I actually like it a lot. It’s amazing to learn how to actually make things and weld things together.”

Devore Solomon says welding may now be his career choice too.

“I could see myself doing this for a career. In my free time, I could see myself making my own bikes or my own phone cases. It’s just really cool to realize that you can make practically anything you want out of metal. I never thought I’d be doing anything like this,” Solomon says.

of direct economic value to Knox and Blount counties.

since

2011

ADDing UP the impact:

$1.3 billion

KNOX

BLOUNT

CLASS OF

2016

will contribute $673 million in lifetime earnings and $2.7 million in additionalannual tax payments.

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more over their work lifetime vs. a high school diploma.

$470,800Associate degree graduates can

expect to earn about

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{O}Online Courses

Online courses make it easy for students to earn their associate degree or certificate as either a full-time or part-time student. Twenty-six of our degree programs are offered entirely online, while others are hybrid courses that combine traditional classroom experience with online courses.

Pellissippi State’s online students actually make up the second largest “campus” behind the Hardin Valley Campus.

A full list of online degree programs and hybrid programs are at www.pstcc.edu/online.

Transfer degrees offered entirely online:

General Associate of Arts

General Associate of Science

Tennessee Transfer Pathway degrees offered entirely online:

Accounting

Business Administration

Criminal Justice

Economics

English

Finance

History

Information Systems

International Affairs

Management

Marketing

Philosophy

Political Science

Psychology

Social Work

Sociology

{P}Pellissippi

What does “Pellissippi” mean? After 40 years, we’ve tracked it down. Originally the Mosopelea tribe’s name for the Ohio River as given to explorer Sieur de la Salle, and later recommended as a state name by President Thomas Jefferson, “Pellissippi” was likely mistakenly ascribed to the Clinch River by an early mapmaker. The original meaning has been lost, but we’re proud to be a curious and interesting part of early American history.

Learn more at www.pstcc.edu/pellissippi.

{Q}Quality Enhancement

ProgramA new center for teaching excellence is underway at Pellissippi State, funded by a federal grant as part of the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan, or QEP.

The QEP was first developed as part of the College’s reaccredita-tion process in 2012 and seeks to improve learning outcomes for students. The QEP’s mission, now in year six, continues through initiatives like a new teaching center called the Pellissippi Aca-demic Center for Excellence or PACE.

PACE will provide teacher training programs and other profession-al development opportunities to teach faculty members the newest and best-practice methods of teaching in meaningful, engaging ways. This teacher training will encourage greater innovation in classrooms — leading to ever-improving student success.

“Faculty development is often fragmented,” says Kellie Toon, Pellissippi State’s QEP director, “but a comprehensive professional development program will strengthen our faculty, which will in turn strengthen our students — and that’s what it’s all about.”

PACE is funded through a five-year, $1.9 million U.S. Department of Education grant to support student success and engagement by providing comprehensive professional development for faculty.

{R}Reconnect with higher education at Pellissippi State

“Finding out about the free tuition program at Pellissippi State — a year before everyone else had it — was the reason I came back to college,” says Lara Mechling, a newly enrolled adult student at Pellissippi State. “I started college after high school, but the timing wasn’t right. Because of Reconnect Now, I can begin again.”

Mechling, a 29-year-old recent mother, and around 2,500 fellow adult students qualified for Pellissippi State’s Reconnect Now scholarship initiative this semester. Reconnect Now is a last-dollar scholarship, funded by the College, for qualified adults. It allows adult students to attend the College tuition-free.

Of the approximately 2,567 students who qualified for Reconnect Now funding, 1,598 students have received funding so far. Of those, 1,100 students are new to the College and 498 are students who were previously enrolled. In short, nearly 23 percent of Pellissippi State’s current student population are new adults who qualified for Reconnect Now, and students who received Recon-nect Now funding make up nearly one-seventh of the college’s total enrollment.

Total enrollment of adult students is 3,464 this year, reflecting the highest adult enrollment at the College since 2013 and a reversal of a seven-year downward trend in adult enrollment.

This increase in adult students contributed greatly to Pellissippi State’s overall jump in enrollment. The official headcount enroll-ment for fall is 11,168 students — an increase of nine percent over last year and the highest headcount since 2011. The College remains the largest community college in the state.

“We were excited to welcome the largest freshman class in the history of the college,” says President L. Anthony Wise Jr. “We are committed to providing the support necessary to give each and every one of our students the best possible chance of success at Pellissippi State and beyond.”

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{T}Transfer Programs

Transfer programs at Pellissippi State are designed for students who want to earn their associate degree and then transfer to a four-year institution. Through articulation and transfer agreements and Tennessee Transfer Pathways, our transfer programs can help students easily transition into a bachelor’s degree. Students who graduate from a transfer program earn an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree with an emphasis in their area of study — except for teaching students, who earn an Associate of Science in Teaching, and music students, who earn an Associate of Fine Arts.

Tennessee Transfer Pathways are the most common type of transfer program at Pellissippi State. TTPs are designed to allow students to seamlessly transfer from Pellissippi State to a bachelor’s degree program in the same discipline at a Tennessee public university.

AccountingAnthropologyArt (Studio)BiologyBusiness AdministrationChemistryComputer ScienceCriminal Justice Early Childhood Education (Pre-K-3)Economics Engineering TechnologyEnglishExercise ScienceFamily and Consumer Sciences

FinanceForeign LanguageGeosciencesHistoryImaging SciencesInformation SystemsInternational AffairsManagementMarketingMass CommunicationMathematicsMusicNutrition & Food SciencePhilosophy

Physical EducationPhysicsPolitical SciencePre-Clinical Laboratory SciencesPre-Dental HygienePre-Professional: Dentistry, Medicine,

Veterinary, Optometry, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy

PsychologySocial WorkSociologySpecial EducationSpeech Communication Theatre Arts

{U}Universal Pathways

to Employment Project

Students with disabilities find support and career training through the Universal Pathways to Employment Project (UPEP). Grant funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, UPEP helps students with disabilities earn an Associate of Applied Science degree, find internship opportunities and gain meaningful employment.

Students who participate in UPEP learn interviewing skills and receive training on how to conduct job searches. UPEP helps them create individual career plans and provides both academic and career coaching, and even offers students persistence scholarships to help them prevail in their college career.

PEL

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ATE COMMUNITY C

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RECREATION

Over the summer, Pellissippi State opened a nine-hole disc golf course at its Hardin Valley Campus — a course which is free to use and open to the community, from sunrise to sunset. It is just the latest addition to the College’s recreation programs and facilities.

“The course is challenging and exciting, presenting a number of formidable shots, from navigating tight tee shots to subtle but difficult elevation changes. And of course, the three-hole tour around our pond is one of the most excit-ing three-hole stretches in disc golf,” says Philip Ems, manager of Pellissippi State’s Student Recreation Center.

The disc golf course is free for community use, as are walking trails on the Hardin Valley and Blount County campuses. Also on the Hardin Valley cam-pus, alumni and employees can pay nominal membership fees to gain access to the 24,000-square-foot Student Recreation Center. The SRC has three tennis courts, a basketball and volleyball court, a racquetball court, dance studio and 2,000-square-foot weight room with cardiovascular machines. The outdoor area features a sand volleyball court, softball field, soccer field, four tennis courts, basketball court and two artificial turf putting greens.

Pellissippi State’s other campuses also have smaller, less extensive recreation-al facilities, with the exception of the Division Street Campus.

{S}Student Recreation Center

Hours of operation at the Student Recreation Center:

Monday and Wednesday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tuesday and Thursday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Closed Saturday and Sunday

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Pellissippi State Community College President L. Anthony Wise Jr., center, celebrates with students the opening of the college’s nine-hole disc golf course in April..

{V}Veterans Services

Pellissippi State is committed to helping veterans successfully complete their college degree. In fact, the College was named a “VETS Campus” in 2014 in acknowledgment of its efforts to ensure veterans experience a successful transition from military service to college enrollment.

In 2013, Pellissippi State demonstrated its support of veterans by creating the Ben Atchley Veterans Success Center, which is named for former State Senator Ben Atchley, a longtime supporter of the College. More recently, the College expanded its support by creating an office, Veterans Services, to offer graduation-focused support to student veterans. Veterans Services provides students access to tutoring, mentoring and advising, as well as financial aid assistance, job placement and internship placement services and a fully equipped study lounge.

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{Y}Yoga and the

Common Academic Experience

Pop-up yoga classes are just one of many unique offerings this year through Pellissippi State’s Common Academic Experience. And it’s all because of the sweeping changes made this year to the program. Instead of selecting a common book for students to read and integrate into their classes, this academic year the committee chose a unifying theme for the 2017-2018 academic year: Inner Space | Outer Space.

“We wanted to change the Common Academic Experience because we thought a common book was exclusionary,” says Assistant Professor Heather Schroeder, co-chair of this year’s Common Academic Experience. “Having a common theme allows for a wide variety of activities that everyone can learn from. We wanted to provide a way for students to connect with each other.”

This new approach led to the creation of a weekly pop-up yoga class, available to all faculty and students. The aspiring yogis practiced their craft in the College Center and took to the outdoors when the weather cooperated.

“I’ve been practicing yoga since my son was a year old—about 14 years. Yoga relates to our theme because it orients the ‘inner space’ in your mind with the ‘outer space’ of the world around you. I want this to be something people can take with them,” says Cynthia Arnold, the pop-up yoga instructor and program coordinator for Computer Information Technology.

This year’s Common Academic Experience has involved Tail-gating in Totality, a solar eclipse celebration of the “outer space” beyond Earth’s atmosphere, and the Unity Pole, an exercise to celebrate the “inner space” that makes each person unique.

{Z}Zero Waste:

Sustainable Campus InitiativePellissippi State has piloted a project with classes at the Hardin Valley Campus that removed trashcans and recycling bins from 25 classrooms. The Zero Waste Classroom Project encouraged the use of clearly labeled tri-compartment bins in common areas and hallways in those buildings instead.

The College made the change to encourage students and employees to recycle properly and mindfully. Often in classrooms or offices, it can be difficult to distinguish between recycling and trash bins. The labeled tri-compartment bins are easier for students and employees to use.

The Zero Waste Classroom Project is just one example of a Sus-tainable Campus Initiative at Pellissippi State. Other projects have included the installation of water bottle refill stations, energy-effi-cient light fixtures, electric car charging stations and bicycle racks, and even the purchase of hybrid and electric-powered vehicles. Students implemented the Sustainable Campus Initiative in 2011 by voting to pay a $10 campus fee each semester to fund sustainability initiatives at the College.

{W}Weekend College

Pellissippi State is extending its outreach to adult and nontraditional college students by starting a Weekend College at the Magnolia Avenue Campus. Weekend College includes both credit and free non-credit classes that meet on Saturdays, making it convenient for working adults.

Weekend College launched with general education and other courses, from English Composition and Survey of Math Principles to General Psychology, Introduction to Electronic Health Records and Social Welfare. Through weekend-only classes, students can earn a general transfer degree or an associate degree in Early Childhood Education, Accounting, Business Administration or Social Work.

Pellissippi State’s Business and Community Services also sponsors non-credit classes as part of Weekend College. These Lifelong Learning classes are focused on providing crucial business and life skills for the Knoxville community.

{X}Xylophone

Xylophone. I mean, what else did you expect? Seriously, though, Pellissippi State has an amazing music program, in which students earn a transferable Associate of Fine Arts degree. Music students and faculty members put on nearly a dozen free musical concerts for the community each year through The Arts at Pellissippi State. The College is also one of only about 140 colleges in the country — and the only community college in Tennessee — to be an All-Steinway School.

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www.pstcc.edu865.694.6400

P.O. Box 2299010915 Hardin Valley Road Knoxville, Tennessee 37933-0990

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Knoxville, TN

Pellissippi State Community College does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities. The Executive Director of Equity and Compliance has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and can be reached at 865.593.7025, or by email at titleix@pstcc.edu. The Pellissippi State Community College policy on non-discrimination can be found at: www.pstcc.edu/about/non-discrimination.

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