Taxidermy Course Set to Begin Oct. 12 at Randolph Community College in Asheboro

If you are an avid hunter and always dreamed of mounting your own specimens or are looking for a part-time job or retirement income, you can learn professional taxidermy from qualified instructors through Randolph Community College's Continuing Education Division. RCC will offer a Taxidermy: Small Game class beginning Oct. 12 on the Asheboro Campus. This class is one component of a four-part training program for students wishing to become professional taxidermists.

The program covers small game (fall), large game (winter), birds (spring), and fish (summer). However, courses can be taken individually. Students will be advised about the acquisition of taxidermy tools. Students must provide their own legally obtained specimens specific to the season.

The Small Game class will meet from 6-10 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, Oct. 12 through December 16. Registration fee is $180. For more information or to register, call 336-633-0268 in Asheboro or 336-862-7980 in Archdale.

Fetner Photography Exhibit Opens at Randolph Hospital

Randolph Community College portrait photography instructor Ashley Fetner has a photography exhibit opening today in the Monumental Stairwell in the Outpatient Center at Randolph Hospital. Fetner has nine images on display through Nov. 6.

The theme for the Community Arts Exhibit at Randolph Hospital is "Healing Art." The goal is to provide an interesting and healing environment for patients, visitors, staff and volunteers; and to support Randolph County's creative community by showcasing works in designated exhibit spaces in the facility. The public is invited to tour the exhibit Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Fetner, who has taught photography at Randolph Community College since 2002, is also a graduate of RCC's program. After graduating from RCC and serving a two-year apprenticeship with a former White House and theatrical photographer, Fetner established his own fine art and portrait studio. He has won numerous awards for his portrait and fine art images.

Randolph Community College Compensatory Education Information Session Oct. 6

Randolph Community College is restructuring its Compensatory Education program to serve more students and will be taking new applications for enrollment in the program. An information session for parents and guardians has been scheduled for 6 p.m., on Tuesday, Oct. 6, in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center auditorium on the Asheboro Campus. RCC President Robert S. Shackleford will speak, and program personnel will be available to answer questions.

In recognition of October as National Disabilities Awareness Month, the College will also host an information and resource fair featuring different organizations that offer services to individuals with disabilities in Randolph County. They will be set up in the lobby of the LRC.

For more information, go to RCC's Web site.

Randolph Community College To Participate in UNC Research Project

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will partner with Randolph Community College on a research project to improve cervical and breast cancer screening for women with developmental disabilities. RCC is one of several community colleges taking part in the project led by Susan L. Parish, associate professor in the School of Social Work at UNC.

Parish said studies have found that women with developmental disabilities usually have very low rates of screening for cervical and breast cancer. The project will test the effectiveness of a class, called Women Be Healthy, which will teach the women the importance of these screenings.

Students in Randolph Community College's Compensatory Education program will participate in this research project. The Compensatory Education program gives educational opportunities to adults 17 years or older with intellectual disabilities or traumatic brain injuries.

UNC researchers will visit RCC to recruit the women for the project and train RCC teachers in the Women Be Healthy curriculum. The class, an 8-week course with 90 minutes per class, will be taught in the spring semester as part of the normal Compensatory Education curriculum, which consists of seven required subject areas: language, math, social science, community living, consumer education, health, and vocational education.

Tonya Monroe, RCC Compensatory Education coordinator, said the class will teach the women how to do self-examinations, how to talk to doctors, and how to be their own health advocates. It will involve students at the Asheboro Campus, RCC's Archdale Center, and an RCC class held at Goodwill Industries.

The UNC researchers will follow the women for approximately two years to find out about their cancer screening appointments. Women who do not take the class this January will be put on a waiting list and will able to complete the class at the end of the project. Approximately 15 students from RCC are expected to participate and a total of 160 women across the state will be involved in the project.

The project is being funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, said Parish, who has been at UNC since 2003. She also directs UNC's Developmental Disabilities Training Institute, which conducts research and training across North Carolina. Parish earned a bachelor's degree in English from Rutgers College, a master's degree in Social Work from Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. in Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research focuses on the health and well-being of people with disabilities.

World Stage Held at Randolph Community College

Photo gallery online now.

The Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano, traditional Mexican dancers from Asheboro, was among the groups performing at Randolph Community College’s World Stage event on Tuesday, Sept. 15, on the Asheboro Campus. About 125 people gathered at RCC to enjoy the entertainment and sample food from various cultures.

Asheboro Kenjutsu instructor John Sutton demonstrated his experience in several Japanese martial arts, including Togakure, Nito Kendo, and Iaido. Other entertainment at RCC’s World Stage included Japanese Taiko drumming, Carolina Fusion cloggers, a Riverdance performance by Hanna Williams of Studio J in Asheboro, a yoga demonstration by Jacquie Reininger, a dulcimer performance by Ben Talbot, and a video from a trip to Nanjing Normal University in China by RCC photography instructor John Rash and 10 RCC students in May.

Japanese Taiko Drumming is characterized by choreographed arm and body movements and has cardiovascular benefits. The Earth Spirit Taiko Drumming group who performed included instructor Jim Sink, Wayne Harris, Martha Bisher, Joanne Martell, Lisa Johnson, and Susan Jarrett. Sink teaches a class in this type of drumming, called Drum For Fun, through RCC’s Continuing Education division.

This was the first in a series of Cultural Arts events planned for the 2009-10 school year. For more information on upcoming events, click here.

RCC Foundation Awards Over $113,000 in Scholarships

The Randolph Community College Foundation has awarded over $113,000 in scholarships to 133 students for the 2009-2010 academic year. An additional $6,700 will be awarded during the school year. These scholarships are for Curriculum students pursuing a degree, diploma, or certificate program.

Most of the Foundation's scholarship funds come from endowments that enable the Foundation to award scholarships each year. The principal in these scholarship funds is invested and a portion of the earnings is used to award scholarships. Currently, an investment of $10,000 will fully endow a scholarship to assist RCC students in perpetuity.

The Foundation also accepts designated scholarships in which contributions to the fund are paid out to students. Designated scholarships may be established in any amount.

According to Joyce Wolford, executive director of the RCC Foundation, "Money is an obstacle that prohibits many people for beginning or finishing their college education. With the help of generous donors from our community, the Foundation is able to assist students as they fulfill their dreams."

In addition to Curriculum scholarships, the RCC Foundation also provides assistance to Continuing Education students pursuing occupational training and to the College to help start new programs, fund equipment, provide unique opportunities to students, and to fund other endeavors that provide a margin of excellence for RCC's students.

For information on contributing to the RCC Foundation, contact Joyce Wolford at (336) 633-0295 or jbwolford@randolph.edu.

Randolph Community College To Host Constitution Day Roundtable Sept. 17

Randolph Community College will celebrate Constitution Day this Thursday, Sept. 17, by hosting a roundtable discussion that is open to the public.

RCC history instructors Lewis Edwards, James Marlowe, Dr. Robert Patrick, and Lane Moore will make up the panel. After giving a brief overview about the Constitution and its creators, the panel will lead an audience discussion about this important national document.

The community is invited to this event, which will be held at 4 p.m. in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center auditorium on the Asheboro Campus, 629 Industrial Park Avenue. Take the McDowell Road exit off Highway 220 Bypass (Future I-73/I-74), just south of the interchange with Highways 64 and 49, and follow the signs.

Randolph Community College Enrollment Up; 2009-10 Initiatives Named

Randolph Community College opened the 2009-10 school year with a record number of students, a new brand, and several new goals that are personal initiatives of President Robert S. Shackleford Jr.

As of the fall semester census date, 3,022 students had enrolled in college credit classes. That number is an all-time high for RCC and is a 13.4% increase over last fall's enrollment of 2,664. To learn more, click here.

Cake Decorating, Social Networking, Activity Coordinator, Dog Training, Watercolor Painting Classes Set

Randolph County residents can pick up a variety of skills through Continuing Education classes this fall at Randolph Community College in both Asheboro and Archdale. Upcoming classes focus on cake decorating, activity coordinator training, dog obedience training, social networking, and watercolor painting.

If you are out of work and looking for new, marketable skills, consider becoming an activity coordinator in a nursing home or assisted living facility. The Activity Coordinator Certification class will meet from 6-9 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays, Sept. 14-Nov. 23 at the Archdale Center. Registration is $175, plus the cost of a textbook. This course fulfills the requirements for the N.C. State certification to become an Activity Coordinator.

The fine art of cake decorating is a wonderful skill that you can use to impress your family and friends. Unveil the artist inside you with this cake decorating class and possibly supplement your income. An overview of the various tools of the trade, demonstrations on how to turn your vision into reality, and plenty of hands-on decorating will be included. Supplies will be discussed at the first Cake Decorating, Level I, class session. The Archdale Center class will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Mondays, Sept. 14-Oct. 26. The Asheboro Campus class will meet from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays, Sept. 15-Oct. 27. Registration is $65, plus supplies.

Basic dog training can make your dog a pleasure to be with and improve your dog's attentiveness and rapport with you. Start with vocal commands on a leash and progress to off-lead commands. The $35 fee for Beginning Dog Obedience Training covers one person working with one dog for the entire course. The Asheboro Campus class will be held from 7-8 p.m., Tuesdays, Sept. 15-Nov. 3. The Archdale Center class will meet from 7-8 p.m., Wednesdays, Sept. 16-Oct. 28.

Learn more about social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace in this class called Set Up and Safely Use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. This class will be held at the Archdale Center, and the registration fee is $65. The class will meet from 6-8 p.m., Mondays, Sept. 14-Nov. 16.

Learn brush techniques, approaches to subjects, composition, layout, and other aspects of painting in a Beginning Watercolor Painting class at the Archdale Center. The class will meet from 6:30-9 p.m., Tuesdays, Sept. 15-Nov. 10. Cost is $40.

To register for these courses or for more information, call 336-633-0268 in Asheboro or 336-862-7980 in Archdale.

RCC Kicks Off Cultural Arts Series with World Stage Sept. 15

Randolph Community College will kick off its 2009-10 Cultural Arts Series with a World Stage event on Tuesday, Sept. 15, on the Asheboro Campus.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature samples of international cuisine, martial arts demonstrations, a photography exhibit, and performances that represent a variety of nations and cultures. The food and demonstrations begin at 6 p.m. in the plaza between the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center and the Student Services Center. Performances begin at 7 p.m. in the LRC auditorium. Seating is limited, so go to RCC's Web site to download a free ticket at www.randolph.edu/newevents/culturalarts.php.

Upcoming events include the following. Many events are free of charge.
Piece Work, featuring the Touring Theatre of North Carolina, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Holiday Concert & Tree Lighting, featuring an instrumental quartet, 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2.
The Quest: The Journey of the Literary Hero and the Ordinary Man, an interactive, thought-provoking lecture by English instructor Jennifer Macy, 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 21.
An Evening With Fred Chappell, former N.C. Poet Laureate, Wednesday, Feb. 24.
Wiley and the Hairy Man, presented by UNCG's Theatre for Young People, 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 24.
Harmonious Hodgepodge, a night of homespun music, 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 20.

Other special events for the year include a Meditation, Relaxation, and Yoga workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 7-8 p.m., in RCC's Foundation Conference Center, and Classic Movie Nights set for 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 11 and Feb. 18 in the LRC auditorium.

For more information on the Cultural Arts series, call 336-633-0244, or visit www.randolph.edu.

Real Estate Broker License Class Set to Begin Sept. 14 at Randolph Community College

Randolph Community College has postponed the beginning of its Provisional Broker Real Estate Licensing course for fall. The class will begin on Monday, Sept. 14, and run through Dec. 14. The class will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. on the Asheboro Campus.

Persons applying for initial licensure (a broker license) are required to complete this 75-hour prelicensing broker course and pass the course final exam and the state license examination in order to qualify for licensure. Each newly licensed broker will be classified as a "provisional broker." The provisional broker must, within three years of initial licensure, complete an additional 90-hour postlicensing education program (to be taken as three separate 30-hour courses) in order to retain his or her broker license (and terminate the provisional license status).

The registration fee for the course is $181. Students should call 336-633-0268 in Asheboro or 336-862-7980 in Archdale to register for the Asheboro course.