Randolph Community College Hosts Annual Meeting of N.C. Press Photographers Assn. Feb. 5-7

Randolph Community College's Photographic Technology department will host the annual meeting of the North Carolina Press Photographers Association Feb. 5-7 in the Photography Imaging Center on the Asheboro Campus. The Saturday and Sunday sessions are open to the public.

The annual meeting includes the Pictures of the Year contest, and the NCPPA will be judging Photographer of the Year categories all day Saturday starting at 9 a.m., according to William Thompson, RCC Photographic Technology instructor.

Documentary photographer Sam Abell is the keynote speaker on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. Abell’s 30-year career has included lengthy, in-depth coverages for National Geographic magazine and its Book Division. At the same time, he has maintained a career as an artist, teacher, and author.

In addition, he has maintained a personal black-and-white photographic diary that documents the life behind the artistic process. In 1990, Abell's work was the subject of a one-man exhibition at the International Center of Photography in New York City. A companion book, "Stay This Moment," was published at that time.

Abell is a member of the board of directors of the Santa Fe Center For Photography, the George Eastman House, and the University of Virginia Art Museum. In 2002, he collaborated with Leah Bendavid-Val on a retrospective of his life and work titled "Sam Abell: The Photographic Life," published by Rizzoli. He is also the author of the book "Seeing Gardens," published in 2001.

For more information on the NCPPA, go to www.ncppaonline.org.

Randolph Community College Welding Class Begins Feb. 1; Skilled Workers Needed

Randolph Community College is expanding its welding program in anticipation of a higher need for welders in the replacement and repair of America's infrastructures, including roads, bridges, and power plants, according to Gerald Hubbard, who recently joined RCC to help build its welding program. A new class starts Monday, Feb. 1, at the Asheboro Campus.

Hubbard, who is a certified welding and taught welding at Guilford Technical Community College for 11 years before retiring in June, recently received a call from a former welding student of his who was working in Virginia. "He wanted to know if I had any students who wanted a job," said Hubbard, who is working with Lonnie Hamm, RCC's Small Business Center director, to make sure RCC's Welding classes will prepare students to certify when they leave. RCC works with the American Welding Society to certify its students in four areas of welding, according to Hamm: vertical, horizontal, flat, and pipe welding. Pipe welding is the most difficult and it pays the most, said Hamm.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs prospects should be good for skilled welders because employers are reporting difficulty finding enough qualified people.

"For the past few years, the metal fabrication and construction industries have faced a challenge in finding skilled welders," said Ray Shook, executive director of the American Welding Society, in the Welding & Gases Today Online journal. "With approximately 500,000 welders in the workforce, the average welder today is in his or her mid-50s and nearing retirement. With welders retiring at twice the pace of new welders coming into the field, it’s anticipated that in the years to come, we will have a significant shortfall of qualified welders."

In addition, about one-third of President Obama's $285 billion stimulus package will go to infrastructure – roads, mass transit and railways. These projects will take years to complete and should creates thousands of jobs for welders nationwide. Hubbard noted that power companies will be building new nuclear power plants and repowering old power plants. "This will create lots of jobs," he said, although he noted that they may not be local jobs. "Workers will need to follow the jobs."

Following the jobs is key to increasing compensation in welding jobs, too, said Hubbard and Hamm. Median wages of welders in the U.S. in 2008 were $16.13 an hour, but an experienced welder who is willing to travel can make much more. "It's not uncommon for welders to make $150,000 a year," said Hamm, "but they have to follow the work."

RCC's MIG and TIG Welding Fundamentals class will meet on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, from 6-9 p.m., Feb. 1 through May 12, on the Asheboro Campus. The course is designed to teach basic fundamentals of MIG and TIG welding that will qualify one for entry-level employment in welding jobs. This course will begin with an introduction to welding safety, fundamentals, and techniques. Students will be introduced to Oxy-Acetylene Welding and Torch Cutting, Arc Welding, and then progress to MIG and TIG Welding. The primary emphasis in the class will be hands-on training in MIG and TIG welding techniques allowing the student to develop basic skills in the use and application of these techniques in various welding applications. Students will be evaluated on basic welding knowledge and skill development at the conclusion of the training.

The registration fee is $201.25. For more information or to preregister, call RCC at 336-633-0268.

Randolph Community College Student Takes Photos for 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'

Spencer Reudelhuber of Lexington, a second-year Photographic Technology student at Randolph Community College, had an "extreme" experience during his internship at John West Photography in Cary, N.C., during the fall semester.

ABC was in town recently to interview Spencer and the builder, Hedrick Creative Building of Lexington, for the show, which is scheduled to air on ABC (Channel 45) at 7 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 31. A special show with local interviews will air from 7-8 p.m. with the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" regular show at 8 p.m. The interviews took place in the Bob Timberlake Gallery in Lexington.

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2010/2010-01-26a.php.

Activity Coordinator Training Begins Feb. 15 at Randolph Community College-Archdale Center

If you are out of work and looking for a new, marketable skill, consider becoming an activity coordinator in a nursing home or assisted living facility.

Randolph Community College will offer an Activity Coordinator Training class beginning Feb. 15 at the Archdale Center. The class will meet from 6-9 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays, Feb. 15-April 29. Registration is $175, plus the cost of a textbook.

For more information or to preregister, contact the Archdale Center at 336-862-7980 or the Asheboro Campus at 336-633-0268. Preregistration is required.

Randolph Community College Emergency Services Weekend School March 5-7

Randolph Community College has scheduled its sixth annual Emergency Services Weekend School for March 5-7. Hundreds of emergency services workers from across the state have participated in the event for the past five years, according to Ken Fields, coordinator/instructor for Emergency Services at RCC. The Randolph County Fire Protection Association cosponsors the event.

Over 40 courses in firefighting, emergency care, rescue, safety and leadership skills are planned. Classes will cover topics such as ventilation, fire behavior, forcible entry, rescue boat operation, engine company operations, hazardous materials awareness, emergency vehicle driving, and agricultural rescue.

Most of the classroom training will be held at the Asheboro Campus beginning Friday evening. Additional training will be held at the Emergency Services Training Center on Old Cedar Falls Road Saturday and Sunday.

All students attending are required to pay a $25 registration fee. In-state students who are affiliated with a public safety provider are exempt from additional tuition fees.

Additional information and registration forms are available at www.randolph.edu/esws. Confirmations will be mailed to all registrants if received by Friday, Feb. 12.

For more information, call 336-633-0221.

Free Classic Movie Nights at Randolph Community College Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 11 & Feb. 18.

Randolph Community College's Cultural Arts Series continues with Classic Movies Nights each Thursday for the next four weeks in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center auditorium on the Asheboro Campus. The movies illustrate the topics presented in the lecture on Jan. 21 titled "The Quest – The Journey of the Literary Hero and The Ordinary Man."

The first movie, set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28, is "The Wizard of Oz." On Thursday, Feb. 4, patrons will see "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." On Thursday, Feb. 11, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" will be aired. On Thursday, Feb. 18, moviegoers will see the original "Star Wars."

All the movies start at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information on the Cultural Arts series at Randolph Community College, call 336-633-0244.

Prelicensing and Postlicensing Real Estate Courses Offered at Randolph Community College

Randolph Community College will offer a Real Estate Broker Prelicensing course beginning on Monday, Jan. 25, at the Asheboro Campus. This course, which is designed for those desiring to become newly licensed real estate brokers, will meet on Mondays and Thursdays, from 6-9 p.m., Jan. 25 through April 29. Persons applying for initial licensure are required to complete this 75-hour broker course and pass the state license examination in order to qualify for licensure. The registration fee is $181.

A postlicensing course for provisional brokers, Broker Special Topics, is being offered on Tuesdays, from 6-9 p.m., Jan. 26 through March 30, at the Archdale Center. Cost is $120. This course is one of three a provisional broker has to complete to become a broker.

For more information or to preregister, call the Asheboro Campus at 336-633-0268 or the Archdale Center at 336-862-7980. Preregistration is required.

Randolph Community College Cosmetology Center Reopens Jan. 20

Randolph Community College's Cosmetology Center will reopen and begin taking clients again on Wednesday, Jan. 20. It had been closed for the semester break.

The Center's normal hours are 9 a.m.-12 noon, every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 8:15-11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. Senior Appreciation Day, which offers all services one-half price for those 55 and up, has been moved to Wednesdays.

The Cosmetology Center is located in Hillside Shopping Center at 1003 S. Fayetteville Street. For a new price list, please visit RCC's Web site at http://www.randolph.edu/cosmetology/.

Randolph Community College Enrollment Jumps Again; Classrooms Overflowing

Randolph Community College continues to break enrollment records this spring. Classrooms and parking lots are full and, in some cases, overflowing.

When spring semester registration ended Tuesday, 2,971 students had enrolled in college credit classes. That number is an all-time high for a spring semester at RCC, a 16.2% increase of over last spring’s enrollment of 2,557, according to Karen Ritter, director of planning and assessment. This spring, the number of new student applications increased by nearly 30% over last spring (from 1,179 to 1,527).

Many classrooms are full to overflowing, and the College has increased the number of sections of many courses to handle the extra students. Ritter noted that 18 sections of Introduction to Computers are being offered this spring, with 78% of those classrooms filled to capacity. Fourteen General Psychology course sections are offered, with 64% full or over. College-wide, 109 classrooms are filled to capacity and an additional 28 classrooms had at least one student over its stated capacity, said Ritter.

"These enrollment figures indicate that, even in the worst of economic times, the people of our community turn to RCC to find hope and opportunity," said Robert S. Shackleford, RCC president. "We are dedicated to the mission of preparing our students for the jobs and careers of their dreams."

The largest growing technical programs were Industrial Systems Technology (177%), Automotive Systems Technology (94%), Funeral Service Education (71%), and Healthcare Management Technology (50%), according to Ritter. The Associate in General Education curriculum (taken by many students waiting to get into programs like Nursing or Radiography) grew by 50%. In addition, several of RCC's lowest enrollment programs saw a boost this spring – Entrepreneurship grew by 233% (from 3 to 10 students) and Biotechnology by 125% (from 4 to 9 students).

Parking has been at a premium, too. The paved parking lots are full most mornings, with students nearly filling the gravel overflow lot next to the old Klaussner plant purchased by Randolph County for the College two years ago. That facility is awaiting renovations to provide more classroom space.

Caregiver College Set for Saturday, Feb. 20 at Randolph Community College

Randolph Community College is partnering with Randolph Hospital, Hospice of Randolph County, and Cross Road Retirement Community to offer a one-day intensive training event for home caregivers in February. The event is being partially funded by a grant from the Randolph Hospital Community Health Foundation.

The Caregiver College, set for 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, at RCC's Asheboro Campus, will offer breakout sessions on a variety of topics. The keynote session will be given by Teepa Snow, an occupational therapist specializing in dementia care and dementia education. The keynote topics are "Learning the Difference Between Letting Go and Giving Up," and "Humor and Caregiving – Learning How to Laugh."

Snow has 30 years of experience in geriatrics and provides educational and training sessions to organizations and providers throughout the United States. She has a strong and varied clinical background and has worked collaboratively to conduct clinical research in a variety of settings and on a variety of geriatric topics. Snow, who has an M.S. in Occupational Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and has received local, statewide, and national recognition for her expertise in geriatrics, dementia care and programming, and staff training.

Topics for the breakout sessions include ins and outs of long-term care, emergency preparedness, graying anatomy, taking care of the caregiver, Medicare Part D, and sleep disorders in dementia.

The registration fee for the Caregiver College will be $20 (includes lunch).

Free home care by a certified nursing assistant is available to allow caregivers to get away from home to attend. Participants must reserve the free home care, which is being provided by Family Caregiver funds, at 633-7706 by Jan. 31. Availability is limited.

Register for the Caregiver College by Monday, Feb. 15, at 12 noon, by calling RCC at (336) 633-0268. Inclement weather date is Saturday, Feb. 27.

National Photo Events at Randolph Community College Jan. 14 and Feb. 4

Randolph Community College's Photographic Technology department will host two national-level photography events on Jan. 14 and Feb. 4.

The American Society of Media Photographers will present Judy Herrmann's seminar, "I Need to Jumpstart My Business," on Thursday, Jan. 14, from 6-9 p.m. in the Photography Imaging Center on the Asheboro Campus. RCC faculty and students will be admitted free. Others should register by going to http://asmp.org/asmp-seminar-career.

Judy Herrmann of Herrmann+Starke specializes in digital still life and lifestyle photography for advertising. Her work has appeared in Lurzer's Archive, Graphis, Communication Arts, the How International Design Annual and Pix Digital Annual. She has been recognized as an Olympus Visionary since 2000. She lectures extensively about digital photography and offers consultations on building a successful photography career. A past president of the American Society of Media Photographers, she received the United Nations' International Photographic Council's leadership award in 2008.

Canon Explorers of Light will present Barbara Bordnick on Thursday, Feb. 4, from 6-9 p.m. at RCC in the Photography Imaging Center. Bordnick, called the "Grande Dame of Photography," will share her story of the career of a self-taught photographer who entered the then male-dominated fashion photography world as the first woman in a generation. With Bordnick's long list of credits in photojournalism, fashion, and advertising, this is a program not to be missed.

RCC faculty and students will be admitted free. Others should register by going to http://www.asmp-nc.org/BordnickCanon1002PR.php.

Both events are courtesy of the American Society of Media Photographers North Carolina Chapter.

Circa Gallery to Feature Work of Randolph Community College Photography Students

The photographs of 33 Randolph Community College Photographic Technology students will be featured in an art exhibition titled "Open Eyes" from Jan. 15 to Feb. 5 at the Circa Gallery in downtown Asheboro.

A Patron Preview and Artist Reception will be held on Friday, Jan. 15, from 5-8 p.m. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.

The students involved in the exhibit are all second-year students from all four concentrations: Biocommunications, Commercial, Photojournalism, and Portrait Studio Management. Students were allowed to submit three images of their choosing for consideration for the show, said Greg Stewart, Commercial and Artistic Production Division chair and photography instructor. The project was independent of their classes.

For more information, see the entire story here.

Dan Thomas Memorial Scholarship Established at Randolph Community College

Automotive Systems Technology and Autobody Repair students at Randolph Community College will benefit from a new scholarship established recently with the RCC Foundation. The Dan Thomas Memorial Scholarship has been funded by Wayne Thomas, his family, and the employees of Dan Thomas Auto Center and Wayne Thomas Chevrolet.

The first Dan Thomas Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to an RCC student, preferably in the Automotive Systems Technology or Autobody Repair programs, for the 2010-2011 school year. Because this is an endowed scholarship, it will be awarded annually in perpetuity. Donor contributions to endowed scholarships are invested and only a portion of the earnings is used to fund the annual scholarship award.

"Our family and the employees of our companies wanted to honor my Dad's memory. He was a long-time supporter of RCC way back when it was Randolph Technical College. In fact, he still called it RTC," said Wayne Thomas, of the scholarship. "We felt it was an appropriate way to honor him because of his support of education particularly in the automotive areas, both the automotive mechanics and auto body shop programs."

The RCC Foundation is appreciative of donors in the community who fund scholarships to help students. Joyce Wolford, executive director of the RCC Foundation, says, "Scholarship support is crucial to our students' success. Many students are unable to afford an education that will help them secure meaningful employment. Scholarships funded by individuals, businesses, and organizations in our community make it possible for students to obtain an education."

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

Pfeiffer/University Center Elementary Education Enrollment Session Jan. 14 at Randolph Community College

Area residents who plan to begin the Pfeiffer University bachelor's degree program in Elementary Education through the University Center of Randolph County should attend an enrollment session set for 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 14, at Randolph Community College's Asheboro Campus. The session will be held in Room 115 of the Administration/Education Center. Under this program, the four-year degree is granted by Pfeiffer University. Spring classes begin Jan. 25.

The Dean of the Pfeiffer School of Education, the instructors, admissions and financial aid personnel will be available to help with the enrollment process that evening. Students who have not yet applied can apply on Jan. 14 to begin classes on Jan. 25. Required admissions testing for all new students will be given on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 4:30 p.m., in Room 115 of the Administration/Education Center.

Students who have not yet been admitted to the program should bring a copy of their college transcript, if possible, and have filled out the FAFSA online before Jan. 14.

In order to transfer to Pfeiffer, students need to have completed 24 college-level credits, about eight classes. The courses can transfer from RCC or other regionally accredited community colleges or four-year colleges.

For questions prior to the information session, contact Joyce Edwards at 704-639-4336.

Randolph Community College is Accepting Applications for Classes for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

The Compensatory Education program at Randolph Community College is now accepting student applications for classes held at the Asheboro Campus and the Archdale Center. Participants can choose from morning or afternoon classes.

To be eligible to participate in the Compensatory Education program, an individual must be 17 years old or older, and (a) diagnosed with intellectual disabilities (formerly called mental retardation) or (b) functioning on a level equivalent to intellectual disabilities resulting from head injury or brain damage. RCC is required by the North Carolina Community College System Audit Services to have on file proof of eligibility as determined and certified by a qualified professional.

Classes are offered Monday - Friday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and Monday - Thursday from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at the Asheboro Campus, and Monday - Friday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and Monday - Thursday from 1-4 p.m. at the Archdale Center. The classes are free of charge.

Please contact Tonya Monroe, Compensatory Education coordinator, at 336-633-0254 if you have any questions, to apply, or learn more about the program.

Journey of the Literary Hero is Topic of Cultural Arts Lecture Set for Jan. 21 at Randolph Community College

Have you ever thought that you might have something in common with Luke Skywalker, Oedipus, Huckleberry Finn, or Harry Potter? Randolph Community College starts off the spring semester of its Cultural Arts Series with an interactive, thought-provoking lecture that will change the way you look at fiction.

"The Quest - The Journey of the Literary Hero and The Ordinary Man" will be presented by English instructor Jennifer Macy at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21, in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center auditorium. In the lecture, Macy will show how the heroic journeys in literature parallel the ordinary journeys we all take in life.

Macy has been a full-time English instructor at RCC since 2006, and before that taught English part time at RCC and Guilford Technical Community College. She earned a B.A. in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an M.A. in English from the University of North Florida.

Admission is free, but seating is limited. Go to RCC's Web site to download a free ticket at www.randolph.edu/newevents/culturalarts.php. For more information on the Cultural Arts series at Randolph Community College, call 336-633-0244.