Randolph Community College Hosts FAFSA Day 2013 on Feb. 23

Randolph Community College will participate in FAFSA Day on Saturday, Feb. 23, in which college financial aid officers and other volunteers will help students complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms over the Internet. Completing the FAFSA form is a requirement to be considered for all federal and most state financial aid for college, including scholarships and grants. The FAFSA is also required for RCC Foundation Scholarships.
           
The FAFSA Day program is open to students who plan to attend college in the 2013-14 academic year and will be held at approximately 100 locations across North Carolina. RCC’s event will be held from 9 a.m.-noon, Feb. 23, in Rooms 111, 113, 115, and 117 of the M.H. Branson Business Education Center on the Asheboro Campus. Preregistration is strongly encouraged.

For more on this story and how to register, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-01-30a.php.

Randolph Community College Schedules Computer Skills Courses in Liberty Beginning Feb. 19

Randolph Community College has scheduled two basic computer courses for Liberty area residents in need of fundamental computer skills necessary to succeed in today’s workplace. The courses will help students develop a moderate comfort level with basic computer operations and emphasize the role of technology in the workplace.
           
Workplace Computer Skills I is scheduled for 6-8:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, Feb. 19 through March 28 at the Liberty Fire Department at 515 West Swannanoa Avenue. A follow-up course, Workplace computer Skills II, is set for 6-8:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 2 through May 2 at the same location.
           
These courses are free for those who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or meet income eligibility requirements. For more information or to register, call RCC at 336-633-0268.

Randolph Community College Holds Combined Career College Graduation, Compensatory Education Awards Ceremony

On Jan. 11, Randolph Community College’s College and Career Readiness program (formerly Basic Skills) awarded 10 Career College students certificates in Hospitality & Tourism or Automotive Assistant. In addition, 75 excellence awards were presented to Compensatory Education students. The diplomas and awards were presented by Amanda Byrd, dean of corporate and continuing education; Tonya Monroe, director of compensatory education; and Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr., RCC president.

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-01-29a.php.

Golden LEAF Foundation Grant Enables Randolph Community College to Purchase Waterjet Machining Center

Randolph Community College will use the majority of the funds it receives from a recent Golden LEAF Foundation grant to purchase an OMAX waterjet machining center for its Computer-Integrated Machining program, according to Garret Parker, department head for CIM.
           
The $135,000 machine, which uses high-pressure water and abrasive media to cut metal and plastic, will be shipped to RCC from OMAX Corporation in Washington state. It will be the first machining center of this type at RCC, said Parker. “There are two to three industries in Randolph County that are using these machines,” said Parker. “Technology in that particular area is growing.”
           
Besides purchasing this critical piece of equipment, the grant money will be used as part of a regional partnership to expand training in Computer-Integrated Machining. The $145,000 awarded to RCC is just one part of an $825,000 Golden LEAF Foundation grant for a consortium of Piedmont community colleges led by Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem. The other colleges are Guilford Technical Community College, Rockingham Community College, and the Davie Campus of Davidson County Community College.

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-01-29.php.

Wolford Photography Exhibit Opens at Randolph Community College

Randolph Community College’s Photographic Technology department is hosting a photo exhibit featuring works from RCC alumnus Jerry Wolford, a 1986 graduate. The show is free and open to the public during normal school hours and days in the Photography Imaging Center on the Asheboro Campus through Feb. 28.

The “Twenty-Five for Twenty-Five” exhibit is a celebration of Wolford’s 28 plus years of photography. July 2012 marked Wolford’s 25th year working as a photojournalist at the News & Record (Greensboro). This exhibit is Wolford’s first look back at his work as a whole and takes you back through some highlights of those 25 years and then some. In fact, he has included 29 years of work, going back to his days as a photographer for Randleman High School’s newspaper, as a student at Randolph Technical College (now Randolph Community College), and at his first job at The Courier-Tribune (Asheboro).

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-01-24.php.

Randolph Community College-Archdale Plans Landscaping, Gardening Courses

Winter is a good time to be planning and preparing for the spring planting season, according to landscaping experts. Randolph Community College’s Archdale Center has scheduled courses in landscaping and vegetable gardening beginning in February.

Residential and Commercial Landscaping is a practical course that covers the basic principles of landscape design for the homeowner or the entrepreneur looking to start at business. Activities will include drawing plans; calculating area, volume, and plant quantities needed for landscape projects; and estimating cost. The course will meet from 6-9 p.m. on Thursdays, Feb. 7 through March 28. Registration fee is $65.
          
The second course, Vegetable Gardening, will focus on healthier food that students can grow in their own backyards. Done properly, vegetable gardening is a serious money saver that can significantly reduce food budgets. This class will meet from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays, Feb. 19 through March 19. The registration fee is $48.
           
For more information or to register for these courses, call the RCC Archdale Center at 336-862-7980.

State Board of Community Colleges Names Randolph Community College's Shackleford Wells Fargo President of the Year

The State Board of Community Colleges announced recipients of the President of the Year, Excellence in Teaching, Staff of the Year and Distinguished Partners in Excellence Awards on Friday, Jan. 18.

“These award recipients truly exemplify the excellence of North Carolina’s community colleges,” said State Board Chair Hilda Pinnix-Ragland. “The work they do to further the mission of their college, build partnerships and positively impact the lives of North Carolinians looking for new opportunities certainly deserves the highest accolades we, as the State Board, can bestow.”

Dr. Robert S. “Bob” Shackleford Jr., president of Randolph Community College in Asheboro, was named Wells Fargo President of the Year.

The President of the Year Award was established by the State Board of Community Colleges in 2001, with financial support from Wells Fargo, and rewards outstanding leadership and commitment to the community college mission among the presidents of the 58 institutions of the N.C. Community College System.

During Dr. Shackleford’s tenure, Randolph County residents approved a sales tax increase to assist in funding the renovation of a 47,000 square-foot warehouse into a premier Continuing Education and Industrial Center that will provide instructional space for in-demand industrial and technical programs. The facility is working to meet gold LEED standards, making it the first LEED-certified building in Randolph County.

Under Dr. Shackleford’s leadership, Randolph Community College has expanded program offerings at all of its campuses and re-designed how student services are provided, increasing efficiencies and more effectively serving students. Dr. Shackleford is also committed to implementing and integrating technology to both increase efficiencies and to provide students with technology equivalent to what they will find in the workplace.

For more on the other state awards, visit the System Office website at http://nccommunitycolleges.edu/pr/newsreleases/index.html.

Daniel K. Farmer Named Randolph Community College Small Business Center Director

Daniel K. Farmer has joined Randolph Community College as director of the Small Business Center. In this position, he is responsible for organizing, implementing, and administering the Small Business Center program, which provides free classes, small business counseling, and links to resources for local entrepreneurs. The Small Business Center is located in the newly opened Continuing Education and Industrial Center at 413 Industrial Park Avenue.
           
Daniel said his dream for RCC’s Small Business Center is “to help the entrepreneurs of Randolph County find the seeds of opportunity that are carried in the winds of change; to help them take those seeds and plant them in the fertile soil that is Randolph County’s bright future; and to work with them to nurture and care for the resulting crop so that it yields a harvest of hope and economic vitality for Randolph County.”

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-01-15a.php.

“Miss Representation” Film Screening Set for Jan. 23 at Randolph Community College

Randolph Community College’s Cultural Arts Series continues this month with a screening of the documentary, “Miss Representation,” on Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 2 p.m. in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center on the Asheboro Campus. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. To reserve your seat, go to www.randolph.edu and click on the Cultural Arts Quick Link.          

This documentary, written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, challenges the media’s portrayals of women and girls, portrayals that make it difficult for women to achieve leadership positions. After the screening, RCC Humanities Instructor Kimberly Maddox will lead a discussion on the film that addresses how mainstream media contribute to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence in America.          

This project receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.         

RCC’s Asheboro Campus is located at 629 Industrial Park Avenue. Take the McDowell Road exit off of U.S. 220 Bypass/I73-74 and follow the signs.

Randolph Community College Small Engine Repair Courses Set to Begin Jan. 28

Randolph Community College’s Corporate and Continuing Education Division will offer two small engine repair courses on the Asheboro Campus beginning Monday, Jan. 28.
           
Power Equipment Mechanical Systems III, an afternoon course, will provide an introduction to the multicylinder units from engine design differences to centrifugal vacuum advance ignitions and into service whether it is a new engine or used power equipment that that been out of service. Engines are those used on riding mowers, small tractors, garden tillers, zero turn mowers with various attachments, etc. The class will meet from 1-5 p.m., Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, Jan. 28 through May 15.
           
Small Engine Mechanics III, an evening course, will provide further instruction into the parts and operation of small gasoline 2- and 4-stroke engines normally found on push mowers, riding mowers, small tractors, garden tillers, blowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, chain saws, etc. The class will meet from 6-10 p.m., Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, Jan. 28 through May 15.
          
The instructor for both courses will be Mark Gilmore, owner of Goldston Small Engine Repair in Goldston, N.C. Gilmore has over 10 years of experience in small engine repair.
          
The registration fee for either of these classes is $176.25. Call 336-633-0216 or 336-862-7980 to register. Seating is limited.

Sign Up for Concealed Carry Training at Randolph Community College

Randolph Community College has released its annual schedule of Concealed Carry courses that meet the educational requirements so the student can apply for a North Carolina concealed carry handgun permit.
           
The classes are taught by trained law enforcement professionals. Joe Birchette, a 20-year law enforcement veteran with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, and Jamie Kerney, a 15-year law enforcement veteran with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, alternate teaching the classes.
           
The 8-hour course, which meets from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays at RCC’s Emergency Services Training Center, covers handgun safety and hands-on training. Supplies needed are a handgun, a holster, and 40 rounds of ammunition. The registration fee is $49.
           
Dates for upcoming classes are Jan. 26, Feb. 23, March 23, April 20, May 18, June 22, July 20, Aug. 17, Sept. 21, Oct. 19, Nov. 16, and Dec. 14.
           
For more information or to sign up for one of these classes, call 336-633-4165. The Emergency Services Training Center is located 895 Training Center Drive, Randleman, just off Old Cedar Falls Road east of Asheboro.

Randolph Community College Foundation Provides Over $233,000 in Scholarship Funds to Curriculum Students

The Randolph Community College Foundation has awarded over $161,000 in scholarships to 166 students for the 2012-2013 academic year. An additional $2,185 is available to award during the spring semester. These awards include various scholarships funded by individuals, businesses, and organizations, plus Foundation Ambassador/Rotary Scholar scholarships, and Presidential Scholar scholarships. They are for Curriculum (credit) students pursuing a degree, diploma, or certificate program. The Foundation also provided $70,000 to RCC’s financial aid office for unrestricted scholarships to help Curriculum students who have financial need but do not qualify for traditional financial aid.

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.

For more on this story go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-01-09a.php.

Randolph Community College Archdale Offers SAT Prep Course Beginning Jan. 22

Just in time for the March 9, 2013, SAT test date, Randolph Community College’s Archdale Center is offering an SAT Prep Course beginning Tuesday, Jan. 22.
           
Making the decision to attend college is probably one of the most important decisions students will ever make, and performance on college entrance exams is instrumental in determining college choice. Universities and colleges throughout the United States require applicants to take the SAC or ACT as part of their evaluation package.
           
This course is recommended for students taking the SAT this academic year and who are currently taking or have taken geometry. In this course, students will review basic math through Algebra II to prepare for the problem reasoning on the SAT test. Verbal preparation includes improving vocabulary, essay writing, and reading comprehension. Test-taking tips will be included in each session.
           
The course will meet from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 22 – Feb. 28 at the Archdale Center. The cost is $60, and enrollment is limited. Students must bring a calculator to each class session.
           
Students must be 16 or older to enroll. Those who are 16 or 17 years of age must have a permission form completed by their high school principal prior to registering for the class. For more information or to register for the course, call the Archdale Center at 336-862-7980.
           
RCC’s Archdale Center is located at 110 Park Drive in Creekside Park, just off Highway 311 south of Archdale.

Randolph Community College Foundation Presidential Scholar Program Soliciting Applications

The Randolph Community College Foundation will award two-year RCC scholarships to five high school seniors in Randolph County for a total of up to $25,000 in scholarships in the second year of its Presidential Scholar program. The students will be chosen in a competitive process that includes an application packet and interviews, according to Joyce Wolford, executive director.

High school seniors from all Randolph County public, private, and home schools are invited to apply. To be considered, students must plan to enroll at RCC in the fall of 2013, have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0, participate in extracurricular/community activities, and submit an application packet (application, two recommendations, and high school transcript) by 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 15.

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-01-08.php.

Randolph Community College Continuing Education & Industrial Center Ribbon Cutting/Open House Draws Crowd

A standing-room-only crowd attended the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House of Randolph Community College’s new Continuing Education and Industrial Center on Friday, Jan. 4. North Carolina Community College System President Scott Ralls was among the dignitaries to speak at the ceremony.
           
RCC President Robert Shackleford welcomed the crowd of over 300 people, introducing a number of special guests, including N.C. Senator Rick Gunn, N.C. Representatives Pat Hurley and Allen McNeill, and a number of county, city and school leaders. “It’s hard to imagine how a 46,000-square-foot abandoned furniture warehouse became what you see today,” said Shackleford. “This empty building is now going to make such a profound impact on the economic and workforce development of Randolph County.”

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-01-07.php.