BSC April Activities Review

Campus Activities

• The President of the WV Chamber of Commerce met with BSC Business Division students and faculty during his two-day stay as "Executive in Residence" at the College
• The fourth annual BSC Scholarship Dinner honored more than 30 individuals, businesses, and organizations providing scholarships for over 300 BSC students
• BSC Career Planning & Placement office hosted a five- college "Job Fair," (March 31 -April 1) during which more than 300 students and recent graduates met representatives and recruiters from approximately 40 regional businesses
• The Bluefield State College Jazz Ensemble prepared to present its annual Spring Jazz Concert May 4, at 8 p.m., in the Basic Science Auditorium on the BSC campus. The event wraps up a day-long BSC Jazz Festival, during which area public school band students collaborate with area musicians and BSC Jazz Ensemble members in a workshop atmosphere
• Greenbrier Community College Center (GCCC) of BSC conducted "Student Appreciation Week" activities, April 20-23
• GCCC students presented an Easter Egg Hunt for Greenbrier East Head Start Program students
• 19 students were inducted into the BSC chapter of Phi Eta Sigma, national honor society for freshmen
• 16 students were inducted into the BSC chapter of Pi Gamma Mu, international honor society for social sciences
• 11 new members were inducted into the BSC West Virginia Delta Chapter of Alpha Chi National College Honor Society
• Awards banquets recognizing students' achievements, student-athletes, and radiologic technology program graduates were held
• Graduation speakers were announced. Ms. Bonita Brogdon Mitchell, a 1983 BSC graduate, will deliver the commencement address at the May 8 Associate Degree graduation program, and Dr. Jack S. Russell, the Appalachian Regional Commission's Director of External Affairs, will deliver the College's Baccalaureate Commencement address.
• The BSC student organization "Minorities on the Move" presented two programs--a talent show and a step show--on campus
• Internationally recognized poet Nikki Giovanni delivered a poetry reading for more than 200 area public school students, along with BSC students, faculty, and staff, and the general public
• Student Nursing projects included one that established a health education center at the "Stop Abusive Family Environments (SAFE)" Transitional Housing Program near Welch, WV, and another that provided four "Spring Fling" health education programs for area children (K-8th grade)

Partnership Activities

• BSC prepared to host the May 4-5 meeting of the State College System Board of Directors
• Participated in the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce's "Better Living Show," an annual, three-day event attracting a weekend attendance of more than 10,000
• Business Division faculty member selected by West Virginia Consortium for Faculty & Course Development in International Studies (FACDIS) international trade program in Washington D.C.
• Business Division faculty member served as mentor for several management graduate students from Virginia Tech, assisting Slovenian banking executives as they adapt to privatization of the economy
• History faculty member selected to participate in FACDIS four-week study-travel tour of Brazil
• Nursing faculty member accepted invitation to deliver scholarly presentation at National League for Nursing Educational Summit, and additional presentation at the "Opportunities & Challenges for ADN Graduates Conference" at Eastern Kentucky University
• Nursing faculty member has accepted invitation to spend five weeks as a Nurse Practitioner at an Indian Reservation in South Dakota
• Department head of Electrical Engineering Technology was a featured presenter at the American Society for Engineering Education Spring Conference at the University of Detroit-Mercy
• Secretarial Science faculty member attended the FOSE integrated technology conference in Washington, D.C.
• BSC's Director of Multicultural Affairs met with numerous community, public schools, alumni, church, and civic organizations, with a focus on recruitment of minority students, faculty, and staff, and improving community relations
• BSC continued preparation to serve as the host site for a three-day racial reconciliation conference (May 15-17), involving leaders from this region and its churches
• BSC Sports Information Coordinator was selected to participate in the NACHWAA/HERS Institute for Administrative Advancement in June
• Telecast throughout Bluefield-area cable system two Bluefield City Board of Directors' meetings and the monthly Mercer County Board of Education meeting BSC Accounting Club students and accounting faculty provided income tax preparation assistance to area residents through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Faculty and students in the accounting program at the Greenbrier Community College Center of BSC are also offering free volunteer income tax assistance in the Greenbrier Valley
• Center for Economic Enhancement and Occupational Skill Development provided database management coaching and technical assistance for Tabor Machine Company (Bluefield, WV). (This training was sponsored through the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program.)
• Continued customized First-Line supervisory training in development of skills including effective workplace communications, management essentials and techniques, and legal guidelines for management action (funded through the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program) for EWA Manufacturing Services, Inc. (Beckley, WV), an electronics manufacturer employing approximately 35 people
• Continued customized Team Building and Process Improvement training program for Med-Response (Bluewell, WV). (This program is funded through the Small Business Workforce Program.)
• Developing a customized Statistical Process Control and Quality Management training program for DS Parts, LTD (Bluefield, WV). (This program is funded through the Small Business Workforce Program.)
• Completed initial data-gathering as part of an Organizational Diagnostic training needs assessment (funded through the Governor's Guaranteed Workforce Program) for Triple S Manufacturing Corporation (Beckley, WV). This effort will result in a prioritized training plan that takes into account human resource performance goals and the competitive environment in which the firm operates. (This program is funded through the Small Business Workforce Program, and is being completed in partnership with the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Development at West Virginia University)
• Coordinating development of a workplace education program for B.F. Goodrich Aerospace (Union, WV). This project involves assisting the company with evaluation of different alternatives for testing the basic skills of its employees with respect to the jobs they perform, along with developing instruction to meet these needs.
• Completed the following continuing education program for RNs & LPNS, with approximately 30 students attending each: "Stress Management," and "Care of a Patient with a Cardiovascular Disorder'
• Developing a Technical Studies certificate program for teleservices employee, combining instruction in a variety of formats
• Developing an articulation and partnership agreement with the Community Action Center of Southeastern WV (CASE-WV), that will lead to the implementation of several Welfare-to-Work programs
• Providing alternative continuing education opportunities for RNs and LPNs through the healthcare newsletter "Health-Link," published through BSC's Associate Degree Nursing program
• Director of the Center for Economic Enhancement delivered opening remarks for the Mid-Atlantic Region meeting of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers BSC Center for International Understanding (CIU) conducted a two-week training program, "Media Viability-Georgia" for 12 television media personnel
• BSC CIU conducted training programs sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the following areas:
  • a) Three-week training program on "Microcredit (Practice) Group from Hungary" for eight microcredit practitioners, April 5- 27;
  • b) Two-and-one-half week training program on "Sales and Marketing in the Furniture Industry" for Zimbabwe businessman, April 3-21
• CIU is currently reviewing a four week training program, "Development of Non-Government Organizations for Armenian Women," for June, 1998
• CIU is preparing for submission to USAID:
  • a) One-week training program for Electric Utilities Managers in Bosnia (May 31 -June 6), and;
  • b) Four-week training program on Electric Power Systems Management (June 20-July 18);
• CIU has delivered to USIA the following training program proposals:
  • a) Long-term training program for 1998-99 for "Women's Leadership Training for Central & Eastern Europe (submitted through the CIU Eastern Europe Bureau in Bratislava, Slovakia, the CIU Washington, D.C. Bureau, and the CIU at BSC);
  • b) Training programs/internships on "American Business Practices," "Non-Government Organization Development," and "Presidential Management Training Initiatives for Russian Managers," along with the second year of a grant award for the USIA:s Community Connections Project
• CIU is conducting training program and mini-internships for eight nongovernment organization leaders from the Ukraine, April 22-May 16
• CIU is defining objectives for offices in Saratov (Russia), Bombay (India), Bratislava (Slovakia), and Baku (Azerbaijan)
• CIU is disseminating international bids to West Virginia companies CIU is preparing for follow-up program, including trade mission, to Russia (mid-July to August)
• Marketing English as a Second Language (ESL) program for International Students and their spouses, and through CIU bureaus abroad
• CIU ESL program coordinator attended a NAFSA workshop for ESL administrators in Dallas, TX
• Through the Washington, D.C. bureau, CIU is negotiating relationships with foundations and development organizations in Europe for development projects and international trade
• Preparing for submission to the American Association for Community Colleges a proposal for a two-year project, "Building International Workforce Development" program in collaboration with the Center for Economic Options and the WV Small Business Development Center
• CIU ESL coordinator participated in the Princeton/Mercer County Chamber of Commerce's plenary session for the 1998 "Summerfest" celebration in Princeton, WV. BSC's international students will be encouraged to share their cultures with the community during this week-long summer celebration