Two members of the faculty at the Greenbrier Community
College Center of Bluefield State College, have been selected for
inclusion in the fifth edition of Who's Who Among America's
Teachers. Both were nominated by former students.
A group of ten Bluefield State College engineering
technology students earned international honors during the recent
Instrument Society of Measurement and Controls international
student competition in Houston, TX. The BSC student team
finished seventh among competing teams from throughout the U.S.,
Canada, Russia, Italy, and Mexico, in the competition, which was
a part of the ISA/TECH 98 Expo.
Partnership Activities
Bluefield State College announced its schedule for
Black History Month activities during February. The program
includes an average of three major activities each week, with
community attendance and participation encouraged.
The Student Accounting Society of Bluefield State
College began offering free income tax preparation assistance to
low income and elderly individuals, through the Volunteer Income
Tax Assistance (VITA) program co-sponsored with the Internal
Revenue Service. In 1998, BSC volunteers contributed more than
500 hours' service, assisting area residents in completing nearly
300 income tax returns.
Bluefield State College received recognition from Mark
Music, President of the Southern Region Education Board (SREB),
saluting BSC for its "participation in the 'Electronic Campus,'
America's largest and most connected interstate distance learning
initiative."
Presidents of Bluefield State College, Concord College,
and Southwest Virginia Community College recently launched a
community service initiative in this region, organized by the
Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation of Princeton, NJ.,
committing their institutions' participation in a grant from the
U.S. Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Post
Secondary Education (FIPSE).
Telecast throughout Bluefield-area cable system two
Bluefield City Board of Directors' meetings and the monthly
Mercer County Board of Education meeting
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 Center for Economic Enhancement is developing
advanced phase of customized Microsoft Access training for 1 1
employees of BF Goodrich Aerospace (Union, WV). This training
will provided as a sequel to an introductory program completed in
1998. (This training program is sponsored through the Governor's
Guaranteed Workforce Program.)
Coordinating Task 3 of customized desktop publishing
training for
Pemco, Inc. (Bluefield, VA). The first tasks of this program
were completed in 1998 and the entire project will develop
employees capable of producing promotional material for its
product line, in-house. The company has also requested
additional assistance with "Microsoft Project" and "Made to
Manage," two project management software packages utilized by
this manufacturing company.
Completed initial meeting with General Injectibles and
Vaccines, Inc. (Bastian, VA). The company, a supplier of
injectibles and vaccines for physicians throughout the United
States, has requested ongoing training assistance from BSC. A
Training needs assessment and initial team training will be
provided in February, 1999.
Coordinating continuing development of a work
instructions for B.F. Goodrich Aerospace (Union, WV). Using the
talents of BSC Engineering Technology student interns, work
instructions that can serve as training materials are being
developed for the entire product line of aircraft de-icing units.
(The program is sponsored through the Governor's Guaranteed
Workforce Program.)
Developing customized supervisory management and
written communications training programs for employees of Med-
Response (Bluefield, WV). The company had previously
participated in "Team Building" and "Process Improvement"
training provided by the Center for Economic Enhancement.
Coordinating a meeting with new owners of DS Parts,
Inc. (Bluefield, WV) and several training service providers to
identify training plans that will support business growth for
this remanufacturer of air brake parts for the automotive
industry. Other participants include the Governor's Guaranteed
Workforce Program and MultiCap.
Developing customized "Microsoft Office" training for
Flowers Baking Products (Bluefield, WV). The comprehensive
program will be divided into nine tasks and will provide training
in "Windows 95," "Corel WordPerfect," "Lotus 123," "Lotus
Approach," "Lotus Freelance," "Microsoft Powerpoint," and use of
e-mail and the Internet.
Discussing development of a welding certification
preparation training program with Platnick Steel and Engineering
(Bluefield, VA)
Coordinating a meeting with Triple S Manufacturing
(Beckley, WV) and several training service providers who have
participated in training efforts, as a result of an
organizational diagnostic training assessment completed at this
firm in 1998. This meeting will evaluate results of training
already completed, while also planning future training
initiatives. Other participants include the Governor's
Guaranteed Workforce Program, the WV Workplace Education Program,
the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Development, and the
Monroe County Manufacturing Assistance Center.
Coordinating a meeting with BF Goodrich Aerospace, Inc.
(Union, WV) and several service training providers that have
participated in basic skills assessment at this manufacturing
facility. The meeting will be held at Bluefield State College's
Greenbrier Community College Center, for the purpose of
identifying strategies for providing training based on assessment
results. Other participants include the Governor's Guaranteed
Workforce Program, Concord College, and the WV Workplace
Education Program.
Center for Economic Enhancement attended "Business
After Hours" January 1999 program, sponsored by the Greenbrier
Chamber of Commerce and the Greenbrier County Economic
Development Authority.
Creative Retirement Center presented a "Lunch & Learn"
book review of The Rocket Boys
Creative Retirement Center scheduled "Windows 95,"
"Microsoft Word," and "Internet/E-Mail" computer courses for
adults (age 50 and better).
Through the United States Information Agency, BSC Center
for International Understanding CIU prepared for review: a)
Amendment Request Number Two (1 999-2000) for the Appalachian
Community Connections Program, and; b) two one-year long
programs--"Women's Leadership Development," for Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Georgia to be held in Bratislava, Slovakia and an
additional program to be held in Rijeka, Croatia and the United
States.
CIU was awarded for implementation by the United States
Information Agency (USIA) the following contracts: a) Three-day
program, "Management and Marketing in the Furniture Manufacturing
Industry," for an international entrepreneur from Macedonia; b) a
two-week training program, "Participatory Rural Appraisal
Workshop, NGO Development," for 15 nongovernmental leaders, to be
held in Turkmenistan, and; a one-week program, "Textile
Manufacturing" for a business person from Zimbabwe.
CIU has submitted for review by USIA the program,
"Pharmaceutical Distribution Systems Management, for six
pharmaceutical distributors from Uzbekistan
CIU is preparing for
submission to USIA: 1) a two year program, "HIV/AIDS Prevention
Education," in collaboration with the South Central Aids Network.
The CIU Russia Bureau will participate in this project, and
pending grant approval, the CIU at BSC and South Central Aids
Network will also take part in the project, and; b) a one-to-two
year "Business Services Project" to promote microenterprise
development, in collaboration with CIU Bureaus in Russia, Eastern
Europe (Slovakia), Caucasus region (Azerbaijan), and Ukraine.
CIU disseminated international bids to West Virginia
companies
CIU English as a Second Language progress includes: a)
CIU ESL website averaging nearly 300 hits per month; b) teaching
two international students currently enrolled in program, and
reviewing application of an additional potential enrollee; c)
planning English camps for as many as 20 Russian children during
Summer, 1999, and; d) planning short-term intensive English
programs for potential candidates from African countries
recruited by the African American Institute
CIU is proceeding with the Commonwealth Novel in
English, volumes 9 & 10, No.'s 1 & 2
CIU Bureau in Washington, DC and Bratislava, Slovakia
are proceeding with data compilation for "Women's Leadership
Training Programs, and the Washington, DC Bureau director has
traveled to Turkmenistan for pre-training preparation for the
program there
CIU Caucasus-Central Asia Bureau is conducting research
(following visit to CIU Russia Bureau) methods by which to
register this bureau as an Azerbaijani Non-government
Organization.