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Enterprise State Community College was proud to have a role in the State of Alabama’s Bicentennial celebration through the volunteer service of several members, alumni and family members of the Enterprise State Community College History Club.

On Friday, June 29, the History Club assisted the Elba Chamber of Commerce with the set-up of the historic Making Alabama. A Bicentennial Traveling Exhibit, which is part of the signature events throughout Alabama during the 2017-2019 time frame in celebration of 200 years of Alabama’s statehood. The exhibit is being presented by the Alabama Humanities Foundation with support from the Alabama Department of Archives and History, the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, corporate citizens, individuals and organizations across the state.

The Coffee County exhibit, hosted by the Elba Chamber of Commerce, will be on display at the National Security Insurance Conference Center in Elba from July 4 through July 25 and is free to the public. Blending artistic collages and images, the exhibit features interactive computer tablets and an audio medley of song and spoken word to tell the story of Alabama from becoming a territory to achieving statehood. It also conveys a message of “Hope” in its presentation about the future.

Alabama Humanities Foundation mission is to foster learning, understanding and appreciation of our people, communities and cultures. As the independent, state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the AHF supports and offers programs that will enhance the minds and enrich the lives of Alabamians.

Cutline:  Assisting with the set-up of the “Making Alabama” Historical Exhibit were from Left to Right: Eleanor Covington, Sam Covington, David Covington, Spencer Stonehouse, Daniel Larson, Landon Larson, Sarah Webb, Zach Crawford and Daniel Ponce.

ENTERPRISE – On Thursday, June 7, 2018, Enterprise State Community College announced it will lead the region’s new commercial driver’s license and commercial learner’s permit training at the Alabama Aviation College in Ozark, AL. The six-week training continues the College’s mission of promoting and creating programs which directly meet the integral needs of the region’s workforce.

Matt Rodgers, President at ESCC, said we are quickly adapting to what is being demanded from local industry.

“This program is a great example of how local state government, industry, and the Alabama Community College System is working as one to meet the needs of our region. We are pleased to offer this training for our region of the state.” he said.

Governor Kay Ivey, applauds Enterprise State for thinking toward the future and having the initiative to establish a CDL program at the Alabama Aviation College.

“Truck Driving is a high demand job annually and we strive to make sure our workforce is ready for the jobs that come. This program fulfills that goal and continues to improve Alabama’s workforce for the jobs of tomorrow.” Governor Ivey said.

Representative Martha Roby, thinks the program is another great example of how Enterprise State Community College is expanding and developing to continue to meet the needs of the Wiregrass region, the Second Congressional District, and the entire State of Alabama. She states, “I am proud of this new development, and I am always impressed by ESCC’s constant forward progress to offer opportunities that develop our region’s workforce.”

AAC’s CDL training for the Class A license and endorsements will provide instruction on the required driver license testing information and training required by federal regulation for Alabama’s licensing of commercial driving standards. Students enrolled in the training will experience both written and on-the-road training that prepares drivers for varying positions within the trucking industry.

Danny Long, Dean of Instruction at ESCC, said providing the instruction in an academic environment ensures that the integrity of the curriculum and level of instruction will be high quality.

“Certified truck drivers have an awesome responsibility to keep themselves and other drivers safe, and we are committed to producing quality graduates.  This will be a tremendous opportunity to serve one of our community’s greatest workforce demands and provide a more convenient situation for our residents to enter a high wage profession,” he said.

A collaboration among regional trucking business leaders and college officials throughout Alabama has resulted in a customized, focused approach to CDL training at AAC that creates awareness of several high-demand employment options within the trucking industry.

According to the Alabama Department of Labor and Statistics, an additional 100 positions were filled in a year’s time within Dothan area transportation, warehousing and utilities jobs, with 3,400 workers within those areas.  Nationally, an estimated 570,000 individuals worked as industrial truck and tractor operators last year, with a mean hourly wage of $17 per hour.

“Community is at the very center of everything we do and ensuring Alabamians are trained for available jobs in their communities is an important part of our System’s mission,” Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker said. “With several trucking companies in the area looking to hire skilled and qualified workers and pay them a good wage, Enterprise State Community College and the Alabama Aviation College are responding to local needs and providing important opportunities for the community they serve.”

The Alabama Aviation College will offer 8 CDL training courses per year. The first 6-week CDL training begins Fall 2018. Students interested in the program can contact Jenna Judah, Recruiter at the Alabama Aviation College, 334-347-2623 x3630 or email jjudah@escc.edu, for more information.

Photo Cutline: Left to Right: Nick Moore, Education Policy Advisor for the Governor; Representative Donnie Chesteen, House District 87; Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker; ESCC President Matt Rodgers; Representative Steve Clouse, House District 93; Bob Bunting, Mayor of Ozark, AL; Ryan Richards, Director of Workforce Development, ‎Southeast AlabamaWorks

The Piggly Wiggly Scholarship will be awarded to 4 students tomorrow, May 16^th, at the ESCC Community Room located in the Student Center. The Piggly Wiggly Scholarship was initiated by the generous owner of local Enterprise locations (Mike Patel). In the month of March 2.5% of earnings were set aside to help students with a demonstrated need for degree completion. 4 (3 Enterprise State, 1 Alabama Aviation) students were selected to receive award in the amount of $635 each.

Magnesh Patel, owner of both Piggly Wiggly locations in Enterprise, created a scholarship inspired by the work of Women Who Care Director Harolyn Benjamin.

Piggly Wiggly products are sold at cost plus a 10 percent surcharge. Patel said 2.5 percent of each stores surcharge collected during March will be used to fund the scholarship.

To apply for the scholarship, students must be an active participant of ESCC’s Student Support Services, must have a financial need as determined by ESCC’s Financial Aid Office, must provide current transcripts and must have earned a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better in all courses.

Students must also “be active in the community,” according to the application. Applicants are required to have completed a minimum of 20 community service hours in the last two years, participate in at least one extracurricular activity or receive recognition by an educator or community member as being a positive influence on others.

Students are also required to write a 300- to 500-word essay. Topics are provided with the application.

ENTERPRISE – Enterprise State Community College is launching a new associate degree program and multiple certificate programs in Medical Assistant Technology (MAT), a program that is bound to add significant value to high-demand positions in the medical community locally and region-wide.

With the opportunity for students to work alongside leading physicians in the local medical community, the MAT curriculum will blend clinical diagnostic, examination, testing and treatment procedures with critical knowledge of medical law and ethics, patient psychology, communications, basic anatomy and physiology. Coursework in the MAT program will prepare students to provide medical office administrative services and perform clinical duties, including patient intake and care, routine diagnostic and recording procedures, pre-examination and examination assistance, and the administration of medications and first aid.

In addition to an Associate in Applied Science in MAT, ESCC will offer the following credentials through the MAT program: Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT); Phlebotomy Technician (CPT); Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA); Certified EKG Technician (CET); Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA); Certified Medical Assistant (CMAA); and Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist Certification (CMRS).

ESCC’s MAT program will augment two other healthcare programs – Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Medical Technology – currently offered at ESCC. Medical Assisting will prove an alternative for students who do not desire to serve as first responders but who wish to be directly involved in patient care rather than administrative health care operations.

The inaugural class of students taking MAT classes at ESCC is expected this fall. Dual enrollment students who take MAT courses at the college will be able to take the classes tuition-free through workforce development monies made available for the high-demand careers for which MAT trains students.

Dean Danny Long, Dean of Instruction at ESCC, said the need for the MAT program at ESCC is evident through workforce development data and lab statistics which indicate an urgent need for such programs nationwide.

The program marks the first of several planned under Long, who took reigns as ESCC’s Dean of Instruction just five months ago.

“We not only want to create programs in which our students can transfer and receive higher degrees, but we are also called upon to create programs that our community needs. We’ve had incredible support in this team effort to bring about the strong, student and community-minded instruction that ESCC is known for offering,” Long said.

“We relied heavily on the information provided by our local community, the Alabama Community College System, and several reports that the different disciplines inside medical assistant technology open so many options for individuals to begin careers that are long-lasting, or that are able to be built upon as they study other programs within MAT.”

Anne Davis, Director for the Southeast Alabama Medical Group which encompasses five different clinics throughout the Wiregrass area, praised the efforts and implementation of a new MAT program.

“Although we may have a healthy number who are looking for jobs within MAT, they’re not all the same, so having a robust clinical program can prepare them for a life within multiple careers and hopefully set them apart due to their knowledge of medical terminology, different coding technologies, medications that are both generic and commercial, Medicare training, as well as how to work with physicians and patients,” Davis said.

“All of this is beneficial to our community. I hope the medical community will come together and support the program, and I hope that the clinical setting the program creates will produce students who are confident and capable to take on the wealth of opportunity here. I look forward to be a part of the growth of the program.”

Suzanne Woods, CEO of Medical Center Enterprise, stated the facility is excited for the opportunity that area residents will have to pursue training within MAT.

“By bringing this program to Enterprise, ESCC has opened the employment door into the healthcare system for many people. The skills learned in this program will help to streamline care in physician offices and provide potential employment opportunities in several areas throughout the hospital,” Woods stated.

Students who choose to train in MAT could potentially receive scholarship funds through the E.L. Gibson Foundation which contributes integral scholarships to students pursuing medical-connected careers. According to Dr. Rick Harrelson, Emergency Department Director at Medical Center Enterprise and a board member for the E.L. Gibson Foundation, a MAT program at ESCC is exactly the type of instruction the late Dr. Gibson hoped would exist to train area students.

“Dr. Gibson’s whole premise for founding the E.L. Gibson Foundation for years to come was to be able to provide individuals the opportunity to study medicine or medical-related fields that ultimately helped Enterprise and the surrounding areas,” Harrelson said.

“To me, this particular MAT program embodies exactly what Dr. Gibson once envisioned, to be taken on by our college and our community and to help educate some of these students, putting them back in the medical field where they are not only furthering themselves but taking care of the community.”

This year, we are proud to announce Mrs. Paula Helms as recipient of the Outstanding Support Staff Member of the Year. Mrs. Helms has worked in various positions  at the college. She has served as the Cashier, Accounts Payable, Chief Accountant and now interim Director of Financial Services.

Cutline: Mrs. Paula Helms  and ESCC President Matt Rodgers.

This year, we are proud to announce Ms. Rosalyn Warren as recipient of the technical faculty award. Ms. Warren has been a faculty member for over 10 years. In addition to her full-time instructional duties, she has worked tirelessly to aid in the development of the 24-credit-hour short-term certificate titled “IT Professional” which serves as the core computer science curriculum for the IT Auditing & Assurance Associate Degree. She has added five industry recognized certifications to the offered short-term certificate. This not only a great opportunity for the traditional college students, but also is the focus of the Wiregrass IT Center of Excellence for dual enrollment high school students in the surrounding counties. Additionally, she was recently involved in the planning and implementation of the new App Development with Swift program and taught the ground-breaking course of the program this semester.

Cutline: Ms. Rosalyn Warren and ESCC President Matt Rodgers.

This year, we are proud to announce Ms. Linda Hodge as recipient of the Administration award. Ms. Hodge has been at the college for 29 years. She plays an integral role in the data collection and disbursement not just within the college but also state-wide. This person was a key leader in the only software conversion this college has ever experienced when ESCC went from a “home-grown” system to Alliant. She has worked with Information Services, Information Technology, and Institutional Effectiveness departments. She has helped with the alumni and foundation activities as well.

Cutline: Ms. Linda Hodge and ESCC President Matt Rodgers.

This year, we are proud to announce Mr. Jim Morrow as the recipient of the Academic Faculty Award. Mr. Morrow has been a faculty member for over 14 years. His educational background and intelligence are well respected by his peers. His humblelike able persona makes him a pleasure to work beside. Holding a master’s degree in Philosophy and Public Health and also certified to teach geography and economics, his willingness and ability to teach various disciplines has longed served as an asset to the college.  Mr. Morrow has a passion, dedication, and level of preparation that is evident in the classroom.

Cutline: Mr. Jim Morrow and ESCC President Matt Rodgers.

The President’s Cup is the most prestigious student award at Enterprise State Community College. The minimum qualifications are 36 or more semester hours completed with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, with full-time enrollment for at least one term during the current academic year. This year, 5 honor students were nominated by ESCC faculty and staff members to be candidates for this award. These nominees were evaluated based on their scholarship, their collegiate activities and their citizenship. Each one of these students have many accomplishments and are very deserving of this nomination for the President’s Cup.

The student chosen as this year’s President’s Cup winner is Magnola (Maggie) LeeAnn Johnson. Maggie is a sophomore from Elba, AL. She graduated from Elba High School in 2016 as the Valedictorian of her class and has maintained a 4.0 average throughout her tenure at ESCC. When Maggie became SGA President this academic year, she was immediately ready to get to work and encourage students to get involved with activities on campus.

Maggie truly encourages others with her positive attitude and her willingness to help rubs off on everyone that she encounters. Maggie not only excels through her active involvement at ESCC but, most importantly, she excels in the classroom. She is majoring in Accounting and will receive her Associates of Science with a concentration in Accounting this spring. She plans to continue her education and receive her bachelor’s in accounting after her tie at ESCC. She plans to eventually receive her master’s and become a Certified Public Accountant.

President Matt Rodgers, said, “Maggie embodies the qualities of ESCC that we wish to see in every student. Maggie has used her time at ESCC to not only better herself, but also better her school. She is a shining example of what the President’s Cup stands for at ESCC.”

Cutline: Magnola LeeAnn Johnson, ESCC 2018 President’s Cup Winner.

By Matt Rodgers, President of Enterprise State Community College

Serving as President of Enterprise State Community College has been such a blessed opportunity that I truly appreciate. In just a short time, I have grown to admire the faculty and staff at ESCC/AAC and the opportunities provided by the College. Our instructors are second to none, and we have a loving staff dedicated to serving the needs of our students. As we continually work to uphold the standard of excellence in degree programs and course offerings, we want you to be a part of experiencing ESCC by enrolling in transferable general education courses or in technical courses this summer at ESCC.

Every profession that requires at least a four-year degree – from engineers, doctors, and lawyers to teachers, scientists, and journalists – will at some point require that students take college-level general education courses such as English, math, history, science, and art.

The benefit of taking general education courses at ESCC this summer is not only that the classes cost at least half of what students will pay for the same course on the four-year level, but that ESCC students have the opportunity to study with instructors with the same credentials as those on the four-year level in a much smaller, one-on-one environment that fosters student development and a village of support. It does not matter if the student is a high school senior who just graduated, a transient student who already attends another university, a current ESCC student, or a nontraditional student who just wants to pick up some courses to advance a career. ESCC has something for everyone.

Transfer students who start college this summer at ESCC and attend classes year-round could earn enough credits in four semesters to begin a third year at their selected transfer institution. One method that ESCC uses to provide a strong foundation for transfer students is by ensuring that the classes that they take at ESCC will actually transfer. ESCC can stand by this agreement when students follow the Alabama Articulation Program, which is also called STARS (Statewide Articulation Reporting System). STARS is designed to inform students about degree requirements and course equivalents from colleges from each state-funded four-year institution.

Another program through the Alabama Community College System called the “2 to 4 Transfer Program” creates a seamless transfer opportunity from ESCC to selected independent colleges in Alabama as well.

In addition to transfer opportunities at ESCC, students can obtain an Associate Degree in Arts, an Associate Degree in Science, or an Associate Degree in Applied Science after completing a set number of credit hours and courses.

ESCC also offers multiple certificate programs and AAS programs such as business administration, paralegal, computer science, and aviation that are all high wage and high-demand careers.  Many students who transfer obtain enough credits to graduate with an AA, AS or AAS before they transfer and can use their degree as leverage to potentially work in their field of study before obtaining their bachelor’s degree.

Since the 1960s, AAC has been located on U.S. Highway 231 in Ozark and has given students all the knowledge, skills and ability it takes to work in the aviation industry. As the only aviation maintenance program in the state of Alabama, AAC also offers Avionics Technology classes and an AAS degree. In just two years, six semesters, students are able to begin a career in aviation. The skill sets learned on campus can transition into other trades as well.

Not only are students able to study inside a classroom at ESCC. Online and hybrid courses, including a one-week speech class that counts as if the student attended the entire semester, are offered.

Great things are happening at ESCC/AAC and we are just getting started. Our faculty and staff are here to help you achieve your educational, social and employment goals.  We urge you to consider attending summer courses here.

If we can be of assistance in registering you for courses, assisting with the FAFSA, or in arranging a campus tour or meeting with an instructor, feel free to contact us at 334-347-2623. I can also be reached via email at mrodgers@escc.edu. Our available summer courses, along with a wealth of information at ESCC, are also available online at escc.edu.

CUTLINE: Matt Rodgers, President of Enterprise State Community College.