Nursing grads hitting high marks

return

by Debra Deal

Southeast Community College's nursing students are holding their own with students from larger colleges.

According to Milton Borntrager, program coordinator and chairperson of the Division of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast's 1997 class had a 100% passage rate for the state board exam.

"I am very proud of these students," said Borntrager. "They ranked as high or higher than students in larger colleges."

The nursing program at SECC was started in 1978 and is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission(NLNAC). According to Borntrager, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who have been accepted for admissions to the associate degree in nursing program and meet the articulation and transfer guidelines will be awarded 15 credit hours for NSG 115, NSG 125,and NSG 235. Credit may be established in Nursing I by special examination available in the community college system.

Borntrager said that each applicant must attend a scheduled pre- admission conference and must have high school transcripts and Transcripts of all post-secondary education or training on file. Results of the ACT or Career Planning Program (CPP)residual scores can only be accepted if the test was given at SECC, and only completed applications will be accepted.

Borntrager said that preference for admission to the nursing program will be given to applicants who meet the following criteria: above average grades in high school; score of 20 or above on the ACT; completion of 12 or more credit hours in the approved curriculum with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better from any regionally accredited college.

return

W'burg campus to expand

return

by Joshua L. Yonts

The summer of 1997 saw a new addition to the Whitesburg Campus of Southeast Community College. The old Letcher County Bus Garage near the original campus was converted into an academic facility to serve the students of the surrounding area. Now a plan is in the making to add on to the existing building to better suit the needs of the students.

The new addition, which is to be constructed soon, is to contain a large auditorium and lecture hall on the existing floor. A physics laboratory, classrooms for art and ceramic classes, along with two computer labs and offices for the faculty and administrators will also be built on the upper story. Five million dollars has been passed by the House of Representatives for funding to construct the building. The budget must be passed by the state Senate for final approval to be built.

The new building would help with scheduling for classes and would also offer more varied classes due to the advance in equipment and facilities.

The students at Whitesburg campus would have the same opportunities as students in other institutions. Hopefully, the funding can be passed and the Whitesburg campus can expand for the better.

return

Appalachian Studies back

return

by Trampus King

Southeast Community College's Cumberland campus has a relatively new class this semester, Survey of Appalachian Studies, taught by Robert Gipe, the Appalachian Archive director. This semester marks the first time the course has been offered at the Cumberland campus in several years.

Gipe has worked in this area for a while at Appalshop in Whitesburg after moving from Kingsport TN.

According to Gipe, the class is structured to help you learn more about yourself and the history and legacy of Appalachia and the people who live here. It is a class that is totally hands on--students pick out certain projects to do, whether it be finding a use for the old family recipe for stack cake or showing the diverse types of music that we have here in the mountains.

There are class assignments and some reading involved, but the final project is up to the students. Once the final project topic is decided upon, Gipe meets one on one with each student to develop a plan and a check list, and the student signs it. It is like a contract situation, with the student getting graded on how well he or she completes his or her end of the deal.

The class has also featured guest speakers, including a recent visit by Kentucky author Gurney Norman.

return

Tales of Sprink Breaks past and present

return

by Dewayne Sutton

Spring break is a time that most students want to never forget, while some wish they could. The Southeasterner asked several SECC students to reflect on spring breaks past and present and to speculate on future breaks.

Students were asked to recall their most memorable spring break, and the responses were varied. Christy Grubb went on her high school senior trip last year to Daytona, St. Augustine, and Orlando, Florida. She said, "Aside from it raining four of the seven days we were there, we had a blast!"

Jamie Penny got engaged on this past spring break, making this her most memorable one ever. Some went into great detail, such as Mary Anne Robinson, who said, "When I took my first girlfriend trip with my sister and friends from church/work, it was one I will never forget because I experienced what it is like to be stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic enjoying people watching and observing how to do the ‘bootie call' from a pick-up, and watching while a guy answered by skidding in on a motor bike, jumping in and picking right up to the beat of the music. It was a hoot!"

Shawn Long commented that his senior trip of 1997 was great in that, "Going to Florida is nice anytime, but to go there with your friends is a real experience. Disney World wasn't that fun, but everything else was a blast. Going to the beach and walking around the town was great. Heck, it was even a blast at the hotel...perhaps I shouldn't go into detail about that, though. I was sad to see it come to an end."

Lisa Maggard told me that, "My most memorable spring break was spent in Las Vegas, gambling the night away. Hopefully I can go back there again!"

Some spring breaks didn't turn out quite so nice; an ironic twist to Sam Guy's story, "A few years back when we were going to the beach, we got snowed in by a major storm."

Also, Rodrick Major's spring break of ‘95 was somewhat bad considering "I had a broken leg and couldn't enjoy it."

Students were also asked about their most recent spring break, in March 1998, in which those of us who stayed home in Eastern Kentucky experienced the last blast of snow this winter.

Mark Dixon recalled his unique experience: "Our washing machine overflowed the first day of spring break, so I spent about half the day under my house in the crawl space unclogging the main drain. The rest of the week didn't get much better because of county school was out the next three days because of snow. I stayed at home with two screaming kids--what a blast!" Connie Napier also said, "Because of the weather conditions, I stayed home except for two days, I went to Bowling Green to visit family."

Todd Williams replied, "I sat back and watched it snow," while Becky Lloyd said, "I stayed home, and worked."

Seth Carmical did mostly the same thing, "I worked and layed around!" Christy Nolan said, "I slept most of the time and cleaned house."

Finally, students were asked about their plans for future spring breaks.

Cathy Curry said, "I hope my income increases so that I can venture out with my children so they will experience what I didn't."

Melissa Taylor stated, "I want to travel as much as possible; I would like to visit a new place every year."

Morgan Brock just wants to "have a good time with some friends," while Stephanie Hatmaker wants "to go to Florida for one and maybe go to the zoo."

Mary Dean said, "I would love to spend my spring break in Myrtle Beach on the beach at the ocean."

Spring break for many is fun in the sun, while for others it is a time for peace and relaxation. Others feel that a fancy trip would be a dream come true, but to some that dream ends up a nightmare.

return

Bell active in Service Learning

return