Volume 35, Issue No. 1

By Ashley Kitchens, Associate Dean Chilton - Clanton Campus

The Association of College English Teachers of Alabama (ACETA) held its 73rd annual conference virtually this year with asynchronous sessions and a day of live presentations during the week of February 22-27, 2021. And, even though students did not get an opportunity to travel and attend this year’s conference, three of Jefferson State’s students were featured in presentations or awards for the conference.   

Caleb Langston and Emma Williams joined instructors Kristin Henderson and Ashley Kitchens to present papers discussing Maturin Murray Ballou’s novel Fanny Campbell:  The Female Pirate Captain.  In their group presentation, titled “Cross-Dressing Historical Fiction: American Romanticism, Piracy, and Maturin Murray Ballou,” students focused on their investigation of parallels between the novel and Margaret Thatcher and women’s roles in society, while instructors focused on connection to Romanticism as a whole and to empathetic storytelling.  Langston and Williams were two of only four student presenters among the other sessions given by adjunct and full-time professors across the state of Alabama.

Olivia Falahat, also a student at Jefferson State, won the Mary Evelyn McMillan honorable mention award for her paper “Female Going Rogue:  A Rebellion Against Society.” This award comes with a monetary award, a certificate of recognition, and an opportunity to publish in ACETA’s special edition conference newsletter.   

ACETA’s 74th annual conference will be held in February of 2022, and Jeff State looks forward to having its students participate once again.

By Ashley Kitchens, Associate Dean Chilton - Clanton Campus

When COVID-19 forced the biannual student museum display usually held at the Chilton-Clanton campus in fall and spring semesters online for the first time in its five year run, co-facilitators of the museum project Ashley Kitchens and David McRae transitioned their once in-person student museum to a digital format.  The JSCC Digital Museum made its debut in Fall 2020 with its theme “Pirates,” and included projects from two literature classes, the culinary chocolate class, the speech and debate team, a project from a nursing instructor, and various artists.  Currently, the museum is still featuring this fall semester theme, and those interested can check it out at library.jeffersonstate.edu/JSCC-Digital-Museum.  

For the spring semester, the museum’s theme is “Mysteries and Oddities of the World,” and the new content will be ready to view mid-April at the same address listed above.  This semester’s museum will include projects from biology classes on mysterious diseases and body dysmorphias, literature class projects on “peculiar” characters, speech and debate team presentations, classic movie class projects on iconic movies, and many other contributions.  Check out the work your fellow students and instructors within the college are creating!

By Ashley Kitchens, Associate Dean Chilton - Clanton Campus

“Go to college and get your degree if you ever want to get a job!” This adage is usually uttered by parents all over the country as their children graduate high school and look toward their next steps in finding themselves and finding their careers.  However, this genuine advice is just one of many ways students seeking a fulfilling career can create a pathway to success.  Workforce Education, which has been around for decades, is now making strides in preparing students to directly enter the workforce with or without an academic degree.   The Center for Workforce Education (WFE) at Jefferson State Community College delivers fast-track skills-based training programs designed to recruit and train individuals for immediate employment in industry sectors.  Specifically, Jeff State’s WFE offers non-credit training in healthcare, IT, manufacturing, craft training, and business, all of which accommodate the needs of employers in the state of Alabama.

Leah Bigbee, current director of Jeff State’s WFE, leads and manages the department which includes a dynamic full-time staff of five and more than forty part-time instructors.  Previously, Bigbee has been involved in other industry and community workforce roles and is passionate about connecting people to skills training that will most benefit them and the community.  She most recently worked with UAB and a global workforce development non-profit called Generation USA.  Scotty Rainwater, the WFE Coordinator of Student Success, works closely with Bigbee in directing students toward their goals as well.  Students interested in learning more about these programs should contact workforcedev@jeffersonstate.edu or call 205-856-7710; students can also directly set up an appointment with Rainwater by emailing scotty.rainwater@jeffersonstate.edu.

Making a choice between an academic-only degree and a workforce program is often difficult and may come with questions as to how a WFE program can secure students a successful future.  Speaking with Bigbee allays all skepticism when she notes the validity of the programs:  “Our fast-track programs in WFE are a great way to quickly get trained in a particular role (our programs range from 6 weeks to 6 months, and they are designed to truly fast-track you to employment).”  These programs are designed with business and industry partners in mind, and they get individuals trained and ready for a career.  WFE can also work alongside an academic degree.  Bigbee notes, “If you are currently enrolled in a degree-seeking program, our programs are a great way to get a certification that compliments your degree.”  These certifications are often steps in the degree process as students finish classes that line up with the degree plan.  This means students can participate in WFE programs and begin working while they continue to work on a degree.

The most popular program currently is the Clinical Medical Assistant, and with input from employers like UAB and St. Vincent’s, this program only looks to continue to produce students with valuable and employable skills.  The many other programs are highlighted on the WFE website at www.jeffersonstate.edu/workforce-education-2/.  Two of the newest programs are Lineworker and Heavy Equipment Operator, and both were launched in January 2021 with great success.  Bigbee discusses what both programs encompass:

Lineworker is a 9-week program that is a fast-track to becoming a lineworker in the field. We partner with Alabama Power and other utility partners to ensure we are using industry-led curriculum and real work scenarios in our program. We are currently screening for our second class. Our Heavy Equipment program is a 12-week program on our Clanton campus that is also industry led with Dunn Construction and other valuable construction partners. We are currently recruiting for our second class that will begin in May. Both programs lead to great high-need roles in the industrial sector.  

These two programs are evidence of Jeff State’s commitment to being directly responsive to the workforce needs in the communities it serves.  Program information on lineworker can be found at https://www.jeffersonstate.edu/lineworker and program information on heavy equipment can be found at https://www.jeffersonstate.edu/heavyequipment/.

As always, going to college to get a degree is still a great choice for students planning their pathway to their future, but a pathway with Workforce Education is becoming a more prominent and accessible method for those looking to begin their careers while continuing to work on a degree or for those who know they are suited for workforce careers.