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Enterprise State Community College and the Alabama Aviation College are working to ease the transition to online learning for students, faculty and staff while sports faculty are preparing for possible changes in college sports.

Following a decision from Alabama Community College System on Friday, March 13, ESCC/AAC announced campus closures to students and the move to online instruction from March 17-April 3. On Sunday, March 15, Gov. Kay Ivey authorized state employees to remotely, prompting full closures for students and non-essential faculty and staff.

“All of our Enterprise State and Aviation College campuses will be closed from March 17-April 3,” ESCC President Matt Rodgers said. “While the campuses will be closed, our employees will continue to work remotely to serve our students. Only essential staff will be on campus on an as-needed basis.”

Both Colleges are committed to continue the delivery of a quality instruction to their students, even on an online platform. To help ease this transition, Canvas support is being offered to faculty and staff members at both campuses. Additionally, all students are encouraged to complete an online survey on Canvas to help ESCC/AAC identify those with technology or online education needs.

To meet the technology needs of their students, ESCC/AAC received special support on Monday, March 16, from Enterprise City Schools, which donated up to 300 Chromebooks for faculty, staff and student use for the next three weeks.

“I want to thank Superintendent Greg Fought and Brad Johnson and Stacy Rodgers with ECS for their offer of these Chromebooks,” President Rodgers said. “We appreciate their generosity during this very difficult time. We have and continue to maintain a strong relationship with ECS.

“This example demonstrates the sense of community and support that we have here in the City of Enterprise.”

ESCC/AAC faculty and staff will continue to serve all current and future students. Recruiters and financial aid staff will follow a plan of action to continue contacting prospective students while online tutors and academic support will be available for students during campus closures. Technology and Canvas support will also be provided, and faculty and staff are prepared to monitor all communication channels to make sure all questions and concerns from our students and community are addressed.

“Our goal is to contact each student from all campuses by phone or email to let them know that we’re supporting them during this time,” Rodgers said. “We will also continue to provide support to not only our current students, faculty and staff, but also our future students.”

For any questions or concerns, contact ESCC’s main line at (334) 347-2623 and follow instructions to reach the appropriate department. Students at the Enterprise campus and all other sites can also email enterpriseinfo@escc.edu with any questions. Students at the Ozark campus can email ozarkinfo@escc.edu.

In addition to education changes, the National Junior College Athletics Association (NCJAA) announced on March 16 that all spring sports seasons were cancelled, including practices and regular and postseason games.

ESCC Athletic Director Jeremaine Williams also announced that the athletic committee made a decision to allow third-year student athletes to return to their two-year institutions if they choose, allowing up to 145 waivers to each two-year institution.

Campus updates for all locations can be found at escc.edu/coronavirus/. Updates will also be provided through social media, email and Canvas.

Cutline: ECS donated up to 300 Chromebooks to ESCC/AAC to meet the needs of students while all campuses are closed. Pictured, from left, are ESCC President Matt Rodgers, Technology Specialist Stacy Rodgers, System Technologist Brad Johnson and Dean of Instruction Danny Long.

ESCC/AAC Faculty and Staff,

Enterprise State Community College and Alabama Aviation College students are asked to not return to either campus on Monday, March 16. 

Following directives given by Gov. Kay Ivey, ESCC/AAC administration are in the process of developing a plan to deliver all instruction online through Canvas. 

Students are encouraged to visit Canvas as soon as possible to complete a survey to assess technology needs. Both Colleges will then take a count of the number of computers needed and contact each student individually to schedule a time to meet with those that need assistance. 

For any questions or concerns, Ozark campus students are asked to email ozarkinfo@escc.edu. Enterprise campus and all other sites are asked to emailenterpriseinfo@escc.edu with any questions. 

ESCC/AAC administration, faculty and staff are committed to delivering quality instruction online.

MONTGOMERY– The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) will temporarily discontinue on-campus instruction at 23 institutions across the state for the period of March 17 – April 3. Many ACCS institutions have a scheduled Spring Break during this time and students may be asked to extend this break period. This will allow the colleges faculty, staff, and administration to develop a plan for alternative instructional efforts.  All events scheduled at the state’s community colleges during this time frame are also cancelled. While classes will not be taking place on campus, ACCS colleges will continue normal operations. Colleges with dormitories will continue to provide basic services to the students who are housed on campus with no alternative options. 

“Our students are our number one priority, and while our decision today to suspend courses is unprecedented it is a necessary precaution to ensure the health and safety of the more than 174,000 students we serve across the state,” said ACCS Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker. “Our ACCS response team continues to work closely with the Alabama Department of Public Health on this evolving issue and will continue to do everything we can to help stop the potential spread of COVID-19 in the state of Alabama.”

Alternative instruction plans are being developed by each ACCS college. These plans will be communicated directly to students by their respective institutions next week.

Other ACCS actions related to COVID-19:

• All college-sponsored, supported or work related out-of-state travel and all system office work related out-of-state travel is canceled until further notice.
• If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, or the employee’s child or dependent tests positive and the employee must stay home to provide care, then that employee should stay at home for 14 days and should not be charged sick, annual or personal leave.
• The Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) has announced the suspension of all regular season competition for all teams, effective March 13 through April 3. 

For continued updates and to view already issued directives to ACCS colleges visit accs.edu/coronavirus.

Enterprise State Community College and the Alabama Aviation College are currently working on plans to transition to online instruction, according to ESCC President Matt Rodgers. 

“Our team has been working over the last week to work on a contingency plan to continue to provide instruction in all of our classes,” he said, stating both Colleges will finalize plans over the weekend. “We encourage all students to attend classes on Monday in Enterprise and Ozark. For students who do not attend Monday classes, please check email and Canvas for updates and information. 

“Student support teams will be available on Monday in the ATTC Lobby in Ozark and the Student Center Lobby to meet with students to determine if technical support is needed for online instruction. Our first priority is the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff. We will do our best during this time to continue providing excellent student support and instruction.”

We will continue to provide updates through Canvas and escc.edu/coronavirus/.

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About Enterprise State Community College

Enterprise State Community College is a comprehensive community college which serves more than 1,800 students annually between its Enterprise campus and the Alabama Aviation Colleges in Andalusia and Ozark. Each campus and site currently fulfill the Alabama Community College System’s mission for education and training which leads to high-wage, high-demand jobs in integral careers worldwide. Students can obtain Associate degrees and certificates through multiple programs at the college.

College is for everyone who wants a path to something better, and senior visits are key to showing high school seniors that Enterprise State Community College and the Alabama Aviation College, a unit of Enterprise State, provide high-quality education and training programs to help students develop the skills and confidence to get to where they want to go faster.

From Feb. 24-Feb. 27, over 200 EHS seniors have visited ESCC’s campus to learn about how both colleges can help students be successful in their education and careers. In December, ESCC welcomed early graduates from EHS to campus, and the College has hosted senior visits for high schools located throughout its service area for several months. 

“These visits are a great opportunity to see firsthand what all we have to offer,” Recruiter Jenna Strickland said.

Each senior visit is designed to be fun, informative and helpful to each student who attends. 

The visit begins with students learning about each program track available at ESCC and AAC and how these programs can lead them to continue studying at a four-year institution or working a high-wage, high-demand job. 

Students are also able to watch a special performance of the ESCC Entertainers, an experience that not only showcases student talent, but also highlights the Fine Arts Division at the College. Currently, ESCC has eight EHS alumni who are active with the Entertainers, who will hold Fine Arts Scholarship auditions March 5-6. 

“We are thankful for the leadership of Dr. Ken Thomas and the ESCC Entertainers for showcasing their talents for our visiting high school seniors,” Career Coach/Recruiter Emily Baker said.

Students get the chance to tour the Enterprise campus through an interactive scavenger hunt, allowing the seniors to have a glimpse at the student life on campus and see facility upgrades.

Seniors also receive personal assistance from faculty and staff members on completing their ESCC college and scholarship applications and their FAFSA, which allows students to apply for federal financial aid that can be used at any two-year or four-year institution of the student’s choice. 

Strickland thanked ESCC’s financial aid team for all their help with answering questions and completing applications during each EHS senior visit. 

“The financial aid team was a big help,” Strickland said. “It’s important to help students get money for college.” 

EHS student Darrell Scott said the senior visits were helpful in showing students how community college can offer them a quality education.  

“The time I had here was great,” he said. “ESCC is a good place to get a two-year degree and start going on a good path.” 

He also said he was also excited to hear about the many financial aid assistance opportunities that ESCC/AAC offers. 

“ESCC gives out scholarships,” he said. “There are so many scholarships. Most people think that if they don’t get an academic or a sports scholarship, then they’re not going to be able to get a scholarship at all. ESCC has a lot of scholarships here, and they really help with everything.” 

ESCC President Matt Rodgers thanked EHS officials and the team at ESCC and AAC for their work to make each senior visit successful. 

“Thank you to EHS Principal Brent Harrison and his team at the high school for bussing the students here this week and talking with them about how we can help them here,” he said. “I’m also thankful for all our recruiters and team members for their work to make these visits happen. 

Rodgers said he is proud to call ESCC the community’s college and is excited to hear that local students are taking advantage of all that both Colleges can offer them here at home. 

“Enterprise High School and Enterprise State have a special history,” he said. “It has been great to hear how many students want to attend both colleges after high school, but it is also gratifying to help students achieve their goals. It’s our duty to offer that support to help all students succeed.” 

“We’re in the business of changing lives, and where better to do that than in our local community. We believe that everyone can go to college, and we pride ourselves on being the community’s college.” 

Cutline: EHS seniors had the chance to ask ESCC Ambassadors questions about student life, classes and more during a student panel. Pictured, from left, are Recruiter Adonis Bozeman, Anna Beth Malkoff, Allison Thomas, Marissa Thomas and Chayton Nelson. 

Montgomery– A full-tuition scholarship that grants current childcare professionals the opportunity to obtain certifications and degrees to best care for Alabama’s children is now available year-round.

The Leadership in Child Care Scholarship, which covers students’ tuition and a number of fees required to pursue child development credentials is now available in the fall, spring, and summer semesters at the state’s participating community colleges and Athens State University.

Qualified students must be currently employed at a childcare center or family and group home, and must be seeking one of the following certifications or degrees: 

• Child Development Associate (CDA) 
• Short-term certificate, certificate, or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Child Development/Early Care and Education Studies
• Bachelor of Science in Education – Early Childhood Education Major
• Bachelor of Science in Education – Technical Education: Early Instructor

“Those who work with young children have a special calling and we’re thrilled that this scholarship program has helped so many students earn the credentials they need to better care for Alabama’s children,” said Virginia Frazer, Program Assistant for the Leadership in Child Care Scholarship. “Expanding this scholarship to the summer semester will allow even more childcare providers the opportunity and flexibility to apply and complete their course of study in early childhood development.”

The scholarships originated in 1999 and are made available through funding from the Department of Human Resources. 

For additional information, the list of participating colleges, and the Leadership in Child  Care Scholarship application, visit: www.accs.edu/childcare. Scholarship applications for Summer Semester are due April 1, 2020. 

Contact:
Rachel Adams
ACCS Communications and Marketing Administrator
rachel.adams@accs.edu
(334) 293-4651

Enterprise State Community College freshman Sierra Crawford was named the 2020 Homecoming queen on Thursday, Feb. 20, during the men’s basketball game against Bishop State Community College. 

Sierra Crawford, a native of Geneva, is the daughter of Dennis and Donelle Crawford. She was escorted by Wyatt Crawford and represented Baptist Campus Ministry on the court. She is an active member of the BCM, the ESCC E-Sports Club, Student Support Services and the ESCC Republican Club. She enjoys playing piano, video and board games, cooking for her family and photography. 

She was chosen by ESCC students to receive the crown out of eight finalists who form the Homecoming court. These finalists were Sierra Crawford; Victoria Crawford, also representing BCM; Caitlin Cedarstaff, representing the Spirit Club; Lyric Hawkins, representing Men of Success; Jackie Mack, representing Student Support Services; Marissa Thomas, representing the Student Government Association; Hannah Phillips, representing Phi Theta Kappa; and Alaura Sutherland, representing the History Club. 

The crowning of the Homecoming queen was the culmination of a week of student-, faculty- and community-centered activities. 

Monday, faculty and staff took part in the Second Annual Dip-Off competition. Students had the opportunity to try a variety of dips before voting on their favorites. Community Education Director Ann Kelley-Spence placed third, Business and Computer Science Division Chair Jennifer Nelson placed second and English instructor Kathy Pattie placed first. 

On Tuesday, ESCC students showed off their skills during a Ping Pong tournament held during break. After several rounds, Tanner Stephens was named the winner of the tournament. Tuesday night, ESCC students also showcased their talents during Open Mic Night, where they shared original works, performed songs and more. 

On Wednesday, ESCC students, faculty and staff took part in a Retro Fashion Show, showing off their retro outfits from the 80s and 90s. Judges of the fashion show found Caitlin Cedarstaff had the best outfit, and Sydni Ortiz had the second best outfit of the event. 

On Thursday, students took on ESCC faculty and staff members on the court. The students won the game with a score of 47-46. Later, the men’s and women’s basketball teams played against Bishop State Community College. 

Cutline: ESCC crowned its 2020 Homecoming queen during the men’s basketball game on Feb. 20. Pictured, from left, are Wyatt Crawford, escort, and 2020 Homecoming queen Sierra Crawford.

With dual enrollment students making up a large portion of enrollment at Enterprise State Community College, the ESCC Foundation Board recently approved the creation of a new dual enrollment grant fund program.

“The ESCC Foundation continually seeks new ways to support the students of Enterprise State through providing financial support relevant to the current needs of those students,” President of the ESCC Foundation Chad Meeks said. “As such, the Foundation Board of Directors recently recognized a need to provide grant funding for dual enrollment students.

“We are pleased to provide $12,500 to establish grants that will allow high school students the opportunity to attend classes at the college while also meeting their current high school requirements. We consider this a great opportunity to support this growing student segment at ESCC.”

For the Spring 2020 semester alone, ESCC had 465 students enrolled in dual enrollment classes. Of those students, approximately 65 percent are enrolled in a Career and Technical Education programs, which are funded by the State of Alabama through Career and Technical Education Dual Enrollment (CTEDE) Scholarships. Approximately 35 percent of ESCC dual enrollment students are only enrolled in general academic classes, but there are no state funds available for these students. The board approved the $12,500 grant funds for high school students who want to advance their academic studies.

These funds are available for high school students throughout ESCC’s service area. Students who receive grant funds will be chosen by the high school counselors and/or principals. Students are encouraged to reach out to their counselors for eligibility requirements.

Each grant will be used for one course in either the fall or spring semester. The cost of books is not included in the grant. Students may reapply for the grant each year as long as he or she remains in high school and maintains the necessary requirements.

Dual enrollment is a program that offers high school students the opportunity to take college courses while receiving both college and high school credit, according to Instructional Resources and Community Education Director Ann Kelley-Spence.

“With the new grant money from our Foundation, it gives more high school students the opportunity to get a jump start on their college education,” she said. “The best part of taking a college academic class is you are getting both college and high school credit. One three-credit-hour college class is equal to one high school Carnegie credit; it is one to one.”

Students planning to transfer to a public university in Alabama can use the STARS Guide to ensure all courses will transfer.

For more information on dual enrollment, contact Ann Kelley-Spence at akelley@escc.edu or call (334) 347-2623 ext. 2208.

Following the announcement of the fifth veterans home coming to the City of Enterprise, Enterprise State Community College met with local officials to discuss how both colleges can provide training and education to a workforce that will be growing in the coming years.

“We have been preparing for months to serve the needs of our local workforce in anticipation of the new veterans home, wherever it would be located in the Wiregrass,” ESCC President Matt Rodgers said. “We know we have great programs already in place to fill the jobs created by this facility, but we’re also researching new programs because of the impact it will have in our service area.”

The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) made the announcement of a fifth home after conducting a study regarding the need for an additional veterans home.  The study found that by 2045, 1,440 veterans would require a skilled-care bed, and it identified the Wiregrass region as an underserved area for veterans.

In 2023, Enterprise will be home to a new, 175-bed facility with an estimated 300 employees, including nursing and other healthcare staff, maintenance and administration staff.

“Our programs at Enterprise State provide high-quality training and education to our students in order to meet the needs of the local workforce,” Dean of Instruction Danny Long said. “We offer programs in office administration, computer sciences and other areas that would help support the needs of the incoming facility.

“Additionally, while we already have a thriving MAT program at ESCC, we recognize that there will be a growing need for nurses in our area,” he said.

Director of Workforce Development Ian Campbell said projected data shows LPN jobs growing nationally, across the state and regionally in the next 10 years.

“According to the Health Resources & Services Administration, a projected national shortage of about 151,500 LPNs could develop by 2030,” Campbell said. “Data from Emsi, which is collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows that we will see about a 7 percent increase across the state and about a 4 percent increase in our local region by 2029 in LPN positions.”

“Because of this information, we are discussing the possibility of creating an LPN program on our Enterprise campus,” Long said.

In addition to the Medical Assistant Technology program, which trains students in both administrative and clinical tasks, ESCC offers the Healthcare Information Technology program, which trains students to manage and organize health data for insurance or medical history purposes.

ESCC offers the Office Administration and Business Administration programs that provide training suitable for an office or accounting setting and programs in Computer Information Sciences and Computer Technology, which train students in network engineering or information technology.

ESCC also offers the Mechatronics program at the Alabama Aviation College, a unit of Enterprise State, which trains students in mechanical, electrical and programming skills, allowing students to work on smart technologies, unmanned systems and other electrical and mechanical systems.

Rodgers said ESCC “stands ready” to provide support for this new veterans home.

“We look forward to working with the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, the new veterans home and the surrounding communities to continue to develop the programs that align with what this facility needs,” Rodgers said.

Cutline: MAT students Bridget Glover, sitting, and Shameka Blackmon, right, review their clinical skills during class under the supervision of MAT Program Director Melissa Whitman. ESCC’s MAT program, along with many others, will provide the education and training needed to address workforce needs following the announcement of Enterprise being chosen as the location of a fifth veterans home in the state.

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About Enterprise State Community College

Enterprise State Community College is a comprehensive community college which serves more than 1,800 students annually between its Enterprise campus and the Alabama Aviation Colleges in Andalusia and Ozark. Each campus and site currently fulfill the Alabama Community College System’s mission for education and training which leads to high-wage, high-demand jobs in integral careers worldwide. Students can obtain Associate degrees and certificates through multiple programs at the college.

MONTGOMERY – On Monday, Alabama’s community colleges began their 2020 Census efforts with a kick off meeting and rally at the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Office in Montgomery.

Representatives from Alabama’s 24 community colleges, state officials, and U.S. Census Bureau staff joined together to launch the community college’s Alabama Counts effort and coordinate ideas to get students, faculty, staff and community members involved with the 2020 Census. Last month, the ACCS was awarded an $80,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to establish help centers on ACCS colleges campuses and Adult Education sites where community members can come to fill out the census. In addition, Alabama’s community colleges will conduct awareness events across the state. 

“As trusted members of their communities and with locations throughout the state, Alabama’s community colleges are perfect partners as we seek to make it as easy as possible for Alabamians to participate in the 2020 Census,” said Kenneth Boswell, chairman of Alabama Counts! and director of ADECA. “We look forward to the success of their efforts as we seek maximum participation among all Alabamians this spring and summer.”

With more than 130 locations across the state, Alabama’s two-year colleges are well-positioned to assist the state with their efforts to obtain a full and accurate count in the 2020 census. Additionally, community colleges rely on federal funding to help support many of their student and community programs which are impacted by the census count. More than 60% of Alabama’s community college students receive financial aid which includes Pell Grants, a federally supported aid program. 

“Our colleges serve more than 174,000 students each year and when combined with our more than 9,000 employees in every corner of the state it is evident that the ACCS can have a significant impact on Alabama’s 2020 census count,” said ACCS Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker. “We are not only committed to ensuring that every student and employee at our colleges is counted – community is in our name and it’s important that we help educate Alabamians in communities across the state on the importance of the census and provide avenues that assist with completion.”

Every community college in Alabama has a designated census contact and will be rolling out plans in the coming months to help spread awareness and census completion in the communities they serve. To connect with a college near you about the 2020 Census visit accs.edu/census.

 Alabama risks losing at least one congressional seat and billions of dollars in federal funding, including funding that supports education, if census participation is not at or above 80 percent.

 Anyone living in Alabama on March 13 is asked to complete the census. For the first time, individuals will be able to respond online, by phone or by mail. Letters encouraging residents to complete the census should be mailed between March 12 and 20. 

The official census opens for completion April 1, which is “Alabama Census Day.” For more information visit census.alabama.gov. You can also sign-up to receive reminders and additional information on the Alabama 2020 Census via text message. To do so, text COUNT or CENSO to (205)304-5505.

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Cutline: Alabama Possible Executive Director Kristina Scott, left, and ACCS Executive Director of Research, Grants, and Development Dr. Vicky Ohlson encourage Alabamians to be counted at the ACCS 2020 kick-off on Monday in Montgomery. 

About ACCS

With 24 community colleges in more than 130 locations, the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) is Alabama’s gateway to first-class, affordable education and technical training to compete in a constantly evolving workforce. More than 174,000 Alabamians benefit from the various certification, credential, dual enrollment and degree programs ACCS offers alongside leading industry partners. The System includes the Alabama Technology Network, which provides extensive training and service offerings directly to business and industry. ACCS is governed by the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees.