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A position created at Enterprise State Community College to best connect workforce development opportunities at the College with area workforce needs has been filled by an individual with several years of experience in various workforce initiatives.

Ian Campbell, a 2009 ESCC alum, will serve as the College’s Director of Workforce Development. He will develop and manage all workforce development programs and functions for the College, including any internal and external training programs that are directly related to business and industry. He will also oversee grants for training and workforce development, connect with area businesses, and recruit workforce development instructional staff.

He begins his position at ESCC on November 1.

ESCC President Matt Rodgers expressed his excitement to have Campbell as part of the ESCC team.

“Developing a strong and well-trained workforce is critical to the success of the communities we serve. Ian has a great background in this area,” President Rodgers stated.

“I am confident he will be able to connect the College with our local business and industry partners. Ian and the entire ESCC team are committed to helping train and teach the skills necessary for our citizens to go to work.”

Campbell has served in various capacities in career and technical education. As an agriscience and agriconstruction educator in the Wiregrass and Tuscaloosa areas for the last seven years, Campbell has developed partnerships with officials in local industry and has marketed programs through media and advisory committees. He has secured grants that have led to ongoing partnerships, as well as helped in the statewide implementation of multiple career and technical education initiatives.

“I am very excited to join Enterprise State Community College as the new Director of Workforce Development. This position reinforces the commitment that ESCC has toward creating solutions for regional business and industry to meet the critical need of training a skilled, effective workforce,” Campbell said.

Campbell said short-term goals as the new director include meeting with local companies to determine their needs, learning ESCC’s programs and certifications, and developing a marketing strategy which communicates the College’s dedication to success for the region and statewide workforce development efforts.

Long-term goals include seeking and creating new partnerships, continuing the evaluation of the College’s current workforce development programs in order to determine their need for maintenance and improvements, and growing and strengthening relationships with external workforce regions.

Prior to coming to ESCC, Campbell was an agriscience teacher for Geneva County High School. He obtained his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Education Specialist degrees from Auburn University.

Cutline: ESCC Director of Workforce Development, Ian Campbell and ESCC President, Matt Rodgers

Ms. Bethany Cheyenne Macon, a New Brockton native, was crowned 2018-19 Miss ESCC at Enterprise State Community College on Wednesday, September 20, 2018, by the 2017-18 Miss ESCC, Hannah Jones.

As Miss ESCC, Macon will represent the college’s values and programs throughout the campus, city, and region. She is awarded a $2,000 scholarship as a result of her new title.

Bethany is a freshman at Enterprise State Community College. She is the daughter of Darron and Connie Macon. She plans to earn her associate degree and become an educator. She loves working with people with special needs. Her hobbies and activities include working part-time at a local boutique, participating in water sports, road trips that include shopping with her mom, cooking desserts and appetizers, and running outdoors.

Bethany said she is honored to represent the college and impact her peers in a positive manner. She believes the biggest problem facing her generation is the reliance on technology more than face-to-face interaction.

Bethany believes her greatest accomplishment in life is remaining grounded in her morals and values.

“I am so excited to represent this amazing college and everything it has to offer,” Macon said.

“I can’t wait to go out into the surrounding areas and inform incoming students about the great things Enterprise State offers. It has become home for me and I hope to help make it a home for others. Go Weevils!”

This year, five contestants competed for the prestigious Miss ESCC title. Minleigh Gates was named first runner-up. Macie Holsonback was namedMiss Congeniality. Bethany Macon was named Miss Photogenic as well as winning the title. The five contestants were as follows:

Macie Holsonback of Westville, FL;

Bethany Macon of New Brockton, AL;

Fantasia Miller of Newton, AL;

Julianne Thomas of Slocomb, AL;

Minleigh Gates of Enterprise, AL;

Miss ESCC is an ambassador of the college who embraces the role of serving the community. To invite to Miss ESCC to your event or organization please contact Jennifer Olsen at 334-347-2623 ext. 2320.

Cutline: Ms. Bethany Macon, a New Brockton native, was crowned 2018-19 Miss ESCC at Enterprise State Community College on Thursday, September 20, 2018, by the 2017-18 Miss ESCC, Ms. Hannah Jones.

Alabama Aviation College Student Support Services (SSS) participants donated dozens of items for homeless individuals living in the southeastern region to the Southeast Alabama Coalition for the Homeless (SEACH) on Tuesday, July 31.

The items, collected over the summer semester at the college, included canned foods and dry goods, clothing, bags, and more. Vickie Alleman, SEACH president, picked up the items from the Ozark campus.

According to Lesia Grice, the SSS Career/Transfer Coordinator on the aviation campus, the students picked the community service project based on a newspaper article in The Dothan Eagle regarding SEACH’s “Spring Stand Down” event. The project is among at least three SSS has led within the last two years. Other projects included dedicating hours and supplies to the Ozark Dale County Humane Society and donating school supplies and toiletries to area students and families.

Alabama was estimated last year to have a homeless population of 3,793, with at least 294 of those individuals ranging in age from 18-24, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. SEACH estimated that more than 375 residents are homeless in the southeastern region alone.

Many of the SSS students were eager to assist in the project.

“Today felt really good,” said Phyllis Hester, an SSS Advisory Board member on the aviation campus.

“I am really proud to see what we can do when we work together.”

Student Support Services at Enterprise State Community College have existed as a grant-funded, Department of Education TRIO program since 1978, providing nearly 40 years of continuous service for students through academic advisement and tutoring; financial aid and economic literacy; transfer services; campus tours; exposure to cultural events; mentoring; and other individualized counseling needs.

Enterprise State Community College is a comprehensive community college which serves more than 2,800 students annually between its Enterprise campuses and the Alabama Aviation College in Andalusia and Ozark. The AAC currently fulfills the Alabama Community College System’s mission for aviation maintenance training statewide.

Enterprise State Community College is pleased to announce Colonel Stanley O. Smith (Ret.) as the new director of the Alabama Aviation College, based in Ozark.

Mr. Smith will oversee processes that allow students training in aviation and avionics programs at the college, in addition to new programs planned for the college, in order to ensure that the educational needs of students are successfully met. He will directly oversee program directors and the administration of student services, while also working with the area community’s business leaders and economic development committees to continually evaluate the effectiveness of the programs provided. In addition, Mr. Smith will pursue opportunities to provide workforce training.

“You build a team with outstanding people,” said Matt Rodgers, President of Enterprise State Community College.

“We are excited for our college and our community to have Col. Smith join our team. With his wealth of knowledge from his aviation experience in our nation’s Army, he is a highly respected leader and a true man of character. I am confident Col. Smith will advance our efforts at the Alabama Aviation College and continue to make our entire institution its strongest for the students, their future employers, the industries and communities we serve.”

Mr. Smith served in the U.S. Army from 1985 through September 2014 on various Army Aviation assignments. He has served as Executive Officer for an Aviation Flight Battalion and an Aviation Training Brigade, commanding hundreds of service members. He spent one year in Iraq as Chief of Staff and Aviation Advisor from June 2009 to June 2010. He is a proven, dynamic leader, advisor, and executive-level professional who has managed a broad range of programs with multi-million budgets in multi-national, aviation, and collegiate type environments.

Mr. Smith commanded the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Career College at Fort Rucker from October 2010 until May 2014, with staff and faculty exceeding 120. While there, Mr. Smith annually directed all activities required for the initial training, continuing professional education, and leader development of more than 3,000 warrant officers and warrant officer candidates. He designed, developed, and implemented a transformed education construct for the Army’s 26,000 warrant officers. In addition, Mr. Smith provided more than 500 hours of classroom instruction and facilitation. These programs have included Aviation Maintenance and Logistics Management, strategic planning, quantitative and qualitative analyses, and air traffic services.

Mr. Smith earned a Master of Strategic Studies at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, where he was a Distinguished Military Grad.

“I want to thank Mr. Matt Rodgers and his team for trusting me with the tremendous responsibility of serving the students, faculty, and staff of the Alabama Aviation College (AAC) and our local community. I’m excited to be part of the AAC as we expand our course offerings from Aviation Airframe and Powerplant licenses to include a Commercial Driver’s License Program this fall and an Industrial Maintenance Program starting next year,” Mr. Smith said.

“As part of the economic development of the community, we exist to train a skilled workforce ready for employment. My vision is that every student of the AAC has a job waiting on them upon graduation.”

Mr. Smith, an Enterprise resident, will start his new position on Monday, July 13th.

Cutline: Colonel Stanley O. Smith, Alabama Aviation College’s new director and ESCC President Matt Rodgers

ENTERPRISE – With the mission of encouraging students to reach their maximum potential while building careers for themselves that will strengthen the regional medical community, Dothan resident Melissa Rosenthal has accepted the significant role of leading Enterprise State Community College’s new Medical Assistant Technology program, which begins this fall.

ESCC is pleased to announce Mrs. Rosenthal’s position as Director of MAT at the college, effective July 2. Mrs. Rosenthal will oversee all of ESCC’s MAT instruction, which includes an Associate in Applied Science in MAT, as well as 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 still wish to be directly involved in patient care.

“We are excited about Mrs. Rosenthal joining our team at ESCC,” said ESCC President Matt Rodgers. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the medical field. I know she is eager to develop relationships with students, school administrators and local leaders in the medical industry. It is an exciting time starting any new program. I have no doubt we have selected the right person to help build an outstanding Medical Assistant Program at ESCC.”

Mrs. Rosenthal comes to ESCC from her alma mater, Wallace Community College, where she served as a MAT instructor. Her career encompasses more than 10 years in MAT profession and instruction.

Mrs. Rosenthal said she is honored to be a part of ESCC.

“Getting an education gives hope and confidence that builds character and empowers people to make a difference in their life and in the lives of others,” she said.

“Career technical education courses enhance students’ education and career outcomes. My vision is for ESCC to grow a MAT program that will benefit students and the local medical community.”

One of Mrs. Rosenthal’s favorite quotes by author John C. Maxwell is, “Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential and sowing seeds that benefit others.”

Her hobbies including spending time with family, golfing, boating and traveling.

Mrs. Rosenthal is married with five children and one grandson.

Cutline: Melissa Rosenthal, Enterprise State Community College’s new Medical Assistant Technology program director3

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.