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Jonathan Smith has been named the new Director of Adult Education at Enterprise State Community College.

In this position, Smith is responsible for the overall administration, planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Adult Education program.

Smith has worked in Adult Education for 10 years. Since 2016, he has served ESCC as an adult education instructor and data entry coordinator. In this position, he provided instruction in multiple areas of adult education, including GED preparation, career pathways, digital literacy and National Career Readiness Certificates and workforce preparation. He also assisted in training new adult education instructors and served on committees to create new curriculum for the local program.

Smith has assisted over 125 students in obtaining their GED or Alabama High School Diploma.

Prior to joining the ESCC team, Smith served as the Adult Education Instructional Coordinator at Wallace Community College for four years starting in 2012. He has also previously taught biological sciences at Abbeville High School for 8 years and served as a school improvement team peer mentor for the Alabama State Department of Education.

Previously, Leigh Shiver served as the Director of Adult Education and Workforce Development. In the last few years, ESCC has seen an increase not only in the number of partnerships with local business and industry leaders that have led to more workforce training opportunities for the College and Wiregrass but also in the number of students taking advantage of services offered through the College’s Adult Education program. These services include the Alabama High School Diploma Options Program, GED, ESL classes, and National Career Readiness Certificates.

As a result of the growth in these two areas, Shiver will continue to serve as the Director of Workforce Development while Smith serves in his new role as Director of Adult Education.

“Everyone in our Adult Education Program works hard to provide the education, training and support our students need, and Jonathan Smith is no exception,” Shiver said. “He has a passion for helping the students in our Adult Education program, and many of our students have benefitted from his dedication to their success. I’m thrilled to have him step up to lead this program in this role, and I know he will do great work as the Director of Adult Education.”

Smith said he was excited to get started in his new role.

“I’m proud of the Adult Education program here at Enterprise State,” he said. “The students in our program are working hard for their future, and I’m ready to do what I can in this position to provide even more support to help them succeed.”

To learn more about ESCC’s Adult Education program, call 334-347-2623 or visit escc.edu/adult-education.

On Thursday, Dec. 1, student talent in musical and visual arts will once again be highlighted at Enterprise State Community College during the ESCC Fine Arts Division’s “Christmas at ESCC” event.

“This event is always a special time for the College,” ESCC Fine Arts Division Chair Dr. Ken Thomas said. “The hard work and talents of our students, instructors and community members represent the best of the Fine Arts Division as we celebrate the hope and joy of the holiday season.”

A student art exhibit will open the event at 5:30 p.m. in the gallery of Forrester Hall. Student visu-al art projects, covering various forms of media, will be on display for visitors to campus to view. These projects will range from drawing to mixed media, creating diverse and personal pieces of art.

The Christmas Concert will follow at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Multipurpose Room and will fea-ture performances by the ESCC Instrumental Ensemble and the ESCC Concert and Community Choir. The concert will also feature solo performances by faculty members and student musicians and vo-calists.

Musical pieces performed during the concert will include: “Angel Carols,” “Duet in Db Major,” “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch,” “A Rockin’ Merry Christmas,” “Christmas Time Is Here,” “Swinglin’ Jinglin’,” “Zion’s Walls,” “Creation Will Be At Peace,” “For Unto Us a Child is Born (from ‘Messiah’),” “Glory to God (from ‘Messiah’),” “He Never Failed Me Yet” and “Hallelujah (from ‘Messiah’).

The event is free to attend, but donations to the ESCC Fine Arts Division are encouraged. ESCC Choirs will be traveling during Summer 2023 to London to perform with the Choir of the University of Missouri, the Choirs of Auburn University and the Auburn United Methodist Choirs during the London performance tour of “I Dream A World: A Celebration of Music by Black American Compos-ers.” Donations will help offset costs for students to participate in this performance.

On Dec. 4, the Coffee County Arts Alliance and the Enterprise State Community College Division of Fine Arts will once again ring in the holiday season with a special performance of Handel’s “Messiah.”

This year’s performance of “’Messiah,’ A Community Choral Presentation,” will feature the talents of ESCC Fine Arts faculty and students as well as members of the community. The performance will include orchestra, chorus, and solo performances, which will be performed by Maranda Cochran, Dr. Chip Quisenberry and Aaron Shealey. Members of the Community Choir are Becca Badger, Judi Badger, Nathan Badger, John Baker, Kim Baker, Bill Blackstock, Aaron Brown, Madeleine Burnett-Caballero, Eddie Byrd, Madelynn Carr, Michelle Carr, Maranda Cochran, Allanah Drake, Kendall DeTora, Sandra DeTora, Avery Free, Amelia Gammon, Kirkland Gammon, Gwyn Gatlin, Carson Gilder, Ava Gothard, Geoff Gothard, Dianne Gresham, Susan Helms, Jaxon Hess, Angela Hoope, Hillary Hudson, Dr. Jean Johnson, Emily Klang, Lindsey Ludlam, Heather Luna, Landen Mock, Allison Moore, Gracie Moran, Sarah Patty, Tyler Purvis, Dr. Chip Quisenberry, Faye Scheiffer, DeAnna Schellin, Martha Seals, Aaron Shealey, Jim Sparrow, Junho Seo, Dr. Jill Spurlin, Stacey Squier, Zoey White, Carol Windham, Hal Yarbrough, Dr. Ken Thomas.

The event will also feature the talents of special guest soloist Kristine Biller, a nationally recognized soprano singer.

Biller’s recent soprano soloist performances include the “Messiah” at the Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, “Beethoven’s Ninth” and “Brahm’s Requiem.” She has performed “Carmina Burana” and “The Lord Nelson Mass,” and delivered a moving performance in Gorecki’s powerful “Symphony No. 3” with the North Penn Symphony. She has also performed “The Bells” with the Helena Symphony, “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace” with the Rackham Symphony in Detroit and “Mahler’s 2nd” with the North Penn Symphony. Biller was also a part of the world premier piece, “The Happy Prince” with the Kentucky Opera.

Biller has performed as Caroline from “Margaret Garner” with the Michigan Opera Theater and the Philadelphia Opera and has toured the production in Chicago as well. She has performed several other roles with Philadelphia Opera, including Sandmännchen from “Hansel and Gretel,” Wanda from “Grand Duchess of Gerolstein” and Frasquita from “Carmen.” The Michigan Opera has invited Biller back to sing Clorinda in “La Cenerentola” with mezzo-soprano, Vivica Genaux.

Biller graduated from Indiana University with her Master of Music, and while there, she was selected to perform five leading roles: Micaela in “Carmen,” Mimi in “La Bohème,” Princess Ninetta in “Love for Three Oranges,” Adina in “L’Elisir d’Amore” and Manon in “Manon.” Kristine began her professional career at 20 with the Opera Roanoke singing Second Lady in “Die Zauberflöte.”

“We are pleased once again to bring Handel’s most loved work to the Wiregrass,” ESCC Fine Arts Division Chair and CCAA President Dr. Ken Thomas said. “Following last year’s performance, many in attendance asked if this would be an annual event. Of course, my response was yes!
“We are honored to have Kristine Biller as our special guest soprano soloist. Someone of her caliber will heighten the experience for all who attend and participate in this performance. We are also pleased that Ms. Biller has joined the ESCC Fine Arts Division as Voice Instructor. Our students will be greatly enriched by their interaction with and learning from Ms. Biller.”

The Messiah is an English-language oratorio, or a large musical composition for orchestra, choir and soloists without action or scenery. It was composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and from the Coverdale Psalter, the version of the Psalms included with the Book of Common Prayer. Jennens’ text is an extended reflection on Jesus as the Messiah called Christ. “Messiah” was first performed in Dublin on April 13, 1742, and it has since become one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.

“’Messiah,’ A Community Choral Presentation” will be held on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Enterprise. This is a free event for the community, but donations to the Coffee County Arts Alliance are appreciated.

BY MICHELLE MANN
Dothan Eagle
https://dothaneagle.com/news/local/veterans-center-reopens-at-enterprise-state-community-college/article_e13ca77c-5fab-11ed-9a09-47188123822a.html

The Veterans Resource Center officially re-opened on the Enterprise State Community College campus here Tuesday.

An enclosed space in the campus library is now designated as the Veterans Resource Center, providing a quiet place for studying and a kiosk stocked with information about resources available to military members, said Sarah Marusich, ESCC Financial Aid and Veteran Affairs coordinator.

A previous veterans resource center on campus closed during the COVID 19 Pandemic, but college personnel worked to reopen this new space in time for Veterans Day, said ESCC President Danny Long.

“I am the son of a veteran so I certainly understand their sacrifices,” Long said. “Opening this center reinforces our commitment to those serving and who have served, especially with Fort Rucker so close to us.”

Marusich called the new center “a building block.

“We hope to keep building on this space because there is nothing too much that we can do to show our appreciation to those who serve and who have served.”

Micheal Sutterfield and Bill Baker, both retired Army command sergeant majors active in Veteran Service Organizations, joined those celebrating the center reopening Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s important that the community college is reaching out to our veterans and educating them about what their benefits are,” Sutterfield said. “A lot of veterans, especially the younger generation, don’t realize the scope of all their benefits and having a resource like this at the college will help them realize the resources they have available to them and their families.”

Baker agreed. “This will be a great place, not just for veterans, but their families,” he said. “This is going to be a real catalyst for getting service members and their families the best education possible.”

For more information, contact Marusich at escc.edu/veterans-affairs.

The instruction team for the Enterprise State Community College Practical Nursing Program has grown following the addition of Catherine Hewitt as a Nursing Instructor.

Hewitt joins Nursing Program Coordinator and full-time instructor Amy Phillips and part-time Clinical Instructor Chelsie Yellman in leading the instruction of future Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). As a Nursing Instructor, Hewitt will provide instruction to students while closely supervising and guiding them in the classroom, college skills lab, simulation activities and/or in the controlled clinical setting.

Hewitt has previously served as an adjunct clinical instructor at Wallace Community College. She brings experience in general surgery, home health, and medical surgical nursing to the Alabama Community College System.

“We are so excited to have Catherine join our team here at ESCC,” Phillips said. “She is a product of the community college system, so she understands the importance of our program and the impact it can have on our students and our community. She has worked hard in her career and her education to become a great nursing educator, and I know her passion for teaching the next generation of nurses will be an asset to the College.”

Hewitt received her associate degree in nursing from Wallace Community College. She then received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Alabama and her master’s degree in nursing education from Auburn University.

“I started my education and training at a community college, and I am so excited to help others who are starting their career at the community college level,” Hewitt said. “Community colleges offer our communities access to great careers through their programs, and Enterprise State is doing great things with their nursing program here. I am eager to get started with these students, and I can’t wait to see them as they advance in their training and, later, their careers.”

Hewitt started in her position as a nursing instructor at ESCC on Oct. 3, 2022.

Ms. Joycelyn Tinker will serve Enterprise State Community College as its 2022-23 Miss ESCC.

Tinker was chosen to wear the crown out of eight contestants and was also named Most Photogenic during the Miss ESCC pageant held Thursday, October 6. She was crowned by the 2021-22 Miss ESCC Ruby Garcia.

Tinker is the daughter of Kendrick Baker and Ashley Poke. She is a sophomore psychology major. Tinker is an active member of Student Support Services, Future Business leaders of America and Spirit Club. She also serves as the Student Government Association Treasurer and sophomore class Senator. When she is not active with community and college activities, she enjoys spending time with her younger sister and “sowing seeds that benefit the glory of God and humanity.”

As Miss ESCC, Tinker will represent the College’s values and programs on campus and throughout the local communities. She will also be eligible to receive a $2,000 scholarship.

Out of the remaining seven participants, sophomore biomedical science major Kayla Trotter was named first runner up and Miss Congeniality. Sophomore business and management major Haylee Harrison was named second runner up. Freshman fine arts major Gracie Moran was also named Miss Congeniality.

All eight contestants in the 2022-23 Miss ESCC pageant were Joycelyn Tinker, Kayla Trotter, Haylee Harrison, Gracie Moran, freshman elementary education major Zoey White, sophomore education major Kiya Buchanan, freshman political science major Reagan McLean and sophomore elementary education major Alyssa Walz.

To invite Miss ESCC to visit your event or organization, please call 334-347-2623 ext. 2293.

Caitlin Cawley has been named the new recruiter for the Alabama Aviation College, a unit of Enterprise State Community College.

Cawley began serving as a recruiter on Oct. 3, 2022. She joins ESCC’s Director of Recruiting Emily Baker and Katie Sawyer, recruiter for the Enterprise campus.

“As we continue to work with potential students in local high schools and our community, I am excited to have Caitlin join our team,” Baker said. “She has a wealth of knowledge of the dual enrollment process from working in ESCC’s Dual Enrollment Office, and she has a firsthand understanding on the benefits of starting at a community college, since she is an ESCC alumna. This is a great team that has a passion to help students with their educational goals.”

As the recruiter for AAC, Cawley will connect with prospective students of all ages, sharing information about the programs and training opportunities available through AAC.

Cawley has previously served the College as its Dual Enrollment Specialist, where she helped with recruitment and advising efforts for high school students interested in starting programs on all ESCC campuses. Prior to working at ESCC, Cawley served ESCC/AAC students through the College’s bookstore, where she served as the store’s manager.

“Working in dual enrollment taught me so much about what ESCC and AAC has to offer our high school students,” Cawley said. “Although I will miss my dual enrollment students, I am so excited to introduce potential students of all ages to the incredible opportunities AAC has to offer.”

Cawley joins the recruitment team in time for College Application Week. During this week, high school students can apply to colleges and universities, many of which offer waived application fees.

“During College Application Week, October 17-21, the ESCC Recruitment Team will be assisting local high school students with the admissions application,” Recruiter Katie Sawyer said. “We’re excited to help students plan for their next steps after graduation, so if they have not applied to colleges prior to this week, it is a great time to do so.”

Though College Application Week lasts for one week, ESCC’s application is always open for students to complete online for upcoming terms, including Spring 2023. To complete an admissions application for ESCC or AAC, visit escc.edu/apply. For any questions about the College and its programs, visit escc.edu/admissions.

Enterprise State Community College saw an 11 percent enrollment increase for the start of the Fall 2022 semester, and the College is ready to help more people register for classes for its second mini term.

“There are so many factors that led to this growth,” Dean of Students Kassie Mathis said. “With recent funding changes and great recruiting, we saw a large increase in dual enrollment participation, but we also saw more first-time freshmen enrolling in classes.”

Director of Recruitment Emily Baker said she was excited to see so many first-time students enrolling at the College.

“Great things are happening at ESCC,” Baker said. “We offer a full college experience here, from the scholarship opportunities to the great student organizations to the great programs. It’s all here, and I think people are seeing that.”

Mathis also said new and expanded programs were also a factor in enrollment growth this semester. The College saw the start of its three-semester, traditional Practical Nursing program, with 17 students currently enrolled. Additionally, the College is still offering its one-semester Practical Nursing Bridge Program, which allows medical assistants and paramedics to bridge their training toward a nursing degree.

The College also saw more growth in its Mechatronics program, leading to classes being held on both the Enterprise and Ozark campuses this fall. Mechatronics began on the Ozark campus in 2019 with 12 students. This semester, the College will see 91 students in the program, including several dual enrollment students from area school systems.

“Our job as a community college is to meet the needs of our students, community members, and business and industry partners,” ESCC President Danny Long said. “We do that by providing a strong academic education and needed workforce training. We’re excited to see more individuals taking advantage of our programs and the opportunities those lead to, whether they move toward transferring to a four-year institution after two years or training for their future career.”

The success of higher enrollment can be credited to a team of people at the College who helped students prepare for the fall semester, according to Mathis, as well as the strong partnerships ESCC has with local business and industry leaders and area school systems.

“We are very proud of our partnerships with our business and industry partners as well as our local school systems,” she said. “With our business and industry partners, we provide training to upskill our current workforce or create a pipeline for our students to have easier access to great careers, and with the help of our school counselors and career coaches, we are able to share the great opportunities we have here at the College to those students who are looking to their next steps during or after high school.

“Additionally, our team here at Enterprise State has done such an amazing job reaching students,” she said. “They have each gone above and beyond to stay for weekend events, help local high schools with FAFSA nights, answer questions about registration and degree plans, and more. We are always excited and ready to help anyone who needs assistance, and I think the enrollment numbers show that.”

There are still opportunities for students to register for classes and start their future with Enterprise State. At ESCC, classes are offered for a full semester or over two mini terms. The second mini term, which is about seven weeks, offers students a second chance to take either academic or some career tech classes. The next mini term starts on Monday, October 17.

For students who are interested in registering for second mini term classes, they can visit escc.edu/registration to get started or email advising@escc.edu with any questions.

BY MICHELLE MANN

Dothan Eagle

https://dothaneagle.com/news/local/education/brown-building-5-million-revitalization-project-kicks-off/article_19958daa-351d-11ed-ae24-3311646a289f.html

Dr. Anna Head has been named the new Dean of Instruction at Enterprise State Community College, completing the administrative team at the College.

As the College’s Dean of Instruction, Head is responsible for the overall delivery of instructional services as well as the management and supervision in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of the College’s instructional and workforce development initiatives.

Head has worked in higher education for 19 years, serving at ESCC and several other higher education institutions. She has served as an English instructor at the College since 2009 and received the title of Chair for the College’s Division of English, Foreign Languages, and Communication in 2014. In that role, she served as the supervisor for division faculty, took part in statewide curriculum reviews and expanded division course offerings.

She has also previously served as an affiliate faculty member for the Huntingdon College Evening Studies Program, a part-time instructor for Chattahoochee Valley Community College and an ESL Instructor for Auburn University’s ESL Program.

During her time at ESCC, Head has served as faculty liaison for the College’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, where she took part in college accreditation efforts, including working with career technical and academic faculty and staff on learning outcomes and developing college-wide Quality Enhancement Plans.

Head has authored several publications, has been featured in public television and radio segments, and has received academic awards during her career. She has also participated in several college activities and is an active member of her community.

President Danny Long commended Head’s experience as an educator and division leader, stating that it will serve the College well as she takes on the role of Dean of Instruction.

“Dr. Head’s experience as a division chair will be an asset to the College, and she has done great work leading several college-wide projects, such as our Quality Enhancement Plan,” Long said. “I know she will excel as our new Dean of Instruction, and I’m excited to have her serve the College in this new role.”

Head said she is ready to begin serving the faculty and staff of ESCC and the Alabama Aviation College, a unit of Enterprise State, in her new position, which she started on Sept. 1, 2022.

“It is an honor to serve the College as its new Dean of Instruction,” she said. “During my time at ESCC, I have had the pleasure of working with an amazing team of instructors as a division chair and collaborating with others through several College initiatives. I look forward to working with and serving our entire team of faculty and staff in this new role.”