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Liberal Arts, Business Technologies and General Education News and Updates

Religious Diversity Project

Published: May 15, 2012

Religious Diversity Project

This semester on both the North and the South campus’ the Religious Diversity exhibit had yet another successful showing. This exhibition is a mixture of art, knowledge, and sharing that analyzes a variety of religions and religious iconography. The students from Michelle Lyerly-Wiener’s religion classes successfully explored a wide variety of religions and presented their findings to the RCCC community. Michelle started this project in 2009 as classroom exercises and had grown exponentially over the years. Michelle stated that this exhibit, “is a fun educational opportunity for all to learn about diversity and the world around them, especially in this increasing global economy.”

The three main participating classes for this exhibition were REL 110: World Religions, REL 211: Introduction to Old Testament, and REL 221: Religion in America. The exhibits were located on the North Campus on March 22nd and the South Campus April 4th. Each set of exhibits was judged for their own separate awards.

On the South Campus Dasean J. took the first place award in the World Religions Idol category with a project entitled “Top Notch” Cater, Christian Rap Artists .”  

Student Nicholas Green stated “I liked that exhibit because it showed me a different type of hip hop music that I did not know about before I went. I also liked that particular exhibit because the music had lesson in but, was still it was still danceable.”
 Kathy G. Waters’ project “Christianity in American” took first place in the American Religion Icon category, and Tyler M. Curl took first place in the Old Testament Iconoclast category with the project “Ark of Covenant/Levitical Priestly Robes.”

On the North Campus Julia E. Clawson took first place in the World Religions Idol category with her project “Ancient Egyptian Religion”, Samantha N. Buchanan received first place in Religious Tolerance Award category for her project entitled “Satanism” and D. Wayne Borders received first place in the Collective Consciousness Award with the project “Illuminati.” Notable mention goes to Rebekah L. Nichols who was the class winner for the REL 110: World Religion Class for her project “American Vs. Catholicism” project.

The dedicated students of these classes made the exhibition a success and helped to foster a learning community on both campuses to help promote religious tolerance. Nicholas Green mentioned that he “liked the exhibit because it was done in way that was educational and a fun way and did not try to overwhelm you with facts.” The Religious Diversity Fair was a huge success in promoting knowledge in various religions while providing a fun and interactive experience for all. Michelle has mentioned the possibility of a smaller exhibition being held this summer on one of the campuses, so keep an eye out for information for this great opportunity to interact with others in the RCCC learning environment and see some amazing projects.

On the South Campus Dasean J. took the first place award in the World Religions Idol category with a project entitled “Top Notch Cater, Christian Rap Artists.” Student Nicholas Green stated “I liked that exhibit because it showed me a different type of hip hop music that I did not know about before I went. I also liked that particular exhibit because the music had a lesson in it, but it was still it was still danceable.”

Kathy G. Waters’ project “Christianity in American” took first place in the American Religion Icon category, and Tyler M. Curl took first place in the Old Testament Iconoclast category with the project “Ark of Covenant/Levitical Priestly Robes.”

On the North Campus Julia E. Clawson took first place in the World Religions Idol category with her project “Ancient Egyptian Religion”, Samantha N. Buchanan received first place in Religious Tolerance Award category for her project entitled “Satanism” and D. Wayne Borders received first place in the Collective Consciousness Award with the project “Illuminati.” Notable mention goes to Rebekah L. Nichols who was the class winner for the REL 110: World Religion Class for her “American Vs. Catholicism” project.

The dedicated students of these classes made the exhibition a success which helped to foster a learning community on both campuses promoting religious tolerance. Nicholas Green mentioned that he “liked the exhibit because it was done in way that was educational and fun and did not try to overwhelm you with facts.” The Religious Diversity Fair was a huge success in promoting knowledge in various religions while providing a fun and interactive experience for all. Michelle has mentioned the possibility of a smaller exhibition being held this summer on one of the campuses, so keep an eye out for information for this great opportunity to interact with others in the RCCC learning environment and see some amazing projects.

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Phi Beta Lambda – Reviewing a Year of Accomplishments

Published: January 26, 2012

A quarter of a million students, educators, administrators and business professionals have chosen to be members of Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL), the largest and oldest business education organization. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is pleased to have an active and very successful college chapter.

PBL member students participate in college wide professional development activities, have opportunities to serve as officers and have the ability to compete in statewide and national events. In 2011, fourteen RCCC students earned state-level awards through participation in the 57th Annual North Carolina PBL Leadership Conference. The following RCCC students each earned awards at the state level: Ariel Sledz, Alan Surratt, Charles “Eric” Susong , Jennifer Wagner, Alyson Wynne, Karen Reynolds, Sheri Stocum, Benny Lefler, Carol Lloyd, Donna Guy , Lisa Cooper, Judy Hill, Crystal and Kristy Jarrett.

Ten RCCC students also attended the PBL National Conference in Orlando. Over 1,800 students attended and our students competed against four year universities as well as community colleges from across the nation.

Herb F. Boeckenhaupt, a website developer from Granite Quarry, was selected as North Carolina’s Business Person of the Year and awarded the National Business Person of the Year. He was honored during the opening session of the conference. Boeckenhaupt is quoted as saying: “It is significant that you [RCCC students], earned the right to compete, got exposure to what a national conference is all about, and waded into the competitive waters. Just reaching the ability to compete at a national level is significant, which means you were at least one of the “150” best people in the country that qualified for that right.”

“It is significant that you [RCCC students], earned the right to compete, got exposure to what a national conference is all about, and waded into the competitive waters. Just reaching the ability to compete at a national level is significant, which means you were at least one of the “150” best people in the country that qualified for that right.”

Alan Surratt, Charles “Eric” Susong, and Kristy Jarret (president of the RCCC-PBL group) received national recognition at the PBL Awards of Excellence. Surratt competed in accounting principles category and brought home first place. Surratt alsoreceived a monetary award from KPMG; one of thenation’s largest accounting firms. This event provides recognition for PBL members who have an understanding of the basic principles of accounting and who give evidence of their knowledge in solving practical accounting problems.

Susong competed in the job interview event and brought home second place. Participants are required to complete a cover letter, apply for a specific job, submit a resume and participate in a job interview. Jarrett competed in statistical analysis and brought home tenth place. Jarrett’s event reguires the use of statistical tools and concepts.

RCCC-PBL students also attended workshops during the national conference. Students attending at least three workshops received a leadership certificate.

Robin Turner, chair of the accounting program at RCCC, also attended the conference. “I am very proud of the accomplishments of the students and would encourage all RCCC students to consider being part of the PBL organization and compete in State and National competitive events,” she said.

Martha Cranford, an RCCC faculty member and chapter co-advisor stated, “I am so proud of all of our students who competed at the national conference. We have great students at RCCC and we look forward to bringing home many national awards in the future.” Sandra Horne, an adjunct faculty member, is co-adviser to the group and also attended the national conference.

Congratulations Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students! If you are a student or faculty member interested in learning more about PLB, please contact martha.cranford@rccc.edu or sandra.horne@rccc.edu.

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Welcome, Dr. Best!

Published: August 24, 2011

Dr. Best will serve an important role in helping RCCC revisit and redesign the college’s original Writing Across the Curriculum program.
Dr. Linda Best, a Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) specialist, is returning to RCCC on August 29, 2011. Dr. Linda Best is a Professor and Chair of the Department of English at Kean University in Union, N.J. She also directs the Kean University Writing Project, an approved entity of the federally-funded National Writing Project, the largest and most successful professional development program for teachers in the United States.

Dr. Best’s teaching experiences include developmental writing, ESL, composition, and advanced writing through the graduate level. Her studies capture data on the nature of writing: how writers compose, how writing activity exposes and lays out information and how writing advances learning. Through her findings, Dr. Best has come to understand the underpinnings of the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) movement and has delivered professional development seminars on the topic at a number of colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

Dr. Best spoke twice during RCCC’s first Summer Institute as organized by LaNita Kirby and her team at the newly formed Center for Teaching and Learning. Dr. Best lectured on May 27 and June 10, 2011. Her presentation on May 27 covered “What Writers Know and Do: The Nature of Writing and Implications for Teaching and Learning” which addressed topics such as expectations for college students’ writing skills, common concerns about writing and patterns of growth in writing development. Her second workshop on June 10 was entitled “The Joy and Responsibility of Teaching”.

Dr. Best will serve an important role in helping RCCC revisit and redesign the college’s original WAC program, modeled in 1999.  The WAC philosophy seeks to show that writing is the responsibility of the entire academic community, that writing occurs across departmental boundaries, that writing instruction continues throughout all years of undergraduate education, and that writing promotes learning in all disciplines. WAC programs use everyday writing in the classroom to better communicate information, to clarify thinking and to introduce and teach new concepts. It is not expected for each course to teach the same things, nor to teach things the same way. In fact, instructors are encouraged to find innovative ways to incorporate writing skills appropriate for that course and the material covered.

Dr. Best prides herself on providing resources to better college teaching, writing and learning. A quote from Plutarch that appears on her website helps illustrate this point with the words, “A mind is a fore to be kindled, not a vessel to be filled.”

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