Maximizing Your Time with Canva: 12 Tips for Busy Educators
Coleman Brown is a husband and father to 3 elementary aged children. He has served as a Title I Instructional Technology Facilitator for Greenville County School District, SC for four years. He considers it a privilege to support schools and their teachers by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to integrate technology effectively throughout lessons. He coaches elementary schools and teachers through planning, modeling lessons, co-teaching, and leading professional development to support and enhance the incredible work teachers are already doing. Ultimately, his goal is to grow teachers by helping them transform their instructional practices by increasing student engagement and achievement. Before this role, he served as a K4, 1st, and 2nd grade teacher for thirteen years. Follow me on Twitter & Instagram (@mrcolemanbrown) and on LinkedIn (@ColemanBrown).
Maximizing Your Time with Canva: 12 Tips for Busy Educators
Shane is the Title I Facilitator for Secondary Schools in Greenville County Schools, dedicated to empowering teachers—the true superheroes—through professional development, growth cycles, and one-on-one brainstorming sessions. Behind the scenes, he collaborates with leadership teams to develop and oversee Title I plans, funding, procurement, and compliance, all aimed at enhancing student learning experiences. But his favorite titles are husband and father to two amazing kiddos. Follow Shane on LinkedIn or X (Twitter) @ShaneRPeek to stay connected.
Using the AACC Competencies for Community College Leadership
Dr. Angel M. Royal is the senior vice president of strategic initiatives for the American Association of Community Colleges. In this role, Royal oversees the AACC annual convention, the AACC competencies for community college leaders, transfer, strategic partnerships, innovation, and corporate and foundation relationships.
De-Escalating Critical Situations
Dr. Mark Dougherty has been Dean of Students at Tri-County Technical College since 2016. His operational area includes the Testing Center, Student Support, Student Engagement, and Title IX. Prior to TCTC, Dr. Dougherty worked in housing and residence life at the University of Pittsburgh and Gardner-Webb University. He holds an Ed.D. in higher education management from the University of Pittsburgh, a M.A. in adult education from Appalachian State University and a B.S. in mathematics from Gardner-Webb University.
Microlearning for the Modern Workplace
Leah Andrews serves as Creative Director at the SC Technical College System Office. She began her career as a high school English and Creative Writing teacher in Lexington School District One before joining the System Office in 2019 as an Administrative Coordinator for Finance and Communications. Her supervisors quickly realized that she was allergic to numbers but had a great affection for words, so she bid farewell to Finance and made Communications her home base. Since then, she has earned the SCTEA Staff Educator of the Year Award, graduated from the NCMPR Leadership Institute and the SCTCS Leadership Academy, and obtained her Part 107 Commercial Drone Pilot license. She is currently participating in the System’s EVOLVE Mentorship Program and serves as the Chair of the Public Information Officers Peer Group. Her favorite parts of her job are story-writing, brainstorming, talking to people one-on-one, and working alongside an outstanding team. She believes that “a comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there” – hence the reason she’s always eager to learn, experiment, and – when necessary – fail forward.
Microlearning for the Modern Workplace
Kimberly Burkett is the Academic Affairs Coordinator at the SC Technical College System. Her role involves providing technical assistance and support in curriculum development, managing the annual program evaluation reporting process, coordinating faculty and staff development opportunities, and facilitating academic functional peer groups. Kim holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston and earned a Master of Education with an emphasis in Higher Education Leadership from Liberty University. She’s also a proud graduate of the 2023 SC Technical College System Leadership Academy and was honored as the 2024 SC Technical College System Associate of the Year. When she’s not working, Kim enjoys spending time with her husband and three sons. She also loves traveling and relaxing on the beach with her best girlfriends.
Microlearning for the Modern Workplace
Cris Felty, Director of Grants Development and Administration at Trident Technical College, has thirteen years of experience researching and writing grants for TTC as well as supporting the efforts of the TTC Foundation. Her office raises approximately $4 million annually to support instruction, student services, equipment, staff development, and special programs. Her office also provides significant management support to grant-funded projects. More than 20 years of prior work in higher education include positions as Academic Coordinator of a Veterans Upward Bound grant, English Composition instructor, Developmental English instructor, and writing tutor. Cris received her Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude from Saint Leo College, with dual majors of Literature and Creative Writing. She earned a Master of Arts in English from The University of Georgia. In her free time, Cris enjoys gardening despite her patent lack of green thumb, reading, quilting, and relaxing on her back porch.
AI For the Trained Eye: Engaging AI in Higher Education
Maggie Floyd currently serves as the English and Speech Department Chair at Central Carolina Technical College, where she teaches composition, literature, and college success courses. With over a decade of teaching experience within higher education, she remains firmly committed to developing engaging learning experiences that incentivize risk-taking and authenticity, where every voice is valued. When the academic essay was declared to be dead in December 2022, she may have initially succumbed to week or so of low key panic, but then started casually playing around with AI tools in the Spring semester, and in Summer ’23 classes regularly demonstrated to students how to use AI as a support. Beyond her academic pursuits, she enjoys gaming with family, unwinding with an engrossing book series, and sharing warm hellos.
AI For the Trained Eye: Engaging AI in Higher Education
Scott Chalupa is an English instructor at Central Carolina Technical College who is passionate about exploring the potential of generative AI (genAI) in higher education. As the department’s lead English 101 instructor he has experimented with integrating genAI into classroom instruction, assignments, and class discussions, as well as collaborating with students to create affirmative guidance for using genAI ethically and transparently. His current projects include creating writing coach/tutor bots to help students navigate their writing frustrations and develop individualized writing processes. When not teaching or tinkering with AI, Scott can be found in the kitchen adapting recipes with abandon or writing and workshopping creative work with a handful of adopted poetry siblings. He is the author of Quarantine, a volume of poetry centered on the early AIDS pandemic.
Enhance Your Virtual Persona
Rebecca Ferguson is in her 27th year of teaching full-time in the Speech Communication and Theatre department at Greenville Technical College where she serves as the department chair. She lives in beautiful Travelers Rest, SC with her husband, 2 of her 3 children, and one incredible Boston Terrier. If you want something done with strategy and empathy, you want Rebecca on your team. Her love for teaching and a desire to help others succeed have motivated Rebecca to devote her career to pupils of all speaking abilities. Rebecca designs intentional plans to equip speakers with confidence, ingenuity, and professionalism. She loves good coffee, family outings and beautiful spaces.
Blended Learning in a Flipped Classroom: Does it Work in the Community College Setting
Lakeisha Johnson is the current Program Director of the Respiratory Care program at Florence Darlington Technical College. She began her journey as an educator almost seven years ago and has enjoyed every second of it. She enjoys researching how learning occurs, active learning instructional strategies, and promoting the development of higher-order thinking skills. Lakeisha is passionate about creating effective course designs that enhance student performance outcomes and strives to create an environment where every student can succeed.
JAG-SC
Jennie Brantley is the State Program Manager for Jobs for South Carolina’s Graduates (JAG-SC). In this role, she is responsible for the oversight and performance of the 33 JAG Program sites and JAG Career Specialists across the state. She has 13 years of experience in the education field, to include corporate training in healthcare; secondary education, and higher education at both the technical college and university levels. She earned her MBA in Management from Brenau University and has several teaching certifications which include Business, Specialist Education, and ESOL and is a certified Crucial Conversations trainer. She is a retired Administrator, Educator and Corporate Trainer from Augusta University. She considers her three sons to be her greatest accomplishments, and in her free time enjoys spending time at the family’s lake house, gardening and reading. She feels that her purpose is to be a kind and generous person to all, whether they be human or animal, because every living thing can benefit from the kindness of others.
JAG-SC
Heather Goff joined the SC Technical College System Spring 2022 as the Program Assistant for the Academics, Student Affairs and Research Division. As of August 2023, Heather has joined the JAG-SC Team as the Regional Coordinator. She has over 17 years to credit to her career in education to include working in the Public School sector, along with working for the SC Department of Education. To continue her interest in Career Development, Heather completed the Global Career Development Facilitator credential March 2023. Heather enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and two children. In the future, Heather plans to finish her Masters Degree in Educational Psychology.
The Energy Bus
Chelsie Smith is the Assistant Dean of Business, Early Childhood and Industrial Technology at Williamsburg Technical College. She earned two associate degrees from Horry Georgetown Technical College before transferring to Coastal Carolina University for undergraduate and graduate studies in Business Administration. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time along the beautiful low country beaches and rivers, cheering on her alma mater (Go Chants!), and quality time with friends and family.
The Energy Bus
Theresa Jordan is the Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs at Williamsburg Technical College. During her 18 years in financial aid, she has had the privilege of working for several colleges, including Hampton University and USC Sumter. Theresa has held a variety of titles at each institution: financial aid counselor, scholarship and work-study coordinator and student loan manager. She enjoys contributing by sharing her knowledge with other colleagues at other colleges. In her spare time, Theresa enjoys painting, creating PowerPoints, and Policy and Procedure Manuals.
Addressing the Blooming Mental Health Crisis Among College Students
Crystal Edwards is the Student Wellness & Accessibility Manager at ATC. She oversees counseling, disability accommodations, and wellness initiatives including the ATC Wellness Center, Blessing Box, and community resources. Crystal is the Executive Director at Edgefield County Youth Empowerment Center, a nonprofit organization serving at-risk youth and their families in Edgefield County. She was selected as a 2023 SCALE Fellow with the Riley Institute at Furman University. Additionally, she serves as the Youth Development and Community Engagement liaison at Walk of Faith Tabernacle of Worship. She has over 10 years of experience in student success methodologies and community development. Crystal holds a Master of Education in Teaching & Learning and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling.
AI Tools: Discovery and Implications for Higher Education
George Abraham uses his 20+ years of experience in Information Technology to serve the students and community of Greenville County, South Carolina, as the Chief Information Officer of Greenville Technical College. He is excited for the transformative potential of technology, specifically to lift people's lives and livelihood. Prior to his current position, George has led at Central Piedmont Community College at Charlotte, NC and at The Ohio State University at Columbus, OH. He has a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, with 2 subsequent Masters degrees, in Industrial Engineering and in Business.
Moving the Dial through Metacognition
Alicia Ramberg currently serves as the Director of Academic Services at Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC), where she oversees Distance Learning, the Student Success and Tutoring Center, and faculty/staff training and development. She has degrees in English and Forensic Psychology and began her career in 2011 as a faculty member in the English department at HGTC, where she still teaches classes each semester. Alicia has over 15 years of teaching experience and is also a 2022 graduate of the SCTCS Leadership Academy.
Moving the Dial through Metacognition
Dr. Benita Yowe serves as the Dean of Health and Human Services at Spartanburg Community College (SCC). She has been in education for more than 25 years. Her early teaching career started in public education and transitioned to higher education in 2007. Before being promoted to the Dean’s position at SCC, she was the Department Chair of the College’s Early Care and Education program. Benita has degrees in early childhood education, educational leadership, and a Doctoral Degree from Wingate University in Community College: Executive Leadership. Benita is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and has been recognized by the organization for her service as a peer reviewer in their Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs. She is also a member of several other local, state, and national organizations. Dr. Yowe has received several awards for her leadership. In the spring of 2016, she was announced as SCC’s Faculty of the Year-Student Award for excellence in teaching and learning initiatives. In 2022, she was recognized by the SC Technical Education Association as SCC Administrator Educator of the Year. She is also a 2022 graduate of the Leadership Academy of the SC Technical College System and a 2022 Fellows graduate of the Inaugural Women’s Leadership Academy of the South Carolina Women in Higher Education.
When Less Becomes More: Shorter Classes and Better Student Success
Cathy Almquist is the Vice President for Education at Trident Technical College. She has been with the college since 1990 when she joined the faculty as an adjunct chemistry instructor. She has served as Physical Sciences Department Head, Associate Dean of Math and Science, Assistant Vice President of Technology and Planning, Director of Institutional Research and Associate Vice President for Planning and Accreditation. She has served as a peer evaluator, committee chair, and training facilitator for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. She was selected as a 2018-19 Aspen Institute Presidential Fellow. She holds an Associate in Arts from Iowa Western Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the College of Charleston, a Master of Science in Immunobiology from Iowa State University, and a Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration from the University of Maryland.
Putting Student Success Initiatives on the Map: A Framework to Inform Effectiveness and Efficiency
Raised in New England, Kevin served 23 years in Marine Corps aviation. Duties included CH-46 Pilot, Aviation Operations Analyst, C-12 pilot, and Military Master Instructor at the United States Naval Academy. He earned a BS in Mathematics from the University of Florida and an MS in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School. Retiring from the Marine Corps and moving to Greenville, he is currently the Research and Planning Administrator at Greenville Technical College where he wrangles and interprets data. He and his wife Marty are the proud parents of three GTC graduates and one GTC-Clemson transfer graduate.
Removing Transfer Obstacles: Meta-Majors and Guided Pathways for University Transfer Students
Cassie Verardi has served in higher education for ten years. She began her journey as an admissions counselor at her alma mater, The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, where she received both her bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration. During her time at The University of Akron, she had diverse experiences to include establishing ZipAssist, the University’s central information hub designed to share available resources and provide support and assistance to help students be successful. In 2017, she traded in the snow for sunshine and moved to South Carolina where she currently serves as the Associate Dean for Academic Support Services at York Technical College, overseeing academic advising, academic coaching & tutoring, library services, College 101 (the college’s first-year experience course) and EAB’s Navigate. She was a first-generation college student who has a passion for helping students and giving back – just as she was helped and supported by staff and administrators during her time in college. She enjoys reading suspense & mystery books, hiking, and traveling.
Removing Transfer Obstacles: Meta-Majors and Guided Pathways for University Transfer Students
John grew up in Fort Mill SC where he currently lives with his wife, Angie and raised their children, Caleb and Caroline. He studied biology at Presbyterian College and proceeded to work in local business and industry. He conducted quality control for a plastics manufacturer, sold business machines, and worked in a water quality laboratory. His desire to have an impact in environmental education motivated him to begin a career in K12 education. John continued his education by earning a Master’s in Biology from Winthrop University while starting a family. At York Tech, John has enjoyed being an adjunct instructor, full-time biology faculty, Science Department Chair, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences, and Associate Dean of Education Partnerships. His goal is to ensure student access and success through development of educational partnerships within the community, resulting in all students completing career and technical programs, university degrees, and placement into the career of their choice while minimizing their tuition cost.
Removing Transfer Obstacles: Meta-Majors and Guided Pathways for University Transfer Students
Dr. Amanda James’ 8 years in higher education first started in her hometown of San Diego, California with a focus on helping provide access and support to adult learners. In 2017, Amanda and her husband moved to Fort Mill, SC and Amanda quickly decided to call Winthrop her new “job home” focusing on undergraduate enrollment. Seeing the struggles of our transfer students having more credits than would transfer, partnering with York Tech to develop tools to help students from the start was an easy decision to make. The work we have accomplished with York Tech and other SC Tech Colleges, has created a way for students to thrive while at the Tech School and be set up for success once they transfer to Winthrop. When Amanda isn’t working, she loves spending time with her husband, two beautiful children – Anderson and Alice – and basset hound, Lady Martha Washington.
Creating Killer OERs
Ron Stafford is the Head Librarian at Northeastern Technical College. Stafford has been at NETC for four years and led a successful Open Education Resource initiative at NETC. In addition, Ron has presented at multiple national conferences. Stafford's areas of expertise are OERs and Copyright. Stafford currently serves as the Vice President (president-elect) of the Metrolina Library Association in Charlotte. He is also the President of the Beta Omega Chapter of Beta Phi Mu at the University of South Carolina. Stafford also serves as co-editor for the Journal Of Copyright in Education and Librarianship. Stafford is an educator who happens to work in a library.
Creating Killer OERs
My name is Mark Knockemus. I've taught English and Religion at Northeastern Technical College for almost twenty-five years! (Yes, that makes me old!) I have converted 100% of our English and Religion courses to OERs. If I can help with your conversion to OERs, please let me know!
Electrical Engineering & Culturally Responsive Teaching
Dr. Sherisse Jackson worked as an electrical engineer for an architectural and engineering firm prior to her tenure in higher education. She is a licensed professional engineer (PE) in South Carolina and North Carolina. Currently, Dr. Jackson instructs entry-level electrical engineering courses in the instrumentation program at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College. As a scholarly practitioner, Dr. Jackson’s area of research is developing community in the classroom to improve student academic performance. Dr. Jackson was the 2020 winner of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award for her work entitled, “Focusing on Social Presence in an Electronics Course at a Two-Year College: An Action Research Study.” She has also been recognized for her service with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) and continues to volunteer with the organization as an author and evaluator of exam items for the electrical and computer engineering professional exam.
Living Out Loud: Building Community and Belonging for LGBTQ+ Students
Mitchell recently became the Curriculum Coordinator at Central Carolina Technical College after being an English Instructor at the college for four years. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English: Creative Writing in 2015 from Anderson University and a Master of Arts in English: Composition and Pedagogy in 2017 from the University of Maine. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education at the University of South Carolina in Educational Practice and Innovation with a concentration in Curriculum Studies. Most of his research and work centers Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as well as community-based practice, made evident in his collaborations with faculty and his role as the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA) student organization advisor. When he is not working, Mitchell considers himself a dad-joke enthusiast and Chinese take-out connoisseur.
Living Out Loud: Building Community and Belonging for LGBTQ+ Students
Reneé is currently the Director of Counseling & Student Life Services at Central Carolina Technical College where she oversees Student Life, Special Populations, Student Support Team, Disability Services, Student Diversity Initiatives, Career Services, and student basic needs services including the Student Nutritional Access Center (SNAC) and the Titan Attire Program (TAP). Reneé also serves as the Title IX Coordinator and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator for students. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Women’s Studies in 1996 from the College of Charleston and a Master of Arts in Counseling with a focus in Student Personnel Services in 1999 from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education at Northcentral University in Learning Analytics in Higher Education. Her current research interests include - career services impact on student retention, student retention, learning analytics in student services, student services supporting academic learning outcomes, and student services learning outcomes.
Being Black at Tech: Understanding Black Male Graduate Experiences and Institutional Supports Across the SC Technical College System
Dr. Austin Floyd served as the Student Services and Strategic Initiatives Coordinator in the division of Academics, Student Affairs, and Research at the South Carolina Technical College System. He is also an adjunct faculty member in Alverno College's Teaching and Learning in Higher Education doctoral program. As a brother to 3 black men, and father to 1 black son, he is committed to ensuring that they live in a world where they are seen for who they are without bias and can accomplish the desires of their heart without barriers. Dr. Austin has volunteered with youth in his local community to expose them to greater educational opportunity, coordinated and presented at national and regional conferences, and was recently awarded the 2022 Palmetto Award from NASPA-South Carolina for being an Outstanding Technical College Professional. As Austin uncovers various higher education perspectives through research and practice, he hopes to deconstruct subconscious ideologies that uphold inequitable structures and support a system that proactively responds to the needs of any and all students who walks through our technical college doors.
Where’s Waldo?: Locating Instructor Prescence in Online Courses
Derk Riechers has worked a myriad of years in higher education overseeing faculty development, accreditation standards, and online college operations in addition to being a business faculty member. Mr. Riechers has presented at over 100 conferences with topics ranging from academic affairs to strategic online college operations with the implementation of lean management principles. He is also a published author and has contributed to various publications on the topic of online education management. He is considered a foremost expert in distance education and is also a Board Member of the Instructional Technology Council (ITC) and an executive board member of the Global Online Extended Network (GOLDEN).
Service Learning: Back to the Basics
Ryan has spent 15 years in higher education coordinating and managing collegiate community engagement efforts in the form of service-learning and volunteer programs, student scholarships, AmeriCorps programming as well as student leadership and involvement activities. He began his career as an AmeriCorps VISTA; which was the catalyst to his developed passion for addressing issues in the community and his love for Community Colleges. Ryan is currently serving as the Pottawattamie Promise Scholarship Coordinator at Iowa Western Community College where he coordinates a scholarship focused on removing barriers from first generation and low income students pursuing their college degree. He’s married to his beautiful wife of 12 years and they both have an amazingly cute roommate named Zhoe….their cat.
Professional Imaging Day at GTC
Michelle Byrd launched her career in education in 1990 as an Admissions Specialist and Instructor for a private college in North Carolina. Currently she is the Dean for the School of Business and Computer Technology at Greenville Technical College. She serves as the Vice-Chair for Board of Directors for the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), serves on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement for the Upstate, and serves on the Foundation Board with the Better Business Bureau. Michelle is married with two sons and enjoys college football, boating, and scuba diving.
Addressing Burnout for Faculty & Staff
Meredith Brown is a licensed therapist and has been teaching Psychology at Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, SC for 16 years. Meredith's unique life experiences, passion for people, and emotional strength sets her apart from other stress management speakers. With her motivating data driven facts, humor, real stories, and open discussions, Meredith motivates people to challenge their minds and behavior so they can make the necessary changes to reduce stress and enjoy higher productivity and life satisfaction. Meredith is no stranger to today's topic of burnout and wants to help you learn to stop letting stress steal your joy, peace, and energy.
Supporting Hispanic & Latinx Students
Araceli Hernández-Laroche is an Associate professor of Modern Languages at USC Upstate and founding director of the South Carolina Centro Latino, the state’s first university-based center for the study and appreciation of Latino/a students, faculty, and staff. She earned her PhD from UC Berkeley, BA from UCLA, and speaks four languages. Araceli was recognized as the 2020 Career Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women of South Carolina and the 2020 Inclusion Advocate of the year by the local chamber of commerce. Araceli serves on the ADFL Executive Committee and the MLA Ad Hoc Committee Valuing the Public Humanities. It is her honor to serve as a faculty mentor for the UnidosUS Líderes Avanzando Through College program at the University of South Carolina Upstate.
A Transfer Pathway to the Health Professions: The Online Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies at MUSC
Dr. Lauren Gellar is the Division Director for the Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Studies (HCS) degree program at MUSC. She has been an Associate Professor at MUSC for 4 years. Prior to that, she was the Director for the undergraduate program in Public Health at the University of South Carolina Beaufort for 4 years. Dr. Gellar has worked extensively with transfer students from the SCTCS, helping them reach their goals of completing the Bachelor’s degree and continue on to graduate studies.
Recent Title IX Changes & Behavioral Intervention Teams
Dr. Matteel Knowles serves as the Vice President for Student Services at Greenville Technical College in Greenville. She joined the college in February 2013, having served previously as the Vice President for Student Affairs at the Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort; and has an extensive background as a student affairs practitioner, serving in various roles for ten years at Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood.
The first in her family to attend college, Dr. Knowles earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina and is very active in the community as a board member and volunteer for many organizations. Dr. Knowles also serves as an Executive Council member of the Board of Trustees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Recent Title IX Changes & Behavioral Intervention Teams
Lane Goodwin is the Director of Academic and Program Compliance for the SC Technical College System. She previously worked for the SC Commission on Higher Education, overseeing the authorization process for nonpublic postsecondary schools seeking licensure in the state. She is actively involved in the Junior League of Columbia, serves on the Presbyterian College Alumni Board, and is an avid Orangetheory Fitness member. Lane enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs and participating in book clubs.
Federal Student Aid Update
Arva Thomas is a Training Officer with the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid (FSA). Before joining the Training and Information Services Group in 2020, Arva held various positions throughout FSA working with students, schools, and federal, state, and local stakeholders for nearly 20 years. She worked with FSA’s Program Compliance team for five years, conducting program reviews, resolving deficient audits, and processing eligibility actions for recertifications, changes in ownership and mergers. Arva then transitioned into her role as an Institutional Improvement Specialist for another five years, providing training and technical assistance to schools before she began spearheading internal training initiatives full time for FSA Program Compliance staff. Training and public speaking are Arva’s professional passions. Her energetic and engaging style make her a sought-after speaker and trainer. She is also a former teacher with experience at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. Arva is a Georgia native and resides north of Atlanta with her twin teenage sons. In her spare time, she enjoys Zumba, reading, baking, painting, travel, live theatre, and spending time with family and friends.
Looking Ahead: Community College Leadership for the Future
Dr. Doug Smith is an Associate Professor of Community College Leadership and Head of the Division of Higher Education at Iowa State University. Dr. Smith was previously on the faculty at the University of South Carolina where he directed the Community College Leadership Alliance and was a fellow in the Center for Innovation in Higher Education. His research centers on community college leadership, rural education, and human resource issues in P-20 education. Dr. Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming.
Facilitator, Career Services for Technical College Students Panel
Dr. Aimeé Carter is the Director of Academic Partnerships and Engagement for the SC Technical College System leading efforts in systemwide transfer and dual enrollment. With nearly 17 years of experience, Dr. Carter advanced in workforce development and higher education with a focus to bridge student and career success. She has taught courses in career and student development. Aimeé is credentials as a Global Career Development Facilitator and Certified Career Services Provider.
Panelist, Career Services for Technical College Students Panel
Susan Bennett, GCDF is a Career Specialist at River Bluff High School in Lexington, SC. She’s responsible for assisting students in making career decisions. Susan has a passion for sharing different pathways to success with her students and unlocking their unlimited potential.
Panelist, Career Services for Technical College Students Panel
Reneé Patchin is the Director of Counseling & Outreach Services at Central Carolina Technical College; serving Sumter, Lee, Clarendon, and Kershaw counties. She has responsibilities for Career Services, Student Life, Disability Services, Title IX, Special Populations, Student Support Team and Student Wellness, and Outreach Admissions. She is an active member of SC Career Development Association (Membership Co-Chair), National Career Development Association (Veterans Support Committee) and National Board of Certified Counselors Foundation (Minority Scholars Program Volunteer). Reneé has over 20 years’ of college career services experience and is a Certified Career Counselor, National Board Certified Counselor, and GCDF Instructor.
Understanding Health & Social Impact of ACEs
Michael Shirley fulfills training and workforce development needs with a focus on the statewide Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Initiative. A certified trainer in ACEs and the protective factors, Michael previously guided statewide awareness campaigns as communication manager. His experience growing up as the only biological child in a foster family exposed him to the widespread issues of child abuse and neglect. It was this experience that led him to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector, especially in support of child welfare. Before joining the organization, Michael served Anderson Interfaith Ministries (AIM) with roles in marketing communications, development and community relations. He’s a graduate of Anderson University with a bachelor’s degree in business marketing.
Advancing Support for Rural Students in South Carolina through the Technical College System
Marci Rockey, Ph.D., is currently the Assistant Director for Community College Relations and Research at the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). While Dr. Rockey supports multiple projects at OCCRL, she works primarily with the scope of work funded by the Illinois Community College Board to advance equity in Career and Technical Education (CTE) at Illinois community colleges. Prior to working at OCCRL, Dr. Rockey was a community college student services administrator and adjunct faculty member at two central Illinois community colleges. Her research interests include community college student transition and retention and rural student access and success in higher education. Dr. Rockey has taught graduate level courses at UIUC and Illinois State University.
Youth Apprenticeships in Cyber Security
Bob James is Computer Information Systems Instructor in the School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Professional Development. Bob brings over 45 years of industry experience in information technology, Aircraft Maintenance (USAF), along with a background in Information Technology project management and software engineering and development. He holds an MSA in Administration from Central Michigan University, Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwood University, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Detroit Mercy. Prior, he was a Doctoral Fellow and Adjunct instructor at Eastern Michigan University and the University of Detroit Mercy.
Youth Apprenticeships in Cyber Security
Mrs. Byrd began her career in education as an Admissions Specialist and Instructor for a private college in North Carolina. In 1993 she accepted a position with Gaston College as an Adult High School and GED Instructor. Later, Mrs. Byrd joined the HR department at Firestone Fibers and Textiles after serving as an instructor. Mrs. Byrd returned to Gaston College, became an instructor in Office Administration, and later held the roles of Associate Dean and Dean for the Business and Information Technology Division. In 2016 Mrs. Byrd joined Greenville Technical College as Dean for the Business and Technology Division. Currently she serves as the Secretary for the Board of Directors for the ACBSP, a General Director for the Ethics and Action committee for the BBB, a Board of Directors member for Junior Achievement, and an Advisor for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Byrd is married with two sons. Hobbies include college football, boating, exercising and scuba diving.
Youth Apprenticeships in Cyber Security
Ms. Tameka Brown is a graduate of Benedict College (Bachelor of Social Work) and the University of South Carolina (Master of Social Work). She joined Greenville Technical College in January 2019 and serves as the Director of Dual Enrollment and Early College. Ms. Brown has worked in higher education since 2007. Her past positions include Adjunct faculty, Professor, Assistant Director of Service-Learning & Leadership Development, and Director of Academic Advising. Tameka also served on the SACS QEP Team, the Retention Committee, Benedict College Young Alumni Council, the Satisfactory Academic Progress committee, Appeals Committee, and other committees. She has received awards for service excellence, Distinguished Young Alumni (locally and nationally), Young Alumni Service Award, and her work with the QEP team. Tameka is a member of the National Association of Black Social Workers where she has served on the national board.
Reverse Transfer and Articulation: Strategies for Policy and Implementation
Lexi Anderson joined Education Commission of the States in August 2013 as an intern and then full-time in February 2014. As a policy analyst in the Postsecondary and Workforce Development Institute, Lexi works on many postsecondary projects and topics including the Blueprint for College Readiness, reverse transfer and student transition issues. Prior to working at Education Commission of the States, Lexi worked on multiple college campuses as an academic advisor and with orientation programming. Lexi earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, a master’s degree in leadership in student affairs and a doctorate in higher education.
Improving Low-Income Student Outcomes through Career Pathways
Nate Anderson is a Senior Director at Jobs for the Future, focusing on how improvement to career pathways design, implementation and policy can drive stronger outcomes for low-income and low-skilled adults and lead to family-supporting careers. Mr. Anderson manages several bodies of work concentrating on credentialing, labor market information technologies, competency-based education and the future of work. In addition, he has extensive experience providing technical assistance to community colleges, state postsecondary systems, adult education providers and workforce organizations.
Prior work at JFF includes building postsecondary on-ramps for low-skilled students, and connecting education and training programs with federal programs for low-income people. Mr. Anderson has taught English in Japan to middle school, high school, and adult students. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bowdoin College, a master’s in Japanese history and Asian Pacific studies from the University of Toronto, and a master’s in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Bystander Intervention Programs
Vicki Banyard, Ph.D. is a professor in the Department of Psychology with an affiliation with the Justice Studies Program. She is a research and evaluation consultant with Prevention Innovations. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan and has trained at both the Family Research Lab, University of New Hampshire and the Trauma Center in Boston. She conducts research on the long-term mental health consequences of interpersonal violence including resilience in survivors. She also conducts research on community approaches to prevention of interpersonal violence. She is part of a research team that has received funding from the NIJ, DOJ and CDC.
Student Engagement Beyond the Classroom: A Unique Perspective on the First Year Experience
Tomeika Bennett currently serves as the Academic Program Director for the Academic Connections Department at Greenville Technical College. In this role, Tomeika teaches College Skills and Freshmen Seminar courses. Additionally, she serves as the coordinator for the First Year Experience (FYE) program, Campus Civic Engagement activities and provides oversight for the Financial Education Center. Spring of 2016, she was appointed as the Faculty Leader for Greenville Technical College’s membership in the Achieving the Dream network. Tomeika has always had a passion for serving others and strives to positively impact the lives of students. Her interest in higher education was piqued when she served as a Resident Assistant while completing her undergraduate studies. She has over 10 years’ experience in education and public service where she has served an AmeriCorps member, TRIO/Educational Talent Search counselor, Academic Advisor, and as an A ssistant Professor. Ms. Bennett received her Bachelor’s degree from Lander University (2004) with a major in History, teacher certification tract; her Master’s from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts (2008) in Human Services with a special concentration in organization management and leadership. She is also a certified Global Career Development. As a first generation college student, she has come to understand the complexities of receiving a college education and uses this knowledge to ease the process for others and is a champion of student success.
LibCal, LibAnalytics, and LibAnswers in the Library and Beyond
Ms. Sasha Bishop received her B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John's College and her M.L.I.S. from the University of Pittsburgh. In her current position as librarian at the Technical College of the Lowcountry, she serves as cataloger and reference/instruction librarian.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Heather Blicher is the Online Learning Librarian at Northern Virginia Community College’s Extended Learning Institute, which is the center for online learning at the college. She has over 14 years of experience in public and academic libraries. At NOVA, Heather connects with online students, faculty, and instructional designers to create embedded library services for a large distance learning program and is involved in the hands-on development of OER courses. She was recently selected as a Campus Leader for the Virtual Library of Virginia’s Open Textbook Network Initiative and is a team-member for the Achieving the Dream Grant awarded to a consortium of VA community colleges.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Melinda Boland brings over 15 years of experience in the educational technology and publishing space to ISKME and OER Commons. At ISKME, Melinda manages a team of project managers, information management professionals, and designers who together produce all of ISKME's OER products and services. In addition to managing the implementation team, Melinda works with organizations and 3rd party distributors of content to further ISKME's mission through OER products and services. Prior to joining ISKME in 2014, Melinda spent the bulk of her career working on educational technology to support college textbooks and general education courses.
Rethinking Everything: Learning as the Constant to Disrupt Higher Education
Dr. Naomi R. Boyer, Associate Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives & Innovation/CIO, holds a PhD in interdisciplinary education and has over thirteen years of experience in university and college administrative roles, with additional teaching experience in K-12 classrooms. She is responsible for all institutional technology and instructional technology, cultivates STEM pipeline projects, fosters K-12 partnerships, works on new and innovative academic program development and delivery, and facilitates international initiatives. Dr. Boyer spearheads educational robotics programs and maintains scholarship activities through research, publication, and presentations on topics such as self-directed learning, faculty development, and best practices in instructional technology.
'Do You Like the Way': Critically Reflecting and Locating Ourselves in Conversations about Educational Equity
Tamara Butler is a bibliophile who loves interdisciplinary work, learning from students, and experimenting with pedagogy. She teaches courses in English education and African American and African Studies that focus on critical literacies and humanizing research methodologies, respectfully. Before joining the faculty at Michigan State, she received her B.S. in Biochemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana. She also earned a M.A. in Education and in African American and African Studies from The Ohio State University, where she also received her Ph.D. in Multicultural and Equity Studies in Education.
As a native of the South Carolina Sea Islands, Dr. Butler places lessons from the Citizenship Schools and the work of educator-activist Septima Clark at the center of her research and teaching. Therefore, her research and teaching interest include youth activism, critical literacies, community engagement, narratives, and social justice.
Her recent publications, which were co-authored with English educators and critical literacies scholars, include:
Better Together: Integrating Student-Led Blogging Into Your Course
Mr. Matthew Cazessus is a professor of sociology at Greenville Technical College. He studies spatial inequalities related to race/ethnicity, housing, and opportunity. He recently presented on blogging at The Teaching Professor Technology Conference in Atlanta.
Assessing Equity for Retention
A native of Charleston, SC, Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper received her B.A. from the College of Charleston, an M.P.S. from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park. In September 2008, Dr. Cooper became the president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy - one of the nation’s most effective voices in championing access and success. She has served as the deputy director for the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance at the U.S. Department of Education and held various leadership positions at the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the Council for Independent Colleges, and King’s College. Dr. Cooper is the recipient of several awards recognizing her work in advancing economic and educational opportunities. Dr. Cooper is a highly sought-after contributor to the national discourse, providing commentary to media outlets and co-authored Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success.
Mobile Learning Environments: Measuring Effectiveness for Greater Impact
Since 2009, Dr. Diaz has been the associate director of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative conceptualizing and developing resources that support its 300+ member institutions in integrating teaching, learning, and technology on campus. She provides leadership to various ELI programs: Seeking Evidence of Impact and the 7 Things You Should Know About series and management for EDUCAUSE teaching and learning activities, such as ensuring appropriate participation in regional events and coordination/support of other groups, such as Next Generation Learning Challenges. Prior to her position at ELI, Veronica supported and led learning technologies and faculty development initiatives at the Maricopa Community College Center for Learning and Instruction serving its 10-college system. While at Maricopa, she served as co-principal investigator for Maricopa’s Technological Literacy National Science Foundation grant, as co-chair to the Instructional Technology Leadership Council responsible for directing the Maricopa Community Colleges’ learning technology strategic plan, and managed the district-wide Teaching and Learning with Technology Grants Program supporting research and development in the areas of emerging technologies, assessment of online learning, and blended learning. Active in the field of online and blended learning and instructional innovation, Diaz serves on various national teaching and learning advisory boards, presents seminars nationally, and has authored several articles on faculty use of instructional technology, blended learning delivery models, intellectual property policies for distributed learning environments, privacy, and emerging technologies.
Let's Talk: Strategies for Meaningful Discussions & Rewarding Group Projects in Online Courses
Lance Eaton is currently an Instructional Designer at Brandeis University. Previously, he was an ID at North Shore Community College, where he also teaches part-time and received the 2014 Excellence in Teaching Award for Adjunct Faculty at North Shore Community College. He has earned Master Degrees in Instructional Design and American Studies from the University of Massachusetts in Boston and a Master's in Public Administration from Suffolk University. He has taught over one hundred college courses in face-to-face, hybrid, and online modalities and has integrated a variety of tools and pedagogies into his courses including blogging, open educational resources, universal design for learning, flipped learning, open-pedagogy, and hybrid-flexible learning. Additionally, he reviews audiobooks and graphic novels for several magazines and websites. Currently, he is working on a Ph.D. in Higher Education at the University of Massachusetts, Boston where his research is focused on open access research and the impact on the public good. His most recent reflections and ramblings can be found on his blog.
Copyright: Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
Ms. Edwards is a senior instructor in the Department of Retailing at the University of South Carolina. Recipient of the 2010-11 Harry E. Varney Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, she teaches in the areas of business law and law-related issues affecting retailers. She earned her Juris Doctor Degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Prior to arriving to USC, Ms. Edwards practiced law with Duff, White, and Turner, L.L.C, a firm that serves public school districts and colleges across South Carolina, focusing on employment law and education law. She regularly teaches a session on Copyright Law for the South Carolina Bar’s Law for South Carolina Teachers Seminar. Through USC’s Center for Teaching Excellence, she develops and facilitates workshops on teaching techniques and legal issues affecting higher education.
Reverse Transfer and Articulation: Strategies for Policy and Implementation
Carl Einhaus is the Director of Student Affairs at the Colorado Department of Higher Education. He has worked in student services for 19 years in various roles, including residence life, student affairs, enrollment services, student orientation and admissions. In addition to Colorado, Carl has worked in Michigan (Western Michigan University) and New York (University of Stony Brook). Immediately before his current role, Carl served as the Director of Enrollment Services for the Colorado Community College System for over six years.
SARA Agreement/Distance Education Regulations
Renea Eshleman is a program manager at the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education in the Academic Affairs and Licensing Division. She has been serving as acting director of the Division since August 2012. Since her employment at CHE in 1991, her primary responsibility has been licensing of nonpublic postsecondary institutions operating or soliciting in the state. Licensing is a consumer protection function. Her academic credentials are a B.S. degree in Business Administration and an M.B.A. She is active in higher education oversight organizations including state licensing, USDE, and accrediting agencies.
Advancing Equity through Perkins V
Austin supports Advance CTE’s state policy and implementation strategy by developing resources to elevate high-quality CTE. He also manages the CTE Virtual Institute and supports Advance CTE’s work on the New Skills for Youth initiative.
Creating Branching and Digital Stories/Case Studies/Modules with PowerPoint
Currently the Director of Instructional Support for Spartanburg Community College, Jason previously held the positions of Instructional Designer and Instructional Technology Consultant at Western Carolina University, and Professor of Game Design/Development and Visual Communication for the Lone Star College System in Texas. In 2007 he received an award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology from the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning. Presentations and conference workshops have included "Engaging the Millennial Student" and "Entering the Matrix of the Millennial: Gaming and Virtual Environments in Education." Jason holds a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree in Art in Advertising and Graphic Design and a Master's of Education in Educational Technology.
Professional Development Opportunities
Emily Fox is the Academic Project Coordinator for the South Carolina Technical College System, and has been in this role since May 2019. Before this position, she has worked as a graduate research assistant at the University of South Carolina where she helped conduct research on community college leadership. She has also worked six years in Student Activities at Columbia College and Tallahassee Community College. She is in the process of completing her PhD. in Education Administration at the University of South Carolina, and earned her Master's in Higher Education Student Affairs from Florida State University and her Bachelors in Biology at Clemson University.
Reaching All Students: Creating Inclusive Content
Lydia Frass is a senior instructional designer at the Center for Teaching Excellence. She works with faculty in online course design and conducts quality assurance reviews. Lydia earned her Ph.D. in Adult Education and Master of Public Health from The University of Southern Mississippi. Before joining CTE, she coordinated the South Carolina Public Health Training Center, providing professional development opportunities for current and future public health practitioners.
Promoting Student Engagement Within and Beyond the Classroom
Jimmie Gahagan currently serves as Director of Student Engagement at the University of South Carolina (USC), where he also teaches a University 101 class for first-year student success. Through his leadership, the Office of Student Engagement facilitates students’ purposeful connection to high impact practices including academic service-learning, domestic study away, and the sophomore-year experience. He has presented and published widely on such topics as the Sophomore-Year Experience, Creating Learning Outcomes, Residential Learning Initiatives, Peer Leadership, the First-Year Experience, and Student Retention. He has a B.A in political science from the University of Richmond and a M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs and Ph.D. in Education Administration both from the University of South Carolina.
Equity, Economic Mobility and Guided Pathways
Linda García is Assistant Director of College Relations at the Center. She oversees the Center's community college relations and serves as a point of contact for state leaders, funders and national higher education organizations.
Linda previously served as the Vice President of Community College Relations at the Roueche Graduate Center at National American University. She has also worked at Lone Star College, Maricopa Community Colleges and The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College. Linda’s experience includes student development, instructional support and teaching. Also, she serves as a coach for the American Association of Community Colleges Pathways 2.0 and Texas Pathways Project.
Linda earned a Bachelor of Journalism with a concentration in broadcast and a Doctorate in higher education administration with a specialization in community college leadership from The University of Texas at Austin. Her Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree is from The University of Texas at Brownsville. Linda also serves on the board of the National Council on Student Development, an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges.
SCTCS Faculty Fellow Project: DACUM Design at OCtech
Debbie Gideon serves as the Social Science Program Coordinator, Psychology Instructor, and SCTCS Faculty Fellow at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College where she has been employed for 10 years. She received her Master of Social Work degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counseling Psychology both from the University of Georgia. She worked in clinical settings providing individual, couples, and group therapy prior to teaching. Debbie completed the DACUM Training Institute hosted by the Center on Education and Training for Employment at Ohio State University and received certification as a DACUM Facilitator
50 Shades of Gray (Matter): Design with the Brain in Mind
Shannon Godwin, Ph.D., is an Instructional Developer at York Technical College. She supports the faculty and staff in providing professional development to support the mission to maximize student success. Her blended experience in business and education provide the groundwork for her specialty in Training and Performance Improvement. Dr. Godwin's facilitation philosophy is to create a safe and enjoyable environment where participants feel valued while improving individual performance. She believes in facilitating learning through a constant evaluation of understanding and a dedication to flexible methodologies that enhance the learning experience. She believes in developing the individual contributor by surfacing the participant's experiences, developing critical thought, and making useful connections to the material.
Implementing Best Practices in Online Learning
Sherry Grosso is Associate Director of Distributed Learning, University of South Carolina Center for Teaching Excellence. Ms. Grosso is the recipient of the Hugh T. Stoddard, Sr., Award as the Outstanding USC Sumter faculty member for 2010-11. Her research focuses on innovative ways to incorporate technology into the University classroom. She has published refereed journal articles, refereed conference proceedings, and presented at regional, national, and international conference conferences. Ms. Grosso received her BA from the College of William and Mary in Virginia with a double major in Economics and Education. She received her MA from Virginia State University in Economics. Ms. Grosso is a Quality Matters Certified Peer Reviewer for online courses and will be a Certified Master Reviewer in December, 2013.
Mobile Learning Showcase: Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Dr. Courtney Guenther is a Professor and Chair in Biological Science, Natural and Physical Science at Horry-Georgetown Technical College. Dr. Courtney Guenther holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Clemson University and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Courtney strives to lead in the classroom by using the best research-based teaching practices.
Classroom Safety and Behavior Management
Christopher J. Hall is the Dean of Business and Public Service at Central Carolina Technical College. In addition to his work at Central Carolina, he serves as a Reserve Deputy with Richland County Sheriff’s Department and is a Sergeant in the Provost Marshal’s Command of the South Carolina State Guard. Hall has taught at Denmark Technical College and he previously served as a corrections officer and training resource officer for the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
Hall recently completed a Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration Degree at University of Maryland University College. He holds a Master of Public Administration, with a concentration in Criminal Justice from Jacksonville State University.
Three Prongs for Mixed Mode (Hybrid) Teaching
Stephany Hewitt, M.S., HS-BCP, is Dean of Community, Family and Child Studies Division at Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC, which includes both Early Care and Human Service programs. Hewitt is the current CSHSE South Regional Director and CSHSE representative for the Southern Organization for Human Services. She spent two decades working with adults and their families caught in the dynamics of family violence and the last 18 years in higher education.
Making the Most of Multimedia
Nikki Holden is a USAF veteran with experience in broadcasting, information technology, and instructional design. She received her BS in Applied Information Technology, with a minor in Graphic Design from George Mason University in 2014. She completed her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with an Instruction Design Technology specialization at the University of Cincinnati in 2016. She has been with the University of Cincinnati as an Instructional Designer for the College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology (CECH) since 2014. She also teaches Computer Applications and Fundamentals of Web Development for UC’s School of IT.
Oh the Places We Can Go: Community Colleges Today
Anne M. Hornak is an associate professor and chair in the Educational Leadership Department at Central Michigan University. Anne’s research focuses on student affairs professionals and community colleges, ethical decision-making, and intercultural competency and communication. Most recently Anne has focused her inquiry on the preparation of community college student affairs professionals through a social justice lens. In her free time she is an avid runner and traveler. Her family took an around the world trip in the summer of 2014.
Flex Scheduling
Barbara (Babs) Hughes is in her second year as the Early Childhood Program Coordinator at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College. Prior to her experience at OCtech, Babs taught first and second grade and was an elementary school administrator.
Innovative Results Reporting: Student Assessment of Instruction
Mr. Julian Hutcheson, M.Ed. has worked with Aiken Technical College for nearly 3 years as a Statistical & Research Analyst in the Office of Planning and Research. He has developed several very useful reports for student course assessment data and has shepherded the transition to a new vendor for online course assessments. He has a master’s degree in education with a counseling focus, and also has ten years experience in the field of clinical research.
Mobile Learning Showcase: Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Chris Hyatt is the Director of the Teaching Excellence Center (TEC) and Institutional Technology at Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC). He supervises a staff that assists faculty with training and integration of technology in the teaching environment and supports the various educational software and hardware available from the college. Mr. Hyatt is also the functional and technical administrator of the Desire2Learn learning management system at the College. He has 15 years’ experience in the technology field, with 9 of those years providing leadership in the TEC. He holds two associate of science degrees in Networking and Programming and a bachelor of science in Information Technology. Mr. Hyatt also holds CCNA, NetPlus, Aplus, and WebCT/Blackboard trainer certifications.
Understanding Title IX: Best Practices, Prevention Strategies, Campus and Community Response While Involving Men in the Interpersonal Violence (IPV) Movement
Mr. C. Ingram is a Health Educator with the Sexual Assault Violence Intervention and Prevention (SAVIP) office at the University of South Carolina (USC). His training is in social work, having earned a master's degree (MSW) from the University of Alabama and a bachelor's degree (BSW) from Miles College. He has experience as a mental health therapist within two male group homes as well as experience working at a residential facility for males, and more specifically, sexually-perpetrated males. As a health educator with SAVIP, Mr. Ingram leads efforts to engage men around issues related to interpersonal violence and underrepresented male retention. In this role, he has conducted over 500 presentations and served on nearly 50 panel discussions locally and Statewide. He has also organized and presented his work at several national conferences. The primary male-focused program at SAVIP is called "True Strength", which is designed to create a forum for men to share new and innovative ideas to address sexual assault and violence in the Carolina community. On a more personal note, Mr. Ingram is a former radio personality, a freelance deejay, and a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Google Tools for Teachers
Ms. Rose Jenkins has been teaching mathematics at Midlands Technical College for 16 years. She integrates technology into her on-campus and online teaching. She is very passionate about sharing 21st century technologies that improve teaching and learning, communication between instructors and peers, and overall life management.
Equity, Economic Mobility and Guided Pathways
Dr. Johnstone works to help 2-year and 4-year colleges create structures and processes that increase student completion, learning and labor market outcomes. His unique & engaging approach to inquiry & improvement fuses the world of foundations, initiatives, and system-level policy changes with the ground-level work of college practitioners & college senior leaders.
He has worked on the ground with over 350 colleges around the country both directly and on initiatives such as the AACC Pathways Institutes, the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the California Guided Pathways Initiative, Jobs for the Future’s Student Success Centers in 14 states, Gates’ Completion by Design, Lumina's Beyond Financial Aid, a variety of state-level and local college projects, and directly with colleges with NCII’s Agency, Attitude and Intensive Implementation (A2I2) cohort model.
He served as a Director, Dean and Provost in the California community college system for over a decade, and worked as a strategic consultant in industry prior to shifting to higher education. He brings a unique dual perspective with over 25 years of consulting experience in industry and higher education, and brings an energy and passion for authentic change to improve outcomes.
Three Prongs for Mixed Mode (Hybrid) Teaching
Steve Kashdan received a Master of Arts Degree in Education and Human Development with a specialization in Rehabilitation Counseling. His clinical career spans 25 years working with adults and children who were labeled as behaviorally disordered, developmentally disabled, mentally ill, as well as those who carried multiple labels. He has worked at various levels of the system including the provision of direct support, developing residential programs, advocating for those with disabilities, training staff and working as an administrator. Kashdan brought his work experience into higher education with a particular focus on integrating technology into the teaching process. Mr. Kashdan has worked in the Wisconsin Technical College System prior to his current position as Department Head for Human Services at Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC.
Embracing Your Transfer Lenses
Emily oversees professional development events and resources at NISTS, including the annual national conference and workshops like this one. Previously, Emily held roles in testing, registration, and student orientation at a primarily transfer-sending, two-year campus. She has expertise in transfer, student development, and instructional design and is deeply committed to sharing information that is relevant, practical, and practitioner-focused. Emily’s undergraduate degree is from the University of Central Arkansas, and her graduate degree is from the University of Kentucky.
Mobile Learning Showcase: Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Norene Kemp has nearly 20 years’ experience in the technology Industry. She has been teaching technical classes for more than 7 years within the South Carolina Technical Education System. Prior to teaching, she worked as a project manager for 10 years at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore Maryland. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a bachelor’s in Information Systems as well as a master’s in Telecommunications and Information Systems. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Education from Concordia University. She plans to graduate with her degree in Education Administration in May 2016. She held the PMP Certification from Project Management Institute from 2004 until 2013 as well as from Global Knowledge.
Contemporary Legal Issues in Higher Education
Dr. Jim Klauber is a native of Greenwood, SC. He graduated from The Citadel in 1989 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the SC Army National Guard. He received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina in 1993.
Dr. Klauber was elected to Greenwood City Council in 1990 and served for two years before being elected to the SC House of Representatives, where he served for ten years. He was a partner in the firm of Klauber & Long Attorneys at Law and engaged in general practice from 1993-1996. In 2002, he entered the field of higher education administration at Piedmont Technical College where he was named its Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Dr. Klauber also taught EDHE 737: The Law of Higher Education to Masters and PhD students at the University of South Carolina. He is retired from the SC Army National Guard as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Judge Advocate Generals Corps after 27 years of service, and a ten-month tour of duty in Kosovo in 2003. He is an inactive member of the South Carolina Bar.
Dr. Klauber received his PhD in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina in 2009, and was named President of Owensboro Community and Technical College in May of 2010. He served as the Kentucky State Commission Chairman for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. In 2015, Dr. Klauber was named president of John C. Calhoun State Community College in Decatur/Huntsville, AL. With over 10,000 credit students, Calhoun Community College is the largest community college and the 6th largest institution of higher education in Alabama.
Creating a Guide through Innovative Pedagogy and a Growing EdTech Industry
Michael Lampe is an Instructional Design Specialist at USC Upstate. His work and publications have centered around active learning classroom design and development, gaming in higher education, and online learning. Prior to being at USC Upstate, Michael completed a M.Ed. In Educational Policy and Leadership at Marquette University and enhanced online academic support participation at the University of South Carolina’s Student Success Center.
Making the Most of Multimedia
JP Leong studied Electronic Media at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. He joined the eLearning team at UC's College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology (CECH) in 2008 producing multimedia projects for the Early Childhood Learning Community, UC's oldest online program. He now serves all four schools within CECH as Multimedia Coordinator.
Digital Badging in Education 101
Susan Manning, Ed.D., is the Chief Success Strategist at Credly. In that role, Susan guides organizations through the process of designing, developing and maintaining credential systems that are valuable to many stakeholders. Having spent nearly 18 years teaching in higher education, Susan brings a rich understanding of higher education systems and specifically faculty development. She was recognized by the Sloan Consortium with the prestigious 2013 Excellence in Online Teaching Award. Susan has worked with a range of academic institutions to develop competency-based programs that integrate digital badges. Several of her publications specifically speak to digital badge systems; other work is centered on technology tools and online education.
Failure is an Option: Smart Phones, Brain Science and Gamification in an OER Design
Allison Haughton Martin serves as Director of Institutional Effectiveness Initiatives and directs the professional development program at Bossier Parish Community College. Martin spearheaded the design and implementation of BPCC’s award-winning OER course series, Open Campus™,which now regularly servesstudents from all 50 states and 205 countries and territories worldwide.
Martin co-wrote and directs BPCC’s successful US Department of Education “First in the World” grant award (2015-19) which brought $1.8M of additional funding to the College earmarked for projects that increase retention and completion rates of developmental-level students.
BPCC’s Open Campus™ design is an internationally-recognized, best practice model with awards from
Martin’s Gamification and the Science of Failure topic was among the first selected for AACC’s inaugural podcast series “Community College Voice,” recorded at AACC 2018 as a “Convention Bonus” and available here. Her projects have been featured in League for Innovation’s Learning Abstracts, Community College Daily, University Business, Journal of Community College Research and Practice, Inside Higher Ed, Community College Spotlight, and Academic Advising Today. She often speaks at national and international conferences on deep-structure gaming applications for learning and mobile-responsive learning design.
Advancing Equity through Perkins V
Brianna supports Advance CTE’s state policy and implementation strategy through the collection and development of resources that support the adoption and implementation of high-quality CTE policies and programs. Brianna also maintains the Learning that Works Resource Center.
Generational Differences on Campus
Mandy is a higher education professional with over 10 years' experience. She's previously worked in many different functional areas in Student Affairs, but currently has been working in Academic Affairs with a focus on assessment and accreditation. Her passion for student success is at the heart of her work in this new functional area, working with faculty to ensure student-focused learning is taking place in the classroom. Mandy earned both her bachelor and master's degrees from Clemson University and plans to enroll in a PhD program in the Fall of 2017.
How We Support Students Experiencing Barriers Through Campus Wide Collaboration
Lauren is finishing her first year as the Manager of the Accessibility Resource Center at Tri-County Technical College. She started her career in the K-12 system teaching special education and organizing various support programs for students with disabilities. Her passion has been transition and focusing on post-secondary success for students with disabilities. Lauren’s move to Tri-County has helped broaden her view of students’ transition to the post-secondary setting, while her K-12 experience helps to inform decisions about student needs and previous experiences as they transition to college. She is looking forward to growing Tri-County’s Accessibility Resource Center and continuing to create a network of meaningful supports for students.
Identifying and Responding to Mental Health Issues in Community College Students
Stephanie McGuire is the Chief Community Relations Officer for SC Thrive, a statewide non-profit organization focused on simplifying access to physical, mental, and financial health resources for all South Carolinians and direct service organizations. Stephanie is an active business leader who has served on several boards such as the Horry County Schools Bridging the Achievement Gap coalition, Current Co-Chair of the Alliance of Horry County, Board President of Restoring Hope, Inc., and Mental Health First Aid Instructor certified through the National Council of Behavioral Health for the past three years. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and resides in Myrtle Beach, SC with her husband Tracy, and their two beautiful children, Samuel and Phoebe.
Bridging the Gap: Transition Services for Students with Disabilities
Holly McKee is currently the Director of Support Services at Kellogg Community College - Battle Creek, Michigan - where she oversees the following programs: tutoring, disability, veteran, Trio Student Support Services Grant and Perkins Special Populations Grant. Ms. McKee has presented at a variety of professional conferences and trainings including: ACT Annual Conference, Teaching Academic Survival Skills (TASS), Michigan Occupational Special Populations Association (MOSPA), Michigan Community College Student Services Association (MCCSSA), and Michigan Association on Higher Education and Disability (MI-Ahead). She currently serves as President of MOSPA. Her educational background includes: Bachelor of Arts - Hope College, Holland, Michigan; Master of Science in Education – Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; Doctor of Philosophy in Education – Instructional Leadership (ABD), Northcentral University – Prescott, Arizona.
Student Engagement Beyond the Classroom: A Unique Perspective on the First Year Experience
Alleviating Financial and Food Insecurity for Technical College Students
Amber Morgan is the Academic Program Director for the Academic Connections Department at Greenville Technical College which includes Freshman Seminar, Leadership Seminar, and College Skills courses, the First Year Experience, Campus Civic Engagement, and the Financial Education Center. Morgan has also served as the Faculty Training & Development Director at Greenville Technical College. In this role, she was responsible for full-time and part-time faculty training and professional development. Morgan has a Bachelor of Science in History from Lander University and a Masters in Business Administration from Clemson University. Her professional interests include service learning, leadership, economic development, and student success initiatives in higher education.
Constructing and Applying a Theoretical Framework for Online Learning in Learning Centers
Dr. Eric Moschella is the Director of the Student Success Center at the University of South Carolina, Columbia. He has over 10 years experience in learning centers and programs. Dr Moschella served as the Coordinator of Supplemental Instruction for Clemson University's internationally recognized program, and has developed comprehensive learning centers at both the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of South Carolina. He currently serves on the board of the National College Learning Center Association and is the Past President and a founding member of the South Carolina College Learning Center Association.
Dr. Moschella holds an MA in Postsecondary Student Development from the University of Iowa, and a PhD in Higher Education Leadership from Clemson University. His research interests include innovations in first and second year student success and persistence, on line service delivery models, innovation in peer service delivery and comprehensive learning center design.
Present, Differentiate, Stimulate: Putting Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in
Our Face-to-Face, Hybrid, and Online Future
Jennifer Myers is a project director and instructional designer at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and is a recent graduate of Florida State University (FSU) in the Instructional Systems Ph.D. program. She has designed and developed a number of instructional courses and materials for a variety of organizations and audiences in the K-12, higher education, and non-profit sectors. In 2012, Myers and Dr. Vanessa Dennen (FSU)co-edited and published the book Virtual Professional Development and Informal Learning via Social Networks.
In her current position at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, Myers oversees a workforce development grant and works with faculty on course development. She collaborates with faculty to redesign and revamp their courses so that the courses are more accessible, engaging, and interactive. She is also working with college administration to start a mobile learning initiative in which she is working with faculty to help them utilize and create interactive content with mobile devices. Myers teaches professional development workshops to faculty and staff on a variety of topics such as Open and Creative Commons Content, Evaluating Internet Resources, and Social Media and Education, as well as, more technical workshops on using Camtasia Relay and learning advanced functions of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. Myers also spends her professional time presenting at conferences, reviewing manuscripts for Instructional Science and The Internet and Higher Education, reviewing proposals for the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, and participating in various committees and groups such as the Instructional Systems Alumni Advisory Committee at FSU.
Digital Badging in Higher Education: An Introduction and Lessons Learned
Dr. Beth Nettles is a Web Project Manager for the Center for Distributed Learning (CDL) at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where she oversees the Instructional Development and CDL Graphics teams. As the Instructional Development Team Lead, Dr. Nettles has created a number of professional development resources designed specifically for faculty teaching online courses. Beth also has over ten-years of experience teaching programming, software applications, and web technologies in post-secondary education. Beth holds a Ph.D. in Information Technology in Education from the University of Nevada, Reno, and an MA in Instructional Technology and a BS in Business Administration from UCF.
A Clear Path to a Degree for Every Student - The University of Hawaii’s Journey
Joy N. Nishida is an IT Specialist with the Office of Undergraduate Education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She oversees the functional aspects of the Graduation Pathway System (individual degree pathways), ensuring effective communication with end users, providing quality assurance testing, and developing support resources.
Services for Students with Disabilities
Jim Orgel has been a disability services provider at Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC for the last 15 years. He holds a Master’s degree in Counseling and Student Personnel from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has held certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor for twenty years. His background experience has been in community mental health counseling and vocational rehabilitation. He is also a member of SC-AHEAD, a peer support, education and advocacy group for disability service providers in South Carolina colleges and universities.
Alleviating Financial and Food Insecurity for Technical College Students
Crystal Pitrois is the Department Head for the Academic Connections Department at Greenville Technical College. Academic Connections focuses on the success of students as they enter their first year of college. Through the core curriculum of the Freshman Seminar and College skills courses, Academic Connections provides engagement opportunities for students through First Year Experience events, service learning opportunities, financial literacy, and by providing resources to students who are experiencing housing and food insecurity through the Caring Corner, the college’s emergency food pantry. Pitrois began her career in higher education teaching Transitional Studies courses in reading and English and by serving as an Academic Program Director in the Transitional Studies department. Pitrois received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and French from Agnes Scott College and a Master of Education from Converse College.
Mobile Learning Showcase: Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Andre Pope is the Mobile Web Technology Strategist and Adjunct Professor in Digital Arts at HGTC. Mr. Pope is a dedicated, results oriented, technology communications professional with strong creative and planning skills. He helps lead Horry Georgetown Technical College’s Mobile Web Technology Strategy. He currently is working to identify the best platforms and techniques pertaining to lecture capture within higher education. As an adjunct professor in Digital Arts, Mr. Pope bridges the divide between theory and practice regarding learning outcomes and practices.
Online is the New Default: Navigating Our Paradigm Shift in Teaching
Phil Powell is the associate dean of academic programs and a clinical associate professor of business economics and public policy at IU Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis. He previously served as faculty chair of the full-time and online MBA programs at Indiana University in Bloomington. Both programs saw an increase in national rankings under Powell's leadership. Powell joined the Kelley School as an Indianapolis faculty member in 1996. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Vanderbilt University and his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of South Carolina.
Regular and Substantive Interaction
Spiros Protopsaltis is associate professor and director of the Center for Education Policy and Evaluation at George Mason University’s College of Education and Human Development and Schar School of Policy and Government. Prior to joining George Mason University, he served as deputy assistant secretary for higher education and student financial aid for the Department of Education. Before joining the Obama Administration, he served as senior policy advisor to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and to former Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado. Spiros holds a PhD from the University of Colorado Denver, an MS from the New School University, and a BA summa cum laude from Northeastern University.
How We Support Students Experiencing Barriers Through Campus Wide Collaboration
Originally from the west coast, Heidi started her career working in the K-12 system in the Midwest part of the U.S. Following a move to South Carolina 2.5 years ago, Heidi got a job working at Tri-County in the Student Support and Engagement division. She has a passion for working with students experiencing barriers, and she quickly found her place supporting Accessibility Resources. Heidi was recognized in 2017 as being an integral part of the college and a vital student support by being awarded Tri-County’s yearly Student Advocacy Award.
Getting Good from the Bad and the Ugly: How to Avoid Institutional Violations under the Clery Act
Dr. Richardson received her Bachelor of Science (2002), Juris Doctor (2006), Masters of Business Administration (2011), and Doctor of Philosophy (2014) from the University of South Carolina. Following law school and before joining SCSBA, Dr. Richardson clerked for the Honorable Judge L. Casey Manning in the fifth judicial circuit. Shen then joined the private bar practicing labor and employment law, with an emphasis on education law. Because of her love for education, Dr. Richardson went back to school to pursue her doctoral degree in Education Leadership and Policies. Her focus in the doctoral program was campus crime and the Clery Act.
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Mr. Riechers has worked a myriad of years in higher education overseeing faculty development, accreditation standards, and online college operations in addition to being a business faculty member. One of the most recent notable accomplishments was the development of the #1 ranked online college within South Carolina based on enrollment growth and course quality reported by various national publications. Mr. Riechers has presented at numerous national conferences with topics ranging from academic affairs to strategic online college operations with the implementation of lean management principles. He is also a published author and contributed to various journals on the topic of online education management. He is considered as a foremost expert in distance education and a member of the Instructional Technology Council Innovations committee.
One of Mr. Riechers specialized research interest deals with the pedagogy of teaching online in terms of faculty and program development. He is highly skilled in data and statistical analysis and has a unique ability to decipher and then successfully apply his findings to vastly improve online learning outcomes, student success rates, and retention. Regarding Mr. Riechers education, he holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Economics from Francis Marion University and a Master’s degree in Management and Leadership & Human Resources Development from Webster University with academic honors. Furthermore, he holds a Master of Business Administration and a Post-Master’s Teaching Certificate from Capella University.
Rethinking Student Success
Timothy Renick is the Senior Vice President for Student Success and Professor of Religious Studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Since 2008, he has overseen the university’s enrollment and student success programs. Dr. Renick currently serves as principal investigator for a $9 million Department of Education "First in the World" grant to study the impact of predictive analytics and proactive advisement on completion rates for 10,000 at-risk students across eleven major universities including Texas, Ohio State, ASU and Purdue. His student-success programs have been featured in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Time and recognized by President Obama. He is the recipient of the 2018 McGraw Prize in Higher Education and the 2015-16 Award for National Leadership in Student Success Innovation. A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, Dr. Renick holds his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion from Princeton University.
Domestic Violence Awareness
Dr. Catherine Ross is a licensed social work practitioner with over 41 years of experience in direct service, clinical consultation, college teaching, program evaluation, and human resource development. She joined Sistercare, Inc. in 1998 and is currently the Director of Community Clinical and Educational Services, working directly with battered women and teens as well as addressing issues of domestic and dating violence to both the public and private sectors. During the past twenty-eight years, she has treated thousands of battered women for post-traumatic stress disorder and serves as an expert witness in court cases for battered women. She has written curriculum for middle-school children on “Learning about Domestic Violence” as well as written about “The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children.” Dr. Ross is an Adjunct Professor at Webster University Graduate School of Business and Technology.
Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities
Mia Tensley is a reading, college skills, and manufacturing 102 instructor at TriCounty Technical College. She actively pursues professional development as both a facilitator and a participant. She hosts charrette sessions during TCTC’s professional development days and presents on High Impact Practices. In 2019 she was TCTC’s South Carolina Technical Education Association Faculty Educator of the Year, graduated from the city of Clemson’s leadership program and was elected to the Leadership Clemson Alumni board. She serves on the Clemson Area African American Museum board and as TCTC’s Past Faculty Senate President.
Theresa A . Thomas currently teaches at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia. She completed her undergraduate studies at Millersville State University in Pennsylvania and completed her Masters of Math Education degree at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She has been teaching at the collegiate level since 2004 and truly loves her craft. Theresa enjoys growing and adapting her teaching to meet the ever changing needs of community college students.
Free Educational Resources from SCETV
Donna Thompson received her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Math from Furman University in 1983 and a Master’s in Instructional Media from Wilkes University in 2011. She has worked at SCETV for over 20 years-first in computer support and now in Education. She travels across the state doing free workshops for teachers on ways to painlessly integrate technology into their classrooms.
Digital Badging in Higher Education: An Introduction and Lessons Learned
Dr. Kelvin Thompson serves as an associate director for the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Center for Distributed Learning with a faculty appointment as a graduate faculty scholar in UCF’s College of Education & Human Performance, and he has collaborated on the design of hundreds of online and blended courses over the past sixteen years. Dr. Thompson oversees CDL’s strategic initiatives, including accessibility activities, and he developed the BlendKit Course open courseware (http://bit.ly/blendkit) as part of UCF’s Blended Learning Toolkit. His personal research interests center around how interaction affects learner engagement, and information on his Online Course Criticism qualitative evaluation model for facilitating the scholarship of teaching and learning in online and blended environments is available online (http://onlinecoursecriticism.com). Kelvin holds an EdD in curriculum and instruction and an MA in instructional systems technology from UCF and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from The Florida State University.
Overview of the Fifth-Year Interim Review Process & Tips for Submission
Ms. Alana T. Veal serves as the Coordinator of Legal and Governmental Affairs, and Commission Support at SACSCOC, facilitating the Off-Site Reaffirmation Committee reviews and Fifth-Year Interim Review processes. Prior to coming to the Commission, Ms. Veal served as Strategic Initiatives Project Director at Georgia Gwinnett College and Director of Strategic Planning and Title III at Morehouse College. Ms. Veal began her career in higher education at the University of North Florida as a student services coordinator. In these positions, she served in a variety of institutional roles including coordinator of an academic resource center; retention committee chairperson; coordinator of institutional effectiveness activities, and project director of a Title III grant. Ms. Veal has also participated in the development of SACSCOC compliance certification reports for two institutions. She has also served as a member of the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) Institutional Direction Academy. Ms. Veal currently holds a Bachelor’s degree in mathematical sciences from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and a Master’s degree in statistics from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Becoming the Modern Nancy Drew…Utilizing the Internet to Investigate
Sergeant Jessica Velders is the Threat Assessment and Risk Management Investigator at the University Of South Carolina Division Of Law Enforcement. She has served in law enforcement since 2007. During her time with USC she has served in patrol, evidence and supply, and as a victim’s advocate. Velders is an instructor of Verbal Judo, Oleoresin Capsicum, Women’s Self Defense, Alcohol Enforcement Training, Fraudulent Identification Recognition, and a Passive Alcohol Sensor (PAS Vr). Velders has completed the Gavin de Becker Advance Threat Management Academy, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Protective Service Operations Training Program, and is a member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. Velders received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina.
A Clear Path to a Degree for Every Student - The University of Hawaii’s Journey
Rachel Mullins Veney is the Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success in Higher Education (iPASS) project manager at Honolulu Community College. She is committed to working on the college completion gap and finding ways to make our institutions more student ready. As iPASS project manager, Rachel works to integrate people, services and technology—including academic planning tools, early alert software and predictive analytics—to improve the student experience and increase student success. Previously, she worked as the Associate Director of the University of Massachusetts TRiO Upward Bound Program. She holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics and a B.A. in Anthropology.
Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities
James Walker is a developmental math instructor at TCTC. James has over 12 years of teaching experience. In 2012 he was awarded TCTC’s Adjunct Faculty Presidential Award. In 2019, he was awarded the South Carolina Association for Developmental Education Outstanding Service to Students Award. James serves on TCTC’s Faculty Senate and SCTCS's Learning Disabilities Workgroup.
Mobile Tools for Classroom Feedback and Formative Assessment
Dr. Paul Wallace is a faculty member in the College of Education at Appalachian State University, where his teaching focus is the integration of technology into teaching and learning. All of his courses have a home in the AET Zone, a 3D collaborative virtual environment created at Appalachian State University that capitalizes on the qualities of virtual worlds to support social aspects of teaching and learning. His current research interests include social interaction within virtual worlds for education, intercultural issues related to e-learning and service-learning pedagogy, and the design of place-based mobile learning games for environmental education.
Mobile Learning Showcase: Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Ashley Wilkinson is a Professor of Golf & Sports Turf and Golf Course Management at Horry-Georgetown Technical College. He incorporates mobile technology into his program to enhance instruction and engage students.
Preparing for the Fifth-Year Report and Reaffirmation
Dr. Claudette Williams currently serves as Vice President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Her career spans approximately 40 years working in the private and public sectors. As an educator, she has served as faculty member, department chair, director of service learning, director of distance education, director of institutional planning, research, and effectiveness, executive vice president, and college president. Dr. Williams has also served as evaluator and committee chairperson for SACSCOC off-site, on-site, and special committee reviews. Additionally, she has presented at SACS COC conferences and served as a consultant to higher education institutions in the areas of institutional planning, research, and effectiveness. Some of her most cherished awards are the Outstanding Service and Dedication to the College Community Award presented by the Bennett College Student Government Association; the Outstanding Contribution and Commitment to Service Learning Award and Pioneer Faculty Award from Clark Atlanta University.
Preparing for the Fifth-Year Report and Reaffirmation
Stephanie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2001 from Converse College in Spartanburg, SC. She then went on to receive a Juris Doctorate from the Appalachian School of Law in Virginia in 2005. Upon graduation from law school, Stephanie worked for the South Carolina Circuit Court before entering into private practice. She practiced workers’ compensation, personal injury, social security disability, civil litigation and criminal law. She began serving as the Disability Services Coordinator at Tri-County Technical College in 2011. She started the Twenty20 program in 2012 to assist first year students with making a smooth transition to college. She has lead the college’s student veterans’ initiative and created Patriots’ Place in 2013. Stephanie was a member of the 2013 – 2014 South Carolina Technical College System’s Leadership Academy and received the SCTEA Staff Member of the year award. Stephanie is married to Donny Winkler, a Physics instructor at Tri-County Tech. They have a 4 year old daughter named Lauren.
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Lamar Younginer has been working in higher education for over 28 years. He has worked at both 2-year and 4-year institutions. His work experience includes human resources, admissions, student support services, website services, IT help desk and online education. He has spent the past twenty years working primarily in online education with a two year period serving as both the Director of the Online College and the Director of the IT helpdesk and a three year period serving as both the Director of the Online College and the Director of Web Services.
Mr. Younginer’s educational background and professional accomplishments include a Bachelor of Science—Economics from Francis Marion College (1990) and a Master of Science in eBusiness from Capella University (2003). In addition to his being a part of the SACS committee, Mr. Younginer has served on numerous state-wide Online Education and Distance Learning steering committees and has presented at a multitude of state and national conferences on a wide variety of Online Education and Distance Learning topics. He was a part of the team that developed and taught the first online course (English 101) offered in the state of South Carolina in 1998.
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