From the Office of the Vice President for Finance Graduations set for

A Bladen Community College Campus Weekly.
Vol. V, No. 19
May 9, 2013
Graduations set for Friday evening
It’s an exciting time around campus this week, with instructors
turning in grades and graduation scheduled for Friday night. The
Basic Skills graduates will be the first to walk the stage. The ceremony is slated to start at 5:30 p.m. Then at 7:30 p.m., the curriculum graduation will begin.
The keynote speaker for the Basic Skills Graduation will be Reverend Dustin “Dusty” Sprouse, pastor of Wesley’s Chapel United
Methodist Church in Elizabethtown.
Brad Wilson, chief executive officer of Blue Cross/Blue Shield
of North Carolina, will deliver the Commencement address at the
curriculum graduation ceremony.
See page 5 for biographies of the keynote speakers.
Graduation rehearsal for curriculum students will be on Friday
morning at 9 a.m. Rehearsal for the Basic Skills ceremony will be
at 4:30 p.m. before the ceremony. All participating students are
asked to be at their respective rehearsals.
Brad Wilson
Reverend Dustin Sprouse
From the Office
of the
Vice President
for Finance
Recently, the North Carolina State Health Plan released very
important information regarding annual enrollment and various
benefit changes.
The State Health Plan will conduct Annual Enrollment May 2031, 2013. If you are covered under the State Health Plan, you do
not need to do anything during annual enrollment if you are satisfied with your current plan. If you take no action, you and any
dependents will remain on your current plan. During the annual
enrollment period, you can enroll in the State Health Plan, switch
between plans, add or remove dependents without a qualifying
event, and/or a new feature – add your primary care provider
(PCP).
The Plan encourages members to have a PCP to provide proactive, preventive and chronic care management throughout all stages
of their lives. You will be able to select a PCP for yourself and any
covered dependents during enrollment. Your selection will appear
on your new member ID cards which will be received by each person covered.
In regards to benefit changes, it is very important to note that no
premium changes for members or dependents. The benefit year
will be changing from July 1 – June 3 to a calendar year, January 1
– December 31. To facilitate the transition to a calendar year benefit period, the upcoming benefit period will only be six months.
This means your deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums will be
reduced.
You will receive a form from Human Resources soon. Please
return this form to Human Resource no later than May 27, 2013.
Jay Stanley
Upcoming Events
May 10 - Graduation ceremonies in auditorium as follows: Basic Skills 5:30 p.m.; Curriculum 7:30 p.m.
May 14 - DL/Moodle Policies & Upgrade for Moodle users. 8:30 - 9:45 a.m. in Auditorium
May 14 - Wellington Benefits briefing for all employees at 10 a.m. in Auditorium.
May 14 - Moodle Basics for new Moodle users 1 - 3 p.m. in Building 1, Room 102
May 16 - Moodle/Technology Training for faculty 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Building 6, Room 117 and Building 1, Room 102
May 17 - CPR Training for faculty and staff 10 a.m. - 12 noon and 1 - 3 p.m. in Auditorium. Call 879.5586 to reserve a slot.
May 20-24 - Individual benefits open enrollment period. See item on page 3 for details.
May 21 - Risk Management Training 9 a.m. until 12 noon in Auditorium. Mandatory for all employees.
May 27 - College closed for Memorial Day.
May 28 - CPR Training for faculty and staff 10 a.m. - noon and 2 - 4 p.m. in Auditorium. Call 879.5586 to reserve a slot.
BCC Birthdays through May 15: Amy Long Cummings, May 13.
Nurse Pinning ceremonies highlighted last week’s activities at BCC
The auditorium was abuzz with activity last Friday as the BCC Nursing Department honored this year’s program graduates
with a pinning ceremony. For the first time, the ceremonies for both the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program and the
Practical Nurse Education (PNE) Program were held on the same night. The PNE ceremony began at 5:30 p.m. and the ADN
ceremony followed at 7:30 p.m. As it has been for a number of years here at BCC, nursing students looked forward to this
special ceremony with an air of high anticipation.
During the ceremony the students receive their pin marking them as members of this special profession. They were also
presented the Nightingale Lamp which is lit and held by the nurses as they take the Florence Nightingale Pledge, a special
pledge named for the woman commonly referred to as the “Mother of Modern Nursing.”
Twenty two graduates participated in the PNE Pinning and 11, in the ADN ceremony. The guest speaker at the PNE
ceremony was Dawn Cain, a graduate of
the BCC PNE program who now works at
Glen Flora Nursing Home. Two speakers
gave addresses at the ADN ceremony—
Terri Duncan, a registered nurse at Cape
Fear Valley Bladen County Hospital, and
Mary Ann Turner, a former instructor in
the BCC ADN program who now works at
Southern Regional Area Health Education
Center (SRAHEC) in Fayetteville. Ms.
Turner was one of the instructors who
worked with this class of students before
taking her new job this year.
Graduates of the PNE program are
Shatia M. Brunson, Morgan W. Butler,
Rita E. Cardenas, Caitlin A. Cross, Ashley
H. Davis, Laura M. Deal, Tarshialonda L.
Harris, Shameka Haynes, Ashleigh N.
Herring, Kyla N. Jacobs, Miye J. Kelly,
Tracy L. Lassiter, Shaona B. Locklear,
Katherine R. Moore, Kareana C. Oxendine,
Kimberly Oxendine, Caitlin V. Revell,
Holly C. Shiver, Ginger L. Smith, Corine
Walker, Megan R. Wertz, and Sonia D.
White.
Lighting of the Nightingale lamps at the ADN Pinning Ceremony
ADN graduates are Matthew P. Batten;
Jennifer Britt, vice-president; Sarah F.
ADN and PN application deadline nearing
Bryan; Nicole Buffkin; Stephanie L.
Just a reminder! The deadline for applications for the Practical Nursing Program and
Harris; Marcus A. Holbrook; Diane R.
the Associate Degree Nursing Program is May 17, 2013. All requirements must be
Hunt, secretary; Christina L. Lamb,
completed prior to the application deadline to be considered for admission in the fall
treasurer; Kelly M. Pait; Ashley A.
Sessoms; and Susan Turkovich, president. semester. For more information, please call Denise Hunsinger at 879-5636 or Erin
SEE MORE PINNING PHOTOS ON
Hinson at 879-5632.
PAGE 6.
Green Committee News
Our mild winter has given way to an unusually cool spring,
which has made planting and maintaining a garden a little more
difficult. I hope that the recent celebration of Earth Day will
keep us mindful of extending sustainable practices to our gardening. Methods such as creating and using compost made
from kitchen waste and harvesting rain water are ways that we
can do small things to help protect the environment and conserve our natural resources. The following link provides several
tips for green gardening that are simple but effective ways to
apply sustainable practices when gardening:
http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-greengardening.html#tips
Joey Hinson 879.5538
What is QEP?
January 2013 marks the implementation of the college’s QEP,
Quality Enhancement Plan, which is
designed to enhance student learning through problem solving. Students will learn to use the 4 P Problem-Solving Action Plan to tackle
assignments and make decisions.
Make sure you have your P’s—
Plan, Prepare, Practice and Produce.
Twyla Davis 879.5543
ABC’s of Couponing draws sizable group
Obviously there are a number of people around the campus
and area who are interested in “couponing” (clipping coupons
to save money on items at the grocery store and at other types
of retailers). It was standing room only on April 25 for the
presentation on the subject made by Cooperative Extension
Agent Sandra Cain at the Student Resource Center.
Cain explained some of the ways to make couponing an
important part of purchasing strategy, including such things
as getting double discounts by combining store bargains with
manufacturers’ coupons.
The program entitled “The ABC’s of Couponing” was
sponsored by the BCC Library .
Student earns $100 for reading
Thinking about clipping coupons?
Sandra Cain of Bladen County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension explains the benefits of clipping coupons to
save money on items used around the house in a program presented at the Student Resource Center on April 25.
New volume of The Ink Quill now available
The 2013 edition of The Ink
Quill, a book published by the
Bladen Community College Ink
Quill Society, is now available.
The book contains a variety of
works by BCC students, faculty and
staff, and family members of BCC
folks.
It contains prose and poetry as
well as art and photography. They
are original works that have not
been published in other venues.
To obtain a copy, stop by the
office of Ink Quill Advisor Rebecca
James in Building 1, Room 127.
You’ll enjoy the works by our BCC
family. Rebecca James 879.5553
Tidbits from the
Diversity Committee
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Whitewater Falls in Transylvania County is the highest
waterfall in the eastern United States and Fontana Dam in
western North Carolina is the tallest in the eastern U.S. The first
miniature golf course in the world was built in Fayetteville. Our
state also has the distinction of having the first state-owned art
museum in the United States. It is located in Raleigh and
Biltmore Estate in Asheville is America’s largest home.
Dr. Joyce Bahhouth 879-5540
Deyonna Willis, a student is Twyla Davis’ reading class,
received $100 from the Townsend Press Reading Scholarship
Contest this semester. She read and reported on a series of
10 books in the specified time to qualify for the award.
Townsend Press has sponsored the reading program for
many years and BCC has traditionally had some students to
qualify for awards. The program qualifies students for
awards of up to $300 for reading a specified number of
books. Students who read 20 books qualify for a $200
award while students who read 30 books in the specified
time qualify for the maximum program award of $300.
New benefits open enrollment period
starts soon
Bladen Community College has contracted with a new provider to manage its benefit plan for dental, vision, flex, cancer, life insurance, and disability insurance programs. The
new plans will become effective July 1, 2013. To ensure that
all employees have an opportunity to become familiar with
the plans available, a general information meeting on the
plans will take place on May 14 at 10 a.m. in the auditorium.
Plan information will be distributed at that time. This is a
mandatory meeting for all employees.
An Open enrollment period will be held the following
week beginning on Monday, May 20, and continuing through
Friday, May 24. All employees are required to schedule an
appointment to sign the appropriate forms even if they do not
want to sign up for any of the plans available. To schedule an
appointment, call Mrs. Winnie Lesane at extension 5614 or
email [email protected].
Graduation Rehearsal
Graduation rehearsal for the 2013 Curriculum Commencement Exercise is set for the morning of graduation, Friday,
May 10 at 9:30 a.m. in the auditorium. Rehearsal for Basic
Skills graduation will be at 4:30 p.m. The rehearsals will last
approximately one hour. During rehearsal, students will be
greeted by Ms. Harriet Hobbs and Ms. Linda Burney to discuss topics including: (1) Student Exit Surveys, and (2) the
Bladen Community College Foundation. All graduates who
plan to march in the ceremony are asked to attend rehearsal.
Anthony Thomas 879-5591
QEP continues to flourish
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) coordinator
Twyla Davis is concerned that faculty, staff and
students may have the wrong idea about the direction the program is taking and offers the following to ensure that all understand that it is still
flourishing.
“Spring 2013 began the first year of implementation for our QEP,” she said. “Our focus is
on ACA 115 and ACA 122. ACA instructors
have attended meetings and workshops this semester to prepare them to integrate problemsolving instruction, assignments, activities, and
assessments in the two courses next fall.
“We have continued to collect baseline data
from students taking the Test for Everyday Reasoning. On May 20, the QEP Support Team will
meet to analyze the data and reinforce our goals
and measures for the QEP Student Learning Outcomes.
“All faculty will attend the QEP-sponsored
workshop on May 23 on Classroom Assessment
Techniques with Dr. Patricia Akers. I am confident that this will prove to be one of our best
QEP events to date!,” Ms. Davis explained. “We
are guaranteed information and materials that we
can all use in our classes and lots of fun as well.”
She said that this fall the team (and college)
will promote QEP awareness among students
with another QEP Day and other marketing activities.
“A significant part of our success with our
Compliance Certification, QEP Document, and
SACS visit is due to the advice and experiences
shared with us from other institutions who have
gone through the process before us. To pay this
forward, I will visit Sampson Community College on May 6 to share our experiences with their
QEP committee,” she said.
“Please continue to share the QEP logo, the 4
P’s, and problem-solving instruction in your
courses as often as you can. I will share an updated time-line and other information with you as
it becomes available,” she added.
Meet the Foundation’s youngest donor
Nineteen-month-old Miss Riley Grace Burney, granddaughter of BCC Cosmetology student Christy Burney, became the Bladen Community College
Foundation’s youngest contributor, when she handed her Aunt, Foundation Specialist Linda Burney, an envelope containing a donation on Tuesday. Needless to say, Linda was surprised when she went to the Cosmetology because “someone” wanted to make a donation to the Foundation.
Fall semester tutors needed
Tutors are needed for BCC’s fall semester and the Learning Enhancement
Center is now taking applications. To qualify, a student must have 3.0 GPA
or higher. Tutoring is a great way to meet new people and gives one the opportunity to take advantage of their ability to think “outside the box.” If you
think you would be interested in becoming a tutor, or know of someone who
might make a good tutor, come by the Learning Enhancement Center and
check out this great opportunity or call Felisa Williams at 879.6560.
Small Business seminar set for May 9
Don Spry of the Small Business Administration comes back one last time this
spring for a seminar entitled “337 Ways to Enhance Your Sales and Increase
Profit.” Join this “must see” seminar for those in small business seeking to gain
maximum exposure of their product to service within their community and be able
to better measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts through a step by step
formula.
WHEN: Thursday, May 9, 6 - 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Bladen County Public Library, 111 N. Cypress St., Elizabethtown
Please pre-register as space is limited. To register online, go to the following
site: https://www.ncsbc.net/workshop.aspx?ekey=40320023
Todd Lyden 879-5572
Ice Cream Anyone?
Warm weather has finally arrived; the
flowers are blooming and the trees are
growing a new coat of green. As the
weather slowly turns to its summer high
and we spend more time outdoors, what
better time to enjoy an ice cream treat.
Stop by the BCC Book Store and check
out the selection of ice cream treats
available. Cassie Campbell 879.5573
Blue Cross CEO to deliver commencement address
Brad Wilson, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, will be the commencement speaker at
Bladen Community College’s curriculum Graduation on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m.
As President and CEO of North Carolina’s largest insurer since 2010, Wilson has worked to improve North Carolina’s health care
system and in making health care more affordable for the state’s residents.
Prior to joining BCBS of North Carolina in 1995, he practiced law and served as general counsel for Governor Jim Hunt, where
he was in charge of directing the governor’s legislative strategy.
A lifelong North Carolinian, Wilson serves on a number of boards in the healthcare industry, including as chair of the National
Institute for Health Care Management and works with the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare to address health care challenges at the national level.
In addition, he serves on the board of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and chairs the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
North Carolina Foundation, a charitable organization that has invested more than $68 million in community-based health and
wellness efforts over the last decade.
Wilson earned his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University, a master’s degree from Duke and a law degree
from Wake Forest University. He is a recipient of the state’s highest civilian honor bestowed by North Carolina’s governor, the
Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
Bladen pastor to keynote Basic Skills graduation
Reverend Dusty Sprouse, pastor of Wesley’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown, says his educational journey
has equipped him in a most personal way to give a graduation address to students who have just completed requirements to earn
their high school credential. He will be the keynote speaker at the Bladen Community College Basic Skills graduation on Friday,
May 10, at 5:30 p.m.
“After all, I can identify with them (the graduates), because it wasn’t too many years ago that I was one of them, earning my
high school credential through a GED® program,” said Sprouse.
A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Sprouse says he had difficulty in school from
an early age and never enjoyed going to school as a child or teen.
Retiring
“I struggled in school until I left in disgust in my second year of the 11th grade,”
he said. “I started working as a mechanic. Then at age 19, I was involved in a bad
automobile accident in which I was seriously injured. As I was healing, I began to
realize how important it was to further my education and enrolled in a GED® program in southern Virginia.”
He completed the program in six weeks and worked as a mechanic and in several other occupations in the ensuing years before entering the ministry. At about
age 23, he enrolled in Tidewater Community College. After taking the placement
tests, it was determined that he would need to do a lot of “catching up” before he
could enroll in college courses. For the next two years he took non-credit developmental courses. He then began taking regular college courses on a part-time basis.
“I felt that God was calling me into the ministry and knew that if I were to succeed I would need to complete my education,” he explained. “In 2001 at age 29, I
entered the ministry and enrolled in Elizabeth City State University the following
year.”
While a student at Elizabeth City State, he served as pastor of several churches.
He graduated with honors in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. He
enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at Duke University with a full scholarship through the Thriving Rural Communities Fellowship funded by the Duke Endowment and graduated in 2012 with a 3.0 grade-point-average.
During his educational journey he has served as pastor in five different charges, Hitting the road
two of them three-church charges. He was appointed pastor at Wesley’s Chapel
Math instructor Ray Kruse is retiring at
last June, shortly after completing his Master of Divinity.
the end of May. To give him a “proper”
“I have a lot of people and institutions to thank for what measure of success I have send-off, the Math and Science Department
achieved,” he said. “First and foremost, the Holy Spirit, who guided and supported gave him a going-away party at San Jose
me throughout the process; my family; the many educators I encountered along the Restaurant in Elizabethtown on May 2. In
way; the Duke Endowment; the North Carolina Conference of the United Method- photo Ray is all smiles as he shows his
ist Church; and the various churches I pastored throughout my educational jour“booty”. Good luck, Ray. We’ll miss you.
ney.”
More photos from nurse pinning ceremonies
Gifts to the BCC Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. William Findt in memory of Mr. Boris Singletary, brother of instructor Victor Singletary, brother-in-law of staff
member Mrs. Barbara Singletary, and father-in-law of BCC staff member Mrs. Bridgette Singletary.
Mr. Stephen Prince in honor of BCC Human Resources Director Mrs. Tiina Mundy.