Early Registration for Current Students Opens April 2 and 3

It's that time of the year...if you're a current student and planning to take classes in the summer or fall, you can register early starting next week. Registration opens on Monday, April 2nd for students with 30 or more credit hours and Tuesday, April 3 for students with less than 30 credit hours. You can visit the online class schedule to view classes for summer and fall.

Here are some important dates to remember for the summer semester:


REGISTRATION DEADLINES
Early registration for current students begins April 2. Currently enrolled sophomores may register beginning April 2, and currently enrolled freshmen may register beginning April 3.

Registration for new and readmit summer students begins April 23.

On-site registration services also available:
Main Campus May 24, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Livingston Center May 24, Noon - 6 p.m.
McGavock Center May 24, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Session Drop/Add
Maymester May 7-8
Full Term May 29-30
1st 5 Week May 29-30
2nd 5 Week July 5-6
RODP June 2-3


FEE PAYMENT DEADLINES:

If you register/add classes: Fees are due by:

Maymester
Before May 4...May 4
May 4 through late registration At time of Registration

Summer Term
Before May 21...May 21
May 21 through late registration At time of Registration

**The Deferred Payment Plan is not offered for Maymester or Summer term.

REMEMBER – If fees are not paid by the due date, you will be dropped from your classes, and you will have to re-register. Visit the Business Office website at www.volstate.edu/businessoffice for additional information.

WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES
Last day to withdraw from college or drop a class
Maymester May 18
Full term July 18
First 5-week June 21
RODP July 18
Second 5-week July 27


SUMMER TERM DATES
Maymester May 7- May 25
Full term May 29- August 8
Weekend College/College@Home June 2- August 8
First 5-week May 29- June 30
RODP June 4 - August 9
Second 5-week July 5 - August 8
Hybrid May 29 - August 8
Online May 29 - August 8


The College reserves the right to change the fees listed herein or add new ones whenever such additions are deemed necessary or as directed by TBR.

All Volunteer State students are strongly encouraged to contact their academic advisor before registering. If you do not know the name of your advisor, if you have not declared a major, or if you are not seeking a degree, contact the Advising Center for help at 615-230-3702 (toll-free: 1-888-335-8722, extension, 3702) or send an e-mail to advising@volstate.edu.

SUMMER 2011 REFUND DEADLINES:

Last Day for Refund of:
Session            100%      75%       25%
Maymester      May 6      May 9    May 11
Full Term        May 28    June 6    June 15
1st 5-Week    May 28    June 2    June 6
2nd 5-Week   July 4       July 9     July 13
RODP            June 3      June 12   June 20


REMEMBER – If fees are not paid by the due date, you will be dropped from your classes, and you will have to re-register. Visit the Business Office website at www.volstate.edu/businessoffice for additional information.
The online payment system is working.

Campus Closed Friday, April 6

A reminder that the Vol State campus will be closed for the Good Friday holiday on Friday, April 6. Classes will not be held that day and all offices will be closed.

Vol State Events Calendar for April 2012

3	Red Cross Blood Drive Carpeted Dining Room 10am-3pm sign up at www.redcrossblood.org and click on “enter sponsor code” and enter VolState to schedule your appointment
4	Spring Fest student clubs and organizations info Duffer Plaza 10am-2pm
5	Comedian Peter Depp “The Dynamics of LGBT Bullying” sponsored by the Psychology Club. Thigpen Library 12:30pm
13	Sumner Bluegrass Jamboree Caudill Hall 6:30-10pm Free and open to the public
14	Sumner Bluegrass Jamboree Caudill Hall 10am-10pm Free and open to the public
16	Comm Week: WVCP remote broadcast Duffer Plaza 8am-11am
16	Comm Week: Hal Ramer Oratorical Contest and Sigma Chi Eta  induction 12:15pm Auditorium
17	Presentation by Bob Ruff and Rick Rouch: “The Rise of the National Security State” Rochelle Center 12:45pm
17	Comm Week: Music Forum Auditorium 12:45pm
17	TMTA high school math contest Gym 9am-2pm
18	Comm Week: New Pioneer magazine is out
18	Vol State Songwriters and Commercial Music Ensemble at Whippoorwill in Gallatin 6pm Free
19	Comm Week: Recording students have organized an afternoon of music featuring Vol State and local performers, with everything from rock and country to rap. Artists include: Jim O’Baid, Ed White, Freezz Da BossMann, Danya, Vol State Commercial Music Ensemble, ChanceCold and BackHand Karma. Library Lawn or Gym in case of rain. 2pm-3:30pm and 5pm to 6pm
19	The Vol State Experience for high school students and their families. Concerts run from 2pm to 6pm, with the high school welcome from 3:30-5pm. Free and open to everyone. Library Lawn or gym in case of rain.
19	Harlem Rockets Basketball Game a comedic basketball team takes on the Vol State Dream Team in this free and fun event that is open to everyone. 6pm-9pm. Pickel Field House
20	Movies by Starlight double feature "Puss in Boots" and "Ghost Rider 2"  Free Thigpen Library Lawn Dusk (7:00pm)
25	Job Career Fair Pickel Field House 10am-1pm
27, 28	Music Department Spring Concert and CD release party Wemyss Auditorium in Caudill Hall 7:30pm $5 admission $10 with CD

Students Share International Travel Experiences

The Tennessee Consortium of International Studies (TnCIS) is one of several programs geared to promote an international dimension ofeducation.  For a number of years the Consortium has empowered both students and faculty to expand their understanding of foreign culture.  Currently, there are 18 countries are involved in the program, and it continues to expand. 

Frankie Garcia and Steve Kilkenny in front of an Irish castle

Franklin Garcia is in Vol State’s criminal justice program and recently had the opportunity to travel to Ireland with a faculty-led, study abroad class.

“Though I have been to four or five different countries, I can honestly say that this was the best experience I have ever had,” said Garcia.  “One of my favorite things was how family-oriented they are in Ireland.  It reminded me of growing up in the Dominican Republic and being a part of a big family.  I really identified with the Irish people, and the food was wonderful.  The biggest culture shocks were actually little things, like getting charged for refills and paying for grocery bags.  Also, there is no complementary coffee in the hotels.  The music is exciting, and everyone dances over there; it was incredible!  The old people were in better shape than us.  They even made me dance, and when I finished dancing, one old lady asked me where I was going 'cause she wasn’t finished dancing with me.  I told her I was exhausted, and she laughed and said, This is just the first of three songs.”

Ashley Hart also visited Ireland with the criminal justice program. "As a musician, I found music to be a large part of the heart and soul of Ireland,” said Hart.  “American music could be heard in many of the places we visited.  It was fun to see that music does break all barriers and walls.  Oftentimes in an American establishment, the singer is in the background, but in Ireland everyone focuses on the musicians playing and singing.  Another thing about Nashville is we rarely see musicians playing without a microphone or sound equipment, but there it's predominant."

International study is definitely one way to expand your worldview.  I am personally excited to be participating in my first international trip when I visit Greece in May.  You can expect a blog!

If you would like more information about international travel while attending Vol State please join us for a FREE lunch at the "Around the World in a Day" Pecha Kucha presentation.  They start Thursday, March 29 at 12:45 pm and continue through 2:00 pm at the carpeted dining room in the Wood Campus Center. If you need additional information about the international study program please email Anne-Marie Ruttenbur.

Volunteer State Community College

Intelligent Entertainment at Vol State

Laurin Wilson and Sheleah Gardner perform in Well
Photo by Shellie Leach

Sit down, lean back, buckle-up, and enjoy the ride.  Vol State is finishing out this week with Lisa Kron's play Well. It covers a number of issues dealing with social challenges.  Couched in the form of a play about physical sickness, it gives the audience a snapshot of the destructive power of unhealthy social surroundings.

Racial tensions, family problems, and pride are exposed and dealt with in a way that is "life changing," according to theater student Summer Powers.  “I play two characters, Joy and Dottie,” she said.  “The audience will walk away with a better knowledge of what happened in the 50s and 60s as a result of racial segregation.  I knew a little about the history, but until I studied this play I didn’t really understand.  It helped me to realize how different it was, and how awful.  I think this is one of the more influential performances that we have put on because it is such an important part of history.  There are six actors for seventeen parts with a lot of costume changes.  That makes it fun.”

Sheleah Gardner is studying law and plays the role of Ann.  “This is an amazing story.  The reason I can relate to it is I grew up in Detroit, not that far from Lansing where the play takes place, and I remember bathrooms being colored and white, and we were not allowed to swim in the same pool or use the same drinking fountains.  It was a horrible time, and this is an underlying theme in this play.  The context of the term Well comes from a daughter who sees her mother as a hypochondriac.”

The part of Lisa Kron is played by student, Laurin Wilson.  “It’s something I have always wanted to do,” said Wilson.  “I started acting when I was young, and it’s been a great outlet.  This has been a challenging performance, and there is a lot of memorization, but it’s a really interesting play.  You have comedy with a serious undertone.  On the surface you can’t see what’s going on internally, but by the end you see exactly why things are affecting my character the way they do.  

Tickets are $5 at the door. Performances start March 22, 23 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. and March 25 at 2:30 p.m. It will be held in the Wemyss auditorium at Caudill Hall on the campus at 1480 Nashville Pike in Gallatin. It is free to Vol State students, faculty and staff. For more information call 230-3201.

Volunteer State Community College

Students Ralley Around a New Club For Veterans at Vol State

Student Veterans of America (SVA) is an organization that focuses on helping those with military experience locate every possible resource to succeed academically.  Now the SVA has representation at Vol State. 

As President of the club, William (Boyd) Kernodle is eager to assist those interested in higher education.

“If a vet is thinking about returning to school, he or she should do research about the benefits available,” said Kernodle.  “Use the ones that are most effective for you.  There are scholarships out there sponsored by many organizations.  Though we do not have a dedicated advisor at this time, there are a number of people on campus that can give someone direction about how to get the most out of your education.  Including staff, we are pushing thirty members and anyone interested in being part of our support group is welcome to join - even if they are not a veteran."   Kernodle proudly added, “Of course since I’m Navy, that’s who I root for at the football games, and we have ten in a row, Baby!”

Retired Major Ken Hanson, is also inspired to help equip US vets with all the tools they need for both school and their careers.  After 22 years of military service, he is now the coordinator for Vol State Veterans Affairs.  He has already walked a number of students through the basics of getting reoriented to civilian life.

“It is surprising that many don’t even realize some of the basic VA benefits,” said Hanson.  “There are a lot of resources available such as the GI bill, or possibly any disabilities they had while they were in the military.  Another program is Vocational Rehabilitation, we call it voc-rehab for short.  We guide them to find resources and help with networking on the campus.  Veterans are used to being on a team where they always feel like family, but now they are coming to a campus atmosphere. We don’t want them to think they are on their own.  This will also help them with a career once they graduate.  We have members from Vietnam, Iraq, and Desert Storm.  We cover all five branches, Navy, Air Force, Army, Marines, and Coast Guard.” 


If you would like to show support or find out more information email Ken Hanson or stop by or visit the SVA Club. They meet the second and fourth Monday every month at 1:30 pm in the cafeteria. 

Volunteer State Community College

EMTs- It's Time to Apply for Paramedic

The Vol State Paramedic program is designed for licensed EMTs who want to take the next step in their career. The deadline for the next Paramedic class is coming up soon. If you want to learn more visit the web page: www.volstate.edu/emt. On the website you'll find the new New 2012/2013 Paramedic Application and Paramedic Applicant Letter (just scroll down to the Paramedic section of that page).

A reminder: you must have a State of Tennessee EMT license to be eligible for Paramedic. If you are interested in our EMT program the link above will also take you to more information about that program.

The Paramedic application deadline is March 31st!
Volunteer State Community College

Our Students Make a Difference - Guatemala Trip Pictures

As we mentioned earlier this week, some students and faculty from the Vol State Physical Therapist Assistant program traveled to Guatemala this week to help people with physical therapy needs. It's Vol State Service Learning in action. Here are some pictures:

(L-R) Caroline Hutchinson, Jorge, and Hannah Kirk on the streets of Las Conchas

Jaymi Mick treating Gabbi at the JT Children Foundation Center in Tecpan.

Entire Belmont/Vol State team feeding children UNDER THE BRIDGE

Katy Jones with Angel at Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home.

Lunch at a park in Guatemala City.

Volunteer State Community College PTA

Vol State Women Win! Congrats to Hunter!

The Vol State women's basketball team trounced Southwest Tennessee yesterday 75-56 in the TCCAA playoffs. That means they advance to play Walters State today at 6pm. The winner of that game will compete in the championship game, scheduled for Saturday at 4pm. The games are being streamed live at http://www.jscc.edu/tournament Go Pioneers!

The Vol State men's basketball team may be out of the playoff picture after a loss this week, but a big honor for one player was announced yesterday. Hunter Harris was named to the 2012 Tennessee Community College Athletic Association All-Conference first team. Congrats to Hunter! 

Tennessee Sports Net has been covering the TCCAA Region 7 Basketball Playoffs. You can get score updates at this web site: http://www.ihigh.com/tennesseesportsnet/article_111163.html

Vol State Students Use PTA Skills in Guatemala

Vol State students travel the globe during Spring Break, some for travel-study experiences and some for service learning projects. Here is a blog post from a group in Guatemala this week:

Four students from the 2012 Vol State Physical Therapist Assistant class are currently traveling in Guatemala on a service learning trip. Caroline Hutchinson, Katy Jones, Hannah Kirk and Jaymi Mick, along with Program Director Carolyn Moore, are partnering with Physical and Occupational Therapy students and faculty from Belmont University to provide rehabilitation services to children in impoverished communities surrounding Guatemala City. We are also in partnership with The Shalom Foundation (http://www.theshalomfoundation.org/), the non profit organization who is coordinating our trip.


We arrived on Sunday, March 4th. So far, we have visited the community of Las Conchas where we made home visits to educate the community about an upcoming free medical clinic and collect anthropometric data at the local school to provide a baseline to track the success of a recently established feeding program. Next, we visited Hope for Tomorrow Children's Home to administer screening tests for motor proficiency and assess other children with various diagnoses, including cerebral palsy. Today we visited the Moore Pediatric Surgery Center founded by The Shalom Foundation. Earlier in the week, one of our translators informed us that her brother has spina bifida and wanted some recommendations regarding his care. We assessed him, provided a home exercise program, and showed the mother proper stretching techniques. Shalom Foundation has agreed to connect the family with a social worker who will provide him with appropriate orthotics.

Tomorrow we will assist a Physical Therapist in home visits in Tecpan. We are thoroughly enjoying our time together in Guatemala and are learning a great deal about treating the pediatric population in a situation where such care is not normally available. We are thankful for this opportunity and we look forward to updating you again in a few days.

-PTA Guatemala Team, Carolyn, Katy, Hannah, Jaymi and Caroline

Volunteer State Community College

Have you Considered Fast-Track Programs?

Vol State Fast-Track programs have some important differences from regular courses: a defined group of students taking classes together, extra academic support, ease in registration and of course, as the name implies, they’re quicker than the usual programs. The number of Fast-Track programs at the College has increased in the last year.  Currently, they’re offered in Criminal Justice, Logistics, Office Management Technology and Early-Childhood Education. Students say that while the speed in completion is what initially attracted them, the other characteristics are important to them as well.


“You form a camaraderie with the other people in class,” said student Beth Eaton. “If you have questions or you don’t understand something, the other people in class can help. It’s comforting when you’re sitting in a classroom and you see familiar faces from other classes.”

“I’m very shy and it takes me a bit to get used to people,” said student Mariah Means. “Here I have to participate in activities and that helps.”

Penny Duncan teaches Early-Childhood Education Fast-Track groups. “I have seen a greater degree of participation. With the four hour-long class. We do two to three group activities each class.”

The Early-Childhood classes are hybrid, with part of the work done in class and part online. Each Fast-Track program is a bit different in design and delivery. The common theme is an environment of extra support. Students sign an agreement at the start to make sure they understand what is expected of them. The condensed nature of the courses makes them quite intense and students can’t afford to fall behind. The cohort model helps to keep students engaged.

“The support from each other is huge,” Duncan said. “They’re going through the five weeks together. If they don’t see someone in class they ask about them and even call them.”

Kristi Huffine is the new Fast-Track coordinator at Vol State, helping to organize and promote all of the programs.

“I’m hoping to grow it. I’m hoping to make it more accessible to students who want a faster pace, so they can get out into the workforce.”

Fast-Track programs are not for everyone. The fast pace means students have to be ready to do the work.

“Dedicated, highly motivated and energetic- all of those would be important characteristics for students to work at that pace,” said Huffine. “The speed of the coursework can be intense.”

The certificate programs can lead directly into associate degree programs, giving students a clear path forward. Criminal Justice Fast-Track has a Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all-day format, which instructors say lends itself to “out of the box” teaching.

“They have the same class all day,” said James Brown. “I can delve into things and do discussions that can run over an hour. And I can take the students off-campus to do things.”

Those trips include visits to the Metro Nashville Police training facility and then an afternoon trip to the Emergency Communications Center.

Brown provides another example of why the extra time is so important to his classes. In the Legal Procedures class the students watch the movie “Helter Skelter” which covers the Manson family murder investigation and trial. Brown divides the class into half prosecutors and the other half defense attorneys. He gives them mock evidence from the Manson case and holds an evidentiary hearing.

“It’s a lot of fun. You couldn’t do that in an hour-long class. It forces me, as an instructor, to go way outside the traditional lecture format.”

For more information about Vol State Fast-Track programs visit the web page at
www.volstate.edu/fasttrack or call Kristi Huffine at 230-2974.

Volunteer State Community College Fast Track