Release Date May 11, 2007
Brookhaven College celebrated its graduates at Commencement ceremonies at Loos Field House, May 10th. Cynthia Mills, art history professor and the college’s Minnie Stevens Piper Nominee, gave the commencement address. Rodger Bennett, executive dean of the School of the Arts, directed the student and staff orchestra and Elaine Gardner-Morales, professor of music, directed the Vocal Jazz Ensemble performance. Students and their families were welcomed to the event by Dr. Sharon L. Blackman, college president, with Bob Ferguson, DCCCD trustee, also greeting those who attended.
On May 3rd, the students in the World Literature class of English Professor Hurshel B. Burton III, created, promoted and presented a short film montage and conducted a fund raiser dedicated to the victims of Virginia Tech. The students gathered donations and prizes from the community and accepted donations for a chance to enter a prize drawing. The students also sold food and beverages with all proceeds going to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. Approximately 85 students and employees attended; more than $200 in prizes contributed and $300 in donations were gathered thanks to the students’ hard work.
Helping students afford needed textbooks is not a trivial goal, but the way Brookhaven College went about it this week did involve a lot of trivia. An employee Trivia Contest conducted in the Gymnasium during the lunch hour May 9 to support the Brookhaven College Faculty Association's Student Book Fund was developed by Nita Drescher, developmental reading professor, Bob Smith, instructional associate for accounting and Professional Support Staff Association president, and Terri Edrich, college director of human resources. The fund helps students access course materials by lending textbooks, paying for copy cards until financial aid arrives, and in other creative ways. The college community got into the spirit of the event with 15 teams -- many in costumes -- with eight members each and the event was preceded by a potluck luncheon. Each participant was asked to contribute $3, and a bidding war for additional points led to another $900 in donations for a total of more than $1,500 raised.
Brookhaven College took home top prize in two categories at the April 25-27 spring conference of the Texas Administrators of Continuing Education for Community/Junior Colleges State Association. First-place TACE Marketing Awards were received for "Continuing Education Web page" and "Special Promotional Event." Receiving the awards on behalf of Brookhaven's Marketing and Public Information Office was Joy Bailey, program director, who led a team of five to the conference that included sessions about pricing customized training for profit, the ESOL bridge to a successful workforce, and supporting and mentoring adjunct faculty. TACE/CJC is an organization that works to maintain a communication network and arena for mutual association and the exchange of ideas among professionals in continuing and workforce education in Texas community, junior, and technical colleges. Established in 1979, TACE/CJC provides direct communication between state agencies and college administrators responsible for the development and implementation of courses and programs for continuing and workforce education.
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Editor's note: for interviews, photo opportunities and media support, please contact Meridith Danforth, public information coordinator, 972-860-4823, or the Brookhaven College Public Information Office, 972-860-4700. To get news updates via e-mail from Brookhaven College, please send an e-mail to bhcNewsList@dcccd.edu with your name and e-mail address for text-only news items.
Educational opportunities are offered by Brookhaven College without regard to race, color, age, national origin, religion, sex, disability or sexual orientation. Brookhaven College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone 404-679-4500, Web site: www.sacscoc.org, to award the associate degree.