December 15, 2020 BRCTC - Student Awards Ceremony Transcription provided by: BM Speaker: I think we have all but one instructor. I'll bring the presentation up for everyone after going live on Facebook. If you need live captions, those are available. The link is in the chat box. Speaker: Hi! You look great! Speaker: Thank you. Speaker: You can't see me, can you? I'm using my office picture. Speaker: That's fine. Speaker: Okay, good. [Laughing] Oh, we're live on Facebook. Speaker: That's wonderful. Speaker: That's what it says. Speaker: Alright, we're all set! We're live on Facebook, and recording. Speaker: Afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the 2020 Fall Student Awards Ceremony! You all know why we're doing this virtually. By next spring, we might be able to meet in person. For now, we have a great ceremony ahead of us. Let's have our first student introduced by a faculty member. Ann Price in Accounting is up first. Speaker: Hello, everyone. My outstanding student is Tabatha Holmes. Tabatha Holmes is the Outstanding Accounting Student for the Fall of 2020. She has demonstrated academic excellence by maintaining a perfect GPA despite personal circumstances that are challenging. If many of you could see a day in the life of Tabatha, you would also be amazed by her accomplishments. Speaking of her academic accomplishments, she is always prepared and engaged in classroom meetings. She manages and prioritizes weighty obligations and yet, has never missed an assignment or asked for an extension. She is able to comprehend many complex methods and principles presented and accurately solve problems. She proactively plans and prepares for all of her coursework. She never complains about the hard work. She takes advantage of all learning opportunities even when optional or not required. Her detailed planning and preparation shows that she is committed to gaining the knowledge and experience necessary to be a well rounded individual and accountant. I truly wish everyone could have the opportunity to have her as a student in a class and see her amazing abilities. She is an outstanding student, mother, friend and individual! Congratulations to Tabatha! Speaker: Round of applause for Tabatha! Well done. Agribusiness, Tiffany Hine? Speaker: Here we go. Good afternoon, everybody! I have the absolute honor to present to you today, Lori Swadley. Lori has only been in the Agribusiness program a short time; however her drive and thirst for knowledge is incredible. Lori works full-time as a photographer, mother, student and entrepreneur. The work that Lori has created for her classes this semester is outstanding and shows her willingness to go the extra step to learn even more than the assignment requires. Lori is demonstrating through her entrepreneurial skills what every Agribusiness student can achieve. For example, I recently reviewed the draft of her financial section for her final project and was blown away. She went above and beyond and showed her agribusiness spirit. Lori is inquisitive and dedicated to her studies. I am certain that upon her completion of the Agribusiness program that any business she decides to pursue will be successful and I can't wait to see what her future holds. Congratulations Lori! Speaker: Congratulations, Lori! With the stories we see about people who are food-challenged in this time, agribusiness will be increasingly important. Applied Lab Technician, Elizabeth Spring! Speaker: Hello, I'm happy to present Elizabeth Shotto. Lizzie came to the Applied Laboratory Technician program with a dream about where she sees herself in the future. Lizzie not only has a dream, but she also has a long-term plan to get there. Right now, she's on target to graduate in the spring with an Applied Laboratory Technician A.A.S. After graduating, the first step in her plan will be to find employment as a laboratory technician. Future steps in the plan are to get her bachelor's degree, her master's degree, and eventually to achieve the dream of earning her doctorate. Lizzie wants to do research. Lizzie loves science, is goal-oriented, communicates well, is a good problem solver, and has natural leadership skills. She is naturally positive; I've never heard her say a negative word These qualities exemplify the spirit of the Applied Laboratory Technician program. Congratulations Lizzie! Speaker: Next is Steve Weiss, he's the food champion of our Halloween contest from a few months ago! Speaker: Thank you! I'd like to nominate Debbie for Outstanding student of Baking and Pastry for her charitable efforts outside the classroom. Debbie made a cake in class that was donated for auction to help a family in need and in a discussion I mentioned if the cake was sold for retail I would suggest $60 as a good price. Well the cake was getting quite a few views prior to the auction as the auction was delivered virtually and in the end the cake went for $500. Thank you Debbie for your outreach to your community and for spotlighting your culinary training at Blue Ridge. Lots of luck in the future! Speaker: That's quite a feat to get $500 for a cake! Business Administration, Todd Cimino-Johnson. Speaker: Hello, everyone. I'm putting forth Jennifer Williams. She was in our Jumpstart program. Jennifer is a go-getter. She is not afraid to jump in and give a task 100%. Jennifer is president of the FBLA-PBL club here on campus. She has constantly tried to keep the club active with various ideas. Her passion for business is evident in how she has approached her peers. Jennifer understands business concepts and has a keen understanding of how the business world works. Jennifer plans to attend Shepherd in the 2+3 agreement and earn her bachelor's and master's degrees. She has gone above and beyond in her studies, and is the overall student you're always looking for. Speaker: Congratulations, Jennifer. Todd, you're next up! Speaker: I'll have to change my name to something else to come in later! My next student I'd like to nominate is Zachary Laing for Business Operations. Zach has progressed well in his time in business operations. I recently had a conversation with one of his instructors. They said that they enjoyed having him in class and that he was going to do well. Zach thinks outside of the box when it comes to business challenges. He understands business concepts that are not taught in the classroom. Zach understands what he needs to do to graduate with ease. He currently works full time while attending classes full-time. Zach is going to do well in his future career path. I definitely believe in his capability to someday start his own business. Speaker: Congratulations. Computer Network Engineering Technologies, Michele Morrison! Speaker: I don't think Michele is able to join us. Speaker: I will take the honors. Nikki Johnson! Nikki is a hard worker who gives a 100% effort in all she does. She goes above and beyond to not just achieve the best grade she can obtain, but to achieve her goals. She knows what she wants to do after graduation. She is focused and determined. The example and leadership she provides to the other students in her classes is something to admire, especially during group projects. All of the faculty in the CNET program have enjoyed watching her progress in the program. She is a double major in both the CNET and CYBR programs. She has already received the Professional Development, Business and Technology and CCNA Certificates. She works outside of school and maintains a 3.8 GPA. She is dynamic, upbeat and a joy to be around. I look for her to do great things! You'll have the world by the tail in those fields! Congratulations. Criminal Justice, Craig Smith! Speaker: Thank you! I'm happy to present Rhiannon Silver. Perseverance, dedication, integrity and character are important characteristics in just about any field, but they are imperative within the field of criminal justice. In a changing world where expectations of criminal justice professionals are changing rapidly, these characteristics will become sought after in all personnel hired by law enforcement agencies. Rhiannon Silver possesses these traits and is destined to make a difference in the world. During her tenure at Blue Ridge, Rhiannon has proven to be the type of student who not only pushes herself to be better, but also challenges her peers and instructors to be better. Although the road to her degree has not always been easy, Rhiannon has committed herself to work hard, and always think outside the box with challenging questions and ideas that have benefitted the program at Blue Ridge. The Criminal Justice Program is proud to recognize the dedication of Rhiannon Silver and wishes to thank her for her contributions to our program. I think she will really push the connection of community and criminal justice. We wish her all the best as she pursues her bachelor's degree. Speaker: Congratulations. Next is Miriam Conroy, Culinary Arts! Speaker: Thank you. My student nomination is Anthony Shells. Anthony is my most improved student this semester. He is an active partner in his student career, and takes a thoughtful approach on how to complete tasks in the lab. He has assumed a leadership position within the classroom helping other students when he can, and coordinating timing on tasks. His knowledge, skills and ability have improved considerably as he applies what he is learning in a practical way. It is a great pleasure to have Anthony in class and I know that he will move forward in his career in a professional way demonstrating the skills acquired in the Culinary Arts program. Well done, Anthony! Speaker: Nice work, Anthony! Next up is Kay Ogilvie with Cybersecurity. Speaker: Kay was with us, but we may have lost her. Speaker: Oh, okay! Sorry, I was on mute. I'm Kay Ogilvie, and I'm the coordinator for cybersecurity at BRCTC. Scott Demmert, Jr. is my nominee for fall 2020. I would like to nominate Scott Demmert Jr. as the recipient of the Cybersecurity Outstanding student award for Fall 2020. Not only does Scott excel in his coursework but he is a double major in CNET and CYBR. He has earned his Security + certification and has received the following BRCTC certificates: Professional Development, Information Security, Business and Technology, CCNA. Not only is Scott a student at BRCTC but he is also a Security Guard for the college. Scott is scheduled to graduate in May 2021. Scott is a role model for his classmates and professors alike. We, in the Cybersecurity program, are thrilled with Scott's accomplishments and future potential in the Cyber field, and are proud to nominate Scott for this award. Congratulations Scott!!! Speaker: Congratulations, Scott! Next up is Steve Shank, Database Management. Speaker: Hello! It's my pleasure to nominate Barney Hill III. It is my pleasure to nominate Barney Hill for Outstanding Student for the Database Management Program. Mr. Hill has completed requirements for the AAS degree in Database Management Program and will graduate this semester. He is one of the first to complete this program. Barney has the unmatched tenacity when it comes to arriving at a solution of a case study or project. He will work and rework the results, sometimes taking hours over a couple of weeks, until they are the best that they can be. I have had the pleasure of working with him through many many of the program courses. He always has a positive attitude, never seeming to get depressed or overwhelmed and is courteous and respectful to everyone. He is a true gentleman! Mr. Hill will continue his studies at Salem University. I congratulate Barney on his accomplishments and wish him the best in future endeavors. Speaker: Congratulations, Barney! Next up is Janet Branch, Digital Media Specialist. Speaker: Janet was here, but we'll move forward. Speaker: Mikaela Morris! The Digital Media Specialist team proudly nominates Mikaela Morris. She came to BRCTC in high school with goals of working in graphic design. The faculty all concur that she has been a great student to work with. We're so proud of her, and excited about her future! Early Childhood Education, Rebecca Lewis. Speaker: This will also be read by you. Speaker: This is mine? Okay, Mary Brown! After meeting Mary it is clear to me that she is in the right field of childcare! She has a caring demeanor and a positive personality. When working with children it is important to be caring yet firm, to know and be ok if something that was originally planned for the day has to change. Mary has these qualities. In discussions she has given examples of how plans have had to change and how sometimes activities don't go as planned and that is ok (they are only 3 years old). Furthermore, Mary has drive and motivation for success. She is an excellent candidate for this award. Congratulations, Mary! Josh rider, Education. Speaker: It is my honor to nominate Kiriah Whitener for the education program student spirit award. Kiriah began her journey with Blue Ridge CTC as a Jumpstart student where she immediately made her presence known by showing her maturity, willingness to learn and explore information, and modeling what true compassion looks like with her interaction with peers. During EDUC 200, while she was still in high school, she was assigned a student at Rosemont Elementary to complete observation hours which is a requirement for the WV Department of Education. This is when I knew she had the gift of teaching and working with children. She built a relationship with her student, taught and listened to her student, and radiated when she got the opportunity to talk about her student in class. She was always concerned about how to help that child be successful in the classroom and in the world. In all her education courses, she has continued to be a role model for her peers with her passion, willingness to help, and question and explore new methods of teaching and learning. Kiriah never settles because she knows every student learns in a unique way and wants to make sure learning happens under her care. One other impressive quality about Kiriah is her heart to help people with special needs. Kiriah shared one time in EDUC 260, which is a course that explores special education, how she downloaded an app where she can assist someone who is blind by communicating through this particular app. She also told the class how she is going to explore being a possible special education teacher as a result of this experience. Kiriah is graduating Blue Ridge CTC this semester with an A.S. in Education along with a concentration in mathematics. The education department is very proud of the young lady she has become. She will make an excellent educator, and will do well at Shepherd University as she completes her bachelor's degree. Kiriah is my first student to make it on the 2+2 agreement for mathematics at Sheperd University. Speaker: Congratulations, Kiriah! Doug Wood, Electric Distribution Engineering Technology. Speaker: It's my pleasure to nominate Tristan Giguet. Tristan is an excellent student and has worked very hard on his studies and his hands-on activities. He exceeds the hours of hands-on required to learn all the materials. Tristan exemplifies everything we look for to succeed in this career path. Honesty, commitment to his studies, attention to detail. And always willing to help the instructors and his classmates whenever asked. Despite his size, Tristan does a great job of working smarter to accomplish the same work as anybody, setting a shining example. I want to congratulate Tristan. Speaker: Congratulations, Tristan! I think we'll see the importance of this field in the next few days with all the snow and ice! Steve Wolfe, Electric Distribution Engineering Technology. Speaker: It's my pleasure to nominate Jacob Burton. Jacob Burton is an extremely dedicated student who has displayed himself as a true academic this semester. Although focusing on Electric Engineering, I actually had Jacob in my English 101 and 101-Lab class. And despite a tremendously busy schedule, Jacob demonstrated attention and understanding in both the classroom and in his written work. In fact, through our classroom debate and through the many discussions that we had over the course of the semester, Jacob proved himself a role model to other students, engaging where applicable and applying what he was interested in to his research for the papers that he had to write for this course. Hence, this student has displayed a caring attitude, a knack for writing, a gift for speaking, and a sense of motivation that also helped to carry his fellow students along with him to success in this very trying semester. All in all, I am proud of Jacob and his accomplishments, and I know that he will continue to exemplify success in all facets because he has exemplified a well-rounded nature that extends from electrical engineering all the way to English. Jacob told me about how he'd worked 70-hour weeks during the semester, but he still got the highest grades in both of my classes. He'd even travel south to volunteer in disaster relief efforts. Speaker: Congratulations, Jacob. Food Service Retail Management, presented by Jennifer smith. Speaker: Hello! I'm happy to nominate Tatian Smith. Tatian Smith is an excellent student who embodies the spirit of customer service and professionalism in her field. She goes above and beyond to submit superior product in her classes. She also is a leader in the classroom and frequently mentors and encourages other students. Tatian is a quadruple major in our program, and I know she'll succeed in each of them. I can't wait to see what she does in the future! Speaker: Congratulations, Tatian. Human Services, Challice LaRose! Speaker: Thank you. My student this semester is Shelbi Sheppard. I wish we could have had an in-person class together! I have had the pleasure of advising Shelbi over the last two years at Blue Ridge. Finally this semester, I was able to have her in an in-person (well over Zoom) course. It's easy to say things about Shelbi, such as what makes her a good student. However, there's something even more special about Shelbi. For those of you who have never met Shelbi, she is blind. You may have seen her on campus with her adorable seeing eye golden retriever, Curtis. Shelbi doesn't know this, but she has made me, as an instructor, more conscientious about my courses and try extra hard to make a course that is accessible to every student. It's hard to put into words how great of a student Shelbi is. Despite her disability, she earns outstanding grades, submits extraordinary work, and successfully completed an internship this semester, even among COVID (of course, with precautions in place). Her internship site has only had great things to say about her and has enjoyed having her to help where needed. Shelbi isn't afraid to ask questions in class or after about material or assignments. It's easy to tell she wants to learn all she can and grow to be a great social worker in her future. She's one of the few students that engages in the Zoom classroom and adds to Zoom classroom discussion. She's helpful and respectful towards her classmates as well. I can honestly say that I will miss having Shelbi as a student; she just brings this positivity with her into the classroom. I have no doubt that she will excel at Shepherd, and before she knows it, she will be a licensed social worker helping others (even though she's been helping people all this time, whether she recognizes it or not). I know she is so proud of herself for graduating this semester, but I want her to know that there are a lot of us at Blue Ridge that are proud of her and can't wait to hear about all that she accomplishes after she graduates. Congratulations, Shelbi. Speaker: Congratulations. I've had golden retrievers in the past, and that's a wonderful looking dog you have! Information Technology, Steve Shank. Speaker: Steve, are you still with us? Okay. Speaker: I'll take it. Lisa McGraw! I would like to place in nomination Lisa McGraw as the Outstanding Information Technology Student for the Fall 2020 semester. This semester was particularly challenging to the the pandemic. Ms. Lisa McGraw is currently maintaining a 3.95 GPA as she works on completing a dual major. I have had the pleasure of working with her for several classes over the last couple of semesters. Lisa is always comes to class prepared and is actively involved in the class work and discussion. She is well read on IT concepts and researches new trends and ideas and shares them with fellow classmates. She is quick to assist others who are having difficulty with the assignments and helps them to better understand the course material. This semester she worked as a tutor for Blue Ridge CTC. Ms. McGraw will stick with an assignment until she arrives at a solution. Lisa exemplifies successful student behaviors in all her classes to which her instructors will attest. Congratulations, Lisa. Speaker: Thank you so much! Speaker: Once again, a beautiful photo behind you. Kathy Cox, in Liberal Arts! Speaker: I'd like to nominate Kamylle Giani! Kamylle is a leading voice and a spirited participant in English 101. She is conscientious, inquisitive, and a great team player. In a recent debate using Zoom and the discussion board, she took the initiative, reached out and connected with her peers, and helped them to forge a strong argument about the pros of social media, making an original point about how social media helps support those struggling with healthcare issues. Her papers are strong and only grow stronger, as she asks great questions and works with determination. Her analysis of the texts on what makes democracy was thoughtful and thought-provoking. She is a little hard on herself sometimes as a student, but she shows humor and good spirits during this pandemic that help the whole class. I can't wait to read her final paper on how music helps or hinders study and test anxiety. She consistently exemplifies resilience and is truly a pleasure to work with. Thank you, Kamylle, for your admirable willpower and contribution to making a special classroom community in a hard time. Huge thanks to Kamylle! Speaker: Congratulations, Kamylle! I taught 9th grade history after only a year, but I had a little background in music too. When I talked to a student about memorizing certain things, I would always point out that they can memorize lyrics over the radio, so music must be helpful! Speaker: Yes, it was a fascinating paper! Speaker: Kerri Namolik, Paralegal Studies! Speaker: I think Challice LaRose will read this one for us, if she's still here. Speaker: Okay, sir, if you'll take it away for us. Speaker: I'll take it away. Haylea Rulison! Haylea has stood out as a wonderful student for at least the past year. This semester I was fortunate to have her in 3 of my course. Most noticeably she excelled in the Civil Litigation course. Like many of us she had a tough semester! But her work was always done well and on time. She was as active as possible on Zoom and adapted well to the course changes. Congratulations, Haylea. Physical therapist assisting, Chrystal McDonald! Speaker: I'm Dr. Ashley Dicks, and I'll be speaking for Dr. McDonald today. I have the pleasure of speaking about Marie Freudenthal. Marie displays the qualities of a leader in the field of physical therapy. She has a "team" mentality, which is necessary in the health care field. From very early on in the semester, Marie began to go above and beyond to do things to help her classmates. She sends reminders about scheduling and due dates for assignments and exams. She volunteered as a mock patient for repeat practicals when we needed it. She was nominated and voted the class president by her peers. She organized a group order of BRCTC PTA polo shirts for those who were interested. When I (Chrystal) had an emergency and had to leave class abruptly, Marie stepped in and finished doing skill check offs for her peers in my absence. She is beyond the average student. I felt comfortable with Marie stepping in and helping me. I trust her knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities. She will make an excellent PTA, and I will be proud to have her as a colleague in the future. I wish her the best! Speaker: Congratulations, Marie. Social Sciences, Holley Ralston! Speaker: Thank you. Our nomination is for Cheyenne Loredo. I have had Cheyenne in class now three times. And his work has always been among the very best in each class. What really jumped out to me about his work, in particular, was his ability to tie a high-level of knowledge about society, politics, history, and philosophy into his analyses of issues. But not only is Cheyenne a top-notch student, he is also passionate in his views and cares about making a difference. He is dedicated to making a change in particular in areas of social justice and climate change. He also hopes one day to run for an elected office. In his words, "I want to help people." that's his goal. Congratulations, Cheyenne! Speaker: Thank you. Speaker: That's an honorable goal. It's why we're in education. Kim graves, Software Development Engineering. Speaker: I'd like to nominate Jesse Johnson! I am pleased to nominate Jesse Johnson for outstanding student of the semester. Jesse's journey at Blue Ridge CTC started a year and a half ago when he made a significant career change into the IT field. After starting work at a local software company, he immediately began earning an AAS degree in Software Development Engineering. Jesse has been a strong student throughout his career with us, keen to take on challenges and setting very high standards. He has been particularly inspiring this term as he balanced a heavy course load, a full time job and family life (complete with online schooling!) during the COVID 19 era. A true professional who has achieved career success and academic excellence at the same time, we wish Jesse all the best as he prepares to graduate. He's been very inspiring to all of us. Jesse gets this award not because this semester was easy for him, but because it was so tough, and yet he did it. He's a role model for all of us, and certainly for his daughter. Congratulations. Speaker: Congratulations, Jesse. Allied Health Sciences, the student is Marie Freudenthal. Speaker: Do I need to present on her again? Speaker: No, that's okay. I want to say that this award, and the next two, were very hard to choose I had to ask others for help! Tabatha Holmes is the Professional Studies/Transfer Student of the Semester. Scott Demmert, Jr. is also a Student of the Semester. Do they get any kind of virtual award? Speaker: Yes, they will. Speaker: Congratulations to all the winners. Thank you all for attending the awards ceremony! Maybe in the spring, we can have a real ceremony. Good luck to all the winners, and let us know how we can help you. Speaker: Thank you! [End of event] This is being provided in a rough-draft format. TypeWell is provided in order to facilitate communication accessibility and may not be a totally verbatim record of the proceedings. Services provided by: www.HISSign.com