The Northeast State Community College Foundation kicks off the

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1 NORTHEAST STATE NORTHEAST STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION Fall 2012, Volume 2, No. 1 Faculty/Staff Campaign A balloon release marked the end of a very successful, first annual, Because of You campaign. Because of You Kickoff in September The Northeast State Community College Foundation kicks off the second annual Because of You Campaign for scholarships this month. The week of Sept launches a campaign s fundraising efforts by the 20 programs participating in the campaign this fall. The week s fundraising events include a Chili Cookoff by College Access, the GLOW 5K Run/Walk by the Honors Program, a concert by the Spirit of Soul Dance Band sponsored by the Foundation, and much, much more! Heather Cook, executive director of the Northeast State Foundation, said the campaign s goal is to reach $100,000 for Our staff and faculty contribute mightily every day to our students through their time and dedication, Cook said. Because of You reflects that spirit and gives the campus the freedom to get creative with their fundraising ideas to support our students. Cook initiated Because of You campaign last year. The campaign generated a tremendous response from faculty and staff, raising more than $50,000 for new and existing scholarships. The campaign features a friendly competition between participating departments for their fundraising efforts. The campaign hosts a daily contest through the week based on social media interactions about their fundraising. The most Facebook likes or posts earn the programs additional dollars towards their overall goal. Table of Contents Because of You Campaign Top 5 Reasons to Give Sullivan County Educate & Grow..4 Spotlight on Success Elizabeth Sloan, Staff Shane Roberts, Alumni Teddy Gibson, Student... 5 PUBLISHED EACH SEMESTER BY Lee Shillito, Donor...5 Cook s Corner

2 2012 The Northeast State Foundation recognizes Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni who are making a difference. Here s some information about very interesting folks: a student who is energized about opportunities in auto body technology, an alumni who understands Made in America, a faculty member who sets the stage for success and an energetic donor who has taken on the position of Chairman of the Foundation. Faculty Elizabeth Sloan hits her mark at Northeast State Elizabeth Sloan, Northeast State s Theater Director, participated in high school theater, but never considered it a career choice until she transferred to Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, where the small theater department allowed her to dabble in acting, directing, and backstage work. After Samford, Sloan auditioned for the University of Louisville and secured a spot that gave her free tuition, health insurance, and a $1,000 stipend. Upon graduation in 2002, Sloan auditioned for Barter Theatre and landed an internship, which she believes was a life changing experience. They asked me, Why do you want this internship that doesn t pay any money, Sloan explains. I told them I wanted to be around people who wanted the theater life and that it was a perfect fit. She was in the intern program for two years as a Barter Player, and finally became a full-time player for two more years. When she turned 30, Sloan made the decision to move to Chicago. She was, by her definition, a starving artist, working temp jobs and going to auditions. Eventually, one of her temp jobs turned into a full-time health-care marketing job where she remained for two years. Also, during that time she met her future husband. Sloan had always wanted to teach and she started sending out resumes, testing the waters for theater jobs in education. That s when she received a call from Mike Aulick, a former Northeast State theater director. Aulick, whom Sloan had known from her University of Louisville days, was leaving the College and willing to recommend Sloan as a possible successor. After a phone interview and a visit, Sloan was offered the job and she s now entering her fourth year at Northeast State. She says her greatest joy comes from watching her students develop a sense of commitment as they grow and mature through classes and productions. I want people to see how hard these students work. This is something they do on their own as volunteers. They run the shows because I want them to develop leadership skills, take responsibility, and learn how to solve problems. They do amazing things and I get excited about that and want to show them off, Sloan said. This fall, the theatre department will present Night of the Living Dead, while the spring show will feature Treasure Island. I m here and I m so happy, Sloan said. I have a lot of support theater is a collaborative art and there are all kinds of people I can ask for help. I m exactly where I want to be. 3 Northeast State Advance

3 staff, students, & alumni In Alumni Shane Roberts Makes It In America If you don t think anything s still made in America, drop in on RMI in Blountville and ask for Shane Roberts. The 29-year-old entrepreneur, a former Northeast State student, is happy to tell you that his machining/manufacturing business is gaining a reputation for innovative CAD design and quality parts. His company s list of clients includes Eastman Chemical Company Wysong Enterprises, End Point Industries, and Google. We ve been really lucky, Roberts says. Most of our business comes from word of mouth. I usually just go in to companies and introduce myself and tell them what RMI has to offer. Invariably, someone will think of some work that needs to be done or a problem that needs to be solved. Roberts started the company eight years ago when he was racing cars and working as a server at Cheddar s. He was looking for a way to subsidize his racing interest, which was experiencing fits and starts. Previously, he had worked part-time at a machine shop after studying CAD at Northeast State. Remembering the equipment he d worked on during his classes, Roberts decided to buy a similar machine to make car parts for his own use as well as for other racers. Building on the success of this early venture, Roberts Shane Roberts (foreground) gradually took on more complex jobs, which led to a very lucky break. I was playing music in a band with this guy whose brother was a software engineer for End Point, a New York company doing contract work for Google, Roberts says. Google hired End Point to provide system installations of a complex HD video display called Liquid Galaxy, and End Point needed a supplier for all the mechanical parts for the systems. Roberts told Google that their initial system had some design flaws and should be consolidated into a much more compact system. To prove his point, he designed one on spec. Since then, RMI has built more than a dozen of the systems for Google, which are installed in the company s offices in Europe. RMI quickly became an official Google vendor. RMI now has four employees and expects to add more when RMI s current facility expands. Roberts might even put a sign on the building, which is now anonymous except for the steady hum of people making things in the U.S.A. Sullivan County Approves Educate & Grow Funding Despite a budget crisis, Sullivan County saw the value in educating its citizens and voted to fund the Educate and Grow Scholarship program for another year at $200,000. Since 2001, Sullivan County has funded more than $1.6 million in scholarships for approximately 1,000 students. Educate and Grow applications for must be submitted before March 31, For information, visit educateandgrow.com, or contact the Office of Scholarship Programs at or ecblevins@northeaststate.edu. NEWS

4 the Spotlight Student Long-term goals, short-time sacrifice Teddy Gibson, a recent David Crocket High School graduate, considered moving to Nashville to study collision repair, but decided on the Northeast State Auto Body Service Technology program. If I could afford it, I d spend a million dollars going to school and learn everything I can, Gibson says. It s very motivating when my instructors and professors answer every question that s asked of them it s just amazing to me and makes me want to know everything they know. There s no doubt Gibson is motivated. He works each day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at A&E Frame and Body in Johnson City and then heads to the Pal Barger Regional Center for Automotive Programs, Kingsport, where he s in class from 5:40 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. Monday through Friday. It s the best of both worlds, being able to be in the real world throughout the day and come to school at night, Gibson says. In the real world, you get job experience being behind the doors of where the work is done. At school, you can take the time to stop, listen, and talk, or pick somebody s brain about why things are done a certain way. After he finishes the auto body program, Gibson plans on taking automotive service classes on the Blountville campus to learn more about repairing frames, axles, and wheels. The better you know each step of the process the better you are at doing your step of the process, Gibson says. If you know how something works or how it can be fixed, then it ll help you out when it s time to do your part of the job. Donor Northeast State Foundation Selects New Chairman A. Lee Shillito became chairman of the Northeast State Community College Foundation after his confirmation by its board of directors. Shillito succeeds former Nuclear Fuels Services President, Dwight Ferguson, who was chairman since Lee is a truly dedicated servant to this community, said Ferguson. I am so proud that he is our incoming chairman. A native of North Carolina, Shillito launched Triad Packaging in 1984, building the company from one facility and three employees to 50 employees and 300 regular customers. Shillito also serves on the administrative boards for the Bristol Salvation Army and Bristol Train Station Foundation. He is past chairman of the Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Bristol Rotary Club. We ve been successful in the past because we ve had some great leadership, Shillito said. I look forward to working with everyone on the board. Northeast State is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia or call for questions about the accreditation of Northeast State. Fall

5 Top 5 to Reasons Give to Northeast State: We educate and build the local workforce to improve economic growth in our region. Our first-generation students are welcomed by faculty and staff who create an instant support system for them. Northeast State continues to offer more programs, expand campuses and increase graduation rates. Northeast State is the best deal going, and with donations, the Foundation can leverage gifts to help more students. It is rewarding to know that you helped a student achieve a dream he or she never thought they could. How to Give to the Foundation: Online at NortheastsStateFoundation.org Credit Card Cash Planned gifts bequests, wills Real estate Pledges with payment options Stocks and securities Contact: Heather Cook Executive Director of the Foundation Northeast State Community College 2425 Highway 75, P.O. Box 246 Blountville, TN advance@northeaststate.edu Fall 2012

6 Foundation s new online donation page The Northeast State Foundation is now accepting online donations just in time for the 2012 Because of You campaign. It s a quick and easy way to give, said Dr. Heather Cook, executive director of the Foundation. During the campaign, donors will be able to designate funds for specific programs by visiting and clicking on the Donate tab to access the e-cashier page. Clicking proceed will pull up the payment agreement. Donors may use a bank account or credit card for their tax-free donations. Cook s Corner News from the Northeast State Foundation Director Another fall semester has arrived and we are gearing up for a successful year! But first, I would like to highlight, in my opinion, our top three accomplishments for the year. The Northeast State Foundation: 1) more than doubled annual giving 2) started 20 new scholarships 3) increased faculty/staff support from 28% to 56% I d also like to recognize a few dedicated board members and donors who weathered the storm during our Fall Kickoff Picnic and still served our faculty and staff (photo right), even if there was not a dry thread on them! Carol Ferguson, Dwight Ferguson, Harold Corn, Lee Shillito, Tommy Olterman, Jack King and Louie Greene thanks for being troopers! We will launch our Because of You Campaign, Sept Please join Louie Greene serves up burgers at us in promoting what s great about the slightly soggy Fall Kickoff picnic. Northeast State. Check out our website that showcases our programs: Heather J. Cook, Executive Director, Northeast State Foundation 6 Northeast State Advance