Two New Student Surveys are Underway

In an effort to improve services to students, Snead State Community College is asking students who are currently enrolled at the college to participate in two surveys.

Survey on Blackboard Learn 9.1

Blackboards Learn is Snead State’s Learning Management System.  It is used to support all courses taught at the college, not just online classes.  The College has migrated to the latest version of Blackboard Learn, the world leader in Learning Management Systems.  Students are encouraged to take this brief survey to provide feedback so that the system can be improved.  To access the Blackboard Learn Survey, use this URL:

http://tinyurl.com/SneadBbSurveyF2011

Financial Aid Survey

Most Snead State students attend with the assistance of some form of Financial Aid.  The College has made significant changes in terms of how they advise and process students seeking aid, such as Pell Grants, Veterans Affairs funding or scholarships.  Students can assist the College’s efforts to continue improvement in Financial Aid by answering questions in this brief survey.

http://tinyurl.com/SneadFASurveyF2011

Check out these classes for the Fall Mini II term

Important Dates and Deadlines

●The deadline to withdraw from a Mini I course is Thursday, September 29^th.

●The deadline to withdraw from a full-term fall course is Thursday, November 10^th.

□Withdrawal requests must be in writing and submitted to the Office of Student Services prior to the deadline. 

□Students who withdraw from courses receive a grade of “W.”

□Students who do not withdraw prior to the deadline will receive the grade earned in the course (A, B, C, D, F).

□Please note that excessive withdrawals negatively affect financial aid eligibility.

□The 60% mark of the full-term semester is Tuesday, October 25^th.  Students are not considered to have fully “earned” federal financial aid unless they have participated in courses beyond this date.  Complete withdrawals prior to this date may result in students being required to repay a portion of federal funds.

Mini II Courses (begin October 13^th)

Students are encouraged to add courses to their schedules for Mini II as soon as possible via SSCC Online registration.  The term begins October 13^th.  It offers an opportunity for students to gain additional hours and get closer to earning a degree.

Take time to look over the attached file to see all of the course offerings for Mini II.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started…

●If you need a fine arts course, both Music Appreciation (MUS101) and Theatre Appreciation (THR120) are available.

●REL100, SPA101, SPH107 are being offered for those needing a humanities course.

●If you are looking for a literature course, American Literature I (ENG251) will be taught at the Arab site. The only prerequisite to this course is ENG102.

●Did you know that there is an English Composition I (ENG101) section available on Monday afternoons? This is just one of many options.

●Of course, there are also options available for those needing math or history classes.

●Are you trying to enroll in a lab science? BIO103 is on the schedule but needs more people to register in order for the class to remain for Mini II.

●I know several students were disappointed that the psychology classes filled up so quickly for the full-term. As a result, a section of PSY200 will be offered on Monday nights.

●Some students prefer to take courses online. Intro to Spanish I (SPA101) and Theatre Appreciation (THR120) are on the Mini II schedule.

And, finally, a few suggestions regarding courses that will count as electives in Area V of the general education major.  We encourage students to register for these courses for personal enrichment.

●ART176 (Film Making): this course is being taught by Dr. Miller, Snead’s Chief Academic Officer. It is rare that you will ever see Dr. Miller on campus without his camera. Thus, this class is one not to miss as Dr. Miller shares his expertise in the subject.

          ●CIS146 (Multimedia for the World Wide Web)

●PED100 (Fundamentals of Fitness): Wow! What a great way to take care of your health and get college credit at the same time!

It is important that you register for Mini II courses SOON!

Snead State Hosts Constitution Day Event

The community is invited to attend a special Constitution Day event hosted by Snead State Community College.

The event will be Monday, Sept. 19, at 10:30 a.m. in the Student Union Building on the Boaz campus.

To honor the signing of the historical document, History Instructor Grover Kitchens will read the preamble to the Constitution and share historical background on Benjamin Franklin’s role at the Constitutional Convention.

The event will also feature Speech Instructor Johnny Brewer, who will deliver excerpts from Franklin’s final speech to the Convention.

Officially Sept. 17, Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by 39 men in 1787, recognizing all, who are born in the U.S.
or by naturalization, have become citizens.

Arab Center Completes Expansion with Help from the City

When the City of Arab received a grant, the money was put to use in renovating a previously-unused section of one of the city’s valuable assets – the Snead State Community College Arab Center.

Completed on Aug. 31, the project included the development of an approximately 3,000 square foot build-out as well as the asphalt pad for a 20-car parking lot. The $60,000 project took approximately two months to complete.

“The build-out gives the Arab Center a functional location to host City or Chamber events, to hold large group study sessions for Arab and Brindlee Mountain High Schools, and to host College-related events,” said Arab Center Director Rick Cartegena.

The renovation to the Center is just an indication of continued growth for the instructional site. Within the last year, the Arab Center has experienced a 30 percent growth in enrollment. A recent grant allowed the College to purchase a human simulator to enhance the RN Program offerings at the Center.

“The Arab Center has tremendous potential to impact the surrounding area. We are continuing to identify ways to enhance the opportunities available at the Center, and we appreciate the support of the City of Arab in our endeavors,” said President Dr. Robert Exley.

Anyone wanting to see the new expansion first-hand is invited to attend a fundraising event scheduled at the Arab Center on Thursday, Oct. 6. The Alumni Association is hosting an Arab Dinner and a Show with the proceeds benefiting the Alumni Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $15 and are available at the Arab Center and at the Alumni House on the Boaz campus.

For more information about the opportunity available at the Arab Center, call (256) 931-3790.

Snead State Hosts Special Concert

The South American duo, Lopez Tabor, will be in concert at Snead State Community College on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. at the Bevill Center Concert Hall.

Members of the duo are Alfonso Lopez, violinist, and Dr. Michelle Tabor, pianist. They have performed together in the United States and Venezuela since 2004. In Caracas, South America, the duo has performed in prominent chamber music series and festivals such as Pro Musica de Camara, the Friedman Festival of Chamber Music, and the Association of Cultural Humboldt.

Mr. Lopez lives in Caracas and is the concertmaster of the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. He is also a professor of violin at the Emil Friedman School and is also a composer and conductor. He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and completed his Bachelor and Master degrees from the University of Michigan. He has performed with various orchestras, in international festivals, and as a soloist on several occasions. He is a founding member and first violinist of the Friedman String Quartet. Outside of Venezuela, he has concertized in Spain, Italy, the United States, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Dr. Tabor grew up in Caracas and now lives in Tallahassee, Fla. She holds Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate degrees in piano and theory from Tulane University, the University of Denver, and Florida State University, respectively. She has pursued her research interest in Latin American art music of the 20^th Century and has published and presented research papers, articles, lectures, and recitals in numerous countries. Since 2000, she has concentrated more on performing and has presented tours across the southeastern United States and at the national and regional meetings of the College Music Society.

The concert is free to the public. For more information, visit the duo’s website at http://www.lopeztaborduo.embarqspace.com/. You may also call 256.840.4145.

Avoid the 'Freshman 15' with a PE class at Snead State

What is the Freshman 15?College students weight gain their first semester (or year) of college is associated with the term "Freshman 15". College freshman are at the highest risk to gaining weight when beginning college due to severe lifestyle change.

How to Avoid the Freshman 15
Avoiding the Freshman 15 is simple: eat healthy foods and exercise! Let's face it, we are all guilty of eating junk food. It is much easier to eat from the (very fattening) dollar menu or cafeteria, rather than going to the grocery store, buying several ingredients, and preparing a healthy meal. Many college students keep unhealthy snacks in their dorm, eat late at night, go out and eat too often, and drink excessive amounts of alcohol. It is so easy to slip into unhealthy habits, so what can you do to avoid the freshman 15? To avoid the freshman 15, try keeping healthy snacks in your dorm, eat grilled food when you go out rather than fried, and above all else, exercise.

Most people want to stay fit and set up an exercise plan to achieve this goal. We all reach a point where we don't feel like exercising at our designated time, so we put it off. Many continue to be lazy until they stop exercising altogether. Don't put yourself in a weight loss situation that you can easily give up on; take a P.E. class at SSCC!

SSCC P.E. Classes
Beginning in October SSCC will offer the following P.E. classes:
03653 PED 100 Fund of Fi M&W 10:30A 12:45P GYM
03653 PED 104 Weight Tra TBA TBA GYM
03656 PED 119 Gen Con TBA TBA GYM

Physical Education classes at Snead State Community College will help you balance your diet with exercise. It will help you maintain an exercise plan you can't give up on. Don't be another statistic. Avoid the freshman 15, and take a P.E. class at SSCC!

Registration for these classes is now! So don't wait!

For more blog posts written by Snead students, visit the SneadLines blog site at http://www.sneadlinespub.blogspot.com/.

Presidential Scholars Reach New Heights

Eighteen students from Snead State Community College set off on an adventure to Berry College in Rome, Ga., as part of a retreat for the 2011-2012 Presidential Scholars. 

The group departed Aug. 11 as freshmen and sophomores who didn’t know each other very well. They returned Aug. 13 as a team ready to tackle their leadership roles as Presidential Scholars.

“Being named a Presidential Scholar is one of the most prestigious honors for students at Snead State,” said President Dr. Robert Exley. “The Presidential Scholars not only received full tuition scholarships, but they set the standard for educational excellence for all of our students. To enhance their experience at Snead State, we open leadership opportunities for them such as this retreat to Berry College.”

The students participated in Berry College’s outdoor challenge course called BOLD, which incorporates lessons in communication and decision making, leadership formation, team effectiveness, group identity, and conflict resolution.

The BOLD challenge course is an extensive, nationally renowned course that includes a variety of both low and high ROPES experiences.  ROPES stands for “reality oriented physical exercise system.”  The scholars began the experience on Thursday afternoon with an excellent orientation to both the BOLD program and an introduction to the history of Martha Berry and Berry College.  On Friday, the students completed a custom-designed experience beginning with several ground-based low elements and culminating with an extended set of high elements – some as much as 35-40 feet off of the ground.  Each participant learns the importance of teamwork, problem-solving, encouragement and persistence. 

Charlie Potter, a second year Presidential Scholar, spoke of the value of the experience in that he pushed himself to be more of a leader this year by challenging himself more physically and accepting more responsibility as a leader within the group.  The entire group spoke of their desire to make a difference in the lives of others at Snead State Community College this year.

In addition to the retreat, Presidential Scholars will also participate in Snead State-sponsored projects such as providing tutoring services through the new Student Success and Career Center.  Brittany Wilborn, Director of Campus Engagement, and Lindsey Beck, College Recruiter, accompanied the scholars and fully participated in the program.

“The experience that, not only students, but I personally gained from participating in this program is life changing. We achieved goals that seemed unimaginable,” said Ms. Wilborn.

Presidential Scholars must have a minimum 23 ACT score and a grade point average of 3.75 to receive the Presidential Honors Scholarship. However, the group of first-time scholars participating this year averages nearly 27 on the ACT and have an average GPA of 4.04.

This year, Snead State has 19 Presidential Scholars, including Cassandra Upton of Boaz, Holly Scott of Boaz, Jordan Shelton of Union Grove, Brianna Pullen of Sardis, Hannah Jimmerson of Boaz, Chelsey Gillilan of Boaz, Phillip Estes of Albertville, Landon Naylor of Sardis, Charlie Potter of Boaz, Brady Keel of Boaz, Ashley Clontz of Albertville, Kelsey Hawkins of Holly Pond, Keelie Wilkes of Collinsville, Elizabeth Shaw of Douglas, Erin Kelley of Arab, Ashley Gilbreath of Boaz, Jade Sanders of Albertville, Jessica Reece of Boaz, and Chera Whitney of Guntersville.