(Bluefield)—A Bluefield State College student team won the "Surveying Category" competition at the recent American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Virginia Conference on the campus of Virginia Tech. The BSC ASCE student chapter defeated teams representing 13 other institutions of higher education from Virginia, West Virginia, and the Washington, DC area.

"The competition enabled our students to showcase their knowledge and skills on an equal platform against much larger schools," observed BSC ASCE faculty advisor, Kerry Stauffer (Associate Professor/Civil Engineering Technology). Other colleges and universities participating in the conference included Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute, George Mason University, George Washington University, Catholic University, Howard University, West Virginia University, Marshall University, Fairmont State University.

The BSC ASCE student chapter was represented by 15 students, who participated in Mini-Golf Design and Concrete Bowling categories in addition to the Surveying competition. "The ASCE competition allows BSC students to network with other college students having the same academic interests," noted Brandon Huffman, President of the BSC ASCE student chapter, "and it provides a great opportunity to apply what we learned in the classroom."

"There's no doubt that Bluefield State College students can compete with graduates from any university," Professor Stauffer continued. "Our students are making a positive difference in the engineering workforce and in the communities in which they live."

(Bluefield)— Dr. Shelia Sargent-Martin, Interim-Co-Director of Teacher Education/Bluefield State College School of Education, attended the recent Virginia State Reading Association Conference, "Blast Into 21st Century Literacies."

The Richmond, VA-based conference was sponsored by the Virginia State Reading Association and featured presentations relevant to literacy education. During the preconference institute Dr. Sargent-Martin and Donna Savage, Old Dominion University, presented Preparing the 21st Century Student for the Digital Age: Integrating Digital Literacy into Current Classroom Practice. The presentation focused on media literacy including finding, using, creating and sharing information through various digital media formats.

Additional conference sessions included teaching the dimensions of reading, best practices in literacy instruction, developing instructional leadership, planning assessment and accountability, closing the achievement gap, and enhancing the quality of reading instruction.

Nationally recognized keynote speakers addressed problems in reading education, national standards, and differentiation. The conference provides an opportunity to promote literacy, collaborate and provide professional development to educators.

(Bluefield)--The Bluefield State College Jazz Ensemble will present its annual Spring Concert on Monday, May 7 at 7 p.m. in the Basic Science Auditorium on the BSC campus. The Jazz Ensemble is a unique combination of area musicians dedicated to the performance of the finest arrangements featuring the big band sound.

There is no admission charge, and the public is encouraged to attend. Additional information can be obtained by contacting: bscjazz@gmail.com

(Bluefield)—Bluefield State College Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Students will be actively involved in providing a "healthy dose" of information and services to area residents during the Community Health Fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., April 14 at Mercer Mall.

In addition to the blood sugar and blood pressure screenings, BSC ADN students will make available information on topics that include health promotion, cancer, dementia and depression, caregiver burnout, ATV safety, guy safety, arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and eye health.

"Through the Community Health Fair, the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program at Bluefield State College gives back to the community and shares information regarding health disparities in our region," observed Sandra Wynn, BSC ADN Director. "This is a great partnership that Bluefield State College and Mercer Mall started last year and we look forward to many years of community service through events such as this."

The early screenings offered by the BSC nursing students during the Community Health Fair are an effective way to prevent health complications and help individuals enjoy a healthier life.

(Bluefield)— The Bluefield State College National "B" Club will induct 12 new members during a special ceremony and luncheon on July 27 in Bluefield. This year's inductees include four members who will be inducted posthumously. Many of the honorees were All-Americans, All-CIAA, and All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selections as student-athletes.

This year's honorees included posthumous inductees Alto Lark (1962), Claude Watts (1962), John L. Washington (1947) and Henry Winkfield (1942), as well as living honorees James Childress (1971), C.Douglas Cobb, J.D. (1968), Joseph R. Fourqurean (1972), Lynne Kelly (1986), Frank Lee (1963), Raymond Reed (1955), Lacy L. Smith (1943), and Preston Watkins (1971).

Orlando Henderson, chairman of the Hall of Fame committee and President/Bluefield State College Alumni Association, observed that this year's honorees are "individuals of distinction on the athletic field, in the classroom, and in the community."

Deirdre Guyton, Bluefield State College's Director of Alumni Affairs, will narrate a "Spotlight Parade of Hall of Fame Inductees," during which each new Hall of Fame member will be recognized for his/her achievements.

The BSC National "B" Club Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon will be held on Friday, July 27, 2012 (during the BSC Alumni Association, Inc. National Reunion), beginning at noon at the Quality Inn Hotel & Conference Center in Bluefield. Luncheon cost is $25/person. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Office of Alumni Affairs at 304-327-4289 or 304-327-4569.

(Bluefield)—When its Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) licensure passage rate dropped below 80% last year its Bluefield campus, Bluefield State College developed and assertively implemented an action plan for improving BSC students' success rate on the exam. The BSC program was one of three associate degree nursing programs from colleges in West Virginia to be placed on provisional approval for the next year by the West Virginia Board of Nursing at its March 23, 2012 meeting. BSC's ADN program is offered on the College's Bluefield campus and in Beckley, and the Board action affects only the Bluefield campus program.

The plan, approved by the State Nursing Board last September, includes the following strategies:

1) Focus review testing has been implemented, requiring students to take licensure examination review tests prior to completing the program;

2) Review courses administered at the end of students' final semester have been upgraded, and successful completion of these exit exams are required to complete the course, and;

3) All courses are reviewed during each semester, with students receiving specific remediation to address learning gaps.

"It is important to note that the State Nursing Board action granted provisional approval of our Associate Degree Nursing program and does not constitute probationary status, nor does it affect students currently in the program," observed Angela Lambert, Dean of the BSC School of Nursing and Allied Health. "The Board will review our status in one year to affirm that our licensure passage rate has improved."

"The BSC ADN program is fully accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission, and this status is not currently impacted by the State Board action," Dean Lambert continued. "We recognize the importance of improving our licensure passage rate and our Associate Degree Nursing program director has worked closely with the State Board of Nursing since last September to address this matter."

"The Provost, Dean of the School of Allied Health and Nursing, and Associate Degree Nursing program director have been aware of this challenge since last September and have taken definitive, focused action to improve our students' success rate on the exam," added Dr. Lewis Jones, BSC Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The Bluefield State College Associate Degree Nursing program has maintained national accreditation on a continuous basis since 1977.

(Bluefield)—Dr. Garrett Olmsted's reputation as an authoritative source on the Celtic culture, religion, and arts has been the foundation for a once prompted a television production company in England to feature the Bluefield State College Professor of Social Sciences in four one-hour programs that were telecast on the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) and the History Channel. The series is still available for viewing on the Web as a Google Video (Terry Jones' Barbarians: The Primitive Celts).

This series explores encounters between Romans and non-Romans from non-Roman perspectives. Oxford associate producer Clare Lynch cited Olmsted's extensive published research and academic presentations about the Celts in requesting his presence during the three-week production effort. Terry Jones' commentary on and interview with Olmsted may be found about 10 minutes into The Primitive Celts. The series was particularly interested in Dr. Olmsted's work on the highly-accurate and astronomically-advanced Celtic calendar system, which was better than anything produced by the Greeks, Romans, or Egyptians. "The series shows that the scientific and cultural abilities of supposed Barbarian peoples were not appropriately recognized or appreciated by their Greek and Roman conquerors because of their own cultural biases," Olmsted explained.

Olmsted was also selected by the search engine "Answers.com" as the world's authoritative source on Celtic Religion. Answers.com has been cited by the Wall Street Journal as a one-of-a-kind site that provides only a single website for information related to a specific topic.

Five books written by Olmsted, Celtic Art in Transition during the First Century B.C., The Gods of the Celts & the Indo-Europeans, The Gaulish Calendar, and A Definitive Reconstructed Text of the Coligny Calendar are among his voluminous published research on the early Celts. He has written more than 30 papers on the Celts, including first-time translations of Gaulish and Archaic Irish poetry. To develop his books and articles on the Celts, Olmsted had to learn to read 20 different languages, including Sanskrit, Gaulish, Greek, and early Germanic texts. He has detailed his research at conferences in Wales, Belgium, Scotland, Italy, France, Ireland, and Romania.

(Bluefield)—Mardochee Isme, a Boston resident and Bluefield State College student, has accepted an invitation to participate in a West Virginia Idea Network of Biological Research Excellence (WV-INBRE) 2012 summer internship.

The nine-week graduate-level summer research internship in biomedical sciences will permit participants to receive formal training while expanding their learning experiences through workshops, seminars, mentoring and use of state-of-the-art core facilities.

As a member of the Emerging Leaders Institute at BSC, Isme took part in the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium last year and she developed a passion for biomedical research. "I was mentored by Dr. Tesfaye Belay, and our project, "Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a Health Threat to Astronauts during Space Travel," involved studying how the microbe Pseudomonas aeruginosa that survives without food in water," she explained. P. aeruginosa is of particular concern in space flight, because it can survive without food in the water consumed by astronauts. Isme discovered that the microbe can survive for more than three years in water, showing distinct changes in colony morphology and loss of green pigmentation.

Observing her aptitude for, and interest in, research, Belay encouraged Isme to apply for research internship opportunities. "Because of Dr. Belay's encouragement, I applied for the WV-INBRE Summer Research Program and I recently received a letter of acceptance," Isme added.

"The WV-INBRE internship will strengthen Mardochee's preparation for graduate or medical school," Belay said. "I strongly believe that she will benefit greatly from the research program at Marshall University. She is an outstanding student."

"I am very interested in biostatistics," Isme stated. "It's a field that combines both of my interests—biomedical research and mathematics. Through the internship, I will gain even more experience on the research side. It will strengthen my opportunity to pursue a postgraduate degree in research."