(Bluefield)—A six-student delegation from Bluefield State College participated in the 52nd Midwest Model United Nations, February 15-18, in St. Louis. The BSC student contingent represented the Eastern European country of Belarus. They joined more than 700 students from 80 delegations, representing colleges and universities throughout the nation.

"The conference is designed to furnish a structure and forum for students to work with the most pressing international issues from a perspective outside of the classroom, and thus broaden their awareness of the world of politics," explained BSC Model UN Advisor John White. "Representing the role of another nation's delegation to the United Nations, students further realize the difficulties and complexities of international relations."

The BSC students sought to present the perspective of Belarus on topics that included "Convention on the prohibition of the development, production, and stockpiling of bacteriological and toxin weapons and their destruction," and "Minimizing the impact of natural disasters on national and regional economies.

While at the conference, the BSC delegates met Minister Counselor Maciej Pisarski, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland.

(Bluefield)—Seventy Bluefield State College Associate Degree Nursing students and several nursing faculty members attended the West Virginia Nurses Association's "Unity Day" at the State Capitol in Charleston in mid-February.

"Unity Day provides an opportunity to show our second-year nursing students the political influence they can have by promoting the work within their profession," observed Sandra Wynn, Director of the BSC Associate Nursing program. "Nursing is one of the most trusted professions in the nation, and policymakers rely upon nurses for their expertise when establishing policies that impact the health of their constituents. Our goal is for students to remain politically active for their entire careers."

The BSC students attended lectures on the Health Care Reform Act and on state and federal legislative processes. They also witnessed a national nursing agenda speech by Janelt Haebler, MSN, RN, Associate Director/State Government Affairs, American Nurses Association. State Senator Mark Wills recognized the BSC Nursing students during his remarks on the Senate floor at the start of the day's regular legislative session. In the students' meetings with state elected officials, they stressed that one in 43 West Virginians is a nurse.

Poster presenters were selected from each campus to promote the "Nurse's Role in Health Promotion and Prevention."

"A highlight of the day occurred when the 942 nurses in attendance, all of whom were wearing their white coats, marched from the Cultural Center to the Rotunda in a show of unity," Wynn continued. "The line spanned more than a block in length."

(Bluefield)--Brigadier General Robert L. Stephens, Jr. (US Army Retired) has accepted an invitation to serve as the keynote speaker at Bluefield State College's 2012 Commencement Exercises on May 12, 2012 at the Brushfork Armory. Degrees will be conferred to approximately 350 BSC students during the exercises.

General Stephens retired from the Army after more than 30 years. He was the recipient of the Army's highest award for meritorious service, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Department of Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit Award, Bronze star, and Purple Heart. His service also includes assignments with the Army General Staff and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington.

Highlights of his military career include serving as a Special Forces "A Team" Commander in Latin America, commanding two companies during combat in the Republic of Vietnam, and commanding a one-of-a-kind forward deployed Separate Infantry Brigade in the Republic of Panama. General Stephens led the Army's first Joint Task Force to find and destroy drug laboratories in South America.

Upon his retirement from the Army in 1993, he was appointed to the position of Director of Personnel for the State of West Virginia. He currently serves as the Vice President for External Relations and Executive Assistant to the President at Clayton State University. He has been recognized on two occasions as a "Distinguished West Virginian," and he is a member and Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the West Virginia State University Foundation.

General Stephens was born in Welch, WV and is a graduate of West Virginia State University.

"Bluefield State College is grateful for General Stephens' willingness to serve as our commencement speaker," noted Dr. Thomas Blevins, BSC President. "In sharing the wisdom gleaned from his experiences in the military, in business, and in education, he will deliver a message that is both timely and inspirational for our graduates, their families, and the Bluefield State College community."

Bluefield State College students and faculty (pictured above) took part in the recent   Multicultural Family Night for parents and students from Whitethorn and Memorial Elementary Schools.  The event at the Bluefield Recreation Center attracted more than 175.

(Bluefield)—More than 175 students and parents from Whitethorn and Memorial Elementary Schools took part in the recent "Multicultural Family Night" program at the Bluefield Recreation Center. Bluefield State College teacher education students created literacy and math stations, food, and fun with an emphasis upon multiculturalism.

The BSC students' stations also included games and crafts. "Our students also presented students and parents with 'take home' packets with information designed to help parents assist their children," noted Dr. Shelia Martin, Interim Co-Director of the College's Teacher Education program. "The principals, teachers, parents, and children really enjoyed the activities. At the same time, BSC students gained insight into family support for learning and the school environment. Our students also cultivated their understanding of how to assist parents to help their children acquire math and literacy skills along with an appreciation for diversity." Students matched same words in Spanish and English by pairing identical geometric shapes. They used laptops to observe the life-cycle of butterflies and menus to add up the cost of a meal. Children enjoyed a favorite book, Eric Carl's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which teachers used as a springboard for mini-lessons on days of the week, measurement, estimation, and counting.

Parents had an opportunity to talk with Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ash and colleagues about the county's new attendance requirements.

Students matched same words in Spanish and English by pairing identical geometric shapes. They used laptops to observe the life-cycle of butterflies and menus to add up the cost of a meal. Children enjoyed a favorite book, Eric Carl's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which teachers used as a springboard for mini-lessons on days of the week, measurement, estimation, and counting.

Parents had an opportunity to talk with Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ash and colleagues about the county's new attendance requirements.

Active events closed out the evening. The children sang folk songs from Africa, learned dances including the Cupid Shuffle, and enjoyed pizza and drinks.

(Bluefield)—Sasha Richmond, a student at Bluefield State College, participated in the ninth annual Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol in Charleston, WV. The event was developed to help demonstrate to members of the State Legislature and Executive Branch the importance of undergraduate research by talking directly with the students whom these programs impact.

Richmond was also among a contingent of BSC students to take part in last summer's West Virginia Idea Network Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Summer Symposium at Marshall University. Her enthusiasm for scientific research has grown under the guidance of Dr. Tesfaye Belay, Associate Professor of Biology at BSC.

"When I arrived at BSC, I didn't know much about research," she recalled. "Dr. Belay was my advisor. When he learned that I was a Health Science & Technology Academy (HSTA) graduate, he encouraged me to give research a try."

"My experience really impacted my career plans," she continued. "I wanted to get involved in some aspect of medicine, but didn't know at the time exactly where I wanted to go within the field. Now I know I want to be involved in research."

Richmond also sees the benefit of the experiences she has obtained through participation in WV-INBRE. "I learned that quality research demands a thorough approach. At last summer's symposium, I recognized that the quality of our research and our understanding of research processes and protocols really compares favorably with that at other schools," she observed.

(Bluefield)—As one of Bluefield State College's newer faculty members, Amy Bennett has a solid grasp on her students' perspective. That's because it wasn't so long ago that Bennett was a student in the Bluefield State College Radiologic Technology program where she now serves as a Clinical Coordinator and Instructor.

After graduating from the Radiologic Technology program at BSC in 1993, she entered the workforce Summersville. Later, she worked as a clinical coordinator for Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital and as the clinical instructor for BSC students at Beckley ARH.

"I was always interested in the classroom," she noted. When the opportunity to join the faculty at BSC arose this academic year, she made the move. "As a student at Bluefield State, I received an excellent education," the Daniels, WV resident explained. "By returning to the classroom, I could give back to other students the same type of quality education I had received here."

"This is an exciting time in our field," she added. "We have seen the development of more advanced modalities for imaging with a greater utilization of CT (computed tomography) scans and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), and that's reflected in how our students are taught and trained."

"I really enjoy working with our students. I'm happy with my decision to return to Bluefield State."

(Bluefield)—An equipment grant totaling nearly $30,000 will permit Bluefield State College to enhance its biomedical research laboratory. BSC Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Tesfaye Belay wrote the grant, which was funded from the West Virginia IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (WV-INBRE).

"The equipment will have a very positive impact on the research and teaching capabilities within the School of Arts & Sciences," Dr. Belay noted, "and it will improve the preparedness and competitiveness of our students to pursue graduate studies."

The College's biomedical research laboratory has been strengthened in recent years through several grants from WV-INBRE, the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, and the National Institute of Health. Bluefield State is now a participant in a statewide higher education research network. "Through our research laboratory, we can now promote basic biomedical research, acquire extramural grant support, and disseminate information on our research findings to the scientific community," Belay observed.

Eight Bluefield State College students took part in the recent “Higher Education Day at the State Legislature” program at the State Capitol.  Pictured (left-to-right) are State Senators Truman Chafin and John Pat Fanning, BSC faculty member Mike Lilly, BSC students Andreas Panzer, Davit Sakvarelidze, Elvin Gulmuradov, Kamola Azizova, Jahangir Najafov, Ivan Peremitin, Fares Dabbaghieh, and Christiano Melo, BSC President Thomas Blevins, and State Senator Mark Wills.

(Bluefield)—A contingent of Bluefield State College students, faculty, staff, and administrators participated in the annual "Higher Education Day at the State Legislature," February 10. The BSC delegation made the trip to Charleston to meet state legislators, attend a State Senate session, and discuss issues of importance and concern to the College. The BSC students also attended the Higher Education Day Proclamation ceremony in the Governor's Reception Room and met Governor Earl Ray Tomblin and First Lady Joanne Tomblin.

The BSC contingent included eight international students: Andreas Panzer (Germany), Kamola Azizova (Uzbekistan), Elvin Gulmuradov (Azerbaijan), Ivan Peremitin (Kazakhstan), Jahangir Najafov (Azerbaijan), Christiano Melo (Brazil), Davit Sakvarelidze (Georgia), and Fares Dabbaghieh (Syria).

BSC President Dr. Thomas Blevins took part in Higher Education Resolution presentations in the Governor's Reception Room, the House, and the Senate.

"The Higher Education Day program is a valuable experience," noted Dr. Blevins. "It provides an opportunity for all colleges and universities in West Virginia to showcase their programs of excellence while seeking legislative support to continue fulfilling their individual missions."

(Bluefield)—Michelle Cales, a Bluefield State College accounting major, was presented the "Outstanding Senior Award" by the Recruiting & Opportunity Project of the West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants. The Talcott, WV resident received a $250 cash award and plaque as one of seven students selected to receive individual school awards.

"Professor Paris Lester (Visiting Assistant Professor of Accounting) recommended several students as candidates for awards," Cales explained. "We gathered and submitted our transcripts and reference letters, and it was a wonderful surprise to learn that I had been selected as BSC's winner."

Cales returned to college following the death of her husband and is thrilled to have received the award. "I wanted to set an example for my kids, and this proves that something good can come from something bad if you work hard and focus on your goal. The award is an honor for Bluefield State College and an honor for me as the recipient."

(Bluefield)—Like many college students, Andreas Panzer occasionally thinks about life in his hometown. However, unlike most college students, Andreas would have to travel more than 4000 miles to visit his home. He is a freshman at Bluefield State College, participating in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals, a year-long, federally-funded student exchange program where selected American students can study and work in Germany, and selected German students study and work in the United States. The CBYX program places students with participating American colleges that offer academic programs that match their academic interests.

The 22-year old from Bamberg, Germany in the northern part of Bavaria applied for admission into the CBYX program after completing 10 years in Germany's public education system, then serving a three year apprenticeship. He also completed a paid internship at a German newspaper, working on systems integration to help expand the paper's subscriber base through a multimedia approach.

At Bluefield State College, Andreas is majoring in computer science. His adjustment to the United States has been facilitated by the focus in German public education upon learning English. "I studied English for six years," he said. At BSC, he's taking courses in computer programming, languages, and networking, while also working in the College's Instructional Technology Center.

During his time in the region, Andreas is staying with Bluefield attorney John Feuchtenberger. "He is a wonderful host—home-cooked meals nearly every night," Andreas added.

"I talk to my family on Skype every two-to-three weeks," he commented. "I tell them that Bluefield has beautiful mountains, much like the mountains in Bavaria." Upon completion of his year in the CBYX program, he plans to return to Germany to continue his studies and work.

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals program is now in 28th year. It is endorsed by US Congress and German parliament, and has helped 3500+ young professionals (including several Bluefield State College students) to trade countries with counterparts—living, studying and working for a year in another nation.