(Bluefield)--Bluefield State College's 2011 Radiologic Technology graduates have achieved a 100% passage rate on the certification examination by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. The BSC Radiologic Technology program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). JRCERT is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the national agency for the accreditation of educational programs for the radiographer and radiation therapist, and is responsible for all accreditation actions.

BSC's 2011 RadTech graduates who passed the certification examination include: Katelyn Barnetts, Tabitha Daniels, David Frady, Katelyn Ellis, Sandra Hopkins, Emily Hudnall, Jennifer Keffer, Brittany Lester, Todd Richendollar, Chandra Roberson, Natasha Roberts, Derek Russell, Melissa Sharp, Stephanie Sherwood, Courtney Shrader, Aimie Stacy, Jeannine Stables and Amber Vance. The students were honored at a pinning ceremony in May. The Class of '11 also provided 398.25 hours in community service initiatives during the academic year.

The outstanding clinical award went to Katelyn Barnette and David Frady and the outstanding academic award was presented to David Frady. The JRCERT Certificates of Excellence determined by the faculty to be the students who most closely fit the description of the professional and ethical technologist were awarded to Katelyn Barnette and Jami Pettry. All students received their radiologic technology pin at this ceremony.

Faculty include: Melissa Haye (program director), Angela Lambert (clinical coordinator), Vanessa Godfrey (didactic instructor), Robin Gibson (PCH Clinical Instructor), Richard Gibson (BRMC Clinical Instructor), Amy Bennett (BARH Clinical Instructor), and Jennifer Shelton (VA Clinical Instructor).

The BSC Radiologic Technology program's five year graduation/pass rate stands at 96.4%, and over that five year period, BSC RadTech program graduates provided 2,070.75 hours of volunteer service to the local community.

Bluefield State College students Teona Music and Michael Bowling, along with Dr. Tesfaye Belay, BSC Associate Professor of Biology, recently represented the College at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) in St. Louis, MO. ABRCMS is the largest multidisciplinary student conference in the United States, attracting approximately 3000 individuals from more than 285 universities and government agencies consisting of undergraduates, graduate/postdoctoral students, faculty, and administrators do participate in the conference.

The biomedical researches of the Bluefield State College students were featured during the poster sessions at the conference. "At the meeting, the students exchanged information with other microbiologists and gained insight across a variety of scientific disciplines," noted Dr. Belay. "Our students were able to speak to representatives from graduate and medical school programs at US colleges and universities about graduate and professional school opportunities. This marks the fifth consecutive year in which BSC and students and faculty member to participate in the ABRCMS meetings."

Dr. Belay has served as an abstract reviewer/onsite poster presentation judge and moderator of oral presentations. Those responsibilities gave him an opportunity to interact with outstanding undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate students as they pursue their passion for the sciences.

Dr. Belay also represented the College at the 2011 American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology (ASGSB) conference held in San Jose, CA. He presented a summary of his NASA-related biomedical research findings at the conference.

"The students and the School of Arts and Sciences at Bluefield State College are most appreciative to WV-INBRE, WV Space Grant Consortium /NASA WV EPSCoR and McNair Scholars Program of Concord University, for financial support and for making it possible to attend the conferences," Belay added. BSC student Teona Music is a McNair Scholar and won a partial travel award from Concord University. For Dr. Belay, travel awards were provided by the WV Space Grant Consortium /NASA WVEPSCoR and WV-INBRE.

The research works are being supported by grants awarded to Dr. Belay by the West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (WV-INBRE) and WV Space Grant Consortium /NASA WVEPSCoR.

Overland Park, KS — The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Board of Commissioners recently awarded Bluefield State College in Bluefield, W.Va., reaffirmation of accreditation of its business programs.

ACBSP accreditation certifies that the teaching and learning processes within the business school at Bluefield State College meet the rigorous educational standards established by ACBSP.

"Bluefield State College has shown their continued commitment to teaching excellence and to the process of quality improvement by participating in the accreditation process," said ACBSP Director of Accreditation Steve Parscale, who will present the Certificate of Reaffirmation of Accreditation at the ACBSP Annual Conference in Baltimore, Md., on June 17, 2012."

"This accreditation is evidence that Bluefield State College is committed to providing the highest quality business education for their students for the past 10 years and for the next 10 years," said Parscale.

"We are very excited to receive ACBSP's 10-year reaffirmation of our programs within the Cole School of Business," noted Dr. Steve Bourne, Dean of the W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business at BSC. "ACBSP accreditation is the gold-standard for business schools having a teaching focus. Being a nationally accredited program requires a significant commitment of time, resources, and energy on the part of all involved- students, faculty, BSC administrators, and our Advisory Board. The Cole School of Business is committed to maintaining a culture focused on continuous improvement, and has established systematic processes to identify opportunities for improvement in our teaching, curriculum and business processes."

ACBSP is a leading specialized accreditation council for business education supporting, celebrating, and rewarding teaching excellence. Established in 1988, ACBSP is the only business accrediting organization for all associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degree programs. Its mission is to promote continuous improvement and recognize excellence in the accreditation of business education programs around the world.

"The reaffirmation of these School of Business programs is gratifying because it confirms the high quality and rigor of the programs, preparing students for careers in rewarding fields of endeavor," observed Dr. Thomas Blevins, BSC President. "We also look forward to offering online the entire Business Administration program, beginning in the Fall 2012 Semester."

ACBSP continues to grow, having recently added its 10th region to better serve member institutions in South Asia. ACBSP is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as a specialized accreditation agency for business education. ACBSP currently has 1,051 member campuses, 157 of which are located outside of the U.S. Of those campuses, 541 have achieved accreditation and more than 415 are in candidacy for accreditation. Individual members on these campuses now exceed 9,500.

Bluefield State College student Brandon Huffman (center), recently received a $500 award as the 2011-2012 Rahall Transportation Institute Undergraduate Student of the Year at BSC.  He is flanked (left-to-right) by Roger Owensby (Assistant Professor & Department Head/Mining Engineering Technology), Bruce Mutter (CEO, CART, Inc.), Erik Baldwin (Associate Professor/Civil Engineering Technology), and Frank Hart (Dean/School of Engineering Technology & Computer Science).

(Bluefield)—Brandon Huffman, a senior in the Civil Engineering Technology program at Bluefield State College, received a $500 award as the 2011-2012 Rahall Transportation Institute (RTI) Undergraduate Student of the Year at BSC.

"Brandon possesses an excellent grasp of the Civil Engineering Technology (CIET) curriculum at Bluefield State College, and he also shows excellent leadership skills, serving as the American Society of Civil Engineers Student Chapter's President for the second year in a row," noted Kerry Stauffer, Department Head/CIET at Bluefield State. Huffman is also active in the BSC Student Government Association and College Council and he has accumulated actual work experience with Gemark, Inc., Willis Engineering, and Consolidation Coal Company."

"It is an honor to receive this award from RTI and to represent Bluefield State College and the School of Engineering Technology & Computer Science," Huffman said. "I'm thankful to my engineering technology professors, who prepared me for a career in the engineering profession."

12/09/2011 10:00:00
STATEMENT FROM COLLEGE

Bluefield State College continues to cooperate with local law enforcement agencies, following up on information and leads involving the recent theft on campus of catalytic converters and the 12/8 message posted in the Basic Science Building restroom.

12/08/2011 14:42:13
BSC ALERT

Campus safety update
Authorities have completed sweep of campus & facilities and found no credible threat.

12/08/2011 14:15:15
BSC ALERT

Basic Sci status update
Security investigation of Basic Sci Bldg completed. No threat found. Authorities sweeping other campus bldgs. Updates to come

12/08/2011 13:43:34
BSC ALERT

Increased Security @ Basic Sci
Security officials responding to threat message found @ Basic Sci.Be aware of surroundings.Updates to come

11/29/2011 08:05:15
BSC ALERT

Crime Alert (2 of 2)
Report any suspicious activity to the Campus Security Office at 304-327-4180 immediately, or 911.

11/29/2011 08:03:56
BSC ALERT

Crime Alert (1 of 2)
Be aware of your surroundings, particularly in parking lots. At least 2 catalytic converters were stolen from autos on campus.

The Bluefield State College Community Singers' Christmas Concert will be held at the Bluefield Arts Center, 500 Bland Street, Bluefield, WV on Sunday, December 11, 2011, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Featured will be a review of traditional holiday favorites as well as religious music. The Choir will close the program with "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

The day's activities will also include theater, music, and visual art. The Summit Players' performance of The Christmas Story will begin at 2 p.m. Admission is $15/adult and $12/children. The BSC Community Singers Christmas Concert follows at 5:30 p.m. with a reception immediately after the program.

The Center's Arts Exhibit features a collection by Gary Bowling and other local artists. An "Art At The Center" auction will close the day's activities. The auction includes a collection of parking meters, donated by the City of Bluefield, WV and decorated by area artists. Funds raised through the auction will be used to assist with underwriting future projects at The Bluefield Area Arts Center.

On November 30, Dr. Saeed Al-Muharrami of Oman, currently a Visiting Fulbright Scholar at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., will share his professional expertise at Bluefield State College and Princeton Senior High School.

At 9 a.m. on November 30, Dr. Al-Muharrami will discuss the Impact of the Arab Spring on World Politics and Financial Markets in BSC's W. Paul Cole School of Business, Mahood Hall, Room 215, with students of Professor Darrel Malamisura's course on International Management.

At 3:30 p.m. that afternoon, Dr. Al-Muharrami will discuss Oman Today with members of Princeton Senior High School's Model United Nations Club.

Dr. Al-Muharrami, whose areas of expertise include banking and finance, obtained his undergraduate education in the USA and completed graduate studies in banking and finance in the United Kingdom. In Oman, he is Associate Professor of Banking & Finance at the College of Commerce & Economics, Sultan Qaboos University, where he teaches Microeconomics, Principles of Finance, Principles of Investment, Feasibility Studies and Analysis, Capital Structure and Budgeting, Financial Markets and Institutions, Commercial Banks Management to undergraduates and Principles of Finance to MBA Students.

An active member of several economic, health, and sports associations, Dr. Al-Muharrami has assisted in the organization of conferences on the New Knowledge Economy; Governance, Competitiveness and the Future; Accountability and Transparency and Their Roles in Developing Gulf Economy; Sustainable Development: Opportunities and Challenges, and; Business and Society in the Middle East: Opportunities and Challenges in the Third Millennium. He has served as an external examiner of master's theses on natural resources economics and is a referee for the Journal of Financial Economic Policy (published by Emerald); Measuring Business Excellence (published by Emerald); and, Comparative Economic Studies (published by Palgrave Macmillan).

Dr. Al-Muharrami has published his research in British and American scholarly journals on topics such as Market structure and competitive conditions in the Arab GCC Banking system; Arab GCC Banking Industry: What Does Determine the Profitability?; The Causes of Productivity Change in GCC Banking Industry; Politics and Productivity in GCC Banking Industry; An Examination of Technical, Pure Technical, and Scale Efficiencies in GCC Banking; Testing the Contestability in Kuwait Banking Industry; Analysis of Competitiveness in Qatar Banking Industry, and; Measuring the Market Structure of GCC Banking Industries. He is also the author of three books on Arab banking.

Dr. Al-Muharrami will enjoy a home stay with Fulbright Language teaching Assistant for Arabic Fares Dabbagieh of Syria and Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant for Portuguese Cristiano Melo of Brazil.

Dr. Al-Muharrami's visit to Bluefield State College and Princeton Senior High School is funded by the Fulbright Occasional Lecturer Program, which also relies on the willingness of host institutions of Fulbright Scholars in Residence to share their scholars with other U.S. institutions of higher education. The Fulbright Scholars Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the Council of International Exchange of Scholars, a subsidiary of the New York-based Institute for International Education.

This project is being presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

BSC's Office of International Initiatives is coordinating this activity in collaboration with BSC's School of Arts and Sciences and Mr. Jack Parker, Principal, and Mrs. Sherry Strow, Model UN Club Advisor, of Princeton Senior High School. For information about this initiative, contact BSC's Office of International Initiatives Coordinator Dr. Sudhakar R. Jamkhandi at internationalbsc@bluefieldstate.edu or call (304) 327-4036.

Bluefield, WV – Thirteen representatives from ten nonprofits in Mercer and Tazewell counties met on Saturday, November 12, in a Nonprofit Summit sponsored by the Bluefield State College Foundation's Center on Philanthropy. Their organizations serve a spectrum of constituencies: arts, education, health, seniors, disadvantaged women, disabled children, and a town municipality. Their concerns are similar: raising funds, finding partnership opportunities, and getting the word out about their services to the community.

The participants chose to focus on the topic of volunteerism for most of the discussion. Karen Harvey, executive director of the Bluefield State Foundation, organized and facilitated the summit. "We shared ideas on how to find volunteers and make the experience positive for them as well as useful to the organization," she said.

The group quickly reached a consensus that volunteer training is essential, and written job descriptions are the best way to communicate expectations. Patti Cettin of TASK (Taking Action for Special Kids) noted that government regulations apply to staff as well as volunteers working with special needs children and their families. The organization has to inform paid and nonpaid workers about such rules to maintain compliance. Dress codes, confidentiality and sensitivity to those served by the nonprofit are as important as job responsibilities, and they also should be covered in job descriptions.

Summit attendees shared the names of resources for finding volunteers, including the website www.volunteerwv.org hosted by the state's Commission for National and Community Service. Roger Topping of Princeton Health Care Center recommended RSVP in Princeton. A national organization, the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program matches seniors who want to volunteer with local nonprofits. Jeri Elmore of the United Way of the Virginias also said the Mercer County Fellowship Home and Day Report Center are resources.

The United Way has a national program called "Day of Action," where individuals from an area devote a day volunteering for a number of local nonprofits. Often scheduled to kick off United Way annual campaigns, the event provides thousands of hours of assistance while raising the spirit of giving in a community. The next one will be June 21, 2012.

Another topic was finding young volunteers. Suggestions included contacting high schools' Interact Clubs (affiliated with a local Rotary Club), the Bonner Scholarship Program at Concord University, and Appalachian Teen Challenge. Many groups work with student organizations at the colleges, and a suggestion was made to create an electronic clearinghouse where students and organizations could be paired. Harvey took that as an action item.

Other suggestions to attract young donors included offering references and internships and organizing a Family Volunteer Day, where parents and children would spend time together helping others. Organizing via Facebook and other social media was also discussed.

The need to recognize volunteers was another topic. "Feed them," said Ellen Light of the Alliance for the Arts. "We always feed them." Topping added that they give certificates to all volunteers, and T shirts are popular items at a number of the organizations represented. Some hold an annual volunteer recognition event such as a dinner.

Participants also strongly agreed that the opportunity to network with others working in the nonprofit sector and developing partnerships would be of great value. Harvey noted that the area currently does not have professional organizations for fundraisers such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), which has no chapters in the State of West Virginia. Future meetings hosted by the BSC Foundation's Center on Philanthropy will foster outreach and affiliation with other nonprofits and resources such as the Chamber of Commerce of the Bluefields.

The Center on Philanthropy will also provide seminars on topics of interest to nonprofit workers, paid or unpaid. The group agreed on the following subjects, dates to be determined:

• Grant Writing
• Budgeting and Annual Funds
• Marketing
• Major Gifts

The following groups were represented at the first Nonprofit Summit hosted by the BSC Foundation:

• Alliance for the Arts
• Gary Bowling's House of Art
• GlenWood Park Retirement Village
• Princeton Health Care Center
• Second Chance Learning Center
• TASK (Taking Action for Special Kids)
• Town of Bramwell
• United Way of the Virginias
• WISE (Women in Search of Empowerment)

For information on these groups, the upcoming seminars or ways to join the conversation, contact Karen Harvey at 304-327-4031 or kharvey@bluefieldstate.edu.

On November 16, Dr. Salamoa Alencar de Farias of Brazil, currently Fulbright Scholar in Residence at Central Piedmont Community College, North Carolina, will share his professional expertise at Bluefield State College and Bluefield High School.

On Wednesday, November 16 at 9:00 a.m. in BSC's Mahood Hall, Room 215, Dr. Farias will discuss Brazil and the World Economy and Global Trade with students of Professor Darrel Malamisura's International Management course. At 1pm, Dr. Farias will share a presentation on Brazilian Culture with Bluefield High School students.

Dr. Farias will enjoy a home stay with Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant for Portuguese Cristiano Melo of Brazil.

Dr. Farias is a Marketing Professor at College of Business Administration at Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Service Marketing, International Marketing, Marketing Management, and Consumer Behavior. His funded projects include research Retail atmosphere and consumer experience and Sustainable tourism. His published research is on global business partnering among family-owned enterprises, effects of information overload on e-commerce consumers in Brazil, and Relations between consumer effort, risk reduction strategies, and satisfaction with the e-commerce buying process. Dr. Farias is also coordinator of an MBA graduate degree program and a graduate program in Management.

Dr. Farias's visit to Bluefield State College and Bluefield High School is funded by the Fulbright Occasional Lecturer Program which also relies on the willingness of host institutions of Fulbright Scholars in Residence to share their scholars with other U.S. institutions of higher education. The Fulbright Scholars Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the Council of International Exchange of Scholars, a subsidiary of the New York-based Institute for International Education.

This project is being presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

BSC's Office of International Initiatives is coordinating this activity in collaboration with BSC's School of Arts and Sciences and Dr. Judy Black, Principal of Bluefield High School. For information about this initiative, contact BSC's Office of International Initiatives Coordinator Dr. Sudhakar R. Jamkhandi at internationalbsc@bluefieldstate.edu or call (304) 327-4036.

E. Franklin (Frank) Hart will be retiring as Dean of the School of Engineering Technology & Computer Science at Bluefield State College at the end of the Fall 2011 Semester, following 44 years of distinguished service to the College. Roger Owensby, Assistant Professor & Department Head/Mining Engineering Technology, has been appointed Interim Dean of the School, effective January 2012.

Hart began his academic career at Bluefield State College in 1967. In addition to his service as a faculty member and academic administrator, he has been the College's Director of Institutional Research, Director of Admissions, Director of Financial Aid, and Registrar. Active in his profession and in the community, he also served for three years as president of the International Society for Mine Surveying, and in 2003, he received the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET) Fellow Award. The ABET Fellow Award is presented each year to recognize individuals who have given sustained quality service to the ABET-related professions in general, and to education within the ABET disciplines, particularly through the activities of ABET.

"Frank Hart is an outstanding educator and administrator," observed Dr. Thomas Blevins, Bluefield State College's President. "He has earned the respect of his peers by his commitment to excellence in the classroom and in industry. He has maintained a very positive relationship with industry and with our engineering technology graduates. As a result, the School of Engineering Technology and Computer Science maintains a very relevant curriculum that develops students with skills that are in high demand. The entire Bluefield State College community is grateful for his service to the College and the region, and we wish him continued health and happiness in the years ahead."

"On a personal note," Dr. Blevins continued, "Frank played a significant role in creating the opportunity for me to graduate from Bluefield State. When he was the College's Financial Aid Director, he helped me receive a scholarship. That scholarship permitted me to have money for tuition, books, clothes and gas for the daily commute to the College. It enabled me to go to school."

Owensby is Assistant Professor and Department Head of the Mining Engineering Technology program at BSC.

"Professor Roger Owensby has a robust appreciation of the strengths and possibilities in the School of Engineering Technology and Computer Science," stated Dr. Lewis Jones, BSC's Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs. "I am confident of his ability to maintain the high regard the School enjoys in the community and region. I look forward to working with him on a common agenda of excellence, innovation and continuing progress in the School."