(Bluefield)—Students and faculty from Bluefield State College joined their colleagues from other Historically Black Colleges and Universities at EcoSummit, 2012 in Columbus, OH. The six-day program brought together more than 1600 of the world's leaders in ecological science to the Greater Columbus Convention.

BSC students Crystal Dillon and Loren Morris, along with Dr. Martha Eborall, Dean of the BSC School of Arts & Sciences, viewed "cutting edge" work while attending symposia and workshops on sustainability and restoration of the earth's ecosystem services. "Students experienced firsthand the global importance of ecological sustainability, took part in a field trip of their choice, and networked with world-renowned scientists and academicians," Dr. Eborall noted.

Students heard lectures and panel discussions led by some of the nation's leaders in the field of sustainability, including Harvard's E.O. Wilson, Pulitzer Prize winning author Jared Diamond, and Lester Brown, founder and president of the Earth Policy Institute.

"These students now have a better understanding of the interconnected nature of our ecosystems," added Bernice Cage, Public Information and Diversity Manager for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, a sponsor of EcoSummit 2012. "The world is diverse, our population is diverse, and it's important for a diverse student population to be part of the sustainability conversation.

The students' costs associated with attending EcoSummit 2012 were underwritten by Limited Brands, Inc. In all, 23 students from HBCU member institutions Bluefield State College, Claflin University, Miles College and Spelman College attended EcoSummit 2012.

(Bluefield)—A passion for helping students and community prompted Betty Carroll to seek the position of Director/Institutional Advancement and Planning at Bluefield State College. About one month ago, she joined BSC and she's been working at a brisk pace to contact alumni and community residents.

Carroll, a North Tazewell, VA resident, worked in the Institutional Advancement office at Bluefield College for 13 years, most recently as Director of Annual Giving. "I'm excited about the opportunity at Bluefield State College. There are lots of ways for our alumni to help BSC students, many of whom are first generation college students. For alumni who had a great educational experience at BSC and is now employed in their chosen fields, supporting scholarship opportunities helps them to 'give forward' and assist another generation of students to attend and graduate from Bluefield State."

"Business and community also have a love for this College," she continued. "We share the same community. Bluefield State College's students, employees, events, and programs help to enrich the quality of life for the entire region."

She also stressed the growing importance of private support in the life of the College. "As state funding for higher education in West Virginia continues to decline, support from alumni and businesses becomes increasingly important to sustaining the quality of education at all public colleges, including Bluefield State," she observed.

"Additionally, there are tax advantages for donors who give to the College before the end of the year. Our office has several programs that can help individuals and businesses wishing to take advantage of these end-of-year deductions and, at the same time, help our students. Many students depend on scholarship help to begin, then to remain in school and graduate. Scholarship support can make the difference between dropping out of college and graduating." Additional information can be obtained by contacting Carroll by phone (304-327-4031) or e-mail (bcarroll@bluefieldstate.edu).

BSC's Office of Institutional Advancement and Planning is located in Conley Hall, Room 309.

(Bluefield)—Bluefield State College's first year Associate Degree Nursing students helped to "Light the Night" during an Alzheimer's Awareness program at Princeton Health Care Center on Thursday evening, November 8. The 14th annual "Light the Night Alzheimer's Awareness Program" included poetry, musical selections, and a moment of silence in memory of Alzheimer's victims, before concluding with a luminary display on the Princeton Health Care Center campus.

"The program was particularly meaningful for students in the 'Nursing Care of the Older Adult Class,' taught by Dr. (Bernadette) Dragich (BSC Professor of Nursing)," observed Sandra Wynn, BSC Associate Degree Nursing Program Director. "Students learned more about Alzheimer's and gained insight as caregivers asked questions about taking care of their loved ones who have Alzheimer's."

Kaarmin Ford, outreach coordinator with the Alzheimer's Association of West Virginia, was the keynote speaker. A welcome was extended to attendees by Roger Topping, Princeton Health Care Center Administrator and a member of the Bluefield State College Board of Governors

(Bluefield)—Bluefield State College student Jerome Powell applied the instruction and knowledge he received in the classroom in a "living laboratory." He composed and submitted an application for a Sam's Club "Step Up for Small Business" grant and he received notification recently that the grant has been selected for a $1500 award.

"I have been working with a new business, Mountaineer MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), Powell explained. "I have a friend who is a co-owner. I have been working on the process for obtaining a business license, and I have helped aspects of the business like developing their marketing plan, ribbon-cutting ceremony."

A few months earlier, the BSC Business Administration senior applied for two grants to help the new business. "The Sam's Club grant was very compatible with the goals of Princeton MMA," he observed. "During the grant preparation, I identified a target audience, developed a project concept and sustainability strategies, and identified program goals and objectives. I drew heavily on what I had learned in my Business courses at Bluefield State."

More recently, Powell attended the "Enactus Fall Leadership Conference" in Washington, DC. Enactus, a community of student, academic, and business leaders, focuses upon using the power of entrepreneurial action to help individuals and small businesses to cut costs, operate in a socially responsible manner, and succeed.

Powell, who has served as a member of the BSC Student Government Association and as the Student Representative on the Board of Governors, will now assemble a BSC student Enactus team that will consult with, and develop financial strategies for Mountaineer MMA. "We will install QuickBooks Online accounting software, expand the marketing plan to include door hangers, posters, flyers, viral videos, social media marketing, integrated marketing communications, and more. It will be a five-year roadmap," he added.

With graduation from BSC just around the corner in May, 2013, Powell is considering his next option. "I would like to attend graduate school and earn an advanced degree," he said, "or I could enter the military through the officer candidate program."

"I owned and operated a retail clothing store when I was 19, and I thought I knew a lot about running a business," he recounted. "However, the things I have learned at Bluefield State and through this experience have really helped me become more confident and develop a better understanding of everything that is involved in establishing and operating a successful business.

More than 20 members of the Bluefield State College baseball team and Big Blues’ coach Geoff Hunter volunteered their services during a churchwide clean-up day at the Bluefield First Church of the Nazarine.  The team’s members are pictured as they cleaned light fixtures, painted walls, and tackled other projects at the church.

More than 20 BSC baseball players and Coach Geoff Hunter invested their Saturday in cleaning the sanctuary, cleaning light fixtures and replacing light bulbs, painting walls in the Family Life Center, and sprucing up Sunday School rooms.

"I have been a pastor for 34 years at churches in five states, and I have never before seen college students come out and give so richly of their time in service to help a community of faith," observed The Reverend Gary Jakes, pastor of the church. "It was enriching and encouraging to see so many young men devoted to the task. They were polite and respectful and they really worked. I told them at lunch that they had blessed us with their presence and their willingness to help."

"We were honored to help Reverend Jakes and the good folks at the Bluefield First Church of the Nazarene," observed Geoff Hunter, BSC's baseball coach. "Jane Richardson from BSC communicated to Robert Haggerty, one of our student-athletes, that there was a need at the church that we might be able to help with. Although we haven't made a habit of advertising it over the years, our baseball program has a long history of community service."

"When Jane reached out to us, we were more than happy to 'step up to the plate' and lend a hand," the BSC coach continued. "Since we have always maintained our baseball field on campus, our kids are not afraid of a little work. The time we spent together that Saturday morning proved to be a great team-building event for us. We feel like we benefitted from the experience just as much as the First Church of the Nazarene did. We appreciate the opportunity to serve and would like to thank the congregation for feeding all of us after the chores were done."

(Bluefield)--Bluefield State College has established a research collaboration with Elizabeth City (North Carolina) State University (ECSU) to participate in the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP), funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The ultimate objective of the program is to infuse Critical Thinking (CT) as a tool in learning and teaching. "It is believed that CT efforts could help to bridge the gap between prepared and underprepared students and promote improved student learning outcomes," explained Dr. Tesfaye Belay, BSC Associate Professor of Biology. "The collaboration is exemplified by the participation of faculty members from 14 institutions in training workshops."

Following Dr. Belay's five-day MSEIP workshop at ECSU last summer, the BSC School of Arts and Sciences received a smart blackboard and accessories worth $8000. The smart blackboard is already installed in a Basic Science Building classroom and will be available in early November. All BSC faculty members may use the faculty in teaching their courses through scheduling and receiving the permission from the office of the Dean of School of Arts and Sciences. All faculty members utilizing the smart blackboard will write a report detailing their experience in its use and its effectiveness in the teaching process. Dr. Belay will compile and submit to MSEIP a progress report, aggregating the faculty members' individual reports on the use and impact of the smart blackboard.

Each summer, the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program will present a workshop at selected institutions of higher education among the 14 MSEIP colleges and universities. Dr. Julie Kalk, BSC Assistant Professor of Physics, has been selected to join the MSEIP collaborative project involving ECSU and BSC. Dr. Kalk and Dr. Belay will attend a workshop hosted by Dillard University in New Orleans, LA next May. After each summer's training workshop, Dr. Kalk and Dr. Belay will infuse CT into their respective courses of physics and biology to measure, appraise, and then provide evidence of CT infusion/effort in a report to the MSEIP every semester.

Following the second summer workshop, it is anticipated that another smart blackboard will be offered to BSC in 2013, according to Dr. Belay. The infusion of CT has been already implemented in his General Biology 101 online course. "Bluefield State College students are more motivated and prepared to study and learn about biology through the incorporation of CT assignments online," he concluded.

(Bluefield)— A special program to honor our nation's military veterans will be held at Bluefield State College on Monday, November 12, 2012. The program begins with an 8:30 a.m. breakfast in the Harris-Jefferson Student Center cafeteria. The breakfast will be free of charge for all military veterans and active duty members of the U.S. military.

Following breakfast, the program continues at 9:30 a.m. with Bluefield State College alumnus William David Easterling, Senior Chief Aviation Ordnanceman, USN, serving as the featured speaker. Weather permitting, Senior Chief Easterling's speech and the Veterans Day program will take place at the Veterans Memorial, adjacent to the Student Center. In the event of inclement weather, the program and speech will take place in the Student Center.

During Senior Chief Easterling's 28 years of Naval service, he has been awarded the Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy Achievement Medal (four awards) and numerous campaign and unit level awards.

(Bluefield)—The Bluefield State College Blue Chicory Players Fall Semester Production, Blood on the Trail, will be presented on November 8-10 at the College. Blood on the Trail, by Dr. Sharon Bebout-Carr/Associate Professor of Speech and Blue Chicory Players Director, integrates factual accounts of some of these incidents within a fictional story frame about some young people camping out along the trail who also encounter the threat of violence and the existence of evil.

Because of adult language, mature themes, and implied and actual violence, this play is recommended for mature audiences only. The play runs November 8 at 10:30 a.m., November 9 at 7:30 p.m., and November 10 at 7:30 p.m. All performances will be in the Basic Science Auditorium. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

(Bluefield)—Bluefield State College Beckley Campus Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) students partnered with the Beckley Plaza McDonald's during a recent "McNurses Night" at the restaurant.

"BSC student nurses provided free blood glucose and blood pressure checks for the public while other students actually worked behind the counter alongside McDonalds employees to promote the relationship between the nursing program and the restaurant," explained Deborah Tonelli, BSC Beckley Campus Nursing Instructor.

Beckley physician Dr. Kelly Pitsenbarger provided the students and the public with informational pamphlets promoting healthy eating, nutrition, and exercise. The Beckley Plaza McDonald's donated 15% of its sales during the three-hour period program to assist in underwriting costs with the BSC ADN second year students' pinning ceremony next May.

"The students raised $755 while providing an important service in the community," Tonelli continued. "The Beckley Plaza McDonald's owners, Tim and Myra Harper, expressed interest in participating in this type of events with students periodically throughout year to support the BSC nursing program."

(Beckley)—Bluefield State College Beckley Campus nursing students partnered with Raleigh General Hospital to provide several health-related services to the Hospital's Senior Friends' members. The first year students in the BSC Beckley Campus Associate Degree Nursing Program conducted glucometer and blood pressure screenings while also administering flu vaccines on October 17 at the Raleigh County Armory's Convention Center.

Each of the 28 first year students in the BSC Beckley ADN program rotated through all of the sites and gained experience in administering the screenings and vaccines. "This initiative gave the students an opportunity to increase their skills and strengthen their communication abilities while assisting a very worthy cause for the community," observed Debra Vest, Assistant Professor of Nursing.

Two nursing faculty from Beckley and a Master's degree nursing student being mentored by the BSC Beckley ADN faculty were also there to assist. "We received very positive feedback from attendees and organizers at the program," Vest continued. "The students enjoyed the experience and Senior Friends' representative Debbie Peyton has invited our students to be involved in future projects of this type." More than 125 flu vaccines were given during the activity.