Two hundred thirty-five Bluefield State College students received degrees during Saturday's Baccalaureate Degree portion of the institution's 100th Commencement Exercises at the Ned Shott Gymnasium on the BSC campus. Altogether, 465 degrees were conferred during Bluefield State College's Associate Degree and Baccalaureate Degree graduations this weekend.

Bluefield attorney J. Franklin Long, a BSC graduate, delivered Saturday's Commencement Address. A member of the Bluefield State College Foundation executive board and past president of the Mountain State Bar Association, Long's address centered on "failures, experiences, and habits." He told the graduates and guests, "Name and then forget your failures, claim and benefit from your experiences, and ingrain and develop good habits. We build our characters from the bricks of habit we lay, day by day," he noted. "Each brick seems like a little thing, but before we are aware of it, we have built a house we have to live in."

Charles W. Mossor, who received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology degree, was recognized as BSC's 1997 valedictorian and Fred J. Weber, Jr., who received a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, was honored as the BSC class of '96 salutatorian.

Well-known Bluefield philanthropist and volunteer June Oblinger Shott received an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Bluefield State College during the program. She is a member and vice-chair of the BSC Institutional Board of Advisors, the BSC Foundation executive board. Two years ago, her gift to the College permitted the establishment of a new scholarship program, and the College, last September, named its new Center for Extended Learning in her honor.

Sheila Parks, Associate Professor of Nursing, received the "BSC Foundation Outstanding Faculty Award." A BSC nursing faculty member, Parks is very active in a variety of HIV/AIDS education programs on a local, state, and national level. Later this month, for the third consecutive year, she will work as a nursing health volunteer at an Indian reservation in South Dakota.

Twenty-seven returning members of the BSC class of 1947 were honored upon the 50th anniversary of their graduation from the College during Saturday's Commencement Exercises.

Two students and one faculty member in Bluefield State College's criminal justice program have been extended special recognition for their involvement in the most recent "in-service" training program presented by the Princeton Police Department.

Students Mildred Maddy and Charles McKenzie, along with William Aldridge, assistant professor of criminal justice, were given "Certificates of Appreciation" for their work during the "Patrol Officer Firearms Basics" training program in April.

"Both Mildred and Charles displayed a genuine interest in the training," noted Sgt. Richard Mann, II, Police Firearms Instructor/Princeton PD. "They were were programmed to react and respond to the actions and mistakes of the participating officers. Not only did they do this well, but they also applied their ingenuity and performed well above what was expected."

In the "Certificate of Appreciation" to Prof. Aldridge, Mann noted, "You are a fine example of the type of individuals we need instructing the law enforcement professionals of tomorrow."

During the week of this in-service training program, the BSC representatives assisted with the training of 58 police officers from six different departments.

Well-known Bluefield philanthropist and volunteer June Oblinger Shott received an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Bluefield State College during BSC's 1997 graduation exercises.

BSC President Dr. Robert Moore noted, "June Oblinger Shott carries a continuing commitment to education at Bluefield State College through her extensive scholarship support to students in our area in pursuit of a college degree from this institution. Through her gift of the largest individual financial contribution ever received by this institution, a scholarship program in her name was established here in 1995, and has already opened the window of educational opportunity to many students."

Vice-Chair of the Bluefield State College Institutional Board of Advisors, the honoree is a member of the College Foundation's executive board. BSC's new Center for Extended Learning, which provides distance learning electronic classroom instruction to students at the College's Bluefield, Lewisburg, and Beckley campuses, was named in her honor last September.

The BSC President recognized Mrs. Shott's "commitment of service, energy, and enthusiasm to help this community," in awarding the honorary doctorate.

Sheila Parks, associate professor of nursing at Bluefield State College, has been named the recipient of the BSC Foundation's "Outstanding Faculty Award" for 1997.

Parks, who has been a nursing faculty member since 1990, is a member of the West Virginia Higher Education HIV/AIDS Prevention Health Promotion Consortia, as well as the District 1 HIV Prevention Community Planning Committee. She has also served as chair of the Bluefield State College HIV/AIDS Awareness Committee and has taken an active role in HIV/AIDS education, presenting conferences to the BSC community, BSC students, and the community, at large.

A member of the West Virginia and American Nurses Associations, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the Mercer County CPR Committee, Parks is a volunteer practitioner at Mercer Health Right, Inc., and is Nurse Practitioner at the Bluefield State College Nursing Health Center.

Parks has developed the course "Health Promotion and Wellness" for nontraditional delivery, including distance learning, and is editor of "Health Link," a wellness newsletter distributed to the BSC community, and to health care providers throughout the region. Later this month, for the third consecutive summer, Parks will work as a nursing health volunteer at an Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

A Bluefield State College graduate, and masters' graduate of the University of Virginia, Parks is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, a nursing honorary.

For the third consecutive summer, a Bluefield State College nursing faculty member will spend four weeks of her summer as a Nurse Practitioner on an Indian Reservation. Sheila Parks (R.N., M.S.N.), an associate professor of nursing at BSC, will provide volunteer health care at the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, beginning May 25.

Krista Richmond, a Beckley resident and president of the BSC Beckley Campus Student Nursing Association, will also participate in the project. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," she said. "I will be working with Prof. Parks in the outpatient clinic and working in the hospital as an lextern."'

Two years ago, Parks worked with the Navajo Nation in Arizona, and last year she spent six weeks as a volunteer health care provider for the Oglala Lakota Sioux Indians at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Kyle, SD.

"The Rosebud is the second largest Sioux Reservation in the United States (tribal membership 15,438)," Parks noted. "I will be working in the outpatient clinic, located within the hospital." Major health problems faced by the residents of the Rosebud Sioux Reservation include Type 11 diabetes, TB, asthma, poor nutrition and obesity. Fifty-five percent of Rosebud's residents live in substandard housing. After last year's work at the Ogiala Lakota Sioux Reservation, Parks observed, "Many of the Sioux must do without water and electricity. "Their diet does not include many fresh fruits and vegetables, contributing to diabetes within the reservation."

Parks anticipates traveling to the Black Hills of South Dakota to participate in a volksmarch at Crazy Horse Mountain, and view several historically significant sites. "It's almost like living history when you drive through Wounded Knee, Pine Ridge, or watch the re-enactment of the Battle of Little Big Horn," she said.

Parks' sponsor for the Rosebud Sioux Reservation trip is Arrow, Inc., a Washington, D.C.based nonprofit organization that supplements health care to Native Americans.

Bluefield State College extended appreciation to the institution's faculty, classified staff, and administration during its second annual "Employee Recognition Day," May 7. Among the many highlights of the luncheon program--the presentation of the "Bluefield State College Foundation Outstanding Classified Staff" awards, and the announcement of the College's first "Classified Emeritus" and "Administrator Emeritus" awards.

BSC President Dr. Robert Moore presented the College Foundation's "Outstanding Classified Staff" awards to Hilda Cochran, microcomputer specialist, and Remona Finney, records officer/Registrar's Office. Both recipients received a $500 gift from the BSC Foundation in recognition of their selection for the awards.

The first "Classified Staff Emeritus" designations ever bestowed by Bluefield State College were granted to William L. Jackson and, posthumously, Hobart Patterson. Mr. Jackson served the college for 35 years, and Mr. Patterson served the institution for 23 years. Plaques were presented to Mr. Jackson, and to Mrs. Katherine Patterson, who accepted the award in behalf of her late husband.

Recently-retired BSC Director of Financial and Administrative Services S. Randolph Grim granted "Administrator Emeritus" status to recognize his 22 years' service to BSC.

The College also presented special "Certificates of Recognition" to the following employees: William Aldridge, Dr. Thomas Blevins, William Bradberry, John Cardwell, Kathy Epperly, William Goodman, Deirdre Guyton, Dr. Sudhakar Jamkhandi, Cravor Jones, Leila Kennedy, Annette Osborne, Ralph Patsel, Deborrah Pittman, and Greg Shrewsberry.

Thirty-year certificates of appreciation were given to Frank Hart, Rita Hill, and Tom Lafone.

Twenty-five year certificates were awarded to Berreda Ratliff and Issac Strain. Those receiving 20 year certificates' Fred Bandy (state recognition), Thomas Blevins, Terry Brown, Aleta Crockett, Patricia Gilley, Edison Neal, and Roger Owensby.

Fifteen-year recipients included: Don Bury, Carol Cofer, Jerry Conner, Aleta Crockett, Dr. Harriet Duncan, Kathy Hill, Geoff Hunter, Mitzi Litton, Rebecca Martin, Annette Osborne, Joanna Thompson, Sandra Thompson, and Dean Watkins.

Individuals receiving ten year certificates were: Fred Bandy (BSC award), Brenda Bass, Joyce Brown, Lois Brown, Linda Dalton, William Goodman, Sudhakar Jamkhandi, Linda Neal, Dr. Helmut Nienstadt, Julia Pauley, Beth Pritchett, John Sage, Patricia Sluss, Bruce Sneidman, and Allonia Thompson.

Five-year certificate recipients included: N. Lynn Adams, Rick Akers, Regina Arnold, Carol Baldwin, Darlene Buchanan, Kimberly Daniels, Virgil Harden, Tom Harrison, Nora Hensley, Melody Howell, Kenneth Kellum, Leila Kennedy, Angela Lambert, James McGehee, Heather McGonagle, Jim Nelson, Dr. David Perkins, Deborah Reagan, Dorothy Sprain, and Terry Wells.

Six students have been inducted as the 1997 class of the Bluefield State College chapter of the national honor society for freshmen, Phi Eta Sigma. The students have met Phi Eta Sigma's stringent academic qualifications of achieving a 3.5 grade point average, or better, on a 4.0 system.

Phi Eta Sigma is the oldest and largest honor society in the United States. Since its establishment in 1923, Phi Eta Sigma has established more than 300 college chapters, with over 400,000 members. The Bluefield State College chapter installed the 1997 class on May 1.

The 1997 inductees include David W. Christian (Lewisburg), Sara Hall (Paynesville), Amy Sue Hill (Oakvale), J. Rodney Ralosky (Princeton), Anne Marie Tomblin (Bluewell), and Adam Douglas Watts (Princeton). The induction ceremony was conducted by chapter president Paul Gravely and chapter vice president, Stephanie Allen. They were assisted by chapter advisors John Cardwell and Ralph Patsel.

Three Bluefield State College staff/faculty were selected for honorary Phi Eta Sigma membership: Donald G. Bury, Professor of Architectural Engineering Technology; Melissa Oxley Haye, Program Director and Instructor of Radiologic Technology; and John C. Cardwell, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management.

Twenty-one students who will graduate from Bluefield State College's radiologic technology program in May were recognized during a luncheon in their honor earlier this month at the College.

The award for outstanding academic student (highest grade point average) was presented to Elizabeth Davis, and outstanding clinical student award (highest clinical grade average) was given to Betsy Honaker.

Lani Crane, A.S., R.T.(R)(T), Bluefield Regional Medical Center Therapy Technologist, was the featured speaker at the luncheon. Fifty-seven percent of the BSC RadTech class of 1997 will graduate with academic honors.

Bluefield State College's Radiologic Technology 1997 graduates include Elizabeth Daniels, Denise Cullop, Aleisha Myers, Denise Sandifer, Tencha Bevins, Anthony Thomas, Jessica Van Kirk, Kristina McMilliion, Judy Lilly, Tanya Ramsey, Donnie Anderson, Eric Dodson, Kim Boggs, Carol Wilson, Rebecca Tygrett, Stephanie Allen, Betsy Honaker, Amy Walters, Chris Young, Charles Workman, and Vent Hatfield.

Nine students have been inducted into the Beta Zeta Epsilon chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at the Greenbrier Community College Center of Bluefield State College. The Beta Zeta Epsilon chapter was chartered and new chapter members inducted during a ceremony at Old Stone Presbyterian Church in Lewisburg, May 4.

Initiates include: David Christian, Kathleen Ewing, Karen Poe, and Todd Scott (Lewisburg); Diana Greene and William Renn, II (Ronceverte); Jeffery Russell (Rupert); Lucy Bell (Maxwelton); and Charlotte Barbe (Quinwood).

Michael Palm, Director/Student Support Services at GCCC, and Dr. Lucie Refsland, Associate Professor of Mathematics, are chapter advisors.

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society has been recognizing student academic achievement in two-year colleges for 75 years, with chapters in all 50 states and in Canada. During Sunday's chartering/initiation ceremonies, Brady Surles, Phi Theta Kappa's regional coordinator (West Virginia/Virginia) presented the charter to Dr. David Perkins, Director of the Greenbrier Community College Center of BSC.

Dr. Thomas Blevins, Director of Instructional Technology and the Center for Extended Learning at Bluefield State College, has delivered presentations on distance learning to two colleges within West Virginia's State College System.

Earlier this academic year, he presented the program "Designing Courses and Instruction through Instructional Performance Systems, Incorporated (IPSI)" at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. Last weekend, he directed two workshops--Designing and Delivering Courses for Distance Learning, and: Hands-On Use of an Electronic Classroom--at Glenville State College.

Bluefield State College will host a national distance learning conference, May 15-16, on the College's Bluefield campus. Nationally-recognized speakers, including, Jacques Dubois, Tom Wilkinson, Bridget Franklin, John Graham, Bill Struhar, and Tom Danford, will be featured presenters during the two-day event.

Specific conference topics include "Access and Excellence: The Creation of High Quality Distance Education Programming," "Transforming Education through Faculty Development: The Sinclair Summer Institute and Electronic College," "The MOO and Distance Education: Reaching the Pasture Lands," and "Distance Learning: A Transformation Model for Higher Education," as well as two sessions devoted to hands-on utilization of an electronic classroom.

Additional information regarding the conference may be obtained by contacting Dr. Blevins at (304) 327-4059, or by e-mail: tblevins@bluefieldstate.edu