Georgia Highlands College’s Bachelor of Business Administration Program (BBA) Coordinator Mecole Ledbetter has been named a recipient of the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 IMPACT Awards.

According to the chamber’s website, the annual IMPACT Awards are designed to recognize emerging leaders within the Chamber community. These individuals are “leading the field in their line of work and are making a significant difference in their community through their service to others.”

“The chamber’s IMPACT Award embodies the very nature of GHC as an institution by capturing its ability to nurture and develop leaders from within, as well as GHC’s significant contributions to the community through continued service,” Ledbetter said.

Ledbetter said her work as a program coordinator at GHC allowed her to further develop leadership skills through program development within the realm of the college’s bachelor’s degree programs. In addition, her role at GHC has provided community outreach opportunities through service in areas such as committees, boards, leadership programs and community service-learning projects.

In order to be considered for this prestigious award, applicants must be under the age of 40 and employed by a Chamber Member organization. They should be professional leaders who have demonstrated a strong record of innovation and outstanding performance.

GHC Campus Dean for Cartersville Leslie Johnson nominated Ledbetter for the award.

“When the call for nominations went out, Mecole immediately came to mind. Her impact on GHC, the local workforce and our educational community makes her the perfect candidate,” Johnson said. “In her role as BBA Program Coordinator, she helps build a successful program that meets the needs of our students and our workforce. She supports the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce as chair of the Adult Leadership Bartow program and gives back to the community through her work mentoring K-12 students.”

Johnson said the IMPACT Award is a wonderful way to shed light on Mecole’s accomplishments and illustrates how highly regarded she is by the community and her GHC colleagues.

Ledbetter said she appreciates being named an award recipient and was honored to be considered for the distinction among other highly-skilled individuals in the community.

“I was really surprised because I can only imagine the number of amazing people who were nominated along with myself,” Ledbetter said. “I was also humbled by the announcement because I never do anything with an expectation of recognition. It is always a commitment to the mission that I remain focused on.”

At Georgia Highlands College (GHC), budding entrepreneurs can now gain and hone the skills necessary to imagine, create and run a successful venture thanks to GHC’s new Entrepreneurship pathway launching in the 2021 spring semester.

Currently, the Entrepreneurship pathway, which is housed under the School of Business and Professional Studies, is geared toward individuals who may not need nor want a full bachelor’s degree in order to get started on their new business venture.

In this pathway, students will take a hands-on approach to starting a business and will have constructed a comprehensive business plan upon completion.

“Students will tackle real world challenges through experiential learning,” Assistant Professor of Business Administration Shanika Wright-Turner said. “They will have the opportunity to hear from successful business leaders and they will also participate in the GHC Charger Innovation Challenge, which is a student-based competition similar to the popular TV show ‘Shark Tank.’”

The plan to bring this type of program to communities across northwest Georgia was important to faculty at GHC.

“Innovation is the vital spark of our economy. This includes not only the ideas that launch new businesses, but those that improve existing ones,” Dean of School of Business and Professional Studies Melanie Largin said. “In GHC’s role as an economic driver for our region, we saw the need to implement a program that could graduate students with the tools they needed to bring innovative ideas into fruition quickly.”

The pathway will be taught in spring 2021 via an eClassroom format with plans to later offer additional class options.

“eClassroom is different than typical online instruction,” Largin said. “With an eClassroom, you meet with an instructor and participate in activities and lecture in real time. This format also gives you an opportunity to ask questions of your professor and interact with your peers.”

Wright-Turner and Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Economics Oris Guillaume both developed courses for the pathway and will be teaching various courses. Both are faculty with industry knowledge and experience in entrepreneurship.

“In addition, the content of our program has been guided by a successful entrepreneur, Mr. Pat Manna,” Largin said. “Mr. Manna initiated from ‘zero’ to ‘breaking critical mass’ three startup companies, with one culminating in an initial public offering, and has advised business programs at the Citadel, the College of Charleston, Fordham University and New York University. He has helped GHC launch the Charger Innovation Challenge and begin development of a mentor network.”

Largin added that though the program is perfect for those who want to start a business, it is also designed for anyone looking to “launch innovative changes at their own companies.”

“Our goal is to equip our students with the tools to start a small business or continue growing their venture,” Wright-Turner said. “You can start or improve a business based on any concept you’re passionate about, given that there is a need in the market, you have an entrepreneurial mindset and you grow from your mistakes.”

The deadline to apply for admission to GHC is Dec. 15. Admitted GHC students can register for the entrepreneurship courses through Jan 15. Please visit highlands.edu for more information.

Three employees in leadership roles at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) are set to retire from the University System of Georgia (USG) at the beginning of February in 2021 after serving several years in the system and with GHC.

These vice presidents direct the work of multiple divisions within the institution:

Jeff Patty

Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

Ginni Siler

Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resource Officer

Mary Transue

Senior Vice President for Advancement and Enrollment Management and the Executive Director of the GHC Foundation Inc.

Patty has served at GHC since 1990. His work at the college has spurred the development of a highly respected information technology network and division.

“In my 30 years with the college, I’ve seen tremendous change in what we now call information technology (IT), through the advent of the Internet, cell phones, email and web, and a host of other new technologies,” Patty said. “Over that time our IT team grew into an awesome team of talented individuals, capable of creating or solving anything technology-related that came our way.”

Siler, whose employment began in the fall of 2009, has worked to elevate the level of functioning and to modernize, from a technology perspective, the Office of Human Resources at GHC while building strong collaborations across the USG.

“I am very proud of the progress the University System of Georgia, Division of Human Resources and institutional CHROs, as well as the Georgia Highlands College Office of Human Resources have made during my time with the system,” Siler said. “We have some extremely knowledgeable and dedicated Human Resource employees who work tirelessly for student and employee success. It is my hope that GHC and USG leadership continues to pursue movement toward appropriate compensation for the talented GHC employees who exhibit such care and passion for our students every day.”

Transue worked to raise awareness and support for the college as well as student scholarships and programs through the GHC Foundation since she began in 2014. She has worked with the USG since 2007. While at GHC, she also worked to reinvigorate GHC’s marketing, expand the college’s capacity for organizational communications and enhance institutional support through her work with government relations.

“During my time with GHC, I have had the privilege of working with some of the most dedicated faculty and staff I know. The focus has always been on student success; keeping things as cost effective as possible and ensuring an excellent opportunity for students to obtain their degree,” Transue said. “Even during the challenges of this year, faculty and staff worked tirelessly to help keep students on track with as little disruption as possible and took extra steps to make sure students knew they were supported through the changes not only in the academic setting, but through their personal challenges as well.”

“You learn a lot about your colleagues when they are faced with navigating the type of budget and health challenges 2020 delivered across the country,” she added, “and what I learned was there is no question that as the college continues to grow, I know the focus on success will not waiver. I am proud of how GHC operates, and to be a part of the institution.”

In a congratulatory email to the leadership members retiring from the system, GHC President Don Green said “[I want to] thank each of them for strengthening the college and elevating the efforts of their teams and areas in Human Resources, Advancement and Information Technology during their time at GHC.”

“Enough cannot truly be said about how much each of these individuals have accomplished for our college,” he added. “I’ll miss their expertise, guidance, leadership, and above all else, their absolute commitment to our students, faculty, staff and college community.”

Students at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) recently named one faculty and one staff member as the college’s “Advising is Teaching Award” winners. Students chose Assistant Professor of Biology Brandy Rogers, who was named “Faculty Advisor of the Year,” and Academic Advisor Josh Grant, who was named “Professional Advisor of the Year.”

“These award nominations are submitted by students,” college Quality Enhancement Program Coordinator Elizabeth Tanner said. “With the nominations, we get to see all the important ways staff and faculty advisors have an impact on our students. These nominations are an important reminder of the quality and high-caliber advising that a student receives when they come to GHC, and we are helping students meet their educational goals and find a pathway to graduation.”

The “Advising is Teaching Award” program is part of GHC’s ongoing “Quest for Success” advising mission.

The college’s Quality Enhancement plan (QEP), titled “Quest for Success,” places advising at the forefront of student academic and personal success. Quest for Success aims to increase the value of the student experience at GHC by emphasizing advising as a core component of learning at GHC. By creating required advising activities, GHC students participate in on-going, goal-focused advising, helping students on the path to graduation.

GHC students choose Brandy Rogers as the “Faculty Advisor of the Year.” Rogers is an assistant professor of biology. She said her favorite aspect of advising is seeing students gain a renewed sense of clarity and determination, helping them to see the clearest path to achieving their goals.

“Advising students is an important part of what faculty at GHC do,” Rogers said. She began advising students during her first year as an instructor. “Advising students gives us the opportunity to encourage students, to help them see their potential and to help them realize that their dreams are within reach. For me, being a part of a student’s journey and helping them design and carry out their plans is very rewarding.”

GHC students choose Josh Grant as the “Professional Advisor of the Year.” Grant serves as an academic advisor, but he originally started teaching until he discovered a passion to help students through advising full time.

“After teaching for the better part of a decade, I discovered that there was a whole profession dedicated to helping students in the ways that I had been helping them outside of normal class work,” Grant said. “I could spend all day helping students at the exact moment when they needed help getting a clearer picture of what their options were and what they needed to do to accomplish their goals. Teaching outside the classroom – that’s what led me to professional advising.”

Both Rogers and Grant serve on GHC’s Cartersville site and see the recognition as an example of how GHC puts students first and how important quality advising is at the college.

Please visit highlands.edu to learn more about GHC’s “Quest for Success” advising mission.

One of Georgia Highlands College’s student organizations has been busy this year working with a local nonprofit to serve the community. Woman 2 Woman has rallied behind Helping Hands in Paulding on several community projects.

Woman 2 Woman is a GHC student organization founded in 2010 with an emphasis on developing communications skills, volunteering in the community and supporting each student in the group on the road to degree completion.

The student group has been recently working with local nonprofit Helping Hands.

“Woman 2 Woman continuously works with Helping Hands and other charitable communities because helping our community helps us gain moral values and look at the world from a different perspective,” student and organization president Manoucheca Jean said. “We believe that helping the community brings us closer together and it is a very humbling experience.”

The student organization assisted with an on-campus coat drive in early 2020, effectively collecting and distributing two carloads of coats to Helping Hands. In addition, the organization has unloaded a food truck from the Atlanta Food Bank to distribute to the nonprofit.

The organization is currently collecting toys at GHC’s Paulding site for Toys for Tots and is preparing for a canned food drive to be held at the Paulding site the week of Nov. 16.

Woman 2 Woman co-advisor and Paulding Site Manager Christina Henggeler said the organization previously led drives to collect items from fellow students or worked alongside other volunteers to unload deliveries from the Atlanta Food Bank.

Jean, who lives in Powder Springs and attends classes at the Paulding site, said while the positivity, laughter and connections built among organization members encourages her to continue on with Woman 2 Woman, the aspect of community service is central to the student organization.

“I was inspired to get involved with Woman 2 Woman because sisterhood is important to me. I believe we must stick together and that great things happen when women stick together, especially young women,” Jean said. “It is important that we help one another through our life journeys because we are all on a mission to become the women of our dreams.”

According to its website, hhpcga.org, Helping Hands works to foster a caring atmosphere for anyone experiencing temporary or emergency struggles due to a crisis situation. The organization, which offers services such as a food pantry and clothing center, is located in the south side of the student parking lot at GHC’s Paulding site.

UPDATED: 

USG calls on experts across the state to provide meaningful support to the college system

The University System of Georgia (USG) has named Lisa Jellum, Division Chair of Health Sciences at Georgia Highlands College, a 2020-2021 USG Leadership Fellow. As a subject matter expert, Jellum will provide meaningful support to colleagues systemwide.

“This group represents the best faculty and staff from USG institutions across the state, and I congratulate them on their selection,” Chancellor Steve Wrigley said. “Their knowledge and willingness to serve will help the system continue to focus on our top priorities of being more efficient, more affordable and graduating more students.”

Over a one-year term, Fellows will share their expertise through workshops for USG groups outside their home institutions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, workshops may be delivered virtually. Topics are wide-ranging and can vary from coaching skills for academic leaders and leadership ethics to constructive conflict engagement and change management.

“There is a lot of expertise within the University System of Georgia,” said Stuart Rayfield, vice chancellor for Leadership and Institutional Development. “The entire system benefits when we tap the leadership and knowledge from USG institutions, and it’s a tremendous opportunity for the fellows to grow and develop. It’s a win-win.”

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Georgia Highlands College’s Department Chair of Kinesiology and Wellness Lisa Jellum was recently selected to serve as a University System of Georgia (USG) Leadership Fellow by the USG Center for Leadership Excellence.

As a leadership fellow, Jellum will work with others to provide support around the system and will be called upon to facilitate workshops and lessons. She added she was happy to also bring more exposure to GHC by serving in this position.

“It is great for the college to be on the stage with other schools such as the University of Georgia, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Augusta University and others,” Jellum said.

Director for Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Josie Baudier encouraged Jellum to apply for the program.

“This USG Leadership and Institutional Development (LID) Fellow program is brand new this year, and the team of Leadership and Institutional Development program included several expert facilitators and research-driven topics that Lisa explored this summer,” Baudier said. “In this role as a fellow, she can guide and support faculty and colleagues, not just at GHC but at other institutions.”

Criteria necessary for consideration for the role includes both experience in leadership development facilitation and a desire to give back to other groups in the USG while providing facilitation to groups outside of a fellow’s home institution.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jellum expected to engage in a two-day USG Leadership Fellow conference as part of the requirements of the program’s application.

“Through a pivot, the conference turned into eight, two-hour virtual presentations and workshops throughout the months of May to August,” Jellum said.

According to USG, leadership fellows are expected to facilitate a minimum of one session per academic year and will work with USG’s Leadership Development Institute staff to connect to groups to meet specific needs. Participation in the program will be recognized by the system office and will last one year in duration.

Baudier said the program will allow for Jellum to both improve her instructional skills and to share her knowledge with members of other institutions.

“Being able to support your faculty as they serve others is a great resource,” Baudier said. “Georgia Highlands College benefits from Lisa being a fellow because she will represent GHC at other institutions expertly. She will learn from her experiences as a facilitator and be able to share those experiences with her GHC Chair and faculty colleagues. GHC will, in turn, also have the opportunity to work with a LID Fellow to facilitate leadership workshops and sessions for us.”

Despite a slight decrease in fall enrollment, Georgia Highlands College is reporting record graduation numbers and a new economic impact of over $181 million. 

GHC awarded 943 degrees during its commemorative 50th graduation ceremony, which also kicked off the college’s 50th anniversary year. This was a 14% increase in graduates over the previous graduation. 

In addition to celebrating GHC’s 50th class since the college’s inception as Floyd Junior College in 1970, GHC reported a significant increase in its economic impact. GHC has seen steady economic impact growth for the last five years and now holds the second highest economic impact among state colleges in Georgia. 

The University System of Georgia (USG) recently released the USG’s newest total economic impact on the state of Georgia. Of the more than $18 billion reported by the USG as a whole, Georgia Highlands College’s contribution was over $181 million. 

The USG report is for Fiscal Year 2019 and is conducted by the Selig Center for Economic Growth in the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. 

GHC’s economic impact was exactly: $181,400,770 

This represents an increase of over $4 million from the Fiscal Year 2018 report. 

According to the USG report, a Class of 2019 graduate is predicted to earn $888,563 more over the course of their career as a result of their degree from a USG institution. Additionally, the annual economic impact study revealed every dollar spent by USG institutions generates an additional 47 cents for the regional economy. 

Click on these hyperlinks to read the full economic impact report and the lifetime earnings report. 

The USG also recently reported enrollment numbers showing an increase in enrollment overall in the system yet a slight decline of 7% among all state college enrollment. The enrollment numbers were released in the USG’s “Fall 2020 Semester Enrollment Report,” which breaks down enrollment by institution, class, race and ethnicity, in-state, out-of-state and international students, as well as gender and age. The full enrollment report is available here. 

The University System of Georgia (USG) is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct in pursuit of its mission to create knowledge. Accomplishing this mission demands integrity, good judgment and dedication to public service from all members of the USG community. Annually, the USG highlights this commitment through an Ethics Awareness Week (EAW), which is scheduled this year for November 9–15, 2020. The purpose of this week is to remind employees of our commitment to an ethical culture and our shared ethical values and expectations.

Chancellor Steve Wrigley has emphasized the importance of an ethical culture and how it is critical to the success of not only our institutions, but our employees, students, communities and ultimately how Georgia is educated.

Ethics Awareness Week is part of a comprehensive Ethics and Compliance Program. This Program includes a system-level Ethics Policy and Code of Conduct, on-board ethics training, periodic ethics refresher training, compliance audits, special reviews and an Ethics and Compliance Reporting Hotline.

In support of this effort, Georgia Highlands College will be hosting activities to build upon the college’s ethical culture by promoting activities related to our system-wide shared core values of integrity, excellence, accountability and respect. GHC will emphasize that, in addition to the college’s ethical values, GHC’s Code of Conduct is the foundation of the USG’s priorities of degree attainment, affordability and efficiency.

Activities during this week will bring awareness to ethics, reinforce the principles of recognizing the hard work of employees, and promote our shared values. Our theme for this week is the “SPIRIT of USG.”  Activities planned will emphasize:

Stewardship. Prevention. Integrity. Responsibility. Inspiration. Trust.

Activities planned for this week are enclosed in the flyer linked below:

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:04c03eea-8d9e-40f1-ad13-e45f82675aed

For more information regarding the SPIRIT of USG activities, visit the Ethics Awareness Week webpage at the following link:  https://ethics.highlands.edu

College classes look a lot different than a year ago due to COVID-19, but thanks to attentive, caring faculty members at Georgia Highlands College, students remain on-track toward graduation. Two of GHC’s more popular programs, nursing and dental hygiene, continue to take a multi-pronged approach.

Faculty and staff in health sciences have expanded elements of instruction virtually while also creating a safer in-person classroom experience.

From the implementation of increased personal protective equipment (PPE) to online clinical simulation programs, GHC is ensuring nursing and dental hygiene students will have the skills and experience necessary to begin successful careers in healthcare upon graduation.

Extra Protection

GHC’s overall campus guidelines include wearing a mask, remaining six feet apart, and cleaning work surfaces regularly. More on that can be found at chargeahead.highlands.edu

Even so, sometimes classes may require “close contact” scenarios to ensure students are able to practice and learn the skills component or hands-on portion of a particular course, like certain labs taken by dental hygiene students.

“The nature of skills courses requires close contact, so students and faculty are required to wear a level 2 surgical mask at all times,” Director of Dental Hygiene Regina Gupta said.

Additionally, added personal protective equipment is always worn in labs and clinical settings; students are assigned to one workstation for the entire semester in lab activities; and increased sanitizing of the work area occurs at each session.

“Our program has always strictly implemented guidelines for infection control, and added PPE is the biggest change,” Gupta said. “This is the first time we have mandated the use of N95 masks for aerosol-producing activities.”

Both the dental hygiene and nursing programs abide by all CDC guidelines, including the use of personal protective equipment and the sanitization of workstations, working to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The dental hygiene program also continues to provide patient services and has also purchased additional personal protective equipment, including N95 masks and full-face shields. In addition, the program follows all Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Occupational Health and Safety Act and Georgia Board of Dentistry guidelines, which includes screening all students, faculty, staff and patients who enter the Heritage Hall building.

Gupta added that additional technology and online methods created by faculty have also played a big part in teaching students during the pandemic.

New Technology

On top of utilizing some remote instruction measures for teaching courses like Nursing Theory through video conferencing programs, new online clinical simulation programs have set the standard for moving forward at GHC and allows students to simulate real-world interactions with patients.

“These simulation programs have been a huge success and we are going to continue to use them,” Dean of Health Sciences Michelle Boyce said. “Faculty have also created some online methods to evaluate clinical scenarios.”

The nursing program utilizes several different modalities for simulation. For the highest level of simulation, known as High Fidelity Simulation, the program incorporates a computer-aided mannequin to mimic a variety of real-life patient scenarios.

“These mannequins have pulses, lung sounds and voice responses,” Assistant Director of Nursing Shea Walker said. “They can be adjusted to react to the different responses the students make based on the clinical scenario.”

The program has also incorporated the use of simulated charting and case study software, allowing students to answer questions and document in a client chart based on a specific patient scenario. Students then assess the patient, examine and listen to heart and lung sounds, and perform a full assessment in the virtual world.

“The use of virtual simulation provides students the opportunity to use clinical judgment and apply knowledge they have gained in the classroom to a clinical situation,” Walker said. “This virtual simulation allows the opportunity to mimic face-to-face clinical situations, and students can perfect the skill of making appropriate decisions and obtaining pertinent clinical data through the use of these products.”

Walker said students benefit from virtual simulation training in many ways, with high fidelity simulation filling in the gaps of hands-on tasks and allowing the student to complete skills such as IV insertion while utilizing clinical judgment.

“In this new COVID environment, students still have the opportunity to practice their skills and hone the art of making clinical decisions in a safe environment,” Walker said. “Key clinical skills are still practiced and perfected in these virtual worlds and the students are prepared to care for clients once in the hospital setting.”

Career Atmosphere

The strict implementation of guidelines for infection control and the use of new technology is all part of the job when you graduate and begin working in the field, GHC’s health sciences faculty explained. And many of the changes faced by working health sciences careers today may become the new standard of operation.

Gupta explained that just in the dentistry field it appears “many of these PPE changes are here to stay.”

“So, whatever we are doing in our students’ professional training should continue to match what will be needed in the practice of dental hygiene when they are employed as hygienists,” Gupta added.

Gearing students for careers after graduation remains a chief mission among all programs at GHC, which means faculty have continued to adapt curriculum to be safer for in-person instruction; include the use of new technology; and to reflect what students are expected to know when they enter the workforce.

Visit chargeahead.highlands.edu for more information about classes, campus guidelines and how GHC is continuing to make classes safe and effective for in-person instruction.

The deadline to apply for spring semester is December 15. Classes begin in January. Apply at highlands.edu