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TCC Weather Closure
TCC will close at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10. All evening and weekend events and services are canceled. The college will resume normal hours on Monday, Jan. 13.
TCC moving to remote learning to limit spread of COVID-19
Tidewater Community College students are being instructed not to return to campus after Spring Break, which concludes Saturday, March 14, in order to limit the spread of COVID-19.
TCC has cancelled all classes on March 16 and 17.
“Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been consistent in recommending social distancing as a strategy to help stem the spread of coronavirus,” President Marcia Conston said in a message to faculty and staff. Like many colleges, TCC is canceling classes “out of an abundance of caution and concern,” she said.
Classes will resume March 18 using remote instruction, which may include email, webinars or conference calls, in addition to established distance learning technology. Classes will remain in remote delivery at least through April 1.
“The college’s goal is to maintain continuity in instruction for our students while doing our best to limit the spread of COVID-19,” President Conston said.
Priority enrollment for Summer Session and Fall Semester will open on March 16; students can register for classes online.
Open enrollment begins March 23. New students can call 757-822-1111 or email enroll@tcc.edu to obtain virtual assistance.
If there is a decision to continue with remote learning beyond April 1, TCC will advise faculty, staff and students by March 27.
Governor tours Regional Health Professions Center to tout G3 initiative
On Thursday, Gov. Ralph Northam observed Tidewater Community College respiratory therapy student Taylor Moneypenny inflate a pig lung, which has an anatomical structure similar to that of a human. In an ambulance bay, Northam listened to a bleeding man writhing in pain while emergency medical service students tended to his injuries. He watched diagnostic medical sonography students complete sonograms on their peers using state-of-the-art equipment.
President Conston and Gov. Northam
His hour-long tour of TCC’s Regional Health Professions Center on the Virginia Beach Campus provided an up-close glimpse of students preparing for careers in health care, one of five in-demand areas included in an initiative in his proposed budget before the General Assembly. The “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back” initiative, dubbed G3, proposes a free community college education in incentivized areas for students who meet certain income requirements.
The other fields are skilled trades, information technology, early childhood education and public safety, but health care is the primary focus.
“Health-care systems are craving for your talent,” Gov. Northam told students afterward during informal remarks before TCC President Marcia Conston; Megan Healy, chief workforce development advisor in the governor’s office; and representatives from Sentara Health and Bon Secours, two of the college’s regional partners. “There’s not enough people to fill these much-needed jobs. What we’re trying to do at the state level is to really open up what I call that classroom-to-career pipeline and train individuals for these 21st-century jobs.”
Because of the governor’s background in health care – he worked as a pediatric neurologist prior to being elected in 2017 – he was able to appreciate the hands-on learning inside the 6,500-square-foot Regional Health Professions Center. “I almost want to get in here and get my hands dirty,” he quipped. He was particularly awestruck by the scene in the ambulance bay, as authentic-looking “blood” leaked from a surgical cut suit.
But mainly Northam wanted to stress his commitment to what’s been called a gamechanger. G3 would boost funding to Virginia’s Community Colleges by $145 million over the next two budget years and enable an estimated 39,000 low- and moderate-income Virginians to enroll without cost in the targeted programs.
“We are excited about G3,” President Conston told the governor, pumping her fist. “We are poised to get students trained so they can be competitive in the workforce.”
Gov. Northam with Taylor Moneypenny
TCC offers associate and certificate programs in all of the targeted areas.
G3 eligibility would be established by students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). G3 funds would make up the difference between what financial aid pays for and the cost of tuition, fees, and books for the program.
In response to a student question, Gov. Northam stressed the importance of wraparound services, noting academics are typically not the reason students drop out of community college. “It’s because of affordability,” he said.
Healy said students who attend college full time under the G3 program and are awarded a full Pell Grant would receive an additional $1,000 grant per semester in support of expenses that include food and childcare.
“We want to make sure that all Virginians have access to attending a community college without incurring a lot of extra debt,” Gov. Northam said. “That’s the G3 program and that’s why we’re here today.”
Women’s History Month 2020
Tidewater Community College celebrates Women’s History Month and the strength and perseverance of women alongside students and community members like you!
Spanning the entirety of March, TCC is hosting a month-long celebration for Women’s History Month. These events include panels, speeches, and interactive learning events designed to educate and inform those who wish to learn more about the history of women and how women continue to overcome adversity and challenges by rising above them.
The Women’s Center at Tidewater Community College offers comprehensive, specialized services to educate, empower, enhance and engage students so they can define, pursue and achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals. The Women’s Center is a leader and resource on women’s unique interests and is committed to advocating for equality and social justice for all. The Women’s Center provides a safe environment and creates a campus culture for students to exchange ideas, network and advocate for these goals.
New criminal justice program head on Portsmouth Campus shows students the real side of law enforcement
Kelly Kraynak’s introduction to law enforcement started when she was 16.
“I had my wallet stolen out of my car,” she said.
The ensuing conversation with a police sergeant inspired her to see policing from the inside. Recently retired from a 30-year career with local and state police in her native Connecticut, Kraynak joined Tidewater Community College at the beginning of spring semester as program head of administration of justice for the Portsmouth Campus.
“I can take the book and apply it to real-life situations, and that’s what the criminal justice staff does at every TCC campus,” said the assistant professor. “It’s been a whole gamut of amazing things in my career.”
Bicycle patrol. Chases, births, CPR. She’s even been undercover as a high school student. “I loved the job,” she said.
As a teen, Kraynak signed up for Police Explorers, a career-oriented program that exposes young adults to law enforcement careers. Hired by the Hartford Police Department, she assisted in the detective bureau prior to turning 21, the age required to enter the police academy
Her 10 years on the job as a police officer was followed by 20 with Connecticut State Police.
“I enjoyed the adventure, the high action,” she said. “That’s what makes people watch crime shows. They pack a lot in an hour, but that’s all negated by the paperwork.”
Kraynak is a community college graduate herself, having earned an associate in criminal justice from Manchester Community College, where she also was an adjunct instructor. She completed her bachelor’s at Mountain State University followed by a master’s at Boston University.
“I totally get the fact that community college students might be single moms or military or have family needs,” she said. “As long as I see someone trying, I’m willing to work with them. Community college is here to provide success for people who otherwise might not have the opportunity.”
Kraynak teaches a full course load of classes that she strives to make engaging and interactive. The negativity surrounding law enforcement concerns her enough that she encourages thoughtful discussion about topics that include the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and the death of Eric Garner in Baltimore.
“In many ways, we’ve reverted back to the 1960s with all the racial issues happening,” she said. “I want to be the voice of change, the voice that educates and explains.”
Encouraging women and minorities to enter the field is important, she said, as recruitment for both in policing is at an all-time low. The former linebacker – yes, she was a football player for the Connecticut Crush of the National Women’s Football League – enjoys being a mentor.
“Women often push other women away because they’ve had it so tough,” she said. “I always found mentorship in the department to be rewarding.”
Now she takes that role at TCC.
Students who earn associate degrees in criminal justice benefit, she said, from the foundation the program provides. That head start makes graduates competitive candidates, whether they choose to go to work immediately, enter the police academy or transfer to a four-year university.
Kraynak also plans to take an active role in TCC’s Portsmouth-based Criminal Justice Club. A trip to Liberty University for a hands-on learning opportunity at a mock crime scene has become an annual ritual. She’s working on sponsored lecture panels and other opportunities to give students a window into law enforcement.
“It’s important for us to give students a real-life show of what goes on,” she said. “Luckily we’ve got instructors who bring that experience.”
In her free time, Kraynak is on the move. Last summer, she completed her first Ironman in Quebec and is training for another.
Interested in exploring a criminal justice career? Contact Kraynak at kkraynak@tcc.edu
New TCC cybersecurity certificate coming this summer
Tidewater Community College will launch a new cybersecurity certificate beginning with its summer session 2020.
Students will learn about operating systems, computer hardware, networking concepts, cybersecurity and programming. The 20-credit certificate includes core IT courses that are mapped to CompTIA industry certifications and cybersecurity apprenticeships.
The certificate is the first step toward an associate degree and fits the bill for Gov. Ralph Northam’s “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back” initiative, or “G3” program, which will provide financial support to cover tuition, fees and books for eligible students at community colleges in Virginia.
“This certificate is a great vehicle for students who are looking to get started and attain CompTIA industry certifications such as A+, Network+ and Security+,” said Bill Clement, dean of computer science and information technology. “The program can also provide a streamlined approach for companies looking to provide education for employees, particularly for those interested in the cybersecurity apprenticeship.
With the completion of the certificate, students are prepared for work as computer user or network support specialists, earning $25 per hour or more than $50,000 annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor.
TCC’s cybersecurity programs are offered on the Chesapeake and Virginia Beach campuses.
Summer classes begin on May 18. For information on enrollment, call 757-822-1111 or email enroll@tcc.edu.
Inside the RAC: Toyota T-TEN
Walk into Tidewater Community College’s Regional Automotive Center and you’ll see highly polished floors and new vehicles on display.
But don’t let the quiet lobby fool you.
Step into one of the 15 instructional laboratory bays and you’ll hear a cacophony from impact guns, wrenches and other machinery mixed with the hum of student and instructor voices.
Inside this Toyota lab, students were servicing front disc brakes and using the on-car brake lathe to repair rotors.
Not surprisingly, after just one semester at the college, every
student in class works a paid, entry-level position at a Toyota dealership.
Students get hands-on training in the Toyota program at TCC’s Regional Automotive Center.
“I got hired because of my time at TCC,” said Chris Rogue
who works at Checked Flag Toyota. “Everything we’re learning can be immediately
used in the field.”
Jaiden Jenkins, recently hired by Casey Toyota, enjoys using
the vehicle computer systems to diagnose any problem agrees. “The benefits and
pay are good, and the more you learn, and the more credentials you have, the
more you earn,” he said.
Toyota students learn on newer Toyota vehicles and use tools
and online repair guides provided by the manufacturer.
Instructor Darryl Parker works with a student in the Toyota program.
“I like that our instructor is involved in every step of the
hands-on work. He makes sure we’re learning proper techniques and doing
everything to industry standards,” said Zachary Clark, who works at Priority
Toyota.
“My favorite thing has been taking apart an engine and then
putting it back together,” said Sawyer Matthews who works at Charles Barker
Toyota. “This program helps us learn the skills we need to become master
technicians.”
TCC’s technologically advanced automotive curriculum is
based on the Master Automotive Service Technology standards set forth by the
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Education
Foundation.
TCC is one of 38 schools nationwide that provide
Toyota-specific training. The RAC also offers manufacturer programs for Ford,
Honda, Chrysler and Subaru.
Step inside and see for yourself. Interested in exploring
the career options at the RAC? Call 757-822-5000 to schedule a tour and for
more information.
TCC forensic science specialization recognized as a Best Value
Tidewater Community College’s associate degree in criminal justice with a specialization in forensic science has been recognized as a Best Value by an independent online publishing group.
CrimeSceneInvestigatorEDU.org is a one-stop resource for information on education and certification options, specialized job functions, employment opportunities, earning potential and more. Its rankings, according to the group, are unbiased.
“Both options provide students with an overview of forensic evidence processes as well as criminal investigation methods and procedures,” said Joe Fairchild, TCC’s dean of Public and Professional Services. “These programs will prepare graduates for careers in law enforcement and/or public or private investigatory positions.”
The associate degree and certificate are offered on all four of TCC’s campuses with online and evening classes available. TCC offers additional criminal justice specializations in homeland security, public law and law enforcement.
The forensic science specialization includes instruction in forensic medicine, forensic dentistry, anthropology, psychology, entomology, pathology, DNA and blood pattern analysis, crime scene photography, fingerprint technology and professional standard and ethics.
Tuition for the associate degree for in-state residents is $11,306 and $3,336 for the certificate. Financial aid and scholarships are available.
For information about enrolling in either program, contact TCC at 757-822-1111.
“If not for my experience at TCC, I would not be where I am today”
Tania Golden Beldy has always been interested in criminal justice and the law.
But after the news reported the new doll she bought for her daughter had been hacked, her attention focused on the lack of internet safety laws and how this could affect her family.
“I decided to be part of the solution when I heard consumer safety groups blowing the whistle on these new tech toys as a possible gateway to criminal behavior,” Beldy said.
“My time at TCC completely influenced my decision to pursue cybersecurity law. The courses were well-designed and offered the framework for the work I’m doing,” she said.
Tania Golden Beldy at TCC’s Chesapeake Campus.
Beldy, 52, chose Tidewater Community College because of the positive feedback about the Cyber Security program and the knowledge and experience of the professors.
About TCC’s Cyber Security programs
Since its inception, TCC’s network security/cybersecurity curriculum has been aligned with national standards for cybersecurity established and maintained by the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the National Security Agency (NSA).
TCC’s is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defensefor Two-Year schools by the NSA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
For Beldy, her future became clear just two semesters into the program. Having already earned a bachelor’s, she realized after talking to Professor Rob Guess that a master’s in cybersecurity law was the perfect option.
A new beginning in law
Beldy was accepted into the online graduate cybersecurity law program offered through the University of Maryland Frances King Carey School of Law.
“One of the greatest assets TCC offers is their professors. Through the years, I have noticed a decline in genuine interest, access and personal support during the academic experience,” Beldy said. “This was the total opposite at TCC. I felt as though the professors were genuine and personally vested in their students’ successes. If not for my experience at TCC, I would not be where I am today.”
Beldy, who will complete her master’s this May, works part time at a law firm while completing her capstone project that focuses on legislative advocacy and the legal loopholes that continue to leave users vulnerable.
“Today the internet is available to every person 24/7 with truly no option but to utilize it for daily life. It has become the new ‘wild west,’ where no one is safe,” Beldy said. “Like many other industries such as health care, the internet needs stricter legislation to protect us.”
Ready for a new career
Beldy hopes to work in the field of legislation and public policy with a focus on internet user protections and the responsibility of internet service providers and tech companies. She would also like to work in a corporate setting, acting as a liaison between the tech department and creative teams.
“TCC gave me the technical knowledge and empowered me to move toward a new career,” she said. “My family also provided much needed support, and it has been most rewarding to be able to prove to my children that it’s never too late.”
Beldy and husband Steven have a blended family of eight children, three dogs and a bird. In her free time, she enjoys painting, cooking and gardening.
Award-winning “Doubt: A Parable” presented by TCC Theatre
TCC Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning play “Doubt: A Parable” for seven shows in late February and early March.
All performances will be held in the Black Box Theater in the Academic Building on TCC’s Chesapeake Campus, 1428 Cedar Road.
“Doubt,” a 2004 play by American playwright John Patrick Shanley, is set in a fictional school in the Bronx. In this powerful work, school principal Sister Aloysius takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the parish priest, Father Flynn, of improper relations with a young student.
Winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award, “Doubt” is a gripping story that is less about scandal and more about the nuanced questions of moral certainty.
Performance dates are:
Feb. 27-29 at 7:30 p.m.
March 1 at 2 p.m.
March 4-6 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, alumni and military members. Payment is by cash or checks at the door. The box office opens 45 minutes prior to show time.
Tickets can be purchased with a credit card at the Chesapeake Campus Business Office in the Pass Building during regular business hours.
Reserve tickets by calling 757-822-5219 or emailing Professor Matthew Gorris at mgorris@tcc.edu.
New TCC program a pipeline to increase the supply, diversity of PreK-8 teachers
Tidewater Community College will start a teacher preparation specialization beginning with its summer session 2020.
The program is a response to Gov. Ralph Northam tasking Virginia’s educational systems to create new pathways to help increase both the supply and the diversity of quality teachers throughout the Commonwealth.
“We know Virginia’s teachers are in high demand but are also in short supply,” said Jenefer Snyder, dean of Social Sciences and Education at TCC. “Many TCC students have often completed courses and degrees with the goal of becoming teachers. Now students have a clear curriculum map of courses to help them progress more efficiently to their goal. This streamlined approach aims to eliminate barriers of extra years of schooling while positively impacting the educator pipeline.”
The TCC program meets Virginia Department of Education teaching guidelines and curriculum requirements for teaching degrees in the state.
All of TCC’s campuses offer the 61-credit associate degree. Summer classes begin May 18.
For information on enrollment, call 757-822-1111.
At work on a doctorate at Johns Hopkins, the founder of two nonprofits credits TCC
Ateba Gaines didn’t think she was very smart, but Tidewater
Community College’s Dr. Samuel Lamb told her she would one day have the title
“Dr.” preceding her name.
At the time he was provost of the Portsmouth Campus, and she
was a work-study student in his office.
Back then, she wondered, “What is this man talking about?”
Today the 46-year-old entrepreneur holds a master’s in
international management, touts a resume that includes Nike and a nonprofit
that attracted support from Taylor Swift, Kristen Stewart
and Lea Michele. She’s spoken at Stanford and will talk to an audience at Yale
in April. She’s immersed in a second nonprofit focusing on creativity and
youth.
Ateba Gaines, 46, plans to complete her doctorate before she turns 50.
None of it would be possible, she says, without those first steps she took at TCC, where she earned an associate in business administration and developed the confidence to succeed.
“I like to say TCC refined my street hustle, but really TCC
saved my life,” she says. “If it wasn’t for that school, my socio-economic
level and my potential to be creative would have never expanded beyond the
street.”
Gaines grew up in Jersey City, surrounded by her father’s
abuse and a working mother who struggled to put food on the table. She amused
herself by dreaming up ideas for businesses; one involved singing with a cousin
at an old trash site and charging a quarter for admission. A move to Newport
News didn’t provide the escape she hoped for when her mother started another
unhealthy relationship.
Gaines struggled at Denbigh High School, got pregnant
shortly after and made money selling herself on the street. It was all she
could think of to put food on the table until one-day her wide-eyed son told
her of his plans to be a preacher.
“You want to be a preacher?” she said, staring intently at
the 2-year-old. That led her to find her own church, Calvary Revival in
Norfolk. Her faith motivated her to find a better future. She started classes
at TCC and surprised herself with good grades.
“I didn’t even know what Dean’s List was when they told me I
was on it,” she says.
On a whim, she ran for president of Student Government on
the Portsmouth Campus and won. “I learned how to communicate, how to make
presentations, how to delegate authority and how to become a leader,” she says.
An elective she didn’t want to take, Intercultural
Communication, opened her eyes even more. The textbook, “The Do’s and Taboos of
International Trade,” became her go-to read. The instructor encouraged her to
dream big – graduate school big.
“I didn’t even have my associate degree and she wanted us to
think about graduate schools,” Gaines recalls.
Gaines fixated on Portland State University after reading
about its international management program. She graduated from TCC and after
completing her bachelor’s in international business at Christopher Newport
University, she applied.
Accepted into Portland State, Gaines drove a U-Haul pulling
her beat up Ford across the country, her son in tow.
“We drove cross country and when we got to the Oregon sign,
we got out and danced,” she says.
Achieving her master’s led Gaines to an opportunity at Nike,
where she started in customer service, was promoted in less than a year and
ultimately managed the shoe company’s southeast Asian accounts.
A marriage to a Virginian brought Gaines home to Hampton
Roads, where she’s done a bit of everything. She worked her way up at Old
Dominion University from instructor to chief departmental advisor in
international marketing. She started her own nonprofit, Shoe Revolt, inviting
celebrities to donate used shoes, hence visualizing the initiative of kicking
human trafficking to the curb.
“Instead of seeing scary pictures, I wanted to use
celebrities to bring attention to the problem,” she says.
Gaines was overwhelmed when Swift and Michele donated along
with others including Sarah Jessica Parker and Barbara Corcoran from “Shark
Tank,” now a business contact.
Her world went blank when she suffered a stroke at age 40, told she would not likely be able to walk or talk again or regain her executive leadership functioning. Gaines didn’t let that defeat her. Instead, she rehabbed to the point that she started the doctorate program in entrepreneurial leadership at Johns Hopkins University – making good on those words from Lamb she can recite as if she heard them yesterday.
Ateba Gaines, center, with a group of her “Unreasonable Kids”
Last summer, she started another nonprofit, Unreasonable
Kids, which encourages youth from 7 to 17 to think out of the box in regard to
social issues.
“Where adults see problems, kids see opportunity,” she says.
“I want to teach them young that they have a voice.”
The Yorktown resident, a mother of
three, will teach multiple camps at TCC this summer under the Unreasonable Kids
umbrella. She loves the idea of returning to the college that she credits with
seeing more in her than she saw in herself.
“I learned through TCC to say yes to the process and any
opportunity that presents itself,” she says. “It’s true what they say. You
really can go anywhere from there.”
TCC earns Military Friendly distinction again
Tidewater Community College has earned a 2020-21 Military Friendly® Schools designation.
In rankings released Tuesday, compiled by Military Friendly, TCC earned a bronze designation. Military-related students make up about one-third of TCC’s enrollment.
The designation recognizes colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.
“TCC is totally committed to our military and veteran community,” said Corey McCray, interim executive vice president for Academic and Student Affairs. “Our service members are at the top of our minds as we make decisions about the best way to serve our students and community in their pursuit of personal and professional goals.”
TCC received high marks in academic policies and compliance; admission and orientation; and culture and commitment.
The college assists military-related students at its Center for Military & Veterans Education offices located on all four campuses, local Navy bases and the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek/Fort Story.
Among TCC’s resources for military-related students:
Assistance with the GI Bill®, Tuition Assistance, MyCAA for active-duty spouses, or Virginia-specific tuition waivers and credit for military experience.
Solar Ready Vets connects skilled veterans to the solar energy industry. TCC offers training on its Chesapeake Campus.
The Warrior-Scholar Project recently partnered with TCC to offer immersive college preparatory programs to prepare transitioning service members for the challenges of college.
A Veteran Education Resource Initiative for Transition, Advising, and Success (VERITAS) Initiative representative works with students to provide support from admission to graduation.
Viqtory Media, originator of the family of Military Friendly employment, entrepreneurship and education resources for veterans and their families, published the 2020-21 Military Friendly Schools and Employers ratings at militaryfriendly.com.
Companies and schools must have successfully completed a 2020-21 Military Friendly survey to be considered for the awards program. The methodology for the ranking and the names of awardees are published online at militaryfriendly.com.
TCC has also been repeatedly recognized by Military Times as a Best for Vets school.
MLK scholarship recipient: “TCC literally saved my life.”
Jacquelyn Boykins grew up appreciating Martin Luther King Jr.
Today the 66-year-old Tidewater Community College student shares a bond with the legendary Civil Rights leader and reverend.
Visiting the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis where King was assassinated late last year moved Boykins. An unfinished cup of coffee on his nightstand inside the Lorraine Hotel and his parked vehicle out front made news footage she had watched and rewatched more personal.
“I’m no stranger to the struggle,” she said. “I lived in the era where we were not able to sit at the counter at Woolworth’s because of the color of our skin. I was one of three people who attended the seventh grade during the first years of integration. I lived through that era, but when I was at that museum, I became that era.”
Applying for the TCC scholarship was almost a calling for the human services student who offers this, “TCC literally saved my life.”
As a clerk for the Norfolk Redevelopment Housing Authority, Boykins witnessed firsthand how treatment of low-income residents with little or no education often left them frustrated. She had been in public housing herself and often felt on the other end of dispassionate treatment. It was a cycle she vowed to change through her own education.
When she applied to TCC, Boykins had been out of school for 50 years. She didn’t finish high school. Her grandparents raised her after she lost her mother at 17. She endured desperate times, surviving domestic violence and succumbing to a depression that led to chronic health problems, including diabetes.
She found assistance through the Open Door Project on the Norfolk Campus, and from here, Boykins thrived.
The federally-funded program helps students with academic performance while providing support services to keep them in school.
“I had never been to a live play; I had never been to a museum,” Boykins said. “TCC changed all that. My hunger for learning accelerated. What I love about TCC is that they’re there every step of the way to encourage you.”
Pleasantly surprised by her ability to make A’s in the classroom, Boykins is finishing up her associate degree in human services and she’d eventually like to transfer to Old Dominion University to work toward a bachelor’s in social work.
“I’d like to volunteer at facilities that don’t have funds to have a social worker,” she said.
Currently, Boykins is an advocate for Chesapeake Crossing, a senior community. She advises tenants of their rights and assists with any paperwork related to Social Security, social services, fuel assistance and voting.
The Chesapeake resident has three adult children, Lena Benn, Sid Boykins Jr. and Sidni Cooper and two grandchildren, John W. Benn III and Elaina Wilson.
She was accompanying Cooper, an author of historical romance whose pen name is Sidni B, to Memphis for a book signing when she visited the Civil Rights museum. She’ll never forget it.
“The somber atmosphere and reverence I felt for Dr. King while I was there – we clicked,” she said. “When I learned about this scholarship, I had no choice but to apply.
“I will use this money to better educate myself in helping people with their life situations.”
From Fortnite to formulas, TCC summer camps offer something for everyone
Designing your own version of Fortnite? Channeling your inner entrepreneur? Learning to publish original content on YouTube?
Tidewater Community College ramped up its camp offerings for the summer to include a plethora of new options.
Check out all of TCC’s summer camps for budding scientists, engineers, video game enthusiasts, interior designers, computer wizards and more. TCC camps have options for elementary, middle school and high school aged-youth.
Students at work in the STEM camp.
Other popular options:
Junior Veterinarian School encourages campers to explore turning their love for animals into a career.
Creative Writing lets middle school-aged kids explore their creative side by working with college faculty in writing and producing a short play.
Video Game Animation encourages campers to take their game design skills to the next level by creating and animating their own characters and objects.
Interior Design Bootcamp has students explore the design process and tackle a realistic design problems.
STEM Camps exposes campers to careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
TCC’s week-long, affordable programs are located on its Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach campuses, and at the Center for Workforce Solutions in Suffolk. Camps are offered from June through August.
Limited enrollment size ensures all campers receive personalized attention.
Campers from Veterinarian Medicine 101.
There is an early bird pre-registration discount of $5 per camp through May 31. Scholarships are available for some camps, and noted online in the camp description.
For a complete listing of camps, visit tcc.edu/camps. Registration is now open.
From here, earn your BFA at Old Dominion seamlessly
Tidewater Community College arts students can now benefit from a new transfer agreement with Old Dominion University.
TCC students who have completed an Associate of Applied Arts in Studio Arts will receive junior class standing at Old Dominion University, where all their credits will be accepted toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
TCC’s studio arts program offers students the ability to learn in a collaborative arts environment at its Visual Arts Center with specializations in pre-art therapy, glass and photography.
TCC’s studio arts associate degree is a 64-credit program. For questions about enrollment, call 757-822-1111.
Inside the Skilled Trades Academy: Sheet Metal
Tidewater Community College’s Skilled Trades Academy offers hands-on, short-term instruction for in-demand trade jobs. This is the first part in a series.
Kyle Cooke is ready to build a future. Navy wife Marcy
Camacho wants to prepare for a leadership position. Devin Wilson needed a new
career after more than a decade as a trucker.
All of them found opportunity at TCC’s Skilled Trades Academy where they are part of a two-week training program in sheet metal that will lead to full-time employment at Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS). As part of the pre-hire program at NNS, they pay $250, which they are then reimbursed for upon successful completion of the class. They receive safety training and are then hired, making upward of $19 per hour.
Sheet
metal specialists are responsible for the majority of the interior finish work
on Navy vessels. Instructor Frank Yandle says seeing your finished work is
among the joys of the job.
“There’s a
pride component,” he said. “These students come right in and are able to
contribute.”
Navy wife Marcy Camacho is preparing for a new career.
The
training has a classroom component that includes basic mathematics – adding,
subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions – and teaching measures.
Students learn how to use approximately 26 hand tools, including drillers and
grinder and are hands-on the very first day.
Cooke, 24, enjoys working with his hands and grew tired of low-paying jobs that didn’t offer advancement. “I needed something that was going to give back to me in the long run,” he said.
Camacho
returned to the area after her husband’s deployment ended. Her background was
as a caregiver, but she’s embracing a different kind of challenge.
“I was a little intimidated at first, but once I got into learning the power tools, it was great,” she said.
Wilson drove a truck for 14 years but now wants a more stationary role. With a toddler, insurance benefits are increasingly important. “I need a career where I can grow,” he said.
A background in sheet metal or any other trade isn’t required. Yandle, retired after nearly 40 years working at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, works one-on-one with students when needed. “You’re not just learning a job,” he said. “You’re learning to be a craftsman.”
Working together
Employment of sheet
metal workers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster
than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Department of
Labor.
Interested in learning a trade that leads to employment?
Contact TCC’s Stan Ashemore at sashemore@tcc.edu. The Skilled Trades Academy
is located at 3303 Airline Blvd., in Portsmouth.
Interior Design student places in national carpet design competition
Tidewater Community College Interior Design student Colleen Garrettson recently placed in the top five in a student competition sponsored by Delos Custom Carpets and Rugs. Students from colleges including UCLA, Canada College and the Art Institute of Atlanta submitted designs that ranged from whimsical to structured.
Garrettson’s design, “Poolside,” is a multi-hued blue, gray and white swishy pattern that is reminiscent of cool afternoons near the water.
“Poolside” carpet design by Colleen Garrettson.
DelosCarpets are used by designers nationwide and are American made, robotically tufted and hand-finished for speed and consistency.
Garrettson is a second-year student in TCC’s associate degree program, coming back to school after years as a stay-at-home mom and bookkeeper. Her daughter, Elizabeth, is studying Funeral Services at the Virginia Beach Campus.
“I was tickled to have such a contest to enter and to gain working experience while I’m still in school,” Garrettson said. “My time at TCC has been very productive, and I’ve learned from every single class and project.”
Contest judging was completed at the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) leadership conference in Atlanta. Garrettson is a member of the student chapter of ASID and appreciates the learning opportunities provided by the group.
Garrettson will receive a produced copy of her carpet for her portfolio. Her design is with Delos for future use.
Garrettson in the Interior Design sample library and work room on the Chesapeake Campus.
“I decided to finally follow my passion even though I was a little intimated to come back to school after so many years,” she said. “My professors have pushed me every day to do my best work.”
Garrettson spends her free time visiting historical sites with her husband, John. She is interested in preservation and hopes to use her degree for future work in that area.
More than halfway through the program, Garrettson urges others to find competitive opportunities.
“I encourage everyone to enter contests like this one,” she said. “Put yourself out there and watch the doors open.”
Black History Month 2020
Tidewater Community College celebrates Black History Month 2020 with a keynote address by Vernon J. Hurte, associate vice president and dean of students at Iowa State University, on Feb. 28 at noon in the multi-purpose room at the Portsmouth Campus Student Center. Pre-registration is required. To save your spot click here.
Vernon Hurte is the keynote speaker for TCC’s Black History Month celebration.
Hurte formerly directed the Center for Student Diversity at William & Mary. He was senior pastor of the historic New Light Baptist Church in Richmond for nearly a decade. Hurte was awarded William & Mary’s Chambers-Reid Award for Professional Excellence and named one of Inspire Magazine’s Top 40 inspirers in America.
The national theme for Black History Month is “African Americans and the Vote.”
At TCC, the month includes an assortment of free, public activities throughout February with speakers, discussions and entertainment at campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.
Events, which are subject to change, are on a first-come, first-served basis. For the most up-to-date listing of events, visit www.tcc.edu/black-history.
Each year, Tidewater Community College honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during Black History Month with a distinguished service award to a TCC faculty or staff member, and provides a scholarship to a TCC student. To view the winners of the 2020 awards visit www.tcc.edu/black-history.
Campus Events
Chesapeake Campus
Feb. 5
Black History Month Movie: “Get Out” 12:30 – 2 p.m., Chesapeake Campus Student Center, Veterans Lounge “Get Out” is written and directed by Jordan Peele. This story about racism isn’t a drama or comedy. Instead, it’s a horror film.
Black History Month Movie: “42 – The Jackie Robinson Story” 2:30 – 4 p.m., Chesapeake Campus Student Center, Veterans Lounge The film chronicles the life of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play Major League Baseball.
Feb. 13
Thinkfast Gameshow Black History Month Trivia 12:30 – 1 p.m. and 1-1:30 p.m., Student Center, Chesapeake Bay Room Test your knowledge of black history and pop culture for a chance to win up to $200! Student ID required to participate.
Feb. 19 & 20
Black History Cultural Festival – Day 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. – Student Center, Chesapeake Bay Room and Academic Building Explore cultural dance, fashion, arts, storytelling, music, food and education as it relates to black history.
Black History Cultural Festival – Evening 6 – 7 p.m. – Student Center, Chesapeake Bay Room and Academic Building Explore cultural dance, fashion, arts, storytelling, music, food and education as it relates to black history.
Feb. 26
Black History Month Movie: “House Party” 12:30 – 2 p.m., Chesapeake Campus Student Center, Veterans Lounge The comedy “House Party” stars the rap duo Kid ‘N Play.
Black History Month Movie: “A Wrinkle in Time” 2:30 – 4 p.m., Chesapeake Campus Student Center, Veterans Lounge After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother and her friend into space to find him.
Norfolk Campus
Feb. 6
African American Artist Showcase Noon – 1 p.m., Norfolk Campus Student Center, lobby Meet student artists and view their work.
Feb. 19
The Divine 9 Greek Fest Noon – 1:30 p.m., Norfolk Campus Student Center, 5th floor Join us for a conversation about the history and significance of black Greek fraternities and sororities.
Feb. 20
Financial Empowerment in Black America Noon – 2 p.m., Norfolk Campus Student Center, 5th floor Learn about ways to leverage your cash to build wealth by engaging with black business owners and community leaders. Special guests include Ron Lewis with LTC2 Consulting; Will Randolph with Legacy Banking; and Vivian Oden with Hampton Roads Community Foundation.
Feb. 25
Entrepreneurship in Black America Noon – 1:30 p.m., Norfolk Campus Student Center, 5th floor Join us as we view “BOSS: The Black Experience in Business.” Stay for a panel discussion as black business owners share their experiences of barriers, challenges, successes and key factors that led to their success.
Portsmouth Campus
Feb. 7
First Fridays: Vocalize (open mic) 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Portsmouth Campus Student Center, The Commons Share your talent and creativity with a focus on black history, heritage, culture and life.
Feb. 13
Race to the ballot – a conversation with faculty and leaders 12:30 -1:30 p.m., | Portsmouth Campus Student Center, E124-126 Join the conversation with a panel of faculty and community organizers to discuss the 2020 elections as they pertain to issues impacting African Americans.
Feb. 20
A stage production of “Abolitionists’ Museum” 12:30 -1:30 p.m. Portsmouth Campus Student Center, The Commons JuneteenthVA Theater company presents “Abolitionists’ Museum,” a play written by Sheri Bailey about Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Sojourner Truth, John Brown, Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stow and David Walker as wax figures in a museum in a debate moderated by the museum curator.
Virginia Beach Campus
Feb. 4
Black History Month kickoff event 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, 2nd Floor Breezeway Celebrate Black History Month with food, drinks and activities.
Feb. 6
Black History Month Movie: “Lincoln” 10 a.m., Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, TV Lounge While the Civil War continues to rage, President Lincoln struggles with the continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.
Feb. 10
Black History Month Movie: “Black Panther” 3 p.m., Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, TV Lounge In the hidden but advanced kingdom of Wakanda, T’Challa must step forward to lead his people into a new future and confront a challenger from his country’s past.
Feb. 12
Poetry Slam 2 p.m., Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, Cafe Step up to the mic and let your creativity flow!
Feb. 19
Black History Month Movie: “13th” Noon, Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, TV Lounge The film takes an in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and reveals the nation’s history of racial inequality.
Feb. 20
Make your own “I have a dream” vision board 1 -2:30 p.m., Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, Cafe In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., make your own vision board to reflect the values he held dear.
Feb. 25
Trivia Night 5:30 p.m., Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, 2nd-floor Breezeway Test your knowledge of black history.
Feb. 27
Black History Month Movie: “Mudbound” 3:30 p.m., Virginia Beach Campus Student Center, TV Lounge Based on the story of two men who return home from World War II to work on a farm in rural Mississippi, where they struggle to deal with racism and adjust to life after war.
TCC delegation advocates for G3 at General Assembly
College Board Chair Cindy Free and President Marcia Conston led a contingent of 16 Tidewater Community College representatives to the General Assembly on Jan. 29 to press the case for G3, Gov. Ralph Northam’s signature program to put community college within reach of more Virginians.
G3 stands for “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back.” The governor’s $145 million budget proposal would provide “last-dollar” funding for low- and middle-income students who are eligible for in-state tuition, have applied for federal and state student aid, and are pursuing an education in one of five areas key to the state’s economic development: IT/computer science, health care, public safety, skilled trades and early childhood education.
“If this program is approved by the General Assembly as part of the state budget, it would be a gamechanger,” said President Conston. “We estimate eligible TCC students would number in the thousands.”
Anna Mae Taborn, a student at the Portsmouth Campus, is pursuing an Associate of Applied Science in Information Systems Technology, one of the eligible programs, and she hopes to become a beneficiary. But she said the trip to Richmond benefitted her in another way.
“With the knowledge of the program, I can push it to others who should take advantage of it,” she said.
Aspen Roadcap, a Chesapeake Campus student majoring in liberal arts and business administration, told legislators that she sees her friends struggle with rent and bills while working multiple jobs to pay tuition. “This would help them concentrate on college,” she said.
Meeting with nearly 20 legislators over a few hours, members of the TCC contingent said they encountered little opposition to the budget proposal. “It’s a bipartisan issue,” said Board Chair Free.
The TCC representatives were introduced from the floor of the Senate by Sen. John Cosgrove of Chesapeake, who graduated with an engineering degree from TCC before attending Old Dominion University. “Hopefully my story truly embodies the TCC motto, ‘From Here, Go Anywhere,’ ” he said. He offered a special welcome to President Conston as she takes the helm of “my beloved institution.”
Norfolk Campus student Caroline Conlon said she went to the General Assembly not knowing what to expect. “I was interested to see the process,” she said.
For Norfolk Campus student Shaniqua Hall, “I was so honored to be meeting very important people and having them hear my story. I was happy to be here.”
Also representing TCC were board members Jerome Bynum, Bill Crow, Mark Hugel, Delceno Miles and Andy Tysinger; Educational Foundation Board member Paul Battaglia and Executive Director Steven Jones; Corey McCray, interim executive vice president for Academic and Student Affairs and vice president for Workforce Solutions; Emanuel Chestnut, interim Norfolk Campus provost; and Marian Anderfuren, vice president for communications.
English professor awarded college’s MLK service award posthumously
Nita Wood loved books and writing and treated her English students at Tidewater Community College as family.
“She always had someone from TCC for me to meet whenever I came home,” said her son, Claudius, an attorney in Atlanta. “My mother was very, very loving and caring to her detriment. She’d overextend herself sometimes. That’s just how she was.”
Wood, who died on Sept. 3, 2019, is the recipient of TCC’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award. The English professor, who also taught African American literature, started teaching at TCC in 1999.
“Her legacy lives on through the many people she inspired,” said her colleague and good friend, April Campbell, also an English professor. “Her charismatic teaching methods made students feel comfortable and accepted, and many students have praised her for being available and approachable.”
Claudius Wood, who lost his father at 10, credits his mother for seeing him through his early years. He called her a disciplinarian who never raised her voice. Instead, she altered her inflection to take control of the situation, he said.
“When she said it, you understood it,” he said. “She had to guide us into manhood and adulthood. That’s super hard for a woman to do.”
Nita Wood was also a mother to sons Ernest Wood III and DeMarcus Wood and a daughter Keva Hayes. She had one granddaughter Chiyah Wood-Majors and a grandson, Claudius D. Wood II. Nita Wood was a Booker T. Washington graduate who matriculated at Norfolk State University.
Her lesson of treating people the way you want to be treated is reminiscent of many of King’s teachings.
“She would say if you mistreat people, you can’t go back and change it,” Claudius said.
Michelle Woodhouse, provost of the Portsmouth Campus where Wood taught, remembers her friend fondly. “Nita Wood truly lived and exemplified the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” she said. “She believed and fought for equality not only for her children but for her students as well. When I think of Dr. King’s famous quote – ‘I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,’ – I think of Nita, a mother of four who stressed to her children and the students she taught the importance of education and how vital character is in defining who they ultimately become. I have personally witnessed Nita’s passion as evidenced by her consistent backing of campus activities which aided in student retention and success efforts.”
The Chesapeake resident died of cardiac arrest on Labor Day. Claudius Wood, who recently became a father, said losing his mother is the hardest part of his life. He will accept the award on her behalf on Feb. 28 at a ceremony on the Portsmouth Campus. Hayes will also be in attendance.
“My mother lost her mother when she was 7,” he said. “She would always say you can’t sit down when you lose someone; you’ve got to keep moving. We’re trying to do the same thing.”
