&'/ie ^€u^^a/i
THE VOICE OF WILKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VOLUME 20, NUMBER 2
WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
OCTOBER 16, 1989
PresidenVs Message
Dr. Jim Randolph
President
As winter quarter approaches,
it’s evident this will be an out
standing school year.
You have proven to be enthusias
tic students with high standards in
your desire for education. Your
extracurricular efforts are also to
be commended.
Projects like the reorganization
of the Criminal Justice Club; and
Phi Beta Lambda and Baptist Stu
dents Union’s aid to hurricane vic
tims show initiative. I’m sure more
projects are underway that deserve
equal recognition.
Our 25th anniversary theme is
“Excellence in Education.” That is
what the faculty, administration
staff strive for at all times. It’s
rewarding to see that philosophy
also reflected by WCC’s students.
Important changes have taken
place in recent months. One is the
opening of Daniel Hall, which gave
several programs some much need
ed elbow room.
Changes in the administrative
structure and employee policies
are in the works. Most of them
won’t affect students individually.
But hopefully, they are steps to ward
making WCC a better college as a
whole.
That is our goal for this academic
year, and we expect to met it. I
wish you success in meeting your
own goals at WCC.
Literacy Enrollment Is Up
One in four North Carolinians is
functionally illiterate, meaning that
he or she cannot read and write
well enough to fill out a job ap
plication, read a prescription label,
or take a driver’s license test without
assistance. In Wilkes County, the
statistics are even more alarming:
the rate is one in three!
In order to meet this challenge,
the literacy department is stepping
up its efforts to meet the needs of
our citizens, both onsite here at the
Learning Center at the College, as
well as in industry, senior and
community centers, and night clas
ses in high schools throughout our
three county area.
In our Learning Lab, we offer
instruction in Adult Basic Educa
tion, teaching adults to read, write,
and do math. We offer instruction
in GED Certificate preparation,
and a curriculum for the Adult
High School diploma.
In addition, we currently have
ongoing onsite industrial classes,
classes at night at various locations
throughout the three county area,
all offering ABE, GED, and AHS
instruction.
Our most unique challenge arises
fron a new and growing population
of legal aliens from other countries
who must learn to read, write, and
speak English in order to assimi
late into our culture, country, and
in some cases, in order to be able to
remain in the United States. For
these students, we offer a course of
instruction approved by the Immi
gration Department, in English as
a second language.
Enrollment is up considerably
from last year in all our Literacy
programs, and we’ve added classes
and personnel to handle additional
students. Recruitment is ongoing
and intensive, but locating and
identifying the people who need
our services is difficult. So help us
-and spread the word! Anyone
who needs information about any
of our programs may call Kay Cun
ningham at 651-8716.
“Enrollment Increases
Enrollment rose more than
ten percent at Wilkes Commun
ity College this fall, compared
to last fall quarter.
The new school year began
with 1,950 students enrolling in
credit classes at the main campus
and at satellite centers in Ashe
and Alleghany.
“It’s encouraging to have an
increase in our enrollment,” said
WCC President Dr. Jim Ran
dolph. “Now our objective as
an institution will be to retain
the students and help them a-
chieve their goals.”
Eighty percent of the students
are from Wilkes, Ashe and Alle
ghany, which is WCC’s desig
nated service area.
Nineteen percent are from
other N.C. counties and one
percent, or sixteen students, are
from out of state.
True to recent trends, females
outnumber males 1,192 to 758.
Most students are enrolled in
two-year technical programs,
which is also typical for WCC’s
enrollment. A total of 1,109
signed up in technical programs,
while 654 enrolled in college
transfer programs and 187 are
in one-year vocational pro
grams.
Calvin Dull, dean of continu
ing education, said he expects
enrollment to be higher in non
credit programs also. Tallies
are not in because some classes
are still registering students, he
said.
Non-credit programs include
industry training, adult basic
education and high school, avo-
cational classes like crafts and
music, fire and rescue training
and other courses that do not
count toward degrees.
The increase in enrollment
will mean an increase in funding
next year, Randolph noted. The
college’s budget is based on a •
formula that used FTE (full
time equivalent) students as the
basis for state funding.
This is the second year WCC
has seen an increase in enroll
ment after some decline. Some
of this year’s additional funds
have gone toward a new English
teacher the college is in the
process of hiring.
Six percent pay raises were
also given to all full-time em
ployees and other salary adjust
ments were made to bring sal
aries in line.
Lynn Worth
Director of Public Information
Visiting Artist’s
Corner
Hugo Hits Hard
Results of “Hugo”
Peter and Bonnie Lindblom
Visiting Artist
Peter Lindblom, the visiting artist
at WCC, has been busy the first
part of the quarter performing and
planning for the upcoming events.
Peter has been traveling to schools
and different communities to per
form. He performed for eighth
graders at Millers Creek school,
played at the Greenhouse Craft-
house in Glendale Springs, NC;
performed Moravian trumpet music
in Winston-Salem on September
14; and played at the gazebo on
eight different occasions. He has
been rehearsing twice weekly with
the Wilkes Brass Band and the
Jazz Ensemble for the upcoming
concerts, worked with the group
for the Sharkespeare Festival, and
played at the Apple Festival.
What he plans to do the rest of
the quarter includes: a midday con
certs series with all kinds of music
the last of the month and the first
of November; perform in churches,
perform at First Baptist Church in
December, and conduct a High
School Brass Clinic for the area
high schools.
When Peter Lindblom chose a
trumpet to play in his school band
because it looked neat, he never
realized that it would be what he
would be doing for a living—now it
is his way of life.
On September 22, 1989, Wilkes
Community College received an
unexpected vacation day due to a
storm. Notjust any storm, however,
a hurricane. Yes, that’s what I said,
a hurricane. The storm was a major
event for us because it is very
strange for a hurricane to hit so far
inland.
Needless to say, trees were dam
aged extensively in Wilkes and
surrounding areas. Power lines were
downed, trees were snapped like
toothpicks, and homes and cars
were damaged. Along with Wilkes
County, Mecklenburg County was
also hit hard by the hurricane, alias
Hugo. Even weeks later, Charlotte
and surrounding areas are still
cleaning up after Hugo’s visit.
Even though the inland areas of
North Carolina were hit hard, noth
ing compares to the damage sus
tained by Charleston, Myrtle Beach,
and other costal areas. Entire
houses and buildings were leveled
to the ground as Hugo slammed
against the eastern coast.
A storm such as Hugo makes us
realize the power and fury of nature
and will help us to once again fear
the power of God.
Carol Blackburn
Age can’t stop you from gaining
useful knowledge at Wilkes Community College.
If you think college isn’t fun,
try attending with your son.
It is a pleasure to attend a college
where you’re known as an individual;
Not just a number - never too old -
to learn and gain useful knowledge.
Thank God for Wilkes Community College.
Brenda Sales
(Son - Tim Sales)