Pellissippi State’s Magnolia Avenue Drama Club presents Pulitzer-nominated play

November 19th, 2009

The Magnolia Avenue Campus Drama Club of Pellissippi State Community College presents two performances of A. R. Gurney’s “The Dining Room,” the first one Nov. 30 and the second Dec. 2.

Written in 1982, the play was a 1985 nominee for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The story centers on family dynamics and is set entirely in a dining room, once the focal point of American family interaction.

In keeping with a tradition established by its previous productions, the Drama Club is using a minimal number of actors to fill multiple roles: eight cast members portray 24 characters. Students, faculty and staff from the Magnolia Avenue Campus make up the cast.

Although a Pulitzer nominee in the Drama category, the play “is very much a comedy, as well,” according to Rick Patton, an associate professor of English at the college and the play’s director.

Both performances are free and open to the public. However, donations will be accepted, with all proceeds going to the Pellissippi State Foundation on behalf of the Magnolia Avenue Campus Drama Club.

Both are in the Community Room of the Magnolia Avenue Campus, 1610 Magnolia Ave. The Nov. 30 presentation is at 7 p.m., and the Dec. 2 is at 2 p.m.

For additional information, contact Patton at (865) 329-3134 or rpatton@pstcc.edu.

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Pellissippi State art instructor featured in Art in America Magazine

November 17th, 2009

Brian Jobe, an artist and Pellissippi State Community College Art adjunct faculty member, has grown accustomed to seeing his works featured in the press. From a 2004 mention in the University of Tennessee’s Daily Beacon while he was an undergraduate student to a feature in NY Arts Magazine for a 2008 solo exhibition in San Antonio, Texas, Jobe appreciates the importance of getting the word out about his art.

His recent appearance in Art in America Magazine, however, provides exposure that potentially surpasses the more than two dozen other press clippings he has collected since 2004. Billed as “the world’s premier art magazine,” Art in America covers art news in the United States and abroad. Published since the 1920s, the magazine is one with a strong reputation.

“It’s a really big deal in the art world,” said Anne Kinggard, Pellissippi State Art professor and program coordinator of Art and Theatre.

Jobe’s sculpture installation covered by Art in America was in “Artists to Watch at the Governors Island Art Fair,” an article profiling a juried art show on Governors Island in New York Harbor. Jobe was among 113 artists selected to display his work at the month-long fair. He drove from Knoxville to New York to install his sculpture.

“Governors Island was a shocking place to be, coming over from Manhattan. It was so lush and green.” His sculpture, fittingly, was displayed at the exterior of one of the island’s historic buildings.

Jobe, who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at San Antonio, is slated to teach two sections of Drawing I during the spring 2010 term at Pellissippi State.

Classes begin on Jan. 14, and registration continues through Jan. 11. For additional information on Jobe’s classes or any other courses, visit www.pstcc.edu/admissions or call (865) 694-6400.

Visit Jobe’s website at www.brianjobe.com.

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Pellissippi State bluegrass band to perform live on WDVX

November 17th, 2009

Live on the radio—it’s Hardin Valley Thunder!

Pellissippi State Community College’s bluegrass ensemble will be on WDVX radio’s Blue Plate Special Dec. 1. Fans can tune in or go downtown to the WDVX studio to catch the free performance.

The Blue Plate Special starts at noon with two bands performing. Hardin Valley Thunder, which is made up of nine Pellissippi State students and two community members, plays at 12:30. The band will perform favorites such as “Fox on the Run,” “Who Will Watch the Homeplace,” “When in Rome” and “Tipper.”

Larry Vincent, Music instructor at Pellissippi State and director of Hardin Valley Thunder, says the group is excited about the opportunity.

“Those slots at WDVX are pretty coveted,” he said. “They get a lot of calls from people who want to play there.”

Hardin Valley Thunder has performed many times at the college, satisfying bluegrass lovers with classics such as “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” In fact, the group is part of this year’s popular Holiday Spectacular, scheduled for two presentations on Dec. 10, one at 6 and a second at 8 p.m., in the Clayton Performing Arts Center, on the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road.

“This group has been added to the ensemble offerings to assist our students in exploring a style of music that embraces our local Appalachian heritage,” said Bill Brewer, Music program coordinator.

WDVX is a listener-supported community radio station that plays bluegrass, Americana, classic and alternative country, western swing, blues, old-time and traditional mountain music, bluegrass gospel, Celtic and folk, as well as rock and roll. The internationally known station provides local and regional musicians an outlet for their talents.

The WDVX studio is located at the Knoxville Visitor Center on the corner of Gay Street and Summit Hill Drive. Radio listeners can tune in on FM at 89.9, 102.9 and 105.9 or go online to www.wdvx.com.

For more information about the performance, contact Larry Vincent at (865) 539-7156 or lfvincent@pstcc.edu.

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Pellissippi State student wins Women’s Economic Council scholarship

November 17th, 2009

Amy King, a Pellissippi State Community College student, has received a scholarship from the Women’s Economic Council Foundation.

King was presented with a $1,000 award at the 2009 Economic Summit for Women, hosted by the Tennessee Economic Council on Women in Nashville in October. The scholarship was awarded by Andrea Conte, who is married to Gov. Phil Bredesen, and the summit included keynote speaker Gloria Steinem, a well-known feminist activist, writer and speaker.

The Economic Council develops and advocates for ways to help women achieve economic autonomy.

King took home a $1,000 East Tennessee Non-Traditional Scholarship for her achievements as an Adult Education student at the college. She will use the award for tuition for spring semester at Pellissippi State.

“I’m a single mother and I wanted to go back to school before my daughter graduated from high school,” King said. “In January, I enrolled in Adult Education at Pellissippi State—and in a couple of months, I had passed the GED.

“My ultimate goal is to be a nurse practitioner. I want to graduate from Pellissippi State with an associate’s degree in Nursing, then transfer to UT for a bachelor’s.” Pellissippi State recently received the go-ahead to offer an associate’s degree program in Nursing, and the college plans to start taking student applications in January.

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Back-to-back Holiday Spectacular concerts at Pellissippi State

November 12th, 2009

Mark your crowded holiday calendar for Thursday, Dec. 10. That’s the date of the 11th annual Holiday Spectacular concerts presented by Pellissippi State Community College.

So popular in years past that the event is often standing-room-only for audiences, the free musical production is now offered twice in one evening, with performances beginning at 6 and 8 p.m.

This year, more than 130 students, faculty and staff will present choral, instrumental and dance pieces. Selections include both sacred and secular holiday music, ranging in style from classical to jazz.

The fast-paced production flows from one ensemble performance to the next, with “carolers” moving the action along. Enhancing the evening’s sounds are lighted trees and special effects, including on-stage “snow.”

A special feature of the Holiday Spectacular is the Pellissippi State Faculty/Staff Choir, a 34-member group consisting of administrative employees, faculty members and support staff. The assembly is a crowd favorite.

“The fun we have in rehearsal really comes out at performance time,” said Bill Brewer, Music program coordinator.

The back-to-back concerts take place in the Clayton Performing Arts Center on the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road. Plenty of free parking is available.

Donations will be accepted at the door for the Pellissippi State Foundation, on behalf of the Music Scholarship fund.

For additional information, contact Brewer at (865) 694-6701 or lwbrewer@pstcc.edu.

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TSBDC at Pellissippi State marks milestones

November 12th, 2009

More jobs, more capital investment for East Tennessee businesses and more training for the region’s entrepreneurs. That’s one way to sum up the broad impact of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center at Pellissippi State Community College for the first six months of this year.

The TSBDC’s 2009 semi-annual report highlights several milestones, including capital formation of nearly $10 million, an increase of 42 percent for the last half of 2008. As indicators of its economic impact, the organization also cited 115 new jobs and 19 new businesses in its 16-county service area.

The TSBDC helps new businesses trying to get off the ground, and it supports existing businesses, like Downtown Hardware in Oak Ridge, nominated for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Success Story Program this year.

One of the store’s owners, Ann Bratton, sought the TSBDC’s help evaluating the store’s target market, among other services. The store struggled with competition from larger ones that moved into the area. TSBDC advice, seminars, resource information and ability to put her in touch with people who could answer her questions enabled Bratton to develop a plan to help the business grow.

“As my family-owned business approaches its 54th anniversary, I feel confident we will be able to survive and prosper in the coming years,” Bratton said.

According to the report, the TSBDC served several more clients during the last reporting period and increased the number of online seminars from three to 21, with 128 people participating. The TSBDC continued its work in the areas of advocacy for small businesses, innovation and technology transfer, international trade, resource development and minority business development.

Minorities represent 13.6 percent of the center’s clients and 18.8 percent of training attendees. Women account for 41.8 percent of clients and 53 percent of training attendees. The TSBDC also continued building its relationship with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, like the Pellissippi State TSBDC, a Knoxville Area Chamber partner.

For more information about the TSBDC and the Pellissippi State office, visit www.tsbdc.org.

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Pellissippi State honors advisory committee members Barron, Wright

November 11th, 2009

Two local business professionals who serve on advisory committees for Pellissippi State Community College have been recognized for their contributions. The college’s advisory committees are made up of leaders from local business and industry and provide insights and advice on degree programs and courses.

Laura Barron, owner and president of The Barron Group, has served on the Business Administration Advisory Committee since 2005. She volunteers her time as a guest speaker in numerous Pellissippi State classes, as well as assists in evaluating business plans in the capstone classes each spring. Barron is a longstanding resource in Pellissippi State’s advisory committees planning process.

A member of the advisory committees since the early 1990s, Glen Wright serves on the Video Production Technology Advisory Committee. He is a senior systems engineer with Scripps Network, and he shares his skills and experience with the faculty as they make curricular content and technology decisions. Wright was instrumental in implementing the technology in Pellissippi State’s Bagwell Center for Media and Art.

Barron and Wright were recognized at the annual Advisory Committees Appreciation Dinner on Oct. 27. Both were awarded plaques in honor of their contributions.

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Medic blood drive returns to Pellissippi State

November 11th, 2009

With preparations already under way for holiday activities, it might seem an inconvenient time donate blood. But the demand for blood products does not necessarily drop because we’re busy with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s plans. It fluctuates daily, even hourly, and can actually rise during the holidays.

The public is invited and encouraged to donate blood on Tuesday, Nov. 24, during Medic Regional Blood Center’s mobile drive at Pellissippi State Community College. Pellissippi State faculty, staff and students will also be participating.

Approximately 85 percent of the blood Medic collects comes from mobile drives conducted within the community. The organization serves 29 hospitals within a 21-county region and, as usual, is in need of all blood types.

Donors should be at least 17 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds and not have fasted prior to arriving. Medic suggests eating a high-protein, low-fat meal before donating blood.

The mobile unit will be parked in the F-1 lot at the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road. The door opens at 8:30 a.m., and the drive concludes at 4 p.m.

For additional information, contact Carolyn Carson at (865) 694-6554 or ccarson@pstcc.edu.

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Pellissippi State and Knoxville Museum of Art to join forces in offering new class

November 11th, 2009

Ever wondered what it would be like to work in a museum? In spring 2010, 15 students from Pellissippi State Community College will get the opportunity to learn firsthand how a museum functions and view from behind the scenes the role it plays in the life of a community.

In collaboration with the Knoxville Museum of Art, Pellissippi State is offering a new 3-credit art course, Museum Studies at KMA. Students will spend one day on campus and one day at the museum during most weeks of the course.

At Pellissippi State, they will discuss art history, the role of artists and the purpose of education in a museum. At KMA, students will tour the facility, meet with staff and explore career options in the museum field.

A special emphasis will be placed on the importance of interacting with museum visitors. Students, assisted by KMA staff, will lead tour groups and engage with the public by talking about exhibits. The tour sessions will prepare students to become leaders in their community and help them become confident with public speaking. Those who prefer to be excused from the public speaking portion may opt to prepare educational information for student groups.

Instructors are Alison Oakes, adjunct faculty member in art at Pellissippi State, and David Butler, KMA’s executive director. Class size is limited to 15. Classes meet every Tuesday and Thursday, 3:30-4:50 p.m., beginning Jan. 14.

Registration for spring 2010 semester runs through Jan. 11.

For additional information, visit www.pstcc.edu/admissions or call (865) 694-6400.

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Millions of artifacts and 65 years of research: Pellissippi State discussion explores area history

November 6th, 2009

A permanent exhibit at the University of Tennessee’s Frank H. McClung Museum tells the story of 14,000 years of human culture. The entire collection of “Archaeology and the Native Peoples of Tennessee” boasts several million artifacts assembled by archaeologists beginning in the 1930s.

Pellissippi State Community College is hosting a discussion and presentation of the exhibit by Joan Markel, McClung’s outreach educator, on Nov. 17. The one-hour event takes place at 12:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Magnolia Avenue Campus, 1610 E. Magnolia Ave. The event is free and open to the public.

The presentation is part of the college’s Common Academic Experience, a program in which one book is chosen each academic year to serve as a common denominator in developing curricular and co-curricular activities.

The 2009-2010 Common Book, “Storming Heaven,” by Denise Giardina, is required reading for many students. The novel is the centerpiece for activities ranging from author presentations to art exhibits to film showings. Both the book and the McClung exhibit examine the native peoples of the South.

The collection, which includes genuine artifacts as well as visual images, grew out of UT’s involvement with the Tennessee Valley Authority in protecting the remains of Native American sites inundated by reservoirs. The archaeological agreement started in 1934.

For additional information, contact Rosalyn Tillman, assistant dean of the Magnolia Avenue Campus, at (865) 329-3100 or rtillman@pstcc.edu.

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