Wallace State employees kick off 2013 fall semester with convocation, highlighted by motivational speaker Andy Masters
CONTACT: Russell Moore, Communications and Marketing, Wallace State Community College, 256.352.8443, russell.moore@wallacestate.edu
HANCEVILLE – Wallace State Community College employees marked a new fall semester by attending the college’s annual convocation this week at the Burrow Center for the Fine and Performing Arts.
Wallace State invited a host of guests to the fall kickoff event, including State Sen. Paul Bussman R-Cullman, Rep. Mac Buttram, R-Cullman, Rep. David Standridge, R-Hayden, Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Cullman, and Norris Atchley, President of the Wallace State Future Foundation Board of Directors.
Andy Masters, an award-winning author and engaging motivational speaker from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., served as the event’s keynote presenter. Masters’ presentations are specifically tailored to appeal to college employees and students, and he makes nearly 50 appearances a year at multiple colleges and universities.
Masters spoke to Wallace State’s faculty and staff about ways to engage and inspire today’s generation of students and how to embrace the new campus service environment through the college’s customer service.
“This screen is your competition,” said Masters, pointing to a PowerPoint slide consisting of mixed logos of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Xbox, Google, Yahoo! and an iPod. “The challenge has never been greater to get through the brain clutter and get from point A to point B. Students today have brain stimuli coming at them from many different ways. An average student spends seven hours and 38 minutes using some form of entertainment media.”
While today’s college students are, for the most part, technologically-savvy and wired different than previous generations, Masters feels they’re also destined with unlimited potential.
“I absolutely believe that today’s generation of students can be the single greatest generation in this country’s history. These people are probably going to create cures to diseases that you and I will have,” Masters said. “They are very quick learners when focused on the task at hand and do care greatly about the social and cultural issues around them.
Masters also discussed how appreciative he was of two people, one faculty member and one staff employee, who changed his life forever while he was attending a community college in Missouri. He encouraged all Wallace State employees to be aware of the possibilities they have to be role models for their current students.
Masters has written books titled “37 Keys to College Success: Balancing Student Life and Academics,” “Life After College: What to Expect and How to Succeed in Your Career,” and “Things Leaders Say: A Daily Guide to Help Every Leader Empower and Inspire.”
At the outset of the convocation, Buttram presented a resolution and recognized the 2013 Wallace State softball team for winning the NJCAA Division I national championship at St. George, Utah, in May, the program’s second. A resolution was also presented to Wallace State golfer Aksel Olsen for earning an individual national championship as the low medalist at the NJCAA Division I national event. Wallace State golf coach Dan York accepted the resolution on Olsen’s behalf.
Wallace State President Vicki Hawsey concluded the day’s events with her annual state of the college announcements.
Fall semester orientation classes begin Thursday for incoming freshmen and all other Wallace State classes begin on Monday, Aug. 19. Late registration continues until Wednesday, Aug. 21.
This fall, Wallace State, an Achieving the Dream institution, will introduce new fully online Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees and new offerings in hospitality management, engineering technology and entrepreneurship, and a new a poultry science partnership with Auburn University.
Wallace State continues to be of the top 120 community colleges in America based on student outcomes is ranked No. 20 among community colleges nationally in the “Top 50 Associate Degrees: Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences” as designated by Community College Week.
Looking ahead, Wallace State plans to celebrate the opening of the new School of Nursing and Center for Science this fall. The state-of-the-art-facility, designed to replicate a hospital, will house the college’s acclaimed nursing program along with the popular biology department and related health and science classes.
Wallace State athletics earned its seventh national championship last season after the softball team won it all in St. George Utah. The softball and volleyball teams won state/region championships last season and women’s basketball finished state runner-up, continuing the college’s tradition of athletic excellence. The four-time defending state champion volleyball team opens its 2013 season on Aug. 23.
For more information about Wallace State, visit wallacestate.edu.
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Photos:
1. Any Masters – Convocation keynote speaker Andy Masters.
2. Wallace State softball manager Ashleigh McClure, Rep. David Standridge left, and utility player Sabrina Russell shake hands with the state delegate present at convocation in recognition of the team’s 2013 national championship.
3. Senator Paul Bussman and Representatives Mac Buttram, Randall Shedd, and David Standridge offer greetings to Wallace State employees during Convocation.
4. President Dr. Vicki Hawsey
5. Wallace State softball team members, from left, manager Ashleigh McClure, utility player Sabrina Russell, second baseman Madeline Lee and catcher Maria Mitchell were among the national championship team members recognized at this week’s convocation.
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Kristen Holmes
Director, Communications & Marketing
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722 256-352-8118 direct
256-352-8314 fax 256-339-2519 cell
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu