VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1
GMC-Warner Robins Newsletter
FALL 2010
What You May Not Know About Advising
By Alice Reslie, Academic Dean
IN THIS ISSUE
GMC Online (p. 2)
Frequently Asked
Questions (p. 3)
Email the Faculty
and Staff (p. 4)
Competency Requirements
for Graduation (p. 5)
Student Articles (p. 6-13)
Faculty and Staff
Highlights (p. 14)
Dates and deadlines (p. 16)
Did you know that you can see your
advisor at any time during the quarter during his or her office hours to
plan your courses for the following
term? You do not need to wait for
the release of the schedule. You do
not need to wait for the registration
period. You can avoid the lines and
frustration by seeing your advisor
early in the term and planning out
your classes and alternate selections
in preparation for the registration
week.
Did you know that if you are unable
to make it in to see your advisor during his or her advising hours due to
work obligations, you can often arrange to have this consultation done
over the phone? Often, only a confirmation email is needed from your
student email account to ensure your
identity.
Did you know that you can ask your
advisor questions about a number of
topics other than registration? Your
advisor should serve as your academic guide and mentor during your
educational journey here at GMCWarner Robins. You can ask him or
her about your degree progress, your
collegiate and career goals, and your
study habits. Even if your advisor
does not have an answer for you immediately, he or she will be able to
point you in the right direction.
Did you know that your advisor
may be trying to contact you over
your student email account? Many
advisors try to check in with their
advisees over the student email. Be
on the look out for helpful hints and
tips from your advisor. Usually, the
advisor’s office hours and contact
information are included in these
emails.
Make contact with your advisor today and plan for your future! (See
page 4 for contact information.)
Progress!
2
Credits
We Need You
Contributing Writers & Photographers
Interested in writing or photography?
Melissa Braswell
Curt Gentry
Cody Gunderson
John O’Donnell
Ashley Selvidio
We are looking for GMC students to be a part of
the next GMC Warner Robins Newsletter. If you
are an aspiring writer, photographer or if you
have an idea for a story, contact Ms. Debra Dent
at [email protected].
Contributing Faculty & Staff
Debra Dent
Travis Lightsey
Paul McCord
Dianne Wilcox
3
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t GMC answer my question on the phone?
Your identity cannot be confirmed over the phone
or via email, so many requests for private information can only be answered in person or via student
email accounts (not personal email accounts).
The quarter is over and I checked my student
email. Where are my grades?!
Grades are posted as they are verified. The last
grades are verified by the end of the first full business day after the quarter ends (usually Monday).
To view your grades, login to GMC Online and click
on GMC Resources. Your final grades will show on
your unofficial transcript once they are verified.
My children are enrolled at GMC and I pay their
tuition. Why won’t you tell me their grades?
GMC cannot disclose certain academic information
about students without their specific written conWhen are books due?
sent. Information consent forms are available to
Books are always due by 5:00pm the first full busistudents at the front desk.
ness day after the quarter ends (usually Monday).
My student email isn’t working. What should I do?
If you can’t log in, follow the instructions on the
previous page. If you are not receiving messages,
make sure you delete old messages and empty the
trash. If you are still having trouble, call or visit the
E-Library.
I was awarded more financial aid than I used this
quarter. Where is my refund?
Refunds are mailed as soon as they are available.
The best way to make sure your refund gets to you
as quickly as possible is to verify that we have the
correct address for you on file. (You should not call
GMC asking about your refund! GMC cannot answer
I am trying to login to Web Advisor but it is not
specific questions about it over the phone, so calling
working. What should I do?
only delays the process — not just for you, but for
Make sure you login to GMC Online, and then click every student waiting on a refund!)
the Web Registration link. Follow the instructions on If you have financial aid questions, please visit
that page or the registration form you got from your your financial aid counselor, or email her from your
advisor. If you have trouble, bring your registration student email account.
form with you to the E-Library.
Why won’t an administrator see me?
Are Web Advisor and web registration the same?
Administrators are available by appointment only.
No. Web registration is just part of Web Advisor. Appointment request forms are available at the front
You can login to Web Advisor any time after your ac- desk. Requests will be delivered to the appropriate
count is created, but you can only register online
office, and you will be contacted. Students are not
during early registration week.
always granted appointments.
When can I register online?
Web registration week is only one week each quarter, and it is only available to students in a GMC degree program who pick up and sign a registration
form with their advisors before web registration begins! Office hours are posted all over campus.
When should I apply for my degree?
Degree applications should be submitted at least
two quarters before you plan to finish your last
class. To participate in the graduation ceremony in
June, the deadline is March 1.
Degrees take 6-8 weeks to process after the last
requirement is completed. The last requirement can
be a test, a class, or the application itself.
How do I withdraw from a class?
Withdrawal forms are available at the front deskfrom week 2 to week 7 each quarter. Withdrawals
are granted at the discretion of the instructor and
may affect financial aid, so the forms must be completed with the instructor and then hand-carried to
the financial aid office before the end of week 7.
What is the difference between withdrawing and
dropping?
Dropping happens at the beginning of the quarter,
usually to make a correction, and the class disappears from the student’s course history. Withdrawing keeps the class on the student’s record, and a
grade of “W” or “WF” is issued by the instructor.
4
Student Support Services
Jaquanza Harris ([email protected])
Bookstore and GMC Merchandise
Cindy Rountree ([email protected])
Financial Aid
Lillie Knight ([email protected])
Registrar’s Office
Jackie Shaw ([email protected])
RAFB Coordinator
Nathina Knight ([email protected])
Front Desk
Shirley Siegel ([email protected])
New Students
Travis Lightsey ([email protected])
E-Library / VA Academic Advisor
Twilla Sleeth ([email protected])
New Students (LSS)
Michele May ([email protected])
Admissions
Jeanne McGee ([email protected])
Financial Aid (last names A-L)
Paul McCord ([email protected])
Testing and Degree Applications
Robbin Stretch ([email protected])
Financial Aid (last names M-Z)
Valerie Rose ([email protected])
Admissions
Faculty Advisors
Kim Best ([email protected])
Business Administration (last names A-L)
Logistics Management (last names A-L)
Ana Ciuffetelli ([email protected])
General Studies (last names D-H)
Dr. Brenda Davis ([email protected])
Paralegal
Psychology
Sociology
Debra Dent ([email protected])
General Studies (last names A-C)
Wayne Drake ([email protected])
Criminal Justice
History
Homeland Security
Sean Eubanks ([email protected])
Pre-Nursing (last names I-Q)
Tiffany James ([email protected])
Biology
Pre-Nursing (last names A-C)
Dr. Deb Lochner ([email protected])
General Studies (last names I-Q)
Dr. Frank Lochner ([email protected])
Pre-Nursing (last names D-H)
Antonio Rodriguez ([email protected])
General Studies (last names R-Z)
Joe Sersey ([email protected])
RAFB Military & Civil Service
Lillian Talcott ([email protected])
Business Administration (last names M-Z)
Information Technology
Logistics Management (last names M-Z)
June Underwood ([email protected])
Education (last names G-Z)
Health (Human Performance / Physical Education)
Ben White ([email protected])
Pre-Nursing (last names R-Z)
Dianne Wilcox ([email protected])
Communications
Education (last names A-F)
5
The Regents’ Test and Other Graduation Requirements
By now, you have probably heard that the Regents’
Test is no longer required at GMC. This is true, but
there is a catch: it is still offered (for now), and it
still satisfies the reading and writing competency
requirements for graduation. However, since the
Regents’ Test is slowly going away, GMC now offers a
new way to satisfy those requirements.
The most noticeable changes are (1) the test will
no longer be held at another college’s campus in
Macon; (2) the test fee is going down; and (3) the
reading requirement will be satisfied automatically
by earning placement in ENG 101.
In the two lists below, items marked with an asterisk (*) are new requirements that apply only to new
students. Items without an asterisk will satisfy the
requirement for all students. As you can see, the
Regents’ Test will work for everyone, so students
planning to transfer to a four-year school that still
requires it should probably still take it.
Students admitted before Fall 2010 must file a
Change of Competency Request form if they wish to
change one or more competencies to the new policy.
READING COMPETENCY
In most cases, students can demonstrate Reading
Competency by completing (or exempting) RDG 099,
which usually happens soon after starting at GMC.
Here is a complete list of ways to satisfy reading
competency at GMC:
Regents’ Reading Test, 61 or higher
SAT Critical Reading, 510 or higher
ACT Reading, 23 or higher
RDG 099, C or better *
COMPASS Reading, 78 or higher *
Transfer credit for ENG 101 *
There are several other competencies required for
graduation from GMC. Most are earned when certain
required courses are completed, but in some cases,
a student needs a specific course to satisfy one of
these requirements. Read about them here:
ORAL COMPETENCY
ENG 101 provides instruction for oral presentations
and at least two opportunities to deliver them. Students who do not take ENG 101 at GMC or otherwise
do not satisfy the oral competency requirement in
ENG 101 will be required to complete one of these
communications courses: COM 101 (Fundamentals of
Human Communication), COM 201 (Public Speaking),
or BUS 204 (Business Communication).
Transfer students who believe they satisfied the
oral competency requirement at a previous college
may be required to submit a student petition with
supporting documentation.
MATH COMPETENCY
Students must complete Math Modeling (MAT 106),
College Algebra (MAT 109), or a higher math course
in order to graduate from GMC.
COMPUTER LITERACY
Students must demonstrate the ability to use word
processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation
software. This is done by completing CIS 200 or an
equivalent degree-level course.
GEORGIA HISTORY
Students must complete a US History course (HIS
121 or HIS 122) at GMC or earn an equivalent transfer credit from a college or university in Georgia to
satisfy the Georgia History requirement. Students
WRITING COMPETENCY
with transfer credit of a US History course from outIn most cases, students can satisfy the Writing
side the state of Georgia should contact the Testing
Competency requirement by completing the GMC
Coordinator to determine whether an out-of-class
Essay Test or Regents’ Essay Test, which can only be Georgia History Test is needed.
attempted after completion of ENG 102. Here is a
complete list of ways to satisfy writing competency GEORGIA CONSTITUTION
at GMC:
Students must complete Intro to American GovernGMC Essay (COMPASS E-Write) Test, 9 or higher *
ment (PLS 101) at GMC or earn the equivalent transRegents’ Essay Test, 2 or higher
fer credit from a college or university in Georgia to
SAT Essay, 560 or higher
satisfy the Georgia Constitution and Government reSAT Essay, 500-550 (if Reading is 510 or higher)
quirement. Students with transfer credit of PLS 101
ACT English/Writing, 24 or higher
from outside of Georgia should contact the testing
ACT English/Writing, 22-23 (if Reading is 23 or
coordinator to determine whether an out-of-class
higher)
Georgia Constitution Test is needed.
6
Remembering the Past
By MELISSA BRASWELL
This younger generation in America today seems
to have forgotten our past and where we came from.
With our modern technology and our desire to do
what we want and what makes us happy, we have
lost touch with our past. Yes, we know about American and world history, stuff they teach you in school
but what about our personal history? What about our
ancestors and their lives back then? It is past time
we took the opportunity to reconnect with our past.
I’m not talking about going to a library and searching
through lifeless books or going online and paying
someone to do the work for you. I’m talking about
sitting down and talking to a real live person, a relative, be it a grandparent or a great aunt or uncle.
We all have older family members who have heads
full of stories and memories just waiting to be told,
but without anyone to listen. Some of us have relatives who fought in a war, or waited patiently at
home for a loved one to come home from a war.
There are great stories out there just waiting to be
told, great storytellers just waiting for an audience.
Having just recently visited two of my great aunts
and seeing the joy in their faces to have family visiting, I’m reminded of how much, with our crazy
schedules, we have ignored our elder family members. We don’t mean to do it; it just happens and
often we don’t realize it until it’s too late. So here’s
a friendly reminder, slow down, carve a small piece
out of your week and go visit those relatives. You’ll
be glad you did and maybe even get to hear some
really amazing stories.
Did you hear some great stories? Would you like
to hear some more while preserving Middle Georgia’s
heritage? Then consider joining the GMC-Warner Robins Oral History Project. All you have to do is sit
down with some older citizens in Middle Georgia and
listen to their stories while collecting audio and/or
video recordings of them. Written transcripts of
these interviews may be submitted to local museums
and libraries. Not only will it be fun but you will be
doing our country a great favor by preserving our
heritage for the generations to come. If you are interested in participating in this project please contact Mrs. Wilcox ([email protected]) or Mr.
Drake ([email protected]) for more information.
What to Do When There is Nothing to Do
By CURT GENTRY
There is nothing to do in this town. How many
times have you heard that? How many times have
you said that? How many times have you gotten good
suggestions when you asked it? Parents are full of
ideas like cleaning your room, entertaining your siblings, washing the car, mowing the lawn, and on and
on. What about fun options? What about cheap, fun
options?
Getting out of the house is a great cure for boredom if there is a purpose and a desired destination.
The internet offers guides to Macon, Middle Georgia,
State Parks of Georgia, historical sites, local gardens, famous buildings and a listing of the various
activities going on in different parts of the state.
Surfing the web for weekend festivals and other local events provides a variety of options for those desiring to go somewhere and see new things.
If the plan needs to be on the spur of the moment, simple alternatives exist. Take a walk through
down town. Visit a shop you have never been into
before. Take a walk through a local cemetery. Find
the oldest section and read all the headstones. Drive
to the country and pick wild flowers or pick blackberries from along the side of the road. Locate all
the historical markers in your town and read them.
Take a sibling to the park, push him or her in a
swing or watch the child's smile from the slide. Go to
a tennis court and hit the ball against the wall. Visit
your grandparents or another older person. Ask them
questions about their childhood.
If you can leave town for a few hours, visit
Andersonville. Walk the grounds and visit the small
village associated with it. Drive to High Falls and
hike. Go to one of the local museums in Warner Robins or Macon. Visit Veteran's State Park at Lake
Blackshear. Take a Frisbee or ball with you. Take a
picnic to any of these locations and enjoy being outside.
Boredom can be cured. Options abound. Perhaps
laziness is the root of this evil.
7
Vending Machine: Friend or Foe?
By CODY GUNDERSON
solved, but the intake of calories alone would almost
suggest a larger, phantom meal took place. Sodas,
After a grueling one-hour lecture on the history
candy bars, powdered donuts, and trail mix replace
of Egyptian culture, followed by a mid-term exam on what could have been a much more satisfying repast
the principles of the United States Constitution, it is to the body, and what students pay for in junk food
tempting to find solace in the comfortable atmoswould almost be equal to the cost of buying a fast
phere of the Atrium at the GMC Warner Robins cam- food combo. Perhaps it would be wise to plan ahead
pus. The mind is exhausted from an overload of information, the hand is crippled from the ruthlessness
of the pen, and the stomach utters its dissatisfaction
in response to a long day of malnutrition. From
across the way, a student sets his eyes upon his only
friend in the midst of such distress: the vending machine. Whether it’s a cold drink or a quick snack that
a student needs to replenish himself, the machines
all work in unison in supplying the most popular
brands of junk food to this noble cause. The student
gladly embraces his trusting friend, delighting in the
goods it offers in exchange for a small, reasonable
price. Sometimes the machine may decide to simply
take your money in exchange for nothing. It understands that friendship is not free, and a student must
pay in cash what he owes to his body.
If one were to pay attention to the empty calories, sugar levels, and grams of fat that hide within for the week and bring food from home, which would
these cheap energy boosters, the vending machine
save money in addition to saving the brain. Substimight be seen less as a friend and more as an enemy tuting the vending machine’s choices for items of
of one’s health. However, many fulltime students at fruit and lean meat along with a thermos of water
GMC choose to use the vending machine approxicould set the groundwork for a much more producmately two to six times a day, sometimes replacing tive day at school. Sadly, the vending machines will
their breakfast and lunch altogether with bags of
continue to exist as long as students are fooled by
chips and honey buns. By the end of the day, the
their clever guise of convenience.
student’s hunger has never been completely re-
Campus Expansion Brings Hope for Humanities
By CODY GUNDERSON
gree in both Psychology and Sociology, the foreshowing of the inclusion of other choices is evident, given
The Georgia Military College degree programs at the construction of a new building for the campus,
the Warner Robins campus offer much in the choices which will contain a new Humanities department.
of the highest demanding disciplines, such as PreThere is a great possibility of the school establishing
Nursing and Information Technology. A majority of
a degree in English, and with time and turnout, more
students, who attend the school, seem to favor
options could become available as well. The excitethese areas, as the changing of times and the econ- ment is buzzing quietly in the hearts of the minority,
omy calls for a larger interest in the highest-paying
and with more students enrolling each term, the
career opportunities. Aside from this, there are a
change that GMC gambles for might be a success
select few who yearn for other options in the area of
Humanities. Though the school offers a two year de-
8
A Tour of Rose Hill Cemetery
By DIANNE WILCOX
Twenty-four people associated with GMC attended the July 10, 2010 tour of Rose Hill Cemetery.
Julie Lewis provided the introduction to the cemetery, Trina Johnson presented information about architect and education advocate Elam Alexander,
Jacopa Johnson and Cody Kare discussed the
Woolfork family murders of 1887, and Amanda Eblen
and Rebekah Crofutt ended the tour with a lesson on
the Allman Brothers' Band. Mrs. Wilcox provided information for the remainder of the two hour tour.
Faculty members Mrs. Dent and Ms. Dent also attended.
Lee during Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg. His journal predicted the South's ultimate defeat. Dr. Brinsfield read Kennedy's comments to our GMC students,
then discussed the literary symbols on the grave.
Kennedy moved to Georgia from South Carolina after
the war and wrote for the South Carolina and Georgia editions of The Wesleyan Advocate.
A quick Internet search indicates what a treat
this was. Dr. Brinsfield's been featured in the Christian Science Monitor's "Military chaplains: A historian's view from the American Revolution to
Iraq" (http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1030/
p25s02-usmi.html) and will lecture at Atlanta's historic Oakland Cemetery on his book The Spirit Divided, Memoirs of Civil War Chaplains on July 24th
(http://www.oaklandcemetery.com/
lectureSeries.html). Oakland's site says, "The lecture, presented by John W. Brinsfield, Jr., Ph.D.,
will be an overview of the service and legacies of
more than 3,600 ministers, priests and rabbis who
served as chaplains during the Civil War. These men,
and one woman provided the pattern for ministry to
soldiers of many denominations which continues in
the modern U.S. Army around the world. Chaplain
(Colonel) John Wesley Brinsfield, Retired, is the U.S.
Army Chaplain Corps Historian at the Army Chaplain
School, Ft. Jackson, S.C. and the Secretary of the
Army Chaplain Regimental Museum Association.
Brinsfield is a native of Atlanta and a member of the
North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist
Church. He graduated from Georgia Military Academy, Vanderbilt University, Yale Divinity School, and
has a Ph.D. in Church History from Emory University,
and a D.Min. in Ethics from Drew University. From
1972-73 he did post-graduate study at Mansfield College, Oxford, and at Wesley House, Cambridge University. Chaplain Brinsfield is the author or co-author
of seven books."
Forty-one people associated with GMC attended
the Rose Hill Cemetery tour on September 18, 2010.
Jacob Kline presented an introduction to the cemetery. Casie Goodman discussed James Henderson
Blount, an ambassador to Hawaii before statehood.
Jennifer Lamb shared the story of Joseph Bond's
death due to his defense of an abused slave. Sarah
Held explained the beginning of college sororities,
Alpha Delta Phi and the history of Eugenia Tucker
Fitzgerald.
About half way through the tour, Mrs. Wilcox invited two other visitors to join the group. They declined but asked questions. They were John W.
Brinsfield, Ph. D., who teaches at the U.S. Army
Chaplain Center and School at Fort Jackson, South
Carolina and his son who teaches computer science
and music there. We directed them to Carnation
Ridge to find the grave of a Confederate soldier they
were researching.
When the GMC tour reached the site of the
Woolfork family burials, we saw Dr. Brinsfield again.
He found the grave. He graciously agreed to talk to
the students about the man he'd researched for his
book, which he was holding. It's a primary document
study of journals written by civil war chaplains. He
brought the Confederate volume of a set that documents journals from both the North and the South.
The solider buried at Rose Hill is Francis Milton Kennedy D.D. January 13, 1834 - February 15, 1880.
Kennedy was on horseback beside General Robert E. (Continued on page 11)
9
Dissection: Real vs. Virtual
By CURT GENTRY
Do you remember biology in high school? Does the
very thought make you smell formaldehyde? Did you
feel sorry for the frog you dissected or was it just
one more thing to have to do for a good grade?
Dissection of frogs and other animals was once a
required part of biology in every high school and college in the United States. At Elliot Hall with the
availability and popularity of computers, a new argument has arisen among biology teachers: Should frog
(and other animal) dissections be done virtually on
the computer or should the dissections continue to
use dead frogs? Of course, advantages and disadvantages abound for each scenario. What do you think?
For the duration of this article dissection of frogs
will generically represent dissection of cats, grasshoppers, cadavers or other organisms that are dissectable.
Virtual dissection offers a cost effective procedure for schools having computers. By not having a
real frog, the "gross" factor decreases which includes
the smell, the mess, and the disposal of the remains.
The virtual frog can be reused over and over which
while advantageous also gives the budding biology
student the notion of playing a video game. The virtual frog does not provide the effect of dealing with
live tissue. Since much of exploring anatomy requires touch, the tactile experience is lost. The fragility of the tissue is not conveyed through the computer dissection.
The dissection of a real frog provides students a
real experience not usually forgotten. Working hands
-on with a real frog engages tactile learners in an
extraordinary way. Students working with formerly
live specimens receive one chance to accurately perform the necessary dissection, so respect for the tissue and exactness permeate the work. Dead frogs
smell bad and tend to be messy. While the odors and
unpleasantness do not bother all students, other students cannot overcome them. Many frogs meet their
creator in the name of science education. Moral opposition to the use of real frogs prohibits some students from participating in the lab.
What is the answer? Consider your first kiss.
Would you want it to be real or virtual? If you must
have surgery, do you want the surgeon to have experience with real tissue or virtual tissue? Can a
teacher predict what spark might be ignited in a student by the real dissection? Availability of funds
drives most decisions. Keep dissection real and allow
virtual for those students with logical moral or rational arguments.
DJ Underdog
By JOHN O’DONNELL
really have no idea about how the DJ does what he
does. I have seen people step up to my equipment
Music has always put things into words I have never and immediately be intimidated or impressed. Some
been able to explain. It has always been there for
try and smoothly mix a song with another but end up
me in my loneliest times. My passion for music is
turning to me and saying, “This is harder than it
what drove me to take my musical life one step fur- looks.” When they see me scratch vinyl, they think it
ther. I didn’t take up guitar or piano lessons, or join takes a few back and forth movements of the wrist.
a choir; I invested my money into some DJ equipWhen they attempt it, they end up making a piercing
ment. After some practice, I could now bring the
noise that almost hurts your ears. This is not a skill
music I loved so much and play it for everyone else. people can just pick up and run with. It takes techFor me DJ'ing isn’t just playing music for people. It nique, practice, and dedication just like any instruis a form of self expression. The Disc Jockey is taken ment you would try to learn to play.
for granted because people, more often than not,
VOTE
Tuesday,
November 2nd
10
Not Just Speech
By MELISSA BRASWELL
1952 and is the best known certification body in the
nation. To become certified with ASHA, you must
When most people hear about someone being a
submit an application for SLP certification with payspeech pathologist (or therapist) they think of help- ment, as well as your Praxis test score (administered
ing people talk better. But speech pathology is so
by the Educational Testing Service), an official
much more than that. While pathologists diagnose,
graduate transcript, and a report of your clinical feltreat, and prevent speech problems, they also treat lowship experience. ASHA will review all the submitpeople with swallowing disorders as well as with
ted documents, which usually takes four to six
some face muscle problems. They treat people from weeks, and will contact you. While working in a
infants to adults. Speech pathologists work with
Clinical fellowship, you apply your knowledge from
stroke victims, people with Autism, people who stut- school, expand and improve your speech pathology
ter, as well as people who can’t pronounce their
skills, and advance from being a student to an indewords clearly because of hearing problems. Somependent speech pathologist. You will be mentored by
times speech therapy isn’t helping patients to talk
a professional, ASHA certified, speech pathologist. A
better but teaching them other methods of commu- minimum of 1260 hours of clinical fellowship is renication. There is new technology that can be used
quired.
to speak for people.
Volunteering with speech therapy organizations,
To become a speech pathologist, you will first
such as The Speech Path in Macon, is a great way to
need a four year bachelor’s degree in communicafind out if speech pathology is for you. It also looks
tion sciences and disorders or in a related degree.
good on a resume. When looking for a job, it is also
Then you must complete either a two-three year
essential to know if you want to work with children
master’s or a four year doctoral program in speech- or adults. If you like working with kids, you don’t
language pathology. Mamie Simmons, the head
need to apply for a job at a hospital, because you’ll
speech pathologist at The Speech Path in Macon,
get mostly stroke victims and adults who need
Georgia, recommends becoming certified with the
speech therapy. Volunteering, as well as your cliniAmerican Speech-Language-Hearing Association
cal fellowship, will help you in deciding this.
(ASHA). ASHA has been certifying professionals since
Write Yourself Into a Career
By DIANNE WILCOX
Several GMC instructors, especially in the Humanities Department, offer extra credit to students
who write newsletter articles. They often ask me,
"What do I write about?" The answer is "Write about
anything you feel will interest other students." However, here's another idea. I like to see students
write things that will benefit them in the future.
Melissa Braswell and Curt Gentry used their newsletter writing, for this edition, to explore their own future plans. Melissa, studying to be a Speech Pathologist, and Curt, studying to be a secondary biology instructor, interviewed experts in their fields.
Not only did these students learn things to help them
prepare for their careers, they've shared their information with you, and they've networked professional
contacts. In today's fast paced world, if you call a
professional and ask about a job, the professional
may not have time to sit and talk. He or she may
end the inquiry with "We have no openings at this
time." If you call and say, "I'm researching an article
about your profession for my college newsletter...."
you often find a much more receptive professional.
Publication may also serve as a resume' builder for
first time applicants with little work experience to
list. Contact the Humanities Department or your
assigned advisor for tips about how to approach professional contacts, and then set up the interviews
and write your articles. Mrs. Dent, Mr. Sersey, Ms.
Ciuffetelli, and I will gladly accept your articles by
email. You may be able to write yourself into a career.
11
Hints for Hopeful Educators
By CURT GENTRY
3. The more areas or types of certification a candidate has, the more marketable the person is to the
You have taken all the courses, successfully com- school system. Having several fields of certification
pleted student teaching, passed the GACE, and reopens up a plethora of options not available to peoceived the teaching certificate from the State of
ple holding single area certificates.
Georgia. You think you have done the hard part and
then…you must secure a teaching position. Where to 4. Make a good first impression. If given an opportustart? How do you insure you are hired? With the dif- nity to interview with a principal, dress professionficult economics faced by the State and many local
ally, arrive ahead of time, and have extra copies of
school systems, teachers are being dismissed or hav- your resume available. Upon entering room, look
ing their salaries reduced. Knowing the inside tips on each person in the eye and give each a firm handhiring, will vault you to the head of the class.
shake. Be prepared to answer questions about your
Tim Helms, the Assistant Superintendent for Hu- education, background, and ideas about the classman Resources for the Houston County Board of Edu- room. Have definite ideas about classroom managecation expressed the necessity of professionalism,
ment, planning lessons/presentations, assessment,
perfection, and performance at every aspect of the and remediation. Have ready any questions you
application and interview process. To assist wouldwould like to ask about the school or position. Never
be teachers in making the best presentation possiask about salary on the first interview.
ble, he recommends that applicants consider the following suggestions.
5. Following the interview, write a personal note and
mail it to the interviewer. Do not email the note.
1. The aspiring teacher must have a clean resume.
Thank the principal for the opportunity to interview
The resume must stand out above the rest. Correct
and express how much you enjoyed learning about
grammar, neatness, thoroughness, and honesty are
the school or system.
essential.
While there are no guarantees regarding employment, knowing what a principal or prospective em2. Any teacher, old or new, must expect to work
ployer desires provides an advantage. Availability of
more than eight hours a day. Candidates willing to
teaching positions may have diminished, but the
volunteer, sponsor, or coach extra-curricular activi- need for qualified, outstanding teachers has not.
ties are more likely to be hired. Expertise is not re- Any advice offering an edge or advantage helps fuquired. Willingness is required. Being willing to "go
ture teachers with the final step in the process.
the extra mile" often makes a prospective teacher
the best candidate for the job.
A Tour of Rose Hill Cemetery
their own visitors from Sweden and then invited our
students to join them for a Jam at the Big House at 1
Melissa Oscar told of Oliver Hillhouse Prince's in- p.m.
After Rose Hill, Mrs. Dent, Ms. Dent and Mrs. Wilvolvement in establishing the University of Georgia.
cox visited the Ocmulgee National Monument Indian
Teresa Burdine retold Peter Bracken's role in the
Festival and met Robin of the Eastern Band of the
Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War.
Cherokee Nation. He lives just north of the CheroLindsey Horton described how nine members of the
Woolfork family were murdered. Weston Lee began kee Reservation near Big Cove in North Carolina and
the discussion of the Allman Brothers Band. GAABA represents the Snowbird People of the Cherokee.
(Georgia Allman Brothers Band Association) members Come join us for the next Rose Hill Cemetery tour on
November 6th from 2-4 p.m. You never know who
David Smith, Kathy Smith and Kenny Tullis, who
you might meet.
were standing nearby, accepted our invitation and
continued the discussion. They introduced some of
(Continued from page 8)
12
Tips for Saving Money
By MELISSA BRASWELL
As college students we spend a lot of money each
year on food, clothing, living arrangements for some
of us, and of course, school. And with the economy
like it is, everybody is looking for ways to save
money. One way to save is to change the way you
shop. Just changing your thinking a little when shopping can save you a great deal of money. Here are
some tips to help you:
1. Don’t Shop With Money.
Now you are probably asking yourself "How am I
supposed to buy anything without money?" Well, that
is exactly the point. I have found that shopping without having money on me makes me think about
whether I really need that item enough to walk all
the way back out to my car to get the money. Most
of the time I wind up going home and not buying
anything that day, which brings me to my second tip.
2. Don’t Buy Something the Day You Find It.
Let’s say I go shopping one day and find this
really cute shirt. I try it on and it fits perfectly.
What I do most of the time is go home and wait a
few days before I buy it. In these days I’ll ask myself
questions and consider every angle and decide if this
shirt is a good buy. Some of the questions I ask myself are: "Do I really like this shirt or was it just
something spur of the moment?" "Do I really need it
or could my money be spent better elsewhere on
something I need more?" and, "Is this a good time to
buy this shirt or could I wait a little bit and see if it
goes on sale?" After taking all of this into consideration I then decide if I’ll buy the shirt or not.
3. Don’t Buy Name Brand Items.
We all like being “in style” and wearing name
brand clothes, and it is okay to buy them every now
and then. But buying clothes that are not name
brand but still “in style” is an efficient way to save
money. There are many stores known for their low
prices, like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross. which offer
name brand clothing at discount prices.
Now I will admit that lot of times I will go shopping with money, and I am occasionally spontaneous
and buy something the day I find it, and there is always that name brand clothing item that I can’t live
without. But these tips help me to think through
buying something and have saved me money on more
than one occasion. They can do the same for you.
GMC ranked #12 in America!
By PAUL MCCORD
Georgia Military College is ranked 12th among
community colleges in America in this year’s Washington Monthly review of top colleges.
According to their web site, their annual college
rankings rate schools based on the following criteria:
“Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating lowincome students), Research (producing cutting-edge
scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).”
You can view the full list of ranked colleges at
www.washingtonmonthly.com by clicking on the im-
age of the magazine
cover, shown at right.
The Washington
Monthly is nonprofit
magazine based in the
nation’s capital whose
mission is to share “how
the government can be
improved, and why it
hasn’t.”
Canned Food Drive
Now through November 18th
13
Consequences: Real or Imaginary?
By CURT GENTRY
ning of the consequences for the crime.
You graduate from college and start trying to find
Every college student, even the most prim and
a job. Many companies require a background check
proper ones, think about fun, friends, and parties.
on potential employees. Education systems of all levWhile some students never act on those thoughts of els, nursing agencies, law enforcement agencies,
wild fun, others do. Any night of the week in any
utility companies, cable companies, delivery services
college town in the United States, groups of young
and many other agencies will not even consider a
adults can be found eating, drinking, laughing, danc- person with a felony or misdemeanor conviction.
ing, smoking and engaging in other activities. Parties Strict rules regarding the hiring of new employees
held in fraternity or sorority houses, dorm rooms,
must be enforced to maintain the integrity of the
apartments, or houses take place on a regular basis. company and the level of service demanded by cusThe number of students in attendance ranges from
tomers. The same policies that prevent hiring people
two to hundreds. Unfortunately for too many, the
with former convictions may also apply to current
consequences of the fun lasts way beyond the night employees that find themselves on the wrong side of
of the event.
the law.
Being charged and convicted of drug possession,
Getting a college degree is a tremendous accomdrug use, intent to distribute drugs, driving under
plishment for anyone. Having to work in a menial job
the influence, or buying alcohol for underage drink- unrelated to the degree earned due to one fun-filled
ers are common on college campuses and in college night of bad decisions is more than a shame. Consetowns. The immediate embarrassment of the arrest, quences of bad decisions are life-changing, careerhaving your name in the paper, and serving the sen- wrecking, family-destroying, and unnecessary retence or paying the fine constitutes only the begin- sults. Living only in the moment limits your options.
Literally Illiterate
By CODY GUNDERSON
Imagination is at a standstill; critical thinking is
too much work for the brain. The names of the
Attention all students: The technological age
greatest authors are long forgotten, lost to a world
threatens us with certain doom! Men and women
of illiterates with which they cannot compete.
from the ages of seventeen to twenty-six are hypnoAs frightening as this is, there is still hope for us.
tized by a world of instant entertainment, available It is never too late for a student to pick up a good
via television broadcasts and YouTube exclusives.
book and escape the horrors of our pop cultureYoung people enjoy the mindless allure of medio- obsessed society. Surveys show that fewer Americans
cre sitcoms and action-packed, terribly acted films
are reading every year, leading to a generation of
that share an unintelligent perspective for all that
zombies who crave their iPhones and internet multiwish to become dumbfounded. No one needs to think media. Do not allow yourself to succumb to this deanymore because talk shows will give their opinions pressing statistic. Increase your power to think
for you. News broadcasts offer a panel of experts in clearly and reason. Whether you follow Captain Ahab
stupidity. Reality television stars trap you within
on his journey to the dreaded white whale, or gather
their made up lives so that you don’t have to live
your courage with the rabbits of Watership Down,
your own.
you are doing your mind a huge favor. The local libraries need your support, though! Bring your friends
and family to go check out a recent novel or biography and take back your ability to imagine!
November 1st—December 9th
Donate a new, unwrapped toy.
14
The Humanities Department Hits the Road
Ms. Dent, Mrs. Dent, Ms. Ciuffetelli and Mrs. Wilcox visited Andalusia, the family farm of Milledgeville
author Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) during GMC’s last Faculty Assembly meetings. Andalusia is open for
self-guided tours on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or by
appointment by calling 478-454-4029. Students often read O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” or
“Everything that Rises Must Converge” in ENG 102 or ENG 222. O'Connor writes in the American Southern
Gothic style, and the GC&SU library holds a collection of her original writings.
Debra Dent and Dianne Wilcox
(English instructors, pictured at
right) attended the Southeastern
Writers Association professional
development conference in
June. They met professional
writers and college professors
from all over the United States.
Mrs. Wilcox entered two of her
original pieces and won The
Young Child and Juvenile Third
Place Writing Award, for her picture book submission, and The
Past President’s Second Place
Romance Award, for the first
chapter and synopsis of her
novel. She plans to publish both
in 2011.
Club Fair Nov. 3
Wednesday 11am-1pm & 4pm-6pm
15
Service Awards
Ida Edwards earned the Order of the Servant
Leader award by completing 100 hours of community service while attending GMC. Contact Mrs.
Sleeth for more information about this award.
Several faculty members recently completed 5 and
10 years of service at GMC. From left to right:
Dr. Brenda Davis, 5 yrs; Ms. Tiffany James, 5 yrs;
Mr. Joe Sersey, 5 yrs; Mr. Ben White, 10 yrs.
Jaquanza Harris (Bookstore), Paul McCord (Testing Coordinator), and Jeanne McGee (Financial Aid) also
completed 5 years of service at GMC earlier this year.
Dates & Deadlines
Fall II 2010
Early Registration:
New Student Registration:
Classes Begin and End:
Thanksgiving Holiday:
Sept. 13—17
Oct. 7, 12—15
Oct. 18—Dec. 11
Nov. 24—26
Winter Break
Transcript Request Deadline * Dec. 3, 12:00 noon
GMC-WR will be closed: Dec. 15—Jan. 2
Winter 2011
Early Registration: Nov. 15—19
New Student Registration: Jan. 3—7
Classes Begin and End: Jan. 10—Mar. 5
GMC Warner Robins—Elliott Hall
801 Duke Avenue
Warner Robins, GA 31093
(478) 225-0005
Spring 2011
Early Registration: Feb. 7—11
New Student Registration: Mar. 14—18
Classes Begin and End: Mar. 21—May 21
www.gmcwarnerrobins.com
www.facebook.com/gmcwarnerrobins
* Transcripts submitted after the Dec. 3 deadline might
not be processed before January. Requests submitted
before the Fall II quarter ends should be marked to hold
for Fall II grades.
Join the Biology Club!
The Biology Club has continued to enhance the
community garden and interpretive trail project
around Golden Pond. The club has received two
awards for this work: one from Keep Warner Robins Beautiful for their contributions to the local
community, and one from GA Urban Forest Council for Outstanding Students Award. If you have a
genuine interest in the natural sciences or related
community and educational projects, see Mr.
White to sign up.
GMC Warner Robins also has several other clubs
and student organizations, including the Student
Government Association, Ethics Team, Book Club,
Christian Club, Drama Club, International Club,
History Club, and more. See the bulletin board in
the Elliott Hall lobby for more information.