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The �鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) Area Commission has selected Dr. Hope Rivers to serve as the college’s third president, effective January 4, 2021. The decision was made after a nationwide search to fill the position vacated by the pending retirement of longtime president Dr. L. Ray Brooks.

At Hodges Elementary School, Ms. Kimber Burrell’s first-grade class has eased into an affable routine this fall. They study the “Number of the Day.” They have reading time. They sing songs. And every day they are in class, the youngsters also learn words of affirmation, words that help instill self-confidence and reinforce the importance of being kind to others. �鶹��Ƶ early education student and practice teacher Caroline Falls believes the affirmations will have a lasting effect on the children.

After a national search, the �鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) Area Commission has narrowed the field to its top three finalists for the position of president.

�鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) is pleased to announce that Alvie Coes III will serve as the college’s new Dean for Engineering and Industrial Technology.

Each year, �鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) chooses some of its best and brightest students to serve as Presidential Ambassadors. These students represent the college at campus events, provide campus tours and speak about their experiences to various audiences, including potential students and civic organizations. This year’s 14 ambassadors hail from a variety of backgrounds and represent many program areas, but they all have one thing in common ― they share a deep gratitude for the impact Piedmont Tech has had on their lives.

One of the big draws for students enrolling at �鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) traditionally has been the smaller class sizes and direct personal access to instructors. And while �鶹��Ƶ professors have moved heaven and earth to maintain close contact with their students at a time when pandemic pushed instruction into the virtual realm last spring, many students simply learn better in person. It is those students, in particular, who should know that they can find in-person options on campus today.

During her first week of her field practice teaching experience at Hodges Elementary School, �鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) Early Care and Education Major Caroline Falls found great wisdom in the subtle things, like how to respond correctly and empathetically to a student posing an awkward question. In her first week in Kimber Burrell’s first grade classroom, Falls constantly looked to the senior teacher to see how she handled various, sometimes uncomfortable situations.

A family tragedy set �鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) summer graduate Victoria Robbins on a course toward her degree in human services. The Laurens woman is now an AmeriCorps phenomenon working at the South Carolina Empowerment Center (SCEC). She fills her calendar to the max with personal, professional and volunteer responsibilities executed with love and compassion.

It’s important to listen carefully for the sound of opportunity. Sometimes it’s just a slight murmur. A heart murmur. �鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) student Kevin Jones pays meticulous attention to heart sounds, monitors and the imaging equipment he is using while completing his clinical experience in invasive cardiovascular technology (CVT-I) at Self Regional Healthcare. And he doesn’t hesitate to speak up when he hears something of interest.

The �鶹��Ƶ (�鶹��Ƶ) Human Services Program recently established a new student internship opportunity with Clear Skye Treatment Centers in Clinton. The internship is designed to afford students a broader experience in the Human Services field. The first three �鶹��Ƶ interns began their field experience at Clear Skye in mid-September.