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A series of new classes at Pellissippi State Community College will offer students a new career path — and a national laboratory a pipeline of workers who have the skills needed for its own rapidly growing programs. 

Starting in fall 2023, Pellissippi State will partner with the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to offer a Chemical Radiation Technology pathway under its Associate of Applied Science in General Technology degree. Three new classes – Radiochemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Hazardous Waste Control – will be added to existing Pellissippi State curricula, and two of the classes will be taught by experienced ORNL scientists on the college’s Hardin Valley Campus. 

The Chemical Radiation Technology pathway will give students a new option that will prepare them to enter the workforce in places such as ORNL and the Y-12 National Security Complex – without first completing a bachelor’s degree. 

“This pathway creates an opportunity for students who are interested in science and engineering to find a lifelong, high-wage career while working along the nation’s top scientists, conducting cutting-edge research, and enabling our community and nation to continue to innovate,” said Kane Barker, dean of Natural and Behavioral Sciences for Pellissippi State.  

It also connects Pellissippi State students with employment opportunities, summer internships and facility tours at ORNL.  

“Our growing workforce requires skilled and talented people,” said Balendra Sutharshan, associate laboratory director for ORNL’s Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate, or ISED. “We need students with a basic skill set who can apply to join us as radiochemical or nuclear operations technicians.”  

Cynthia Jenks, associate laboratory director for ORNL’s Physical Sciences Directorate, or PSD, said Pellissippi State offers the ideal location, resources, staff and diverse student population to help the lab address its need for qualified workers.  

“We look forward to helping students gain these skills and decide whether a career at a national laboratory is right for them,” Jenks said. 

ORNL and Pellissippi State already have begun laying the groundwork at the college, with ORNL scientists speaking to students in chemistry classes during the fall 2022 semester. Y-12 partners will share opportunities with prospective students at upcoming job fairs and student orientations. 

Students who complete the two-year academic pathway and an internship program become strong candidates to apply to ORNL’s radiochemical and nuclear operations technician jobs across the lab — and ORNL expects it will need to fill a growing number of these jobs as it increases isotope production. The DOE has tasked ORNL with bolstering domestic production of isotopes, which would reduce U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers for these rare and expensive materials. Last year, ISED added a new division specifically for isotope production and manufacturing, and PSD has seen an increased need for expertise in radioanalytical chemistry. 

ISED R&D associate staff scientist Clarice Phelps, who has headed development of the program at ORNL, is excited that the program offers students the opportunity to work at ORNL without completing a bachelor’s degree, although those who wish to pursue more advanced degrees will be encouraged to do so. 

“This academic pathway is accessible to anyone who applies to Pellissippi State,” Phelps said. 

Fall registration begins April 3. For more information on the Chemical Radiation Technology pathway, contact Dean Kane Barker at kmbarker1@pstcc.edu or 865.694.6695.

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Media contacts:

Pellissippi State

• Lesli Bales-Sherrod
• lbalessherrod@pstcc.edu
• 865.694.6638

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

• Sheasa Szallar
• szallarsl@ornl.gov
• 720.299.3668

Lesli Bales-Sherrod, public relations specialist for Pellissippi State Community College, has received the Rising Star award from National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) and was celebrated this week at NCMPR’s regional conference in Savannah, Georgia.

The Rising Star award is presented in each of NCMPR’s seven districts to an innovative and progressive professional who has demonstrated special creativity and ability in marketing and public relations and shows evidence of a promising future in the field.

Bales-Sherrod has worked at Pellissippi State and been a member of NCMPR since August 2018. During her three years at Pellissippi State, she has managed not one, but two major crises. The first was handling communications throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, when Pellissippi State closed its campuses and moved all its classes and student services online. She simultaneously found herself in an interim leadership role when her executive director was struck by a car and spent two months in recovery. Bales-Sherrod stepped up, taking part in senior leadership meetings and making recommendations to the college president and Emergency Management Team.

“Lesli does a great job of conveying critical information and telling important stories about Pellissippi State and its community,” said Pellissippi State President L. Anthony Wise Jr. “She has quickly become an important part of the Marketing and Communications team and demonstrated an ability to step in and step up in the most challenging of circumstances. We are proud of her and fortunate to have her as an employee.”

Pellissippi State is Bales-Sherrod’s first job in academia. Bales-Sherrod started working for her hometown newspaper, The Standard Banner in Jefferson City, at 16 years old and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in news-editorial journalism from Middle Tennessee State University and her master’s degree in journalism and public affairs from American University in Washington, D.C.

Bales-Sherrod worked as a reporter for 13 years for East Tennessee newspapers including the Knoxville News Sentinel and The Daily Times in Maryville. She also lived in Washington, D.C., for seven years and worked in communications for the federal government, including four years with NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement.

“Interviewing people and telling their stories is a privilege, and I’m never short of story ideas at Pellissippi State,” Bales-Sherrod said. “As a first-generation college student myself, I am dedicated to letting people know how higher education can change their lives and how Pellissippi State can help them achieve their dreams. I’m always excited to share the good work our faculty, staff and students are doing.”

Bales-Sherrod was nominated by both Julia Wood, executive director of Marketing and Communications at Pellissippi State, and Carrie Mills, social media and web specialist.

“Lesli’s dedication, leadership and accomplishments have benefited our entire college community, from our students, faculty and staff who read her daily COVID-19 updates to our Marketing and Communications office who relied on her for leadership and direction during a critical time,” wrote Mills in her nomination. “We all have Lesli to thank for creating and fostering an informed and engaged community at a time it was most needed!”

As the district’s winner, Bales-Sherrod is automatically a finalist for the national Rising Star of the Year Award, which will be presented in March 2022 at NCMPR’s national conference in Denver, Colorado.

NCMPR represents marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges, with more than 1,500 members from nearly 550 colleges across the United States and Canada. NCMPR’s district 2 includes community and technical colleges in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and The Bahamas.

For more information about Pellissippi State, visit www.pstcc.edu.

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Arrive early for Pellissippi State Community College’s hugely popular Holiday Spectacular, as seating is limited and only one show will be performed this year.

The Holiday Spectacular highlights the talents of more than 150 Pellissippi State students and faculty performing classic winter tunes and carols. “We Need a Little Christmas,” “Mele Kalikimaka” and “Christmas Time’s a Comin’” are among the seasonal favorites on tap.

The annual concert featuring all eight college ensembles, both vocal and instrumental, will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, in the Clayton Performing Arts Center on the Hardin Valley Campus, 10915 Hardin Valley Road. This year’s theme is “Joy to the World!”

Tickets are free and will be issued at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to social distancing guidelines, only the first 375 guests will be admitted. Masks are encouraged when social distancing cannot be maintained, but they are not required.

While the performance is free, donations are graciously accepted at the door for the Pellissippi State Foundation on behalf of the Music Scholarship fund.

The Holiday Spectacular is part of The Arts at Pellissippi State series. For a list of Pellissippi State’s upcoming music events during spring 2022, visit www.pstcc.edu/arts.

To request accommodations for a disability for this or any Pellissippi State event, call 865.539.7401 or email accommodations@pstcc.edu.

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Pellissippi State Community College’s Business and Community Services has brought home an international award for its Lifelong Learning course publication.

The 18-page fall 2021 publication won an International Award for Excellence in Brochure Design from the Learning Resources Network last week. LERN is the world’s largest association in continuing education and lifelong learning, offering information and consulting expertise to providers of continuing education and customized training.

It’s the second international award for Marketing Specialist Danielle Dreeszen since she joined Pellissippi State in June 2019. She won a LERN award for an email newsletter that fall.

“We are very fortunate to have Danielle on our team and are very proud for her work to get this recognition,” said Teri Brahams, executive director for Economic and Workforce Development.

Pellissippi State won for this page (pictured above), for interactive design that focused on engaging the reader. The page, part of the publication’s listings under Creative Arts, shows an example of what students will learn if they take one of the college’s noncredit courses in Zentangle, which is a method of drawing that uses highly detailed patterns to create compositions.

Across from the Zentangle course descriptions, Dreeszen included a Zentangle drawing with blank space toward the bottom of the picture and the prompt, “Give it a try! Grab a pen or marker and let your creativity shine! Add your own free-form strokes and patterns or color in the design for added flair.”

“Most people don’t know what Zentangle is,” said Dreeszen, who was encouraged by the class instructor to describe it as “zen with a pen!” “It’s hard to explain Zentangle without seeing it. I had the idea to add the interactive element to the page to help the reader understand what Zentangle is while seeing how easy it is do.”

The example worked, as Pellissippi State saw an increased enrollment in all four of fall 2021’s Zentangle classes over previous semesters – and one sold out!

This was the first time Dreeszen included an interactive element in the Lifelong Learning course publication she designs for each fall, spring and summer semester, but it won’t be the last.

“Adding the interactive element was helpful to give the reader a chance to try it out before they signed up for the class,” she said.

The spring 2022 Lifelong Learning course publication is now available online. To learn more about lifelong learning classes at Pellissippi State or to register for one, visit www.pstcc.edu/bcs/.

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A global pandemic couldn’t stop these Pellissippi State Community College students from graduating.

The 520 fall graduates and 266 summer graduates will welcome back some normalcy next week, as Pellissippi State holds its first indoor Commencement since fall 2019.

Pellissippi State’s Commencement will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, at Thompson-Boling Arena, 1600 Philip Fulmer Ave., Knoxville. The ceremony will be live streamed as well for those who are unable to attend in person. The link will be posted on the College’s homepage by the start of the event.

“It is always a joy to celebrate the success of our graduating students, even more so this fall as we recognize those who persisted and persevered in the face of great challenge,” said Pellissippi State President L. Anthony Wise Jr. “They should be as proud of themselves as we are of them.”

Commencement speaker Christy Pittman, who is pictured above and is graduating with her Associate of Applied Science in Interior Design Technology, returned to Pellissippi State more than 20 years after she first enrolled fresh out of high school. She was in her third semester when COVID-19 hit and classes switched to virtual formats.

“As students, each of us had to decide to either withdraw and wait for a return to ‘normal’ or to remain committed,” she said. “COVID robbed us of our normalcy, our jobs and our stability, and we grieved those losses. Exhausted and determined, we confronted our circumstances and overcame obstacles. This class did not quit.”

Pittman has been accepted into East Tennessee State University’s 2+2 program that will allow her to finish her bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture on Pellissippi State’s Hardin Valley Campus. But first she looks forward to graduating from Pellissippi State with not only her fellow Interior Design students, but with all the students whose college journeys were impacted by COVID-19.

“Wherever our paths lead us, we began collectively at Pellissippi State during a global pandemic,” she said. “This is not the end, but a continuance of our extraordinary story. This class did not quit, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

All graduates and guests at Commencement are strongly encouraged wear masks and maintain social distancing during the ceremony. Ample seating will be available for distancing.

Graduates and guests also are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Thompson-Boling Arena’s strict clear bag and metal detector policies.

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‘Twas the week before finals, and all through the classroom … robots were dancing to the classic “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye.

“When I told them their lab final would be a dance party, they said, ‘You’re kidding, right?’” laughed Assistant Professor Curtis Holmes.

He was not kidding. And that’s how nine Electrical Engineering Technology students in Holmes’ Integrated Robotics class at Pellissippi State Community College ended up showing off their robots’ sweet dance moves Nov. 30 to an audience including several College leaders.

“This is what I would call a culminating activity,” Holmes explained of the assignment. “Throughout the semester, they had structured labs, but this was more freewheeling. They had to use what they learned this semester – no instructions! — to figure out how to make the robots move different ways and at different speeds to the song. They got a kick out of it.”

The class divided into three teams of two students and one team of three students and set about building the programs to make their robots dance.

“The whole class has been a blast,” said Sam Maxwell. “These are like very complex remote-control toys, and we get to play with them. There’s been a lot of troubleshooting as we learned how to maneuver the robots.”

“Choreographing the robot to move with the music and getting it to sync up right was a challenge, but otherwise, it was an opportunity to apply what we have learned this semester,” added Isaak Huffman.

While Holmes thought “they’re all winners,” he upped the ante by having Media and Engineering Technologies Dean Margaret Ann Jeffries and Associate Professor Anne Pharr judge the robotic dance-off.

Jeffries said she looked at the robots relative to a dancer’s perspective while Pharr considered them from a musician’s standpoint, as the two gave the class their feedback. For example, a robot programmed by Justin Burns and Josif Huskey reminded Jeffries of a belly dancer and made Pharr think of John Travolta, they said.

“If a dance reminds you of John Travolta, that’s a good thing!” Pharr clarified for the students.

Pharr praised Dawson Durham and Hayden Grindstaff for programming their robot in “one long loop” with 66 movements, while Jeffries liked the way Maxwell’s and Huffman’s robot stretched out and “used the whole floor very nicely with big, graceful movements.”

In the end, though, Jeffries and Pharr named the robot programmed by Jack Sutherland, Cole Shinlever and Chris Murill the winner. The three-person team had done extra work, writing five programs for their robot, which they noted engaged the audience.

“The red light was a nice touch, very much a disco feel,” Jeffries said of another component the team incorporated into their choreography.

“It seemed the most human of the robots,” Pharr added.

It was a difficult choice, the judges noted, as all the students not only met, but exceeded the challenge Holmes set before them for their lab final.

“You are the trailblazers here, and you’ve set the bar pretty high,” Jeffries said.

To see the robots in action, check out our YouTube channel. For more information about Pellissippi State’s Electrical Engineering Technology program, visit our College Catalog.

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When most people think of rocks, they probably don’t get very excited. But that’s not the case for Tracy Homer, who will graduate from Pellissippi State this month. Tracy, a self-proclaimed science nerd, is so passionate about geology, she decided to make it into a career. 

Tracy is enrolled in Pellissippi State’s Tennessee Transfer Pathway for Geosciences, which means she is graduating with an associate degree that’s designed to transfer directly to a four-year college or university in Tennessee. 

After she graduates from Pellissippi State, Tracy will transfer to the University of Tennessee to study Geographic Information Science and Technology, which combines data management, data science, data visualization and geography. 

“I want to do something with map making, but also collecting data from maps that already exist and using it for research or historical purposes,” says Tracy. “I think maps are art. I think they’re beautiful, I love looking at them and all the little details.” 

After she graduated high school, Tracy didn’t immediately go to college – a decision she used to struggle with.  

“I had feelings about why I didn’t pursue a college degree right after high school,” shares Tracy, “but I’ve come to terms with that. I’m ready to move forward, and now I’m going to college just because I want to. This is just for me. I want to use my degree for something that helps people or helps the Earth in some way. It’s a chance to do something meaningful.”  

Tracy started her college journey in the fall of 2020, during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and found the asynchronous class format fit her lifestyle and work schedule.  

“I think the pandemic had a bit to do with my decision to go back to college,” shares Tracy. “I took stock of what I was doing and where I wanted to go in the future. There was a lot of time for thinking!” 

While she’s been busy studying geology in school, Tracy has spent her time outside the classroom getting involved in the community. Tracy is on the board of directors for Knox Makers, a hobby space for engineers, artists, hobbyists, innovators, educators and entrepreneurs.  

“Growing up, I was always interested in this stuff but none of my friends really cared,” recalls Tracy. “So I go to this place [Knox Makers] and there are all these people making cool things and they have crazy ideas, and then we actually do it!” 

Whether it’s studying rock formations, analyzing data from a map or working in a metal shop, Tracy is passionate about learning how things work.  

“I find it so fascinating how the world works and how it gets put together,” says Tracy. “I really like this college thing!” 

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Matthew Plummer, a flight paramedic with UT LIFESTAR, knew he wanted to keep increasing his earning potential, but he also didn’t want to miss important moments with his growing family. 

“Pellissippi State has the Nursing Bridge program, which appealed to me because it is an accelerated pathway,” explains Matthew, who has a 3-year-old daughter and another daughter due in April. “Pellissippi State’s Nursing Bridge was the best option for me because it meant less time away from my girls.” 

Pellissippi State’s Nursing Bridge program consists of 12 months (three semesters) of Nursing classes in addition to other general education course requirements. The Bridge program was developed to allow students who have already completed certifications as Licensed Practical Nurses and Emergency Medical Technicians: Paramedics to use their prior experiences to complete the program in a shorter amount of time while continuing to work at their current jobs. Bridge students graduate with an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and the skillset necessary to sit for licensure as a Registered Nurse. 

All of that made sense to Matthew, who is 28 and has worked as a paramedic for nine years, the last five on medical helicopters. 

“I knew I wanted to do something exciting and adventurous that would also allow me to help people and go do things that not everybody else gets to do,” says Matthew, who started out as a junior member of the Townsend Area Volunteer Fire Department before he even graduated from Heritage High School. 

Pellissippi State’s Nursing Bridge program was a good fit for Matthew because he could do 100% of his prerequisite courses online. Tennessee Reconnect, which provides free tuition for adults who don’t have a college degree, sweetened the deal. 

“What a huge help that was,” Matthew says of Tennessee Reconnect. “Going back to school is hard anyway, so if you can remove the stress of the financial piece, it is easier to make that decision for your family.” 

Matthew continued to work full time for UT LIFESTAR throughout his time at Pellissippi State, with his employers willing to work his schedule around his Nursing classes and clinicals, and they are excited to continue to work with him as a nurse, he says. 

“Paramedics and nurses are apples and oranges because they do really different jobs,” Matthew notes. “Pellissippi State has given me a brand-new perspective, as nurses are learning about patient care over a continuum while paramedics are focused on keeping patients alive for the next 15 minutes and getting them to the hospital.” 

The Nursing program is rigorous, he stresses, and can feel overwhelming at times. But Matthew stuck with it, graduating Dec. 10, 2021. 

“Just take it one day at a time, and the next thing you know, you’re 10 days out from graduation!” 

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Kieshia Edwards has always dreamed of becoming a nurse. After her niece encouraged her to go to college and pursue her dream of working in the medical field, Kieshia enrolled at Pellissippi State in 2012 to get her nursing school prerequisites. Since she was also working part-time at a dialysis clinic and raising her family, Kieshia learned to balance life and school while taking only a few classes at a time.

When Kieshia experienced a major back injury while working at the dialysis clinic in 2016, she let go of her dream and thought that was the end of her plan to become a nurse.

For the next three years, Kieshia was in and out of school as she balanced family and life responsibilities while still recovering from her injury. Finally, in 2019, Kieshia decided it was time to go back to school and finish what she started.

“Every college credit I earned, every late night of writing, reading, math and hard work belonged to me,” says Kieshia. “So, I decided to go back to school and get what’s due to me.”

Before entering college, Kieshia had never written a paper or essay. She worked hard at her classes, putting in long nights of studying and spending a lot of time at the Pellissippi State tutoring center.

“I was at tutoring sometimes from when the doors opened to late at night,” recalls Kieshia, “but nobody ever said, ‘I’m so tired of this lady!’”

Kieshia was honest with her instructors so that they knew where she was starting and could help her be successful. “All of my professors have accepted it in love,” shares Kieshia. “The people in the English and writing classes have really made me feel like I can do it. It’s been a blessing.”

Kieshia is graduating from Pellissippi State this month with her Associate of Science. She plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree and eventually go into the medical field.

She credits her success to the support and encouragement she’s received from her professors at Pellissippi State. “I wrote to my teacher the other day,” says Kieshia, “and I told her that this journey I’m on to get my bachelor’s degree is because of her and her encouragement.”

Kieshia is proud that she is graduating with her associate degree from Pellissippi State, even if it’s taken longer than she thought it would.

“I have three boys and I’m showing them that it’s not how I started, but how I finish,” she shares. “I know it’s taken me awhile, but I didn’t give up. I’m showing my boys that life happens, but if you put in the work, that degree is yours. That education is something no one can take from you.

“I may not be where I want to be just yet,” laughs Kieshia, “but I tell you what, I’m sure not far from where I’m trying to go!”

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In the span of three months in early 2019, Nick Galloway lost his livelihood and his father. 

“I was looking for a new career after working for the family business since I was 6,” remembers Nick, who was 38 at the time. “It was abrupt, but I have two children. I had a family to support.” 

Having worked for his family’s commercial nursery and the family farm, Nick already knew how to do a lot of things with his hands. He had built buildings from the ground up, doing everything himself except for the roofs. He was a certified welder. He had spent his whole life outside – and knew he didn’t want to be stuck in an office. 

While pursuing a career as a plumber, Nick found out about Pellissippi State’s Water Quality Technology program, which was starting in fall 2019. 

“It seemed like the perfect blend of math and sciences and doing things with your hands,” Nick explains. “And it’s a job that will always be there because clean water is federally mandated.” 

Nick is Pellissippi State’s first Water Quality Technology student to be hired full time and to pass the rigorous Grade III certification exam for wastewater treatment, which is four hours long. 

Nick’s choice to go to work at the Maryville Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant while still in school was a strategic one for the father of two teenagers. He knew that he had to work for a plant that was a Grade III or higher for at least a year before he could take the exam, which is only offered in May and November, and he knew his earning potential would be tied to that certification. 

“It was an adventure the semester that I took 13 hours (of classes) and worked full time on third shift,” laughs Nick, who never dropped below a 3.15 grade point average. “But now I goad the kids, ‘Don’t tell me you can’t do something. If you want to do something bad enough, you’ll find a way to do it!’” 

Nick started working at the Grade IV plant, which treats an average of 9.5 million gallons per day of wastewater from over 22,000 customers, in March 2020. That qualified him to take the Grade III certification exam when it was offered in May 2021. 

Of 41 wastewater plant operators who attempted the test, only six of them passed, a scant 14.6 percent. 

“This is why this program is important,” stresses Nick, who graduated from Pellissippi State on Dec. 10, 2021. 

Nick plans on taking the Grade IV test when eligible as he works toward his goal of becoming a head operator or plant superintendent. In the meantime, he’ll keep telling other operators about Pellissippi State and the Tennessee Reconnect program that can help adults complete their college degrees tuition-free. 

“This is a very important program for the industry and it’s a good choice for kids who like working with their hands and need a career,” Nick says. “I never thought I’d end up in wastewater treatment, but if you don’t try it, you won’t know if you like it!”