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Practical Nurse Program ready for fall semester!
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Sandy Heyward (L) and Kim Martin (R) will welcome students to the Practical Nurse Program this fall.
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"We are excited about being back in the community as a leading nursing education provider," said Kim Martin, Practical Nurse Program Director. "Thirty students will be accepted into the program the fall of 2013 to continue their dream of nursing and life long learning. We are extremely passionate and delighted to be leading this new group of students onto their journey of excellence."
Admission to the program is competitive - students must complete their pre-nursing classes to be admitted. The College's new Simulated Hospital will play a significant role in providing new faculty and their students with an ideal learning environment. Sandy Heyward is currently working on the program curriculum for fall delivery and stated, "I am really excited about restarting this program in the fall. Kim and I are working hard to ensure the students receive a quality education that prepares them for a successful career in nursing."
Kim Martin, RN, BSN, MSN, the new GFC MSU Practical Nursing Program Director, arrived at Great Falls College MSU on Monday, June 17. Mrs. Martin hails from Pennsylvania and holds a Master's in Nursing Education from Walden University. She most recently was a faculty member at Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She and her family are extremely excited to be in Great Falls.
Sandra Heyward, RN, BSN, MSN, joined the GFC MSU as a practical nurse faculty member in January and has completed one semester teaching pre-nursing classes at the college. Ms. Heyward most recently worked at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and holds a Master's in Nursing Education from Chamberlain College of Nursing.
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Red Cross Blood Drive June 26
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Summer Vacations Begin, But the Need for Blood Never Takes a Holiday
This June, donate blood or platelets and help save lives
During the summer, blood donations typically drop off dramatically as donors go on vacation and schools close, but the need for blood never takes a holiday. The American Red Cross urges people to donate blood or platelets and save lives this summer. Patients in Montana hospitals served by the Red Cross depend on community blood donations every day.
Every day, the Red Cross collects 155 pints of blood to patients in our local hospitals. Regular blood donations from people in local communities are critical to the ability of red Cross to provide a steady and ample supply of blood for those who depend on its life-saving benefits.
Any healthy person age 18 (or age 16/17 with signed parental consent) or older and weighing at least 110 pounds may be eligible to donate blood. Valid identification is required for all blood donations.
All eligible donors are asked to schedule an appointment to donate blood at our upcoming Great Falls College MSU blood drive on June 26th from 11a.m - 3 p.m. in the Heritage Hall by signing up online at www.redcrossblood.org sponsor code gfcmsu
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Welding Information Sessions: July 16
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 You are invited to participate in information session on new welding opportunities at Great Falls College MSU. On Tuesday, July 16 plan to attend one of two sessions: either from 3:30 to 4:30 pm or from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. If you are interested in learning to weld or want to update your skills, you will benefit from these sessions. The information sessions will be held in the GFC MSU Trades Building. The building entrance faces south toward the wind turbine. Park in the west end of the south parking lot. You will have the opportunity to meet Program Director, Kyle Gillespie, and faculty who teach in the welding program. You will also tour the welding lab area. Great Falls College MSU offers a Welding Technology Certificate of Applied Science (CAS), testing services, basic welding and refresher courses. The Welding Technology CAS will not be accepting new students until January. However, to plan the dates and times for the January intake, the college will be surveying attendees to find out their class schedule preferences. Basic welding, refresher courses, and testing will be available in the fall. This fall, through a partnership with the Great Falls Public Schools, 15 students will be dually enrolled at Great Falls College MSU and their respective high schools. At the completion of the program, the GFPS students will receive their Welding Technology CAS as well as their high school diploma. Students interested in the program, went through a rigorous application and interview process prior to being selected.
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 Great Falls College MSU honored 331 graduates at the 2013 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 4.
Kim Dunlap, a 2004 graduate of the GFC MSU Dental Hygiene Program gave the Commencement Address. A full-time hygienist, Kim is currently serving as Past President of the Montana Dental Hygienist Association. She is the third hygienist in the state to offer services in an "Alternative Practice" setting, providing hygiene services to "at risk" populations. As a contemporary pioneer, Kim advances hygiene through regional speaking engagements and one-on-one training, and mentors hygienists throughout the state who are pursuing alternative dental hygiene practice. In her own words, "I sit on the edge of my seat when I talk about plaque."
Larry Vaccaro, GFC MSU Communications faculty, was recognized as the 2013 recipient of the Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence. Dustin Spivey, ASGFC MSU Secretary, Phi Theta Kappa President and Newman Civic Fellow, gave the Student Tribute to the Class. Willie A. Sharp, Jr., Blackfeet Tribal Business Council Chairman, offered the blessing. Virginia Braithwaite, MSU Northern Director of Field and Clinical experiences, recognized graduates from the MSU - Northern Great Falls Campus. |
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Child care center dedicated
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Michael Stevenson, President of the MSU Alumni Foundation,
and Diana Olson, GFC MSU Student-Parent spoke at
the Dedication Ceremony.
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Great Falls College MSU hosted a dedication ceremony for the Bright Beginnings Learning Center on May 22 to show appreciation to the many people who made this child care center possible.
The college is proud to announce that Sue Warren and her family of The Roland and Helen Lapee Family Foundation have established the first endowed scholarship for GFC MSU students who have a child enrolled in the new Bright Beginning Learning Center on campus. This endowed scholarship will provide $1,000 per year to be awarded to students enrolled at GFC MSU each academic year to support their childcare costs while they attend class and work towards a successful future.
According to Dr. Susan J. Wolff, CEO/Dean of Great Falls College MSU, "the average child care expense for families can exceed the cost of tuition. Having access to the Bright Beginnings Learning Center keeps the cost of child care for our students to a more manageable cost. Students are better able to stay focused on their learning experience knowing their child or children are not only being taken care of but receiving a quality learning experience themselves."
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Great Falls College MSU is developing an Academic Master Plan (AMP) that will guide future program development; enrollment and facilities planning; and budgeting and hiring decisions. The first step in developing an AMP was to gather information on region's postsecondary education and training needs. Through a brief survey, the community has been given the opportunity to guide the future of the college. "By developing an academic master plan, we will be able to more effectively and efficiently fulfill the mission of the college," stated CEO Dean, Dr. Susan Wolff.
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Besich named MEA-MFT Faculty Member of the Year
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 Marilyn Besich has been named by MEA-MFT as Faculty Member of the Year. With her background in businesses both small and large, Burgess said, "Marilyn could have easily gone down the corporate road." Instead, Besich chose to teach at the Great Falls College (formerly the College of Technology), where she serves as program director for the Business Administration Department, teaching management and entrepreneurship.
For 22 years, she has given Montanans the skills to launch their own careers in business. Students often come back after graduating and tell her how valuable their training was. Besich's work boosts Montana's economy as well as her students' futures. "Even in bad economic times, business needs good managers and smart workers," she said. She sees this as "a time in our economy when we need entrepreneurship more than ever." |
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GFC MSU celebrates the completion of College House #4
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Great Falls College Montana State University and NeighborWorks Great Falls celebrated the completion of a triplex townhomes co-built by the college's building trades students and NeighborWorks employees over the past year. Interior Design students selected paint and other surface treatments. The landscaping design was provided by Darci Alexander, a GFC adjunct faculty member, who generously donated her personal time and expertise. The triplex townhomes are the fourth project built by the college in collaboration with NeighborWorks. The homes are available to low and moderate income families and individuals. NeighborWorks offers monthly first-time homebuyer education classes and has down payment assistance available to make the payments more affordable.
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Kudos to Sandra Allen and our Surgical Technology students!
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 The Surgical Technology program, led by Program Director Sandra Allen, received the Galaxy Star Award again for 2013, based on the high percentage pass rate on the national exam. As a Surgical Technologist, you will work as an integral part of the surgical team. The job of a Surg Tech is to prepare the operating room prior to each surgery and ensure the sterility of the environment during surgery. During the operation, this healthcare professional passes instruments to the surgeon, assisting with equipment and supplies. |
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Berg receives scholarship to National College Testing conference
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Congratulations to Testing Services Coordinator Carol Berg, who was notified recently that she will receive an 'expenses paid' scholarship to attend the National College Testing Association 2013 conference.
This award involved a competitive application process for which Carol applied including data and supporting documentation from our Testing Center.
The Testing Center is relatively new at Great Falls College. Carol will have the opportunity to network with other academic testing services staff and to bring ideas back for possible implementation.
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Great Falls College MSU
2100 15th Ave S | Great Falls, MT 59405
406.771.4300 | 800.446.2698
Changing Lives - Achieving Dreams
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