Spring Mini-Mester 2012 Course Schedule

Savannah Technical College serves coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Savannah, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 4,500 credit students each semester, Savannah Tech offers nearly 100 different instructional programs in Business and Technology, Public Service, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry. The College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.

#1255 | February 16, 2012

SAVANNAH – Persons wishing to begin a firefighting career or volunteer with their local fire departments can earn their state and national certification by enrolling in Savannah Technical College’s new Firefighter 1 Certification Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC).

     Beginning with the spring mini-mester that starts March 1, 2012, students as young as 16 years of age may enroll in the new Firefighter TCC at Savannah Tech. Classes are scheduled to accommodate work schedules with a hybrid education format that uses a combination of online instruction and traditional classroom sessions in the evening at STC’s Crossroads Campus. Three additional hybrid classes needed to complete the TCC will be offered in Summer 2012.

     This course prepares students to challenge the state and national certification test for Firefighter 1. Some of the training includes topics like the roles and responsibilities of a firefighter; the National Incident Command System; scene safety; personal protective equipment; tools and equipment; tactical priorities of life safety, etc. The class also includes supporting certifications in hazardous materials awareness and operations, as well as the American Heart Association’s CPR and First Aid.

     All classes are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), allowing for earned credits to transfer to institutions of higher education. HOPE Grant funding is available to qualifying Georgia residents for all classes required in this certificate program.

     The lead instructor will be Anthony (Tony) Faust, who retired from the City of Savannah as a Battalion Chief after 25 years of service. He received numerous accolades during his career including a commendation for rescuing flood victims in the mid-1990s.

     Registration is currently underway, and all new students must complete the STC application process through the first day of class, March 1, 2012. For more information about the program, please contact STC’s Fire Science Instructor Tony Faust (912.443.3386 or tfaust@savannahtech.edu). For more details about registration visit: www.savannahtech.edu/cwo/admissions.

     A complete list of courses offered in the 2012 spring mini-mester is available here: http://www.savannahtech.edu/assets/minimester.pdf

     Savannah Technical College serves coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Savannah, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 4,500 credit students each semester, Savannah Tech offers nearly 100 different instructional programs in Business and Technology, Public Service, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry. The College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.

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For More Information Contact:
Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512
ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

#1254 | February 14, 2012

Culinary Students Selected to Compete in Southeast Regional for S. Pellegrino’s Almost Famous Chef Competition

SAVANNAH –Savannah Technical College culinary arts students Reina Shanks and Victoria Weygand have been selected by local panel of judges to compete for the opportunity of a lifetime in the S.Pellegrino^TM Almost Famous Chef^SM Competition.

     Shanks and Weygand will proceed to the Southeast Regional Competition in Atlanta, Ga., on February 21, 2012. Second-year culinary STC students who maintain a 3.5 grade point average were eligible to participate.

     “We have very high expectations for our students, which prepares them for success,” said Chef Jean Yves Vendeville, STC’s department head and instructor for the Culinary Institute of Savannah. “On my first day at Savannah Tech, I promised my students the best education and highest standards possible, and we haven’t looked back.”

     Shanks will prepare rack of lamb with lingonberry pan sauce along with a fried goat cheese and nutmeg polenta cake with fried sage, sautéed golden beets, Swiss chard, oyster mushrooms, pearl onions and spiced pecans. Weygand will prepare Veal Normandy with purple garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed Swiss chard and apples with a Calvados cream sauce.

     “We take pride in what we do. Every single part of every dish has been tested and critiqued all the way,” said Chef Vendeville. “Our students produce beautiful works of art. I invite my students to move all the way up with me, and they follow.”

     Shanks works as a line cook at her family’s restaurant, Bella’s Italian Café, where she developed a love of cooking. “Before school, I always knew I wanted to cook and loved preparing food for other people,” said Shanks. “Now that I have been trained as a culinary professional and have honed my skills, so many doors have been opened.”

     Shanks plans to earn continued degrees to teach culinary. “Growing up in a restaurant, I always enjoyed cooking. But, I never thought it would lead me to this point. I have so many exciting opportunities in my future.”

     Weygand was recently named the Low Country Chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) 2012 Student Chef of the Year. She won best dessert at 2012 Battle of the Bakers, a benefit event for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire. Her team also won first place with “Jack’s Christmas” at the Westin 2011 Gingerbread Village Competition.

     Weygand has known since she was seven years old that she wanted to be a chef. “I have always loved cooking and the art in cooking,” said Weygand. “Through training and practice, I am nearing my dream of opening my own restaurant. I greet every new challenge with open arms.”

     In celebration of its 10th year, the Almost Famous Chef^SM Competition will bring back all nine of the past winners to the finals event on March 9-12, 2012, at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley, Calif. Past winners will work alongside the esteemed judge panel to mentor the 10 finalists throughout the three days of fierce competition. All finals competitors will be evaluated in three competition categories: the Mystery Basket, Signature Dish and People’s Choice. Students will be critiqued on taste, texture and aroma of the dish, presentation, kitchen skills and the ability to perform under pressure. The overall winner will take the title, up to $22,000 in prizes and a career-changing apprenticeship with a master chef.

     Almost Famous Chef^SM Competition was founded as a mentoring program that connects top culinary students with established chefs and influential media. Since then, this program has helped to launch hundreds of culinary careers and refined the skills of a new generation of chefs. Through the competition, student chefs are given the opportunity to gain unmatched experience, while cooking in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world. For more information, visit http://www.almostfamouschef.com/.

     The Culinary Institute of Savannah offers ACF-accredited diploma and degree programs in culinary arts and has been described as the “best in the U.S.A” by its ACF accreditation review board. Under the leadership of Chef Vendeville, student teams have won two consecutive ACF Southeast Regional Championships – in 2010 in the Hot Food Team competition and in 2011 in the Knowledge Bowl competition. There are more than 200 enrolled in the program, which opened a second teaching kitchen in Effingham, Ga.

Savannah Technical College serves coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Savannah, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 4,500 credit students each semester, Savannah Tech offers nearly 100 different instructional programs in Business and Technology, Public Service, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry. The College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.

#1252 | February 7, 2012

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College will host its Historic Preservation Visiting Artisan Series featuring Dr. Gerard Lynch, an internationally acclaimed brickwork consultant, master bricklayer, educator and author, the week of February 20-22, 2012.

“We’re honored to welcome Dr. Gerard Lynch to Savannah Technical College,” said College President Dr. Kathy Love. “As the only hands-on historical preservation program in Georgia, we are proud to offer our students opportunities to learn from masters in their trades.”

While in Savannah, Lynch will work with students to practice lime mortar repointing techniques at the Coastal Heritage Society – who will be co-sponsors of the visit.

Lynch followed a traditional apprenticeship as a bricklayer and, over the years through his natural ability within his craft, gained many awards, including the Silver and Gold Trowels from the Brick Development Association and is a Licentiate of the City and Guilds of London Institute. He is a former Head lecturer of Trowel Trades at Bedford College, pioneering a revival of gauged brickwork, in which he is considered the world’s leading authority, and other almost forgotten traditional craft skills; and is affectionately known by the historic term, “The Red Mason.” He returned to contracting and set up a private consultancy practice in 1992.

He is the author of Gauged Brickwork A Technical Handbook (Gower, 1990, revised 2006, Donhead Publishing), Brickwork: History: Technology and Practice (volumes 1 and 2, Donhead Publishing, 1994) and The History of Gauged Brickwork: Conservation, Repair and Modern Applications (Elsevier Limited 2007). Also various peer-reviewed papers and articles on various traditional and historical aspects of his craft, which have received wide praise for their content and have led in the revival of interest for traditional historic building practices and their successful re-interpretation.

The visit is being coordinated by STC’s Department Head and Instructor of Historic Preservation Stephen Hartley. “Dr. Lynch’s visit continues our goal of augmenting our traditional study with masters in their chosen craft,” said Hartley.

For two years, the College has hosted Preservation Week in May, during which local experts offer workshops and sessions on preservation-related topics. With the College’s transition to a semester calendar last year, May’s Preservation Week activities have become the Visiting Artisan Series that will bring three world-class craftsmen to campus each for a week in October, February and April. The next visiting artisan – Rudy Christian – is scheduled to be in Savannah March 24 – April 1, 2012.

This series has gained international recognition and has contributed to a number of community-based preservation projects in the surrounding communities.

For information about Historic Preservation at Savannah Technical College, contact Hartley, shartley@savannahtech.edu or 912.443.5864.

Savannah Technical College serves coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Savannah, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 4,500 credit students each semester, Savannah Tech offers nearly 100 different instructional programs in Business and Technology, Public Service, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry. The College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.

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For More Information Contact:
Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512
ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

#1251 | February 3, 2012

  SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College announces the following schedule of activities at the Savannah, Effingham and Liberty Campuses to commemorate Black History Month. Sponsored by the STC Student Activity Council, these events are free and open to the public. Some venues may have limited seating.

      February 8 — Of Ebony Embers, Vignettes of the Harlem Renaissance is a music theatre work celebrating three great African American poets: Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Claude McKay, as seen through the eyes of renowned painter and muralist Aaron Douglas (the “Father of Black Art”). The musical score is drawn from great composers of the Jazz Age (Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Jelly Roll Morton) and African American composers of classical music. The performance begins at 6:30 p.m., is free and open to the public at the STC Eckburg Auditorium.

      February 23 – Black History Celebration at Liberty Campus – the following events are free and open to the public.

• Black History Celebration: Living Wax Students and staff members in period costume representing Black History personalities will be located throughout the campus; when approached, they will identify themselves and share information about their famous American. 10AM – noon, 5-6PM
• Community Information Fair Businesses and community organizations will be on hand distributing information about the services they offer from 10AM – noon.
• African Americans: A Diverse History featuring guest speaker Hinesville Mayor James Thomas, Jr. begins at 6 PM and will conclude with a performance by the Hinesville Collaborative Community Choir. 6 – 8PM

      February 25 – Savannah Tech is a proud sponsor of the production: The Tragedy at Ebenezer Creek: One More River to Cross at 5 p.m. at Mt. Carmel Deliverance Center (200 Stokes Ave., Rincon, Ga.) . This play is an adaptation of the story of Ebenezer Creek in Effingham, Ga., a location where hundreds of freed slaves were abandoned during General Sherman’s march during the American Civil War. For more details call 912.826.2949.

      Throughout the month there will be Black History Month trivia contests at the Savannah and Liberty Campuses. Also, there will be information and displays throughout the Liberty Campus buildings.

 Savannah Technical College serves coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Savannah, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 4,500 credit students each semester, Savannah Tech offers nearly 100 different instructional programs in Business and Technology, Public Service, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry. The College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.

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For More Information Contact:
Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512
ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

#1250 | February 3, 2012

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College will offer a very basic computer skills class beginning on February 15, 2012 at the Crossroads Campus. The class will provide an overview for the novice user who is not familiar navigating with Microsoft Windows and would like to learn how to create spreadsheets in Excel, documents in Word and presentations in PowerPoint.

     The 10-week class will meet Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 8 PM. The cost is $229, and registration is due by Tuesday, February 14, 2012. When the class is offered again in June, the cost will increase to $250.

     The class is approved Workforce Investment Act (WIA) training for under-employed or low-income persons who qualify. WIA is a comprehensive federal program designed to assist underemployed or unemployed citizens with tuition and fees for WIA-approved educational programs, certificates, and degrees.

     To register for the course and for payment, contact Reeshemah Johnson 912.443.5808. Credit and/or debit card payments may be made via telephone. Money order, personal or cashier’s checks made payable to Savannah Technical College will only be accepted at the Crossroads Campus.

For questions about the course or for registration, please contact:

Continuing Education at 912-443-3012 or continuinged@savannahtech.edu.

For questions about WIA Approval contact:

Coastal Workforce Services at 912.351.6379 or visit www.coastalworkforceservices.org

 Savannah Technical College serves coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Savannah, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 4,500 credit students each semester, Savannah Tech offers nearly 100 different instructional programs in Business and Technology, Public Service, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry. The College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.

For More Information Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR 912.443.5512 ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH – Chef Jean Yves Vendeville, department head of the Culinary Institute at Savannah Technical College has been selected as the College’s 2012 Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Education honoree.

“I highly recommend Chef Jean-Yves Vendeville for the Technical College System of Georgia’s 2012 Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in Technical Instruction,” said Dr. Kathy Love.“Chef Vendeville has brought his international experiences, including his specialties of pastries and desserts making, into the classroom and continues to convey the art of professional culinary techniques to his students. His leadership abilities are not only confined to his classroom and industry relationships. He has established an outstanding rapport with the culinary communities in our service area.”

The Perkins Award honors technical education’s most outstanding instructors. The award has been an ongoing statewide program since 1991 and the recipients are technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields.

Under Vendeville’s leadership, the enrollment for the culinary arts program has increased 130 percent since 2008. Now, there are more than 200 enrolled with new classes offered. This spring he opened another teaching kitchen in Effingham, Ga. Vendeville has assembled a top-notch team of faculty, who has each earned national American Culinary Federation (ACF) certification under his leadership. He has embedded many aspects of sustainability into the program including an on-campus organic vegetable garden, an herb garden, and a composting site.

“That the students be successful in the culinary arts field is part of my goal,” said Vendeville. “That the students learn from me and perhaps someday even surpass me as leaders and innovators, entrepreneurs and instructors in the culinary profession is the rest of my mission. I can best accomplish that here, at Savannah Technical College, where I have support and the structure for success.”

According to his committee chair, the Culinary Institute of Savannah, offering ACF-accredited diploma and degree programs in culinary arts, is the “best in the U.S.A.,” and it has gone “well over and above the standards and expectations for a technical college teaching facility.” The committee recommended that the program receive the maximum accreditation time of seven years, when the average is three years.

Vendeville was recently named Chef Educator of the Year by the Low Country Chapter of the ACF. He has led student teams to two consecutive ACF Southeast Regional Championships – in 2010 in the Hot Food Team competition and in 2011 in the Knowledge Bowl competition. Vendeville recently achieved his ACF Lifetime Certification as an Executive Pastry Chef. He also holds a Lifetime Certification as an Executive Chef from the Chef Association of America.

He is developing his first book, entitled Croquembouche: The Art and Technique. His book will focus on pastry and desserts, prepared in traditional French technique. It will include 250 color photographs and recipes of his creations. His book is slated for publishing this year by Taylor and Francis of London and will be distributed internationally.

Additional STC Rick Perkins Award nominees include: Roberta     Richards (Adult Education), Susan     Pinkston (Business and Technology), Lester     Wiggins (Industrial Technology) and Asha     Anumolu (Health Services).

The state Perkins Award winner serves as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia and must have made significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in his or her field of instruction. The winner must also exemplify excellence and a commitment to the mission of the TCSG. The winner of this award will carry the title of the TCSG Instructor of the Year and is announced during the annual GOAL program.

Savannah Technical College serves coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Savannah, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 4,500 credit students each semester, Savannah Tech offers nearly 100 different instructional programs in Business and Technology, Public Service, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry. The College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree.

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For More Information Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR 912.443.5512 ashaffer@savannahtech.edu