Change Starts Here

The  Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships  (CRYA) program celebrated career education with hundreds of students, business leaders, educators, and funders at Signing Day 2021. The event was held on Thursday, July 29, at the College Center on TTC’s Thornley Campus in North Charleston. Former CNA/pre-nursing youth apprentice Kevin Boyd shares a laugh with Dr. Thornley reflecting on his time working at Roper St. Francis Hospital as a young high school student aspiring to attend medical school. He is currently a student at Duke University.   Signing Day 2021 recognized the eighth signing class of over 70 new youth apprentices from the tricounty area, with many more still being hired for the 2021-22 academic school year. The event, sponsored by RegionsBank , began with opening remarks from TTC President, Dr. Mary Thornley. It was highlighted by a panel discussion facilitated by Dr. Thornley with four current and former...

A Night in the Valley, Trident Technical College Foundation's largest fundraising gala, typically takes place every January, welcoming 600 guests to enjoy a gourmet, full-service dining experience hosted by the Culinary Institute of Charleston . Every year, thousands of dollars are raised to support scholarships, student urgent needs and other crucial programs .  This year, however, the pandemic brought all in-person events to a screeching halt.  "Yet, the need is greater than ever," says Lisa Piccolo, TTC Foundation Executive Director, "It is especially hard right now for our students to reach their educational goals." After weighing many options, it was decided to take the event online. And thanks to the many sponsors and individual supporters of TTC, the event was a great success.   A Night in the Valley: Home Edition was held Friday evening, January 29, raising more than $160,000 from sponsorships, raffle sales and donations. Leading up to the event, chefs...

The Truist Foundation has awarded the Trident Technical College Foundation a $1 million grant to support the college’s effort to create the Truist Transportation and Logistics Center on the college’s Berkeley Campus in Moncks Corner. The transportation center is a major component of the college’s multiphase plan to renovate the aging campus. With the Truist Foundation grant, college funds, $1 million provided by Berkeley County and a private donation of $100,000, the college will be able to move forward on the initial phase of the renovation project and offer commercial driver’s license training on the campus this fall. The college will continue to seek local, state and private funding to complete the full $32 million campus renovation to better serve the training needs of rapidly growing Berkeley County. “The Truist Transportation and Logistics Center will support the workforce needs of diverse employment sectors, including transportation and air freight providers, warehouse and dis...

When respiratory therapist Karen Simmons transitioned from a clinical career to teaching, she never would have guessed that a respiratory virus would be responsible for a global pandemic just six months later.  “It felt weird not to be in the middle of it, but I realized that my impact would be much greater by teaching and advocating for the profession,” she says Simmons graduated from Trident Tech in 1997 and went on to treat patients for more than 20 years. Now, as the clinical coordinator for the Respiratory Therapy program at the College, she is hoping more students decide to go into the field.  "Respiratory therapists are in high-demand, playing a critical role in the fight against the Coronavirus," she says.  Respiratory therapists focus on the treatment, management, control, evaluation and care of patients who have trouble breathing. They typically care for patients with chronic respiratory disease, such as asthma or emphysema, as well as patients who suffer from...

Ebone Edwards Second Place 2020 Future Alumni Essay Contest The end of 2019 seemed at first glance like every other year; the catapult that would turn the page and start our lives off fresh. For so many, the year 2020 represented a “new vision” and the start of a new decade of possibilities.  I remember saying this would be the year I would finally be at my ideal body weight, save enough money to travel, get married and finally pursue my dream of becoming a chef. These goals had been written and pictured on my vision board for so many years, but 2020 was going to be “the” year I would accomplish them.  Life often has a way of adjusting our most carefully curated paths to success, but nothing compares to the impact of one singular global pandemic, which effectively challenged and changed my world forever. The seriousness of the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) became very evident as new norms created challenges. One of those early challenges I faced would involve my job. I wo...

Trident Technical College stands in support of the African American members of the community we serve. We reject all forms of discrimination. We affirm the guiding principles of our mission: equality, advocacy, individual worth, and mutual respect. We seek to model the change we want to see in the world. We work to prepare our students to see from various angles. We strive to demonstrate to them, and to each other, that we are able to see perspectives different from our own, and, in so doing, become more empathetic and responsive. We work to ensure that all of our campus community’s voices are heard, that all know we value them as individuals, and that we respect each other not just for our strengths but also for our struggles. Trident Technical College commits to mutually respectful, humanizing dialogue as we work to change our campuses and our community.

Trident Tech Nursing alum Jennifer Kelly arrived in New York City in April - ready, willing and determined to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. But she quickly realized that no amount of education or experience (including her eight years as a nurse) could have fully prepared her for what she was about to face. “It was surreal at first. I landed at JFK, one of the biggest airports in the country, and it was practically empty. My biggest worry was driving in the city, but there were very few people on the road,” she said. Kelly’s decision to go to New York for the four-week assignment was not taken lightly. She was eager to help on the front lines of the pandemic and her husband and three children were very supportive of her going. But she was hesitant to leave her colleagues. She works at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and had been a supervisor at the drive-thru testing site from day one. She was reluctant to leave the team she had grown very close to as they faced such...

Deborah White Educator of the Year The American Association of Medical Assistants awarded Medical Assisting Program Coordinator  Deborah White  the Golden Apple Award of Distinction at the association’s 63rd Annual Conference in Greensboro, N.C., earlier this month. This national award is presented to an educator from a medical assisting program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs who has shown extraordinary dedication to educational activities and exceptional support of students on the national, state and local levels. Deb was nominated by the South Carolina Society of Medical Assistants with letters of support from her dean, colleagues, peers and past graduates. Learn more about TTC's medical assistant program. Mary Thornley                                Ray Snyder Southern Region ACCT Awards The Association of Community Co...

What do you get when you combine sparkling beverages, posh prizes and endless rounds of Bingo? Bubbles & Blingo of course! On May 11, 2019,  Trident Technical College Foundation  and the  Culinary Institute of Charleston  hosted the inaugural Bubbles & Blingo fundraiser in support of Trident Technical College. Guests were greeted with cotton candy-topped champagne as they made their way to a welcome reception featuring a photo booth equipped with hilarious props, resulting in some unforgettable photos. Some even arrived camera-ready with table themes like “Jolly Roger Pirates” and “Hot Tamales!” As attendees entered the ballroom for the main event, they were treated to a mouthwatering brunch selection created and served by the faculty and students of CIC, including a chicken and waffle station, shrimp and grits cakes and Greek or Italian frittata omelets. Floral centerpieces adorned each table and were accompanied by a tower of delect...

As you may know, the North Charleston campus of Trident Technical College was recently renamed Thornley Campus, after President Dr. Mary Thornley, to honor her for 46 years of service and leadership to the college. We held a dedication ceremony last fall, and the campus now proudly has signage bearing her name. What you may not know is that in conjunction with the campus renaming, two TTC Foundation trustees, Bobby Collins (immediate past chair) and Chris Fraser (vice chair) developed an idea to create a fund that will enable Dr. Thornley to continue her great works. The Thornley Leadership Fund provides immediate and significant benefits to TTC students. There are opportunities that present themselves for which students may not have the resources to pursue, and those opportunities can slip by. The Thornley Leadership Fund provides critical resources which have a direct impact on our students and allows Dr. Thornley to continue her legacy of leadership.  The fund is alr...

The Hub Navigators Transitioning to college from high school, no school or "old school" can be a daunting journey for just about anyone. To make the journey easier for students to stay on course, Trident Tech has overhauled its onboarding and advising processes. The Hub , a newly renovated space located on Thornley Campus, is now the place where all new students receive Navigator services and so much more. Navigators serve as a go-to point of contact for students throughout their academic journey. Within 24 hours of applying to the college, new students are assigned a personal Navigator who helps them register for their first classes. Navigators eventually transition students to their faculty academic advisors, though they can always come back to The Hub for additional support. First piloted with students in a few academic programs, an integrated advanced software system called Navigate is available to all individuals who apply to TTC. When a student goes to The Hub, ...

Five Trident Technical College employees received SKIP awards at the college’s Leadership Cabinet meeting on March 18. The SKIPs were created by former Trident Tech vice president Skip Godow to identify and reward employees who are setting an example of innovation at TTC. The nominations exemplify innovation that significantly enhances the student experience, improves an administrative process or truly puts TTC on the cutting edge. Awards were given in two categories, noninstructional and instructional. Winners were selected by a committee of innovative leaders in the community. Marianne Weinstein won in the noninstructional category for the Win with Wellness Team Challenge. Marianne’s project involved developing a team based wellness challenge that was designed to boost morale among employees, allowing them to work together towards common health and wellness goals. In the instructional category, Sherri Carter, Laura Brigada, Debra Leach and Maureen Baur won for the Developing ...

By Heather Hobbs, Instructor, Veterinary Technology Program When people hear about the Veterinary Technology program offered at Trident Technical College, what often comes to mind is “How fun – puppies and kittens!" Walter, after treatment But in reality, it's not just about playing with baby animals. More often, we pick up animals from the local shelter who are less likely to be adopted because of medical and surgical needs. The students work them up (physical exams, bloodwork, radiographs), then treat them according to a veterinarian’s instructions (assist in surgery, dental cleaning, hospitalization and behavior modification). Once these patients are well, they return to the shelter ready to be placed in their forever homes. One recent case that took all of our students’ skills and dedication is Walter, a 10-month-old, standard poodle weighing 21 pounds (he should be 40 pounds). The day he entered the shelter he was so emaciated and weak, the shelter staff ha...

Stephan Valentine, Belinda Sherman, Mary Thornley, Christian Mahon, Grant Delgado The 2018 Scholarship Luncheon was held in the spring to celebrate and connect scholarship donors and recipients. The student panelists, Grant Delgado, Christian Mahon, Belinda Sherman, and Stephen Valentine answered questions posed to them by Dr. Mary Thornley, TTC President, and they shared their personal stories of humble beginnings and challenges along the way. The four students came from different backgrounds and are on different career paths but what they had in common was much greater than any differences: the desire to achieve success. All four of them spoke about the importance of having a cheerleader on their side and how receiving a scholarship gave them a reason to believe in themselves.  Belinda Sherman Belinda Sherman was abused as a child and told she would never amount to anything. She said, “After having to endure all that, I had to find my own way in life. Gett...

"You have no idea how unreal it feels to wake up knowing that just one more person believes in you."  -Olivia, TTC Scholarship Recipient TTC faculty and staff are committed to helping students achieve their goals and improve their lives, and through their participation in the 2018-19 CampusCampaign , So Much More , they demonstrated that commitment. Eighty-three percent of full-time employees contributed more than $72,000 for TTC Foundation programs like Scholarships, Minigrants and the Student Emergency Fund. This is no surprise, as faculty and staff have a long history of giving back to students, raising $1.4 Million since 1980. They give back because working at TTC is more than just a job to them. Through their donations, they are sending the message that they believe in students and are rooting for them to succeed. They understand that, to students, it’s about so much more than the financial support. Just knowing that they are surrounded by a communit...

Skip Godow  Skip Godow spent much of his career in higher education encouraging others to never be satisfied with the current state of affairs, no matter how good it is. "Good is the enemy of great and we should always be striving for great," says Skip. "That takes creativity, imagination and innovation." This is why he started the SKIPs (Strategy + Knowledge = Innovation Prize) at Trident Technical College in 2013. He wanted to help create a culture of innovation by rewarding those that make exceptional contributions in order to transform the student experience or improve on the administrative process. When Skip was the VP of Continuing Education at TTC, there was an "Innovator of the Month" award, which empowered employees to look at innovation as part of their jobs. "It was amazing to see how many people in the division came up with (and implemented) new ideas," he says. "Instead of thinking that we had to do things the w...

Marie Arnaud, right, of the Charleston chapter of the French Alliance, congratulates Eleis Lester on her selection for the horticultural internship in Paris. Eleis Lester, a horticulture student at Trident Technical College , has been selected for a gardening internship this summer in Paris at the Garden of Bagatelle, an 18th-century landscaped park and chateau. Eleis is the fourth TTC student to participate in the internship sponsored by Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and the F rench Heritage Society in Paris. The local program, established in 2011, also receives support from the Alliance Française de Charleston . She said Magnolia and the Alliance Française “together have created one of the most unique learning experience in our region, and I am delighted to represent Charleston in France this summer. The best learning happens in new places with new people. I can’t wait!” Eleis earned a double degree in the history of mathematics and science and ancient Greek and Fre...

As Belinda Sherman stood alongside her Culinary Institute of Charleston classmates and took her bows at Trident Technical College’s annual fundraising gala  A Night in the Valley , it hit her that she was finally doing something she felt good about.  " I think it was the culmination of so many changes in my life and so many new emotions,” says Belinda. “I almost had to pinch myself to believe that I was living in this beautiful, amazing moment." Belinda is a mother of three, two of which are in college as well – one at USC, Aiken Campus and the other right here with her at TridentTechnical College in the pre-nursing program. As a first-generation college student, this makes her extremely proud. "I was determined to raise my kids to believe they can accomplish anything and they were most definitely going to be something. Unfortunately, I was not encouraged and was told that I would never amount to anything. " But it's even worse than that. Bel...