2007 Highlights

As the year comes to a close, I want to share with you a few highlights from 2007.

The College has experienced great change and growth over the past year. Enrollment in credit courses increased eleven percent over last fall and enrollment in Chester increased twenty percent, thanks to the additional space at the transition facility. Our financial health is the strongest in history. We were able to provide significant pay enhancements for our faculty and staff.

We embarked on an exciting journey this fall, learning the hopes and dreams of our internal and external stakeholders. I had the pleasure of meeting with nearly 300 faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders over the past few months.

We were involved in several major facility projects, such as the building renovation for the Building and Construction Trades Program on Wilson Street, B-building roof replacement, and the dedication of 3D University. And today a building is being built on Hwy 9 in Chester that marks a new era of how we will meet the education and training needs of our region.

The Radiologic Technology Program and Dental Hygiene Associate Degree and Expanded Duty Dental Assistant Programs were reaccredited. The Early Care and Education Associate Degree Program received accreditation through the Division of Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation at the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The Building and Construction Trades Program was credentialed by the Home Builders' Institute. Most recently, the Automotive Program received Master ASE Certification (Automotive Service Excellence) through the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. Congratulations Jamey, Chuck, and others who worked very hard to make this happen.

Congratulations and thank you for a wonderful year! I wish for you a restful and wonderful holiday break. You deserve the time off and unless security calls to say something is on fire, forget about work and come back January 7 with the energy and enthusiasm to make 2008 our best year ever.

Entrepreneur Network

On November 27, York Technical College launched the new Entrepreneur Network at the Baxter M. Hood Continuing Education Center. Sixty entrepreneurs attended to gain practical advice on how to obtain financing for their small businesses. Bill Payne, an entrepreneur and investment expert, presented “Let’s Make a Deal – Financing Options for Entrepreneurs.”

The Entrepreneur Network is designed to give small business owners and entrepreneurs an opportunity to network with each other and to learn about best practices from regionally and nationally successful entrepreneurs. We hope to offer quarterly Entrepreneur Network sessions with the next one tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, February 26. Special thanks to Edie Dille, Katie Dykhuis, Susan Brackett, Ginger Moore, and Kimberly Herndon for all their hard work in making the program a success!

Bridge Program with USC

You may have read an article in Friday’s newspaper regarding the statewide Bridge Program with the University of South Carolina and the SC Technical College System and wondered why you had not heard news of this program. We were asked not to discuss the program widely prior to the announcement.

On November 30, the University of South Carolina and the SC Technical College System signed an agreement that will provide first-time college attendees who are recent high-school graduates a smoother transition from SC technical colleges to the University of South Carolina. Students must complete 30 hours of general studies or earn an associate degree, and meet the university's admissions criteria to be eligible for transfer.

We are very excited about this new partnership and the opportunities for similar bridge programs with other higher education institutions.




SC Technical College System News Release