[View ALL News Press Releases] ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. --- Eight members of Elizabethtown Community and Technical College's faculty and staff graduated from the 2007-2008 ECTC President's Leadership Program. The leadership development program was established in 2006 by ECTC President/CEO Dr. Thelma White to encourage and provide opportunities for those who aspire to leadership positions at the college to develop or refine the skills necessary to become effective leaders. "Elizabethtown Community and Technical College is a dynamic community of life-long learners," Dr. White said. "As such, we are pleased to make this investment in those members of the faculty and staff who want to develop and refine their leadership skills and help us chart the college's future. "Effective leaders are visionaries, communicators, and team-builders who empower others," she continued. "Our program addresses the philosophies and principles of leadership, and then focuses on practical applications that are meaningful for participants and that have impact on the college community as a whole." Participants attended a series of leadership development sessions throughout the academic year and developed projects that focus on topics relevant to the college, its mission and strategic plan.

Members of the 2007-2008 leadership class include:

• Michael Burns, Security Supervisor. Burns' project focused on "Best Practices During a Crisis," emphasizing the importance of establishing good relationships with outside agencies to boost campus safety. He studied the experiences of other colleges and universities, including Virginia Tech, to determine what could be learned from their crisis situations. He recommended the implementation of a multidisciplinary team of individuals with expertise and training in risk assessment to which disturbing behavior can be reported. Burns concluded that securing the safety of the ECTC campus is a process that requires an institutional and personal commitment from every member of the educational community. • Mary Byerley, Transcript Evaluator, Records Office, and Hope Irwin, Student Affairs Assistant, Records Office. Byerley and Irwin worked together on two projects, the first of which is the creation of a "Student Guide to PeopleSoft." This guide outlines what functions are available to students in the PeopleSoft system (the student record database). Additional benefits of the guide are step-by-step instructions on each available function and contact information for technical questions. Trainings are scheduled for incoming students over the summer. The second project is a detailed procedure manual for the Records Office. This manual includes an inventory of functions, baseline data on volume of work handled in the office, PeopleSoft instructions and a collection of all the forms filled out by, and correspondence sent to, students. Staff in the Records Office will use the manual for improving processes and to cross-train. • Brent Doty, Coordinator, Computer-Aided Drafting Program. Doty's project was to develop a plan and promotional materials to support enrollment in the computer-aided design and drafting program. The materials included the production of a promotional video, which airs on Hardin County Educational and Community TV and can be used for recruiting purposes, a newspaper column, and a powerpoint presentation describing the program and career opportunities. • Sandra E. Howard, Campus Assistant, Off-Campus Programs at Fort Knox Center. Howard's project involved the assessment of how soldier students' GoArmyEd.com (GAE) information is received and processed by the ECTC staff at the Fort Knox Center. Soldiers using tuition assistance must apply and register for classes through the GAE portal. Working with ECTC Fort Knox personnel, Howard's efforts resulted in the "Fort Knox Center GoArmyEd Best Practices Guide," comprised of several modules, including information and procedures for admissions, registration, invoicing, grade administration and graduate reporting. The Best Practices modules will act as guides for any ECTC employees working with GoArmyEd soldiers. Howard also created a "Soldier Enrollment Guide" to help soldiers enroll in classes through the GAE portal. Both the Best Practices and Soldier Enrollment Guides will be updated as needed, with additional modules scheduled to be included in the Practices Guide. • Shawn Kellie, Assistant Professor, Chemistry. Dr. Kellie conducted a study on student success in chemistry courses. Students in both General College Chemistry and General, Organic, and Biochemistry were evaluated. Among the criteria he studied were student ACT scores, COMPASS scores and math background. In addition, he measured students' attitudes towards chemistry and their motivations for taking chemistry courses. He then analyzed the information he collected with respect to their scores on a final exam. The data Dr. Kellie gathered can be used to help academic advisors as they work with students to plan rewarding, challenging and successful academic programs. • Anthony Slone, Associate Professor, Business. Slone's project focused on enhancing the long-term sustainability of an ECTC international exchange program known at "TA SHARE" - Trans-Atlantic Students Having a Real Experience." ECTC students and faculty involved with TA SHARE have worked with their counterparts in Germany, Scotland and Denmark to design and, ultimately, construct an eco-friendly home. The relationship has included a unique exchange program between ECTC faculty and students and German faculty and students over the past year. With the continued support of the ECTC president/CEO, ECTC faculty and staff, the (SIFE/TA SHARE?) Board of Directors, and the community at large, the program can be not only sustained, but also grown and developed into the long-term. • Gary Stearns, Professor, History. Dr. Stearn's project was to arrange and coordinate a speakers' series in connection with the Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration. State Historian and Georgetown College Professor Dr. James Klotter spoke about Lincoln as a Kentucky-born president at the Hodgenville Kick-Off on February 10, 2008. ECTC History Professor Doug Cantrell spoke about "Lincoln and the Coming of the Civil War" on the ECTC campus on March 6. Dr. Stearns will plan two speakers for each of the next two academic years, through 2010.

During the 2005-2006 inaugural year of the President's Leadership Program, nine members of the faculty and staff participated in the program. Eleven participants graduated from the program last year.