Student Success workshops, going on now through Oct. 5

The Academic Skills Center, Disability Services, and Counseling Services have teamed up to bring PTC students a jam-packed agenda of Student Success workshops covering a range of topics to help students get off on the right foot at the start of the semester.

"These workshops introduce students to study tips, test-taking tips, and how to use and get the most out of D2L, for example," says Gloria Baker, PTC's Director of Disability Services. "Both new and returning students will benefit from these workshops, and all the workshops are open to everyone," Baker adds.

Schedule of Workshops
• Access and Support: D2L, Logging on, and all about the ASC
(Aug. 22 through Sept. 2 / 11 a.m.)
• It’s Time: School and Life Demands, and Getting it all Done
(Aug. 31 / 11 a.m.)
• Learning Styles: What they are, and How to Use Them
(Sept. 7 / 11 a.m.)
• LRTC: Research, Writing Papers and Avoiding Plagiarism
(Sept. 21 / 11 a.m.)
• Getting Smart: Unlocking the Secrets of Study Tips
(Sept. 28 / 11 a.m.)
• Getting Smarter: Test-taking Secrets
(Oct. 5 / 11 a.m.)

For more information about the workshops, visit the workshops site, or e-mail Gloria Baker, bakerg@pinetech.edu.

PTC's Fall, 2011 semester is officially underway

Opening its doors for the first day of fall semester classes, Pine Technical College is once again welcoming more than 1,000 new and returning students to the campus, as the term officially gets underway today. Students are locating their classrooms and labs, talking with academic advisors, purchasing textbooks, getting parking permits, and adding-and-dropping courses in a flurry of activity.

New and notable this fall, is PTC’s remodeled and expanded gunsmithing technology and prototyping labs. Gunsmithing technology students are returning to what looks like a different environment; the space has been significantly upgraded over the summer months.

"The gunsmithing program has been at PTC since 1980, and it has been in need of an upgrade for a while now," says Gunsmithing Technology Instructor Dave Defenbaugh. "But, this upgrade is more than just a face-lift – the space has been re-created to be more functional and usable for students. It’s not simply a cosmetic enhancement," Defenbaugh adds.

Also new this fall, PTC continues to expand educational opportunities by adding general education courses such as MUSC 1200, Music Appreciation and SPCH 1250, Intercultural Communication. By adding courses like these to its curriculum, the college is increasingly able to provide students with more general education options for students planning to later transfer and pursue a baccalaureate degree.

In addition to expanded transfer opportunities, PTC continues to increase its academic and support services by offering a series of mini-workshops with focused topics such as, "School and Life Demands, and Getting it all Done," and "Unlocking the Secrets of Study Tips," and "Test-Taking Secrets," for example. These mini-workshops, co-sponsored by the Office of Disability Services and the Academic Skills Center, are going on now through Oct. 5.

Student Affairs literally steps outside the box with student service

Going on now through the first week of the fast-approaching Fall, 2011 semester, PTC's Student Affairs office is bringing student service to students -- literally! For a new student starting in the fall term, common items students might need include things like parking tags, book vouchers, and information about child care. These items and more are accessible right in front of the Student Affairs office; according to Nancy Mach, PTC's Dean of Student Affairs, it's about "bringing services students need directly to them."

Over the summer, the Student Affairs office kept busy with advising new students, administering placement testing, hosting Orientation events, and now, the department is assisting students with last-minute information they need to get their courses underway.

"These are items students need to address right away, and we will have the information in the main hall during the first few days of the semester," says Nancy Mach, Dean of Student Affairs. "To provide these items and answers students need right up front is one way we are able to provide top-notch student service," Mach explains.

The Student Affairs staff affectionately calls the setup in the hall the "One-Stop Shop" or OSS. The OSS debuted this fall term on Mon. Aug. 15 -- the week prior to the first week of classes. So far, the OSS already has served more than 100 students.

Photo at top: Mary Stachowiak, of PTC's Student Affairs office, assists automotive student Vincent Rude at the OSS.

PTC expands its curriculum to offer more liberal arts courses

Providing several hands-on, hi-tech programs focused on preparing students for skilled careers, PTC is known for its popular programs like automotive, information, and business technologies; however, with new courses such as MUSC 1200, Music Appreciation and SPCH 1250, Intercultural Communication added to its curriculum, the college is increasingly able to provide students with more general education options for students planning to later transfer and pursue a baccalaureate degree.

“We’ve noticed a trend in students wanting to take more liberal arts courses, and we’re responding,” says Paula Hoffman, PTC’s Director of Academic Planning. “The result is a fall and spring schedule rich in diverse topics that give students a more well-rounded view – some would say, ‘worldly,’” Hoffman adds.

PTC’s added general education/liberal arts courses are transferable to all MnSCU upper-division universities – a common destination for many students planning to earn a bachelor’s degree on top of their PTC education.

“It will be so smooth and easy when I transfer into a bachelor's program,” says Greg Johnson, PTC business administration and accounting student. “I'll not only finish my A.S. in business and A.A.S in accounting, but also, I'll have completed all my generals and requirements for the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum right here at PTC, before I make the transition,” Johnson adds.

Historically, PTC always has offered many general education courses, but staff members have been working especially hard over the past several months to augment the college’s existing curriculum, as well as to hire instructors for the new courses. The resulting expanded lineup of courses is impressive – a sample of just a few of the courses PTC offers:

ANTH 1200, Introduction to Anthropology
AMST 1205, Significance of the Environment in Am. History
ARTS 1229, Introduction to the Visual Arts
ENGL 2276, Multicultural Literature
ENGL 2280, Introduction to Creative Writing
MUSC 1200, Music Appreciation
PHIL 1210, Foundations of Philosophy
PHIL 1230, Philosophy of Religion
POLS 1205, American Government and Politics
POLS 1210, Environmental Politics
SOCI 1225, Human Diversity
... and more!

PTC establishes new business technology degree and office technology specialist certificate

Pine Technical College is offering a new associate of applied science degree in business technology that starts this fall, Aug. 22. The program is designed and offered in two parts; a student first will earn an office technology specialist certificate and continue to earn the A.A.S. degree. With just the certificate, a graduate will possess skills and knowledge related to the IT field as well as have the ability to apply project management and planning skills from a business-administrative mindset.

"With our new business technology program, PTC stands ready to provide educated, well-qualified graduates to this relatively newly-defined and unique field," says Julie Shores, PTC business and accounting instructor. "The field of business technology combines themes, concepts, and applications from office technology, IT and business administration to give a student a hybrid skill set that is very much sought after by today’s business leaders," Shores explains.

While research proves IT professionals are in high demand, they also must be capable of making strategic business decisions and coordinating IT solutions among a myriad of departments and functions within an organization. PTC’s new program in business technology is a match for students seeking an education with both a business and information technology-rich emphasis, and who have an interest in working with technology to find solutions to technical and business problems.

With an A.A.S. degree in business technology, a graduate will be able to manage technical aspects of the IT field as well as possess project budgeting, leadership, and organizational skills necessary for today’s business practitioner and leadership positions.

"We’re very proud of our new business technology program," says PTC President Robert Musgrove. "The program offers students a sound education in both the business and information systems environment with an emphasis on project and business management as well as business information management. Graduates will be an asset to any modern office," Musgrove adds.