Hinds Community College Blog

Utica Campus hosts STEM Learning Initiative for high school students

Posted by Allison Morris on Mon, Jun, 27, 2016 @ 07:06 AM

The STEM-UP Department on the Utica Campus hosted its first annual Summer STEM Academic Integrated Learning Program June 6-17. The two-week program hosted juniors and seniors from local high schools with the intention of enhancing their knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

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“This year’s theme was the Greenhouse Effect. Each group was given the task of studying and researching a specific plant, using greenhouses to grow them, and to present their findings at the end of the program. There was no rubric or outline given; they were just told to be creative,” said Dr. Noel Gardner, Natural Science Division Chair and STEM-UP Co-Principal Investigator.

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Dr. Gardner helps a student prepare to plant seeds for his research.

Gardner hopes to keep the same program theme for several years. One purpose of these greenhouses is to bridge the gap between academic and technical education by combining STEM principles with teachings of electronics, to help greenhouses function. Another anticipation is that the greenhouses will be able to serve the community by providing healthier living by way of fruits and vegetables for residents of Utica and surrounding areas.

Teachers from local high schools were also selected as coaches for each research group. They were given the challenge not to guide students through their assignments, but to serve only as advisers, when needed. Utica Campus instructors were also involved in the program, teaching participants about specific STEM principles such as biology, computer science, math, chemistry, electronics and agriculture, all as they relate to greenhouses and growing plants.

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Gerald Collins, electronics instructor, taught students about the programming of the greenhouses.

Students presented their research during the program’s closing ceremony. The red group were assigned cucumbers, the yellow group planted collard greens, the blue group conducted research on jalapeno peppers and the white group, tomatoes. Members of the audience were able to ask questions, testing each group’s knowledge of their research.

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The white group was chosen as the best research presentation by judges. 

The camp also served as a recruitment tool for the Utica Campus. “The students worked extremely hard over the past two weeks. I’m extremely proud of them, and hope to see them all enrolled as students on the Utica Campus in the next year or two,” said STEM-UP Program Coordinator, Johnathan Townes.

Topics: Utica Campus, STEM

District wide Fall Tornado Drill

Posted by Joey Jamison on Wed, Oct, 22, 2014 @ 07:10 AM

tornado drillThe office of Emergency Management will be conducting a District Wide Tornado Drill on Tuesday October 28, 2014 for Hinds Community College. The purpose of this drill is to call attention to the secondary peak severe weather season that begins in the late fall. November historically has been a very active month for severe weather and tornadoes.

Faculty, staff and students are asked prior to the drill to go to the EagleOne site at http://eagleone.hindscc.edu to manage their accounts making sure that they will receive the alert message. You will be using your HindsNet credentials to login to your dashboard.

8 a.m., Day of the Drill, Tuesday, Oct 28:

  • Consider a tornado watch to be in effect
  • Announce watch to staff, students 

9:30 a.m., “DRILL… Tornado Warning for Hinds CC… DRILL!”

  • Messages sent via the EagleOne Alert network – e-mail, text, web, etc.
  • If you do not receive the alert, press on as if there still is a threat.

9:35 a.m., Move to Safety

  • Once the alert is received move to an area of safe refuge. Upon determination of immediate threat, give “take shelter” or “duck and cover” command. 

9:45 a.m., Termination of Drill

  • An “All Clear” message will be sent via EagleOne. Give instructions to return to normal activities – local campus personnel

For more information contact Joey Jamison, District Emergency Management Coordinator, joey.jamison@hindscc.edu or 601.857.3584

Topics: Students, Raymond Campus, Rankin Campus, Emergency Alerts, campus life, faculty, Utica Campus, EagleOne Alerts, Eagle One, Nursing/Allied Health Center, Jackson ATC, Vicksburg/Warren Campus, Tornado Drill, Severe Weather, Tornado

5 Reasons Why Having Renters Insurance in College Is Important

Posted by Joey Jamison on Wed, Sep, 03, 2014 @ 07:09 AM

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Think of all your personal belongings in your dorm room or apartment, and then try to imagine how much it would cost you to replace them. Is the number in your head a little intimidating? Well, if you have renters insurance, you might not have to pay anything to get your belongings replaced in the event that something happens to them. In other words, renters insurance can be a real lifesaver. Here are five reasons why it’s important to have it in college:

1.  You might not be covered under your parents’ policy
While full-time students living in dorms are often covered under their parents’ homeowner’s insurance policies, their coverage might not be as thorough as it would be if they had renters insurance. In addition, there can be strict limits on how much homeowner’s insurance can actually cover for their customers’ children. And if you’re living off campus, odds are that you’re not covered under your parents’ policy at all.

2.  Coverage for disasters
Though you might be careful and take good care of your belongings, there are some things that are just out of your control. If there’s a fire or natural disaster, your items can get damaged or destroyed. However, if you have renters insurance, it can cover the cost of replacing those things in certain covered circumstances. Just some of the items that renters insurance can cover are furniture, clothes, electronics, appliances, school supplies, and even musical instruments.

3.  Protection from theft
If someone wants to steal a laptop, they know they’ll be able to find plenty in student housing facilities or student-friendly apartment complexes. It’s no surprise that there’s a high risk of theft and vandalism in college. That’s a big reason why renters insurance can be perfect for college students. If something happens to your belongings, you can get them replaced without having to pay out-of-pocket.

4.  Personal liability coverage
If you throw a party, and your living space gets damaged, you could potentially face some huge fees. The same goes if someone at that party gets hurt. Renters insurance policies often include liability coverage that will protect you against costs you can be faced with if your property gets damaged or if someone gets injured on your property, just double check with an agent to find a plan with adequate liability coverage.

5.  You can share the wealth
If renters insurance is starting to sound good, you might be thinking that your roommates would be interested in it too. Conveniently, many renters insurance plans offer shared coverage for people living together. So if you have roommates or friends sharing an apartment with you, everyone listed on the lease can have protection and coverage together under one policy.

Knowing how valuable renters insurance can be, you might be surprised to find that it can also be pretty affordable. In fact, based on a national average, premiums are typically just $160 a year. Compare that number with how much you could save if you need to file claim on your belongings. To prepare, you can help the process of filing claims go smoothly by always keeping track of your valuables, and by saving receipts.

For a quick overview of the value of renters insurance for college students, check out this video...

 

Topics: Hinds Community College, Residence Halls, Raymond Campus, Student Life, College Students, College Life, campus life, dorm, Utica Campus, Hinds CC, Campus Fire Safety Month

Campus Fire Safety Month Activities

Posted by Joey Jamison on Mon, Sep, 01, 2014 @ 07:09 AM

firesafetylogoSeptmeber is National Campus Fire Safety Month and here at Hinds CC we have a lot of things going on in support of it.

Look below and find something to come too...

Fire Safety 101 PDI
Raymond Campus – Fountain Hall
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
PDI Presentation about Fire Safety

Popcorn and Prevention
Raymond Campus – Courtyard
Thursday, September 11, 2014
12:00 PM – 2:00PM
Free Popcorn, Fire Safety Materials, and Fire Extinguisher Training (Clinton FD)

Popcorn and Prevention
Vicksburg/Warren Campus – Courtyard
Monday, September 15, 2014
11:30 AM – 1:30PM
Free Popcorn, Fire Safety Materials, and 1 Hour Fire Safety PDI (MS State Fire Marshall)

Popcorn and Prevention
Jackson ATC
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
11:30 AM – 1:30PM
Free Popcorn, Fire Safety Materials, and Fire Safety House (MS State Fire Marshall)

Popcorn and Prevention
Rankin Campus – George Wynne Hall
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
11:30 AM – 1:30PM
Free Popcorn, Fire Safety Materials, 1 Hour Fire Safety PDI (MS State Fire Marshall), and Fire Extinguisher Training (MS State Fire Academy)

Popcorn and Prevention
Nursing/Allied Health Center – Courtyard
Thursday, September 18, 2014
11:30 AM – 1:30PM
Free Popcorn, Fire Safety Materials, 1 Hour Fire Safety PDI (MS State Fire Marshall), and Fire Extinguisher Training (Clinton FD)

Popcorn and Prevention
Utica Campus – Courtyard
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
11:30 AM – 1:30PM
Free Popcorn, Fire Safety Materials, and 1 Hour Fire Safety PDI (MS State Fire Marshall)

Topics: Hinds Community College, Students, Residence Halls, Raymond Campus, Student Life, Rankin Campus, campus life, faculty, Utica Campus, Hinds CC, Nursing/Allied Health Center, Jackson ATC, Vicksburg/Warren Campus, Campus Fire Safety Month

CTE From A to Z: Brick, Block, and Stonemasonry

Posted by Cindy West on Wed, Jul, 23, 2014 @ 12:07 PM

What do you want to be when you grow up? You might need to get past thinking “what pays the most” and think about what drives you. What are your real interests and passions in life?  Are you creative? Do you possess dexterity, physical strength, and stamina? Do you have a command of basic math skills? If you said answered "yes" to any of the previous questions, you might want to consider the Brick, Block and Stonemasonry Technology program at Hinds Community College.

Brick Masons

The Brick, Block, and Stonemasonry program offers learning experiences in the following areas:

  • laying out and/or spacing bonds

  • determining vertical and horizontal alignment of various walls using proven techniques

  • cutting, notching, and shaping blocks, bricks, and stone to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, and fireplaces. 

Outdoor Fireplace Masonry

All types of masons are involved in the construction of durable buildings and exteriors. Their work is varied, and could be as simple as laying a stone path or as complicated as installing an elaborate surface on a major downtown building. Masons use bricks, concrete blocks, and natural stones to build fences, walkways, walls, and other structures.

 There are two main types of masons:

  • Brickmasons, blockmasons, and bricklayers use various types of brick and block as well as other materials to construct and maintain walls, exteriors, fireplaces, walkways, etc., out of brick or block.

  • Stonemasons generally construct floors, fences, walls, or exteriors for residential or professional buildings.  They use many types of stone, including both natural cut stone and manmade stone. 

Masonry work on a mansion
Masons can: 

  • Read blueprints to calculate materials needed

  • Lay out foundations or patterns

  • Safely cut or break bricks, stones, or blocks to their appropriate size

  • Mix and place mortar and/or grout

  • Lay bricks, blocks, or stones according to blueprints or drawings

  • Safely clean excess mortar using chemical cleaning agents

  • Construct corners with a corner pole or by building a corner pyramid

  • Ensure that a structure is perfectly vertical and horizontal, using methods consistent with industry techniques

  • Clean and polish surfaces with the safe use of  hand or power tools

  • Fill expansion and contraction joints with the appropriate caulking materials

  • Layout and construct walls with expansion and control joints

What About Job Opportunities?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of masons is projected to grow 40 percent from 2010 to 2020. This growth is due to an increase in population, which will create a need for infrastructure such as new home construction, schools, hospitals and apartment buildings. The masonry workforce is growing older and a large number of masons are expected to retire over the next decade. As a result, a shortage of workers is expected. Highly skilled masons with a good job history and work experience in construction should have the best job opportunities.

Students will find the Brick, Block, and Stone Masonry program a reliable and thorough training ground for employment in the construction industry. The program has an excellent reputation with local firms looking for skilled workers and placement of students who complete the program is a top priority. Typical jobs filled by students who have completed this program include laborers, mason tenders, apprentice brick masons, block masons, and stonemasons (or, simply, masons). In addition, many are self-employed contractors. 

What Are My Degree Options?

Degree options in the Brick, Block, and Stone Masonry program include a Career Certificate option, Technical Certificate option and AAS Degree option. All program options are written to nationally recognized, industry-based certifications. The goal is for the student to earn a “credential of value” during their time at the community college. That “credential of value” is the Associate of Applied Science degree, a Technical Certificate, a Career Certificate, and/or license/certification recognized by business and industry. The credential should be a step along a career pathway offering students ongoing opportunities to increase their earning potential in the job market. 

Need More Information? 

Click for more info!

This program is offered at the Raymond and Utica campuses of Hinds Community College.  For more information, contact Dennis Quertermous (Raymond Campus) at 601.857.3376 or Rodney Warfield (Utica Campus) at 601.885.7009. 

 

Topics: Hinds Community College, Raymond Campus, Career Tech, Brick, Block, and Stonemasonry, Utica Campus