Link to Business Journal Article: https://businessjournaldaily.com/eastern-gateway-students-produce-literary-journal/

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Eastern Gateway Community College students show their written and visual artistry through the college’s online literary journal.

The Oak Tree Journal started last year, and the second edition is set for an April debut.

Its faculty adviser, Ralph Pennel, is a writer and the editor in chief, founding editor and fiction editor of the Midway Journal, an online literary journal. He’s one of the founding editors for the Oak Tree Journal and has worked with literary journals at other colleges where he’s worked.

But the journal at Eastern Gateway is different.

“This is the first time I started an online journal for a school,” Pennel said. 

For the past few years up until this year, most Eastern Gateway students have attended classes online and lived all across the country, so an online journal made the most sense. 

“But it also opened up the door to reaching a wider swath of students with a wider swath of backgrounds,” said Pennel, who teaches writing at Eastern Gateway. “It’s worked out perfectly.”

Pennel credits John Crooks, Eastern Gateway interim president, for getting the journal started.

“I ran it by Dr. Crooks, and he took off with it,” Pennel said. “He’s the reason the journal exists.”

Many colleges have online journals, but one thing sets the Oak Tree Journal apart.

“We’re the only online journal from a community college in Ohio that has submissions from the other community colleges in Ohio,” Pennel said.

Students from Cuyahoga Community College contributed to the upcoming issue, and the other community colleges have been invited to submit as well.

“That was a planning point …,” Pennel said. “We decided when we were planning what the journal would be that was actually one of the things we wanted to do.”

Ralph Pennel

Most professional journals take submissions from everywhere. Oak Tree Journal founders didn’t want to do that. They didn’t want community college students to be competing with professional authors.

Students fill the editor roles, too.

“We wanted a student-run journal where students are making the decisions,” Pennel said. “It’s their work. It’s completely a student-run operation with faculty advisers.”

But they wanted to open up to all community college students in Ohio.

“I think there’s only two other community colleges that have a literary journal,” he said. “We’re the only one that is taking submissions from all the schools. It just made sense.”

It’s a way to connect people, Pennel said.

“We have these online abilities to contact and reach out to people, so it just makes sense to spread the wealth that way and give everybody a chance to participate in what we’re doing,” he said.

The Oak Tree Journal enables students to tap into and express their creativity. It includes poetry, fiction, nonfiction and art produced by students. It also features an alumni and a faculty spot.

“For our first issue, we got mostly poetry and nonfiction,” Pennel explained. “For this next issue, we’re going to have mostly poetry and art.”

Since the writing he teaches at Eastern Gateway leans more toward business and essays, what students submit to the journal shows him a different side of their writing.

“It’s been an absolute blessing to get to see the creative side of the students that often I don’t always see based on the subject that I teach,” he said.

Shajuan Jackson of Akron works as the poetry editor for the Oak Tree. He graduated in December from Eastern Gateway in business management, with a certificate in social media and digital marketing.

He has a master’s degree in creative writing.

He got involved in the journal through the Writer’s Circle at the college, which Pennel advises. He received positive feedback on his work from fellow students who urged him to submit it to the journal.

Shajuan Jackson

“I actually first got in just submitting my work as well,” Jackson said. “From there I just had an interest in, first of all, just continuing my work with poetry. … From there, I got to be the poetry editor.”

Pennel reached out to Jackson about the editor role and notes that Jackson is being humble about his writing experience.

Jackson has worked in film and television and has written scripts for New York Fashion Week.

“Being a student, it kind of happened right at a good time for me,” Jackson said. “I had decided to pursue my education at EGCC just to sort of revamp my career, revamp my everything.”

The journal lined up with his background.

“To me, it felt like a perfect opportunity, almost like a sign. It’s here, and the opportunity is here for me to take,” Jackson said.

It gave him and other students the opportunity for their work to shine, he said.

Plus, he gets to say he was part of the first issue.

“That says something,” Jackson said. “I’m very happy that I got to sort of build my beginning – sort of a beginning and a launch in this direction.”

Pennel said the feedback from his colleagues has been great.

“Outside of the school directly, the feedback has been really positive too,” he said.

And the word is spreading.

“We know through our online presence through Facebook and Instagram and Twitter that people are excited about what we’re doing too,” Pennel said.

Nancy Cooper – Newsweek.com

Eastern Gateway Community College was awarded 4 stars at rank 193

Full article and rankings available here: https://www.newsweek.com/rankings/americas-top-online-colleges-2023

From full university degree programs to professional development courses to classes for hobbyists or those just wanting to learn something new, the range of education available online is enormous. The choices can be daunting.

For the second year, Newsweek and global data firm Statista have worked together to find “America’s Top Online Colleges 2023” and “America’s Top Online Learning Providers 2023.” Our lists are based on a survey of about 9,000 online learners and our own research about the institutions.

For America’s Top Online Colleges we ranked 200 colleges and universities that (also) offer online undergraduate or graduate programs. The awarded institutions received either five stars, if their aggregate score value is above the median score of all awarded institutions, or four stars, if their score is below.

For America’s Top Online Learning Providers we selected 50 organizations that offer online certificate and non-certificate courses supporting the professional or personal development of learners in the U.S. We used the same star system as with Top Online Colleges and Universities. While the star rating can be helpful in comparing these institutions, we didn’t rank the Top Online Learning Providers. The topic and form of the courses they offer is too varied to make an overall ranking meaningful.

If you are looking for quality online education, we hope you will find our listings helpful.

 

WorkAdvance Works for Former Inmate – The Business Journal

Wednesday, October 26, 2022 

https://businessjournaldaily.com/workadvance-works-for-former-inmate/

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Bernard Jones Jr. is one of the success stories of the National Center for Urban Solutions – and he wants others to understand the same opportunities are available to them.

Urban Solutions, winner of the Brain Gain Leadership Award for Workforce Development, was a big part of Jones making the transition from spending most of his adult life incarcerated – 26 years and nine months, to be exact – to a better life.

While in prison, he began to take important steps toward a different future. He embraced getting his education, earning two associate degrees, one in culinary arts, the other in entrepreneurship and business.

Jones worked through Ohio Means Jobs, helping other inmates learn how to upload their résumés and look up job opportunities. He worked to sign others up for a Medicaid program, allowing those getting released to have insurance and possibly get wellness checks and dental cleanings.

But when Jones finally got home to Youngstown, he just wanted to relax and get a vehicle. He went to the Ohio Collaborative to see if someone could use him and his knowledge. They suggested he go to the National Center for Urban Solutions (NCUS), a program that helps people from a variety of circumstances find training for jobs in nursing, robotics and IT. 

Jones was interested in modern manufacturing. NCUS set him up to receive training, including Occupational Safety and Health Administration and mechanical safety certifications, through Eastern Gateway Community College and to attend the 80-hour boot camp through the WorkAdvance program. While Jones already knew some of the things the program teaches about résumés, mock interviewing, image and customer service, he embraced the program and used it as an opportunity to help others.

After passing the certification test at Eastern Gateway, Jones says he recognized his progress was real and the program really wanted him to succeed.

“I hear so much about there’s nothing out here offered to anyone coming out [of prison] and that’s not true,” Jones says. “There’s no such thing as red tape. You have to be able to just move forward and [hit] the ground running. So I embraced it all.”

NCUS partners with the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers  Coalition, which helped to get Jones an interview with one of the companies in the coalition, Ellwood Aluminum in Hubbard.

Jones impressed Ellwood Aluminum and was hired. Ellwood made him feel like part of the family, that he was in a company where it is not just about profits and everyone celebrates the company’s successes. His role is a furnace operator using a front-end loader to gather all the metal ingredients so they can be melted down to create a new product.

John-Michael Oliver says the people at NCUS are proud of Jones’ success. He continues to mentor Jones, who has worked at Ellwood Aluminum for more than 180 days, received a raise and now has both a car and a home.

Jones returns to speak to groups at the boot camp, which Oliver calls inspirational for the others in the program, giving them the confidence that they too will succeed.

“[Urban Solutions] elevated who I am,” Jones says. “When you reach out to different organizations, especially in my case, they were excited that I was wanting to come out of incarceration. But the assistance wasn’t there with the excitement.”

But NCUS told him they were there for him, provided him with training and the mentoring he needed to be successful. Now he returns those blessings, by helping others embrace the program and the training.

“If you believe in it, focus, you can get the job that you seek, pay your bills, take a vacation and just enjoy life,” he says.          

Jones is more connected to his family, including a daughter, who he is proud to say is a Youngstown police officer. He has seven friends, mostly from the Cleveland area, who were incarcerated 20 or more years, and are doing things to be successful. They keep in touch and encourage each other. He now has savings in a bank account, something he never had before.

“Nobody is holding you back. Don’t always use the fact that nobody is letting you do anything. Doors are open for God, people and places to bless you. So seek out your blessing and opportunities, ” he says.

Jones now realizes that crime can affect so many, not just the victim, and trickle down throughout the community. He hopes to create a nonprofit organization – From Rehabilitation to Revitalization – and encourage those returning from incarceration to come home and help to rebuild their communities. The goal is “to transition back out into society and to flourish as if [they] never left,” says Jones, a 1991 Youngstown East High School graduate.

Jones celebrated the one-year anniversary of his release in October.

The Bureau of Justice reports about 70% of those released in 2012 were arrested again within five years. Jones believes the transition has been easy for him without the expected rough patches because he did his homework and sought out resources.

NCUS continues to provide him with those resources and guidance.

“The mentoring aspect of NCUS is they are there for you as you transition into your employment,” Jones says. The mentors stay in contact, talk to the employers, walk around and see you at work. “Not making sure that you are doing your job. It’s that you love doing your job, that they placed you in the right place. That you are adjusting,” he explains.

Jones likens the shadowing aspect to having a big brother, someone to talk to about issues that arise while adjusting to a new position and the lifestyle that can come with it, someone who has your back.

“It’s not just about the education. It’s just not about the training aspect,” Jones says of the NCUS program. “It’s the follow-up that reminds you of all the things that you learned and the importance of it.”

Steubenville and Youngstown, Ohio- Three Jefferson County school districts have landed in the Ohio School District top rankings for participation in the College Credit Plus (CCP) programs through a partnership with Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC). 

Steubenville High School and Toronto High School are in the top 1% of school districts in the state of Ohio, landing at #5 and #6, respectively, for their CCP Program through EGCC. Edison Local School District also landed in the top 7% at #41 in the state out of 607 total Ohio School Districts.

The CCP program aims to enhance student career readiness and postsecondary success while providing different pathways for college-ready students, reducing college costs and the time spent to earn and pay for a degree. 

Matt Morrison, Edison High School principal and parent of past CCP students, said“This is the 16th year we’ve had students in College Credit Plus, and we’ve saved parents millions of dollars. As a parent, it has saved my family over $100,000 and both of my kids graduated and are in the workforce a year early.”

 Steubenville High School has had over 140 students receive an Associate of Arts from EGCC. SHS students can complete their Associate degree at the high school without leaving the halls. 

Steubenville Principal Ted Gorman commented, “This program has allowed our graduates to earn four-year bachelor’s degrees much faster and at a significantly lower cost than 99% of their peers across the state of Ohio. Our position as a trailblazing district in the state and country would not be possible without the amazing work of our students and staff. We are immensely proud of all who contribute to this program.”

Toronto City Schools recently announced its recent ranking at a school district board of education meeting. Eighty-nine Toronto City School students are enrolled in the CCP program, with seven teachers instructing college-level courses. 

EGCC Director of CCP Sarah Fletcher credits strong engagement, collaboration, and dialogue for the program’s long-term success. “Our strong partnerships with our High School Administrators and Faculty show what can be achieved when we all work together and put our students first,” said Fletcher. 

Steubenville and Youngstown, Ohio- Eastern Gateway Community College is part of the Intel Ohio Semiconductor Collaboration Network to build a technician pipeline for the semiconductor industry. As part of the Artificial Intelligence Incubator Network, EGCC will provide workforce and career accelerator training courses as a gateway to in-demand fields.

Intel’s 17.7 million investment into Ohio’s colleges and universities are to ensure there are enough workers to staff the plant over the next decade. Eastern Gateway has been working with partnering community colleges and Intel and Dell Technologies to provide local and regional students training and job opportunities. 

Senior VP and Chief Development Officer Arthur Daly said, “The American Association of Community Colleges brought together community colleges from across the country to build this network of institutions focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) development. Training in AI will be heavily technical-based and cover social and career growth skills to create career pathways for students.”

The funding is intended to help bridge semiconductor manufacturing workforce shortages and technical challenges to develop new capabilities emphasizing chipmaking. Ohio colleges and universities will be stepping up to create careers for Ohioans, with EGCC leading the way in the Mahoning and Ohio Valley regions. 

Daly continued, “EGCC will be developing AI labs, with guidance from Dell Technologies, which will be in-person, online, or hybrid options. Dell will work with EGCC on career skills and employability for AI-related careers. We will continue to respond to our local workforce demands to create growth opportunities for our students.”

Schools collaborating with EGCC are:

  • Belmont College
  • Central Ohio Technical College
  • Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
  • Clark State Community College
  • Columbus State Community College
  • Cuyahoga Community College
  • Edison State Community College
  • Hocking College
  • Lakeland Community College
  • Lorain County Community College
  • Marion Technical College
  • North Central State College
  • Northwest State Community College
  • Owens Community College
  • Rhodes State College
  • Rio Grande Community College
  • Sinclair Community College
  • Southern State Community College
  • Stark State College
  • Terra State Community College
  • Washington State Community College
  • Zane State College

The Weirton Daily Times – IBEW apprentices obtain their degrees from Eastern Gateway

STEUBENVILLE — Thanks to a unique partnership between a local union and Eastern Gateway Community College, eight students finished a five-year apprenticeship program and earned an associate degree at the same time.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 246 and the Steubenville Division of the National Electrical Contractors Association celebrated the graduation with a dinner and ceremony on May 20. This is the 10th group of inside wiremen to complete the training and receive an associate degree of technical studies in electrical trades technology.

The celebration marks the completion of more than 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, accompanied by 1,000 hours of classroom training through the Steubenville Electrical JATC, and 47 credits through EGCC. The graduating apprentices received certificates of completion from the U.S. Department of Labor and The Electrical Training Alliance.

Christina Wanat, senior vice president and chief student affairs officer, said Eastern Gateway accepts IBEW Local Union 246 apprentices nearly every year. Under EGCC’s program, it is mandatory for apprentices to earn their associate degree. This, in turn, opens up more opportunities for continuing education.

Thanks to the program, participants are offered the opportunity to earn wages and benefits while they learn the skills needed for the trade, obtain an associate degree, and go through multiple certification processes all at the same time. Students in the five-year program are all union electricians and only a certain number of participants are accepted, said Christy Hardwick, an administrative assistant at IBEW Local Union 246.

Scott Kosek Jr. and Hunter Wallace received the John Habash Award for Outstanding Apprentice. This award is named in honor of longtime apprentice instructor and IBEW leader John Habash of Steubenville. The award is based on excellence in classroom training, leadership and on-the-job performance. Kosek and Wallace, along with other outstanding apprentices, will attend a summer session in Ann Arbor, Mich., this summer to further their knowledge of the electrical construction industry.

The IBEW Local Union 246 includes all of Jefferson, Columbiana and Harrison counties in Ohio; parts of Carroll County; and all of Brooke and Hancock counties. Information on apprenticeship and access to skilled electrical craftsmen can be obtained by contacting IBEW Local Union 246 in Steubenville.

Steubenville, Ohio – The Ohio Region of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recently recognized Eastern Gateway Community College’s leadership and students.

“As a college, we built a strong and vibrant PTK organization as a way for our students to be recognized for their achievements in the classroom, as well as their dedication to community and service,” said Associate Professor Karen Spindler, Eastern Gateway program chair for business management and advisor of the college’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Alpha Omicron Nu chapter. “As an advisor to this impressive group of students, many of whom are working parents and caregivers, I am incredibly proud and inspired by how hard they work to give back.” Spindler is based in Steubenville, Ohio.

Eastern Gateway Community College President Michael Geoghegan was named one of the Ohio Region Paragon President Award winners. This award recognizes new college presidents for their outstanding support of student success and the PTK program. Eastern Gateway students and advisor nominated President Geoghegan for this award which, according to PTK, acknowledges college presidents who are providing students “more opportunities and stronger pathways to completion, transfer, and employment – even amid a global pandemic.”

Additionally, Rob Hodge, of Washington, an Eastern Gateway  business management – labor studies student is a semifinalist for the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer scholarship. This competitive scholarship is for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university.

As a chapter, Alpha Omicron Nu at Eastern Gateway Community College received the following distinctions:

  • 5-Star Chapter Award
  • Catch A Shining Star Award for increase in membership of 61.4% for 2021
  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team
  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch for the Ohio region
  • Members Jeremy Taylor and Kimberly Boyer will compete in Colorado for the Scholar Bowl later this year

Individually, the individual awards presented to chapter leaders include:

Jeremy Taylor, Chapter President

  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch
  • Scholar Bowl Championship winner with team member Kim Boyer
  • Elected the Eastern District Representative of Ohio Region Officer Team for 2022-2023
  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team

Lisa Shipman, Chapter Vice President

  • Catalyst Flag Bearer (Carries the flag at national conference)
  • Most Distinguished Regional Officer award
  • Elected Ohio Region President 2022-2023
  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team

Kimberly Boyer, Chapter Vice President of Fellowship

  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch
  • Inducted into the Order of Athena
  • Scholar Bowl Championship winner with President Jeremy Taylor
  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team

Rachel Ballowe, Chapter Vice President of Service

  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch
  • Inducted into the Order of Athena
  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team

Stacy Lemke, Chapter Member

  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Member
  • Inducted into the Order of the Golden Key
  • Elected Vice President of the Ohio Region for 2022-2023

Jayden Podszus, Chapter Vice President of Membership

  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team
  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch for the Ohio region

Kimberley Grandberry, Chapter Public Relations Officer

  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team
  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch for the Ohio region

Leonard Gehl, Chapter Recording Officer

  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team
  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch for the Ohio region

Termia Brown, Chapter Vice President of Scholarship

  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team
  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch for the Ohio region

Jeannette Fe Rizzo, Chapter Vice President of Leadership

  • Nominated for Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team
  • Inducted into the Order of the Torch for the Ohio region

“None of this would be possible without the leadership of PTK’s advisor, Karen Spindler, who has made PTK one of the most well-respected organizations at Eastern Gateway,” said Christina Wanat, senior vice president and chief student affairs officer at Eastern Gateway. “Our students in Steubenville, Youngstown and online benefit from the hands-on approach to this student-focused service organization.”

Spindler has provided leadership to Eastern Gateway’s PTK chapter for the last five years. During that time, she increased the chapter’s membership levels from 113 to more than 5,100 active members, including students taking classes in-seat, CCP, and online. During August 2021, the Eastern Gateway’s PTK reached out to staff, students and faculty to collect financial and personal care item donations to deliver to Eve Inc., an Ohio-based battered women’s shelter. The chapter’s Honors In Action project reached homeless shelters in many different states where students lived by donating Blessing bags to those shelters. By engaging the entire campus community in the service project, Professor Spindler brought awareness to our students’ participation in the Conference while clearly demonstrating PTK’s mission.

Award recipients will be formally recognized during PTK Catalyst 2022, our annual convention in Denver, Colorado, April 7-9, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center.

The Christine and Phillip Dennison School of Business and Leadership will launch in Spring Semester 2023

Youngstown and Steubenville, Ohio – 

The Eastern Gateway Community College Board of Trustees today accepted a $250,000 donation from Christine and Phillip Dennison, of Youngstown, Ohio, to establish the Christine and Phillip Dennison School of Business and Leadership. The school will officially launch for Spring Semester 2023 (beginning January, 2023).

“This generous donation from two true community servants in very validating of the work our faculty, staff and students put into ensuring a high-quality business program, both in person and online, is offered at Eastern Gateway,” said Eastern Gateway President Michael Geoghegan. “We also hope to inspire our business students, with tremendous role models like the Dennisons, to achieve great things in their careers and in giving back to their communities.”

“The Board of Trustees was honored to accept this gift from one of our own – Board Member Christine Dennison – who is truly ‘walking the walk’ to help build a stronger Eastern Gateway,” said Eastern Gateway Board of Trustees Chair Jim Gaisor. “The Christine and Phillip Dennison School of Business and Leadership will be something we can all be proud of.”

Christine Dennison retired from teaching full time 8 years in the Marketing Department at Youngstown State University (YSU)’s Williamson College of Business Administration. She was also a Planned Giving Consultant to both United Way and the Community Foundation of Mahoning Valley and volunteered on the United Way Fund Allocation Committee. She was a board member and chaired a capital campaign for the Youngstown Hearing & Speech Center. Prior to that, she worked 15 years at IBM in Youngstown and Detroit in Administration and Marketing Divisions. She also was a secondary high school teacher for 6 years. She was a member of Leadership Youngstown and an Athena Nominee. She earned her Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude at YSU where she also earned an MBA. She earned her M.S. in Education at Edinboro University, PA. She was appointed as an Eastern Gateway Trustee in 2015 and continues to serve and chairs the Student Success committee of the Board.

Phillip Dennison, CPA, is a principal emeritus with Packer Thomas, a regional accounting firm. He is chairman of the Board of the Western Reserve Health Foundation. Additionally, he serves as a board member and treasurer of Youngstown Cityscapes, received their Grass Roots Award. He is chair of a Committee of Grow Mahoning Valley, East Gate Regional Council of Governments. He was a past chair of the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce. He chaired a successful, $3 million United Way of Mahoning County Annual Campaign. He also was a member of Leadership Youngstown. He earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from YSU.

“Community colleges are the backbone of our communities, and business and leadership are the heart,” said Christine Dennison. “Giving back to the college that continues to work tirelessly to enhance our communities is an incredible opportunity for us. It is an honor to be a part of Eastern Gateway’s story and the next generation of business leaders and professionals.”

“The business and leadership programs at Eastern Gateway Community College succeed because of the college’s students, faculty, and leadership. We are extremely thankful to be a part of helping students achieve their goals and career aspirations,” said Phillip Dennison.

The change will go into effect during the next Spring Semester, beginning in January 2023. At that time, the name of the school will appear on formal college documents, such as reports and student records.

“Business students and faculty will benefit greatly from the generous support of the Dennison’s donation,” said Dr. John Crooks, senior vice president and chief academic officer at Eastern Gateway. “The Dennison School of Business and Leadership will advance the college’s vision of ‘Creating Opportunities and Changing Lives.’ It is fitting to name this school after solid supporters of our students and local business professionals and owners.”

Media Note: Media interviews with President Geoghegan, Dr. Crooks and or Chair Gaisor will be available by request. Mr. and Mrs. Dennison will be available for media interviews at the May Board of Trustees meeting. Please email Amanda Wurst at awurst@egcc.edu or by text at 614-832-7512 to schedule an interview.