CoffeeBreak is an e-newsletter distributed to Averett faculty and staff to keep them up to date on campus activities and information.
Please send information you would like included in CoffeeBreak via this form by 4:30 p.m. Friday, September 4 for a Wednesday, September 9 publication.
A Warm Averett Welcome Is Extended To:
Laura Branham, the newest Athletic Trainer to join the Athletics Department. Laura comes to Averett from a very successful program at Western Carolina University.
Dr. Janet Phillips, our new Assistant Professor of Music. Janet is no stranger to Averett, having taught music courses as an adjunct professor. In addition to teaching music courses and private lessons on flute and saxophone, she will be developing the instrumental program and an early childhood music education initiative. Janet performs regularly as a flutist in Danville, Greensboro, N.C., and the surrounding areas. She and her husband, Bob, have two teenaged children, and the oldest has headed off to college for her freshman year this fall.
CCECC Recognized
On August 20, the Cardinal Village Tenants Association recognized the CCECC and Rachel Covington, Assistant Director of Community Engagement, for their “outstanding and dedicated service to the children and residents of the Cardinal Village community.” Congratulations, CCECC staff and Rachel!
Student Accolades
The Student Life Department began recognizing students who go the extra mile in whatever they are doing on campus last fall. Each week during Student Life staff meetings, staff members nominate students they want to recognize for their dedication to AU. Students are notified about the nomination and their chance to win a $50 Visa Gift Card. At the end of the semester, all of the names of those nominated are put into a bowl and the name of one lucky student is selected. This is the department’s way of letting the students know they appreciate all they do.
Recognized this week are Ryan Gardner, Alycia Spivey, Ryne Gammon and William Lovett.
Freshmen Participate in Service Projects
On Tuesday, August 18, our freshmen class participated in various service projects with their IDS classes. These projects are part of the CCECC’s #365daysofservice campaign. The goal is to have an Averett student, faculty, or staff member engaging in service each day throughout the year — and it started with our freshmen class on day one!
Check out the amazing work these students accomplished: 42 bookbags full of school supplies were donated to Cardinal Village and Cedar Terrace Youth Centers (thank you to everyone who donated school supplies!); 11 fleece blankets were made for cancer patients; 105 thank you notes were written for our troops; 76 “soap bunnies” and cards were made for residents at Riverside Health & Rehabilitation Center; 35 “distance hugs” were made for children in local hospitals; 89 birthday cards were made for Tate Malone, a local teenager with cerebral palsy who wished for birthday cards for his 16th birthday; 61 cards of encouragement were written in Romanian for students at Ruth School in Romania; and 14 posters were made to raise awareness about the social issue on Averett’s campus.
There were also two classes who participated in projects that required more physical labor: one class mulched the entire property of West Main Baptist Church, and another class painted windows and chalked sidewalks on campus to spread the word about Get Connected and the upcoming Week to Engage.
Thank you to everyone who participated, especially our IDS instructors!
It’s Time to Get Connected!
The CCECC is now using a new volunteer management and tracking software called Get Connected, and everyone on campus is invited to join! Please go to engage.averett.edu to create your profile and start exploring the amazing opportunities our community has to offer! (Please make sure you use your Averett email to register!)
Once you’re set up, remember to log back on to Get Connected after you participate in service – whether it is through the Engaged Employers Initiative, Week to Engage, or any other volunteer opportunity – to record your hours!
Submit an Article for the Cougar Connection
The Cougar Connection is a weekly student newsletter sent out on Sunday nights to inform students about the exciting things happening on campus and in the community. If you have any information you would like to share with students, click here to submit an article. If you have any questions or would like to receive the Cougar Connection each week, please contact Rachel Covington.
French Conversation for Faculty & Staff
Mr. Jawad Essakri, our Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant for the 2015-16 academic year, will be leading a lunch conversation hour from noon until 1 p.m. on Thursdays in the Student Success Center. Averett community members of all language levels are welcome to attend! For more information about Jawad, click here.
Technology Group News
As we all know, our needs associated with technology continually change. What we have seen and heard here at Averett is the need for our technology staff to increase customer service, be innovative and creative, and provide solutions. Our goal is to meet those needs and exceed them.
To reflect our dedication toward meeting that goal we are changing the name of “Help Desk” to Technology Solutions Group (TSG). This group will still consist of the same dedicated staff members who provide excellent service to Averett, but the name change is intended to reflect the scope of challenges the team encounters each day and to empower them to apply a creative, entrepreneurial spirit in working with our community in addressing them.
Please also be assured that “Help Desk” services will continue to be provided, but will just be a part of what TSG is able to provide to the Averett community.
Service-Learning Brain Pick-nic
On the first Thursday of every month, any and all service-learning enthusiasts are invited to brainstorm, share, and discuss service-learning best practices. These brainstorming sessions will be held in the sunroom of the bookstore (or on the porch on very nice days).
September’s Pick-nic will be on Thursday, September 3, from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. We will be swapping service-learning high’s, low’s, and grows.
Spoken Word Workshops
Josephus Thompson III will be hosting spoken word workshops for students, faculty and staff on the campuses of Averett, Danville Community College, and Piedmont Community College during the month of September. Josephus started The Poetry Project in Greensboro, N.C. several years ago, spreading his love for poetry in his community as a way to encourage more youth to read and write. He is now helping our community start The Poetry Project Dan River Region, and we hope you will join us!
A faculty/staff workshop will be held Monday, September 21, from 2-3 p.m. in the multipurpose room of the Student Center. There will also be two student workshops – September 14 and 21 from 7-8 p.m. in the back of the dining hall.
We need help from faculty and staff to encourage students to participate in these, and you are more than welcome to attend these as well. If you are unable to make these times and would still like to participate, we encourage you to attend the workshops on DCC’s campus! Please contact Rachel Covington for more information. To learn more about The Poetry Project, click here.
Save the Date: Spoken Word Showcase
Please save the date for Thursday, October 1 at 7 p.m.! Some of our students who are participating in the spoken word workshops with Josephus Thompson will be showcasing their poems in an Arts@Averett event called “Be the Change.” Join us in the candlelight on the Student Center Patio and come support our amazing students!
