Judge Terri B. Jamison, a Domestics Relations Judge who left a successful business career to become a lawyer, will be the keynote speaker at the 3rd annual Tri-State Conference of Diversity & Inclusion on September 9, 2016. The conference will be held at the Ashland Community and Technical College Technology Drive Campus.
Judge Jamison was born in Welch WV, in the middle of coal country. She started school in a segregated elementary school. Even after the McDowell County public schools became integrated in 1965, neighborhoods remained segregated, separated by the railroad tracks. “Being treated differently because of my race prepared me to run for judge,” she said. “When I decided to run for Judge in Franklin County, I was denied access to the ballot. I hired an attorney to sue the Board of Elections, got on the ballot and was elected.”
Her journey from McDowell County in West Virginia to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division – Juvenile Branch in Columbus, Ohio required many years of work. She owned and operated an insurance agency for more than 16 years before starting college. She earned a Juris Doctor degree with a concentration in Labor and Employment Law from Capital University Law School
Before being elected judge in 2012, Judge Jamison served in the Franklin County Public Defender’s Office and had her own law practice, Jamison Law Offices Co. L.P.A. She is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and Ohio Supreme Court.
Judge Jamison supports a number of service organizations, including the American Red Cross, Arthritis Foundation, American Cancer Society, United Way of Central Ohio and Columbus YWCA. She is also Pastor of Divine Kingdom Builders and is passionate about human rights, civil rights and social action, economic empowerment, animal welfare and education.
The Tri-State Conference of Diversity & Inclusion is designed to promote a community dialogue about equity, opportunity and diversity and will feature presentations on the theme, “Appalachian Crossroads: Conversations on Diversity.”
Conference sponsors are ACTC, Morehead State University, Marshall University, Shawnee State University, Ohio University and Ohio University-Southern, Mountwest Community & Technical College, Lindsey Wilson College and Walmart.
Proposals for conference presentations will be accepted until June 30. Proposals may be submitted to Robert Pleasant, Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion at Ohio University-Southern, email: pleasantr@ohio.edu. For more conference information, go to: www.TriStateDiversityAndInclusion.com.
ACTC Receives Adult Literacy Grant
Ashland Community and Technical College has been awarded an $8,000 grant by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to support adult literacy education outreach in Boyd County.
Penny Qualls, Director of the Kentucky Adult Education program for Boyd County based at ACTC, said the funds will strengthen literacy efforts available to adult learners.
“We are thrilled to be able to extend our efforts to assist students in attaining the academic skills and credentials they need to attend college, enter the workforce and support their families,” Qualls said.
The grant will support instruction for adult learners at the Catlettsburg Branch of the Boyd County Public Library. Up to twenty-five students will be targeted in the outreach project, which includes Adult Basic Education, General Equivalency Diploma, National Career Readiness Certification and Kentucky Employability Certification. The one-year grant program will begin July 1.
Dr. Kay Adkins, President and CEO of ACTC, is pleased that the college will be extending literacy efforts to students in a community location.
“Offering adult literacy instruction in collaboration with the Boyd County Public Library helps ACTC extend its commitment to lifelong learning and workforce preparedness in our community,” said Adkins.
ACTC’s grant is part of $26,000 in grants awarded by the Dollar General Foundation to area programs aimed at supporting youth, family and summer literacy programs. The local grants are part of more than $7.1 million in grants awarded to over 900 schools, nonprofits and organizations in 43 states.
For more information on the literacy program, contact Qualls at 606-326-2437 or email: penny.qualls@kctcs.edu.
ACTC Adult Ed Helps Former AK Steel Employees
ACTC and the Boyd County Adult Education Program partnered on April 29 to help over 300 laid off AK Steel workers prepare for college, job training and job certifications.
The former AK employees completed the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) to determine their eligibility for TAA benefits, college, the National Career Readiness Certification and the Kentucky Essential Skills Certification. The Federal TAA (Trade Adjustment Assistance) funds are available through the Kentucky Career Center to help US workers who have lost or may lose their jobs as a result of foreign trade.
The testing session at the Technology Drive Campus was provided as a free service by Adult Education. After testing, the AK participants learned about career options at ACTC and had the chance to speak with representatives from Advising, Admissions, Financial Aid, Workforce Solutions and several program divisions.
The Adult Education is working this summer to help the AK employees refresh their knowledge in academic areas and prepare for new employment. “We will work with the furloughed AK Steel workers as long as they need our help,” said Penny Qualls, Director of the Boyd County Adult Education Program located at ACTC.
“At least 200 have been working to refresh their skills for new jobs or training,” Qualls said. “Many have completed their refresher and moved on to college entrance. Some plan to complete college programs they previously started but did not have a chance to finish. Helping people prepare for their next steps is why we are here.”
Adult Education services at ACTC’s College Drive Campus include group instruction, individual tutoring, and distance learning. For more information about adult education, contact Qualls at 606-326-2437 or email: penny.qualls@kctcs.edu.
