Summer 2012 Campus Briefs

Jul 10 2012

This is an archived article!

This article was published on Jul 10 2012 and was archived on Jul 11 2013. The information below may be outdated or inaccurate.

NRCC activities counselor receives doctorate

New River Community College student activities counselor Ben Kramer recently received a Ph.D. from Old Dominion University. Kramer was a part of Old Dominion's Community College Leadership program and his dissertation was entitled "From Homeschool to the Community College: A Multiple Case Study." His study focused on how homeschooled students experience the community college setting and the ways in which they adapt and succeed in what is often their first structured educational experience.

NRCC Middle College mentor receives bachelor's degree

Elizabeth Swing, a mentor in New River Community College's Middle College program recently graduated from Virginia Tech. Swing received a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology with a concentration in crime and deviance.

NRCC music professor presents at conference

New River Community College associate professor of music Louise Billaud recently represented the college at the Music and Lifelong Learning Conference at James Madison University in Harrisonburg. The conference was sponsored by the National Association of Music Education Adult and Community Music Education Special Research Interest Group.

While at the conference, Billaud presented her doctoral research results in a session entitled: Instrumental Music Participation and the Hierarchy of Needs: A Drive Towards Self-Actualization. The primary focus of the research, explains Billaud, relates to the experiences of band instrumentalists (including those who are lifelong musicians, returning after a hiatus from participation and those beginning later in life). She is studying their experiences through interview, observations and document collection and trying to understand what life needs have influence their band participation or nonparticipation. While her researches focuses on life needs as related to music, she sees the potential for other applications related to meeting the needs of community college students at large.

Billaud is currently pursuing a doctorate in music education at Boston University.

NRCC distance education employee produces music CD

Angela Poston, administrative/program specialist in the distance education department at New River Community College, recently produced her first music CD, entitled "Jesus Can," featuring local southern gospel group Voices of Truth.

Voices of Truth is comprised of Emily and Lauren Gerald of Floyd County. On the CD, Poston joins Emily and Lauren on piano and voice. The disc includes four original songs and is dedicated to Emily and Lauren's great-grandmother, known to friends and relatives as "Grandma Elizabeth," who passed away in January at age 97.

In addition to their work on the CD, the duo often performs at the Indian Valley Church of God and at local benefits and fundraisers. Poston also plays piano at the church and joins Voices of Truth for other events including performing once a month for the residents of Skyline Manor Nursing Home in Floyd and Wheatland Hills Retirement Center in Hillsville.

A portion of the proceeds from the group's CD sales will benefit the Indian Valley Church of God and God's Harvest of Hope Food Pantry.