2. AAS approval & BS articulation agreements underway: The full Applied Associate Degree Program is currently being stewarded through SACS and VCCS by DA&D Coordinator Ben Capozzi and Dean Ed White from DCC. This will be a lengthy process of several months more, though letters of endorsement, student testimonials, and supporting documents from area business avowing the need for students with these comprehensive 21st century skills in the digital and design arenas continue to amass. Mr. Capozzi is also developing an articulation agreement with the School of Visual Art at Virginia Tech.
3. Growth in educational partnerships: Outstanding letters of support for the Digital Art & Design curriculum from 4-year partner Virginia Tech were received in August -- with one faculty member even touting the advantages of our own program over those of VPI&SU. Collaboration with Longwood University's Art Education program is proceeding this fall with visiting instructors from the Keysville campus offering arts workshops to elementary schoolers.
4. Growth in partnerships with area businesses: Particularly exciting is a partnership with the Halifax County Industrial Development Authority to develop a design studio to handle select business services for Riverstone Industrial Park tenants. This partnership would be both a revenue generating venture for the DA&D program and a unique internship opportunity for students in Southside.
5. Growth in non-credit programming: The 2009 Summer Digital Arts Camp served some 39 area children in digital arts programming from working with cameras, video, and animation. Other sponsored programs include: Summer participation in worldwide Photowalk and Fall participation in The Girl Project, a global art project documenting the lives of teenage girls BY teenage girls.
6. National recognition for DA&D student and program: In a competition sponsored by a nationally distributed professional publication, students in the DA&D dual enrollment program designed CD covers for the spring edition of Layers Magazine. Student Stephen Woltz’s design was selected tops in the competition, and both he and the program received a nice write up in the journal.
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8. WoodLinks lab moved from HCHS to SVHEC: 2009-10 WoodLinks students will attend labs in the renovated SVHEC 1950s space that replicates a professional, sophisticated CAD/CAM work cell environment. Made possible through TIC grant funds, a generous HEF donation, and steep educational discounts on machinery and software, the new space is already creating a “wow” factor for industry visitors.
9. AAS approval & BS articulation agreements underway: The educational partnership with DCC has been strengthened and the PD&D AAS degree has been approved for DCC curriculum committee review. An articulation agreement with the Department of Wood Science & Forest Products at Virginia Tech has been defined and opened up for transferring students. Work is now underway to develop a “guaranteed transfer agreement” with Virginia Tech as part of the 2+2+2 educational pathway.
10. Growth in educational partnerships: The Department of Wood Science & Forest Products at Virginia Tech has agreed to bring graduate-level research to the Advanced Manufacturing Center as part of an NIST grant submitted this June. PD&D Coordinator David Kenealy is in discussions with the UVA/Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program to develop a BS in engineering to be offered at the SVHEC. The SVHEC has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) in Letterfrack, Ireland to collaborate on PD&D programs and research. Two GMIT students recently returned to Ireland after very productive internships with the PD&D program. More GMIT interns are expected to follow.
11. Growth in industry partnerships: The SVHEC has been selected by French software maker Missler to serve as the first USA/TopSolid Institute in the United States. Missler produces the only integrated wood manufacturing software on the market and has donated approximately $1M in software licenses for the Institute and PD&D program. The Tobacco Commission has provided in-kind funds to purchase the computers for the USA/TopSolid Institute. The Institute will be a revenue-generating proposition, with SVHEC staff conducting training for manufacturers from across the country that will come to South Boston for training. Martinsville Speedway has approved the SVHEC to lead a collaborative effort to produce the “trophy clock” for their March 2010 NASCAR racing event. David Kenealy is also building a relationship with the American Wood Finishing Institute (AWFI) and its partner University of Northern Iowa to bring a national coatings institute to the SVHEC. Relationship-building is also ongoing with representatives with the UVA/VT Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing project with Rolls Royce.
12. National recognition for HCHS WoodLinks students and program: HCHS WoodLinks students John Barry and McKenzie Stevens won first place honors in the High School Class Project category of the national juried competition sponsored by the Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS). The Fresh Wood Student Competition is the largest of its kind and highlights outstanding construction and design achievements by students. The students and their instructors, Kevin Chrystie and Clint Johnson, received the honor at the AWFS conference in Las Vegas this summer. Their project “The Chair” is currently on display in the new BA&D Lab.