Cleveland State Community College was awarded $102,000 in funding established under Title I of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. 

The Perkins funding will target retention and graduation of students studying in the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) fields. The emphasis of the Perkins IV program is counseling, retention activities, and graduation of AAS students.               

This grant will enable the college to purchase equipment for Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Nursing, and Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) programs. 

In an effort to increase student engagement, CSCC was able to purchase several interactive items for its A&P lecture and lab. 

“We have ordered new muscular and ligamentous skeletons in an attempt to integrate these three body systems, wet spirometers to allow students the opportunity to measure their own lung capacities, and new eye models, stated Biology Instructor Jim Peters. “In an attempt to vary teaching methodologies, these models allow visual-oriented and kinesthetic-oriented students advantages in the classroom while providing an integrative approach to teaching these two systems.” 

Mr. Peters went on to add, “System integration, or studying the human body as one system, helps train students to think critically as they assess the overall health of an individual. Many of our students desire to work in healthcare where these skills are critical. We hope our courses offer a glimpse of what lies ahead.”

Another area that is receiving new equipment due to the Perkins Grant funding is the EMT program at CSCC. 

According to EMT Instructor Jason Holcomb, the State of Tennessee is in the process of changing Emergency Medical Services’ levels of licensure. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a published educational standard which the State of Tennessee is aligning with. There will be more depth and breadth taught in the classroom and an increase in the contact students have with skills and procedures. With the increasing HIPPA guidelines and concerns of legal risks, students are limited in clinical rotations to skills they are permitted to do.

Mr. Holcomb said, “We were notified that we will be receiving a Stat Baby Pediatric Manikin Simulator from Simulaids. This will enable the student the opportunity to fulfill required procedures in the classroom where typically students have been limited in pediatric access. A simulated patient of this quality provides the most realistic or life-like opportunity to a student in a class setting. Students will benefit with more “hands-on” time in training preparing them for a role in healthcare.” 

Another piece of equipment the school has been researching is an IO drill, which is a new skill that will be taught with the anticipated changes for the State. This is a piece of equipment used when venous access cannot be established. By introducing this in the classroom now, students will be familiar with it once the State Scope of Practice is placed into the Rules and Regulations. 

“Cleveland State is preparing by advancing the material covered before changes are put into place, providing the student the most up-to-date training available," said Mr. Holcomb. “We are looking at opportunities to increase the level of training we teach at Cleveland State in the EMS department. With increased training, equipment is needed which we have not had before. These current instructional equipment items which have been awarded will greatly benefit our students.” 

The Perkins Grant will also allow the college to hire some new part-time positions, including a Computer Applications Academic Coach, High Schools Linkages Coordinator, AAS Career Technical Education Advisor, and a Cohort Specialist. 

The Computer Applications Academic Coach will help students determine how they best learn and how to operate in an academic environment in order to be successful at CSCC. The assistance will continue beyond remediation education and will be for the enrichment of the CSCC student through application of academic concepts in career/technical courses. They will cover topics such as study skills, time management, stress management, overcoming computer use anxiety, software applications, problem solving, note taking, and test taking. 

The High School Linkages Coordinator will work with high schools to development Career-Technical Education (CTE) enrollment and more dual credit courses. 

The AAS Career-Technical Education Advisor will develop and implement activities designed to increase the retention, graduation, and success rates for students who are enrolled in AAS programs at CSCC. 

The Cohort Specialist will implement cohort programs in AAS degree programs through working with academic deans and cohort program leaders to recruit, advise, enroll, and retain students in cohort programs offered in certificate and career-technical AAS degree programs. The cohort programs will focus on AAS degrees and certificates from Business, Technology, Nursing, and Early Childhood Education. 

For more information about the Perkins IV Grant, contact Debra Miller, Perkins Grant Coordinator at 472-7141, ext. 314 or email her at dmiller@clevelandstatecc.edu.