Young shares college’s accomplishments

By Ed Trainor

Published: June 23, 2008

When faculty and staff gather at the flag pole on a Wallace College campus, a celebration may be under way. 
Wallace College President Dr. Linda C. Young calls the event a victory flag celebration. She explained the process to Eufaula Rotarians last week.
“At different intervals throughout the year we invite the faculty and staff to gather at the flag poles of our various instructional sites, and we share the news of the various successes we have enjoyed college-wide. This has been a very rewarding experience. It not only serves to boost internal morale, but it also gives us a chance to document and share good things happening at Wallace with the community,” she said.
Young reminded Rotarians that Wallace is one the largest institutions in Alabama’s two-year college system with sites in Dothan, Eufaula, and Fort Rucker. The school also offers technical training at two prison sites in Barbour County.
Wallace College offers academics and a wide array of career and technical programs including allied health and nursing. The school maintains an average enrollment of 3,700 students in credit courses and serves another 2,000 students each year with non-credit programs and services. Almost one third of the current student population is enrolled in the college’s academic transfer program.
Young said 23.8 percent of the college’s current students are preparing to enter the career/technical workforce, and 44 percent are enrolled in allied health of nursing program prerequisite studies.
The remaining 4.6 percent of the student body are undecided as to their major choice of study.

Young went on to list a series of recent accomplishments that include:
Wallace College enjoyed an 8 percent increased in enrollment for the fall 2007 term as well as a 6.1 percent enrollment increase for the summer semester. 
The Wallace College Respiratory Therapist Academic Team placed second in the nation last fall and the new team just won the state title and will head for nationals again.
Wallace College masonry student Clayton Barnette of Eufaula placed first in state competition at the Alabama Skills USA Conference and is moving on to national competition this month.
Wallace College won the first annual Training Existing Business and Industry outstanding program award for a new ophthalmic assistant program. The new award will be presented annually to recognize an institution demonstrating an outstanding or innovative workforce training program.
The colleges’ WorkKeys and Adult Education departments were recognized by the governor for issuing 740 career readiness certificates in 2007. According to Dr. Young, Wallace College has received this distinction for three consecutive years and awarded 1,061 career readiness certificates from 2005-2007.
Wallace College is the first college in the state to introduce a 144 contact hour plumber’s apprentice program.
The 29 graduates of the college’s licensed practical nursing program achieved a 100 percent passage rate on the NCLEX-PN licensing exam.
All students from the Wallace cosmetology program who attempted certification through state licensure during the last academic year passed their exams on their first attempt.
The Wallace College Emergency Medical Services paramedic program received reaffirmation of accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs, recognizing compliance with all standards with no recommendations.
The Sparks Campus in Eufaula has been awarded a Tri-State Rural Access in Nursing grant of $1.9 million to address critical needs in the local healthcare industry by preparing students for entry-level health care jobs.
This year the nursing labs on the Sparks Campus received additional mannequins and teaching aids and are now able to access online resources through the Health Science resource Center.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the college $150,000 to assist in renovations at the physical plant of the Sparks Campus.
An Alabama Workforce Development grant will provide tuition books and fee for 24 Eufaula and Barbour County students to participate in dual enrollment in high growth and high demand fields. 
Through this program students can complete up to six semesters or 18 hours of college credit to be better prepared for joining the workforce.