The students and faculty have been working hard with Sentara Hospitals and the Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters performing chair massage for the staff and oncology patient families. Massage is not only beneficial for the person receiving massage but also for the provider.  The Massage field is very rewarding:  “Touch was never meant to be a luxury. It is a basic human need. It is an action that validates life and gives hope to both the receiver and the giver. The healing touch is reciprocal.-Irene Smith

Everyone in the Massage Therapy Department would like to congratulate Natasia DeLeon, Allen Vicente, Alexandra Heim, Edward Branum, and Zakkiyya Crolle-Jordan for passing their National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork! Another congrats goes to Amber Cutrone for receiving the Student of the Quarter Award for the spring term. Her dedication, hard work, and positive attitude have been contagious through-out the massage department.

Students were able to utilize their clinical skills in infection control, general dentistry and patient intake.  Dental Instructors divided the students into two groups: the first group worked in the sterilization area with Mrs. Bernal.  Mrs. Ames worked with group two with oral surgery, filling, cleanings and patient intake.  One student came back excited stating, “That was fun! I was scared at first. But I think I’m ready for externship now.”

Dentist, hygienist and assistants cared for more than 1,000 patients. The event is held annually and the students enjoyed participating in such an event.

The festivities offered something for everyone: pictures with Santa and crafts for the children, rides on the flight simulator from the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Virginia Employment Commission providing information on their services, vendors from the welding field: ESAB and Airgas and the Classic Custom Corvette Club and the Southeastern Virginia Mustang Club.   Many community members came out to provide donations for Toys for Tots, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Southeastern Virginia Food Bank. Individuals who made donations were able to enter their name to win a raffle prize!

During the month of November, faculty, staff, and students collected non-perishable items and clothing that were added to the contributions for the Open House. Current students utilized the Open House as an excellent opportunity display their skills. The Admissions Staff provided tours and information about the school to visitors as well. The Tidewater Tech team came together to show the community our appreciation and to spread the word about Tidewater Tech’s educational opportunities.

Tuesday was another day to shed the uniform.  Jeans day had a lot of our students sporting their best of the blue denim fabric.  Even the medical coordinator sported her best outfit, joining in with the festivities.  Some students were just glad she was not getting on them about their uniforms!  WHEW!

Wednesday was pizza day and students fellowshipped and dined on pizza from their favorite place.  With so many to choose from, the consensus was Papa John’s.

Thursday was question and answer day; how to transition from student to employee.  The career services representative, Ms. Brenda Houck was present along with Ms. Kristen Chandler, a MA instructor and former graduate from CVAB.  The day session was very informative about job searching and marketing their skills as a MA.

The evening session was held by Ms. Chandler and also Ms. Sherry Lyons.  Ms. Lyons is a night instructor here at CVAB, but also she is a manager for two bariatric clinics under Chesapeake Regional Medical Center.  Valuable information was passed to our students from a mangers point of view.

Several of our students expressed their appreciation for  the efforts that were put forth to make them feel a part of the medical assistant community and pride in their profession.

During the end of Medical Assistant Week, there was yet more to do!  We had awarded prizes to our outstanding students who had perfect attendance that week and scored the highest on their test.  Needless to say, we had to have a drawing due to so many outstanding performing students.  The winners are:  Tracy Respass and Krishna Patel for Perfect Attendance for Evening Students; Chloe Curtis and Brennan Brown, for Perfect Attendance for Day Students; Katharine Henry with the Highest Test Score for the Evening Student, and Asha Diggs for the Highest Grade for the Day Student!

There will be food, raffle prizes, a visit from the Norfolk Fire Department and Santa will be visiting the nice boys and girls (with the first 20 kids receiving a free picture and special toy!). Personal career planning sessions and VIP tours of the campus will also be available.  There will be companies talking about employment opportunities including Airgas, ESAB, Arcet and Snap-On Tools.

There will be cars on display from the Custom Classic Corvette Club and Tidewater Mustang.  Stop by and meet the instructors, program coordinators and current students.  The event is taking place on the campus at 5301 E. Princess Anne Rd in Norfolk and is open to public, everyone is welcome.  Don’t forget your donation for the Toys for Tots,  the SE Virginia Food Bank or DAV. For more information, please call 858-TECH.

Ellen, Michelle, and Jennifer Whitaker are a mother and daughter trio who represent an exceptional pillar of success. This two generation family participated in the Centura College – Midlothian Campus Commencement Ceremony on July 22, 2011, graduating with honors from the Medical Assisting program.

Although approximately 80 other graduates participated in the graduation held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, there were three graduates who demonstrated what love and support from family can produce. Ellen Whitaker proudly stated, “This is a big success for our family; I am so proud of my two girls! We have been a great support for one another.” Michelle and Jennifer also showed great admiration for their mother. The two of them stated, “We are so thankful for our mother and the sacrifices she has made. Without her support and love over the years, this day would have never been possible.”

Many other students also celebrated their success by graduating from the other remarkable programs: Computer Network Management, Medical Billing and Coding, Massage Therapy, Paralegal, and Practical Nursing. There were over 300 guests in attendance who were there to witness the achievements of the 2011 graduates.

The entire family at the Midlothian Campus would like to congratulate the entire graduating class of 2011. May you continue to experience huge success in all of your future endeavors!

The Goal: to be successful in my program in efforts to, at graduation or soon after, achieve gainful employment. This is the goal that new students walk into the doors of Tidewater Tech have embedded in their minds as they  kick-off their journey in their program.  With distinct and varying backgrounds, each student prepares himself for the road ahead in order to reach the ultimate goal of obtaining employment in their field.

With the journey ahead there are elements that these eager students must consider. One of these elements is having a challenged background. Students from the beginning, while in admissions, question the probability of achieving gainful employment if they have a challenged background.
“We explain that it is NOT impossible to achieve employment if they have a challenged background. We also explain that obtaining a skill in a trade makes the student marketable in the workforce,” said Kevin Benton, Director of Admissions.

Tidewater Tech has a pilot program that assists the students in sharpening their professionalism in the areas of self-presentation, written communication, goal-setting, financial responsibility and much more. In this course the students touch on presenting themselves to employers, even when answering questions about their background.

“A lot of students have had negative experiences trying to find jobs with a challenged background. I try to explore this with them and explain that sometimes it’s not the challenged background that is keeping them from an employment opportunity, but the way they are presenting themselves. There are right and wrong answers to interviewing questions and most employers are just looking to hear that you recognize you’ve made a mistake and have taken steps to change; namely by coming back to school,” said Sarah Heath, Professional Development Instructor.

With the faculty and staff assisting the student in being successful in their programs, they begin their job search in Career Services, where they are coached on how to approach the inevitable question that will be asked concerning their challenged background. The student has successfully paved their way by their achievements within their program to prove that they are far removed from their mistakes in the past.

Mr. Gerald Smith, a Graduate of the HVAC program, who knows first-hand what obstacles present themselves when job searching with a challenged background, was successfully hired in a position related to his field upon graduation.

“You have to keep pushing and keep a positive attitude. You might be turned down a lot but the more you pursue, the more opportunity opens up. Just a week ago, I received a security clearance!” said Gerald Smith.

Students often have the goal of starting their own business. The motivation is partly due to not having to worry about the inhibitors of a challenged background. Mr. Alvin Mitchell, a Graduate of the Auto program, successfully started his own business in his field, A to Z Mobile Automotive Services, this summer.

“I took the goals that I had for myself and put them in my own hands. I didn’t want to let anyone else determine whether or not I met my goals because of challenges in my past,” said Alvin Mitchell.
A challenged background does not inhibit a student from achieving their career goals. The students of Tidewater Tech have been and will continue to be successful in their career endeavors because they prepare themselves and go in to their job search and interviews with a professional mindset, ready to amaze the employer and secure their career job opportunity.