Michael Carmel Earned 2024 Idaho Potato Commission Postsecondary Educator of the Year National Award
Michael Carmel earned the Idaho Potato Commission Postsecondary Educator of the Year award for his innovative community partnerships, commitment to students and consistent leadership in working to protect the Guild of Culinary Arts.
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Aug. 27, 2024 – The Idaho Potato Commission along with the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education selected Michael Carmel, department head at the Culinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College, to receive the 2024 Postsecondary Educator of the Year award. This national honor recognizes an educator’s professional commitment to the educational community and foodservice industry.
Chef Carmel’s reaction was disbelief when he heard he had won the IPC Postsecondary Educator of the Year award. His astonishment was understandable as he did not apply himself but was secretly nominated by a coworker. That colleague understood Carmel’s profound impact on culinary education during his 20-year tenure. Additionally, Carmel worked as a successful professional industry chef prior to committing to the culinary education kitchen.
One nominating letter said, “Chef is an impressive person, chef, and leader who is consistently working to protect the Guild of Culinary Arts while putting students first in education.”
He created numerous innovative community partnerships. For example, chef connected his students with a local aquarium and its Good Catch program. The goal was to teach students butchery skills with sustainably caught, locally sourced seafood. Then, the cooked seafood was donated to a local food bank serving nearly 5,000 food-insecure community members.
Chef Carmel gives to the community and the community responds in kind. Chef managed two fundraising events serving more than 1,000 people that helped raise over $1 million dollars for student scholarships. The money was earned in a single year.
His commitment to students knows no boundaries – not even the physical boundaries of the United States can limit this chef. The winner has organized, developed and led students on study abroad trips. From helping students fundraise to introducing them to global chefs, creating a global culinary perspective has enriched this chef’s students and helped form the next generation of culinary leaders.
From participating in his college’s artificial intelligence professional development committee to hosting the 2023 CAFÉ’s Leadership Conference, Carmel’s commitment to culinary arts is legendary.
The Postsecondary Educator of the Year award provided a $1,000 cash prize, commemorative plaque and complimentary registration to attend CAFÉ’s 2024 Leadership Conference held this summer in San Antonio, Texas.
About Idaho Potato Commission
Since 1937, the Idaho Potato Commission has represented the growers, fresh shippers, and processors of fresh, frozen, dehydrated, and refrigerated 100% grown-in-Idaho potatoes. Idaho provides a unique combination of soil, climate and water to produce one-of-kind high solids, low moisture potatoes.
They supply 33% of all potatoes in the United States; the majority of which are russets. However, they have expanded to include a number of other types of potatoes including reds, yellows, and fingerlings. In 2022 alone, IPC produced over 14 billion pounds of Idaho® potatoes.
The Idaho Potato Commission’s programs concentrate on providing training and educational materials, tips, and recipes to consumers, retailers and foodservice operators.
Trident Technical College Hosts Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships 11th Annual Signing Day
North Charleston, S.C. – On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships (CRYA) program hosted its 11th annual Signing Day event at The College Center, located on Trident Technical College’s (TTC) Thornley Campus. The event celebrated 130 youth apprentices who officially signed with 58 employers in the tricounty area. More than 500 people in attendance – youth apprentices, their parents and family members, employer partners, event sponsors and multiple representatives from Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) – enjoyed an early morning breakfast, program and panelist discussion.
Dr. Vicky Wood, president of Trident Technical College, began the morning with a welcome and opening remarks. Taylor White, Director of PAYA, also spoke during the program. Dr. Wood led the panel discussion, which included one current youth apprentice and two former youth apprentices. Darynel Segovia is a current CNA/Pre-Nursing youth apprentice with Summerville Medical Center (HCA) and is also a graduate of Berkeley Middle College High School. Drake Head is a former PLTW Engineering 2+2 Youth Apprentice with KION North America and is a graduate of Ashley Ridge High School. Gabrielle Smith is a former culinary arts youth apprentice with Halls Signature Events and a graduate of Early College High School and North Charleston High School.
The event sponsor for Signing Day this year was Regions Bank. The funders for this year’s CRYA program are Apprenticeship Carolina/U.S. Department of Labor, Bank of America, Boeing, Charleston Engineers Joint Council, PAYA and the TTC Foundation. The CRYA program and Signing Day would not be possible without these important partners.
130 youth apprentices signed with 58 employers in the following pathways: Automotive, Baking and Pastry, CNA/Pre-Nursing, Computer Networking, Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity, Education Aide, Hotel Operations, HVAC, Logistics, Industrial Mechanics, Machine Tool Technology, Mechatronics, Medical Lab Assistant, PLTW Engineer Technician and Welding.
Through CRYA, Trident Tech connects qualified high school students with participating local employers. The employers interview, vet and hire the students who then begin employment while also taking high school and college courses. The program lasts two years and, upon completion, the students will have earned a high school diploma, a TTC certificate, a national credential from the U.S. Department of Labor and two years of paid work experience. Since the start of the youth apprenticeship program and Signing Day in 2014, the youth apprenticeship program has only grown and continues to benefit students and the community’s workforce.
June 4, 2024 - Google.org to Provide Funding for a Trident Technical College Cybersecurity Clinic
North Charleston, S.C., June 4, 2024 – Trident Technical College (TTC) has been selected to receive $1 million in grant funding and wraparound support from Google’s Cybersecurity Clinics Fund to establish the TTC Cybersecurity Operations Clinic. The funding from Google.org, the company’s philanthropic arm, is part of a $25 million collaboration with the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics.
Cybersecurity clinics at higher education institutions provide free digital security services to under-resourced organizations, similar to how law or medical schools offer free community clinics. The TTC Cybersecurity Operations Clinic will give TTC students the opportunity to learn cybersecurity and AI skills while simultaneously protecting vulnerable organizations from cyber attacks.
Terry Richburg, the Assistant Dean of Business Technology at TTC says, “Trident Technical College is honored to have been selected as a new Google Cybersecurity Clinic Fund site. The college will leverage Google’s support with existing college and community resources and partnerships to launch the TTC Cybersecurity Operations Clinic. This clinic will provide students with additional hands-on preparation for their careers in cybersecurity, and offer small businesses and non-profits in our region the opportunity to become more cyber aware and resilient. Google’s significant investment will result in increased collaboration and support between Trident Tech students and partner agencies, allowing the agencies to focus on doing the good work they do to help our community thrive.”
“The Charleston region is home to thousands of diverse small businesses and nonprofits,“ Dr. Laurie Boeding, vice president for academic affairs at Trident Tech, adds. “They are particularly vulnerable to cybercrime because they typically lack the time or finances to invest in cybersecurity initiatives. We’re thrilled that Google.org’s funding will expand the college’s efforts in helping to build our area’s cybersecurity workforce and address agencies’ needs for cyber support.”
“Google has proven to be an exemplary corporate citizen in South Carolina, and their commitment to cybersecurity is further exemplified by this generous investment in Trident Technical College," said Sen. Larry Grooms. "The TTC Cybersecurity Operations Clinic will not only strengthen our state's cyber defenses but also establish the Charleston region as a national leader in cybersecurity education and workforce development. Google's dedication to fostering a safer digital landscape for all is commendable, and we are proud to have them as a partner in our state's ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime."
The Cybersecurity program at TTC offers an associate degree and a certificate in cybersecurity. TTC’s Cybersecurity program has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense Education (CDE) through the 2024 academic year. This designation was awarded by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) upon meeting their stringent requirements for cybersecurity curriculum and program criteria. TTC was the first two-year college in South Carolina to receive this designation.
“The world is in a moment where emerging technologies, like AI, are creating both new opportunities and threats in the world of cybersecurity,” said Heather Adkins, VP of Security Engineering at Google. “It’s essential that we invest in growing a strong, diverse and widespread cybersecurity workforce to help protect everyone - from critical infrastructure to small businesses and schools. The 15 clinics that we’re helping to establish serve a wide variety of students across all corners of the U.S. and we’re excited to see the impact they’ll have in their local communities.”
"Google's transformative investment is catalyzing cybersecurity for the public good,” says Ann Cleaveland, co-founder and co-chair of the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics and Executive Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity. “We congratulate the recipients and applaud these awards, which propel forward the vision of the Consortium to establish a cybersecurity clinic in every U.S. state by 2030."
TTC is one of 15 new clinics set to launch in 2024 at higher education institutions across the country, thanks to a collaboration from Google and the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics. TTC is also one of the first two-year colleges in the country to benefit from this funding. In addition to $1 million in Google.org funding, the tech company is offering TTC volunteer mentorship from Google employees, Google Titan Security Keys, and scholarships for the Google Career Certificate in Cybersecurity. Learn more on Google’s blog and the Consortium’s website.
The announcement builds on Google’s 2023 support for 10 clinics, part of a combined commitment to launch 25 Google-supported cyber clinics nationwide by 2025. With the latest round of funding, Google.org has now committed more than $25 million toward creating the diverse and AI- and digital security-savvy workforce needed to protect critical U.S. infrastructure from cyber attacks.
May 6, 2024 - Trident Technical College Recognizes Stellar Students and Organizations at Awards Day
Trident Technical College (TTC) hosted its annual Awards Day program, which honored the 2023-2024 year’s top students, student organizations and advisors on Thursday, May 2, 2024. The celebration took place at the South Carolina Aeronautical Training Center on TTC’s Thornley Campus, located at 7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29406.
The event honored and awarded over 50 students and faculty with awards for their outstanding student achievement and involvement at TTC. This year, two students, Ella Rock and Kaiela Babor, received the Dr. Mary Thornley Distinguished Community Leadership award. Ella Rock studied Commercial Graphics and Computer Technology and Kaiela Babor studied Medical Laboratory Technology, both also receiving Merit Awards as well. The Dr. Mary Thornley Distinguished Community Leadership Award was first established in 2018 and is presented annually by TTC’s President to an exemplary graduate(s) who demonstrates integrity, servant leadership and the potential to provide future leadership to their profession and the community.
The State Credit Union Award was presented by Jim Kinard, President/CEO of the SC State Credit Union, and was awarded to Alexis Bailey, who studied Early Childhood Development. This year’s Patricia L. Kurtzman Memorial and Alumni Association award went to Nicole Rolston, who studied Human Services during her time at TTC. The Patricia L. Kurtzman Memorial and Alumni Association award is presented to a student with high academic achievement who demonstrates the potential to make a significant impact in their chosen career. Originally established in 1991 as an endowed scholarship fund by the TTC Alumni Association and Dr. Joseph L. Kurtzman, the prize honors the memory of his wife, Patricia, a dedicated and beloved reading instructor in the Palmer Campus Developmental Studies Program.
The TTC Awards Day program is always a beloved and well-attended event and kicks off the week of graduation on a high note.
April 16, 2024 - Trident Technical College names new president
April 16, 2024 … The Trident Technical College Area Commission has selected Dr. Vicky Wood to be the college’s sixth president. Wood will begin her presidency on July 1, 2024.
Wood currently serves as president of Washington State College of Ohio in Marietta, Ohio, a position she has held since 2017. During her time as president, she has transformed WSCO by enhancing community partnerships, strengthening academic programs and student support services, increasing both the WSCO Foundation and college’s financial position, and investing in personnel and facilities to advance student success.
“In accepting the presidency of Trident Technical College, I am honored for this opportunity to lead this highly valued, high-impact institution into the future,” said Wood. “I look forward to working with the Area Commission, TTC Foundation, and the college’s dedicated faculty and staff to increase student success, expand economic growth and prosperity, and advance Trident’s legacy of excellence.”
Trident Tech’s governing board, led by Chair Anita Zucker, started a national search for a new president after the college’s longtime president, Dr. Mary Thornley, announced her retirement in September 2023. The college received more than 70 applications for the position. The committee selected eight semifinalists, then narrowed the search to four finalists who visited the college in early April to tour the campus and meet with students, employees, TTC Foundation board members and the Area Commission.
“It has been an honor to serve as chair of the Area Commission and the Search Committee during this important time in the life of the college,” said Zucker. “On behalf of the Area Commission, I want to thank the college’s administration, employees and students, and TTC Foundation board members, who devoted a great deal of time and energy to participate in the process by meeting with the final candidates and providing valuable feedback. With the help of the entire TTC team, I feel we have chosen the best candidate to lead the college into the future.”
Under Wood’s leadership, WSCO has demonstrated excellence in academic programs and instruction and has increased student access and success. Wood led the college through a mission transformation from a community college to a baccalaureate degree-granting institution and a name change. She strengthened academics by adding multiple new programs and attracted investments of millions of dollars in facility and technology upgrades to support student learning. She strengthened the student experience through the successful implementation of Career Guided Pathways that included the creation of the Center for Student Success to expand support services and the establishment of a Student OneStop to enhance the student experience throughout the entry phases of enrollment. Wood’s political advocacy helped implement a state policy change to enable Ohio community colleges to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and WSCO was one of the first Ohio community colleges to offer the BSN.
Wood has helped strengthen the community through leadership and service to support economic development. She is a member of the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority economic development board, Frontier Local Economic Development Association, Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce board, and Marietta Noon Rotary. Her state and national engagement includes serving as vice chair elect of the Ohio Community College Presidents’ Council, advisory board and coach for the Ohio Association of Community College’s Leadership Academy, member of the National Center for Inquiry and Improvement’s Rural Guided Pathways Initiative, and advisory board for the Aspen Presidential Fellowship.
Formerly, Wood served as provost and vice president of academic affairs and student services at Marion Technical College. She is a first-generation community college graduate who holds a doctorate in higher education leadership from The University of Toledo, a master’s in education from Bowling Green State University, a bachelor’s in business education from Ashland University, and an associate in business from Marion Technical College. She and her husband, Rodney, have three children (Morgan, Colin and Ryan) and three grandchildren.
March 27, 2024 - 2024 Spring Career Fair at Trident Technical College
Trident Technical College is hosting its Spring Career Fair on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, from 9 a.m. to noon. The Career Fair will take place in the College Center (Building 920) on Thornley Campus, located at 7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29406.
The Career Fair is open to TTC students, graduates and the general public, who will be able to experience one of the largest career fairs in the tri-county area. There will be more than 120 employers in attendance and attendees will have the opportunity to explore different companies, network with recruiters, submit their resumes, and gather as much information as possible. Companies representing a wide variety of industries will be present. Professional attire is recommended to attend the Career Fair.
To learn more information about the Career Fair and to view the list of employers who will be in attendance, visit https://www.tridenttech.edu/landing/careerfair.htm. For any questions about the Career Fair, email StuEmploy@tridenttech.edu or call 843.574.6119.
Feb. 2, 2024 - Trident Technical College Foundation Raises Record-Breaking $1 Million at A Night in the Valley
The Trident Technical College Foundation and the Culinary Institute of Charleston hosted their 20 th A Night in the Valley dinner and auction fundraiser Friday, Jan. 26. This premier event is held every January to raise funds to support student scholarships and the Student Urgent Needs Fund, and to provide funding for classroom equipment. The highlight of the evening is a four-course meal prepared and served by students, faculty and alumni of the Culinary Institute of Charleston.
Trident Technical College Foundation welcomed close to 600 guests and raised a record-breaking $1 million. TTC alum and WCIV Lowcountry Live host Tom Crawford returned as auctioneer with the assistance of TTC student Kendra Rivers. The night concluded with a special performance by TTC alum Faith Schueler, a rising country singer and songwriter originally from Charleston. HendrickCars.com returned as the presenting sponsor.
In addition to celebrating the 20th anniversary of A Night in the Valley, the evening was a tribute to retiring Trident Technical College President Mary Thornley. The love and support of the community for Thornley was on full display, as one by one, donors stood and announced significant donations in her honor.
A Night in the Valley would not be possible without the support of generous sponsors and donors. Click here for Information about ways to be involved in A Night in the Valley. A Night in the Valley 2025 will be held on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.
To learn more about the TTC Foundation and other events, click here.