MCC to merge with Rowan Technical College

Inspiration for 'Men of Honor' speaks out

The Ledger Independent
December 5, 2002

MCC to merge with Rowan Technical College

Maysville Community College administrators and faculty met with local officials Thursday afternoon to discuss the consolidation of MCC with Rowan Technical College .

"Consolidation will create a single comprehensive community and technical college with a full complement of programs and services to provide many benefits to the district," said Dr. Augusta Julian, MCC president and district CEO.

The state's 28 community and technical colleges were combined under the Kentucky Community and Technical College System following the passage of House Bill 1 in 1997. Since that time, KCTCS colleges have been moving toward creating a seamless system of higher education to better serve Kentucky. MCC and Rowan TC will form one of the 16 districts within KCTCS.

Stage I of the consolidation process has been completed and the schools have received approval from KCTCS to begin planning together, she said.

The next step in the process is to hold host a public forum to seek input on consolidation. That forum is scheduled for Feb. 26 at the Fleming-Mason Energy building in Flemingsburg. The public is invited to provide comments and suggestions to be considered in the creation of the district.

The third stage requires the colleges to present a plan for consolidation and single regional accreditation to the Board of Regents.

Consolidation is proposed for January 2004, Julian said.

She outlined a number of benefits to consolidation, including:

A regional approach to educational needs, more program options, wider access to technical and transfer courses, more transportability.

Enhanced job opportunities for students and graduates through partnerships in education and workforce initiatives.

More focused resources and new efficiencies with integrated personnel, functions and budget.

The colleges are already working together to provide enhanced services and programs and more are to follow. Combined efforts have led to the addition of 17 new technical program areas to be offered at the Maysville campus.

"We are within days of accepting the tech center," said Julian.

Some classes will be held in the new tech center beginning Jan. 8, she said.

Students in area high schools and technology centers already have access to many more college credits through dual enrollments. And in the future, consolidation will bring more transfer opportunities for movement into bachelor degree programs, more distance learning opportunities, and collaborative approaches to state funding for customized business and industry training.

The colleges are seeking a name for the new district, and are asking for the public's input.

Julian said a lot of thought has been put into a new name, but a name that represents the large geographic area the colleges cover has been daunting.

The colleges' three campuses in Maysville, Cynthiana and More-head serve all or part of 18 counties in three different area development districts and two states. The district will serve counties from Pendleton in the north to Morgan in the southeast of Kentucky and Brown and Adams counties in Ohio.

"We are searching for name that recognizes the past excellence of the two institutions and encompasses the new cooperative relationship," said Julian. "The district name could relate to the area's history, geography or philosophy. While we are not looking to change the college names, we want something new that brings us together; that expresses our new connection."

Kentucky New Era
December 5, 2002

Inspiration for 'Men of Honor' speaks out

A sharecropper's son from the Bluegrass State ventured out from his Sonora farming roots in the late 1940s to make his dreams come true.

Overcoming prejudice, adversity and a physical handicap, retired Navy Master Chief Carl M. Brashear became the first African-American Master Diver in 1970. Little did he know that his life would become the inspiration for the Hollywood movie, "Men of Honor" starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Robert De Niro.

"The storyline of the movie was 80 percent accurate. I was on the set for 95 percent of filming," said Brashear, 71, before speaking Wednesday night at the Hopkinsville Community College auditorium. "Cuba asked me questions. When he ran out of questions I'd tell him things so he could portray me accurately. Cuba did a beautiful job. He's a godsend to play the role of a deep-sea diver and to portray me."

Brashear, who is the nephew of the late Rev. A.R. Lasley, former pastor of Virginia Street Baptist Church, shared his "Journey to Success" with an audience of about 50. He illustrated his life story with a two-minute clip of the making of "Men of Honor" and a slide show.

"Inside of each of us lies a dream," he said. "I had no idea my dream would take me from Sonora, Ky. to a Hollywood major motion picture."

With only a seventh-grade education, Brashear joined the newly-integrated Navy in 1948. After observing other sailors dive off a ship in Korea, he decided to pursue a deep-sea diving career -- unheard of for black sailors of that time.

In the 1950s and early 60s, Brashear overcame the prejudicial odds, paid his dues and rose through the ranks to obtain the prestigious first-class diver badge in 1964.

Tragedy struck in May 1966, when a shipboard accident off the coast of Spain led to the loss of his left leg below the knee. The amputation only seemed to spur the sailor's determination to succeed and pursue his goal of Master Diver.

"My motto became 'I ain't gonna let nobody steal my dream,'" Brashear said. "I know these words aren't grammatically correct, but they always worked for me."

As shown in the movie, Brashear faced physical and mental obstacles that would break most men. He said the instruction of his training officer, Master Chief Navy Diver Billy Sunday, inspired him to fight harder for his goals.

"Billy Sunday was real. It was his job to try to wash me out of school, but I won over him. I was victorious," Brashear said, then grinned. "We cleaned him up some (in the movie). We didn't want to give the Navy a black eye."

After 31 years of service, Brashear retired from the Navy in April 1979. Today, he travels across the U.S. and abroad sharing his story and his dream with others.

"You have to love yourself. Set goals. Show dedication and perseverance, but most of all a good attitude," he said. "With a good attitude, you work toward a goal and you'll be successful."