Announcements
Professional Development Classes
Jefferson State requires new employees to take classes in their first year of employment: customer service, communication, and one class from among the computer training offerings. In addition, Salary Schedule E employees considering advancement in grade must complete these classes as part of their eligibility to advance within their schedules. These classes are offered through Jefferson State’s Center for Workforce Education.
All Salary Schedule E support staff who provide services or are otherwise “front line” representatives to students and campus visitors must participate in these trainings. Employees on that schedule hired on or after September 1, 2021, are required to attend the trainings. All other full-time staff are welcome to attend but attendance is not required. Part-time staff are welcome to attend. Supervisors are encouraged to support their employees’ participation in these classes.
Again, this training is a requirement for all new employees and those considering advancement in grade. Once registered, you must notify the Workforce Education Department at least five business days prior to a training if you are unable to attend.
Click button below to view classes.
Sick Leave Bank Open Enrollment – August 15 through September 30
Full-time employees of Jefferson State have the opportunity to join the College’s Sick Leave Bank by completing the Sick Leave Bank Enrollment Form (attached) and contributing five (5) sick leave days to the Sick Leave Bank. The five days you contribute to the Bank may be withdrawn during an Open Enrollment period or upon your departure from the college.
The purpose of the Bank is to provide a loan of sick leave days for participating members after their accumulated vacation, sick, and personal leave days have been exhausted.
Any full-time employee of Jefferson State who has completed a Sick Leave Bank Enrollment Form and contributed five (5) sick leave days to the Bank is eligible to borrow up to fifteen (15) days from the Bank. Fifteen days is the total of the contributed five (5) sick days and ten (10) borrowed. Employees who have not accumulated the required five (5) sick leave days are eligible for membership by completing the Sick Leave Bank Enrollment Form and requesting that their contribution be taken from sick leave they will earn in the next twelve months.
This period of open enrollment will end on September 30, 2025.
Enrollment forms should be forwarded via email to [email protected] or in person to George Wallace Hall room 111 on the Jefferson Campus.
Wingspan Magazine Seeks Submissions
CALLING WRITERS AND ARTISTS!
Wingspan, Jefferson State’s literary and arts magazine, is seeking submissions through October 1 for the 2026 issue.
Though there is no theme, we will reject work that is spirited in hate, violence, or contains graphic nudity.
Submission Guidelines: Note that work can be submitted for simultaneous consideration in Wingspan, Pioneer Con writing contests, and the Pioneer Con student art show.
All work must be original and previously unpublished. Sources are allowed as long as they are cited. Any work that detects plagiarism or AI-generated content will be disqualified.
SUBMIT YOUR BEST WORK! PROOFREAD CAREFULLY! If your poem or story is riddled with grammar and punctuation errors, it will not be considered for publication.
Poetry: Poets can submit up to three poems, each being no longer than 60 lines. Please submit all poems in one document. Please use single spacing. If you submit more than three poems, all of your poetry will be disqualified.
Prose (Includes Fiction, Non-Fiction & Hybrid): Writers may submit one to two pieces of prose per submission period. Please use single spacing. Prose pieces need to be roughly between 500-2,000 words. If you submit more than two pieces of prose, your writing will be disqualified.
Art/Photography: Please send up to 5 pieces of art or photography using separate jpg files. If you submit more than 5 files of art and/or photography, your work will not be considered.
To submit, please use the submission button below.
Submissions can be accepted in both English and Spanish. (Please include an English translation for Spanish works.)
Note that work chosen for Pioneer Con will also be considered for the Pioneer Con section of the magazine. You will be notified if it is accepted for Wingspan.
Each person whose work is chosen to appear in the magazine is given a free copy of the bound, printed version and invited to present at the Spring semester reading, following the publication. Hard copies are available at campus libraries, and electronic versions of previous issues are also available on this page.
If you have questions, please direct them to the Wingspan editor, Heather Wyatt at [email protected].
Attention all Military-Connected Students at Jefferson State!
We are excited to announce a scholarship opportunity specifically for our military-connected students!
The Alabama Veterans Affairs Association (AVAA) Stars & Stripes Scholarship was created to provide additional financial support to Veterans, service members, and dependents/spouses of Veterans as they pursue their education. Scholarship funds may be used toward tuition, fees, books, or supplies.
Eligible applicants must be a Veteran, current service member (Active, Reserve, or National Guard), or dependent/spouse of a Veteran, be a U.S. citizen and Alabama resident, and at Jefferson State, be enrolled in an eligible certificate or Associate’s program. (Transient students can apply via their parent institution for their approved program of study). Students must also have at least a 2.0 GPA and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
Application Deadline: September 25, 2026
Students will need to submit the following to the Veterans Affairs Office:
- Completed student portion of the scholarship application
- Two letters of recommendation
- 500-word essay
- Brief biography
- Photo/headshot
- Media Release Form
Ms. Cobb in our Veterans & Military Affairs Office will verify your eligibility, complete the institutional portion of the application, and submit the completed scholarship packet to AVAA. Please scan and email your completed packet with the items listed above to [email protected]
We encourage all eligible military-connected students to apply! For questions, please contact [email protected].
New Pathway to APOSTC Police Certification at Jefferson State
Great news for Jefferson State Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement students!
Jefferson State Community College is participating in a new pathway developed through the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) and the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC). This agreement creates an opportunity for qualified Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement students to work toward APOSTC police certification while completing their education.
This new pathway is designed to help students prepare for a career in Alabama law enforcement and provides a more direct route into the profession.
To be considered for the pathway, students must meet the following requirements:
- Be actively enrolled full-time in an eligible Criminal Justice or Law Enforcement program at Jefferson State.
- Have a minimum 2.0 GPA. (Completion of at least 1 semester total of 12 hours)
- Have passed English 101 with a C or higher
- Successfully complete the Basic Ability Test (BAT) offered at Jefferson State. (Completed during the application process/Students with an Associate Degree in any content area are exempt from the BAT requirement)
- Be at least 19 years old.
- Have a valid driver’s license.
- Successfully complete a required psychological evaluation. (Completed during the application process)
- Successfully complete a required background investigation and driving history. (Completed during the application process)
- Pass a practice Physical Fitness Test. (Proctored by the Criminal Justice Chair prior to the application process)
Meeting these requirements does not automatically guarantee certification. Students must be hired by the Jefferson State Police Department as a Reserve Officer to be sponsored to attend the academy. Students must also successfully complete all required APOSTC requirements and training to receive their certification. After students have finished the academy, they will be given 12 hours of college credit in their degree plan (4 criminal justice classes) after submitting their post-certification for credit.
If you are a Criminal Justice or Law Enforcement student interested in pursuing this opportunity, please contact:
Dr. Robert Bland
Criminal Justice Advisor
Email: [email protected]
Office: 205-856-6051
This is an excellent opportunity for students who are serious about pursuing a career in Alabama Law Enforcement. If becoming a certified police officer is part of your career goal, I encourage you to contact Dr. Bland to discuss whether you qualify for this pathway and what steps you need to take.
2026 ACCA Conference Travel Information
The 2026 ACCA Conference will be held November 8-10, 2026, at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center in Montgomery.
Registration is $375 through November 1, 2026, and increases to $475 thereafter.
If you are interested in attending:
- Complete the Request for In-State Approval to Travel Form and required justification form below.
- Submit the forms to your supervisor(s) for approval.
- Return approved forms to Pat Harris (GWH 109) no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026.
The College will register approved attendees and process payment of the registration fee.
For conference details and hotel reservations, visit:
Faculty Information:
November 9 and 10 fall during a regular instructional week. Therefore, the College has designated both days as Virtual Instructional Days for all classes. This applies to all instructors, whether attending the conference or not, and is intended to provide flexibility while ensuring continuity of instruction. Non-instructional employees not attending the conference should follow their normal work schedule.
Writers Roundtable
Are you a creative writer? Would you like to participate in a workshop to hone your craft? Then please email Heather Wyatt at [email protected] to take part in the Writers Roundtable!
The Writers Roundtable at Jefferson State Community College is intended to foster a writing community on Jefferson State’s campuses. If you are a faculty member, staff member, or student who enjoys creative writing and wants to engage in discussions about honing your craft and potentially workshopping your writing, please email Heather Wyatt at [email protected] to be added to the communication email list.
We will hold our Fall 26 meeting, a discussion and generative workshop, at Pioneer Con on October 22nd! We will have a Zoom option available, and I will provide additional information if you let me know if you want to be added to the interest list.
Please reach out by October 1st if you want to be on the email list.