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Staff Contacts:

Andrea J. Burney, APR

Director of Public Relations

Phoebe Bruce

Public Relations & Marketing Assistant

STUDENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT - April 2006

Amanda Listman

Electrical/Electronics

Amanda Listman of Danville is a second-year student in the Electrical/Electronics

program. She will graduate this spring with a Diploma in Electrical/Electronics

– General Electronics major, and Certificates in Industrial Electrical Principles and

Industrial Electronic Principles. She is the daughter of Deborah Wagstaff and is a graduate of Halifax County High School.

“I heard that the Electrical/Electronics Program at DCC was the best. I could have gone to an out of state college, but why, when DCC has such a great reputation,” says Listman.

She works part-time as a Power Career Student at Progress Energy in Roxboro, N.C., where she has been employed with the coal/oil company for the past two years. It was at Halifax County High School where Listman first heard about the Power Career Program, which works with area high schools to promote and recruit future employees. Through the Power Career Program, Listman says she discovered her interest in the Electrical/ Electronics field.

“I never really thought I would go into this field until I said ‘What the heck, I’ll try it’. I love working with my hands and the money is good in this profession,” she says.

In addition to her salary at Progress Energy, the program provides a stipend for books and tuition. Her responsibilities on the job include fuel handling, working with coal, and even working with the mechanics to help operate machinery.

“I leave work filthy, but I love it!” she says.

Listman notes that being one of a few females in the electrical/electronics field does not come without its challenges.

“My supervisors are working with me to become more aggressive in asking questions,” she says. “Most of the guys try to treat me special because I am a female; they think that I might get hurt, but I am trying to change that perception,”

Listman truly has a passion for what she does and encourages other females to consider the field. She says she even tried to convince her identical twin sister to enter the Electrical/Electronics program.

“At DCC, the teachers and the lab experiences are great. The program is not all lecture; it is hands on. We do things like wiring circuits, troubleshooting, wiring switches and motors. It is a great feeling when you solve a problem. This is a field you get into and find out that it is fun,” says Listman.

Since she has been a student at DCC, Listman has had many outstanding accomplishments such as maintaining a place on the Vice President’s Honors List and receiving scholarships. She also serves as the secretary for the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS), which is the nation’s highest award for excellence in career and technical education.

“I stay active in the community through my membership in NTHS. We have many projects that benefi t local organizations such as Big Brother/Big Sister,” says Listman.

When she graduates from DCC, she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering at Old Dominion University. She will continue to work full-time at Progress Energy, taking mainly on-line classes. Listman says the professors are the best thing about DCC because they are always willing to help students. Her professors are equally complimentary about her as well.

“Amanda is very focused and is a good student. She knows where she is going and is self assured. I am proud to see her working in the field. Though she is one of two females in my class, she loves competing with the guys. She is going to make someone a very good employee,” says John Heinrich, Assistant Professor of Electrical/Electronics.

The two-year diploma program has two tracks: General and Analyst. In addition, there is a one-year program which offers a Certificate in Industrial Electrical Principles

or Industrial Electronic Principles.

The Electrical/ Electronics Program is designed to train persons for employment in the technical positions available in business and industry related to electricity and electronics.

The Industrial Electrical Principles and Industrial Electronic Principles curricula are designed to train industrial workers who have the need or desire to keep up with occupational requirements or to learn a necessary skill in the Electrical-Electronic field.

For more information about this program, contact the Electrical/Electronics Program Offices at 434.797.8456 or click here.