SCC Vision Online

In Memoriam

Southeastern Community College lost some dear staff and alumni over the past few months. We thank them for their dedication to SCC.

Paul Clampett	Alex Paul Clampitt (1946-2011) passed away in April, of this year. Paul helped countless dislocated workers, youth and offenders through the Job Training Partnership (JTPA), Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Promise Jobs over his 25 year career.
Larry Daggs	Larry Daggs (1937-2011) passed away in February of this year. Larry served as a Charter Member of the 1966 SCC Board of Trustees. He was instrumental in securing the site of what would eventually become SCC's Keokuk campus.
Billie Duttweiler	Billie Duttweiler (1923-2011) and her late husband, Dutch, established a $25,000 endowed scholarship in 1995 for SCC athletes and non-traditional students.
Ray Eilenstine	Raymond (Ray) Eilenstine (1945-2011) was a longtime Psychology teacher on SCC’s West Burlington campus. While at SCC, he earned two outstanding teacher awards from Western Illinois University.
Lee Hodges	Lee Hodges passed away September 11,2011. For most of his career he worked for the University of Georgia’s Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College, mainly in the forestry department and later in the animal science department. Lee's family established a scholarship in the names of him and his father James Hodges.
	Charles Lewis (1950-2011), part-time Professional Math Tutor for SCC’s federally funded Title III Developmental Education and Retention Project.

Faculty & Staff Updates Fall, 2011

 

Teresa Garcia	SCC’s Dr. Teresa Garcia was recently named Dean of Transitional Studies and Dean of Keokuk Campus.
Jean Couch	Jean Couch was named Chief GED Examiner and Learning Center Supervisor.

 

From the President: Building doors of opportunity

I am often asked what I like most about working at a community college. While there are certainly many aspects of my job that bring me satisfaction, I reply that I am most rewarded by the part I play in helping SCC fulfill our mission to create life-long learning opportunities for everyone.  And the opportunities we create are as numerous and diverse as those we serve.

Every day, SCC provides opportunities for discovery, learning, inspiration, achievement, and empowerment. Creating so many opportunities requires the hard work and dedication of everyone here at SCC. We all share great pride when we see how the opportunities we helped create enable others to build better lives and achieve their goals.

In this edition, I invite you to read how our students, staff and alumni create opportunities for themselves and for others every day. We read how one instructor’s idea to showcase student talent resulted in an award-winning student publication for creative expression, how SCC and its partners can now better train current and future fire fighters to protect our communities, how SCC’s InTech program is enabling job seekers to take advantage of employment opportunities, and how one instructor created an opportunity for students to engage in cultural understanding. We also recognize the many generous friends and alumni who enable SCC to create these opportunities.

Over my career, I have learned that the most beautiful doors are not made of wood or glass or metal. They are made of opportunity. And a person who creates opportunities for others can become a master carpenter without ever laying a hand on a hammer. I know because I see it every day at SCC.

That is what I like best.

Dr. Beverly Simone

 

New & Neat

Justice Waterman

Iowa State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Waterman paid a visit to SCC’s West Burlington campus in September to deliver a lecture about the history and current events of the Iowa State Supreme Court to students and area residents.

SCC has over 100 works of art on display across its West Burlington campus. Walking art tour maps are available at the Welcome Center.

Many SCC scholarships have been updated, renewed or increased recently.

Over 50 riders came out for the 4th Annual Dan Ring Memorial Bike Ride held on September 24.  The event raised over $2,500 for the Dan Ring Nursing Scholarship.

The Hamilton-Walters Marine Corps Detachment Scholarship was revised and reactivated to give two annual awards of $250 each to family members of US military soldiers or veterans (preference to family members of Marines).

The family of recently deceased Lee J. Hodges contributed $10,000 to the current James Hodges Scholarship, expanded eligibility to include Arts & Sciences students, and updated the name to the James and Lee Hodges Endowed Scholarship.

The Keokuk Campus Nursing Scholarship was renamed the James Bowles and Larry Daggs Endowed Nursing Scholarship. Retired SCC Keokuk Campus Dean Jim Bowles worked to secure additional funding for this endowment when it appeared the scholarship would be discontinued. The late Larry Daggs, while serving on the charter 1966 SCC Board of Trustees, was instrumental in securing the site for the current Keokuk Campus.

When long-time SCC Psychology instructor Ray Eilenstine passed away in October 2011, his family established a memorial scholarship for disadvantaged Burlington High School graduates enrolling at SCC.

Inmates involved in the Toastmasters Club at Iowa State Penitentiary established a $500 annual scholarship for persons enrolling at SCC who have been previously incarcerated through the Iowa Department of Corrections system or for their immediate family members. This is the second scholarship developed and funded by ISP inmates, under the leadership of Steven Frasier-Bey.

Clarification

The article, “Dreamers Wanted” in the Spring/Summer 2011 edition of the Vision, incorrectly implied that graduates who earn SCC’s current Animation for Television, Film and New Media AAS degree would be able to transfer all of their credits to a four-year college.  While some of the credits will indeed transfer, students may not be able to count every class toward a bachelor’s degree. Students should consult the transfer institution to learn which classes will transfer.

 

Black & White and Read All Over

Chiaroscuro showcases student writing, art talent

When SCC Keokuk campus English instructor Tom Hayes had the idea of creating a college publication to showcase the student literary talent, he wasn’t alone.

Turns out, Erin Tapley, art instructor on the West Burlington campus at the time, wanted to do something similar for her art students,” Hayes recalls.

After a few planning discussions, the project got the nod from the Dean of Arts and Sciences, and the two set to work. The piece would feature writing and visual art works of SCC students.

“We didn’t know what to call it. One of the students on staff that first year, Glenn Myers, suggested an art term, ‘chiaroscuro,’ (pronounced key-ar-oh-SCOO-roh) which means the play between light and shadow,” Hayes says. Since the piece would be printed in black and white, it was the perfect title.

That was 1997.

SCC instructor Tom Hayes shows off some of the past editions of Chiaroscuro.

Fourteen years later, Chiaroscuro continues to showcase student writing and art at SCC.

Chiaroscuro is truly a student-driven publication. Magazine staff students review submissions for writing that are unique and innovative. Selected artwork must complement written works and reproduce well in black and white when scaled to fit the publication. Students create the layout and design the cover.

When Tapley left SCC in 2003, Tom approached Keokuk campus art instructor Suzanne Messer to take her place. Messer obliged, and the two have worked together since.

“Susie does a great job working with art students to create works for the piece.”

Hayes says there is rarely a shortage of student works worthy of publishing. He credits fellow English instructors Karen Cahill and Charles Burm for encouraging students to explore their creative side through the written word. He adds that in recent years, the creative writing club on SCC’s West Burlington campus, Di Dante, has boosted the quality and quantity of student works as well.

Chiaroscuro provides a unique opportunity for students to publish their work.

“Many of our students are thrilled to see their work in a public venue. SCC hosts events to showcase visual and performing arts, but there are fewer venues for students to show their writing talents.”
Hayes says that he encourages students to submit work for publication wherever they can. However it can be a little intimidating if they’ve never done so.

Past editions of Chiaroscuro. The magazine will publish its 20th edition in May.

“Getting published in our magazine is a good first step. Students gain confidence once they see their work in print. Sometimes that’s all it takes for them to submit pieces to other larger publications or writing competitions.”

The magazine is published every May. The 500 copies produced are gobbled up quickly – but not before Hayes gets one.

“I’ve got a copy of every edition.”

For more information or to request a copy of Chiaroscuro, contact Tom Hayes at thayes@scciowa.edu.

Giving Peace a Chance

SCC students and instructor visit Costa Rica to study a culture of peace and sustainability.

In June of 2011, SCC instructor Sandy Krell-Andre and four students participated in a study abroad class in Costa Rica. The class, entitled Historical, Social and Political Implications of Peace in Costa Rica, is part of a program offered in conjunction with Community Colleges for International Development (CCID) and La Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología in Costa Rica.

Sandy Krell-Andre

Krell-Andre, who teaches chemical dependency and conflict resolution, says that the idea for the class came out of a conference she attended in 2009.

“I was having dinner with instructors from Cuyahoga Community College in Ohio and Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania and we started talking about how we could utilize CCID to create a program that focuses on conflict resolution and peace studies,” says Krell-Andre.

Krell-Andre explains that it can be hard for community colleges to offer extensive study abroad programs due to the amount of planning and preparation required that smaller colleges aren’t equipped to manage.

“We found that through CCID, we could make this program available.”

After 18 months of planning with the other colleges, the class became a reality.

Due to the logistics of the trip, the class was limited to 16 students. SCC was allotted four.

SCC student travelers (from left):
Pete Smillie, Tiphney Strickland, Edgard Espinoza, Michelle Randall.

Students spent six weeks studying readings and participating in online discussions before embarking on the two-week trip to Costa Rica in June.

The full itinerary included visits to cultural and historical sites throughout the country. Guest lecturers discussed Costa Rica’s decision to disband its military, and the economic, political, security, and environmental implications of this decision. They visited the United Nations University for Peace, Earth University and the U.S. embassy. Students toured the Monteverde cloud forest high in the mountains where some enjoyed traveling on zip lines high above the forest canopy.

Krell-Andre says that students participated in a service-learning project to install a biodigester to collect methane from livestock waste on a remote farm in the mountains.

“It was a hard and dirty job and they did it all by hand. Students worked with an instructor from Earth University to build it. Fortunately one of our students was bilingual. If it wasn’t for his ability to communicate, it would have been infinitely more difficult.”

 
Students build and install a biodigester on a remote farm in Costa Rica. The biodigester will provide cooking gas for the family.

SCC student Pete Smillie says that, thanks to the group’s efforts, the biodigester is now a sustainable, environmentally-friendly source of cooking methane that will save that single family thousands of dollars over the next 16 years.

“Everything was made out of recycled or renewable materials. It was really low-tech but it will have a huge impact on that family,” Smillie explains.

Krell-Andre says that while many colleges offer study abroad programs, cultural learning is rarely the primary focus. “Students can visit a college in France, but they may not really be learning about French culture. This class truly facilitates international studies and understanding.”

Smillie notes that his experience challenged his previous beliefs.

“I was in the military and spent time in Central America. My experience was that the area was underdeveloped and hostile. Costa Rica is the total opposite. People are open-minded, tolerant, and generally happier with much less.”

Smillie attributes Costa Rica’s culture of openness and understanding in part to how the country addresses citizens’ basic needs.

“They’ve got universal education and health care. What many other countries spend on military, they spend on the well-being of their people. I think we can learn from that.”

 
An Earth University instructor demonstrates sustainable farming methods.

SCC student Michelle Randall added that the biggest take-away for her was how Costa Ricans are generally happier than Americans, yet they have so much less.

Randall continues that it was culture shock for her at first.

“Some days we didn’t have hot water for showers and the meals were always pretty basic, but it wasn’t a big deal to them. After living that way for two weeks, I realized that maybe I don’t need as many things in my life as I thought.”

Randall added, “if they can be happier and live a simpler life, then I can too.”

Krell-Andre says that coordinating so many moving parts was challenging at times.

“I was working with faculty and staff whom I had never met from two other community colleges and a number of institutions in Costa Rica. Plus there were very few of us who were bilingual, so the language barrier slowed things down, too,” she explains.

In the midst of such chaos, she was undeterred. “A lot of my learning on this trip was how we collectively worked through those challenges.”

 
Edgar Espinoza hams it up for the camera with his new friends.

Upon return, students are required to conduct service projects to implement what they learned.
Smillie is working to help develop a community garden in the South Hill neighborhood in Burlington.

“They were originally going to plant flowers and bushes but we’ve expanded it to include a vegetable garden with raised beds. I want to incorporate what I learned about sustainable gardening into this project as well.”

Krell-Andre sees this course as the first step in the creation of a more robust international studies program. Through the experience of developing this course, SCC might be able to explore other opportunities.

A Special Thanks

The success of this class was made possible in large part thanks to the generous contributions of a number of organizations including Kiwanis, Optimist and Rotary service clubs, Burlington Citizens for Peace, the SCC Foundation, SCC President Beverly Simone, and a host of individual donors.

“The cost of this class would have been prohibitive for most of our SCC students without the generosity of our patrons. You helped make this possible.

Thank you!”

- Sandy Krell-Andre

“I could see this class study successful peace efforts in countries besides Costa Rica – Northern Ireland for example. Or it could collaborate with other programs or disciplines such as Agriculture or Environmental Studies.”

Krell-Andre adds that there could be support for the creation of a specialized certificate in Conflict Resolution.

“Conflict resolution skills are an excellent value-added component of any degree. Wherever you have people, there will be conflict. These skills are portable across careers.”

Smillie agrees.

“I plan to take my learning in conflict resolution into the workplace after I graduate. As a chemical dependency counselor, I want to help people learn to deal with problems and conflicts in their lives in a healthy manner.”

Krell-Andre has already begun recruiting students for the 2012 trip. She encourages students to register early so they can participate in fundraisers and apply for scholarships to help defray the $2200 price tag. As next year’s lead instructor, she will be able to take eight students instead of four.

Students from three community colleges participated in the class trip.

“There’s been a good amount of interest already and I don’t expect the spaces will be vacant for long.”

View more photos of the Costa Rica trip on SCC's flickr page.

To contribute to the Costa Rica Scholarship Fund, click on the Give tab above or contact Becky Rump at brump@scciowa.edu or 319-208-5065.

 

Featured college videos

Here are a few highlights of what's going on inside and outside of class at SCC.

To see all SCC videos, visit our youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/secciowa

 

Over Spring Break, SCC instructors Ron Perry and Amber Ruskell took a group of students and teachers with them on their annual trip to the Grand Canyon. See how it went.

 

Earlier this spring, SCC honored its first black graduate, Rev. William Amos "Booker" Smith, Sr.. His son Bill shared Rev. Smith's story of inspiration and hope.

 

In January, a group of SCC students visited Des Moines and met with legislators. See their take on the experience.

 

SCC's Film Club produces inspired and original work over the course of the year. Here are a few recent works.

 

New & Neat

The Iowa Community College Online Consortium (ICCOC) which includes Southeastern Community College has been awarded a $222,625 grant from Next Generation Learning Challenges, a new initiative focused on identifying and scaling technology-enabled approaches to dramatically improve college readiness and completion, especially for low-income young adults. The ICCOC was selected from a field of more than 600 pre-proposals and 50 finalists.

The award will fund the further development and implementation of communication tools to provide daily at-risk data to faculty, advisors and retention specialists.

SCC was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Economic Development to promote careers in targeted careers to junior high and high school students throughout the region. The project, slated for launch in August, will highlight local business and industry in the areas of bioscience, information services, and advanced manufacturing idustries.

Sandy Krell-Andre

In May, Chemical Dependency Instructor Sandy Krell-Andre was honored with SCC’s Excellence Award. The Excellence Award is given to the SCC employee who demonstrates the values of SCC and uses his or her talents to promote quality education and exhibit integrity in interactions with staff, students and the broader community that SCC serves.

SCC’s Industrial Maintenance Technology Program, InTech, along with SCC Center for Business will launch a new program in June.  The non-credit curriculum will offer specific training for persons interested in getting an industry production job. Up to three nationally recognized certifications will be available. Financial assistance is available for qualified participants. Contact a member of the CBIZ office to learn more at 319-313-1948.

Ean Freels

SCC’s Director of Financial Aid Ean Freels recently wrote and published a children’s book. Fish Guts is a collection of poetry for the young and the young at heart. Freels has dedicated all proceeds from the book to benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Great River Area. To learn more, visit  www.fishgutsbook.com.

Featured college videos

See what's going on in class and on campus on SCC's very own Youtube channel. Below are a few highlights.

Students in two of SCC's Biology instructors explored the great outdoors examining various flora and fauna -- including a few snakes.

Not Just a Walk in the Woods

 

 

SCC West Burlington Welding student Kyle Carpenter was quite ambition for his final class project.

Not Your Average Project

   

 

To view all of SCC's videos, visit our youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/secciowa

 

 

 

Drab to fab! New Art Collectors Club adds color, prestige to campus buildings

Wander through the halls on campus and you’ll likely notice a change. Thanks to the work of a handful of dedicated volunteers, the long, nondescript, institutional hallways are slowly coming to life with personality and color. SCC’s new Art Collectors Club has begun gathering artwork from    artists and private collections and displaying the works throughout the College’s campuses and centers. Now the College is quickly becoming a repository for artworks.

The idea for the creation of a club dedicated to securing artwork came out of a brainstorming session in 2008 to identify college improvement projects. SCC President Beverly Simone and SCC Executive Director for Institutional Advancement Becky Rump decided to measure public interest in the creation of an Art Collectors Club. So Rump contacted a handful of local art aficionados.

Still Life with Pewter Plate
Len Gridley

Fragments from Nowhere
Ulfert Wilke

“I was ecstatic that once I shared our idea, most of the people I contacted agreed to join the club,” recounts Rump.

The group met formally for the first time in December of that year and have made steady progress ever since.

The very first member to officially join the club is long-time art collector and preservationist Bob McCannon of Burlington. McCannon’s accomplishments make him uniquely qualified to lead such a club. In addition to having been in antiques and fine furniture, his efforts to help establish the Historic Preservation Commission in Burlington and the University of Iowa Foundation Len Gridley Everett scholarship for talented UI art students will serve him well in this new endeavor.

McCannon says that it didn’t take much to persuade him to join the club.  “I’ve always been interested in SCC. As an institution dedicated to higher learning, it’s a very appropriate place to display artwork for students and visitors to see. If I can lend my time and experience to help make that a reality, I’m all for it.”

Other founding members include Joanne Dailey Bauer, Debbie Bessine, Mary Brockman, Barbara Grimmer, Barbara McRoberts, Robert Middaugh, Becky Rump, Mary Saxton, Beverly Simone, Angie Sodey, Lisa Walsh, retired SCC Art instructor John Weyl and current Art instructors, John Bybee, Cathleen Gordon and Suzanne Messer.

McCannon continues that SCC’s buildings and hallways are a gallery just waiting to happen. With long hallways and open spaces, there’s ample wall space to display artwork.

“I’d been to campus for different events over the years and the walls were- let’s just say they were very uninteresting,” McCannon jokes.

McCannon said that everyone benefits from being in creative environment, especially students.
“Art inspires. The colors, shape and designs inspire people to think differently, to explore, to create. Art encourages learning and development in all of us,” he notes.

Rump adds that SCC was not completely devoid of artwork over the years. “There were a few nice pieces scattered across the college but until recently we had no plan to actively develop an organized, cataloged collection.”

Birth of the American Farmer, Jams Walker Henry

The club is seeking donations of original or signed prints of paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, pottery, and other display pieces.

“Our goal now is to feature original or signed prints by artists who are SCC alumni, who are from our region, or who have ties to Iowa. That is a must, but we can be flexible in our definition,” explains Rump. Pieces submitted for consideration must meet certain criteria before being accepted.

To date, most of the pieces have come from area residents and artists. Some pieces are on permanent loan, while others have been gifted to SCC.

Rump adds that the club is also recruiting members and soliciting donations. Annual membership dues are a modest $100 and help fund future purchases as well as arts programming. Persons who join by June 30, 2011 will be recognized as Charter Members and invited to a special event.

McCannon says that as SCC’s collection grows in size and notoriety, it will be easier for the club to solicit pieces from artists and collectors. “Working artists want to sell their pieces. Being able to have their work featured in various public collections alongside other recognized artists adds to their name recognition. It’s a win-win.”

Hillside Barn with Clouds, Gordon Kellenberger

He adds that soliciting pieces from private collectors becomes easier as prospective donors see the quality of existing works and catalog of featured artists. “It just takes a few nice pieces to get the ball rolling, and we’ve definitely got the ball rolling.”

Recent grants from the Burlington Fine Arts League and the Cullen Family Foundation through US Bank will enable the club to purchase art and acquire special cataloguing software.

The club has secured some impressive pieces from recognized artists in its short life. The current collection features pieces by Shirley Bliven, Robert Burrus, Len Gridley Everett, David Garrison, Jerry Granaman, James Walker Henry, May Hohlen, Martha Johnstone, Gordon Kellenberger, Kent Kelly, Julian Menke, Neil Peterie, Lillian Rubin, James T. Russell, Edna Schmidt, Bonny Thayer, Timothy Van Ginkel, Jane Thode Walsh, Joan Walsh, and Ulfert Wilke, and by talented student artists as well.

Nerium, Tim Van Ginkel; Late Summer Hay Bales, Barbara Grimmer

McCannon is impressed how SCC’s current art instructors are able to stand on the shoulders of instructors from the past who paved the way. “It’s great to see how active they are in the community and how they’re involved with their students’ development as artists.”

The club plans to host fundraising receptions on SCC’s campuses in 2011 that will also incorporate art tours.

Persons interested in joining the Art Collectors’ Club or donating pieces are encouraged to contact Becky Rump at 319-208-5065 or brump@scciowa.edu.

To view the rest of SCC's art collection, visit our flickr page