AlumNewsPUBLISHED FOR GRADUATES OF THE COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY SUMMER 2012

Teaching Writing withSuper Heroes

College of Lake County

2 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

AlumNews is published three times a year by the College of Lake County’s Office

of Alumni Relations and Special Events.

Director of Alumni Relations and Special Events JULIE SHROKA

Administrative Secretary DORAE BLOCK

To submit story ideas, email Dave Fink, AlumNews editor, at dfink@clcillinois.edu

or call him at (847) 543-2243.

Address change? Call (847) 543-2400.Share memories, ideas and

comments at the CLC alumni website, at www.clcroundtable.org.

To Our Readers:In this issue, we take you around campus,

around the world and through cyberspace. On campus, we show you how one

English professor is using comic books andgraphic novels to teach writing skills. We follow a group of dental hygiene students torural Tennessee to provide free care to the needy.And we go on a trek through the cyberspaceworld of Google with author Steven Levy.

Then, we’re off across the globe, for ascholarship fundraiser involving a climb ofMt. Kilimanjaro, and we also present some of the fascinating experiences of a faculty member who came of age in China during the Cultural Revolution.

All in all, this issue is full of great adventures for summer beach reading. Wehope you enjoy them, and don’t forget to visit us at www.clcroundtable.org.

Julie ShrokaDirector of Alumni Relations and Special Events

ContentsFEATURES

3 Graphic LanguageEnglish Professor Pat Gonder takes an unusual approach to teaching writing skillsusing the genre of comic books and graphic novels.

5 From Mao to NowBorn in 1950 in China to communist party officials, Professor Li-hua Yu experienced China’s Cultural Revolution firsthand before coming to study in the U.S. By sharing her life experiences, she is helping students understand China’sculture and its growing importance as an economic powerhouse.

8 An Insider’s Look at Google, Inc.Author Steven Levy was given unparalleled access to the Silicone Valley giant for his new book, “In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works and Shapes Our Lives.” In March he spoke on campus about what’s behind and ahead for the company.

10 Brightening Smiles and LivesA group of students, faculty and staff journeyed to Knoxville, Tenn., to provide freedental care to rural residents without insurance.

12 Foundation Update: Peak PerformersDr. Richard Haney, vice president for educational affairs, turns an adventure of a lifetime into a fundraiser for scholarships.

14 Did Someone Help You Succeed?If you are grateful for support you received in getting your education, the AlumniAssociation’s mentoring program provides a way to repay the debt by helping current students.

DEPARTMENTS

11 Class Notes

15 News Roundup

16 Upcoming Events

Cover: Like a superhero, Dr. Patrick Gonder, a CLC English instructor, has a powerful tool in his arsenal. In his case, it’s a special-topics English composition course that uses comic books and graphic novels toteach writing.

AlumNews

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COVER STORY

Graphic LanguageInstructor uses comic books, graphic novels to teach English composition.

“Comic books and graphic novels are a multi-modal art,” he explained. “It’s the confluence or interaction of graphics, text and narrative. It’s the intersection of paintingand storytelling. Will Eisner (an Americancomics writer) called it ‘sequential art.’”

Citing an example, Gonder pulled from his office shelf a copy of “Flies on the Ceiling,”a comic book from the “Love and Rockets” series by Jaime Hernandez. “He writes with anamazingly complex panel structure,” Gondersaid. “One part of the story has a nine-panelscene, with no speech balloons, profiling thestruggle of a female author. There are the forcesin her life crossing her out: the pressure to write,

O n a Wednesday morning in March, Dr. Patrick Gonder’s English composition class looks like any other,

as students prepare to break into small groups to discuss literary works. But there’s one majordifference: Instead of Shakespeare plays orCharles Dickens novels, they’re examiningcomic books and graphic novels sporting nameslike “Stuffed” and “Gotham City Sirens.”

“Describe your graphic novel, tell your thesis statement and how you’re going to proveit,” Gonder said, announcing guidelines for thesmall groups that will discuss students’ ideas for their term papers. “Now, GO!”

Students move their chairs into small circles and soon create a murmur, as discussionscover topics ranging from feminism and genderto psychoanalysis.

Using comic books and graphic novels toteach English composition and literature maystrike some as odd, but not to Gonder, a Collegeof Lake County English professor. In his view,comic books and graphic novels have long beenmisunderstood and under-appreciated. Like Batman battling a villain, Gonder would likenothing better than to deliver a “Ka-POW!”-styleknockout punch to notions that the genre is tooshallow or too low-brow for a college English class.

What’s more, he said, the genre is an effectiveway to teach writing and critical thinking to students in an increasingly pictorial age.

“People often use the term ‘comic book’ as a pejorative term,” Gonder said. “My responseis, ‘You must not be reading comic books.’”

Indeed, comic strips and comic books never were intended to be read only by children,Gonder said. He rattled off a list of works aimedat adults, including EC Comics’ “Two-FistedTales,” a bimonthly, anthology war comic published in the early 1950s.

the pressure of her broken marriage and more.A comic can convey this emotional strain in a way that a film or novel cannot do.”

‘Most censored’ art form

Because comics were not as widely read as other literature in the early 1900s, and wereinexpensive to produce, they allowed for moreradical expression than other media, Gonder explained. “During World War II, soldiers carried around comic books because they werelight weight and disposable,” he said. “Whenthey returned to the U.S., they wanted comic books

continued on page 4

Pat Gonder, CLC English instructor, shows students the storytelling power of agraphic novel. In 2008, Gonder received the college’s Outstanding Full-time Faculty Member award.

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COVER STORY

with more adult themes. As a result, publisherscreated works such as ‘Two-Fisted Tales.’”

The adult themes provoked a strong reactionfrom many, Gonder said. “It (comics) is themost censored art form in American history,” heexplained. “In the 1950s, the Comics MagazineAssociation of America created the Comics CodeAuthority. The power of the Comics Code Authorityended in the late 1960s and early 1970s, butcensorship remains a problem today. There is anentire organization, known as the Comic BookLegal Defense Fund that is devoted to helpingcomic book creators and others in the industryfight censorship.”

Turning a personal interest into a teaching tool

While growing up in rural Carrollton, Mo.,Gonder became a “big superhero fan,” readingeverything from “Batman” and “Superman” to “Spiderman” and the “Fantastic 4.”

Attending the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., would only fuel Gonder’s passion.

“I lived across the street from a comic store,” recalled Gonder, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Missouriand later earned a Ph.D. at the University ofWisconsin-Milwaukee. “I branched from superheroes to underground comic books suchas ‘Maus,’ a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphicnovel by American cartoonist Art Spiegelman.”

At CLC, where he has taught the special topics English 122 course for eight years,Gonder has relished the chance to use comics to teach skills in writing and critical thinking as well as a deeper appreciation of the genre.

“Comics are something students love andknow already, because it’s an art that engagesword and image,” he said. “We are in an age ofincreasing emphasis on the visual, and comicsare a natural bridge between text and visual.”

But even in a visual age, students still need to learn to write clearly. Gonder believesthat comics can be a good model for teachingwriting. “Any themed English compositioncourse can help students improve their writingin an economical and time-efficient way,” he

Graphic Languagecontinued from page <None>

explained. “If students can write about a subjectabout which they are passionate, they will write better papers. I tell my students that theywill have to write many essays during their college years on subjects that they may not findinteresting. But if writing about comics, or anyother subject, helps them become better writers,then the concept of the themed course works.”

Students have appreciated the chance to

explore the less-than-traditional approach.

“This course is a breath of fresh air,” said

Tim Kelly, a freshman business major from

Waukegan. “I wasn’t a big fan of comics prior

to enrolling in the course, but it has helped me

improve my writing skills and analyze things

more clearly and differently.”

For his term paper, Kelly examined

“Stuffed,” a graphic novel written by Glen

Eichler, who writes for “The Daily Show.”

The story explores the life of two brothers who

inherited a junk museum from their deceased

father, with whom they had strained relations.

“In one part of the story, each frame

shows the main character (Tim Johnston’s)

face transforming into his father’s face,” said

Kelly, whose term paper explored the conflict

between the id, ego and superego. “It shows that

he is trying to suppress his father’s personality.

You can’t see that kind of transformation in a

traditional novel of only words.”

Gonder, who said that the CLC administration

has “always been open” to his course, has a

ready response to skeptics.

“If I stop people on the street in Chicago

and ask, ‘Who is Hamlet?,’ a good chunk will

say ‘a character from Shakespeare,’ but not

everyone will know. If I ask, ‘Who is Batman?,’

everybody knows. The character is so integral

to our culture but yet we treat its popularity

as a reason not to read or teach it.

“Of course, every student should learn

Shakespeare, but that doesn’t mean that we

shouldn’t teach other forms of art and literature

that touch a lot of lives.”

Pat Gonder confers with Evan Koppes about the student’s analysis of a graphicnovel. Gonder will teach Comic Books (English 121-031) in fall 2012.

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COLLEGE FOCUS

From Mao to NowCLC professor’s life reflect’s the history of modern China.

family became caught up in China’s CulturalRevolution.

“The Cultural Revolution was intended by Mao to wipe out any possibility of capitalismin China,” said Yu, who today is a professor ofsociology at the College of Lake County. “Targetsof the revolution were intellectuals and govern-ment officials who were suspicious of doing

Born in 1950 in China to CommunistParty officials, Li-hua Yu experienced achildhood of privilege. Her parents could

afford a chauffeur, nannies and nice clothes for her and her four younger siblings. She wasdoing well in school and on track for highschool and a university education. But in 1966,her comfortable life came to an end as her

anything that was capitalistic. My parents had no clue as to how their jobs as government officials could be viewed as sympathetic to capitalism. But they, and many thousands ofothers, were accused.”

The Communist Party secretary of a factory,Yu’s mother became singled out for ridicule atmass employee rallies and meetings. Eventually,the criticism turned to violence.

“My mother and other factory managers werebeaten with steel whips,” recalled Yu, who witnessedthe incident at age 16. “Mother’s leg was brokenand she lost a huge amount of blood. I was able,with the help of a few sympathetic factory workers,to get her to the hospital.”

Once out of the hospital, Yu’s mother wassent to a labor camp and then to work at another factory. Her father was demoted fromthe company president position to cleaningbathrooms for two years. Yu, herself, found herhopes of attending high school crushed as shewas sent to work in a lathe factory, earning $10 a month.

“The government wanted students to go to factories, countryside and the army to receivere-education from, in their words, ‘peasants,workers and soldiers,’” Yu explained.

Though the factory where she worked wasclean, comfortable and well-organized, the work

Dr. Li-hua Yu grew up in Communist China and now helps build U.S.-China relations.

Sino-American Timeline

1949 ’50-’53 ‘58-60 ‘61 ‘62 ‘64 ’65 ‘69 ‘70 ‘71 ‘72 ‘73 ‘74 ‘76 ‘78 ‘79 ‘89 1991

Mao Zedong proclaims the

People's Republic of China.

Man-made famine results in 30 million

deaths.

China's break with the

Soviet Union. [The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution — 1966 to 1976]

The Korean War 1st US astronaut in space

Cuban Missile Crisis

Civil Rights Act

Vietnamcombatbegins”

Vietnamwar ends__________

Watergate hearings

Nixon resigns

United States formally recognizes

China

Mao Zedong dies

Deng Xiaoping launches economic

reform program.

Pro-democracydemonstrators

Tiananmen Squareare crushed.

Cold Warends

18 yr. olds gain vote

Nixon visitsChina

US entersCambodia____________

Kent Stateprotest

CLCOpened

continued on page 6

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From Mao to Nowcontinued from page 5

Clockwise from top:

Li-hua Yu, right, with her siblings; as a college student in 1978; and a family portrait(Li-hua Yu is in front, second from right.)

In 1972, she enrolled at Xi’an InternationalStudies University, graduating in 1975 with adegree in English. She stayed at the university,teaching English for another nine years. Inthese years, she married, had a son and later divorced. She also made friends with visitingAmerican instructors and learned about graduateschool opportunities in the United States.

“Very few Chinese universities had graduateprograms at the time,” she recalled. “In 1984,the university had started relations with BowlingGreen State University (in Ohio) and two otherAmerican universities.” Yu applied to BowlingGreen and was accepted.

was monotonous, Yu said. “I decided that I didnot want to be a factory worker for the rest of mylife. So, I never stopped learning English nor letgo of my dream to attend college.”

From factory floor to lecture hall

As a young girl, Yu had never met an Ameri-can nor listened to American music, let alonedreamt of traveling to America. However, as theCultural Revolution began to weaken, shestarted on the path that would lead to her dreamof a university education and, later, to the U.S.

The Chinese government eventually

awarded high school diplomas to the students

like her who had been drafted into factory work.

But for Yu to continue on to college, she needed

the support of her co-workers. “To be eligible for

college, you not only had to apply, you had to be

recommended by co-workers. When I found out

I had been selected by my co-workers, I was very

happy,” she said. “I thought this would be my

ticket to a better future. I always had a dream of

finishing college, earning a Ph.D. and becoming

a college professor.”

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COLLEGE FOCUS

Coming to America

As for many immigrants, coming to the U.S. meant both moving toward opportunity andleaving emotional ties behind, at least temporarily.Bowling Green offered the opportunity to earn a Ph.D., but enrolling there required the34-year-old mother to leave her four-year-oldson in her parents’ care.

“For me, it was not an easy decision, eventhough my mother encouraged me to go andsaid that she and my father could take care ofmy son,” she recalled. “I was worried that I’dmiss seeing him grow up, and on the day I left, I had tears in my eyes when I said goodbye tohim. But there was no way that I could supporthim while attending graduate school at Bowling Green State.”

Yu’s first six months in the United Stateswould prove to be a difficult adjustment. “Atfirst, I regretted it (my move) because everythingwas unfamiliar and different,” she recalled.“Everything that others knew—names, places,TV shows— I had no clue. I thought I was anidiot. But from the beginning, I learned to makeconnections with Americans. At the suggestion

of one of my professors, I started to familiarizemyself with American culture by watching popular TV shows such as ‘Dallas’ and‘M*A*S*H*.’ I became hooked on ‘M*A*S*H*’because of the humor, history and the sarcasm.The shows helped me gain insights into the people and culture of America.

“There’s no country in the world like theUnited States. It’s a welcoming culture for allsorts of people. Whether you have lots of moneyor little money, lots of talent or little talent, you can find your niche here and be happy.”

For Yu that niche was both personal andprofessional. She completed a doctoral thesis on the history of Chinese immigrants in Idahoand earned a Ph.D. in American studies. Shewas reunited with her son and also met DavidSmith, an American English professor, whomshe later married. In 1991, she moved to LakeCounty, accepting CLC’s offer to teach sociology.

Back to China—with students

During her years at CLC, Yu has been eagerto offer students the opportunity to learn first-hand about China through travel. In the 1990s,

she and English professor George Liu, who also attended Xi’an International Studies University, led overseas study trips to China. Andin recent years, she helped write a successfulgrant application leading to the college obtainingU.S. Department of Education funding for a semester study program in China. Most recently,her efforts have helped CLC to be selected as theonly community college to receive funding fromthe U.S. State Department to open an Americancultural center at Xi’an International Universityin Xi’an, China, where CLC students spend a semester. (The other schools selected includemajor four-year universities like the Universityof Chicago.)

These efforts are very important to Yu, whobelieves that students must learn more aboutChina, given that country’s status as a growingeconomic powerhouse

“The Chinese eagerness to make a profit is incredible. When I go back there, I can hardlyrecognize any place where I grew up or worked,as so many restaurants and retail stores havesprouted,” she said. “Sooner or later, Americansneed to know China.”

Li-hua Yu interns at a 1978 trade fair. Dr. Yu visits the exhibit of 3rd century B.C. Terracotta Army sculptures in Xi’an, Chinaas part of a 2006 CLC tour.

8 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

COLLEGE FOCUS

An Insider’s Look at Google, Inc. Brainy-but-fun culture, innovations should continue amid company’s growth, author says.

Google, Inc. is like an adolescent—young, brash, unpredictable and grow-ing rapidly. As the company continues

to evolve, expect more bold, game-changing innovations as Google continues to revolutionizehow the world uses the Web.

That’s the word from Steven Levy, author of“In The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works andShapes Our Lives.” Levy, senior writer at Wiredmagazine and author of seven books, spoke atthe College of Lake County’s Grayslake campuson March 3.

While writing “In The Plex,” Levy spent two years interviewing Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, as well as other employees inside the company’s Mountain View,Calif. headquarters, known as the GooglePlex.

Levy’s presentation, co-sponsored by theCLC Foundation, was open to the public anddrew about 300 to the Mainstage Theatre of the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts.

AlumNews caught up with Levy during his visit.

Q. In terms of a life-changing invention, does Google compare to the printing press or TV?

A. Absolutely; we’re living in a time probably similar to the printing press andthese changes are coming much faster. Whenyou get out to 50 years from now, I just don’tthink you can (predict the future accurately).So much more will happen—not at a linearrate, but logarithmic.

I think the movement Google’s part of is significant. Their mission is to give people

Technology author Steven Levy, left, prepares to autograph a copy of his book “In the Plex” at CLC’s Grayslake Campus.

ALUMNEWS | 9

COLLEGE FOCUS

access to all the world’s information, to organize it and make it accessible. If youthink about human history, one of the bigsteps has to be the ability to record things,using language. Set (information) down soother generations could read it. But, it wasn’tinstantly accessible. You had to get the physical copy. Now, you get (a document) in less than a second. That is a giant changewhich changes our thinking. A lot of peoplethink that, “Wow, we’re going to lose a lot because people won’t memorize dates andthings like that.” Well, what if you don’t haveto? What if it’s always there, at your fingertips?Maybe you should concentrate now on thethoughts or the ideas behind things. Andyou’re able to get information to enhanceyour discussions about those ideas.

Q. What do you see as “the next bigthing” in the next five to 10 years?

A. I think it’s a combination of a coupleof things. One is the huge amounts of datathat we’re generating ourselves—and otherpeople are collecting. And it’s getting to be setdown in a formal order so computers cananalyze it very effectively. It’s a combinationof big data and smart learning algorithmsthat learn how to mine that data and find things that humans couldn’t figure out before.

Q. What’s the latest on Google’s efforts to develop revolutionary newproducts such as the self-driving car?

A. The only thing we know that they’redoing—and they’re being very secretiveabout it—is the project they have with self-driving cars. I’ve been in one of these cars;they didn’t take me on the road. We were inthe top floor of a parking garage. The car isheading straight to the edge at 45 miles perhour, then screeches (the tires) and goes left.The whole course was like that. One screechafter another. I couldn’t tolerate a human

being driving like that. Yet, somehow, intellectually, I was OK with the idea of a cardriving itself. With my aging parents, I oftenwonder if it’s OK for them to drive. It won’t bea question of whether we’ll have self-drivingcars. It will be a question of which self-drivingcar should we give ol’ Dad. So, this kind ofambition, to me, is probably where Google’snext big business will come from. That’s whyI’m bullish on Google for the long term.

Q. What are the ramifications ofGoogle buying Motorola Mobility Holdings,Inc. (a Libertyville-based company)?

A. We could be at a point where morepeople search on mobile devices than on desktops. If Google didn’t have a presence (in the mobile device market) in a way thatmade sure their search was prominent in themobile world, they’d really be up against itthere. In buying Motorola, they didn’t just get a patent portfolio (to compete in the ultra-competitive smart phone market), they got alot more money because they got a big company.It’s almost going to double their size.

Larry Page (the CEO) is very ambitious, and he’s very disruptive. With Motorola Mobility, I think Google is going to come upwith a disruptive business model, and maybecome up with a disruptive new product. Iwouldn’t be surprised if they give away phones.That’s certainly keeping with the model theyhave. They give away Android, right?

Q. As a veteran observer of Googleand the Internet age, what impressed youthe most about Google in your two yearsof research there?

A. I think it was the high standard theytook in hiring people. I think they are going tobe challenged on this as they get bigger andbigger. They really try to make sure that everyemployee is, in a different room, the smartestperson in the room. And also, they optimizethe company so employees can be more productive. You can see it in the simple things.Every Google conference room has a tableequipped with several types of cords so thatany kind of laptop can be plugged into it. It’sso simple, but other places don’t do that.

Expect more “disruptive” new Google products, says author Levy.

10 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

COLLEGE FOCUS

Scores of the needy Tennessee residents who lack dental insurance are now smilingmuch more brightly, thanks to the CLC team,who joined more than 300 other volunteersfrom around the country as part of a project organized by the Remote Area Medical VolunteerCorps (RAM), a medical charity based inKnoxville. The organization brings free healthcare, dental care, veterinary services and education to people in remote areas of theUnited States and around the world.

RAM volunteers worked in temporary dentalstations at an armory, providing treatment for about 1,000 residents over a weekend. CLCstudents performed 125 cleanings and assisted

with many extractions and filling procedures.Lessons in oral hygiene were also provided.

Many of the residents had never learned properdental care, and as a result had badly decayedteeth, Jacobs said. One patient had to have 12 teeth removed, and other patients had healthproblems such as “meth mouth,” a blackeningand deterioration of the teeth resulting frommethamphetamine drug abuse.

The CLC volunteers rose at 4:30 a.m. on a Saturday and Sunday morning, so they couldbe at the make-shift clinic by 6 a.m.

“When the doors opened, many patients werealready in line, having slept overnight in theircars,” explained Sue Nierstheimer, dental

Brightening Smiles and LivesCLC dental hygiene volunteers help staff rural clinic

In parts of rural Tennessee, where many low-income mothers feed their babies sugary soda pop instead of milk, it’s not

hard to see why dental care and proper dentalhygiene are sorely needed

“Sugary pop is like water to many people in the rural South, and it’s cheaper than milk,”said Mary Jacobs, CLC assistant professor of dental hygiene.

Jacobs and a team of 25 other CLC dentalhygiene students and instructors saw the resultsof such a diet first-hand in February when they volunteered to be part of a project to bring dental services to rural communities nearKnoxville, Tenn.

Dental hygiene students, Wendi Parker, left, and Brittany Losey, right, clean a patient’s teeth at a temporary work station set upinside a Knoxville, Tenn.-area armory.

ALUMNEWS | 1 1

CLASS NOTES

Alumni NewsCarol Noel (’76) is the owner of Daycare by Carol, a licensed daycare provider inBeach Park, Ill.

Rob Standard (’85) is a vice president of chemical technology at Gainesville, Ga.-based Tower Sealants, Inc.

Richard Schurz (’90) is a self-employedauctioneer and appraiser in Colorado. InJanuary, he was elected president of theColorado Auctioneers Association.

Val Munchez-van der Wagt (’05) is a chiefunderwriter and project manager at AllstateFinancial, Inc. in Vernon Hills, Ill.

Francisco “Frankie” Bataz, Jr. (’06) is a student support services specialist at theCollege of Lake County.

Suzanne Slade, who took a writing class atCLC 15 years ago, is a Libertyville, Ill.-basedauthor who has published 88 non-fictionchildren’s books.

Kirk Nickerson (’77) is a financial repre-sentative for Country Financial for 21 yearsin South Holland, Ill.

In Memoriam

Lynn Curtis passed away on May 8, 2012.Lynne began teaching English in 1970, thecollege’s second year of operation, and continued to inspire and influence studentsand colleagues for 37 years.

Frank Nickels passed away on February 12,2012.  Frank began his career as a CLC counselor June 14, 1971 and retired on December 17, 2011. He was beloved by staffand students and was an inspiration to all.

What have you been doing lately?Let your fellow alumni know! Post your submissions online atwww.clcroundtable.org.

hygiene department chair. “Our group workeduntil mid-or late afternoon on both days.”

Besides Jacobs and Nierstheimer, the CLC team included three other CLC instructors—Karen Siebert, Vicki Molitor and LisaLanis—and the program’s clinical dentist, Dr. Tom Allegretti; the CLC clinic’s receptionist,Joni Gruber, and its clinical coordinator,Danielle Tesch. Sixteen dental hygiene students also participated, having raised $6,200to cover the cost of the trip by selling bakedgoods and fundraising.

A focus on service

The project marked the third year that Jacobs has led a CLC group to a RAM project in Tennessee. She initially shadowed a groupfrom Parkland College in Southern Illinois in 2009, and then began spearheading CLC’s involvement in 2010.

According to Jacobs, CLC’s involvement has been part of an increasing emphasis on community service and public health in the dental hygiene curriculum. “Traditionally,there hasn’t been a focus to prepare students for working in public health settings,” she explained. “Colleges, including CLC, are looking at their dental hygiene curriculum to see how we can help minimize the disparityin oral health care in the U.S.”

Ultimately, however, the project was a lessonin how health care should focus on caring.

Nierstheimer considered the trip a “defining moment” for her, both personally and professionally. “It was exhausting, butworth it,” she said. “Watching the members of our dental hygiene program exhibit suchcompassion and diligence in helping othersgave me great insight into the power of humanity.And the courage of the patients to put their well-being into our hands was very humbling.”

The students were deeply moved, too.“Picture this: People sitting in their cars for

two days and nights just to have a chance to lie

in my chair for a cleaning,” said Jen Parsons(’12). “It was mind boggling. I was amazed tosee them smile and feel better about themselves.They were so grateful. Every dental hygiene stu-dent should do this (trip) before getting licen-sure. It’s definitely a confidence booster.”

Said Wendi Parker (’12): “The trip was,hands down, the best learning experience I’veever had. It was a ‘We Are the World’ moment.None of us wanted to take a break because there were so many people, and they were so grateful.”

Jordan Farnham (’12), an admitted“homebody” from Winthrop Harbor, also foundthe trip to be enriching. “When I first heardabout it, my reaction was: ‘I’m not going!’” shesaid. “But when I saw the people, I couldn’t waitto help them. I feel blessed for the opportunity to be there.”

Participating in the project has also led tocareer opportunities.

“Going to RAM showed me a whole differentperspective on how dental hygienists can reachout to people,” said Gina Lieberman (’10),who participated in the effort in a previous year.She said the experience led her to accept hercurrent job with Smiles Illinois, a network ofmobile dentists that provides service to needychildren. “I understood how important it was tobe able to get to the children who otherwise maynot have any preventive treatment,” she said.“It’s not glamorous, but I love my job.”

In parts of rural Tennessee,

where many low-income

mothers feed their babies

sugary soda pop instead of

milk, it’s not hard to see why

dental care and proper dental

hygiene are sorely needed.

12 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

Dr. Richard Haney and his wife, Amy, take a break at the summit of

Africa’s 19,341-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro.

COLLEGE FOUNDATION

ALUMNEWS | 13

and protein bars. You get so sick of eating. Andto stay hydrated, I drink an average of three tofive liters of water a day.)

Day 6: We leave camp at 9 a.m.About mid-morning, our

guide suggests that we bypass the scheduledBarafu Camp and head to a private camp at16,100 feet. Our guides have to “pay” the localRangers to allow us to pass and to stay at theprivate camp, which will cut an hour or moreoff of our midnight summit. We arrive at thecamp around 1:30 p.m. and spend the rest of theday eating, drinking, resting and getting readyfor the long trek to the summit. We leave camparound midnight. Everyone in our group is feeling well and can’t wait to reach the summit.

Day 7: The 30-50-mile per hourwinds cause the tent to

shake, so I don’t sleep very well. We get up at 11 p.m. to hike under the light of a full moonand reach the summit at sunrise. The windchills are below zero, causing our water jugs to freeze solid. Even though I have on severallayers of clothing, the core of my body is cold.We can’t move very fast because of the altitude.

But, finally, the sun rises at about 6:30 a.m.and we reach the summit! Even though thisclimb has not required oxygen masks or rap-pelling ropes, the trek has been much more dif-ficult than any of us had imagined. Reachingevery summit is emotional, but this one isgreater than most because it has been such a long journey. We are surrounded by glaciersall around us. I can’t describe the view!

For more information on the ChangingLives scholarship campaign, visitwww.clcillinois.edu/foundationgiving.

we find Mt. Kilimanjaro covered in snow, and westart our trek to over 15,000 feet. At high alti-tudes, even little things like getting in and out ofa tent can cause shortness of breath. Unfortu-nately, our friend Rob (a marathon runner, noless) is not feeling well and is sent back down tothe hotel for the rest of the week. We climb allday and arrive at Baranco Camp around 5:30p.m. Everyone else in our group is doing well,despite a few little aches and pains.

Day 5: Our morning starts withclimbing the Baranco Wall.

The steep, 1,000-foot long trail, strewn with craggyrocks and boulders, is the most technically demanding part of the entire climb, and I amhappy that we all make it without any problems.We arrive at Karanga Camp safely around 1 p.m.and we spend the rest of the day resting, hydrating,eating and preparing for the final push.

At higher altitudes, you burn more calories,so the guides make you eat a lot. Breakfast consists of coffee or tea, scrambled eggs, breadsand porridge. We also have fruits such as melons, pineapples and breads. Lunch and dinner include a soup, sandwich and one or twoTanzanian dishes of different vegetables. Almostevery meal has coconut rice and pasta, to loadus up with carbohydrates.

During the hikes, the guides strongly encourage us to eat snacks such as trail mix

Day 1-2: After a 16-hour, two-stop flight from O’Hare

to Kilimanjaro, followed by a day of rest, wemeet our two guides and the 23 porters who willaccompany us. Amy, our four friends and Iwear backpacks containing rain gear, cold-weather gear and water canteens. The porterscarry our food, cooking supplies and tents.

It rains for the first two hours as we climbthrough the rain forest and into the heather zone.The higher elevation brings increasing winds,decreasing rainfall, rocky trails, wild grassesand dark green, shrub-like heather. Here, thedaytime temperature can soar above 85 degrees,and drop below freezing at night. After we hike about five miles, we reach the 4,000 footelevation camp at 5 p.m. Our spirits are up.

Day 3: Our guide service, the Kiliwarriors, is treating us

well, and before we leave camp this morning we videotape their traditional climbing song.We climb up to 13,000 feet, seeing some amazingviews. Then we descend back a few hundred feetto sleep at Shira Camp because climbing highand sleeping low helps with acclimatization.Here’s to a good night’s sleep.

Day 4: A strong storm moves in with high winds, rain and

lightning. When we leave our tent at 8 a.m.,

Foundation Update: Peak Performers

Editor’s Note: In March, Dr. Richard Haney, CLC vice president for Educational Affairs,

climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with his wife, Amy, and four friends. Though the Haneys’ expedi-

tion had been long in the planning as a personal adventure, the couple also saw it as an

opportunity to raise funds for the CLC Foundation’s scholarship campaign, Changing Lives.

The couple asked their friends and colleagues to encourage them on their climb by donat-

ing to the scholarship campaign through a website established by the college. Their effort

raised $6,500 for scholarships. Here are Dr. Haney’s personal recollections of the climb.

14 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

COLLEGE FOUNDATION

CLC. Later, Tom Reed, a CLC technical writing instructor, encouraged her to believe she could master business writing. And JulieShroka, director of alumni relations and specialevents at CLC, offered moral support whenWilliams felt overwhelmed at juggling school,work and family responsibilities and assisted herin obtaining scholarships.

Now, well on her way toward her goals,Williams is attending North Park University,working toward a bachelor’s degree in businessadministration. Eventually, she would like torepay the help she received by working at a non-profit assisting disadvantaged women. “I know that my firsthand experiences wouldprove to be useful to others,” she said.

Williams was lucky to find the help sheneeded at crucial times. Others aren’t always asfortunate in finding people who can provide theright advice and encouragement. That’s why thecollege’s Office of Alumni Relations and SpecialEvents is developing an expanded mentoring program that will match aspiring students withalumni mentors.

“Volunteering to be a mentor is a way for alumni to make a difference in the lives ofstudents and young alumni,” said Julie Shroka.

The program will team the resources of theOffice of Alumni Relations and Special Events withthe college’s Career and Placement Services Center.

“Career and Placement Services participatesin the College Central website that matches potential employees with employers,” Shrokasaid. “That website (at www.collegecentral.com/clcillinois) has added a section that assists inmatching mentors and students.”

The site provides an easy way for interestedalumni to offer their services and students to seekout mentors, Shroka said.

When Teresa Williams (’10) earned her associate degree from the College of Lake County in 2001, the then

48-year-old had been through a lot—drug addiction and six years of living homeless. Now, a global project manager at a Chicago-areamanufacturer, and working toward a bachelor’sdegree, she has learned that you can turn yourlife around, especially if a few people are willing to extend a helping hand along the way.

Besides her husband, Kenny, Williams creditsseveral people with making a difference in herlife. Karen Cox, a now retired Lake County substance abuse counselor, helped her overcomedrug abuse. A supervisor from a former job gother thinking about getting more education by offering to help pay her tuition if she enrolled at

Did Someone Help You Succeed? Repay it forward as a mentor

And because everyone is busy these days, the program has been designed with no set rulesfor how or how frequently mentors and studentsshould meet. Options include everything from in-person meetings to email or phone contact,conducted on whatever schedule works for boththe mentor and student. Volunteers can evenchoose to mentor a student organization, such as the Engineering Club, in an area of their professional expertise. Three optional mentortraining sessions are also being offered for thosementors who want a bit of guidance on workingwith students, Shroka said.

“We want to be flexible and let the mentorand student build their comfort level naturally,”she said.

If you are interested in participating in thementor program, call Shroka at (847) 543-2847.To sign up online as a mentor, visit www.college-central.com/clcillinois and click Alumni, thenMentor tab.

Teresa Williams, left, and mentor Julie Shroka

To become a mentor, followthese steps:

1. Log on towww.collegecentral.com/clcillinois

2. Click on the Alumni icon

3. Select the Mentoring Network link

4. Click the Join Our Mentoring Network link

5. Enter the following password: cps

6. Click on Add My Mentoring Profile

ALUMNEWS | 15

NEWS ROUNDUP

Alumni welcome 1,826 graduates in Class of ‘12

The class of 2012, consisting of 1,826 graduates, who earned a total of 2,213 degrees and certificates, was recognized at the College of Lake County’s 43rdcommencement ceremony, held May 12 in Waukegan’s Genesee Theatre.

The commencement speaker, Walter Leise (’94 and ’95), is chief executive officer of Sarasota, Fla.-based Sarasota Medical Products, Inc. The Army veteranearned two associate degrees from CLC—one in chemical technology and theother in biochemical technology.

A former research scientist at Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Leise holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Chicago, an M.B.A. from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and a B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Pulitzer Prize winner awarded 2012 statewide Distinguished Alumni Award

Deborah Nelson (’73) received in June the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Illinois Community College Trustees Association. Holding a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northern Illinois University, Nelson earned two Pulitzer Prizes in her 31-year newspaper career and currently teaches journalism at the University of Maryland.

College launches new associate degrees in sales and sustainable agriculture

Beginning in fall 2012, CLC will launch two new Associate in Applied Science degree programs. The sales degree focuses on the organizational, interpersonal and communication skills that are critical to successful selling. The sustainable agriculturedegree prepares students to manage or work in smaller farms that grow organic food for local consumers. For details on thesales program,contact Lori Oriatti at loriatti@clcillinois.edu. For information on the sustainable agriculture degree, contactRory Klick at rklick@clcillinois.edu.

Joan Legat Memorial Golf Outing

The annual Joan Legat Memorial Golf Outing, held May 18 at Glen Flora Country Club in Waukegan, raised more than $30,000for the Foundation’s scholarship fund, according to Bill Devore, executive director of the CLC Foundation.

Alumni Association website now has videos, back issues of AlumNews

The Alumni Association’s website has several upgrades, including the ability to link your news story comments directly to your Facebook page. Stay informed and connected to CLC by visiting www.clcroundtable.org and becoming part of our online community.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Cubs vs. Brewers at Miller Park Monday, Aug. 20

Catch up with fellow alumni and friends as

the border battle continues in Milwaukee’s

Miller Park. The bus will depart from the

Grayslake campus at 5 p.m. and the game

begins at 7 p.m. Cost is $35 per ticket and

$15 for bus transportation. To reserve tickets,

visit www.clcroundtable.org or call the

Alumni Center at (847) 543-2400.

Saturday, September 29SAVE THE DATE!

Enjoy a dinner, auction, dancing and more at the

“Black & White Ball,” the CLC Foundation’s 2012

Scholarship Gala, to be held at the storied Lehmann

Mansion in Lake Vila, Ill. For details, call

(847) 543-2400 or visit www.clcroundtable.org.

Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps November 8 at 7:30 p.m.Mainstage Theatre

One of Broadway’s longest-running comedy

thrillers, “The 39 Steps” is packed with laughs

and thrills and unique characters. The cast

of four portrays between 100 and 150 roles,

including actors doubling parts within the

same scene. The play received two Tony and

Drama Desk Awards, and earned London’s

Oliver Award for Best New Comedy.

To order tickets call (847) 543-2300 or visit

www.clcillinois.edu/tickets. Subscriptions

to Professional Series events go on sale

July 5. Single tickets will be for sale online

and at the box office beginning Aug. 20. Katie Armiger Trio Friday, November 2 8 p.m. Mainstage Theatre

Katie Armiger was voted Country Weekly’s

#1 Hottest Bachelorette in Country Music

in May. Her latest video, “Best Song Ever,”

was voted #1 on “Great American Country’s”

Top 20 Countdown for four weeks. You’ll

enjoy Katie’s powerful vocals and skillful

songwriting in this inspiring music

performance. Her determination and

passion simply shine through her music.