Dec. 8, 2008

The DigestWhat’s Happening at KVCC

What’s below in this edition Our No. 1 fan (Pages 1/2) Research tool (Pages 13/14)

Internships galore (Pages 2/3) Hospitality training (P-14/15) Campus projects (Pages 3/4) KAFI update (Pages 15/16) Watching history (Page 4) Facts behind artifacts (Page 17)) Tech overviews (Pages 4/5) 40th stickers (Pages 17/18)

Branding’s next move (Pages 5/6) Veterans benefits (Page 18)

Artists Forum (Pages 6/7) Gift idea No. 2 (Page 19) Gift idea No. 1 (Pages 7/8) Holiday stress (Pages 19/20) Food drive ending (Page 8) ‘A Christmas Story’ (Page 20) Any surplus clothes? (Pages 8/9) Grant’s scope grows (P-20/21) Watch your stuff (Page 9) Carrie Wilson (Page 21) Ireland trip (Pages 9/10) Sweet Adelines (Page 21) 83 callers (Page 10) Recycle batteries (Pages 21/22) ‘Miller Time’ (Page 11) ‘Bridges’ program (Pages 22/23)

Transfer time (Page 11) Front-page story (Page 23) Cook oil to fuel (Pages 11/12) E-mail alert (Pages 23/24)

Spirited gospel music (Page 13) And Finally (Page 24)

☻☻☻☻☻☻A salute to ‘Mr. KVCC’ – Leonard Jordan

If there ever will be a KVCC Hall of Fame, the first two inductees would undoubtedly be Dale Lake and Marilyn Schlack.

Right behind them – if not in the same pioneer class of enshrines -- would be Leonard Jordan.

One of the great Cougar ambassadors who could also be known as “Mr. KVCC,” Jordan is marking his 89th birthday on Friday (Dec. 5).

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To celebration that distinction, the KVCC Athletic Department has designated Friday as “Leonard Jordan Appreciation Night.” Jordan will be honored in a brief ceremony preceding the second game of the Friday-night doubleheader against Wayne County Community College that is set to begin at 7:30.

“Leonard's health has improved to the point that he plans to be in attendance to cheer on the Cougars again,” says athletic director Dick Shilts, “as he has done so well for nearly two decades.” Shilts reports that Jordan has been taking classes at KVCC for more than 18 years, the same length of time he has helped as a volunteer assistant in the men's basketball program.

“Known for his outgoing kindness and genuine caring attitude,” Shilts said, “Leonard has endeared himself to KVCC staff and students with his positive outlook on life.

“From his days as a student at Knoxville College to his competition against many of the original Harlem Globetrotters,” Shilts said, “Leonard has exuded a friendly spirit that has enabled him to become liked and respected by all those he meets.

“Please plan to join us in honoring this wonderful man on this special occasion,” Shilts said. “A large sheet cake will be shared in the gym lobby for all his hungry friends and fans.”

Come to think of it, Dick Shilts would be a likely candidate for initial induction as well.

New internship initiative begins in JanuaryBusinesses and industries are invited to partner in a major internship initiative that

Kalamazoo Valley Community College plans to launch in January.Funded for a three-year period by the KVCC Foundation, the $100,000 project

seeks to place at least 55 students per academic year with enterprises interested in a grow-your-own-workforce alliance.

The bulk of the grant funds will be used to pay up to 50 percent of the wages for KVCC students accepted for internships through December of 2011, with the companies they work for providing the balance.

“The number of students who take part could increase,” said Diane Vandenberg, assistant director of the KVCC Student Success Center, “if a company agrees to increase the ratio to 75-25, or to pay the entire amount.”

While the initiative is targeting enterprises involved in bio-medical services, alternative fuels, and the digital arts, companies involved in other sectors of the regional economy are also invited to take part.

She said salary terms will be established on a case-by-case basis and agreed upon prior to the commencement of the internship. The pay can range from the minimum wage of $7.40 to $12 per hour.

Called the “Community Partners Internship Program,” its parameters were forged by Vandenberg, Lois Brinson and Karen Phelps. The latter two oversee the center’s Student Employment Services activities.

“We see this as the college’s wish to join forces with Southwest Michigan employers to produce and retain a highly talented and trained workforce,” Vandenberg said.

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For many enterprises -- and not just those in emerging businesses -- the No. 1 factor for achieving success is finding the right people to fit the right jobs.  Internships are tried-and-true ways to “grow your own” and identify prospects with high potential.           

It’s the classic win-win equation:  great experience for those who are selected as interns and a no-strings-attached arrangement on the part of the employer because internships are basically akin to temporary jobs.           

The employer gets essentially a low-cost look at a potential permanent employee who could either be somebody who would not be a good fit or somebody who has “the right stuff” to be a future leader.           

In order to find that out, interns -- while supervised and operating within a structured work environment – can be given enough autonomy and enough leeway to determine their own direction.  That allows the employer to evaluate the person’s judgment, how he or she works with other people, and work habits.  Few one-on-one interviews provide those types of measurements.

“This will give students a strong foundation of work experience,” Vandenberg said, “while providing an opportunity to cultivate professional networks that could jumpstart their careers with businesses in our part of the state.

“Because of financial constraints,” she said, “many students have not been able to participate in an unpaid internship program. KVCC will be able to attract more students in more career paths because of these paid internships.

“This connection with local businesses will allow students to practically apply what they have been learning in the classroom,” Vandenberg said. “Better yet, they will bring back that experience to our classrooms and help the college continue to provide relevant training and instructions.”

KVCC students can apply when they have achieved the skills and education required by the company offering the internship, and when they have completed 50 percent of the course work in their respective majors.

They will also be required to complete pre-employment-skills training provided by the center’s Student Employment Services. This training will include resume writing, effective cover letters, interviewing skills, professional attire, personal hygiene, promptness and dependability, communication skills, and non-verbal behavior.

Each company can request an intern based on the area of study, skills needed, duties expected, hours of work, and when the person is needed on the job. Each will select an intern based on the organization’s existing hiring methods and criteria.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, nearly 70 percent of interns receive full-time positions from their employers. This ratio has increased 13 percent since 2001.

For more information about becoming part of the Community Partners Internship Program, call Vandenberg at (269) 488-4793 or e-mail her at dvandenberg@kvcc.edu.

Campus projects inching forwardA review committee is in the process of examining proposals from architectural

firms interested in designing the $12 million worth of expansion and remodeling projects on the Texas Township Campus that have been approved by the Michigan Legislature.

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One of the major components is the construction of space to house the Student Success Center that is now based in the former Gallery. Also planned is a multi-purpose lab for the sciences and two all-purpose classrooms.

The additional space will also significantly increase the number of faculty offices, install waiting areas for students, and establish additional conference rooms.

Members of the review committee include Mike Collins, Jeff Donovan, Debbie Dawson, Terry Hutchins and Rick Margelis. The group will interview representatives of each firm and make a recommendation, a process that should be completed by the end of the calendar year. A construction-management firm must also be retained.

Unless state officials and legislators put the brakes on a capital-spending plan, the other phases call for:

● An addition to accommodate a loading dock at Central Receiving and Facility Services and a 6,000-square-foot interior remodeling for a variety of functions.

● Remodeling, upgrading and restoring the existing geology and physics labs as well as two nearby classrooms.

● Additional parking spaces.Michigan’s formula for higher-education projects has not changed from past

years. Each institution and the state provide 50 percent of the costs.If the projects goes forward as anticipated, campus committees will be activated

to outline the implications of construction on daily operations and to incorporate any last-minute suggestions.

Construction could be under way by spring. The entire process should take about 18 months.

Meanwhile, down the road, the college has submitted the state-required Facilities Master Plan outlining anticipated needs through 2013. Among the tentative projects are:

● A variety of upgrades on the Texas Township Campus amounting to about $3.7 million.

● Reconfiguring two labs at the M-TEC -- $700,000.● $3 million worth of upgrades at Anna Whitten Hall.● A $1.64-million addition for the program in automotive technology.● Provisions for a program in laboratory technology -- $1.8 million.● A simulation center for health-care careers -- $1.16 million.● Facilities for educational and training opportunities in forms of alternative

energy – no cost projection.

Viewing Obama’s inauguration The historic inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United

States on Tuesday, Jan. 20, will be viewable on the Texas Township Campus.Television sets in the Student Lounge will be tuned in beginning at 11:30 a.m.,

while entire classes are invited to the Student Commons Theater for a big-screen look at what the entire world will be watching.

The ceremony is expected to start at noon that day.

New course allows sampling of tech careersSo you think you’d like a career in some kind of technical occupation?

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An overview course that stresses hands-on instructions in a laboratory environment, “Discovering Technology,” will debut at Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Texas Township Campus when the winter semester begins on Monday, Jan. 12.

The three-credit class will meet once a week on Friday from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. through the end of April.

“This is intended for students who are undecided about their career,” said Deborah Dawson, dean of business and advanced technology, “but ‘think’ they may be interested in the technical fields. In the pipeline are similar overview courses for business and health-care careers.”

Enrollees will be introduced to the college’s programs in automotive technology, drafting and design, electrical technology, machine tool, welding, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Class sessions will feature presentations on such topics as machining, welding, robotic numerical control, computer-assisted design and manufacturing, fabrication methods, electrical applications, motor controls, alternative energy and fuels, and hybrid vehicles.

“They will spend a couple of weeks in each area,” Dawson said, “working mostly in our technical labs with hands-on lessons.”

Among the objectives will be learning how to:● identify major automotive systems and components● check key automotive-fluid levels● increase awareness about alternative fuels and evolving technologies that will

impact future modes of transportation ● create sketches of parts and interpret symbols used in technical drawings● identify commonly used building and manufacturing materials● understand common electrical terms● draw a schematic of an electrical circuit● understand the functioning of electrical motors and generators● safely use power tools● select the proper welding machines and equipment to perform various jobs. ● build critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, and develop a teamwork

approach to employment.The college’s full-time instructors in the technical fields will team-teach the new

course.For more information, contact Sue Hills at (269) 488-4371 or shills@kvcc.edu.

Branding committee to look at results so farThe next step in the college’s “branding” process is slated for Friday (Dec. 12)

when a workshop will focus on the initial findings and perspectives collected by representatives of the Chicago firm of Lipman Hearne during their meetings and visits here earlier this fall.

Taking part in the workshop will be the president’s cabinet and members of the college’s branding committee -- Mike Collins, Deborah Dawson, Jim DeHaven, Steve Doherty, Mike Keller and Karen Matson.

Lipman Hearne has summarized what its representatives heard in meetings with KVCC faculty, staff and students, and with community leaders. That initial memo has

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been reviewed by the committee to make certain that it is inclusive and nothing has been omitted.

Based on that feedback, Lipman Hearne is preparing some preliminary ideas and concepts that might be tapped to forge the messages that KVCC wants to foster in positioning its future, to pinpoint what distinguishes it from similar institutions, and how all of these factors can define strategies for future actions in presenting itself to the public.

As a result of the workshop, Lipman Hearne will begin to craft several branding initiatives and concepts from which to choose.

Lipman Hearne has performed similar chores at such institutions of higher education as Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt University, the University of North Carolina, Northwestern University, Duke University, Calvin College, Brown University, the University of Southern California, Northwest Iowa Community College, and the Smithsonian Institution.

In its response to the college’s request for proposals, Lipman Hearne stated:“Branding is more than creating a beautiful logo or sharp tagline. It’s more than a striking ad campaign or a public-relations blitz. These things are essential, but at its core, branding is about creating an enduring and emotional attachment between your audience and your institution.”

Lipman Hearne has indicated that KVCC will be starting the process from a positive position.

“These types of companies are usually called in when there is a problem,” Collins said. “That’s not our situation here at KVCC.”

“There’s much to tout about KVCC,” the Lipman Hearne proposal stated. “Its impressive 85-percent retention rate, its focus on student success, its top-notch facilities, its role in making downtown Kalamazoo a vibrant destination, and its strong relationships with business and community leaders. . .

“The challenge and the opportunity for KVCC lies in the articulation of what it distinctively has to offer the residents of Michigan’s western region,” according to what the firm stated in its proposal to the KVCC Board of Trustees.

“Opportunities also exist in the creation of a brand identity that tells its story persuasively and effectively,” the proposal stated, “and the delivery of the brand experience through multiple channels in a powerful and targeted way.”

In that light, the firm’s strategy in forging that new brand must include roles for faculty, staff, students, administrators, and other community stakeholders.

And all must speak to how KVCC has responded to the needs of the residents it serves in the past and how that can continue to be accomplished in the future.

The results should include:● A better understanding of what the institution means to its constituent

audiences.● A focus on what must be accomplished to continue reaching these audiences

and building new ones. ● Improved efficiency and effectiveness in how marketing resources are used. ● A common language that improves the quality of dialogue, especially about the

future.

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Chicago jazz to open Artists Forum The 2009 Artists Forum series will be a four-event booking during the winter

semester, Dave Posther reports.Here’s the schedule of performances slated for the Dale Lake Auditorium:♫ The jazz music of the Chicago-based Susan Werner Trio – Friday, Feb. 27♫ Guitarist Chris Smither, who plays folk, roots and blues – Saturday, April 4♫ The roots rock of the Dave Alvin Duo – Friday, April 24♫ And the ever-popular To Be Announced.Tickets will be going on sale about one month before each concert. They will be

available at the KVCC Bookstore, the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, and at the Lake ticket booth the night of the performance.

The Artists Forum series is supported by a grant from the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation.

Need yule-gift idea? Try classic-toys exhibitThe toys of our childhood – some of which are still going strong – has turned the

third floor of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum into a mecca for memories and mirth.From G. I. Joe to Barbie, from Lincoln Logs to Tinker Toys, from Nerf balls to

Wiffle Balls, from Cootie to Monopoly, from Slinky to the Magic 8 Ball, and from Silly Putty to Play-Doh, “Kid Stuff: Great Toys from Our Childhood” sparks a bit of nostalgia and flashbacks to the way things were when it came to fun and games.

Created by The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Mass., the exhibition, in downtown Kalamazoo through Jan. 4, is based on a book of the same name by David Hoffman. Showcased in 10 categories that reflect familiar childhood expressions and offer ample playful encounters with classic toys of the last half century, “Kid Stuff” is accompanied by hundreds of illustrations, period advertisements, and vintage commercials. For example, Erector sets, Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys are clustered under “Look What I Made,” while “Go Outside and Play” features balsa airplanes, Frisbees, Hot Wheels, a Radio Flyer wagon and Tonka toys. The single entry in “I’ll Never Ask for Anything Else” is the ever-popular Lionel train sets that made their inaugural runs on the morning of Dec. 25 under millions of Christmas trees each year. Under the umbrella of “Don’t Make a Mess” are an ant farm, Crayola crayons, Magic Rocks, an Easy-Bake Oven, and that bastion of flexible creativity, Play-Doh. “Can I Try?” is the home of Duncan yo-yos, Etch A Sketch, Mr. Potato Head, Spirograph, and the View-Master projector that could put the wonders of the world on any kid’s wall. “Many of the toys are the result of an engineering or scientific endeavor gone awry,” said Sharon Blume, the Berkshire director. “Others were created by economic necessity and some were simply made for the fun of it. The stories behind the toys are part of the exhibition.” The Slinky started out not as an amazing, mesmerizing toy, but as a marine engineer’s prototype device to stabilize the device used to measure horsepower on a

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rolling battleship. When it fell off his desk and spiraled end over end across the floor, a light went on. Inventor James Wright thought he discovered the wrong stuff in seeking a rubber substitute, but astronauts found a use for Silly Putty and toy history was made.

The Duncan enterprise borrowed the concept of rock-and-vine hunting tool in The Philippines to make the yo-yo one of the world’s most self-entertaining toys. Beach-goers and dog trainers can thank a baking company for blueprinting the disk that can be flung for long distances and easily caught. One of the more interesting tales involved the Mattel Toy design staff that initially reached the conclusion in 1950 that American mothers – the June Cleavers of the country – would never buy for their daughters a doll with a bust line. A zillion later, Barbie has been produced in many sizes, hair styles and colors, but the shape has remained the same. Another near miss involved the decision-makers at Parker Brothers. In 1934, the powers-that-be gave the “thumbs down” to Monopoly because of “52 fundamental errors” in its concept. It is not known if they were given “Go Directly to Jail, Don’t Pass Go, Don’t Collect $200” cards. “The great thing about the exhibition,” said Hoffman, who has been a reporter and correspondent for Good Morning America, “is that people have the opportunity to see the artifacts, and learn about their histories and how they were packaged and marketed. They also have a chance to play with them.” He said “Kid Stuff” possesses “tremendous cross-generational appeal. More and more Baby Boomers are buying these toys for their kids, or secretly for themselves.” Every holiday season, a toy comes along that captures the imagination of the buying public and their checkbooks – such as Power Rangers, Tickle-Me Elmo, and Cabbage Patch dolls. “They were hot one day and gone tomorrow,” Hoffman said. “Meanwhile Barbie will be 50 in 2009. Mr. Potato Head is nearing 50, Lincoln Logs is in its eighth decade, Silly Putty is over 50, and View-Master is nearly Social Security age.” Hoffman believes the exhibition also has inter-generational appeal, sparking interaction among children, parents and grandparents as they share memories and experiences.

Among the hands-on attractions are throwing a Nerf Ball, Hot Wheels racing, yo-yoing, walking a Slinky, operating a Lionel train, playing Twister, building with Lego blocks, watching the ant farm, tossing balsa planes, and having photos taken next to a life-sized G. I. Joe and Barbie.

Loaves and Fishes food drive ends WednesdayFor the holiday season through Christmas, the college is coordinating a food-

collection effort for Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes. Faculty, staff and students can donate canned and bottled foods, along with

edibles that are packaged and unopened, all of which will be distributed by the agency to needy Kalamazoo-area residents.

Through Wednesday (Dec. 12), donations may be made in Room 4220 in the Student Commons, in the Texas Township Campus Library, in a receptacle near the faculty offices, in the office that houses the Focus Program and the Transfer Resource Center, in the athletic complex, and in the KVCC Learning Center.

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More information is available from Mary Johnson, student activities and programs coordinator, at extension 4182 or mjohnson@kvcc.edu.

Toys, winter clothes also being soughtClean, “gently used” winter wear for men, women and children is being collected

by the Student Success Center through Thursday, Dec. 18. Donated coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, and scarves, as well as “new” gloves and

hats, will be distributed to either needy students or residents at three locations:♥ the YWCA’s Domestic Assault Shelter, The Rickman House, and Ministry with

Community.Items can be dropped off in the Student Success Center on the Texas Township

Campus. For more information, contact either Pamela Siegfried or Eric Coleman in the

center. Meanwhile, Mary Johnson, coordinator of student activities and programs, is

shepherding a collaboration with the Marine Corps and its annual Toys for Tots initiative. Unwrapped, workable toys, games and playthings for those less fortunate can be

dropped off in the designated boxes located in Room 4220, the Student Activities Office. She can be contacted at extension 4182 or at mjohnson@kvcc.edu.

Thievery never, ever takes a holidayWith the holiday season rapidly approaching, it is time to increase awareness

about precautionary measures regarding protecting one’s belongings, reports security coordinator Jeff Roseboom.

“Petty thefts always increase during this time of year because of the tendency to carry more money in purses or wallets,” he advised. “This is generally accompanied by our desire to pay cash for a lot of Christmas gifts that are purchased.

“To avoid the unnecessary loss of Christmas money, a couple of simple practices should be followed,” he suggested.

$ Never leave articles unattended. $ If leaving the office, always lock articles away out of sight in a desk, along with

securing the area when departing. “A little extra time and awareness will make the holiday season more enjoyable,”

Roseboom said. Because of the age of technology and constant communications, a growing

favorite target for thieves is a cell phone. “People tell me that they just put it down a moment ago and when they looked

back, it was gone,” Roseboom said. “That’s because it takes less than a moment to steal it.”

2009 Ireland trek slated for MayThe 2009 edition of the KVCC-based Midwest Institute for

International/Intercultural Education’s trip to Ireland is set for May 9-30. This year’s lead faculty member, English instructor Isaac Turner, will be holding

additional informational meetings for interested students, staff and faculty in January. Ten have indicated an interest so far. Dates, times and locations will be announced later.

Midwest Institute director Theo Sypris will be at the Wednesday session, while Turner and instructor Linda Rzoska, who has shepherded the past excursions, will lead

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the second. At both sessions, participants will learn about costs and what the 2009 trip will entail.

Three KVCC faculty members and seven students gave themselves one heck of a St. Patrick’s Day present last May. Linda Rzoska, Turner and Tom Hughes guided that seven-student contingent.

They learned that through the eyes of an artist, there is more to Ireland than green. The KVCC contingent was based at Burren on central Ireland’s west coast overlooking Galway Bay, an area that for centuries has been a source of inspiration for all genre of artists — poets, novelists, painters, sculptors, musicians and playwrights.

A three-credit sociology class, “Irish Life and Culture,” gave students the opportunity to experience the culture and history of this fabled land.

The Burren College of Art, which is on the grounds of a 16th-century castle, serves as the headquarters for the course as students explored the geography, history, flora, fauna and culture of this part of Ireland.

Known as “The Stony Place,” Burren is home to a wealth of archeological and monuments that includes megalithic tombs, medieval castles and abandoned abbeys.

The KVCC students delved into past and present Irish life, ancient and medieval times, legends, poetry, mythology, religion, dance and music.

They learned to understand the landscape, history and mythology of this historic and mystical area that has been an important part of Ireland’s legend for artistic creativity.

The students received a certificate from both the Midwest Institute and Burren College designating they have completed the three-credit course.

Field trips took students to ancient monuments that chronicle the history of an Irish culture dating back more than 7,000 years.

They experienced an abbey built in 1194, a 9th-century ring fort built of stone, a 6,000-year-old tomb, cliffs that plunge 700 feet to the Atlantic, and the coastal limestone region known as Black Head.

Those interested can contact Turner at extension 7927 or iturner@kvcc.edu.

83 step forward to call students about due tuitionEighty-three KVCC’ers took part in the college’s calling campaign to contact

enrolled students who have not yet paid for 2009 winter-semester classes. Together, they made more than 4,500 telephone calls, talking either directly to the

student, to a parent or friend, or to an answering machine. Pitching in from the Arcadia Commons Campus, the Texas Township Campus

and the Groves Campus were: Teresa Fornoff, Louise Wesseling, Denise Baker, Korin Seals, Ezra Bell, Lynne

Morrison, Marlene Sampson, Pat Pojeta; Amber Hutson, Rachel Brown, Gerri Jacobs, Tom Thinnes, Steve Doherty, Mike

Collins, Karen Visser, Ruth Baker, Tarona Guy, Leona Coleman, Mary Johnson, Ruth Baker, Nancy Taylor, Rob Stokes, Daniel Pohanka, Jane Westra, Chris Robbins;

Betty VanVoorst, Ajah Garrison, Colleen Olson, Rose Crawford, Denise Lindsley, Laurie Dykstra, Joyce Zweedyk, Brian Graening, Gloria Norris, Lisa Gruber, Chris Stroven, Robyn Robinson, LaJoyce Brooks, Haley Crites, Ray Andres;

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Summer Hayden, Amy Triemstra, Jaime Tucker, Juwan Watson, Ryan Luft, Angie Case, Marylan Hightree, Kandiah Balachandran, Cynthia Schauer, Jack Bley, Nancy Young, Carol Targgart, Bonnie Bowden, Kevin McKinney;

Tonya Sharpsteen, Jeremy Smith, Rachel Brown, Zane Shilts, Bonita Bates, Sharra Poncil, Courtney Deloney, Carol Brownell, Dorothy McDaniels, Marcia Shaneyfelt-Niles, Dana Martin, Karen Phelps, Karen Steeno van Staveren;

Jackie Cantrell, Patricia Pallett, Barbara VanZandt, Amy Winkel, Chasity Hayden, Sheila White, Lisa Peet, Ron Campbell, Brenda Moncreif, Patricia Wallace, Lauren Beresford, Judy Rose, Laura Converse, Terry Hutchins, and Sherrill Cape.

62nd graduation on Sunday will be ‘Miller Time’The college’s 62nd commencement ceremony is set for Sunday (Dec. 14) in Miller

Auditorium on the Western Michigan University campus.Those who have been assigned specific roles for the event should report to the

auditorium by 3 p.m., an hour before the program is to begin. The faculty speaker will be instructor Ron Cipcic. Nursing major Rebecca Bussey

of Plainwell and a member of the KVCC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa will speak for the graduates. Other faculty members involved include Joe Brady, Bob Vezeau, Deborah Bryant and Tim Kane.

The diploma-day celebration will be telecast live on the Community Access Center’s Channel 22 in the Charter lineup, and then rebroadcast three more times.

The dates and times will be announced later. Also scheduled to make remarks is Jeff Patton, chairman of the KVCC Board of

Trustees.Providing the music will be the KVCC Campus Band with conductor Chris

Garrett.

Transfer, scholarship workshop on MondayA workshop designed to help KVCC students apply to transfer to four-year

universities and to attract scholarships at their new learning destinations is set for Monday (Dec.8).

Jodi Ward of the Western Michigan University Office of Admissions and Robyn Robinson, office specialist for the KVCC Transfer Resource Center, will give the dialogue and instructions from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Commons Forum. Light refreshments will be served.

Interested students can get more information by visiting the Transfer Resource Center or by calling extension 4779.

In another transfer-related event under the auspices of instructor Steve Louisell, 25 KVCC students enrolled in two psychology courses made field trips to visit Richard Malott's “rat lab” at WMU.

“Our students were each assigned a WMU mentor,” Louisell said, “and they assisted in conducting the experiment of the day. Fun was had by all and it gave our aspiring psychology majors an opportunity to experience Western before they transfer.”

Turn that old cooking oil into fuel at KVCC If you’re ready to dispose of that well-used cooking oil to get ready for holiday

food preparation, think of what’s cookin’ in the automotive-technology lab.

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It’s bio-diesel fuel that – through the magic of chemistry – is coming from vegetable oils that had been used to cook chicken strips, perch, turkeys, mushrooms, French fries, and jalapeno peppers.

Larry Taylor, the coordinator of the automotive program, launched the initiative to convert cooking oil into bio-diesel fuel for two major reasons.

“The No. 1 reason,” he said, “is to take a re-usable source of energy that is normally thrown away and make a fuel that can power some of the college’s fleet of vehicles and machinery, which is a money-saving venture.

“The second big reason is to use what is called the ‘Freedom Fueler’ as an educational resource,” Taylor said, “and that is already become a reality for those who are enrolled in the program in chemical technology.”

The unit, with all of its bells and whistles, filtration system, fittings, nozzles, and pumps, costs $4,400.

So what’s the payback?The used vegetable oils – from soybeans, peanuts, seeds, etc. – have been donated

by KVCC staff members and by restaurants, such as Zeb’s Trading Co. at Texas Corners.The automotive program has to buy methanol and sodium hydroxide – which is

basically lye – to catalyze the concoction.“Let’s say we have 50 gallons of vegetable oil,” said lab manager Ted Forester.

“To that, we’ll add eight to nine gallons of methanol, which costs $3.60 per gallon. A bag of sodium hydroxide is about $25, and we’ll use about 100 grams of that in the mixture.”

The result is an 80-percent conversion, or about 40 gallons of bio-diesel. The Western Michigan University bio-diesel program sells a gallon for $3.50,”

Taylor said, “while the cost is about $5 at the pump. When it’s all said and done, we come out about $150 to the good with each batch.”

“The amount of lye that we use in a batch,” Forester said, “depends on what the oil was used to cook and how often it was used, because that affects the acidity. The sodium hydroxide tempers the acid content.”

KVCC chemistry instructor Rick Margelis is among those providing the knowledge to get the batches “just right.”

“If you use too much lye (sodium hydroxide), you get soap,” Forester said. “If you don’t use enough, you end up with a worthless jelly. Rick has been providing the knowhow to help us determine the oil’s acid content by titration and thus use the right amount.”

Forester explained that the lye is compounded with the methanol prior to the two substances being added to the oil in the processing vat.

The next step in the process is equally interesting.The chemistry produces biodiesel fuel and glycerin. Those two are allowed to

settle and be separated. However, the bio-diesel still needs to be “cleaned” of suspended glycerin and

other “nasties,” and that cleaning is done by water out of the tap.“You add the water and shake it up,” Forester said. “The water cleans the fuel

and takes the suspended solids down to the bottom of the container. You let it set for a day or two, and the liquid is crystal-clear bio-diesel. The congealed stuff at the bottom is basically soap, and can be flushed down the drain.”

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The converter is obviously a teaching tool for students in the automotive-technology program who want to become familiar with alternative fuels.

“But the bonus is coming from students in chemical technology,” Taylor said. “This is very effective cross-discipline instruction. The chemistry students are able to see how the theory is proven out in practice and reality.”

Forester said the glycerin residue is no longer going down the drain either. While it can play a very effective role in back-yard composting, the auto-lab folks are taking

steps to use it as a cleansing agent. Gospel-music fund-raiser is set for Dec. 5

For the third consecutive holiday season, a Christmas-concert fund-raiser is being organized by KVCC’s Robyn Robinson, an office specialist in the college’s Transfer Resource Center, and her husband, Howard.

Slated to benefit the Ecumenical Senior Center, the New Direction Outreach Center, and the Kalamazoo Junior Girls Organization, it will be held on Friday (Dec. 5) at 7 p.m. in the Galilee Baptist Church, 1216 N. Westnedge Ave. Admission is free, but a free-will offering will be collected with the proceeds designated for the three human-service entities.

The Robinsons, who co-host a Saturday-morning program of gospel music on 1560 AM "The Touch,” said the concept was generated by community residents who wanted to stage the event to show their appreciation for the Robinsons’ commitment to the community.

But that morphed into shifting the emphasis into a show of gratitude to organizations “that serve the community, but that struggle, especially at this time of year,” Robyn Robinson said.

The concert performers will be: ♫ the Michigan Nightingales, a quintet of gospel singers started a generation ago

by the fathers of the current members ♫ the Kalamazoo Community Choir under the direction of Elder LaMont McCoy, who will also perform as a solo gospel singer.

♫ the Bible Baptist Hand Bell Choir♫ the Community Praise Dance Ministry, the Community Drill Team, and the

Mime Ministry of the Trinity Temple Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The Ecumenical Senior Center, located 702 N. Burdick, serves meals, offers a

variety of classes, and provides a host of other services to seniors, primarily from Kalamazoo’s Northside neighborhood.

The New Direction Outreach Center at 308 W. North St. is an outreach of the Faith Temple Church of God. It provides free breakfasts on Sunday mornings and runs a computer center for the community in its basement. The Kalamazoo Junior Girls Organization provides educational and community-building activities for the age group it serves.

For more information, call (269) 341-4500, 381-9750 or 341-4500. Robinson can be contacted at extension 4779.

The second concert in 2007 raised more than $4,100. Among the supporters of the event were the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, the Midwest Radio Group, the

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Northside Ministerial Alliance, the Kalamazoo Public Schools, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, and several churches.

Providing door prizes and refreshments were Felpausch Food Centers, Cracker Barrel, Bimbo’s Pizza, Long John Silver’s Restaurant, Applebee’s, Harding’s Market, Schaefer’s Flowers, the Kalamazoo 10 theater, Wenke’s Greenhouses, Party Creations by Shirley, McDonald’s and Meijer.New resource tool available at libraries

http://lii.org/ That’s the latest wizardly resource for research and information available to

instructors, staff and students through the KVCC library system.It stands for “Librarians' Internet Index” and it offers links to more than 20,000

high-quality research-oriented Web resources. They are selected and described by librarians, and organized by subject for convenient access.

“It's a nice shortcut to the best of the Web,” says Janet Alm, KVCC’s director of libraries.

For instructors who want a book ordered by the library, purchase-request forms for books and audio-visual materials are located via "Info & Services for Instructors," then "Forms" on the libraries' web page: http://www.kvcc.edu/library/info-for-instructors.htm .

Who's your favorite librarian? Batgirl, of course! Check out this unaired Batgirl series pilot, and you'll see just how exciting librarianship can be: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=G40JsVZmfmc&feature=related . “You can't google everything,” Alm said. “Librarians can help.”

Friday deadline to apply for 1st Hospitality AcademyWith other vocations and occupations in the pipeline, the hospitality industry is

the next in Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s workforce-development academies.With scholarships now available and slated to begin Jan. 5, the Hospitality

Academy is joining the college’s growing roster of specialized, targeted training programs.

The Hospitality Academy will run daily for five weeks through Feb. 6 at the Arcadia Commons Campus’ Anna Whitten Hall in downtown Kalamazoo.

“A career in hospitality can be glamorous and exciting,” said Lesa Strausbaugh, director of career academies, “but it involves long hours and hard work. Virtually every job in the field requires regular public contact, leadership skills, and an emphasis on customer service.”

During 157 hours of instruction , students will learn the workings of the rooms division and food-and-beverage division in hospitality, which includes front-desk management, reservations, housekeeping, bells services, restaurant service, and banquet organization. A major component will be job shadowing and an in-the-field training practicum.

Acceptance into the academy will be competitive and be based on a written application, feedback from references, results of assessment tests to determine fitness for the occupation, and interviews.

Those who complete the academy will receive a certificate in hospitality from KVCC and a globally recognized certificate from the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

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“It’s been proven that certificates and diplomas from the educational institute of the association open doors to graduates looking for careers in the lodging industry,” Strausbaugh said. “We’re excited to offer students this opportunity.”

The lead instructor, complemented by professionals serving as guest presenters, will bring many years of experience in all aspects of the hospitality industry to the training.

Hospitality will become the focus of the college’s third academy, joining automotive technology and the criminal-justice field of corrections, both of which are in the middle of their second class of participants. Other occupations and professions are being studied to determine the feasibility of an academy approach. Response will determine whether a second hospitality academy is scheduled.

Infused in the new academy will be components provided by the KVCC Student Success Center that enhances job-search skills and employability.

The fee for the five-week academy is $750. Strausbaugh said that the Kalamazoo Area Hotel and Lodging Association has come forward and pledged five scholarships that will pay half of the tuition for eligible applicants.

Applications are available by calling Strausbaugh at (269) 353-1253 or by visiting this website at www.kvcc.edu/training/. The extended deadline to apply is Friday, Dec. 12.

“I have talked to several interested parties currently working in the industry who are looking to increase their skills and to earn the American Hotel and Lodging Association Hospitality certificate,” Strausbaugh said. “The hospitality industry is showing great support through the Kalamazoo Area Hotel and Lodging Association and our advisory group. We are expecting a full class to begin Jan. 5.”

She reports the demographics of the 12 applicants represent both genders. They come from the ranks of the unemployed, from limited job experience and from those with four-year degrees looking for a new career.

The final group of applicants will be interviewed on Monday, Dec. 15, while the orientation for those accepted into the program is set for Tuesday, Dec. 16, from noon to 2 p.m. in Anna Whitten Hall.

Interest grows in KAFI 5 and Cartoon ChallengeThe fifth Kalamazoo Animation Festival International (KAFI) is set for May 14-

17 in downtown Kalamazoo, with the deadline for submissions of films set for Jan. 15.As of the end of November, 228 films had been entered in the competition for

$15,000 in prize money. The 2007 KAFI attracted 502 from animators in 36 countries.Meanwhile, the festival’s benchmark event, the “Cartoon Challenge,” has

attracted inquiries from 25 colleges and universities across the country and the globe. The deadline to submit team applications for that is Jan. 16. Ten will be chosen to take part in that competition.

Now held every other year and sponsored by Kalamazoo Valley Community College, the four-day festival salutes the art form of animation and its entertainment, education and entrepreneurial functions.

During that Thursday-through-Sunday period, attendees can experience a film festival targeted for both adults and children that includes screenings of the entries chosen as finalists in the KAFI competitions.

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Professional-development seminars, training sessions for students, distinctive family-oriented events, and a one-day conference for educators are offered to enhance animation skills, prep young people for careers, and use this creative medium as a tool for teaching and business ventures.

In addition to programs tailored for those who view animation as a profession and an art form, the 2009 KAFI will offer free events for people who equate cartoons with fun and entertainment. One new addition to the fifth KAFI will be hands-on activities designed for children and family-oriented attractions.

Another new twist will be festival events that link the worlds of music and animation as majors in those artistic fields at Western Michigan University and KVCC combine their creative talents to produce animation based on original compositions. These teams will compete for $5,000 in prize money.

Their productions – under the umbrella of what is called the Kalamazoo Animation and Music Competition, will be part of the festival agenda.

Already booked for a presentation is Mike Mitchell, who is directing “Shrek Goes Fourth” for DreamWorks. One of the highlights of the 2007 KAFI was a special preview screening of “Shrek the Third.”

The “Cartoon Challenge” will have teams from animation programs spanning North America engaging in a “24/4” cartoon-creating competition prior to the convening of the 2009 KAFI.

The 10 teams selected to compete will arrive at KVCC’s Center for New Media in downtown Kalamazoo on the Sunday preceding festival week and bivouac there. Their objective will be to conceive, script, design and produce a 15-to-30-second animated feature on a public-service topic over the four days. The teams don’t know the topic until the competition begins.

Inquiries have been received from animation programs that have taken part in past editions of the “Cartoon Challenge” – Grand Valley State University, San Jose State, Savannah College of Art and Design, the Kendall College of Art and Design, Ferris State University, Bowling Green State University, College for Creative Studies in Detroit, and the Pratt Institute in New York City.

New prospects for 2009 could hail from South Dakota State University, Texas A & M University, the University of Michigan, the State University of New York in Fredonia, the International Academy of Design and Technology in Detroit, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, the Art Institute of Washington in Virginia, California State University in Long Beach, East Tennessee State, Columbus College in Ohio, and the Laguna College of Art and Design in California.

“Cartoon Challenge” might even go global next May because of the inquiries received from Tel Aviv University in Israel, the National Film and Television School in Great Britain, Balleyfermot College in Ireland, the Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Toronto, Seneca College in Ontario, the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning also in Toronto,

In the 2007 edition of KAFI, finalists for festival screenings were selected from more than 500 entries submitted by animators based in 36 nations, including 32 of America’s 50 states. Entries have been received so far from animators in Canada, Great Britain, Germany, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Turkey, Russia, India, Serbia, Nigeria and China.

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All of the activities and events will be held in KVCC’s Center for New Media, Anna Whitten Hall, and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, with the major screenings booked for the historic State Theater.

Kalamazoo’s Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, who has joined with the college as the prime sponsor of the four previous festivals, is again the key financial supporter of the event.

Nuts-and-bolts information about all KAFI activities, the new Kalamazoo Animation and Music Competition, and the Cartoon Challenge – date, time, location and cost – will be available at this webpage -- www.goKAFI.com -- or by calling Maggie Noteboom at the festival office at (269) 373-7883.

15 artifacts in Sunday Series spotlightThe 2008 finale in the Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s “Sunday Series” will be

“Things of History” on Dec. 14.Tom Dietz, the museum’s curator, will tell the stories behind some of the

museum’s more intriguing artifacts. It will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater. All presentations in

the series are free and open to the public.“Artifacts are the things that make up history,” Dietz says. “Those that we collect

have a story; they’re not just anonymous objects purchased at a garage sale.“The more interesting and compelling their stories are, the more likely we are to

accept them for the museum’s permanent collection,” Dietz said. “It is the story behind an artifact that is the difference between it and the same object sitting in an antique mall or second-hand store.

“Sometimes these stories come with the artifacts,” he said. “Other times, the artifacts have been in the collection for many years. Then we have to undertake our own original research into the donor. Or we have to confirm or expand upon fragmentary information that we have.”

Dietz said the Internet has become an indispensable tool in recent years in doing genealogy research, patent research, and finding the history of a particular type of object and its manufacturer.

Local histories, biographies, other historical repositories, and city directories are other valued research instruments.

Among the artifacts that Dietz will discuss are a 19th-century foot warmer, a Civil War rifle, 1893 Chicago World’s Fair souvenirs, 1930s kitchen appliances, and local patent medicines.

Dietz will discuss some 15 objects and reveal the stories that make these artifacts such an important window into the history of this part of Michigan.

Here’s the “Sunday Series” line-up for the first half of 2009:♦ “Charlie Hays: Home Builder” on Jan. 11.♦ “Where the Streets Got Their Names” on Jan. 25.♦ “The Michigan Land Survey” on Feb. 8 looks at the origins of the mapping of

what had been the Michigan Territory.♦ “The Sins of Kalamazoo Were Scarlet and Crimson” on Feb. 22 recounts the

city’s red-light districts and speakeasies during Prohibition♦ “The Velvelettes” on March 8 - the Kalamazoo connections to Motown

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♦ “Famous Visitors to Kalamazoo” on March 22 - notables, celebrities and politicians who have come to this community for a variety of reasons.

♦ “Red Terror in Kalamazoo: The 1948 Shakespeare Strike” on April 26.For more information, contact Dietz at 373-7990 or visit the museum’s website at

www.kalamazoomuseum.org.

Last chances to use 40th-anniversary stickers To mark the 40th anniversary of the college welcoming its first students in the fall

of 1968, faculty and staff have been invited to place specially produced foil-embossed seals on their external correspondence to mark the milestone.

But time is running out to affix these seals to the back flap of all outgoing KVCC mail.

Batches are available by e-mailing Tarona Guy at tguy@kvcc.edu and they can be used until he arrival of the new year.

All should feel free to request additional batches through the end of the calendar year.

Veterans benefits are Dec. 8 meeting topicsBenefits available to veterans of U. S. military service will be the prime topic

when the newly formed KVCC Veterans Club convenes on Monday (Dec. 8) in Room 4540 on the Texas Township Campus.

The support group’s third meeting of the fall semester will begin at 5 p.m. and include light refreshments.

Scheduled to speak are:♦ Scott Losey, director of the Veterans Administration Hospital at Fort Custer.♦ Mick Hornav, an advocate for those who have served in the wars in Iraq and

Afghanistan.Faculty, staff and students are invited to take part in a Tuesday, Dec. 16, audio

conference, “Veterans Services: Ensuring Success from Application to Graduation.” That one-hour presentation will be held in Room 4370 and begin at 1 p.m.

Among the topics will be:● The six key issues facing returning veterans and how they can be addressed● Strategies for creating a “veterans community” on campus and online● Meeting the mental-health and medical needs of veterans● Resources to add the transition of veterans back into the civilian population● Providing career and financial services for the veterans on campusThe session will include a question-and-answer segment.The presenters will be Mary Koskan, director of One Stop Student Services at the

University of Minnesota and Carin Anderson, senior veterans coordinator at that center in Minneapolis. Contact KVCC’s Colleen Olson to take part in the audio conference.

The two KVCC faculty members leading the way in the formation of the group for students who are veterans of the U.S. armed forces are sociology instructor Katherine Ferraro and biology instructor Jack Bley, who served in three branches of the military.

The group has picked Dean Cugliotta of Kalamazoo, a pre-nursing major, as its chair. Serving as vice chair will be Angela Marschke of Kalamazoo, who is majoring in social work.

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Assisting both in their duties will be Keith Hovious of Portage. He is in the law-enforcement program.

Olson, who says there are at least 145 veterans enrolled in classes this semester, said the group is moving toward approving a set of bylaws and focusing on goals and mission.

However, the intent is for the organization to be a support and social group, as opposed to being highly formal in nature.

More information is available by contacting Bley at jbley@kvcc.edu, Ferraro at kferraro@kvcc.edu or Olson at colson@kvcc.edu or Stacy Hoffman at shoffman@kvcc.edu.

Holiday-gift source is KVCC’s ‘Swap Meet’The Office of Human Resources’ web page contains a want-ad system to link

KVCC folks with their colleagues in the sharing of talent, knowledge, skills, goods and services.

The “KVCC Swap Meet” provides a forum to barter goods (made or grown) and to post information about services that can be provided -- painting, sewing, computer assistance, etc.

It can also be used to post an announcement about services or goods that are being sought.

There are four categories on the site: Services Needed, Services for Hire, Goods Needed, and Goods for Sale. This site is for KVCC employees only and is intended as a way for employees to network with each other for trade or sale purposes.

KVCC will not be responsible for any transactions or the satisfaction of either party, and will not enter into dispute resolution. “KVCC Swap Meet” is housed on the Human Resources website under Quick Links.

To post a service or item, just click Post Ad, select the appropriate category, complete the online form and click submit.

Co-workers will be able to view the posting by the next business day. It is requested that the postings be made during non-working hours.

Among the services for hire are handyman chores, carpet cleaning, floor covering, sewing, dog boarding, legal services, knitting and patching, and arranging for live music at events.

The inventory of goods for sale includes a rack for carrying a bicycle on a car, Tupperware, jewelry, handmade pottery, a collection of cigar boxes, timeshares for vacation get-aways, and scrapbook supplies.

Among items being sought are a hair-stylist’s chair, a schnoodle, and used Nintendo DS games.

The KVCC’ers who are using the “Swap Meet” include Sheila White, Nicole Newman, Darrell Davies, Sue Visser, Janet Alm, Jermaine Clark, Lynn Berkey, Nancy Conrad, Sue Nemedi, Nick Meier, Becky Herington, Nick Rankin, Simonny Breviglieri, Lori McCormick, Lynne Morrison, Kelley Asta, Sue Hills, Scott Eberstein, Haley Crites and Brenda Terburg-Fawley.

Coping with holiday stress next in workshop series

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Ways to ease the stress of the holidays is the topic of the next workshop scheduled by the Student Success Center.

Free, open to all students, and set for Wednesday (Dec. 10) at 11 a.m. in the Student Commons Forum is “Overwhelmed by the Holidays? Learn Ways to Manage Stress.” Targeted for the life style of students, the session will be presented by Diana Haggerty, a certified massage therapist and a Student Success Center advocate.

With the new year, a session on goal setting and time management is slated for Wednesday, Jan. 14, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Commons Forum.

The January schedule also includes a Student Success Center open house from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Jan. 20-21, and an Academic Skills Fair from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 28-29 in the Student Commons Theater.

For more information about these and upcoming workshops for students during the winter semester, contact Pamela Siegfried, the center’s life-resources coordinator, at extension 4825. Refreshments are part of the attraction.

‘You’ll shoot your eye out, kid’That’s the classic and oft-repeated piece of dialogue in “A Christmas Story,” the

holiday classic about a boy’s quest to receive a Red Ryder 200-shot B-B gun from Santa and his typical-American family life, which will wrap up the Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s movie series for calendar year 2008 on Thursday (Dec. 11).

Little Ralphie’s maneuverings and a kid’s life in the 1940s in what is now regarded as Greater Chicagoland – decoder rings and encountering the neighborhood bullies – will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary Jane Stryker Theater. There is a $3 admission fee.

The Thursday-night series continues on Jan. 15 with the Belgian film, “Ben X.” Financial support for the series is provided by the KVCC Foundation.

The 1983 film is based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author Jean Shepherd, who does the narration. Originally a low-budget, so-what film when released, since 1997 “A Christmas Story” has become popular for airing in a 24-hour marathon on Christmas on the Turner family of networks.

Each time Ralphie gathers up the nerve to let his ever-patient mother, his teacher, the department-store Santa, and even his slightly bizarre father, he runs into the same opposition and the same response – “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid.” And sure enough, he almost does with the first B-B he fires in his backyard on Christmas morning.

The side plots are also entertaining, including his father’s penchant for entering mail-order contests and finally winning a “major” prize – a lamp shaped like a woman’s leg. When the prize comes in a huge box, it is marked “Fragile.” Hmmm, says Ralphie’s pop. It must be from Italy, a place called “Fra-jeel-lee.”

There is Ralphie’s mom protecting the Christmas turkey from her turkey-addict husband. When the holiday bird falls victim to the neighbor’s band of marauding dogs, the family goes to a local Chinese restaurant for a Christmas dinner of Peking duck – served with the head. And, of course, there is one of Ralphie’s buddies taking the double-dare to put his tongue against a frozen flag pole where it gets stuck.

According to an article in a Cleveland newspaper, while the setting for the story is in northwestern Indiana, it was actually filmed in Cleveland. Ralphie’s “house” in the

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movie has been converted into “A Christmas Story” museum that attracts nearly 80,000 visitors annually.

Students can now seek mission-promoting grantAn endowed grant, which was established to help KVCC achieve its mission of

teaching and learning, has been expanded in scope.What had been known as the “Endowed Faculty Grant” has been renamed the

“Endowed Faculty/Student Grant” as the request of President Marilyn Schlack.Established on Dec. 28, 2001, under the auspices of the KVCC Foundation and

funded through the president’s office, the initiative was modified this October.“Teaching and learning is the core of what makes KVCC special,” says Steve

Doherty, executive director of the foundation. “Hence this endowed fund was established to encourage new ideas that will enhance our mission and centralize a focus on teaching and learning.

“The new wrinkle,” he said, “is that, in addition to faculty members, students in good standing are now eligible to apply for the funding through the KVCC Foundation.

One such grant will be awarded each academic year and the amount will be determined by available funds. A foundation committee will select the recipient from the applications that are received.

More information about application procedures is available by contacting Doherty at extension 4442 or at sdoherty@kvcc.edu.

The next grant-submission deadlines for the KVCC Foundation are Jan. 19 and May 8.Storyteller Carrie Wilson to entertain at museum

Storyteller Carrie Wilson is the next installment in the Kalamazoo Valley Museum's 2008-09 series of entertainment events designed for pre-schoolers and families on Saturday (Dec. 6).

The 10 a.m. performance is targeted to pre-schoolers while the for-family show begins at 1 p.m. Both will be held in the museum's Mary Jane Stryker Theater and have $3 admission fees.

She is an international storyteller who delivers creative and energetic tales from around the world. Her performances designed for pre-schoolers incorporate fingerplays and puppets. Sweet Adelines in Christmas concert on Dec. 13

Math instructor Sue Hollar and her Mid-Lakes Chorus of Sweet Adelines International will be staging the group’s annual Christmas show on Saturday (Dec. 13) at 8 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church on Center Street in Portage.

An earlier Digest had listed the starting time as 7:30 p.m.The billing will include the church’s bell choir and the group’s gender

counterparts, The Kalamazoo Barbershop Chorus. She can be reached at extension 4667 or shollar@kvcc.edu for details about tickets.

It is a fund-raiser for a Kalamazoo County charitable organization. The charity this year is "Partners in Transition," an organization that assists women with children in moving from shelters to their own residences by helping them get what they need to set up their household.

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Don’t chuck those old batteriesIn cleaning out your offices and workspace to prepare for the coming of the new

year, remember the KVCC initiative to recycle used and unused rechargeable and alkaline batteries, and keep them out of landfills where their assets will be lost forever.

Recycling boxes for both rechargeable batteries as well as alkaline batteries are located in the following areas: the M-TEC Facility Shop; the Arcadia Commons Campus Facility Shop; Texas Township Campus Facility Services; the museum’s carpentry shop; the college’s audio-visual department; the automotive-technology and heating-ventilation-air conditioning labs; and in Computer Services.

The lead-acid batteries used in cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, and other motorized equipment can be recycled by taking them to the Household Hazardous Waste Center operated by Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services at 1301 Lamont Ave.

This drop-off center is on the edge of the county fairgrounds. Information about what else can be deposited there is available by calling 383-

8742.The recycling containers for dead batteries generated by on-the-job use at KVCC

are provided by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. (RBRC). RBRC's Charge Up to Recycle!® program is designed to keep rechargeable

batteries out of the solid-waste stream, adhering to the federal and state laws requiring the proper disposal of some types of used rechargeable batteries.

This program offers community and public agencies the tools to implement a simple, no-cost recycling plan.

These batteries are commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and remote-control toys.

‘Bridges’ program for minorities interested in scienceInstructors should be alerting their minority students about taking advantage of an

opportunity to sample careers in science this summer. The application deadline will be sometime in late March or early April. Five KVCC minority students took advantage of an opportunity to sample careers

in science during the summer of 2008. They were among a larger student contingent taking part in the 2008-09 National

Institutes of Health’s “Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program” through the Western Michigan University Department of Biological Sciences.

The students are Allen Foulkes, Michelle Gonzalez, Cordell Lucas, DeLight Brown, and Ayodele Jubril

In addition to the 30 hours of experience that paid $10 per hour during the summer, students could also be assigned up to 15 hours per week during the 2008-09 academic year.

The mission of “Bridges” is to offer minorities enrolled in community colleges the opportunity to relevantly explore scientific fields, enhance their academic accomplishments in science courses, and smooth the path toward a degree in a science field at a four-year university.

Taking part in this kind of endeavor teaches higher-order thinking skills, which is an important component of anyone’s education.

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“Bridges,” which promotes institutional collaborations between community colleges and four-year universities, is a function of the National Institute of General Medical Studies, one of the National Institutes of Health.

Joining KVCC in taking part in the NIH Michigan Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program at WMU were Grand Rapids Community College, Henry Ford Community College, Kellogg Community College, and Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor.

The WMU experience focuses on careers as biomedical and behavioral scientists who would spend their working years seeking the causes of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, mental illness, and other biologically impacted maladies.

“Bridges” seeks to nurture minority students to consider careers in these fields because of the growing need for trained scientists in one of the fastest-growing industries in the U. S. economy. Similar programs in Michigan are based at Wayne State University and the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids.

The program liaisons at KVCC are chemistry instructors Robert Sutton and Charissa Oliphant.

Application information and directions are available by contacting Sutton at extension 4175 or rsutton@kvcc.edu or Oliphant at extension 4402 or coliphant@kvcc.edu.

KVCC business major practices what he is preachedThe year-around role that a KVCC student plays in his family’s Christmas-tree

farm in Allegan County garnered front-page coverage in the Monday, Nov. 24, edition of The Kalamazoo Gazette.

Nineteen-year-old Matthew Janke balances a full-time, second-shift job at the Perrigo Co. in Allegan with being a business-administration major at KVCC.

Since they were old enough to carry a bucket of water between them, he and his brother, Ben, have spent their November weekends helping families find the perfect holiday tree.

But, as staff writer Rosemary Parker reported, growing Christmas trees is a 12-month gig. They aren’t just stuck in the ground, given some water, and Voila! There’s a semi-load of summer chores that are required to shape the trees into the perfect symbol of the holiday spirit.

The family enterprise has evolved from a mom-and-pop “garage” operation to a six-acre spread that features wagon rides, bonfires, and hot chocolate or hot cider to take the chill off during the tree hunt.

Wrote Parker:“The brothers have learned the service ethic by lying in the snow cutting trees

selected by office workers in street clothes, baling trees in sleet and rain, and helping families select trees in the winter darkness just before closing – perhaps the only time available for some customers to shop.”

Such “people skills” have been him in good stead at his job and in the classroom..Their parents, Mark and Hilde Janke, planted their first patch of Christmas trees

in 1986, the year they were married. Mark worked for 25 years at the Menasha Co. in Otsego before the mill closed. He’s now a professional forester with a woodlot-consulting business. Hilde works full time at Bronson Methodist Hospital.

Warning: E-mail can be L-mail, as in libel

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Surfing the Internet and the worldwide webs of the planet can be as invigorating for the mind as riding Hawaii's Bonzai Pipeline is for the body, but there is potential for peril in what you communicate.

E-mail is publishing and broadcasting in the broadest definitions of those terms. As such, E-mail is subject to the laws of libel that restrain newspapers and television news. In other words, the E in e-mail can stand for “evidence.”

When you communicate via E-mail, it just doesn't zip out into cyber space and is lost forever. It can be captured, saved, printed, and distributed to somebody who may not like what you are communicating.

Case in point:When a surfing college professor learned via E-mail that a group of colleagues

were bound for London and were looking for reasonable housing while there, he read some of the suggestions coming in from all over the world. He E-mailed his comments, urging them not to stay at a certain hostelry for various reasons. When that hostelry read the assessment, it contacted a law firm that demanded an E-mail apology, or else.

What this all means goes back to what your parents used to advise: If you can't say something nice about somebody or something, don't say anything at all. . .especially via E-mail. And, if you don’t want to see it in print, don’t keyboard it on to your screen.

And finally. . .Definitions that you might hear at your local barbershop or hair salon:Crewcut – when all of the barbers in the shop work on your hair at the

same time.Dandruff – the Swedish word for “snowflakes.’Hairline – stretch of folks waiting for the next empty chair.Mousse – the goop you put on your hair to shape it like a set of antlers.Permanent – the hairstyle that isn’t what you hoped for, but now you are

stuck with it. Question – why do women call it a “permanent” when it has to be redone in less than three weeks?

Pin curl – the preferred style of women bowlers. Split ends – the serious hair problem that was first discovered when

professional football players began wearing their locks long.Streaking – the hair treatment made famous by Lady Godiva on her ride.

☻☻☻☻☻☻

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