April 15, 2016
Get Your Geek On at STEM-CON!
More than 30 STEM faculty members at COD are working
with the Marketing and Communications team to present
the inaugural STEM-CON, an interactive, fun, FREE
celebration of science, engineering, technology and math
on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the PE
Center Atrium. Volunteers are needed to assist at this
exciting event. To sign up, please visit this
VolunteerSpot location. In addition to a long list of
learning adventures, STEM-CON will host presentations
by world-renowned former Rocket Scientist Olympia
LePoint; Nanoresearcher Dr. Diandra Leslie-Pelecky;
Associate Director of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory
Dr. James Madsen and former student Bob Zill who
worked on this project; COD Meteorologist and tornado
predictor Victor Gensini; COD Adjunct Physics Professor
and Fermilab post-doctoral appointee Alyssa Pasquale;
FAA Certified Flight Instructor/Advanced Ground
Instructor David Spano; and Fermilab’s “Mr. Freeze”
Jerry Zimmerman who will demonstrate cryogenics.
Kids (No Cats) in Hats
COD student Vinny Romano relished his role as Dr.
Seuss during a free “Cat in the Hat” reading hosted by
the College’s Follett’s Bookstore last weekend. The
program was enjoyed by children and grandchildren of
COD faculty/staff and community, who also received free
refreshments at the event.
COD Hosts Presidential Finalist Forums April 18, 19 and 20
COD will host Presidential Finalist Forums at 6:30 p.m. on
Monday, April 18 (Dr. Barbara Kavalier - right), Tuesday,
April 19 (Dr. Ann Rondeau – left) and Wednesday, April 20
(Dr. David Sam) in SSC 2206. Moderated by Board of Trustees
Acting Chairman Deanne M. Mazzochi and Faculty Senate
President Glenn Hansen the forums will also be streamed live
on the College’s website. Questions will be taken during the
forum, and attendees will also have an opportunity to e-mail
questions to pres-questions@cod.edu or via Twitter
(@pres_cod). Individuals are also encouraged to send questions
in advance of the forums via e-mail or Twitter. Read More
Horticulture Students Earn Awards at National Competition
Six College of DuPage Horticulture students competed this year
in 16 of the 28 events at the National Collegiate Landscape
Competition (formerly Student Career Days) March 15 to 19 at
Mississippi State University. As a team, the COD students
placed 39th overall in this national competition. In addition, COD
students Rafael Zavala (Aurora) placed 35th overall and Jorge
Castillo (Elk Grove Village) placed 38th overall. Zavala and
Castillo also placed 9th overall working together as a Landscape
Maintenance Operations Team. This year, approximately 800
horticulture and landscape students from 63 schools tested their
skills in real-world, competitive events and interviewed with
landscape, lawn-care, tree care, irrigation, and other companies
at the annual Career Fair held at the event. Read More
Meteorology Program Hosts Weather Balloon Launch
COD Assistant Meteorology Professor Victor Gensini (right)
and Professor Paul Sirvatka will host the program’s 2nd
annual weather balloon launch this Saturday, April 16, at
2 p.m. at the HEC’s Street Scene. Stop by to watch the
balloon soar more than 12.5 miles into the atmosphere to
record and transmit data during an approximately 65-minute
flight. Click here for a map and more information. A launch is
also scheduled for April 20 at STEM-CON. In addition, tune
in to the Weather Channel this Sunday at 11 a.m. (CDT)
where Gensini will provide an interview about the College’s
leading advancements in the science of tornado prediction.
New Enhanced 2+2 Agreement with National Louis
College of DuPage and National Louis University have
announced a new Enhanced 2+2 Articulation Agreement that
enables students to transfer seamlessly from COD to NLU to
earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, Criminal
Justice Administration from the university. The new program
is designed for students who are working toward either an
Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Applied Science
(A.A.S.) Criminal Justice degree at College of DuPage. “This
agreement offers an exciting, innovative approach to
traditional transfer programs,” said Emmanuel Awuah, COD
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. “We are
extremely pleased to work with National Louis University to
provide students with an opportunity to earn both their
associate and bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, a
profession that – according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics – is expected to grow by more than 10 percent
through 2018.” Read More
Important Dates:
• Commencement: Friday, May 20, 7 p.m., PEC
• Memorial Day, Monday, May 30 – College Closed
• Summer Semester Begins – Tuesday, May 31
• Summer Fridays Off – June 10 to Aug. 12
• Fall Open Registration – Begins Friday, April 22
2016 Carter D. Carroll Excellence in History Award Winners
Marissa Ferreri (second from left) of Carol Stream was
recognized at a recent reception as this year’s first-place
recipient of the Carter D. Carroll Excellence in History Award for
outstanding work in the field of history writing at College of
DuPage. The award, which includes a $250 stipend to the
winner, was created to encourage and reward high quality
academic writing in the field of history. Also pictured (left to right)
is Ferrari’s sponsoring faculty member John Paris, Associate
History Professor at College of DuPage, second place winner
Jessica Lee of Naperville and her sponsoring faculty member
Ben Whisenhunt, History Professor at College of DuPage.
Click here for additional photos. Read More
More Than 300 Pluto Fans Attend ‘New Horizons’ Program
NASA Ames Research Center Astrophysicist Dr. Kimberly
Ennico-Smith (center) generously provided autographs and
shared additional insights with science fans following a recent
presentation titled “Pluto Revealed: First Results from the
History First Fly-By of the Pluto System” organized by Assistant
Professor of Astronomy Joe DalSanto. During her program, Dr.
Ennico-Smith summarized NASA’s nearly 10-year New
Horizons mission, highlighting early scientific results that
included 3D imagery and projections about the future
exploration of the outer third zone of the solar system.
Click here to learn more about NASA’s New Horizons Mission.
COD’s 50-year celebration
is just around the corner!
Click here to learn how
you can contribute to this
historic event at COD!
April Service Anniversaries
5 Years: Dan Jacobson, Human Resources; Victoria Shaver,
Records
15 Years: Richard Kulig, Network Services; Teresa Rodriguez,
Network Services
20 Years: MaryEllen Reedy, McAninch Arts Center
25 Years: Ellen McGowan, McAninch Arts Center
30 Years: Terry Vitacco, Photography
Kudos to…Adjunct Philosophy instructor Dr. James Magrini
whose article, "The Language of Teaching in Dwayne
Huebner's Phenomenology: The Poetic Essence of Language
for the New Re-Conceptualization of Curriculum," was recently
published in the Journal of the American Association for the
Advancement of Curriculum Studies, Vol. 11 (Winter) 2016.
More Kudos to…Counseling faculty member Jocelyn Harney
who recently served as an evaluator for the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
(SACSCOC) to conduct a university accreditation reaffirmation
in New Orleans. She served as the lead evaluator to examine
their Quality Enhancement Plan for institutional advising,
providing the institutional summary to the campus during the
exit interview.
Kudos to…members of the English as a Second Language
and Dual-Credit offices who are working with Addison
Trail/Willowbrook District 88 as part of a new Workforce
Development initiative. Click here to read more.
More Kudos to…Inn at Water’s Edge Manager Jamie
Fredericks and the hotel staff who received their 100th
Tripadvisor review. Click here to read more.
More Kudos to…Former COD football players Fahn Cooper
and Johnny Holton who were invited to participate in the NFL
Scouting Combine this spring. Click here to read more.
More Kudos to…members of the COD Business and
Technology Division who recently facilitated a “Careers in
Manufacturing” workshop at COD’s Countywide Counselor
Institute Day for Middle School and High School Counselors.
Click here to read an overview from this workshop written by
Greta Salamando of the Tooling Manufacturing Association.
More Kudos to…COD Internal Auditor Willis Jordan who
provided this article to the COD Marketing team to post on
social media. The article was greatly appreciated and was
subsequently shared by more than 200 COD Facebook users!
A Fun, Fabulous Tweet from a Former Student: “I love NIU
too but I miss learning stuff. I learned way more at College of
DuPage and I miss that.”
COD Writers Read ‘Emerging Voices’ April 26
College of DuPage will host a showcase for the student
winners of the “Emerging Voices” writing contest at 11 a.m.
on Tuesday, April 26, in SRC 2000. Sponsored by the
College’s Academic Affairs office, Creative Writing
Committee and Liberal Arts Division, the showcase will
feature guest authors Tony Bowers (left) and T. Sean
Steele who will read and discuss their work. Read More
And Even More Kudos to…Learning Commons employee Nina
Egan who recently received an I AM COD recognition letter for her
outstanding contributions to the College.
Did You Know? As a member of the COD staff, you have free
access to the Chronicle of Higher Education. This subscription
allows employees to read the CHE on your preferred reading
device. Please use the attached directions to register your
account. For assistance, please contact Denise Cote, Electronic
Resources Librarian, at cotede@cod.edu or ext. 2092.
More Good News: Employees interested in a 10 percent, first-time
discount membership to the Art Institute of Chicago through the
University Partners Program can visit the AIC membership site at
https://sales.artic.edu/memberships and use the discount code
"CorporatePartner" (no spaces) when proceeding with payment.
A big welcome to our newest employees hired at the April 7
Board meeting. Click here for a complete list. We’re glad
you’re here!
Upcoming Events at COD!
Please check the COD calendar at www.cod.edu/calendar for a
complete list of upcoming academic, arts, lectures, athletics and
other events at COD, including the Adult Education Expo April
19; Visiting Artist Brandon Alvendia, April 20; screening
of “Secret Ballot” April 20; Woman of Distinction reception April
20; Spring Dance Concert April 22; trip to the Logan Museum of
Anthropology, April 23; Senior Expo April 24; Education
Program Open House April 26; and Future Service Member
Education Day, April 27.
Purchasing Dates
Please contact the College of DuPage Purchasing Department at
(630) 942-2217 for questions about dates required for purchasing
approval for upcoming Board of Trustees meetings.
COD Hot Tix for this Weekend!
Enjoy half-price “Hot Tix” for COD employees. This weekend at
the MAC – New Philharmonic will perform “Dueling Pianos”
Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Belushi
Performance Hall ($25.50). Call ext. 4000 or stop by the Box
Office to purchase tickets.
Job Opportunities
To view and apply for any posted internal job opportunity, go
to: https://cod.hiretouch.com. Job opportunities will be posted to
the external web page after they have been posted on the COD
Portal for seven days. For questions, please call ext. 2639.