April 1, 2016
COD MPTV Instructor Debuts ‘Raising Bertie’
The latest project by former COD student and current
Motion Picture/TV adjunct instructor Margaret Byrne is
a feature-length documentary “Raising Bertie” that will
have its world premiere at the Full Frame Documentary
Film Festival on Saturday, April 9, in Raleigh-Durham,
N.C. The movie is being released by Chicago’s awardwinning collective Kartemquin Films as part of its 50th
anniversary year. Byrne began “Raising Bertie” in
2009. Set in Bertie County, a predominantly African
American rural community in the eastern part of North
Carolina, the film initially began as a look at The Hive,
an alternative school for at-risk boys. “I always knew this
is what I wanted to do,” Byrne said. “I learned so much
when I was at College of DuPage. The resources are
incredible.” Read More
Tony Venezia Named Adobe Education Leader
COD Professor of Motion Picture/Television Tony
Venezia has been selected to serve a new two-year
term as an Adobe Education Leader. The Adobe
Education Leader Program highlights the contributions
of educators who use Adobe tools and applications in
innovative ways to promote excellence in the classroom.
“I train students for an industry where innovation is
expected, and it’s important for them to learn the tools
that will help them succeed,” Venezia said. “I appreciate
the opportunity to work with Adobe on a team that
understands the importance of unleashing the
innovation inside students.” Read More
COD Presents Free Lecture ‘Pluto Revealed’ April 10
NASA Ames Research Center Astrophysicist Dr. Kimberly
Ennico-Smith will provide a free lecture, “Pluto Revealed: First
Results from the Historic First Fly-By of the Pluto System” at COD
on Sunday, April 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Belushi Performance
Hall. Dr. Ennico-Smith will discuss NASA’s New Horizons mission
and its early scientific results, including 3D imagery, as well as
the future of exploration to the outer third zone of the solar
system. Dr. Ennico-Smith is a research astrophysicist at NASA’s
Ames Research Center and a Co-Investigator and Deputy Project
Scientist on NASA’s 10-year New Horizon’s Fly-By Mission, which
resulted in taking imagery, spectra and on-site particle data from
Pluto and its system of moons. Read More
COD, Willowbrook High School Students ‘Paint it Black’
College of DuPage theater student Katya Pospisil poses for
budding photographers during the recent 2016 “Paint It Black”
session in the MAC lobby. Members of the Photography 1101
class taught by COD Professor Terry Vitacco, as well as
Advanced Photo students from Willowbrook High School
participated as part of the COD/WHS Dual Credit Agreement
program. Click here for more photos. On Tuesday, May 3, from
6 to 9 p.m. in SRC 2000, WHS and other regional high schools
will participate in COD’s Photography program’s “Exposed:
Photography Showcase.” The event will feature fine art,
commercial, studio, location, wedding, architecture, nature,
photojournalism, editorial, documentary, event coverage,
conceptual and alternative processes portfolios.
Students Present at National Anthropology Conference
COD students (left to right) Sharon Grimm, Allen Garza
and Amber Julius have been selected to present the
results of their research at the 76th Annual Society for
Applied Anthropology (SFAA) Conference in Vancouver,
British Columbia this spring. “Having student abstract
submissions accepted at a national conference like the
SFAA is a very big deal,” said Dr. Derrick Willis, Associate
Anthropology Professor. “I am so proud of them. They put
great effort into their work and it is paying off. Seeing their
accomplishments validates why I am here and why we as
educators do what we do here at COD.” Read More
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
This spring, College of DuPage is providing professional
development for faculty through the Perkins Faculty
Externship Pilot program. Funded through a successful
Perkins Grant proposal, the program provides stipends to
faculty for spending time in industrial settings related to the
disciplines in which they instruct. Participating instructors
will shadow professionals in their fields, serving as
volunteers and providing pro bono services. Five proposals
were approved, including faculty members from Accounting,
Anesthesia Technology, Automotive Service Technology,
Human Services and Interior Design programs. Read More
Get Hands-On with STEM at Inaugural STEM-CON April 30
Use “Glo-Germ” lotion and an ultraviolet light to explore the
germy side of bacteria; enjoy a “safe sun” viewing; learn about
the physics of flight with a real airplane; extract DNA from a
strawberry; examine human skeletons and see how acid affects
bones; taste-test organic vs. GMO produced food; explore the
“beauty of the beast” demonstrated through ball python genetic
morphs; view how river systems are made; watch the incredible
creations made through 3D scanning, and learn about the
science of speed with a real race car…These are just some of
the free, fun interactive events celebrating science, technology,
engineering and math at STEM-CON on Saturday, April 30,
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the PE Center Arena, which will also
feature presentations by world-renowned former rocket
scientist Olympia LePoint, nanoresearcher Dr. Diandra
Leslie-Pelecky and Fermilab’s “Mr. Freeze” who will
demonstrate cryogenics. Get Your Geek On at STEM-CON!
Invitational Floral Design Career Development Event
Oswego High School senior Grace Copland adds finishing
touches to her first place-winning corsage during a recent
Floral Design Career Development event hosted by the COD
Horticulture program. Approximately 70 students from
Naperville Central, Waubonsie Valley, Neuqua Valley,
Kaneland, Oswego, Dwight Township, Lockport Township,
Glen Brook South and Byron high schools, and Chicago High
School for Agricultural Sciences participated. Students were
challenged to recreate arrangements and corsages from
provided images. Additionally, students completed a written
exam and floral identification test. Three professional floral
designers judged the corsages and round arrangements,
determining the corsage winners based on proper mechanics,
overall symmetry (balance), corsage focal point, marketability
and ability to reproduce product with materials provided. The
round arrangement parameters included mechanics, even
distribution of flowers, symmetry, proportion to container and
marketability. Click here for more images.
Even More Kudos to…
The Cosmetology program,
which recently added a new
Nail Technology certificate to
its roster. The new program,
approved by the ICCB, will
provide students with skills to
work as nail technicians,
pedicurists, manicurists and sales representatives. Read More
Kudos to…HSTI Director Tom Brady (left) who invited
the following professionals to conduct a “Soft Target
Hardening” workshop in the HEC Mock Court Room and
online attended by nearly 250 individuals: (left to right)
Greg Benson, Fire Service Professional with a career
spanning more than 35 years of emergency services and
emergency management experience; Dr. Jennifer
Hesterman (Colonel, USAF, retired) academic author,
instructor and counterterrorism expert; and Dr. Mike
Fagel, whose public safety career includes Law
Enforcement, Fire Rescue, Emergency Medical Services
and Emergency Management. The workshop was
included as part of the coverage of the Brussels terrorist
attacks by NBC News. In addition, Tom Brady was
interviewed by TribLive for a national article covering
the vulnerability of “soft targets” to terrorist attacks.
More Kudos
to…Kinesiology major
Samuel Franklin (left)
who is one of six students
to earn this year’s Rotary
Club of Naperville
Charities Scholarships.
Additional recipients
include Felipe Arias,
Elmhurst; Danica Barnitz,
Elmhurst; Samuel Franklin, Naperville; Kayla Koskela,
Naperville; Shannon McCarthy, West Chicago; and Elissa
Pancoe, Wheaton. Since 1996, the Rotary Club of Naperville has
provided 125 COD students with approximately $500,000 in
scholarships to assist them with their studies. Please click here
for photos from a recent Rotary recognition luncheon.
More Kudos to More Kudos to…Associate Earth Science
Professor Victor Gensini whose research into the science
of predicting tornadoes was the topic of an interview last
night with WGN-TV. Gensini will also present at Tom
Skilling’s Fermilab tornado seminar on April 2.
More Kudos to…English Professor Tom Fate whose recent
review of the book “Fracture” ran in last week’s Chicago
Tribune. Click here to read the article.
More Kudos to…Communications Manager Robyn Johnson
who will spend Fridays this summer touring as a back-up singer
for the new band Creed 2 with former frontman Scott Stapp.
Read More
And More Kudos to…COD Motion Picture/TV Professor
Tony Venezia who will discuss “The History of Film and Animation”
at the first Sunday Tea & Talk Art Lecture Series hosted by
Benedictine University this Sunday, April 3, at 2 p.m. in the
Komechak Art Gallery. Click here for details.
Even More Kudos to…The CE/Adult Education office, which
recently hosted an “Adult Education Student Appreciation Event”
attended by more than 150 students who are working toward their
High School Equivalency (HSE/GED®) credential. Prior to the
event, students reflected on their progress toward their short-term
educational goals. In addition, students were acknowledged by
faculty members for accomplishments such as perfect attendance,
homework, testing, and improvements in math and reading scores.
REMINDER: The 2016 COD4COD Employee Giving program is
running now through April 15. Through COD4COD, you can
choose from more than 200 established scholarship and academic
program funds in 50 different areas. Please note that 100% of
your donation supports the fund(s) of your choice. Last
year the COD4COD Employee Giving Program raised $35,211 for
student scholarships and programs. To read more about the impact
of your donations in the March 2016 COD4COD newsletter edition
or to make an online donation today please click here. For details
or questions, please call ext. 2462 or email foundation@cod.edu.
A big weclome to our newest employees hired in February
and March. Click here for a complete list. We’re glad you’re
here!
COD Hot Tix for this Weekend!
Enjoy half-price “Hot Tix” for COD employees. This weekend at
the MAC – “Hot Club of San Francisco” presented in
partnership with WDCB 90.9fm, Friday/Saturday, 8 p.m. in the
Playhouse Theatre ($23.50-$25). Call ext. 4000 or stop by the
Box Office to purchase tickets.
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 CODCON XXI Gaming
Convention April 8-10; The Underground Railroad in DuPage
County, April 11; Culinary Grief Therapy – Cooking for One
April 13; Persons and Their Bodies, April 13 and an Access
and Accommodations Info Session, April 16.
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.
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.