Nov. 21, 2014
2014 Inaugural Class of Distinguished Alumni
Theater Professor Amelia Barrett and Distinguished
Alumni actress Robyn Coffin share a special
moment during a daylong series of events to honor
the first class of Distinguished Alumni at COD. In total,
eight alumni were recently honored by the Foundation
for their outstanding achievements, including Dr. Kim
L. Armour, Dennis Barsema, Robyn Coffin, Buna
Dahal, Bryan T. Green, Amy Beth Kirsten, Lauren
Morgan and Gus Vonderheide. Click here to read
more, watch a video and view more photos.
Homeland Security Training Center Under Way
College of DuPage has begun construction of the new
Homeland Security Training Center (rendering above).
Click here for construction photos. The 39,714 squarefoot facility will include a state-of-the-art indoor firing
range and a call center training lab. This facility is Phase
II in the completion of the College’s Homeland Security
Training Institute (HSTI). The $16 million center, funded
by the 2010 capital bond referendum, is scheduled to
open in summer 2015. “We are very pleased to be on
the cusp of technology needed to train our first
responders here at the College and at local and regional
agencies,” said COD Board Chair Erin Birt. Currently,
cadets at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy,
located at COD, must travel to Will County for their
firearm training. With the addition of this facility, SLEA
training will be completed entirely at COD. Read More
International Flag Ceremony
Students (left to right) Nour Atieh, Mays Siaj, Luma
Alamayreh and Mariam Siaj proudly displayed the official
flag of Jordan at this week’s “International Flag Ceremony”
hosted as part of International Education Week. Hosted by
Jim Dugan, manager of the World Peace Sanctuary in
Wassaic, New York, the event featured flags and information
about nearly 200 countries. The ceremony also included a
custom “Peace Pole” with the eight most represented
languages at COD. Students were asked to write messages
of peace on slips of paper throughout the ceremony, which
were then placed inside a time capsule within the Peace
Pole. Special thanks to the Office of Student Life for
hosting and COD’s Global Education Advisory Committee
for funding for the ceremony. Click here for more photos.
Welcome Sheldon Walcher
Sheldon Walcher is the new
Associate Dean of English and
Academic ESL at College of DuPage.
Walcher, whose father worked for the
U.S. Foreign Service, was born in
Brazil and has lived and traveled
around the world. He grew up reading
and, at the age of 11, wanted to
become part of the literary world. During his sophomore year at the
University of California at Santa Cruz, he became a writing tutor
and was subsequently told that he should teach for a living. “I’ve
never thought of teaching as imparting wisdom. I see teaching as
helping people discover the excitement of learning,” the Naperville
resident said. Read More
REMINDER: Classes are not in session
but the College is open on Wednesday,
Nov. 26. The College is closed for
Thanksgiving Recess from Thursday,
Nov. 27, through Sunday, Nov. 30.
Even More Kudos to…Judy Coates and Gina Wheatley who
th
recently served as committee members for the 20 annual Northern
Illinois Network (NIN) Staff Exchange at Moraine Valley Community
College. The exchange, which included 101 attendees from 13
community colleges, provided an opportunity for support staff to
network with counterparts from other community colleges, share ideas
and engage in problem-solving activities. Thanks also to Deb Secara,
Gail Conidi, Katie Leonardo, Mike Kaiser, Jamie Johnson, Chris
Gekas, Katie Sommers, Rae Maslana, Eileen Martyn and Anne
Guenther. Click here for photos (pin: NIN).
Bloomingdale/Roselle Community Night at COD
College of DuPage recently hosted a Community
Night dinner for 110 business, educational and
governmental leaders from Bloomingdale and Roselle
on Nov. 12. The dinner was held in Waterleaf
restaurant. Click here for photos and to read more.
COD Artists Continue to
Beautify New Orleans
For the last nine years, a
group of College of DuPage
students and community
members have created a
collection of paintings,
donating the final pieces to
rebuilding efforts for those
impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Volunteer organizations
there continue to build new homes for residents and there
remains a need to furnish and decorate these homes,”
said COD Art Professor Jennifer Hereth. Read More
Kudos to…Specialized Testing Office Supervisor
Marilyn Ortiz who was featured in the current quarterly
newsletter from the National Testing Network.
More Kudos to…MPTV documentary and editing
instructor Margaret Byrne who was recently profiled in
New City Film. The article discusses Byrne’s latest film,
“Raising Bertie,” which covers five years in the North
Carolina farming community of Bertie County and follows
the lives of three young men growing into adulthood. Read
more about her work in Reel Chicago and Beti Films.
More Kudos
to…English
Professor Tom
Fate (pictured
here with an
English class in
Breckenridge)
who read and
lectured at all
seven
campuses of Colorado Mountain College in central
Colorado where his book, “Cabin Fever,” was selected as
the Common Reader for 2014-2015. The book was also
the theme for a college wide writing/art contest: "cultivating
a sense of enough in a culture of more." More than 4,000
students, faculty, and community members read and
discussed the book.
And More Kudos to…Geography student Joseph Hines whose
essay on Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery will run in the spring
2015 issue of Route 66 magazine and Tara Joseph whose essays
and photos will also run in an upcoming issue of this publication.
Special thanks from Geography
Professor Keith Yearman to
Photography faculty for assisting
with these and other projects.
And More Kudos to…
Photography Professor Terry
Vitacco whose students hosted
the first High School Photo Day at Willowbrook. Click here for
more photos and information about this event.
Even More Kudos to…English instructor Mardelle Fortier who was
one of seven featured authors at Lisle Library’s inaugural “Lit Fest.”
Fortier gave a presentation on writing, inspiration and publishing.
COD Cares Giving Garland
Project for Area Children
Make a child's holiday brighter by
taking a tag from the GIVING
GARLAND hanging along the
large window wall in the SSC
Atrium. This is a promise to
purchase a minimum of $25
worth of suggested gifts.
Packages will be given to
Humanitarian Service Project and distributed to 50 children in
DuPage County who may not otherwise receive gifts this season.
Purchasing Dates
For an item to be recommended for purchasing approval to the
Board of Trustees at the Feb. 19, 2015, Board meeting, all
specifications, rationales, requisitions and IT equipment reviews
must be in Purchasing by Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014. Please
click here for a list of all deadlines through the June 25, 2015,
Board of Trustees meeting.
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.
Employment Information Lines?
(630) 942-2460 – For a listing of faculty, classified and
administrative positions. (630) 942-2639 – For detailed
information and to schedule skills testing for clerical positions.
Apply at www.cod.edu/hr.