MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CONNECTION
JANUARY 2006
MCC
FACULTY
& STAFF
NEWSLETTER
WHAT’S
INSIDE
AROUND CAMPUS
COUNSELING AND
STUDENT
DEVELOPMENT
DIVISION HELPS
MCC GRADUATES
TRUSTEES HONOR
ANGUS AT
RETIREMENT
MCC WINS
BEAUTIFICATION
AWARD
2006 HOLIDAY
CLOSINGS
Q UOTE OF
THE M ONTH
“Yesterday is but today's memory,
and tomorrow is today's dream.”
-- Kahlil Gibran
MCC Offers New Diesel Technology
Program
Area residents will have an opportunity to enhance their current skills or launch a new career
through the new two-year Diesel Technology Program offered by MCC's Corporate Services
Department.
An open house to announce the new program is scheduled Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 4:30 to 6 pm
in the High Bay Area of the Regional Technology Center. Attendees will have a chance to meet with
industry experts who will answer questions and provide information about training and career opportunities in diesel technology.
The diesel engine is the workhorse powering the nation's trucks, buses and heavy equipment.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a career in diesel engines offers relatively high wages and
the challenge of skilled repair work. Job opportunities are expected to be good for individuals who
complete formal training programs. MCC's diesel technology program is designed for entry level
employees, maintenance technicians looking for career advancement, current vehicle or equipment
technicians seeking to upgrade their skills and displaced workers seeking a new career.
The program will utilize lecture, demonstrations, and hands-on training. Classes can be taken as a
program or individually. Based on the complexity of the modern diesel engines, a total of 864 hours of
training will be offered over a two-year structure delivered by knowledgeable, field-tested instructors
who have comprehensive industry expertise. Classes can be taken as a program or individually and
will be held at MCC's Wagner Auto Lab located at 711 N. Saginaw St.at Fifth Ave in Flint. Classes
start Jan. 24. Enrollment is limited. Call (810) 232-8674 to register or for more information.
Cleary Offers Tuition Discount to
MCC Employees
Cleary University is offering all MCC employees and their immediate family members a
Partnership Grant which offers a 20% tuition discount on all Cleary University courses. Cleary
University offers a comprehensive curriculum of business related courses leading to BBA, BS and
MBA degrees. Included in the Cleary University tuition program are additional features which include
a tuition guarantee which states that as long a student stays enrolled at Cleary, their tuition will not
increase. Also, all textbooks and fees are included in Cleary's per hour tuition rate. When you register, Cleary will send your textbooks to you at your home or work location.
Cleary University, which is located at the MCC University Center, will begin offering onsite
courses during its Winter B Term with classes beginning Feb. 20. There is plenty of time to apply,
enroll and register. Anyone who is interested in further program information or enrolling can contact
Cleary University Dean of Recruiting Roy Coons at (800) 686-1883, ext. 2248 or rcoons@cleary.edu.
MLK Tribute Dinner
"From Dreams to Action," the 27th annual citywide tribute dinner in honor of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., will be Thursday, Jan. 12 at the Sarvis Center. A reception is scheduled 5:30 pm, followed
by dinner at 6 pm. Dr. Claud R. Young, president of the Southern Christian Leadership ConferenceDetroit Branch will be the keynote speaker. Tickets are $30 per person; $240 per corporation/table.
Seating is limited. Individual tickets must be purchased by Monday, Jan. 9; corporate/table tickets by
Thursday, Jan. 5. Call the Foundation for MCC at 762-0425 to purchase tickets. This event is co-sponsored by Mott Community College, Baker College of Flint, Davenport University, Kettering
University, The University of Michigan-Flint and The Flint Journal.
Ca m pus
d
Arou
n
Here's news from Human Resources: Chief
Human Resources Officer Mark Kennedy
and Senior HR Recruiter Sharon Ewles presented "Effective Hiring of Employees" to
the Clio Area Chamber of Commerce at
MCC's Northern Tier Center in Clio in
November. Their presentation also focused
on ways attendees could improve their businesses or organizations. Congratulations to
HR Generalist Susan Praski and
Staffing/HR Assistant Cindy Sanders. They
graduated from Rochester College with BA
degrees in business communications in
December. Cindy graduated with honors.
A hearty MCC welcome goes to new
employee Kevin McFadden. He started
work as Upward Bound Coordinator with the
Learning Center on Dec. 5.
MCC Lapeer Extension Director Wanda
Dowdall and staff really got into the holiday
giving spirit, adopting two families for
Christmas. "Through the Holiday Depot of
Lapeer, the offices of MCC Lapeer Academic
and Corporate Services adopted a family
consisting of a single mom and two boys --
ages four and six. In lieu of exchanging gifts
among staff members, all resources were
devoted to the needs of the family. Academic
Secretary Paula Becker organized a food
drive among faculty, staff and students. She
also went shopping for the family with
money that had been donated. In addition to
the items purchased, the family was presented with $100 in cash that was donated
anonymously. The other Holiday Depot family consisted of five girls, ages 2 to 16, whose
father had passed away last spring. This was
coordinated through the Lapeer Sunrise
Kiwanis club. We had an in-house auction
and raised $550."
Psychology Prof. Gail Knapp wrote the
instructor's manual to accompany the newly
published Social Psychology Alive textbook
by Beckler, Olson and Wiggins, published by
Thomas/Wadsworth. The manual was created
using WIDS and faculty who adopt the textbook are given a printed copy of the manual
with teaching ideas, competencies, objectives
and assessment tools for each chapter. They
are also given a CD of the book that allows
them to edit the student handout material to
personalize it for their course. Information
Technology Prof. Lynn Thigpen was the
designer who "made the material look very
elegant," Gail said. "The editor at Wadsworth
asked us to do this since they were very
happy with the seventh edition of an instructor manual for their general psychology textbook by Plotnik that Lynn and I had written
for them a couple of years ago. Doing a book
from scratch was a very different experience
from doing a revision like the other one."
Congratulations are in order for
Foundation for MCC President Lennetta
Coney. The National Association of Career
Women designated her as the "Career
Woman of the Year" for outstanding achievement in her career at their annual board
meeting.
Mailroom Technician El Nita Blount,
who serves as Mott Ballroomers/Steppers
club advisor, tells us that MCC's hoofers
have done it again, this time bringing home
top honors from the Buckeye State. On Nov.
19, members of the dance club competed in
the first annual dance competition presented
by Gentlemen of Ballroom, held at the UAW
Hall Local 1005 in Parma, Ohio. There were
three different dance competitions featuring
Ballrooming, Chicago Steppin' and Hand
Dance styles. Our couple, MCC students Feo
Duncan and Candace Hinton, walked away
with the first place prize: a pair of trophies
and $400 in cash. Couples from Flint,
Detroit, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington,
D.C. and Chicago were also in the competition. "We are all very proud of our first place
students who continue to shine and represent
our student club and the College in such
great fashion," El Nita said. Our steppers are
featured on the website: www.steppersexpress.com. Click on "videos," then click on
"play video" to view the dancers.
Counselor Brian Ivory presented a
workshop in November titled: "Self-Styled
Rites of Passage for Students in Transition."
This was presented at the international conference for the Association for Experiential
Education in Tucson, Ariz.
Counseling and Student
Development Division Helps
MCC Graduates
Renowned filmmaker and Flint area native Michael Moore
was on the MCC campus Nov. 20 to receive the first Paul
Wellstone Memorial Award at a dinner/award ceremony
sponsored by the Progressive Caucus of the Genesee County
Democratic Party. More than 200 people attended the event,
which was nationally televised on CSPAN. The award,
which acknowledges peace efforts and grass roots
organizing, is named for the Democratic U.S. Senator from
Minnesota who died in a 2002 plane crash.
Commitment to helping students achieve academic success and accomplishing their related goals is central to MCC's purpose. That commitment to success
doesn't stop with students' graduation, stated Counseling and Student
Development Dean James Leonard.
In November, the Counseling Center offered several group sessions to recent
MCC graduates to help them with issues and skills for locating employment. This
follow-up came as a result of graduates responding to a questionnaire mailed to
them by the Student Employment Center. MCC Counseling faculty member Dan
Blaha who also works with Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth
(DLEG), addressed issues related to students' employment needs. Graduates discussed concerns regarding their job search process and received helpful information specific to their degrees and individual circumstances. Resume development
services were provided and many career myths were addressed as well. "The
group was so successful, the participants unanimously requested a second session
which will cover internet job searches," Leonard said. "Many students also followed up with individual sessions scheduled with counselors." The Student
Employment Center at MCC offers its graduates free lifetime assistance in their
employment search, including career counseling, resume assistance, job referral
service, computer employment services and mock interviews.
Trustees honor Angus
at retirement
At its December meeting, the MCC Board of Trustees honored retiring
Vice President of Academic Affairs Bill Angus for 37 years of service to
the college. In the picture above the board and President Dick Shaink
present Angus with a board resolution of thanks.
MCC wins beautification award
MCC Facilities Department was recognized by Keep Genesee
County Beautiful for the work being done to beautify the campus as well
as the Longway Boulevard corridor. According to the KGCB award committee, “The overall appearance of the Mott Community College campus
is important in building recognition of Flint and Genesee County as a center of higher education (i.e. Flint as a college town). The beautification of
Longway Boulevard has played an important role in strengthening this
key education and cultural corridor, enhancing the Flint Cultural Center
and Kearsley Park. MCC has made a firm commitment, backed by significant expenditures, to continue to maintain and improve its area and neighborhood.”
Business Division Dean Robert Loth (left) was recently selected as a
Paul Harris Fellow by the Genesee Valley Rotary Club. Jerry Heck
(right), Past President and Assistant District Governor of the Genesee
Valley Rotary Club, presented the award. A Paul Harris Fellow is honored by his or her Rotary Chapter for service beyond self, which is
what Rotary is all about. The award is named after Paul Harris, who
founded Rotary International 100 years ago.
MCC Music Department to
Hold Its First Jazz Festival
The Department of Music is presenting the First Annual Michigan
Community College Jazz Festival, Saturday, Feb. 25 from 9 am to 9 pm
in the Mott Memorial Building. The event is free and open to the public.
The Festival will feature college and high school jazz ensembles
from all over Michigan as well as MCC’s own Jazz Ensemble and Jazz
Combo I. Special guests include award-winning Canadian band leader
and recording artist Dave McMurdo with Trumpeter Mike Malone. For
details, call MCC Music Prof. Tom Smith at 232-3491.
General Information
Holiday Closings 2006
January 16 ............Martin Luther King Day
May 29......................................Memorial Day
July 4 ................................Independence Day
September 4 ..................................Labor Day
Ken Gatenby accepted the award at the KGCB award ceremony held
in the center court of Genesee Valley Mall with over 500 people in attendance. Later, VP Scott Jenkins presented the award to the college Board
of Trustees along with Facilities staff members (left) Kerry Sullivan, Ray
Talbot. Ken Gatenby and Tim Broomfield.
November 23 & 24 ....Thanksgiving Holiday
December 23........First Day of Winter Break
JANUARY 2006
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
1
3
2
4
5
6
Winter Break
Campus Closed
7
Women’s basketball
1 p.m. Ballenger
8
Men’s basketball
Game 3 p.m.
Ballenger
9
10
Genesee Audubon
Society Meeting
5:30-10 p.m.
Genesee Room
11
12
Wild Ones Meeting
7-9 p.m.
Genesee Room
16
17
18
19
13
Fridays at Applewood
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Applewood Café
20
MLK Holiday
Campus Closed
14
Women’s basketball
1 p.m. Ballenger
15
Men’s basketball
Game 3 p.m.
Ballenger
21
Women’s basketball
1 p.m. Ballenger
22
Men’s basketball
Game 3 p.m.
Ballenger
23
30
24
31
Board of Trustees
Meeting • 7:30-10 p.m.
Prahl Ballroom
Jan. 23
College & Cultural Ctr.
Neighborhood Assoc.
6-9 p.m. • RTC 1005
Jan. 24
25
Women’s basketball
5:30 p.m. Ballenger
Men’s basketball
Game 7:30 p.m.
Ballenger
26
27
28
Women’s basketball
1 p.m. Ballenger
29
Men’s basketball
Game 3 p.m.
Ballenger
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