In 1966, the Sun 720 Electronic Engine Tester was state-of-art technology. Here, a few Automotive Technology students use it to fine tune an engine under the watchful eyes of their instructor. Can you name that master mechanic?
Contact Becky Rump at 319-208-5065 or [email protected].
Readers of our last issue were left speechless when asked to ID the owners of these lovely legs.
We’re not entirely sure if savvy readers were embarrassed to admit they know said duo or so flabbergasted by their not-quite-graceful style they were left speechless.
If you know the whereabouts of these limbs on the lam, let us know—we promise not to ask questions. We still want to hire them for our next party.
Contact us at 319-208-5065 or [email protected].
SCC welcomed back Dennis Hinkle as Interim Director of the College’s Center for Business. The retired CEO and President of the Greater Burlington Partnership (GBP) had previously served as the Center’s Director before taking a post at GBP.
About 40 riders participated in the 4th Annual Dan Ring Memorial Bike Ride back in September. The event raised $2500 for the Daniel Anders Ring Memorial Nursing Scholarship.
SCC was named a Military-Friendly School by GI Jobs Magazine for the third year in a row. This designation recognizes SCC as helping active duty military and veterans attain their educational goals.
Southeastern Community College was recently re-accredited by its regional accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). SCC meets all accreditation standards and has successfully been reaffirmed for another seven-year cycle.
SCC has instituted Service Standards and a Quality Report Card system to collect input from its students, community members, businesses, industries and employers. A standing Service Standards Committee evaluates satisfaction ratings and comments quarterly to help the College continuously improve. Complete a Quality Report card here.
A 20 ¼ cent levy approved by voters in 1995 is set to expire in 2014. This important levy currently generates over $700,000 per year for needed facilities, equipment and infrastructure at SCC. Voters will have an opportunity to renew the levy on September 10, 2013. Questions about the levy can be directed to Becky Rump at (319) 208-5065.
In the fall of 2012, the College installed a display on the West Burlington campus recognizing President’s Circle & President’s Pathway participants.
New year’s resolutions. We all make them. We have an irresistible urge to be agents of positive change by setting goals on what we want to accomplish in the year to come. For some, that may be choosing a healthier lifestyle, kicking bad habits, or tending to neglected relationships. For others, it’s taking advantage of opportunities to make a better life for themselves and their families. Education often plays a role in successfully achieving that goal. Whether it’s simply exploring a hobby or learning a new skill, or as significant as opting for an entirely new career path, many people turn to SCC for help.
At SCC, through our continuous improvement process, we set goals too. A big indicator of our commitment to improvement is our recent reaccreditation. The Higher Learning Commission measures all institutions of higher learning against an exhaustive list of stringent criteria. It observed, as have I, that SCC is a quality institution filled with people who are dedicated to student learning and community development.
In this issue we see plenty of examples of how members of the SCC community set and achieve goals, whether they be encouraging artistic expression, pledging to graduate, or overcoming obstacles to build a better life. We also take time to recognize the hundreds of people and organizations that, through their generosity, help SCC achieve our mission.
I look forward to building upon SCC’s rich history of service and leadership as I begin my presidency. Because at SCC, our main goal is that we help you achieve yours.
And that’s a resolution worth keeping.
Dr. Michael Ash
There are few things more rewarding than knowing that our work makes a difference in the lives of others. That sense of accomplishment empowers us to take on bigger challenges with more confidence and determination.
Just ask Walter Blackman.
“Years from now I can drive by this house and show my kids and grand kids, ‘I built that.’ Words can’t express how that makes me feel.”
Thanks to Walter and six other young men who recently graduated from the Des Moines County Construction Program, administered by the Southeast Iowa office of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), one lucky buyer will soon call 1102 South Fourth St. in Burlington home.
The program is designed to give disadvantaged young people an opportunity to earn their GED and gain marketable skills in the construction industry through completing construction projects for non-profit agencies and municipalities. Funds are leveraged by partnering with other agencies including the City of Burlington and its Neighborhood Stabilization Project (NSP).
Burlington City Planner Amber VerKiulen explains that NSP is a federal program that focuses on renovating or re-building houses in targeted neighborhoods.
“This is a unique partnership. Our federal and state representatives were very excited that we could partner with WIA,” VerKiulen notes.
One key person in the program is Building Trades Instructor Clint Kobelt. A seasoned home builder of 20 years, Clint knows what it takes to build a quality house. A hip replacement four years ago caused him to refocus his career. That’s when he learned about the program.
Clint is amazed by how simple encouragement, empowerment and teamwork can transform lives.
“I decided to take this job as a chance to get new people into the trade and make a difference in their lives. It turned into one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had.”
He explains that many of the participants may have had few positive role models or the support from family and friends that most of us take for granted. For some, this program is the first time they are given a serious opportunity to assess their life situation and make decisions about their future.
Before participants are allowed on the job site, they must first complete a course component called Mental Toughness. The eight weeks of class work in math, reading, and safety is structured so that only those serious about completing the program earn the opportunity to move on to the next phase.
“On the very first day, I tell them that we only expect three things out of them: show up, stay awake, and participate. You’d be surprised how some participants can’t even handle that,” Clint admits.
The program is strictly performance-based. “If you don’t produce, you don’t stay. It’s that simple. We’re doing a disservice to them if we treat them any different than the real world.”
The program started with 16 participants. Twelve made it through Mental Toughness. Seven graduated.
“You might say having 7 pass out of 16 isn’t a good success rate, but what it really tells us is that we’ve got the 7 guys who want to be here. These are the guys who are committed to the program, to themselves, and to the project. They’re the ones we want to invest our time and energy in,” Clint explains.
IowaWORKS Regional Director Deb Dowell says that with some participants testing at lower than a 9th grade reading or math level, coordinators had to be creative in delivering instruction. Sometimes the instructors let the problem become the teacher. “Participants play a part in every aspect of the project. They are responsible for designing the floor plan, taking measurements and estimating costs. Those are great learning opportunities – often better than anything we can do with paper and pencil in the classroom.”
The project material budget was tight with little room for mistakes. That none of the participants have any experience building a house raised the stakes considerably.
Clint says the first big test for this group came early. “When we poured the foundation, the team had one chance to get it right. If anything went wrong, if the forms broke, if the measurements were off – anything that required rework – it could jeopardize the entire project.”
The foundation turned out perfectly.
Over the course of the project, team members developed a strong sense of ownership.
The team started on the job site on July 1. There were only two days when the heat index was below 100 degrees that month. The weather was grueling; however, the team showed up ready to work every day.
“If you know this is where a family is going to raise their kids and you’re responsible for the quality of this home, that’s a heck of a responsibility. And everybody without question has risen to the occasion,” Clint says.
Like every person in the program, Walter is grateful for the opportunity.
“Coming into this program I had no experience whatsoever. The only thing I could do was swing a hammer – and I probably would have missed the nail.”
He hopes to one day become a foreman or own his own construction business, and he has the skills foundation to get there. Graduates of the program earn a Carpentry Pre-Apprentice Certificate, a Weatherization Certificate, Concrete Finishing Certificate, and are trained in lead abatement.
Since completing the program, each has either found a job or enrolled in college.
Clint believes in the program, but more importantly, he believes in the participants. He stresses that it is the choices people make that make them successful in life. “The fact that they built the house didn’t make them better men. The fact that they chose to be better men resulted in the house being built.”
The team’s respect and admiration for Clint is immediately evident.
“I want to be a boss like Clint. He can tell me where the problem is, how to recognize it, how to fix it. And if I can’t fix it, he can fix it for me,” Walter adds.
Deb points out that the program is a win for everyone involved: participants learn skills that they can use to get a good-paying job, the city gets to invest in the community to improve neighborhoods, and a family can get a new house that might otherwise not have been able to afford one.
WIA plans to secure another round of grants and hire another program recruiter and instructor. The City of Burlington has already agreed to supply projects as have area Habitat for Humanity chapters.
Check out this video to see the house and learn about the program, the students, and the instructors.
Click to view a photo gallery of the project.
On September 27, more than 250 people filled the floor of Loren Walker Arena on SCC’s West Burlington campus for the 2012 SCC Foundation Scholarship Reception.
Scholarship donors, recipients, families, and SCC faculty and staff attended the event.
SCC Foundation Executive Director Becky Rump explains that while many donors play a role in selecting the winners of the 200+ annual scholarships, few ever get to meet the recipients.
“This event let the donors and the recipients connect names with faces. They actually got to meet each other. It was really neat.”
The last time SCC hosted a similar event was back in 2001. Rump says that the time is right to begin the practice again.
“It’s just a really cool thing to do. The generosity of our scholarship donors is often life-altering for our students. For some, it’s the sole reason they are in college. Having that kind of an impact on a person’s life is worth celebrating.”
In addition to the current scholarships, a handful of donors were individually recognized for their contributions. Lawrence and Marilyn Matteson established 12 scholarships of up to $2,000 each earlier this year for students who enroll in technical career programs, and SCC Trustee Moudy Nabulsi and wife Sharon Scholl Nabulsi recently leveraged their $3,000 annual gift with Chevron’s matching gift program to help non-traditional age students.
Irv and Ruth Stein were recognized for sponsoring the longest standing SCC Foundation scholarship, the Irvin M. Stein Foundation Scholarship, a full-tuition award for academic achievers pursuing a career in nursing or healthcare. Mrs. Mildred Tenglin was also recognized for her two restricted scholarships, a welding scholarship in memory of her late husband, Gunnar, and a GED scholarship in memory of her late brother, Ray Johnson.
Two SCC students shared their stories first-hand and spoke about the importance scholarships have had in helping them attain their educational goals. Drafting student Richard Shinall talked about what it meant to him that retired SCC instructor and scholarship donor LeRoy Crist believed in him. Former Fort Madison High School exchange student from Tanzania Rachel Kazungu challenged fellow recipients to take full advantage of the opportunity provided to them in part by generous donors to realize their full potential.
Click to see the photo gallery of the event.
To establish a scholarship or make gifts to SCC, click here or call 319-208-5065.
