Encounters ALUMNI MAGAZINE • VOLUME 6 • ISSUE 4 • DECEMBER 2008 Personal Enrichment Breaking Ground Expanding Success As Noted “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow,” said Anthony J. D’Angelo, entrepreneur and author. One of the hallmarks of a successful institution of higher education is its ability to instill in its students, alumni, faculty and staff a commitment to life-long learning. This is critical to our ability to grow as individuals both in and out of the classroom, in our jobs and in every other aspect of our lives. From the moment students enter our classrooms, Owens Community College encourages them to develop a passion for lifelong learning. Through the Success Program and other scholarship initiatives, we are expanding access to higher education across Northwest Ohio. Also, through creative and innovative programs such as the Bridge to Success, we are providing students with the tools they need to succeed at Owens. Special events such as "An Uncommon Evening" give community friends and organizations an opportunity to invest in student success. The College encourages commitment to learning long after graduation. Through our Workforce and Community Services division, the College offers a variety of personal enrichment, professional development and computer training opportunities for community members and Owens faculty, staff and alumni. As we learn, we continue to grow. Throughout the pages of this newsletter, you will see evidence of the College’s focus on life-long learning. I hope this will inspire you to keep on learning and growing as well. Sincerely, David W. Seeger President Owens Community College Alumni Association I am proud to say that the Alumni Association has supported wholeheartedly the Owens Community College Foundation’s Success Program and other scholarship initiatives. Since its inception in 2003, our annual Golf Classic has raised more than $180,000 in support of the Alumni Legacy Endowed Scholarship Fund and, added this year, the Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship Fund. President of the College Christa Adams, Ph.D. Board of Trustees John Moore, Chair Dee Talmage, Vice Chair John Ault Allan Libbe Ronald McMaster, Ph.D. R J Molter Richard Rowe 2 Foundation Board Members Arthur Smith, Chairman Thomas Pounds, Vice Chairman Dee Talmage, Secretary Daniel Kimmet, Treasurer Ann Savage, President/CEO Christa Adams Continued James Baehren Charles Bills James Carter John Christy Timothy Coleman James Geers Allan Libbe John McDermott Paul Meinerding John Moore James Murray Alan Sattler David Seeger Rasesh Shah Emily Walton J. Michael Wilder John Zajac Alumni Association Board David Seeger, President Andrea Gurcsik, Vice President Christi Wagner, Secretary Steve Cotner, Treasurer Janet Meacham, Past President Laura Moore, Executive Director Lorena Baird Mark Carr Carolyn Chapman Debra Green Allen Gunn Nick Huenefeld Angela Jackson Kaye Koevenig Susan Litten Michael Rickard Ann Savage Continued Allison Schroeder Bill Steele Regina Woodson Alumni Relations Office Laura Moore, Director Stacie Majewski, Secretary Encounters Magazine Laura Moore, Editor Sarah Householder, Project Manager and Contributor Matthew Finkhousen, Designer Sarah Metzger, Contributor Brad Meyer, Contributor Brian Yinger, Photographer Breaking Ground for Groundbreaking Building Owens Community College hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the $3.2 million Center for Emergency Preparedness Operations Building this November. “The simulated burn building will allow firefighters to experience a variety of fire conditions in an environment that is reactive and completely safe,” said Michele Johnson, Chair of the School of Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Construction of the 28,000-square-foot Operations Building has begun. It will house the only indoor simulated burn building in the country. In addition, the facility will include a façade of a building complete with television screens as windows, so that firefighters can see the flames from outside the simulator. The four-story simulated burn building will be housed within the Operations Building and will include three screens where a simulated fire can be projected. The screens will be protected by a see-through plexiglass wall so that firefighters can spray water at the screen. A high-tech computer will sense the water spray at the screen and react by changing the fire simulation based on the way the firefighters are fighting the fire. The building is also designed for high-angle rescue, ground and aerial ladder drills, high-rise hose evolution, and rappel entry and exit training, as well as roof ventilation training exercises with a replaceable roof. The projection program will allow first responders to conduct a variety of structure burn scenarios, such as residential, commercial, processing or electrical equipment fires, using actual water within a controlled virtual fire and smoke environment. Additional features will include six classrooms, eight offices, two reception areas, locker room facilities and a 40-foot-high bay complex with 10 overhead garage doors, which will house the simulated burn building and first responder vehicles. It will contain Owens Center for Emergency Preparedness and Toledo Fire and Rescue Department and Emergency Medical Services Bureau staff and offices. At the groundbreaking, State Fire Marshal Michael Bell announced that the Operations Center will be the Northwest Ohio training arm for the Ohio Fire Academy. The building is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2009. Above: Rendering of the Operations Building. Right: At the groundbreaking, State Fire Marshal Michael Bell announced that the Operations Center will be the Northwest Ohio training arm for the Ohio Fire Academy. 3 Expanding the Success Program The Owens Community College Foundation is piloting its new Success Program with Woodward High School in Toledo and Findlay High School during the 2008-09 academic year. The Success Program bridges the gap between a student’s federal financial grant aid and the cost of tuition and fees at Owens. This gives students the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree, with the related objective of encouraging high school students to stay in school and earn their high school diploma. To date, 87 Woodward and Findlay high school students have chosen to continue their education at Owens through the Success Program. Complementing the Success Program, Owens created the Bridge to Success Program to assist students in making a smooth transition from high school to college. The bridge program exposes students, who may never have aspired to attend college, to an array of academic initiatives, including academic preparation, exposure to campus life, tutoring, mentoring and intrusive academic advising. With the expansion, fourteen high schools in Toledo and Findlay are now partners in the Owens Success Program. To be eligible, students must graduate from high school, be enrolled in 12 or more credit hours each semester at Owens and complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine financial aid and receive some federal/state grant funding. Recipients must enroll at Owens during the first Fall Semester following graduation and will have three years to complete their associate’s degree through the Success Program initiative. Eventually, the Owens Community College Foundation plans to offer the Success Program to all qualifying high school graduates throughout the College’s legal district, which includes Lucas, Wood and Hancock counties as well as part of Sandusky and Ottawa counties. Toward that end, the Foundation is continuing to seek donations to expand the program. For more information on supporting the Foundation’s Success Program, please call Ann Savage at (567) 661-7184, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.owens.edu/foundation/index.html. Thanks to strong community support, in fall 2009, the Foundation will expand the Success Program partnership to include all high schools within the Toledo Public Schools district. In announcing the expansion at Waite High School, Dr. Christa Adams, President of Owens Community College, said “Every student should have the opportunity to pursue a college education and realize their goals and ambitions.” On behalf of the Toledo Public Schools, Superintendent John Foley said “The Success Program provides our students with a tremendous opportunity to attend college and pursue an associate’s degree while planning for a successful future.” 4 Above: Julian Ballard, Commercial Art Major and Success Program Student Left: Bethany Bitter, Medical Assisting Major and Success Program Student Gala Raises More Than $35,000 More than 250 area residents recently enjoyed “An Uncommon Evening” of dinner and entertainment in support of the Success Scholarship Program as Owens Community College’s Foundation and the Hilton Garden Inn at Levis Commons held its Grand Opening Gala. “The event was a huge success and would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of Northwest Ohio’s companies, as well as area residents,” said Ann Savage, Owens Executive Director of Fund Development and Foundation President/CEO. The food for the event added to the entertainment as the waiters marched into the darkened room with the first course – chilled king crab with a curry apple dressing in a lighted bowl made from ice. Each of the five courses delighted guests with their unique ingredients and stunning presentations. All “An Uncommon Evening” proceeds – more than $35,000 – will benefit Owens scholarships through the Success Program. Guests had the opportunity to mingle and get their photos taken with Elvis in the lobby, while bidding on uncommon items in the Silent Auction. The real stars of the evening were the Success Program's students. Featured at the center of each table was a photo of students in the program and a letter sharing their story. Elvis, played by John Jensen, served as master of ceremonies. He was joined by a variety of acts, including students from the Toledo School for the Arts with their larger-than-life puppets and musicians from Glass City Steel Drums. Owens students and faculty lent their musical talents to the evening through the sounds of Tapestry and The Jazz Express. All the guests could agree, the event lived up to its goal and tag line – an uncommon evening for the common good. 5 Enrichment at Owens Owens Community College has a department to help people in the pursuit of a hobby, a new career, personal or professional advancement or just looking for a way to learn new skills. Workforce and Community Services is located on both the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses. The Toledo-area Campus has a variety of classes for many different types of interests. 6 Programs regularly offered include: • Preparing a Healthy, Green Home • Maintaining a Healthy Computer • PowerPoint 2007 • A+ Certification • Comedy Workshop • Calligraphy • Belly Dance • Ballroom Dance • Video Game Making Online • LEGO Engineering • Stained Glass Window Panel • And more WCS works with local homeschooling families and organizations. Parents can tap into the talent of the 1,100 faculty members at Owens. Hands-on science courses, writing workshops, foreign languages and computer technology classes can be custom-designed into a program that meets the specific curriculum needs of homeschoolers. WCS provides opportunities for learning on the go. Students can take classes in business, personal enrichment and more - all online. These instructor-led online courses, more than 300 in all, are fun, convenient and highly interactive. All courses run for six weeks and consist of 12 lessons. Students can complete these courses from home or office, any time of the day or night and most cost just $99. The next session starts January 21. WCS just began offering a sampling of its most popular classes at the Browning Masonic Community Center in Waterville to better serve the surrounding communities. Some classes can even be delivered to you (and six of your friends) for a special occasion of fun or learning a new skill. Gift certificates are also available. WCS is also dedicated to providing customerdriven workforce development and job training focusing on developing professional skills to meet the needs of the community and employers. WCS offers training at their site or yours and topics are consistent with current and emerging educational and labor market needs. These programs can be customized to fit your company's mission and the skill level of your workforce. WCS is emerging as the region's go-to source for green education. From Preparing a Healthy, Green Home, which explores maintenance for your home's mechanical systems and tips for better indoor air quality during allergy season, to Photovoltaic Training, which covers the basics of electricity, characteristics of photovoltaic systems and photovoltaic theory, WCS has green experts and classes for you. Findlay residents have opportunities for continual learning as well. The Owens Findlay-area Campus houses a Workforce and Community Services department, formerly known as Community and Corporate Education. WCS staff will work with managers and human resource professionals to develop customized training solutions that positively impact a company’s organizational goals. Programs are held on the Findlay-area Campus or on-site training to maximize a company’s time, scheduling flexibility and return on investment. WCS also has the distinction of being an ISO9000:2000 certified program. Workforce and Community Services will also act as a consulting partner with businesses and industry. Programs regularly offered include: • Public Safety Supervisor Training • Microsoft Access • Microsoft Excel • Comp TIA Network+ • Medical Billing and Coding • Phlebotomy Technician • HRCI Certificate Preparation • HR Management Certificate • Leadership Training • OSHA Training • LEGO Engineering • And more Alumni can also take advantage of these classes to continue their training or learn a new hobby. This issue of Encounters includes a special section with a listing of some classes available. Let us know what you think; we may be including this section with future mailings if our alumni find it helpful. Workforce and Community Service Hours Toledo-area Campus Monday – Thursday 7:45 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday 7:45 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Findlay-area Campus Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 7 Golf Classic Raises More Than $32,000 The Owens Community College Alumni Association hosted the sixth annual Golf Classic at the historic Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg. Held for the first time in the fall, the event raised more than $32,000 to support alumni scholarship programs and alumni outreach initiatives. The 31-team event, included more than 125 area residents and featured 18 holes of golf, lunch, grazing dinner and an awards program. Hylant Group and Travelers Insurance were the clubhouse sponsors, while Metzgers Printing + Mailing served as the print sponsor and Marathon Oil Company was the hospitality sponsor. Additional sponsors included The Toledo Free Press as ad sponsor and Ohio Logistics/ Findlay’s Tall Timbers Distribution Centers served as host sponsor. The championship team of the four-person scramble was sponsored by Mid-American Cleaning Contractors Inc. in Lima, Ohio. Team members included Bob Swan, John Whittaker, Joe Whittaker and Kevin McNeil, pictured at right. The Alumni Association is proud that, since its inception, the Golf Classic has netted more than $180,000 to benefit student scholarships, including the Alumni Legacy Endowed Scholarship Fund and, new this year, the Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship Fund. The generous support provided by Northwest Ohio’s business and industry, as well as Owens alumni, provides students with increased opportunities for life-long learning. Scholarships Available Alumni Legacy Scholarship The Alumni Legacy Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in 2004 with $10,000. Through various Alumni Association fundraising endeavors, including the organization’s annual Golf Classic, Phonathon and annual Membership Drive, the endowment has grown to more than $121,000. Selection criteria are based upon applicants being a son or daughter of a current Alumni Association member and achieving a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Students must be enrolled a minimum of six credit hours each semester. Scholarships are not based on financial need. 8 Detective Keith Dressel Memorial Scholarship Detective Keith Dressel was an alumnus of Owens Community College and a 14-year veteran of the Toledo Police Department. To honor Detective Dressel’s legacy, the Alumni Association established a $10,000 endowed scholarship fund in April 2007. Selection criteria are based upon recipients being enrolled a minimum of six credit hours per semester, holding secondyear student status, achieving at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and demonstrating the desire to be a police officer. Scholarships are not based on financial need. Qualified students who wish to apply for either scholarship for the 2009-10 academic year, must submit a scholarship application to the Office of Financial Aid by February 16, 2009. Applications are available on the Owens Web site at: https://www.owens.edu/ foundation/scholarship.pdf. Welcome Stacie Majewski Stacie Majewski joined Owens Community College in November 2008 as Alumni Relations Secretary to Laura Moore, Director of Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the Owens Community College Alumni Association. Her responsibilities include providing comprehensive secretarial and administrative support for Alumni Relations and the Alumni Association Board of Directors, processing memberships and maintaining alumni data, coordinating meetings and travel arrangements, maintaining financial spreadsheets, payment processing and assisting with special events. Majewski is an alumna herself. A 2008 graduate of the Office Administration program, she has worked as a Receptionist and Classified Advertising Sales Coordinator at the Toledo City Paper. She has also worked as a Student Worker at the Owens Student Health and Activities Center and Auxiliary Services Department. ClassNotes 90s The nineties Todd Yunker (Marketing ’94) received his bachelor’s from Bowling Green State University and his master’s from Defiance College. He is currently employed by the Toledo Mud Hens/ Toledo Arena Sports as the Director of Corporate Partnership Development. Todd resides in Maumee, Ohio. Dan Smith (Marketing ’95) received a degree from Lourdes College in 1999. He is currently a Credit Manager at Allied Building Products. Dan has been married for 11 years and has three children, Haydn, 8, Hudson, 6, and Hope, 3. The family resides in Perrysburg, Ohio. Boyd Montgomery (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’98) works for the Toro Company in their commercial equipment division. He is the District Sales Manager for the Sportsfield and Grounds Commercial Division. Chris Nicol (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’98) is employed by the City of Dublin as a Park Athletics Crew Supervisor where he is in charge of all the maintenance on the athletic fields within the parks system. He works with Rob Wagner (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’91) who is also a Parks Crew Supervisor. Chris and his wife, Cheri, along with their son Keagan, 6, and another baby on the way, reside in Milford Center, Ohio. Leslie (Wukotich) Straka (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’98) does research on issues that affect families as the Program Coordinator at The Institute for Child and Family Policy at Bowling Green State University. She has been married to her husband, Jeff, for four years. Her son, Elijah, just turned 12 and started junior high. They all welcomed Aaron to their family, born on May 10, 2008. 00s The aughts Maureen Fagans (Architectural Engineering ’00) graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Planning from The University of Toledo. She is currently employed by Dillin Corp as a Development Planner. She resides in Troy, Ohio. Todd Rinehart (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’01) is in his third year of electrical school. He is employed at Jess Howard where he is a third-year apprentice. Mathew Grosjean (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’02) works at the Toledo Museum of Art with fellow alumnus Kevin McGreevy (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’96) as Groundskeepers. He is married to Elizabeth for almost four years. Elizabeth is a Pastry Chef in Maumee at Petit-Fours. They have an Airedale Mix Terrier dog that they rescued in Columbus, Ohio. (continued on page 10) 9 ClassNotes (continued from page 9) Stephanie (Mitchell) Jagua (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’03) owns Old Orchard Garden Center and Landscape LLC, a garden center and landscape design/ installation business in Napoleon, Ohio. After graduation she married Scott Jagua and they have a daughter, Kinze Michelle, who was two on August 3, 2008. They reside in Liberty Center, Ohio. Destiny Joy Carpio (Registered Nursing ’04) recently moved to Houston, Texas and now works full time at the Methodist Hospital Texas Medical Center in the Cardiovascular Intermediate Care Unit. Jennifer (Newton) Granger (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’04) is a Crew Leader of bed maintenance, pruning, mulching and much more at Nilsson’s Full Service Landscape Company. She married Jeramey Granger on October 28, 2006 and they reside in Maumee, Ohio. Kyle Leppelmeier (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’04) works as an Assistant Sportsturf Manager with the Toledo Mud Hens. He married Monica Sims on September 29, 2007 and they reside in Toledo. Don McKinney (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’04) owns Don’s Lawn and Landscape. Michael Stadler (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’04) is the Superintendent at Legacy Golf Course. He was married in May 2006. Michael and his wife reside in Tecumseh, Michigan. Amanda (Sberna) Pocock (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’05) works for Choice Lawn Care as a Garden Center Assistant Manager. She was recently married to Adam Pocock on November 24, 2007. Adam works for the railroad and is in the Marine Corps Reserves. They currently reside in Bellevue, Ohio. Dustin Hoorman (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’06) is a horticulturalist at Pike Run Golf Course. He is also starting his own business, Landscaping by Dust. This winter he plans on getting his master’s in science and math education. Robert Rowe (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’06) is the owner of Wise Guys Lawn and Landscaping, a fullservice lawn care company. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Toledo in May 2008. Brandon Townsend (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’06) currently works as a Foreman for Blanchard Landscape fulltime and a laborer at Hoens Greenhouse part-time during the spring and summer. Brandon got married in fall 2007 and currently resides in Pemberville, Ohio. Chris Sadowski (NDA) is currently working at Kuka of Toledo building Jeep Wranglers as a Journeyman Machinist. He has been married to Kristi (Hauman) for 12 years and they have three children, Casey, 12, Maizey, 8, and Laci, 2. Chris coached his son’s baseball team in 2007 to a City League Championship. He also coached his daughter’s Coach Pitch Team in 2008. Chris and his family reside in Toledo. State University with his major in Middle Childhood Education and he also played baseball. He is currently a junior high Math Teacher at Toledo Academy of Learning. Darrell has been married to his wife, Crystal, for more than a year and has two daughters, Elizabeth, 5, and Adeana, 2. They reside in Oregon, Ohio. NDA= non-degreed alumni Darrell Cowell (NDA) received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Bowling Green Award-winning Magazine EncountErs ALUMNI MAGAZINE • VOLUME 6 •6 ISSUE 2 • JULY 2008 2008 ALUMNI MAGAZINE • VOLUME • ISSUE 1 • JULY Growing Greatness Record Breaking Graduation $500,000 in Scholarships Kathy Dollman (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’07) is employed by Nilsson’s as a Nursery Manager. She is also a volunteer Master Gardener. Eric Mearse (Landscape and Turfgrass Management ’07) is Enhancement Manager for TruGreen Landcare in Ashburn, Va. In fall 2008, the Alumni Association won a Bronze Medallion of Merit Award at the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations District Three conference for the Encounters. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in communication among community, junior and technical colleges. Association Gears Up For Annual Membership Drive Join the Alumni Association Today! We are planning fun activities and events for 2009. With an Association membership, you will receive event invitations and enjoy discounts on the associated fees, and your children could be eligible for scholarship opportunities. But wait, there’s more! As an Association member, you’ll enjoy: Services Available for Alumni Members: • Encounters Magazine • Membership to the Toledo-area Campus Student Health and Activities Center (SHAC) and Findlay-area Campus Wellness Center • Use of Computer Labs and College Library • Invitation and discounts to all Alumni events • Reduced rental fees for use of College facilities • Discounts on performances at the Center for Fine and Performing Arts • Fingerprinting and background check fee discounts • Alumni Legacy Endowed Scholarships for your children • Ozone e-mail account and Job Search Services • Discounts on Owens Express spirit wear • Campus parking permit • Discounts on Child Care Technology Lab fees • Opportunities for Spouse membership and benefits Join the Alumni Association today by completing the membership form mailed to your home, completing the online application or returning the form included in this magazine. If you have any questions, please call us at (567) 661-7876, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.owens.edu and click on the Alumni & Donors link. come join the fun Membership Application Name ______________________________ Address _____________________________ ___________________________________ City _______________________________ State ____________ Zip _______________ Phone ______________________________ E-mail ______________________________ Graduation Date/Major: ___________________________________ Please complete and mail to: Owens Community College Alumni Association P.O. Box 10,000 Toledo, OH 43699-1947 or complete online at: www.owens.edu Annual dues only $20 per year. Join Now! Membership Year January 1 - December 31 11 Mark Your Calendars Upcoming Alumni Association Events 2009 Calendar of Events January 31 Winter Ski Trip July 17-19 Whitewater Rafting September 21 Seventh Annual Golf Classic March 8 ABBA-Mania Night July 24 Annual Meeting and Mud Hens Night December 5 Shop ’Til You Drop April 24 Outstanding Service Awards Celebration For more information on any of these events, please contact the Alumni Association at (567) 661-7876 or at [email protected]. NOT A MEMBER? JOIN ONLINE AT WWW.OWENS.EDU, E-MAIL AT [email protected] OR CALL THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. P.O. Box 10,000 Toledo, OH 43699-1947
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