Progress education

PRogREss ALBERT LEA TRiBunE

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CommuniTy PAssion

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FEBRuARy 28, 2016

Education

Leading into the future Photos by Colleen Harrison Story by Sarah Stultz

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ith an indisputable passion for education, Riverland Community College President Adenuga Atewologun has begun to change the face of community college in Albert Lea, Austin and Owatonna. The Tribune sat down with Atewologun to See LEADER, Page 4 see what led him to this point in his career.

What’s inside this section: Progress 2016 • Community Passion • FeB. 28, 2016 Meet the management team: Crystal Miller: Publisher 379-3420 | crystal.miller@albertleatribune.com Sarah Stultz: Managing Editor 379-3433 | sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com Kathy Johnson: Creative Director 379-9859 | kathy.johnson@albertleatribune.com Melissa Goodwin: Circulation Manager 379-3421 | melissa.goodwin@ albertleatribune.com Lisa Foley: Business Manager 379-3424 | lisa.foley@albertleatribune.com Terry Thissen: Pressroom Manager 379-9854 | terry.thissen@albertleatribune.com Rich Mirelli: Mailroom manager 379-9854 | rich.mirelli@albertleatribune.com

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Students making a difference

A growing district

Meet 3 Albert Lea High School students who are getting involved in their community from a young age.

Alden-Conger Public Schools prepares to expand its building again.

Page 2 | AlbertleAtribune.com | Progress 2016 | education | sundAy, FebruAry 28, 2016

Making a difference at a young age

AlHs Honor students get involved in ideA-mAking event to better city

By Sam Wilmes

sam.wilmes@albertleatribune.com

While many high school students may be thinking of college and leaving their hometown, three Albert Lea High School students have been participating in an initiative to help their community grow.

Honor students Sam Ehrhardt, Ryan Nelson and senior Meliza Lopez attended the Idea Splash held in November at Wedgewood Cove Golf Club to share ideas and give input on how best to grow Albert Lea’s economy.

The three honor students landed on a committee to develop self-guided historic walking tours that would include QR codes and selfie stations in the downtown district and Fountain and Albert Lea lakes. The tours would link to an article or an audio piece explaining history and other information about the site.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Nelson said of the walking tour. “I’m sure people in the community will love doing that.”

Lopez said the students chose to be a part of the self-guided walking tour because of its relevance.

Ehrhardt said longtime residents will be able to learn more about the history of the downtown district.

The three heard about the idea through their involvement in the National Honor Society.

“We thought it sounded like a fun way to get involved with the community,” Nelson said.

Lopez said the Idea Splash gave her the perfect

Albert Lea High School honor students Meliza Lopez, Ryan Nelson and Sam Ehrhardt are making a difference in Albert Lea through a number of avenues. sAm Wilmes/Albert leA tribune opportunity to help the community.

“I just wanted to be more involved,” she said. “I wanted to make a difference.”

Lopez has lived in Arizona and California but said Albert Lea was unique.

“It’s a nice little area,” she said. “It’s family-oriented here. It’s more calm and peaceful than over there.”

She volunteers at a number of local organizations, including nursing homes, churches and the Freeborn County Humane Society.

Although she plans to move to California and become a registered nurse after graduation, Lopez said she could return.

“It’s different,” she said.

“It’s a calmer place to fall

back to.”

Nelson said the Idea Splash helped him realize how special of a community Albert Lea is.

“There’s a great sense of community in Albert Lea, and there’s a lot of beauty with the lakes,” he said.

Ehrhardt said the Idea Splash gave him an opportunity to listen to ideas and to be involved with a community he loves.

“It seemed like a good way to make an impact outside of the school in the community,” he said.

Ehrhardt and Nelson are both heavily involved in after-school activities, and all three are in Link Crew.

Ehrhardt and Nelson participate in show choir, chorale and caroliers that perform at different functions

What motivates you to make a difference in the community?

“I just wanted to be more involved. I wanted to make a difference.’ — Meliza Lopez “In high school you get out of it what you put into it.

I feel it shouldn’t just be about getting good grades and playing sports, it should be about making a difference.”

— Sam Ehrhardt “It’s more fun and fulfilling when you get to put work into it.” — Ryan Nelson in the community.

Caroliers perform during the holidays for community functions. Members are expected to sight-read and learn their own music quickly. They wear traditional Victorian outfits provided by the school.

Ehrhardt is a soccer and tennis player who

volunteers some of his time with the Albert Lea Youth Soccer Association as an assistant coach and also helps maintain soccer fields.

Nelson is the vice president of the student council and volunteers at St. Theodore Catholic Church.

Ehrhardt and Nelson are both planning on attending

college but are unsure of where.

Lopez is a softball player.

As National Honor Society students, the three students volunteer at pancake breakfasts, toy drives and other avenues.

Volunteering in the community gives them a chance to make a broader difference than in the classroom or after-school activities.

“In high school you get out of it what you put into it,” Ehrhardt said. “I feel it shouldn’t just be about getting good grades and playing sports, it should be about making a difference.”

Nelson agreed.

“It’s more fun and fulfilling when you get to put work into it,” he said.

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Sunday, February 28, 2016 | Education | ProgreSS 2016 | albertleatribune.com | PagE 3

Known for its high open enrollment numbers, Alden-Conger School gets ready to expand

By Kelly Wassenberg

kelly.wassenberg@albertleatribune.com

Buses leave the school in all directions headed to Albert Lea, Kiester and New Richland before circling back to Alden-Conger.

“We have quite an expansive bus route,” Alden-Conger Superintendent Brian Shanks admitted.

It’s really not that surprising of a comment when you consider that approximately one out of every two students who attend the school are a direct result of open enrollment.

Shanks refuses to take credit for the consistent number of students AldenConger draws in from other districts.

“The open enrollment phenomenon, if that’s what you want to call it, has been going on long before I got here,” Shanks said.

Shanks has only been with Alden-Conger for five years, serving as the principal for the first three years and a superintendent for the last two. Alden-Conger’s open enrollment trend has been making waves for over a decade.

During the 2001-02 school year, Alden-Conger boasted the accolade of having the highest percentage of open enrollment students of any school in the entire state.

Shanks said he does not track the school’s rating, yet he doesn’t doubt they are still at the top of the list — maybe not in the No. 1 slot, but close.

The trend has had positive ramifications for the district. While some small districts struggle to maintain their facilities, Alden-Conger will be adding onto its current facility to accommodate its student body and continue to expand its curricular programs.

He said the district doesn’t necessarily have all the bells and whistles

given by parents for looking into Alden-Conger is that it is a small school and the individual attention their children can receive.

“If you are looking to come to a school and to be anonymous, that’s not going to happen here,” Shanks said he tells parents. “When you come here we’re going to be aware of who you are, what you are doing and what you are capable of. That seems to resonate with the parents.”

The influx of open enrollment students has led to a conundrum over the past as well. Shanks said he doesn’t have space for all the students the school currently has.

“I would say I have a math teacher and two phys. ed teachers which I refer to Alden-Conger School will add an addition on their school this summer to help accomodate its current enrollment, almost as my nomad teachers; they half of which is made up of students who open enroll to the school. Kelly WaSSenberg/albert lea tribune don’t have a classroom.”

As a result, the school Brian Shanks has had to be creative by juggling teachers in and age: 50 out of rooms, sometimes Hometown: Pine Island displacing teachers during Family: wife Deb, sons their prep periods, holding Tony, 26, and Brady, 22 classes in conference rooms Why alden-conger?: and using the media center After living in Truman for for study hall periods.

27 years, he and his wife That, however, will all decided it was time for a change by next year. Along change. The couple now with doing a few building live in Albert Lea. upgrades, four new classrooms will be added to the that some of the larger disnorth end of the building tricts can offer, but it does this summer. The United provide its students with a Methodist Church, which is on the south side of the quality education. Students who take all the college conschool’s property, will also current classes available be demolished at this time. can accrue between 20 to “On June 6, they’ve told 30 college credits, and the us the heavy machinery district constantly adapts to will be here and basiits students’ needs.

Alden-Conger Superintendent Brian Shanks has been with the school district for five years. cally the school will be off limits,” Shanks said, “Every year we look at how we can better serve noting he has been promised the work will be done our students,” said Shanks.

“We went to an eight period before classes begin in day this year. By adding September. an eighth period we cre“We’ve got it pretty good Student enrollment at New upper level Potential college credits in Alden-Conger,” he said. ated 12 to 15 brand new or Alden-Conger classes recently added at Alden-Conger students can “We have got a really good upper level classes that we Alden-Conger earn never had.” school. We provide a qualAdditional classes now ity education. We’ve got good kids and we have a offered include agronomy, anatomy, construction and Parents who open enroll tend to be more concerned though. Shanks reports the great community that is soils. their children at the school with the environment two most common reasons unbelievably supportive.”

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PAge 4 | AlbertleAtribune.com | Progress 2016 | eDuCATIoN | sundAy, FebruAry 28, 2016

Leader Continued from Front Page

Q: Could you provide some background on what you did before you came to Riverland?

A: “I grew up in Nigeria.

That’s where I got my bachelor’s degree, my first degree, in agricultural engineering.

Then I wanted to study indepth the storage and design of silos, tall cylindrical buildings for grains, and that took me to Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in southern Illinois. I did my master’s and doctorate there, studying the structural components of the design of those large buildings. I used things like soybeans and corn as my model grains.

“Then after that, I was supposed to go back home because I was on a scholarship. Things changed in Nigeria somewhat — military coup — so my professors there said, ‘Well why don’t you stay here for about three years — stay in the U.S. — and then things could settle down and you come back.’

“I looked for a job while I was finishing my doctoral work part time, and that’s what led me to community college teaching.

“I started adjunct teaching work at a community college in the university town there, and I had a ball. I really enjoyed teaching a different group of students who are good academically, but they needed a little bit of more assistance than a typical top 10 percent of your students.

They are probably first generation students. They are minorities. Some of them are just very talented students that never really got their bearings. I enjoyed teaching those groups of students. …

I thought I was destined for research — I thought I was going to do that — but then that adjunct teaching led me to seek a full-time position at College of duPage in a Chicago suburb. … That’s where I started teaching physics and engineering. I did that for about 10 years.

I thought, ‘Well, I was enjoying this, but let’s try something different. Let’s mix the classroom teaching with administration. That began my journey in administration.

“I became associate dean.

I was a dean for a total of

Atewologun lives in Austin with his wife, but jokingly said they claim residency in Austin, Albert Lea and Owatonna — where Riverland Community College’s campuses are located. colleen HArrison/Albert leA tribune

about 10 years, but I went for a special fellowship program … to develop me more for executive. That perhaps was a turning point in exposing me to how much influence you could have as an administrator. In the classroom you did very wonderful things talking to a few things and making differences in students lives, but as an administrator, it’s a delayed impact but a wider impact. …

“I went to a smaller college in southern Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. I was a vp of academic affairs, dean of faculty four years before I came to riverland. Being at riverland as a president is my first presidency and it will be the last one. I’ve rather enjoyed being a part of the community — making such a big difference in the lives of students and community.”

Q: What attracted you to Riverland?

A: “Geography really wasn’t an issue. I wanted a place where there was enough opportunity to do something impactful and get a chance to really direct the future or improve the current condition of an institution. … at that time I was looking at a few other places.

Why Riverland?

“I wanted a place where there was enough opportunity to do something impactful and get a chance to really direct the future or improve the current condition of an institution.”

— Adenuga Atewologun

very quickly. It took about six months to understand the culture and then we put together a good strategic plan.

We came up with what I consider a best-in-class strategic plan. It goes until 2020. … We are very very hopeful we’re going to achieve the objectives in it.

“The second one is what I’ve been able to achieve with my leadership team.

It is not just me doing the work. It is a collection of dedicated employees, supportive community leaders. Building a coalition that involves employees of the college, the community leaders, business partners.”

It just happened that riverland in albert Lea, austin and Owatonna — I liked the smallness of it compared to really large urban-type institution where I had another offer, but I thought this would be a better fit for me. It was not as easy for my wife to transition, but she and I both came several times, and she thought we could make it Q: What are the goals work. We have enjoyed the that you have for the past two and a half years.” next five years?

A: “One is to build campuses with distinctiveness.

Q: Do you live in I call them identities, or Austin?

A: “We live in austin. We campus distinctiveness. In claim residency in three other words, when we think cities — Owatonna, albert of the albert Lea campus, Lea and austin — because what do we do really well I have three campuses, but that albert Lea can say, “Oh, albert Lea’s known we live in austin.” for transportation, auto, truck driving, industrial Q: What’s been the technologies, manufacturthing you’re most ing and trade programs. proud of so far?

A: “The first thing is getting austin is known for cera strategic plan and doing that tain things that’s all part of

our strategic vision. We’ve been known for transfer programs like the associate of arts, associate of Science, theater, associate in Fine arts. It’s the home of the allied health nursing program. Then in Owatonna we have business and additive manufacturing center.

“Our second goal is to improve the aesthetics of the college. So we’ve been doing some campus beautification.

“We want people to feel that this is really a place that they can be happy to work, come to school and be a part of the community service that we render. “another goal is to increase enrollment. We’ve had a declining enrollment. The trend has been downward since 2010. Generally for community and technical colleges, enrollment and unemployment are counter-interactive. as the employment picture looks better, the enrollment goes down. We want to try to help students understand that they don’t have to delay acquiring the necessary technical education, civic skills that they need to thrive as a citizen of our region. “another goal or objective is to increase our relevance in the community.

By that I mean, how close are we to meeting the needs of our industry partners?

How close are we to meeting the needs of our immigrant population? Our high school graduates?

How close are we to meeting their needs to probably come here to get a shortterm degree or a full twoyear, transfer degree?

“Finally, it is to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit that is so important to the economic vitality of Greater Minnesota. We’re doing things to encourage startups.”

A: “I have two children.

My son is 29. He’s still in Illinois. My daughter is 25, and she is in Minneapolis.”

Q: Is your extended family still in Nigeria?

A: “I have three brothers in the U.S. I have three other brothers in Nigeria. I have a sister in UK — United Kingdom. We’ve kind of branched out. I have several nephews and nieces abroad and here.

I have a nephew in Minneapolis. In fact, if you were to Google the last name, I think there are more of us in Minneapolis than anywhere else around.

“My parents are deceased, but I have a large family back home, too. My dad had 13 of us, and my mom had six. I am the last of her six — of my mom’s six. My dad’s 13 included my mom’s six. I have six other half brothers and sisters. I’m smack in the middle. I’m No. 7. I always say, I’m both the oldest and the youngest.”

Q: What do you like to cook?

A: “Some of my favorite are actually fish. I like to cook fish, and I also like to make rice and beans. Then there’s a special delicacy from Nigeria called moinmoin. It’s made from black-eyed peas.”

Q: Is there anything else you would like to mention?

A: “We are one of a handful of two-year colleges that has an accredited business program. Our online instruction is top notch. Our online enrollment is growing. We have some really cool programs like wind turbine technology. We are building on our strengths. We know we cannot be everything to everybody but when we know we have a niche we like to build on those things. Our Q: This is not work-recriminal justice program is lated, but what do you top notch. Then we’re worklike to do for fun? ing on our agriculture, food A: “I like to travel. I like science, innovation center. to read — just all sorts of “It’s a great place to be, a things. I also like to enter- great school to come.” tain. I like to cook, and I collect visual arts. I like arts.

By the numbers I’m still trying to pick up a winter sport.”

12: Siblings or half siblings of Atewologun Q: How many children 2: Children of Atewologun do you have? How old 10: Years Atewologun served as a dean previously are they now?

s, s e r g o r p d n a h t w o r g Without continual t, n e m e v ie h c a t, n e m e such words as improv . g in n a e m o n e v a h and success Benjamin Franklin

ms, 90+ academic progra of e on ith w e ov ab Rise ee partnerships, with gr de ’s or el ch ba g in d. includ you grow and succee lp he to ed gn si de n educatio

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