Dragon's Tale - Spring 2013 Issue by HutchCC Dragon's Tale Magazine

a b i r d â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s e ye view

leather and presidential leaving a lac e scholars present legacy Spring 2013 Cover.indd 3

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meet the staff

Dragon’s Tale staff members for the 2013 spring issue

Back row: Morgan Bryant Copy Editor Kelsey Winter Susi Acosta Ad Manager Carolyn Durbin Andrea Ratzlaff Design Editor Front: Mayra Ramirez Taylor Thimesch Courtney Carlton

Sports Information

Courtney Carlton Campus Security

Morgan Bryant

Blood Drive

Taylor Thimesch

Honors Projects

Kelsey Winter

staff

TOC.indd 2

02 04 06 08

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Carolyn Durbin Transfer Students

Andrea Ratzlaff Golf

Susi Acosta Track

Susi Acosta Softball

Mayra Ramirez Baseball

Mayra Ramirez National Tournament

Taylor Thimesch & Courtney Carlton Ads The Dragon’s Tale is published three times a year by the Magazine class of Hutchinson Community College, 1300 North Plum, Hutchinson, KS 67501. When compiled, the three issues serve as an overview of the activities and the people of HCC during the school year.

table of contents

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what’s inside

12 14 18 20 22 24 26 28

Dillon Lecture Series

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from a

view BIRDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EYE

The Blue Dragon Sports Network team looks beyond the court Turner Landon, Hutchinson, films the players as they stand for the national anthem. The sports information team filmed every aspect of the game.

ATHLETIC FILM FACTS Recruiters watch the live stream film to preview more players for their team. The average amount of views for the Blue Dragon Sports Network live stream is anywhere from

200-400

people a (basketball) game.

Every play, timeout, half-time entertainment, and each team huddle is filmed for the stream.

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photos&story

Courtney Carlton

There is no excuse when it comes to missing a Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon game. Whether a spectator is sitting in the stands getting the full affect of the atmosphere or in the comfort of one’s own home, there is always a way to watch a favorite team play. The Blue Dragon Sports Network began in 2003 but did not get its name until 2006. The group’s responsibilities range anywhere from filming the HCC games, to the live audio and video streams. Currently, there are two students that are on scholarship for strictly filming and editing that film throughout the year. Turner

Landon and Tyler Williams, both from Hutchinson, have been at every home game making sure they catch the action. The video film is posted on bluedragonsports.com as live stream or shortly after the game has ended. Andrew Carpenter, Hutchinson, holds the title of Sports Information Video Coordinator and Producer for the film. They team together to capture every home game. “People around the world can see the team play, and that creates national recognition for the team. That is good for the school and helps generate revenue and bring in better players for the next season,” Williams said. By live streaming the film, it gives parents and recruiters

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Focusing in on the action of the game, Tyler Williams, Hutchinson, concentrates on capturing every single play. Williams co-filmed each of the home games to live stream on the website.

Andrew Carpenter, sports information video coordinator, switches from camera to camera bringing the production together. Carpenter overlooked all of the filming and editing.

from all around the world the ability to watch their players in a game setting without the costs of travel. When filming, they have to see things differently than a regular spectator. “You can’t watch the game for fun,” Steve Carpenter, sports information director, said. “Filming is more intense and you are more into it. As a student you aren’t apt to pay attention to the detail that is going on like you do when you’re filming,” Williams said. Along with capturing the entire game, each camera operator looks for different things. “The players faces and their reactions to each other, like if they give each other high fives

or something, because all the teams make baskets, but not all the teams have the bond that we have,” Landon said. Future plans for the Blue Dragon Sports Network include podcasts. Andrew Carpenter plans on putting up player profile videos and athletic profiles in the near future.

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hen deciding on where to go to college, students usually focus on cost, proximity to home, whether they want to be close or further away, and campus size. The security on campus, however, is something that is often overlooked, but one of the most important things to consider when exploring college options. Just a few months back, Sandy Hook Elementary School experienced a horrific incident in Newtown, Conn., where a young man invaded and killed 20 children and 6 adults. This created uproar across America, mainly because this happened to children. However, this type of crime can happen anywhere to anyone at any age. In Colorado, the Columbine High School massacre and the shooting at Lone Star College in Houston, Texas, are a couple examples and strong warnings to always be prepared. “I think the shooting at Sandy Hook was an extremely heart-breaking occurrence, and I can’t imagine why anyone would start a shooting anywhere, much less an elementary school. It saddens me that young, innocent children lost their lives, and parents are left trying to handle such a devastation,” Cassie Bryant, Hutchinson, said. “I think it is terrible that children can no longer feel safe at school because of school shootings, as school is supposed to be a child’s safe place.” At Hutchinson Community College, Don Rose, director of facilities; Robert Mielke, lead security officer; a group of security cadets; and the

Kiara Espada, Hillsboro; Trevor Musgrove, Salina; Jonathon Washabaugh, Garden Plain; and Brandon Lane, Park City, discuss their nightly duties. The cadets patrolled the dorm parking lot and handed out parking tickets. Photo by Staff

Student Government Association (SGA) team up to provide a safe campus. “I have been employed as a security officer for 27 years with the college,” Mielke said. Over those 27 years of service, many things have changed. The way of life has changed, people have changed, regulations have changed, and even the number of students at HCC has changed. This calls for more security. “We have added contracted security as well as student cadet program,” Mielke said. Mielke was also just recently issued a Taser at the decision of the faculty senate due to the rising need of more security. “I was asked if there was a need for the Taser and I said, yes. The proposal was approved by the president of the college,” Mielke said. “I received my Taser training through the Hutchinson Police Department.” Mielke also maintains his certification as a security officer through the Hutchinson Police Department. “The college has a Safety and Security Committee which discusses issues and makes recommendations,” Mielke said. “The college implements policy and procedures to try and protect everyone on campus.” The SGA also work on the

campus security

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SAFE secure

photos&story

Morgan Bryant

Providing a Safe Campus for Students

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issue of security for fellow students. At least once during the school year, SGA completes a campus lighting walk-through to ensure that the lighting is adequate. “We literally walked around the whole campus and wrote down all the areas that were concerns,” Erica Gianakon, Hutchinson, said. This is done mainly for students that have night classes or use the library later in the evening when lighting would be necessary to get through the campus with ease. When a particular area may lead to the possibility for danger, the walk-through members discuss it and suggest changes that are necessary to make it safer. “One specific area I pointed out was a bunch of shrubs and bushes outside of the dorms, which I thought needed to be trimmed,” Gianakon said. “I am a very paranoid person, but my thought was that someone could easily hide in them since they were on a less lit up side of Kent.” The lighting walk-through is just one way that HCC helps the students feel safe on campus at night. There are also employed security cadets that can escort students to where they need to go, issue tickets, and patrol the parking lot to ensure everyone’s safety. “We are pretty much the eyes and ears, we patrol the buildings, try to make ourselves out in the open,” Trevor Musgrove, Salina, said. The cadets meet in the Office Technologies building at 6:00 p.m. to clock in and start their shift every Monday

through Thursday. Their shift ends at 10:00 p.m. Currently, there is one female cadet on the team, Kiara Espada, Hillsboro, who plans to work in a corrections facility. “At first it was a little bit different because they weren’t exactly sure how to treat me because I was the only female, but we’ve been working together for a while now and they treat me like I’m one of them.” As a whole, the security team and the SGA just hope to provide a safe place for students to explore their education. This year, however, may be Robert Mielke’s last. “I’m looking at retiring in the fall of this year, if everything goes as planned. I have worked in the public sector area since 1978, so with about 35 years in that field I’m ready to slow down,” Mielke said. “I will miss the people, the work, and being able to attempt to make a difference in our students lives.”

Robert Mielke, campus security officer, uses his official HCC Security truck as his office. During a normal shift, Mielke patrolled campus, issued tickets, responded to medical and fire alarm calls, and assisted students needs. Photo by Morgan Bryant

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Tyler Boling, Salina, returns keys to Ann Marie Burk, outreach secretary, after locking up a classroom that just let out. Burk closed the information desk at the end of the night. Photo by Staff

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James Weston, Lyons, lies back during his double cell donation. Weston donated blood for the first time.

photos&story

American Red Cross brings the Hutchinson community together for the greater good

Ta y l o r T h i m e s c h Jorden Sones, Kinsley, releases her fist to get her blood pumping. Sones enjoyed giving blood in order to change a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life.

Hands pumping, blood rushing, bags filling, the Parker Student Union basement floods with this scene. Seventy units of blood were collected from 82 Hutchinson Community College students,

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Blood Facts 2

Every seconds someone needs a blood transfusion

< 38%

of the population is eligible to donate

44,000+

blood donations are needed everyday Source: redcrossblood.org

Lifting his arm, Gordon Guild, Overland Park, finishes up his blood donation. Guild started donating in high school.

staff, and faculty on February 6. The American Red Cross has sixteen million blood donations each year from over nine million donors. HCC students help to aid this cause - a blood drive. “I feel good, the reason why I do it is because I know that it helps people and saves lives and someday when I’m in that situation I’m going to need help,” Carly Knoblauch, Andale, said. Putting others first, Keenan Savage, Kansas City, Mo.,

decides to give blood for the first time. “I’m not in a position that I need it, so I’m pretty sure someone else would like to have it, depending on getting blood,” Savage said. Helping for the greater good proves to be a common theme as the main reason for donating. “It just feels good to know that I’ve saved 3 lives, and I’ve had friends that have needed blood transfusions so giving

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back feels good,” Mallory Potter, Hutchinson, said. It is urged to donate if possible by the American Red Cross. “In my opinion the worst part of donating is getting your finger pricked. To me, it’s more pain than actually getting the needle put in you,” Jorden Sones, Kinsley, said. There are a few drawbacks to donating, but students tough it out.

“Well it was my first time so I was a little nervous, but when they pulled the tubes out is when I felt nauseous so that’s when I upchucked,”Madison Rey, Andale, said. “It was awful.” Donors from the blood drive overcame selfishness to help another human being. “I said, okay, if there’s somebody who desperately needs my blood type then I’m willing to give my blood to them,” James Weston, Lyons, said.

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Presidential Scholars

Present

Students display skills and projects photos&story

Kelsey Winter

A forest of trifolds fills the room. Animations run on an endless cycle, diagrams of the respiratory systems and pictures of the zodiac catch the eye. This is a typical scene of an Honors Presentation that is held every April. The Presidential Scholars and students of the Honors Program spend months creating a project of their very own. What elements go into a project and how do these students approach it? Mentors and students alike present valuable insight for the components to the project. The scholarly aspect of the project is its most integral part. Certain elements, like the type of work and research involved, bring an academic spin to the projects. Dr. Mark Nolen, biological sciences instructor and a mentor from last year, shares a few words about the academic side of the project. “The academic nature is probably the background,

the understanding, the theory behind why things work the way that they do,” Nolen said. Ryan Diehl, prog ram improvement coordinator, emphasizes the research factor and depth of the topic. “The projects are not just superficial in nature, or some that could easily be an encyclopedia entry, but instead there’s some kind of original research or experiments to back their ideas,” Diehl said. The student has several months to complete the project and with that comes a few limitations on what can be studied. “You don’t want something too complicated that takes too long or is too hard to understand,” Nolen said. Vince Puyear, animation and gaming development instructor, focuses on the time factor. Puyear’s projects are typically animations and he sets the time limit to 20-30 seconds. “So it has to be something of good quality, it has to be understandable, like if a viewer just steps up, is he getting the message of your animation? Is the viewer getting the story?”

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Puyear said. Much time will be invested in these projects. The time spent varies from project to project. Diehl recommends 16 hours for the one credit hour obtained for participating in the project. “One student worked on developing a level for a video game and he spent about 105 hours,” Diehl said. Students that receive the Presidential Scholarship are required to complete a project in the spring, but those that are not obligated to complete one are encouraged to do so. “It’s a vehicle for them to complete a project that is their own that they’ll be able to display and ‘show off ’ to the public,” Puyear said. This project can serve as an opportunity to learn a topic in more depth if the topic is not covered in a class. “If you’re interested in science or in a topic to some degree and maybe you can’t learn about that in class, it’s something you might want to do in the future, you want to figure out more how this works or how that works and gain some

This technology of Jonathan Fosnight, Hutchinson, plays a part in this year’s project. He decided to continue on with last year’s work. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Fosnight

experience in doing something and even if there’s not a class offered on it but an instructor has a little bit of knowledge in that area, you can do an honors project on that,” Nolen said. An honors project can be much more than a requirement for a scholarship or simply work and research; it is also a memorable accomplishment before the student graduates from Hutchinson Community College. “The amazing experience that they can get from this and where they get to know a faculty member very well and they get to explore their area of interest even more and the project can easily open doors for them and help them out in unbelievable ways,” Diehl said. “Many times, a lot of people will look back at their college experience and look at the honors project as one of their favorite academic

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Victoria Hendricks, Hutchinson, shares research of “The Lion King” with Ryan Diehl. She found issues regarding to similarities between Disney’s “The Lion King” and Tezuka’s “Jungle Emperor.”

experiences that they had.” Students that have completed a project in the past share their experience and recommend the project to any student who has felt the desire to study a topic more in depth. “It was a good chance to learn about something that maybe you’re interested in but won’t be taught in a regular class,” Jonathan Fosnight, a computer sciences major from Hutchinson, said. Last year for the Presidential Scholarship, Fosnight completed a project on home automation with his mentor, Charles Harding, computer science instructor. A project that takes months to complete undoubtedly requires much dedication and time. “I think it’s kind of a twoedged sword,” Andrew Kester, Wichita, said. Last year for the Presidential Scholarship, Kester completed

a project on how physical and mental stressors affect the usage of air supply. This year’s project is a continuation of what he completed last year with his same mentor, Brian Finan, fire science logistics coordinator. “Obviously, I want to say yes [to the project] because I think you get a lot of good knowledge from it, but I also think it is a commitment and if you’re not necessarily interested in making

• Leviticus Moral Laws in Modern Society--Krysta Knier • Last Name Scheme, First Name Ponzi--Brian Jones

• The Effect of Mexican Immigration on the American Economy--Victoria Hale

JUCO--Dennis

• Monitoring Water Sources in Kansas for Infectious Agents-Kathryn Arnold

• Helping Hands or Roaming Eyes--Grace Foran

• A Connective Theory on Cognition: English and Mathematics--Josh Collins

• Apocalyptic Unsderfer

Displaying a component of last year’s project, Fosnight demonstrates how he can access his lights within seconds. He installed this program on his own phone. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Fosnight

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Interesting Projects of Years Past

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that sort of commitment, then I wouldn’t recommend it,” Kester said. This project demands a lot of time, but students do have responsibilities outside of it like other schoolwork and jobs. Finding a balance between all the aspects of the student’s life is important. “Being that I’m a fire science major, I had a class with Finan, that kind of helped balance things out quite a bit because every week I’d essentially be in with him and check in and make sure that everything was still going swimmingly,”

Kester said. The method of work varies from topic to topic, such as a project on history can take a lot of database searching or many experiments for a sciencerelated project. “I did do some research, learning about different technologies and stuff. I get a lot of searching online because of what I was doing, it involved a lot of programming. It wasn’t necessarily stuff I knew, so it was stuff I was learning as I went on,” Fosnight said. This year Kester will continue his fire science project of

last year and along the way he plans to correct issues of data gathering that he had observed. “A lot of the data that we collected was through experimentation. What we did is we got a few volunteers and had a regiment of physical stress, which was essentially standing still, walking, running,” Kester said. “Then we did mental, which was essentially just standing there, asking them to not think about anything, and then we did single integer mental math, and then trivia, essentially, and did various combinations of those to get

the data and then looked at sort of data relating to air supplies and the conventional method of conserving air.” Fosnight and Kester had their share of difficulties, which is to be expected of working over the course of several months. “[At] least for me, the hard part is drawing the line between two seemingly unrelated topics and finding the connections,” Kester said. “That, and/or presenting it, just because there’s a lot of technical things that I wanted to go into. “I tried to explain them best I could, but another difficult part is trying to take this seemingly, not horribly complex but just kind of technical topic and making it in plain English.” Though the path to finishing an honors project has its tough times, the benefits outweigh anything. Tricia Paramore, department chair, and Emma Flynn, Lindsborg, discuss the progress of music therapy. Flynn wrote 15 pages’ worth of research.

Fine Tuning Research and Writing Skills

Looking into Area of Major

Enthusiasm Towards Learning Intellectual Investigation

Experience of Carrying Things Through to the End

BENEFITS OF COMPLETING A PROJECT Personally Designed Project

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Ability to Present Project at Conferences

Awards, Monetary or Otherwise

Going Beyond Requirements

True Learning

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“I also wanted to integrate them [alarm clock and lights] with Google calendar so I could just set what time I wanted to wake up on the calendar and it would read that and get it. From doing all that, I was able to carry it over to my job in the summer where I needed to work with some Google calendars stuff. I’ve been able to do some cool stuff. What I had learned with my honors project carried over into my real work,” Fosnight said. “There’s some obvious correlations you can draw with a career in fire science and knowing, essentially, ways that you can, essentially, protect yourself when you get into distressing situations,” Kester said. The scholars completing the project for the first time will go through the same path of choosing a project then working and finalizing everything. Vi c t o r i a H e n d r i c k s, Hutchinson, a Presidential Scholar and English major, is doing a project over “The Lion King” and its relationship to other literary works like “The

Hero with a Thousand Faces” and Hamlet as well as the Bible. She will be working together with her mentor, Diehl. “Well, the point, I think, of the honors project is to pick something you’re interested in and I’ve always been very interested in “The Lion King” as a movie but also on Africa as a whole,” Hendricks said. “I’m a huge film buff, I love movies so I knew I probably would analyze some sort of a film.” Emma Flynn, Lindsborg, is a pre-medical major who is studying music therapy for neurological diseases with her mentor, Dr. Tricia Paramore, department chair of mathematics and biological sciences. Flynn is a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship. Like Hendricks, Flynn took something she likes and made it into an academic project. “My major is pre-med, so I wanted to find something that was in the medical field and I also really like music, because I play flute, so kind of bridging the two seemed like the perfect project for me,” Flynn said.

Vince Puyear, animation and gaming development instructor, and his student Patrick Sweeley, Hesston, look over the animation that tours Shears Technology Center. Sweeley used the program 3DS Max to animate a walkthrough of STC.

These two scholars have an idea of how much time they plan to devote to their projects. Hendricks has spent 15 hours working so far and plans to spend 24 hours. Flynn has given 20 hours to the project and estimates working 30 hours total. They have high hopes for what the projects can do for them. “I think that it’s not only helping me write better but write better research papers. It’ll prepare me for my dissertation if I go on to get my better, higher degrees,” Hendricks said. “Not only is it a project that requires a lot of time put into it that will prepare me for upper

level classes and the demand that they require, but it will also, since it’s in my field of study, just like knowing that there is an option, it will help me in the future when I do become a doctor,” Flynn said. The honors project can be a rewarding experience for all involved. After the long hours spent researching and sleepless nights of designing a trifold, scholars are glad to be finished, but undoubtedly glad to have been through the experience, even at the cost of free time or sleep. Displaying a project of one’s own design and showing skills is only a fraction of the reward.

Sweeley demonstrates the beta version of a model of STC. Cameras in the program traveled through the hallways and rooms of the building.

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Kathleen Koch, reporter, author, and Dillon Lecture speaker, signs her book. A patron visited with Koch while she autographed the book.

Leaving

a Legacy

Speakers Add to the History of Inspirational Stories and Words of Wisdom

photos&story

Carolyn Durbin

Re m e m b e r t h e 8 0 ’s. Madonna encouraged the tank top covered with a lace shirt and the sweatshirt with the oversized neck and sleeves. Michael Jackson started his solo career, becoming a dominant figure in pop music. To the town of Hutchinson, a lecture series was started, the Dillon Lecture Series (DLS). Barbara Peirce, a part-time teacher of Kansas history at

Hutchinson Community College, and her friend Jeanette Mull, Hutchinson, wanted to bring an event to the HCC campus that resembled the Landon Lecture Series at Kansas State University. The two talked to Dr. Edward Berger, HCC President, and he agreed it would be a good idea. The school, however, did not have the funds to pay for the speakers. It was up to Peirce and Mull to find the funds, that’s when they started to look for someone to help financially back the lecture series.

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The DLS is funded by the patron membership. This allows each patron member to have reserved seating at all lectures, a private catered lunch, privileged entertainment, and personalized interaction with the guest speakers. After each lecture, patrons attend the private catered lunch with the speaker, which usually ends with a book signing and photographs. “All the speakers have their own strengths when they come and speak,” Berger said. “From the past the biggest one is Dr. Red Duke.” In the past, lectures cost only $3 to attend which made the college decide to keep admission open to the community. The lectures now have open admission, students get in free and community members pay $10.

“It’s one of the things that makes a college experience a college experience, when you have people coming in of this caliber and sharing their thoughts and ideas and insights to the community,” Berger said. The first speaker came to campus in 1982. Richard Morefield was in the American embassy in Teheran where he was the United States consul general to Iran. Morefield was captured with about two dozen employees who had tried to leave the embassy compound. Since Morefield, there have been 131 speakers as part of the DLS. In 1983, Billy Mills reflected on his journey as the second Native American to win an Olympic gold medal. Olympia Dukakis is an American actress who won an Academy Award for her

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Dillon Lecture Series Statistics

Attended a Dillon Lecture

44% Yes

56% No

J.R. Martinez, Dillon Lecture speaker, talks to the crowd about his own life. Martinez gave an inspiring, at times emotional talk to a crowd of over 1,500 on January 29 at the Sports Arena.

361 students surveyed

Went to hear J.R. Martinez

16% Because he was a TV star 63% Because he was a war vet 21% Because had to go for class 142 students surveyed

Going to hear Elizabeth Smart

37% Yes

63% No

350 students surveyed

performance in “Moonstruck” and spoke on campus in 1994. Laurie Moody, radio and TV broadcast/production instructor, said, “Captain Picciotto in 2011, he spoke about 9-11 and was very inspiring.” Flash forward 31 years, the most recent speaker was J.R. Martinez, an Iraq war veteran who spoke at HCC on January 29. Students are encouraged to attend the lectures, and an assembly schedule is in place to allow them the opportunity. “Go to them! Even if you don’t get extra credit, the only thing you’ll regret is not going,” Cayla Hoover, Haysville, said. Just as Madonna and Michael Jackson, the DLS has made an impact on the Hutchinson community with more history to be made.

Martinez, an American veteran of the Iraq War, speaks to Hutchinson Community College students about his combat injuries and adapting to life afterwards. Martinez left the audience with his own words of wisdom to adapt and overcome.

Fads

The Madonna look The Cyndi Lauper look Characters

Alf Smurfs

Music Singers

Michael Jackson Whitney Houston T.V. Shows

Dukes of Hazard Back to the Future Lecture

Dillon Lecture Series

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What Happened in the 80’s

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the places you’ll go! HCC students prepare for the next chapter

are you interested in?’ to help develop an understanding of where the student wants to go. But by second semester and definitely by third semester the question comes, ‘Do you know where you want to go?’” Figuring out where a student would like to go is an important step in the process, since each university has different required courses. Kim Johnson, business instructor and advisor, also emphasized that making a decision as soon as possible creates a much smoother transition. “By the fourth semester that you are here, it is nice to know because each university has a little bit of a different twist on things,” Johnson said. Building a relationship and aiding the student in the decision-making process insures that the switch to a university is the best it can be. “As advisors, we see the

photos&story

Andrea Ratzlaff

Flipping through university brochures, researching campus websites, and touring prospective schools are some of the many preparations transfer students complete to decide on their future institution. Hutchinson Community College advisors guide these students as they decide on a four-year university and complete the process of transferring. “First semester, I’m not asking the question, ‘Do you know where you want to transfer to,’” Christopher Lau, coordinator of advising, career development, and counseling services said. “But I’m certainly asking the question, ‘What

Christopher Lau, coordinator of advising, career development and counseling, advises a student and makes preparations for graduation in May. HCC advisors often attended various transfer days at universities to make any transition smooth.

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advising relationship as developmental. In the beginning we recognize that, especially in our area, students don’t really know a lot about what they want to do,” Lau said. “So in the beginning they are relying pretty heavily on us to understand college processes, college policies, class selections, degree planning, all of those things. But as the relationship continues to develop, as advisors, we take a back seat and responsibility starts to sit more with students.” There are many steps to achieving success in the transfer process; HCC advisors described the methodology behind each step and what resources are beneficial to both advisors and students. “The most important thing is to make contact with potential transfer schools during your freshman year,” Linda Dermyer, counselor, said. “Some four-year schools have what is called Dual Advising. The four-year school will assign an advisor to the student while still attending HCC. This insures that the student will make the most of their time at HCC.” In addition to the use of dual advisors, transfer days for advisors and students are helpful in comparing courses and transfer credits. “We visit WSU every year and talk to them about how our students are doing compared to students coming from other community colleges and students coming straight out of high school,” Johnson said. “They compare our students to even their students. We like to compare those numbers and see how those fall.”

In preparation for graduation, Linda Dermyer assists Jon Beachy, Hutchinson, in filling out a graduation application. Beachy planned to attend Wichita State University in the fall and major in engineering.

Comparing and adjusting course numbers, curriculum, and four-year degree plans insures that the student’s transition will be as seamless as it can be. “It takes a while to understand the different universities and how they present their information, what they call their classes that are equivalent to ours, how they organize their majors,” Lau said. “The good news is that the regents have developed a task force that includes all colleges in Kansas that are putting together common course and common transfers.” The universities in Kansas, as well as other states are trying to make the transition as smooth as possible by developing a common numbering system, quick responses and even hosting advisor luncheons.

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“One of the best things I’ve done as an advisor is occasionally these universities will not only come here and provide us lunch, but they’ll say ‘Come to our campus,” Lau said. “So every year Wichita State has a community college transfer day.” These transfer days consist of a panel of students from community colleges at HCC, Butler, Barton, and Cowley. “It’s a panel, and we get to say to them, what was difficult for you, what did you not know that you wish you would have known,” Lau said. “That has been incredibly helpful when I have attended those.” The students also benefit from the diligence of advisors and the effective plans that are set at the beginning of the semester. Krysta Wiens, Hutchinson, plans to transfer to

The Master’s College in California. She has been impressed at the diligence of their advisors to make sure the transfer is smooth. “The thing is, it hasn’t been difficult at all,” Wiens said. “Because the advisors out there have been so helpful. When I shoot them emails, they respond so quickly every time. They are so willing to help.” In addition to being prompt in responses, advisors also give tips and advise when students decide on a transfer university. “The other factors that I think are important then in making a decision are social support system, distance away from home, friendships, comfort level at the institution, feeling like they have what you need, these should weigh a little heavier,” Lau said. Students consider these fac-

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DESTINATION DATA

tors before making the final decision on which university to continue their education. Daniel Eckhoff, Hutchinson, describes what the deciding factor was for going to Kansas State University in the fall. “A very friendly, family-like environment, they have a good business program, and also my brother went there. For accounting, there are quite a few [scholarships] and transfer scholarships,” Eckhoff said. Eckhoff plans to volunteer

whenever possible and pursue becoming a transfer ambassador in order to get involved. “Join an organization on campus,” Dermyer said. “Most four-year schools have long lists of student clubs and organizations. Find one that fits your interests and get involved.” Transferring, although sometimes difficult, creates opportunities to get involved, make memories, and experience a four-year university college life.

decision because of

major: 184 sports: 18 social: 17 prestige: 24 In Color class, Michelle Reynolds, Hutchinson, diligently works on her Al Held inspired piece. Reynolds decided to attend Kansas University in the fall to major in graphic design.

transfer students

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Michelle Reynolds, Hutchinson Sophomore

Daniel Eckhoff, Hutchinson Sophomore

Major: Graphic Design

Major: Accounting

Transferring to the University of Kansas Qualities in a school: “I love Lawrence. It’s very artsy and liberal. It’s a big school that has a good art program.” Graduation Plan: “I want to get a graphic design masters. It’s a stepping stone (visual arts major) to get a masters in graphic design. Plus I think it would be easier to get a job with a masters.” Most Excited For: Getting an apartment, seeing friends, taking printmaking and painting, and urban outfitters Getting Involved: “I will probably join Art Club. Just being involved in the art scene more. It would be cool if I could showcase my work and meet people that are into art and meet more art majors.” Miss at HCC: “I will miss friends, living at home and my cats. Also being able to drive to school, instead of walking.”

Graduating with high honors, transferring to Kansas State University Qualities in a school: “A very friendly, family-like environment, they have a good business program. Also, my brother went there. For accounting there are quite a few (scholarships) and transfer scholarships.” Graduation Plan: “I am going to do a one year masters. Most of the accounting students do, since it’s a five-year program. You can get the bachelors in four years, but the masters is the complete set.” Hardest part of transferring: “Finding a place to live is hard.” Most Excited For: Sports and the college environment Getting Involved: “I am going to volunteer a lot. And possibly be a transfer ambassador.” Miss at HCC: “I’ve met a lot of really good people here, instructors and students.”

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Krysta Wiens, Hutchinson Freshman Major: Eventually Bible/Biblical Counseling, Minor in Business Administration Transferring to The Master’s College in California Qualities in a school: Biblical perspective, good doctrine and teaching throughout all their classes Hardest part of transferring: “It hasn’t been a big deal at all...it has been smooth sailing. I am anticipating making sure all my credits are going to transfer.” Most Excited For: “I’m most excited for the environment at Master’s. I’m excited to leave home and be independent.” Getting Involved: “I’m not going to be in any clubs,or sports or intramurals. There are a lot of different Bible studies on campus that I will be involved in.” Miss at HCC: “Just the familiarity of being in the same town as where I live and having friends and family around.”

17 Dragon’s Tale 4/9/13 10:27 AM

Using his binoculars, Ben Cotton, Oxford, London, attempts to locate his golf ball. The weather kept the team from practicing as usual.

Jordan Hecker, Russell, Trey Hayden, Augusta, and Micheal Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Conner, Scotland, London, take a small break. The golf team practiced for 5 hours at Prairie Dunes Country Club.

Hole FIRE In

The

golf

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Trever Pauls, Hesston, practices his swing. The team took advantage of local golf courses in Hutchinson.

Dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tale

4/9/13 10:27 PM

Fall/Spring Golf Date

Tournament

Team Results

Sept. 10 Sept. 17-18 Sept. 24

Jayhawk Conference No. 1 1st Credit Union Invite Jayhawk Conference No. 2

3rd 4th 3rd

Oct. 8

Jayhawk Conference No. 3

2nd

Oct. 22-23 Oct. 29-30 March 10-12

NJCAA National Fall Preview Coca-Cola Classic District II Preview

6th 5th 10th

Results as of April 6

After hitting the golf ball, Zachary Zerger, Olathe, watches his drive. The team prepared for the four remaining tournaments.

Mason Varner, Midland, Texas, and Zach Oloff, Trinidad, talk about their upcoming meet held in Midland, Texas. The golf team stayed at Varnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house.

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Hecker looks for the hole before hitting his golf ball. Hecker played as freshmen for the Blue Dragons.

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4/9/13 10:27 PM

Joe Talbert, Newton; Skylar Arneson, Nickerson; Courtland Garrett, Pope, Ga.; Syltrina Rowell, San Antonio, Texas; and Alex Griffin, Emporia, hang out together before the discus event begins. The throwing team supported each other.

A Throw Above the Rest

photos&story

Susi Acosta

HCC Throwers excel in front of the competition

The thought of standing in the middle of a packed stadium and listening to the roar of cheering fans is not an uncommon fantasy. It is a reality for the track and field competitors at Hutchinson Community College. Most competitors join track and field when they are in high school or middle school. “I was always a bigger guy growing up and throwing heavy objects just came naturally to me,” Skylar Arneson, Nickerson, said. Others decided to join track and field for different reasons. “Running isn’t exactly my highest asset but strength came naturally and I was already taller and stronger than

track and field

020-021 Track.indd 20

most my classmates,” Cassie Casewell, Nickerson, said. “ Since I wasn’t going to be in ‘America’s Next Top Model’ I might as well make the most of it so throwing it was.” In track and field, there are four different throwing events for the athletes to compete in: hammer, discus, javelin and the shot put. Each event requires which them to demonstrate power, strength and accuracy. The hammer throw is introduced to athletes at the collegiate level. Every thrower must at least try the hammer throw. Coach Pat Becher meets with the athletes and shows them the basics of the hammer throw. Becher observes the amount they have progressed

and excelled. “Coach Becher thought I would be good at the hammer with the way my body is built. I am 6 foot 4 inches tall and I weigh 250 pounds. I tried it last year and I got addicted to it,” Arneson said. Throwers must be able to exert tremendous force in as little time as possible to propel the shot put, hammer, discus or javelin. “Throwers spend a tremendous amount in the weight room and run sprints just as runners,” Becher said. Practices begin with all track and field athletes together, stretching and doing agilities. After warming up, throwers usually run short sprints or stairs followed by throwing around 45-minute repetitions. After a regular workout routine, throwers go to the weight room and lift. “I would be lying if I said we didn’t get on each other’s nervous sometimes but that’s how it is with every athletic team. Overall, I think it is better to train with other throwers because they can critique you and tell you what’s wrong,” Autumn Iverson, Hutchinson, said. For the indoor track and field season. Caswell became an AllAmerican for the first time and broke the school record with a distance of 49 feet and 3.75 inches. Right behind Caswell

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Hutch Night Relays Results Men

Event Place Athlete Shot Put 1 Skylar Arneson 2 Tyler Rambo 3 Courtland Garrett Discus Throw 1 Courtland Garrett 2 Brandon Koenigsman 3 Tyler Rambo Hammer Throw 1 Skylar Arneson Javelin Throw 1 Jake Brinkman High Jump 1 Spencer Amerin 2 Alex Hill Pole Vault 1 Dakota Becker 2 Mario Perez 3 Andrew Pope Long Jump 1 Tyler Barber 2 Blake Wilkey Triple Jump 2 Tyler Barber 100 M Dash 1 Devante Smith 2 Deangelo Strickling 400 M Dash 2 Mathew Wright 1500 M Run 2 Oberlin Rojas 110 M Hurdles 2 Tyler Barber 3 Blake Wilkey 400 M Hurdles 2 Tyler Barber 4x100 M Relay 1 4x100 M Weight Relay 1

Brandon Koenigsman, Hutchinson, positions himself before throwing the discus. Koenigsman finished with second place in the discus throw at the Hutch Night Relays on April 6.

Event Place Athlete 4x200 M Relay 1 4x400 M Relay 3 4x800 M Relay 2 1600 Spring Relay 1 Distance Medley 1

Women

Event Place Athlete Shot Put 1 Autumn Iverson 3 Cassie Caswell Discus Throw 1 Syltrina Rowell 2 Cassie Caswell 3 Tyler Rambo Hammer Throw 1 Cassie Caswell 3 Autumn Iverson Javelin Throw 2 Megan Wood High Jump 2 Emily Heissler Pole Vault 1 Page Stuhlsatz 100 M Hurdles 3 Jasamine Jones 400 M Hurdles 1 Emily Heissler 4x100 M Relay 2 4x100 M Weight Relay 1 4x200 M Relay 1 4x800 M Relay 2 Distance Medley 1

was Iverson, who claimed her third All-American finish in her indoor career with a fifth-place in shot put at 42 feet 2 inches. Also, Arneson broke the school record with a throw of 57 feet 9.5 inches. “We just started throwing hammer for the outdoor track and field. Skylar who actually attended grade, middle, and high school with me started practicing with me to give me a bit of a head start,” Caswell said. Fans cheering and winning a medal are just two of the moments of greatness among all throwers. Much preparation and dedication to the sport helps an athlete top the charts. Using his strength, Arneson throws the discus. Arneson placed first in the shot put at the Hutch Night Relays on April 6.

With all her force, Autumn Iverson, Hutchinson, throws her shot up. Iverson threw a throw of 44 inches.

track and field

020-021 Track.indd 21

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Lady Dragons prepare for their second home game against Kansas Wesleyan. The Dragons ended up losing their game, 3-13 & 3-7 on Feb. 19. Photo by Mayra Ramirez

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22 Dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tale 4/9/13 1:28 PM

2013 Softball Results Sterling College

W 11-1, 5 inn. L 4-7

Friends University JV

W 11-3, 5 inn. W 8-3

Kansas Wesleyan JV

L 3-13

McPherson JV

W 12-0 5 inn. W 8-0, 6 inn.

Pratt

L 12-13

W 7-6

Cloud Co.

W 7-4

L 3-4

Highland

L 3-4

L 2-8

Kansas City

W 8-4

W 7-5

Hesston College

L 5-6

L 1-9 6 inn.

Dodge City

L 1-3

W 6-3

Brown Mackie

W 10-8

L 6-9

Allen

W 5-1

W 4-2

W 8-0

W 13-3

Neosho Co.

L 3-7

Results as of April 4

Sidney Dey, El Dorado, pitches a fastball. The Lady Dragons hosted Kansas Wesleyan on Feb. 19. Photo by Mayra Ramirez

spread

Mayra Ramirez

Makenzi Shackley, Olathe, scores for the Lady Dragons. Rylee Nave, Enid, Okla., hit the homerun for HCC as they hosted McPherson and won both games, 12-0 amd 8-0. Photo by Carolyn Durbin

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23 Dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tale 4/9/13 1:28 PM

The love of the game brings many baseball players to Huchinson Community College photos&story

MayraRamirez

The dreams and wishes of many baseball players attending Hutchinson Community College have come true - to play their beloved game after graduating high school. “It was my dream to play college baseball and I got that opportunity to play,” Ryan Sprinkle, Salina, said. When being a high school student and playing sports, an athlete always comes across the question of whether or not he/ she will ever play again after graduating. “Family tradition of the sport brought me here, and the love for the game,” Kyle Simonds, Grand Island, Neb., said. If athletes are determined and confident in themselves they work hard, prepare, and never give up in order to reach their goal of playing at the collegiate level.

“I knew Hutch is one of the top programs in the nation and that here I’d be surrounded by great coaches and players,” Josh Markel, Olathe, said. Coach Ryan Schmidt said that his assistant coaches are some of the best recruiters in the Midwest. Schmidt and his assistant coaches attend many of the baseball games in the summer, including tournaments, showcases and legion baseball, trying to evaluate as many players as possible. “Once we identify a potential player, we will talk to him on the phone and invite him to campus for a visit,” Schmidt said. During the visit, Schmidt and his assistant coaches outline the academic and athletic plan for that particular student athlete. “After the visit, we try to sign them to a letter of intent and bring them into the Blue Dragon family,” Schmidt said. Baseball players are evalu-

pitch perfect

024-025 Baseball.indd 24

ated on a 5-tool scale: arm strength, hitting ability, hitting for power ability, running speed, and defensive skills. Five-tool players are said to be in major leagues. The HCC program focuses on a player’s development and finds different ways to improve the players’ skills to reach their maximum potential. Only 24 players are allowed on scholarship. “We scholarship 12 pitchers and 12 position players in a normal recruiting cycle,” Schmidt said. The breakdown varies from year to year and depending upon their personnel. Two players are required for each position on the team. They are interchangeable in a lot of ways. For the pitching staff there at least four to six, four to six relief pitchers and two closers. Many players’ goals and dreams are to keep playing after graduating HCC. In order for that to happen they have

to keep preparing in order to obtain that goal Playing sports at the collegiate level is not just about attending practice. Keeping good grades and passing classes is also a big factor in the students athletic career. In order to play for another school, academics are reviewed along with skills. For athletes, it can be difficult to keep up with school after a long day that includes practice. The HCC coaches stay on top of making sure the athletes are doing their schoolwork and teachers are very flexible when it comes to missing class for games. Many wishes come true at this level of baseball, but many of those athletes are still in the process of building their success to get to the next step, playing professional baseball.

24 Dragon’s Tale 4/9/13 1:43 PM

The Blue Dragons gather around for a pre-game talk after warming up. The Dragons hosted Rose State College and won 4-3.

2013Baseball Results Rose State

L 7-4

Pitcher Logan Landon, Sioux City, S.D., strikes out one of the Rose State players. Zach Eden, Arvada, Colo., also pitched for the Blue Dragons.

W 5-3

Dodge City L 4-6 W 9-1 W 2-1, 8inn. L 1-2 Rose State

W 4-3

Dakota Shadoan, Norman, Okla., celebrates after scoring. Shadoan hit the home run for HCC.

W 7-0

Garden City L 6-8 L 6-10 W 16-5, 5 inn. L 6-8 Crowder College

L 5-13

W Okla. State W 3-2

L 0-2

Hesston College

L 1-2

Iowa Western L 0-6

L 3-5

Pratt

L 0-9

W 3-1

Pratt

L 1-3

L 1-2

Seward Co. L 0-2

L 3-5

Seward Co. L 0-9

W 6-5

Results as of April 4th

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25 Dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tale 4/9/13 1:43 PM

Glimpse at

Kadeem Allen, Wilmington, N.C.

A.J. Spencer, Shawnee

Nationals spread

Courtney Carlton & Ta y l o r T h i m e s c h

photos

Je s s i c a G re e n & R a c h e l Wa s k o

Aja Sorrells, Athens, Ga.

Rozell Nunn, Kansas City & Tafari Whittingham, Brooklyn, N.Y.

national tournament

026-027 Nationals.indd 26

Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;von Campbell, Arlington, Texas

26 Dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tale 4/9/13 1:44 PM

Aja Sorrells, Athens, Ga. & Jasmine Patterson, Frisco, Texas

Jen’Von’Ta Hill, St. Paul, Minn.

A.J. Spencer, Shawnee & Alex Davis, Houston, Texas

national tournament

026-027 Nationals.indd 27

27 Dragon’s Tale 4/9/13 1:44 PM

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