Shedding Some Light on HCC Clubs Learning Through Stethoscopes and IV’s Enrolling in Something Unusual Winter2011-12 Cover.indd 35
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Dragon’s Dragon’s Tale Tale Staff Staff These are the Dragon’s Tale staff members for the 2012 winter issue: Top Left: William Gates, Hannah Arthur, Samantha Smith, Dustin Lies Middle Left: Heather Applegarth, Andrea Ratzlaff, Susi Acosta Bottom Left: Rachel Wasko and Morgan Oriet Not pictured: Darren Ramey, Joseph Griffin Advisor: Amber Brawner
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.
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Table of Contents Dragon Landing . Theatre . . . . . . Nursing . . . . . . Metro . . . . . . . Unusual Classes . Adjustment . . . . Clubs . . . . . . . Fitness . . . . . . . Space Tomato . . . Jobs . . . . . . . . Animation . . . . Secretaries . . . . Dillon Lecture . . Health Center . . Dragon Dolls . . . Basketball . . . . .
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Living in Dragon Land photos & story
Dustin Lies
Fly down Fourteenth Avenue, past the Shears Technology Center, around the Ade-Wifco Reno County Industrial Center, and arrive at the Dragon Landing units
For the students trying to find a place to live on campus, the residence halls have a new addition this year. The new units, called The Dragon Landing, are located east of the Ade-Wifco Reno County
Industrial Center. With the addition of the Dragon Landing, 30 more students can be housed on campus. “It’s definitely more home feeling then it is at the dorms, and also I like the bathroom for sure, it is a lot better even though you have to share it with 2 or 3 other guys instead of the whole floor, it’s nice, a lot cleaner,” Zachary Peterson, McPherson, said. The Dragon Landing units house around the same number as one floor in the traditional dorms. “I instantly searched for more information when finding out about the apartments. It was an opportunity to still live on campus
while being out of the dorms at the same time. I put my name in for an apartment and then ended up being an RA over at Dragon’s Landing,” Alexys Davis, Salina, said. The purchase of the units was a big improvement, so the residence staff selected some of the new and returning students to live in them. “I actually applied for normal housing in the dorms, and they selected a couple people. I think cause I am older, I maybe got the chance to live here, but they selected a couple of us to come and live in Dragon Landing because it was newer so that way they can get to know how things would work for when they start using them
next year,” Kebli Meier, Salina, said. Dragon Landing apartments each house 3-4 students. There are two bedrooms per unit, a small living and dining area, and one bathroom. There is a kitchen available, however it is without a stove. Dragon Landing residents are required to have a meal plan through the residence halls. Even though these apartments have a lot of benefits, they do have a couple downfalls. “It can get cold sometimes and get pretty drafty,” Peterson said. Living in the Dragon Landing does mean students are somewhat isolated from the dorms. Some students talked about how their social life was affected. “It’s about the same as it was at the dorms but just not as many people around,” Peterson said. “You don’t get to meet quite as many people as if you were living in the dorms, that is a draw back, but there is still a good number of kids over here and we have meetings and activities like build ginger bread houses, so you still get to meet people and overall my studies are effected just the same, they don’t
A gazebo acts as a gathering point for students living at the Dragon Landing. Even though Dragon Landing students didn’t live in the traditional dorms, they still participated in the dorm activities.
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lack or anything,” Meier said. The Dragon Landing is a different living style from the dorms with extra utilities. So, with the difference in units, was there a difference in price? “Currently, they are the same prices as the suites. Next year they will be priced higher than the suites,” Diana Ohl, residence life secretary, said. The Dragon Landing brings a new style to on- campus living. It is an option that can be a big step toward living on one’s own. For future students looking to live in the residence halls, check out the new Dragon Landing units. Kelbi Meier, Salina, relaxes in her apartment while playing games on Facebook. Meier enjoyed the peace and quiet the apartments provided.
14th Ave
Dragon Landing Layout Apartment 701 Single floor Houses 3 students Apartment 703 Single floor Houses 3 students
This image shows the location and capacity of each unit.
Apartment 717-719 Single floor Houses 3 students
Dorm South Apartment 705 Apartment 707-713 Apartment 715 Two story Single floor Parking Single floor Houses 3 Houses 4 Houses 3 students students students
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Playing the character of God, Johnnie Harvey, Hutchinson, sits up on stage while images of war flash across him. Once his character saw the mad things going on in the world he became upset.
Bringing FIRE to the
Stage!
Theater Production, “Everyman,” has everything from fire dancers to tight rope walkers photos & story Rachel Wasko
With all that is going on in the world, what do people value the most in life? After repetition in the most recent theater production, some students have learned something new about their own lives.
The Hutchinson Community College Theatre put on the play “Everyman,” a medieval morality play that dates back to the 15th century. The play was performed in November of 2011. “Everyman” is a play that tells the journey of a man who has been called to his final reckoning. He learns that everything he did in his life had been added up to that moment. When called by Death, “Everyman” realizes that it isn’t his friends, Beauty, Kindred, or Worldly Goods, that make any difference in his life and what was to come. It was his Good Deeds that would
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always follow him to the end. Johnnie Harvey, Hutchinson, performed the role of God in the production.To become a character in one of the college’s plays there is an audition process they all must go through. There are two plays each semester and auditions for both plays are held at the beginning of the year. During this process, the actors are handed a script of the plays, then they rehearse it with a partner until it is their turn to audition.The casting usually posted the next morning. “I have learned that I have a great standing in my spirituality and glitter gets everywhere,” Harvey said. “Everyman” called for thirteen characters that were played by eleven actors. Some of the students involved in the play are theater
majors, but others were community members. There were also three non-students involved in the play.Alicia Monceaux, Great Bend, played the role as Death.
“Well, one things for sure, I learned how to wear high heels for a long period, but no, I learned how to think about where my character’s axis is, where she moves. Death was her hands,” Monceaux said. “It was also very interesting acting out a larger-than-life character, a character that is not human.” Ryan Diehl, English instructor, and Dr. Charlene Widener, chairperson of the fine arts department, modernized the play and brought a circus theme to it and also updated the language so it was directed to the students. The play had many eye-appealing aspects to it, including a
tightrope walker, fire dancer, aerial acrobat, and a circus text background for the set. “Charlene wanted to do‘Everyman’ but didn’t want to do the same adaptations. She read Ryan Diehl’s adaptation he wrote in college and made some changes and boom, we had a show,” Harvey said. “It helps everyone who watches think about what state the world is in. What are we doing with our lives? Are we just repeating them like in ‘Everyman’,” Monceaux said. Widener said, “One of the major differences in the adaptation was that ended it with a disappointed God looking out at the world and calling for Everyman, which is how the play begins. The original play ends with Everyman dying and God accepting him. I
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David Monceaux, Great Bend, plays the character, Everyman, and stops to consult a genie on his journey. Everyman restores the character, Good Deed’s health during this scene.
wanted our audience going away thinking about how we know the difference between right and wrong and when called on the table, it is easy to choose the right path but much of mankind does not always choose that path when no one is looking. Many people profess religion but certainly do not spend their days with actions that support their claims.” Weston Ohlde, Linn, played the character of Knowledge and the tightrope walker. Ohlde is not a theater major but has been in several plays before “ “I have learned a lot about how much time is needed for a show and how important tech and lighting are,” Ohlde said. To make the costumes, it can take around a month. A meeting is held months in advance to come up with the concept and then they are designed and made. The costumes are made from scratch, found, or bought. Cast members make the costumes and some are made in the theater class, Theatre Performance Ensemble. There were thirteen different costumes needed for “Everyman” and only six were made by hand. So far, HCC Theatre has performed the play “Proof ” in September, and in the spring they will be doing their 24-Hour Festival and the play “Drunkard,” a musical with songs by Barry Manilow. “We wanted to do a classical play in our season, and this is a play that is not done very often. I also like the message of the
Costumes That Make the Play Beauty The delicate character of Beauty was portrayed with this shimmery dress
Death Since the theme of the performance was circuse,Death played the role as the Ringleader
Five Wits In the performance Five Wits was a snake charmer wearing this gold ensemble
Knowledge play,” Widener said. The play “Everyman” was a journey that shows that the way one lives now can improve or destruct one’s standing in the after life. It is all about how actions now can make a huge impact later on in life and if individuals will follow the path of everyman or pave a new path filled
An aerial acrobat, Eva Planthold, Hutchinson, ascends from the stage. The play featured circusthemed acts.
with good deeds.The modern aim of this play helped to relate it back to everyday lives.
Knowledge also played the tightrope walker
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Examining Parts of the Nursing Program A deep cough, a soar throat, and a spiked fever all lead to a doctor’s visit. One of the first people a patient sees is a nurse. The Hutchinson Community College nursing programs jump-start the life of a nurse. To acquire the proper knowledge and skill to be a nurse, it takes time and effort, and HCC walks students through this process. Someone interested in becoming a nurse through HCC has the option to do so in two ways: the traditional program to receive an RN degree, or the Online Bridge Program to receive
Amanda McCoy, Hutchinson, reads the label of an IV bottle. Carol List, nursing laboratory assistant/ tutor, directed an assignment that showed students how to calculate dosage for individual patients.
an LPN or Paramedic degree. To be admitted into the program, a 2.75 GPA is required along with a few prerequisites. “For the traditional program, the two classes that must be completed is Anatomy and Physiology and English Composition One,” Debra Hackler,
director of associate degree nursing program/department co-chair allied health, said. “There are six other general education courses within the curriculum: Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Public Speaking, Microcomputer Literacy, Medical Terminology
and Microbiology.” The Online Bridge Program works in the same way. It, too, requires courses that need to be completed with a 2.75 GPA to be accepted into the program. The prerequisites are similar to the traditional program, however, instead of Medical Terminology and Microbiology, the online students take Pathophysiology. “We literally have students all over the country, corner to corner,” Terri Leroy, secretary associates degree nursing program, said. “I have even talked to potential students in Alaska and Hawaii.”
Tabitha Reid, Hutchinson, concentrates on the precision of her needle as she inserts an IV into an artificial arm. Nursing students studied IV’s and how and where to put the needle.
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photos & story
Differences between the programs include the time frame of the coursework and how many clinical hours that are mandatory. “The Traditional program is two academic years (August to May) and has 540 clinical hours plus 135 lab hours,” Hackler said. “The online program is one year (January to December) and has 360 clinical hours plus 45 in the lab or total of 405 hours.”
Similar to all majors, there are always certain classes or tasks that must be completed that are not the most favorable. “Probably care plans,” Hannah Hawkinson, Manhattan, said. “We have to do an individualized plan for each patient that we see.They’re not too bad, just a lot of time-consuming work.” On the other end of that, though, there will always be something about
Morgan Oriet
a major that attracts students. “My favorite thing about the nursing program is the clinical experience,” Jenny Collum, Hutchinson, said. “We have really great teachers and really great clinical instructors, and we go to really interesting places, and I’m a very hands on kind of person so I learn a lot easier if I am down in it and can see it and do it and experience it hands on.” Clinical experiences include visit-
ing a nursing facility to learn how to work with actual patients. At HCC, clinical work is done mostly in the Reno County area at places such as Story continued on page 38. Consulting with Instructor Teri Hambley, Stephanie Thrush, Goddard, receives help on her test. Nursing students are required to complete both classroom work and clinical work.
From the online bridge program, Richard Strack, Erie, listens to the simulator’s heart rate. Students used safety precautions like gloves to ensure efficient practice.
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N OT J U S T a cup OF J OE M e t r o p o l i ta n
“The Metro is a good environand inviting atmosphere,” Cassie Belton, Hutchinson, said. “They ment where you can sit back, relax, have the softest chairs and sofas, and just hang out with friends. shelves full of board games to play They have plenty of room to meet with friends, and a friendly staff. with friends to do homework or It’s the best place to go to listen just talk,” Shane Wiebe, Inman, to live music, do homework, or said. just have some coffee with good “What we’re about here is how photos & story Andrea Ratzlaff friends.” you feel when you come in. It’s not The Metro offers much more as much about what you buy or s the espresso maker is to Metropolitan Coffee.They have what you get, it’s how you than a caffeine fix for brewing and frothing the opportunity to be a part of a feel when you come,” students, it creates a away, Metropolitan “coffee” community. Kitson said. Coffee quickly draws a crowd “The environment is much home away from “It’s the best place The Metro who is eager to start the evening. more welcoming and friendly,” home. to go to listen to live o f fers much “ Yo u c a n It’s a Friday night, which means a Jim Kitson, Metro Coffee owner, music, do homework, live band will be showing off their said. “We are built for you to come come here and or just have some coffee more to students including free talent. The rich aroma of freshly and hang out.We want you to hang feel like a part with good friends” live music every of something, brewed coffee fills the air.The band out and build relationships while Cassie Belton, Hutchinson Friday and Saturbegins to tune their instruments as you’re here.” The “Metro” proves rather than just day night, free swing customers find a seat on the plush to be a great place for students to going somewhere to dance lessons on the last red couches or tall bar stools.With- study in a warm environment and study,” Kitson said. Sunday of the month, a chance out a doubt, Hutchinson Commu- build friendships. Because the Metro is so invitto display or sell artwork and nity College students receive much “I enjoy going to Metro over ing, many students prefer to study ultimately, a unique experience. more than a mocha when they go other venues because of their warm there over the library.
Coffee Where Relationships Matter
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Enjoying a brownie, Kelsey Moore, Hutchinson, socializes and catches up on homework. The warm setting made Metro a comfortable venue for students to study.
Cassie Belton, Hutchinson, plays a game of Scrabble with a group of friends over the weekend. The Metro stocked their bookshelves with games that were available to customers.
“The Metro is a good venue for HCC students because it gives them the opportunity to get off campus and just get their minds off their classes,” Wiebe said. “It’s better than Starbucks. We don’t sell the same things, we sell the experience, the relationships,” Zach Kitson, said. A coffee community is not merely built on good lattes and comfortable couches, but rather on the people who make the environment so inviting.The coffee draws HCC students to Metropolitan Coffee, but the ultimate draw is the welcoming environment that will satisfy just like a vanilla latte does.
How do you like your coffee?
Over the weekend, Shane Wiebe, Inman, studies diligently at the Metro. Wiebe also participated in a Bible study every Tuesday night at the Metro.
Black 22%
Ew, coffee? 31%
With the works 38% Steamed Milk 9%
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Unusual Classes Enrollment Spring 2012
Death and Dying
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Dylan Partridge, Buhler, pays attention to Charles Kerchen’s, instructure, lecture. The topic featured the acts of suicide that had happened in Hutchinson. Photo by Dustin Lies
Introduction to Cultural Studies Fairy Tails
enrolling i Exploring some of the uncommon classes offered at HCC story
Infographic by Dustin Lies
Kerschen shows off art work that his previous students have created in his Death and Dying class. Kerschen displays the different views of the dying process throughout his class. Photo by Dustin Lies
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Samantha Smith
Sprinkled among the typical courses taught at Hutchinson Community College, such as algebra, history, and English are a few courses entailing some unusual material. Students can break through the monotony of the typical required classes by taking a course that offers a spark of uniqueness. The Death and Dying course is very popular among HCC students and undoubtedly qualifies as unusual.This class focuses on many aspects associated with the dying process; from personal feelings and anxieties to legal regulations and customs from around the globe. In the class, students engage in group discussions and interesting assignments. Writing a letter to a dying child, an obituary, and a eulogy of a family member are just a few of the assignments that students do over the course of the semester, visiting the mortuary is also included in the agenda. The assignments are not the typical projects students engage in the classroom, however, the material covered is relatable and extremely useful to students according to Instructor Charles Kerschen.
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“Many of my students think that they are invincible, because they are young,” Kerschen said. “This class brings students face-to-face with mortality.” Death and Dying fulfills a student’s humanities requirement, making it a useful class for students with any major. There are over one hundred students enrolled in the Death and Dying course this semester. The class is not only offered in the classroom, but also as an online course. However, taking the online class, Kerschen says, is not as intimate and will not have the same emotional impact. Another unusual class offered at HCC is Introduction to Cultural Studies: Fairy Tales. Although the name of the course may entice mental images of magical beings and enchanting locations, this course actually depicts the more dark and cynical side of the original fairy tales that Disney does not showcase in their heartwarming films. Some discussions include the stepsisters in “Cinderella” getting their eyes gouged out by doves or “The Little Mermaid” dying in the end of the original tale. The class invites students to revisit their childhood and uncover the underlying meanings in the sto-
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ries they grew up hearing, reading, and watching. Students will also understand the impact that fairy tales play in society and how these stories may have helped, or possibly hindered, our growth. “Students will never be able to watch another Disney film, or really any movie for that matter, the same way again,” Ryan Diehl, cultural studies instructor, said. Students intrigued to take the course quickly found that many stories from their elementary days were very different from the original tales and did not always have a happy ending. “I was surprised by how violent they are,” Victoria Hendricks, Hutchinson, said. Despite discovering some of the twisted messages and gruesome scenes embedded into their favorite tales from their childhood, Hendricks, along with classmate Chrissie Burns, Hutchinson, agree that all students should consider the course in the future. “People should take it because it’s different from normal classes,” Burns said. Like Death and Dying, Introduction to Cultural Studies: Fairy Tales is also offered online, and it fulfills a student’s humanities requirement as well so it can be
beneficial for all students to take. These are only two courses at HCC with a unique subject. Finding an unusual class that piques one’s interest can make for a
more exciting semester and break through the traditional barrier of required classes.
Ryan Diehl, cultural studies instructor, begins class by discussing a reading assignment. Students in his fairy tales class read and analyzed classic fairy tales. Photo by Samantha Smith
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Tre’ Ona Hickerson,Topeka; Zoe Clark, Wichita; Kuren Durham, Wichita; and Darcey Volle, Axtell, gather together for small study group at the Kent Lobby. The girls finished their homework before spending time with their friends.
Making the Adjustment Freshmen find themselves getting used to life away from home
25%
12%
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302 students surveyed
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Susi Acosta
Frankly, most freshman students are scared about going to college. When students arrive on campus for the first time they feel like they’re at the great unknown. They have many unanswered questions but luckily most will adapt to this change. Moving and adjusting to college life can be an overwhelming experience.The Hutchinson Community College staff is trained to help make the adjustment as easy as possible and make the students feel comfortable. “Freshman students struggle with several things while they are adjusting to residence hall life. Roommate issues, budgeting issues, and course workload but the one thing that is the biggest hurdle is time management. Budgeting time so they have time to study, work, spend time with friends and
attend their classes," said Dana Hinshaw, director of residence life and student activities. “This semester there were a total of 22 dorm students withdrawing out of approximately 550 students.” Adapting to college, students face different challenges and responsibilities. They no longer depend much on their parents as they did in high school. Students have to wash their own laundry, cook their own meals, and are responsible for attending class on time. “My biggest challenge would be getting up in the mornings without my parents forcing me to get up for school,” Kuren Durham, Wichita, said. College classes differ from high school classes with the major difference being homework. If a student does not understand their home-
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work they can get help from tutors at the Rimmer Learning Resource Center or Student Success Center. “A big difference from high school to college is that teachers aren’t as concerned about whether your homework is finished or not. If you don’t get it done, you fail,” Ciara VanBruggen, Hutchinson, said. “There is a lot more pressure on you and your work ethic in college than high school.” With a busy school schedule in mind, some students have to attend practice, work, and finish homework. To keep track of a daily schedule, students use many methods. Some use a calendar or an agenda while others don’t have a method. “I don’t really have a method for time management. Things just fall into the right places at the right time,” Durham said.
To make the adjustment to colMauricio Torrez, Macksville, lege easier, some students have the logs into his facebook account. option to go home on the weekends. He chatted with his friends from Out-of-state or international stu- back home. dents are faced with a limited travel schedule. “I go home every weekend because I have to work,” Mauricio Torrez, Macksville, said. While Students learn to live away from home, most make the adjustment by the end of their freshman year.The new experiences freshman face will be easier when coming back as sophomores. “The advice I’d give an upcoming freshman would be to make sure and branch out to others. Having a social life is going to be a lot better than sitting in your dorm by yourself,” VanBruggen said. “Be sure to manage your time properly though, keeping your priorities straight, or it’ll come back and get you.”
Major Difference of College Life Students respond to making the adjustment to college
27% Busy schedule 17% Independence 3% Other Priorities such as laundry, cleaning, etc.
All the above
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6% No response 302 students surveyed
Durham, and Cira VanBruggen, Hutchinson, talk about school and homework. Both students worked to finish their first semester.
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Students from the Film Club relax in the theatre room in Building 12. They watched “X-Men” which was released in 2000. Photo by Hannah Arthur
story
Hannah Arthur
The variety of clubs at Hutchinson Community College offer something for everyone Joining a club not only makes for a well-rounded resume in the future, but also brings people together that have similar interests. There are many different opportunities like volunteer organizations, major-related clubs, faith-based clubs, and social groups to get involved in. With so many options, there is something for everyone. Being a part of a club at HCC
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can enhance the entire college experience. Do you enjoy watching movies when you aren’t studying or going to class? The film club takes place in Building 12. This club gets together once a month to watch and discuss movies. “Film club is all about appreciating movies and any sort of media. It’s about getting together with people who just love movies and talking about them, getting free food, and make fun of bad movies,“ Skye Colaw, McPherson, said. Building 12 has a theatre room with a projector and couches that the Film Club uses to watch differ-
ent movies. The film club is open to all HCC students. “You don’t really have any clubs where you just get to sit on couches and watch movies,” Colaw said. “All that you need to do if you would like to join is bring a snack, your favorite drink (non alcoholic) and yourself,” Andrew Huest, Sterling, said. The Young Democrats used to be a club at HCC, but has since dwindled down. The original sponsor of the group, Femi Ferreira, political science instructor, is willing to start the group back up again if students show interest. There aren’t many instances in
school to discuss what is going on in the world with other students who share the same interest in politics. “Unless if you read the papers, you don’t know what’s going on, so it’s better to get more involved right at school,” Ferreira said. There is another political club beginning next spring that will be focused on the conservative perspective. “The goal of this club is to bring conservative students and faculty together to study conservative principles of liberty, limited government and free markets. Also, we hope to engage in occasional activism in order to promote
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Number of Clubs Students are Involved In
Abbie Schrag and Margi DeVore, both from Hutchinson, prepare strawberry topping for the PUSH Valentine’s Day Dinner. The topping finished off an angel food cake. Photo by Andrea Ratzlaff
302 HCC students surveyed
liberty and limited government,” Rob Holmes, club sponsor, said. This club plans to be involved in many political related activities including group discussions, debates, attending government speakers, and inviting guest speakers. “Young people are directly affected by a government that does not behave responsibly and that continues to expand its tentacles into every aspect of our lives.” Holmes said. If students are more interested in a faith-based club, check into PUSH, the only Christian club at HCC.
“PUSH stands for People Undeniably Seeking Him. The object of this organization is to be a group where students enrolled in Hutchinson Community College can either discover the Word of God or deepen their already existing relationship with Him while developing a passion for serving others,” Janae DeWeese, club sponsor, said. This club can get a member connected to other students that share the same beliefs as well as a local church community. They meet once a week on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in the Parker Student Union Blue Dragon Room. With so many options at HCC, there is a club for anyone willing to be a part of one, even if you’re interested in just relaxing on a couch and watching a movie. Isaac Williams, Pretty Prairie, and Kristen Regehr, Hutchinson, create valentines for a nursing home. PUSH members also delivered the valentines. Photo by Andrea Ratzlaff
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Exercise for the spirit, mind, and body photos & story
A college student’s life is filled with classes, work, extra curricular activities, a social life, homework and all the other crisis’s that can arise. It is difficult to find the time to get healthy and fit. If student’s lives produce a few spare hours of freedom, generally it’s spent napping or playing video games. Some reasons for not working out include money, time, and not knowing what is available. Hutchinson offers a few facilities that accommodate to a college student’s wallet and busy schedule including the YMCA, The Core, and the Dragon’sWellness Center. “Exercise is important for the spirit, mind and body. It keeps you centered, takes you away from your busy schedule to be able to think and have some moments for yourself,” Suresh Menon YMCA wellness director, said. Hutchinson Community College offers a few options for students. The Dragon Wellness Center, located in the basement of the Richard and Jack Parker Student Union, is free for all HCC students and staff.Though some say it is lacking, it currently holds seven cardio machines, eight weight lifting machines and a variety of other exercise equipment. HCC also offers a variety of walking/ running trails.
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Heather Applegarth
Located across the street from the stadium, is theYMCA, which is another option. HCC established a partnership with the facility. Offering a one hour PE credit course for any of the fitness classes that the YMCA provides. “We offer a three month membership. You’re not tied down to a contract like other facilities. It’s assessable to the college, “Kirby List, YMCA executive director, said. TheYMCA is welcoming to all ages of people in the community. Intermingling with one another initiates respect and builds character skills. The facility includes the general cardio and weight rooms, but it has some bonuses including basketball courts, racquetball, swimming pools, steam room, and fitness classes. These amenities are available to all members. “The environment that we create at the YMCA, is inviting to everyone”, Menon said. The Core, another fitness facility opened in 2005. “We are flexible with college students.You can do a three month payment of $60 or a monthly payment of $20,” Donael Dover, employee, said. Due to the convenience of operation, which is 24/7, and the affordability,
Adam Potter, Hutchinson, and Garrett Teegerstrom, Larned, pose for a photo during an intense workout session at the YMCA. The two play basketball on a weekly basis. Showing off his muscles, Jacob Torkelson, Topeka, plays a game of basketball at the YMCA. He joined fellow HCC students in the evening to play.
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The Sunflower Trail is another option in Hutchinson to take a quick run. Elizabeth May, Garden Plain, ran the trail on a mild day in winter. Photo Illustration by Heather Applegarth
The Core is quickly becoming one of the more popular facilities in the area. Members are given a card key that unlocks the door at any time during the day. It is located on 4th and Main. Affordability and time are two of the main reasons that college students think they can’t go out and find a workout facility.The fact is that there are a lot of options in Hutchinson that make it worth the time and money. Being fit and healthy doesn’t mean it has to cost a fortune or take a lot of time. It’s just taking the first step getting started that is the difficult part. In the long run ,ones spirit, mind and body will appreciate it. Taking advantage of the elliptical in the Elland dorm, Kaleigh Wulf, Cheney, exercises. Wulf served as an RA for the dorms this year.
Student Usage of the
Dragon Wellness Center Use
Don’t Use
15%
85%
Which Facility is Right for You? YMCA 5am- 10pm Mon-Thurs 5am-9pm Fri 8am-5pm Sat 1pm-5am Sun
The Core 24/7 Wade Hopper, Cheney, gets his afternoon workout in at The Core. Wade preferred working out at The Core due to the convenience of the hours.
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Finding Fitness
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And other interesting stories from Alan Roberts-Mitchell photos, illustrations & story
William Gates
Alan Roberts-Mitchell, greenhouse manager, sits at a table in the break area where people can relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the greenhouse. Photo-Illustration by William Gates Planting seeds, Becky Mullins, center, hurries as class winds down. The Let’s Get Growing Class met on Wednesday nights at the greenhouse.
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The first thing a person is likely to notice when stepping into the balmy confines of the main greenhouse at Hutchinson Community College’s South Campus is a serene little waterfall. Water trickles down large slabs of rock and collects in a small, lily padcovered pond which is home to some particularly shy koi. The pond narrows to a small stream. On the other side of the stream is an area that features some exotic-looking plants like large barrel cacti and pony tail palm trees. Beyond this miniature oasis sits row after row of greenhouse benches, upon which there may be hundreds or even thousands of plants, depending on the time of the year. One thing that can almost always be found in the greenhouse, however, is a man by the name of Alan Roberts-Mitchell, Greenhouse Manager. The greenhouse welcomed Roberts-Mitchell in August 2011. He helps support the agriculture and horticulture departments by growing plants for plant science and crop science. The greenhouse also grows plants for the Block & Bridle plant sale and is involved in community outreach programs, including a preschool garden for the First Christian Church and gardens for the HCC
Childcare Center, as well as research for Kauffman Seed. “We’re doing a salt study for Kauffman Seed on soybeans to distinguish which soybeans can take the most salt for the farmers that have a higher salt content in their water,” Roberts-Mitchell said. “That’s a good research program for the students here at the school to be able to see.” Roberts-Mitchell also teaches a class at the greenhouse called Let’s Get Growing, a non-credit class that started in February. “I have a family member on campus who told me about [the class], knowing I like plants, and I was excited to hear that there was a big changeover in the greenhouse,” Becky Mullins, Hutchinson said. She is one of several students who meet at the greenhouse on Wednesday evenings to learn both from Roberts-Mitchell and from each other. Mullins said her favorite part of the class was “working with her hands in the dirt.” Prior to working at HCC, Roberts-Mitchell was a scientist and was involved in several interesting projects. One project was “a hierarchical database of scientific and medical nomenclature,” which NASA will take to the moon and to Mars, and which is being used
by Iceland to genetically code their population. Pharmaceutical companies also use it for drug discovery and clinical trials. Another interesting story Roberts-Mitchell tells is about Ziggy, a tomato plant with a fascinating history. In 1997, Ziggy (in seed form) and 1.4 million of his “seed relatives” were treated to a zerogravity weekend retreat on the Russian Space Station Mir, courtesy of NASA. “It was a combined project, 4.2 million seeds were cleaned and divided into 3 equal sets.” RobertsMitchell said. “One set was flown aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, those seeds experienced zero atmospheric pressure.The second set was placed in the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station deployed underwater in Key Largo, Florida at 1.6 atmospheres. The 3rd set of seeds was the earth-based seed control group that experienced pressure of 1 atmosphere.” The seeds were then distributed to schools and universities to see what differences there were between the sets of seeds. Roberts-Mitchell figures it’s likely that Ziggy is the only plant from that experiment that is still alive and kicking, which would make him the oldest plant to have ever gone to space. Ziggy was planted in 2003, making him about nine years old now. Roberts-Mitchell brings Ziggy into the greenhouse every fall and puts him back outside every spring, where he grows and still produces about 85% of the harvest that he did when he was just 1 year old. Roberts-Mitchell’s work has taken him around the world. He was born just outside of London and has lived in many places including Germany, Montana, Los Angeles, and Okinawa, Japan where his
Space Shuttle Atlantis
Control Group
Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station
two children were born. On a bad weather day, a native Kansan might wonder why such a well-traveled man would decide to settle down here. Was it work? Was it love? Does he just really like HCC? Well... yes. His wife is originally from Kansas, and he has a history with HCC as well. “I took several classes out here, fell in love with the greenhouses and thought that this would be a wonderful place to work. At the time I was traveling every week somewhere in the world. I was a scientist and I thought,‘You know, I want to do something different, and I don’t want to wait until I’m in my 70s or 80s to find a job that I really enjoy,” Roberts-Mitchell said.“I was very fortunate to get this job, I feel honored to work here.” Roberts-Mitchell said if there was one message his students took away from him it would be this, “It’s all about the fun.”
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photos & story
Darren Ramey
School loan debt is a growing problem in the United States, with universities averaging in cost at $21,447 per year for students living on campus. Some students are lucky enough to receive several scholarships or have parents that will pay their way through school. For those students that don’t have these advantages there are a number of ways one can attempt to put a dent in their school costs. One of the most prominent ways in reducing school costs is
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Student employment on HCC Campus completing a Federal Student Aid application, where students are not only able to receive grants and have an opportunity for special loans, but also to become eligible for the federal work study program. The work-study program is an easy way to get employed during a time when jobs are not so quick to come by. Once an aid application is completed, an amount of need is determined based on the information entered. The maximum amount one may be awarded for
work-study is $4000 a year, with the minimum at $100. Job Placement Specialist Betty Ann Kelly works directly with students in the work-study program. “The government allots x amount of money for each student, they have to fall within a category of income based off their parents income. The maximum amount of hours is generally 15 a week. They are paid minimum wage, I take the amount they are awarded and divide it out throughout the
semester to figure out how many hours they have to work per week,” Kelly said. The amount students are awarded however, is not guaranteed; one has to work the hours to make the money. “Say they have been allotted 15 hours a week and they only work 11 hours, there will be 4 hours of work that they will not be awarded for the semester,” Kelly said. Aside from being guaranteed a job through the work-study program there is another great benefit to students.The hours a student is required to work are placed around his or her class schedule, this being something that isn’t easily found in other jobs. “Most of the jobs on campus are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., there are some that go into the evening such as the library that is open into evening hours. Or over in the fine arts building for jobs such as set construction. Dorms, also a lot of times, will hire students to sit at the front desk and those are only for students that actually live in that dorm. They check people in and out in the evenings. They also do that out at the hotel, where some students are housed,” Kelly said. Carlie Darby,Winfield, is a stu-
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dent worker for the Endowment office here on campus. She has had her job since her freshman year at HCC, the job is even held for her over the summer. During school breaks, students also receive those days off of work. “One of the biggest benefits is I don’t have to use my car as often so I can stay on campus all day and get my stuff done and then head back to the dorms,” Darby said. According to Darby, having a job for the college doesn’t affect her schooling negatively in any way. “If anything, it’s kind of a prestige thing, like I should do better in class because I have an on-campus job so I represent Hutchinson,” Darby said. For students that aren’t a part of the work-study program there are sometimes options still available to work on campus. “Occasionally there are departments on campus that hire students through their own budgets. They don’t always contact me so I usually suggest to students to check with their instructors or their advisor and see if any of them are hiring in their department. Sometimes it’s just for tutoring or office work. Most of the time students are paid minimum wage, tutors are sometimes paid a little more than that but it depends on the department,” Kelly said. Darby is one of those workers; it is not a work-study job that she is a part of, but a campus job all the same.With any job comes different advantages. “I wasn’t particularly looking for a job, I was more looking to just focus on classes. Cindy [Keast] actually approached me with the job offer. I work maybe 15 hours a week just during weekdays but it’s the right amount of money to cover my car payment and sustain
Alexandria Arceneaux, Golfport, Miss., and Dan Pohl, language instructor, discuss HCC’s online writing help forum. As a writing tutor, Arceneaux answered questions on the forum as well as in the campus library.
a college student,” Darby said. “If I feel like going to Starbucks or something I can, without a job I wouldn’t be able to do that.” A campus job whether it be work-study or not, can help tremendously with cutting into school debt or just giving one the extra cash needed to buy something for themselves once in awhile. Having a campus job can give students the convenience needed to simply take some stress off knowing that school, work, and a bed are all in a pretty close vicinity. If all this doesn’t promote school jobs enough, Darby will leave these last words.
“In this office its like a party, there is always food here and there is always candy. If you’re going to work in the Endowment office expect to be full constantly because its good food,” Darby said.
Caleb Zogleman, Hutchinson, works on his homework while he awaits students who may need his assistance. Math tutors like Zogleman also worked on homework or surfed the web in their downtime.
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photos & story
Dustin Lies
Ideas become a sketch, a sketch become model, a model receives movement, and movement creates an animation “An animation itself is beyond confusing! Many don’t understand how much work really goes into making one,” Charlie Unsderfer, Hutchinson, said. Animation is a broad word that classifies many different categories like commercial and game designs. Projects vary much between each designer. In the animation program at Hutchinson Community College, a set of twins work in unison to create their designs. Charlie and Dennis Unsderfer, both from Hutchinson,
are two students that take their degree very seriously. “Currently, Dennis and I have been HUGE into 3D animation and film compositing! Have you ever seen movies like ‘Avatar’ or ‘Transformers’? Exactly that! Combining real world film with 3D effects has become intriguing, and so that’s what we’ve pretty much dedicated this whole year to,” Charlie Unsderfer said. While Charlie works on this project, other students are modeling different types of characters and animations. “I’m building a ‘Tubby’- a fat male character with exaggerated proportions,” Nick Good, Wamego, said. “I have had students animate the campus, the parking lot, and the dragon over by the Student Union coming to life and flying around,” Vince Puyear, animation and game development instructor, said. The making of these projects go
through a long process, and there are some challenges to over come. “The difficult part is finding the time, honestly! Nothing is too terribly difficult sure you run into your typical issues on how to create that perfect effect or look, but it mostly all can be figured out if you apply yourself. It’s seeing that 7 hours go by and not even noticing that’s how long you took to complete your 1 effect,” said Charlie Unsderfer. Planning is a very strict aspect when it comes to creating a model in animation. “Most difficult is lighting,” Good said, “One wrong light can throw the whole scene off and make it look too bright or too dark.” Not only is modeling the objects difficult but also putting them into movement can be a challenge. “The difficult part I find, in animating is usually figuring out how many frames are needed for a video,” Ashley Burgess, Arlington, said.
Dennis Unsderfer and Charlie Unsderfer, both from Hutchinson, are working on some small games for one of their projects. They took first place at Skills USA Nationals in the Animation contest in 2011.
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Turning the object into video has a lot of planning required. The animator has to set a certain amount of frames for each movement. “When you create a model, you have to look at it from not only and artistic point of view, but a realistic point of view. Everything in say, a character model, must have an application. Modeling is extremely time consuming, especially when you have to remember that what you’re modeling is going to be animated. So you have to build it up considering many things, not just throwing it together,” said Charlie Unsderfer. Creating a model to be realistic goes through a lot of detailed procedures on the appearance of the surface of the model.This also has a lot of different procedures on how to change a flat-colored surface into a textured surface. “Procedures include making a character model to start with, then adding in a skeleton rig for animating the model,” Loren Lane, Andale, said. “In planning out an animation, I usually start out by drawing out a story board.Then I’ll begin designing and composing a scene using Autodesk 3ds Max,” Burgess said. The process of creating a animation goes through many different programs and tools. The main program used for creating animation is 3ds Max. Other programs used are Adobe After Effects, or Windows Movie Maker to finalize the project and add last minute effects. Each animator uses some
Instructor Spotlight Vince Puyear
Animation and Game Development Instructor • Attended Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas • Received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at FHSU • Has been at Hutchinson Community College for 19 years • Started out as the Computer Drafting Technology Instructor/Coordinator • Recently changed to the Animation & Game Development Instructor • Hobbies include playing Halo and Call of Duty 4 on his PC or console • Enjoys riding bikes and taking walks with his wife Vince Puyear, animation and game development instructor, teaches his class to design a model of a computer tower. The students animated the model to include a functional disk drive. The two photos used for the background are creations of Jacob Myers, Sterling, and Jeremy Smith, Inman. They were screen shots from levels designed during the Game Development class.
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of the same programs but they can also choose to combine effects from other software. “Program(s).You could say we have a few! We use Photoshop (2D texturing and images), 3ds Max (all of the 3D), Boujou or PFTrack (tracking footage), Rayfire (destruction simulations), VRay (rendering), and finallyAfter Effects (Post compositing, timing, sound FX, 2d video FX) all of these programs work in unison to create 1 final product,” said Charlie Unsderfer. Though all of these programs are out there, each one provides something different. The animators each have their favorite parts of designing their projects. “My favorite part of the designing process is when you add materials to the objects in the scene,” Burgess said. These students also have the opportunity to perform in a special competition that will test their
talent. This contest is called Skills USA and some of these students have already participated in it. “Skills USA was brought to us by our High School teacher Mr. Wilson. He got use largely involved in multiple competitions throughout high school, which kept us involved and constantly improving. I accredit him much to where we are today,” said Charlie Unsderfer. Skills USA participants must prove their skills first in a state competition. The top performers then go on to compete at the National Skills USA Contest. “The theme was showing how a steam engine worked. So my partner and I made a small train engine and showed how the basic components worked together,” Good said. Last year’s state contest had three teams of two HCC animation students competing against other animation majors from around the state. One of the teams placed
first and went on to the national competition in Kansas City. “The competition layout gives us eight hours to make a complete animation. The project remains unknown UNTIL the start of the contest, making it extremely pressured! I love this part about it. Makes your creative side really come out,” said Unsderfer. “In the National competition, we were given a fictional character that lived on an inhabitable planet, and we were told to either create an animated vehicle, house, or an invention that could sustain those conditions. It was a fictional idea, but to get the main point, we had to model something that could sustain life on a planet like mars.” A whole new world can come from the mind of a student and be brought to life through the use of animation software. These students show their dedication to the process and are rewarded with a finished interactive environment.
Ashley Burgess, Arlington, applies material to her fountain. She worked on a park seen with a water fountain in the center in Animation II.
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Animating Tactics 1. Brainstorm
This is where the animator stats to come up with ideas for his/her figure. The animator must think of a figure that would appeal to his/her audience
2. Mockup Sketches
The animator draws out original ideas. He/she then takes the idea and develops variations to come up with good and bad ideas to improve the figure.
3. Finalized Sketches
4. General Polygons When the figure is brought into the computer environment, the animator goes through a few steps. First he/ she builds a general polygon form for the structure.
To finalize sketch means to get everything drawn out that will be built on the figure like clothes and accessories. The animator also draws out a few views like the front side and left side view
5. Forming The Figure
6. Fine-Tuning
Forming the figure is taking the polygons and smoothing the edges and applying a little detail to the figure.
8. Giving The Figure A Skeleton
The animator builds within the figure and attaches them so they move like a person’s arms.
Fine-tuning is where the animator makes the final touches to finish the design of the figure.
7. Applying Texture
The animator now applies the texture, the hair, clothing, and materials. This is to make the figure seem more realistic
9. Putting In Movement
This is the extended process of the last step. The animator now is going through before he/she finalizes and starts making the actual animation.
10. Set Frames and Finalize
Setting the frames is a major part of the design. The animator designates a certain number of frames allowed for each movement. After this is done, the animation is finalized Dragon’s Tale
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Terri Leroy, associate degree nursing program secretary, answers approximately fifty phone calls on any given day. Leroy received calls from Alaska and Hawaii through the online bridge program.
Technical education secretary, Robin Shultz, looks through articulation agreement folders. Shultz assigned college credit to high school students through this program when they enrolled as a freshman at HCC.
Department Moms
photos & story
Morgan Oriet
The “Secrets” That Maintain Our School System A secret, when handled correctly, is a bit of information that is kept undercover, hidden from everyone else. At Hutchinson Community College, there are a few undercover “secrets” floating around handling various tasks to uphold things around campus; however, they are not as hidden as most people may think. The secretaries at HCC are out in the open, all over campus, answering phones and answering various questions from students and teachers that come to their desks. Currently, there are 53 employees with the title secretary or
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administrative assistant at HCC. Their job activities range from a wide variety of things including working on paperwork for teachers, sending students to the correct areas when they need help, and sorting through emails. Sharon Hovious, secretary to dean of workforce and outreach, works for Steve Porter, helping with many things such as motorcycle safety courses, getting a commercial driver’s license, and also working with high school students. “We do outreach for the high schools,” Hovious said. “They can take the college credit classes while they are in high school.”
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Tammy Barron, endowment secretary, works diligently at her desk. Barron used her free time and sold clothing online for Cindy Keast, endowment director.
Robin Shultz, technical education secretary, also works with students that are still in high school and looking to get a head start on their college careers. Shultz’s job is to award college credit to these students. “We set up articulation agreements with the schools around our service area, and then if their program matches our program, then they can get college credit while they are still in high school,” Shultz said. To take college classes and receive this credit, money is a necessity. Most college students appreciate any help they can get when money is an issue. This is where scholarships come into effect. One way to receive scholarships is the yearly Phone-a-thon, which is something specific to Tammy Barron, endowment secretary. “The Phone-a-thon is our Annual Fund Drive for scholarships where we have students come into our office in the evenings and call our alumni and ask for donations,” Barron said. After the drive is complete and scholarships have been given, Barron has the awarded students come into her office to write a letter of appreciation to each donor. “This year we had students write the thank you’s to the people who donated to this fund drive instead of Cindy Keast or myself writing the thank you’s,” Barron said. Secretaries are the backbone
of any institution. Whether they are taking a call, working with a student, responding to an email, or handing out a teacher evaluation forms, they are there to ensure a better experience for everyone. “With the students, they may come in just to visit,” Hovious said. “They see a person that is at least their parent’s age, maybe older, and they will come in just to visit and maybe have a little bit of security there knowing they can just visit.” Terri Leroy, associate degree nursing program secretary, is another secretary that is always there for the students that call or step into her office. “I call them my chitlins,” Leroy said. Here at HCC, the secretaries are like mothers. They are the “moms” of their department, watching after their young ones, catering to the needs of others,
doing the hard work behind the scenes, caring for everyone, giving advice when asked, and not asking for anything in return, all with a smile on their faces. “It is very rewarding because I love to be their cheerleader and help them grow and obtain their educational goals,” Leroy said.
Sharon Hovious, secretary to the dean of workforce and outreach, types on her computer, completing her tasks for the day. Hovious helped Steve Porter with the motorcycle safety course each semester.
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The inspiration behind the memoir and film, “Catch Me If You Can”, comes straight from the life of Frank Abagnale, who spoke at HCC for the most recent Dillon Lecture Series. Who can catch Frank Abagnale? On January 31, Hutchinson Community College welcomed Abagnale to campus to speak about his life and experiences. The lecture taught the listeners more than just the importance of keeping information private but that people can change their ways. “What I learned at the lecture is that even though we as humans aren’t perfect and tend to do things that are wrong, everyone still deserves a second chance. Rachell Williams, MO, said. “Whatever a person has done in the past, does not define who they are today or tomorrow, as long as they are making an effort in becoming a better person and contributing to this society in a positive way.”
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Hannah Arthur
Frank Abagnale tells the story of his life at the Dillon Lecture Series on January 31. Abagnale worked for the FBI for 35 years.
While he restored some student’s faith in humanity, Abagnale also inspired students to keep a better eye on their own finances. “I learned that it could be really easy for someone to commit a fraud and that I should also be more aware of how I keep track and take care of what I have financially,” Amber Zvolanek, Russell, said. Mashala Dixon, Wichita, takes precautions in order to keep her identity safe. “I don’t keep important information such as my social security card in my possession, I let my mom keep it with her files along with my sister and I’s birth certificates,” Dixon said. Coordinator of the criminal justice program, Charles Fann, also takes certain measures to protect himself. “Personally, I shred documents and try to limit exposure. My wife even had me purchase an aluminum wallet so individuals could not “scan” my credit cards by merely holding a device near my wallet,” Fann said. During the lecture, listeners learned of Abagnale’s many escapades with forgery and identity theft.WhileAbagnale forged signatures for personal gain, some forge signatures for different reasons. “As a caretaker for my grandparents, I technically forge my grandfather’s signature and in some cases I don’t even sign his name, I will sign a different person’s name to see if the shop keep even notices,” Evan Rothwell, Hutchinson, said.
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Students attended the lecture Abagnale because I thought it for many reasons, the main reason would be cool to go see and hear being the movie “Catch Me If You his story coming from him and Can,” written by Abagnale about not just the facts from the movie,” his young life impersonating Dixon said. such occupations Abagnale was as a pilot, colreleased from jail “Remember lege professor, after agreeing to what being an pediatrician, and help the FBI catch an attorney. He criminals just like adult is, it has also racked up him. He transnothing to do over $2.5 milformed his life lion in fraudulent and worked as a with money or checks in every respected consulawards,” single state as tant on forgery, well as 26 other embezzlement, - Frank Abagnale countries. At the and identity theft for 35 years. age of 21, his spending spree ended as he was At the end of the lecture, Abacaught by the French police and gnale stressed the importance of served five years in prison. family and being a good person, “I have seen the movie and read and how what he did was wrong. his autobiography and had been “Frank put a new spin on how I intrigued by his life and wanted to thought about his life.” Rogers said. see him in person,” Michael Rogers, “He said that he regretted what Hutchinson, said. he did when he was younger and “I attended the lecture of Frank wished everyday that he could take
it back. I admire the confidence he had when he was so young but I also admire more his determination to make our country safer against criminals like he used to be,”
Abagnale’s speech is a true integrity account that took HCC students from the depths of despair to the achievement of personal redemption.
Abagnale speaks to a full house of students, faculty, Dillon Lecture patrons, and local law enforcement. He chronicled his escapades as a con-artist.
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Staying Healthy On campus Students at HCC visit the Health Center photos & story
Susi Acosta
That small house is a health center? This is one of the most frequent questions Rhonda Durant, manager of Student Health Services, hears along with her five other staff members. Walking back to the dorms after class, a person might walk past the health center not realizing it ever existed on campus. The health center has been available at Hutchinson Community College for 30 years. “I found out about the health center through my track coach, Becker, because it was required for me to get a physical,” Gretchen Kallenbach, Wichita, said. The clinic offers quality heath care to HCC students along with the community of Reno County. Physical exams, treatment of common illnesses, suturing of minor lacerations, suture removal, and dressing changes are all available along with treating minor depression and anxiety. Appointments for pregnancy prevention and STD counseling are also offered at the center. “I visited the health center because I wasn’t feeling very good,” Alex Conine, Dighton, said. HCC students are not charged a visit fee unless lab or x-rays are needed. Children of Reno County must pay an annual fee of $20 per child or $40/ family per year. The clinic does not require insurance or proof of income. If unable to pay the annual fee, the patient can
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discuss it with a staff member. Because it is a small facility with a limited lab, the health center always has a medical director available by phone, and the clinic has no doctor on site like a larger clinic. They do not have the equipment or medication to treat a serious emergency. “The health center is a lot smaller, it just has the necessary things needed, the rooms are tiny with not much in them. But the clinic is walking distance, and that’s
always good,” Carl Linnen, Buford, S.C., said. The health center has two nurses on site. One nurse is responsible for checking people in and out and a Nurse Practitioner, Rhonda Durant. Most of the time Durant examines the patients but there are two other nurse practitioners if needed. “My experience was pretty good, the staff members were friendly and informative. If I have to go again I would,” Kallenbach, said.
Rhonda Durant, manager of Student Health Services, checks Carl Linnen,Buford,S.C.,heartbeat. Linnen needed a physical for track before he could start practice.
Next time when a person looks at the health center he or she will know that it’s just not an ordinary house. When a friend gets sick recommend them to visit the health center where quality health care will be offered.
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How many students have visited the health center?
Gretchen Kallenbach,Wichita, tells Kiarra Adkins, Wichita, about her experience at the health center. Adkins received advice as a new student to campus.
58 Ye s NO
301 359 students surveyed
Hutchinson Area Student Health Services 516 East 14th Hutchinson, KS 67501 (620)662-7416 Open 8:30 am to 12pm on Monday through Thursday and Wednesday afternoon 1pm to 3:30 pm. If coming in without an appointment, the staff will not be able check the patient. Treating a patient, Durant checks the pulse along with Jeanette Hattesokl.Many HCC students recieved care fromt the health center staff.
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Bringing Spirit s u p m a C o T
Dragon Dolls Dance Team put in hard work to perform during home games.
Dancing to some of the new hits, the Hutchinson Community College Dragon Dolls perform at all of the home basketball games. This group can be seen wearing sparkly outfits and always flaunt a smile, whether they are courtside cheering on the Dragons and dancing with the band, or out on the court performing a dance they had perfected only the week before. The Dragon Dolls dance team consists of 19 members that work hard all school year performing at home football and basketball games. The Dolls practice three times a week, twice onTuesday and once on Thursday for two hours each practice.
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Waiting anxiously for the music to start, the Dragon Dolls hold their positions. The Dolls all learneddifferent backgrounds of dance but they came together to create unique performances.
Each member is rewarded not by just the experience they receive but also with scholarship money. “The scholarship includes a $400 tuition scholarship and a book scholarship. Captains and lieutenants receive more,” BrandiWishon, McPherson, said.“We are required to keep a passing GPA, stay in shape, attend every practice, and perform at every home football and home basketball game.”
While it looks like they are having a fun time, there are many hours of hard work and practice that go into every performance. The routines have to be composed and set to music and perfected so
The girls strike a pose while the music plays during half time. Dance members created a pyramid-like formation during one of their many performances. photos & story
Rachel Wasko
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Dolls
What is you favorite part of being a Dragon Doll? Putting together all our unique special talents to create a dance that we can entertain the crowd with.
Kylee Dellett Rush Center
Entertaining the crowd at home games.
Brandi Wishon McPherson I love to dance, doing different cool dances and song. I also like performing at the games showing what we can do as a team.
Ellen Zirkle Meriden
that the rest on the team can then learn and practice it. The captains and lieutenants create the routines, but other team members are also welcome to help. Routines are set to music that is on the hit charts, and throughout the year the captains all get a chance to make up their own routines. “This year, the Dragon Dolls were offered the opportunity to perform at the championship game at the national tournament so we’re all pretty excited about that,” Wishon said. To become a Dragon Doll the process includes tryouts. Potential members are asked to bring their own routine to show and are required to complete many technical abilities such as leaps, turns, and flexibility. There are tryouts the year before and a
potential member can have either a private tryout or a group tryout. Members are selected on skill and performance. With all the work the team puts in, it is proven at every home game when they finally get the chance to go out to the center court and show off their skills. “It does get a little nerve racking right before we go out on the court, but it is worth it to hear the crowd cheering and to get the adrenaline rush that happens as soon as the music begins,” Kylee Dellett, Rush Center, said. The Dragon Dolls line up for the playing on the National Anthem. Dance team members participated in the pre-game activities before each men’s basketball game at the Sports Arena.
Performing at the games.
It’s always great to come into dance and release some stress. I also love all the different dance backgrounds coming together to create awesome dances.
Hailey Knoblauh Colwich
Taylor Smith Hutchinson
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Lady Dragons celebrate after Chelsea Small, Denver, Co., sinks an open three-pointer from the left baseline with 2.9 seconds remaining. They went on to win 69-67 against Cloud County at the Sports Arena. Aja Sorrells, Athens, Ga., quickly maneuvers around two Butler defenders on Jan. 11. The Lady Dragons defeated Butler 63-47.
Jasmine Patterson, Frisco, Texas, drives to the basket as two Cloud County defenders try to stop her. Patterson currently sat in third place in team rebounds at 100 for the season as of Feb. 23.
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They say the sky is
the limit photos
Joseph Griffin
CURRENT RECORD*: 24-0
Having been ranked in the NJCAA Division I Top 5 since November 16, their wins keep piling up. The Lady Dragons look to continue their winning streak into March with hopes of a Jayhawk West Championship and a chance to dominate the RegionVI tournament.
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Where will the photos
Joseph Griffin
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Coach Steve Eck returns only two players from the 2011 roster. Of those two, only one was a starter. Against many odds the Blue Dragons are building momentum as this season nears March. CURRENT RECORD*: 20-5 Mark Braden, Kansas City, Mo., takes flight to the basket as a Cloud County defender looks to stop him. Braden started as one of only two returning players for the Blue Dragons.
Ryan Schultz, Wichita, scans the offense for an open teammate against Cloud County. Schultz is the only other returning player from last years roster.
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M ADNESS lead? Anthony Thomas, Winston Salem, N.C., throws up a threepointer while surrounded by Cloud County defenders. The threepointer gave the Blue Dragons a 42-40 lead.
Blue Dragons celebrate after Thomas’s three-pointer sinks through the net. Thomas ended the game with 16 points and 7 rebounds. The Blue Dragons rest on the bench during a timeout against Cloud County. They outscored Cloud County 46-27 in the second half after not scoring for the first seven minutes and six seconds of the game.
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Molly Schmidt, Hutchinson, is in her first year of the nursing program. Schmidt drew fluid from a vile for additional practice.
Story continued from page 7. the Hutchinson Clinic, but students can also be expected to travel to Wichita or Larned. Clinical hours vary depending on the semester. “This semester, we have 12 hour clinical days,” Hawkinson said. “They are long and tiring but filled with practical application for nursing skills and communication.” The clinical practice is one of two ways to get hands-on experience.The other way the nursing students learn through active participation is the use of simulators that work like an actual patient with programed symptoms. “They actually have names according to the patient that they are portraying for that day,” Carol List, nursing laboratory assistant/tutor, said.
Simulators Used By Nursing Students To Practice Procedures SIM-BABY: 3-4 month infant simulator used for pediatric simulations. Has voice, heart, and lung sounds and can have seizures.
NOELLE: Birthing Simulator. Baby is attached to a conveyer belt and is sent through woman for nursing students to experience birth.
SIM-MAN: Man or woman (connected to computer and compressor to run) Has heart, lung, and bowel sounds and talks.
I-STAN: Wireless simulator. Man or woman. Can closes and opens eyes, has voice, heart, lung, and bowel sounds, and can have a seizure.
Information provided by Carol List
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Through creative technology, the nursing students can work with and practice on non-living patients who represent common symptoms that they may need to treat. It is an effective way for them to learn how to treat someone before doing so on a real person. “It allows the students to feel more comfortable assessing a patient and communicating with a patient,” List said. Along with the nursing student becoming more comfortable while working on a patient, they also gain skill in bringing comfort to the patient when they are sitting in the doctor’s office. People have individual gifts that set them up for the life they are going to lead. A degree in nursing requires a lot of knowledge and good training, and the desire for the field. “I decided to pursue nursing because I enjoy helping and caring for people,” Hawkinson said. The program at HCC has been accredited through the NLNAC, National League for NursingAccrediting Commission. “Having NLNAC accreditation means our program has met the highest standard set for all nursing programs across the nation,” Hackler said. “HCC has been granted the maximum amount (8) of years allowed by NLNAC.” At a national level, HCC is declared to have a strong nursing program. “The one thing about the program is that we’ve got really some of the best teachers and the best director and people who have been doing this for a really long time,” Collum said. “We’ve just got a great program, and we’re getting better and better all the time, and if I were going to pursue a nursing career as a teacher, I would definitely pick Hutchinson Community College.”
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