Start here, transfer anywhere!
Inver Hills grows list of bachelor’s degree options, on campus and off
Family business gets educated Boost college prep, cut costs and time
Diversity shines in the spotlight Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 1
Inver Hills Magazine Summer 2012
Published twice annually for friends of Inver Hills Community College. Editor: Helen Clarke Ebert Art Director: A. J. J. Courteau Photographers: Travis Anderson Photography, Helen Clarke Ebert, Jerry E. Lee Photography Contributing writers: Helen Clarke Ebert, David Page Send comments and suggestions to hebert@inverhills.edu. © 2012 Inver Hills Community College Inver Hills Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity educator and employer. The information in this publication is available in alternate form through the Disability Services Office, (651) 450-3628 or the Minnesota Relay Services at 1-800-627-3529.
6 First-year programs put students first 8 Feature: Start here, transfer anywhere!
Inver Hills grows list of bachelor’s degree options, on campus and off
12 Inver Hills heads to high school
LADR program boosts college readiness, cuts costs and time
14 Photos: Celebrating the fine arts 16 Column: Service learning: A recipe for success 18 Connecting college with the family business Students put lessons to work at St. Paul bakery
22 Spotlight: Diversity director seeks to enrich college experience for all students Departments
2500 80th Street East Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076 651-450-3000 www.inverhills.edu
A member of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
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From the President................................................. 3 News & Notes........................................................ 4 From the Alumni Association................................. 7 Programs & Majors............................................... 13 Registration Guide............................................... 17 Workforce Development & Continuing............... 20 Education Classes From the Foundation............................................ 23
On the cover: Inver Hills Community College student Melissa Zwiefel stands outside The College of St. Scholastica’s downtown St. Paul campus, where Inver Hills will begin offering business coursework this fall. The two colleges have partnered together to create a seamless transfer agreement that allows students to earn associate and bachelor’s degrees in one location.
From the College President Dear friends, It has been an unusual year at Inver Hills. In July of 2011, as our fiscal year began, we faced a possible shut down of the college as a legislative budget battle shuttered much of state government. Thanks to the tireless efforts of former Chancellor James McCormick, our students were spared a disruption in their education. Following Chancellor McCormick’s retirement, Dr. Steven Rosenstone moved over from the University of Minnesota to the chancellor’s chair at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Chancellor Rosenstone has infused the system with new energy and a strategic focus on assuring our students and constituents access to an “extraordinary education” as “the most affordable option in higher education” while being “the partner of choice to meet Minnesota’s workforce and community needs.” Inver Hills has stepped up to meet Chancellor Rosenstone’s direction. Inver Hills was awarded a grant during the 2010-11 academic year to develop “Maps to Credentials” for veterans and service members. This grant has allowed Inver Hills to expand prior learning assessment opportunities to these individuals while accelerating their college education. Maps to degree completion will be developed utilizing military experience based on the American Council on Education’s recommendations for competencies and course equivalencies. Military occupation specialties common to the Minnesota National Guard have been reviewed by faculty, and course equivalencies identified specifically in the area of business with further developments to occur. Partner institutions in the grant are Miami Dade College and Fayetteville Technical Community College. As a result of the grant initiative, Inver Hills was the recipient of the MnSCU award for Innovative Partnering and Collaboration on May 23, 2012. Other partners include the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, MnSCU Veterans Re-Entry Education Program, Goodwill/Easter Seals, and Workforce Centers. Inver Hills also received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study diversity issues in information technology career programming. This project, entitled “Addressing Information Technology Workforce Needs in an Urban Setting by Recruiting from an Untapped Resource: Underrepresented Students,” is a pilot project designed to address significant information technology workforce needs. It seeks to determine why so few underrepresented students are enrolling in IT career programs at Inver Hills; create, adapt and deploy tools to recruit a more diverse IT student body, and to retain and support those students; provide teacher training and curriculum revisions at secondary schools; and leverage industry partnerships to create new opportunities for students. This project has significant support from business and secondary school partners, creating a truly collaborative project team. For example, our industry partners have committed to providing resources to facilitate effective and cost-efficient communication; to sponsor and participate in career awareness events; to provide access to modern instrumentation and new technologies presently unavailable to many secondary school students; to integrate current industry standards and 21st century workplace competencies into the secondary school curriculum; to provide speakers and facilitate information sessions designed to engage underrepresented students; and to facilitate field trips and industry tours. This project not only focuses on producing more skilled IT technicians now, it lays the foundation for a future project addressing larger STEM workforce needs through the recruitment of underrepresented students. We learned in the spring that our “Learning Communities: Innovative Structure and Integrative Learning” program had been selected to receive a 2011-12 MnSCU Academic and Student Affairs award for Excellence in Curriculum Programming. Awards were selected by peer academic and student affairs campus administrators based on such criteria as effective use of technology and student achievement. We also host an annual Learning Communities statewide conference, spreading the knowledge our faculty and staff have learned in implementing Learning Communities across disciplines. The college faculty held an all-campus conference identifying “signature learning experiences.” We compiled an amazing array of courses and pedagogies that were shared across the college. We were reminded that, as a college, we never stop learning. This is just a smattering of the great work going on at Inver. You will find articles in this magazine referencing our new FAIM scholarship program, as well as LADR – an innovative interaction with our K-12 partners. FAIM and LADR demonstrate that Inver is committed to improving the lives of our students, both academically and fiscally. Thank you for your support of our students and college.
Tim Wynes President Inver Hills Community College
Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 3
News & Notes Inver Hills becomes first college in Minnesota to offer FAIM tuition assistance program
Hoseney to serve as vice president of student affairs
With the help of grants from the Katherine B. Andersen fund of The Saint Paul Foundation, Kopp Foundation, Dakota Electric Association and CHS, as well as significant donations from individuals, the Inver Hills Community College Foundation raised $108,000 this spring to become the first college in Minnesota to offer its students the Family Assets for Independence Minnesota tuition assistance program. When combined with financial aid assistance programs, FAIM allows students the opportunity to graduate from college with little to no debt. The federal program helps students increase their savings for tuition, as well as strengthen their ability to successfully complete their degree and become self-sufficient. For more information, see page 23.
On June 6, Inver Hills welcomed Jason Hoseney as the college’s new vice president of student affairs. Hoseney came to Inver Hills following a stint as vice president for student success at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He previously served at Lower Columbia College, Belmont Abbey College and Clark College. He is pursuing a doctorate in education with emphasis in community college leadership from Oregon State University, and holds a master’s in educational leadership, a bachelor’s in human development and an associate degree in chemical dependence counseling.
Anderson receives lifetime achievement award
Learning Community, military grant programs receive awards
Dave Anderson, dean of the Center for Professional and Workforce Development at Inver Hills Community College, is the recipient of the Minnesota Council for Continuing Education and Customized Training Lifetime Achievement Award. Throughout the course of his 15 years with Inver Hills, Anderson has transformed the college’s continuing education and customized training division from a community education model to a workforce-oriented model. He helped the college develop a national reputation as a leading Cisco Academy institution, led the effort to create a significant presence in the safety compliance market, and played a role in the creation of the Network Technology and Security program, which provides students with equipment and curriculum that are among the best in the nation.
Enrollment of veterans and service members up 68 percent Comprehensive support services, scholarships, networking opportunities, and collaboration with area communities and agencies helped increase the enrollment of veterans and service members at Inver Hills by 68.8 percent between 2008 and 2010. The college now offers priority registration for this population of students, as well as a variety of other services. For more information, visit www.inverhills.edu/ studentresources/veteranservices. 4 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012
The Inver Hills Learning Community program and the Maps to Credentials grant program were honored in May by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities at its 12th Annual Academic and Student Affairs Awards. The Learning Community program – which allows students to take multiple classes built around a central theme and to learn as a group – was one of two programs chosen statewide to be recognized for Excellence in Curriculum Programming. The Maps to Credentials grant program — which helps move students from military and industry training to accelerated higher education attainment – was one of three programs chosen statewide to be recognized for Innovative Partnering and Collaboration.
Adult learner event to be held this fall A special open house is scheduled this fall to help adult learners discover how Inver Hills can help them earn a degree in less time and for less money. The event will be held from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27, on the Inver Hills campus. Features of the event include a transfer panel with four-year institutions, enrollment services and financial aid assistance, Adult Success through Accelerated Programs information sessions and a Desire to Learn demonstration.
Civil War series to continue in September The Academy for Lifelong Learning’s Interesting Conversations with Interesting People series will continue its commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War this fall. Three events are planned, including: a discussion on Gen. William Gates LeDuc on Sept. 20; “Doing Anthropology in the Shadow of the War: Newspaper Research, Culture Shock and
News & Notes the Civil War” on Oct. 11; and “Music of the Civil War” on Nov. 15. For more information, visit www. inverhills.edu/ALL.
Date set for third-annual Life Raft Debate The third-annual Inver Hills Life Raft Debate will be held at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9. The debate pits faculty members against each other in arguing which academic discipline is most useful in helping civilization flourish. Participating in the debate will be returning champion James Schneider (biology), Daryl Doering (emergency medical services), Shane Stroup (philosophy), Stanley Rothrock (music), Jeremy Nienow (anthropology) and Shiloh Gideon-Sjostrom (the devil’s advocate). This event is free and open to the public.
Peer Tutor program gets certified The Inver Hills Peer Tutor program has received certification by the College Reading and Learning Association. The CRLA is an international organization focusing on reading, learning assistance, development education, tutoring and mentoring.
Inver Hills establishes community garden Residents of St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights and surrounding areas were invited this spring to grow food as a community and reserve spaces for personal use in the newly established Interdisciplinary Community Garden on the Inver Hills campus. The garden is a joint effort between Inver Hills and Metropolitan State University, and generates produce for the Neighbors, Inc., community food shelf, as well as for individual students and community members who reserved their own plot. For more information, contact Barb Curchack at bcurcha@ inverhills.edu.
Music department makes Spaghetti and Singing fundraiser an annual event The Inver Hills music department has decided to make its Spaghetti & Singing fundraiser an annual event. The fundraiser combines good food with good music, and has raised money for the purchase of new tuxedos and dresses for the Inver Hills choir, as well as for a music department scholarship. The event is held in the spring.
Instructor receives McGraw-Hill/ Kellogg scholarship Instructor Mary Ann Saurino is a recipient of the McGraw-Hill/Kellogg Developmental Educator Scholarship, which honors outstanding instructors dedicated to preparing students for college-level coursework. Through this scholarship, Saurino is able to attend the Kellogg Institute for the Training and Certification of Developmental Educators, the nation’s longest running advanced training program for developmental educators.
Sociology instructor to study with Mengele Twin on Auschwitz Teacher Scholarship Sociology instructor Vicky Knickerbocker was awarded a 2012 Auschwitz Teacher Scholarship to travel and study this summer with Holocaust survivor Eva Kor. Kor and her twin sister Miriam, along with several other sets of twins, were experimented on during World War II at the hands of German SS Officer and Physician Josef Mengele at Auschwitz. Kor is the founder of CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center.
Business instructor publishes book Business instructor Hamid Kazeroony has published a new book, “Strategic Management in Higher Education.” He followed up by joining colleagues in Poland in May and in Holland in June to give a research presentation on “Multiculturalism: The Role, the Influence and the Nature in the 21st Century Management.”
Alumna named one of Most Beautiful Minds in America Inver Hills alumna Dr. Mary Turner Maher of Mendota Heights was named one of the National Center for Creative Aging’s Most Beautiful Minds in America. Maher earned her Ph.D. after raising five children and battling colon cancer. Now retired from a successful career in education, she continues to tutor low-income children with reading difficulties. The Beautiful Minds campaign seeks to identify those age 55 and older who use their minds to do beautiful things without letting age be a barrier.
Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 5
First-year programs put students first BY HELEN CLARKE EBERT
In a perfect world, psychology instructor Barb Curchack’s students would experience less stress, learn to balance their busy lives in ways that promote college success, achieve more both inside and out of the classroom, and ultimately return to Inver Hills for a second year. Curchack’s world isn’t perfect now, but she’s hoping to inch a little closer this fall with the launch of the college’s revamped first-year experience programming. “Students don’t magically go from high school seniors to prepared college students in one summer,” Curchack said. “They need help, and it’s best for us to provide them with the help as soon as possible. Colleges that prepare their students have students who succeed in better and brighter ways.” Inver Hills has long focused on providing new students with support and resources to enhance their first year, but a new effort attempts to further align those opportunities, and in the process, minimize students’ barriers to success in college. Incoming Inver Hills students can expect to receive support from day one — from assessments, advising and registration, to orientation, workshops, financial planning, alternative learning options and a host of programs aimed at specific groups of students. Packaged together, this package of first-year programming takes on the name SmartSTART. A new student starts out with a SmartSTART Advising & Registration event, which includes a 30-minute information session, meeting with counselors and academic advisors for academic planning and course registration, and discussions about financial aid options and paying tuition. Here, students also can learn about some of Inver Hills’ award-winning learning options, including Learning Communities, On Course and adult learner programs. The advising and registration event is followed by SmartSTART Orientation — a fun and informative orientation that eases the transition into college and is held just before classes begin. Speed learning sessions; email, network log-in and online course account set-up; and textbook purchasing take place, as well as lunch with fellow students and instructors, and opportunities to learn about activities, clubs and other interest groups on campus. One day each semester, Inver Hills sponsors SmartSTART Student Success Day, which includes events and activities aimed at helping students plan and achieve their educational and career goals. Students attend workshops, meet with instructors to discuss progress in their classes, hear a keynote speaker and partici-
6 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012
pate in a Transfer Fair. In addition, SmartSTART Money Matters gives students the tools to make good decisions when managing personal finances through the creation of a spending plan, application for financial aid, learning how to keep loan debt to a minimum, and the offering of the Fiscally Fit Futures workshop series. “We owe it to our students to provide ever more sophisticated types of support to them as they engage with the campus community,” Curchack said. “We need to meet students where they’re at and provide them the next step to support their academic journey. With this new coordinated effort, we will be helping students meet — and even exceed — their academic, social and financial needs.” The SmartSTART overhaul was part of an Academic Quality Improvement Program action project — a process developed by the Higher Learning Commission that guides accredited institutions in regularly making improvements to programs and processes, as well as engaging and empowering faculty and staff in playing an active role in maintaining the quality of the institution. “Our work with the first-year experience program is guided by the goal of providing our students with skills and strategies to be successful in college when they need it most,” said Brent Glass, director of Student Life and leader of the AQIP project. Through its efforts, Glass said, the college hopes to increase retention, as well as student success and satisfaction rates. For more on becoming a student at Inver Hills Community College, visit www.inverhills.edu/smartstart.
College names 2012 Outstanding Alumni
Alumni Association Board of Directors
It was because of a law enforcement class at Inver Hills that William Blair Anderson made the call that changed the course of his career. A guest speaker had invited students to call him if they needed anything, and Anderson called the very next day. Graduating from the law enforcement program shortly after, in 1996, Anderson now serves as chief deputy of the Carver County Sheriff’s Office. He manages day-to-day operations, budget and personnel, and develops and implements programs. He previously served 16 years with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office.
William Blair Anderson
Anderson got an early start, but a later finish on his education — coming to Inver Hills first as a teenager without finishing his degree, and returning at the age of 27. Following the completion of his associate degree, he went on to attend St. Mary’s University and earned a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in public safety administration. Throughout his career in law enforcement, Anderson has been committed to making the world safer for children, developing programs such as mentoring, community outreach, ex-offender re-entry and juvenile detention alternative initiatives. He also is active in the Minnesota Youth Leadership Academy, many youth service organizations and youth sports, and corporate and community committees. He also is a veteran – having served eight years in the U.S. Army, including a term in the Gulf War. n
Bob Isaacson
Mike Scott has devoted his entire adult life to community service. Starting out as a volunteer firefighter in 1983, he worked his way through a career in law enforcement as a police officer for the city of Fergus Falls and as commander with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office before taking on the role of the city of Eagan’s first paid fire chief. He has been in that position since 2006, leading the second largest volunteer fire department in the state, which includes a team of 150 volunteer firefighters. Scott graduated from Inver Hills in 1985 and went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration. Since taking over as chief, Scott has made fire prevention and education a high priority. With his direction and support, the department successfully obtained a $50,000 donation from the Eagan Rotary to purchase a fire safety trailer that is used throughout the community to teach children about fire safety and what to do in case of an emergency. The department also purchased a fire extinguisher simulator to teach businesses and civic groups how to extinguish a fire. As chief, Scott also has planned for innovative ways to recruit volunteers and led the charge for construction of the nation’s first “green globe” fire house. Outside of the department, Scott is active with Eagan Rotary. n
Carver County Sheriff’s Office Reyne Branchaud-Linsk Retired Melanie Hamilton Student Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Mary Maher Retired Mark Mohr BNSF Railway Patrick Murphy Former airline executive Bruce Nelson Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union Pat Schlagel Fairview Southdale Hospital Connie Schmidt Merrick, Inc. Dane Smith Growth and Justice Dean Swenson Wings Financial Federal Credit Union
Dean Swenson is a tireless volunteer and believes strongly in the mission of community colleges. As an Inver Hills alumnus, he has a personal commitment to giving back to the college that helped him get started in a successful career. He graduated from Inver Hills in 1991, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from Augsburg College. Swenson currently serves as general auditor for Wings Financial Credit Union. He previously spent 11 years working in public accounting with three firms after passing the CPA exam in 1996. Since 2009, Swenson also has served as director of the Region III Association of Credit Union Internal Auditors, which includes the 10 northern states from North Dakota to Ohio. As director, Swenson organizes annual meetings and training for the group. In addition, he has volunteered his time to several community organizations, including the South St. Paul Soccer Board, Inver Grove Heights Royalty Committee, Synchrony Color Guard, Community Night at the Dome and the Wings Financial Scholarship Committee. n
Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 7
Feature
Start here, transfer anywhere!
Selam Admassu
Inver Hills grows list of bachelor’s degree options, on campus and off BY HELEN CLARKE EBERT
M
oving to the United States from Ethiopia at the age of 13 was a formative experience for Selam Admassu.
The change offered joy in reuniting with her parents, as well as sadness in leaving behind the grandmother who raised her. It brought about hope and promise for an education she and her family had always strived for. But most of all, the experience sparked in Admassu a love of culture. “We’re all human, but I find it really interesting how we’re different – in culture, in language, in food – and how we’re the same,” the Inver Hills Community College student, now 21, said. “I think that moving into a whole new culture at a young age is what made me so interested in the study of humanity.” A student with big college dreams — she aspires to earn a Ph.D. in anthropology — Admassu is one of many Inver Hills students who are reaping the benefits of the college’s comprehensive trans8 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012
fer options. Following the completion of her Associate in Art degree this fall, Admassu will transfer to the University of Minnesota with 60 credits of general coursework and lower-division anthropology courses under her belt. The newly established Transfer Center at Inver Hills promises to help students like Admassu make the transition to a four-year institution as seamless as possible. It’s a place where students can get personalized assistance while exploring transfer options, meet individually with representatives from transfer colleges, and take advantage of other benefits – like waived application fees for certain institutions, and saved time and money through planning. “We don’t want to leave any doubts in parents’
minds or in students’ minds that they have as good of an opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree starting here as they do anywhere else,” said Paula Brugge, director of outreach and recruitment. “And we’ll do everything in our power to get them there.” Inver Hills offers several options for students wishing to transfer to a fouryear institution, including the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC), a 40-credit liberal arts core designed to transfer to all Minnesota state universities, the University of Minnesota and several other institutions; the Inver Hills-University of Minnesota Cooperative Admissions Program (MnCAP), which guarantees admission to particular University of Minnesota majors when certain conditions are met; and program articulation agreements, which exist with various universities and generally allow for the transfer of credits toward a specific academic program. Examples of the latter include the A.S. in Paralegal to Hamline University’s Legal Studies program and Metropolitan State Uni-
versity’s First College, and the A.S. in Construction Management to Minnesota State University Moorhead’s Construction Management program. This spring, Inver Hills added Transfer Agreement Guarantees (TAGs) to a student’s list of transfer options. These are institution-specific and build in one-on-one meetings between the student and a representative from the transfer institution several times a year to focus on big-picture degree planning and work out any potential issues that could affect the ease of transfer. Current TAG partners include Augsburg College, Concordia University St. Paul, Metropolitan State University, The College of St. Scholastica, Minnesota State University Mankato (pending) and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. “We’ve selected the schools that our students are most interested in transferring to and created a guarantee that says if a student follows these steps, they’re guaranteed admission into that four-year college,” Inver Hills Counselor LeAnne Schmidt said. “In-
Counselor Rob Harris helps student Sia Yang sort out transfer and career options.
ver Hills will help the student make that happen.” Those students who know they want to earn a bachelor’s degree in business or social work and seek to take all of their coursework at one location have yet another option – this time, in the form of a well-defined partnership between Inver Hills and The College of St. Scholastica. The two colleges have together established programs that allow students to earn associate and bachelor’s degrees in business fields from St. Scholastica’s downtown St. Paul campus, and associate and bachelor’s degrees in social work fields from the Inver Hills campus. “For someone who lives or works downtown St. Paul, this is a very convenient option,” Anne Johnson, dean of business and social sciences for Inver Hills, said of the new business program agreement, which kicks off this fall. “They can take classes right there in an accelerated, hybrid format that includes both online and in-person coursework.” For 28-year-old student Melissa Zwiefel, the location couldn’t be better. Located just four miles from her St. Paul home and a short drive from her day job at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, St. Scholastica’s downtown location is what drew her to enroll in courses there in the first place. “I signed up immediately — it’s so convenient, and it’s going to save me a ton of time and money,” Zwiefel said. “Inver Hills has such a great reputation, and I’ve had friends who have graduated from St. Scholastica and had great success in their careers.” Zwiefel began pursuing the Associate in Science in Contemporary Business degree at Inver Hills this spring after completing several of the college’s online continuing education courses, which helped expand her skillset while helping her boyfriend with his small business. With several years of experience working in the human reSummer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 9
sources field behind her, the time was right to finally complete a bachelor’s degree, as she intended to do a decade ago.
Inver Hills is continuing to expand on the bachelor’s degree options we offer to students right here on the Inver Grove Heights campus.”
“We are continuously looking for ways to offer our students more baccalaureate completion options in the metro area, and we know this partnership with St. Scholastica will be a great benefit to our business students,” Johnson said, noting that the Inver Hills Contemporary Business program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). “And as a college,
Since fall 2011, students have been able to complete the entire curriculum for the St. Scholastica Bachelor of Science in Social Work on the Inver Hills campus. Students have the option of starting with the Inver Hills Associate in Science in Human Service, which offers a seamless transfer into the social work program. Social work courses are offered in the evenings, and completing students ul-
timately are eligible for advanced standing in a Master of Social Work program. “Since we started offering the social work program on the Inver Hills campus in the fall of 2011, we’ve seen several students change their plans and opt to pursue a bachelor’s degree because this program is available on our campus,” Johnson said. “For an institution that strives to make higher education accessible and attainable for all students, this is a great sign of promise as we continue to look for more ways to connect our students with oppor-
Why start at Inver Hills? Here’s what two of our partner universities have to say! At the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, graduates of Inver Hills make up the second-largest transfer student population. “Because of the close proximity of UWRF to Inver Hills, it is a natural progression for students to start their studies at Inver Hills and complete their bachelor’s degree at UW-River Falls,” said Mark Meydam, director of admission at UWRF. “Students who complete an A.A. degree from Inver Hills have already satisfied the general education requirements at UWRF.”
Melissa Zwiefel 10 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012
The university employs a fulltime transfer coordinator and offers registration sessions for new transfer students. In addition, the tuition reciprocity program between Minnesota and Wisconsin allows students living in Minnesota to enroll at UWRF and pay their home state rate of tuition.
Students and institutions alike are seeing the rewards at Concordia University, St. Paul. “We have had great success with transfer students from Inver Hills,” said Kristin Schoon, Concordia’s director of undergraduate admissions. “IHCC students are able to easily transfer their credits to Concordia with the academic preparation needed to be successful college students.” One-third of Concordia’s oncampus students each fall are transfer students, which Schoon says gives the institution a greater need to be “transfer friendly.” The university offers a new student orientation program geared toward transfer students, as well as a Transfer Transitions course. The university also offers the Concordia Transfer Advantage Program, which guarantees a $2,000 scholarship to Inver Hills graduates.
Representatives from Inver Hills and several of the college’s transfer partners participated in the formal signing of new Transfer Agreement Guarantees on April 12.
tunities to further their education.” The Inver Hills Emergency Medical Services department is in the final stages of developing a similar program with St. Mary’s University of Minnesota that will allow students to complete the Associate in Science in Emergency Medical Services and the Bachelor of Science in Allied Health, all on the Inver Hills campus. All of these options result in a big benefit for Inver Hills students. “With the creation of the Transfer Center and new partnerships for bachelor’s degree completion both on and off campus, we are letting the community know that bachelor’s degreebound students should start here,” Schmidt said. “Wherever you’re going, we’re here to help you get there.” For more information on how to apply to Inver Hills, or for a complete list of transfer agreements, visit us online at www.inverhills.edu.
Your transfer options, explained. Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs) Guaranteed admission for students who complete a degree at Inver Hills and meet certain criteria for the following universities: Augsburg College, Concordia University St. Paul, Metropolitan State University, The College of St. Scholastica, Minnesota State University Mankato (pending) and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Additional benefits include regular one-on-one meetings with transfer college representatives and waived application fees. Inver Hills-U of M Cooperative Admissions Program (MnCAP) A cooperative arrangement between the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Inver Hills that guarantees transfer admission to one of the participating U of M majors when conditions are met.
Articulation Agreements Formal agreements between Inver Hills and another institution to accept credits in transfer toward a specific academic program. Articulation agreements generally are for specialized professional or technical programs at Inver Hills that can be applied to a specific program/major at the receiving university. Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) A 40-credit liberal arts core designed to transfer to all the Minnesota state universities and the University of Minnesota. Additionally, the following colleges and universities honor the MnTC when completed as part of the A.A. degree: Augsburg College, Concordia University St. Paul, St. Mary’s University, The College of St. Scholastica, the University of North Dakota and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 11
Inver Hills heads to high school
LADR program boosts college readiness, cuts costs and time BY DAVID PAGE
Inver Hills Community College has long prided itself on being accessible to students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Now it’s taken that purpose a step further – with the introduction of a new program that allows high school students who perform in the middle of their class academically to earn college credit. The program is coined LADR – Leading And Developing Readiness – and its goal is to prepare students for college while smoothing the transition between high school and higher education. “When they first get to campus and take their assessment tests, 88 percent of Inver Hills students place into developmental math, and 48 percent into developmental reading and writing,” said Doug Binsfeld, dean of the college’s humanities and fine arts division and developer of the LADR program. “These statistics are staggering, but with the addition of this program, LADR participants will be able to go directly into college-level classes because they’ve successfully navigated the developmental curriculum while in high school. And they save time and money in the process.” To be eligible, high school students must place between the 30th and 70th percentile in their class and test below the cut-off level for other college-inhigh-school programs on an Accuplacer exam. In addition, 80 percent of the program’s participants must be from underrepresented groups: first-generation college students, low-income students or students of color. The program challenges students to take the equivalent of Inver Hills’ college readiness courses — such as ENG 99 — as high school sophomores, and 12 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012
then enroll in college-level courses — such as ENG 1108 — their junior and senior years. The high school classes are concurrent, meaning they provide both high school and college credits, and are taught by qualified high school instructors mentored by Inver Hills faculty. Inver Hills continues to offer Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) and Concurrent Enrollment programs for high school students at the top of their classes, but LADR was developed in part by Binsfeld as a means to provide similar opportunities for those students who fit more in the “academic middle.” Binsfeld came to Inver Hills with a strong background in Concurrent Enrollment Programs (CEP) from his work at Southwest Minnesota State University. He developed LADR with Cyndi Crist, a now-retired Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system office staff member, as a new academic partnership between Inver Hills and area high schools. Inver Hills sought high school partners for LADR over the course of the summer months in 2011, and piloted a program this spring at Burnsville High School. Thirty-seven students participated. “The pilot program has been helping Inver Hills understand how to communicate the vision and the process of Concurrent Enrollment with incoming high school partners,” said Wanda Synstelien, an Inver Hills English instructor and mentor in the Burnsville program. Having the high schools and colleges work as a “seamless system,” she believes, will “allow students unfettered opportunities.” This fall, the program will make its way into Rosemount and Simley high
schools to support an additional 150 students. Heather Traeger was a concurrently enrolled student as a senior in high school when the University of Minnesota started its College in the Schools (CIS) literature classes. Now a teacher herself, Traeger taught CIS classes at a charter school and, after transferring to Rosemount, approached the administration at the high school about teaching a CIS class there. “When Rosemount decided to go with the Inver Hills program rather than a CIS class, I was asked if I would be interested in being the lead teacher,” Traeger said. “I think concurrent enrollment, especially for underrepresented students, helps to level the playing field.” Ultimately, she said she hopes the program will help raise expectations for all students.
Programs of Study Accounting A.S. Advanced Network Technology Certificate Anthropology A.A. with Emphasis Art A.F.A. Associate in Arts Biology A.A. with Emphasis Biology A.S. Chemistry A.A. with Emphasis Chemistry A.S. Child Care Teacher Certificate Community Health Worker Certificate. Computer Programmer A.A.S. Construction Management A.S. Construction Management Certificate Contemporary Business A.S. Contemporary Business Practice A.A.S. Criminal Justice A.S. Criminal Justice (Pre-CCJLE) Certificate Customer Service Certificate Early Childhood Education A.S. (pending MnSCU approval) Education Foundations A.S. eMarketing Certificate (pending MnSCU approval) Emergency Medical Services A.S. Emergency Medical Technician Certificate (pending MnSCU approval) Engineering Fundamentals A.S. Environmental Science A.S. (pending MnSCU approval) Exercise Science A.S. Gender and Women Studies A.A. with Emphasis History A.A. with Emphasis Human Resource Management Certificate Human Service Assistant Certificate
Human Service Worker A.S. Individualized Professional Studies A.S. Information Technology Support A.A.S. International Business A.S. (pending MnSCU approval) IP Telephony Certificate IT Help Desk Certificate Law Enforcement A.S. Legal Administrative Assistant A.S. Legal Administrative Assistant Certificate Marketing & Sales Certificate Mathematics A.A. with Emphasis Microsoft Certified IT Professional Certificate Music Industry A.F.A. (pending MnSCU approval) Networking Technology and Security A.A.S. Network Security Certificate Nursing A.S. Nursing Assistant Certificate Office Technology Certificate Paralegal A.S. Paralegal (post-graduate) Certificate Paramedic Certificate Physical Education A.S. Political Science A.A. with Emphasis Professional Writing Certificate Project Management Certificate Psychology A.A. with Emphasis Small Business Development Certificate Sociology A.A. with Emphasis (pending MnSCU approval) Supervision Certificate Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate Theatre A.F.A. (pending MnSCU approval)
Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 13
Celebrating the fine arts Students, faculty, staff and community members came together April 19-21 for the first-annual Inver Hills Fine Arts Festival. With more than 50 sessions presented by the college’s Art, English, Music and Theatre departments, attendees participated in everything from glass fusing workshops and bookbinding lessons to solo song contests and improv performances. All participants were invited to make their mark on the Inver Hills campus by helping to paint a large-scale mural that will remain in the college for years to come.
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Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 15
Column
Service-learning: A recipe for success BY KATIE HALCROW
Whenever I start talking to someone about service-learning, I get excited. Like little-kid-in-a-bakery kind of excited. Because I’ve had the pleasure of tasting the risen dough of well-crafted service-learning, and there’s really no other pedagogy that compares to its sweetness. And the recipe? It’s devastatingly simple: use course objectives to meet a real community need, allow students time to reflect on their experiences throughout the semester, and – presto! – you’ve served up a delicious mixture of achieved learning goals and service to the community. But topping it all off, let’s say the frosting and sprinkles of our baking extravaganza are increased engagement in course material, higher retention rates, a greater sense of civic responsibility and the knowledge of critical life skills – the soft skills that help our students get jobs. I once taught a creative writing class where I paired students with seniors in a nearby assisted-living facility. Over the course of the quarter, my students interviewed seniors about their lives and histories, which culminated in an eight- to 10-page piece of fiction, nonfiction or script that related in some fashion to the senior’s life. By the end of the quarter, 16 of the 17 students who had started my course completed it with a C or higher, one of my students was offered a job at the assisted-living facility, and I received stories that underwent significant revisions and ended up more than 22 pages in length. I’d never experienced this kind of dedication to course content – and I had the seniors to thank. As one of my students later told me, “They were counting on us. I just couldn’t let my story fall flat.” My student’s statement encapsulates what gives servicelearning its power: real-life situations that show students that their coursework is valuable in a real, tangible way that can – and indeed should – be shared. That is powerful, transformational learning. It’s service, too. And now, this recipe is being shared all over campus. Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of working with instructors from a wide variety of disciplines who have incorporated service-learning into their classrooms to underscore their students’ learning of course material. Brenda Van Vossen’s online Management
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Katie Halcrow
class developed a training manual for volunteer managers at Lutheran Social Services; Rob Kolomyski’s Advanced Painting class painted a mural for a group home in our community; James Schneider’s Anatomy and Physiology class invited middle school students into the classroom for small-group lessons on the brain’s structures and functions; our Nursing students offer blood pressure clinics and teach health awareness topics to children at Head Start; our Human Services and Education students continue to contribute hundreds of hours to social services agencies and schools in and around the Twin Cities. I could go on – especially about the summer and fall semesters, when our partners will expand to include the Dakota County Historical Society (Anthropology), Memorial Blood Centers (Communication) and ImpactLives (International Business). Of course, we’re not stopping there. We’ll continue adding ingredients like international travel and Learning Communities to our base mixture, expanding on the possibilities that rigorous service-learning has to offer. At Inver Hills, part of our recipe for success – in our values and vision and mission statements – is the word “community.” Our mission statement shows that we are “dedicated to the power and promise of education [and seek to] inspire students, build careers and strengthen communities.” Service-learning shows students the power of their education; inspires them to be socially responsible, transformational citizens; gives them real-world experience that translates into job skills; and supports our local and global communities. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to smell the sweet caramel and chocolate aromas of service-learning wafting through the campus air. This recipe’s a keeper. Katie Halcrow is director of service-learning at Inver Hills. Reach her at khalcro@inverhills.edu.
Start your future today! Fall semester begins Aug. 27 Regular Admission
Regular admission is for students who plan to pursue a degree or certificate at IHCC or plan to transfer to another institution. To apply, go to www.inverhills.edu/applyonline. A one-time, nonrefundable $20 application fee is required.
Limited Enrollment
Limited enrollment is a temporary enrollment status designed for students who are not seeking a degree or certificate, do not want financial aid and know the specific classes they want to take. Limited enrollment students are ineligible for financial aid, veteran benefits and academic counseling services. Limited enrollment applications are accepted by mail, fax or in person during the open registration period. Use the limited enrollment form at www. inverhills.edu/forms. A $20 nonrefundable application fee must be included. Registration www.inverhills.edu/courseregistration New students accepted under regular admission will register during SmartStart Advising & Registration. New students enrolling through limited enrollment register in person, by mail or by fax using the limited enrollment registration form. Current or returning students should register online. For log-in or registration assistance, contact the Enrollment Center. Register as early as possible during registration periods. Classes may fill at any time. The college reserves the right to change class locations, instructors and other conditions that do not alter the scheduling of the class. If times, days or dates are changed, students will be notified. Selecting classes www.inverhills.edu/classschedule Use the course registration link on the college homepage for information about classes, including course descriptions, prerequisites, schedule and other details. Current students also can log into their E-services account to view courses and register. Class sections may be added, canceled or filled at any time. The online listing reflects the most accurate class information.
Fall 2012 Enrollment Calendar Priority registration begins ...................................April 2 Open registration begins ...................................April 17 Payment due for registrations through Aug. 8....................................................Aug. 15 First drop for non-payment ............................... Aug. 16 Fall semester begins ...........................................Aug. 27 Payment due for registrations Aug. 9-31............Aug. 31 Last day to add/drop classes (no obligation)......Aug. 31 Second drop for non-payment ............................Sept. 4 Last day to withdraw from first-half classes ........ Oct. 11 First-half classes end .......................................... Oct. 17 Second-half classes begin .................................. Oct. 22 All unpaid balances due .................................... Nov. 20 Late fee ($50) will be added ...............................Nov. 21 Last day to withdraw from full-term and second-half classes .............................................Nov. 29 Tuition www.inverhills.edu/courseregistration/tuitionpayment.aspx Tuition and fees are set by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Included with tuition are fees for student life/activities, technology, parking and student association. Students who register for classes must pay tuition or make arrangements to do so by the tuition due dates found in the academic calendar online. Financial Aid www.inverhills.edu/studentresources/financialaid The Financial Aid office provides information on federal, state and local financial aid programs and scholarships. State grants, need-based aid, loans and workstudy are available. Students must apply for financial aid online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The school code is 006935. For more information, stop by the Financial Aid office in room 257 of the College Center, call (651) 450-3518 or e-mail finaid@inverhills. edu. Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 17
Connecting college with the family business Students put lessons to work at St. Paul bakery BY DAVID PAGE
expects to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program in business administration. With just one course standing in the way of her A.A. degree, Jennifer has had a change of heart and is considering pursuing elementary education at Augsburg College. Regardless of their eventual programs Sisters Kesia (left) and Jennifer Garcia help operate of study, for the their family’s business, El Guanico Bakery & Café, while Garcia sisters, the attending Inver Hills. desire to keep the Twin Cities’ only Salvadoran bakery in business is a esia and Jennifer Garcia have sense of pride and priority. literally put their Inver Hills Community College educa- The Garcia family is originally from tion to work for them at the benefit El Salvador, a country that was rocked of their St. Paul family business. by a brutal civil war in the 1980s.The
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Enrolled in business and general education courses at Inver Hills, the Garcia sisters spend most days at El Guanaco Bakery & Café on the city’s east side. They help out with bookkeeping and provide customer service, as well as molding breads and pastries, packaging baked goods and making wholesale deliveries to local restaurants and markets. Both women set off to pursue careers in business with the hope of continuing to operate El Guanaco well into the future. Kesia is working on her Associate in Arts degree and ultimately 18 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012
following decade, Kesia and Jennifer’s step-father, Oscar Murcia, came to the United States to seek a better life. He had managed a restaurant and bakery in El Salvador, but like many immigrants, he had to take a variety of jobs when he first came to this country in order to make ends meet. He worked for a time at a McDonald’s, then as a chef at a nursing home. In 2000, Kesia and Jennifer’s mother, Margarita Garcia, followed him to the United States. The following year, Kesia, who was 9 years old at the time, and Jennifer, who was 11, immigrated, too. “There were a lot of gangs in El Salvador,” Kesia said. “It was still dangerous.” Murcia eventually started his own commercial and home cleaning business, which he continues to operate to this day. He also began baking in the family home in Mounds View. After the family moved to Mendota
Traditional Salvadoran baked goods are made fresh by hand every day.
“I don’t want to move on,” she said, “but I have to. The teachers are great and the other students are, too.” Ultimately, Kesia dreams that her college degree will give her more than just an education. “My parents have permanent visitor status,” saidd Kesia, who currently has a student visa. “Jennifer and I are hoping the Dream Act will allow us to become permanent residents as well.”
Specialties at the Salvadoran bakery include pineapple empanadas, quesadillas cakes and bread pudding.
Heights, it was clear the bakery needed more space. So five years ago, Murcia opened El Guanaco Bakery & Café at 849 E. 7th St. in St. Paul. Thirty years ago, there were five bakeries in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood in which El Guanaco is located. Eventually all of them closed, leaving a void in the area that Murcia was only too happy to fill. Along with the four family members, Murcia employs five other people at the bakery, all Salvadorans. Helping at the bakery keeps Kesia busy, but she’s determined to obtain a bachelor’s degree. She wanted to attend college at Minnesota State University Mankato immediately after graduating from Irondale High School, but her mother asked her to stay close to home and help with the family business.
In the meantime, the family will continue to provide traditional Salvadoran cuisine to residents of the Twin Cities. Like most bakeries, El Guanaco has a showcase full of baked goods, including traditional American donuts as well as other kinds of pastries that come from Central America. Kesia’s favorite is the “banana upside down,”
similar to a pineapple upside down cake, “but a little different,” she said. Jennifer prefers the bread pudding, with ice cream and caramel sauce. A customer favorite is the flaky cream horn, made with pudding instead of the traditional whipped cream. As for the café food, a lot of customers come in for flautas — one made with ham, cheese and jalapeños, and another made with chicken. To help draw in business during summer months, the café serves up sorbet and ice cream, including banana splits. “The warm weather is not good for walk-in business,” Murcia said. “Not as many people come in for coffee and a treat.” Still, for the most part, Murcia is happy with his new venture. “So far, so good,” he said. El Guanaco Bakery & Café is located at 849 E. 7th St. in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.
The daughter of a family friend had attended Inver Hills and convinced Jennifer to give it a try, which paved the way for Kesia, who is finishing up her first full year at the college. “I like it,” Kesia said about taking classes at Inver Hills. “It’s quiet and not so crowded.” Jennifer, who enrolled at Inver Hills three years ago, has appreciated her time at the college so much that it’s hard for her to think about leaving.
El Guanaco Bakery & Café is located at 849 E. 7th St. in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood. Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 19
Workforce Development & Continuing Education
Update your skills. Improve your life. The Center for Professional and Workforce Development provides professional continuing education and industry certification courses for employees in the workforce, as well as training programs customized to the specific needs of businesses, offered on campus or on site.
Information Technology Contact Tim Flug at (651) 450-3531 CompTIA A+/IT Essentials: PC HW & SW Mon. & Wed., Oct. 22-Dec. 19, 6-9:50 p.m., $775 CCNA 1 – Network Fundamentals Wed. & Sat., Aug. 29-Oct. 10, 6-9:50 p.m. (W) & 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (S), $675 CCNA 2 – Routing Protocols & Concepts Wed. & Sat., Oct. 24-Dec. 19, 6-9:50 p.m. (W) & 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (S), $675
CCNA Voice Mon., Aug. 27-Dec. 19, 6-9:50 p.m., $795 CCNA Security Mon., Aug. 27-Dec. 19, 6-9:50 p.m., $795 CCNP SWITCH – Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks Tues., Aug. 28-Dec. 18, 6-9:50 p.m., $795
Cisco Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1 (ICND1) Wed. & Sat., Sept. 5-Dec. 22, 6-9:50 p.m. (W) & 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (S), $1,100 PC Desktop Application Training: Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint Dates and times vary, $159 Coming fall semester: Intro to iPad For more information, contact Tim Flug at (651) 450-3531.
Business and Entrepreneurship Contact Peter Hoch at (651) 450-3763 ServSafe®
Invest in your food safety training by attending our one-day course. • Certified by the National Restaurant Association • Recognized by local, state and federal health departments • Experienced trainers are ServSafe certified and HACCP certified • Class instruction is in English • Certification includes lunch, Food Safety course book, ServSafe Exam and Certification, and entry into the national certification registry Aug. 20, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165 Sept. 10 or 24, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165 Oct. 15 or 22, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165 Nov. 5 or 12, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165 Dec. 3 or 10, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165 Performance Appraisals Mon. Sept. 10, 6-9 p.m., $99 How to Write a Business Plan Tues., Sept. 11, 6-9 p.m., $99 Passport to Retirement Tues., Oct. 16 & 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $49 Thurs., Oct. 11 & 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $49 Sat., Oct. 20 & 27, 9:30-11:30 a.m., $49
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Becoming a Consultant Wed., Sept. 12, 9 a.m.-noon, $99
Project Management Online, $1,495
Introduction to Internet Marketing Wed., Oct. 3, 1-5 p.m., $199
Project Management Applications Online, $95
Pro-Write Professional Writing Wed., Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-noon, $199 Rapid Conflict Resolution Tues., Sept. 25, 2-5 p.m., $99 Introduction to Process Mapping Tues., Oct. 2, 2-5 p.m., $99 Beginning French Tues., Oct. 2-Nov. 6, 6-9 p.m., $199 High Speed Project Management Online, $95 Introduction to Microsoft Project 2007 Online, $95 PMP Certification Prep 1 Online, $105 PMP Certification Prep 2 Online, $105
Project Management Fundamentals Online, $95 Project Management with Microsoft Project 2007 Online, $1,995 Project Management with Microsoft Project 2007 (includes software) Online, $2,495
Health Care, EMT & Nursing Contact Kris Hanson at (651) 450-3696 Healthcare Provider CPR Sat., Sept. 22, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $75 Sat., Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $75 Sat., Nov. 17, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $75 Sat., Dec. 15, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $75 Healthcare Provider CPR Refresher Thurs., Sept. 20, 6-10 p.m., $55 Thurs., Oct. 18, 6-10 p.m., $55 Thurs., Nov. 15, 6-10 p.m., $55 Thurs., Dec. 13, 6-10 p.m., $55 Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid Sat., Oct. 6, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., $55 Sat., Dec. 1, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., $55 Introduction IV Skills/Phlebotomy Techniques Sat., Sept. 15, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $235 Sat., Dec. 1, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $235 Introduction to ECG & 12 Lead Interpretation Sat., Dec. 8, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $150
EMPACT – Emergency Medical Patient Assessment Care & Transport Sat. & Sun., Oct. 6 & 7, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $221
EMT Refresher Fri.-Sun., Nov. 16-18, 6- 10 p.m. (F) & 8 a.m.-8 p.m. (Sat.) & 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (Sun.), $205
History of Emergency Medical Services Tues., Sept. 25, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $35
Paramedic Refresher Fri. & Sat., Oct. 12-27, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $354
Team Code Sat., Sept. 8, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $145
Child Abuse – Beyond the Signs & Symptoms Tues., Oct. 2, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $35
ACLS Sat., Nov. 3 & 10, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $225
Emergency Response to Crisis Tues., Nov. 6, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $35
ACLS Refresher Sat., Nov. 3, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $115
Nursing Assistant Exams Saturdays, Sept. 8-Dec. 29, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., $125
PALS Weds., Thurs. & Sat., Oct. 10, 11 & 13, 6-10 p.m. (W&Th) & 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (S), $225
Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aid Program Mon.-Fri., Dec. 3-19, 2-10 p.m., $799 Clinical dates section 1: Sat.-Mon., Dec. 15-17, 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Clinical dates section 2: Mon.-Wed., Dec. 1719, 2-10 p.m.
PALS Refresher Sat., Oct. 13, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $115 First Responder Refresher Fri. & Sat., Nov. 16 & 17, 6-10 p.m. (F) & 8 a.m.8 p.m. (S), $175
Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 21
Spotlight
Diversity director seeks to enrich college experience for all students BY HELEN CLARKE EBERT
Sarah Napoli-Rangel spends her days working to create a welcoming environment for all students at Inver Hills Community College. Students of color, first-generation college students, those of low-income status, and those who identify with various sexual orientations, genders and religious beliefs — not to mention those who fall into a “majority” group in any of those categories. No matter the identifier, Napoli-Rangel believes all students can be served by the resources in the college’s Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism. “We’re trying to build global leaders,” Napoli-Rangel, the college’s director of diversity, said. “In order to be effective in today’s workforce, one needs to be able to compete with diverse audiences, practice intercultural competence and have an open mind.” Twenty-nine percent of students enrolled at Inver Hills this spring identified as students of color, while 58 percent were identified as low-income students through their eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant Program. Further, 61 percent of students came from homes where neither parent has a bachelor’s degree, and 22 percent came from a home where neither parent attended any college. Napoli-Rangel began leading the college’s diversity efforts in January 2011. In this capacity, she puts forth effort in the areas of student services, affirmative action, human resources and curriculum development. This fall, she will open the doors to a new, dedicated space focusing solely on diversity services. “We’ve focused on creating a space — a multicultural student center — that will be a place where students can hang out, work on homework, view print publications and address issues of diversity happening on campus and off,” Napoli-Rangel said. Aside from being a physical space where students can gather and utilize resources, the Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism provides customized programming for classes, workshops and student events; connects students with resources in the community; and supports the multicultural club scene through the college’s thriving Student Life 22 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012
Sarah Napoli-Rangel
division. The office also hosts the monthly Diverse Perspectives student workshop series, which varies in theme each academic year — the focus for the 201213 academic year is gender and sexual orientation. “I also serve as an advocate — I’m the first contact for students if they have a complaint or feel that someone has discriminated against them,” Napoli-Rangel said. “In this capacity, I help students determine what the next steps are in order to resolve the issue.” Napoli-Rangel serves students by working with faculty and staff, as well — crafting professional development workshops, bringing speakers to campus, creating a strategic diversity plan for the college, and leading the campus Diversity Council. With Inver Hills for three years, Napoli-Rangel previously served as director of service-learning. She holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology and theatre, and a master’s in social justice and intercultural relations. She has taught art and social justice to a wide range of ages – from preschool to graduate school – and has worked and lived all over the world, from Guatemala and Japan, to Australia and parts of Europe. “I want students to know that there are folks on campus that really care about diversity issues,” NapoliRangel said. “We’re a pretty diverse campus, but not all students are aware that there’s a department on campus where they can go to have these conversations.” Contact Sarah Napoli-Rangel at snapoli@inverhills.edu. You can find her on campus in the Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism in room 118 of the College Center.
From the Foundation For low-income individuals saving for college, the cost of tuition can be a significant hurdle. Through the generosity of our donors, the Inver Hills Community College Foundation is proud to respond to this need as the first college in Minnesota to offer the Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota program (FAIM). When combined with financial aid assistance programs, FAIM allows students the opportunity to graduate from college with little to no debt. The federal program helps students increase their savings for tuition, as well as strengthen their ability to successfully complete their degree and become self-sufficient. For every $1 a FAIM participant saves into a special savings account, a federal match contributes an additional $1.50 and the Inver Hills Foundation does the same, providing a total of $3 for every $1 saved. This savings plan takes place for up to two years, to a maximum of $960 contributed by the participant. That means for just a $960 investment, a participant will have $3,840 in college tuition funds. FAIM participants also receive financial literacy classes, career planning classes and one-on-one coaching to help them increase their success.
IHCC Foundation Board of Directors Beth Asmussen Hennepin County Beth Baumann City of South St. Paul Laurel Boerger Xcel Energy, Inc. Trent Bowman PCL Construction Cathy DeSutter Don Stevens, Inc. Jessie Headrick CHS Foundation Scott Ganje Bremer Bank Dick Graham Elderwise Consulting
With the help of a $25,000 challenge grant from the Katherine B. Andersen fund of The Saint Paul Foundation; grants from the Kopp Foundation, Dakota Electric Association and CHS; and significant donations from individuals, the Inver Hills Foundation raised $108,000 this spring to support a minimum of 75 students in the program next year.
Rita Hall St. Joseph’s Hospital
Students like Tashina Picard — who works, attends college, maintains an A average and plans to transfer to the University of Minnesota to study biology — could benefit from a program like FAIM. Donors like Judy Pechacek support it because it eases the financial burden on students so they can focus on their studies. And faculty like Jim Leslie support it because he believes that far too many students need to withdraw from a class here and there, not because they aren’t capable of succeeding, but because they don’t have the time to be successful while working so many hours in order to pay tuition.
Thad Hellman Target Corporation
Inver Hills alumni, faculty, staff, Foundation board members, friends of the college and even students made very generous gifts to ensure we would meet our goal.
Lynn Moratzka Retired, Dakota County
The IHCC Foundation also hosted the 2012 Dream Builders event, held May 3 at Mendakota Country Club. Presenting sponsor SKB Environmental, 27 additional sponsors and 170 guests enjoyed an evening of good food, great company, wonderful music, and live and silent auctions. Most importantly, they experienced the joy of helping students succeed. If you weren’t able to attend, please plan on joining us next year at Dream Builders 2013!
Mike Haverkamp American Bank
Connie McCoy Key Community Bank Larry Margolis Retired, Inver Hills Community College
Susan O’Brien Retired, South St. Paul Foundation John Pain Goodrich Sensor Systems William Raker US Federal Credit Union Gerald Sakala Simley High School Bill Welp Attorney at Law
Gail Morrison Executive Director Inver Hills Foundation
Ex-Officio Members of the Board Ken Slipka Retired, Mid-America Properties Brent Glass Director of Student Life, Inver Hills Community College Gail Morrison Executive director, Inver Hills Community College Foundation Tim Wynes President, Inver Hills Community College Distinguished Members of the Board LaDonna Boyd John Jensvold
Don Chapdelaine of SKB Environmental speaks to attendees of Dream Builders 2012. SKB Environmental was the presenting sponsor for the event.
Inver Hills alumnae Marie Pearson (left) and Cindy Marschel at Dream Builders 2012.
Alexandra (Sandy) Klas Robert Klas Bill Lucking Paul Verret
Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 23
2500 80th Street East Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076-3224
ECRWSS Residential Customer
Your extraordinary education starts here! Inver Hills makes starting college easy with SmartSTART Advising & Registration. At this convenient event, you will attend an information session; meet with counselors and academic advisors to help with academic planning and to register for courses; and discuss financial aid options and make arrangements to pay for tuition. Choose one of the following convenient dates, and register online at www.inverhills.edu/ smartstart. Tuesday, June 26 • 2-5 p.m. Thursday, June 28 • 9 a.m.-noon Admissions team members, from left, Jenna Baumgard, Tuesday, July 10 • 2-5 p.m. Domonic Xiong, Daniel Lawrence and Paula Brugge. Thursday, July 12 • 9 a.m.-noon Call (651) 450-3902 to set up an appointment. Tuesday, July 17 • 2-5 p.m. Thursday, July 19 • 9 a.m.-noon It is strongly recommended that you take the assessment tests prior to Tuesday, July 24 • 2-5 p.m. arriving for your SmartSTART session. Though it is possible to complete Thursday, July 26 • 9 a.m.-noon the assessments on the same day, it may slow your registration process. Tuesday, Aug. 7 • 2-5 p.m. Take the assessments seriously; it determines your course placement Thursday, Aug. 9 • 9 a.m.-noon level, which can affect your course success and length of program. For Tuesday, Aug. 14 • 2-5 p.m. more on assessments, visit www.inverhills.edu/studentresources/assessThursday, Aug. 16 • 9 a.m.-noon mentcenter. Tuesday, Aug. 21 • 2-5 p.m. For questions or more information, send an e-mail to Wednesday, Aug. 22 • 9 a.m.-noon enrollment@inverhills.edu.
Visit Us We welcome prospective students and their families to daily general information sessions (including campus tours) held throughout the summer. For directions and campus maps, go to www. inverhills.edu or call the Information Center at (651) 450-3000. General Information Meetings We present an overview of the college and its programs, as well as a campus tour. You also will receive application materials and information about any specific programs that interest you. These general information sessions allow plenty of time for questions. Please arrive 10 minutes before the session begins; check in at the Information Center on the second floor of the College Center. Daily, June 1-Aug. 24. Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 1-2 p.m. Tuesday: Noon-1 p.m. Thursday: 6-7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday only, Aug. 27-Sept. 28 Tuesday: 6-7 p.m. Wednesday: 1-2 p.m. 24 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012
ASAP information sessions
Adult Success through Accelerated Programs (ASAP) provides adult students with a direct route to a college degree. We offer a special degree-planning course and credit-earning options based on knowledge gained from work or life experience. You can enroll in accelerated eight-week classes and take advantage of partnership agreements with adult student degree completion programs at four-year colleges. Reserve a space at (651) 450-3367 or asap@inverhills.edu. Sessions meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in room 290 of the College Center. Mondays: July 9 Wednesdays: June 20, Aug. 1, Aug. 15 Thursdays: July 19, Aug. 30, Aug. 30
Nursing information session
Our nursing degree has additional admission and application requirements. Admission is limited to this program. Some courses must be completed before you apply for admission. You may contact us for nursing application materials and information, or attend our summer information meeting. No reservation is required. Tuesday, July 31: 5-6 p.m.