The Alumni Magazine of JCCC
Reconnect Summer 2010
Horticulture takes root at JCCC
Contents
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Performing Arts Series at JCCC announces 20th anniversary season Natalie Cole brings star power to The Series’ 20th anniversary celebration.
Cover JCCC’s horticulture program offers a
horticulture associate’s degree,
horticulture certificate, landscape
technician certificate and horticultural,
floral design and landscape
technician entrepreneurship
certificates.
Pictured, Dr. Lekha Sreedhar,
associate professor, horticulture.
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Horticulture program grows with vigor Sreedhar exhibits samples of students’ micropropagation in tissue culture – a new trend for nurseries to mass propagate/clone superior plants.
No debating it: JCCC team is national community college champion Johnson County Community College debate team was awarded the prestigious McClintock Award, presented to the national champion community college team, at the Cross-Examination Debate Association National Tournament.
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Patrick Dobson’s Seldom Seen: A Journey into the Great Plains captures Dobson’s journey from Kansas City to Helena, Mont.
Reconnect
The Alumni Magazine of JCCC
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Reconnect is published two times a year by Johnson County Community College 12345 College Blvd. Overland Park, KS 66210-1299 913-469-8500 fax 913-469-2559 www.jccc.edu
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Electronics buys robot arm to develop new class JCCC’s electronics department’s new programmable six-degree of-freedom robot arm teaches students how robots are used in industry.
Editor: Christy McWard Reporter: Peggy Graham Photographer: Bret Gustafson Designer: Randy Breeden
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JCCC offers motorcycle training Motorcyclists are revved up for JCCC’s new motorcycle training program.
Reconnect is produced by the JCCC Foundation, College Information and Publications, and the Office of Document Services.
For more information about JCCC Alumni, call the JCCC Foundation, 913-469-3835.
Dobson publishes book about the Great Plains
.
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Drafting goes 3-D
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Building toward health field careers
JCCC’s drafting program acquired a rapid prototype machine to produce 3-D models.
Construction is underway on the two-story, 50,000-square-foot Olathe Health Education Center.
Calendar
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Save the Date: JCCC launches Achieving the Dream JCCC is the first and only school in Kansas to join Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, a national initiative to help more community college students succeed, particularly lowincome students and students of color.
Takács Quartet, Grammy-winning string quartet
Journalism, student media show news sense
Sept. 11
Men find satisfaction, good jobs in nursing
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Sept. 14
Sept. 25 The “Still Unforgettable” Natalie Cole, 20th anniversary celebration
Sept. 30
Auction Raises Dollars for Scholars In April 2010, the Dollars for Scholars auction earned more than $51,000 in net profits to support 31 scholarships and programs.
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American Voices, Songs of Our Nation, Larry Gatlin, Crystal Gayle, Andy Cooney JCCC Golf Tournament – Individual player. Falcon Ridge Golf Course. Warm-up at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. shotgun start. Includes golf, golf cart with GPS, range balls, two non-alcoholic drinks and box lunch. Your purchase confirmation is your registration confirmation. Visit www.jccc.edu/foundationonline.
So why do males comprise only 5.8 percent of U.S. registered nurses, 7 percent in Kansas?
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Polsky Series – What’s the Outlook for 2011 and Beyond – Bright, Cloudy or Dark? with Peter Newman, 7:30 p.m. Free. Bring family and friends. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Sept. 10
The 2009-2010 academic year was a banner year for the JCCC journalism and media communications department.
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Sept. 1
Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live, presented by Nationwide Insurance 7 p.m.
Oct. 1-3, 9-11 Closer Than Ever – JCCC Academic Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Black Box Theatre, Free
Oct. 16
New dental hygiene clinic opens New space and the latest technology put smiles on the faces of students, staff and clients.
Robert McDuffie, violin soloist,
and the Venice Baroque Orchestra,
The Seasons Project, featuring a world-premiere tour
of a Philip Glass composition, a PAS co-commission
Oct. 20
PSTC offers classes by top law enforcement professionals
Michael Bolton, singer-songwriter 7:30 p.m.
The big winner in this program is the safety of citizens.
Capitol Steps, political comedy troupe
Oct. 22-23 Oct. 29-30 Quixotic Fusion, Lux Esalare, Kansas City ensemble of musicians, dancers, aerialists
JCCC graduates rising to the top in interactive, graphic design
Nov. 5 DRUMLine Live, created by the music team behind the hit movie Drumline
This young breed of graphic design professionals are the ones who are defining and growing the field, constantly adding new elements of technology and design.
Nov. 6 beatlegras, bluegrass arrangements of Beatles tunes by a fab three Polsky Theatre
Back Cover
Nov. 12
Let’s Reconnect!
Jigu! Thunder Drums of China, a world-class company of drummers, percussionists and musicians steeped in the culture of Shanxi province
Nov. 13 Some Enchanted Evening, gala fundraiser honoring David Wysong as Johnson Countian of the Year
Nov. 20 Summer 2010
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Naturally 7, award-winning septet with a distinct a cappella style called “vocal play”
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Performing Arts Series at JCCC announces 20th anniversary season
J
ohnson County Community College
dedicated its Cultural Education Center on Oct. 3, 1990, and offered its first season in spring 1991. For 20 years, the Performing Arts Series at JCCC has consistently offered quality programming. True to tradition, another exceptional season unfolds. Emily Behrmann, general manager, the Performing Arts Series at JCCC, invites you to attend a 20th anniversary celebration with eight-time The “Still Unforgettable� Natalie Cole, 20th anniversary celebration, Sept. 25, 2010.
Grammy Award-winner Natalie Cole on Sept. 25, plus a season of cutting-edge performances, celebrity names, diverse cultures, dance and music.
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Tickets The Performing Arts Series at JCCC is using its anniversary year to simplify – listing season performances in chronological order with no sub-series of dance, classics, center stage, family or special events. Patrons can create their own package of any five or more performances from a selection of 22 to receive a “subscriber” discount. “Friends” members receive an additional 5 percent discount. Call the PAS box office at 913-469-4445 or visit www.jccc.edu/TheSeries for detailed artist information.
The season is listed chronologically. Shows begin at 8 p.m. in Yardley Hall of the Carlsen Center unless otherwise noted.
Takács Quartet, Grammy-winning string quartet • Sept. 10, 2010
The “Still Unforgettable” Natalie Cole, 20th anniversary celebration Sept. 25, 2010
Capitol Steps, political comedy troupe Oct. 22-23, 2010 Quixotic Fusion, Lux Esalare, Kansas City ensemble of musicians, dancers, aerialists Oct. 29-30, 2010 Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live, presented by Nationwide Insurance 7 p.m. • Sept. 30, 2010
DRUMLine Live, created by the music team behind the hit movie Drumline Nov. 5, 2010
Robert McDuffie, violin soloist, and the Venice Baroque Orchestra, The Seasons Project, featuring a world premiere tour of a Philip Glass composition, a PAS co-commission Oct. 16, 2010 beatlegras, bluegrass arrangements of Beatles tunes by a fab three Polsky Theatre • Nov. 6, 2010 Leann Rimes Just Added! 7 p.m. Nov. 14, 2010
American Voices, Songs of Our Nation, Larry Gatlin, Crystal Gayle, Andy Cooney Sept. 11, 2010 6
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Michael Bolton, singer-songwriter 7:30 p.m. • Oct. 20, 2010
Jigu! Thunder Drums of China, a worldclass company of drummers, percussionists and musicians steeped in the culture of Shanxi province Nov. 12, 2010
Naturally 7, award-winning septet with a distinct a cappella style called “vocal play” Nov. 20, 2010
An Evening with Martin Short, starring the legendary comedian, film star and SNL alumnus Feb. 12, 2011
Vienna Boys Choir, with a repertoire encompassing Austrian folk songs and waltzes, classical masterpieces, pop songs, songs from children’s operas and medieval chants Feb. 26, 2011
Janis Ian, singer, guitarist, songwriter (At Seventeen) Polsky Theatre • March 12, 2011 The Joffrey Ballet, Chicago-based and worldrenowned April 2, 2011
Christmas Bells Are Swingin’!, Boston Brass and the Brass All-Stars Big Band play holiday selections arranged by jazz legend Stan Kenton • Dec. 3, 2010 Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, internationally renowned modern dance Jan. 29, 2011
The Hot Club of San Francisco, Gypsy jazz, in Silent Surrealism Polsky Theatre • Feb. 4, 2011
Opole, Philharmonic of Poland, with soprano Iwona Sobotka, light classics by Johann Strauss Jr. and friends March 4, 2011 Hot Tuna Blues, guitarists Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane fame, blues-harp player Charlie Musselwhite, and countryand-bluegrass artist Jim Lauderdale March 5, 2011
Béla Fleck, banjo, Zakir Hussain, tabla/percussion, and Edgar Meyer, bass April 16, 2011
Spamalot, Broadway hit based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail 7 p.m. • May 1, 2011
Summer 2010
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Horticulture program
grows with vigor
Dr. Lekha Sreedhar instructs Horticultural Science students inside the greenhouse.
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s the lead author on scholarly articles published in journals like Plant Science, Annals of Botany and GENE, Dr. Lekha Sreedhar, associate professor, horticultural sciences, has proven herself an excellent academic. But 16 years of study and research in plant sciences is only part of the reason Sreedhar has helped to make JCCC’s horticulture program a success in terms of quality and growing number of classes. The real reason is Sreedhar’s passion for the subject and her students. Her enthusiasm is contagious. In this day’s Introduction to Horticultural Science lab, students work inside the Horticultural Science Center’s greenhouse surrounded by a sea of plants and flowers, planting six different leaf types in two different media in order to compare propagation methods. Students work knowingly as they determine the composition of the planting media and look for leaves from healthy stock plants to maximize growth. They are enrolled in the horticulture program with a variety of aspirations. Two want to become golf course managers; one is interested in environmental science, possibly plant engineering; another has aspirations to own a commercial greenhouse growing 8
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plants like organic hydroponic tomatoes; and there are more. Carolyn Palmer, Newton, worked in a greenhouse for four-and-a-half years but now wants the science background. Colby Fuller, Emporia, already has a bachelor’s degree in agronomy but is working toward JCCC’s horticulture associate degree so he can obtain a job in landscaping. “I really like this course,” Fuller said. “Dr. Sreedhar is an excellent teacher. If anyone has a question off-topic, she can answer it.” Rebecca Walker-Garoutte, Lenexa, worked in the floral design business 28 years before enrolling at JCCC, where she received an associate’s degree in May. She is the greenhouse coordinator and likes the idea that she is supporting education by caring for a large variety of plants and trees inside and outside the greenhouse dedicated to student use. “I feel this is a good program with continued efforts to use the best materials,” Walker-Garoutte said. “Dr. Sreedhar makes sure students receive a good science experience – with passion.” JCCC first offered a horticulture certificate program in 2001. In 2006, a landscape technician certificate was
added, and a horticultural associate’s degree became effective fall 2007. Horticultural, floral design and landscape technician entrepreneurship certificates are also offered. Sreedhar was brought on board as the only full-time horticulture faculty in 2006. Four to eight adjunct faculty in various areas of expertise also teach horticulture classes, including Dr. Alan Stevens, director, K-State Research and Extension Center, Olathe, and JCCC adjunct associate professor, landscape design. “The skills students learn at JCCC are beneficial to the industry. Students receive an underlying depth of knowledge that they wouldn’t receive with on-the-job experience,” Stevens said. Stevens says that JCCC’s Introduction to Horticultural Science and Plant Propagation classes use the exact same textbooks and lab manuals as K-State’s. Asked whether he thought a horticulture program was necessary in the suburbs, Stevens said, “Yes, green space is a precious commodity in the city and suburbs, and we need quality educated people to maintain it. The JCCC program serves a strong and definite need.”
The Horticultural Science Center, which opened for classes in fall 2001, houses one classroom, one lab with a laminarflow hood and the greenhouse. Space, especially with a high night enrollment, is at a premium. Dr. Csilla Duneczky, dean of sciences, points to new possibilities for program growth – plant biotechnology, plant sustainability, water conservation in irrigation and CAD design applied to Landscape Design classes. According to Duneczky, interest is substantial in two horticulture electives, Arboriculture and Pest Control Management, for which students can sit for licensure examinations in those fields after course completion. “We work with major nurseries, lawn care and landscape companies, florists, county extension agencies and private gardens in order to serve the industry,” Duneczky said. “All our faculty are experts in their fields. The feedback from the industry is that our students are well prepared.” Sreedhar networks in the community with the horticulture department at K-State and officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Kansas and Missouri Departments of Agriculture in order to provide her students with professional speakers and plum internships at local nurseries and the Johnson County Park and Recreation District. She organizes field trips to places like the Loose Park Rose Garden (she’s a member of the Kansas City Rose Society directorial board), Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and K-State Research and Extension Center, Olathe. She has cultivated relationships with nurseries, garden centers, landscaping companies, propagation facilities, garden/hardware suppliers and biotech companies so students are exposed to a variety of the newest tools, techniques and materials from cultivars to tissue culture media. “I want this to be a solid program,” Sreedhar said. “I will do anything to help my students succeed.” Sreedhar also credits her students for the program’s success. She says her nighttime
classes are filled with people who work eight to 12 hours in a nursery before coming to class. “My students do extremely well. They keep excellent data and complete wellwritten scientific reports.” That’s a high endorsement coming from Sreedhar, who earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture science and a master’s degree in horticulture sciences from Kerala Agricultural University, India; and a master’s in plant agriculture and a PhD in plant physiology from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and completed postdoctoral research in plant biotechnology at Rutgers’ Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment. She held the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship for graduate studies in horticultural sciences for five years. Champion of the variety of fields open to horticulture students – floriculture, pomology (study of fruit), olericulture (study of vegetables), viticulture, nursery management, greenhouse management, landscape design, turf management, interiorscaping, micropropagation and horticultural therapy – Sreedhar is positive that anyone who likes plant sciences can find a specialty to their liking. If one doesn’t want to get his or her hands dirty, Sreedhar will espouse micropropagation in tissue culture – a new trend for nurseries to mass propagate/clone superior plants in vitro from small pieces of stock plant and rescue heavily infected plants. Other options include landscape design, hydroponics, aeroponics and horticultural sales.
Colby Fuller and Natalie Martin set up an experiment during a leaf propagation lab.
Rebecca Walker-Garoutte, greenhouse coordinator, earned her horticulture associate’s degree in May.
Her enthusiasm extends from her professional to her personal life. At age four, she was captivated by her parents’ rose garden in India. Her love of flowers remains unabated. She keeps lists of plants/flowers and their respective photographs that she has encountered. She collects orchids and has about 300 in her home. “Plants are fascinating,” Sreedhar said. “There is so much we know and so much we don’t know.” Sean Connolly has plans to become a golf course manager. Summer 2010
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No debating it: JCCC team is national community college champion 2009-2010 team members Sitting (left to right) Rebekah Rauckman, Terri Easley (coach), Justin Stanley (assistant coach), Caitlin Breslin, Andrew Salzmann, Amanda Brown Standing (left to right) Dalton Lawson, Kristin Brandt, Ben Cuellar, Emily Umphrey, Brandie Shepherd, Tyler Kowalewski, Sarah Elliott, Cate Garmeavea, Keith Alexander-Arceneaux
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n the culmination of its successful year, the Johnson County Community College debate team was awarded the prestigious McClintock Award, presented to the national champion community college team, at the CrossExamination Debate Association (CEDA) National Tournament which was held at the University of CaliforniaBerkeley in March. The CEDA national championship is based on the team’s earned points during the entire season in competition with four-year colleges and universities as well as other community colleges. This is the first championship title for JCCC in eight years, and the fourth year in a row JCCC has been in the top three in community college sweepstakes. The award caps a string of wins and high 10
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rankings for the JCCC debate team. During the 2009-2010 season, the team traveled to 12 tournaments, winning awards at all, making seven final-round appearances and earning five tournament championships at the Vegas Invitational, KCKCC, Emporia State University, Kansas State University and Novice Nationals. Throughout the year, the JCCC debate team was consistently ranked as the top community college, maintained a top 20 national ranking that includes four-year colleges since November and finished in the top 25 nationwide for the year, ranking higher than schools like the University of Texas at Austin, University of Michigan, Georgetown and Baylor universities, Dartmouth College and University of Kentucky.
Research The 2009-2010 college debate topic was: The United States Federal Government should substantially reduce the size of its nuclear weapons arsenal, and/or substantially reduce and restrict the role and/or missions of its nuclear weapons arsenal. Teams are required to debate both sides of an issue – affirmative and negative. The JCCC debate team participates in policy debate tournaments in which policy issues are debated by a team of two vs. a team of two. “Most people would argue that policy debate is harder than Lincoln-Douglas value debate or parliamentarian debate because it is more research intensive,” said debate coach Terri Easley.
Indeed team members invest hours into research, practice rounds, one-on-one speaking drills and tournaments. Easley and assistant debate coach Justin Stanley can spend up to 14 to 16 hours a day with students during the competition season. In the fall, there were four-day back-to-back tournaments on consecutive weekends and travel time. There is also preparation on Saturdays and Sundays where students and coaches spend from eight- to 12-hour days in extra practice rounds and conducting research. “As coaches, we help prepare students with the skills and research they need for a two-hour debate. But once the debate begins, it is up to them to carry through,” Easley said.
Assets of a winning team Easley credits this year’s successes to the addition of an assistant coach and the students’ determination. She says the most common major among debaters is pre-law or political science, but debate students’ majors vary from nursing to electrical engineering. “I think everything you learn in debate translates into everyday life, skills you can translate to any job. Debaters have to critically analyze and process information very quickly, learn how to research a subject, and become better citizens in general as they consider both sides of an issue,” Easley said. JCCC offers four sections of debate, and all students enrolled in debate participate with the team. Two-thirds of the current debate team is expected to return in the fall. Using electronic databases, books, journals and law reviews, students begin researching next year’s topic as soon as it is announced in July. One also has to credit Easley’s commitment for the team’s success. Easley began college as a music major but was won over to debate by a speech teacher who thought she “talked fast and gave good speeches.” Easley earned a bachelor’s degree in literature from the University of Texas at Dallas and a master’s in communication from Baylor University.
“I think everything you learn in debate translates into everyday life, skills you can translate to any job. Debaters have to critically analyze and process information very quickly, learn how to research a subject, and become better citizens in general as they consider both sides of an issue.” – Debate Coach Terri Easley More kudos The JCCC debate team also hosts (and participates in) the most prestigious and longest-running junior-varsity national tournament in the country, the National Junior Division Debate Tournament, founded by retired JCCC professor Dr. Dick Stine, which was held this year in March. At the CEDA National Tournament at Berkeley, JCCC debaters were awarded several national recognitions. Emily Umphrey was awarded with the “Outstanding New Competitor Award” for debaters in their first year of competition without prior debate experience who show growth and participation in the activity. Caitlin Breslin and Dalton Lawson were selected to the All-American Debate Team. The award is given to 30 debaters who represent the best of intercollegiate debate.
Dalton Lawson
Brandie Shepherd Summer 2010
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Dobson publishes book about the Great Plains
Adjunct professor of history Patrick Dobson’s book, Seldom Seen: A Journey into the Great Plains, was recently published.
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atrick Dobson, adjunct professor of history, is a bear of a man. His presence, enthusiasm and stories fill a room. He is a freelance writer, a member of Ironworkers Local #10 in Kansas City and has completed all-but-a-dissertation toward a doctorate in 20th century U.S. environmental history and American literature from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
journal is the basis for his book, for which he has done a round of media interviews and book signings. A second book based on his river journey home is in the works.
Today Dobson is being interviewed about his first book, Seldom Seen: A Journey into the Great Plains, published last year by the University of Nebraska Press. The book describes Dobson’s twoand-a-half-month journey from Kansas City, Mo., to Helena, Mont., in 1995, a journey Dobson says was “meant to quiet his restless soul.” With only a backpack, Dobson, then a single father, left his job with the engineering maintenance department at the RitzCarlton to chronicle the lives of ordinary people in the Great Plains.
At JCCC, Dobson teaches U.S. history and Western civilization. He has bachelor’s degrees in American history and English from UMKC and a master’s degree in American history from the University of Wyoming. Part skilled laborer, part scholar, Dobson’s employment reflects his dichotomy: maintenance at the Ritz, four years as a full-time writer at The Pitch, three years as an editor at Andrews McMeel Universal, and one and one-half years of self-employment – hauling dirt, rehabbing houses and stacking rock – previous to entering the UMKC doctoral program in 2004. He joined the Ironworkers Local #10 after completing his doctoral classes. The one constant in his life has been writing.
He kept a notebook and filed biweekly columns in The Pitch during his trip. The
Dobson has now worked out an ideal plan for his PhD life – working as a
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journeyman ironworker during the summers and teaching during the school year. He believes he is a misfit traversing different universes comfortably. “When I’m with the academics, I feel like the dirty fingernailer at the queen’s banquet,” Dobson said. “When I’m with journalists, they know something is not quite right about me, something doesn’t fit. Then when I’m with the ironworkers they know there is something about me – things I talk about – so they know I’ve been someplace else.” Fifteen years after his trek across the plains, Dobson appears to have put his soul to rest. He has learned he needs to be outside doing physical labor, he needs to teach because he views learning as unfinished business and he needs to write. Dobson’s book is available at Amazon, University of Nebraska Press and the JCCC Billington Library.
JCCC offers motorcycle training Cheryl and Dennis Rogers, Motorcycle Safety Foundation certified instructors, advise taking the Motorcycle Training class before the purchase of a motorcycle.
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fter an interminable winter, people are ready to feel the wind, sun and rain on their faces. They are catching the bug to ride a motorcycle. As thrilling as buying a bike, twisting the throttle and hitting the road are, safety and a legal license come first. JCCC began offering its new Motorcycle Training classes this year; the first three sessions filled immediately. The course, which provides 20 hours of instruction, including eight classroom hours and 12 hours of range instruction, is designed for the beginning motorcyclist who wants to operate his or her motorcycle safely and efficiently. A Kansas Division of Vehicles certificate of completion will be issued after successfully completing the course. The three-day classes are scheduled from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Riding and maneuvers, including 17 exercises, are scheduled all day Saturday and Sunday in the JCCC parking lot. The lead teachers are Cheryl and Dennis Rogers,
Motorcycle Safety Foundation certified instructors, who teach a maximum of 12 students per class.
Training Center, donated nine Honda Rebel 250 CC bikes to JCCC after their training program closed.
“We teach proper techniques for breaking, turning and swerving,” Cheryl Rogers said. “Later we have had students thank us, saying those techniques saved their lives.”
Dennis Rogers advises taking the motorcycle training program before buying a motorcycle so, one, people know they like riding a motorcycle and are successful at it, and, two, they learn to ask the right questions when buying a bike – Will you have a passenger? What size works for you? Will you be riding on the street or dirt?
Dennis Rogers is a retired Kansas State Trooper, and Cheryl is an IT worker for the State of Kansas. Together they take one big (3,000-mile) trip each summer, having visited 40 of the 48 continental U.S. states, and ride weekends. The Rogers advocate motorcycle transportation as a way to reduce costs and enjoy the outdoors. “Only a motorcyclist knows the thrill and exhilaration a dog has when it sticks its head out the car window,” Cheryl Rogers said.
Taking the class reduces insurance rates and increases safety. About 92 percent of accident-involved motorcyclists were self-taught or learned from family and friends, according to Cheryl Rogers. For more information, contact Phil Wegman, program director, skills enhancement, JCCC, at 913-469-4446, or pwegman@jccc.edu. To register, call 913-469-2323. Cost is $199.
Bikes and helmets are provided for the class. Stan and Elaine Rogers (no relations to Cheryl and Dennis Rogers) who formerly owned Midwest Motorcycle Summer 2010
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Electronics buys robot arm to develop new class
Chip Cody, associate professor/chair, electronics, demonstrates the capabilities of electronics’ new robot arm.
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sing a $25,000 Perkins grant, JCCC’s electronics department purchased a programmable six-degree of-freedom robot arm to teach students how robots are used in industry. Faculty received training on the machine in the spring with the goal of developing an industrial robot class by fall 2010. JCCC already offers an elective, Electronics 127 – Robots for Humans, which serves as an introduction to the growing field of robotics. An industrial robot class would teach students how to build, program, test and maintain robots in industry – everything from car manufacturing to automated self-checkouts. “Robots are good candidates for jobs that are either too dangerous for humans or highly repetitive and monotonous,” said Chip Cody, associate professor/ chair, electronics. “Robots are accurate. They do exactly what you tell them to do every time. They never get tired, bored or call in sick.” JCCC’s robot features base, waist, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand rotation – referred to as the six axes of freedom. Weighing several hundred pounds, the machine looks like a giant popcorn cart constructed with a quarterinch steel working surface and requiring a double-wide door for access to the electronics lab. 14
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As in the Robots for Humans class, students in the proposed class would learn about the robot’s hardware, things like sensors and actuators, and enough software programming language to teach the robot a task. Cody explains that programming involves coordinating the axes of motion and that can be accomplished in two ways – either by means of a microprocessor or by taking the robot manually through an operation and having its sensors store the action in its computer.
Cody says there is a demand for graduates with two-year electronic degrees to work in industry to maintain robots. “Robots are here to stay. That’s the wave of the future,” Cody said. “They may not all look like C-3P0, but they are everywhere – from assembly lines to NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Project.”
“A robot senses the outside world, and based on what the sensor tells it, it takes action,” Cody said. “A robot constantly goes through a sense-react-sense loop. Students work with small kits in the 127 class, but this is the first time the college has had an industrial-strength machine.” Interest in robots has been generated by students who have participated in high school robotics competitions such as FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) founded by Segway inventor Dean Kamen. Students with those experiences want to progress from JCCC’s Microprocessors class to the robot class where the microprocessors serve as the robot’s “brain.” The robot arm will have broad application.
Drafting goes 3-D
Damon Feureborn, assistant professor, drafting, displays a 3-D object fabricated from the rapid prototype machine.
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t’s not quite the Star Trek replicator, but the new 3-D printer in the drafting department is impressive. JCCC’s drafting program acquired its rapid prototype machine in spring 2009, giving advanced drafting students an opportunity to make models from 3-D computer-aided designs and beginning drafting students a way to visualize a 3-D design problem more clearly. Instead of toner, the rapid prototype machine uses a cartridge filled with a
spool of plastic, which is heated to a temperature of 572 degrees F and applied in a series of layers until the 3-D model is built according to a CAD design.
industrial to fine arts. As the 3-D printers became more affordable, JCCC was able to purchase one so drafting students can see their projects emerge from the 2-D printed page to physical models.
To the unschooled eye, it appears as easy as hitting “print” and setting controls for resolution, orientation, interior makeup (solid or honeycomb) and number of copies. Then, appearing out of seemingly nothingness comes a plastic model. The technically savvy, however, know that inside the printer a CAD file interfaces with a stereolithography file format in order to fabricate the curves and geometry of a physical object.
“The impact on our students is that the models clearly illustrate what they are attempting to draw,” Hughes said. “Students learn to draft with greater confidence.”
The process is fun to watch although “rapid” is a relative term. A special print head sweeps across a plastic support plate, applying layer after layer of heated plastic following CAD specifications. Filler material is applied to negative space and dissolved by immersion in a chemical bath after part fabrication. Objects created in the JCCC 3-D printer take from two to 60-plus hours to complete. According to Tom Hughes, drafting chair, drafting models were traditionally created by hand in a shop. Time, cost and ease of use are improved with the 3-D printer. Hughes says the rapid prototyping has been available in the industry for years, used for creating manufactured parts – everything from
Damon Feureborn, assistant professor, drafting, says the 3-D printer has increased student interest in the drafting program. “The rapid prototype printer can do some pretty complex models with moving and mating parts, things that would be difficult to make in a shop,” Feureborn said. Students in the CAD 3-D and Mechanical Desktop: Inventor classes are encouraged to produce one 3-D model at the end of the semester. Faculty use the model to demonstrate objects and cutaway slices for entry-level classes. Hughes foresees partnerships between drafting classes and other programs using the 3-D printers. Students in Graphic Analysis have already collaborated with welding students in the manufacturing of prototype plant holders.
Summer 2010
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Building toward health field careers The Olathe Health Education Center lies west of Olathe Medical Center.
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n the remnant of a former cornfield, Johnson County Community College and Olathe Medical Center are tilling the ground in advance of another kind of harvest – allied health medical professionals.
floating staircase. The first floor will contain the main lobby, information desk and a 300-seat multipurpose conference room that can be divided into four areas for smaller meetings or classes.
Groundbreaking on the two-story, 50,000-square-foot Olathe Health Education Center took place Dec. 3, 2009, and construction began in March 2010. The center will open for classes in fall 2011.
Additional first-floor spaces are allocated for general education, medical office technology and other medical offerings (EKG, phlebotomy, pharmacy technology, medical lab technology and surgical technology) to include:
OMC donated 5.8 acres of land for the building and parking, located between 152nd and 153rd Streets, west of Olathe Medical Center Parkway. JCCC will build OHEC at an anticipated cost of $15 million.
■ Three general classrooms for classes such as anatomy and physiology ■ One medical computer lab and one general-use computer lab ■ A medical office technology suite with two classrooms and a record office room for medical billing, coding and transcription
The building exterior is designed using JCCC campus standard brick with options for cast stone or metal between the windows. The main entrance is to the north with parking to the northwest.
■ One classroom for other medical offerings
Similar in design to the Regnier Center, OHEC features a two-story atrium and
■ Common spaces, including a coffee bar and food cart
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■ Offices for faculty and staff, including security, counseling and student services The second floor is designed primarily for practical nursing, health occupations (certified nurse assistant, certified medication aides, rehabilitation aide, home health aide and IV therapy for LPNs) and dietary manager programs to include: ■ Four health occupations classrooms with three patient care beds each ■ Two skills labs with eight beds each; one of the two is designed to accommodate four patient simulators ■ Practical nurse/health occupations student success center ■ Two classrooms for practical nursing and other medical classes ■ Common spaces for study and rest breaks ■ Offices for faculty and staff
A rendering of the Olathe Health Education Center is shown here. Students will have clinical education opportunities at Olathe Medical Center as well as the opportunity for professional relationships with OMC health care practitioners. Rex Hays, executive director, Campus Services, says HMN Architects collaborated with the academic administrators in multiple meetings to fulfill the specific needs of health care programming. According to Hays, the building will meet LEED silver certification in recognition of environmentally responsible building practices. Access to a detention basin for a storm water run-off adds to points for LEED criteria. As owner of the OHEC, JCCC will provide maintenance, housekeeping and security. (The college owns the building but does not receive clear title until the end of the 10-year lease and after payment of all scheduled lease amounts.) “We are grateful to Olathe Medical Center for the opportunity of building a health care teaching campus,” said Dr. Terry A. Calaway, JCCC president. “The
medical center is a renowned medical facility, and we are proud to be partners with them.” “We are extremely proud to have the Olathe Health Education Center on our campus,” said Frank H. Devocelle, president/CEO of OMC. “It has been a pleasure for our staff to work with JCCC, MidAmerica Nazarene University and the Olathe School District in developing the best curriculum to teach outstanding health care providers of the future.” Students from the Olathe schools will be provided a clear pathway through JCCC and, if they choose to do so, on to MidAmerica Nazarene University for baccalaureate and graduate studies completion, according to Dr. Dana Grove, JCCC executive vice president, educational planning and development/ chief operating officer. “Ultimately the beneficiary of the new OHEC is the community, who will be served by an increase in the number of health care providers and the number of allied health programs,” Grove said.
Frank H. Devocelle, president/CEO of OMC, and Dr. Terry A. Calaway, JCCC president, listen to a speaker at the Dec. 3 groundbreaking for OHEC. Summer 2010
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JCCC launches Achieving the Dream
Drs. James Tschechtelin and Ted Wright, JCCC’s coaches for Achieving the Dream, brainstorm with Jeff Frost, JCCC dean, mathematics, during an Achieving the Dream session of Fall 2009 Professional Development Days.
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ohnson County Community College is the first and only school in Kansas to join Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, a national initiative to help more community college students succeed, particularly low-income students and students of color. JCCC is one of 102 institutions – 98 colleges and four universities – in 22 states to participate in Achieving the Dream, which helps participating colleges implement strategies designed to help more students earn degrees, complete certificates or transfer to other institutions to continue their studies. The initiative emphasizes building a culture of evidence, in which colleges use data to identify effective practices, improve student success rates and close achievement gaps. The Lumina Foundation for Education, which funds Achieving the Dream, has a goal to raise the proportion of the U.S. adult population who earn high-quality college degrees to 60 percent by 2025, an increase of 23 million graduates above current rates, according to Dr. Marilyn Rhinehart, executive vice president, Instruction, JCCC. Currently, approximately 39 percent of American 18
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adults complete a two- or four-year degree. Each college makes a two-year commitment to focus its efforts on closing performance gaps among students in targeted populations. “At JCCC, our work with Achieving the Dream will help us enhance the experience of students in developmental education,” said Jason Kovac, executive director of Academic Initiatives, and Achieving the Dream core team leader. “The goal will be to connect more people with college-level coursework, and help more students reach their educational goals. Ultimately, this has a huge effect on our community – increased wages and better quality of life for our graduates, and more skilled workers for regional employers. This will be a key driver for college and community prosperity in the coming years.” Core team members are Rhinehart, team co-chair; Terry Calaway, JCCC president, and team co-chair; Jeff Frost, dean, mathematics; Larry Reynolds, dean, Communications; Beth Gulley, assistant professor, English; Bill Robinson, associate professor, mathematics; Mindy Manes, administrative assistant,
Corporate Outreach and Strategic Partnerships, Learner Engagement, and the Center for Sustainability; Jason Kovac, executive director, Academic Initiatives; Rick Moehring, dean, Learner Engagement; Dr. Ralph Juhnke, director, Institutional Research; Paul Kyle, dean, Student Services; Pam Vassar, assistant dean, Student Life and Leadership Development; and Wendy Farwell, counselor. JCCC’s first step is to gather data to determine which student groups are less successful than others and which high-enrollment courses have the lowest success rates. “Achieving the Dream really requires us to use data to focus on measurable outcomes and be open and forthright about current performance,” Juhnke said. While Achieving the Dream is about data, Rhinehart says that every number represents a person. “Every piece of data has a story that can help us understand how we can make the greatest difference to a student. We need to learn how we can take down barriers to student success and give students the courage and confidence to succeed,” Rhinehart said.
Journalism, student media show news sense
JCCC journalism students show off a few of their many awards at the Headline Award ceremony in April 2010.
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he 2009-2010 academic year was a banner year for the JCCC journalism and media communications department. New video courses, Advanced Video Production and Advanced Broadcast Performance, were introduced as well as Digital Photojournalism, designed for the multimedia needs of today’s journalists. The department’s foundation course, Mass Media and Society, became a general education elective for humanities credit in the spring 2010 semester for each of the college’s associate’s degree programs.
This past academic year, more than 300 students completed classes in the journalism and media communications department, and 10 students received scholarship money. JCCC also continues to offer the largest media internship program in the Kansas City metro area, providing students the opportunity to work in a professional environment. Beginning in fall 2010, students will be able to earn college credit with Basic Video Production in both the Blue Valley and Olathe high schools as part of JCCC’s College Now program. The department’s faculty includes two fulltime professors, Mark Raduziner, department chair, and Greg Harrell, and adjunct faculty Gretchen Thum, Julie Haas, Joe Petrie, Molly Baumgardner, Corbin
Crable, Joel Nichols and Mary Schulte. 2010 was the seventh year for the Headline Award, honoring local journalists whose example serves as an inspiration to student journalists at JCCC. This year’s honoree was Steve Kraske, political correspondent for The Kansas City Star and host of Up to Date on KCUR FM, Kansas City’s public radio station. JCCC’s journalism and media communications department partners with Student Life and Leadership Development on two events. In March, the two departments sponsored People in the Media, a panel of print and electronic media professionals who discussed the future of the industry. In April, the seventh annual Cavalier Film Festival honored student filmmakers from JCCC and Johnson County and Lawrence high schools in five categories. Professionals in the Kansas City film and video industry judge entries and provide feedback. JCAV, the student-produced TV news and magazine program, took off this year with 10 JCAV news episodes, seven JCAV Campus Updates and five Cavalier sports reports – live cable shows of sports events. JCAV students won five 2010 Kansas Association of Broadcasters student awards while competing against all public and private colleges and universities in Kansas.
Working in collaboration with the journalism and media communications department is Anne Christiansen-Bullers, Student Life media coordinator and adviser to the student-produced radio station, ECAV, and JCCC’s student newspaper, The Campus Ledger. ECAV radio had its genesis in fall 2009 and will continue this year under radio station manager, Marvita Oliver. The Campus Ledger was awarded the All-Kansas Award and a record 40 individual awards at the state conference sponsored by the Kansas Associated Collegiate Press Association. Judges awarded The Campus Ledger the gold medal, for overall excellence, and the All-Kansas Award, reflecting the best of show in the two-year-school division. The newspaper’s Web site received a gold medal, up from last year’s bronzemedal distinction. The Campus Ledger editor-in-chief for 2009-10 was Matt Galloway. The online editor was John Young. Galloway won first runner-up in the Journalist of the Year contest sponsored by Kansas Associated Collegiate Press. Ondrej Pazdirek is the Campus Ledger’s editor-in-chief for 2010-11.
Summer 2010
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Men find satisfaction, good jobs in nursing (left to right) Students Mickey Belcher, Jimmy Lee and Jeff Middlesworth work in a patient simulation room with Mark Foster (blue lab coat), adjunct assistant professor, nursing. elping a patient or family member during a difficult time is the primary satisfaction of being a nurse, according to male nurses and male nursing students interviewed for this story.
Certified Nurse Aide course, for young men entering 11th and 12th grades. Students who are employed as CNAs by a nursing facility within 12 months of the program can have their tuition reimbursed by their employer.
There are also practical reasons for being a nurse – the potential for good wages, plentiful jobs and career diversity.
With CNA certification, students can earn a good salary and find a job right away, according to Zaccardi, or use the credentials to continue their education as a practical nurse, then registered nurse.
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So why do males comprise only 5.8 percent of U.S. registered nurses, 7 percent in Kansas? Jane Zaccardi, director, practical nursing and health occupations, JCCC, says the eulogized Florence Nightingale may be the reason. Prior to the Crimean War, men provided care in hospitals and battlefields, and women in the home. Nightingale brought the profession to women, and subtly, the job switched from one for men to one for women. JCCC, in conjunction with Kansas Board of Regents, is trying to reverse Nightingale’s influence with two new Men in Nurses Training programs aimed at male high school students, both of which were held in June. The first was a nursing orientation summer camp for ninth and 10th grade students, offered at no charge through grant funding. The second MINT was a males-only 20
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“We flat out don’t have enough nurses, and we need to have men interested in the profession,” said Zaccardi, whose statement is supported by a 2004 report from the American Nursing Association predicting 1.1 million job openings in the year 2020. “We are hoping through the MINT program, men will select nursing as their first choice, not as a career change in their 30s or 40s.” John McNally, assistant professor, nursing, JCCC, took exactly that career path. At age 16, he got a job in his hometown hospital as what was then called an “orderly” and worked part time at Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center, Topeka, while earning his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Pittsburg State University. “The orderly positions, now called CNA,
were a convenient avenue to earn a paycheck while I was going to school,” McNally said. As an RN, McNally worked at Stormont-Vail and North Kansas City Hospital, earning a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Kansas School of Nursing in 1996. In 2000, he decided to add computer skills to his résumé and enrolled at JCCC, where he moonlighted in the academic computer lab 30 hours a week. When a nursing faculty position opened at JCCC, he knew it was a good fit for him, especially as health care technology increases. “In the hospitals where I’ve worked, there seem to be more males each year,” McNally said. “While still a minority on the hospital floors, men are likely to migrate to surgery, radiology and technical areas. My impression is that men in nursing don’t face any discrimination.” Ed Ronnebaum, assistant professor, nursing, JCCC, echoes those sentiments. “I have never faced discrimination at any time,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you are male or female as a nurse; patient care is a team effort.” For Ronnebaum, however, nursing is a career change. After high school, he
served eight years of active duty as an Air Force aircraft mechanic, then in the Air Guard in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. On his return, Ronnebaum decided to rekindle his interest in anatomy and caring for sick people to become a nurse. He started as a student nurse tech at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Topeka, earning his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Washburn University, Topeka, a master’s of science in health care administration from Central Michigan University and is currently working on a PhD in nursing at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He teaches full time at JCCC and maintains his commission as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves. He has had one assignment as a critical care nurse in Iraq January through May 2007. Before entering academia, he worked at KU Medical Center in medical/surgery, the burn unit and neurosurgery ICU. “Nursing is an exciting career, and there is so much you can do with a nursing degree. You can work in a hospital, physician’s office, rehabilitation or longterm care facility, nursing school or the military,” Ronnebaum said. “With the growth in health care, the sky is the limit for what you can do in nursing.” “Men balance the profession,” said Colleen Duggan, JCCC nursing professor. “Having men and women on the team makes for better collaboration on health care decisions.” Wayne Deines, adjunct associate professor, has a dual appointment with St. Luke’s South Hospital and JCCC. He teaches JCCC students in clinicals two days a week at the hospital and one day a week at JCCC. As an RN-III at St. Luke’s, he works in the cardiovascular recovery unit. Deines also came to nursing circuitously, working as an EMT with the Consolidated Fire District 2 (Prairie Village) and paramedic with Johnson County Med-Act, then earning his bachelor’s in nursing from KU School of Nursing. A nurse for 18 years, he worked in the military eight years and at St. Luke’s South for 10. Deines encourages men to enter nursing. In fact, his son is an operating room nurse at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Mo.
Student Matt Munden assesses a heart rhythm under the instruction of Mark Foster (left), adjunct assistant professor, nursing. JCCC has five male nursing faculty, two full-time, Ronnebaum and McNally, and three part-time, Deines, Mark Foster and Kureo Ohta. Eight male students graduated this spring out of a class of 71. In the practical nurse program, there is one male adjunct faculty and three males out of 37 in the evening program due to graduate in December. JCCC’s male nursing students are gravitating to critical care upon graduation. “Guys like critical care – ICU, trauma and surgery. I don’t know what that’s all about, but it seems to be natural,” said student D.J. Klinge. Students reiterate the fact that they feel no discrimination as males. Sometimes an obstetrics patient prefers a female nurse, but they don’t take offense. They see it as a personal preference. “You have to be secure with yourself when you are a male nurse,” said Jimmy Greenlee, student. “Twenty years ago, guys in their 20s wouldn’t have thought about nursing as a career choice. When people ask me if I am going to be a nurse, I say ‘Absolutely. There is nothing wrong with that,’” said Matt Munden, who was determined to finish nursing school despite being readmitted to the RN program after a tour of duty in Iraq.
to nursing as a career option earlier in life. They recommend earning a CNA (a prerequisite to JCCC’s RN program) and working with patients before committing to the RN program. “I got my CNA and really enjoyed it. You help people who are truly dependent on you. The CNA class pushed me into applying for nursing school,” said Jeff Middlesworth. “Just getting your CNA lets you know if you are cut out for the job. It lets you know whether you have the stomach for nursing or not, and you learn rapport with patients,” Greenlee said. So what would these young men say to other men thinking about a nursing career? “Look into it and get your CNA. If you have your head on straight, and you are looking for a good career path, I think it is well worth it,” Munden said. “It was one of those things I didn’t really look at, at first. But this is the right decision for me.” “Even in the recession, the jobs in health care and nursing are still growing,” Middlesworth said. Greenlee says “absolutely” he is glad to have made the decision to be a nurse. “I am not shy about being a male nurse,” he said. “I am proud of it.”
Almost unanimously, male faculty and students wish they had been introduced Summer 2010
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Auction Raises Dollars for Scholars I
n April 2010, the Dollars for Scholars auction earned more than $51,000 in net profits. More than 200 volunteers, including students, friends, alumni, faculty and staff, helped raise funds to support 31 scholarships and programs. Sandy Price served as honorary chair for the event.
Jenni Meyer, auctioneer Shane Maxwell and Emily Behrmann
Marlene and Terry Calaway, JCCC president 22
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Congressman Dennis Moore and his wife, Stephene
Honorary Chair Sandy Price, JCCC Foundation president
Jay Nadlman, legal studies faculty
JCCC alumnus and chairman of the board of trustees Jon Stewart
JCCC students get into the spirit.
A guest and JCCC Foundation’s Jenni Meyer admire the auction items.
Shirly Kleiner, JCCC accounting professor, and Judy Korb, JCCC executive vice president, human resources and Workforce, Community and Economic Development Summer 2010
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New dental hygiene clinic puts a smile on students, staff and clients
Margaret LoGiudice, director, dental hygiene, stands in the new dental clinic, which opened in fall 2009. A 3,341-square-foot addition to the dental hygiene clinic and remodeled faculty offices across the hall corrects what is known in the dental world as “overcrowding.”
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he dental hygiene program at Johnson County Community College has a distinguished history of education dating to 1972, service to the community at its JCCC clinic and outreach sites, and 100 percent employment in an occupation that continues to be in demand. Opening in the fall 2009 semester, the 6,293-square-foot dental hygiene clinic corrects what is known in the dental world as “overcrowding.” Located on the second floor of the southeast corner of the Science Building, the expanded dental hygiene clinic allows for an increased enrollment of students from 26 to 30, room for more patient chairs and 24
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equipment, greater space for charts and student computer work, new locker rooms and an ADA-compliant darkroom for students. Impressive? Yes. So is the cosmetic re-do. Walking into the new 16-chair operatory on a summer day is like entering a treehouse. Windows on three sides give a vista of green trees, sure to prove calming for patients with dental-chair jitters. The previous dental clinic had 13 chairs divided into two areas. The new open area has 16 chairs, with every two sharing an X-ray machine. This is a real advantage to patients who before had to
move to an X-ray station, sign up for an X-ray and wait their turn. The new clinic adds nine more X-ray machines. A much larger records room will allow space for students to make patient appointments, complete paperwork and use computers to research information like patients’ medications. Another big change is a centrally located dispensary for used supplies and a separate room for sterilization, decreasing the chance for contamination and accessible from two sides. JCCC has always kept up with dental hygiene technology. Students use digital X-rays, ultrasonic scalers, panoramic
full-mouth X-rays and an intra-oral camera/video that can be projected on a computer screen. Digital recordings can be printed and placed in the patients’ charts or e-mailed to a dentist or dental school for further consultation. Previously, the clinic only had three X-ray machines. There is now a lab space where first-year students can practice with an X-ray machine while the other units are in use for patients. The clinic keeps a darkroom for training on film X-rays, still in use by some dentist offices. While JCCC’s dental hygiene program is equipped with the latest technology, Margaret LoGiudice, director, dental hygiene, says it is students’ education in treatment protocol that puts them at the front of the line for employment. “Our students are experienced and confident in evidence-based treatment protocol because of the education they receive here,” LoGiudice said. A second precept that has not changed with advanced technology is teaching students to educate patients about managing their own oral health care. JCCC’s dental hygiene program adheres to a philosophy of volunteerism with students, staff and alumni giving their time to underinsured and uninsured adults and children at community sites and in Las Pintas, Mexico. In spring 2009 the dental hygiene program received the first-ever Faculty Award for Leadership in Service-Learning awarded to an entire program. The new addition adds 3,341 square feet to the clinic. For more information about JCCC’s dental hygiene clinic, call 913-469-3808.
Story by Linda Friedel
On the first day in the new clinic, dental hygiene professor Polly Pope checks the work of second-year student Tonya Ramsey. Summer 2010
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PSTC offers classes by top law enforcement professionals T
he Johnson County Regional Police Academy has been housed on the JCCC campus since 1972. And because police officers in Kansas are required to earn 40 hours of continuing education each year, it made perfect sense for a Public Safety Training Center, which offers CEUs to sworn police officers and other public safety officers, to locate at the Police Academy, which it did on Aug. 1, 2008. PSTC program director Larry Able visited about 70 law enforcement agencies to research the types of classes needed by the profession in 2005 in advance of the Center’s formal establishment. PSTC registration has grown steadily from 700 registrants in 2006-2007, to 1,100 in 2007-2008, to 1,300 in 2008-2009.
As a sworn JCCC Police Officer, Larry Able, PSTC program director, knows the law enforcement field.
Nineteen local law enforcement agencies, including the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and most of the county’s city police departments, have signed up as PSTC members, allowing reduced fees per class. Currently, 60 to 80 classes per year are offered varying from two to 40 hours. Local and national experts serve as presenters.
officers are well-trained, kept current on new laws, technology and trends, and exposed to some of the top people in law enforcement, you are helping to provide the high quality of police service that this county has come to expect.”
JCCC is able to offer a range of affordable, quality classes – everything from new Kansas laws presented by the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office to TASER certification/ recertification. In turn, local police officers can obtain their CEUs without overnight travel expenses or excessive time away from work.
“We have top-flight law enforcement agencies in this county, and most of them provide their officers with even more than the 40 CEUs required by the state,” Able said.
However, the big winner in this program is the public as citizens’ safety and rights are ensured through professional standards of law enforcement. In a letter to Able, Chief Ellen Hanson, Lenexa Police Department, wrote, “You are providing a great service to area law enforcement agencies in a number of ways. One of the most important is that you are able to bring in speakers with national reputations who offer first-class and timely training. Most area agencies cannot afford to send many officers out of town and certainly could not sponsor this caliber of speaker on their own. “A byproduct that is not as obvious is the service you provide to the citizens of Johnson County. By helping ensure that 26
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Able credits the success of the PSTC to the law enforcement chiefs, who have embraced and supported the program.
The PSTC’s list of national speakers has included John Giduck, Archangel Group’s senior consultant and instructor, who arrived at Beslan Middle School No. 1 in North Ossetia, Russia, at the conclusion of the battle by Russian Special Forces to retake the school; Ret. Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, an author who has specialized in the study of the psychology of killing; and Ret. Lt. Col. Danny McKnight, portrayed by actor Tom Sizemore in the film Black Hawk Down. The PSTC also offers recertification for Emergency Medical Technicians and the Fire Service entrance exams. Classes for the fall semester are listed at the PSTC Web site; http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts/1415. For more information on classes, call Able at 913-469-8500, ext. 3988. To enroll, call 913-469-2323.
(left to right) Adam Seitz, Anthony Magliano, Brandon Wilson
JCCC graduates rising to the top in interactive design T
hree graduates of JCCC’s communication design/graphic design program sit for an interview on the 16th floor of Bernstein-Rein Advertising with windows that afford a 180-degree view of the Plaza. Just 10 years from graduating with their associate’s degrees, Anthony Magliano is the interactive team leader, and Brandon Wilson and Adam Seitz are senior interactive art directors with BernsteinRein, one of the top three advertising agencies in Kansas City and one of the largest independently owned advertising agencies in the United States. Clients include McDonald’s, Beauty Brands, Hostess Brands, PetSmart and Farmland. Besides compiling portfolios that include national ADDY Awards, Yahoo!’s “Big Idea Chair” Award that recognizes outstanding work in interactive media and an international Webby Award honoring excellence on the Internet, the three go to work every day and find passion in the creativity of their chosen field. In fact, this young breed of graphic design professionals are defining and growing the field, constantly adding new elements of technology and design. “Our team creates an interactive experience for our clients through social media, Web design, sound design and motion graphics,” Magliano said. The three credit JCCC for a solid foundation in graphic and interactive design providing necessary equipment, peer review, workshops and faculty who add real-world experience. (The interactive design associate’s degree became available in 2003.)
“The program brings in adjunct teachers who give students exposure to the many directions you can take in graphic design, whether it is interactive media, writing, photography or art. While the field is all creative, the JCCC program allows you to get a feel for what direction you want to go,” Wilson said. “The classes were incredible. JCCC provided a really strong visual arts background that we have been able to apply to everything else we do, a field which is constantly evolving,” Magliano said. In interactive design, you prove yourself by your portfolio and projects. It’s also about keeping up with your area of expertise, like motion graphics and animation, by absorbing inspiration on blogs, YouTube and Twitter, and keeping up with the latest technology. “We are forging a new path every day at work. We watch the leading trends and indicators, but we try to invent our own paths,” Seitz said. Magliano joined Bernstein-Rein in 2002. He then recruited Wilson and Seitz to his interactive team, plus another JCCC graduate, Derek Badksy. He also recruited JCCC alum Nathaniel Cooper, senior designer/art director, Bernstein-Rein. The group believes jobs are out there for new graduates with smaller design shops popping up and in-house opportunities. “The Kansas City creative community is really strong and building,” Magliano said. “Just because there are so many more ways and methods of advertising today, there is more work available.”
Their advice to aspiring graphic design artists is to build your portfolio, attend AIGA Kansas City meetings, go to First Fridays, see what else is out there and find a job entry-point through an internship. “I remind students that there is life after school,” Seitz said. “The more you push yourself, the stronger person you’ll be. When you are out there trying to sell yourself and your work, remember someone is buying your body of work and also your personality and approach to doing things. It’s important to differentiate yourself.” As a team, the members play off of each other’s strengths and ideas. Wilson says they put aside individual egos and work by collaboration in a “walls-down type of environment that harbors creativity and good ideas.” For each of them, interactive design has been a good career choice, although they came to it circuitously by way of everything from music to snowboarding. “It is really rewarding and satisfying at the end of the day to visually see what you’ve worked hard to achieve,” Magliano said. “It is even more rewarding when the client is happy about it and analytics show the work is effective for the client’s business.” Wilson enjoys the challenge of thinking through a client’s problem and finding a way to help a company spread its message or sell its product. For Seitz, the gratification is about solving problems with a creative twist and finding each day’s work unique. Summer 2010
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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
Johnson County Community College 12345 College Blvd.
Overland Park, KS 66210-1299
www.jccc.edu/alumni
Let’s Reconnect! J
CCC wants to reconnect with you – our JCCC alumni. To do that, you’ll receive this magazine – Reconnect – two times a year. Reconnect will tell you about some of the things that have been happening at JCCC, things that make Johnson County Community College such a vital part of the community. In turn, we want to find out how your start at JCCC made a difference in your life. You’re a part of one of the most outstanding community colleges in the country. We want to know what you’ve been doing! To reconnect with JCCC, contact: JCCC Foundation 913-469-3835 or send us an e-mail, alumni@jccc.edu
Log in to www.jccc.edu/alumni to see what’s happening on campus. Find us on Facebook to reconnect with JCCC students and alumni.
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