Tri-C Times Spring 2019

TIMES TRI - C®

IN THIS ISSUE P16:

THE TRICERATOPS ERA BEGINS P6:

LEADERSHIP THROUGH HUMANITIES A PUBLICATION OF CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

P12:

BIG IMPACT WITH SMALL BUSINESSES SPRING 2019

JUNE 27-29, 2019 P L AY H O U S E S Q UA R E

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Tower of Power | Christian McBride Dianne Reeves and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Béla Fleck & The Flecktones featuring Victor Wooten, Roy “Futureman” Wooten and Howard Levy John Scofield’s Combo 66 with Vicente Archer and Bill Stewart Jazz Funk Soul with Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp and Paul Jackson Jr. Sax to the Max with Michael Lington, Vincent Ingala and Paul Taylor Ernie Krivda and Matthew Whitaker | Jamey Haddad’s Under One Sun Helen Sung and Michela Marino Lerman | Regina Carter and Xavier Davis Jeff Hamilton Organ Trio with Graham Dechter and Akiko Tsuruga

www.tri-cjazzfest.com 19-0116

LINEUP SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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PRESIDENT’S Message TO OUR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS, It’s a new year at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), and with the new year comes new opportunities to build and grow.

In perhaps the most exciting development at Tri-C so far this year, the College recently unveiled its first-ever mascot, the Triceratops. The nickname and logo have garnered positive attention at the campuses and beyond, creating a sense of school spirit and pride that will only grow stronger with time. You can read more about Triceratops — and what it represents — on pages 16-18.

Another major announcement involves Degree Link, a new initiative between Tri-C and Cleveland State University. The longstanding partnership between the schools has allowed thousands of Northeast Ohioans to obtain affordable bachelor’s degrees and move on to further education or the workforce. This new program will create even greater access and opportunity for students to attain economic stability through higher education. See page 19 for more.

Tri-C continues to provide support and resources to the community through programs such as Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Scholars program.

BY GIVING INDIVIDUALS THE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO BUILD THEIR BUSINESSES OR TO EFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, THE COLLEGE IS DOING ITS PART TO MAKE NORTHEAST OHIO A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK. Of course, it’s up to our graduates to use what they’ve learned to make an impact — and Tri-C alumni are doing just that. This issue features two alumni who have returned to the College as employees to share their knowledge and talents with a new generation of students. Another works to enhance Cleveland’s urban landscape with large-scale artworks. Yet another received her first Tri-C degree at age 16 and aspires to join Northeast Ohio’s robust medical community.

I am proud of what the College’s faculty, staff and students have accomplished so far this year and look forward to continued growth. Together, we can build a better tomorrow for individuals and families throughout the region.

Sincerely,

Alex Johnson, Ph.D. President

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IN THIS ISSUE:

6

26 20

EDITOR

John Horton MANAGING EDITOR

Mary Gygli COPY EDITOR

Beth Cieslik WRITERS

Erik Cassano Beth Cieslik John Horton Jarrod Zickefoose PHOTOGRAPHERS

Chris Bacarella City of Cleveland Tamara London Janet Macoska Jason Miller Victoria Stanbridge Cody York DESIGN

TABLE of CONTENTS President’s Message.................................3 Upfront........................................................5 The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center..................................6 Transportation Innovation Center...........10 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses................... 12 Introducing the Triceratops......................16 Degree Link..............................................19 Faculty Profile: Mike Piero.......................20 Student Profile: Brock Begue..................23

SPR

Student Profile: Angel Bennett................24 Alumni Profile: Ryan Jaenke....................26 MeetMe@Tri-C..........................................30 #MyTriCStory............................................30

Bill Reid

FOLLOW TRI-C Tri-C Times is published by the Cuyahoga Community College Integrated Communications Department for its friends and constituents. Feedback and story ideas are welcome. Send correspondence to Tri-C Times, 2500 E. 22nd St., Cleveland, Ohio 44115, call 216-987-4322 or email editorial@tri-c.edu.

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Upfront A METRO MAKEOVER

A community beacon now glows at Metropolitan Campus.

A two-year renovation project reshaped the Campus Center building into a welcoming hub of activity for students and the surrounding neighborhood. The project modernized an outdated structure while adding 40,000 square feet of space and a new energy to the downtown campus. Cuyahoga Community College reopened Metro Campus Center for the start of spring semester in January. An event celebrating the new center will take place 11 a.m.–1 p.m. on April 30.

TO PROTECT AND SERVE

The newest Cleveland police officers sworn into service received their training within the Tri-C Police Academy at the KeyBank Public Safety Training Center. The city assigned the 38 patrol officers to neighborhood districts following graduation. It was Cleveland’s 141st Police Academy Class, but the first to train at Tri-C. “The College is committed to providing the instruction needed for law enforcement professionals to perform at the highest level,” said Clayton Harris, vice president of the Public Safety Training Center. “These officers represent building blocks for safer streets, safer neighborhoods and a safer community.”

RING 2019 A ‘HOME BASE’ FOR MILITARY FAMILIES

Cuyahoga Community College earned its 10th consecutive Military Friendly® School designation in recognition of its commitment to serving veterans and active military students, as well as their families. Tri-C works with thousands of military families each year through its veteran services centers, which offer a full array of support services to help veterans reach educational and career goals as they transition from soldiers to civilians. For more information about how the College serves those who served, visit tri-c.edu/veterans.

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FOUR YEARS AFTER ITS FOUNDING, THE JACK, JOSEPH AND MORTON MANDEL HUMANITIES CENTER IS FULFILLING ITS MISSION TO EDUCATE A NEW GENERATION OF INFLUENTIAL CLEVELANDERS

MOVERS SHAKERS

HOW DO YOU KEEP CLEVELAND TALENT IN CLEVELAND? It’s a problem that has vexed educational institutions throughout Northeast Ohio for decades. Many of the region’s best and brightest young minds have attended local colleges or universities only to graduate and seek better opportunities elsewhere.

In 2015, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation gave Cuyahoga Community College the largest gift in its history with the goal of stemming that tide.

The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center, located at the Eastern Campus, would give students the opportunity to pursue an education rooted in the humanities and focused on leadership and community involvement.

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STORY BY Erik Cassano PHOTOS BY Tamara London

Nearly four years later, the center is fulfilling its mission. More than 50 students have graduated from the program since the initial class walked across the stage in 2017. Those students are now on the verge of graduating with bachelor’s degrees from local universities such as Cleveland State, Case Western Reserve, Baldwin Wallace and John Carroll.

MOVERS SHAKERS

“TRI-C WAS THE IDEAL PLACE TO ESTABLISH A HUMANITIES CENTER. COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO REMAIN IN CLEVELAND, SO IT MAKES SENSE TO INVEST IN THOSE STUDENTS AS THE FUTURE LEADERS OF THE AREA.” MARY HOVANEC – FACULTY CHAIR OF THE MANDEL SCHOLARS ACADEMY

Though the goal of the Mandel Humanities Center is to educate future local leaders, the lessons taught in the center range far beyond Greater Cleveland — sometimes by hundreds of miles.

Earlier this year, nearly two dozen Mandel Scholars traveled to Alabama to visit Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham, retracing the steps of the civil rights marches that contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In May, students will travel to Washington, D.C., to get a firsthand look at the inner workings of the federal government.

“We want to give them well-rounded experiences that expose them to different things,” Hovanec said. “These are experiences our students might never have had before, and it gives them a different perspective. It’s a powerful thing for them — and a powerful thing for us, as educators, to watch.”

The out-of-state trips are the highlights of the semester, but the center also introduces students to many local organizations and events that increase their knowledge of the arts, public service and the humanities.

MANDEL HUMANITIES CENTER BY THE NUMBERS

FOUNDED:

2015 GRADUATES TO DATE:

58

SPRING 2019 ENROLLMENT:

120

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MOVERS SHAKERS Mandel Scholars attend speaking events at the City Club of Cleveland and performances at Playhouse Square, and they collaborate with local organizations on community service projects.

First-year student Yeymi Cedeno Guerrero volunteers with the Spanish American Committee, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the quality of life for Hispanic residents in the Cleveland area.

“I’ve been helping a lot with people who are just coming to the U.S.,” Cedeno Guerrero said. “I’m originally from the Dominican Republic, so I’m aware of the needs of people who are just arriving in America.

I love to be there and help those people.”

Cedeno Guerrero, 21, has been nominated for a 2019 Newman Civic Fellowship. She plans to graduate from Tri-C in 2020 and continue her education at a four-year school.

“THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO SEE. WE WANT TO CULTIVATE LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN STUDENTS WHO CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF CLEVELAND. WE WANT TO SEE CLASS AFTER CLASS COME HERE, GO ON TO FOUR-YEAR SCHOOLS, THEN COME BACK TO OR REMAIN IN CLEVELAND TO BUILD THEIR FUTURES.” MATTHEW JORDAN – DEAN OF THE MANDEL HUMANITIES CENTER

“The Mandel Center has been like a family for me,” she said. “I came to the U.S. at 19, not really knowing English, and I didn’t really understand how important it was to study until I was at Mandel.

Now, it’s amazing how far I’ve come — and all the opportunities that have started to come my way.”

Her experience at the center has been part of a larger personal transformation that has taken place at Tri-C. “Tri-C changed my life,” she said. “I was really lost coming to a new country, and I thought going to college would be impossible. I found out that it wasn’t. Enrolling at Tri-C is the first thing you should do if you’re coming to Cleveland from another country.”

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THE JACK, JOSEPH AND MORTON MANDEL HUMANITIES CENTER

Cedeno Guerrero is one of 124 success stories-inprogress at the Mandel Humanities Center. The goal, according to Jordan, is to have 200 students in the program at any point in time, with as many as 100 graduating from Tri-C each year.

Alumni leave ready to take their newfound understanding of the humanities to four-year schools and, ultimately, to become the region’s movers and shakers — citizens occupying influential positions in the businesses and governments of Northeast Ohio.

“We want to continue helping to build a foundation for community service and the development of leadership skills in service to Northeast Ohio,” Jordan said. “The center is still young, but thus far, we are making great progress toward accomplishing our mission.”

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WORKFORCE

DELIVERY

TRI-C’S NEW TRANSPORTATION INNOVATION CENTER PUTS FOCUS ON LOGISTICS INDUSTRY

STORY BY John Horton PHOTOS BY Chris Bacarella

Industry reports and federal employment data show the high demand for truck drivers in this country. So do the calls and text messages that continually buzz the cellphone of Natasha Williams.

Companies began reaching out to Williams soon after she started truck driving classes at the new Transportation Innovation Center (TIC) at Cuyahoga Community College. She said she lost track of the number of job offers she received.

“Look at this,” the 38-year-old from Westlake said while scrolling through a chain of text messages from a regional trucking company. “Every day my phone rings with an offer. Every day.”

“The economy relies on our ability to efficiently move materials and products,” said William Gary, executive vice president of the College’s Workforce, Community The interest reflects a basic fact: Truck drivers represent a driving force in the U.S. economy. Approximately 70 percent of the nation’s freight rolls over and Economic Development division. “Without skilled personnel, the entire process breaks down.” highways to reach consumers. That doesn’t happen without skilled drivers behind the wheel.

Tri-C launched forklift operator classes in February The Transportation Innovation Center in Euclid — which opened in January — and immediately filled the first session. The course equips workers with the expertise demanded for reflects the College’s efforts to meet that workforce need while expanding jobs in fast-paced warehouses — places like the programs within the supply chain and logistics industry.

Amazon facility located a mile away from the College’s new site.

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For more information on Tri-C’s new Transportation Innovation Center, visit www.tri-c.edu/transportation.

Students learn how to maneuver narrow-aisle forklifts between the rows of towering shelves packed into pick-and-ship fulfillment centers. The College’s new center includes a warehouse space dedicated to hands-on training.

The TIC also includes space for a diesel engine technician program, expected to begin in 2020. Tools and massive lifts already fill the cavernous bay area filled with some of the big rigs used for truck driving classes.

Which brings us back to the central program at the new center.

The College opened its Truck Driving Academy more than a decade ago at a smaller site in Euclid. Nearly 1,000 graduates have earned their commercial driver’s license (CDL) through the program.

Demand for more training led the College to seek out a new location.

Voter approval of Tri-C’s bond issue request in November 2017 made the move possible.

The new center offers a technologically advanced training home for the next generation of drivers. Interactive classrooms and a simulator featuring a 180-degree windshield view connect students to the most up-to-date information in the industry.

Acres of asphalt outside the building provide ample space for behind-thewheel practice. Four tractor-trailers can be on the driving pad at one time.

The overall package of programs and services available at the TIC is unique in the industry, said Ian Wilson, director of the center.

“NOBODY ELSE HAS WHAT WE’RE OFFERING HERE AT TRI-C. THE IDEA IS TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE LOGISTICS CYCLE. WE’RE OFFERING THE TRAINING NEEDED TO KEEP PACE WITH AN EVOLVING INDUSTRY AND GETTING PEOPLE READY FOR THE JOBS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW.”

A state CDL testing office — one of only 16 in Ohio — also operates at the center.

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STORY BY John Horton PHOTOS BY Cody York

THINKING

BIGGER

DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE NAME – THE GOLDMAN SACHS 10,000 SMALL BUSINESSES PROGRAM AT TRI-C OFFERS HUGE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Small businesses form the backbone of the American economy. They account for 29.6 million businesses scattered across the nation — or 99 percent of all employers issuing paychecks, according to federal statistics.

Communities hinge on these small entrepreneurial enterprises, which collectively employ nearly half of America’s private workforce. Their growth and success is critical to the financial health of cities such as Cleveland.

That belief forms the core value of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program offered through Cuyahoga Community College.

The national program debuted at Tri-C in 2012 to provide small business owners with the tools needed to take their

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companies to the next level. With the most recent class, the alumni roster at the College now exceeds 600.

The graduates — some of whom are pictured below — represent a variety of industries and businesses across the region. The list includes a century-old gear manufacturer and emerging tech companies; a chocolatier and health clubs; accounting firms and a nanny placement center.

“That’s the beauty of the program: There’s no ‘one’ type of business it targets,” said Andrew Rainey of Randy’s Pickles, who graduated from the program in 2017. “Even though we all do different things, we all experience the same sort of problems.”

10KSB helps them find solutions to those problems.

Reports show that program graduates across the country see their businesses far exceed national averages in revenue growth and job creation. Positive results usually occur within six months.

The program is designed for businesses seeking an extra spark. Participants may come from fledgling companies finding their way, established operations that

hit a plateau or long-running family businesses in the midst of a transition.

Whatever the background, they work toward the same goal: the creation of a growth plan built from a business and management curriculum designed by Babson College, a top-ranked school for entrepreneurial education.

ANDREW RAINEY

Chief Pickling Officer at Randy’s Pickles Rainey started Randy’s Pickles after breaking up with his college sweetheart. Relationships he built through the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Tri-C are the reason why the company still exists.

Conversations with other 10KSB alumni convinced Rainey to pivot away from plans to launch a manufacturing facility. Instead, he contracted with a local manufacturer at the Cleveland Food Hub and put his energy into sales, branding and marketing.

The approach helped boost sales as Randy’s Pickles grabs more shelf space at stores such as Acme Fresh Market, Giant Eagle, Heinen’s, Whole Foods and other retailers.

“Without that advice and decision,” Rainey said, “I think we would have been out of business before the end of last year.”

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The program runs for 12 weeks. Participants commit approximately 120 hours to in-person sessions and another 60 to 80 hours outside of class to shape the future of their business.

Setting aside the time — a precious commodity to a small business owner — is a critical component of the course.

Participants say that the program allows them to step aside from the day-to-day grind and analyze their operation.

“When you’re in the middle of running things, sometimes it’s hard to see the big picture,” said 2016 grad Covesa Gragg of Covesa Kelly Events. “This gives you the perspective you need to grow.”

COVESA GRAGG

Owner of Covesa Kelly Events Gragg decided to expand her event planning company’s guest list after graduating from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Cuyahoga Community College.

She intends to expand Covesa Kelly Events into Columbus this year using a plan shaped during her time in 10KSB. She said the experience helped her outline a strategy for breaking into a second market.

Covesa Kelly Events specializes in creating memorable weddings, events and parties — all with a level of customer service that matches the sparkle of the company’s owner and founder.

“The program helped me really focus on how to make this expansion work,” Gragg said. “You have all of these ideas in your head. This helped me streamline it to where I could say, ‘Covesa, this makes sense.’”

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CINDY EINHOUSE

CEO of Beck Center for the Arts More than eight decades ago, Beck Center for the Arts raised the curtain and began offering art enrichment experiences to Northeast Ohio. That legacy serves as a point of strength for the nonprofit organization.

A long history, however, also can lead to deeply engrained processes.

Einhouse used the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Tri-C to look at the organization in a new way.

Plans formulated through 10KSB led to revamped marketing strategies connecting young children to the center and its full breadth of arts programs.

“The idea is to stay fresh so we can serve the community for decades to come,” Einhouse said. “The program helped me step back, focus and take a different view. The organization is better because of it.”

The 10KSB program at Tri-C is one of only 17 in the nation.

In November, the College announced a continuation of the program that builds on the longstanding and successful partnership between Tri-C and Goldman Sachs.

That means more access to the business education, financial capital and support services that drive success, said William Gary, executive vice president of the College’s Workforce, Community and Economic Development division.

“Every business, no matter the size, adds to the economic vitality of Northeast Ohio,” Gary said. “Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses represents Tri-C’s commitment to strengthening the region storefront by storefront and shop by shop.

“This is a best-in-class curriculum, and we’re using it to make a difference that will pay dividends for years to come.”

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STORY BY Erik Cassano

A (PRE)HISTORIC OCCASION IT’S TAKEN 68 MILLION YEARS, BUT THE TIME HAS FINALLY ARRIVED. ALLOW US TO INTRODUCE TRICERATOPS, TRI-C’S BRAND-NEW MASCOT. What has the Northeast Ohio sports scene been missing?

We have the Browns and Indians and Cavaliers. We even have Monsters. Our mascots are dogs and elves and fuzzy fuchsia … beings?

But we’ve never had a dinosaur. Despite their massive size and unquestionable coolness, dinosaurs are surprisingly rare as mascots. With that in mind, you can consider Cuyahoga Community College something of a groundbreaking institution in the sports mascot realm.

Introducing Triceratops, the new mascot for Tri-C athletics.

Students and staff chose the mascot via a College-wide vote in September, and it was officially adopted — along with the introduction of a new logo — in January. With “Tri-C” clearly spelled out in the name, Triceratops naturally fits the College.

But that’s far from the only reason Tri-C is now home to one of the largest, toughest dinosaurs to walk the Earth during the late Cretaceous period.

HERE IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS (PRE)HISTORIC OCCASION:

CHARGING INTO COMPETITION

Triceratops territory includes the hardwood courts, dusty diamonds, grassy fields and fast tracks roamed by the College’s intercollegiate athletic teams. The Tri-C sports program features teams ranked among the best in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference. Look for student-athletes carrying the Triceratops banner to compete with a hard-nosed style that lives up to the name. For schedules, rosters and more information on the College’s teams, visit tri-c.edu/athletics.

ROCKING THE TEAL

One thing Tri-C didn’t want to change was the athletic colors of teal, black and gray. They’re eye-catching and distinctive among Northeast Ohio’s college and pro teams. The new logo highlights the teal-based color scheme that has become Tri-C’s calling card. New team uniforms featuring the Triceratops will debut for the 2019-2020 academic year.

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PARDON OUR DUST

Along with the logo and uniforms comes a facelift for the College’s athletic facilities — most conspicuously, the gyms at the Metro and Eastern campuses. The facilities that serve as Tri-C’s home courts for basketball and volleyball will receive new wooden floors, along with a new paint job. The outdated red, white and blue color scheme in the gyms will be removed and replaced with the current colors.

CUYAHOG

A COMMU

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LOOKING LIKE A PRO

What does Tri-C now have in common with Minor League Baseball teams like the Memphis Redbirds, Tampa Tarpons and the Northeast Ohio-based Lake County Captains? A logo designed by Studio Simon, an industry leader in sports branding. The College’s Integrated Communications Department worked with Studio Simon to design a logo that reflects the uniqueness of the new mascot. The graphic design firm also created the custom typeface featured in the logo’s “Tri-C” wordmark.

CUYAHOG

NITY COLL

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TABLE

A DINO-MITE REACTION

Following the logo’s reveal in January, national and local media outlets weighed in — and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

“Tri-C renamed its athletic teams the Triceratops and got an awesome logo.”

GET GEARED UP

Want to show your Triceratops pride?

T-shirts, hats, hooded sweatshirts and other products featuring the new logo are available at the bookstores on each Tri-C campus. Brisk sales keep depleting the inventory, but don’t despair if you find empty shelves: You can also order Triceratops merchandise online at tri-c.edu/bookstore.

“Take a look at that snarl! Those horns!

[The Triceratops] symbolizes the toughness and resolve of the Tri-C community.”

“There are mascots (yawn), and there are mascots (fun). The new Tri-C mascot is the second kind.”

GET TO KNOW THE REAL TRICERATOPS

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A FOUR-LEGGED TANK: GET TO KNOW THE REAL

TRICERATOPS

STORY BY Erik Cassano PHOTO COURTESY OF Cleveland Museum of Natural History

In a mascot landscape full of wildcats, bears and birds of prey, Tri-C’s Triceratops is something quite different.

The NBA’s Toronto Raptors represent the only other major pro or college sports team with a dinosaur moniker. And even then, the Raptors are named for velociraptors, the small-but-fearsome carnivores made popular by Jurassic Park.

Triceratops, by contrast, ate plants. In modern times, we think of herbivores as docile, gentle and meek — the hunted, not the hunter.

But one visit to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History might change that viewpoint.

The 30-foot-long Triceratops skeleton on display at the museum shows the dinosaur as what it was — basically, a four-legged tank. Scientists believe adults topped out at anywhere between six and 12 tons.

“It was the largest of the horned dinosaurs, and it was the only dinosaur with horns that pointed forward,” said Lee Hall, a vertebrate paleontologist at the museum. “It had three horns, hence the name.”

The top two horns were long and likely used for communication and defense, Hall said. The third horn was stout and protruded from the face.

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Triceratops’ other defining feature was a large, bony frill that arched over the head like a curved shield. Covered in skin and keratin, the frill may have been able to change color by regulating blood flow across its surface. The frill served multiple purposes, including protection and possibly mate-signaling.

“IT HAD WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE LARGEST SKULL OF ANY LAND ANIMAL IN HISTORY. THE SKULL WAS UP TO EIGHT FEET LONG AND ATTACHED TO THE REST OF THE BODY WITH A MASSIVE BALL-AND-SOCKET JOINT.” The mass of the head limited its mobility, meaning Triceratops likely had to feed on whatever it could find at head level (about four feet) or below. However, because Triceratops lived in the late Cretaceous period, when Earth’s climate was warmer, it had much more vegetation to choose from.

Triceratops was among the last non-avian dinosaurs to live, inhabiting Earth between 66 and 68 million years ago. Most fossil specimens have been discovered in Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota, near the edge of a massive inland sea covering most of what is now the western U.S.

CHANGING THE DYNAMIC STORY BY John Horton

HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS COLLABORATE ON PROGRAM TO INCREASE DEGREE ATTAINMENT IN NORTHEAST OHIO Cuyahoga Community College and Cleveland State University have launched a new initiative that builds on efforts to nurture a college-going culture, broaden access to higher education and increase degree attainment.

individuals in meeting that goal. Carefully designed strategies will meet the needs of specific student populations.

The Degree Link program will provide students with structured academic pathways to four-year degrees while allowing students to move seamlessly between the two largest higher education institutions in Cleveland.

Tri-C students in the program will have access to facilities and services at CSU, including the library, computer labs and recreation center — an arrangement designed to make them feel part of both institutions as they advance academically.

The goal is to improve college access and academic success — a critical component in elevating the region’s workforce and increasing economic opportunity.

Degree Link was announced at a Feb. 28 event featuring Tri-C President Alex Johnson and CSU President Harlan M. Sands. It included a signing ceremony for an enhanced partnership agreement between the institutions. ”Degree Link amplifies the power of a Tri-C education by providing a clear path to continued academic success at Cleveland State,” Johnson said.

“This partnership takes another step toward creating greater access and opportunity for area residents while positioning them for degree attainment, higher-paying jobs and economic stability in their households.”

“Numerous students begin their academic careers at a two-year institution with the goal of ultimately transferring to a university to obtain a bachelor’s degree,” Sands said. “This program will help make the transition easier for students by providing academic assistance and targeted resources designed to help students be best prepared to graduate Tri-C and enter CSU.” Degree Link will chart degree maps showing students the route from an associate degree at Tri-C to a bachelor’s degree at CSU. The program includes access to CSU courses, advising services and facilities to assist

THE EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP BUILDS ON THE ALREADY STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO INSTITUTIONS, WHICH SAW MORE THAN 5,600 TRI-C STUDENTS TRANSFER TO CSU BETWEEN 2015 AND 2017 ALONE. This new collaboration is also a significant component of Tri-C and CSU efforts to support Cleveland’s Say Yes to Education initiative, which works to put a college degree within reach of urban high school graduates.

The initiative seeks to revitalize communities by providing every public high school graduate access to college or other postsecondary scholarships.

Cleveland became the nation’s fourth Say Yes city in January.

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TRI-C FACULTY PROFILE

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WORDS TO LIVE BY MIKE PIERO FOUND INSPIRATION AT TRI-C AS A STUDENT; NOW, AS AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR, HE MOTIVATES A NEW GENERATION TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again.

Fail again. Fail better.”

These words, penned by author Samuel Beckett, form the basis of Mike Piero’s personal and professional philosophy. They are words he has lived by for as long as he can remember.

Today, the 31-year-old is a tenured professor of English at Cuyahoga Community College. But he never forgot the ninth-grade teacher who told him he would “never make it” in higher education — an assertion that, rather than discouraging him, motivated him to prove otherwise.

Piero joined the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Program (now College Credit Plus) as a junior at Medina High School. The dual-enrollment program allowed him to earn college credit at Tri-C’s Western Campus in Parma while meeting his high school graduation requirements.

In addition to attending honors classes, Piero worked full time at Burger King and cared for his mother, who suffers from a chronic illness. It wasn’t easy, but he soon found the balance he needed — along with an appetite for knowledge that he hadn’t recognized before.

“I excelled at Tri-C in a way that eluded me in high school,” Piero said. “The environment offered the flexibility for me to have more agency in my own learning.”

At 18, Piero received an Associate of Arts from Tri-C and transferred to the University of Akron, where he earned a bachelor’s in secondary education. He took a job teaching ninth-grade English in Baltimore, Maryland; but after about a year, he craved something more.

STORY BY Beth Cieslik PHOTOS BY Victoria Stanbridge

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TRI-C FACULTY PROFILE

“I realized I wanted the deeper intellectual conversations one can have at the college level,” he said.

Piero accepted a graduate assistantship at John Carroll University, where he earned a master’s in English. He immediately dove into his career, teaching at Notre Dame College and Ursuline College before returning to Tri-C’s Western Campus in 2011 as an adjunct instructor.

Eight years later, Piero is an associate professor at the Westshore Campus in Westlake, where he also serves as Honors Program coordinator.

Piero was particularly pleased to return to the Honors Program, where his own ambition took root. Since becoming Westshore Honors coordinator in 2015, he has seen campus membership nearly quintuple. In addition to managing the Honors Lounge — an exclusive space for honors students — he arranges lectures, activities and trips to places like Severance Hall and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

“I’VE ENJOYED ALL OF MY TEACHING EXPERIENCES, BUT TRI-C AND ITS STUDENTS OCCUPY A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART GIVEN MY OWN BEGINNINGS, STRUGGLES AND SUCCESSES HERE.”

As an instructor, Piero inspires his students to succeed in college through his own passion for learning, coupled with a good amount of empathy. Pursuing a Ph.D. in English from Old Dominion University, he is currently working to finish his dissertation — and he is not afraid to admit how difficult it can be.

“Like most Tri-C students, for as long as I’ve been in college I’ve worked full time and had a personal life that involved daily care for one or more family members,” Piero said. “It’s not easy to integrate these aspects of life, and I don’t ever pretend that it is.”

Aside from his work at the College, Piero serves as a peer reviewer for various scholarly journals; several of his own essays and articles have also been published.

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TRI-C FACULTY PROFILE

When he’s not teaching or writing, he can be found conducting science experiments or having philosophical conversations with his 6-year-old daughter, Halle.

“I’ve had a couple writing projects emerge out of discussions with her,” he said. “She’s taught me more than nearly anyone else in life.”

Tri-C taught him a lot, too. Piero’s experience as a PSEOP student gave him the knowledge, skills and confidence he needed to pursue his dreams, at any cost.

“At Tri-C, I learned to make mistakes, fail, and keep pressing on,” he said. “Life is a series of failures; but a person who takes risks, who learns to ‘fail better,’ does well in life.

“It’s the pressing on that matters.”

GAME ON Mike Piero recently joined fellow professor J. Emerson Lowell to develop a new English course — Rhetorics of Gaming: Introduction to Video Game Analysis — set to debut at the Westshore Campus in Fall 2019.

“I hope for Tri-C to be on the cutting edge of game studies at the undergraduate level,” he said.

Piero was introduced to game studies, or ludology, in an early course on medievalism at Old Dominion University. Ludology is the study of games, how they are played and the cultures surrounding them.

It encompasses all types of games, including board games, video games, and even sports.

His interest in using games to engage students and help them connect with their peers led Piero to create a new unit for his Honors English 101 course — work for which he received a Tri-C Faculty Innovation Grant. The unit incorporates the study of video game rhetoric to improve writing and argumentation.

Piero was also instrumental in the formation of the student-led Westshore Gaming Club.

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TRI-C STUDENT PROFILE

MIRACLE ON THE MOUND

STORY BY John Horton PHOTOS BY Cody York

TRI-C PITCHER BROCK BEGUE OVERCAME HEALTH ISSUES TO BECOME AN ALL-AMERICAN A stroke and seizures ravaged Brock Begue’s body after birth. Doctors surveying the “When we put Brock out there, we know we damage questioned whether he’d ever walk — and if he somehow did, they expected have a good chance to win. He’s immensely him to drag his right foot. talented and just as competitive. He’s not afraid of the moment.”

As for the boy’s right arm … well, doctors doubted it would ever function properly.

Begue proved that during the postseason Twenty years and a miracle later, that early prognosis seems hard to believe. tournament last season while pitching Tri-C Begue earned NJCAA Division II All-American honors in baseball last year after to victory over Kellogg Community College — a dominating season pitching for Cuyahoga Community College. the No. 2-ranked team in the nation entering the game.

The left-hander from North Canton stood among the national leaders with an 11-1 record, 2.07 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 69.2 innings on the mound for Tri-C. Agona said Begue caught the eyes of numerous scouts at that game. Some of the He accomplished all of that despite a numbness that continues to grip his right side. top NAIA schools offered Begue scholarships to continue playing college ball. He may also “HONESTLY, I JUST GET THROUGH IT. I STILL HAVE SYMPTOMS, hear his name called in the Major League Baseball draft.

BUT I DON’T LET THEM GET IN THE WAY. IT’S JUST SOMETHING TO DEAL WITH.” Begue returns for his sophomore season to anchor the pitching staff for a Triceratops team with high expectations. Tri-C ended last year ranked 15th in the country, with a record of 41-11-1.The team has been nationally ranked each of the past four seasons.

Building on that success depends heavily on Begue’s left arm and his ability to mix 90 mph fastballs with wicked changeups and knee-buckling curveballs.

“He sets the tone for us,” said Evan Agona, the team’s head coach since 2015.

But Begue — who is taking classes with hopes of one day working in construction management — is putting his energy into his current opportunity. It’s the attitude of someone who knows from experience that nothing is a given.

“I’M NOT LOOKING TOO FAR AHEAD. I STILL HAVE THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH AT TRI-C.” SPRING 2019

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TRI-C STUDENT PROFILE

STORY BY John Horton PHOTOS BY Janet Macoska, Jason Miller and Cody York

YOUTH MOVEMENT

ANGEL BENNETT JOINED THE TRI-C ALUMNI FAMILY AT AGE 16 AFTER EARNING AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN DECEMBER AND WILL RECEIVE HER SECOND DEGREE IN MAY How old are you? Angel Bennett giggled a bit while recalling the question she heard over and over after enrolling at Cuyahoga Community College the summer after finishing eighth grade.

“People were super surprised to see a 14-year-old in class,” Bennett said.

Just imagine how they felt at commencement.

Bennett, now 16, graduated with honors from Tri-C in December after earning an Associate of Arts degree. She became one of the youngest students ever to stride across the College’s commencement stage.

In May, she’ll do it again at Spring Commencement while picking up a second associate degree a year before receiving her high school diploma.

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BECOMING ONE OF THE YOUNGEST GRADUATES IN TRI-C’S HISTORY EARNED BENNETT A SPECIAL MENTION AND OVATION AT FALL COMMENCEMENT.

TRI-C STUDENT PROFILE

“Her father and I were a little worried given how young she was,” said Angelita, who earned an Associate of Technical Studies degree from Tri-C in 2012. “But Tri-C was good for her. She fit right in.”

Bennett also excelled academically, with a GPA that sits just north of 3.6. Her rigorous schedule has included courses such as college composition, human biology, psychology, statistics and contemporary mathematics.

She said she enjoyed learning with the adults in her classes: “It made it feel much more like a professional setting,” Bennett said. “I love the environment. The whole experience has been pretty cool.”

A counselor at Bennett’s online high school — Ohio Connections Academy — recommended that she consider attending Tri-C after reviewing the teen’s stellar grades and test scores.

Bennett enrolled through the state’s College Credit Plus program.

College Credit Plus serves as a dual enrollment system, with students earning college credits while meeting high school graduation requirements. The program is open to teens in grades seven through 12 who are academically ready for more rigorous coursework.

Bennett embraced the challenge given her goal of becoming a pediatrician.

“I’M LOOKING AT A LOT OF YEARS OF COLLEGE. I LOVED THE IDEA OF GETTING A HEAD START.”

BENNETT CELEBRATED AT FALL COMMENCEMENT WITH TRI-C PRESIDENT ALEX JOHNSON, HER SISTER, AMBER (LEFT) AND HER MOTHER, ANGELITA.

It went so well, in fact, that her younger sister Amber decided to enroll at Tri-C at age 12 to get a head start on becoming a veterinarian. Look for her graduation success story in another year.

Few students as young as Bennett find their way into classrooms Two other sisters — Anita, 10, and Ashley, 1 — will enter the on campus. State reports show that less than 5 percent of education pipeline in a few years.

College Credit Plus students are high school freshmen or in middle school.

Bennett took her first Tri-C courses during the 2016 summer session at Eastern Campus, just a short drive from her Richmond Heights home. Her mother, Angelita, said instructors and counselor Matthew Kasl made her daughter feel at home.

“I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THE WORK HAS BEEN HARD AND FORCED ME TO PUSH MYSELF, BUT THAT’S HOW YOU LEARN. THAT’S WHY I’M HERE.” Bennett expects to transfer to Cleveland State University in fall 2019 to continue building her academic resume through College Credit Plus. Ideally, she would like to complete her bachelor’s degree a year after graduating from high school. After that comes medical school.

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STORY BY Erik Cassano

TRI-C ALUMNI PROFILE

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY Ryan Jaenke

Painting TRI-C GRADUATE AND URBAN ARTIST RYAN JAENKE TURNS THE AGING BRICK AND STEEL OF CLEVELAND’S NEIGHBORHOODS INTO HIS CANVAS Inner-city Cleveland is a backdrop of brown and gray. It is weather-worn brick walls that have been standing for 100 years or longer. It’s rust on hulking metal beams that hold up the city’s bridges. It’s stone slabs on sidewalks and asphalt patches on streets.

These aging, rugged features are more than just a reminder of Cleveland’s industrial past. They’re also the perfect canvas for urban artists like Ryan Jaenke.

Jaenke, a graphic design graduate of Cuyahoga Community College, is part of a growing wave of artists transforming the muted hues of Cleveland’s neighborhoods into large, colorful murals.

MY INSPIRATION FOR EACH MURAL COMES FROM THE SURROUNDING CITY. I DO A LOT OF OBSERVING, TAKING NOTES, LOOKING AT WHAT IS BOTH VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. THE INVISIBLE PART IS THE STORIES ABOUT THE PLACE, THE MEMORIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED THERE. I TRY TO TRANSLATE MY PERCEPTION OF ALL THAT INTO A PIECE OF ART.

Jaenke’s murals are massive, often covering the entire side of a multi-story building to a height of 20 feet or more. These projects require aerial work platforms, ladders and industrial paint-spraying equipment — not to mention gallons upon gallons of paint.

But despite the scale of each project, urban artists like Jaenke work quickly, sometimes completing a mural of thousands of square feet in the span of days.

It’s a work ethic rooted in graffiti culture, which spawned modern urban art.

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TRI-C ALUMNI PROFILE

the Town GROWING UP BY THE TRACKS Jaenke’s introduction to art came from the walls and bridges of the RTA Red Line. Growing up on Cleveland’s west side, Jaenke was fascinated by the maverick artwork that would appear near the Red Line tracks — literally overnight, in many cases.

“It was the first art I really connected with,” he said. “The work would appear overnight and create a surprise for commuters in the morning. There was a sense of mystery, because the personalities behind the work were invisible. You wonder how it got there and when. That was always interesting to me.”

Jaenke, now 45, dabbled in graffiti art in his 20s, but soon decided to pursue a career as an artist.

“Graffiti art gave way to more, shall we say, legitimate opportunities,” Jaenke said. “Cleveland Public Art, now LAND studio, used to hold a yearly outdoor art event in Ohio City where local artists paint on prefab panels. I won the contest for best piece in 2004, and it led to a mural opportunity the following year.”

“FULL TILT,” LOCATED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF W. 25TH STREET AND DETROIT AVENUE IN OHIO CITY.

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TRI-C ALUMNI PROFILE

JAENKE’S EYEGLASSES-THEMED MURAL ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE WARBY PARKER STORE, LOCATED AT PINECREST IN ORANGE.

It was Jaenke’s first permanent mural, still visible at the intersection of W. 25th Street and Church Avenue in Ohio City. There are two works of art at the intersection — the single-story mural by Jaenke and a three-story mural

by British artist David Shillinglaw.

After graduating from Tri-C in 2011 with an Associate of Applied Business degree, Jaenke found work as a graphic designer by day while painting murals as a side job. With limited time to devote to mural work, the opportunities for new projects came slowly at first. Then, in 2016, he was accepted into an artist residency program through the Cleveland Foundation.

With SPACES gallery as his sponsor, Jaenke completed one of his most well-known works: a two-story mural just south of the W. 25th Street intersection with Detroit Avenue, known as “Full Tilt.” The red and black arcade-themed mural took 10 days to complete.

On the heels of “Full Tilt,” Jaenke has completed other large outdoor works including a two-story mural at the corner of Detroit Avenue and W. 69th Street in the Gordon Square neighborhood and a mural on the side of the Warby Parker eyeglass store at Pinecrest in Orange.

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“BELIEVING IS SEEING” WAS LOCATED AT W. 116TH STREET AND LORAIN AVENUE IN CLEVELAND’S WEST PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. THE BUILDING HAS SINCE BEEN RAZED.

FUTURE PLANS As he takes on new projects, Jaenke is working on spreading his reach beyond Northeast Ohio. He is currently working on applications and proposals for public art projects in other states.

What started out as an ambitious hobby has turned into a second career, requiring business skills on top of artistic talent. It’s on the business side that Jaenke benefits the most from his Tri-C degree.

TRI-C ALUMNI PROFILE

“There are a lot of non-art things you don’t think about right off the bat, but they’re important if you’re going to make it as a professional artist,” Jaenke said. “I took a print production class at Tri-C, thinking it was going to be kind of boring. But it wasn’t — it totally changed how I thought about setting up files and working with clients.”

For the Pinecrest project, Jaenke had to create two versions of the same mural: a painted version for the exterior of the building and a large-format digital print for the interior.

“I had to understand how to match Pantone colors and design to scale,” he said. “Those are all things I learned in that Tri-C class.

All of my professors at Tri-C were great. They brought a lot of

experience to the classroom and taught me many things that have stuck with me to this day.”

They’re lessons Jaenke continues to use as he tells the stories of Cleveland’s neighborhoods, wall by wall.

“The stories of our neighborhoods are the stories of the hard-working people in this city,” he said. “I saw so much of that with my classmates at Tri-C. They’re working and going to school so they can make their lives better. They’re challenged to balance everything in their lives, but they’re determined to follow through and succeed.

“It shows that if you persist, you accomplish whatever you want.”

ONE OF JAENKE’S MOST RECENT MURALS, LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF DETROIT AVENUE AND W. 69TH STREET IN CLEVELAND’S DETROIT SHOREWAY NEIGHBORHOOD.

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MEET ME

TRI-C MICK MUNOZ is Tri-C’s Veterans Initiative administrator covering Brunswick University Center and Westshore Campus. He is 49, lives in Fairview Park and has been with the College since 2015.

Q: What drew you to Tri-C? MM: I graduated from Strongsville High School in 1988 and promptly joined the U.S. Marine Corps. I was in the Marines from 1988 to 1992, serving in the first Gulf War (operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm). When I returned home, I started working in a warehouse and taking night classes at Tri-C’s Western Campus. I liked the location, price, class options and the professional faculty and staff. I earned my Associate of Arts from Tri-C in 1996.

I’ve worked for the Veterans Initiative at Tri-C since 2015. I love my job. I help veterans coming home get started with their GI Bill, military transcripts, student accessibility services, veteran scholarships and anything related to college. I also provide wraparound support in referrals to the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, mental health counseling, family counseling, connections to other local veteran groups and jobs. It’s great to help people who are going through exactly what I went through when I came home.

Q: As a part of the overall College population, how important are veterans — and why?

MM: Veteran students possess significant life experiences, including an understanding of global issues and experiences with diverse cultures. Veteran students demonstrate a more mature focus on learning, a history of selfless service, maturity, self-reliance, resourcefulness and leadership skills.

Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job? What is most rewarding?

MM: The most challenging aspect is working with students who really want to go to college but have so many obstacles outside the classroom. Mental health is a huge issue. Money can be tight, and the VA is often late with housing and book payments. Veterans have to manage jobs, families, school, service-connected disabilities and VA medical appointments.

The most rewarding aspect of my job is when students persevere and overcome barriers. Instead of post-traumatic stress, we like to talk about post-traumatic growth and how people become stronger after experiencing trauma.

To see students find a place on campus, make new friends, accomplish their goals and graduate college is life-affirming.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

MM: I love to read science fiction and self-help books, exercise and spend time with my family. I live close to the Metroparks and try to take advantage of the great trails for hiking, biking and river walking with my nieces.

#MYTRICSTORY “TRI-C’S INTERNSHIP PROGRAM CERTAINLY STANDS OUT FROM ANY PROGRAM I’VE EVER EXPERIENCED. RIGHT AWAY, I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE CAREER ADVISORS AND FELT THAT — WITH THEIR EXPERIENCE AND ASSISTANCE — I COULD BECOME THE IT PROFESSIONAL I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRANSFORM INTO.”

MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH

Family tradition carried McCullough to Tri-C, where his brother and sister both began their higher education journeys. He followed their footsteps to Western Campus before making his own path in the College’s cybersecurity program. The 21-year-old from Brook Park hopes to graduate next year before transferring to a four-year school. #MYTRICSTORY IS A SERIES HIGHLIGHTING EVERYDAY PEOPLE IN THE TRI-C COMMUNITY. TO MEET MORE FEATURED STUDENTS AND STAFF, VISIT WWW.TRI-C.EDU/NEWS-AND-EVENTS.

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SUMMER

CAMPS 2019

Summer Camps for Preschool and Up • Culinary • Film • Game Design

• Music • Performing Arts

• Recreation • STEM

19-0116

tri-c.edu/summercamps | 216-987-3075 (Option 1) SPRING 2019

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700 Carnegie Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44115 19-0116

Where futures begin.

SM

Learn what you need Earn what you deserve Save more than you think

www.tri-c.edu/startnow • 216-987-6000 18-1166 ICD Tri-C Times 7x4.875 Where Futures Begin Ad.indd 1

10/22/18 11:00 AM