Summer 2009 Inside this issue: Writing More Success Stories........................ 2 Sandoz Legacy of Giving............................... 3 LCC Student Wins $30,000 Scholarship....................................... 4 Emeritus Status for Nursing Director............ 5 Hi-Tech Equipment Donation to Chemistry Lab............................................ 6 Red Devils‘ Strong Year................................. 7
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Help Us Write More Success Stories My passion for Lower Columbia College goes far beyond the nostalgic reminiscing of a former student about his college days. In truth, there were some moments in the LCC chemistry lab that I’d just as soon forget. Seriously, LCC provided a strong foundation for my own career in scientific research and development. In addition, my company, Columbia Analytical Services, has partnered with LCC to provide on-site technical training and reimburses tuition costs for our employees. Many of our employees are LCC graduates or have taken classes at the college. I know LCC plays a critical role in the success of our local economy by providing a skilled workforce for industries and businesses, like mine. That is why I have been a long-time supporter of LCC as both a volunteer and a financial donor. This spring marks nine years of service on the LCC Foundation Board for me, including two terms as president and a leadership role in the Reaching Higher Campaign that raised over $4.5 million for equipment, scholarships and a beautiful community asset, the Rose Center for the Arts. Columbia Analytical contributed to that campaign and also offers career fellowships annually to cover 100% of tuition, fees and books for selected students. Today, more adults than ever, young and old, need to acquire new job skills. At a time when LCC is experiencing the largest enrollment in its 75-year history, state funding has been limited due to the economy. Unfortunately, market factors have also reduced funding for LCC scholarships usually generated by investment earnings on Foundation endowments. I encourage you to join me in contributing to the success of LCC students, and our local economy, by making a gift to the LCC Foundation for scholarships or other needs. There is no minimum requirement and every contribution makes a difference. Attend our Chili Cook-Off fundraiser on July 10 and have fun while you support LCC.
Steve Vincent
recent student achievements in this issue of The Catalyst. With your help, we can write many more such success stories, for LCC students and our community. Thank you for your continuing support of Lower Columbia College and the LCC Foundation.
Steve Vincent LCC Foundation Lower Columbia College, Class of 1971
According to a recent national survey, LCC ranks in the top eight percent of U.S. community colleges for students who complete programs and find employment in their field of study. You can read about several
Catalyst is published by Lower Columbia College in coordination with the LCC Foundation. Please contact editor JoAnne Booth with your comments and information at: Lower Columbia College PO Box 3010, Longview, WA 98632 360.442.2111, jbooth@lowercolumbia.edu We like to feature our alumni in The Catalyst and help you stay in touch with your friends at LCC. Please let us know what you’ve been doing. Contact JoAnne Booth. Would you prefer to receive The Catalyst electronically? Are you receiving more than one copy? Are you changing your mailing address? If so, please contact Marcy Gilchrist at 360.442.2132 or mgilchrist@lowercolumbia.edu Visit the LCC Foundation’s Web site at lowercolumbia.edu/foundation
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On The Cover: Main photo: Untouchables Car Club member Sandie St. Onge delivers a scholarship check to LCC President Jim McLaughlin. Top: Student Loren Stout demonstrates his use of LCC’s new GC/MS. Middle: Lower Columbia College students Richard Laursen and Amanda Suter were honored this spring as members of the AllWashington Academic Team. Bottom: Participants in the SW Washington Regional Science Olympiad competition prepare to launch their bottle rocket. lowercolumbia.edu/foundation
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Ali & Ann Sandoz Scholarship Continues a Lifetime of Giving Ali and Ann Sandoz gave generously of their time and energy to the Longview-Kelso community throughout their adult lives. The couple also shared a belief in the value of education. Both began lessons in rural one-room schoolhouses and graduated from Oregon State University and Willamette University just after the Great Depression, at a time when fewer than 50 percent of Americans completed high school. Ann Sandoz Education prepared them to work and to give to others through leadership in civic and sports organizations. It is appropriate, therefore, that the Sandoz family commemorated Ann’s death in April by establishing the new Ali & Ann Sandoz Scholarship through the Lower Columbia College Foundation. It will provide financial support to LCC students with a record of both service to others and academic achievement. Ann had a special connection to the college. Widowed in 1972, she enrolled in an LCC class called Women Alone. Participants learned to cope with the daily responsibilities facing single women: everything from auto maintenance and
simple home repair to financial planning and self protection. As the mother of four, Ann was grateful for the knowledge and support the course provided. Ali penned the words “daily torture” inside the cover of his 8th grade reader, but persisted in school to make the varsity basketball team at Oregon State, quitting after one season to work two jobs in order to meet tuition payments. He was an industrial forest management leader with International Paper Company in Longview for 25 years. With his twin brother, Fred, Sandoz discovered a previously unknown conk that was infecting true firs and hemlock in the region. He also was an avid fly fisherman and active volunteer for youth baseball leagues in Cowlitz County. Governor Booth Gardner recognized Ann for more than 30 years of community work with a 1988 Governor’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. Award materials cited her activities with youth through the Longview-Kelso Council of Camp Fire as well as numerous other volunteer and civic activities including the Cowlitz County Planning Commission, Longview Public Library’s Board of Trustees, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and P.E.O. Sisterhood, an organization supporting education for women. To contribute to the Ali & Ann Sandoz Scholarship fund, please contact the Foundation at 360.442.2130.
Paying It Forward When LCC alum Robert Quoidbach received a government stimulus check he was concerned that future generations would have to repay the money. Then Rob had an idea: “Instead of returning these funds I decided to pay them ‘forward’ to those who will be saddled with the bill,” he said. “But how do we do that? By at least matching the amount received and sending it to the LCC Foundation to be used for scholarships for future generations, a worthy cause indeed.” In addition to Quoidback, the Sandoz family, and the Untouchables, several individuals and organizations have stepped forward to fund new annual scholarships this year. They include: Charitable Trust Scholarships (3 awards) James B. Gorman Worker’s Scholarship (In honor of LCC’s former director of financial aid) Longview-Kelso Early Bird Lions Club Scholarship P.E.O. Sisterhood, Chapter IL Scholarship
If you would like information about creating an annual scholarship at LCC, please contact the LCC Foundation at 360.442.2131. lowercolumbia.edu/foundation
Gearing Up For Scholars Members of the Untouchables Car Club shifted fundraising efforts into high gear this year to provide three $1,000 scholarships for LCC students. The club, a regular donor, increased its awards because growing enrollments have generated a need for more financial assistance among LCC students. The contribution was delivered in “Untouchables”style by club members: Vic St. Onge, Club President Ron Halbleib, Sandie St. Onge, Molly Widmer, John Widmer and Rick Walker to LCC President Jim McLaughlin and LCC Foundation Executive Director Margit Brumbaugh.
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LCC State Scholars Capitalize on College Opportunities Two Lower Columbia College students—Richard Laursen and Amanda Suter—were honored this spring as members of the All-Washington Academic Team. Amanda Suter, 18, enjoyed a busy life as a college student, high school athlete, auto technician, restaurant hostess, community volunteer, and ATV and motorcycle racer. Doing it all—she also played varsity soccer and basketball for Winlock High School—wasn’t easy, she said. “But I think I prefer it that way. It helps you to be more balanced, and to develop as a person.” A Running Start student from Winlock, she graduated in June from both Winlock High School and LCC, with an Associate in Applied Arts degree in Automotive Technology. Her automotive experience piqued her interest in mechanical engineering, “making use of what I know to create something new. I will keep my automotive skills as a hobby, and a job throughout college.” She will finish up her transfer degree, then move on to a university. Richie Laursen, 26, has distinguished himself as an actor, tutor, coach and leader. An award-winner in Dramatic Interpretation and Prose speaking, and active on the LCC Forensics Team since 2003, he has served as president of LCC’s Phi Rho Pi forensics club. This year, he’s an assistant coach for three community college forensics teams. He also helped to create LCC Tutoring Services’ Supplemental Instruction program, which helps students through some of LCC’s toughest classes.
Laursen was active in LCC’s Drama program and after graduating from LCC in June (he has a 3.7 GPA), he’ll finish his bachelor’s degree at North Carolina School of the Arts. His goal: to be an actor, director and teacher. Each All-Washington Academic Team member received a $750 scholarship, funded by KeyBank of Washington and Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA). Suter was also named to the All-USA Academic Team, at bronze level, qualifying for an additional scholarship.
Top Award Funds Dream Career Studying law at an Ivy League university seems an unlikely goal for a mother of three who left high school in her junior year. But Lower Columbia College student Camie Wood will receive up to $30,000 a year to pursue her dream of preparing for law school at the university of her choice as the recipient of one of the country’s top scholarships. The award is good for up to three years. Wood is the second LCC student in three years to earn the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The award will be given to just 30 students this year from 467 applicants and is one of the largest scholarships a community college graduate can win. “Camiliana has travelled a long road, overcoming adversity as a high school dropout, single parent and struggling to find her voice,” said LCC Instructor Jerry Zimmerman in nominating Wood for the award. Wood enrolled at LCC in 2006 to earn her GED and continued with college-level studies to complete an associate degree this June in preparation for baccalaureate degree studies in Political Science and Psychology. She holds a 4.0 GPA and has made the LCC President’s List for academic achievement every quarter. At the same time, she has remained active as a Boy Scout leader, classroom volunteer, soccer coach and volunteer in the City’s Summer Reading Program. Wood and her husband, Jon, live in Longview and have three sons, Anthony, 15; Chandler, 13, and Preston, 11. At LCC, Wood also spends time assisting her fellow students as a tutor.
The Catalyst
Celebrating LCC’s 2nd Jack Kent Cooke Scholar: Sallie Parson, Jerry Zimmerman, George Dennis, Camie Wood, President Jim McLaughlin, and Patrick Boerner.
Wood will continue her studies toward a baccalaureate degree and then law school at Brigham Young University in Utah. She follows in the footsteps of 2006 LCC graduate Tadd Wheeler, a truck driver from Winlock who was the first local student to earn the award and is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Forest Resources at the University of Idaho.
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Retired Nursing Program Director Honored Retired Nursing Program Director Evelyn Boyd received Faculty Emeritus status at a special reception this spring. Dozens of former students, colleagues, neighbors, family members and community people gathered to pay tribute. After many years of teaching nursing at LCC, Mrs. Boyd retired in 1992. Dr. Don Fuller, retired Dean of Instruction, said she is “a wonderful citizen of our college and community. I admire so much of her work for the college—projects such as starting the Emergency Medical Services program—and, of course, her wonderful pies.” (Several had fond memories of her pies and cakes.) One reason Evelyn accomplished so much, according to many who spoke that day, including Emergency Room Physician Dr. Gary Penner, is “you could never say NO to Evelyn.” “Almost 30 years ago,” Penner recalled, “Evelyn roped me into being co-director of the paramedic program with her.” Emergency Medical Technician training began in 1974, but paramedic training was offered just once in Cowlitz County, in 1980. Most of the 12 paramedics trained that year have moved on to work elsewhere or retired by now. However, the training is still bearing fruit in Cathlamet, through Cynthia Faubion. (Clatskanie Fire Chief Steve Sharek is another of the 12.) Boyd personally recruited Faubion, now a nurse practitioner. “I told her I would take the paramedic class (which was
offered in 1980) but that I would not work as a paramedic—at least not more than a year,” Faubion recalled. “Well, here I am, almost 30 years later, still working as a paramedic—as a volunteer. Evelyn made a huge impact on my life, and she has changed a lot of lives through me.” Boyd also recruited her own replacement at LCC, Helen Kuebel. “When she retired, she said to me, ‘Why don’t you be Nursing Program Director for a while?’ It’s been almost 20 years!” LCC President Dr. Jim McLaughlin presented Boyd with a plaque and read congratulations from the College Trustees. He noted that Boyd is only the 6th faculty member to receive Emeritus status.
National Finish Caps Successful Debate Season Kyle Bidwell, sophomore from Sumner, WA, placed second in International Public Debate at the Pi Kappa National Tournament held in March at Louisiana State University. Bidwell also received an excellent rating plaque for his 4-2 record in the preliminary rounds, with victories over students from four university teams. Kyle won his quarterfinal round on a 3-0 decision over a College of Idaho debater and beat a student from John Brown University on a 2-1 decision in the semi-final. This is the first time Lower Columbia has competed at a PKD national tournament. Kyle and a Mount Hood Community College student were the only community college representatives in their division. Last spring, Bidwell won a silver medal in Impromptu Speaking at the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament, which is more oriented toward two-year colleges.
Kyle Bidwell proudly displays his award
“This was a very different experience,” said Bidwell. “It was the first time I’ve seen so many four-year schools in the field.” At the Northwest Community College Championships in late April, Lower Columbia College won the Second Place Washington Sweepstakes Award capping a highly successful year for the program, coached by Mike Dugaw.
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Donation Transforms TV Drama into Reality When NCIS crime lab technician Abby Sciuto lines up matching graphs on her computer screen the case is solved on the popular TV series. A similar scenario is taking place in the chemistry lab at Lower Columbia College. No, chemistry instructors Armando Herbelin and Adam Wolfer aren’t moonlighting as forensic crime solvers. But their students are using the same type of high technology instrument to solve problems. Called a Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS for short), the instrument breaks down organic compounds into molecules and then blasts the molecules with an electron beam to create a pattern or “fingerprint” that can be matched to known compounds in the computer database. In addition to crime scene forensics, the instrument provides chemical analysis used in environmental, food safety, pharmaceutical, homeland security and hydrocarbon processing industries. The GC/MS was donated to the college by Agilent Technologies, a U.S. corporation that provides electronic and bio-analytical measuring instruments to companies like Columbia Analytical Services. Agilent’s Phil Stremple, who began his own education at Shasta Community College, worked for nearly three years with Columbia Analytical President and LCC alum Steve Vincent to bring the donation to fruition. The donation is valued at $50,000. Herbelin said he knows of only one other community college in the state that has a GC/MS. Chemistry students like Loren
LCC student Loren Stout explains his project using the new GC/MS instrument to instructor Armando Herbelin (left), Phil Stremple, Agilent Technologies, and Steve Vincent, Columbia Analytical.
Stout and Alvin Jeffers are excited about the opportunity to test their own projects and chemical analysis with the high level instrument. Stout used the GC/MS to complete his final project for his chemistry class spring quarter. Vincent is also pleased to have the specialized training available locally. Some 30-40 percent of the employees at his Kelso lab are LCC graduates or have done training through the local college, he said. Columbia Analytical staff provided assistance in setting up the GC/MS and will continue to donate technical support for the equipment along with some materials used in the testing process.
LCC Hosts SW Washington Regional Science Olympiad The brightest scientific minds of the NEXT generation gathered at Lower Columbia College this spring for the SW Washington Regional Science Olympiad competition designed to promote interest in science and engineering for future generations. About 300 students from 28 middle schools and high schools took on the challenge to build a better bottle rocket or maneuver through a scientific pentathlon, just two of 23 events in this annual academic track meet. In addition to college departments and the LCC Foundation, local sponsors included Columbia Analytical Services, St. John’s Medical Center, Dr. David Coons DDS and Karen Westin Carter. High school division winners from Camas later finished second in state competition and Excel Academy middle school champs captured the state title in their division.
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The Red Devils‘ Fan-Pleasing Performances The Lower Columbia College Red Devils did us proud again this year, with two division championships, plus a strong performance in the Men’s Basketball NWAACC Championship game. game. The Red Devils came within two points of taking the crown, but had to settle for second. Coach Jim Roffler won his 400th game this season, and the guys finished 20-11. The Lady Devils Basketball Team placed second in the Western Division and finished 17-13. Heidi Jackson played for the West team in the Sophomore All-Star Game, and we’re following several former Red Devils who have gone on to play 4-year ball. Coach Chad Meadors has a great recruiting class coming up. The Lady Red Devil Volleyball Team posted a winning season, at 18-17. Next year, at least two will play 4-year ball: Kacie DeRosier for the Concordia Cavaliers and Emily Damschen for University of Montana-Great Falls. Coach Marcy Gilchrist has a great crew coming up for next Fall. Red Devil Baseball Team and Softball Team Sophomores
The legendary Lady Red Devil Softball Team won the Southern Division crown. While they didn’t make it to the championship game this year (knocked out of the winners’ bracket by Mt. Hood, which went on to win the title) the Lady Red Devils posted a 37-5 season. Infielders Camy Way and Samantha Petrich were named 2009 NWAACC NFCA All-Americans, and Softball Coach Tim Mackin won his 600th game.
The Red Devils Soccer Team played well and finished strong in the season finale against Whatcom, finishing the season 2-20. Freshman Kelly Park was named an NWAACC All-West Division All-Star. For schedules, results, and all kinds of cool links, see the Athletics web site, lowercolumbia.edu/athletics
The Red Devil Baseball Team, Western Division champs, hosted the NWAACC Championship Tournament again this year. We enjoyed lots of sunshine, but our young team fell to Skagit Valley and Clackamas, finishing up 35-8. Coach Kelly Smith passed the 500 win mark, and we got to root for 15 former Red Devils playing 4-year ball and several playing professionally. Men’s Basketball got kind of a slow start, getting the last Western Division berth in the NWAACC Tournament, but surprised ‘em by making it all the way to the Championship
2009 LCC Men’s Basketball Team
Flying Sparks and Hot Competition at LCC ege coll mbia u l ol o o er c h Sch n Low l Hig
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FRIDAY, JULY 10, 6:00-9:00 P.M. Lower Columbia College Campus Featuring “Devilishly” Good Chili From: Fire Mountain Grill at Hoffstadt Bluffs Ginger’s at the Monticello Hotel The Hidden Griddle Judy’s Restaurant & Catering Pacific Grill at the Red Lion Hotel River Casino Rose Tree Restaurant & Lounge Summerland Catering
Choose This Year’s Chili Champion and Support Student Scholarships! Tickets available at the gate or at the LCC Foundation:
Contact: 360-442-2130 or www.lowercolumbia.edu/foundation Enjoy Tasty Salads, Breads, and Desserts! Cool Your Palate With Beer, Wine, and Margaritas!
Plus: Live Music and Raffle Baskets!
Sponsors Anderson & Anderson Advisory, LLC • Futcher-Henry Group • David E. Houten, DDS • The Daily News • KLOG/KUKN National City Mortgage • NORPAC • Opsahl, Dawson & Co. PS • PeaceHeath Medical Group • Red Canoe Credit Union Walstead Mertsching, Attorneys at Law • D&C Lemmons, LLC • JH Kelly • Lower Columbia Womens Clinic • Solvay