Maricopa Gold | Fall 2017

Issue Highlights:

MARICOPA News from the Maricopa Community Colleges Retirees’ Association

2 Chancellor Recognized 3 At the Colleges 4 Advocates for Animals 5 Retirement and Travel 6 DNA Testing

Fall 2017

8 Calendar Events

WE NEED YOU! The Maricopa Community Colleges Retirees’ Association needs you!!

We need your experience and expertise in assisting future retirees in planning their retirement. Please come and share a continental

breakfast, meet former colleagues and potential new retirees and the experts you have you come to rely on at previous retirement programs. You will have an opportunity to engage with experts regarding questions you may have in your post retirement years. But most of all, come share your experience with future MCCRA retirees.

Pre and Post-Retirement Meeting Wednesday, October 25, 2017

8 a.m. Refreshments | 9 a.m. – 12 noon Meeting

The experts will be available to address informally one-on-one individual concerns in the 8–9 a.m. hour.

Rio Salado College Conference Center, Tempe, Arizona The Maricopa County Colleges Retirees’ Association will help you navigate retirement in all stages of life. It’s a great idea to explore future options and opportunities whenever you have a chance. Participants will learn from retirement experts.

Speakers include the following:

Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) Rose Busse • Senior Benefits Advisor • Pension benefits • Annuity options • Declare if you can afford to retire

Financial Planning – One2One Wealth Strategies Gavin Jenson • President

• Calculating how much money you need to live on • Developing a tax-efficient strategy • Pensions and healthcare costs • Becoming an educated investor

Social Security Administration in Arizona Jack Burns • Public Affairs Specialist

• How your retirement benefit is calculated • What benefits families receive once you file for retirement benefits • Working and receiving benefits • Filing strategies and Medicare basics

UnitedHealthcare

Dan Cadriel • Account Vice President

• Medicare wellness update • Preview of 2018 plan year • Insurer’s fee impact from the Affordable Care Act

Attending? Please RSVP today at: jhoganaz@msn.com

Future Small Group Sessions

Small group sessions consist of general presentation followed by opportunities for individuals who have specific questions.

ASRS Sessions

Rose Busse from ASRS will discuss finalizing retirement options and how to apply for retirement online.

October 30, 2017 • 12 noon–1:30 p.m.

District Office, Governing Board Room Note: This session is for employees that are three years from retirement.

October 31, 2017 • 12 noon–1:30 p.m.

District Office, Governing Board Room Note: This session is for employees that are six months from retirement.

December 6, 2017 • 12 noon–1:30 p.m.

Phoenix College, Hacienda Conf. Rm (F121)

January 30, 2018 • 12 noon–1:30 p.m.

Mesa Community College, Library, LB300

Financial Planning Sessions

Gavin Jenson is a district approved vendor who will speak on the topic of financial planning.

November 7, 2017 • 12 noon–1:30 p.m.

Mesa Community College, Library, LB300

November 9, 2017 • 12 noon–1:30 p.m.

Phoenix College, Hacienda Conf. Rm (F121)

Social Security Sessions

Jack Burns from the Social Security Administration will discuss benefits.

January 23, 2018 • 12 noon–1:30 p.m.

Mesa Community College, Library, LB300

February 13, 2018 • 12 noon–1:30 p.m.

Phoenix College, Hacienda Conf. Rm (F121)

Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick Recognized Among Phoenix Leaders

Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Maria HarperMarinick has been recognized as one of the 2017 Most Admired Leaders by Phoenix Business Journal.

“It is an honor to receive this award and be among so many distinguished leaders in Phoenix,” Dr. Harper-Marinick said. “I hope to continue to serve Maricopa Community Colleges and its members with invaluable education and workforce development, as we cultivate future leaders in our community.”

Every year, the Phoenix Business Journal highlights 25 individuals in leadership roles throughout the Valley who they believe “demonstrate strong leadership, integrity, values, vision,

Less than

40%

of community-college students graduate, and many drop out their first year.

As Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor, Dr. Harper-Marinick directs the District’s 10 colleges while overseeing a $774 million operating budget. She assumed her current position in May 2016, after serving in roles at the District Office, including Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and District Director of Academic Affairs Support Services and Programs.

The Case for Community Colleges A Time magazine article dated June 1, 2017 presents a case for why community colleges are more vital than ever. According to the article, “Across the nation, community colleges — which educate about 40% of all undergraduates in the U.S. — are facing declining enrollment and tightened budgets. Even as officials hold them up as the answer to bridging America’s yawning blue-collar-skills gap, many are ill equipped to deliver on the promise. Less than 40% of community-college students graduate, and many drop out their first year. While more than 80% of two-year students say they want a bachelor’s degree, only 14% get one after six years.”

Read the article at: http://time.com/4800811/the-case-for-community-college

Emeritus Status Awarded The Governing Board grants Emeritus status at its monthly meetings based on nominations of recently retired faculty and executive staff.

MARCH 2017 Sharon Fagan, Education; Nancy Short, Economics; and Sandra Stuebner, Counseling/Psychology; Chandler-Gilbert Community College; Carl Couch, Vice President of Administrative Services, Scottsdale Community College 2

commitment to excellence, financial performance, and commitment to the community.” The individuals recognized this year include leaders from the Arizona State University Alumni Association, ON Semiconductor, the Foundation for Senior Living, and the Foundation for Blind Children.

JUNE 2017 Edward Hoskins, Respiratory Care; Charlene Thiessen, Medical Transcription; and Kerry Vrabel, English as a Second Language; Gateway Community College; Stanley Kikkert (posthumously), Life Sciences, Mesa Community College; Dr. Amalia Valle Villegas, Counseling, Phoenix College AUGUST 2017 Melinda Rudibaugh, Math, Chandler-Gilbert Community College Dr. Robert Bowker, Biology; Timothy Sylvester, Business/ Information Technology; Dr. Deborah Van Marche, Psychology; Glendale Community College; Elizabeth O’Brien, Communications, Phoenix College

At the Colleges Paradise Valley Celebrates 30 Years

If you can remember any of these, let’s try...

What year did Paradise Valley Community College open for students? * It is with a great deal of pride that we announce Paradise Valley is 30 years old! We are celebrating all year and invite retirees to our Retiree Coffee on Monday, October 16 at

We welcome all Maricopa retirees to join us in this year’s celebration. Please visit our webpage paradisevalley.edu/ anniversary or contact either Sue Isackson at sue.isackson@ paradisevalley.edu or Ken Roberts at kroberts12@me.com for further information.

4. Prozac 1987 5. May 2, 1987 Campus dedication

Who won the 1987 Super Bowl? *

Who was the Vice President in 1987? * What song won the Grammy award in 1987? * What year Prozac was released for use? *

9:30 a.m. at the campus located at North 32nd Street and East Union Hills. We will end the year with a Gala Dinner on April 14, 2018 at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge.

*Answers to questions: 1. New York Giants 2. George H.W. Bush 3. “That’s What Friends are For”

Do you remember?

Estrella Mountain Marks 25th Anniversary For the past 25 years, Estrella Mountain Community College has strived to create an environment for student success; a place in the West Valley where learners can transform their lives through higher education, helping to build a stronger community.

EMCC began its anniversary celebrations in January and continues to host student and community events throughout 2017. The Silver Anniversary Gala was held on April 15 at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, The evening recognized EMCC’s milestone with the launch of the Alumni Legacy Scholarship Fund, which recognizes the recent formation of the EMCC Alumni Association. This fund will play a direct role

in maintaining the standard of excellence in serving students that the college has established.

EMCC President, Dr. Ernest A. Lara, outlined the college’s growth since its humble beginnings in an Avondale shopping center. “Estrella Mountain has grown to be a premier institution locally, regionally and nationally. In 2016, the college was recognized as an Aspen Award finalist for the fourth consecutive time, the only college in Arizona to achieve this distinction. Our outstanding staff and faculty continue to lead the way in higher education, winning numerous awards and recognition for pioneering programs and practices to improve the futures of students through teaching, learning and caring.”

Chandler-Gilbert Celebrates Silver Anniversary This year CGCC is celebrating 25 years of providing quality higher education for the community of the East Valley. Since 1992, CGCC has awarded over 22,000 degrees and certificates and has served 168,500 distinct students.

Mark your calendar for October 12, when alumni, faculty, community partners and friends of Chandler-Gilbert Community College will gather for the 25th Anniversary Celebration.

Dinner and Program Thursday, October 12, 2017 • 5:30 p.m.

Pecos Campus, Agave Hall A portion of the proceeds will go to the CGCC General Scholarship Fund account in honor of the Anniversary. The event is hosted by CGCC, MCCD and the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, with generous support from community businesses and organizations.

Table sponsorships are available. Reservations are by invitation only and are required to attend. Register online by October 6, 2017 at cgc.edu/25years.

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Retirement Allows Full-time Efforts for my Passion—Animals

By Lori B. Girshick, Ph.D.

I have loved animals all my life and have volunteered to help them for decades. I became a vegan 35 years ago. I’ve protested puppy mills, the circus, medical testing on animals, volunteered with local cat rescue organizations, leafleted on veganism, and given presentations on factory farming. While teaching sociology at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, I could engage in these activities part time but my eye was on something bigger—fulltime animal activism. I retired in May of 2016 and achieved my goal immediately!

own Phoenix area efforts and when I retired I started trapping, transporting, fostering and educating others on this issue. Today I spend most of my time as a volunteer with HART—Homeless Animals Rescue Team—and find it incredibly rewarding. When we trap kittens born outdoors, we foster them and socialize them to humans. After being spayed or neutered and receiving shots and any other needed medical care, these kittens go to rescue groups for adoption. They won’t be living on the street and they won’t contribute to cat overpopulation.

I am also a writer and after 4 books thought I was done. However, I was contacted by a publisher and knew that if a 5th book was forthcoming it would have to be on my passion – animals. A year before my retirement, book contract in hand, I began the research for Advocates for Animals: An Inside Look at Some of the Extraordinary Efforts to End Animal Suffering. I wanted to be able to retire one day and the next begin my writing. The timing worked perfectly.

Animal use (and abuse) is part of everyday life in our culture. I grew up a meat eater, for example, and never ever questioned the practice. I never thought about the animals and quite frankly it seemed to be the most natural thing in the world.

As a young adult, however, I did learn about factory farming and the suffering animals raised for meat and dairy experience. I knew I had a choice to make, and became a vegetarian first, and then a vegan. As a sociologist, I know that we are products of our culture and going to a zoo or buying a leather belt or shoes are cultural practices that are part of our every day lives.

However, if we learn about the horrors of zoo life (or capture before that) and how animals are denied their species-appropriate lives, or learn about the suffering in the leather industry (not to mention the environmental impacts), we might understand that we have choices to make and can try different recreational activities or non-leather personal products.

When I write I try to find an angle that isn’t like other related books. There already were a few books on people’s stories of how they became involved in animal activism. There are numerous books on animal cruelty, factory farming, and animal use and abuse. I decided to work with people involved in the work as well as give the information of the issues that compel them to get involved (and stay involved). Writing about cruelty is pretty depressing and I wanted a factual book that was also inspiring. I hope readers will want to volunteer after they see a fit for themselves in the stories they read about; hopefully they will say: “I could do that!”

This book is based on online surveys and follow-up interviews with 204 individuals who are engaged in some way to end animal suffering. Most are volunteers and some have a paid job to help animals. These people work with marine animals, primates, cats, dogs, rabbits, pigs and other farm animals, or engage in work such as to end animal testing, or as undercover investigators.

Each chapter of the book starts with some aspect of the interview data, for example, why they started to help animals, what they actually do, what they hope to achieve, and so forth. This is followed by an animal focus such as outdoor feral cats, animals and the environment, factory farming, and wild animal captivity.

I met amazing people who do incredible work. One very personal impact of writing the book is early on I interviewed people all over the country who were engaged in trap-neuter-return (TNR) with feral cats and who were feeding feral colonies. I really didn’t know much about this but quickly learned that it is THE source of cat overpopulation. My research led me to learn about our 4

In order to go against your cultural practices you really need a motivation, a compelling reason that matters to you. Many of the people I interviewed worked day and night to help animals knowing that they might not achieve cultural change. They witnessed animal suffering and this can be truly difficult. On the other hand, what keeps them (and me) going is we know that we are making a difference in individual animals’ lives and this is truly extraordinary. Personally, I want a vegan world and I want the end to animals in entertainment, in clothing, and so forth. It isn’t very likely that I will see this in my lifetime. What I do see, though, are more cultural options (e.g., foods, personal care products) and a shift in attitudes. Public opinion polls (on topics such as do animals deserve rights? Is it ethical to test on animals?) reveal these shifts in thinking and this is heartening.

Advocates for Animals is part of my activism. My work allows me to show compassion, to live compassion. I was lucky to be able to retire at 62 and in good health. I should be able to continue these efforts for a few more decades. I’m not sure if I see another book in my future, but I do write for one rescue newsletter and I’m still in the classroom, speaking out about factory farming. I also get to play with a lot of kittens, and it doesn’t get much better than that!

Retirement and Travel English Summers

By Betsy Hertzler, Mesa Community College, Retired 2013 I have been fortunate enough to spend two months in England during four of the last five summers. The beauty of a longer stay is that I was able to focus on a specific area and became friends with several couples. My husband Gary had been asked to help with an airplane project in the Cotswolds (thinking rolling hills and lots of sheep). We lived in Cheltenham, a spa town, with an excellent bus system that takes you to the villages within a fifty-mile radius so I became familiar with places that look very much as they have for many years. I was delighted to spend time traveling in the area, not only for the physical beauty, but also because of the presence of history everywhere – including a Roman villa with radiant heating. The other sites that intrigued me (and Gary) were the beautiful gardens and cathedrals.

We made it a point to attend Evensong whenever possible to hear the glorious voices and organ music with the magnificent acoustics of the setting.

National Park Lifetime Pass Still a Bargain If you missed the recent reduced fee for a Park Service pass, which ended August 28, it’s not too late to buy a pass.

American citizens who are 62 years or older can purchase the lifetime pass for $80. The pass grants lifetime entry to more than 2,000 sites and parks across the country. The Park Service states that even with the higher price, the pass is still a bargain for seniors. National parks like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone each charge $30 for entry to visitors.

The pass covers the entire vehicle so those traveling with a senior pass holder get in the park for no additional charge.

The couples with whom we became friends not only helped us identify those spots that we wanted to visit, but also invited us to their homes. And that is the kind of opportunity that is not available when you are moving from one spot to another within a shorter time period. We wouldn’t even have been in the neighborhood of Hutton le Hole (people: 150; sheep: 1000). This delightful hamlet is located just south of the Yorkshire moors.

Finally these visits have given me the unscheduled time to realize that I do need something of a routine, and interaction with history. This has led me to teach one history class each semester since I retired.

What are you doing in your retirement?

Come share your expertise

and experience at the Pre and Post-Retirement Meeting, Wednesday, October 25, 2017 RSVP TODAY: jhoganaz@msn.com

Send us a paragraph about your adventures or activities and we will share it with other Maricopa retirees.

Email: patti.n.johnson@cgc.edu 5

DNA Testing For Connection To Relatives

By Jim Hogan

After retiring from Scottsdale Community College, I set about reviewing mounds of material concerning my ancestors. While at an “Ancestor Research” workshop at the Irish Cultural Center in Phoenix, I learned that one of the important tools in Ancestor Research is to have DNA analysis done to find the geographical location of your ancestors. This research can also match you with living relatives from your same ancestral location. The speaker at this workshop was Tyrone Bowes, a professional genealogist from Dublin, Ireland. He has a website www.irishorigenes.com that is dedicated to helping people with ancestors from Ireland, England and Scotland. He recommended Family Tree DNA www.familytreedna.com as the site with the largest number of people with Irish ancestors in their database.

I signed up and sent my saliva specimen into their database for a fee of over $200. Soon I received information that I had a few distant matches, but none with the surnames I was looking for.

The site is very technical and had no instructions on how to use it. After much work, I found some more results, but they were not connected to my research. Family Tree DNA turned out to be very expensive with no substantive results.

I have been using “Ancestry.com” for four years to build my family tree and had good results with it. They advertised that they had a DNA database and the price was $100, now $79.

Many of my ancestor research friends gave positive feedback about their Ancestry.com DNA database results. I tried it and immediately received 30 or so close relatives with surnames that I recognized. Most of these relatives had an Ancestry.com page, with information about their family, and a chart that showed their connection to me. To be most effective in your research, you need to subscribe to Ancestry.com and enter your basic family records as far back as you can, so that the system can find the most immediate relatives.

Now I must tell you that I am a regular subscriber with Ancestry. com with an annual subscription rate of $299.40, and I have

Photo Credit: Gordon Jesse

CGCC Retirees Mary Beth Mason (left) and Sharon Fagan (right) attend a book signing of Dancing with a Demon, A mother's inspiring journey through the labyrinth of her daughter's eating disorder written by Valerie Foster (2nd from left) with her daughter Jenna Warnecke (2nd from right).

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over 1,000 relatives in my family tree. At present using Ancestry.com, I have DNA matches of over 150 people who are 4th cousin or closer. It boggles the mind. I truly do not have the time or interest to follow up on all of these relatives, but I have selected 15 or so that I have contacted and found precious information from them. Two of these contacts provided information about relatives of which I had reached a blind alley in my research. It was satisfying to know the outcomes of these family members.

The bottom line is to ask around, and look at Internet reviews of these sites. There are a lot of scams out there because this seems to be the latest fad. But unless there is a good interface with DNA matches, what good does this information do you?

I would be willing to answer any questions that this brief article might not answer. Email me at: jhoganaz@msn.com

Share Your Story

Maricopa GOLD invites any readers who have received a DNA testing result to share your experiences with other retirees. Write your story and submit online to patti.n.johnson@cgc.edu.

Ancestry.com – the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world – operates a network of genealogical and historical record websites focused on the United States and nine foreign countries.

Started in 1983, Ancestry.com LLC is a privately held Internet company based in Lehi, Utah, United States. As of June 2014, the company provided access to approximately 16 billion historical records and had over 2 million paying subscribers. Usergenerated content tallies to more than 70 million family trees, and subscribers have added more than 200 million photographs, scanned documents, and written stories. Free trial memberships are offered as well as a variety of services based as low as $19.99 monthly or other service periods.

Find out what your 23 pairs of chromosomes can tell you. 23andMe.com claims to be the first and only genetic service available directly to you that includes reports that meet FDA standards. Founded in 2006, 23andMe is a privately held personal genomics and biotechnology company based in Mountain View, California. The company is named for the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a normal human cell. 23andMe began offering direct to consumer genetic testing in November 2007. Customers provide a saliva testing sample that is partially SNP genotyped and results are posted online. In 2008, when the company was offering estimates of “predisposition for more than 90 traits and conditions ranging from baldness to blindness,” Time magazine named the product Invention of the Year. 23andMe lists no membership fees and no monthly subscription; DNA services can be obtained for $99 with Health + Ancestry available for $199.

Maricopa Community Colleges Retirees’ 2017–20 Board

Nomination or Self-Nomination Form

In nominating someone other than yourself, please confirm the nomination with the nominee. Be sure to indicate the appropriate employee group and contact information.

I nominate: _________________________________________________________________________________________to be a candidate for the 2017–2020 MCCRA Board.

Please check employee group: _______ Faculty _______ MAT/CEC

Contact info/e-mail: _____________________________________________________________

_______ PSA _______ M&O/Crafts/Public Safety _____________________________________________________________

Nomination form can be mailed with dues form or mailed to: Ann Oehmke Or e-mail information to: aoehmke@cox.net 500 W. Clarendon, E13 Phoenix, AZ 85013

Maricopa Community Colleges Retirees’ Association • 2017–18 Dues Renewal Name_________________________________________________________________________________Check if any info is new _____ Address____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City State Zip

Phone: Home (

) ______________________________________ Other (

) ______________________________________

Email address______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Membership Dues are $25/year valid from July 2017 through June 2018.

Dues $_______________

Make check payable to: MCC Retirees’ Association Mail to: Margaret Hogan, Treasurer • MCC Retirees’ Association (MCCRA) 2411 W. 14th Street • Tempe, AZ 85281–6942

Maricopa Community Colleges Retirees’ Association

MCCRA Scholarship Fund

Name___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street City State Zip

Phone: Home (

) ______________________________________ Other (

) __________________________________________

Email address__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Retired from which college ________________________ Check if any info is new _____ Contributions You can contribute in several ways to the MCCRA Endowed Scholarship Fund. You may write a check payable to the: Mail to: Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation

2419 West 14th Street • Tempe, AZ 85281 Or you can donate on line at https://mcccdf.org/ Either way, please indicate you are supporting the MCCRA Endowed Scholarship. A receipt will be sent to you.

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MARICOPA

Maricopa Community Colleges

Retirees’ Association

2411 W. 14th Street Tempe, Arizona 85281

WE NEED YOU! Come share your expertise and experience at the Pre and Post-Retirement Meeting, Wednesday, October 25, 2017 RSVP TODAY: jhoganaz@msn.com

Mark your Calendar Thursday, October 12, 2017 CGCC 25th Anniversary Dinner

5:30 p.m. • Chandler-Gilbert Comm. College By invitation only, reservations are required

Monday, October 16, 2017 PVCC Retirees’ Coffee

9:30 a.m. • Paradise Valley Community College

Wednesday, October 25, 2017 Pre and Post-Retirement Planning

8 a.m. – 12 noon • Rio Salado Community College • Conference Center

Friday–Sunday, December 1–3, 2017 49th Fall Tempe Festival of the Arts Downtown Tempe, Arizona

Saturday, April 14, 2018 PVCC 30th Anniversary Dinner J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge

Renew Your Membership

Dues for MCCRA are $25 per academic year due July 1. Use the enclosed form to pay your membership dues now. While you have your checkbook or credit card out, consider making a contribution to the MCCRA Endowed Scholarship Fund, which includes the Dr. Mildred Bulpitt Endowed Scholarship Fund. Every contribution is appreciated.

MARICOPA Maricopa Community Colleges Retirees’ Association (MCCRA) 2411 W. 14th Street • Tempe, AZ 85281 8

Join Us!

RETIREES Retirees – Do you have a good idea for a get together for retirees? Please help us plan the MCCRA Annual Meeting.

Join us at the MCCRA Board Meeting on Thursday, November 9 from 10 a.m. – 12 noon at the District Office in the Maricopa Room.

We need your ideas for a social event for retirees.

Festival of the Arts

FREE ADMISSION! Saturday, November 4, 2017 Herberger Theater Center, Phoenix, AZ The 8th annual Herberger Theater Festival of the Arts celebrates the arts in our community with performances by more than 25 arts groups, visual art, live music, children’s activities, food, pet adoptions, craft beer and wine tasting and more. Opportunities exist for sponsorships, vendors, food providers, and volunteers.

Follow the Herberger Theater on Facebook at: facebook.com/HerbergerTheaterCenter

Arizona Hospitality

Hollywood actor Bill Murray said, “I’m telling you, these people in Gilbert are the real deal.

I’m going to move there after I retire.” Sure, he may only be kidding but he shared high praise for the southeast valley town on a radio interview after he had rental car trouble in the city limits of Gilbert. Local citizens came to his aid with car towing, repair and even lunch, with Murray claiming that they had “no idea who I was.” Murray added, “You have to understand this is something that would’ve never happened in LA . . . That’s my story about Gilbert, Arizona. It’s nice to know there are still places like this in America.”

Ann Oehmke, President • aoehmke@cox.net • 602.265.9497 Patti N. Johnson, Newsletter Editor, patti.n.johnson@cgc.edu Gordon Jesse and Sally Sugden Jesse, Newsletter Writers MCCCD Marketing, Newsletter Production Send your email address to: jhoganaz@msn.com