May/June 2012
Weaver sheds most weight, wins VC’s “Biggest Loser” contest
Angela Weaver, who lost 21 pounds, shows her weight loss with a pair of jeans she wore before the contest.
Angela Weaver, database administrator times a week, attended VC’s of Technology Services, is the winner of BodyPump classes, and maintained VC’s “Biggest Loser” Contest, which ran healthy eating habits. from Jan 17 to May 11. “I had yogurt for breakfast and a “I feel great,” she said. “I’m very happy protein shake for lunch,” she said. to have that extra weight off.” “I stuck to it during the week and By the end of the contest, Angela lost rewarded myself on the weekends.” 21 pounds, or 14 If Angela could percent of her offer any advice “I’m happy to have that extra body weight. to those wanting weight off. I feel like I’m in the to lose weight, As the winner, best shape of my life.” Angela won the it would be to entry fee pot of discipline yourself. $180 and a VC “Biggest Loser” t-shirt. “Just get to the gym no matter how Angela says she became serious you feel,” she said. “It’s not fun to do about losing weight after having two any of those kinds of things, but the knee surgeries. reward and the pay-off are worth it.” “I heard that for every pound you lose, The next closest “Biggest Loser” it takes four pounds off your knee,” she contestant was professor Trent Thigpen. said. She started going to the gym several
Employee News & Events Kids College For those who have children, remember you can enroll them in Kids College, where all kinds of fun classes will take place from Monday, June 11, through Monday, Aug. 6. Some of the camps include: • CSI for Kids • Creative Dance • All Sports Camp and • It’s Not Just Rocket Science Ages for participation range from Pre-K to high school, depending on the camp. For a complete listing and pricing of all the Kids College camps and classes, please visit VictoriaCollege.edu/ KidsCollege. Parents may also call the VC Workforce and Continuing Education Office at (361) 582-2528 for more information.
Pirate now has a name The Pirate’s official name is Captain Vic. After 100 suggestions were received, a committee narrowed them down to the top three names that they felt would best represent VC. The campus community then voted on their favorite. Captain Vic, suggested by several people, was selected as the best choice. Captain Vic has brought spirit and enthusiasm to campus and community events such as Victoria’s Lighted Christmas Parade, Bootfest and the Victoria Symphony’s Halloween Spooktacular.
Employee spotlight: Josh Moore Josh Moore has been at Victoria College since he was a teenager. Twelve years ago he started at VC as a student, and after taking classes with Bill Byers and Mary Mayes, he knew he wanted to be involved with sports. He met his wife Nicole when they were both students involved in intramural volleyball, and together they petitioned to start a club women’s volleyball team in 2005. Moore and his wife wrote the bylaws and raised funds for uniforms and equipment. “I love the sports program here,” said Moore. “Working in sports at VC has been my dream job ever since I started here as a student.” It wasn’t long before he was head coach of the VC Pirates women’s volleyball team that plays in the South Texas Club Sports League along with other two-year colleges in the region. Two years ago Moore also began teaching. Recently, however, his job description has changed slightly. He is now officially the Part-Time Intramural/Extramural Specialist assisting the head coaches of each club sports team with budgeting, administrative procedures, uniforms, fundraising, workout schedules, game
Training Reminder
Josh Moore is the Part-Time Intramural/Extramural Specialist for all VC sports teams.
schedules and high school All-Star games. “I really do enjoy organizing, and I think it will make things easier for our coaches and physical education staff, along with our students and coaches at our competitor colleges, to have just one point person at VC to contact about club sports,” said Moore. In addition to organizing all of VC’s club sports teams, Moore is also in charge of scheduling and promoting intramural sports. He will teach a tennis class in the summer and volleyball during the regular semester, along with continuing to serve as the head coach of the VC Pirates women’s volleyball team.
Student Services learn communication skills at retreat
KEY Center staff listen during the retreat on how to develop good communication skills.
How many departments on campus are Student Services departments? Ten! Personnel from each of these departments, along with staff from both the Calhoun County and Gonzales Centers and the Office of Instruction, met on Thursday, May 31 for the annual
Employee EmployeeNews News
Student Services Retreat. The focus of the retreat was to help employees develop good communication skills and build lasting relationships. One of the morning’s highlights included a group activity where four “survivors” were given a plane crash scenario and asked to list the items they felt were most important to their survival. In doing so, behavior and group dynamics were demonstrated, but even as they learned about themselves and each other, the room was constantly full of laughter. “We got a lot of great information about our own personalities and how to deal with others,” said Sherre Clegg, Campus Manager at the VC Calhoun County Center, “but it was fun. We had a good time.”
If you have not already completed the SANS “Securing the Human” security awareness training video, please note that it is still available for you to access online. The training consists of 27 modules, each If you have not already completed the averaging three to four minutes in SANS “Securing the Human” security length. awareness training video, please note The topics include items such as: that it is still available for you to access • Using Email Security online. The training consists of 27 • each Usingaveraging Your Browser modules, threeSafely to four minutes• inPasswords length. • Smartphone Security The topics include items such as: • Email Wireless Activity • Using Security • Your Social Networking • Using Browser Safely • Passwords Kazmir give presentation • Pall, Smartphone Security • Wireless Activity • Social Networking
Darin Kazmir and Sherri Pall were co-presenters at the 2012 Annual Conference of the Texas Administrators of Continuing Education in Austin on April 25. Their presentation, titled “Tired of Being the Redheaded Stepchild at Your Institution? How to Get Your CE Programs Noticed,” highlighted VC’s integrated marketing approach to increase awareness of Workforce & Continuing Education programs. Participants learned about ways to keep their programs in the community spotlight and received several samples that demonstrate VC’s approach to integrated marketing. The presentation was well received, and they were invited to give the presentation again the next day. A number of other community colleges have requested additional information, including Central Texas College, Midland Community College and Tarrant County Community College. Darin Kazmir is the Director of Marketing & Communications and Sherri Pall is the Director of Workforce & Continuing Education.
Employees make a difference Compliments from one VC employee to another
“VC’s Respiratory Care Program would like to give special thanks to the custodial staff that helped with the Respiratory Care Seminar on April 13. Martina Sartuche, Dannie Ladet and Franky Gonzales helped with setup and helped keep everything running smoothly, along with post-event cleanup and set up for the next event.”
- from the VC Respiratory Care Program
“Congratulations to Jonathan Anderson on the Carlos Cortez signing. He really does a great job with the basketball players and the musicians in the Jazz Ensemble, allowing them the opportunity to develop themselves in an area where they have skills and a passion for something beyond the classroom. I know the extra time Jona pours into their lives will bring them many rewards in their futures. All of this is over and above his full-time teaching job. He really sets the bar high for the rest of us, and is truly an asset to Victoria College and to the Victoria community.”
“My many thanks to all of VC’s wonderful Technology staff who are always knowledgeable, professional and timely with their assistance. My special thanks goes to Dave Sulak, who responded to my email to the Help Desk on the first Friday of the summer schedule. I was desperately trying to print a panel for the museum’s weekend events, and couldn’t get our printer to respond. Even though it was his day off and he should have been at home taking it easy, Dave visited the museum and resolved the issue. Thank you!”
- from Sue Prudhomme
- Larry Dunn M.S., MT (ASCP)
Customer Service Corner: RUDE??? by Nancy Friedman, The Telephone Doctor
Most people have no trouble pinpointing behavior they consider rude. To some, it may be something someone says. To others, perhaps it is something someone did. Occasionally it’s what was not said or done. These things happen all the time and we frequently hear, “Wasn’t that rude!?” Here are some tips to avoid rudeness: • Return phone calls - The absolute king of all rude behavior. When someone asks for a return phone call and it’s ignored, that is rude. • Do not chew gum while on the phone - Don’t have anything in your mouth except your tongue.
• Return email when asked for information – Failing to answer an e-mail from a customer or business colleague can send a strong impression that the sender is not worth your notice.
• Do not talk on your cell phone or allow it to ring in a business setting – Answering your phone during a meeting makes your business everyone’s business. Also, never allow your cell phone to ring in a meeting or other business setting. • Do not ignore customers or visitors in favor of coworkers– It’s rude, especially when someone has made a special trip to come into your office. When a customer comes in, you should interrupt conversations with coworkers and make that person your immediate priority.
New Employees
Lisa Elsik
Mary Ellen Nieto
Joy Sixtos
Academic Advisor
Custodian
KEY Center Student Support Specialist
Christina Vargas
Part-Time Admissions & Records Analyst I
Lauren Joines Part-Time Lifelong Learning Program Specialist
Photo Not Available
Mary Pullin Workforce & CE Secretary
Christina Michalec
Birthdays
Custodian, VC Gonzales Center
June
July
1- Mary Mayes
2- Robbyn Michalka
22- Tracey Bergstrom
1- Odelia Mendoza
4- Liz Cubriel
22- Blaine Willis
5- Marylynn Fletcher
4- Karen Mann
23- Francisco Gonzales
5- Mary Rodriguez
5- Michelle Washington
23- Ashley Hermes
6- Missy Klimitchek
7- Lisa DeVries
23- Tami Hurley
7- Kelly Phelps
7- Rachel Nessel
23- Darin Kazmir
9- Nadine Van Beveren
8-Joann Ferguson
24- Deborah Janysek
13- Cindy Buchholz
8- Rudy Maldonado
24- Tiffany Johnson
13- Adela Salinas
8- Gary Underwood
24- Letrice Montgomery
14- Michelle Paulsen
9- Cara Frederick
25- Beverly Garcia
15- Susan Akin
10- Joseph Sekul
26- Betty Ramirez
17- Ann Brogger
11- Kim Smith
29- Sandy Drozd
18- Alison Hewig
12- Angelica Alvarado
29- Linda Soto
18- Qin Yang
12- Larry Garrett
20- Kenny Brown
13- Lisa Elsik
26- Jonathan Anderson
14- Juan Cortez
26- Carl Voskamp
14- Janet Ley
27- Jennifer Foster
15- Radonna Brown
30- Laura Perez
15-Wanda Taylor 20- Darlene Irrobali
Terri Kurtz, Editor Katy Long, Copy Editor Julian Cavazos, Graphic Designer VC Campus Connection is a publication of Victoria College. ŠVictoria College