MAY–AUGUST EVENTS
SUMMER SECTION
PAGES B1–B4
A NATIONAL PACEMAKER AWARD NEWSPAPER
VOL. 24, NO. 9 The student publication of Washtenaw Community College
Funds for students
MONDAY, MAY 15, 2017 www.washtenawvoice.com
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
Graduate speaker starts new chapter ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY
Foundation seeks to increase for basic needs BY
Public hearings discuss Campus Resource Officers
SUNI JO ROBERTS
BY JENELLE
Staff Writer
SEE FOUNDATION PAGE A2
SEE GRADUATE PAGE A2
SEE HEARING PAGE A5
| WASHTENAW VOICE
Kikkert noticed the patterns and periwinkle carpet that were meant to set a calming atmosphere in the bulkhead, an element of her piloting life that foreshadowed her design eye. But for now, she was making memories landing three-engine jets in Tokyo and commanding her crew.
Graduation speaker Christin Kikkert and her son Connor spend hours on campus in the classroom and childcare center, respectively all throughout the week. The warm weather and sunny skies offer a chance to enjoy a moment together outside their respective buildings. “You can’t buy a better education for Connor,” Kikkert said of Washtenaw Community College’s Children’s Center. BY JENELLE
Editor
FRANKLIN
Christin Kikkert, the speaker at Washtenaw Community College commencement May 20, has grown academic roots after living life at 39,000 feet. Kikkert has the patience to be sure things feel right, and according to her, it’s paid off. That patience has lead to filling an
honored position on the commencement stage before her next chapter begins at Eastern Michigan University this fall. “It’s how everything just works together in this world, it’s phenomenal,” Kikkert said. Kikkert will start her journey through 30 credit hours at EMU, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the finish line. Among her blessings is a full
scholarship in Kikkert’s ideal program of study, interior design. Finding out she received a merit-based scholarship quieted her fears that after 20 years in her dream job, school would be a different beast to master. Her pilot’s log of experiences and miles under her wings as the only female pilot at Northwest airlines taught her how to be confident and own who she is.
FRANKLIN
Washtenaw Community College Board of Trustees is holding a public hearing at the beginning of their next board meeting on May 23. The meeting will start at 5 p.m. to allow time for public comments on the matter of Campus Resource Officers, a private armed security force proposed on campus. The April board meeting began at 5 p.m., leaving an hour for public discussion. Speakers were asked to keep their comments inside a three-minute limit. All comments were completed by 6:35 p.m. The board then moved onto the rest of the agenda. The overall consensus of the public speakers was mixed. First to speak was Ann Garcia, WCC behavioral sciences faculty. “Two years ago you asked us to do the exact same thing, and here we are again,” Garcia said. “I am not sure what has happened in the past two years, I would like to know what kind of research has been done. I have not heard any facts, and by facts I mean research.” Garcia asked to look beyond incidental moments, instead to gather information from thousands of incidents nationwide to see if CRO make a difference. Garcia explained research on the “weapons effect,” a study by Leonard Burkowitz discussing the rate of increased violent thoughts upon seeing a weapon.
CHANEL STITT
The six person staff at the WCC Foundation wants to help students succeed. They do this by fundraising in the community in order to provide financial assistance to students so they can succeed in their education and beyond. The WCC Foundation gives out about $750,000 dollars to 800+ students a year in the form of grants and scholarships, according to Philip J. Snyder, associate vice president of college advancement at the WCC Foundation. The Foundation is a separate organization from the college, although it has WCC student success as its top priority. It is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that provides financial assistance to students in the form of scholarships and grants to ensure access and success to students while they are in school at WCC. The foundation is overseen by a board of directors which are community volunteers who care about WCC students. This year and in coming years the foundation is focusing on students access to higher education through the Student Emergency Fund. “We are going to focus a lot in the future on helping students with food insecurity, transportation child care, books, and then some of the other things that pop up in their lives,” said Snyder. The foundation currently gives out financial assistance through the Student Emergency Fund and students are able to apply for it on their website, but it’s on a smaller scale now than they hope it will be in the future.
Editor
Rallying flavor on the streets
PARKING Food truck rally brings new flavors to Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market SUNI JO ROBERTS
Staff Writer
WCC plans to replace and resurface parking lots 1 and 7, and the access drive and handicapped parking area located on the west side of the Student Center building this summer. The project is expected to be completed by June 28, 2017, according to Damon Flowers, Vice President of facilities, grounds and campus safety at WCC. The contracts to complete these projects went to Pavex Corporation of Trenton, Michigan to do the Student Center parking lots and to Nagle Paving Co. of Novi to work on parking lots 1 and 7, which was unanimously approved by the board of trustees during their April meeting. “Life cycle depends on what is underneath the base,” Flowers said. “The earth moves, you have got to maintain it. You got to fill in the cracks because of the freezethaw periods during spring. Maintenance is a big part of the longevity.” Parking lots 3, 4, 5 and most of 2 will be open to park on during the project, according to Flowers.
Contributor
Made-from-scratch food, live music, and free face painting. To partake, visit the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market annual Food Truck Rally at 5 p.m. the first Wednesday of the Month from May through October. Now in its third season, opening day brought packed crowds who were eager to check out the vendors participating this year. This is Stephanie Willette’s first season hosting the rally. Willette was previously the manager of the Chelsea Farmers’ Market and worked closely with the previous manager of Ann
Arbor to choose the vendors for this year. “Ann Arbor is a producersonly market, and that philosophy extends to our food truck rallies,” Willette said. “All of our food truck vendors make their own products from scratch, and are not allowed to buy or re-sell prepackaged products.” The market has attracted a range of cuisines to its Food Truck Rally. At its first event of 2017, vendors were serving up everything from crepes to pizza, comfort food in a bowl, soups, and sandwiches with superhero (or villain) names.
SEE FOOD TRUCK PAGE A2
Matt and Mo’s known for their Chicago style sausages and Italian beef wait on customers.
| WASHTENAW VOICE
BY
BY REBECCA GORDON
PHOTOS BY REBECCA GORDON
LOT RE-DO
Katie Picard at Delectabowl is serving up their signature comfort food in a bowl to an eager crowd.
Shimmy Shack, owned by Debra Levan Trosser is rated in the Top 5 vegetarian food trucks in the country, according to PETA.