MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

JANUARY 2012CONNECTION

MCCFACULTY & STAFF

NEWSLETTER

AROUND CAMPUS

MCC HONORED

AMONG

OUTSTANDING

BUSINESSES

AMERICAN GIFORUM/HISPANIC

TECHNOLOGY &COMMUNITY

CENTER RECEIVES

$10,000 GIFT

GLOBAL ISSUES

FILM FESTIVAL

WHAT’S INSIDE

QUOTE OF

THE MONTH

“The moral arc of the universe bends

at the elbow of justice.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

MCC Honored in Washington, DC asOne of Top Ten Community Colleges in America

Mott Community College was honored at a

prestigious event on Dec. 12, 2011, at the Na-

tional Press Club in Washington, DC as one of

the top ten community colleges out of more than

1,200 community colleges in America.

The event was held by the Aspen Institute and

featured such prominent participants as U.S. Sec-

retary of Education Arne Duncan, Dr. Jill Biden

(wife of Vice President Joe Biden), former Secre-

tary of Education Richard Riley and former

Michigan Governor John Engler (now President

of the Business Roundtable).

MCC President Dick Shaink and MCC

Board of Trustees Chair Lenore Croudy repre-

sented the college at the event along with MCC

Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Amy Fu-

gate and Vice President of Student and Adminis-

trative Services Scott Jenkins. "It is a tremendous honor to be selected for this recognition," stated Dr.

Shaink. "For Mott Community College to be recognized on a national basis from among well over a

thousand other community colleges as one of the nation's very best is great for the college and our

community. Everyone should take pride in this honor."

At the event, John Engler praised Mott College for its "strong workforce development program in

one of the most difficult economic environments in the country," while Richard Riley said MCC "really

deserves our praise."

Citing the urgent need to focus on the value and potential of community colleges, Aspen Institute

College Excellence Program Executive Director Josh Wyner said, "We must set the bar much higher than

we have in the past. To achieve excellent student outcomes, we need to highlight our country's

success stories and learn from them so that we can keep reaching higher. Recognizing community

colleges like Mott Community College sends a message to others that aspire to excellence."

Dr. Jill Biden (wife of Vice President Joe Biden)

greets Dr. Shaink at the National Press Club in

Washington DC.

MCC received an early Christmas gift of $30,000 from an anonymous donor, the Foundation for

Mott Community College announced on Dec. 9. The money will go toward the College's health

sciences division. The donor, a Flint-area resident who asked to remain anonymous, told Foundation

for MCC President Lennetta Coney he credited some of his success to the education he received at MCC

and wanted to give back to the community.

"It is encouraging to know that during these times of economic hardships, people are still giving

from what they have," Coney said. "We are so grateful for our donors and for this outstanding gift of

$30,000."

"Former students as well as those who simply understand the important mission of Mott Community

College in our community will often call and want to make a sizable contribution to

support the educational efforts at MCC," she added. "In these financially challenging times, their

generosity is overwhelming."

MCC Receives $30,000 Gift

Congratulations to Re-

becca Gale-Gonzalez, Market-

ing Assistant/Web Content

Manager. She is among the

nominees selected to receive the

Keep Genesee County Beautiful

2011 Community Hero Award,

which will be presented at the

2012 Community Beautification

Leadership Conference at noon

on Saturday, March 3 at the Hard-

ing Mott University Center at UM-

Flint. Here's a thank-you note from

Rebecca and the Green Initiatives Team: "We raised $442 at our art

poster sale," she said. “This economical art form provides a way of

bringing beauty to those who wouldn't be able to purchase an original

work of art."

Photography Program Coordinator Bob Rentschler provides a re-

port on the success of MCC's first Help-Portrait event, a global move-

ment of photographers using their time, gear and expertise to give back

to those in need that was held on Dec. 10. "We photographed about

100 families and individuals, and printed probably 200 to 250 8 x 10

prints." Bob noted. "Everything worked out so well, the equipment, the

location, the people -- just everything and no real fires to put out during

the day!"

Regional Technology Initiatives Secretary Carol Van Buren lets

us know that Executive Director of Grant Development Judith

Cawhorn, Executive Dean of Regional Technology Initiatives Tom

Crampton, and Workforce Development Executive Director Robert

Matthews were among contributors providing their perspectives on

Mid-Michigan as a "viable region with a wealth of assets" in the book-

let titled The Mid-Michigan Region – Challenges, Responses and the

Future, published by Michigan State University.

Honors Program Coordinator Brian Ivory provides an update on

the Mott Campus Clowns. They made an appearance on Dec. 15 on

NBC-TV 25 during two segments of their morning news program.

News Anchor Joel Feick, (also an MCC part-time faculty member), in

the studio conducted on-air interviews with the clowns. The troupe was

also featured in articles that appeared in several issues of the View

weekly newspapers. Brian oversees the Mott Campus Clowns, a newly-

formed clown troupe comprised of MCC honor students enrolled in the

Honors course he teaches, entitled Social Diversity and Civic Engage-

ment (HONS 251).The troupe spread cheer at various events and ven-

ues in Flint and surrounding areas during the Fall semester.

History Instructor Clare Monsour took her history students on a

field trip to the Sloan Museum. The museum staff guided the group

through a tour of their historical exhibits focusing on their World War I,

Flint Sit-Down Strike, World War II, and their 1960s collection pieces.

"After the tour was over a few students lingered to check some of the

other exhibits," Clare added. "We all really appreciated the museum

staff making time to show us their collection."

Mott Library Director Kathy Irwin tells us that the Library staff

will conduct a survey between Jan. 24 and Feb. 13 to assess use and

awareness of library services and resources. Slightly different versions

of the survey have been designed for faculty, staff, and students. "Your

responses will help us make effective decisions about the services we

provide and the resources we purchase," Kathy said. "We appreciate

your participation." Please contact Kathy Irwin at kathy.irwin@mcc.edu

or 762-0415 if you have questions about the

survey.

Jason Slade, Faculty/Coordinator, Electronics and Electrical Tech-

nology, reports on the success of Mahmoud Al-Rifaiey, a former Mott

Middle College student and graduate of the program. He was just hired

into a controls position programming and installing PLCs. "We are see-

ing an uptick in demand for this area," Jason said. "He is a great suc-

cess story for the interactions between the MCC occupational areas and

Mott Middle College."

Krista Black, Sociology Instructor and Co-Advisor of Phi Theta

Kappa, lets us know that a number of students were nominated by MCC

for a statewide student writing competition held annually by the Liberal

Arts Network for Development (LAND). They will find out this month

if they have received a statewide award. The student names, paper ti-

tles, and faculty sponsors follow:

Modesrah Ahmed - "Veni, Vedi, Vici - I came, I saw, I conquered"

- Michelle Dunnum

Teresa Sherwood - "Sound Reasoning for Housing the Unsound

Mind" - Heather Sisto

Teresa Fick - "Making Your Voice Heard in a Noisy Chamber"

- Heather Sisto

John Hartranft - "Water" - Heather Sisto

Noelle Bartelotte - "Fade to White" - Jackie Knoll

Modesrah Ahmed - "Where I am From" - Heather Sisto

Jeremy Yarbrough - "Positive Fear" - Wendy Byard

Charlene Fortner "The Girls in Brown" - Heather Sisto

Sgt. Lloyd Nicholson shared information about the MCC

Department of Public Safety training session presented on Dec. 15

in the RTC, specifically designed to improve readiness in emergency

situations. The Community College Citizen Preparedness Program

(3CP2) is a national initiative created by the U.S. Department of

Homeland Security in 2008. The goal of 3CP2 is to train U.S. citizens

through the nation's community colleges on specific protective actions

to save lives and minimize injuries after a disaster and before arrival

of first responders. The need to improve the readiness of U.S. citizens

is well documented. An American Red Cross study shows that 93% of

Americans are not prepared for a natural disaster or pandemic event.

The target audiences for the 3CP2 training are community college

students, faculty, employees and their families. In addition, local

businesses, community organizations and governments served by the

college are also targeted. 3CP2 is also designed to address the

information and training resources available to help citizens prepare

their homes and families. For more information about 3CP2, contact

Sgt. Lloyd Nicholson at lloyd.nicholson@mcc.edu.

AroundC

am

pus

Mott Community College was among the winners of the Gene-

see Regional Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) 2011 Business Awards

announced during an awards banquet held in November. The GRCC

honored MCC with the Community Beautification Award.

"The companies and individuals that were recognized have truly

made a difference in our community," stated Chamber CEO Tim

Herman in a news release. "Whether they are exploring new opportu-

nities through alternative energy, leveraging social media to expand

customer reach or providing great services that keep

customers coming back, there is one thing our winners have in

common. They have all made a commitment to doing business in

Genesee County. That is clearly a good thing for our region."

MCC Honored Among "Outstanding Businesses" by Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce

The American GI Forum/Hispanic Technology and Com-

munity Center is the recipient of another gift from the same

donor that surprised the center with a donation in the summer

of 2011. The center recently received a check in the amount

of $10,000 from the same foundation that made a $7,000 do-

nation in July, 2011. The donors wish to remain anonymous.

Eduardo Zimmermann, Site Coordinator at the Hispanic

Technology & Community Center, gave a tour of the center

to two officials from the foundation last summer. The visitors

were obviously impressed: the center received a $7,000 check

in the mail less than two weeks after the visit. "These officials

praised the work being done at the center and wanted to do

their part in seeing that we continue to offer services to the

residents of the East Side of Flint,"

stated Carlos Cisneros, Community Outreach Coordinator of

the Workforce & Career Development at Mott Community

College, who also serves on the executive board of the His-

panic Technology & Community Center. "The funds will be

used to expand offerings at the Center."

The American GI Forum of Flint/Hispanic Technology

& Community Center is a 501c3 nonprofit organization

which partnered with MCC to open at the former Citizens

Bank Branch in 2002 where the Center is housed. The Amer-

ican GI Forum of Flint/Hispanic Technology and Community

Center, located at 2101 Lewis Street in Flint, continues to

meet the needs of the community by offering a variety of

services. For more information, visit www.htcc.us, call (810)

424-3760 or visit Facebook at Hispanic Technology and

Community Center.

American GI Forum/Hispanic Technologyand Community CenterReceives $10,000 Gift

Foundation for MCC Grant Writer Achieves National Recognition

Leslie A. Colston, Development Specialist and Grant Writer for the Foundation for Mott Community Col-

lege, recently graduated from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Faculty Training Academy

(FTA) as an AFP Master Trainer, announced Foundation for MCC President Lennetta Coney. Colston was the

first grant writer in the nation to be spotlighted by the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) and chosen as

Member of the Month. GPA is the country's largest and fastest-growing organization dedicated to

grantsmanship.

Colston is now considered an instructor who is prepared to take a leadership role in AFP's professional

education programs and to serve as a peer mentor for other AFP course instructors. There are currently only two

other instructors in Michigan who hold the AFP Master Trainer distinction. She also took the GPA's Grant Professionals Certification (GPC) Exam in

Las Vegas, and passed. The GPC is a certification program that measures an individual's ability to provide quality grant-related services within an ethical

framework.

"So I am now also, Officially, a Certified grant writer!," she said. "Not to toot my own horn, but so many awesome things have taken place in the past

month and as a Grant Writer, being respected and honored by my peers is huge."

In addition, Leslie Colston is a 2011-12 Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) candidate; currently holding the Certificate in Fund Raising Man-

agement (CFRM) distinction. She is also the Founder of Grant$earchers.com.

Continuing a tradition of bringing provocative films to the Flint area, Mott Com-

munity College, Kettering University and the University of Michigan-Flint have part-

nered for a 10th year to present the Global Issues Film Festival. Five films will be

shown Jan. 24-28, 2012 at Kettering University's McKinnon Theatre in the Academic

Building. An additional screening will be held at UM-Flint's Kiva. Admission to the

Global Issues Film Festival is free.

This collaborative festival includes the work of independent filmmakers from

around the globe, representing a variety of voices and viewpoints. The films, between

80 and 110 minutes long, feature topics ranging from the Chinese

suppression of Tibet to genetic engineering of the food supply. Following is a

schedule along with descriptions of the films:

The World According to Monsanto (2008), Tuesday, Jan. 24, 5:30 pm at UM-Flint

Kiva and Wednesday, Jan. 25, 7 pm at Kettering University (KU), McKinnon Theatre.

(Directed by Marie-Monique Robin) The company that gave the world "Agent Or-

ange" has continued to develop and sell a number of controversial

products. The filmmaker spent three years and travelled around the world to

document many horrible health effects attributed to these products.

The Power of the Powerless (2009), Thursday, Jan. 26, 7 pm, KU (Directed by Cory

Taylor). An exploration of the Czechoslovakian legacy of communist rule and the

struggle against it, including the story of blacklisted playwright Vaclav Havel and his

fellow dissidents. The film culminates with the student-led movement in Prague,

which sparked the 1989 Velvet Revolution. The discussion afterward will be led by

Dr. Eugene Hynes, professor of Social Science at Kettering.

Fuel, (2008) Friday, Jan. 27, 7 pm KU (Directed by Josh Tickell). A comprehensive

and entertaining look at energy in America: a history of where we have been, our

present predicament and a solution to our dependence on foreign oil. The discussion

afterward will be led by Dr. Jonathan Wenzel, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engi-

neering at Kettering.

The Sun Behind the Clouds, (2009) Saturday, Jan. 28, 1 pm, KU (Directed by Ritu

Sarin and Tenzing Sonam). A uniquely Tibetan perspective on the trials and tribula-

tions of the Dalai Lama and his people as they continue their struggle for freedom in

the face of determined suppression by China. The discussion afterward will be led by

Dr. Badrinath Rao, Associate professor of Sociology and Asian Studies at KU.

Addicted to Plastic, (2008) Saturday, Jan. 28, 3pm, KU (Directed by Ian Connacher).

For better and for worse, no ecosystem or segment of human activity has escaped the

shrink-wrapped grasp of plastic. Addicted to Plastic is a global journey to investigate

what we really know about the material of a thousand uses and why there's so much

of it.

Global Issues Film Festival

JANUARY 2012Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 18 19 20 21 22

Foundation for MCC Board of Directors

Luncheon Meeting12:00-2:00 p.m.

PCC 1230

MLK DayCampus Closed

17

23 24

30 31

25 26 27 28 29

1401 East Court StreetFlint, Michigan 48503-2089

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

US POSTAGE PAIDFlint, MI

Permit NO 51

MCCEA Board of DirectorsMeeting

3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. PCC 1230

Delta Sigma Theta SororityMeeting

5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. RTC 1301

Michigan Deaf AmbassadorsProgram

9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. PCC 1230

Board of Trustees Meeting7:30 p.m. • RTC 1301

For more calendar items visit www.events.mcc.edu

CCNA MembershipMeeting

6:30-9:30 p.m. RTC 1005