FabLab NOW OPEN!

FabLab =Laboratory where students and the community access high-tech equipment to design, test and build just about anything.

The FabLab is NOW OPEN to students and MCC employees.

FabLab members conceptualize, design, develop, fabricate, and test almost anything. If you recon yourself an artist, engineer, tinkerer, inventor, entrepreneur or deviser, the FabLab will soon become your new favorite place!
 

Outstanding Employee awards: Becky Schuering, Amy Slater

Two MCC-Blue River employees were honored alongside the high-achieving students at the awards ceremony this spring. Student Life and Leadership Coordinator Amy Slater and mathematics instructor Becky Schuering both received the “Outstanding Employee 2010-2011” award, an honor bestowed by student vote. Campus President Joe Seabrooks presented the awards on May 13.

Amy Slater, Student
Life and Leadership
coordinator

Amy Slater said that she was humbled by the award: “When I come to work each day, I bring a positive attitude and the ability to try and find a solution to every problem. It is my job is to help students during their college experience. I am honored and proud that students feel I go above and beyond the typical duties of my position.”

Amy always goes to great lengths for everyone on campus, so this is an award that she truly earns every day. She concluded her reaction to the award by saying, “I only hope to continue to live up to the award and what it stands for!”

Becky Schuering,
mathematics instructor

Becky Schuering reacted to the award, saying, “I was elated at receiving the Outstanding Employee award! To have my students take the time not only to vote, but also to write the wonderful things they did was very moving. I truly love to teach, and I am thrilled to have such fantastic students, faculty, and staff to work with.”

Both recipients are truly appreciated by the people who work with them.

Did You Know? Don Buschhorn pitched for the Kansas City Athletics baseball club

Don Buschhorn knows baseball. He knows stats, names and can even analyze the pitching styles of many of the guys that take the mound each day in today MLB games.

But that is because Don himself used to be a pitcher for the original hometown team, The Kansas City Athletics.

From Independence, Mo., Don says he has been playing baseball (or some form of the game) since childhood. It was, as he said, "Something he has always done and loved doing."

Through high school and farm leagues Don became not only a fearsome pitcher, but also a switch hitter that connected with the ball half the time he went up to bat.

In 1965, The A's, playing at Municipal Stadium, signed Don to pitch for the team during one of its toughest seasons.

Today, Don works with in the Facility Services department at MCC-Longview. In May the Kansas City Royals, along with the Kansas City A's Historic Society, honored the A's past players at a ceremony and reception at Kauffman Stadium.

Later this month, The A's and Don will once again take to the field as the T-Bones also honor the players of Kansas City's first professional ball club.

ATF sets off IEDs at MCC-Blue River bomb training

An explosive finale capped off a month of ATF training sessions held at MCC-Blue River in May. Most recently, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) offered instruction on improvised explosive devices to area law enforcement officers. ATF took advantage of the Public Safety Institute at MCC-Blue River’s facilities for the training.

Bomb experts from more than twenty local agencies attended the ATF sponsored knowledge sharing sessions. At the end of several days of instruction, ATF chemists concocted six explosive mixtures based on recipes that may be encountered in the field. These six improvised bombs were set off at the Kansas City Police Department’s explosive range

Fellowship Program in Higher Education Policy

The Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) invites applications for its 2011-2012 Fellowship Program in Higher Education Policy. Fellows will work closely with the commissioner of higher education and senior staff on the development of specific higher education policy issues, which will include conducting research and writing policy briefs for the department and external audiences. Specific assignments will be based on the mutual interests of the Fellow and the MDHE.


Stipend and Benefits

The Department provides a $1,000 per month stipend to subsidize living expenses.

Eligibility
• Faculty from a Missouri institution of higher education who are eligible for paid leave to gain experience in statewide planning, research, and public policy that will advance their administrative careers.
• Graduate students in the advanced stages of their academic programs and whose career path would benefit from experience in statewide planning, research, and policy development.
• Candidates from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Application Details

All applications should include:

1. A letter explaining the applicant’s interests and qualifications
2. A curriculum vitae
3. A letter of endorsement from the president or chief academic officer of the applicant’s home institution (for faculty); or a letter of endorsement from the department chair or an advisor from the applicant’s academic program.
4. Identification of the length of Fellowship sought (six months up to one year)
5. Identification of an available start date (between July 2011 and January 2012)

Application packets should be directed to:

Department of Higher Education
Attn: Policy Fellow Program
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, Mo. 65102-1469

Review of applications will begin on June 15, 2011, and will continue until the fellowship award is made. For additional information, contact Rusty Monhollon Rusty.Monhollon@dhe.mo.gov or 573.751.5221.

Free Week of Boot Camps on deck at MCC-Maple Woods

Gear up to reach your fitness goals this summer at the MCC-Maple Woods Fitness Center - it's free boot camp week! What's a boot camp? A fitness boot camp personal training session at a more economical cost. Trainers will put participants through a series of efficient, effective and unique workouts, allowing each individual to work at their own appropriate fitness level to burn fat for energy. A trainer will monitor your progress, record weight changes, body fat analysis, and will offer nutrition guidelines.

Boot camps are FREE from June 7 - June 13, and you can bring a friend! For more information, contact the Fitness Center at 604.3555.  

Penn Valley Art Gallery Director to be featured in upcoming exhibit

Bernadette Torres, director of the Carter Art Center Gallery, will be a featured artist in an upcoming exhibit. Torres will participate in the group exhibit, "Nature as Muse," which will run June 3-July 30 at the Blue Gallery. To learn more about Torres and the exhibit, click here.

Penn Valley Lady Scouts help renovate local high school

Lady Scouts showed their commitment to the community by painting several areas of a school building.

Lady Scouts Coach Wakisha Briggs (right wearing red headband) and several players rolled up their sleeves to help spruce up a local high school.

Basketball players from MCC-Penn Valley women's team, along with Coach Wakisha Briggs, volunteered to paint ACE Collegium High School at 6410 Swope Parkway.

"Thanks for supporting the KC Serves launch group.  Your teamwork was remarkable," said Thaila Cherry, with the City of Kansas City Manager's office.

Employees: accounting information reminder

MCC employees, please click here to view information regarding cut off dates for the end of FY2011.

I.W.I. signs $55K in contracts with Hallmark on LEaPLab development, training

Hallmark Cards, Inc., 2501 McGee, site of the new LEaPLab.

Last week, the MCC Institute for Workforce Innovation (I.W.I.) signed over $55,000 in contracts with Hallmark Cards, Inc., to assist them in developing their new Learning Exploration and Prototyping or LEaPLab, a fabrication laboratory similar to MCC’s FabLab at the Business & Technology campus.

The LEaPLab will eventually be open to all Hallmark employees to test new product ideas. Like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s FabLab concept, it follows a business model of prototype development rather than a learning model.

The partnership grew out of mutual interest: MCC was serving on an advisory group with Hallmark at the Kauffman Foundation regarding similar fabrication and prototyping laboratories, and eventually, Hallmark proposed that MCC partner with them the project.

Development of the on-site lab at Hallmark Corporate Headquarters began the day after the contracts were signed. Existing space will be renovated at Hallmark at 2501 McGee with a target completion date of August 1. MCC consulting services include design and layout of the lab. Once the lab is operational, I.W.I. will train the first eight classes consisting of over 90 Hallmark employees on how to use the lab’s equipment. I.W.I. will also create the initial training materials, including job aids, videos, and lesson plans.

MCC has a long-standing relationship with Hallmark—before I.W.I., Business & Learning Solutions had been doing business with Hallmark for over twenty years, and looks forward to the opportunities that will arise from this exciting new project. Hallmark has plans already in place to expand the LEaPLab, and as new equipment is installed, additional training will be needed. Hallmark has also expressed interest in creating internships for MCC students.

The partnership that resulted in the design and training contracts were the result of a major group effort. Hallmark staff included Ron Green, Government Resource Programs Manager; and Scott Browning, 3D Interactive/Creative Technology Manager. From MCC, I.W.I. staff included Steve Dowell, FabLab project coordinator; Pat Lees, project manager; John Littleton, performance consultant manager; Stan Fields, business development manager; Mark Murtha, media services; Dr. Kevin Kelley, director of community development; and Margaret Boyd, executive director of I.W.I.

Career opportunity

CO# 11-073 MW Administrative Assistant - Level 4

* posted 05/26/2011
* will be removed from the website at 11:59 pm Sunday, 06/12/2011 for the initial screening.
* For more information or to apply: www.mcckcjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=51336

CO# 11-074 BT Administrative Assistant - Level 5
* posted 05/26/2011
* will be removed from the website at 11:59 pm Sunday, 06/12/2011 for the initial screening.
* For more information or to apply: www.mcckcjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=51337


CO# 11-075 AC Enrollment Manager
* posted 05/26/2011
* will be removed from the website at 11:59 pm Sunday, 06/12/2011 for the initial screening.
* For more information or to apply: www.mcckcjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=51338

Plaza de ninos weathers storm with ease

Preschoolers at Plaza de Ninos took cover in the Education Center at MCC-Penn Valley during Wednesday's tornado watch.
Teachers kept the youngsters busy with songs and a few of the favorite television friends, like Disney's "Little Einsteins."

In spite of the weather and missing their regularly scheduled lunch and nap times, the boys and girls handled the time with ease.

Plaza de Ninos, a Head Start program run by Guadalupe Centers, is operated out of the Francis Institute on the Penn Valley campus.

MCC-Maple Woods Sports Training Center offering summer youth softball and baseball camps

Keeping the kids out and active this summer is easy at the MCC-Maple Woods sports training center. Baseball and softball camps, taught by college coaches and players, are available for kids aged 7-16. The camps will cover the fundamentals of both games. The camps are $100 per player. To register, send an email with name, address, phone number, school and age to Kenny Hook (baseball) or Kerry Casper (softball).

Career opportunity

CO# 11-071 PV Contract Trainer-ESL
* posted 05/26/2011
* will be removed from the website at 11:59 pm Thursday, 06/02/2011 for the initial screening.
* For more information or to apply: www.mcckcjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=51334


CO# 11-072 PV Contract Trainer-ESL
* posted 05/26/2011
* will be removed from the website at 11:59 pm Thursday, 06/02/2011 for the initial screening.
* For more information or to apply: www.mcckcjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=51335

Update

The tornado warnings have been lifted for ALL MCC CAMPUSES.

Tornado Warning Issued

A tornado warning has been issued for the area of the MCC-All Campuses.

The above warning was lifted at 1 p.m.

MCC welcomes new employees



Rachel Lundy, Bookstore Technician at MCC-Maple Woods
Michael Barton, Lead Groundskeeper at MCC-Penn Valley



Baseball Monarchs complete a successful spring season

Another MCC-Maple Woods Monarchs team has completed a successful season, with the baseball team finishing its spring season with a record of 26-27 and placing third in the NJCAA Region XVI tournament. Although the weather was uncooperative at times, the Monarchs players worked hard against opponents like Jefferson College, Johnson County Community College and Crowder College.

In addition to team accomplishments, Jeff Cline and Nathan Ramler were also named to the all-region team for their personal achievements throughout the season. Head coach Marty Kilgore said that over the summer, the coaching staff will be working hard to help sophomores continue their baseball and academic careers at other institutions and recruiting for the 2012 season.

MCC-Maple Woods offers couple new beginnings

Finding themselves entering middle age, ensconced in careers and family life, Jill Cornett and her husband, Rick Schlottke, enrolled in an Introduction to Business class at MCC-Maple Woods. Under the guidance of instructor Jim Tjaden, neither of them ever looked back.

Jill Cornett had already completed her bachelor’s degree in English from Missouri Southern State University, and her husband Rick, who was working as a data analyst for an information technology company, was enrolling in a variety of courses as he explored the possibility of earning a college degree for the first time.

Rick’s aptitude for both data and geography led Tjaden to suggest he consider a geographic information systems certificate, which combines the two fields and prepares graduates to work in the field in two years. Rick completed to GIS certificate and graduated from MCC-Maple Woods in 2006, putting his skills to use immediately by going to work for the Clay County Assessor as a GIS technician. Rick went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in geography with a minor in business in 2008. He is currently enrolled in the Master of Public Administration program at Park University and is a planning technician and GIS analyst for the City of Harrisonville.

But Rick isn’t the only one who decided to pursue academics again after a long break. Jill credits Tjaden with enabling her to pursue a higher degree as well. She completed a Master’s of Public Administration degree from UMKC in 2007 and is currently serving as city administrator for the City of Savannah, Mo.

“After taking that business course, I found the confidence to go back to school,” she said. “Neither my husband’s or my accomplishments would have been possible if Dr. Tjaden hadn’t supported and encouraged us at Maple Woods.”

MCC help for Joplin

The massive tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri on Sunday evening has impacted all of us in one way or another. Many have family, friends and loved ones there and our hearts go out to all of them. We can feel helpless in times like these but it is critical that we come together to assist in relieving the suffering and devastation of our neighbors to our south.

Missouri’s State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has reported that the number one item Joplin needs right now is bottled water. To that end, MCC is partnering with the Kansas City Chiefs to help them collect bottled water today and tomorrow (May 24 and 25, 2011). They are collecting water and financial contributions in Parking Lot C, on the east side of Arrowhead Stadium at the Truman Complex. They will be there from noon until 7:00 PM today and from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM tomorrow.

In addition, if you would like to donate funds or sign-up to serve as a volunteer—go to the National Donation Management Network (Aid Matrix Network) site and follow the prompts to contribute or volunteer. SEMA has announced that it is not safe to self-report for service but instead suggested that people should sign-up through the above link.

Finally, the American Red Cross has indicated they are in need of blood for the relief efforts. To find out where you can donate go to the American Red Cross donation site and enter your zip code to identify the donation center nearest you.

Tom Vansaghi, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor of College and Community Relations

Dirty Jobs’ Mike Rowe testifies before the US Senate, calls for a skilled labor force

You probably know Mike Rowe as that guy from Dirty Jobs, or the voice from Ghost Hunters and Deadliest Catch. Few are aware of his more serious side as an advocate for skilled trades and farming. This month, Rowe testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, calling for a major national PR campaign to address the shortage of skilled labor:



For a full transcript of Rowe’s testimony, visit the Discovery Channel’s website.

Rowe cited vacancies in 200,000 positions in manufacturing, and 450,000 in trades, transportation and utilities. Vacancies are expected to grow as an aging workforce continues to retire over the next five to ten years. In response, Rowe has established his own organization, the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, dedicated to supporting the trades. In conjunction with the Discovery Channel, Rowe is also

Road closures that may impact you - June 4

The 38^th Annual Hospital Hill Run will be held Saturday, June 4, 2011. Broadway will be closed (Northbound) from 31^st Street  to JC Nichols Pkwy, 7 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. For additional information visit http://www.hospitalhillrun.com/

State responding to severe storm and tornado that struck southwest Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY – The State Emergency Management Agency continues to work with Missouri state and local agencies to deploy all available response resources to Joplin following the deadly tornado that ripped through the city Sunday evening, May 22. Search and rescue and other emergency operations were expected to continue through the night.

In response, the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the Red Cross has established a shelter at Missouri Southern State College, 3950 East Newman Road, Joplin, Mo 64801. The shelter facility is the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center. The facility can also accommodate pets.

Missourians interested in volunteering to assist should call 800.427.4626 or 2.1.1. Those with medical skills interested in volunteering should go to: https://www.showmeresponse.org//.

Missourians wishing to make donations to help with the relief effort can go to http://www.sema.dps.mo.gov/recover/donations.asp or call 800.427.4626 or 2.1.1.

Residents affected by the tornado who wish to notify their friends and family that they are safe should go to: https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php. Friends and family who would like to check on their loved ones in the affected area can use the same site.

Missourians who need disaster information, shelter information or referrals are urged to call 2.1.1. The United Way’s 211 service number is now available for most areas in Missouri. In areas where the 211 number is not operational, citizens can call 800.427.4626.

MCC-Longview student J.R. Byers featured on KMBC 9 News

J.R. Byers has come a long way in the two years he spent at MCC-Longview. WIth graduation now behind him, J.R. is planning to attend Cornell College in Iowa using a $90,000 grant from the Jack Kent Cook Foundation.

KMBC 9 News caught with J.R. and featured him on the morning news show on his graduation day.

Graduation at MCC-Business & Technology

MCC-BTC's 2011 graduates toss their hats in celebration, Friday, May 20.   BTC graduation highlights include: Fredward, the robotic Graduation Marshall, handing degrees and certificates to well-deserving students, and witnessing the entire staff and student body dance to Black Eye Peas, "I Gotta Feeling."  Click here to see more pictures from graduation.

MCC-Maple Woods pins 2011 class of veterinary techs

Congratulations to the following students, who successfully completed the veterinary technology requirements and will be moving on to careers or other institutions.

Kindell Berger

Sean Bratt

Meghan Carpenter

Meagan Hake

Lauren Hernandez

Amanda Hudson

Jessica Jones

Trynt Kelly

Cassandra Mast

Amanda McKee

Kendra Myers

Kayla Patton

Jessica Quinn

Stephanie Rodriguez

Amber Selsor

April Smith

Gina Sola

Chelly Sumner

Kelley Taylor

Sandra Tucker

Becki Williams

Aimee Wilson

Andrea Wolfrum