MCC-Maple Woods business degree offers two options

Students seeking a business degree, and even those who may not be seeking a degree but have an interest in business, can now choose from two options - getting out and into the workforce immediately or transferring to a four-year institution to continue their studies.

The Associate in Arts - Business degree is for students who want to continue studying at a four-year college or university in pursuit of bachelor's degree. Students who have an interest in business but have not decided on a major yet can also choose this course, as it provides all of their general education requirements and gives them a taste of what future business courses will be like, should they choose to continue.

The Associate in Applied Science - Business degree is designed for students who want to complete their degree and head straight into the workforce. Areas of emphasis include accounting, logistics management, management or office management - students will cover some general education requirements, but will devote most of their study to both focused and general business courses.

The program is headed up by business faculty Kim Luken and Jim Moes, both of whom share a passion for, not to mention a wide breadth of knowledge of, the business world. Both instructors are active in the business community - Luken heads up MCC-Maple Woods' free tax preparation efforts for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and Moes operates his own business while teaching business courses full time and serving as an advisor for the MCC-Maple Woods chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.

MCC-Blue River police academy on Fox 4 News

The recent MCC-Blue River police academy graduation was covered by Fox 4 News (see video below):

Booker Armstrong, now police captain at MCC-Blue River, recently graduated from the school’s own police academy, making him an official officer of the law. MCC has now attained its goal of upgrading the campus security force to a police department with the graduation of Armstrong and his three academy mates, Zach Goode, Joseph Ham and David Cooper.

The formation of the police force was a proactive step toward

KC Mayoral Candidates visit MCC-BTC

Mayoral candidate, Mike Burke, answers questions from members of the Northeast Industrial Association.

Kansas City, Missouri mayoral candidates, Mike Burke and Sly James, visited the MCC-BTC Tuesday, March 15 for the Northeast Industrial Association monthly meeting and luncheon.  The candidates took turns answering questions from the audience that ranged from their long-term plan for Kansas City's public sewer system to questions about the candidates intentions of having either of their wives work at city hall.

Mayoral candidate, Sly James, addresses NEIA questions about the upcoming election.

The Northeast Industrial Association (NEIA) is comprised of 250 businesses in the Northeast industrial district and represents industries, residents, real estate, and merchant.  MCC-Business & Technology Campus is a member of the NEIA.

"Going to Bed Hungry": Art installation by MCC-Blue River student Mary Braun



"Going to Bed Hungry" created by Mary Braun



Metropolitan Community College-Blue River students and staff recently had the opportunity to view an insightful artwork installation entitled “Going to Bed Hungry,” which was created by artist Mary Braun, an MCC-Blue River student, specifically for the campus. The interview below delves into the ideas behind the installation and the meaning of various aspects of Mary Braun's creation.

MCC-BR: Will you tell me about the inspiration for your recent installation project entitled “Going to Bed Hungry”? What made you want to make an artistic statement about hunger?

Mary Braun: It was just a stunning figure. From the world I'm in to finding [800,000,000] people... People talk about statistics and how many people die from this or that per minute... and in a way I think that those kinds of statistics and that kind of information is supposed to alert us to the information in some way—to make us not just be aware, but to make something else happen in us. But I don't think that kind of information really ever does that. It's there, and we think about it maybe for a few minutes. What does that do for the rest of our life? Is there any way that these statistics motivate us to do anything else?

MCC-BR: They've lost their shock value.

MB: Yeah. So 800,000,000 people going to bed hungry every day just seems very vivid to me. You can picture going to bed. I can picture going to bed, maybe hungry. But when you think of

MCC Board of Trustees meeting

The next MCC Board of Trustees regular meeting is scheduled for March 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Administrative Center Board room. 

MCC ID needed to park at AC on St. Patrick’s Day

Due to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade happening around MCC-Penn Valley, the Administrative Center and Broadway Plaza on March 17, all MCC employees will need to show their MCC ID, or have an MCC employee parking sticker, to park in the Administrative Center garage that morning.

(Please note: there has been a change in street closing times. The streets around AC, BP and PV will begin to close at 7:30 a.m.)

Due to the parade, the AC will be having the annual Pot Luck Lunch in the break room. Navigating in and out of the garage will be extremely difficult during lunch, so bring a dish to share with fellow employees.

Get ready, world! Graduation Fair @ MCC-Maple Woods

It's time to think about graduation - as if you haven't been thinking about that already! MCC-Maple Woods will host a Graduation Fair from 3-6 p.m. March 29 and 9-11 a.m. March 30, 2011 in the Student Center. Student can stop by to pick up their caps and gowns and pick up all the information needed to prepare for post-Maple Woods options.

For more information, contact Denise Westrem, graduation advisor, at 604.3099.

Health Fair at MCC-Blue River

Several free health screening services will be offered to students and staff at Metropolitan Community College-Blue River during the March 23, 2011 Health Fair. Centerpoint Medical Center will be administering free screenings of for asthma, bone density, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels.

The Kansas City Health Department will also be present to provide HIV and STD health information and free testing and screening services. Free fitness evaluations will be performed by representatives of 24 Hour Fitness as well.

Come to the Campus Center lobby between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for the health fair and pick up a free flu shot voucher.

For more information about the MCC-Blue River Health Fair, contact Amy Slater or David Owens in the campus life office, room 113 of the Campus Center. Amy Slater can be reached by phone at 816.604.6635 or through email at Amy.Slater@mcckc.edu. Contact David Owens at David.Owens@mcckc.edu or 816.604.6426.

MCC-Blue River Health Fair, Wednesday, March 23, 2010, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Campus Center

MCC-Longview GSA Drag Show raises nearly $800 for AIDS Walk Kansas City

Emcee Anyta Coxx at the first MCC-Longview GSA Drag Show benefitting AIDS Walk KC. Photo: The Longview Current.

The results are in and the MCC-Longview Gay-Straight Alliance Drag show benefiting AIDS Walks Kansas City was a huge success.

In it's first year, the show brought in close to $800 as more than 100 people packed the Mel Aytes Education Center for the show this past Thursday.

"This was successful beyond our wildest imagination, as we certainly didn’t expect the huge turnout." psychology instructor Angela Bahner said. "We are so proud of our students, and I wish you could have seen them after the show basking in their success and with the good feeling that comes from contributing to the community in a positive way."

To see more photos from this awesome event. Be sure to check out The Longview Current's photo blog.

Web service interruption scheduled tomorrow morning

Reminder: MCC’s web team is preparing a server migration that will happen on Tuesday, March 15, from 8-9 a.m.

 

Systems that will be affected during that time will include:

• MCC Tracking Services
• MCC Waiting Lists
• MCC Training Tracking System
• InfoEx
• MCC Student ID Card

Systems that are not affected by this migration:

• BlackBoard
• myMCCKC
• Metrosoft
• Employee/Student Email
• MCC public website

MCC-Maple Woods builds positive, diversive experience through AURI

Dedicated to fostering a positive, diverse learning atmosphere for students and employees, the MCC-Maple Woods Awareness, Understanding, Respect and Inclusion (AURI) Council is working to get students, faculty and staff involved in making "The Woods" a community leader in diversity.

The AURI Council seeks to promote intellectual discourse, open and honest communication, and opportunities to understand and learn from other cultures and perspectives. The council is working to define diversity beyond the normal, physical indicators, such a gender or race, to bring attention to the many types of people present on any campus. Ability, age, economics, religion, sexual identity or orientation and political views are just a few of the other "differences" that contribute to a colorful, diverse environment.

Co-chairs Crystal Johnson, history faculty, and Deb Cougill, assistant to the president, have assembled a group of faculty, staff administrative and student representatives to address the various issues associated with promoting a diverse campus.

Career opportunity

CO# 11-036 MW Bookstore Technician

• posted March 11
• will be removed from the website on March 27 for the initial screening.
• For more information or to apply: www.mcckcjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=51295

 

MCC-Longview in the News: MCC transitions from security guards to police officers

The Lee's Summit Journal this week talked with MCC Chief of Campus Police Bill Hudson to talk about his department's transition from security guards to police officers.

 Click through to read the whole story at The Lee's Summit Journal.

Missouri Comets Soccer Team honors MCC-Blue River Trail Blazers

The Trail Blazers Men’s Soccer Team at Metropolitan Community College-Blue River continues to receive accolades for their NJCAA Region XVI Championship title. At half time of a recent Missouri Comets Indoor Soccer game, contested at the Independence Events Center, the Comets recognized the MCC-Blue River Trail Blazers for their hard won championship.

In this two part video, two Blue River Soccer Team players compete in a half-time “horse race,” mounted on stuffed horses. Trail Blazers Darrin Kraft and Sam York have quite a task in navigating their plush thoroughbreds. In the second half of the video, the Trail Blazers are honored by the Missouri Comets for winning their championship.

MCC-Maple Woods Fitness Center presents Fitness Friday!

MCC-Penn Valley celebrates National TRIO Day

College is a challenging time for students as they work to achieve their goals and improve their lives. The experience can be especially difficult for students who are the first in their families to attend college.

Project Success at MCC-Penn Valley is a Student Support Services TRIO program whose services include: tutoring, counseling, transfer assistance and cultural assistance. Project Success, run by Toni Alexander, is open to low-income, first-generation or disabled college students, and is designed to increase retention and graduation rates as well as assist with transferring to four year colleges.

The program recently participated in National TRIO Day by hosting a breakfast that featured a panel discussion on "Retention, Graduation, Transfer: Student Support Services TRIO's Role in All of It." English Instructor Lisa Spaulding served as moderator. Student panelists included: Vera Campbell-Adams, Stephanie Carrillo, Dianna Izaula, Darryl Norton, Rachel Pulluaim and JuJuan Turner.

National TRIO Day is a day of celebration, reflection and action around increased access to higher education for disadvantaged students.

"In many communities throughout America, the TRIO Programs are the only programs that help low-income Americans to enter college, graduate and move on to participate more fully in America's economic and social life," Arnold Mitchem, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education.

MCC-Blue River hosts African Awareness Celebration

African dancing and drumming riveted the attention of students and staff at the African Awareness Celebration at Metropolitan Community College-Blue River on March 9. The hours long cultural event also featured a tasty selection of Ethiopian foods provided by Blue Nile Café. Many students tried sambusa, a tasty fried pastry filled with vegetables or beef, and other traditional Ethiopian foods for the first time.

Sounds of Africa supplied musical entertainment for the event. The performers explained the traditional roots of their ethnic style of percussion and the cultural significance of various drum beats and dances which they performed. The dancers even invited MCC-Blue River students to join them on stage to learn traditional African dances.

The event, which was free and open to all MCC-Blue River students, staff and faculty, was well attended and left quite an impression on participants and spectators.

GSA Drag Show benefiting AIDS Walk KC TONIGHT @ MCC-Longview

The MCC-Longview Gay Straight Alliance will be hosting a drag show to benefit AIDSWalk Kansas City, TONIGHT!

The show will be at 8 p.m. in the Mel Aytes Education Center. Suggested donation of $3 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit AIDS walk, which supports local organizations who assist folks living with HIV in Kansas City.

Don't miss out on this unique show and benefit.

MCC team attends HLC academy



Academy attendees included (l to r): Penny Tepesch, Anne Dvorak, Greg Sanford, Mindy McCallum, Kimberly Glackin, Cynthia Sexton Proctor from MCC and Robert Mundhenk, HLC mentor.

A team of faculty and administrators from MCC took a trip to Lisle, Ill., last week to participate in the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Academy for Assessment of Student Learning.

HLC, the accrediting body for colleges and universities in and around the Midwest, includes student learning as one component of its accreditation process. The academy provides

MCC-Maple Woods sponsors "sleep-out" for One Homeless Night

Northland college students will get a sense of what it's like to be homeless when they participate in One Homeless Night, sponsored by MCC-Maple Woods and Synergy Services from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. March 25, 2011. This event is open to all MCC-Maple Woods students, faculty and staff. To become involved, email campus life and leadership coordinator Misty Chandler.

The event will include activities centered on raising awareness for youth homelessness. "The Pursuit of Happyness" will be shown on the Campus Center lawn at 9 p.m. and there will be guest speakers with personal experiences to share.

Hundreds of raise awareness for youth homelessness each year during the metro-wide "sleepouts," which helps raise funds for programs that address the national problem. Proceeds from the event will benefit Synergy Services, a local youth crisis program.