Changing theface ofCentral Oregon

Central Oregon Community College

2 | Central Oregon Community College

For education, for community

You might think that after graduation last week, the faculty, staff and students at COCC took a deep breath and dove into a relaxing summer. But nothing could be further from the truth.

C o m m e n c e m e n t ceremonies on June 11 certainly marked an important milestone for the 900 students who graduated after years of hard work and academic achievement. But on Monday, many of the rest of us got right back to work preparing for the other students attending the summer session. Instructors

are getting ready for our expanded credit offerings and for Community Learning classes. And more local business owners and managers will continue to work through the summer with staff at the Small Business Development Center to gain additional skills and professional insights.

You see, the activity at COCC never quite ends, and it’s always been that way.

Since its inception in 1949 as the first community college in the state, COCC has been a dynamic institution, constantly changing to meet the diverse needs of our 10,000-square mile district. We are constantly monitoring academic trends and considering developments in best practices to meet our students’ need for high-quality, relevant education and vocational resources.

We are deeply involved in the communities of our large district, working with leaders to explore how COCC can contribute to solutions that address changing civic demands, business opportunities and social challenges.

Yes, COCC has constantly changed over its 60-plus years. That vision of change becomes reality in the coming months as new buildings throughout Central Oregon are opened and filled with students taking new courses that will prepare them for 21st century careers.

Our commitment to openness is evident in the increasing diversity we see on our campuses as the demographics in Central Oregon change and more people see COCC as comfortable and engaging place

to learn. A commitment to creative new strategies is found in students who do almost as much academic work at home through hybrid and online classes because COCC has adapted to technology and lifestyles to make learning more accessible.

COCC has created many enduring traditions that it respects and cherishes. But at the end of the day, every day at COCC is all about creating positive change.

We see it in the faces of the students meeting with advisors in the advising center who realize for the first time that they may have a chance at a living-wage job.

We see it in the faces of our faculty who are excited to begin working in our new science and health labs, realizing their dream of state-of-the-art technology and equipment.

We see it in the faces of the business leaders

who looked to COCC for leadership in sustaining the Central Oregon economy during difficult times.

And we see it the faces of voters, who showed confidence in us when they approved the bond measure in 2009, and are now seeing a real return on their investment.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, faculty, staff and students of COCC, I thank you for the opportunities you have given us. It is truly our honor to be our communities’ college.

Jim Middleton, president Central Oregon Community College

We are deeply involved in the communities of our large district, working with leaders to explore how COCC can contribute to solutions that address changing civic demands, business opportunities and social challenges.

Central Oregon Community College has a 60-plus year history acknowledged with many enduring traditions. But it is not an institution content to reflect on past accomplishments; instead it is focused on what’s next. While “COCC: Changing the Face of Central Oregon” shares the story of the institution’s past, it also features the many things happening at COCC today that will create change and empower people tomorrow in Central Oregon. The Board of Directors, faculty, staff and students of COCC invite you to explore the future with them.

TABLE OF CONTENTSEmpowering PeopleCOCC: An Enduring Tradition ......................... 4Faces in the Crowd ........................................ 5Resources for the Community ......................... 6OSU & COCC: Trusted Partners ..................... 7

Creating ChangeOnward & Upward ........................................ 8COCC Construction Projects ....................... 8-9Expanding Reach into Prineville, Madras .........10Campus Village ............................................. 11Foundation for the Future ..............................12

Economic ImpactListening to the Community ..........................13Bond Dollars at Work ....................................14Small Business Development Center ...............15

“COCC: Changing the Face of Central Oregon” is a cooperative project of The Bulletin’s Special Projects Department and Central Oregon Commnunity College.

Copywriter: Lori Gleichman

Publication: Saturday, June 18, 2011

“Changing the Face of Central Oregon” | 3

Central Oregon Community College has a history of managing change and chal-lenge to achieve great things in education, professional development, culture and rec-reation for the residents of Central Oregon.

From its humble beginnings in the base-ment of Bend High School (now the Bend-La Pine Schools Administration Building on Wall Street), it has grown from 109 part-time students in 1949 to more than 7,000 enrolled students in the 2010-11 academic year.

In 62 years, it has graduated thousands of students to begin professional careers in

fields as diverse as nursing to fire sciences, while many others have transitioned on to other colleges or universities to complete advanced degrees.

Many of those same graduates have re-

turned to COCC to enhance their profes-sional skills and business opportunities by taking courses through the Small Business Development Center, learning more about leadership, technology, management and policy.

From almost the very beginning, COCC

recognized a need to promote culture and the arts in Central Oregon. As early as 1954, the Singing Nite Hawks performed for the community; in 1964, the Cockade, a literary magazine, was founded; and in 1982, the Pinckney Center for the Arts was dedicated on campus.

Knowing that its mission meant more than “school,” Continuing Education was formalized in 1962, offering 41 classes de-signed for community residents. Today, Community Learning offers hundreds of courses each year in arts and crafts, lan-guage and culture, computers, health and

fitness, home and garden, business devel-opment, and special interests like therapy dogs and retirement planning.

Today, COCC is poised to serve its district, covering six counties even more comprehensively. With new buildings un-der construction and new programs on the horizon, even more people will have the chance to take advantage of what COCC offers. It continues an enduring tradition of leadership and achievement in Central Oregon.

COCC An Enduring Tradition

Empowering People

“I have had a very successful life and I wanted to give back to the organization that meant the most in getting me started — and that was COCC. In 1993, I joined the COCC Foundation and still belong. Then, President Bob Barber encouraged me to run for the COCC Board of Directors, and I have now served more than 12 years. In 1999, I was appointed to co-chair the college’s 50th Anniversary campaign, and we raised more than $6.2 million for scholarships and other college needs.”

— John Overbay, COCC Board of Directors

From the Past: John Overbay

4 | Central Oregon Community College

Everyone knows the COCC campuses are more crowded since enrollment has spiked the last few years.

That growth has forced new buildings, more faculty and new instruction models, but the change is seen in more than numbers, said Vickery Viles, director of the Careers, Advising and Personal Counseling Center.

“Our student body is as diverse as it’s ever been,” she said.

Since fall of 2007, COCC has seen a significant change in students attending the college for certificate programs or to

complete t h e i r

Associates of Arts d e g r e e s — changes in abilities, expectations a n d attitudes.

According to Viles, students generally fall into two groups. Most traditional students, from ages 18 to their early 20s, are college-bound and see COCC as a good entry point for a four-year degree — a segment Viles calls the college’s “core student group,” which is growing.

But since 2007, the college has also seen huge growth in non-traditional students — older adults directly affected by the recession.

“These are people who have been laid off,” Viles said. “They are coming to COCC for new training, new job skills

through the Career and Technical Education programs. They have a very specific goal: to be more employable and to get a job.”

Viles said non-traditional students bring a new intensity to the campus. For example, the first influx of non-traditional students was primarily related to the crash of the real estate market in the region.

“They were construction workers, mortgage brokers, real estate agents,” she said. “They quickly realized they needed some new skills to compete in the changing job market, and COCC was the place where they could learn them.”

The highest need and programs in the highest demand are writing, math and computer skills, said Viles. These are critical for transitioning into programs, like nursing, that offer the best chances for stable, well-paying jobs.

But these students also take full-advantage of counseling and programs designed to increase their chances of success.

“Students are very practical-minded today,”

Viles said. “They know there is a lot at stake. There is a lot they haven’t been able to control in recent years, so they are very focused on getting the classes they need, having a completion plan, and working on getting financial aid. They come prepared and ask a lot of questions.”

As a result, COCC has adjusted to be responsive to these needs. Students may travel between campuses in Redmond and Bend (and soon Prineville and Madras) to take classes.

Classes now take different forms: in the classroom; a hybrid mix of classroom and online; and online. Online

classes in particular mean students must be able to navigate complex systems successfully, so a lot of support is available to build and advance technical skills and computer literacy.

Innovation is key in allowing COCC to reach more students without sacrificing quality teaching, said Viles.

The SMART program (Students Mastering Algebra Through Revolutionary Techniques) is a new approach to teaching math that includes flexible lecture and lab time.

COCC is also introducing Learning Communities, which mix curricula like literature, writing and cultural awareness into a set of courses.

According to Karen Roth, director of the Multicultural Center, these integrated classes provide supportive and stimulating environments for students, as well as a rigorous college curriculum that integrates Mexican American/Latino or Native American literature.

“We are always working to create an environment that can empower students — regardless of age or place in life — with the skills and resources they need so they can succeed at what they choose to do,” she said.

Faces in the Crowd Each face in the crowd is an individual at COCC

“[Students] are coming to COCC for new training, new job skills through the Career and Technical Education programs. They have a very specifi c goal: to be more employable and to get a job.”

Empowering People

“Changing the Face of Central Oregon” | 5

Empowering People

JUNGERS CULINARY CENTER When opened in the fall of 2011, the culinary institute will feature a dining lab and restaurant that is open to the public. Elevation, the public restaurant, will be open Tuesdays through Fridays for dinner and on Thursdays for lunch. Prices will range from $12 to $18, and guests will be expected to provide feedback to help students learn and improve. With two multi-purpose and one baking kitchen, the culinary center will also offer amateur classes to the community. 541-318-3780.

THE GALLERY AT PINCKNEY CENTERSince its dedication in 1982, Pinckney Center has a been a place to showcase talented students and professional artists from throughout the region — a destination for art lovers. It features regularly changing exhibits several times a year. The gallery is open to visitors Monday through Friday during regular school hours.

NANCY R. CHANDLER VISITING SCHOLAR PROGRAMThe COCC Foundation administers the Nancy Chandler Visiting Scholar Program, which was established in 1985 by Robert W. Chandler in honor of his wife. Several times a year it brings world-renowned experts in various topics to speak in Central Oregon and present workshops for students and teachers.

MULTICULTURAL CENTER Located in the Campus Center Building, the Multicultural Center is staffed daily and open to the public, offering activities and information intended to foster cross-cultural understanding and communication. It is the sponsor each year of the Season of Non-Violence, a month of programming to bring recognize and celebrate leaders past

and present of civil rights and social justice.

MAZAMA GYM, PHYSIOLOGY LAB & SPORTSExercise classes held in COCC’s gyms are regularly offered for a fee through Community Learning. Or for a monthly community member fee, the gym has open hours and features weight and resistance training options, aerobic equipment, and a climbing wall. The campus also features resurfaced tennis courts, a disc golf course and a 400-meter track.People interested in learning more about their body’s metabolism or who need help retooling an exercise program can also sign up for variety of tests at the campus physiology lab. When the tests are interpreted, people understand better what types of exercise and at what levels best meet their fitness goals.

MUSIC PROGRAMMINGMusic is essential to Central Oregon Community College. It has a long history of offering musical activities and performances, showcasing the incredible talent found in Central Oregon through the Central Oregon Symphony (Michael Gesme, conductor); Vocal Ensembles, including Cascade Chorale, Bellus Vocis, and Central Singers (James W. Knox, director); Cascade Winds Symphonic Band (Dan Judd, director); and Big Band Jazz (Andrew Warr, director).

THE BARBER LIBRARY AND LIBRARY ROTUNDA GALLERYNamed for former president Robert Barber (1990-2004), the library is more than 72,500 square feet of academic excellence. In addition to being a comprehensive traditional and digital resource for students, it features meeting rooms that can be reserved by the public,

a scholar–in-residence program that offers public programming, and an in-house gallery with changing local and juried art exhibits.

CAMPUS CENTER / WILLE HALL The new Campus Center features a coffee shop and full-service dining hall, offices for student clubs, quiet spaces for student study and larger spaces for groups. It also features Wille Hall, a 3,100-square-foot soundproof rehearsal and performance hall, specially outfitted with bamboo floors and windows that open wide to the spectacular view outside. While COCC events have priority, it is available for rent to other organizations.

HEALTH SERVICES When the new Health Careers Building opens in 2012, the public will be able to schedule massages with qualified instructors and with students completing the licensed massage degree. In addition, through a partnership with Volunteers in Medicine, community members can access dental care once a month through clinics on campus.

ARBORETUM TOUR COCC offers an Arboretum Tour that includes a wonderful collection of flowering trees and shrubs as well as coniferous trees native to the High Desert. Tree markers include information about the natural history of each species and tree identification techniques. Bring a friend and come often to enjoy the trees, exquisite mountain views, and native wildlife of the COCC Arboretum. There are two trails that cover about 1 mile each and vary in elevation gain. You can find a map on www.cocc.edu.

Resources for the CommunityAlways serving as an important cultural and recreational hub, the COCC campus is home to many organizations

and resources that bring people together to enjoy art, music, lectures, exercise, ideas and food.

6 | Central Oregon Community College

An already close and collegial partnership between COCC and Oregon State University became even closer when OSU-Cascades began holding classes on the hill in 2001. It was the beginning of an enduring tradition in which two organizations collaborated to benefit the needs of students.

Designated the first branch campus in the state, it was decided to co-located OSU-Cascades with COCC on the Awbrey Butte campus as a way to bring a four-year degree option to Central Oregon. Students could complete their first two years of undergraduate class work with COCC, then transition to complete a bachelor of arts or science degree at OSU-Cascades, earning degrees from OSU.

Today, the Success by Degrees Program (2+2) has grown into an even stronger partnership between OSU-Cascades and COCC as they work together to create a four-year experience

for students, expand degree options, and develop resources like the student center and the library.

“Over the last 10 years, we have built a very strong and valuable partnership with OSU-Cascades,” said Jim Middleton, president of COCC. “Working together, we have expanded educational opportunities enormously in the region and are continuing to explore even more collaborations for the future.”

According to OSU-Cascades, nearly 80 percent of their students are from Central Oregon and 40 percent are transfers from COCC.

“The partnership between Oregon State University and the Central Oregon Community College brings great benefits to Central Oregon,” said Becky Johnson, vice president of OSU-Cascades. “It allows undergraduate students to pursue

a degree from OSU at OSU-Cascades, save significantly in tuition, and reap the benefits of life in our region.”

Students can choose between 12 undergraduate degrees ranging from art and art history to outdoor leadership and tourism, and graduate degrees in counseling and education. It also offers a variety of minor degrees and international study programs.

Like COCC, OSU-Cascades is growing quickly. In the 2010-11 academic year, winter enrollment jumped 17 percent, with a 19 percent increase in freshman and sophomores enrolled at COCC.

“And thanks to the partnership between COCC and OSU-Cascades, nearly 2,000 students will have graduated from OSU-Cascades with bachelor’s degrees,” said Johnson. “They are actively contributing to their communities.”

Trusted partners

“Thanks to COCC and the many clubs and programs it offers, I feel empowered to strive for more as a person, student, professional, and as a member of the community.”

— Joaquin Rodriguez-RemigioPresident of the Oregon Leadership Institute and winner of the Diversity Achievement Award.

Student Leadership: Joaquin Rodriguez-Remigio

COCC and OSU-CascadesCOCC and OSU-Cascades partnership thrives partnership thrives

Empowering People

High Tech.Government Medical Hospitality Industrial Educational

TRUST | QUALITY | PEOPLE

Offi ce Tenant Improvements Renovations Retail Mixed use Financial

730 SW Bonnett Way, Suite 3000Bend, Oregon 97702Phone: 541-388-9898www.hswbuilders.comCCB# 162215

“Changing the Face of Central Oregon” | 7

Creating Change

Construction has been a theme throughout COCC for the last few years, and within just a few months, some major projects will be completed and open for business while others are just getting underway.

As a result, the landscapes around Central Oregon will be permanently changed.

Within the last four years, COCC has initiated several major projects, involving multiple architects, general contractors and subcontractors, not to mention hundreds of workers at various sites in various stage of construction or completion.

Add in all the finishing work, suppliers and vendors involved in getting large, complex facilities ready, and you can imagine the chaos that has been Gene Zinkgraf’s world since 2008.

Zinkgraf is director of construction at COCC, and we asked him a few questions.

Q: What has been most difficult thing to manage? Zinkgraf: The impact to the COCC campus. Having all this construction going at the same time we’ve had a dramatic increase in enrollment has been challenging. We’ve had to manage traffic patterns, parking, access to sidewalks, inconveniences like power outages, and noise. But students, faculty and staff have been ... very patient and responsive to the changes we’ve had to make.

Q: What is most exciting to see happen? Zinkgraf: Seeing the buildings coming out of the ground. All the hard work ... is being

realized now. It’s seeing the dollars at work and knowing there will soon be buildings that make a difference.

Q: What do you have to say about the partners on these projects? Zinkgraf: Everyone has been great so far. It’s one of the things I’ve been most surprised and appreciative of with so many complex projects. ... The devil is in the details, and having such quality partners on board has made all the difference to us being on time and on budget with most of the construction.

Q: What will you do when the final grand opening has been held? Zinkgraf: I’ll heave a big sigh of relief. Then I’ll take a step back and consider what we’ve

accomplished. These buildings are going to have a major impact on COCC and the communities we serve. The new education centers will have a huge impact on Madras and Prineville. And the new equipment and resources in the tech center, science and health buildings will make a big difference to the faculty and students

Q: What are you most proud of? Zinkgraf: The staff we have in the construction office. ... They’ve done such a good job working with all our partners. I also think COCC has been a good steward of the public funds approved in the bond. We’ve maximized those dollars into high-quality buildings that will make a difference to this region well into the future.

Onward and UpwardCOCC construction, expansion on track throughout the region

Jungers Culinary CenterBUDGET: $6.8 million

FUNDING: COCC Foundation Capital Campaign, COCC Capital Construction Fund, State of Oregon Lottery Allocation

SIZE: 15,205 square feetLOCATION: Mt. Washington Drive. It will anchor the future Campus Village

PURPOSE: To house the culinary instructional facilities and a dining lab/restaurant that will be open to the public. It will have two multipurpose kitchens, one baking kitchen

and a demonstration kitchen. The curriculum will include core cooking and baking classes, and special programs in sports and health nutrition and sustainable food management. The culinary institute will also offer cooking classes to the public.

Expected Opening: Fall 2011

Crook County/Central Oregon Community College Education Center, Prineville BUDGET: $5.7 millionFUNDING: 2009 voter approved bond measure, OSU Extension, Crook County, Partnership to End Poverty, and the U.S. Department of CommerceSIZE: 12,000 square feetLOCATION: Crook County Fairgrounds near Crook County High School PURPOSE: Establish a base campus in Crook County as a collaborative partnership between COCC, OSU Extension Services, Oregon University System Open Campus and Crook County. Building will include seven flexible meeting rooms and classrooms and 65 wired and wireless public computer stations. Facility will have broadband speeds of up to 100 Mbps and SMART Interactive Technologies. Expected Opening: Fall 2011

8 | Central Oregon Community College

Madras Education CenterBUDGET: $3.3 million

SIZE: 10,000 square feetFUNDING: 2009 voter-approved bond measure, Jefferson Co, HUD Grant.

LOCATION: Ashwood Road, across the street from the Jefferson Co. Middle School. The Bean Foundation donated 15 acres; additional land is available for future development.

PURPOSE: Establish a campus in Jefferson Co. The building will provide two classrooms, one classroom/computer lab and one large classroom/community room to seat 100.

EXPECTED OPENING: Fall 2011

Health Careers Building BUDGET: $16.7 millionFUNDING: 2009 voter-approved bond measure, State of Oregon matching fundsSIZE: 48,000 square feetLOCATION: Bend Campus PURPOSE: Provide new state-of-the-art laboratories and six new general-purpose classrooms for the Allied Health and Nursing Departments. These include degrees in RN and LPN Nursing, Pharmacy Technician, Medical Assistant, Dental Assistant and Licensed Massage Therapy. EXPECTED OPENING: Spring 2012

Science BuildingBUDGET: $19.3 million

FUNDING: 2009 voter-approved bond measureSIZE: 47,000 square feet

LOCATION: Bend Campus PURPOSE: The new building will include a general chemistry lab, organic chemistry

lab, two general biology labs, three anatomy and physiology labs, and a geology and a physics labs. It will also include general use classrooms and support spaces for faculty and

administrative staff. EXPECTED OPENING: Fall 2012

Mazama ClassroomsBUDGET: $2.5 millionFUNDING: 2009 voter-approved bond measure, State of Oregon lottery fundsSIZE: 9,654 square feetLOCATION: Mazama Gym PURPOSE: Add five new general use classrooms, offices and support space. COMPLETED: January 2011

Redmond Tech CenterBUDGET: $11.4 millionFUNDING: 2009 voter-approved bond measure, State of Oregon matching fundsLOCATION: Redmond Campus SIZE: 30,000 square feetPURPOSE: Will house new instructional program spaces for general instruction, non-destructive testing and non-destructive inspection (NDT/NDI), graphic design, green technology, automotive and the Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence and Development. The facility will be flexible to change that is inherent to the quickly evolving development of technology. The building will be located on the reserved portion of the Redmond Campus site that will become the signature or gateway building for the campus. EXPECTED COMPLETION: Fall 2013

Creating Change

“Changing the Face of Central Oregon” | 9

Creating Change

Madras and Prineville will soon add a new credential to their resumes: home to a college campus.

Granted, the buildings are relatively small compared to the sprawling campus in Bend and high-tech center in Redmond, but community leaders say their educational and economic impact will be tremendous.

“I believe the new campus is going to completely change the face of Madras,” said Holli Van Wert, executive director of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. “Businesses will look at us completely differently when we can offer higher education options. It’s well documented that college towns prosper.”

Van Wert has plans to leverage the opening of the new campus into the recruitment of new businesses.

“It has important implications for workforce development and for the quality of life for employees and their families,” she said.

A dedicated college facility in town will

also make a difference to residents seeking education and training.

“They may be able afford the tuition,” she said, “but they can’t afford the gas, the cost of child care or the time it takes to commute to as much as 100 miles round trip each day.”

Matt McCoy, vice president for administration for COCC, said the college has wished to address this problem for years.

“It presented impossible obstacles in terms of the time and costs to travel into Bend several times a week,” he said.

There were cultural barriers as well, as many potential students just weren’t interested in attending classes in Bend.

The new education centers in Crook and Jefferson counties were funded in large part by a voter-approved bond measure. (See page 8 for details.) Several other pieces also fell into place, such as meeting conditions to qualify for donated land in Madras and getting additional technology grants in Crook County.

“It was just time,” said McCoy.While the buildings themselves will represent

economic and educational achievement, COCC officials are focused on the students who will fill them. Entry-level college programs — 100-level courses in math, writing and technology — will be offered at both locations.

“We want to create a positive first college experience so students get a taste of success,” he said.

Hopefully, this first experience will make transitioning to Bend or Redmond to complete degrees less intimidating.

Eventually, COCC may look toward expanding toward more regionally significant programs. For example, the land donated by Bean Foundation in Madras has water rights, making it ideal for hosting rangeland management courses in the future.

“We won’t know what best fits until needs and wants become more prevalent,” said McCoy.

In the mean time, COCC was able to meet an immediate community need through the design of large community rooms within each center. Equipped with sound and computer systems, projectors and screens to facilitate meetings and events, the state-of-the-art room, according to Van Wert, will be the only one of its kind in Madras.

“We’re just excited to see things happening in Madras and Prineville,” said McCoy. “Both projects were made possible because of the unique collaborations we had with the communities, foundations, and other organizations like Crook and Jefferson counties, Oregon State Extension, and the Bean Foundation.

“Now we’ll be able to offer more services, better technology and more accessibility. It’s a win-win-win for everyone involved.”

Expanding Our Reach Madras, Prineville expansion a step toward regional prosperity.

Perhaps nothing that existed before will look more differently than the Cascade Culinary Institute when it reopens in the Jungers Culinary Center in the fall of 2011.

The new, state-of-the-art, 14,000-square-foot Jungers Culinary Center will open in Campus Village. And anchoring the culinary center will be Elevation, a restaurant open to the public.

Elevation continues the Cascade Culinary Institute tradition of offering lunches to the public, but elevates the atmosphere, the food and beverage servings and, more importantly, the students’ opportunities to learn hands-on in a working restaurant.

Elevation will be open for dinner Tuesdays through Fridays and for lunch Thursdays, according to Gene Fritz, the new director and head chef of the culinary institute.

“Menus will be planned around the season and sustainability,” he said. “It will be a white-cloth dining experience featuring high-quality food, wine and beer. Students will be able to demonstrate the fundamental skills and techniques they’ve learned.”

Whenever possible, Elevation will source its produce, meats and other ingredients from within 150 miles.

JUNGERS CULINARY CENTER:

Below: Construction of the Madras Education Center

10 | Central Oregon Community College

Creating Change

Amidst all the construction happening at COCC’s various locations is another plot of land quietly waiting its turn.

The envisioned Campus Village on the northwest corner of Shevlin Park Road and Mt. Washington Drive in Bend is a few years away from development, said Mary Campbell, an administrator with William Smith Properties, the developer.

“But it will be an exciting part of the campus when done,” she said.

Connecting the Jungers Culinary Center to Campus Village was actually the brainstorm of Bill Smith, president of William Smith Properties and developer of Bend’s Old Mill District.

Rather than site the new culinary facility closer to the core campus, Smith suggested the college place it on flat, more buildable land it already owned on the northwest edge.

The high-traffic site is also more ideal for the location of Elevations, the culinary school’s public restaurant.

“If you want people to eat at a restaurant, it needs to be in a location that is attractive and easy for the general public to find,” he explained.

Sited on 16 acres adjacent to the Jungers Culinary Center, Campus Village will complement that facility, explained Campbell.

“The vision is to activate that area with commercial and retail businesses that fit

naturally with the culinary center and that serve the large residential communities that surround it,” she said.

For example, they are exploring childcare, a bank or credit union, coffee and bike shops,

and other retail businesses like a bookstore. But it will be awhile before they break any ground, she explained, despite active interest in the proposed complex.

“There is so much excess commercial and

retail inventory in Bend right now, it just doesn’t make sense to start developing the land,” said Campbell.

Smith, who has a reputation as a visionary in land development, has also agreed to a financial arrangement that will benefit the college long-term.

While William Smith Properties will facilitate the the development of the land, the college will still own the property and benefit long-term from its lease income. Eventually, long-term leases will expire, and the college can do what it wishes with the existing buildings.

According to Smith, this is a model used with other academic institutions like Stanford University.

“It can be very lucrative for COCC,” he said. “By taking a long-term view of the value of the property, they are positioning themselves well to benefit from it financially with stable revenues for years to come.”

Smith has been actively involved with COCC both personally and professionally for than 42 years. From his perspective, COCC is critical to the economic health of the region, which is why he is so willing to invest its vision.

“The college is one of the drivers of the Central Oregon economy,” he said. “We all benefit when it does well, and this was something I could do to help it do well financially well into the future.”

Campus Village on the Horizon‘Village’ development to offer commercial and retail, as well as education.

“We want to educate our students about the slow food movement and contribute to creating change in how food is grown, managed and consumed,” he said.

While the first menus are not yet designed, Fritz is targeting a mix of set courses and a la carte options at affordable prices. He expects dinners will cost between $15 and $18 dollars, and lunch will be available for $12 to $15.

Elevation is not intended to compete with local area restaurants, Fritz said. Instead, it’s a an option for people who want to participant in the education of future chefs.

“Feedback from our customers will be a very important part of the experience,” Fritz said.

Students will rotate through all the positions in the restaurant, including menu planning, prepping and cooking in the kitchen; managing the front of the house; and waiting tables.

“After every service, we will debrief on what went well and what can be improved,” said Fritz. “It’s a true partnership between students, faculty and the community.”

Elevating the culinary arts in Central Oregon

“The vision is to activate that area with commercial and retail businesses that fi t naturally with the culinary center and that

serve the large residential communities that surround it.”

“Changing the Face of Central Oregon” | 11

Creating Change

Changing lives one student at a time is the mission of the Central Oregon Community College Foundation. And, after 56 years in business, the momentum is only growing, according to executive director Jim Weaver.

“People feel deeply about the foundation,” he said.

He attributes that commitment to the intimate relationship many people have with COCC because they’ve taken advantage of the many opportunities it provides to the community, including education, professional development and recreational programs.

“Through gifts to the foundation, people can help themselves and others realize as much of their potential as possible,” he said.

Over the years, the foundation has thrived, said Weaver. He cites the unexpected gift of $2.8 million from Bob and Margaret Turner in 2005. It is still the single largest donation to a community college in Oregon.

As a result, endowments to the college have grown from $4 million in 2002 to $10 million

in 2011. Weaver describes these “forever gifts” as critical to sustaining the college because the invested principle continues to generate income for years.

Not every gift is so large and dramatic, he said, “but every gift is so important.”

For example, the annual fundraisers Taste of the Town and Meal of the Year raised $182,000 in 2011 through ticket sales and a silent auction. Money raised at these events every year — most of which is given as a gift of a few hundred dollars rather than thousands — is directed toward scholarships, a great and growing need.

“We had 889 scholarship applications at the start of the 2010-11 academic year,” said Weaver.

Unfortunately, the foundation could fund less than half of the applications submitted. While enrollment at COCC is growing by record numbers, and so are the numbers of students who need financial help.

While demonstrated financial need is a requirement, applicants are also considered for

their leadership and personal accomplishments and for proven commitment to their goals.

“Our scholarship recipients are high achievers,” said Weaver. “Last year, the average COCC student took seven credits per quarter; COCC Foundation scholarship students took 11. Last year, the average COCC student had an overall GPA of 2.7; COCC Foundation scholarship students had an overall GPA of 3.0.”

“A $2,500 scholarship can mean the difference between affording school or not for many students,” he added. “If it wasn’t available, some students would just have to stop going to school. And school is what is going to make a difference in the direction of their lives.”

Foundation for the FutureCOCC Foundation focuses on one student at a time

“The community support and its partnership with the COCC Foundation truly allows for people giving scholarship dollars to realize the ‘best bang for their buck.’ I believe this is the best story in town, and I am in awe of the quality education offered at COCC. Each and every dollar counts!”

— Vicki Russell, COCC Foundation Board Member

Supporting Students: Vicki Russell

Jim Weaver, executive director of the COCC Foundation

Overbay Development

541.382.9423 | www.overbaydevelopment.lbu.com | 1900 NE 3rd, Suite 200, Bend OR 97701

We are the Owner/Operator of three Central Oregon shopping centers. The Wagner Mall and Pinebrook Plaza in Bend and the Wagner Square in Redmond. Our major tenants include Albertson’s Super Markets, Sharis Restaurants, Rite Aid Drug Stores, Natures Health Foods, McDonalds, Redmond Cinemas and 32 other

Tenants. We are vary proud of our long term relationship with Central Oregon Community College. Now that all the new buildings are under construction to increase the opportunities for COCC students, we would like to congratulate the Administration and those other who helped make this happen.

12 | Central Oregon Community College

Economic Impact

Central Oregon Community College’s new technology education center in Redmond “… will be a huge asset to the region,” said Eric Sande, executive director of the Redmond Chamber of Commerce and Convention Visitors Bureau.

The new 30,000-square-foot tech center is intended to be part of the region’s greater initiative to create jobs for Central Oregon. It will house several new programs and allow existing ones to expand.

“Our theme was jobs now and jobs for the future,” said COCC President Jim Middleton. “The approach we’re taking with the Redmond center is focused on being a catalyst for job creation and development.“

The plans are a result of how well COCC listens to what people in the region say they need and want, according to Sande.

“COCC is actively engaged,” he said. “By having their leadership very involved on boards and with organizations, they are very much hands on with the community, listening

to the dialogue, then being responsive to needs and proactive about solutions like the tech center.”

In developing the concepts that would drive the expansions to the Redmond campus, COCC officials developed a task force made up of industry representatives and experts in economic development from around the region. They were directed to discuss what programs might help prepare students for the work force of today and the future.

One program that has been finalized is a one-year certification or a two-year degree in non-destructive testing and nondestructive inspections. It will train students to look at structures and systems to ensure they reliable and safe.

It’s a good fit for Central Oregon, said Karin Hilgersom, vice president for instruction at COCC, because of the legacy of construction in the region. It will also be one of the few programs in the country that will train qualified inspection technicians, and the expectation is

that it will feed graduates directly to Oregon-based PCC Structurals, which employs more than 230 technicians.

“These are good living wage jobs, and this program has the greatest potential for job placement for all graduates,” said Hilgersom.

The Tech Center will also be home to a competitive application program called the Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence and Development. Students in the degree program will study business practices and learn the basics of starting and succeeding as a small business, according to Hilgersom.

She believes it will be a natural complement to Central Oregon’s large population of small business owners.

There is no doubt COCC continues to be an incredible resource for businesses in Central Oregon, said Roger Lee, executive director of Economic Development for Central Oregon.

“In my opinion, it operates more like the private sector than an academic institution,”

he said. “As a result, it is very focused on market opportunities, motivated to meet customer demands, and is flexible enough to deliver needed solutions quickly.”

Lee used the aviation program as an example.

“Once we focused on building that sector in the economy, COCC was right there with its professional pilots degree program and its partnership with Leading Edge Aviation to build that skilled workforce,” he said. “The program is excellent and the students are very desired graduates.”

COCC is a foundation block of the Central Oregon economy, according to Lee.

“Quite frankly, I can’t imagine how we would have survived the recent recession without it,” he said. “In fact, Central Oregon has (statistically) created more jobs in recent years than the rest of the state. We couldn’t have done that without COCC.”

Listening to the CommunityBy ‘listening’ to the region, COCC spurs growth and change

“... former COCC students have been some of the best employees we have ever had. We’ve had such a great experience hiring from COCC, that we generally end up requesting referrals from instructors there before we even consider posting jobs in other forums. COCC is a critical resource for businesses in Central Oregon.”

— Sam Di Spaltro, owner, Bend Mailing

Sam Di SpaltroBusiness Recruitment:

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Congratulations COCC on your successful expansion ofEducational options for Central Oregon

Serving Central Oregon for over 100 years

“Changing the Face of Central Oregon” | 13

For years now, the quiet at the campus on the hill and at sites throughout Central Oregon has been broken by the sounds of drilling, hammering, sawing and hauling, all the sounds of money at work.

And the infusion of building capital from COCC couldn’t have happened at a more critical time for the construction industry in the region, said Roger Lee, executive director of Economic Development for Central Oregon.

“It saved a lot of skilled jobs in the region,” he said. “The commitment to hire local companies was also huge. It was a much needed vote of confidence in the construction industry here.”

The flood of construction started in 2007 with the building of the Campus Center, but took off after 2009 when Central Oregon voters approved $41.6 million in bonds to fund several construction projects around the Bend campus and in Redmond, Madras and Prineville.

“It was already clear that the economy was slowing,” said Matt McCoy, vice president for administration. “So the passage of the bond really was a vote of confidence. It said ‘Hey, COCC, we’re

depending on you to keep some jobs here.’ And we have.” At any given point since then, several hundred people have been

hard at work building and finishing multiple projects funded by the bond and other funds. These have included the completion of the Campus Center, the new student center, adding and remodeling additional classrooms in Mazama building, remodeling Pence and Pinckney Halls, expanding the campus in Redmond, and adding parking lots.

New construction includes the Jungers Culinary Center, the Health Careers and Sciences Buildings, and education centers in Madras and Prineville.

When asked about the impact of the projects on local builders, Dave Watson, a project manager with Kirby Nagelhout, said the effect was “huge.”

“The COCC contracts have been extremely important to us over the last few years,” he said.

Nagelhout is the general contractor of the Science Building on the Bend campus and the Madras Education Center.

“It allowed us to keep full-time jobs and add more when nothing

else was happening in the region,” he said. EDCO doesn’t track the economic impact of construction in the

region because the projects and jobs are too transitory, said Lee.“But I can say that it has made a difference,” he said. In addition to Kirby Nagelhout, COCC has contracted with

several local companies including HSW Builders, CS Construction, Latham Excavation, Steele Associates Architect Associates and BBT Architects and others.

While COCC hasn’t tracked how many jobs specifically the construction has created or sustained, it can be assumed that the $41.6 million has literally meant thousands of paychecks for the region, said McCoy.

“The theme of our bond campaign was ‘jobs for now; jobs for the future,’” he said. “We hope the voters believe we’ve made good on our promise.”

Bond dollars at work

Following the MoneyOn a building the size of the three under construction on the Bend campus at COCC, 50 to 60 workers full-time workers per building will be employed during peak weeks. This does not

count those working off site — constructing the steel, loading the lumber trucks and fabricating and delivering other material. This also does not include the inspectors, engineers, architects and other specialists who will be on site off and on throughout construction. Hundreds of Central Oregonians will earn part of their pay during these years of construction. Also, “multiplier”

economic impact will be felt when this money works its way through the local economy.

Economic Impact

Jobs created, jobs secured in Central Oregon

Matt McCoy, COCC Vice President for Administration

541-382-1795

14 | Central Oregon Community College

Economic Impact

SILVER MOON BREWINGSilver Moon Brewing Inc. opened in 2000 with a staff of one, owner Tyler Reichert; his company now has a staff of ten. Tyler enrolled in the Small Business Management Program offered through COCC’s Small Business Development Center in 2008.

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Central Oregon Community College has been a critical resource for business leaders since 1984. That’s when the state of Oregon adopted the national program and chose to connect it to community colleges.

“We were also experiencing difficult economic times in the mid-80s,” said Beth Wickham, director of Continuing Education and the SBDC. “The mills were closing, and it became important to diversify the region’s economy. Our mission then was to provide services and support to help new small business owners survive and succeed.”

And that mission has not changed, according to Wickham.

“For a long time, we were working with established businesses and owners that were in expansion mode,” she said, referring to the boom times of the mid-2000s. “Now, more people are interested in starting a business to replace a lost job.”

Today, the SBDC is part of a network of 19 centers across the state designed to “build Oregon’s best businesses.”

“Our purpose still is to give small businesses the opportunity to grow, because they create jobs,” she said.

This is essential because 81 percent of the Oregon workforce is employed by small businesses, according to state statistics.

In 2010, Central Oregon’s SBDC documented

14 new business starts and 184 created or retained jobs. It also helped clients capture $1.797 million in capital through loans, investments and venture capital, and increased sales by $1,296,030.

In addition, it delivered 1,605 hours of counseling to 354 people and held 58 training events.

“And all counseling services are for free,” said Wickham.

The program is funded by federal and state grants.

Many participants test the waters with the “How to Start A Business” workshop designed to help people think through the demands of a small business, including structuring, financing and rules and regulations that may apply.

A subset of those proceed to the seven-week “Launch Your Business” program that helps prospective business owners develop a business plan and a financial package. Business owners can continue working with SBDC’s small staff of part-time counselors who are experienced business owners and have expertise in a specific area, working through individual issues such as financing, marketing, human resources and international trade.

“We focus on really supporting business owners through that first year,” Wickham said. “It’s the period when most businesses fail; we want them to succeed do our part in sustaining Central Oregon’s economy.”

An Invaluable

The COCC Small Business Development Center is a key resource in the high desert

Business Resource

WAHOO FILMSMichelle Alvarado started Wahoo Films while working full time running a high school fi lm department. Since then, she’s built Wahoo into a cutting-edge video production company and also taken COCC’s Small Business Management program.

MUG REVOLUTIONOwen Dearing owns a successful online handmade coffee mug business. “Having several one-on-one sessions with an [SBDC] advisor was fantastic. To have someone who wants to understand your business so that they can really help you ... is absolutely wonderful, helpful and so valuable.”

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“Changing the Face of Central Oregon” | 15

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