inver hills magazine summer 2012

Summer 2012 | Inver Hills Magazine | 1

Start here, transfer anywhere!Inver Hills grows list of bachelor’s degree options, on campus and off

Family business gets educated

Diversity shines in the spotlight

Boost college prep,cut costs and time

2 | Inver Hills Magazine | Summer 2012

Inver Hills MagazineSummer 2012

Published twice annually for friends of Inver Hills Community College.

Editor: Helen Clarke Ebert

Art Director: A. J. J. Courteau

Photographers: Travis Anderson Photography, Helen Clarke Ebert, Jerry E. Lee Photography

Contributing writers: Helen Clarke Ebert, David Page

Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].

© 2012 Inver Hills Community College

Inver Hills Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity educator and employer. The information in this publication is available in alternate form through the Disability Services Office, (651) 450-3628 or the Minnesota Relay Services at 1-800-627-3529.

On the cover: Inver Hills Community College student Melissa Zwiefel stands outside The College of St. Scholastica’s downtown St. Paul campus, where Inver Hills will begin offering business coursework this fall. The two colleges have partnered together to create a seamless transfer agreement that allows students to earn associate and bachelor’s degrees in one location.

A member of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

First-year programs put students first

Feature: Start here, transfer anywhere!Inver Hills grows list of bachelor’s degree options, on campus and off

Inver Hills heads to high schoolLADR program boosts college readiness, cuts costs and time

Photos: Celebrating the fine arts

Column: Service learning: A recipe for success

Connecting college with the family businessStudents put lessons to work at St. Paul bakery

Spotlight: Diversity director seeks to enrich college experience for all students

DepartmentsFrom the President ................................................3News & Notes .......................................................4From the Alumni Association ................................7Programs & Majors ..............................................13Registration Guide ..............................................17Workforce Development & Continuing ..............20 Education ClassesFrom the Foundation ...........................................23

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2500 80th Street EastInver Grove Heights, MN 55076651-450-3000www.inverhills.edu

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Dear friends,

It has been an unusual year at Inver Hills. In July of 2011, as our fiscal year began, we faced a pos-sible shut down of the college as a legislative budget battle shuttered much of state government. Thanks to the tireless efforts of former Chancellor James McCormick, our students were spared a disruption in their education. Following Chancellor McCormick’s retirement, Dr. Steven Rosen-stone moved over from the University of Minnesota to the chancellor’s chair at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Chancellor Rosenstone has infused the system with new energy and a strategic focus on assuring our students and constituents access to an “extraordinary education” as

“the most affordable option in higher education” while being “the partner of choice to meet Minnesota’s workforce and com-munity needs.” Inver Hills has stepped up to meet Chancellor Rosenstone’s direction.

Inver Hills was awarded a grant during the 2010-11 academic year to develop “Maps to Credentials” for veterans and service members. This grant has allowed Inver Hills to expand prior learning assessment opportunities to these individuals while ac-celerating their college education. Maps to degree completion will be developed utilizing military experience based on the American Council on Education’s recommendations for competencies and course equivalencies. Military occupation special-ties common to the Minnesota National Guard have been reviewed by faculty, and course equivalencies identified specifically in the area of business with further developments to occur. Partner institutions in the grant are Miami Dade College and Fay-etteville Technical Community College.

As a result of the grant initiative, Inver Hills was the recipient of the MnSCU award for Innovative Partnering and Collabora-tion on May 23, 2012. Other partners include the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, MnSCU Veterans Re-Entry Education Program, Goodwill/Easter Seals, and Workforce Centers.

Inver Hills also received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study diversity issues in information technology career programming. This project, entitled “Addressing Information Technology Workforce Needs in an Urban Setting by Recruiting from an Untapped Resource: Underrepresented Students,” is a pilot project designed to address significant infor-mation technology workforce needs. It seeks to determine why so few underrepresented students are enrolling in IT career programs at Inver Hills; create, adapt and deploy tools to recruit a more diverse IT student body, and to retain and support those students; provide teacher training and curriculum revisions at secondary schools; and leverage industry partnerships to create new opportunities for students.

This project has significant support from business and secondary school partners, creating a truly collaborative project team. For example, our industry partners have committed to providing resources to facilitate effective and cost-efficient communi-cation; to sponsor and participate in career awareness events; to provide access to modern instrumentation and new technolo-gies presently unavailable to many secondary school students; to integrate current industry standards and 21st century work-place competencies into the secondary school curriculum; to provide speakers and facilitate information sessions designed to engage underrepresented students; and to facilitate field trips and industry tours. This project not only focuses on producing more skilled IT technicians now, it lays the foundation for a future project addressing larger STEM workforce needs through the recruitment of underrepresented students.

We learned in the spring that our “Learning Communities: Innovative Structure and Integrative Learning” program had been selected to receive a 2011-12 MnSCU Academic and Student Affairs award for Excellence in Curriculum Programming. Awards were selected by peer academic and student affairs campus administrators based on such criteria as effective use of technology and student achievement. We also host an annual Learning Communities statewide conference, spreading the knowledge our faculty and staff have learned in implementing Learning Communities across disciplines.

The college faculty held an all-campus conference identifying “signature learning experiences.” We compiled an amazing ar-ray of courses and pedagogies that were shared across the college. We were reminded that, as a college, we never stop learning.

This is just a smattering of the great work going on at Inver. You will find articles in this magazine referencing our new FAIM scholarship program, as well as LADR – an innovative interaction with our K-12 partners. FAIM and LADR demonstrate that Inver is committed to improving the lives of our students, both academically and fiscally.

Thank you for your support of our students and college.

Tim WynesPresidentInver Hills Community College

From the College President


Inver Hills becomes first college in Minnesota to offer FAIM tuition assistance programWith the help of grants from the Katherine B. Andersen fund of The Saint Paul Foundation, Kopp Foundation, Dakota Electric Association and CHS, as well as significant donations from individuals, the Inver Hills Community College Foundation raised $108,000 this spring to become the first college in Minnesota to offer its students the Family Assets for Independence Minnesota tuition assistance pro-gram. When combined with financial aid assistance programs, FAIM allows students the opportunity to graduate from college with little to no debt. The fed-eral program helps students increase their savings for tuition, as well as strengthen their ability to suc-cessfully complete their degree and become self-suf-ficient. For more information, see page 23.

Anderson receives lifetime achievement awardDave Anderson, dean of the Center for Professional and Workforce Develop-ment at Inver Hills Commu-nity College, is the recipient of the Minnesota Council for Continuing Education and Customized Training Life-time Achievement Award. Throughout the course of his 15 years with Inver Hills, Anderson has transformed the college’s continuing edu-cation and customized training division from a com-munity education model to a workforce-oriented model. He helped the college develop a national reputation as a leading Cisco Academy institution, led the effort to create a significant presence in the safety compliance market, and played a role in the creation of the Network Technology and Security program, which provides students with equipment and curriculum that are among the best in the nation.

Enrollment of veterans and service members up 68 percentComprehensive support services, scholarships, net-working opportunities, and collaboration with area communities and agencies helped increase the enrollment of veterans and service members at Inver Hills by 68.8 percent between 2008 and 2010. The college now offers priority registration for this popu-lation of students, as well as a variety of other ser-vices. For more information, visit www.inverhills.edu/studentresources/veteranservices.

Hoseney to serve as vice president of student affairsOn June 6, Inver Hills welcomed Jason Hoseney as the college’s new vice president of student affairs. Hoseney came to Inver Hills following a stint as vice presi-dent for student success at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He previously served at Lower Columbia Col-lege, Belmont Abbey College and Clark College. He is pursuing a doctorate in education with emphasis in commu-nity college leadership from Oregon State Univer-sity, and holds a master’s in educational leadership, a bachelor’s in human development and an associate degree in chemical dependence counseling.

Learning Community, military grant programs receive awardsThe Inver Hills Learning Community program and the Maps to Credentials grant program were honored in May by Minnesota State Colleges and Universi-ties at its 12th Annual Academic and Student Affairs Awards. The Learning Community program – which allows students to take multiple classes built around a central theme and to learn as a group – was one of two programs chosen statewide to be recognized for Excellence in Curriculum Programming. The Maps to Credentials grant program — which helps move stu-dents from military and industry training to acceler-ated higher education attainment – was one of three programs chosen statewide to be recognized for Innovative Partnering and Collaboration.

Adult learner event to be held this fall A special open house is scheduled this fall to help adult learners discover how Inver Hills can help them earn a degree in less time and for less money. The event will be held from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27, on the Inver Hills campus. Features of the event include a transfer panel with four-year institutions, enroll-ment services and financial aid assistance, Adult Suc-cess through Accelerated Programs information ses-sions and a Desire to Learn demonstration.

Civil War series to continue in SeptemberThe Academy for Lifelong Learning’s Interesting Conversations with Interesting People series will con-tinue its commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War this fall. Three events are planned, including: a discussion on Gen. William Gates LeDuc on Sept. 20; “Doing Anthropology in the Shadow of the War: Newspaper Research, Culture Shock and

News & Notes


the Civil War” on Oct. 11; and “Music of the Civil War” on Nov. 15. For more information, visit www.inverhills.edu/ALL.

Date set for third-annual Life Raft DebateThe third-annual Inver Hills Life Raft Debate will be held at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9. The debate pits faculty members against each other in arguing which academic discipline is most useful in helping civi-lization flourish. Participating in the debate will be returning champion James Schneider (biology), Daryl Doering (emergency medical services), Shane Stroup (philosophy), Stanley Rothrock (music), Jeremy Nienow (anthropology) and Shiloh Gideon-Sjostrom (the devil’s advocate). This event is free and open to the public. Peer Tutor program gets certifiedThe Inver Hills Peer Tutor program has received cer-tification by the College Reading and Learning Asso-ciation. The CRLA is an international organization focusing on reading, learning assistance, develop-ment education, tutoring and mentoring.

Inver Hills establishes community gardenResidents of St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights and sur-rounding areas were invited this spring to grow food as a community and reserve spaces for personal use in the newly established Interdisciplinary Commu-nity Garden on the Inver Hills campus. The garden

is a joint effort between Inver Hills and Metropolitan State University, and generates pro-duce for the Neighbors, Inc., community food shelf, as well as for individual students and community members who reserved their own plot. For more information, contact Barb Curchack at [email protected].

Music department makes Spaghetti and Singing fundraiser an annual eventThe Inver Hills music department has decided to make its Spaghetti & Singing fundraiser an annual event. The fundraiser combines good food with good music, and has raised money for the purchase of new tuxedos and dresses for the Inver Hills choir, as well as for a music department scholarship. The event is held in the spring.

Instructor receives McGraw-Hill/ Kellogg scholarshipInstructor Mary Ann Saurino is a recipient of the McGraw-Hill/Kellogg Developmental Educator Scholarship, which honors outstanding instructors dedicated to preparing students for college-level coursework. Through this scholarship, Saurino is able to attend the Kellogg Institute for the Training and Certification of Developmental Educators, the nation’s longest running advanced training program for developmental educators.

Sociology instructor to study with Mengele Twin on Auschwitz Teacher ScholarshipSociology instructor Vicky Knickerbocker was awarded a 2012 Auschwitz Teacher Scholarship to travel and study this summer with Holocaust sur-vivor Eva Kor. Kor and her twin sister Miriam, along with several other sets of twins, were experimented on during World War II at the hands of German SS Officer and Physician Josef Mengele at Auschwitz. Kor is the founder of CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center.

Business instructor publishes bookBusiness instructor Hamid Kazer-oony has published a new book, “Strategic Management in Higher Education.” He followed up by joining colleagues in Poland in May and in Holland in June to give a research presentation on “Multiculturalism: The Role, the Influence and the Nature in the 21st Century Management.”

Alumna named one of Most Beautiful Minds in AmericaInver Hills alumna Dr. Mary Turner Maher of Mendota Heights was named one of the National Center for Creative Aging’s Most Beautiful Minds in America. Maher earned her Ph.D. after raising five children and battling colon cancer. Now retired from a suc-cessful career in education, she continues to tutor low-income children with reading difficulties. The Beautiful Minds campaign seeks to identify those age 55 and older who use their minds to do beau-tiful things without letting age be a barrier.


News & Notes


BY HELEN CLARKE EBERT

First-year programs put students first

In a perfect world, psychology instructor Barb Cur-chack’s students would experience less stress, learn to balance their busy lives in ways that promote college success, achieve more both inside and out of the class-room, and ultimately return to Inver Hills for a second year.

Curchack’s world isn’t perfect now, but she’s hoping to inch a little closer this fall with the launch of the col-lege’s revamped first-year experience programming.

“Students don’t magically go from high school seniors to prepared college students in one summer,” Curchack said. “They need help, and it’s best for us to provide them with the help as soon as possible. Colleges that prepare their students have students who succeed in better and brighter ways.”

Inver Hills has long focused on providing new students with support and resources to enhance their first year, but a new effort attempts to further align those oppor-tunities, and in the process, minimize students’ barri-ers to success in college. Incoming Inver Hills students can expect to receive support from day one — from assessments, advising and registration, to orientation, workshops, financial planning, alternative learning op-tions and a host of programs aimed at specific groups of students.

Packaged together, this package of first-year program-ming takes on the name SmartSTART.

A new student starts out with a SmartSTART Advis-ing & Registration event, which includes a 30-minute information session, meeting with counselors and aca-demic advisors for academic planning and course regis-tration, and discussions about financial aid options and paying tuition. Here, students also can learn about some of Inver Hills’ award-winning learning options, includ-ing Learning Communities, On Course and adult learn-er programs.

The advising and registration event is followed by SmartSTART Orientation — a fun and informative ori-entation that eases the transition into college and is held just before classes begin. Speed learning sessions; email, network log-in and online course account set-up; and textbook purchasing take place, as well as lunch with fellow students and instructors, and opportunities to learn about activities, clubs and other interest groups on campus.

One day each semester, Inver Hills sponsors Smart-START Student Success Day, which includes events and activities aimed at helping students plan and achieve their educational and career goals. Students at-tend workshops, meet with instructors to discuss prog-ress in their classes, hear a keynote speaker and partici-

pate in a Transfer Fair. In addition, SmartSTART Money Matters gives students the tools to make good decisions when managing personal finances through the creation of a spending plan, application for financial aid, learning how to keep loan debt to a minimum, and the offering of the Fiscally Fit Futures workshop series.

“We owe it to our students to provide ever more sophis-ticated types of support to them as they engage with the campus community,” Curchack said. “We need to meet students where they’re at and provide them the next step to support their academic journey. With this new coordinated effort, we will be helping students meet — and even exceed — their academic, social and financial needs.”

The SmartSTART overhaul was part of an Academic Quality Improvement Program action project — a pro-cess developed by the Higher Learning Commission that guides accredited institutions in regularly making improvements to programs and processes, as well as en-gaging and empowering faculty and staff in playing an active role in maintaining the quality of the institution.

“Our work with the first-year experience program is guided by the goal of providing our students with skills and strategies to be successful in college when they need it most,” said Brent Glass, director of Student Life and leader of the AQIP project.

Through its efforts, Glass said, the college hopes to in-crease retention, as well as student success and satisfac-tion rates.

For more on becoming a student at Inver Hills Community College, visit www.inverhills.edu/smartstart.


It was because of a law enforcement class at Inver Hills that William Blair Anderson made the call that changed the course of his career. A guest speaker had invited students to call him if they needed anything, and Anderson called the very next day. Graduating from the law enforcement program shortly after, in 1996, Anderson now serves as chief deputy of the Carver County Sheriff’s Office. He manages day-to-day operations, budget and personnel, and develops and implements programs. He previously served 16 years with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office.

Anderson got an early start, but a later finish on his education — coming to Inver Hills first as a teenager without finishing his de-gree, and returning at the age of 27. Following the completion of his associate degree, he went on to attend St. Mary’s University and earned a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in public safety administration. Throughout his ca-reer in law enforcement, Anderson has been committed to making the world safer for children, developing programs such as mentoring, community outreach, ex-offender re-entry and juvenile detention alternative initiatives. He also is active in the Minnesota Youth Leadership Academy, many youth service organizations and youth sports, and corporate and community committees. He also is a veteran – having served eight years in the U.S. Army, including a term in the Gulf War. n

Mike Scott has devoted his entire adult life to community ser-vice. Starting out as a volunteer firefighter in 1983, he worked his way through a career in law enforcement as a police officer for the city of Fergus Falls and as commander with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office before taking on the role of the city of Eagan’s first paid fire chief. He has been in that position since 2006, leading the second largest volunteer fire department in the state, which includes a team of 150 volunteer firefighters. Scott graduated from Inver Hills in 1985 and went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration.

Since taking over as chief, Scott has made fire prevention and education a high priority. With his direction and support, the department successfully obtained a $50,000 donation from the

Eagan Rotary to purchase a fire safety trailer that is used throughout the community to teach children about fire safety and what to do in case of an emergency. The depart-ment also purchased a fire extinguisher simulator to teach businesses and civic groups how to extinguish a fire. As chief, Scott also has planned for innovative ways to recruit volunteers and led the charge for construction of the nation’s first “green globe” fire house. Outside of the department, Scott is active with Eagan Rotary. n

Dean Swenson is a tireless volunteer and believes strongly in the mission of community colleges. As an Inver Hills alumnus, he has a personal commitment to giving back to the college that helped him get started in a successful career. He graduated from Inver Hills in 1991, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from Augsburg College. Swenson currently serves as general auditor for Wings Financial Credit Union. He previously spent 11 years working in public accounting with three firms after passing the CPA exam in 1996.

Since 2009, Swenson also has served as director of the Region III Association of Credit Union Internal Auditors, which includes the 10 northern states from North Dakota to Ohio. As director, Swenson organizes annual meetings and training for the group. In addition, he has volunteered his time to several community organizations, including the South St. Paul Soccer Board, Inver Grove Heights Royalty Committee, Synchrony Color Guard, Community Night at the Dome and the Wings Financial Scholarship Committee. n

College names 2012 Outstanding Alumni Alumni Association Board of Directors

William Blair Anderson

Carver County Sheriff’s Office

Reyne Branchaud-Linsk

Retired

Melanie Hamilton

Student

Bob Isaacson

Minnesota Department of Employment

and Economic Development

Mary Maher

Retired

Mark Mohr

BNSF Railway

Patrick Murphy

Former airline executive

Bruce Nelson

Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union

Pat Schlagel

Fairview Southdale Hospital

Connie Schmidt

Merrick, Inc.

Dane Smith

Growth and Justice

Dean Swenson

Wings Financial Federal Credit Union



Moving to the United States from Ethiopia at the age of 13 was a formative experience for Selam Admassu.

The change offered joy in reuniting with her parents, as well as sadness in leaving behind the grandmother who raised her. It brought about hope and promise for an education she and her family had always strived for. But most of all, the experience sparked in Admassu a love of culture.

“We’re all human, but I find it really interesting how we’re differ-ent – in culture, in language, in food – and how we’re the same,” the Inver Hills Community College student, now 21, said. “I think that moving into a whole new culture at a young age is what made me so interested in the study of humanity.”

A student with big college dreams — she aspires to earn a Ph.D. in anthropology — Admassu is one of many Inver Hills students who are reaping the benefits of the college’s comprehensive trans-

Feature

Start here, transfer anywhere!Inver Hills grows list of bachelor’s degree options, on campus and off

Selam Admassu


fer options. Following the completion of her Asso-ciate in Art degree this fall, Admassu will transfer to the University of Minnesota with 60 credits of general coursework and lower-division anthropol-ogy courses under her belt.

The newly established Transfer Center at Inver Hills promises to help students like Admassu make the transition to a four-year institution as seamless as possible. It’s a place where students can get per-sonalized assistance while exploring transfer op-tions, meet individually with representatives from transfer colleges, and take advantage of other bene-fits – like waived application fees for certain institu-tions, and saved time and money through planning.

“We don’t want to leave any doubts in parents’


minds or in students’ minds that they have as good of an opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree starting here as they do anywhere else,” said Paula Brugge, director of outreach and recruitment. “And we’ll do everything in our power to get them there.”

Inver Hills offers several options for students wishing to transfer to a four-year institution, including the Min-nesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC), a 40-credit liberal arts core designed to transfer to all Minnesota state uni-versities, the University of Minnesota and several other institutions; the In-ver Hills-University of Minnesota Co-operative Admissions Program (Mn-CAP), which guarantees admission to particular University of Minnesota majors when certain conditions are met; and program articulation agree-ments, which exist with various uni-versities and generally allow for the transfer of credits toward a specific academic program. Examples of the latter include the A.S. in Paralegal to Hamline University’s Legal Studies program and Metropolitan State Uni-

versity’s First College, and the A.S. in Construction Management to Min-nesota State University Moorhead’s Construction Management program.

This spring, Inver Hills added Transfer Agreement Guarantees (TAGs) to a student’s list of transfer options. These are institution-specific and build in one-on-one meetings between the student and a representative from the transfer institution several times a year to focus on big-picture degree plan-ning and work out any potential issues that could affect the ease of transfer. Current TAG partners include Augs-burg College, Concordia University St. Paul, Metropolitan State Univer-sity, The College of St. Scholastica, Minnesota State University Mankato (pending) and the University of Wis-consin-River Falls.

“We’ve selected the schools that our students are most interested in trans-ferring to and created a guarantee that says if a student follows these steps, they’re guaranteed admission into that four-year college,” Inver Hills Counselor LeAnne Schmidt said. “In-

ver Hills will help the student make that happen.”

Those students who know they want to earn a bachelor’s degree in business or social work and seek to take all of their coursework at one location have yet another option – this time, in the form of a well-defined partnership be-tween Inver Hills and The College of St. Scholastica. The two colleges have together established programs that allow students to earn associate and bachelor’s degrees in business fields from St. Scholastica’s downtown St. Paul campus, and associate and bache-lor’s degrees in social work fields from the Inver Hills campus.

“For someone who lives or works downtown St. Paul, this is a very con-venient option,” Anne Johnson, dean of business and social sciences for In-ver Hills, said of the new business pro-gram agreement, which kicks off this fall. “They can take classes right there in an accelerated, hybrid format that includes both online and in-person coursework.”

For 28-year-old student Melissa Zwiefel, the location couldn’t be bet-ter. Located just four miles from her St. Paul home and a short drive from her day job at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, St. Scholastica’s downtown location is what drew her to enroll in courses there in the first place.

“I signed up immediately — it’s so convenient, and it’s going to save me a ton of time and money,” Zwiefel said. “Inver Hills has such a great reputa-tion, and I’ve had friends who have graduated from St. Scholastica and had great success in their careers.”

Zwiefel began pursuing the Associate in Science in Contemporary Business degree at Inver Hills this spring after completing several of the college’s online continuing education cours-es, which helped expand her skillset while helping her boyfriend with his small business. With several years of experience working in the human re-

Counselor Rob Harris helps student Sia Yang sort out transfer and career options.


sources field behind her, the time was right to finally complete a bachelor’s degree, as she intended to do a decade ago.

“We are continuously looking for ways to offer our students more bac-calaureate completion options in the metro area, and we know this part-nership with St. Scholastica will be a great benefit to our business students,” Johnson said, noting that the Inver Hills Contemporary Business program is fully accredited by the Accredita-tion Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). “And as a college,

Inver Hills is continuing to expand on the bachelor’s degree options we of-fer to students right here on the Inver Grove Heights campus.”

Since fall 2011, students have been able to complete the entire curricu-lum for the St. Scholastica Bachelor of Science in Social Work on the In-ver Hills campus. Students have the option of starting with the Inver Hills Associate in Science in Human Ser-vice, which offers a seamless transfer into the social work program. Social work courses are offered in the eve-nings, and completing students ul-

timately are eligible for advanced standing in a Master of Social Work program.

“Since we started offering the social work program on the Inver Hills cam-pus in the fall of 2011, we’ve seen sev-eral students change their plans and opt to pursue a bachelor’s degree be-cause this program is available on our campus,” Johnson said. “For an institu-tion that strives to make higher edu-cation accessible and attainable for all students, this is a great sign of promise as we continue to look for more ways to connect our students with oppor-

Melissa Zwiefel

Why start at Inver Hills? Here’s what two of our partner universities have to say!

At the University of Wiscon-sin-River Falls, graduates of Inver Hills make up the sec-ond-largest transfer student population.

“Because of the close prox-imity of UWRF to Inver Hills, it is a natural progression for students to start their stud-ies at Inver Hills and com-plete their bachelor’s degree at UW-River Falls,” said Mark Meydam, director of admis-sion at UWRF. “Students who complete an A.A. degree from Inver Hills have already satisfied the general educa-tion requirements at UWRF.”

The university employs a full-time transfer coordinator and offers registration sessions for new transfer students. In ad-dition, the tuition reciprocity program between Minnesota and Wisconsin allows stu-dents living in Minnesota to enroll at UWRF and pay their home state rate of tuition.

Students and institutions alike are seeing the rewards at Concordia University, St. Paul.

“We have had great suc-cess with transfer students from Inver Hills,” said Kristin Schoon, Concordia’s director of undergraduate admissions. “IHCC students are able to easily transfer their credits to Concordia with the academic preparation needed to be successful college students.”

One-third of Concordia’s on-campus students each fall are transfer students, which Schoon says gives the insti-tution a greater need to be “transfer friendly.” The uni-versity offers a new student orientation program geared toward transfer students, as well as a Transfer Transitions course. The university also offers the Concordia Transfer Advantage Program, which guarantees a $2,000 scholar-ship to Inver Hills graduates.


tunities to further their education.”

The Inver Hills Emergency Medi-cal Services department is in the fi-nal stages of developing a similar pro-gram with St. Mary’s University of Minnesota that will allow students to complete the Associate in Science in Emergency Medical Services and the Bachelor of Science in Allied Health, all on the Inver Hills campus.

All of these options result in a big benefit for Inver Hills students.

“With the creation of the Transfer Center and new partnerships for bach-elor’s degree completion both on and off campus, we are letting the com-munity know that bachelor’s degree-bound students should start here,” Schmidt said. “Wherever you’re go-ing, we’re here to help you get there.”

For more information on how to apply to Inver Hills, or for a complete list of transfer agreements, visit us online at www.inverhills.edu.

Your transfer options, explained.

Representatives from Inver Hills and several of the college’s transfer partners participated in the formal signing of new Transfer Agreement Guarantees on April 12.

Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs) Guaranteed admission for stu-dents who complete a degree at Inver Hills and meet certain crite-ria for the following universities: Augsburg College, Concordia University St. Paul, Metropolitan State University, The College of St. Scholastica, Minnesota State University Mankato (pending) and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Additional benefits include regular one-on-one meetings with transfer college representa-tives and waived application fees.

Inver Hills-U of M Cooperative Admissions Program (MnCAP) A cooperative arrangement be-tween the University of Minneso-ta-Twin Cities and Inver Hills that guarantees transfer admission to one of the participating U of M majors when conditions are met.

Articulation Agreements Formal agreements between Inver Hills and another institution to ac-cept credits in transfer toward a specific academic program. Articu-lation agreements generally are for specialized professional or technical programs at Inver Hills that can be applied to a specific program/major at the receiving university.

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) A 40-credit liberal arts core de-signed to transfer to all the Minne-sota state universities and the Uni-versity of Minnesota. Additionally, the following colleges and univer-sities honor the MnTC when com-pleted as part of the A.A. degree: Augsburg College, Concordia Uni-versity St. Paul, St. Mary’s University, The College of St. Scholastica, the University of North Dakota and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.



Inver Hills heads to high schoolLADR program boosts college readiness, cuts costs and time

Inver Hills Community College has long prided itself on being accessible to students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Now it’s taken that purpose a step further – with the introduction of a new program that allows high school students who perform in the middle of their class academically to earn college credit.

The program is coined LADR – Lead-ing And Developing Readiness – and its goal is to prepare students for col-lege while smoothing the transition be-tween high school and higher educa-tion.

“When they first get to campus and take their assessment tests, 88 per-cent of Inver Hills students place into developmental math, and 48 percent into developmental reading and writ-ing,” said Doug Binsfeld, dean of the college’s humanities and fine arts divi-sion and developer of the LADR pro-gram. “These statistics are staggering, but with the addition of this program, LADR participants will be able to go directly into college-level classes be-cause they’ve successfully navigated the developmental curriculum while in high school. And they save time and money in the process.”

To be eligible, high school students must place between the 30th and 70th percentile in their class and test below the cut-off level for other college-in-high-school programs on an Accuplac-er exam. In addition, 80 percent of the program’s participants must be from underrepresented groups: first-genera-tion college students, low-income stu-dents or students of color.

The program challenges students to take the equivalent of Inver Hills’ col-lege readiness courses — such as ENG 99 — as high school sophomores, and

then enroll in college-level courses — such as ENG 1108 — their junior and senior years. The high school classes are concurrent, meaning they provide both high school and college credits, and are taught by qualified high school instruc-tors mentored by Inver Hills faculty.

Inver Hills continues to offer Post-Sec-ondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) and Concurrent Enrollment programs for high school students at the top of their classes, but LADR was developed in part by Binsfeld as a means to pro-vide similar opportunities for those students who fit more in the “academic middle.”

Binsfeld came to Inver Hills with a strong background in Concurrent En-rollment Programs (CEP) from his work at Southwest Minnesota State University. He developed LADR with Cyndi Crist, a now-retired Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system office staff member, as a new academ-ic partnership between Inver Hills and area high schools.

Inver Hills sought high school part-ners for LADR over the course of the summer months in 2011, and piloted a program this spring at Burnsville High School. Thirty-seven students partici-pated.

“The pilot program has been helping Inver Hills understand how to com-municate the vision and the process of Concurrent Enrollment with incoming high school partners,” said Wanda Syn-stelien, an Inver Hills English instructor and mentor in the Burnsville program. Having the high schools and colleges work as a “seamless system,” she be-lieves, will “allow students unfettered opportunities.”

This fall, the program will make its way into Rosemount and Simley high

BY DAVID PAGE

schools to support an additional 150 students.

Heather Traeger was a concurrently enrolled student as a senior in high school when the University of Minne-sota started its College in the Schools (CIS) literature classes. Now a teacher herself, Traeger taught CIS classes at a charter school and, after transferring to Rosemount, approached the ad-ministration at the high school about teaching a CIS class there.

“When Rosemount decided to go with the Inver Hills program rather than a CIS class, I was asked if I would be interested in being the lead teacher,” Traeger said. “I think concurrent en-rollment, especially for underrepre-sented students, helps to level the playing field.”

Ultimately, she said she hopes the pro-gram will help raise expectations for all students.


Accounting A.S.Advanced Network Technology CertificateAnthropology A.A. with Emphasis Art A.F.A.Associate in Arts Biology A.A. with EmphasisBiology A.S.Chemistry A.A. with EmphasisChemistry A.S.Child Care Teacher CertificateCommunity Health Worker Certificate.Computer Programmer A.A.S.Construction Management A.S.Construction Management CertificateContemporary Business A.S.Contemporary Business Practice A.A.S.Criminal Justice A.S.Criminal Justice (Pre-CCJLE) CertificateCustomer Service CertificateEarly Childhood Education A.S. (pending MnSCU approval)Education Foundations A.S.eMarketing Certificate (pending MnSCU approval)Emergency Medical Services A.S.Emergency Medical Technician Certificate (pending MnSCU approval)Engineering Fundamentals A.S.Environmental Science A.S. (pending MnSCU approval)Exercise Science A.S.Gender and Women Studies A.A. with EmphasisHistory A.A. with EmphasisHuman Resource Management CertificateHuman Service Assistant Certificate

Programs of StudyHuman Service Worker A.S.Individualized Professional Studies A.S.Information Technology Support A.A.S.International Business A.S. (pending MnSCU approval)IP Telephony CertificateIT Help Desk CertificateLaw Enforcement A.S.Legal Administrative Assistant A.S.Legal Administrative Assistant CertificateMarketing & Sales CertificateMathematics A.A. with EmphasisMicrosoft Certified IT Professional CertificateMusic Industry A.F.A. (pending MnSCU approval)Networking Technology and Security A.A.S.Network Security CertificateNursing A.S.Nursing Assistant CertificateOffice Technology CertificateParalegal A.S.Paralegal (post-graduate) CertificateParamedic CertificatePhysical Education A.S.Political Science A.A. with EmphasisProfessional Writing CertificateProject Management CertificatePsychology A.A. with EmphasisSmall Business Development CertificateSociology A.A. with Emphasis (pending MnSCU approval)Supervision CertificateTeaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) CertificateTheatre A.F.A. (pending MnSCU approval)



Celebrating the fine artsStudents, faculty, staff and community members came together April 19-21 for the first-annual Inver Hills Fine Arts Festival. With more than 50 sessions presented by the college’s Art, English, Music and Theatre departments, attendees participated in everything from glass fusing workshops and bookbinding lessons to solo song con-tests and improv performances. All participants were invited to make their mark on the Inver Hills campus by helping to paint a large-scale mural that will remain in the college for years to come.


Whenever I start talking to someone about service-learning, I get excited. Like little-kid-in-a-bakery kind of excited. Because I’ve had the pleasure of tasting the risen dough of well-crafted service-learning, and there’s really no other pedagogy that compares to its sweetness.

And the recipe? It’s devastatingly simple: use course objectives to meet a real community need, allow students time to reflect on their experiences throughout the semester, and – presto! – you’ve served up a delicious mixture of achieved learning goals and service to the community.

But topping it all off, let’s say the frosting and sprinkles of our baking extravaganza are increased engagement in course material, higher retention rates, a greater sense of civic responsibility and the knowledge of critical life skills – the soft skills that help our students get jobs.

I once taught a creative writing class where I paired students with seniors in a nearby assisted-living facility. Over the course of the quarter, my students interviewed seniors about their lives and histories, which culminated in an eight- to 10-page piece of fiction, nonfiction or script that related in some fashion to the senior’s life. By the end of the quarter, 16 of the 17 students who had started my course completed it with a C or higher, one of my students was offered a job at the assisted-living facility, and I received stories that underwent significant revisions and ended up more than 22 pages in length. I’d never experienced this kind of dedication to course content – and I had the seniors to thank. As one of my students later told me, “They were counting on us. I just couldn’t let my story fall flat.”

My student’s statement encapsulates what gives service-learning its power: real-life situations that show students that their coursework is valuable in a real, tangible way that can – and indeed should – be shared. That is powerful, transformational learning. It’s service, too. And now, this recipe is being shared all over campus.

Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of working with instructors from a wide variety of disciplines who have incorporated service-learning into their classrooms to underscore their students’ learning of course material. Brenda Van Vossen’s online Management

class developed a training manual for volunteer managers at Lutheran Social Services; Rob Kolomyski’s Advanced Painting class painted a mural for a group home in our community; James Schneider’s Anatomy and Physiology class invited middle school students into the classroom for small-group lessons on the brain’s structures and functions; our Nursing students offer blood pressure clinics and teach health awareness topics to children at Head Start; our Human Services and Education students continue to contribute hundreds of hours to social services agencies and schools in and around the Twin Cities. I could go on – especially about the summer and fall semesters, when our partners will expand to include the Dakota County Historical Society (Anthropology), Memorial Blood Centers (Communication) and ImpactLives (International Business).

Of course, we’re not stopping there. We’ll continue adding ingredients like international travel and Learning Communities to our base mixture, expanding on the possibilities that rigorous service-learning has to offer.

At Inver Hills, part of our recipe for success – in our values and vision and mission statements – is the word “community.” Our mission statement shows that we are “dedicated to the power and promise of education [and seek to] inspire students, build careers and strengthen communities.” Service-learning shows students the power of their education; inspires them to be socially responsible, transformational citizens; gives them real-world experience that translates into job skills; and supports our local and global communities. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to smell the sweet caramel and chocolate aromas of service-learning wafting through the campus air.

This recipe’s a keeper.

Katie Halcrow is director of service-learning at Inver Hills. Reach her at [email protected].

Service-learning: A recipe for success

Column

Katie Halcrow

BY KATIE HALCROW


Regular AdmissionRegular admission is for students who plan to pursue a degree or certificate at IHCC or plan to transfer to another institution. To apply, go to www.inverhills.edu/applyonline. A one-time, nonrefundable $20 application fee is required.

Limited EnrollmentLimited enrollment is a temporary enrollment status designed for students who are not seeking a degree or certificate, do not want financial aid and know the specific classes they want to take. Limited enrollment students are ineligible for financial aid, veteran benefits and academic counseling services. Limited enrollment applications are accepted by mail, fax or in person during the open reg-istration period. Use the limited enrollment form at www.inverhills.edu/forms. A $20 nonrefundable application fee must be included.

Registrationwww.inverhills.edu/courseregistration New students accepted under regular admission will register during SmartStart Advising & Registration. New students enrolling through limited enrollment register in person, by mail or by fax using the limited enrollment registration form.

Current or returning students should register online. For log-in or registration assistance, contact the Enroll-ment Center.

Register as early as possible during registration peri-ods. Classes may fill at any time. The college reserves the right to change class locations, instructors and other conditions that do not alter the scheduling of the class. If times, days or dates are changed, students will be notified.

Selecting classes www.inverhills.edu/classscheduleUse the course registration link on the college homepage for information about classes, including course descrip-tions, prerequisites, schedule and other details. Current students also can log into their E-services account to view courses and register. Class sections may be added, canceled or filled at any time. The online listing reflects the most accurate class information.

Tuition www.inverhills.edu/courseregistration/tuitionpayment.aspxTuition and fees are set by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Included with tuition are fees for student life/activities, technology, parking and student association. Students who register for classes must pay tuition or make arrange-ments to do so by the tuition due dates found in the academic calendar online.

Financial Aidwww.inverhills.edu/studentresources/financialaidThe Financial Aid office provides information on federal, state and local financial aid programs and scholarships. State grants, need-based aid, loans and work-study are available. Students must apply for financial aid online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The school code is 006935. For more information, stop by the Financial Aid office in room 257 of the College Center, call (651) 450-3518 or e-mail [email protected].

Fall 2012 Enrollment CalendarPriority registration begins ..................................April 2Open registration begins ..................................April 17Payment due for registrations through Aug. 8 ...................................................Aug. 15First drop for non-payment .............................. Aug. 16Fall semester begins ..........................................Aug. 27Payment due for registrations Aug. 9-31 ...........Aug. 31Last day to add/drop classes (no obligation) .....Aug. 31Second drop for non-payment ...........................Sept. 4Last day to withdraw from first-half classes ....... Oct. 11First-half classes end .......................................... Oct. 17Second-half classes begin ................................. Oct. 22All unpaid balances due ................................... Nov. 20Late fee ($50) will be added ..............................Nov. 21Last day to withdraw from full-term and second-half classes ............................................Nov. 29

Start your future today!Fall semester begins Aug. 27


Kesia and Jennifer Garcia have literally put their Inver Hills Community College educa-

tion to work for them at the benefit of their St. Paul family business.

Enrolled in business and general education courses at Inver Hills, the Garcia sisters spend most days at El Guanaco Bakery & Café on the city’s east side. They help out with bookkeeping and provide customer service, as well as molding breads and pastries, packaging baked goods and making wholesale deliveries to local restaurants and markets.

Both women set off to pursue careers in business with the hope of continu-ing to operate El Guanaco well into the future. Kesia is working on her As-sociate in Arts degree and ultimately

Connecting college with the family businessStudents put lessons to work at St. Paul bakeryBY DAVID PAGE

expects to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program in business adminis-tration. With just one course stand-ing in the way of her A.A. degree, Jennifer has had a change of heart and is considering pur-suing elementary education at Augs-burg College.

Regardless of their eventual programs of study, for the Garcia sisters, the desire to keep the Twin Cities’ only

Salvadoran bakery in business is a sense of pride and priority.

The Garcia family is originally from El Salvador, a country that was rocked by a brutal civil war in the 1980s.The

following decade, Kesia and Jenni-fer’s step-father, Oscar Murcia, came to the United States to seek a better life. He had managed a restaurant and bakery in El Salvador, but like many immigrants, he had to take a variety of jobs when he first came to this coun-try in order to make ends meet.

He worked for a time at a McDon-ald’s, then as a chef at a nursing home. In 2000, Kesia and Jennifer’s mother, Margarita Garcia, followed him to the United States. The following year, Ke-sia, who was 9 years old at the time, and Jennifer, who was 11, immigrat-ed, too.

“There were a lot of gangs in El Sal-vador,” Kesia said. “It was still danger-ous.”

Murcia eventually started his own commercial and home cleaning busi-ness, which he continues to operate to this day. He also began baking in the family home in Mounds View. After the family moved to Mendota

Sisters Kesia (left) and Jennifer Garcia help operate their family’s business, El Guanico Bakery & Café, while attending Inver Hills.

Traditional Salvadoran baked goods are made fresh by hand every day.


Heights, it was clear the bakery need-ed more space. So five years ago, Mur-cia opened El Guanaco Bakery & Café at 849 E. 7th St. in St. Paul.

Thirty years ago, there were five bak-eries in the Dayton’s Bluff neighbor-hood in which El Guanaco is located. Eventually all of them closed, leav-ing a void in the area that Murcia was only too happy to fill. Along with the four family members, Murcia em-ploys five other people at the bakery, all Salvadorans.

Helping at the bakery keeps Kes-ia busy, but she’s determined to ob-tain a bachelor’s degree. She wanted to attend college at Minnesota State University Mankato immediately af-ter graduating from Irondale High School, but her mother asked her to stay close to home and help with the family business.

The daughter of a family friend had attended Inver Hills and convinced Jennifer to give it a try, which paved the way for Kesia, who is finishing up her first full year at the college.

“I like it,” Kesia said about taking class-es at Inver Hills. “It’s quiet and not so crowded.”

Jennifer, who enrolled at Inver Hills three years ago, has appreciated her time at the college so much that it’s hard for her to think about leaving.

“I don’t want to move on,” she said, “but I have to. The teachers are great and the other stu-dents are, too.”

Ultimately, Kesia dreams that her college degree will give her more than just an education.

“My parents have permanent visitor status,” saidd Ke-sia, who currently

has a student visa. “Jennifer and I are hoping the Dream Act will allow us to become permanent residents as well.”

In the meantime, the family will con-tinue to provide traditional Salvador-an cuisine to residents of the Twin Cities.

Like most bakeries, El Guanaco has a showcase full of baked goods, in-cluding traditional American donuts as well as other kinds of pastries that come from Central America. Kesia’s favorite is the “banana upside down,”

similar to a pineapple upside down cake, “but a little different,” she said.

Jennifer prefers the bread pudding, with ice cream and caramel sauce. A customer favorite is the flaky cream horn, made with pudding instead of the traditional whipped cream.

As for the café food, a lot of customers come in for flautas — one made with ham, cheese and jalapeños, and anoth-er made with chicken. To help draw in business during summer months, the café serves up sorbet and ice cream, including banana splits.

“The warm weather is not good for walk-in business,” Murcia said. “Not as many people come in for coffee and a treat.”

Still, for the most part, Murcia is hap-py with his new venture.

“So far, so good,” he said.

El Guanaco Bakery & Café is located at 849 E. 7th St. in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.

El Guanaco Bakery & Café is located at 849 E. 7th St. in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.

Specialties at the Salvadoran bakery include pineapple empanadas, quesadillas cakes and bread pudding.


Workforce Development & Continuing Education

Update your skills. Improve your life.The Center for Professional and Workforce Development provides professional continuing education and industry certification courses for employees in the workforce, as well as training programs customized to the specific needs of businesses, offered on campus or on site.

Business and Entrepreneurship Contact Peter Hoch at (651) 450-3763

Information Technology Contact Tim Flug at (651) 450-3531

ServSafe®Invest in your food safety training by attending our one-day course.• CertifiedbytheNationalRestaurant

Association• Recognizedbylocal,stateandfederalhealth

departments• ExperiencedtrainersareServSafecertified

and HACCP certified• ClassinstructionisinEnglish• Certificationincludeslunch,Food

Safety course book, ServSafe Exam and Certification, and entry into the national certification registry

Aug. 20, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165Sept. 10 or 24, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165Oct. 15 or 22, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165Nov. 5 or 12, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165Dec. 3 or 10, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $165

Performance AppraisalsMon. Sept. 10, 6-9 p.m., $99

How to Write a Business PlanTues., Sept. 11, 6-9 p.m., $99

Passport to RetirementTues., Oct. 16 & 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $49Thurs., Oct. 11 & 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $49Sat., Oct. 20 & 27, 9:30-11:30 a.m., $49

Becoming a ConsultantWed., Sept. 12, 9 a.m.-noon, $99

Introduction to Internet MarketingWed., Oct. 3, 1-5 p.m., $199

Pro-Write Professional WritingWed., Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-noon, $199

Rapid Conflict ResolutionTues., Sept. 25, 2-5 p.m., $99

Introduction to Process MappingTues., Oct. 2, 2-5 p.m., $99

Beginning FrenchTues., Oct. 2-Nov. 6, 6-9 p.m., $199

High Speed Project ManagementOnline, $95

Introduction to Microsoft Project 2007Online, $95

PMP Certification Prep 1Online, $105

PMP Certification Prep 2Online, $105

Project ManagementOnline, $1,495

Project Management ApplicationsOnline, $95

Project Management FundamentalsOnline, $95

Project Management with Microsoft Project 2007Online, $1,995

Project Management with Microsoft Project 2007 (includes software)Online, $2,495

CompTIA A+/IT Essentials: PC HW & SWMon. & Wed., Oct. 22-Dec. 19, 6-9:50 p.m., $775

CCNA 1 – Network FundamentalsWed. & Sat., Aug. 29-Oct. 10, 6-9:50 p.m. (W) & 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (S), $675

CCNA 2 – Routing Protocols & ConceptsWed. & Sat., Oct. 24-Dec. 19, 6-9:50 p.m. (W) & 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (S), $675

CCNA VoiceMon., Aug. 27-Dec. 19, 6-9:50 p.m., $795

CCNA SecurityMon., Aug. 27-Dec. 19, 6-9:50 p.m., $795

CCNP SWITCH – Implementing Cisco IP Switched NetworksTues., Aug. 28-Dec. 18, 6-9:50 p.m., $795

Cisco Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1 (ICND1)Wed. & Sat., Sept. 5-Dec. 22, 6-9:50 p.m. (W) & 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (S), $1,100

PC Desktop Application Training: Access, Excel, Word, PowerPointDates and times vary, $159

Coming fall semester: Intro to iPadFor more information, contact Tim Flug at (651) 450-3531.


Health Care, EMT & Nursing Contact Kris Hanson at (651) 450-3696

Healthcare Provider CPRSat., Sept. 22, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $75Sat., Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $75Sat., Nov. 17, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $75Sat., Dec. 15, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., $75

Healthcare Provider CPR RefresherThurs., Sept. 20, 6-10 p.m., $55Thurs., Oct. 18, 6-10 p.m., $55Thurs., Nov. 15, 6-10 p.m., $55Thurs., Dec. 13, 6-10 p.m., $55

Heartsaver Pediatric First AidSat., Oct. 6, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., $55Sat., Dec. 1, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., $55

Introduction IV Skills/Phlebotomy TechniquesSat., Sept. 15, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $235Sat., Dec. 1, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $235

Introduction to ECG & 12 Lead InterpretationSat., Dec. 8, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $150

EMPACT – Emergency Medical Patient Assessment Care & TransportSat. & Sun., Oct. 6 & 7, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $221

History of Emergency Medical ServicesTues., Sept. 25, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $35

Team CodeSat., Sept. 8, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $145

ACLS Sat., Nov. 3 & 10, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $225

ACLS RefresherSat., Nov. 3, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $115

PALSWeds., Thurs. & Sat., Oct. 10, 11 & 13, 6-10 p.m. (W&Th) & 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (S), $225

PALS RefresherSat., Oct. 13, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $115

First Responder RefresherFri. & Sat., Nov. 16 & 17, 6-10 p.m. (F) & 8 a.m.-8 p.m. (S), $175

EMT RefresherFri.-Sun., Nov. 16-18, 6- 10 p.m. (F) & 8 a.m.-8 p.m. (Sat.) & 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (Sun.), $205

Paramedic RefresherFri. & Sat., Oct. 12-27, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., $354

Child Abuse – Beyond the Signs & SymptomsTues., Oct. 2, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $35

Emergency Response to Crisis Tues., Nov. 6, 6:30-9:30 p.m., $35

Nursing Assistant ExamsSaturdays, Sept. 8-Dec. 29, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., $125

Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aid ProgramMon.-Fri., Dec. 3-19, 2-10 p.m., $799Clinical dates section 1: Sat.-Mon., Dec. 15-17, 6 a.m.-2 p.m.Clinical dates section 2: Mon.-Wed., Dec. 17-19, 2-10 p.m.


Sarah Napoli-Rangel


Diversity director seeks to enrich college experience for all students

Sarah Napoli-Rangel spends her days working to create a welcoming environment for all students at Inver Hills Community College.

Students of color, first-generation college students, those of low-income status, and those who identify with various sexual orientations, genders and religious beliefs — not to mention those who fall into a “majority” group in any of those categories. No matter the identifier, Napoli-Rangel believes all students can be served by the resources in the college’s Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism.

“We’re trying to build global leaders,” Napoli-Rangel, the college’s director of diversity, said. “In order to be effective in today’s workforce, one needs to be able to compete with diverse audiences, practice intercultural competence and have an open mind.”

Twenty-nine percent of students enrolled at Inver Hills this spring identified as students of color, while 58 percent were identified as low-income students through their eligibil-ity for the Federal Pell Grant Program. Further, 61 percent of students came from homes where neither parent has a bachelor’s degree, and 22 percent came from a home where neither parent attended any college.

Napoli-Rangel began leading the college’s diversity efforts in January 2011. In this capacity, she puts forth effort in the areas of student services, affirmative action, human resourc-es and curriculum development. This fall, she will open the doors to a new, dedicated space focusing solely on diversity services.

“We’ve focused on creating a space — a multicultural stu-dent center — that will be a place where students can hang out, work on homework, view print publications and ad-dress issues of diversity happening on campus and off,” Na-poli-Rangel said.

Aside from being a physical space where students can gath-er and utilize resources, the Office of Diversity and Multi-culturalism provides customized programming for classes, workshops and student events; connects students with re-sources in the community; and supports the multicultur-al club scene through the college’s thriving Student Life

division. The office also hosts the monthly Diverse Perspectives student workshop series, which varies in theme each academic year — the focus for the 2012-13 academic year is gender and sexual orientation.

“I also serve as an advocate — I’m the first contact for students if they have a complaint or feel that someone has discriminated against them,” Napoli-Rangel said. “In this capacity, I help students determine what the next steps are in order to resolve the issue.”

Napoli-Rangel serves students by working with faculty and staff, as well — crafting professional development workshops, bringing speakers to campus, creating a strategic diversity plan for the college, and leading the campus Diversity Council.

With Inver Hills for three years, Napoli-Rangel previ-ously served as director of service-learning. She holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology and the-atre, and a master’s in social justice and intercultur-al relations. She has taught art and social justice to a wide range of ages – from preschool to graduate school – and has worked and lived all over the world, from Guatemala and Japan, to Australia and parts of Eu-rope.

“I want students to know that there are folks on cam-pus that really care about diversity issues,” Napoli-Rangel said. “We’re a pretty diverse campus, but not all students are aware that there’s a department on cam-pus where they can go to have these conversations.”

Contact Sarah Napoli-Rangel at [email protected]. You can find her on campus in the Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism in room 118 of the College Center.

Spotlight


For low-income individuals saving for college, the cost of tuition can be a significant hurdle. Through the generosity of our donors, the Inver Hills Community College Foundation is proud to respond to this need as the first college in Minnesota to offer the Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota program (FAIM).

When combined with financial aid assistance programs, FAIM al-lows students the opportunity to graduate from college with little to no debt. The federal program helps students increase their sav-ings for tuition, as well as strengthen their ability to successfully complete their degree and become self-sufficient.

For every $1 a FAIM participant saves into a special savings ac-count, a federal match contributes an additional $1.50 and the Inver Hills Foundation does the same, providing a total of $3 for every $1 saved. This savings plan takes place for up to two years, to a maximum of $960 contributed by the participant. That means for just a $960 investment, a participant will have $3,840 in college tuition funds. FAIM participants also receive financial literacy classes, career planning classes and one-on-one coaching to help them increase their success.

With the help of a $25,000 challenge grant from the Katherine B. Andersen fund of The Saint Paul Foundation; grants from the Kopp Foundation, Dakota Electric Association and CHS; and significant donations from individuals, the Inver Hills Foundation raised $108,000 this spring to support a minimum of 75 students in the program next year.

Students like Tashina Picard — who works, attends college, maintains an A average and plans to transfer to the University of Minnesota to study biology — could benefit from a program like FAIM. Donors like Judy Pechacek support it because it eases the finan-cial burden on students so they can focus on their studies. And faculty like Jim Leslie support it because he believes that far too many students need to withdraw from a class here and there, not because they aren’t capable of succeeding, but because they don’t have the time to be successful while working so many hours in order to pay tuition.

Inver Hills alumni, faculty, staff, Foundation board members, friends of the college and even students made very generous gifts to ensure we would meet our goal.

The IHCC Foundation also hosted the 2012 Dream Builders event, held May 3 at Men-dakota Country Club. Presenting sponsor SKB Environmental, 27 additional sponsors and 170 guests enjoyed an evening of good food, great company, wonderful music, and live and silent auctions. Most importantly, they experienced the joy of helping students succeed. If you weren’t able to attend, please plan on joining us next year at Dream Builders 2013!

Gail MorrisonExecutive DirectorInver Hills Foundation

From the Foundation IHCC Foundation Board of DirectorsBeth AsmussenHennepin County

Beth BaumannCity of South St. Paul

Laurel BoergerXcel Energy, Inc.

Trent BowmanPCL Construction

Cathy DeSutterDon Stevens, Inc.

Jessie HeadrickCHS Foundation

Scott GanjeBremer Bank

Dick GrahamElderwise Consulting

Rita HallSt. Joseph’s Hospital

Mike HaverkampAmerican Bank

Thad HellmanTarget Corporation

Connie McCoyKey Community Bank

Larry MargolisRetired, Inver Hills Community College

Lynn MoratzkaRetired, Dakota County

Susan O’BrienRetired, South St. Paul Foundation

John PainGoodrich Sensor Systems

William RakerUS Federal Credit Union

Gerald SakalaSimley High School

Bill WelpAttorney at Law

Ex-Officio Members of the BoardKen SlipkaRetired, Mid-America Properties

Brent GlassDirector of Student Life, Inver Hills Community College

Gail MorrisonExecutive director, Inver Hills Community Col-lege Foundation

Tim WynesPresident, Inver Hills Community College

Distinguished Members of the BoardLaDonna Boyd

John Jensvold

Alexandra (Sandy) Klas

Robert Klas

Bill Lucking

Paul Verret


Don Chapdelaine of SKB Environmental speaks to attendees of Dream Builders 2012. SKB Environmental was the presenting sponsor for the event.

Inver Hills alumnae Marie Pearson (left) and Cindy Marschel at Dream Builders 2012.


2500 80th Street EastInver Grove Heights, MN 55076-3224

ECRWSSResidential Customer

Admissions team members, from left, Jenna Baumgard, Domonic Xiong, Daniel Lawrence and Paula Brugge. Call (651) 450-3902 to set up an appointment.

Visit UsWe welcome prospective students and their families to daily gen-eral information sessions (including campus tours) held through-out the summer. For directions and campus maps, go to www.inverhills.edu or call the Information Center at (651) 450-3000.

General Information MeetingsWe present an overview of the college and its programs, as well as a campus tour. You also will receive application materials and information about any specific programs that interest you. These general information sessions allow plenty of time for questions. Please arrive 10 minutes before the session begins; check in at the Information Center on the second floor of the College Center.

Daily, June 1-Aug. 24.Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 1-2 p.m.Tuesday: Noon-1 p.m.Thursday: 6-7 p.m.

Tuesday and Wednesday only, Aug. 27-Sept. 28Tuesday: 6-7 p.m.Wednesday: 1-2 p.m.

Your extraordinary education starts here! Inver Hills makes starting college easy with SmartSTART Advising & Registration. At this convenient event, you will attend an information session; meet with counselors and academic advisors to help with academic planning and to register for courses; and discuss financial aid options and make arrangements to pay for tuition. Choose one of the following convenient dates, and register online at www.inverhills.edu/smartstart.Tuesday, June 26 • 2-5 p.m.Thursday, June 28 • 9 a.m.-noonTuesday, July 10 • 2-5 p.m.Thursday, July 12 • 9 a.m.-noonTuesday, July 17 • 2-5 p.m.Thursday, July 19 • 9 a.m.-noonTuesday, July 24 • 2-5 p.m.Thursday, July 26 • 9 a.m.-noonTuesday, Aug. 7 • 2-5 p.m.Thursday, Aug. 9 • 9 a.m.-noonTuesday, Aug. 14 • 2-5 p.m.Thursday, Aug. 16 • 9 a.m.-noonTuesday, Aug. 21 • 2-5 p.m.Wednesday, Aug. 22 • 9 a.m.-noon

It is strongly recommended that you take the assessment tests prior to arriving for your SmartSTART session. Though it is possible to complete the assessments on the same day, it may slow your registration process. Take the assessments seriously; it determines your course placement level, which can affect your course success and length of program. For more on assessments, visit www.inverhills.edu/studentresources/assess-mentcenter.

For questions or more information, send an e-mail to [email protected].

ASAP information sessionsAdult Success through Accelerated Programs (ASAP) provides adult students with a direct route to a college degree. We offer a special degree-planning course and credit-earning options based on knowledge gained from work or life experience. You can enroll in acceler-ated eight-week classes and take advantage of partner-ship agreements with adult student degree completion programs at four-year colleges. Reserve a space at (651) 450-3367 or [email protected]. Sessions meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in room 290 of the College Center.

Mondays: July 9Wednesdays: June 20, Aug. 1, Aug. 15Thursdays: July 19, Aug. 30, Aug. 30

Nursing information sessionOur nursing degree has additional admission and applica-tion requirements. Admission is limited to this program. Some courses must be completed before you apply for admission. You may contact us for nursing application materials and information, or attend our summer informa-tion meeting. No reservation is required.

Tuesday, July 31: 5-6 p.m.

inver hills magazine summer 2012

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