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Bulldog Banner | Summer 2015

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The summer is upon the College and I am always amused when people ask me, “do you work during the summer?” These months actually are some of our busiest of the year: Hiring new employees, updating handbooks and the catalog, knowing that from the end of the spring semester there are roughly 90 days until the fall semester begins and many things need to be completed in that time.

Clarendon College had a very good spring fi lled with accomplishments. We graduated our fi rst class of the new Associate Degree of Nursing (R.N.) Program and they are doing well on their licensure exams. We had the largest graduating class in Clarendon’s long history as more than 200 participated in the spring ceremonies. Clarendon just received a report from Schools.com that ranked us as the #2 community college in Texas! Needless to say, we are very proud of this accomplishment and I want to thank our faculty and staff for their commitment and dedication that made that happen.

The College also mourns the loss of Regent Leonard “Tex” Selvidge. Mr. Selvidge passed away June 2nd after battling cancer. Mr. Selvidge has been involved with Clarendon College for more than 50 years in one form or another. He started working for the college while it was housed at Clarendon High School, and he made a lasting impact on thousands of students’ lives through his career.

The 84th Legislative Session ended in May and was an interesting time for community colleges. While Clarendon saw a slight increase in state appropriations, many others saw signifi cant cuts. I do want to thank our state representatives and senators for their support of Clarendon College. Senator Kel Seliger (Amarillo), Senator Charles Perry (Lubbock), Representative Ken King (Canadian) and Representative Drew Springer (Muenster) and their staff s were always accessible and worked hard on the behalf of the College. I truly appreciate their service to our area and to the state of Texas.

We are excited about the fall semester and what lies ahead. We are expecting increases in our dual credit programing throughout the service area; increasing enrollment in our Career Technical Education programs; and because of a great collaborative eff ort with Amarillo College, increasing grant funded programs in Pampa to allow access to job skill development that can lead to employment.

On behalf of the Bulldog Nation, I want to thank you for your continued support of the mission of the College. I am honored to serve this College and the communities that support it.

- Dr. Robert K. Riza, President

Gifts from alumni and friends such as you help provide needed equipment for classrooms, support for student learning activities, scholarships, faculty development and much more. When you give, you make a difference in the lives of students and the future of the Texas Panhandle. Won’t you consider supporting Clarendon College with a gift today?

Donations can be sent to one of our foundations and are tax deductible to the extent of IRS regulations.

The Clarendon College FoundationP.O. Box 968 | Clarendon, Texas 79226

~The Pampa Center Foundation

P.O. Box 632 | Pampa, Texas 79066

Your gift makes a difference...


Clarendon College added an estimated $44.5 million to the economy of its eight county service area in fi scal year 2013, according to a recent study.

The study conducted by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) was paid for by the college and the Clarendon EDC and looked at several factors including the college’s payroll, purchasing, student spending, and alumni earnings as well as the investment of the taxpayers. The CC service area includes Donley, Gray, Childress, Hall, Collingsworth, Briscoe, Wheeler, and Armstrong counties.

The 78-page reports fi nds that CC had $6.5 million in direct spending during the study period, which included $5.6 million in payroll for

121 full-time and part-time employees. Much of that fi gure was spent in the service area to purchase groceries, clothing, and other household goods and services.

EMSI calculated that college students spent

more than $472,000 in the service area. Most of that student spending would have been in Clarendon and Pampa.

Clarendon alumni had an economic impact of $37.5 million.

“These numbers are conservative,” Riza told the CEDC. “We know Donley County drives the college, and a lot of our students stay here.”

Twenty-three percent of CC students originate from outside the region with some of those relocating to the service area. Those students likely would not have come to the region if not for the college, the study says.

In fi scal year 2013, state and local taxpayers contributed $3.2 million to the College, of that $430,621.02

came from ad valorem taxes levied in Donley County. Every tax dollar invested in CC yields $6.80 in benefi ts to society, for an average annual return on investment of 17.6 percent.

EMSI says a student who invests $1 in education at the College will see $5.80 in higher future income for a return of 20.3 percent.

The study further found that Texas receives $312.4 million in added state income over the course of students’ working lives and realizes $4.6 million in social savings from educated students due to “reduced crime, lower unemployment, and increased health and well-being.”

The CC operating spending is the equivalent of 140 jobs for the area, the impact of student spending is the equivalent of 17 jobs, and the alumni impact is the equivalent of 893 jobs.

Overall CC and its students and alumni support the equivalent of 1,050 jobs.

Article reprinted with permission of THE CLARENDON ENTERPRISE.

CC adds $44.5 million impact to economy

More than 200 walk in Spring commencementClarendon College saw its largest

participation for commencement ceremonies this Spring as more than 200 students walked across the stage.

Two hundred and fi fteen students took part in the ceremonies on May 8, with standing room only crowds in attendance.

Students receiving an Associate in Science degree kicked off the day with graduation at 10 a.m., followed by the Ranch & Feedlot

Operations ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Students receiving an Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Applied Science degree or Certifi cate of Completion rounded out the day at 6 p.m.

This academic year, the College added two additional ceremonies (one in December and a morning ceremony in May) to accommodate the expected growth in participation and attendance,

and is looking at adding an additional ceremony next Spring.

TOTALECONOMIC

IMPACT

$44.5 Million

ALUMNI

OPERATIONS

STUDENTS$37.5 M

$6.5 M

$472 K


Bret Franks named CC Rodeo Coach

Bret Franks

CC ranked #2 Best College in TexasA recent rank-

ing by Schools.com lists Clarendon Col-lege as the #2 Com-munity College in the state of Texas.

Sixty-six col-leges were ranked and scored on a 10-point scale, us-ing data including the percentage of students enrolled in distance education, student-to-faculty ratio, cost of attendance, graduation

rate, the number of transfer to four-year public college in Texas, and fl ex-ibility.

“Obviously we are very excited and proud,” CC President Dr. Rob-ert Riza said. “This just goes back to

the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff.”

The article praises the College’s on-

line course offerings and low student-to-faculty ratio, which is one of the lowest in the state.

In addition, the College’s ranking by CNNMoney for best student suc-cess in Texas was also recognized.

Galveston College is ranked #1 on the top 10 list, with Lone Star, Collin County, and Western Texas rounding out the top 5 schools.

To read the entire ranking, visit: http://www.schools.com/articles/top-community-colleges-in-texas

Bret Franks is a cowboy.For the past two years, the Guy-

mon, Okla.-born man has served as the Livestock and Equine Center director and ranch horse coach at Clarendon College, a community college in the Donley County seat. Now he’s adding rodeo coach to his list of duties, recently hired to take over the 30-year-old program.

“I feel like the Good Lord led me here,” said Franks, a graduate of Oklahoma Panhandle State Univer-sity in Goodwell and a three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifi er in saddle bronc riding. “When the rodeo coaching job came up, it was the perfect fi t. It was almost like it was meant to be.”

He was raised two and a half hours north in the Oklahoma Pan-handle in an agriculture family. He participated in ag-based programs and attended Northeastern Okla-homa A&M on a livestock judg-ing scholarship. He transferred to

Panhandle State on a rodeo scholarship and won the Central Plains Region bronc riding championship while there.

He began a 10-year career in the Profes-sional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1993, qualifying for the NFR as one of the top 15 bronc riders in world standings in 1997, ’98 and 2000. He won the Prairie Circuit saddle bronc riding title twice and was the 2002 National Circuit Finals Rodeo champion.

From 1995-99, Franks served as rodeo coach at his alma mater, guiding the men’s team to the na-tional championship in 1997 and 1998. He did that while also jug-gling a prolifi c rodeo career.

“I think the biggest thing I can bring to the kids on the rodeo team is my ability to coach the mental as-pect of the game,” said Franks, who

lives in Clarendon with his wife, Darla, and their sons, Clint and Cole. “With my 20/20 vision of the past, I can look at the mistakes and strug-gles I had in the sport, and I can help them de-ter those problems and challenges before they ever get there.”

Though he slowed down his rodeo career considerably after the

2002 season, he always was close to the game. He was the livestock supervisor and rodeo coordinator for Carr Pro Rodeo from 2005-09, then took a job as assistant manag-er at Cattlemen’s II Feedlot in Hed-ley, Texas, just a short drive from his Clarendon home. He worked there for four years until the busi-ness closed, then began his duties at Clarendon College.

Bret Franks has a powerful career of rodeo experiences to use in or-der to help teach the young rodeo stars at Clarendon College.

Story reprinted with permission of RodeoMe-diaRelations.com.


Why Dual Credit?Why Dual Credit?Much has been said about

why Clarendon College pushes to expand dual credit offerings in our service area high schools.

Dual credit courses are taught with the same academic rigor that our on campus courses are taught. The dual credit faculty who teach also must possess the same academic credentials as our full-time faculty. Many of our dual-credit courses are taught by College faculty.

Dual credit is the perfect pathway for these students to attend Clarendon College after graduation and quickly complete a certifi cate or Associate’s degree before transferring to a university - saving their parents money.

Also, as a result of House Bill 5 passed in the prior legislative session, Clarendon College is increasing its Career Technical Education offerings to more high school students as a pathway to high school graduation.

Clarendon College is changing the way de-velopment education is taught and putting stu-dents on a fast track to success, and now the word is spreading among academic circles.

Last fall, CC undertook a new math pilot program where students needing developmental educa-tion were enrolled directly into college level courses paired with a supplemen-tal lab, rather than the typical one- to three-se-mester route of taking de-velopmental level courses and labs and then the college level course after-wards.

This shortened path has proven to increase the percentage of entering developmental students that successfully complete a college-level course and has cut the time to com-plete that college-level course by up to three se-mesters. Additionally, this has resulted in a signifi -cant tuition savings to stu-dents and a greater over-all chance of graduating from college.

CC President Robert Riza said the pilot program was an idea that made sense when faculty presented it to his offi ce and that it was supported with the

resources it needed.“Obviously, students will

rise to the level of expecta-tions held by their faculty members, and this is seen in the results and success-ful completion rates of this math program,” Dr. Riza said. “This is what happens when motivated faculty fi nd new ways to help stu-dents succeed.”

The college faculty re-sponsible for the innova-tive program were on the road this Spring to discuss CC’s ground-breaking work at two national con-ferences.

Math faculty members and program developers Dr. Jeremy Sain and Linda Rowland presented at the National Benchmarking Conference at Johnson County Community Col-lege in Overland Park, Kan., and the National In-stitute for Staff and Orga-nizational Development (NISOD) International Conference.

The National Bench-marking Conference at-tracts a wide range of participants from institu-tional researchers and ex-ecutives to national and regional educational poli-cy decision-makers.

NISOD’s International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence

attracts educators from around the world and is the defi nitive gathering of community and technical college faculty, adminis-trators, and staff seeking to engage in deep con-versations about best and promising practices de-signed to improve student achievement.

Instructor Linda Row-land said CC’s math pilot program is designed to help students accept their responsibility as college students.

“They are responsible for the information they are learning,” Rowland said. “As an instructor, we can teach the concepts and the skills, but if the students are not willing to take the responsibility to learn then they will not learn. Many students right out of high school are led to believe that in col-lege they will receive the same treatment as in high school.”

Rowland said if other colleges adopt CC’s pilot program, it will do away with developmental edu-cation on the college level and put the responsibil-ity back where it belongs, which, she says, is on the public school system.

Article reprinted with permis-sion of THE CLARENDON ENTERPRISE.

A New Approach to Developmental Education

82.4% Persist from the fi rst year to the next

37.3% earn a bachelor’s degree in four years or less

45.1% earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in four years or less

25% of CC’s enrollment is dual credit students


Spotted!photos from around the district

Childress Health Fair

St. Patrick’s Day

Childress Showcase of Technology

Childress Showcase of Technology

Karl Rove and CC President Dr. Robert Riza

“Gram Stain” - Pampa Microbiology Rap Group

New Buses Pampa Showcase of Technology

Pampa Job Fair


Clarendon College baseball player Michael Cruz was honored this Spring with NJCAA and WJCAC awards.

Cruz, a sophomore from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, was named to the 2014 Baseball I All-American Second Team as a designated hitter. Cruz has also been named to the

Western Junior College Athletic Conference All Conference Baseball Team for 2014, also as a designated hitter.

Dr. Robert Riza presented these honors during halftime of the men’s basketball game against New Mexico Junior College in March.

Sports Briefs

Clarendon College baseball players Michael Cruz, Joel Garza, and Brady Hamilton have been selected to the WJCAC All-Conference team.

Michael Cruz (Aguadilla, PR) led the offensive attack for the Bulldogs posting an impressive .434 average while hitting 14 home runs, 28 doubles, and driving in 69 RBI. Cruz was selected as an All-Conference Catcher.

Joel Garza (Laredo, TX) posted a .425 average with 11 home runs, 15 doubles, and a team leading 77 RBI. Garza was selected as the All-Conference DH.

Brady Hamilton (Columbus, GA) fi nished the year with a .398 batting average and hit a team leading 19 home runs, with 23 doubles, and 74 RBI. Hamilton was selected as an All-Conference Infi elder.

Shane Clement (Wimberly, TX), Isaiah Peters (Universal City, TX), Reibi Alberto (Santo Domingo, DR), Keisy Portorreal (Santo Domingo, DR), and Dakota Pacheco (Gorman, TX) were each selected as an Honorable Mention.

Three baseball players Three baseball players

selected to WJCAC selected to WJCAC

All-Conference TeamAll-Conference TeamFour Clarendon College

athletes were honored Monday night as All-Conference, All-Region and All-American athletes for the Fall 2014 semester.

Isela Sandoval, from Ennis, TX, earned All-Conference and All-Region in Cross Country. At regionals, she fi nished 9th out 37 runners with a time of 20 minutes, 14 seconds. At nationals she fi nished 63rd out of 274 runners with a time of 19 minutes 42 seconds.

Walker Loyd, from Stephenville, TX, represented Clarendon College in the Half Marathon National Meet. He fi nished 18th out of 48 runners with a time of one hour 17 minutes 1 second earning him the All-American Half Marathon honor.

Weronika Wiezik, a 6’1” outside hitter from Szcyrk-

Silesia, Poland, started in all 125 sets for the 2015 season. She fi nished 2nd in the conference with 3.89 kills per set and totaled 20+ kills 8 times. In addition, she scored a season best of 22 kills in three different matches and fi nished 4th in the conference with 47 service Aces. She scored a season high of 6 aces verses Midland College.

Megan Chambers, a 5’5” Libero from Gatesville, Texas, started in all 125 sets for the 2015 season. She fi nished 2nd in the conference with 494 total digs and totaled 20+ digs 8 times. Her season best of 27 digs was against Seminole State Junior College and she fi nished 2nd in the conference with 62 service Aces. Megan scored a season high of 8 aces verses Lamar Community College.

Four athletes earn region, Four athletes earn region, conference honorsconference honors

Cruz honored with NJCAA, WJCAC awards

ClarendonC O L L E G EP.O. Box 968 • Clarendon, TX 79226

Questions, comments, or memories? 1. Call us at 806-874-4808. 2. Send an e-mail to: [email protected] 3. Or drop them in the mail to: Clarendon College, PO Box 968, Clarendon, TX 79226.

Scholarship fund setup in memory of SelvidgeA scholarship has been established

at Clarendon College in memory of CC Regent and former Dean of Students Tex Selvidge.

Tex passed away June 2, 2015. He was born January 7, 1934, in Bismark, Arkansas, to Elmer D. and Ella Mae Selvidge. He graduated from Stinnett High School in 1953. Tex attended Southwestern

State Oklahoma University where he played football, graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor’s Degree, and completed his Master’s Degree in 1962. He started coaching in Spearman and later coached in Hollis, Okla., before moving to Clarendon in 1965 to start his career at Clarendon College.

Tex served in a number of positions in the last fi fty years including Counselor, Registrar, Dean of Students, Recruiter, Financial Aid Director, and Regent.

In addition to his duties at the college, Tex also served as Mayor several times, and he gave more than thirty years of civic leadership in various roles.

Donations can be mailed to: Clarendon College

Attn: Ashlee EstlackPO Box 968

Clarendon, TX 79226Tex Selvidge

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