Issue Highlights

Spring 2014

Dual Enrollment: A Head Start on College Success Jennifer Jones is a future mechanical engineer enrolled at Arizona State University. And she’s a proud graduate of two Maricopa Community Colleges (Chandler-Gilbert and Rio Salado). Ms. Jones wanted to enroll in CGCC’s Dual Enrollment program, which would allow her to accomplish more in a shorter period of time. Dual Enrollment is a rigorous academic path that allows high school students to take college level courses while in high school and, as a result, enter college better prepared.

Students who are ready to invest time and effort into Dual Enrollment can reap serious rewards such as starting college with a higher class standing, notes Ms. Jones. “It’s a great program, but you have to be aware of the challenges that come with it … it’s a big commitment. Dual Enrollment gives you college credits, so you have to be just as driven as a college student, not just a high school student.”

Maricopa Community Colleges have opened a new entity – Maricopa Corporate College (MCOR) — to provide customized training to Valley-area employers and organizations. In the process, MCOR gives the District a single point of contact for those potential customers. MCOR, which opened in 2013, works with employers and organizations that are interested in providing additional training to their employees or members. Dr. Eugene Giovannini, MCOR President, believes that employers often encounter a gap between employees’ current skill level and the skills they need to move businesses forward. “MCOR can work with employers to close that skills gap,” he said. “Organizations that commit to employee training will be in a better position to deal with our changing economy,” Dr. Giovannini explained.

CEO SUMMIT: Pathways to New PartnershipsOn January 14, the Chief Executive Officers of several major companies joined Chancellor Rufus Glasper and other executive leaders of the Maricopa Community

Colleges for a “CEO Summit.” With leadership and support from cohosts Rich Boals (Blue Cross Blue Shield), Don Brandt (APS), Pam Conboy (Wells Fargo Bank), Jerry

Fuentes (AT&T), and Don Smith (Copper Point Mutual Insurance), more than 40 local CEOs and leaders of business organizations came together to discuss the critical role of the Maricopa Community Colleges in workforce development and the importance of a well-educated, highly skilled workforce to the Valley’s continued economic development. Maricopa Community Colleges will continue these discussions by

hosting a series of key industry and town hall meetings this spring to gather community input.

MCOR will offer noncredit courses for the 10 Maricopa Colleges, and will draw on their resources when appropriate. In addition

to working with corporations, MCOR wants to partner with organizations and trade associations representing a variety of occupations, such as pharmaceuticals, IT, and health care, Dr. Giovannini reports. MCOR offers strategic consulting, needs assessments, and customized training. It is affiliated with Global Corporate College, the largest delivery network for corporate training in 50 states and 28 countries. MCOR is housed on the campus of GateWay Community College, in the College’s Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation. Among MCOR’s clients are the Salt River Pima Indian Community, Marriott, Safeway, and Walgreens.

Issue Highlights

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CHANCELLOR ON STUDENT SUCCESS

ATHLETES SIGNED TO DIVISION I

KJZZ NEWSROOM OPENS

RECHARGING THE WORKFORCE

THEN AND NOW

MARICOPAMatters News for the Community from the

Maricopa Community Colleges

Maricopa’s Corporate College A Smarter Solution for a Smarter Workforce

Meet Jennifer Jones, Dual Enrollment Student, at celebrate.maricopa.edu

“I want to reiterate our commitment to a meaningful and impactful focus on enhancing training and workforce development. We can’t do that without Arizona business leaders.”

—Rufus Glasper

Leadership2

Provost Honored

Alfredo GutierrezNew Board Member

In February, Dr. Donald D. Covey, Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools, chose Alfredo Gutierrez to fill a vacancy on the Board. Mr.

Gutierrez, a former State legislator, will serve until December 31, 2014.

Mr. Gutierrez was one of nine applicants for the District 5 position, left vacant in November when Board Member Ben Miranda suddenly passed away. An election will be held November 4, 2014, to determine the person who will hold office for the remaining two years of Mr. Miranda’s term, which expires December 31, 2016.

A native of Miami, AZ, Mr. Gutierrez is well-known as an activist and organizer in the Latino community. He is a founder of Chicanos por la Causa and Valle del Sol, and served as an organizer for United Farm Workers. He was elected to the State Senate in 1972 and was elected by his peers to be Majority Leader two years later. He left the legislature in 1986 and formed a public relations, lobbying, and issues-management firm. Since 2002, he has primarily worked as a private consultant, speaker, and teacher and is known as an advocate for public schools and immigration reform.

Community Colleges Dedicated to Student SuccessRufus Glasper, Chancellor, Maricopa Community Colleges

Not too long ago, the Maricopa Community Colleges received some great news: six of our ten colleges have been nominated for the Aspen Institute’s prize and are listed among the 150 best community colleges in the United States. You can read more of the details about this honor in an article on Page 9 of Maricopa Matters, but I would like to tell you what this announcement means to me: it means that we’re excelling in helping our students be more successful every day, across every college campus.

A focus on student success means providing the best education for our students. It means creating more and better ways for students who want a baccalaureate degree to transfer to four-year institutions without barriers. It means developing strong partnerships with universities, such as Arizona State University, with which we’ve created the nationally acclaimed Maricopa to ASU Pathways Program (MAPPs) program. Students with a specific goal in mind can take a prescribed sequence of courses at a Maricopa college and are guaranteed admission to the ASU degree programs when and are eligible for participation in ASU’s Tuition Commitment for Arizona residents and scholarships.

That same relentless focus on student success also means establishing programs and services to help members of our community who want to attend our colleges but are not ready for college-level work. About 60 percent of students entering our colleges need to bring reading, math, or English skills up to college-level, so we’re always looking at better and innovative ways to get them the support they need.

Student success also means a focus on programs that prepare students for jobs. Did you know that the Maricopa Community Colleges offer classes in 90 percent of the jobs identified by the State of Arizona as having the highest demand for new workers over the next 10 years? We are the largest provider of workforce training in Maricopa County. Our new Corporate College (see Page 1) only enhances our ability to serve as an economic engine for the County’s economic growth.

Student success means we help our students achieve their goals, whatever they may be. Some come for just one or two courses; some for personal enrichment; and some to improve specific skills. Others take courses to attain a certificate or to train for a better job. Still others want an associate’s degree and go on to a four-year institution. Our colleges are flexible enough to help all achieve their goals.

As you read the first edition of this new publication, remember that the Maricopa Community Colleges are here to help people be successful. Visit us at www.maricopa.edu

New Vice Chancellor of HR ArrivesLaCoya Shelton-Johnson is Maricopa’s new Vice Chancellor for Human Resources. Her appointment was approved by the District’s Governing Board at its February meeting.

Ms. Shelton-Johnson previously was Chief HR Officer with the Arizona Department of Administration, where she led the delivery of HR and organizational development services to nearly 11,000 employees across 70 State agencies, boards, and commissions. Prior to this role, she was Director of Human Resources and Development with the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS).

Ms. Shelton-Johnson is a graduate of Arizona State University, where she earned concurrent bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Business Administration. She earned her master’s degree in Organization Management from the University of Phoenix and is in the dissertation phase of her Ph.D. in Organization and Human Capital Management at Capella University.

Over the past year, Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, has received numerous awards for helping students reach their goals. In March 2013, AZ Business Magazine named her one of the State’s most influential Hispanic executives. She told interviewers that “unwavering commitment to public education is the foundation of a democratic society.” In May 2013, the Phoenix Business Journal recognized her as one of the Valley’s most admired leaders. In the fall, she received the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Hispanic Community Leadership Award, recognizing her advocacy, leadership and community service. Most recently, she was honored by AGUILA – a local organization that prepares Latinos/Latinas for college admissions.

Focus on Faculty3GCC Guitar Instructor Teaches More Than Music

For Chuck Hulihan, teaching college students to play guitar is a reminder of what he was like as a teenager back in Connecticut. “Most students who come my way,” he explained, “are absolutely me at age 17.”

His teaching is paying off for GCC guitar students. In addition to numerous local awards over the years, the GCC Guitar Ensemble won the 2014 Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) Ensemble Showcase competition in the University: Large Ensemble category. Because GFA is considered the leading classical guitar organization, the GCC Ensemble is recognized as the nation’s top guitar ensemble. Like many young people in the 1980s, Hulihan’s fascination with the guitar began with rock-and- roll music and heavy metal. “I got a guitar and hung out in my bedroom and figured it out,” he recalled. When it came time for college, he enrolled in the electrical engineering program at the University of Connecticut. As it turned out, “All I wanted to do was play guitar, so I didn’t do so well in engineering.” He found that to enroll as a music major, he’d need to pass formal auditions, so a summer’s worth of private lessons later, he auditioned and was accepted into the music program. “I found my calling in life and a newfound interest in education,” he said, thanks in large part to the influence of his teacher, Mark M. Davis. Hulihan began his career at Glendale Community College in 1999 as an adjunct instructor. Over the next few years, the number of courses increased, and he won a position on the GCC residential faculty, making him the only full-time guitar instructor at a community college in the State. A milestone in the lives of most of Hulihan’s students is “Artists of Promise,” a free Valleywide event sponsored by the Maricopa Community Colleges each year. All sorts of Fine Arts students, from writers to painters to musicians, actors and dancers, enter spring competitions. The best in

each field are chosen to represent the Colleges in the “Artists of Promise,” which this year will be April 9, 2014, at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Phoenix. Visit: www.maricopa.edu/arts

During the spring semester, Hulihan said, “from the first day of classes, the students are focused. Things really get very intense.” While

some students may compete as individuals, “they

all go into even the solo category as a team. They listen to one another and they critique one another.” In the end, the many awards won by his students are great, but, Hulihan said, “It’s not about the winning. It’s about having a

goal and what you gain from working toward that goal.”

PVCC Professor Adds Regional Faculty Award to List of Honors

Dr. Lois Roma-Deeley, nationally recognized poet and faculty member at Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC), was named the honored recipient of the 2013 Pacific Region Faculty Award by the Association of Community College Trustees. These prestigious awards are given each year to a faculty member from each region of the country who demonstrates excellence, leadership and initiative in education. Dr. Roma-Deeley’s award came on the heels of another significant accomplishment, when the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) named Dr. Roma-Deeley a 2012 Professor of the Year. That made her one of only four honorees chosen from more than 300 distinguished professors nationwide. Winners are recognized in the categories of Community College, Baccalaureate College, Doctoral and Research University, and Master’s University/College. Dr. Roma-Deeley has taught creative writing at the graduate and under- graduate levels for more than 25 years. Since joining the PVCC faculty in 1996, she has inspired her students in the Creative Writing program, and increased course offerings in it. In addition, she has established a women’s studies curriculum and developed an on-campus visiting writer and scholar lecture series. She is a winner of the Samuel T. Coleridge Literary Prize and author of three collections of poetry.

High Notes, her third collection, was chosen as a 2011 Paterson Poetry Prize Finalist.

Meet Chuck Hulihan,Music Faculty,Glendale Community College (GCC)

Student Success4Student Finds Fulfillment Under the Hood

Meet Jackie Craig,Auto Mechanic, and a student of Maricopa Community Colleges atcelebrate.maricopa.edu

How did you first connect with the Maricopa Community Colleges?I had a friend who went through the exact same program. One day I asked her for the information, and the rest is history.

Why automotive? It was something I always wanted to do. My great uncle had an auto shop. My dad was an electrician. My brother is a pilot, and does mechanics for airlines. So it sort of runs in the family.

How prepared do you feel? In October, I started working at a Honda dealership. I love the job. I would say

GateWay Community College has prepared me well.

Where do you see yourself in the future? Well, 20-30 years down the

road, I’d like to have my own shop.

Public safety might not be the first career path you’d have guessed Shante Adkins was considering. She hears that a lot, thanks to her disarming smile and pleasant disposition (and, for a long time, her passion was dancing). But Shante has nearly finished the Administration of Justice Studies program at Estrella Mountain – and is well on her way to a career on the police force. Rather than rush into training, she decided it would be better to stay in school and get a degree first. “I’ve always had an interest in law enforcement,” says Adkins. “So I decided to get an associate’s degree … to learn more about the criminal justice system before I actually become a police officer. That’s my goal – then I want to become a detective who works with victims, probably children.” The associate’s degree isn’t the endgame — she intends to pursue a bachelor’s degree from ASU’s Criminal Justice program. But that doesn’t mean she’s not getting educated in the real world, too. “I wanted to get more involved, so I joined the Goodyear PD’s Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) for about a year,” said Adkins.

Law Enforcement Career Entices EMCC Student, Shante Adkins

Meet Shante Adkins,Future Detective, and a student of a Maricopa Community College atcelebrate.maricopa.edu

The program allows volunteers to help with traffic control and routine visible patrol in neighborhoods, businesses and schools, as well as participate in community events. “I learned a lot and met lots of officers. And that confirmed my thoughts that police work is really what I want to do.”

Maricopa Student Athletes Commit to Division 1 Football ProgramsNational Signing Day for National College Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football programs is the opportunity to prepare for the future. That future is bright for this crop of Maricopa Community College student athletes who have committed to Division I schools. In all, nearly 40 student athletes have signed from Scottsdale, Mesa, Glendale, and Phoenix.

“This list is indicative of the outstanding quality of student athletes in the Maricopa Community College District and the Western States Football League,” said Dave Grant, Athletic Director, Glendale Community College. “Their dedication is a reflection of the excellent, year-round work that students and coaches do to prepare themselves for academic and athletic careers at four-year colleges and universities.”

Maricopa Community Colleges have a strong history of students succeeding in both academics and athletics. More than 30 Maricopa Community Colleges sports teams participated in national championships in 2012; three brought home national titles. In the same academic year, 90 players and 30 full teams received national Academic All-American recognition (by maintaining a minimum 3.6/4.0 GPA and 3.0/4.0 GPA, respectively).

Innovations 5KJZZ 91.5 FM Opens “Newsroom of the 21st Century”

A new, open-space newsroom will help KJZZ reporters collaborate more fully in covering the news that’s important to the region. Station officials recently cut the ribbon to open the sparkling new newsroom, which replaces the cubicles of the past with desks grouped together and lots of open space, as well as numerous smart televisions, each tuned to provide the KJZZ staff with specific channels. “What we were working in before was a cubicle city. It just wasn’t a very collaborative space,” said Mark Moran, the station’s Associate General Manager for News and Editorial Strategy, who added, “We ripped everything down, even the glass walls.” The new space promotes better

and more efficient news coverage in a number of ways, states Moran, citing just one of many examples that have happened since the news staff took occupancy of the new space. “We

were doing a story on the varying weather patterns across the State,” he recounted. “The Managing Editor was able to ask one reporter across the room whether he had any sources for another reporter on the other side of the room. We wouldn’t have been able to do that in the old newsroom.”

During ceremonies in February, Deeann J. Griebel, longtime KJZZ listener, member of the

Friends of Public Radio Arizona, and lead donor on the newsroom renovation project, cut a ribbon symbolizing the opening of the new facility. KJZZ, a service of the Maricopa Community Colleges, is part of the Rio Salado College Division of Public Service.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sun Sounds delivers audio access and information to people who cannot read print because they have a disability. Sun Sounds is headquartered at Rio Salado College in Tempe and has offices in Flagstaff, Tucson and Yuma.

KJZZ 91.5 FM is the flagship National Public Radio station in the Valley and is an outreach service of the Maricopa Community Colleges.

KBAQ 89.5 FM is a sister station and is the source of 24-hour-a-day classical programming, operated jointly by Rio Salado College and Arizona Board of Regents.

Former Maricopa Student Tweets Live From the U.S. Capitol

We caught up with former Scottsdale Community College (SCC) student Jordan Hibbs shortly after she returned from Washington, DC, where she was among a small number of students chosen to Tweet live during President Obama’s State of the Union speech. She now attends the Barrett Honors College at ASU.

You were part of a small group to Tweet live from the House Chamber. How did that happen?I saw a post on Facebook and I applied. We had to submit a description of why we wanted to attend in 140 characters or less. Only 66 people were chosen from more than 2,000. So you like politics … is that why you applied for the DC trip?One, I love social media…and it gave me the opportunity to hear the President talk about important issues. We spoke directly with policy advisors, which really broadened my perspective.

How did SCC set you on a path to success?It influenced my entire degree experience. If I didn’t go to SCC, I wouldn’t have been the strong student I am today. And I wouldn’t have been able to afford college. What advice do you have for students about the Barrett Honors College program in which you’re currently enrolled? The Honors College supports students with academic projects and activities, ranging from bringing in persons with expertise to sit on honors thesis committees to opportunities to present at conferences. By utilizing these resources, Honors

students are more likely to get the most out of their college degree.

What motivates you? When I was younger, my family faced serious poverty and went through a period of time when we were homeless. But through support from the community and assistance from the government, we were able to overcome those obstacles and progress to where we are today.

Community6

The strong relationship between the Boeing Company and Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) has resulted in the hiring of more than 80 CGCC graduates over the past two decades; Boeing’s Mesa location alone employs 64 former CGCC students.

“Boeing is grateful for its strong relationship with CGCC and the opportunity it gives the company to develop and hire talented, diverse workers to design and build the world’s greatest aerospace products,” said Tony Ham, Site Leader and Director of Operations at the Boeing site. Boeing builds Apache helicopters for the U.S. Army, as well as electrical components for the Army’s commercial and military products. “With nearly 5,000 employees in Arizona, there are many career opportunities for these students,” he added.

For years, Boeing has contributed to annual student scholarships, and along with other members of the aviation industry, serves on CGCC’s advisory council. Mike Hutto, Faculty Member, who has been with CGCC’s Aviation program for more than 13 years, has seen Boeing’s relationship with CGCC grow stronger.

“As a community college we listen to and serve the community,” said Hutto. “When aviation leaders tell us what skills, certifications, and requirements they look for in employees, we listen and change our program’s focus to meet those needs. The result is that our students get internships and scholarships and ultimately hired.”

Art Contreras, an assembly technician on the Apache production line at Boeing, was hired after a three-month internship. He earned his Airframe and Power Plant certificate from CGCC. “Getting my certificate was a great way for someone with no previous experience in the aircraft field to get hired at Boeing.”

The CGCC Aviation program offers the only FAA-approved community college aviation maintenance and flight programs in metro Phoenix.

The Sky Is the Limit for Chandler-Gilbert Aviation Students

The Desperado LGBT Film Festival, now a fixture at Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC), celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2014. The festival remains a way to inform the Maricopa Community Colleges and Greater Phoenix communities about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues, concerns and events.

The 2014 event included 12 feature films and documentaries and two groups of short films, as well as live performances and question-and-answer sessions with writers, actors, and directors.

The festival provides opportunities for student filmmakers to receive recognition. Also, it demonstrates that Maricopa offers an accepting and nondiscriminating environment for the LGBT community and future LGBT students.

“Paradise Valley Community College is pleased to serve as the host site for the Desperado Film Festival,” said Dr. Paul Dale, PVCC President. “The melding of the art of film with contemporary LGBT social issues serves as a wonderful platform for deeper social conversation and learning.”

Groundbreaking Desperado Film Festival Celebrates Its Fifth Year

Communiversity Opens in Queen CreekThe Communiversity at Queen Creek — a unique partnership of higher education that offers a variety of academic services and programs in one location — officially opened its doors on February 20. The Communiversity model gives students an opportunity to take classes from the Maricopa Community Colleges and transfer those credits to a university partner, resulting in a significant cost savings on tuition.

The Communiversity at Queen Creek’s partners are the Town of Queen Creek, the Maricopa Community College District, Rio Salado College, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Northern Arizona University, Ottawa University, and Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences. Learn more at queencreek.azcommuniversity.com.

Community 7Connecting Students, the Community, and SuccessThe South Mountain Community Library, a joint project operated by South Mountain Community College (SMCC) and the City of Phoenix, is one of only a handful of such successful partnerships nationwide. It has served nearly one-half million students and customers in its first year of operation. With a collection of more than 100,000 items, it houses one of the largest collections of electronic resources in Arizona. Since November 2011, the number of library cardholders has more than doubled to 17,000.

The Library also has 117 public computers with Internet access and Wi-Fi Internet available to library visitors.

Since opening, South Mountain Community Library has hosted 280 programs for more than 9,000 children, teens, and adults. Programs have included weekly story times, computer classes in English and Spanish, a time management seminar for teens, as well as musical concerts.

Maricopa Students Help With Tax Returns

As the 2013 tax deadline approaches, hundreds of Phoenix-area residents found the easiest way to get their tax forms filled out was through the Maricopa Community Colleges. Some of the colleges offer this service to taxpayers who earned under $52,000 in 2013, the elderly, and those with disabilities or limited English-speaking ability.

At GateWay Community College (GWCC), Annette Torrey, Accounting instructor

in the Business and Information Technology department, trained a group of students to electronically prepare and file taxes for “anyone who wants to come in” (who meets the income requirements), she said. That training then was supplemented with certification from the federal Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

At Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), Business Institute adjunct faculty member, Kortney Song, provided the teaching for EMCC’s students. At both colleges, the instruction was provided in the fall semester prior to the tax season. “The VITA program highlights how EMCC develops coursework and builds cooperative partnerships in support of student learning and community service,” said Song.

GWCC and EMCC are just two of several Maricopa Community Colleges participating in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

Maricopa Graduate Assumes Phoenix’s Highest Fire Safety Post

Kara Kalkbrenner, a graduate of Phoenix College’s Fire Safety program, has been appointed Acting Chief of the Phoenix Fire Department; she is the first woman in Phoenix history to hold this rank and will lead the city’s Fire Department. A Phoenix native, Kalkbrenner is a 30-year veteran who joined the department as a firefighter in 1984. Her previous positions include executive assistant fire chief, engineer, captain, division chief, and deputy chief.

“As I’ve (been) promoted up through the ranks, I’ve dedicated my work to ensuring that all of the members of the Phoenix Fire Department have the resources that they need to serve and

protect the community.”

Kara Kalkbrenner has an associate’s degree in fire science from Phoenix College, has a bachelor’s degree in fire service management from Ottawa University, and was an adjunct instructor for the Fire Service program at the Maricopa Community Colleges.

Meet Kara Kalkbrenner Acting Chief of the Phoenix Fire Department and a graduate of Maricopa Community Colleges atcelebrate.maricopa.edu

The South Mountain Community Library is located on the SMCC Main Campus7050 S. 24th St., Phoenix, AZ

“This college and library are the economic engine of our future, preparing young people for success in school and in life, and fueling generations of innovators and inventors. Education – formally in the college and more informally in the library – is the key to our continued growth as a city and a community.” —Vice Mayor Michael Johnson

“In each position I’ve held, I’ve remembered my humble roots, which is working on a fire truck and serving the great citizens of Phoenix.”

—Kara Kalkbrenner

Jobs8

Responding to increased demand for highly specialized workers, the Maricopa Community Colleges and industry partners have created an apprenticeship program to train and deploy skilled machinists to Valley employers. The Arizona Precision Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program (AzPMAP) — a consortium of education, government, and industry partners — allows those with a high school diploma to enter precision machining jobs and receive comprehensive, tailored learning both in the classroom and on the job.

AzPMAP is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, which covers first-year community college tuition expenses for accepted applicants. Apprentices each receive the same starting wage that increases every six months throughout the three-to-four- year program. In the first year, the program accepted 29 apprentices.

“We’re finding ways to more quickly and precisely match training to high demand

employer needs,” said Manufacturing Program Director Bob Bonura, a Mesa Community College faculty member.

“There are many hundreds of vacancies for highly skilled machinists in our area,” said Mark Weathers, CEO of Phoenix-based Excalibur Precision Machining and Past President of the Arizona Tooling and Machining Association. “Every new manufacturing job creates at least two other jobs — a significantly higher ratio than for most other sectors in Maricopa County.”

AzPMAP was initiated by Maricopa Community Colleges Workforce Development department (www.maricopa.edu/workforce). The department plays a vital role in enhancing the region’s competitive strength by connecting employers to the programs, resources and services of Maricopa’s Community Colleges and two Skill Centers.

Community Colleges Partner With Industry to Meet Needs

With 50 percent of the Valley of the Sun’s energy workforce becoming eligible for retirement over the next few years, finding well-trained and capable replacements is critical. Enter the Arizona Sun Corridor Get Into Energy Consortium (ASC-GIEC). Led by Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), ASC-GIEC includes several other community colleges: Chandler-Gilbert, Northland Pioneer (Holbrook and surrounding areas), Pima (Tucson), and Yavapai (Prescott).

The Consortium’s primary focus is to prepare a steady flow of qualified workers for energy jobs and other occupations requiring similar skill sets, such as technicians, line workers, plant operators, skilled craftsmen, and engineers. With a $13.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the group is developing a common course curriculum for a new, fully transferable credit path from the five community colleges to Arizona State University for bachelor’s degrees in energy-related fields.

Recharging Arizona’s Energy WorkforceIn 2012, EMCC launched an energy skills training program with charter partners Arizona Public Service (APS), APS-Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS), and Salt River Project Power and Water (SRP). Upon program completion, successful students earn an associate’s degree, National Career Readiness and Employability Skills certificates, as well as the Energy Industry Fundamentals credential developed by the national Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD),

part of the Edison Electric Institute.

“We are proud to be part of this effort and have a long history of working with our communities, businesses, utility partners, and educational institutions to make Arizona a better place to live,” said Randy Edington, Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. “This federal grant offers critical assistance to expand education and training programs, which will help develop the talent needed to meet statewide energy and industry needs in the Southwest.”

Maricopa Skill Center Welcomes Goodwill to Campus

“I am excited that Goodwill has been able to help the school expand the Workforce Center. It is a wonderful way to help the community.”

—CJ Wurster, MSC Interim Director

Maricopa Skill Center (MSC) announced a new partnership with Goodwill of Central Arizona that will increase career services for students and the public. The partnership extends

services currently offered to MSC students, as well as supporting career exploration for members of the community who are seeking employment.

“Through our partnership with MSC, students and the public will now have access to all of Goodwill’s employment services at a convenient location,” said Kimberly Hall, Director, Career Services, Goodwill of Central Arizona.

Goodwill will bring staff on to MSC and MSC Northwest campuses to work with both students and the public on job search, résumé building, and interview techniques. The services are free and open to the public.

The centers opened on the MSC campus (1245 E. Buckeye Road, Phoenix) and Northwest Campus (2931 W. Bell Road, Phoenix) in February. The career centers are open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at MSC and 1-5 p.m. at the Northwest Campus.

News in the District 9Six Maricopa Community Colleges have been recognized by the Aspen Institute as being among the nation’s 150 top community colleges. Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Paradise Valley, Phoenix College, Scottsdale, and South Mountain Community Colleges can compete for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and $1 million in awards.

The prize, given every two years, recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access

and success for minority and low-income students. A full list of the 150 community colleges selected from more than 1,000 nationwide is available at www.aspenprize.org; winners will be announced in early 2015. “Community colleges have tremendous power to change lives, and their success will increasingly define our nation’s economic strength and the potential for social mobility for every American,” said Josh Wyner, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence program. “This competition is designed to spotlight the excellent work being done in the most effective community colleges, those that best help students obtain meaningful, high-quality education and training for competitive-wage jobs after college. We hope it will raise the bar and provide a roadmap for community colleges nationwide.”

In its explanation of the recognition process, the Institute’s website explains that they “recognize that there are many community colleges around the country that are employing innovative strategies and achieving excellent results for their students. The bar for the Aspen Prize is intentionally set high in order to identify those institutions that have demonstrated exceptional levels of student success.”

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues.

Six Maricopa Colleges Honored by Aspen Institute

Wellness Works at Maricopa Community CollegesThe Maricopa Community Colleges continue to be recognized for creating a culture of wellness in the workplace. In January, Maricopa won the American Heart Association’s Gold Fit-Friendly Worksite award. And for the second straight year, Maricopa was recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the Valley’s healthiest employers. “We have taken several steps to build a culture of wellness at Maricopa,” said Michele Hamm, the District’s Coordinator of Employee Wellbeing. “All Maricopa Community Colleges’ properties have been 100% tobacco-free since 2012. And an increasing number of employees are taking advantage of benefits — some new and some they never knew were available.” Two years ago, only 10 percent of Maricopa employees took the annual Health Risk Assessment. That figure has jumped to three out of four employees in the most recent year. “Half of the battle is making sure employees know about wellness staff and resources, including low-cost fitness classes and centers, as well as financial incentives for being tobacco-free and taking an annual health assessment,” Hamm said.

Chancellor Glasper Honored With MLK Diversity Award

Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor, Rufus Glasper, was recently honored with the Martin Luther King Jr. Diversity Award by the Town of Paradise Valley. Each year, the selection committee chooses an individual to receive the honor, a tradition since 2000. Past winners include a nationally known civil rights activist, local faith community leaders, international service organization founders, and government officials who have exemplified Dr. King’s vision and work. Historically, the program’s goal is to bring together Paradise Valley residents who are involved in advocacy and philanthropy through a wide variety of community, national, and international causes congruent with Dr. King’s vision.

“I am honored to receive this recognition,” said Chancellor Glasper. “In a 1948 address at Morehouse College, Dr. King said, ‘the function of education … is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. The complete education gives one not only power of

concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.’ If he were alive today, I think Dr. King would be pleased at the progress we have made in helping our students achieve a complete education … one that includes academic, cultural, athletic and social enrichment.”

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“We are honored to have been recognized by the Aspen Institute. As a system, we are among the largest in the nation. As such, we are a major supplier of students transferring to the State’s public universities, and the largest workforce trainer in the state of Arizona. We are working hard to continue improving our outcomes, and this honor is indicative of our students’ and faculty’s success.” —Rufus Glasper

2013 Chancellor’s Wellness Hike

Foundation10 Foundation Spotlight: Edmundo Hidalgo

Edmundo Hidalgo is the President and CEO of Chicanos por la Causa, Inc. (CPLC), a statewide community development corporation

that has helped communities with education, economic development, housing, and health and human services for more than 40 years. An Arizona native (San Luis), Mr. Hidalgo is former chair of the Maricopa Foundation Board of Directors, current board member, and the Foundation’s 2013 Hero of Education. “I serve on the MCCCF board because of the impact it has in opening opportunities for young people,” said Mr. Hidalgo. Having taken some classes at Mesa and Phoenix College, Mr. Hidalgo knows what makes Maricopa special. “The passion of the faculty is one of the key elements that separates Maricopa from many other college districts and universities,” he said. “It’s not just about words. It’s truly a commitment they have made and it shows in how much they care about student success. They deserve a lot of recognition for the achievements that the District celebrates.” In addition to his connection with MCCCF, Mr. Hidalgo is the Treasurer of Sonoran Bank and a member of the CHASE Community Advisory Committee, the Dudley Ventures Advisory Board, the Diamond Back Diversity Council, Greystone CDE, the NMTC Coalition Advisory Board, and the NCRC Board of Directors. He has been honored as a Fellow of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and Minority Small Business Champion of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. He was also awarded the 2011 Organization for Nonprofit Executives Innovation Award.

Scholarship Student and Future Dentist Has a Lot to Smile About

“I’m a very busy young woman,” Carlisha Lynch recently said as she flashed her winning smile.

And, indeed, she is busy. Carlisha is a senior at Marcos de Niza High School, spends her Saturdays at South Mountain Community College where she takes college-level courses through Maricopa’s Achieving a College Education Program (ACE), and volunteers at the Boys & Girls Clubs.

In fact, she was named a 2013 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix (BGCMP).

As part of her community service, Carlisha picks up litter, feeds the homeless, and mentors younger students. She also volunteers at the BGCMP Children’s Dental Clinic as an assistant, which gives her the opportunity to shadow dental professionals who have inspired her to one day open her own dental clinic.

“I’m already on the road to being one of the youngest African-American dentists in Arizona! The ACE program has given me a head start. By the time I enter college in the fall, I will have already completed my first year. ACE has provided guidance and know-how about college. I know that I will reach my goals in record time!”

Couple Shares Love of Learning, Giving Back

Bob and Marty Christopher of Phoenix love to give back to their community. So after they enjoyed some classes at Scottsdale Community College (SCC), it seemed only natural that they should help others attend the College.

The couple’s relationship with SCC began shortly after they retired and moved to Phoenix. “We were very active with the community college in Chicago, and a friend told us to look up Art DeCabooter when we moved here,” Marty recalled. At the time, Dr. Art DeCabooter (now retired) was SCC’s

President. “We were really impressed with Art’s leadership and his vision. Then we enrolled in some classes and loved them, too.”

Since 2001, the Christophers have given $15,000 a year toward three $100,000 planned gifts for endowed scholarships in the names of three faculty members: Sandra Desjardins, Robert Mugford, and Beth Ells (retired).

Bob Christopher rose through a succession of positions to become president and then co-owner of a Chicago company that provided materials for soundproofing cars. He later sold the company and retired. Marty Christopher earned a degree in Business Administration and worked outside the home until the first of three children was born. After that, she was a full-time mother, wife, and homemaker.

The Christophers maintained their interest in SCC after Dr. DeCabooter’s retirement, saying of current SCC President Jan Gehler, “We subscribe to what she subscribes to because she has such a strong vision for the future of the College.”

“I was able to complete college because I had the financial support of a number of scholarship programs. So I’ve always used education as my primary way of giving back. I think each of us needs to choose a way to get involved, whether it’s through your church, your children, or your community.”

—Edmundo Hidalgo

The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation raises money to provide support for scholarships, programs, and services that advance the mission of the Maricopa Community Colleges.

Since its inception in 1977, the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation has awarded more than $24 million in scholarships. www.mcccdf.org

Then and Now 11 Darrell Sawyer, Founder, Sawyer Aviation Phoenix College Alumnus,1949-50

Maricopa Matters (MM): When did you learn about flying?

Darrell Sawyer (DS): When I was a little kid I thought about being a cowboy … and by the time I was 4…I was set on being in aviation. My dad was a high school math teacher out in Gilbert. I started working for the airport when I was 15 … started flying when I was 16, and I got my pilot’s license on my 17th birthday … between my junior and senior years out in Gilbert.

MM: And there wasn’t any question that you were going into the U.S. Air Force (USAF)?

DS: That’s correct. I was planning anytime to join the USAF…it was close to when I was going to be drafted by the U.S. Army. And I thought … well, I’d rather be in the Air Force.

MM: What was Phoenix College (PC) like when you first arrived?

DS: Well, there were 1,000 people living in Gilbert then,100 people in high school, and 17 people in my high school graduating class. And when I got to PC, it was gigantic. Basically the people that had gone to Phoenix Union and North High knew each other and sort of came as groups … they were the movers and shakers then because they were used to a big school.

MM: Were there any professors or classes that stand out in your memory?

DS: John Prince, who I think later was Chancellor of the Maricopa Community College District, was one of the teachers who I thought did an excellent job.

MM: And then you became an instructor at PC?

DS: Yes, and while I was at PC, I worked on my commercial license. My last semester I got my instructor’s license. So, when I got out of the service, I was already set up to be an instructor. There wasn’t any doubt what I was going to do.

MM: Do you have any advice for prospective students?

DS: At least have some idea of why you’re going to college and what you want to be … what you want to accomplish.

Maricopa MemoryDr. Alfredo De Los Santos, Jr.Former Vice Chancellor for Student and Educational Development, Maricopa Community College District, 1978-1999, remembers the District’s first desktop computers.

At that time, we had massive computers at the District office that were tied to the programming labs at the Colleges by a telephone wire. I used to hear complaints from the faculty about how slow it was. In order to get first-hand experience, my wife and I signed up for a programming course at Mesa Community College. We would type in a line of code, hit enter, go outside and have a Coke, come back, and it still had not gone to the District Office. It was that slow.

Ron Bleed, my colleague, and I were roommates at a League of Innovation Conference. We started talking about my visit to Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and Harvard to see what they were doing. When I came back, I wrote a proposal to Paul Elsner (former Chancellor) asking for a quarter of a million dollars to buy 75 Apple desktop computers. My intent was to give a computer to faculty members for the summer, then select another group of faculty members for the fall. Paul liked the idea. Over a period of three years we trained more than 450 faculty members on desktop computers.

The idea of having open labs for students began at Glendale Community College. One of the faculty members went to John Waltrip, GCC’s President, and asked if he would let him have a classroom and 24 computers so students could come in anytime. He got the computers and the classroom. He opened the lab at 6:00 a.m., and he had to force the students to leave at 11:00 p.m. I couldn’t believe it.

Darrell Saywer seated in front of a photo of himself, his then girlfriend (now wife), and his first airplane.

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Tom Gariepy, Editor

Carol Diego, Managing Editor and Art Direction

Andrew Tucker, Writer

How did you first connect w

ith the Maricopa

Comm

unity Colleges?The very first tim

e I went to a M

aricopa Comm

unity College w

as right out of high school. I had graduated and, not even a m

onth later, I was in SCC’s Scottsdale Conservatory

Theatre (aka boot camp).

What’s SCC’s “boot cam

p” like?It’s an intense sum

mer course. It introduced m

e to my

passion, which is theatre.

What should w

e know about Fine Arts at the

Maricopa Com

munity Colleges? First ... that the

teachers are super invested. They make sure you have

what you need.

What types of acting activities are you doing now

? I do acting w

orkshops in local elementary schools w

here w

e use drama to encourage kids to read. I also do seasonal

workshops at the M

esa Arts Center.

Who inspires your acting?

Steve Martin and John Lithgow.

Meet Brianna Taft,

Actor and Future Film Star

and a student of a Maricopa Com

munity College

Rufus Glasper, Chancellor

Maricopa Community Colleges Governing BoardMr. Dana G. Saar, President • Mr. Randolph Elias Lumm, Secretary • Mr. Doyle W. Burke • Mr. Alfredo Gutierrez • Mrs. Debra Pearson

The Maricopa Community College Mascots gather to show their team spirit on the GateWay College campus.