Kirkwood Community College News

Kim Muhl Honored at Basketball Game, Feb. 4

Reunion set for Hall of Fame coach and former NJCAA National Championship teams

On Saturday, February 4, Kirkwood Community College will honor coach Kim Muhl for his induction into the 2011 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Muhl is only the second active coach in history to be selected into the Hall of Fame.

Muhl will be recognized in a ceremony held between the men’s and women’s basketball games against conference opponent Southwestern Community College. The women play at 1 p.m., and the men’s game follows at 3 p.m.

This year also marks the 5-, 10- and 15-year reunions for Coach Muhl’s NJCAA National Championship teams of 1997, 2002 and 2007. All former players are encouraged to attend and help Coach Muhl celebrate his coaching milestone.

Muhl is in his 23rd year as head coach for the Eagles and posts an overall 667-121 record, with an outstanding home record of 296-25. Muhl has led his teams to 20 regional finals, 14 national tournaments, and six NJCAA Division II national titles--including four in a row.

Top Federal Official Touts Kirkwood�s Partnerships, Training on Recent Visit

Jon Keimig

(U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Seth Harris (right) and Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich (left) listen to Kirkwood Industrial Technologies Dean Jeff Mitchell (middle) talk about Kirkwood's Energy Production & Distribution Technologies program on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012.)

A U.S. Department of Labor official visiting Kirkwood Community College’s Cedar Rapids campus said partnerships between businesses and community colleges are what will help America’s economy improve.

Deputy Secretary of Labor Seth Harris toured Kirkwood’s advanced manufacturing and energy training facilities on Thursday, meeting with many of the college’s industry partners.

“Right here in Cedar Rapids we have outstanding examples of community colleges working with business,” said Harris. “The partnerships Clipper Windpower and ACCIONA Windpower have with the college are the exact thing President Obama is talking about when he says that we need to partner to help move the country forward.”

“At Kirkwood we are always leaning on our local industries to find out exactly what their needs are, what skills their employees are lacking, and what skills they will need in the future,” said Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich. “We want to make sure they not only have graduates to hire, but that those graduates have the exact skills that companies in our area demand, so we can help them grow our local economy.”

Kirkwood’s new Energy Production & Distribution Technologies program uses donated wind turbine components from Clipper Windpower in Cedar Rapids. Clipper and ACCIONA send employees to Kirkwood for training each week, and are looking forward to hiring the first group of students to graduate the program this spring.

“We’ve hired Kirkwood graduates from many of the various programs the college teaches,” said Robert Loyd, Clipper Windpower plant manager. “Since the students will be working on the turbine components we donated, and have experience in the new Clipper wind turbine the college purchased, they’ll already be very familiar with what we do.”

Both companies aren’t waiting until graduation to take advantage of the partnerships they have with the college. Through the State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP) training grant, Kirkwood Training and Outreach Services has been able to use more than $464,000 to train 40 incumbent workers, in addition to 90 students, for jobs in the energy sector.

“We need to continue to get training development grants that allow us to keep moving forward as an industry,” said Joe Baker, CEO of ACCIONA Windpower in West Branch. “We also need the production tax credit to be extended beyond this next year, or the wind industry in this country will crater.” He said that could cut the number of wind energy jobs in half, having an impact on job openings for Kirkwood graduates.

Deputy Secretary Harris said his department has no control over those tax credits, but that President Obama supports them. He said Obama also wants to two million workers to get retraining for more sustainable careers, and that Kirkwood is doing exactly what is needed to accomplish the goals set out in the State of the Union address.

“We need students to be college-ready and career-ready,” Harris said. “We need to remove the stigma of a technical education. Sometimes you can learn numbers and reading better, when it’s not in the context of a general classroom. These students here are learning very sophisticated equipment.”

The 39 students currently enrolled in the program will earn more than just a two-year degree when they graduate. They will also earn stackable credentials valued by the energy industry.

“We have 19 different nationally recognized credentials students in our Energy Production & Distribution Technologies program earn throughout their time with us,” said Industrial Technologies Dean Jeff Mitchell. “These credentials show companies that hire our students, that we are teaching the competencies they need to be successful in the work world.”

Students in the program learn solar energy and steam energy, in addition to wind energy. Many of the students who go through Kirkwood’s industrial technology programs have job placement before they graduate. Clipper and ACCIONA are not the only companies looking to hire this first group of Energy Production & Distribution Technologies students. Alliant Energy said it is in need of wind turbine installers for its growing wind energy needs.

#3 Kirkwood Hosts Undefeated #2 Indian Hills

Men's basketball looks to upset Warriors.

In a prior matchup this season, the Kirkwood Community College men’s basketball team (13-2) suffered its second loss of the season in a nail biter against Indian Hills (16-0). The Eagles were unable to hold off an 11-2 run in the final minutes of the game, leading to a 79-77 Warrior victory. The Eagles two-point loss was the closest game the Warriors have had all season. Since the loss, the Eagles have been on a five-game winstreak and climbed to a #3 ranking on the NJCAA division II national polls. The Warriors 16-game winstreak propelled the team to a #2 ranking in the division I polls. The Eagles’ rematch against the Warriors is set for Wednesday, January 11, with tip off at 7 p.m. at Johnson Hall.

Kirkwood Sets Beyond Rubies Women�s Conference

Jon Keimig

Two days of personal development, relaxation and laughter planned for area women, March 15-16, 2012

What super-foods can benefit my health and have a positive impact on my family? How can I improve my professional networking and communication skills? When do I need to prepare for life’s transitions? Life is so busy, where should I begin?

These questions, and more, will be answered at Kirkwood Community College’s Beyond Rubies women’s conference on March 15-16, at Kirkwood’s main campus in Cedar Rapids. Beyond Rubies is a professional conference with personal appeal. Attendees have the opportunity to personalize their conference experience by choosing from more than 100 health, career and personal development workshops and breakout sessions. This two-day conference welcomes four keynote speakers to the campus. These diverse speakers will set the tone of building better lives while enjoying the journey.

Keynote speakers for the 2012 Beyond Rubies conference include:

Candy Whirley is an international speaker, author and former NFL cheerleader. She is well known for leading and cheering audiences around the world to live and work better together and to stop driving each other crazy. Candy takes conference-goers through an exploration of behavioral styles that will make attendees think, laugh, even dance, while recognizing one’s true self.

Cindy Gerard decided she needed an alternative outlet for the energy she had expended as a school mom, a little more than 20 years ago, when the empty nest syndrome kicked in. Cindy recounts her journey as a naive aspiring author who eventually attained the ultimate goal of hitting the New York Times bestseller list. She’ll recount some of the mistakes she made along the way and how anyone can apply her ‘secrets to success’ to create a fulfilling vocation.

Todd Hunt, a business humorist, shares his take on business and life. He’s a self-proclaimed “Recovering Anal Retentive Professional,” who finally learned to lighten up, after working two decades in the corporate world. Now he speaks to organizations that want to add fun to their events and send members back to work and home smiling, with tips to improve communication and success.

DIVAPALOOZA is three magnificent solo artists combining forces to blow the roof off of any venue. Imagine Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Bette Midler all together on one stage – that, in a nutshell, is the experience of DIVAPALOOZA. The ladies in this trio have each garnered well-deserved comparisons to their more famous counterparts. When these three divas get together, there is something for everyone – rhythm and blues, jazz, musical theatre, rock and roll, folk, country, etc.

Beyond Rubies is a conference for women of all generations and backgrounds to learn practical ideas on how to succeed, while juggling increasingly complex and diverse life demands. You will be engaged in an exciting, fun and inspirational atmosphere, where women come together to network and learn about issues affecting all women—in the workplace, at home and in the community.

For more information, to request a brochure or to register, visit www.kirkwood.edu/rubies or call 398-1022. Early Bird registration discounts run through Friday, January 20.

Kirkwood Signs On As Anchor Tenant for the NewBo City Market

Jon Keimig

Continuing Education culinary courses will utilize future space.

The Cedar Rapids City Market Board of Directors and Kirkwood Community College announce an innovative partnership for the NewBo City Market. Kirkwood has committed to a 10-year lease for approximately 1,500 square feet of the 18,000 square foot facility, for a culinary center, becoming the anchor tenant for the NewBo City Market. The organization will offer its wide-selection of Continuing Education culinary courses at the market, at the same time forming a strong collaboration with NewBo City Market’s goals and a presence in the downtown district.

The NewBo City Market is a year-round indoor/outdoor public market providing a venue for visitors to shop from the best of Iowa’s food entrepreneurs, farmers and artisan sellers. The centerpiece of the NewBo City Market is the 18,000 square-foot Market Hall with permanent and flexible vendor stalls, and space for specialized markets and fairs.

“We’re thrilled to have an institute like Kirkwood offer its Continuing Education culinary courses at the market,” said Patrick DePalma, board president of Cedar Rapids City Market, Inc. “By placing a cooking school where visitors shop, we’ll create tremendous synergy. We’ll provide the community with greater access to good quality local food and teach them how to use it in healthy ways.”

“This great partnership helps Kirkwood in positioning our Continuing Education culinary, life and leisure classes with the NewBo City Market,” said Kirkwood Community College President Mick Starcevich. “When people look for personal enrichment, they’ll know they can get Continuing Education offerings, at a great facility, in addition to the varied offerings from NewBo City Market vendors. We’re pleased to join together in the downtown district.”

“Consumers today are interested in fully realized experiences,” added DePalma. “By placing the kitchen where food conscious people congregate, play and shop, you create an experience that is greater than each of the individual parts.”

Currently Kirkwood’s Continuing Education culinary courses are offered at various schools across eastern Iowa. Having one location for all of these courses will provide for the creation of a space designed especially for offerings customized to Kirkwood’s customer demographic.

“With the creation of this new space, we’ll be able to better deliver our current courses,” said Kim Johnson, Kirkwood vice president of Continuing Education and Training Services. “Because of the great venue and clientele it will attract, we are excited about the opportunities the collaboration with the NewBo City Market provides for an eclectic array of culinary offerings, classes and demonstrations. We plan to expand our very popular youth culinary camps, nutrition classes and culinary offerings, while developing new programs such as a young chef’s academy, culinary team-building training, culinary certifications and much more.”

Johnson said the college is also looking at ways to utilize the kitchen for workforce training, giving youth and adults the culinary skills needed in the local workforce. “With the waiting list for Kirkwood’s Culinary Arts program at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, this facility will allow us to offer pathway programs that give short-term training needed to get right into the workforce, or transfer into our credit program at The Hotel.”

According to DePalma, the culinary partnership with Kirkwood is just a jumping off point for what could become a great partnership. “The NewBo City Market will nourish the mind and spirit, as well as the body. We look forward to working with Kirkwood to expand the classes offered to areas such as art, fitness, language and home decorating.”

“Our Continuing Education programming is always expanding to meet what our local residents and customers desire for lifelong learning opportunities,” said Johnson. “Our offerings, combined with the vision of the NewBo City Market, positions both entities for growth in this large and growing consumer and employment market.”

The market will be located on an entire city block at the corner of 12th Ave. and 3rd St. SE, the site of the former Quality Chef plant. The NewBo City Market and Kirkwood hope they can play an integral role in helping to strengthen the neighborhood.

Anyone interested in teaching a Kirkwood Continuing Education course should contact Evone Vognsen, director of Program Development, at 319-398-5487, at evone.vognsen@kirkwood.edu or www.kirkwood.edu/ce. For general inquiries about the NewBo City Market, contact Julie Palmer, executive director, NewBo City Market, at julie@newbocitymarket.com or online at www.newbocitymarket.com.

Sign Up for Kirkwood Alert

Jon Keimig

Get an email or text sent to you when the colleges closes or has an emergency

Kirkwood Starts at 10 a.m. Today, Monday, January 23

Jon Keimig

Click here for more information

Due to inclement weather, Kirkwood Community College will start at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 23.

Not all Continuing Education classes are cancelled when Kirkwood is closed. To see if your class is still meeting, click here.

To have information sent directly to your cellular phone or email address, sign up for Kirkwood Alert.

Kirkwood Students Offer Free Tax Assistance and E-file 

Jon Keimig

Must sign up for an appointment

Kirkwood Community College Accounting students will open their tenth year of providing Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) at Kirkwood. A free "E-File" service is available for both Federal and State tax returns through the Kirkwood VITA process.

Appointments will be available on Kirkwood's Cedar Rapids campus beginning January 27 and continuing through April 17. They will be on Monday and Wednesday nights from 5-7 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Services will not be available during Kirkwood's Spring Break week, March 10-18.

The volunteers request that no business, rental or investment income aspects be part of the taxpayer's financial profile. Participants are requested to bring all important tax documents with them to the appointment, including Social Security cards, a copy of the previous year's tax return, and all statements of income including W-2, 1099 and other appropriate forms.

Persons interested in the assistance can make an appointment by e-mailing: VITA@kirkwood.edu, or calling 319-398-5899, ext. 4521 to leave a message with a name and phone number.

The United Way also provides free tax assistance throughout the community. To schedule a free tax appointment call 2-1-1 or 319-739-4211 or 1-866-469-2211 (toll free).

Kirkwood Students Win National Turf Competition

Jon Keimig

Kirkwood students claimed a new piece of turf at a competition in Long Beach, California: Turf Bowl national champions. Students from the college’s Golf Course & Athletic Turfgrass Management program finished in first place at the 2011 Turf Bowl at the annual Sports Turf Managers Association annual conference earlier this month.

During the conference, students participated in the industry trades show, education sessions and panel discussions. One of the biggest draws is the student challenge Turf Bowl competition. It is comprised both two- and four-year colleges with turfgrass programs from around the country.

Seven Kirkwood students made up two teams that competed in the 12-team event. One team comprised of Luke Perkins (Iowa City, IA), Tim Sims (Galva, IL), Tyler Dean (West Branch, IA) and Tyler Timmerman (Genceo, IL) took first place in the two-year team competition. The other team, of just three students, included James Eaton (Muscatine, IA), Nick Dralle (Mason City, IA) and Levi Driesen (Hawarden, IA) placed sixth.

“I am very proud of the effort and dedication that the students put into the Turf Bowl competition this year,” said Troy McQuillen, Golf Course & Athletic Turfgrass Management faculty member. “These students are a great reflection for what the Golf Course and Athletic Turfgrass Program is all about.”

The first place Kirkwood team not only had the highest score in the two-year category, but also tied the four-year winning team, Purdue. Kirkwood’s winning team received a trophy and a $4000 check to the Turf Club to be used for tools and special projects for the classroom.

“We know that our students are well-prepared when they leave our program. Seeing them win the competition, and tie the best four-year school in the country … that’s something these students can be really proud of.”

The teams started studying for the competition in early October. They raised more than $6000 to fund the trip, with fundraisers like home lawn aerations, sod installations and renovation projects on high school baseball fields. The teams will travel to Daytona Beach, Florida next year to defend their title.

(Photo L to R: James Eaton, Levi Dreisen, Tyler Timmerman, Luke Perkins, Tyler Dean, Tim Sims, Nick Dralle, Troy McQuillen.)

Kirkwood Marion Center Sold Back to Marion School District

Jon Keimig

Programming will move to the Kirkwood Regional Center - Linn County

The Marion Independent School District Board of Directors approved the purchase of the Kirkwood Marion Center at its meeting Monday night. Kirkwood Community College originally purchased the former Longfellow Elementary School building from the Marion School District in 1991.

Both sides say the $700,000 sale makes sense because of the changing needs for the college and the school district.

Kirkwood is moving all of its programming from the Marion Center to the recently purchased Paetec building, which will become the Kirkwood Regional Center – Linn County. Depending on design and construction, that facility is scheduled to partially open between August and December 2012, with final completion slated for August 2013.

“The building provides good accessibility with the single floor design and has sufficient land for expansion,” said Marion Superintendant Sarah Pinion. “Land included in the purchase provides additional possibilities for play and learning opportunities.”

Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich said now is the right time for the sale, and is good for students in the area.

“The Kirkwood Regional Center – Linn County is going to provide more opportunities for all of the students that would have otherwise attended the Marion Center,” said Starcevich. “The school district was a great partner to us when we purchased the building from them. Now we’re trying to be a good partner and help them as well.”

When purchased in 1991 from the Marion School District, Kirkwood changed the facility into the Kirkwood New Business Center. In 1994, it underwent major remodeling. In 1998, when the center could no longer support all of the small businesses that utilized the space, it moved the programming to the KTOS Center in Marion, and it became the Kirkwood Marion Center, providing its current day programming.

Dark Comedy Presented in Ballantyne, Feb. 9-12

Comedy turns dark and absurd in the Kirkwood Community College production of Endgame. The winter play will be presented in four performances, February 9-12, in Ballantyne Auditorium. Thursday, Friday and Saturday show times are at 7:30 p.m., with a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee.

Samuel Beckett’s one-act play features an aged, blind master and his servant struggling to deal with their unchanging lives. Each day contains actions and reactions of previous days until their lives are transformed into a predictable, ritualistic state. For this reason, it is of no surprise that Beckett’s title, Endgame, refers to the last part of chess, when few pieces are left, and the outcome is obvious.

The London Times states, "Endgame has outraged the Philistines, earned the contempt of the half wits and filled those who are capable of telling the difference between a theatre and a bawdy house with a profound and somber and paradoxical joy ... A magnificent theatrical experience."

Patrick DuLaney directs the Kirkwood student performers, with set and lighting design by Shelly A. Ford and costume design by Annee Noah.

“I am delighted to be a part of bringing to you these exciting, scary, and unexpectedly funny people doing their best to just get through the day,” said DuLaney.

Tickets for Endgame are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and students with current ID. Kirkwood students and employees are admitted free. Tickets are available from the Kirkwood Theatre box office in 336 Cedar Hall, or by calling (319) 398-5899, ext. 4331.

Iowa City Campus Closed Today, Tuesday, January 31

Jon Keimig

Due to a water main break.

Kirkwood's Iowa City Campus will be closed for the day, Tuesday, January 31, due to a water main break. Kirkwood Facilities crews hope to have everything fixed by the end of the day. Check back to the Kirkwood website for any additional information, when it becomes available.

Students Lobby for Community Colleges at State Capital

Jon Keimig

Student Leadership Council sends nine students to Des Moines

Kirkwood Community College students descended on Des Moines last week to lobby state lawmakers on the importance of community colleges in the state. Nine students from Kirkwood’s Student Leadership Council were selected to represent the college, with two from the Iowa City Campus.

The Iowa Association of Community College Trustees has been putting on the Student Legislative Seminar for more than 20 years. The two-day event includes students from all community colleges.

"It’s a great opportunity for our students to interact with our elected officials in Des Moines and tell them firsthand the importance of community colleges in our state," said Student Life Coordinator Seth Vander Tuig. "This is the one chance that our legislature can put a face with the community colleges and meet and talk with students from Kirkwood and the other community colleges across Iowa."

The activities include a welcome, overview and legislative panel the first night. Governor Terry Branstad speaks to the students as well. This is followed by a day of lobbying at the Capitol on Thursday.

Kirkwood students with Sen. Wally Horn D-Cedar Rapids

Men's Basketball Schedule Changes

Jon Keimig

Play at home Friday and Saturday

Eight Kirkwood Students Awarded Fellowships for Study Abroad Program

Jon Keimig

Service program is first to Tanzania

Kirkwood Community College is expanding its Study Abroad offerings thanks to a new source of funding to help students partake in a service-learning program.

Eight Kirkwood students will travel to Tanzania in June, thanks to the Harris T. Wofford Fellowship through Cross Cultural Solutions.

“Kirkwood’s Study Abroad efforts have been enhanced by this additional funding for students,” said International Programs Director Dawn Wood. “Students who do not participate in Study Abroad typically list money as the first reason why they are not able to. Eliminating the money problem is a key catalyst for getting more Kirkwood students to step up and take advantage of these opportunities.”

Students will be able to care for infants and children in orphanages, daycares and centers for street children; teach children conversational English and assist teachers with special education; participate in income-generating activities to help work toward women’s empowerment; and help with office work and other essential tasks within the hospitals.

Volunteer placements are designed to match the skills and interests of the students to the needs of the community of Bagamoyo, Tanzania.

Kirkwood is one of only six community colleges to have students awarded the fellowship.

This program to Tanzania is the second service-learning trip the college offers. “We have made an intentional effort to develop new volunteer or service-focused abroad programs at Kirkwood,” said Wood. “We have seen the impact these type of experiences have on students and faculty members who participate.”

This Study Abroad program is similar to the program the college offers to Guatemala, where students and faculty members help build houses for poor residents.

“Kirkwood’s focus on hands-on learning and learner success shows that these experiences in the local communities, with families, with societal issues, and face-to-face with real people makes the Study Abroad experience much more valuable to those who are part of it.”

All students are required to enroll in a three-credit Study Abroad academic course as part of the Tanzania experience.

For more information on Kirkwood's Study Abroad options, visit www.kirkwood.edu/studyabroad http://www.kirkwood.edu/studyabroad.