Kirkwood Community College News

Academy Programs are "Edge" Above the Rest

Career academies give high school students college credit, insight on careers
--by Tom Garland, Kirkwood News Service

Lisa Digman, a teacher at Jefferson High School, laughed when asked if it was hard to get her students to participate in her classes, "There are kids who are sick who come in just to be in this class."

Digman doesn't teach shop, gym, or moderate lunch hours. Surprisingly enough, she teaches advanced college credit courses at the high school level.

"[Students] say they're the hardest classes they have to take while they're up here and I think it's harder than a lot of their AP course work. But I think [students] really, really enjoy it," Digman explained.

Presently, there are over 30,000 high school students taking college credit courses across the state of Iowa. Kirkwood Community College has been working diligently to raise that number with their Career Edge Academy programs.

Career Edge Academies are career-focused, college credit courses, like the ones Lisa Digman teaches at Jefferson, targeted towards high school students.

Using a wide range of sophisticated technologies that give students an "in the field" experience, the programs are available to all students with permission from their high school district.

The courses offer hands-on scholastic and technical preparation to provide relevant skills for today's workforce. Kirkwood's Executive Director of Secondary Programs, Dave Bunting, believes they're doing just that and more.

"The whole purpose is to help students make more informed decisions," Bunting said, "We're also trying to get students to realize that what they take in high school really matters. Every one of our 17 Career Academies should help a student try and decide what they take in high school."

The program has received a significant response from surrounding area high schools.

Clay Stoffer, guidance counselor at Prairie High School, claims that the program has been beneficial in ways other than just gaining students an edge on college credit.

"I think it can help students find a major, but it can do just the opposite too," Stoffer said, "Maybe they take a few courses in an area and find out that it isn't what they want to do. I'd much rather a student find that out now, than after paying a few semesters worth of tuition at college."

These programs also come at zero cost to the students. This, along with abundant success stories, could be the reason Kirkwood has seen an increase of 935 (39.9%) students enrolled in the program in just the past year. There is also such a diverse spectrum of courses available, ranging from Auto Collision to Heath Sciences, that most students find themselves comfortably fitting into at least one.

One Career Edge Academies program, Project Lead the Way, which focuses on engineering has seen a boom of enrollment from zero to 750 in just two short years.

Career Edge Academies also expand far beyond the greater Cedar Rapids area. Work is nearly completed on the Jones Regional Education Center in Monticello. The Kirkwood Community College board of trustees approved the sale of more than $6 million in bonds to fund the construction of the 30,000-square-foot-building.

Located near the intersection of Highway 151 and County Road X-44 on the southeast edge of Monticello, the center sits on eight acres of land donated by the Lloyd and Joyce Welter family. The center will include a regional Career Academy program with eight school districts sharing career, technical and core curriculum classes.

The progress a community can achieve from offering Career Edge Academy courses is not only noticeable on the transcripts of their youth, but apparent even in the fundamental nature in which they learn.

"It's not just a teacher standing there lecturing to them. It's two-thirds hands on projects. It's a totally different kind of class than what any of them are used to," Digman said.

Kirkwood, Prairie Offer New Preschool Program

Steve C./Johnna H.

Two schools join forces, supported by state grant

A new grant-funded program is bringing preschool learning opportunities to the College Community school District. A new grant from the State of Iowa will make a Voluntary Preschool program available to four-year-olds. The new program will provide state-certified teachers trained in early childhood education to give personalized learning experiences for up to 20 children per class section. The collaboration could assist more than 240 four-year-olds.

Kirkwood Community College is joining with the Prairie district in promoting awareness of the program. Child Care Director Johnna Haggerty says the program "could be a big plus" for some college students, as well as faculty and staff.

"This is a great new opportunity for many parents. We know that child care may be a factor in educational access for some students, and we hope this project addresses that barrier and makes college study possible," Haggerty said.

The grant provides a program of 12 hours of tuition-free preschool per week during the school year for more than 240 children in the area. Eligble students should be four years old on or before September 15, 2009. The program sessions will be three hours a day for four days a week with a varied number of wrap-around hours.

Complete information and registration procedures are available by contacting Johnna Haggerty at (319) 398-1245 or jhagger@kirkwood.edu or Sandy MacKain at (319) 898-5295 or at smackain@prairiepride.org.

You can also access the Prairie Pride E-News for this information:

http://www.prairiepride.org/teachertools/ArticleList.php?NewsID=4896

Older Workers Employment Workshop, June 30

Linda S./Steve C.

Program aims to aid mature workers in job search; event at Coralville Public Library
A tight economy and low unemployment are factors making job searches for laid-off Corridor workers more difficult than ever before. A new partnership of community organizations aims to help those ages 50 or more with a job search.

New insight is available for 50-plus workers through the leadership of the Johnson County Livable Community Initiative. Members include Iowa Workforce Development, Kirkwood Community College, Elder Services, Iowa City Area Development Group and a group of community volunteers.

The group organized a "50-plus Employment Workshop" for Tuesday, June 30, from 3 to 5 p.m. The workshop will be held at the Coralville Public Library, 1405 Fifth Street. The session is free and targeted to experienced workers.

Kirkwood Executive Director of Continuing Education Programs, Kim Johnson says the event should "give real facts and solid job-seeking tools" for people facing employment challenges later in life.

"For years, Kirkwood has been focused on employment training in many areas. With every economic downturn, we hope to get people over initial difficulties and to places where they can consider positive options and sometimes new directions they never expected," Johnson added.

Al Hood, chair of the group, said today's job search is very different from 25 years ago. "The purpose of the workshop is to acquaint those ages 50 and older with new and current resources that are now available."

Anyone seeking work or considering returning to the workforce, plus retirees looking for a full- or part-time job are encouraged to attend.

The workshop will include a panel discussion with representatives of area employers. Panel members include Hillary Brown, Hy-Vee; Sarah Bloome, Mercy Iowa City; Jennifer Kurka, Pearson; Ronda Stout, Sedona Staffing; and Jane Monserud, University of Iowa. A question and answer period will follow panelist remarks. Representatives of the area's SeniorCorps will also be on hand to assist at the event.

Hood said panel representatives were selected to demonstrate the range of employment opportunities available in the region. Participants will also have an opportunity to network and visit with panelists at the workshop.

In consideration of Coralville library patrons, workshop participants are asked to park in areas other than the first two rows of parking.

"Lights, Camera, Flowers!" Show Set, June 28

Kirkwood Community College will present its annual Floral Careers Show Sunday afternoon, June 28. The program will be from 2 p.m.to 4 p.m. in Kirkwood's Ballantyne Auditorium.

Students in the college's Floral Careers program will present flower arrangements and designs displaying knowledge and skills gained in their Kirkwood course work.

The theme of this year's program is "Lights, Camera, Flowers!" The guest commentator is Fran Newsom, Iowa Master Florist, with Design Studio Floral and Accessories of Waterloo, Iowa. Newsom has been in the floral industry for over thirty years. She participated in the Charter class of the Certified Iowa Florist program and has designed for political events, stage productions and the big screen.

Newsom is past president of the Iowa Florist Association and is currently serving on the IFA board of Directors. Her focus is on educating the future florists of America and the customers served by Iowa florists. She is part owner of Design Studio Floral & Accessories, Inc. in Waterloo, Iowa and has received numerous awards for her professional design skills.

Kirkwood offers the only Floral Careers program in the state, and draws students from a wide geographic area to the program. Professors are Linette Geissler AIFD, IMF and Lora Dodd- Brosseau IMF. The "Lights, Camera, Flowers!" program is free and open to the public. More information on Kirkwood's Floral Careers program is available by calling 319-398-5441.

Culinary Grad Making her Tasteful Mark

Kirkwood graduate Haley Silhacek is cooking up fine cuisine, lasting memories in Cedar Falls

--by Kevin Corrizo, Kirkwood News Service

Taste may be a momentary sensation, but the joyful memories generated with food can last a lifetime. That's part of the entree Haley Silhacek enjoys serving up the most every time she goes to work.

"People remember food," said Silhacek, who graduated from Kirkwood Community College in May 2007 with both Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management degrees. "That's what makes it fun. Aside from all the technical stuff that goes into the preparation, it's about making people feel good through food. There are activities and events in people's lives where the food is remembered. It made them feel good or it made them happy. That's my favorite part."

Silhacek has been cooking up those good feelings for the past two years at Ferrari's Ristorante at Park Place Event Centre in Cedar Falls, where she currently works as a line cook. The restaurant is a fine dining establishment specializing in Italian cuisine, but Silhacek also assists with banquets and other large events in the attached events center.

"I get here at 9 a.m. every day and set up the lunch line," she said. "Then there are banquets and other things that we have going on here as well. There might be a party of anywhere from five to 500 people at any given time. Sometimes my day ends at three, sometimes if there's a banquet it ends at 10 at night. There's always something fun and different every day."

That often means a full plate of activity during a typical day for Silhacek, but she said she wouldn't have it any other way. In addition to her work at Ferrari's, Silhacek also works part-time at Sunnyside Country Club in Waterloo.

"I love being busy," she said of her culinary surroundings. "It's adrenaline�.I like to move. I like the action. I like the drama. It just gets me going."

Even before she had experienced the fast-paced excitement of a professional kitchen, Silhacek admits she had a taste for food. "Probably since I was 14," she said. "It was really the only thing I ever had a passion for."

When she made the decision to pursue that passion with culinary studies, this Spillville, Iowa native saw Kirkwood as the perfect opportunity. Not only did she learn about restaurant management and culinary arts through a top-notch curriculum, she gained valuable hands-on experience by preparing meals at Kirkwood's student-run restaurant, The Class Act.

"I had heard from other people that is was a good program," she said. "It's not expensive. They have great instructors. Plus, the hands-on experience is huge. We would work with real people every single day."

In addition to the time in the kitchen, Silhacek said her Kirkwood classes also provided valuable insight for other important aspects of her industry - aspects that she has become more familiar with since graduating.

"It's definitely not just cooking," she said. "There's a staff that has to be managed, too. That's another element - making sure everyone is getting along and doing their job. There are times I wish I would have paid more attention to food costs and controls - things like that. Those classes don't always seem the most interesting, but it's one of the most important classes a person can take. I've learned a lot working here, but I definitely felt confident coming into this job after graduating from Kirkwood, that's for sure."

Silhacek said the benefits and experience she gained going through Kirkwood's programs will only be magnified for future students once The Hotel at Kirkwood Center and new Class Act restaurant are completed on the Kirkwood campus and open in the fall of 2010.

"The program already gives people an advantage because they're really working in a restaurant and they're working with real people and making sure things go out on time," she said. "The hotel is only going to amplify that. It's going to be even better than it is now."

Putting the skills she developed at Kirkwood to good use, Silhacek has repeatedly been recognized for her culinary talent. In November 2008, she won top honors at a statewide culinary competition in Des Moines. In January 2009 she was named Chef Par Excellence at the 23rd Iowa Pork Producers Association's annual Taste of Elegance restaurant competition.

"She's one of the sharpest students that I've had in the restaurant management program in the eight years I've been here," said Lee Belfield, general manager, The Hotel at Kirkwood Center. "Obviously she was a very strong culinary student as well.

"She's very bright, very personable and very talented," he continued. "She's also very serious about the industry she's chosen. She's going to be very successful."

For Silhacek, that success might best be judged in the lasting memories her work helps to create for others.
"It makes me feel good," she said. "It brings people together and I just like seeing people happy."

Kirkwood to Host U of Iowa Classes in CR

Steve C./U of Iowa

Colleges partner to offer UI courses on the Kirkwood campus; additional bachelors degree options
Graduates from Kirkwood Community College now have another option for further study. Kirkwood and The University of Iowa have added options for university courses on the Kirkwood Cedar Rapids campus starting in the fall of 2009.

Graduates who have earned an Associate of Science (AS), Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Associate of Arts (AA) degrees may take two UI classes during the fall and spring semesters. The courses are designed to assist Kirkwood graduates who wish to pursue a bachelor's degree with The University of Iowa. Classes will be offered in a blended online format with optional face-to-face support and discussion sections in Cedar Rapids.

The partnership allows Kirkwood students to pursue one of two distance degree opportunities: the Bachelor of Applied Studies (BAS) or the Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS). These degree programs offer students several opportunities for study including the following tracks: General Studies, Nonprofit Management and Entrepreneurial Management. An additional track in Justice Studies is currently under development.

Kirkwood Vice President of Instruction Dr. Bill Lamb called the partnership "another useful choice and opportunity" for two-year college grads.

"This agreement is another wonderful chance for our students to pursue a four-year bachelors degree and is a practical complement to the great transfer relationships we have built with our Regents partners. This will be especially helpful and useful for students who want to pursue a four-year university degree, yet not have sufficient time or flexibility to travel to Iowa City for course work. This is another demonstration of our shared commitment to value and convenience for students," Lamb said.

Students will have additional options for UI online courses through the university's distance education options. Chet Rzonca, dean of UIs' Division of Continuing Education pointed out the practicality of these recent developments.

"We know that a lot of people who graduate from community colleges are committed to work and family in their hometowns. For them, picking up roots and moving to Iowa City just isn't an option. We believe this new partnership allows more people to continue their path to higher education and make them more competitive in the job market," Rzonca said.

More information is available by calling 1-888-486-3433. Additional information on the new University of Iowa degree programs is also available at:

www.hawkeyedegree.com

From Egypt to Iowa�to Washington, DC

M. Abdallah

An Egyptian exchange student reflects on valuable discoveries

--by Michael Abdallah

One of the great opportunities I have had since I came to the United States was when I was chosen by the Student Senate to go on a trip to Washington D.C. with Kirkwood Community College's president, staff and the Board of Trustees. I was one of six students representing Kirkwood on this trip. The chosen students were members of Kirkwood Student Senate who represent different clubs at Kirkwood.

The main purpose of this trip was to lobby and advocate with US senators and congressmen for more funding for community colleges. Kirkwood likes to bring students to represent the student body. First, we had many meetings with representatives of some non-governmental organizations who work closely with Kirkwood. I met with Mr. John Sedlins, branch manager for the Department of State. We also went to Capitol Hill, where we met with Iowa's senators and congressmen, including Sen. Chuck Grassley and Congressman David Loebsack, and the staff of Sen. Thomas Harkin.

In addition, we had many chances to visit some great places. The best one, in my opinion, was when we went to the Capitol with a guide who explained to us many things regarding the history of the Capitol. At the end of this tour we went to the Senate Gallery. We were lucky that we went while the Senate was discussing the Stimulus Bill. The session we were attending was the last session; the senators were voting for either closing the discussion or not. I am so glad I was in this session to see how the voting system works in Congress, especially for this very important bill.

We had time for entertainment, too. Kirkwood's president invited us many times to have dinner with him, the staff and the Board of Trustees. One of those times, Congressman Loebsack and his wife joined us. It was a great chance to have different kinds of conversation with the Board and staff, asking them how they are planning for the future of the college, and having some funny talks with them as well.

We had the chance to do some sightseeing. We took an open-top bus tour. I saw almost all of the important places from this bus. My advisor took a picture of me when the bus was passing in front of my country embassy, Egypt.

This trip was one of my highlights in the USA. I enjoyed spending a week with the Board of Trustees and the staff, and I have learned a lot. I will definitely remember this trip for many years to come.

[Michael Abdallah was part of a contingent of students who attended Kirkwood Community College as part of an exchange program through the U.S. Department of State and Community Colleges for International Development. In the photo, Mr. Abdallah poses in front of the Egyptian Embassy in Washington. This article originally appeared in the CCID organization newsletter.]

Kirkwood People Make their Mark in Texas

Kimberly S./Steve C.

Students Excel at Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference

On Tuesday, June 15, seven Business Professionals of America students and their advisor traveled to Dallas, Texas for the 2009 National Leadership Conference.

Originally scheduled in May, the conference date was moved due to the H1N1 flu outbreak. The Kirkwood students willingly and enthusiastically gave up part of their summer vacation to attend the conference.

Students attending from the Kirkwood Cedar Rapids chapter were Gen Cigrand (Monticello High School), Brittney Dirks (Ottawa Township High School, Missouri), Ashley Erboe (West Branch High School), Mindy Nachtman (West Delaware High School), Samantha Phelps (Winfield Mt. Union High School), Amanda Rottman (North Cedar High School), and their chapter advisor Kimberly Schultz (Lisbon).

The students joined over 3,000 other conference delegates from across the nation to participate in national level business skills competitions, workshops, general sessions, and the national officer candidate campaigns and elections.
In addition to conference activities, the Kirkwood students visited Dallas points of interest, including the Dallas Zoo and the Sixth Floor Museum/JFK Museum.

Recently graduated students, Mindy Nachtman and Samantha Phelps (Administrative Assistant program), led the way. Nachtman earned 8th place in both the Advanced Office Systems & Procedures and Integrated Office Applications contests. Nachtman was also elected 2009-2010 BPA national secretary/treasurer.

"Mindy makes the fifth national officer that our chapter has had in the past ten years," stated advisor Kimberly Schultz. "Our students really enjoy being involved and serving in leadership positions. Kirkwood does an excellent job in supporting them in these endeavors."

Samantha Phelps placed in the top ten in three contests. Phelps carried home the second place plaque in Desktop Publishing. She also earned medallions for finishing 4th in the Integrated Office Applications contest and 5th in the Management/Marketing/Human Resources Concepts�Open event contest.

"Because anyone at the contest is allowed to compete in the open concepts, these contests are highly competitive," Schultz added. "Sam was competing against not only community college students but four-year college students as well, which makes her placing in the event even more amazing."

Besides competing, Phelps also kept busy by serving as Nachtman's campaign manager. Both Phelps and Nachtman received their Ambassador Torch Award pins and certificates at a special ceremony. The Ambassador award is the highest honor given to BPA student members.

Other Kirkwood student competitors placing in the top ten and receiving medals were:

6th Ashley Erboe Desktop Publishing

9th Brittney Dirks Advanced Word Processing Skills

All the Kirkwood competitors finished in the top twenty for their other respective events. They included:

13th Amanda Rottman Advanced Word Processing Skills

16th Amanda Rottman Banking & Finance

16th Ashley Erboe Integrated Office Applications

17th Gen Cigrand Desktop Publishing

19th Gen Cigrand Basic Office Systems & Procedures

# # #

Business Professionals of America is a national organization for high school, college, and middle school students preparing for careers in business and information technology. The organization's activities and programs complement classroom instruction by giving students practical experience through application of the skills learned at school. Business Professionals of America acts as a cohesive agent in the nationwide networking of education and business and industry. BPA is contributing to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills.

Business Professionals of America is assisted in this endeavor with financial support from corporations and companies including Shell and South-Western/Cengage, who sponsor BPA's National Leadership Conference and member career-building programs and scholarships.

[PHOTO: The Kirkwood Business Professionals of America team posed with the Iowa state flag during award ceremonies in Dallas, Texas. From left to right: Samantha Phelps, Gen Cigrand, Mindy Nachtman(kneeling), Advisor Kimberly Schultz, Ashley Erboe, Brittney Dirks (holding flag pole), Amanda Rottman (holding flag). ]

Ready to Travel

Communique'

Kirkwood sophomore is going toward the business of sucess

---Ben Baldwin, Communique'

Although Jessica Hesseltine's scholastic journey from Iowa City High to Kirkwood Community College's Iowa City campus didn't require much travel, she said she's come a long way.

Hesseltine, a sophomore in the business administration assistant program at Kirkwood, was born and raised in Iowa City and hopes to stay close in the future. "The plan right now is to stay in Iowa, because it's a great place to raise a family," she said.

Drawn to the pressure and intensity of the business world, Hesseltine said her dream is to head her own company one day. "I know it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. More times than not new businesses fail but I am still hoping to someday take that risk and see where it takes me," she said.

Hesseltine said she decided to go into business because she feels that she is a strong leader and a good motivator.

She added that she's very happy with her decision to attend Kirkwood. "It has been an amazing experience. The teachers are all very understanding and more than willing to help you with anything that you need," she said.

Hesseltine has also taken advantage of some of Kirkwood's clubs and organizations. She recently won a Business Professionals of America sponsored word processing competition in Cedar Rapids and will compete at the national competition in Dallas, Texas, in May.

She isn't exactly sure what her next step will be after her graduation from Kirkwood in the fall but one way or another, she plans on earning a bachelor's degree. Hesseltine said she will likely attempt to find a full-time position somewhere in Iowa and continue her studies on a part-time basis. She is also considering a career in the Air Force.

Beyond her work-related aspirations, Hesseltine said she has sights set on the "American Dream." "I want to be successful with a large family, not to mention the nice car and big house," she said with a smile.

She also said she hopes to spend some quality time traveling. "I want to be very cultured and be able to experience all the amazing things this world has to offer and traveling is one of the best ways to do that," said Hesseltine.

[Story and photo courtesy Kirkwood Communique'. Copyright 2009. Used by permission.]

Camps for Learning Get Scholarship Boost

Steve C.

"KICK" programs made more accessible for area youth

Kirkwood Community College is offering a host of ways for "tweens" and early teenagers to discover new ideas, make friends�and possibly explore a future career. The Kirkwood Interactive Camps for Kids, or KICK Camps are set to begin later in June.

To make these learning experiences a reality for more students, the college has also invested a healthy sum of scholarship funds to ensure more young people can experience these productive summer projects.

The dozens of camps are designed for students entering 5th through 9th grades. Camp themes range from the science behind athletics and crime scene investigations to flight simulators, rockets and free-form drumming.

Kirkwood Executive Director of Continuing Education Programming Kim Johnson said the scholarship grants will help interested families on tight budgets take advantage of the interactive learning opportunities.

"The college leadership saw the fun and involvement we generated with the 2008 camp series and offered to make the camps possible for more young people in our area. Kirkwood has committed enough funds to support all interested students who qualify for these scholarships. We want to make sure that a family facing financial challenges doesn't have to defer their child's opportunity to discover new talents and ideas. For people recovering from our floods, layoffs or other difficulties, we wanted to send a message that there could still be a bright spot in a kid's life this summer," Johnson said.

Students in the area that qualify for free or reduced lunch at their school are entitled to full camp tuition support.

Several of the KICK camp sessions still have openings, with many planned for late June through early August. Some of the themes include:

---"Air School," a chance for kids to discover what it takes to be a pilot. Students will discover the natural principles that make and airplane fly, how controls and instruments work, and how they navigate through the sky. After learning lots about planes, students will spend the last day at the Eastern Iowa Airport and get to see, touch and experience airplanes. This program will be held twice in Monday-Friday sessions, June 15-19 and August 10-14, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

---A special musical camp will get young people into their own rhythmic groove. The nationally noted traveling group Sheltered Reality will bring spirited musical discovery to Kirkwood June 23-25, 1 to 5 p.m. in Ballantyne Auditorium. The Sheltered Reality members will give drum lessons, choreography lessons and the concept of success to are youngsters.

---Two camps will put learning up in the air�literally. A Rocket Camp begins June 24, teaching the fundamentals of designing, building and flying model rockets. Students will have a blast while discovering aerodynamics, flight stability and rocket propulsion. Then they get to take their rockets home. Also, kids can put their skills into the sky with a "Remote Control Airplane Flight Academy," a four-day program beginning July 29. Students will have both simulator and real-model flight experience while they discover what makes all powered flight possible. This program will be held at MidAmerican Hobbies, 9 a.m. to noon.

---Several other camps will get kids into the realities of science. A "Crime Scene Investigators" session puts young people into simulated investigations right out of the CSI TV series. This course is in two sessions, July 6-8 and July 13-15, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Kirkwood Center for Continuing Education. "Germs, Fungus and Slime, Oh My!" lets kids explore the microbiology all around us, July 8-10 from 1 to 5 p.m. And, budding stars of the diamond and gridiron can discover the science behind fastballs and forward passes in the "Science of Athletes" camp. This popular offering is set for two Monday-Friday sessions, beginning June 22 and July 6 at the Michael J Gould Kirkwood Recreation Center.

Scholarship applications and registrations will be accepted through June 30. More information on the camps and scholarship support are available by calling Kirkwood's Continuing Education office, (319) 398-5529, or via the college Web site:

www.kirkwood.edu/kick

On Center Stage

Communique'

Heart takes liberal arts major back to performing

--Ali Carlson, Communique'

Being in the spotlight and taking center stage is something that Angel Farris, Liberal Arts major, said she was born to do. Having struggled with what to do in life she started with theatre then changed from one major to the next. Today Angel is back on stage and doing what she said she loves.

"This is my passion. This is what I love to do and I spend most of my time doing some part of it," Farris said.

Originally from the small town of Monticello, Kirkwood Community College has become her transition before moving to New Jersey where she plans to attend Monmouth University. "Kirkwood has been amazing as a transition from high school to the real life. It has offered me so many opportunities," Farris said

Kirkwood has become another family for her. She has made the connection with the stage and the people performing on it with her.

This year she performed in the theater productions of "Wonder of the World" and "The Just." She said, "The Just was one of my favorite positions because it really made me step outside of my comfort zone and really adapt to the part I was playing," she said.

Being from a small town is something that has helped Farris connect with who she is. "It is all about the appreciation of the small things. It has really helped me to determine who I am and what I am about," she said. "I am who I want to be right now and I love it. It is me," she said.

Living by the quote, "Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life," Farris said she would step onto stage and memorize scripts without even thinking twice about how long she had to be there for. "Time passes so fast for me and sometimes I find myself just wanting to be in the theater to be there," she said.

Coming to Kirkwood was a move that Farris said she was ready to make from high school. "I didn't want to start out at a huge university. Being from a small high school it would have been too big of a change for me," she said.

She said her teachers she have made a large impact on her. "My teachers have been amazing in every department and they are people that really root for you to succeed and do everything they can to make it possible," said Farris.

Farris will travel to New Jersey in the fall to step onto a bigger stage under brighter lights. "I am ready for what life has to bring me. Kirkwood has helped me to prepare for the road ahead of me," she said.

[Story and photo courtesy Kirkwood Communique'. Copyright 2009. Used by permission.]

Heritage Agency Honors Area Volunteers

Heritage/Steve C.

The Heritage Area Agency on Aging recently celebrated key community supporters and volunteers. The May 28 event was held at the Kirkwood Center for Continuing Education on the south side of Cedar Rapids.

The event was the annual Heritage Agency Advisory Council Recognition of Service Awards. The yearly celebration honors extraordinary services and volunteers who have made a difference in the lives of older adults.

This year's honorees were: Sally Donald-Benton County, Karen Dennis-Cedar County, Jan Weiss-Iowa County, Betty Kelly-Johnson County, Paul Behrends-Jones County, Judy Fries-Linn County, and Lola Marner-Washington County.

The Agency also honored area groups who contribute to a better quality of life for eastern Iowa seniors. Those honorees included a group of Kirkwood Community College Students--Laurie McVey, Tyler Reinhart and Sara Strotner; Witwer Senior Center; Rod Sullivan; Essence of Life Hospice; Bruce Teague and Caring Hands & More, Ivan Reihmann; and Myrt Bowers.

An informational montage of the event is available on the Internet at:

www.involvementonline.org

Passion for English

Communique'

Gimse finds his calling at Kirkwood

--Sean Flack, Communique'

Follow your passion. In a nutshell, these three words describe Geoff Gimse, a Kirkwood Community College student who is full of passion and ambition.

Gimse, a Liberal Arts major, was born in Detroit, Mich. but moved to Wisconsin where he attended Boyceville High School, in Boyceville. He was involved with speech, debate and Odyssey of the Mind.

After some brief stints at the University of Wisconsin and Northern Michigan University, Gimse moved to Minnesota and worked for a couple years before coming to Kirkwood.

"Originally I came to Kirkwood to expand on my pre-existing skills but then after a year in, I decided to pursue a career I'd been interested in for a while," Gimse said. According to Gimse, that career is in the English field.

After Kirkwood, Gimse said he will transfer to the University of Iowa where he has been accepted into the English department honors program. After he earns his bachelor's degree, Gimse said he'll stay at the university for graduate school and then continue to study English or pursue a career in teaching.

"I'm fairly inspired by the things that go on around us every day. Our language is evolving and changing, especially in regard to technology," Gimse said.

While at Kirkwood, Gimse has been involved with the Cedar Valley Divide and has been a member of two of Kirkwood's most prestigious academic groups, Phi Theta Kappa and the dean's list.

"I would say the most unique thing about me is my focus. I tend to be very singularly focused," Gimse said.

Gimse is a self-proclaimed media junkie and in his free time enjoys photography, writing and technology. He currently resides in Cedar Rapids with his girlfriend.

Gimse said Kirkwood has been a great experience for him since he came in without even thinking of getting into English.

He credits English professors Susan English, Tonja Robins and Renee Schlueter for especially being a great help to him.

"I've been really impressed with the English department. They've really helped me focus on English. I wouldn't be here without them," Gimse said.

He added that one thing he realized during his time at Kirkwood is that sometimes it's ok to take the less recommended route. "No matter what everyone is telling you, follow your passion," Gimse said.

[Story and photo courtesy Kirkwood Communique'. Copyright 2009. Used by permission.]

Change of Heart

Communique'

Artist returns to seek art education degree

--Courtney Bergey, Communique'

Keeping her love for art in the forefront has always been important to Anne Snitker. After a bit of trial and error in finding her career, she is now on track to becoming an art teacher and sharing her passion with students.

Snitker, 25, graduated from West Delaware High School in her hometown of Manchester, Iowa, in 2002. Kirkwood Community College was her next step and she earned an Associate of Art degree in interior design.

After graduation, Snitker moved to the suburbs of Chicago. "I loved the culture and the diversity of Chicago," she said. However, she wasn't satisfied with working in a job that didn't incorporate her degree and her creative spirit. "I really wanted to do something with art but I wasn't sure what," she said.

Upon returning to Iowa, Snitker came back to Kirkwood in pursuit of an art education degree. "The second time around it was nice to know I wasn't the only person who isn't 18," she said. "Kirkwood is very welcoming to non-traditional students."

She also started working in the school at Tanager Place, a Cedar Rapids facility helping families with psychological challenges and developed an interest in working with children.

After completing her associate of arts degree in education in the fall of 2008, Snitker transferred to the University of Iowa. She began classes in the spring of 2009 and is currently working toward a degree in secondary education with an emphasis in art. Painting has been her favorite medium for a long time but she has gained an interest in ceramics through her classes at University of Iowa this semester.

Snitker said she would like to teach high school art because the kids are more passionate about it, even though she is used to working with younger children at Tanager Place. "I think middle school art would be fine as long as you can get them interested and excited about it," she said.

"Art is a dying field in education so I'd like to see it incorporated into the classroom more," said Snitker, displaying her enthusiastic attitude about her future career. "People are looking for creative people in the real world."

Hoping to graduate in the fall of 2010, Snitker is not afraid to explore her career outside of Iowa. "I own a home in Cedar Rapids but I'll go wherever job opportunities take me," she said. Snitker added that she may move out west with her boyfriend, who designs animation for video games and movies and hopes to get a job at a company such as Pixar.

As an outstanding student, Snitker simply never settles for less than her best. "My parents had high expectations so I wanted to prove them right. I take school seriously," she said.

[Story and photo courtesy Kirkwood Communique'. Copyright 2009. Used by permission.]