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 Busiest Week of the Year?
If it's April, you can count on a busy campus. That is certainly true in Maverick Country. The first full week of the month brought a slew of activities, with both Healthier U and Global Awareness Week taking place on alternate days. Preliminary results from Healthier U show another record level of funds raised for student scholarships almost $25,000! Congratulations on an excellent cook-off, health expo, job fair, blood drive, silent auction, media sale, golf tournament and fun run!
 | | 2012 Healthier U Cook off | Media Sale |
Global Awareness Day was undoubtedly the best its ever been with more than 1,000 students, faculty, staff and community members participating. Throw in the kickball tournament and the incredible NASA/International Space presentation and Star Party later in the week, and it added up to a full week of global exploration.
 | | Global Awareness Week at Lone Star College-Montgomery |
On Thursday, the college also hosted the Systemwide 2012 Calculus Contest, and the Library brought together four of our faculty authors (Dr. Craig Livingston, Mark Stelter, Phillip Caudill, and Ron Trowbridge) who read excerpts from their literary works.
Philip Caudill, an adjunct professor of history at Lone Star College-Montgomery, reads from his book-"Moss Bluff Rebel: A Texas Pioneer in the Civil War" (Texas A&M University Press, 2009) during the faculty authors event in the library. His historical biography was awarded the 2011 Summerfield G. Roberts Award, an honor presented by the Sons of the Republic of Texas, as the best book on the Civil War in Texas published in 2009. |
'Que & Kicks
Earlier this month, more than 100 faculty and staff took a well-deserved break to participate in a fun team-building activity, 'Que & Kicks. A brainstorm of Jim Taylor, vice president of administration, the event included a delicious barbecue lunch catered by Pit Master Barbecue, followed by a round of intra-departmental kickball games. While the games were just for fun, the BASS division did walk away from the games undefeated, knocking off the TEAM and NASH divisions before conquering Team Maverick, composed primarily of OTS and other administrative staff. It is important for college personnel to take time out like this to build collegiality and get some exercise in the process. If you weren't able to attend 'Que & Kicks this time around, be on the lookout, as this is something we hope to make an annual event. Special thanks to PSSA and Angela Fries for suggesting these types of low-cost, fun events.
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'Que & Kicks: Lone Star College-Montgomery
BBQ & Kickball Tournament
Kickballers warm up with the help of LSC-Montgomery's physical therapist assistant students,
before the big games.
BASS fans support their team from the "bleachers."
Simone Rieck, English faculty member, gets ready to put her best foot forward for the BELS team.
Members of the BASS team celebrate during their run to the championship. |
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The REAL Problem Solvers
Math faculty from LSC-Montgomery, along with several from other sister LSC campuses, helped coordinate the annual Systemwide Calculus Contest held on our campus last week. Professor Bill Dunn (fourth from left, wearing hat) served as emcee for the contest. Thanks to the campus committee: Ray Abbasi, Scott Caldwell, Scott Daugherty, Bill Dunn, Maureen Loiacano and Jeff Groah, as well as David Benzel for assisting and Kim Peterson for keeping it all organized. This year there were 30 participants and, for the second year in a row, LSC-Montgomery swept the top three places in Calculus I. Students Diego Oliveras, Alexandra Dueitt and Olise Amudo finished 1-2-3, respectively. Congratulations to all!
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Avoid the Stampede Has Begun!
Continuing the tradition of helping our students get advised and registered early for the upcoming semester, Avoid the Stampede is underway on our campus. This effort is led by our academic counselors, faculty and staff, and the results from last fall were great. We had more students register for the Spring semester before the winter break than ever before. Likewise, we hope to have a record number of students registered for the Fall semester by the time May hits. To date counselors, advisors, faculty and staff have all coordinated to corral more than 700 students during the first week of the stampede. Judging from the activity at the Avoid the Stampede registration stations, we're well on our way. Avoid the Stampede is a key part of the college's strategic plan, helping us to focus on student success and retention. Please encourage all students to register by May 1 for their fall classes to be eligible for fantastic incentive prizes.
Academic counselor Amy Roberson (NASH) works with an LSC-Montgomery student during the Avoid the Stampede early registration event. |
Next President's Open Forum
Be sure to mark Thursday, April 26, on your calendar, as that is the date of my next Open Forum. We will gather at 3 p.m. in the General Academic Center (G-102). I will give an update on college news, including an interactive "clicker" session to get your input on some important matters, followed by a question-and-answer session. As usual, light refreshments will be served, and the forum should conclude no later than 4:30 p.m. |
Conroe Center Continues to Grow
LSC-Conroe Center showed healthy growth this spring semester, and we anticipate a record number of credit students taking classes this fall, in addition to more than 1,000 students enrolled in continuing education and workforce certificate programs. This growth is coupled with an increased emphasis on building a vibrant culture of student life at the center. Not only was Global Awareness Day celebrated at LSC-Montgomery, it was also held at LSC-Conroe Center, complete with ethnic food and cultural entertainment. Under the leadership of interim dean Becky Duncan-Ramirez, the Conroe Center is becoming a critical link and important community player in the northern part of the college's service area. Additionally, our outreach efforts in Willis, Conroe and surrounding regions continue to grow. Student Life at the center also continues to grow. The first official student organization was recently formed (History & Culture Club), and Global Awareness Day was a big hit last week at the center.
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2012 Global Awareness | LSC-Conroe Center
Students, as well as faculty and staff, at LSC-Conroe Center enjoyed cultural displays, attire, food and dancing during the center's first-ever Global Awareness Day. |
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Strategic Plan Community Report Earns Gold Paragon
Our College Relations department was honored recently when one of its marketing projects-an annual report to the community about its strategic planning efforts-earned a top-level Gold Paragon Award from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR). NCMPR is a professional organization for individuals involved in the marketing, communications and public relations efforts at community, junior and technical colleges nationwide. Entries were judged by senior-level public relations professionals from across the U.S. More than 1,200 entries were submitted into competition, which culminated in an awards ceremony held at NCMPR's national conference in San Francisco, CA. Steve Scheffler, dean of college relations at LSC-Montgomery, along with LaNae Ridgwell, manager of publications and marketing, and Lauren Maddox, writer, were the primary contributors to the annual report. The Gold Paragon Award is very prestigious, not easily earned. But our 2010-11 strategic plan report definitely is worthy of it. It showcases so many of the strategic initiatives that our faculty, staff and students have pursued over the past several years. Congratulations to our college relations staff, as well as the entire college community on a job well done. |
Heights of Excellence Week Approaches
If April is the busiest month on campus, then May certainly gives it a run for the money. During the last two weeks of the Spring semester, many LSC-Montgomery faculty, staff and students will help to celebrate the end of our academic year. Some of these events are things that we've traditionally done at the college; others are more recent additions. Collectively, they make up our "Celebration of Excellence." Here are some of the events that comprise our Celebration of Excellence week (actually, two weeks):
- Student Leadership Banquet - Tuesday, April 24, 6 p.m. Commons (Building A). This event recognizes the outstanding achievements of our student leaders, student organizations and advisors. This year's event includes a networking session prior to the awards ceremony.
- Presidential Scholars Reception/Ceremony (bringing together our student scholarship recipients with the scholarship donors) - Monday, April 30; 4:30-6 p.m. Music Hall (Recital Hall)
- Opera Gala & Silent Auction - Wadsworth's Venus & Adonis (a fundraiser providing scholarships for music majors at LSC-Montgomery) - Friday, May 4; 7:30 p.m. Recital Hall (Music Hall, Building H).General admission (with donation) is $25. General admission is $10; Students and seniors is $5.
- "Fiesta Universal" (a festive, family-friendly event put on by the Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber and sponsored by LSC-Montgomery); Friday, May 4, 5:30-9 p.m. on The Woodlands Waterway in The Woodlands. This event raises funds for scholarships for many future LSC-Montgomery students!
- GED Graduation Ceremony & Reception (celebrating the achievements of our General Education Development students) - Thursday, May 8; 6:30 p.m. Performing Arts Center (Building D). Reception to follow in the Commons Building.
- Program completion & pinning ceremonies (including Fire Science Academy - May 4, 7 p.m. Performing Arts Center); Vocational Nursing - Wednesday, May 9, 6 p.m. Performing Arts Center; Associate Degree Nursing - Thursday, May 10, 5:30 p.m. at Conroe Church of Christ (1860 Longmire Rd.); and Physical Therapist Assistant - Friday, May 11, 2 p.m. at The Woodlands Church - Fellowship Campus
- Honors Program Student Presentations (showcasing our Honors Program students) - Friday, May 11; 9-11 a.m. General Academic Center (Building G); Rooms TBA.
- LSC-Montgomery 2012 Commencement - Friday, May 11, 6 p.m. This capstone event is held at The Woodlands Church - Fellowship Campus (1 Fellowship Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77384) and includes the Commencement ceremony at 6 p.m., followed by a post-ceremony President's Reception for faculty and staff. For most of our graduating students, Commencement is a crowning achievement. Many of them had to overcome numerous obstacles to get to this point. For faculty and staff, it is the opportunity to witness all of the excitement and emotion among our students, and to feel a sense of pride in knowing that we had something to do with their success. It is with that spirit that I invite each of you to attend our LSC-Montgomery Commencement. This year's faculty speaker is Frank Granack, professor of economics. The student speaker is Michelle Helgerson, a nursing major and president of the Student Nurse Organization. This is always a heart-lifting event, and the more college representation we have at Commencement, the more special it is for all involved. Also, at 5:30 p.m., just prior to the ceremony, we will take a group picture with all faculty and staff in attendance-outside in the large courtyard in front of the church. We'd love to see your face in the picture! Immediately following the ceremony, there will be a faculty/staff reception at The Woodlands Church. This is a great way to finish the semester, with good food and fellowship among colleagues.
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Mavericks Invade the United Nations!
LSC-Montgomery students, Stefano Ballesteros, Anastasiya Ovchinnikova, and Elizabeth Whittaker, recently participated in the 2012 National Model United Nations conference in New York, along with student delegates from LSC-Tomball and LSC-Kingwood. Representing the country of Mongolia, Stefano Ballesteros (pictured) received an award for Outstanding Position Paper in Committee for his work on the Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty. Special recognition goes to David Kennedy, professor of political science, who serves as a lead advisor for the college's UN delegation.
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Don't Miss "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde"
Once again, our award-winning theatre department has a fantastic stage production for our community to enjoy. Make plans to attend "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, with shows Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and a special Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Faculty, staff and student tickets are just $5. General admission is $10, with $7 tickets for seniors.
 Ellie Bledsoe, fine arts assistant, passes out a test tube "invitation" to Brandy Ugent, program coordinator, to the college's current production of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde."
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Communicating Across the Curriculum
More than 16 LSC-Montgomery students gave presentations at the annual Communicating Across the Curriculum (CAC) student conference earlier this week. The conference, co-chaired by faculty members Simone Rieck, English; Brandy Harvey, English; and Anitha Iyer, biology, showcases the "best of the best" in student learning. The presentations spanned the academic spectrum, highlighting science, literature, philosophy and more. Dr. Karen Buckman, professor of psychology, provided a keynote presentation to kick off the conference. Student winners will be recognized at next week's Student Leadership banquet. Congratulations to all involved.
Ashley Medina, a nursing student at LSC-Montgomery, gives her Clinical Log Presentation during the annual Communicating Across the Curriculum (CAC) student conference this week. |
Faculty Spotlight
Madeline Brogan, professor of accounting, BASS
 "My life is very full," said Madeline Brogan, professor of accounting, who earned LSC-Montgomery's Shining Star Award in 2010. "I am blessed to work at a job I love teaching a topic I love," said Brogan, a certified public accountant who holds an MBA from Sam Houston State University. "My first degree was an AA from Prince George's Community College, so I am a big proponent of community college education." Brogan is an advisor to the Business and Accounting Club and has been influential in providing hands-on tax experience to students through volunteer tax preparation services. (She has volunteered herself for more than 15 years, and this year, she became an enrolled agent with the IRS.) "I feel it is important for students to learn in a hands-on environment, as well as providing needed services to the community," she said. Brogan also volunteers with the ORWALL baseball Challenger League, a baseball team for children with special needs, and is a Special Olympics Coach for the Woodlands Shooting Stars. |
Staff Spotlight
Mary Rush, division operations manager, NASH
Mary Rush plays a vital role at the college, serving as division operations manager in the natural sciences and health division for close to 10 years. She received the Staff Excellence Award in 2006, and this year was recognized for her unwavering service and dedication as the chairperson for Healthier U for the past eight years.
According to Rush, Healthier U has raised $183,000 for scholarships for students since 2004.
"We have a fantastic committee of committed, creative, and energetic people that come together to support the efforts of healthcare faculty, staff, and of course the students," said Rush.
Rush enjoys working at LSC-Montgomery because of its worthy mission, her terrific colleagues, and the wonderful facilities and campus-including the Wellness Center and the track, which she uses often for exercise and to walk her dog. |
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