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April 29, 2013
From the President

The Best Day of the Year
It's graduation week, and the excitement surrounding our annual celebration for our graduates can be seen and felt across campus.  

Despite all the years I have participated in college graduation ceremonies, I continue to find myself looking forward to all the traditions and fanfare that surround this ancient ritual.  We put on gowns and funny hats with tassels.  We march slowly to music.  We listen to speakers.  We walk across stage and receive words of congratulations.  It's all so familiar, and yet so important.

Of the approximately 900 students who graduate from Hocking College this spring, many will go on to additional years of college coursework, while others will launch their careers, with the knowledge and skills they acquired here.  Regardless of their path forward, we can all take pride in how we supported their journey while they were with us.

Please join us this Sunday at any one of the three ceremonies being held to welcome a new group of alumni to our ranks.  It's the very best way to remember why what we do every day is so important.
Commencement Reminders
Commencement will take place on Sunday, May 5, 2013.  Graduates from the School of Health and Nursing will be at the 10 a.m. ceremony. The School of Natural Resources and Public Safety Services will be at 2 p.m. All other schools will graduate at the 6 p.m. ceremony. Each ceremony is expected to last about an hour. A Cinco de Mayo Buffet will be held all day at the Inn at Hocking College for $9.95 per person. Reservations can be made by calling 740.753.7601.

Important Graduation Information:
  • Deans will read the graduates' names for the entire school, and faculty and staff are invited to sit in a special VIP enclosure on the Oakley-end of the Multiplex to meet, greet and congratulate grads as soon as they have received their degrees.
  • Please submit any good photos from the last two years to Giles Lee for a PowerPoint presentation that he is creating for the commencement ceremony.
For more information, please contact Giles Lee at 740.753.6539 or visit the Hocking College Commencement webpage.
Inn Hosts Fiesta Buffet for Graduation
Graduates, their guests and the campus community are invited to a "Fiesta Buffet" on Sunday, May 5, 2013 from 11:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Inn at Hocking College. The menu will include a fiesta salad bar with various salsas, guacamole, pico de gallo, crisp salad greens and warm corn tortillas and a soup kettle with green chili and Spanish chorizo.

The buffet will feature dishes such as Ohio all natural pulled pork enchiladas, beef burritos, pollo verde, refried beans, Spanish rice pilaf, roasted Florida sweet corn and peppers, classic pedro zucchini and tomatoes, boneless beef short rib plate with chipotle glace. Desserts will include fresh seasonal sliced fruit, Spanish baked flan with fresh strawberries, tres leches and churros.

Hospitality and Catering Services are offering the buffet at a reduced rate of $9.95 to extend their appreciation and gratitude to the campus community. For more information, please contact Chef Alfonso at 740.753.7602. For reservations, contact Heather Campbell at 740.753.7601.

International Students "Travel the World" with Primrose Residential Care
On April 20, 2013, Hocking College English as a Second Language (ESL) international students gave presentations about their countries and cultures to elderly residents of Primrose Residential Care in Lancaster.

The student presentations are a part of the "Travel the World" Hocking College service-learning program developed and launched in 2011 by Dominika Adamova, Hocking College's ESL coordinator. Every semester, ESL students visit and present in a local school as a way to educate about diversity and to give back to community. This semester, Adamova cooperated with Lisa Sells, Arts Business and Information Technology department administrative assistant, who suggested doing the presentations for the Primrose community.

"The program is based on the premise that becoming familiar with other cultures opens up horizons. As such, it promotes diversity, and it has a potential to support intercultural communication," Adamova said.

The ESL students from China, Venezuela, Korea and Mexico each prepared a short factual presentation about their country accompanied by a fun, interactive activity representing their culture. The Primrose residents played Bingo with the Venezuelans, wrote a word in Chinese, watched Mexican traditional dances while eating a traditional Venezuelan meal called "arepa," and took a quiz about South Korea to win international prizes. The presentations serve as the final project to evaluate the ESL students' vocabulary, speaking and listening skills.

The event was a huge success, not only with the Primrose residents, but also with the ESL students themselves. Some of them are planning on returning to Primrose to spend their free time with the residents by talking and playing games, as they remind the students of their families and grandparents back home.
Carey to Serve as Chancellor of the Board of Regents
Governor Kasich appointed John Carey, previous state representative from Wellston, the next Chancellor of the Board of Regents. The appointment is subject to state Senate approval.

Carey replaces Jim Petro, who retired earlier this year. A Republican from southeastern Ohio, Carey was mayor of his hometown of Wellston before serving nine years in the Ohio House, where he was Chairman of the Primary and Secondary Education Subcommittee. Carey also served eight years in the Ohio Senate, where he was Chairman of the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee.

The former senator and state representative served since January 2012 as the assistant to the president for government relations and strategic initiatives at Shawnee State University. Carey is a graduate of Ohio University with a degree in political science. He was born in Chillicothe and currently resides in Wellston.

"I'm looking forward to using the experiences I've had - in both state government and at Shawnee State - to impact higher education on a state level," Carey said. "I have really enjoyed working with President Morris, the faculty and staff at Shawnee State University - and being a part of the Scioto County area. I hope to be a frequent visitor. I feel fortunate to have been given this opportunity, and I'm looking forward to working with the Governor and with each of Ohio's public institutions."

For more information, please visit the article in the Portsmouth Daily Times.
Hocking College Hosts Explosive Device Training
On April 25, the Athens County Sheriff's Office and the National Ranger Training Institute hosted approximately 35 local law enforcement officers for a course on identifying precursors to home-made explosive devices.  

Bomb technicians and investigators from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio State Fire Marshall's Office conducted the training.  Attendees learned how to recognize common materials used to create improvised explosive devises, such as those used at the Boston Marathon and the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.  This training will enable law officers to make a more rapid and safe response to dangerous activities and devices.  

After a classroom presentation at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources office, the class concluded with controlled explosions of various types of materials at the college's range facility, where such training can be done with maximum safety and minimum disruption to the community. 
Alumni Spotlight

Dream Fulfilled Because of Hocking College
David Crow's dream job as a child was to work for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR.) His father was a Wildlife Officer, and he aspired to chase his dreams of being an outdoorsman. Crow chose Hocking College to obtain his education because his father mentioned graduates from the school were being hired by ODNR due to their superior expertise.

Crow, 1985 graduate of Hocking College, was named Deputy Chief at ODNR in 2012. The Deputy Chief's primary responsibilities include permission, inspection and enforcement of the statewide coal and industrial mineral mining programs. He also works on budgets and federal grants to make sure the programs are operating effectively, attends informal conferences, appeal hearings and public informational meetings, and answers inquiries from the media and public.

While at Hocking, Crow learned the importance of volunteering and the usefulness of plant and wildlife identification. "My experience at Hocking College gave me the opportunity to learn a wealth of knowledge and many practical skills to go along with it that I could immediately apply once I entered the work force," Crow said. "My professors, along with my classmates, also instilled in me a greater appreciation and respect for our natural resources."

Upon graduation, Crow worked as seasonal staff with the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves (Scenic Rivers.) Prior to his promotion at ODNR, he worked in other divisions as an industrial minerals surface mine inspector, a state oil and gas well inspector, a field supervisor and the statewide industrial minerals mining program administrator.

"Looking back, I believe the things that were taught to me at Hocking College are very much in line with ODNR's current day mission. 'To ensure a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all,' " Crow comments.
Public Safety Services Celebrates Retirees
Public Safety Services faculty Joel Bitters and Helen Newland were recently honored at a retirement party on April 25, 2013. Faculty and staff celebrated their accomplishments and said farewells.

"Both have brought many years of wisdom to the students of Hocking College, and we would like to wish them well and thank them for their services these many years," Susie Hall, PSS faculty, said.

Congratulations to both Joel Bitters and Helen Newland on their retirement!
Rev Bill Retirement Party for Reverend Bales
After many years of service to the college, Campus Minister Reverend Bill Bales is retiring. A retirement party will be held for faculty and staff to come and say their goodbyes on April 30, 2013 from 1 - 3 p.m. in the Student Center Lobby.  Refreshments will be provided.

Thanks to Reverend Bales for his commitment to the college and congratulations on a long and happy retirement!
Reminder: Prepare for Colleague Outage
The Hocking College Ellucian Colleague system will be down for maintenance from May 9 -13, 2013.  Colleague, which includes such systems as WebAdvisor, registration processes, payment processes, leave requests and web utilities, will be unavailable.

During this maintenance window, we will move the Colleague system to a new hardware platform.  To facilitate the transition, all users must log out of Colleague and WebAdvisor by 5 p.m. on May 9.  Access will be restored by end of day May 13.  These modifications are essential and must be completed in a timely manner.  We appreciate your patience as we strive to keep our network operating optimally.
Reminder: AMVETS Honor Guard to Perform on Campus
The Logan AMVETS Honor Guard Rifle Unit will perform on Friday, May 24, 2013 at 10 a.m. at Logan Campus and perform again at 12 p.m. on the main campus in honor of Memorial Day. The performance will be held at the flagpoles at both locations. Student Aaron Pletcher, a veteran at Logan Campus, arranged the event.
Reminder: Dell Discounts Available for Students, Faculty and Staff

Dell is currently promoting their new Windows 8 systems, including touch screen notebooks and tablets. With the Hocking College discount, Dell is offering $50 off any purchase of select systems like the Dell Inspiron 15z Touch and tablets like the Dell XPS 10.

 

For more information on discounts and savings, please visit www.dell.com/dellu/hocking and use the following promotion code and member login to access the discount. Please enter the member identification number US126609902 and the coupon code 2NC6G00NCM??39 before May 31, 2013 to claim the coupon.
Reminder: Upcoming Admissions Events
Prospective students will be visiting campus for the following events:
  • Autumn QuickStart Registration Events:
    • Check-In for all Autumn QuickStarts events begins at 9:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 10 a.m.
    • Tuesday, May 7 - Health & Nursing
    • Wednesday, May 8 - Public Safety Services and Arts, Business and Computer Information Technologies (ABIT)
    • Thursday, May 9 - Natural Resources and Hospitality
    • Wednesday, May 15  - Engineering Technology (at Logan Campus)
    • Friday, May 17 - All programs
Thank you for your assistance as we provide prospective students with a chance to experience a Hocking College education!
Mission

Hocking College provides a unique, innovative, and quality education in a supportive experience- based learning environment, preparing students for employment and transfer education opportunities, while teaching the value of lifelong learning, promoting diversity and developing citizens who are engaged in their local and global communities.

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Kudos Korner
Broadcast Student Awarded Technology Apprentice Scholarship

Student Tyler Wend has been awarded the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) Technical Apprenticeship Scholarship, which includes an all-expense paid trip to the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Radio Ink Convergence Conferences in Silicon Valley, as well as a paid internship at a modern digital broadcasting facility.  This marks the fifth year in a row that a Hocking College Broadcast Production and Engineering student has won this award.  Only 10 students are selected nationally each year through a competitive application process.

In March, Tyler began the Technology Apprenticeship Program with an informational webinar featuring experts from the National Association of Broadcasters and Society of Broadcast Engineers. This month, he will attend the NAB show and will interact with leaders in the broadcast industry.  In May, Tyler will participate in Radio Ink Convergence Conference held at the Silicon Valley.

This summer, the students will complete a two-month hands on apprenticeship at a radio or television station, and then will wrap up their experience with the apprentice program by spending one week at the NAB headquarters in Washington, D.C. developing a webcast that will be presented at the end of their visit. 

Great job to Tyler and to Broadcast Production Program Coordinator Harry Tompkins!

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Thank You for Blanket Donations

The Hocking College OEA Support Staff sends their thanks to those who donated blankets during their blanket drive to help replenish much needed blankets for the Red Cross.  More than 40 blankets were collected, which exceeded last year.




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3301 Hocking Parkway
Nelsonville, OH 45764
[email protected] / www.hocking.edu

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