How are you liking this weather?  (Don't you love it when people say that to you -- especially folks living in Florida!!)

The last couple weeks have been quite challenging.  I know many of you are concerned about how we can deliver our coursework in the reduced time due to the weather related closings.  So, we have decided it is in the best interest for our students to use February 26 - All Employee Learning Day - as a class day. Please remind your students that classes will be held that day.

The assessment plans and curriculum maps are still due to me by end of that day.

Also, I wanted to say thank you to all of the faculty who have used MOODLE during this time of weather challenges to stay connected with our students. 

Hocking College School of Natural Resources was honored to receive the Heart of Hocking award during the 49th Annual Winter Hike on Saturday, January 18, 2014.

The Heart of Hocking Award is given each year to an individual or organization that expresses their passion for the Hocking Hills State Park by dedicating numerous volunteer hours to improve and maintain the area. After decades of involvement with Hocking Hills State Park, Hocking College was recently honored with this award.

"Many of the special events or projects that have been conducted here at Hocking Hills could not have been completed without their assistance and the support of the Hocking College staff and administration," the award submission noted.

The college has worked on projects from repairing steps and bridges to completing nest surveys and wildlife mapping.  Major events held at the park, such as the Maple Sugaring Festival and the Frontier Hike, were also made possible through the direct help of Hocking College students.

Kenneth Bowald, Dean of the School of Natural Resources and Kenneth Temple, Natural Resources Law Enforcement, accepted the award on behalf of the school at Cedar Falls, the halfway point of the six mile hike from Old Man's Cave to Ash Cave.

Bowald, with great appreciation for this honor, said "Hocking College is fortunate to have one of Ohio's premiere state parks right in our backyard.  Not only does it provide great opportunities for our Natural Resources students, but many of the staff are Hocking College graduates.  We share not only a name, but a tradition of conservation, education, and recreation. This award is a great honor!"

Register today for the Campus Greens Department/Greenhouse Operations Lunch and Learn at the Tri-County Career Center greenhouses. They will be potting seeds for vegetable gardens and flower beds and discussing best plant practices and how to maintain healthy plants.

The workshop will be held on March 4, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can drop in and stay as long as you like - you do not need to be there for the entire time. Feel free to bring your lunch to enjoy while learning valuable gardening methods.

Please RSVP to Andrew Freeman, CLT, CPH, by the February 11 with your name and favorite garden vegetable.

The Hocking College Culinary Arts and Hospitality Students will host the Bourbon Street Bash, a Mardi Gras celebration, at Rhapsody Restaurant on February 27, 28 and March 1, 2014 from 4:30 - 10 p.m. each night.  The evening will consist of an authentic four-course meal complete with appetizer, entree, desserts and specialty alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Some of these Louisiana-inspired meals include dishes such as blackened pork loin, chicken breast and redfish; shrimp and Tasso jambalaya, crawfish etouffe, catfish and even gator tail. Special dessert choices, including Piña Colada Bread Pudding with Bourbon Vanilla Sauce and Créme Caramels, will also be offered.

The meal includes your choice of appetizer, entrée, a variety of decadent desserts and fresh baked Cajun bread for $19.95 per person. Additional offerings, priced separately, include Hurricanes, Irish Coffee, Café au Lait, Voodoo Margaritas and New Orleans own Dixie Beer, as well as a raw bar filled with fresh oysters, jumbo shrimp and whole boiled crawfish. See the full menu here.

The public can also sample a selection of Cajun specialties at 36 Public Square during Nelsonville Historic Square's Final Friday on February 28, 2014. Choose from Seafood and Sausage Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice and Jambalaya for just $3.00 a bowl.

Call 740.753.5740 to reserve a seat for this mouth-watering Mardi Gras celebration! Reservations are strongly recommended. For more information or questions contact Chef Dan Weber at 740.753.7609.

Hocking College will host a Seasonal & Natural Resources Job fair on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center Multiplex.

Interested students are encouraged to come prepared to meet with future employers in the natural resources field. They will be given the chance to talk with business employees, including some of our very own Hocking alum, and become educated on the opportunities offered in the field.

For more information, contact Jackie Clark at 740.753.6264. Students can also visit College Central for more information and opportunities for employment.

Visit the Student Center Hall of Nations to learn about different cultures around the world during the fourth annual Cross-Cultural Day, part of the One Hocking initiative. Cross Cultural Day will be held Wednesday, February 12 from 2 - 4 p.m.

Taste sensations from around the world, world music and dancing, and some reflections on cross-cultural issues will be featured. Meet our international students and celebrate our diverse culture in a colorful atmosphere of fine food and music.

For more information please contact Giles Lee at 740.753.6539.

• Electing new officers for spring 2014      
• Supporting the 2014 Smile-a-Thon in late February
• Launching a campaign to officially adopt a college mascot
• Creating campus programming that encourages school spirit
• Fundraising through spirited events and our HCP school spirit t-shirts to support students  

For more information, contact HCP President Kiara Ivory or advisor Julie Cohara.