International fund-raiser

Several international students at Central Lakes College worked at the International and Multi-cultural Clubs' car wash fund-raiser March 31 on the Brainerd campus. The club members provided car washes by hand, served hot dogs and root beer floats during a four-hour period, raising several hundred dollars. Proceeds will help defray expenses for the Friday, April 23 Celebration of Nations festival at CLC. The public event from 4:30-8:30 p.m. features music, dance, food, crafts, and prizes for all ages, concluding with fireworks. Those who have a cultural talent (i.e. cultural song, dance, craft) and would like to either perform or vend ethnic wares at this festival, please contact Lori-Beth Larsen (performances, 218-855-8237) or Tashana Husom (vendors, 218-855-8012).

National honor

A Central Lakes College student has won an expense-paid, three-day trip to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in a national aerospace design competition. James Oman of Brainerd next month will participate in an astronaut briefing and shadow NASA engineers working with the International Space Station as a result of his award. “This is a very significant honor. James is by far my top student,” said CLC engineering instructor John Saber. “He is driven. He has everything it takes to be an engineer.” When Oman attends the University of Minnesota this fall to work toward an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering his portfolio will include recognition as a Community College Aerospace Scholar. Oman competed with 400 applicants across the nation for the honor. Only 40 were named Scholars, and they will be on hand when he presents his Mars Advancement Laboratory project in Houston May 21-23. Students completed four Web-based assignments, maintaining a 96 average to qualify for the experience. Oman spent three months of 14-hour days developing a plausible Mars rover project as if it were a real mission to Mars. He did it all on top of a full-time load as an engineering student at CLC.

Theatre auditions

Auditions are scheduled for CLC Summer Theatre productions on Monday and Tuesday, April 12 and 13, in the Chalberg and Dryden theaters on the Brainerd campus starting at 6 p.m. The shows are "The Producers" June 15-27 that needs a cast of 12 men and 12 women ages 16-80; Noises Off or The Foreigner July 6-17, for which five men and four women are needed for the former and five men and two women for the latter; The Rock Farm August tour, which needs seven women and one boy. Auditions are April 10 at 10 a.m. for Adventures 'N Theatre, a performing company for children grades 3-6 directe dby Dennis Lamberson. Bring a 5 x 7 photo. For information, contact Patrick Spradlin, 218-855-8202 or Lamberson, 218-855-8255.

Raider softball

Ashly Erickson of Little Falls pitched back-to-back shutouts and Tika Nichols pitched a five-inning victory to help the Central Lakes College Raiders to three victories at the Itasca preseason tournament Saturday. Ashly pitched complete games in a 5-0 win over Hibbing and an 8-0 five-inning win over Riverland. She also went 7-for-11 with six runs scored in the three games with two doubles. Tika got the win in a 15-7 five-inning win over Mesabi. She finished 4-8 at the plate with three runs and a home run. Brittany Gravelle was 2-8 with four runs, Ashley Rodriguez 5-8 with three runs, Trisha Wippler 4-9 with three runs and two doubles, Alicia Johnson 2-7 with a home run, Lindsay Fryer 5-8 with three runs, Carissa Utsch 2-9 with two runs, Dani Thiesse 2-4 with a run and Heather Zetah 2-3 with two runs. Overall: CLC 7-5. Next: Itasca at CLC April 6 at 3 p.m. (2).

Outstanding Educators

Gary Carson, a Natural Resources instructor, and Janet Bedard, an English instructor at Central Lakes College, are among 26 Outstanding Educators to be recognized by the Board of Trustees of Minnesota State College and Universities. Gary started as a student at Brainerd Technical College under Dr. Doug Keran, and his zeal for natural resources took him into the profession at a number of related opportunities before he settled in as an instructor about 30 years ago. Janet is also a veteran instructor who teaches composition and reading. Linda Baer, MnSCU senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, stated: "The Outstanding Educator designation by your president reflects the exceptional skill and commitment that you have demonstrated in teaching, your continuous professional development, and your service to students, college, profession, and the system. Thorough dedication to student learning, adherence to the highest academic standards, and continued achievement are also reflected in your being accorded this honor. Your portfolio, reviewed by a systemwide committee in a rigorous two-day process, further confirmed your excellence in teaching." Gary and Janet were nominated by CLC President Larry Lundblad and will be recognized at the April 21 awards event in St. Paul.

Web cam ready for osprey

Crow Wing Power, Consolidated Telephone Co., and Brainerd Public Utilities are partners with Central Lakes College's Natural Resources Program in a Web Cam project that hopes to provide streaming video of a Brainerd campus osprey nest. Crow Wing Power donated electrical equipment, including a camera valued at $1,000 and two poles worth $700 to hold platforms provided by the college for nesting osprey and the camera to observe their activity in and around the nest above the Mississippi River on the south side of campus. The nest platform was installed last autumn. CTC donated the transmitter for the wireless feed. Brainerd Public Utilities plowed the electric service to the pole. Kelly Story, Adam Dolen, Jake Dehne, and Karl Martinson from Crow Wing Power installed the camera equipment to a precise point for optimal wireless Internet transmission. Head Electrician Pat Goff installed the related electrical equipment. Shawn Fortune from CTC worked on the wireless transmission for high-speed Internet, and Wayne Knopf and Jason Cave worked the video camera. CLC student Beth Walters had built the Web cam platform and cover. Scott Streed from the college's IT Department aligned the rooftop receiver which will relay the signal to viewing screens in computers throughout the world via the Web.

Europe tour planned

The Central Lakes College Community Band plans to tour part of Europe during the summer of 2011. A minimum of 60 travelers is required to ensure that the concert tour happens, according to Steve Anderson, band director. "We are over halfway there," he said. "Once all participating travelers are signed up, the group can concentrate on fund-raising." Already there are efforts being made on that front, with a fund-raising breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Sat., March 27 at Applebee's in Brainerd/Baxter. Tickets are $5 from band members or can be purchased at the door. An informational meeting for potential participants is 7 p.m., Thursday, May 6 in the Music Rehearsal Hall on the Brainerd campus. Anderson will give a Power Point presentation covering the locations that will be visited on the tour as well as information on cost, payment schedules, and fund-raising opportunities. Refreshments will be served.

Photo contest

“The Moon” is the theme for the 43rd annual photo contest at Central Lakes College on the Brainerd campus beginning April 19, according to coordinator Larry Kellerman. The contest, open to the public, has traditional photo entry categories of “landscape,” “portrait,” “action,” “creative,” “birds,” “animals,” “flowers,” and “children.” Entries much have a print image of at least 5 by 7 inches and no larger than 11 by 14 inches. A photograph can enter one photo in each category, in both in black and white and color. The photos must be matted. Each photo must have the photographer's name, address and phone number on the back of the print. Photos will be on public display through May 3. Entry deadline is April 19 at 9 p.m., in the Jon Hassler Library on the Brainerd campus. Each entry may be mailed with the 50-cent registration fee to Kellerman, CLC, 501 West College Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401. For information call (218) 855-8179 or e-mail lkellerm@clcmn.edu

National award

Central Lakes College has won a national second-place award from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, which represents professionals at community and technical colleges. The Silver Paragon Award recognizes the 256-page academic catalog produced for 2008-2010 by the team of Kenn Dols, Steve Waller, and Sasha Sparks. Sparks, graphic arts specialist at CLC, received a district scholarship to attend the NCMPR conference in Albuquerque, N.M., March 14-17. Last year Sparks received a Bronze Paragon for a computer-generated illustration promoting the college writing awards as a poster. This is the third Paragon Award in four years for CLC, which received a Gold Paragon in 2006 for Best Feature/News Story. Paragon Awards recognize achievement among communicators in the only national competition of its kind that exclusively honors excellence among marketing and PR professionals at two-year colleges.

Habitat Day help

Central Lakes College students in the Natural Resources Club on March 13 assisted with Habitat Day at the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge Crane Meadows area near Zimmerman. This day is meant for the public to enable people to learn what they can do on their property to benefit wildlife. They build houses for wood ducks and bluebirds at Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The event brings residents of the local community to one location to talk with representatives from a variety of natural resource agencies and groups. Participants are provided the opportunity to construct a wood duck or bluebird next box to take home. CLC students participating were Wade Lund, Nikki Baker, Jennifer Hardy, Charity Kern, Brett Clark, Cody Neu, Nick Phillips, Melissa Olson, Molly Lemberg, Casey Gwost, Justin Forrest, Josh Norenberg, and Rick Plettl.

Lakes Area Career Fair

The Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College on Wed., March 24 hosted the Lakes Area Career Fair. More than 30 businesses and organizations were represented with personnel taking employment applications from students and the general public. The four-hour event featured four break-out sessions attended by many of the 250 guests and about 160 students and staff. Nationally renowned consultant Luke Seward (left) presented "Coming Up For Air: Coping With Change in College and Career," a stress management seminar, twice in Chalberg Theatre. He later gave an in-depth version for the paying public. Other free presentatons: Dusty Hauper and Bud McCullouch - "Living Well for Less: Practical Advice for Student and Job Seeker" and tips on finding the right job in "Packing Your Toolkit for Employment" from the Work Force Center staff. The event was co-hosted by the Brainerd Lakes Chamber.

Earth Day exhibitors welcomed

Central Lakes College invites “green” exhibitors to reserve space for its Earth Day Fair and Living Green Expo on Thursday, April 22 at the Brainerd campus. Introduction to Environmental Studies students are coordinating the free, public event, which includes a green job fair, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Among the registered exhibitors are agencies from county, state, and local governments as well as private and non-profit businesses associated with wind energy, water resources, alternative fuels, and solar heating products and services. A panel of six subject-matter experts will address the state of green initiatives, worldwide to local, in the cafeteria from 10 to 11 a.m., with moderator Cheryal Hills from the Region Five Development Commission. A question-answer period follows. To reserve a free exhibit space for this event contact Bob Hanson at (218) 855-8149, bhanson@clcmn.edu

Four shows left

Central Lakes College Theatre announcement:
All of the following are on sale and info can be found at www.clcmn.edu/theatre:

CLC Cultural Arts Series
Kenya Safari Acrobats
High flying, jaw-dropping stunts and gymnastics
Sunday, March 28 @ 2 p.m.

Moliere Than Thou
One man playing many comedic characters
Monday, April 19 @ 7:30 p.m.

Missy Raines & the New Hip
Jazz music tinged with country and pop
Saturday, April 24 @ 7:30 p.m.

CLC Children’s Theatre
The Mysterious Case of Ella: Girl from the Cinders
A mystery meets a fairy-tale for all ages.
Saturday, April 17 @ 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

So far this year, we’ve had several shows sell-out: The Sound of Music, George Winston, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Romeo and Juliet. But they sold-out at the very last minute and have left people waiting in the lobby the night of the show. Don’t hesitate to give the Box Office a call to get your tickets now!

Central Lakes College
Theatre Box Office
501 West College Drive - Brainerd, MN 56401

Phone 218-855-8199
Email clctheatre@clcmn.edu

Cancer Society fundraising

Students in the Professional Sales class at Central Lakes College raised money for the American Cancer Society through a learning experience with the Daffodil Days campaign. Twenty-two new businesses and their employees purchased $1,495 worth of assorted daffodil products. This figure represented 19 percent of the $7,890 in total presales for the area. Students planned and carried out the fundraiser by selling Daffodil Grams for $1 each. For every $25 in Daffodil Grams sold a collector bear is given to children diagnosed with cancer in Crow Wing County. The students raised $525. In addition, Central Lakes College employees purchased $430 of assorted daffodil products. The total of $955 broke the previous record of $800 set last year. Students participating were Dhruv Patel, Emily Main, Demetria Squires, Ashlee Foley, Dan McFarland, Larry Schmidtbauer, Jim Horak, Levi Christianson, Lisa Meacham, Dawn Hanson, Abby Goodew, Kelly Pohl, Angellica Holt, Rochelle Stinar, Blanca Fellman, Cody Carlson, Jennifer Tourville, Deb Halverson, Jerry Gravening, Travis Chaput, Darren Ottem, Kasey Kruchten, and Lawson Starr. Pat Swarthout is the instructor.

League features training model

Central Lakes College and the Rural MN CEP Work Force Center are featured in the latest League for Innovation electronic newsletter in a lead feature entitled "Collaborating for Success: A Dislocated Worker Training Model." In response to the economic downturn and growing number of dislocated workers, Central Lakes College convened a planning group of workforce and economic development agencies. The group identified ways to help dislocated workers gain access to full-time academic and short-term training programs. Industry experts were involved in all aspects of the project, from designing and developing the curriculum to serving as adjunct faculty. Learn how effective teamwork and a strong spirit of collaboration made this award-winning model possible in this month's issue of Innovation Showcase. See it athttp://www.league.org/blog/post.cfm/collaborating-for-success-a-dislocated-worker-training-model

Career Exploration

More than 2,000 high school students from over 20 Central Minnesota districts converged on the Brainerd Area Civic Center March 11 for a Bridges Career Exploration Day featuring exhibits and demonstration of dozens of jobs. The vendors included representatives from businesses, public safety agencies, healthcare providers, higher education, and the military. Students from the CLC Horticulture program showed the high schoolers a few floral design tips and also shared some planting opportunities in one area. The college also had demonstrations ranging from nursing and child care to heavy equipment and photography. A number of CLC graduates now working as local professionals could also be seen on behalf of the organizations for which they are now employed. A Bridges Knowledge Bowl tested teams of students from several schools on the awareness of the job application process and interviews.

Melissa Wooden fundraiser

The Central Lakes College Foundation will take receipt of all proceeds from the March 26 Melissa Wooden Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser at the Brainerd Eagles Club. A spaghetti dinner and silent auction will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., with ages 8-up paying $7 pre-sale and $8 at the door, ages 4-7 admitted for $5, and children age 3-under admnitted at no charge. The Melissa Wooden Scholarship Fund was established in memory of the late Melissa Wooden, who was an instructor in American Sign Language and a victim of a vehicle accident in 2009. Many silent auction items have been donated. For information visit http://mybeautifulbutterfly.wordpress.com/

Next stop: Ecuador

The next Cultural Thursday program at Central Lakes College will be shown through the eyes of a 2009 CLC graduate, Jesse MacArthur, on April 1 from noon-12:50 p.m. in Chalberg Theatre on the Brainerd campus. The presentation is free and open to the public. MacArthur, 21, has traveled in and around Ecuador several times, most recently during nearly six months as a university student experiencing an internship filled with indigenous encounters and the geographical diversity that took him from Pacific seacoast to Andean cloud forest to Amazon jungle. At the Universidad Espiritu Santo in Guayaquil, MacArthur enrolled for 15 credits toward a degree in environmental ecology. He hopes to finish that pursuit at either the University of Minnesota or St. Cloud State University, while double minoring in Spanish and photography. At CLC he earned the Associate in Arts degree as well as the Latin American Studies certificate.

Writers' conference

Candace Simar of Pequot Lakes will be the featured speaker at the second annual Central Lakes College Writers' Conference April 8 on the Brainerd campus. Simar, currently writing her third historical novel, will give closing remarks after the one-hour break-out session in which she will discuss character creation and give guests the chance to leave the hands-on workshop with a "character of their own." Simar's first book, "Abercrombie Trail," was published in 2009, after years of research and style development aided by friends such as Diana Ossana, Academy Award-winning co-author of "Brokeback Mountain." Simar's second novel is "Pomme de Terre," scheduled for release in June. A third novel is being written around the grasshopper plague. The conference will start in the Music Rehearsal Hall at 2:30 p.m., and break-out sessions will feature CLC instructors and published authors Donna Salli, Ryan Deblock, Marilyn Moses, Leann Perius, and Lori-Beth Larsen.

State conservation honor

Bethany Walters, a Central Lakes College Natural Resources honor student from Crosslake, has been named Minnesota’s Student Conservationist of the Year. The Minnesota Chapter of the Wildlife Society presented the award at its annual meeting held jointly with the American Fisheries Society, Society of American Foresters, and Society for Conservation Biology March 1-3 at Grand View Lodge, Nisswa. Walters is a sophomore at CLC and co-president of the Natural Resources Club. Nominated by Dr. William Faber of the college faculty, she has been a leader directing several projects overseen by the Natural Resources program. Among them: Placement and monitoring of 22 Brainerd campus bluebird houses, doing likewise with a registered purple martin house, chimney swift nest, and osprey nesting platform at CLC. Walters has supervised campus aviary activities year-round during two years as a CLC student. Faber said the award-winning student can be credited for making Central Lakes College a bird-friendly campus.

In the community

Central Lakes College students continue to have a presence in the community. Recently, they were among the 75 candidates (including staff) for American Red Cross Blood Drive donations on the Brainerd campus. In observance of March-National Reading Month, at Sacred Heart Elementary School in Staples members of the Staples Campus Student Senate read aloud from Dr. Seuss books to pupils in grades K-6. Even Cat in the Hat made an appearance. At a March 1-3 conference of the Minnesota Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Society for Conservation Biology, Society of American Foresters, and The Wildlife Society at Grand View Lodge for about 400 professionals, CLC Natural Resources students helped with registration, running audio-visual equipment, and handling various requests for services. ASL students are helping coordinate the March 26 Melissa Wooden Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser, a spaghetti dinner and silent auction March 26 from 4-7 p.m. at the Brainerd Eagle sClub. Proceeds go to the fund in memory of the late Melissa Wooden, who was a part-time ASL instructor. The CLC Foundation supervises the endowment and scholarship distribution.

CLC leads enrollment increase

Students enrolled in record numbers this spring at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, resulting in an increase of 14,338 students, or nearly an 8 percent gain, over a year ago. The MnSCU system has 197,576 students taking credit courses, compared to last spring's enrollment of 183,238. The latest growth spurt was on top of a record increase last fall when an additional 12,641 students enrolled compared to the year before. Enrollment increases were particularly strong at the two-year colleges. Fourteen colleges had increases of 10 percent or more. Central Lakes College's headcount increase is the highest in the state at 21.1 percent. Overall, enrollment at the system’s 25 two-year colleges increased this spring by 10.2 percent; the number of students at the seven state universities went up 3 percent. CLC went from 3,812 to 4,616 as of the 30th day of the spring term. Full-year equiavalent went from 3,020 in FY2009 to 3,350 in FY2010, a 10.9 percent gain.

Community service

For the second straight year Central Lakes College has been placed on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. CLC is one of 13 Minnesota colleges and universities and 621 in the nation recognized in the Honor Roll. Others in the state recognized for efforts in 2009 are Carleton, Hamline, Gustavus Adolphus, University of Minnesota - Crookston, St. Olaf, St. Catherine, St. Thomas, Metropolitan State, Winona State, Normandale, Century, and Inver Hills. Honorees for the award were chosen based on a series of selection factors, including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses. CLC service-learning initiatives involve college students volunteering beyond the classroom to help the community through projects that are meaningful, relevant, and exemplary.

Conference presenters

Nancy Paulson (right) and Betsy Picciano from Central Lakes College were presenters for a break-out session titled "Mentoring That Matters" at the MNSCU Center for Teaching & Learning Conference Feb. 26 and 27 at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. They talked about CLC's faculty mentoring program. Others attending were Kari Frisch, Kathryn Black Lance, Martha Kuehn, Dave Bissonette, David Stumpf, Leane Perius, Ryan Deblock, Ann Domagala, Michael Amick, Pamela Nelson, and Connie Moroni. CLC's Center for Teaching & Learning provided 8 conference scholarships to defray costs in light of dwindling budgets. Conference break-out topics included innovations in teaching tools and techniques, mentoring and advising, recognizing and measuring best practices, quality and assessment, student persistence and graduation. Linda Baer, senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, was the keynote speaker Friday. Paul Wasko, deputy director for ISeek Solutions, was the keynote speaker Saturday.

Post-season honors

Three Central Lakes College men's basketball student athletes were named to the 2010 All-Northern Division Team. All three are freshmen. Nick Grewe, a 6-4 guard-forward from Berth-Hewitt, Nash Faulk, a 6-2 guard from Howard Lake, and Marcus Ayala, a 5-11 guard from Phoenix, Ariz., earned the honors, joining 12 other players from Hibbing, Itasca, Mesabi Range, Northland, Rainy River, and Vermilion. Faulk averaged 14 points per game and converted 41 percent of his three-point attempts and 78 percent from the free throw line during the regular season, when CLC built a 12-2 record to tie Northland for the Division title. He led the team with 16 points in the final game of the season, an overtime loss to fifth-ranked Minneapolis in the MCAC tournament. Grewe shot 54 percent from the field in the 27 games ahead of the MCAC meet. Ayala averaged 13 points, 3 steals, and 3.4 steals per game.

Health Fair volunteers

Central Lakes College students in nursing, dental assisting, child development, and medical secretary volunteered to provide information and coordinate activities at the Brainerd Lakes Health Community Health Fair Sat., Feb. 27 at the Westgate Mall in Brainerd. The event featured free and low-cost health screenings, speakers, educational booths and fun, healthful activities. The Nursing Club helped with numerous health screenings and educational demonstrations such as "Germ City," where guests were shown how bacteria are able to survive despite our best efforts at washing hands. A booth resembling an ice fish house featured a black light illumination of hands before and after washing as evidence to support thorough washes. Students Cara Herold (left) of Pierz and Kelly Budnick of Little Falls shared their knowledge with Symphany Hunter, 5, of Baxter.