New positions

Two personnel changes have been announced at Central Lakes College in Brainerd and Staples. Cindy Hase of Browerville has been promoetd to the full-time Office and Administrative Specialist position at the Staples campus. On July 1 she begins her duties as the first contact for people visiting or telephoning the campus. In Brainerd, Jan Sterner has moved from the Business & Industry Center to the Counseling and Admissions Department, where she serves as a receptionist. Jan started at CLC 19 years ago and has held several posts, including the Information Center on the Brainerd campus.

Summer color

The Brainerd campus pond near Mississippi Parkway is a focal point of summer color and an attraction for birds that thrive in the area. The CLC water garden is one product of planning and construction by the Horticulture stduents at CLC, particularly those in Landscape Technology. Natural Resources students have contributed to the construction and placement of many bird houses, including those for purple martins and chimney swifts as well as feeders for birds. There is even a rain garden collector of water that drains from a southwest corner of the building, thanks to the work of volunteers on Earth Day last April. The Buildings and Grounds team, including summer student workers, has been kept busy mowing and weeding to enhance the beauty of this campus and those located at Staples.

Magazine feature

Associate Degree Nursing students from Central Lakes College are featured in the Spring 2011 edition of Health Matters, a publication from St. Gabriel's Hospital, Little Falls. Laura Hartwig and Melanie VanHeel of Swanville, Casey Sahr of Little Falls, and Emily Crilly of Sartell are pictured on page 3 of the magazine in an article headlined "St. Gabriel's nursing students benefit from hands-on learning experience." Casey commends the hands-on learning as "very effective," and Melanie cites the "fantastic" nursing staff at the hospital for making the clinical rotation a positive experience. The training heklps students integrate their skills and knowledge learned in the classroom into the clinical practice setting. CLC had 45 nursing students engaged in the training that vastly improves one's absorption of what's being taught, according to Gayle Nielsen, one of the college's ADN instructors. The article can be viewed at http://www.stgabriels.com/pdf/healthmattersspring2011.pdf

Press conference

State Senator Joe Gimse of Willmar and State Representative Michael Beard of Shakopee, chairs of their respective Transportation committees in the Minnesota Legislature, were joined by State Sen. Paul Gazelka of Brainerd for a press conference in E203 of the Brainerd campus Business and Industry Center on Monday, June 20. The three Republicans called upon Gov. Mark Dayton to call a special session which they predicted would last four hours and could address the unresolved state transportation budget for roads and bridges. The conference was also attended by Democratic State Rep. John Ward of Brainerd, who cited the need for funding of mass transit, a particulary critical mode of transportation for elderly, underprivileged, mobility-impaired, and students who are part of his district in rural Minnesota.

'Annie' runs July 7-24

A cast of 33 participating in Central Lakes College Summer Theatre will present the musical “Annie” July 7 to 24 in 15 performances staged in the Bob Dryden Theatre on the Brainerd campus. Little Orphan Annie jumped out of the funny papers in 1924. The red-haired tyke known for her spunk, energetic personality, and optimistic outlook has become an iconic American heroine. For almost 90 years this little girl and her mongrel dog Sandy, time and time again have rallied to the aid of decent folks who were cowering before treacherous foreigners, mortgage-holders and crime lords. The plot follows an 11-year-old, feisty redhead searching for her parents. With the help of billionaire Oliver Warbucks, the FBI and even President Roosevelt, Annie tirelessly seeks to find her past and along the way lifts the spirit of a depressed nation. The cast includes Annie - Grace Bostrom, Deerwood; Daddy Warbucks - Kevin Yeager, Baxter; Miss Hannigan - Sheila Wonders, Brainerd; Grace Farrell - Jessica Huppler, Onamia; Drake - Justin Jordan, Brainerd; Rooster - Nick Brutscher, Little Falls; Lilly - Kayla Mudgett, Baxter; and FDR - David Wilson, Brainerd. The production plays July 7- 9, 12-16, and 19-23 at 7:30 p.m. and July 17 and 24 at 2 p.m. All tickets are $5.50 and may be purchased by calling the theatre box office at 218-855-8199 or online, www.clctickets.com

Music video camp

Luke Florell (banana) and Jonah Lelwica (bunny) of Pequot Lakes created a music video using costumes during the Music Video Camp at the Staples campus of Central Lakes College June 13-17. The PLHS sophomores have the opportunity to upload the finished project to YouTube. The annual camp is offered through one of the community and technical college's three media technologies programs, Communication Art and Design. CLC also offers Videography Production and Photographic Imaging. More information: www.clcmn.edu

George Winston concert

Pianist George Winston will present a solo concert on Friday, Aug. 12 in Tornstrom Auditorium, Brainerd, as a fundraiser for the Central Lakes College Foundation. General Seating Tickets are $25 each & may be purchased online at http://www.clctickets.com/ VIP tickets are $50 each – includes reserved seating & access to a dessert buffet during intermission. Contact Jean at 218-855-8135 to purchase VIP tickets. Present your ticket at Prairie Bay the night of the performance & receive one dinner at half price with the purchase of another at regular price (equal or lesser value). Not good w/any other offer. Limit 2 per table. Proceeds will benefit scholarships & Random Acts of Kindness for emergency assistance for CLC students. For information about George Winston, his music and concert schedule please go to http://www.georgewinston.com/ Please join us in support of the CLC Student Food Shelf by bringing a donation of non-perishable food to the concert. Collection sites will be available in the lobby. More about the CLC Foundation: http://www.clcmn.edu/foundation/

Honoree wears many hats

Betsy Picciano of Central Lakes College, one of four college instructors in Minnesota to receive the highest academic honor, Educator of the Year for 2011, has worn many hats in 33 years as an educator.The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system selected the versatile educator from 33 MnSCU faculty nominees, including Nancy Smith, CLC health instructor. Picciano, an instructor of reading and college and career studies, is also the Director of Secondary Relations. She is president-elect of the Minnesota Association of Developmental Education. Her “hats” include assignments as coordinator of the Center for Teaching and Learning at CLC, faculty mentor, and chair of the Reading and College and Career Studies Department. She originated the concept for a children’s library within the Jon Hassler Library. She has been a disabilities transition specialist, single-parent adviser, special needs tutor, sixth-grade teacher, and adjunct instructor at the College of St. Benedict and St. Cloud Technical and Community College.

Cooperative education

Tim Walker, a process engineer at Pequot Tool and Manufacturing, Inc., has worked in tool and die making, die design, machine design, machine programming, process engineering, and corporate geometric design and tolerancing consultation and training during his 30-year career. Recently, Tim presented four sessions of training to students in the Central Lakes College Machine Technology class at Staples. His four days offered the students information in four areas: 1. Fundamentals of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing; 2. Datum Reference Frame Applications; 3. Orientation, Profile, and Position Tolerances; and 4. Coaxial Controls and Various Calculations. "This is the first time we've provided this type of training," said instructor Ronn Redemske. "It is a real important facet and quite a generous contribution of knowledge made available to us by Pequot Tool." Tim said he enjoyed the experience.

CLC magazine

Ripple Effect, the 2011 Central Lakes College magazine, has been distributed through the United States Postal Service to about 60,000 area postal patrons in our region. Some of the articles and additional features not in the printe version are available online at http://www.clcripple-effect.com/ You will find these titles: Student athletes at next level, Passion for helping people (Jill Carlson-Ferrie, pictured), Dancing her way to success, Two-time CLC grad wants to teach and others. Enjoy!

New 911 dispatcher training tool

911 Emergency Dispatchers, and those who may want to be, now have a tool at Central Lakes College unavailable at any other college campus in Minnesota. An interactive web-based emergency simulator system has been installed thanks to a grant for about $40,000 worth of equipment -- four stations with TTY capability. Training began today (June 16) for Crow Wing County Sheriff's dispatchers Todd Johnson and Shari Turcotte, as well as Scott Heide, supervisor of the Public Safety Answering Point. Trainers Al (pictured) and Holly Rossner of SAVE Corp., the simulator supplier, also are teaching Gae Davis of the Central Lakes College Criminal Justice faculty. Future use of the new technology includes course work offered to CLC students plus customized training of law enforcement and other emergency dispatchers from anywhere in the state as seminars are scheduled for the hands-on, realistic simulation.

College will stay open

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system -- including Central Lakes College -- will remain open this summer even if other parts of state government shut down July 1, system officials announced today (June 15). Officials were notified by Gov. Mark Dayton’s office thatthe system will receive the support needed from Minnesota Management and Budget to continue operations on July 1, even if other parts of state government shut down. The governor’s petition to the state district court said that “operations of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities will continue based on its statutory and practical financial autonomy and its balance carry-over authority.” Chancellor James H. McCormick thanked all officials who worked to assure the system’s continued operation. “We are deeply appreciative of the governor’s action to support uninterrupted instruction and services at the state colleges and universities,” McCormick said. “This is a critical time for the 67,000 students taking summer session courses at our schools and for the tens of thousands of students preparing to enroll in the fall term.” At CLC, 1,170 students are enrolled in summer term courses. The action means that Management and Budget will provide payroll and other payment processing for the system. The higher education appropriations bill awaits resolution with other state operating budgets. The system already has statutory authority to use existing tuition and other receipts in the new fiscal year that starts on July 1. Once the agreement is reached, it is expected that layoff notices that were sent to 6,000 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities employees will be rescinded and salaries and benefits to employees will continue. The system’s continued operation through the summer term will be funded through tuition receipts and fund balances at each of the colleges and universities.

Two top grads from Thailand

Two best friends from Thailand came to Central Lakes College to follow their dreams of success in America. They excelled, graduating with honors to earn admission to the University of Minnesota. Nutthanit Towan (top) earned her first university degree at age 20 after demonstrating exceptional leadership and community service qualities at CLC. She earned her master’s degree from a top Thai university and is a doctoral candidate. Nutthanit, a Miss Thailand Universe 2007 and runner-up Miss Globe International 2008, has started a company in Thailand to “promote my country in the eyes of the world.” Pinchat Chatpaitoon followed Nutthanit to CLC, and while learning English she demonstrated a commitment to education. She maintained high academic honors through studies at the Carlson School of Management as recipient of the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award with a 3.93 grade-point average. Pinchat has been certified by the Minnesota Society of Professional Accountants and works as a Certified Public Account. “Central Lakes College allowed me to find my voice,” she said, “and changed my life.”

Volleyball camp

Central Lakes College Raider Volleyball Camps are under way in the Brainerd campus gymnasium. Under the direction of Head Coach Jane Peterson, the camps offer skills development to junior high through junior olympic players. Setter/Hitter Camp is June 13-16 from 9 a.m. to noon, giving junior high players anintroduction to the game. Skills specific to hitting and setting are broken down, but all skills are covered with each athlete. The Elite Camp June 13-16 from 1-4 p.m. is designed for the player with varsity or junior olympic experience and more advanced in training specific to positions. Working with Coach Peterson is Assistant Ken Miller and a number of current and former CLC student athletes. One-day clinics for setters, hitters, and passing were held earlier in June.

Chancellor visits

Dr. Steven Rosenstone, chancellor-designate of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU), visited Central Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples, on Thursday, June 9. He spent an hour with CLC President Dr. Larry Lundblad, followed by a 90-minute lunch meeting with members of the CLC Regional Advisory Committee and other community leaders, plus several administrators and faculty. The afternoon included a tour of the campuses in Brainerd and Staples and a conversations with Staples community leaders. Dr. Rosenstone will assume duties as chancellor on Aug. 1. He cited "daunting challenges" for higher education in Minnesota but expressed his confidence in building a team of college presidents and partners in business and industry on behalf of students and the forthcoming workforce that is expected to help move the state forward. He welcomed input for ideas and solutions to what everyone agreed are urgent needs to sustain the economic and cultural well-being of Minnesota. Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04

Summer women's basketball

Central Lakes College will offer a summer women’s basketball league for graduating seniors and older. The league will play on Wednesdays beginning June 15 and play through July. Each team will have 6-8 players. Cost will be $30 per player. There is no team fee. Players can enter with a team or as an individual and you will be placed on a team. Players must be high school graduates. To participate contact Dennis Eastman (952) 594-1787 or e-mail deastman@clcmn.edu or call Zach Eastman (952) 594-1786.

Former Raider makes debut

Former Central Lakes College player Braden Lee pitched two innings Tuesday in his debut for the Ozark Generals baseball club out of Springfield, Mo. Lee, a junior right-hander from Granite Falls, transferred from CLC to the University of St. Mary, an NAIA school in Leavenworth, Kans., this spring. The Ozark Generals compete in the M.I.N.K. League (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas), a summer all-wood bat league comprised of eight teams from the four states. The players are mostly college players that come from all over the Midwest for the opportunity to continue playing in the college off-season. The Ozark Generals' home is Parsons Stadium in Crane. Located in the southwestern corner of the state, Crane is only a half-hour drive from Branson, Mo.

Upward Bound community service

More than 60 Upward Bound participants have been performing community service projects as part of their six-week enrollment in the residential/academic program directed by Central Lakes College and the College of St. Benedict. More than a dozen of the high school students, including Megan Gingery, 15, of Onamia, painted a stage set in Chalberg Theatre at CLC June 8. Others helped paint ice rinks for the City of Brainerd and did landscaping at the Brainerd Area Women's Shelter. Upward Bound provides educational services to modest income and first generation high school students to equip them in graduating from high school, enrolling into a college or university, and completing their post secondary education. The youths, grades 9-12, are from Todd, Morrison, and Mille Lacs counties. Schools from which participants are selected include Bertha-Hewitt, Browerville, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, Staples-Motley, Isle, Nay Ah Shing, Onamia, and Pierz. Upward Bound is funded by the US Department of Education.

MnSCU board holds emergency meeting

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees today expressed its commitment to pursue any administrative or other options to stay open in the event of a government shutdown July 1. Meeting in an emergency session, the board also indicated its support for the chancellor’s contingency planning if remaining open is no longer an option. “We are optimistic that a budget agreement will be reached before June 30,” said Chancellor James H. McCormick. “But we need to take steps now to prepare for any contingency.” Many critical programs and services go on during July and August. Thousands of students - more than 67,000 - are taking summer classes that will extend at least through July. New and returning students are expecting to enroll and go through orientation sessions. Laura King, vice chancellor for finance and administration and chief financial officer, said the system is financially able to continue operating through the summer sessions and the fall semester. The system is seeking an arrangement with Minnesota Management and Budget, the state agency that processes the system’s payroll and financial transactions, that would allow the system access to its existing funds and to continue to operate, King said.

Information Night at Pine River

College Information Night at Pine River-Backus High School on June 20 is a free, public event offered by Central Lakes College and its partners in the new Community Outreach courses offered in Pine River starting this fall. A general information session regarding the application process, financial aid, scholarships, and more will be held from 5 to 6 p.m., with assessment and registration for new students from 6 to 8 p.m. Classes are to be offered at the Community Outreach site from October to mid-December, with spring term classes from mid-January to the last week of April. The condensed semesters were created to allow employees to begin and finish their seasonal jobs. The site is the former ALC/District office at 980 First Street N. in Pine River, where a Computer Center will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday during each semester. Courses count toward an Associate in Arts transfer degree or can meet requirements for programs such as Administrative Assistant, Criminal Justice, Business Management, and Computer Technology. Offered starting the first week of October will be Introduction to Communication Studies, a 3-credit speech class; Topics in Reading, a 3-credit workshop to develop college reading skills; and General Psychology, a 4-credit, web-assisted survey of basic principles of psychology. Partners with CLC are the Pine River-Backus School District, Cass County Economic Development, and Initiative Foundation. For information, contact Charlotte Daniels, Admissions Director, at 800-933-0346, 218-855-8067, or cdaniels@clcmn.edu

Two BBE athletes sign

Two student-athletes who played for Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School teams have signed Letters of Intent to play basketball in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference as Central Lakes College Raiders starting with the 2011-12 season. Brent Koehler (left) and Kevin Kuefler were in Brainerd June 7 to put their signatures on the official document presented by Coach Jim Russell. The pair of 6-4 guard-forward standouts from the state runner-up team of 2011 can expect to see lots of playing time for one of the region's top collegiate squads, a perennial Division powerhouse. Kevin and Brent are both academic honor students as well as multi-sport athletes. Kevin averaged nearly 20 points and earned numerous post-season honors for the 32-1 BBE state contenders. Brent was a starter in his final season at BBE, averaging eight points. Kevin was named to the All-Tournament Team as selected by the state tournament media. Welcome to these former Jaguars who are sure to be fine additions to college-level athletics at CLC.

CLC in top 10 percent

Central Lakes College is among the top 10 percent of the community colleges in the country. The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program lists CLC among the top 120 community colleges, based on high standards for learning, completion rates, and training for competitive jobs. The recent acknowledgement means that CLC is in contention for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. There will be one winner of approximately $700,000 and three runners-up announced in December. Former Michigan Governor John Engler and former Secretary of Education Richard Riley co-chair the jury. Those schools competing for the Aspen Prize submit applications and show they deliver outstanding student results, use data to drive decisions and continually improve over time. The purpose of the Aspen Prize is to recognize community colleges with outstanding academic and workforce outcomes in both absolute performance and improvements over time. By focusing on student success and lifting up models that work, the prize will honor excellence, stimulate innovation, and create benchmarks for measuring progress. In Round 2, a Selection Committee of subject matter experts will examine data submitted by eligible institutions to identify those that deliver exceptional student outcomes in three areas: completion, the labor-market, and learning. Political and education leaders increasingly are calling for a concerted focus on student success in community colleges (and, indeed, across the postsecondary spectrum). President Obama articulated a bold national goal for the U.S. to regain the international lead in postsecondary education by 2020, and leading national foundations and nonprofit organizations have embraced similar goals. Clearly, community colleges will have to play a major role if America is to dramatically boost educational attainment: more than 6,000,000 students – youth and adult learners – enroll in America’s nearly 1,200 community colleges every year. The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence will focus attention and galvanize efforts on the postsecondary completion agenda. It will create a new demand for – and supply of – exceptional practices. It will inspire and reward those community colleges that are the most effective incubators of successful students and skilled workers. Most important, it will generate acclaim for the educators whose efforts have been ignored for too long -- and spur a new generation of leaders to innovate for student success. To learn more go to www.aspenccprize.org

Volunteer coach

Ron and Dar Houle, our husband-wife Computer Information Technologgy instructional team at Central Lakes College, are on the go during the summer months as volunteer coach and scorebook-keeper/driver respectively. They're involved with youth baseball in a big way as they accompany a traveling Brainerd 13-under team on trips to games vs. opponents around the state, including Big Lake, Rogers, Zimmerman, and Cloquet. Some days the travel is a bit less, such as when they are hosting doubleheaders at Findorff Field on the CLC campus. Ron starts his players out in February with a fitness training schedule in area gyms and other functions to build the skills needed for a foundation to enjoy baseball for a lifetime. Their 15-year-old son helps coach his younger brother's team, and otherwise the Houles can expect their family to be at a ball field nearly every day of the week, watching big brother play as well. Sometimes they take their squad to the lake for some fun baseball-like competition that involves "swimming the bases" after hitting the whiffle ball with a modified flotation noodle -- all with the purpose of providing youngsters with positive interaction and a healthy way to enjoy summer.

Salzer is FBM instructor

Troy Salzer of Barnum has been selected as an instructor in the Farm Business Management program at Central Lakes College. He is to serve East Central Minnesota from a Mora location. Since 1997 he has been an Extension Educator for the University of Minnesota Extension Service, working out of Carlton. He earned his honor degrees from the U of M -- Master's in Animal Nutrition, a BS in Animal and Plant Systems, and AAS in Animal Technology. Since 1980 he has owned and operated Sandy Hills Ranch, Barnum. In 1994 he spent six months in Denmark as an assistant manager at a swine farm, where he taught Danish people about U.S. agriculture and studied cultural differences. FBM instructors provide manegemtn instruction to students enrolled in the Farm Business Management program at CLC, primarily one-on-one but also through web-based video conferencing, online, and in classrooms.

Two nursing instructors hired

Central Lakes College announces the hiring of two fulltime Associate Degree Nursing instructors. They are Rebekah Gammon of Pierz and Laura Schoonover of Brainerd (pictured). Rebekah has been a part-time CLC nursing instructor the past year and from 2005-10 was a nurse at St. Gabriel's Hospital. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University, Minneapolis, and earned her BS from Chamberlin College of Nursing, Downers Grove, Ill. Laura has been an adjunct instructor at CLC the past year and also served as Staff Development Coordinator for the Good Samaritan Society, Brainerd. She was a Disease Management Specialist for United Health Care in Wausau, Wis., from 2006-08. Laura holds an MSN/Ed from Kaplan University, Chicago, Ill., and earned her bachelor's degree from South Dakota State, Brookings. She began her college studies at Shelby State Community College in Memphis, Tenn., earning an associate's degree.

Chancellor to visit CLC

Dr. Steven Rosenstone, the new chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU), will visit Central Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples, on Thursday, June 9. He plans to be accompanied by his wife, Dr. Maria Antonia Calvo, a professor of Spanish and Portuguese Studies at the University of Minnesota. He will be on the Brainerd campus to meet with CLC President Dr. Larry Lundblad at 10:30 a.m. and attend a luncheon meeting with the CLC Regional Advisory Committee and others at 11:30 a.m., then touring the campus from 12:30-1:30 p.m. He is scheduled to meet with Staples community leaders from 2:30-3:30 p.m. before touring the main and west campuses of the Staples campus plus the Agriculture and Energy Center. Chancellor Rosenstone was vice president for scholarly and cultural affairs at the University of Minnesota. He went to the university in 1996 to serve as dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Under his leadership, the college revamped the undergraduate experience, created state-of-the-art facilities and forged new partnerships with businesses, communities, cultural and civic organizations. Before going to the University of Minnesota, Rosenstone was a professor of political science at Yale University and the University of Michigan. He is the author of four books and numerous scholarly articles on elections, political participation, and the challenges facing higher education. The new chancellor will begin his post Aug. 1. He succeeds the retiring James H. McCormick.

YES! Camp

Central Lakes College will host the YES! Camp, an American Indian Business Leader Student Camp, from June 28-July 1 in the Business and Industry Center of the Brainerd campus. In partnership with Nay Ah Shing School, Onamia, and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, the camp includes a series of presentations on aspects of business development, including viable products and services, market research, customer feedback, the operations plan, regulations, financial projections and profits, and the successful business plan. Presenters include Greg Bergman of the Small Business Development Center, Mary Sam, and Charles and Kathryn Black Lance of CLC, and Mary Simon, principal of Nay Ah Shing. A guest panel on the final morning of the camp will observe and comment on camp busines plan presentations before the closing awards luncheon. This is the second year CLC has hosted the camp. Last year 15 students in grades 8-12 participated. This will be the eighth year Nay Ah Shing has held the camp. The Mission of Nay Ah Shing School is to teach Ojibwe language, culture, tradition, history, and skill to live in two cultures.

PTK honors adviser

Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for community colleges, has recognized Nancy Smith of Central Lakes College for 10 years of service as adviser of the Upsilon Omega chapter at CLC. The 10-year service award from the PTK Center for Excellence is an expression of gratitude to such an adviser -- "the lifeblood of our organization," said Rod A. Risley, executive director. In a letter to Dr. Larry Lundblad, CLC president, Risley urged the college community to "consider how valuable a strong chapter can be...with your support, your chapter can become a recruitment vehicle to attract high school honor students." PTK's Honors in Action initiatives promote intellectual challenge and service learning as a foundation for student development.

'It Runs in The Family'

Central Lakes College Summer Theatre presents the Ray Cooney farce “It Runs in The Family” June 15-25 in Chalberg Theatre on the Brainerd campus. The eight performances are directed by Patrick Spradlin, who calls Cooney “Britain’s master of madcap comedies.” On the day he’s to give an important lecture to visiting physicians, Dr. David Mortimore has an unexpected visitor: a nurse with whom he’d had a torrid affair 18 years prior. As if this isn’t startling enough, David is about to be introduced to the teenage son he never knew he had. Can he keep the boy’s identity a secret from his current wife, his stern administrator boss, and his curious colleagues? The fun includes Mortimore’s hapless colleague, a police sergeant, a senile patient, an assortment of matrons, a syringe full of tranquilizer and costume from the Christmas pantomime. The cast includes Shane Keran, Rebecca Souhrada, Wendy Lane, Bob Spear, all of Brainerd; Denise Sirucek, Staples; Marcy Miller, Pine River; Marcia Stanton, Backus; Sam Wesp, Nisswa; David Allan Pundt, Crosslake; Ed Eyestone, Crosby; and Lizzy Buscher and Ralph Knowlton, both of Ironton. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. June 15-18 and 22-25. For general admission tickets ($8 adults, $5.50 ages 5-16), call the box office at 218-855-8199 or go to www.clctickets.com (Photo by Steve Kohls, Brainerd Dispatch)

Streed presents at conference

Scott Streed, director of technology services at Central Lakes College, presented a break-out session at the annual Information Technology Conference of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities held at Cragun’s Conference Center. Scott’s topic was “Putting Open Source to Work.” He demonstrated applications of the collaborative software available at no cost through Internet access. For the past decade, numerous Web-based software programs have become available as cost-saving, efficient improvements to organizations such as Central Lakes College. Scott’s audience included college and university counterparts, who have begun improving services on their campuses as a result of his one-hour presentation and accompanying materials. In addition to MnSCU institutions and the Office of the Chancellor, participants were from private institutions -- Macalaster, Bethel, and Carleton. “Thanks to Scott’s initiative, CLC is a leader in MnSCU using open source applications,” said Michael Amick, dean of academic and technology services. “Other campuses were very interested in what he shared, especially during these budget times.”

CLC Theatre events

Upcoming Central Lakes College Theatre events include the film "Driven" Saturday, June 4, at 7-9 p.m. in Chalberg Theatre, and summer theatre performances of "It Runs in the Family" June 15-25 in Chalberg Theatre and "Annie The Musical" July 7-24 in Dryden Theatre. Ticket purchase information can be found at http://clctickets.universitytickets.com/user_pages/event_listings.asp or by calling the box office, 218-855-8199. The CLC Theatre website is http://www.clcmn.edu/theatre/index.html

New dean at CLC

Beth Adams of Duluth is the new dean of enrollment and students services at Central Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples. Beth had been vice president of student services at Lake Superior College since 2000 and before that served as dean of students at Mesabi Range College, Virginia. She has 17 years of experience as chief student services officer on four different campuses in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Beth will be responsible for leadership and management of the college’s enrollment, retention, student conduct, and student services. These are duties she carried out along with other responsibilities, in her previous positions at the other colleges. “I am so pleased to be joining the CLC community,” Beth said. “Everyone has been so welcoming, and I look forward to working with the faculty and staff in continuing to provide excellent student services.” At LSC, Beth served as chief student services officer representing the college’s students and student services staff on the President’s Cabinet and Executive Council. She supervised counseling, Trio programs, records and registration, financial aid, admissions, student life, student government, disability services, and other departments. Beth helped Lake Superior College to increases in enrollment and retention as well as the number of grants. During her tenure, LSC earned three straight MnSCU awards for innovations in the student relationship management model. She is a 1987 graduate of the College of St. Scholastica (psychology and natural science) and in 1990 received her master’s degree in educational psychology/counseling from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Music Video Camp

Central Lakes College will conduct a music video camp June 13-17 for senior high school students (grades 10 to adult) on the Staples campus. The day camp (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) will instruct participants how to create a professional-looking music video in just five days. The fee for instruction and all supplies is $60, including daily lunch, discs, and tapes. Students will get together in groups of two to four and select a song. They write a script, set up and film the shots with digital video recorders, and use computers to produce and edit the timeline using Apple’s Final Cut Pro software. When completed, students will author a DVD for final presentation. For information or to register contact instructor Leon Dahlvang toll-free at 800-247-6836, ext. 5142, or e-mail ldahlvan@clcmn.edu

Summer Engineering & Manufacturing Camp

Central Lakes College and the Center of Excellence at Bemidji State University have scheduled the five-day Summer Engineering and Manufacturing (SEaM) Camp for July 11-15 at the Staples campus of CLC. SEaM camp is for students in grades 6-12 and runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. during each of the five days. It is an opportunity to experience hands-on electronics, motor controllers, mechanical drafting, manufacturing machining, and robotics automated systems. Participants will build their “Battlebots” from kits having hundreds of parts. Each student works with a teammate to assemble a robot that is customized for capabilities in maneuvering an obstacle course or controlling weapons for Battlebot wars in the competition held on the last day of camp. The fee is $200 per camper, including shirts, with need-based scholarships available. Bus transportation from the Brainerd campus to Staples is provided. For information or to register, call Gontarek at 218-855-8134 or email jgontarek@clcmn.edu, or call toll-free 800-247-6836 and ask for the SEaM Camp Registration Line.

Boys' basketball camps

Raider Boys' Basketball Camps are scheduled at Central Lakes College. The June 27-30 camp is for grades 4-6 from 1-4 p.m. and grades 7 and 8 from 9 a.m.-noon. July 18-21 camp is for grades 9 and 10 from 1-4 p.m. July 25-28 camp is for grades11 and 12 from 1- 4 p.m. Fee is $50 per player, and the fee includes a T-shirt, prizes, and awards. For information and to register contact Coach Jim Russell at 218-855-8213 or email jrussell@clcmn.edu