Keynote: Tolerance

Marc Elliot, keynote speaker for the third annual Student Success Day at Central Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples, drew a standing ovation and interruptions of applause for his talk about tolerance on Wed., Sept. 28. Marc, who has Tourette's syndrome, spoke to more than 2,000 students with examples from his young life in which the ailment created moments of confrontation, confusion, and intolerance among those encountering his disability. He was born with a rare disease that virtually left him no intestines. At age nine he developed the neurological disorder that causes him to make involuntary motor and vocal tics. The Washington University graduate travels the country with his crucial message, and at age 25 he has been able to help his national audience of more than 20,000 in ways he had never imagined.

Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04

$1,000 in gas cards for students

Central Lakes College students will benefit from the generosity of CLC employees, who donated to raise $1,000 worth of fuel cards. Forty $25 "gas cards" are now available to assist students who must travel to campus by vehicular, mobile means. The Holiday Station Store at 424 South Sixth in downtown Brainerd donated one $25 card and Dan, the manager, complimented the college students who are employed by the firm for their outstanding worth ethic. Nancy Smith, who led the gas card drive, said that what CLC employees do "changes and saves lives every single day. That is a fact and I thank you for it!"

National accreditation

The Central Lakes College Medical Assistant program at the Staples campus has earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). A review board and CAAHEP’s board of directors announced that the CLC program is in “substantial compliance with the nationally established accreditation standards.” The initial accreditation status is in effect for five years. The CLC program is also accredited through the American Medical Technologists. The latest endorsement comes from the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field. National accreditation is considered the “gold standard” for medical assisting, said Dawn Michel (pictured), instructor-director of CLC’s 44-credit diploma program. Institutional accreditation helps to assure potential students that a school is a sound institution and has met certain minimum standards in terms of administration, resources, faculty and facilities. The 16-person CLC Medical Assistant Advisory Board assisted the evaluation, providing significant support and evidence to the two-person CAAHEP team that visited the Staples campus prior to making recommendations. Members of the 2011-12 Advisory Board are Pamela Beebe and Roger Jahn, Ne la Shing Clinic, Onamia; Becky Bennett and Deanna Kohout, Lakewood Health System, Staples; Deb Bergsnev, Longville Clinic; Nicole Finnegan, Riverwood Healthcare Center, Aitkin; Barb Goochey, Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Brainerd Clinic; Debra Kearns, Central Lakes Medical Clinic, Crosby; Ida Lombard and Machel Marshall, Motley; Jackie Och, Family Medical Center, Little Falls; Beth Sabas, Essentia – Pine River Clinic; Sharon Welle, Little Falls; and Connie Vieths, Michel, and Jeff Wig from CLC.

Student Success Day

Raz the Raider, mascot, handed out reminders to promote Student Success Day on the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College. The campuses of Central Lakes College on Wed., Sept. 28 will observe the third annual Student Success Day. This day is dedicated to all CLC students as a means to enrich and otherwise add to each student's livelihood and practical knowledge base. Dozens of 45-minute seminars are packed into the day in which only classes meeting at 3 p.m. or later are still being held. Otherwise, courses do not meet. Instead, students may enjoy sessions that include topics such as developing an environmentally friendly lifestyle, note-taking tips, cardio kick-boxing, yoga, money management and low-budget living, test-taking strategies, cyber smarts, auto maintenance, tolerance and diversity, and parenting. Keynote speaker is Marc Elliot, whose topic is "What Makes You Tic?" with a message of tolerance. Those attending his one-hour talk receive a free lunch. The grand prize on each campus is a Samsung Galaxy Tablet valued at about $350. The last part of the day offers recreation and friendly competition in dodgeball, paintball, Minute to Win It, and a talent show.

Book donation

A Central Lakes College alumna who is an associate professor at Hamline University has donated to CLC a copy of the book she co-wrote. Dr. Jennifer (Pecarich) Carlson’s research focus on reading methods led to her co-writing of “Multimedia Text Sets: Changing the Shape and Engagement of Learning” (2010, published by Portage and Main Press. The book explores how to respond to the need for multimedia in multimodal literacy instruction. The 1987 Brainerd High School and 1989 CLC graduate presented a copy of the book to Jan Bedard, a reading instructor at the college. It is considered an instructional framework to provide all types of learners with lifelong tools to explore and interpret texts. The signed copy includes Dr. Carlson’s statement: “For giving so many their first opportunity to move forward.” Dr. Carlson has followed her educational dreams that started at CLC. She earned degrees at Winona State and Minnesota State (Mankato) universities, received her doctorate in 2001 from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Her focus is curriculum and instruction, literacy and children’s literature. Dr. Carlson said she is happy to donate a copy of her book to her alma mater, where she had met her eventual husband, Pete Carlson, when students. He came to Brainerd from Eau Claire, Wis., and played hockey for the Raiders. They both went on to Winona State for bachelor’s degrees. Today he manages the world’s largest indoor ice arena in Blaine. Dr. Carlson’s father, Crosby native John Pecarich, and her brother Matt are also CLC graduates.

Natural resource seminars

Central Lakes College has announced a free series of three Friday afternoon natural resource seminars on the Brainerd campus. “Minnesota Lakes” will feature area resource professionals sharing research efforts and findings. Each seminar will be held in Room E354 (Lecture Hall) from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. “Serpent Lake Watershed Research and Monitoring” is the Sept. 30 seminar, presented by Melissa Barrick of the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District. Serpent Lake has shown recent declines in water quality. The lake and its inflows and outflows were monitored for nutrients to develop a model showing nutrient transport and identifying priority areas and actions. “Building Resilience in Deep Lakes Using a Landscape Approach” is the Oct. 7 seminar by Peter Jacobson of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Cold water fish that are sensitive to stresses, such as cisco, are threatened by climate warming and eutrophication. To protect these and other fish, water quality models were used to develop landscape approaches for watershed protection. “Sensitive Shoreline Analyses in Area Lakes” is the Oct. 14 seminar, presented by Paul Radomski, MN DNR Fisheries. All lakeshore is not created equal. Small sections of shoreline may be responsible for much of the lake’s biodiversity. This research is helping identify and protect these critical areas.

Senator: CLC is doing great things

Central Lakes College officials on Thursday discussed how recent funding reductions have affected college programs with Sen. Michelle Fishbach (left), R-Paynesville, chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee. Fishbach and Sen. Paul Gazelka, R-Brainerd, met with administrators, faculty and students and toured the Brainerd campus in the wake of an approximate $1 million decline in state appropriations for the school between fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2012. The lawmakers learned that the difference was made up through about $1 million in personnel cost cuts, increased class size, not replacing some of the 13 staff members who retired, and by cutting $400,000 from the operating budget. The cuts have come at a time when the headcount for 2011 is 6,244, with most of the students coming from a seven-county area that includes Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, Aitkin, Cass, Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties. CLC President Larry Lundblad said Minnesota has the highest counselor to student ratio in the state. The school’s students, he said, often drive relatively long distances to school since there’s no college housing and higher gas prices have coupled with high tuition to put students in a bind. “These counties up here are some of the poorest in the state,” Lundblad said. He said the school serves about 1,700 high school students who are taking college classes through CLC. For some of the smaller schools, he said, “We’re kind of becoming senior year.” Fishbach commended the school for forming partnerships with industry and with the community. “I think they’re doing great things,” she said.

Ronny Cox to perform

Actor-musician Ronny Cox performs Thursday, Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bob Dryden Theatre as part of the Cultural Arts Series hosted by the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College. Cox’s acting career spans more than 125 films and TV shows. He’s played villains and good guys since his film debut as the guitarist in the famous “dueling banjos’ scene in “Deliverance.” He is also known for his roles in “The Onion Field,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Robocop,” and “Total Recall.” Cox is an accomplished singer/songwriter. With several CD’s and countless national and international tours in four decades of performance, he blends a folksy sound with an eclectic approach to arrangements and delivery. Cox will perform with Moorhead singer/songwriter David Stoddard, who has been compared to Randy Newman for his style of humor, dry wit, and sweetness. Tickets can be purchased at www.clctickets.com, or by contacting the CLC Theatre Box Office at (218) 855-8199. Cultural Arts Series information, including links to each artist’s website, can be found at www.clcmn.edu/theatre

Reading to break the cycle

Reading students at Central Lakes College not only learn to improve their personal reading comprhension. They're given the opportunity to read to others, such as the pre-schoolers in the day care/ early childhood education center on the Brainerd campus. Instructor Jan Bedard provided the example of group reading. She demonstrates how to read stories, and the session offers discussion on lava, how humans hurt animals, setting off a volcano, and more. By understanding the value and process of reading to children, the college students have a better chance of breaking the cycle of multi-generational illiteracy -- and poverty. Individual reading by college students to one child is also helping both the college and pre-school reader.

Hall of Fame

Central Lakes College alumnus Roy C. Booth, playwright-author, will be inducted into the Pillager High School Hall of Fame Sept. 24. A 1983 Pillager graduate, Roy sold his first short story as a freshman. By the time he headed to CLC, Roy had the honor of seeing several of his poems published in national literary magazines. Before graduating from CLC with honors, Roy developed his play-writing skills through an increased involvement with the CLC Theatre program. He parlayed that into degrees in English, speech, and theatre at Bemidji State University. His master's degree from BSU came with emphasis in creative writing (1998). He has published more than 50 short stories, from science fiction to mystery to fantasy to romance. Several of his 55 stage plays have been performed in 27 different countries. Some of his screenplays have been optioned for further development in the entertainment media.

Photography class

Christian Hoffman of Brainerd, a video production student at Central Lakes College, Staples, listens to instructor Steve Kohls (right) in a Black & White Photo class activity near Crosby. Students shot images in and around the multipurpose Cuyuna Lakes State Trail in the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area. This three-credit, Tuesday art class is one of several photography courses available through the liberal arts curriculum at CLC, such as Color Photo, the Art of Digital Photography, Autumn Landscape Photography, and The Art of Photographing Wildflowers. CLC also has a Photographic Imaging Technology career education degree program based at Staples. Steve Kohls is a veteran award-winning photographer at the Brainerd Dispatch and for several years has been adjunct faculty for the community and technical college in Brainerd and Staples.
(Photo by Mark Slupe)

'Miracle Worker'

Central Lakes College Theatre presents “The Miracle Worker” in Chalberg Theatre on the Brainerd campus, opening Friday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m.William Gibson’s powerful drama, one of the most-produced plays of the 20th century, dramatizes the volatile relationship between a lonely teacher, Annie Sullivan, and her blind, deaf and mute charge, Helen Keller, dramatizes the volatile relationship between a lonely teacher, Annie Sullivan, and her blind, deaf and mute charge, Helen Keller. The Central Lakes College production features 10-year-old Madison Yeager as Helen Keller and Savannah Cole as Annie Sullivan. According to Director-Designer Dennis Lamberson, others in the Keller household are Kevin Yeager as Captain Keller, Molly Busch as Helen’s mother, Eddie Binda as James and Rebecca Souhrada as Aunt Ev. Lambersons' cast includes Josh Zaborowski, Mariah Hummer, Anthony Sloan, Marc Olipant, Beradette Montaluo, David Thielen, Julia Cunningham, Tia Nicoski, Trinity Shields, Rylie Young, Madeline Kertzman, Eden Worden, Abby Pratt, Taylor Shields, Jeremy Boltjes, Susan Young, Laura Joque and Beatrice Mitchell. The production plays Oct. 7, 8, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $6, purchased with a credit card by calling 218-855-8199 or on line at www.clctickets.com

Affordable tuition

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Chancellor Steven Rosenstone said this week he is prepared to make tough choices and design new ways of doing business to keep tuition affordable. "Our role as a driver of Minnesota’s economy is more important than ever, and the priorities we set over the new few weeks must help create a globally competitive position for Minnesota - one that will enrich our students, create jobs and contribute to the prosperity of businesses and communities across the state," Rosenstone said to the Board of Trustees. He called for three new approaches - redesigning processes to focus on outcomes and incentives, empowering faculty and staff to be entrepreneurial and joining in new ways with businesses and others to better meet the state’s workforce needs. "These three approaches - to redesign, to empower, to partner - will allow us to achieve new heights of service and quality," Rosenstone said in his first major address to the Board of Trustees. He took office Aug. 1.

Migratory birds observed

The Central Lakes College Natural Resources Club on Saturday, Sept. 17 traveled to Duluth with advisers Gary Carson and Dr. Bill Faber for a day observing migrating hawks and other raptors, such as this Arctic subspecies, juvenile peregrine falcon. They were accompanied by several international students, who were especially thrilled to have the opportunity to see some rare winged species up close. The activity centered around the Hawks Ridge Bird Observatory at Duluth, where birds are captured so that federal bird bands may be attached. Participating club members were Brandee Stomberg, Jessica Pearson, Steve McKay, Robert Babb, Stephanie Burley, Ron Tscheu, Ashley Peterson, McCale Carter, Brianna Dufour, Katie Geissler, Cassandra Beack, John Allord, Jason Gildardt, Luke Burlingame, and Jeff Carbert. International students included Imran Samuel and Irshad Hussain, Pakistan; Karmila Seran, Indonesia; and Genevieve Avevor, Ghana. (Photo by Ashley Peterson)

On-farm fuel seminar

STAPLES – The Agricultural and Energy Center at Central Lakes College, Staples, recently hosted an on-farm fuel production seminar for the Upper Midwest. Attendees came from as far as North Dakota. Aimed at a core audience of serious alternative fuel users, the four-hour seminar included a look at fuel conversion that is in practice and using various sources.Bob Schafer, center director, and Craig Hove, a lab assistant in the CLC Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician program, led a discussion on the conversion of a Ford tractor to a vegetable oil-fueled Yanmar diesel. Ron Nelson, farm manager at CLC, presented oilseed harvesting combine operations as well as oilseed processing that includes cleaning, de-stoning, pressing, and filtering. He demonstrated the German KK-40 oilseed press to an interested audience of farmers, business men and entrepreneurs. The work at the Center continues to attract interest, Schafer said. “It takes time to prove out,” he said. “The program was well-received and will be followed up next year.”

Costa Rica next CT

Carlos Solano, a 23-year-old international student at Central Lakes College, Brainerd, will present the next free Cultural Thursday program about his home: Costa Rica. The program is on Thursday, Oct. 6 from noon to 12:50 p.m. in E358 and is open to the public. Solano is studying information technology. He is one of eight CLC students enrolled through the Community Colleges for International Development program sponsored by the U.S. State Department. The program gives under-served, non-elite young adults from various countries an expense-paid year of education. The first thing Carlos points out about Costa Rica is that since 1948 it hasn’t had an army. This may be one reason Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction and have the second highest average life expectancy of the Americas, second only to Canada. Resources that are bolstering the nation’s economy include eco-tourism, technology, flowers, coffee, and a growing international retirement community. Cultural Thursday is presented by the Resource Center for Cultures and Languages of the Americas at CLC.

Lifelong Learning kick-off

The Center for Lifelong Learning at Central Lakes College on Wednesday, Sept. 14 launched its organizational phase at an open house in the Brainerd campus cafeteria. About 65 attended, with Coordinator Bill Brekken joining Rebecca Best, dean of workforce, economic and regional development, to lead the session. Brekken said the effort brought together some critical insight and interest, with several committees forming and the first programming now into the development stage. Committees include marketing, development, program, career and life transition, enrichment exploration, and community building. Participants were surveyed about subjects and topics of interest for programming, as well as names of presenters or instructors, best days and times for programs. Assistance from the Unlimited Learning program based at Crosby was also welcomed at the open house. The Program Committee meets at 3 p.m. Sept. 20 in E317 at CLC. If interested, you are welcome to attend. Information is also available for anyone interested in the Marketing or Development committees. Just email Bill at bbrekken@clcmn.edu or call him at 218-855-8146.

Lifelong Learning information session

Those interested in becoming involved in a venture to provide lifelong learning opportunities for older adults are invited to a community information session at Central Lakes College at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 14 in the Brainerd campus cafeteria. This session is intended to outline offerings and elicit ideas and support for the Center and its functions. The Center for Lifelong Learning at Central Lakes College expects to offer its first programming this fall, said Bill Brekken, coordinator. “This information session is the next step to move forward, driven by our community,” he said. “We’re hoping those who want a say in the offerings will attend and let their voices be heard.” Bill said the goal is to have an expanded set of offerings in place by January, including discussion groups, how-to sessions, volunteer connections, and enrichment classes. The Center is a cooperative venture with a large reliance upon volunteers from the community. “Our goal is to meet the growing and diverse needs of this area’s aging adult population and provide an outlet to showcase their unique value as part of an extended learning community,” Bill said. For information, contact Bill Brekken at 218-855-8146 or bbrekken@clcmn.edu

State Supreme Court dinner

The Minnesota State Supreme Court justices will join local judges at an informal evening dinner Tuesday, Oct. 11 in the Brainerd campus cafeteria at Central Lakes College. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. to include a short program about the court system. Tickets are $14 for the meal of turkey, roast pork, garlic mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, dinner roll, dessert and beverages. Tickets are available for purchase online through the Central Lakes College Ticket Sales. To order tickets, please visit www.clctickets.com and click on the “Minnesota Supreme Court Community Dinner” link listed in the events by Sept. 30. Tickets will also be made available for purchase in-person at Central Lakes College outside room C209 in the Administrative Office Suite. Checks should be made out to “Central Lakes College.” Tickets are non-refundable and will not be available at the door. Seating is limited. When you arrive at Central Lakes College, please check in at the welcoming table to receive your nametag. It will serve as your ticket to the event.

Community Resources Fair

The Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College on Thursday, Sept. 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. will host a Community Resource Fair. The event is held on the south side of campus center in hallways, where as of Sept. 13 the following vendors have registered to provide information to CLC students about services or products offered: Army, Navy, National Guard, College Square, Family Assistance Center, J & J Homes, Mills Automotive, Vector Marketing, Women's Shelter, World Ventures, TVSO, Brainerd Hotel and Conference Center, and Avon.

Pink Floyd tribute

The Cultural Arts Series sponsored by Central Lakes College Theatre on Thursday, Sept.15 presents America’s top Pink Floyd show by The Machine in Tornstrom Auditorium at the Washington Education building on Oak Street. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. The Machine has built a 20-year reputation for extending the legacy of Pink Floyd while forging a legacy all their own. Selling out theatres and stadiums throughout North and Central America and Europe, The Machine provides an authentic Floyd-ian experience, complete with stellar musicianship, dramatic lighting and video, and a passionate delivery that sets them apart from every other Pink Floyd tribute band. Package or individual tickets for each event in the Cultural Arts Series can be purchased at www.clctickets.com, or by contacting the CLC Theatre Box Office at (218) 855-8199. Information about each show, including links to each artist’s website, can be found at www.clcmn.edu/theatre

Gifts for a brave young man

The Central Lakes College football team is showing its heart off the field as well as on it. The Raiders helped fulfill a birthday wish from James Dobson, a 12-year-old with an inoperable brain tumor. The Virginia boy loves football as played by college teams of all sizes, and when the CLC team heard of his wish to receive 1,000 birthday cards from players all over the world our student athletes decided to do more. They all signed the birthday card, to be sure. But they also sent James a CLC football shirt, cap, and copy of the latest game program so he can put faces with names as he peruses the CLC Football website. James, son of a Chancellor (Va.) High School coach, has battled brain cancer since he was 5. Doctors say he has two to three months before his health is predicted to decline, but the lad knows nothing but how to battle, and he's never giving up. Through years of chemo and radiation, this huge football fan rarely misses his older brother's Ferrum College games. The Raiders are inspired by a brave young man they've not met in person but know in their hearts.

Economic forum

Julie Jo Larson, an honor student at Central Lakes College, joined CLC President Larry Lundblad as higher education spokespersons participating in the Governor's Economic Forum on the Brainerd campus Sept. 9. She cited many CLC attributes as well as educational challenges students face in Minnesota, which has the third highest tuition in the nation for college and university students. She noted that 70 percent of CLC students receive financial aid. This fall, the CLC Financial Aid office has moved more than $9 million in aid into student accounts. President Lundblad spoke of a student he met while greeting students on the first day of the semester. The man was a longtime construction worker who enrolled to restart his career in a new field. "He had tears in his eyes," President Lundblad said. "He told me he was down to his last $500, 'so this has to work for me'." Similar stories abound, with students from high school to near-retirement age looking to CLC, where the motto is "We Build Futures." Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04

Scholarship winners

The Breezy Point Women’s Club on Sept. 7 met at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, where guests of honor were two recipients of scholarships awarded by the club. Theresa Blomer of Pequot Lakes (left) and Jennifer Salvevold of Breezy Point each received $600 to further their education at the community and technical college in 2011-12. Both are mothers pursuing degrees at CLC. Theresa is in the Practical Nursing program working toward her Associate in Science degree. Jennifer is a first-year student in the Photographic Imaging program at the Staples campus, where she intends to earn the Associate in Applied Science degree. The club scholarship is awarded to eligible students who meet the following criteria: Reside in Breezy Point, Pequot Lakes, Ideal Township, Brainerd, Nisswa, or Baxter; be a non-traditional-age female with at least a 3.0 grade-point average; be enrolled for at least six semester credits.

Poetry workshop, reading

Richard Fenton Sederstrom will lead a poetry workshop, give a public reading, and facilitate creative writing classes during a visit to Central Lakes College in Brainerd Oct. 4-6. Sederstrom, a retired English professor who served as a student writing contest judge at CLC last spring, lives in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and Mexico and the north woods of Minnesota near Park Rapids. He was raised in Minnesota. His first book, “Fall Pictures on an Abandoned Road,” was released in 2009. “Disordinary Light” came out in 2010, and a new book, “Folly, A Book of Last Summers,” appeared in June. His poetry has been published in Avocet, The Talking Stick, English Journal, Plainsongs, Big Muddy, Mother Earth Journal, The Blue Guitar, Memoir (and), and Ruminate among other journals and magazines.He will present a poetry workshop Wednesday, Oct. 5 from 3 to 5 p.m. in E203 for all levels of interest and ability, according to Leane Flynn of the CLC English Department. The public is invited to a free poetry reading Thursday, Oct. 6 from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Jon Hassler Library. During the afternoon Tuesday, Oct. 4 and Thursday, Oct. 6 Sederstrom will be facilitating workshops in the creative writing class taught by Donna Salli at CLC.

Mental health services

Northern Pines Mental Health Center, Inc. has begun providing campus counseling and outpatient therapy to Central Lakes College students. Kimberly Scearcy and Tammy Kmecik, mental health professionals from Northern Pines, are working from offices on the Brainerd campus for daily access. Scearcy is in C104 Monday-Wednesday, and Kmecik is in C105 Thursday and Friday. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The therapists will travel to the Staples campus as needed. Scearcy has begun working at CLC; Kmecik starts Sept. 16. Beth Adams, dean of enrollment management and student services at CLC, said the partnership with Northern Pines is in response to an increasing need for mental health services among the student body. Appointments are made through the CLC Counseling Center, with faculty and staff first referring students to CLC counselors for a brief assessment and referral, if appropriate. Adams said counselors will be able to schedule appointments. Students will complete an intake and complete paperwork to determine payment options. Services are typically covered by insurance plans or, for students without insurance a sliding fee scale is available to ensure affordability.

State Fair

Central Lakes College was represented at the Minnesota State Fair on Sunday, Sept. 4. Participating at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities booth in the Education Building on the fairgrounds in St. Paul were Gayle Wonders, Jennifer Hirsch, and Jill Albie from the Admissions Department at CLC. They worked a 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. shift and said they met many young people, including a number of high school juniors who have started the process of a college search. They made sure to provide materials about our community and technical college, with its campuses in Brainerd and Staples and our variety of course delivery mechanisms such as online. "It was a fun experience," Gayle said. She snapped a photo of Jennifer and Jill pointing to the Minnesota wall map showing the location of CLC.

Governor's economic forum

Central Lakes College will host a Friday, Sept. 9 Jobs and Economic Development Forum with a 12-person panel that includes Gov. Mark Dayton and CLC President Larry Lundblad. The forum will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Chalberg Theatre on the Brainerd campus. The first 30 minutes will feature three-minute overviews from the panelists in our region about challenges and opportunities. The remaining time will be opened up for audience participation. This is one of eight forums established by the Governor's Office leading to the October Minnesota Jobs Summit.

Diversity welcome event

The Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College on Wednesday, Aug. 31 held a new event -- the Welcome Students Diversity Day. During the lunch hour near the cafeteria, CLC diversity organizations provided walk-up information and incentives to sign up. The Diversity Leadership Council, Equality Coalition, and International Club were pleasantly surprised to greet over 350 students during the short period of time. Mary Sam, Director of Diversity, invites students to participate. The DLC adviser is Tashana Husom, meetings are Mondays, noon-12:45 in C200. The Equality Coalition adviser is Christina Kavanaugh, meetings are every other Monday at 3 p.m.; International Club advisers are Adam Marcotte and Lori-Beth Larsen, meetings are the first and third Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Rosenmeier Center at the Jon Hassler Library.

Education Fair

Central Lakes College on Friday, Sept. 23 will host the free Education Fair for high school students and their parents. The event is from 9 to 11:30 a.m. in the Brainerd campus gymnasium. It offers an opportunity to explore options for continued education or military service after high school. Presentatives from nearly 90 educational institutions and other organizations will be on hand to answer questions and provide important information for post-high school planning. It is sponsored by the Minnesota Association for College Admissions Counseling.

Shuttle service

Mark Ambroz, a CLC videography production instructor, has announced that a seven-passenger van will provide shuttle service for staff and students between the Brainerd and Staples main campus during regular school days. He will be at the wheel for Brainerd departures at 7:15 a.m. and will return the same day, leaving Staples at 4:15 p.m. The round-trip cost is $4 per passenger, and punch cards may be purchased from the Business Office. Parking in Brainerd is at the west end of the west parking lot. To book a seat, email Mark at mambroz@clcmn.edu