Employee Excellence Awards, Take Your Child To Work, Cosmetology and More

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MISSION STATEMENT
Kalamazoo Valley Community College creates innovative and equitable
opportunities that empower all to learn, grow and thrive.

April 18, 2023

Greetings,

The successful completion of a college credential is an amazing accomplishment. The graduates who we will celebrate during the April 30 commencement ceremony have overcome every obstacle placed in their way. I am so proud of them.

I want you to know how much I appreciate all that you have done to assist those completing a credential. Our students frequently report how much they value their classroom instruction and the assistance they receive from various college employees. To watch some of their stories, visit the college's YouTube channel.

Our celebration of Community College Month continues; visit the home page of the college website or www.kvcc.edu/ccmonth for a list of events and activities. Be sure to wear your college-branded apparel during April, this a great way to show your support for the college and for our students!

Sincerely,

signature: L. Marshall Washington
L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
President

Shown l to r: Lucinda Stinson, chairperson, Board of Trustees; Dawn DeLuca, vice chairperson, Board of Trustees; Julie Rodgers, state representative, 41^st house district; President L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.; Christine Morse, state representative 61^st district; Sean McCann, senator, 19^th district.

Legislators and Local Representatives Meet at Kalamazoo Valley
Updates about Kalamazoo Valley, including another funding appeal for the college's $20 million State of Michigan Capital Outlay Grant for the construction of new facilities for the auto program and enhancements for other professional trades teaching and learning spaces, were on the agenda yesterday when college leaders met with legislative representatives and their aides. More

Kalamazoo Valley Set to Launch Cosmetology and Barbering Institute
As a response to the growing need for hairstylists and personal care professionals, Kalamazoo Valley Community College is establishing a Cosmetology and Barbering Institute as announced recently by Provost and Vice President for Instruction and Student Services Paige Eagan, Ph.D. More

Input Needed - Institutional Learning Outcomes
As an institution of higher education, we are ultimately concerned with a student's learning and development in and outside of the classroom. Institutional learning outcomes give a direction as to what students should gain during their time at Kalamazoo Valley, no matter what program they declare or courses they take. Now is an opportune time to review the institutional learning outcomes to determine if they are still relevant and accurately represent our goals for students. Please take the time to complete this short survey to share your thoughts.

food4thought culinary student competition

Food For Thought Culinary Competition Winners Announced
Culinary students from Kalamazoo Valley Community College teamed up with food scientists and research chefs from Kalsec for a cooking contest called Food For Thought. The April 13 competition culminated with the announcement of five semi-finalists and three top prize winners during a two-hour event at the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health building on the college's downtown Bronson Healthy Living Campus.

The five finalists were Susan Hubbell, Britany Williams, Jennifer Burnett, Alex To and Q Kwon. All finalists received a Kitchen Aid mixer.

The top three winners and their scholarship awards were:
$1,416 | First place | Jennifer Burnett
Raspberry Mango Mousse, Mango Chantilly and Raspberry Nut Salad

$708 | Second place | Alec To
Steak Chalapian Onigiri

$500 | Third place | Q Kwon
Duck- Galibi

See photos from the event here.

Staff and Administrator Excellence Awards
Kalamazoo Valley Excellence Awards will be presented to highlight the outstanding work of Kalamazoo Valley staff and administrators. The awards recognize those who have a demonstrated record of exceptional work in support of the college mission. Regular full-time, part-time employees and paraprofessionals are eligible. Awardees will receive a plaque and award gift and will be honored at the college faculty and staff award ceremony at the 2023 Fall Summit and at a special luncheon. Learn more.

Nominations must be submitted by June 29, 2023.

Text Messaging Update
The college will be collecting and maintaining a database of short message service (SMS)/text message opt-in preferences for all students and employees. Opting in to operational SMS campaigns will ensure you stay up-to-date on college activities, events and opportunities. Emergency notifications will continue to be sent regardless of operational message opt-in preferences. The college will collect this information via a pop-up notification within MyValley in the upcoming weeks.

Email Phishing Reminder
Email phishing attacks are an ongoing security concern, and remain the most common initial attack point for cyberattacks. It is part of our responsibility to safeguard our data and resources to remain vigilant against phishing attacks. Please take the time to read the guidelines below regarding email security, and apply them to your email practices.

DO NOT
DO NOT open any suspicious email based on the Subject or Sender - right click to report the message as phishing or junk.
DO NOT reply to, open attachments from or click on URLs from unknown and untrusted sources.
DO NOT use your company email address for personal communications.
DO NOT assume that an email is legitimate because it appears to come from a colleague or supervisor.
DO NOT ever send personal/sensitive information via email - e.g., passwords, credit card number, social security number or account number.

DO
DO check for misspellings, grammatical errors and abnormal spacing that may be indicative of a phishing email.
DO check links by using your mouse to hover over the hyperlink to determine if the URL makes sense with the sender- e.g., matching the sender name to the URL; whether there's a foreign name or location in the URL.
DO err on the side of caution - if you are unsure whether a message is legitimate or not treat it as spam. It is better for a message to have to be resent than to open and respond to a phishing email.
DO use common sense - if it doesn't look right, trust your judgment.

RED FLAGS
Does the email ask for any sensitive/personal information (password, credit cards, SSN, etc.)?
Does the email appear to come from a coworker, supervisor or administrator who does not normally contact you directly?
Does the email ask for sensitive information about others?
Does the email ask you to immediately act or open an attachment to avoid account closure?
Does the hover-text link match what's in the text?
Does the address in the "To" field match the sender of the email and does it look correct?

For more information contact Aaron Snead, director of network resources & IT Support

Retirement Party is April 19
The college will recognize recent retirees at a retirement celebration April 19 from 3:30 - 5 p.m. in Room 4240. Please plan to attend to celebrate the contributions of the following colleagues:

Charles Devries
Printer
5 Years

Kathleen Kerstetter
Faculty - Business
6 Years

Allan Reynolds
Custodian
8 Years

Linda Depta
Executive Director of the KVCC Foundation and Director of Development
13 years

Victoria Hileski
Faculty - Nursing
14 Years

Kathy Godin
Coordinator of Science/STEM Education
23 Years

Don Benthin
Director, Department of Public Safety
24 Years

Tim Welsh
Vice President for Information Technology
33 Years

Registration Underway for 2023 Cougars Youth Sports Camps
Registration is now underway for our summer sports camps in boys and girls basketball, volleyball and softball at the Texas Township Campus. We love helping sixth through 12^th graders develop to be the best in their respective sport by emphasizing individual skills, teamwork, self-discipline and sportsmanship.

Register your athlete here.

Camp Dates

Volleyball | June 19 - 22
Girls Basketball | June 26 - 29
Boys Basketball 1 | July 10 -1 3
Boys Basketball 2 | July 17 - 20
Softball | July 24-27

Enjoy Free Baseball & Softball Games!
Softball and baseball season is underway at Kalamazoo Valley Community College! You're invited to drop in at any time at the home games, which are always free at the college's Texas Township Campus. Here's the remaining home games through the end of the season in May.

BASEBALL

2 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. | Thursday, APRIL 20 vs. Lansing Community College
1 p.m. & 3:30 p.m. | Saturday, APRIL 29 vs. Glen Oaks Community College
1 p.m. & 3:30 p.m. | Saturday, MAY 6 vs. Marian University's Ancilla College

SOFTBALL

3 p.m. & 5 p.m. | Friday, APRIL 28 vs. Marian University's Ancilla College
3 p.m. & 5 p.m. | Friday, MAY 5 vs. Lake Michigan College
1 p.m. & 3 p.m. | Saturday, MAY 6 vs. Lansing Community College.

For the full and updated season schedule, click here.

Automotive Department Hosts April 21 Open House
The Automotive Department at Kalamazoo Valley will host an open house on Friday, April 21 from noon to 6:30 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Valley Texas Township Campus behind the auto labs. Cars, bikes and motorcycles will be on display. Attendees will be able to meet some of the future professionals of the automotive community, have lunch, tour the labs and meet with prospective employers.

The event is meant to further strengthen the connections between area automotive employers, current and future students and the automotive community as a whole. The open house provides an opportunity to showcase the auto labs to interested students.

"It lets them see the different paths that we offer in automotive service and allows other trades programs here on Kalamazoo Valley's campus to offer tours and share information with students who are technically minded. It is a great way to connect with students who want a career in the technologies, and at the same time, it gives us a chance to celebrate the achievements of our current and past students," said automotive technology instructor Doug Martin.

He said can't recall a time when automotive service professionals have been in higher demand. "Dealers, repair facilities, parts houses and engineering groups are very eager to show the students what their businesses can offer for a good high-paying career," Martin said.

For more information about Kalamazoo Valley's automotive technology programs, click here.

Kalamazoo Valley Community College is celebrating Earth Day with our community on Saturday, April 22! There are several opportunities to get involved.

Join us:

EPS and Electronics recycling at the Texas Township Campus front parking lot at 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- In partnership with the City of Kalamazoo and Schupan.
Earth Day Community Celebration at Upjohn Park, Woods Lake Park and Davis Park
- Come see Kalamazoo Valley at the Upjohn Park event and join us for a public tour of the Food Innovation Center at noon.
On Earth Day and every day, stop by for earth science-based kids and family activities all day at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, such as viewing a planetarium show and exploring the outdoor rain garden exhibits in front of the museum. You can also visit the KVM website for related information on the rain gardens, including virtual exploration.
Our sciences faculty and their students celebrated with a garlic mustard pull at our main campus April 13. Garlic mustard is invasive and hand-pulling it before it flowers and goes to seed is the best way to slow its spread.

Join us for an Arbor Day Ceremony on April 28
An Arbor Day tree-planting ceremony will be held on April 28 during the college-wide spring Summit to honor the memory of the current and former staff and faculty members and their loved ones.

The Arbor Day holiday is meant to encourage the planting of trees to benefit and beautify the environment. Kalamazoo Valley has participated by holding a memorial tree planting on Arbor Day since 2010. This year's ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Texas Township Campus in the memorial tree garden near the south storm ponds (behind the Advanced Technology Center). The ceremony will include music, poetry and special words of tribute.

The celebration of Arbor Day provides a chance to recognize and appreciate Kalamazoo Valley's beautiful campus while remembering those who have recently passed away by planting trees in their honor. The event is open to the public.

Contact Human Resources Specialist Michelle DeMeritt, mdemeritt@kvcc.edu by April 24 to suggest a current or former employee, or your spouse, parent or child, to be added to the list of honorees.

Local Business Leader Scott Betzler Named Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient
Scott Betzler, president of Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, has been named Kalamazoo Valley Community College's 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

Betzler, a 1990 graduate of the college, continued his education at Ferris State University and graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Mortuary Science in December 1992. That same year, he became a licensed funeral director and vice president of Betzler Funeral Home. more

College, PTK and American Red Cross Collaborate for Blood Drive
Kalamazoo Valley Community College and its chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for two-year colleges, is collaborating with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive at the Texas Township Campus on April 25. The event will be held in the Student Commons with incremental appointments available from 10 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. more

Take Your Child To Work Day
Kalamazoo Valley will observe National Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Days on April 27 and 28. Employees are welcome to take part in this workforce development opportunity for youth. The suggested age is 8 or older and children should remain under your supervision at all times.

To participate, you must complete a waiver and return it to Human Resources by 5 p.m. on April 21.

To welcome our Valley family to campus, Human Resources will host a 9 a.m. tour of the Texas Township Campus, starting outside the HR office. If you are interested in this walking tour, please email DeMecia Russell at drussell@kvcc.edu with the name of your child/children so we can have a name badge and a special treat ready to greet them!

College-Wide Luncheon Scheduled for April 28
As part of the Faculty Summit on April 28, a college-wide luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the Texas Township Campus in the Student Commons and Student Lounge. All employees are invited to attend. Register now.

Call for Proposals
The Fall Summit will be held August 30 and 31 and presenters are needed! Has your department embraced new practices or procedures that others could benefit from knowing? Do you have a skill, talent or activity that others might enjoy? Do you have something to share with the college community? Everyone at the college is invited to submit a proposal for the Fall 2023 Summit. Submit your proposals now.

photograph of Ramiro Rodriguez sitting in a cushioned arm chair.

Graduate Speaker Overcame Many Obstacles
Ramiro Rodriguez, the student speaker during Kalamazoo Valley's 88^th Commencement ceremony on April 30, plans to transfer to Western Michigan University to study law enforcement. "I started out not knowing what I wanted to do after high school. I decided that rather than jumping into a bigger university, I'd go to Valley because it gives me more leeway if I change my mind," Rodriguez said. He toured the campus as a high school junior in high school and was impressed. more

WFC Updates

Pool: The pool will be closed beginning May 1. If you are interested or know of anyone interested in being a lifeguard, please contact Renea Peruski at rperuski@kvcc.edu or x4177.

Fitness Center: Starting Monday May 1, the Fitness Center will be closing at 6 p.m. for the summer and will be closed on Friday starting May 12.

May 11 PTK Charity Walk to Benefit Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes
Kalamazoo Valley Community College's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for two-year colleges, is hosting its second annual Charity Walk to collect donations for Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes. The May 11 event will be held at the Texas Township Campus from 4 - 5 p.m. All college employees, students and community members are welcome to participate and are encouraged to invite their friends and family to join. Participants who register by April 30 will receive a commemorative T-shirt and all funds raised will be donated directly to Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes. Registration is $20 and donors may choose to contribute additional funds when registering.

join us for the second annual PTK charity walk to support kalamazoo loaves and fishes Nay 11, 4-5pm, texas township campus bring your friends and family and help us raise money for kalamazoo loaves and fishes. Register at www.kvcc.edu/ptk by april 30. $20 registration includes commemorative t-shirt

join us for the second annual PTK charity walk to support kalamazoo loaves and fishes Nay 11, 4-5pm, texas township campus bring your friends and family and help us raise money for kalamazoo loaves and fishes. Register at www.kvcc.edu/ptk by april 30. $20 registration includes commemorative t-shirt

Time to Buy Commencement Caps, Gowns, Honors Regalia
Please remind graduating students to buy their commencement regalia. They can do so up until 5 p.m. Friday, April 28 at the Bookstore on the Texas Township Campus. Also for sale are diploma frames, graduation yard signs and mortarboard graphics. The graduation ceremony is Sunday, April 30 at 2 p.m. at Miller Auditorium at Western Michigan University.

Bookstore Discounts for Community College Month!
Throughout the month of April for Community College Month, the Texas Township Campus Bookstore is offering a great deal! Get 25 percent off ANY college-branded item, everything from clothing, mugs and more! Stock up and wear college apparel throughout the month! Visit the bookstore Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. or shop online at bookstore.kvcc.edu. No promo code needed.

Kalamazoo Valley Libraries:
Exam Treats, Study Spaces, Returns and Library Nature Walk
Research and Citation Help
It's time for your students to buckle down on that research paper. Do they need some help getting started, finding appropriate research or formatting citations? They can visit us in person to talk to one of our reference librarians. From off campus, they can call or email us. Zoom appointments are available on request. For assistance during non-business hours, the Ask a Librarian 24/7 Chat is always available.

Your students can also check out our How-To Videos or our Citation Research Guide. Our collection of How-To Videos includes information about the basics of library searches and formatting, while the Citation Research Guide will show students why, when and how to cite as well as provide links and instructions for other resources such as Zotero, a free online reference manager and citation generator.

Exam Treats
Exam time schedules can be brutal. It can be easy for your students to overlook simple necessities such as nourishment. If they find themselves hungry between tests, the Libraries have them covered. They can stop in to either location for a selection of free chewy granola bars and other munchies. And while they're here, they can study while they snack.

Study Spaces
Both libraries feature quiet, cozy and convenient study spaces in unique environments. We have tables, computers, comfy armchairs and isolated study cubicles with plenty of room for students to situate themselves and their belongings. The Texas Township library has closed study rooms for extra privacy - interested students can ask about availability. The Anna Whitten Hall library features a unique scenic lookout over downtown Kalamazoo, and the TTC library offers a panoramic two-story view of the surrounding nature preserve. Did we mention that we have free snacks for exam time?

Returns
In all the end-of-the-semester hustle, don't forget that it is time to return borrowed library materials. Please return any items that are due and contact the library if you would like to request a renewal. To return books and media, please drop off materials at any book drop or library service desk. A convenient 24/7 book drop is located outside the tower entrance at the Texas Township Campus. Laptops and hotspots should be returned to the circulation desk at either library location.

Library Nature Walk: Wednesday, April 19 @ noon
You already encourage your students to take study breaks, why not encourage them to take a nature break during this busy exam season? On Wednesday, April 19, students, faculty and staff can join Sara Tanis, Ph.D., director of the horticulture and sustainable landscaping program, and librarian Amy Brandt on a guided nature walk in the woods behind the TTC Library. Learn more about the trees and wildlife outside the windows and the benefits of our nearby nature. Dress for the weather and meet in the lower level of the TTC Library at noon.

We look forward to connecting with you!

Visit us online
Call 269.488.4328
Email: libraries@kvcc.edu
Chat with a college librarian 24/7
Zoom by appointment, please email

Mini-Exhibit Opens Showcasing Sorority's 50 Years of Local Service
You are invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday, April 23, from 1 - 3 p.m., for the Kalamazoo Valley Museum's pop-up mini-exhibit that celebrates a half century of contributions in the area by the local chapter of national women's service organization Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, which was founded 110 years ago at Howard University in Washington, D.C., a historically Black college. Visitors to the public event will learn about the chapter's history in the Kalamazoo community and its plans for the future. A short video from the exhibit about the group will also be debuted.

The "50 Years of Service, Scholarship, Sisterhood & Social Action: The Kalamazoo Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta" exhibit will be open through June 25. "The museum is so pleased to hold this celebration of Delta Sigma Theta's 50 years of service to the community," said Lexie Kobb, assistant museum director. "Celebrating significant community milestones is an important part of our mission to document and share the stories of our area and the people who live here." Admission is free to the exhibit and to the museum.

statewide astronomy

Enjoy Free Planetarium Shows at Statewide Astronomy Night on April 29
Learn more about the amazing telescopes of today with free planetarium shows and speakers when Statewide Astronomy Night comes to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on Friday, April 29 from 5 - 8:30 p.m., in a program suitable for adults and teens. Telescope designer and expert Kevin Iott will deliver the keynote address at 7 p.m. Find more information at kalamazoomuseum.org. There is no admission to the event or to the museum.

In addition to activities on the ground floor, there will be presentations in the planetarium. At 5:15 p.m., take in a live tour of noteworthy stars and constellations visible in the evening in early May. At 6 p.m., the Fiske Planetarium of Colorado will premiere "5000 Eyes: Mapping the Universe with DESI," which discusses how astronomers are using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) at Kitt Peak, Arizona, to map the distribution of galaxies and structure of the universe.

Wrapping up the evening at 8 p.m., Eric Schreur, the museum's retired planetarium coordinator, longtime amateur astronomer and lifetime member of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society, will host a remote observation in the planetarium. He will connect via live video from his Sternegarten Observatory with a "tour" of his observatory, telescope, camera system and control room. Following this 10-minute introduction, he will direct his telescope to observe and identify features found on the moon.

Save the Date for the Mental Health Fair on May 20
SAVE THE DATE! Good mental health is an important aspect of everyone's life, so the Kalamazoo Valley Museum invites everyone to check out its Mental Health Fair on Saturday, May 20 from 1 - 3 p.m. on its first floor and Mary Jane Stryker Theater. Hear speakers and visit the informational tables of eight to 10 local agencies to learn about resources promoting mental health and well-being, such as Gryphon Place, Be Smart, Western Michigan University Therapy Dog Clinic, Disability Network Southwest Michigan and more. The free event is directly tied to the goals of the museum's current "Mental Health: Mind Matters" exhibit. Be sure to check out the exhibit while at the event.

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is owned by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and governed by its Board of Trustees.

Academic, practical knowledge are key to success for engineering student

A food festival that's not just about eating

2023 EPS Foam & Electronics Recycling

Southwest Michigan Manufacturers Consortium 2023 Kick-off

Girls on the Run Kalamazoo looking for volunteers for event on May 20

Kalamazoo Valley Community College
6767 West O Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49003-4070

KV Focus Plus - April 18, 2023