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

Feb. 14, 2025

Greetings,

We�ve reached the middle of the semester. How are you doing? Remember that humor and well-being are key values at Kalamazoo Valley. If the Michigan winter has left you feeling drained, the college has activities to help you feel healthy in your mind, body and spirit. The Employee Engagement and Wellness Committee has planned many Fun February events and the Wellness and Fitness Center is offering our Employee Winter 100 Challenge. If you are looking to experience something new, our museum exhibits and campuswide activities can help you feel refreshed.

I know that for myself, it gives my spirit a boost to see the transformative work we are all doing together. Thank you for the energy and care you put into your work. You are truly making an impact in the lives of our students, our visitors and our entire region.

Take care of yourself, and remember that spring is just around the corner!

Sincerely,

L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
President

What To Do in a Medical Emergency
In the case of a medical emergency, here are some steps you can take:
  • Call for help by calling 4911 from any college phone or dialing 911.
  • Check for pulse and responsiveness of the patient.
  • Locate and remove AED from white cabinet and follow prompts.
  • Perform CPR as needed.
  • Stay with the victim until Kalamazoo Valley Public Safety arrives.
For more information, please refer to your yellow safety book located in your classroom or workspace.

Employee Summer Registration
Employee registration for the Summer 2025 semester is March 6 - 10. Full and part-time employees may request access to online registration for themselves and/or their dependents through 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 6. Please note the extended access dates because this will coincide with the end of spring recess.

To request access:

1. Send a message from your Kalamazoo Valley employee account to arr@kvcc.edu. Enter �Employee Registration� as the subject so we can easily find your request for early access to registration among all of the e-mails we receive from students. It must be from a �@kvcc.edu� address.

2. List the name and Valley Number or birth date for each admitted person who will be registering.

3. We will add authorization to each person�s record and reply to confirm.

4. Beginning March 6, each authorized individual may log into MyValley, select "Register or Drop Classes" from My Links and register.

If you miss this opportunity, you may still register following the standard registration schedule for all students beginning Monday, March 10. Please e-mail the Admissions, Registration and Records office at arr@kvcc.edu, or call 269.488.4281, if you have questions.
Updates from Human Resources
Employee Assistance Program
Did you know that all employees at Kalamazoo Valley have access to our Employee Assistance Program? This is a confidential work-based program that offers resources to employees. For more information, click here.

You Are Not Alone � Community Resources Available
Some of our students, co-workers, friends, relatives or even ourselves may need assistance from time to time. The college has a list of community resources on our website. Click here to learn more. We encourage you to share the list with others.
 
Diversity and Bias in the Search Committee Trainings
Diversity and Bias in the Search Committee is a required training for all staff and faculty wishing to serve on a search committee. Participants will explore the basics of serving on a search committee and gain insight into how implicit or unconscious bias can influence the decision-making process.
 
Feb. 18 | 3 - 5 p.m. | TTC, Room 4370 | Register Here
March 26 | 10 a.m. - noon | TTC, Room 4370 | Register Here
April 28 | 3 - 5 p.m. | AWH, Room 128 | Register Here

Active Violence Training
This 1.5-hour class is designed to equip staff and faculty with essential knowledge and skills to respond effectively in the event of an active violence incident. Participants will learn how to recognize warning signs, develop situational awareness and implement life-saving strategies. This training aims to enhance safety and preparedness across campuses. 
March 4 | 1 p.m. | TTC, Room 4370 | Register Here
March 19 | 1 p.m. | AWH, Room 128 | Register Here
 
Retirement
Office of Retirement Services and Voya
For those who have a MPSERS and/or Voya account, Voya offers one-on-one virtual appointments and webinars. To sign up for a session or to view dates and times, click here.

TIAA
Do you have an account with TIAA? A listing of webinars for February and March 2025 can be found by clicking here.
 
New! Well-being Help Available via Personify Health
Employees who are enrolled in the BCBS medical plan will have access to Personify Health. For more information on how to kickstart your well-being journey, go to the Employee Portal. Under Human Resources, go to �Documents� under Benefits, Wellness & Engagement and select the Blue Cross Well-Being Quick Start Guide to get started, or click here. A few key features are below:
  • Ability to synchronize with more fitness apps and devices, including Apple Health and Fitbit
  • New well-being courses to help you build health habits that stick
  • A health care checklist to help you keep track of recommended preventive care
  • Guidance to programs and resources based on your specific needs
Maven � Maternity and Postpartum Support
Employees who are covered under the Kalamazoo Valley Community College medical plan now have additional support. Whether you�re an expectant parent or excited partner, Maven can support you in answering questions, connect you with qualified professionals and more. 
Maven support includes: ?
  • Management of high-risk pregnancy
  • Steps to avoid the chance of preterm birth
  • Low birthweight and a C-section care
  • Help for parents with an infant(s) in the NICU
  • Advice to prepare parents for returning to work
Click here to find out more information.


Get Involved on Campus
The Employee Engagement and Wellness Committee has planned a series of exciting events for Fun February. Our goal is to energize and strengthen connections within our community, and we believe these wellness and engagement opportunities will do just that. Many activities will welcome walk-ins, but some require registration due to limited spots, so don�t miss your chance to participate! Join us this February as we come together to celebrate and strengthen our community�we can�t wait to see you there! Click here for a complete schedule.


Register Now for Kalamazoo Valley Summer Camps
Looking for some summer fun for your kids or grandchildren? Explore Kalamazoo Valley�s wide variety of youth summer camps. From athletics to hands-on learning, there�s plenty at Kalamazoo Valley to keep kids busy all summer long. Click here to learn more.

What's for Lunch on the Texas Township Campus?
There are a lot of tasty options to look forward to at the Cougar Cafe! From Feb. 17 - 20, warm up with some corn chowder. Monday, Feb. 17, enjoy our baked potato bar. Tuesday, Feb. 18, keep your day moving with a walking taco. Wednesday, Feb. 19, get some midweek energy with some meatloaf. Thursday, Feb. 20, finish strong with some chicken tenders.
 
Feb. 24 - 27 we will be serving chicken noodle soup. Monday, Feb. 24, get cozy with some chicken pot pie. Tuesday, Feb. 25, enjoy a wet burrito. Wednesday, Feb. 26, snack on some Asiago chicken. Thursday, Feb. 27, finish the week off strong with some beef stew. We look forward to serving you!

The Cougar Cafe is open Monday - Thursday from 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Lunch Options Downtown

Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Partners Present:
Sourced from the 'Zoo
Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Arcus Gallery is partnering with many local institutions to provide an exciting exhibit for the community. To provide for this exhibition, the Arcus Gallery collaborated with the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Black Arts and Cultural Center, Glass Art Kalamazoo, Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Public Library, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, The Space and Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers.

The exhibition will be on view at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) from Saturday, March 8, 2025, through Sunday, June 1, 2025. In addition, submissions from the community will be featured at other venues, including the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Center for New Media, Black Arts and Cultural Center, Glass Art Kalamazoo, Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Sourced from the 'Zoo will also feature programmatic partners including the Kalamazoo Public Library (Central), Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra and Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers, among other community collaborations. more


Save the Date: Women�s History Month Event to Honor Anna Whitten
Mark your calendars for �A Life of Service: Anna Whitten Tribute Luncheon,� a Women�s History Month event hosted by Kalamazoo Valley Community College. It will be held Wednesday March 12, from noon to 1:30 p.m., in Room 128 at Anna Whitten Hall. The program will celebrate the legacy of Whitten, a longtime board member after whom the college�s Anna Whitten Hall is named. The afternoon will include a dedication of the newly installed interactive display in the Anna Whitten lobby about Whitten�s accomplishments at the college and in the community. She served on the Board of Trustees from 1968 until her death in 2016. Guests are encouraged to wear red in support of Equal Pay Day. The event is free, and RSVPs are not required. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served.
Two Weeks Left for the Winter 100 Challenge
The Winter 100 Challenge is going strong, and with just over two weeks left, there�s still time to rack up those miles!

Current Standings:

  • 100+ miles have gone above and beyond with four participants
  • 100 miles have reached six participants
  • 20 participants have hit 75 miles and are closing in on the finish line!

It�s not too late to register! If you�ve tracked any miles since Jan. 1, you can count them toward your 100-mile goal. Remember, this is a total of all miles walked, run or hiked during the challenge! Register and log your miles here. Let�s finish strong�keep stepping!

 

KVAAP Student Highlight: Jaleesa Campbell

Meet Jaleesa Campbell, current first semester nursing student. She juggles school, work and family life, while remaining active in KVAAP. She works in the finance industry while raising four children and attending nursing classes. She plans to complete her BSN at Davenport University and then begin working in the healthcare industry.

 

When asked about her experience in KVAAP, Campbell said, �I wouldn't be where I am today without KVAAP. I am incredibly grateful to be part of such an amazing program. The staff is exceptional, always ready to support you with whatever you need to succeed. They greet you with a smile and open arms, making you feel truly welcome. Ana is amazing, her knowledge and kindness have been extremely valuable, and I appreciate her so much.�


KVAAP Info Sessions:

  •          Tuesday, Feb. 18 | 5 p.m.
  •          Wednesday, Feb. 26 | 10 a.m.
Attending a KVAAP Info Session is a required part of the application process. Interested students can register here.
News from the Libraries
Need Help Now? Ask a Librarian
Librarians can help Kalamazoo Valley students with questions about research and citation. Encourage your students to visit the Libraries or request an individual appointment. Or, consider scheduling a Library Instruction session for your class. For more information about instruction, visit our Information for Instructors webpage. 

Schedule a Research Appointment with a Librarian
Students can meet one-on-one with a librarian in person, by phone or over Zoom. Get Help In Person
Students can ask a friendly librarian for help at the Reference Desk during our open hours.

Chat Online with a Librarian
Students can receive live 24/7 chat assistance from an academic librarian Hours and Contact Information  
Get in the School Spirit at the Bookstore!
Classes are now in full swing! What a great time to pick up some new Cougar Swag to wear at home games, or at college and community events! From T-shirts to hoodies, decals to water bottles, the Texas Township Campus Bookstore has tons of cool Cougar items! Come on in and show off your Cougar spirit, or shop our online store at bookstore.kvcc.edu.
 
Don�t Miss the Last Home Basketball Games of the Season!
Saturday, Feb. 22 is the last home basketball games of the season for the Cougars. Show some love and cheer on the women�s basketball team and men�s basketball team when they play Grand Rapids Community College that day at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively! All home games are played in the main gym at Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Texas Township Campus. Admission is free. Find the full season schedule at athletics.kvcc.edu.
 

Softball Team Helps Out at Night to Shine Prom Experience
It takes many volunteers to make the Tim Tebow Foundation�s Night to Shine Kalamazoo prom experience happen annually for people with special needs, ages 14 and older. Cougar softball players were honored to be among them at this year�s event held on Friday, Feb. 7 at Southridge Church in Kalamazoo.
 

Men�s Basketball Team Volunteers at Food Pantry
Kalamazoo Valley men�s basketball players volunteered at the Twelve Baskets Food Pantry in Portage on Saturday, Feb. 8. The pantry, now celebrating 10 years, is located at 10332 Portage Road. It provides free perishable and non-perishable groceries to about 400 families weekly during four distribution days held monthly on alternating Fridays and Saturdays.
 

Women�s Basketball Team Marks National Girls & Women in Sports Day
In recognition of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, Valley�s women�s basketball players worked with the Junior Pro Youth Basketball Program, coached by Health Campbell from Marcellus. The group joined them for some meet-and-greet fun during their recent Conference win against Kellogg Community College. The Lady Cougars say they are proud of the girls because they dominated with a 6 -1 record despite being the smallest team in their program. Each year, National Girls & Women in Sports Day honors achievements like this of females in sports.
 

 
See Three Iconic Stop-Motion Animation Movies for Free
Celebrate the legendary artistry of Ray Harryhausen, the master of stop-motion animation, at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum! Enjoy an enchanting series of FREE movie screenings featuring some of his iconic films. These screenings tie in with the traveling exhibit �Ray Harryhausen: Miniature Models of the Silver Screen,� currently on view at the museum through April 27. While there is no cost to see the films, tickets will only be available at noon on the day of each show at the front desk, or online. Due to limited seating, it is first come, first served. Here�s the lineup: Sunday, March 30, �The 7th Voyage of Sinbad�; April 6, �Jason and the Argonauts�; and April 13, �Clash of the Titans.� All showtimes are at 1 p.m. Guests are invited to return for a special in-depth panel discussion exploring Harryhausen�s enduring legacy led by Connor Heaney, curator for the Harryhausen Foundation, at 1 p.m. April 27.

Film About Fretboard Festival�s 20-Year History Screened March 2
Learn the 20-year story of Kalamazoo's Fretboard Festival through a documentary commissioned by the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. It will be shown for FREE on Sunday, March 2 at 1 p.m. at the museum. Hear from local area musicians and those in the music community who have been a part of the Fretboard Festival's celebration of the history, heritage and music of fretted instruments, along with the people who make and play them. This film will last 45 minutes. Tickets will be available on the day of the film screening at the museum's front desk. Return later in the month for this year�s Fretboard Festival on Friday, March 21, and all day on Saturday, March 22. Visit kalamazoomuseum.org for details.



Two New Fun Exhibits Highlight Items from the Museum�s Archives
�Colorful Collections� and �The Art of Advertising� opened Feb. 1 and Feb. 8, respectively, and will be on display through Aug. 31. �Colorful Collections� features items from the permanent collection of the Kalamazoo Valley Museum displayed in a rainbow of hues. Delve into the color spectrum like never before as you enjoy some of the brightest and boldest examples from the KVM's collection. �The Art of Advertising� showcases nostalgic signs and advertisements from local businesses from the museum�s archives, offering up an eclectic mix of advertising paraphernalia from bygone eras.

 

Local Black History Shared in Two Mini-Exhibits
Learn interesting local Black history facts from two mini-exhibits at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, on display now through March 2. The �One Family's Legacy: The Williams-Johnson Family� mini-exhibit features photos and mementos representing over 100 years of Black history in Kalamazoo, curated with the assistance of community leader Jacob Mabry Pinney-Johnson. Pinney-Johnson is a fourth-generation Kalamazoo resident whose family members were important to the history of Southwest Michigan. The second mini-exhibit, "Collecting Black History: Murphy Darden's Legacy,� showcases items collected by late Kalamazoo historian and artist Murphy Darden, including artifacts, images and historic documents chronicling the achievements of African Americans, as well as his artwork. Admission is free.
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Kalamazoo Valley Community College
6767 West O Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI 49003-4070






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Kalamazoo Valley Community College · 6767 W O Ave · Kalamazoo, MI 49009 · USA