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

February 15, 2023

Dear College Community,

Today we continue to mourn and grieve with the Michigan State University community. We stand together and offer our support and condolences to the students, faculty and staff at MSU.
 
Many in our own community have friends or family who are part of the Spartan family. Please take the time to show support for one another. Our advising and counseling department is available to assist students who may be suffering. Please call 269.488.4040 if you have a student in crisis. For those of you who may want to talk to someone, remember that our employee assistance program provides 24/7 crisis support for faculty and staff.
 
We are vigilant in keeping our campus safe and do not accept violence in our community. Remember that this is a shared responsibility that everyone must take seriously. If you see something, say something. Contact campus Public Safety at x4911 to report any suspicious behavior you may witness.
 
Let's do all we can to support one another in this time of tragedy.
 
Take good care of yourselves and one another.
 
Sincerely,


L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
President

Updates from the Provost
First-half semester classes end Feb. 27 and second-half semester classes begin Feb. 28. Students can still register for the second half-of-semester classes at www.kvcc.edu/register. 

Free tutoring is available at the Learning Centers on the Texas Township Campus and at Anna Whitten Hall on the Arcadia Commons Campus. Visit www.kvcc.edu/tutoring for a complete schedule. Sunday hours are available this semester as well.

The summer class schedule should be available online the week of Feb. 20. Registration opens March 6. Students can make an appointment with an advisor or counselor to ensure they're ready to register. To eliminate Tuesday drop-in wait times and better serve students, the advising and counseling office has moved to same-day appointments on Tuesdays. Students can come in or call 269.488.4040 starting at 8 a.m. to schedule their same-day in-person appointment, Zoom appointment or callback time. 

Students will soon be required to use multi-factor authentication through Microsoft 365. They can complete the set-up process using their Kalamazoo Valley email address as their username (example: username1234@mail.kvcc.edu) and their regular Kalamazoo Valley password that they use to access MyValley or Canvas. This link will get them started. Students who already use VDI and MS365 apps are currently using MFA.

The EMT program received a five-year re-accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) without need for any interim reporting or progress reporting.


There is a new Student Services Information display with QR codes in the SDS waiting area. As the college prepares for some new interior designs, please encourage students to stop by the board, test out the codes and share their thoughts by answering a few questions using the standalone QR code to the left of the main display.

Curriculum (approved by the Board of Trustees yesterday):

  • Course and/or program changes in Computer Information Systems, Construction and Dental Hygiene
  • Program inactivation in IT Support Technician (AAS)
  • New courses in Chemistry, Computer Information Systems and Dental Hygiene 
  • New programs in IT Support Specialist (AAS) and Cyber Security (COA)
Community College Student Survey of Engagement (CCSSE) will kick off this semester. Be on the lookout for additional information over the next month. The survey will be in an online format.
 
There is another faculty-focused professional development and community-building opportunity this month. This month's Time Together: Teach | Talk | Tech will cover Canvas navigation links and preparing students for online learning. Register now.

The college is closed Friday, March 17 for staff and faculty spring recess.
Early Employee Registration
Employee registration for the Summer 2023 semester will be March 3 - 5. Full and part-time employees may request access to online registration for themselves and/or their dependents through 4 p.m. on Friday, March 3.

To request access:
  1. Forward this message from your Kalamazoo Valley employee account to arr@kvcc.edu. You may also send a new message with "Employee Registration" as the subject. 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 3, 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 6.

Payment for Summer 2023 must be submitted by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4. Please e-mail the Admissions, Registration and Records office at arr@kvcc.edu or call x4281 if you have questions.
Volunteers Needed for Naturalization Ceremony
On Feb. 24, the college will host a Naturalization Ceremony for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Department. The hour long ceremony will begin at noon in the Dale Lake Auditorium. Please consider volunteering to help greet our guests. The Naturalization Ceremony Volunteer sign-up link is located in the Workplace tab of My Valley under Volunteer Opportunities. Due to space limitations, this event is not open to the general public. Contact Mya Vassal for more information.
Welcome New Employees
Each month, the Human Resources department will be providing a list of new employees to introduce in KV Focus Plus. We're pleased to welcome the following employees who joined the college during January 2023.
 
Employees in a new role  
Kelly Vander Kley Part-Time Faculty Applied Arts and Media Technologies
Katy Moharter Part-Time Faculty Geology and Geography
Sherry Postula Instructional Operations Mgr. VP for Academic Services
Ronald Searles Part-Time Faculty Industrial Electricity
Dennis Bertch Interim Director of Nursing Nursing
Alyssa Ouding College Completion Corps Coach Retention and Completion
Leighanne Ashley PT Lab Assistant CHM Chemistry

Employees new to the college 		 
Elisa Russell Part-Time Faculty Applied Arts and Media Technologies
Lydia Yeboah Part-Time Faculty Geology and Geography
Ryan Brazee Part-Time Faculty Wellness & Physical Education
Carol Sue Anderson PT Instruction DHY Dental Hygiene
Adam Hausmanis Custodian - TTC Custodial Services
Matthew Maka PT Lab Assistant - AUTO Automotive Technology
Forrest Maxwell Instructional Manager Wind Turbine Academy
Christopher Miholick PT Wellness/Fitness Cntr Spec Fitness Facilities
Corrine Bieber-Peak Corporate/Community Trainer Continued Ed & Life Enrichment
Nathan Brindley Part-Time Faculty Automotive Technology
Glenn Noffsinger PT Intern - CUL Culinary Arts
MaryKay Powell-Steele Dental Clinician DDS Dental Hygiene
James Sprau Mach. Tool Lab Operations Mgr. Machine Tool Technology
Jessica Morin Women's Softball Game Worker Softball
Janice Kersten Part-Time Faculty Nursing
Kasara Perry PT Clinician - RCP Cardio-Respiratory Care
Abby Kamm PT Tutor - Writing Center Learning Lab
Jadeyn Walman PT Lab Assistant CHM Chemistry
Brett Butterfield Custodian - TTC Custodial Services
Michael Roussin Part-Time Faculty Engineering, Design & Mfg Tech
David Willson PT Instruction - PAC Police Academy
Michael Fehrenbach Custodian - TTC Custodial Services
Kenneth Warnock Sterile Processing Instructor Continued Ed & Life Enrichment
Tajanay Sims Federal Work Study Financial Aid
Joseph Davis Systems Analyst/Developer Computer Services
Linda Perez Federal Work Study Financial Aid
Samuel Todd PT Intern - Events Facilities and Events
Elissa Furlow Federal Work Study Financial Aid
Andrietta Gaston             Apprenticeship Project Mgmt.         Prior Learning & Apprenticeships
Learning Center staff
Spotlight on the Learning Center
The Employee Engagement and Wellness Committee is introducing Department Spotlight feature stories to help create awareness and to recognize the efforts of our coworkers. Department supervisors are invited to complete the questionnaire.

Learning Center Director Denise Lindsley shares this information about her team. 

Main Departmental Responsibilities: 
The Learning Center's goal is to assist students in their journey to becoming better independent learners. Students can work with tutors at the Texas Township Campus, Arcadia Commons Campus and virtually through Zoom. Tutors are available at various extended hours, seven days a week. Tutoring support is offered on a drop-in basis at the Writing Centers and Math Centers and by appointment at the Course Specific Center.

In addition, the Learning Center houses the Office for Student Access (OSA). The OSA staff offers services to learners who experience academic barriers due to a disabling condition or other learning barrier.

The Learning Center's work aligns with the three Strategic Goals in the Strategic Plan (2023 - 2027): (1) holistically supporting learners' educational goals, (2) embedding diversity, equity and inclusivity, and (3) leveraging broad expertise and forming intentional partnerships to best serve the community. 

The Learning Center holistically supports learners' educational goals, with special attention to part-time learners, by encouraging all learners at any level of academic preparedness and at any stage in the learner's educational journey to use our services.

The Learning Center embeds diversity, equity and inclusivity by creating a collaborative and inclusive culture where all learners feel welcomed. Our staff have a variety of backgrounds, cultures and academic areas of expertise.

The Learning Center leverages expertise and forms intentional partnerships to best serve the college community. Our staff are members of the Kalamazoo Literacy Council and ESL of Southwest Michigan. These partnerships serve as catalysts to better prepare our learners prior to and throughout their college experience. In addition, our staff is confident that these partnerships contribute to our learners' readiness for the rigors of college so that they are able to successfully achieve their academic goals. 

Proudest Moments: 
Our proudest moments are our individual accomplishments. At the Learning Center, we love to see students meet their individual goals such as acing a specific test, passing the class they were worried about taking or being accepted into their specific program after completing prerequisite courses. We not only love to see our students meet their individual goals, but we also take pride in watching our tutors learn, grow and thrive. 

Our tutors have become K-12 teachers, accountants, engineers, college instructors, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, librarians, chemists, authors, directors, statisticians, bio-statisticians, executive directors and police officers. Did you know that one of our former tutors helped develop the COVID-19 vaccine at Pfizer? The Learning Center is often a first job for many, and we enjoy seeing how our former tutors contribute to their communities. 

Busiest/Least Busy Times of the Year and Current Challenges:   
Our busiest times start about three weeks into the semesters and continue to the week before the end of the semester. One of the challenges the Learning Center has is hiring new tutors, especially in accounting and economics - areas in which the concept of time, money and expertise is clearly understood.

Another challenge is getting students to take advantage of our great, free-of-charge, accessible tutoring resources. Collaboration among every faculty and every staff member is a potential marketing opportunity. So, please tell them about our services. Or even better, walk your learners to us.

Surprising or Interesting Facts: 
The Learning Center is part of a larger department that includes the OSA and the Testing Centers. At the Learning Center, we honor and recognize the diversity of the department. Employees come from eight countries and we collectively speak 12 languages including: Arabic, American Sign Language, Bangla, English, French, German, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Urdu.

Favorite Ways to Celebrate a Job Well Done: 
At the Learning Center, we have reason to celebrate often. Our favorite celebration is at the end of each semester. We recognize our staff and students and their accomplishments, celebrating with food and camaraderie. We often reflect on how far they have come and what lies ahead for their amazing futures. Over the years, our tutors have earned associate, bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees.   

Hundreds Attended Big Brothers Big Sisters Day!
The turnout was tremendous at Kalamazoo Valley's final home basketball games of the season on Feb. 11, which was also our special Big Brothers Big Sisters Day promotion in which we invited the entire community to bring youth. Close to 500 spectators showed in total for the women and  men's game. It was a delight to see all the youngsters in the stands! See more photos from the day here. During halftime at both games, Dannie Alexander, vice president for campus planning and operations, delivered welcoming remarks and Nathifa Sligh, director of programs for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan, kicked off her organization's newest mentoring program, Sports Buddies. Through the program, youth ages six through 16 and their mentors will attend open-gym and local sporting events and more one to two times per month, typically on Saturdays. If you'd like to be a mentor, click here. Check out News Channel 3's story here.

Basketball Player Spotlight
Player Spotlight is an occasional feature highlighting outstanding student-athletes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Honorees are nominated by their coach. The Cougars have a lot to be proud of. Congratulations to our men's and women's basketball teams for both currently ranking No. 1 in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Western Conference! The women share the No. 1 spot with Glen Oaks Community College. The Cougars' final home games of the season on Feb. 11 were exciting and action-packed: The women defeated Lansing Community College, 75 - 39. The men played hard and with heart in a tight match to the end with Lansing CC winning 105 - 95.


WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Jakya Rimpson
Position: Forward/Center
Hometown: Mattawan, Michigan
Major: Social Work
Why outstanding: Jakya has grown into a force to be reckoned with inside the paint. Her defense has consistently contained other team's centers and she has proven to have a versatile offense by getting to the basket and knocking down mid-range shots. Jakya is always looking out for those around her, including younger siblings, her teammates and friends. 

Taylor Rickli
Position: Guard
Hometown: Paw Paw, Michigan
Major: Nursing
Why outstanding: Taylor is the epitome of someone who strives to get better and do better every single day. Currently maintaining a 3.53 GPA, Taylor has consistently built new habits to help her be as efficient as possible both on and off the court. She's always pushing the limits on how hard she works in practice and everyone around her is challenged to match her energy. 

Hannah Vallier
Position: Guard/Forward
Hometown: Vicksburg, Michigan
Major: Nursing
Why outstanding: Hannah is currently maintaining a 3.6 GPA all the while being an awesome contribution to our basketball program. She is a great teammate, always encouraging in practices and games and has consistently been the first person to initiate our team-bonding activities all season. As a sophomore, she has continued to set a grand example of how to balance being a student-athlete with grace for her freshman teammates and incoming recruits. 


MEN'S BASKETBALL

Andre Whiteside
Position: Forward
Hometown: Parchment, Michigan
Major: Liberal Arts
Why outstanding: Andre is a young man of high character and willingness to do what others will not. He is a leader by action, and you can always count on him to get the job done. He is a solid academic student with goals of going on to a four-year school to get a bachelor's degree. He has really made some big strides forward on the court as well, and has become a starter during the Conference season. 


Ramere Draper
Position: Guard
Hometown: Wyoming, Michigan
Major: Undecided
Why outstanding: Ramere brings a wide breadth of experience to the men's basketball program. His love for music is one reason he can connect with people. He is a solid academic student who loves to learn and always wants to grow as a person. His basketball skills speak for themselves. He is a great asset to our program and the Kalamazoo Valley community.

 

Caleb Johnson
Position: Guard
Hometown: Portage, Michigan
Major: Undecided
Why outstanding: Caleb is a hard worker who always has a great attitude. His work ethic is what sets him apart on and off the court. He is in the Honors Program and is doing great with his academics. He continues to get better and better on the court and is making a positive impact in the basketball program.

Alumni + Art Show Entries Accepted Soon
Entries in the 12th annual juried Alumni+ Art Show will be accepted from April 3 to May 18. The show will be held at the Center for New Media on June 2 at 5:30 p.m. This exhibition is a way to showcase artwork by our talented alumni. An alumni artist can enter the show if he or she has successfully completed at least one class at Kalamazoo Valley, is not currently enrolled in any class at the time of the show (Summer 2023) and  is are not employed at Kalamazoo Valley. Please consider this great opportunity to show off your talent and share what you have been creating since leaving Kalamazoo Valley, and compete for cash awards! Previous Alumni+ Art Shows were a great success. Awards Program will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Center for New Media in Room 120. The event is sponsored by Bell's Brewery.

Access the gallery requirements, submission forms and more information about the show here.

Submissions will be accepted April 3 - May 18 | Monday - Thursday | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., call Cindy Parks at the CNM at the 269.373.7881 to arrange a time.
Kalamazoo Valley is Hiring!
The following full-time positions have been posted for both internal and external applicants.
  • Community Culinary and Nutrition Program Support Specialist
  • Career and Continuing Education Program Coordinator
  • Brewing Operations Maintenance Coordinator - Culinary and Allied Health Building
  • Custodian - various shifts, various locations
  • Director Of Nursing and Health Careers Liaison - All Locations (Primarily at Culinary and Allied Health Building)
If you or someone you know is interested, visit Kalamazoo Valley's job board and search available jobs. Please contact Human Resources if you have questions or need assistance creating an applicant account.


Munchies Available at the Bookstore
Get your snacks at the Texas Township Bookstore! In addition to books and supplies, did you know you can buy munchies, including small candies for as little as 10 cents, 25 cents and 89 cents? All your favs are here, from Laffy Taffy, Sour Patch Kids, Gummy Bears, Andes Creme de Menthe Thins to so much more! There's a wide array of snacks from which to choose, ranging from chips, Welch's fruit snacks, Pop-Tarts, crackers, chocolate-covered pretzels to peanuts and cashews. The Bookstore is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday.


Henrietta Lacks Mini-Exhibit Closes on March 5
Henrietta Lacks is probably one of the most famous women that most of us didn't know we need to thank for many major medical breakthroughs, like cancer treatments, the polio and COVID-19 vaccines and more. Learn the late Henrietta Lacks' amazing story from a mini-exhibit at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum that concludes its run on March 5. The African-American woman's cells were used in experiments worldwide without her knowledge. The "HeLa Story: Mother of Modern Medicine" exhibit was put together by the museum and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, with the help of her Kalamazoo family. For more information, visit kalamazoomuseum.org.

 

photos courtesy of Loy Norrix High School

Loy Norrix High School Stages Henrietta Lacks Play
A play about Henrietta Lacks that debuted last fall at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum is now in schools! More than 600 students at Kalamazoo's Loy Norrix High School were treated to "HeLa" on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Playwright and director Buddy Hannah said he was thrilled that schedules permitted just about all of the cast members from the original show to participate in the hour-long, daytime performance.
 
"I was honored for the school to share the play with students during Black History Month," the Kalamazoo Valley alum said, adding that he's in talks to also bring the production to schools in Benton Harbor and Battle Creek. "It is important for both Black and white students to know as much Black history as possible."
 
Hannah said the bookings are a direct result of people having either seen or heard about his play's staging at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, or visited the associated exhibit about Henrietta Lacks on display at the museum.

 

Check Out Local Civil Rights Historian's Pop-Up Exhibit
Looking for something to do for Black History Month? The Kalamazoo Valley Museum has opened a new pop-up mini-exhibit that showcases Kalamazoo-related items collected by longtime local civil rights historian Murphy Darden, Sr., as well as highlights pieces Murphy created representing people, places and events in Kalamazoo history. The "Kalamazoo Through the Eyes of Murphy Darden" exhibit will be on display through March 19.

'Mental Health: Mind Matters' Exhibit Opens Feb. 18
Enjoy a special storytime suitable for children touching on mental health on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 1 - 3 p.m. at the college's Kalamazoo Valley Museum, as part of the museum's launch that day of its "Mental Health: Mind Matters" exhibit on the third floor. Kids and caregivers will listen to the story book "How Full is Your Bucket?" by Tom Rath. At the conclusion, a hands-on activity will encourage participants to reflect on what their own bucket of positive and negative interactions might look like. Admission is free to exhibits and to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. The museum is open 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday, and noon - 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit kalamazoomuseum.org.
 

 

Museum Hosts Fretboard Festival March 3 - 4
For the 18th year, the Fretboard Festival returns to Kalamazoo to celebrate the city's stringed-instrument legacy and musical heritage. Enjoy in-person and virtual performances and workshops March 3 - 4 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Anna Whitten Hall in downtown Kalamazoo. Admission is free.
 
The festival kicks off on Friday, March 3, 5:30 - 9 p.m., at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and will feature a musical performance from Bahar Ensemble and "The History of the Oud" presentation by Beau Bothwell. It continues on Saturday, March 4, from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., with workshops, vendors and performances from Joel Mabus, Dave Johnson, Crossroads Blues Band and many more at Anna Whitten Hall and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.
 
For the lineup, virtual viewing details and more, visit kalamazoomuseum.org.
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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 49009-7402 · USA