Many of us this summer are planning time away from the college
MISSION STATEMENT Kalamazoo Valley Community College creates innovative and equitable
opportunities that empower all to learn, grow and thrive.
June 3, 2024
Greetings!
Many of us this summer are planning time away from the college for well-deserved vacations and/or "stay-cations". I encourage you to schedule time away from your work responsibilities for rest and relaxation. Please discuss your work schedule with your supervisor to make a plan for time away from the college.
While you are away, really be on vacation or "stay-cation". This means, except in a case of unusual circumstance, resist the urge to check your email and voicemail messages. Stop yourself from checking in with others at work. If something comes up, we know how to contact you. Relax, release and recharge on vacation.
Enjoy summer semester!
Sincerely,
L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.
President
Hundreds attend Cosmetology and Barbering Open House A public open house was held at the college's new School of Cosmetology and Barbering on Thursday, May 23. Hundreds of people toured the new renovated building, with state and local legislatures attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
To date, more than 500 people have requested information about the barbering and cosmetology programs that begin in the fall. "Initially, we anticipate starting cohorts of 40 cosmetology and 20 barbering candidates twice a year, with a goal of moving to three cohorts a year," said Mark Dunneback, Ph.D., dean of instruction. "The composition of the 40 and 20 will be both full and part time. Additionally, we will be bringing in 30 cosmetology and up to 15 barbering KRESA students in the fall."
Phishing Emails on the Rise Have you received a suspicious looking email that you suspect is spam or phishing? There is no need to forward the email to IT - you can report it right from your Outlook client.
Simply click the Report or Report Message button in the ribbon near the top of the window:
Alternatively, right-click on the message and choose Report from the pop-out menu: That's all there is to it. There is no need to forward the email to IT. In fact, we prefer that you never forward suspicious emails to anyone, including us. Just report the email as phishing or junk in your Outlook client and we'll take care of the rest.
Time to Breathe: An Eight-Week Offering (Hybrid Format) Join Director of Operations & Instructional Support Services Cathy Colella at Anna Whitten Hall or via Zoom from wherever you may be. We will briefly introduce a topic to contemplate (15 minutes) and then meditate together (10 minutes guided, five minutes silent). Please bring a notebook. Sessions take place from 4 - 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
Call for Entries for Student Planner Information Closes June 10 It's time to submit your department's events and important dates for inclusion in the college's 2024-2025 Student Planner. This printed piece will serve as a compass for campus engagement as students navigate through the academic year. The call for entries period closes Monday,June 10 by 5 p.m.
Prior to submitting information for inclusion in the planner, event requests must be submitted to Event Services via Astra Schedule for review. Once your events have been approved, please click here to submit your information for inclusion in the planner.
Note that non-event information, such as important academic calendar or application dates, do not require an Astra Schedule review. Virtual events, or events that are not on any of the college's campuses, may also be submitted for inclusion in the planner without an Astra Schedule review. For questions, contactKhadijah Kabbani.
Alumni Art Show Winners Will Be Announced on June 7 The annual Alumni Art Show exhibit opens at the Center for New Media in downtown Kalamazoo at 5:30 p.m. on June 7. The exhibition is a way to showcase works by talented alumni. An awards program, where we will give out cash prizes to the top entrants, will begin at 7 p.m. at the Center for New Media in Room 120. A total of 25 artists submitted 46 entries in this year's show. Photos from the event will be posted on the college Flickr page.
Power of Belonging Discussion Planned for June 26
Faculty, staff and students are invited to participate in a discussion on the importance of belonging in the workplace to be held Wednesday, June 26, from 10 - 11 a.m., in Room 4380 on the Texas Township Campus. Together, let's explore what it means to belong and how fostering a sense of belonging can have a positive impact for us all throughout our campus community. Tea, coffee and pastries are served. Facilitated by Trice Batson and Nizora Haitova, the college's director and program coordinator of diversity and inclusion, respectively, this discussion is the first in a new series called "DiversiTea!," featuring discussions over tea. No pre-registration is required.
Diversity and Bias in the Search Committee Trainings Diversity and Bias in the Search Committee is a required training for anyone wishing to serve on a search committee. All staff and faculty are welcome, even if they have taken it before. This is a session that has evolved over time, so some material and content may be new. This is also a worthwhile experience for anyone wishing to help in the continuous effort of moving our institution toward achieving one of the critical goals in the college's strategic plan.
Bookstore Closed June 27 to Conduct Inventory, Reopens July 1 The Texas Township Campus Bookstore will be closed starting at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 27 to conduct inventory. The Bookstore will reopen on Monday, July 1 for normal business hours. Remember, you can shop online anytime at bookstore.kvcc.edu. Note that summer hours are in effect, which are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, through Aug. 2.
Celebrate June 10's National Ballpoint Day at the Bookstore Trivia fact: On this day in 1943, Laszlo and Gyorgy Biro obtained their patent for the ballpoint pen. Hard to believe that before then folks had to use a fountain pen or a pencil. Come on in to the Texas Township Campus Bookstore and find the ballpoint of your dreams. And if you want to be old-fashioned, the Bookstore does have fountain pens and pencils, too!
Tickets for September Opportunities for Education Event Available Now The 2024 Opportunities for Education Scholarship Fundraising event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Food Innovation Center at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, 224 E. Crosstown Parkway in downtown Kalamazoo. The event will feature some of the region's most popular restaurants along with student and faculty chefs from the college's culinary and brewing programs. Guests will enjoy a walk-around tasting under a large tent where they can sample signature dishes. Students in the Sustainable Agriculture program will offer tours among the vegetables, flowers and herbs growing in the Food Innovation Center's greenhouse and grounds. more Picture Yourself Here is a new monthly feature that highlights Kalamazoo Valley students who are excelling in their field of study. Know of a student we should highlight? Email marketing@kvcc.edu.
Picture Yourself Here: Megan Douglas Megan Douglas, a 2016 home-school graduate and former dual enrolled student, was originally majoring in social work, but she has decided to pursue an associate degree in CAD design. "My dad is an engineer and I was always kind of around CAD so I took a class with instructor Dave Brock and it was awesome. I decided to just keep going."
She changed her major to CAD in 2022 and will finish up next spring. At the end of the winter semester, she completed a CAD certificate and she is working as a CAD intern at Peloton, Inc. in Otsego. "I really like it a lot," she said. "I enjoy doing what I feel equipped to do. It can be awkward when you first start a job. You can feel like a fish out of water, but it's been nice to be able to use the skills that I already have."more
Call for Proposals The Fall Summit will be held August 28 and 29 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 2024 Summit. Submit your proposalshere. Diversity and Bias in the Search Committee Trainings This is a required training for anyone wishing to serve on a search committee. All staff and faculty are welcome, even if you have taken it before. This is a session that has evolved over time, so some material and content may be new. It is also a worthwhile experience for anyone wishing to help in the continuous effort of moving our institution toward achieving one of the critical goals in the college's strategic plan.
Free Discovery Quest Summer Program Keeps Kids' Minds Active This summer, the Kalamazoo Valley Museum will offer different weekly science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) activities targeting grades kindergarten through seventh to keep young minds stimulated while school is on recess. The Discovery Quest summer program is free of charge and no registration is required. Just show up! The educational fun runs June 20 through July 25. Youth will read, question, think and play. They will enjoy STEAM Story Time, and scavenger hunts, learn about the science of light, create art, design their dream building, build a catapult, and more. The hands-on activities are intended for grades one to seven. The story times are designed for children four to seven years old, but all ages are welcome. Special science-related planetarium shows will also be available for $3 per person. For the full list of activities with dates and times, visit the museum website atkalamazoomuseum.org. Admission is free to the program and to the museum. New Museum Exhibit Invites Youth to Read, Question, Think and Play The next exhibit at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum brings to life New York Times best-selling children's book series "The Questioneers," which centers on five fearless, problem-solving second-graders who dream big, persevere and aspire to science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) careers. The free traveling exhibit "The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. PLAY!" opens June 15 and runs through Sept. 1. The exhibit poses questions, identifies challenges and sparks creative problem-solving. Visitors can try their hands at being a scientist through such activities as investigating cause and effect, and figuring out why a clock goes "tick tock." Or engineer rockets, test their flying (or falling) contraptions, and pilot a life-size Heli-o-cheese-copter. Other activities include building whimsical bridges, designing buildings and exploring how one person's bravery can change the world. Would-be artists will learn about the power of art and finding their voice. Admission is free to the exhibit and the museum. Visitkalamazoomuseum.orgfor more details.
