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

Sept. 1, 2022

Greetings Colleagues,

I hope you enjoyed the Fall Summit 2022! In addition to the important and timely information that was shared, I noted how much everyone enjoyed being together in person for lunch and other activities. Summit continues today for faculty members. Everyone should complete the evaluation when you receive the link next week.

In less than a week, students will be back in classes. As our preparations for the new academic year continue, many initiatives are underway, including our continued response to helping prevent the spread of disease. Over the last two-and-a-half years, the college increased the cleaning of high-traffic areas and high-touch surfaces such as handrails, benches, tables, handles and restrooms. Cleaning kiosks and hand sanitizing stations are available in or near all classrooms and labs. The college has provided free COVID-19 at-home test kits and a number of distribution dates for at-home kits are planned for the fall semester. Thanks to the purchase of advanced bipolar ionization technology, all seven of the college's buildings on its four campuses will have improved air quality.

Face coverings are not required for uninfected individuals. Please continue to respect individual choices related to the use of face coverings. Vaccination continues to be a best defense against the transmission of COVID-19 and its variants. I strongly urge you to protect yourself, those you care about and the community by seeking out and receiving the vaccine and boosters. Students with questions about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) should be directed to contact Russ Panico, director of athletics and student Relations coordinator. Employees with questions should contact Amy Reynolds, director of human resources. More information about health and wellness on campus is available at www.kvcc.edu/wellness. This new webpage will be updated frequently with important information.

Sincerely,

Signature: L. Marshall Washington
L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D.

Faculty Instructional Awards

Faculty Instructional Award winners were announced on Sept. 1 during the Summit. The awards are part of an effort to recognize and honor individual excellence in teaching. The Faculty Instructional Awards are designed to reward those instructors at Kalamazoo Valley who actively encourage students' intellectual curiosity, engage them in the enterprise of learning and have a lifelong impact.

Isaac Turner, English instructor
Turner was praised for going far and above for his students time and time again. "With instructor Turner's guidance, I was able to find my passion for writing and to allow myself to explore different writing styles," his nominator said. "He makes online learning fun. He truly wants you to succeed and his awesome videos and lectures prove it. He is enthusiastic, loves teaching and he keeps you engaged. I am a non-traditional-aged student-adult learner. I take online courses and Isaac is awesome when it comes to putting together an online course."

Laura Henderson, Public Speaking instructor
Henderson was credited with transforming her students' lives. "She has completely changed my perspective on public speaking, and I am very grateful for her help in overcoming that fear," a student said. "She always came to class with the best outlooks and attitudes that I've seen from an instructor. She made something that most dread into something that many enjoyed. She is the sole reason I am able to look at things in a more positive perspective compared to how I was before her class. She is an amazing teacher and a very kind individual."

Andrew Young, Mathematics
"Andrew Young is an instructor who cares about his students' success. He engages each student in every lecture and he guides students in the right direction when they're struggling. He takes a subject that many struggle with (math) and puts it into real-world scenarios in order for his students to not only benefit from taking his course, but to actually enjoy something we've never been fond of before," one of his students said.

Cynthia Schauer, Biology
Cynthia Schauer received accolades for encouraging her students to ask questions and for sharing her knowledge with enthusiasm. "Instructor Schauer has actively engaged her students from day one in this class. She is constantly asking questions to help you come up with the answer to your question on your own, teasing out the knowledge you possess. She also gives explanations of topics in multiple ways to reinforce the concept. Professor Schauer is constantly showing her enthusiasm for her field and encouraging you to really absorb the information so that you can be successful in your field of choice later," one of her nominators said.

Michelle Hayes, Accounting and Business
Michelle Hayes is accessible and thorough. "Ms. Hayes goes above and beyond to ensure her students succeed and she is committed to teaching them everything she knows - whether it be business taxation or accounting software knowledge. I have had her for three courses now, and she genuinely cares about each and every one of her students. For instance, our business taxation class can be grueling, but she makes sure we all understand the material, and has us do a plethora of returns to make sure we could walk into any tax preparation job fully equipped to handle what would be expected of us. Even WMU's business taxation class doesn't offer that! She's a wonderful person, and an even better teacher. I feel prepared for the accounting world thanks to her," her student said.

Robert "Joe" Wagner, Business instructor
Joe Wagner's instruction style is described as being encouraging and engaging: "Dr. Wagner has been an excellent instructor for various reasons. He treats us as individuals and not just as students. He is always available to help. He adjusts his teaching style and acknowledges that not all students learn the same. I returned to school after a 10 year gap, and he has inspired and encouraged me to do my best. Thanks to him, I am excited to be attending school again."

Welcome Table Volunteers
Help welcome students back to campus by volunteering at one of the many welcome tables on the college's different campuses. There are a number of locations with varying days and times when support is needed.

Follow this link to check out the opportunities to help.
Log in and select your preferred volunteer opportunity, date and time(s).
Click SAVE under each section that you clicked a box in. You will receive a confirmation email for each time slot.

If you have questions, please contact Levi Funk.

Cougar Cafe
Cougar Cafe Fall Hours
The Cougar Cafe on the Texas Township Campus will be open Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. for the fall semester and includes Subway, grab-and-go items and a salad bar.

Havirmill Cafe
Havirmill Cafe to Open Sept. 14
Students enrolled in Kalamazoo Valley's Culinary Arts and Sustainable Food Systems programs put their training to work in the 418 Restaurant and Havirmill Cafe. Both are located in the Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut, in downtown Kalamazoo.

The Havirmill Cafe will be open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday beginning on Sept. 14. There will be grab-and-go options as well as a hot bar with freshly made entrees. Reservations are not needed for the cafe.

Kalamazoo Valley's Campus Band is Returning!
Musicians who've missed playing that instrument that's gathering dust in the closet are welcome to join the campus band.

The group will meet from noon to 1:10 p.m. in Dale B. Lake Auditorium on Mondays and Wednesdays beginning on Sept. 21. Jim Roach, retired Loy Norrix High School band and orchestra director, is serving as the director.

Kalamazoo Valley students can enroll in MUS 110 and community members are welcome to participate on a drop-in basis without registering for the class. Roach said he expects to welcome participants with a wide range of abilities and ages. "Even if it's been a long time, get out your instrument and come join us," Roach said. "For beginning college students who've been playing for six or seven years, this is no time to quit."

Roach said playing music is a pastime in which one can participate at any age. "You probably can't play football when you're in your 60s, but you can continue playing an instrument for as long as you can carry it around," he said. "It's a lifelong skill."

The band is expected to play at Kalamazoo Valley's winter and spring commencement ceremonies and a holiday concert is also planned. For more information, contact Jim Roach at jroach@kvcc.edu.

Diversity and Bias in the Search Committee Process Workshops
If you missed the Diversity and Bias in the Search Committee Process workshops that were offered during the Fall Summit, there are additional dates scheduled for September.

Participants in these important sessions will explore the various types of implicit and unconscious bias, what they look/sound like during a search committee process and how to mitigate their potential for negative impact. Also, learn what it means to serve on a search committee, including the "dos and don'ts" while serving on the committee.

Please contact Trice Batson or Scott Hall to register.
Additional dates
Sept. 14, 9 to 11 a.m.
Sept. 30, 9 to 11 a.m.

Shut down. Restart. 2022 Student Success Summit on September 20 to 23

Register Now for the Student Success Summit
Registration is open for the 2022 Michigan Community College Association Student Success Summit scheduled for Tuesday - Friday, Sept. 20 - 23 from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. via Zoom. The Michigan Center for Student Success provides state-level support to Michigan's 28 community colleges by serving as a hub connecting leadership, administrators, faculty and staff in their emerging and ongoing efforts to improve equitable student outcomes, emphasizing linkages between practice, research and policy. Learn more here.

Advisors Needed
Club advisors are needed for soccer club and dance club. If you are interested in leading one of these student clubs, please reach out to Nkenge Bergan at nbergan@kvcc.edu.

Employee Fitness Classes Return Sept. 12
Free employee fitness classes are returning Mondays and Thursdays from 12:05 to 12:50 p.m. in Room 6040 of the Wellness & Fitness Center at TTC. These are "drop-in-classes," so you do not need to sign up. Just come when you can. Please see the description below to learn more.

Mondays
STRENGTH AND MORE
Low-impact but high intensity, your whole body will get stronger! In this class, every movement plane is attacked using weights and body weight.

Thursdays
BARRE STRENGTH
Barre is the immensely popular fitness format that combines ballet-inspired moves with powerful elements from dance, yoga and strength training. Instructors will challenge you with a low-impact, high energy class.

Please contact the Wellness & Fitness Center with any questions at x4177 or Renea Peruski, WFC program manager at rperuski@kvcc.edu.

Employee Engagement and Wellness Committee

Walk and Meditate
Walk and Meditate meet-up: Last Thursday of every month TTC 12:15 - 1 p.m. (starting Sept. 29); last Wednesday of every month AWH 12:15-1 p.m. (starting Sept. 28). Walking outdoors weather permitting, indoors if raining, 10-minute silent meditation at the end. Wear comfortable shoes! Contact ccolella@kvcc.edu for details.

Time to Show That Good 'Ole School Pride!
Let's usher in the fall semester with spirit! Wear your Kalamazoo Valley Community College apparel! You can stock up on gear at the Texas Township Bookstore Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. or shop online at bookstore.kvcc.edu.

Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation

Foundation Hosts Sept. 22 Opportunities for Education Scholarship Fundraising Event
Do you like good food, beer and wine and a good cause? Plan to attend the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation's Opportunities for Education Scholarship Fundraising event on Thursday, Sept. 22.

This event is the KVCC Foundation's primary source of funding for student scholarships. The need for financial aid among students continues to rise steadily. Each year, Kalamazoo Valley Community College processes nearly 10,000 requests for financial aid. Of those requests, 40% receive some form of financial aid. This student scholarship fundraiser helps the KVCC Foundation provide the highest level of financial support for students at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. more

Kalamazoo Valley Libraries: New Hours, MeLCat, New Citation Services, Course Reserves, Scheduling Library Instruction, and Banned Book Display
The Kalamazoo Valley Libraries at the Texas Township Campus and at Anna Whitten Hall are open and available to support you and your students this fall. We are offering a mix of in-person and online services including reserve materials, and reference assistance.

New Hours
Our library hours will be changing beginning September 7, 2022.
Texas Township Campus
Monday - Thursday        8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday                              8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday                         10 a.m. - 2 p.m

Arcadia Commons Campus
Monday - Friday                8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
You can see the full library schedule for the fall semester here.

MeLCat is here!
The libraries are now participating in MeLCat, a service that allows students, staff, and faculty to borrow items from other participating libraries throughout the state of Michigan. Click here to search for materials available to borrow. Make sure to have your Valley ID ready. Books can be sent directly to the Kalamazoo Valley library location of your choice, and the library will contact you when your item is available for pick-up.

New Citation Services
Kalamazoo Valley Libraries endorses Zotero for your students' research and citation needs. Zotero is a free research tool that can be used entirely through your browser. Store and manage your research (and even the sources themselves) in Zotero's cloud-based library, and automatically generate citations in the format of your choice. With the Zotero Connector browser plugin, you can import complete citation information into your library with a mouse click. A Zotero account is all you need to get started, which can be created at zotero.org. Find out more on our Zotero page.

Course Reserves
Textbooks and other course materials are placed on reserve each semester at the request of faculty and students. Instructors may submit personal copies for the reserve collection, or request a library purchase for reserve. Most reserve requests for library purchase are approved, although we suggest submitting your request before the start of the semester to provide us purchasing and processing time.
For more information on course reserves, including a list of all items currently on reserve, visit the library's Course Reserve Guide. To reserve materials for your course, contact Ashley (TTC) at extension 4313 or abergkamp@kvcc.edu or Franki (ACC) at extension 7848 or fhand@kvcc.edu.

Book Library Instruction with Astra
Library instruction at TTC returns to the Library Instructional Lab! Now accepting requests for library instruction through Astra. From the Events tab, click on "Request Event." Then, choose "Library Instructional Lab" from the drop-down menu. Submit the details of your request and a librarian will respond within 48 hours.

Banned Book Week Display
Come check out our book display at the Texas Township Campus Library on the lower level. Grab your own banned book, learn about what types of books are frequently challenged. To learn more about banned books click here.

We look forward to connecting with you!

Visit us online
Call 269.488.4328
Emai l
Chat with a college librarian 24/7
Zoom by appointment, please email
Follow us on Instagram @kalamazoovalleylibraries

Volleyball Team's First Home Game is Sept. 22
The Kalamazoo Valley Community College volleyball team is looking forward to its first conference match on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at Lake Michigan College at 6:30 p.m. A closer opportunity to cheer on the Lady Cougars will be the home game on Thursday, Sept. 22 against Southwestern Michigan College. Come out and wear your college apparel! Home games are always free! Find the full schedule here. Follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok @kvccvb. Read more about the team here.

Visiting Writers Series Begins on Oct. 6 with Tom Montgomery Fate
Kalamazoo Valley's "About Writing" Visiting Writers series is coordinated by English instructor Julie Stotz-Ghosh, Ph.D., and offers students the opportunity to talk with professional writers and listen to their work. Retired English instructor Rob Haight established the series and began bringing noteworthy authors to the college in 2001. The visits take place in the Student Commons Theater, Room 4240, at the Texas Township Campus. All events are free, open to the public and include a craft talk and a reading by the author.

The lineup for the 2022-2023 Visiting Writers Series:
Tom Montgomery Fate | memoir | "The Long Way Home & Cabin Fever: A Suburban Father's Search for the Wild" | tomfate.com
Thursday, Oct. 6 (in person) | Craft talk at 10 a.m., reading at 2:15 p.m.

Nancy Eimers | poetry | new chapbook: "Human Figures" | www.whiting.org/awards/winners/nancy-eimers#/
Thursday, Nov. 3 (in person) | Craft talk at 10 a.m., reading at 2:15 p.m.
Eimers is a retired Western Michigan University professor and local writer

Ada Limón | poetry | "The Hurting Kind" | www.adalimon.net
Wednesday, Jan. 25 (virtual event) at 3 p.m.
Limón was just appointed the new U.S. Poet Laureate | www.pbs.org/video/poet-laureate-sot-1658960090/

Angeline Boulley | fiction | "The Firekeepers Daughter" | angelineboulley.com
Tuesday, April 4 (in person) | Craft talk at 10 a.m., reading at 2:15 p.m.
Boulley is an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She is a storyteller who writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She is a former director of the office of Indian education at the U.S. Department of Education. Boulley lives in southwest Michigan, but her home will always be on Sugar Island. "Firekeeper's Daughter" is her debut novel, and was an instant #1 New York Times Bestseller.

What's happening at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its board of trustees

'Mother of Modern Medicine' Henrietta Lacks Play Opens Sept. 30
SAVE THE DATE! Sept. 30-Oct. 1! Did you know we can thank one woman with familial ties in Kalamazoo for many of the major medical breakthroughs over the last 70 years, including the COVID-19 vaccine? A FREE play and mini exhibit coming to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum pays homage to Henrietta Lacks whose cells were used in experiments without her consent. The museum's Mary Jane Stryker Theater will offer the play three times: at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, and at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. Seating will be limited. It will be first come, first served. Registration is not required. The exhibit runs Sept. 1 through Feb. 27, 2023.

The "A HeLa Story: Mother of Modern Medicine" theatrical production and exhibit are sponsored by the museum and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, in collaboration with Jermaine Jackson, a nephew of Henrietta Lacks. An interview with Jackson and the play's author, Buddy Hannah, can be found here. For an article about the event, click here.

Free Screening of 'Forgotten Fighters' Documentary on Sept. 10
Come celebrate the famed Kalamazoo Boxing Academy on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 1:30 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, with a reception, speakers and a documentary screening about the academy's history. Check out the trailer here. Also view the museum's "The Forgotten Fighters of the Kalamazoo Boxing Academy" exhibit before it ends on Sept. 18. Admission is free to the film and to the museum.

Sept. 11 is the Final Day of Exhibit of Zany Contraptions
LAST CHANCE! Stop by the "Rube Goldberg, The World of Hilarious Invention Exhibit!" at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum before it closes on Sept. 11! Goldberg's cartoons and zany contraptions come to life through 3D, life-size machines and more in a humorous investigation of classic engineering principles. The traveling exhibition was created by the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh in partnership with the Heirs of Rube Goldberg.

For more information, visit kalamazoomuseum.org.

Kalamazoo Black Business Expo 'an Invitation to Bridge the Gap,' Highlight Black Business

Kalamazoo Valley a Great Fit for White Pigeon Grad Atherton

Kalamazoo Shuffles City Leadership, Names Laura Lam Chief Operating Officer

She Left a World-Changing Legacy that Saved Millions of Lives. Henrietta Lacks was also a Loved Family Member, a New Exhibit and Play Shows

List of 100 Free Things to do in Michigan

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

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