paying it forwardfelix and jake slegers. you will also read ... sharon and doug macdonald pose with...
TRANSCRIPT
More than 200 scholarship recipients,
donors, Normandale staff and faculty,
Foundation Board members, family, and
friends attended the annual Scholarship
and Donor Recognition Event on Thursday,
April 9, 2015. Celebration was in the
air as the Foundation acknowledged the
3
GREETINGS, FRIENDS!
I want to thank the Normandale
faculty, staff and students, and all of our
community members for a memorable
first year at Normandale. The passion
all of you have for the college has been
amazing to see, and I am excited to
continue to work toward accomplishing
many more great things at Normandale.
There have been many wonderful
moments during the spring semester
including our Theatre Department
hosting the Region V Kennedy Center
American College Theater Festival,
the great discussions and sessions
of Success Day, celebrating a new
partnership with Southwest Minnesota
State University, the Scholarship
and Donor Recognition Event, and
taking part in my first Normandale
Commencement.
I also felt a great deal of Normandale
pride when Chemistry Instructor
Betsy Longley was named one of four
MnSCU Educators of the Year at a
recognition event in St. Paul, and when
I saw the great turnout we had for the
Foundation’s inaugural Roar N’ Red Run
and Walk. We look forward to carrying
that Roar N’ Red school spirit forward
into the 2015 fall semester.
In this issue of Creating Futures,
you will learn about our two Alumni
Achievement Award recipients, Antonia
Felix and Jake Slegers. You will also read
about the great instruction happening in
our Tutoring Center and our new Finish
Line Scholarship Program developed
with a grant from the Otto Bremer
Foundation.
Please enjoy the great information
and stories about the individuals and
programs at Normandale. I thank you
for your generosity and support of the
college.
Joyce C. Ester, P h.D.Joyce C. Ester, Ph.D.
President
Normandale Community College
Colleen Simpson, Julie Guelich, Joyce Ester, and Carolyn Pratt pose for a group photo with all of the 2014-15 scholarship recipients in attendance at the Scholarship and Donor Recognition Event.
talented scholarship recipients—along with
many generous donors.
Normandale student and Foundation
scholarship recipient Heather Christopher
delivered a heartfelt speech about the
importance of financial support. “I am
willing to put in the work it takes to
complete this program, and my family is willing to support me, but we still need help,”
she noted. “That is why the scholarship program is so life-changing. It is not just a handout
of funds, but rather the difference in the future success of generations to come.”
This year, the Foundation awarded nearly $600,000 including support of a number of
new initiatives. To contribute toward a scholarship and empower students such as Heather,
contact the Foundation at 952-358-8147 or [email protected]. You can also use
the donation envelope in this issue to make a contribution.
NORMANDALE’S SCHOLARSHIP AND DONORRECOGNITION EVENT CELEBRATES A COMMITMENT TO CREATING NEW FUTURES.
Dr. Ester enjoys a moment with
student scholarship recipients.
Tia Agate, student, receives handshake from Foundation Director Colleen Simpson.
Left to right: Instructor Deb Sidd, President Emeritus Tom Horak, his wife Bev, and Jason Horak Memorial Scholarship recipient Kelli Hamilton with her family.
Sharon and Doug MacDonald pose with their scholarship recipient Marisa Harper.
Brian Rose, student, receives handshake and certificate from Dr. Ester.
PAYING IT FORWARD
Past Scholarship Recipients: Where are they now?
Dai (Jimmy) Le, ’13,
was awarded the
Team Service-Learning
Scholarship in 2013.
Jimmy recently
accepted a full-
time position as a
software engineer at
UnitedHealth Group and is pursuing a
Master’s degree in Computer Science at
the University of St. Thomas.
How did receiving a scholarship help
you? “My family has always supported
my efforts, but they could not afford my
college fees at the time. This scholarship
provided me with an opportunity to pursue
the career of my dreams and make a
difference in the lives of people related to
healthcare in technology.”
Paula David, ‘14,
was awarded
the Kopp Family
Foundation
Scholarship in 2012.
Paula works as
an intervention
paraprofessional with
sixth-grade students. She’s pursuing her
Elementary Education and Middle School
Math teaching licensure through Bemidji
State University.
How did receiving a scholarship help
you? “I am deeply appreciative of the
scholarship support I received while
attending Normandale. Receiving a
scholarship made it possible for me to
return to college and work toward my
goal of becoming a licensed teacher.
I am passionate about education and
dedicated to reaching at-risk students
through intervention and differentiated
instruction. The scholarship I received
was an investment in my education. I am
committed to paying it forward by better
meeting the needs of students I work with
now and in the future.”
A NEW, HIGH-TRAFFIC LOCATION
HELPED ELEVATE THE NORMANDALE TUTORING
CENTER’S VISIBILITY. A ROBUST LINEUP OF SERVICES HAS MADE
IT POPULAR WITH A GROWING NUMBER
OF STUDENTS.
When you walk into Normandale’s south
main entrance (in the College Services
area) and climb the stairs, one of the
first places you will encounter is the Tutoring
Center. The college intentionally designed the
space to make it a noticeable and inviting
place.
“We believe the Tutoring Center is a
resource for any student who wants to use
it,” says Tutoring Center Coordinator Beena
Cook. “We want to provide the opportunity for
students to succeed and get the most out of the
classes they are taking.”
With a variety of available services, a friendly and extremely qualified staff, and its
highly visible location, the Tutoring Center continues to see the numbers of students
it serves increase. Since the 2011-12 academic year, the number of visits to the
center has more than doubled. By the beginning of the 2015 summer semester, it had
garnered nearly 15,000 visits since fall 2014 (including a little more than 8,600 this
past spring).
Location, location, locationSupplemental Instruction Coordinator Adam Perry is a Normandale alumnus (’09).
His initial experience at the college illustrates why the new location is so critical.
Perry took time off between graduating from high school and taking classes at
Normandale. When he started classes in 2009, he took a calculus course and began
to struggle. Math, in high school, had been a strong area for him. Perry thought about
getting a tutor, but he was unsure where to go. He eventually decided to drop the
class.
In fall of 2012, the Tutoring Center found its new home, at a location formerly
held by the Campus Store, and the different services merged and went to the current
location on the second floor of College Services.
Director of Student Support Services Debbie Tillman is pleased with the current
location. “It is a best practice to try to unite tutoring services in a visible location
and have a unified method to gather data,” she explains. “When the administration
decided to move the Tutoring Center to the current location, they really showed
a strong commitment to make it successful. It also helped all of the services work
together to maximize the overall effectiveness of the Tutoring Center.”
4 5
Supplemental InstructionOne of the Tutoring Center areas that
has shown extraordinary recent growth is
Supplemental Instruction. The Supplemental
Instruction model is to have a student who
has already completed and succeeded
in a class sit in on the same class in a
later semester, and offer his or her help to
individuals in that class.
At the beginning of each semester, the
Supplemental Instructors (SIs) explain
their roles and poll the students for a
time to meet for tutoring that works best
for a group. This has turned out to be a
comfortable and efficient way for students
to work with SIs.
When Perry took over as SI Coordinator,
there were nine SIs. Today there are more
than 70 serving 49 courses and 127
sections, as compared to 17 courses and 60
sections in the fall of 2013.
The students being tutored are not
the only ones who have been positively
affected by the program’s growth. “Being
a Supplemental Instructor was great,”
says recent graduate Diana Mungu (’15),
who was an SI for Psychology this past
spring. “I organized sessions for students,
put together worksheets and helped
answer questions. I loved doing it. It was a
valuable experience, and will stand out on
a resume or transcript.”
“Our SIs emphasize that we are always
here—and not only when students need
help,” says Perry. “We understand people
are really busy. Our goal is to help enhance
their overall experience of the class, and
provide a resource to help them succeed.”
Community involvementNormandale has also seen growth in the
number of volunteer tutors. In particular,
retired Normandale instructors and retired
members of the community from different
areas of industry have helped tutor
students.
“I had one individual call me out of the
blue and say he had spare time, a Ph.D. in
chemistry, and that he would love to help
out,” says Cook. “He comes every day from
1 to 4 p.m. to tutor students in chemistry.
Our students have had great experiences
with the community members and retirees
who offer their time to tutor.”
Don Parks and Gene Olson worked
with each other at Emerson Processing
(which was named Rosemount at the time).
Parks was an electrical engineer, while
Olson was a software programmer. Both
are currently retired and volunteer at the
Tutoring Center. Parks gains a great deal of
satisfaction working with the students.
“I get a lot of enjoyment working with
Student tutors pose for a photo. Tutoring Center Coordinator Beena Cook, far left.
the students to help them out,” said Parks.
It is a great feeling when I can help them
understand something they are struggling
with. I believe that I get as much out of
the great experience of working with the
students as they get from me.”
The Tutoring Center continues to look
for ways to formalize a program for
community members to volunteer for these
opportunities, and is excited about building
on the response they have received from
students and community members.
English For Academic Purposes (EAP) and English as a Second Language (ESL)
As of the 2013-14 academic year,
students from 52 different nations attended
the college. Some of them needed help
adjusting to taking courses in their non-
native language. At the beginning of the
academic year, the Tutoring Center hired
Catherine Nordlie as a full-time EAP tutor.
Linda Cohen also serves as a part-time EAP
tutor. “We have seen a huge jump in the
number of students working with our EAP
tutors,” says Cook. “Catherine and Linda
really understand the complexities of why
students can have trouble changing from
one language to another. Our foundation
starts with respect for the students, and the
fact that we see EAP as a skill.”
Nordlie has an office in the Tutoring
Normandale tutor helps out a student in the Tutoring Center.
Tutoring Center continued on page 18
Supplemental Instruction Coordinator Adam Perry
Tutoring Center Front Desk Assistant Arsalan Malik
6 77
In the fall of 2014, Normandale received
a $200,000 grant from the Otto Bremer
Foundation to fund the Finish Line
Scholarship program. The Otto Bremer
Foundation is providing up to $4 million
over two years to 10 institutions in the
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
System. The grant’s goal: improve student
semester-to-semester persistence and
on-time certificate and degree completion.
The Otto Bremer Foundation knows
there are many students who face
financial, academic, and other struggles to
accomplish their educational goals. With
financial assistance and quality academic
and social supports, research shows
students with these obstacles can persist
and complete their degrees.
As part of the program, individuals
demonstrating a high financial need to
complete their degree were selected for a
45-member cohort. All were within one to
two semesters of completing an associate
degree.
“One of our main goals was to give
students long-term tools for success,” says
Finish Line Program Coordinator Richard
Webb. “The grant provided us with the
means to help students complete their
degrees. However, we also wanted to
show them the many resources on-and
off-campus that they had available when it
came to making decisions about their next
steps in life.”
Four steps to successStudents selected for the cohort
were eligible to receive up to a $2,000
performance-based award by completing
program activities. The program laid out
a four-part series of steps to earn the
scholarship. At the completion of each
step, students could earn $500 of the
scholarship.
The first part of the schedule was
and college communities. The workshop
covered personal finance and financial aid
at private and state colleges. The fourth
stage included applying for and completing
their associate’s degree.
Webb helped provide guidance to the
students in many different ways, including
a very robust online component. The
cohort was provided with many different
methods to interact with each other and
Webb through Normandale’s interactive
portion of the Desire to Learn (D2L) site.
These features allowed the program to be
proactive, responsive and helped meet
the needs of the many different types of
learners in the cohort.
A GENEROUS GRANT HELPS FUND AN INNOVATIVE NEW SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOCUSED ON DEGREE COMPLETION AND LIFE PREPARATION.
designed for them to engage in the program
and understand its objectives. It included
setting up a meeting with an advisor,
developing a plan for degree completion,
and attending an orientation for the cohort
that featured a discussion about identifying
their educational journeys facilitated
by Normandale Academic Advisor Njia
Lawrence-Porter.
In the second stage, students participated
in a resume workshop, had individual
planning sessions with Webb to develop
a career and college transfer plan, and
had a follow-up meeting with their
academic advisor. Webb collaborated with
Continuing Education to help students
develop individual career plans and guide
them through a career development and
preparation curriculum.
As part of the third stage, students
participated in a workshop focused on
financial literacy and identifying their
strengths to help assist in navigating career
“Throughout this process, we were
intentional about developing collaborative
relationships on-and off-campus to assist
the students in the cohort,” said Webb.
“Continuing Education, Experiential
Education, Marketing Communications,
Records, and Online Learning departments
were instrumental in the curriculum design
of the Finish Line Program activities. The
departmental collaboration, which is a
strength of Normandale, played a big role
in lifting up the Finish Line Program.”
Cohort participant Jonathan Castellanos-
Gomez, who is choosing between
attending the University of Minnesota and
Augsburg College, says the Finish Line
program experience played a big role
in moving him forward in his academic
goals. “The Finish Line program has made
a tremendous difference in allowing me to
finish my degree and transfer to a four-year
institution,” he notes. “The financial award
made it less stressful to deal with attending
college, and it allowed me to focus on my
coursework and carefully plan the next step
in my academic year.”
One consistent theme that cohort
students voiced was that it encouraged
them to consider all available options, both
academic and financial, for pursuing their
goals.
Brian Rose is a nontraditional student
who came to Normandale to take a new
path and pursue a career in psychology.
As a first-generation college student, he
did not know much about the transfer
process. He viewed the Finish Line
Program as an extremely valuable resource
to help him find the Alcohol and Drug
Counseling academic program he is
pursuing at Metropolitan State University.
“For someone like me, there was not a
lot of reasons to think how and when I
applied mattered,” he says. “The Finish Line
program encouraged and taught me to learn
what was actually needed in the process.
My opportunities were vastly improved
compared to my original plan.”
One byproduct of the program is seeing
motivated students who are going through
the process together, feed off each other to
accomplish their goals. Breanna Lindquist
has been accepted to Hamline University,
and plans to major in elementary education
and communication studies. After that she
would like to be part of the Peace Corps
to live out her dreams of teaching students
in a Third World country. She believes that
through working with faculty, staff and the
students in the cohort she has been pushed
to be the best she can be. “The Finish Line
Program has made a difference by pushing
me the extra mile to go above and beyond
and never settle,” she says. “It has given
me the tools to network, be successful and
allowed me the freedom to volunteer and
do incredible in school. The program gives
people the extra boost and encouragement
they need.”
There were 23 students who graduated
in spring 2015 or will graduate in the
summer 2015. Fourteen of the students who
were part of the first cohort are planning
on graduating in fall 2015. The Finish Line
Program will accept additional students
to be part of the next cohort (which
could serve up to 45 students) who will
be scheduled to graduate by fall 2015 or
spring 2016.
FIRST STEPSTO THE FINISH LINE
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
Finish Line students at Scholarship and Donor Recognition Event pose withprogram coordinator Richard Webb (center, back row).
Finish Line students—back row (left to right): Jonathan Castellanos Gomez (’15),
Breanna Lindquist (’15);front row (left to right): Diana Mungu
(’15), Muna Abdi, Hannah Norwick (’15), Valeria Castro Ludert, Brian Rose (’15).
Finish Line orientation session
98
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI SHINEA LOOK AT THE CAREERS OF A PAIR OF ACCOMPLISHED NORMANDALE ALUMNI
Normandale alumni Antonia Felix and Jake Slegers received Alumni Achievement Awards as part ofthe Foundation’s Scholarship and Donor Recognition Event on April 9, 2015.
thirsty for new experiences,” says Normandale Communication
Instructor Joyce Carey. “A new world had been opened, and he
appreciated the opportunity to get an education. He became a
student leader who was active in many areas of the college, and he
was the first Normandale student to be chosen as an Academic All-
American by USA Today. Jake is a man of integrity and a very hard
worker. He is also someone who can begin a conversation with
anyone and find common ground.”
Slegers graduated from Normandale in 1991 and was the student
speaker at that year’s commencement ceremonies. He then went
on to graduate from Augsburg College. “Even though I was only at
Normandale for two years, it seems like a lot longer because I have
such fond memories of it,” he says. “I can trace where I am today
back to my time in Phi Theta Kappa and Normandale. They had a
wonderfully positive influence on my life.”
In 1994, Slegers traveled to Bratislava, Slovakia to teach English at
a bilingual high school. He initially planned to stay for a year, but
received an unexpected job offer from Slovak Radio International
JAKE SLEGERS, ‘91Jake Slegers grew up near Tyler, Minnesota, and graduated
from Tyler High School in 1978. He worked on his family’s
farm after he graduated, but decided to go to college in
1989.
While at Normandale, he was vice president of Phi Theta
Kappa and participated in theater and choir. “When Jake
came to Normandale, he was a wide-eyed student who was Jake Slegers continued on page 18
ALUMNI AWARDS STAFF NEWS
Betsy LongleyChair, Chemistry department, and Instructor
Betsy was awarded the 2015 Minnesota
State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU)
Board of Trustees Educator of the
Year award. She was one of only four
instructors in the entire MnSCU system to
receive the award.
Suzanne Beatty
Joyce Carey
James Erickson
Michael Koreen
Donna Kreger
Scott Magnuson-Martinson
Roland Maine
Ross Mason
Joseph McCulloch
John (Jack) Miller
Douglas Pearson
Gloria Robinson
Bernard (Barney) Smith
Jeanette Wall
Steven Wyffels
Susan Zeni
Awards and Honors
2014-15Normandale Retirees
Betsy Longley
Lisa Wheeler, Ed.D.Vice President of Finance and Operations
Orinthia Montague, Ph.D.Vice President of Student Affairs
Dionne DoeringChief Human Resources Officer
Patrick BuhlAssociate Vice President of Operations, Facilities & Safety
Mark Lewis, Ph.D.Director of Institutional Research
New Leadership Appointments
Colleen Brickle
Colleen Brickle, RDH,RF, Ed.D.Dean, Health Sciences
Colleen was awarded the Ann K.
Johnson Community Health Spirit Award
by Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation
for her contributions to improving health in
Minnesota. The review committee selected
Brickle out of a long list of nominees
for her “calm and skillful relationship
building, and encouragement that has led
to significant advancements in the field of
oral health, and overall health.”
Deb Sidd and the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry Alumni Society President, Dr. Thomas Smyth
Deb SiddChair, Dental Hygiene department, and Instructor
Deb received the University of Minnesota
School of Dentistry’s Outstanding Dental
Hygiene Alumni award.
Psychology instructor Andy Tix, Chemistry instructor Betsy Longley, and Communication
instructor Michael Wartman were named 2015 Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
(MnSCU) Outstanding Educators.
Antonia Felix continued on page 18
in-demand speaker, and share her wisdom as a college instructor.
Felix is a classical singer whose repertoire includes opera, concert
and recital performances. She has appeared all over the world as a
solo artist, and has also presented vocal master classes at the Galina
Veshnevskaya Music School in Moscow and Concordia College in
Chicago.
Along with her impressive array of music performance credentials,
Felix is a New York Times-bestselling author of 16 books, a play,
and an award-winning environmental column. The biographies she
has authored include those of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia
Sotomayor, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former New
Jersey governor Christie Todd Whitman, former First Lady Laura
Bush, former NATO Commander Wesley Clark, and musical figures
Andrea Bocelli and Harry Connick Jr.
Felix also has moderated panels about women’s rights and human
rights at the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. As an
in-demand speaker and lecturer, she appears frequently on CNN,
ANTONIA FELIX (1976-1977)Antonia Felix was originally a music major at Normandale
Community College, where she focused on music theory
and ensemble courses. In the years since, she has gone on
to excel in musical performance and other areas in a career
that has seen her succeed as a bestselling author, become an
11
YEAR IN REVIEW
10
Here are some highlights from the 2014-15 academic year. We
look forward to another great year starting in August.
Welcome reception for President Ester
Diversity mural reveal
Lunch with Leaders Fashion Show
Commencement
STEMLink5 event
Normandale
Performs at Mall
of America
Employee Recognition EventRetiree Luncheon
Bloomington Mayor Winstead visit
Student Life Awards Banquet
Success Dayglass fusing
Student Showcase
Creating Futures Celebration Gala
Current and past presidents at the Scholarship and Donor Recognition Event
Academy of Math and Science students visit Boston Scientific Financial Literacy event
Spring Fling
131312
COMMUNITY ACTION
Thanks to the generosity
of the Institute for
Mexicans Abroad
(IME), Normandale students
of Mexican and Mexican-
American ancestry have
received scholarships to
continue pursuing their
dream of earning a college
degree. The grant of $5,000
from IME was matched by
the Normandale Community
College Foundation for a total
of $10,000 in scholarship
support for an increasing
student demographic.
Talking with Latino
community leaders and cultural
liaisons at area schools, the
college developed a plan
NORMANDALE STUDENTS RECEIVE A ROUND OF MUCH-NEEDED SUPPORT.
Normandale IME Becas Scholarship recipients attend the Scholarship and Donor Recognition Event with Latino Outreach Coordinator (and Normandale alumna, ’11) Karina Moreno D’Silva and Dean of Enrollment and Marketing Matt Crawford (3rd and 4th from left).
Mónica Cruz Zorrilla, Community Affairs for the Consulate of Mexico St. Paul (second from right), presents a check for $5,000 to Foundation Executive Director Colleen Simpson, Normandale President Joyce Ester, and Dean of Enrollment and Marketing Matt Crawford.
DR. ESTER GOES TO WASHINGTON
Normandale President Joyce
Ester attended the second-
annual White House College
Opportunity Day of Action on Dec.
4, 2014. She joined President Barack
Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama
and Vice President Joe Biden, along
with hundreds of college presidents
and higher education leaders to
announce new actions to help more
students prepare for and graduate
from college.
The participants were asked to
commit to work on one of four areas:
■ Building networks around
promoting completion
■ Creating K-16 partnerships around
college readiness
■ Investing in high school counselors
as part of the First Lady’s Reach
Higher Initiative
■ Increasing the number of college
graduates in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) fields
NORMANDALE COMMITS TO AN AMBITIOUSNATIONAL INITIATIVE TO EMPOWERSTUDENTS.
to improve Latino student
outreach and retention.
Latino Outreach Coordinator
(and Normandale alumna,
‘11) Karina Moreno D’Silva
oversees the plan’s activities.
Her role includes coordinating
the efforts of Latinos United
at Normandale in Action
(L.U.N.A.) and leading
outreach events such as
Latino Family Night, an event
presented entirely in Spanish.
Since starting these efforts,
Normandale’s Latino student
population has grown from
just 3% to nearly 9% of total
student enrollment in just four
years.
Normandale will again host the Region V Kennedy Center Theater Festival in 2016.
SETTING THE STAGE
Normandale was honored to host the 2015 Region V Kennedy
Center Theater Festival in January. The festival required months of
meticulous planning by the Normandale Theatre Department. After
being selected for the rare opportunity to host the festival in 2015
and 2016, Normandale Theatre instructors, Anne and Sean Bryd,
worked with Normandale Theatre instructor Tom Burgess and a
group of excellent volunteers (including many current and former
Normandale Theatre students).
Region V includes 18,000 students from colleges and universities
from Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Normandale hosted more than 1,500 participants for this year’s
festival which featured a variety of theater workshops, performances by
selected colleges and universities, awards, behind-the-scenes tours of
the Guthrie Theater and a VIP final evening event.
Meeting financial needsOne challenge that Normandale faces is meeting the financial
needs of Latino students not eligible for Federal student aid. While
the college’s undocumented Latino students can apply for state
aid via the Minnesota Dream Act, the amount is small so students
often attend part-time or even stop attending college to earn money
for tuition.
“The Consulate of Mexico takes great pleasure in being able
to support Mexican and Mexican-Americans in their dream of
pursuing higher education studies through the IME Fellowship
Program,” says Consul Alberto Fierro Garza, Consulate of Mexico
in St. Paul. “We believe that the benefits of having one student
start, continue or finish college multiply tenfold in the community.”
The grant provided scholarships, supplementing aid received
through the Minnesota Dream Act for undocumented Latino
students of Mexican ancestry to continue pursuing their college
education. During the spring 2015 semester, 10 Normandale
students received scholarships of up to $1,000.
These deserving students are now hard at work completing
their degrees. While working part-time, full-time, or both
they are studying business and marketing, engineering and
law enforcement, nursing and dental hygiene, among other
subjects. The financial support helps ease the stress and worry
that comes with paying for college. For some, this has been the
first scholarship they’ve ever received—or even the first time
someone has shown them they believed in them and their dream
of achieving a college degree. One student wrote: “I would like
to say thank you so much for this [scholarship]. It’s the first time
in my college years that I am able to get this help. It means the
world to me knowing that going to college is worth it in the end. I
always thought I was on my own. With this, I know there is always
someone out there willing to help me. Thank you so much.”
As a result, Normandale committed
to increase student retention in STEM
fields by 10 percent over the next
decade—a figure that would create
2,800 new STEM graduates or transfer
students by 2025. Normandale also
pledged to serve 500 low-income
women and underrepresented
students of color in STEM the next
10 years. That figure would be in
addition to the low-income women
and underrepresented students
already served by the college’s
Academy of Math and Science.
“As an institution that focuses
on the scholarship of teaching and
learning, Normandale Community
College is delighted to share our
goals and learn from others to help
students achieve academic success,”
said Ester. “We look forward to
achieving these goals, and playing a
big role in helping to increase access
and education opportunities for
underrepresented populations in our
community.”
Normandale instructors Anne Byrd (back row third from left), Sean Byrd (front row center) and Tom Burgess (front row right), and alumni, students and volunteers were recognized for successfully hosting the 2015 Kennedy Center Theater Festival.
14 1514
The Normandale Foundation debuted its Roar N’
Red 5K Run/2.5K Walk on May 1. This event brought
together students, staff, faculty, and community
members to show their Normandale school spirit.
Sponsored by Amica Insurance, Doherty Employer
Services, Mall of America, and US Bank, the festivities
drew close to 250 participants and 50 volunteers.
Staff, faculty, and students were encouraged to form
teams to demonstrate their Roar N’ Red spirit. The
winning team was the Atoms Family (Chemistry
Team), which took home the honors with a fantastic
periodic table theme.
The 5K run route looped twice around campus,
winding through the wetlands and surrounding
community. The 2.5K walk took participants on a
scenic tour highlighting the Japanese Garden, the
wooded hiking trail, and the labyrinth.
At the end of the event, participants enjoyed
sandwiches and sports drinks courtesy of
Chick-fil-A and ASPIRE. Congratulations to
everyone who crossed the finish line!
NEW EVENT PROMOTES HEALTH AND SPIRIT AT NORMANDALE.
5K CAMPUS EVENT A ‘ROARING’ SUCCESS SHAPING THE FUTURE
SOUTHWESTMINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY TO OFFER EXERCISE SCIENCE DEGREE ON NORMANDALE CAMPUS.
Normandale has added
a third university from the
Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities (MnSCU) system
to its baccalaureate partnership
programs. Starting this fall,
Southwest Minnesota State
University (SMSU) will offer the
upper division work needed
to complete a bachelor’s
degree in Exercise Science on
Normandale’s campus.
On April 24, Normandale
and SMSU celebrated the new
partnership with a ceremony at
the college’s Partnership Center.
The ceremony was attended by
Normandale and SMSU faculty
and staff, representatives from
local businesses, Bloomington
Mayor Gene Winstead, and
Minnesota Office of Higher
Education Commissioner Larry
Pogemiller.
“Partnerships like this are yet
another opportunity for us to
focus on access, affordability, and excellence as we assist students in achieving their academic goals,”
said Normandale President Joyce Ester.
Exercise Science continues to be a popular major at SMSU following its creation five years ago. “It’s
a growing area of study on our campus and at other institutions across the country,” said Dr. Jan Loft,
SMSU interim vice president for Academic Affairs. “Currently in the Twin Cities, there are no MnSCU
institutions offering a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. We have a quality affordable program, and
collaborating with Normandale will make it accessible to Twin Cities-area students.”
Students who pursue the Exercise Science degree will need 15 credits of Business courses. Those
will be delivered by Metropolitan State University on Normandale’s campus.
With this partnership, Normandale now has 12 different bachelor’s degree programs on campus
offered through its three MnSCU partners (Metropolitan State University; Minnesota State University,
Mankato; and SMSU). During the 2014-15 academic year, more than 500 individual students took
bachelor’s degree courses on Normandale’s campus.
Normandale is able to host faculty and staff from the programs in the Partnership Center, which
opened its doors in February 2013. For more information about bachelor’s programs at Normandale,
go to www.normandale.edu/masters-bachelors.
INSIGHTFUL DISCUSSIONS AND SESSIONS HIGHLIGHT SIXTH ANNUAL SUCCESS DAY.
SMASHING SUCCESS
Normandale Community
College hosted its sixth annual
Success Day “We the People:
Expanding Perspectives” on
February 10.
The keynote event featured
a performance of Defamation,
a play exploring the highly
charged issues of race, religion,
gender, class and the law with a twist: the audience was the jury.
Through the deliberations and post-show discussions, audiences
engaged in civil discourse that challenged pre-conceived notions.
The performance had a morning and an evening session, both of
which provoked quality conversations.
Success Day also featured a variety of sessions that focused
mostly on themes of careers, education, finance, leadership,
personal interest and wellness. A health fair took place in the
middle of the day, and featured more than 20 different vendors.
CAMPUS CURRENTS
Normandale President Joyce Ester, Normandale Exercise Science Instructor David Barrett, Normandale Dean of Health Sciences Colleen Brickle, SMSU Associate Professor of Exercise Science Brent Jeffers, and SMSU President Connie J. Gores at the Signing Ceremony.
Spirit Award winners
The Foundation and college extend their gratitude to Ed Meyer for years of outstanding service on the Normandale Community College Foundation Board of Directors.
Devoted. Tireless. Filled with integrity and honor. These words describe Ed Meyer. Over the past
six years, he has served as treasurer of the Foundation Board and chair of the Finance Committee,
volunteering numerous hours each week. With a friendly, steady demeanor, he has been a patient
mentor, an outstanding role model, and a tremendous asset to the Foundation.
When volunteers are needed, Ed is often the first to step up. That ethic runs in the family. Ed’s
wife, Peg, has been instrumental in assuring that recent galas have been adorned with stunning red rose bouquets, ribbons, bows and
decorations that have set ballrooms aglitter. For the inaugural 2013 gala, she created satin pouches for the fused glass bowls made by
Normandale artists. Ed customized bubble linings for the dozens of red and black satin pouches, protecting the guests’ treasured pieces of
art. Many of you may recall the cashmere mittens at the 2014 gala. Who made them? Peg, with Ed’s assistance!
Why has this couple served as such committed, caring and generous Normandale ambassadors? “It’s all about the students and making
a difference,” Ed says. “The funds everyone helps to raise will change and improve lives.”
We will miss you, Ed and Peg, but look forward to seeing you often. Thank you, dear friends.
FOND FAREWELL
1716
On Saturday, September 26, 2015, Normandale’s Japanese Garden committee will
host its annual Garden Festival in the Kopp Student Center. Entertainment will include
Taiko drums, Japanese sword demonstrations, Japanese dancers, and Garden tours.
Bento boxes will be for sale.
For more information, email [email protected] or call 952-358-8145.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION BOARD JULY 2015-JUNE 2016JANET BELLOWS – ChairBranch Manager, Amica Mutual Insurance CompanyAXEL STEUER – Vice ChairHigher Ed Consultant; Retired, Gustavus Adolphus PresidentJOSEPH RAPACKI – TreasurerOwner, Rapacki and CompanyJANE WELCH – SecretaryPrincipal, Morrison Sund, PLLCCAROLYN PRATT– Past ChairALAN ABRAMSONSr. VP and CIO, HealthPartners, Inc. MARK ADKINSVP, Wealth Management Advisor, BWA WealthAdvisory-Merril LynchTIA AGATE*Student Representative, Phi Theta KappaBERNARDINE BRYANTRetired VP, Administrative Services and InterimPresident, Normandale CollegeLAURA CATANIARetired, Chief Administrative Officer, GMACResidential Capital
DR. JOYCE ESTER*President, Normandale Community CollegeJOHN ETCHISONSenior Director IT, United Health CarePAULA FORBESCEO, Forbes Solutions PLLCREX GASKILLRetired, Dean and Instructor, Normandale Community CollegeLARRY JODSAASRetired CEO, PolarFabMIKE LEBENSVice President, Senior Relationship Manager,Wholesale Banking, Wells FargoRYN MELBERGIndependent Consultant NAHOM MOSSAZGHI*Student Representative – Student SenateSANU PATEL-ZELLINGER Senior Manager, Best BuyMARYA ROBBENPartner, Lindquist and Vennum LLP
DEBRA SIDD*Faculty Member, Normandale Community CollegeCOLLEEN SIMPSON*Executive Director, Normandale FoundationDUANE SPIEGLEVP Real Estate and Support Services, Park NicolletJOE WALDOCH*Japanese Garden Committee RepresentativeMARTHA WITTSTRUCK*Faculty Member, Normandale Community College
*Ex officio, non-voting
FOUNDATION STAFFCOLLEEN SIMPSONExecutive Director JAYNE TEVRUCHTDirector of Corporate and Foundation RelationsNICHOLE AXTMANAlumni and Donors Relations ManagerBRIANNA MALMDevelopment Office Manager
SAVETHE DATE
Anonymous (2)
Colleen Brickle
David Docter
Joyce Ester
Lori Gerval
Beth Grund
Teresa Klotz
Nancy Ludden
Nancy Pointer
Susan Seymour
Duane and Susan Spiegle
Lisa Wheeler
Geri Wilson
Thank youto our 2014Give to the Max Day GiveMN.org online donors!
FOUNDATION NOTES
Former Normandale head football coach and instructor Fred Moyer died peacefully in his sleep on
March 30, 2015. Moyer’s family hosted an on-campus celebration of his life on April 11.
In his 22 seasons, Moyer’s teams posted a 170-33-2 record. He led Normandale to 12 state
conference championships, 11 appearances postseason bowl games, and ten Top-10 national
rankings. Moyer also coached 32 All-Americans, and is ranked fourth among National Junior
College Athletic Association (NJCAA) football coaches in wins and winning percentage (.829). His
Normandale teams were ranked the NJCAA’s seventh-most successful national squad during the
1980s.
Moyer, who retired in 1991, was selected to the Minnesota Community College Conference Hall
of Fame in 1992 and inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2000.
SHOPPING WITH A SMILE
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will donate a portion of your purchase to the Foundation. Please shop through this site to support Normandale students and programs.
Check it out at: http://amzn.to/1BMm6fR
FRED MOYER, 1936-2015
ANNUAL GARDEN FESTIVAL
LEGENDARY FORMER NORMANDALE FOOTBALL COACH AND INSTRUCTOR PASSES AWAY AT AGE 78.
NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION BOARD JULY 2015-JUNE 2016
Check it out at: http://amzn.to/1BMm6fR
Former students who played under Coach Moyer gathered fora group photo at his memorial service.
18
FACES AND PLACES
19
Tutoring Center, continued from page 5
Center where she sees five to seven students at once. While
she works directly with one student at a time in those groups,
she’s noticed that other students pay attention and pick up
on things that help them. Nordlie also believes in modeling
skills the students need, along with guiding them toward
independent study with the skills they have learned.
“Once the students come in to use our services, they often
come back because they find it is helpful to get extra support
and instruction,” she says. “We try to show them how they
can be successful and provide them with the confidence to
apply those skills. I enjoy working with the students, so I want
them to come back. But my goal is to answer their questions
and foster independence by providing them with skills and
knowledge they can use on their own—and make sure that if
they do come back, it is for a different question.”
Come early and oftenA recent study conducted by the Tutoring Center showed that
students who visit during their first semester are more likely to
use it throughout their entire academic career. However, the
first semester is also the time students are least likely to use
it. “We continue to try to introduce ourselves to classes and
expand our overall awareness on campus,” says Perry. “Our
goal is to eliminate the stigma that we are a place for people
who can’t do well in their classes, and instead emphasize that
we are a place where people go to do well in classes.”
Based on the center’s recent growth and success, that
message seems to be getting across.
Antonia Felix, continued from page 8
MSNBC, NPR, PBS, the BBC, and other media outlets.
“As a scholar, educator, best-selling author and a highly
regarded performing artist, Antonia brings a strong training
background to her work with substantive credentials from
wonderful academic programs, but that is just the start of her
story,” says Mary Veronica Sweeney, director and executive
producer of Vera Icon Productions. “As a close friend and
colleague, I can say without hesitation that she is also a
magnetically engaging and inspiring person. Antonia has a
rare combination of artistic skills, wit, professional savvy, deep
intelligence, and caring about her role as a public intellectual
and humanitarian.”
Normandale instructor Lynette Reini-Grandell has worked with
Felix on a variety of projects and nominated her for the Alumni
Achievement Award. “I have interviewed Antonia on my radio
show and have volunteered with her on some writing-related
projects,” says Reini-Grandell. “I consider her a colleague, so it
was a pleasant surprise to find out she started her college career
at Normandale.”
After teaching at Emporia State University, Felix joined the
faculty of the Graduate School of Liberal Studies at Hamline
University in 2012. She has always enjoyed the academic
environment and has fond memories of Normandale. “I had
a great experience at Normandale that included memorable
moments with some great instructors,” she noted during
the college’s Scholarship and Donor Recognition Event.
“Normandale provided a great environment to learn and grow.”
Jake Slegers, continued from page 8
to work as a business reporter, journalist, and broadcaster. He
held that position for three years before joining the American
Chamber of Commerce in 1999 as a part-time deputy director.
He was named the organization’s executive director in 2000
and now oversees all aspects of the chamber’s operations,
including working extensively with the Slovak government.
On Nov. 4, 2014, Slegers was awarded the official Medal
of the President of the Slovak Republic by Slovak President
Andrej Kiska in recognition of his long-term contributions to
the development of Slovak-American economic relations and
his efforts in presenting Slovakia abroad.
Congratulations to these fine Normandale alumni!
ALUMNI NEWS
SEE THE POSITIVE IMPACTOF YOUR GENEROSITY
Donors often don’t get to see the impact their gifts have on
students. This video does just that. View it at www.normandale.
edu/foundation.
ALEX DELLA POLLA, ‘10Degree earned: AADella Polla received a degree in computer science from the University of Minnesota in May
2013, and two weeks later relocated to Detroit for a job with General Motors as a software developer. He works on international projects with GM’s website.
JILENA (ANDERSON)
SIMONSON, ‘13
Degree earned: AS
Married Matthew
Simonson on Sept. 13,
2014, and accepted a
full-time position with
Kroll Ontrack in March.
MAGGIE FALCO, ‘13Degree earned: AA Currently studying art as a visiting student at the Osaka University of Art in Osaka, Japan. “I’m a sculpture major at the Minneapolis
College of Art and Design,” she reports. “I will return to Minnesota in the fall and present my work created in Japan.”
JOHN ELLMAKER, ‘13Degree earned: AAWas awarded the 2014 Southwest Chamber of Commerce (Chanhassen, Minn.) Ambassador of the Year.
OLYA HOMONCHUK, ‘13Degree earned: AAHomonchuk recently graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in labor and industrial
relations. She was accepted to the Oxford University Master’s of Philosophy program
ALEX COOPER, ‘12Degree earned: AA Graduated in December 2014 with a 4.0 from Concordia University–Saint Paul with a Master of Arts in Strategic
Communication Management.
WISDOM YOUNG,
‘01
Degree earned: AA Shortly after completing her bachelor’s degree in sociology at the University of
Minnesota in 2004, Young took a job as an educator with Harvest Preparatory School in North Minneapolis. She serves on the school’s board of directors, and last year helped start a group called SHINE, which empowers middle school girls to love and express themselves while growing into confident young women.
KATHY STAGNI, ‘86
Degree earned: AA
Recently promoted
to human resources
coordinator at UCare.
BARBARA TEED, ‘07Degree earned: AAGraduated from Hamline University with an MLA in 2013 and was a journalism intern at the Twin Cities Daily Planet,
where she covered the Academy Awards live from the Red Carpet. Teed was retained as journalist at the Daily Planet and covered the Oscars two other times, most recently in 2015. She notes “I’m now the paper’s Minnesota State Fair reporter and have written many other Twin Cities-related articles. I’m currently producing a play for the 2015 Minnesota Fringe Festival based on my Hamline University thesis.”
in Comparative Social Policy, which accepts only four students annually. Homonchuk also recently wrote “A Meaningful Graduation,”an article for the Huffington Post about the importance of community college. You can find the article here: http://huff.to/1Lk6dio.
JENNIFER KOLTER, ‘12Degree earned: AAFinished her Masters of Oriental medicine in December and should have an acupuncture office open in 2016.
ADAOBI OKOLUE, ‘01Degree earned: AA Adaobi Okolue wears many hats. She’s a writer, communications strategist, artist, and the executive director of the Twin
Cities Daily Planet, a local online news resource. She’s also the founder and owner of Coloring Circles LLC, a Minneapolis marketing studio that works with nonprofit and community organizations, foundations, small businesses, and creative entrepreneurs to empower people and community.
ROSE MONHAUT, ‘14Degree earned: AAGraduated from Normandale one year ago, and finished her junior year at the University of Minnesota. She is
excited that she will be studying abroad this summer in Copenhagen, Denmark, for three weeks. After graduation, she plans to apply to law school.
JESSICA (OLSON) KNACK, ‘13Degree earned: ASGraduated with a BSN from Minnesota State University, Mankato on May 8, 2015. She now works for the Minnesota Gastroenterology Endoscopy Center.
If you are interested in being featured on our alumni “Faces and Places” page or know of an alum who should be, please visit our page at www.normandale.edu/facesandplaces.
Normandale Community College Foundation9700 France Avenue SouthBloomington, MN 55431-4399
Nonprofit Org.U.S.Postage
PAIDTwin Cities, MNPermit No. 913www.normandale.edu/foundation
Volume 11, Number 1
CREATING FUTURES
PRESIDENT: Joyce C. Ester, Ph.D.
FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Colleen Simpson
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Geoff Jones
EDITORS: Chris Mikko, Foundation staff
GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Karla Caspari
WRITERS: Nichole Axtman, Steven Geller, Brianna Malm, Colleen Simpson, Jayne TeVrucht
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Mark Daniels, Steven Geller, Jerry Holt, Pavel Ignatenkov, Geoff Jones, Sandy May, Richard Tsong-Taatarii
Normandale Community College Foundation9700 France Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55431-4399(952) 358-8147 • [email protected]
Creating Futures is published twice a year by the Normandale Community College Foundation.
The Normandale Community College Foundation depends upon contributions from individuals, businesses, organizations, foundations and the community to help respond to the educational needs of college students of all ages. Normandale Community College Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization. Tax ID: 41-1295802. If you do not wish to be contacted by mail or telephone, please write to the address indicated in the left column.
If you have received duplicate copies or would like to have your name removed from our mailing list, please contact (952) 358-8147.
Normandale Community College is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
This publication also may be found on the Web at www.normandale.edu/alumniFoundation or requested in alternate media by calling (952) 358-8623.
A MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SYSTEM
CAMPUS EVENTS CALENDAR
IMPORTANT 2015 FALL SEMESTER DATES ON CAMPUS
Aug. 24: Fall Semester classes begin
Sept. 7: Labor Day, no classes
Sept. 8: Involvement Fair, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Sept. 11: Fall semester weekend classes begin
Oct. 9: Roar N’ Red Fun Run and Walk
4 p.m., Normandale Campus
Oct. 15: 24th Annual Retireee Luncheon
11:30 a.m., Kopp Student Center Garden Room
Oct. 15-17: Faculty workshops, no classes
Nov. 11: Veteran’s Day, no classes
Nov. 12: Scholarship and Donor Recognition Event
5 p.m., Fine and Performing Arts Building
Nov. 26-27: Thanksgiving, no classes
THEATREPerformances in the Premanand and Black Box Theatres
The Gravedigger:A Frankenstein Playby Joseph ZettelmaierDirected by Anne ByrdOct. 28-31 & Nov. 4-5, 2015
Dr. Seward’s Draculaby Joseph ZettelmaierDirected by Sean ByrdOct. 28-31 & Nov. 4-7, 2015
The View from Hereby Margaret DulaneyDirected by Paran KashaniDecember 3-5, 2015
The Dining Roomby A. R. GurneyDirected byKathleen Bagby CoateFeb. 25-27 & March 2-5, 2016
The 25th Annual PutnamCounty Spelling BeeMusic and Lyrics by William FinnBook by Rachel SheinkinConceived by Rebecca FeldmanDirected by Paul CoateApril 21-23 & 28-30, 2016
CREATING FUTURES
CELEBRATION GALA
Saturday, April 30, 2016,
6:00 p.m.
Proceeds to support Normandale students
and programs.
It’s All About Relationships!We are here for you, reaching out to our community, students, donors, faculty, alumni, staff and retirees.
We are here to enlighten you with this magazine and encourage you to become involved at Normandale. We
need you! Rewarding volunteer or sponsorship opportunities exist for our events—spring gala, fall run/walk,
recognition events. We are grateful for every volunteer hour; for every dollar, be it for student scholarships,
emergency aid or the legacy of your name on a room or building. We are here to make a difference and
change lives, including yours! Heartfelt thanks for caring—and for sharing your time, talents and treasures!
Colleen Simpson
Executive Director, Normandale Foundation