Week of February 8, 2016

This year, MVCC hosted the second annual Winterfest cel- On the Rome campus, staff handed out mashed potato ebration on both the Rome and Utica bowls, hot chocolate, and coffee to ward off the chill and offer Campuses. The celebration lasted two students the opportunity to socialize in the Atrium. days and included repeat favorites, like The Resident Dining Hall was closed and the MV Commons Pet Therapy, while offering new pro- Snack Bar was transformed into a Luau party for students, grams too! Both campuses enjoyed a faculty, staff, and community members on Thursday night. This caricature artist, s’mores and a SPAM party included a mechanical surfboard and a themed dinner, Sundae Eating contest. In this wacky complete with decorations and games. Approximately 300 event, students spun a wheel to deter- students and 70 staff and community members enjoyed the mine what ‘toppings’ they enjoyed with festivities. their SPAM. Options included: Hersey’s MVCC Student Kevin Parker shared his story of personal tri- Chocolate Syrup, Maple Syrup, Twizzler Bites, Marshmallows, umph on the Utica Campus. This DGV event attracted over 130 Whipped Cream, Caramel Bites, Junior Mints, or Dried Tropi- people who were affected by his emotional story of survival in cal Fruit Blend. Participants walked away with a cool t-shirt and his program entitled World Champion Survivor. This event will possibly a stomachache. be replicated on the Rome Campus in April. You may have noticed a tent and a pool on the Utica campus. Special thanks to the many MVCC employees who made this While all were invited to take the MVCC Polar Plunge, nine possible for both campuses, including Sodexo, facilities, the students earned with shirts that indicated they survived it! See print shop, marketing, athletics, alumni, the healthy lifestyles photos for the priceless expressions of those brave individuals. workgroup, and residence life. One student even came back later to jump a second time. A winter party was held in IT 225, allowing students to play large screen video games and enjoy treats. Two of our art faculty, Jed Kimball and Jim Vitale, were on hand to teach party goers the basics of drawing. A few staff even tried their hand at this, but the art students who participated really showcased our wonderful art program and talent.

1 Communitas CSTEP hosts MATH Counts competition

CSTEP hosted the 34th Annual Na- tional MATH Counts competition on Feb. 6, on the Utica Campus. The event, sponsored by the Oneida/ Mohawk Chapter of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers, is a combination math coaching and competition aimed at improving math skills of seventh and eighth grade students throughout the U.S. Locally, 36 students from area school districts participated, with many family HELPING THE ARC - Dan Yoxall and Mark Saxe accpted the awards of recognition at the ARC Breakfast for members and friends in attendance to helping to train the organization’s clients. cheer them on. The top “math-letes” were awarded trophies. The top three perform- ing schools were New Hartford’s Perry Facilities staff honored by ARC Jr. High, Clinton Middle School, and the Members of the MVCC faculty and staff are deeply rooted in the Mohawk Valley and Utica Academy of Science. heavily involved in community organizations that help our neighbors. The top three individual students were Recently the Facilities and Operations Department was recognized for its work from Perry Junior High - David Li, Mehm- within the community. During the annual awards banquets, members of the facilities et Cetinkaya, and Nicole Farkouh. staff was on hand to accept this award. The facilities department was honored for partnering with the ARC of Oneida and Lewis County on a School to Work Program. This program, called YES/COPS, provides a transition for students with disabilities that is meant to improve outcomes after high school. The students are on-site for half a day, being supervised by the facilities department, in order to learn work-life skills, work skills, and appropriate workplace behaviors through job shadowing and intern- ships. The on-site work is important to help the students learn specific job duties through visual, verbal, and hands-on work tasks and directives with the support and assistance of a coordinator. Information session

Facts about blood needs • Every two seconds someone in the on UAS/Drone training U.S. needs blood. Are you interested in learning more about drones but don’t know where to start? If • Approximately 36,000 units of red so, this free information session is for you. Representatives of Mohawk Valley Com- blood cells are needed every day. munity College’s Center for Corporate and Community Education and the STEM • Nearly 7,000 units of platelets and Center, as well as SkyOp, LLC, will discuss the variety of opportunities in Drone/Un- 10,000 units of plasma are needed daily. manned Aerial Systems training. Training options include both hands-on classroom- • Nearly 21 million blood components style classes and online options. Area media representatives are also invited to this are transfused each year in the U.S. event. • The average red blood cell transfusion The information session will take place at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, in Alumni Col- is approximately three pints. lege Center Room 116, on MVCC’s Utica Campus, 1101 Sherman Drive. All media • The blood type most often requested and interested members of the community are welcome. Pre-registration is not by hospitals is Type O. required. A demonstration of the flight of an actual UAS vehicle will take place and • The blood used in an emergency is representatives will be available for questions. already on the shelves before the event occurs. Training information: • More than 1.6 million people were • Introduction to Small Unmanned Aerial Systems: Saturdays, March 5-19 expected to be diagnosed with cancer • DIY Drone Assembly: Tuesdays, April 5-26 in 2015. Many of them will need blood, • Current State of UAS (Drones) Standards & Regulations: Online classes start sometimes daily, during their chemo- monthly therapy treatment. • UAS (Drones) For First Responder Leadership: Online classes start monthly • A single car accident victim can require Online classes for UAS (Drones) in Precision Agriculture start monthly. For informa- as many as 100 pints of blood. tion or to register for a spring class, call 315.792.5300 or visit mvcc.edu/cced.

2 Communitas Rosic named director of Learning Commons MVCC has appointed Ibrahim Rosic to the new position of Director of the Learning Commons in the Center for Lan- guage and Learning Design, in which he will systemize and oversee all Learning Commons operations in collabora- tion with the Pathway to Graduation Team to develop and maintain Rosic a comprehensive and responsive academic support program. Other duties include recruiting, hiring, training, and supervising all tutors, study group leaders, and completion coaches; and tracking the effectiveness of Path- way to Graduation. Ibrahim has been an MVCC employee since 2002, holding various positions BEING MADE TO FEEL AT HOME – The College hosted its New Employee Orientation (NEO) activities ear- including adjunct instructor in mathemat- lier this month, which is designed to create a welcoming, connecting, informative introduction to the College ics, math tutor and mentor in the Tutor- setting for new members of the MVCC community. The emphasis is on creating interpersonal connections ing Center, coordinator of the Learning between new members themselves, within their specific departmental areas and with the College leadership Center, and director of the Learning team. The day includes a short interactive multimedia presentation of the College’s strategic plan and cultural paradigm, a complete nuts and bolts servicing of practical needs such as computers, keys, passwords, and Center. He earned his associate degree such, lunch with the College Cabinet and others, and an introduction to the StrengthsQuest assessment tool, in electrical engineering technology from including how the College incorporates StrengthsFinder into daily activities. The emphasis throughout the MVCC, and his bachelor’s and master’s day is on a warm and welcoming atmosphere. degrees in electrical engineering technology and advanced technology, respec- tively, from SUNYIT. The Pathway to Graduation Project was made possible by funding allocated through a Title III grant that MVCC earned through the Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program. The grant, totaling just over $2 million over five years, is allowing MVCC to relocate the current Learning Center (2,830 sq. ft.) into a new Learning Com- mons space (8,714 sq. ft.). This will help the College to help struggling students after admissions data is analyzed. The Commons will co-locate the func- tions of tutoring, study groups, library resources, computer labs, technical assistance, an iTeach Learning Lab for faculty/staff, and seminar areas. There will be also be five Completion Coach offices in this location. Renovations include comfortable workstations, group study rooms with smart technology, math and writing labs equipped with updated computers, and tutor and faculty offices.

3 Communitas Rome construction moving forward

Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket in concert The MVCC Cultural Series will stream with the album “Dulcinea,” present a concert by Glen Phillips, which again found one of its singer of chart-topping band Toad singles, “Fall Down,” in heavy ra- the Wet Sprocket, at 8 p.m. Friday, dio rotation. After six albums and a Feb. 26, in Schafer Theater. substantial string of hits, the group Tickets are $15 general, $10 for disbanded in 1998. MVCC employees, and free for Phillips then began touring as MVCC students. a solo act, and has released five Phillips, songwriter, singer, and solo records and two EPs, and guitarist of Toad the Wet Sprocket, has collaborated on many other started the band in Santa Barbara projects projects. Toad the Wet at age 15. It was their third album, Sprocket reunited in 2006 and has 1991’s “Fear,” that brought them toured off and on since. into the spotlight, garnering heavy There are more than 100 sched- radio play with the singles “All I uled Cultural Series events this Want” and “Walk on the Ocean.” spring. For the complete series After three years away from the lineup and ticket sales, visit www. recording studio, Toad the Wet mvcc.edu/culture. Sprocket returned to the main-

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