Volume 15 Issue 2 Fall 2019 also in this issue Culinary Arts Instructors, pg 8 Class of 2019, pg 12 Alumni Spotlight, pg 22 Friends of Saint Paul College Now Accepting International Students Saint Paul College is now approved through the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to accept international students. The first international students will start in Fall 2019. We have over 50 different associate degree and numerous transfer options to four-year institutions. An international student is not a U.S. citizen and not an immigrant. A non-immigrant F-1 student visa will be needed to attend college. Saint Paul College can also accept applications from an international student with an F-1 visa already in the U.S. studying at a different institution. Saint Paul College will admit F-1 international students for the fall and spring semester starts. Carol Myint is the new F-1 international student ON THE COVER advisor and is available to answer any questions about the international student services. She can be reached at [email protected] Saint Paul College or 651.403.4177. Culinary Arts graduate Rebecca Jackson. Saint Paul College Magazine is published two times per year for current and future students, alumni and friends of Saint Paul College. Direct correspondence: Saint Paul College TRIO students at the commencement ceremony on May 16, 2019. TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is a college success program for 235 Marshall Avenue nontraditional aged students that provides individualized advising, transfer planning, team-building & leadership development, and a get started Saint Paul, MN 55102 supportive community focused on empowering students to succeed at Saint Paul College. 651.846.1600 at SAINT PAUL COLLEGE saintpaul.edu EASY STEPS For information about Saint Paul College alumni programs, visit saintpaul.edu/alumni. apply to Saint Paul College EXECUTIVE EDITOR saintpaul.edu/Apply Audrey Bergengren [email protected] take the ACCUPLACER® assessment MANAGING EDITOR Pam Allen Got college credits? Call 651.846.1555 or visit One Stop [email protected] (room 1300) to see if your assessment can be waived STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER saintpaul.edu/Assessment Ryan Mayer [email protected] register for course(s) DESIGNER Use your eServices log-in. Thao Nguyen [email protected] saintpaul.edu/eServices ©2019 Saint Paul College. All rights reserved. Saint Paul College is an equal opportunity educator and employer. This document is available in alternative fill out the Free Application for formats to individuals with disabilities by contacting the Director of Access & Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Disability Resources at 651.846.1547 or Saint Paul College FAFSA Code = 005533 [email protected]. www.fafsa.gov Saint Paul College, A Member of Minnesota State 2 SAINT PAUL COLLEGE | FALL 2019 |Fall saintpaul.edu Semester Starts August 26 CONTENTS 04 07 10 12 16 20 FEATURE STUDENT Q&A PROGRAM NEWS & NOTES MAJOR FRIENDS OF SAINT PAUL COLLEGE Saint Paul Regel Warneke '19 HIGHLIGHTS SkillsUSA PROGRAMS College Saint Paul College Power of YOU Competition Fall Programs Student Profile Culinary Graduate, Business PSEO Arts Alum Management AS Outstanding Featured President’s Postsecondary Educators Programs Scholarship Enrollment Options Recipients TRIO students at the commencement ceremony on May 16, 2019. TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is a college success program for nontraditional aged students that provides individualized advising, transfer planning, team-building & leadership development, and a supportive community focused on empowering students to succeed at Saint Paul College. At Saint Paul College, our first priority is to provide circle. It has been an honor students with an extraordinary education. We and privilege to serve our provide opportunities for multiple pathways, and faculty, staff, students, the students themselves mold these opportunities and community as the into their personal successes. But education is President/CEO of Saint not an end. It is a means to an end, culminating Paul College since 2011. in economic opportunity so graduates, at any I sincerely thank all who level of postsecondary education, can provide for have chosen Saint Paul College to be a part of themselves and their families. their lives, whether as students, employees or I have long been an advocate for community and providing support to and for the College and our technical colleges - I started my college education students. When our students and community do at a two-year college, and that experience made well, we all prosper. We, at Saint Paul College, an incredible impact on my life. As so many of you are committed to constructing bridges of hope, know, I will be retiring as the President/CEO of opportunity, and success for our students and Saint Paul College at the end of June 2019, so my community. journey with higher education has now come full -Rassoul Dastmozd, Ph.D., President/CEO saintpaul.edu | FALL 2019 | SAINT PAUL COLLEGE 3 A Chef’s Choice Saint Paul College Culinary Arts Program graduates are choosing to take their careers in fresh directions. "Saint Paul College Culinary Arts students are in front of live diners from their first semester until graduation. They gain industry experience, and they participate in service projects that allow them to learn while networking and gaining volunteer experience." -Nathan Sartain, Culinary Arts Instructor the Storytelling Chef For a Saint Paul College Culinary Arts student, Growing up, Peter Vang learned the art of his there’s no telling what a day might hold. traditional Hmong culture cooking from his Preparing and serving breakfast to hundreds of parents, and decided to turn that knowledge into students, demonstrating healthy cooking for local a career after working a series of “dead end” jobs. physicians, learning how to carve an ice sculpture, touring a local organic farm, tasting wine and “I choose Saint Paul College cheese from around the world, and creating elaborate catered dinner events for the College because it was an affordable way to are just the beginning of the opportunities the culinary education I wanted,” available. With such hands-on, well-rounded says Vang. “After starting the culinary training, it’s no surprise that Saint Paul program, every day felt like a new College Culinary Arts graduates are tailoring beginning – I would never get tired careers to fit their desires and passions. of going into the kitchen to cook “Our students come to us with a variety of goals something up and learn from the – some want the traditional restaurant career, amazing chefs.” some want to own a restaurant, and others want to be teachers or have a job in public health After graduating in 2016, Vang began his catering or social justice,” says Nathan Sartain, culinary business, Paj Ntaub Cuisine. “Paj Ntaub means arts instructor and program director. “In our Hmong flower cloth and represents the stories my service-oriented program they gain the skills and people tell through their food and cuisine,” says experience they need to achieve those goals.” Vang. “Now I am able to tell my story through food and impact others as well.” 4 SAINT PAUL COLLEGE | FALL 2019 | saintpaul.edu A Chef’s Choice Saint Paul College Culinary Arts Program graduates are choosing to take their careers in fresh directions. the Corporate Culinologist Kitchen work always had a magnetic pull for Erik Jones; though he tried attending a four-year college after high school, he ended up looking forward to his part-time restaurant shifts more than his classes and eventually quit school to cook full-time at restaurants and hotels around the world. “When I was in my mid-twenties I decided to get my the Sustainable Food Advocate Culinary Arts degree, and found Saint Paul College A marketing and business job with a packaged to be the right fit for me,” says Jones. gourmet foods company started Rebecca “The value and reputation was excellent, Jackson’s culinary career. “Through my company’s and the night classes allowed me to philanthropic efforts, I was connected with a non- continue working full-time while in school.” profit organization where I began volunteering to run youth and family cooking classes,” she says. Throughout the program Jones’ interest in food “This fed my desire to get closer to working with science grew, and he began to explore other food directly." careers outside of the traditional hospitality path. He discovered the Culinology program "I chose Saint Paul College because at Southwest Minnesota State University, and its Culinary Arts program aligned Saint Paul College’s transfer program enabled with my interests and values in him to complete his bachelor’s degree with only scratch cooking, well-grown food, two additional years of education. “Today I have and sustainable food systems.” my dream job as the Corporate Sous Chef and Culinologist at Land O’ Lakes,” says Jones. “My After graduating, Jackson began working at Wise Saint Paul College education rooted my food Acre Eatery, a farm-owned scratch kitchen, where passion and experience with a formal education, she further honed her passion for scratch cooking, giving me the skills and knowledge necessary to working with in-season product, and the importance advance my career and achieve my goals.” of healthy growing practices. “From there I cooked in a few other kitchens, then merged my two continued on page 6 backgrounds and took a job directing the Shared Ground Farmers’ Cooperative,” says Jackson. “We work with small immigrant and minority farmers to develop a more just and diversified food system, and I can combine my business skills, values, and beliefs with the knowledge I gained from working in the culinary world to help bring fresh, local, and sustainably grown produce from a diverse group of growers to market.” saintpaul.edu | FALL 2019 | SAINT PAUL COLLEGE 5 A Chef’s Choice, continued from page 5 the Community Educator the Indigenous Food Ambassador For Julia Cohen, food is a way of life.