Volume 9 Issue 12 December 2011 The DCE Connection Division of Continuing Education Kansas State University National Distance Learning Week Coming Soon Kansas State University celebrated National Distance Learning Week, November 7-11, 2011. The week was sponsored by the United States Distance Learning Association, a nonprofi t association supporting distance learning Student Appreciation research and development through educational training and communications. Lunch Thursday The week of celebration creates awareness and appreciation for distance December 8 learning and how it helps students reach their educational goals. Newsletter Deadline DCE’s activities throughout the week included a virtual scavenger hunt through Friday the Wildcat Success Road Map, daily trivia and prizes on the K-State Distance December 9 Facebook page, a short essay contest, links to free distance learning webinars offered through USDLA, activity for on-site testers, and more. DCE Holiday Party December 14 Throughout National Distance Learning 5:30-8:30 p.m. Week, the webpage received Prairiewood Retreat approximately 400 visits, “K-State Center Distance” gained 65 new Facebook friends, RSVP by December 8 82 on-site testers were scheduled and to Marla participated in on-site activities, 10 people completed the virtual scavenger hunt, and eight people submitted essay contest entries. The winner of the essay contest, Kathryn Kadlec, Master’s in Food Science, won the grand prize of a $100 Varney’s gift card, K-State distance giveaway item package, and will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Leading Edge newsletter. Thank you to Varney’s for their generous donation, and to all the DCE staff who made our fi rst-time participation in National Distance Learning Week a success! Page 1 DCE Staff involved with UFM Annual Meeting Bettie Minshall was recognized for six years of service on the UFM Board of Directors. She served as the board secretary during the past year. Trina McCarty was elected to a three-year term on the UFM Board of Directors to replace Bettie Minshall. Sue Maes was recognized as the fi rst director of UFM and longtime supporter of many of UFM’s programs. UFM in Wall Street Journal Check out page 4 for an article on Manhattan. UFM was mentioned by name!! K-State Olathe Events Manager Commercial Pesticide Applicators in the Kansas City Star Magazine Meet Renee Hultgren, CNCP program On November 2-3, almost 200 pesticide coordinator for K-State Olathe, was professionals met in McPherson, Kansas for the recently featured in a Star magazine 2011 Commercial Pesticide Applicators Training. article (a Sunday section of the Kansas This vital training helps pesticide applicators earn City Star). She spoke to the reporter professional development hours towards about her position, the animal health re-certifi cation with the Kansas Department of corridor, and some of the meetings she's planned Agriculture. Creepy crawly topics covered included for the Olathe facility. Click here to read more. agricultural pests, bed bugs, mosquitos, noxious weeds, rodent pest management, and many other relevant topics. 2+2 Media Blitz The Division of Continuing Education participated in three media events promoting the partnership with all 19 Kansas Community Colleges having 2+2 programs in General Business. The media events were held at Butler Community College on September 26, Allen Community College on October 31 and Barton Community College on November 7. The events included remarks by President Schulz, Sue Maes (Jennifer Pfortmiller), and the community college hosting the event. Other Community College presidents and representatives were on hand to talk with the media as well. Additionally at Allen Community College Nichole Schlesener talked about what this opportunity meant to her as an adult student graduating from Allen Community College with plans to complete her bachelor's degree through distance from K-State. At Barton Community College Nathan Legleiter, a current K-State distance student in general business, talked about his experience as a distance student. The media event was coordinated by University Communications and Marketing and the Division of Continuing Education Marketing and Communication Services offi ce. Participating in the three events from DCE were Sue Maes, Jennifer Pfortmiller, Lynda Spire, Rachel Schafer, Ron Jackson, Suzanne Lane and Sherry Staton. The results of the three media events include over 35 stories in various newspapers, radio and TV stations including a Nebraska radio station and a Joplin, Missouri TV station with media coverage reaching into a seven state area. Page 2 Feeling Stressed? The ultimate stress buster is simply learning how to Relax December can be a stressful month - try to find time to relax. Read a book! Exercise! Make time for your friends and family! A tired mind and body is more easily stressed - get enough sleep! Do something you love! Listen to music that you find relaxing! December Challenge: Tied to your computer - Try completing the “Do Nothing for 2 Minutes Challenge” at http://www.donothingfor2minutes.com “No matter how much pressure you feel at work, if you could fi nd ways to relax for at least fi ve minutes every hour, you’d be more productive.” -Dr. Joyce Brothers Trip to Indonesia Sue Maes and Dave Stewart met with K-State Alumni and took part in a visit to fi fteen institutions Engineering Students Graduating of higher education in Indonesia as part of a Seventeen engineering students will graduate this comprehensive educational partnership between the December with a master's degree earned via U.S. and Indonesia. Sue and Dave will be submit- distance education. Degrees earned include civil, ting a report on their trip and identifying areas for electrical, and mechanical engineering, operations potential collabaration in the weeks ahead. Click research, and engineering management. here to read the full news release. Shown to the right is John WCET Presentation and Award Laskowski, a civil engineering master's distance student who is Dana Reinert, Kathy Burkholder, graduating this December. He was and Suzy Hay attended WCET in recently on campus today to meet Denver, Oct 26-29. Suzy presented with his graduate committee and "A Suite of Student Services." take his fi nal exam. Dana is a member of the Steering Committee and Suzy is on the Planning Committee for WCET. While there, they picked up the WOW Award for University Life Cafe. Suzy is shown with the award. Page 3 2+2 Signings Colby Community College New programs signed were: - Associate of Arts in General Studies to a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Human Services - Associate of Arts in Sociology to a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Human Services Back row: Ron Jackson, Program Coordinator, K-State Division of Continuing Education; Keegan Nichols, VP of Student Services; Linda Nelson, Transfer and Articulation Specialist; Bob Selby, Department Chair; Joyce Washburn, Dean of Academics; Jennifer Pfortmiller, K-State Affi liate Site Manager; Karen Pence, Assistant Dean of K-State College of Human Ecology. Front row: Sue Maes, Dean of K-State Division of Continuing Education; Dr. Stephen Vacik, CCC President. Dodge City Community College New programs signed were: - Associate of Science to Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Social Science - Associate of Arts to Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Social Science - Associate of General Studies to Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Human Services - Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science/EMS to Bachelor of Science in Technology Management Front row: Michael Ahern, Executive Vice President for College Affairs and Learning; President Don Woodburn; Sue Maes; Karen Pence. Back Row: Don Von Bergen; Ron Jackson; Jennifer Pfortmiller; Brent Unruh, Professor of Fire Science/EMS; Danny Gillum, Vice President of Innovation and Workforce Development. Garden City Community College New programs signed were: - Associate of Science to Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Social Science - Associate of Arts to Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Social Science - Associate of Science to Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Human Services - Associate of Arts to Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Human Services - Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science to Bachelor of Science in Technology Management Front row, from left:Dee Wigner, vice president for fi nance and operations; Cricket Turley, director of human resources; Jennifer Pfortmiller; Don von Bergen. Second row, from left: Debbie Atkinson, executive assistant to the president; Winsom Lamb, social science instructor; Judy Whitehill, Social Science Division director; Karen Pence; Dr. Lenora Cook, dean of technical education; Beth Tedrow, retired dean of student services; Ron Jackson. Back row, from left: Deanna Mann, assistant to the president for grants and accreditation; Linda Morgan, criminal justice instructor and Department of Public Safety director; Renee Harbin (partially obscured), business instructor; Sue Maes; Dr. Herbert J. Swender, president. Page 4 Reminder on where to save the MCS Forms The forms used by the Duplicating/Mail Center and Marketing and Communication Services are located at W:\public\MCS-FORMS\MCS_Forms_Shortcuts. When you go to this location on the share drive, you may choose to make a shortcut for your desktop. You can do this by using a right click on your mouse on the shortcuts folder and dragging to your desktop and selecting the “Create shortcut here” option. When