A newsletter from your community college March 2021 Get to know our faculty. Story inside. Lisa Bickel appointed to Board of Trustees The Triton College Board of Trustees with both a Professional Educators to the policy making process of the recently announced that Lisa Bickel License and an English as a Second Board. As a former Triton College has been chosen as its newest Language (ESL) endorsement. She student, I will also bring the student’s trustee. She fills the position vacated is in her seventh year of teaching perspective as well.” by Donna Peluso, who retired from elementary school in District 89, Bickel earned her Bachelor of Arts in the Board in August after almost which serves Maywood, Melrose business and communications from 28 years of service. Bickel will serve Park and Broadview. the University of Iowa, her Master of in the position until April 2021, at “I’m honored to have been selected Arts in teaching elementary education which time she will seek election to to fill the vacancy on the Triton from Concordia University and has complete the remaining two years of College Board.” Bickel remarked. received her ESL endorsement from the term. “I feel that I can be a positive Dominican University. Bickel resides in Bickel, a lifelong resident of the Triton contributor to the Board, and that Elmwood Park with her husband and district, is an experienced teacher I can bring a teacher’s perspective two children. Triton serving as one of the largest vaccination sites in Cook County Triton College serves as one of Cook County’s largest vaccination sites. (From left) Cook County Commissioner Peter Silvestri and Triton College Trustees Lisa Bickel and Diane Viverito tour the Cook County Health COVID-19 vaccination site located on Triton College’s campus. In February, Triton College began of Trustees. “There are different ways members are helping to register “It has been a pleasure working with serving as one of Cook County for a community college to serve its patients, administer the vaccine and the dedicated professionals at Cook Health’s (CCH) COVID-19 vaccination communities, and we take pride in remain in the observation area after County who are working so hard to distribution sites. CCH administers meeting needs in this capacity.” the vaccine is administered, Mora said. get people vaccinated,” said John vaccinations Monday through Iliana Mora, Chief Operating Officer “I am pleased that Triton College Lambrecht, Triton College Associate Saturday by appointment only in for the Cook County Health system can serve as a vital resource at such Vice President of Facilities. T Building, which is on Triton’s for ambulatory and vaccine sites, said a critical time,” said Mary-Rita Moore, Appointments can be made at East Campus. they expect to give out 600 vaccines President of Triton College. vaccine.cookcountyil.gov. “Triton College is here to serve, and per day, or about 3,600 vaccines per Triton worked with Cook County No walk-ins are being accepted. this is just another example of how week, when the site is running at and identified approximately 8,000 Individuals without Internet access we fulfill our mission to serve the full capacity. square feet of space in T Building for or who need assistance scheduling community,” said Mark Stephens, Under the health department’s use, making Triton one of the largest can call (833) 308-1988 Chairman of the Triton College Board management, Illinois National Guard vaccination locations in the county. (7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday-Friday). The Workforce Equity Initiative Grant funds professional certificates Triton College was awarded a $1 at a dead-end job. Then he started Jose Hernandez (not pictured) “The WEI Program was a really million Workforce Equity Initiative learning ethical hacking and found a Automotive Program complete program. They helped me (WEI) Grant for the second time from love for data. to get a certificate, they also gave Jose Hernandez is a school bus the Illinois Community College Board me guidance on how to structure my “I went from being a part-time technician. He received an hourly (ICCB) to provide no-cost job training resume and how to improve my job coder and video editor to becoming wage increase after completing the to in-district residents. interviewing skills,” Contreras said. a full-time ethical hacker. The WEI Automotive Certificate. “The grant has allowed the college to Program provided me with everything “My experience has been amazing. provide free access to education for I needed to change job roles,” Duncan The WEI Program allowed me our residents that have the desire to said. “The program helped me fill to experience college. I would upgrade their skills, but have limited knowledge gaps and expanded the recommend this certificate program to financial resources,” said Mary-Rita way I think. As an ethical hacker, I others because you can learn valuable Moore, Triton College president. need to know everything about how life skills,” Hernandez said. “I liked the data operates.” In 2021, the program was expanded small class size the most and one-on- from nine to 13 certificates in the one interactions with the program health care, automotive, business counselors.” and information technology, and After his positive experience with the horticulture industries. WEI Program, Jose felt motivated to “I have had the pleasure of further his education and enrolled witnessing an individual go from in courses to complete an associate the point of interest in a certificate degree at Triton. program to becoming employed in Lucia Contreras their desired industry. There is no EKG Technician Program “I recommend the WEI Program better feeling,” said Lee Jackson, because it helps with more than Ed.D., executive director of the Despite having a medical degree from just classes, it also prepares you to Workforce Equity Initiative. Mexico, Lucia Contreras was unable to enter the job market. We all want to find work in the United States. She did Students from the 2020 WEI improve our education to get better not speak English and did not know Program shared their experience. job opportunities,” Lucia said. how to start a job search. Lucia learned Glenn Duncan “I wouldn’t change my experience of the WEI Program while enrolled as A+ Micro Technician Certification in the WEI Program for anything in an English as a Second Language (ESL) the world. Plain and simple – if you Before the program, Glenn Duncan student at Triton College. want to be successful, then this is the was learning to code but felt stuck program for you.” Spotlight on Triton’s Faculty “The reason I have credibility as a own production company – Thorn digital imaging from Governors State teacher and the reason students Creek Productions. University and a Bachelor of Fine respond to my instruction is McClellan’s producer and director Arts in acting from the University of because I’m very actively engaged credits include King In Chicago, a Hartford. Currently, he is completing in filmmaking, so I have a lot of documentary about Martin Luther Others Before Self, a documentary on hands-on practical advice and King’s role in the Chicago Freedom Tibetan refugee children in the Indian contemporary advice.” movement for PBS-Chicago and the Himalayas. – Seth McClellan Education Channel. His documentary, In a supportive video message to Communications Department Little Wound’s Warriors, which students and the Triton community Since coming to Triton in 2009, portrayed the struggles of the Lakota McClellan said, “You can’t fix this Seth McClellan has taught Mass Sioux Native American Indian tribe, scary and complex situation that we Communications courses in digital won the Public Service Award at the are all in. But you can control how video production, video editing and 2016 American Indian Film Festival you respond to this chaos,” referring cinema appreciation. McClellan has in San Francisco. He also coproduced to changes due to the coronavirus several filmmaking credits, including the fictional film Chicago Heights. It pandemic. He encouraged students to producing, directing, editing and features interrelated vignettes from take a class or finish a degree program. acting. He is a SAG/AFTRA member the imagination of an elderly writer “Learn a new set of skills so that on and has worked on several fictional as he reflects on his life. the other side of this thing you and films, as well as award-winning McClellan holds a Master of Fine your family are safer and stronger.” documentaries. He also runs his Arts degree in independent film and triton.edu New Triton College transfer partner agreements There are six new transfer and family health and dynamics, Central College and can also qualify to complete an associate degree partnerships with Illinois four-year as well as data and engineering. for merit scholarships. Triton Scholars at Triton College, then transfer institutions. The agreements allow Then students can plan their Triton Program students automatically into a bachelor’s degree program Triton students to experience a coursework to correspond to the qualify to be part of the NCC honors online. Students can choose from seamless transition of courses and transfer pathway. program. the following majors: accounting, credits, and some allow students business management, criminal to receive advising from the target justice, organizational leadership, university before enrolling. The types agribusiness, digital media and of partnerships include guaranteed social work. admission programs, 2+2 and 3+1 Columbia College Chicago transfer agreements. Interested Guaranteed Admissions Lewis University 3+1 Program students should visit the Transfer Agreement A.A. in Criminal Justice at Triton Center and receive guidance about College to B.A. in Criminal Justice Columbia College Chicago now navigating the specific partnership at Agreement provides scholarship opportunities their desired institution.