College News - Week of Jan. 23

President Hamann updated the college on the status of the bond initiative at his winter forum held Jan. 15. Due to state grant money tied to the project, the first initiative will be the expansion of the Advanced Transportation Technology Center in Lebanon to include the Heavy Equipment/Diesel Technology program. Plans are to break ground in June to start the first phase of the construction, with construction to be finished by the end of the 2015. The next project in line will be the new Health Occupations Center, to be built on the Samaritan Health campus in Lebanon, with construction to begin in the spring of 2016. This project also includes an $8 million state grant. The Benton Center project will begin with construction of the new parking garage, to be built in partnership with Samaritan Health. Once the parking structure is finished, work will begin on the new addition for instructional space at the center. On the Albany campus, Industrial buildings IA, IB and IC, along with Takena Hall, will be the final projects. After the Heavy Equipment/Diesel program moves to the ATTC, the IB building, along with the vacancy created by the Automotive program move from IA, will provide room to expand Machine Tool, Mechatronics and Welding programs on the Albany campus. Takena Hall renovations will include re-purposing space now occupied by the Nursing program, which will be moving to the new Health Occupations facility in Lebanon. The college also received a $1.5 million grant to use for seismic upgrade to Takena Hall.

Governor John Kitzhaber toured the Advanced Transportation Technology Center Wednesday, Jan. 21, getting a firsthand view of the new training facility for automotive students. Second-year students Jeff Pendleton and Nicholas Garber showcased a Benton County Sheriff’s vehicle, which the students helped to convert to run on propane, and various other alternative fuel vehicles that are used for training. “It’s a great example of taking the increased demand for jobs in a changing workplace and creating opportunities for students on career paths,” said Kitzhaber in a recent Democrat Herald news story.

Governor John Kitzhaber tours the ATTC in Lebanon Wednesday, Jan. 21.

At Wednesdays Board of Education meeting, board member Jim Merryman outlined an industry led request to the Albany City Council on Monday that would bring more than $2.9 million from Albany Economic Development Funds to LBCC to use for manufacturing training, education and equipment. The proposal grew out of a joint effort of Albany area businesses, Greater Albany Public Schools, Albany and Lebanon Chambers of Commerce and LBCC to provide a workforce of high-level technically skilled individuals to benefit local industry.

Renee McKitterick recently joined the Benton Center as lead ceramics faculty, replacing Jay Widmer who retired last summer. Originally from Ohio, Renee moved to Oregon from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she earned a Master’s of Fine Art in Studio Arts at the University of New Mexico. Renee has taught a variety of studio art classes at both the university and at Central New Mexico Community College. Welcome aboard, Renee!





Insider published by: LBCC Advancement Marketing Office
Writer/Editor: Lori Fluge-Brunker, Communications Specialist, College Advancement

College News - Week of Oct. 10

Christy Stevens (center) leads a discussion with
K-12, LBCC and OSU educators.

Educators from six local high schools, LBCC, and OSU held a joint meeting for the first time to identify learning outcomes for practicum classes. Students who want to become teachers take these classes as a pre-student teaching experience. The classes can be taken at the high school, community college or university level. The group initiated the process of identifying common learning outcomes for college practicum classes, called cadet teaching at the high school level. Christy Stevens, director of the Valley Coast Partnership for Student Success and LBCC faculty member, co-facilitated the meeting with Carol McKiel, director of LBCC High School Partnerships. Additionally, the team is identifying course content and course delivery with a specialized focus on math instruction - a goal of the Valley Coast Partnership. LBCC students may enroll in a special math practicum class spring term.

LBCC won a $10,000 student scholarship video contest held by College Scheduler, the software used to help students create their term schedules. Rob Priewe and the LBCC Advising Committee organized a video testimonial about how our students use College Scheduler, which was filmed and edited by LBCC student and aspiring videographer, Andrew Walpole. College Scheduler voted on the top three video submissions, and our college won in a random drawing of the top three. The Advising Committee and the college Foundation will work on how best to distribute the scholarship funds.
LBCC’s video submission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93UKIRaGKoY 

Final drawing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4cmUJsE3-I

Campus High School Programs has moved to the Career and Counseling Center. Program advisors are Larry Anderson and Tiffany Madriaga. Liliane Moynihan is support staff and Lynne Cox is managing. The High School Partnerships Program, under the direction of Carol McKiel, will remain upstairs in Takena Hall. Campus High School Programs is one way for high school students to take college classes. High School Partnerships includes College Now and Perkins, and focuses on partnerships with local schools to promote student development, college-readiness, pathways from high school to college, and student progression and completion.

LBCC’s baseball team will play its last non-conference scrimmage game Sunday, Oct. 12 against Everett Community College at 10 a.m. at OSU's Goss Stadium. Coach Ryan Gipson has a current team roaster of 33 players, with 40 percent of the players from the local area, per the initial contract agreement with the college. The team will begin its first conference season play in the spring.

LBCC Baseball Team 2014-2015

LBCC’s Foundation received a grant for $10,300 from the Oregon Cultural Trust to produce an original play, titled “Bridges,” which focuses on the lives, experiences and challenges of Latino families living in Independence, Oregon. Inspired by a request from Independence Mayor John McArdle, the play will be produced by LBCC theater instructor Tinamarie Ivey over the next year.

The college will host three information forums, open to the public, to explain the projects that will be funded by passage of Bond Measure 22-130. Below are conceptual drawings of the projects. The drawings will also be available at the forums. Forums will be held: Tuesday, Oct. 21, 5:30 p.m., Albany campus, Calapooia Center building, room CC-103; Wednesday, Oct. 22, 5:30 p.m., Benton Center, room BC-107; and Thursday, Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m., Lebanon Center Annex Building. The Samaritan campus drawing shows the LBCC Health Occupations Center building directly behind COMP-Northwest (the building is unmarked in the drawing). The ATTC drawing shows the Heavy Equipment/Diesel training building on the left.

Benton Center additions.

LBCC Health Occupations Center behind COMP-NW, in Lebanon.

ATTC in Lebanon, with Heavy Equip/Diesel building on left. 

Insider published by: LBCC Advancement Marketing Office
Writer/Editor: Lori Fluge-Brunker, Communications Specialist, College Advancement

LBCC Staff and Students Awarded at Oregon Potter’s Association Ceramics Show

Annclaire Greig, Best New Potter's Association member.

Anthony Gordon, first place "Breaking Free" sculpture.

Several LBCC staff and students won awards at the Oregon Potter’s Association 31st Annual Ceramic Showcase held in Portland April 26-28.  This event is the nation's largest pottery show and sale.

First place purchase award went to Anthony Gordon, LBCC Benton Center ceramics instructional assistant, for his horse sculpture "Breaking Free."

Best new Oregon Potters Association member award went to LBCC ceramics student Annclaire Greig.

Oregon Potters Association members were invited to submit two wall tile pieces into a juried show to be displayed in Japan for the month of October.

The tiles will be displayed along with wall tiles made by potters in the Hokkaido Potters Society, Japan.

Tiles chosen for the Hokkaido exhibit were by Leslie Green and Javier Cervantes. Leslie is a Tile and Raku ceramics instructor at the Benton Center. Javier is director of Diversity and Community Engagement at the Albany campus.

LBCC Celebrates Pink Day

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. In recognition of the month, and those who have been touched by cancer, Patti Ball, Russell Tripp Performance Center theater coordinator, has organized an annual LBCC Pink Day, encouraging faculty, staff and students to dress in pink and come out to the courtyard for a photo. She also gets the centers to participate, and share their photos as well.

LBCC Pink Day, Albany campus

LBCC Pink Day, Benton Center

LBCC Pink Day, Lebanon Center