Success Insider
Everything Student Development - November 2015
In the world of academic advising
Aggie Day at McLennan
Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Visit with recruiters from Texas A&M about the transfer process.
Fall PD Day
Friday, November 6, 2015, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m..
Fall Scholar Day
Friday, November 20, 2015, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Learn about the accomplishments of your fellow McLennan Students in art, engineering, marketing, Honors College, music, Sciences, and other disciplines.
Transfer Thursday
Thursday, November 19, 2015, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Representatives from Texas State, Texas Tech, Texas Woman’s University, Baylor, and Grand Canyon University will be on hand.
Thanksgiving Holidays
Wednesday, November 25 – Saturday, November 28, 2015.
pictures of Ami, Taylor, Laura, & Celina at UTSA’s Academic Advising Conference
New Student Orientation for SPring 2016
New student orientation continues for students coming in for Spring 2016. Student Development will continue our two-part process with the on-line Orientation followed by the face-to-face Connections sessions offered in November, December, and January. Once students complete Orientation, they will be prompted to choose a Connections date from the on-line calendar via Registerblast.
Both parts are required for all students new to MCC.
Dates offered:
November 4, 5, 10, 12, 18, 19
December 2, 3, 9, 10
January 5, 6, 7, 8
Once each of these dates reaches capacity, the date will disappear from the Registerblast schedule. All times will be at 1:30 p.m. except for January 8 (10:00 a.m.), the sessions will last about ninety minutes, and advising will occur immediately afterward.
Please direct questions to the Student Development main number, 299-8614.
career corner
We have gone LIVE with our College Central Network (CCN) Software system. By now, each of you should have received our e-blast and an additional email with instructions to set up a CCN account. The graphic that was sent is below.
If you did not receive either one of these, please let Tina know! At this point, we have 17 employers registered, 93 students, 6 Alumni registered!
We’ve been BUSY! After putting a tracking report together, we understood that over the past six weeks, we have:
- Seen 45 students for one-on-one assistance (resume writing, interview prep, and personality assessments)
- Given 10 classroom presentations and workshops
- Helped with 2 career fairs (College & Career Night; Greater Waco Career Fair)
- Attended 3 advisory board meetings
- 4 Employer Hiring Events (EMSI will be scheduling 27 interviews with students!)
Upcoming Career Services Events:
- November 2 – OT Advisory Board Meeting
- November 6 – PD Day Presentation “Career Services, A Direct Pathway to a Job!”
- November 11 – PSYC 1100 Classroom Presentation, Monica Burmicky, 10:30am
- November 12 – Veterans Red, White, & You Hiring Fair, Waco Convention Center, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
- November 13 – Medical Lab Tech Advisory Board Meeting
- November 17 – Resume Writing Workshop, Academic Center for Excellence, 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
- November 18 – Classroom Presentation on Interview Skills, Jessica Shelton, 8:00 a.m.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with a Career Advisor, please call Tina Lyles, 254-299-8681 or Jessica Robinson, 254-299-8495.
Testing Center...Shhhh, Quiet Please.
New this semester, our first test will be at 8:30 am (instead of 8:00 am) Monday-Thursday. Doors will open at 8:00 am, but testing will start at 8:30 am. This is reflected for all tests on RegisterBlast.
Upcoming Testing Dates - For November, there will be no HESI or TEAS testing.
Instructional Testing
Instructors may send students to take exams. Please contact mjohnson@mclennan.edu or call 299-8453 to make arrangements for your students to test.
Instructional Testing information for Students:
Instructional testing offered Monday-Thursday from 8:30 am-6:30 pm for students on a walk in and scheduling basis.
If you need to take an instructional exam for an instructor in the Testing Center, please make sure you do the following:
- Students are welcome to schedule an appointment online. Click on Register Blast button on left-hand menu. Choose MCC Classrooms exams. Follow prompts to complete your registration process.
- Make sure and bring you photo id with you come to test.
- Bring only the items that you need to complete your test on the testing day.
Cell phones are not permitted in the testing room.
TSI Assessment
The TSI Assessment is an untimed test offered every Monday-Thursday from 8:30 am-4:00 pm and Fridays from 10:00 am-12:00 pm for both walk-in and scheduled appointments.
Student may schedule appointment times and pay testing fee online through Register
Blast button from left-hand side. Fees may be paid in MCC Business Office. Please bring receipt to Testing Center on test day.
All students must complete the pre-assessment activity (PAA) using MCC ID number prior to taking TSI Assessment.
Other forms of testing
- The CLEP hours are Monday - Thursday at 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. and Fridays 11:00 a.m., and 2:00 p.m.
- Correspondence tests can be proctored for students attending other colleges
- See posted schedule for Health Sciences exams (TEAS & HESI.)
- National SAT & ACT tests are Saturday administrations.
Other News
We are also in the process of interview candidates for our evening part-time assistant. We hope to have a candidate announced very soon!
Student Services Center, Second Floor • 254-299-8453
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Disability Services wants to know...
Disability Services Information
Students requesting disability-based accommodations must contact the Disability Specialist and present qualified and current documentation detailing the diagnosis and effect of the disability.
Students are encouraged to contact the Disability Specialist immediately after registering for courses so that accommodations may be provided in a timely manner. The documentation must clearly identify that the student has one or more physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more of their major life activities.
Subsequently, the Disability Specialist reviews the documentation and determines appropriate accommodations. The Disability Specialist provides the student a letter to authorize and identify specific accommodations to the student’s instructor(s) and to other support services staff (Testing Center, Student Support Services).
Confidentiality is maintained at all times. And information is not released without signed student consent. Instructors and Testing Center staff are informed only of the necessary accommodation.
The Disability Specialist also provides information about accommodation approaches, including assistive and adaptive technology to students, faculty, and staff. He serves as the campus liaison with external agencies that provide funding and support services for students with disabilities. In addition, the Disability Specialist provides training to faculty and staff regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities, and keeps faculty and staff apprised of ADA issues.
Americans with Disabilities Act Amended Acts of 2008 (ADAAA)
Coordinator Contact Information
Titles I and II - Employment and Facilities
254-299-8649
Mr. Gene Gooch, Vice President, Finance & Administration
Title II - Education
254-299-8645
Dr. Drew Canham, Vice President, Student Success
Students requesting disability-based accommodations must contact the Disability Specialist, Renee Jacinto at 254-299-8122.
TRIO Student Support Services NEWS
Important Information
- We hope to be doing an extensive hiring process soon (goal to meet up the November board meeting), but it is still unclear whether we will be hiring one or two advisors. For now, we are so thankful for the teamwork that Student Development has all undergone to allow Laura Crapps to serve our students! #teamwork
- November 1 – Applications accepted again! We will have about 20-25 spaces available for students to start in the spring
- We are getting t-shirts! This is a major accomplishment since this is not an allowable expense with our grant funds, meaning the TRiO Scholars Association (TSA) the student organization of TRIO students has already earned close to $1,500!!
TRIO SSS Dates to Remember
- Monday, November 1 – Start Accepting Applications Again
- Friday, November 6 – 2nd Cultural Event to Waco Mammoth Site & Dr. Pepper Museum
- Friday, November 13 – TSA and Peer Mentors go to the Baylor Ropes/Challenge Course for Team-building
- Thursday, November 19 – Transfer Thursday with UT schools
- Friday, November 20 – College Tour to Stephen F. Austin (Thank you, Celina, for leading this!)
FIRST PERSON TO SOLVE THE BELOW PUZZLE RECEIVES A $5 SONIC GIFT CARD!
What is unusual about the following words: revive, banana, grammar, voodoo, assess, potato, dresser, uneven?
Email your answer to Natalie James. First person to solve the puzzle by emailing the correct answer receives a $5 Sonic Gift Card!
Thank you to Paul Hoffman for being our Sonic Gift Card donor each month.
Still trying to figure out the puzzle from last month? Here is the answer.
What makes this number unique - 8,549,176,320?
Answer: This number is unique because it contains the numbers 0-9 in alphabetical order. Eight, Five, Four, Nine, One, Seven, Six, Three, Two, Zero
Congratulations to our October winner, Taylor Thomas!
completion center news
Support & Empowerment Program
Upcoming SEP Workshops
- Friday, November 6 —10:00 a.m. — Dealing with an Ex
- Friday, November 20 —10:00 a.m. — Parenting with Love and Logic
Our SPRING APPLICATION will go up the first week of November on our website and will be due before we leave for Christmas Break!
Any interested students should see our website for information about eligibility requirements and how to apply. Please note that an intake appointment is required to submit an application and only complete applications will be accepted. Students may call Becky Boggus at 299-8569 to set up an intake appointment.
SEP IS HIRING! As you may know already, Becky is going part-time as soon as we can find a full-time replacement for her position. If you are interested or know someone who would be a great fit, CLICK HERE to access the job posting.
We are looking for smart, compassionate people. But you must apply quickly!
Food Pantry Updates
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and it is time to begin our Food Pantry Thanksgiving Fundraiser.
We have the opportunity to partner once again with HEB to provide holiday meals to families for only 25.00 per meal! We are hoping to raise enough money to purchases meals for at least 75 families. Each meal only cost $25.00. Please consider donating to your students’ holiday meals during the next two weeks.
You can donate through cash or check. Please make out checks to the MCC Food Pantry or the MCC Foundation if you would like a receipt for tax purposes. All money can be brought to the Completion Center on the 2nd floor of the Student Services Building.
For more information or questions, contact Kelsey Higgins at 299-8521.
The Food Pantry will now be open Monday through Friday from 12:00-1:00 p.m.
However, students can access the pantry any hour of the workday by coming to the Completion Center and letting a Success Coach know they would like to use the pantry’s services. Please advertise this great service to your students and let them know they can also donate food or volunteer in the pantry if they have an interest in doing so.
FIRST GENERATION SCHOLARS
The First Generation Scholars program has a new program coordinator, Gaby Olaguibel, who has joined MCC as part of the success coaching team. She is thrilled to be working with these amazing students and further developing the program.
So who are first generation students? Those whose parents’ highest level of education is a high school diploma or less.
Student highlights: Five of our scholars participated in the HOT College Night at the Waco Convention Center, serving as hosts, overseeing high school volunteers, and sharing the MCC love alongside our MCC admissions and recruiting team.
MCC's Suicide Awareness & Prevention Week — UPDATE!
We had a good turn out for this year's Suicide Prevention Week Sessions. We had the following students/employees (90% students) attend our daily sessions:
Monday, October 5, 2015 - The Bridge Video and Discuss with Dr. Rebecca Munsey, Assistant Professor, Tarleton State University, Counseling Psychology - 34 students, 4 employees = 38 attendees
Tuesday, October 6, 2015 - Drugs and Alcohol vs. Healthy Behavior – Meridith Moffatt Shallenberger, Tarleton Graduate Student - 43 students, 4 employees = 47 attendees
Wednesday, October 7, 2015 - A Reason to Live Video and Discussion with David Fleuriet, Instructor, Mental Health/Social Work, McLennan Community College - 40 students, 4 employees = 44 attendees
Thursday, October 8, 2015 - What Happens After I Admit I’m Suicidal (Panel Discussion with Mobile Crisis Unit, DePaul, Waco PD, and Dr. Lianna Evans, VA) - 59 students, 5 employees = 64 attendees
Friday, October 9, 2015 – QPR Training for Faculty, Staff and Students (QPR is “Question, Persuade, and Refer”) - 27 students, 6 employees = 33 attendees
TOTAL = 226 ATTENDEES
Keep Your Eyes Open-
Meghan Becker and Natalie James will be offering QPR Training throughout the year. If you are interested in personally taking part in this training, look for upcoming QPR training opportunities through monthly Professional Development workshops sent by Staci Taylor. If you are interested in your whole department participating in QPR Training, please email your request to Meghan Becker or Natalie James.
PROJECT LINK
Project Link Update - Coordinator's Report to the Oversight Committee for October 2015
EDUCATION. WORKFORCE. COMMUNITY. SUCCESS.
Natalie James
Past Program Participant
Our table was FULL!
CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE
Keynote Address
Sunny P. Chico
President and Founder of SPC Educational Solutions, Former Regional Secretary of Education of U.S. Department of Education, Former Executive Director of Institutional Advancement of Waubonsee Community College, and Former Assistant for Education to Lt. Governor Bob Kustra of the State of Illinois
Announcements, Accolades, and Kudos
the line up
Gabriela 'Gabby' Olaguibel, Success Coach (First Generation Scholars Program)
Ms. Olagoibel received her B.A. in Sociology and German in 2013 from Hope College (Holland, MI) and her M. S. in Higher Education in 2015 from Baylor University. She worked at Baylor for two years with students in a higher education setting and with students in the Wellness Department as well as with students in the Study Abroad Program at Baylor. Additionally, she studied in Germany on a Fulbright scholarship.
Things to know about Gabby:
Where would you choose to live: by the ocean, in the mountains or in the woods? And why?
Anywhere with warm weather, so probably the ocean.
What’s your favorite fruit/vegetable? Least favorite?
Peach, Guava, Mango - Yum!
Eggplant...meh :(
Favorite pet?
Our parrot, Faramir. He did give me the bird flu, but he was a cute bird while he lasted.
Let us all welcome Gabby to our Student Development and Success Coach family!
Karen Hurst, Part-time Testing Assistant
Our new part-time person in Testing is Karen Hurst. She started this morning. She will be working in the mornings Monday - Thursday from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and then on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Let us all welcome Karen to our Student Development and Testing Center family!
Happy Birthday Too You, Happy Birthday Too You!
Recent October Birthdays
Karen Hurst - 9
Tina Lyles - 11
Meghan Becker - 16
Upcoming October Birthdays
Paul Hoffman - 5
Success Insider will be published on the first Monday of each month. Remember, you may submit information for the newsletter any time up to 10 days prior to the publishing date.