In Brief: April 2021

The Collin College Student Government Association brought home several awards from the Texas Junior College Student Government AssociationState Convention, April 8-11. The Collin College chapter won the following state-level awards: Chapter of the Year, Best Video (1^st Place), Poetry Award (2^nd place) and the Texas Legend Award, presented to retired Collin College SGA Advisor, Donna Okaro. Collin College also was elected to theState Historian position for 2021-2022. Jessica Rodriguez will serve as the chapters representative. Vivian Fallows will represent the chapter as Region II Vice President for the same period. The chapter also celebrated current chapter members for their service in state and regional leadership. The following are state or regional positions with their accompanying Collin College representative: State Host School, Juan Sanchez; State Constitution & Bylaws Committee Chair, Michael Goodman;Region II Public Relations Officer, Amellia Andrews;Regional Recruitment & Retention Chair, Juan Sanchez;Regional Resolutions Committee Secretary, Michael Habib;Regional Legislative Committee Secretary, Michael Goodman; andStephen Rogers serving as Region II Co-Advisor.Thank you to SGA advisors Stephen Rogers, Michael Gregorash, Jovanna Dollins, Andreshia Kelly, and Brooke Hughes. Congratulations to the SGA members on the accomplishments.

Rania Rawas, a Student Engagement worker at the Plano Campus, was named 2021 Student Employee of the Year by the Staff Council. The Student Employee of the Year award recognizes student assistants who exemplify Collin Colleges Core Values of Learning, Service and Involvement, Creativity and Innovation, Academic Excellence, Dignity and Respect, and Integrity. A video about Rawas is available here. Other nominees included: Vrushali Asar, Campus Technology Services, Courtyard Campus; Erin Eddings, biology lab, Plano Campus; Roger Hsieh, Academic Affairs, Technical Campus; Eillen Matsuo, Career Center, Frisco Campus; Greenwell Mwape, Student Engagement, Plano Campus; Carl Ntiyankundiye, Student Engagement, Plano Campus; Abbigail Quillen, photography lab, Plano Campus; Aydin Radoncic, writing center, Plano Campus; and Nicholas Schnitzius, Academic Affairs, Plano Campus. Congratulations to Rawas and all of the other nominees on this honor. Thank you for serving your fellow students and the college well.

Collin Colleges Phi Theta Kappa chapter, Alpha Mu Tau, had an award-winning and service-focused year. In addition to several of the awards listed below and those listed in previous updates, the chapters major fundraising event, Cougarthon, raised $7,051.85 for the Childrens Miracle Network in a virtual fundraiser on March 26. At the International PTK Conference, Catalyst 2021, Alpha Mu Tau earned the following honors: Distinguished Regional Officer Award Garrett Norwine; Distinguished Chapter Members Deeksha Vivekanand; Paragon Award for New Advisors Dr. Rachel Walker; Continued Excellence Awards for Advisors Dr. H. Jessica Hargis; Honors in Action Theme Awards Theme 7; and Top 100 Chapters Alpha Mu Tau. Norwine has been selected as a 2021 Phi Theta Kappa Guistwhite Scholar and will receive a $5,000 scholarship. These honors are in addition to others awarded in district and regional competition.

Three Collin College students were named 2020-2021 Coca-Cola Scholars: Garrett Norwine (Gold),Anna Seida (Bronze), andJordan Rourke (Bronze). The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Academic Team program by recognizing 50 Gold, 50 Silver and 50 Bronze Scholars with nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually. Each scholar also receives a commemorative medallion.

The following students were chosen for the 2021 All-Texas Academic Team: Emily Bourassa, Ashley Campbell, Jordan Rourke, Bushira Tahmin, Lauren Fernandez, Garrett Norwine, Ariel Roth, Kelly Blankenship, Anna Seida, Allison Smith, and Fatemeh Salari.

Nine second-semester welding students have secured employment with W&C Watson Suspension after recommendation by the colleges Welding Technology faculty and skills testing and interviews done by the company. W&C Watson was impressed with the Technical Campus during a tour earlier in the year and offered the student sponsorships, which include a starting salary of $18.50/hour, with tuition reimbursement from start of their first day of employment. The students work schedule will be tailored around the students class schedules to allow them to finish their education while maintaining 40 hours a week to hold full-time employment status with benefits. Thirteen students were recommended by faculty. Eleven passed the weld test and were interviewed, thenreceived employment offers. Welding Discipline Lead Darrel Rochell called the sponsorships a huge milestone for our Welding Technology department. Congratulations to the students and thank you to Campus Provost Dr. Bill King, Dean Mike Coffman, Program Director Brian Sanders, and Rochell for creating a strong program.

Collin College will host a group of law enforcement officers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in an exchange program organized by that countrys Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). To date, six UAE Officers have been identified and are preparing to attend Collin Colleges 24-week basic officer training program beginning in May. In a statement about the exchange program, the IACP noted that its mission is to advance the policing profession through advocacy, research, outreach, and education in order to provide for safer communities worldwide. The MOI has partnered with the IACP on a number of initiatives including an office in Abu Dhabi, representation on the IACP Board of Directors, and the development of a candidate exchange program. Collin College Law Enforcement Director Scott Donaldson worked on the program with Vince Hawkes, the Director of Global Policing for the IACP. The IACP statement went on to say, This type of global partnership between Collin College and IACPs Global Policing Division is an incredible opportunity to collaborate with international agencies from around the world on this type of educational exchange, with the potential to expand to more senior leadership programs in the future. Thank you to Scott Donaldson for spearheading the efforts which brought this program to Collin College.

Collin Colleges Law Enforcement Academy has been asked to participate in the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) Academy Innovations project. Supported by the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office, the Academy Innovations project is designed to develop evidence-based training methods for the law enforcement training profession. This research aims to identify improved methodologies for delivering basic law enforcement training content. Results will help build a foundation of evidence for best practices for law enforcement training throughout the country. The Collin College Law Enforcement Academy is one of only six academies from across the country invited to participate in the Academy Innovations research project. There are two sites representing agency-specific/municipal/county academies, two sites representing community college run academies, and two sites representing state run academies. Collin College was the only Texas application selected. A statement by the IADLEST said that Collin College will be a vital partner in our research efforts.

Dr. John Macready, Philosophy professor at Plano Campus, has been asked to serve on the board of directors for the Dallas Goethe Center.The Dallas Goethe Center is dedicated to promoting and advancing German culture and language in North Texas. More information about the center is available at https://dallasgoethecenter.org/.

The Collin College Foundations Stetson & Stiletto Standoff, held online March 6, raised $157,143. The fundraiser beat the net revenue total compared to 2020, raising $6,862 more net than last year. This is the first year the event has been held online. Plans are in process for the 2022 Stetson & Stiletto Standoff.

The Center for Community College Advancement from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) featured Collin College and Austin Community College in a feature story about alumni engagement. The story described the colleges plans to grow the alumni program and measure the affinity levels of former students. The article also featured a photo of the inaugural Alumni Advisory Council for The Pride. www.case.org/resources/engagement-and-excitement?_zs=iHgLE1&_zl=BJ3E66

Members of the History and Government departments at the Plano Campus (Spring Creek), including Rachel Gunter, Melissa Johnson, Adrienne Caughfield, Betsy Brody, Rosalinda Valenzuela, Tiffiny Vincent, and Julie Hershenberg, held a week-long celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment during Womens History Month from March 22-26. Virtual events included Dr. Gunter speaking on the history of the suffrage movement in Texas, as well as a viewing and panel discussion of the documentary Citizens at Last. The library assisted in creating a physical and online resources display and prepared a video for the 19th Amendment celebration.

Dr. Rebecca Burton was accepted as an Educator Preparation Advisory Committee (EPAC) member. The organization advises the State Board of Education for education preparation programs.

Three Collin College students were elected to the TSTA-AE (Texas State Teachers Association Aspiring Educator): Tatiana Oney, State President; Ally Malecki, State Secretary; and Tatiana Oney, who was awarded Outstanding Local Underclassman.

Collegiate Academies Director Allison Venuto successfully defended her dissertation in March and will graduate with her doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University in May.

Dr. Tiffany Cartwright is serving as Discipline Editor for Political Science and Economics for Quest: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Journal.

Reference Librarian, Megan Bryant, has had a presentation proposal accepted for the Amigos Library Services Members Conference in May.

Dr. Alicja Usarek, Professor of Music, published a book titled Bla Bartks 1907 Violin Concerto: Genesis and Fate through Peter Lang Publishing.