Campus Connection - June 2016
Interview with New CCAF Executive Director John Wolfkill
When you meet John Wolfkill, he will tell you how passionate he is about seeing that students have access to and through college. The Community College of Aurora Foundation (CCAF) hired him as its new executive director earlier this month, and he’s been sharing his vision ever since. Prior to joining CCAF, John was the executive director of the Kipp College Preparatory in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “It is an honor and a privilege to join the CCA Foundation,” he said. “This is a place where CCA leadership and the community are working together to provide access to education and resources so students can succeed. Aurora is a special community, and I look forward to working alongside the foundation and college to make a difference.”
John will be responsible for leading the foundation’s strategic plan and fundraising activities to support the Community College of Aurora (CCA). His primary efforts will focus on the foundation’s scholarship program, Aurora Gives, which provides scholarships to students with an interest in attending college to receive an associate’s degree from CCA in two years or less. “John brings a unique set of skills in education solutions for underserved students,” said Amy McLaughry, president of the CCAF Board of Directors. “His background and experience in broader education reform and community leadership will help us continue to expand the mission and vision of the foundation.”
The Community College of Aurora Foundation was established in 1985 to build financial and public support for the Community College of Aurora. A 17-member board of directors manages the activities of the foundation. Through the generous support of individual donors, corporations, the state of Colorado, and others, CCAF provides scholarships to low-income documented and undocumented students, as well as students in the gap between high- and low-income levels. Fifty-seven percent of CCA’s students have an annual income of less than $35,000; of that percentage 42 percent earn less than $25,000 annually. CCAF and CCA work together to increase student enrollment, retention, completion, and transfer rates among students. Together they also seek to improve student learning and to provide a diverse, inclusive environment where students can succeed.
In May 2015, CCAF announced a groundbreaking initiative to provide a debt-free college degree. “The majority of our Aurora Gives scholars are first-generation college students,” John said. “We want to provide them with the critical academic and financial support these students need to ensure that they persist to graduation.”
After completing his Master of Science degree in International and Intercultural Education and Development at the University of Southern California, he became keenly interested in community development. He worked as an urban planner for the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (Los Angeles, California) then became the associate director of the P.F. Bresee Foundation, a faith-based youth and family development center. John spent nearly seven years as the director of Administration and Donor Partnerships at the Tulsa Community Foundation, the largest community foundation in the country. After learning that only one to two percent of Tulsa’s African American and Hispanic youth were graduating from high school prepared to begin college without remediation, he left the foundation to become executive director of KIPP Tulsa, an open-enrollment, college-preparatory, public charter school in 2011.
In his spare time, John enjoys date nights with his college sweetheart and wife, Julie; playing basketball; skateboarding; mountain biking; and reading with his two sons, Jaiden and Jonas.
President's Corner
Betsy Oudenhoven
In our continuing efforts to create an inclusive and welcoming college environment, we would like to share some facilities information with you that may address specific needs for our employees and students. CCA has been in the process of developing several all-gender restrooms so everyone will have choices that ensure their comfort and safety while on campus. Those restrooms have been completed, the signage is up, and the information is below. In addition, in compliance with federal policy, individuals can also choose to use the public restrooms for the gender with which they identify.
All-Gender Restrooms: Listed below are the locations for all-gender restrooms at CentreTech and Lowry campuses.
CentreTech: Fine Arts Building, north end of building, across from the Larry Carter Theatre
Lowry: West Quad Building, center of building, first floor, near the café; Center for Simulation, middle of building, main hallway; Colorado Film School, west side of building
The college also has quiet rooms on both campuses, which can be used for prayer or meditation, as well as lactation rooms for nursing mothers. Please see below for the specific locations of these facilities.
Quiet Rooms (for meditation and prayer): The following rooms have been designated for student, faculty, or staff use on a first-come, first-served basis.
CentreTech: Classroom Building, C113A
Lowry: North Quad Building, Room 106A
Lactation Rooms for Nursing Mothers: In compliance with the law and in support of our nursing mothers who are students, staff, faculty, and visitors to our campus, CCA also provides lactation rooms for nursing mothers within our facilities. The following are the locations of the CCA lactation rooms:
CentreTech: Classroom Building, Room C111
Lowry: North Quad, second floor, Room 205C; and at the Center for Simulation (private room adjacent to women’s restroom at north end of building)
Lastly, we have showers located in both the men’s and women’s restrooms on the second floor of the Classroom Building at the CentreTech campus.
For additional information please visit CCA’s “Right to Know” page. I hope this is helpful information for you. We will also share the same information with students, both now and at the beginning of the fall semester.
Campus Events
Colorado Film School Student Show – Spring 2016
Students from the Colorado Film School held their Spring Show at Harkins Theatres, in Denver on May 10. At left, some of the student winners show off their awards.
Anti-Terrorism Exercises at CCA
National Guard units from Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah held training drills at the Disaster Management Institute at the Lowry campus on May 21 and May 22. The training scenarios prepared participants for mock terrorist attacks.
Diesel Power Mechanics Open House
CCA Diesel Faculty Greg Atencio speaks with a potential student at the Diesel Power Open House event on May 19. The Diesel Power Mechanics program held two open houses to attract students and to promote a new partnership with area diesel manufacturers that will help pay for qualified students’ tuition."
BBQ Bash
CCA hosted the BBQ Bash on June 11 at the CentreTech campus. Various college department staff met with prospective students, hosted games, and provided tours and information about CCA.
Upcoming Events
CentreTech Campus
Solidarity with Orlando - June 16 - 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Student Centre Building, The Rotunda (S100)
The Community College of Aurora is a place where we value and celebrate every human being including individuals from the GLBT, Muslim, and LatinX communities. As this is one of our values, we have a duty to acknowledge and respond to the tragedy of the Orlando Massacre. The Responsive Programming Committee would like to invite you to a space of healing, solidarity, and expression as you may be navigating the impact of such beautiful lives being lost in the Orlando Massacre.
“Leading Ladies” Student-directed play – June 17, 18, 24, and 25 – 7:30 p.m. and June 18 and 25 – 2 p.m. – Fine Arts Building, Larry D. Carter Theater
Financial Aid College Knowledge (FACK) Fridays – “What’s Up with Work Study?” – July 8 – 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Classroom Building, Room 102.
These 1 hour sessions will be packed full of useful information to assist you as you help our students learn more about Financial Aid at CCA.
Lowry Campus
Solidarity with Orlando - June 16 - 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. West Quad Building, Todd Bergren Room (Room 112)
The Community College of Aurora is a place where we value and celebrate every human being including individuals from the GLBT, Muslim, and LatinX communities. As this is one of our values, we have a duty to acknowledge and respond to the tragedy of the Orlando Massacre. The Responsive Programming Committee would like to invite you to a space of healing, solidarity, and expression as you may be navigating the impact of such beautiful lives being lost in the Orlando Massacre.
Adjunct Faculty Profile: Thaddeus Young
Q: What classes do you teach at CCA?
A: I teach American Sign Language. Right now or in the past semester, I taught 121, 122, and this upcoming fall, I will be starting 123.
Q: How did you get involved into ASL?
A: That’s kind of an interesting story. When I started college I wanted to be a music major; I wanted to teach music. I was in band all the way through high school; music, music, music. I didn’t think anything about sign or deaf culture but when I got to college I think it was a semester that me and my sister were taking classes together at campus and she was “Hey we need a foreign language credit – why don’t we just take sign language?” At the time, I was like, “What? Sign language? What am I going to do with that as a music teacher – it’s not going to help me.” I wanted to take the class with my sister, we signed up, took the class, and I fell in love with it. It was one of the best classes I’ve ever taken.
I took four courses there ultimately and after the courses, my instructor was, “Hey you seem to be pretty good at this. Do you want to be a TA?” And I was like, “I don’t know; I’m almost done.” And he said “We’ll pay you.” And of course if you’re going to get paid for it, absolutely. So I became a TA for his class and started doing a lot of tutoring and from tutoring it just took off and I ended up majoring in it.
Q: How long have you been teaching here?
A: Two semesters.
Q: What is your professional/educational background?
A: I got my bachelor’s degree from Gallaudet University. I got my master’s degree from University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. My bachelor’s degree was in deaf studies and master’s degree was in teaching American Sign Language.
Q: How did you end up teaching at CCA?
I kind of was looking for a college environment to work at. I currently work at a high school in Greeley; I love teaching high school but there are so many hoops and so many restrictions in what you can and can’t teach; what you would like to do with the class. The college environment is a lot more flexible. I feel like I have students who have a drive and passion for what they are doing. I’m glad I found it; I like this campus. I like being here.
Q: What do you like about teaching ASL courses?
I like when my students get it; when the light comes on – to where normally, it’s here’s the syllabus, I’m going to do what the instructor says I need to do and as long as I do that I will be fine and I’m not going to worry about anything else. But when you have students who do the work and they start to make collections with things they see outside of the classroom. That’s what I really really love about teaching.
Deafness is an invisible disability; you don’t really know somebody is deaf until you run into them and they aren’t speaking and you go, “Oh my gosh. What am I going to do?” And my students will go out and they will go to places and they will run into deaf people and they didn’t expect it and they’ll come back to class and come back to class and say oh my gosh “Professor Young, I met a deaf person today and I finally understand what was going on in class and I finally understand what you mean by that and I finally understand why you have us come to class and we don’t talk in class all the time. It makes sense. Those moments are what I really really love.
Q: What advice would you give to CCA students who are taking a class when they have hit a wall or they’re struggling with something? What would you tell them?
If they’ve hit a wall usually the first thing I tell them to do is to calm down; I think a lot of students sometimes when they run intro frustrations, they panic. I know CCA has a big concurrent enrollment group and kids are coming into a college environment for the first time and now there are a lot more deadlines. A lot more stuff they need to do. The first thing I tell them is to calm down. The second thing I will tell them is go back and look at your notes. If you’ve taken good notes in class; if you’ve looked on D2L at the PowerPoints that I’ve put up, there is usually something on the PowerPoint that will help you calm down and to make it to the next exam or to the end of the semester. The third thing I would tell them to do is don’t be afraid to contact me and talk to me if you’ve got stuff going on. I had one student last semester who had two young infant age children; her husband was still in the military so he was gone all the time and she had night classes with me so there were times when she couldn’t make it to class on time; her assignments were behind. Just come and talk to me about it and we’ll work something out.
Q: Did you ever have a memorable teacher?
My sign language teacher. That was the first time I had ever encountered someone who was not able to speak to me verbally and was in a position of authority. I had worked other jobs before and I had seen deaf people but I didn’t know how to communicate with them. But to be in that room and to see him as a role model for not only the way class runs but in how to deal with difficulties in life; he gave us multiple stories of him and how he had to deal with police officers who maybe stopped him for a speeding ticket and he can’t communicate with them or going to the bank or even communicating with his own department. Just to hear and see him explain those things and how he dealt with them was just so motivating for me.
Q: What do you like to do outside of teaching?
I’m very into the deaf community – they have a lot of social events from Denver to Greeley to all over the country. I go socialize with them on the weekends. I’m a huge introvert so it takes a lot to get me out with a lot of people for multiple nights in a week; if you get me for one, that’s pretty good – but two or three, that’s not going to happen. But other than that, I like to relax at home, spend some time with my dog, and talk to friends and family on the phone.
Hip Hip Huzzah
Nicole Banks (admissions specialist) has taken the newest position in the Concurrent Enrollment Department. After a long time in Admissions Nicole is moving on to serve as concurrent enrollment coordinator – student success in Concurrent Enrollment after working three years as a work-study and then six years as a full-time employee as an admissions specialist.
We’re so glad we’re not losing her completely! She has the drive, the enthusiasm and an outstanding personality unlike any other, she will bring so much to this new position and will be absolutely perfect at it! We are thrilled for her! (Submitted by Christine Karry, graduation processor.)
Ashley Simpson, early childhood/elementary education department chair, was elected vice president for the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs. Her term begins on July 1.
Science faculty member Victor Andersen and Translation & Interpretation Coordinator Yuliya Fedasenka-Cloud are the 2016 winners of the Roger and Linda Bowman Award for Instructional Excellence. Andersen and Fedasenka were chosen from a pool of nominees that were submitted by their colleagues and were recognized at a luncheon on May 3. Since 2006, Andersen has taught physics and astronomy, among other courses at CCA and Fedasenka-Cloud spent five years as an adjunct before joining CCA’s full-time faculty for the fall 2014 semester.
Life's Happenings
Mary Jackson Meeks, CCA’s assistant director for public relations & PIO, received her Master of Theological Studies from Iliff School of Theology on June 2. She also received an award for outstanding service and leadership. Meeks, a first-generation college student, also holds a Master of Arts in Applied Communication from the University of Denver, and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of Detroit-Mercy.
Stepheny Hinkle, concurrent enrollment and academic program coordinator for the School of Professional Studies and Sciences, married Noel Beauchamp on May 28 in New Mexico at a library at the Albuquerque Academy. The couple had a Lego-themed wedding cake. Congratulations!
Seen Around Campus
Aurora Youth Water Festival
Fifth graders from around the Aurora area invaded Community College of Aurora’s CentreTech campus on May 19 for a fun one-day festival about water. Students learn about water through hands-on, fun activities and exhibits that were located throughout CentreTech.
Twins Day (Unofficial)
Chris Tombari, associate dean for the School of Liberal Arts, and Bobby Pace, chair for the Social Sciences Department, must have coordinated their outfits on June 3.
Welcomes and Farewells
Renie Del Ponte retired as health sciences director on May 31. Renie was with CCA for nearly four years and helped play a critical role in the success of numerous academic departments and Health Science programs at CCA.
Welcomes:
May
Aida Ramic, administrative assistant II, transitioned from work-study employment
June
Tanya Avakian, administrative assistant II, Advising
Michele Hosaka, Testing Center director
HyeKyung Lee, assistant director of Institutional Research
Paul Morales, financial aid advisor
Katie Nittman, assistant to vice president of Student Affairs
Anne Rowland, internship coordinator
Kacey Turner, administrative assistant III, School of Liberal Arts
Darin Wissbaum, financial aid advisor
What Does the Fox Say?
“Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (Anne Lamott) A fast read. It demystified the writing process for me, and the laugh-out-loud lessons were too numerous to count.” – Chris Tombari, associate dean for the School of Liberal Arts
“Station Eleven – An amazing book about hope and the interconnectedness of people in the face of the end of the world.” – Stacy Brown, student outreach & orientation coordinator, Center for Outreach Recruitment.
“Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China – As a history junkie I could not put this one down. Author Jung Chang gives the reader a front-row seat to the tremendous change that transformed 20th-century China during invasion and occupation, world war, revolution, and imprisonment. The author’s grandmother was a concubine of a very wealthy warlord and her parents were high-ranking officers in the Communist Party of China and Mao Zedong’s Red Army. Jung grow up under Mao and like many of her generation became disillusioned with the violence against intellectuals and eventually her own parents. She gives a rare and very personal description of a period of China’s history that was heavily censored and carefully filtered to the outside world. Her descriptions of the widespread destruction of Chinese civilization, culture and history are poignant and thought-provoking.” -Celia Miller Morrissey, administrative assistant, Math Department
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