Coastal Bend College Forum June 2011

ForumCBCJune 2011 Coastal Bend College Volume 5, Number 7June 2011 Coastal Bend College Volume 5, Number 7

Keeping Student Success In Sight

Coastal Bend College

Developmental Education

As Innovation Driver.

Coastal Bend College is a comprehensive, public community college serving a diverse South

Texas area. It is a student-centered institution committed to the highest integrity and to

the development of an educational culture that supports creativity, encourages professional

development, and promotes excellence in all areas.

Coastal Bend College is a leader in providing quality education for life-long learning

by dedicating its resources to promoting a learning-centered environment that

empowers its students to attain their highest potential and become responsible

members of the global community.

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CBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399 Page 2

CBC Forum is a publication of Coastal Bend College, Office of Institutional Advancement, 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, Texas. View this and previous issues online at www.coastalbend.edu. Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. For more information about Coastal Bend College, visit the website at www.coastalbend.edu or call toll free (866) 722-2838.Coastal Bend

College

Register for summer classes now Coastal Bend College students with no holds can register for Summer 2011 online at www.coastalbend.edu, through Campus Connect (Students). Students who’ve attended Coastal Bend College within the past year or have an updated admissions form in the Registrar’s Offi ce may register online.

Students can apply to CBC at ApplyTexas.org Future CBC students can now apply

online at www.Applytexas.org. A single application can be submitted to most public Texas colleges and universities.

Need a tour? Reserve a private or small group tour of Coastal Bend College online at www.coastalbend.edu. For more information, contact Jennifer C. Linney in the Counseling Department at (361) 354-2722.

Online courses off ered CBC Continuing Education offers local face to face classes or online courses through Ed2Go, Gatlin, 360 Training or TicketSchool.com (in case you need insurance reduction, proof of training of a driving class for your job, or to “fi x” a ticket!”) Please call (361) 362-2366 if you have questions.

Kids College in BeevilleThe theme of Kids College, a four-week summer program for kids six to 12, is Go Green this year. Kids College will take place at Coastal Bend College – Beeville Campus June 6-30. Activities include science, language arts, dance, music, math and fun. For more information and to sign up, call (361) 362-2633 or go to the web at www.coastalbend.edu.

Kids College in Kingsville The theme of Kids College, a four-week summer program for kids six to 12, is

Go Green this year. Kids College will take place at Coastal Bend College – Kingsville Campus June 6-30. Activities include science, language arts, dance, music, math and fun. For more information and to sign up, call (361) 362-2633 or go to the web at www.coastalbend.edu.

Kids College in Pleasanton The theme of Kids College, a four-week summer program for kids six to 12, is Go Green this year. Kids College will take place at Coastal Bend College – Pleasanton Campus from June 20 to July 7. Activities include science, language arts, dance, music, math and fun. For more information and to sign up, call (361) 362-2633 or go to the web at www.coastalbend.edu.

Summer Discovery Academy Coastal Bend College will host its fourth Summer Discovery Academy from June 2 to July 7. Contact Tracy Younts at (361) 362-6010 Ext. 3 for more information.

Adult Literacy in BeevilleThe Bee County Adult Literacy Council is seeking volunteer tutors to commit at least one hour a week to help adults 17 years of age or older who are defi cient in reading and English skills. Call Pete Martinez at (361) 354-5335 if you would like to give the gift of literacy by serving as a tutor.

CBC seeks instructors for Continuing Ed courses Coastal Bend College is expanding the course offerings in continuing education to include a wide variety of classes to meet the needs of the community. There is a need for more qualifi ed instructors. If you can teach courses such a cake decorating, cooking, dancing, music, art, health-related topics, send your resume to Glynis Strause, Continuing Education, 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 or email to [email protected].

Child care slots open in Beeville Coastal Bend College Child Development Center is accepting applications for children 18 months to 5 years of age. The CDC is located on Charco Road in Beeville. For more information, call Ta-ah Treadwell at (361) 358-0421.

Online courses off eredCBC Continuing Education offers local face to face classes or online courses through Ed2Go, Gatlin, 360 Training or TicketSchool.com (in case you need insurance reduction, proof of training of a driving class for your job, or to “fi x” a ticket!”) Please call (361)362-2366 if you have questions.

www.coastalbend.edu

Page 3 www.coastalbend.edu CBC Forum

Visiting a school where you may spend the next two years of your life can be extremely overwhelming. There is so much to think about: residence halls, food and buildings where your classes will be held. You probably feel like there are so many questions to ask and so many diff erent pieces of information to remember. Hope-fully, this article will give you some tips and guidelines to help make your college visits a little easier and less stressful. For starters, Coastal Bend College lets you choose a date for your campus tour that is most convenient for you. A college offi cial will assign a college representa-tive or ambassador to your tour, to give you a person-alized look at the college. CBC also has open houses where you can not only get a group tour, but also meet some of the faculty and learn more about the majors and programs off ered. Students that are members of the Presidential Am-bassadors give tours on the main campus in Beeville. Tour guides may be freshman or sophomores. Each has committed to serving the college as a tour guide, representative and volunteer at the college. They are a diverse group from many areas of Texas, diff erent ma-

jors and a variety of interests and goals. After you have made an appointment for a tour, the rest is up to the school. All you need to do is show up! When you arrive, you will be given a packet contain-ing certain information, such as an application, catalog and brochures about programs and services. Your tour guide will meet you at the beginning of the tour. He or she will explain to you the admissions process and answer any questions that you may have. You will be given a tour of various buildings or departments on campus such as the library, the testing center, student labs and the common areas and explain what happens in each one. If your tour is in Beeville, you will get to see a dorm room so that you know what living conditions will be like, should you choose to be a resident. Do a little research on Coastal Bend College be-fore you visit and perhaps even bring a prepared list of questions. Don’t be afraid to ask your tour guide for information about specifi c programs. Your campus tour is all about you. Contact Jennifer Linney at (361) 354-2722 or [email protected] to arrange a campus tour.


HIGHER ED NEWS

Legislators create higher ed oversight committeeSpeaker Joe Straus and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst have created a new Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence, and Transparency. It will be chaired by Senate Higher Education Chair-woman Judith Zaffi rini, D-Laredo, and House Higher Education Chair-man Dan Branch, R-Dallas.

The members from the Senate will include Dallas Republican John Carona, Lubbock Republican Robert

Duncan, Amarillo Republican Kel Seliger, Houston Democrat Rod-ney Ellis and Austin Democrat Kirk Watson.

The House members will be Angle-ton Republican Dennis Bonnen, San

Antonio Democrat Joaquin Castro, Dallas Democrat Eric Johnson, Bren-ham Republican Lois Kolkhorst and Waxahachie Republican Jim Pitts.“The talented members that we are appointing today understand that ef-fective university governing systems enable our students to compete on the global stage,” Straus said in a state-ment.

The announcement comes amidst an ongoing, contentious debate about the future of higher education in Texas. Recently, this debate has been playing out very publicly at the Uni-versity of Texas Board of Regents, which have a scheduled meeting next week. Comments and actions by chairman Gene Powell have sparked a barrage of concerned letters from students and alumni of the University of Texas at Austin. Others, mean-while, have rallied to defend the board’s actions.

At the center of the matter is a dispute over seven “breakthrough solutions” for higher education developed by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank in Austin. Regents of all the university systems were encouraged to implement the proposed “solutions” (the most con-tentious of which has been the separa-tion of research and teaching budgets) at a summit hosted by the TPPF and Gov. Rick Perry in 2008.

The joint committee’s focus extends beyond the proposed reforms. Ac-cording to the press release announc-ing the committee’s creation, they will seek to ensure that governing boards are following best practices when they develop and implement policy, look for major policy deci-

sions to be adequately vetted and discussed transparently, and protect the excellence and high quality of the state’s institutions of higher education.

“I believe the state’s partnership with our colleges and universities merits ongoing involvement with the Legis-lature − not just during Session − in order to achieve the educational excel-lence Texans expect and our students deserve,” Dewhurst said in the release.

Branch issued a statement commend-ing the Straus and Dewhurst for creat-ing the committee. “Our state’s future - along with that of our stu-dents - will be ensured by the quality of our higher education infrastruc-ture,” he said. “I look forward to working with my House and Senate col-leagues as we keenly focus on improv-ing the transpar-ency and administra-tion of our colleges and univer-sities.”

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Prospective Summer 2011 Graduates: Apply Now

The application deadline for summer graduation is June 15. There is no graduation fee required.Application and instructions are on-line at www.coastalbend.edu.

Recently, I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the Coastal Bend College graduation in Beeville. Since taking offi ce in January, I’ve had the great pleasure of visiting with the staff and students of Coastal Bend. I am always impressed by the quality of students and dedication of the staff there. I am so proud that CBC resides in District 35. That’s why I serve on the Community College Caucus, where we support the needs of community colleges and the students who attend. Moreover, I am working with the college to have a Coastal Bend student or recent graduate intern in my capitol offi ce during the legislative session. I look forward to giving them an opportunity to experience government fi rst hand. The House passed a few bills this session regarding commu-nity colleges. One of the bills sets a clear path for transferring credits to a 4-year college or university. The main benefi t of this bill is that it will prevent students from taking unnecessary classes, saving them time and money. Another bill we passed encourages students to get vaccinated for meningitis, which has become a major health concern on college campuses. This disease can quickly manifest itself and lead to loss of life or serious injury. The graduation ceremony was a good opportunity to meet with people from the district. I will have more opportunity to do that once the legislative session ends on May 30. I am also opening an offi ce in Pleasanton, where my District Director will work. I invite all of you to come for an Open House on Saturday, June 25th from 10AM-1PM to see it. The offi ce is located at 107 S Reed Street in Pleasanton. Best regards,

Jose AlisedaJose Aliseda


R.A. Flores was the fi rst place winner in

the full meet and best overall lifter in his

weight class.

Matthew Hernandez who won the fi rst place in the bench press competi-

tion in the super heavyweight class with a press of 405 lbs.

Molly Jaeger, fi rst place winner and best overall winner in the

Women’s Division, competed in the 105 lb. body weight class.

Jed Thomas won fi rst place in the 220 lb. class in the bench press with a lift

of 230 lbs. Oscar Ortiz achieved a fi rst place win in the 275 lb. weight class.


Student athletes from Coastal Bend College accepted the challenge to perform their best at weightlifting during the fi rst CBC Cougar Intramural Powerlifting and Bench Press competition held in Beeville. The event was sponsored by Coastal Bend College Intra-mural Sports, under the direction of Coach Estevan Vasquez, and by Coastal Bend College Cougar Power-lifting Club, under the direction of Coach Jack Young. The set-up and equipment was provided by former CBC student Wes Zunker with Texas Strength Systems. The results of the contest were as follows :

CBC Intramural Powerlifting Full Meet

Women’s division

Place Body Weight Class Name

1st place 105 lbs. Molly Jaeger squat 175 lbs.; bench press 95 lbs.; and deadlift 240 lbs. Best overall lifter for a total of 510 pounds

Men’s division


1st place 242 lbs. R.A. Flores squat 700 lbs.; bench press 405 lbs.; and deadlift 600 lbs. Best overall lifter for a total of 1705 pounds

1st place 275 lbs. Oscar Ortiz squat 450 lbs.; bench press 250 lbs.; and deadlift 550 lbs. for a total of 1250 pounds

CBC Intramural Powerlifting Bench Press (only) Meet

Men’s division


1st place 220 lbs. Jed Thomas bench press 230 lbs.1st place Super Heavy weight Matthew Hernandez bench press 405 lbs.

Men’s division Masters I (age 40+ years old)


1st place 242 lbs. Jack Young bench press 365 lbs.Best overall lifter


Dan Hughes of Beeville was recently honored with a Texas A&M University and The Association of Former Students 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award. Hughes, a longtime supporter of Coastal Bend College, is a 1951 graduation of Texas A&M University. Hughes was awarded membership in 1978 in the exclusive All-American Wildcatters Club. He has also been honored with the M.B. “Duke” Rudman Outstanding Wildcatter Award and as Outstanding Citizen of Bee County, Texas. He has been a member of The Association of Former Stu-dents Century Club for 35 years and is also a member of the A&M Legacy Society, the 12th Man Foundation and the Geo-sciences Development Council. He was awarded the Michael T. Halbouty Geosciences Medal in 1997. He endowed the Dan A. Hughes ’51 Chair in Geosciences as well as the Berg-Hughes Center for Petroleum and Sedimentary Systems. He also funded the restoration of A&M’s Military Walk, a historic path in the heart of campus. Hughes is active in service to his community. He donated an oil and gas technology building at Coastal Bend College. Dedicated in November 1983, the Dan A. Hughes Petroleum Technology Building (U) provides laborato ries, classrooms and offi ces and houses the campus’ nursing and radiologic technol-ogy programs. It was constructed with the assistance of a gift from Hughes. He has also supported the Coastal Bend Community Foun-dation, the Boys & Girls Club, the Junior Service League, and numerous scholastic and athletic programs for youth. Hughes has three children and nine grandchildren, four of which attended Texas A&M. He and his wife Brenda reside in Beeville. Also honored this year are: Clifton J. “Clif” Bolner, Class of 1949, of San Antonio, Texas; Gerald L. Ray, Class of 1954, of Dallas, Texas; Dr. Joe E. West, Class of 1954, of College Station; Texas; Harold L. Adams, Class of 1961, of Baltimore, Maryland; and John E. Bethancourt, Class of 1974, of Alamo, Calif. Texas A&M University and The Association of Former Stu-dents also recognized one recipient posthumously: J. Wayne Stark, Class of 1939. Established in 1962, the Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a former student of Texas A&M University. Since its inception, 204 individuals have been recognized for their signifi cant contributions to their profes-sions, Texas A&M University and their local communities.

“While alumni of other universities have certainly had a profound impact on their alma mater and on the greater so-ciety, we are very proud to recognize those former students that have stood out both within the Aggie family and in their communities, states, and nations,” said A&M President Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, Class of 1971. “They exemplify what makes Texas A&M University unique—a rich history and traditions and a culture that instills life-long values such as leadership

and selfl ess service in our students. Through their actions, these Dis-tinguished Alumni repre-sent the very best of what it means to truly live the Aggie Spirit.” “Through my involve-ment over the years with The Association of For-mer Students, I have become more and more convinced that the true measure of a university’s greatness is found in the achievements of its alum-ni,” said Jorge Bermudez

’73, The Association of Former Students’ 2011 Chair of the Board of Directors. “This year’s Distinguished Alumni, con-tinue a long tradition exemplifying why Texas A&M is a world-class institution.” Association President and CEO Porter S. Garner III ’79 echoed the sentiments of Loftin and Bermudez and offered his congratulations on behalf of the Aggie Network. “Our 2011 Dis-tinguished Alumni represent a group diverse in professional call-ing, yet each sharing the common characteristics of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfl ess service.” The recipients learned of their honor when surprised in their places of business and other locations by a group of university and Association representatives, including Loftin, Bermudez, Garner, Association Vice President Marty Holmes ’87, a Ross Volunteer, along with Reveille and her handler, Cody Guffey ’13. The Association of Former Students will further honor all recipients of this award during its annual Distinguished Alumni Gala on Oct. 14. In addition, the 2011 recipients will be hosted for dinner by Loftin on Oct. 13 and recognized during the Texas A&M football game against Baylor on Oct. 15.

HIGHER ED NEWS

Beeville philanthropist named TAMU Distinguished Alumni

Keeping Student Success In Sight

Coastal Bend College

Developmental EducationAs Innovation Driver.

Coastal Bend College is a comprehensive, public community college serving a diverse South Texas area. It is a student-centered institution committed to the highest integrity and to the development of an educational culture that supports creativity, encourages professional development, and promotes excellence in all areas.

Coastal Bend College is a leader in providing quality education for life-long learning by dedicating its resources to promoting a learning-centered environment that empowers its students to attain their highest potential and become responsible members of the global community.


these students wouldn’t be as successful as their counterparts, but they proved us wrong.”Out of 42 students enrolled in the Math Emporium at the MATH 0310 level, only four did not complete and did not pass the course.

“My thinking is that the students in this group were

transitioning into a non-traditional environment like the other students in the program. They were not faced with the psychological roadblock incurred when one moves from a familiar, traditional format

Coastal Bend College addresof students in developmentalinnovative solutions

Colleges in the Developmental Education Initiative are working to reach as many students as possible by adding more course sections, creating support and intervention networks, and applying innovative and tested strategies.

Almost 60 percent of community college students are placed in preparatory courses prior to taking on college-level courseloads,according to Achieving the Dream’s Developmental Education Initiative data. There is a national movement toward more innovative approaches to developmental education. “As a result,” said Coastal Bend College Preparatory Studies Chair Irma Cantu, “new concepts in developmental education are being discussed at conferences and institutes around the country.”

Cantu and her colleagues sought out best practices and new community college initiatives currently in use around the country and considered how CBC could improve student success in developmental studies. Math Emporium, a self-pace, lab-based math classroom series, was one of the ideas that CBC instructors and administrators looked at. They studied successful models at Virginia Tech and El Paso Community College. They researched data, visited sites, and ultimately created a program believed to be the best model for CBC students.

“After three semesters, we saw unusually high success in students who started out in the lowest tier of the program (MATH 0310),” Cantu explained. “We initially assumed that

ses the needs education with

Student DemographicsFall 2010 Snapshot

GenderMale 39%Female 61%

EthnicityHispanic 62%Black, non-Hispanic 3%White, non-Hispanic 28%Other 7%

StatusFull-time 40%Part-time 60%

First Time in College* 18% *Not including Dual Credit Students

Dual Credit 28%

ResidencyIn-district 21%Out-of-district 76%Department of Corrections 2%Other 1%

Financial Aid** 38% **Grants, Loans, Scholarships

Academically Disadvantaged 52%

Economically Disadvantaged 55%

Academic courses 60%Workforce courses 40%

Developmental Program*** 17%Math 14%English 4%Reading 5%

Completion Rates Math 79%English 92%Reading 88%

Success Rate (A,B,C) Math 57%English 75%Reading 77%

***At least 1 developmental education class

to something new and substantially different,” she said.

Those who passed were able to

successfully transition into the next level of the

the Math Emporium is that students move directly into the next level after course mastery. They don’t have to wait for the next semester to enroll; they can complete three semesters of coursework in one and a half semesters.

This gets them into college-level math faster.

The Development Education Initiative reports that students who are required to complete developmental courses before entering a college-level curriculum are more likely to quit without ever getting the chance to take college-level courses.

Those who struggle in Math Emporium have a support network in place to help them along. A full-time instructor and part-time assistant are onsite to assist students. Rama Akundi, Math Emporium instructor, explained the classroom setup: In the morning, students get a lecture at tables, away from computers. This mini lecture, comprised of what Akundi calls ‘concept of the day,’ gives students an opportunity to take notes, which serves them as test review materials and helps build their note-taking skills. The mini lecture is followed by practice drills on the computer.

Some students master the lesson quickly while others need one-to-one assistance. This is where the non-conventional structure pays off. “In a traditional class, an instructor cannot give this kind of attention,” Akundi said. “This is ‘in the trenches’

Only 33 percent of those in math

remediation complete

the sequence and

enter college math.

instruction.” Akundi provides individual coaching and mentoring and addresses skills-building roadblocks as they occur.

Responding to the successes and failures of the previous semesters, the current syllabus was changed to better address students’ needs. The revised syllabus sets in more short term goals to keep students motivated and on target toward completion, according to Cantu.

All developmental students in math, reading and English have access to a support system that addresses common situations and individual needs. Students in remediation are more likely to drop out of college than their college-level counterparts, according to Achieving the Dream. CBC has case management specialists that interact with students and faculty to improve retention and successful completion of developmental courses. This gets them into college-level math faster.

an increase in completers from year-to-year when it becomes available. “Hard numbers are not available yet, but anecdotal data tells us that case managers who advise and support students have a great impact on student success.”

Case managers are located on three of the four CBC campuses. Holly Nowlen-Forry, CBC Early Alert Specialist, performs a similar function for all students on the Pleasanton Campus to positive results. “In a nutshell, I help students persist through their classes. I help them get to the services they need,” said Nowlen-Forry. “This could be on any of our campuses or in the communities that they live in. I follow up with them and see how I can help; and then I direct them to the appropriate services or in some cases help them myself.” Nowlen-Forry saw a 44 percent increase in retention among

students she worked with on the Pleasanton Campus. For students who perform exceptionally well in the developmental studies program and demonstrate that they are prepared for college-level work, CBC has created interdisciplinary partnerships. High-performers who would normally have to take ENGL 0312 before entering college-level English can enroll in a combination of ENGL 1301 and EDUC 1300. The students follow the same curriculum and use the same materials as all other

ENGL 1301 classes at the college, but remediation, through EDUC 1300 is embedded into the coursework. This gives students the opportunity to earn college credit, in essence,

skipping ENGL 0312, but they continue to build skills and gain academic support as they transition into college English courses.

High-performing students who demonstrate that they are beyond ready for READ 0312, can move forward,

with permission, to a combined HIST 1301/

EDUC 1300 course. This

decreases the number of semesters students spend in developmental courses.

As a member of DEI, Coastal Bend College is a part of a national effort at improving student success in developmental studies. In Texas, one of six participating states, El Paso Community College, Houston Community College and South Texas

College are also members.


Katie Perez, Coastal Bend College English instructor, was recently invited to participate in the National Endow-ment of the Humanities Summer Workshop, “Thomas Jeff erson: Legacies and Landmarks.” This is an opportu-nity for Perez to join with community college faculty members from around the country for a weeklong workshop in Washington, D.C. at the Library of Congress and Charlottesville, Va. at the University of Virginia and nearby Monticello to study Jeff erson and his role in the shaping of American culture and government. These workshops will enable com-munity college participants to study multiple aspects of Jeff erson’s life through the thematic areas associated with him including Jeff erson as: (1) scholar, humanist and philosopher; (2) politician, diplomat, and statesman; (3)

writer, scientist, and naturalist; and (4) social scientist, planner, and architect. Jeff ersonian scholars Peter Onuf, Thomas Jeff erson Memorial Founda-tion Professor at University of Virginia; Barbara Oberg, Editor of the Jeff erson Papers at Princeton University; John Cole, Director for the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress; Susan Stein, Thomas Jeff erson Foundation’s Richard Gilder Senior Curator and Vice President for Museum Programs at Monticello; Richard Guy Wilson, Com-monwealth Professor’s Chair in Archi-tectural History at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville; and Kevin J. Hayes, University of Central Oklahoma are among the prominent list of lectur-ers and speakers. Community college faculty from the disciplines of literature, history, philosophy, religion, foreign languages,

humanities, religion, anthropology, sociology, political science, urban stud-ies, art and architecture, speech and theater, music and dance and other humani-ties related fi elds are competi-tively chosen to participate in the prestigious workshop and given a stipend to defray the cost of the trip. Katie Perez teaches English and literature at CBC Kingsville Campus. She joined CBC in August 2003. She is a graduate of Del Mar College. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Science Degree from Texas A&M University in Kingsville.

Scholarship donors honor CBC graduate

The family of the late William R. Dobson III donated a plaque to the college to commemorate eight years of art scholarships in the name of the Coastal Bend College graduate. His family resides in Nordheim. The plaque, which will be added to each year, contains the names of all William R. Dobson III Scholarship recipi-ents:

Amanda Aguilar, 2004Susan Roesch, 2004-2005Yika So Vega, 2005-2006Tom Kramer, 2006-2007Cheryl Hall, 2007-2008Craig Wiginton, 2007-2008Justin Moravitz, 2009-2010Jessica Godfrey, 2011

The renewable scholarship is given to Coastal Bend College art students.

Dobson family members visited the college to present the plaque. They are,

from left, Jacob Voelkel, CBC Dean of Instructional Services Dr. Bruce Exstrom,

CBC Fine Arts and Kinesiology Department Chair Jayne Duryea, 2011 William

R. Dobson Scholarship recipient Jessica Godfrey, Jason Voelkel and Dobson’s

parents Mary Dobson and William Dobson, and Corrina Voelkel (not pictured).


People from all backgrounds at-tend college. Men and women of all income levels, races and ethnicities, age groups, family types, educa-tional backgrounds, political parties, and religious affi liations enroll and graduate from college every year. In fact, most American colleges and universities strive to create admis-sions programs and opportunities to attract and retain a diverse student body. These days, a higher education is accessible to just about anyone.

Why should you go to college?

There are many diff erent rea-sons to go to college, and you need to identify what makes it the right choice for you. Here are some of the top reasons to go to college:

● To pursue academic studies in an intellectual environment beyond the high school level.

● To pursue a career or employment opportunity that requires college-level training and skills development.

● To increase earning potential. ● To achieve a higher quality of

life for you and your family. ● To meet new people, have

new experiences, and explore new interests.

● To achieve self-discovery and fi gure out what your calling is.

● To acquire the social and/or career status and mobility often associated with a college education.

Going to college is an investment

in you! While the prospect of attend-ing college may seem frighteningly expensive, it is important to realize how much those four years will pay off later. College is an investment that will greatly increase your future earnings. College graduates with a bachelor’s degree earned an aver-age of 60% more than high school dropouts and 45% more than high school graduates in 2001. Over a lifetime, the earn-ings of college graduates will be nearly double that of those who only earn a high school diploma. Positions and careers for college graduates are expected to be the fastest growing cat-egory of employment in the country. College graduates also have more accessibility to benefi ts such as retire-ment plans and health insurance. Also, colleges and the government off er extensive fi nancial aid to make college a reality for many who can’t oth-erwise aff ord it. Cam-puses across the nation are expanding pro-grams to welcome fi rst-generation college students (those who are the fi rst in their immediate families to enroll in college). And there are col-

lege scholarships and grants, some based on need and some on merit. Need-based fi nancial aid is avail-able to those who can prove they can’t aff ord college. Merit-based aid is off ered to select students who have already proven to be academi-cally successful. Additionally, there

are creative options for paying for college. The fl exible class sched-ules available in college can allow students to work while attending

Why Should

You Go to College?The Top Reasons

to Go to College

(Source: http://www.mycollegeoptions.org/Articles/5/5/Why-College/Why-College.aspx)


school. Some schools

also off er work-study programs, which allow you

to earn money for your education by working on campus.

Is college right for you?

Does your family have the means to pay for college, but you feel unin-spired about going? Browse college websites and look at their course of-ferings. You will be amazed at the vast number of classes and course descrip-

tions you may have never considered before. Some schools have unusual majors. Additionally, browse job adver-tisements and news stories, and then make a list of the industries and posi-tions that sound interesting. Think about what you love to watch and read, and how that may apply. Do you love true crime? Maybe you would make an excellent forensic scientist. Are you addicted to shows like “What Not to Wear” and fashion magazines? Perhaps you would be an excellent fashion merchandiser or designer. Once you have some potential careers in mind, research and fi nd out which college majors correspond to those future careers. Consider contacting professionals in the fi eld and asking them what educational paths they took. While college may not be for everyone, the years spent in higher education will broaden your horizon, lead you to self-discovery, and open so many doors for you in the future. Your earning potential will be larger and you will have an edge over those without degrees. Remember, not everyone goes into college knowing exactly what they want to do right away. Many people fi gure out what they want to do for a career during college. If you want to go to college but have no clue what to major in, look for schools that do not require you to declare a major right away. That will give you time to sample courses in a variety of areas and fi nd out where you belong.


Coastal Bend College Glass Blowing Workshops attracts artists and students from around the

state to explore the fl uid medium of glass blowing. The annual workshop includes the basics

of working with molten glass, forming with a blowpipe and creating paperweights and small

vessels. Participants are Gary Jones of Victoria; Robert Straight of Bellaire; Janet Herlihy of

Corpus Christi; Eric Depaw of Spring; Shannon Hickman of Spring; Taylor Jennings of San Mar-

cos; Andy Hull of San Antonio; Carol Schwartz of Houston; and Bill Stein of Corpus Christi. The

workshop is under the direction of CBC Fine Arts Division Chair and glass artist Jayne Duryea.


You walk into class and sit down at your desk. Your pencil is sharpened; you’ve done all your assignments and you’ve stud-ied hard for a week. You think you’re ready for this test. The moment the test paper hits your desk, you panic. Your mind goes blank, and you don’t even remember what to write in the spot that says, “name.” You were so ready two seconds ago and now you’re giving new meaning to the term, “freaking out.” What is happening? It’s called test anxiety, and it’s something many students experience.

Don’t worry! It’s normal to feel a little nervous and stressed out before, and sometimes during, a test. And it’s not always a bad thing - a little bit of nervous energy can keep you on your toes. But for some students, that nervousness is so intense that it interferes with their concentration or even their ability to take a test at all. But there are things you can do to manage your test anxiety and keep the freaking out to a minimum. Here are just a few:

Study smart - and early! Don’t wait until the night before a test to start studying. As soon as the teacher announces there will be a test, start planning your study schedule. Study everything - your notes, homework assignments, textbook. Make fl ash cards and ask a friend or family member to quiz you. Whichever study method works best for you, start getting ready early! You’ll feel more confi dent come test day if you have been organized and preparing from day one.

Get a good night’s sleep. This is probably a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how even an hour or two less sleep can affect your concentration and your mental sharpness, which can really affect how well you do on tests. Try to avoid the tempta-tion of staying up late to get last-minute studying in and go to sleep a little early. We’re not talking be in bed by 8 p.m. or any-thing...just try to get a full night’s rest.

Eat something nutritious. If you know your test will be fi rst thing in the morning, make sure you eat a good breakfast. If you’re too nervous to eat before you leave home, grab a piece of fruit or a bagel and try to eat it before you get to school. If you know your test will be after lunch, make sure you eat a healthy lunch - don’t go for the French fries and soda. You don’t want to be struck by hunger pangs that can affect concentration or be so hyper on sugar and caffeine that you can’t think straight or be practically

comatose from the giant burger you wolfed down.Be prepared with the materials you’ll need. Make sure you know what items you need to have for the test and pack them the night before, such as #2 pencils, a cal-culator or notes you’ve prepared if your teacher is allowing you to take an open-note test.

Keep calm and pace yourself. Stress can affect your memory, so it’s really impor-tant to stay calm before and during a test. Close your eyes and take a

few deep breaths. And don’t rush! Take your time and READ the instructions and the questions carefully. Establish what you don’t know and come back to the question later, if you have the time. Go back and review your work, especially with math problems or essay questions. Don’t work too slowly though; you don’t want to leave the test half-fi nished.

Ask for help. If tests stress you out so much that you can’t func-tion during a test, then your test anxiety may need a little atten-tion. Talk to your teacher, your guidance counselor, your parents or tutor about the problem and fi nd out what resources they can offer to help you overcome the problem.

(Source: www.makingitcount.com)


(Source: MyCollegeOptions.org)

With more students applying to college today than ever before, the college admissions process is very competitive. While a successful ad-missions interview and a stellar essay can help your chances of getting into the school of your choice, college ad-missions offi cials are also going to be very interested in the story told about you by your high school transcript and high school profi le. Your transcript basically tells your academic history. It gives an overview of the grades you have earned and the courses you have taken. College ad-missions offi cers use this document to see the rigor of your academic pro-gram given the courses available to you. Some of the items that can be found on your transcript include:• The classes you have taken -- Ad-

missions counselors pay close at-tention to honors, advanced and AP/IB classes.

• Your grades – Admissions coun-selors take into consideration all of your grades, with your junior year grades typically getting a more careful review because they are the most recent. Sometimes, a college will also request a mid-year grade report, which will contain your fi rst-semester senior year grades.

• Other information about you – This could include items such as your attendance history and standard-ized test scores. Check with your guidance counselor to see exactly what other information might be

in your transcript. If you have not yet seen your transcript, you should ask your guid-ance counselor about obtaining a copy. You should know what infor-mation a college will learn about you from reviewing your transcript. You should also be sure and check the accuracy of your transcript. If you fi nd an error, you should talk to your guidance counselor immedi-ately about correcting the problem. In addition to your high school transcript, a college or university will typically receive a school profi le. A school profi le gives admissions offi cials more information about a student’s school that can help them when making an admission decision. It’s not a bad idea to ask your guidance counselor if you can see a copy.Most school profi les will include the following items: Information about your school and its community. School infor-mation might include a school’s history and mission, its institutional memberships and recognitions and honors. Curriculum information. This can include information about what academic programs your school off ers, special diplomas it awards and unusual or non-traditional courses it might off er. It also includes information on any AP or IB courses the school off ers. Sometimes a school will list its graduation requirements here. This helps a college or university see how your courses stack up against what was off ered at your school. An explanation of the school’s grading and ranking procedures. If your school doesn’t rank, it will explain its policy and will sometimes include an explanation of GPA distribution. Information on test scores. Here, the school will report on SAT and ACT scores as well as other test information, such as AP or National Merit. College attendance history for your school. Usually, this will in-clude the percent of students attending two-year and four-year col-leges as well as in-state and out-of-state schools. Sometimes, it will also include a list of the colleges and universities attended by recent graduates. As you review your transcript and your school’s profi le, you should think about the “story” these documents are telling the college admis-sions offi cial. What is missing? What else might the college need to know that isn’t obvious by looking at these two documents? If you fi nd anything not covered, you should talk to your guidance coun-selor about including this information in a recommendation letter.


Find out what to expect on your first day of college. Register early for Fall 2011 classes. Attend Cougar Days at any one of four Coastal Bend College campuses. Sign up for Cougar Days 2011 at any campus online at www.coastalbend.edu (go to “Cougar Days”).

Sign up for Cougar Days 2011 now to receive a free T-shirt.

To be eligible to register early the student should bring the following to Cougar Days:

1. Social Security Number;2. THEA, Compass or Accuplacer scores or evidence of exemptions (ACT, SAT, TAKS, etc.);3. Official transcripts from all educational institutions attended before entering CBC (high school or college);4. License plate number for obtaining parking permit; and5. TDCJ ID, if you are employed at the McConnell or Garza units and reside in Bee County.

Online Orientation: As an incoming freshman, you are required to complete Coastal Bend College orientation. If you cannot attend one of our Cougar Days, you must complete online orientation and register during regular registration dates. You may complete orientation at www.coastalbend.edu.

Please call (361) 354-2304 for additional information about Cougar Days 2011 or Coastal Bend College’s orientation requirements.


Campus Date Sign-up Deadline

Pleasanton July 26 (July 22, 2011)Beeville July 28 (July 22, 2011)Kingsville August 2 (July 29, 2011)Alice August 5 (July 29, 2011)

COUGAR DAYS 2011COASTAL BEND COLLEGE

Find out what to expect on your fi rst day of college. Attend Cougar Days at any one of four Coastal Bend Col-lege campuses in Alice, Beeville, Kingsville and Pleasan-ton. Sign up for Cougar Days 2011 at any campus online at www.coastalbend.edu (go to “Cougar Days”). You can choose to attend Cougar Camp anywhere, regardless of which campus you plan to attend in the fall.

Campus Date Sign-up DeadlinePleasanton July 26 (July 22, 2011)Beeville July 28 (July 22, 2011)Kingsville August 9 (July 29, 2011)Alice August 5 (July 29, 2011)

Sign up for Cougar Days early to receive a free t-shirt. To be eligible to register for classes on Cougar Days, students must bring the following:1. Social Security Number;2. THEA, Compass or Accuplacer scores or evidence of

exemptions (ACT, SAT, TAKS, etc.);

3. Offi cial transcripts from all ed-ucational institutions attend-ed before entering CBC (high school or college);

4. License plate number for ob-taining parking permit; and

5. TDCJ ID, if you are employed at the McConnell or Garza units and reside in Bee County.

Online Orientation: As an incoming freshman, you are required to complete Coastal Bend College orientation. If you cannot attend one of our Cougar Days, you must complete online orientation before registering for cours-es. You may complete orientation at www.coastalbend.edu. Please call (361) 354-2304 for additional information about Cougar Days 2011 or Coastal Bend College’s orien-tation requirements.

http://vct.coastalbend.edu/cbcss/content/index.cfm?fa=viewpage&category_id=3481&frommod=1

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June 20 – July 7Sharon Mayberry(830) 569-4222 ext. [email protected]

June 6 – June 30Debbie Branstetter(361) 592.1615 ext [email protected]

June 6 – June 30Mary Perez or Nora Cartwright(361) 362.2633 (COED)[email protected] [email protected]

Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color,

national origin, gender, age, or disability.

Going Green Going Green Going Green

All Campuses of Coastal Bend College will host Kids College in the summer of 2011 with the theme of "Going Green". Kids, ages 6 -12 years old, will learn about what going green really means. They will study green energy, alternative energy, environmentalism, engineering and have fun with some creative science. The classes offered during Kids College will be lead by qualified and creative instructors and supervised by the Continuing Education Division of Coastal Bend College. Parents and family members are invited to a presentation by the kids on the final day. Dates/times listed on the registration forms are subject to change due to enrollment.

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Documents

Coastal Bend College Forum June 2011