ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

The Cougar

Published by the Lassen Community College Alumni Association

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Lassen Community College provides outstanding programs for all pursuing

higher education goals. The core programs offer a wide range of educational

opportunities including transfer degrees and certificates, economic and workforce

development, and basic skills instruction. The college serves students,

both on campus and in outreach areas in its effort to build intellectual growth, human

perspective and economic potential.

Youarepartofagroupofmorethan 100,000 who attendedLassen Community College. Inan effort to provide betteropportunities, resources andservices to more of our alumniand friends, we are creatingexciting and meaningfulchanges to howalumni can getinvolved and support LCCstudents. Help us build ouralumni network by emailing usat:lccfoundation@lassencollege.eduor by visiting our website at:www.lassencollege.edu. Go tothe“SupportLCC”tabtosignupwithouralumnidirectory.

Chapman,2017AlumnusoftheYear,ServedasSusanville’sYoungestMayor

JimChapman,shownhereatthe2017LCCcommencementceremony,wasselectedasthe2017AlumnusoftheYearbyLCCPresidentandSuperintendent,Dr.MarlonHall.

Upcoming Events Sept. 4 – Labor Day Sept. 9 – LCC Charity Golf Challenge Oct. 7-8 – Annual LCC Rodeo

CHAPMAN,PAGE5

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Lastyear, JimChapmanwrappedupa40-yearcareer inpolitics,acareer thatoriginated on the campus of LassenCommunity College in 1974. Though hiscareer in politics started in the early1970s, his love of government and civilservicespawnedatamuchearlierage.

FormanyAmericans growing in theturbulent middle 20th century, theassassination of President John F.Kennedy was a life changer. Chapmanrecognizesthatmomentinhistoryastheimpetusforhisinterestinpolitics.

“If there was one thing thathappened to trigger my interest inpolitics, it was the assassination of JFK,”said Chapman. “At that time, a lot ofpeoplewereaffected. Iwas in the fourthgrade, and I remember notunderstanding what was happening butknowing my life and others had been

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changedforever.”The following year,when hewas in

the fifth grade, a teacher quicklyrecognized Chapman’s love of U.S.History and Government and nurturedhis fascination. It was from that pointforward Chapman knew he wantedsomething to dowith politics andpublicservice.

Chapman graduated from LassenHigh School in 1972. At the time theschool had roughly 1,000 students. Hisclass was comprised of 186 graduates,downfrom220whenhewasafreshmanin 1968 andwas the first class to go allfouryearsatthenewhighschool.

Chapman had every the onlyintention of beginning his college careeratLassenCollege.Manypeople,especially

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Softball The Lady Cougars finished in fourth place in the

GVC,witha10-10record.Theyfinished19-18overall.The team suffered a tough endto the2017season,losing the doubleheader in“walk-off”hits, to Feather River College. Mia Torres, a 2016graduate of Lassen Union High School, was namedGVCPlayeroftheYearandreceivedAllStatehonors.

JoKoonswasnamedheadcoachinJuneafterGlenYonanassumedfull-timeathleticdirectorduties. Baseball Cougar baseball finished in second place in theGVC with a 17-8 record (22-16 overall). The teamcarriedon the100percentplacement rate ofplayerswith11studentathletesmovingonwithscholarshipsopportunities to the four-year level for the seventhyearinarow.

Head Coach Frank Avillawas voted 2017 GoldenValleyConferenceCoachoftheYearand ledhisteamtothefirstplayoffappearanceinnineyears.

In2016-2017,nearly50LCCstudent-athletessignedletters-of-intenttocontinuetheiracademicandathleticcareersatfour-yearcolleges.CongratsandGoCougars!

Last year, the Lassen Community College AthleticDepartmentjoinedInstagram,thesocialnetworkingsitemade for sharing photos and videos. Since then,@lassenathleticshasgrownitsaccounttomorethan240followers and includes coverage of all Cougar athleticteams.Thesitewillgiveyouapeekintothelivesofourstudent-athletes,fromonthefieldtooffthefield,ontheLassencampusandwithinthecommunityofSusanville.

CougarSocialScene

Women’sSoccerCallieDrescher–BethelCollege

EmeraldCastelliDeLaTorre–AntelopeValleyCollegeVictoriaGarza–St.GregoryUniversity

JessicaAustin–Mid-AmericaChristianUniversityKieraMorgan–Mid-AmericaChristianUniversity

SydneyMorales–AntelopeValleyMillieLandry–PennCollegeofTechnology

Men’sSoccerLouisCallaghan–LubbockChristianCollegeRaiRamus–Mid-AmericaChristianUniversity

JamalYates–LubbockChristianRonMakaramba–TexasA&MTexarcana

OliverMay–Mid-AmericaChristianUniversityRogerPeron–Mid-AmericaChristianUniversity

BrunoBandiera–Mid-AmericaChristianUniversityBradTeale–AntelopeValley

SteveWeladji–UniversityofHoustonVictoriaJackMoreland–GlasgowUniversityMaxKinihan–SouthernOregon

Women’sRodeoChelseyBushnell–CSU-ChicoMadisonValerga–CSU-Chico

Men’sRodeoWillMacDonald–CSU-ChicoJohnFruiht–CSU-ChicoTylerGibbs–CSU-ChicoWomen’sBasketball

HaileeSimpson–MansfieldUniversityMen’sBasketball

DannySpinuzza–TexasA&MInternationalUniversityKennyMacklin–SanFranciscoStateUniversity

ColbyJohnson–GraceUniversityJasonMoore–GraceUniversity

BrunoCastillo–PresentationUniversityDamienTrujillo–UnionCollegeCameronBrown–DeansCollege

DuranayAtikullah–ManhannatChristianCollegeSoftball

JulisaRodriguez–SterlingCollegeShandellGemmel–SterlingCollege

BaseballDanielPerry–UNR

McClainO’Connor–UCSantaBarbaraAdamFrandsen–RogersStateUniversity

GehrigParks–ColoradoStateUniversityatPuebloJacobConklin–NorthernStateUniversityRaymondKerr–CumberlandUniversity

ZacharySchmidt–UniversityofScienceandArtsofOklahomaNathanHedberg–DakotaStateUniversityKevinMontgomery–OregonTechUniversity

QuintonSmith–KansasWesleyan

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MarketingfortheCareerTechnicalEducation(CTE)programsatLCChasreceivedapromotionalface-lift.

“Nine out of the 11 CTE programs have adesignated,professionallyshotvideoexplainingindetail theprograms,” saidLCCcounselorandCTETransitionsGrantCoordinator,AdamRunyan.“Wealsohaveacomprehensive30-secondvideoofallCTE programs currently showing in three movietheatersinLassenandModoccounties.”

ThevideoswerescriptedbyRunyanandwereshot and produced by Bourns Production Inc., afull concept to completion video productioncompanylocatedinReno,Nevada.Thevideoscanbe foundon theLassenCollegeYouTubechannel.Visit YouTube and search Lassen College to viewtheCTEprogramvideos.

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When Elizabeth Fernandezdecided to attend LassenCommunity College following herhigh school graduation, she wasundecided aboutwhat shewantedto study and also a bit hesitant toleave home. The 2011 LassenUnion High School graduate washoping her time at LCC wouldexposehertonewideasandcreatenew experiences that wouldinspirehertowardacertaincareerpath.

Fernandez was raised by hersingle mother and was determinedtoearnherdegreebypayingforhereducationonherown.She receivedseveralscholarshipsthathelpedherpay for her education at Lassen.Although she changed her majorthree times in two years, it allowedher the time to findherpassion forArtHistory, inwhichsheearnedanassociate’s degree. She also earnedtwo more associate’s degrees inGeneral Studies and UniversityStudies.

During her time at LCC, sheparticipated instudentgovernment,bothlocallyandatthestatelevel,byservingas a student senator for theStudent Senate of CaliforniaCommunity Colleges (SSCCC).Shewasastudentsenatorfortwoyears

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before transferring to the University ofCaliforniaatDavisinthefallof2014.

“Being involved in studentgovernment at the college level is anexperiencethatstillhelpsmetoday,”saidFernandez.“Withoutmeetingthevariousstudents and learning their stories, Idon’t think I would be as passionate inhelpingothersrealizetheirgoalsasIamnow.”

Fernandez also participated in theExtended Opportunity Employment &Services (EOP&S) program at LassenCollege that offered academic andsupport counseling, financial aid and

FernandezCreditsLCCforHelpingHerFindPassionfortheArts

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othersupportservices.At UC Davis, she studied Art

History and graduated in the springofthisyearwithaBachelorofArtsinArtHistoryandItalian,withaminorinNativeAmericanStudies.

Fernandeziscurrentlyworkingas an Administrative SupportAssistant for California IndianManpowerConsortium,Inc.,orCIMC,Inc., a non-profit organization thathelps Native Americans, NativeAlaskans, andNativeHawaiians findemployment, and provide othersupportassistance.

Sheplansonaddingafewyearsof job experience to her resume andthenattendinggraduateschool,whereshewantstopursueherotherpassion,Nativeartandartifactswithafocusontheeffectmuseumexhibitionshaveontheartandartifacts.

Fernandezcreditsthesupportofherfamilyandfriends,specificallythatof her mom, stating, “It has been meand my mom forever, and she hasalways supported me and where Iwanted to go. She is such a strong,independent woman that I havelooked up to all my life, and I knowwithout her unconditional supportandloveIwouldn’tbethepersonthatIamtoday,orattheplaceIam.”

Fernandez,picturedwithhermom,graduatedlastspringfromUCDavis.

CTEProgramsReceiveMajorDigitalMarketingBoost

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All newand returning studentswere invited to a free daily CollegeSuccess Boot Camp from (CSB) Aug7-18. The inaugural Boot Camp,which consisted of 10 sessions foran hour a day, is designed to helpstudentsstayon-trackandsucceed.Through engaged learning andinteractive experiences, a team offaculty from various departmentsassisted in helping the studentsdiscoverandfine-tunethetoolsandskills they need to academicallysucceed.

Students enjoyed a free dailylunch before the start of eachsession that allowed them theopportunity to meet and networkwithotherstudents.TheCSBdrewalarge daily audience and concludedwithadrawingforalaptop.

LCCHostsFreeCollegeSuccessBootCamp

TheinauguralLassenfestResourceFairandpoolpartykickedoffthestartof the 2017-18 school year with asplash on August 20. Approximately150studentsattendedtheresourcefairto learnabout theservicesavailabletoassist every student to succeed atLassen. Studentsvisitedbooths towinprizes and gain valuable informationincluding, campus tours to help findtheirclassesforthe firstdayofschool,financial aid, student ID cards,Academic Resource Center, andAssociated Student Body and a rockclimbingwalltonameonlyafew.

In addition toLassenfest, studentswere invited to the new Honey LakeValley Community Pool for a BBQ andfun time hanging out with otherstudents, faculty and staff from thecollege.Students played corn hole,Frisbee and cooled off in the beautifulpool while listening to music andgetting ready for classes to begin thenext day. One student commented,"thishasbeen thebestdayofmy life,"and felt excited to start their collegecareeratLassenCommunityCollege.

LassenfestHelpsStudentsEaseintoCollegeLife

CHAPMAN,PAGE1

OneofthemanyofferingsattheinauguralLassenfestResourceFairwastheoptionfornewstudentsandtheirfamilyandfriendstoreceivecampustoursbycurrentstudents.

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his high school career counselors,expectedhimtoheadofftoafour-yearuniversity but Chapman had otherplans.Hisplansconsistedofservingonthedebate teamunder thedirectionoflongtime family friend, Lassen Collegeprofessor and future LCC President,BobShepherd.

“Bobwaslikefamily,andrecruitedmetobeonhisdebateteamwhenIwasin the second grade,” said Chapman.“He could tell I enjoyed speaking andengagement and I wanted to go toLassen College because I wanted todebateforhim.”

And he did. He was also the ASBPresident,ASBTreasurer,wrotefortheschool newspaper and was inductedintothehonorsociety.HeattendedLCCwith the first group of students whowent four semesters at the newcampus.

Before graduating from LCC,Chapman,attheageof19,waselectedto the Susanville City Council. Hetransferred to Chico State aftergraduatingfromLassenCollege inMayof 1974 and continued toserveon theCouncil. He left Chico in May of 1976with a BA in Public Administration,threemonthsafterbecomingtheMayorof Susanville. After serving as theyoungest mayor in Susanville andCalifornia history, he eyed a seatwiththe Lassen College Board ofSupervisors,apositionheheldfornine

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terms representing the SecondDistrict.

He also served on College’sFoundation Board, as an adjunctprofessor and as a member of theCollege’sgoverningboard.He’sactiveinLHSalumniassociation,amemberof the Susanville Rotary, LassenCounty Chamber of Commerce,Lassen-Janesville Lodge of theMasons, Lassen County HistoricalSociety, Susanville Elks Lodge, andthe Junior Fishing Derby Committee.Not fully retired, Chapman runs adirectmailandcopy/printingservice,LassenAddressing,whichhefoundedin1981.

On Sept. 14, Chapman willcelebrate37yearsofmarriagetohiscollege sweetheart Marilyn Sue, anelementary school teacher, whoretired in 2012. The twomet on thecampus of Lassen College duringChapman’s freshman year and hersophomore. Their eight-yearromance weathered through college,moves,graduateschoolandtheearlystages of adulthood, to bring themback together in Susanville in 1980.Four months later theymarried andelevenmonthsafterthattheymovedinto their first house, where theyhavelivedeversince.For Chapman, there is onecommonality in his life’s equation,“Pretty much with all theopportunities in my life, there’s onecommon denominator, and it wasbecauseofLassenCollege.”

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The College has madeconsiderable progress andimprovementssinceourlastretreatonApril 26, 2016.Our direction will behard work, innovation, creativity,thinkingregionally,andflexibility.Oursuccess lies in the willingness ofeveryone involved to do thingsdifferentlynotthesameoldway.Ourgreatnesswillbeinhowwehonoreach other for our differences butconfront the faults we have. We willcontinue to move in the direction ofdevelopingnewtraditionsbutkeepingties to the history of LassenCommunityCollege. The main thing is that we willgrow as professionals, and asprofessionals we know the value oflearningandstudentsuccess.Onedayour colleagues will identify us atLassen Community College as leadersinourprofessionbecausewevaluethesuccessandretentionofourstudents,educational excellence, doing what isbest for students, trust, collaboration,andsustainability.

We will measure the success atLassen Community College by thelearning experiences of ourstudents. Their quality of life and thelives of the individuals they care forwill be better because of ourwork atLassenCommunityCollege.

Like us – LC Foundation and Alumni Association

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Weare in the business of being acatalyst influencing the region’spositive image, economy, and humancapital by fostering a “we can” cultureofcollectiveimpact.Academics: Our Nursing (LVN)programwillgraduateitsfirstclassthisDecember and the second class willbegin inAugust. Themedical assistingand the Phlebotomy courses areprogressing and we are looking intoaddingaDentalAssistingprogram.FireScience: hasreturnedtocampusand this program still looks promisingforthefuture.Inmate Education Program: HighDesert andCCChas expanded to threefull-timeBusinessinstructors.Adult Education Consortium:Continues to provide funding for CTEand high school completion programsin our outlying areas such as:Westwood,Herlong,Alturas,BigValley,Litchfield,&SurpriseValley.Student Services: Moved our teamapproach to incorporate financial aid,admissions/records, counseling, andcategoricalprograms.AdministrativeServices:• PilotmealplanlaunchedAug.21;• Modern dormitory kitchenconstructioniscomplete;

• Libraryconstructioniscomplete• New categorical offices arecompletedandfunctioning;

• The dorm’s activity room will bereadybyDecember2017;

• Water system maintenance wastransferredfromtheCitytoLCC;

• Upgradeofelectricalsystem;• Sod reduction projects to lowerwaterusage.

Athletics:We have a full-time athleticadministrator, a full-time trainer, andcoachesforallofourexistingsports.IT Department: Continues to providesupport and technical assistance foraccurate and timely data to supportdecisions, more Datatelimplementation,trainingsforstaff,andthe resources for strategic enrollmentplanning.

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Lassen College Foundation: isincreasing its donor base with theincrease in endowments, 100 Club,more revenue from the Eagle LakeMarina, and revenue from the LouisPriceBlackHistoryMonthConcert.ThesupportoftheBoardofTrustees,staff, faculty, students, and ourcommunity has been a huge plus inouraccomplishments.TocontinuetomoveLCCforward,wearecommittedto:• Continuing to hire academicpersonnel in Child Development,Human Services and mathematicswhile planning for futureretirementsinotherareas

• Beginning work on ouraccreditationself-study for the2020visit.Ourmidtermreportwasaccepted and we continue to beaccredited

• InstallingA/Cinourbuildings• Upgradinglightinginclassrooms• Implementingstrategicenrollmentplanningby2020.

• Completingpayments to the stateby 2018 and by 2020 forthedormitorybuildingmortgage.

• Apply for USDA grants/loans forupgrades/constructionoffacilities;

• Foundation needs to seek moreendowments for our existing CTEprograms and extend scholarshipprogram into a college promiseprogram. A full-time FoundationDirectorisneeded.

• Sod reduction on campus willcontinuetodecreasewaterusage.

• Our athletic fields with theextendedusebythecollegeandthecommunity are in need ofupgrades.In closing, I would like to show

appreciation to our faculty for theirhardworkanddedication.Thestaffisto be commended for their workacrosscampus…Lassen Community College is still agreatplacetobe.

REFLECTIONS… from the Office of the President, Dr. Marlon Hall This contains an abbreviated version of the original document.