ReconnectThe Alumni Magazine of JCCC

Spring 2009

Statusquo isnot anoption

4 Calaway Creates Opportunities from ChallengesFor JCCC’s president, the status quo is not an option.

8 Williams Directs Diversity InitiativesDr. Carmaletta Williams redefines diversity at JCCC.

10 JCCC Begins Polysomnography/Sleep Technology ProgramWake up to a new program that studies sleep medicine.

12 Tour Harvests Kansas RootsJCCC faculty and staff members hit the road on a six-day study of Kansas.

14 Getting Creative at the Nerman MuseumClasses at the Nerman Museum of ContemporaryArt are designed to bring contemporary art to 8- to 11-year-olds.

15 Center for Entrepreneurship Cross-markets ProgramEntrepreneurship program serves the communitywith credit and noncredit courses.

16 Spaces for Special Events Fill at JCCC New buildings open doors to the community for new events.

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CoverDr. Terry Calaway, JCCC's president, and hiswife, Marlene Calaway.

Contents

ReconnectThe Alumni Magazine of JCCC

Reconnect is published three times ayear by Johnson County Community College 12345 College Blvd. Overland Park, KS 66210-1299 913-469-8500 fax 913-469-2559www.jccc.edu

Reconnect is produced by the JCCCFoundation, College Information andPublications and the Office ofDocument Services.

Editor: Emily Fowler

Photographer: Bret Gustafson

Designer: Randy Breeden

For more information about JCCC Alumni, call Emily Fowler, JCCC Foundation, 913-469-3835.

18 We’re Keeping Busy …A look back at the fall 2008 semester.

20 JCCC Wins the CupAn overview of college sports, 2007-2008.

22 The Culinary Program Accepts the Wysong ChallengePrivate gift seeks to distinguish JCCC’s culinary program at national and global levels.

24 Some Enchanted EveningFred Logan was honored at the 2008 scholarship gala.

26 The End of a Successful Year Honors were awarded at JCCC Foundation’s annual dinner.

27 Let’s Reconnect!Alumni are invited to reconnect with JCCC.

Back CoverFree College Day at JCCCJCCC’s 40th anniversary celebration gives back to the community.

Spring 2009 | 3

CalendarSat., March 7, 2009Trompe L'oeil, premiere of an original play byDorothy Naeymi, JCCC Alumna

Presented by the Nerman Museum and theJCCC Academic Department of Theater inpartnership with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Starring: Jim Korinke, Nigel Delahoy and Natalie Liccardello

Polsky Theatre, Carlsen Center, JCCCTickets: $35 913-469-4445Includes gourmet pre-reception and post-paneldiscussion

Fri., April 24Dollars for Scholars, an auction to raise fundsfor student scholarships and assistance

Ritz Charles, 135th St. and Antioch Rd. $25 per person, $240 per table of eight

Call 913-469-3835 for more information

Fri., May 8Grillin’ and Chillin’ at the Nerman Museum,JCCC Alumni Reconnect event, 5-7 p.m., FREE

RSVP to the JCCC Foundation, 913-469-3835,no later than May 4

Fri., May 15JCCC Commencement

GYM, JCCC Campus

Save the Date:Sat., October 24Beyond Bounds: A benefit for the NermanMuseum of Contemporary Art

Held on campus in the Nerman Museum

Sat., November 14Some Enchanted Evening: A black-tiescholarship benefit for JCCC students

Overland Park Marriott

CalawayCreatesOpportunitiesfrom Challenges

Sitting in his JCCC office, Dr. Terry A. Calaway is asked

to reflect on his first 20 months in office.

“It’s interesting when you are in a job like mine. You receive a

lot of credit for the hard work of other people, a lot more than

you deserve,” Calaway said.

Calaway refuses to take personal credit for what the college

has accomplished since he took office June 18, 2007, but he

will enumerate “institutional” accomplishments.

“The most important thing we have done institutionally is the

expansion around the dynamics of learner engagement. With-

out that, everything else falls by the wayside,” he said. “First

and foremost, we are looking at the ways students connect to

the institution.”

From Calaway’s perspective, making immediate intentional

connections with students is critical, particularly with first-

generation students. Then if students do find themselves in a

crisis, the college is aware of it and, in turn, students know

who to ask for help should they lose a job, lose their means of

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Spring 2009 | 5

transportation or experience a work-schedule change that prevents classattendance. Calaway so deeply believes thischange in college mindset and culture willpolitically impact student success that hecreated a division of Learner Engagement,and Rick Moehring was named the firstdean of the division in January 2009.

Some of it is as basic as explaining thatclass attendance and homework are es-sential. Quoting Dr. Kay McClenney,director of the Community College Sur-vey of Student Engagement, Calawaysaid, “Students don’t do optional.”CCSSE has provided JCCC with infor-mation from students ranging from waysthey connect to faculty and staff to howthey use the library.

“Learner engagement works both ways.The college has to be intentional andopen in making the connections, and stu-dents have to be part of connecting aswell. We’re saying ‘we can help you suc-ceed if you put forth a responsible effort.’Not only can we dramatically increasestudents’ success in the classroom butsuccess toward life goals.”

Calaway said the most likely place forstudents to connect with the college is inthe classroom; however, there are otherplaces.

“Everyone has a role in this show, notjust faculty, not just individuals in senior

leadership. We all have a role in helpingstudents,” Calaway said.

Next on Calaway’s list is the develop-ment of a health services educationalcenter on the campus of Olathe MedicalCenter. In a letter of intent signed De-cember 2008, OMC agreed to donateland and JCCC committed to construct-ing a center for allied health educationalprograms through which JCCC studentscould earn degrees and certificates inhealth occupations.

Citing national and local shortages ofnurses, radiology, pharmaceutical andlaboratory technicians, Calaway believesit is important for the college to buildnew allied health programs. The pro-jected date for the center to open is 2011.

“JCCC students will be able to takeclasses in our health services educationbuilding and then walk across the park-ing lot to complete their clinicals atOlathe Medical Center. This will be animportant growth opportunity for ourinstitution that fits well with the overallcounty’s plan for a Johnson County Ed-ucation and Research Triangle, approvedby taxpayers in November.”

Calaway said in his first JCCC interviewalmost two years ago that the commu-nity college is the engine of workforcedevelopment. He reiterates that today.

“Now is the time we can use the com-munity college to turn the economyaround and create new workplace op-portunities,” Calaway said.

Health services education is one exam-ple, and so is the sustainability programcurrently being developed under theleadership of Dr. Jay Antle, who wasnamed its executive director in January2009.

Calaway identifies two parts to JCCC’ssustainability program – one, how thecollege as an institution can becomemore sustainable and, two, how the col-lege can provide new credit andcontinuing education programs to teachsustainability.

First, the college is looking at ways to be-come more energy efficient – fromretrofitting 40-year-old buildings to re-claiming ground water.

Under education, credit instruction islooking at new degree programs like theresidential energy auditor technicianprogram, pending approval by theKansas Board of Regents; and Work-force, Community and EconomicDevelopment is looking at becoming asolution provider offering sustainabilitytraining and consulting services to smalland mid-size businesses.

“There is federal money, like the grantSen. Sam Brownback is helping us withto develop the Center for Sustainability,”Calaway said. “We want to be on theforefront of creating green-collar jobs.”

One of the challenges the board oftrustees raised during Calaway’s inter-view was to create an agenda that makesthe college more diverse. To that end, theOffice of Diversity, Equity and Inclusionwas created, and Dr. CarmalettaWilliams was named its executive direc-tor in January 2008. Calaway says whilethe student population is growing tomirror the county’s expanding diversity,our employee group is not.

“We have a great opportunity to look atthat,” he said. “But the most importantway to build an equity program is look-ing at how we can continue to build abroad-base program within instruction.We are truly living in a global economy.

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Dr. Calaway attends Dollars for Scholars, the annual auction to raise money for scholarships.

Students who graduate from our pro-grams will be working internationally.We need to prepare our students to workin this diverse environment.”

Calaway is proud of ODEI’s Octoberautism conference that had to be cappedat 200 enrollees and new initiatives to in-teract with the Native Americancommunity through an annual healthand cultural pow-wow.

“Our college and our community ismuch more diverse than a year ago. Thatis a great thing, and we will be a richerculture because of it.”

The greatest challenge of his tenure is a 4.5percent state budget cut. After years ofplenty, the college is now forced to dealwith less. Calaway says the college alreadyhas adjusted its 2009 and 2010 budgets.

With increased unemployment, Calawayprojects fall enrollment growth.

“Our counselors are already seeing anincrease in the number of adult students,some literally with pink slips in theirhands.”

WCED has programs in place to assistbusinesses that have experienced layoffs,helping them with outplacement services.

Calaway names one last challenge —preparing students for jobs that don’texist yet.

“I am struck by the fact that the top 10jobs in today’s market didn’t exist six toseven years ago,” the president said.“This makes for exciting times. We haveto be visionary and try to look ahead towhere technology, knowledge and infor-mation services are taking us, so we canprepare our students for the future. Nowis the time for JCCC to be entrepreneur-ial. For me, status quo is not an option.”

Calaway didn’t come to JCCC alone. Hiswife, Marlene (pictured with him on thecover), also works to better the commu-nity. Since moving to Johnson County,Mrs. Calaway has become a court-appointed special advocate (CASA). Appointed by a judge, a CASA volunteeradvocates for the best interests of childrenwho have become involved in the courtsystem due to abuse or neglect. She alsoserves as a board member of SafeHome,the only program of services for victims

and survivors of domestic violence inJohnson County, and is a member of theSt. Luke’s South Foundation advisorycommittee, which acts to increase com-munity awareness and helps definefundraising priorities. Her interests include reading, Jazzercise, and traveling

with the president.

The Calaways will host “Grillin’ andChillin’ at the Nerman Museum,” anevent for JCCC alumni, on Friday, May 8, 5 to 7 p.m. RSVP by May 4, 913-469-3835, or alumni@jccc.edu.

Spring 2009 | 7

Dr. Terry Calaway answers questions during an interview.

Dr. Carmaletta Williams was namedthe first executive director, Diversity

Equity and Inclusion, at Johnson CountyCommunity College on Jan. 18, 2008.

With her appointment, Williams resignedher previous position as JCCC Englishprofessor.

“It was extremely hard to resign my academic position,” said Williams, whohas a bachelor’s and master’s degree inEnglish from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a doctorate in Englishfrom the University of Kansas.

But Williams looks at it this way: she isredefining her classroom as the collegeand the community, and her subject asdiversity. She is also redefining “diver-sity” for this campus, giving it a broadand inclusive meaning.

“Embracing diversity allows us to beadvocates for all people on our campus,regardless of their race, gender, sexualorientation, geography, ethnicity, religion,

culture, different abilities and challengesand even differing world views andperspectives,” Williams said.

To that end, Williams says her office willwork closely with Counseling Services,Access Services, the President’s office andthe college attorney.

“I will work with all the divisions anddepartments on campus to make surepeople feel included,” she said.

One of Williams’ charges is to increaseminority student enrollment and fac-ulty/staff diversity. To her that means notjust recruit, but also retain.

“We don’t have a tradition of hiring andretaining a diverse population at JCCC,and we need to change that,” Williamssaid.

While Williams perceives her office as a

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Williams Directs Diversity InitiativesDr. Carmaletta Williams works with students, faculty and staff on diversity initiatives at JCCC.

“We don’t have atradition of hiring

and retaining adiverse population

at JCCC, and we need to

change that.”

place where people can talk about prob-lems and even register complaints, shealso intends it to be a teaching center,where people bring ideas for program-ming and speakers, and facultyfacilitators develop course modulesabout diversity subjects. In the future,she and the diversity committee foresee amulticultural center, maybe as part of anew library.

Williams, who was born and raised inKansas City, Mo., has a strong commit-ment to the success of JCCC and diversity.

“I have been working on diversity pro-gramming and training at JCCC for thepast 17 years,” Williams said. “I knowthis institution, am familiar with thecommunity and have a vision for the fu-ture of the college. With the commitmentof our president to diversity initiativesand the establishment of this office,JCCC will be a model for other institutesof higher education.”

As part of its diversity initiatives, the college is requiring all associate of artsand associate of science graduates tocomplete an approved course on diver-sity, effective fall 2008. Students canchoose from a list of at least 36 coursesranging from Introduction to Interna-tional Business to Introduction to theDeaf Community, as well as manyclasses on cultures, history, world reli-gions and women’s studies.

“Almost all colleges and universitieshave a diversity requirement,” Williamssaid. “We want our students to leave educated and have insight into ‘others.’We are a global society. We can’t stay inour little cocoons and expect to be successful.”

Williams herself is a successful teacher,writer and researcher.

A prolific writer, she has published onthe subjects of racial identification andAfrican-American migration; LangstonHughes, an early 20th century black poetand writer, and the Harlem Renaissance;and noted black writer, folklorist and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston.Since 1993, Williams has made morethan 300 presentations before academic,professional and community groups.

At JCCC, Williams was awarded the college’s first-ever Diversity Award in 2005, five Distinguished ServiceAwards, the Burlington-Northern SantaFe Faculty Teaching Award and theLeague for Innovations’ Innovation ofthe Year Award.

She has been the recipient of more than20 awards and honors, including Who’sWho Among American College Profes-sors, 2004, 2005; Minority Opportunity

Fellowship Grant, KU, 1999, 2000,2001; KU Black Faculty and Staff Council’s Student Achievement Award,1999, 2000, 2001; KU Black Faculty andStaff Council’s Alumni Award, 2000;Fulbright-Hays Fellowship for Study inGhana, 1997; and the 1997 Kansas Professor of the Year Award, awarded bythe Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Council forAdvancement and Support of Education.

Spring 2009 | 9

Williams is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion at JCCC.

As sleep medicine has become a rec-ognized medical subspecialty, sleep

centers have turned down the sheets andwelcomed people with suspected sleepapnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsyand a myriad of other sleep disorders.There are 16 sleep disorder centers andlabs in Kansas, 12 in Missouri – seven ofthe 28 are in the Kansas City Metro area.To meet the growing demand for sleepstudies (polysomnograms), JCCC nowoffers an associate’s degree inpolysomnography/sleep technology.

According to Dr. Clarissa Craig, dean,health care professions and wellness,sleep medicine has come to the forefrontfor two reasons: one, evidence that sleepdisorders correlate to medical conditionslike heart attacks, strokes, high bloodpressure, diabetes and obesity; and two,private health insurance providers thatnow offer reimbursement for sleep tech-nology services.

Historically, other health care workers(nurses or respiratory therapists) orpeople who have had on-the-jobtraining have taken on the role of sleeplab technicians.

“But this is a profession that requires itsown set of skills, knowledge and expert-ise,” Craig said.

For the 50 to 70 million Americans whofind soothing slumber to be the fantasyof lullabies, science has uncovered themechanics of a seemingly simple act.People who have trouble sleeping (orconversely staying awake the next day)may stop breathing numerous times atnight, their brain and eye movementsmay lack the rapid-eye-movement ofdream-inducing sleep or their limbs mayviolently twitch.

Working under a physician’s supervision,PSG technologists evaluate patientsusing non-invasive monitoring equip-ment to watch for irregularities in REM

brain waves, oxygen and carbon dioxidelevels, breathing variables, heart ratesand leg movement; interpret sleep stages;and titrate appropriate therapies likeContinuous Positive Airway Pressure(CPAP) – all during a 12-hour night’ssleep study.

“Even in the first semester, students will complete observational experiences insleep labs so they understand the hoursand the work,” Craig said.

JCCC received grants from the KansasState Technical Education Technologyand Equipment Grant and the Kansas Innovative Technology Grant to outfitthe respiratory lab with the sophisticatedequipment for three complete sleep-studysystems (lots of monitors and wires withthree-letter abbreviations, like EEG,EOG, ECG and EMG, that connect tothe chest, head and legs).

Right now, PSG technologists are not re-quired to have an associate’s degree or

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JCCC BeginsPolysomnography/Sleep Technology Program

Michael Riley, registered sleep technician, uses a 10/20 system of scalp electrode placement on patient Doris Wilson as Bibiana Wrigley looks on.

registration in Kansas or Missouri. Registered polysomnographic technolo-gists (RPSG), certified by the Board ofRegistered Polysomnographic Technolo-gists, are mandated in some states andpreferred by local sleep centers. Studentswho complete the JCCC program will beprepared to sit for the BRPT exam, according to Craig.

“There are only a handful of associate degree programs in polysomnography at community colleges and universitymedical centers in the United States,”Craig said. “There are none in the metro-politan area; the nearest is in Iowa.Students who graduate from our programwill have a good formal education and bea hot commodity in the job market.”

Craig says ideal candidates for the profession should possess skills in science, technology, attention to detail,communication, and have a desire tohelp patients.

Spring 2009 | 11

Riley scores data from a previous night’s study as Patricia Pope and Wrigley look on.

Wrigley reviews electrode wire placement on patient Doris Wilson prior to a sleep study.

Dr. Clarissa Craig oversees JCCC’s newassociate’s degree in polysomnography/sleeptechnology.

Things learned on the Kansas Tour:

� Kansas’ hills, ridges and canyons can’tbe seen when speeding along I-70.

� Small Kansas towns that treasure theirtraditions also harbor a lot of individ-ualists who disregard them.

� Winter wheat was not carried here ina Mason jar by a little Mennonite girl.

That’s just the beginning of a long list ofinsights, facts, impressions and questionsengendered by JCCC’s first tour of thestate.

At the end of May, 15 JCCC faculty andstaff members set off in a bus for a six-day tour of Kansas. Led by Dr. JamesLeiker and Dr. Jay Antle, both associateprofessors of history at JCCC, the groupcrisscrossed the state, focusing on Kansashistory, ecology, economy and art. Dr. Deborah Williams, assistant profes-sor, environmental science, and Dr.Allison Smith, assistant professor, art his-tory, shared perspectives from their fieldsas well.

“We realized long ago that JCCCfaculty and staff had a disconnect, likemany folks in this part of the state,between what happens in the KC metroarea and the rest of Kansas,” Leikersaid. “We hear often aboutglobalization and so we focus on ‘bigpicture’ teaching, when the local andregional context is just as important.”

Days were packed with visits to theEisenhower Library in Abilene; researchinto sustainable agriculture at the LandInstitute in Salina; the Grass Roots ArtMuseum in Lucas; roadside art atMullinville; the Cathedral of the Plainsin Victoria; the African-American townof Nicodemus; the Sternberg Museum’sfossil fish-within-a-fish at Hays; Punished Woman canyon, the site of an1870s battle near Scott City; a windfarm outside Spearville; the feedlots ofDodge City; and the reconstruction ofGreensburg. The group braved cow pies,the threat of rattlesnakes, 35-mile-an-hour winds and imminent tornados, andlearned a lot.

Even lifelong Kansans found surprises.“I thought I had a good understandingof what Kansas has to offer,” said DavidSmith, associate professor, hospitalitymanagement. “But Jay and Jim showedme things in the state that caused me tobe excited about the diversity of things Ican share with my students.”

And then there was the camaraderie.“The group brought back memories ofthe first years of my employment at thecollege at a time when the faculty andstaff intermingled to a degree inconceiv-able today,” said Kevin Gratton,professor, chemistry. “The cross-fertil-ization in ideas and motivations wasexhilarating.”

And that was the point. “We’re believersin experiential learning,” Antle said. “Im-mersing yourself in a place brings aboutintellectual development.”

The bus will pull away for the secondKansas Tour in May 2009.

Story by Julie Haas

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Tour Harvests Kansas RootsFaculty and staff traveling on JCCC’s first Kansas Tour stop to breathe before heading on to the next church/historical site/roadside art display/windfarm/feedlot/cemetery/library/museum …

Spring 2009 | 13

The wind farm outside Spearville stands in afield of wheat, economically combining energyand agriculture.

Lovingly maintained, Kansas’ old churches are atestament to the immigrant populations thatbuilt them.

S.P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden in Lucas is a cement monument to populist thought.

Dr. Jay Antle and Dr. Jim Leiker, leaders ofJCCC’s first Kansas Tour, focused the trip on thestate’s history, geography, economy, environmentand culture.

Area children study contemporary artand get inspired to create their own

works when they take ContemporaryCreations classes at the Nerman Museumof Contemporary Art.

Contemporary Creations classes are an extension of the museum’s tour program and are designed for 8- to 11-year-olds. The two-hour classes areevenly divided between art tours andstudio time in the Tearney EducationCenter’s children’s studio. In the class-room, students draw from conceptsthey’ve learned and inspiration fromworks of art they viewed to create theirown pieces.

“The children have a lot to say about theart right away. They like sharing ideaswith each other and then taking thoseideas and creating their own uniqueworks of art,” said Cynthia Wood, oneof two Contemporary Creations instruc-tors, along with Amy Wunsch.

Wood, art teacher at Brougham Elemen-tary School, Olathe, loves takingstudents all over JCCC’s campus to viewpieces of art.

“Being able to see the art in person,rather than looking at a reproduction, allows the students to really relate to thework. I don’t see this many students get-ting so excited and engaged in theregular art classroom where we look atposters or pictures from the Internet,”Wood said.

According to Wood, students have mostenjoyed the ceramic projects. A favoritelesson involved learning about contem-

porary Native American art and thencreating a clay vessel. Students workedwith a quick-drying clay that does notneed to be fired in a kiln. Other projectshave included 3-D paper sculptures,painting, working with pastels, and creating miniature monuments withfoam board.

Karen Gerety Folk, curator of educationfor the Nerman, says the number of students turning out for the classes hasbeen excellent. More than 70 studentsparticipated in classes during the monthof June. Like Wood, she feels that seeingworks of art in person gives students atotally different perspective on what itmust have been like for the artist to create the work.

“Students actually see the size of the art-work and gain a sense of how the work wascreated. All kinds of questions come up thatstudents might not otherwise ask. How didthe artist create a painting so large? Howbig of a studio space did he or she need tomake the piece?” Gerety Folk said.

Exploring questions like these helps thestudents learn to look at art in a morecritical way.

“Our tours are focused on visual liter-acy, learning how to look at a work ofart and pick out the artist’s choices,” saidGerety Folk.

Often times, students have so many ideasto express, they need little promptingfrom the teachers.

“There are instances when I just standback and see where the students take thediscussion. Then I can tailor my teaching

to their interests and observations,”Wood said.

Classes are designed so that studentscan try one class or come each week tolearn something new. This flexibility,along with an affordable fee, allowsstudents visiting from surroundingareas to participate.

Students can register through theWorkforce, Community and EconomicDevelopment branch by calling 913-469-2323, or by downloading forms atwww.jccc.edu/youth. For more informationabout Contemporary Creations or othermuseum programming, contact KarenGerety Folk, 913-469-8500, ext. 4771, orsend e-mail to kgerety@jccc.edu.

Story by Emily Serafin

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Ryan Conly smiles as he brightens his sculpturewith color.

Teacher Cynthia Wood illuminates features of Elephant, a painting by Amy Sillman.

Getting Creative at the Nerman Museum

Whether you own a bed and break-fast establishment or dream of

running an automotive service business,a one-stop resource awaits you at theCenter for Entrepreneurship in 240 Regnier Center, its location since August2007.

Aspiring entrepreneurs can find creditcourses in entrepreneurial studies, andexisting entrepreneurs can tap into freeand confidential consulting services andattend for a nominal fee workshops of-fered by the Kansas Small BusinessDevelopment Center.

Credit classes and noncredit resources inthe entrepreneurship program merged in2003 with the help of a grant from theEwing Marion Kauffman Foundation,and the permanent location maximizesofferings for both programs.

“We know people want to be entrepre-neurs,” said Donna Duffey, chair,Entrepreneurship. “If you train thatspirit and train that student through on-going activities, that business is morelikely to grow and be sustainable. Youryield is economic vitality.”

Four full-time SBDC business consultants,

a director and administrative assistantstaff the noncredit activities at the Center.Two full-time professors and nine adjunctfaculty members provide credit classes.The center also houses an office for theCollegiate Entrepreneurs Organization, aresource center and conference room.

“The lifetime of the service by this part-nership is ongoing,” Duffey said. “It’sunique.”

Duffey said the entrepreneurship pro-gram can better serve the community byoffering credit courses to both credit-seeking students and noncredit-seekingclients, allowing for cross-marketing.

Duffey added that the community betterunderstands the entrepreneurship pro-gram under one umbrella.

“It demonstrates the commitment of thecollege,” Duffey said.

Malinda Bryan-Smith, director of theSBDC, helps clients move their businessplans to the next level whether they arestarting a business as a young entrepre-neur, a retiree or an existing businessowner who wants to grow, buy or sell acompany.

She pointed to several advantages ofcombined forces.

“You have the synergies of both opera-tions,” Bryan-Smith said. “It gives us afull menu of options.”

Kay Smith, a speech therapist, came toBryan-Smith a year ago with a dream ofcreating and selling infant and toddlercollegiate costumes.

“I wouldn’t have a business without thisdepartment,” Smith said. “You needsomeone who knows your company andwith whom you can be in contact. Thisprogram provides that for you.”

Story by Linda Friedel

Spring 2009 | 15

Center for EntrepreneurshipCross-markets Program

Malinda Bryan-Smith, director of SBDC, and Donna Duffey, professor and chair, Entrepreneurship, provide leadership and resources for aspiring andexisting entrepreneurs.

“If you train thatspirit and train that

student throughongoing activities,

that business ismore likely to growand be sustainable.

Your yield iseconomic vitality.”

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Spaces for SpecialEvents Fill at JCCC

A reception in the Atrium preceded the NermanMuseum’s 2008 Charlotte Street FoundationFellows exhibition opening.

JCCC’s Regnier Center and NermanMuseum of Contemporary Art

opened in fall 2007 with formal dedica-tions, public receptions, a festive galaand press coverage touting both build-ings’ outstanding architecture andintended use – one for art, one for busi-ness and technology. A year later, mediaattention and public attendance remainhigh.

The Nerman continues to generate arti-cles in Architectural Record, ArchitectureWeek, World Architecture News and Artin America. In July 2008, Kyu Sung Woo,Nerman Museum architect, received theHo-Am Prize in the Arts, an award thatrecognizes ethnic Koreans who havemade noteworthy contributions to artsand culture. Last fall, Gould Evans As-sociates with David Reid as principalarchitect for the Regnier Center won anaward for “outstanding design” in theAmerican School & University’s “2008Educational Interiors Showcase” competition.

While the primary mission of the Ner-man Museum and Regnier Centeradheres to JCCC’s motto, “Learningcomes first,” meaning first priority tostudents, the spaces have also enjoyedunequivocal community use. BetweenOct. 20, 2007, and Nov. 30, 2008, theNerman Museum logged 80,625 visitors.The Nerman Museum and Regnier Cen-ter have had a combined total of 41,052people using rental spaces for meetingsand events from January to December2008. This figure does not include stu-dents in academic classrooms, individualvisitors to the Nerman Museum or indi-vidual diners in Café Tempo.

“We provide a resource for the commu-nity to facilitate learning and a versatileenvironment where people are very wellcared for,” said Christy McWard, direc-tor, Marketing and Event Management,JCCC’s Workforce, Community andEconomic Development branch. “Wehave excellent audiovisual services witha dedicated media services staff, catering,housekeeping and event managementstaff.”

Rental space in the two buildings has av-eraged about 40 events a month Januarythrough October 2008. In the Regnier

Center, event spaces are the Capitol Fed-eral Conference Center, a 5,000-square-foot room that can be dividedinto quadrants; meeting rooms and class-rooms that can be rented individually oras breakout rooms from the conferencecenter; the Harvey S. and Beverly R.Bodker Executive Classroom; theAtrium, the two-story glass atrium thatseparates the Regnier Center and theNerman Museum; and the “Cube,” atwo-story space with floor-to-ceilingwindows on two sides. An on-sitekitchen offers food for coffee breaks, sit-down dinners or informal buffets, andthe Shull Foyer serves as a meet-and-greet lobby. In the Nerman Museum,event spaces are the M.R. and EvelynHudson Auditorium, a 190-seat audito-rium with high-performance projectionand acoustics; the Tearney EducationCenter; and Café Tempo, with 55 seatsin the Nerman Museum and 55 seats inthe Atrium. Because of the two buildings’proximity and shared Atrium and Café,events easily flow between sites.

In October 2007, the buildings hosted 12events; in October 2008, that number in-creased to 63 events. Demand for rentalspaces began before the buildings’ open-ings, necessitating guidelines for use ofthe facilities. Outside rentals must sup-port learning, community developmentinitiatives and JCCC’s reputation. Activ-ities cannot conflict with college policynor engage in purely political activities.

Five members of the rental review com-mittee scheduling office meet twice aweek to assess incoming requests. Theyare McWard, Jeff Hoyer, director of op-erations, WCED; Deb Knudtson,manager, conference services; Paula Eng-lish, facilities scheduling coordinator;and Darsey Davidson, administrative as-sistant, WCED. There is also a weeklymeeting with the above plus Cherie Jenk-ins, supervisor, catering; Gary Cook,manager, housekeeping and custodialservices; David Rhoades, multimedia andevents services specialist; Pat Casey, man-ager, media services; Adrienne Wilson,administrative assistant, Nerman Mu-seum; and Bob Greenwood, policeofficer, Jerry Naas, sergeant, and Mar-garet Baskett, communications dispatchsupervisor, JCCC police department.

“We are extremely pleased with thenumber, size and diversity of activitiesheld at the Regnier Center and NermanMuseum,” McWard said. “We have re-ceived glowing reviews from customers.”

“The administrative staff, schedulingstaff and catering staff were very atten-tive,” said Sky Westerlund, executivedirector of the Kansas Chapter of theNational Association of Social Workers,an organization that used the HudsonAuditorium and the Atrium for its an-nual meeting. “The location is beautiful,the best we’ve ever had. The AV presen-tations went flawlessly, and the AV staffchecked on us constantly. The foodserved at breaks was a nice selection andnicely presented.”

“The facilities have been amazing,” saidHeather Gambrell, convention servicesmanager, the Overland Park Conventionand Visitors Bureau. “They are morethan the city could have hoped for. Istrongly recommend them to conventiongroups looking for a unique facility inwhich to hold meetings.”

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Deb Knudtson, Christy McWard, Jeff Hoyer andDr. Sally Winship oversee scheduling for theRegnier Center and Nerman Museum ofContemporary Art.

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We’re Keeping Busy …

Ben Craig, one of the college’s founders, sounds the horn to start the first Start2Finish 5K run between JCCC and the KU Edwards Campus. Start2Finish is apartnership whereby students begin their education at JCCC and complete it at KU Edwards. Save the date for the 2nd annual Start2Finish 5K Run, July 25, 2009.

In September, Marlene Calaway and Stacy Sopcich enjoyed thesustainability expo and dinner, which showcased local farmers, wineries,meat producers and bakeries. The next sustainability expo and dinner willbe held Sept. 10, 2009.

JCCC’s free conference, Autism Spectrum Disorders: Beyond Diagnosis, heldon campus in October, included information for family members, educatorsand health care providers of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Spring 2009 | 19

Japanese culture came alive in September at the 11th annual Greater Kansas City Japan Festival, presented by the Heart of America Japan-AmericaSociety and the Japan Festival Committee. The next Japan Festival will be held fall 2009.

In her College Scholars presentation inNovember, Dr. Andrea Broomfield, associateprofessor, English, focused on three dinnersserved on board the ship the night before theTitanic sank and what the meals suggest aboutthe intersections of class and nationality on theeve of World War I.

In September, students spoke with local law enforcement agencies at Criminal Justice Day, sponsoredby the Administration of Justice program.

In 2007-08, JCCC won the NationalAlliance of Two-Year College Athletic

Administrators Cup Award, which rec-ognizes program excellence in two-yearcollege athletics at the national level. Inaddition to this year’s first-place, JCCChas a sixth-place, second-place and twothird-place finishes in the five-year his-tory of the award.

At the conclusion of the 2008 spring sea-son, all 18 NJCAA sanctioned teams atJCCC qualified for postseason or cham-pionship play. Fifteen of those teamsqualified for their national tournament,with 11 teams finishing in the top 10 in

the country, and seven in the top five.Seventeen of the 18 teams were rankedat some point before, during or after theseason. JCCC teams won four confer-ence titles and finished runner-up fivetimes. The Cavaliers won five Region VIchampionships and had two second-place finishes.

Individually, in 2007-2008 JCCC ath-letes earned 57 All-American honors,and 76 All-Region VI honors; 129 werenamed as an all-conference athlete. Inaddition, JCCC had nine individualsearn Academic All-America honors.

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JCCC Wins the Cup

Spring 2009 | 21

The Wysong Challenge is a set of ini-tiatives intended to distinguish

JCCC’s culinary program at national andglobal levels. Kansas Sen. David Wysongand his wife, Kathy, announced in May2008 a $750,000 challenge gift to helpraise $1.5 million in support of theJCCC program. The Wysong challenge,funded by the Wysong Family Founda-tion, will support these initiatives:

The Master ChefGuest LectureSeriesThe Master Chef Guest Lecture Series in-troduces the trade secrets of renownedchefs to the community and JCCC culi-nary students. Kevin Rathbun, owner ofthe acclaimed Kevin Rathbun Steak andKrog Bar in Atlanta, and a former JCCCculinary student, entertained and in-formed as the first chef in the series inJanuary 2008, teaching a master cook-ing class and helping students prepare afour-course dinner as a fund-raiser forculinary scholarships.

Cooking with ClassA new television series called Cookingwith Class showcases chefs – JCCCgraduates, faculty and supervising chefsfor JCCC student apprentices – demon-

strating techniques that gourmet cookscan use at home. The series airs on thecollege’s cable station on Time Warner,Comcast and SureWest. Demonstrationscan be found at http://video.jccc.edu.

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The Culinary Program Accepts the Wysong ChallengeTrustee Don Weiss congratulates some of JCCC’s award-winning culinary students. If you would like to help support the culinary program, call the JCCCFoundation at 913-469-3835.

Chef Kevin Rathbun (center rear) was the first chef to participate in the Master Chef Guest Lecture Series.

Sponsorship of theJCCC Culinary TeamJCCC’s culinary team is the only suchteam to win first place three times at theNational American Culinary FederationChampionships. Monies from the WysongChallenge will help the team compete ininternational competitions, such as the onein Singapore in April 2008, where theteam earned a gold, two bronze and twosilver medals.

Health Through FoodA partnership between JCCC and KansasState University has resulted in a sustain-able agriculture (market farming)entrepreneurship certificate program thatwas introduced in spring 2009. The pro-gram, which has received a grant from theUnited States Department of Agriculture,will train new growers and improve theskills of existing growers in both agricul-ture and business in order to expand theavailability of locally grown food.

The EdibleSchoolyardIn May 2008, the children at the college’sHiersteiner Child Development Centerplanted an edible schoolyard in a hoop-house, an unheated greenhouse, as a wayto harvest healthy attitudes toward foodchoices and local, sustainable agricul-ture. Produce from the edible schoolyardwill be used in the children’s schoollunches. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius attendedthe ribbon-cutting, helping the childrenplant blueberry bushes. The programwill serve as a model for partnerships be-tween culinary programs and pre-K tohigh schools working together towardhealthier school lunches. The edibleschoolyard is also supported by a gener-ous contribution of $13,000 from theGeorge and Patricia Semb Science Edu-cation Fund and a grant from theSunflower Foundation.

Spring 2009 | 23

The Wysong Challenge raises money to help the culinary team compete nationally and internationally.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius helps plant blueberrybushes in an edible schoolyard.

Fred Logan was honored by the JCCCFoundation as the 2008 Johnson

Countian of the Year at the Foundation’s22nd annual Some Enchanted Evening galaNov. 8, 2008, at the Overland Park Mar-riott Hotel. Proceeds from Some EnchantedEvening support student scholarships atJCCC. Over the past 21 years, the Founda-tion has raised more than $3.6 million forthe college’s scholarship program throughSome Enchanted Evening.

“Fred Logan has been a consistent, de-pendable leader for Johnson County,” saidBob Regnier, president and CEO, Bank ofBlue Valley, and president, JCCC Founda-tion. “His unwavering support of educationat all levels has positively impacted ourcommunity for future generations.”

Logan is an attorney and partner withLogan Logan & Watson, L.C., Prairie Vil-lage. In the community, he is chairman ofthe Arts Council of Metropolitan KansasCity. He also serves as a vice chairmanand a member of the board of directorsof the Greater Kansas City Chamber ofCommerce, a member of the board of di-rectors of St. Luke’s South Hospital, anda member of the University of Kansas Edwards Campus Advisory Board.

The Johnson Countian of the Yearaward is the Foundation’s highest recog-nition of achievement and is presented atSome Enchanted Evening, a black-tieevent that includes a gourmet dinner, en-tertainment and dancing.

Through events like Some Enchanted

Evening, the JCCC Foundation hashelped thousands of students pursue theirdreams of a college education. Studentswith exceptional needs, such as singleparents and displaced workers, and tal-ented students in all areas of study benefitfrom Foundation scholarships.

24 | reconnect

Menorah Medical Center guests: Nancy and Ken Mellard, Makeba and Damond Boatwright, Wanda and Steve Wilkinson, Amanda Burton and Jared Wilkinson

Fred Logan, Johnson Countian of the Year, Carol Logan, Ann Regnier and JCCC FoundationPresident Bob Regnier. This year’s event raised $300,000 for scholarships.

Some Enchanted Evening

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Christi Mansfield and Jon Stewart, JCCC alumniand trustee

Lt. Governor Mark Parkinson and his wife, Stacy

Alicia and Lynn Mitchelson. Mr. Mitchelson isvice-chair of JCCC’s board of trustees

Bootsie and Rod Martin, JCCC alumni

JCCC President Terry Calaway, Morgan Honnold, featured student speaker, and Marlene Calaway

Stewart and Esther Stein, Some Enchanted Evening co-chairs, with Libby and Brad Bergman,corporate sponsor chair

Walter and Jean Hiersteiner, JCCC donors

JCCC’s Foundation reviewed the suc-cesses of the year past at their

annual dinner in September 2008. TheFoundation provided $616,293 that wasawarded to 679 students for tuition,books and program needs in 2007-2008.

Heather Flick received the ColleagueAward, which honors JCCC faculty andstaff members, who through outstandingservice and generous contributions oftime, improve the lives of JCCC studentsand college programs and assist theFoundation in stewardship and fundrais-ing initiatives. Flick, professor, dentalhygiene, is responsible for implementingthe college’s Oral Health on Wheels, a40-foot-long van that brings dental careto underserved populations.

Geri Christian, former director of ad-ministration, Burlington Northern SantaFe Technical Training Center, receivedthe Dr. Hugh W. Speer Award for Distin-guished Service. She helped securesponsorships for Some EnchantedEvening, the Foundation’s annual black-tie gala, and for Dollars for Scholars, theannual fundraising auction. Speer wasone of the college’s founders and a long-time trustee.

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The End of a Successful Year

Foundation board members Norman Polsky with Elaine and Wil Billington Ellen Gill, Stewart Stein, Foundation board members,and Shirley Brown-VanArsdale, JCCC trustee.

Students and members of the community socialize before the JCCC Foundation’s Annual Dinner.(Pictured l to r) Genevieve Scobee, Antoinette Youan, Brenda Eicher, Judge William Allen, MaxineAllen, JCCC founding trustee, Eric Eicher, Katrina Steele, Christina Holt. Scobee, Youan, Steele andHolt received Foundation scholarships for 2008-09.

Let’s Reconnect!JCCC celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. As JCCC

turns 40, we want to reconnect with you – our JCCC alumni.To do that, you’ll receive this magazine – Reconnect – threetimes a year. Reconnect will tell you about some of the thingsthat have been happening at JCCC, things that make JohnsonCounty Community College such a vital part of the community.

In turn, we want to find out how your start at JCCC made adifference in your life. You’re a part of one of the mostoutstanding community colleges in the country. We want toknow what you’ve been doing!

To reconnect with JCCC, contact:Emily Fowler JCCC Foundation913-469-3835

or send us an e-mail, alumni@jccc.edu

Login to www.jccc.edu/alumnito see what’s happening oncampus. You can alsoreconnect with JCCC studentsand alumni on Facebook andMySpace.

Spring 2009 | 27

Johnson County Community College12345 College Blvd.Overland Park, KS 66210-1299

www.jccc.edu

JCCC will celebrate its 40th

anniversary on April 18,

2009, with a Free College

Day. The event will show off

what the college offers and

allow us to say thank you to

the community.

That day, JCCC faculty and

staff will offer short classes to

the public free of charge!

Topics range from interior

design to business planning

to computer skills.

thAnniversary

Apri l 18, 2009 | Johnson County Community College

To learn more, v is i t www.jccc.edu/FreeCol legeDay .