After 20 years at Southwestern College, Ronnie Jenkins, director of major gifts, will retire during the summer. Jenkins was honored at Founders Day activities at the college during April.

A 1963 graduate of Arkansas City High School and a 1967 graduate of Baylor University, Jenkins began his career at Southwestern Jan. 1, 1993.  Before that he had worked for his father and the family business, Jenkins and Sons Production Inc., in Arkansas City.  He was also a city commissioner for three years in Arkansas City and mayor in 1979.

Through the years, Jenkins has been in charge of establishing relationships and seeking donations for the college.  His territory of responsibility included the western third of the United States stretching from Arizona to Washington.

“My title is a bit misleading,” Jenkins says.  “Every gift is a major gift, whether $5, $50, or $500,000.”

The campus and the landscape of the college look much different today than they did in 1993 and of this change has come about largely through Jenkins’s efforts.  He is proud of many of Southwestern’s improvements (Jantz Stadium construction, Stewart Field House and Deets Library renovations) but two achievements are especially close to his heart: the Mazie Barnett Kilmer Endowed Chair for Strings and the Richardson Performing Arts Center. 

“When I first came to Southwestern, Richardson Auditorium was what I wanted to change,” Jenkins says.  “For years there was no interest in redoing the auditorium.  When the decision was made to renovate, though, I couldn’t imagine the results would be as spectacular as they are.  To turn what was basically a barn into a facility that is so acoustically wonderful is remarkable.”

Southwestern College Dick Merriman is thankful for the work Jenkins has done through the years.

“Ronnie has been an effective ambassador for the college and has been a very skillful advocate in seeking financial support for Southwestern,” Merriman says.  “He has helped our donors help Southwestern achieve great things, particularly in the performing arts, and I’m very grateful for his service.”

When asked what he will miss most, people were first and foremost on his list.

“I like the people I work with,” Jenkins says. “I will miss the annual trips to see donors who have become friends.  I will miss the people.  The physical being of the college is one thing but the real deal is the people who support it and have been here and have feelings for it.  There is a real sense that people are pleased with the direction the college is going.  People want to be a part of a winning team and a winning team is easier to support.”

Jenkins is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Anita Judd-Jenkins, and being able to simply stay home. 

“It’s been an incredible experience for me to get to be here and get to know the college like I have.  I think it is a real treasure.  In the pantheon of private colleges in the state of Kansas, Southwestern is probably in the best position it has ever been.  It is a result of not only our office but the administration, our communications that go out and our admissions team.  I feel a bit like Jerry Seinfeld and his television show. When he got to the top of the ratings he said, ‘It’s not going to get any better than this for me.’”

Students in the SCPB awarded a grant of $2,500 to Mid-KS Community Action Program (Mid-KS CAP).  Mid-KS CAP is going to partner with the K-State Research and Extension Cowley County to provide a nutritional program to income-sensitive families in Cowley County.  The program is intended to reach approximately 126 families.  The program will provide participants with education but also with food that they will practice preparing in the classes and can then take home to their families.  In a recent pilot session, participants received a slow cooker and a cook book, and prepared two freezer-ready healthy slow cooker meals to take home.  Benefits of the classes include:

• Healthy meal and cost effective meal ideas;
• Experience in meal planning;
• Increased kitchen skills;
• Familiarity of nutritious foods and values;
• Building community support and networks.

According to Lindsay Wilke, assistant director for Leadership Southwestern, the SCPB aimed to grant funding this year to a program that would improve the wellness of individuals in Cowley County, a central element of the county-wide strategic plan, Vision 2020.  The students indicated a broad definition of wellness that included spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental components.  A total of 11 grant applications were received from non-profits throughout the county for a myriad of programs and projects.

“The depth and breadth of the applications the SCPB received highlights the good work that is taking place throughout the county and is a testament to the strength of the SCPB grant application,” Wilke says.  “The students worked hard to develop an application that would allow their funding to be put to good use, and they succeeded.  The collaborative partnership between Mid-KS CAP and K-State Research and Extension Cowley County is an exciting one that promises to strengthen the health of Cowley residents through a unique nutrition program.  It is rare that students get to sit in the seat of the funders, and in doing so, they learned valuable lessons about stewardship. I am proud of their work.”

Southwestern College students that participated were Jessie Riggs, Hannah Podschun, Mariam Mamah, Michael Bond, Katy Hamilton, Sally McGuire, Lauren Strain, and Sydnee Nelson.

If anyone would like to donate to the work of the SCPB or learn more about the student group, email scpb@sckans.edu or visit the web site at www.sckans.edu/makeagift/contribution/category/102/.

The Student Government Association initiates the process for naming Masterbuilders by calling for each member to nominate students.  The list of students who receive a vote are then submitted to a faculty vote.  Finally, the entire student body votes, choosing recipients from the names remaining on the list. 

Masterbuilders for 2012-2013 include: Clint Dick, Spivey; Sally McGuire, Denton, Texas; Derreck Carter-House, Conway Springs; Meeka Gentry and Hannah Podschun, Winfield; Jessie Riggs, Wellington; and Kaley Rodriguez, Salina.

Students began the process back in November.  Understanding grant-making is the centerpiece of the KICC program. The students work to create and refine a Request for Proposals (RFP) under the supervision of the Leadership program at Southwestern College, then each group accepted applications from other organizations in their school.
KICC is funded through an endowment held with Legacy Regional Community Foundation. Legacy Regional Community Foundation creates a stronger future for our area by building endowments, providing informed leadership, and connecting donors to the critical needs of the region.

Michael Bond is the director for KICC this year and he has been impressed with the dedication of the high school students.

“Their passion to help their community is exciting,” Bond says.  “They have done a lot of work and it’s hard work at times but they have had a positive attitude throughout the year and it has been such a great joy to be able to work with people who want to make an impact in their school and their community.”

According to Lindsay Wilke, assistant director for Leadership Southwestern, the goal of the KICC program is two-fold: give young people the skills to become better leaders and provide them with a community arena to put their skills into practice right now.

Students who are a part of KICC and participated are:

• Winfield High School—Megan Lance, Alessandra Bevilacqua, and Avery Osen;
• Arkansas City High School—Madison McDowell, Jesus Del Angel, Manny Green, Jesus

Rodriguez, and Marissa Leake;
• Udall High School—Kelsie Hoffman, Darby Aldrich, Abby Hoffman, Zach Kratochvil, Heath Sattarlee, and Michael Propst;
• Central (Burden) High School—Zach Koppelmann, Travis Wham, Shelby Bannister, Greg Hilario, John Taylor, Grant Loewer, Rylee Liebau, Josh Koppelmann, Lucas McMichael, Michael Delaney, Jordyn Foley, Jeremiah Klick, Saydi Loewer, Cooper Dennett, and Bailee Ellis.

In addition to awarding the grants, all of the students in KICC visited the 2012 Winfield Habitat House and did service at Twin Rivers Developmental Supports to plant raised flower beds and gardens for their residents. 

“We work from a definition that philanthropy is ‘voluntary action for the public good,’” Wilke says. “Students learn that philanthropy is about giving both money and service to others.  To do this effectively, one has to become aware of what exists in the community.  What are the needs and assets?  This knowledge then informs the grant-making cycle.”

For more information about Legacy Regional Community Foundation, call (620) 221-7224 or (620) 442-1322 or visit www.legacyregionalfoundation.org/.

The outstanding student-athlete award is given in memory of Tracy Young by Bill and Georgianna Young.  Tracy was in the class of 1982.  The award is presented to the top senior female and male student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional performance in athletics, academics, leadership, and college and community service.

Adelman is a biology major.  He is a two-time NAIA Cross Country All-American, an NAIA Track and Field All-American, and has earned multiple Champion of Character awards at both the KCAC and the NAIA level.  He has also qualified for nine NAIA cross country and track and field national championships.  Adelman has been involved in student government, and has been a lab tutor for “Science, Society, and the Environment.” 

Rodriguez is an elementary education major and a leadership studies minor.  She is a four-year member of the volleyball team, and was a KCAC Academic All-Conference selection in 2012. She is an assistant teacher in the Southwestern College Learning Center, is a resident assistant in the freshman residence hall, and is actively involved with Leadership Southwestern.

Nominees also included:
 Sydnee Nelson, Clay Center, women’s cross country
 Melissa Roetzer, Dodge City, women’s tennis
 Rhea Rollins, Kansas City, Mo., women’s track and field
 Alyson Sparkman, Owasso, Okla., women’s soccer
 Jordan Barrett, Oologah, Okla., football
 Michael Morales, Ulysses, men’s basketball
 Jessie Riggs, Wellington, men’s tennis
 Austin Sacket, Derby, men’s soccer
 Bobby Weidner, Libertyville, Ill., men’s golf

This was the 15th annual presentation of the student-athlete award.

On Saturday, April 20, the first year Leadership students spent several hours providing services to multiple locally owned organizations such as Neives,’ Graves Drug, Eagles Nest, Posh, S & Y Industries, Bradbury Kitchen, and Hometown True Value.  In return, many local businesses are providing discounts to Southwestern College students.

“Since small town locally owned stores thrive on local customers, our students will be providing one of the greatest services that these businesses could ask for, customers,” says Southwestern College freshman and Leadership Southwestern student Michael Becker.

“These are wonderfully talented people who exemplify the best of the Builder Spirit,” says Andy Sheppard, vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty at Southwestern.  “The awards express the community’s appreciation for the subtle leadership and service that these colleagues provide to others on a daily basis.”

(Pictured:  Linda Kissire, Bobi Muldrow, Jackson Lashier)

Awards for years of service were also presented for:

• 35 years: Bill DeArmond, Jim Helmer
• 25 years: Roger Moon, Allyson Moon, Tim Shook, Terry Barnett
• 20 years: Bob Gallup, Sharon Wright, Michelle Boucher, Jackie Berryman, Jane Schlickau, Ronnie Jenkins
• 15 years: Lisa Braun, Dick Merriman, Michael Tessmer, Tracy Frederick, Tami Pullins
• 10 years: Joe Wood, David Gardner, Stephen Woodburn, Chris Schmitz, Jimmie Tagg, Charles Osen, Tommy Vargas, Ray Baldwin
• 5 years: Kristin Humphreys, Skye Browning, Marla Sexson, Susan Burdick, George Hindman, TJ Harris, Jason Speegle, Lock Schnelle, Justin Hearne, Jimmy Holland, Kristen Pettey

Jordan Stalder, senior from Chapman, was named four-year magazine-yearbook Journalist of the Year.  She received a $250 cash award and a plaque for her honor. Stalder also earned second place in caption writing.

“Creating a yearbook is a thankless job. An effective yearbook editor must combine imagination with attention to detail and self-discipline,” says Stacy Sparks, associate professor of journalism at Southwestern College. “Jordan Stalder has done an outstanding job of collaborating with others during four years on the Moundbuilder yearbook staff. She has earned the distinction of being named a Journalist of the Year by the Kansas Collegiate Media.” 

The Moundbuilder yearbook staff earned a bronze medal in the overall competition and took first place for illustration and for cover design.

“The Collegian” student newspaper earned a silver medal in the four-year private college division and UpdateSC (scupdate.org.), the online news site, took second place among four-year private colleges.

Jonathan Woon, Malaysia, and Taylor Posey, Wayne, Okla., took second place across all divisions in multi-media storytelling. Woon also won the four-year private college newspaper news photography competition and earned honorable mentions in news

photography and sports photography.

Clinton Dick, Spivey, took first place in feature writing and sports feature writing; second place in front page design; and honorable mention in sports news writing and sports photography. Dalton Carver, Ozawkie, placed second in review writing.

Carver, Dick, Maggie Dunning, Min Jiao, Kyle Killgore, Bailey VenJohn, and Woon attended the conference at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita.

A total of 163 students and advisers from 18 colleges and universities participated in the conference. In addition to earning awards, the students attended 18 breakout sessions over a variety of journalism topics and heard two keynote speakers.

Woon participated on a panel, “Rethinking student media operations,” along with Dave Bostwick, faculty adviser at Baker University; Laura Guy, faculty adviser at Garden City Community College; Hannah Wise, student from the University of Kansas; and Brad Barnes, student at Baker University.

The students were accompanied by Sparks, who was re-elected to a two-year term as secretary of Kansas Collegiate Media. She worked with other officers to coordinate programming for the conference.

“This event will give Cowley County residents the opportunity to discard old electronic items to be recycled,” McGuire says. 

By definition of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, e-waste includes all types of obsolete, unused, or unwanted electronic equipment.  The presence of lead in many of the items has caused some states and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to express concerns about disposal in non-hazardous waste landfills. 

Electronics will be delivered to Asset LifeCycle in Topeka, a state authorized e-waste recycling facility.  This facility accepts laptops, monitors, keyboards, scanners, cell phones, printers, controllers, and much more.  Items are accepted for free except CRT monitors ($10) and televisions ($20).  It is advised to remove all personal information from electronic devices; however, Asset LifeCycle assures removal of all personal information upon receiving the devices. 

According to McGuire, the project would not be possible without the help of Frito-Lay, Inc. in Topeka, who will be providing a semi-truck for transportation to the recycling facility free of charge.

For a full list of accepted items or for any other questions, contact McGuire at sally.mcguire@sckans.edu.

The new tennis facility is scheduled to be completed before Homecoming, so it is only fitting to celebrate Southwestern College tennis this year.  In addition to the full weekend schedule of activities, two tennis gatherings are planned for Homecoming.  The first, a Builder Tennis Reunion Reception on Friday, Oct. 11, will be from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Deets Library on campus.  Coach Speegle will provide a look back at the history of SC tennis and the athletes who made it great.  Refreshments will be served.  The second event will be on Saturday morning from 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, at the new T.H. "Curley" Vaughan Tennis Complex.  Builder tennis alumni will be invited to try out the new facility, but must bring their own rackets.

This year's Class Hosts are:
1963
Judy (Fairchild) Brown
Ron Lohrding
Florence (Cutter) Metcalf
Cindy (Marvel) Swanson
Rick Urban

1968
Hal Bruen
Don Hapward
Nancy (Haines) Parker
Gerry (Rieckenberg) Winters
Tom Winters

1973
Lyn (Gagnebin) Bement
Rodney Johannsen
Terry McGonigle
Keith Morrison

1978
Kim Bever
Waynette (Schoch) Brunkhorst
Doug Gilbert
Dana (Boylan) Kreie

1983
Joe Cobb
Ron Richardson

1988
Ryan Carr
Elliott Rodda
Lisa Spoon

1993
Stephanie (Wall) Brown
Don Gifford
Gloria (Morey) Gifford
Doug Wolff

1998
Kevin Colvin
Jennifer Crispin
Anne (Keith) Holt
Chris Holt
Janet (Walton) Miller

2003
Annika (Billings) Graham
Julie Morgan

2008
Brandon Hessing
Daniel Joiner
Krystal (Cole) Winn
Autumn Worten

51+ Class Hosts (classes that have already celebrated their 50-yr reunion)
Betty (McGowan) Bradley '51
Don Drennan '52
Ken Everhart '57
Melba (Travis) Cook '59
Marilyn (Lungren) Houlden '61

Specific class reunion information is available on the Homecoming site, as is contact information for the Class Hosts.  Don't miss out on the opportunity to "come home" to Southwestern, Oct. 11, 12, 13, 2013!

Published by Press 53, the 174-page collection follows three young men as their lives weave together through failed relationships, death, jail, adopted children, ritualistic basketball games, and life-affirming love on their journey to manhood and The Waterhouse.

Tiner, who joined Brevard College’s (North Carolina) faculty in 2006, teaches creative writing as well as film, literature, and composition classes.  He is founder and editor of “Pisgah Review,” a national literary journal associated with Brevard College

Tiner holds bachelor degrees in English and chemistry from Southwestern College as well as a master’s degree in English (creative writing) from Iowa State University. He earned his doctorate in English (fictional rhetoric and 20th-century American literature) from Oklahoma State University.  On Saturday, Tiner will be inducted into Southwestern College’s Scholars Hall of Fame. 

“The Waterhouse” will be available for purchase and signing at the reading as well as on the Press 53 website, www.press53.com. Tiner’s reading is sponsored by the English department atSouthwestern College.  For more information, contact Michelle Boucher at (620) 229-6332.

species.

“Parallel Lives” will be performed April 11-13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Helen Graham Little Theatre on the lower level of the Christy Administration building. For tickets or information, call the Southwestern College box office at 620-221-7720 or 620-229-6171. You can also visit their website at www.sckans.edu/theatre.

“The biggest challenge the girls have is developing several characters instead of having all this time to just develop one,” said Nikia Smith, stage manager. “From the perspective of stage manager, keeping track of who is who is a challenge in and of itself.”

Elementary education freshman Emily Tilton says she auditioned simply because she loves to act, and is having a blast developing so many unique characters.
“It’s hard to make sure a character doesn’t slip into the wrong voice, but I love playing them all,” Tilton says.

“Another challenge that comes with playing multiple roles is embracing the different dialects and body movements each character has,” says senior Danielle Morford. “Switching back and forth between them requires a lot of focus and practice.”
Morford plays many roles, ranging from a mermaid to a migrant farm worker. She also gets to perform a unique scene, where she humorously pantomimes a woman’s entire morning routine. While playing such a variety of characters can present challenges, the actors are also finding it rewarding.

“It’s not just memorizing lines, but it’s memorizing the attitudes of every character,” says junior Juliette Lowrance, whose roles range from a ditzy college girl on a date to Dumbo the elephant’s mother in a therapy session. “I love it.”

More than 400 entries were submitted in this year’s Sharkie Awards. Judges from Brainshark and other presentation experts evaluated submissions based on presentation quality, clarity, organization, and aesthetics. Entries had to demonstrate effective use of Brainshark’s technology – which lets users transform static documents, such as PowerPoints, into online and mobile video presentations.

Quiett, Web producer at Southwestern College, produced an animated online Christmas greeting that was posted on the Southwestern College website and e-mailed to alumni.  The greeting features Jinx and Bobo, a parody of Hallmark’s Hoops and Yoyo, as they riff on Southwestern College traditions and holiday spirit. SC seniors Justin Tinker and Chris Cole provided the voices for the production.  Southwestern College graphic designer Susan Burdick provided the background art.

“I was excited and flattered when I found out that we had won and that our work had been recognized,” Quiett says.  “We create some kind of electronic Christmas card each year.  Typically they are more reverential in tone, but this year we decided to create something a little more light-hearted.”

To view the award winning presentation, go to www.sckans.edu/christmas. 

“The competition in this year’s Sharkie Awards was especially fierce, with many organizations using online video presentations to communicate with impact,” said Irwin Hipsman, Brainshark’s director of customer community. “Terry Quiett from Southwestern College went above and beyond. At a time when it’s increasingly important to break through the deluge of communications, Southwestern is using online presentations to inform, motivate and truly ‘wow’ its audiences. We commend them on the excellent use of Brainshark’s technology.”

More information about the awards program, including a gallery of winning presentations, is available at www.brainshark.com/campaigns/sharkie-awards-2013.

In honor of National Poetry month, Sigma Tau Delta (SC English Honor Society) and Deets Library are sponsoring a presentation by Dr. David Bevington, noted Shakespearean scholar and Chair of Performance Studies from the University of Chicago. 

The presentation on Shakespeare's Utopian environment in The Tempest is scheduled for Wednesday, April 4 at 7.30 pm in the Deets Library Reference Room and it is open to the public.

The winning nominees were:
• Tamara McEwen, assistant professor of biology
• Sheila Krug, vice president for finance and human resources
• Pat Boggs, student life office manager.

Lai-L Clemons, diversity council chairman, says that this event is a good way to recognize Southwestern College women.

“A lot of times when we think about phenomenal women, we look outside of Southwestern College,” Clemons says.  “We need to look at the women that are right here and recognize them and award them for their great contributions.”

A total of nine women were nominated for the award.  Each of them received a certificate and a carnation.  McEwen, Krug, and Boggs received a frame that has the “Phenomenal Woman” poem by Maya Angelou, a Moundbuilder mug, and candy.

“Most importantly, they get to know they were the first to ever do this and people do recognize the hard work they are doing and they are greatly appreciated,” says Clemons.

one of the newly elected members.

The two officers and three members will begin their terms on June 1, 2013.

The newly elected officers are:
• President-Elect: Carol Brunson Day, consultant, Silver Spring, Md.
•  Treasurer: William H. Isler, President, The Fred Rogers Company, Pittsburgh, Penn.

In addition to Luo, newly-elected board members are:
• Chad Dunkley, chief operating officer, New Horizon Enterprises, Plymouth, Minn.
• Ann McClain Terrell, director, early childhood education, Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee, Wis.

“Our new board members bring a wide range of expertise and experience in the early childhood education field to NAEYC,” said Gera Jacobs, president of NAEYC’s Governing Board. “We welcome them to the board and look forward to working together to advance NAEYC’s mission of promoting high-quality early childhood education for all children.”

NAEYC’s 17-member board governs the association, which is nationally recognized for setting standards of quality for early childhood centers, schools, and teacher preparation programs; convening thought leaders; publishing research-based position statements, books, and periodicals that guide early childhood policy and practice; and providing an array of professional development opportunities for early childhood educators.

“We are pleased that these distinguished members will be joining the extraordinary leaders on our governing board,” said Jerlean E. Daniel, executive director of NAEYC. “I am confident they will help lead our association in this exciting time of national focus on early childhood education.”

According to Lindsay Wilke, associate director for Leadership Southwestern, this is a competition hosted at Washburn in which teams of students participate in a Leadership simulation and are judged by a variety of persons (business executives, faculty, and community leaders) on their performance as individuals and as a group.  A total of eight college teams were at the competition from the following schools: Fort Hays State University, Missouri Southern State University, Tabor College, Kansas State University, Metropolitation Community College, and Southwestern.

Southwestern College earned the Team Communication award and the Team Collaboration award.  This marks the second time that Leadership Southwestern has taken teams to this event and both times SC teams have won an award.

“The students’ performance at the challenge event is a testament to the strength of the Leadership program at Southwestern and the caliber of the students participating in the program,” Wilke says.  “Students in the Leadership program spend a great deal of time developing their personal strengths and weaknesses and learning to utilize these effectively in a team setting.  The awards from Washburn prove that the students are making great strides in leadership development work and can stand up against competition from recognized universities and colleges across the state. I could not be more proud of their efforts.”

The participating Southwestern students were: Taylor Fogle and Katy Hamilton, Bartlesville, Okla.; Dalton Carver, Ozawkie; Carlos Cruz, Crowley, Texas; Sara Peck, Wellington; Tavinia Tucker, San Antonio, Texas; Stevie Heidzig, Rogersville, Mo.; Lauren Strain, Pryor, Okla.; Kelcey Gabriel, Lincoln, Neb.; and Michael Bond, Wichita.

“I think that Southwestern Leadership did so well because we really know each other as individuals and we are like a little family,” says student Sara Peck.  “We truly build off others’ ideas, and we are not afraid to step in when things get out of hand.  I think we did a great job at realizing each individual’s strengths and weaknesses and in turn using them to our advantage when it came to the challenge event.  The two-day event was a great experience and brought us closer as a team.”
 

SC Photo Contest Winner!

Winfield is happy to showcase the winner of the Southwestern College spring photo contest: Jonathan Woon. The winning photo is titled "When east meets west" and depicts Frank Hua, adjunct faculty at Southwestern College, teaching his students how to practice Tai-chi, an ancient Chinese martial art. It was taken on the lawn outside Deets Library on the SC campus. The runner-up in the photo contest was Arden Moon’s “Beggar Woman” in which she captures her reflection in a window looking out of the Christy Administration Building at a snow covered 77 Steps. 

Here are some tips on ways to help connect your student with employment and internship opportunities:

The value of networking in PERSON:  With so much time spent texting, blogging, and Facebooking, students frequently may not understand that having a busy world in social media is not the same as a career network.  It is essential that students learned to build relationships based on face to face contact.  As a parent, you can help them understand that real connections need to happen in person.  They can use their home communities, professional organizations, or local chambers of commerce to network with potential employees who might be looking for a summer employee or a college student intern.

Who do YOU know?  Spend a few minutes and write down all the people you know that might be helpful to your student’s networking possibilities.  Consider family, friends, work, church, and your local civic community.  Sometimes you discover that you know more people than you realize.  These leads might be helpful for networking and internship connections.  Besides, it is easier for your son or daughter to start their outreach with supportive connections rather than total strangers.  So, look through those Outlook contacts or YOUR Facebook connections.

Professional Networking Sites.  We all know that college students understand how to connect with friends and strangers through social media.  If they have the ability to master that, they can move to the next level.  Sites like LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) allow students to use social media as a recruitment tool for employment, internships, and possible post-college jobs.  There are also sites like Branch Out (www.branchout.com) and Career Amp (www.thejobpyramid.com) to expand their networking capabilities.

Your Student’s Secret Weapon.  It’s easy for college students to feel a little “outgunned” as they seek summer employment and internships.  After all, in a rough economy, they may be competing with people who are older, have more work experience, and have college degrees.  What does a lowly college student have that can compete with that?  One great and powerful thing:  freedom.  Freedom to move, freedom to work for very little, freedom from encumbering obligations.  When you have a car payment, a spouse, kids, and a mortgage you can’t just drop everything and take an entry-level position halfway around the world.  When you’re 19, that’s exactly what you can do and that’s exactly what you need to be ready to do.  It’s the secret weapon of college students:  freedom to move toward opportunity.

The first was Career Athletes Power 301.  Because of the large number of student-athletes, this program showed the participants how to utilize their power as athletes in the career-seeking process.  The Career Athletes representatives spoke with over 200 student athletes about personal career development, preparation, networking skills, and summer jobs and internships.

The second event was a Resume Workshop conducted by Autumn Worten, Southwestern College graduate and current Executive Recruiter at Switchgear Search and Recruiting.  Over the lunch hour, Worten gave students the inside scoop on how to secure post-graduation jobs. Students learned how to tailor their resumes and how to take advantage of LinkedIn as a networking tool. 

The last event was an Etiquette Dinner & Alumni Panel held at the Winfield Country Club.  The students learned how to conduct themselves at a meal with a potential employee.  Ronnie Jenkins, major gifts officer at Southwestern, guided students through proper etiquette and how to avoid social faux pas.  Students also heard from a stellar panel of SC graduates who shared encouragement and tips on how to approach the current job market and be successful after graduation. 

Misty Teague – Senior, business management major. Misty is doing her internship with INTRUST bank as a personal banker. She is working 30 to 35 hours a week helping customers with trust, estate, and business LLC accounts. The most interesting aspect of her internship is coordinating investment referrals with the Wealth Management Officer.

Anastasia Prokopis – Senior, business marketing major. As a marketing /sales intern Anastasia works for Servocity.com, a company that provides products to the robot industry. She works 12 hours a week managing new and existing customer profiles and customer communications and she takes part in competitive pricing meetings that include her supervisor as well as the founder of the business.

Annjelina Robinson – Senior, accounting major. Annjelina is doing her internship with an agri-business, Valley COOP Inc., in the accounts payable/receivable department. The position is responsible for keeping records of all financial transactions as well as all cash deposits and cash balances.

Not all internship involve business, of course.  Last summer students had internships at the University of California-Riverside, the Girl Scouts Council in Wichita, the Oxford Mississippi Shakespeare Theatre Festival, the Oklahoma City Aquarium, and Das Studio in Nashville, Tenn.

WHO CAN HELP?

Your student can get started on career planning and internship seeking by contacting:

His or her academic advisor or the division chair of the division in which he or she is majoring. The divisions are Natural Sciences, Nursing, Teacher Education, Social Sciences, Performing Arts, and Communication, Computer Science and Digital Arts.

Dan Falk, dean of students

James McEwen, internship coordinator in the Division of Business

As a professional actor, I am constantly going to audition after audition in hopes of having a performance job for the next couple of months and I have already found myself in one! But with summer approaching, I will have the availability of auditions that represent involvement with several shows over the course of an entire summer repertory season. During these auditions, my interactions with actors and the creative environment make me fully aware of the effects of my education and the mark of SC in my life.

On a technical level, my time at SC provided me with a tremendous number of experiences on- and off-stage that have proved invaluable in my professional life. The availability of so many ways to connect with SC Theatre and its inner workings trained me to be a valuable part of any production team and helped me to hone my skills as a performer.

There’s more to being a professional actor than the list of accomplishments on your resume or portfolio however, and I see the mark of SC in yet another aspect of my life. No matter your talent as an actor or your inherent theatrical skills, a life as a professional performer is so much less attainable without a base of people to support you, love you, and help you to grow. I am not a performer today because I am ‘just that talented’ or because of anything I did alone. I am a professional performer today because of the unfailing support of my friends and family and the indescribable investment of time, energy, and dedication I experienced from my SC family. I developed a greater understanding of what it means to love and support others through the actions of the SC community and its investment in me.

So, this summer, though I will likely be continuing to audition to be a part of a summer theatre program, no matter what I am doing, I know that Southwestern’s impact on my life will be present. Whether I am using the skills SC gave me on stage or using them to inform my relationships with my friends and coworkers, I know I will see SC’s mark on my life.

"Southwestern College trained me for the opportunities here, gave me invaluable on-stage and backstage experience, surrounded me with unfailing support often even greater than I had for myself, connected me with an incredible network (one you would never expect from a small school in Kansas!), and shaped my spiritual perspectives and how I relate to others."

For the full story, go to http://scupdate.org/?p=17885. 

Moundbuilder Sports Network

Tonight’s women’s basketball game between Southwestern and Kansas Wesleyan will be broadcast on the Moundbuilder Sports Network and on TV on PBS Channel 8 in Winfield.  So for the best of both worlds (if you aren’t attending) turn on the TV, turn down the volume, and tune in KSWC FM 100.3 and listen to Curt Caden.  The Dave Denly Pregame show will begin 20 minutes before tip-off or approximately 7:40.  You can also listen on cable channel 20 in Winfield and online at www.buildersports.com. 

EVENT CANCELLATIONS

The KCAC women’s basketball championship that had been scheduled for Monday night has been postponed to Tuesday night in Hartman Arena.

SC Learning Center will be CLOSED on Tuesday, February 26th due to the blizzard-like conditions. This decision was made after detailed discussions with the district and college.

"We appreciate the flexibility of Hartman Arena and KCAC fans in accommodating the KCAC Basketball Championship move to Tuesday night," KCAC Commissioner Scott Crawford said.

The Southwestern Lady Builders will be participating in the KCAC Women's Basketball Championship game for the third time in the last four years, and will be a KCAC Championship Monday event participant for the second-straight season. Last season, Southwestern fell two points short of its first KCAC Tournament title in a loss to Sterling at Hartman Arena. The Lady Builders will meet a KWU team that has never played in Hartman Arena, and has not participated in a KCAC Championship game since the 2010-11 season.

A full game preview will be posted Monday at www.buildersports.com.