COMMUNITy the magazine of Metropolitan community college SPECIAL EDITION SUMMER 2017
Construction Education Center
Career and Academic Skills Center
Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology
Gr and opening Fort omaha campus expansion
CONTENTS 1 2
A letter from the MCC Foundation
A historic place A timeline of Fort Omaha
4 Before MCC: Fort Omaha Campus boasts rich history 5 College and community to celebrate new opportunities 6
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A historic place: A timeline of Fort omaha
The educational space of the future—meet CAET
8 Pensabene nears two decades of innovation, technology at MCC 9 Program Spotlight: Data Center Technician and Data Center Operations 10 Construction Education Center opens doors to collaborative, hands-on learning
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Following passion leads Barry to MCC
13 14
Program Spotlight: Electrical Technology
Get to know the Career and Academic Skills Center 16 Let’s give them something to talk about Students abuzz about new opportunities
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Summer 2017: Special Edition
Volume 5, Issue 2
Community is a quarterly publication of Metropolitan Community College. Contact the editor at 531-MCC-2876 or darayment@mccneb.edu. Metropolitan Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, age, disability or sexual orientation in admission or access to its programs and activities or in its treatment or hiring of employees.
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Caet designing, opening new doors at MCC
Following passion leads Barry to MCC
Let’s give them something to talk about
Credits Lead editor and contributor: Derek Rayment Assistant editors and contributors: Jenny Milligan and Katherine Leszczynski Lead art direction: Trevor Pikop Art contributors: Jade Dyer and Susana Ruiz-Morales
A Letter from THE MCC Foundation Dear friends and supporters, Metropolitan Community College welcomes you to the Fort Omaha Campus to experience our evolution of service to students and the community. Thank you for investing in our 21st century learning environment as we reimagined learning for today’s and tomorrow’s student. As your partner in workforce development, economic development and quality of life enhancement, it is our mission to deliver relevant, student-centered education to a diverse community of learners. The evolution of service to students and the community began by listening to the needs of our constituents–students, alumni, taxpayers, business and industry, secondary partners, faculty and staff, baccalaureate partners, donors and accreditors. Listening was a fundamental first step to remaining receptive and responsive to the community we serve. You spoke and we listened. The Fort Omaha Campus expansion project is highlighted within this magazine as a stewardship report to the community. As you turn the pages, we hope you hear your input reflected in the narrative, see your fingerprints on the new facilities and programs, feel the evolution of service and know that MCC listened. After receiving input, we knew this was no easy task and we couldn’t do it alone. MCC’s facilities had to expand to meet student and community demands. The community’s overwhelming support and input inspired us to move ahead with three buildings of specialization–the Construction Education Center, Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology and the Career and Academic Skills Center. We continue to deliver the promise we made more than four decades ago to continuously provide relevant, quality, affordable education close to home. Today, we proudly stand as the second-largest and most diverse institution of higher education in Nebraska, serving more than 40,000 unique students each year through credit and noncredit classes. Students earn high-demand technical skills and industry credentials. Entrepreneurs are born. Graduates advance to Nebraska four-year baccalaureate programs. Others turn to MCC to ramp up to lifelong learning. Career training, continuing education and cultural events refresh skills, enrich lives and build our community.
“Regardless of where they find themselves or where their paths are leading, MCC is a trusted partner in student success. We owe it to our students to look down that path, toward the future by providing them with the skills and training for today’s and tomorrow’s jobs.” - Randy Schmailzl, president
In the midst of opening these three buildings to students this fall quarter, we want to pause and say thank you. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with you as we train students for today’s jobs, prepare students for tomorrow’s jobs and provide students with tools and opportunities for lifelong learning. Please visit the Fort Omaha Campus soon to experience MCC’s evolution of service and celebrate the grand opening on Sept. 22, 2017 at 1 p.m. Thank you for your support and partnership–together, we delivered the promise. Very sincerely, Jacqueline C. Almquist, Ph.D. Executive director community • mccneb.edu • 1
1878
Omaha Barracks, set up by the U.S. Army in 1868, becomes Fort Omaha when Department of the Platte headquarters moves from the city of Omaha to the Fort.
1879 U.S. Army deactivates Fort Omaha.
Standing Bear vs. Crook trial. General and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant visit.
1896
Fort Omaha reactivates with Signal Corps on site.
1905 1916
U.S. Army establishes U.S. Army Balloon School at the Fort.
194145
During World War II, the Fort serves as a support installation for the U.S. Army 7th Service Command. Italian prisoners of war are held at the Fort.
Fort serves as a Naval Reserve Manpower Center.
A historic place A timeline of Fort Omaha
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194773
197475
Metropolitan Community College established. MCC acquires deed to Fort Omaha site and creates its first permanent campus.
1984
Building 10, an instructional facility with 82,000 square feet of modern classrooms, labs and student-centered space opens on the north end of Fort Omaha.
2009
MCC’s Institute for the Culinary Arts opens, creating one of the premier centers for culinary education and training in the United States.
Historic Mule Barn is renovated for educational use.
2010 2014
Site preparation for the Fort Omaha Campus expansion project begins.
Three centers of specialization open; the Career and Academic Skills Center, the Construction Education Center and the Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology.
2017
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They forced the tribe to an Indian settlement in Oklahoma, with many Ponca dying along the 500-mile trek, including Standing Bear’s only son, Bear Shield. He promised his son he would be buried in his homeland near the Niobrara River and left to fulfill his promise.
Before MCC:
Fort Omaha Campus boasts rich history Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus is experiencing some major changes. With new buildings opening, new program offerings and different events happening throughout the year, there is a lot to see and do. FOC was the first permanent campus for MCC and was established in 1974. While many have seen, and know the current Fort Omaha Campus as it relates to MCC, not nearly as many may know its long, illustrious history that dates back to the 1800s. In the 1860s, a military district was created in Nebraska. A few years later, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman wanted a “cheap barracks” near Omaha so military troops were nearby. After purchasing land with the help from local investors, the 82.5-acre post became known as the Omaha Barracks in 1868 and officially became Fort Omaha in 1878. From 1868 onward, Fort Omaha was bustling with activity. More than 600 men were dispatched to the Fort in November 1868. Soldiers were dispatched from the Fort to places all over the Great Plains to secure frontier settlements, watch over supply lines and help ease hostilities between Native Americans and settlers. In 1877, the United States government uprooted the Ponca Indians, including their leader Standing Bear, from their homeland located near the Niobrara and Missouri Rivers. 4 • community • mccneb.edu
Along the way, Standing Bear was arrested by Gen. George Crook and was to be held on trial for leaving his territory. Gen. Crook had sympathy for Standing Bear and helped to spread the word about his capture, causing the public to feel sympathetic for him. When his nationally significant trial opened in 1879, it lasted two days, featured heart-wrenching testimony from Standing Bear, and ended with him being freed and able to give his son his dying wish. Also in 1879, Gen. Crook’s headquarters and his residence were completed at Fort Omaha. He didn’t stay in it long though, moving his headquarters to downtown Omaha in 1881. The building then served as a hospital until 1896 when Fort Omaha was deactivated. The Fort sat empty for nearly a decade before being reactivated in 1905 as a school for Signal Corps officers. In 1916, during World War I, it became the Fort Omaha Balloon School, launching the first free balloon, inflated with hydrogen gas. The balloons were discovered to be an effective way to deliver private information directly to a telephone from a balloon. Different types of balloons were even tested at Fort Omaha during the school’s duration. During World War II, Fort Omaha was a support installation for the U.S. Army’s 7th Service Command. Italian prisoners of war were also sent to stay at the Fort. Following the war’s end, the U.S. Navy took over Fort Omaha and used it for training. The Fort belonged to the Navy for nearly three decades. In 1974, MCC purchased the deed to Fort Omaha, creating the first permanent location for the College. Since then, the campus has grown by leaps and bounds, with new buildings, classes and events happening all the time. To learn more about the history of the Fort Omaha Campus, sign up for a walking tour with the Douglas County Historical Society. Visit the General Crook House, Building 11B, for more information.
College and community
to celebrate
new opp A
ortunities
fter years of planning and constructing, the day has come at Metropolitan Community College to open the doors to the Construction Education Center, the Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology and the Career and Academic Skills Center. Together we will celebrate with the community, key contributors and chamber supporters at an opening ceremony Friday, Sept. 22, 2017 at 1 p.m. at the Fort Omaha Campus expansion outdoor amphitheater. “The ribbon cutting ceremony represents the culmination of more than seven years of planning and preparation. That accomplishment alone is worth celebrating. But what we especially celebrate as we open these new buildings is the purpose behind all that planning, which is to provide a first class education to empower the potential in people, whether they are right here in the neighborhoods surrounding the Fort Omaha Campus, from greater Omaha or living throughout our four-county area. When potential is unlocked through training and education, families and businesses thrive and our whole region benefits,” said MCC president, Randy Schmailzl.
CASC, they will get a first look at the classrooms, labs, study space and artwork found throughout.
The College invites the public to explore the buildings through self-guided tours. As they walk through the CEC, CAET and
For information about the opening ceremony, visit mccneb.edu/events.
Through the tours, guests will walk across the open greenspace that is part of the expansion project, and will find a number of brick walkways and benches, making this an ideal space for studying or conversation. What makes the area even more significant are the commemorative bricks found in the walkways and plaques on benches. These pieces provide an opportunity to celebrate or remember a special friend, family member or MCC alum. Additionally, the bricks and plaques provide support for the Metropolitan Community College Foundation Matching Scholarship Fund. Attendees at the opening ceremony may choose to make a lasting tribute of their own through the purchase of a commemorative brick or plaque. Follow the opening ceremony events on any of our social media channels; @mccneb on Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram as well as Facebook at facebook.com/MCCnebraska.
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The educational space of T
echnology is an ever-growing and ever-changing career field. With advances in technology happening constantly, it can be hard to stay current and apply relevant skills to a job. With data centers popping up around the Omaha metro area, there is a growing need to be able to embrace technology and all the changes that come with it. Metropolitan Community College is one of the leading institutions in the metro area preparing students for these innovative career fields. One of the three new buildings opening on the Fort Omaha Campus is dedicated to students looking to break into technological career fields. The Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology is a high-tech playground built for those interested in any job relating to computers, automated machinery and more. Tom Pensabene, executive director of CAET, said the plan for the building was like many of the programs it will house—virtual. “It started as a virtual program,” Pensabene said. “We wanted to have a data center program. But we were wondering ‘Where’s the critical facilities management piece?’” After talks with College heads and Academic Affairs, it was decided that a center was needed to house all the degree
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options and programs Pensabene and his Workforce Innovation Division team wanted to teach.
“It’s a corporate training space,” Pensabene said. “It’s about getting people into jobs.”
After meeting with architects and consultants, Pensabene and his team received feedback on what exactly the building needed to accomplish to become successful.
The programs being offered are unique to CAET and outside companies and organizations are joining forces to help train students for their futures. One such organization is the Nebraska Department of Roads, which will be helping to train students for advanced technology in vehicles.
“The Workforce Innovation consultant said we were industry responsive, but not industry driven,” he said. “They said we need that economic development piece. Our whole idea was to bring industry to the campus. That was the big drive.” CAET is a regional hub that brings together technology, innovation and economic growth. The program offerings will be vast, with all types of technology, corporate training, prototype design and fabrication offerings within the building. It also brings many data center classes from the Fremont Area Center to FOC. Students don’t necessarily need to be working toward a full degree to take classes at CAET. Pensabene said much of the focus is getting people already in jobs, the skills to be able to stay current or move ahead, or help them move into a completely different career field at a faster pace.
“By 2019, all cars must be able to talk with one another,” Pensabene said of the computer systems inside cars. “We will offer advanced training for that with NDR.” MCC has also partnered with Sympateco, a retail display manufacturer. While this sounds like something more suited for students working in the trades, Pensabene explained that it brings the trades into the high-tech world, including the Prototype Design degree program. “This is exciting because it has the potential to bring new startups into the MCC space,” Guillermo Rosas, a Cybersecurity and Data Center Operations instructor at CAET said. “It also ties
the future—Meet CAET MCC a bit more into the community and it provides a space in North Omaha for small businesses and startups to work and grow.”
The large open lab, called Innovation Central, is a 12,000-square-foot space that can house and host just about anything.
Pensabene said there is room for more outside businesses to join MCC at CAET. He said the College is “on the cusp” of partnering with more.
“The space is flexible and rich with opportunities to explore new technologies and new methods of teaching and evaluating students,” Rosas said.
“It’s a complete collaboration,” he said. “It’s the integration of IT with the trades. Engineers can be working in design or lab spaces.” And, CAET has plenty of space. The 63,400-square-foot building has classrooms and labs of all shapes and sizes. This encourages students to work together no matter what the project is. “The space is more than our data center, it’s a place for innovation,” Rosas said. “Several faculty are already working on exciting ideas for how to use the space, from working with new industrial tools in the Prototype Lab, to potentially using the large open space in CAET to fly drones indoors.”
The College’s Fabrication Laboratory, commonly known at the FabLab, will be moved from the campus library into a larger space at CAET. The FabLab is filled with high-tech equipment such as 3-D printers, laser cutters and other advanced machinery. Beyond the FabLab, there is technological equipment throughout the building.
It’s going to be really cool.” Collaboration among businesses isn’t the only time people can work together. Student collaboration is encouraged and made easy everywhere throughout CAET. “It’s all about participation within classrooms—it’s a lot of group work. All the tables move easily. You can work in small groups,” Pensabene said. With classes starting Sept. 5, Pensabene can’t wait to see the bustling inside CAET. “It’ll be impressive,” he said. “We’re opening up vistas of whole new opportunities that we’ve never had before.”
“There’s some pretty high-end technology in CAET,” Pensabene said. “There are dual camera TVs, 3-D printers and welding technology.
CENTER FOR ADVANCED AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY community • mccneb.edu • 7
Pensabene nears two decades of innovation, technology at MCC D
uring his career, Tom Pensabene has spent a lot of time around computers. He’s worked with them in almost all educational environments.
“I’ve done everything in education,” he said. “I’ve worked in private schools in IT to connect a system of schools— and that was long before the internet. I’ve worked in public schools. But the happening place is community colleges.” Nearly two decades ago, Pensabene was working for the University of Oklahoma, running a contract shop that helped create instructional videos and developmental computer-based training. “I remember creating a program on how to use a PC on a PC,” he said. Pensabene also worked with the Department of Education and seven states on a project to “create technology enhanced learning.” It was around this time in 1999 that he heard about a new position opening at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha.
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“I was hired to start the online program here at MCC. I remember thinking ‘That’s a fad that’s not going to last,’” he said with a laugh. “I thought I might be here for a few years then move on to something else.”
The WID program is now paving the way for the new Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology. Pensabene has been named the executive director of CAET, overseeing operations of all programs that will be taking place there.
But 18 years later, Pensabene is still at MCC, still working heavily with computers and the College’s online program, and even teaching online classes.
CAET combines the trade aspect of the Construction Education Center with the corporate and technology side of things. It is a way for students to gain multiple sets of skills that will be valuable when they enter the workforce.
Shortly after his start at MCC, Pensabene’s job was altered, making him the dean of IT and Visual Arts, as well as the online program piece. In his time at MCC, Pensabene has helped to create the Workforce Innovation Division at the College. WID has grown and developed into a program that helps students to become trained in innovative corporate education. The program brings together companies and MCC classes to help train and educate students on different fields of work. Many of these classes deal with prototype design, robotics, working with precision machinery, business analytics and more.
“They will have the skill sets that make them valuable to hire,” Pensabene said. The opening of CAET is a long time coming, Pensabene said. His 18 years of shaping online, design and interactive programs at MCC have led to it. “I’m responsible for getting CAET up and running. Our entire team has worked very hard” he said. “I’m extremely excited. I’ve been preparing my whole life for this.”
PROGRAM
Spotlight DATA CENTER TECHNICIAN AND DATA CENTER OPERATIONS T
he technology field is synonymous with both innovation and a lucrative career path. Metropolitan Community College offers studies in more than a dozen disciplines within the Information Technology program and works closely with local businesses to train workers and place them into job openings. Take Project PROTO’s (Providing Realistic Onramps to Technology Occupations) Earn and Learn program as a prime example.
Setting students up with education and training in various IT disciplines, one of the internships that PROTO may prepare students for is a data center technician role, where the technician can expect to make around $23 per hour working on a schedule that meets the needs of the business and is flexible with a school schedule. The College offers both a degree and a certificate focusing on data center skills to set students up for that kind of success. The Data Center Operations associate in applied science degree teaches students about the infrastructure of a data center and allows them to create a server environment in which they will learn to meet the specific needs and daily operations of a data center. Courses will cover topics such as Linux and Windows operating systems, monitoring power and safety regulations and managing a database.
design, infrastructure and architecture, security, management and operations, the Data Center Technician certificate has been developed for individuals to acquire top caliber skills to work on data center projects. A technician can expect to work on the installation, testing, troubleshooting and maintenance of a variety of telecommunication equipment. With more candidates vying for coveted roles within the industry, students can anticipate a fast-paced, ever-changing and competitive technology marketplace upon completion of either data center program. IT instructor Art Brown outlines a two-pronged approach to career success. “Students must have a solid foundational knowledge in their chosen technology education areas of study to capture the attention of prospective employers,” he said. This can be demonstrated by achieving “above average progress academically.” He added that, ideally, students will participate in internships, volunteer for community projects and/or projects that would allow them to demonstrate their experience in real-world environments. The Data Center Technician and Data Center Operations programs are housed at the Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology. For more information about MCC’s Information Technology programs, visit mccneb.edu/information-technology.
The Data Center Technician certificate of achievement, which is designed to take 46 weeks to complete, teaches students to assist in the monitoring and implementation of data center projects. Covering the essentials of networking, data center community • mccneb.edu • 9
CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION CENTER
Construction Education Center opens doors to collaborative, hands-on learning
A
ny construction site can consist of many different professions working together. Aside from construction workers, one might see electricians, welders, plumbers, architects and more all working on a job at the same place. Metropolitan Community College is taking that realworld environment to the Fort Omaha Campus inside the Construction Education Center. The CEC, a new 95,100-square-foot facility located on the southeast corner of FOC, will house all construction-related programs under one roof. Previously, construction classes were spread between the South Omaha Campus, the Applied Technology Center and the Elkhorn Valley Campus. “It is an opportunity to experience the construction community under one roof,” said Electrical Technology instructor Marty Vaughn.
Nate Barry, dean of Construction Education, is ready for the big changes coming. “I am so excited for this,” he said. The CEC houses seven programs: Architectural Design, Civil Engineering, Construction Technology, Electrical Technology, Plumbing, HVAC and Welding. Each program is located in one area of the building, making it easy for all related classes to be near each other. Barry, who has been the dean of Construction Education for just over a year, was able to have input on classroom layout as well as help lead the team of instructors on how to best teach within the new space. “All the big picture stuff was done. I jumped in when they talked about classroom layout. I also spent my time with the faculty. We asked ourselves how can we best teach in a building like this?” Barry said. The answer was easy: collaboratively and hands-on. Previously, all construction trades were taught and practiced in different classrooms. While classes will still be separate, there is ample opportunity now for students to work together who are working toward different construction degrees or certificates. “There is this ability to cross-train now,” Barry said. “There is this ability to show how the process goes. Architects can work with plumbers and electricians on a real construction site.”
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“This will help students be more prepared as this is much more like a real working job site,” Barry said. “It’s the ability to have that conversation with each other. That’s what happens in the industry. You problem solve.” This setting will create an atmosphere that will be similar to a live worksite. “The culture at the CEC is an innovative environment that encourages teamwork focused on providing students with skills in an applied-learning setting,” said Willis Kennedy, an instructor of Construction and Building Science. “That leads to jobs as highly trained construction professionals.” Melissa Burris, a superintendent with Kiewit Construction and a graduate of the MCC Construction Education program, appreciated the amount of hands-on learning and caring staff during her time at the College. “The teachers are more caring. They’re more hands-on. We are not treated as a number. The classrooms are smaller. They have more time to focus on each student,” she said. The CEC offers plenty of space for students to collaborate, whether it’s with students within their same program or another one. Throughout the building are open tables with televisions that a student can hook up their laptop to and show blueprints, homework or a group project. An iTouch lab is equipped with high-tech touchscreen computers for students to easily lay out floor plans of any kind. There are sitting areas dotted throughout the building with power outlets nearby or built into the furniture so students can comfortably sit and work on projects and homework. There are also large lab spaces for nearly every trade where they can work together with new, state-of-the-art equipment. The largest lab at the CEC is the Capstone Lab, a two-story, 4,700-square-foot space where students can come together and work as a team. The lab is outfitted with a crane, shelves with tools and supplies and other construction equipment students will have access to. MCC’s construction students have been involved with the Capstone Project for a number of years which unites students with the City of Omaha, industry partners and nonprofits. The project helps build homes that are donated to the community. Previously, this project was done at the South Omaha Campus. The new Capstone Lab, offers a much larger space to complete bigger projects.
“The Capstone Project brings community into the building,” Barry said. “Students can build a house in that space and then it’s donated. This way, they get to see that working in the industry is bigger than themselves. If you build townhomes or houses, there’s an impact. That gives you a personal stake.” The CEC building will be open for the fall quarter, which begins Sept. 5. With the building taking shape, Barry is thankful for the team he has behind him. “The team’s ability to put this together is amazing,” he said. “Every single person we’ve asked to do something for us has done it. We’ll be successful, and it’s absolutely because of that.” With everything wrapped up and awaiting classes to start, Barry can’t wait to see how students look at the building with fresh eyes. “Their first week here, I am excited to walk the halls and hear their comments on the building,” he said. “I can’t wait.” “I’m kind of jealous. I want to be in that building and be a part of it,” Burris said. “To be able to supply these students with the tools and everything they need to become successful. I can only imagine the quality of the classrooms and the successful outcomes.”
“This is an important project for students to be a part of,” Barry said. “It shows what their hard work can do for others.” community • mccneb.edu • 11
FOLLOWING PASSION LEADS BARRY TO MCC S
ometimes, your calling has been right under your nose the whole time. At the moment, it might not seem like something that could be a lifelong path, but sometimes that is exactly what it turns out to be. This was true for Nate Barry, dean of Construction Education at Metropolitan Community College. Barry was a student at University of Nebraska at Kearney, finishing up all his prerequisite classes, when it came time to make a decision on what he wanted for his major. He looked for inspiration from his part-time job. “I became interested in construction during my undergrad,” Barry said. “I was doing construction part time. It was absolutely booming at the time in the early 2000s, so I just went that route.” Barry majored in Construction Management and after college, he was hired by a construction firm in Kansas City. “I was a superintendent and a project manager,” he said. “I was also in charge of interns and new hire training.”
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A growing passion was right in front of Barry. It was the teaching aspect of new hire training and leading interns that sparked a further interest for him to incorporate into his career path. “I realized that I loved teaching more than constructing buildings,” he said. Barry’s work enrolled him in a local MBA program. Once he graduated, he was working in the industry doing recruitment at colleges throughout the region. Barry eventually made his way back to UNK. He was an assistant professor, often collaborating with community colleges around Nebraska and University of Nebraska at Omaha. During that time, MCC announced its biggest expansion in school history: three new buildings that put focus on emerging technologies, academic and career skills, and construction education. “I knew what was going on here,” Barry said. “When MCC was looking, I saw what they wanted to do. It was what people said needed to be done.”
Barry has been the dean of Construction Education for a little over a year. In that short time though, Barry says that the staff that surround him have been an amazing team that impresses him every day. “I have an incredible team behind me,” he said. “The amount of energy and cando spirit they show me every day is just amazing. My favorite thing about this job is seeing that energy.” Barry and his staff are gearing up for the College’s new Construction Education Center. The new building will bring all the construction trade programs together under one roof for the first time. Barry can’t wait to see students’ reactions to the new building. “I am most excited to see 800 students walk through the door,” he said. “When students spend their first week here, I am so excited to walk the halls and hear what they have to say about it.”
PROGRAM
Spotlight ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY T
he Electrical Technology program has historically called the Metropolitan Community College South Omaha Campus home, but beginning fall quarter 2017, students in the program will report to the new Construction Education Center on the Fort Omaha Campus. Offered are an associate of Applied Science degree, Building Electrical certificates of achievement and Residential Electrical career certificates. The program is crafted for students seeking entry-level employment in the trade, but also offers advanced skills training courses for those currently in the field. When Electrical Technology students arrive for class, they will clock in just like they would when on a job site and work alongside other trades found on a real-world construction project. “The Construction Education Center is a place where you can work with other trades and build relationships that may last you a lifetime,” Laurie Mazur, Electrical Technology instructor said. “It is an opportunity to experience the construction community under one roof. As on an actual work site, HVAC and plumbing go in first. Electrical Technology students will follow, navigating those obstacles, which fall in line with our goal for 50/50 hands-on and textbook training,” added Electrical Technology instructor, Marty Vaughan.
Program curriculum in the CEC will provide training for electrical systems in residential wiring, commercial wiring and industrial motor controls. Students will learn to read electrical prints, how to wire systems, use various hand and specialty tools as well as become familiar with the National Electrical Code. Because students are learning in a real-world setting, MCC instructors also focus on safety and include coursework covering Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety training and basic training solutions for first aid, adult CPR and use of an automated external defibrillator. Two tracks of study are offered in this program—the traditional track consisting of two years of full-time study or the accelerated track that allows for completion after one year of full-time study. Students who complete the program will be prepared to join the construction trades as electricians who wire, repair and maintain electrical systems in new and existing commercial and residential buildings. The demand for skilled electricians remains steady due to the need to update aging buildings with newer technology as well as continued growth throughout urban and suburban areas. For more information about MCC’s Electrical Technology program, visit mccneb.edu/Electrical-Technology.
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Get to know the Career and Academic Skills Center O
ne of the goals of Metropolitan Community College is to give students a foundation from which to launch their career pathway. For some students, this means building core academic and technology skills and having someone to guide them along the way. MCC is growing to meet this need by creating facilities such as the Career and Academic Skills Center on the Fort Omaha Campus. The three-story building spans of more than 74,000 square feet and is located between the Institute for the Culinary Arts and the Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology. Designed with the intent to act as a “front door” to the College, CASC will help students prepare and plan for college academics. It will house services focused on meeting students where they are and taking them where they want to go. The center will concentrate on creating an inviting, collaborative environment that supports student engagement, learning and life success. Services within the building will include career navigation, exploration and career development, developmental education and active learning. The building will also give existing MCC students a place to access student resources, study areas and food options.
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“The level of service that we will provide in this building will set us apart,” said Lisa Goodwin, executive director of CASC. “In addition to these services, the building will be comfortable for students with various private and group study areas, grab-and-go food stations and other inviting aspects.” The center is an extension of how MCC works to build a stronger and better prepared workforce through education. James Cloyd, dean of Technology and Learning Support, said CASC will help take students from the front door to a job. “The Career and Academic Skills Center will allow us to focus on students from enrollment to employment,” he said. “We will do this through enrollment navigators, who will guide new students and help them anticipate problems and overcome barriers in their new academic journey. We recognize that some students may just want to take a few courses, while others will want to take many. Having a smart start to their education at MCC will help ensure they continue along their path. The new building will help us achieve this goal.” CASC will also move away from old practices of student
CAREER AND ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER
service staff behind a desk counseling students. Instead, MCC staff will utilize mobile devices, earpieces and other technology to make students feel more welcome and increase efficiency of student intake. “Think of it like a cell phone store or an Apple store where service staff are ready to engage with you face-to-face,” said Cloyd. In addition to student services, CASC will feature dozens of free, ongoing workshops that focus on career readiness, professional development, financial literacy, academic skills and college success. Each workshop is approximately 45 minutes long and will help prospective students and current MCC students navigate college. The building also features an expanded testing center, more
than doubling its previous space. The third floor will also include additional classroom space and will be the new home for the Design, Interactivity and Media Arts programs. The programs were previously almost exclusive to the Elkhorn Valley Campus. Now students in North Omaha and the surrounding area will have improved access to courses in animation, digital media, web design and more. “As a mother, I know that it can be frightening to send your students to college,” said Goodwin. “This building would put my mind at ease as a parent because I know that there will be caring advisors and specialists there helping my student along the way, especially early on in their time at the College when they are most vulnerable.” To learn more about the Fort Omaha Campus expansion project, visit mccneb.edu/tour.
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Students abuzz about new opportunities As the new buildings at MCC’s Fort Omaha Campus grew from the ground up, so did the buzz about the project amongst the College’s student body. The Construction Education Center, Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology and Career and Academic Skills Center will impact students in a multitude of ways. When asked their thoughts on the expansion, they were eager to share.
As a full-time student, the expansion was an exciting announcement and I’m even more excited to be able to further my education in these new buildings. MCC has already prepared me for the workforce beyond what I anticipated, and I know this new expansion will just intensify and improve this ability. Together with the instructors and the educational and professional opportunities MCC provides for students like me, the expansion is a great benefit to the entire community. Evynne Doue Design, Interactivity & Media Arts - Graphic Design
The Construction Education Center will include the first ever SkillsUSA Training Facility at MCC. The new buildings will give us access to a variety of different classes and allow me to complete my degree closer to home. Reginald G. Dawson Diesel Technology
The expansion is a fantastic opportunity for many students. The Construction Education Center and the Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology are going to be offering classes that have never been offered at MCC before. As a student, I really want my college to be able to keep up with the technological demands of the job market and I believe MCC is answering that call with this expansion. Ryan Bumstead Versatilist Information Technology 16 • community • mccneb.edu
I think the expansion project is awesome, and I can’t wait to use the new technology that they will have ready for students use. Glenn Flenorl Computer Technology Transfer Information Assurance
I am really excited about the Career and Academic Skills Center. CASC is going to provide many outlets for students to determine the field they would like to go into and excel in that area of study. I am also looking forward to the Center for Advanced and Emerging Technology. As an Information Technology student, the academic data center will provide hands-on experience in my field of study. I am a tactile learner so having a place to learn in that way is going to be very helpful. McKenzie Nienaber Computer Technology Transfer – Computer Science
I could not be happier to see the continued growth of MCC, and in particular the Building Sciences department. I have been extremely satisfied with the faculty and staff, and their ability to facilitate my continued education and job placement. MCC has helped me to make positive changes in my life and career, and the expansion will only increase the number of skilled workers introduced into the job market. Aaron Hunter Construction & Building Science Construction Management community • mccneb.edu • 17
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