AlumNews Summer 2010

AlumNews PUBLISHED FOR GRADUATES OF THE COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

SPRING / SUMMER 2010

Promoting Greenery Amid Urban Sprawl

Inside: CLC President Thinks Green New Sustainability Center New Butterfly Garden College of Lake County

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Contents FEATURES 3

Using Nature to Nurture In a hurried, increasingly urbanized world, three CLC alumni have turned their passion for plants, flowers and trees into rewarding careers that promote the value of green spaces.

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Leading with a Green Vision: Dr. Jerry Weber Under President Jerry Weber, CLC has launched several green initiatives including accepting a leadership role in the Illinois Green Economy Network.

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To Our Readers: From promoting energy conservation to championing the new green economy, the sustainability movement is changing how we live and work.

This issue of Alum News celebrates how CLC and its graduates are embracing the green movement and making their own contributions to preserving planet Earth.

We hope you enjoy the stories and that they not only renew your connection with the environment, but with your alma mater as well.

Julie Shroka Director of Alumni Relations and Special Events

Greening CLC: A Growing Commitment How can a college become more environmentally sustainable? Learn practical tips and find out what CLC has been doing.

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New Sustainability Center Offers Green Tips, Training Advice CLC’s new Sustainability Center on the Grayslake Campus is a one-stop community resource for answers on recycling, energy conservation, community gardening, green-job skills and more.

DEPARTMENTS 9

CLC Foundation

10

Class Notes

11

News Roundup

12

Upcoming Events

Cover: Lifelong gardening buff Kathie Hayden (’04) savors the floral beauty at her employer, the world-renowned Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.

Green and Accountable: The revamped AlumNews is printed on recycled paper at the same cost as the previous newsletter format.

AlumNews AlumNews is published three times a year by the College of Lake County’s Office of Alumni Relations and Special Events.

Director of Alumni Relations and Special Events JULIE SHROKA Administrative Secretary DORAE BLOCK To submit story ideas, e-mail Dave Fink, AlumNews editor, at dfink@clcillinois.edu or call him at (847) 543-2243.

You can also share ideas and comments at the CLC alumni Web site, at www.clcroundtable.org.

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COVER STORY

Using Nature to Nurture Green spaces offer beauty and stress relief, and they also play a major role in reducing pollution. But despite their value, they are often threatened by a hurry-up, over-developed world. Three CLC graduates are fighting back, turning their passion for nurturing the environment into rewarding careers.

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ifelong gardening buff Kathie Hayden (’04) has turned her hobby into a career at the world-renowned Chicago Botanic Garden. Thanks to Hayden’s leadership in managing its plant information service, the garden is also a trusted, go-to resource on all questions related to gardening and tree care.

Hayden oversees a staff of 100 volunteers—all of them trained master gardeners—who answer 40,000 questions per year.

Hayden and her green-thumb staff encourage prevention and common-sense approaches.

“If your trees or plants are discolored or looking limp, don't automatically assume it's a fungus or insect problem that needs chemical treatment. There may be another cause, such as too little or too much water or sunlight.”

What’s the appeal of going outside and getting one’s hands dirty? “There’s something about digging in soil that is good for the soul,” she explained.

Preserving green spaces amid increasing suburban sprawl is the latest career of Charles “Al” Moody (‘04).

And, in an increasingly urbanized world, conserving greenery is critical, Hayden said.

“Plants are our food resource and help sequester carbon dioxide,” she explained.

An Evanston Township native, Hayden worked at an insurance company and later juggled life as a suburban mom with a retail sales position at a garden center, a job that kindled her interest in studying horticulture.

Hayden enrolled in CLC’s horticulture program in 2000. “I loved everything about it, from caring instructors to courses in plant diseases to computer-aided drafting software used in designing gardens,” she recalled.

Through CLC, Hayden landed an internship at the Botanic Garden. That experience, plus her own volunteer work at the garden since the mid-1990s, paid off in 2006, when she was hired as a horticultural specialist. She was promoted to her current position in 2008.

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n addition to finding solace in public preserves such as botanical gardens, many homeowners are seeing the value of creating a floral sanctuary in their own front or back yards. That’s the job of Fern Migdal (’86), a horticulturist in Highland Park.

Migdal is the founder of The Garden Consultants, Inc., a landscape architecture and design firm that she manages with her son, David.

“Aesthetics is a primary concern among clients, but there are economic benefits of landscaping,” she said. “For example, trees can lower your air conditioning costs by shading your property. Ecologically, trees and plants continued on page 7

ALUMNEWS | 3

COLLEGE FOCUS

Dr. Jerry Weber, CLC president, sees great potential in the new green economy.

Leading with a Green Vision: Dr. Jerry Weber

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s CLC President Dr. Jerry Weber sees it, community colleges can play a critical role in providing education and training for the emerging green economy.

And in his first year at the college’s helm, Weber has worked hard to ensure that CLC is at the forefront of that effort.

In the past year, the college has developed more than a dozen academic programs for green job training, taken a leadership role in the newly formed sustainability network 4 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

that includes all 48 Illinois community colleges and signed on to the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

The new academic programs (see sidebar) are the latest in CLC’s tradition of responding to employer needs for a skilled workforce. “CLC has been a leader in the past,” Weber explained.

“From microcomputers to digital media, CLC has been a major provider of instruction when new technologies have emerged.”

Weber believes the college can perhaps play an even bigger role in preparing a skilled workforce for the new green economy. “We will certainly train the workforce needed for green jobs, but we can also play a central role in creating the green economy by showing citizens and employers how to adopt cost-effective, sustainable practices.”

Often, what’s needed, Weber said, is creating awareness of how green approaches can support a company’s bottom line.

COLLEGE FOCUS

“New technologies— wind, solar and geothermal— don’t run out and are renewable.”

—CLC President Jerry Weber

An example is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification of buildings by the U.S. Green Building Council.

“Ten years ago, not many people had heard of LEED,” Weber said. “But after it reached a tipping point, achieving LEED certification has now become a common goal for new public or commercial buildings.”

Weber said that the emerging green industries are signs of a paradigm shift. “This is a war between old and new technology,” he explained.

“The old consists of carbon-based methods such as fossil fuels that have a limited supply. The new—wind, solar and geothermal—are renewable, which means they don’t run out.

Green technologies tend to be safer, and all the labor and effort to maintain these systems means jobs right here.”

The newly formed Illinois Green Economy Network (originally formed as the Illinois Community College Sustainability Network) is working to advance that paradigm shift. With all 48 Illinois community colleges as members, the IGEN is a consortium providing green-collar job training and programs to encourage energy conservation and renewable energy technologies at the community level.

Under Weber’s leadership, and with the approval of the college’s board of trustees, CLC has signed on to act as the administrative agent for the group.

“The green economy network magnifies the resources of any one college,” Weber said.

“If a member college develops a new program to

train workers in repairing solar heating panels, for example, other colleges in the network will have access to the curriculum. Pooling our knowledge will allow community colleges to be very responsive as the needs of the green economy evolve.”

Dr. Weber’s leadership in Illinois has been recognized at the national level. In 2009, he was appointed to chair the sustainability task force of the American Association of Community Colleges.

“His leadership in developing the IGEN is a model of bringing community colleges together to leverage the strengths and capabilities of individual colleges to make a real difference,” said Mary Spilde, Ph.D., AACC board chair and president of Lane Community College in Eugene, Ore. “His passion, organizational skills and dedicated leadership will have a huge impact on community colleges across the country.”

Weber, who holds a doctorate in higher education administration and two master’s degrees—one in educational measurement and statistics and the other in linguistics and English literature—says his interest in sustainability began during the energy crisis of the 1970s, when he was attending graduate school. Today, in his role as a community college president, he is excited about helping another generation of students develop a “green mindset” as part of the college experience.

“We need to focus on building a sustainability ethic among today’s students, and emphasize how sustainable practices will benefit them and their children,” he said. “If we do that well, going ‘green’ won’t appear idealistic or unrealistic. It will just seem perfectly natural.”

New Programs for Green Careers Responding to workplace opportunities arising from the growing sustainability movement, the College of Lake County board of trustees in January approved adding 13 new academic program options related to energy conservation and sustainability.

Pending state approval, the additions will be effective Aug. 15 and will admit students in the fall 2010 semester.

Associate degree programs • Light Commercial Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) A.A.S. (66 credits) • Residential HVAC A.A.S. (66 credits) • Energy Audit A.A.S. (66 credits) • Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Technology (HET) Supervisor A.A.S. (66 credits) • Stationary Engineer A.A.S. (66 credits)

Certificate programs • Certificate in Sustainable Design and Construction (16 credits) • Alternative Energy Technologies Certificate (25 credits) • Residential HVAC Certificate (54 credits) • Energy Audit Certificate (54 credits) • HET Supervisor Certificate (54 credits) • Stationary Engineer Certificate (54 credits) • Plumbing and Pipefitting Certificate (14 credits) • HVAC Office Assistant Certificate (19 credits).

For more information on these new programs, visit http://www.clcillinois.edu.

ALUMNEWS | 5

COLLEGE FOCUS

From restoring green spaces to managing water supplies, sustainable ideas took center stage at the March GreenTown conference.

Greening CLC: A Growing Commitment

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n increasing number of colleges and universities have made the decision to go green, taking actions ranging from retrofitting buildings with energy efficient lighting to stepping up recycling efforts. What are practical steps a college can take? And what has the College of Lake County been doing to promote environmental sustainability?

Greening campus buildings was among the many topics addressed at GreenTown: The Future of Community, a one-day conference held at CLC for the first time on March 18.

More than 300 community leaders, citizens and students came to the Grayslake campus for the event, which consisted of 16 workshops 6 | COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY

covering everything from organically grown foods to keeping drinking water clean.

CLC’s vice president for administrative affairs, David Agazzi, led one of the workshops, presenting on ways colleges can go green.

“Studies show that nearly 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions come from buildings, not cars,” said Agazzi, citing a 2008 U.S. EPA study. “The inefficient lighting, heating or air conditioning systems within buildings consume additional energy, much of which comes from coal-fired power plants.”

According to Agazzi, greening a college campus involves several core intiatives, which CLC is implementing:

• Gather baseline data on current energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Whether this is done by one person or a committee, monitor water and electricity bills, weekly garbage output vs. recycling and more. CLC has been tracking the amount it recycles for years, and most recently, inventoried weekly garbage output in March, as part of RecycleMania, a national competition designed to promote recycling on college campuses. For the future, the college is conducting an analysis of its greenhouse gas emissions (including everything from electricity usage to fuel consumption of college vehicles). A report is due to be completed in September, according to Dara Reiff, CLC sustainability coordinator.

COLLEGE FOCUS

• Thoroughly research sustainability options. If your organization does not have an in-house expert or task force that can do this, consider hiring an outside consultant, Agazzi said. Also, conferences can provide helpful information, he added. At CLC, GreenTown was especially valuable in gathering leaders from colleges and local communities, noted Dr. Jerry Weber, CLC president. CLC is also working with an architectural and engineering firm to develop a sustainable design for two proposed campus buildings at the Grayslake and Lakeshore campuses, Agazzi said.

• Develop measurable sustainability goals and make sure they mesh with your organization’s master plan. CLC’s facilities master plan will be updated in the coming years. Revisions will include incorporating

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards into future building plans. (LEED certification was developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council.)

• Find a reliable method to monitor progress. Beyond checking utility bills, many colleges—including CLC—are gauging their progress toward sustainability using an online reporting system known as the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS®), Agazzi said. For more information, visit http://stars.aashe.org.

• Implement the plan. In the last two years, CLC has completed several projects designed to save energy or adopt greener technology. Lighting retrofits at the Grayslake campus buildings and parking lots have reduced utility costs by $14,000 according to

Ted Johnson, facilities manager. The college also included two green roofs on portions of a new building completed in 2007 on the Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills (see photo).

Two green roofs at the Southlake Campus help trim energy costs.

Using Nature to Nurture continued from page 3

are good for everything that lives. Trees take in carbon dioxide, helping reduce the carbon footprint, and give out oxygen. Conversely, we humans do the opposite—breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide.”

Migdal said her firm uses sustainable practices, such as hand-pulling weeds instead of using chemical herbicides, which she said can have negative effects on children, pets and the water supply.

A Chicago native, Migdal attended the University of Michigan after high school, earning a bachelor’s in English literature. Later, she earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Combining her creative spirit with her love of gardening, she founded her company in 1982, and shortly thereafter enrolled in CLC’s horticulture program. Migdal recalled getting on her hands and knees, with fellow students, and learning how to identify “hundreds” of species of trees, shrubs and perennials. “The instructors were eager to teach, and students were eager to learn,” she said. “The associate

degree provided me with confidence in the horticultural knowledge that I have since brought to my clients. I also appreciate the chance to contribute something green to the world.”

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reserving green spaces amid increasing suburban sprawl is the latest career of Charles “Al” Moody (’04). The Libertyville native is living proof that it’s never too late for a second or third career, especially when it’s a passion for the outdoors that has turned into a successful small business.

Moody enrolled in CLC’s horticulture program in 2001, at age 59. Following graduation, he started his own restoration ecology firm at age 62.

Moody’s company, Liberty Prairie Restorations, is based in Libertyville and works with private land owners to create, restore or maintain natural areas. “Keeping land natural and undeveloped helps absorb greenhouse gases, eases traffic congestion and helps add equilibrium to peoples’ lives,” he explained.

Converting a farm field back to native

vegetation is typically a five-year effort that involves re-introducing colorful prairie plants, he said. Moody’s firm also has helped the Lake County Forest Preserve District control several invasive plants such as buckthorn and garlic mustard.

Moody, who has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of the South and an M.B.A. from Lake Forest College, worked for 20 years in sales and later managed a large Lake County estate that included many gardens and green spaces.

It was his volunteer restoration work for the non-profit Liberty Prairie Conservancy that led Moody to enroll in CLC’s horticulture program.

High points of the program for him were the attention he received from instructors and a practicum that resulted in a business plan for his future company.

“Many people view open land as an asset to be exploited rather than a natural area to be preserved,” he said. “It’s a joy knowing that I’m improving the overall quality of life in Lake County.”

ALUMNEWS | 7

COLLEGE FOCUS

Harvard Alum Helps Green CLC, Other Illinois Colleges Leith Sharp has traveled the world to help more than 100 organizations, including Harvard University, to adopt a culture of sustainability.

Her latest stop: CLC and Illinois community colleges.

Sharp, who has a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of New South Wales in Australia, also holds a master’s degree in education from Harvard.

She began her Illinois consulting work in March, lending her expertise to the Illinois Green Economy Network, which includes CLC and 47 other community colleges in Illinois.

Sharp is working with the IGEN to expand the number of Sustainability Centers at community colleges and foster the growth of the green economy in Illinois by encouraging businesses to adopt green products, services and training programs.

At Harvard from 2000 to 2008, Sharp created the largest green campus organization in the world, helping Harvard complete more than 50 sustainability projects earning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. She also helped change Harvard’s culture to adopt sustainable practices, from onsite renewable energy projects to green purchasing.

In Illinois, Sharp divides time between CLC’s new Sustainability and Green Jobs Center with consulting at other community colleges.

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New Sustainability Center Offers Green Tips, Training Advice

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ooking for practical tips on how to be more environmentally conscious at home and at work? Searching for information about the jobs that will emerge in the new green economy?

The College of Lake County’s new Sustainability Center, which opened at the Grayslake Campus in March, is a one-stop community and college resource for answers on recycling, energy conservation, community gardening, and green-job skills.

The center is part of the Illinois Green Economy Network, (formerly, the Illinois Community College Sustainability Network) a consortium of Illinois’ 48 community colleges formed to develop and implement green job training and promote energy renewal and efficiency technologies. CLC is the administrative agent for the network.

“The goal of the network is to leverage the strengths of community colleges to help Illinois thrive in the emerging green economy,” according to CLC President Dr. Jerry Weber.

“The eventual goal is to establish sustainability centers at every community college campus in the state.”

—CLC President Jerry Weber The eventual goal is to establish sustainability centers at every community college campus in the state, Weber added.

Dara Reiff, who holds a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Illinois, is the coordinator of CLC’s center. Her role is to connect community

members, students and college faculty and staff with advice and resource referrals on green practices.

Reiff said that in the center’s first months of operation, it has spearheaded several initiatives: • The college participated in RecycleMania, a national recycling competition among two-year and four-year colleges and universities. For six weeks, the college benchmarked its weekly garbage output—about two pounds per person —to establish a baseline on which to measure the progress of future recycling efforts.

• The college began collecting data on its carbon footprint, or amount of greenhouse gases it emits, through activities ranging from commuting habits to heating and cooling of campus buildings. A report is scheduled to be finished by September, Reiff said.

• The Grayslake campus hosted GreenTown, a sustainability conference on March 18, aimed at helping the Lake County community learn more about how to go green. Exploring topics ranging from energy conservation to mass transit to water quality, the conference drew more than 300 students, staff and community leaders. (See related story in this issue.)

• The center has founded Community Partners for Sustainability in Lake County, a coalition of groups and individuals, dedicated to accelerating sustainability initiatives across the county. The group has expanded its membership as a result of the GreenTown conference and is currently open to new members.

CLC’s Sustainability Center is located in Room B226 on the Grayslake campus and is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Reiff at (847) 543-2643 or dreiff@clcillinois.edu.

Or visit www.clcillinois/-gogreen or IGEN www.igencc.org.

CLC FOUNDATION

New Butterfly Garden Ready to Provide a Beautiful Education

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fter months of planning and a few hands-on planting sessions, CLC’s new butterfly garden is ready to attract the colorful, winged creatures that promise to turn the garden into a place of rest, beauty and education.

The 4,400 square-foot garden, made possible by a grant from the CLC Foundation, is located near the B Wing entrance of the Grayslake campus. Red admirals, monarchs, painted ladies and coral hairstreaks are just some of the fanciful names for the winged insects expected to be drawn to the garden’s vibrant mix of native wildflowers.

“The vegetation will attract the butterflies naturally,” said Kelly Cartwright, biology instructor. “There will be no attempt to capture butterflies and bring them to the garden.”

The new garden, which includes benches and a three-foot high, water-bubbling fixture, is expected to be a source of relaxation and

stress relief, said Cindy Trombino, another biology instructor.

More directly related to CLC’s mission are the educational benefits of the butterfly garden.

“The garden will be a living, outdoor classroom, offering environmental lessons for students, staff and the community.”

—Rory Klick, Horticulture Department Chair “The garden will be a living, outdoor classroom, offering environmental lessons for students, staff and the community,” said horticulture department chair Rory Klick.

The garden will be used as a teaching tool to show the critical role butterflies play in

Ben Randazzo, left, president of the CLC Foundation board of directors, and board member Holly Kerr, right, help plant the butterfly garden in May.

pollinating plants, Trombino said. “Butterflies are also an important food source for predators, from birds to insect species. And they are a measure of the health of an ecosystem. Generally, the higher the population and diversity of butterfly species, the healthier the ecosystem.”

Additionally, the garden will demonstrate how native plants and flowers can beautify a landscape while requiring no pesticides and far less water and maintenance than many popular plants sold in lawn and garden shops, Trombino said.

Approving funding for the project was an easy decision, according to Holly Kerr, a CLC Foundation board member who was one of those reviewing the project. “The more you do that is ecologically and architecturally relevant, the better,” she explained. “It’s educating the public and beautifying the campus in a fairly easy way. This garden is the face that the college has to the public.”

Ben Randazzo, Foundation board president, joined Kerr and other volunteers in helping plant the garden on May 2. “Butterflies are beautiful and peaceful to look at,” he said.

“The garden will create a great environment to study and relax.”

Recent CLC graduate Cassandra Massong (’10) took time away from studying for finals to assist with the planting. A geography major with a specialty in environmental management, Massong served as the president of the student Environmental Club in 2009-2010. Though she will transfer to Southern Illinois University in the fall, she is excited about the addition of the garden to the CLC landscape.

“Seeing a beautiful garden sets the tone for the rest of the day,” she said.

ALUMNEWS | 9

CLASS NOTES

ALUMNI PROFILE

Physician Credits CLC for Making Career Possible

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or Dr. Melanie Smith (’82), a family practice physician in Burlington, Wis., the journey from being a low-income nursing student to earning a medical degree at age 39, took an extra large dose of dedication and hard work.

In recognition of her career success and commitment to patient care, Smith is CLC’s nominee for the Illinois Community College Trustees Association’s 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award.

During her CLC years, the Mundelein native appreciated the college’s affordable tuition, flexible scheduling and caring instructors.

“With waitressing tips and scholarships, I was able to eventually earn my associate degree in nursing,” she recalled. “I couldn’t have done it without CLC, and it was the turning point in my life. I had professors who cared about me and fueled my confidence to pursue my dreams.

I especially remember nursing instructors Sue Wynn and Darlene Shackelford. They were very inspiring.”

“I couldn’t have done it without CLC, and it was the turning point in my life.”

—Dr. Melanie Smith After finishing the nursing program at the top of her class, Smith earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Illinois—Chicago. However, it was during her nursing clinicals when an encouraging comment from a co-worker made her aim even higher.

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Alumni News Rick McCormick (’73), is a professor of German, Dutch and Scandinavian Studies at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Thom Koch, Jr. (’74) teaches social studies at Hawthorn Middle School in Vernon Hills, IL. Mark Hunt (’83), is a physical therapist in Concord, Calif.

Dr. Smith with Barbara Oilschlager, chairman of the CLC Board of Trustees.

“While on duty in an emergency room, I said to a co-worker, ‘I could do what those doctors are doing.’ The co-worker, who happened to be an ER physician, asked me, ‘Then, why don’t you?’ I said, ‘I’ll be 40 soon.’

He replied, ‘You’ll be 40 anyway. What do you have to lose?’ ” Thus began her path from nursing to medical school. She juggled raising teenagers with studies at Midwestern University, receiving her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree in 1995.

Having worked 12 years as a family practice physician in Burlington, Smith said she finds great reward in helping improve the health of entire families—and points to her own story as an example of the value of a community college education. “Not everyone can attend a four-year college right out of high school,” she explained. “At CLC, I was able to get an associate degree in nursing, which paved the way for my bachelor’s degree and medical school.

Thank heaven for community colleges.”

Lisa Molidor (’95) teaches medical assisting at the Lake County High Schools Technology Campus in Grayslake during the day and at CLC in the evenings.

Jennifer Adams (’98), registered nurse, works part time at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville and full time at Abbott Laboratories.

Eli Pickholtz (’05), an Israeli Army veteran who graduated from Cornell University, is pursuing his doctorate degree in psychology at Indiana University, with work at the Kinsey Institute for Sex, Gender and Reproduction.

Dan Kelly (’07) is co-owner of Patch 22, a Wadsworth, Ill.-based petting zoo, pony rental service and hayride ranch.

What have you been doing lately?

Let your fellow grads know! Post your submissions online at www.clcaa.com.

Look for the message board that corresponds with your graduation decade. Selected entries will also be published in the AlumNews.

NEWS ROUNDUP

Alumni Welcome 1,362 Graduates in Class of ‘10 The class of 2010, comprising 1,362 graduates, was recognized at CLC’s 41st commencement ceremony, held May 15 in Waukegan’s Genesee Theatre.

Commencement speaker Catherine Heenan (’74), received the Illinois Outstanding Citizen Award. Heenan, a news anchor/reporter at KRON-TV in San Francisco, received her bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University, where she majored in communication and journalism.

In addition to many regional Emmys, she has won a National Emmy and a Peabody Award. Heenan has also covered everything from the peace plan process in Northern Ireland to papal visits and Mafia trials.

Heenan, who worked at CLC Radio and acted in stage plays during her student days, credited CLC for instilling in her a can-do attitude that helped her launch a successful career in TV news. “At CLC, we were encouraged to give things a try even if others said it’s not done that way,” said Heenan, a Zion native. “I gained opportunities because of my training not to stop at the first roadblock. I hope you come away (from CLC) with more than a degree.

Disregard the roadblocks in your life.”

Alumni Networking Event Stresses Social Media In today’s competitive job market, join as many social networking sites as possible, said Dean DeBiase, chairman of Reboot Partners, a Chicago-area growth management and board advisement group. DeBiase spoke at an alumni career networking event held May 2 at the Grayslake Campus. The event, attended by more than 50 CLC alumni, included a speed networking session and a networking lunch.

Keep in Touch with Fellow Alumni Online Joining the CLC Alumni Association online is the best way to keep in touch with your alma mater. For more information on membership benefits and how to join, visit www.clcaa.com and click on the Alumni Assoc heading at the far left of the screen. Once inside the page, scroll down to “How to Join” and then click the membership link.

Golf Outing Raises Nearly $27,000 The annual Joan Legat Memorial Golf Outing, held May 21 at the White Deer Run golf course in Vernon Hills, raised nearly $27,000 for the CLC Foundation’s scholarship fund.

Left to right: State Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan) and Blake Hudson (’10) share a laugh.

ALUMNEWS | 11

AlumNews

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Country Music Concert

Milwaukee Zoo Family Outing

Tuesday, July 13 6 p.m. Picnic 7:30 p.m. Concert

Saturday, Sept. 18

Independence Grove Forest Preserve, Libertyville Picnic with fellow alumni and enjoy the sounds of the White Saddle Band. The concert is free for alumni living in Lake County and $5 for alumni living outside of Lake County. Bring chairs, blankets and a side dish.

Chicken will be provided for everyone who RSVPs.

Bus leaves the Grayslake Campus at 9 a.m.

Enjoy a fun family day at the newly renovated Milwaukee County Zoo. Enjoy zoo rides and see live animal shows, including the Sea Lion Show and Giraffe Experience.

Save the Date: Scholarship Gala Saturday, Oct. 30 The Drake Hotel, Chicago

Lake County Fielders’ Baseball Game

Watch for more details at www.clcaa.com

Friday, August 6 6 p.m. Picnic 7 p.m. Ballgame Fielders’ new stadium in Zion, IL Watch Lake County's new minor league team, owned by actor Kevin Costner, battle the Gary Southshore RailCats. Before the game, enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers in the CLC Alumni picnic area. Enjoy post-game fireworks. Tickets are $15 each with a limit of four per order.

To register or for more information about these summer events, call (847) 543-2400 or visit www.clcaa.com.

“Urinetown: The Musical” July 16, 17, 23 and 24 at 7:30 p.m.

July 18* and 25 at 2 p.m.

Studio Theatre Book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, Music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann Directed by Craig Rich This outrageous musical with the ridiculous title earned rave reviews and was a surprise Broadway sensation, winning three Tony Awards.

In a city where water is scarce and the government has outlawed private toilets, a malevolent corporation makes huge profits by charging residents a “fee to pee.” Anyone breaking the law will be arrested and sent to a mysterious and feared place, Urinetown. But a hero inspires the people to follow their hearts and take a stand against injustice. This show looks at issues such as resource conservation, corporate greed and the exploitation of the poor with tongue-in-cheek humor and a charming score.

Tickets are available at the CLC Box Office in the James Lumber Center on the Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Tickets may be purchased in person or by phone at (847) 543-2300.

Or buy tickets online at clcillinois.edu/tickets. $16 General admission $13 for CLC students/staff, seniors 65+ and JLC season subscribers.

Prices include a $1 per ticket James Lumber Center facility fee.

*A panel discussion with community experts will be held following the Sunday matinee on July 18, covering the show and how it relates to current environmental issues.