WAJC Hillsdale December 2018

CLYDE LETARTE CENTER / HILLSDALE

DECEMBER 2018 / VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 1

Worried about paying for college?

Don’t forget financial aid!

Interested in going to college but not sure how to pay for it?

Financial assistance is available for those who qualify!

Financial aid is the commonly used term for money to help with college expenses. The U.S. Department of Education should be the first source to figure financial aid. Aid is also available from scholarships and grants from state governments, schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, religious groups and professional organizations.

Aid may be used to cover school expenses, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, and transportation. The amount received is based on a person’s need, as determined by federal guidelines.

“When applying for financial aid and submitting it to your school choice(s), it allows them to evaluate your information

TYPES OF AID Most students receive some kind of financial aid. Financial assistance can be: • Grants – money that doesn’t have to be paid back • Scholarships – money that doesn’t have to be paid back • Work-study – money you earn for part-time work on or off-campus • Loans – money you borrow that is paid back with interest

and determine which financial resources you are available to receive to reduce the cost of your education,” said Andrew Spohn, director of financial aid.

Great minds welcome at new psychology honor society!

Do you love to learn about people? Connect with others with Jackson College’s new Psi Beta, the Community College National Honor Society in Psychology.

Students who plan to major or minor in psychology, as well as students who simply have an interest in psychology, are invited to learn more. Professor Michael Walraven said that the American Psychological Association has been promoting Psi Beta and offered Jackson College the opportunity to launch its own chapter. Professor Walraven will serve as lead faculty advisor, while Associate Professor Anthony Cleveland and Professor Jackie Burkhard will also serve as faculty advisors.

APPLY EARLY To apply, complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa. ed.gov. With limited financial aid available, the sooner one completes the form, the better.

The 2019-20 FAFSA is now available.

After a student has completed their FAFSA, they will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) which details the information submitted and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the dollar amount that is subtracted from the school cost to determine one’s need for financial aid. Jackson College will mail one letter to the student, and further communication will be through e-mail.

SCHOLARSHIPS The Jackson College Foundation offers thousands of dollars in scholarship assistance each year.

Please visit the financial aid website at www.jccmi.edu/ financial-aid/scholarships/

Members will have the opportunity to gather with like-minded students while benefitting from additional contact with faculty and psychological materials. They may learn leadership skills, gain research experience or enter award competitions. For those psychology majors planning on transfer, transfer scholarships and linkages with honor societies at universities are available. Members will gain a lifetime career reference and have the opportunity to wear honor regalia at graduation.

Psi Beta will have regular meetings and information sessions for students at all campuses. Membership is open to students with a minimum grade point average of 3.25 and have completed 12 credits total, including a psychology class with a B or higher.

For more information, please contact Michael Walraven at MGWalraven@jccmi.edu.

Early/Middle College offers career exploration possibilities for Waldron student For Hanna Wines, attending the Hillsdale County Early/Middle College has helped her explore her future career options.

Wines, of Waldron, is in her second year at the HCEMC. The opportunity to participate in community service and complete an internship experience attracted her to the program.

“I don’t really know what my (college) major will be, so I thought an internship and job shadowing would be a good opportunity,” she said. Recently she completed a job-shadowing experience with the Hillsdale Prosecuting Attorney Neal Brady. She had the opportunity to see a number of pretrial hearings, which were interesting and informative. A career in the legal profession is a real possibility now, but she is still considering, and she has time. She plans to attend Jackson College until she completes her associate degree and will decide what is next.

Through the week, Wines takes two classes through the College and five at her high school. In addition, she is a threesport athlete who is involved in 4-H, FFA and National Honor Society. “Actually the early middle college program has helped me. I’ve learned a lot about time management through that,” Wines said.

With a variety of students in the early middle college program and in college classes, she has gotten to meet many new people. “It’s been educational because I’ve been with a bunch of people of different ages, a lot more diverse than my high school, so I’ve learned a lot through that,” Wines said.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR DEC. 20 Fall semester ends APRIL 10 Spring semester registration begins

JAN. 14 Winter semester begins

FEB. 1 In-Service Day, no classes

MAY 4 Commencement Ceremony

MARCH 11-17 Mid-Semester Spring Break

MAY 5 Winter semester ends MAY 30 Spring semester begins

*****ECRWSS***** Local Postal Customer 2111 Emmons Road Jackson, MI 49201-8399

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WE ARE JACKSON COLLEGE

TO OUR COMMUNITY, Over the past months, Jackson College has been reaching out, in the tri-county areas we serve, to community leaders, business people and citizens like yourself.

During these discussions, you told us you want to know more about Jackson College, what’s new, what’s changing and what’s happening. Our students and residents in Hillsdale and Lenawee counties want to hear about what is happening at the local campuses. You want more information and more news. So we responded.

We have redesigned and rethought our We Are Jackson College magazine. The new publication (still called We Are Jackson College) will mail editions twice each year specific to our LeTarte Center, Hillsdale and Jackson College @ LISD TECH, Adrian.

In addition, the College will mail editions from Central Campus three times a year, helping residents keep up with all that is happening.

It is my hope that this will provide the information you are seeking. If not, please feel free to contact me at 517.787.0809 or e-mail wearejacksoncollege @jccmi.edu.

Early/Middle College gives students a competitive edge The Hillsdale County Early/Middle College moves ahead in its second year. From 20 students in its first cohort class, it has grown with over 60 new students this year, for more than 83 students enrolled.

In the HCEMC, beginning in the 11th grade, students may complete high school requirements and enroll in college classes. After 12th grade, students will attend the fifth year, earning both a high school diploma and at least 15 college credits.

President/CEO

Helping students prepare for working with others while working at a job’s specific tasks, HCEMC has developed a credentialing process.

In addition to academic studies, soft skills are explored and taught. Each Friday, students gather at the LeTarte Center for colloquiums on soft skills and positive habits of mind. Topics include self-awareness, developing relationships, qualities of a leader, emotional intelligence, selfcontrol and empathy. They give three speeches to help them build their communications skills.

“Seeing the growth in students in such a short time has been exciting,” said Sara Cornell, student success navigator. “I think the chance for students from all school districts in Hillsdale County to come together and work on building skills, as well as have the opportunity to share about their experiences, has provided an innovative avenue for learning.”

I look forward to your questions, suggestions and comments.

Dr. Daniel J. Phelan Jackson College

a CareerBuilder survey, 77 percent of employers believe that soft skills are just as important as “hard” skills in evaluating candidates for a job.

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM Today’s employers look for more than just job skills in their workers. They are also seeking soft skills – qualities that help employees work well together and enhance productivity. According to

Student Hanna Wines enjoys the opportunity to get to know other students more. “I think they do help all of the students because we do speeches a lot, so it helps with our public speaking. Also, we get to interact with the other students more, so we can talk about our different experiences, credentialing and classes.”

Bowman finds Early/Middle College offers much more than expected We Are Jackson College – Clyde LeTarte Center, Hillsdale December 2018 • Volume 1 | Issue 1 We Are Jackson College is produced two times annually by the Marketing and Communications Department at Jackson College. If you have comments or questions about the publication call 517.796.8416.

Publisher: Cynthia S. Allen • Editor: Dotty Karkheck Writer: Marilynn Fryer • Designer: Abbie Stein Photography: Marketing and Communications JACKSON COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Sam R. Barnes, Chairman • John M. Crist, Vice Chairman Sheila A. Patterson, Secretary • Donna L. Lake, Treasurer Matthew R. Heins, Trustee • Philip E. Hoffman, Trustee Dr. Edward A. Mathein, Trustee Dr. Daniel J. Phelan, President/CEO All rights reserved. No part of the material may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without the permission of the publisher.

It is the policy of Jackson College that no person shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, gender, marital status, or handicap, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to, discrimination in any program or activity for which it is responsible for or for which it receives financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education.

Clyde LeTarte Center • 3120 W. Carleton Road • Hillsdale, MI www.jccmi.edu • 517.437.3343 Jackson College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604 (800) 621-7440 • hlcommission.org

For Jonesville’s Roy Bowman, the opportunity to attend the Hillsdale County Early/Middle College has been life-changing.

running cross country and track, Legacy Official through the Michigan High School Athletic Association, FFA secretary,

Bowman enrolled at the Early/Middle College a year ago as part of the first cohort class. He felt it was a great way to get a college education at big cost savings. The program’s benefits go far beyond dollars and cents.

“There are so many people I’ve met that have had an impact on my life. You grow as a person. It is awesome to reflect on yourself and say ‘Man if you wouldn’t have done this one little thing, none of this would have happened.’”

FINDING BALANCE Bowman takes two college classes and four high school classes in this, his senior year. He is active,

Bowman is a student ambassador for the Early/Middle College, responsible for helping to pass information to the other members of the program and represent their high school. The opportunity to get to know so many people while getting ahead with college is outstanding.

“I see people outside of school that I normally wouldn’t have known. There are kids from Camden, Waldron – almost all the county schools.”

Bowman plans to attend Jackson College the fifth year, modeling his education after the Associate of Science curriculum. He plans to transfer to a university to study biology, and then complete a master’s degree.

National Honor Society member and class secretary. The Daughters of the American Revolution recently recognized Bowman with the DAR Good Citizen Award.

With a head start toward his college and career goals and the opportunity to meet so many more people, the HCEMC has made a big difference for Bowman.

DECEMBER 2018

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LeTarte Center offers valuable education to Sharp When it came time to choose a college, Jonesville graduate Taylor Sharp decided her best choice was to stay close and attend Jackson College’s Hillsdale LeTarte Center. It gave her the opportunity to learn about college and learn about work.

“Starting at Hillsdale, which was close to home, made it easier to attend. My experience was very good. Amanda and Sara, the administrative staff, they made it great. They would definitely assist you with any kind of questions. I’m a first generation college student, the first in my family to go to college, so that definitely helped,” Sharp said. As a work-study student at the LeTarte Center, she developed professional skills such as customer service and answering phones.

“At Jackson College, I was given the opportunity to start a student organization, the LeTarte Center Leaders. It gave others and myself the opportunity to volunteer in the community. It was an amazing experience to work with people in the community by volunteering. Getting to meet other students and help out was nice.”

A high school class sparked her interest in chemistry, but Sharp knew she also wanted to help people. She attended Jackson College then transferred to Northern Michigan University to earn her bachelor’s degree in forensic biochemistry. Today, she works as a forensic technician at the Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Northville.

She is responsible for receiving, handling, returning and transferring evidence between laboratories and police

agencies. Starting at the bottom and working one’s way up the ladder can be for the best, she said, as she continues to learn much about the field.

Perhaps the most important thing she has learned is never to give up. “Things did get hard for me. I failed one of my math classes, which is not something I do often. But I got myself back up and took the class again and passed,” she said. “You should never give up if things get hard. Our challenges help us grow.”

Nursng program helps make dream come true Welcomed by instructors who demonstrated their commitment and dedication to the nursing profession, Tressa Hodshire’s experience as a nursing student at Jackson College fulfilled her long-held dream. Today, Hodshire is the chief nursing officer at Hillsdale Hospital. A graduate of Litchfield High, she attended Jackson College from 1996-99 to become a registered nurse.

“My parents always stressed the importance of higher education. Nursing was a passion for me, I had two aunts who were nurses,” she said. At the LeTarte Center in Hillsdale, Hodshire completed her general education courses close to home. When it came time for nursing school, she completed her degree on the Central Campus in Jackson. She went on to Spring Arbor University to complete her bachelor’s degree in nursing.

She recalls the passion the nursing instructors instilled in students for the career. “When I came to Jackson College to the nursing program, like most kids just getting out of high school, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was welcomed by wonderful instructors who guided me toward my professional role,” Hodshire said. “The nursing program at Jackson College has a huge influence on my life.”

Nursing careers offer flexibility. Hodshire has worked as a staff nurse, a manager, a patient advocate, and now in an administrative post as the chief nursing officer.

“I love the profession of nursing, taking care of patients,” she said. “The blessing of working at a small community hospital is that even in an administrative role, I’m still able to be at the bedside with patients and other nurses. Working with patients is the driving force, especially in my community of Hillsdale.”

LeTarte Center offers services to help students succeed Jackson College is committed to helping students succeed. In addition to our outstanding faculty and instruction, the LeTarte Center offers a number of academic support services to help students on their journey.

Tennille Fenstermaker is the academic support services coordinator at the LeTarte Center.

• Free Tutoring is available for many classes right here at the Hillsdale Center. Students may also utilize a new feature: Online Tutoring. Stop by the front office if you would like information about either form of tutoring, or would be to become a tutor.

All students can benefit from tutoring, and it is offered free, so take advantage of this valuable resource.

• Writing Lab Students can stop in for help with all aspects of writing a paper – ideas, proofreading, documentation and research.

• Accommodations are available to students with disabilities, with proper documentation from a licensed doctor. Students with learning disabilities may find it difficult to acquire knowledge or skills in the same ways as their peers. Jackson College can help students with the necessary accommodations.

• Referrals Sometimes our students need support from outside agencies, in particular, mental health. Academic support services can help connect a student to an agency that can assist; help is available.

• Additional Support For a student who may be struggling, Fenstermaker may give one on-one advice and support on subjects, such as test anxiety, time management, study skills, and reading. She may also visit classrooms to talk about tutoring services or success strategies.

“Because every situation is unique and sometimes students struggle with various life issues, both related to school and those non-related, many of our students would benefit from taking advantage of our academic support services, such as tutoring, writing labs, accommodations, etc.,” Fenstersmaker said.

“This service comes at NO additional cost to the students. We want to help YOU succeed. That is our primary goal.”

WE ARE JACKSON COLLEGE

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Jackson College brings classes to Hillsdale communities for 30 years The year 2018 has marked the 90th anniversary of Jackson College. From the opening of Jackson Junior College in 1928, the College has continued to grow and change to meet the changing educational needs of students.

Jackson College began offering classes in Hillsdale County through the adult education program at Hillsdale High School. In 1991, continued growth resulted in the opening of the Hillsdale Center, an extension campus, on West Carleton Road in Hillsdale. In 2000, the Hillsdale Center was renamed to honor former

college President and State Rep. Clyde LeTarte and his service to the College and the tricounty area. In 2007, the center was renovated to provide a science lab, updated classrooms and improved offices.

The center features classrooms, state-of-the-art science lab, wi-fi capability and two desktop computer labs. Computers are available in the lobby for student use when building is open. Students may take college classes in a convenient location close to home. Options are available for career programs or transfer to a university for further study.

COLLEGE CLOSE TO HOME Programs of Study at Hillsdale LeTarte Center Any Jackson College program can be started at the LeTarte Center by completing general education and prerequisite courses. The following programs of study can be completed solely at the LeTarte Center.

Hillsdale Center Staff The Hillsdale LeTarte Center is a full-service college campus located in Hillsdale. Staff members are happy and eager to help all those interested in learning more about Jackson College, the educational offerings and programs offered in Hillsdale. Meet our Hillsdale Center staff!

From left-right: Tennille Fenstermaker, Academic Support Services; Nicole Huepenbecker, Customer Service Specialist; Holly Clark, Hillsdale County Career Access Planning Coordinator; Amanda Janes, Hillsdale Center Coordinator; Sara Cornell, Student Success Navigator; Michael Masters, dean, Lenawee/Hillsdale County Centers

Associate in Arts – provides a general liberal arts education, preparing students for a bachelor’s degree program at a university.

Associate in General Studies – degree designed for students who want to plan their own program of study not defined by a specific job or career.

Associate in Science – provides liberal arts and more science coursework, preparing students for a bachelor’s degree program at a university.

Business Administration – Associate in Applied Science, Certificate A broad-based program of business studies equipping students with tools to analyze a business situation, shape long-term action plans and oversee plans as they are carried out, and make decisions along the way.

Hillsdale LeTarte Center hosts financial aid workshops Students, looking for ways to pay for college? Let Jackson College LeTarte Center help you get a start by filing for financial aid.

The Hillsdale LeTarte Center has two upcoming workshops planned to help students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA. This is an important first step in determining eligibility for aid and is the first step for many scholarship programs.

WORKSHOP DATES

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 12 – 1:30 p.m. • Room 15 Monday, Feb. 25, 2019 5 – 6:30 p.m. • Room 15

PLEASE BRING • 2016/2017 federal tax returns for parents and students • Driver’s license • Social Security number • Any records of untaxed income • Recent bank statements & investment information •

FSA ID (If possible, create an FSA ID for student and one parent, if dependent, at www.fafsa.gov prior to this workshop).

If you have any questions, contact the Hillsdale LeTarte Center at 517.437.3343.

Law Enforcement – Associate in Applied Science, Certificate (requires a few classes online) Prepare for a career in police and law enforcement, providing a variety of services to help protect the public and maintain order.

Digital Photography – Certificate Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images that visually tell a story or record an event. Develop and practice foundational skills.

EKG Technician – Skill Set Prepare to work as an EKG technician, who work with patients to measure and record heart action and rhythm by tracing electrical activity occurring during heartbeats.

May be used as a building block toward another health career.

Phlebotomy – Skill Set Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research and blood donations. Skill set prepares students for professional certification and employment in a variety of settings, such as medical offices, hospitals, or medical and diagnostic laboratories.

Allied Health General Studies – Associate in Applied Science This degree is designed for those who have already earned some form of health care certification or licensure, such as a certified nurse assistant, and are looking to obtain an associate degree in order to further their education or employment opportunities.

Electronic Health Records – Skill Set Electronic Health Records Specialists organize and manage patient health data in digital and hard copy formats, ensuring the quality, accuracy, accessibility and security of this critical documentation. Students will be eligible to sit for the Certified Electronic Health Record Specialist exam upon completion.

Behavioral Sciences Certificate Designed for students who plan to transfer to universities as psychology majors. Certificate graduates could also find entry-level employment as clinic technicians in human services fields.

Management – Certificate Build on your natural ability to get along with people and develop leadership potential for management roles.

Corrections – Associate in Applied Science, Certificate (requires a few classes online) Prepare for a career as a corrections officer, charged with safekeeping any person who has been arrested, is awaiting trial or is in a correctional institution.

Prerequisite classes for secondadmit programs, including nursing, sonography, radiography, dental hygiene, respiratory, are available.

Learn more on any program at www.jccmi.edu