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Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION

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Celebrate Please join us for the grand opening of Kishwaukee College’s new Student Center!

Thursday, December 6, 2012 5 – 7:00 pm The Student Center will be home to: The Main Entrance to Campus Student Activities Student Services New Student Connections

Save the Date

Bookstore Kish Café And more!

It’s a Celebration!

The new Student Center will be LEED Gold Certified.

Visit www.kishwaukeecollege.edu for more information.

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r o F m o o R More

llison von Ende has been enjoying the new facilities in the Student Center at Kishwaukee College since relocating in October. “There is so much more space,” she said. “All the organizations have room to store their materials, to meet, and to hold programs. It’s great!”

• Wednesday, November 28, 2012

She would know. Allison is the Coordinator of Student Activities at Kishwaukee College.

At any time in the semester, her previous office was a cramped space that doubled as storage for a wide variety of things that needed to be kept for any one of the 24 student organizations on campus that she helps oversee and coordinate. “It was just crazy,” she said. “We managed. But it was difficult. The new space is fantastic! Students now have the ability to accomplish anything. The new building also makes a statement about the role student activities plays at Kish.”

KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION | Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com

S E I T I IV T C A T N E D g STU n i n r a e L Life and

Now, located on the first floor of the Student Center, Allison’s office is, well, Allison’s office! She no longer steps around boxes filled with items for Latinos Unidos or the Equality Club or the Business Club or Student Government Association. Last year, the clubs, organizations and Allison shared about 3,440 square feet of space that included meeting rooms, storage, workspace, and Allison’s office. In the new Student Center, the Student Activities office has nearly doubled to 6,682 square feet.

The Student Government Association (SGA)—composed of elected Senators to represent the student body and one elected Student Trustee who acts as a liaison between the students and the College’s Board of Trustees—has an office to call its own now. A place where the SGA can meet in its entirety and have access to computers and desks allowing individual Senators to gather to exchange ideas informally or work on projects.

Allison von Ende, Coordinator of Student Activities.

Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION

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With the larger meeting spaces like the Conference Room and Student Lounge, SGA can offer more programming and communicate with students better. In November, SGA held its first “College Hall” – a town-hall type meeting with students to share information and discuss topics affecting the student experience on campus. There was no room to hold such a meeting in the previous Student Activities’ space.

All of the student clubs and organizations used to store their materials in closets that were located in a small break room in the old Student Activities space. In the new Student Center, there is office space that is specifically designed to meet the needs of organizations and clubs. Many clubs, like the Intercultural Student Association, for example, need places to store their materials in between their regular meetings and need a convenient place in which to hold their meetings. The new spacious shared office and storage areas allow the student clubs and organizations to store their materials, meet, use computers, and have the room to interact casually with the other organizations, too.

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Besides the Student Activities office, the Student Center also offers the student newspaper, The Kaleidoscope, dedicated office and workspace, a luxury the students have never really enjoyed. Now, planning articles for each issue has become more convenient with office space of their own. The team can meet to brainstorm ideas and actually leave their notes on the white board instead of erasing it before they leave and enjoy the luxury of computers in their meeting space to look up information as they discuss article ideas.

Community Partners

The importance of those experiences is one reason that the name of the new building was selected to be simply the Student Center, because that is exactly what it is: a central place for the student experience at Kishwaukee College.

What are the students saying about the Student Center?

“I love all a tthe windows and light! It is so inviting g and when sstudents walk by and see other her students meeting or hanging out, they join in.”

Gladys Sanchez, hez, ez, DeKalb

more modern with storage “It is so much mu m age space, rooms, computers and so much meeting roo uch bigger. easier to move around.”

Much easie Juan Escutia, a, Rochelle

Congratulations, Kishwaukee College on your new Student Center!

Congratulations Kishwaukee College on your New Student Center!

• Wednesday, November 28, 2012

“There is rreally room to organize and each organization can have it’s own section organizatio on to store things. I like the natural light, too.”

Alex Paramo, mo, Genoa

“There is so much more space…more clubs can same time. And the WiFi is lovely!” be here at the t Monique Weaver, ver,, DeKalb.

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KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION | Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com

With all the new space, students are excited and so is Allison.

But is new space for students to gather and do activities really all that important? “Yes, it is,” Allison stated. “Research has repeatedly shown that extracurricular activities provide the experiences that allow young adults – the students – to develop interpersonal and social skills, leadership skills, even conflict management. And that experience comes with joining other students to brainstorm, plan and implement programs and activities. It is a great rehearsal for the type of skills they will use throughout their lives in the work world and as active members of our communities. Active students are more likely to persist and graduate from college and be more successful.”

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Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION

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T N E D U T S NEW ! n o i t c e n n o C e h t Make

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hen the Kishwaukee College Student Center was designed, one of the most visible aspects was the clearly defined glass atrium that marked the main entrance to campus. The first office inside the light and airy main entrance is New Student Connections, which house the recruitment and orientation functions of the College. Heather Ferguson, the Coordinator of Recruitment and Orientation, and two Student Ambassadors, Denzel Fisher and Mark Nicholson, are the friendly faces that greet prospective students and their families to Kishwaukee College.

The previous Recruitment and Orientation office was located on the second floor, inside another department, and away from any main entrance. “For visitors to the College, it is nice to have a place close to the front door where they can go to get answers to their questions about the College or request a tour,” said Heather. Heather has established the recruitment and orientation process as New Student Connections. “I see my role as being the first

SyLinda Menafee and Heather Ferguson pose outside New Student Connections.

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Student Ambassadors Denzel Fisher and Mark Nicholson.

SyLinda is the Coordinator of Retention and Student Success.

Her office is currently located in New Student Connections.

Having a prospective student or new student meet SyLinda when meeting with Heather just makes sense.“I am providing that initial connection to the College, but meeting SyLinda gives students a connection who they can go to for support throughout their time at Kishwaukee College,” Heather explained.

Making the transition to college can be challenging, as students face a different set of expectations and requirements amid all the other “new” life events – new friends, new location, and new classes. SyLinda provides the programming and support to help students be successful at Kishwaukee College. She said, “The vision is to expand New Student Connections through the students’ first year on campus.”

SyLinda is developing a new student success course that will serve as the first piece of the New Student Connections FirstYear Experience Program. She explained,“The new course— which will be piloted in Fall 2013--is designed to help students learn about Kishwaukee College, utilize the student support services, set goals, improve time management, and other things that enhance success in the classroom and outside it, too.” Besides developing New Student Connections classes and programming, she also works with faculty to identify students who may need additional support academically throughout the year.

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• Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Heather sees all of this as part of a holistic student services philosophy. She said, “I enjoy meeting students and their families and helping them choose Kishwaukee College as a path to help them meet their goals, but that is only the beginning of their journey. Orientation is the first step in this process, but success goes beyond the first day.”

KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION | Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com

real connection for prospective students at Kishwaukee College. The student gets to know me, asks questions, and can get acclimated to campus a bit during the registration and orientation process. They also meet Mark and Denzel and can form a peer connection,” said Heather. “During the orientation process, we also make sure students meet other key people on campus so they have other connections once classes begin.” One of those key people is SyLinda Menafee.

Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION

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indsay graduated from Mendota High School in 2005, tried a local community college for a semester, and then moved to Florida for a while. Returning to Illinois, she landed a job working at a local distribution center in DeKalb, rented an apartment, and got a dog. “I wasn’t happy,” she said. “I knew I could do so much more with my life…at age 24, I decided I couldn’t wake up every day and go to work unsatisfied, working for someone besides myself.

That is when I decided to go back to school. Now, here I am close to graduation.”

Statistically, Lindsay is the average Kishwaukee College student.

Matthew Crull, Director of the Office of Institutional Research at Kishwaukee College, collects and analyzes data for the College every semester, preparing statistical reports that quantify the college experience and can create a snapshot of life on campus.

Kishwaukee College has cooperative agreements that allow students from neighboring community college districts to attend Kishwaukee or for Kishwaukee students to attend neighboring community colleges that offer programs the students’ home colleges do not. Many students from across northern Illinois attend Kishwaukee to enroll in the Diesel Power Technology program, for example, because Kishwaukee is the only public institution to offer that program in this geographic part of the state. Similarly, Kishwaukee College students interested in pursuing culinary arts can enroll at Elgin Community College in their program. Cooperative agreement students pay in-district tuition to the community college they attend.

• Wednesday, November 28, 2012

“For the Fall 2012 semester, we have a total enrollment of 4,878 college students, 75% of whom are from the local communities in the district,” he said. “The remaining 25% are a collection of various locations and programs. For example, approximately 8% are NIU students who are dual-enrolled at the University and Kishwaukee College or who live just on the district’s boundaries. Oregon, Illinois is an example. About 5% are students from outside the district who are here on cooperative agreements with other community colleges.”

KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION | Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com

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E R E H T S E O G WHO n e s d n e v S y a s d n Meet Li

Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION

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According to Crull, 67% of the students at Kishwaukee College are white; 18% are African-American; 11% are Hispanic/Latino; 2% are Asian; and 1% are Native American. Most students on campus are pursuing degrees that will transfer to a university and 25% are pursing certificates or degrees that lead directly to employment after graduation from Kishwaukee College in the Career/Occupational Programs.

Of the eight high schools in the Kishwaukee College district –DeKalb, Cornerstone Christian Academy, Genoa-Kingston, Hiawatha, Indian Creek, Paw Paw, Rochelle, and Sycamore – nearly one-third of each graduating class will enter Kishwaukee College in the subsequent summer or fall semester. Two years after graduation (four semesters), nearly 50% of local high school graduates will have enrolled in Kishwaukee College for at least one course.

“The numbers show that Kishwaukee College is the “go to” institution of higher education within the district and for a number of students from outside the district, as well,” Crull stated. “The average Kishwaukee College student by the numbers is a white woman in her mid-twenties pursuing a transfer degree.” Or, in other words, the average Kishwaukee College student is Lindsay Svendsen.

“I came to Kish because it was close to home and affordable,” Lindsay explained. “And I thought it would be a good transition for me after taking so many years off school. My goal was to take my gen eds (general education courses) and hopefully figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Kish has allowed me to do this at a lower cost than a university.”

Lindsay found that her transition to the classroom was not as bumpy as she had originally thought. “The small class sizes have made the transition back to college easy, providing a more personal atmosphere within the classroom,” she said. “I have been able to network not only with students, but faculty and staff as well. I found it easy to become involved with student organizations, such as the Equality Club and Phi Theta Kappa.”

Her experiences interacting with staff, and as a student worker at the Information Desk at the College, have given her a new direction in a possible career: working as a student services professional at a college.

Lindsay added, “Returning to school at an older age was the best decision I have made. It can be challenging, juggling work and school, but the sense of accomplishment I have for myself is totally worth being tired. I am tired for myself now, not for someone else.” Spoken like the average Kishwaukee College student.

“The excitement of learning separates youth from old age.

As long as you’re learning, you’re not old.” ~Rosalyn S. Yalow

Congratulations on the New Student Center!

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KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION | Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION

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The Student Center is OPEN, but we’re not finished yet!

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coming in 2013!

of existing space begins now . . .

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Dr. Tom Choice, President, Kishwaukee

College, and former Presidents, Dr. Norm Jenkins, and Dr. David Louis, celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the College in 2008.

N

By Renee Messacar

orm Jenkins has seen the tremendous growth at Kishwaukee College first-hand since it opened in 1968.

The recent opening of the college’s new Student Center made him think back to the early years. “Five wooden prefabricated buildings housed the College that first year,” said Jenkins, who served as the first Dean of Student Services and as College President from 1978 to 2000.

“But we always planned ahead, recognizing there would be student growth,” he said.

“With about 10,000 students enrolled now, it certainly has grown,” said Bob Johnson, chair of the Kishwaukee College Board of Trustees. That figure includes the full- and part-time students, as well as those in Continuing Education and career advancement classes.

“It started with a few students and has grown in response to what the community needs,” he said. “Enrollment has really grown lately because during tough economic times, it makes a lot of sense to get general ed (credits) at a lower cost.”

Through the years, the College has added classrooms, labs, a conference center and other facilities.

After years of planning, construction began on the Student Center in July 2011. The building is now the new home to Student Services, cafeteria,

“We’re really excited about (the center),” said Tom Choice, College President. “We never really had a front door to the institution. When students look at places to attend, they look at student centers, rec centers and dorms. This is like a student union—this is their place to gather.”

“Student participation in planning the Student Center also helped make it feel like the students’ place,” said Sebastian Dargatz, who graduated from the College in May and is getting his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois.

Dargatz surveyed students on what they’d like to see in the Student Center. They named a variety of features: a new kitchenette and more storage space in the student club area, a chalkboard wall for drawing and leaving messages, and a resource room with information on scholarships and transfers.

The builders incorporated many of the students’ suggestions, such as use of more student artwork and more colorful decor.

“I’m really excited to see it,” Dargatz said.

Students and faculty have told Choice they are pleased with the site building.

• Wednesday, y, November 28,, 2012

The buildings, which included a student space with a small bookstore and vending machines, were large enough at the time.

coffee bar, Bookstore, student club area, Student Activities, meeting rooms and additional spaces. The College finished construction and began moving offices in September.

KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION | Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com y

S T N E D I S E R P E EG L L O C E E K U A KISHW

Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

| KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION

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“Students are saying they love this space and ‘thank you very much,’” he said. “The coffee bar is very popular.”

Among Choice’s favorite features are the building’s natural lighting, its airy, modern feel and the use of geothermal energy for heating and cooling.

“The building is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified and includes thermal-paned windows as well as a variety of green measures,” Choice said. The planners also reworked the parking lots and traffic flow on the grounds to be safer for pedestrians.

“Kishwaukee never really had a student center, per se, being a community college and commuter college,” said Dave Louis, who started at the College in 1973 and worked in a variety of roles at the College including President from 2000-2007. “This will give students more than a location. It will give them an identity with a place to eat, a bookstore, registration and meeting rooms within a convenient location.”

“The centralized location encourages students to be more involved and active outside the classroom,” Dargatz said, “and those involved in extracurricular activities generally do better in the classroom.”

“The new center encourages students to stay on campus and to interact,” Dargatz said. “There is a lot going on, and now students will be able to see that. I think the Student Center will make Kish more popular and put it on the map.”

“The next step of the Campus Master Plan is to renovate the 90,000 square feet of building space left vacant after student services and other groups moved into the Student Center,” Choice said. The school will update its science and nursing labs and add classroom space.

“It will almost be like a new campus,” he said.“People will be surprised to see all that’s been done here since the last time they were on campus.”

He invites the public to an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 6, to see the new facility.

“The founders had quite a vision and would be proud of what it’s become,” Louis said.

While the college physically grew, it also expanded its course selection to meet changing community needs.

“Kish has grown tremendously through the years ¬-- with buildings, student population and offerings,” Louis said. “This (addition) will greatly benefit future students and the community.”

“Despite those changes, the general focus of the College hasn’t changed,” he said.

“It truly is a community college, with students of all ages,” he said. “It is a great place for them to learn and grow.”

Congratulations Kishwaukee College on the dedication of your Student Center

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KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE STUDENT CENTER EDITION | Daily Chronicle / Daily-Chronicle.com • Wednesday, November 28, 2012

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