4 THE ADVOCATE
l WEDNESDAY, NOV. 8, 2007
CAMPUS BEAT
Employees work on and off field Hale, Kersten bring talents onto campus By Jeff Baker STAFF WRITER
jbaker.theadvocate@gmail.com
Contra Costa College has two new locker room attendants — Anthony Hale in the men’s and Vanessa Kersten in the women’s. Hale comes from a construction and landscaping background. Previous to coming to CCC, he had his own construction company
and has been locker room attendant since July of this year. He can be found during normal working hours (9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) in the Men’s Locker Room. “We’re responsible for lining and maintaining the sports fields, keeping the locker room in order, scoreboards, lockers, and all the equipment including uniforms, bats and balls,” Hale said. Hale is in charge of all that and more. He also manages the lost and found in the physical education area. If people have a problem in the Men’s Locker Room, he said they can come to him for help. Kersten can be found in the Women’s Locker Room for assistance. She is a former
CCC softball player (2009-11) and performs the same duties as Hale, but in the Women’s Locker Room. Kersten is also temporarily helping in Athletic Director John Wade’s office. She performs administrative duties including keeping athletic team rosters and schedules up-to-date. “I’m splitting time between the locker room and up here in Gym Annex Building in Mr. Wade’s office. Secretary (Freddie) Sharpe is on leave,” Kersten said. While not currently affiliated with any of the CCC sports teams, Kersten still supports the football, volleyball and the men’s and women’s soccer teams.
Wade said that the position requires a jack-of-all trades mentality. “We used to call the job ‘equipment manager’ because they do more than just tend to the locker rooms,” he said. “It’s a great thing. The position has been around for decades and it’s something not all colleges can boast of.” Wade also said the locker room attendants are available to help students and if they are not immediately available, they are never very far away. He said the attendants work with the community, faculty and student-athletes. The attendants are an asset to CCC and are at the service of students, he said.
Speedy chess players wanted By Ryan Margason STAFF WRITER
rmargason.theadvocate@gmail.com
If chess is your game and quick is your tempo, then you should look into Richmond’s National Chess Day Speed Chess Tournament. The event will be held at the Hilltop Mall on Oct. 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be at the Macy’s Court in the mall to celebrate National Chess Day. The city of Richmond and the Hilltop Mall will help put on the event. There is a $10 entry fee and all ages are welcome. A chess set will be provided but not a clock to time moves. There will be five rounds in the tournament. Prizes for the tournament will include a first place prize of $200, a second place prize of $120, and third place in the tournament will receive $80. “The tournament is being held to promote chess in the city of Richmond,” said TC Ball, founder and community outreach coordinator of the West Coast Chess Alliance. Ball said that registration for the event would be capped at 40 people, so space is limited. The event will be held to raise money for the Chess in Richmond’s Schools Program. Ball started the fundraiser in 2009 to help promote chess in Richmond schools and in Contra Costa County. Ball also started a chess program at Contra Costa College with former College President McKinley Williams. Ball’s campus chess program hosted four chess tournaments in the Fireside Room on campus in 2009 and 2010. Former United States President Gerald Ford established National Chess Day in 1976. The purpose of National Chess Day is to promote the game of chess and to encourage both children and adults to play the mentally stimulating game.
JANAE HARRIS / THE ADVOCATE
Helpful hand — Humanities professor David Houston is one of the many professors who help students in the newly added program The Hub in PS-107.
Hub offers students advice By Janae Harris and Marci Suela STAFF WRITERS
letters.theadvocate@gmail.com
Students in need of extra help can now meet with a counselor or professor in a central location known as The Hub in PS-107. The Hub places counselors and faculty in a comfortable environment, allowing students to feel less intimidated while having their needs met. Students can visit The Hub on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Tuesdays from noon to 3 p.m. Biological sciences professor Katherine Krolikowski said that by placing counselors and faculty in a more relaxed area as opposed to a faculty office, students can have more intimate conversations with their counselors and professors. She said students should feel more comfortable discussing their reasons for being in college, goals and troubles with classwork. “By having long conversations with (a professor or counselor), students can figure out what they don’t know,” Krolikowski said.
“Through The Hub, students can hopefully feel more in control of their education.” Each professor and counselor has a set schedule when students can walk in and see him or her. Mathematics professor Terrill Mead comes to The Hub during his office hours on Mondays, from noon to 1 p.m. “I like how I’m able to interact with my students outside of my class in this fun environment. It gets me out of my office,” Mead said. “The more people who come, the better (The Hub) will be.” Humanities professor David Houston said that being in PS-107 enables professors to talk to multiple students at once without the limitations of a small and cramped office. By having a group of students, it builds more progress as opposed to working with one student, Houston said. The Hub is not limited to students wishing to learn more. By having a counselor in the same room, professors can also build their knowledge of the transferring process.
“I just recently learned about obtaining an associate degree. If a student took a class at Diablo Valley College, you would think that transferring credit would be easy,” Krolikowski said. “You actually have to go through a process at Admissions and Records to get it done. I never knew that at first, but now I can help a little better in the future.” Despite its availability, most students are still unaware of The Hub’s existence. Chemistry student Angelica Camacho was studying in the same room, unaware The Hub was in session. “I saw the poster, but I had no idea it was in here,” she said. Krolikowski, who spearheaded the project, said announcements about The Hub were subtle since its launch on Sept. 21. The counselors and faculty wanted to see how large the turnout would be. “It was a soft-launch – we put it out quietly because we didn’t feel comfortable and didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “We just put fliers around, but we plan on doing an email blast.”
Annual event to serve a variety of flavors Culinary department offers treats, drinks By Jesse Armenta STAFF WRITER
jarmenta.theadvocate@gmail.com
Enjoy a night of treats both savory and sweet while sipping and sampling a variety of flavors at the Contra Costa College culinary department’s third annual Chocolate, Cheese and Champagne event on Oct 19.
The event will take place in the Three Seasons Restaurant and will include the opportunity to meet the student chefs. A guided tour of the department’s facilities, live music, chocolate sculptures, as well as a variety of dishes and champagnes for attendees to sample will be provided. “We would like to show them the back of the house and showcase the students more than anything else,” Nader Sharkes, the culinary arts department chairperson said. Attendees will be offered such chocolate treats as truffles, cookies and cakes. The chocolate art and sculptures are also
edible. Students in the baking and pastry program will prepare all the food and treats at the event. The students of the advanced culinary class will produce dishes such as chocolate dipped bacon, fondue and fresh molé. Tickets for the event will be $30 at the door, but if one orders tickets in advance, they will cost $25 each. “For the last six years, food and wine events (have allowed us) to take students abroad. In previous years students have had the opportunity to travel to Spain and meet
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people like Martin Yan (“Yan Can Cook”),” Library, Applied Health, Vocational Education and Athletics Division Dean Susan Lee said. “It’s a great program that’s just bursting at the seams.” All proceeds will benefit the department’s scholarship fund which also helps culinary arts students to take a trip over the summer to Italy to get experience and insight into the culinary world, Sharkes said. For more information about the event call the culinary arts department at 510-2357800, ext. 4408.