Btsguide13

BACK TO SCHOOL GUIDE

2013

M T H E M O N TA G E

M THE MONTAGE

Kavahn Mansouri Lilly Huxhold Alex Kendall Gretchen Daniels

Editor in Chief Emeritus Managing Editor Emeritus Photo Editor Emeritus Copy Editor Emeritus

Spencer Gleason Cory Montero Dorian Roberts Cory Muehlebach Cassie Kibens Jake Hunn David Kloeckener Justin Vilmer Taylor Menke Shannon Philpott

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Opinions Editor Production Manager Graphics Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Faculty Adviser

Tegan Mazurek Staff Photographer James Claiborne Staff Writer Michelle Barry Staff Writer Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the Board of Trustees or the administration.

The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122.

(314) 984-7655.

One copy of The Montage is free of charge.

Up to 10 additional copies available, $1 each, at the office of The Montage, SC 220. Bulk purchases may be arranged with circulation manager.

To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., (314)984-7955.

Proud member of

Table of

CONTENTS Letter From the Editor | Page 3

Road Trippin’ to Meramec

Incoming: What to Expect | Page 7 How I Met My Program | Pages 8-9 6 Quick Tips to Understanding Financial Aid | Page 11 Building Books to Success | Page 13 Dear New Student | Page 14

Staycation

2013-2014 Play calendar | Page 16 Clubs Offer Opportunities | Page 17 Archer Roundup | Page 20-21 Places to Eat | Page 22-23 Online vs. Face-to-Face | Page 24 Meramec Chillaxin’ | Page 26

Packing Up Camp

Picture This: Missouri Schools at a Glance | Pages 28-29 Schooling Around Town | Pages 32-33 Step-By-Step: Transferring | Page 34 Internships: Getting Your Feet Wet | Page 35 Knock-Out Resumes | Page 37

S’More Memories

Student Attacked in Campus Bathroom | Page 40 Wasson Resigns | Pages 40-41 Students Left in the Dark | Page 43 Under the Lights | Pages 44-45 The Disappearing Act | Page 46 We Were Treated Like Children | Page 47 Bridging the Cultural Gap | Page 49 FRONT COVER PHOTO BY ALEX KENDALL BACK COVER PHOTO BY DAVID KLOECKENER

Letter from the editor SPENCER GLEASON EDITOR IN CHIEF Since The Montage first began producing the Back-To-School Guide in 2010, it has helped educate numerous students on the ins-andouts of the Meramec campus. This 2013-14 Back-To-School Guide promises to do the same.

Whether you are a wide-eyed 18-year-old student or a nontraditional student, this book will help guide you throughout your time here at Meramec. This will cover what you need to know before you arrive at Meramec, while you

are here and when you leave. Our last section will provide newsworthy nuggets of the past academic year.

For the students moving on, this book will be a keepsake item of your time spent as part of the STLCC and Meramec family.

Meramec is the community’s school and Meramec students will help the community grow. The Montage’s Back-To-School Guide is a tool that will help you on your way.

The Montage is a 100 percent student run staff. The publications

are produced by students, for students. The collection of information and stories inside this Back-To-School Guide is material that students believed was necessary to share to help everyone be successful at Meramec.

Throughout the school year, The Montage will provide unbiased truths through accurate journalism about Meramec and STLCC. The care and dedication that went into producing the 2013-14 Back-ToSchool Guide will be the same type

of care and dedication that we will bring to our readership throughout the year.

As the student newspaper of Meramec, The Montage vows to bring you breaking news about your school and the effect of decisions

by STLCC on the student body.

We will have the latest STLCC sports coverage from Meramec and the sister campuses. We will share engaging stories of people just like you and me. We will allow you – the reader – a voice.

2013-2014 Editorial Staff

ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC

3

JOIN THE TEAM The Meramec Montage wants YOU to:

WRITE Some experience? No experience?

All aspiring writers welcome! Just ask a friendly staffer at the next meeting for some tips and tricks on writing for The Montage. Join our weekly Tuesday staff meetings at 5 p.m. in the Student Center, Room 220A.

TAKE PHOTOS

DESIGN The Montage could not even be handed out if we did not have such a great and talented design team. If you have an eye for design, consider hanging out with us on Tuesday production nights and learn the tools of the InDesign trade.

All shutter-bugs are welcome to join our award-winning photography staff. Work with our photo editor to add visuals to the paper and intice the reader.

CONTACT US

314-984-7655 meramecmontage@gmail.com www.meramecmontage.com 4

ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC

ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC

ILLUSTRATION BY: CORY MONTERO

Sharpen your pencils, organize your notebooks and put on your thinking cap. You are headed to Meramec. New Students, listen up, we have got tips and tricks to make your college experience less stressful and prepare you for whereever your heart takes you next.

You will find a list of programs Meramec has to offer and a little explination of each. Use it as a guide, use it as a pillow, use it to plan your future. We like option 3. Need a little money

help? We have you covered. No, we can not pay for your tuition, but we compiled a list of ways to understand how to apply for financial aid. You are welcome. Just remember us little people one day. Need a place to study? Library is the answer of course. The library has a lot more to offer too. Read up. Just to bring it back to Hight School a bit, we are reminicing a bit about how High School is over and it is time for college.

ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC

5

A T

M E R A M E C

The Music Department at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students.

You may take classes for general education credit or pursue the Associate of Arts in Music degree to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music or Music Education program. ** SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE **

COURSES

MUS 101,102,201,202 MUS 103 MUS 113 MUS 114 MUS 115,116 MUS 121,122,221,222 MUS 128 MUS 130 MUS 138,139,216 MUS 141,142,241,242 MUS 143 MUS 211,212

Music Theory I,II,III,IV Basic Music The History of Jazz The Enjoyment of Music Class Voice I,II Class Piano I,II,III,IV Survey of Rock Music Beginning Guitar Jazz Improvisation I,II,III Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV Introduction to Desktop Publishing Music History I,II

Interested in performing in an ensemble?

All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required!

ENSEMBLES

Music 132 – Orchestra Music 133 – Jazz Lab Band Music 134 – Symphonic Band Music 135 – Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Voices of Magic jazz choir All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing during the first rehearsal.

Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers and/or the Voices of Magic jazz choir.

For more information, contact the Meramec Music Department Gary Gackstatter, Director of Instrumental Music, ggackstatter@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7636 Dr. Jerry Myers, Director of Choral Activities & Music Theory, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Incoming: What to Expect

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

CORY MUEHLEBACH OPINIONS EDITOR Coming into a new place without knowledge of it can be a scary thing, and college is no different. But do not fret there are many people and programs at STLCC-Meramec to help. From math tutors to computer labs to the library, there is an endless plethora of utensils at a student’s disposal. At Meramec, students will learn, make new friends and experience great new educational opportunities.

“I went to Mehlville high school and was told, by other students, that Meramec was just going to be a second high school to me. This was false, though. I found that I was pushed to do my best by teachers who have also taught in four-year universities. Not to mention, we use the same books and curriculum as the fouryear universities do,” said Meramec student Erin Kiely.

Kiely completed her first year at Meramec and “couldn’t be happier with it,” she said.

Kiely has received a great college experience and Meramec is much cheaper compared to a four-year college program and just as effective.

Students need to take general education courses to attain an associate’s degree at Meramec. After those credits students can take credits pertaining to their major and prepare for a university.

Students can get help from various programs situated around campus. If a student is having trouble deciding what classes to take, he or she can head over to Clark Hall where a faculty of advisors are available to help. They will guide students through the credits they need, their financial aid, transcripts and where other areas of the school are located.

What are some things students should keep in mind about classes at Meramec? Classes will be more difficult, however the faculty try to work one-on-one with students to ensure

success. The responsibility is still on the student.

“As a college faculty member, I don’t hound students to turn in assignments. I place the task of individual time management and completing course assignments to students. I offer advice, but ultimately our students are adults,” Professor of Communication Chris Eayrs said.

Students must work on his or her own time to succeed at college. Though students must work harder, there are many labs, tutors and faculty to help them if needed.

Hate math? No worries, Meramec has a lab for that. Hate writing? No worries, the Writing Center exists. On campus during many hours of the day, tutors are willing to sit down with students one-on-one and make sure they get adequate assistance. Meramec has its tutors in several convenient locations across the campus, such as the Communications North building and the Science West building. The blueprints to success are in the student’s hand; he or she just have to use the resources provided.

ILLUSTRATION BY: CORY MONTERO

ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC

7

>> i w o h y m t e m m a r

g o pr

• Digital Media

Animation (CS)

>> Learn how to create three-dimensional animations and

• Accounting (AAS, CP)

in accounting and hands on experience with accounting

software, you will be ready to take on the world of numbers.

• Addictions Study (CS)

treatment and addiction modalities.

this degree. Students will learn to draft, present, design and

detail. Get ready to embrace the architectural field.

how a video camera works and how to edit video. Work with programs to help emphasize your videos.

• Early Care and Education

• Business Administration (AAS, CP) >> AAS: This two-year program focuses on child development,

>> AAS: Students that want into the field of BA

should take a look into this program.

CP: Upgrade your skills in Business Administration with this

program.

design a page layout with design software and programs.

Video Art (CS)

>> Become the next Steven Spielberg, or at least understand

>> Students with a burn to sketch and draft should look into

knowledge. Get ready to enter the field or brush up your career.

Page Layout / Graphic Design (CS) With a CS in Addictions Study you will learn various

>> Let your designs shine by learning how to creatively

• Architectural Technology (AAS)

with photo software and programs.

Interactive Design (CS)

>> Go from drab to fab with your web page development

>> Want to get ready for a career in the field of addiction?

designs with this program.

Digital Photography (CS)

>> Learn the new tools of the photography trade by working

>> Analyze, interpret, compare. With a foundation

Meet the programs Meramec has to offer. You never know, one could be your future.

early education and family studies.

CP: The first step toward the AAS degree.

Developmental Disabilities Option (AAS) — This program prepares you to work with developmentally disabled children.

• Graphic Communications (AAS) • Computer Accounting Technology (CS)

>> Gain the fundamentals of graphic design and enter the >> Dive right into updating your technology skills or landing

design world as a graphic designer, cartoonist, produciton artist

that job soon.

• Criminal Justice

Law Enforcement (AAS, CP)

and so much more.

• Horticulture (AAS, CP, CS)

Landscape Design (AAS)

>> In this hands-on program students work with plants while >> AAS: Prepare for an entry-level job in law enforcement.

working in a greenhouse or nursery.

CP: Get ready for a future job in law enforcement with this

program. Gain a solid background in law enforcement.

Landscapes and Gardening (CS)

>> This program will provide you the tools to work in an entry-

ILLUSTRATION BY CASSIE KIBENS

8

ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC

level position at parks, nurseries, golf courses and more.

• Human Services (AAS)

• Microcomputer Applications (CS) This program is for students interested in learning spread >> With a degree in Human Services, students will have a >>

basic understanding of social science and a look into how to

pursue this as a career. Students will be qualified to be house

parents, case workers, correction officers and more.

sheets, word processing and data bases. Graduates are prepared for using these programs in offices today.

• Nursing (AAS) • Information Reporting >> Students will be prepared to become registered nurses After students take the fundamental courses, students can choose

when they finish this program. Students who want to enter

from the following:

AAS: Students can caption for broadcast and live events.

CP: Students become Certified Broadcast Captioning certified.

Captioning (AAS, CP) >>

this program should have an interest in health sciences and working with people.

• Occupational Therapy Assistant (AAS)

CART (AAS, CP) >> Students who go through this program will be prepared >> CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) to work as an Occupational Therapy Assistant under the

CP: Students are prepared to become a Certified CART Provider.

Judicial (AAS, CP)

>> Students will learn to use stenotype machines for

supervision of registered occupational therapists.

• Oracal Developer (CP)

>> Graduates of this program learned how to create and

transcription in official documents. With a CP the student will

prepare to become a Certified Court Reporter.

• Information Systems

Office Information Coordinator (AAS)

through gaining knowledge in office technology.

take a crack at advanced software design with this program.

manage an Oracle Database. Students will learn how to develop, design, program and administer an Oracle Database.

• Paramedic Technology (AAS)

>> Students in this program will learn how to use rescue >> Students will learn to be productive office officials Software Developer (AAS)

>> Become prepared for an entry-level software developer or

vehicles, ambulances and emergency room equipment.

Students need to be able to receive and give oral directions.

• Physical Therapist Assistant (AAS)

>> This program is for students who are comfortable with

working with many different types of people and age groups.

• IT Help Desk / End User Support (CS) This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. >> With a mixture of hands-on, classroom, immersion and

distance learning instruction, students will be prepared to hold positions such as help desk and desktop support technician.

• Sustainable Enviromental Design (CS)

>> Students who want to expand their knowledge and skills • Interior Design (AAS) required to work in the growing field of sustainable

>> Have an eye for design? This program prepares students

to become Interior Designers for businesses such as: retail

stores, offices, health care and more.

• Kitchen and Bath Design (CP)

Enviromental Design should be in this program. This program also helps students prepare for the Leadership in Energy and Enviromental Design Green Associate exam.

• Web Development (CS)

>> By taking this program students will have hands-on >> Students will become members of the National experience with Web Development. Students will benefit from

Kitchen and Bath Association. Students who have had past

drawing, drafting, design, etc. will find it helpful.

• Legal Studies for the Paralegal (AAS, CP)

theoretical and technical knowledge gained in the program.

>> AAS: Students develop interviewing and counseling skills

while in this program. Students are prepared for paralegal positions.

CP: Students interested should have an interest in law.

• Mass Communications (AAS)

>> Students in this program will learn the fundamentals of

journalism, advertising and broadcasting. Graduates will be prepared for entry-level positions in this field.

KEY:

AA: Associate in Arts Degree AAS: Associate in Applied Science Degree AS: Associate in Science CP: Certificate of Proficiency CS: Certificate of Specialization ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC

9

6 quick tips to understanding

financial aid DORIAN ROBERTS NEWS EDITOR Financial aid is a resource for students who do not want to pay for school out of pocket. If a student wishes to receive Federal Pell Grants, scholarships or any other types of aid, it is important they visit the Financial Aid Office to get information about the steps they need to take. While financial aid is not absolutely necessary, knowing the process and the steps needed is an experience all students should have if they plan to continue school after Meramec. Even if students do not think that they will be eligible for federal or state aid, the Financial Aid Office is also the place where they can get registration papers for scholarships and turning in all said papers. While this can seem overwhelming for students fresh out of high school, the process can be very straightforward and easy to navigate.

1

Completing the FAFSA FAFSA stands for Free Application for

Federal Student Aid, and can be accessed and completed at http://fafsa.gov. If a student was born on or after Jan. 1, 1990 they are considered a dependent and will need to include his or her parent’s tax information and have their signatures when applying. Be sure to include the STLCC Federal School Code: 002469.

Tip: “Just because you completed a FAFSA for another school doesn’t mean [Meramec] received it. You have to submit a FAFSA for all the schools you apply for,” said Financial Advisor Sarah Steiner, “remember to enter 002469 if applying to STLCC.”

4

Financial Aid Office

When visiting the Financial Aid Office all required documentation must be submitted at the same time, and for returning students an Academic Audit form must also be completed.

Check Banner Self-Service for award amounts and disbursement dates.

2

Admissions Office

Once the FAFSA is completed, a student must complete registration. By visiting the Admissions Office at the campus they can register as a student and declare a Major. A student must have Regular Admissions Status, which can be achieved by submitting all college transcripts (or high school transcripts if they have fewer than 15 college credit hours) achieved and completing a Transcript Evaluation Form. Once registered, a student can check his or her status on his or her Banner Self-Service account.

Pitfall: Admissions should be done as soon as possible, as it must be completed in order for financial aid to be awarded.

5

All New Students

All students going to college for the first time must sign up for the mandatory New Student Registration Workshop. During the workshop students will meet with an academic advisor, review their test scores, discuss appropriate coursework for their first semester of college, learn how to build a class schedule, and learn how to register for classes on Banner Self-Service.

3

Requirements for Financial Aid

Banner is the online service for registering for classes and checking the requirements for any financial aid available to a student. He or she can access this by logging into Banner Self-Service, clicking on the Student Services & Financial Aid link, and following the links: Financial Aid – Eligibility - Select Aid Year - Submit. If there is not an option to submit, the financial aid paperwork has either not been submitted or processed yet.

Tip: If a student has forgotten his or her login information they can call the Admissions Office to reset.

6

Student Center

Once the new student has completed all the previous steps, they can head to the Student Center and get their STLCC OneCard. In order to get his or her picture taken, a student must be enrolled in classes. The OneCard will arrive in the mail in 7-10 business days. Students should activate the card immediately and choose their refund preferences.

ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC 11

Students with disAbilities

have Access at STLCC.

St. Louis Community College makes every reasonable effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. If you have accommodation needs, please contact the Access office at the campus where you are registered. While accommodations may be requested at any time, some accommodations may require many weeks to arrange.

Florissant Valley Access Office 3400 Pershall Road St. Louis, MO 63135-1499 E-mail: fvaccess@stlcc.edu Phone: 314-513-4551 Fax: 314-513-4876 Relay Missouri: 711

Forest Park Access Office

Meramec Access Office

5600 Oakland Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110-1393 E-mail: fpaccess@stlcc.edu Phone: 314-644-9039 Fax: 314-951-9439 Relay Missouri: 711

11333 Big Bend Road Kirkwood, MO 63122-5799 E-mail: mcaccess@stlcc.edu Phone: 314-984-7673 Fax: 314-984-7123 Relay Missouri: 711

Wildwood Student Enrollment and Disability Support Services 2645 Generations Drive Wildwood, MO 63040-1168 E-mail: wwaccess@stlcc.edu Phone: 636-422-2000 Fax: 636-422-2050 Relay Missouri: 711

St. Louis Community College expands minds and changes lives every day. We create accessible, dynamic learning environments focused on the needs of our diverse communities.

Florissant Valley

Forest Park

Meramec

www.stlcc.edu

Wildwood

Building Books to Success

PHOTO BY: DAVID KLOECKENER

CORY MONTERO MANAGING EDITOR The STLCC-Meramec library provides students with academic resources and services. Equipped with two levels including study rooms, PCs and an access lab for students with disabilities, students will find many hidden tools that can enhance their academic careers.

As well as an extensive fiction and nonfiction collection the Meramec library offers mainstream, reference and periodical selections. Students can even find many of their textbooks in the library.

“A big thing that we have are reserve books up front. I think a lot of students don’t know that when you are enrolled in classes, it’s very common that your textbook is on reserve in the library,” said Patrick Mallory, manager of Meramec’s library.

The learning lab takes learning to a new level with DVDs, CDs, anatomical models and audiovisual materials. Students can also access computers and iPads while lounging on one of the many couches on the first or second floor.

According to Mallory, the library

offers 20 laptops for check out, 60 PCs throughout the building for inhouse use and a few iPads. Students must present a valid student ID to access materials and equipment in the library.

“We have Wi-Fi throughout

disabilities,” Scott Armstead of Library Services said. “We have a whole host of software that is designed to meet the needs of specific disabilities.”

JAWS, a text to speech program, allows anyone who is visually

“Reading the words is equally as hard as knowing the definition of the word so, the built in dictionaries are very adapted, helping students overcome or understand the words better.”

Scott Armstead, Library Services

the building, we have printing and photocopying here in the building if you need that, and a lot of places to sit down and study,” Mallory said.

A few of the study rooms are also equipped with flat screen televisions to hook up a laptop or iPad, ideal for student group work.

Students with disabilities also have opportunities to access library materials.

“The Access Lab has accessible computers that have special software on them for students with various

impaired to hear the words that are displayed on the screen. Another program that is accessible for students with specific reading or learning disabilities is Read and Write Gold. This program helps students organize their thoughts and words. It offers a built in dictionary for anyone having difficulty with vocabulary.

“Reading the words is equally as hard as knowing the definition of the word so the built-in dictionaries are very adapted, helping students overcome or understand the words

better,” Armstead said.

Another service the library offers is a High Speed Scanner, which can be used for those who have trouble viewing small text. Armstead also explains how he uses Alternate Text Conversion along with the High Speed Scanner. He said that he can take the scanned text from a textbook and make it accessible for the person with the disability.

“Someone who has difficulty reading in general can actually hear their textbook; an added benefit is that a scanned version of the book weighs as much as a flash aid,” Armstead said.

It takes 20 to 25 hours for Armstead to convert one textbook.

Closed caption television that can magnify a book onto a monitor is another service available for visually impaired students.

If there is an academic resource students need, it is likely the library will find a way to provide it, Mallory said. “All you need is your ID card to access these materials.”

James Claiborne contributed to this piece.

ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC 13

KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF EMERITUS Welcome to the next few years of your academic life. For the past three years of my life I have been a Meramec student and I can say that it has been a ride to remember from first to last. I am not going to tell you that Meramec is a dream two-year college where all your hopes and dreams can come true, but I can give you a bit of advice about how to make it out of this place with a smile on your face and an acceptance letter or diploma in your hand.

The first thing you should keep in mind when you’re getting settled in is that Meramec isn’t the worst destination in the world. A lot of people you talk to might be pretty set in stone that Meramec is terrible but they either a.) haven’t really tried to enjoy the campus or b.) can’t even tell you why they dislike it. That isn’t to say this campus is the most epic two-year school you can attend. In the past three years I’ve watched a campus booming with student life shrink immensely into a shell of its former self. Budget cuts and a corporate structure at the Cosand Center have made it difficult for students to enjoy their experience at Meramec. Meramec’s athletic teams have been consolidated, its faculty and staff mistreated and its students left to suffer the consequences of every blunder they make.

But again, Meramec really isn’t as bad as a lot of people let on. People are nice here, and for the most part won’t try to strangle you in a bathroom.

Faculty and staff are all pulling for you to succeed and will take interest in you if you let them. Find the right professor or instructor and they will help you get through the next few years at Meramec. Here are some rules to live by: go to class, turn in your work, give a damn about your classes and try your

14 ROAD TRIPPIN’ TO MERAMEC

best to stay on your instructors good side. Lastly, don’t be afraid of your instructors; they’ve seen a lot and are willing to help. It’s what they are here for.

Along the way you’ll meet fellow students with a major connection to this campus for one reason or another. For myself it was what you’re reading right now, The Montage. The Montage gave me a family, a reason to come to school everyday and a future in journalism. For other students there are clubs like the Sky Club, Business Club, Global Justice Club and literally dozens more. If you have an interest, chances are Meramec has a club you can take advantage of.

There are so many students involved in what’s going on at this campus and it is one of the major ways students can be successful at Meramec. Getting involved also gives students a chance to create friendships with fellow students.

Stay informed. If you want to really be involved in what’s going on at Meramec open your eyes and ears.

Students need to get involved in what is going on around campus if they expect to have any say in it. For the past three years I’ve seen students become complacent with how they are treated by administration and the college as whole. So stand up for yourself and your fellow students.

All of these things are important.

Don’t be a student who just comes and goes; and if you are don’t complain about not liking Meramec. It can be a pretty cool place to go and a pretty terrible place to be at sometimes. At the end of the day it’s about appreciating where you’re at, good situation or bad.

Meramec can be a home for students who need one. So stop and smell the roses here and try to enjoy your time on campus.

Staycation

ILLUSTRATION BY: CORY MONTERO

The “Staycation” section covers everything students need to know when settling in at STLCC-Meramec.

It includes the essential things new and returning students need to keep in mind while taking advantage of everything Meramec has to offer.

Sports, places to eat and study, play dates and several other topics are covered in this section giving

students an opportunity to not only know their campus, but to also know the community of Kirkwood which surrounds the school.

Meramec offers a wide variety of plays, clubs, campus events and activities to participate in. “Staycation” aims to give students an idea of what the school has to offer in those areas.

STAYCATION 15

2013-2014 Play Calendar Tales of the Lost Formicans by Constance Congdon Keith Oliver, Director Rick Willmore, Designer Production Dates: Feb.11 – 15, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.

Feb.16, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. *disclaimer mature content.

"Seating will be on stage, and limited" Audition Dates: Tuesday, Dec.10th and Wednesday, Dec. 11th at 7:00 p.m.

Meramec Theatre Audition will consist of cold readings from the script.

The Two Sisters by Dennis M. Corcoran Michelle Rebollo, Director Darren Thompson, Designer Production Dates: Nov. 20 – 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 at 2:00 p.m.

Audition Dates: Tuesday, Sep. 24 and Wednesday, Sep. 25 at 7:00 p.m.in Student Center, Room 200/201 – Audition will consist of cold readings from the script, a dance audition and a short song performed a cappella.

Please arrive dressed to move

Bye, Bye Birdie By Michael Stewart (book), Charles Strouse (music), Lee Adams (lyrics) Michelle Rebollo, Director Rick Willmore, Designer Production Dates: April 16 - 19, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.

April 20, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.

Audition Dates: Tuesday, Feb.18 and Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Meramec Theatre – Prepare a 1-2 minute comic monologue and a one minute song with sheet music in the correct key.

Please arrive dressed for a dance audition.

Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring Keith Oliver, Director Darren Thompson, Designer

Production Dates: Oct. 2 - 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 6th at 2:00 p.m.

Audition Dates: Wednesday, Aug. 21 and Thursday, Aug. 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Meramec Theatre Audition will consist of cold readings from the script.

STLCC Social Media

CHOOSE SERVICE LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT make a difference in your own life by helping others through a Class service learning project or by participating in one of our many community engagement projects.

Youtube- http://Youtube.com/stlcc Linkedin- http://linkedin.com/company/19996 Twitter- @STLCC @STLCC_Archers @stlcclibraries Pinterest- http://pinterest.com/STLCC/ Facebook- http://facebook.com/stlcc http://facebook.com/stlcc.libraries STLCC Student Blog- http://blogs.stlcc.edu/ Meramec: Facebook- http://facebook.com/stlcc.mc http://facebook.com/stlccmeramecadvising Twitter- @STLCCadvisingMC

Contact Donna Halsband • 314-984-7893 • dhalsband@stlcc.edu Debbie Corson • 314-984-7234 • dcorson2@stlcc.edu See our website for more information: www.stlcc.edu/ServiceLearning

16 STAYCATION

Workforce and Community Development Twitter- @stlccwcd @stlworkforce Podcast Feed- http://feeds.stlcc.edu/stlcc-cbil-prodev

Clubs offer opportunities ALEX KENDALL PHOTO EDITOR EMERITUS

PHOTO BY: KAVAHN MANSOURI Student Julie Nguyen and Yarn Club co-adviser Becky Helbling pick out yarn during the club’s first field trip to St. Louis’ different knitting stores.

offers STLCC-Meramec students a range of club opportunities on campus. Clubs give students with a variety of degree programs and interests an outlet to share and learn from one another according to Campus Life Manager Steve Brady. “[Being in a club] gives them the opportunity to be involved in organizations that have the same interests that they do.

The interest can be along a particular academic curriculum like nursing or occupational therapy or business. Or it can be something that is special to them like something as goofy as Humans Vs. Zombies. But just because something is an academic club doesn’t mean that they don’t have fun,” Brady said, Along with the opportunity activities in partake to

and discussions within the clubs, students also have the opportunity to meet fellow students who share the same interests and give each individual an outlet in their field.

“More importantly they can feel that connection [to other students]. They can talk to students that are in that curriculum,” Brady said. “We try and make it as easy as possible for students to get plugged in.”

According to Brady, just taking classes and maintaining the discipline necessary for school is tougher when students are not connected to the campus.

“School is hard enough. For somebody to do that without any kind of connection, one way or the other, to the campus makes it more difficult. It can be much easier if you have a group of students beyond the classroom that you can relate to,” Brady

said.

Clubs also give students the chance to continue their learning outside the classroom, and present opportunities to branch out in the community, according to Arielle Byington, president of Sky Club and former vice president of Service of Phi Theta Kappa.

“There are a lot of benefits [to joining a club]. It enhances your personal experience with the college and you meet other people with similar interest. So that is a big plus,” Byington said.

“You can continue to learn in an area of interest that you have and network with professionals in that area as well.”

Clubs such as the Sky Club, can create events, bring guest speakers to the campus and use the skills they have learned to develop themselves professionally.

“I feel like I have learned a lot and acquired such a wide range of skills that you don’t really realize until you are actually doing it. You have to establish goals for your club; you have to act as a leader for a club.

I have learned a lot as a leader and also as a student,” Byington said.

Students have the option to join a club on campus that fits their academic or social need and have the option of starting a club if one does not presently exist. To start a club stop by the Campus Life office in the Student Center.

“We try and make it easy [for students to join a club]. We have our club days, which would be the second week of classes.

There’ll be about twenty-five different tents and there’ll be displays from most all of the clubs on campus,” Brady said.

STAYCATION 17

Archer Roundup: Last years results SPENCER GLEASON EDITOR IN CHIEF Baseball Six-seeded Three Rivers Community College ended the Archers’ season with a 10-6 victory over STLCC in the Region XVI Tournament. After winning their first round game, 12-2, over four-seeded Mineral Area College, the fifth-seeded Archers fell in back-to-back games of the double elimination tournament, effectively ending their season.

The Archers finished with an overall record of 30-25. They managed to stay above a .500 winning percentage, both at home (10-9) and on the road (17-11).

Collectively, the Archers’ had a batting average of .274, scored 284 runs and slammed 26 homers. The 26 homeruns gave STLCC a Top-30 spot in the country for junior college baseball programs, in the category, ranking them 28th overall for homeruns hit.

Sophomore infielder, Larry Schimsa, led the team with 10 homeruns. Schimsa also led the team in batting average, hitting .366. Five freshmen also joined in the act of hitting long balls.

Men’s Basketball In what would prove to be Hall of Fame Head Coach Randy Albrecht’s final season, the Archers reached the 20win plateau, finishing the season with an overall record of 20-12. It was the 28th consecutive winning season for Albrecht.

After starting the season 14-2, which included an 11-game winning streak, STLCC’s rollercoaster season in the wins and loss column bounced up and down, all the way to the Regions XVI Title 20 STAYCATION

game. After winning a nail biter in the semifinals, 49-48, over two-seeded Wentworth Military Academy, the three-seeded Archers’ fell to the top-seeded Scouts from Metropolitan Community College Penn Valley. The loss ended their season and their chances at a National Tournament bid.

Enis Mehmedovic was the lone returning player from the 201112 Archers. The 11-player squad, made up of seven freshman and four sophomores, averaged 69.9 points per game and averaged 32.7 rebounds per game.

Men’s Soccer The Archers’ season came to an end with a 3-2 double overtime loss to Metropolitan Community C o l l e g e - Pe n n Valley in the opening round of the Region XVI To u r n a m e n t .

STLCC finished with a record of 5-12-2.

PHOTO BY: ASHLEY HIGGINBOTHAM

ARCHIVED PHOTOS

The 2012-13 season marked the first season for Head Coach Dan O’Keefe at the helm of STLCC men’s soccer. O’Keefe played professionally for six different teams in 10 years.

Afterward, he coached the women’s soccer team at Florissant Valley following the conclusion of his playing career.

As a team, the Archers scored 37 goals in 19 games. Freshman forward, Culan O’Keefe, led STLCC with eight goals, attributing to nearly 22 percent of the team’s scoring.

Softball STLCC suffered their second loss to East Central College in the Regions XVI championship game, 12-2, in as many seasons.

It was only the second time this season that the Lady Archers had lost by 10 or more runs. They finished the 2013 campaign with a record of 14-23.

The 2013 season was the first

season under Head Coach Greg Ellis. Under the first season of Ellis, the Lady Archers raised their team batting average from .273 in 2012 to .291 this season.

Sophomore infielder, Tory Ellis, finished the season hitting .463 and led the team with 44 hits, eight doubles and six homeruns. The Lady Archers had five different players finishing the season hitting above .300.

Women’s Basketball For the third straight season, the Lady Archers brought home the Region XVI Title, as they knocked off Cottey College, 56-36, in the semifinals, and Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley, 66-54, in the Region XVI Title game. The regional championship run gave the Lady Archers a berth in the NJCAA Tournament.

After coming up empty handed in the win column, the previous two seasons at the

NJCAA Tournament, the 201213 Lady Archers made the third time count. After falling 63-43 in the first round to Illinois Central College, the Archers defeated Chesapeake College 77-67 in the consolation bracket. The win gave the Lady Archers their first ever victory at the national tournament.

Following their win against Chesapeake, the Lady Archers lost to Owens Community College, 73-51. The loss ended the Archers’ season and gave them an overall record of 20-11.

STLCC averaged 65.4 points per game and 38.8 rebounds per game.

Freshman guard, Kalah Martin, led all Lady Archer freshman in games played with 30. Her 38.2 percent shooting from the field ranked in the Top 5 on the team for girls who played in at least 19 games.

Women’s Soccer

After losing in the Regions XVI Championship game in 2011, the 2012 Lady Archers took the next step defeating Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods 1-0 in the 2012 Regions XVI Title game.

The victory helped give the Lady Archers their first NJCAA Tournament appearance.

Although the Lady Archers came away without a win in the double elimination tournament, the Lady Archers built upon what they had accomplished in 2011 to a more successful 2012 season.

The 21-girl squad, put together with six sophomores and 15 incoming freshman, finished the season 10 games above .500, with an overall record of 16-6.

Freshmen forwards Jessica Smugala (12) and Donna Jolliff (9) led the team in goals. Jolliff also led the team in assists, putting up another nine-spot in that category. Smugala was second on the team in assists with five.

STAYCATION 21

PLACES TO EAT STUDY SPOTS

FAST,EASY,CHEAP

YUMMY ESCAPES GRETCHEN DANIELS COPY EDITOR EMERITUS 22 STAYCATION

Local Harvest

1 mile west on Big Bend Boulevard

Delicious, locally-sourced food and quick service

Kaldi's

1.7 miles north on S Kirkwood Road

Lively, yet relaxing environment and patio seating

St. Louis Bread Co.

1.8 miles north on Lindbergh Boulevard Comfortable seating, cookies and cupcakes

Dunkin' Donuts

1 mile south on S Kirkwood Road Cheap, fast breakfast and easy for a mid-afternoon coffee

Chipotle

1 mile south on S Kirkwood Road Tacos, burritos and guacamole

Five Guys

1.8 miles south on S Kirkwood Road

$

Fast and greasy brain food

HotPot Smoothie Shop 2.5 miles north on Geyer Road

Vegetarian, vegan and paleo food options

Dewey's

1.8 miles north on S Kirkwood Road Wonderful pizza and delicious salads

Bar Louie

1.7 miles north on S Kirkwood Road

TVs and bar food distract from school stress

ILLUSTRATION BY JAKE HUNN

STAYCATION 23

Online vs. Face-to-Face Students have options for classes CORY MUEHLEBAC OPINIONS EDITOR

Physically going to class can be a hassle for some students.

Luckily, there is an alternative at STLCC-Meramec and many students are finding it convenient for their lifestyle.

Online classes are a way to learn just as much from classes without actually attending them. It relieves the burden on students from having to wake up and drive to class. It is the best solution for students who like to take classes on their own time. Along with this, students can have a flexible schedule to complete their work.

“It was better than I expected. The class was set up so I could work on assignments whenever I wanted in the one-week time frames. The assignments weren’t mundane busy-work formatting either.

They actually engaged the students in what was the main focus of the chapter and had relevance to real life situations,” Meramec student Eric Benner said.

Most of the classes are set up on Blackboard - the STLCC content management system.

This website spans grades, assignments, syllabi, emails

24 STAYCATION

and additional course materials that instructors use at their disposal to help the students.

Though this system is used by all students, it benefits online students.

Students should note that online classes are just as important as “face to face” classes. The same credits, hours and time are dedicated to these classes. Students do not get off easy. There is work involved with any type of class.

The cost of an online class is the same as a traditional one. Factoring in the fact that most online classes are the same by the receipt, physical classrooms may seem better for the price. However, with the cost of gasoline, some students may prefer saving a few bucks a week. Staying home in their pajamas solving math problems.

Students can also save money on books and course materials.

Some students may feel awkward in a physical classroom setting, mingling and meeting new people; this is a solution for them. No more awkward group assignments

or having to present in front of class. These classes require assignments to be turned in and tests to be taken.

Even the testing seems to be more popular in online classes.

“The workload seems a bit higher,” Benner said. “But there is no class time to get in the way of the work.”

If a student is tired of hearing a professor lecture, then perhaps an online course with resources such as MyMathLab or Graphics Online is the solution. Instead of the hour in class, students could be reading and completing assignments.

“I felt that since I wasn’t forced to show up at a certain time and waste hours in a classroom, that the homework assignments weren’t such a chore,” Benner said.

On the other end of the spectrum, some students find online classes inaccessible.

“I wouldn’t have the motivation to take an online class,” Meramec student Sara Tallyn said.

One issue is that some universities do not accept online credits.

“Students who need the

atmosphere of a classroom to feel motivated will lack the motivation to take an online class. Going into a typical classroom, for some students, is a necessity to pay attention and learn,” Tallyn said.

Some faculty also recognize the lack of face-toface communication to be a problem for a healthy learning environment.

“I really think a face to face setting is better for c o m mu n i c at i o n , ” M e r a m e c Professor Jacki Barker said.

Barker teaches Communication Between Cultures as an online class.

“Some online classes are great for certain subjects, but others such as communication require a physical classroom to be effective,” Barker said.

“Whichever the student chooses is ultimately up to him or her and the classes being offered.”

Benner said his classes are all headed to an online format.

“All my classes from now on are probably going to be online.

I just enjoy the atmosphere of my own home more than a classroom,” Benner said.

The City of Kirkwood Welcomes You! Art at the Station!

-Local artists’ work on display at the Kirkwood Train Station Year ‘Round FREE! -Art can be viewed when the station is open for passengers

Kirkwood Farmers’ Market -Located in historic downtown Kirkwood at the corner of Argonne and Taylor -Open April through October PLUS the Christmas Tree Lot in December -Locally grown produce, fresh baked goods, and live music on Saturdays!

Kirkwood Park: -Located a few blocks from downtown Kirkwood at the corner of Geyer and Adams -Tennis Courts, Playgrounds, NEW & IMPROVED Walking/Running Path, Fitness Trail, Picnic Sites, Pavilions, Softball Fields, and Fishing at Walker Lake!

-Ice Rink is Open Year ‘Round

Get Connected!

Website, E-News, City Blog, Twitter and Facebook!

Visit us at www.kirkwoodmo.org -Sign up for the Weekly Happenings E-Newsletter (Email us: Info@kirkwoodmo.org) -Read the City Blog All Aboard and sign up to receive updates: www.allaboard.kirkwoodmo.org -Follow us on Twitter for road closings and other updates - @kirkwoodcity -”Like” us on Facebook: Kirkwood, MO Parks & Recreation AND Kirkwood Greentree Festival

Meramec chillaxin’

Places to study around campus, quiet and loud KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF EMERITUS

Student Center/Cafeteria Noise Level: High Traffic: High

The Quad/Library Noise Level: Medium to Low Traffic: High

Although the Student Center is almost constantly busy with students, and is not what some people would call quiet, it does offer a large amount of seating, the bookstore and the cafeteria. This makes it a smart stop for the student who do not mind a bit of noise while they study. The Student Center is also is a nice place to mingle with students and grab lunch during passing periods.

The quad can get a little noisy from time to time, but during class periods the area is an empty and shady. Its a great place to relax and read a book or finish homework. The library is a perfect place to get a ton of work done in a quiet, low traffic envirom. The library offers seating, computers, books, magazines and even a section of films.

Lecture Hall Noise Level: Medium to Low Traffic: High The lecture hall provides a large open space for studying during periods when students are waiting for their next classes. The upstairs accomodates students looking to work in groups with large round tables and several rolling dry erase boards. The downstairs level provides several vending machines and seating as well as a collection of creatures in the walls of the first floor hallway leading to Science West. The Lecture Hall may be noisy from time to time, but definitely has its perks for students who are looking for a new study spot.

PHOTOS BY DAVID KLOECKENER

26 STAYCATION

Packing Up Camp

ILLUSTRATION BY: CORY MONTERO

Students looking to further their education or start a career path past Meramec, need not look any further than “Packing up Camp.” Whether a student is transferring to a four-year university or beginning a long career in the work force, “Packing up Camp” will guide them through the insights of

building resumes, transferring to colleges in the St. Louis area or around the state of Missouri. Need an internship this summer? We can help you with that, too. Giving students a step in the right direction, this section will be all one needs to pack with them for a successful future after Meramec.

PACKING UP CAMP 27

Picture This: Missouri Schools at a Glance JUSTIN VILLMER COPY EDITOR Aside from the colleges and universities that call St. Louis home, schools all across the state of Missouri provide an education that gives their students a stepping stone toward a successful career.

Along with these 10 schools, Missouri offers numerous other educational institutions that can help further the students learning process.

Truman State University Undergraduate Admissions: Registrar’s Office 100 E. Normal St., McClain Hall 104 Kirksville, Mo. 63501 Undergraduate Tuition: 7,096 (2013-2014 Academic Year) Nonresident Tuition: 12,968 (2013-2014 Academic Year) Undergraduate Enrollment: Approximately 5,600

University of Central Missouri Undergraduate Admissions: PO Box 800 UMC Ward Edwards Building, Room 1400, Warrensburg Mo, 64093 On-Campus Tuition: 213.15 On-Campus Nonresident Tuition: 426.30 Undergraduate Enrollment: 9,683

Southeast Missouri State University (Semo) Undergraduate Admissions: MS 3550 One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701 Tuition: 225 per credit hour Nonresident Tuition: 399.50 per credit hour Undergraduate Enrollment: 10,541 (fall 2012) 28 PACKING UP CAMP

University of Missouri (Mizzou) Undergraduate Admissions: 230 Jesse Hall, Columbia, Mo. 65211 Tuition: 274 per credit Nonresident Fee: 478.30 per credit added to Tuition Undergraduate Enrollment: 26,996 (fall 2012)

Webster University Undergraduate Admissions: Webster Hall 130, 470 East Lockwood Ave. St. Louis, MO 63119 2013-2014 Full-time Tuition: 23,700 per Academic Year 2013-2014 Part-time Tuition applies at St. Louis campus 610 per credit, 415 at Kansas City campus Undergraduate Enrollment (St. Louis): 3,002

Washington University Saint Louis One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63130 Tuition for 2013-2014 Academic Year: 44,100 before other fees apply. 58,343 total charges (including room and board, but does not include books and supplies.

Undergraduate Enrollment (fall 2012): 7,303

Missouri Baptist University Undergraduate Admissions: One College Park Dr., Saint Louis, Mo 63141 Resident Tuition: 28,834 (includes Room and Board) Commuter Tuition: 20,764 Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,850

Maryville University Undergraduate Admissions 650 Maryville University Dr. St. Louis, Mo 63141 Full-time Tuition: 11,906 per semester Part-time Tuition: 714 per credit hour Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,800

Lindenwood University Undergraduate Admissions: 209 S. Kingshighway St. Charles, Mo 63301 Full-time Tuition: 22,940 (includes room and board) Part-time Tuition: 428 per credit hour Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,704

University of Missouri – Saint Louis (UMSL) St. Louis One University Blvd. St. Louis, Mo. 63121 Summer 2013- spring 2014 Tuition: 315.80 per credit Summer 2013- spring 2014 Nonresident Tuition: 814.30 per credit Undergraduate Enrollment: (fall 2009) over 4,000

PACKING UP CAMP 29

Meramec Library 







Find a book, read a magazine, or check out a movie. The library collection includes more than 120,000 books, periodicals, films, music, and audio books.

Get research help. The Reference Desk is staffed by friendly, professional librarians ready to consult on your research topic, help you navigate online resources, or show you how to locate and request books or journal articles.

Use a computer. We have 60 PC’s, 20 laptops and 2 iPads. Check out a laptop or iPad at the Circulation/Reserve Desk for use in the building. Or, use our wireless network with your own device. The Information Access Lab is an open computer lab as well as a service point for students with disabilities.

Study alone or with a group. Find a quiet or silent zone, or use our social space (quiet conversation allowed), or a group study room.

Please stop in, call or email if you have any questions.

Library Circulation: 314.984.7797 Reference Help: 314.984.7613 Library resources, hours, and contact information at www.stlcc.edu/libraries.

Ask a Librarian

Upgrade your research skills with a library credit course!

LIB 101 - Introduction to Library and Online Research This one-credit course offers students instruction in using library resources, including the Internet, online databases, and the library catalog. Prerequisite: Reading Proficiency. Can be taken for Honors credit.

Explore

Science, Technology and Agriculture

Learn cybersecurity at Missouri’s only institution that offers a bachelor’s degree. As people seek economic, military and personal advantage over us and our country, experts are increasingly in demand.

Save the environment and join the green movement by choosing sustainable energy systems management or environmental science.

Combine computer science skills and imagination to create the next gaming phenomenon where creative employees are in high demand.

Agricultural and food scientists sustain the nation’s food supply by ensuring productivity and food safety. Today’s environment is dynamic and dependent on technology.

Link scientific concepts with engineering applications in our nationally accredited engineering technology program.

Learn the latest methods and skills of forensic chemistry in the new Forensic Science Research and Education Lab. Enhance your potential to get into medical school in our biomedical scholars program that has you networking with medical professionals throughout your pre-med program.

Prepare to become a registered professional engineer by majoring in our nationally accredited engineering physics program.

Enter a field with an overall 0 percent unemployment rate by preparing for a career in actuarial science in the department of mathematics. (CNNMoney.com)

Protect marine life in one of the only inland marine biology programs in the U.S., combining a traditional college experience with practical experience at the Gulf Coast Research Lab in Mississippi.

Accreditations and Recognitions ABET • Computer Science • Engineering Physics • Engineering Technology American Chemical Society Association of Technology Management and Applied Engineering National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science

(573) 651-2590 • admissions@semo.edu • www.semo.edu • m.semo.edu

Schooling Around Town Students can find an education in their own backyard with multiple colleges and universities to choose from MICHELLE BARRY STAFF WRITER For many students, a two-year college is a stepping-stone toward a four-year degree. While some students may choose to continue their education out of state, there are several options in the St. Louis area as well. STLCC sends more transfer students to four-year universities than any other college in Missouri.

The college has transfer coordinators available at every branch of STLCC, online transfer guides and a Course Equivalency Database to see which Meramec credits will transfer. The STLCC website also features a database of scholarships for students to search according to their strengths.

Webster University With an average class size of 20 to 25 and a student to faculty ratio of 16:1, Webster University “provides greater opportunity for collaborative learning and student-faculty interaction,” according to the Webser University website. The university is partnered with STLCC-Meramec and offers transfer scholarships to those who show merit (such as the renewable $2000 Gorlok Scholarship).

Lindenwood University Named for the Linden trees that cover the campus, Lindenwood is a four-year liberal arts college inspired by Judeo-Christian values and democracy. Transfer guides are available on the university’s website listed by major. It gives transfer students a variety of scholarship opportunities from organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, the Y, Junior Achievement and A+.

32 PACKING UP CAMP

Fontbonne University A Catholic liberal arts college founded in 1923 by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Fontbonne prides itself on its service opportunities for students. It offers programs training students on treating diabetics and communication disorders, and its business and administration department is now its most popular place of study. Most notable of its many transfer scholarship opportunities is its STLCC scholarship; which is awarded to STLCC graduates with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Maryville University This university ranks as one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, and offers 50 undergraduate, 10 graduate and four doctoral degree programs. Conveniently, the Maryville Corporate Centre and St. Luke’s hospital provide internship opportunities for students. The college offers four merit-based transfer scholarships based on GPA.

University of Missouri-St. Louis UMSL’s web page displays their most appealing draws: “UMSL offers 46 bachelor’s degree programs, 30 master’s degree programs, 14 doctoral degree programs, 28 graduate certificate programs, two education specialist programs, and the only professional optometry degree in Missouri.”

It boasts diversity and a location right next to the Delmar Loop.

PACKING UP CAMP 33

STEP

BY

1

STEP WHERE TO?

6

BE ACCEPTED Congratulations. Time to move on from Meramec and finish up your college education. Good luck and best wishes.

Look around. Figure out what colleges you have in mind so you know where to start.

SET UP MEETING Head over to Clark Hall and set up a meeting with an adviser.

Have in mind what your major might be and what college you are setting your sights on.

3

2

TAKE TOURS Visit the universities you are thinking about attending. It’s important to get a feel for the campus while making a decision on where to go.

WAIT The application process can take weeks and, in some cases, months. Focus on your classes and finish out the semester strong. Think scholarships.

4

5

APPLICATIONS Fill out applications. Make sure you have your checkbook handy; most universities have an application fee.

Apply to several universities and have backups.

ILLUSTRATION BY: CASSIE KIBENS

34 PACKING UP CAMP

Internships: Getting Your Feet Wet A common misconception is that internships are a walk on the beach, but they can be the very opposite.

Depending upon your major, your days could be filled with long working hours, but not without the reward of a beneficial learning experience.

For those having trouble with finding resources

to find the right internship, we have provided a list of some of the best internships around St. Louis.

Get your feet wet or dive face first into the websites listed below, experience new ideas with new people and explore vast career opportunities through an internship.

Vault Career Intelligence Crossroads Magazine Simply Hired Wetfeet After College Quintessential Careers Georgian College AAAS IEM Study Abroad Interns Over 40 Internships4You Indeed Jobs Online InternZoo Dream Careers NATO Internship Program Wooster College Entertainment Careers National Science Foundation Experience US State Department Your Employment Publishing Internships Book Jobs Career Builder Travel n Work

http://vault.com http://xrds.acm.org http://simplyhired.com http://wetfeet.com http://aftercollege.com http://quintcareers.com http://georgiancollege.ca http://aaas.org http://iemstudyabroad.com http://internsover40.blogspot.com http://internships4you.com http://indeed.com http://jobsonline.com http://internzoo.com http://summerinternships.com http://nato.int http://wooster.edu http://entertainmentcareers.net http://nsf.gov/#1 http://experience.com http://state.gov http://campusinternships.com http://uwpress.wisc.edu/jobs http://bookjobs.com http://careerbuilder.com http://travel-n-work.com/start

*All information on internships provided by STLCC-Meramec Career and Employment Center

PACKING UP CAMP 35

nte Ce r

vestment!

ary!

a.m. - 3p.m.

alists more

s

taking taking Lab

t! .

w rough

y

ious

ass

h,

llan:

e in han

lls

uis dents

College Writing Center Serving students since 1965

Co

mp

ute

rA

c

ces We are happy to help you s with writing for any class, as well as transfer essays!

Constructive feedback

Comfortable environment

Professional Writing Specialists to help you:

Find or narrow a topic Focus and support a thesis

Organize your thoughts on paper Correct grammar error patterns

Fine-tune scholarship and transfer essays or applications

One credit, self-directed courses:

ENG 003: Sentence Combining, ENG 004: Grammar Review ENG 006: Writing Effective Paragraphs, ENG 007: Business Writing Review

Meramec: Communications North 122 Fall/ Spring Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 8a.m. - 8p.m., Fri. 8a.m. - 3p.m.

Summer Hours available.

South County Education & University Center: please call (314) 984-7226

JOIN the DISCUSSION! Who’s the Greatest Behavioral, Psychological, or Educational Theorist?

Who’s Your Favorite?

Submit the name of your favorite theorist and a one to two sentence explanation of why you feel they’re the greatest or why they are your favorite; responses will be made into a display.

Send submissions to MeramecPsychCounsel@gmail.com or find the club on facebook by searching MeramecPsychCounsel@gmail.com The Psychology and Counseling Club, for those interested in (careers in) psychology, counseling, and/or mental health [faculty advisor: Susie Herman, 984-7723, sherman@stlcc.edu]

Remember mental health is everyone’s concern, campus counseling services (upstairs in Clark Hall) are FREE!

Math Tutoring at Meramec

Does one these “I lovedof having such statements describe you?

a) b) c) d) e)

a warm environment to study. [The tutors] I attend class but take lousy notes. never made me feel that I blanka out on tests even though I’m prepared question was stupid I’m overwhelmed by and really helpedhow me much I have to do. understand the problems.”

Blackboard, Banner, bummer…technology demands are killing me.

I need to raise my GPA so I have more transfer options. ~ Student Our Mission is to facilitate the

If any one of mastery the above statements and understanding of applies, you owe it to yourself to visit mathematical techniques and learning specialists at Meramec Academic Center. Unleash your full problem solving. academic potential by visiting The MAC early and often this semester.

Our experienced staff is happy to help students with algebra, trigonometry and calculus.

Meramec Academic Center

Please come and see us!

Summer hours: SW 211: M - Th: 7a.m. - 9p.m. Fri. closed.

SCEUC: M - Th: 9a.m. - 1p.m. ; 5p.m. r -- 9p.m. ou ; Fri. closed. t E E o u nd s FR hours: a 211: ab gSW Fall 2010 k gieM - Th: 7a.m. - 9p.m. ; s n e i t A ra7a.m..- 4: 30p.m. arn Fri. St toolM - Th: 9a.m. - 1p.m. ; 5p.m. - 9p.m. ; Le dy SCEUC: y tor 9a.m. - 12p.m.

Stu enFri. v In CN 102: M - TH 8a.m. - 3:30p.m.; Fri. 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Communications North, Room 124 314.984.7390

Your Name 555 Address City, State Zip Phone number e-mail address Website/portfolio address

Knock-Out Resumes TAYLOR MENKE COPY EDITOR CONTRIBUTIONS BY JAMES CLAIBORNE

General Information A resume is a document which highlights a person’s skills and experience for a potential job. However, resumes are not limited to college graduates and certified professionals.

“It’s never too early to start developing your resume,” said Jacqueline MeadersBooth, manager of STLCC-Meramec’s Career and Employment Services. “You need a resume for more than just a job: you

need it to join organizations, for scholarship purposes and volunteer experiences.”

Information should be vague, but informative. Design and readability are also important components of a resume.

Meaders-Booth suggests simple design.

“Some people come in with a resume that has bold, italics, underlining, three or four different types of bullets, or they may have bullets here and then go into paragraph form, You have to stay consistent.”

Meaders-Booth said.

Resume development is a constant process requiring self-evaluation and adapting to prospective employer interests.

Meaders-Booth said it should not be a onestop shop. “It’s more like you have to make a resume for every job that you’re applying to,” she said.

Skills Begin by assessing skills, activities, past employment, memberships and participation in extracurricular activities.

Sometimes an employer may request reputable references in addition to these basics. The organization of the document should be fluid and easy-to-read.

Experience “[Employers look for] related experience.

It depends on what they’re seeking from the application so you have to make sure you read the application thoroughly, to ensure that your resume is developed toward that information,” Meaders-Booth said.

For example, if a student is applying for a job as an office assistant his/her resume should reflect attributes relevant to that work such as Microsoft Office proficiency, previous experience in the field and

references relevant to the job.

There are some simple rules to follow when writing a resume, especially for the first time. Avoid using graphics unless applying for a graphic-specific job (in which case, the applicant might develop not just a resume but a portfolio). The resume should be free of errors or misspellings, be factually correct, and frequently updated to convey current skills.

“If this is your first year in college you

can definitely utilize information from high school, because that’s what you have,” Meaders-Booth said. “But when you become a college student we definitely want you to get involved with organizations and activities and public service so you can build your information from your college experience.

High school information becomes the first thing you can start removing as you update your document.”

PACKING UP CAMP 37

CAPE TRAILS IS

NOW LEASING

FOR FALL 2013

From tanning to the internet, it’s all at your fingertips, and the best part...it’s all included!

• Close to Southeast Missouri State University • Individual Leases • Fully Furnished • Cable w/HBO & Cinemax • Community-Wide WiFi • Private Washer & Dryer • Private Patio or Balcony

• Sparkling Pool • Game Room • Community Events • Free Parking • Community Grills • Fitness Center • Private Study Areas

CAPEAPTS.COM

| 573.332.1630 1710 N Sprigg St | Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

S’MORE Memories

ILLUSTRATION BY: CORY MONTERO

A campus attack, the resignation of President Wasson and frequent class cancellations are only the headlines of an eventful 20122013 school year at Meramec.

Faculty experienced unnecessary frustration created by Chancellor Dorsey’s seemingly pointless professional development day.

During a time of mass confusion we also faced a reorganization of our departments. This past school year brought a climate of fear for students and faculty. We were left in the dark.

Amidst corruption and confusion, Meramec pulled through and brought many

successes to the table. Our baseball team, The Archers, brought home one of many wins under the lights at Busch Stadium.

Meramec students bridged cultural gaps by discussing international issues through the Soliya Connect Program.

In 2012 and 2013 the Meramec

community overcame obstacles inflicted by administration and fellow students. Above all, we celebrated our successes. Here are the stories that reflect both our struggles and triumphs.

S’MORE MEMORIES 39

Student attacked in campus bathroom KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF EMERITUS On Thursday, April 18, 2013, Professor Linda Copeland’s ENG030 class started like any other 8 a.m. class starts, dreary eyed students sat in desks and began a day of learning. But one particular student was missing from Copeland’s class.

Former STLCC-Meramec student Jevon Mallory was not among his classmates that Thursday; he had other plans in mind for an unsuspecting victim.

At 8:08 a.m., student Blythe Grupe left her 8 a.m. class to use the restroom. Mallory attacked Grupe in the upstairs bathroom of the Communications South building after hiding in a bathroom stall waiting, looking for a “random person” to attack, Grupe said.

Grupe said she had not noticed anyone in the bathroom prior to the attack.

“About five minutes into the class I left to use the restroom,” Grupe said. “Right when I was about to wash my hands, and I hadn’t noticed anyone around or anything, someone had walked in and kind of slipped passed me.

I realized someone was standing behind me, but at that point he had me in a headlock and was choking me with his arm.”

Mallory returned to the campus Tuesday, April 23 and was apprehended by Campus Police and escorted to the Student Affairs Office. He reportedly had a scheduled meeting with Vice President of Student Affairs Linden Crawford.

Mallory is being charged with a class D felony and was issued a $10,000 dollar bond, which has since been increased to $25,000. He was held in St. Louis County Jail until he made bail. Grupe said she had never met Mallory before and that the attack seemed random. She said Mallory tried to calm her down during the attack in a “gentle” tone.

“He was saying things like ‘please be quiet’ and shushing me,” Grupe said. “Not in an aggressive way or an angry way but in a weird gentle tone, like there was some other motive.”

Grupe said she felt as if Mallory’s intent was to kill her. In the STLCC case report Campus

Police Chief Paul Banta wrote that Mallory said he wanted to “vent his rage” and planned on “withdrawing her from life,” referring to Grupe.

Mallory attempted to cover up the attack when Grupe’s English instructor Aurora Hill confronted him, she said.

“Apparently he was standing over me when my professor walked in and she started asking him what he was doing,” Grupe said. “He lied and was saying that he saw me choking and was trying to help but she knew.”

Grupe said Mallory then tried to run from the bathroom.

“He then ran past her and she followed him out and called for police. She knew they were around because they were responding to something different,” Grupe said.

“They came in and caught him.”

Grupe said she is trying to get back to normal life.

“I’m getting better about talking about it; there’s no major injuries.

I’m doing okay and trying to go back to classes and finish out the semester… normally,” Grupe said as her voice trembled.

JEVON MALLORY

An official memo from former President George Wasson was forwarded to faculty and staff at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, five days after the attack and one day after Grupe went to the media with ehr story.

Campus Police Chief Paul Banta said he is not sure what the suspect had in mind when he came to the campus.

Banta said Mallory is unpredictable. “In my opinion he’s unpredictable, I couldn’t make an educated guess what he’s going to do,” Banta said.

Wasson Resigns ‘He was one of us:’ Meramec President George Wasson resigns in aftermath of attack KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF EMERITUS STLCC-Meramec George Wasson tendered his resignation as Meramec president on Monday, April 29, 2013.

Wasson’s resignation came in the wake of a physical attack on Meramec student Blythe Grupe on April 18. Jevon Mallory, a now expelled Meramec student, attacked Grupe in the second floor women’s bathroom of Communications South.

At 5 p.m. on April 29 Chancellor Myrtle Dorsey sent a 40 S’MORE MEMORIES

campus wide email announcing she had accepted the resignation of Wasson. In the email she stressed the safety of STLCC students and the appointment of Wildwood Campus President Pam McIntyre as interim Meramec Campus President.

Wasson was asked to remain available for “unfinished actions” started during his time as president, and was placed on paid administrative leave until his contract expires on June 30, 2013,

according to Delancey Smith, Director of Public Information and Marketing Vice President of Academic Affairs Andrew Langrehr said he was shocked by Wasson’s resignation.

“I’m a little shocked; a little shell shocked right now,” Langrehr said. “It’s a rude awakening. This is someone who’s been on this campus for I think nearly 30 years in a variety of capacities. To see him exit and

getting this email is going be a shock to a lot of people.”

Shock spread through the campus Monday evening as faculty, staff and administration received the Chancellor’s email.

Vice President of Student Affairs Linden Crawford said she could not believe Wasson had resigned.

“I’m stunned. I’m absolutely stunned,” Crawford said. “I have a lot of positive experiences with President Wasson and I find this to be just shocking.”

Crawford said she did not fully understand why Wasson resigned but was very sad.

“I don’t understand,” Crawford said. “I think we’re all capable, strong individuals but right now I’m just very sad. I’m very sad for President Wasson and I’m … very sad.”

Langrehr said that although the college is taking a beating in the media, the blame cannot be put on one person.

“Sort of the aftermath of it is what the focus is getting to be.

The college is sort of taking a beating in the media right now,” Langrehr said. “I feel like there’s plenty of people who feel like there’s blame to go around about how it was handled.”

Student Governance President Philip Oehlerking said the chancellor should release a statement on why Wasson resigned.

“I think what the chancellor should probably do within the next couple days is release some sort of press information about the reasons why he resigned,” Oehlerking said. “I think if it were something personal or not related to this than we don’t need to know. But if it was, the students and the faculty would like to know.”

Coordinator of Enrollment Management Kim Fitzgerald said Wasson’s resignation had a direct link to last week’s events.

“I think it’s incredibly unexpected. I think it’s pretty obvious there’s a direct link to the recent incidents,” Fitzgerald said. “Having been here for over 25 years you see a lot of things happen and you see a lot of people come and go. You see a lot of people go out in flames.”

Fitzgerald said the campus faces many adjustments after the resignation.

“I’m still pretty surprised.

George has been there for a long time and unfortunately longevity doesn’t really get you a whole lot when it comes to matters like this,” Fitzgerald said. “I think it’s going to be an adjustment. I think people were comfortable with George being there – maybe to a

certain extent people can be too comfortable.”

Langrehr said the campus is losing someone who had a passion for all things Meramec.

“You’re going to lose someone who was passionate about the Meramec campus who has been a faculty member and a variety of leadership roles on this campus,” Langrehr said. “Someone who rose to the level of president because of the support of his colleagues here on the campus.”

Langrehr said the campus will be blindsided by the news.

“I can’t really think of all the ways people are going to react to it – but I think shock is the best word,” Langrehr said. “I think there’s going to be some people who are sad, some who are mad, people who are kind of hurt, people who are going to want to know and from the way this looks he’s not going to be here to talk about it.”

In a challenging time, and in the wake of losing a president and vice president three years ago, the campus will feel the loss of Wasson, Langrehr said.

“It’s going to be hard on the campus to absorb this news, to absorb change to recognize we’re going to have to go through another [president] search when we just went through this not two years ago,” Langrehr said.

“That was a difficult time for the campus. We lost a president and a vice president in a short amount of time.”

Langrehr said that Wasson was a important piece to the puzzle of Meramec.

“I think there’s a significant hole. He’s one of us. He’s part of the campus,” Langrehr said. “A number of people have been here a long time but having a president that has that … that’s going to be a loss. I think it’s going to be a significant loss at a challenging time.”

Oehlerking said he has heard several different theories to why Wasson resigned.

“Honestly, I think I would like to reserve judgment until I hear all the facts,” Oehlerking said. “There’s some theories or

GEORGE WASSON

stories that chancellor Dorsey forced him out and there’s some that say he wasn’t even on campus when everything happened so he shouldn’t have been ultimately responsible for what had happened. Or there’s other stories that are going on that say he was directly involved trying to sweep this under the rug.”

Jacob Hight, a student who works in the student life office, said the college should not look for scapegoats and instead should look for solutions.

“Horrible things are always going to happen and we should do our best to make sure they don’t happen. There’s never going to be a situation that’s so perfect an individual isn’t going to circumvent the safeguard of a certain place,” Hight said. “I think attention need to be paid to what really needs to be done instead of looking for scapegoats.”

Langrehr said Interim President Pam McIntyre, Ph.D. will be knowledgeable to the campus, but that Meramec must lick its wounds and adjust to the change.

“People know that person pretty well because she worked on this campus for a long time,” Langrehr said. “She knows the campus and knows a lot of people here but there’s going to be some healing and some adjustments we’ll need to go through.”

Langrehr added that there are

a lot of issues the campus faces outside of the resignation that will have to be discussed.

“People will have a lot of questions about the things we’re in the middle of,” Langrehr said.

“We’re talking about potential reorganization of the division and we’re talking about shifting some renovation and some departments around; where they’re located.

We’ll have to bring people up to speed.”

Crawford said that perspective like Wasson’s cannot be replaced.

“It’s a perspective that can’t be replaced with any other leader,” Crawford said. “Many leaders can come to an institution but to have the kind of history and perspective and knowledge of the campus community, the culture, the students, the course work, the state legislation, the issues facing us. I think that’s what we’re losing.

I think we’re losing a significant resource for our campus.”

Fitzgerald said a lesson can be learned about student safety through the events of the past week.

“I think if we didn’t have procedures in place to deal with these kind of things – I think that’s pretty serious,” Fitzgerald said. “I think if we’re talking about the safety of students that should be the primary focus. I think if the lesson that we have to learn to get to that place then that’s just how it is.”

S’MORE MEMORIES 41

Preparing Students for Life Lindenwood University Offers • More than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs • Majors ranging from business to the arts • Small class size • Top notch professors who are committed to your success • A thriving athletic program with 26 NCAA teams and 20 student life teams • Beautiful residential campus in historic St.Charles • Great tuition rates and help with financial aid

Call 636-949-4949, visit www.lindenwood.edu or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LUDayAdmissions.

Transfer and Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships Available

Students left in the dark MONTAGE STAFF EDITORIAL One of us is attacked on campus. The rest of us wait five days for an official statement from the college. We were left to believe rumors and embellished news from mainstream media outlets. We were left in the dark.

We are nervous about our safety. We are questioning our decisions to attend STLCC-Meramec. Our leader resigns without an explanation.

We feel abandoned.

Meramec had the reputation of a safe school with outstanding faculty.

Many students made a commute out of their way to attend Meramec for that reason. So what happens when an “isolated incident” occurs where one student decides to “withdrawal [another student] from life?”

The college writes it off while the media plays it up.

We are Meramec. Without the students, it ceases to exist. How about a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T? Five days of silence brought chaos and heavy damage to the reputation of a typically safe, top-notch community college. We, the campus community, deserve to know if there is a security threat and the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act recognizes this as a right. Rebuilding the trust of students and faculty

depends on the administration recognizing these rights.

We may be students; we may be learning, but we are smart enough to know that these things could have been dealt with better and the school is compromising its future by giving its spotless reputation priority over a real sense of security, which are partially the products of trust and transparency.

Meramec is a place for higher education, understanding and the betterment of a community. It is not a place for petty politics nor the blame game. If decisions continue to be made based on a corporate model of control and fear, the students will be lost. We do not care whose fault it is nor is it necessary for anyone else to resign. We want what we came here for; expanded minds and changed lives.

Whatever prompted former President George Wasson to resign, losing the head of our institution is a step in the wrong direction. In this time of uncertainty we as a campus needed someone who could lead us through these disquieting days. Instead we are left in the dark. Without answers, our students, faculty and staff members are disrespected yet another time this academic year. These tendencies toward fear-based management, if left unresolved, will have a lasting effect on the campus, faculty, staff and, most importantly, the students of this institution.

Action must be taken in the right direction, resolving problems through constructive discussions, not taking short cuts to resolve the college’s problems, making good on promises made to the faculty and staff, working together as a college and not a corporation and most importantly standing beside STLCC students, not on their shoulders.

S’MORE MEMORIES 43

Under the lights Archers play college-style baseball in a major league ballpark

SPENCER GLEASON EDITOR IN CHIEF

When the STLCC Archers and Lewis and Clark Community College Trailblazers took the field at Busch Stadium on Sept. 9, the home plate was still peppered with dust from St. Louis Cardinals’ Matt Carpenter’s slide in the bottom of the tenth, to win their game 5-4 over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The batter’s box still had remnants of where Cardinal outfielders’ Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday had dug in, in the bottom of their first inning and hit homeruns to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead. It would not be the only time three runs were scored in the bottom of a first inning that day.

As the 6:05 p.m. first pitch-start time drew closer, the temperature evened off at 74 degrees.

Under a cloudless sky the Archers scampered out to their positions, just as the big leaguers do.

“I still say the biggest 44 S’MORE MEMORIES

moment is when you walk out the gate and you find yourself on a major league field and in uniform. It does not happen too often,” Archers head coach Tony Dattoli said. “It is a good time for the guys and to see them. They have a gleam in their eyes. That is why we do it. So they get a chance to be out there. That is what it is about.”

When the Archers dug in the batter’s box in their half of the first inning, infielder Matt Leinberger led off with an infield hit to the Trailblazers’ second baseman. Leinberger came around to score the game’s first run and the first of three runs the Archers would score in their bottom half of the first inning, en route to a 12-3 victory over the Trailblazers.

Leinberger’s mother, Tracey Naughton, sat in the second row beside the third base dugout as she watched her son play in his first college

baseball game at Busch Stadium.

“He scored the very first run of the season and I have it on video,” Naughton said.

The Archers scored three runs four times, in four different innings, while only allowing the Trailblazers to cross home plate three times; twice in the fourth inning and once in the top of the eighth.

The victory gave Dattoli and STLCC a three game winning streak against the Trailblazers at Busch Stadium, beating them in 2010 and 2011 as well. “[When] you get an opportunity to get out to an early lead, it relieves a lot of tension.

Obviously, the biggest thing is that you are on this stage and you do not want to go down shorthanded or play from behind,” Dattoli said. “The fact that we were able to pitch a good first inning and come out and score right

away, that alleviates a lot of pressure off of the guys. This game is so mental that if they can play relaxed, then good things happen.”

The eight-inning game concluded once time expired after twoand-a-half hours. It included 75 position players between the two teams and 24 pitchers. Each roster was emptied so every player could step foot onto Busch Stadium’s baseball diamond and play to the St. Louis city skyline.

An Archers victory was icing on the cake.

“It is nice to be able to keep the streak alive and get the guys to come out here. They played well,” Dattoli said after the win. “We had some quality atbats. We threw the ball really well and made some nice plays on the field. It is always good to come out here at Busch Stadium and get a win.”

ALEX KENDALL PHOTO EDITOR

DAVID KLOECKENER PHOTO EDITOR

DAVID KLOECKENER PHOTO EDITOR

S’MORE MEMORIES 45

The disappearing act Meramec classes cut

KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF EMERITUS

STLCCMeramec’s start of the fall 2012 semester was plagued by class cancellations. While the beginning of the spring semester was “an improvement,” according to Andrew Langrehr, Vice President of Academic Affairs, cancellations are still a lingering issue on campus. With more than 60 classes axed during the fall semester, students and faculty members were left scrambling to fill course loads and re-enroll in classes.

“When we built the schedule it was based on having higher enrollment than what came in, so we had more to cut,” Langrehr said.

“Coming into the spring we didn’t cut as many [classes]. I think there is a little over 1,400 sections, between 1,400 and 1,500 classes offered this spring.”

Langrehr added that fewer classes were cut on the cancellation day than we cut last semester.

“I think a little over 60 classes were withdrawn, between 60 and 70 withdrawn, which is an improvement over the fall.

I think the department anticipated that enrollment was a little lower. I think that they managed it,” Langrehr said. “When I say we withdrew between 60 and 70 classes that wasn’t in the last week before classes. Probably only a third of those are 46 S’MORE MEMORIES

withdrawn on that class cancellation day.”

English Department Chair David Taylor said the department took steps to minimize cancellations by anticipating an enrollment drop.

“What we did is we looked at the spring schedule and anticipated a decline in enrollment by about 10 percent and then we offered a fewer number of courses to match that enrollment,” Taylor said. “It wasn’t necessarily eliminating sections but the number of seats we offer.”

Langrehr said administration tried to act as advocates for students and faculty. “The deans are advocates for students and faculty and they try to give that class every chance to make to the best of their ability,” Langrehr said. “Sometimes that means that you hold one and it gets canceled late and people are scrambling.”

Departments saw the turmoil caused last year and planned ahead, Langrehr said.

“I think that people saw how it went in the fall and people didn’t want to have that sort of vibe again,” Langrehr said.

“I saw a lot less [cancellation] notices as I walked down the hall.”

In addition to class cancellations, the college also suffered a loss of 900 students during the fall 2012 semester, according to Langrehr.

“Enrollment is down,” Langrehr said. “We had a big increase in the last few years when the economy went bad.

We anticipated coming back to some norm but we’d like it to be a little bit higher.”

Langrehr said administration is focusing on making the right moves when it comes to scheduling.

“It’s something we’re focused on; we’re trying to schedule classes where you could get a broad number of people to take them,” Langrehr said. “What’s bad is when you budget for x number of students and you get less than that.”

Langrehr said the college does its best to make sure classes come to fruition.

“I’d say we do our best to plan knowing the variables but there are intangibles that you can’t always know,” Langrehr said. “That’s why I think we improved a little bit this spring from last fall because we saw what happened.”

Langrehr said canceling classes is not something the college looks forward to doing.

“The department chairs don’t like canceling classes, the deans don’t like canceling classes. No one likes it. So we do our best to avoid it,” Langrehr said.

‘We were treated like children’

Faculty express concerns with leadership, Chancellor responds KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF EMERITUS It was a day off for students and a day of professional development “hell” for some STLCC employees that led to the Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012 board of trustees meeting in which STLCC Chancellor Myrtle Dorsey was confronted by several faculty members.

Florissant Valley professor Carol Berger, Ph.D. was one of the several faculty members to speak at the board of trustees meeting. Berger said in her 31 years of teaching with STLCC she had never attended a professional development day that was as big of a failure.

“I’ve been to every staff development day and I have to say, they haven’t always been winners, but I’ve always come away with something,” Berger said. “I’m sorry. I think maybe the road to hell is paved with good intentions and there were a lot of people who were present Tuesday who would have said we were, in fact, in hell.”

The faculty expressed concerns regarding Tuesday, Oct. 16, when all STLCC campuses were closed and students were free to enjoy a day off while employees attended the annual professional development day at the Forest Park campus. Twelve hundred to 1,400 faculty and staff were seated in Forest Park’s un-airconditioned gymnasium on the 80-degree day for eight hours, according to STLCC-Meramec Assistant Professor Lisa Mizes, who spoke at the board of trustees meeting. Mizes, along with eight other STLCC employees, spoke at the meeting describing their

frustration with the development day and the chancellor’s management of the college.

‘Climate of Fear at all Levels’

The last item on the agenda before the faculty members addressed the board was the Chancellor’s Report, in which Dorsey went over a few items and shared some words on the professional development day.

“I took that day to focus on communications. That was the intent; to tell people what we were doing, how we were doing and actually have some experts there to talk about those things,” Dorsey said. “It’s my understanding that it wasn’t quite taken that way. I understand where there is some confusion. The intent was not to be disrespectful to anyone; the intent was not to make anyone feel badly about having to take leave or whatever.”

National Education Association (NEA) Junior College Division vice president and STLCC-Florissant Valley Professor Cindy Campbell was the first to speak for the faculty members at the BOT meeting.

Campbell recalled being “talked down to” by an unnamed member of the administration at the development day for speaking out on the importance of faculty.

“I will not apologize or alter my feelings or thoughts related to the importance of faculty,” Campbell said. “We are not a corporation and should not act as such. We the faculty are the foundational block of STLCC, and faculty in general are the foundational block of any academic institution.”

Meramec Professor Kay Blalock, Ph.D., walked past the table where speakers addressing the board were asked to sit when her name was called, she turned her back to the board and faced her colleagues and stated she would not turn her back on them.

“Perhaps it is time for the board to acknowledge that low morale and a climate of fear at all levels, across the district, can seriously affect the mission of the college, the success of our students and the image as an institution of higher learning of which STLCC is known,” Blalock said. “The disorganized event, the disgruntlement of those in attendance, the lack of productivity and the disrespect shown by the chancellor to the STLCC employees are dismal manifestations of the corporate direction that we’re headed in.

We were treated like children,” Blalock said.

‘Relentless Micromanagement’

Deaf Communications professor Mary Leubke said the professional development event was representative of a “much larger problem.”

“It was perceived as the worst staff development day we’ve ever had,” Luebke said. “This event is representative of a much larger problem. The board is not in touch with anyone other than the chancellor, everything is top down management, everything is a secret and we’ll find out after the fact on all things.”

Leubke added that she felt the college was at a standstill with “relentless micromanagement.”

National Education Association (NEA) Junior College Division vice president and STLCCFlorissant Valley Professor Cindy Campbell addresses the board at the board of trustees meeting.

Campbell said the faculty is the “foundational block” of any academic institution.

“There is either no reason to go to your dean, vice president or president because their hands are tied or they’re as much in the dark as we are,” Leubke said. “Nothing gets done and things don’t get approved so we can’t move forward because of relentless micromanagement.”

The rain of criticism did not stop at the professional development day. Meramec professor Margaret Hvatum spoke on STLCC’s budget cutting affecting classes and students’ ability to learn. Hvatum said faculty members were willing to work in low-enrollment format classes and for less pay, but were denied.

“When faculty are willing to work for less you should take us up on our offer,” Hvatum said.

Leubke said respect for STLCC employees is little to none and that the college is running in a “climate of fear.”

“Perceptions are leading to a culture of fear. I just spent a year fighting and beating breast cancer; so I am now afraid of very little,” Leubke said. “There is no respect for any segment of the employment population, especially faculty. In fact, there is downright distaste for faculty.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 49

S’MORE MEMORIES 47

~ FREE PREGNANCY TEST ~ Unsure if you are pregnant?

Overwhelmed or undecided about what to do if you are pregnant?

Call

irthright Counseling, St. Louis A Friend for Life

4 locations including South County 9-4 M-F www.birthrightstl.org • 314-962-3653 Don’t carry the anxiety of your burden alone.

Come talk to one of our Counselors.

It’s FREE and Confidential.

Bridging the cultural gap:

Soliya students share experiences with visitors KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF EMERITUS

On April 11, 2012, in the Library Confluence room, the International Visitor Leadership Program (IPVL) visited with the students of the Meramec branch of the Soliya Connect program.

The Connect program is a way for students all around the world to have discussions about current international issues. Students discuss topics in chat rooms in an effort to learn about one another’s cultures.

Five visitors from the program spoke in a discussion reflecting on how the Soliya program works and how it can benefit students.

Argentinian Alejandro Emanuel Belmonte; Executive Director of Our Mendoza Foundation, Armenian Izabella Abgaryan; Blogger and Civil Activist, Belarus native Alexey Leonchik; Project Manager, United Nations Development Program, Palestinian Jenny Baboun; Translator with Independent Ma’an News Agency’s English desk and Fungal James Tichawangana; Founder and Senior Web Imagineer at

Aripano Inirnity heard firsthand experiences from Meramec students who have previously and are currently participating in the program.

Students Ellen dePasquale, Deborah Caby, Kaitlin Hayes, Peter Kahn and Elizabeth Grant shared their Soliya connect experiences.

Meramec English professor Angela Hamilton brought Soliya Connect to the campus in October 2012. Meramec is the only institution in Missouri to take part in the program. She said the students who spoke are the best representation of what Soliya Connect can do for students.

“All of the students who are here have or are participating in the Soliya Connect program,” Hamilton said.

Soliya Connect Manager Nahid Ahmed gave a brief overview of the program for the visiting internationals.

“We’ve worked with over 4,000 students in 30 countries, more than a hundred institutions,” Ahmed said. “We work actively

to develop twentieth century skills such as critical thinking, multicultural communication and media literacy.”

Ahmed said the program gives students an opportunity to grow in an international sense.

“One of the things we’ve found was that new media provide a lot of opportunities for communication and exposure,” Ahmed said. “The goal of the Soliya program is to create structure for constructive dialogue.” dePasquale said Soliya helps break down stereotypes and barriers through discussion.

“This has been one of the most wonderful experiences for me. Mainly because I get to meet people that I would never otherwise have the opportunity to meet,” dePasquale said. “We do spend a lot of time, especially in the beginning, not seeing others as they’ve maybe been represented because of the country they’re from.”

Caby said her view on the Israeli/Pakistani conflict has changed through conversations

with other students.

“I found that I was changing my mind at some points,” Caby said. “I can see both sides now; I can understand both sides now.

As we get to know people through the Soliya program we come to a sort of understanding. We can see each other as friends. We can see each other as people we can learn from. We don’t see enemies anymore.”

Caby added that common ground is a major theme in the Soliya Connect program.

“No matter what country you live in, no matter what culture you come from, we’re all human beings,” Caby said. “We will find common ground if we dig and we work hard. We need to work a little bit harder – on all sides.”

Grant said the program can benefit every student that gets involved.

“It’s been fascinating; it’s been a really good experience,” Grant said. “It’s been a really positive experience I think for everyone.

Faculty Development Day: ‘We can do things better next time’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47 ‘Room for Improvement’

After the speakers were through, board of trustee member Hattie Jackson responded to speakers by stating STLCC can only grow from the professional development day experience and that she was disappointed employees were not “energized” by the event.

“I believe you learn from your experiences,” Jackson said. “I hope we can have a conversation about expectation and how we can have a world class professional

development program that embraces continuous learning for student success. I believe we can do that. I believe the chancellor’s own reflection we heard tonight, and we heard a lot of your reflection and I’m disappointed that you were not energized and it wasn’t a learning day.”

Jackson added the college has next year and hopes the college can come together to energize each other and focus on student success. Meramec President George Wasson said he felt the board and the chancellor were open to the faculties’ suggestions.

“It sounds to me as if the faculty feels that there is a lot of room for improvement and it sounded like the board and the chancellor were open to those suggestions,” Wasson said. “We’ll look for more ways to improve.”

Dorsey said although the board of trustees meeting was negative, she does not believe the event was received in a unanimously negative way. The important thing for STLCC is to evaluate what went wrong and do better next year, Dorsey said.

“Throughout everything that I do, I always tell people that it’s

important that you do it, evaluate it and you try to make it better next time,” Dorsey said. STLCC is in a period of a change and that she understands change can be difficult for employees, Dorsey said.

“Change is difficult, it’s very difficult and it makes people uncomfortable. I think that this was different for them,” Dorsey said. “And again I don’t have a point of reference as to what it was [like]. I always, no matter what I do, I always say we can do things better the next time,” Dorsey said.

S’MORE MEMORIES 49

=

THE EDUCATION+THE SKILLS

YOUR SUCCESS It only takes one year.

Under full approval by the Missouri State Board of Nursing, Applied Technology Services offers a one year Practical Nurse Program which prepares you for a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

Also offered are part-time evening programs in health care, automotive, construction and manufacturing.

Call today! 314-989-7500. Or visit our website at www.appliedtech-stl.com.

Health

Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Certified Medication Technician (CMT)

Automotive

Manufacturing

Construction

Auto Body Repair Technology Precision Machining Program Carpentry Program Auto Body Paint Technology Tool & Die Program General Building Maintenance Auto Body Repair & Welding Program Electrical Program Maintenance Technology HVAC-R

NORTH TECH 1700 Derhake Rd. Florissant, MO 63033

SOUTH TECH 12721 West Watson Rd. Sunset Hills, MO 63127

Not all classes are available at all locations.

MET CENTER 6347 Plymouth Ave. Wellston, MO 63133

THE MONTAGE

2012-2013

M M

M

M

T H E M O N TA G E

T H E M O N TA G E

KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF Students and faculty alike were left in a rush to reschedule classes at Clark Hall on Aug. 16, 2012. The cutoff date for classes to be reviewed for salvaging had arrived, and the final classes that did not meet ‘sustainability’ were given the ax.

Approximately 30 courses were cut Aug. 16, yet other courses were cancelled in previous weeks, according to Vice President of Academic Affairs Andrew Langrehr.

STLCC-Meramec President George Wasson said that cancellations fluctuated as a result of enrollment numbers increasing and decreasing as the college goes through a time of transition.

“It really is a scheduling management

issue in many ways. When enrollment is changing, and enrollment is down this semester – we scheduled courses anticipating we would have numbers like last fall. We have less than that,” Wasson said. “That means that sections aren’t filling as fast, and some will be hit harder than others.”

Wasson said that he understands students and faculty members may be upset, but in the wide range of offered courses few classes are affected.

“Are people upset? Yes. Would I be upset?

Yes,” Wasson said. “But when you look at the overall number of sessions that we have here at the campus, it is a small percentage that actually get canceled.”

Archers step up to bat See stories on pages 11-12 @themontage

Volume 48 Issue 2

www.meramecmontage.com

September 13, 2012

fb.me/meramecmontage

Story continued on page 3 @themontage

Voume 48 Issue 1

www.meramecmontage.com

August 30, 2012

fb.me/meramecmontage

T H E M O N TA G E

To Serve and Protect On the road to a safer campus

See stories on pages 6-7

@themontage

Voume 48 Issue 3

www.meramecmontage.com

fb.me/meramecmontage

September 27, 2012

M

M

M

T H E M O N TA G E

M

T H E M O N TA G E

T H E M O N TA G E

T H E M O N TA G E

The disappearing act Meramec’s classes continue to vanish KAVAHN MANSOURI EDITOR IN CHIEF STLCC-Meramec’s start of the fall 2012 semester was plagued by class cancellations.

While the beginning of the spring semester was “an improvement,” according to Andrew Langrehr, Vice President of Academic Affairs, cancellations are still a lingering issue on campus. With more than 60 classes axed this semester, students and faculty members were left scrambling to fill course loads and re-enroll in classes.

“I think that it was an improvement over the fall. I think in the fall we had a situation where enrollment was lower than we anticipated. When we built the schedule it was based on having higher enrollment than what came in, so we had more to cut,” Langrehr said. “Coming into the spring we didn’t cut as many [classes]. I think there is a little over 1,400 sections, between 1,400 and 1,500 classes offered this spring.”

Langrehr added that fewer classes were cut on the cancellation day than we cut last semester.

“I think a little over 60 classes were withdrawn, between 60 and 70 withdrawn, which is an improvement over the fall. I think the department anticipated that enrollment was a little lower. I think that they managed it,” Langrehr said. “When I say we withdrew between 60 and 70 classes that wasn’t in the last week before classes. Probably only a third of those are withdrawn on that class cancellation day.”

English Department Chair David Taylor said the department took steps to minimize cancellations by anticipating an enrollment drop.

“What we did is we looked at the spring schedule and anticipated a decline in enrollment by about 10 percent and then we offered a fewer number of courses to match that enrollment,” Taylor said. “It wasn’t necessarily eliminating sections but the number of seats we offer.”

Langrehr said administration tried to act as advocates for students and faculty.

“The deans are advocates for students

Re-defining student success

Emerging scholars recognized at Meramec KELLY GLUECK OPINIONS EDITOR White tablecloths, flower arrangements, mood lighting and an in-house pianist transformed the school cafeteria into a banquet hall recognizing four emerging scholars for their achievements at Meramec at the First Annual Emerging Scholars banquet on Nov. 27. The Emerging Scholars is a new program for

Meramec, but has been successful at sister campus STLCC-Florissant Valley for the last 17 years.

“The Emerging Scholars Program has had a record of success at Florissant Valley and is something we looked into in the past but never improvised,” Wasson said. “It provides an opportunity for students

in developmental education to see that they are challenged but also a great opportunity and it’s great to have models who have been in the same place you have been and succeeded.”

The program recognizes students who have completed coursework in two or more developmental areas

including English, math and/or reading; successfully completed 24 or more credit hours in college-level coursework; achieved a 3.5 or higher grade-point average; and, participated in campus and community activities.

The then Acting Dean Angela Grupas, Ph.D., was credited by Story continued on page 3

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE - MERAMEC

@themontage

Voume 48 Issue 7

www.meramecmontage.com

December 6, 2012

and faculty and they try to give that class every chance to make to the best of their ability,” Langrehr said. “Sometimes that means that you hold one and it gets cancelled late and people are scrambling.”

Departments saw the turmoil caused last year and planned ahead Langrehr said.

“I think that people saw how it went in the fall and people didn’t want to have that sort of vibe again” Langrehr said. “I saw a lot less [cancellation] notices as I walked down the hall.”

Langrehr added that even though this semester was an improvement there is more to do.

“We can still improve; they’re some new department chairs and things. I think they are getting their bearings,” Langrehr said.

“We still retained a significant number - I’d say more than 50 sections that have less than 15. They had good reasons.”

In addition to class cancellations, the college has also suffered a loss of 900 students this semester according to Langrehr.

“Enrollment is down,” Langrehr said.

“We had a big increase in the last few years when the economy went bad. We anticipated coming back to some norm but we’d like it to be a little bit higher.”

Langrehr said administration is focusing on making the right moves when it comes to scheduling.

“It’s something we’re focused on; we’re trying to schedule classes where you could get a broad number of people to take them,” Langrehr said. “What’s bad is when you budget for x number of students and you get less than that.”

Planning ahead can have its negative and positive effects, according to Taylor.

“It was positive in the sense that we didn’t have as many cancellations as we did in the fall, negative in the sense that we didn’t feel as comfortable offering a variety of courses at the same times we did previously because we didn’t want them to be cancelled,” Taylor said.

@themontage

Voume 48 Issue 8

www.meramecmontage.com

January 24, 2013

the crosshairs?

DORIAN ROBERTS STAFF WRITER In the shadow of the recent Sandy Hook shooting, students in America must once again reassess their feelings regarding safety at school. But Meramec students need not worry according to Campus Chief of Police Paul Banta.

Banta said the officers on campus are trained for a situation involving an intruder on campus.

“We are prepared as we can be for an armed intruder,” Banta said. “We attended the A.L.I.C.E. (Alert-LockdownInform-Counter-Evacuate) training which was put on by the St. Louis County S.W.A.T. team. It’s training for students and faculty on how to protect themselves in a situation where there is a intruder on campus.”

Meramec is armed with nine full time officers in the college’s employ, each trained and armed with semiautomatic weapons, tactical bulletproof vests and shields.

Three officers are always on duty on-campus to ensure the safety of students and the campus is equipped with cameras, which stand constantly on guard for suspicious activity.

“We’re prepared as much as we can be prepared, but if someone is coming on this campus willing to lose their life trying to shoot other people it’s difficult to stop that from happening,” Banta said. “We’re taking all the precautions we can take.”

Vice President of Student Affairs Linden Crawford said the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) are proactive in the pursuit to prevent incidents from occurring on campus.

“All students see a video in their classrooms which include a brief active shooter scenario, and I think from our perspective we would like to expand on that a little bit,”

Starring Chad Mott Derek Robertson Haley Kemper Deborah Dennert Lydia Oetker STAGE MANAGER DANIEL WILLIAMS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MEAGAN WALLACE

Story continued on page 3

fb.me/meramecmontage

Are we in

Wake up Cameron Dobbs

fb.me/meramecmontage

WRITTEN BY STEPHAN PEIRICK DIRECTED BY KEITH OLIVER Continued on page 11

@themontage

M

Voume 48 Issue 9

www.meramecmontage.com

February 7, 2013

fb.me/meramecmontage

M T H E M O N TA G E

T H E M O N TA G E

VICTORY

Bridging The Cultural Gap See story on page 12

Lady Archers clutch Regional Championship SPENCER GLEASON SPORTS EDITOR Coming off of an 83-82 double overtime win against rival North Central Missouri College on Jan. 19, the STLCC Lady Archers headed into their final nine games of the regular season with an 11-5 record. They still had games against Region XVI rival Three Rivers Community College, nationally recognized Cottey College, as well as two games against Metropolitan Community College (MCC)-Penn Valley, a team they would potentially face in the playoffs.

Considering the loss of four of their top scorers over the course of the season, who averaged 40 points per game, Head Coach Shelly Ethridge and her coaching staff looked to the nine players on roster to stay on track.

“We’re going to take one game at a time, especially right now, and try to figure everything out and dealing with all the adversity we’ve been dealing with. The kids know that they have something special just with their team right now and their chemistry, and that’s what we’re focusing in on,” Ethridge said following the victory over North Central.

“We’ll let the game play out for itself. I know deep down the kids would still like to win the regional tournament and we certainly can do that. We can do it, but we’re going to approach each game one day at a time and focus in on the little things that are going to make a big difference for us,” Ethridge said.

That was then. This is now.

Story continued on page 11

PHOTO BY: DAVE KLOECKNER

@themontage

Voume 48 Issue 11

www.meramecmontage.com

March 7, 2013

fb.me/meramecmontage

@themontage

Volume 48 Issue 13

www.meramecmontage.com

April 18, 2013

fb.me/meramecmontage

@themontage

Voume 48 Issue 10

Crawford said. “As far as prevention, the other thing I would say is in looking at current students or students that cause disruptions on campus. We are very active proactive with our Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) on campus.”

Banta said the campus police would be in control of an active shooter situation until they can hand the situation off to the local police department.

“If we have an active shooter on campus we will be mitigating the situation until we can turn it over to the S.W.A.T. team,” Banta said. “If somebody is here and they’re actively shooting people my men are going to go and take them out.”

Banta added the campus police prepare through training programs and drilling.

“We just did an active shooter drill with the Kirkwood Police Department and the entire police department across the district,” Banta said.

Banta said the “tools” include a pop-up alert system on all campus computers, a text alert system and several other warning systems to better divert students from danger.

“There are numerous tools in place to alert students,” Banta said. “If there is an intruder, we can quickly inform everyone on campus.”

Crawford said the schools takes counter-measures everyday to prevent a problem before it happens.

“We are actively involved in an Internet based prevention. You may submit a review anonymously if need be,” Crawford said.

www.meramecmontage.com

Story continued on page 3 February 21, 2013

fb.me/meramecmontage

Sleep is for the weak.

Be strong.

Montage Strong.

Enlist today.

Room SC-220 meramecmontage.com 314-984-7655

Looking for writers, photographers, graphic designers, multimedia specialists, and editors