Community Magazine -- Fall 2018

M AG A Z I N E | T U L SACC . E D U FALL 2018

Dr. Valerie O’Brien

Blooming where she was planted

14

Community Magazine is a publication of Tulsa Community college Tulsa Community College 6111 E. Skelly Drive, Suite 400 Tulsa, OK 74135

contents FALL 2018

Leigh B. Goodson, Ph. D. President & CEO

TCC Board of Regents: Robin F. Ballenger, Chairman Samuel Combs III, Vice-Chairman Paul H. Cornell, Secretary Caron Lawhorn, Member Ronald S. Looney, Member William R. McKamey, Member Wesley G. Mitchell, Member

17

Equitable Outcomes for All

Community Magazine is published each Fall and Spring semester

Community Magazine Readership Survey Help us make our magazine even better by taking our readership survey. It’ll just take a few minutes of your time, and your answers will help us gain a clear picture of what you would like to see in these pages. Thank you for your time and support.

04

Call in the Specialists

21

Prepping Paralegals for Success

06

An Educational Experience

22

Steward of the Archives

08

Transferring Out & Busy in Blue

23

TCC President’s Society

10

Zoo’s Blues

24

2018 TCC Foundation Board

12

TCC’s redesigned Academic Advising means more one-on-one help for students

25

2018 Vision Award Winner

14

Dr. Valerie O’Brien Blooming where she was planted

26

A Foundation of Education

28

Special Thanks to Our Donors of the Last Year

31

Blue Ribbon Year for TCC

17

Equitable Outcomes for All

20

Q&A: TCC Regent Wes Mitchell

Tulsacc.edu/magazinesurvey

02

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

A Letter From TCC President Leigh B. Goodson

Dear Friends, One of the great things about working at a community college is interacting with students from all walks of life. Our students come to us at different points in their life and they all want the same thing – an opportunity to advance their education and earn a familysustaining wage.

At TCC, more than 40 percent of our students are minorities, and that number is only going to grow as the demographics of the region and country change over time. The data, and our own experiences with students, paint a picture in which underrepresented minority students often have a different educational experience than majority students. They often come from communities where the schools, and their families, lack resources. Furthermore, as with many of our students, they may be the first generation in their family to attend college.

But they arrive at TCC with the same hopes and dreams for their future and the same potential for academic excellence. We want to welcome them with open arms so they know they have our support every step of the way in their educational path to success. We want all our students not only to have the same opportunity to get into college, but the same opportunity to complete it.

Our work with the University of Southern California’s Center for Urban Education, and our continued work with Pathways, will help us identify practices and behaviors where our students are disadvantaged because of race, culture, or income level. The work will expose our blind spots and allow us to offer a truly equitable educational experience for all our students. We have already made strides in this direction with the addition of retention specialists, advisors, food pantries, and various financial aid programs, as well as resources and training for our faculty and staff. But there is more left to do.

Tackling educational barriers to success is challenging work, but it is also rewarding work. It will take the dedication of us all to create an atmosphere where everyone can learn and succeed. We hope you will join us in this important journey to support equity throughout our classrooms, our college, and our community.

Sincerely, Leigh

03

spotlight on Stewardship

Call In the Specialists

04

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

Sometimes, students need a little extra help to achieve success in college.

At some point in a student’s academic career, they will need assistance outside of the normal realm of what is perceived to be in student services, and that’s regardless of their socioeconomic status, creed, disability, marital status, race, gender identity, religion, or sexual orientation.

That’s where TCC’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion comes in. TCC’s three Retention Specialists – Thesha Zeigler, Joy Betz, and Sarah Carr – offer support and educational opportunities designed to increase the academic success, retention, graduation and transfer of students who may have more barriers and challenges to overcome in order to realize their goals.

Retention Specialists understand that academic needs are not always the primary issue inhibiting student success.

When a student first visits with a Retention Specialist, the two have an authentic conversation with some strategically placed structured questions to discover that student’s unique needs.

It’s the first step toward developing trust and building rapport with the student.

“Developing that relationship is key to retaining the student,” says Pat Turner, TCC director of inclusion programs. “We want them to know they matter to us and that their basic human needs are met. It is difficult for students to progress when they don’t have food to eat or a place to stay that’s safe.

“If a student presents an immediate need, we are able to give immediate attention. It is amazing and sad how many of our students are hungry.”

After that initial conversation, which also covers each student’s goals and aspirations, students take the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, an assessment tool that reveals their strengths and weaknesses.

The LASSI assesses the 10 qualities of highly successful students, so students and the Retention Specialists understand where the students are already doing well. The Retention Specialist role is to help students use the qualities they are good at to help them overcome deficient areas.

Retention Specialists offer strategies for test taking and time management, for studying more efficiently, and for creating smart goals that contribute to creating momentum for success.

They have newly implemented a six-part series called “Starting at the Finish Line,” that covers everything from career exploration to reclaiming wasted time.

Though the relationships and coaching sessions between the Retention Specialists and their students are personalized, there are many recurring traits, such as difficulty with math or the fear of failing.

Overcoming the fear of failure is never easy, but students’ confidence is bolstered when they understand all viable resource options available.

It is crucial for students to feel like they fit in or belong, which only enhances chances at success.

Anxiety is another common roadblock. Students have anxiety about taking tests, math anxiety, and being accepted into their program of choice.

Retention Specialists work with students to manage their anxiety to increase their academic performance.

Finding creative and personal ways to address student-learning challenges is part of the job.

Retention Specialists, as a position, are a relatively new addition to the College.

“Retention Specialists have been seeing students in these academic coaching sessions for almost two years now and we have seen the needle move in a positive direction,” says Turner.

05

spotlight on alumni

An Educational Experience Like all good teachers, Toby Decker is changing the world one student at a time By the time you read this, he’ll be teaching English at an international high school in Abu Dhabi, which came after a year at the University of Atlántico in Barranquilla, Colombia. He’s not one to stay put; too many students to help in too many places.

“The best thing about teaching is seeing your students grow and meet their goals, and knowing you had some place in that student’s journey,” says Decker. “Whether it was a big or small contribution, you still got to be there to see them succeed.”

Decker’s journey began in Spanish class more than a decade ago.

“I loved learning a different culture and a different language,” he says.

After high school, he applied to different schools, but family events kept him closer to home, and he found himself attending TCC. “At first, I was disappointed I didn’t get to go to California or the Pacific Northwest, but I found during my first semester at TCC that my professors were the very best I could’ve hoped for,” he says.

“They were happy to mentor me. They were interested in learning themselves, which was something that took me aback.”

He took that encouragement and applied to TCC’s Honors program. There, he found more professors to push him and shape his career.

06

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

“They continuously pushed me to be a better student,” he says. “They collaborated with me on ways I could improve my professional portfolio. They gave me the time of day unlike I’ve experienced at any other place.”

Decker took his TCC experience to the University of Tulsa, and then to Teach for America where he taught at a school in Oklahoma City.

“One hundred percent of the school’s students were immigrants to the U.S.,” says Decker. There’s no one type of immigrant, no one way to be an immigrant. They come from all parts of the world.

They come with lots of money, or with no money.

“I was fascinated when they all converged at this high school by how much love and appreciation and fun you could have in a classroom with students from all over the world with such different backgrounds.”

The experience inspired him to apply for a Fulbright scholarship, which he received, to teach English in Colombia. He wanted to teach at a university, and the opportunity to return to a Spanish-speaking country.

“I also wanted to return to a part of Latin America where there was a strong literary history,” says Decker. “Plus, it was during the time when peace talks between the Colombian government and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).

It was an exciting time to be a visitor.”

As he finished his time in Barranquilla, he began looking for his next stop. He wanted to continue to teach English to non-English speakers, so he applied to schools in Asia, Africa and Europe. Abu Dhabi rose to the top. That decision made, he knew he’d have a couple months of downtime in Tulsa.

He applied for an internship with the George Kaiser Family Foundation, and ended up working at the Guthrie Green.

“It’s been interesting. I’ve learned about event planning for communities of different backgrounds,” says Decker. “I’ve learned more about education, but from a parks perspective. It’s broadened my perspective about the types of programming you can provide for children and families.”

It’s more knowledge he’ll put to use the next two years in the United Arab Emirates, and wherever he decides to go after that.

“My experiences have inspired me to continue teaching in different places in the world so I can continue to grow as an educator and connect with students from any number of backgrounds,” he says.

“I really responded well to being in a different environment, and I’ve continued to do that to challenge myself and see where I could end up.”

spotlight on innovation

With the help of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, TCC is working with several university transfer partners and the Gardner Institute Foundations of Excellence for a Tulsa Collaborative Transfer project. This two-year project recently kicked off with the goal to improve the student transfer experience from TCC to five other area universities.

Transferring Out spotlight on student success

Busy in Blue Ange-Belle Mbetsi believes in being involved.

A True Blue LEAD*, she is neck deep in all things TCC all the time. She works part-time in the financial aid office on TCC’s Southeast Campus, at Wal-Mart, and as an interpreter in both Spanish and French. She’s also trying to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.

“I’m an active person,” she says. “Being here, you have to be active if you want to stand out and reach your goals. My grandma tells me all the time, ‘I didn’t go to college or finish high school. If you are here, you are going to school because you have the resources. Do it.’”

Mbetsi’s family is from Cameroon, though they moved to Spain when she was eight years old.

Two years ago, they came to the United States, and she graduated from Broken Arrow High School. A high school advisor guided her toward TCC. She’s making the most of her experience.

“Professors and staff members have helped me evolve and grow as a person,” says Mbetsi.

“They’ve helped me view myself more positively and become more organized. I was disorganized before. And being here has helped me learn more about the community. It’s not just education.”

08

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

She shares her knowledge with TCC students and members of the community, and loves being a True Blue Leader.

“It makes me feel super good,” she says. “I go around helping students, or just helping anyone.

It’s really great. I enjoy it. Sometimes, I go to work and I volunteer at work. It’s something I’m passionate about.”

The College is only her first stop. Many people in her family have advanced degrees, and she says most of them are doctors or engineers. She plans to follow their lead.

“I want to get my bachelor’s in chemical engineering, and hopefully then become a doctor,” she says. “That’s my passion.”

TrueBlue LEAD [Leadership. Engagement. And. Development] is a scholarship and leadership development program focused on supporting the Tulsa Community College (TCC) community.

TBL leaders enhance student success by engaging with current and incoming TCC students and support a variety of TCC and community events.

Ange-Belle’s Advice: “Don’t be shy. On your first day of class, interact with other students.

Interacting with people is going to help you grow and help you have the confidence you need to be successful in college.”

09

Zoo’s Blues The first weekend of the Fall semester, thousands of TCC students, staff, faculty and their friends and families took over the zoo for the College’s annual back-to-school event.

10

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

11

TCC’s redesigned Academic Advising means more

one-on-one help for students TCC has dramatically increased the number of academic advisors available for students. These advisors help students solve any academic issues they might have while at the College, boost retention rates, improve student success percentages and create better overall student relationships.

The academic advisors at Tulsa Community College know if they have the opportunity to meet oneon-one with students, they can help them navigate college easier and help them to be a success while in school and after they leave.

The problem has been there have been so many students and so few advisors.

Two things changed that: the first – the launch of the College’s 2016-2020 Strategic Plan; the second – joining the Pathways project. TCC put an emphasis on lowering the student-to-advisor ratio. When the redesign started several years ago, TCC had a 1,100-to-1 student-to-advisor ratio, which translated into long lines, longer waits and students who just didn’t utilize advising services.

“We knew we needed a change,” Alonso says. “We first looked at research on the impact advising was having on students. We learned from this internal research that students who saw an advisor at some point during their first semester were 20 percent

12

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

more likely to be successful than those who did not.”

The student-to-advisor ratio now sits at 319-to-1, which allows significantly more time for each advisor to meet with any student.

“We are pleased with the progress we’ve seen thus far,” Alonso says. “Students already are meeting with advisors more frequently, and we’re seeing direct benefits for them – and for TCC – because of these changes.”

The College has seen a direct correlation between the lowered advisor ratio and the retention rate of its students: In 2016, TCC retention rates hovered at 60.4 percent, but by November 2017, retention rates jumped to 62.1 percent.

“We are seeing positive results throughout the entire college,” Alonso says. “We know that quality, accessible advising directly impacts retention rates, and we’re pleased to already see an improvement in TCC’s retention rates. We look forward to seeing those numbers climb even higher next year as we continue to improve the advising model.”

Senior Academic Advisor Becky Hankins says the advising redesign allows advisors to focus on the relationships they can now have with students.

“Our lower student-to-advisor ratio means we can build relationships with our students because we have more time with each one of them,” Hankins says. “Before, we were just jetting them in and out, trying our best to keep the lines down. Now, we can stop and make sure we’ve answered all their questions, see if they are struggling in their classes, and make sure they are feeling more successful as a college student.”

She says she now has regular students who come by once or twice a month, staying for 30 minutes or so each time.

“It is wonderful because I like to spend quality time with my students to make sure all their questions are answered,” Hankins says. “They will often apologize because they have one more question, but I can say, ‘That’s what I’m here for! Don’t apologize!’”

Kelly David, director of academic advising, says that in addition to establishing better relationships, the extra time allows her to review the student’s transcript and find additional classes taken at other universities that are transferable to TCC. In fact, David says now all first-time students and new transfers must meet with their academic advisers for one-on-one academic planning.

She says this will help new-to-TCC students get started correctly and take advantage of opportunities they may not otherwise known existed.

identified wait times and consistent information as being priorities for change, and those were some of the first areas addressed. “We’ve changed because we have responded to our students,” Alonso says. “We’ve made training a priority.

We’ve made resources available to all advisors.

And, most noticeably, wait times for advisors have dramatically decreased while availability of advisors has increased.”

However, Alonso says she and her team are not done yet.

“Greater things are coming,” she says. “We have just positioned ourselves with hiring and training to get all our academic advisors geared up and ready to help students this fall. We’ve done great things so far, but we’re not finished yet. And, it’s going to get even better.”

“I love that I am now able to focus on relationship building,” David says.

“I love it when I am able to help someone reach their goals more quickly because they aren’t aware some of their hours will transfer.” The changes made throughout academic advising are based on the feedback received from students over the past several years, Alonso says.

Students

13

Dr. Valerie O’Brien

Blooming where she was planted

14

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

Valerie O’Brien, Ph.D., is a living, breathing example of life coming full circle.

She started her education at Tulsa Community College in 2000, taking a botany class at the College’s downtown campus. She received encouragement from professors to continue her education and obtain her doctorate because of her passion for science and her desire to research and teach.

“It is amazing the impact one professor can have on one student, and I was very inspired by the professors at TCC,” she says. “And several professors said I should continue my education so that I could someday teach college.”

O’Brien graduated from Northeastern State University in 2004, the University of Tulsa in 2009 and then spent two and a half years on post-doctoral work at Oklahoma State University.

Then when a teaching position became available in her field of study at the TCC Metro campus, her tour of Oklahoma’s higher education institutions led her straight back to where it all began.

“This is the very campus where I started,” O’Brien says. “I tell my students every semester, ‘I was once where you were sitting – literally!’”

O’Brien started as a full-time faculty member in 2012, teaching Biology. She says her students benefit from knowing she began her post-secondary education just where they did.

“I understand what it is like to be a beginning student and to be a returning student,” she says. “One of the things Continued on page 16

15

I’ve realized as a professor is that students need to have the confidence that they can be successful. So many come into my class underconfident about their skill set. I love to be able to take what they can already do and show them how to accomplish what they can’t yet do.”

Since beginning at the College, O’Brien has taught Nutrition, Introduction to Biology for majors and Zoology, and she has conducted significant independent research projects to enrich her own teaching and expand opportunities for her students. “I believe independent research informs my teaching,” she says. “I bring my own research and papers into my classes to add to the overall learning process.”

And add she does: In 2015, four students from her Honors Nutrition course, with O’Brien as their faculty mentor, wrote a grant for the National Science Foundation Community College Innovation Challenge. They won, and attended an Innovation Bootcamp in Washington, D.C. “What was so exciting and impressive about that experience was the diversity of the students and what has come out of it for them,” she says. “These four students faced a number of challenging situations in their lives, including drug problems and military service with deployment and injury. One student grew up in a small town and had never flown on an airplane before. Since that time, two transferred to Oklahoma State University and received degrees, one has graduated from OSU Center for Health Sciences, and one is now in graduate school at the University of Oklahoma. It showed me we could provide our students with great opportunities that can impact them for a lifetime. I saw how the work I can do can be transformative.”

Her work is transforming professional areas as well: In the Fall of 2017, O’Brien and her

16

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

students started working at the Oxley Nature Center to collect insects and work with naturalists to determine the overall “health” of the area Oxley maintains as a prairie.

“We’ve gotten some intriguing results,” she says. “And this Fall, we’ll also study the vegetation and combine all of our collected data for a comprehensive report that could help the Oxley Nature Center.”

In addition, O’Brien is a recipient of the National Science Foundation Research Opportunity Award, which has allowed her to spend the past three biological seasons in Nebraska working alongside a professor at a research university on a research grant. She says this work helps her when she’s back teaching, allowing her to share her love of nature and the outdoors with her students.

“That’s the role of a professor: I want to convey my enthusiasm and explain to them what they can do to share the enthusiasm and joy that I have,” she says. “They can have the joy of discovery too.”

For her, all the work of the entire semester culminates when the student turns in his or her final.

“I want that to be a special moment for them – and for me,” she says. “I try to shake their hand or give them a hug when they turn in their final. They’ll say things like, ‘This has been great. I’m looking at birds and bugs like I never have before.’ They’ve fallen in love with science, and that will lead them so many places.”

For O’Brien, she knows first-hand that the final in her class isn’t an ending. It’s just the beginning of so much more.

Equitable

Outcomes for All Rags-to-riches stories are an inherent part of American culture.

At TCC’s annual Fall Convocation, the official kick-off to the academic year for TCC faculty and staff, President Leigh B. Goodson told the story of Loretta Lynn, the country music legend who took a $17 guitar, a truckload of talent and inexhaustible drive, and pulled her family out of extreme poverty.

Goodson called Lynn an extraordinary anomaly, a “great American tale of talent intersecting with rare opportunity that leads to great success.”

The American dream suggests that hard effort comes with big rewards, that everyone has an equal chance at resounding success, and that we’re all success stories in the making. Society tells us all anyone needs is drive and talent.

But that’s not quite true. You need more.

You need opportunity. You need resources.

To an extent, you need good luck. An MIT economist found it takes 20 years of favorable fortune – no job loss, no medical emergencies, no unforeseen calamities of any kind, no poor decisions – for a family to raise itself out of poverty. (The Vanishing Middle Class: Prejudice and Power in a Dual Economy by Peter Temin) “Oftentimes we hear from those unfamiliar with the real stresses of low income and poverty say, ‘Anybody can be successful in

America. It is the land of opportunity,’” says Goodson. “That isn’t realistic for all of our students. Many come in needing a year or more of developmental education, are relying on public transportation, must work and go to school at the same time, and are supporting a family.

“We know the key to breaking out of poverty is through education. Without an education, in today’s economy, opportunities are limited and making ends meet can require more income than one job can provide.”

Poverty isn’t the only factor that contributes to societal and educational inequity. TCC works with all kinds of students. Working adults. Returning students. New students.

Students of different races. Students from different cultures and countries. Any of these backgrounds can contribute to different factors that can become barriers to success.

Equitable doesn’t mean equal. Some students may need help with financial aid, while others might need to address food insecurity issues. All of those students deserve the same opportunity to be successful. The essence of the equity work at TCC is identifying and addressing the needs of each of those students.

This work is vital to the future of Tulsa, the state and the country, as workforce demands cannot be met without attention to longstanding equity gaps.

Continued on page 18 17

The Lumina Foundation’s A Stronger Nation report found that, “The nation faces an urgent and growing need for talent. To meet that need, many more people must earn college degrees, workforce certificates, industry certifications and other high-quality credentials. In order to meet our nation’s demand for post-high school education, we must close gaps by race, ethnicity, income, and immigration status.”

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion TCC’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion collaborates with stakeholders across the College to create and sustain an environment of inclusiveness where students, staff and faculty can achieve their highest potential without fear of prejudice or bias.

“Recognizing that historical circumstances and social structures produce imbalances in privilege, power and opportunity, we strive to cultivate a TCC climate that maximizes the potential of all our members,” says Eunice Tarver, TCC associate vice president of diversity and inclusion.

Examining TCC student success data, the College identified a gap between how different racial/ ethnic demographic groups were matriculating through the Institution. The College called on the University of Southern California’s Center for Urban Education team, one of the nation’s leaders in research on closing racial/ethnic equity gaps, to tackle inequity at the College and assist on the development an Equity Scorecard.

“We already know from our own outcomes and from much education research that students of color face additional more than do other populations,” says Goodson. “Students of color often feel they don’t belong in college.”

CUE’s equity work helps staff and faculty reflect on the assumptions they carry into the classrooms and how those assumptions impact their interactions with students.

“We have to challenge faculty and staff to proactively explore the assumptions they’re bringing with them, because those same

18

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

assumptions absolutely impact how we educate,” says Tarver.

CUE’s Equity Scorecard data and inquiry tools for problem-solving help the College understand what is and is not working for underrepresented students.

“With this data, we can begin taking steps to reach parity in degree and certificate attainment for these students,” says Tarver.

TCC data revealed African American students had the highest attrition rate compared to any other racial/ethnic group at the College. CUE led TCC faculty and staff through a process of asking “equity-minded” questions to help identify factors contributing to the graduation gap. Tarver and TCC’s Institutional Research and Assessment department and pulled a report that showed more than 500 African American students enrolled one Fall semester but did not enroll the next spring semester. The report identified over 100 of those students had a 3.0 or higher but had a financial hold on their bursar account that prevented them from enrolling in the spring semester. Some account balances were as low as a $116.00.

“If we didn’t ask the right questions about the data, we could’ve easily assumed that we lost these students because they couldn’t perform academically,” says Tarver. “The CUE work has already taught us how to use equity-minded prompts for further inquiry and discussion as a means to problem-solving and advancing equity.”

In response to the data, TCC reached out to those students who had a balance of $200 or more and offered to waive their balances so they could re-enroll. TCC will now offer completion grants to future students who are near completing their degrees to address the problem.

Taking Action TCC has shifted from the philosophy of merely providing access to higher education to ensuring the students who enroll at the College successfully accomplish their academic goals. The College

employs a record number of advisors ensuring students have more guidance through their academic path. Retention Specialists (which you can read about on page 4) are empowered to help at-risk students stay the course. The College restructured its developmental education courses to move students through the developmental education curriculum sooner so they can get into credit-bearing classes in faster time, which increases the odds of student success.

“These students are bright. As a community college our commitment is to provide a high quality, meaningful and relevant education for all learners, not just the ones we deem college-ready,” says Tarver.

“We have to stay on the cutting edge and prepare for every student that enters our institution.

We have to empower faculty to integrate a framework of community cultural wealth into their curriculum. We may have to provide a $500 completion grant to one student and summer bridge program for another one. Equity gives us permission to create opportunities and resources that meet the unique needs of students.”

What’s at Stake The College’s equity work is urgent. By 2027, more

than half of all high school graduates will be students of color. Minority students currently constitute approximately 40 percent of TCC’s student population. Of all the students who come to TCC for the first time as full-time students, only 15 percent graduate with an associate degree in three years. Only 12 percent of students of color graduate.

“How do we begin to engage intentionally in equitable outcomes? We want equitable outcomes for everyone,” says Tarver. “We are the community’s college. TCC is focusing on completion, and knowing that students of color are the emerging population around the country, we are not comfortable with only 12 percent of our students of color graduating.

“If the emerging majority group is students of color, and we know they have had unequal educational opportunities, it’s going to impact all of us. If we don’t start intentionally providing quality education experiences to all students, for America as a country, we’re going to have a loss of capability. ”

19

Q&A: TCC Regent Wes Mitchell Originally from Washington D.C., Regent Mitchell attended Howard University where he also played football. He retired from Hewlett-Packard Enterprise after 35 years with the company, and serves on the boards of many local non-profits and businesses. Mitchell joined TCC’s Board of Regents in August 2017 because he is passionate about education and believes in the opportunities TCC provides to the Tulsa community.

You come from a family of athletes. How have sports affected who you are as a leader?

Leadership is number one. Leadership, the quest for perfection, and the ability to work as a team for a common goal.

Why is higher education important?

Higher education is the one thing that can catapult a community, a family and an individual to a new level.

What impact has education had on your life?

Being the fourth generation of a collegeeducated family, I was brought up to value education. I knew I had to go to college back in kindergarten. It was not an option not to go. It was what was expected.

What does equity mean to you and why are you passionate about the cause?

To paraphrase the great George Kaiser, I don’t believe your outcomes in life should be determined by the ovarian lottery. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to succeed.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d offer current TCC students?

Complete your degree. It’s the best thing for you and your family for generations to come.

Success brings success.

BONUS ROUND Favorite book? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey Favorite movie? Body Heat

Why do you serve on TCC’s Board?

I serve out of a desire to make a difference in the community, and education is the largest bang for the buck, so to speak. Higher education is one of the few things that can move the needle in people’s lives, outside of winning the lottery.

20

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

Sunshine or clouds? Sunshine Favorite memory? High school state football championship Where’s your favorite place to visit?

Anywhere tropical

spotlight on excellence

Prepping Paralegals

for Success

TCC’s Paralegal Studies program has a reputation for producing qualified graduates that excel in the field.

More than 60 percent of the area’s new paralegals, also known as legal assistants, graduate from TCC. This past year the program received American Bar Association Approval which strengthens the credentials of its graduates.

“This assures a new student that the Paralegal Studies program at TCC is living up to standards set by the profession and provides a degree that is competitive with any paralegal education in the community,” says Michael Speck, M.A., J.D., assistant professor and coordinator of the Paralegal Studies program at TCC. The ABA Approval followed an intensive review of several years of student data and documentation, and an on-site evaluation by the Standing Committee on Paralegals and Approval Commission.

“Graduates from an ABA Approved program have a competitive edge against candidates from other programs,” says Speck. The ABA Approval process is a voluntary effort to measure a program by a set of objective standards and demonstrates TCC’s commitment to meeting the highest standards of a profession.

The TCC program has roughly 115 students enrolled and, on average, graduates approximately 15 students a year. Paralegals perform a variety of substantive legal tasks including: research, discovery and investigative work under the supervision of an attorney.

Susan Dittrich, paralegal for TCC’s general counsel, graduated from TCC’s program and worked for 30 years in corporate law firms before joining the College.

“TCC’s paralegal program gives you a basic foundation that prepares you for any legalrelated field,” says Dittrich. “When I started in this profession, TCC was the only institution with a paralegal program in Tulsa. It says a lot about the program that it has stood the test of time and produced many quality graduates who are making a difference in the Tulsa community.”

Forecasts show the profession growing, with a total job growth of 14 percent in the next few decades.

“Technology makes it easier for a senior attorney to assign some of this substantive work to a paralegal instead of to an attorney right out of law school, which saves the firm money, and that savings is passed on to the client,” says Speck.

21

spotlight on stewardship

Steward of the

Archives

Andy Taylor, Knowledge Management Librarian at TCC’s Northeast Campus, gets so excited when he sees a box full of memorabilia dropped off in his office.

“I love nothing more than when someone brings me a big box of photographs,” Taylor says. “I love to be surprised by what could be inside for our collection.”

Taylor manages TCC’s archives, the College’s collection of the historical memorabilia, photographs and items from its nearly 50-year history. And, he’s been a busy man.

This past year, he has digitized about 461 gigabytes of data – documents including the charter that created the College and two scrapbooks gifted by Jane Philips, the wife of TCC’s first president Alfred Philips, Ph.D. “The scrapbooks are filled with the details of the Philips family leaving Dallas and coming here to start the College,” he says. “They have letters from Dallas business leaders wishing them well as they start the College, and other great details from the early days of the College.

I call it the gem of our collection.”

Taylor says it is important to archive these details as a historical reference for the College, and he says adhering to the highest archival practices – like using acid free boxes and folders to preserve documents – is an equally important part of the process.

22

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

“You always know more about your institution when you understand its full history,” he says. “And we are archiving these items using the top archiving standards while simultaneously digitizing for our digital collection.”

In September, TCC announced its plans for the yearlong celebration of the College’s 50th anniversary, which will culminate in 2020.

In that announcement, TCC leaders also called for students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members to donate historical items, information or photographs.

“We love to have even just stories,” Taylor says. “Come by and just tell us what you know about the College. This process is ongoing, and we are always happy to hear from someone who knows anything about or has anything related to the college.”

To view the current digital archive collection, visit libraryservices.tulsacc.edu/omeka, and to donate or add information to the TCC archives, visit www.TCC50.com.

THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS REQUIRES SUPPORT Thank you to the President’s Society members for their support of TCC students and academic programs! Your contributions help TCC set students on pathways to success.

PRESIDENT’S SOCIETY MEMBERS Leeland Alexander Regent Robin Ballenger* Howard & Billie Barnett* Barry & Karen Davis Family Charitable Fund Chuck Blue Konnie Boulter* Teresa Meinders Burkett Brett Campbell Regent Paul Cornell Lisette Coston Dr. Peggy Dyer Ed Fariss Steven Fate John & Marge Gaberino M. Ted & Shiela Haynes Alana Hughes The Honorable Terry & Jeannette Kern* George Krumme Jim Langdon Phil Lakin

Regent Caron & Shawn Lawhorn* Regent Ron Looney Tim & Carol Lyons Nancy McDonald Regent Bill & Pat McKamey* Sanjay Meshri Rick Neal Pierce Norton Joan Parkhurst Roger Ramseyer Dr. Frank & Mary Baker Shaw* Jana Shoulders* State Farm Insurance Company* Melinda Stinnett Steve Turnbo Union Boundary Inc. DBA Greater Tulsa Reporter Newspapers

*denotes Lifetime Member

The Tulsa Community College Foundation provides support to Tulsa Community College and its mission by developing key relationships and financial resources.

2018 TCC FOUNDATION BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR: KONNIE BOULTER, Program Director, The Oxley Foundation VICE CHAIR: PHIL LAKIN, CEO, Tulsa Community Foundation SECRETARY/TREASURER: DAVID STRATTON, President, JPMorgan Chase, Tulsa PAST CHAIR: ALANA HUGHES, Director of Tulsa Grantmaking, Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation TRUSTEES Leeland Alexander, Associate Vice President, OU-Tulsa Schusterman Center Billie T. Barnett, Community Volunteer Teresa Meinders Burkett, Partner, Conner & Winters, LLP Jim Cameron, CEO, Cameron Glass, Inc. David Cole, Private Banking Manager, SVP, Bank of Oklahoma Carlin Conner, President & CEO, SemGroup Corp.

Lisette Coston, Executive Director of Support Services, Saint Francis Health System Sharon King Davis, Partner, King Investments Jim Dunn, Chairman, Mill Creek Lumber & Supply Co. Ed Fariss, Retired Steven L. Fate, Director of Business Operations Support, Public Service of Oklahoma Shane Fernandez, President of Nabholz Southwest, Nabholz Corporation Susan E. Harris, Retired/Consultant M. Ted Haynes, President, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma Kirk Hays, President and CEO, Arvest Bank Andy Kinslow, President, KKT Architects, Inc. David Kollmann, President, Central Region, Flintco, LLC Jim Langdon, Publisher, Langdon Publishing Co. William M. Lissau, Oklahoma Market President, Bank of America Mina Lotti, Community Volunteer

Tim Lyons, President & CEO, TTCU Federal Credit Union Meredith Siegfried Madden, CEO, The NORDAM Group, Inc. Susan B. Neal, VP for Public Affairs, University of Tulsa and Executive Director for Gilcrease Museum Pierce H. Norton II, President & CEO, ONE Gas Joan P. Parkhurst, Parkhurst Investments Eleanor Payne, Community Volunteer Henry Primeaux III, Investor Roger Ramseyer, Vice President & Tulsa Market Leader, Cox Communications Lou Reynolds, Senior Partner, Eller & Detrich John Rupe Jr., CEO, Rupe Helmer Group E. Paul Samuels, Senior VP, Wealth Management, Morgan Stanley Mary Shaw, Community Volunteer Melinda Stinnett, President, Stinnett & Associates, LLC Steve Turnbo, Chairman Emeritus, Schnake Turnbo Frank Chad Zamarin, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategic Development, The Williams Companies, Inc.

STAFF Leigh B. Goodson, Ph.D., President & CEO, Tulsa Community College Lauren Brookey, Vice President of External Affairs and President of TCC Foundation Mark McMullen, CFO, Tulsa Community College Rachel Hutchings, Director of Development, Tulsa Community College Foundation Monica Champ, Director of Major Gifts, Tulsa Community College Foundation Mautia Hall, Assistant Director of Development, Tulsa Community College Foundation Jeanne Blackwell, Administrative Assistant, Tulsa Community College Foundation Terri Floistad, Director Foundation Finance, Tulsa Community College Foundation Nancy Inglett, Foundation Board Liaison, Part-Time, Tulsa Community College Foundation

TULSA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION 6111 East Skelly Drive, Suite 605, Tulsa, OK 74135-6198 Phone (918) 595-7836 | tccfoundation@tulsacc.edu

2018 Vision Award Winner David Page has a singular drive when it comes to education – create equal opportunities for all students regardless of where they live or the resources they have. It stems from his own experience.

“In high school, I really wasn’t a good student.

I was accepted on probation to college as a freshman because of my grades,” he says.

“Over the years, I’ve seen kids in the exact same place where I was who don’t have the same opportunities to go to college.”

consolidate school services, Page provided community leadership. Later, he would become chair of the Oklahoma Business and Education Coalition providing statewide leadership for collaboration between the business and education communities.

In college, he started applying himself, got better grades and would earn a bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

His work on behalf of education stretches across the state and spans roughly 30 years.

Page says, “These education opportunities were life changing for me. What became clear to me was the learning process is never over.”

As his professional career took off, so did his involvement in the Tulsa community. Page completed a year internship with Operation Aware of Oklahoma, as part of Leadership Tulsa, getting an up-close view of the public school system and the challenges students faced. Eventually, he served as board chair for the organization and says that early experience shaped his advocacy for education.

In acknowledging great minds don’t always come from people with means but from anywhere, he wants our community to give every citizen the chance to excel. In 2009, Page added his voice to the public conversation when he served as chair of the Tulsa Regional Chamber and president of The Foundation for Tulsa Schools. This put him a unique position to bring the education and business communities together.

As Tulsa Public Schools completed Project Schoolhouse, an initiative to equalize and

Those who have worked with him, such as TCC President Leigh B. Goodson, say he brings his heart and his head to every education need in our community.

“Page is a consensus builder and a successful leader because he takes the time to listen and makes sure people have been heard and included in the decision making,” says Goodson.

He is reminded about something his mentor, a successful businessman and World War II veteran, told him years ago. The veteran said you will never be the smartest person in the room but you can always be successful by using the team of individuals in the room, listening and bringing their ideas together.

For Page, it is about listening and hearing the voices of everyone, even the smallest voices in our community.

“I honestly think creating equal opportunities in the areas of education is the most significant thing all of us should be focused on. For me, it drives everything else that is meaningful in democracy.”

25

A Foundation of

Education

26

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

Education has always been a part of Eleanor Payne’s life. It was an expectation of herself and her family that she would pursue a college degree.

Being from Jonesville, Louisiana, she grew up attending events at Grambling State University and always knew she’d go to college there. She knew she wanted to get out of the little town she grew up in, see the world and be successful, and to do that, she probably needed to major in business.

“As an African American, our professors steered us in the direction of business,” says Payne. “At the time, that was the thing to do. The big companies like Exxon and Ford were hiring, and they needed business majors.”

That was fine by her. Three of her brothers and her stepfather were in education, but she did not see that path for herself.

“I stayed away from education,” she says. “It was the thing everyone seemed to have done, and I didn’t want to do that. But in the end, it was always there.”

After working for Exxon, Texaco and NASA, she ended up pursuing advanced degrees, a Master’s and a Ed.D. in education, and found herself working in higher education and teaching in a classroom. She taught for seven years at San Jacinto College South in Houston before becoming the school’s Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning.

“I had a lot of experience in business, and since I was teaching business classes, I had a lot to bring to students,” she says. “But I couldn’t believe I was in education. I couldn’t believe I had become an educator. I had never worked so hard as when I got into education. I worked harder than I had at any job before, but I loved it.”

She fondly remembers teaching the principles of accounting, because it was something she didn’t really like.

“Accounting was not one of my favorite topics, so I’d really break it down for my students,” she says.

“I will run into students and they will tell me how much they really loved that class.”

She and her husband moved to Tulsa in 2000.

In 2003, she took a position on TCC’s Northeast Campus as Associate Dean of Business & Information Technology, becoming part of the TCC family. The experience solidified her belief in the role of the two-year college.

“The two-year college focuses on the needs of the community,” she says. “The curriculum is driven by those needs, and if we did not have a college like TCC, many students would not have the opportunity to obtain higher education.

“When I started teaching in a community college, I wondered why some of the students were there. They were not prepared for college. But our purpose is to meet people where they are and bring them forward. Teaching changed my perspective.”

In addition to serving on TCC’s Foundation Board and financially contributing to the College, she is also involved at Grambling State to help raise “fillin-the-gap” funding for students in need. In a way, her service and contributions are continuing the legacy of the people she grew up around.

“When I was in college, people in my community would give you $1 or $5 when they saw you at church or in the grocery store,” she says. “They’d give you whatever they had because they so badly wanted us to succeed.”

She sees that same spirit in TCC. “How wonderful is Tulsa Achieves? Students can attend college for two years for free. That was an inspiration to me to give and become a part of the TCC Foundation.”

27

Special thanks to our donors TCC Foundation President’s Circle (Individuals with lifetime contributions of $10,000 or more)

Bill and Pat McKamey Jim and Ann McKellar

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma

State Farm Insurance Company

Russell Brown

Sun Company Inc

Daniel and Marcia Brueggenjohann

Thomas K and Stacey McKeon

BP Amoco Foundation Inc

TCC Trust

John and Mary Ann Bumgarner

E Anne McWilliams*

Cancer Treatment Centers

The Anne & Henry Zarrow

Teresa and Robert Burkett

Sanjay Meshri Carol Messer

of America Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation

Foundation

Tim and K Caldwell

The Oxley Foundation

Jim and Janet Cameron

TTCU Federal Credit Union

Catherine Campbell

Audrey Alcorn

Larry* and Sandy Mocha

Alan and Ann* Anthony

Thomas and Helen Monahan

Cherokee Nation Businesses

Tulsa Area United Way

Ryan Childress

Robin Ballenger

David Morse

Cherokee Nation

Tulsa Community Foundation

Edward Cizek

Michael Barkley

Ruth Nelson

Entertainment LLC

Tulsa Futures Inc

Tom and Billie Clarke

Howard and Billie Barnett

Evelyn Nienhuis

Cox Communications

Tulsa Garden Club

Kevin and Jan Clayton

Sam and Lorelei Barton

John and Carole Nikkel

David & Cassie Temple Foundation

Tulsa Hospital Council Inc

David Cole

Robert and Karen Beach

Pierce and Debbie Norton

Decision One

Tulsa Regional Chamber

Annina Collier

Demetrius Bereolos

Tom and Jennifer Palmer

Dollar Thrifty Automotive

Tulsa Tech

Shawn and Sandy Cooper

Steve Berlin

Joseph Parker

Unit Corporation

Paul and Tabitha Cornell

Chuck and Betsy Blue

Gary Paxton and Jackie Kouri

Flint Family Foundation

University of Tulsa

Brad and Lisette Coston

Ray and Linda Booker

Robert* and Delia Pierson

Flintco Industries Inc

Walton Family Foundation Inc

Barry and Karen Davis

Konnie Boulter

Dick and Gerry Pittenger

Founders of Doctors’ Hospital Inc

Waters Charitable Foundation

Stephen and Ruthie Duenner

Montie and Betty Box

Linda and Stuart Price

George Kaiser Family Foundation

William K Warren Foundation

James and Barbara Dunn

Rob and Lauren Brookey

Jane and Henry Primeaux III

Grace and Franklin

Williams

Peggy Dyer

Daniel and Marcia Brueggenjohann

Richard and Alicia Ranne

Bernsen Foundation

WPX Energy, Inc.

William and Daryl Eaton

John and Mary Ann Bumgarner

Joe and Hannah Robson

Great Plains Coca Cola

YOT Full Circle Foundation

Barry and Jane Epperley

Brad and Peggy Burks

Stacy Schusterman

Tim and K Caldwell

Dr. Frank and Mary Shaw

Jim and Janet Cameron

Thomas Shaw*

Brett and Jennifer Campbell

Jana Shoulders

Helmerich & Payne Inc

Mike and Pat Case

Pete and Meredith

Henry L Doherty Educational

Kevin and Jan Clayton

Siegfried Madden

Group Inc

Bottling Company

Steven and Allison Fate

H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust

John and Chelsea Feary

Individual Donors

Douglas Fletcher and Erica Parker Janice Fonkalsrud

$50,000 or more

Foundation

Phil and Kelly Fonkalsrud Andres Franco

Bryan Close

Jeffrey and Robin Smith

Herman Kaiser Foundation

Robin Ballenger

Irving and Dixie Frank

Barry and Karen Davis

Erma Spann and Loren Stout

Hillcrest Health Care System

Tim and Carol Lyons

Gay Frayley

Dewey Dougless

Dr. Keith and Lisa Stanley

Hille Foundation

Pierce and Debbie Norton

Martin and Karen Garber

Stephen and Ruthie Duenner

Charles and Lorena Sublett

John Zink Company

Dixon* and Peggy Dyer

Fred Taylor and Suzanne Reese

Jones Gotcher & Bogan

William and Daryl Eaton

Deacon and Piper Turner

JPMorgan Chase

Richard and Judy Edmonson

Dean and Vesta VanTrease

Kathleen Leinbach Trust

Ed and Jennifer* Fariss

Michael Waller*

Linda Mitchell Price Charitable

Patricia Fischer

J David Wemhaner

Janice Fonkalsrud

Glenann Wilkerson

Phil and Kelly Fonkalsrud

Owen Wilkerson

John and Marge Gaberino

Richard* and Mollie Williford

Andrew and Rosemary Gaffey

Jacqueline Wilson

Martin and Karen Garber

T. and Maureen Wilson

Terence and Angela Golla

Kenneth and Wanda Wolfkill

Mark and Leigh Goodson

James and Susan Harris Cynthia Hess $10,000 - $49,999

James and Julie Higgins Jerry and Catherine Hoopert

Audrey Alcorn

Yvonne Hovell

Brad and Peggy Burks

Alana Hughes

Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation

Carlin Conner

Dean and Rachel Hutchings

Masonic Charity Foundation

John and Marge Gaberino

David and Katie Johnson

Mark and Leigh Goodson

Terry and Jeannette Kern

M. Ted and Shiela Haynes

Sharon King Davis

Carole Huff-Hicks

Judi Klein

Meinig Family Foundation

Phil and Adriane Lakin

Kim Koleber

Chad and Bronya Zamarin

MidFirst Bank

Linda and Stuart Price

George Krumme

James and Susan Harris

Henry Zarrow*

Morningcrest Healthcare

Jane and Henry Primeaux III

Kimberly Kunnemann

M. Ted and Shiela Haynes

*in memoriam

Roger and Terri Ramseyer

Jim Langdon and Juley Roffers

Pete and Meredith

Shawn and Caron Lawhorn

Jerry and Catherine Hoopert Stephen Jatras* George Kaiser Terry and Jeanette Kern

Bettye Knight

TCC Foundation Circle of Excellence (Organizations with lifetime contribution of $25,000 or more)

Foundation

Foundation

Siegfried Madden

A. R. and Marylouise Tandy Foundation Adelson Family Foundation

George Krumme

Aetna

Virginia Kulp*

Albert & Hete Barthelmes Foundation Inc

Ronald and Sue Looney

ONE Gas, Inc.

T. and Maureen Wilson

John and Mina Lotti

ONEOK Inc

Jacqueline Wilson

Cameron Macleod

Osteopathic Founders Foundation

Chad and Bronya Zamarin

Phil and Leslie Maltby

Phillips Petroleum Foundation Inc

Melvin and Brenda Martin

Public Service Company

John Kontogianes*

Shawn and Caron Lawhorn

Maxine and Jack Zarrow

Foundation Inc

C.* and Sharon King Davis James and Suzanne Kneale

of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Surgical Hospital

James and Julie Higgins Mary Ann Hille

Foundation Inc

QuikTrip Corporation

Joe and Nancy McDonald $5,000 - $9,999

Robert S & Helen Grey Trippet

Joseph and Carol McGraw Jim and Ann McKellar

Leeland Alexander

Sanjay Meshri

Ruth Nelson Family Foundation

Justin Barmore

Carol Messer

Saint Francis Health System

Brenda Barnes

Sheri Miksa

Samson Companies

Howard and Billie Barnett

Michael and Leslie Moore

Foundation

Edward Leinbach

American Airlines Inc

Sarkeys Foundaton

Dan and Rebecca Bloom

Edwin Morse

Michael and Sharon Limas

AT&T

Schnake Turnbo Frank, Inc.

Chuck and Betsy Blue

David Morse

Ronald and Sue Looney

Bama Companies

SemGroup

Eric Bohne

Rick and Susan Neal

George Mauerman

Bank of America

Shell Oil Company Foundation

Ray and Linda Booker

Thomas Oare

Joe and Nancy McDonald

Bank of Oklahoma

SouthCrest Hospital

Montie and Betty Box

Tom and Jennifer Palmer

Janet McGehee

Barnett Family Foundation

Spirit AeroSystems Inc

Rob and Lauren Brookey

Joseph Parker

Joseph and Carol McGraw

Blossom Charitable Trust

Stacy Schusterman Revocable Trust

Loriel Brown

Jerry and Joan Parkhurst

28

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

of the last year Larry and Eleanor Payne

Gregory and Beth Nellis

Kary Gary

Brian Payne

Laura Acker

Roy and Barbara Peters

Edward O’Brien

Marita George

Tina Pena

Karen Anderton

Delia Pierson

Michael Pierce

Lisa Gerow

Andrea Peverley

Amber Anthony

David Poth

Joe Quickle

Ginelle Gordon

Julianne Pfister

Rena Armstrong

Frauke Quiroga

Kate Robertson

Zachary Grant

Lance Phillips

Sangeetha Arunachalam

Andrew and Hannah Ralston

Ann Schlitt

Patrick Green

Millard and Susanne Pickering

Leigh Aynes

Bill Ramsey

Ken and Romelle Seever

Allison Griffith

Michelle Place

Karlin Bailey

Roger Randle

Angela Sivadon

Lissa Hair

Justin and Julie Porterfield

Linda Baldwin

Richard and Alicia Ranne

Robert Stafford

Mautia Hall

Jeff and Diane Potts

Catherine Bankston

Robert and Linda Reins

Lee and Carol Swarthout

Rebecca Hankins

Sherree Richey

Andrea Barber

Lou Reynolds

Christopher Westfall

Karen Harmon-Miletello

Lynn Richmond

David and Helen Barlow

Bernard and Marcy Robinowitz

Travis and Lindsay White

Ty Harrell

Geordie Robertson

Cameron Bedient

Joe and Hannah Robson

Clark Wiens

Diane Harris

Pamela Rogers

Elizabeth Binger

E. Paul and Patricia Samuels

Margaret Harrison

Charlotte Rowe

Ashley Bishop

Dick and Alma Schmitz

Jessica Heavin

Thomas Rowe

Diane Black

Traci Heck

Carolyn Schluckebier

Jeanne Blackwell

Chris Higgins

Phyllis Seitter

Adam Brennan

Frank and Mary Shaw

$100 - $499

W.H. and Dyanne Sidner Jeffrey and Robin Smith

David Adams

Phillip Hill

Paula Settoon

Tamara Britton

Erma Spann and Loren Stout

Libby Adjei

Jenny Hodges

Cindy Shanks

Trudy Brock

Weldon and Belynda Spitzer

Judith Anderson

Robert Holleman

Matthew Sharpe

Cassidy Brown

Thomas and Sue Stees

Allan Avery

Catherine Hoover

Matt and Kari Shults

Marsha Brownlee

Greg Stone

Deborah Batson

Jeffrey Horvath

Michael Siftar

John Bruce

Bill and Susan Thomas

Jennifer Beatie

Jennifer Ivy Barth

Mary Sirkel

CeeJay Buchanan

Kate Thomas

Kelly Berry

Janet Jackson

Kenton Smith

Julie Buchheim

Robert Thomas

Terry Bevins

Brusse James

Linda Smith

Jacqueline Bulleigh

Diane Trimble

George Black

Jim and Judy Jarvis

Pat Smith

Donald Burns

Steve Turnbo

Loray Brady

Karen Jeffers

Amanda Southard

Shelly Butler

Dean and Vesta Vantrease

Elizabeth Brandon

David Johnson

Diana Spencer

Carmen Cavanaugh

David and Rachel Wagner

Jennifer Brown

Carol Johnson

Kimberly Spencer

Daniel Chaboya

Scott and Sidney Webb

Angela Browning

Gary Johnson

Serena Staires

Mary Christopher

Steve Wells

Nicole Burgin

Linda Joyce

Ashlyn Stallings

Betty Clark

Roy and Rebekah Wood

Susan Burlew

Robert Katz

Cheryl Stanley

Jerri Clark

Thomas and Karla Campbell

Lyn Kent

Kassey Steele

Chad Compton

Mary Cantrell

Mary Kent

Barbara Stephens

Patti Conroy

Conrad Casler

Tony Kirby

Jelena Stewart

Jonathan Cooper

Amber Chase

Percy Kirk

Kathy Stotts

Michael Cortez

Terri Alonso

Glen Cockrell

Jennifer Kneafsey

Robert Stoven

Jill Coulter

Xan Black

Lori Coggins

Lori Knight

Jeffrey Stuckey

Judith Cox

Jason Blakenship

Cindy Coker

Anna Kuchta

Rhiannon Sullivan

Timothy Cox

Ken Busby

Ron and Jan Coleman

Nathan Kuntz

Donna Swaffar

Lucinda Crain

D Forrest Cameron

Brian and Marilyn Culp

Regina Lary

Eunice Tarver

Ruth Crittendon

Brett and Jennifer Campbell

DiAnne Cunningham

Lennette Lawless

Fred Taylor and Suzanne Reese

Thomas Culpepper

Harry and Monica Champ

Chelle Davidson

Timothy Lawson

Sydney Teel

Miguel Da Corte

Chris and Laura Cowan

Sloan Davis

Deborah LeMaster

Donna Thurman

Lawton and Kathy Daily

Steven Cox

Tim Degeer

William and Monica Lissau

Allison Tifft

Tran Dang

Tommy Crall

Jose Dela Cruz

Linda Lyons-Coyle

Jamie Townsend

Terry Daniel

Kevin and Kelly David

Manuel Dickens

John and Lee Major

Christopher Tsotsoros

Rachael Davidson

Randy Dominguez

Jessica Dillard

Lisa Malone

Tom Walton

Denise Delozier

William Dunbar

Lillie Douglas

Scott Mannas

Jane Warren

Gary Dennis

Ed Fariss

Harriette Dudley

Susan Martin

Barbara Waxman

Daniele Dennison

Ruth Ann Fate

Jennifer Dunaway

Sam and Patricia McCall

Courtney Wayland

Elisha Dilbeck

Pageant Ferriabough

Mona Easterling

Margaret McKee

Roger Wehrs

Michelle Dixon

John and Denise Gibson

Shirley Elliott

Andrew Mckenzie

Sean Weins

Gabrielle Easter

Mark and Kristen Graham

Kaye Ellis

Mark McMullen

Jaclyn Wertis

Kathleen Edwards

Julie Hall

Noam Faingold

Marina Metevelis

Joelle Wiggs

John Elias

Ryan and Vanessa Hicks

Timothy Fernandez

Sally Mondragon

Annette Williams

Karol Ellington

William Ivy and Eileen Kenney

Jenny Fields

Sheila Moore

Yolanda Wilson

Kirk Elliot

Michael and Sharon Limas

Lindsay Fields

Katherine Moore

Margaret Yar

Danielle Eppard

Richard and Sue Lohmann

Anne Fischer

Adrienne Morecraft

Gary Young-Allen

Nathan Faught

Peter Luitwieler

Teresa Floistad

Joshua Muller

Devery Youngblood

Sydney Forbis

Julie Luscomb

Mark Forsberg

Mackenzie Murphy-Wilfong

Sandra Zingo

Leon Foust

Shannon Matthews

Patrick and Estella Franken

Dean Muse

James Maxson

Joyce Friske

Joseph Nosak

Bill and Pat McKamey

Susan Fryer

Anthony O’Connor

Thomas K and Stacey McKeon

Anna Gambill

Robert Painter

Jane Mudgett

Fred Garfinkel

Royce and Sheila Parr

$500 - $999

Joseph and Aimee Francois-Schnetzer Up to $99

Alissa Freeman Ronald Fujikawa

Melinda Acevedo

April Fyffe

29

30

Heather Garrett

Dale Mills

Norma Walker

Langdon Publishing Company

Jim Geurin

Nicole Mina

Shane Wamsley

Linda Mitchell Price Charitable

Dora Gilbert

Gabrielle Moore

Salli Wandke

Booker Gillespie

Elsie Mrosko

Cynthia Ward

Magellan Midstream Partners

Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital

Shelly Gilliam

Andrew Mullenix

Pam Wellendorf

Nabholz Construction Corporation

ARVEST Bank & Trust

Julie Giovannetti

Autumn Munkirs

Sherrill Whipple

Osteopathic Founders Foundation

Celebrity Attractions

Joan Glock

Mariana Munoz

Rhonda Williams

QuikTrip Corporation

Chrysalis Salon and Spa

Shelby Go

Michael Nance

Kimberly Williams

Schnake Turnbo Frank, Inc.

Classen School of Advanced Studies

Joyce Goodrum

Natalie Nesbit

Paula Willyard

Stinnett & Associates

TCC College Staff Council

Tammy Graves

Kari Neufeld

Clarice Wilson

Johanna Greenhalph

Stacy Nobles

Jessica Wilson

Breyona Greenlee

Gregory Null

Vicki Wilson

DeLisa Griffin

Vonetta O’Brien-Schiffman

Darci Winter

Lisa Guevara

Scott Olinske

Stacia Woodard

Bama Companies

D.I. Designs

Christine Hamilton

Rebecca Olsen

Laura Woodward

Bank of America

First Christian Church of Tulsa

Diane Haney

Cassie Olson

William Worsham

Barnett Family Foundation

Individual and Family Service LLC

Charlene Hanlon

Joe O’Shansky

Amanda Wright

Beck Design

Jemoca Pearl

Randii Harrald

Minesh Patel

Anna Xiong

Bigglesworth Family Foundation

Joshi Technologies International

Ruben Haye

Karrie Paul

Daneka Yang

Boston Avenue Methodist Church

JPP Inc.

Julie Healy

Steven Perdue

Lauren Yates

CamGlass

K9 Manners & More

Don and Melanie Heffington

Anne Phillips

*Individual levels could include

Central National Bank

Ludger’s Bavarian Cakery

Pati Hoffman

Gay Phillips

soft credit

Children’s Medical Charities

Michael V’s Restaurant and Bar

Susan Hoggard

Janet Pitt

Jeff Holt

Debra Pleasant

Lori Hopkins

Paulette Pogue

Hannah Hudspeth

Jack Pontious

Christie Huffman

Jason Powers

Chris Hunter

Rosezelma Price

Jim and Nancy Inglett

Matthew Rabe

Terry Jacobs-Davis

Julie Rathbone

Pat Jefferson

Pamela Roberts

Tandy Foundation

Debra Jenkins

Jacalyn Roberts

John Jenkins

Kerstin Robinette

Judith Johnson

Vickie Robison

George Jonas

Joyce Roodman

Michele Jones

Ann Rutherford

Kristi Jones

Kimberly Ruyle

Pam Kannady

Melissa Schad

Jorden Kasemodel

Stephanie Schmidt

Jill Keeler

Foundation Inc

Conner & Winters $1,000 - $4,999

ConocoPhillips Corporate Contributions

Montereau

Crossland Construction

Nameplates Inc

Darden Family Charitable

Nottinghill Construction LLC

Foundation $1,000,000 or more

ABM Janitorial Services

Congregation B’nai Emunah

Association Inc.

Organizations

Up to $99

Dewberry Design Group

Oklahoma Physical Therapy Foundation

Eller & Detrich

Oklahoma Policy Institute

Ruth Nelson Family Foundation

First United Methodist Church

Oral Roberts University

A. R. and Marylouise

Flintco Industries Inc

Prosperity Bank

Fritz Baily PC

Rupe Building Company

GH2 Architects

Sky Fitness and Wellbeing

Helmerich & Payne Inc

St Matthew’s Episcopal Church

Herman Kaiser Foundation

Hille Foundation

TCC Faculty Association

Public Service Company

Hispanic American Foundation

TD Williamson Inc

Jim Norton Toyota

The bART Center for Music

Johnson Controls

The Pinpoint Resource

JPMorgan Chase

Tulsa County Veterinary Medical

LUXA Enterprises

Tulsa Foundation for Architecture

Jona Schweinberg

Madalene Church

Tulsa Global Alliance

Ruby Kimmons

S Self

Mariner Wealth Advisors

Tulsa Historical Society

Jodi King

Karla Shannon

Matrix Service Company

Tulsa Regional Chamber

Dianne Kirk

Sheri Sharp

McNellie’s LLC

Tulsa Rose Society

Gloria Kirkpatrick

Melissa Simpson

Metro Christian Academy

Tulsa Wealth Advisors,

Jordan Kizer

Allison Sims

Greg Koch

Sol Smith

Flint Family Foundation

Morgan Stanley

U Dirty Dawg

Sarah Kunce

Elizabeth Smith

Founders of Doctors’ Hospital Inc

Muscogee (Creek) Nation

Union Boundary Inc. DBA Greater

Katie Lackey

Jo Ann Smith

George Kaiser Family Foundation

Oklahoma State University

Amy Lagers

Elizabeth Sonnenfeld

ONE Gas, Inc.

Oklahoma State University

Sandra Lanoue

Kari Soto

ONEOK Inc

Alexa Larson-Thorisch

Therese Spanich

TTCU Federal Credit Union

Lena Larsson

Jane Spear

Peter Leininger

Peggy Spears

Samantha Lemmon

Colleen Springer

Caitlin Lewis

William Sprung

Amy Linfoot

Jill Stafford

Cherokee Nation Businesses

Premier Consulting Partners

Jamie Livingston

Melissa Steadley

Cox Communications

River Spirit Casino Resort

Carolyn Lochiatto

George Stilson

Maxine and Jack Zarrow

Rogers State University

Rachel Longacre

Faith Storck

Jessica Lopez

Melissa Strong

Timothy Lovell

Glenda Summerlin

Marcene Mackey

Jeannette Swan

SemGroup

Scott Mackey

Beth Tenney

Tulsa Community Foundation

Security Bank

Ted Maliga

Melissa Thurston

Tulsa Garden Club

Tulsa Wealth Advisors

Mohammed Mannan

James Tiffee

Williams

University of Oklahoma Foundation

Ryan Marshall

Stephanie Titsworth Ingold

Melissa Masse

Andy Tripp

Jennifer McMahon

Russell Vaclaw

James McManus

Jennifer Van Patten

Michael McRuiz

Kristy Vang

Bank of Oklahoma

Stephanie Merritt

Lanetta Vann

KKT Architects

Webco Industries

Paul Mihos

Sarah Wagner

Kontogianes Family

WPX Energy, Inc.

Ashley Miller

Mary Walker

Scholarship Fund

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation

of Oklahoma The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation The Oxley Foundation

$25,000 - $99,999 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma

Moody’s Jewelry

Foundation Omni Air International Paragon Films for Christ Charitable Trust

$10,000 - $24,999

Potts Family Foundation Pray Walker P.C.

Foundation Michael and Elizabeth Johnson Family Foundation

Foundation, Inc RVA LLC Sam and Rita Combs Charitable Fund

University of Tulsa University Village Retirement $5,000 - $9,999

Community Wallace Engineering Structural Consultants, Inc.

Raymond James

Tulsa Reporter Newspapers White Lion World Travel Services

Blue Ribbon Year for TCC 1 6 2 7 3 8 4 9 5 10

Associate Professor of Human Services Sharolyn Wallace, Ph.D., LCSW, RPT-S, was named chair of the Association for Play Therapy board of directors.

Assistant Director of HR Jeff D. Owens received the Susan R. Meisinger Fellowship for Graduate Study in Human Resources from the Society for Human Resource Management.

TCC was recognized as one of 10 finalists for the prestigious Bellwether Award for its Pathways work and the progress made in just two short years of implementation.

TCC Academic Counselor John Thao was named co-chair of the education committee for Mayor G.T. Bynum’s New Tulsans Initiative.

Randy Dominguez, Lynnda Brown and Jennifer Campbell received the 2018 Online Excellence Award for Innovation for their work on “Ongoing Professional Development Plan for Faculty Who Teach Online” presented by the Council for Online Learning Excellence and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Online Taskforce.

Assistant Professor Suzanne Reese received the 2018 Lucy Blair Service Award from the American Physical Therapy Association for her lifelong contributions to the field of physical therapy.

Director of Global Learning Doug Price, was named vice chair of the Oklahoma Governor’s International Team which advocates for sustainable economic development through export trade and to encourage the globalization of Oklahoma.

Dean of Students Dr. Harriette Scott Dudley and faculty member Dewayne Dickens were named to the Greater Tulsa African-American Affairs Commission.

TCC’s innovative co-requisite MathPath model was highlighted

by The University of Texas at Austin, Charles A. Dana Center for producing great results for students.

President Leigh Goodson was named one of the Fifty Making a Difference honorees for 2018 named by the Oklahoma City Journal Record.

31

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID TULSA, OK PERMIT NO. 428

909 South Boston Tulsa, OK 74119 www.tulsacc.edu

TCC CORE VALUES

As an educational institution charged with providing lifelong learning opportunities for its students and its community, Tulsa Community College identifies integrity and quality as the cornerstones upon which all other values rest—shaping both priorities and decision making throughout the institution.

STUDENT SUCCESS is the reason TCC exists. We strive for all students to be successful in their educations and we strive for the education to effectively prepare students for their lives. Learning is the focus because it is the essence of an institution of learning.

EXCELLENCE drives us. We strive to provide excellent education to our students, excellent resources to our community, and excellent administration and management for our employees.

STEWARDSHIP guides our daily decision-making. We investigate community needs and expectations and then respond by providing quality education that is responsive, convenient and affordable.

INNOVATION sparks our creativity and ensures that the hearts and minds of our students, faculty, staff and administration are actively engaged in acquiring learning, increasing our knowledge, and leading the community forward.

DIVERSITY is our common bond. Sincere appreciation for and cultivation of differences enriches our lives, the community, and the education we offer. It is a source of our pride and integral to our success.

Notice of Non-Discrimination: Tulsa Community College is committed to establishing an environment for its students and employees that fosters inclusion, values equity and diversity, embraces and respects the dignity of people, and provides equal educational and employment opportunity. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations the College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable discrimination law in its policies, practices, or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational programs, activities, or services. The Civil Rights Compliance Administrator, 3727 E. Apache Room AB218, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Phone 918-595- 8487; email: TCCnondiscrimination@tulsacc.edu has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies. The Title IX Coordinator, 909 S. Boston Ave, Room 505, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Phone 918-595-7842; email: TCCTitleIX@tulsacc.edu has been designated to handle inquiries regarding sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, pregnancy, domestic violence, and stalking.

This publication, printed by Meeks, is issued by Tulsa Community College as authorized by Title 70 O.S. 4413. 2,600 copies have been prepared and distributed at a cost of $6,099.17 ($2.35 per copy). This publication is issued by Tulsa Community College authorized by Title 70 O.S. 4413 and is located at the following website(s): TulsaCC.edu/CommunityMagazine.