TCC Community Magazine - Spring 2018

M AG A Z I N E | T U L S ACC . E D U SPRING 2018

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diversity A Professor’s Guide to Confusing Situations 10

Community Magazine is a publication of Tulsa Community college

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reach out to students needing extra help, and even specialize in certain programs. Of course, all of these activities ultimately help students succeed.

SPRING 2018

Tulsa Community College 6111 E. Skelly Drive, Suite 400 Tulsa, OK 74135 Leigh B. Goodson, Ph. D. President & CEO

Dear Friends, In the past few years, we have taken great steps to remove barriers to student success, and that has meant embracing change as a College. We have, and continue to improve what we do and how we do it.

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

Community Magazine is published each Fall and Spring semester

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Tulsa Still Achieving

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Spotlight on Student Success

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Keeping Score

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Spotlight on Excellence

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Fish DNA Research

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Spotlight on Innovation

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Math Path to Sccuess Adds Up

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Spotlight on Stewardship

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TCC Foundation

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Spotlight on Diversity

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2018 Vision Dinner

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Tulsa Still Achieving

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Making it Count

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Spotlight on Alumni

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Schusterman Gifts & Foundation Funds At work

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Campus and Cathedrals

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Special thanks to our donors of the last year

We have tailored our strategic plan to meet the needs of our Tulsa community and our evolving student body. This focus has changed our processes and, such as in the case of MathPath, how we structure our courses. The changes even extend into the structure of our buildings, as evidenced by the beginning of construction on the Student Success and Career Center at our Southeast Campus.

We are seeing our efforts pay off with increases in degree and certificate completions, and fall-to-fall retention rates. In one year, retention rates for underrepresented and minority students rose nearly 7 percent. We have also substantially reduced our studentto-advisor ratio from 1044-to-1 to 530-to-1, and we expect to have that number down to 300-to-1 this summer as we hire more advisors. Having more advisors has allowed them to spend more time with each student,

A major challenge to educating tomorrow’s workforce is addressing inequity. A considerable amount of this publication illuminates the work we are doing not only to make higher education accessible to students, but to ensure they find success while they are with us. In this publication, TCC Assistant Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion and Northeast Campus Provost Eunice Tarver talks about the tremendous challenge we have in creating truly equitable opportunities for all TCC students and how we are beginning to address the problem.

In the spirit of the work we are doing to embrace the needs of our students and our Community, we’ve renamed our magazine to better reflect who we are as an institution of higher education.

Traditionally in our magazine, we’ve highlighted work we do in support of our core values: student success, excellence, stewardship, innovation and diversity, and this issue is no exception. You’ll see stories about True Blue leaders, concurrent enrollment programs, faculty who go beyond their job descriptions, and alumni who inspire. You will read a story about the impact Tulsa Achieves has had on our College and our city, and one about the impact on a major financial gift.

With your support, our students are achieving success. Thank you for continuing to believe in TCC.

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spotlight on student success From the classroom and into the fire academy, TCC students suited up as interns with the Broken Arrow Fire Department and the Tulsa Fire Department.

Through a partnership, students in TCC’s Fire & Emergency Medical Services program participated in training with either the Broken Arrow Fire Academy or the Tulsa Fire Academy. While our students earned college credit, they gained real hands-on training and a number of credentials to prepare them for their career.

“While I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter, this experience showed me a new aspect regarding the responsibility and the drive you need to be successful in a career as a firefighter,” said Joshua Sherman, one of the nine interns.

Four interns have started their careers as firefighters and moved into full-time jobs – one with the Broken Arrow Fire Department and

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three with the Tulsa Fire Department.

Now a TCC graduate, Joshua believes his opportunity is coming. “The internship provides me with an advantage in applying to area fire departments for a position.”

He says the connections he made at TCC helped bridge his connection to the career he wants.

“I thought being a firefighter was like a superhero.

But now, I think it is more about being a service hero because I recognize, during an emergency, you are seeing the person on the worst day of their life and you do what you can to make it better. That is how you serve the community.”

excellence The Blue Standard How do you motivate students to inspire success? You equip them with leadership skills and watch them flourish.

program has enhanced his college experience, and he’s relished the opportunity to interact with TCC faculty, staff and students.

At least that’s what is happening on campus with TCC’s new True Blue LEAD scholarship students. The program equips students with leadership development skills and has them work directly with TCC employees and students in New Student Orientation and through academic schools or retention efforts.

TrueBlue LEAD students serve as facilitators, hosts and resources for students in a multitude of capacities.

“Being a member of True Blue Leads, we’re given an integral role within the College,” he says. “We’re not only being leaders, but in some cases, mentors helping to provide assistance to students who are not necessarily as active as we are. That’s what drives me.”

“When students are involved in activities they are more likely to persist,” says Jenny Beatie, dean of students. “True Blue Lead students not only benefit personally from the program they also have a positive influence on incoming students.”

“It’s opened a lot of doors for me, from more scholarship opportunities to networking with people who can help me through any problems I might have. True Blue Leads gives you as a student a greater role in TCC and enhances your College experience.

Joseph Mason, a current True Blue Lead, expects to graduate from TCC in December then pursue his bachelor’s in Natural Resource and Ecology Management at Oklahoma State University. He believes participating in the

“Going to school doesn’t necessarily have to just be going to class. There are so many groups to get involved with. True Blue Leads gives students incentive to be more active within the College.”

Mason values the experience he’s had as a member of the program, as well as the opportunities it’s provided him.

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Students from the Union High School pilot program

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innovation Dualing Degrees: TCC Leads the State in Concurrent Enrollment Concurrent enrollment, or dual credit, where high school students can earn college credit and high school credit at the same time, is nothing new.

TCC has been partnering with local schools for decades, and the demand for more concurrent programming keeps increasing.

TCC provides more concurrent enrollment programs than any other institution in Oklahoma, with students earning almost 20,000 credit hours a year. TCC has a dedicated concurrent enrollment department that serves more than 85 state school districts, 100 home-educated and private schools, and more than 2,000 students a semester. Classes are delivered in high schools, online, as well as on TCC campuses.

“What we do is part of the TCC strategic plan,” says Melissa Steadley, TCC director of concurrent enrollment programs. “Our part is to increase college readiness. Nationally, dual credit programs have been shown to increase persistence, grade point average and degree completion.”

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Steadley says data shows students who participate in dual enrollment programs have higher rates of graduation because the programs lessen the time and cost of degree completion.

degree in one year. If students maximize their dual credit opportunities and graduate with 45 credit hours, they can complete the Associate Degree by Christmas,” she says.

“It helps students get started on the right foot,” she says. “The statistics show if you can get them a college nest egg, so to speak, they are more likely to graduate from college. We put them on a pathway and deliver university transfer education courses. They get through the gateway classes by the time they graduate high school so they have momentum.”

Dual credit does not mean open admission for dual credit students. They still have to meet the State’s eligibility requirements to qualify for both admission and enrollment.

Dual credit programs begin the summer after a student’s sophomore year. Counting summers, students have six semesters and can take six hours of courses tuition free. Steadley says most dual credit students complete 15-27 college credit hours by the time they graduate high school.

“If they graduate from high school in May with 30 credit hours, students can complete an Associate

“We work with the high schools to get students enrolled who want to go to college, who want to explore different majors because they’re not quite sure what they want to major in,” says Steadley.

“This is the perfect way to explore that. We strive to put them on the pathway to a degree or a major, but it’s also a great time for a student who thinks they want to do computer science to take a programming language.”

In addition to partnerships with various high schools, and classes on TCC campuses, TCC is running a pilot program at Union High School.

The program has the same admission requirements as other concurrent programs, but is open to sophomores per an Oklahoma State Regents policy exception. Those who qualify are then selected based on the socio-economic distribution of the Union Public School district.

Another dual enrollment program recently launched at Broken Arrow High School where students will simultaneously graduate with an Associate in Liberal Arts from TCC and their high school diploma. The Liberal Arts degree will then fully transfer to Northeastern State University.

“We’re excited students are being given a collegeprep course our faculty have designed,” says Steadley. “We’ll be able to offer it to other high schools who want to increase college readiness with a full year of preparation. Concurrent enrollment is part of being in a community.

It’s the right thing to do, and we know it’s good for students.”

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Stewardship Caitlin Lewis knelt down on the grass to be on the same level with Marko. He is a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois who is also a highly trained K-9 Trooper with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

Lewis and her classmates in the TCC Veterinary Technology program took a break from class to present Marko and his partner, Trooper Aaron Lockney, with the gift of a new bullet/stab resistant K-9 vest.

The TCC Veterinary Technology Student Association raised more than $1,000 to purchase the custom-made vest.

“It was a huge undertaking and, at the same time, it was so rewarding,” Lewis says.

As acting president of the student association, she researched and identified Marko because he didn’t have a vest to protect him from being attacked while chasing and apprehending criminals.

“Our student association adopts a community project each year. We realize our role goes beyond taking care of the

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smallest members of a community to being involved in the community,” Lewis says.

It is a responsibility she takes seriously as she prepares to graduate in May 2018.

For her, involvement means being connected. That connection was evident during the meeting with Marko as she scratched his ear and he inched closer to put his head on her lap. The connection also extends to Marko’s partner, Trooper Lockney.

“In this career, you can do a lot for an animal but then knowing another person appreciates it is a really good feeling,” Lewis says.

“I teared up a little to see him with the vest.”

Caitlin Lewis: Veterinary Technology Student

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diversity It was meant to be a one-page document to help TCC professors navigate potentially awkward situations in their classrooms resulting from students’ gender identifications.

Instead, the document, A Professor’s Guide to Student Sexualities and Gender Identifications and Potentially Confusing Situations Resulting from Them, has become a model for the College in navigating diversity and equity issues.

Last fall, TCC Associate Professor of English Allen Culpepper attended a workshop at the Equality Center called “Identities 101.”

He attended, in part, because he’d become involved in a revived LGBTQ student organization.

Allen Culpepper: TCC Assistant Professor of English

“One of the things I’d noticed was that the majority of the active members of the group were identifying as transgender.

It occurred to me that I’ve been involved in the community for a long time, and this was still new to me,” he says. “So I thought I would go learn some things of concern to students.”

At the same time, Culpepper had been asked by other faculty how to handle awkward situations with their students.

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A Professor’s Guide to Confusing Situations

“Faculty had asked me, ‘I have this student.

What do I do?’” he says.

The one-page document grew to six. As it was distributed, it drew positive attention from TCC Chief Human Resources Officer Sandy Cooper and Northeast Campus Provost and Assistant Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Eunice Tarver.

“Sandy Cooper thought there was a need for this kind of document to be circulated more widely,” he says. “Provost Tarver is working on an online diversity and inclusion training module for faculty and staff, and thought this document could be used as a model for other groups.”

It also landed Culpepper a Good Job Award, or “Goody Award” from TCC President and CEO Leigh B. Goodson. Goody awards are given to individuals who go over and above to do their jobs in the best way possible.

“I just hope it makes it easier for faculty and staff members who find themselves in awkward situations because they’re trying to accommodate the students, but are afraid that whatever they are going to say is the wrong thing,” he says. “I hope it helps people communicate more clearly.”

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Tulsa Still Achieving After a decade, Tulsa Achieves is Still Changing Lives The impact of Tulsa Achieves on both TCC and the Tulsa community is difficult to understate.

Tulsa Achieves is a gap-funded, financially sustainable model that provides up to 63 hours of free college education to graduating seniors from public, private or home school.

Launched in 2007, Tulsa Achieves provides all Tulsa County high school seniors the opportunity to attend college at no cost regardless of their ability to pay. Through Tulsa Achieves, full tuition and fees are provided for every high school senior who graduates with a 2.0 grade point average and commits to begin college the fall following their senior year.

“What makes Tulsa Achieves really unique is that we will fund a Tulsa County high school graduate regardless of their family income,” says Tim Fernandez, TCC’s director of Tulsa Achieves.

“When we talk about paying for taxes and paying for infrastructure, this is a way we directly give back their contributions.”

In its first decade, Tulsa Achieves impacted the lives of more than 16,000 Tulsa-area students, with more than 3,100 students earning more than 3,500 degrees and certificates. Since 2007, Tulsa Achieves students have provided more than 650,000 hours of community service and $10.2 million in value to the Tulsa community.

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But the program has an impact beyond the numbers.

“I’ve had many students tell me, ‘college is something we never talked about in our family, but with Tulsa Achieves, it’s something we all aspire to in our house now,’” says Fernandez.

That’s by design. Tulsa Achieves was conceived as a means of removing financial barriers to higher education, especially in traditionally underserved populations.

“We thought there were a significant amount of high school graduates who were financially eligible, but were not coming to college,” says Dr. Brett Campbell, senior vice president for education and workforce for the Tulsa Regional Chamber.

Campbell formerly served as Associate Vice President of Student Affairs at TCC, and along with many others, was involved in the creation and implementation of the program.

“These were first-generation, low-income students who were going to get a full financial package,” says Campbell. “We wanted to make college available to those students who never thought they could do it. The message was, ‘You can go to college. We can make that happen. We’ll help you make that first step, and we’ll make it easy.’”

Making it easy … wasn’t. First, there was the timeline. Work began in earnest in November of 2006 with a launch date of March 2007.

Procedures had to be put in place to ensure student and program success. Tulsa Achieves brought a lot of concepts to the College that foreshadowed the current work being done under the Strategic Plan and Guided Pathways.

“We started working with everyone at the College to develop a very comprehensive program,” says Fernandez. “I’m most proud of the collaborative effort of everyone at TCC. Everyone at the College contributed, from TCC faculty and advisors to student life and administration.”

The College implemented mandatory academic advisement, created what would become the First-year Experience -- a three-credit introduction to college course – and initiated mandatory volunteer work.

The volunteer component of the Tulsa Achieves program is not something students can just do to check a box.

“It is directly tied to academic success,” says Fernandez. “They are expected to find volunteer work related to their field of study. It’s practical application of coursework. They are working next to professionals, gaining work experience, making connections and building their resume.

Our students now understand it is part of their academic journey.”

The rapid deployment and ability to make changes to suit the needs of students, rather than the other way around, has contributed to the longevity and success of Tulsa Achieves.

“The strategies we’ve used have proven to be very successful,” says Fernandez. “Our program requirements really do help retain students at a higher level, and we’re helping them be successful while they’re here at a higher rate.”

Tulsa Achieves students graduate from TCC at higher rates than non-Tulsa Achieves students.

They transfer to other colleges and universities and complete bachelor’s degrees at higher rates than non-Tulsa Achieves students.

Oklahoma State University, The University of Tulsa, Northeastern State University all offer Tulsa Achieves transfer scholarships.

“When we first started, we were kind of groundbreaking,” says Fernandez. “No one was doing free college. A lot of people thought students would drop out at a higher rate because they didn’t have to pay for it. That hasn’t been the case. The statistics show that all those initiatives equate to students being more successful, and that we are retaining students at higher than the state and national levels.”

Fernandez and Campbell have both been called to talk about Tulsa Achieves. Dissertations have been written about the program.

“I think it put TCC on the map,” says Campbell.

“Other two-year colleges are looking to TCC. We’ve spent a lot of time answering questions on how to do it. Nationally, TCC is seen as a leading institution of change. I still talk to my peers about this work at TCC.” Continued on page 14

Their success has been noticed by many of the state’s four-year higher education institutions.

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Tulsa Achieves alumnus Theron Paul planned on going to work after high school. College never crossed his mind, and certainly not graduating from college.

“I never thought that college, as far as graduation, was even a possibility,” says Paul. “I always imagined my life at American Airlines or finishing my auto collision program at Tulsa Tech. But Tulsa Achieves gave me the opportunity to go to college.”

Through the Tulsa Achieves program, Paul was recruited to TCC out of Booker T. Washington High School.

“My environment wasn’t great,” he says. “I’m in the position I am today because I’ve beaten the odds.”

When he was 10, Paul lost his father. His seventh grade teacher told him he would always be on welfare. His ninth grade counselor told him he wouldn’t graduate high school.

Tulsa Achieves changed his trajectory. He finished his associate degree, then went to Langston University where he graduated with a bachelor’s in liberal education.

“Graduating was unbelievable,” he says. “That I actually have a bachelor’s degree, it’s not something I ever thought would happen.”

He is the first in his family to earn a college degree, and his success has inspired his younger sister to follow his trajectory. But Paul’s not finished. He has applied to graduate school at the University of Oklahoma, and attended the MSI Graduate Student Weekend at the Penn Graduate School of Education in early April.

The weekend provided undergraduate students from Minority Serving Institutions an opportunity to obtain additional information on pursuing graduate and professional degrees in education.

While deciding on graduate school, Paul’s working on the TCC Northeast Campus in the Tulsa Achieves office, reaching out to students like himself.

“I love Tulsa Achieves and everything it’s doing now,” he says. “My big dream is to help people coming from difficult circumstances the same way I was helped, and to be a proponent of social change.”

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alumni

Degrees of Achievement

Representing more than 17,000 students who attended TCC as Tulsa Achieves students, Keondra Doyle Hampton introduced TCC President and CEO Leigh B. Goodson at the 2017 Vision Dinner. The evening celebrated a decade of Tulsa Achieves which has provided college access to every high school graduate living in Tulsa County.

“As a first-generation college graduate, this program served as a financial blessing,” Hampton says.

She turned down a partial scholarship at another institution to attend TCC in 2007, the first year of Tulsa Achieves. She earned her associate degree without going into debt and went on to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

“I was conflicted about college and questioned if it was a good fit for me. TCC and Tulsa Achieves gave me hope and the tools I needed to succeed in college,” she says.

In its first decade, the success of Tulsa Achieves is measured in the academic outcomes of the students. Tulsa Achieves students enter TCC with a higher average ACT score now than in 2007. They persist to the spring semester and the next fall semester at a higher rate than other students. Most importantly, Tulsa Achieves students are more likely than other students to graduate with an associate degree or transfer to a four-year college or university.

“My own journey through Tulsa Achieves built the foundation for my professional career. Ten years later, I stand with TCC and continue to encourage those seeking college to consider Tulsa Achieves. It has been a tremendous benefit for me,” Hampton says.

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campus &

cathedrals

TCC is leading a new effort to rehabilitate the landscape surrounding its Metro Campus and spur development on the many surface parking lots in the area.

TCC is part of the new Cathedral District association of area businesses, churches and other major property owners that hope to change the landscape and create a more vibrant South Downtown District.

Named for the six historic churches located in the roughly eight square-block area bounded by E 6th Street on the North and I-44 on the South, the Cathedral District association officially launched in late September 2017.

“The members of the District are determined to create an area that attracts employees, students, families and visitors because it is scenic, walkable, retail-friendly and a valued gateway to downtown,” says Lauren Brookey, TCC’s vice president of external affairs and president of the TCC Foundation.

Brookey is co-chair of the Cathedral District association with Gordy Guest of Cyntergy, which is promoting the movement with a website at tulsacathedraldistrict.com.

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“Our members have met with different organizations that can help us plan for the future, including the Mayor’s office, the Tulsa Regional Chamber, the leadership of the major property owners, Tulsa Transit and bike share organizations,” Brookey says. “Parking, development, retail and walkability will be major focus for the organization.”

In addition to TCC, members of the Cathedral District association are Foolish Things Coffee Co.; Cyntergy; First Church of Christ Scientist, Tulsa; First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa; First United Methodist Church; and Public Service Co. of Oklahoma (PSO).

The Cathedral District has its roots in the confluence of several factors, including TCC’s desire to reimagine its Metro Campus for the future and a contest by the Tulsa Young Professionals to develop ideas for revitalizing the area.

Brookey participated in an intercity visit by the Tulsa Regional Chamber and was inspired by the work the city of Portland has done in its downtown area.

The number of surface lots populating Tulsa’s South Downtown neighborhood is a significant reason why the city was named the nation’s worst “parking crater” in 2013 by Streetblog USA. However, Dr. Greg Stone, Metro Campus provost who also is part of the Cathedral District coalition,

says the initiative is about more than eliminating empty acres of surface parking. It’s about building community.

“I think what we envision are parking structures that may also have some retail space built into it or residential space built into it so that we can still accommodate our students, church-goers and other visitors to downtown,” Dr. Stone says.

The Cathedral District already has attracted attention from developers who are considering ways to partner with the coalition to make some of those developments happen. The end product should only enhance the campus experience for TCC students.

“As TCC works with our neighbors in that area, we are keeping our student needs first and foremost in our mind,” says Dr. Stone. “Whatever decisions we make about surface level parking, we will continue to provide ample parking that is safe, secure and that will allow students and employees good access to our campus, and at the same time will attract more people to come downtown to go to school, to live, to work, to attend church and spend some of their social time shopping and eating at restaurants.”

Brookey says, “We believe the more attractive and vital downtown is the more likely we will attract students and create a successful learning environment.”

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keeping

Score Tackling Inequity at TCC TCC’s mission, in simplest terms, is to ensure every student has the opportunity to complete their educational aspirations. It is anything but simple in execution, and a direct line can be drawn from the success of our students to the viability of the greater Tulsa community we serve.

“It’s extremely important to the College and community that we focus on equity,” says Assistant Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion and Northeast Campus Provost Eunice Tarver. “We have to produce a larger workforce, and the only way we can do that is if we’re building practices and support systems that are tailored to chip away at institutional barriers causing these opportunity gaps.

Equity equates to providing opportunity for every student who attends the College to get the level and type of support they need to have success.

“We are an urban community college. We have a large footprint in our community,” says Tarver. “It’s exciting to think about institutionalizing practices designed to support students who traditionally have faced greater obstacles in accessing and

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completing higher education, this moves us closer to our goal of improving educational attainment for all students”.

In order to do that, the College needs to take a hard look at itself, and be willing to confront perhaps uncomfortable, but necessary, truths.

“Equity-minded practices recognize and accommodate differences in students’ ways of engaging in learning, identities as learners, and their sociocultural positions affect their learning and sense of belonging. Becoming equity-minded can absolutely be uncomfortable. It involves being color-conscious, which goes against the false notion we’ve been taught to believe that we are colorblind. Allowing yourself to recognize that you do in fact see color and that it’s not a bad thing, it’s only a bad thing when you attach negative meaning or engage in exclusion or discriminatory practices because of the color you see.”

Tarver says TCC needed a partner to assist with assessing inequity at the College and to provide facilitation and a framework for progress, which is where the University of Southern California’s Center for Urban Education comes in.

“They are leading the work for equity,” says TCC Tarver. “They’ve been working with higher education in California and across the country for more than 15 years to achieve racial and ethnic equity in student success. They are the national leaders.”

TCC is the first academic institution in the region to partner with CUE through the Equity Scorecard work, and the collaboration is already underway.

Foremost on the list of challenges, according to Tarver, is establishing a shared vision and

commitment to equity at the College.

“You have to pace yourself, keep an open mind, be willing to unlearn things you’ve learned and learn things you haven’t. You have to accept we’re all going to make mistakes during this journey but we must keep our eye on the ultimate prize.

In the words of Dr. Carol Geary Schneider, former Association of American Colleges and Universities president, ‘Students of color and students from low-income families will soon form the majority of the nation’s college-eligible learners, and their fortunes will shape, for better or worse, America’s economic and global future.’”

Already in place is a TCC Evidence Team comprised of faculty, staff and administrators who are being trained as equity advocates and will take on the role of “practitioner researcher.”

“This work will help us to create conditions in which our faculty and staff feel enabled to develop valued equity interventions from the ground up,” says Tarver. “We’ll produce an Equity Scorecard Report, and an accompanying portfolio of data and inquiry findings to present to the campus community.”

The Equity Scorecard Report will be a tool to help campus leaders, faculty, and administrators prioritize solutions, allocate resources, and engage in a continuous evaluation process to assess the attainment of equity in TCC’s educational outcomes.

“Students of color are underperforming at institutions across the nation. We have to better examine our policies and practices to see if they are either hindering or fostering equity,” says Tarver. “It is exciting to be working toward a community college that can meet the needs of the majority of students who walk through our doors.”

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fish dna

research Fishin’ for Field Work Dr. Diana Spencer took her Molecular Biology and Techniques class on a fishing expedition. They didn’t go far.

The class of 10 hiked to a pair of ponds on the Southeast campus to collect fish DNA on a research project to establish the diversity of fish species in the two ponds.

“Primarily, what we do is a DNA barcoding research project,” says Dr. Spencer, associate professor and George Kaiser Family Foundation Endowed Chair of Research. “Through that project I’m able to teach them many different techniques in the lab.”

Assisted by personnel from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and one of TCC instructor Mark Swanson’s zoology classes, the molecular biology class clipped tiny sections of fins from the fish collected in the two ponds and took them back to the lab.

“Our role was basically to get a little piece of fin from one of the fish and take that back to our lab in class and extract DNA from the fin,” says Dirk Johnson, a 30-year-old biotechnology major.

“Using that DNA, we are looking for proteins that are expressed from the DNA.”

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Stephanie Sandoval, a 31-year-old biotechnology sophomore, says, “We hope that we can determine the different species and the diversity. We’re hoping to see from where we collected the fish if there is any type of genetic differences in the areas they are at, and distributional differences.”

To assist in Dr. Spencer’s project, Swanson called on contacts with the Oklahoma Wildlife Department, who volunteered to come to the TCC campus and electrically ‘shock’ the fish and collect them for analysis (Spoiler alert: the fish were returned alive to the ponds).

The two ponds visited by the group represented an urban landscape from the one closer to campus and a 22-acre rural environment more removed from campus and hidden by trees and foliage.

Swanson’s zoology class acted as observers on the project.

Grant funding about a decade ago enabled Swanson to turn the habitat surrounding the rural pond into an outdoor classroom.

“I put in a nature trail so that we can utilize that pond and the whole forest for different class projects,” Swanson says. “We are trying to maintain it and increase the wildlife.”

“I do have some wildlife majors who want to do this kind of thing, so this was actually an instructional demonstration for them to see how field research is done,” Swanson says. “They got to see how they trapped fish, collected them, weighed them and then Dr. Spencer’s class actually took tissue samples for DNA analysis.”

Students in Dr. Spencer’s class will analyze the DNA and then make a scientific poster

presentation with the results they discover.

“I loved the project because it goes from field to molecular biology and the biosafety hood within an hour,” Dr. Spencer says. “They are in the field, and then they are extracting in the lab. The whole project teaches them about five different methods.”

Beyond that, the field trip provided new perspective to all the students, she says.

“I think it helps them broaden their horizons and helps them look at the world and continue to ask more questions,” says Dr. Spencer. “After this, they know we could do dragonflies or we could do worms on their driveway. We could look at any organism in the field.”

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can then advance into a midsemester Math Foundations II class, which saves them a semester’s worth of time and three credit hours of tuition.

“It’s a straight switch and they’re good to go,” says Baker. “It’s working really well. Last semester with our Math Foundations I class, just under 41 percent of the students who took the test qualified to move on, which saved them $105,000 worth of tuition.

This semester, 46 percent of MathPath students qualified and moved on. We’re seeing some pretty good advancement with our students.”

In the old structure, a student beginning at basic level math would take four semesters to get to College Algebra. The new model makes it possible for students who begin in Math Foundations I to finish in two semesters if they move up.

MathPath to Success

Adds Up MathPath has changed the way TCC students tackle their college math requirements, and it’s paying off with higher student success rates.

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“I’ve been in MathPath classes where they’re giving the placement test and I’ve actually seen students cry because they’re so happy they’ve passed and moved forward,” says Joshua Baker, TCC developmental math department faculty chair. “When you see something like that, why would you not want to give people this chance?”

MathPath is embedded into the Math Foundations I class. The first four weeks of a semester, student coursework is the “MathPath model,” which is more focused and deliberate. At the end of the four weeks, students take the math placement test again. If they qualify (and choose to do so), they

community college is that we are about access for everyone and we want to get the best possible result no matter who you are. This is one of those programs that gives students a chance. I’m all about giving students the chance to try. More often than not, you’ll see people succeed.”

Baker says the TCC math faculty have been instrumental in the creation, implementation and success of Mathpath, and through their support and assistance, the MathPath program is expanding. There’s the traditional version, part of the Math Foundations I course, there’s a summer course version, and then summer 2018 a free online version will launch. With the summer course, students take a two-week refresher course that costs $50. If they complete six of the eight days of the course and enroll in the Fall semester, they can get the fee reimbursed.

“It can be a free thing,” says Baker. “And at the end, we give the students the placement test again, which gives them the chance to improve in the development track and can shorten their degree path.”

“We’ve got it down to two,” says Baker. “It’s a huge service to students and the community.

Whenever we’re shortening that track, it allows people to graduate quicker. We know from all sorts of research students placed in the lowest level developmental math class have very low persistence rates through college-level courses.

When you move them just that next level up, you are exponentially improving their odds of persisting through college level math.”

The online course, which Baker refers to as “MathPath Lite,” has no time restriction and students can work at their own pace. Baker has tutors on standby to answer email linked to an “Ask My Instructor” link. At the end, students can retake the math placement test, which allows them the possibility to skip ahead and reduce the total number of math courses needed to be ready for college level math.

Baker says at the outset of MathPath, which began in 2011, they knew some basic facts, such as that less than 10 percent of students starting at the lowest level developmental math courses would persist in their college pursuits.

Baker says he’s heard stories time and again about students putting off math until the end of their college career because they’re afraid they won’t succeed or afraid of the time commitment.

MathPath is changing that.

“The students coming into a Math Foundations I class, their skill level is actually higher than that, but they’ve had years of not doing math. Math is not a bicycle. You’ll forget how to ride it,” says Baker. “One of the reasons I love working at a

“We hear all the time, ‘this is the last class I need.’ Well, now we’re not the reason they’re not getting their degree.”

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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

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2018, 6 PM Cox Business Center HONORING DAVID G. PAGE Vice Chairman and Managing Director for Private Banking Activities in Oklahoma JPMorgan Chase Bank

President’s Society annual members contribute a minimum of $1,000 annually toward TCC’s academic programs. The President’s Society provides material support to the TCC Foundation for important college initiatives and critical needs. President’s Society memberships run from January to December of each year. Memberships may be held jointly by couples or anonymously.

PRESIDENT’S SOCIETY MEMBERS Leeland Alexander Robin Ballenger* Howard & Billie Barnett* Konnie Boulter* Teresa Burkett Forrest Cameron Lisette Coston Barry Davis Peggy Dyer Ed Fariss Steven Fate

M. Ted Haynes Jay Helm Alana Hughes Caron Lawhorn Ron Looney Tim & Carol Lyons Bill & Pat McKamey* Sanjay Meshri Pierce Norton Jody Parker Joan Parkhurst

Roger Ramseyer Lou Reynolds Hannah Robson Frank & Mary Shaw* Jana Shoulders* State Farm Insurance Company* Melinda Stinnett Steve Turnbo *Denotes Lifetime Member

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR: KONNIE BOULTER, Program Director, The Oxley Foundation VICE CHAIR: PHIL LAKIN, Jr., 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, Research & Economic Development, University of Tulsa 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

2017 vision dinner In 2017, we honored President of The Williams Foundation, Inc. and Director of Strategic Outreach for Williams Alison Anthony for her local and national contributions to education, diversity, inclusion and community development at the Vision in Education Leadership Award Dinner.

The evening raised more than $370,000, an event record. Those funds provide TCC students with scholarships, leadership development opportunities, engagement and mentoring with academic scholars and leaders, and technology and equipment necessary to prepare for today’s work force.

This year’s honoree is JPMorgan Chase Bank Vice Chairman and Managing Director for Private Banking activities in Oklahoma David G. Page.

For information regarding sponsorships and tickets to the 2018 Vision in Education Leadership Award Dinner, call 918-595-7836 or www.tulsacc.edu/visiondinner.

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making it count Elijah Young, a junior at Central High School, is focused on his future, and that vision involves a lot of numbers and mathematics.

“I want to go to college,” he says. “I want to do computer programming. I realize it has a strong math emphasis, which is why the class I’m taking as a junior and the skills I’m learning now will help.”

He’s taken additional math classes and is on track to take college-level MATH 1513 Precalculus or MATH 1473 Quantitative Reasoning as a high school senior.

Helping him along the way is Credits Count.

Beginning as early as 8th grade, Credits Count provides additional support and mentoring to enhance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) studies.

The AEP Foundation partnered with TCC in 2015 to bring the Credits Count program to high school and middle school students in Tulsa Public Schools. AEP is the parent company of PSO, headquartered in Tulsa.

Currently, the program is in Will Rogers High School, Central High School and East Central High School.

The four major components of the Credits Count program include: Dual Enrollment in High Schools and at TCC – allowing students to graduate high school with at least 12 college credits toward an associate degree or job ready certificate; STEM Experiences – expanding awareness at an early age of possible STEM careers through middle and high school exploration experiences;

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Schusterman Gifts Already Impacting Student Success

College Course Readiness Assessments – identifying gaps in writing, reading and math that may require tutoring; Summer Bridge Programs – providing remediation in English and math and improving skills prior to students’ participation in dual enrollment programs.

Last fall PSO received the Excellence in Volunteer Mobilization STEM Mentoring Award for 2017 from the US2020 national organization. US2020 is a national non-profit dedicated to connecting STEM professionals with mentoring opportunities with today’s youth. The Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance nominated PSO for the work it is doing with Credits Count and its leadership in STEM mentoring.

“This is a wonderful recognition of our company and our terrific employee volunteers who are doing such fantastic work in STEM mentoring,” said Stuart Solomon, PSO President and Chief Operating Officer.

Three years and three schools into this five-year initiative, Credits Count is impacting Tulsa’s students. As of fall 2017, more than 8,500 Tulsa students have been mentored, participated in STEM experiences and applied themselves in accelerated STEM studies.

More than just a number, Young recognizes his path to college and his role in passing along the opportunity he’s been given.

“One of the biggest benefits of the program is that others see hope,” says Young. “It shows everyone else behind us in school that it is not all bad. You can change something by doing it yourself. Show somebody you can change something, then they will change it.”

To increase student success at TCC, technology upgrades are mandatory. In 2016, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation contributed $170,000 to help TCC add cutting edge software to assist with advising and graduation.

The three software systems – The Starfish Early Alert System, EMSI-Career Coach software, and the Who’s Next Advanced Student Tracking – are vital components of TCC’s new approach to serving students.

Starfish Early Alert System: Allows faculty to raise flags for students who may be having difficulty succeeding in class or give kudos to students who are doing well. The system rolled out in a series of pilots during summer and fall of 2017.

TCC Career Explorer (EMSI Career Coach Software): Part of each degree program page in the course catalog, Career Explorer is a seamless part of the TCC admissions process, and students are encouraged to use it by their academic and career advisors.

Who’s Next Advanced Student Tracking: Tracks student flow within the Student Success Center, and is still in the early stages of implementation.

The three software packages are vital to our mission to remove barriers and increase student success. The systems are integral to the redesign of the student experience at TCC, and allow us to more efficiently onboard and retain students, as well as to ensure students have a career path in mind during the life cycle of their education.

Foundation Funds At work The TCC Foundation was established in 1970 to support the vision of Tulsa Community College - to offer greater access to quality higher education, and to support TCC students, faculty and staff by providing scholarships and resources for program excellence. Because of the generosity of our donors, TCC Foundation provided a total of $2,124,870 - TCC Foundation Funds at Work for the period July 2016-June 2017. Activities and programs receiving funds included the Sam S. Miller Student Emergency Fund, Criminal Justice Institute, Dental Hygiene Clinic refurbishment, student scholarships, Signature Symphony at TCC, and TCC Textbook Trust – and many other activities, programs and projects that support TCC students, faculty and staff.

$2,124,870: Total funding, July 2016-June 2017 $1,267,188: Campus Activities and

Academic Programs $479,603: Signature Symphony at TCC $136,348: Capital Projects and Equipment $135,779: Talentships

and Scholarships $82,078: Sponsorship

for Community Events $23,874: TCC

Textbook Trust

(for Tulsa Achieves

and students with

financial need)

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Special thanks to our donors of the last year Individuals For the period beginning July 2016 thru December 2017 (Levels could include soft credit) $50,000 or more Robin Ballenger Tim & Carol Lyons $10,000 - $50,000 Audrey Alcorn Jody Parker Howard & Billie Barnett John & Mary Ann Bumgarner Carlin Conner Leigh & Mark Goodson M. Ted & Shiela Haynes James & Julie Higgins Jim Langdon Pierce Norton Stuart Price Henry & Jane Primeaux Roger Ramseyer Melinda Stinnett Steve Turnbo Jacqueline Wilson Lane & Maureen Wilson Kenneth & Wanda Wolfkill $5,000 - $9,999 Lorelei Barton Konnie Boulter Loriel Brown Marcia & Dan Brueggenjohann Kelly Clark Brian and Marilyn Culp Peggy Dyer William & Daryl Eaton Susan & Jim Harris Andy Kinslow Caron & Shawn Lawhorn Ron & Sue Looney Bill & Pat McKamey Wes & Yolanda Mitchell Delia Pierson Lou Reynolds Meredith Siegfried Madden Dean & Vesta VanTrease $1,000 - $4,999 Leeland Alexander Brenda Barnes Dan & Rebecca Bloom Charles Blue Ray & Linda Booker Montie & Betty Box Lauren & Rob Brookey Russell Brown Teresa Burkett Peggy Burks Tim & Karen Caldwell D. Forrest Cameron Jim Cameron Thomas & Karla Campbell Ed Cizek Tom & Billie Clarke Jan Clayton Annina Collier Mike Cooper Paul Cornell Lisette Coston Barry Davis Stephen & Ruthie Duenner Jim Dunn Jim East Judy & Richard Edmonson Barry & Jane Epperley

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Lloyd & Mary Ann Elliott Ed Fariss Steven Fate John & Chelsea Feary Pageant Ferriabough Janice Fonkalsrud Andres Franco Irving & Dixie Frank John Gaberino Martin & Karen Garber John & Denise Gibson Terence Golla Heather Hancock John Harper Jay Helm Ben Herrig Cynthia Hess Jerry & Catherine Hoopert Yvonne Hovell Carole Huff-Hicks & Larry Hicks Alana Hughes Rachel Hutchings Bill Ivy & Eileen Kenney David and Katie Johnson Sharon King Davis Judi & Ken Klein George Krumme Kimberly Kunnemann Robert LaBass Phil Lakin Mike Limas Mina Lotti Phil & Leslie Maltby Larry McCorkell Nancy McDonald Joseph & Carol McGraw Jim & Ann McKellar Sanjay Meshri Carol Messer Sheri & John Miksa David Morse Edwin Morse Rick & Susan Neal Evelyn Nienhuis Thomas Oare Tom & Jennifer Palmer Joan Parkhurst Eleanor & Larry Payne Roy Peters Frauke Quiroga Bill & Donna Ramsey Richard & Alicia Ranne Kelley Rash Stephen Regouby Robert & Linda Reins Dr. Bernard & Marcy Robinowitz Hannah & Joe Robson John Rupe Sam & Rita Combs E. Paul Samuels Dick & Alma Schmitz Frank & Mary Shaw W.H. & Dyanne Sidner Jeffrey & Robin Smith Erma Spann & Loren Stout Belynda & WeldonSpitzer Tom & Sue Stees Greg Stone Lee & Carol Swarthout Kate Thomas Robert & Jill Thomas William & Susan Thomas Randy Thompson Diane Trimble Deacon Turner David & Rachel Wagner Scott Webb Christopher Westfall Roy & Rebekah Wood $500 - $999 Libby Adjei Darin Behara Ken Busby Stephanie Cameron

tulsacc.edu/communitymagazine

Brett & Jennifer Campbell Monica & Harry Champ Phil Cooper Sandy Cooper Steven Cox DiAnne Cunningham Kevin & Kelly David Randy Dominguez Midge Elliott Ruth Ann Fate Teresa Floistad Cathy Furlong Vanessa Hicks Mary Kent Julie Luscomb Barbara McEntee Thomas & Stacy McKeon Jane Mudgett & Sam Peled David Sherwood Kari Shults Travis & Lindsay White Clark Wiens $100 - $499 David Adams Terri Alonso Gregory Anderson Allan Avery Tracy Ballinger Marguerite Barnette Barbara Bates Jason Blankenship Harold Bockelken Lisa Brandon Marsais Broadway John Bruce Nicole Burgin Cathy Campbell Mary Cantrell Jennifer Champion Donna Chapman Pamela Chew Glen Cockrell Ron Coleman William Condrin Chris & Laure Cowan Judith Cox Tommy Crall Sloan Davis Tim Degeer Debbie Deibert Sharon Diamond Mike Dinneen Harriette Dudley Mona Easterling Shirley Elliott Kaye Ellis Noam Faingold Wayne Fallgatter Molly Farley Janis Farr Jim Fellows Timothy Fernandez Lindsay Fields Anne Fischer Douglas Fletcher & Erica Parker Estella Franken David Free Joyce Friske Patrick Green Leigh Gulley Julie Hall Mautia Hall Kayla Harding Karen Harmon-Miletello Ty Harrell Margaret Harrison Ruben Haye Traci Heck Phillip Hill Jenny Hodges Rick Hollingsworth Jeff Holt Laura Holtquist Bob Holzmann Catherine Hoover

Patrick Idwasi Michael Igelman Nancy Inglett Marilyn Inhofe Davis Jennifer Ivie Barth Janet Jackson Robert James Carolyn Johnson David H. Johnson Glen Johnson Matt Jostes Linda Joyce Susan Kamphaus Pam Kannady Melissa Kash Robert Katz Lyn Kent Tony Kirby Percy Kirk Gloria Kirkpatrick Jennifer Kneafsey Lori P. Knight Anna Kuchta Amanda Kuhns Regina Lary Lennette Lawless Deborah LeMaster Larry Leonard Shawn Liggins Sue Lohmann Kelley Loud Peter Luitwieler Linda Lyons-Coyle Dorothy Maggard John Major Scott Mannas Jamie Manning Cheryl Marrs Cyndie Marshall Brenda Martin Alicia Mast Shannon Matthews Sam McCall Margaret McKee Jennifer McMahon Mark McMullen Dorothy Moaliitele Sheila Moore Mackenzie Murphy-Wilfong Dean Muse Matt Newman Joseph Nosak Megan Parenteau Gigi Parker Alex Paschal Andrea Peverley Mary Phillips Millard & Susanne Pickering Michael Pierce Julie Porterfield David Poth Diane Potts Beverly Price Andrew & Hannah Ralston Suzanne Reese Sherree Richey Lynn Richmond Kate Robertson Vickie Robison Pamela Rogers Charlotte Rowe Donald & Sharon Ryan Wilfred Sanditen Brittany Sawyer Carolyn Schluckebier Romelle Seever John Seldenrust Charles Sexton Gary Shaffer Cindy Shanks Matthew Sharpe Talia Shaull Michael Siftar Melody Simmons Angela Sivadon Barbara Slagle Patricia Smith Patty Smith Amanda Southard

Diana Spencer Cheryl Stanley Dr. Keith & Jane Stanley Paul Stanton Melissa Steadley Nicholas Stephens Dr. Charles & Jelena Stewart Kathy Stotts Jeffrey Stuckey Donna Swaffar Eunice Tarver Sydney Teel Beth Tenney Steven Thomas Emily Tichenor Nancy Vitali Mary Walker Jane Warren Roger Wehrs Sean Weins Patricia Welch Krena White Lonni Wilson John Wolfkill Brenda Worthington Margaret Yar Gary Young-Allen Phylis Zeligson Up to $99 Ashley Adams Diana Allen Judith Anderson Kieran Andrews Jeremy Atkins Denise Baldwin Linda Baldwin Cathy Bankston Jennifer Barclay Helen Barlow Cindy Barton Cheryl Bates Carrie Bateson Cameron Bedient Shelby Beil Noah Bennett Ashley Bishop Jeanne Blackwell Elaine Blair Cathleen Boen Cynthia Boese Brandi Bowen Martin Bregman Adam Brennan Terri Brewer Tamara Britton Terjuana Brooks Angelica Brown Martha Brown Michelle Brown Jennifer Bruner Crystal Bruton Daniel Chaboya Amber Chase Jerri Clark Cassandra Cline Rochelle Colby Yvette Combs Christopher Cook Megan Cottom Tim Cox Susan Cremer Anne Cross Allen Culpepper Miguel Da Corte Kathy Daily Jessica Darnell Rachael Davidson Maria Dawson Keilah Deatherage Denise Delozier Kim Dewey Stephanie Doyle Wayne Drewry David Drosdoff Nina Dulabaum Jennifer Duncan

Gabrielle Easter Dana Edwards Karol Ellington Kyleigh Embrey Beverley England Susan England Rachel Farley Leann Fiore Angela Fortner Kara Foster Richard Fox Aimee Francois-Schnetzer Kimberly Frank Stephanie Freeman Susan Fryer Jenifer Fuller Kari Gary Dora Gilbert Rachael Giovenco Joyce Goodrum Ginelle Gordon Russell Grant Rebekah Graves Tammi Green Breyona Greenlee DeLisa Griffin Patricia Griffin Jesse Guardiola Judyth Gulden Everett Gunner Lisa Haldeman Simon Han Diane Haney Rebecca Hankins Charlene Hanlon Brett Hastings Jessica Heavin Melanie Heffington Susan Hoggard Judy Holland Lori Hopkins Jeff Horvath Jabari Jackson Terry Jacobs-Davis Pat Jefferson John Jenkins Erin Johmson Carl Johns Judith Johnson Sheryl Johnson Deborah Johnston Katherine Kennemer Ruby Kimmons Dianne Kirk Jordan Kizer Sarah Klein Cynthia Kramer Sarah Kunce Katie Lackey Sandy Lanoue Alexa Larson-Thorisch Mark LeHouiller Peter Leininger Samantha Lemmon Caitlin Lewis Amy Linfoot Sandy Logue Rachel Longacre Pam Lucas Marcene Mackey Kathie Marrs Ruby Marshall Susan Martin Lori Mayberry Allison McDaniel Kacie McFarland Marina Metevelis Paul Mihos Ashley Miller Laura Miller Denise Mills Sally Mondragon Gabrielle Moore Emily Morrison Andrew Mullenix Heidi Nestor Stacy Nobles Jeanine Nowell Vonetta O’Brien-Schiffman

Dawn Parton Julianne Pfister Anne Phillips Lance Phillips Rebecca Pierson Audra Pitts Debra Pleasant Kristie Plunkett Paulette Pogue Renae Powers Rosezelma Price Denise Purifoy Jonathan Quitl Matthew Rabe Charlotte Ragsdale Bobi Raney Erin Reed Rondalyn Reynolds Cynthia Rich Geordie Robinson Brad Rose Lawrence Rosenborough Thomas Rowe Heather Rust Ann Rutherford Joseph Schnetzer Jona Schweinberg Lynn Scott Paula Settoon Karla Shannon Margaret Shiroma Sheryl Siddiqui Allison Sims Michael Singleton Helen Sisler Maranda Skaggs Kenton Smith Linda Smith Sol Smith Elizabeth Sonnenfield Kimberly Spencer William Sprung Suzann Stewart Ryan Stilson Rhiannon Sullivan Melissa Teachnor Stephanie Titsworth Ingold Doug Torkelson Tammy Upshaw Lanetta Vann Jane Varmecky Sarah Wagner Norma Walker Shane Wamsley Salli Wandke Cynthia Ward Carrie Warren Sheila Washington Barbara Waxman Joshua Wigington Kayley Williams Wanda Williams Jeane Williams Paula Willyard Clarice Wilson Justin Wolfe Richard Woolery Amanda Wright Jeff Zickefoose

Donor Organizations $100,000 or more American Electric Power Foundation George Kaiser Family Foundation Herman G. Kaiser Foundation Ruth Nelson Family Foundation The Oxley Foundation Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation TTCU Federal Credit Union The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation

$25,000 - $99,999 Cherokee Nation Businesses Cox Communications Flint Family Foundation Founders of Doctors’ Hospital Inc. JPMorgan Chase ONE Gas Inc. ONEOK Inc. Public Service Company of Oklahoma Sarkeys Foundation Williams Maxine & Jack Zarrow Family Foundation $10,000 - $24,999 Bank of Oklahoma Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma Coretz Family Foundation David & Cassie Temple Foundation Helmerich Foundation Hille Foundation Langdon Publishing Company Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation Matrix Service Company Michael and Elizabeth Johnson Family Foundation Nabholz QuikTrip Corporation Schnake Turnbo Frank, Inc. SemGroup Stinnett & Associates Walton Family Foundation Inc. YOT Full Circle Foundation

Johnson Controls Jose R and Laura B Medina Foundation Joshi Technologies International KKT Architects Madalene Church Mariner Wealth Advisors Morgan Stanley Muscogee (Creek) Nation The NORDAM Group Omni Air International Paragon Films for Christ Charitable Trust Potts Family Foundation Pray Walker P.C. Premier Consulting Partners Rogers State University Foundation Inc. Ross Group Construction Corporation RVA LLC Sam and Rita Combs Charitable Fund Security Bank Selser Schaefer Architects The Commerce Trust Company Tulsa Community Foundation Tulsa County Veterinary Medical Association Tulsa Garden Club Tulsa Press Club Educational and Charitable Trust Tulsa Regional Chamber Tulsa Rose Society University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma Foundation University of Tulsa Wallace Engineering Structural Consultants, Inc. Webco Industries Workspace Resource, Inc.

$5,000 - $9,999 Bama Companies Helmerich & Payne Inc. Hispanic American Foundation HP Enterprise Services Jim Norton Toyota Jones Gotcher & Bogan Kirkpatrick and Kinslow Productions Kontogianes Family Scholarship Fund Linda Mitchell Price Charitable Foundation Inc. Magellan Midstream Partners Mervin Bovaird Foundation Oklahoma State University Foundation WPX Energy, Inc. $1,000 - $4,999 Anchor Stone Company Bank of America Barnett Family Foundation Chickasaw Nation Children’s Medical Charities Association Inc. Community Care HMO ConocoPhillips Corporate Contributions Crossland Construction Darden Family Charitable Foundation Dewberry Design Group Eller & Detrich ExxonMobil Foundation Festival Americas Flintco Industries Inc. Foundations at The Culinary Institute of Platt College Fritz Baily PC GH2 Architects

Up to $999 ABM Janitorial Services Advanced Care Veterinary Hospital ARVEST Bank and Trust Audi Tulsa Bartlesville Community Center Beadles Portraits Bigglesworth Family Foundation Business Resource Unlimited, Inc. Cameron & Associates Realtors CamGlass Celebrity Attractions Commerce Bank Congregation B’nai Emunah Conner & Winters Fairfield Inn & Suites Downtown/Brady District Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hyatt Regency Tulsa Ihloff Salon and Day Spa In the Raw on the Hill Individual and Family Service LLC Inn at Price Tower Institute for Oklahoma Nursing Education Jemoca Pearl JPP Inc Just Catering by Orr Justus & Co. Salon K9 Manners & More Kendra Scott Loops by the Yarn McNellie’s LLC Mill Creek Lumber Nelnet Foundation Northeastern State University

Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma Physical Therapy Foundation Oklahoma Policy Institute Philbrook Museum of Art Pottery by Jezz Prosperity Bank Renaissance Hotel Tulsa Ridge Grill Royce Meyers Art Ltd Rupe Helmer Group Saied Music Company Sam’s Club #8263 Savoy Restaurant Inc. Sky Fitness and Wellbeing SMG Smoke on Cherry Street Songsmith Records St John Medical Center St Matthew’s Episcopal Church TCC College Staff Council TCC Faculty Association TCC Professional Staff Council TD Williamson Inc. TES Productions The Ambassador Hotel Tulsa Tulsa Bone and Joint Associates Tulsa Drillers Tulsa Foundation for Architecture Tulsa Historical Society Tulsa Library Trust Tulsa Opera Inc. U Dirty Dawg US Las Colinas LP World Travel Services Ziegler Art and Frame

TCC Foundation Circle of Excellence (Organizations that have contributed more than $25,000 to the TCC Foundation Adelson Family Foundation; includes matching contributions) Aetna Albert & Hete Barthelmes Foundation Inc American Airlines American Electric Power Foundation AT&T Bama Companies Bank of America Blossom Charitable Trust Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma BP Amoco Foundation Inc. Cancer Treatment Centers of America Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation Cherokee Nation Businesses Cherokee Nation Entertainment LLC Cox Communications David & Cassie Temple Foundation Decision One Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. Flint Family Foundation Flintco Industries Inc. Founders of Doctor’s Hospital Inc. George Kaiser Family Foundation Grace & Franklin Bernsen Foundation Great Plains Coca Cola

Bottling Company H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust Helmerich & Payne Inc. Helmerich Foundation Henry L Doherty Educational Foundation Herman G. Kaiser Foundation Hillcrest Healthcare System Hille Foundation John Zink Company Jones Gotcher & Bogan JPMorgan Chase Kathleen Leinbach Trust Linda Mitchell Price Charitable Foundation Inc. Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma Merkel Family Foundation MidFirst Bank Morningcrest Healthcare Foundation Oklahoma Surgical Hospital Foundation ONE Gas Inc. ONEOK Inc. Osteopathic Founders Foundation Oxley Foundation Phillips Petroleum Foundation Inc. Public Service Company of Oklahoma QuikTrip Corporation Robert S & Helen Grey Trippet Foundation Saint Francis Health System Samson Companies Sarkeys Foundation Schnake Turnbo Frank SemGroup Shell Oil Company Foundation SouthCrest Hospital Spirit AeroSystems Inc. Stacy Schusterman Revocable Trust State Farm Insurance Company Sun Company TCC Trust TTCU Federal Credit Union Tulsa Area United Way Tulsa Community Foundation Tulsa Futures Inc. Tulsa Hospital Council Tulsa Regional Chamber TulsaTech Unit Corporation University of Tulsa Walton Family Foundation Waters Charitable Foundation William K Warren Foundation Williams WPX Energy, Inc. YOT Full Circle Foundation The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation Maxine & Jack Zarrow Family Foundation

TCC Foundation President’s Circle (Individuals who have made lifetime contributions of $10,000 or more to the TCC Foundation)

Howard & Billie Barnett Lorelei Barton Robert & Karen Beach Demetrius Bereolos Steve Berlin Ray & Linda Booker Konnie Boulter Montie & Betty Box Lauren & Rob Brookey Marcia & Dan Brueggenjohann John & Mary Ann Bumgarner Tim & Karen Caldwell Jim & Janet Cameron Brett & Jennifer Campbell Mike Case Kelly Clark Kevin & Jan Clayton Bryan Close Barry & Karen Davis Dewey Dougless Stephen & Ruthie Duenner Peggy Dyer William & Daryl Eaton Judy & Richard Edmondson Ed Fariss Patricia Fischer Janice Fonkalsrud Phil Frohlich John & Marge Gaberino Martin & Karen Garber Leigh & Mark Goodson James & Julie Higgins Mary Ann Hille Yvonne Hovell George Kaiser Terry & Jeanette Kern Sharon King Davis James & Suzanne Kneale Bettye Knight Jackie Kouri & Gary Paxton George & Aldean Newcomb Krumme Edward Leinbach Ron & Sue Looney George Mauerman Janet McGehee Joseph & Carol McGraw Bill & Pat McKamey Thomas & Stacy McKeon Sanjay Meshri Carol Messer Thomas & Helen Monahan David S Morse Ruth Nelson Evelyn Nienhuis John & Carole Nikkel Pierce & Debbie Norton Tom & Jennifer Palmer Delia Pierson Dick Pittenger Stuart & Linda Price Henry & Jane Primeaux Richard & Alicia Ranne Suzanne Reese & Fred Taylor Joe & Hannah Robson Stacy Schusterman Frank & Mary Shaw Jana Shoulders & Robert Soza Jeffrey & Robin Smith Erma Spann & Loren Stout Keith & Jane Stanley Charles & Lorena Sublett Deacon Turner Dean & Vesta VanTrease Mollie Williford Jacqueline Wilson Kenneth & Wanda Wolfkill

Audrey Alcorn Alan Anthony Robin Ballenger Michael Barkley

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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.

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 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 Title IX Coordinator, 909 S. Boston Ave, Room 509, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Phone 918-595-7842; email: TCCTitleIX@tulsacc.edu has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies.

This publication, printed by Meeks Group is issued by Tulsa Community College as authorized by Title 70 O.S. 4413. 3000 copies have been prepared and distributed at a cost of $6,844.35 ($2.28 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.