UA President Johnsen and Regent Parker visit KPC campuses

Photo provided by Bob Cramer
December 2015 Volume X, Issue 3
Kenai Peninsula College, University of Alaska Anchorage
UA President Johnsen and Regent Parker visit KPC campuses
By Suzie Kendrick
KPC advancement programs
manager
KPC put its best foot forward preparing for UA President Jim Johnsen’s first
visit since being appointed by the Board
of Regents this summer. Johnsen, whose
visit was part of a commitment he made
to visit every campus in the university
system during his first year, was joined
by Kenai Peninsula resident and former
College Council member Lisa Parker,
now a member of the Board of Regents.
Johnsen and Parker visited KRC on Nov.
10 and then traveled to KBC in Homer
on Nov. 11. They had a very ambitious
schedule that included campus tours
and meetings with students, staff, faculty, and College Council and KBC Advisory Board members at both campuses.
KPC Director Gary J. Turner and
KBC Director Carol Swartz arranged
for the president and regent to speak
with administrators and students at
area high schools, and meet with the
Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor and Dog Mine, planning director for the Ke- um Kenai Nitrogen Operations and with
peninsula legislators. President Johns- nai Peninsula Borough, community and the oil spill cooperative, Alaska Chaduxen also addressed a joint session of the government relations manager for Agri- Corporation.
Soldotna and Kenai Chambers of Commerce as well as the Homer Chamber.
Johnsen and Parker participated in
several media interviews, including the
Redoubt Reporter, Peninsula Clarion,
Homer News and Homer Tribune newspapers, KDLL radio and the KSRM Radio
Group.
Johnsen was appointed the 14th president of the UA system by a unanimous
vote of the UA Board of Regents on July
28. A former UA executive (1996-2008)
who had most recently served as a senior
vice president of human resources and
process transformation at Alaska Communications, Inc., he was selected from a
pool of 24 applicants in a national search
effort.
Parker is currently the manager of
Paramedic students Jason Tauriainen and Danielle Caswell go through a rescue scenario while begovernment relations and external affairs
ing observed by (L-R) UA President Jim Johnsen, Regent Lisa Parker, and Paul Perry, KRC assistant
for Apache Corporation. Her employprofessor of paramedicine.
ment history includes planning for the
Photo provided by KPC advancement
development of Cominco Alaska’s Red
New peer ambassador program will aid KPC recruitment efforts
By John Pollock
KPC Student Services director
After several years of growth at KPC,
an enrollment and credit hour decline in
Fall 2015 has prompted a reenergizing of
the school’s recruiting efforts and the creation of a new student peer-driven recruitment program.
The newly constituted 12-member
KPC Recruitment Team—consisting of faculty, staff and a College Council member—
is establishing and implementing a broad
recruitment strategy via local borough
communities, Native and veterans groups,
and subject-matter experts in admissions,
registration and financial aid.
In order to improve KPC’s interaction
with local high schools, the team participated in College Application Week Nov.
16-20, visiting high schools in Soldotna,
Kenai and Nikiski. Team members assisted
students with college applications, conducted one-on-one interviews, and fielded
questions on JumpStart, financial aid, admissions and registration.
In a supporting role to the Recruitment
Team is the recently established KRC Peer
Ambassador Program (KPAP), designed to
improve KPC’s outreach to high school students considering their college options.
It is hoped that peer ambassadors will
be the face of KPC to the college-age demographic and will articulate to them the benefits of attending KPC.
Peer ambassadors will be mature, outgoing, positive KRC students who have
excelled academically and in a variety of
extracurricular activities. They will be
responsible for supporting college fairs,
orientation activities, KPC tours, Borough
Assembly meetings with implications for
KPC, high school activities such as Application Week or JumpStart, and various other activities, including visits to high school
classrooms or clubs.
Peer ambassadors must be fulltime
degree-seeking KRC students in good academic standing. Those interested in becoming peer ambassadors must complete an application package, which will be judged by
a panel of faculty, staff, and student leaders. Student appointments to KPAP will be
made in early May, prior to graduation, and
will be for the following academic year.
KPAP will be sponsored and directed
by KRC Student Services, and recruitment
funds will be used to support peer ambassador activities.
As compensation, each peer ambassador will receive a three-credit-hour tuition
waiver each semester he or she is active in
the program.
KPC reminds students that the college has a
‘place’ for everyone!
Photo provided by KPC advancement
Page 2 KPC Connection
December 2015
KPC budget update and outlook
By Gary J. Turner
KPC director
On November 18, I sent the email
below to all KPC employees and
our College Council. I am sharing
it here so our community members
also know about the potential KPC
budget reductions and what we are
doing to face them.
KPC Community,
I wanted to give you an update on the KPC budget based on
what I know today.
The Alaska Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has
told UA to plan for a 4.5 percent
budget reduction in FY17 state
funding. That would be about
a $350,000 decrease to KPC.
We are down 9 percent in credit
hours this semester. If we see a
similar decrease in Spring Semester that would be a revenue
loss of approximately $339,000.
Our total “reduction” would be
about $689,000, about 9 percent
less funds to work with than last
year.
The KPC Executive Committee (members: Cheryl Siemers,
John Pollock, Jennifer Anderson,
Steve Horn, Carol Swartz, Marci
Zimmerman and me) has met a
number of times with supervisors over the last seven months.
In the spring, supervisors were
asked how would they handle a
10 percent personnel/program
reduction in FY17 (starts July
1, 2016) and the impact such
a reduction would have on the
services they provide. Earlier
this fall, supervisors were asked
how they would handle another
10 percent reduction in FY18
(starts July 1, 2017). Based
upon economic forecasts for the
next two to four years by government officials and research organizations, and projected low oil
prices, the Executive Committee
felt it was important to look at
the next two years in our planning.
Like all of you, we hope the
budget approved by the Board
of Regents (with no reduc-
Former KRC professor earns 2nd emeritus
status
Dr. David Wartinbee, retired KRC biology
professor, has been bestowed with the rank of
Professor Emeritus for his many years of outstanding teaching and service to KPC and UAA.
He will be recognized at KRC’s convocation in
January.
“After retiring from a 22-year career as Professor Emeritus at East Stroudsburg University,
David joined the faculty at KPC as an assistant
professor in 1997. He moved up the professor
ranks to full professor and retired after 18 years
with us,” said Gary J. Turner, KPC director.
“We often referred to David as the ‘Renaissance
Man’ due to his abilities in so many varied fields
and never-ending energy.”
There are few faculty members who are
recognized as an emeritus professor at two universities, Turner added.
KPC coins, history book on sale at bookstore
The KRC Bookstore Holiday Sale, which began Nov. 23, features such
items as KPC Commemorative Coins and the
tions) and submitted to the governor is the one that is eventually approved in May. However,
as President Johnsen said last
week, UA is also working on a
contingency budget in case there
is a reduction.
The funding we receive and
how many credit hours we might
be down overall this academic
year will dictate what personnel actions we will need to take;
these will be based upon the
proposals we have received from
the supervisors. Our intent is to
inform you of any personnel actions as soon as we can.
Personnel reductions can
be made via reduction in days
worked during a pay period, reduction in hours worked each
day, reduction in contract length,
non-renewal of term contracts,
not filling vacated positions and
layoffs.
I’m sure you have read that
all Alaska agencies and departments are facing similar or even
larger reductions—for example,
ferry system, state troopers,
50-year history of KPC book, “Keeping the Fire
Burning.”
The six-piece Commemorative Coin set normally priced at $299.00 is on sale for $249.00,
a $50 savings. The two-piece Commemorative
Coin set everyday price is $140.00, but will
be on sale for $99.00, a $41 savings. Customers who buy either of the coin sets will receive
a copy of “Keeping the Fire Burning” for free.
The six-coin set with book is a $318.99 value
for just $249. The two-coin set with book is a
$159.99 value for only $99.
The history book itself is priced at $19.99,
while a single copper coin is $30.00. History
books and single coins are also available at the
KBC Bookstore, but two-coin and six-coin sets
are available only at KRC. For more information, call Jenya Malakhova Quartly at 262-0306.
KPC Electronics and Instrumentation
Club gets good news, twice
The KPC Electronics and Instrumentation
Club, which formed last year, has received good
news twice this winter: Current club president
Megan Westlake was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the International Society of Automation (ISA), and the club has been officially
invited to participate in the 2016 Southern Al-
Gary J. Turner, KPC director
Photo provided by KPC advancement
Dept of Transportation (road
plowing), etc.
KPC has always handled
its money very responsibly and
frugally. We have increased our
focus on reducing expenditures
and increasing revenue. We will
be prepared for the upcoming
reductions, and our goal is for
them to have as little impact on
our personnel and KPC as possible. I will continue to keep you
informed as I learn more.
berta Institute of Technology games.
According to Tammy Farrell, KRC assistant professor of mathematics and process
technology, Westlake, who enrolled in the instrumentation program at KRC as a full-time
student while working two jobs, has continued
to take 15 credits per semester and was founder
of Electronics and Instrumentation Club.
ISA is a leading, global, nonprofit organization with more than 30,000 members worldwide, according to its website. The organization
develops standards, certifies industry professionals, provides education and training, publishes books and technical articles, and hosts
conferences and exhibitions for automation
professionals.
For the SAIT competition, the club will be
assembling a team of students and chaperones
to travel to Alberta. SAIT provides everything
except the airfare, so the club is also seeking
sponsorship for the games set for March 13-14.
Students in the KPC instrumentation
program are eligible to join the club, which is
sponsored by Farrell and Rebecca Weaver, KRC
assistant professor of instrumentation and process technology. Contact Farrell at 262-0392 or
Weaver at 262-0367 for more information.
see BRIEFS, page 3
The KPC Connection is produced by Kenai Peninsula College students, faculty and staff,
and is intended to serve as an
internal communication tool as
well as a means to inform Peninsula residents about what is
happening at the college. The
opinions expressed herein do
not necessarily reflect the official opinions or policy of
KPC, the University of Alaska
Anchorage or University of
Alaska, nor of KPC employees
or students. If our readers believe there has been an error
in a story, they should contact
Gary Turner at 262-0315. We
will make every effort to publish corrections as necessary in
the next edition.
The KPC Connection editorial team consists of:
-Gary J. Turner, KPC director
-Suzie Kendrick, KPC advancement programs manager
-Clark Fair, KPC Connection
coordinator
Questions about the KPC Connection or how to submit articles for this newspaper can
be directed to Suzie Kendrick
at wskendrick@kpc.alaska.edu
or by calling 262-0320.
Produced in cooperation with the
Peninsula Clarion, Kenai, Alaska.
www.peninsulaclarion.com
Ca mpus
KPC
KRC
KBC
RBES
AES
UAA
Abbreviations
Kenai Peninsula College
Kenai River Campus
Kachemak bay Campus
Resurrection Bay
Extension Site
Anchorage Extension Site
University of Alaska
Anchorage
Switching is not quitting
smokefree / tobacco.free / vape.free
December 2015 Page 3
KPC Connection
Traditional Dena’ina Cloth Ceremony held at KRC
...BRIEFS
Continued from page 2
Magic, laughs in store for spring KPC Showcase
The KPC Showcase has more entertainment—including
a comedian and a magician—planned for spring semester.
A twin-bill of entertainment—comedian Jamie Lissow
and magician/illusionist Joseph Réohm—arrives on Friday,
Feb. 26. This show is set for rooms 102-106 of the Ward
Building. Because the KRC Student Union is using activity
fees to reduce admission costs, tickets will be $15 for the
public, $5 for students and staff.
Lissow, who recently bought a house in Fairbanks, has
appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Late Late
Show, and Last Comic Standing. A regular performer on the
college campus circuit, he has also had his own half-hour
special on Comedy Central.
Réohm, who excels in both intimate environs and
large arenas, became a professional magician in 2001. He
has appeared on the NBC Universal, E!, TrueTV and SyFy
networks, and has appeared on Wizard Wars with Penn &
Teller.
Family ties bind KPC to Christmas tree lighting in
Washington, D.C.
A Soldotna fifth-grader with KPC family connections
will travel this month to Washington, D.C., to light the Capitol Christmas Tree. Anna Kathleeen DeVolld, daughter of
KRC adjunct instructor Shona DeVolld and granddaughter
of KPC Council member Sonja Redmond, Esq., was chosen to light the tree based on her submission to the Capitol
Christmas Tree Lighting Essay Contest.
Anna’s submission was chosen from more than 400
entries from all across Alaska. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski
selected the winning submission. Alaskan children were
featured this year because the Capitol tree is a 75-foot Lutz
Spruce, cut from the Chugach National Forest.
“It’s so exciting Anna gets to represent the children of
Alaska and the pride we have in our state,” Shona DeVolld
said last month in the Peninsula Clarion. “We are fourthgeneration Alaskans. It just means so much to us as a family
to be able to go and represent Alaska and show how proud
we are to live in such a beautiful and amazing state.”
Anna will travel to D.C. with her mother, sister Sara,
and father John for one week in December. They will attend
a variety of events to celebrate the holiday.
Semester by the Bay students, professor recognized
for volunteer efforts
The Planet Blue Partnership Award for 2015 was
awarded to the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response
Network Volunteers from Homer and the Homer Veterinary
Clinic.
The SeaLife Center’s news release stated, “This group
of 24+ people in Homer [including 15 KBC Semester by the
Bay students and Debbie Tobin, SBB coordinator and KBC
associate professor of biology, are willing to drop weekend
plans and interrupt their day jobs to assist the ASLC Wildlife Response team when a call comes in about an animal
in the Homer area – which is over four hours away from
our facility in Seward. Their passion and expertise help us
respond to animals more efficiently, and we are glad to have
them on our team!”
By Suzie Kendrick
KPC advancement programs manager
When loss is experienced in the Dena’ina
culture, it is customary
for individuals to help lift
up one another. The traditional Cloth Ceremony
provides the spiritual
framework for this process.
In an effort to preserve this ancient rite
and offer solace to those
seeking an outlet for their
pain, a Cloth Ceremony
was hosted at KRC on Oct.
29 by Sondra ShaginoffStuart, KPC Rural and
Alaska Native Student
Services coordinator; Helen Dick, Dena’ina elder
and KPC adjunct language
instructor; and Alan Boraas, KRC professor of anthropology, in conjunction
with the Kenaitze Tribe.
The ceremony was
conducted by a small group
of distinguished Alaska
Native elders, among just
a few remaining with the Native students from all experienced loss at some
knowledge to execute the over Alaska, KRC contin- point in their life,” said
ceremony. Guests gath- ues to support and encour- Shaginoff-Stuart. “We as
ered in a large circle, each age cultural activities that
grasping the same cloth. help them adjust to being a community needed to
At the end of the cer- far from their home vil- come together to lift each
emony, participants tore lages. Student housing has other up during these
the cloth apart, and each allowed these students to times. It doesn’t matter
participant took a small live on campus and attend
piece of the cloth home. college in a small, welcom- a person’s title or status.
“Seventy people, of ing environment. As the We needed to support each
all ages and ethnicities, Rural and Alaska Native other. The cloth ceremony
held a common cloth, lis- Student Services coordi- supports this value of lifttened to songs, drumming nator,
Shaginoff-Stuart
ing each other as one comand prayers in Dena’ina, has facilitated many acChup’ik, and English,” tivities for these students. munity for deeper, mean“Every person has ingful healing.”
Boraas posted on his Facebook page. “And
afterward shared a
remarkable meal of
salmon, moose meat,
fry bread, and nivagi
(Dena’ina ice cream)
and sub sandwiches.
Each in their own
way recognized loss
in their lives and
uplifted one another
through a ceremony
with a fire and the
surging Kenai River.” As a matter of respect, no faces are shown in this file photo of a previous
With a growing traditional Dena’ina Cloth Ceremony.
population of Alaska Photo provided by Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart
Register now for spring semester and apply for student housing
Suzie Kendrick
KPC advancement programs manager
It’s hard to believe that it’s already time for students to register
for the upcoming spring semester
at all KPC locations. Students are
encouraged to check out the searchable schedule on the KPC website
for listings of all course offerings.
Online registration, at UAOnline, is
accessible from the KPC homepage.
Priority registration for spring
wrapped up Nov. 22 for currently
admitted and pending degree-seeking
students. Priority registration gives
these students the opportunity to
complete their degrees by ensuring
open seats in required classes. Veteran students, who are always given
the first priority period, were able
to register on Nov. 6. The remainder of priority registration was staggered according to class standing.
The general public registration
period opened at 12:01 a.m. on Nov.
23. Students are urged to seek advis-
ing to be sure they are on course for
graduation in the least amount of time
possible. Pre-planning helps ensure
that students are on the right track
to reach their goals in the shortest,
most economical timeframe possible. Students are encouraged to
take at least 15 credits each semester to earn associate’s degrees in two
years and bachelor’s degrees in four.
KPC’s spring 2016 schedule offers
almost 400 course sections, including
more than 130 high-quality, online
classes. Students should be diligent
about checking the searchable sched-
ule for changes before registering at
UAOnline. Students who procrastinate can register during the late-registration period, Jan. 11-15. Spring semester classes begin on Jan. 11, 2016.
The residence hall at KRC is
currently accepting applications for
spring. Students have an opportunity
to be a part of a residence life community committed to academic excellence and personal growth. The 92bed hall offers apartment suites that
house four students. Each student
has a private bedroom, a bathroom
shared with one other student and a
common, full kitchen, dining and living room area. The facility is equipped
with state-of-the-art security features,
including advanced key card technology and closed-circuit surveillance
cameras. For more information, visit
www.kpcreslife.com or call 262-0256.
For more information about the
registration process, or to schedule an
advising session, contact Student Services at 262-0330 or toll free at 877262-0330.
Notice:
Beginning Dec. 31, 2015, KPC will become
completely smoke and tobacco-free. In accordance
with UA BOR regulation 05.12.102, tobacco use
and smoking, including the use of electronic
cigarettes and similar products, will be prohibited
on all university property.
Page 4 KPC Connection
December 2015
Retiring KBC professors find romance, leave big legacy
by Clark Fair
KPC Connection coordinator
At first glimpse, it may appear that the biggest news
for KBC is the simultaneous retirement of two of its seven fulltime faculty members: Beth Graber and Michael
Hawfield hanging up their cleats. Decades of service
coming to an end. Big shoes to fill.
There may, however, be something bigger here: a
love story.
Graber, KBC professor of English and communications, came to Alaska in the summer of 1982 to visit a
friend who had moved to Anchorage. In early August,
she befriended a teenage girl on a commuter flight to
Homer, and eventually wound up marrying the girl’s father. A week after arriving in Homer, she resigned from
her job teaching high school English in Oregon. Three
months later, she was hired as a half-time Learning Center facilitator by Jim Riggs, KBC’s first branch coordinator. Her hiring raised the number of KBC staff at that
time to three. By the end of the decade, Graber was a
fulltime instructor.
Hawfield, KBC associate professor of history and
political science, first came to Alaska in 1992, not long
after his first wife had died, and found himself in Homer, living as a “Spit Rat” and working deckhand jobs on
commercial fishing vessels. When he left an executive
position for a historical society in Indiana and moved
permanently to Homer in 1996, he became director of love,” Graber said, “but the time feels right, and I’m exthe Pratt Museum, where KBC director Carol Swartz cited to see what the future holds.”
discovered him and asked to teach history for her as an
adjunct. He became a fulltime KBC instructor in 2008.
About the time Hawfield first dipped his toes in
Kachemak Bay, Graber found herself a widow. In 1997,
Swartz introduced her to Hawfield. Both professors
now view that introduction as a magnificent milestone.
“My ship came in again when I was blessed to meet
and marry Mike Hawfield,” Graber said. Hawfield called
the meeting “the best blessing of all.” They married in
2001. They both also still love Homer and have no plans
to move.
“Beth and I decided to retire this year mostly due to
a strong feeling that it simply is time. Time, in fact, is
a large issue. We want more of it,” Hawfield said. “We
have a lot of travel plans for exploring more of Alaska
and roaming Outside and elsewhere on the planet.”
“For most of my adult life I’ve devoted the majority of
my weekends to grading papers,” Graber said, “and I’m
ready to make room for other things.”
Hawfield hopes to do volunteer week for KBC, the
public library, and Hospice. He wants to build a boat,
create a radio program, and engage hands-on in environmental issues. “We are in good health and looking
forward to being active in a wide variety of things,” he
Graber and Hawfield looking very relaxed in Sorrento,
said.
“It’s a bittersweet decision to leave something you Southern Italy.
Photo provided By Beth Graber and Mike Hawfield
Damon Memorial Fund endowment continues to support
KPC students and programs
By Gary J. Turner
KPC director
The Damon Memorial Fund Council, which
oversees a major KPC endowment, had their annual
meeting Oct. 21 where council members reviewed
last year’s budget and endowment fund earnings, and
approved this year’s budget.
This endowment, with a current balance of
$836,907, was created by Clarence and Anna Goodrich when they established the Damon Foundation
in 1973 to provide scholarships to KPC students and
humanities grants to the college. The Goodrich family donated their daughter Frances’ estate, consisting
of a 160-acre homestead along Kalifornsky Beach
Road, to the college. Funds from sales of this land
support this endowment in perpetuity.
The foundation is in memory of the Goodrich’s
daughter Frances Helen Damon and grandson Lawrence E. Damon, who were killed in a tidal wave
off the coast of Whittier following the Good Friday
earthquake of 1964.
This year the council approved
funding for one full-year scholarship
award, capped at 13 credits per semester.
Council members include Faith
Hall, granddaughter of Clarence
Goodrich; Hall’s husband, Martin;
Amber Chatham, daughter of Faith
and Martin, and great great-granddaughter of Clarence Goodrich; Hal
Smalley, College Council representative; Mike Frost, First National Bank
of Alaska representative; and Jennifer Anderson, KPC administrative
services director, and KPC director
Gary J. Turner.
Those interested in establishing
a KPC endowment or donating to
KPC should contact Suzie Kendrick,
advancement programs manager, at
262-0320.
Photo by Karen Gist
Work & LIVE in Alaska’s Playground!
The Goodrich family has been benevolent to Kenai Peninsula College since its inception. In addition to the annual
scholarship that is funded by the Damon Memorial Fund endowment, the family provided a humanities grant for the establishment of the KRC 3-D Art Studio in the Ward Building. The studio was named to honor Anna Goodrich, wife
of Clarence Goodrich, and mother of Frances Helen Damon,
whom the Damon Foundation was established to honor.
Photo provided by KPC advancement
W
ith more than 750 dedicated and
skilled employees, Central Peninsula
Hospital and Heritage Place combine the
best of medical technology and the human
touch. We care for our community around
the clock, responding to medical needs from newborns to the critically ill.
Go to www.facebook.com/voiceofcph for job opportunities.
December 2015 Page 5
KPC Connection
Word on Campus:
“If you could be transported to any time, via the KPC Time
Machine, what year would it be, and why did you choose it?”
Compiled by KPC advancement department
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS & AND THEIR PARENTS
Sage Santos, KBC, bachelor of arts early childhood education
“I would travel to the 1990s when there was still good music being made. I would join in the riot grrrl
scene and write zines about punk and feminism.”
PEOPLE
Ferdie Villaflores, AES, associate of applied science process technology
STATEMENTS
“If I could be transported in time, I would go back to about 1995 and invest all my money into
Apple stock.”
MARKETERS
JumpStart RATE
TIME
Juniors and Seniors who live in the Kenai Peninsula Borough
receive subsidized tuition rates (JumpStart) to attend dual-credit
courses at KENAI PENINSULA COLLEGE’S Kenai River Campus,
Kachemak Bay Campus and the Resurrection Bay Extension Site!
to 6
$58 PerUpCREDIT
JumpStart
Tuition Rate
CREDITS/Semester
Up to 30/year
$1,740
$5,490
1-year of KPC @
JumpStart tuition
1-year of KPC @
REGULAR tuition
TAKE OVER THE
$15,900
PUPPIES
WORLD
Reece Cowan, KBC, associate of applied science process technology
“Yesterday, so I would have used my time better.”
68
INBOUND MARKETERS
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
FINDING LIFE ON MARS
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Jonathan Gonzalez, AES, associate of applied science process technology
“If I could be transported in time, I would go back to the 1980s in Alaska and invest in the cheap real
estate so I could retire early.”
Zobeida Rudkin, KRC, bachelor of science marine biology
You’ll notice that this infographic was created entirely from basic shapes
“I would travel to the Victorian Era, because I’m really fascinated
with all that was happening in the
and alternating font sizes. By focusing your design on two simple aspects,
you can accomplish an intricate outcome. For an infographic of this
world during that time period.”
Per CREDIT
For non-JumpStart
TUITION
KPC Regular
Tuition Rate
YEARS UNTIL
Sadie Averill, KRC, bachelor of arts elementary education
“I would travel to the 1940s, so that I could be a spy in WWII.”
$185
MORE THAN KPC @
REGULAR tuition
$21,390
$19,650
1-year of tuition @
Montana State
University
MORE THAN KPC @
JumpStart tuition
$18,988
$24,478
MORE THAN KPC @
REGULAR tuition
1-year of tuition @
Washington State
University
After high school
graduation, take
another year of KPC
classes AND SAVE a
bundle…
$22,738
MORE THAN KPC @
JumpStart tuition
$7,230 @ KPC
$42,780 @ Montana State
$48,956 @ Washington State
style, I would suggest using no more than three colors and stick
to one font to make things simpler.
Tony Burton, KBC, non-degree seeking
“I would pick 1936, to see my grandfather and grandmother start their homestead and family.”
Ben Clock, KRC, associate of applied science industrial process instrumentation
“I would travel to 1000 AD, around the end of the Viking Age, because I always wanted to be a Viking
when I grew up.”
DON’T PAY
TOO MUCH
for college tuition!
SAVE $$$ AT KPC!
College will never be so affordable!
We can help you ace your finances
Kenai:
11216 Keani Spur Hwy.
Soldotna:
44552 Sterling Hwy.
© 2015 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. (1536102_16303)
Homer Store:
88 Sterling Hwy.
B
I
Page 6 KPC Connection
December 2015
KRC introduces new faculty and staff
Dr. Cadie Buckley
James Scott Jr.
KRC assistant professor of biology
KPC ETT educational technologist
1. What are your duties?
I teach Anatomy & Physiology lecture and laboratory sections. I coordinate with other biology faculty to expand the biology courses here at KPC.
2. What was your last position? Where?
I was an instructor of anatomy at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
hool English and outdoor education courses.
3. Where did you go to school?
I have a doctorate in molecular bioscience and bioengineering from the University of
Hawaii, John Burns School of Medicine.
4. What brought you to Alaska?
I was born and raised in Alaska!
5. What are your long-term goals at KPC?
I want to expand the biology courses offered here at KPC, highlighting what is unique
about this amazing place. I also want to engage students in the natural world and
work together on fundamental scientific questions. Long before the high-tech and expensive equipment of science today, scientists were making revolutionary discoveries,
some of the best discoveries made from simple questions and simple tools to answer
those questions. KPC is a great place for that to happen. I know from growing up
in Alaska that students here are very resourceful. This is one of my favorite quotes
by Hungary’s Nobel Prize-winning physiologist Albert Szent-Györgyi: “Discovery is
seeing what everybody else has seen, and thinking what nobody else has thought.”
e
m
o
c
l
e
W
1. What are your duties?
Provide ongoing technical assistance to faculty and staff on software and hardware, including Blackboard, SMART products, conferencing, multimedia and lecture capture.
Prepare training and reporting for systems used for educational purposes. Coordinate
ETT-related procurement and inventory tracking. Install and maintain KPC servers,
workstations, IP phones, disk storage, switches, routers and firewalls. Interact with
customers regarding escalated Information Technology (IT) tickets.
2. What was your last position? Where?
I was a junior network and systems engineer at Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC)
in Anchorage. For about a year, I maintained servers, workstations, IP phones, disk
storage, switches, routers, and firewalls for CITC and several nearby contracted small
businesses. CITC is a non-profit social services organization that serves the Alaskan
community through programs such as adult GED and youth education, NYO Games,
employment and financial assistance, substance abuse rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, various community events and digital storytelling.
3. Where did you go to school?
In May 2014, I graduated from UAA with a bachelor of science in technology focusing
on computer networking. Prior to that, I graduated from Community College of the
Air Force with an associate of applied science (A.A.S.) in aerospace ground equipment in August 2009, and also from Hallmark Institute of Technology with an A.A.S.
in business technology in June 2003.
4. What brought you to Alaska?
I came to Alaska in January 2005 after being assigned to Elmendorf AFB as a flight
line mechanic. The splendor of Alaska and authenticity of its people convinced me to
stay and call Alaska home. My wife, three- year-old son and I enjoy the outdoors on
the Kenai Peninsula.
5. What are your long-term goals at KPC?
I want to implement and maintain IT and Ed Tech systems in efficient and relevant
ways, to foster long-lasting relationships within the community, and to serve our
customers—the students.
Brockel Building renovation revs up at KRC
By Clark Fair
KPC Connection coordinator
At KRC, pre-construction activity
has begun.
The Math Lab moved in early November to Room 192. Library and Learning Center staff began packing up books
and equipment weeks ago. By January,
when students return for Spring Semester, things may seem a bit topsy-turvy in
the Brockel Building as a large-scale “academic renewal” project gets under way.
“The Learning Center and Library
spaces are used to further and support
the academic mission of the campus,” said
Phillip Miller, KRC construction project
manager. “Over time, much has changed
on how tutoring, testing, research and
library resources are delivered to the
campus community. The renewal should
allow these departments to improve efficiency in service delivery and provide a
more conducive environment to deliver
the services in.”
In early November, Steiner’s North
Star Construction of Homer outbid five
other general contractors for the Brockel
Building renovations. North Star, which
bid in excess of $1.1 million dollars for
the project, is slated to begin work during
the holiday break and continue through
Spring Semester. Departments and services should return to their regular locations in time for Fall Semester 2016.
Starting in January, Learning Center
staff will be on the second floor of the
McLane Building; Testing Services will
be in room 119 of the Ward Building;
library staff will also be on the second
floor of the McLane Building, with public
computers and a resource help desk in a
portion of River View Commons; library
books will be stored in room 105 of the
Ward Building and can be retrieved, upon
request, by library staff.
The Gary L. Freeburg Gallery will be
closed throughout the construction process.
Temporary signage will be placed
around campus to direct students to all
the temporary venues and procedures.
In addition to the Brockel Building
renovation, additional work will begin
next spring on the pavilion and surround-
ing grounds of KRC housing. The pavilion is a 1,200-square-foot covered area for
outdoor events, and the other improvements involve improved drainage around
the building, roadways and paths.
The housing project will be under-
taken by Peninsula Construction of Soldotna, which was awarded the job based
on its winning bid of $737,600. Work on
this project is expected to be completed
by July 2016.
The KRC Learning Center has to pack up and store all their tutoring resources until their space renovations are complete. Lisa Burkhart, KRC Learning Center office manager, along with other Learning
Center personnel, hope to be moved out by the end of the semester.
Photo provided by KPC advancement
December 2015 Page 7
KPC Connection
Japanese Consul visits
KRC language class
Japanese Consul Makoto Izakura (left) with Yasuko Lehtinen, KRC adjunct Japanese language
instructor, and Adam Weinert, senior assistant at
the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage after
attending Lehtinen’s Japanese language class on
Nov. 5. Lehtinen has had a 26-year relationship
with the Japanese Consul’s office. Lehtinen explained that she has always gotten consistent support from the Consul because of her efforts that
established a “sister city” relationship between
the Kenai Peninsula Borough and Akita, Japan for
the last 23 years.
Photo provided by KPC advancement
Veteran’s Day celebrated with BBQ, military ration cook-off
By John Pollock
KPC Student Services director
On Veteran’s Day, the
KRC Student Union, the
Wounded Warrior Project,
Soldotna Elks, and the Red
Diamond Vet Center partnered on a Veterans Day
Celebration in the KRC
McLane Commons. The
event consisted of a BBQ
lunch provided by Firehouse BBQ, a merchandise
give away from the Wounded Warrior Project and a
Meals Ready to Eat (MRE)
cook off.
The BBQ lunch, open to
KRC faculty, staff, and students, consisted of pulled
pork,
chicken,
brisket,
ribs, sausage and a variety
of sides and desserts. The
Wounded Warrior Project
(WWP) generously provid-
ed funding for the buffet.
The WWP’s purpose
is “to raise awareness and
enlist the public’s aid for
the needs of injured service
members; to help injured
servicemen and women aid
and assist each other; and to
provide unique, direct programs and services to meet
their needs”.
The WWP Alaska Outreach Coordinator, Jason
Delozier, was on hand for
the event to answer questions and register veterans
for the program.
WWP alumni and KRCSU Representative Shane
Bliss were instrumental in
coordinating the event and
WWP’s participation.
The “Meals Ready to
Eat Cook-Off” was a competition to showcase the
culinary talents of members
of the campus community
as they attempted to create
unique, tasty dishes from
military rations. Dr. Alan
Boraas, Dr. Paul Landen, Dr.
Cadie Buckley, staff member
Dave Atcheson, and students Amber Makua, Emma
Brenner, and Harold King
participated in the event.
Three randomly selected student judges courageously tasted each and
every dish and after extensive consultation proclaimed KRC student Amber Makua’s “Mexican Hot
Mess,” the winner. When
asked for the secret to her
success, Makua stated, “I
followed the directions on
the bag.” The judges also
made special note of Dr.
Boraas’ creation which they
found visually grotesque
and completely inedible.
At the KRC “Meals Ready to Eat Cook-Off” some of the chefs tear open their MREs and prepare
to make culinary delights. From left: Paul Landen, associate professor of psychology; Amber
Makua, KRC student; Cadie Buckley, assistant professor of biology; and Alan Boraas, professor
of anthropology.
Photo provided by John Pollock
Added savings, just for you
As a student at Kenai Peninsula College, you may be
eligible for a discount on your monthly AT&T bill.
To find out if you qualify, go to http://www.att.com/getIRU, enter your
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© AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.
Page 8 KPC Connection
Hiking through history on the legendary
Chilkoot Trail
By Laurie Cowgill
KRC Learning Center testing assistant
“GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!”
screamed the headlines in July
1897. Thirty thousand miners descended on Skagway and
Dyea to climb Chilkoot Pass,
the poor man’s “road” to the
Klondike goldfields—the fastest, cheapest, and most intense
route. This legacy is preserved
in the world’s longest museum, 33-mile Klondike Gold
Rush National Historical Park,
where hikers follow, and where
my tale began.
Eight women from all
walks of life gathered to hike
this legend, among them fellow
KPC staffer Eileen Reemstma,
and myself. Arriving in Skagway, we were required to produce two things: a passport to
reenter the United States, and
a credit card to pay for a medivac. Pausing at the trailhead,
we pondered the miners who
had walked before us. Wooden
grave markers pulled us back
to another time, to those who
never made it home. We hoped
we surely would.
Camps are the very spots
where robust cities boomed
during the Gold Rush. Where
once there were towns of thousands, with eateries, bars,
hotels, and stores, now there
are hiker stops with warming
huts, privies, and bear boxes.
Evenings, friendships grow as
hikers come together. This is a
high point, becoming one trail
group. Our trail mates called
us “The Ladies.” We attracted
attention everywhere with our
After nearly eight miles on the trail, the group stopped for the Although the steep climb over enormous boulders on the
Golden Stairs on day three was physically and mentally
night at Canyon City, once a busy freight station with 1,500
residents. Pictured L-R on the porch: Shawn Haskins, Eileen challenging, Eileen Reemtsma approaches the summit with
a smile.
Reemtsma, Mary Rhyner. Front row: Laurie Cowgill, Donna
Photos provided by Laurie Cowgill
Krein, Jo Maloof VanCurler, Holly Kroll, and Rita Selden
numbers and diversity.
Day three, we had to climb
the Golden Stairs—900 feet
high, nearly vertical, over boulders, some the size of cars. We
were advised to start early, before afternoon heat increased
avalanche danger. Were we prepared? Too late to turn back
now! As stream crossings increased, I earned my trail-name:
“Walks Through Water.”
Artifacts
are
scattered
around the Scales, where miner’s goods were weighed and
discarded, as they looked to
what lay ahead. There is a story
of Klondike Mike, who claimed
he carried a piano over the
pass. In the spirit of this tale,
we took turns carrying a small
piano charm over the Chilkoot.
As we peered up at this
impossible route, three figures
loped down. Trail angels! Two
teens, Gabe and Dominic, wanted to help “The Ladies.” Dad
Eileen Reemtsma, Rita Selden, and Laurie Cowgill pause along Moose Creek, part
of a pleasant 8.5-mile hike through Canadian boreal forest. Remnants of Klondike boats and grave markers line the trail--the ability to build a boat and navigate
waterways was too difficult for many.
Sebastian joined them. They
carried some of our packs up
those Golden Stairs, and this
senior citizen is forever grateful. We had trail angels within
our own group, too--women
who carried gear, and even entire packs, when others struggled with exhaustion.
Arriving at the summit
was exhilarating. We looked
at our 30-pound packs of tech
gear, down bags, and Mountain
House meals, and imagined the
1,000 pounds miners were required to carry—the live chickens, hundreds of pounds of
flour and nails, books and musical instruments. This day, the
Canadian Warden Station provided cocoa for a warm break
after the tough climb. But we
didn’t dally. There were still
snowfields, stream crossings,
and miles to go. As we straggled
into Happy Camp that evening,
trail friends cheered us on. Lat-
er, we all gathered in the hut
to share stories, food, and pass
flasks carried over the summit.
This misnamed spot is legendary for miserable weather. A
hiker left a sign: “Happy Camp,
where all happiness comes to
die.” Not so this day!
Day five, the trail behind
us, we threw our packs on the
narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon train for an incredible ride
back to Skagway. We had found
our treasure. The changing
landscape, the physical challenges, the trail camaraderie-these were our Bonanza. As it
had been for those before us,
the Chilkoot was forever a tapestry of memories and dreams.
Perhaps Robert Service said it
best in his poem “The Call of
the Wild”: “The simple things,
the true things, the silent men
who do things . . . listen to the
Wild -- it’s calling you.”
December 2015
Kenai
Peninsula
College
System
Kenai River Campus (KRC)
156 College Road
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
(907) 262-0300
toll free (1-877) 262-0330
www.kpc.alaska.edu
Kachemak Bay Campus (KBC)
533 E. Pioneer Ave.
Homer, Alaska 99603
(907) 235-7743
www.homer.alaska.edu
Resurrection Bay
Extension Site (RBES)
P.O. Box 1049
Seward, Alaska 99664
(907) 224-2285
www.kpc.alaska.edu
photo by Carol Griswold
Completion of the railroad over White Pass in 1899 ended the Chilkoot route to
the Yukon River headwaters. The narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Railway
still winds over steep grades, tight turns, tunnels, and trestles from Skagway,
Alaska, to Bennett, British Columbia.
Anchorage Extension Site (AES)
University Center
3901 Old Seward Hwy #117B
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
(907) 786-6421
www.kpc.alaska.edu