February 2012

Keep Informed. Get Involved. Stay Connected. FEBRUARY 2012 VOLUME II ISSUE 6 BRENHAM BRYAN SCHULENBURG SEALY

Blinn’s new VP

Administrator returns to Blinn STAY CONNECTED: • Blinn’s Spring Enrollment Up • SBDC strengthens new businesses • Blinn professors serving their community • Career Quest in Fayette County • Board president honored • Board recognizes community partners

FROM THE TOP

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n a 1963 lecture, author and scholar Ralph Ellison famously said that education is all about building bridges. As you read through this month’s edition of the Connection, it’s obvious that Blinn College has been building bridges throughout the communities it serves. Our latest enrollment numbers indicate we are serving more than 16,600 students on our campuses, but thanks to the tremendous efforts of our faculty and staff, Blinn College is impacting the lives of far more. These pages alone tell the stories of: • Blinn professors serving their communities as members of the College Station and Brenham city councils. • the $3.67 million dollars in loans Blinn’s Small Business Development Center helped local businesses to acquire during the last fiscal year. • the numerous contributions Board of Trustees member Atwood Kenjura has made in Washington County. • recognition for the City of Bryan for its decades of productive partnerships with Blinn. • the Star of the Republic’s efforts in hosting the Brazos Valley Regional History Fair for area high school students. Blinn College is working hard not only for our students, but for our entire service area. I applaud the efforts of our faculty and staff in lending their expertise and efforts to our community, and I look forward to our continued efforts in that regard. Already, we are working with Brenham High School to establish an even closer bond through our dual-credit programs, and our Service Learning program, which has seen Blinn College document more than 252,000 hours in community service, currently has projects within 19 communities across our service area. As the president of Blinn College, I am proud of the impact we are making in Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg and Sealy, and I know that our neighbors appreciate our efforts to put the “community” in community college.

Blinn Connection is a newsletter for the faculty and staff of Blinn College published monthly by the Office of Blinn College Marketing and Media Relations. MARKETING AND MEDIA RELATIONS Jeff Tilley, Brandon Webb, Charlie Kelm Jeanelle Moreno, Richard Bray, Layla Barrett To submit information, contact the Office of Marketing and Media Relations Brenham campus phone: (979) 830-4663 fax: (979) 830-4105 email: [email protected] Bryan campus phone: (979) 209-7285 fax: (979) 209-7302 email: [email protected] Mission Statement Blinn College provides a personal commitment to individual and community enhancement through educational excellence. Vision Statement Blinn College will raise the educational aspirations and achievements of all people by being the doorway for enriching lives and broadening horizons. Accreditation Blinn College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia, 300334097, (404) 679-4501) to award the associate degree. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approves the courses and programs offered by Blinn College. Blinn College seeks to provide equal education without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, or any other constitutionally or statutorily impermissible reason. This policy extends to all programs and activities supported by the college. BlinnConnection ON THE COVER

Harold Nolte, Ed.D. President

Keep Informed. Get Involved. Stay Connected. FEBRUARY 2012 VOLUME II ISSUE 6 BRENHAM BRYAN SCHULENBURG SEALY

The Blinn College Board of Trustees Atwood Kenjura - President

Blinn’s new VP

Administrator returns to Blinn STAY CONNECTED: • Blinn’s Spring Enrollment Up

Leon Toubin - Vice President

Norwood Lange

Douglas Borchardt - Secretary

Carolyn D. Miller, C.P. A.

Dr. Henry Boehm, Jr.

David Sommer

• SBDC strengthens new businesses • College faculty turn knowledge to Community service • Career Quest in Fayette County • Board president honored

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Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, Sealy FEBRUARY 2012

• Board recognizes community partners

Crowson begins his new chapter at Blinn Feb. 27, bringing with him strong personal and professional ties to the College.

Keep Informed. Get Involved. Stay Connected. PRINTABLE PDF VERSION

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Blinn names Crowson VP of student services

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Blinn’s Enrollment Up for 5th Consecutive Spring

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Aid from Blinn’s SBDC’s strengthens Brenham Fitness Center

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Community College. Community Service.

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Blinn’s Career Quest gets Fayette County students thinking about their future

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Blinn Trustee named county’s man of the year

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Board Presents First Strategic Partner Award to City of Bryan

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BOARD NOTES

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AROUND THE CAMPUSES

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• • • • • • •

Prospective Students welcomed Scholarship through book sales Award Winning Play Regional History Fair Writing Center tutors Faculty in the news Bryan Theater Production

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ATHLETICS • Former Buccaneer named NFL Rookie of the Year • Softball Coach reaches milestone • Veteran coach returns to baseball

PERSONAL NOTES WITH CONDOLENCES MARK YOUR CALENDAR

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page 9

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FEBRUARY 2012

Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, Sealy BLINN CONNECTION

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SPOTLIGHT ON BLINN

Blinn names Crowson VP of student services Seasoned administrator returns to Blinn

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With experience working with faculty and staff as registrar, Crowson is ready to get going.

r. Dennis Crowson was appointed to serve as vice president for student services by the Blinn College Board of Trustees during its regular meeting on Feb. 21. Crowson, a 23-year veteran of higher education, said the position was his “dream job” and that he is excited to lead student services at the College. Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, Student Activities, Disability Services and a number of other departments will report to Crowson, who previously served at Blinn for 20 years. “Dennis has an exceptional background and depth of knowledge in student services, and he also has a deep and abiding affection for Blinn,” said Dr. Harold Nolte, Blinn president. “That’s a rare combination, and we are fortunate to have him back.” Crowson was the College’s registrar from 1997-2008, but most recently served as the associate director of enterprise information systems for Texas A&M University. “I’ve been working toward this for many years,” Crowson said. “I’m excited to be back in Brenham.” Crowson began his new chapter at Blinn Feb. 27, bringing with him strong personal and professional ties to the College. He earned his associate’s degree at Blinn 1985. His son Wiley played baseball at Blinn for two years and his oldest daughter Margaret took dual credit courses at Blinn while attending Brenham High School. Crowson holds a Bachelor’s of Engineering Science from the University of Texas Continued on next page

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SPOTLIGHT ON BLINN (1985), a Master’s of Business Administration from Sam Houston State University (1995) and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska (2005). He was working as a computer programmer at NASA when then-College President Walter C. Schwartz called to ask if he would be interested in working as a computer programmer and systems analyst at Blinn. Crowson was eventually promoted to dean of academic technology services before another Blinn president, Dr. Donald Voelter, asked Crowson to become registrar, a position he held for 11 years. “As registrar, you had to really be involved in every facet of this school – working with faculty and students and all the different administrative offices, especially with student services,” Crowson said. “Thanks to that background, I feel like I’m ready to get going right away.” Crowson left Blinn in 2008 to become a technical consultant for SunGard Higher Education, where he consulted for American universities such as Dartmouth and Notre Dame and institutions as far away as Hong Kong and Australia. “I always tried to keep in focus what those schools are doing and how it would apply at Blinn because my goal was always to come back and do this,” Crowson said. In January 2011, Crowson began working for Texas A&M. He has also been an adjunct professor for Sam Houston State since 2009, teaching courses in community college issues, higher education issues and information technology in higher education. Crowson, who lives in Brenham, is an active member of the community, serving as president of the Washington County Coastal Conservation Association. He has been on the board of directors for Washington County Little League and the Brenham Community Development Corporation, and volunteers for Rotary Club of Washington County and Goodfellows of Washington County. His daughter Alli is an eighth grader at Brenham Junior High School.

Blinn’s Enrollment Up for 5th Consecutive Spring Student count increases, but hours in the classroom soar

Spring enrollment at Blinn College climbed past 16,600 students this semester as the College marked another milestone increase in population. Blinn’s student body has increased every Spring since 2007. Overall, enrollment at Blinn’s four campuses in Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg and Sealy increased 1.23 percent, but the number of hours students are taking climbed a whopping 7.13 percent. Enrollment officials say the increase in contact hours—which soared past 3.3 million hours—means individual students are taking more hours and making more efficient use of their time in school. Blinn’s home campus in Brenham enrolled 2,377 students and grew by 5.69 percent. Contact hours increased over 2011 totals by more than five percent. The College’s largest campus in Bryan enrolled slightly fewer students than Spring 2011 for an enrollment of 11,085 students. Contact hours at the campus are up 3.09 percent. Blinn’s Schulenburg campus enrollment increased by 2.63 percent, while enrollment in Sealy grew by 2.04 percent. Colleges and universities across Texas this Spring are being impacted by the requirement for most new students to show proof they received a bacterial meningitis vaccination before attending classes on campus. Despite a state-wide information campaign to make students aware of the new requirement, the overall impact on enrollment numbers may not be clear for some time. Location

Spring 2012

Spring 2011

Percentage Change

Brenham

2,377

2,249

5.69 %

Bryan

11,085

11,327

-2.14 %

Schulenburg

195

190

2.63 %

Sealy

150

147

2.04 %

Distance Education only High Schools Prisons Total Enrollment Total Contact Hours

912

831

9.75 %

1,699

1,299

30.79 %

135

184

-26.63 %

16,609

16,407

+1.23%

3,303,144

3,083,392

+7.13%

18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0

2007

2008

2009

FEBRUARY 2012

2010

2011

2012


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Blinn SBDC’s aid strengthens Brenham Fitness Consultation service helped small business owner acquire loans for expansion Small Business Development Center staff, left to right: client coordinator Carol Doersom, SBDC director Matthew Wehring, Brenham Fitness Center owner Jim Baker and SBDC consultant John Tatum.

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t’s not easy being a small business owner these days. Even without the constant pressure to transcend an ailing economy, there’s the never-ending mountain of work required just to keep the doors open and the lights on. Long-term business plans? Marketing strategies? Financial projections and feasibility studies? There’s simply no time. That’s why Brenham businessman Jim Baker turned to the free and confidential consulting available at Blinn College’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Baker had already purchased Brenham Fitness Center and managed the company for about two years when he contacted the SBDC. With the expertise of director Matthew Wehring, consultant John Tatum

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and client coordinator Carol Doersom on his side, Baker wanted to explore ways to finish paying for the company while also purchasing the building and property on which his business was located. Together, they discussed ways in which Baker could obtain financing. “They helped me put the whole business plan together and had various options for financing, some through the Small Business Administration and also through conventional financing, to see what would work best,” Baker said. “They also helped me put together an extensive business plan, which you’ve got to have in place to put in front of potential lenders.” To help Baker acquire the loan, the SBDC organized all of Baker’s financial data, focusing


on the five factors lenders look for in a loan request – cash flow, capital, credit, collateral and the capabilities of management. After packaging the loan request in a way that met all the lenders’ criteria, the SBDC coached Baker on the best way to present his case. “All business is a risk, but they help to minimize the risk as much as possible by doing as much homework as they can,” Baker said. “Things you might forget to include or think about, they’re going to cover. They make sure you know the answers to all the questions and go into a project with your eyes wide open from the get-go.” Baker got the loan he needed, and Brenham Fitness was thriving, so much so that in 2009 Baker was working with the SBDC on a plan Continued on next page

COLLEGE FOCUS to expand his facilities when he was informed that Beyond Nutrition, a local wellness center, was available for purchase. “We were probably not 30 days from breaking ground on an expansion project when the opportunity to buy Beyond Nutrition opened up,” Baker said. Once again, he turned to the SBDC, which had already been helping him plan the expansion project. Now, it turned its attention to putting together a complex finance plan to purchase Beyond Nutrition. Last fall, Baker saw an opportunity for a fitness center in the Bellville market and again called upon his friends at the SBDC. Wehring’s staff did the market research, created financial projections and performed a feasibility study, providing Baker and his business partner Johnny Gray with all the information they needed to decide whether to proceed. When Baker and Gray gave the go-ahead, the SBDC helped them acquire a loan and create a new company called Fitness Plus. “Every time I go to make a move, the biggest thing I want to know is what’s going on in the market I’m looking at, and they have all that material,” Baker said. “They know all the right questions to ask and how to get answers on all that stuff.” Even when Baker wasn’t looking to expand his business, the SBDC helped him to build his client base with marketing materials and a redesigned website. “If you had to try and hire a consultant to do the things they do for free, it’s something a small businessperson like me couldn’t afford,” Baker said. “To me, their service was invaluable.” The SBDC at Blinn College is a business consulting and training center that is part of the University of Houston Small Business Development Center Network, which serves 32 counties in Southeast Texas. The center provides free one-on-one consulting and lowcost training seminars.

Blinn SBDC helped local businesses acquire $3.67 million in loans last year Center helped create 17 new businesses and 167 new jobs

The Blinn College Small Business Development Center helped its clients create 17 new businesses, 167 new jobs and aided small business owners in acquiring $3.67 million in new capital during the last fiscal year. The SBDC’s latest fiscal report, covering Oct. 1, 2010 through Sept. 30, 2011, details the support Blinn’s SBDC provided its 267 Washington, Colorado and Austin County clients. “We help businesses in our area of service become established, grow, survive and succeed by providing professional management consulting and training, resulting in measurable economic outcomes for our clients,” said Blinn SBDC Director Matthew Wehring. “We significantly reduce the failure rate of small business in our area and significantly improve their ability to generate profits.” The findings of the Blinn SBDC’s fiscal report coincide with a national report from the U.S. Small Business Administration. That report, “The SBDC Program: An Indespensible Partner in America’s Economic Development,” found that SBDCs across the nation aid small businesses because of their close associations with: • other SBA resource partners, small business assistance programs and service providers, • universities and community colleges • and private enterprise and local nonprofit economic development organizations. A key finding of the SBA’s report is that SBDCs help local economies by improving the odds for startup small businesses. “SBDCs,” the report says, “are solely focused on creating and supporting small businesses which in turn pay taxes, provide employment and diversify the economic base for their states. The businesses that work with the SBDCs are the job creators and enterprises that have the potential for survival and growth.” Last year, more than 557,000 entrepreneurs received business advice and technical assistance through SBDC programs across the nation. In their 30-year history, SBDCs have assisted millions of small business owners and entrepreneurs to successfully start and grow small firms by fostering entrepreneurship and growth through innovation and efficiency. “SBA’s Small Business Development Centers give new and growing small businesses the resources they need throughout the year to grow and create jobs,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “The soundness of our economy depends on stable small businesses across the country and SBDCs are front and center helping entrepreneurs start, grow and expand their companies. These institutions reflect the diversity and individuality of their nearly 900 home towns and play an active and vital role in those.”

108 Blinn Blvd. • [email protected] • (979) 830-4137

Monday - Friday • 8:00 am - 5:00 pm or by appointment Member of the University of Houston - Small Business Development Center Network

FEBRUARY 2012


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COLLEGE FOCUS

Community College. Community service. Blinn’s social science leaders in Brenham, Bryan serve on respective city councils

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arlier this month, Blinn CollegeBryan social sciences chair Dr. Blanche Brick was observing a government class as it discussed the intricacies of public vs. private rights. As she listened, Brick couldn’t help but think of her own experience on the College Station City Council, where she had spent the previous evening deliberating citizens’ ability to park their boats and trailers on their lawn. On the one hand, it was the residents’ personal property, and the government had no business regulating it. On the other, such lawn displays could lower the value of neighboring properties. “Public rights vs. private rights weren’t quite as clearly delineated in the real world as they seemed in the classroom,” Brick said. “I think that’s where the challenge is and that’s what makes politics so interesting.” Brick isn’t the only social sciences division head at Blinn who can call upon her experience as a city councilwoman in the classroom. Dr. Mary Barnes-Tilley, the social sciences division chair on Blinn’s Brenham campus, was elected to the Brenham City Council in January, taking the seat her mother, Mary Barnes, held for a dozen years. For both, the decision to devote countless hours in service of their community came from a sense of duty. “I’ve always felt that if we as citizens want to make sure everyone is provided for, then we have obligations to serve,” said BarnesTilley, who was her mother’s campaign treasurer and helped to design her marketing materials during campaigns in the late 1990s. “I’ve grown up with a grandfather who was Washington County sheriff, and I heard stories of how important it is to serve the community and volunteer your time.” But even with Barnes-Tilley’s experience in teaching government courses and her family’s history with local government, she was still surprised by what she found out on

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the campaign trail. “It was eye-opening,” she said. “You can teach all day long, but when you actually go out and figure out what your signs will look like, how many to order, ask people for donations, try to remember every event you need to attend and ask for votes – it’s an exciting process, but it’s really exhausting.” Barnes-Tilley won enough votes that no run-off election was needed, and she was sworn into service on Feb. 2. Since then, she has devoted herself to learning the intricacies of Brenham’s city government. After years teaching Blinn students about government, Barnes-Tilley is now getting an education of her own. “You think you have knowledge of local government and how it works, but I feel like I’m going back to school because I’m trying to absorb so much,” she said. “There’s a big learning curve.” And the more Barnes-Tilley learns, the more she can pass on to her students at Blinn. “I could not imagine a better experience to bring to the classroom than something like this,” she said. “What I hope is that I can help our students understand how important they are. So many of us today have the opinion that our vote doesn’t count and no one listens unless you have money, but it matters, especially in a small town like Brenham. I hope I can bring my experience making decisions on ordinances, utility services and budgeting to the classroom and tell them how it directly affects them right now.” Brick joined the College Station City Council last May out of a similar sense of civic duty, but also because she wanted to make certain the voice of educators was present in the local government. She made an unsuccessful bid for state representative in 2010, but won her bid for a College Station City Council position last year. “I felt like we needed a representative more in tune with education – both higher


and public education – and that we didn’t have that kind of representation in the state legislature,” Brick said. “I felt it was important to bring those issues forward.”

Dr. Blanche Brick

Dr. Mary Barnes-Tilley

COLLEGE FOCUS

Blinn’s Career Quest gets Fayette County students thinking about their future More than 400 middle schoolers participate in inaugural event

Blinn College Division of Agriculture and Applied Technology Chair Doug Pierce describes the applications for an agricultural degree to students from Schulenburg Middle School.

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handful of Blinn’s best and brightest spokespeople – the instructors who lead classes at the College every day – were on hand in Schulenburg recently to showcase for middle school students some of the realworld things you can do with a degree. Blinn College Social Science Professor Thad Hill urged about 420 middle school students to live for someone other than themselves, and to be the very best at whatever they chose to do in life. Agriculture and Applied Technology Division Chair Doug Pierce showed them how agriculture “is about more than just cows, sows and plows.” Biology Professor Greg Phillips provided insight into the anatomy of crawfish, Dr. Miriam Bixler demonstrated the nursing lab

mannequins who can moan, cry out and even vomit, and Math Professor Yvette Janecek showed students how some of the best careers available after graduation require an education in mathematics. And while the professors’ topics varied, their message at Blinn College’s “Career Quest” event last Friday was united – start thinking about your future and how your education can get you there. “I hear from students all the time, ‘I want to be a business major,’ and then you ask them what they want to do with that degree and they don’t know,” said Fayette County Extension Agent for 4-H and Youth Development Kayla Kaspar, who coordinated the event with Blinn’s Schulenburg Campus Director Becky Garlick. “One of the topics today is agriculture, and we tell them all

FEBRUARY 2012

about the careers in agriculture and what you can do with that education.” Blinn invited middle school students from Flatonia, Schulenburg, Fayetteville, La Grange and St. Rose Catholic to its campus for presentations on possible career paths and the educational goals students must achieve to make such paths possible. “Research shows that it’s in middle school where a lot of children decide whether they’re going to college,” Garlick said. “A lot of people believe that decision is made when they are juniors or seniors, but they start thinking about it in middle school, so we’re trying to focus on that age group.” Teachers such as Schulenburg Middle School’s Wendy Frienel, who also teaches a career exploration class, appreciated Blinn’s Continued on next page Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, Sealy BLINN CONNECTION

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COLLEGE FOCUS Career Quest - Continued attention to pre-high school students, who are often ignored when it comes to high school career days. “A lot of people believe that seventh and eighth grade is too early to start thinking about their careers, but this is a very good way to do it because then they start thinking about what they need to do, and now they have the information so they can make a good decision,” she said. Seventh grader Jared Kruse said he wants to become a forensic scientist, and is considering attending Blinn before completing his degree at Sam Houston State University. He too was impressed with the professors’ 20-minute presentations. “I didn’t get bored today, and I thought I would,” he admitted. For Fayette County students such as Kruse, Blinn’s Schulenburg campus is an appealing option. The campus has seen a 28 percent enrollment increase since Sept. 2009 “It was amazing to me when I came here in September 2008 that there were still people in this community who had no idea this campus existed,” Garlick said. “Blinn is a well-kept secret in Schulenburg, but we’re doing our best to let the secret out.” Events such as Career Quest have been instrumental in Blinn’s growth. Blinn’s Schulenburg campus also presents a Kid’s College for fourth through eighth graders that focuses on science, technology and math, and its “If I Had a Hammer” program teaches fifth graders mathematical concepts through construction projects. Friday marked Blinn’s inaugural Career Quest, but based upon feedback from teachers like Frienel, it won’t be the last. “The kids definitely enjoy the professors putting things into real-life terms for them to understand,” Frienel said. “They like hearing about salaries, they like hearing about famous people and they like hearing about the different career options open to them. I think today has really got them thinking about their futures.”

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Blinn trustee named county’s man of the year Kenjura has served 32 years as board member, including three terms as president

Blinn College Trustee Atwood Kenjura was recently named man of the year by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. Kenjura has served on the Blinn College Board of Trustees for more than 32 years, including three terms as the president. A lifelong resident of Brenham and a 1965 graduate of Blinn, Kenjura is the pharmacist and owner of Kenjura Pharmacy located in downtown Brenham. He attended and graduated from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy in 1968. “I have seen the countless hours invested in Blinn College’s search for a new president, late night hours of board meetings, patience and tolerance as the president and his caring dedication to the founding principles of the college,” said Clarence Gerke, Washington County’s 2010 man of the year, at the banquet honoring Kenjura. “I would dare say that the fine reputation Blinn enjoys today is a reflection of his passion for excellence.” He is an active member in numerous organizations, including the Texas Pharmacy


Association governmental affairs committee; Brazos Valley Pharmacy Association, where he was previously the president; National Association of Community Pharmacies; United Drug Association and American Pharmaceutical Association. Kenjura is also involved in the community having served as board director for Brenham Rotary Club, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Washington County Little League, Brenham Booster Club and Trinity Medical Center, and served as president of the Brenham Country Club. Kenjura’s other civic involvements include the Economic Development Foundation; Washington County Heritage Society; Washington County Cancer Society; Brenham Independent School District building committee and EMS committee to fund and rename all roads in Washington County. Kenjura is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where he serves as Lector. He was named to the Blinn College Ex-Students Association Hall of Honor in 1998. “I feel that the genesis for recognition of the man and woman of the year was with people like Atwood,” said Gerke. “He has given back to the community that he loves and has made it a better, safer place.”

COLLEGE FOCUS

Board Presents First Strategic Partner Award to City of Bryan The Blinn College Board of Trustees presented its first-ever Strategic Partner Award to the City of Bryan Tuesday evening, Feb. 21, during a regular board meeting held in Bryan. On hand to accept the award were Bryan Mayor Jason Bienski, Mayor Pro Tem Ann Horton, Interim City Manager Kean Register, and Deputy City Manager Joseph Dunn. Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, president of Texas A&M, and Royce Hickman, president/CEO of the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce, attended the meeting and thanked the Blinn Board for their efforts in Bryan. During the award presentation, Board President Atwood Kenjura read a statement recognizing the city’s pivotal role in Blinn’s 42-year-history of growth and success in Bryan.

Left-to-right: Michael Beckendorf, president Brazos County Advisory Committee; Dr. Ted Raspiller, Blinn president of Brazos County Campuses; Joseph Dunn, City of Bryan; Mayor Jason Bienski, City of Bryan; Atwood Kenjura, Blinn Board of Trustees president; Mayor Pro Tem Ann Horton, City of Bryan; Dr. Harold Nolte, Blinn president; Kean Register, City of Bryan.

Statement by Mr. Kenjura: Blinn College owes a great deal of its success to the ideas and energy generated by our friends and partners. Since our founding in 1883, Blinn has prospered and indeed been propelled forward thanks in large part to the many individuals and community partners who understand the importance of community colleges and our mission to serve all students. Our campuses in Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg and Sealy each work in tandem with corporate and municipal partners to achieve the best of what business and education can offer a community. The Blinn College Board of Trustees is pleased to create a special award in recognition of the vital link between a community college and a willing, energetic partner. In appreciation for more than four decades of partnerships that enhance the educational excellence and quality of life throughout the Brazos Valley, the Blinn College Board of Trustees presents the first-ever Strategic Partner Award to the City of Bryan on this 21st day of February, 2012.

BOARD NOTES Regular board meeting Feb. 21, Bryan, Texas

The board heard a performance from the Blinn-Bryan Select Choral Ensemble, led by Instructor for Fine Arts, Music and Drama Chris Hoffman. The board presented the City of Bryan with its first-ever Strategic Partner Award (see related story in this issue) and reviewed the financial statement and a list of checks for the period ending Jan. 31, 2012. The board voted to:

• Authorize the administration to dispose of a 1999 Ford Taurus and a 2000 Ford Taurus via public auction. • Authorize the administration to dispose of a Victor lathe to be sold as scrap metal. • Accept a gift to the College of three lathes

and miscellaneous tools to be used for student training at the A.W. Hodde, Jr. Technical Center. • Accept a gift to the College of a 6’x8’ enclosed cargo trailer to be used to transport athletic training equipment. • Accept a gift to the College of an air hockey table to be used for the student center on the Sealy campus. • Approve a new agreement and contract extension with Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, for the operation of bookstores for Blinn College. • Authorized the administration to seek bids for a depository bank for the College. • Authorized the administration to award bids for the removal and replacement of FEBRUARY 2012

an ice tank located at the Central Plant on the Bryan campus. The board received or heard reports from:

• Richard O’Malley, executive director of facilities, planning and construction, on buildings and grounds. • Julie Maass, registrar, and Ann Weir, associate dean of student services, on the final enrollment and housing occupancy for the 2012 spring semester. • Dr. Ted Raspiller, president of Brazos County campuses, on updates from the Brazos County campuses. • Dr. Harold Nolte, Blinn president, on administrative announcements and a newly endowed scholarship. Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, Sealy BLINN CONNECTION

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FACE YOUR FUTURE.

Brenham....................2/7/2012.. Bryan..........................3/9/2012.. Schulenburg..1/26, 3/1/2012 Sealy...........................3/6/2012

www.blinn.edu

Blinn professors endow new scholarship through book sales When Charles Swanlund and Kirk Bane looked at the textbook options available for their classes, they couldn’t find one that was perfect for the Texas history classes they taught at Blinn College. So they decided to put one together. The duo collected 34 articles from academics and historians and published them in “A Lone Star Reader,” with more than $15,000 in royalties going toward the endowment of a new scholarship. The newlycreated Lone Star Scholarship will be awarded to a Blinn CollegeBryan student majoring in social science or history. “We’re very interested in trying to help students, particularly in shaping future historians and history professors, so we thought this would be a worthwhile project,” Bane said. The book is already being used not only at Blinn, but also at Stephen F. Austin University and Sam Houston State University. By late January, the book had already sold close to 2,000 copies. It took Swanlund and Bane about a year to select the proper mix of articles and obtain the rights to reprint them. “We wanted to put together an anthology with some of our favorite authors that would expose students to a variety of academic writings,” Swanlund said. Swanlund said his favorite article in the collection was “The Great Storm” by Gary Cartwright, originally published in his book, “Galveston: A History of the Island,” while Bane’s favorite was “Red Burton and the Klan” by Ben Procter, a former professor of Bane’s at Texas Christian University. The 452-page book is published by Kendall Hunt Publishing.

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BLINN CONNECTION


Blinn welcomes prospective students Blinn College’s Brenham campus welcomed more than 1,000 prospective students and their families on Feb. 7 during its annual Showcase Day. The event featured presentations from Admissions, Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, Housing and Student Ambassadors, and participants received guided campus tours. In the student center, prospective students were able to view a variety of displays showcasing the outstanding programs offered at Blinn College.

Blinn students present award-winning play at Houston convention “odd Tales” won Texas theatre association’s PlayFest Award Six Blinn College students presented “odd Tales,” an awardwinning play written by Blinn Theatre Arts Director Bradley Nies, at the Texas Educational Theatre Association (TETA) Convention recently in Houston. Nies’ play had been awarded the TETA’s 2012 PlayFest Award. “I was really proud of what the kids did,” Nies said. “We were in a banquet room, so the acoustics were terrible, but our students projected well and the audience really laughed.” The play was presented by Tyler Morton, Brianda Carrasco, Josh Blocker, Jade Brown, Brandon Flippo and Rebecca Flippo, while Technical Theatre Arts Director Kevin Patrick oversaw the technical details and Instructor Jennifer Patrick managed the costumes. Nies was selected for the TETA’s playwriting committee and Kevin Patrick was named secretary for the TETA college/university interest group at the convention. Nies recently had another play, “Miss Imogene’s Prize-Winning Roses,” accepted for publication in the March issue of an online e-zine at www.deathheadgrin.com. That play was produced at Blinn in 2009 and directed by student Billy Minter. The Blinn Theatre Department’s next presentation will be “God of Carnage” at 7 p.m. Feb. 23-25 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Dr. W.W. O’Donnell Performing Arts Center in Brenham. Special high school preview performances will be held Feb. 23-24 at 1 p.m. This show will be Blinn’s entry in the 2012 Texas Community College Speech and Theatre Association Play Festival.

AROUND THE CAMPUSES

Star of the Republic Museum hosts Regional History Fair Brenham High School students Lois Kate Kolkhorst (left) and Caroline Kuecker (right) give a presentation on women’s suffrage at the Brazos Valley Regional History Fair at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site on Friday. The regional history fair included 185 seventh through eighth grade students from Austin, Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Waller and Washington counties who presented 110 projects for consideration to be entered in the state history fair May 8-9 in Austin. Many staff and faculty from Blinn helped make the event possible. Judges included Mack Bean, Nathan Giesenschlag, Jeff Lee, Darren Pierson, John Purcell, Gil Schorlemmer, Lea Ann Stasney, Chuck Swanlund and Charlene Vance. Other volunteers included Pat Jozwiak, Myron Dippel, Abby DeBolt, Libby Vincek and members of the Student Government Association.

Blinn College Writing Center tutors earn advanced certification Using training requirements accredited by the College Reading and Learning Association, Blinn College Writing Center tutors Daniel Pratt, Janalisa Soltis and Elizabeth Webb advanced from Level I to II instructors; Jessica Fletcher, Becca Marshall and Emily Posey advanced from Level II to Level III and Nicole Jennings, A.J. Lambert and Sharon Roe advanced from Level III to Advanced Level.

Faculty make presentations at historical convention

Shelley Cox An article co-authored by Shelley Cox (Radiologic Technology, Bryan) was recently published in The Community College Enterprise: a journal of research and practice. Cox, a professor of radiologic technology, joined with two professors at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) to co-author “Differences in Hispanic Graduation rates at Texas Community Colleges Over Time” for the journal’s Fall 2011 edition (17.2). The study takes an in-depth look at whether the percentage of Hispanic students in Texas community colleges statistically increased between 2000 and 2008, a crucial period of analysis by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Closing the Gaps initiative. Cox, who is also a doctoral student in the Educational Leadership in Higher Education program at SHSU, was listed as lead author and joined in publication credits with Dr. Sheila Joyner, SHSU assistant professor, and Dr. John Slate, SHSU professor. View a .pdf of the full journal article here: www.schoolcraft.edu/pdfs/cce/17.2.62-76.pdf

Blinn College-Bryan faculty made several presentations at the East Texas Historical Association Spring Convention Feb. 17-18 in College Station. Dr. Blanche Brick, social sciences division chair,

presided over a session entitled, “Law in the Brazos Valley.” History Professor Cynthia Nevels presented her paper “The Curious Case of Bob Ballard: Uncertain Justice or Certain Justice?” and Brandon Franke presented his paper “Waul’s Legion: Towards Vicksburg.” Instructors Dr. Ken Howell and John Gorman presented their papers on Civil War Reconstruction entitled, “The Elusive Story of Violence in Texas, 18651874” and “Reconstruction Violence in the Lower Brazos River Valley.”

FEBRUARY 2012


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BUCCANEER ATHLETICS

Blinn softball coach wins 600th career game TEMPLE, Texas – Blinn College softball coach Rick Church claimed the 600th victory of his college coaching career Feb. 24 after his fourth-ranked Buccaneers won all three of their games at the Temple Round Robin Tournament. Church, now in his 13th season at Blinn College, entered the year with a 590-242 record, and claimed his 600th victory in the Buccaneers’ final contest of the day to improve to 600-246 for his coaching career. Church, who is also Blinn’s all-time winningest coach, holds a 526-212 mark in Buccaneer blue and has led Blinn to the NJCAA National Championships five times, including a fourthplace finish at last year’s tournament.

www.buccaneersports.com

“If you stay in the game long enough and you

recruit well and have good assistant coaches, you get a shot to reach those milestones for career wins,” Church said. “I would not have one victory without the players and assistant coaches.” The National Fastpitch Coaches Association honored Church and Assistant Jami Ingram as the Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year in 2010, and in 2011 Church, Ingram and Assistant Haley Long were named Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year and were named the Region XIV Conference Coaching Staff of the Year. 2009 honors included Region XIV Coach of the Year and NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year. In 2008, the Easton Victory Club honored Church for gaining his 400th victory. Church was awarded Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 2004, while 2003 season honors included Speedline/NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year, Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year and Region XIV Coach of the Year. Before arriving at Blinn College, Church served as co-founder, owner, and head instructor for the

Roper returns to Buccaneer baseball coaching staff Veteran has won more than 560 games in illustrious career When Brian Roper retired as Blinn College baseball coach in 2007, his successor, Harvey McIntyre, began to don Roper’s No. 25 as a tribute to the man who mentored him at Howard College and gave him his first collegiate coaching opportunity at Blinn. So when assistant coach Troy Moock left to take a job for a pharmaceutical sales company and Roper expressed an interest in filling the vacancy, McIntyre had just one question for the veteran ball coach – did he want his number back? “I’m excited about every spring, but I’m really excited about this spring, because he’ll be around every day,” McIntyre said. “He’s a father figure to me.” After eight seasons as the Buccaneers’ head baseball coach, Roper is a father figure to a lot of young men. Roper managed the Bucs to a 294-144 record between 2000 and 2007, when he resigned to become a full-time educator and spend more time

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BLINN CONNECTION

Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, Sealy

FEBRUARY 2012

Can-Am Baseball/Softball Academy in Langley, British Columbia from 1992-1997. While in Canada he was also the coach of the White Rock Renegades women’s fast pitch team. The Renegades won back-to-back Canadian championships in 1993 and 1994. His overall record with the Renegades was 179-46 (.790). He had the privilege of training eight current or former Canadian National Team players. He joined the Can-Am Academy Houston operation as a consultant from 1997-1999. Prior to his Can-Am years, Church served as the head softball coach and professor of physical education at Arizona Western College from 1990-1992. His record at AWC was 74-34. AWC finished as Region I runners-up in 1991 and placed third in 1992. Church served as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska from 1986-1989. During that time, the Huskers made two College World Series appearances, finishing third and fifth, respectively, in 1987 and 1988.

with his family. He reached his 500th career win in March 2006 and holds a 562-263-1 career head coaching record. He has coached four All-Americans and 17 Academic All-Americans, and his teams have participated in the regional playoffs 13 times. “I talked to my kids about returning to baseball and they were all for it,” Roper said. “I’m excited about having a new role and I’m enjoying it because it’s more about teaching the game than having to be the head coach.” A graduate of Bellaire High School, Roper earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas Tech University, where he was a three-year starter at catcher and team captain for the Red Raiders. He joined the Buccaneer staff after seven seasons at Howard College, where he had a 268-119-1 record and a .710 winning percentage. In 1994, his team was named the National Junior College Athletic Association Baseball Academic Team of the Year with a 3.31 grade point average. He has coached 16 players who have played in the College World Series in Omaha with Louisiana Lafayette, LSU, Oklahoma State, Wichita State, Florida, Alabama, Rice, Texas, Tulane and Nebraska. He has been named Texas South Conference Coach of the Year once and Western Junior College Athletic Conference Coach of the Year twice. He previously served as president of the Texas-New Mexico Junior College Baseball Coaches Association. “He’s going to make us better from day one,” McIntyre said. “He’s won more than 500 games as a head coach. How do you not get better when 500-plus wins, 16 years of coaching and a great person walks through your doors?”

BUCCANEER ATHLETICS

Former Buccaneer named NFL Rookie of the Year Newton set NFL rookie record with 4,051 passing yards Former Blinn College quarterback Cam Newton was named the Associated Press NFL Rookie of the Year after winning a record-setting season for the Carolina Panthers. Newton became the first Carolina player to ever win the award after throwing for an NFL rookie-record 4,051 yards. He threw for 21 touchdowns and ran for 14 more, which was an NFL record. He ran for 706 yards on the season. Newton led Blinn College to the 2009 NJCAA national championship before transferring to Auburn University, where he helped the Tigers win the NCAA national championship and won the Heisman Trophy. Newton was the first selection of the 2011 NFL draft.

www.buccaneersports.com

FEBRUARY 2012

Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, Sealy

BLINN CONNECTION

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AROUND THE CAMPUSES PERSONAL NOTES Mary Barnes-Tilley graduated on

Mark your Calendars

Dec. 17 with a Ph.D. in political science from Texas A&M University. Her dissertation was entitled, “The Conditional Effects of Female Descriptive Representation: A Study of Policy Influence in State Legislatures, 1983-2002.” Barnes-Tilley is the social science division chair and a government professor on the Brenham campus. Lisa Wall, Humanities, Brenham campus, was chosen as a 2012 Phi Theta Kappa Faculty Scholar – one of 25 faculty members chosen nationwide for the honor. Wall attended a conference in Jackson, Miss., Feb. 1-5 and will lead a seminar in Denver, Colo., June 16-23 at the Phi Theta Kappa National Honors Institute.

MARCH 1-3..............Laundry & Bourbon and Lone Star (Banquet Room, Bryan Campus)

WITH CONDOLENCES

MARCH 20 ...............Board of Trustees Meeting, Brenham, 7 p.m.

Brenda Benson (accounting instructor

and videoconferencing specialist, Bryan) passed away March 19. She was a 12-year veteran of the Blinn faculty who held a BBA in accounting from Texas A&M University and an MBA in management from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. She was also a certified public accountant.

MARCH 3 .................Men’s Basketball vs. Lee, 4 p.m., Blinn gym. MARCH 5 .................Women’s Basketball vs. Paris, 5:30 p.m., Blinn gym. MARCH 7-11............Men’s Basketball Regional Tournament, Tyler. MARCH 7 .................Softball double-header vs. Angelina, 3 p.m., Hohlt Park. MARCH 7 .................Baseball vs. South Suburban, 6 p.m., Leroy Dreyer Field. MARCH 8-11............Women’s Basketball Regional Tournament, Tyler. MARCH 9 .................Showcase Day - Bryan Campus. MARCH 9 .................Softball double-header vs. Coastal Bend, 2 p.m., Hohlt Park. MARCH 10 ...............Softball double-header vs. Galveston, 1 p.m., Hohlt Park. MARCH 10 ...............Baseball double-header vs. Galveston, 3 p.m., Leroy Dreyer Field. MARCH 11 ...............Softball double-header vs. Gulf Coast, 1 p.m., Hohlt Park. MARCH 12-16..........Spring Break MARCH 16 ...............Softball double-header vs. Iowa Lakes, 2 p.m., Hohlt Park. MARCH 16 ...............Baseball vs. Alvin, 4 p.m., Leroy Dreyer Field. MARCH 17 ...............Baseball double-header vs. Alvin, 2 p.m., Leroy Dreyer Field. MARCH 21 ...............Softball double-header vs. San Jacinto, 4 p.m., Hohlt Park. MARCH 23 ...............Student Leadership & Activities Community Fair MARCH 24 ...............Baseball double-header vs. Wharton, 2 p.m., Leroy Dreyer Field. MARCH 29 ...............Baseball vs. Angelina, 5 p.m., Leroy Dreyer Field.

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BLINN CONNECTION

Blinn College encourages everyone to have a safe and fun-filled Spring Break, March 12-16
