Monthly Archives: February 2021

SIDNEY TOWNSHIP With a history spanning more than five decades to its founding in 1965, Montcalm Community College (MCC) has long served the community as an institution of higher learning.

Throughout that history the college has also grown and expanded, from offering new educational courses, placing a focus on community programs and even expanding outside its boundaries of Sidney with a campus in the city of Greenville.

With a firm grasp of that history in one hand, the college continues to look ahead, reaching out to the future with the other.

As the first step to solidify that focus on the future, MCC has unveiled its official 2021-2024 Strategic Plan to the public today, solidifying a number of goals to accomplish in both the short and long term.

For MCC President Stacy Young, developing the new plan involved a balancing act of both respecting the colleges past and embracing a progressive future.

I think about the people who started the college, the foresight they had to know the college would impact the community in such a positive way and it takes my breath away, she said. Whether it be making sure more of our students go to the college full time or that our facilities are more up to date, thats what this plan is about to make sure everyone is taken care of and that we continue to grow and serve the community.

Vision, mission and values

The plan places renewed definitions on the colleges core focal points vision, mission and values.

According to the plan, the colleges vision is to focus on community inspiration, exceptional education and personal empowerment.

Its mission is outlined as transforming lives through quality education, and in establishing values, the college will place an emphasis on student success, empowerment, relationships, visionary, inclusion, community and excellence.

Its that last list regarding values that has Young most excited, as it was designed by college Board and Foundation members, as well as students, to create an acronym spelling out SERVICE.

Servant leadership and serving others is very important to me, Young said. We are rolling out a year of service in the community and challenging our employees and students to 10,000 hours of community service in the year.

Young said in her year of experience as the colleges president since being hired in January of 2020, shes witnessed enough to believe the goal of reaching 10,000 hours of community service by Dec. 31 of this year is well within reach.

We hope these 10,000 hours allow us to be out in the community more than we are now, she said. We are there to serve our community, whatever that looks like, be it providing a place to learn or go on our nature trails. Our hope is, and we believe we already have a great relationship, but were looking to go from good to great.

Young said she believes the college already impacts the greater Montcalm County community well beyond the walls of the college and she hopes those efforts only continue to increase as outlined as a priority within the plan.

Increased enrollment

Within the strategic plan are four specific goals that have been established: Increase enrollment, improve student success and access, enhance facilities and (increase) community engagement.

The subject of increased enrollment is one that will likely be most challenging, as community colleges across the state and country deal with a current decline in students amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

With enrollment hovering around 1,400 students for the current spring semester, that number of students is among its lowest recorded at the college in the past 20 years down about 15% over the past two years.

However, Young is confident those numbers can begin trending upward once again, with her personal goal to see enrollment climb back above 2,000.

The last time MCC had a fall semester with enrollment surpassing 2,000 students was in 2012 the last of nine consecutive years, beginning in 2004, in which enrollment was at least that high.

My goal is 2,000, but its going to take us a while to get there, Young said. Enrollment is key, but its not just about getting new students, but making sure our current students progress and graduate. We want to make sure they take as many classes as they can and try to move to full-time status.

According to Young, of the colleges entire student population, 76% of those students only attend the college on a part-time basis (less than 12 credits per semester).

Were actually trying to flip that, she said. Most of our students are 18 to 22 years old, and while we know they have certain life circumstances, we really want to help them get in and get done. The faster they get done (with MCC), the faster they can transfer on to another college or begin supporting themselves and their family.

Young said shes hopeful that with the development of a Strategic Enrollment and Marketing Plan, as well as promoting a better awareness of student scholarships, those numbers will begin to trend upward in the near future.

Improve student success and access

In looking to improve student success and access, Young said a number of steps will be taken, including the implementation of a concierge service for students, along with new efforts toward improving diversity, equity and inclusion through the curriculum.

Additionally, the plan calls for more hands-on learning opportunities, as well as a goal to have the college adapt more to the needs of students.

We know we have some work to do there, but we want to lead in this area, Young said. So were starting with our faculty and staff. That concierge service is really something that weve already started the first steps of and its just about helping people who dont know what to do, who dont know what that first step might look like.

Young said those first steps could be as simple as questions about how to buy textbooks or working to overcome early struggles in class.

In looking to add more hands-on learning opportunities, Young said studies have shown that is exactly what the current and upcoming generation of students are looking for in a college environment.

This generation (Generation Z) likes to be involved. They want to help and we want their input, she said. I think thats going to make us stand out among other schools were going to be very hands-on. In a dream world, wed have a student-run coffee house where they are not only managing it, but the marketing class is preparing the marketing materials and the accounting class is handling the books.

Enhance facilities

One of the more costly goals, looking potentially within the next year and also further years down the road, is renovations of current buildings and the potential to construct on-campus housing facilities.

First on the agenda, according to the plan, is to renovate the Kenneth J. Smith Instructional Building.

The Smith building includes classrooms, laboratories and instructors offices and serves as a primary instruction area for the colleges health-care programs.

As one of the founding buildings of the Sidney campus, the Smith building consists of two levels, is approximately 24,752 square feet in size and was originally built in 1966 and was last updated in 1999.

According to Young, renovating the facility is crucial if the college wants to continue offering competitive, modern instruction for its students.

All of the buildings on our campus get rated every year and this one definitely needs some work, she said. Even with COVID, 766 students took classes in that building last year, so we know its a super important building on our campus. It hosts classes for some of the hottest careers and industries right now, including science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and nursing, so we need to provide our students some up-to-date upgrades.

Young said those upgrades would include new learning spaces, laboratories, and most importantly, important upgrades to allow for nursing simulation programs.

We need to show the community that we have these resources, to show the hospitals that we have them, she said. If you have the equipment, you can simulate actual medical issues and replicate it in the classroom, whereas if you go to the hospital to do your clinical rotation, you may or may not have the opportunity to experience some things.

Young said initial estimates at this time call for approximately $5 million in total renovations to the building.

Thinking a little more outside the box regarding new facilities, Young said the college will also open up conversations regarding potential on-campus student housing.

Community engagement

In regards to the last of the four goals, Young said a focus on community engagement means improving upon current relationships with the community.

Additionally, she said that means exploring more fundraising and grant opportunities for future college projects, as well as educating the community at large on the value of the college.

Young said the new 10,000 hours of service project will be a big part of stressing the colleges focus on community engagement.

I dont want to say that community is important to us, I want to show that it is, she said. We are there for the community as much as it is there for us community is in our name.

In having reviewed the plan, members of the Board of Trustees said they are not only on board with the initiatives and goals going forward, but impressed with the efforts it took to draft the plan in a year engulfed in the coronavirus pandemic.

The enormous upheaval caused by the COVID-19 crisis affected nearly every facet of everyones life, Board Treasurer Kurt Peterson said. The strategic plan that was in place at MCC was not spared. The members of the new strategic planning committee led by President Young did a fantastic job of reprioritizing the schools most important needs and objectives on our campus in light of the Pandemic and developing a new short-term strategic plan. The board was kept well informed and supports the revised plan.

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From 'good to great' - Greenville Daily News

The following is a list of books focused on women and girls' empowerment and titles related to the achievements of, and equal rights for, women, young women and girls.

Main feature

ADULT:

ABRAMS IMAGE

Bookish Broads: Women Who Wrote Themselves into History

Lauren Marino, Feb.

Illuminates the lives of the greats as well as the literary talents history has wrongfully overlooked.

ALLEN & UNWIN

Jacinda Ardern

Michelle Duff, Apr.

Delves into the New Zealand Prime Minister's beginnings as a nose-ringed teen fighting for equality and her own identity in a devout Mormon family.

ANDREWS MCMEEL

Women Dont Owe You Pretty

Florence Given, Apr.

A vibrantly illustrated primer on modern feminism for the Instagram generation.

ANGRY ROBOT

The Second Bell

Gabriela Houston, Mar.

A reimagined popular folktale where a headstrong young striga finds herself in a life- threatening situation that tests the bonds between mother and child.

ATLANTIC

The Home Stretch: Why Its Time to Come Clean About Who Does the Dishes

Sally Howard, June

The author combines history and fieldwork with her own personal story.

ATRIA

As A Woman: What I Learned about Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy After I Transitioned

Paula Stone Williams, June

The author pulls back the curtain on her transition journey and sheds light on the gendered landscape that impacts many in the LGBTQ+ community.

AVE MARIA

Expect More: Dare to Stand Up and Stand Out: A Guide for Women on Reaching Their Potential

Muffet McGraw, Feb.

The retired head coach of the Univ. of Notre Dame womens basketball team guides women to expect more in their careers and family lives.

BALLANTINE

Unfinished

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Feb.

Urges a generation to gather their courage, embrace their ambition, and commit to the hard work of following their dreams.

The Soul of a Woman

Isabel Allende, Mar.

The bestselling author offers a passionate and inspiring meditation on what it means to be a woman.

The Bohemians

Jasmin Darznik, Apr.

A novel imagining the wild 1920s in San Francisco that awakened photographer Dorothea Langes career-defining grit, compassion, and daring.

BERKLEY

Black Girl, Call Home

Jasmine Mans, Mar.

A poetry collection inspired by the authors own life explores the intersection of race, feminism, and queer identity.

A Special Place for Women

Laura Hankin, May

A funny novel about a clandestine womens-only social club and the reporter who sets out to expose its secrets.

BERRETT-KOEHLER

The Body is Not an Apology

Sonya Renee Taylor, Feb.

From PWs review: Poet and activist Taylor (A Little Truth on Your Shirt) packs important ideas into this concise volume on body empowerment.

EMILY BESTLER

To the Greatest Heights: Facing Danger, Finding Humility, and Climbing a Mountain of Truth

Vanessa O'Brien, Mar.

A memoir by the record-breaking American-British explorer who became the first American woman and the first British woman to successfully summit K2, and was named Explorer of the Year in 2018 by the Scientific Exploration Society.

BLOOMSBURY

Girlhood

Melissa Febos, Mar.

A set of stories about the forces that shape girls and the adults they become.

The Mysteries

Marisa Silver, May

An intimate story of two young girls, joined in an unlikely friendship, whose lives are shattered in a single, unthinkable moment.

BLUE STAR

The Gift of Self-Love: A Workbook to Help You Build Confidence, Recognize Your Worth, and Learn to Finally Love Yourself

Mary Jelkovsky, Mar.

Build confidence, boost self-esteem, and overcome body image issues using this interactive self-help book for women.

CHARLESBRIDGE

The Next Smart Step: How to Overcome Gender Stereotypes and Build a Stronger Organization

Kelly Watson and Jodi Ecker Detjen, Feb.

A guide to understanding the challenge of gender imbalance, implementing solutions, and offering tools to ensure positive and enduring change.

CHICAGO REVIEW PRESS

Besharam: On Love and Other Bad Behaviors

Priya-Alika Elias, Apr.

Essays by a lawyer and a feminist writer that touch on themes of family, culture, body image, sex, and feminism.

The Daring Life and Dangerous Times of Eve Adams

Jonathan Ned Katz, May

Uncovers the forgotten story of radical lesbian feminist Eve Adams, and her long-lost book Lesbian Love.

Open Skies: My Life As Afghanistan's First Female Pilot

Niloofar Rahmani, July

The true story of the authors determination to become Afghanistan's first female air force fighter pilot.

We Are the Baby-Sitters Club: Essays and Artwork from Grown-Up Readers

Edited by Marisa Crawford and Megan Milks, July

A nostalgia-packed, star-studded anthology exploring the lasting impact of the Baby-Sitters Club series.

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL

Chicken Soup For the Soul: Be You

Amy Newmark, Apr.

Contributors from all ethnicities and the LGBTQ community celebrate their strength and individuality.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Im Speaking Now: Black Women Share Their Truth In 101 Stories of Love, Courage and Hope

Amy Newmark and Breena Clarke, June

Black women share their dreams, triumphs and failures, and their lives, which have unique challenges and hardships that are not well understood by others.

CHRONICLE

She Holds A Cosmos: Poems On Motherhood

Edited by Mallory Farrugia, illus. by Karolin Schnoor, Mar.

Thirty poems exploring motherhood in all its dimensionsfrom pregnancy and birth to the joys, struggles, and hilarious moments that come with raising children.

Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspirations, and Influences Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers

Hannah K. Chapman and Luaren Burke, illus. by Kaley Bales, April

Unexpected and inspiring stories behind eighteen women writers from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries.

CHRONICLE PRISM

Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions For Success at Work

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New and Forthcoming Titles on Women, Girls and Empowerment - Publishers Weekly

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hector Guadalupe, the Executive Director and Founder of A Second U Foundation, founder of Unibody Fitness NYC and thought leader on the subject of successfully reintegrating formerly incarcerated people into society as personal trainers, is a featured guest this week on the Impact Podcast with John Shegerian. The show is hosted by Shegerian, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of ERI, the nations leading fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company.

After spending ten years in federal prison, Hector Guadalupe came home with an obsession for fitness, in great health, and hungry for work. He also came home to a lot of closed doors. Once given a chance, he started a successful career personal training first at corporate health clubs, and eventually founded Unibody Fitness NYC, where the companys model is solely based on servicing communities and building strong ties through wellness. He also founded A Second U Foundation, which educates, certifies and secures employment for formerly incarcerated people as certified personal trainers. Through opportunity, empowerment and community-building, ASUF seeks to eliminate recidivism. Founded in 2016, Second U has graduated 196 trainers with 0% reoffending (national average of recidivism is 40%-60%). Second U truly is the place where justice and wellness meet.

Speaking with John on the Impact Podcast, was a great experience, said Guadalupe. This was truly the first interview Ive done where I felt genuinely pumped and excited that the message was getting out. It was clear to me that the Impact Podcast is spreading hope and voicing the success stories of those whove survived the struggle, and I deeply appreciate that.

It was an honor to have Hector on our show to tell his incredible story and share the impactful work he is doing with A Second U Foundation, which is sure to move and inspire our audience, said Shegerian. Hectors efforts make him a truly powerful example of how one person can make a significant and positive difference in the lives of so many.

Every week, guests are invited as thought leaders to share with listeners first-hand accounts of how they are able to make the world a better place on a daily basis.

Recent Impact Podcast guests have included leaders from Verizon, Best Buy, General Motors, JetBlue, Comerica Bank, Beyond Meat, Nikola Motor, Waste Management and a number of fascinating thought leaders and game-changers, including Martin Luther King III; writer/comedian/author Jeannie Gaffigan; softball legend and ESPN baseball anchor Jessica Mendoza; Good Day LAs Maria Quiban; PTSD treatment pioneer and founder of MAPS, Dr. Rick Doblin; ESPN radio host and personality Sarah Spain; ultra-endurance athlete and author Rich Roll; British Special Forces veteran and two-time World Record breaking athlete Dean Stott; author and music industry legend Mathew Knowles; legendary actor Ed Asner; trailblazing civil rights attorney Lisa Bloom; Super Bowl champion Ryan Harris; MLB outfielder and Players for the Planet founder Chris Dickerson; humanitarian filmmaker Mallory Brown, leading cybersecurity expert Kate Fazzini and hundreds more.

The Impact Podcast with John Shegerian is available for listening on ImpactPodcast.com, Apples iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify, libsyn, and as part of iHeartRadios digital broadcast, reaching over 120 million users.

To book a guest on the show, contact producer Linda Ramos at Linda.Ramos@impactpodcast.com.

For more information, visit ImpactPodcast.com.

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Hector Guadalupe, Founder of 'A Second U Foundation,' Featured on Impact Podcast - Business Wire

We are wasting time trying to impeach our former president. So, why are we going through the motions? What a waste of time and effort!

We are wasting all that time and effort, IMO, for one reason. That reason is to get each and every person who has a vote in the matter recorded for posterity in black and white, on an immutable and permanent paper. So that there is no equivocation as to their intent and action.

We've suffered 4 years of dedicated mismanagement from a man who has no religion but himself. Who has no goal other than personal empowerment and monetary gain. Who destroys the lives of those who fall from his favor. Don't think so? Read Michael Cohen's book.

We do not need to re-elect people who will openly condone treason against our country, who are willing to promote domestic terror against our electors and citizens. And that, dear people, is why we are wasting time.

Dave Knecht, Zumbro Falls

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Letter: Why are we wasting our time with impeachment? - PostBulletin.com

02-01-2021

When DeAndre Jones entered the Evening MBA program at the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business in 2015, he already had a lot on his plate. Jones was transferring from one consulting firm to another, taking 12 hours of classes a week, and planning his wedding with his now-wife. On top of all of that, Jones was trying to process the then-recent killings of Mike Brown, Eric Garner, and Trayvon Martin. His desire for a safe space to communicate his feelings led to him taking action and creating that space himself.

"Blacks in Business started off with myself, Will Carrouthers, and Mark Sandidge, right when I started the Evening MBA program," said Jones. "Going back to that time, there really wasn't a safe space to talk about how you were feeling, especially with the killings of Mike Brown, Eric Garner, and Trayvon Martin. I didn't feel like there was a place where we could come together and be able to express our emotions with other like-minded individuals. We took it up to the administration and told them that we wanted to start this organization, and they said 'Yes, let's do it' and offered their full support. From there, we made it happen."

After Jones, Carrouthers, and Sandidge began their initial conversations about starting Blacks in Business, they approached fellow Scheller Evening MBA students about potentially serving on the inaugural board. Arianna Robinson was one of those students. In addition to being an Evening MBA student, Robinson was also a staff member at Scheller where she was already advising another student organization at the time, so she felt it would be best to contribute in an advisor role to this newly forming organization as well. As a student, she felt connected to the need for the organization.

Blacks in Business (BiB) & GT Black Alumni Organization (GTBAO) hold a joint First Fridays event in Spring 2017

"Blacks in Business is very important to me," said Robinson. "There are not many students of color in the program and it can sometimes feel alienating to be the only person in your class, especially when issues arise in the classroom. It can be tiring to be expected to represent an entire group of people in that way. This club gives us a safe space to share experiences and in some cases lend support to act on egregious behavior."

Robinson is currently the assistant director of business operations for the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business and is still involved in the club today as an advisor. Jones also plays a role, connecting with each new president, answering any questions they may have, and providing support. He also connects with incoming students, since alumni support and participation in the club is extremely important. Current president and second-year Full-time MBA student Kristen Brinson thoroughly appreciates Jones and the support of other alumni.

"The club is still pretty new in the grand scheme of Scheller," said Brinson. "I think it's really cool to know the founders of this organization and to be able to interact with them. Alumni are really important to this club because we have a really small population of Black students and students of color at Scheller. We are a small MBA program anyway, and the percentage of us is small as well."

Brinson got involved with Blacks in Business right away when she arrived at Scheller. For Brinson, Blacks in Business provides a place for her to feel comfortable and make connections with her peers that may have similar experiences.

"For me, joining the club meant finding a community," said Brinson. "The goal of Blacks in Business is to make sure you're comfortable in your business school setting and that you will be comfortable in the workplace once you graduate. We want you to feel like you can go into any type of setting - personal, professional, or volunteer - and lead, be strong, and feel good about your place. It's a great opportunity to gain value and comfort around people who are pushing themselves and who have a lot of goals, but also see the other side - enjoying each other and having a lot of fun together."

The inaugural Blacks in Business Board receives their "bibs" marking the success of the organization's first year.

One event that has carried on since the club's inception is a panel discussion prior to the National Black MBA Conference. The club invites alumni and one current student to participate in a panel, discussing experiences with the conference and what it's like from a recruiter's perspective. Other recurring events include an annual cookoff held during the Scheller diversity open house weekend each Fall and Trivia Night for the Culture, held each Spring during Black History Month. Another event series is First Fridays, a once a month opportunity where club members can relax, express their feelings, and give allies an opportunity to ask questions to further understand their peers. These opportunities, along with other club events and panels, provide Blacks in Business members with the opportunity to come out feeling more prepared and empowered for the future.

The racial injustice that helped fuel the desire to launch the organization is still very much filling headlines five years later. As Blacks in Business continues to unite students of color and allies, educate and advocate for the issues that Blacks face in business, and celebrate the rich history and culture of people of the African Diaspora, it will accomplish its founding purpose and impact many more generations of Scheller students.

Jones feels extremely happy and proud to see Blacks in Business still thriving five years after its inception and he encourages the club to keep important conversations going.

"I think there are a lot of very genuine students within Scheller and Georgia Tech. Don't be afraid to ask uncomfortable questions and don't take offense when somebody wants to ask questions not from the standpoint of criticizing, but for clarity and for understanding. Be open to those conversations and realize that there are some conscious and unconscious biases with a lot of things that are going on in the world today. Be open so you can take these learnings and apply them to your professional career. Be a leader in the organization you work for or that you start up," said Jones.

This press release was produced by the Scheller College of Business. The views expressed here are the author's own.

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Community, Empowerment, And A Safe Space: The Story Of Georgia Tech Scheller's Blacks In Business Club - Patch.com

Whether you feel a powerful connection to your zodiac sign or feel estranged from it entirely, there might be a particular reason why. Your birth chart reveals different elements of your personality, with each planet ruling specific pieces of you, like Mercury ruling communication and Venus ruling romance. But there's a phenomenon that astrologers call stelliums, which occur when you have a cluster of three or more planets under one zodiac sign or house in your birth chart. I spoke with expert astrologers to dive deep into what it means to have a stellium and why it matters.

To find out if you have a stellium, you'll have to create your birth chart. Many websites like astro.com and cafeastrology.com offer free birth chart reports. Adama Sesay, Professional Astrologer at LilithAstrology.com, told POPSUGAR that you just have to look for "a cluster of three or more planets in one sign" to determine if you indeed have a stellium.

"A stellium in your birth chart placement, depending on which sign it falls under, may indicate that there is a focused energy or theme within the sign," Michelle Saya, Empath Business Coach and Astrologer, told POPSUGAR. In astrology, people with stelliums in their chart might possess powerful qualities of traits of that sign, even if their sun sign is different. If you've been told you have a strong personality or ultra-noticeable characteristics, you might be surprised to find you have a stellium!

If you feel disconnected from your sun sign, you might resonate more with the traits and emotions of your super concentrated stellium. "For example, [if you're an Aquarius with a stellium], your theme of approaching life with a galvanizing, visionary, and humanitarian perspective will be dominant compared to a more light-hearted, humorous approach from that of a Gemini stellium," Michelle explained. In other words, your powerful traits and emotions could manifest in different aspects of your life depending on the house or sign your stellium falls under.

Having an Aquarius cluster could also mean you possess a strong rebellious outlook and want to challenge the status quo or that you're passionate about social justice, which could lead you to a career in something like activism or politics. "All the positive qualities of having an Aquarian placement are amplified - there is an attraction to the things that bring personal freedom and cultivate a sense of self-empowerment," added Michelle.

Because of their supercharged nature, stelliums can be very symbolic of your identity. "Having a stellium is more relevant to understanding who the individual is on a multi-dimensional level since we play different roles and [have different] approaches to our style according to the energy of placement in all the planets," explained Michelle. The planets in your chart and the signs which they fall under all contribute to your essence. Your sun sign alone only describes a summary of your outward personality, and your moon captures your inner character and moods. Having heavy characteristics of a specific sign can be the cause for a strong personality and, while not extremely rare, stelliums are powerful and only begin to reveal our multi-dimensional layers.

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What It Means to Have a Stellium in Astrology, and Why It Might Be More Relevant Than Your Sun Sign - POPSUGAR