Rio Salado College Online | RioNews

Scholarships available

2010-03-12T14:54:00.000-08:00

There are nearly 50 scholarships available for the 2010 – 2011 academic year for new and continuing students. The dealine for most scholarships is April 9.

The TriWest Military Scholarship deadline for the summer I 2010 term is May 1, 2010.

The TriWest Military Scholarship is available to service members in the active, reserve, or guard component of any U.S. military service branch or spouses/dependants of service members.

To learn more or to apply for a scholarship, please click HERE.

Additional questions may be directed to Kala Weinacker at 480.731.8407.

Phoenix Teacher Wins 'Excellence' Award

2010-03-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, KEZ's Marty Manning and Rio Salado College's David Staudacher surprised Cactus View Elementary School teacher Dianne Orr with the Excellence in Education Award for March. With Manning and Orr are Sara Lee and her son, Zachary, who nominated the teacher.

Class Encourages Students to Write Their Story

2010-03-08T08:27:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager

“Everyone has a story to tell,” said Sandi Marinella, the Coordinator of the Creative Writing Program at Rio Salado College. “So we created a creative writing program to help people develop and write their stories.”

Rio Salado College started helping people write their stories over a year ago when it launched the introductory course for the program. Based on the demand they are developing courses that will allow aspiring writers to take a variety of classes and complete an Academic Certificate in Creative Writing.

“We have classes that appeal to everyone,” added Marinella. “The program is quite diverse, and we want to draw people from all walks of life.”

In the coming month, the Tempe-based college plans to release a second series of classes, which include Introduction to Fiction Writing and a course on writing scenes, Topics in Fiction. The new courses focus on in-depth writing of short stories and development of scenes to create stories, novels, or film scripts. Current elective classes in the program include magazine article writing, modern fiction, children’s literature, and contemporary cinema.

“When we launched the first classes last year, we were pleasantly surprised by our online enrollment,” said Marinella. “We have high expectations for our new classes.”

Marinella isn’t the only person excited about the classes. Students have flocked to the classes and are thrilled to share their work.

“I'm enjoying this class very much,” said student Seth Anderson, who is enrolled in the Introduction to Creative Writing class. “I've been a writer for a long time, but through this class I've been exposed to more ideas and techniques. The class keeps me accountable each week and keeps me writing - and thinking about writing - all the time.”

Besides brushing up on his skills and learning new approaches to writing, he said the classes keep his attention, too.

“My teacher has given us some fun assignments that didn't feel like I was just going through the motions to get a grade,” said Anderson, of Tempe. “I'm allowed and encouraged to be creative and think outside the box.”

“The Introduction to Creative Writing class has a lot of high-interest activities,” added Marinella. “The students get to create a character, create a setting, write the same scene with two unique voices, write a “short short”( story), prepare a query letter to send to a publisher, and create a polished story to send out and actually market.”

Being thoroughly engaged is a concern of many students who take online classes, but Anderson thinks the writing classes are well suited for the online platform.

“I've taken other online classes in the past and I missed the discussion and interaction that a classroom allows,” said Anderson, who holds degrees in economics and Russian. “However, writing is such a solitary activity that a creative writing student doesn't need to be in a classroom. Some assignments that I have had in the class I'm taking now required us to upload one of our short stories for peer editing. A student doesn't need to be in a classroom to do that.”

Additional classes focused on non-fiction writing and novel writing are expected to rollout in coming months, and the entire program is slated to be available by the end of the year.

To learn more about the Creative Writing Program at Rio, please visit www.riosalado.edu/programs/creative-writing or contact the program coordinator at sandra.marinella@riosalado.edu.

Sun Sounds Seeks Beer Fest Volunteers

2010-03-01T06:54:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher and Mira Radovich, Rio Salado College

On Saturday and Sunday more than 200 craft beers will flowing at at Tempe Town Beach during the Great Arizona Beer Festival, which benefits Sun Sounds of Arizona. A big part of the festival’s success comes from volunteers. While Saturday’s positions are filled, festival organizers are still seeking people to fill two shifts on the second day.

“We are still in need of volunteers for Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. and from 2 to 8 p.m.,” said Andrea Pasquale, Manager of Programming and Volunteers for Sun Sounds of Arizona. “As long as someone is 21 or older they can volunteer.”

While thousand of beers will be poured throughout the day, volunteers are needed to fill a variety of roles said Pasquale.

“We are seeking volunteers to help with everything,” she said. “We need people to work the front gate, place wrist-bands on people entering the festival, man the designated-driver tent, help in with the volunteer tent, set-up, and tear down. Of course we need people to pour beer, too.”

While the festival will draw thousands of people, the beer drinkers are not the only people who will benefits from the festival.

“Sun Sounds of Arizona receives all the proceeds from the festival,” said Pasquale. “Also, anyone who volunteers for six hours will receive free admission to one of our other festivals in Flagstaff or Tucson.”

Sun Sounds is a radio reading and information access service for people who can’t use printed material. It is primarily directed toward people who are blind, have age or disease related vision loss, or have difficulty holding printed material.

“The inability to use print can cause people to become isolated from family and friends,” said Heidi Capriotti, marketing coordinator of Sun Sounds. “We give them an opportunity to stay connected with their communities. It’s a 24-hour window to the world.”

In Arizona, 49,000 listeners tune in daily to hear newspapers, books, magazines and other pertinent information read aloud, allowing them to stay informed of current events.

Five-hundred statewide volunteers read everything from local and national newspapers, including the Arizona Republic, USA Today and Wall Street Journal, entertainment magazines, health newsletters, obituaries, and the latest best-sellers.
“One of our most popular programs is weekly reading of the grocery ads on Wednesdays,” said Capriotti.

The Sun Sounds service is available in many formats: radio, telephone, online, and in some areas, cable TV.

Radio programs are broadcast on the sub-carrier of FM stations, meaning the signal can’t be heard on standard radios. Instead, subscribers are loaned a pre-tuned radio receiver at no charge.

Eligible listeners can also hear the broadcast and archived programs on Sun Dial II, a telephone access system that even allows users to surf the Web without a computer.
“One advantage of the telephone service is that listeners can pause their listening and return later to where they left off,” Capriotti said. Sun Dial II recognizes callers by phone number, and also allows them to bookmark favorites — all by voice command.

If someone can’t make it to the festival, there are a myriad of opportunities to volunteer at the radio station.

“We have many volunteer opportunities at Sun Sounds,” said Pasquale. “We are especially looking for people to make phone calls to listeners, and help in our office.”

To volunteer at the beer festival or at Sun Sounds of Arizona, please contact Andrea Pasquale at andrea.pasquale@riomail.maricopa.edu, or by going online and filling out a volunteer form at www.sunsounds.org.

Sun Sounds of Arizona is a part of Rio Salado College’s Division of Public Service, along with NPR affiliates KJZZ 91.5 FM and KBAQ 89.5 FM, and Maricopa Colleges Television. To learn more about Rio Salado, visit www.riosalado.edu.

Two Named to All-Arizona Academic Team

2010-02-22T07:17:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager

Thomas Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

Rio Salado College students Katherine Robinson, of Tempe, and Amber Jensen, of Phoenix, are two people who work hard in the classroom, and, due to their strong work ethics, have earned the opportunity of a lifetime.

On Thursday, Robinson and Jensen were named to the All-Arizona Academic Team during an awards celebration at Mesa Community College.

“We are honored to have these two students represent Rio Salado College,” said Rio Salado Interim President Chris Bustamante. “They are outstanding students who have shown a passionate commitment for education and their community.”

Robinson was named to the first-team, and was awarded a cash prize of $1,000 and a full two-year renewable scholarship at one of Arizona’s three state universities.
Robinson earned her spot on the first team by maintaining a 3.93 grade-point average (GPA), earning 57 credits, and participating in a variety of college and community activities. Her activities include: Vice President of Leadership for the Alpha Theta Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa; editor and writer for The Alpha Theta Omicron Alpha Bits; student coordinator of a Beautification and Community Garden Program; and a victim response member for Pandora’s Project.

As a member of the first team, she also is a candidate for the All-USA team, which will be announced in April. If named to the team, Robinson could win an additional $2,500 and be featured in the USA Today newspaper.

Jensen was named to the second team and received a $750 cash prize and a full two-year renewable scholarship at one of Arizona’s three state universities.

Jensen, who plans to transfer to Northern Arizona University, earned her spot on the team by maintaining a 3.8 GPA, earning 127 credits, and being active at Rio Salado and in the community. She used the skills she has been learning at Rio Salado’s School of Dental Hygiene by volunteering as a hygienist at the Central Arizona Shelter Services, the Dave Pratt Boys and Girls Club, and at the Give Kids a Smile for elementary school students. She also served as a member of the AmeriCorps Project Ayuda where she provided dental hygiene care for special needs patients.

“I am privileged to volunteer my services as a dental hygiene student at the Central Arizona Shelter Services clinic for the homeless,” said Jensen. “Not only am I able to practice technical skills I have learned, but I recognize the impact I can have on someone’s life through my education.”

The All-Arizona Academic Team scholarships are offered every year to two students from each of the state’s community colleges. To qualify, students must have earned a high grade point average and many credits in different academic disciplines at Rio Salado College, be working toward an associate degree, and be an active participant in service learning activities such as block watch participation, charity organizations, political organizations, religious groups and other community groups.

For more information about scholarship opportunities at Rio Salado College, please visit www.riosalado.edu/financial_aid.

Adults may not be able to get their GED's due to budget cuts

2010-02-18T15:13:00.000-08:00

Channel 3's Carina Sonn recetly talked to students, teachers and administrators at Rio Salado College's Orangewood Learning Center about proposed budget cuts that could lead to GED classes being elimintaed.

Kishia Brock Named New Interim Vice President

2010-02-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

Kishia Brock, Dean of Student Services, will serve as the Interim Vice President of Student Services, reporting directly to Interim President Chris Bustamante. Brock’s leadership in the development and oversight of major Student Services programs has greatly increased access and student success as Rio’s headcount has surged during the past decade.

In her interim assignment, Brock will join the Executive Council and will plan, organize and direct the Student Services division to include the areas of Institutional Advancement (Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Web, Copy Center, Outreach and Recruitment), and Student Enrollment and Success Services (Admissions, Records, Registration, Advisement, Career Counseling, International Education, Testing and Assessment, Military Advisement and Outreach, Financial Aid, Veterans Affairs, Disability Resources and Services, and the ACE Puente Program).

Rio, KEZ Award Laveen Teacher

2010-02-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, KEZ's Marty Manning and Rio Salado College's David Staudacher surprised Laveen Elementary School teacher Jonathon Clauss with February's Excellence in Education Award.

Appraiser Brings Real-World Experiences to Class

2010-02-11T14:40:00.001-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College

“Art always reflects the period of the artist and society,” said Allison Gee, an adjunct faculty member at Rio Salado College. “Art shows quite a bit of who we are and where we have been. It shows laws, values, and culture.”

Gee’s knowledge of art reaches beyond the classroom. When she is not teaching, she is running her business, Appraisals By Allison. The business is a full-service nationwide fine art appraisal firm based in the Valley, and specializes in the appraisal of American and European paintings, sculptures and works on paper. As a professional appraiser, Gee has had the privilege to evaluate an original painting by Picasso, a sculpture by Robert Indiana, and prints by Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali and Marc Chagall. It is this type of unique experiences she brings to students in her art history and humanities classes at Tempe-based Rio Salado.

“As a professional appraiser, I have to keep up with the art world,” said Gee. “Adding my work to the classroom, allows me to bring real-world experiences to my classes. This is something I like to share with all of my students, especially Valley students who can go to local gallery openings.”

Keeping herself and students up to date with art movements has kept the teacher busy. Gee is active in the Phoenix-Metro Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), and was elected to serve as an officer of the local chapter, which included a stint as the group’s president. She is involved in the local arts community and is a member of the Phoenix Art Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, West Valley Art Museum, and a member of the Steering Committee of the Inaugural Quest for Art of the West Valley Arts Council.

Outside of Arizona, Gee has studied art and conducted research at many of the world’s finest museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Casa Buonarroti in Florence, Italy.

She also works throughout Arizona and in neighboring states, but said that it is teaching classes online that has taken her to more places around the world.

“I’ve worked in Texas, California and New Mexico, and my students are all over the world,” said Gee. “I’ve had students contact me from Paris, Milan, and often teach military students stationed in the Middle East. It’s one of the things that make teaching online interesting. Students in different parts of the state, country or world have access to different works of art.”

According to Gee, who holds a lifetime teaching certificate in Art History from the Arizona Community College system, she often suggests places for students to see original works based on where they are located in the world. She also has had experience with students writing about artists she has appraised.

“There have been times when a student has written a paper about an artist, and during the same week or even the same day I was holding an original piece by that particular artist,” said Gee. “It’s moments like this that I feel like I am bringing more to classes.”

To learn more about Rio Salado College, please visit http://www.riosalado.edu/.
More information about Allison Gee can be found at http://www.allisongee.com/.

Board Agrees to Buy West Phoenix Building, Land

2010-02-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

The Governing Board approved a plan for the District to spend $1.15 million, plus closing costs, to purchase property at 3631 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix. The facility is about 23,500 square feet and sits on 2.3 acres. The property also includes a second piece of plan that contains a parking lot.

The Governing Board in 2008 had approved an agreement with the Isaac School District #5 for Rio Salado College to build and operate a 12,000 square foot Adult Learning Center. Purchase of the Thomas Road property, which is in the same general area, gives the college nearly twice the space at a much lower cost. The college will operate Adult Basic Education, GED, English Language Acquisition for Adults, general and developmental education, workforce education and training, academic assessment for prospectus students, advising, testing and tutoring services.

Teachers Offer Advice for Job Seekers

2010-01-25T07:51:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager

When interviewing, job seekers have to make more than one first impression. They have to make two first impressions. Job seekers will make their first impression with a solid resume and another first impression when they get invited to a face-to-face interview.

Recently, Rio Salado College’s faculty members have been offering interviewing advice to December’s graduates, and the teachers wanted to share this advice with anyone who is looking for a job.

The teachers stressed the importance of researching the company, preparing questions for the interviewers, and practicing by rehearsing with a family member or friend.

“Your appearance is the first impression you will make on an employer when you arrive at an interview,” said Brooke Toney, an instructor in Rio Salado College's Sustainable Food Systems program. “I expect potential employees to dress professionally and have exception hygiene. In my field, I am working with food safety and personal hygiene one of the main contributors of a foodborne illness.

Rio Salado’s Faculty Chair for Instructional Design Jennifer Freed agrees with Toney and added that men should wear a tie and jacket.

"I know it gets hot in the Valley during the summer, but dressing professionally shows interviewers you are serious about the position," said Freed. "If someone doesn't put in the effort to dress professionally during an interview, an employer may question their work ethic, too."

Besides appearance, the Rio Salado teachers said a person's demeanor during the interview is important, too. Employers are looking for someone who will fit into their team, company or organization, and the way they act during an interview can be the difference between getting an offer and being rejected.

"Be positive and avoid saying anything negative about a previous employer," said Toney. "Appearing angry, wounded, or sad about being laid off makes you appear unstable. Instead, focus on the positive and address how you will be an asset."

According to Toney, this will set you apart from other candidates. She suggests talking about accomplishments from past positions and how they will fit into this new position. If you have been unemployed for some time, but are volunteering locally this is another great aspect to share in the interview. Being active in your community says a lot about you as a person and a prospective employee.

"I encourage students not to be one dimensional," said Freed. "You have to address how you are qualified for the job, but it doesn't mean you have to be a robot. You have to sell yourself, and show the interviewer that you have a personality. Just make sure it is all done with good taste."
The teachers suggest talking about what you know and not trying to stretch your true qualifications too far.

“Be honest,” said Freed. “The truth always comes out, and if you lie on your resume or in an interview it is grounds for dismissal or to not be hired in the first place.”

Class Teaches Students to Navigate Second Life

2010-01-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager

On Saturday at 10 p.m., Murray Inman met friends at an education conference in Berlin while his wife was at a jazz dance club in San Francisco. At Midnight, the Inmans met at a cafe in Taipei, Taiwan, to do some people watching. To most people this sounds impossible. But to the 16 million users on the social networking site Second Life this is completely normal.

Second Life is a virtual world where people don avatars to meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, create and trade goods and services with one another, or travel throughout the world. Unlike other social networks, Second Life is much more in depth and hands on.

“Second Life is much different than Facebook, Twitter or other social networking sites,” said Inman, a Systems Application Analyst and adjunct instructor at Rio Salado College. “All the other sites are quick little one or two-line status updates. You can reconnect, but you are not part of their lives. Second Life is much closer to being face-to-face. You get to know someone better through activities. You share more experiences, which you don’t get in other social media sites.”

Inman understands the difference between social networking sites well. That is why he developed the Current Topics in Computing course that focuses on Second Life, which Rio Salado recently launched. The class is for people who are new to Second life and teaches them how to explore the virtual world.

“We have several classes in development that will be taught in Second Life,” said Inman. “We started to realize that the more we start to use this, the more we need to train people in the basics. This course is an introduction and assumes that you are brand new. However, it offers opportunities to learn and explore to all levels of users.”

In the class, students maneuver through an obstacle course, which teaches basic movements and camera control use. They also learn how to fly, use pose balls, which allow avatars to sit, dance or swim. The class progresses to where students eventually learn how to build scripted items that can be interacted with. Toward the end of the class, the students are asked to question what it means to be an avatar.

“I have students go in and change their avatar to something that is not them,” said Inman. “For some people, it may be changing their ethnicity, their weight and height, or even becoming something non-human like an animal or robot. I have them interact with people to see what reactions they might get back. It really helps them question what their attitudes are toward other people, and how other people might feel about it. It’s fascinating in a philosophical way, too.”

According to Inman, there is a vast learning experience to discover in Second Life, and, while students will learn the basics, he wants people to get more out of the class.

“I hope students will take away a little bit more about themselves,” said Inman. “If you let it, Second Life can give you a reflection of who you are.”

To learn more about Rio Salado College and its Current Topics in Computing class, visit http://www.riosalado.edu/schedule/Pages/schedule.aspx?prefix=CIS.

Dr. Chris Bustamante Named Interim President

2010-01-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Rufus Glasper today announced the appointment of Dr. Chris Bustamante as the Interim President of Rio Salado College. Bustamante replaces Dr. Linda Thor, recently named Chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, effective Feb. 16, 2010.

The appointment of Bustamante, who has served as the college’s Vice President of Community Development and Student Services since 2006, becomes effective upon Dr. Thor’s departure.

“Dr. Bustamante is well qualified to assume this prominent position,” said Dr. Glasper. “He possesses substantial leadership credentials in education and has an extensive track record of forging partnerships within the community. Specifically, he was instrumental in the collaborative development of the Arizona Communiversity concept, which recently opened its first site — the Communiversity @ Surprise.”

The appointment marks the first change in the college’s leadership in two decades. Under Thor’s nearly 20-year tenure, the college became nationally acclaimed for its innovations as a leading provider of online learning, as well as for its customized partnerships with business and government entities. “We congratulate President Thor on these and many other accomplishments, and we wish her every success as she transitions to this prestigious new role at one of the nation’s premier community college districts,” said Glasper.

Bustamante’s considerable other successes since joining Rio Salado as Dean of Academic Affairs in 2004 include:

Oversight of the largest dual enrollment program in both the Maricopa District and all of Arizona, currently serving nearly 7,000 students annually through 54 partnering high schools
Oversight of eight major capital projects for Rio Salado, including the building of the $4 million Adult Learning Center in the City of Avondale
The launching of Rio’s Adult ACE and Puente ACE Programs that enroll more than 150 students annually
Establishment of a partnership with the Phoenix Elementary School District to reopen Ann Ott Elementary School as an Adult Learning Center

Prior to his Rio career, Bustamante served the Maricopa Community College District as Director of Government Relations & External Affairs, and also held positions as Director of State Relations and the Associate Director of Government Relations. He began his Maricopa career in 1992.

Prior to working for the MCCCD, Bustamante served as the Assistant to the Superintendent for Community Relations for the Phoenix Union High School District. Bustamante also served as a Legislative Aide in the Arizona House of Representatives from 1984-1987.

Bustamante was a member of Maricopa’s Executive Development Program (2008), the Leadership Fellows Program of the National Community College Hispanic Council (2005), and was appointed by Governor Jane D. Hull to serve on Arizona’s Merit Award System Board and served as its Chairman (2002-2004). He currently serves on the Advisory Board of Experience Matters, as Honorary Commander at Luke Air Force Base (Alumnus), as an Advisory member for the REF Fund, Arizona Community Foundation, and as a Board member for the Be A Leader Foundation. He is a former member of the Task Force for the National State Relations Conference (Chair, 2004). Bustamante also served as the community college presidents’ staff liaison to the Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education (2000).

Bustamante received his Doctorate and Master’s degrees in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University (NAU). He also attended Pima Community College and Harvard University, and graduated from the University of Arizona in 1983 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Finance. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor for NAU in the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership Program/Maricopa cohort.

Chandler Teacher Deemed Excellent

2010-01-12T13:33:00.000-08:00

Chandler High School teacher LuAnn Ewan was named the January Excellence in Education Award winner from Rio Salado College and KEZ 99.9 FM. With Ewan (right) is student Kate Marlowe and KEZ’s Marty Manning.

To nominate a teacher, please visit http://www.kez999.com.

Student Turns Class Project Into Community Awareness

2009-12-28T08:16:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager

“It is because of your love and support that I am here today, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said a tearful Kelly Stawarski as she addressed family, friends, teachers, and classmates during Rio Salado College’s recent nursing pinning program.

Stawarski, an honor student, was thanking everyone for supporting her during one of the most difficult times of her life — coping with the death of her 19-year-old son. Half way through the rigorous nursing program, tragedy struck the family when her son, Thomas McDermott, died in a car accident.

Overcome with grief, she considered abandoning her life-long dream of becoming a nurse. But her family, friends, classmates and teachers convinced her not to quit and stay in school. In the program, the students are required to complete a community project, and Stawarski immediately knew what she wanted to do for the project.

“In October, I spoke to students at Basha High School, where my son went to school,” said Stawarski. “Alcohol was involved in his accident. And while he wasn’t legally drunk, he also wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. These were two factors that contributed to my son dying.”

During the presentation, she displays the clothes he was wearing at the time of the accident, explains his injuries, and then shows a video of his life, which includes pictures of the accident scene. Students were so moved by her presentation that she received notes and hugs from them thanking her for telling Thomas’ story and expressing how it had impacted them. Teachers at the school were so impressed with her presentation they have asked her to come back two more times so that all students can hear Thomas’ story.

While Stawarski was only required to do one community project for the nursing program, she has decided to continue sharing the story of Thomas’ accident to students and adults. She chose to channel her grief into a community project that not only helped to her to heal, but also allowed her to use the story of Thomas’ accident as a teaching tool.

“At Rio Salado, I learned that nurses do more than care for the sick,” said Stawarski. “They look for a need in the community and look for people to help, and that is what I decided to do, too.”

Recently Stawarski accepted and invitation to bring her presentation to a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) meeting, where she had the opportunity to address more than 250 teens and adults.

“I plan to continue speaking about Thomas’ accident and bring awareness to seatbelt safety and the dangers of drinking and driving,” said Stawarski. “I’m working with my younger son’s junior high to speak there. I would like to continue speaking at the high school and the MADD meetings, too. I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I went through, and if I get through to one person, it is worth it.”

To learn more about Rio Salado College, visit http://www.riosalado.edu/. To have Kelly Stawarski speak at an event, please contact her at chandlergirl85249@yahoo.com.

ASU, NAU Offer Onsite Advising to Transfer Students

2009-12-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

Rio Salado transfer students can now meet with advisors from Arizona State University (ASU) and Northern Arizona University (NAU) at Rio’s Tempe campus.

Beginning in January, advisors from both universities will be on hand twice a month to offer in-person advising services for transfer students.

“We have had long standing partnerships with these institutions and look forward to working even closer with them to provide a clear pathway from our associate degrees to the student’s chosen university major,” said David Hall, Coordinator, Advisement Services.

For more information or to set up an appointment with the university advisors please contact Rio Salado College’s Advisement office by email at academic.advisement@riosalado.edu or by phone at (480) 517-8580.

Program Takes Students to Nontraditional Labs

2009-12-21T07:20:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager

The vast majority of Rio Salado College's classes are online. But recently, a program with a variety of hybrid classes sprouted at the college. The new Sustainable Food Systems program allows students to take classes online and practice the theories they studied in a lab at Rio Salado’s main campus in Tempe.

Hybrid classes with labs are not new to Rio Salado. But for many of the classes in the Certificate of Completion in Sustainable Food Systems program, the labs are not held in a traditional classroom. The labs are hosted in the college’s café, which is currently under construction, an in Rio Salado’s new community garden.

Last week, students and instructors from the Gardening Practices and Techniques class gathered for the first lab at the community garden at the college's headquarters, 2323 W. 14th St., Tempe.

"This is a new hybrid class," said instructor Peter Conden, who teaches Gardening Practices and Techniques. "The students learn all of theory online, and then they work in the 4,400 square-foot garden to fulfill the lab section of the class."

While some students were volunteering, others were participating to complete the lab section of the class. Among the students working in the garden was Cody Boers.

“I needed a hybrid or in-person class to fulfill a requirement for the GI Bill, so I picked this one,” said Cody Boers, a student in the Gardening Practices and Techniques who worked on the garden. “It was a surprisingly fun class. Today we prepared the garden for plants and put some of the theories that I studied to practice.”

According to Conden, the course is fun and challenging at the same time. He added that the theories the students practice in the garden will change throughout the year as the weather changes.

“The Southwest is very different from other parts of the country,” said Conden. “Students study how the climate influences what is grown in a garden, and then they have to develop a plan for that time of the year.”

The climate wasn’t the only thing the class was preparing to protect the plants from. The class secured the area to keep out local wildlife.”

“In the class, the students study ways to identify and control garden pests, such as insects, weeds and disease,” said Conden. “Since the garden is in a construction phase, we have to consider other forms of pest control. And in this case, we are adding chicken wire to keep rabbits out of the garden."

As the garden takes shape, it also will impact what is served in the new Rio Café. The items grown in the garden will be used in the culinary classes, which are part of the Sustainable Foods Program. These classes will be preparing the meals served in the café. Furthermore, the scraps from the café will be recycled in compost site next to the garden.

“The entire program is one big cohesive laboratory,” said Conden. “Students in the café and garden will work together toward a goal of zero waste.”

To learn more about Rio Salado College’s Sustainable Foods Program, visit http://www.riosalado.edu/programs/sustainable/Pages/default.aspx

Rio Salado, KEZ Surprise Tempe Teacher with Award

2009-12-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager

Tuesday started out like any other day in Tom Huber’s math class at Marcos di Niza High School in Tempe. He talked to students, took attendance and listened to the morning announcements.

As the class prepared for an upcoming test, Huber’s day took a surprising turn when KEZ 99.9 FM’s radio personality Marty Manning announced to the entire school that Huber was named December’s Excellence in Education winner by Rio Salado College and KEZ.

“I truly appreciate how much he cares about us understanding math, and the amount of time he gives in order for that to happen,” said an anonymous student who nominated him for the award. “Mr. Huber comes to school every day at 6:30 a.m., nearly an hour and a half before school begins to help us work out any problems we have difficulty with on our homework. Not only is he patient in helping us so early every morning, Mr. Huber also explains how the concepts we are working with are used outside the textbook, in science, architecture, or even cooking. His optimistic attitude and exciting power-points really bring math even more to life!”

According to the student, Huber also supports activities outside of the classroom.

“As a football, basketball, baseball and softball coach, he truly has put in an enormous amount of hours for us,” said the student. “I am so thankful for all of the time Mr. Huber dedicates to our education in and out of the classroom.”

The students are not the only people who were proud to see Huber receive this month’s Excellence in Education award. Marcos di Niza Principal Frank Mirizio visited the teacher’s classroom as the award was delivered.

“I’ve known Mr. Huber a long time,” said Mirizio. “He taught me when I was a student here. He is a very dedicated and skillful teacher. His patience is one of his greatest virtues as he takes time to help his students.”

Excellence in Education is KEZ and Rio Salado College’s way of honoring K-12 teachers throughout the 2009-2010 school year for their outstanding contribution to education. Students and parents of students are encouraged to nominate teachers who are excellent at their profession and have gone above-and-beyond the call of duty to make a difference in their community.

“Rio Salado College has a long tradition of community support,” said Janet Johnson, Rio Salado College’s Education department faculty chair. “As a parent & educator, I understand the time and effort it takes to truly make a different in the lives of children as well as the greater educational community. Honoring teachers with this award is another way of showing our appreciation to unsung heroes throughout the Valley.”

Huber is the fourth teacher to win an Excellence in Education award. All winning teachers are rewarded with $99, an Excellence in Education Award, KEZ Bag O’Fun, and their pictures on the KEZ and Rio Salado College Web sites. In May, one of the monthly winners will be named the educator of the year and win $999.

To nominate a teacher, please visit http://www.kez999.com/. To learn more about Rio Salado College and the Excellence in Education program, visit http://www.riosalado.edu/.

December's Excellence in Education Winner is ...

2009-12-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

Marcos di Niza High School teacher Tom Huber was named the December Excellence in Education Award winner from Rio Salado College and KEZ 99.9 FM.

Huber was nominated by an anonymous who said, “I truly appreciate how much he cares about us understanding math, and the amount of time he gives in order for that to happen. His optimistic attitude and exciting power-points really bring math even more to life!”

Excellence in Education is KEZ 99.9 FM and Rio Salado College’s way of honoring K-12 teachers throughout the 2009-2010 school year. Students and parents of students are encouraged to nominate K-12 teachers who are excellent at their profession and have gone above-and-beyond the call of duty to make a difference in their community.

To nominate a special teacher, please go to http://www.kez999.com/ (keyword: "excellence").

Click HERE, to see past winners.

Dr. Thor Appointed to Chancellor Post in California

2009-12-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

Dr. Linda M. Thor, president of Rio Salado College, will become chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District starting Feb. 16. A nationally recognized innovator in education, she will be the sixth permanent chancellor since the district's founding in 1957.

“Passion for education is what we look for in any college leader,” said Foothill-De Anza Community College District board President Betsy Bechtel. “Linda Thor's driving passion is student success, and that is evident in every conversation with her. I am confident she will help us continue to advance our commitment to quality education for every student. We are very pleased to have her join us.”

Thor's selection follows a national search for a successor to Martha Kanter, who resigned in June to become U.S. Under Secretary of Education, overseeing all of postsecondary education.

“I am honored and excited to be named the next chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, one of the nation's premier community college districts,” said Thor. “I have long admired the district for its commitment to student success, innovation and sustainability. I look forward to continuing the great legacy of Dr. Martha Kanter and the district's outstanding faculty and staff. I thank the Board of Trustees for its confidence in me. As a native Californian, it will be gratifying to again serve the people of my home state.”

Thor has worked in large, multi-college community college districts for more than 30 years-first in the Los Angeles Community College District and now in the 10-college Maricopa Community College District, the largest in the nation.

“Linda has remarkable breadth and depth as a college leader,”' said Foothill-De Anza Interim Chancellor Mike Brandy. “During her presidency, Rio Salado has earned the reputation as one of the most innovative colleges in the country. Linda has led the effort to develop programs and services that focus on meeting the needs of students, and has been extraordinarily successful in collaborating with a diverse group of partners to serve the educational needs of Maricopa County and beyond.”

Since Thor became president of Rio Salado in 1990, the “college without walls” has grown to serve more than 60,000 students a year. Its effective use of technology to provide instruction and support services has led to increased student success and made Rio Salado a national model for delivering quality online education.

Today, about half of Rio Salado’s students are distance learners. Others attend classes at educational centers located throughout a large geographic region. These centers increasingly involve collaborations or partnerships with community organizations, local governments or other colleges and universities to provide services and share costs. In addition, Rio Salado offers customized degrees and certificates for 40 major employers and dual enrollment programs with 55 high schools.

“Linda Thor has an extensive record of innovation and has presided over remarkable growth and development at Rio Salado,” said faculty member Dolores Davison, co-chair of the chancellor search committee and president of the Foothill College Academic Senate. “Her leadership in fund-raising, developing partnerships and collaborations, and technological innovation has made Rio Salado one of the most significant colleges in the Maricopa district.”

Dr. Thor’s biography can be found at www.riosalado.edu/about/president/Pages/default.aspx

Rio Salado Honored for Digital Technology

2009-12-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

Rio Salado College was recently named one of the Top Ten Digital Community Colleges in the nation by Converge magazine and e.Republic’s Center for Digital Education.

Rio Salado finished 10th in the category for large colleges (7,500+ students). As Maricopa Community College District’s online college, Rio Salado serves more than 60,000 students annually.

The survey recognized community colleges that offer exceptional technology support to students and education. It covered multiple areas in digital technology, including online registration, distance learning, tutoring and advisory services, technology training and social and collaborative capabilities.

Through Rio Salado, students have 24/7 access to several online services such as financial aid, tutoring, library, bookstore, help desk support, and RioLounge, the online student union.

“In addition, Rio Salado’s custom learning management system, RioLearn, offers students access to over 550 dynamic online courses most of which students can start every Monday,” said Edward Kelty, Vice President of Information Technology.

In the last year, Rio Salado has also increased its presence in the social networking world by creating Facebook and Twitter pages, where students and the general public can follow college news and connect with other fans.

“Our survey results show that community colleges are fast embracing cyber technologies and fostering collaboration in learning by using tools in which students are familiar,” said Marina Leight, Vice President of e.Republic’s Center for Digital Education. “The institutions chosen as this year’s top community colleges are exceptional examples of the investment in learning.”

Predicting Student Success
In other technology news, Rio Salado has developed a program that helps predict which students will succeed and which ones will not.

The “predictive modeling system,” one of only a handful in the nation, takes into account dozens of variables when calculating student success. They include: online behavior, grades, enrollment history, current enrollment status, financial aid status, advisement and demographics.

According to Adam Lange, a programmer analyst at Rio Salado College, the predictive modeling system has many benefits.

“One of the major benefits to predicting student success is that faculty and staff can assist at-risk students before it’s too late,” Lange said. “Our main goal is to find effective ways to help students succeed.”

Lange said the system can predict, with 70 percent accuracy, the probability of success, meaning how likely it is that a student will earn a “C” grade or higher in a given course.

Rio Salado is currently piloting the system, running it on the 8th day of class to estimate a student’s probability of success. If a student is identified to be at-risk, faculty and instructors intervene to provide assistance and guidance.

Lange said future plans include running the system prior to class start dates, giving front-line staff and advisors time to reach out to students, and building an automated alert system to notify students directly if they fall into an at-risk level.

Students Help Homeless Move Life Forward

2009-11-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager, 480.517.8472

Every night, the Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) helps hundreds of homeless individuals by offering them a safe place to sleep. While CASS is known for its beds, the shelter offers many additional services to help the underprivileged get their lives back on track. One of those services is free dental care. CASS’s dental clinic treats approximately 5,000 to 6,000 patients annually, with the help of generous donors and volunteers. Among the volunteers are instructors and students from Rio Salado College’s School of Dental Hygiene, who visit the clinic twice a week.

"I have a soft spot in my heart for the homeless," said Rio Salado School of Dental Hygiene student Emily Miller-Lehr, of Tempe. "I had actually volunteered for CASS before I was a Rio student so I kind of knew what I was getting into.”

At the clinic, Rio Salado’s hygienists clean teeth and take on the responsibility of teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene techniques and counseling them regarding good nutrition and its impact on oral health.

"Our homeless population — between the poor hygiene and nutrition — really, really need a good cleaning, and that is one of the biggest issues we have here," said Annette Chun, CASS Dental Clinic manager. "The partnership with Rio Salado helps get these patients that come through here the professional cleaning that they wouldn't otherwise be able to get."

For some homeless individuals, the dental treatment goes beyond a cleaning. Often, it is the difference between getting a job and getting rejected.

“I had a patient that I think it had been 10 years since she said she had been to a dentist, and it was nice to help her out,” said Miller-Lehr. “She was a great patient. She‘s recovering from homelessness, so she’s going into the workforce and [CASS is] working on getting her a stable place to live. So it’s looking really good for her.”

According to CASS Dental Clinic Director Kris Volcheck, the path to a homeless patient’s success starts with the Rio Salado students.

"At the base of everything we do is hygiene," said Volcheck. "I'm not going to do a $20,000 makeover if that person is not keeping up with their hygiene on a daily basis. The hygiene students are really at the core of what we're doing here for prevention and for continued oral health. They start with them, and those students give us a consistent supply of cleanings for our patients. Without that I can't really proceed to the next level of fillings, crown and bridge.”
“Their being in on a weekly basis allows me to schedule most of our clients on a timely manner and then move them on to the other parts of dentistry,” he said. “So it's absolutely critical that they are in [the clinic].”

Besides volunteering at CASS, the students perform low-cost cleanings on patients for $25 at the Rio Salado College School of Dental Hygiene, 1150 E. Washington St., Phoenix.

To learn more about Rio Salado College's Dental Hygiene program, visit http://www.riosalado.edu/ or call (480) 517-8020. To learn more about CASS and how you can help, visit http://www.cassdentalclinic.com/.

Scholarships for 50+ Teacher Program Available

2009-11-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

Rio Salado College's Teacher Education Program has scholarships available through the Helios Scholarship Program for the 2009-2010 50+ Encore Program.

Awards range from $500 to $1000, and will be made available through college financial aid offices. An individual may receive the scholarship award only once per academic year. Award available for distribution by December 15th, 2009 and must be used before February 1, 2010.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Each applicant must meet all of the following eligibility requirements. The applicant must:

1. Be at least 50 years of age and able to provide verification
2. Enroll at Rio Salado College
3. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible U.S. permanent resident
4. Be able to provide proof of residency in Arizona
5. Be enrolled in and maintain a minimum of six semester credits
6. Possess a bachelor’s degree from a Regionally Accredited

View the scholarship application.

Have A Question? Text a Rio Librarian

2009-11-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

By David Staudacher, Rio Salado College PR Manager

Why is the sky blue?
Why did the Berlin Wall fall?
What is the average circumference of a human head?

The answers to these questions and many more can all be found with a little research. But for college students on the go and in need of a reliable source, they can find the answers quickly by text messaging their questions to My Info Quest: Text 4 Answers, where a librarian will answer the question within 10 minutes.

On certain days, the answers may come from a Rio Salado College or Paradise Valley Community College librarian, where the program is called ASK! Txt 4 Answers.

Rio Salado librarians Karen Docherty and Janelle Underhill and Paradise Valley librarian Shelle Witten are taking part in the pilot program, which is a free text messaging reference project consisting of more than 50 libraries across the country. All of the participating librarians contribute to the project for a combined effort to answer questions for thousands of students at the participating colleges.

Like the other librarians, Docherty, Underhill and Witten only work two hours a week toward the project, but their students can use the service from Monday through Friday, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

To keep the program costs low and efficient, the librarians are not using cell phones to answer questions. They log onto a project Web site e-mail account to receive questions and provide answers.

“This program really expands our services,” said Karen Docherty, virtual reference coordinator at Rio Salado College. “We contribute a couple hours a week, and in return our students are benefitting with more support.”

The idea for the program came about out of necessity. The average number of text messages by wireless phone users age 18-24 is 790 a month according to a report by Nielsen, the media and marketing information company. The report shows that future college students who are 13-17 years old are texting more than any other demographic with 2,900 messages a month.

“People are now sending more text messages than they are making cell phone calls,” said Docherty. “This is a different way of helping people get the answers they need, wherever they are at, with professional assistance.”

During September, there were more than 645 messages exchanged between librarians and students, which is nearly a three-fold increase from August. According to Docherty, the librarians are on pace to answer more questions than September.

“College students need quick answers,” said Docherty. “Now, they have a new resource at their fingertips, and at the rate they are texting this is good timing to start this program.”

To submit a question, text it to (309) 222-7740 with Rio Salado College’s library code RSC. To learn more about Rio Salado College or the Ask! Txt 4 Answers program, please visit http://www.riosalado.edu/library/Pages/Txt4Answers.aspx.

Communiversity, LLC Named Best of the West

2009-11-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

Rio Salado College was a big winner last week during Westmarc’s 17th annual Best of the West Awards taking. The Communiversity @ Surprise and the Lifelong Learning Center won first-place awards, while the Rio Salado operated El Mirage Mayor’s Adult Basic Education Academy received an honorable mention.

The Best of the West awards recognize outstanding contributions to the image, lifestyle and economic development of the West Valley.

PHOTO: Celebrating their wins during the Best of the West Awards ceremony are: (from left) Dr. Chris Bustamante, Sherry Bargo, City of Surprise Mayor Lyn Truitt, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, President Linda Thor, Dr. Todd Aakhus, and Miryam Gutier-Brown. Gov. Brewer received the John F. Long Lifetime Achievement Award.

See a complete list of winners and slide show HERE.