The Wabash Valley College "View From The Valley" newsletter contains information about faculty, staff, and student accomplishments. All material is copyrighted and the property of Wabash Valley College.
VIEW FROM THE VALLEY
WABASH VALLEY COLLEGE
VOLUME 17 | ISSUE NO 05
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Community colleges play an important role in helping people transition between careers by providing the retooling they need to take on a new career.
BARAK OBAMA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editor's Note 01
International Club Student Spotlight 03 04 05 Alumni Spotlight Upcoming Events 02 07 Employee Spotlight 08 Gallery 06 Sand Volleyball
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Editor’ s Note
So, there’s this weird in-between period for college students/staff called “the three weeks in-between Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break.” And, let me tell you . . . GOOD GRIEF! The in-between period is a stressful time of the year. First off, if you’re a college student, you have finals--FINALS! Final Exams = Nightmare Fuel. Secondly, you have to make sure you get all of your deadlines done and all of your last-minute goals completed before you hibernate for 2-3 weeks. Then, lastly, you’re stressed to the point where you’re burnt out. By this time of the year, people are eager to celebrate their Winter Break since it’s so close! You’re almost at the finish line--you can feel it! One of my main stressors this year is gift-giving. Honestly, I am not the best at gift-giving. I have my great moments--like making hot chocolate bombs for my friends and family--but I always feel like my friends/family outweigh the gifts I give them. For example, I gifted my best friend some nail polish, lotion, and this toad cookie cutter because I thought it was funny. You know what she got me that year? A sweatshirt I had previously told her I loved and a grilled cheese cookbook. A. Grilled. Cheese. Cookbook. And I had the audacity to gift her nail polish for her manicure addiction? How dare I. But, this year, I promise I’m thinking outside of the box. I sought gift-giving tips! I am buying from local businesses! I’m trying out Etsy! You have to be careful with Etsy though--I ended up buying something for myself when I should’ve been shopping for gifts. . . . If you’re feeling stressed out during this weird in-between time or feeling overwhelmed by the holiday season, I advise you to make time out of your day to relax. Reading is a relaxation for me--why not try it out for yourself? Take some time and try to not think about all the last-minute holiday shopping you will end up doing despite telling yourself all month long, “No! I’ve got it all prepared!” (Last-minute shopping is an annual holiday at this point.) Take a break, relax, and read on.
I think everyone is winding down for the semester. Midterm has come and gone and students can see winter break in the near future. Not just students though; I think everyone on campus is ready. I am, of course, in the same boat. We are blessed here at Wabash to have two weeks off for the holidays. I could say it will be a time for rest and relaxation but with four children and a heavy schedule, every winter break I have a list of things to accomplish in my time off. In short, my garage won't clean itself (trust me, I have tried.) Really though, two weeks is a tremendous amount of time to pack up spent Christmas decorations, complete unfinished projects (like the garage), and start new ones. Don't worry. I will have plenty of hot coffee breaks, movie nights with my kids, and outside adventures. I hope whatever, whenever, wherever you are celebrating-you are filled with joy, peace, and gratitude.
Peace, Maggee Bleyer
Stay warm and read on! Jonathan Leach
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UPCOMING EVENTS
December 01, 2022
December 20, 2022
Campus Closed | Winter Break Begins
Small World Christmas Program
December 03, 2022
January 4, 2022
Lady Warriors Basketball vs. Volunteer State
Lady Warriors Basketball vs. Lincoln Trail
Warriors Basketball vs. Volunteer State
Warriors Basketball vs. Lincoln Trail
January 7, 2022
December 04, 2022
Lady Warriors Basketball vs. Three Rivers
Christmas Cantata
December 08, 2022
January 9, 2022
A Carpenter's Christmas featuring Lisa Rock
First Day of Spring Semester
December 10, 2022
January 11, 2022
Lady Warriors Basketball vs. Southwestern Illinois College Warriors Basketball vs. Southwestern Illinois College
Warriors Basketball vs. Lewis & Clark
January 16,2022
Campus Closed | Martin Luther King Day
December 18, 2022
Be sure to follow us on social media for any changes in game schedules and to find out about Student Lounge events!
A Seussified Christmas Carol
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Alexia Villiran is a fulltime student here at Wabash Valley College. Alexia (Allie) is a sophomore from Lima Peru. After graduating from Reina de Los Angeles, she planned to play volleyball and attend school in America. Allie found Wabash Valley College to have great academics as well as a women's volleyball team, so she decided to start her college career here in Mount Carmel, Illinois. Although, originally from a large city outside the United States, Allie has taken a liking for Mount Carmel. "I don't really want to leave this area," she said. Currently enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program, Allie has plans on transferring to a university and majoring in Elementary Education. After college, Alexia wants to be a teacher. However, she has big dreams of starting her own organization to help children educationally as well as athletically, similar to UNICEF Sport for Development. On campus, Allie is kept busy with volleyball open gyms, film, conditioning, lifting, drills, and games. This year, she was one of two starting setters. Allie and her fellow warriors ended their fall season with a 13-18 record, though she hopes to continue playing at the next level. "I attended WVC because I saw they had really good academic AND athletic programs; it looked like a good place to start my volleyball career. Mount Carmel is a small town, but the people are all so kind and welcoming." - Alexia Villaran
Q: What has been your favorite class so far? A: "Human Growth and Development and Speech." Q: Who has been your favorite instructor? A: "I loved having Mrs. Hockeiger and Miss Winter. Q: What do you do for fun? A: "Play volleyball, hang out with my friends and family, and go on walks." Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Mount Carmel? A: "Would have to be Taco Tierra." Q: Where do you want to transfer to? A: "I want to go to a university near here, but I don't know yet!"
Q: What is your favorite quote? A: "Work hard. Dream big."
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INTERNATIONAL CLUB Students from all over the world have the opportunity to attend WVC through the International Program. Many students from Germany, South Korea, Vietnam, England, Canada, Switzerland, and other countries have walked on WVC’s campus and have experienced life in the United States of America (U.S.A.) living in the Mt. Carmel community. International students continue to enroll in WVC and either live with host families, in their own apartments, or in college dorms. The International Program’s staff, members of the International Club, and other friendly faces on campus do everything they can to make the international students feel like they’re living at home away from home. The International Program’s staff regularly immerses international students in the culture of the U.S.A. In October of this year, international students and international club members carved pumpkins together to get ready for the Halloween season. The International Program’s staff presented a Thanksgiving feast at WVC for all IECC international students in November. After Thanksgiving, students helped decorate the International Program’s lounge’s Christmas tree. In addition to celebrating holiday fun, students are also given the chance to visit cities like St. Louis, MO, and Chicago, IL. Evansville, IN, a close city to WVC, is a popular destination for students to shop, eat, and explore more U.S.A. culture. IECC gives international students a fun college experience as well, such as participating in karaoke nights in the Student Lounge, having game nights, playing sports and intramural sports, rooting for the WVC Warriors at home games, joining clubs, volunteering their time for community service, and other activities. “[My favorite part of WVC is the] nice teachers/friends,” freshman student Jenny Chae, originally from South Korea, commented when asked about her experience so far with WVC. “[I get the] opportunity to meet students from all around the world.” Noninternational students at WVC also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in their peers’ cultures. By joining the International Club, students can learn more from international students, make friends, go on trips, and participate in activities. To learn more about the International Program, check out iecc.edu or the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - International Program Facebook page. AUTHOR: MAGGEE BLEYER
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Ed McPherson attended Wabash Valley College from 1973 to 1974. Ed first decided to attend WVC because it was local for him while still providing affordable quality education. The small-town atmosphere ended up being his favorite thing about Wabash Valley: the encouraging and experienced faculty, smaller class sizes, and simply having family and friends (new and old) close by. During his time at WVC, Ed worked on an Associate in Science with a focus on engineering. After his year at Wabash Valley College, Ed continued his education in Norfolk, Virginia to study at Old Dominion University in the School of Engineering. In 1977, he graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. A few short years later, in 1981, he received his Master's in Business Administration with a Marketing focus. Ed has accumulated an impressive resume since his college graduation. In 1981, (the same year as his Master's level graduation) he worked for The Pillsbury Company as the Director of Marketing for Burger King. After 9 years, Ed spent another 9 years with PepsiCo as the Vice President of Brand Marketing for Kentucky Fried Chicken. In 1998, he worked at Gateway Computers before becoming the Chief Marketing Officer for Einstein's Bagels in 2003. In 2006, Ed became the Vice President of Marketing Planning for Sears Holdings Corporation. Ed's education and work allowed him, his wife, and two daughters to travel and live in many places across the United States. Now, Ed is back home in Mount Carmel and owns his own business, McPherson Properties, where he owns and manages real estate investments. ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Q: Where have you and your family lived? A: "Norfolk, Virginia. San Francisco, California. Miami, Florida. Atlanta, Georgia. Denver, Colorado. Chicago, Illinois. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Louisville, Kentucky."
Q: Which were your favorite city/cities to live in? A: "Sioux Falls and Lousiville."
Q: What do you most enjoy about your current job? A: "[The] autonomy, people, and geographic location."
Q: What do you do in your free time? A: "Work and collect a lot of items, from antiques to cars."
Q; What advice do you have in the workplace? A: "[Have] integrity. Work hard. Be fair. Work hard."
Q; What advice do you have for students in high school or college? A: "Work hard and have fun."
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SAND COURTS
In October of this year, Wabash Valley College began the construction of a pair of sand volleyball courts. These courts will be regulation beach size (which is slightly smaller than an indoor court) with an extra 5 feet of sand past the edges of the court. This extra sand will allow players to safely serve and run down a ball headed out of bounds. It will also help out the mowing crew! The net will be set at a standard beach coed height, which will allow for women's, men's, doubles, and coed tournaments. "We believe these courts will be a great addition to campus," says Tabby Niduaza (Director of Instructional Services). "Students seem to really enjoy when we have our grass courts set up for various events on campus. With an increasing interest in intramurals, these new sand volleyball courts will be a great addition to student life! The courts will give students access to a fun and free form of entertainment without the hassle of having to get into the gym. They are also a great addition to the community, as there are no other sand courts within city limits. This opens the door greatly for community interaction on campus through student and community volleyball tournaments." "In short, student interest was the reason [we started this project]. We continue to develop avenues for student interest on campus. The development of the Student Lounge, Sand Volleyball, Frisbee Golf in the spring, and the hiring of a full-time employee for the Brubeck Arts Center are all moves geared toward increasing student life offerings on campus," says Wabash Valley College President, Dr. Fowler. Committees on campus are already brainstorming events and creative ways to utilize these two new courts. As you can see from the picture, the only thing missing right now is the sand. We are hoping the start of the year will bring a game or two for those daring enough to brave the cold.
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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
AUTHOR: MAGGEE BLEYER
Kinsey Whitaker is the Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education for the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program at WVC. She teaches Health, Psychological Aspects of Aging, Pharmacology for the Allied Health Professional, Medical Terminology, Kinesiology & Sport, PTA Clinical Processes, Field Experience for the PTA, Multiple System Rehabilitation, Clinical I, Clinical II, and Clinical III. Kinsey’s journey began in her hometown--Mt. Carmel, IL. Growing up, she was active in sports and community activities. After high school, she enrolled in WVC and then transferred to Northern Illinois University where she graduated with a Master’s Degree in Physical therapy. She later returned back to school to graduate with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Kinsey worked in an outpatient hospital setting with the occasional acute care and inpatient rehab rotation. Through this experience, she found that she enjoyed working with the geriatric population. She was then offered a position working full-time in home health care, where she stayed for nearly a decade (during this time, she completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and gained a Board Certified Specialty as a Geriatric Clinical Specialist). She continued to work in the field as a Physical Therapist--but began teaching Physical Therapy continuing education courses and CPR Certification Courses. Kinsey’s teaching style consists of the saying “practice makes perfect!” “I like to make sure that the basics are understood well in knowledge and application, and then apply those foundational skills to more complex patient scenarios by adding additional details,” Kinsey stated, “Throughout the educational process, my students participate in many group discussions, practice skills many
Always ask questions. Never stop learning.
times, and will both receive and deliver constructive feedback. My students practice, practice, and practice more until their skills are perfected!" Kinsey encourages her students to take on opportunities and keep learning. “I hope that my students gain the skills to become excellent clinicians with the ability to display extraordinary compassion with their patients and coworkers while continually seeking out educational opportunities,” Kinsey expressed. Outside of teaching, Kinsey enjoys spending time with her husband and sons. As a family, they like to travel and visit aquariums, zoos, and museums.
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VIEW FROM THE VALLEY
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