Tailgater at Wartburg
Saturday, Nov. 5, join the Central College family at a tailgater prior to the Central vs. Wartburg football game from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Menu includes chili, vegetable beef soup, bread, dessert and drinks. Cost is $6 per person and is payable at the door. RSVP to the alumni office TODAY, by e-mailing alumni@central.edu.

Reception in Ottumwa
All Central alumni, parents, friends and guests are welcome at a reception at Hotel Ottumwa, 107 E. Second St. in Ottumwa, Tuesday, Nov. 8, from 6-8 p.m. Featured speaker Cheri Doane ’98, director of community-based learning, will share about Central’s Ottumwa outreach program. Hors d’oeuvres are free and a cash bar is available. RSVP to the alumni office TODAY. Call ext. 5154 or e-mail alumni@central.edu.

GOLD party in Des Moines
GOLD (graduates of the last decade), take a break and unwind before the holidays. Network with other Central alumni living in your area and working in a wide range of careers for our second annual holiday bash. All friends and guests are welcome. Appetizers are free. Meet by the back pool tables at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 4508 University Ave. in West Des Moines, Thursday, Dec. 1, from 5-8 p.m. RSVP to the alumni office by Monday, Nov. 28. Call 800-447-0287 or e-mail alumni@central.edu.

Homecoming a success
Around 700 alumni returned for Homecoming 2005. Thank you to all who helped make it a great success.

Blood screening for faculty and staff
The annual blood screen days are Tuesday, Nov. 8, and Thursday, Nov. 17, from 6:30-9 a.m. in the Maytag Student Center. Registration information will be placed in your October direct deposit check envelope. Call the Health Service at ext. 5227 from 7 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. with any questions.

Whitmore wins culinary competition, certified
Benjamin (BJ) Whitmore (dining services) recently competed in a two-day culinary competition at the Martin Bros. Foods fall food show at Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo. In the first part of the competition, each chef had to come up with a signature beef dish. He was assisted by his wife Lisa Whitmore (dining services). Whitmore won the first competition, where he competed against restaurants from a three-state area to qualify him for the final against the winner from another competition. In the final phase, the two contestants had one hour to utilize ingredients from a mystery box, which were only seen right before finals started. He was narrowly defeated by a chef from Iowa City in the final. The competition was judged by Certified Executive Chefs from Hormel Inc., Hockenberg/Newberg Marketing and Heinz International.

Whitmore passed the examination for certification level of Certified Sous Chef by the American Culinary Federation.

Wallace presents paper at conference in Honduras
Carol Wallace (Spanish) presented a paper titled “Olga Morales: Artista en busca en un espacio propio,” (Artist in search of a space of her own) at the 15th annual conference of the Asociación Internacional de Literatura Femenina Hispánica (International Association of Hispanic Women’s Literature), held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Oct. 19-22. The paper was based on research conducted during her semester in Merida, Mexico, in the spring of 2004.

Feeney presents paper at pop culture conference
Marty Feeney (communication studies) presented a research paper titled “Exploring the Film Criticism Garden from Agee to Simon to Kael to Ebert to Rottentomatoes.com: Botanical Dreams, Rhetorical Nightmares,” at the Midwest Popular Culture Conference Oct. 13-17.

Prothero named to Who’s Who
Joy Prothero (education) was included in the 9th edition of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Candidates are nominated by students. This is a multi-year achievement award for Prothero.

Weare attends annual conference
William Weare (library) attended the Iowa Library Association annual conference in Dubuque Oct. 20-21.

Weber and Finken at lecture
Wendy Weber (mathematics) and Teresa Finken (education) attended and participated in the second annual lecture on current issues in mathematics education, held Oct. 13 and sponsored by Iowa State University. The invited speaker was David Pimm, professor of mathematics education from the University of Alberta, and former Fulbright Scholar. Pimm presented “Discourse Analysis and Mathematics Education.” He is the author of Speaking Mathematically and Symbols and Meanings in School Mathematics. Pimm also is the former editor of the international journal For the Learning of Mathematics.  

Van Wyngarden presents proposals to Elderhostel
Diane Van Wyngarden (academic affairs) developed and presented two new program proposals to Elderhostel, the nation’s largest educational travel organization for senior adults. Both proposals were selected in a highly competitive process for inclusion in the Elderhostel catalog and Web site. These new educational travel courses on utopian societies and healthy retirement living are now open to the public and are the first new Iowa Elderhostel programs in many years. Van Wyngarden is the administrator and lead instructor for these new programs to be held several times each year. The first new program was held in October and received participants from six states. Upcoming Elderhostel programs are:

“Seven Unusual Cities: A Touch of History, A Taste of Utopia”
May 7-13, 2006

“Home Along the Mississippi: JoAnna Lund, Foods, and Fun”
June 12-16, 2006

“Art, Music and Folkways of the Netherlands”
July 10-15, 2006

Persons younger than 55 may register if they travel with a person of qualifying age. For more information about these or other Elderhostel programs, contact Van Wyngarden at vanwyngardend@central.edu.

Watson in Phoenix to present paper
Sam Watson (art) presented a paper titled “Tricks are for Kids: Childhood and Queer Identity in Rosalie Favell’s ‘Plain(s) Warrior Artist Series’” on the contemporary First Nations photographer Rosalie Favell at the 2005 Native American Art Studies Association Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., Oct. 28.

Harris at annual meeting
Michael Harris (English) attended the annual Midwest Regional Meeting of the American Conference for Irish Studies held at Loras College in Dubuque Oct. 20-22. The title of the conference this year was “The Spirit of Ireland” and featured Irish poet Eavan Boland.

Den Adel and Maurer at CPA conference
Kevin Den Adel and Robert Maurer (economics/accounting/business management) attended the Iowa Society of CPAs’ Career Awareness Conference in Ankeny Oct. 24. Senior students Sheila Beiermann, Greg Clark, Ryan Elliott, Daniela Martisovitsova, Joy Rankin and Jenni Wedewer also attended. The conference included sessions on networking, the computerized CPA exam, business ethics and professional opportunities in accounting.

Eastin attends meteorology conference and educational forum
Matthew Eastin (mathematics and environmental studies) presented a paper on the rapid intensification of hurricanes at the American Meteorological Society’s 12th conference on Mesoscale Processes and 32nd Conference on Radar Meteorology in Albuquerque, N.M. He also participated in an educational forum on radar analysis techniques used in meteorology.

Wright presents paper
Nancy Wright (talent search) presented an academic paper at the History of Education Society annual conference in Baltimore, Md., Oct. 22. The title of the paper was “Brown v. Board of Education Revisited: Examining the Brown decision through the lens of white privilege.”

No news this month.

Doug and Cindy Rietema’s (controller) second grandchild was born Oct. 22.  Taton Alan Geetings weighed 10 lbs., 2 oz., and was 21 inches long. He has a big sister Kaina.

No news this month.

No news this month.

 
Students help with Hurricane Wilma relief
After Hurricane Wilma ripped through the Yucatan peninsula, Central students were asking “What can we do to help?” Merida program director Alex Sandoval contacted the local Red Cross and found them eager for our assistance. On Oct. 24, Paul Weihe (biology) along with six students joined about 15 Mexican volunteers and Red Cross staff at the Merida airport to unload cargo containers and fill a semitrailer with mess kits, sanitary supply outfits and tarps. After three and a half hours, volunteers returned to Casa Central tired but filled with a sense of accomplishment and hope.

Students volunteered at the Red Cross headquarters in Merida, preparing donated clothes for distribution to victims of the hurricane.

Volunteering were Central College students Dan Buis ’07, Samantha Dishman ’07, Cathy Heaton ’07, Andrea Kapusinski ’07, Sara Schlager ’06 and Liz Wilson ’08. Students Danielle Maida and Meaghan Trayner from cooperating institutions also volunteered.

Warwick at conference
Jeni Winters Warwick ’06, accompanied by Esther Streed (education), attended the annual Fine Day Conference Oct. 27 at the Des Moines Convention Center. To promote the utilization of education research among preservice educators, the FINE (First in the Nation in Education; Iowa’s Educational Research Foundation) Foundation honors education majors who have demonstrated an interest in best practices for improving and assessing student achievement. Highlighting this year’s conference were a presentation by Ted Stilwill, former director of the Iowa Department of Education, and an animated keynote address by Robert Barr, author of 17 books, most recently, Saving Our Students, Saving Our Schools: 50 Proven Strategies for At-Risk Students and Low-Performing Schools. Warwick’s parents joined her for this special recognition.

Crisis Intervention Services (CIS), formerly Turning Point, wants Central College employees to be aware of their mission and services. The mission of CIS is to provide support, resources and hope for a better future to persons affected by domestic abuse, sexual assault and other crises. All services are free and confidential and include a 24-hour crisis line 641-673-5499 or 800-270-1620, support groups, information and referrals, emergency shelter, economic advocacy, criminal and legal advocacy and transportation.

Winter holiday schedule
The campus will be closed Thursday-Tuesday, Dec. 22-27. Offices will be open Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 28-30, and again be closed Saturday-Monday, Dec. 31-Jan. 2, 2006.

Staff Christmas banquet is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 15. Please reserve this date on your calendars.

Open positions

Assistant professor of psychology
Central College is seeking applications for an assistant professor of psychology to begin August 2006. This is a nine-month, tenure track appointment. A doctorate degree by fall 2006 is required. Please visit the college Web site for a full position description http://www.central.edu/humanresources/index.html.

To apply for the above administrative positions, please send a completed Central College application, cover letter, resume and the names and contact information for three professional references to: Human Resources Office, Central College, Campus Box 6000, 812 University St., Pella, IA 50219 or by e-mail to employment@central.edu. Visit the college Web site for an application and additional information regarding the position at www.central.edu/humanresources.

If interested in any of the above support staff positions, please send a completed Central College application to: Human Resources Office, Central College, Campus Box 6000, 812 University St., Pella, IA 50219 or by e-mail to employment@central.edu. Visit the college Web site for an application and additional information regarding the position at www.central.edu/humanresources.

Central College is strongly committed to creating a diverse community. In furtherance of that commitment, the college encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds, under represented groups, and/or have had experience working with and/or interacting with individuals from diverse populations to apply. Central College is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and actively seeks a diverse pool of candidates.