Education and psychology building groundbreaking
Central College will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of its future education and psychology building Friday, April 18, at 11 a.m. at the building site, on the corner of University and W. 3rd Streets. Everyone is welcome. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be in Cox-Snow Recital Hall.
The 57,748 gross square foot structure, costing more than $18 million and scheduled for completion in the fall 2009, will feature energy conservation and environmental responsibility. The three-story building will provide new classroom, office and instructional space for the education and psychology departments, along with the community-based learning department. Check out the Web cam.
Dance 101
Eight students living in Central’s Pods will host “Dance 101” Friday, April 18, from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. in Kuyper Fieldhouse. Cost is $4 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Pella Pregnancy Care Center, a local non-profit organization.
Instructors from Des Moines will teach basic steps of four dance styles including ballroom (7-8 p.m.), swing (8-9 p.m.), salsa (9-10 p.m.), and country (10-11 p.m.), followed by a request hour (11 p.m.-midnight). Doors open at 6:45 p.m.
Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to dance for charity with an opportunity to win prizes, enjoy refreshments and listen to music from many genres. Participants are encouraged to dress semi-formal for this fun and entertaining evening.
Softball picnic April 19
The Central College alumni softball picnic will be Saturday, April 19, following the doubleheader vs. Dubuque, which begins at 2 p.m. The 1988, 1993 and 2003 national championship teams will be honored and a celebration to honor coach George Wares (athletics) for his induction into the NFCA Hall of Honor will follow the games. Cost is $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 4-12. RSVP to the alumni office by Wednesday, April 16, by e-mailing alumni@central.edu.
Pella Corp luncheon April 22
President David Roe and Pella Corporation President and CEO Mel Haught, along with alumni employees and Central’s public relations students, will hold a luncheon in the Pella Corporation Kuyper Institute Tuesday, April 22, from noon-1 p.m. RSVP TODAY (Wednesday, April 16) by e-mailing alumni@central.edu.
Tulip Time
Tulip Time is Thursday-Saturday, May 1-3.
Graduation activities
The senior dinner is Friday, May 9, in Graham Banquet Hall at time 5 p.m. This year’s speaker is Patrick McElyea ’04.
Baccalaureate is Saturday, May 10, at First Reformed Church at 2 p.m. Rev. Dave Grindberg, father of senior Christian and junior Karine, will give the message.
Central’s graduation ceremony for the class of 2008 is Sunday, May 11, at Kuyper Fieldhouse at 2 p.m. Harold Kolenbrander ’60 will address the graduates.
Community Service Day
Lake Red Rock clean up
Nearly 800 students, faculty and staff participated in Central's third annual Community Service Day April 15. Check out Central's online photo gallery http://departments.central.edu/servicelearning/serviceDay/photoGallery/. Photos will be updated and added in the next few days.
Pella Historical Society
CIARAD in Prairie City
Health fair
Thank you to everyone who attended the health fair, Springfest 2008, April 3, sponsored by health services. It was the largest turnout in recent years. The vendors were impressed with the participation by the Central community. Congratulations to Jean Vander Wert (financial aid) and Teresa Biermann ’11, winners of the iPod Nanos. A huge thank you to especially Dave Pavlat (exercise science) and the exercise students, Linda Vander Horst and Margie Van Houweling (facilities planning and management), Diane Schuring, Sue Visser and Nadine Argo (all campus services), Tony Bethards (Central catering) and Hang Lovan (dining services), Gisele Lehmkuhl (health services), Bonnie Dahlke (student life), 36 Pella businesses and student health services, which contributed door prizes. Join us again next year Thursday, April 2, 2009.
Employee Spotlight - Dave Garsow
Name: Dave Garsow
Department: Student life
Title: Director of residence life
About me: Holds a bachelor's degree in agriculture education and a master's in educational psychology and counseling; has worked in residence life the past 18 years and is in his first year at Central; having grown up in Green Bay, Wis., Dave is a Packer football fan but is admittedly depressed the Packers did not make it to the Superbowl this year; enjoys volleyball, movies and having fun with his wife and three children.
Viesselman and Briggs nominated
Chris Viesselman and Dustin Briggs (athletics/exercise science) were nominated by their peers for leadership positions within the Iowa Athletic Trainers Society. Chris is on the ballot for president-elect and Dustin for secretary.
Roslien treasurer of MAATA
John Roslien (exercise science) was elected treasurer of the Mid-America Athletic Trainers’ Association (MAATA). He’s on the four-member District V executive board and will represent the district at the national level. He continues to serve as chair of the public relations committee for MAATA/District V.
Freed presents paper, speaks at DM women’s club
Jann Freed (economics/accounting/management) presented a paper at the Midwest Business Administration Association International (MBAAI) in Chicago, Ill., April 2-4, titled “Creating an Environment for ‘Spirit’ at Work.” She also is on the executive committee of the MBAAI and on the board of the North American Management Society, which meets at this conference.
In April, Freed was the monthly speaker for the Des Moines Women’s Club. She spoke on “Harvesting the Benefits of Growing Older.”
Prothero on state panel for Department of Ed
Joy Prothero (education) is the newest appointed member of the Iowa Department of Education’s state panel. The state panel reviews institutional reports from Iowa Teacher Education Programs prior to accreditation visits. This will be a three-year commitment. The state panel meets during the year and members also serve on accreditation teams during each academic year.
Pedrick at conference
Dennis Pedrick attended the MBAA International/Midwest Marketing Association conference in Chicago, Ill., April 2-4.
Doyle and Zylstra on panel
Dennis Doyle (communication studies) and Brian Zylstra (Central College Abroad) participated in a panel titled “The Value-Added of Education Abroad: The Planning, Implementation, and Assessment of Holistic Student Development,” at the fourth annual conference of the Forum on Education Abroad in Boston, Mass., April 2-4. Also on the panel was Central alum Larry Braskamp ’63 who designed the Global Perspectives Inventory, which Central is using to assess the study abroad experience.
Eilers co-presenter at conference
Karen Eilers (Career Center) attended the American College Personnel Association conference March 31 – April 2. She co-presented on the topic “Using the Power of Peer Influence to Create Community Change.” It applies the concept of peer opinion leadership to the practice of student affairs.
Three on radio programs
Andrew Green (political science) and Brian Peterson (economics) were on In-Depth with Bob Leonard on KNIA/KRLS radio April 11. They talked about how the current state of the economy will shape the presidential race. Paul Weihe (biology) was interviewed by Dean Johnson of KNIA about recent news reports regarding ammonia in water.
Weihe reviewer, takes students to meeting
Paul Weihe (biology) recently served as a reviewer for three Google Earth exercises accompanying the best-selling textbook Environmental Science: A Global Concern, published by McGraw-Hill.
Weihe took Anna Abney ’09 and Hannah Hitchcock ’11 to the Iowa Academy of Science meeting in Cedar Rapids April 11-12. Abney and Weihe presented a poster titled “Past, Present and Future: the History, Preservation and Modernization of the Central College Herbarium.”
Webber’s book wins award
Phil Webber’s (modern languages) book Zoar in the Civil has won this year’s Oliver Hazard Perry Award as the outstanding “Ohio-related military historical record.”
Strategic Planning Initiatives
No news.
Students Doing Interesting Things
Student life awards
The Campus Life Committee is pleased to announce this year’s student award recipients. The recipient of the Giles Student Life Leadership Award is senior Lacey Ritscher; the recipient of the Prins Sportsmanship Award is senior Mary Swanson; and the recipient of the Schipper Leadership Award is senior Lindsay Ahlgren.
Tichy receives scholarship
Serena Tichy ’09 received an undergraduate scholarship presented by the Mid-American Athletic Training Association (MAATA). The MAATA includes seven Midwest states within District V of the National Athletic Training Association.
Two groups present at MAATA
Two groups of Central College students were selected to present at the MAATA annual symposium in Sioux Falls, S.D., in April. Central College has had more student groups present at this conference than any other school within the seven-state district. The Athletic Training Education Program will use a Betty Brunsting grant from the Research and Development Committee to travel to the symposium.
Sophomores Jacob Brueck, Marcus Sojka and Paul O’Kane presented “Dorsal Dislocation of the Proximal Interphalanged Joint in a Collegiate Football Player.”
Seniors Katie McBain and Kelli Olson presented “Difficult Shoulder Injury in a Division III College Football Player.”
Winners of annual English Department/Friends of Central Arts contest
These are the winners in the annual English Department/Friends of Central Arts Creative Contest.
Personal Essay: first place, senior Kristin Clague, “On Speaking English;” second place, freshman Steven Bieret, “The Plight of Pigs;” third place, sophomore Randi Wedekind, “The Dusty Pearl of the Mississippi;” honorable mention, sophomore Lauren Malone, “Twitch;” honorable mention, senior Rebecca Mino, “Free Hugs;” honorable mention, junior Hannah Anderson, “Roots.”
Poetry: first place, sophomore Ashley Vajgrt, “Religion Teacher;” second place, senior Megan McCoombs, “Country Western;” third place, junior Sarah Hamilton, “Escrime;” honorable mention, Clague, “Jam Session;” honorable mention, senior Liz Anderson, “Naked.”
Short Story: first place, Hannah Anderson, “The Run;” second place, McCombs, “Yesterdays;” third place, sophomore Stacey Whittle, “Hoggin’ It;” honorable mention, junior Ben Barnett, “Smile While You Dial;” honorable mention, sophomore Rebecca Preston, “Twenty-one.”
Debra Marquart, professor of English and director of the MFA program at Iowa State, was the judge.
Gill and McGuire nominees for scholarship
Senior Thomas Gill and sophomore Andrew McGuire were nominated as Irene Ryan Scholarship audition candidates for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival 41.
The two were nominated based on their respective performances in the Central College production of Camp Angelby Jeffrey Bruner. The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival 41 will take place Sunday-Saturday, Jan. 18-24, 2009, in Lawrence, Kan.
The Irene Ryan Scholarships provide recognition, honor and financial assistance to outstanding student performers wishing to pursue further education.
SAAC food drive
Central College’s Student Athletic Advisory Council (SAAC) collected items for a food drive March 11, asking for donations around the Pella community and giving goods to the Pella Community Food Shelf located at Peace Lutheran Church. The group received quite a few food donations as well as $78 in spare change.
Gerrit Verhey (facilities planning and management) retired from his position as maintenance technician.
No news.
The families of Janine Fontana (facilities planning and management) and Diane Schuring (campus services) want to thank everyone for your prayers, cards, food and memorials in remembering our sister and sister-in-law Sandy Keuning.
Safety tip
Central College is a member of the National Safety Council. With that membership, Central receives the benefit of having a resource on a wide variety of safety issues. All employees are encouraged to use this resource any time they want to research a safety topic. The topics not only include work safety, but also several at home and off the job safety issues. The Web site is www.nsc.org. You may also visit our local chapter site of the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council at www.iisc.org. Use our member ID # 878430 to access useful information.
Corporate membership offers for Central employees
Work Systems Rehab and Fitness
Work Systems Rehab and Fitness is now offering a 10 percent discount to all employees of Central College. To participate, show proof of employment when you sign up for membership at Work Systems Rehab and Fitness.
April-May 15 special (tax rebate season)
For a limited time, you can purchase an annual membership and get a free upgrade in membership type. For example, purchase an individual membership for $516 and get a free upgrade to couple or single adult family, a $240 savings. No initiation fees. Detailed information will be distributed to employees and you can go www.worksystemspc.com.
| Single adult membership | $38.70/month | $464.40 yearly + 1 free month |
| Single adult family | $56.70/month | $680.40 yearly + 1 free month |
| Family | $69.30/month | $831.60 yearly + 1 free month |
Anytime Fitness
Anytime Fitness, Pella’s only 24-hour access fitness club, is extending its corporate membership benefit to Central College faculty and staff. With this benefit, staff members receive over $200 worth of membership savings, which includes the following:
$32.99 per month for individual vs. $36.99
$24.99 per month for spouse vs. $25.99
0 enrollment fee vs. $39
3 free personal training sessions
1st month free
In order to be eligible for the corporate membership, we need to sign up 5 percent of our employee base or 22 employees. This does not include existing employees who are members. However, if we meet the 5 percent, existing members will be eligible for the corporate savings. Employees can use the Pella or Knoxville location and the soon-to-open Oskaloosa location.
If you are interested in a membership with Anytime Fitness, e-mail Betty Buitenwerf at buitenwerfb@central.edu.
Open Positions
To review general open positions and download an application click here or visit the college Web site at www.central.edu and select job seekers on the home page drop-down menu for more information.
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 those who 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.