PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2009-2010 - Dutchess Community College

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COMMUNITY SERVICES ENRICHES LIVES DCC’s Office of Community Services and Special Programs served approximately 10,000 students last year with credit-free courses in career and vocational training, workforce development, GED and ESL, professional and personal development, leisure activities and crafts and sports and fitness. The Music School at Dutchess Community College remains one of the region’s premier providers of private and group lessons in music and dance, serving children and adults. In the summer Community Services also offers enrichment academies where kids can enjoy science, nature, sports and other activities. ‘Green’ Technology Forum Presents Opportunities The Dutchess Community College Office of Community Services and the Clean Energy Technology Training Consortium teamed up in January to offer a two-hour information session on careers available in green technologies, and the training needed to get jobs in this emerging field. More than 100 attended the program. Experts in the green technology field provided an industry overview and talked about why green makes sense not only environmentally, but financially. In addition, an introduction to photovoltaics was presented by Mark Courtney, assistant professor and chair of the DCC Engineering Sciences program. The event ended with breakout sessions highlighting what courses, both credit and credit-free, DCC offers that serve as preparation for a career in green technologies and renewable energy. Here Comes the Sun DCC Engineering Instructor Mark Courtney works with SpectraWatt employees as part of a solar energy training initiative between the business and the College’s Office of Community Services. 18 Music School at DCC Director Julie Wegener (left) received an award from the MusicLink Foundation for her efforts to provide music instruction to underprivileged youth. Dr. Carol Stevens, Vice-President and Dean of Community Services, is at right. College Oversees Distribution of Federal Grant Music School Director Lauded for Support of Youth Initiatives Julie Wegener, director of the Music School at DCC, received an award in June from the national MusicLink Foundation in recognition of the College’s ongoing commitment to providing music instruction scholarships to underserved populations. The Music School, part of DCC’s Office of Community Services, established the MusicLink Scholarship Program 10 years ago to provide music instruction to lowincome students who show musical promise. Since then, dozens of youngsters have been sponsored to participate in tuition-free classes in a wide variety of instruments and voice. The scholarships are funded through initiatives undertaken by the Music School and through private donations. Congressman Maurice Hinchey joined Dutchess Community College and local leaders in June to announce $380,000 in new federal funding for 10 non-profit organizations to run programs that provide mentoring, job training and counseling services for at-risk youth in Dutchess County. DCC’s Office of Community Services was chosen to administer the funds and oversee the 10 organizations and schools that are operating various programs to help keep kids off the streets and provide them with new learning opportunities. “We’re honored that DCC’s reputation as a catalyst for change was recognized, and that we were selected to administer this important grant,” said Dr. Carol Stevens, the College’s Vice-President and Dean of Community Services and Special Programs. The funds are supporting the following initiatives: New Hope Community Center (after-school, summer and youth leadership programs); Real Skills at Family Partnership (mentoring, mediation and leadership training program); Project Thunder at Vassar College (tutoring and mentoring by college students); Children’s Media Project (media production and technology program); Mill Street Loft (job skills and empowerment programs); Salvation Army (summer camp and afterschool programs); Nubian Directions (New Directions YouthBuild mentoring project); Christ Church (camp for children whose parents are incarcerated and re-entry program for previously imprisoned parents and their children); Protect the Dream (after-school program for teens); and Cunneen-Hackett Arts (performing arts programs).
An instructor and members of a class in geothermal technology view schematic plans in the basement of Bowne Hall, which is temperature-controlled by geothermal equipment. Geothermal Class Provides Hands-On Training The Office of Community Services continues to create “green” courses and provide up-to-date sustainable energy training to businesses. Of particular interest to students was a three-day credit-free course in March about the installation of geothermal heating and cooling systems. The location of the class — Bowne Hall — was especially appropriate, as the building’s temperature is controlled by geothermal technology. Members of the class were able to get an upclose view of an actual working system to supplement material taught in class. The course combined classroom learning with hands-on training. A step-by-step, closed-loop system design for residential applications was covered, along with geothermal marketing and sales for small and large companies. The class ended with a tour of Bowne Hall’s geothermal facilities. Summer Brings Kids to Campus The campus was alive with youngsters over the summer, as hundreds of children participated in sports, art, science, computer, music, storytelling and other activities. Back by popular demand was the Mad Science series, offering experiences with robotics, chemistry, astronomy and more. Children enjoy an outdoor activity as part of DCC’s Summer Enrichment Academies. Programs Boost Medical Skills In March, Vassar Brothers Medical Center staff took part in a two-day course at Dutchess Community College designed to enhance the skills needed to accurately and ethically act as a Spanish-language interpreter between doctor and patient. The class was organized through a partnership between the DCC Office of Community Services and the Language Assistance Program at VBMC. Successful medical interpretation requires not only a full knowledge of the source and target languages, but the ability to analyze the message to ascertain its full meaning and intent beyond the word-for-word translation. This year, in addition to introductory and advanced classes, DCC offered a special course to provide more training on specific medical areas including health insurance, anatomy and specific disciplines including pediatrics, oncology and cardiology. For the second year, DCC offered a Patient Care Technician course, an eight-week non-credit class that was a partnership between the College, VBMC and the Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board. The duties of a PCT center around providing support to the nursing staff. Classroom work was done at DCC, while lab work was performed at the hospital. v Vassar Brothers Medical Center staff took part in a class designed to enhance their skills in serving as Spanish-language medical interpreters for patients. 19
Page 1 and 2: PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2009-2010
Page 3 and 4: SPOTLIGHT DCC’s largest graduatio
Page 5 and 6: English Instructor Angela Batchelor
Page 7 and 8: DCC President Dr. D. David Conklin
Page 9 and 10: Nursing Program Culminates in Pinni
Page 11 and 12: Lyceum presentations included a per
Page 13 and 14: ARTS ACROSS CAMPUS College Unveils
Page 15 and 16: AWARDS AND HONORS Members of the fa
Page 17 and 18: Chancellor’s Award winners Wendy
Page 19: YOUNG MINDS Dutchess Community Coll
Page 23 and 24: A silent auction was one of the hig

PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2009-2010 - Dutchess Community College

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