A Brand Opening - Capitol College

SPRING 2006A BrandOpeningCapitol’s new logomakes a grandentrance as thecollege launchesits updatedimage.

Capitol ChronicleSPRING 2006volume 1, number 1Editor, DesignMegan CampbellAssistant Editor, WriterAngel Brownawell1 411301 Springfield Road, Laurel, MD 20708301.369.2800, 888.522.7486www.capitol-college.edu6 9in this issueFeaturesAlumni Update, Class NoteUpdate your information or send us aclass note in the Alumni & Friends sectionof our website at www.capitol-college.edu. Or you can mail your name, class,address, phone number, email address,note and new employer/job title if relevantto the Office of Advancement andAlumni Relations, Capitol College, 11301Springfield Road, Laurel, MD 20708.Career AssistanceAlumni are welcome to use the services ofthe Career Center. Call Tony Miller, directorof career services, at 301-369-2555 tomake an appointment for career counselingor for information about hiring aco-op student. See our website for careerservices available to students and alumni.The Capitol Chronicle is published quarterlyby Capitol College for alumni, faculty, staff,students, parents and friends.It is printed on paper containing 50%recycled content including 15% postconsumer waste.1 Cover Story: Making Our MarkCapitol introduces its new brand message and logo4 Campus ChangesNew building and sites add to campus landscape5 Reaching OutCapitol-hosted programs attract high school students to engineering6 Political ArenaStudents and leaders play active role lobbying the state governmentDepartments7 In BriefKudos to Capitol, increased enrollment and more8 Faculty and Staff NotesProfessors recognized, new academic vice president named9 Class NotesWhat your classmates are doing nowon the coverCapitol College showcases its new logo. Freshman Jan Boshoff, studying electricalengineering, was one of the student volunteers at the brand launch, where he modeledclothing with the new design.

cover storydirectly from its preceding generations.The notion that we have a brand is new.”The crux of the brand – the promise– sounds so obvious to those who knowthe college. The statement is not thatshocking or surprising, even Wood saidso in his remarks. Every word in thebrand promise tells what Capitol hasalready been aspiring to do well fordecades.But Capitol offers much more, and capturingthe essence of the college to createits marketing identity was no easy task.That’s why the branding initiative wasneither created quickly nor by the mandateof one person. The challenge wasfirst tackled by a group of college facultyand staff who began meeting in 2004.Creating the BrandWith the arrival of a new president andnew strategic plan, the Marketing Committeewas determined to recommendhow best to use its limited resources toset Capitol from the pack in the competi-making our markAlexis Moore shrieked as she walkedinto the classroom filled withstacked cardboard boxes overstuffedwith red, black, white and gray t-shirtsand sweatshirts. An audience had gatheredjust outside in the entrance hallof the William G. McGowan AcademicCenter, waiting for the anticipated logolaunch to begin. Moore and several classmatesdidn’t have to wait longer. Theyvolunteered as student models for theevent, getting a sneak peak of the logo.“I love it,” Moore said excitedly, smilingas she held up a white sweatshirt withthe new black and red design. “This wasthe one I wanted.”While Moore and others who gatheredfor the event were mostly excited aboutseeing the new public face for the college,the celebration wasn’t about justthe logo or even the tagline of “Educate.Innovate. Inspire.” Capitol College onFeb. 23 announced its arrival to the worldand the start of its new brand, a studentcenteredcommitment that establishesthe unique identity for the institution.It’s a commitment that is summarized inone sentence: Capitol College promises arelevant engineering and business educationin a supportive environment forcareer success.That sentence is the Capitol College“I absolutely love it. It was myfirst choice [at the focus groups].I like the shield; it creates a strongsense of honor and pride. ”– Alexis Moore, senior, managementof information technologybrand promise – a statement thatdeclares exactly what the college representsand what it will do.“The brand promise we make to allwhom we serve, emerged from nearly ayear’s hard work by a collective group ofpeople inside and outside the college,”Wood said. “We are preserving much ofthe old, and that which is new evolvesSPRING 2006 Capitol Chronicle

New logo wins gold in national contestThe Capitol College community isn’t the only group impressedwith the new logo. The design won a gold medal in the AdmissionsAdvertising Awards, a national competition sponsored bythe Admissions Marketing Report.Capitol’s logo, designed by Creosote Affects of Emmitsburg,Md., was named the best for schools with fewer than 2,000 students.The silver went to Landmark College in Vermont; AlmaCollege in Michigan received the bronze. The judges awardedthe medals based on creativity, marketing execution and impactof message.The Admissions Advertising Awards is the largest educationaladvertising awards competition in the country, with more than3,500 entries submitted last year from every state in the countryand multiple foreign countries.Judges for the Admissions Advertising Awards consisted of anational panel of admissions’ marketers, advertising creativedirectors, marketing and advertising professionals and theeditorial board of Admissions Marketing Report, the nation’sleading marketing publication for higher education.tive marketplace of highereducation. During that time,the committee learned thenuances of terms like positioningstatements, values,mission statements, and yes,even brand promises – severalelements that wouldhelp them focus on the right“I am excited about this newlogo. It shows that we are a smallcollege and a strong college withstrong foundations. The designlooks modern and appealing toyoung adults. ”– Nayi Castro, freshman, astronauticalengineeringmessage and image. Many discussions,debates and decisions later, the committeeput a plan into action.Committee members weighed thecollege’s history, traditions, strengths,weaknesses, competitors and future.They knew the college needed a unifyingvisual identity to back up whateverbrand idea that was decided. After moreresearch, they recommended the creation Capitol Chronicle SPRING 2006of a logo witha modern lookwhile also projectinga strongtradition.The collegecontracted aprofessional design firm. The firm chattedwith students and toured the campus.After proposing three logo ideas, theyconducted focus groups with key stakeholders– prospective and current undergraduateand graduate students, alumni,strategic partners, faculty and staff.With all opinions, ideas and concernstabulated and analyzed by the firm, therecommendation for the new identitywas given to the Marketing Committeeand eventually then to the ExecutiveCouncil. The shield design overwhelminglyimpressed the focus group participants.The Executive Council gave itsapproval. For three months, the new logowas kept secret while pens, coffee mugs,“It really looks like somethingworn by a superhero. It looksgreat. ” – James Wong, sophomore, computerengineering“It implies that we are a schoolthat has a rich legacy. The shieldshows a sense of empowerment.It looks great on the clothing. Ithas a fresher look than using justa college seal. ”– Don Lundberg, senior, computerengineering technologyclothing and other logo-imprinted itemswere ordered.The New Look“Now that the identity has been decidedand put into practice, it does seem likeit was there all along, and I think that’s apositive sign that we got the message andthe look right,” said Megan Campbell,director of marketing and communications,who helped guide the committeethrough the branding process.Students weren’t the only ones excitedto see the new logo. Alumnus CharlesBritt, a 2002 graduate, said it was greatto witness the college pulling together itsmany pieces into one message. The logoreminded him of Harvard University’s redshield.

“I really do like it. This will giveus a chance to really get out ourname and help identify us fromall the other colleges out there. ”– Shayna Parker, junior, computerengineeringStrategic partner Steve Newhouse haswitnessed the campus evolution of thepast three years. His company built theMcGowan Academic Center.“This really looks like the image of acollege,” said Newhouse, vice presidentfor business development with AtlanticBuilders. “It’s a nice, crisp new identity,and I really like the tagline.”The contemporary styling of the shieldsymbolizes the college’s blend of academictradition and modernlearning. The year, 1927, marks thecollege’s founding. Inside the shieldare two Cs that balance each other“It’s obviously symbolic ofstrength and the two Cs form abond. There’s actually more thanone way to look at it. There’s adifferent vision that you can see,and there are many waysto interpret it. Seeing andthinking differently issomething you need inengineering and business. ”– Sheldon Bryan, sophomore,network securityand form acircle, thesymbol ofknowledge. Thesquare at thetop marks themoment whenknowledge isgained throughlearning.In his remarks, Wood described the logoas a symbol of tradition, strength andempowerment.“Students we surveyed view it as a typicalsymbol of what they think a collegeshould be. It’s a medieval and modernsymbol of learning,” Wood said. “Thelogo is futuristic in that it is open – boththe outer and inner shields are open, asare both the outer and inner circleswithin the shield. Thepoint of the shieldforges an identityfor the college,and it is pointingto the 80-yearold roots forthe college.”But the beauty“It’s a good change. It makes uslook more like a college and notsolely as an engineering school. ”– Jan Boshoff, freshman, electricalengineeringof it, as pointed out by several students,is that different elements can be interpreteddifferent ways. Isn’t that the job ofan engineer – to look at things differentlythan others? Britt sees a resemblance toan Ivy League institution, and Wood, aformer baseball umpire, noted that theshield’s shape could be viewed as a baseballdiamond.“I really like it. It’straditional, classic andsuits our school. ”– Amanda Walderzak,freshman, astronauticalengineering/electricalengineeringSheldon Bryan, a sophomore studyingnetwork security, noticed how the two Csform a bond.“There’s actually more than one way tolook at it. There’s a different vision thatyou can see, and there are manyways to interpret it. Seeingand thinking differentlyis something you needin engineering andbusiness.” •SPRING 2006 Capitol Chronicle

campus update(top) McGowan Academic Center,(center) Troxler Symposium Court,(bottom) Dettra AmphitheaterCampus evolves with openings of new structuresSeveral students control and track satellites inside the walls of the new building.Others relax on couches, chatting with friends as they wait the start of their nextclass. In the near year since its dedication, the William G. McGowan Academic Centerhas become an architectural, social and academic feature for the evolving campus.Dedicated in April 2005, the academic center opened for classes at the start of the fallsemester. The building was the result of a five-year capital campaign and 18 months ofconstruction that cost $7.1 million.Not only a facility for learning, the center has hosted open house events for potentialstudents and their families, a meeting of the presidents who lead Maryland’s 18 independentcolleges and universities, and most recently, the launch of the new CapitolCollege logo and branding initiative.The McGowan Academic Center was the product of many minds coming and workingtogether, college President Michael Wood said at the building’s dedication ceremony.“Today’s dedication of the McGowan Academic Center celebrates another milestonein the life of the college, and positions us for growth and a higher level of excellencewell into the future,” Wood said.The building’s completion corresponded with the development of two other campusfeatures: the John and Mary Dettra Amphitheater and the G. William Troxler SymposiumCourtyard. Several classes have already been held in the amphitheater, givingstudents and instructors a change of scenery.“The amphitheater really complements the college and makes good use of the hill nextto the library,” said John Dettra, an alumnus and member of the Board of Trustees.The tiered, gray-brick feature is partially located below the library reading roomnamed in honor of the Dettras to recognize their previous contributions to the college.Former President G. William Troxler is also recognized on a plaque at the top of theamphitheater for his support of the project. • Capitol Chronicle SPRING 2006

Outreach programs attract high school students to engineering, collegeGetting high school students interested in engineering – andintroducing them to Capitol College -- has been the goal of severalprograms offered recently on campus.In January, Capitol College for the second year hosted theregional kick off to the FIRST Robotics competition. More than300 students participating in the competition came to campusto watch the live telecast from the FIRST headquarters in Manchester,N.H. Capitol also hosted for the students a robot-buildingworkshop two months before the kick off.FIRST is a worldwide competition that challenges teams ofprofessionals and students to solve an engineering problem insix weeks using a kit of parts to build a robot. Throughout the30 regions, teams enter a series of competitions.The college opened its doors in June 2005 to the largest class ofNASA PREP students. Sixteen high school graduates attendedthe annual Capitol College/NASA PREP pre-college engineeringprogram in the summer.The intense six-week program continued its tradition of offeringchallenging coursework and hands-on experiences thatprepare minority high school students for the rigors of a collegiateengineering degree program. Fifteen of the participantsenrolled as a Capitol first-year student.In June, Capitol College again offered a weeklong program toarea Hispanic high school students, an event supported by thePerkinElmer Foundation and High Point High School.The eight selected students to the program, Raising HispanicAwareness in Engineering, worked with professional engineersto build their own rockets while learning about the mathematics,physics and engineering foundations necessary for a successfullaunch.Raising Hispanic Awareness aimed to attract the next generationof the nation’s fastest growing population to study mathand science and – eventually – consider an engineering career. •High school graduates attending NASA PREP are (front row, left to right) Kelly Price, Charles Sanders, III, Antonio Araica, Ralvin Nagya, Melody Ford, (center row) Quinn Hawkins, Kevin Catalan, III, George Butler,Chatera Walker, Shanon Dash, Marcel Mabson, (back row) Nikita Hall, Adetomiwa Ibronke, Lamont Stanfield, Jonathan Martin, James Dorsey.SPRING 2006 Capitol Chronicle

Students joined college leaders inAnnapolis to lobby for independenthigher education. Those attendingwere (front) President Wood,(center) Ngaya, Norris, Moore and(back) Lundberg, Hall, and Dean ofStudent Life and Retention MelindaBunnell-Rhyne.Capitol College lobbies in AnnapolisFive Capitol College students traveled to Annapolis with college leaders in Februaryto lobby their elected officials to continue the state’s financial support of independentcolleges in Maryland.The students joined hundreds of other college students and leaders from across thestate for Maryland Independent Higher Education Day on Feb. 2, organized by theMaryland Independent College and University Association. First-year student RalvinNgaya and Nikita Hall, and seniors Alexis Moore, Donald Lundberg and KameshaNorris attended from Capitol.The students walked the hallways of the delegate and senate offices, meeting up withthe lawmaker from their home districts or dropping off Capitol College mementosif the officials were not available. Moore, whose family lives in Joppa, met with hersenator, Nancy Jacobs (R-Cecil and Harford counties).“We want to explain who we are and thank you for your support of Capitol College,”Moore said, and explained how Capitol, as a school with a focus on engineering andrelated sciences, stands out from the other independent colleges in the state.Maryland is one state that provides grants to independent colleges and universitiesthrough the Joseph A. Sellinger Program of Aid to Non-Public Institutions. Budgetcuts have significantly reduced the funding in recent years.Later in February, Capitol College President Michael Wood testified on behalf of allMaryland’s independent colleges and universities before the state House of Delegates’Subcommittee on Education and Economic Development.“Capitol College is a special institution in a special fabric of independent and publichigher education in Maryland. Your support through the Sellinger Fund and CapitalProjects is crucial to our longevity,” Wood said in his testimony. “By supportingCapitol and the other independents, you, ladies and gentlemen, help an overloadedpublic system. You also make higher education a reality for more diverse, deservingMaryland students.” •Capitol hosts meetingof college presidentsIndependent college and universitypresidents from across Maryland metat Capitol College in September forthe quarterly trustees meeting of theMaryland Independent College andUniversity Association.Among other things, MICUA serves asa lobbying voice for colleges, allowingmore frequent and direct accessto state legislators. Along with thecollege presidents, Delegate AdrienneJones, of Baltimore, attendedthe meeting, held in the William G.McGowan Academic Center.“We were very honored to host themeeting and bring presidents fromaround the state to our campus,”said Richard Beall, vice president forexternal relations at Capitol College.“The timing of the meeting alsoallowed us to showcase the newlyopened McGowan Academic Center, afacility that was made possible thanksthe efforts of the state of Marylandand the help of MICUA.”Capitol is one of 18 independent collegesin the state of Maryland. • Capitol Chronicle SPRING 2006

in briefLarge first-year class increases enrollmentCapitol College welcomed its largest class of undergraduatestudents in recent years as more than 100 students joined theClass of 2009.The class of 2009 is largely from Maryland (about 75 percent)and mostly male (about 85 percent). The most enrolled programfor these students is once again electrical engineering.The admissions staff works around the year to recruit newCapitol College students, and has begun new traditions suchas a daylong open house event specifically for high schooljuniors. •Admissions website ranked among bestThe admissions section of the Capitol College website wasrecognized among the best in the country by the NationalResearch Center for College & University Admissions. TheNRCCUA gave Capitol an A for its admissions features duringtheir annual index, a research-based analysis of the admissionswebsites of more than 3,000 post-secondary institutions.Capitol was one of only 130 institutions to receive this grade,and was ranked No. 7 out of 10 specialty institutions. TheNRCCUA study evaluated the functionality and design of admissionswebsites to determine how well the sites provide informationthat encourage potential students to apply. •Graduate programs named ‘Best Buys’Three Capitol graduate degree programs have been awardedthe designation of “Best Buy” by GetEducated.com, an independent,online degree clearinghouse.In GetEducated.com’s Top 25 Best Buys for Online EngineeringDegrees, the organization listed the college’s master ofscience in electrical engineering as No. 15. The master ofscience programs in computer science and network securitywere also recognized by lists ranking computer scienceprograms. The computer-related degrees ranked 10 out of 44regionally accredited programs.Capitol College is the only independent institution to makeGetEducated.com’s biennial survey.GetEducated.com surveyed only accredited distance-learningmaster’s degrees in the computer science and engineering areas todetermine the average cost a student might expect to pay for anonline master’s in computer science or engineering. •Grad School, USDA, and Capitol partnerCapitol College joined forces with the Graduate School, USDA,to offer government employees and other students of theGraduate School courses and a certificate of accomplishment insecurity management.Through the agreement, Graduate School students can takeonline network security courses taught by Capitol College faculty,using Capitol’s innovative live audio delivery system.“The network security program at Capitol College for severalyears has been preparing professionals who can address systemthreats. The demand for savvy managers and specialists isincreasing,” said Dianne Veenstra, vice president for planningand assessment. “Capitol College is pleased that we couldexpand our reach and offer our recognized program to studentsof the Graduate School, USDA.”Screen capture of updated www.capitol-college.edu website.The courses were the first offered through the Grad School,USDA, that take advantage of real-time, live audio in its onlinedelivery. This system, the same as used for all of Capitol’sgraduate-level programs, has allowed students the convenienceof online courses while engaging with the instructor and classmates.•SPRING 2006 Capitol Chronicle

faculty and staff notesProfessor David Ward presented at theannual conference for the NationalAssociation of Relay Administrators onvoice-over IP and received a letter ofcommendation from the association.Professor John Ryan assumed leadershipof the Faculty Senate, following ProfessorLaura Dickinson’s departure. Ryan isa 1968 alumnus of the college.Ryan also hosted high school counselorsand provided digital training for ProjectLead the Way, the national initiative to spurinterest in engineering in the high schools.Rick Sample, director of the library andinformation literacy, was named tothe Maryland Digital Library ContentCommittee and hosted the state libraryassociation’s annual Vendor Day.WoodsOdett named academic vice presidentDavid Odett was named in October 2005 vice president for academicaffairs and chief academic officer. Odett came to Capitolfrom Walsh College in Troy, Michigan, where he served as chairof the department of management and quantitative methods.While at Walsh, Odett collaborated with Capitol CollegePresident Michael T. Wood, who was a Walsh vice president, todevelop new systems-engineering curricula for the GreenfieldCoalition of eight engineering schools.Professor Charles Woods was recognizedby the Maryland Independent Collegesand Universities Association for facilitatingactivities by students from all 18colleges at Higher Education Day inAnnapolis.Allan Berg, assistant dean and directorof the Critical Infrastructures and CyberProtection Center, spoke March 28-29 atGOVSEC ASIA in Hong Kong and moderateda panel on joint research partnershipopportunities as related to informationassurance.“David is a valuable addition to the college as he offers hisexpertise and leadership,” Wood said. “David helped me bringfaculty and administration and diverse disciplines together atWalsh. He developed a managing manufacturing operationsprogram, which, in some form, will be very helpful here as weconsider expanding into industrial engineering.”Along with his experience in higher education, Odett has abackground in law enforcement and managing large diversegroups in academia and health care. At Walsh, he helpeddevelop integrated business and managing manufacturingoperations. Odett launched the MBA program there andincreased its enrollment to 1,000 students, one of the largest inthe country.Odett, a certified fraud examiner, holds an MBA from NotreDame University and a doctorate from Wayne State University. Capitol Chronicle SPRING 2006

Brittclass notes’64 Jess Tidmore, AAS, was recentlyinducted into the Hall of Fame for theNew Mexico Activities Association/NewMexico Officials Association. A highschool football official for 25 years, Tidmorevolunteered hundreds of hours forthe association. He lives in Albuquerquewith his wife, Jane.’79 Richard Okeowo, BS, retired inDecember 2005 after 25 years as managerof BCP/ISS for Chevron Texaco, USA, inLekki, Lagos. “The technical backgroundI acquired has been the bedrock of mycareer. The courses prepared me well forfuture challenges.” He received a masterof science from George Washington University.He lives in Laurel with his wife, Layo.’91 Kevin Wilson, BS, is manager ofsystem administration for U.S. Pharmacopeiain Rockville. Wilson is the mostrecent appointment to the Alumni AdvisoryBoard. He and his wife, Elena, areexpecting their second child. They live inRockville.’00 Joanna Kolasinski, BS, of Towsonis a program coordinator at PCTESTEngineering Laboratory, Inc. in Columbia.She worked at MET Laboratories,Inc. for 10 years.’02 Charles Britt, BS, of Annandale,Va., is a project manager at NorthropGrumman Corp. in Herndon. “As astudent or young professional it’s alwaysimportant to treat every experience orencounter as a stepping stone to thatnext opportunity or personal successstory. It’s always important to rememberwhere you’ve come from, becauseunderstanding your past will help youprepare for your future.” A former presi-Susinident of the Capitol College chapter of theNational Society of Black Engineers, Brittremains involved with the organization.’03 Dawn Susini, BS, and James M.Wallis are pleased to announce theirengagement and plan to marry May 4 inAnnapolis. The couple in November 2005purchased a house together in Crownsville.Dawn is a computer programmerfor the National Institute of Aging inBaltimore.Grant Vargo, BS, is computer servicesmanager at Capitol College. He lives inWashington, DC.’04 Ashley Klunk, BS, married NicholeBrown on May 21, 2005. They live inHanover, Pa. Klunk is a systems programmerfor the Social Security Administration,working on the operating systemthat runs on the administration’s mainframecomputers.Submit your class note on our website atwww.capitol-college.edu under the Alumni& Friends section or mail the form below toCapitol College, Office of Advancement andAlumni Relations, 11301 Springfield Road,Laurel, MD 20708.Let your classmates know what you’ve been doing. New job? Spouse? Baby? Degree?Name_ ___________________________________________________________________________Surname before marriage (if different)________________________________________________my class noteNote_ __________________________________Degree_ ________________________________________________ Year_ ____________________________________________________________Address_ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________City____________________________________ State_________________ Zip_________________________________________________________Work phone_____________________________ Home phone______________________________________________________________________Fax_______________________________Email_ ________________________________________________________________________________Employer_________________________ Title__________________________________________________________________________________Each issue of Capitol Chronicle, including classnotes, is posted on Capitol College’s website.

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