"Christmas for Our Troops" donation drive wraps-up this week

By Stephanie VanCuren
MC Student Activities Coordinator

REMINDER: Christmas for Our Troops donation drive is still going! You can drop off your travel-size donations at any box across campus! The drive will end this Friday, so please hurry! If you would like to donate money, please ... make checks payable to Christmas for Our Troops!
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From November 3, 2011 ...

Hey, everyone!!

It's that time of year! Time for giving thanks to all our troops, and what better way to do that, than to donate to Christmas for Our Troops !!

Student Government is sponsoring a donation drive now through December 2. Boxes went out November 2 in six locations across campus for your donations! For a list of preferred items, please see attached. The important thing to remember is to donate "travel" size items.

 • CLICK HERE for a complete list of recommended donation items

If you would prefer to donate money for items such as pocket knives, RemOil, and bore snakes, you may drop off your cash or check made out to Christmas for Our Troops to my office. I am located in the Student Center, Rm. 125.

Christmas for Our Troops' goal is to send 2,500 packages this year. They currently only have a few hundred addresses, so if you know of anyone stationed in Afghanistan, please send us their APOs and AFOs.

On December 7, Student Government will help pack these boxes. If you have anyone who would like to help, please send them my way!

Thank you in advance for your donations!

Sincerely,

Stephanie VanCuren

Student Activities Coordinator

Midland College

3600 N. Garfield

Midland, Texas 79705

(432) 685-4543

svancuren@midland.edu

Henry family endows chair of history at MC

By Ernesto Macias
Page Editor, El Paisano

“Any fool can make history, but it takes a genius to write it.”
 - Oscar Wilde

Will Morris, Ph.D., dean of social and behavioral sciences at Midland College will follow the footsteps of many before him and write history with the endowment of the Henry Chair of History. With a $500,000 gift from the Jim and Paula Henry family, MC established the endowed chair and Morris is the first Henry Chair of History.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of Macias' story

Filling Children’s Hearts with the Spirit of Christmas!

By Julia Vickery
MC Student Development Coordinator
SIP Advisor

The members of Midland College Students in Philanthropy will fill your child’s heart with the spirit of Christmas with a very special and personalized letter from Santa! Your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and others will enjoy receiving a letter from Santa as he tells them how very special they are!

Please fill out the attached form ( CLICK HERE ) for each individual child and send your completed “Santa” form, and $5 per letter donation to ...

Julia Vickery
239 SSC, Midland College
3600 N. Garfield
Midland, Texas 79705

... by December 2, 2011.

Please contact me at 685-4704 or e-mail at jvickery@midland.edu if you need additional information!

The Students in Philanthropy program is sponsored by funding partners, Abell-Hanger Foundation and Helen Greathouse Charitable Trust. A key goal of SIP is to raise funds and then re-distribute them to deserving non-profit organizations in Midland. The students learn about “sharing and caring” for others by personally creating each “Santa Letter” for your loved ones.
Thank you!

International Education Week: Take the Quiz

From our friends at the American Association of Community Colleges comes this reminder ... "International Education Week (IEW) 2011 is November 14-18. This year's theme - 'Inspiring Students Locally to Succeed Globally' - is particularly relevant to what U.S. community colleges do every day. AACC believes that international education is a quintessential element in the success of community college students and is an integral part of a quality higher education experience. U.S. community colleges play an important role in the global higher education community."
CLICK HERE for more on this topic from AACC

In the mood for a challenge?

CLICK HERE to take the IEW Global IQ Quiz.

Four Lady Chaps earn All-WJCAC Volleyball honors

By Forrest Allen
MC Athletic Director

Congratulations to four members of the Midland College volleyball team who were named to the 2011 WJCAC All-Conference team. Highest honors went to freshman Dragana Cvoric who was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the conference this season. Cvoric, a 6'0" outside hitter from Guca, Serbia, led the Lady Chaps in total kills (356) and kills per game (3.6). Cvoric ranked 10th in the WJCAC in hitting percentage (.248), 3rd in kills per game, 4th in total kills, 4th in digs per game (3.6) and 11th in total digs (356). She also ranked #16 in kills per game among all NJCAA Division I volleyball players.

Also named to the WJCAC All-Conference first team was freshman defensive specialist Keli Key-Wilson. Key-Wilson, a graduate of Midland Christian School, led the team with 491 total digs and digs per game (4.5). Her 4.5 digs per game placed her 32nd nationally. She led the WJCAC in that category.

Sophomores Sarah Sawyer and Brittany Serrano both earned Honorable Mention honors this season. Sawyer, a 6'0" middle blocker from Odessa, TX (OHS), ranked #18 in the WJCAC in kills per set (1.6), #4 in the conference in blocks per set at 1.2 and 6th in total blocks with 103. Serrano, a 5'8" outside hitter from Marfa, TX (MHS), was ranked in several statistical categories in the conference including, 30th in hitting percentage (.124), 17th in kills per set (1.8), 18th in total kills 193, 7th in digs per set (3.3) and 10th in total digs in the WJCAC with 360.

Congratulations to these outstanding student-athletes on their selection to the 2011 All-WJCAC team.

Community college is workhorse of nation's educational system

Mary Braselton
Director, Associate of Arts in Teaching Program
Midland College

As part of an introduction to education, I often ask students "Why do we (the people) put such an enormous emphasis on public education? Why do we spend so much money and debate time on buildings, books, and salaries?" I wait for what seems like an eternity before students try to figure out why society pays such a high price for educating its own. The answer, in part, can be found in these words, which are from a 1918 National Education Association treatise entitled "The Central Purpose of American Education" ...

"In any democracy education is closely bound to the wishes of the people, but the strength of this bond in America has been unique. The American people have traditionally regarded education as a means for improving themselves and their society. Whenever an objective has been judged desirable for the individual or the society, it has tended to be accepted as a valid concern of the school. The American commitment to the free society -- to individual dignity, to personal liberty, to equality of opportunity -- has set the frame in which the American school grew. The basic American value, respect for the individual, has led to one of the major charges which the American people have placed on their schools: to foster that development of individual capacities which will enable each human being to become the best person he is capable of becoming."

Many years ago one of the standard courses an aspiring teacher would take was the History of Education in America. I don't recall being overly thrilled with that class that had at least 500 students in it and a "blue suit" standing at the lectern, but later when I was working on another degree, I took a class called History of Higher Education. I became fascinated with the earliest schools -- and how their very survival was nothing short of miraculous. I could see those young teachers in white shirtwaists carrying buckets of coal into the one-room schoolhouse and wondered how they would clean those ruffled shirts and long skirts. I wondered how they could teach every level of student and every basic subject to each student in one room at the same time. I even read one story about a 16-year old girl/teacher nothing more than a child herself teaching all morning then adjourning class to go outside to play with her students at recess on the rim of the Ransom Canyon east of Lubbock.

Then, I was amazed to learn that there hadn't always been 12 grades in high school. Graduation could occur almost any time and at any grade depending on the local resources for recruiting a teacher and having the money to pay her. I read about teachers who sometimes would work for months without pay when times were hard. Imagine.

The elegant French term `ecole normale intrigued me, and I was eager to learn why some of the early colleges in our not-so-elegant west began as `ecoles normale (Sul Ross University, West Texas A&M University). Those schools with the fanciful name translated "normal school" devoted themselves to educating teachers primarily for the elementary classroom. Some would argue whether these were colleges at all. Many of those early colleges before and shortly after the turn of the century were called soonovers because they were "soon up and running, and soon over" either because there wasn't any money or the young men were drafted into World War I. But the institutions proved valuable to this huge expanse and westward movement beyond the 100th parallel. Ultimately, these institutions morphed into what would become the community college movement in western Texas.

R.B. Cousins, state superintendent of public instruction, knew soon after the turn of the century that the population of this great land must be educated at least to the extent of reading and writing so they could farm and raise crops and cattle and buy and sell without being cheated. He pushed for and got two small normal colleges started and served as the first president of one of them.

The story of the first Midland College is similar. As John Leffler reports in the Handbook of Texas, "Farmers moved into Midland County in increasing numbers between 1900 and 1930, though ranching continued to dominate the local economy until the oil boom of the 1920s. By 1910 there were 178 ranches and farms in Midland County. ... By 1920 the number of farms and ranches in the county had declined to 133. Midland College, established in the city of Midland by the Christian Church in 1910 as a junior college, failed in 1921. That same year the Midland and Northwestern Railway ceased service."

Fast-forwarding a few years, a plethora of these institutions strengthened and new ones emerged to replace those that had died. Though names often are used interchangeably, two-year colleges may vary by mission. The true junior college operates primarily as transfer institutions for liberal arts students, while the true community college divides its curriculum into liberal arts, career and vocational instruction and adult and continuing education promoting lifelong learning. Two other types of two-year institutions are technical colleges and technical institutes, which are devoted to technical, vocational or career fields.

Your own Midland College is a true community college stressing equally a liberal arts transfer function as well as career and vocational instruction and adult and continuing education. MC serves its community through attention to its mission, extraordinary management and devotion to its host community.

What an incredible mission and service these institutions maintain for our vibrant state. The community college is not pretentious, nor does it presume to be more than it is -- the workhorse of an enormous educational system providing an invaluable service to the people of our cities, state and nation by maintaining America's commitment to a free society.

---

This column first appeared in the November 7, 2011 edition of the Midland Reporter-Telegram, and appears here, in its entirety, with the MRT's permission.

MC Volleyball finishes season in Region V West championship match

Dragana Cvoric (2011 WJCAC Most Valuable Player)

By Forrest Allen
MC Athletic Director

The Midland College volleyball team's rollercoaster season came to an end in a 3-0 loss in the NJCAA Region V West Tournament Championships. The match, which was played on Saturday, November 4th at 4:30 p.m., saw the Lady Chaparrals versus the Western Texas College Lady Westerners. Midland College had previously defeated Western Texas on both occasions during conference play.

Heading in to the regional tournament, Midland College was a hot team having gone 15-3 since mid-September, which includes an 8-1 record in the WJCAC. Midland College won the 2011 conference championship and had won a share of the title in 2010. Midland College opened the regional tournament against the #4 seed Frank Phillips College. While #3 Western Texas drew #2 New Mexico Military Institute in the tournament opener. MC defeated FPC 25-16, 26-24, 25-18 to advance to the finals against Western Texas. WTC defeated NMMI in a five set match following the Midland-Frank Phillips match.

Against Western Texas the Lady Chaps seemed out of sync and struggled to find a way into the match. Midland's best offensive weapons couldn't seem to find an open area of the court. Lady Chap kills leader Dragana Cvoric was held to 6 in the match while Sarah Sawyer could only record two kills in the 25-17, 25-19, 25-21 loss to the Lady Westeners. Midland's Brittany Serrano picked up 8 kills to lead the Lady Chaps. Freshman Keli Key-Wilson also recorded 18 digs in the contest.

The loss prevented the Lady Chaps from a repeat Region V West title and a return to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. Midland College ended the season with a 18-13 overall record. The loss also ended the MC careers of four outstanding student-athletes Addision Zaya, Trinity Walker, Sarah Sawyer and Brittany Serrano recorded a two-year overall record of 53-20 (.726), a two-year WJCAC record of 15-2 (.882), two WJCAC titles, two NJCAA Region V West Finals appearances, the 2010 NJCAA Region V West Championship and a 2-2 record in the 2010 NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championships.

Lady Chap Individual Stats vs Frank Phillips College:
Kills: Cvoric 13, Sawyer 8, Serrano 6, T. Walker 5, Victoria Smith 5, Breanna Ruble 1
Assists: Ruble 33
Digs: Key-Wilson 17, Cvoric 13, Ruble 8, Zaya 7, Sawyer 6, Serrano 6, T. Walker 1, Smith 1
Blocks: Sawyer 5, Smith 2, Cvoric 1, Serrano 1, T. Walker .5, Ruble .5
Aces: Ruble 2, Cvoric 1, Serrano 1

Lady Chap Individual Stats vs Western Texas College:
Kills: Serrano 8, Cvoric 6, T. Walker 5, Smith 3, Ruble 2, Sawyer 2
Assists: Ruble 24
Digs: Key-Wilson 18, Cvoric 12, Serrano 11, Ruble 6, Sawyer 5, Zaya 4, T. Walker 3
Blocks: Sawyer 1.5, Smith 1, T. Walker .5, Ruble .5, Serrano .5
Aces: Zaya 2, Ruble 1, Sawyer 1

Post Season Awards:
The annual WJCAC coaches meeting was held the day prior to the tournament and Midland's Dragana Cvoric was named the conference's Most Valuable Player. Teammate Keli Key-Wilson was named to the All-WJCAC team while Sarah Sawyer and Brittany Serrano were both named to the All-WJCAC Honorable Mention team.

A letter from U.S. Senator John Cornyn

By John Cornyn
United States Senator

Dear friends,

On Veterans Day, we are united as Texans, as Americans, and as those indebted to the fine men and women who have served this nation for generations with bravery, selflessness and honor. These include every American who has worn the uniform - from the battles of Lexington and Concord, to the beaches of Normandy, to the rocky and treacherous terrain of Afghanistan and throughout every turning point in our nation's history.

I am honored to represent 1.7 million Texas veterans, and I am humbled every time I have the opportunity to meet these heroes and their family members. Just recently, I had the honor of greeting a number of Texas troops returning to Fort Bliss in El Paso from a tour in Afghanistan. Last year on Veterans Day, I attended the National Museum of the Pacific War's annual ceremony and had the unique privilege of meeting U.S. Navy veteran Sam Sorenson - born in 1916. I recently greeted West Texas veterans of World War II and the Korean War who traveled to Washington, D.C. with the Texas Panhandle Honor Flight to visit their memorials. As the son of a World War II B-17 pilot, the chance to meet fellow members of my father's Greatest Generation is especially moving for me.

From our youngest generation of veterans, I've been humbled to visit with many wounded warriors who have sacrificed so much at such a young age on our behalf. I'm thankful we have some of the nation's premier medical facilities in Texas, including Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, which provide these warriors and their families with second-to-none care as they recover from their injuries and return to duty or else transition back to civilian life. In Washington, I've visited with several wounded warriors from Texas who are recovering from Bethesda Naval Medical Center.

Perhaps nothing is more sobering than visiting with the children of our fallen service members. I've been proud to present many of these young Texans with the Gold medal of Remembrance, created by Congress to to recognize and honor children who have lost a parent in Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom. These children of veterans represent the many sacrifices that are made not only on the front lines of war, but also on the home front.

While we can never repay our veterans or their families in full, this Veterans Day I hope we are each reminded to value the freedoms and way of life these brave Americans fought to secure. And I hope we can show our gratitude and support to our veterans and the greater military community not just on Veterans Day but on every day of the year.

May God bless you all and may God bless America.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

This letter was provided by Senator Cornyn's office, who asked that it might be read at various Veterans Day activities taking place on the Midland College campus.

MC Basketball game to include tribute to US Armed Forces

By Forrest Allen
MC Athletic Director

On Friday members of the Midland High School JR ROTC program will present The Colors prior to our 8:00 p.m. basketball game. Friday, November 11th is Veterans Day.

We will also have a group (approximately 15) of recently enlisted servicemen at the game on Friday, November 11th @ 8:00 p.m. or on Saturday, November 12th @ 6:00 p.m. These people have enlisted with the Army and Navy and have yet to be assigned to a training post but will soon. This is being set up by former Midland College PE instructor Leon Dulin and the servicemen/women are guests of Midland College at the game.

Also, a group of Midland College students have formed a "Dance Team" and they will perform at halftime of the MC game on Friday.

MC Women's Basketball records three wins to open season

By Forrest Allen
MC Athletic Director

As jittery and unsure as the Lady Chaps looked on Thursday, by Friday and Saturday they displayed quickness, decisiveness and confidence in route to posting a 3-0 record in the Midland College Tip-Off Basketball Classic. MC coaches Ron Jones and Ginger Gatliff had many positives to look to after the weekend's three games.

CLICK HERE for Allen's complete report, plus a photo album


Achiri Ade



Drama students perform at Bowie Fine Arts Academy

By Sarah Cotton
Staff Reporte, El Paisano

Laughs of delight echoed through the black box theatre of Bowie Elementary as the Midland College Thinking Cap Theatre troupe performed adaptations of two of Aesop’s classic fables, The Girl Who Cried Wolf and The Ants and the Grasshopper.

Thinking Cap Theatre is the name of the troupe which started in 2001 as a show for elementary school students in grade kindergarten through sixth-grade. Over the years, the scope narrowed to just kindergarten through third grade. In 2007, performing for younger audiences became part of the fall rehearsal and performance class at MC.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of Cotton's story

Where in the world is ... Mike Makowsky?

Mike Makowsky, MC geography professor,
interacts with students in his class.

By Ernesto Macias
Page Editor, El Paisano

Most Midland College students remember playing the educational game, “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” It is listed as an edutainment computer game and its purpose is to teach young people geography.

Mike Makowsky has been trying to get MC students interested in geography since 2004.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of Macias' story

Getting to those early morning classes about to get easier

By Karen Lanier
MC Student Publications Instructor

Just a friendly reminder to turn your clocks BACK one hour before retiring on Saturday night. The time officially changes at 2 a.m., Sunday, November 6.

Your College a Part of Christmas for Our Troops

By Stephanie VanCuren
MC Student Activities Coordinator

Hey, everyone!!

It's that time of year! Time for giving thanks to all our troops, and what better way to do that, than to donate to Christmas for Our Troops !!

Student Government is sponsoring a donation drive now through December 2. Boxes went out November 2 in six locations across campus for your donations! For a list of preferred items, please see attached. The important thing to remember is to donate "travel" size items.

 • CLICK HERE for a complete list of recommended donation items

If you would prefer to donate money for items such as pocket knives, RemOil, and bore snakes, you may drop off your cash or check made out to Christmas for Our Troops to my office. I am located in the Student Center, Rm. 125.

Christmas for Our Troops' goal is to send 2,500 packages this year. They currently only have a few hundred addresses, so if you know of anyone stationed in Afghanistan, please send us their APOs and AFOs.

On December 7, Student Government will help pack these boxes. If you have anyone who would like to help, please send them my way!

Thank you in advance for your donations!

Sincerely,

Stephanie VanCuren

Student Activities Coordinator

Midland College

3600 N. Garfield

Midland, Texas 79705

(432) 685-4543

svancuren@midland.edu

Former MC student-athlete enjoys World Series experience with Rangers

By Forrest Allen
MC Athletic Director

For former Midland College Lady Chap softball player Monique Corralez the 2011 MLB World Series bore special significance. Corralez played outfield for Midland College Coach Tommy Ramos from 2004-2006. She is currently employed with the Texas Rangers as an Community Outreach Assistant. Ms. Corralez works in the Foundation and Community Outreach Department of the club. Among her duties are working with the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation in various capacities including procuring signed team memorabilia items for the Foundation's Silent Auction, which raises money for scholarships for deserving students. Additionally, Ms. Corralez will make sure the scholarship monies are sent to the proper universities on the student's behalf. She also mans the auction booth during games in Arlington.

Corralez, a 2004 graduate of Midland Lee High School, graduated from the University of Texas - Dallas where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2008. During her time at UTD, she worked for the Frisco Roughriders of the Texas League (Rangers AA Farm Club). She interned for the Rangers beginning in January of 2010 and became an employee in March 2010.

Corralez credits her parents, Gracie and Moses, for providing her with a determination and her work ethic. Monique's personality is warm and engaging and she can always be seen smiling. Those traits are on fullest display when she and her fellow Community Outreach staffers go out to see school children. The Rangers are involved in several school based initiatives such as scheduled school visits and their storybook series. Its those aspects of the job that most excites Corralez who says, "the best and worst parts of my job are the irregular working hours. Its a double-edged sword. But I'm not one to work an 'eight to five' (job) sitting at a desk all day."

When asked about her experience with this year's MLB World Series, Corralez shared the highlight was "my all-expense paid trip to St. Louis for games one and two" of the series. She also enjoyed the opportunity to watch a complete game for a change. During the season's home games there are precious few opportunities to watch the games. Ms. Corralez also mentioned the atmosphere both inside and outside of the stadium, particularly outside which had people assembled all over the parking lot and the area immediately outside the Busch Stadium. Corralez say, "they had really good music" being played. She stated, "there was a true feeling of excitement" largely due to the St. Louis franchise having such a long, established history within the sport.

Monique Corralez at Busch Stadium in St. Louis

Ms. Corralez listed Rangers pitcher Derek Holland as one of her favorites players. She initially met Holland when she worked for the Roughriders during Holland's minor league years. Holland was teammates with former Midland College outfielder Tim Smith and it was Smith who introduced Holland to Corralez. Corralez and Smith attended Midland College together.

"He (Holland) is great with the kids and fans. He's exactly the same now as he was back then; just a good guy", she stated. Corralez also named two-time MLB All-Star second baseman, Ian Kinsler of the Rangers as one her favorites and cited that "I love to watch him play."

As for the future Corralez is very happy in her role with the Rangers and hopes for a long career with the club. Although she admits to being "spoiled" as a result of their two highly successful seasons in 2010 and 2011, including the club's two World Series appearances. "I feel connected to the success of the team", Ms. Corralez says. "I love seeing the excitement on the faces of the kids throughout the community during school visits. It's their team." she says.