Midland College Bids Farewell to Basketball Sophomores

CLICK HERE for a photo album of our basketball sophomores

By Forrest Allen
MC Athletic Director

Midland College Lady Chap Basketball

Having qualified for their 18th consecutive NJCAA Region V Basketball Tournament, the #18 ranked Midland College Lady Chaps set their attention on Thursday's opponent, the Odessa College Lady Wranglers. Midland College 23-6 overall and 9-2 in the WJCAC will seek to avenge their 70-66 February 6th loss to OC. That game was played in Odessa at the Odessa College Sports Center.

Thursday's game - which begins at 5:45 p.m. - also will allow the Lady Chaps an opportunity to either tie or win outright, the 2012 WJCAC championship. A win by MC will give the Ladies no less than a share of their 10th conference title in 18 seasons. The game will also be a emotional one for seven Lady Chap sophomore members of the team.

Anfisa Shulha (Minsk, Belarus), Lindsay Ansley (Marble Falls, TX), Morgan Schwartz (Garden City, TX) Danesha Long (Long Beach, CA), Ornela Bacchini (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Nety Sousa (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and transfer Bernadette Sanchez (Albuquerque, NM) will each be making the final home appearance of their Midland College basketball careers.

Combined this group of second-year student-athletes have amassed a record of 50-12 overall, 19-4 in conference and only one loss at home over two seasons.

Midland College Chaparral Basketball

As for the Chaparrals, Thursday's game  - which begins at 7:45 p.m. - will be the final one of the season as their fortunes did not land on a spot in the NJCAA Region V Tournament. Midland College 17-10 this season and 5-8 in the conference will take on Odessa College in a pride game for the Chaparrals. OC defeated MC 78-65 on February 6th in Odessa. That loss was the catalyst for a Chaps 6-game conference slide, including two forfeited games due to a melee near the end of their game at Howard College.

The Chaps will also say their Chap Center goodbyes to four sophomores, including transfers Tre Bowman (York, PA), Kelvin Agee (Niagra Falls, NY), Melvin Tabb (Raleigh, NC) and the team's sole returning player from 2011's NJCAA National Runner-up Team, Majok Majok (Perth, Australia).

An MC win versus OC would provide the Chaps a great sense of closure on the season, one that didn't go as planned for first-year coach Chris Craig. Craig, a relentless recruiter and skilled coach, will surely strike fear in the hearts of opponents heading into next season. Craig's full coaching talents will be on display with a complete off-season to reload.

Junior Achievement: Free Enterprise from the Ground Up

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

A topic running through the Republican Presidential debates has been the value of free enterprise and its role in the maintenance of an economically-viable United States of America. It is nice to know that Midland ISD and Midland College are on board with support of the uniquely American concept of free enterprise and are to be commended for endorsing and participating in a program which affects 4 million U.S. students in more than 173,000 K-12 classrooms. The program is Junior Achievement USA™ and its core purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

Jack E. Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement USA™, states that “Knowledge of the free enterprise system, its benefits to citizens and its relationship to job creation is important for young people across the nation, to the vitality of our communities and to the availability of a well-educated workforce.”

The basic concept of Junior Achievement (JA) emphasizes the Three Pillars of Student Success: Entrepreneurship, Work Readiness, and Financial Literacy within K-12 classrooms. Lessons are grade and age specific and prepared in great depth and detail. For example, the kindergarten lessons are entitled “Ourselves” which introduces the economic role of each individual. Third graders learn about “Our City” which focuses on economic development, local businesses, and career opportunities. Fifth graders learn about “Our Nation” which provides practical information about the demands of the job market and how an individual should meet those demands. All lessons are aligned with the TEKS, and beginning with the school year 2011-2012 the TEKS for Economics (1/2 credit) is now Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits (Subchapter A, High School, §118.4). Read through these teaching objectives for a heart-warming reminder of the Revolutionary past at www.tea.state.us.tx

Junior Achievement can be traced to August 1916 when the Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition in Springfield, Massachusetts, hosted a conference of 300 agricultural and business leaders. These leaders set the goal of designing general wholesome activities for boys and girls. In 1918, Theodore Vail, president of American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T) and co-founder of what eventually became Junior Achievement stated:

"The future of our country depends upon making every individual fully realize the obligations and responsibilities belonging to citizenship. Habits are formed in youth…what we need in this country now … is to teach the growing generations to realize that thrift and economy, coupled with industry, are necessary now as they were in past generations." http://www.ja.org/about/about_history.shtml

This firm belief in the free enterprise system has caused the CEOs of myriad corporations to support JA financially. They base their continued support on startling statistics regarding students who drop out of school. “Every day, 7,000 students drop out of high school. Last year, 1.3 million failed to graduate. By 2020, 15 million more will join them. Overall, young people who drop out are twice as likely as graduates to be unemployed; three times as likely to live in poverty; eight times as likely to wind up in prison; and twice as likely to become the parent of a child who drops out of school. The impact on the United States economy is tremendous, and one of the major goals of JA is to keep students in school by enticing them to learn about a free economy and the role that education plays in their reaching their potential.” www.ja.org

Adults struggling with the realities of economics may overlook the impact that today’s uncertain economic environment has on young people, so Junior Achievement USA™ and the National Chamber Foundation (NCF) (a non-profit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to identifying and fostering public debate on emerging critical issues) conducted a national survey (summer 2011) of 2,213 high school juniors to discover what they were thinking about entrepreneurship, free enterprise and capitalism.

The survey’s results “confirm the need for and value in providing entrepreneurship education for high school students, through both classroom-based and co-curricular learning opportunities. At least 9 in 10 juniors believe it is important to be taught about entrepreneurship, free enterprise and capitalism, yet less than half (45 percent) have been taught about entrepreneurship in school. JA and NCF are committed to strengthening their relationship through support of Junior Achievement’s JA Be Entrepreneurial® program. Delivered by corporate and community volunteers, the JA Be Entrepreneurial program focuses on challenging high school students to start their own entrepreneurial venture through interactive classroom activities that provide relevant, hands-on experiences.”

The survey documents that 7 in 10 high school juniors believe that the economy will either stay the same or get worse in the coming year, and 9 in 10 are concerned about future job prospects after they finish high school.

“The Chamber is constantly focused on emerging business issues, and members of Congress and the administration should take note that our nation’s young people are sharing many of the same concerns about the economy as the majority of working Americans,” said Margaret Spellings, former secretary of education and president of the Chamber’s U.S. Forum for Policy Innovation. “In business, we value employees that can think strategically and outside the box, and we as leaders need to encourage learning opportunities that enhance the core principles of free enterprise to develop these skills early on.”

Additional findings from the Free Enterprise National Survey can be found in an executive summary of survey results at www.ja.org

Midland College future educators consistently find the opportunity to teach as volunteers for Junior Achievement is one of the most satisfying and career enhancing opportunities during their studies to become teachers. Not only do students get to test drive the teaching profession with state of the art materials, they get to interact with professional MISD teachers who help them do the best job they can teaching for the first time. It is a win-win situation for MISD students and MC future teachers.

Note: JA is supported through grants, personal gifts, and in-kind contributions from corporations and individuals worldwide in addition to hosting more than 171,000 volunteers annually. If you are interested in volunteering locally or supporting JA financially, you can contact the Educational Director for West Texas Junior Achievement USA™ at dfinch@japermianbasin.org or calling the office at 682-4966. You do not need a degree in economics to volunteer for JA — just a willingness to teach youngsters about the uniqueness of American business opportunity and a few hours of time.

Tweet Envy

It's hard for me to be completely objective, but I think Midland College is a wonderfully diverse institution, offering an incredible array of resources for people of all shapes and sizes, ages and interests, pasts and futures, who want to 'grow' their knowledge and their lives ...

... but, I have to admit ... we don't have Angelina Jolie's Leg!

Midland College has had a Twitter page for over a year, and is now approaching 900 followers. Angelina Jolie's Leg has had a Twitter page for just over 24 hours, and already has more than 35,000 followers!

<sigh> ... I am soooooo envious!

Author, screenwriter, filmmaker Rex Pickett to speak at Your College

Rex Pickett

On Friday, March 2, Rex Pickett will entertain MC students and the community with an inspirational lecture on the writing life, its vicissitude and more. In addition, he will discuss the inception of his novel SIDEWAYS and its road to becoming a critically acclaimed, Academy Award-winning feature film. The novel Sideways continues to be a hit and has been translated into 12 languages.

In 2004, the film SIDEWAYS was released and ended up winning over 350 accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It swept the New York Critics Circle Awards, the Los Angeles Film Critics Awards, the Indie Spirit Awards and won two Golden Globes (one for Best Picture and the other for Best Screenplay). The prestigious Writers Guild of America recently voted SIDEWAYS one of the 101 Greatest Screenplays of All Time and honored those 101 selections with plaques in the WGA Theater in Beverly Hills.

Mr. Pickett’s Midland College lecture is part of his two-week Texas tour, in which he will be conducting research for his current screenplay entitled ON TOUR WITH MAX about a poet currently teaching at the University of Texas. The film is set almost entirely in Texas.

Pickett explained, “ON TOUR WITH MAX involves a 50-something-year-old, once-famous poet who embarks on a sometimes hilarious, alternately heartbreaking reading and book signing road trip and tour of 2nd and 3rd tier colleges in Texas. He is accompanied by a starry-eyed, 20-something-year-old Ph.D. candidate. I’m not familiar with the state of Texas. As a screenwriter, I need to research this fictional tour that my characters take in order to do the story justice.”

Mr. Pickett will be presenting his Midland College lecture twice on Friday, March 2 — once at 9:00 a.m. and again at 11:00 a.m.

For more information, please contact Diane Allen at (432) 685-6458 or dallen@midland.edu

CLICK HERE to visit Rex Pickett's website.

'The Legacy' continues at Your College

By Rebecca Bell
Dean of Community Relations and Special Events

Midland’s Legacy Scholarship Program is built on the legacy left by four great Midland families — Gladys and George Abell, Helen and Barney Greathouse, Harriet and J. Harvey Herd and Dorothy and Clarence Scharbauer, Jr. — who invested their time and resources to help build a community.

In 1986, Abell-Hanger Foundation established a Midland College scholarship which would pay tuition for Midland County high school graduates. In 2003, the Helen Greathouse Charitable Trust partnered with Abell-Hanger Foundation, and the scholarship was named Midland’s Legacy Scholarship. In 2006, a third Midland family foundation — the Chaparral Foundation — joined this rich tradition of supporting MC students in their pursuit of higher education. That tradition continues to grow to this day, with the announcement in fall 2011 that the Scharbauer Foundation has united with the other three family foundations to support this great educational legacy.

“On behalf of George and Gladys Abell, Abell Hanger Foundation is proud to have established and supported the Legacy Scholarship Program since 1986,” explains Abell-Hanger Foundation Executive Director David Smith. “Both Mr. and Mrs. Abell valued education, and we believe that they would be gratified by this legacy of educational opportunity at Midland College, which has been available to graduating high school students in Midland County.”

Smith continues, “Over the years we have been joined in this noble effort with new funding partners — the Helen Greathouse Charitable Trust, the Chaparral Foundation and, most recently, the Scharbauer Foundation. The strengthening of this funding partnership now ensures that these educational opportunities will continue well into the future. We appreciate the philanthropic families who have joined us in this scholarship program.”

The scholarship requires students to complete 40 hours of community service before entering Midland College. They also must complete 20 hours of community service each semester that they are attending MC. At the end of the 2010-2011 school year, the Legacy Scholarship paid $750 per semester for qualified students. In fall 2011, with the addition of funding from the Scharbauer Foundation, the scholarship amount was increased.

Smith says, “With the rising cost of college tuition, we felt it necessary to increase the scholarship parameters to maintain the impact and effectiveness of the program, and we have increased the maximum scholarship award to $1,050 per student.”

These four families not only have committed to help MC students with tuition, but also share in the legacy of giving to other MC projects, including athletics, the Scharbauer Student Center, the Dorothy and Todd Aaron Medical Science Building, the Advanced Technology Center, the Chaparral Circle Endowment Fund, Craddick Hall, Friends of the Series, the Fox Science Building, the Petroleum Professional Development Center, and the William Regional Technical Training Center in Fort Stockton.

The community influence and impact of these Midland pioneering families dates back to the late 1800s. Over 100 years later, Midland College is proud and honored to benefit from this unique and great community legacy.

Legacy Scholarship Students

Making your dreams come true, at Your College

Leatra Goins-Ahmad

By Rebecca Bell
Dean of Community Relations & Special Events

“I wanted to be a writer since I was in high school; however, it wasn’t until I got to Midland College that I was able to see this dream come to fruition,” states Leatra Goins-Ahmad. “I love Midland and Midland College. I’m so glad that I came here. Midland has really opened a lot of doors for me.”

Thirty-one-year-old Goins-Ahmad, who is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, moved to Midland approximately four years ago when her boyfriend, Andrew Hernandez, was offered a job as a truck driver in the oil industry. Goins-Ahmad says that after graduating from McCluer Senior High School in St. Louis, she attended a couple of community colleges in the St. Louis area, but she explains that those schools didn’t give her the passion to succeed like Midland College does. After high school, she also worked for a manufacturing company in the St. Louis area, but always had the desire to write.

“One of the classes I took at Midland College was creative writing with Dr. Glenda Lindsey-Hicks,” says Goins-Ahmad. “Dr. Lindsey-Hicks is a wonderful instructor, and she critiqued the poems I wrote in a way that taught me how to improve as a writer. She also helped me to learn how to edit my work.”

In fact, the creative writing class at Midland College helped Goins-Ahmad to enhance her writing so much, that this past fall she was able to publish her first book entitled Flirt which is a collection of poems and a short story. Most of the poems in the book describe romantic and family relationships from an urban perspective. The book’s short story “Addicted” is also an urban tale of drug addiction and its impact on several lives. Goins-Ahmad self-published the book and has had several book signings both in Midland and Odessa. It is available at Hastings, Barnes & Noble and online at Amazon.com

“I enjoy writing urban fiction about people of color,” says Goins-Ahmad. “The books I read by other authors fall along those same lines. The subject matter for most of my poems and stories will come from ideas that I get while reading or watching television and movies.”

The oldest of 12 children, Goins-Ahmad says that it is important for her to be a role model to her younger siblings. She is a first-generation-to-college student and says that she is proud to have led the way into higher education for her family. She is also proud of the fact that her family has a tradition of U. S. military service and public service. Two of her siblings are currently serving in the military, and a younger brother is getting ready to attend college and major in criminal justice.

Goins-Ahmad is now taking classes online from Grand Canyon University where she hopes to earn a baccalaureate degree in English. She is employed as a floor director and editor for KMID TV and is working on her next collection of poems and short stories. Her ultimate ambition is to get a doctorate degree and publish a novel.

She says, “It’s important to have a goal and work toward it. Don’t let people stop you. Stick with it, and your dreams really will come true.”

Donation helps ensure better safety for all of Midland County

Pictured from left to right are MC Foundation Executive Director Erin Tresner, MC Police Officer Ricardo Martinez, MC Chief of Police Martin Garcia, Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter, MC Police Officer Marihya Houck and MC Police Officer Rocky Derouen.

 By Rebecca Bell
Dean of Community Relations & Special Events

One car, one truck, one golf cart and twelve feet — those used to be the only modes of transportation used by the MC Police Department to patrol the 200+ acres of the main MC Campus and all Midland County MC locations. Now, however, thanks to the Midland County Sheriff’s Office, the MC Police Department has six patrol cars and one security truck!

The MC Police Department not only ensures the safety and security of students, employees and the community at MC locations, but also assists other local law enforcement agencies with various criminal and disaster-related emergencies. Until last fall, assistance was limited because of the scarcity of MC police vehicles. Due to budget constraints, funds were not available to purchase additional vehicles. Being resourceful law enforcement personnel, MC police officers decided to look for alternative ways to obtain vehicles. MC Police Officer Marihya Houck learned that the Sheriff’s Office retired patrol vehicles after 80,000 miles, and then Midland County auctioned them. Houck contacted the Sheriff’s Department to check on the feasibility of donating retired vehicles to the MC Police Department.

“They [the Sheriff’s Office] were great!” says Houck. “They were more than willing to donate patrol cars because part of the County Commissioners’ emergency management initiative includes every law enforcement officer having access to a vehicle at all times. The vehicles that were donated to MC are all equipped with proper lighting and other necessary accessories; one of the cars even has a cage.”

MC Police Chief Martin Garcia explains that once MC obtained possession of the cars, the MC Automotive Technology Department changed the oil, repaired the brakes and made a few other minor repairs. Garcia states, “One of the cars needed a new transmission, but for the most part the vehicles were in good condition. Repairing the cars provided some good hands-on training for auto tech students.”

Each MC Police Officer now has his/her own vehicle for patrolling the campus. The officers are also allowed to keep the cars when they aren’t on duty, which enables them to respond quickly to emergencies. Garcia notes that in December when an MC airplane had to make an emergency landing, he was able to travel quickly to the scene because of the availability of his own patrol car. During another occasion, Houck says she was able to respond immediately from her home to a disturbance at the MC Cogdell Learning Center on South Florida Street.

The Midland College Police Department is composed of six full-time licensed peace officers, one full-time security officer and six part-time security officers. The police department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and oversees security at the MC main campus, the Advanced Technology Center on Cuthbert, the Cogdell Learning Center, and the MC airplane hangar and aviation maintenance training facility at the Midland International Airport. In addition, the MC Police Department is often called upon to assist the Midland Independent School District police, the Midland Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office.

Houck says, “The ability to use individual vehicles makes us really feel like we are part of the law enforcement community. It has helped to boost morale in the department, and we have increased our ability to respond to incidents. We really owe a huge amount of gratitude to Sheriff Painter and the Midland County Sheriff’s Department for this donation!”

MC launches Brown Bag Lunch Series for 2012

Midland College, in partnership with the Jenna Welch Women's Center of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health and Midland Memorial Hospital, presents the next in a series of informative sessions focusing on women's health. The lectures are FREE and are open to the public. No reservation is required.

Friday, February 17
Dr. Milinda Morris, Associate Professor, Texas Tech School of Medicine, will speak on "What's New in Contraception?"
12:00 noon, Carrasco Room, Scharbauer Student Center

Friday, April 27
Dr. Leslie Chupp, Director of the Jenna Welch Women's Center, will speak on "Robotic Assisted Surgery”
12:00 noon, Carrasco Room, Scharbauer Student Center

The public is invited to bring a lunch. Dessert, iced tea, water and coffee will be provided by Midland Memorial Hospital.

For more information, please contact Rebecca Bell in the Midland College Community Relations Office, (432) 685-4556, rbell@midland.edu

Actual mascot adds virtual presence

As if there wasn't already enough for our tireless mascot to do, the peerless Pepe Paisano has gone ahead and set up a Facebook page! So, what's coming up on that page? Well, that's up to YOU, really. CLICK HERE to visit Pepe's Facebook page, and 'Friend' West Texas' second-largest (but first-craziest) roadrunner.

Baron Batch to Speak to Midland Audience

By Rebecca Bell
Dean of Community Relations & Special Projects

Pittsburgh Steelers running back and 2006 Midland High School graduate Baron Batch will be a special featured speaker at First Baptist Church in Midland. Batch’s presentation entitled "Hope in Life" specifically will be targeted to youth. Batch was asked to speak to a Midland audience in response to the recent teen suicides in the community.

After graduating from Midland High School, Batch played football for Texas Tech University where he was the school's eighth-ranked all-time leader in rushing with 2,501 yards. During his senior year at Texas Tech, Batch led the team in rushing with 816 yards on 177 carries, an average of 4.6 yards per carry. He also caught 32 passes for 226 yards and three receiving touchdowns.

After being drafted by the Steelers, Batch tore his ACL during a training camp practice on August 11, 2011, and was officially placed on injured reserve during the 2011 season.

Batch speaks to young people throughout the nation on the importance of faith, life and maintaining future dreams. Tomorrow evening’s presentation is FREE and will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of First Baptist Church, 2104 W Louisiana Ave, (corner of Louisiana and Garfield), in Midland.

MC alum Brad Swendig inducted into WJCAC Hall of Fame

By Lesley Isaacs
Media Specialist

Former Midland College Chaparral swimmer Brad Swendig will be formally inducted into the 2012 Class of the Western Junior College Athletic Conference Hall of Fame on Monday, February 13, 2012 at halftime of the men’s Midland College vs. New Mexico Junior College basketball game. Swendig was a six time NJCAA All-American swimmer for the Chaparrals in 1977.

Swendig began competing as a swimmer for the City of Midland Swim Team as a ninth grader. His love of swimming and competition followed him through his high school years where he was also a member of the Robert E. Lee High School swim team. Swendig graduated from Midland Robert E. Lee High School in the Class of 1975.

Following high school Swendig went to Texas A&M University for one year before he transferred to Midland College and joined the swim team.

At the 1977 NJCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships, the Chaparrals finished as the national runner-up and ahead of a field of 23 teams. Individually the Chaps were led by their team captain Brad Swendig who won four event championships and earned six NJCAA All-American designations. Later that year Brad was named to participate in the USA-USSR University Games in Leningrad. Swendig earned an Associate’s degree in Math and Science from Midland College.

In addition to being a championship swimmer and the Director of COM Aquatics, Brad served as the Chairman of the Texas State Swimming Association for two years, winner of the 2003 Scott Seater Award for Community Involvement, he has coached several state and national championships and he has brought Olympic quality swimming and diving competitions to Midland on many occasions.

Swendig has been married to his wife of 20 years, Julie and they have two children, Ashley and Alex. He is currently the Executive Director of the City of Midland Mabee Aquatics Center.

Also on Monday, the Midland College Lady Chaps will be observing their annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night during their 5:45 p.m. basketball game. Fans are asked to wear pink in support of the event.

For more information, please contact Forrest Allen, Midland College Athletic Director at (432) 685-6436.

Phi Theta Kappa’s recipe for success

EDITOR's NOTE: The following commentary comes from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the international honor society of two-year colleges and academic programs, particularly community colleges and junior colleges. For more information about the Midland College Chapter of PTK, contact faculty advisor Joseph Willis at (432) 685-6700 or jwillis@midland.edu

Mark Svensson is on track to graduate magna
cum laude from Georgetown University.

By Mark Svensson
Georgetown University

At first glance, the statistics may seem a bit overwhelming: 2 million members in more than 1,250 chapters with more than $37 million in transfer scholarships available to members at over 700 four-year colleges and universities.

What is the secret behind Phi Theta Kappa's  success?

For me, Phi Theta Kappa has a remarkable recipe for propelling students to want to do more and become better at the two-year level and beyond. The commitment to academic excellence, service to others and leadership Phi Theta Kappa instills in its members are values that truly remain in us throughout life.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of Svensson's commentary

Chap, Lady Chap Basketball to raise awareness, honor achievement

By Forrest Allen
MC Athletic Director

WJCAC Hall of Fame Inductee

On Monday, February 13th, at halftime of the men's basketball game between MC Chaparrals and NMJC T-Birds, Midland College will honor one of their own. Brad Swendig, Executive Director of the City of Midland Aquatics, a former NJCAA All-America swimmer will be inducted into the Western Junior College Athletic Conference (WJCAC) Hall of Fame Class of 2012.

Swendig, a native of Midland and a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School, won six NJCAA All-America awards as a member of the 1977 NJCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships. That year the Midland College swim team finished as the national runner-up. He was also the team's captain in 1976-77 and was selected to participate in the USA-USSR University Games in Leningrad.

Swendig earned his Associate's degree from MC in Math and Science. He also earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston. He has been with COM Aquatics for 27 years. Swindig and his wife Julie of 20 years are the parents of Ashley, an 18 year old freshman at Texas Tech University and Alex a 15 year old Midland High School student.

The game between the Midland College Chaparrals and the New Mexico Junior College Thunderbirds, begins at 7:45 p.m.

Breast Cancer Awareness Night

Also on Monday, the Midland College Lady Chaps will be observing their annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night. Join the Lady Chaps and Chap basketball team as we take on the New Mexico Junior College Lady T-Birds and Thunderbirds. Fans are asked to wear pink in support of the event.

The game between the Midland College Lady Chaparrals and the New Mexico Junior College Lady Thunderbirds, begins at 5:45 p.m.

Midland College Baseball hosts day of fun for area kids

By Forrest Allen
MC Athletics Director

On a beautiful "Chamber of Commerce" worthy Sunday afternoon the Midland College baseball coaches and players gave back to the community by hosting their annual youth baseball clinic at Christensen Stadium. The 25 camp participants, who ranged in age from 6 to 12, were treated to a fun-filled day of baseball skill enhancement.
CLICK HERE for more on this story, plus a photo album.

Hurry ... this special offer won't last long!

In an effort to provide college courses to those students who were not able to enroll during the regular spring semester registration period, Midland College (MC) will offer a 12 week session beginning February 13.

“We had approximately 400 new students who did not get the bacterial meningitis vaccine in time to register for spring semester classes,” states MC Dean of Enrollment Management Dr. Michael Chavez. “We hate to see those students wait until summer or fall to begin their higher education pursuits. We are hoping that they will take advantage of the 12-week session.”

Offerings during the 12-week session include English, math, government, history, sociology, education, art appreciation and music ensemble classes. In addition, several developmental math, English and reading courses also will be offered. A complete list of courses is available on the MC website, www.midland.edu

MC Vice President of Instruction Dr. Rex Peebles reports, “Most of the classes to be offered are geared for beginning college students and will be taught in a traditional classroom setting. The session ends May 11, just like the regular 16-week semester. The difference is that class time in the 12-week courses will be a little longer each week in order to fit in the same amount of instructional time. A few of the offerings are online courses.”

Chavez states that students who plan to take the 12-week session and are new to MC must receive the bacterial meningitis vaccine by February 3 (10 days before the start of the 12-week session). The new state mandate requiring all students entering Texas public colleges and universities to receive a bacterial meningitis vaccine became effective in January 2012.

To assist students who may need the vaccine, the MC Admissions Office has arranged for Walgreens to administer the vaccine in the Scharbauer Student Center Club Room on Friday, February 3, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The cost of the vaccine is $133.99, and only cash and checks will be accepted. Vaccines are also available at all Walgreens’ locations in Midland. Students should check with their health insurance provider regarding reimbursement policies for the vaccine.

Registration for the short session begins Monday, February 6, at 8:00 a.m. Chavez stresses that students who have not completed a Midland College application should do so prior to registering for classes. The MC application is available online at www.applytexas.org

Registration and student advising for the new 12-week session will take place at the Scharbauer Student Center located on the MC main campus. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with extended hours until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Registration is also available online at www.midland.edu

For more information contact the MC Admissions Office at (432) 685-5523.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company awards $100K to Midland College

By Rebecca Bell
Dean of Community Relations & Special Projects

Texas Mutual Insurance Company has awarded a $100,000 grant to Midland College to fund the Risk Management Institute at Midland College, which provides free workplace safety courses for employers, employees and the general public.

Midland-area employees and employers have benefited greatly from these safety courses, and we are grateful for Texas Mutual's continued support of the risk management institute, said Steve Thomas, Ph.D., Midland College president. The opportunity to educate, and re-educate people about workplace safety is made possible through the ongoing partnership between Texas Mutual and Midland College. We are proud to be a part of educating area employees and employers about the importance of workplace safety.

This is the seventh consecutive year that Texas Mutual, the state's leading provider of workers compensation insurance, has awarded the grant to the college to sustain the Risk Management Institute.

Midland College is one of three community colleges in Texas, in addition to Kilgore College and College of the Mainland in Texas City, that provides these free safety classes via funding from Texas Mutual. Texas Mutual has awarded a combined $2.8 million in safety education grants since 1999.

Since the inception of the Risk Management Institute at Midland College in May 2006, over 2,000 people have participated in the program. Approximately 70 percent of participants are from the oil and gas industry, with the remaining participants from city government, health care and other industries.

The 2012 schedule at the Risk Management Institute includes courses on forklift and driver safety, OSHA training, an introduction to safety management and CPR training, among others.

In addition to these safety grants, Texas Mutual hosts free workers compensation workshops across the state for local employers. The workshops include a presentation by Texas Mutual safety professionals and an opportunity for continuing education on workplace safety, workers compensation and fraud prevention.

These grants and workshops exemplify Texas Mutual's ongoing commitment to the workplace safety and prevention of workplace accidents through education, said Bob Barnes, chairman of the Texas Mutual board of directors. We recognize the value safety education provides to employers giving them tools to keep their businesses, and more importantly, their employees safe. Safety education is always a sound investment.

For more information about the Risk Management Institute at Midland College, please visit midland.edu/continuing_education/rmi or call (432) 681-6303.