A microgravity experiment designed by Collin College students has been selected to fly to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX commercial supply vehicle in Spring/Summer 2023 as part of Mission 17 of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP). The experiment, “Does microgravity affect the formation of symbiotic relationships between soy and rhizobium?” designed by Henry Elmendorf of Allen and Stefano Sacripanti of Murphy with the guidance of Dr. Tamara Basham, a professor of Environmental Science at the Plano Campus, will focus on the viability of soybeans as a possible food source and the creation of microplastics on long space voyages.
First-year student Firdausi Okezie was selected as the recipient of the Jomo Martin Nkunika Memorial Scholarship by The Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT). The board provides only one national scholarship opportunity each year for Polysomnographic Technology students in CAAHEP-accredited programs. Okezie was selected as one of the two recipients this year for the $3,000 scholarship.
Collin College increased the number of graduated Registered Nurses from FY2021 to FY2022 by 71 and is projected to receive approximately $735,000 in Nursing Shortage Reduction Program (NSRP) funding for FY2023.
The 22KILL Leaders in Construction group, of which Technical Campus Veteran Resources Specialist Jeremiah Kincaid is a part, recently raised $137,691.26 for the One Tribe Foundation. Kincaid provided a table during its one-day fundraising event to showcase the college’s commitment to veterans. The picture below shows the donation to the One Tribe Foundation, which has a mission “To create a community that raises awareness and combats suicide by empowering veterans, first responders, medical frontline workers, and their families through traditional and non-traditional therapies.” In January, Kincaid also supported Collin College Student Veteran Association officers during the organization’s national convention in Orlando, Florida.
The Technical Campus hosted an all-day conference with the Lone Star District of the Precision Metalforming Association on Dec. 7, with nearly 70 participants from companies throughout Texas. Attendees included representatives from Boeing, Raytheon, Encore, L3 Harris, and W&C Suspensions, among others. PMA leadership from Arizona, Connecticut, Michigan, and Ohio also attended. Campus Provost Dr. Brenden Mesch took part in a panel with David Ellis from the Allen Economic Development Corporation as moderator. Student and Enrollment Services staff and campus career coaches conducted campus tours. Special recognition goes to Career Coach Sean Sweeden who had the vision and plan to make this conference a reality.
The Technical Campus had its first electric vehicle manufacturer career fair on Dec. 8, with Rivian scouting talent from the college’s Automotive Technology students for positions as technicians. Rivian’s current repair model provides mobile service technicians to visit the vehicle’s location to conduct repairs rather than a centralized repair location.
The Allen Community Outreach (ACO) Blanket and Coat drive at the Technical Campus brought in 76 items for the community organization that supports folks through Collin County.
The Collin College Police Department’s Blue Santa project provided Christmas gifts for nine deserving families that were in need during the holiday season. The drive collected more than $3,000 in donations and provided gifts for approximately 20 children.
As a presenting sponsor for the 2022-23 Allen Americans hockey season, Collin College’s sponsorship and college commercials are seen by an average of 40,000 viewers per game on CW33 TV. To check out upcoming hockey games, visit https://allenamericans.com/schedule/. You can also see the commercial here.
Dr. Eric Tobin, professor and discipline lead for Hospitality and Food Service Management at the Frisco Campus, has been selected for the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association Board of Directors. The board voted unanimously for Dr. Tobin to fill a vacant position on the board. His term will run from January 2023 through December 2025.
Ten Collin College faculty and staff members have been honored with a League For Innovation in the Community College’s 2022-2023 League Excellence Award. Since 2012, the League for Innovation has recognized outstanding faculty, staff, and leaders in the community college field who have made a significant difference in students’ lives and in the communities their colleges serve. The following Collin College employees have been selected as this year’s League Excellence Award recipients: Deidra Carpenter, program career coach; Raven Hartkopf, professor of Automotive and Collision Technology; Charlene Houston, professor of English as a Second Language Skills Development; Nadia Khedairy, program career coach; Sarah K. Lee, provost of iCollin Virtual Campus; Nicola Marshman, director of strategic initiatives; Erka McIlnay, music and art lab coordinator; Cassie Peak, assistant to the dean of academic affairs/workforce; Amber Schmid, manager of financial aid programs; and Amy Wilson, director of the Nursing ADN program. Excellence Award recipients are recognized during the annual Innovations Conference, held this year on March 11-14 in Tempe, Arizona. League Excellence Award recipient will receive a specially cast, pewter medallion, an Excellence Award certificate, and a copy of the League Awards Program. More information about the League for Innovation in the Community College and this award program is available at www.league.org/excellence.
Assistant Director of Student Engagement Stephen Rogers presented “Introducing Extended Orientation at Two-Year Institutions” at the NODA Annual Conference, Nov. 7-10 in Baltimore, Maryland. NODA is the Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education.
The Communications Department won multiple honors in the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 4 Medallion Awards. The department earned gold in the Original Photography and Excellence in Writing – Long Form categories. It earned silver in the Notes/Cards/Invitations category. It also took silver and bronze in the Excellence in Writing – Short Form category. District 4 for NCMPR includes community colleges from Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.
Dr. Allison Boye, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, presented two well-received sessions at the national conference of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education.