May 31, 2012
AVONDALE, Arizona – May 31, 2012 – Now that the spring 2012 semester has ended, and the May 11 graduation ceremony celebrated the success of EMCC students, there were many more individual successes to celebrate. The following are some of the major achievements that were announced and awarded at the end-of-semester, and post semester.
- Brenda Phifer, an Administration of Justice student at EMCC, was recently recognized by President Obama with a “President’s Volunteer Service Award” for her efforts in organizing Goodyear Police Department’s “You Are Not Alone” (YANA) notification program. The program is primarily for elderly or disabled citizens who can register with the Goodyear PD to provide “welfare checks,” a community service program where patrolman regularly monitor their homes and well-being. Goodyear PD also recognized Phifer for her active community engagement and hundreds of hours of volunteer service. She is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a community college national honors society, and will be continuing her studies at EMCC in fall 2012.
- Nathanial Belnap, a U.S. Air Force veteran and recent EMCC spring 2012 graduate, was selected to participate in the prestigious Summer Student Internship Program at Banner Health Research Institute. Belnap is only one of two community college students to receive this honor and opportunity in the past several years. It is a highly competitive program and student interns come from all around the country to participate. A psychology major, Belnap will be continuing his studies at Arizona State University.
-
EMCC athletes achieved national status and recognition for their academic and athletic success.
- 2011-2012 EMCC Cross Country team members Alyssa Fell, Jennifer Owens, Christopher Palmer, Barisuka Nsagane, Bradley Rowley, and Honore Mwizerwa were selected to the NJCAA Coaches Association Academic All American Team. The student athletes must maintain a minimum 3.40 GPA.
- The captain of the EMCC Women’s Golf team, Stevie Booker, and Jasmine Williams both qualified for the NJCAA Women's Golf National Championship at the LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida. EMCC Men’s Golf team also had two athletes, Ian Dunn and Corey Knight, who qualified for the NJCAA Men’s Golf National Championship held in Kansas. Dunn was ranked 2nd overall in EMCC’s region and in district, and Knight was ranked 4th.
- EMCC student Malinda Anderson was accepted to participate in the 2012 Baden-Württemberg Stipendium Work Immersion Study Program (WISP) in Germany. Ten total participants were chosen from a nationwide applicant pool, and it is a great accomplishment that Anderson was chosen to take part in this unique study- and work-abroad fellowship. Ms. Anderson will be spending the summer in Baden-Württemberg, learning German and gaining valuable training in her career field through an internship with a German company. While in Germany, Anderson will experience one-month of intensive German language training at the Carl Duisberg Centrum in Radolfzell, followed by a 2-month internship in their career field within the state of Baden-Württemberg.
- John Witwer, Simulation Program Manager in the Nursing and Allied Health division at EMCC’s SouthWest Skill Center, has been appointed by the National League for Nursing to serve as an NLN ambassador. As a participant in this elite corps, Witwer will help keep faculty and administration informed about the NLN’s initiatives, professional development, grant opportunities, conferences, publications, workshops, and other benefits available to NLN members. There are more than 759 ambassadors representing schools of nursing in 49 states plus Canada, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Witwer has been instrumental in developing the nursing “Sim Lab” at EMCC which has been recognized as one of the most advanced simulation labs in the country.
- The 2012 Maricopa Community College District’s Student Conference, hosted annually at EMCC, is an opportunity for students across the district to showcase semester research projects which include a rigorously judged poster session and oral presentations. EMCC students took the top three awards for their research presentations, including first-place Jessica McCarthy with “Chasing a Whim: A Journey through the Scientific Process,” second-place Aubrey Tubbs with “Live a Happy and Healthy Life through Exercise,” and third-place team of Lance Smith and Daisy Tumbull with their “Imagined Arousal: Do Women Pro-social of Funny Guys.” The top three awards for the poster session went to Alex Castillo and Gilberto Coronado Vizcarra of Phoenix College, and Brett Velez of Glendale Community College. This event is an important and significant learning opportunity for community college students who normally don’t get exposed to research until their bachelor’s or master’s coursework. Award winning students received educational scholarships.
# # #
Tuesday, May 29th marked the start of the summer 2012 semester at Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), bringing students and faculty back into the classrooms. The semester offers several convenient session options, including the current “First 5-Week” session of day courses and “8-Week” session of evening courses. A “Second 5-Week” session begins July 2, 2012. Classes are held at the Avondale campus, online, and at the college’s new Buckeye Educational Center which offers degree-tracked courses, workforce training programs, community programs and an array of on-site student services. Registration is still available for Second 5-Seek courses. www.estrellamountain.edu.