Changing landscape greets MCC students

Monday, August 22, 2011
Incoming McCook Community College freshmen Westleigh Miesner of McDonald, Kan, and Valentine Solko of Herndon, relax on the steps of True Hall just prior to new student orientation activities Monday on campus. Westleigh is a freshman welding student and Valentine is a Graphic Design major. Classes begin tonight but new students can still register for fall classes. (Brent Cobb/McCook Community College)

McCOOK, Nebraska -- As McCook Community College students and staff return to campus, an altered landscape on the north side of the campus foreshadows an exciting new era for Nebraska's first two-year college.

Following new student orientation today, night classes begin tonight and the first full day of classes is Tuesday. That's when Crystal Evans of Arnoldsville, Georgia, begins her MCC teaching career as the new instructor in the Business Technology division. Likewise Michael Jonckheere from Flagstaff, Arizona, begins his stint as MCC's new mathematics instructor. Natalie Alred of Richmond, Indiana has assumed new housing director responsibilities as well as serving as MCC's new volleyball coach.

Evans fills the position created with the retirement of Donna Harr; Jonckheere fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Dona Henderson; and Alred replaces Angela Franke, who also served as housing director and volleyball coach.

Sharon Kircher moves from the Office of Student Life and takes over for Doug Joyce as the Area Programming Manager based at the Hormel Technology Center for Business and Industry in McMillen Hall. Her new responsibilities include developing customer-driven open-enrollment programs, effectively promoting programs, and managing logistics in the Hormel Center.

Her staff includes Judy Malone, Program Coordinator and Professional Trainer, and Mathew Winder, Program Support Technician; and Lena Koebel, Area Account Manager, located at the Keystone Business Center and the Hormel Center on Campus.

CONSTRUCTION

While recent heavy rains have affected the construction schedule for the new Events Center, officials still expect to move into the new $10 million Events Center by the middle of next summer. In an effort to catch up, workers will be working from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., footings have been poured and officials anticipate the concrete block walls to be erected by the end of this month.

MCC's new 53,000 square-foot facility will feature a competition gymnasium with retractable seating of up to 2,000 spectators, an auxiliary practice gym for MCC's six intercollegiate sports programs.

The main floor will feature cardiovascular and weight training areas, concession and gathering areas, and offices (seven offices -- plus conference room). The facility's lower level will have four locker rooms, restrooms, showers, laundry, and storage areas

Construction of the facility replaces True Hall Gymnasium, built in 1939.

College officials believe the new facility will support recruitment and retention of students and an increase in enrollments. When finished, the facility can host high school and college games, regional tournaments, and athletic camps and also offers a multi-functional space to support college, community, and public service activities, programs, meetings, and conferences.

Eventually, officials believe the facility will expand curriculum development opportunities in the areas of wellness and athletic training, sports medicine, nutritional and dietary management, recreation, sports and events management.

AROUND CAMPUS

While construction workers have dug and moved and hauled a tremendous amount of soil from the future home of the Events Center, MCC's maintenance staff have just completed a busy summer as well.

On the south side of campus, crews have replaced and repaired cracked and damaged sidewalks. As part of this process, more than 20 diagonal parking spaces have been added.

MCC Maintenance Staff spent much of their summer efforts on improvement projects in the following buildings:

Walsh-Brady: the replacement of an air conditioning condenser; new desk and chairs for rooms 226, 227 and 229; new windows and new window blinds; a new roof and skylight is expected to be installed later this semester.

Wrightstone: Upgrading the heating, ventilation and air conditioning units; installing new ceiling, tiling, plumbing and light fixtures in the bathrooms; upgrading and networking the building's closed circuit TV capabilities; a thorough cleaning and buffing of the pottery lab floors; and the addition of a new art sink base cabinet set.

Barnett Hall: New men's and women's bathrooms; new classroom carpeting, new chairs for Room 225; all lab floors stripped, waxed and buffed; repair of biology freezer, new door to greenhouse; and officials expect new windows to be completed later this fall.

Brooks Hall: Installation of a new 30-ton chiller; installation of new carpet in 11 dorm rooms, new tile in the second floor women's restroom and new windows.

Tipton Hall: The new ambulance body was installed and new Emergency Medical Service tables have been added.

Center for Science and Technology (C.A.S.T): A new sign was installed at the B-street location, and electrical work has been completed and officials are planing to incorporate robotics into the curriculum.

Student Union: kitchen and dining room floors were stripped, waxed and buffed.

FALL EVENTS

MCC Art Instructor Rick Johnson has released the fall schedule for exhibitions at the Wrightstone Fine Arts gallery on campus starting with "Two Kinds of Home," an exhibition featuring Bancroft native Myron Heise. That exhibition runs from Sept. 5 through Sept. 30.

Johnson said he is still working out the details for October's exhibition but it will features artwork from local artists.

From Nov. 11 through Dec. 18, Johnson said the Wrightstone will house the "American Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibition." This is a traveling show, selected from the New York exhibition and consists of 40 paintings by award-winning artists from all over the country.

The Wrightstone Gallery is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 9 p.m.

MCC's fall theater production, under the direction of Sue Watts, will be Neil Simon's comedy, "Fools." Tryouts are Sunday, Sept. 25 from 6 --9 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 26 and 27 from 7--9 p.m. in the Weeth theater on campus. There are parts for 10 adults, five men, five women. There are no parts for children. Performances are November 17, 18 and 19 in the Weeth Theater.

The MCC Singers fall-semester concert is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 1st at 7:30 p.m. Music Instructor Glenda Baker invites anyone interested in singing to join MCC Singers, (which is listed in the course catalog as Concert Choir, 1010).

"We meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at noon. All voice parts are welcome, and we do all kinds of music," Baker said.

She also reminds potential students that the department is also offering Music Fundamentals (MUSC 1000) again. It is designed a course designed for people who don't yet have a basic knowledge of music theory but would like to learn the notes, counting, chord structure, how to work with key signatures, and so on. MCC also offers band (MUSC 1070) for those who are interested.

If anyone would like more information on these or any other music classes, they can e-mail the office at bakerg@mpcc.edu or call (308) 345-8187.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: