Endings & Beginnings

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Amanda Capobianchi

“Life is not so much about beginnings and endings
as it is about going on and on and on.”
~ Anna Quindlen ~

This can be a bittersweet time of year for those of us who work closely with students. Our staff has spent the last week or so meeting with student leaders for their required one-on-one session with their advisor to reflect on their year and their own leadership experience. We talk about what they’ve learned. We talk about growth, overcoming obstacles, even areas that are still a challenge. It’s always good discussion, no matter if the feedback is positive or negative, and it’s a rare occasion for us to close the door and focus only on the student before us.

I began all my meetings this year with this question, “How is Name different today, than Name a year ago?” I’ve found that the question is often met with a moment of silence, a look to the ceiling, and then the crack of a smile.

“I’m more comfortable in my own skin.”

“I feel good about who I am today.”

“I know I can accomplish a goal, and I know how to rely on others to help me.”

These comments and reflections are priceless to me. I sit with them in my cluttered office, phone ringing, emails filing in my inbox. I see the pile of untouched committee work that needs my attention, and an unanswered phone call from my husband. And yet, it all disappears with the grin of a student who has something nice to say about themselves. I know how rare and precious this moment is and I want to consume every word.

These same students came in our doors a year (or two) ago, a semester ago, hanging their heads. Unwilling to speak in front of others. Unsure of their abilities. Sitting at the back of the room. Hats pulled low in front of their eyes. And yet, we bring these students together for a relatively short period of time, offering them little more than some of our time and energy, encouragement, a listening ear and a few challenges. We mix these important ingredients together, and we see heads raise. The hat comes off. The spine straightens. The negative thoughts are muffled.

Few people get that kind of reward at the end of a year. But I do. And I get it every year.

April is a crazy month for those of us who work in colleges and universities. We work long hours. On weekends and evenings. We skip lunch. We miss phone calls. But in return, we get lots of hugs. We honor and recognize lots of hard work. We say goodbye and good luck, and we send our now grinning, confident students away to change the world.

Amanda Capobianchi
Associate Dean of Student Life

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New SGA Leadership

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

As another academic year is coming to a close at CPCC – with students preparing for final exams and making plans for the summer – there is one group of individuals who are ending their year with a strong sense of accomplishment and an eagerness to return in the fall. These students are the newly elected SGA Executive Committee officers and they look forward to not only serving their campus community, but making a difference on campus.

The CPCC Student Government Association (SGA) is an organization run by students to represent fellow students, while also supporting the mission of the College and the Office of Student Life. The purpose of the SGA is to:

  • Advocate for the student body by conveying the opinions, ideas, wishes, and needs of the students to the administration, faculty, and staff.
  • Enhance student life on campus through social, cultural, and educational activities.
  • Provide support to student organizations.

This month, 1,081 students voted in the SGA elections and chose the following individuals to lead the campus body:

Sara Dir, President
“My desire is to implement a sense of community on campus and to mirror sentiments of unity to students through events and activities. My motivation to work with others and help them reach their full potential will assist me in creating an environment that will nurture their growth. We all have the power and the potential to make a difference, so let us work together to achieve success.”

 

Riyam AL Ghrary, Vice President
“I would love for my peers to become more involved and utilize what the school has to offer in service activities, clubs, and organizations that can build character, friendships, and leadership skills that would serve them well no matter what career path they choose to take. More student involvement leads students to become better communicators, effective leaders, and well-rounded students. I strongly encourage that since it is my greatest pleasure to see others succeed and reach their full potential.”

Jeannelle Anderson, Secretary
“The qualities that make a good leader are honesty, selflessness, and reliability. To be a good leader one has to be involved, committed, and trustworthy. A good leader needs to be able to relate, communicate, notice the needs of the community, and do his/her best to complete them. I know that I am more than able to and will present all these qualities and traits of a good leader in the position of secretary. I am looking forward to using my leadership skills as the new secretary of SGA.”

Asia Bartholomew, Public Information Officer
“As a student leader I strive to keep progressing within my surroundings. I’ve served as am SGA representative and senator. Although each time I changed positions I was gaining responsibility, I also gained some pretty substantial values to take with me in my education and employment endeavors. Being reliable and consistent are two things that I worked hard on with joining Student Government Association and I believe it has brought me to a new chapter of leadership.”

To learn more about each of these officers and how you can get involved, please visit the SGA website. The SGA is present on each CPCC campus and offers several ways that you can get involved, including serving as a Senator or Representative and volunteering. If you are interested in learning more about the SGA, please contact the Student Life Coordinator on your campus.

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A+GD Students Contribute to TEDx Event

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

Last month, students in Kenn Compton’s Typography II class and members of the AIGA Student Group had the opportunity to create a typographic installation for the TEDxCharlotteED Conference held on March 28, 2012 in Halton Theatre. With the help of individuals in the Construction Management program, the students built 3-foot tall letters spelling out the name of the conference. The letters were painted and then installed on the main stage at the conference. Besides being a fun opportunity for students, it was also a great chance to spread the word about A+GD (advertising and graphic design) at CPCC.

Although the time frame was fairly short, students contributed wholly to the conception and execution of the final design. Christian Baumgart explains further: “With thorough planning, a strong leader, and teamwork, we managed to make the TEDx project a success. I attended the TEDx conference and saw our sign standing center stage. I was very proud of the end product that I helped produce.” Jennifer Raudales also enjoyed contributing in a very visual, hands-on way: “Working on the sign reminded me that graphic design is about all kinds of communication, not just what can be produced on a computer.” In addition, the project made Jennifer feel more connected to CPCC and with her fellow students.

Studies have shown that students who participate in collaborative learning and activities outside the classroom tend to be more satisfied with their education and gain a stronger grasp of course material. Trey Bates elaborates: “The opportunity to work on this project has been the most fulfilling thing I have done at CPCC thus far. I loved not only working with my classmates, but also having the chance to learn something about each of them outside of the classroom. Individual work and thought will only take you so far, and the ability to learn from and work with others is immeasurable in your career. 

Nalee Thao, Vice President of the AIGA Student Group, believes that learning from each other is just as important as learning in the classroom and encourages others to get more involved in the community: “Being an involved student has allowed me to grow as an individual and as a designer. I’m both glad and proud to have had the opportunity to work on such a big project with such great people, and I couldn’t be more appreciative of the team, including CPCC’s Construction Technologies Division and the A+GD advisors.”

Special thanks to all those who were involved with this project: Kenn Compton, Nalee Thao, Jennifer Raudales, Christian Baumgart, Trey Bates, Chris Carone, Tom Derthick, and Student Life.

The Office of Student Life encourages all students to get involved outside the classroom by joining student organizations such as the AIGA Student Group. Being involved brings a sense of belonging and an opportunity to express yourself, meet new friends, build your resume, and develop leadership skills. If you are interested in learning more about Student Life, please contact the Coordinator at your campus.

 

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Spring into Fun!

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

April is one of the busiest months for Student Life as we prepare for spring festivals, SGA elections, PTK and NTHS inductions, student award ceremonies, and graduation. It is the culmination of an entire academic year dedicated to programming and student leadership. It is also a time for students to reflect on their hard work over the course of this past year and to celebrate achievements. Student Life offers a great opportunity to celebrate with our annual spring festivals and cookouts. Students, faculty, and staff come together to enjoy entertainment, food, carnival games, and more!

Cato Sensoria Celebration
Tuesday, April 17
12 – 2 pm
Cato I Building Parking Lot

Central Spring Fest
Wednesday, April 18
10 am – 2 pm
Overcash Front Lawn

Harper Spring Fest
Tuesday, April 24
11 am – 2 pm
First Floor Entrance (outside)

Merancas Spring Fest
Wednesday, April 25
10:30 am – 1:30 pm
Outside Courtyard

Please visit the Student Life Events Calendar for a more detailed list of upcoming programs and events on your campus during the month of April, including free Lunch & Learns, ice cream socials, and more!

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Levine Campus Receives Award from the CBCC

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

CPCC’s Levine Campus is awarded the College of the Year Award (2nd time) for having harvested more blood than any other college or university in North and South Carolina for the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC).

Since the very first Student Life and SGA Halloween Blood Drive on October 31, 2003, Levine Campus has had over 28 blood drives and has collected a total of 1,999 units of blood. Because each unit of blood can help up to 3 different patients, potentially 5,997 local lives have been saved due to the blood donations given over the years.

Barry Gilmore, Student Life Coordinator, elaborates on Levine Campus’ partnership with CBCC: “I realized that they were very supportive of our desire to expand our blood drives to reach more people by incorporating an element of fun for the entire campus community, whether they could donate blood or not. From the beginning, we started hosting blood drives on or around Halloween and Valentine’s Day in order to gain more attention, attract more people, and offer a special event with refreshments and festivities for our donors and for the general campus community.

The SGA leaders love working with CBCC because they are so cooperative with our planned festivities. They send representatives to come to our SGA meetings before each event to discuss logistics and to thank our SGA leadership for their service.  These visits and the obvious respect and support shown by CBCC for our SGA leadership has encouraged students to register donors and facilitate and host each drive.  In fact, our SGA members have felt so encouraged by the appreciation and support from CBCC that they have agreed to add more days and facilitate more mobile units/larger drives as a result. Our student leaders have felt very honored to have been invited to the awards banquets hosted by CBCC and to have won the College of the Year Award twice.”

Meredith Morgan, CBCC Sponsorship Developer, has praised the work of Levine Student Life: “You really have no idea how much CPCC Levine Campus is helping us out here at the Community Blood Center. Your CPCC Campus produces extraordinary results for our organization. It is no secret here at CBCC who you are and who CPCC Levine is. You and your staff are famous for your October Halloween blood drives and everyone knows how successful they are. Thank you for all the time you put in to what you do. You and your staff make the blood drives fun for the students and provide them with an experience they don’t forget. Our goal here at CBCC is to make sure that each donor has a pleasant experience giving blood. Your assistance and the “extra stuff” you do at your blood drives only helps the donor to have a more pleasant experience.”

The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas is an independent, locally-managed, non-profit community blood center. CBCC collects blood from the community to return it to the community at the lowest possible cost, consistent with the highest standards of quality. They are the primary blood supplier to the region’s patients and hospitals. The local hospitals they serve require over 400 blood products a day. With the help of blood drives at each CPCC campus, they can meet the needs of local hospitals and make a lasting impact in our community. Thank you to all the donors and volunteers who have helped make this possible. For more information about upcoming blood drives at CPCC and how you can get involved, please contact the Student Life Coordinator at your campus.

 

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An Inside Look at Student Life

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

There have been many occasions that those of us who work in Student Life have been asked to explain our job to students, faculty, and staff. “What exactly do you do, anyway?!”

People typically associate us with giving away free products on campus or serving foods at events. Yes, we plan fun events and host guest speakers, but what many don’t see is how much time we invest behind-the-scenes in developing students and how that effort has created student leaders who are serving and impacting our CPCC community.

Every year we host a student leadership conference focused on bringing current student leaders together with students who have an interest in getting involved on campus. As a staff, we look forward to this event because it embodies what we do in Student Life, and fills us with a sense of accomplishment as we witness first hand students growing, discovering their worth, and reaching their potential. The following is an e-mail we received from a participant this year and is a reminder that one experience or one person can make a difference.

Dear Student Life,

I wanted to thank you for presenting me with the opportunity to attend this year’s Student Leadership Conference. It was an amazing privilege and honor to be one of the few students representing the Harper Campus. The conference more than exceeded my expectations and I had a great time during the few days I was there. Never having been to the mountains, and being relatively new to Charlotte, it was a great place to meet new people that shared some of the same ideals as myself.

The conference as a whole was an amazing, yet humbling experience; I can definitely say it change my outlook on life. I was never one to, “Judge a book by its cover” but nonetheless, ignoring the preconceived notions our [American] society presents is often a task in itself.

I went into the conference hoping to gain a better understanding of being a good follower because being a leader has come natural to me over the past few years. At first, it wasn’t easy suppressing the urges to take the lead in our group activities, but after I was able to become a better listener and humble myself, I was able to assume the best role in different scenarios; which helped my input be as useful as possible.

I am striving to use the skills I learned at the conference in my everyday life and especially during my time here at CPCC. If the opportunity presented itself again, I would be more than happy to attend another leadership conference in the future.

Thanks again!

John Raphael
Harper Campus

It is e-mails like this that remind us all at CPCC exactly why we do what we do. Although we may not always see the results of our hard work, it is promising to know that we are planting seeds.

What has Student Life done for you?


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Join the CPCC Student Government Association

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

The CPCC Student Government Association (SGA) is an organization run by students to represent fellow students, while also supporting the mission of the College and the Office of Student Life. The purpose of the SGA is to:

  • Advocate for the student body by conveying the opinions, ideas, wishes, and needs of the students to the administration, faculty, and staff.
  • Enhance student life on campus through social, cultural, and educational activities.
  • Provide support to student organizations.

The SGA is present on each CPCC campus and offers several ways that you can get involved, such as holding office on the Executive Committee, serving as a Senator or Representative, or volunteering for campus events. To learn more about these positions, please visit the SGA website.

Currently, we are accepting applications for the Executive Committee (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Public Information Officer). Please pick up an application online or at any Student Life Office. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

Benefits of serving on the SGA:

  • Express your voice in Student Life and College decisions.
  • Lead your peers by providing programs and services that benefit them.
  • Develop leadership skills and build your resume.
  • Meet new people and build long lasting relationships with a diverse group of students.

If you are interested in learning more about the SGA or getting involved, please contact the SGA Executive Committee or attend an upcoming meeting (held every Wednesday at 12:30 pm at Central Campus).

Central Campus, Overcash, Room 242
(704) 330-6751
sga@cpcc.edu

 

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Celebrating Women, Building Community

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

While it is important to remember women of the past who have helped shape our history, it is also important to celebrate and support the women of today. In honor of Women’s History Month, we would like to introduce a group that is empowering, encouraging, and educating women right here at CPCC.

The Positive Community for Women (PCW) was introduced to CPCC in hopes to bring about a community for women that supports positive communications and relations for women, about women and with women. The mission of PCW is to provide a positive and educational environment where women are empowered and encouraged to improve their lives through education and personal growth. PCW seeks to support and uplift women as a source of awareness of resources and events, a source of support for confidential exchange and mentoring, and a source of advocacy for student endeavors and for dedication to current and on-going issues concerning women.

PCW is hoping to receive support from faculty and students to find a true niche here at CPCC and increase retention for our female students. PCW is open to all CPCC students, faculty, and staff.

PCW is currently holding meetings every other Tuesday from 2pm – 3pm on Central Campus. Please join us at our next meeting on Tuesday, March 27, 2012, in the Belk/Health Sciences Building, Room 4510. For more information about PCW, please contact Danielle Dosunmu at (704) 330-6954 or e-mail at danielle.dosunmu@cpcc.edu.

Upcoming Women’s History Month Event: Dr. Ruth Shaw

Past president of CPCC, Dr. Ruth Shaw, will be sharing her life story and inspiring messages. Dr. Shaw will discuss the importance of women’s history month and how women have helped shape the culture at CPCC and influenced the growth within our community. This event is sponsored by Student Life, Library Services, and the American Association for Women in Community Colleges.

Thursday, March 22, 2012
11 am – 12 noon
Central Campus, Overcash, Tate Hall

The event will also be streamed live at the following locations:

Harris: 1120 (H-1) Auditorium
Harper: HP 112
Merancas: CJ Auditorium
Cato: CT – 166
Levine: LV – 1224

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Student Club Spotlight

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

Women in Construction Student Chapter is a new student organization focused on providing an environment for students to: share ideas and concepts about the construction field, as well as engage in supplemental training and service learning opportunities. One of the group’s first activities was a service learning project with Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte. In January, staff and students of the Construction Management Technologies division worked together to finish a home in the community, which included caulking and painting services.

According to members of the group, it was a great educational experience because they were given the opportunity to use tools that they had never used before. In addition, the home under construction was a green home, which exposed students to the green building process. “We had a lot of fun. Most importantly, it was very rewarding coming together as a group and using our talents to benefit others who are in need. We look forward to doing many more service learning projects,” says Devon Lignon, Secretary of Women in Construction.

In February, the group invited Dr. Tanya Brown, from Insurance Institute of Business & Home Safety, to speak with students about her research on hurricane, tornado, fire, and hail proofing homes. Among the topics discussed was how to achieve “FORTIFIED for Safer Living” designation, which is an inspection-based program developed by engineers that exceeds most building codes. To learn more about Dr. Brown’s research and IBHS, click here.

To learn more about Women in Construction, connect with the group on Facebook or attend a club meeting (every third Wednesday of the month, 10 – 11 AM, Harper Campus, Room 352A).

If you would like to share what your student organization is doing on campus and/or in the community, please click here to submit your story.

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Volunteer for Spring Break

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Krystal Crowe

For those students who are staying in town this week for spring break, Service Learning has several volunteer options available. The local Alternative Spring Break program places students in service projects throughout the Charlotte area. If you are interested in making a difference in your community, please contact Dena Shonts (Director of Service Learning) at (704) 330-6558  or dena.shonts@cpcc.edu to register for any of the following projects:

Mecklenburg Parks & Recreation Project-Reedy Creek Nature Preserve
Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
CPCC students will help with landscaping and beautifying the Reedy Creek Nature Preserve area.  Prepare to get dirty and to help make the area look the way Mother Nature intended!

Habitat for Humanity Build
Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Habitat for Humanity is an organization that guides and encourages low income individuals become home owners. CPCC students will be assisting in the development a Habitat for Humanity project on this day.  

Bright Blessings
Date: Thursday, March 8, 2012
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Bright Blessings (formerly Birthday Blessings) is a volunteer-led 501(c)3 non-profit organization bringing joy and support to homeless children. The programs at Bright Blessings bring positive emotional experiences to homeless children and their families by lifting spirits, boosting confidence, broadening horizons and supporting critical needs. CPCC students will assist in the warehouse to prepare for birthday celebrations.

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