Registration Story
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Skagit Valley College Summer and Fall registration is now open for students to apply. With Spring quarter now coming to an end, SVC would like to make sure that all students are getting prepared for their next quarter here! Whether they prefer to take a break over the summer quarter and just stick with fall winter spring or maybe get some extra credits done and logged and do summer as well, registration is open for both!
The SVC website states that “Students can register for classes either in person or online.” SVC is trying to make it as easy as possible to make sure that all students can be registered in time. A good way to do this is to have multiple ways of completing registration
A Great Place to Learn Firearm Fundamentals
Skagit Shooting Range is a fantastic place for beginners, enthusiasts, and professional shooters alike to hone their skills in a variety of handgun disciplines. Recently, I had the opportunity to take an exchange student from Germany to the range.
Meet Jonathan Noe, an 18-year-old student from Gorlitz, Germany. This was his first time being introduced to the basics of safe firearm handling and target practice.
“In Germany, we aren’t allowed guns except under very specific circumstances. It is very different from America.” Referring to the stringent laws regarding firearms in Germany, Noe explained that licenses are only granted for specific types of sport shooting and the guns relevant to them.
SVC Website Re-Vamp Continues
There are many changes coming the whopping 18 SVC websites. In a previous article we checked in with web content specialist Marcus Badgley. The previous written by Sam Nichols focused on the beginning of the changes that started with pages such as the main page. Catching up with Badgley a few months after the very first changes became public meant that more people would have viewed allowing for more feedback to be available.
Latinx Student Group Seeks to Hold Administration Accountable
On April the 17th a group of students named the “SVC Latinx Students” met with Dr. Thomas Keegan, the President of SVC, as well the members of the SVC cabinet, to discuss a number of issues that this group had with the administration. This meeting was organized following a letter that had been sent by the group, outlining their issues with the administration, and demands to address said issues. A copy of this letter was acquired by the Cardinal, which also spoke with the Students as well as Dr. Keegan to discuss the issues and demands within the letter.
Conducting Commencement with Security in Mind
As SVC’s June 15th graduation date approaches, staff are carefully planning the commencement ceremony and associated activities. Security is at the forefront of these efforts given recent public tragedies and the media’s special attention to them. Although the safety and security of those on campus is always the top priority, much advance planning is necessary to make certain that the event proceeds with perfect execution.
Chorus Line Coming Fall 2018
On May 30, 2018, the SVC Drama Department held auditions for the musical, Chorus Line from 6 pm – 8 pm in the Phil Tarro Theatre at Skagit Valley College. There were three sessions, each lasting an hour with ten to twenty people auditioning in each group.
The audition analyzed students in their acting and dancing skills. Students who auditioned rehearsed a given monologue that was expected to be learned by the time of auditioning. While at the audition, students worked with two choreographers from the Skagit Academy of Dance. The choreographers, Michelle and Donna, also helped choreograph Beauty and the Beast in Winter Quarter of 2018.
Set Yourself up to Pass Finals
With finals week rapidly approaching, the school is a buzz likewise of a busy bee hive in the middle of summer. Students zoom in and out of classes and bounce around the campus library and coffee shop, trying to stay awake and absorb as much information as they can in preparation for finals. Even though they only span the time of a few short days, finals tend to act as the make or break of grades, so students are trying to be on their A-game. Some students have studying down pat, but most end up scrambling and stressing themselves out, something that is hugely unhealthy. There are plenty of tips and tricks to forming the perfect study habits that will help reduce stress at the same time.
Nursing Students React to Protesters
On May 7th 2018 AP News reported that Abortion Clinics in the united states faced an upsurge of protesters. These protesters have been seen trespassing and disrupting the peace. AP News reports that threats and other nefarious actions towards patients and employees has tripled since 2016. In 2017 NBC reported that 34 percent of U.S abortion providers said they had seen threats of violence. With the rise in blockades on abortion clinics, students at SVC speak in protest of the protesters. When asked what the possible benefits of the recent Protests of clinics SVC student Ian Nelson told the cardinal “I don’t think any violence is helpful for anyone.”
SVC Students Participate in Privilege Walk
On May 15th, SVC students participated in a privilege walk on campus from 12:30-2:00. The walk consisted of an activity where students would either step forward or backward if a statement applied to their life. After the activity, students were able to enjoy a barbeque and refreshments.
Flor Zamorano is the ASSVC President and the founder of the SVC Dreamer’s Club. She’s also been a part of the Maestros Para el Pueblo Program.Zamorano read statements to the crowd of about 40 students. Some of these statements included stepping forward if “You’ve studied the history of your ancestors… moved through the world without fear of sexual assault… been born in the United States… have one
or more parents with a college degree”. In contrast, Zamorano asked students to step backwards if “You’ve come from a single parent house hold…had substance abuse in the family… skipped a meal because there was no food in the house.” Some of the questions applied to the majority of the crowd, one particular statement about moving backward if you’ve changed your appearance for others, applied to many students.
After Zamorano completed reading the statements, students were spread out by which statements had brought them forwards or backwards. The students, who were in the front, had more privileges in their life and the students in the back had less. Zamorano finished the exercise by asking everyone to run to where she was standing and the first to catch her earned a gift card.
SVC Turns Out For College Fair!
Last week, Tuesday, May 15th, a college fair was held for the students in the Cafeteria of SVC. Students come to SVC with many different plans in mind and/or ahead of them, and a great way that SVC has helped out it’s students is by having this college fair. There were many representatives available. This particular fair had up to 23 colleges and universities. Schools such as University of Washington and Seattle Pacific University were there to recruit and to help.
MBA and business instructor Sunaina Virendra attended the college fair promoting her Bachelor of Applied Management degree. When asked about why the college fair was a great thing for students to attend and if it was worth it, she has this to day;
An Open Discussion About Our Culture’s Most Taboo Topic
The topic of sexuality is one that is seldom discussed openly. From contraception, to sexual education, students on this campus have many questions.
Why is our culture so closed minded compared to others?
This young woman wants to know why America is so afraid of sex. We plaster women on billboards and use sex to sell anything from workout equipment to fast food, and yet the topic of sex is terrifying. The documentary “Let’s Talk About Sex” on YouTube is the perfect resource to answer this question. The documentary discusses the difference in sexual education in America and that of Europe. We see that in places where teens are taught that sex is a natural, healthy part of life, they engage in safer sex and have healthier views on sex.
Meet the People Keeping Our Campus Safe
Coming from a very diverse range of backgrounds, careers, and experiences, the three full-time campus security officers (CSOs) at SVC are instrumental in ensuring that there is a high level of safety and security for all who set foot on school grounds. Under the direction of SVC’s Director of Security and Emergency Management, Jim Jolly; officers Rodrigo Valdes, Lance Leveson, and Jim Hoffman work as a highly effective team.
“These three individuals are the very core of the SVC Security Department and are on the front lines daily keeping our campus safe and accessible to everyone,” stated Jolly.
East Campus Building Remains Empty, In Need of Repair
Sitting on the far end of the East Mount Vernon SVC Parking lot is the East Campus Building. Formerly the home of Grace Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational protestant church it was vacated by the church several years ago and has changed hands several times since. Briefly, it was used by the Mount Vernon Police department but was then acquired by SVC. It has since been used by SVC as storage as well as host building the Life Transitions program until spring of 2016. That spring SVC administration decided to move the Life Transitions program out of the East Campus building and into Nelson Hall. Since then the building has remained unoccupied.
The Life Transitions program was born out of the displaced homemakers program which was used to train women who were divorced or leaving a bad situation and were seeking to re-enter the workforce.
Meet Simeon Billick!
Meet Simeon Billick, future phenomenal nurse and bassist extraordinaire. Billick was born in White Rock, British Columbia on November 4th, 1995.
He enrolled at Skagit in 2014 with the original idea just to get a two year transfer degree. Like many students, he didn’t know what he wanted to do yet as the world holds many opportunities after high school. Confused and wondering
what adventures lie ahead, Billick consulted his parents. His mother, a respected doctor suggested he try nursing. Although he was originally not interested, in the end Billick decided to heed his mom’s advice and give it a shot. He describes the nursing program as tough but enjoyable. Often he studies for 4 or 5 hours every day for tests and clinicals. Even though it sounds extremely difficult. Billick has a great warm attitude about it. “I get to meet a whole bunch of new folks, and I get to really learn how to problem solve” he says.
Meet the McIntyre Mastermind
As the director of McIntyre Hall, Nida Tautvydas has not only been incredibly important to the college for years on end, but to the broader community as well. Consistently driven since High School, she has perfected her craft doing what she’s always known to be her path, creating a unique culture of performing arts in the community along the way.
“In third grade I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to be involved in the performing arts center, I wanted to be performing, I wanted to be that piece that connects people,” She says when asked what lead her to where she is currently, and before she had even graduated she was doing just that. “I started off, probably when I was 5, with all kinds of dancing lessons, playing several instruments, my undergraduate degree was in performance and management, and my masters was in performing arts management. It’s always been that”. She toured early on through the Midwest and over seas performing classical music and dancing. She always connected with art and music, and found herself particularly interested in how it shapes who we are as people, thus resulting in her desire to bring that to people through a performing arts center.
Get Excited About Science!
By: Madison Brand
This Spring, The Science Club at Skagit Valley College is eager for student involvement to educate about science and to answer experimental questions. The primary goal of the club is to involve the community and promote science. All students who are curious about science or just interested in any type of science in general are encouraged to partake in the Science Club at Skagit Valley College.
Being involved in the science club comes with many perks. One is that anybody can join the club, even if not a science major. If students are interested in science majors, the science club is a fantastic way to network and to assist in transferring into a university. The science club leaders would like students know they want to help you as much as possible and is a fun place to explore curiosities around science! With always having access to the science lab, there will always be time for unanswered questions to be solved.
Profile David Goldsmith
David Goldsmith is a Lacrosse player at Stanwood Lacrosse, pizza delivery driver and running start student at SVC where he is taking Accounting and Economics. Goldsmith reports that Lacrosse practice is five days a week for 2 and a half ours. Goldsmith says Lacrosse has “Killed my work Schedule” He then added that since his lacrosse program is not part of the local school, Stanwood High school he has to drive himself to his lacrosse events which can take 3 and a half hours carpooling with teammates. Goldsmith expressed his desire for Stanwood High School to adopt the Stanwood Lacrosse program so that he can use the school bus for the commutes to events which he believes would be more convenient for the players, he also says the fees for Stanwood Lacrosse are $550 when the fees for school sports are only $100. Without the use of the school funding and resources the Stanwood Lacrosse team members cannot use the school stadium. Goldsmith said that if the team had been given the schools resources they may be able to find more players. With games only once or twice a week Goldsmith said when asked if he thinks the High School will be able to afford the expenses of the lacrosse club “yes I do believe they can afford it, and if anything, the return on investment will be greater with concessions if they let us use the stadium field”. Stanwood Lacrosse is currently third in the state and the team is currently facing their semi finals, these underdogs are celebrating the wins of 2 playoff games.
Taking Advantage of New Opportunities with the Criminal Justice Club
The Criminal Justice Club is providing students with a taste of the law enforcement world. Their mission is to “reach and connect with individuals interested in a career in or around the criminal justice field. [They] will work endlessly to form connections with people and set them up with various opportunities to assist with their journey and find ways to help them achieve their career goals through education, experience and exposure.”
This club is open to anyone who wants to join. They regularly have guest speakers including the Skagit County Coroner, Chief Tucker from Sedro Woolley and Chief Dodd from Mount Vernon. “The speakers are really cool. They show you certain sides of the profession that you wouldn’t normally get to see from the outside,” says Grace Oates, a member of the CJ Club.
The Outdoor Club: Busy with Local Service Projects
Living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, students are surrounded with endless opportunities to enjoy the out-of-doors. The Outdoor Club at SVC aims to get students out into nature with an appreciation for accessibility and a mindset of sustainability. Advised by faculty members Cliff Palmer and Sean Howard, this group of over 60 students enjoy staying active outside.
The mission of the Outdoor Club is to spread awareness of the innumerable options for appreciating the local surroundings. Speaking with Palmer, he noted that they seek to make everything they do accessible to the widest body of people.”
A big emphasis is placed on service projects, especially those focused towards sustainability on campus and beyond. Through activities like trail building, stream restoration, or volunteering for the US Forest Service, members are able to give back to the environment they enjoy.
The Fire Program at Skagit Valley College
9-1-1… how can I help you? You have a fire in a building? This where the training begins Pat McVicker is one of Skagit Valley College fire program instructor. There are many interesting things about the fire program that many people may not know. I would like to share information provided by Pat McVicker. The Skagit Valley College Fire program takes two years for a student to complete. McVicker states that on the first day of his class, states that he is a dancer. This is an exaggeration to get his point across to new students that you can be any person you want.
To Withdraw or Not to Withdraw, That Is the Question
By Tessa Oman
There has recently been a proposal to change the Withdrawal Policy at Skagit Valley College. A public hearing was held in April to allow members of the campus to voice their opinions regarding the proposed change. On May 17, the Student Services Committee will hold a meeting to go over the results of the public hearing. They will then make a recommendation either for or against the change. Once the Student Services Committee reviews the public hearing, their recommendation will go to the Governance Steering Committee…
What’s Happening With Student Government
The Associated Students of Skagit Valley College (ASSVC) is a group of elected students that meet to represent the student body. They work with faculty to serve the changes students want to see in the administration. The student body is in charge of electing their representatives in the spring and fall months. Students are encouraged to get involved as much as possible to help make the changes they would like to see on campus. The Student Government is made up of executive officers and a legislature. Among the executive officers include The President, Flor Zamorano-Beltran, The Treasurer, YiLin (Lorraine) Zhou, and The Secretary, Cynthia Ocampo. There are multiple student representatives among the Student Government. Junghoun Ko is Club Relations and Communications Representative and Tatum Kenn is the Community Service Representative.
DREAMer’s Make a Difference
By: Madison Brand
On Friday May 4th, 2018, the DREAMer’s Club held their first annual iDREAM conference from 8 pm to 2 pm. The event had multiple activities including workshops, student panels, keynote speakers, and a free lunch included! Students, parents, and all staff were welcome to attend the event. At 7:30 pm, Las Cafeteras, a band that plays traditional music, afro-mexican music, and zapateando dancing. performed at McIntyre Hall. Las Cafeteras performs in tribute to women, civil rights…
Come Support the Artists of SVC
The Annual Juried Student Art Show has returned to Skagit Valley College! From April 9th to May 18th art students at SVC will be displaying their work in the Art Gallery, located in the Gary Knutzen Cardinal Center. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm. This year’s exhibition was juried by Jasmine Valandani, a local artist and teacher at Whatcom Community College. Valandani earned her MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art and her BFA from the University of San Francisco. Visit jasminevalandani.com to learn more about her background and view some of her pieces.
SVC VP Seeks Seat in State House
By Navor Jacob Tercero Dave Paul, the Vice President of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness (IPE) at Skagit Valley College announced Mid-March of 2018 that he is seeking election to the Washington State House of Representatives. The seat which he is running for is in the 10th Legislative District which includes parts of Mount Vernon, parts of Snohomish County and all of Island County. Mr. Paul is running against incumbent Representative Dave Hayes, a Republican. Mr. Paul, a Democrat, has said that his agenda, if elected, would greatly concern education, the environment, and gun control.
From Kenya to Skagit Valley: Not Your Average College Professor
By Isabella Loy
Every professor at Skagit Valley College has a different story. Some may have grown up in the area, some may have moved from a different state, but Edward Wesakania moved to the valley all the way from Kenya. Wesakania teaches POLS 101, POLS 202, Environmental Science, Environmental interpretation, geography, and more. In the winter, he will also be teaching his first learning community at the Whidbey Island campus. students have seen his familiar face and heard his incredibly interesting stories throughout his classes, and he never fails to teach in a way that relates to his own experiences…
SHATTER THE SILENCE STOP THE VIOLENCE
By Anna Dahl
Skagit Valley College is taking back the night with a rally and march dedicated to bring awareness of sexual assault in the Skagit Valley Community. Skagit Women’s Issues Club (SWIC) is in charge of the event, but PTK, Social Justice, Chefs Club, Human Services department, and many others are helping by contributing to this event.From 7-9:30pm on Friday April 27, men, women, and children in the community are welcome to meet in the Cardinal Center at the college for food, a workshop about embracing your voice, and to participate in the rally and march down College Way to Riverside Drive.
How Some School Manage to be Tuition -Fees
By Cameron Meyer
The month of April is the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Roozengaarde, one of two local tulip farms, is excited to share the results of hard work and beautiful flowers with not only visitors, but locals as well! Roozengaarde has been in business for over 30 years, located at Beaver Marsh Rd in Mount Vernon, and grows more than just tulips, although those are their most famous flower. Crocus, daffodils, hiasans, fritillaria imperialis, muscari, and other colorful flowers compliment the tulips. All flowers are all on sale at the store.
SVC Website Undergoes Big Update
The Skagit Valley College website received a massive overhaul during break, surprising some students and staff as they came back to begin spring quarter. On March 26th, SVC updated the outdated website with a fresh new look, and a streamlined user experience to help students access information quicker. Marcus Badgley was hired by Skagit Valley College as the new web content specialist.
Tenure Awarded to Skilled Skagit Teachers
By Samuel Grant
Four of Skagit Valley College’s faculty were awarded tenure that will be effective this Fall Quarter fo 2018. These teachers have been evaluated by students as well as peers on their Tenure Review Committee. These four people include; Ms. Carolyn Dorothy, Allied Health Education, Ms. Shelley Price, Nursing, Dr. Tony St. John, Chemistry, and Mr. Kip Zwolenski, Early Childhood Education, all from the Mount Vernon campus.
STUDENT BODY SELECTS NEW HEAD
Navor Jacob Tercero
On December 7, 2017, the elected members of the Associated Students of Skagit Valley College (the ASSVC), met to select the interim replacement of then President of the ASSVC, Victor Gonzalez, for the remaining academic year. After meeting with three candidates for the position the ASSVC chose to appoint Flor Zamorano-Beltran as the interim Student President.
SVC Begins New Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management
By Emily Rathbone
Skagit Valley College is offering a new Bachelor’s degree in Applied Management for students starting in Fall Quarter of 2018. Applications for Fall 2018 will open on April 2, 2018 and the priority application period ends on April 30, 2018. SVC got approval from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in February 2018 “to offer and begin an Applied Management baccalaureate program in September 2018,” said Chief Public Information Officer Arden Ainley.
Education, Not Deportation
By Kali Ortiz On Monday, February 26, 2018, the Supreme Courts declined to hear Donald Trumps initial request to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, commonly known as DACA. More than 800,000 people are DACA recipients, and over a million non-DACA young adults face deportation. According to USA Today, “A federal judge in California ruled in January that the Trump administration used flawed legal reasoning when it decided to end the Obama-era program, and ordered it to continue processing DACA renewals. The Department of Justice made a rare, direct request to the Supreme Court to hear the awe, but the court ruled last week that it must go through the regular appeals process.”
