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the Eastern STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

inside

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Health Careers Boot Camp...........1 NEW TEAM MEMBER Shawn Berry...................................2 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Starting Anew!................................2 ACADEMICS Tri-C Calendar.................................3 STUDENT WORDS OF WISDOM....3 DID YOU KNOW? The New Math................................4 TUTOR SCHEDULE..........................4 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Sharonda Smith.............................5 FEATURED TRI-C PROGRAM: Mandel Scholars Academy...........5 MONEY PAGE Personal Finance Tips...................6 Early FAFSA.....................................7 WHO KNEW? You Have to Catch Those Zzzzzzs!... 7 FEATURED TRIO PROGRAM Educational Opportunity Center...... 8

in case you missed it

volume 2 issue 1 FALL 2016

by Kimberly Kattas

TRIO SSS Eastern Campus Health Careers Boot Camp Aug. 15 – 19, 2016 What Is the Health Careers Boot Camp? A series of workshops addressing material from prerequisite courses for almost all health career programs offered at Tri-C. Subjects include: Chemistry, Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, and Dimensional Analysis/Conversions. While Dimensional Analysis is not a specific course, it is applicable to Chemistry, Biochemistry and Nursing. This was our most popular workshop. Our Goal: To increase student success in required science courses and to reduce early withdrawal. For many students, these required courses are the first hard-science classes they encounter. As such, the courses can be overwhelming within the first few of weeks of the semester. Anxiety can set in before students get acclimated to their course loads, schedules and individual instructors, which creates a learning deficit as students

are forced to rush through foundational material. This can make them unprepared for the first quizzes and exams. The Health Careers Boot Camp offered an overview of the first few chapters of material in these courses. The goal was to provide students a prep session as they began the new semester to help prevent earlysemester grade slumps.

Article continued on page 8

staff TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES - EAST Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus, ESS 1113 4250 Richmond Road Highland Hills, Ohio 44122 216-987-2700 Office www.tri-c.edu/ssseast

TRiO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES www.tri-c.edu/ssseast

Back Row (left to right): Tiffany Wilder, Student Advisor Mary Ann Meaker, Student Advisor Alex Fuentes, Technology Tutor Shawn Berry, Program Assistant Front Row (left to right): Hasida Weber, Math/English Tutor Kimberly Kattas, Math/Science Instructional Assistant Tamera Hauser, Director

CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

director’s message

by Tamera Hauser

Starting Anew As we start to feel some relief from the heat of the summer, we are filled with anxiety for the impending fall semester. TRIO SSS is incredibly proud of what our students have accomplished during our first year at Tri-C Eastern Campus, and we look forward to continuing our support during the 2016-17 school year. We started our support before the semester began with the Health Careers Boot Camp and Jump Starts. These workshops are designed to prepare students for the challenges they may face during their fall semester courses. The Health Careers Boot Camp was conducted Aug. 15–18 by our science wiz, Kimberly Kattas. Kimberly provided a hands-on approach to learning subjects such as Chemistry, Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Dimensional Analysis. Students were given the opportunity to do practice problems, ask questions and use microscopes in preparation for the rigors of these courses. Read more about the Health Careers Boot Camp in our cover story. Jump Starts were held Aug. 22–24 and included workshops on Math

Anxiety and Recipe for Good Grades. Our math tutors, Hasida Weber and Kimberly Kattas, conducted workshops for specific sections of math. These included 0910, 0955 and 0965. Tiffany Wilder gave her always-energetic presentation on how to be engaged, be organized and manage time effectively for successful results. Thank you to Richard Larkin for volunteering his time to provide some insight and tips on how to conquer math anxiety. If you’re not yet registered, Tiffany and Mary Ann Meaker are here to help. The College has added DegreeWorks in my Tri-C space, which shows students where they are on their degree or certificate journey. DegreeWorks also identifies the specific courses needed to complete a program. Tiffany and Mary Ann can help you navigate DegreeWorks so you can keep track of your academic status. Important things to note: • We are looking for two work study students: One as an Office Assistant and one as a Marketing/VC&D Co-op student. We’d love to have a TRIO SSS student join our team. • Be on the lookout for the requirements to apply for our Grant

Aid scholarship. • There will be a scholarship workshop in October to help you find and apply for external scholarships. Details to come. • Note the College’s Academic Calendar on page 3. There are lots of events planned to welcome back our students. Please take advantage of them. If we haven’t seen you all summer, stop by to say hello and let us know how we can support you this semester.

introduction to staff

New Team Member - Shawn Berry Shawn Berry,

Program Assistant Shawn Berry comes to Tri-C after 20 years in retail banking, serving in various roles from Teller to Assistant Branch Manager. He worked at KeyBank for nearly 14 years and, most recently, was at PNC Bank for six. Also during that timeframe, while he was a student at Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus, Berry worked as a Lead Learner Coach for the Cleveland Transfer Connection. Berry graduated from Tri-C in 2012 with an Associate of Arts degree. In his spare time, Berry likes to coach and mentor youths who participate in a variety of sports. He also enjoys bowling, karaoke (watching, not singing!) and spending time with family. 2

TRiO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

TRiO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Info and calendar

Academics | Tri-C Calendar date

Tri-C calendar

highlight

September 5

Labor Day - College Closed - No Classes Scheduled

September 12

Last Day to Withdraw from Full Term (16 Weeks) and Session A (8 Weeks) with NO RECORD

September 12

Session O (14 Weeks) Begins

September 26

.Last Day to Withdraw from Session O (14 Weeks) with NO RECORD

October 5

Incomplete Grades for Spring Semester 2016 and Summer Session 2016 will become “F” Grades

October 7

Academic Progress Reporting for Full Term (16 Weeks) Due

October 9

Last Day to Withdraw from Session A (First 8 weeks) Course with a “W” Grade

October 21

Deadline to petition for graduation in Fall 2016

October 23

.Session A (First 8 Weeks) Ends

October 24

.Session B (Second 8 Weeks) Begins

October 24

Final Grades Due: Session A (First 8 Weeks)

October 26

.Grades Available (Session A) to students

November 7

Last Day to Withdraw from Session B (Second 8 Weeks) with NO RECORD

November 11

Veteran’s Day - College Closed - No Classes Scheduled

November 20

Last Day to Withdraw from Full Term (16 Weeks) Course with a “W” Grade

November 24 November 27

Thanksgiving Recess - College Closed - No Classes Scheduled

December 4

Last Day to Withdraw from Session O (14 Weeks) Course with a “W” Grade

December 4

Last Day to Withdraw from Session B (Second 8 Weeks) Course with a “W” Grade

December 12-18

Final Exam Week – Full Term

December 15

Fall Commencement 2016

December 18

Fall Semester Full Term, Session B (Second 8 Weeks) and Session O (14 Weeks) End

December 20

Final Grades Due - Full Term, Session B (Second 8 Weeks) and Session O (14 Weeks)

December 22

Grades (Full Term, Session B and Session O) available to students

December 23 – January 2, 2017

Winter Leave – College Closed

www.tri-c.edu/academic-calendar

Students’ Words of Wisdom

Don’t be an island. You must engage in order to be successful. YOU NEED A NETWORK! The “net” works. - Moneeke Davis

www.tri-c.edu/ssseast

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CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Did you know?

by Hasida Weber

The New Math There are many changes coming to the math curriculum at Tri-C this fall. One big change will be for students who test into Math 0910 or below on their placement exam. Students who do not test into Math 0910 will be given the chance to take a non-credit, 16-week, Math Placement Self Study (MPSS). An area of the Technology Learning Center (TLC) has been set up specifically for MPSS students to use. Students also can complete the course at home or on any computer with internet access. After completing the MPSS, students can retake the math placement test. Another big change will be to the Math 0950/0960 classes. These classes will be eliminated and replaced with 0955 and 0965. The new classes are six credit hours each as opposed to four credit hours for 0950 and 0960. The new courses contain a more compact syllabus. Other classes that will be eliminated this year are: 0980, 1060, 1141, 1190, 1250, 1270, 1280, 1510 and 1521. The new classes being added to replace those courses are: 1100, 1240, 1530 and 1540.

There are also new Pathways for recommended math courses. The three Pathways for math courses are mapped out for your convenience. They are the Literacy Track, Statistics Track and STEM Track. Talk to your counselor or SSS advisor about the new math classes and how they fit into your course requirements.

Tutoring and study groups

Tutor Schedule Tutoring Hours 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday

Tuesday

Math, English & Science

Math, English & Science

Wednesday Math, English & Science IT-by appointment

Thursday

Friday

Math, English & Science

Sign up for Math Minds or Pulse (Science) study groups on our website, www.tri-c.edu/ssseast, or in ESS 1113.

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TRiO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

TRiO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

TRIO Student Spotlight

by Tiffany Wilder

Sharonda Smith “Submit to something greater than yourself.” ~A’Bria Robinson TRIO SSS is honored to spotlight Sharonda Smith, a sophomore looking forward to graduating in the spring of 2018. Sharonda entered the TRIO SSS program her first semester at Tri-C as she began her studies toward the Associate of Arts degree. Sharonda states, “My college experience is filled with amazing opportunities, plenty of discoveries, and a little bit of anxiety.” As a first-generation college student, Sharonda is still deciding exactly in which direction she would like to move with her education. She has plans to transfer to Tougaloo College in Mississippi after she graduates from Tri-C. The TRIO SSS program has helped her in many ways: financially, academically and professionally. The program assisted her financially because she was encouraged to apply for the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Scholars Academy. Sharonda, along with other TRIO students, was accepted into the fall 2016 program,

Featured Tri-C Program

which will assist in developing essential leadership skills while paying for the cost of attendance. TRIO SSS also has helped Sharonda financially by way of the Grant Aid scholarship—provided to students each year. TRIO supported her academically by providing her with one-on-one and smallgroup tutoring to help her succeed with rigorous math courses. TRIO assisted Sharonda professionally by supporting her throughout her summer internship with the Republican National Convention, granted through The Washington Center. This opportunity gave her a chance to work for CNN and network with prominent people. “The TRIO staff helped me stay focused and be successful,” Sharonda said. “The program has assisted me with my class registration, tutoring, study skills and so much more. The financial literacy workshops, orientation and academic advising helped me be more aware and conscious of what is upcoming within my (course of study),” she added.

Throughout her Tri-C journey, Sharonda also has attended the Race for Foster Care Children. She is one of the newest members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, is a Student Senator on TriC’s Student Government panel, and is working toward a Leadership Certificate. Along with being very engaged with the College’s programs and clubs, she’s also worked two jobs while maintaining a very high GPA. Sharonda models the meaning of her favorite quote by A’Bria Robinson: “Submit to something greater than yourself.”

by Hasida Weber

Mandel Scholars Academy The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Scholars Academy is a new program at Tri-C for students with a strong academic record and leadership skills. The program helps students to study the humanities and leadership with their peers. They are given the opportunity to collaborate, contribute to their community and hear from nationally recognized speakers. Students are awarded a full scholarship by the program for up to two years.

In order to participate in the program, students must have a GPA above 3.0, high test scores, a personal interview and a commitment to finishing their degree within two years. For more information, go to: http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/ liberal-arts-and-sciences/mandel-center/scholars-academy.html

Let’s congratulate the current TRIO SSS students who have been accepted to the Mandel Scholars Program: • Cherelda Bell

• Gabriel Kinsey

• Angelique Patton

• Dejuan Spencer

• Sadaya Brittian

• Alicia Kurtz

• Daysean Scott

• Lauren Zipp

• Moneeke Davis

• Ashley Miller

• Sharonda Smith

www.tri-c.edu/ssseast

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CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

money page

by Shawn Berry

Personal Finance Tips for College Students 1. BEWARE OF CREDIT CARDS! • Be very careful with how you use credit cards during college. Many students use them unwisely to purchase unnecessary items. You can spend years after graduation dealing with hundreds or thousands of dollars in highinterest credit card debt. Consider whether you really need a credit card. If you have one, treat it like a debit card: if you don’t have the cash, wait a few weeks. Don’t give in to the temptation! • Credit cards also will have an effect on your future borrowing power. As you grow older, some of you will take the route of buying a home versus renting, or buying a car instead of taking the bus. How you handle your credit during your early adult years will either positively or negatively influence a lender when it is time to make those purchases.

2. MANAGING YOUR MONEY • he basics of financial planning sound deceptively simple: Spend less than you earn and save for the future. However, living within your means is easier said than done. Just ask the huge percentage of American adults who have no emergency savings and no retirement nest egg. As a college student, you should take control of your money now. Make this your mantra: Ramen noodles now, filet mignon later. In other words, sacrifice now for rewards later by making smart decisions with your money.

• Open checking and savings accounts to help you manage your funds. Some banks offer free student checking accounts so you can avoid monthly service fees. DO NOT CARRY CHECKS WITH YOU. Checks are sometimes required as payment. Especially for the government, rent, services, etc. Some stores will only take cash or checks. Use them only when absolutely necessary. Be careful about tracking your balance. Checks can be an easy way to get in trouble with overdraft fees or return check fees, which generally are in the neighborhood of $35 per transaction. As a college student, you DO NOT want these fees to hinder your already limited budget. There are some banks that have online banking features specifically for students. These types of student accounts allow for additional online banking features that can advise you on how to allocate funds.

3. DEFINE “NEEDS” VS. “WANTS” • Defining what both of these terms truly mean will assist you exponentially. An example of this is “I need to buy groceries this week so I can eat” versus “I want to buy Madden 17 for my PS4.” There will be many temptations where the want will sacrifice the need. If you purchase the want, you are challenged to identify funds for the need. 6

4. SET SHORT- AND LONG-TERM FINANCIAL GOALS • Short-term goals are priorities that can be accomplished within two years. Be sure every goal has a specific purpose, cost and realistic target date. A good example of this for a college student is buying a car. You know that the car costs $2,000 and you save $125 per month in your account. You can purchase that vehicle in 16 months. The alternative is taking out a loan for that car at a high interest rate because of your lack of credit.

• Long-term financial goals are priorities that may take more than five years to accomplish. Most long-term goals require regular savings. A reasonable example of this is when someone knows that she wants to buy a house. In the area she is looking to buy, the house will cost $100,000. In order to pay a 10 percent down payment required, she could save $166 per month for five years for a $10,000 down payment.

5. START MONITORING YOUR CREDIT SCORE • Keeping a close eye on your credit score will be very important for major purchases in the future like that home or car. Some services monitor your credit reports and score from each of the three major credit reporting agencies – Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. This is extremely important for those students who do have credit cards. In addition, keeping up with your credit allows you to monitor red flags such as identity theft. With so many ways for your credit record to be hurt by a thief or fraud, it’s important to develop good credit monitoring practices.

TRiO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

TRiO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Early FAFSA Just getting into the stride of your new school year? Well, guess what? It’s almost time to do your FAFSA for next year. That’s right: the 2017-2018 FAFSA will open Oct. 1. How, you ask, can I do my FAFSA so early? Don’t I have to wait until my taxes are done? What good questions! Here are the answers: The federal financial aid application now allows students to use existing federal tax data. So, even though the FAFSA will open three months earlier than in the past, you can use your prior tax year information to complete the FAFSA. For the 2017-2018 school year, you can use your tax information from 2015, the tax return you filed this past spring, the one you used for this year’s (2016-2017) FAFSA. Got it? You don’t wait for your 2016 income and tax information. You fill out the FAFSA in October. It’s called “Early FAFSA.” Here’s a handy chart: IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND COLLEGE FROM JULY 1, 2017 – JUNE 30, 2018

YOU WILL SUBMIT THIS FAFSA 2017–18

YOU CAN SUBMIT THE FAFSA FROM OCT. 1, 2016 – JUNE 30, 2018

USING INCOME AND TAX INFORMATION FROM 2015

Why is the FAFSA changing? The U.S. Department of Education believes that the use of the latest tax information filed with the Internal Revenue Service by a student’s family, combined with a new Oct. 1 release date of the FAFSA, will make the application process easier for low- and middle-income students who need federal aid to pay for college. However, be aware that, in response, some colleges are moving up their priority aid deadlines. For example, The University of Akron’s priority FAFSA filing date is moving from March 1 to Dec. 1. Tri-C has not made any decision to move up the priority FAFSA filing date, but the bottom line is you do not want to wait to do your FAFSA. As you know, the earlier you get it in, the earlier the College financial aid office can process it. Early processing means that if financial aid requires any clarification or further information from you, you can comply in a timely manner. Also, early processing may help you receive some aid that’s given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Remember: FAFSA Early File – OCT. 1! References: studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/2017-18-fafsa-process-changes.png StudentAid.gov/fafsa www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/08/11/financial-aid-application-simpler-and-available-earlier-no-panacea

Who knew?

by Karly Smith

You have to catch those Zzzzzzs! College is one of those times in life often marked by sleep deprivation. There is so much to do, so many opportunities to partake in and friends to spend time with, that sleep can fall pretty low on the priority list. We cram or type madly or watch TV until 3 a.m., then wake up at 7 a.m. to shower and get to class (I am not speaking from experience here or anything). College students aren’t really in the business of chasing an extra hour or two of sleep (unless it is the weekend) but sleep, scientists are discovering, is more important than college students and most of the population actually think. The number of hours you get every night matters.

www.tri-c.edu/ssseast

Sleeping less than seven to eight hours per night can result in:

Here are a few tips to get a quality seven to eight hours of sleep:

• increased risk for heart disease,

• Make a bedtime routine so you fall

obesity and diabetes

asleep quicker and better

• decreased memory and recall skills • lower GPA • poor athletic performance • higher risk of automobile accidents

• Avoid screens (phone, TV, etc.) an

If sleep deprivation continues over time, your body will start to “feel” as though you are getting enough sleep. The reality is that your brain is continually damaged by not enough sleep.

hours before sleeping for better quality sleep

hour before bed so your brain does not think it is daytime and make it difficult to fall asleep

• Don’t drink caffeine three to four • Don’t drink caffeine three to four hours before sleeping for better quality sleep

• Don’t do homework or watch TV in bed—avoiding these activities will help your brain to associate your bed with sleep, making it easier to fall asleep 7

CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

featured TRIO program

The Educational Opportunity Center The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) at Cuyahoga Community College has been serving more than 1,200 Cuyahoga County adults age 19 and older each year since 1995. Recently, the TRIO program received notice that it will be able to continue services through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education in the amount of $341,000 per year for a five-year cycle.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS

The EOC assists participants with career exploration and GED class enrollment. Most importantly, the EOC assists with the college application process and student loan default resolution as well as completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The dedicated staff is here to assist you one-on-one or through group presentations, and to do whatever it takes to make the transition to higher education a more comfortable experience, whether it is your first time attending college or returning.

TRIO SSS Eastern Campus Health Careers Boot Camp Article continued from page 1 The Format: Each session included a pre-test and post-test, which allowed students to realize their learning progress and help them recognize subject weaknesses. This knowledge helped them to plan for future steps such as tutoring or study groups. Subject presentations included handson practice with problem solving, microscope use and traditional lecture accompanied by PowerPoint. Students were encouraged to interact, ask questions and demonstrate learning throughout.

At the conclusion of each session, students were invited to join subjectspecific study groups sponsored by TRIO Student Support Services (SSS). The boot camp content included: 1. First Day + Introduction to A&P I: Structural Hierarchy of the Human Body, Homeostasis, Anatomical Position, Planes and Axes, Cell Membrane Structure, Membrane Transport 2. Second Day + Introduction to Chemistry: Measurement, Atomic Structure, Ions, Periodic Table of Elements

+ Dimensional Analysis: Basic Math Techniques, Metric, Unit Conversion, Dimensional Analysis 3. Third Day Introduction to Microbiology: Microbes, Microbial Diversity, Bacterial Morphology, The Gram Stain, Practice Microscope Session 4. Fourth Day A&P II Selected Topics: Action Potential, Mitosis, Meiosis, Gametogenesis, DNA Replication – Transcription – Translation

Stay Connected | Linking Your Tri-C Email to Your Personal Email 1. Start your browser: Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox 2. Log in to Office 365 (http://studentemail.tri-c.edu) 3. Click the settings icon (top right corner) 4. Select “Options” 5. Select “Forwarding” 6. On the bottom half of the new page (under “Forwarding”), enter the email address you want to forward your mail to, then click “start

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TRiO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

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