July 2019

Dochterman - Into the Light 1Honors Luncheon 2Seven Complete KCCD Leadership Academy 2Teamwork is at the Heart of Great Achievement 217 Inmates Make History as First to Graduate fromTehachapi ISEP 3Navarro: Every Day is a Great Day 3Foster New DA II in Counseling 3Recognizing Career Milestones 4FOUNDATION FEATURE:Coach Bird Inducted into Hall of Fame 4

Inside this Issue

Dochterman – Into the LightWe all experience turns in life—some good, some bad. When the bad ones come along, it is a choice we make to turn them around or continue to be held captive. Lake Isabella student Christine Dochterman’s story is one of love, hope, and victory—and of one woman who was determined to make a significant change in her life. Recently named the Kern River Valley Student of the Year, Christine also served as a student speaker at her Cerro Coso Commencement Ceremony on May 10th in Ridgecrest, where she shared her personal story of triumph over tragedy. “I was in a very dark place in my life and I didn’t have anyone to steer me in the right direction. The truth is only I can change my life. No one can do it for me,” she said. One day she sees a guy on the side of the road with a table, balloons, and a banner and thought to herself “I have to find out what this is all about.” As it turns out, it was a Cerro Coso Education Advisor and before she knew it, she was enrolled in college classes, something she had never really considered. The nurturing environment of the KRV campus is where she found her desire to be a victim advocate. It takes a special person to take on the role of an advocate, to help others during dark and difficult times providing the compassion, assistance, and advice needed to move forward. This is exactly what Christine wants to do, help others navigate through the darkness into the light. Christine says Cerro Coso was local, convenient, and affordable and the personal, up-close attention she received helped her build relationships that will last a lifetime. “I felt I was guaranteed success and not just a lost face in a sea of faces.” She credits the support of her husband and family

in helping to turn her life around in a way she never dreamed possible. What is next for Christine? “I’m in a position in my life where I can just sit back and wait for the perfect job to come a long,” she said. “I don’t have to settle anymore because I now have the confidence I need to succeed.” For Christine, college was more than just an education, it also helped her grow personally. Those benefits are intangible, immeasurable, and untethered. “I’m a true believer in the importance of an education,” she continued. Graduating from Cerro Coso with her daughter was a highlight for Christine. Currently three out of her seven family members are attending the college. It is all about being in the right place at the right time. It wasn’t

just a guy on the side of the road with balloons that changed the course of her life, it was the hope of a better future within her that gave her the courage to embrace the change needed to turn her life around. “Christine has worked so hard,” said Lisa Stephens, Director of the East Kern Region. “We are very proud of her accomplishments. She is a role model to all those who want to make changes in their lives but don’t really know how to do it.” Christine received three Associate Degrees from Cerro Coso in May: Human Services, Liberal Arts: Arts/Humanities, Liberal Arts: Social/Behavioral Science, and is a Phi Theta Kappa graduate. She is also the recipient of the Cerro Coso Community College Foundation, Inc. President’s Award for maintaining a cumulative 4.0 G.P.A. Directed. Focused. Nurtured. Connected. Valued. Engaged.

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Honors Luncheon The Honors Program celebrated its 2019 graduates: Elinelle Lee, Mariela Germann, Nadia Khatib, Andrew Ostrom, Chance English, Felicity Browne, Carol Blair, Christine Joy Coronel, Michael Chung, Michael Skipworth, Rhiannon Ximenez, and Grace Lloyd. The graduates, their families, faculty, and fellow Honors Program students attended a luncheon held on May 4th to recognize these outstanding students. Two $500 Faculty Honors Scholarships were awarded to Chance English and Mariela Germann, and a $1,000 President’s Honor Scholarship went to graduation high school student Emily Aralar, for her academic performance. Focused. Nurtured. Engaged. Connected. Valued. Directed.

Honor graduates l to r: Elinelle Lee, Mariela Germann, Nadia Khatib, Andrew Ostrom, Chance English, Felicity Browne, Carol Blair, Christine Joy Coronel, and Michael Chung. Not pictures: Michael Skipworth, Rhiannon Ximenez, and Grace Lloyd.

Teamwork is at the Heart of Great Achievement

Working in education is challenging, demanding, and rewarding every day. We have the great fortune to be employed by an organization whose administrators have high expectations, not only of their employees, but also of themselves. We work with terrific staff who pull together to exceed those expectations daily. Cerro Coso has an outstanding reputation and makes us proud to be valued members of the team. It may look like all fun and games, but well-crafted and delivered continuing professional development is important because it delivers benefits to the individual, the college, and the public. It is important to keep our knowledge and skills current so that we can deliver the high quality of service that safeguards the public and meets the expectations of our students. At Cerro Coso Professional Development is also engaging and fun. Nurtured. Connected. Valued.

Maintenance and Operations staff members: Christy Jansson, Christopher Schoor, and Richard Benites working together to build a tower.

Seven Complete KCCD Leadership Academy

Seven employees have completed the 2018-2019 Kern Community College District (KCCD) Leadership Academy, a professional development program that prepares employees for leadership roles throughout the district. Each year, KCCD presidents submit the names of employees to participate in the program. Chad Houck, Dean of Instruction; Jessica Kawelmacher, Admissions and Records Technician; Katie Bachman, Director of Outreach; Julianne Maikai, Alternative Media Specialist; Jessica Krall, CDC Program Manager; Caroline Sanderson, ESCC Program Manager; and John McHenry, Athletic Director, were selected for the 2018-2019 cohort after a competitive application process. The KCCD Leadership Academy is a yearlong program of monthly meetings on topics specific to community colleges. Academy participants from around the district attended the day-long sessions covering topics on: leadership, decision-making, communication, budgeting, student success, accreditation, and more. They also worked outside the sessions on team-based projects to effect positive change across the district. Nurtured. Connected. Valued.

L to r: Dr. Chad Houck, Jessica Kawelmacher, Katie Bachman, Julianne Maikai, Jessica Krall, Caroline Sanderson, and John McHenry.

Summer Hours EndAugust 1st

Navarro: Every Day is a Great Day

Lacey Navarro has joined the staff of Career Technical Education as an Administrative Secretary. She grew up in Bakersfield and recently moved to Ridgecrest to be closer to her husband who has been commuting and working locally for 4 years. Hired by the Greenfield Union School District in 1999 as an After School Program Site Director, Navarro moved to the District Office in 2016 to

become the Categorical Program Secretary. As the Administrative Secretary to CTE, Navarro will provide administrative support and assistance with CTE grants and budgets and assist with reporting requirements. She is married to Jorge Navarro, Jr., and together the two have two children, MaLynn (3 yrs.) and Jorge III (9 mos.), and a 3-year-old fur son named Teddy. Navarro says, “Every day is a great day. Beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from negativity.” Welcome to Cerro Coso Lacey. Focused. Valued.

COYOTE HOWLER 3

Seated l to r: Jack Connell, KCCD Trustee; Thomas Burke, KCCD Chancellor; Jill Board, CCCC President; Joe Sullivan, CCI Warden; Alice Perez, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for the California Community College Chancellor’s Office; Connie Gipson, CDCR Director of the Division of Adult Institutions; and Brant Choate, CDCR Director of Department of Rehabilitation. Back row l to r: Nicole Griffin, Program Manager; students - Phillip Knox, Guillermo Hartman, Luis Villarreal, William Copp, Tyler Lord, Jeffrey Fleming, Keith Franklin, Brennan Jones, William Miller, John Lawson, John McGuire, David Griffin, Fred Ruiz, Edward Leonard, Manuel Robledo, Hsin Wang (hardly visible; Lisa Stephens, East Kern Director; and Sergio Cadavid Foster New DA II in

CounselingWhen students and visitors enter the college for the first time, the person to greet them is typically not the College President or other administrators. It is the new DA II in Counseling, Kristin Foster, who creates the first impression vital to the smooth operations of all Student Services Programs. A native of Ridgecrest, Foster graduated from Cerro Coso in May with an Associate Degree in Business and plans to continue on to her Bachelor’s at Grand Canyon University in the spring. Engaged to Zach, Foster has two fur babies, Jade and Juno, and enjoys cooking, traveling, and exploring new places. In her new position at the College, she will be the first point of contact for many people each day. She will welcome students and guests, connect them with appropriate staff, and create a positive and memorable experience for anyone who walks in or calls our place of business. We are so excited to have you join the TEAM Kristin! We believe that you can use your skills and talent in making our college reach new heights. Welcome aboard. Nurtured. Connected.

17 Inmates Make History as First to Graduate from Tehachapi ISEP

Seventeen inmates from the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi made history Thursday, June 6, 2019, as the first to graduate from Cerro Coso’s Inmate Student Education Program (ISEP) at the Tehachapi facility. The inmates, wearing traditional graduation regalia over their prison uniforms, received their diplomas during a ceremony in the visitor’s room in the state prison. Of the 17 graduates, 15 are Phi Theta Kappa members, 2 graduated with honors, and 10 are National Latin Exam Awardees. Inmates Phillip Knox and Guillermo Hartman gave student addresses at the ceremony. Guillermo said of his achievement, “It’s the beginning of a new life and it’s probably got to be the biggest accomplishment so far.” He will complete his 10-year sentence in December and plans to attend San Diego State University’s former inmate program. “This program has totally opened my mind and let me know I’m worth being a successful member of society,” he said. The success of Cerro Coso’s ISEP has received both state and national attention. Guest speakers for the event included Brant Choate, CDCR Director of Department of Rehabilitation; Connie Gipson, CDCR Director of the Division of Adult Institutions; and Joe Sullivan, CCI Warden. The College began teaching classes in the Tehachapi prison in 2017. Focused. Nurtured. Engaged. Connected. Valued. Directed.

The Coyote Howler is a publication of Cerro Coso Community College. For more information about the stories in this publication, or to include information in this publication, contact Natalie Dorrell, Public Relations

Director, at 760-384-6260 or email ndorrell@cerrocoso.edu.

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About this Publication

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Coach Bird Inducted into Hall of FameOn May 18, 2019, former Head Men’s Basketball Coach Larry Bird was inducted into the Cerro Coso Athletics Hall of Fame. The longest standing head coach of a Coyote athletic team in the college’s history, Bird began his coaching journey in the Indian Wells Valley with his tenure at the helm of the Burroughs Boys’ Basketball team in 1973. For the next 11 years, Coach Bird would go on to lead his teams to numerous 1st place finishes including a CIF Championship during the 81’-82’ season. His success at the high school level caught the attention of Cerro Coso President Raymond McCue and Dean Don Mourton, and in 1985, they hired Bird to bring life into a struggling Coyote Basketball team. For the next 18 seasons, Larry Bird poured his heart into the Coyote Men’s Basketball team, to build a program the college and community could be proud of. Over the next two decades, Coach Bird’s teams went on to compete in Southern California, a traditionally very competitive basketball region. During that time, Coyote Basketball earned significant victories, moved multiple student athletes on to the four-year level, and finished near the top of their conference, which earned him respect among his peers and fear among his opponents. Larry Bird also served in the role as a Cerro Coso Counselor during his tenure on campus. Bird served

his students with a dedicated servant’s heart and was a master in his ability to connect with college students. For his dedication and commitment to Cerro Coso Community College both on the court and on campus, the Cerro Coso Coyote Club announced Coach Larry Bird as the 2019 Cerro Coso Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee. Hosted by the Coyote Club, the focus of the night was recognizing athletic achievement in the Indian Wells Valley while enshrining former Head Basketball Coach Larry Bird into the College’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Award recipients for the 2019 event included: Burroughs High School Girls Track and Field, Immanuel Christian School Girls Volleyball, Murray Middle School Boys 7th and 8th Grade Basketball and Girls Basketball, Gateway Elementary 5th Grade Boys Basketball, and Fall Elementary 5th Grade Girls Basketball. Directed. Focused. Nurtured. Engaged. Connected. Valued.

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FOUNDATION FEATURE

L to r: Athletic Director John McHenry and CC Hall of Fame Inductee former Coach Larry Bird.

Recognizing Career MilestonesCerro Coso takes pleasure in recognizing years of service for employees. Every year the College honors long-time classified staff, administrators, and retirees during their spring Professional Development Day. Those being recognized this year play many roles within the college community and include: 5 Years of Service: Rebecca Pang, Christy Jansson, Justin Witt, Yvonne Martin, Juan Bombela, and Kristin Hanle; 10 Years of Service: Crystal Leffler, Joana Galvez, and Lynn Charlon; 15 Years of Service: Juan Prieto; 20 Years of Service: Sherri Windish and Heather Ostash; and 35 Years of Service: Natalie Dorrell. Cerro Coso benefits from the dedication and skills these employees bring to their work every day. “Today we recognize the support, dedication, excellent work, and special efforts these employees have contributed to the success of our students,” said President Jill Board. “Your loyalty and distinguished service to Cerro Coso Community College is appreciated!” Focused. Nurtured. Engaged. Connected. Valued.

Cerro Coso President Jill Board congratulates Natalie Dorrell the Director of Public Relations and Institutional Advancement on 35 years of service to the college.