february 2014

Director’s Spotlight "Any growth requires a temporary loss of security." —Madeline Hunter

Insecure—that's how I felt the first time I walked on a college campus. I wasn't sure I could do it. I wasn't sure I even "belonged" there. I was the first in my family to go to college and needed to prove to myself and my family I could do it.

After graduating from high school, I worked to earn the money to pay for my first year. I knew I was on

my own--my parents couldn't afford college. I took the loans that were offered and kept going. The mantra in my head was something that my mother said. When courses got harder and the loan debt grew larger, my mother would ask me, "How badly do you want to finish college?"

I wanted an education because then I would have choices in my life that I wouldn't have otherwise. College is tough--but you can succeed by reminding yourself to stay the course to a better life for you and your family.

February 2014 Volume 8 Issue 6

FYI Feb. 10—Priority Registra on for

Spring Qtr.

Feb. 11—Advising Day for Spring Qtr.

Feb. 12—Apply for Spring

Gradua on

Feb. 17—President’s Day (CLOSED)

Mar. 5—Last Day to Withdraw

Mar. 6—LWIT Open House

Mar. 26—Winter Qtr. Ends

The Inside

Director’s Spotlight 1

What does TRiO Stand for? 1

TRiO Happenings 1

How to Communicate & Problem

Solve with Your Instructor 2

New Technology Services 3

5 Resume Myths Exposed 3

What is a 1098‐T Tax Form 4

Helpful Apps for Students 4

Campus Events—February 5

Sea le Area Events 5

The Learning Lab—Winter Qtr. 6

Lion’s Pride 6

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Facebook

Find us on the Web www.lwtech.edu/trio

What does TRiO Stand for? Many people ask what TRiO stands for. Here is the backstory to our name.

In the mid 1960’s, President Lyndon Johnson began a war on poverty. The war started after realizing that not all American’s were enjoying the same prosperity during the “profitable” years of the 1950’s. As a result of this war on poverty, the federal government created three educational opportunity programs. The first

program that emerged from the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was Upward Bound. The second program, created from the Higher Education Act of 1965, was Educational Talent Search. Finally in 1968, Student Support Services was created from the authorization of the Higher Education Amendments. “TRiO” was the term coined to describe these three programs in the late 1960’s.

Today, “TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post baccalaureate programs” (“Federal TRiO Programs,” n.d.).

For more information, click here.

BFET

If you are

an LWIT

student

receiving

federal food stamps and have

applied for FAFSA, you may

be eligible for benefits from

Basic Food Employment &

Training (BFET). These could

include a book s pend,

childcare, and advising. Please

visit Ka e Viola in W207 for

more informa on.

Counseling Services

LWIT offers students free,

short‐term counseling (3‐5

sessions). Community

resources, advocacy and

referrals are also available.

Please visit W207 to make an

appointment. If you are

experiencing an immediate

crisis, call the Crisis Clinic at

(206) 461‐3222.

TRiO Happenings

New Homepage—TRiO recently updated their homepage. We hope you’ll find the new layout easier to navigate. Visitors from SSCC—Four staff members from South Seattle Community College’s TRiO Program visited our TRiO Program on January 31. During their 2 hour visit, we shared insights about The Learning Lab and our TRiO best practices. The Learning Lab—44 students visited The Learning Lab on Thursday, January 30. This was the most students The Lab has seen on one day and it was awesome to see! Advisor Open House—Advisors Tien Do and Craig Kerr attended a workshop on January 31 at UW Bothell. They learned more about their academic programs and transfer process. Congratulations—TRiO Advisor, Tien Do, and his wife are expecting their first child this August.

How to Communicate and Problem Solve

with your Instructor 1. Identify the Issue—Think through the issue. Focus on specifics and remove the emotions. Consider the instructor’s point of view. Do assume that he/she wants you to do well. Don’t assume he/she doesn’t like you. Then, write out your issue.

2. Make an Appointment—Schedule a time when both of you can sit and talk. Trying to catch an instructor after class or in the hallway means they will not have time to really listen to your concerns or offer many solutions.

3. Be Assertive NOT Aggressive—Emphasize the importance of the issue. Refer to your written issue. Try to keep emotions out. Be careful with the words you use. Be polite. Stay calm. If you find yourself getting angry, try saying, “Excuse me, I don’t mean to sound angry, it is just that this class means a lot to me and I want to do well.”

4. Adopt a Problem Solving/Cooperative Attitude—Let the instructor know that you want to work with them to do better. Ask what help is available or where you can go to find out more information. Also, let the instructor know what he/she does that you find helpful.

5. Listen—Be sure to really listen to what they are saying. If they offer a solution or suggestion, repeat it back to make sure you understand.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Mark J. Felsheim, Ph.D., 2004 http://www.gpslifeplan.org/generic/pdf/how-to-communicate-with-professor.pdf

Thegivingofloveisaneducationinitself.—EleanorRoosevelt

Disability Support Services

Contact the

Disability

Support

Services

office as

early as possible if a

physical, sensory,

psychological, or learning

disability impacts your

ability to succeed in

classes. Please visit W207

or email

[email protected] for

more informa on.

WorkPlace 101 Workshop Two workshops will be offered this month: Febru‐ary 19 and February 26.

Career Choice Workshops 1st and 3rd Friday of every month at 10am

Please visit W207 for more informa on on career and job assistance.

5 Resume Myths Exposed Writing an effective resume is an intimidating task for any job seeker. There appears to be unwritten rules about what should be included in the resume. However, many of these are simply myths. Read on to read what professional job coaches have to say.

It’s all about you—It’s true that you want to tell employers about you on the resume, but be sure what you’re sharing is related to the job you’re applying for.

It can only be one length—There is no prescriptive length that your resume should be. It can be as long as it needs to be in order to convey the most important information.

It can’t contain any gaps in employment—Don’t allow gaps in employment to keep you from applying for the ideal job.

It’s a one-size-fits-all document—Tailor your resume to the job you are applying for. Be sure to use key words found in the job description.

It should only include paid experience—Your experience doesn’t just come from paid employment. You may have gained valuable skills through your coursework or volunteer experience. Be sure to share these if employers are looking for them.

Adapted from Monster’s Career Resources—http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/resume-writing-tips/resume_myths_cost_job/article.aspx

New Technology Services for Students IT Services is offering LWIT students two new exciting opportunities.

Microsoft Office 2013 for FREE— Please find the instructions to download Office on the Student Help Desk web page here.

Student IT Help Desk—Students can now ask any technology question for any type of device here. The Help Desk is available 24/7 via phone, email, or on the web. In-person support is available during select hours. Phone: 425-576-5865 Website: www.lwtech.edu/StudentHelpdesk Email: [email protected] In Person: M-Th 12-6pm, F 7am-3:30pm

Financial Aid Office

Remember

to apply for

financial aid

each year by

comple ng a

new FAFSA. Check your

award le er on the Student

Portal. If you are receiving

student loans, a new Loan

Request Form must be

completed.

For more informa on, visit

W209.

Opportunity Grant

Designed to help low‐

income students studying

for high demand career

fields such as Accoun ng,

Allied Health, I‐Best, and

Business Technology.

Services provided include

tui on and fees assistance

up to 45 credits, a book

s pend, and educa onal

advising and planning.


W207.

What is a 1098‐T Tax Form and What do I

do with it?

If you paid for qualified educational expenses like tuition during 2013, then you may have received a 1098-T Opportunity Tax Credit form from LWIT at the end of January. You can use this form when you are completing your 2013 Federal Taxes. The information on the 1098-T is used to determine if you are eligible for educational federal tax credits like the American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit.

If you are claimed as a dependent on someone else’s taxes, be sure to share this form with them.

Please note that if your tuition was paid by grant, scholarship, or a 3rd party agency, a 1098-T will not be printed, but you will still be able to see and print your information from LWIT’s Student Toolbox.

For more information on qualified educational expenses read this IRS page.

For more information about the Hope Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit read Chapter 35 of IRS Publication 17.

Helpful Apps for Students

Clear – this app helps you keep track of your to-do list, and sync them with your other electronic devices so you can access them from anywhere.

Snap2PDF – take a picture of any handout/textbook and convert it into a PDF on your device. This app can also translate many languages to English.

Google Drive – file storage that enables you to save files and share through a cloud, so you can access on any device. You can upload photos, videos, documents and other files that are important to you. Google Drive is free up to 15GB.

Mint – Mint pulls all of your financial accounts into one place. Stay on top of your finances and see what’s happening with all your accounts – checking, savings, credit cards, etc. It’s also very secure because you can’t do anything with your financial accounts other than view them.

Venmo – link your bank account to this app so you and your friends can pay one other back without having to deal with the hassle of cash or checks.

Veterans Services

LWIT is proud to assist all

Veterans, reservists, ac ve

duty personnel and eligible

family members who receive

Veteran's Administra on

educa on benefits.

For more informa on visit

W213B.

Worker Retraining

Laid off workers, displaced

homemakers, military

veterans, and previously self‐

employed LWIT students

may be eligible for this

program. This program

provides tui on assistance,

career counseling and

priority registra on.

For more informa on visit

W207.

Worker Retraining

Orienta ons

Tuesdays at 8:30am &

Fridays at 12:00pm in W213C

WorkFirst

This program helps eligible

TANF recipients with their

educa onal goals through

training, support, referrals,

and possible tui on

assistance.


W207.

Sea le Area Events Chinese New Year Celebration (Feb. 1) The Lunar New Year Celebration is the most important festivity in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. There is nonstop entertainment throughout the day including Lion and Dragon dances, Taiko drumming, martial arts and the fourth annual Children’s Parade Contest where kiddies can strut their best New Year’s cultural outfits on stage! Bring your family and friends to this exciting and unique cultural experience you can only find in the Chinatown-International District!

Northwest Flower and Garden Show (Feb. 5-9) Six acres of show gardens and 300 vendors fill the Seattle convention center.

International Motorcycle Show (Feb. 14-16) Find sport bikes, dirt bikes, scooters, ATVs, expert advice, live entertainment, and family activities at the International Motorcycle Show in the Seattle Convention Center.

Kid’s Day at Northwest Trek (Feb. 15-18) Up to 4 children are free with each paying adult during Kids ‘n’ Critters at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, which includes activities and crafts in Eatonville.

Northwest Outdoor Adventure Expo – February 28-March 2. Northwest Outdoor Adventure Expo is for outdoor enthusiasts and features a zip line, rock climbing wall, demo pool for kayaks, and tons of outdoor gear at CenturyLink Field Event Center.

Campus Events—February

3 4 5 President’s

Forum (1pm East)

6 Financial Aid Workshop

* US Army Recruiting (11am-1pm East)

7 Career Choice Workshop (10am)

10 Priority Registration for Spring Qtr.

11 Advising Day for Spring Qtr. (No Classes)

12 Apply for Spring Graduation

* US Navy Recruiting (11am-1pm, East)


* Family Movie Night (Despicable

Me 2 @ 5:30 W404)

14 Wine Dinner Series (6:30pm @ Chef City Grill)

17 President’s Day (CAMPUS CLOSED)

18 Resume Review (11am-1pm East)

19 Workplace 101—Resume (12pm W204f)


21 Career-Choice Workshop (10am)

24 25 26 Workplace 101– Interview (12pm W204f)


28

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

TRiO Projects 11605 132nd AVE NE E214B Kirkland, WA 98034 Pat Hunter: 425.739.8361 Erin Smith: 425.739.8353 Craig Kerr: 425.739.8360 Tien Do: 425.739.8249 Jenn Rossignol 425.739.8351

The enclosed materials were compiled through grants from the U.S. Department of Education. However, the contents have not been reviewed by the Department and no endorsement should be inferred. The Lake Washington Institute of Technology Student Support Services TRiO Projects are100% federally funded annually at $420,840.

The mission of the TRiO Projects at Lake Washington Ins tute of Technology is to increase the reten on, gradua on and transfer rates of eligible students. This is accomplished by providing suppor ve services such as tutoring, academic counseling, educa onal planning, academic success workshops, learning labs, financial educa on and transfer assistance.

The purpose of TRiO Projects is to assist first‐genera on and/or low‐income students and students with disabili es in achieving their post‐secondary academic ambi ons. Students are encouraged to complete their associate degree or cer ficate programs and, whenever feasible, enter a bachelor’s level program at LWIT or transfer to a four‐year ins tu on. TRiO Projects are commi ed to making college a rewarding and successful experience for each student par cipant.

No ce of Non‐Discrimina on– Lake Washington Ins tute of Technology is an equal opportunity ins tu on.

TRiO Participants

FREE Printing & Copying* *Please note that due to limited funding, prin ng and copying are at the discre on of TRiO staff and will usually not exceed 10

pages. No color prin ng or copying will be provided.

The Lion’s Pride The Lion’s Pride, an online publication showcasing student creativity, is accepting student submissions for the next issue until May 5, 2014.

If you are considering submitting work, please review the submission guidelines here.

To view the first issue, please click on the graphic.

february 2014

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