Pierce College News

June 29, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780 or dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

New continuing education program developer
wants to build strategic business partnerships

The new continuing education program developer/manager for the Puyallup campus has pledged to build strategic partnerships with Pierce County businesses to tailor programs to their need for skilled workers.

“Part of what I have a passion for is small business,” said Dana-Victoria Knesal. “I want to create opportunities for small business entrepreneurs and project managers. I’m looking at building strategic partnerships with Pierce County businesses and manufacturing companies in order to develop the business and industrial training they need.”

Knesal comes to Pierce College most recently from the Boeing Co., where she had a variety of responsibilities including training and development specialist, project manager, web designer, curriculum developer, business performance analyst and organizational consultant. Knesal has a bachelor of science in education/speech pathology from the University of Oregon and a master of science in audiology from University of Utah.

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June 17, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780 or dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Four Pierce students awarded
Take Aim Scholarships

Four Pierce College students have been selected as Take Aim Scholarship recipients for the 2004-2005 academic year.

Adrian Alston and Jonathan Smith will each receive $2,000 Take Aim Transfer Scholarship awards from Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA). These scholarships are given to students who have completed their associate degrees and are transferring to a four-year institution for the next academic year.

Students Welma Jackson and Felicia Jones have been awarded Take Aim Incentive Scholarships of $500 each from NELA. Incentive scholarships help students who are working toward a transferable associate degree.

Take Aim Scholarships were created in 2003 to encourage Washington community and technical college students, especially non-traditional students, to complete two-year degrees and transfer to a four-year college or university to complete their bachelor’s degrees. This is the inaugural year of the scholarship awards.

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June 15, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Dale Stowell, (253) 946-6780 or dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Pierce College welcomes Walt Sommers
as new director of student programs

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom has welcomed back former administrator Walt Sommers as its new director of student programs. He served from 1974-1987 as the director of student programs and the student center at Pierce (Fort Steilacoom Community) College. He left the college to earn his Ph.D. in student services administration from Oregon State University. Dr. Sommers most recently worked as the director of student activities at Northeastern Illinois University.

“The thing that most impresses me about community colleges, and about Pierce in particular, is that there is greater attention and concern for students and their success and less about the status of the institution or the importance of a particular administrator or faculty member,” Dr. Sommers said.

“The Northwest is my home, and I’m delighted to be back.”

Dr. Sommers will oversee a wide range of programs designed to support the academic curriculum including the operation of the student center and development of leadership skills among students and student organizations. Student programs can be reached at (253) 964-6612.

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June 3, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: Dale Stowell, (253) 964-6780 or dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Public can view rare transit of Venus on NASA Web cast June 7

Local stargazers will have their only opportunity until the year 2012 to view a rare transit of Venus on the evening of Monday, June 7 at the theater at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. The Tacoma Astronomical Society and the college will present a special free program beginning at 8:30 p.m. that will feature two lectures, Observing the Night Sky presented by Síon Heaney of the astronomical society and Venus presented by Paul Hinds, astronomy instructor. The evening will conclude with the NASA Web cast of the transit of Venus on the main viewing screen.

A transit of Venus occurs when the planet passes between Earth and the sun. It is similar to a solar eclipse except that the sun will not be blocked out, according to Heaney. Viewers will see the dark disk of Venus move across the surface of the sun as a black dot,” he said. “It gives people an idea of the dynamics of the solar system.” This transit of Venus is visible only from the other side of the globe, he explained, and NASA is making a video of the phenomenon available via Web cast. The transit is expected to begin at 10:13 p.m. and will take about 20 minutes for Venus to complete its passage.

The last transit of Venus occurred in 1882. The next one, in 2012, will be visible from this side of the world. But if you miss that one, there won’t be another transit of Venus until 2117, Heaney said.

Monday’s program is part of Pierce College’s summer “Star Parties” series presented in cooperation with The Tacoma Astronomical Society to offer close-ups of celestial life to the public. Indoor lectures and demonstrations are available on these evenings regardless of the weather. On nights with clear skies TAS volunteers will provide telescopic observations of the moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and double stars. Each season offers something new and unexpected for viewers.

In addition to the transit of Venus program, the following events are scheduled:

Dates Lecture Topic

June 12th & 26th Constellations–starts at 9 PM

July 24th Meteors and Asteroids–starts at 9 PM

August 7th Astronomy Fair — 11 a.m. through midnight

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom is at 9401 Farwest Dr. S.W., Lakewood. For information call Paul Hinds, (253) 964-6440 or visit www.tas-online.org.

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