Pierce College News

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

For those thinking of earning their GED or taking Adult Basic Education classes, registration is open for Pierce College’s winter quarter. Tuition is only $25 per person per quarter, and tuition waivers are available for students who qualify. Students may register at the orientation session or at class at the site where they wish to attend.

Daytime classes:
* Old Country Buffet at Lakewood Towne Center. Classes meet 9 – 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Orientation is at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4.
* Bethel Family Center, Building P, 18020 “B” Street East, Spanaway. Classes meet 9 – 11:40 a.m. Monday and Wednesday. Orientation is at 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 5.
* Tillicum Community Center, 8514 Maple SW, Lakewood. Classes meet 8:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Monday and Tuesday. Orientation is at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4.

Evening classes:
* Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, C529, 9401 Farwest Dr. SW, Lakewood. Classes meet 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday. Orientation is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4.
* Thompson Elementary School: 15701 “B” Street East, Spanaway. Classes meet 5:30 – 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday. Orientation is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4.

Note: All classes run 10 weeks.

For more information call 253-964-6657.

For Immediate Release:
December 13, 2005

For More Information Contact:
Dale Stowell, Director College Relations
(253) 964-6780, dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Construction industry representatives have partnered with Pierce College faculty and staff to develop a two-year associate degree in Construction Management. The program is designed for individuals already in the construction trades or who want to enter this growth industry of construction management, supervision and project management.

The industry is nationally designated as a High Growth Job Training Initiative with a projected increase between 2002 and 2012 of one million new jobs. “Pierce College’s Construction Management degree program is just what the industry needs at a time when construction managers are in high demand nationally,” says Peter Guzman, City of Tacoma LEAP Coordinator.

Locally, The News Tribune named construction management as one of Pierce County’s top 10 highest-paid jobs, and one of the top 5 hot jobs for occupations expected to be in demand in Pierce County through 2012 in an article dated Dec. 11.

As the workforce reaches retirement, younger workers are needed. Pierce will help prepare individuals for these positions.

Classes are offered evenings, weekends and online to meet the needs of working adults. A new, Introduction to Construction Industry course starts winter quarter, Wednesday evenings through March 15 at the Fort Steilacoom campus.

“Young men and women graduating from this program will have a definite edge in hire-ability,” says Brad Sayre, VP Pre-construction, Absher Construction Co. “They will enter the marketplace with all the necessary skills to begin a career in Construction Management and managers is one of the areas of high need.”

External partnerships have played a vital role in the creation of this new degree. Through the entire development process, Pierce worked with industry partners with company representatives from Absher, Rushforth, Korsmo, Merit, Association of General Contractors (AGC), SW Washington Electrical, J.A.T.C., labor organizations, K-12 programs, regional community and technical programs and four-year universities. The perspective of each partner has been a valuable resource and has brought industry perspective to program development.

“As a Pierce College Graduate and a construction industry advocate, I feel…the new program…will help fill a void for new workers in the industry,” says Bob Streleski, Senior Project Manager, Rushforth Construction Co., Inc. Streleski participated in the program development.

“Overseeing the Local Employment and Apprenticeship Training program for the City of Tacoma, I have seen the demand for construction managers increase on our public works construction projects,” says Guzman. “As a result, I chose to participate in Pierce College’s development of a Construction Management degree program. It’s a ‘win, win’ situation for all parties involved.”

For more information call (253) 964-6712.

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom is located at 9401 Farwest Drive SW.

For Immediate Release
December 6, 2005

For More Information Contact
Dale Stowell, Director of District College Relations
(253) 964.6780, dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Lakewood, WA — Public auditions for the play The Darker Face of the Earth by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rita Dove will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 3 p.m. in the Pierce College Fort Steilacoom Theatre. The play calls for a total of 14 parts: four African American men, six African American women, three Caucasian men and one Caucasian woman. Kibibi Monie, executive director of Nu Black Arts West Theatre, Seattle, will be the guest director.

The Darker Face of the Earth is set on a Southern plantation during the era of slavery. The plantation owner’s wife gives birth to a child of color. Instead of being killed as ordered, he survived growing up elsewhere. The play tells the story of this man who ends up returning to his birthplace to come face to face with his own identity.

The play premiered at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 1996 and was produced at the Kennedy Center and the Royal National, among others. Dove was U.S. Poet Laureate from 1992 to 1995 and has earned numerous awards including the 1987 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her book Thomas and Beulah.

Guest director Kibibi Monie is the first African American to be president of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (A.F.T.R.A) Seattle local union. Known for her writing, acting and singing talents, she is also active with programs in Ghana, West Africa. The Nu Black Arts West Theatre is the oldest African American Theater Company in the state. Monie’s talents have been rewarded through the honor of being the only woman afforded the opportunity to perform a reading of the play The Homecoming by the double Pulitzer Prize winning author, August Wilson. In addition, Wilson gave her permission to portray a lead character in his award winning play Two Trains Running. Again, she is the only woman to have done so. Monie earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Evergreen State College, a master’s degree in the executive director program from Seattle University, and a diploma in cinematography from The New York Film Academy.

The play will be performed Feb. 17, 18, 24, and 25 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 22 and 23 at 10 a.m. at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom Theatre. Tickets are $7 for the general public. Students are $2. For more information contact (253) 964-6572, or visit www.pierce.ctc.edu.

To request disability accommodation, contact the Access and Disability Services office at least 10 days in advance at: (253) 964-6468/V, (253) 964-6228/TTY, or dssaccess@pierce.ctc.edu.

For Immediate Release:
December 5, 2006

For More Information Contact:
Dale Stowell, Director of College Relations
(253) 964-6780, dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Lakewood, WA – Beginning Jan. 4, 2006, a new, expanded class schedule is being offered at both Pierce College Fort Steilacoom and Puyallup to cater to working adults. Later start times of 6 and 8:20 p.m. and early morning classes beginning at 7 a.m. are also available.

Courses in accounting, art, business information technology, English as a second language, English, math, music, study skills, world languages and more are part of the colleges’ expanded course offerings.

More than half of Pierce College students reported working full or part-time last fall. The number is expected to remain about the same for 2005.

“We recognize that many of our students work. It is imperative that we expand our course offerings to make our class schedule as flexible as possible for that population,” said Dr. Sunny Burns, vice president student learning and success, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. “Traditionally, our evening classes began at 5:30 p.m. Recently, we’ve heard from working students that as traffic congestion in the south Puget Sound has grown, it’s increasingly more difficult to get to campus by 5:30 p.m. so we’ve shifted some of our evening class start times to 6 p.m.,” Burns said.

A number of Saturday courses are also available at both campuses and evening childcare is available on a quarterly basis Monday through Thursday for children ages 3-8 at the Fort Steilacoom campus.

Register now for winter quarter. Classes start Jan. 4. For more information call (253) 964-6581 or visit www.pierce.ctc.edu.

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom is located at 9401 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood.

Pierce College Puyallup is located at 1601 39th Avenue SE, Puyallup.

For Immediate Release
December 5, 2005

For More Information Contact
Dale Stowell, Director of College Relations
(253) 964-6780, dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Lakewood, WA – Paintings by Julie Shapiro will be featured at Pierce College’s Fine Arts Gallery in January 2006. Shapiro’s abstract works have been featured in solo shows in Seattle and New York as well as group exhibitions in Texas, Rhode Island, Seattle and New York.

According to Shapiro, the abstraction she pursues “allows for imagery that evolves from the familiar to particular form.” “I want a viewer to experience the combinations and openness that my work stresses as abstract,” Shapiro said.

The Fine Arts Gallery at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom features paintings, sculpture, and other art from local and national artists. The gallery is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to noon on Fridays. The exhibit is free and the general public is invited to attend.

To request disability accommodation, contact the Access and Disability Services office at least 10 days in advance at: (253) 964-6468/V, (253) 964-6228/TTY, or dssaccess@pierce.ctc.edu.

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom is located at 9401 Farwest Drive S.W., Lakewood.

For Immediate Release
December 5, 2005

For More Information Contact
Dale Stowell, Director of College Relations
(253) 964-6780, dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Lakewood, WA – SLAM, the award winning Student Literary Arts magazine is seeking poems, short stories, creative non-fiction, plays, photographs and artwork for its Spring 2006 issue. The submission deadline is December 9, 2005.

Anyone who has been a student at Pierce College in the past year is eligible to submit their work. For more information call (253) 964-6408 or visit www.pierce.ctc.edu/studentlife/slam.

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom is located at 9401 Farwest Drive S.W., Lakewood.

For Immediate Release
December 2, 2005

For More Information Contact
Dale Stowell, District College Relations director,
(253) 964-6780, dstowell@pierce.ctc.edu

Lakewood, WA — The Pierce College Fort Steilacoom jazz ensembles will host JazzNite Sunday, Dec. 4 at 3:00 p.m. at JazzBones while the Concert Band and Choir are scheduled to perform Friday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Mount Tahoma High School Auditorium. Each performance is $5.00 for the general public. Students are free.

The instrumental Jazz Ensembles I and II will play selections from the big band repertoire. Jazz Ensemble I is under the direction of instructor Tracy Knoop. Jazz Ensemble II is led by Kareem Kandi and Dr. Jere Knudtsen. Jazz Bones is located at 2803 6th Ave., Tacoma.

The Concert Band and Choir will perform traditional and seasonal favorites during the evening performance. The Concert Band is under the direction of Dr. Knudtsen. Evin Lambert directs the Concert Choir. Membership is composed of students and local area musicians. Mount Tahoma High School is located at 4634 S. 74th St., Tacoma.

College credit is available in all performance groups. For more information contact Dr. Jere Knudtsen at (253) 964-6572.

To request disability accommodation, contact the Access and Disability Services Office at least 10 days in advance at: (253) 964-6468/V, (253) 964-6228/TTY, or dssaccess@pierce.ctc.edu.