Monthly Archives: March 2012
Foundation gets a boost from Steilacoom Chamber
Cindy McKitrick, president of the Steilacoom Chamber of Commerce and a Pierce College alumnus, presented Pierce College Foundation Board Treasurer Linda Evanson with a $2,000 check to support student scholarships at the March 16 Breakfast with the President at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom.
The Steilacoom Chamber of Commerce has, for 12 years, offered $1,000 scholarships for four graduating Steilacoom High School students to attend Pierce College. Funds for the scholarship are raised through the Chamber’s annual Spaghetti Dinner, the Grand Old Fourth of July festivities, and other smaller fundraisers.
Once the Chamber funds the scholarship, the process of identifying deserving students begins. Steilacoom High School’s Wanda Betancourt is instrumental in this part. Chosen students are awarded certificates at the Steilacoom High School Senior Awards Night each year.
Monday, March 19
Fort Steilacoom
No activities scheduled.
Puyallup
5 p.m. – Evening Student Success Fair. Get information on college resources, time management, study skills, budgeting, and more. Connection Cafe, College Center. Free.
Look ahead…Tuesday is the last day of winter quarter classes. Finals are set for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Good luck!
Friday, March 16
Fort Steilacoom
Noon to 1 p.m. – St. Patrick’s Day Root Beer Floats. Cafeteria, Cascade building. Free.
Puyallup
7:30 p.m. – Orchestra Concert. Arts and Allied Health Theatre. Free.
Look ahead…The Pierce College Concert Band will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Arts and Allied Health Theatre at Pierce Puyallup. Tickets are $5 at the door or free for Pierce students with ID.
Brain Rules author will speak at Pierce Puyallup on April 26
Dr. John Medina will speak at Pierce Puyallup on April 26.
Update: This event has sold out.
Dr. John Medina, bestselling author, brain researcher, and director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research at Seattle Pacific University, will make brain science fun and exciting in a high-energy presentation at Pierce College Puyallup
Dr. Medina will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 26, at Pierce College Puyallup’s Arts and Allied Health Theatre, 1601 39th Ave. SE. Tickets for the lecture are $5 for general admission and $2 for Pierce students. A book signing and reception will follow the presentation.
Tickets are available by phone at (253) 840-8416 and in person at the College Center building, Room 210. Seating is limited, so early ticket purchase is strongly recommended.
Medina’s bestseller “Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School” tackles the way our brains react to and organize information, and how our environments can be modified for peak brain performance. An engaging speaker, Medina uses humor and fascinating stories to bring the brain to life.
As a developmental molecular biologist, Medina has focused on the genes involved in human brain development and the genetics of psychiatric disorders. He has spent most of his professional life as a private research consultant, working primarily in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries on research related to mental health. Medina was the founding director of the Talaris Research Institute, a Seattle-based research center originally focused on how infants encode and process information at the cognitive, cellular, and molecular levels.
In 2004, Medina was made an affiliate scholar at the National Academy of Engineering. Other awards include: Outstanding Faculty of the Year at the College of Engineering at the University of Washington; the Merrill Dow/Continuing Medical Education National Teacher of the Year; and, twice, the Bioengineering Student Association Teacher of the Year. Medina has been a consultant to the Education Commission of the States and a regular speaker on the relationship between neurology and education. He also writes the “Molecules of the Mind” column for the Psychiatric Times.
Medina is the second speaker in the 2011-12 Pierce Presents Artists and Speakers Series, presented by the Pierce College Puyallup Office of Student Life. For more information, visit www.piercecollegepresents.com.
Thursday, March 15
Fort Steilacoom
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Women of the World. Dining bay, Cascade building
Puyallup
No activities scheduled.
Look ahead…Pick up a free root beer float between noon and 1 p.m. Friday on the fourth floor of the Cascade building at Pierce Fort Steilacoom.
Wednesday, March 14
Fort Steilacoom
No activities scheduled.
Puyallup
11 a.m. – Fire Safety Training. Connection Cafe, College Center. Free.
Look ahead…Learn about women of the world from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the cafeteria at Pierce Fort Steilacoom.
Tuesday, March 13
Fort Steilacoom
No activities scheduled.
Puyallup
7 p.m. – Open Mic Night. Sign up in C210. Watch in the cafeteria, College Center. Free food.
Look ahead…There will be fire safety training at 11 a.m. Wednesday in College Center at Pierce Puyallup. Free!
Monday, March 12
Fort Steilacoom
3 p.m. – Student Government Meeting. Open to all. Dining bay, Cascade building.
Puyallup
No activities scheduled.
Look ahead…There will be an Open Mic Night at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the College Center at Pierce Puyallup. Sign up to perform in C210. Free.
Friday, March 9
Fort Steilacoom
No activities scheduled.
Puyallup
1 to 4 p.m. – King Pong Tournament. Free food, prizes, and more. Sign up to play in C210.
7:30 p.m. – Choir Concert. Arts and Allied Health Theatre. Free.
Look ahead…Pierce students will be volunteering with Habitat for Humanity on Saturday in Tacoma. Sign up to help in C210, College Center, Pierce Puyallup.
2012 All-Washington Academic Team seeks to inspire
Four Pierce College students will be honored as members of the 2012 All-Washington Academic Team at noon Thursday, March 22, at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia. The ceremony recognizes top scholars from community and technical colleges from all over the state with scholarship prizes.
This year, the team members representing Pierce College Fort Steilacoom are Zoila Pina and Evan Lish. The team members representing Pierce College Puyallup are Zachary and Brandon Hawn.
Pierce Fort Steilacoom
Zoila Pina
At age three, Zoila Pina’s family moved to Mexico, where she attended school in a small town. When she was 16, her family returned to the U.S. and Zoila had to learn English and adjust to American life. She thrived and graduated high school with honors. Now 27 and living in Lakewood, Zoila is working towards an associate degree in business management at Pierce. Her goal is to earn a master’s degree and own a clothing store. She credits her son for being her biggest inspiration. Said Zoila, “I am all that my son has to look up to, so I decided to go back to school. He gives me enthusiasm, courage, strength, and the ability to keep progressing toward a brighter future.”
Evan Lish
An eager learner, Evan Lish, 29, of Lakewood, never understood why he scored highly on aptitude tests, but didn’t do well in school. During his 10-year career in the military, Evan was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, allowing him to understand his unique challenges and find new ways to succeed. Explained Evan, “ I began to attend college while I was still enlisted, and found that I was now very good at it. My natural energy and enthusiasm aided me in pursuing my goals, and meeting those goals drove me to create news ones.” Now, he works 10-hour days to support his family while balancing a busy academic life and working toward a career in industrial/organizational psychology.
Pierce Puyallup
Zachary Hawn
A lifelong animal-lover, Zachary Hawn, 19, of Puyallup, is committed to animal education. When he’s not studying, he works part-time as an educator at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, and volunteers for the Tacoma Nature Center and the Tahoma Audubon Society. Said Zachary, “I am a person who would rather stand out in a marsh looking for owls or waist-deep in water counting amphibian eggs than go to a party.” Zachary is studying science at Pierce and plans to transfer to a four-year university to study biology. His career goal is to become an environmental educator or zoologist.
Brandon Hawn
Brandon Hawn, Zachary’s twin brother, always enjoyed nature, but he didn’t know what he wanted to do as a career until his internship at the Tacoma Nature Center’s summer camp. A troublesome young camper announced he wanted to become just like Brandon, and Brandon suddenly understood the value of environmental education. He continues to motivate and inspire others as a volunteer with the Tacoma Nature Center and the Tahoma Audubon Society. Brandon is studying biology at Pierce and plans to transfer to a four-year university to study marine biology or environmental science. His career goal is to become an environmental educator or marine biologist.
All four students, by virtue of their inclusion on the state team, will receive $750 scholarships from Washington State Employees Credit Union, Key Bank, and the Northwest Education Loan Association. In addition, they are now nominated for the 2012 All-USA Academic Team. Officials from Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for students of two-year colleges, will select students for the All-USA team.
For more information on the All-Washington Academic Team and the ceremony, visit www.spscc.ctc.edu/allwa
