The banner represents students’ commitment to commit to complete their degrees.

Some outgoing members of Omega sigma chapter of Phi Theta Kappa also showed off regional and international awards they won in the “Honors in Action Project”, Texas Top Chapter award, Beta Alpha award in continued excellence.

For more information about degree completion visit MyHCCDegreeCounts.org.

DATE: Friday, June 1, 2012 – Time 11:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M.
LOCATION: HCC Southeast Learning Hub, 6815 Rustic Ave., Houston, TX 77087

It is the policy of the Houston Community College System to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability. Individuals with disabilities, who require special accommodations to interview, should contact the Employment Services Office.

“Culinary students are often intimidated by large cooking spaces,” said Van Damme, Professor of Bakery and Pastry Arts. “This will allow them to see the atmosphere and help them become comfortable.” Only advanced students are admitted into this course, many of them already working in the industry but pursuing a degree for a better career.

During the tour, the students learned about the nutrition plans customized for each Texans player. The players are provided a diagram for their specific dietary needs, some of them eating up to 6,000 calories a day. The stadium is equipped with a Texans cafeteria that serves lean and fat meats, smoothies, sandwiches and diet soda to the team. The foods are prepared in their respective kitchens such as the hot kitchen, equipped with ovens and stoves where meat is often cooked.

The objective of this field trip was to show students the diversification of the workplace. For students aspiring to own their own bakery, they learned that Reliant has 25% of its contracts with small businesses to provide desserts that chefs do not personally make at the stadium. Another perk of cooking for the NFL is chefs that work for stadiums have the opportunity to travel, especially for major events like the Super Bowl, which borrows chefs from stadiums across the country to have a staff of at least 350 for the event.

Pastry students Andrea Argulo and Anna Puente are not currently seeking a career in a stadium kitchen, but have aspirations to own or work for a bakery. Both are skilled cake decorators with their own personal businesses pursuing an Associate Degree in Baking and Pastry. Argulo’s baking career started with box cakes and Wilton’s cake decorating classes offered at local craft stores. Puente often makes birthday cakes for her family having graduated from simple buttercream frosted cakes to the use of fondant.

Their skills contrast those of classical cuisine cook and fellow classmate John Royes. Royes’s classical background enabled him to learn new culinary terms and face challenges, bread being his current primary interest.  He works as a consultant for other bakery businesses and has created the menu and prepared food for a friend’s wedding. With business experience of having once owned a medical company, Royes hopes to one day start a bakery.

With all the various goals Van Damme’s pastry students have, catching a glimpse of the professional cooking world of Reliant Stadium introduced much opportunity. Luxury kitchens often prefer chefs with a culinary degree, which already gives these students a head start in the industry. Reliant offers the professional experience needed by today’s students and tomorrow’s executive chefs.

Houston Community College will have prominent presence at the conference. Several HCC faculty members will present during the sessions, as well as Gigi Do, Executive Director of International Initiatives, and Dr. Mary S. Spangler, Chancellor for Houston Community College. Dr. Spangler will chair a session about “Building International Partnerships as a Community College.” Presenters in the session are Ibrahim Al Naimi, Supreme Education Council of Qatar, Qatar University; Saad Al Shehri, King Saud University; and Van Sau Nguyen, Chancellor, Saigon Institute of Technology.

HCC has successfully reached across the globe to bring education and faculty and student exchanges to Vietnam, Qatar, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. HCC is participating in an institutional exchange between Brazil and the United States to promote technical education programs. The college has a successful, long-term partnership with Vietnam and Saigon Tech where students in that country can earn HCC degrees in Business, Computer Science and Information Science Technology. In partnership with the government of Qatar, HCC established that nation’s first community college and the world’s first nationally sponsored community college. Also, the community college in Riyadh has selected HCC to provide consulting services for accreditation and English as a Second Language courses.

HCC’s other international initiatives include an exciting new 3-way partnership with the Texas Medical Center’s Texas Methodist International and Lebanon American University to assist pharmacy students in the doctoral program to complete their clinical requirements at Coleman College. This is the fifth year that HCC will send student and faculty ambassadors to the Salzburg Global Seminar’s week-long Community College International Study Program (ISP) in Salzburg, Austria. HCC has the largest number of international students of any community college in the nation. Eight percent of the student body is made up of students from 100 other nations, making HCC the number one community college choice in the country for international students.

In 2011, HCC received two awards for the college’s international efforts: the 2011 Bellwether Award for innovative international efforts and the 2011 Heiskell Award in recognition of the college’s program in internationalizing the Community College Curriculum.

Houston will be in the spotlight at “International Pillars of Houston.” Dr. Raymund Paredes, Texas state commissioner for higher education, and Julius Gribou, senior international officer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, will discuss Texas’ unique stake in the global education of its students in the session, “Globalizing Higher Education in Texas’ Policy and Programs.” And University of Houston’s Jordan Paust will address the topic “Examining Universal Human Rights: Speech, Association, and Education.”

Nobel Peace Prize winner and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee will address conference attendees Wednesday, May 30. She will discuss her pivotal role in ending Liberia’s civil war in 2003 and her current efforts to promote peace, democracy, and women’s rights. NAFSA’s week-long plenary line-up also includes former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, travel guide and television host Rick Steves, and newly appointed United Nations deputy secretary-general and longtime human rights activist Ambassador Jan Eliasson. Please note that the Robert Gates plenary is closed to the news media.

Three of those students, Erick Tovar, Mfon Ogbonna and Chinaza Moses took first, second and fifth place respectively in the competition.

The Top 5 Winning Designs received cash scholarships of $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $1,000 and $500.

While women continue to make inroads into prestigious, high-wage professions dominated by men, more men are reaching for the dream in female-dominated occupations that their fathers might never have considered.
…
In a classroom at Houston Community College, Dexter Rodriguez, 35, said his job in tech support had not been threatened by the tough economy. Nonetheless, he said, his family downsized the house, traded the new cars for used ones and began to live off savings, all so Mr. Rodriguez could train for a career he regarded as more exciting.

“I put myself into the recession,” he said, “because I wanted to go to nursing school.” Complete text of article.

Check out career options with HCC's Career Coach

“We are excited about adding this tool to the HCC web site and providing current, prospective students and our community at large a valuable tool to help guide the process of career selection. Education implies an investment of time and resources, and this tool provides real time data on career outlook and projections, which can help individuals in determining the return of their investment in specific fields of choice. When students have a clear career goal in mind their performance in the classroom improves. Career Coach provides that direction, almost like a personal Career GPS,” said Madeline Burillo, HCC Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce and Extended Learning. “We encourage any organization and schools to add this link to their web site as an additional resource for their clients and community.”

The HCC Career Coach site provides information about earning trends by occupation, employment trends by occupation, education and training requirements, regional job postings by occupation and a resume builder tool in a user friendly format. To use this tool, simply visit: http://hccs.emsicareercoach.com/ccindex.php.

In the event of a significant weather situation, stay alert and be aware of changes in the storm tracks and predicted landfalls. Do not rely on a single source of media. Have your home and family prepare NOW for any tropical storms or hurricanes.

Even if the Houston-Galveston area does not receive a direct hit, the rain bands associated with a storm can bring heavy rains and flooding to our area. Do not wait for a storm to be in the Gulf of Mexico to prepare your family for the possibility of being without power for several days.

Be prepared throughout hurricane season with the food and supplies you’ll need to ride out any possible storms. Be proactive in your planning, the time for action is now.

Below are some safety tips to consider before, during and after a hurricane. The tips are recommended by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service.

Necessities

• At least 7 gallons of water per person

• Battery-operated television or radio
• Spare batteries
• Manual can opener
• Flashlights and waterproof matches
• Toilet paper
• Baby supplies
• Cash (ATMs may not work after the storm)
• Change for pay phones
• Rain gear/sunscreen/hat
• Bleach or water purification tablets
• Soap and detergent
• Charcoal/lighter fluid or camping stove
• Disposable plates, glasses and utensils
• Ice chest and ice
• Valuable papers, or copies, in a waterproof bag
• Prescription and other necessary medicines
• Blankets, tarp and masking tape
• Three day’s worth of clothing, sleeping bags
• First aid kit, scissors, tweezers, bug spray

Food

• Baby food and baby formula
• Canned meats (Spam, chicken, ham)
• Canned fish (tuna, sardines)
• Canned meals: spaghetti, soup, stew, chili
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Cereal, crackers and cookies
• Coffee, tea, sodas, juice
• Granola bars and nuts
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Pudding

When the storm approaches

• Listen for weather updates
• Check gas, oil in vehicle, keep your car fueled and ready to go
• Check your emergency evacuation supplies
• Store enough drinking water to last several days
• Bring your pets indoors
• Board up or put storm shutters on windows
• Clear your yard of loose objects, bicycles, lawn furniture, trash cans, etc.
• Leave swimming pools filled. Super chlorinate the water, cover pump, filtration systems and intakes.
• Get extra cash. ATMs may be out of order after a severe storm

If you can stay home

• Obtain, mark clean containers for storing water.
• Obtain a week’s supply of nonperishable foods.
• Check your disaster supplies kit.
• Stay inside away from windows.

If you must evacuate

• Leave your home if asked to evacuate
• Turn off water and electricity at the main valve, breakers or fuses.
• Turn off propane gas tanks that serve individual appliances like a stove or grill.
• Do not turn off natural gas unless local officials advise to do so.

More info: FEMA’s hurricane Are You Ready? information.

“The project aligns closely with The George Foundation’s mission to benefit the citizens of Fort Bend County and build economic security for vulnerable children and their families through sustained income and asset accumulation achieved through education,” said Dee Koch, grant officer for The George Foundation.

Funding constraints, time limitations and lack of resources are all potential barriers to a student’s participation and completion. Low-income students who must work during their academic careers are less likely to complete their studies. Many face not only financial challenges, but also those posed by families who do not understand the impact of education on an individual’s life-time earnings. Capital IDEA at HCC Stafford will provide selected HCC students the support they need to devote their energies and time to their education.

Capital IDEA provides broad, comprehensive support for program participants—funding the full cost of books, fees and tuition for selected, income-qualified participants. All participants are served by professional case managers while enrolled in college and in the program. The program also helps with child care costs and works with its graduates to find employment with good salaries, benefits and opportunity for career growth.

“The George Foundation has been a steadfast supporter of HCC students in Fort Bend County, and this further commitment to student scholarship and success will continue to be a source of hope and opportunity for hundreds of people facing seemingly insurmountable barriers to their education,” said HCC Chancellor Dr. Mary S. Spangler.

The majority of Capital IDEA participants require one or more developmental classes in math, English and writing. Funds received from The George Foundation will enable HCC to establish a Developmental Academy at HCC Southwest’s Stafford campus.

The Stafford campus is the largest in the HCC district, both in terms of enrollment and size. At more than 70 acres, it has grown to serve nearly twice the enrollment of other HCC campuses, largely due to the rapid growth of southwest Houston over the last 20 years. With all-around programs for core academics, workforce training and continuing education, enrollment is projected to increase substantially in the coming years.

Capital IDEA at HCC began at the Southeast College with a grant received from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation—the first-ever awarded to a community college as part of its Family Economic Security Initiative. Through funds received with this grant, HCC is already making a critical difference in the lives of students who might not otherwise have an opportunity to achieve a college education.

About Capital IDEA
Formed through the efforts of The Metropolitan Organization (TMO) and the Houston business community in cooperation with Houston Community College, Capital IDEA serves the community by acting as a bridge, connecting committed, yet underemployed people to employers in need of highly skilled workers. The vision of Capital IDEA is that every adult working for low wages will have a genuine opportunity to succeed in post-secondary education and to start a high-paying career. To learn more go to capitalideahouston.org.

About HCC
HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training and lifelong learning opportunities for more than 75,000 students each semester. HCC is composed of six colleges that serve the greater Houston area’s diverse communities by preparing individuals to live and work in today’s increasingly international and technological society. To learn more go to hccs.edu.