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Category: Campus News

#InspiringExcellence – Students to Perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City

February 7, 2018 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Since opening in 1891, Carnegie Hall has set the international standard for musical excellence as the aspirational destination for the world’s finest artists. In March, nearly two dozen East Central College students will become part of its storied history, joining the likes of George Gershwin, Judy Garland and The Beatles.

“Performing at Carnegie Hall is the ultimate stage for vocalists,” said student Jennifer Komo. “It’s a huge honor. I’m beyond thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait for the experience.”

The March 19 concert is being made possible by MidAmerica Productions, the foremost independent producer of choral concerts at Carnegie Hall. It will be an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students but also for East Central College Choral Director Dr. Tim Sexton.

“The Director of Choirs at the University of South Carolina, where I did my graduate work, was asked to submit a few names of choral directors he believed would be worthy of conducting an ensemble at Carnegie,” explained Dr. Sexton.  “Dr. Larry Wyatt submitted my name. I was then asked to contact other choral directors that I know to recruit singers.”

The East Central College students, alongside singers from St. Clair High School, Florida, Michigan, Arizona and New York, will perform Fern Hill by John Corigiliano.

For student Kassidy Forbus, it’s an opportunity she almost missed.

“This will be my first time to New York,” she said. “I know if I hadn’t went back to college, this opportunity would’ve never been made available to me in any other way.”

Music has become a big part of her college experience and her life.

“With words or not, one song can transport your mind to a time of your life when you were happy or sad,” Forbus asserted. “It’s truly amazing.”

The feeling is similar for Komo.

“Music is my safe haven,” she explained. “It doesn’t require anything from you. It doesn’t judge you for who you are. It is the ultimate unplug from the world.”

To go on the trip, each student has to pay their own way.  They are holding two fundraising events in February to help cover costs. On Saturday, February 10, the students will host a Valentine’s Dinner at Holy Trinity Lutheran in St. Clair. On Saturday, February 24, the Sons of the American Legion are hosting a Jazz and Dinner event from 5 – 7 p.m. in Union.  Following the dinner, Voce Blue, Jazz Band and Jazz Combo will perform their annual swing concert in the American Legion Hall. Tickets can be purchased at the door for both events!

Picture – Back: Caleb Sankey, Nick Rost, Gabe Loaiza, Noah Currier, Mason Witte, Daniel Nuener, Middle: Jimmy Maynard, Rachael Engelbrecht, Alex Gansmann, Toby Loaiza, Jennifer Komo, Garrett Smith, Front : Carolyn Allgaier, Mikayla Grable, Larissa Grable, Crystal Reed.

Students not pictured but attending: Courtney Burris, Sabyrn Smith, Kassidy Forbus, Jess Brown, Josh Adams, Robyn Miche.

East Central College Alumna Using Art Therapy to Help Patients

February 5, 2018 | Art Campus News

When she was a senior in high school, Morgaine Denison was awarded an art scholarship to East Central College. She didn’t know it at the time, but it started the St. James native down a path to helping people in need.

“Creating art has always provided a space where I feel confident that my voice is heard and understood,” she explained. “It has always been my voice and sanctuary.”

After her time at East Central College, Denison transferred to Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville.

“While I was finishing my bachelor’s degree, I had the opportunity to shadow an art therapist at a community mental and behavioral health facility,” she explained.

It was an eye-opening experience for Denison. She soon after decided to pursue a master’s degree in art therapy counseling. The degree combines the therapeutic uses of art-making with the skills of a professional counselor. Art therapy counselors are able to help people work through trauma, mental health issues, illness and challenges in living, as well as help those who seek personal insight and change.

“A common misconception is that art therapy only suited for children,” she said, “but art therapy has been proven effective among a variety of populations!”

When trauma occurs, Denison explained, the brain stores information from the event on both sides of our brain. Complications from trauma arise when people are unable to access the verbal processes in the brain. That’s when art therapy can be a useful tool.

“If we cannot speak about the experience, it makes traditional talk-therapy difficult to engage in. Art has the ability to move information from the ‘feelings part’ of our brain to the ‘speaking part’ of our brain. I feel this makes art therapy such a viable treatment modality for many,” she said.

Denison’s artwork is currently on display in the East Central College Art Gallery. Titled Art Therapy Expanded, the exhibit gives the community an inside look into art therapy. All works were created by the art therapy graduate students from Southern Illinois University—Edwardsville, as well as a few faculty members.

A reception will be held for the exhibit February 15 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in Hansen Hall, 1964 Prairie Dell Road in Union. It will give the community a chance to interact with the artists.

Fink Johnson, Freitag Selected for Board of Trustees

January 22, 2018 | Campus News

Prudence Fink Johnson and Audrey Freitag will be sworn in as East Central College Board of Trustees members in 2018.

Filing for the April Board of Trustees election closed January 16 for two expiring terms. Since neither seat was contested, an election will not be held in April. Fink Johnson and Freitag will be sworn into office and begin their terms at the April meeting.

Fink Johnson will continue representing Subdistrict 2, which includes the school districts of Lonedell R-14, St. Clair R-13 and Union R-11, excluding the Lyon and Boone Township portion of Union R-11 and the portion located in the Beaufort-Union precinct. She was first elected to the board in 1994 and will begin her fifth term in April.

Freitag will represent Subdistrict 1, which includes the school districts of Crawford County R-1 (Bourbon), Sullivan C-2, Strain-Japan R-16, Spring Bluff R-15, Franklin County R-2 and New Haven, including the portions of Lyon and Boone Townships and the Beaufort-Union precinct in the Union R-11 School District.  Also included are the portions of the Boeuf and Lyon Townships in the Washington School District. She will replace Don Kappelmann, who retired after 12 years on the board. Audrey is an ECC alumna and has been active with the ECC Foundation for many years.

The Board of Trustees is the sole statutory legislative governing body responsible for the control and operation of East Central College. Monthly meetings are normally held on the first Monday of the month on campus. Learn more about the Board of Trustees.

Helpful Workshops for Students Jan. 22-25 in The Learning Center

January 16, 2018 | Campus News

Navigating a TI-83 or TI-84 calculator isn’t very easy. Figuring out the metric system isn’t a walk in the park either. Thankfully, The Learning Center has you covered on both topics! January 22-25, TLC will offer half-hour workshops to give students a refresher heading into the Spring 2018 semester.

Calculator Workshop:

Join us January 24-25 at noon in The Learning Center study room as we work through the MathBits.com TI-84 Cache Project. This session will be very helpful for students taking Statistics or College Algebra. Can’t make it? That’s okay! A recording will be made available on The Learning Center Moodle page after the session is over.

Metric Workshop:

Join us January 22-23 at noon in The Learning Center study room as we dive into the Metric System. This session will cover basic metric notation as well as metric conversion. This is a useful review for students taking Chemistry, Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Geology, Astronomy or Physics.

 

ECC Foundation Annual Meeting – January 25

January 5, 2018 | Campus News

The annual meeting of the East Central College Foundation will be held Thursday, January 25. at 6:00 p.m. in Buescher Hall, Room 238.

Nominations will be presented to the Board of Directors for 2018. Additionally, the oath of office will be administered to newly elected and returning Directors.

The ECC Foundation Board of Directors is composed of up to 30 individuals from business and community leaders who take an active role in fundraising, membership activities, finance, and investment planning. They also supervise planned gifts and endowments.

All persons interested in the advancement and growth of East Central College shall be eligible for membership in the Foundation.  Members shall have made a $50 value contribution for each Foundation fiscal year or portion thereof.  Contributions made within a period of 60 days prior to the commencement of a fiscal year will be considered as payment in full through the following fiscal year period.  Members shall receive all services provided to the membership.

Established in 1975, the East Central College Foundation supports the growth and development of East Central College in whatever ways might be beneficial to students, staff, and facilities. It solicits and receives tax-deductible gifts which are managed for the benefit of the college and its students. It is chartered as a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization for educational purposes.

For information regarding the ECC Foundation, call 636-584-6506 or email: foundation@eastcentral.edu.

Union Police Department Holding Active Shooter Drill on Campus Jan. 9, 11

January 4, 2018 | Campus News

On Tuesday, January 9 and Thursday, January 11, the Union Police Department will hold active shooter drills at East Central College.

The training sessions will be held from 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Hansen Hall both days. ECC faculty and staff will take part in the training. Because of winter break, classes are not currently in session for students on campus.

“This exercise will be an important training opportunity for area law enforcement,” said East Central College President Dr. Jon Bauer, “and will better enable our faculty and staff to understand what this situation could involve.”

During the drills, campus will still be open. Any student needing assistance for the Spring 2018 semester can visit the Student Services Center located in Buescher Hall.

Fall 2017 President’s List Announced

December 20, 2017 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Each semester, East Central College recognizes students who have demonstrated exemplary academic achievement.

Upon completion of at least 12 fall semester credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.85 or greater, students are acknowledged on the President’s List. More than 115 students made the list!

Fall 2017 Vice President’s List Announced

December 20, 2017 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Each semester, East Central College recognizes students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement.

Upon completion of at least 12 semester credit hours with a semester grade point between 3.50 and 3.84, students are acknowledged by placement on the Vice President’s List. For the Fall 2017 semester, there were more than 180 students on the list!

East Central College Foundation Awards Mini-Grants

December 19, 2017 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

Each year, the East Central College Foundation awards mini-grants to scholastic departments and programs through The Albert C. Buescher Memorial. In 2017, seven awards were given to help support various initiatives.

The Learning Center was awarded a mini-grant to implement online math and science tutoring through the purchase of Boogie Board Sync.

“This e-writer can be linked to a computer and a whiteboard app,” said Learning Center Specialist Alison Tucker. “Tutors will be able to communicate more effectively with students.”

The Learning Center was also awarded a mini-grant to purchase anatomical models for students and tutors to use.

The Financial Aid Department was awarded a mini-grant in order to purchase a printer and supplies for the new Veterans Lounge in the Donald Shook Student Center.

“The veteran students are very appreciative of the printer,” said Financial Aid Advisor Lorrie Baird. “They sometimes have long stretches between classes and the lounge is a quiet place for them to retreat and do their homework.  It is inconvenient for some of the students to complete an assignment and then go over to the Learning Center or Library to print out the work.”

The Theatre Program was awarded a mini-grant for much needed video equipment, lighting, microphones and other items as learning tools for students.

“We recently used the equipment to film I Love New York” (photo), said Theatre Director Grace Austin. “It’s been very helpful for them to be able to view their work on stage.”

A mini-grant is being used to help support the East Central College Career and Transfer Fair in the spring semester.

The Civic Engagement Committee was awarded a mini-grant to host a month of service event for students, staff and faculty.

“Our goal is to provide students, faculty and staff opportunities for personal growth,” explained Communications Instructor Shanee Haynes. “We want to give them a sense of social responsibility.”

The English Department will use its mini-grant to create a writing contest for area high school students.

“The project started as a way to get local schools involved with the college and a way to get them excited for writing,” said ECC English Instructor Josh Stroup. “We are very thankful to the Foundation for helping get this idea off the ground and to help connect us and our programs to the community.”