Hawks Corner

Hello, HACC Hawks!

Welcome to the student newsletter. HACC is dedicated to providing news that matters most to you in an easy-to-read format. We will continue to share relevant information and keep you “in the know” as we serve and support you.

This newsletter is shared with all current HACC students.

Thank you!

HACC's Core Values

Excellence:
  • We set high goals and achieve them.
  • We consistently perform above our own and others’ expectations.
  • We provide exceptional service to all.
Innovation:
  • We challenge the status quo.
  • We continually strive to develop new and creative approaches to the education and training needs of our communities.
Inclusivity:
  • We promote respect, collegiality, diversity and empathy in all we say and do.
  • We nurture awareness and cultural sensitivity to create a climate of trust.
  • We create a learning environment that appreciates diversity.
  • We respect the shared governance decision-making process.
Integrity:
  • We behave in a manner consistent with our core values.
  • We are honest, open and truthful in our statements and actions.
  • We provide the most accurate information available in all communication.

Visit Schools on Your Transfer List

Don't commit to enrolling in any school until after you've personally visited a 4-year college campus! The summer months can be an excellent time to research colleges and universities by visiting them alone or with family. Visiting college campuses allows you to get yourself in front of the admission team, meet with faculty, meet the students, eat the food, and try the place on for size. While visiting the schools, wear your best casual outfit and prepare a list of questions for everyone you meet. For information about colleges and universities that HACC has partnered up with, including their summer events, visit Transferring from HACC, select a college drop-down menu, find the schools that interest you, and begin your research for your summer campus tour adventure.

For information about the transfer process, don't hesitate to contact us.

Mind Your Mind

Happy June, HACC Student! Science has shown that getting more sun can increase your serotonin and have a positive impact on your mental health. Although you may still have classes, work and other life responsibilities, we wish to encourage you to get more sun and mind your mental health this summer. Find helpful resources below and check for more on the HACC calendar of events during the month of June!

  1. Mental Health Matters | June 2 at 6:30 p.m. | FREE Webinar | Registration required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mental-health-matters-tickets-161228744515?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

  2. Unmasking Mental Health Stigmas | June 9 at 8 p.m. | FREE Event | Registration required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unmasking-mental-health-stigmas-tickets-163431486977?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

  3. Understanding Depress | June 1 at 1 p.m. | FREE Webinar | Registration required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-depression-free-webinar-tickets-327341887397?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

How to Have a Productive Summer by Exploring and Preparing for Your Career!

The air is finally getting warmer, and the days are longer again (maybe forever?)—if there’s one thing we can count on, it’s change. You have all become excellent at adapting to the current situation; even when it has been challenging, you’ve still shown up. We want to thank you all for your persistence and praise your commitment to your education. Career Services is always here to help you take the necessary steps toward your career goals! Here are some ways to stay on top of your goals this summer, and of course, remember to relax! 😊


Career Services Staff are available during Summer hours to help you with any of the following (and more!):


Make a Career Advising appointment to explore and develop your unique career goals:

No matter where you are in your career journey—if you’re starting to explore or coming up on graduation, your goals might change—and that’s OK! We’re always here to help you figure out where to go next. We have the tools, resources, and expertise to help guide you through the process. The summer is a great time to dedicate to yourself and schedule an appointment with Career Services to explore further and create career and education goals.


Learn about careers through networking opportunities and the Career Mentoring Network:

Network with those already working in the field by job shadowing or conducting informational interviews. A job shadow experience is spending the day at work with a competent worker in your desired field; it gives you a chance to see what a typical day is like in this particular career. An informational interview is a short question-and-answer session with someone in your chosen career. It’s a chance to sit down with them and ask them specific questions about their career path and learn about the field. It’s helpful to do informational interviews with several people in the field, as everyone has different perspectives and experiences. On HACC’s College Central Network site, check out the Career Mentor Network! It is filled with contacts of different mentors across many other fields. Each is a professional in their field and is excited to talk to, network with and mentor HACC students.


Jump-start Your Successful Career by gaining hands-on experience:

Obtaining a summer job in your field is an incredibly valuable experience. You have a chance to earn money while building a network in your chosen field. Even if the job is not in your area, it’s still a great way to build your resume and gain valuable skills. Is there an important cause that you care about? Summer is a great time to volunteer and give back to the community and help others in need. In addition, participating in an internship has many benefits as well and is a great way to test drive your career. As they say, “experience is our greatest teacher.” You will gain hands-on experience in your chosen field; not only do you gain valuable skills, you better assess whether it’s a good fit for you. It’s a great way to build a network in your field! If you are interested in participating in a fall internship, we recommend starting your search NOW. Make an appointment with Career Services, and we can get you started with that process!


Take the time this summer to update your Resume, learn about cover letters, and master your interview skills:

Summer is a great time to write or update your resume. Your resume is the most important document to have readily available to start the job or internship search. Career Services is available to help you get started or review and provide feedback on what you already have! Once you have polished your resume, we will approve it to be posted on HACC’s College Central Network website: www.CollegeCentral.com/HACC. Companies interested in hiring HACC students and alumni can post positions on College Central Network—postings frequently update, so be sure to check it out!


Besides a stellar resume and a personalized cover letter, a good interview is crucial in obtaining a job. Interviewing can be a stressful experience, especially if you show up unprepared. Schedule an appointment with Career Services to learn more about expectations during the interview process. We can take preparational steps like reviewing common questions and helping you develop strong answers based on your skills and experiences. We can also set up “mock interview” appointments together and provide you with constructive feedback.


We hope you have the chance to relax, to have some fun, and to be productive this summer! We will be here to assist you if and when you need us. 😊


Wishes of Summertime Happiness,

-The Career Services Team

Explore, Discover and Connect with Internships and Experiential Learning Opportunities (IELOPs)

Your ultimate goal is to become employed in your chosen career field OR if you haven’t decided upon a career field yet, then to choose a career field. Exploring the ways to achieve these goals, sooner rather than later is best. Regardless of whether you are trying to land that first job or choose a career field, there are many IELOPs in which you can engage that are vital to YOUR student SUCCESS! IELOPs experiences are vital to YOUR student SUCCESS because you gain a better understanding of your coursework, develop your communication skills, strengthen your decision-making skills by accessing and working on real-world processes and resolving issues, improve your self-confidence and leadership skills, increases your chance to become more employable, and so much more. The first step is to determine which opportunities allow you to make those choices and provide you the best options to gain valuable experience.

  • Explore YOUR options. Ask yourself, what goal do you have and why do you want to achieve it? For example, you may like business and music; yet, you may be unsure in which areas you want to be employed let alone which program might be best for you. A goal here could be that you want to learn more about those careers so you can choose one. Then, you can do an informational interview with a career professional in each field to get answers to your questions. So, explore experiential learning (EL)(learning outside the classroom). EL will allow you to begin finding answers to accomplish your career goal!

Types of Experiential Learning Opportunities (ELOPs) you should engage in to accomplish your career goal include: informational interviews, job shadowing, service-learning, community service, mock interviews, studio performances, research projects, volunteering, internships and much more.

  • Discover YOUR options. After establishing a career goal, it’s time to discover which ELOPs will help you achieve it. If your goal is to know what a workday looks like in a particular career, then it’s time to do a job shadowing experience. If your goal is to showcase your accomplishments and projects to uniquely market yourself, then it’s time to create an E-Portfolio. To discover which ELOPs will help YOU succeed in reaching your goal, you should . . .

Attend an IELOPs Workshop (offered year-round). Choose from: Activate YOUR CCN account and learn about the resources/tools within CCN; learn about Informational Interviews & Job Shadowing; the Working in a Diverse World Series - Learn how to be successful and make a difference in the following workshops: Belonging in the Workplace Setting, Racial Equity, Gender Equity, and Intergenerational Talents & Skill Sets; How to Create an E-Portfolio (a unique way to market your accomplishments); Internship Planning & Searching; the Commonwealth of PA Series – Internships & Employment Opportunities, Tips to Succeed on Your Internship (get an edge over the competition) and more!

The best experience to help you land that first entry-level job is an internship. According to the latest survey from the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE), 95% of employers want and prefer to hire candidates with internship experience. Internships allow you to apply the knowledge you have learned and practice the skill sets you have acquired in your program here at HACC while learning additional professional skills. NOW is the time to plan on becoming one of THESE students in THAT category. The best way to achieve that goal is to develop a plan! Start early by doing the above ELOPs first to build up to completing an internship. Students feel more motivated to graduate after participating in ELOPs and doing an internship. Attend the Internship Workshops to help you achieve this goal.

  • Connect with people and experiences. IELOPs connect you with career professionals and experiences to achieve your career goals which allows you to make informed decisions, network and become more employable. It’s never too early to jump-start your career!

Remember, ACTIVATE your College Central Network (CCN) account; HACC’s Career Services Platform. From your CCN account, you can read, listen and watch about a variety of career-related topics from exploring a career through mock interviewing to landing that first job in your new career, submitting resumes to be reviewed and approved, searching and applying for volunteer, internship and employment experiences, locate a mentor in the Career Mentoring Network (for assignments, informational interviews, job shadowing, etc.), and register for career services events. Don’t delay, ACTIVATE today! Email CareerServices@hacc.edu for assistance.

Hawks Esports Make NJCAAE Playoffs

The HACC Hawks Esports Rocket League, Super Smash Bros Ultimate and Call of Duty: Vanguard teams all secured a spot in the Spring 2022 NJCAAe Playoffs. The Rocket League team faced Howard Community College April 18, 2022, in a best of five series. The Hawks put forth a strong team effort, but ultimately fell 3-0. The Super Smash Bros Ultimate player Jonathan "FatalErro64 '' Bulgrien took on his first playoff match April 19, 2022, against Carl Albert State College and captured the victory advancing to round two of the NJCAAe Playoffs. The second round was a tough battle against Calhoun Community College as Jonathan "FatalErro64" Bulgrien fell to the Warhawks; 3-2. Hawks Call of Duty: Vanguard team entered the NJCAAe Playoffs undefeated. The team captured the win in the Quarterfinals 3-2 and advanced to the Semifinals held April 29, 2022, against Laramie County Community College. The Hawks Call of Duty: Vanguard team was seeded second in the NJCAAe Playoffs. The team put forth a great effort, but fell short against the Golden Eagles. The Golden Eagles won the series 3-0, placing the Hawks in the Third Place Bracket of the NJCAAe Playoffs. The HACC Hawks battled in the cyber arena against the Warhawks of Calhoun Community College for Third Place Sunday, May 1, 2022. Both teams entered the match with a 10-1 overall record. The Hawks were seeded second and put forth a strong offense, firing on all cylinders. The Warhawks (fourth seed) struggled to defend and trailed behind. The Hawks took the lead early and captured the win 3-2 over Calhoun Community College. The HACC Hawks Call of Duty Vanguard team secured Third Place in the spring 2022 NJCAAe Playoffs!

Check out the Hawks in action at https://www.twitch.tv/haccathletics and Hawk Esports at https://www.twitch.tv/haccesports. For all Wellness programs and events, please visit the Wellness Calendar on the Hawks website: https://hacchawks.com/composite_wellness.

Hawks Athletics spring 2022 Award Recipients


W.A.R.E congratulates our student-athletes for their unwavering dedication and academic success this spring!


Esports

Sportsmanship Award: Jonathan Bulgrien

Leadership Award: Derian Cox

Point man Award: Abishek Rimal


Women’s Soccer

Sportsmanship Award: Alijah Wilson

Leadership Award: Cayla Bailey-Wolfe


Women’s Volleyball

Leadership Award: Kyla Kolivoski

Defensive Player of the Year: Sydnee Wishard


Cross-country

Sportsmanship Award: Andrew Hidden

Leadership and Dedication Award: Matthew Getz


Women’s Basketball

Sportsmanship Award: Amber Hummel

Leadership Award: Laquadra “Lala” Climons


Men’s Basketball

Sportsmanship Award: Matthew Fravel

Leadership Award: Keith Davis

Does Your School District Pay A Portion of Your Tuition?

Did you know that HACC has an agreement with select school districts in our service areas to provide a tuition reduction to their students? These school districts have agreed to pay a portion of your tuition if you have lived in their school district for at least a year- even if you did not go to high school in the area. The good news is that this benefit will not cost you anything! All you have to do to receive the tuition discount is show that you have lived in that school district for at least a year and submit the necessary application to your school district. To learn more about this tuition reduction opportunity, click here. If you have questions about this or how it applies to your account, contact the Welcome Center.

Join Our Amazing Team!

Do you enjoy helping others? Are you excited to share your story and what you have learned?

Then apply NOW to become a HAWK Guide with the New Student Orientation Unit!

Develop your leadership skills, find new friends, and be more involved with HACC students as a peer mentor and leader.

For more information, or to apply, visit collegecentral.com/hacc/ or email us at orientation@hacc.edu.