friday takeout
December 3, 2021
CUPPA JOE | straight up news.
Western Governors University and Northeast Iowa Community College establish online degree transfer partnership ... news
Northeast Iowa RSVP program honors Georgie Klevar, 2014 Hall of Fame Outstanding Retiree and former Director of Continuing Education, for two decades of volunteer service … link
Whether they plan to complete a degree and transfer to a four-year college, learn a trade or train for an in-demand career, students are approaching their college choice differently ... Waterloo Courier College Guide
FACULTY AND STAFF: Stay up-to-date on the College's Strategic Plan and Tracking document in NICC Shared Files!
Dubuque Main Street honored our Town Clock Business Center with the Best Interior Rehab Award on Nov. 23!
WEEKLY FEATURE | good to know.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — LBGTQ and Safe Spaces
Note: This is the next installment of a five-part weekly series in Friday Takeout about the DEI Committee and their work.
This semester the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee’s training group organized Safe Zone Training for employees who want to create a friendly, accepting environment for the LGBTQ community on our campuses. Participants in the training session learned how members of this diverse community of individuals are defined, as illustrated by the LGBTQ Umbrella.
Safe Zone Training Handouts:
Learn more about creating a welcoming campus environment for LGBTQ individuals at The Safe Zone website.
APPETIZER | something for your appetite.
Brain Health Summit Keynote and Actor Sean Astin Offers Praise for NICC in Video
The keynote speaker at the Brain Health Summit on Oct. 19, actor and writer Sean Astin, was so impressed with the work Northeast Iowa Community College is doing to change the narrative about brain health that he recorded this video to express his praise for NICC as a leader in brain health education.
The Hollywood actor appeared in the films Rudy, The Goonies, Lord of the Rings and Stranger Things 2. At the NICC event, Astin discussed his deeply personal story of the brain health struggles and stigma his mother, actress Patty Duke, encountered while raising him as a child.
Professional Development Opportunities
Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities
Connection information is available in the Organizational Development site.
Upcycling Make and Take: Dog Toys Workshop | Tuesday, Dec. 7 | 1:30-2:15 p.m. | Calmar Campus Wilder Business Center Room 104
Join sustainability coordinators Piper and Kara for a fun, eco-friendly make-and-take craft! Turn an old T-shirt into a fun new toy for your furry friend! The workshop is FREE but participants are encouraged to bring an old T-shirt to upcycle.
Brain Health Training: Suicide Prevention and Problem Gambling | Thursday, Dec. 9 | Noon-1 p.m. | https://nicc.zoom.us/j/82474981263
Address brain/mental health concerns and provide support across the College. (0.1 CEU eligible)
Sustainable Gift Wrapping Workshop | Thursday, Dec. 9 | 1-2 p.m. | Peosta Campus Room 242
Sustainable Gift Wrapping Workshop: staff, faculty and students are invited to bring a gift and learn sustainable gift wrapping techniques with campus Sustainability Coordinators Piper and Kara.
Financial Basics | Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 | 10-11 a.m. | https://nicc.zoom.us/j/82464503595
The objective of this session is to give colleagues an overview of the College's budgeting and purchase processes so they can better understand how to use the GL Codes and submit invoices for payment.
Want to add the OD calendar to your NICC google calendar?
Simply follow the instructions at this link.
WELLNESS 360 | be well.
A Message from the Pandemic Response Team
We have received requests to host an on campus COVID-19 booster clinic. For your convenience, COVID-19 booster vaccinations will be available on each campus next week.
The clinics are open to any NICC employee, student or community member, age 18 or older who received their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago or those who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than two months ago.
Peosta Campus:
Thursday, Dec. 9, from 8-10 a.m. in room 249 of the main building. There are three appointments available every 15 minutes. The VNA will have Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson booster options onsite. Pre-registration is required. Click here for more details and to sign up.
Calmar Campus:
Thursday, Dec. 9, from 8:30-10:30 a.m in Student Center Library room 109. There are two appointments available every 10 minutes. Winneshiek County Public Health will have Moderna and Pfizer boosters, which you must select when you register. Pre-registration is required. Click here for more details and to sign up.
GREEN CORNER
Kara and Piper, our Green Iowa AmeriCorps Sustainability Coordinators, will be bringing us regular facts and tips to green your life and make it more sustainable.
Did you know? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans toss an extra 25 million tons of garbage during the holiday season. A lot of this garbage is non-recyclable wrapping paper that accompanies gifts we give each other around the holidays. Give the gift of less waste by opting for sustainable gift wrap options! Join Sustainability Coordinators Piper and Kara for a sustainable gift wrapping workshop, and learn about some low-waste ways to wrap your gifts this season! Sustainable gift wrapping can be sentimental, practical and, sometimes, time-saving!
Check out the RSVP here for the Peosta workshop or RSVP here for the Calmar workshop or stop by for a handout about sustainable gift wrapping methods!
Source: https://www.epa.state.oh.us/pic/facts/holiday
-Piper Wood
BIG FISH | be amazed.
Shannon Brenner
Instructional Designer
What is the best parenting tip?
The best parenting tip I ever received was from the television show, Super Nanny (don't tell my mother-in-law that it wasn't from her). The show featured this British nanny who was basically a child whisperer. I remember her saying that behavior problems always come down to listening. She made the point that kids will get easily overwhelmed and frustrated trying to remember 100 different rules. The real reason they get in trouble always boils down to just one rule — listening. I have always tried to talk with my kids about their behavior in this way, paring it down to this one simple rule. I think it's working — my 10-year-old is a pretty good listener (the jury is still out on the 2 1/2 year old).
A person who doesn’t know they have greatly impacted my life is ________________________. Please explain.
A person who has greatly impacted my life is my high school English teacher and newspaper advisor, Mr. Phil Shank. Mr. Shank was an ornery old man (picture Walter Matthau from Grumpy Old Men), and he spared me no mercy when it came to critiquing my writing, both in class and for the school newspaper. He was blunt in a way that teachers can't get away with anymore. But — he motivated me to work really hard and never get too comfortable with my own skills. He was a large factor in my decision to major in writing in college and to go to grad school for teaching.
What is the most irrational fear or phobia that you have?
This is a toss-up between elevators and centipedes. Actually, I think it's pretty rational to be afraid of centipedes — they are creepy and fast! So let's go with elevators. It's not the fear of crashing that gets me, it's the fear of getting stuck in one. But I'm also lazy, so I'll take them if I have more than maybe four floors to climb.
How do you feel about people and/or yourself cursing?
I think it's kind of ridiculous that we get so caught up on words that society has deemed to be good or bad. Words are a way to express creativity, and swear words can get really creative! I remember being in, I think it was 6th grade, and we read a story that included a couple of swear words. The teacher started a discussion about whether those words were necessary in the story. I was the only kid that advocated for the curse words. The teacher probably put a red flag next to my name after that.
What would be a good name for a conspiracy-themed restaurant?
It would be a seafood restaurant called, "There's Something Fishy." One of the featured dishes would be, "I Smell a Rat-atouille" and their signature dessert would be "Fried Secret Plan-tains." I spent way too much time thinking about this.
If you have input on a upcoming feature, Big Fish, something to celebrate or a suggestion, email us at news@nicc.edu!