July 2009

Foundation
Board of Directors
President
David C. Heide

Vice President
Noreen Ligino-Kubinski

Treasurer
Philip T. Foster

Secretary
Margaret Lehner, Ed.D.

Brian Andersen
Frank R. Barre
Kent Bobb
Hon. Irene H. Brodie
Vernon O. Crawley, D.Ed.
Maria DeCaprio-Sunta
Anthony Q. Drake
Barry Gaw
Katie Maier
Egon J. Menker
John Moore
Omar Najib
Bruce G. Nawara, C.P.A.
William J. Opelka
Dick Post
Maureen Ryan
Dennis Shannon
Carolyn Viverito
Sandra Wagner
Jon Weglarz
Cheryl Wilson

Executive Director
Sue Linn

Message from the President
We are very excited about the changes taking place on campus, from the construction of new facilities to the renovation of current buildings.

It gives me great pleasure to invite you to an Open House and Buildings Dedication Sunday, Oct. 18, from 1-4 p.m. Please mark your calendars and come tour our new buildings and enjoy science demos, music, children’s activities, and more. We hope you will join us at this very special celebration.

The Student Union opened in March and features an expanded cafeteria, the Bob and Marge Bobb Social/Cultural Lounge, and Student Life offices. The Student Services Center renovations in the former College Center are underway, which will bring many services for students under one roof. That project is expected to be completed in April 2010.

The Science Hall, which I am honored to have named after me, will be ready for fall classes. Crawley Hall includes modern laboratories and comfortable study areas. The Moraine Business and Conference Center also opens this fall. The center includes spacious meeting rooms, offices and contemporary kitchen facilities for the Culinary Arts Program.

Ground broke last winter on our Southwest Education Center in Tinley Park, and construction is progressing. The center’s design will include earthfriendly sustainable features. Residents enrolling next year will find technology-rich classrooms and laboratories, ample study areas, a cybercafé, and student services.

We thank our district residents for supporting the 2006 capital bond referendum, which made these new buildings possible. Moraine Valley is proud that these wonderful new projects came in on time and on budget.

I encourage you, as a former Moraine Valley student, to take advantage of the many educational opportunities and job search services that will enrich your life and improve your marketability in the workplace.

Take a closer look at Moraine Valley and all we offer. You’ll see why we truly are changing lives for a changing world.

Sincerely,

Dr. Vernon O. Crawley, Ed.D.
College President

From the Foundation PresidentAs the college invites community members to view new facilities at a fall open house on Oct. 18 and as work continues on the Southwest Education Center in Tinley Park, the Foundation continues to focus on the critical need for ongoing financial support required to meet the educational needs of a growing college and student body.

Like many other colleges and universities, we continue to explore ways to obtain needed funds to support programs and services through opportunities such as soliciting donors to name buildings. I speak for the entire Foundation board when I say that we would be happy to discuss these possibilities with interested individuals, business owners and organizational leaders. At the same time, however, I also would encourage potential donors to consider other options to honor or memorialize individuals or organizations that extend beyond the naming of a “brick and mortar” facility.

Donors can name:

• academic and career programs

• an endowed faculty chair in any discipline

• and create scholarships tailored to match donor interests and current student needs.

These naming opportunities provide unique ways for donors to honor or memorialize individuals or organizations while also making important contributions that expand the availability of student scholarships, support ongoing program development needs and equipment upgrades, and fund salaries and faculty development.

Please contact our Foundation Office (708) 974-5335 or linns@morainevalley.edu to learn more.

Sincerely,
David Heide

Scholarship helps young lady bank
on a successful future

If not for the scholarship Reema Darwish was awarded through the Foundation, her aspirations of someday becoming a bank president would have been put on hold. “I am so grateful for this scholarship,” said Reema, recipient of the Robert J. Bobb Memorial Scholarship. “I don’t know what I would do without it.”

Reema is the oldest of six children and the recent unexpected downsizing at her father’s company caused great concern in her family. “Luckily my dad has been able to locate a new job, but it’s still not cutting it for my family,” she said. “This scholarship not only will help cover part of the cost of my tuition, but it will also bring some peace into my home situation. I want to use the skills I learn at Moraine Valley to help out those who have been affected most by the downturn in our economy. I came to this major career decision after having experienced firsthand the panic and terror that comes with unemployment,” she said.

“I owe Mrs. Bobb a very big thank you. This scholarship is helping so much. I hope one day to be a success and pay it forward by helping out someone else who needs a scholarship for school,” she said.

The Robert J. Bobb Memorial Scholarship was established by former Moraine Valley Community College Foundation board member Marguriet Bobb, in memory of her late husband.

Thanks to the generosity of a local foundation, more Moraine Valley students will be able to stay in school when faced with unforeseen financial difficulties. The Aileen S. Andrew Foundation, Orland Park, has provided a $10,000 gift to the Moraine Valley Dreamkeepers Emergency Financial Assistance Fund. The fund provides small grants to help college students bridge short-term financial crises that might otherwise cause them to drop out of school. Monies provided by the Andrew Foundation will be used to award immediate grant funds for 2009 and 2010 and to help the Moraine Valley Foundation  develop an interest-bearing endowment fund to provide ongoing funding for the emergency needs grants program.

In its first two years of operation, the Moraine Valley Dreamkeepers Emergency Financial Assistance Fund provided almost $32,000 in grants to help students cover short-term housing, food, utilities, tuition, books, and transportation  costs. All of the 141 students who received these emergency grants completed their studies during the semester of their grant award.

The Moraine Valley Dreamkeepers Emergency Financial Assistance Fund was established in 2007 with an initial grant of $5,000 to combat these critical problems and bolster student retention. In 2008, the Foundation sought  additional funding to expand the reach of the program, and was pleased that Moraine Valley was one of seven colleges in the nation to receive a $50,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation/Scholarship America Dreamkeepers program. Monies raised from the Foundation’s annual golf outing (see story in this newsletter for information on the 2009 event) currently provide the main source of ongoing funding to support  this important program.

Help Students Hold
Onto Their Educational
Dreams
Small grants—some less than $50, others a few hundred dollars—can make a powerful difference in the life of a Moraine Valley student. Shakira, Donald, and Aurelia* are just three of the students whose educational dreams are closer to realization thanks to short-term grants they received from the Moraine Valley Dreamkeepers Emergency Financial Assistance Fund.

Shakira, a full-time student in the Addictions Studies Program, already had successfully completed a semester of  course work despite a number of obstacles. The demands of her clinical program made it difficult to find an employer who could work around her  academic schedule, so he  had been supporting herself by braiding hair and picking up odd jobs whenever she could. With no money to cover housing costs, she had been living with a series of relatives and friends but had no transportation to get to and from school. A grant for bus passes ($35 a month) made it possible for Shakira to stay in school and complete the semester.

Donald, a part-time student pursuing an associate degree in psychology, had suffered an incapacitating injury while working in the trades and returned to school to make a transition to a new career. Even though he had completed studies to become a certified alcohol and drug abuse counselor, he was still searching for work. He also had a $7,500 student loan and had fallen behind in his bills. A grant of $200 to help pay utility costs and $300 to make a car payment helped stabilize Donald’s financial situation and allowed him to complete the semester and re-enroll for classes the following term.

When Aurelia, a full-time student and mother of three, had completed over 30 hours of studies in the associate degree Nursing Program, she was faced with some hard choices. The current economic recession had resulted in severe reductions in her husband’s salary and work hours.  As the family struggled to pay the mortgage and  keep up with its bills, Aurelia found she had to choose between purchasing required textbooks and supplies or the eyeglasses she needed to be able to read her textbooks.

When car trouble struck, she was unable to pay for repairs and had to rely on the kindness of family and friends for transportation to her clinical sites. A grant of $444 to secure eyeglasses and pay for car  repairs kept Aurelia on the path to her nursing career and a better future for her family.

Gifts to the Moraine Valley Dreamkeepers Emergency Financial Assistance Fund urgently are needed to provide the monies that help local students like Shakira,  Donald and Aurelia overcome short- term financial obstacles that can otherwise derail their educational dreams. Most grants to cover emergency financial needs or purchase textbooks average between $235 and $350. Tax- deductible gifts to the Dreamkeepers emergency assistance fund can be sent to the Moraine Valley Foundation, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills, IL 60465. For more information, contact the Foundation Office at (708) 974-5335 or linns@morainevalley.edu.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of individual students.

If you asked her, Judy Nevell probably couldn’t recall a time in her life that didn’t involve a classroom. She’s been a student, a teacher, and now oversees what is taught in a dozen child care centers’ classrooms.

“Working with children was what I always wanted to do,” said Judy, executive director of Bobbie Noonan’s Child Care. “Most of my play as a child was school—where, of course, I was the teacher.”

Among her duties as executive director are staff and director training, budgets, and curriculum development for eight centers in Illinois and four in Florida, and it’s a job she thoroughly enjoys. “My favorite part of this job is traveling to all the schools to see our program in action, the exciting experiences the teachers offer the children, and the children growing in such leaps and bounds,” she said.

Judy has been with Bobbie Noonan’s for nearly 35 years, starting as a teacher’s aide three days a week. It’s a place she set her sights on working at ever since she was a student at Moraine Valley. “Dr. Noonan taught many of the child care classes I took at Moraine Valley. After doing an observation at one of her centers, I knew this was where I wanted to work. Her love for learning and belief in the children was reflected in her teaching and sparked a fire in  me,” Judy said.

Dr. Roberta Noonan was one of several instructors who had an influence on Judy while she was earning her Associate in Arts degree in early childhood education at Moraine Valley. “The professors were all very realistic in their teaching. Most of them were still working in the field, which made the classes very interesting. It seemed like they really cared  about their students, and the class sizes were very conducive to learning.”

Judy recalls her days at Moraine Valley with great fondness. “I chose to attend Moraine Valley. I wasn’t ready to go away to school and the price was right,” she said. “Even though I took time off to have children before I continued my education, Moraine Valley really got me off to a great start in my lifelong profession.” Upon completion of her associate’s
 

While she may no longer be a student, she hasn’t left the classroom. Since 1982, Judy has been an instructor at Moraine Valley teaching undergraduate classes in childhood development.

“I enjoy being an adjunct faculty member. When I took a management position, teaching was not a major part, so when this become possible, I thought it was a great way to get back to my love of teaching,” Judy said. “The best part of teaching is sharing the enthusiasm for my profession and sharing some very real parts of it, parts that are not listed in textbooks. I also must admit quite a few of my students are now my employees.”

Judy’s devotion to childcare is apparent in her work and in the classroom, and she thanks her family for the opportunity to pursue her dreams. “I feel all teachers should be lifelong learners who promote this love for learning to the future of our country—the children. I  also believe that if I didn’t havesuch strong support  from my family, especially my husband, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all that I have.”

One of her professional accomplishments includes being named this year’s Internship Employer of the Year. “It was wonderful to receive this award,” Judy said. “I love having students come to Bobbie Noonan’s Child Care. I feel I have great staff members who can mentor them. And, the students bring with them great new ideas to continue our growth.” Judy also has presented conference workshops and has served on the Child Care Program advisory committees at Moraine Valley and at Saint Xavier University. While there isn’t always much down time, when Judy does have a chance to relax, she loves to read, garden, travel, and spend time with her family.

Enjoy reading about former students?
Tell us about what you and other former students have been doing so we can share more great stories! Contact Sue Linn at (708) 974-5740 or linns@morainevalley.edu.

We look forward to hearing from you!

He spends time with more than 30 species of wildlife, including giraffes and zebras, and overhears harrowing shrieks in the Tower of Terror. He has made sure Chipper Jones was ready for the plate, warmed up Peyton Manning for the first big throw, and is what you might call the key guy at the Yacht and Beach Club.

It’s all in a day’s work for Matt Bailey, who holds down two full-time jobs with Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Depending on the day of the week, Matt is either working the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village, or he’s valet parking at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club welcoming guests to a magical vacation. “I love both jobs,” said Matt, who earned his associate degree at Moraine Valley.

His job in the Magic Kingdom came on the heels of an internship through the Disney College program at Moraine Valley, where he worked at the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. He also was a batboy for the Atlanta Braves during spring training at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex. It was there he had an opportunity to toss a ball around with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to warm him up to throw out the first pitch of the Braves’ spring game. Shortly after, he worked in the office at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort until just a few months ago when he was selected as a cast member to open the
 

“We’re here to make guests’ stays the most magical vacations imaginable, and I get to do that for them,” said Matt, who added that the favorite part of his job is interacting with guests and being able to assist them. “It’s a big time dream job. I never saw myself with this awesome opportunity.”

Matt may have needed a little push to attend Moraine Valley, but now he credits Moraine Valley with pushing him in the right direction. “I’ll be honest. At first I didn’t want to go to a community college. I wanted to live on my own. And now for a million reasons, Moraine was the right choice. I really would not be where I am today without Moraine Valley and its support and assistance in jumpstarting my career,” Matt said.

He especially credits the hospitality class teachers. “They all helped reinforce the idea that hospitality is where I want to be,” Matt said. His enthusiasm spilled over into his recruiting work as the campus representative for Disney Interns and as a nominee for Intern of the Year in 2008. “My fellow rep, Nikki Kaggianis , and I were the number-one representatives recruiting for the Disney College program in the entire  country. It was a blast of a year,” he said.

And now thanks to his start with Moraine Valley, Matt couldn’t be happier with his career choice. “I would love to stay with Disney. It’s been my dream,” he said. “Whatever I end up doing, Moraine and Disney are the reasons I will be successful in my career.”

Keep up with what’s happening at
Moraine Valley
Follow us on Twitter, become a Facebook fan or take a look at our latest videos on YouTube. It’s easy with direct links from the college’s home page. Visit www.morainevalley.edu  and stay in the know wherever you go!

Five ways businesses and
individuals can help
The participation and support of businesses, local organizations, and individuals are vital to the success of the 2009 golf outing. Choose one or more of the following opportunities to support the success of Moraine Valley students:

Corporate Sponsorships—Businesses can enhance corporate image and reach 200 golfers and dinner guests through a variety of sponsorship opportunities:

• event

• club house

• golf cart sponsor

• bag towel sponsor (sold)

• dinner

• lunch

• golf ball

• beverage cart

• hole and foursome

• hole-in-one contest (sold)

• hole sponsor

Sponsorship packages include various event recognitions as well as Web and print publicity. Deadline for sponsorship requests is Aug. 1.

Golf Tickets—Includes 18 holes of golf, lunch, cocktail, and dinner: $150 for one golfer, $600 for a foursome, $850 hole and foursome sponsor.

Prize Donations—Contribute prizes for golfers or make a donation of items or services for the evening silent auction.

Split-the-Pot Raffle Tickets—Purchase tickets for the split-the-pot raffle to be held following the golf outing dinner. Tickets are priced at $10 each or three for $25. Last year’s raffle winner claimed $1,000.

Cash Donations—Support the event with a donation of any amount; 100 percent of donations will be earmarked for student support.

All donations, corporate sponsorships and event tickets are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

To participate in this year’s event or learn more about opportunities to support the 2009 golf outing, contact the Foundation Office at (708) 974-5480 or bennettc@morainevalley.edu.

Staff are available to assist graduates create a high- impact cover letter and resume, fine-tune job search techniques and learn successful interviewing strategies through individual appointments and workshops designed for alumni job seekers and career changers with some experience. One-to-one appointments and daytime workshops are open to persons who have graduated with a degree and/or certificate from Moraine Valley. Evening workshops are open to alumni and community members.

The Job Resource Center also offers Job Fairs and Mock Interview Days that are open to alumni, as well as members of the community.

Moraine Valley alumni also can take advantage of resources available through the Job Resource Center’s Web site, which hosts full- and part-time job listings, offers beneficial publications, and links to additional helpful Web sites.

“We hear nice things from our alumni, and they often tell us how appreciative they are,” said Pamela Payne, director of the Job Resource Center. “The alums really love Moraine Valley, and they see us as a viable resource.”

To make an appointment, learn more about available services and register for workshops, call the Job Resource Center at (708) 974-5737.

www.morainevalley.edu/jrc