OceanViews-magazine-Summer-Fall-August-2018-forWeb

OCEAN VIEWS A Newsletter for Ocean County College Alumni, Our College Family, and the Community Summer-Fall 2018  Vol XII: No Transformation Takes Sean Newman from Juvy to Pre-Med p.8 OCC Poised to Establish Community College System in Egypt p.2 Commencement Week Honors Grads p.4 Aiza Nageeb Becomes the Change She Wants to See p.6 $3.75M Grant Benefits the Health Sciences p.16 OCEAN VIEWS OCEAN NEWS Summer-Fall 2018 Vol XII: No A Newsletter for Ocean County College Alumni, Our College Family, and the Community Dr Jon H Larson President, Ocean County College Jan Kirsten Executive Director of College Relations Editorial Team EDITOR RoseAnn D’Urso Manager of Promotional Programming LAYOUT/PHOTOGRAPHY Scott Bruinooge Manager of Graphic Design STAFF WRITER Juliet Kaszas-Hoch OCC Poised to Establish Community College System in Egypt Ocean County College is proud to announce that its partnership with Ain Shams University, Egypt, along with the Egyptian government, is growing stronger and more successful www.ocean.edu Please address comments and submissions to sbruinooge@ocean.edu Ocean County College Board of Trustees Carl V Thulin, Jr., Chair Linda L Novak, Vice Chair Jerry Dasti, Treasurer Stephan R Leone, Secretary Dr Judith DeStefano-Anen Frank J Dupignac, Jr Robert A Fall Thomas Monahan Joanne Pehlivanian John A Peterson, Jr Joseph E Teichman Melanie Fernandez, Student/Alumni Representative 2017-2018 © 2018 Ocean County College OceanViews is published bi-annually by the Office of College Relations, Ocean County College, College Drive, PO Box 2001, Toms River, NJ 08754-2001 Summer-Fall 2018 In early June, Dr Jon H Larson, OCC President, traveled to Egypt to meet with Dr Khalid Abdel-Ghafar, the Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Dr Youssef Rashed, Acting Secretary of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities; and Dr Abdel Wahab Ezzat, President of Ain Shams University The meeting centered on a his­ toric signing of a cooperation protocol, a.k.a umbrella Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), between the Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities and Ocean County College The protocol entails the establishment of community colleges in Egyptian universities The protocol, presided over by Dr AbdelGhafar, was signed by Dr Larson and Dr Rashed, in the presence of Dr Ezzat, Dr Hatem Akl, OCC Interim Associate Vice President of e-Learning; Dr Maysa Abouyoussef Hayward, OCC Assistant Vice President for International Programs; and Dr Hanan El Said, Director of Integrated e-Learning at Ain Shams University and the project coordinator In his address to the American and Egyptian team, Dr Abdel-Ghafar emphasized the impor­ tance of the protocol as a preliminary model for the establishment of community colleges in Egyptian universities Together with the technological colleges, this protocol is considered an important step in the development of technical education and new programs to suit the community’s devel­ opmental plans and prepare a generation of qualified graduates to meet the labor market’s needs Also, the protocol could later include new courses for non-high school graduates and technicians who want to develop their skills by providing a training service for them The protocol’s terms include the establishment of community colleges in various disciplines within a four-year program The first two years provide the students with initial certificates to allow them to join the labor force The students can later resume the last two years for the bachelor’s degree completion OCC’s outreach team also continues the estab­ lishment of individual agreements with seven Egyptian universities As part of these agree­ ments, OCC will provide associate degrees and the host institutions will offer bachelor’s degrees in a number of different disciplines OCC is currently working with Ain Shams University, Alexandria University, Cairo University, El Minia University, Beni Suef University, Helwan University, and Assiut University – RAD THINGS WE LOVE! Gaming Helps Veterans New Degrees & Options The School of Arts and Humanities is happy to announce that the New Jersey Presidents’ Council authorized OCC’s new Associate in Science degree in Graphic Arts, Design, and Media Additionally, four new options have been approved in the Performing Arts degree in anticipation of the Performing Arts Academy on the College’s Toms River campus The pathways include Arts Administration, Dance, Music, and Theatre One-Stop Express Services The HUB’s virtual site was launched dur­ ing the fall 2017 semester, providing express enrollment services to new students, which can be used face-to-face or totally online The HUB allows students to complete on-boarding processes from their home computers or mobile devices Students are able to quickly and easily access self-service portals, including finances, class planning, the online applica­ tion, and even registration and payment for classes in a streamlined format Visit the HUB at go.ocean.edu/hub, email HUB@ocean.edu, or call 732-255-0482 Studies by the Veterans Administration show that nearly 20% of returning combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), while another study reports that 22 combat veterans commit suicide each day, well above the national average However, new evidence suggests that participa­ tion in cooperative video games among combat veterans reduces these statistics Returning veter­ ans have shown highly positive responses to the use of video games as part of PTSD therapy, and another VA study shows that gaming provides a positive impact on lowering the trend of suicide OCC’s e-Learning and Student Life Departments are working together to aid American Legion Post 129 (Toms River) in its effort to create a cooperative video gaming salon for the exclusive use of returning veterans The salon, to be located in the American Legion’s Church Road building, will be designed with help from e-Learning and OCC Gamers Club volunteers It is the College’s hope that its participation in this important project will have a positive impact on local veterans Job Network Advising, Transfer, and Career Services is offering the College Central Network, an online job board that features jobs posted specifically for OCC students and alumni, as well as access to national job and intern­ ship postings College Central Network also gives students and alumni the ability to post a resume and offers access to career advice documents and podcasts on topics such as resume writing, job search etiquette, intern­ ships, and networking OCC students and alumni are encouraged to create an account at www.collegecentralnetwork.com/ocean To learn more, email careerservices@ocean.edu A Drug-Free Ocean County Magnifying Student Savings In pursuit of lowering student costs in online learning, the e-Learning Department recently adopted the use of virtual micro­ scopes in biology courses for non-science majors After extensive testing, Science Lecturer Marc LaBella created new learning modules to replace the need for expensive $200 microscopes, instead utilizing virtual microscope applications provided as part of the text book costs The video “Not Even Once” was pro­ duced through a partnership with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office, Manchester Police Department, and OCC’s TV Studio The video tells the story, via interview, of a mother who lost her son to an opiate overdose Her pow­ erful message provides an impactful look at the consequences and pain that the opiate crisis has caused Ocean County youth and families. Within one week of its release, the video had over 150,000 views; it is also being used as a training program by the Manchester Police Department for other law enforcement officers and middle and high school students The video was distributed to local high school channels Medical Honors Abound Four OCC students walked away with hon­ ors at the HOSA-Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference, competing against over 1,000 students from two- and four-year schools, including New Jersey Institute of Technology and The College of New Jersey Danica Kennedy received First Place in Pathophysiology and the Gold Level Barbara James Service Award for completing over 250 hours of community service in the medical field Sean Newman and Maureen Nelson received Second Place in Medical Math and Medical Terminology, respectively In addition, Nate Bungay took Third Place in Extemporaneous Writing These four out­ standing students went on to compete at the International Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas, against students from across the United States, Canada, and Mexico OCEAN VIEWS GRADUATION SNAPSHOT Commencement Week Honors Graduates One thousand five hundred and fifteen students received their asso­ ciate degrees at Ocean County College’s 51st Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 24 on the Main Campus Mall From the Class of 2018, Ryan Cheslock delivered the “Student Remarks.” The Guest Speaker was Edele Hovnanian, Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation, Inc Two days earlier, 135 students from the OCC Nursing Class received their nursing pins at the 50th Annual Nurses Pinning Ceremony on May 22 in the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts During the ceremony, special awards in Nursing were presented “Dedications” from each of the Nursing graduates were printed in the program Kara Estevez wrote, “I would like to dedicate my pin to my daughter May this show you that no matter the path life may take you down, you can be whatever you want at any stage of the game.” Elizabeth Urcinole reflected, “I would like to dedicate my pin to my mother, grandmother, sister, and Summer-Fall 2018 Jefferson Neurology staff who aided in my recovery Without them none of this would be possible.” The 51st Annual Awards Ceremony took place on May 23 in the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts This annual ceremony recognizes OCC’s outstanding student graduates Forty-nine awards, totaling $55,200, were presented to 71 students In addition, Teaching Excellence Awards were presented to two outstanding faculty: Dr David Bordelon, Professor of English (Full-Time Faculty), and Dr Katherine Toy, College Lecturer of Business (Professional Educator) – RAD OCEAN VIEWS GRADUATE/ALUMNA PROFILE Aiza Nageeb Servant Leader Becomes the Change She Wants to See Aiza in Five Words Compassionate Spontaneous Adaptable Courageous Ambitious Fast Facts Age: 20 Hometown: Toms River High School: Toms River High School North OCC Degree: Associate in Science in General Studies with a Concentration in Science Graduation: May 2018 Seeker “I have really enjoyed becoming a part of my campus community From my first semester, it was always my desire to get involved, but that truly was the most challenging task for me I wanted to get involved with clubs and organizations with mission statements aligned with my goals That is when I stumbled upon Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) I remember reading over the four hallmarks – Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship – and I thought, ‘Wow, this is it.’ That is how my journey began.” Scholar “There are really no words to completely describe how (being selected as a PTK Coca-Cola Gold Scholar) makes me feel, but happy, lighthearted, joyous, successful, and proud are some When I was first chosen for the All USA Academic Team, it was the night Summer-Fall 2018 of the PTK induction ceremony and I was delighted beyond words It was later that night when I did a bit more research that I became nervous – nervous because I truly did not think I would win any awards at the international level, especially not if thousands of individuals were competing against me When I received the email stating that I was indeed a Gold Scholar recipient I thought, ‘Wow, I need to have more faith in myself.’ This award is a representation of my hard work and dedication to being a servant leader I will always remember this recognition, and I will use it to remind myself that I can anything I set my mind to.” I wanted to show the world the true side of Islam, the side that tells you to be peaceful and to help those around you Today, the President of PTK is a Muslim girl the girl who worked so hard to bring a positive light to her campus is a Muslim girl – Aiza Nageeb Leader “Before I was elected President of Tau Iota in December 2017, I was the Vice President of Leadership Some of the events I supervised were those in relation to our College Project (Helping Hands Food Pantry) and the Honors In Action project, which focused on climate change Some external activities I oversaw were gift wrapping with Student Support Services, the 4th Annual Festival of Trees, our Valentine’s Day Rose Sale, and much more.” Changemaker “I have learned that in order to lead a group of individuals, it is imperative to treat every individual the same I have also learned that being a president means nothing because it’s just a title It’s what you as a president, how you work together with your team, and the goals that you set, that matter Anyone can lead, but it takes a true leader to make a difference.” “This semester was definitely very stressful as I was not just an average President, but I was the leader of an International Five-Star Chapter, a chapter which had numerous dead­ lines to complete Undergoing this stress, I realized that if I did not endure any hardships, then my accomplishments wouldn’t feel as great as they today My most valuable take­ away: Be a servant leader Be an advocate for yourself Be a changemaker I have learned to open my heart for everyone, my enemies and my friends I have learned the power of doing service, even if it means making sacrifices in my daily life But most importantly, I have learned that you get what you deserve.” help – AJ Trump, Nadine, Chrissy, Kariss, and my fellow ambassadors – because I always knew they would assist me Thank you to this selfless and amazing department for being my safe haven I could never repay any of you for making me who I am today.” Striver “After OCC, I plan on attending Rutgers University, specifically the Edward Bloustein School of Planning and Policy I would like to earn my bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Mathematics.” Planner “In my free time I love to read and write in my journal, and spend time with my family (movie nights) I love planning out parties and I am currently in the process of planning my sister’s engagement party!” Trailblazer Hard Worker “Within these past two years I worked in many departments at OCC I worked at the Bookstore, I was a tutor in the English Department, and currently I am an Orientation Leader in addition to an Admissions Ambassador.” Admissions Ambassador “The Admissions Office is what I call my OCC family The individuals in this department have been my biggest supporters throughout all of my endeavors and they have always encouraged me when things have gotten tough I started working in this department spring semester 2017 and every time I think of leaving these individuals, I want to cry While every person in this department has changed my life, two specific people deserve shout outs: Joy Press and John Sellino Thank you, Joy Press, for always listening to my drama and for always making me laugh Thank you, John Sellino, for always giving me the oppor­ tunity of putting my needs first Every time I received good news, these two individuals would be the first ones I would tell Every time I came across a hurdle, I was never afraid to come to anyone in the department for “It was a month before the fall semester of 2016 when I decided that I wanted to wear my hijab For the people who really know me, they know how tough of a decision this was for me, particularly because I absolutely loved styling my hair However, this was a sacrifice that I wanted to make because of one reason and one reason alone I wanted to show the world the true side of Islam, the side that tells you to be peaceful and to help those around you I wanted to be a representation of my religion and what it stands for Today, the President of PTK is a Muslim girl, a girl who leads a group of individuals to eliminate food insecurity on campus Today, the girl who won the Gold Scholar award on an international level is a Muslim Today, the girl who worked so hard to bring a positive light to her campus is a Muslim girl.” “There used to be a time in my first semes­ ter of OCC when people would give me dirty looks or ignore the smile I sent their way However, today, no matter where I am at OCC, I have vice presidents, deans, faculty members, workers, and students smiling my way, starting up a conversation with me and congratulating me for my successes I can guarantee that one individual from the hundreds that I know today had a negative opinion about Muslims But I made them alter that opinion and nothing makes me happier.” – JKH OCEAN VIEWS GRADUATE/ALUMNUS FEATURE Sean Newman Transformation Takes Grad from Juvy to Pre-Med On the 50th Anniversary of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Educational Opportunity Fund, a graduating student addressed the crowd and shared what it means to him to be successful “My name is Sean Newman and I am a proud member of EOF,” he said Newman’s journey from child to young adult, from troublemaker to college graduate, was in his own words “truly amazing.” He hopes that his story will “serve as inspiration to everyone when it comes (to) overcoming challenges” in their own lives Present in the audience that evening, among fellow students, friends, faculty, and staff, were Newman’s mother and uncle, who continually supported the “non-traditional student” throughout his many lifelong challenges, including a difficult medical diagnosis and a stint in jail As a self-proclaimed “non-traditional” student, Newman explained that the title refers to more than just being a little older than most others in college “I’m not referring to just my age, I’m also referring to the challenges and obstacles I’ve faced during my life Like everyone, I’m no stranger to adversity and my life has been anything but easy.” According to Newman, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at just nine years of age “I suffered from depression, anxiety, anger, and a slew of other behavioral issues that presented themselves as roadblocks in my life I never quite seemed to fit in with kids my age and I was forced to move from school to school As I got older these problems only got worse, and over time they only served to increase the difficulties that I encountered in life.” As a so-called bad boy, Newman wore the title with pride while in high school, skipping class, getting into fights, and being “openly defiant towards authority.” His behavior was so overboard, he even faced expulsion But somehow, with the help of his mother and some other “wonderful people” in his life, Newman managed to graduate at the bottom of his class After high school in 2006, Newman enrolled in college but soon had to drop out due to his ongoing depression and lack of direction He wouldn’t return to school for another ten long years, and in his own words, “in between that time period I found myself in precarious situations with the law and moving from job to job, never quite being able to maintain stability or achieve peace of mind I knew with this type of track record it wouldn’t be long before my award-winning charm and my charismatic attitude towards authority would catch up with me.” And catch up with Newman it most certainly did “In the spring of 2010 I managed to hit the lottery and I won a fouryear prison sentence to Mountain View Youth Correctional Facility My Summer-Fall 2018 chickens had finally come home to roost I would get the wakeup call that I had so desperately needed It was during my time at Mountain View that I had a shift in perspective in how I saw myself and where I thought I was going in life I began to work on myself and I began to start to remove the roadblocks that I had so masterfully set in place As I left Mountain View, I began to make my way back into the world again I started making amends by repairing the damage I had done to my relationships prior to my incarceration,” Newman reflected In 2016, two years after his release, Newman relocated to Ocean County and enrolled at OCC “I had nothing but the clothes on my back, a few dollars in my pocket, and no job … but I still had that award-winning personality.” According to Newman, his self-proclaimed “charm” along with the faculty, staff, and students he met at OCC became a “vital component” to his ultimate success However, Newman tried to put his troubled past behind him, but his difficulties continued One such issue was having to rely on public transportation, which restricted his life Riding the bus to and from school every day, Newman attended classes and worked, saving bits of money here and there, socking it away so he could afford his own car “It was a hard, grueling, and backbreaking endeavor but it finally paid off when I was able to finally afford my own car I no longer needed to rely on a bus schedule to get around and with that, new and exciting opportunities were now available to me that were not before.” Newman explained that this somewhat “small accomplishment” was “ground breaking” for him “This was the first sign that my life was returning to a state of normalcy, giving me a long-awaited peace of mind.” And this one small accomplishment turned into one accomplishment after another: he became an Orientation Leader for Student Life, he was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa and EOF’s Honor Society, and he won second place in a medical math competition against four-year colleges Recently, Newman was accepted into the Honors program with a Pre-Med track at Stockton University Some heady stuff for the boy with an award-winning attitude against authority! “Success has finally become a common theme in my life, as opposed to the failure I had gotten used to previously I believe that everyone has it in them to overcome the disadvantages life may give (them).” “Calling Dr Newman,” Life concluded STAT! – RAD OCEAN VIEWS STUDENT FOCUS/CLUB Students Open “Helping Hands Food Pantry” National surveys at two- and four-year colleges and universities across the U.S have discovered that a large population of students are going hungry “Food inse­ curity” is a growing trend; however, OCC students have stepped forward to help stem the tide According to Alison Noone, Assistant Director of Student Life, the Helping Hands Food Pantry “was created to assist students as they battle with something very extreme, food insecurity For many years now, OCC has wanted to have a food pantry for our students in need Another meal program was established in 2012, Pay It Forward However, we knew the campus needed more PTK’s Tau Iota Chapter partnered with the Student Life Office to finally make this dream a reality.” While a Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting took place on March 14, Helping Hands has been assisting OCC students in need since February Food-insecure students at OCC can stop by the Student Center on Monday and Thursday, from 11:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m., 10 Summer-Fall 2018 show their current valid student ID, and pick up non-perishable food and drink items Helping Hands is in need of non­ perishable food items! Single serve, individually packaged, and pull-tab openings are most desirable The food pantry is in need of items that students can eat between classes or quickly microwave Some items include: Cheese or Peanut Butter Crackers; Beef Jerky; Instant Macaroni and Cheese; Applesauce, Pudding, and Fruit Cups; Cereal, Granola, and Power Bars; Chef-Boy-R-Dee, SpaghettiOs, and Canned Vegetables and Fruit; Boxed Drinks along with Fruit and Tomato Juices; Packaged Nuts, Trail Mix, Fruit Snacks, and Dried Fruits; and Chips, Pretzels, Cookies, and Goldfish To donate non-perishable food items or to drop off your check made payable to “Ocean County College” with “Helping Hands” in the memo, contact Alison Noone, 732-255-0400, ext 2138, or anoone@ocean.edu – RAD , • OCEAN VIEWS 11 FACULTY-TOPIC SPOTLIGHT “he said, she said he said, she said she said, he said she s Getting Down to Business Christopher Bottomley and Katherine Toy Invest in Students via Bloomberg Business Lab In FY2018, a Carl D Perkins Grant provided Ocean County College with $392,000 to support various programs, including a Bloomberg Business Lab with Bloomberg software, stock market ticker, and status display for the Business program Katherine Toy, Business Studies Lecturer, and Christopher D Bottomley, Business Studies Program Chair and Lecturer, discuss the lab, which, as Bloomberg Finance attests, enhances curriculum, student projects, and faculty research via integration of industry-leading data, research, news, and analytics ECONOMIC PLAYERS ECON HAS A HOLD ON THEM Bloomberg L.P is a financial services and mass media company headquartered in New York City It was founded in 1981 by business­ man/philanthropist Michael R Bloomberg, who served as the 108th Mayor of New York City HE SAID: “I love economics because of the way it describes human behavior in a scientific manner It was discussed often in my household growing up; therefore, I pursued it as my undergraduate degree.” Bloomberg Terminal is a computer software system, providing financial data used in the global financial services industry Bottomley is originally from Huntington, NY, and currently resides in Toms River, NJ He earned a BS in Economics from The State University of New York College at Oneonta and an MBA in Finance/HR from SUNY Binghamton University He started teaching at OCC in August 2001 after more than 20 years in the corporate world Toy hails from Pennsylvania and now lives in Ventnor, NJ She attended the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees; she holds a BA and a PhD in Economics, and specialized in Finance and Macroeconomics / Monetary Policy She began working at OCC in the fall of 2015, following a stint as an adjunct instructor at Atlantic Cape Community College SHE SAID: “I first became interested in economics as an international relations major, and soon ‘econ’ became my main interest.” AND IT GRIPS US ALL HE SAID: Bottomley shares his interest with students majoring in all disciplines explaining, “Economics is the one thing we all share in com­ mon regardless of background or current jobs, careers, aspirations It’s the one thing that binds us together as Americans.” SHE SAID: “I think it is easy to forget about the economy when every­ thing is going well, but an unhealthy economy can have a major impact on our lives.” CONCEPTS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND COHORTS HE SAID: Students have been so excited about the lab, Bottomley stated, “that during its introduction this term there have been 20-plus students involved alone in the Bloomberg Market Concepts Certificate program.” SHE SAID: “We have a good number of students who have already completed, or are close to completing, the Bloomberg Market Concepts, 12 Summer-Fall 2018 said, he said.” or Bloomberg ‘Certification’ course,” Toy said “When they are close to wrapping up, a new ‘class,’ or cohort, will begin.” The Bloomberg course, she explained, “is an online self-paced course that qualified OCC Business students can complete on the Bloomberg terminals” located in Room 306, Gateway Building The certification course is built upon four modules / topics: Economic Indicators, Foreign Currencies, Fixed Income Securities, and Equities A LAB BY ANOTHER NAME HE SAID: “It really should be considered a Business Lab with Bloomberg terminals We use it for various activities such as NJC4 RUTGERS (The Rutgers Business School-Newark New Jersey County College Case Competition) and Phi Beta Lambda (business club – PBL) team competition preparations,” Bottomley explained SHE SAID: “The Business Lab is used every day In addition to students working on the Bloomberg Market Concepts course, [the lab is used for] special meetings, presentations, and demonstrations Every week more and more students gain login IDs and become group leaders in Business classes Every day it seems additional students inquire about how they can become involved in using the lab,” Toy remarked BUSINESS COMPETITORS HE SAID: Phi Beta Lambda students have used the lab to research stocks for a competition as Bottomley pointed out “We have two teams that compete outside of OCC, and they use the lab for market research and analysis to augment their cases or strategies toward their Business competitions.” SHE SAID: “In the fall of 2017, nearly 20 Phi Beta Lambda students signed up to participate in the PBL Stock Market Game,” said Toy “As many PBL members concentrate on their state and national level competitions in the spring semester, I now have a smaller group of students helping me pilot stock market competitions so that by the fall of 2018 we will conduct the games fully on the Bloomberg terminals Bloomberg has capabilities so that students can test complex portfolios and strategies and also networks where trades are able to be tracked in a competitive format.” ALL FOR FUN HE SAID: One of the coolest components of the lab, said Bottomley, is “the ability to perform Financial Market Analysis and Research It’s amazing! Frankly, it can be quite overwhelming if you let it!” SHE SAID: Toy noted, “Students enjoy making simulated trades and watching the performance of their selections It makes for a fun, edu­ cational experience Students can also test their ideas by ‘backtesting’ potential strategies to see if they would have been useful in the past As I said, it is all for educational purposes, as no actual trading is possible.” VALUE ADDED HE SAID: “To have this Business Lab at our fingertips has been abso­ lutely invaluable,” Bottomley emphasized “It is a very powerful tool to be used by our best and brightest students.” SHE SAID: “This lab provides enormous educational and career oppor­ tunities,” Toy commented “Even if students not use Bloomberg at their next jobs, the fact that they are Bloomberg experienced or certified proves the ability to learn and use a complex financial software system.” – JKH OCEAN VIEWS 13 DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT Novins Planetarium Takes Audiences to Space! The Robert J Novins Planetarium is one of the largest and most active planetariums in New Jersey Featuring some of the latest projection technology, the Planetarium brings audiences the universe in innovative and exciting new ways Its dome is a virtual 360-degree video space, no longer restricted to simply an earth­ bound view of the sky, so the staff can take visitors on a journey from the smallest scale to the edge of the universe In addition, the fiber-optic star projector provides a beautiful, crisp view of the night sky In addition to children’s and general admission shows, the Planetarium presents special events From spooky Halloween treats to musical holiday arrange­ ments, audiences of all ages will get in the spirit Spectacular Laser Shows, including the popular Laser Fest, fill the dome with color and music as brilliant lasers dance among the stars For the expert or novice stargazer, observing ses­ sions, star watches, and telescope workshops are 14 Summer-Fall 2018 scheduled throughout the year with help from A.S.T.R.A (Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area) But the Planetarium is so much more! Looking for a unique gift? Stop by The Space Store, which features star charts, t-shirts, space toys, and much, much more Or, if you’re looking for a place to have a birthday party, a variety of packages are avail­ able that include a party room and show tickets Plus, school groups, Pre-K to Grade 12, are booked during the regular school year Clubs and organizations can also book their groups or get astronomy “to go” with traveling programs For recorded show information, call 732-255­ 0432 or visit the Novins Planetarium web page at www.ocean.edu for an updated schedule The Planetarium office can be reached at 732-255-0343 or email planetarium@ocean.edu – RAD OCEAN VIEWS 15 RIBBON CUTTING H Hovnanian Health Sciences Building $3.75 Million Grant to Benefit the Health Sciences; Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation Benefactors of Education and Health Care The Ocean County College Foundation received a $3.75 million grant from The Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation, Inc., to support the College’s health sciences programs “The Ocean County College Foundation is honored to have received such a generous gift from The Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation This endowment will ensure our foundation is able to provide scholarships for our School of Nursing as well as all of our offerings in the health sciences, for generations to come,” explained Ken Malagiere, Executive Director of the Ocean County College Foundation “The training and skills learned from all of the programs will directly impact the lives of our students pursuing a career in the ever-growing field of healthcare.” According to Malagiere, $2.5 million was given as an Endowment to grant scholarships to attendees of the College’s health sciences programs In addition, $1.25 million has been approved for healthcare programs at Ocean County College “The new H Hovnanian Health Sciences Building will help promote the health sciences, allowing 16 Summer-Fall 2018 Ocean County College to expand its program offerings to include not only nursing but also allied health curricula,” explained Dr Jon H Larson, OCC President “The building will ultimately serve as many as 600 to 800 students We are extremely grateful for this generous donation by The Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation, which will benefit both the College and the community for years to come.” “This major gift is not only testimony to the H Hovnanian Foundation’s commitment to healthcare and the sciences, but it is also a commitment to our entire community and recognition of the important role Ocean County College plays in preparing our students to be active participants in the economy and workplace of the future,” added Malagiere A Ribbon Cutting for the new H Hovnanian Health Sciences Building took place on May The mission of The Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation, Inc., is to provide funding for charitable, educational, religious, scientific, literary, or testing for public safety purposes, with a primary focus on providing such funding so as to assist Armenian communities world-wide by gifts, grants, contributions, and program-related investments to 501(c)(3) organizations, foreign Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s), or to governments exclusively for charitable purposes, or so as to assist charitable or educational organizations located in Ocean or Monmouth County, New Jersey, whose primary activities include provision of health care or education and training in real estate development – RAD OCEAN VIEWS 17 OCC FOUNDATION Briann Skiba Liberal Arts and ‘LeadHERship’ at OCC Briann in Five Words First and Foremost Compassionate • Goal-Driven • Respectful • Dependable • Optimistic “I live in the small town of Manahawkin, and I graduated from Southern Regional High School in June of 2016 I (was) very excited to graduate OCC in May! I am very proud to say that I am the first woman in my immediate and extended family to attend college and earn a degree This graduation is a very big deal to me and my family.” Graduation Year 20-year old Briann donned the OCC cap and gown in May 2018 18 Summer-Fall 2018 Science and Imagination “My degree program is Liberal Arts but the classes I am taking are geared towards Stockton’s nursing program, so, a lot of science classes – Psychology, Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Lifespan Development I did take an interest in English and fell in love with my Multicultural Fairy Tales class with Prof Carboy.” Expect the Unexpected “OCC was very different from what I was expecting, but in a very good way In high school the expectation was (in order) to have a true college experience you have to go away to a four-year university I was hesitant to attend OCC at first because of this, but I have to say that going to OCC was the best decision I have made I am now a proud Viking! I was genuinely surprised at how many opportunities OCC has available to its students From scholarship opportunities through the Foundation to over 50 clubs and teams on campus, there is something for everyone You get a highquality education without putting yourself in thousands of dollars of debt It’s not only a smart choice but an inexpensive one.” A Woman’s Voice is a Revolution “My most memorable class would have to be public speaking with Prof Paul Chalakani Like most college students, I hated speaking in public; I was so nervous I would shake like a leaf! Prof Chalakani understood my anxiety and pushed me to get out of my comfort zone by having me present a speech every week By the end of the class, I became more confident in myself and I began to truly enjoy public speaking Thanks to Prof Chalakani and my fellow classmates, I have become confident in my voice and hope to become a motivational speaker I have spoken at a few events within the community, including as the guest speaker at the OCC Foundation Gala.” A Solid Foundation “My relationship with the Foundation started back in June 2017 when I volunteered to work for the Gala I was in awe at how they transformed the gym to look like an Oscar’s after-party, and even more so, that over $200,000 was raised for scholarships that went to students like me In September, I attended the 100 Women Campaign speed mentoring event and I met with Noelle Carino and Sherri Bray and we hit it off Noelle and Sherri invited me to speak at the Gala meeting in January because I had been awarded a scholarship I met with the rest of the Foundation executive board and really connected with the members I made such an impact with my speech that I was asked to be the guest speaker for the Gala! I have become close to the members of the Foundation since and I try to volunteer and help out with events as much as I can.” Insight and Encouragement “The 100 Women Campaign is a part of the OCC Foundation that connects students with successful and influential women in the community to create valuable mentor/mentee relationships It offers scholarships and hosts LeadHERship events for young women at OCC I have attended the speed mentoring challenge twice and connected with my amazing mentor Noelle Carino My involvement with 100 Women, aside from attending events, is to spread the word to my fellow students about what 100 Women is and get them to participate in the events and gatherings.” At the Helm “I am not Asian, but I have been fascinated with Japan and Asian culture since I was a little girl In high school, I took four years of Japanese and I travelled to Japan for three weeks in 2015 When I started at OCC I wanted to be involved as much as possible, and when I saw the Asian Culture Club at the club fair I was immediately interested I started going to the club meetings, going on trips, and trying to be as involved as possible The president at the time saw my passion and asked me to be president for the spring 2017 semester and I have held that title since! As president, my role is to organize trips and school events, coordinate between our club and student life, lead our club meetings, and collaborate with other departments to host events like our private luncheon with Kuniko Yamamoto I don’t it alone though; my amazing executive board is my rock and helps keep our club together and successful.” In Any Event “My job at the Student Life Box Office is really enjoyable We sell discounted tickets for movies, Broadway shows, and other trips to New York My job is to not only sell tickets and answer questions, but to connect with students and faculty I am happy to say I have made many friends through working at the Box Office It also helps me stay up-to-date and involved with all of the events that happen on campus It is actually how I found out about the 100 Women speed mentoring event! The best part of working at the Box Office is definitely my bosses, Allison Irwin, Neal McHale, Alison Noone, and Jen Fazio They are so understanding and kind It’s a truly positive work environment, and I am thankful to work for them.” Keep in Touch “Once I graduate OCC I will be attending Stockton University where I will be working towards my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree During the summer, I will continue to work in the Student Life Box Office and work as an orientation leader While I attend Stockton I still plan on being as involved with OCC as much as possible as an alumn(a).” Go All Out or Grab a Good Book “I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie, so I love to go boating, jet skiing, zip lining, and kayaking in the summer I love to go stargazing with my friends and on dates with my incredible boyfriend Gustavo I love to stay busy and I try to be involved within the community When I am not working, doing homework, or on an adventure, you can find me buried in one of Sarah J Maas’ books I adore her Throne of Glass novel series.” – JKH OCEAN VIEWS 19 OCC FOUNDATION Celebration Honors Freeholder Virginia “Ginny” Haines 2018 Ocean County College Foundation ScholarShip Celebration FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018 #OCCGALA 20 Summer-Fall 2018 WHAT WE’RE CELEBRATING WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO  17th Annual Golf Outing Pine Barrens Golf Club, Jackson Tuesday, October 9, 9:30 am-6:00 pm Entry Fee: $325 pp (Brunch, Driving Range, Shotgun Start, Green Fees, Golf Cart, Golf Gift, and Awards and Cocktail Reception) (L to R) VP Student Affairs Jerry Racioppi, President Dr Jon Larson, Foundation Executive Director Ken Malagiere, students Zachary James and Ed Bank, Donor Mary Ann Russo and Daughter Cathy Delanoy, Esq., student Sabrina Varga, Interim Associate VP Academic Affairs Joseph Konopka, and Board of Trustees/Foundation Board Member Stephan Leone Bipartisan Scholarship  Foundation Benefit Concert Rob Eric’s Tribute to Billy Joel Saturday, March 30, 8:00 pm $45 Concert Only $100 VIP Reception and Concert BY THE NUMBERS Approximately The OCC Foundation established the Senator John F Russo Scholarship, which celebrates the life and dedication of the late NJ senator to public service and his con­ tributions to integrity in politics, bipartisanship, cultural diversity, civility, and tolerance The endowment was established with a gift of $100,000 from Mrs Mary Ann Russo, wife of Senator Russo “The OCC Foundation expresses its gratitude to Mrs Russo for this generous dona­ tion, which will assist many deserving, politically engaged students for years to come In addition, a special note of appreciation is expressed to OCC Foundation Trustee Stephan Leone for his assistance in acquiring this gift,” said Kenneth J Malagiere, Executive Director of the Foundation This endowment will fund scholarships for students actively engaged in the political process and taking political science classes at OCC and/or will be made available as graduating scholarships for those continuing on to four-year institutions to major in political science “Mrs Russo and her family can be proud of Senator Russo’s dedication and con­ tributions to the political landscape in Ocean County This endowment will help keep his memory and work alive in the hearts and minds of our students, faculty, and staff,” Malagiere added – RAD 60 percent of our graduating students ENROLL at FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS within their first year after graduation 98 percent of Ocean County College graduates in a 2016 survey say they would highly recommend OCC to family and friends $500,000 provided annually in scholarship support to more than 650 students  Spinosaurus: Lost Giant of the Cretaceous Oct 5, 2018 – 7:00pm – Grunin Center  When Women Ruled the World Dec 6, 2018 – 7:00pm – Grunin Center COMING THIS FALL © Mark Thiessen  Ocean Soul Jun 6, 2019 – 7:00pm – Grunin Center BLAUVELT LECTURE SERIES OCEAN VIEWS 21 ATHLETICS CHECK ONE: STUDENT ATHLE Samantha Allen ’18 SAMANTHA THE ATHLETE Team(s) | Women’s Volleyball High School | Toms River South Honors or Awards (OCC) | National Girls & Women in Sports “Woman of the Year” Award All-Region XIX, All-GSAC Most Valuable Player What athletic accomplishments are you most proud of and why? I am most proud of being “Woman of the Year” because it shows me that all my hard work paid off I have played this sport without a need to be acknowledged for my skill or work ethic However, this award truly made me proud for all that I have accomplished during my time playing volleyball at OCC Describe the OCC Womens Volleyball Team in three words or less: Family, Hardworking, Dedicated  SAMANTHA THE STUDENT Major: | AS Business Administration Graduation Year | 2018 Goal | I am transferring to The College of New Jersey to pursue a degree in Marketing What you enjoy doing off the Volleyball Court and out of the classroom? Working, spending time with my family, going to the beach, and doing yoga What is your favorite OCC class and why? Environmental Science because it showed us the impact that we have on our earth (and it) made me much more conscious of our environment and the lasting impact that I have on it Who is your favorite OCC professor and why? Dr Gerding because he really cares about the success of his students He brings in various speakers and we different activities that strengthen our professional skills, all while having fun Describe OCC students in three words or less: Diverse, Diligent, Exceptional  22 Summer-Fall 2018 ETE  RJ Laing ’18 RJ THE ATHLETE Team(s) | Men’s Basketball  High School | Toms River South Honors or Awards (OCC) Academic All-State/GSAC Academic All-Region XIX Academic All-Conference What athletic accomplishments are you most proud of and why? Our record in the second semester after a 1-9 start in the first semester Describe the OCC Men’s Basketball Team in three words or less: Special RJ THE STUDENT Major | AS Business Administration Graduation Year | 2018 Goal | Real Estate/Construction What you enjoy doing off the Basketball Court and out of the classroom? Watching “The Office” and working out What is your favorite OCC class? Introduction to Business Administration Who is your favorite OCC professor and why? Professors Samarelli, Bottomley, and Kissling, all because they make class fun and interesting Describe OCC students in three words or less: Respectful, Friendly, Helpful OCEAN VIEWS 23 NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID TOMS RIVER NJ 08754 PERMIT NO 27 College Drive, PO Box 2001 Toms River, NJ 08754-2001 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 2018-2019 SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS AND TICKETS ON SALE NOW! For the complete 2018-2019 performance schedule, visit grunincenter.org Box Office Hours P Mon.-Fri P 10:00am-5:00pm 732.255.0500 P College Drive P Toms River P NJ Group Rates Available Contact the Box Office two weeks prior to any show to arrange for disability and accessibility services Contact the Box Office two weeks prior to any show to arrange for disability and accessibility services