In his second presidential address to the college community in his first six months as president, Dr. Richard Carpenter praised the contributions of service award-winning faculty and staff and the college family in general. “I have developed a keen and deep respect for the work you all do,” he said, “you embody the heart and soul of our college.”

He took the opportunity to point out that, although CCSN has come to be a great college serving its students first, there are weaknesses and obstacles to becoming a world class institution – such as “an indefensible funding shortage....leadership and organizational issues....and strategic planning concerns.”
He invited the college family to collectively help chart CCSN’s future, via a process where ideas, perspectives and concerns can be freely exchanged.

His remarks analyzed CCSN’s strengths and weaknesses, and introduced initiatives to help shape CCSN’s future as a world class educator: “.…a well articulated vision….strong organization and leadership….widely accepted strategic plan....and highly integrated use of technology.” He focused attention on eight functional systems: Leadership, Teaching and Learning, Student Support, Financial and Facilities Management, Planning and Assessment, Information Management, Institutional Research and Analysis, and Human Resources.

At the core of his presentation, Dr. Carpenter shared elements of his personal vision for CCSN, a high performance organization: “CCSN is a premier provider of higher education at a variety of levels. We develop individuals who apply knowledge and skills to enhance quality of life and boost economic vitality. We are committed to extended learning beyond the classroom and throughout life.”

[Click here for Dr. Carpenter's Convocation Address Part I - 25 min]
[Click here for Dr. Carpenter's Convocation Address Part II - 55 min]

A fresh feature of Spring Convocation was the introduction of a sitdown lunch with a motivational guest speaker. Nearly 700 filled a tent erected on the north parking lot, to be treated to pearls of wisdom from James Malinchak, a contributing author and associate editor for the #1 New York Times Best-selling book series “Chicken Soup for the Soul”. Focusing on the college’s challenging mission and organizational transition, the successful entrepreneur and former collegiate athlete gave an oratory spiced with uplifting one-liners and inspiring anecdotes underscoring the power of positive attitudes leading to powerful achievements.

Transplanted to Las Vegas, Malinchak has delivered over 1,100 motivational presentations worldwide, written eight books and was named Consummate Speaker of the Year by “Sharing Ideas” professional speakers’s magazine. His own personal stories were published in several “Chicken Soup” editions for the teenage soul, kid’s soul and prisoner’s soul. He is co-author of the upcoming book “Chicken Soup for the Athlete’s Soul”.

Special Thanks to Convocation Support Staff

Mario Balderas, Lucille Biddle, Doris Clark, Helen Clougherty, Arthur Davis, Shelley Dean, Lori Dousset, Ron Eppley, Dave Fields, Cynthia Frei, Diane Fruth, Jeri Haase, Tracy Hillstead, Greg Hampton, Kody Kearns, John Kuminecz, Rick Lambert, Juan Lopez, Ric Lopez, Andrew McJimson, CeCe McNeely-Taylor, Denise MacRae, Ron Mason, Michael Montoya, Yvette Murray, Tina Petrie, Gustavo Rios, Nora Rodriguez, Keleana Rosier, Sal Saporito, Roger Seick, Karen Sherman, Sue Smuskiewicz, Kimberly Staten, Brenda Talley, Debbie Tanner, Art Taylor, Dixie Taylor, Phillip Turco, Harold Urabe, Cynthia Valdez, Willene Watkins, Danny Webb,
Finita Wells, Catherine West, Darren Williams and Suzan Workman.

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Leaders from the automotive, collision and diesel equipment industry in Nevada have joined forces to voice support for a new $20 million automotive technology center to be built on the CCSN Cheyenne campus in North Las Vegas. The building would be constructed in two phases over a period of five years. The first phase was approved by the Board of Regents on January 6, 2005, as number 7 on a list of new capital budget projects forwarded to Governor Kenny Guinn.

Upon approval by the Regents, MaryKaye Cashman, CEO of Cashman Equipment, stepped forward with a pledge of $500,000 to help fund the new building. In explaining her pledge, Mrs. Cashman said, “Nevada needs classroom space and equipment to train automotive technicians, diesel mechanics and collision repair technicians. Most automotive industry businesses in Nevada are forced to send employees out of state to attend certification classes and programs. Once the Center is constructed, diesel mechanic/technician classes will be a first priority.”

During the fall 2004 semester 450 requests for automotive technology classes went unfulfilled due to lack of classroom space and equipment. The new Center will not only offer training classes and certification programs, it will also provide an Associate Degree in Transportation Management. The CCSN automotive technician student employment rate upon graduation is 100% of qualified students. Program graduates begin employment at a starting annual salary of $40,000, increasing to $70,000 in a few years and exceeding $100,000 with additional experience.

“I am extremely appreciative to MaryKaye and Cashman Equipment for their outstanding support of the college. This Center is a win-win situation for CCSN, Southern Nevada, and our state. Automotive, diesel and collision industries currently rank #2 in Nevada for tax revenue generation,” said Dr. Richard Carpenter, CCSN president.

Pledges from Ted Wien’s Firestone and Nevada and Southern Nevada Automotive Dealer Franchise Associations will provide an additional $100,000 over a three year period. Jim Marsh, owner of Jim Marsh Chrysler Jeep, has joined CCSN’s Foundation Board and agreed to assume a leadership role in his industry to help raise the additional monies needed to achieve a $2 million match for the $20 million facility. Another funding stream for the Center will come from a sponsorship fund provided through donations from automotive, diesel and collision industry businesses. The fund will provide $250 sponsorships for each student enrolled in auto tech classes.

The CCSN Foundation pledged an additional $500,000 in matching funds for the first phase of the project. Foundation Trustees have been diligently raising monies for a
private match of $2 million for the entire project. Lisa Dove Swisher, CCSN Foundation Development Chair, has been leading the effort.

Unfortunately, the new auto tech center was not included on the Governor’s list of state capital projects submitted to the legislative commission’s budget subcommittee on January 25. “We are extremely disappointed that this important building project was not included on the Governor’s list,” stated Jenny Des Vaux Oakes, CCSN Foundation Chair. “Our business leaders and the Foundation have currently pledged more than $1 million in private matching funds to help fulfill this critical training need. We are hopeful that the Legislature will see fit to fund this project and that Gov. Guinn will provide additional funds for education projects.”

The American Culinary Federation has renewed the accreditation of CCSN’s culinary arts and food and beverage management education programs with its highest vote of confidence – a seven year renewal. “Our standard at CCSN is to develop world class academic programs with exceptional faculty and facilities,” said President Dr. Richard Carpenter. “ACF’s highest accreditation recognizes this standard and attests to our level of excellence as the singular hospitality industry trainer for the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’ in Las Vegas.”

Headquartered in Florida, the ACF is a professional education, apprenticeship and certification association serving the hospitality industry and licensed by the U.S. Department of Education. It first accredited CCSN’s culinary and food and beverage management programs for four years in 1996, followed by another four-year renewal in 2000. Each accreditation process required CCSN to prepare an exhaustive self-study report a year ahead of a comprehensive on-site evaluation by a team of ACF chefs, culinary educators and staff.

To Chef Prof. Tom Rosenberger’s knowledge, CCSN’s food and beverage management degree is the only accredited one of its kind in the country. Such training started when the college opened in 1971. In the first class of students then, Prof. Rosenberger now directs that academic program. The Chicago native is an ACF certified executive chef, one of only 30 or so in southern Nevada; he holds the honor of Las Vegas Chef of the Year for 1997. There are more than 200 culinary arts programs in the U.S. Started in 1989, the college’s culinary arts program is Las Vegas’s only such ACF accredited education and is directed by Chef Professor John Metcalfe.

“Together both programs enroll about 550 students each semester,” said Chef Rosenberger, “most of whom are already employed in the industry, but studying with us for degrees and certifications to advance their careers.” Both are also part of CCSN’s nationally recognized Department of Resorts and Gaming headed by Chef Professor Jill Mora that includes degree and certificate education in hotel and casino management programs and travel and tourism. CCSN started the gaming program in 1979 and, until 1992, it was the only such professional education in the U.S.

“Key to the ACF’s long-term renewal, and underpinning our industry-oriented programs, are our facilities and faculty – among the best in the country,” said Dr. Carpenter. “Las Vegas can be extremely proud of our faculty and the job they do to enhance the workforce and economic viability of our resort and hospitality industry.” Located on the Cheyenne Campus, the Resorts and Gaming wing features 50,000 square feet of exceptional academic space with state of the art kitchens and labs with live and satellite TV connections, a mock casino with gaming machines, tables and security surveillance, an operating restaurant with a beverage bar, plus a student library.

Other food and beverage faculty include Joe Quagliano and Shaun Martin who manage Russell’s Restaurant, the culinary and food and beverage dining training lab open to the public. Culinary instructors include Rudi Eichler, a certified master pastry chef educated in Europe, and chefs Levy Acosta and Steve Soltz. Adjunct faculty from leading Las Vegas restaurants also score important pluses for CCSN. Notables include John Hui, executive pastry chef from Caesars Palace, Steve Dunafin, assistant executive chef at Piero’s, and Paul Ellis, one of a rare breed of master sommeliers among wine experts in America.

In addition to their instructors, students also get to work hand-in-hand with other Las Vegas professionals and compete in national and international competitions. The CCSN student team recently served as apprentices to the Las Vegas professional team that finished high in the worldwide culinary Olympics held in Germany last fall. Student teams also won national titles in ACF’s Knowledge Bowl and gold and silver medals in food preparation team categories while others achieved gold and silver in individual competitions. CCSN’s culinary teams have also been Nevada state champions for several years and will be representing the state in the ACF Western Regional in Sacramento, Calif., the last week of February. If they win there, as in the past, it will be on to the nationals in July.

Thousands of Clark County students are participating this week in an international JASON Expedition, thanks to CCSN and famed science explorer Dr. Robert Ballard. The wetlands of Louisiana become a virtual classroom for more than 13,000 CCSD students through Saturday, Feb. 5. The award-winning JASON Expedition emphasizes science, math and technology by focusing each year on a unique location around the globe. Started in 1989 by scientist and explorer Dr. Robert Ballard after he discovered the RMS Titanic, JASON Expedition travels to an exotic location each year and broadcasts live, via satellite and the Internet, to millions of students worldwide.

Students in grades five through 12 from schools across the district will view and take part in live one-hour broadcasts of this year’s JASON Expedition at CCSN’s Horn Theater and at Valley High School. Five live broadcasts are scheduled daily: mornings at 7, 8:30, 10 and 11:30 plus 1 p.m. Saturday’s broadcasts are open to the public. The Expedition Team will explore how the wetlands of Louisiana were formed, which plant and animal species depend on them for survival, why these wetlands are disappearing and what is being done to restore them. The Argonauts and JASON scientists will wade through deep marshes collecting samples, studying the diversity of the aquatic species and compiling data to determine what they can do to save the wetlands in Louisiana.

Providing special JASON support are the Cheyenne site administrator's office staff, O&M, security, telemedia services and the performing arts center staff, with individual kudos to: Brenda Talley, Sue Smuskiewicz, Lori Dousett, Ricc Lopez, Cathy West, Cindy Frei, Phil Turco, Greg Hampton, Roderick Lambert and Roger Sieck.

Link to the JASON Expedition here

During the Slugout, CCSN dispatched three Arizona opponents and the College of Eastern Utah in non-conference clashes.

Starting pitchers Ryan Tabor and Josh Scofield appeared to be in midseason form in the first two games Friday. In the opener, Tabor allowed one earned run on four hits with seven strikeouts in five innings in the Coyotes' 7-4 victory over Cochise County Community College (3-0 lifetime). CCSN was led offensively by Jorge Esquivel, hitting 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI, and Austin Hales, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run. In the second game, CCSN defeated CEU, 9-1 (21-3 lifetime). Scofield gave up one earned run on one hit and struck out nine in four before giving the ball to Daniel Morris, who pitched three shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out five. Andy Primas went 2-for-2 and scored twice, Chris Siewert was 2-for-3 with two runs, Kyle Price had three hits and Shawn Olsen drove in three runs for the Coyotes.

In game three, Glendale Community College lost 6-1 (even at 2-2 lifetime). Michael Dunn went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Dane Ponciano went 2-for-4 with an RBI. In a sweet 5-2 victory (7-2 lifetime) over strong South Mountain Community College, reliever Matt Wilson pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning before Coyotes' bats quickly awoke to break a 1-1 tie. In the bottom of the inning, CCSN strung together five hits with one out to push across four runs. Chris Siewert tripled down the right-field line and scored the go-ahead run on Austin Hales' single. After a Michael Dunn bunt single, Bryce Massanari doubled in Hales and later scored in a 2-for-3 showing with two RBIs. South Mountain went 2-1 in the Slugout, including a 2-0 victory Friday over Dixie State College, the defending national champion.

The Coyotes are co-champs of the Scenic West Athletic Conference with Dixie State. The Rebels were eventual national champions last year after the Coyotes won that title in 2003. CCSN’s conference games officially begin Feb. 25 against CEU with the first match-ups against Dixie Mar. 25-26. SWAC baseball opponents also include the College of Southern Idaho, Colorado Northwestern Community College and Salt Lake Community College.

In its preseason top ten, “Baseball America” named Fresno City College (Calif.) as No. 1, followed by CCSN, then previous five-time national champion San Jacinto-North (Texas) whom the Coyotes defeated twice in winning the 2003 World Series. Dixie was ranked sixth.

CCSN fields a team of 10 sophomores and 16 freshmen that includes a stable of nine pitchers and seven players committed to playing for major Division I schools next year. Based on that talent and CCSN’s competitive play against teams from tough conferences (SWAC, Arizona and California) that produced the last three JUCO World Series winners, “Baseball America” picked the Coyotes as an early favorite to advance to the World Series of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

“Of our six clubs, this one has the most depth from a position player standpoint and the deepest pitching staff,” said Head Coach Tim Chambers. But as he emphasized to his players in the wake of the preseason No. 2 ranking, “It’s not where you start that counts, it’s where you finish!”

The Coyote pitching corps includes talented SLCC transfer Shawn Olsen, tabbed by “Baseball America” as the fourth hottest JUCO prospect for this year’s major league baseball amateur draft, plus sophomore starters Jesse Craig (Basic HS), Ryan Tabor (Green Valley HS) and Matt Wilson (Palo Verde HS). Wilson played his freshman year on CCSN’s World Series team (3-1, ERA 1.91). First year starters are Arizonan Craig Heyer and Josh Scofield from Washington state. In the bullpen will be sophomore Mike Dunn (Cimarron-Memorial) and freshmen Steve Hirschfeld from Utah and Dan Morris (Silverado HS).

Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2001, Craig will attend Brigham Young next year while Olsen heads west to USC. Tabor will attend Tennessee in 2006 after being drafted by the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. Drafted by the Yankees and Astros, Dunn was Nevada’s Player of the Year in 2003 and will attend Texas A&M next year. Last year Heyer was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Hirschfeld by the Montreal Expos and Scofield by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Offensively, CCSN will count on returnees Ryan Castellanos (Silverado HS) and Chris Siewert (Bishop Gorman) and Dunn, last year’s third best hitter at .306, as well as Lassen College transfer Austin Hales (Bonanza HS) and freshman Bryce Massanari (Centennial HS).

Castellanos was drafted by the Diamondbacks last year and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2003, while the Houston Astros drafted Siewert last year. Both will attend the University of Tennessee in 2006. Massanari was drafted by the Phillies last year after hitting .487 lifetime in high school and setting a Nevada record of 215 career hits.

Fielding depth will be a strength with infielders Siewert and Castellanos plus returnee Kyle Price (Green Valley HS) and freshman Jorge Esquivel (Cimarron-Memorial) who hit over .500 last year as Nevada’s top high school batsman. Price was drafted by Atlanta in 2003 and will attend the University of Oklahoma next year. Outfield talent includes Hales, Texan Chris Boesen, Cameron Johnson (Las Vegas HS) and Chris Slack (Green Valley HS). Olsen and Dunn will also field when not on the mound.

      Dunn                     Ponciano               Wilson           Massanari

Fast pitch players on the Coyote women’s softball team (16-32 in 2004) open their second season in Yuma this weekend. They face Arizona powerhouses including last year’s national champion, Central Arizona College. The Coyotes then play two games against Arizona Western and Eastern Arizona Colleges and conclude play Saturday with a pair against Pima and Glendale Community Colleges.

The 45-game season runs from Feb. 3 through Apr. 30 with 20 home games played at the Stephanie Lynn Craig Softball Complex in Henderson. From Feb. 25 to Mar. 19, the Coyotes play a 16-game home stand against four Scenic West Athletic Conference opponents that include Utah rivals Salt Lake Community College, Snow College and Dixie State College, as well as Northern Idaho College. Colorado Northwestern Community College is the remaining SWAC competitor that CCSN plays in its closing home stand Apr. 22-23. Post season tourney play is scheduled in May.

The returning coaching staff pictured below includes Head Coach Ric Grenell, former UNLV Athlete of the Year Kim Anthony, Ron Heinz, former Coyote player Brieanna Kinard and veteran trainer Steve Jacobucci.



Five returning sophomores will co-captain are pictured below: pitcher Kristine Gilliland (Durango HS), catcher Renae Huening (Boulder City HS), outfielders Krystian James (Cimarron-Memorial HS) and Sara Thomas (Basic HS), and infielder Sabrina White (Green Valley HS).

                        

Ten freshman round out the squad of 15: pitchers Kimberly Adams (Cimarron-Memorial HS), and Michelle Bird and Kali Waddilove (both Silverado HS); infielders Jennifer Davies (Green Valley HS), Christina Dixon (Sierra Vista HS), Dara Higley (Riverton HS, Utah), and Jessica Laman and Jamie Meranto (both Sierra Vista HS); and outfielders Alisha Thomas (West Jordan HS, Utah) and Sharlene Whitcotton (Pahrump Valley HS).

Half the team are Nevada Millennium scholars: Adams, Bird, Davies, Dixon, Huening, James, Sara Thomas and White.

CCSN will host its 31st Annual Black History Celebration, free and open to the public Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Horn Theatre. Highlighting a theme of "Stand Up...Be Counted" will be keynote speaker Judge Karen Bennett-Haron, a Las Vegas Justice of the Peace, with musical performance by the multi-talented Serena. Serena Henry is a rising star who has frequently entertained with legendary singer Gladys Knight.

In May 2002, Judge Bennet-Haron became the first African American woman ever appointed in the state’s justice system. A graduate of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, she clerked for the Honorable Thomas Foley and then served as an assistant federal public defender.

From 1991-96, Judge Bennett-Haron engaged in private law practice in criminal defense and municipal finance and housing. In 1993 she began to serve as general counsel to the Las Vegas Housing Authority and associate bond counsel for the Clark County School District on a contractual basis. In 1996, she accepted the full time position of General Counsel for the Las Vegas Housing Authority where she worked until her appointment to the Justice Court bench.

The judge’s professional and civic affiliations include the National Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Southern Nevada Coalition of Concerned Women and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Serena appeared as the special guest vocalist for Gladys Knight in major American cities for five years and performed with her for President and Mrs. Clinton at the White House in a show that aired on PBS. She also performed on a recording with Ms. Knight for the 2001 Summer Olympics. Serena has starred in several off-Broadway productions, performed in television dramas and feature films and recorded for motion picture soundtracks.