How safe do you feel on campus after that late-night class?

On the Metropolitan Community College campuses, security is a major concern.  With some common-sense caution and help from the MCCKC Police force, students don’t have to be afraid of the dark.

Capt. Chuck McMullin, commander of the Longview branch of the MCC Campus Police, says that safety at all of MCC’s campuses is taken very seriously. According to McMullin, officers are available 24/7. If there is not an officer physically on campus, one is on call.

Three to four officers are on duty at a time, McMullin said, and their primary focus is the protection of people and property. The officers also work on patrol functions, investigations, campus networking and traffic issues.

McMullin said that in his opinion, it is not more dangerous to take a night class than one during the day. He called the environment “very safe and friendly.” To help keep safe at night, McMullin recommends that students walk in pairs and park in well-lit areas if they are concerned about taking a night class.

Reporting suspicious activity to the campus police is very important, McMullin said, because there is no way that the officers will know about the activity unless students and teachers report what they see or hear. He said that anything that seems out of the ordinary can be reported to campus police dispatch, or by calling 911.

To help ensure that you are not an easy target for a crime, keep these simple suggestions in mind:

• Secure your belongings in your trunk instead of in plain sight in your car.
• If carrying a purse, keep it close to your body.
• If you think you are being followed, cross the street or change direction.
• Always notify campus police if you witness a crime or any sort of suspicious activity.

All-American Sammi Phegley (Alex Greenlee/The Current)

by Alex Greenlee

Longview Laker Sammi Phegley has been named second team All-American. The news came as a surprise to the freshman setter.

“I didn’t think I was going to get it, so when we were at the banquet and coach Rob Kaleikau said my name, my jaw dropped to the floor. I was so surprised,” she said.

Phegley started playing volleyball in Texas. “I’ve been playing volleyball since fourth grade and I started out playing Catholic Youth Organization, which is somewhat competitive,” she said. When Phegley was a freshman in high school, she and her family moved to the small town of West Plains, Mo.

Since she is only 5 feet 7 inches tall, Phegley has always been at a height disadvantage. “You cannot give up and you always have to have a positive attitude, you have to be able to trust your teammates and trust they will do their job so you can do yours,” she said.

Phegley said she thinks her height might cause her problems in the future. “I want to play at a higher level, but I think my height is at a disadvantage to me because normally everyone that plays in a big college is over 5 foot 10 inches tall,” she said.

Phegley says she couldn’t have won the award without her team and coach. “I’m also very proud that my teammates all believe in us and that they never gave up. After we won regionals and were going to nationals, the look on my coach’s face was pure happiness and I knew he was very proud of us. You could tell coach felt great about his accomplishments as coach,” she said.

Are you truly ready to graduate? If you are like most students, your focus is on the current semester or even this immediate class, and graduation seems to be in the distant future. You might be surprised at how soon you should be thinking about your graduation.

“Each student should apply at least two semesters prior to their intended graduation date,” said Mary Buso, an advisor at Penn Valley.

“Preparation for graduation should begin day one in meeting with an advisor, and you should plan to meet with an advisor every semester,” said Jackie King, an academic advisor at MCC-Longview. “This is the best resource to ensure you’re on track for graduation and taking any prerequisite you might need to transfer to a four-year college.”

In order to communicate this to the students, MCC has placed posters throughout the different campuses indicating that students planning to graduate in May or July of 2012 should apply now. But some students still find the process difficult.

Sabrina Pacheco will graduate next semester from Penn Valley. Pacheco, whose pursuit of a two-year degree turned into four years with the birth of her two children, recently called her advisor’s office to see what she needed to do to apply for graduation.

Pacheco was told to come to the advisor’s office to start the application. She  bundled up her two children to make the 30-minute commute to the campus.

“She was gleaming with pride” as she entered the advisors office, said Pacheco’s husband, Nick. But when she got there, Pacheco was pointed to a computer to start the application and then told she would receive something in the mail.

“I was very upset and frustrated by the lack of involvement from the advisors,” Pacheco said. “I thought I did everything I could by calling first to inquire about the process, but come to find out I could have done the application on-line at home.

“It would have been nice to at least have one of the advisors either on the phone or in the office say a simple congratulations. I worked very hard to get here and I felt as though I’ve done it alone.”

Heather Stufflebean is a mom, too,  with a full-time job, and is only able to take one or two classes a semester. She anticipates graduating in 2014. “I haven’t given it a lot of thought. It still seems so far away,” Stufflebean said.

Like Pacheco, Stufflebean also isn’t sure what all is involved in applying to graduate. “I wouldn’t know where to begin,” she said.

Like many students who take most of their courses online, Stufflebean relies on Blackboard and MyMCCKC for most of her information, as it’s not convenient to travel to a campus during daytime hours, she said.

The one lesson both sutdents have learned about the graduation process? Take a pro-active approach and meet with an advisor.

Buso said most students also are concerned and surprised by how long it takes to receive their actual diploma certificate after graduation. Buso said students “don’t take into account that we have to account for the final grades from their instructors prior to submitting them.”

There are several tools and resources available to students to gather more information. King said www.mcckc.edu/graduation was the place to begin the actual application process. Buso pointed out that there is a section in the course catalog that explains about graduation and provides dates for cap-and-gown fairs.

Apply before these deadlines:

• November 15 – for fall (December) graduation
• April 15 – for spring (May) graduation
• July 15 – for summer (July) graduation

• Log onto myMCCKC.
• Click on Student Center Home.
• In the Academics section find the drop down box labeled “Other Academics, and select “Apply for Graduation”.

Electives are part of almost every program at MCC, and students can take virtually anything to fulfill the requirement. One break from traditional lecture classes is Bowling I and II offered at Blue River. Set up similarly to an actual bowling league, this physical education class gives students the opportunity to get outside the classroom.

Bowling has been offered at Blue River since 1989. Eight students participated in the first class held at Blue Springs Bowl, but the class now averages a full 32 students every semester. Bowling I and II are both held at the same time at Lunar Bowl in Blue Springs, and the students bowl together and help each other improve their game. Since the class is offered on Friday afternoons,
many students find bowling a relaxing end to their academic week. According to Peggy Tuter, who has instructed both Bowling I and II since they began, the class often sees students return to take Bowling II.

“Around four to six return every semester. This semester, there are five back for Bowling II. It happens sometimes that students just can’t get back in. That class can fill quickly,” she said. Tuter says she believes that higher level bowling classes would also see students continue on from Bowling II.  “I think if Bowling III and IV were offered, students would bowl their entire two years, just because it’s a really fun class with a little bit of competition, too.”

Bowling I student Brad Holder says the fun and competition are what attracted him to the class. “This is actually the only class I’m taking this semester,” he said. “I wanted to take it light and have an easy semester. Now I think I’ll probably take Bowling II with my other classes in the spring. It’s fun, and I can use it to fill out my schedule a bit.”

David Stockton, a freshman at Longview, is taking Bowling II with his wife Becca, a sophomore at Blue River. They took Bowling I together during the summer session and were glad to be able to return to the lanes. “I really like Coach Tuter, and the class has improved my game a lot. I want to be a better bowler,” David said. He also says that he enjoys the stress relief he gets from bowling. Becca agrees with him whole heartedly. “We have seven children between us. It’s nice to have a way to get out in public without them and relax with each other,” she said.

Whether looking to fulfill a graduation requirement with a non-traditional class or trying to find a niche in a new hobby, bowling is definitely worth a student’s consideration. It offers the opportunity to try something different and maybe find an unexpected skill, which is part of what college electives are intended to do.

Many women today are taking multi-tasking to new heights as mother, wife, employee, and college student.

How do women find to time to effectively manage college with a multitude of other responsibilities? Three women, who are not only working college students but also mothers, offer some insight into how they juggle these various roles.

Anne Lewis, a 31-year-old mother with a 3-year-old son, is a returning student. Lewis attended college for a short time after high school but soon realized that she had no idea what field of work interested her and chose to put college on hold, she said. An interest in accounting persuaded her to return to school, and she earned an associate of arts at Metropolitan Community College and is now finishing up an accounting degree at Park University.

Jennifer Saunders, a 34-year-old mother of two girls, ages 11 and 13, is also a returning student after attempting college “for a short time.” Saunders, who is enrolled at MCC and Johnson County Community College, said she went back to school “to further my career and show my daughters commitment and desire of completion.”

Georgina Hunter, a 36-year-old with three children, ages 11, 12 and 15, is attending MCC and hopes to transfer to a four-year college and earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Unlike Saunders and Lewis, Hunter did not go to college right out of high school, because she already had a data entry job and was earning a good income.

“I only really cared about working and making money,” Hunter said. “For the most part, I had no focus and hadn’t set out any goals for myself.”

While their reasons for going back to school vary, all three said they experience some high levels of stress. Lewis says she dedicates approximately 10-15 hours a week to her studies. Saunders estimates 15-20 hours a week, and Hunter about 20-30 hours a week. Each of these women said she has dropped a class due to the outside pressures of work and home life.

Lewis, who says she gives up two nights a week and her weekends to dedicate time to classroom work and homework, looks forward to the nights when she will be able to tuck her son into bed during the week. Hunter says she is not able to spend as much time with her family as she would like.

Saunders, unlike the other two, says she has experienced minimal impact on her family life, but she notes that this is only her first semester back at school and believes this may change as her course load increases.

“It can be done but there are sacrifices that need to be made,” Lewis said of going back to school. “I strongly encourage any working mom to go back and better themselves and their family’s future, but realize it is not easy.”

Lewis recommends working student-mothers to ask for help from family and friends because a support system is essential to making it work. Hunter agreed, but also encouraged women to give themselves a break.

“Lean on your support system, whether it is family or after-school programs at your children’s’ schools,” Hunter said. “Find a reliable person in each class that can take notes in case you have an emergency with your family that might cause you to miss a class.

“Don’t try to be Super Woman. Sometimes you might have to leave some chores unattended to focus on your studies,” Hunter said.

Saunders said, “Do you what you do best. Focus on what is important to you.”

Just like their families, employers might need to cope with the demands of the multi-tasking mom. Lewis advised supervisors to show some patience.

“Some students have difficult times with the balancing act,” Lewis said. “Employers should support higher education and be supportive of those employees who are making the sacrifice.”

Attending classes, staying caught up on textbook reading, studying for tests, and a revved up social life keep college students very busy. Holding a job and caring for a family add to the worries of many MCC students. Unfortunately the last thing on their mind could be one of the most important.

Twenty-four percent of identity theft victims are age 20-29, according to a report from the Federal Trade Commission. This is more than any other age group. College students, although notoriously broke, make ideal victims. This is because of their clean credit histories and “the availability of personal information and the way many students handle this data,” says the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

According to a 2010 Identity Fraud Survey Report by Javelin Strategy and Research, social networking sites are a growing entry point for fraudsters to get personal information. College students are often careless about what they post online, and could inadvertently provide information such as a phone number or hometown or a hint to a password.

The Better Business Bureau  suggests these seven steps for college students to prevent identity theft:

•  School mailboxes are not always secure and can often be easily accessed in a dorm or apartment. To combat sticky fingers in the mailroom, have sensitive mail sent to a permanent address such as the parents’ home or a PO box.
• Important documents should be stored under lock and key―such as in a filing cabinet. This includes social security card, passport and bank and credit card statements. Shred any paper documents that have sensitive financial information rather than just tossing them out. Also shred any credit card offers that come in the mail.
•  Never loan your credit or debit card to anyone, even if they are a friend. Also just say no if your friend wants you to co-sign for a loan or financing for items like a TV.
•  Make sure your computer has up-to-date antivirus and spyware software. Always install any updates and patches to your computer’s operating system or browser software which help keep your computer safe from any new advances by identity thieves online.
•  Always check your credit or debit card statements closely for any suspicious activity. The sooner you identify any potential fraud, the less you’ll suffer in the long run.
•  When shopping on unfamiliar websites, always check the company out first with BBB online. Also look for the BBB Accredited Business seal along with other trust seals; click on the seals to confirm that they are legitimate.
•  Check your credit report at least once a year with all three reporting bureaus for any suspicious activity or inaccuracies. You can do this for free by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.

Carson Conover joined a campus ministry when he was a student at the University of Central Missouri. Not only did Conover find a group of devoted Christian students like himself, he also found his calling.

“I wound up being a part of a campus ministry … where I was mentored in what it means to follow Jesus while in college,” Conover said. “My desire is to do for other students what was done for me.”

Conover is living out his passion now as the campus ministry/community groups pastor for LifeConnection Church in Independence. At MCC-Blue River he leads Campus Life Connections, a student organization whose goal is “to help students learn what it looks like to follow Jesus Christ in the 21st Century.”

Conover, a devout Christian since he was a teenager, leads numerous small bible study groups, or Community Groups, at Blue River. He said he doesn’t want students to feel like they don’t have a community while attending college. One goal at LifeConnections is to see that people aren’t feeling like they are walking through life alone, since God created people to live in partnership with one another.

“Our vision is to change the way people think about God,” said Conover, whose personal goal is to “reach out to and grow students, helping them to see what it looks like to follow Jesus as His disciples,” he said.

Cameron Porter, a sophomore at MCC-Longview who attends the Blue River Bible studies, said Campus Life Connections is a positive addition to the MCC community.

“Meeting up in groups with other people who believe what you believe in is encouraging, and builds unity between students,” Porter said. “I think it’s awesome what Conover does, and it would be cool to see that happening on other MCC campuses as well.”

Sam York, a student at Blue River, also sees Conover’s organization as a plus for the college.

“We need more things like that at all MCC schools,” said York, who said his class schedule prevents him from attending the group’s Bible studies. “I would love to see it grow more throughout the whole campus.”

Teen homelessness has become an epidemic. More than two million teens go homeless every night in the U.S. Thirty-two percent have attempted suicide, and 46 percent left home because of abuse. The statistics don’t get better from there. Eighty-five percent of homeless teens have substance abuse problems. One third of homeless youth are lured into prostitution within the first 48 hours of homelessness, and 15 percent of homeless teens do not live to see the age of eighteen.

One Homeless Night, an event hosted across the metro on Nov. 11, is a way to raise money to keep the doors open at Synergy Services, a safe facility for teens who have nowhere else to go. This year MCC-Longview raised over $3,000 to help this cause. Students and other people in the MCC community slept out in an effort to raise awareness about homeless living conditions.

Hannah Sabbaugh, an MCC student and event participant, participated because “it’s just one night. And it’s for a good cause.”

At the beginning of the night a presentation was given by Mace Hakes and Jen Paulsen of Synergy Services to inform participants about their facility and about the epidemic of teen homelessness. Synergy Services is what they called an “umbrella agency,” which means that they help teens with all issues relating to their homelessness, including contacting and trying to work with parents. Teens are allowed to stay only 30 consecutive days at the shelter, but are given access to schooling, therapy and peer mediators, all to help them work through their troubling times. Most of these teens are having family troubles, which Paulsen calls the “root issue.”

Others, like MCC student Cory Kurzweil, participated for fun. “It sounded like a fun experience, it was something different,” he said. He also admitted to having friends who are homeless, and that that also influenced him to participate in the cause. The event however, is not just a cause for fun. The experience included sleeping outdoors with nothing but the clothes on your back. Only those who earned blankets through donations could have one, and though it was a nice night for the beginning of November, it got cold very quickly after the sun went down.

Students contributed amounts of money ranging from $10 all the way up to the top-earning participant in the event, student Kathy Lueck, who donated an awe inspiring $570. She said she decided to participate in the event because she thought it would be a good opportunity to give back to the community.

Event sponsor and English instructor Casey Reid said she was pleased with the event turnout, about 100 people. She hopes that the experience will have had “some impact on participants’ perception of homelessness and the homeless and helped combat some stereotypes and misconceptions.”

Kurzweil shared Reid’s sentiments. “One Homeless Night was quite an experience for everyone who participated in it. It’s definitely something I won’t forget.”

‘Tis the season to be jolly, but for the college student, being strapped for cash can take the jolly right out of the holidays. The economy is tough and even tougher on the average college student when it comes to travel costs. But there is good news. Travel companies are making it easier to help students afford travel this holiday season.

In 2010, the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimated that 42.2 million Americans traveled 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. As the number of travelers gets higher, the costs for gas and tickets are sometimes either really high or conveniently low.

When searching for airline tickets, take the time to do proper research online. Several websites are currently offering discounts to college students. The airline AirTran is offering one-way tickets as low as $49. Students must meet certain eligibility requirements, such as age and baggage limitations, to receive the price so don’t forget to read everything in fine print before purchasing any tickets.

Purchase tickets well in advance. The longer someone waits to buy a ticket, the more expensive it will be.

Prices are high for gas, but it’s a necessity that must be endured if traveling by car. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Mobile Sources has tips for better gas mileage.

Go easy on the brakes and gas pedal. Sudden braking and “jackrabbit” starts expend more fuel.

Avoid long idles by turning of the engine. Idling burns more gas than restarting the car.

Take out unnecessary heavy items from the car.

Avoid high speeds. Gas mileage can improve about 15 percent by driving 55 mph rather than 65 mph.

Keep tires inflated and aligned as well as regular tune ups and other car maintenance check ups.

Carpooling and ridesharing can save the college student money. Since 1999, eRideShare.com has been the leading carpool and rideshare website. Sharing rides with others can help save money on fuel, vehicle wear and tear, reduces stress from driving and reduces traffic and greenhouse gases. The website is offered to countries all over the world and is free to sign up.

Don’t forget about the option to travel by bus or train. Amtrak and Greyhound both have college student discounts, too, and many students ride the discount bus line Megabus, which offers advance tickets starting as low as $3 and increasing over time. Each mode of travel has their unique pros and cons. Accommodations, time, price, safety and environmental impact are factors to consider when choosing your mode of travel.

Create a budget, list what is important for you and then create a pros and cons list to help choose what travel option is best.