Take a Ride on the Historic Trains of California

Know someone who needs to get away? UACCM is making preparations to lead a group of interested individuals to explore all California has to offer during the “Historic Trains of California” guided vacation tour. The 10-day tour, scheduled for October 4 through 13, 2009, is open to participants from the community of all ages.

The tour, led by a professional tour guide provided by Collette Vacations, will begin with a stop in San Francisco, where travelers can explore the city at their leisure before moving on to Sonora, California, known as California’s Gold Country, aboard the historic Sierra Railroad. The next stop will include Yosemite National Park, where travelers will see breathtaking waterfalls, deep valleys, and pristine wilderness. Next, the tour will continue to Jamestown to visit Railtown, an 1897 state historic park, followed by Sacramento, where visitors will travel to Sutter’s Fort, the historic Governor’s Mansion, and the State Capitol building. Lake Tahoe is next on the agenda, with travelers experiencing a “Great Train Robbery” aboard the Sacramento River Train, followed by a visit to Napa Valley via the Napa Valley Wine Train to learn about wine tasting and train history. Other stops on the trip include Fort Bragg, Sausalito, and numerous other attractions.

The tour includes 14 meals throughout the trip, hotel transfers, airport shuttle from Morrilton to Little Rock, roundtrip airfare from Little Rock Regional Airport, and cancellation waiver insurance, as well as air taxes, fees, and surcharges.

A free, no obligation multimedia presentation detailing the trip for any interested parties will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 5:30 pm in the UACCM Business Technology Center Room 209. For more information, contact Kristi Strain at (501) 977-2085 or at strain@uaccm.edu.

Daily Cancellations

Looks like a lot of "L" people are out today - If you have a class with Ken Lee (graphic design), don't bother heading that way...he's out today. Carol Loyd (personal health) is out too, but her classes are NOT cancelled. Finally, if you're looking for Peggy Lee (nursing department), you won't find her. She's out at a conference today.

Don't forget to look to the left to check out all the meetings today during X-period...you just might see something you're interested in. Happy Thursday!

Edit: Throw in a "P" in the absences too. Nancy Patterson (business) is out sick today too. All her classes are cancelled.

Don't Forget to Submit or You'll be Stuck Here!

Planning to graduate in May, 2009? If so, be sure to submit an application for graduation form and a plan of study form to the Registrar’s Office for each award earned. For example: if you are receiving an associate of applied science degree in general education and a certificate in business, you must fill out seperate forms for both awards.

The deadline for submitting application(s) for graduation is 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 27. Stop by the Registrar's Office with any questions.

Wednesday, February 25 Class Cancellations

Nancy Patterson is sick today, so her classes are all cancelled. Hopefully, she will be back tomorrow. Watch the blog to find out any other cancellations.

How to Save a Life

Ever wanted to say you helped save a life? Have you ever thought about how EASY saving a life can be? It can be as simple as giving a little bit of your time and a little bit of blood! Plan on stopping by the American Red Cross Blood Drive on Tuesday, March 3 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. The locations(s) will be announced ASAP here on the blog so watch for more info.

(The Red Cross folks are bringing TWO bloodmobiles this time, so you shouldn't have to wait, and participants typically get T-shirts or other free stuff for donating!!!)

Party Gras Winners

Thanks to everyone who participated in today’s SGA Mardi Gras Party in The Plaza!!!

Here are the winners:

Scavenger Hunt Winner

• Morgan Bobst ($30.00 gift card)

Student Mask Contest

• 1st Place – Dustin Taylor ($50.00 gift card)
  
• 2nd Place – Jessica Hughes ($25.00 gift card)
  
• 3rd Place – Heather Bensley ($10.00 gift card)

Faculty/Staff Mask Contest

• Gina Guess-Welsh ($25.00 bookstore gift certificate)

Thanks for coming out. We'll see ya next time around!

Fat Tuesday Absences

Anyone looking for Karen Fielder (childcare) or Josh Markham (writing center) on campus today won't find them! They are out for the day. Maybe they ran down to the Big Easy to take in the Mardi Gras festivities...or they could just be out sick!

Since we can't make it to New Orleans, don't forget the SGA Mardi Gras celebration today in The Plaza. Be sure to wear your mask, and you could win some cash. Stop in for some King Cake and more from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. Plus: watch out for a hidden baby on campus...finding it could land you a $30 gift card.

Enjoy your Fat Tuesday!

R U a HEROE?

Ever worry if your friends will make it home? Have a friend or family member with a drug/alcohol habit?

Unfortunately, it happens...A LOT, and you can help make a difference. Come to the Students R HEROES meeting tomorrow – Tuesday, February 24 at x period in Room 203B in the Business Technology Center. Stop by and bring your lunch (or a piece of the Mardi Gras King Cake from the Plaza!)

Who's Missing...and what's cancelled?

If you have a 9:00 or 10:00 am class with Jim Harris, don't bother going! Same goes for Danna Crook's classes this morning...both instructors are in training and their classes are all kinds of cancelled!

And if you're looking for Aaron Spivey in Community Outreach or Marilyn Thomas (Health Sciences an Adult Education), you won't find 'em! They are both out this morning. Have a great Monday.

Agi Geva: Surviving the Holocaust Free Presentation

UACCM is honored to bring an individual to Morrilton who has survived one of the most horrific events in history: The Holocaust. Agi Geva will present an account of her experiences during the Holocaust in the H.B. White Auditorium on the Morrilton High School campus on Wednesday, March 11 at noon and in the UACCM Fine Arts Auditorium on Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. The noon presentation on Wednesday has been relocated to H.B. White auditorium due to the large crowd anticipated due to early response to announcements of the event. The event, sponsored by the college, is being offered free and is open to the public.

Agi was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1930. When the German occupation of Hungary occurred on March 19, 1944, Agi, her sister Zsuzsanna and their mother, Rozsa, were deported to Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi death camp in Poland. After they had been in Auschwitz for several weeks they were transferred to Plaszow, where conditions became worse. When the camp at Plaszow was liquidated, the Nazis transported them back to Auschwitz. A short time later they found themselves among 180 Hungarian and 20 Polish women who were selected for factory work and were all transported to a small labor camp in Rochlitz, Austria. After working at the factory for several months, all of the women were sent on a forced march of 400 kilometers, during which they were liberated by the American army on April 28, 1945 ending the terrifying ordeal.

After living in Israel for 53 years, Agi came to the United States in 2002. She currently resides with her daughter in Washington D.C., and she donates her time to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum by traveling throughout the country and sharing her story with schools and other organizations.

Her visit to UACCM will captivate audiences in a way only a true living piece of history can, so please join us for this educational event. To ensure a seat, early arrival is encouraged for the Thursday evening presentation on the UACCM campus. For more information, contact Jacob Ward at 501-977-2142 or at ward@uaccm.edu.

Friday, February 20 Class Cancellation

Jennifer Coney (nutrition) and Lyndsey Daniel (English) are both out sick today, so all of their classes are. Hopefully, they'll be back on Monday!

Also, Linda Jaramillo (humanities, social sciences, and mathematics) is also out today, as are Amber Anderson (health sciences and education secretary), and Clem Gruen (drafting - classes not cancelled).

UACCM Faculty/Staff: Some big Losers

The UACCM faculty/staff have been embattled in the Get in Shape by Spring Break contest for nearly three weeks now and have lost an astounding amount of weight! Overall, faculty/staff members have lost a total of 165 pounds over the course of the contest!

With four more weeks to go, who knows what success still lies ahead! Way to go and keep it up!

The student portion of the contest is ongoing as well, and the next student weigh-in will be held on Monday, March 2 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm and Tuesday, March 3 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in the Business Technology Center Room 206. Stay tuned and keep on losing!

The Goal is to Go to College

Attention area students! Have you filled out your free application for federal student aid (FASFA) for the 2009-2010 academic year? If not, come to UACCM for College Goal Sunday this Sunday, February 22, 2009 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. College Goal Sunday is a free program that helps students and parents complete the required FAFSA financial aid application form. On this Sunday each year, qualified volunteers, including college financial aid administrators, help families in Arkansas fill out the FAFSA.

If you need help filling out the FAFSA, here is a list of things you should bring to UACCM with you:

• Your Social Security Number (can be found on your Social Security Card)
  
• Your Driver’s License
  
• Your W-2 Forms for the 2008 year and other records of money earned
  
• Your (and your spouse’s if you are married) 2008 Federal Income Tax Return-IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, or 1040Telefile.
  
• Your parent’s Federal Income Tax Return for the 2008 year (if you are a dependent student)
  
• Your child support received or paid (if applicable)
  
• Your current business investment, stock, bonds and farm records

For more information and to reserve your spot at College Goal Sunday, contact the UACCM Financial Aid Office at 501-977-2055. Hope to see you there!

It's time for...Family Feud!

If you’re ready to see some more feuding, or if you missed it the first time, stop by the Fine Arts Auditorium today during X-period and watch a student team duke it out with a staff/administration team and find out who knows more anout the UACCM faculty!

The event is part of the Higher Learning Commission accreditation process currently underway at UACCM. All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend what is guaranteed to be an entertaining demonstration of the knowledge our staff members and students hold.

Tuesday, February 17 Class Cancellations

Collette Braud's 12:55 class is cancelled today. Be sure to watch out for the newest hard copy issue of The Campus Link tomorrow around campus.

The Carnival is in The Plaza

Get your beads out, because Mardi Gras is just around the corner! The UACCM Student Government Association's annual Mardi Gras Party will take place on Fat Tuesday, February 24 in The Plaza. Here's the schedule of events and how you can win some sweet prizes:

11:00 am-1:00 pm: King Cake Served

11:00 am-12:30 pm: Mardi Gras Mask Contest

• 1st Place-$50 Walmart Gift Card
  
• 2nd Place- $25 Walmart Gift Card
  
• 3rd Place- $10 Walmart Gift Card
  
• Faculty Prize- $25 Gift Card to the UACCM Bookstore

There will also be a baby scavenger hunt. Hints will be placed around campus to help find the location of the baby. Whoever finds it will receive a $30 Walmart Gift Card.

CIS Club is providing entertainment, and if you don't have any beads, look for an SGA member-they will be handing them out all day!

And the $cholarship$ Roll In

On Tuesday, the Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund presented UACCM with a 100,000 contribution to support scholarships for petroleum technology students. Students enrolled in the program traveled to the University of Arkansas System Office to accept scholarships awarded through the donation, which will help pay for tuition, fees and books. The UACCM scholarship committee and petroleum technology faculty selected the scholarship recipients.

“In order for an industry to grow, there must be exceptional talent behind it. The UACCM petroleum technology program has helped produce this talent in Arkansas,” said Keith Waddell, president of the Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund.

Established in 2006, the Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund is a volunteer organization with members representing companies working in the Fayetteville Shale play. The group’s primary focus is to raise funds to assist students enrolled in the UACCM petroleum technology program. The UACCM scholarship committee then awards scholarships based on financial need and grade point average.

Many thanks are due to the Fayetteville Shale Scholarship Fund. Congratulations to the recipients of these scholarships!

Pictures to follow...

Thursday, February 12 Class Cancellation

All of Danna Crook's classes are cancelled today!

Blues Thursday

“Essie the Blues Lady” will be on campus to present a free blues concert tomorrow (Thursday) evening at 7:00 pm in the Fine Arts Auditorium. The concert is open to the public and free of charge.

In 2008, Essie was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, where she stands alongside dozens of influential blues performers. She was recently quoted as saying "I was born into the blues, I was raised on the blues, and I'm a product of the blues."

Hope to see you there!

Wednesday class cancellations

Mrs. Crook's Reading II class is cancelled today, so take a break and maybe...I don't know...read a book?

Have a good day!

Upcoming stuff!

Don't forget: The general audition for the UACCM spring musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" is this evening at 6:00 in the Fine Arts Auditorium. No prior experience is necessary...just be prepared to sing a simple song of your choice (Happy Birthday, Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc.) in front of several people! If you're trying out, break a leg!

Also, don't forget to check out the upcoming events in the left column of this page for several meetings and events later this week: be ready to get the blues on Thursday!

Monday evening class cancellation

Anthony Holt has cancelled his class for Monday evening, February 9. Stay at home and watch the rain!

Events coming up Tuesday

Note: Due to illness, Mr. Hatton will not be able to speak today. This event is postponed until further notice. Watch the blog for more info. Need motivation? If so, plan to attend “Winning Is Within Your Reach” by J. Duey Hatton tomorrow (February 10) during X-period in the Fine Arts Auditorium. Hatton is referred to as “Mr. Enthusiasm” because he holds his audiences spellbound with his mixture of high-energy and soul-touching messages.

Hatton, a former high school coach and community college dean, is the director of public relations and development for Abundant Life Schools in Sherwood and a member of the Speakers International Network, the Professional Speakers Alliance, and Toastmasters International.The presentation is hosted by Phi Beta Lambda as part of its National FBLA/PBL week activities, so come on down to the auditorium and check it out.

(The auditions are still on!) Feeling dramatic? The UACCM theatre department will produce its first spring musical, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, to be performed in the Fine Arts Auditorium on April 23, 24, 25, and 26.Based on Charles Schultz’s “Peanuts” characters, this award-winning musical is created from little moments picked from all the days of Charlie Brown.

Interested in performing? Stop by the general audition tomorrow (February 10) at 6:00 pm in the UACCM Fine Arts Auditorium. Auditions are open to the community, and no prior experience is necessary. Be sure to be prepared to sing a simple song of your choice (Happy Birthday, Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc.) in front of several people! Readings from the script will be assigned at the audition. If you have any questions, or for further information, contact Speech/Theatre Instructor Jim Harris at (501) 977-2118 or at harris@uaccm.edu.

Intramural Hoops Schedule

If you're signed up for intramural 3-on-3 basketball, games begin next week! All Intramural 3-on-3 games will begin at 12:05 pm at the Conway County Community Center (C4). Participants who are not members of C4 should arrive at the center no earlier than noon on game days. Good Luck!

• Feb. 10
  Court 1 - Celtics Vs. Free Agent 1
  Court 2 - Da Dogs Vs. Free Agent 2
  
• Feb. 12
  Court 1- PTSO Vs. Free Agent 3
  Court 2 - Faculty/Staff Vs. Free Agent 4
  
• Feb. 17
  Court 1 - Toon Squad Vs. Free Agent 5
  Court 2 - Punishers Vs. Tara Massey’s Team

More dates to come. Good luck!

Coming Soon: Student Loan Checks (and lots of other stuff, too)!

Running low on funds and receiving a student loan? Anyone who received loan award letters before January 1 can pick up their loan refund checks beginning tomorrow (Friday, February 6) at 9:00 am. Stop by one of the Student Accounts windows in the University Center lobby to receive your check. Don't forget your UACCM photo ID, because no ID=empty pockets!

If you don't make it by to pick up your check within three weeks will be mailed to the address on file in the Registrar’s Office.

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Several new dates were just added to the left, so be sure to check 'em out.

Thursday, February 5 Class Cancellations

If you have a class with Heather Solano as your instructor, your class is cancelled today. She will return tomorrow!

Wednesday, February 4 class cancellations

Check out today's round of class cancellations...

If you have any classes instructed by Cynthia Minguez or Jennifer Coney, save yourself some steps, because their classes are all cancelled. Both instructors are out sick today.

Don't Miss Your Chance to Feud

If you’re ready to see some more feuding, or if you missed it the first time, stop by and check out UACCM’s version of “Family Feud” on Tuesday, February 17 during X-period in the Fine Arts Auditorium. This time, STUDENTS will be added to the mix and will duke it out with a staff team to see who knows more about UACCM.

Think you know the number one answer to some challenging questions about the UACCM faculty? If you want to participate in the feud, send an E-mail to berry@uaccm.edu with “Student Team” in the subject line. The E-mail should include your name, major, number of semesters at UACCM, and three sentences describing why you would make a prefect contestant. The deadline to sign up for consideration is Tuesday, February 10.

The event is part of the Higher Learning Commission accreditation process currently underway at UACCM. All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend what is guaranteed to be an entertaining demonstration of the knowledge our staff members and students hold.

Tuesday evening class cancellations

Anyone enrolled in a Tuesday evening class with Jennifer Coney can save themselves some gas and time and stay at home! Ms. Coney is out sick today.

Whoa! That's a lot of Bodies!

The numbers are in, and UACCM has reported another record enrollment for the spring 2009 semester! 1914 students were officially registered for classes on the 11th day of class. This makes for an increase of 15.6 percent over the spring 2008 semester. Initial (sight) reports indicate that UACCM parking lots must be at least 15.6 percent fuller this semester. Take a look at this semester’s student population:

• Full-time students - 64 percent
  
• Part-time students - 36 percent
  
• Average age of total student enrollment – 26
  
• Males – 39 percent
  
• Females – 61 percent

County of Residence:

• Conway – 23 percent
  
• Faulkner – 38 percent
  
• Perry – 6 percent
  
• Pope – 17 percent
  
• Van Buren – 6 percent
  
• Yell – 5 percent
  
• Other counties – 5 percent

Students enrolled in technical, business, health, and service-related occupational programs account for 54 percent of the student body.

Students pursing Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees, two-year degrees designed for university-transfer, also account for 38 percent of credit students.

The remaining 8 percent are non-degree seeking students, undeclared majors, and concurrently enrolled high school students.

Get Inspired with PBL

Need some motivation in your life? If so, plan to attend “Winning Is Within Your Reach” by J. Duey Hatton on Tuesday, February 10 during X-period in the Fine Arts Auditorium. Hatton guarantees that you will walk away from the presentation with a desire to put more PIZZAZZ into your game of life. He is referred to as “Mr. Enthusiasm” because he holds his audiences spellbound with his mixture of high-energy and soul-touching messages.

Hatton, a former high school coach and community college dean, is the director of public relations and development for Abundant Life Schools in Sherwood and a member of the Speakers International Network, the Professional Speakers Alliance, and Toastmasters International.

The presentation is hosted by Phi Beta Lambda as part of its National FBLA/PBL week activities, so come on down to the auditorium and check it out.