Inside: Page 14: Up & Coming

Page 2: Table of Contents Pages 2 - 13: NOVA Sightings

INTERCOM

December 2, 2011

Loudoun Receives Green Business Challenge Recognition

On October 27, the Loudoun Campus was recognized as a participant in Loudoun County Green Business Challenge at the 2011 Loudoun Green Gala at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne. In order to participate in the Loudoun County Green Business Challenge, employees of the Loudoun Campus completed the Green Challenge scorecard. The scorecard allowed participants to report the environmentally friendly operational practices that are observed at their institution.

The Loudoun Green Team, a student run club, hosted a bike-to-school day to help promote green practices within the student body and this type of activity added valuable points to Loudoun’s Green Challenge scorecard.

The Loudoun Green Business Challenge was developed in partnership with the Loudoun County Government and the Chamber of Commerce.

Intercom Newsletter: Intercom is a publication of Marketing and Communica-tions. It is produced electroni-cally every Friday for the faculty and staff of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). Submissions: Please submit your items via e-mail to Intercom@nvcc.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Friday prior to publication. Photos should be submitted as digital files and attachments should be in MS Word or MS Publisher format. All submissions are subject to editing for length and clarity. The articles and information in this publication are written and submitted by NOVA faculty and staff (contributors) and are pub-lished with the understanding that such information is correct and verified by the contributor prior to submission. Editor: Alison Nicole Nooks Phone: 703-323-3002 For Intercom Archives and Submission Guidelines: http://www.nvcc.edu/pip/ Posting Schedule: Intercom is posted on the Web by Friday afternoon each week unless there is a holiday. Inclement weather or technical emergencies may prevent In-tercom from being posted on time. During the summer and in-between semesters, Inter-com is published every other Friday. Submit your news today!

Loudoun County Supervisor Andrea McGimsey, Renee Resnick with Rodan+Fields Dermatology, Kenneth Strasberg with Con - Serv Industries Disposal & Recycling, NOVA Instructor Kristyn Moskey, Loudoun student Kenneth Trinh, Loudoun Campus Provost Julie Leidig and Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce President Tony Howard.

2

NOVASIGHTINGS Table of Contents Page 1 • Loudoun Receives Green Business

Challenge Recognition Page 2 • Exciting New Program at the MEC:

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Page 3 • New staff at the Annandale Campus • New Social Media Tools • Parking Tips: Helping You Stay Within the

Lines Page 4 • NOVA Volunteers at Habitat for Humanity

House • Errico Featured on NPR’s “With Good

Reason” Page 5 • Redesigning Developmental Education in

Virginia Page 6 • Annandale Lyceum Series Hosts

Nationally Recognized Authors Page 7 • Woodbridge Helps to Motivate Local Youth

for National Young Readers Day Page 8 • Annandale Campus Hosts Open House for

Area Counselors Page 9 • Manassas Welcomes Interim Provost Page 10 • Annandale History Professor Discusses

Lincoln’s Assassination • Alexandria Hosts Inaugural Honors

Registration Week Page 11 • Alexandria Campus Second Annual Math

Contest Page 12 • VCCS Student Leadership Page 13 • Alexandria Campus Thanksgiving Dinner Page 14 • Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference is

Coming • Blackboard Competency • Teaching and Learning Online

Exciting New Program at the MEC: Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Interested in an exciting healthcare career with excellent job security?

Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) may be just the career for you. To add to the many different programs, NOVA’s Medical Education Campus (MEC) is excited to announce the adoption of the new OTA Program. The OTA program is in the initial phases of applying to Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in hopes to continue toward eventual accreditation. Occupational Therapy Assistant courses, pending ACOTE’s timeline, will start in January 2013.

Imagine the excitement of being part of NOVA’s first OTA cohort! This is an excellent time to become an occupational therapy assistant. Occupational therapy is a growing, dynamic and vibrant profession. In fact, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for occupational therapy practitioners will continue to grow into the foreseeable future (http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos166.htm).

So what does an occupational therapy assistant do? OTAs work with individuals of all ages to help them improve their functional capacities to participate in self-care, work and leisure pursuits under the guidance and supervision of a registered occupational therapist (OTR/L). OTAs can work in a variety of settings including: schools, rehabilitation centers, extended care facilities, acute care hospitals, outpatient clinics, mental health facilities, community mental health entities and contract agencies.

NOVA’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is designed to prepare students with entry-level skills to provide rehabilitative services to persons with psychosocial, physical and developmental impairments. The OTA program is a full-time, five-semester sequential curriculum leading to an associate in applied science degree.

For those interested in learning more about the program, please contact the Assistant Dean of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Meg Cook at mkcook@nvcc.edu or 703-822-2007. At this time, it is recommended that interested candidates refer to the 2011-2012 Academic Catalog and take the pre-requisites, at minimum, and the general education courses, as desired, if interested in pursuing this exciting career. Also, keep your eyes open for upcoming information sessions where there will be opportunities to learn more about the OTA curriculum and meet faculty.

Please also encourage students to consider earning an associate in applied science degree as an occupational therapy assistant.

3

NOVASIGHTINGS

Parking Tips: Helping You Stay Within the Lines It is time to renew your spring permit online! Here is the link (to the right): https://nvccparking.t2hosted.com/cmn/. If you are off campus, this Q R code will help you find the parking website. It is easy, saves time and no standing in line!

New Social Media Tools

Web Services and Digital Media (WSDM) of the Office of Marketing and Communications introduces a brand new social media feature: the NOVA Social Media Hub (http://www.nvcc.edu/about-nova/connect-nova/index.html). From the NOVA home page, simply click on the “Connect with NOVA” button under the gold menu bar on the right to get instant access to the innovative hub.

The Social Media Hub is a centralized location that hosts all of NOVA’s social media sites. The hub features tabs on the left which allow users to toggle between NOVAaccess’ YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages and student blogs.

To the right of the tab is a preview screen. This gives users integrated access to watch NOVA YouTube videos, view NOVA’s latest tweets or Facebook updates, and read new student blog entries without having to open a new Internet browser window.

Horizontal buttons line the bottom of the page. The first two buttons directly link to NOVA’s LinkedIn and iTunes U pages. The remaining three buttons take users to NOVA’s iPhone App, Office Blogs and the NOVA Mobile Site.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the latest NOVA website updates and features, email wsdm@nvcc.edu. You can also connect with NOVA under NOVAaccess through our social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

New Staff at the Annandale Campus

This October, Claudia Chirinos accepted the position of general ad-ministration supervisor/coordinator at the Annandale Campus Provost Office. Chirinos came to NOVA in September 2007 and worked in the executive vice president’s office as one of his executive assistants. Soon after, she also began working alongside the associate vice presidents Paul McVeigh, Beth Harper and Sheri Robertson.

Throughout the years, Chirinos has assisted with campuswide events such as Commencement, Convocation, Cross Campus Day and New Fac-ulty Orientation. She has served as a senator on the College Senate, was a member of the Classified Professional Development Committee, is a standing member of the Commencement Committee, and, most recently, she is a NOVA graduate.

Chirinos is originally from Arequipa, Peru. Prior to coming to NOVA, she worked for Prince William County government where she functioned in a multi-role position in the Office of Training and Development.

Welcome Claudia!

4

NOVASIGHTINGS

Errico Featured on NPR’s “With Good Reason”

On November 14, Dr. Charles Errico was interviewed for National Public Radio’s (NPR) program “With Good Reason.” The interview focused on the importance of history education, the vital role that community colleges play in higher education, and Errico’s book “Portrait of America,” that is required reading in more than 70 colleges nationwide. The program aired at various times on NPR stations from November 19 to 25.

NOVA Volunteers at Habitat for Humanity House

Students, faculty and staff from NOVA’s Annandale and Medical Education campuses and the Extended Learning Institute (ELI) spent Friday, November 11 volunteering at a local Habitat for Humanity site. The event was organized by Professor Richard Semmler, Student Life Specialist Bridget Downey, and Campus and Community Outreach Specialist Katherine Stramel.

Semmler is a house leader for several units at the Habitat site and has volunteered his time nearly every Saturday for the past 16 years. Not only does he volunteer his time helping to build the houses, he has also donated $300,000 to Habitat. On the November work day, he donated $11,111.11 to Habitat’s A Brush with Kindness program – an exterior home repair service for homeowners in need.

NOVA volunteers helped paint two of the Habitat house units. Several Habitat employees and recipients of Habitat houses were on hand to help out where needed. All of the volunteer hours from the day went toward the Habitat family’s sweat equity hours, which they must complete in order to receive the house. It was a very rewarding experience for everyone involved!

NOVA volunteers gather outside the Habitat for Humanity building for a group photo.

5

NOVASIGHTINGS

NOVASIGHTINGS

Intercom Reminders:

Faculty and staff contributors and readers:

• Deadline: Submissions (by NOVA faculty and staff only) must be received (via e-mail) by 5:00 p.m. on Fridays to be considered for the following week’s edition. Please note, all submissions are considered; however, all may not be published.

• Submission Guidelines: Submissions should be emailed to intercom@nvcc.edu. Unformatted text should be sent in an MSWord document or may be put into the body of the email.

• All photos or graphics should be attached as jpeg, bmp, tif or eps files. For complete guidelines, please go online to http://www.nvcc.edu/pip/guidelines.htm. Please do not submit photos or graphics “in” a MSWord document.

• Please make sure to also submit captions (including names and titles) for staff and faculty seen in any photographs. Please also denote the photographer when appropriate.

• Also remember that all news submissions for consideration should highlight NOVA faculty and/or staff and must be submitted by faculty and/or staff.

• Do not submit any photos, articles or other materials published in other publications without the written consent by that publication. If consent to reprint is provided, you must submit that consent along with your submission for consideration.

• During the college closings, holidays, and the summer months, the Intercom publishing schedule varies.

The last edition this year: DECEMBER 16

Redesigning Developmental Education in Virginia Our nation can only meet its ambitious college completion goals if students who start in developmental

education succeed. Virginia—like nearly every state and, indeed, many countries—has therefore turned its attention to helping more students prepare more effectively and efficiently for college-level work.

“Innovation at Scale,” written by Rose Asera for Jobs for the Future, describes Virginia’s process of redesigning developmental education to increase college readiness and student success across the state’s 23 community colleges and 40 campuses. “Innovation at Scale” was released in October 2011 to the chancellor of the Virginia Community College System's (VCCS) Advisory Council of Presidents (ACOP).

Virginia has made a significant investment in redesigning developmental education system-wide. By spring 2013, the redesign will transform the way students learn and engage with their colleges.

Developmental mathematics will be taught as a series of nine one-credit modules, with students taking only the modules they need.

Developmental English will be taught as a tiered subject, integrating academic reading and writing. This case study highlights the key roles of college leaders, faculty, staff, and, in particular, the chancellor

and central office of the VCCS as the state prepares to implement its ambitious plans. Data-driven, commit-ted and participatory, this story is sure to be instructive for innovators in other states.

For the full report “Innovation at Scale” visit: http://www.jff.org/sites/default/files/ATD_InnovationAtScale_101411.pdf.

6

NOVASIGHTINGS

Annandale Lyceum Series Hosts Nationally Recognized Authors

This fall’s Lyceum Series lectures provided Annandale Campus faculty, staff and students multiple opportunities to speak with nationally recognized authors. The Lyceum Committee, chaired by Dr. Terry Alford, plans and hosts educational, social and cultural enrichment activities for the NOVA community.

In October, Amadou S. Shakur visited the Campus to discuss his most recent research on the leadership of Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah and President Barack Obama. Shakur is a writer and lecturer on West African history and the spread of Islam in Africa, the Americas and Islamic Spain. His lecture, “In Search of Greatness,” explored the intricacies and details that bring the above mentioned leaders’ political experiences together. He chose these figures because they all received a Western education and experienced issues of diversity at an early age. They were also chosen because of the leadership they exemplified over the years.

November’s lecture focused on the life and work of Frederick Law Olmsted. Author Justin Martin discussed his most recent book, “Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted,” which details Olmsted’s career as a landscape architect, Civil War hero, abolitionist and journalist. Martin captivated his audience while sharing details of the design of Central Park among other American landmarks. Martin has written several other notable books on Ralph Nader and Alan Greenspan.

The Lyceum Committee is currently scheduling programs for their spring series. For more information, contact Alford at talford@nvcc.edu.

Amadou Shakur speaks at the October Lyceum Series event.

Justin Martin speaks to a nearly full house during the November Lyceum Series lecture.

7

NOVASIGHTINGS

NOVASIGHTINGS Woodbridge Helps to Motivate Local Youth for National Young Readers Day

On November 15, a group of volunteers from the Woodbridge Campus joined other local schools and businesses for National Young Readers Day. The goal of this event is to emphasize reading and to motivate young students to read by having role models read to them. Volunteer readers went to 38 elementary schools across Prince William County and read to more than 2,400 students. The group from the Woodbridge Campus read at Belmont Elementary School in Woodbridge, and included Assistant to the Business Manager Ash De Furia, Student Services Senior Secretary Barbara Eubank-Thurston, Education Support Specialist Jamie DeMonaco, AC and Refrigeration faculty Chris Rhyne, Student Success Specialist Lessie Kauzlarich, Campus and Community Relations Specialist Heather Witmer and students Sadia Bashiruddin, Nathan Tabor, Tiffany Sutton and Olivia Hjelm. These volunteers read to 14 different classes ranging from kindergarten to fourth grade.

Education Support Specialist Jamie DeMonaco reads to a class of second graders.

8

NOVASIGHTINGS

Annandale Campus Hosts Open House for Area Counselors

On November 10, the Ernst Cultural Center Forum at the Annandale Campus was full of Fairfax County Public School guidance counselors and Student Services representatives eager to learn more about what NOVA has to offer their students. Forty representatives from approximately 16 schools and organizations attended the Open House.

The day began with a welcome from High School Outreach Specialist Wes Hillyard, Provost Barbara Saperstone and Dean of Students Athos Brewer. The attendees were briefed on NOVA’s general admissions guidelines before receiving more specific information from Student Services representatives. Raphael Soberano discussed financial aid opportunities for students, Dr. Ellen Fancher-Ruiz explained dual-enrollment policies, Jennifer Nelson spoke about transfer agreements and Calvin Haney promoted student activities.

The attendees toured the CA facilities and were able to see NOVA’s Annandale Campus Student Services offices in action. They were provided a wonderful lunch and ended the day with a question and answer session.

The Open House was very helpful, informative and a huge success largely due to the organizers’ work, especially Hillyard. This will hopefully become an annual event for not just the Annandale Campus but all six campuses.

Financial Aid Counselor Raphael Soberano, Testing Center representative Jason DeFreitas, Transfer Counselor Jennifer Nelson, Director of Student Success Mark Mannheimer and Director of Counseling Ellen Fancher-Ruiz (AN) answer questions from the Open House attendees.

9

NOVASIGHTINGS

NOVASIGHTINGS Manassas Welcomes Interim Provost

Manassas Interim Provost Christine Holt talks with Dr. Charles Korn, Communication Studies and Theatre Arts, during a “meet and greet.”

Workforce Development was well represented by Pat Carrow, Cindy Langguth, Cindi Hill and Gaby Alvarez..

Dr. Barbara Lash, Art History, and John Phillips, Business, enjoyed the reception.

Marrium Saleem and Amanda Corrigan also attended.

10

NOVASIGHTINGS

Annandale History Professor Discusses Lincoln’s Assassination

On October 20, Dr. Terry Alford (AN) spoke at a Lyceum Lecture Series event at Victoria College outside of Houston, Texas. Victoria College is a two-year institution with just over 4,000 students. Alford was Victoria College’s second Lyceum Lecture Series speaker this year.

Alford took his audience back to that fateful night of April 14, 1865, when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Alford described the event in great detail so as to provide the audience with a clear understanding as to the night’s actions. After describing the assassination, Alford focused his lecture on Booth.

Alford is finishing his latest biography on Booth and is expected to have it completed and published by Oxford University Press in 2013. The book takes a cradle to grave look at the life of Booth – something that has not been done before.

In the classroom, Alford uses biography as a forum to teach history. He finds that by presenting the information in the subject’s perspective, the students become more engaged in the discussion.

Alford teaches U.S. Survey of History and Honors courses in History. He is a founding Board member of the Abraham Lincoln Institute of Washington. He enjoys teaching but also is a historian which keeps him active in his discipline. If you have questions about Booth’s life or Alford’s work, he can be reached at talford@nvcc.edu.

Alexandria Hosts Inaugural Honors Registration Week

On Wednesday, November 16, the committee hosted an Open House for Honors faculty and students, and members of the Alexandria Honors Committee greeted current and potential Honors students in the Bisdorf Building lobby all week long.

The Alexandria Honors Committee members include Honors faculty Bridgette Decker (biology), Snejana Toplanova (mathematics) and Beth Lanthier (psychology), Honors Chair Shon Grant, Placement Center repre-sentative Amira Al-Kulaidy, classified staff representative Jessica Miller, Honors Counselor Marjorie Kinna-man, Librarian representative Anne-Marie Anderson and Pathways repre-sentative Amy Dunlap.

AnneMarie Anderson, Bridgette Decker and Shon Grant, Alexandria Campus Honors Committee members, in Bisdorf Building lobby recruiting Honors students.

11

NOVASIGHTINGS

NOVASIGHTINGS Alexandria Campus Second Annual Math Contest

The Alexandria Campus Second Annual Math Contest was held November 10. The contest aims to show that mathematics is fun and useful, as illustrated by questions in consumer spending/personal finance, logical thinking, transportation, applied sciences and geometry.

First place students came from Professor Trudy Steilein's MTH163 class and each chose their desired prizes (textbooks and automotive tools). The competition was an excellent learning experience for contestants and spectators.

The contest sought to guide students toward careers in math-based sciences and to nurture those who have a mathematical bent. Opening remarks by Dean of Students Delores Scott and closing remarks by Dean of Science, Technology and Business Division Bruce Bowman moved thoughts in that direction. Contest efforts also have the active interest of Provost Peter Maphumulo.

The contest was open to all enrolled in an Alexandria Campus pre-calculus (MTH 163/166) course. Four professors organized the event that challenged nine teams, each with three students. Last year's contest covered developmental math and was the brainchild of Student Activities Coordinator Pat Gordon. Next fall's contest will cover calculus. Contests will join other efforts that launch NOVA students toward careers in which they were born to make a grand mark.

Faculty Trudy Streilein and Amy Wang; students Anna C. Cahill, Hang Nguyen and Charlie Huggins; faculty Snejana Topalova, Eddie Huff and Bruce Colletti.

12

NOVASIGHTINGS

VCCS Student Leadership

Forty-six student leaders representing all six NOVA campuses participated in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Student Leadership Conference held November 4 to 6 at the Williamsburg Marriot. The theme for the three day conference was “Sustaining Leaders.”

Students from all VCCS institutions participated in the conference. The NOVA delegation (pictured above) visited the Sir Christopher Wren Building on the campus of the College of William and Mary in Colonial Williamsburg. The Wren Building is the oldest college building in the United States.

Pat Gordon (AL), Calvin Haney (AN), Tiffney Laing (LO), Leif Corbett (MA), Pat Martin-Mattocks (MEC), Mat “Tank” McCarl (WO), Tamaica Jackson (WO) and Brian Anweiler (CS) also participated in the conference which is hosted annually by the VCCS at various locations around the Commonwealth.

13

NOVASIGHTINGS

NOVASIGHTINGS Alexandria Campus Thanksgiving Dinner

Student Activities Office and the Student Government Association (SGA) hosted the 4th Annual Campus

Thanksgiving Dinner for students at the Alexandria Campus on Monday, November 21. Sixty-five students shared a meal, making new friends and trading stories on their own customs and holidays.

Sue Jean Cho, history faculty, worked with student volunteers for the set-up and management of the event. Division Chair Jim McClellan, Liberal Arts, provided a history of the American Thanksgiving celebration, for the benefit of several students who had never attended a Thanksgiving dinner in the United States. Dean of Students Delores Scott cut and handed out pie to the guests. Joe Windham, history faculty, offered a toast at the end of the meal, wishing everyone a peaceful holiday. The table centerpieces, designed by SGA officers Natalie Benitez and Fatma Rekik, were given away to a student guest at each table.

The annual event, which was first organized by the Asian Student Association four years earlier, continues to reinforce the ideals and goals of the Campus to create a real sense of community for the students, faculty and staff.

Liberal Arts Division Chair Jim McClellan (center, standing) provides the history of the American Thanksgiving celebration.

14

UP&COMING

Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference is Coming

Do not forget to register for the Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference January 4 and 5 at the Annandale Campus. This is our seventh annual conference by and for NOVA faculty. It is free to all NOVA faculty. Registration numbers are low for the Power Up Your Pedagogy Conference on January 4 and 5. We want to be good stewards of the fund allocated, and do not want to order more food than is needed. Thus, please help us ensure the correct amount of food is ordered by completing your registration if you are planning to attend. Go online to www.nvcc.edu/CETL.

You can also follow the PUP Conference on Twitter. Follow NOVA_CETL, and search #PUP12 on your Twitter site!

Blackboard Competency

Are you looking for ways to complete your Blackboard competency? The

Technology Applications Center (TAC) has a variety of Blackboard training opportunities to help you fulfill Blackboard competency. Blackboard I, II, III classes are offered on Saturdays and virtually.

Information on Blackboard training and all TAC training is located at http://www.nvcc.edu/faculty-and-staff/technology/tac/tactraining/register/.

Teaching and Learning Online

Have you thought about teaching online? Do you want to feel better prepared to tackle this new and increasingly popular learning format?

The Extended Learning Institute (ELI) now offers two convenient credit courses to help you prepare to teach online – TOP and IDOL. TOP is an eight-week online course that introduces you to the pedagogy and technology for building and facilitating online learning communities in online and hybrid courses. IDOL is a 10-week online course that teaches you the ASSURE process for developing an online course that follows the national Quality Matters™ standards. Follow these links for additional information about the content of each course and registration procedures:

• EDU 285: Teaching Online Program (TOP):

http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/descriptions/edu285common/edu285ci810.htm • EDU 287: Instructional Design for Online Learning (IDOL):

http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/descriptions/edu287common/edu287ci111.htm Both courses are on ELI’s schedule for the spring 2012 semester. EDU 287 (IDOL) begins on January 9

and EDU 285 (TOP) begins on March 12. Contact ELI Faculty Developer Joan Osborne at josborne@nvcc.edu if you have questions or need additional information.

Please note that the attachment section of the Intercom can be accessed online at: http://www.nvcc.edu/pip/120211attachment.pdf.