Welcome to the Spring 2023 semester! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and had time to relax and enjoy interacting with family and friends. The fall semester was a wonderful return to a greater number of in-person classes. It has been fantastic to see more students and faculty in the hallways, have more face-to-face meetings, and gather for in-person celebrations! We look forward to continuing this in the spring semester.
Everyone in the BHC family has been doing great work to support and educate our students for tomorrow. This work and the story it tells was fully showcased during our HLC visit in December. We truly appreciate everyone’s hard work in helping to provide the evidence needed for the Assurance Argument and for your hospitality and time spent meeting with the team from HLC. We should have a final report from the HLC peer review team later this spring.
Thank you so much for making Black Hawk College a quality institution and keeping the student in the forefront so we can meet our goals for improved student retention, persistence, completion and transfer. Have a wonderful semester!
ADULT EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL and CONTINUING EDUCATION (PaCE)
Barb Courville
Adult Education
The Adult Education Department offers educational opportunities for students from various backgrounds at no cost to the student. Fall enrollment was up 7% from a year ago, with more than 520 students attending classes across four locations. More than 30 classes per semester are offered at a variety of times including evenings.
- Optional Education (High School Credit) classes provide educational alternatives for truant and dropout youth. Students attend Optional Education classes to earn the credits to receive their diploma from their local high school. This is a collaborative effort by the six Rock Island County public secondary school systems, Black Hawk College, the Regional Superintendent of Schools and the Youth Service Bureau.
- Youth GED® classes are designed to meet the needs of the younger GED® student. Optional Education GED® classes help students prepare for the GED® exam which, in turn, will qualify them for employment or postsecondary education.
- General Educational Development (GED®) classes prepare students to take the tests required to earn the GED® high school equivalency certificate. Classes are offered in English.
- English as a Second Language (ESL) classes help students build and attain language skills in listening, speaking, grammar, reading and writing, as well as learn general aspects of American culture and civics. New students are tested to ensure placement accuracy.
If you know anyone who needs these classes or would like more information, visit the Adult Education page or contact:
Outreach Center
301 Avenue of the Cities, East Moline
309-796-8216 (Adult GED®)
309-796-8245 (ESL)
309-796-8249 (High School Completion and Youth GED®)
Adult Learning Center (ALC)
4610 Black Hawk Commons Drive, Rock Island
309-794-1072 (for all classes)
Community Education Center (CEC)
404 E. Third St., Kewanee
309-854-1875 (for all classes)
High Roads Advantage
2004 SE Third St., Aledo
309-794-1072 or 309-582-8181 (Youth GED®, ages 16-24)
Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE)
The PaCE Department is very excited about the programs being offered in 2023. One of those programs is CommUniversity. It will be offered four Sundays in February from 2-4 p.m. at the Quad-Cities Campus to students 18 years or older. Students can choose from a variety of topics, including ancient Egypt, paper crafting, Celtic spirituality, gothic cathedrals, photography and Dante. Get more information on the CommUniversity page.
College for Kids is scheduled for July 17-21. In 2022, we offered classes in art, science, social studies, languages, math, language arts, technology and a miscellaneous category called special interests. Students who are entering 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th grade and score 90% or above on their standardized test on math or science or social studies or reading/language arts are eligible for the program. Students do not need to live in Illinois to attend.
The PaCE Department is located at the Outreach Center (301 Avenue of the Cities, East Moline). In addition to the Outreach Center, you can find PaCE classes at the Quad-Cities Campus, the Adult Learning Center (ALC) in Rock Island, the Community Education Center (CEC) in Kewanee and the Geneseo Public Library.
The January-May PaCE schedule recently was mailed. View the schedule.
If you have an idea for a new class or are interested in teaching a College for Kids class, email or call Barb Courville at 309-796-8244.
New and improved BHC online transfer resources are now available! There is a wealth of available tools, some of which are highlighted below. Visit the Transfer Program page and be sure to send your students to their assigned advisor so that a customized plan for graduation can be formulated collectively.
- Sample transfer plans
- CTE to transfer path
- Transferability of BHC courses
- Explore colleges and universities
We look forward to connecting with you this spring for the annual faculty in-services. Have a great semester!
The bookstores are ready and excited for the spring semester! We have a lot of great merchandise in stock, including BHC gift items and clothing. We also have a wide selection of food and drink options, such as coffee, chips, frozen pizzas, snack mixes, energy drinks and more!
Spring semester
All textbooks/materials that had an adoption submitted were ordered in late November/early December. Students can either come into the bookstore to get their materials or order online. Students are asked to bring in a class schedule or their printed book list to get their materials. If you submitted a DDA adoption, your students will gain access the first day of class. The opt-out deadline for classes beginning Tuesday, Jan. 17 is Friday, Jan. 27, and classes that begin Monday, March 20 will have an opt-out deadline of Thursday, March 30. While we encourage students not to opt-out of their materials, if a student chooses to opt-out, they must do so before the deadline. Otherwise, they will be charged for the materials. If any of your students are having trouble accessing their DDA materials, please direct them to RedShelf Solve.
Summer and fall
Looking ahead, adoptions for Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 will open in February and close in March. Please keep an eye out for that email, and make sure to submit your adoptions before the due date. We ask you to submit the most current edition of your textbook. Older editions are usually out of print and harder for us to find and purchase. In addition, if you are unsure whether or not you submitted an adoption, or just want to check and see what you adopted, you can visit the Select Term and Departments page.
Other news
The bookstore is looking into a new inclusive access partnership. This semester, we are doing a pilot with a new company. Unless we have contacted you directly, DDA materials will still be through our current inclusive access partner, RedShelf. We are working closely with several other departments to make sure everything runs smoothly and will keep all faculty posted on any changes.
We look forward to this upcoming year! Please reach out to us with any questions you may have.
Contact information:
bookstoregroup@bhc.edu
Quad-Cities Campus (Building 1, lower lobby)
Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Staff: JJ Harris, Skyler Cook, David Reich and Zach Massa
East Campus (Building A, Room 219)
Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Staff: Linda Lyon
CAREER SERVICES
Angela Striegel
Greetings from Career Services!
We don’t have any new tools to promote this semester but I wanted to remind you all of the platforms we do have available for student use.
Career Coach provides students with an opportunity to take a Holland-based career assessment, research local labor market information, explore academic programs at BHC, and create a résumé.
Big Interview teaches students about the overall interview process through a series of short, easily digestible videos. It also allows students to practice their interviewing skills. The org code students need when creating their free accounts is 0542.
College Central is our online job board. Employers post open positions that students can search and apply for online. Additionally, students can create an electronic portfolio using College Central.
Students are always encouraged to stop in the office or to schedule appointments for help.
Mark your calendars! The campus-wide Career Fair will be Wednesday, March 29 in Building 4 in the Hawk’s Nest. I’d love to see our students attend in record numbers this year. Let’s work together to prepare them for the event by encouraging résumé creation and/or updates, preparing an elevator pitch, researching employers, etc. If your classes would benefit from a guest speaker on any of those topics, please reach out!
Counseling Department
If you find a student in need of food, clothing, housing, financial assistance, motivation, hope, support or any other mental health assistance, please be sure to send them to the Counseling Department. You’re also welcome to reach out if you’d like assistance in approaching a student you may be concerned about. You can refer students to Wendy Bock or counseling@bhc.edu or 309-796-5198.
The Hawk’s Cupboard at the Quad-Cities Campus
The Hawk’s Cupboard is a free food resource for any BHC student or employee at any time! For Spring 2023, we will continue to offer curbside pickup on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Because of the Building 3 construction, the pantry is in a new temporary location – Building 4, second floor in the Restaurant (next to Room 209). We will send out new location pickup instructions with a map. Students still will be able to pull up and have pre-packed bags of perishable and nonperishable food placed in their trunks. We just ask that they sign up beforehand so we know how much to pack. Emails are sent to every student the week before as a reminder with a link to sign up (the link also can be found on the Counseling page). If the scheduled day/time doesn’t work in their schedule for pickup, we can always make other arrangements. Any BHC student or employee is welcome! Please encourage students to use this free resource!
The Kitchen at the East Campus
There is a fully stocked kitchen for East Campus students and employees! It is in Building 1 next to the Police Department. Nonperishables and frozen food will be available at all times, and a fresh food market will be available twice a month. For Spring 2023, we will continue to offer curbside pickup on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Students will drive up to Building 1 and have pre-packed bags placed in their trunks. An email with the signup will be sent to every student so we know how much food to pack (the link also can be found on the Counseling page). Please encourage students to use this free resource!
DISABILITY SERVICES
Jen Holldorf
Spring 2023 is almost here! The process for students with accommodations will be the same as we had for fall. Accommodation forms will be emailed to faculty prior to courses starting, or as soon as a student registers with our office once the initial forms have been emailed. This semester, I will make sure to include the course and section that they are enrolled in. I’ve told the students they are responsible for letting you know they need accommodations, making sure you received their form, and discussing what accommodations they will be using with you.
Students in need of accommodations for a disability will need to complete the Consent to Release Information form and the Disability Services Student Information Sheet and will need to submit an IEP, 504 Plan or Verification and Documentation of Disability signed by a medical professional. These forms and our Disability Services Student Handbook are available on the Disability Services page. Feel free to refer them to our office for more information and assistance. The Quad-Cities Campus office is open Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our East Campus office will be staffed Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I will plan to be at East on Wednesdays, but that could change each week depending on needs.
If you haven’t had a chance to stop by the Quad-Cities Campus Disability Services Office, we’d love to show you the updates we’ve made to the office! I’m trying to get students to create artwork for the walls, but if faculty would like a canvas to be creative, we’d be happy to show off your work!
If have questions regarding accommodations or are working with a student who may need accommodations, please email me, Jen Holldorf, or call me at 309-796-5903.
FINANCE and ADMINISTRATION
Steve Frommelt
The Board of Trustees’ approved facility master plan has provided the college direction over the last several years as we continue to ensure our facilities meet the needs of our students and communities we serve. This plan addressed needed upgrades to facilities across our many locations as well as the construction of new facilities.
As the fall term comes to a close, we are moving to the next phase of the plan – the renovation of Building 3, creation of the softball/baseball complex at the southwest corner of campus and construction of a facilities and storage building near The Villas. These projects will create some disruption on the west end of the Quad-Cities Campus through Spring 2024. Below you will find an overview of the projects. Access to the Quad-Cities Campus through Building 3 and parking in Lot 3 will not be available for the duration of the projects.
While it is very exciting that we continue to make significant investments in our facilities, they do come with some disruption. We ask for your patience during this time but we remain confident these projects will enhance the student experience and be something we can all be proud of.
Key moves and relocations to know:
- The Police Department has moved from Building 3 to the Sustainable Technologies Building, Room 110 (this occurred Thursday, Dec. 8) for the duration of construction and will move back to Building 3 in Summer 2024.
- The Athletic Department (Arnie Chavera, Tara Carey, Josh Keim, Tarah Rayos and all coaches) moved Dec. 15-16 to Building 1 to the TLC’s computer lab for the duration of construction and will move back to Building 3 in Summer 2024.
- The Hawk’s Cupboard food pantry has moved to the second floor of Building 4 for the duration of construction and will move back to the same location in Building 3 next to the Police Department in Summer 2024.
- Lot 3 (the parking lot west of Building 3) will be closed for parking and used by construction.
Ball fields
- While weather dependent, baseball is scheduled to be played on the new field by the end of March 2023.
- Softball construction should occur March 1 through July 31 with games played on the new field by the beginning of August 2023.
- Toilet facilities and press boxes should be available for use by August 2023.
QC Facilities and storage building (north of 34th Avenue just west of The Villas)
- This is a storage building only and will have the name “Facilities” and “Building 5” assigned to it.
- Anticipated completion is Spring 2023.
- Once complete, it will house Facilities’ equipment and excess furniture and equipment. Cargo bins below Building 4 will go away after Building 3 construction is complete.
QC Building 3
- Fencing (construction and mobilization) began Monday, Dec. 19.
- Foundation waterproofing work started Tuesday, Jan. 3. Anticipated completion is early March 2023.
- The Police Department has moved from Building 3 to the Sustainable Technologies Building, Room 110 (this occurred Thursday, Dec. 8) for the duration of construction and will move back to Building 3 in Summer 2024.
- The Athletic Department (Arnie Chavera, Tara Carey, Josh Keim, Tarah Rayos and all coaches) moved Dec. 15-16 to Building 1 to the TLC’s computer lab for the duration of construction and will move back to Building 3 in Summer 2024.
- Gym access for athletics will be maintained for the entire construction project except May 15-Aug. 1, 2023 with “tunnel” access similar to what we did on the east side of Building 1 on the Quad-Cities Campus. Building 3 access points will move around as necessary.
- Access to the Health Sciences Center will remain open at all times.
- Building 3 will be out of commission for College for Kids the summers of 2023 and 2024.
- Anticipated completion: July 1, 2024.
Semester reminders are available online, but please encourage any student with financial aid questions or concerns to contact our office directly for assistance!
Enrollment
If a student plans to add or drop a course after the semester has started, please encourage the student to contact the Financial Aid Office beforehand to determine how their financial aid eligibility may be impacted.
Participation
The Financial Aid Office relies on Attendance Verification Rosters (AVR) to verify student eligibility for financial aid. As you report attendance in online/hybrid courses, please keep in mind that students must do more than log on – instead, they must intentionally engage with the course (e.g. submit an assignment, participate in a discussion board, etc.) in order to “attend” an academically related activity.
Midterms
The Financial Aid Office also relies on ICCB rosters for confirming or recalculating student financial aid eligibility throughout the semester. Timely reporting to Enrollment Services ensures that the Financial Aid Office is working with accurate information as soon as it is available. Late submission or failure to report midterm attendance can negatively impact financial aid processing and prevents timely notification to students.
Special circumstances
If you are aware of a student whose family has experienced a job loss or significant reduction of income since 2020, please encourage the student to contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if a financial aid adjustment may be applicable.
HONORS PROGRAM
Nicole Banks and Katie Johnson
- The BHC Honors Program provides students with an opportunity to participate in additional academic work to enrich their college experience. It consists of two honors courses and a service project.
- The Honors Seminar eight-week course, HONR 200, introduces students to concepts in academic research, scholarships, leadership and service.
- The Independent Study course, HONR 205, allows students to take an area of academic interest and collaborate with faculty members to create an opportunity to demonstrate academic research and share findings with the college community.
- The Honors Service Project allows students to find an area where they can apply their interests and skills in a way that provides service to others.
- HONR 200 was first offered in Fall 2021, and 37 students have completed the course. Three students completed the entire Honors Program when they graduated in May 2022. There are seven students who have approved HONR 205 proposals and are working with faculty members on Independent Studies in many areas. We know more students are working with faculty members to get proposals set up for spring and fall semesters.
- HONR 200 will be offered in the first eight weeks of Spring 2023. For more information about the program, visit the Honors Program page and/or enroll in the Honors Program Canvas course.
Instructors who might be interested in teaching the HONR 205 Independent Study course should email the Honors Program to be added to the list provided to students with contact information for instructors who can work with students on independent studies with topics listed. Students approach instructors who they’d like to work with, and together they develop the course content if the instructor is available for the appropriate semester.
If you have questions, please reach out to any member of the Honors Program Committee. We are hoping all employees learn about the program, so we can continue to grow the program and give more students a chance to enrich their time at BHC. Please try to get the message about HONR 205 to any adjunct faculty members who might want to work with students on HONR 205 Independent Studies in their areas of expertise.
Welcome new HR employee
Please help me to welcome the newest member of the HR team! Holly Fisk joined us in September as the HR Generalist-Benefits and hit the ground running with the college Open Enrollment process. Going forward, Holly will be the primary contact for all health benefits and as a generalist, she will back up a number of HR processes including SURS and recruitment, among others.
Employee recruitment
Have an idea of where we should be posting our positions or job fairs to attend as a BHC employee recruiter? Contact Danielle Darland, Employment Specialist. This could be your local organization, job board, other publications, etc.
Professional development
Please be on the lookout for the professional development schedule. We will start offering opportunities again soon.
Benefits:
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- EAP offers a variety of services and no cost for employees. Services include health and lifestyle choices, legal advice, assistance with budget and financials, counseling, improving and inspiring daily life, growing personal and career skills.
- Access services through the EAP website and use the code Black Hawk or call 800-624-5544.
AFLAC
- Kim Aikins is our contact at 608-235-7856 or kimberly_aikins@us.aflac.com.
- Additional benefits include short-term disability, life insurance, accident coverage, cancer, critical care and hospital.
Serve You Rx
- Contact information is located on your insurance card or call 800-759-3203.
- Set up or update your maintenance and specialty medications through Serve You Rx mailing system.
MeMD
- MeMD is free to employees with BHC health coverage. Contact information is located on your insurance card or call 855-636-3669.
403(b) through Empower
- Educational seminars will be offered this spring (dates TBD).
- Contact our local QCB&T investment team at 563-388-5436 to learn more about the 403(b) investments, retirement planning, financial planning, college planning and 401(k) rollovers.
FSA & DCA
- Manage your account through the portal. Needing help with the portal? Contact Consociate at 800-798-2422 or contact Holly Fisk to review your account balance.
Norton LifeLock
- Norton LifeLock offers two different identity protection packages – essential or premier – to keep you and your family’s identity safe. Monitor any activity using the Norton app. Any questions? Contact member services at 800-607-9174.
All-in-one insurance card
- Don’t forget BHC has an all-in-one insurance card. Our insurance is through Consociate Health. We use Cigna as our nationwide network.
- If you’ve misplaced or lost your insurance card, please contact Holly Fisk at 309-796-5226 for a replacement.
Contact information:
- Recruiting and hiring needs (all types), NeoGov/NeoEd administration – Danielle Darland at 309-796-5224
- Assistance with Personnel Action Notices (PANs) – Talia Gholson at 309-796-5228
- Assistance with faculty contract generation (FLAC or otherwise) – Kasey Lockett or Talia Gholson at 309-796-5228
- FMLA, leaves of absence and sick bank – Talia Gholson at 309-796-5228
- Benefits questions – Holly Fisk at 309-796-5226 or Consociate Customer Service at 800-798-2422
- Questions regarding SURS or other benefits – Talia Gholson at 309-796-5228
- Personnel data needs – Kasey Lockett
- Questions related to unions, personnel matters, AA/EEO or any other complaints – Stacey Cary at 309-796-5225
- Schedule new hire appointments to complete paperwork – Diana Calderon at 309-796-5222
- All other needs or issues – Diana Calderon at 309-796-5222 or Stacey Cary at 309-796-5225
More videos on Kanopy
The BHC Library has added more than 10,000 new videos to stream via Kanopy! Visit the Kanopy site and log in with your myBlackHawk username and password.
Schedule a library instruction session
If you’d like a librarian to demonstrate library resources or research strategies to your class – in person or online – please contact librarians to schedule a library instruction session:
- Cat Broady, East Campus Reference & Instruction Librarian – 309-854-1733
- Atticus Garrison, Quad-Cities Campus Reference & Instruction Librarian – 309-796-5149
Join our book club!
Bring Your Own Book (BYOB) Club will return this semester! There will be monthly meetings at each campus where booklovers can share what they’ve recently enjoyed and get ideas on what to read next. All readers are welcome!
Couldn’t make it to book club? Check out our list of books recommended at the meetings.
Research guides
Our online research guides are great tools to help students get started on research projects. Our guides highlight library resources in their area of study, contain tutorials on how to navigate the catalog and databases, and include citation help as well. Class- or assignment-specific guides are available upon request.
Printing reminder
Do not send your students to the library to print lecture PowerPoints. The library printers are unable to handle the volume and the strain these jobs put on our equipment. Faculty members should work with Campus Services if these materials need to be printed for students.
MARKETING and PUBLIC RELATIONS
John Meineke
Marketing and Public Relations, located in the walkway between Building 3 and Building 4 at the Quad-Cities Campus, provides marketing and public relations services to the college community, including graphic design, photography, videography, website content and maintenance. Requests may be submitted in myBlackHawk under the Employees tab – Publications, Forms and Manuals – Marketing & Public Relations. There you’ll find the request form that fits your needs. You also are welcome to contact any department members directly.
- John Meineke, Director of Marketing and Public Relations – 309-796-5053
- Julie Johnston, Assistant Director of Marketing and Public Relations – 309-796-5050
- Jessica Boone, Master Graphic Designer – 309-796-5055
- Brian Goman, Marketing Specialist – 309-796-5059
- Devin Hansen, Website Coordinator – 309-796-5065
- Kris Meyer, Master Graphic Designer – 309-796-5056
- Holly Smith, Public Relations Specialist – 309-796-5051
MULTICULTURAL ENTREPRENEURIAL CENTER
Loredana Cooper
The Multicultural Entrepreneurial Center (MEC) fosters an equitable and inclusive learning environment through various wholesome events, engaging group activities, healthy meals, community involvement and fun contests. This new department focuses on economic development by creating partnership opportunities through engagement and workforce development within the Quad-Cities community. MEC is home to the International Student Association, Mentoring Program, language lessons, entrepreneurial and leadership meetings and workshops. Joining the MEC will connect you with a number of local business professionals, educational resources and other benefits. MEC also has internship and membership opportunities for BHC students.
Any student enrolled in one of the college’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs may receive assistance from the Perkins Career Support Services program.
The following services are available to any CTE student:
- Laptop Loan
- Tutor and study group support
- Accommodations assistance
- Academic skills workshops
- Referrals to community resources
Additionally, CTE students may be eligible to receive emergency assistance (need-based) with textbooks, supplies, internet and/or transportation. Download the emergency assistance application.
Eligibility requirements for emergency assistance:
- Active CTE program major
- Pell eligible
- Educational expenses exceed financial aid
- Special Population status (see list below)
– Unemployed
– Homeless
– Single parent/pregnant or parenting
– Diagnosed disability
– English learner
– Economically disadvantaged
– Preparing for nontraditional (by gender) training/employment
– Students age 17-24 in or aged out of foster care
– Students age 17-24 whose parent/s is active military and/or on active duty
For academic advising and referrals to community resources, students should contact their assigned CTE advisor.
For laptop loans, academic skills workshops, tutoring and emergency assistance, email Cathy Dorathy or call her at 309-796-5486.
PLANNING and INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS (PIE)
Kathy Malcolm
HLC site visit
The HLC Peer Review Team completed their site visit Dec. 5-6. As you know, the visit was part of determining our 10-year accreditation and is extremely important to the entire college community and the students we serve.
A huge thank you to the members of the Assurance Argument Steering Committee – Marilynn Bartels, Jodi Becker, Heather Bjorgan, Dr. Richard Bush, Jarrett Daugherty, Dale Huntley, Dr. Cyndi Louden, Ken Nickels, Ashtin Trimble and Tim Wynes – who provided guidance to the assurance argument process in terms of planning and educating us along the way.
Over the next several months, HLC will follow several stages in the decision-making process. It is likely we will not receive their final report until later this spring.
Thank you to all of you for what you do. We are deeply appreciative to the dozens of members of our employee community and external partners who participated in the accreditation process.
Anthology
Please contact Jarrett Daugherty for questions regarding access and permissions to any of the Anthology modules, Dr. Cyndi Louden for assistance with developing assessment plans, curriculum mapping or developing assessment strategies, and Kathy Malcolm for unit planning questions.
Results of the Fall 2022 SENSE Survey
The Survey of Entering Student Engagement results will be sent to the college in February. Planning and Institutional Effectiveness will communicate the overall results of the survey to the college, as well as meet with academic departments and student services with specific results highlighted in the report. For more information, email Dale Huntley or call him at 309-796-5631.
Key planning dates
- Jan. 13 – Mid-Year progress reports on all unit plan measures due
- Jan. 13 – Academic Fall 2022 course assessment reflections due
- Feb. 3 – Program review-transfer course worksheets due
- March 3 – Budgets due
- March 30 – Program review final approval by deans
RECRUITMENT (QC)
Gabriella Hurtado
Upcoming events:
- Women in Manufacturing event for middle and high school students at the Quad-Cities Campus – Friday, Feb. 24.
- Info Night Series – Tuesdays, Jan. 10, Feb. 7 and March 7 from 6-8 p.m. – Prospective students and families are invited to meet with our recruiters to learn more about BHC programs and steps to getting started.
- Spring Open House – Saturday, April 15 from 9 a.m. to noon.
- Spring Free Application Week – April 24-May 1 using code FREEAPP23.
- Think Tank meetings – Second Thursday of the month at 3 p.m. via Zoom. This is a space for staff, faculty and recruiters to share updates and discuss upcoming recruitment and enrollment opportunities.
If you’re presenting to a classroom or participating in a community event, let us know. We’re happy to put together a grab bag you can pick up in Recruitment. It includes a table cover, BHC handouts and promotional items. Contact Gabi Hurtado or Mikael Gibson.
STUDENT LIFE and ENGAGEMENT
Jana Koch
Greetings from the Student Life & Engagement Office!
The SLO is still working with Financial Aid, Student Success/TRIO, Advising, Counseling, Disability Services, Career Services and the Veterans Resource Center to outline a successful format for our Quad-Cities Campus Orientation sessions. The design for these sessions is to give students a head start at Black Hawk College. Our spring session format targeted early high school graduates with a two-hour session that allowed students who have already applied to talk to advisors and learn more about financial aid and other resources. As we move into fall registration, we will meet to review the current format and make adjustments to enrich our incoming student experience. If you are interested in taking part in these conversations, please contact Jana Koch, Director of Student Life and Engagement.
We will host the QC Kickoff on Thursday, Jan. 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is a fun and informative day created to get the new semester off to a great start! All new and current students are encouraged to attend. Families and returning students also are welcome to join us! During QC Kickoff, incoming students will have the opportunity to:
- Meet classmates.
- Attend student and faculty panels.
- Participate in info sessions like How to Use Canvas.
- Receive a campus tour.
- Get their ID photo and parking pass.
- Experience student life and campus culture.
We like to think we throw a pretty good party and would appreciate it if you attended with your families so that our students can meet and mingle with their faculty members before classes start. If you are interested, please register to let us know you’re coming.
TEACHING & LEARNING CENTER (TLC)
Andy Olson & Kelly Wu
Hello from the TLC!
Kelly Wu, Instructional Designer, has a software package called Articulate 360 which helps create interactive e-training content. Contact Kelly if you or your department are interested in working with her.
We have been working on many projects, including a Course Assessment Checklist, Web Proctoring Survey, Canvas course templates, putting an Adjunct Advisory Committee together, and many other projects. We hope this work will be fruitful and helpful for you and our students.
We hope you have found the Canvas Dashboard Announcements which appear at the top of the Canvas Dashboard helpful and a way to help ensure you see them. With that said, we want to make sure you know the following:
- To close/hide an announcement, click the X in the top-right corner of the announcement.
- You may still see it and others by clicking in the top-left corner, Account > Global Announcements > Current/Recent tabs.
Finally, the Quad-Cities Campus TLC is sharing the TLC space with the Athletic Department during the construction of Building 3. Kelly and Andy are available to meet with you via web conference, phone and in person. Contact us.
Students may be eligible for the TRIO program if they plan to transfer to a four-year college/university and/or:
- Neither parent has earned a four-year degree.
- They have a documented disability.
- They are receiving financial aid (PELL).
The TRIO program provides:
- Holistic advising
- Financial aid application assistance/financial literacy
- College/university transfer help/visits
- Access to textbooks on library reserve
- Academic/skill-building workshops
- Cultural events/service-learning opportunities
Students can apply for TRIO online.
The TRIO program will continue the midterm progress reports as a webform this term. Thank you for your continued support in these efforts!
Math and English/writing help is available to all BHC students during the Tutoring Center’s walk-in hours at the Quad-Cities Campus – Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For East Campus hours, visit the Tutoring page.
Tutoring appointments are available for students in various subjects by requesting an appointment online. Appointment times are available on campus during regular hours or remotely and flexible to scheduling – some weekend hours are available upon request.
Lead tutors will be in touch to schedule class visits soon. There also is a Tutoring Center video you can make available to students through your Canvas course page(s). If there is information about an assignment that you’d like the tutors to know, especially any pieces with which you don’t want tutors to assist, please share.
The Tutoring Center will use the digital tutoring contact note process again this term. You will receive an email with links to each tutoring session pertaining to any of your classes. The last few questions are for you to denote any assessment from that session. Thanks again for your support in these efforts!
VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER
Tom Reagan
Veterans Resource Center
Black Hawk College recognizes that it can be difficult for veterans and military students to navigate college departments and to identify and utilize the many benefits and resources available to them. There is a Veterans Resource Center at the Quad-Cities Campus in Building 4, Room 117. The center offers veterans and active duty military students and employees a place to relax, network, study and find resources to help them transition into college and careers. There is a break room; a quiet room; space for studying, grabbing a bite to eat or coffee with others; and a place to hold meetings. The Veterans Resource Center office is staffed with student veterans. Tom Reagan, Coordinator of Veterans Services, is available to answer questions and make referrals, and he serves both campuses.
GI Bill
The GI Bill is one of the most influential acts to impact education and society and serves as a catalyst for mass education in the United States. Statistically, 62% of transitioning service members do not understand how their benefits work. Tom helps service members transition back into civilian life and assists them with applying and using their educational benefits.
Email or call Tom Reagan at 309-796-5501.