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Welcome to the OC Review! Our focus is to bring you the latest news, updates and changes taking place at the college that impact you and the local community. We look forward to hearing your feedback.
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5/15/2008
The Olympic College Foundation is currently seeking community members interested in attending or serving as table hosts at the 2008 Community Luncheon on Columbus Day, October 13, 2008. This is the premier event for the Foundation's annual campaign in support of students and programs at Olympic College. The Community Luncheon attracts more than 400 people including local business associates, community leaders, and interested community members. The generous donations raised at this event provide quality education at an affordable cost for Olympic College students.
If you are interested in more information regarding this event, please contact the Foundation office at 360.475.7120 or foundation@olympic.edu. 5/7/2008
 I AM...sudoku wiz, father, future actuary, OC student
OC has inspired me to have goals and to work hard to achieve them, for both academic and personal growth.
Why did you choose OC?
I’m 24 years old and put off going to college. I worked in construction for a while but after getting married, I decided I needed to go to college. I chose Olympic College because of its ideal location. I grew up in Poulsbo, and while there are other educational options, I liked the friendliness of the advisors, and I felt that the expanding satellite campuses were a reflection of OC’s quality of education and its commitment.
What are your educational goals?
I am a math major at OC. I am transferring (to a four-year university) in the fall and plan to get a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science (which assesses risk). Then maybe a Masters degree. I have been accepted by Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I am waiting to hear from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Both have great programs for Actuarial Science.
What is your career goal?
Right now, my goal is to become an actuary working for a large firm. I’ve also thought about doing research and development for someplace like NASA or seeing what a math major can do at the NSA (National Security Agency).
Who has been your favorite faculty at OC?
I have come to know many members of the Math Department. I have enjoyed working with Jason Heinze and Donald Robertson. Emily Cilli-Turner has also been a great professor. My favorite class would have to be Discrete Mathematics. It was a lot of fun to get a small introduction to many of the different fields in mathematics.
What activities have you been involved in at the college?
As an officer of Phi Theta Kappa, I have helped to raise awareness of the resources available to students with high academic achievement. I am also President of the Math Club. It has been a lot of fun helping to plan math-related activities at OC. I have also learned a lot serving on a (faculty) tenure committee. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes that students often never see.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love sports. I try to fit in basketball or tennis every week. Pickleball is also one of my favorites, and as a member of United States Pickleball Association (USAPA), I always try to raise interest in the game. Outside of sports, I enjoy a little Wii, chess, and golf. I am also putting time into solving the number of mathematical solutions to Sudoku.
What community activities have you been involved in since you’ve been at the college?
As part of Phi Theta Kappa, we have done a few service activities in the community such as Adopt-a-Park and Habitat for Humanity. We always try to do at least one project a quarter. I am also a youth leader at my church where I spend four to five hours a week.
Have you received special recognition?
I recently made it onto the President’s List (3.9-4.0 GPA), which I am very proud of. I am also a member of the All-Washington Academic Team this year.
What is your background?
My younger brother and I came from a very poor family in South Korea. We ran a small vegetable cart in the streets, but that wasn't really enough to support us as we suffered from malnutrition. My father died, which left my mother with three young sons. As is the custom, the oldest son (my older brother) was expected to carry on the family name and was sent to live with an uncle, while my younger brother and I were put up for adoption. We were four and two years old, respectively. I hope to someday make contact with them again. We went from Seoul Korea to Kotzebue, Alaska, which is approximately 33 miles above the Arctic Circle. My new parents quickly decided that it was not where they wanted to raise us, and so six months later, we moved to Washington. We jumped around to a couple places before finally settling down in North Kitsap. I loved being able to grow up in one place. My (adopted) family still lives there. I now live in Port Orchard with my wife, Kelly, and my baby boy, Jack.
How has OC inspired you?
OC has inspired me to have goals and to work hard to achieve them, for both academic and personal growth.
 In its latest effort to meet the need of regional employers and students, Olympic College is now offering an engineering degree that can completed in the evening. The associate degree can be transferred to complete a four-year engineering degree or students can finish their studies online through the University of North Dakota (UND). UND is ABET-accredited. (ABET is the gold standard for engineering colleges.) Lockheed Martin has expressed interest in the new degree option and estimates that 60,000 engineers will be needed for its company over the next two years. OC’s evening engineering program was recently featured in the Kitsap Sun, The Bremerton Patriot, and USA Today.
 The Early Childhood Program received a total of $61,100 in grants to help expand the program and develop new ways of delivering classes to students. The program received $55,000 from the state to help grow the program in the area of Math and Science. The funds will support a part-time math tutor and the development of a new math course designed specifically for OC students working with young children. A Perkins grant of $6,500 was also awarded to Early Childhood Education to develop a 20-hour basic state training course for child care providers on a portable USB-drive. The drive plugs into a computer and requires no internet access to take the classes, offering convenience and flexibility for students on-the-go.
Tiheisha Bailey, a Running Start student at Olympic College, was recently selected as Washington state’s Youth of the Year for the Boys & Girls Club. Tiheisha, who is a member of a military family and has lived in six states and two foreign countries, is the first military-affiliated student ever selected for the honor, according to an article in the Kitsap Sun. She competed with 13 other students nominated by other state Boys & Girls Clubs. As a Running Start student, Tiheisha plans to have her associate degree by the time she graduates from Central High School next year. Her goal is to attend law school and pursue a career in criminal justice. Congratulations to Tiheisha Bailey for an outstanding achievement!
Olympic College is adding a new group of classes that may help older students get prepared for college by improving their math and English skills and acquiring college success strategies. The classes, called a learning community, will include Math 90, English 98, and General Studies 100 classes. Teachers and tutors will work together as a team to provide on-going and customized support for students. Mason County agencies and OC are working together to identify residents who may need retraining and could benefit from the college preparation classes.
The college recently expanded a new class structure called learning communities, which are clusters of courses that combine two or more subjects, and the same students and faculty spend up to 12 hours together each week. The structure promotes interaction with other students and faculty, which has been shown to increase the number of students that stay enrolled in college. The expanded effort is designed to help students develop a supportive community among others in their class, increase interaction with faculty, and gain “extra” attention from counselors and advisors to enhance their chances for success. 2/28/2008
 The groundbreaking on the new Humanities and Student Services building at OC Bremerton will take place on Thursday, May 8, 2008. The new building will provide new classrooms, faculty offices, and a one-stop location for all student services to help make the enrollment process easier for students.
Watch for an announcement soon! 2/14/2008
I AM…Kenyan native, rollerblader, doctorate, OC faculty
I feel so privileged that students allow me to be involved in their growth. It is such an honor! I am energized to think that I have something to do with improving people’s lives.
What is it you teach? What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I teach developmental English, which helps students develop strategies for reading, writing, reflection, and problem solving. When I see progress and confidence in my students, I feel pleased. I once had a student who had never used a computer before attending my course. By the end of the quarter, the student was writing essays on the computer and sending emails. I feel so privileged that students allow me to be involved in their growth. It is such an honor! I am energized to think that I have something to do with improving people’s lives.
What was your upbringing like?
Unlike what most people would assume, I had a "Kenyan" middle-class up-bringing. I characterize it as "Kenyan" since it is somewhat different from an American middle-class upbringing. In many ways, I was privileged as I went to a private Catholic school, was involved in extra curricula activities such as competitive swimming and recreational rock climbing, and was exposed to technology early in my life. However, I also spent many vacations in the village visiting my grandparents and cousins, and learned how to do "African" things such as carrying groceries on my head and fetching water from the river. I was a child of two worlds.
How did you end up teaching?
My father is a preacher and teacher and directed a series of vocational training centers for underprivileged and street children. I often watched him teach, and I loved meeting his former students. I was always so touched when his students would tell my father or the rest of the family about the positive influence he had on them. I remember thinking to myself that I wanted to contribute to the lives of others. I started playing school at 5 or 6 years old – I guess I never stopped.
How do you keep current in what you teach?
I attend conferences, read journals published by professional associations, read academic journals and publications, participate in workshops, and continually interact with my peers.
What recognition have you received for your teaching?
I have been blessed to have received recognition from my colleagues at Olympic College. This means a lot to me. I’ve received the OC Trustees’ Leadership Award in June 2006 and the Exceptional Faculty Award in June 2007. I also recently received my doctorate from the University of Idaho.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Hang out with my kids – biking, roller-blading, camping, driving to Idaho to spend time with my husband (he works at the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho).
I enjoy listening to world music, reading, and watching movies. I love learning about other cultures and cuisine.
How has OC inspired you?
I remember thinking when I applied (for a position) at the college that I would love to work at a place that is committed to providing quality education to anyone that wanted it. I love the commitment of the people that work at OC. I am inspired to see the college’s push to be a learning institution that wants to grow and improve. I am inspired by the opportunities to serve.
 Olympic College has joined the ranks of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton universities with its move into Second Life, a 3-D virtual world created entirely by users. Second Life allows individuals to create and manipulate objects, build cities, buy and sell items, and engage with others in a 3-D environment. As an educational tool, Second Life can be used to help instructors develop new educational experiences. One example is students can conduct science experiments in Second Life that replicate real world reactions, but may be too dangerous to do in the classroom. Olympic College has recently purchased "land" in Second Life and has started experimenting with how to use the technology to advance student learning. To find out more about Second Life, go to
secondlife.com/whatis. |
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