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Campus News Articles from 2011


PVCC Spring 2011 registration begins

PHOENIX, October 29, 2010 – Find your place at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, where convenient, flexible and affordable classes are available for even the busiest student. Registration is underway for Spring 2011, and classes begin Saturday, Jan. 15. Classes fill up quickly, so register now!

PVCC offers hundreds of classes for students of all ages ¬¬at a fraction of the cost of a four-year university. Tuition is only $71 per credit for Maricopa County residents and credits are transferable for students pursing a bachelor’s degree. Classes may be taken on campus, online or as a hybrid of both. Tuition
is due by Tuesday, Nov. 30, or on the day of registration thereafter.

PVCC offers the requisite math, science and liberal arts classes needed for a degree, as well as occupational certificate programs that prepare students for entry into the workforce. For a full listing of college classes, visit the online schedule at www.paradisevalley.edu/sc.

PVCC offers students five ways to register:
• Online at my.maricopa.edu
• Phone 602-787-7000
• FAX a registration form to (602) 787-7025
• In person at the Office of Admissions & Records
Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Or mail a completed registration form to:
PVCC Admissions & Records,
18401 North 32nd St. Phoenix, AZ 85032


Community members recognized for their contributions to PVC

PHOENIX, November 22, 2010 – Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, recognized three community leaders, givers and partners for their support of excellence for education in the community during the First Annual Community Awards and Donor Recognition Reception held Nov. 10 at Roy’s in the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort.

“We are so grateful for the many contributions and collaborative work of these community members over the years in developing the college and its outstanding programs,” said PVCC President Dr. Paul Dale. “Their support of excellence in education is invaluable to our mission of providing students with learning opportunities that help them achieve their education and career goals.”

The 2010 honorees are:
Beth Koehnemann, Outstanding Community Leader
Beth Koehnemann was recognized for her vital role as one of PVCC’s founding community members and chairperson for the Greater Paradise Valley Community Council Community College Task Force. During the 1980s, Koehnemann tirelessly fought to build a college in the North Valley despite initial reluctance by the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board. Her leadership and perseverance was instrumental in the development of the Union Hills campus, which provides North Valley communities convenient access to an affordable college education. Mrs. Koehnemann now resides in Ahwatukee, yet she continues to offer leadership and service to PVCC through participation on the President’s Circle advisory council, and she exemplifies the significance of dedication and commitment to excellence in higher education.

Bradley and Nancy Sharpe, Donor of the Year Award
Bradley and Nancy Sharpe were honored for their longstanding and generous support of PVCC’s Athletics Program. Their personal gifts to the Athletics Scholarship and Support Fund and their leadership of an annual golf tournament benefit has provided many talented student-athletes the opportunity to excel in sports while pursuing higher education. The Sharpes’ daughter, Sarah, played for PVCC’s inaugural women’s soccer team for two years and was the team captain. She had just accepted a soccer scholarship to play for Grand Canyon University to pursue her degree in elementary education when, tragically, she was killed by a drunk driver in 2003. The Sharpes hosted a golf tournament in her memory for five years to raise funds for her high school and PVCC soccer programs, and each August PVCC hosts the Sarah Sharpe Alumni Soccer game. Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe are both employed by Honeywell Aerospace and reside in Phoenix.

City of Phoenix Fire Department, Outstanding Community Partner Award
The Phoenix Fire Department, led by Chief Bob Khan, was awarded for its collaborative role in supporting PVCC’s joint Fire Science and EMT/Paramedic programs. Phoenix Fire Paramedic/Capt. Dan Donahue and Capt. Paul Sunder are directors of the program, and their many years’ of experience and knowledge of emergency medical and fire services are a great asset to students pursuing EMT, Paramedic, and Fire Science certificates and degrees. The partnership between PVCC and the City of Phoenix Fire Department began in August 2005. Since then, PVCC has conducted 12 Firefighter Operations Academy classes, providing entry level Firefighting education, training and professional development to 469 Firefighter candidates. PVCC students receive both classroom and hands-on experience to prepare them for life-saving careers and service to the community. This partnership is valued at more than $1 million with the use of equipment, tools and apparatus and use of the Phoenix Regional Training Academy classrooms, burn buildings and props. Phoenix Fire Department has hired more than 125 PVCC graduates and an additional 185 are working as firefighters across the nation. Student interns also provided more than 27,000 hours of volunteer fire service.

The inaugural awards reception was held jointly with The Foundation for Public Education, which recognized the community partners, sponsors, donors and volunteers who support the Paradise Valley Unified School District. More than 100 supporters attended this first event, which both organizations hope becomes an annual tradition.
To learn more about how you can support PVCC, visit www.paradisevalley.edu/giving.
For more information about Paradise Valley Community College, its degree and certificate programs and community events, visit www.paradisevalley.edu. To learn about classes offered at PVCC’s Black Mountain location in North Scottsdale, go to www.paradisevalley.edu/blackmountain.


PVCC Library Renamed for Jo and Warren Buxton

PHOENIX, November 19, 2010 – The Paradise Valley Community College library soon will bear the name of former faculty member Dr. Warren Buxton and his wife Jo in appreciation of their Native American and Western art collection on display in the library. A dedication celebration will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, in the Warren & Jo Buxton Library.

“We are pleased to name the library after a couple who have contributed so much to PVCC and the entire Maricopa Community College District. The library has been graced with the beauty and the rich cultural messages of the Southwest artwork that is displayed throughout the library and the campus,” said Library Faculty Shelle Witten. “As stunning as this collection is, Warren Buxton has never asked for recognition. He and Jo gave this gift from their hearts. They fell in love with the unique genre of Native American art and craft and wanted to share it beyond the walls of their own home."

The Buxtons’ donated their art collection to the college in 1989, and today it is estimated to be worth in excess of $400,000. The collection represents artists spanning the Americas and includes katsinas, pottery, stone and wood figures, beadwork, batik, mixed media, watercolors, oils, etchings, hand-colored and offset lithography, block print, chromolithography, gouache and mateo. Most items represent the time period from 1930 to 1989, although it also includes a parfleche bag from the 1880s, and a corn husk bag from 1910.

Dr. Buxton was a respected original faculty member who retired from the PVCC Business/IT Division in 1997 after working in the district for nearly 40 years. Following his retirement from PVCC, Dr. Buxton spent five years in the MCCCD Active Retirement Program as curator of the Buxton Collection. He developed a comprehensive database and guide to the collection items and worked with the PVCC librarians to design and implement a cataloging system for each art piece. In 2007, he wrote his autobiography, The Jo and Warren Buxton Art Collection: But Who Were Those Buxtons?

He also purchased and then donated 151 books, valued at $3,775, to the PVCC library to support students’ research needs about indigenous Americans, Native American and Western artists, and the history of the Americas.

Dr. Buxton initially joined the Maricopa Community Colleges as faculty of Phoenix College’s workforce training program, a result of the federal Manpower Development and Training Act of 1963. Data processing was a new discipline, and Dr. Buxton was appointed by the MCCCD’s administrative team to serve concurrently, in 1968 and 1969, as the Director of Data Processing and resident faculty. In these two years, he trained all newly hired data processing faculty for all Arizona community colleges. Throughout the 1970s, he responded to the community’s data processing training needs with data processing training classes for workforce development at institutions within the metro-Phoenix area including Motorola, Florence State Prison and the Phoenix Fire Department. Dr. Buxton is recognized as integral to the college’s, district’s, city’s, and state’s advancement and progress into the technological epoch through his years of service and dedication.

For more information, contact Nicole DeLeon, marketing coordinator, at 602-787-6606 or Library faculty Shelle Witten at shelle.witten@pvmail.maricopa.edu.


PVCC's Festival of Tales for children Dec. 4

PHOENIX, November 15, 2010 – Children and their parents are invited to attend Paradise Valley Community College’s fourth Festival of Tales for storytelling, live music, arts and crafts and free books. The free event is Saturday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Kranitz Student Center on the Union Hills campus.

"Exploring Our World" is the theme of the festival hosted by PVCC's Art of Storytelling class and sponsored by PVCC’s Club Ed, Southwest Human Development and Reading is FUNdamental.
It provides free books and entertainment for children in the community while promoting literacy and providing authentic learning experiences for PVCC students who are interested in becoming teachers or working with children.
"It's been amazing to reach out to the community and have such a wonderful response in years past. Seeing families, students and volunteers come together to promote literacy in such a fun manner is truly extraordinary. It's a win-win for all," said Meggin Kirk, PVCC adjunct faculty.

Hundreds of local children have benefitted from previous storytelling festivals. Activities in addition to storytelling include Music in Motion and entertainment by Hermee the Clown. Lunch will be available for purchase.

RSVP via e-mail to meggin.kirk@pvmail.maricopa.edu or call Harriet Betts at 602-787-6562.




Black Mountain Campus offers 2nd annual summer youth program

PHOENIX, May 6, 2011 – Register now for the second annual Summer Youth Program at the Black Mountain Campus for a variety of activities, enrichment programs and educational classes for children
ages 3 to 18 in northeast Phoenix, north Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Carefree.

The program offers two summer sessions, May 24 to June 30 and July 1-30, through an unprecedented partnership of Paradise Valley Community College at Black Mountain, the Foothills Community Foundation (Holland Community Center), the Desert Foothills YMCA, Cave Creek Unified School District’s Community Education Program, and the Desert Foothills Library.

Summer is hot and boring, but the Black Mountain Campus offers something for everyone's interest and skill levels, including swimming and physical fitness classes, cooking and computer classes, arts and crafts, performing arts workshops, science and foreign language classes. Academic classes are offered to students for high school credit retrieval, personal enrichment or college credit.

Classes are affordable for families of all sizes. For a class schedule, go to www.blackmountaincampus.com. Check individual classes and partner programs for specific start dates. Classes are held at locations throughout Northeast Valley based on the offering partner of each class.

Walk-in registration is processed through FCF - Holland Community Center Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There is a $25 late registration fee if students are not registered at least two days prior to the start of class. For more information, call 480-488-1090. The Black Mountain Campus is located at 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale, just south of the Carefree Highway.







PVCC 21st annual commencement is May 13

PHOENIX, May 4, 2011 – The public is invited to attend the 21st annual commencement ceremony for the Spring 2011 graduating class at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 13, at Phoenix First Assembly of God, 13513 N. Cave Creek Road, in Phoenix.

Stella Napoles, supervisor of Admissions and Records says approximately 426 students will graduate this spring, 155 of whom are expected to attend the commencement with their families and friends. A dessert reception will be on the patio for the graduates and their guests immediately following the ceremony.

This year’s student speakers are Jazmyne Lyons and Suzanna Dart, who are recognized for their hard work, sacrifices and outstanding academic performance:

Jazmyne Lyons is a 43-year-old mother of three adult children and a grandmother who has overcome many obstacles, including domestic violence, to achieve her Associate of General Studies degree, Associate of Arts degree and Certificate of Completion as a Microsoft Office Specialist with a 3.894 GPA. She is graduating and High Honors. Two of Lyons’ children attend PVCC, and she also is graduating alongside her mother, Donna Taylor.

Suzanna Dart is an All-Arizona Academic Team scholar who is receiving her Associate in Arts degree. She carried a 4.0 GP and graduates with High Distinction and Honors. In addition to her stellar achievements as a student, she participated in service learning and volunteer projects and operates her own small business. She plans to attend Northern Arizona University to pursue her degree in Environmental Science.

Paradise Valley Community College is located at Union Hills and 32nd Street, just west of exit 14 off SR 51. For more information, call 602-787-7411 or go to www.paradisevalley.edu.








High School students get the WWW on Web design

PHOENIX, May 11, 2011 – High school juniors, seniors and 2011 graduates can learn how to design Web pages during Paradise Valley Community College’s Web Design Summer Camp June 6-23.

This summer camp, sponsored by Western Maricopa Tech Prep Consortium in partnership with PVCC and the business community, is held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Union Hills campus at 18401 North 32nd St., in Phoenix, just west of SR-51.

Students will experience the community college environment as they learn about Internet/WWW communications, information retrieval tools, resource discovery using the Internet, and Web page development. The course is taught by PVCC faculty.

The registration process includes verification of student residency status and qualification for in-state and in-county tuition. Potential students must have lived in Arizona since May 29, 2010, and have lived in Maricopa County since April 7, 2011. Federal and state guidelines regarding assessment for placement will be met as applicable. Selected students and their parents/guardians will be required to attend an orientation meeting 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 1.

Deadline to apply for the Web Design Summer Camp is Wednesday, May 11. For additional information regarding the Web Design Summer Camp, contact Marsha Foster in the PVCC Business/IT Division at (602) 787-6721 or email sue.vanboven@pvmail.maricopa.edu.

To register, click on Web Design Summer Camp application to print an application form. Applications may be submitted in person to the Business/IT Division office in J Building; by fax (602-787-6725), or mailed to:

Dr. Sue Van Boven
Paradise Valley Community College
18401 North 32nd Street
Phoenix, AZ 85032


Desperado film festival earns 2011 District Diversity Award

PHOENIX, May 10, 2011 – The Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, has been honored with the 2011 Diversity Advisory Council Award for its effort to foster a community of acceptance for all students.

"We are so pleased to receive this award, which recognizes PVCC's efforts to create an inclusive the college environment in which all students feel safe and accepted,” said Alan East, festival chair. “Desperado artfully addresses important issues in the LGBT community with education, discussion and quality films.”

In just it’s second year at PVCC, the Desperado film festival brought together students, faculty, staff and members of the community to create an educational and film experience for over 1,200 people who attended the three-day event. The festival committee includes East, Dale Heuser, Diana Manjon, Ashlee Stierstorfer, Tayler James, David Miller, Bryan Clarke, Marilyn Cristiano and Courtney Holt.

The Diversity Advisory Council Awards provide Maricopa with the opportunity to celebrate and learn from effective efforts occurring throughout the district. The awardees represent ongoing programs, individual efforts, special activities and events that impact students, faculty, staff and the community.

The film festival was recognized for educating the community and staff about LGBT issues, which enhances safety and fosters a community of acceptance for all students. Those who attended the event commented that it made them feel included and valued in the college community. Several students said events like Desperado were the guiding factor in their choice to attend PVCC.

“PVCC celebrates diversity and the Desperado Film Festival is an example of a student-initiated project growing into an important event for LGBT students and the community. We are already planning great things for next year’s festival,” said PVCC faculty Dale Heuser, festival coordinator and president of Equality Maricopa.

Heuser, who recently received the 2011 Maricopa Community Colleges' Diversity Advisory Council's Award of Excellence, also serves on the Chancellor’s Community Advisory Committee and the District Diversity Advisory Committee.

For more information about the Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, visit the Web site at www.desperadofilmfestival.com.






Theresa Shannon Named national Coca-Cola Scholar

PHOENIX, March 11, 2011 – PVCC Student Theresa Shannon Named to Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team

Teresa Shannon, a student at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, has been named a Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Silver Scholar from among more than 1,600 applicants nationwide. Silver Scholars each receive a $1,250 stipend and a special medallion. All Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Scholars will be listed in an April 11th issue of the USA TODAY newspaper.

The Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team program recognizes 50 Gold, 50 Silver and 50 Bronze scholars. Selection was based on scores earned in the All-USA Community College Academic Team competition. The Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team program is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, providing nearly $187,500 in stipends annually, and is administered by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

“Congratulations to Teresa, who is not only an exceptional honors scholar at PVCC but an active volunteer in the community who is interested in preserving cultural and natural resources,” said PVCC President Paul Dale. “She is very deserving of this national honor.”
As an anthropology major, Shannon has a 3.78 GPA and plans to attend Arizona State University. In addition to her academic achievements, she is involved in many volunteer projects to preserve cultural and natural resources. She participated in the excavation and data recovery of a Spanish presidio on federal land that was being threatened by looting and erosion.
She volunteered for the San Pedro River Valley Project to help preserve the archaeological record before the data was lost due lack of funding for site protection. She also trains members of the Arizona Archaeological Society in the identification and proper handling of bone and human remains in the field and for museum curation. She also is an AmeriCorps team leader and is active in conservation/preservation activities such as trash pick-up, wildlife research projects, and rehabilitation of vegetation areas destroyed during construction of wildlife retention fences on BLM land.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society administers the Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team Program and recognizes Coca-Cola Community College scholars during All-State Community College Academic Team Recognition ceremonies held in 37 states. An independent panel of judges considers outstanding academic rigor, grade point average, academic and leadership awards, and engagement in college and community service in the selection process.


Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, is the largest honor society in American higher education with 1,270 chapters on college campuses in all 50 of the United States, Canada, Germany, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the British Virgin Islands, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorial possessions. More than 2.5million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 125,000 students inducted annually.




Community forum seeks public input on $7 million expansion plans for PVCC Black Mountain phase II

PHOENIX, March 10, 2011 – Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, will hold a free public forum for members of the community to provide input on the next $7 million phase of development for the college’s Black Mountain educational site – known as PVCC at Black Mountain – beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, 2011.

The forum will be held at the Black Mountain Campus in the Foothills Community Foundation (FCF) Quail Room, 34250 N. 60th St., Building B, just south of the Carefree Highway in north Scottsdale. Registration is not required.

PVCC at Black Mountain is situated on 10 developed acres of an 82-acre parcel of land near the base
the iconic Black Mountain, along Carefree Highway between 56th Street and 60th Street. The college opened its initial 10,000-square-foot facility with six classrooms in the fall of 2009 in partnership with the Foothills Community Foundation and the Desert Family Foothills YMCA. The shared educational, community and fitness complex is known as The Black Mountain Campus.

The college expansion project may fund approximately one or two new buildings on the site to expand classrooms and college class offerings for residents in the northeast Valley. Funding for the initial phase of development and the next $7 million phase comes from the voter-approved 2004 General Obligations Bond issue for the Maricopa Community College District.

PVCC at Black Mountain serves the growing communities of North Phoenix, Carefree, Cave Creek, North Scottsdale, Anthem and New River with both credit classes and noncredit continuing education courses and learning opportunities for all ages.

For more information, please contact Julia Devous, director of Development and Community Relations, at 602-787-7773.




Spellers needed for 1st annual desert foothills adult spelling bee

PHOENIX, March 1, 2011 – The first annual Desert Foothills community-wide spelling bee for adults from all walks of life - ages 17 to 97 - is 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, at the Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, 33606 N. 60th Street, Scottsdale, south of 60th Street and Carefree Highway.

This new and fun community event will showcase the spelling talents of contestants from the Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale area while benefiting the Foothills Community Foundation (FCF)’s Partners in Education Committee to raise funds to support local students and teachers. Deadline to enter is Friday, March 18.

You don't have to be a champion speller for this fun team event. Participants are encouraged to BEE original and even come in costume. Each team has three members, including the team captain/designated speller. Word for the preliminary rounds will be selected from the “Paideia” study guide, provided to each team member upon registration. Teams participate in preliminary qualifying rounds leading to the championship round, and the winning spellers receive a trophy, prize package and local bragging rights of their spelling prowess.

Louise Rosenburgh, former President of FCF will be the pronouncer and “Chief Justice” of the spelling bee. Dr. Paul Dale, president of Paradise Valley Community College; Dr. Debbi Burdick, superintendent of Cave Creek Unified School District; and George Scobus, president and CEO of Valley of the Sun YMCA will be the judges.

Download a registration packet at: www.azfcf.org email bee@azfcf.org or call 480-4881090. Registration begins at 5 pm. the evening of the event. Sandwiches, drinks and dessert will be available for competitors. Practice round and instructions begin at 5:30 p.m.


Black Mountain Campus Summer Program offers affordable fun, fitness and education

PHOENIX, March 1, 2011 – Avoid the inevitable complaints of summer boredom and the hassle of finding things for your kids to do by enrolling them in the second annual Black Mountain Campus Summer Youth Program in Cave Creek, Carefree and north Scottsdale. The program offers two sessions: May 24 through June 30 and July 1 through Aug. 5. This convenient, affordable program is a partnership with Paradise Valley Community College, the Cave Creek Unified School District Desert Foothills Community Education Program, Desert Foothills Library, Foothills Community Foundation (Holland Community Center) and the YMCA to provide kids ages 3 to 18 with healthy, safe activities that are enriching in body, mind and spirit. Whether it's physical fitness kindergarten preparation, arts and crafts or music, the Black Mountain Campus Summer Youth Program has something to offer everyone's interest and skill levels. Find classes that fit your schedule at www.blackmountaincampus.com and register for classes at the FCF - Holland Community Center. Monday through Friday 9 a .m. to 4 p.m. or call 480-488-1090. Students must be registered two business days prior to the start of class or a $25 late registration fee will be assessed. For more information, call 480-488-1090. Black Mountain Campus is a multi-generational facility providing lifelong learning opportunities, community services, plus health and wellness programs through a partnership of Paradise Valley Community College, Desert Foothills YMCA and the FCF (Foothills Community Foundation). It is located at 34250 N. 60th St., at the foot of iconic Black Mountain at 60th Street, just south of Carefree Highway. PVCC at Black Mountain, a Maricopa Community College, puts higher education within reach of the Valley’s north central and northeast communities with both credit and non-credit classes. Adjoining PVCC is the FCF-Holland Community Center, which includes headquarters for the foundation, a cafe, and meeting spaces for nonprofit community groups and its partners. The state-of-the-art Desert Foothills YMCA offers quality health and fitness opportunities, swimming, climbing and sports venues plus endless programs for kids, teens, and adults. PDF E-Books

Sign up a team for the Relay for Life North Valley at PVCC

PHOENIX, March 1, 2011 – Join the fight against cancer by signing up for the 7th annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life of North Valley, an overnight event that celebrates survivors and remembers loved ones lost to cancer. The Relay will be held from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. April 8 and 9, 2011, at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College.

Each year nearly 450 participants, including PVCC students and faculty, cancer survivors, families of those lost to cancer, community members and businesses, take part in the overnight relay, co-sponsored by PVCC and the American Cancer Society, on PVCC’s Shoenhair Field.

Sign up now to join a team, create a new team or support an existing team with donations and encouragement. A rally for the cause will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Thursday, Feb. 17, in the PVCC Krantiz Student Center to get the momentum started for the April event. The rally is free and open to the public. This year the goal of the Relay is to:

  • Sign up 50 teams
  • Celebrate 80 survivors
  • Third item
  • Line the track with 600 luminarias in memory of those lost to cancer
  • Raise $60,000 for the American Cancer Society

The theme of this year’s relay is “Our 7th Heaven,” celebrating Seven Seasons of Life: Love, Joy, Faith, Hope, Perseverance, Inspire and Change. Armed with the theme song “Seasons of Love,” from Rent, the participants will march, walk, jog and run the track through the night in the fight against cancer.

Team members take turns walking the track for 12 hours because cancer never sleeps, and for one night a year, neither do we,” says Co-Chair Shoshanna Landis Grieve, whose became involved when her cousin, former PVCC stuent Cyndi Remington, was diagnosed with cancer. Remington is a survivor and serves as the Relay’s team development chair.
The theme of this year’s relay is “Our 7th Heaven,” celebrating Seven Seasons of Life: Love, Joy, Faith, Hope, Perseverance, Inspire and Change. Armed with the theme song “Seasons of Love,” from Rent, the participants will march, walk, jog and run the track throughout the night.
Overnight activities for participants includes:

  • A themed campsite contest.
  • A team sponsored lap around the track.
  • The Firemen vs. Police Volleyball Tournament and Fundraiser.
  • A special complimentary Survivor Dinner and lap.
  • The My Favorite Caregiver Contest.
  • The Queen of Relay and the Queen of Hope will make their guest appearances.
  • Enjoy campsite fundraisers like churros and delicious chili.
  • Several live bands perform until 11 p.m.

Teams are forming now and volunteers are needed on the night of the event. For more information, to sign up or to donate, go to www.relayforlife.org/northvalleyaz.

Maricopa Colleges Foundation Creates Scholarship for LGBTQ Students

PHOENIX, June 7, 2011 – The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation believes there isn’t another scholarship program quite like it in Arizona, and they’re hoping donors and students will feel the same way.

The OUT and UP Endowed Scholarship Fund, which is halfway to raising its one-year goal of $200,000, will award no less than two scholarships in perpetuity once funds for the endowment have been raised, said Rachel Rabinovich, senior development officer for the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation.

“It’s an opportunity for disenfranchised lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer/questioning young adults who’ve faced negative responses from their families of origin because of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression,” she said. “These young people (25 years and under) are neither supported emotionally nor financially by their families. LGBTQ youth who grow up in the foster care system often experience the same lack of emotional support.”

“Once they reach 18, they find themselves on the streets without financial help as well,” said Julie Roberts, LGBTQ Liaison to Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, who noted that according to the National Mental Health Association, 28 percent of gay and lesbian students drop out of school, three times the national average. In addition, according to the National School Climate Survey of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network, gay students are twice as likely as the general population to report they had no plans to go to college.

“The Maricopa Community Colleges and its Foundation are in a unique position to provide these young people access to higher education and assist their transition from being dependent to being independent, from needing to be supported by the community to being able to contribute to it,” Roberts added.

More than $88,000 has been raised from 125 donors since the scholarship’s launch at the Desperado Film Festival in late January, 2011.

Each OUT and UP Endowed Scholarship will cover tuition, books and fees up to 60 credit hours and $5,000. It will be renewable each semester, as long as the recipient upholds a minimum 2.0 GPA and completes at least nine credit hours each semester.

Currently, nine of the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges have active gay-straight alliances (GSA) whose faculty advisors are all members of the LGBTQ employee constituent group, Equality Maricopa. All 10 colleges have faculty and staff who have completed two-day Safe Space Training, and are openly identified in their offices as allies to the LGBTQ community. All campuses provide a safe environment for learning, success and personal growth, Rabinovich said.

“Three of our colleges (Chandler-Gilbert, Glendale and Paradise Valley) have established their own LGBTQ scholarships, but the OUT and UP Endowed Scholarship will be the first of its kind,” she added.

More information is available by contacting Rabinovich at (480)731-8417, or email rachel.rabinovich@domail.maricopa.edu, or LGBTQ Liaison Julie Roberts at (602)509-4808, or email juliekayroberts@yahoo.com. More information about the Foundation and online donations is available at www.maricopa.edu/foundation.

PVCC at Black Mountain opens doors Aug. 10

PHOENIX, July 27, 2009 –  Registration for fall semester classes at Paradise Valley Community College at Black Mountain is underway as the new site prepares to open on Aug. 10. Fall classes begin Aug. 24 at the Black Mountain Campus, located just south of Carefree Highway on 60th Street in north Scottsdale.

PVCC has partnered with the Desert Foothills Community Foundation and Desert Foothills YMCA to create a multi-use campus dedicated to lifelong learning and wellness for residents of ages in the northern part of Maricopa County.

The fall 2009 schedule of credit and noncredit classes offered at Black Mountain has been mailed to neighboring zip codes. The class schedule also is available at Cave Creek, Anthem and north Phoenix libraries, area retailers and schools. Interested students also can view the class schedule online at www.paradisevalley.edu/sc.

Site Coordinator Loretta Mondragon invites the community to stop by PVCC at Black Mountain for on-site registration, advising, placement testing and new student orientation beginning Aug. 10. Or, register for classes online at www.mymaricopa.edu or at the Union Hills campus, located at 32nd Street and Union Hills, just west of SR51.

Textbooks and supplies may be ordered online at www.pvc.maricopa.edu/bookstore/ or purchased at the PVCC Bookstore on the Union Hills campus. Bookstore hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information about PVCC at Black Mountain, call 602-787-6700 or go to www.paradisevalley.edu/blackmountain.

Paradise Valley Community College at Black Mountain, located at 34308 N. 60th St., Founded in 1985 at Union Hills and 32nd Street, PVCC has an annual enrollment of more than 14,195 students and an additional 6,000 students enrolled in non-credit and continuing education programs.






2011 Desperado Film Festival presents socially relevant films Jan. 28-30

PHOENIX, January 6, 2011 – The Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival returns for its second year with a variety of timely and socially relevant films to foster awareness and understanding of key issues in the LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Questioning and Ally) community. The weekend-long festival is Jan. 28-30, 2011, in the Center for the Performing Arts at Paradise Valley Community, a Maricopa Community College.

“The national discussion about gay and lesbian issues is now underscoring the ongoing fight for equality and anti-discrimination legislation for same-sex marriage, repealing the ban on openly gay service members, workplace discrimination and teen bullying,” said film festival chair Alan East. “We want to promote education and understanding of cultural diversity through these films about social change.”

At 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, the film festival brings awareness to the problem of teen bullying with the free viewing of the gripping documentary, “Out in the Silence,” followed at 10:15 a.m. by an educator panel discussion about school response to bullying of LGBTQA teens. This film is about the firestorm of controversy ignited when filmmaker Joe Wilson announces his wedding to another man in his small-town newspaper and the plea for help he received from the mother of a gay teen who was being tormented at school.

New to this year’s festival is the LGBTQ student short film competition. The top two student submissions will be shown at 5 p.m. Friday along with other LGBTQ films currently on the international film festival circuit. A premier reception for guests and all-access pass holders follows.

The Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is a collaboration of Paradise Valley Community College's P.R.I.D.E student club, the Center for the Performing Arts and the Office of Student Life. Proceeds fund the PVCC Rainbow Scholarship for LGBTQA students.

The all-access pass, allowing entry into all films and the premier reception is $88. Tickets to individual films are only $10 each and $8 for students, staff and seniors. Or, build your own festival pass for entrance to five or more films at just $9 each. To purchase tickets, call the PVCC Box Office at (602) 787-7738 or go to www.pvc.maricopa.edu/cpa. For more information and detailed descriptions of the films being shown, visit: www.desperadofilmfestival.com.

Check out the following festival trailers created by the PVCC film department:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGK8InyjmMo&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CtUhY0GzOw&feature=player_embedded

Desperado Film Festival presents socially relevant films

PHOENIX, January 4, 2011 – The Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival returns for its second year with a variety of timely and socially relevant films to foster awareness and understanding of key issues in the LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Ally) community. The weekend-long festival is Jan. 28-30, 2011, in the Center for the Performing Arts at Paradise Valley Community, a Maricopa Community College.

“The national discussion about gay and lesbian issues is now underscoring the ongoing fight for equality and anti-discrimination legislation for same-sex marriage, repealing the ban on openly gay service members, workplace discrimination and teen bullying,” said film festival chair Alan East. “We want to promote education and
understanding of cultural diversity through these films about social change.”

At 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, the film festival brings awareness to the problem of teen bullying with the free viewing of the gripping documentary, “Out in the Silence,” followed at 10:15 a.m. by an educator panel discussion about school response to bullying of LGBTQA teens. This film is about the firestorm of controversy ignited when filmmaker Joe Wilson announces his wedding to another man in his small-town newspaper and the plea for help he received from the mother of a gay teen who was being tormented at school.

New to this year’s festival is the LGBTQ student short film competition. The top two student submissions will be shown at 5 p.m. Friday along with other LGBTQ films currently on the international film festival circuit. A premier reception for guests and all-access pass holders follows.

The Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is a collaboration of Paradise Valley Community College's P.R.I.D.E student club, the Center for the Performing Arts and the Office of Student Life. Proceeds fund the PVCC Rainbow Scholarship for LGBTQA students.The all-access pass, allowing entry into all films and the premier reception is $88. Tickets to individual films are only $10 each and $8 for students, staff and seniors. Or, build your own festival pass for entrance to five or more films at just $9 each.

To purchase tickets, call the PVCC Box Office at (602) 787-7738 or go to www.pvc.maricopa.edu/cpa. For more information and detailed descriptions of the films being shown, visit:
www.desperadofilmfestival.com.

FILM SCHEDULE
Friday, January 28
5 - 6:30 p.m. Short Films, Mixed Content: Kaden, Kaden Later, Judgment Day, Breaking the
Chains, Do Not Bend, Dinner at the Last Chance Café, True Colors
6 - 7:30 p.m. Reception for guests and All-Access Pass Holders
8 - 10 p.m. Feature Film: Undertow
Saturday, Jan. 29
9 - 10:15 a.m. Documentary: Out in the Silence (FREE showing)
10:15 - 11 a.m. Educator Discussion Panel on LGBTQA anti-bullying
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Documentary: Forever’s Gonna Start Tonight
12:30 - 1:45 p.m. Transgender Discussion Panel
1 - 2:30 p.m. Short Films, Men’s Content: (for mature audiences) Go Go Reject, You Can’t Curry
Love, Toto Forever, Friday’s Child, Bombshell, Black Ops Arabesque
3 - 4:30 p.m. Documentary: Gen Silent
4:30 - 5 p.m. Guest Speaker: Stu Maddux, director of Gen Silent
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Feature Film: Elena Undone (for mature audiences)
8 - 10 p.m. Feature Film: Violet Tendencies (for mature audiences)
10 - 10:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Casper Andreas, director of Violet Tendencies
Sunday, Jan. 30
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Documentary: Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
1- 2:30 p.m. Short Films, Women’s Content: (for mature audiences) Dyke Dollar, Fresh Air
Therapy, Bullet, Tools for Fools, Hens and Chicks, Public Relations, Son of the
Preacher, Never Too Late
3 - 4:45 p.m. Feature Film: Baby Jane?
5:30 - 7 p.m. Feature Film: A Marine Story
7 - 8 p.m. Guest Speaker: Dreya Weber, producer/star of A Marine Story

LGBTQA festival at PVCC presents socially relevant films

PHOENIX, January 4, 2011 – The Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival returns for its second year with a variety of timely and socially relevant films to foster awareness and understanding of key issues in the LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Questioning and Ally) community. The weekend-long festival is Jan. 28-30, 2011, in the Center for the Performing Arts at Paradise Valley Community, a Maricopa Community College.

“The national discussion about gay and lesbian issues is now underscoring the ongoing fight for equality and
anti-discrimination legislation for same-sex marriage, repealing the ban on openly gay service members, workplace discrimination and teen bullying,” said film festival chair Alan East. “We want to promote education and understanding of cultural diversity through these films about social change.”

At 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, the film festival brings awareness to the problem of teen bullying with the free viewing of the gripping documentary, “Out in the Silence,” followed at 10:15 a.m. by an educator panel discussion about school response to bullying of LGBTQA teens. This film is about the firestorm of controversy ignited when filmmaker Joe Wilson announces his wedding to another man in his small-town newspaper and the plea for help he received from the mother of a gay teen who was being tormented at school.

New to this year’s festival is the LGBTQ student short film competition. The top two student submissions will be shown at 5 p.m. Friday along with other LGBTQ films currently on the international film festival circuit. A premier reception for guests and all-access pass holders follows.

The Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is a collaboration of Paradise Valley Community College's P.R.I.D.E student club, the Center for the Performing Arts and the Office of Student Life. Proceeds fund the PVCC Rainbow Scholarship for LGBTQA students.

The all-access pass, allowing entry into all films and the premier reception is $88. Tickets to individual films are only $10 each and $8 for students, staff and seniors. Or, build your own festival pass for entrance to five or more films at just $9 each. To purchase tickets, call the PVCC Box Office at (602) 787-7738 or go to www.pvc.maricopa.edu/cpa. For more information and detailed descriptions of the films being shown, visit: www.desperadofilmfestival.com.

FILM SCHEDULE

Friday, January 28
5 - 6:30 p.m.
Short Films, Mixed Content: Kaden, Kaden Later, Judgment Day, Breaking the Chains, Do Not Bend, Dinner at the Last Chance Café, True Colors

6 - 7:30 p.m.
Reception for guests and All-Access Pass Holders
8 - 10 p.m.
Feature Film: Undertow

Saturday, Jan. 29
9 - 10:15 a.m.
Documentary: Out in the Silence (FREE showing)

10:15 - 11 a.m.
Educator Discussion Panel on LGBTQA anti-bullying

11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Documentary: Forever’s Gonna Start Tonight

12:30 - 1:45 p.m.
Transgender Discussion Panel

1 - 2:30 p.m.
Short Films, Men’s Content: (for mature audiences) Go Go Reject, You Can’t Curry Love, Toto Forever, Friday’s Child, Bombshell, Black Ops Arabesque

3 - 4:30 p.m.
Documentary: Gen Silent

4:30 - 5 p.m.
Guest Speaker: Stu Maddux, director of Gen Silent

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Feature Film: Elena Undone (for mature audiences)

8 - 10 p.m.
Feature Film: Violet Tendencies (for mature audiences)

10 - 10:30 p.m.
Guest Speaker: Casper Andreas, director of Violet Tendencies

Sunday, Jan. 30
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Documentary: Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

1- 2:30 p.m.
Short Films, Women’s Content: (for mature audiences) Dyke Dollar, Fresh Air Therapy, Bullet, Tools for Fools, Hens and Chicks, Public Relations, Son of the Preacher, Never Too Late

3 - 4:45 p.m.
Feature Film: Baby Jane?

5:30 - 7 p.m. Feature Film: A Marine Story

7 - 8 p.m.
Guest Speaker: Dreya Weber, producer/star of A Marine Story




PVCC counseling faculty's new book is a guide to practical living for the creative mind

PHOENIX, January 20, 2011 –  “Bridges in the Mind: An Artist’s Handbook for Everyday Living,” is a pragmatic guide to help the creative mind find balance in daily life. Author Marianne Roccaforte, Ph.D., counseling faculty at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, takes a systematic approach to the complex topic of the artist's imagination and the struggles that can occur in even the most ordinary situations.

Artists have an immense sense of wonder, a sharp awareness and a vivid imagination that, while discerning and creative, can form real-world obstacles preventing them from reaching their full potential, Roccaforte says. Roccaforte draws on well-grounded psychological research and theory along with her many years of counseling and teaching experience to create an enlightening, empowering and practical guide for writers, visual artists, musicians, actors and dancers. She also is teaching a spring semester class at PVCC, “Career Exploration: The Creative Mind,” which is recommended for fine arts and creative writing students.

“I want to give artists of all ages an alternate perspective on their experience in the world in the hope of their being understood and respected. We need to focus on who the artist is rather than what the artist is not,” she says.

Roccaforte, a lifelong musician, has been a counselor and educator in college settings for 24 years specializing in the psychology of the artist, helping creative students succeed and in career decision-making. She also designs and teaches personal-growth courses and workshops tailored to fine and performing artists. Her work focuses on helping creative students thrive, not simply survive.

“Artists tend to make associations in their minds among concepts and images and experiences that others may not necessarily see as having a connection. I’m hoping to give them language and tools to build bridges to the outside world in order to function more successfully, comfortably and gracefully in the mainstream,” Roccaforte says.

Her book offers easy-to-practice techniques for transitioning from an absorbing session of art-making back to daily practical activities like paying bills or going to the bank; language for communicating effectively in social and business settings; skills for managing intense sensory and emotional experiences; and tips for sustaining a healthy and active creative life.

“Bridges in the Mind,” published by Benu Press, expands upon Roccaforte’s 2007 doctoral dissertation in which she interviewed professional artists in various disciplines about how their imagination plays a role in their everyday lives. In addition to coaching young-adult artists, the book is helpful for parents and teachers to be more empathetic with the artist’s experience and help their imaginative children develop creative and practical balance.

“Finding balance in life was a really important part for these professional artists to be successful in their careers and in their lives,” she says. “I wanted to help our student artists who find they are different from other people, in that their mind is always ‘on.’ Many report that they’re always imagining possibilities and seeing connections that other people don’t naturally see. They have sensory experiences in their mind’s eye that can get in the way of being effective when doing ordinary things. Many artists haven’t found ways to manage such powerful imaginations.”

Artistic-minded PVCC students who wish to benefit from Roccaforte’s expertise can enroll in Career Exploration: The Creative Mind, on Tuesdays from noon to 1:50 p.m. The two-credit class addresses strategies and tools to research careers in the arts; how to express one’s identity and vision in a successful career; and what it means to live in the world as a creative person.

Roccaforte’s book is available in paperback for $16.95 or e-book for $10 at www.benupress.com and other sites. For more information, contact her at 602-787-7158.


“‘Bridges in the Mind’ is a long overdue and badly needed prescription for rescuing some of our most valuable minds.” – Dr. Betty Edwards, author of “The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” and “Color.”

“...a wealth of real-world strategies for overcoming the obstacles that so often prevent artists from reaching their full potential.” – Ted Orland, co-author of “Art & Fear.”

“…an artfully pragmatic, intelligent and soulful guide for artists and artistic types.” – Daria Halprin, dancer, poet, author, therapist, teacher and Founding Director of Tamalpa Institute.



Maricopa colleges announce transfer partnership with University of Maryland

PHOENIX, January 19, 2011 – A new transfer partnership agreement between Maricopa Community Colleges the University of Maryland's University College will allow students to apply up to 70 credits toward a UMUC Bachelor’s degree.

The Maricopa/UMUC agreement also includes an application fee waiver, as well as dedicated transfer scholarships for Maricopa Community College students. UMUC’s Dual Enrollment Scholarship is a $1,000 per year scholarship if students are taking a minimum of three credits at UMUC and one of the Maricopa Community Colleges each semester. Students applying for admission online at www.umuc.edu will have the $50 application fee waived.

In addition, UMUC’s Community College Transfer Scholarship will pay eligible students $3,000 per year for full time students, $1,650 per year for part time students. The CCTS is for associate degree earners from the Maricopa Community Colleges who have carried a minimum 3.0 grade-point-average (GPA) on all college coursework.

There is already a rich tradition of Maricopa Community College students transferring to UMUC. To date, more than 230 students have transferred Maricopa credits to UMUC.

“In keeping with President Obama’s American Graduation Initiative, this flexible agreement offers Maricopa students a unique opportunity to move seamlessly from an Associate’s degree to a Bachelor’s degree without losing credits, or ever leaving home,” said UMUC President Aldridge. “In return, UMUC will reap the benefits of Maricopa’s tremendous expertise, while serving yet another amazing group of community college transfer students who, I might, add are consistently among our most talented and successful graduates.”

UMUC is an international leader in online education and offers more than 100 Bachelors and Masters Degree programs online with more than 760 online courses in addition to onsite courses in more than 23 countries around the world.

More information on the Maricopa Community Colleges’ partnership with UMUC is available at www.maricopa.edu/transfer/partners/viewpartner.php?loc=62967, or at www.umuc.edu.


It's not to late to register for Spring 2011 classes

PHOENIX, January 19, 2011 – Looking to take a class this spring? It's not too late to sign up for a variety of classes for the Spring 2011 semester. You can register for classes easily online at my.maricopa.edu.

With just a few clicks, you can quickly find your place at PVCC!

1. Click “add a class.”
2. Click “search for classes” or enter the five-digit class number.
3. Enter the subject code (e.g., ENG) and course number (e.g., 101) and designate if the classis credit or non-credit.
4. Click “proceed to step 2 of 3” to verify prerequisites.
5. Click “finish enrolling.”
6. Repeat to add more classes.


Desperado Film Festival hosts panel discussion about bullying of LGBTQ teens

PHOENIX, January 13, 2011 – The 2011 Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, in collaboration with Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, focuses on the serious issue of gay teen bullying in a free panel discussion at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, in the Center for the Performing Arts.

This timely social dialogue is open to the public following a free screening at 9 a.m. of the gripping documentary “Out in the Silence,” a film about the small-town firestorm caused by Filmmaker Joe Wilson’s newspaper announcement of his marriage to another man. Wilson returned to his hometown after receiving a plea for help from the mother of a bullied gay teen in the Pennsylvania community.

“In response to an alarming number of suicides among gay teens across the nation recently, we believe it’s important to bring educators, school administrators and gay rights advocates together to discuss the need for school policies – and enforcement of those policies – to protect gay and lesbian students,” said Alan East, chair of the Desperado Film Festival. “These teens often hide their sexuality for fear of being bullied or because of a lack of support from teachers and administrators.”

Heather Merrill, teacher education faculty at Glendale Community College and organizer of Teachers’ Lounge, a program of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), is facilitating the anti-bullying panel. Teacher’s Lounge is a group of educators dedicated to creating safe and inclusive schools for all students.

“The focus of this discussion is the need for empathy and understanding that students can’t achieve academically unless we create a supportive learning environment for them, Merrill said. “Words hurt, and words lead to actions. Bullying, harassment and intimidation don’t belong in our schools or in our society.”

The panel guests have a range of experience dealing with bullying and school safety issues:

• Caleb Laieski is a 15-year-old gay activist who took on the Dysart School District in Surprise after being repeatedly bullied and threatened in high school. He recently sent a letter to more than 5,000 Arizona school administrators and elected officials demanding improvement of school policies and warned of legal action against schools that fail to stop bullying of gay students.
• David Pape is Arizona State Coordinator of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians & Gays and Chairman of the Safe Schools Committee. PFLAG which offers support, education and advocacy to end discrimination and secure equal civil rights.
• Jimmie Munoz is a Roosevelt School Board member and education training coordinator for GLSEN of Phoenix, which works to create safe, respectful and healthy K-12 schools for all regardless of sexual orientation. Munoz recruits and trains talented facilitators who conduct safe schools workshops for teachers, staff, administrators and students.

It’s estimated that nine out of 10 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual or questioning students have experienced harassment at school, and LGBTQ teens are bullied two to three times more than straight teens. More than a third of these youth have attempted suicide, according to the Trevor Project, a national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth.

The Trevor Project offers an around-the-clock Helpline at
866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386). In Arizona, LGBTQ youth and their families can find help by calling a new "Q-Line" in Arizona for crisis situations, information and referral to resources. Call 480-736-4925 or 800-5-CRISIS (800-527-4747).

Additionally, the “It Gets Better Project,” a worldwide movement, was created to show LGBTQ teens they can find happiness, potential and positivity in their lives if they can just get through their teen years. More than 5,000 user-created videos express this positive message at www.itgetsbetterproject.com.

The second annual Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is Jan. 28-30 in the PVCC Center for the Performing Arts. For details about the event, including the screening schedule, film descriptions and ticket information, go to www.desperadofilmfestival.com. Tickets can be purchased at the PVCC Box Office by calling (602) 787-7738 or go to www.pvc.maricopa.edu/cpa.

Proceeds from the film festival help fund the PVCC Rainbow Scholarship for LGBTQ students and allies. PVCC encourages an environment of diversity and inclusiveness, and the student P.R.I.D.E. club (People Respecting Individuality, Diversity and Equality) offers support for students struggling with sexuality and gender issues. P.R.I.D.E. also encourages education and dialogue promoting human rights.



PVCC Celebrates Grand Opening of Q Building Jan. 13

PHOENIX, January 12, 2011 – The public is invited to attend the Grand Opening of the newly renovated Q Building at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011.

The celebration commences with a program and ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m. followed by an Open House and tours from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The 65,929-square-foot building on the southwest end of the Union Hills campus is now home to PVCC’s Math and Continuing Education divisions and the Center for Teaching and Learning, a unit that focuses on expanding and improving instruction to support student learning and success. It also serves as a Community Math Center and shares space with the Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center Charter School.


Continuing Education Open House

PHOENIX, January 11, 2011 – PVCC invites public to learn more about community enrichment programs

PHOENIX, Arizona – Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, invites
the public to its annual Open House 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 22, to learn more about Spring 2011 Continuing Education and Community Enrichment classes. This free event is in the college’s beautiful new Q-building classrooms at 32nd St and Grovers Ave.

PVCC’s Division of Continuing Education provides a large variety of activities, cultural events, classes and other opportunities for Valley residents. These classes are open to people of all ages and often serve as a gateway to college enrollment. Take classes in business and professional development, computers,
art, photography, languages, personal enrichment, writing and publishing and online learning. Children’s programming also is offered through PVCC’s Kids College during the summer.

The Open House will provide detailed information about the college, programs, classes and events.
View demonstrations, meet instructors, tour the campus and new Q building and register for classes. Refreshments will be served.

For more information call Continuing Education at (602) 787-6800 or go to www.paradisevalley.edu/ce.




Desperado panel discussion focuses on bullying

PHOENIX, January 11, 2011 – The Desperado Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, in collaboration with Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, is focusing on the serious issue of anti-gay bullying during a panel discussion 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, in the Center for the Performing Arts.

This timely social dialogue follows the 9 a.m. screening of the gripping documentary “Out in the Silence,” a film about the firestorm caused by Filmmaker Joe Wilson’s hometown newspaper announcement of his marriage to another man. Wilson received a subsequent plea for help from the mother of a bullied gay teen in the small Pennsylvania community.

“In response to an alarming number of suicides among gay teens across the nation recently, we believe it is important to bring educators, school administrators and gay rights advocates together to discuss the need for school policies and enforcement of those policies to protect LGBTQ students,” said film festival chair Alan East. “LGBTQ teens often hide their sexuality for fear of being bullied or because of the lack of support from teachers and administrators.”
According to the Trevor Project, a national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth, nine out of 10 LGBT students have experienced harassment at school. LGBTQ teens are bullied two to three times more than straight teens and more than a third of these youth have attempted suicide.

The anti-bullying panel includes:

• Caleb Laieski, a 15-year-old gay activist who took on the Dysart School District in Surprise after being repeatedly bullied and threatened in high school. He recently sent a letter to more than 5,000 Arizona school administrators and elected officials demanding improvement of school policies and warned of legal action against schools that fail to stop bullying of gay students.
• David Pape, Arizona State Coordinator of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG). which offers support, education and advocacy to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. He holds a master’s degree in counseling from Northern Arizona University and has served as Chairman of the Safe Schools Committee.

• Jimmie Munoz, Roosevelt School Board Member, training coordinator for GLSEN-Phoenix. Munoz works with the Phoenix chapter of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to create safe, respectful and healthy K-12 schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. As GLSEN Phoenix’s Education Training Coordinator, he recruits and trains talented facilitators who conduct safe schools workshops for school teachers, staff, administrators and students.

• Facilitated by Heather Merrill, teacher education faculty at Glendale Community College, is a member of the Anti-Defamation League’s Education Committee and organizer of Teachers’ Lounge, a group of educators dedicated to safe and inclusive space for all students.

PVCC supports an environment of diversity and inclusiveness. The college’s P.R.I.D.E. (People Respecting Individuality, Diversity and Equality) club offers support for students who may be dealing with and/or struggling with gender and sexuality issues and encourages education and dialogue that promotes human rights.

There is help for LGBTQ youth and their families, including a new "Q-Line" in Arizona for crisis situations, information and referral to resources for LGBTQ youth and their families. Local: 480-736-4925. Outside Phoenix: 800-5-CRISIS (800.527.4747). The Trevor Project’s 24-hour, 7-day-a-week Helpline,
866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).


PVCC offers an affordable alternative to the health club

PHOENIX, January 10, 2011 – If your New Year’s resolution includes more exercise, Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, has an inexpensive alternative to a health club membership. You won’t have to pay an arm and a leg while you’re pumping your arms and legs.

Sign up for a fitness class and you’ll have access to state-of-the-art equipment, professional personal trainers and flexible hours including most evenings and weekends. What sets apart the PVCC Fitness Center from other health clubs, aside from the cost savings, is the qualified instructors and staff. These instructors have their bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees in the field of exercise science and are certified in one or more of the top professional organizations.

“No one else can provide the level of instruction and personal attention, at no extra cost, that we offer at PVCC’s Fitness Center,” says Donna Roach, manager and senior program coordinator. “We’re here to help you start your journey toward life-long health and wellness.”

Credit and non-credit classes are available in weight training, strength training and group exercise. The Senior Fitness Center offers classes designed specifically to help older adults live healthy, active lifestyles. The SilverSneakers® fitness program offers a free membership with select Medicare health plans. Each enrolled SilverSneakers® member is entitled to full use of PVCC’s facility, programs and classes.

The Fitness Center is equipped with free weights, Cybex machines, free motion machines, a variety of cardio equipment and a specialized area for functional fitness. There’s always an instructor on the floor and one will help you design an individualized fitness program for free.

Beyond weightlifting and aerobics, the Fitness Center offers mind/body wellness programs including classes in yoga, tai chi and Pilates; sessions in weight control and healthy eating; and outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking, golf and tennis. Other wellness classes include aromatherapy, meditation, herbal remedies and alternative medicine.

At just $71 per credit hour, fitness classes at PVCC are more affordable than other health clubs because membership for the semester is included and there are no additional costs once you’re in the door. A yearly membership also is available for previously enrolled members who want to continue using the fitness center.

The Fitness Center is located in F Building on the south end of the camus. Hours are:
Monday - Thursday 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday 5:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Hours may vary during holidays and semester breaks

For more information, contact the Fitness Center, 602 787-7270 or go to www.pvc.maricopa.edu/fitness. To learn about the SilverSneakers® program membership, call Tatum Voeller at 602-787-7261 for orientation times and eligibility information.


College Goal Sunday Feb. 13

PHOENIX, February 9, 2011 – Kick off your future today by planning to advance your education during the annual College Goal Sunday, Feb. 13, at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College. This free event is from 2 to 4 p.m. and is open to college-bound students, parents and others seeking financial aid to pay for college.

Financial aid professionals will help prospective and current students learn how to find federal grants, work-study grant programs, scholarships and low-interest and interest-free federal education loans. An online, interactive scholarship workshop also is available.

"Student Financial Assistance provides access to learning. In this difficult economic climate, many parents and students are looking for help to pay for college, and the first step is the application process. CGS demystifies the college financial aid system,” says Kenneth Clarke, PVCC director of financial aid. “At College Goal Sunday, financial aid professionals will provide one-on-one assistance with the application process, and the question- and-answer session has been expanded to help those with specific questions. Students and parents can receive help filling out and electronically submitting the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application and learn about the verification, awarding and disbursing processes."

More than 30,000 students have received help at this annual event, which has made it possible for some students to attend college at all. College graduates go on to earn as much as 73 percent more than those with only a high school diploma. A college degree also can mean the difference between getting a job and building a career.

Items to bring to College Goal Sunday:
• Student's 2010 income data (W-2 or pay stub and/or tax return)
• Parents' 2010 income data (W-2 or pay stub and/or tax return)
• If student is age 24 or older, bring 2010 income data (W-2 or pay stub and/or tax return).

PVCC Union Hills Campus is located at 18401 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. Participants should follow the signs to the Studio Theatre south of 34th Street and Union Hills Drive. There they will receive a greeting before convening to the E-Building lobby and computer classrooms for individualized assistance.

For more information about College Goal Sunday, go to www.collegegoalsunday.com/Pay4CollegeArizona.
For more information about financial aid assistance at Paradise Valley Community College, contact Kenneth Clarke or one of the financial aid staff at 602-787-7100 or go to www.paradisevalley.edu/finaid. To learn more about Federal Student Aid, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov/.


Business panel offers resources to small businesses owners, entrepreneurs

PHOENIX, February 21, 2011 – Learn how to find the resources you need to help your business grow during a free public forum 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, at Paradise Valley Community College at Black Mountain, a Maricopa Community College, located at 34260 N. 60th St., in north Scottsdale.

This forum is presented by the Maricopa County Community College District's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Carefree/Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce.

The panel includes representatives from the Chamber, the SBDC and PVCC and the Arizona Small Business Association as well as the library and a financial institution. These organizations are devoted to helping Arizona entrepreneurs and small businesses and will discuss the products and services they have to offer.

For more information, contact PVCC at Black Mountain, 602-493-2600, or visit us online at www.paradisevalley.edu/blackmountain.


Maricopa Community Colleges an Economic Engine for County

PHOENIX, February 10, 2011 – For every dollar students spend on classes at the Maricopa Community College, they earn over $3 in higher wages and salaries during their working careers, a recently released study revealed.
The study, conducted by Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI) found that in addition, by the middle of their working careers, the holders of an Associate's Degree from one of the Maricopa Community Colleges earn $46,000, or 35 percent more than high school graduates earn. Over the lifetime of the person who earned the Associate's Degree, the difference in earnings is $456,000.

EMSI, experts at determining the economic value contributed by educational institutions, also found that:
  • The cumulative education and training of past Maricopa Community College students adds $2.8 billion of income to Maricopa County households each year.

  • Students from outside Maricopa County who take coursework at the colleges generate approximately $50.2 million in added income that otherwise would not have entered the economy of Maricopa County.

  • Maricopa Community College students gain a 12.2 percent return on their community college investment.


    • This compares favorably with returns on other investments, e.g. long-term returns on stocks and bonds," the EMSI report said.

    Looking at the amount of money spent by taxpayers on the Maricopa Community Colleges, the report shows a positive return of 5.3 percent. Every dollar of state or local tax money invested in the Maricopa Community Colleges today returns $1.50.

    "At a time when governments are cutting their spending, this report shows that money spent on our colleges is a real investment that benefits the individual student and the county as a whole," said Dr. Rufus Glasper, Chancellor of the Maricopa Community Colleges. "It confirms our belief that our colleges are engines of economic growth for Maricopa County."

    To conduct its study, EMSI applied a comprehensive model that translates the economic benefits of the colleges "into common sense benefit/cost and investment terms." Copies of the study and summaries of its findings are available from the District.




    Conseling faculty author ‘bridges’ creativity mnds

    PHOENIX, December 20, 2010 – “Bridges in the Mind: An Artist’s Handbook for Everyday Living,” is a pragmatic guide to help the creative mind find balance in daily life. Author Marianne Roccaforte, Ph.D., counseling faculty at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, takes a systematic approach to the complex topic of the artist's imagination and the struggles that can occur in even the most ordinary situations.

    Artists have an immense sense of wonder, a sharp awareness and a vivid imagination that, while discerning and creative, can form real-world obstacles preventing them from reaching their full potential, Roccaforte says. Roccaforte draws on well-grounded psychological research and theory along with her many years of counseling and teaching experience to create an enlightening, empowering and practical guide for writers, visual artists, musicians, actors and dancers. She also is teaching a spring semester class at PVCC, “Career Exploration: The Creative Mind,” which is recommended for fine arts and creative writing students.

    “I want to give artists of all ages an alternate perspective on their experience in the world in the hope of their being understood and respected. We need to focus on who the artist is rather than what the artist is not,” she says.

    Roccaforte, a lifelong musician, has been a counselor and educator in college settings for 24 years specializing in the psychology of the artist, helping creative students succeed and in career decision-making. She also designs and teaches personal-growth courses and workshops tailored to fine and performing artists. Her work focuses on helping creative students thrive, not simply survive.

    “Artists tend to make associations in their minds among concepts and images and experiences that others may not necessarily see as having a connection. I’m hoping to give them language and tools to build bridges to the outside world in order to function more successfully, comfortably and gracefully in the mainstream,” Roccaforte says.

    Her book offers easy-to-practice techniques for transitioning from an absorbing session of art-making back to daily practical activities like paying bills or going to the bank; language for communicating effectively in social and business settings; skills for managing intense sensory and emotional experiences; and tips for sustaining a healthy and active creative life.

    “Bridges in the Mind,” published by Benu Press, expands upon Roccaforte’s 2007 doctoral dissertation in which she interviewed professional artists in various disciplines about how their imagination plays a role in their everyday lives. In addition to coaching young-adult artists, the book is helpful for parents and teachers to be more empathetic with the artist’s experience and help their imaginative children develop creative and practical balance.

    “Finding balance in life was a really important part for these professional artists to be successful in their careers and in their lives,” she says. “I wanted to help our student artists who find they are different from other people, in that their mind is always ‘on.’ Many report that they’re always imagining possibilities and seeing connections that other people don’t naturally see. They have sensory experiences in their mind’s eye that can get in the way of being effective when doing ordinary things. Many artists haven’t found ways to manage such powerful imaginations.”

    Artistic-minded PVCC students who wish to benefit from Roccaforte’s expertise can enroll in Career Exploration: The Creative Mind, on Tuesdays from noon to 1:50 p.m. The two-credit class addresses strategies and tools to research careers in the arts; how to express one’s identity and vision in a successful career; and what it means to live in the world as a creative person.

    Roccaforte’s book is available in paperback for $16.95 or e-book for $10 at www.benupress.com and other sites. For more information, contact her at 602-787-7158.


    “‘Bridges in the Mind’ is a long overdue and badly needed prescription for rescuing some of our most valuable minds.” – Dr. Betty Edwards, author of “The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” and “Color.”

    “...a wealth of real-world strategies for overcoming the obstacles that so often prevent artists from reaching their full potential.” – Ted Orland, co-author of “Art & Fear.”

    “…an artfully pragmatic, intelligent and soulful guide for artists and artistic types.” – Daria Halprin, dancer, poet, author, therapist, teacher and Founding Director of Tamalpa Institute.



    Union Jazz Institute for high school musicians

    PHOENIX, December 2, 2010 – High school and first-year college students ages 15-19 interested in music performance
    and jazz education are invited to audition for the 2011 Union Jazz Institute (UJI) at Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College.

    Acceptance into this free intensive jazz preparatory program for young musicians is by audition only and is limited to a maximum of 16 students. Classes will be held at PVCC’s Union Hills campus on Wednesday evenings beginning Jan. 26, 2011. Auditions are by appointment only from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, in the Center for the Performing Arts. Call (602) 787-6595 to schedule an audition.

    “This exciting program gives aspiring musicians the opportunity receive professional instruction from guest artists and faculty in PVCC’s Division of Fine & Performing Arts in improvisation, jazz theory, jazz history, musical composition and jazz arranging. They also will perform in one of the institutes’ jazz combos,” said Division Chair Dr. Christopher Scinto.

    Students should prepare two short pieces of contrasting style (up tempo, ballad, Latin, etc.) and be prepared to improvise over a 12-bar blues in F major. Students also may be asked to sight read the melody from a well-known jazz standard.

    Selected students will be enrolled for a one-credit music ensemble course (MUP 181) completely free of charge. The $85 cost of tuition and fees is covered through Fine Arts scholarships from the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

    Program instructors are faculty members from PVCC’s Division of Fine & Performing Arts and guest artists. Instrumentation for the program will include piano, bass, drums, guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and voice.

    The program of study is held Wednesday evenings at PVCC beginning Jan. 26, 2011:

    • 5-5:50 p.m. – Jazz Combo A Rehearsal (maximum 8 students)
    • 6-6:50 p.m. – Group Instruction (all students in program/maximum 16 students)
    • 7-7:50 p.m. - Jazz Combo B Rehearsal (maximum 8 students)

    For additional information about the UJI or other fine and performing arts programs at PVCC, email Dr. Christopher Scinto at christopher.scinto@pvmail.maricopa.edu or by phone at 602-787-6686.



    Faces of Migration project to Black Mountain Campus

    PHOENIX, December 10, 2010 – Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, launches its Faces of Migration Project at the Black Mountain Campus Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011, in its continuing effort to put human faces on the highly debated issue of migration.

    This free oral history and art exhibit features original murals of two local women, who moved to Arizona from other countries, on the walls of an oral history booth in which members of the community can video record their personal migration stories.

    This exhibit opens in conjunction with the Foothills Community Foundation’s MindQuest Lecture Series featuring Arizona State University Professor Brian Gratton, an ethnicity and immigration historian, speaking on “The Creation of the Mexican Southwest: 1850-2011.” The MindQuest lecture begins at 7 p.m. in the adjacent FCF-Holland Community Center on the Black Mountain Campus, located at 34250 N. 60th St., just south of the Carefree Highway in North Scottsdale. Coffee and light refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m.

    The oral history booth will be on display through May 2011 and the public is invited to contribute their personal or family migration stories to this ongoing project. The original portraits on the recording booth’s walls were painted by PVCC art faculty David Bradley and his students. These faces of migration are Larissa Campos, a PVCC student from Brazil, and Joanne Gemmill, a native of England and owner of the English Rose Tea Room in Carefree.

    Arizona has a long history of migrant citizens but most recently been in the national spotlight for its controversial stance on illegal immigration and border security. Professor Gratton discusses the implications of this long history of settlement and migration of Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the current debate over Mexican immigration. His scholarly studies of immigration and ethnicity in the United States, Latin America and Europe have been published in many journals of ethnic and immigration history.

    His talk follows up his popular 2008 lecture, “401 Years of Immigration,” and provides an understanding of the history of migrations into the southwest. Gratton examines Spanish, Mexican and indigenous settlement and conflict and how threats to Hispanic populations opened the door to the rapid growth of Euro-American settlement and today’s immigration issues.

    Faces of Migration is an ongoing cross-discipline effort by PVCC Center for International Studies, the Warren and Jo Buxton Library, and the college’s fine arts, social science, communication and education divisions. It debuted on the Union Hills campus in Spring 2010 to create awareness and increase understanding of diverse global, national and local issues by exploring the issues of voluntary and involuntary migration and the diverse ways in which people become part of our community. Video snippets collected from this year-long project will be compiled into a full-length video.

    MindQuest is a collaboration of FCF-Partners in Education and Paradise Valley Community College to provide intellectually stimulating lectures and discussions that engage active learners and improve the quality of life in the Foothills.

    The MindQuest lecture costs $15 per person or $5 for students. To purchase tickets, call (480) 488-1090 or visit www.azfcf.org. To learn more about PVCC’s Faces of Migration Project, contact Nicole DeLeon, marketing coordinator, at 602-787-6606.




    April Events in the Center for the Performing Arts

    PHOENIX, April 7, 2011 – Paradise Valley Community College, a Maricopa Community College, will wrap up the 2010-2011 season of fine and performing arts with several spring events showcasing the talents of PVCC students.

    PVCC offers free and low-cost entertainment options for the Northeast Valley in its state-of-the-art Center for the Performing Arts, including concerts, dance performances, theater and art exhibits.

    Upcoming events include:

    Big Band Jazz Under the Stars
    Enjoy a free evening of big band music featuring performances by the Puma Jazz Ensemble and the PVCC Big Band at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 11 at the Center for the Performing Arts Outdoor Amphitheatre. Hear some of our great instrumentalists and vocalists perform timeless big band jazz classics from the likes of Count Basie, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, and Frank Sinatra. Admission is free and light concessions will be available for purchase. Audience members are invited to bring a folding chair or blanket for seating on the courtyard lawn.

    The Ballad of Downtown Jake
    Enjoy an opera in progress 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, in the Studio Theater/M-East Building. This event features performances of 10 songs from the forthcoming jazz opera, “The Ballad of Downtown Jake.” The music, based on poem in the book “High Notes” by PVCC Faculty Lois Roma-Deeley, is being composed by PVCC Fine Arts Division Chair Dr. Christopher Scinto. PVCC tenor Dan Kurek and soprano Alicann Lunceford are accompanied by Scinto (piano), Keith Kelly (woodwinds), Ted Sistrunk (bass) and Brett Reed (drums).

    Annual Juried Student Art Exhibit
    The Annual Juried Student Art Exhibit displays the talents of PVCC fine arts students April 22 through May 11 in the Gallery at the Center for the Performing Arts. The opening reception for the exhibit is at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, in the Gallery and it is free and open to the public. The exhibit features work by beginning to advanced students in diverse disciplines as selected by juror, Joan Baron, artist and director of Artspace gallery in Scottsdale.
    Free and open to the public. The reception will host a casual awards ceremony celebrating the prizewinners and visual arts scholarship recipients for the 2010-11 academic year. Light refreshments will be provided.

    Spring Dance Collection
    The PVCC Spring Dance Collection is an excitingly eclectic performance featuring the works of PVCC dance students and faculty. The concert features the works of Joey Arevelo whose Hip Hop artistry will capture your imagination and admiration of this dance form. The concert also includes the choreography of Erin Nielson, Sonia Valle, Ava Fleming, Slawomir Wozniak, Robert Blair and Leon Cunningham. A special appearance by Sutopa Barua will delight audiences with a taste of Classical Indian dance, and Axe Capoeira will continue the tradition of bringing their dynamic and explosive performance of the Brazilian art form known as Capoeira. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. April 29 and 30. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors/staff $8 for students w/ID and $6 for children under 12.

    PVCC Jazz Combos
    The PVCC Jazz Combos perform in concert Saturday, April 30, in the Studio Theatre. Starting the performance is the PVCC Beginning Jazz Combo, under the direction of Keith Kelly and Scott Zimmer. The beginning jazz combo is part of PVCC’s new Union Jazz Institute, which is designed to teach young musicians jazz improvisation and ensemble performance. The night also features performances by the PVCC Intermediate Jazz Combo, under the direction of Russell Schmidt, and the PVCC Advanced Jazz Combo, under the direction of Eric Rasmussen and Ted Sistrunk. Admission is free.

    PVCC is at 18401 North 32nd St, in Phoenix. The Center for the Performing Arts is located near the intersection of 34th Street and Union Hills. For information or tickets, call the Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at 602-787-7738 or go to www.paradisevalley.edu/cpa.




    What’s Next? PVCC’s High School Senior Night

    PHOENIX, April 7, 2011 – For high school seniors wondering what's next, a world of possibilities awaits at Paradise Valley Community College. Discover the benefits of beginning your education at PVCC and transferring your credits to partnership colleges like ASU, NAU, U of A, and more than 20 other national and international four-year institutions.

    Learn more about your education options at PVCC’s free High School Senior Night 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 14, in the Studio Theater, M-East Building. Meet college staff and students who can help you find your place at PVCC. Get details about:

    •Enrollment Process
    •Financing your education
    •Programs of study
    •Related careers
    •College resources and programs
    •Occupational/certificate programs
    •2-year university transfer degrees
    •Surviving your first year of college

    For more information, call 602-787-7411. PVCC is located at 18401 N. 32nd St., just west of the Union Hills exit on SR51.


    Register for Summer Youth Program at Black Mountain Campus

    PHOENIX, April 6, 2011 – Registration for the first annual Black Mountain Campus Summer Youth Program is Saturday, April 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in conjunction with the YMCA Healthy Kids Day. The Black Mountain Campus is located at 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale.

    The Summer Youth Program is presented in partnership with the Cave Creek Unified School District Desert Foothills Community Education Program, Desert Foothills Library, Foothills Community Foundation (Holland Community Center) and the YMCA.

    The program provides kids of all ages with healthy, safe activities that are enriching in body, mind and spirit at a price that's affordable for families of all sizes. Whether it's physical fitness through classes like Splash and Swim and Desert Survival 101 or kindergarten preparation, ceramics and Chines Mandarin, the Black Mountain Campus Summer Youth Program has something to offer everyone's interest and skill levels.

    The class schedule is arranged by age group at www.blackmountain.com.


    PAWS athletic tracking system wins MCCCD 2011 Innov

    PHOENIX, April 1, 2011 – Paradise Valley Community College’s Puma Athletic Web System (PAWS) has been selected to participate for the Maricopa Community College District’s 2011 Innovation of the Year Award.

    The winning innovation team selected from each college made a presentation to the Innovation of the Year District’s Final Selection Committee on Friday, April 1. The team selected as the Innovation of the Year will receive the Dr. Paul M. Pair Award during the awards program 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 27at the Rio Salado College Conference Center.

    PAWS is a web-based application designed, developed and built in-house at PVCC by a cross-functional collaborative team. At the time there was no vendor-supported application that would meet the Athletic Department’s need to monitor student athlete academic progress with an early alert system. PVCC Director o College Technology Carol Myers and her team developed an application featuring academic tracking of student-athlete eligibility and degree progress to assist them with successful course and degree completion. PAWS now serves 206 student athletes, 159 faculty, 10 coaches, 16 assistant coaches and two athletic administrators. The system monitors student-athletes in 300 different courses.
    PAWS was developed over the summer of 2009 with no other costs, except for staff development time, and has saved 240 hours a semester of the Athletic Specialist’s time allowing him to focus the time on coaching and student athlete academic success. University Business Magazine honored PVCC for PAWS as a 2010 Model of Efficiency, one of only 10 institutions of higher education selected nationwide.

    After implementing PAWS, the number of faculty providing feedback on academic progress is up 40 percent and student athlete retention, persistence and course completion rates at PVCC have risen. Because PAWS can be easily replicated for use by other institutions and modified without difficulty, five other Maricopa colleges (Estrella Mountain, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix and Scottsdale) will be adopting PAWS in 2011-2012.
    The college offers men and women’s baseball, soccer, cross country, outdoor track & field, golf and tennis.

    PVCC’s Athletic Department must abide by the National Community and Junior Athletic Association’s (NCJAA) student eligibility requirements, and PVCC’s commitment to student success.Coaches can view a student’s enrollment status with information being updated every five minutes via a data pull from the Student Information System. They have access to a full roster of athletes by sport that includes demographic information, a photograph of the athlete, and the ability to email or text the student directly from within the application. There is a view of faculty input on each student’s progress with the ability to email one or more faculty and track an athlete’s PASS Time in the Tutoring Center.

    PVCC team members who developed PAWS under Myers leadership include: Sam Fraulino, instructional/multi-media developer; Paul Golisch, dean of information technology; Todd Lehman, athletic specialist; George Mathew, enterprise application administrator; Brad Olsen, programmer; Jason Pociask, assistant director of strategic information systems (District ITS); David Preston, enterprise system administrator; Greg Silcox, athletic director; Marc Varner, programmer; and Corey Weidner, senior network administrator.




    PHOENIX,  – 



     
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