Leaders in Government, Education, Health Care, the Arts, Faith and Business Among 21 Previous Awardees

Directors, Consultants, Trainers and Support Staff from the Riverland Community College, South Central College, Minnesota State Southeast Technical College, and Rochester Community and Technical College convened to collaborate and discuss customized training opportunities, trends, and challenges throughout the region on Thursday, Jan. 21.

The Riverland Training & Development (RTD), a division of Riverland Community College has recently received certification as an Official Registered Provider of Command Spanish, Inc. language and cross-cultural training programs.

Command Spanish, Inc. is the nation's leading provider of occupational Spanish language and cross-cultural training and materials.

The Riverland Community College massage therapist program begins its sixth year of clinical massages. Students are scheduling appointments. This service is open to the public. The massage clinic, based at the Riverland Albert Lea Campus, will run from now until May 5, 2010. Clinic hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Riverland Community College Albert Lea Campus is located at 2200 Riverland Drive.

Riverland Community College is pleased to announce the students whose academic achievement placed them on the 2009 fall president’s and dean’s lists. Riverland congratulates these individuals for their outstanding academic accomplishments.

Riverland is especially proud of its commitment to preparing health and science professionals for their careers.

As we enter a new decade, we continue to seek new collaborations and to grow opportunities on our campuses, in our communities and online. In these ways, we are expanding our personalized education experiences to more learners.

Riverland continues to develop new career options in fields that offer opportunity for employment in our region. This column highlights only a few recent Riverland developments. We will continue to achieve excellence in teaching and learning as we move toward graduation at the end of this already promising new semester.

Rep. Walz recently announced that South Central College (SCC) will receive $4.5 million from a grant program authorized in the Recovery Act. This funding will be used to hire additional workers at SCC to train Southern Minnesotans for jobs in growing industries, like the health care sector and other emerging industries.

The Riverland Community College Carpentry program received a check $20,000 on Friday, Feb. 12 from Austin Utilities to be used for the construction of their first Minnesota GreenStar home.

Jerry McCarthy, general manager of Austin Utilities, and Kelly Lady, energy services consultant of Austin Utilities, presented the check to Dr. Terry Leas, college president, Dr. Langrell, Riverland’s executive vice president, Steve Bowron, dean of academic affairs – career/technical education, Walt Alms and Tom Wilker, both carpentry faculty members.

Record enrollment growth of 14,338 students counted this spring at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

Students enrolled in record numbers this spring at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, resulting in an increase of 14,338 students, or nearly an 8 percent gain, over a year ago, officials said today.

The state college and university system has 197,576 students taking credit courses, compared to last spring's enrollment of 183,238. The latest growth spurt was on top of a record increase last fall when an additional 12,641 students enrolled compared to the year before.

Riverland Community College students Katherine Kirsch (Albert Lea), Sergio Hernandez (Walters) and Ivan Okhin (Genichesk, Ukraine) were named to the 2010 All-Minnesota Academic Team in recognition of their academic achievements, leadership accomplishments and service to their college and community. Forty Minnesota two-year college students were honored at a ceremony on March 3 in Eagan, Minnesota.

Family, friends and the Riverland Community College community gathered on Feb. 26 at "A Shining Star, Katie Nelson Remembered," a benefit performance and auction to raise money for an endowment in Nelson's name. The money raised so far is $11,460 with donations still coming.

Nelson, 29, a theater major from Riverland and Minnesota State University, Mankato, was months away from completing her massage therapy degree at Riverland when she died suddenly last March of a brain tumor no one knew she had.

During the last year, this column has frequently touched on the economic challenges facing our state, nation and higher education. We have carefully stated our concerns to inform readers how we strategically are addressing those needs within the communities we serve. As we analyze the content of the latest economic reports, however, we must alert the public to the potential impact of this information on Riverland Community College’s health. The economic vitality of the communities and region we serve depends on a vital, healthy community college.

Dr. Ron Langrell, executive vice president for Riverland Community College, will be honored with the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society's 2010 Administrator Award of Distinction in Orlando, Florida on April 9. He is one of 24 recipients nationwide.

The Administrator Award of Distinction is awarded to college vice presidents, deans, or leaders other than college presidents/CEOs serving in an administrative capacity, who have demonstrated a strong level of support for Phi Theta Kappa.