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C.O.D. Graduate wins ‘Designers’ Challenge’
For someone who is “extremely” camera-shy, Linda Fougerousse’s decision in 2005 to send her interior design portfolio to producers of HGTV’s popular “Designers’ Challenge” show took more than a little courage. Did it ever, judging from what happened next.
“Designers’ Challenge,” which is aired internationally, selects three interior designers and a homeowner who has an interior design project. The interior designers then create their designs and present them to the homeowner, who selects one as the winner. The winning designer then works with the homeowner on the project.
“I like the show because it has a good handle on what it takes to put an interior design project together as far as realistic timelines and budgets,” Fougerousse said. “And I knew it would be good for my business.”
Fougerousse, who lives in Elmhurst and is a graduate of College of DuPage’s Interior Design program, owns Interior Transformation, Inc. in Elmhurst. What happened soon after she submitted her portfolio absolutely floored Fougerousse. Not only was she selected to appear on the show, but her design was chosen as the winner! What’s more, she learned that she won in October 2005, but she was sworn to secrecy until Monday, Oct. 1, when the show first aired -- two years later.
“Now you know that I can keep a secret,” she laughed.
About two or three months after Fougerousse submitted her portfolio, she received a call from the show’s producer. The producer sent her a tape of the homeowners, Darrell and Kym Hubbard, and their project, which was a redesign of their Chicago condo’s living and dining rooms.
“I was interested in the project, felt it was a great opportunity and asked the producer: ‘What’s the next step?’”
She was told, “Congratulations, you’re on the show.”
“I was absolutely floored.”
If that wasn’t speedy enough, things really got moving. Fougerousse received the initial call from the producer in April 2005 and was taping the show in June. She had six weeks to put her designs together and then to steel herself for her on-camera appearances. The first taping session “petrified” Fougerousse. “There were lights everywhere, coming at me from every angle, and the producers were throwing questions at me.”
After that first taping, Fougerousse told herself to relax and forget about the lights and cameras.
Her on-camera presentation to the Hubbards went smoothly. The homeowners then had one week to make a decision. Soon after, Fougerousse received the call that the Hubbards had selected her design.
“I was thrilled. Just thrilled. I was so excited to be selected. I felt that my design was perfect and couldn’t wait to get started.”
Fougerousse then set to work with the Hubbards to bring her design to life. That occurred in October 2005. Then came the “hard” part: not telling a soul. Okay, maybe her family, but that was it.
“It was really hard. I couldn’t put it on my web site, couldn’t tell anyone. Two years of keeping quiet.”
Now the cat is out of the bag and she is starting to receive calls. The show on which she appears will be re-run.Fougerousse, who has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, earned an associate’s degree in Interior Design at C.O.D. in 2003. She credits the C.O.D. program for honing her skills.
“I still brag about the C.O.D. Interior Design program,” she said.
For more information about the college’s Interior Design program, call Ann Cotton, (630) 942-3081.‘Finding the Way to Employment – DuPage Cares’
Steven Fry, College of DuPage Disability Career specialist and his project, “Finding the Way to Employment – DuPage Cares,” has been awarded a $1,500 grant through the Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support. Sponsored by the Illinois Community College Board, the grant monies will enable Fry to identify job sites that hire persons with disabilities and then provide a link for C.O.D. students who have disabilities. He noted that there are 1,200 C.O.D. students who have a disability. “We also want to provide staff development for the businesses in the area of disability awareness,” Fry said.Greene Receives $1,500 Grant
Alison Greene (Wheaton), College of DuPage Non-Traditional Career Recruitment coordinator, has been awarded a $1,500 grant that will provide up to $1,200 in scholarship monies for high school students who are members of a mentoring group that meets monthly. The students will also receive a guidebook on non-traditional careers. The grant was awarded through the Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support and sponsored by the Illinois Community College Board. Greene conducts monthly mentoring and support meetings for a select number of students from the Technology Center of DuPage in Addison. The first meeting is set for Tuesday, Oct. 9. The scholarships will be awarded in May.Coutre Designs a Winner
If Suchin Coutre (Glen Ellyn) had her druthers, she would like to combine her interior design training with her passion for interior decorating. Coutre, a College of DuPage Interior Design student, is already a winner with half of her wish after her interior design of a kitchen earned her national first place honors in the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) Student Design Competition. Coutre, along with her Kitchen and Bath instructor, Larry Gulotta, and Ann Cotton, Interior Design program coordinator, will travel to Las Vegas in May to accept her $2,500 scholarship award at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show and Conference.
NKBA’s annual competition challenged designers to create functional, efficient and attractive spaces that met requirements and challenges presented. The NKBA this year received 150 kitchen entries and 124 bathroom entries.
“I am surprised and proud,” said Coutre of her national honor.
Interior design students learn how to transform an interior environment into a functional, safe and aesthetically-pleasing space using drawings, floor plans, furniture and finishes. They enhance the function and quality of interior spaces while improving the overall quality of life for their clients.
An interior decorator is concerned only with the aesthetics of a space.
Working from a scenario presented by the NKBA, Coutre said her kitchen design increased the space of the room but also created a functional kitchen. The scenario noted that the husband was the primary cook and that he was tall. So Coutre had to take that into consideration in her design.
“During my design work, I put myself in the place of the owners and ask: ‘What would I like for this space?’”
Coutre said she began taking classes at C.O.D. with the idea of making her own home more functional. “I just love to design and use the right side of my brain. I would like to design functional spaces and also make them look nice. That’s on my wish list.”
“Education is truly a lifelong journey,” Cotton said. “Suchin represents the new 21st century student – an adult career changer. She already has multiple degrees and is now preparing, yet again, for another challenge of becoming a kitchen and bath designer.
“Having her as a student member of our NKBA-supported Advanced Kitchen and Bath certificate program is a true pleasure. Her talents for detail and advanced CAD work really show the success of our C.O.D. Interior Design curriculum.
“Now that she has won the 2006 national KBIS Kitchen Design Student Project competition, it is a reconfirmation that Instructor Larry Gulotta has professionally guided and provided Suchin with reality-based educational skills for a successful future.”
Gulotta said that Coutre’s best attributes are her attention to detail and her creativity. “I am very proud of her.” Gulotta noted that several of the finalists in the kitchen design category were from baccalaureate-granting institutions.
“We are extremely happy to compete with them on a national level,” Gulotta said.
Cotton is working with the NKBA to complete an educational endorsement of the college’s Advanced Kitchen and Bath Design certificate. Completion of the endorsement process is anticipated in May.
For more information on C.O.D.’s Interior Design program, call Cotton, (630) 942-3081.Ornamental Horticulture Students Finish One-Two-Three
Three College of DuPage Ornamental Horticulture students captured the top three prizes in the hand-drawn division of the annual Illinois Landscape Contractor Association landscape design contest. The three are Lori Arrigo (Elburn), first place; Katrine Kurtyka-Czop (Naperville), second; and Heather Barker (Lombard), third. In addition, Jane Jahimiak (Downers Grove) took top honors in the Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) division of the contest.
“We are proud of these students and their accomplishments,” said Judy Burgholzer, coordinator/professor of Ornamental Horticulture.‘Friendly Neighborhood Bug Man’
Planting the Seeds of Success
Forgive Don Orton if he appears to be a little … well … buggy.
That’s because for the past 35 consecutive years, Orton, who lives in Wheaton, has been teaching entomology (the study of insects) and plant pathology at College of DuPage.
He’s even been labeled “the friendly neighborhood bug man” by his brother.
The part-time C.O.D. instructor says he has always been interested in the mysterious world of insects and the diseases of trees and shrubs. “It’s been a life-long interest of mine,” Orton said. “It may be an unusual subject, but it is important to the green industry. I do get kidded about it though.”
Orton says it is important for commercial growers, landscaper designers and contractors to learn all they can about insect pests and diseases of trees and shrubs. The presence of pests or diseases can destroy crops or ruin the attractiveness of products, all of which adds up to lost profits. It behooves them to learn all they can, he said.
Through the years Orton honed his knowledge and shared his expertise about insects and plant diseases while working at a variety of garden centers and nurseries in Crystal Lake, Elgin, Hinsdale and Glen Ellyn.
He is a retired state nursery inspector and the author of a textbook, “Coincide,” which he uses in his C.O.D. classes. He is a widely-recognized expert in insects and plant pathology and was hired by C.O.D. to teach part-time back in 1972.
“The C.O.D. horticulture department faculty, staff and students are so blessed to have Don as an adjunct faculty member,” said Julia Fitzpatrick-Cooper, C.O.D. professor, Ornamental Horticulture. “His passion for plant diseases and insects is legendary -- he has jars of insects stored everywhere.
“Don is well-known not only for his vast knowledge but also for his idiosyncrasies, such as losing his keys and coffee, and making his students wear name tags. We know that it is one of Don’s classes when there are shouts of excitement after something interesting shows up under the microscope.
“He has touched so many people. Students often come back to him for help in diagnosing plant problems or just to talk and catch up on his family. His loyalty and dedication to our program are very much appreciated and we look forward to many more years.”
“My 35 years at C.O.D. have been very pleasant,” Orton said. “I really have enjoyed my time at the college and hope to continue to teach for many years.”
Orton notes that the college has provided him with excellent equipment in his classroom, such as a binocular scope that allows students to magnify miniscule insects that are three millimeters in size.
Orton says he enjoys his students, who over the years have included teachers, nurses, tree trimmers, a pediatrician and garden center employees. He uses a lot of “show-and-tell” in his classes, noting that he and his students even develop and hatch insects in class. Sometimes, when a student discovers an insect while looking through a microscope, the noise levels ratchet up as other students scramble over to see the discovery. “If there is another class nearby, I’ve learned to close the door,” laughs Orton.
That’s one thing that Orton emphasizes to his students -- have fun. “I wouldn’t do this for 35 years if I wasn’t having fun.” In fact, each day when Orton heads out to his C.O.D. teaching assignment, his wife invariably calls after him: “have fun!”
“C.O.D. has allowed me to continue to develop as well,” Orton said. “I always tell my students, ‘If we keep this up, we might learn something.
A one-year pilot project that will help at-risk and underserved youth pursue postsecondary educational opportunities in high-wage, high-growth technology fields will begin at College of DuPage this September.
The college received a $7,500 grant from the Midwestern Regional Board of the College Board to support the launch of Planting the Seeds of Success, which will provide outreach, guidance and support strategies to increase student and family awareness and access to education opportunities in technology fields.
A student cohort of juniors from West Chicago, Wheaton, Naperville and portions of Aurora and Bolingbrook will be targeted to participate in local leadership and technology youth conferences and programs. In addition, participants will take part in interactive experiences and skill-building opportunities with local minority business and community leaders.
Introductory Technology will be conducted at C.O.D. as a summer bridge course for selected high school juniors. The course will include individualized academic support services.
Currently, minority and female students enroll and persist in C.O.D. technology programs in small numbers. This mirrors a nationwide trend – women and minorities are underrepresented in technology careers.
Meryl Sussman, C.O.D. dean, Business and Technology, and Cynthia Johnson, C.O.D.
Community Development specialist, developed this project. They plan to measure the success of the initial cohort and enroll and track additional diverse student populations.
“This grant weaves together innovative programs that the college has offered in the past into a linked series of activities to engage and encourage minority youth and young women to consider computer technology careers,” Sussman said. “It will provide general and specific career information to the targeted juniors so that they can plan their senior year activities to build their skills in the math and science fields needed for success in technology. This grant provides the ‘seed’ money to plant career success strategies for these students.”
The College Board is an association of more than 5,000 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It serves more than seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools and 3,500 colleges with services and initiatives in college admissions, guidance, assessments, financial aid, enrollment, teaching and learning. Among its most widely known programs are the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT and the Advanced Placement Program. For more information, call Sussman, (630) 942-2592 or Johnson, (630) 942-3872.
‘IT Launch’ Certification, Funding Program
College of DuPage and TEC Services Consulting, Inc., Naperville, are teaming up to provide industry-recognized information technology certification and funding assistance to students who successfully complete designated courses/certifications.
TEC Services has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to provide funding assistance to persons and corporations seeking industry-recognized information technology certification.
In “IT Launch,” TEC Services will award $250 to C.O.D. students who successfully complete these certifications: A+ Certification, Network+ Certification and Cisco Firewall Specialist.
The consulting firm will award $500 for completion of C.O.D. CCNA and CCNP certification.
Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must either have earned a two-year information technology degree or possess equivalent information technology industry work experience.
Many C.O.D. students are seeking professional industry information technology certification, according to Tony Chen, C.O.D. associate professor, Computer and Internetworking Technology. He said that students are taking C.O.D. certification classes to be eligible for promotion within their companies, or because they are searching for better career opportunities or job transition.
Chen noted that “fewer and fewer employers provide tuition reimbursement for their employees. Many of our students are paying for the classes out of their own pocket.
“This partnership with TEC Services provides a great opportunity for our students to reduce the financial burden of paying for the classes and, at the same time, effectively prepares them for advanced information technology high-level skill requirements.”
For information on this program, call Wendy Nieto at TEC Services, (630) 305-7486.Business Programs Honor Society
To further recognize academic excellence, the College of DuPage Business and Technology Division is establishing the Beta Iota Chapter of Alpha Beta Gamma, the International Business Honor Society.
An organizational meeting will be conducted in October and the first initiation ceremony will be Nov. 14.
Meryl Sussman, dean of the Business and Technology Division, said that all disciplines in the division qualify for student membership. Students must carry a 3.0 grade point average and must have accumulated a total of 15 semester hours of credit with 12 hours applicable
to a business or technology degree to be eligible for membership.
Kathy Horton, professor, Accounting; Ted Kulinski, instructor, Architecture; and Wendy Felder, associate professor, Office Technology Information, are co-advisers of the society.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize and reward academic excellence by our business and technology students,” Horton said.
She said the society will provide network opportunities inside and outside the college community, provide opportunities for scholarship funds, and qualify members for recognition of honors society status at graduation.
Alpha Beta Gamma was established in 1970 to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students in business curricula. To achieve this goal, Alpha Beta Gamma provides leadership opportunities, forums for the exchange of ideas and the simulation of interest in continuing academic excellence. Alpha Beta Gamma is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.
For more information on this honor society, call Horton (630) 942-2176 or e-mail: Horton@cod.edu.Introductory Classes in Paralegal Studies
Students interested in pursuing Paralegal Studies at College of DuPage can get a head start on an associate’s degree program that the college is proposing to launch in 2007 by enrolling in two introductory classes this fall semester, which begins on Wednesday, Aug. 23.
C.O.D.’s paralegal program will officially be introduced in fall 2007, pending approval by the college-wide curriculum committee and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).
The two introductory Paralegal Studies classes are “Introduction to Paralegal Studies”
and “Drafting Legal Documents.” Both classes will be offered days and evenings as Special Topics in Business Law, according to Sally N. Fairbank, C.O.D. coordinator, Paralegal Studies.
Two sections of “Introduction to Paralegal Studies” are scheduled. One section will be offered at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and the other section will be offered at 7 p.m. on Mondays.
Two sections of “Drafting Legal Documents” are also scheduled. One section will be available at noon on Wednesdays and the second section will be offered at 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
Fairbank, who is currently developing the program’s curriculum, said the two introductory classes will be required for students seeking an Associate in Applied Science degree in the Paralegal Studies program.
C.O.D. to Offer Cosmetology Certificate, Degree
A new Cosmetology certificate and degree program will be offered at the College of DuPage Addison Regional Center beginning with the college’s fall semester 2006, pending approval by the Illinois Community College Board. The fall semester begins Wednesday, Aug. 23.
Students who enroll in the two-year program will attend classes at C.O.D. on Monday through Thursday evenings with some coursework during the summer.
C.O.D. is partnering with the Technology Center of DuPage (TCD) to offer the new certificate and degree program. The TCD is licensed in Illinois as a School of Cosmetology by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which oversees the approval and licensing of schools offering cosmetology programs.
This partnership allows adult students to enter TCD’s School of Cosmetology. Prior to this agreement, that enrollment was not possible.
Students who successfully complete 46 credit hours and pass a practical and written exam will be awarded a certificate from C.O.D., as well as a certificate from the TCD School of Cosmetology. The TCD certificate will allow graduates to apply for a cosmetology license from the state of Illinois.
C.O.D. students who continue in the program and accumulate an additional 18 General Education credits will earn an Associate in Applied Science degree in Cosmetology.
“This is a great opportunity for adults to complete the state’s course and hours requirements in order to become a licensed cosmetologist,” said Karen Randall, C.O.D. associate dean, Business and Technology. “The program will be approximately 50 percent of the cost in comparison to other private school options in the district. The cosmetology and personal care field is listed as one of the top 10 hottest careers for college graduates by the College Board.”
Randall observed that the cosmetology field has been a stable service industry, experiencing a growth rate of 10 to 20 percent per year. She noted that in 2002, barbers, cosmetologists and other personal appearance workers held 754,000 jobs. Almost half of these workers are self-employed, either owning salons or leasing booths or chairs in a salon.
“It has been an industry traditionally offering ethnic women a culturally acceptable way to achieve economic success through neighborhood-based small business ownership, in which fluency in languages other than English and familiarity with cultural preferences in fashion and style are assets,” Randall said.
She noted that many trained cosmetologists move into management, distribution and sales for major cosmetic and salon chains. “In Illinois, more than 56 percent of salon owners reported at least one or two immediate job openings.”
The average income for a full-time salon professional in Illinois is $30,000 to $50,000. Overall, employment of barbers, cosmetologists and other personal appearance workers is projected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2012.
Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists provide beauty services, such as shampooing, cutting, styling and coloring hair, beauty care, and advice. Cosmetologists may train to give manicures, pedicures, scalp and facial treatments, makeup analysis, cleaning and styling services for wigs and hairpieces.
In addition to the specific professional skills, cosmetologists must know the rules and regulations that govern their industry, the sanitation and safety requirements, chemical formulations, record-keeping, and customer service skills.
Moreover, professionals who operate their own businesses require managerial, marketing, sales and accounting skills. For more information on C.O.D.’s Cosmetology program, call the college’s Addison Regional Center, (630) 942-4600.
Architecture Graduates to Attend Prestigious Universities
The hard work of fourteen students in the College of DuPage Architecture program -- and the quality of the program itself -- are paying off for the C.O.D. graduates, who have been accepted at several prestigious baccalaureate-granting institutions renowned for their architecture curriculums.
The 14 students are Dennis Radtke, Downers Grove; Larissa Groszko, Glen Ellyn; Yesenia Sanchez, Addison; Ruben Robledo, Westmont; James Rossi, Naperville; Abe Contreras, Woodridge; Michael Mlekowski, Lemont; John Svast, West Chicago; Nhung Ta, Carol Stream; Steve Shatswell, Winfield; Jeff Bloom, Naperville; Katie Chisholm, Addison; Tim Warren, Northwood; and Brandon Zears, Naperville.
Four students, Mlekowski, Svast, Ta and Shatswell, will attend the respected University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign program. During their junior year, the four will participate in the university’s study abroad program at Versailles, France. This Versailles study abroad program is one of the oldest programs in the country.
Shatswell was also accepted by the University of Cincinnati, which has the top architecture school in the country in many rankings.C.O.D. to Launch Game Design and Development Curriculum
Some students at College of DuPage will not only be playing games in class but designing them as well. All with their instructor’s approval. That’s because C.O.D. this summer and over the next academic year will unveil new computer game design and development courses to teach students the skills needed to enter the entertainment and “serious” game industries.
What’s more, students who enroll in the first class, Game Design, which is scheduled to begin on Saturday, June 3, will analyze such popular games as The Legend of Zelda, Madden NFL, Final Fantasy, The Sims, Super Mario Brothers, Civilization and Flight Simulator.
Game Design and two new courses, Game Development I (2-D game creation) and Game Development II (3-D game creation), will be offered during the fall 2006 semester.
During the spring semester 2007, these classes will be introduced: Game Programming with C++, Simulation and Serious Game Design, and Cross-Platform Game Development.
Students should consult the online Class Schedule for courses under Computer Information Systems. Visit www.cod.edu and click on “Classes.” For information about the game courses, visit this web site: www.cod.edu/people/faculty/mullan .
An Associate in Applied Science degree in Game Programming and certificates in Game Design or Game Programming are being developed.Skills for Success
Twenty-one qualified candidates are now being recruited by College of DuPage for a “Skills for Success” bridge program that will prepare the candidates for entry into C.O.D. certificate programs and ultimately to jobs in manufacturing and electronics-related industries. These sectors are now experiencing critical shortages of workers.
The college’s eight-week bridge program will provide students with technical English as a Second Language, math, reading and other soft skills, which will enable them to then enroll in the certificate programs. Clients who are unemployed and Workforce Investment Act eligible will have their tuition covered.
According to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, there is a serious shortage of qualified workers in seven manufacturing and electronics-related occupations in northeastern Illinois: welder, electric-electronic engineering technician, machinist, CNC, industrial machinery mechanic, lathe turning/machine tool setter and maintenance worker.
However, some candidates who would like to pursue training in these target fields might not be ready to enter a certificate program. Manufacturers require well-rounded technologists, capable of possessing technical competency and literacy in electronics, mechanics, math, English and soft skills. C.O.D. offers certificate programs that include higher-order logic and reasoning, mechanical or technical skills and aptitude.
The “Skills for Success” bridge program, however, will transition the 21 workers into the certificate programs and then on to jobs in the manufacturing sector. First semester transportation and day care funding is also available for children of the eligible students while they attend classes at C.O.D.
“The ‘Skills for Success’ program is a wonderful opportunity for Workforce Investment Act-eligible individuals to receive the support and skills necessary to pursue a career in manufacturing and electronics-related fields,” said Ann Marie Rosen, C.O.D. associate dean, Career and Workforce Development.
“The Skills for Success bridge program could have a very positive impact on peoples’ lives,” added Jim Vondran, Critical Skill Shortage Initiative Bridge Grant coordinator. “It is designed to overcome some of the major barriers that might otherwise prevent them from pursuing a rewarding career in an occupation that is critically needed in northern Illinois.”
Vondran noted that there are 4,700 manufacturers in DuPage County.
For information about this “Skills for Success” program, call Janet Rand at the Illinois Employment Training Center (IETC) in Lombard, (630) 495-4345, ext. 261. The IETC is located at 837 South Westmore/Meyers Road.
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