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Fisher 'Synthesizes' Motion Picture Television Studies
Jeffrey Fisher's business experiences are a boon to his students in College of DuPage's Motion Picture/Television program. Fisher has been named winner of the college's 2008 Overall Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award.
Outstanding Graduates
This year's College of DuPage Outstanding Students Blaire Hufford of Carol Stream and Bert Novak of Elmhurst will be honored at the college's 41st Annual Commencement on May 16 in the P.E. Building Arena.
Leone 'Connects' with Students
Mary Beth Leone, named College of DuPage's Overall Outstanding Faculty member, makes it a point to connect with her students beginning the very first day of class.
Sue Martin Is New Dean of Student Services
Sue Martin has been named the new Dean of Student Services at College of DuPage.
Philanthropic Award
Through her work in the Library's Philanthropy Center, reference librarian Judy Wagner has earned an award of distinction from a Chicago-area philanthropic network.
News Bureau
College of DuPage
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425 Fawell Boulevard
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-6599
Phone:
(630) 942-2480
Fax:
(630) 942-3737
Jeffrey Fisher, an instructor in College of DuPage's Motion Picture/Television program, has been named winner of the college's 2008 Overall Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award.
Fisher 'Synthesizes' Motion Picture Television Studies
By Ken Reed
For someone who never set out to teach "in any way, shape or form," Jeffrey Fisher (Bolingbrook), an instructor in College of DuPage's Motion Picture/Television program, has produced a part-time teaching career that has earned plaudits from students and peers and a top award from the college.
To say that he hit the ground running in his teaching vocation may be an understatement.
After being hired in 2002 by Jeff Curto, C.O.D. professor/coordinator of Photography, who at the time was coordinating the college's Multimedia Arts area, Fisher's first teaching assignment was an all-day class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fisher's task: Teach Audio I and II at the same time in the same room.
Despite the daunting challenge, Fisher said he felt "as comfortable as a good pair of jeans. It just felt right."
After that class, two students came up to Fisher and said, "Oh, you've been teaching for awhile." Fisher responded: "Would you think less of me if I told you that I had never taught a class before in my life?" The students said, "Well, you should probably keep doing it."
And he did.
Drawing on a bonanza of experiences as owner and manager of Fisher Creative Group, and his passion for the motion picture/television industry, Fisher has been named winner of C.O.D.'s 2008 Overall Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award.
He is the third part-time faculty member to be honored with this recognition.
The C.O.D. Foundation also recognized Fisher with a $500 cash award. Moreover, he will receive a personal plaque as well as formal recognition at the fall All-College Workshop, which ushers in the college's 42nd academic year.
Further, Fisher and other part-time outstanding faculty winners will be acknowledged at a part-time faculty recognition dinner on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Abbington Distinctive Banquets in Glen Ellyn.
Fisher's real-world work experience at Fisher Creative Group is key to his teaching success. "I share things that happen to me in my business with my students," Fisher said. His work in the industry centers on audio, video, music, writing, training and media production services. He has published 11 books addressing audio, video and music subjects and has authored magazine and web articles and training manuals.
Fisher has also produced more than 225 videos for corporate and educational clients and completed many audio-based projects including award-winning work in audio post-production for film, television, CDs, DVDs and web audio.
Further, Fisher is a regular speaker and trainer at the prestigious National Association of Broadcasters convention. Last year, he and Jennifer Piehl, C.O.D. professor/coordinator of the Motion Picture/Television program, took a group of students to the convention.
"That trip opens students' eyes," Fisher said. "It is the real world and sometimes students don't understand how really diverse this industry is." He said students who attend the convention come to understand that the industry is not just directors and producers, but that it is broad-based with myriad career options.
"All the projects that I design for my classes introduce skills that I feel the students need to know in order to go forward," Fisher said. A big fan of hands-on projects, Fisher will "cement a skill in place" and then reinforce that skill in the next project.
These projects and learned skills continue to build until the moment of truth, which Fisher said usually occurs about this time in the semester. "Suddenly it dawns on my students - that 'aha moment' - when they say, 'Now I get it.
"At the beginning of class, students wonder why we do this and why we do that. Then, all of a sudden, there is perspective and they can see that every skill they learned now comes to its head with these final projects. That makes me feel so good.
"When my students grow, I feel satisfied," Fisher said. "I try to give them a new appreciation of audio, which I really enjoy teaching. Usually by the end of the course, students realize there is a little more to audio than they thought. It may not be as glamorous as video editing and production, but it is still necessary."
Fisher said he likes students who come to his classes with an open mind and "just take the journey.
"Sometimes students may have some skills, but they don't necessarily grow; they never take it to the next level. I like to push these students to really go in another direction," he said.
Fisher is passionate about the industry and likes to see students who share that excitement. "I see a little bit of myself in some students and I say to myself: 'I know where you are at. You'll get there.'
"Teaching is coaching. You're trying to bring out the best in these students and give them some detail, challenges and encouragement."
Sometimes students discover they don't enjoy a project and a learned skill, which is just fine with Fisher. Fisher and one advanced student, who was very skilled in audio, agreed on an independent study course. The student would design an entire sound track of an animated film. "The student conducted spotting sessions, came up with a sound pallet and did the grunt work of designing the sound and putting it in place. He did a pretty decent job."
What the student told Fisher at the conclusion of the project was that he didn't want to make a career in that field. "I found that wonderful," Fisher said. "At 20 years of age, he found something that he didn't want to do. Imagine going on to a four-year school and five or 10 years later, find out that he made the wrong career choice."
That's not the case with Fisher. "I love it at C.O.D. While you have goals to meet for each class, beyond that it is your class. I love that aspect.
"We have a great program at Motion Picture/Television. We are not behind the curve; we are on the leading edge, in some cases on the bleeding edge. It is a great time to be in this industry."
Bert Novak and Blaire Hufford are College of DuPage's Outstanding Graduates for 2008.
Hufford, Novak are Outstanding Graduates
By David Hamilton
As College of DuPage's Outstanding Students this year, Blaire Hufford and Bert Novak credit their success not only the instruction they received but also to extracurricular activities they took part in outside the classroom.
Hufford, a Carol Stream resident, joined an academic honor society and competed on the women's tennis team, while Novak of Elmhurst served as an officer of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society, and as a Student Ambassador.
Both outstanding students will talk about their academic and extracurricular activities, as well as their future aspirations, during College of DuPage's 41st Annual Commencement ceremonies starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 16, at the Glen Ellyn campus.
"As far as being part of the outside groups, they led me to extracurricular activities that opened my eyes to new experiences working with people I would never have worked with before," said Hufford, who joined Psi Beta, the academic honor, while at C.O.D. "I made a lot of new friends."
For his part, Novak also found his extracurricular activities to be growing experiences.
"I think that it was very important for me to work outside of the classes and join in other extracurricular activities to meet other people who were highly motivated like me and who inspired me further," Novak said.
Hufford, who was born in Ft. Lauderdale, has lived in Carol Stream since the second grade. A seasoned traveler, she has traveled throughout the United States and Europe. She developed an early passion for sports and today excels at ice skating, tennis, badminton, softball and soccer. In her first year at C.O.D., Hufford helped the women's tennis team bring home a national championship.
Attending College of DuPage at first was not part of Hufford's plan since, upon receiving no college acceptances, she began classes at C.O.D. in 2006. But she was glad she did.
"It was the best decision I ever made," she said. "Attending C.O.D. helped me grow both intellectually and spiritually. I love the diversity of C.O.D.'s student body because it introduced me to the 'real world' with numerous opportunities to interact with people of different backgrounds."
While at C.O.D., Hufford discovered her passion for psychology and selected that discipline and her major. She served as Psi Beta's co-president. She also served as the Academic Pursuits Officer of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society.
"I took the Psychology 1100 class and the teacher was just awesome," Hufford said. "She really opened my eyes. Then I thought, this is a great way to help people."
In the fall, Hufford will attend Elmhurst College, and she is considering taking on a double major in psychology theology. She plans to pursue graduate degrees in both psychology and theology and to become a psychologist focusing in pastoral counseling.
"I'm thinking of doing a double major in psychology and theology because I want to bring the world of science together with the world of theology," she said.
At first Novak was not motivated by school work. He dropped out of high school at 16, but, at a counselor's suggestion, enrolled in an adult education night school program at East Aurora High School. He found that taking courses at night suited him better and he earned his diploma within the year while he was still 16.
He started taking classes at C.O.D. in 2001 and at the same time founded his own business, Novak Custom Homes, and successfully completed the construction of two new homes.
The heavy workload that came with running a business caused his academic career to suffer. Realizing he lacked the formal education necessary to take his company to higher levels, he enrolled full-time at C.O.D. in the summer of 2006.
Since then, he has maintained a 3.83 GPA and completing the Honors Scholars program. In addition to being an officer of Phi Theta Kappa and a Student Ambassador, he was also an active member of the International Student Organization.
Novak credits much of his success at College of DuPage to his involvement in these organizations, which helped him remain focused while simultaneously giving back to the college community.
Now 22 years old, Robert was recently accepted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he plans to study finance.
He selected that discipline since his interest has been awakened by the present state of the nation's economy. He selected that university after conferring with his girl friend and his other friends at College of DuPage.
"I'd like to start my own business again and be able to understand how money works," said Novak.
Novak also has goals that include attending law school or earning an MBA in Finance, after which he would like to start a family and restart his construction company. He concedes that some people take a slower process than others when entering higher education.
"I always knew I wanted to return to school and earn a college degree," he said.
The Commencement ceremony will be held in the P.E. Building Arena, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, call the college's Student Activities office at (630) 942-2515.
(C.O.D. Photo by Rich Malec)Mary Beth Leone, assistant professor of Hotel and Lodging Management, has been named the 2007-2008 Overall Outstanding Faculty Member at College of DuPage.
Leone 'Connects' with Students
By Ken Reed
Even as Mary Beth Leone's stimulating career in the hotel management and tourism industries was flourishing, she discovered her true calling in the educational arena.
And it didn't take her long to recognize it.
"The very first night in the classroom, I knew," said Leone (Wheaton), assistant professor of Hotel and Lodging Management at College of DuPage.
Leone's moment occurred while she was a part-time C.O.D. faculty member, teaching a humble Housekeeping class. "I just felt comfortable in the class. I knew that this was where I wanted to be. I was happy."
Now a full-time faculty member, Leone draws on a hotel management career that spanned a variety of cities, from Nashville, Dallas and Tucson, to Washington, D.C. "To advance, you were asked to move to another location, typically out of state," Leone explained.
And with each move came new promotions and opportunities. For example, she initiated a "butler service" on specialty floors in a luxury Dallas hotel; trained at a Washington, D.C., hotel that hosted a presidential inaugural ball; and opened a hotel in Nashville.
Her ability to mine varied work experiences at each stop and then translate them into classroom lessons has proven to be a virtual mother lode for her C.O.D. students.
Teaching, Leone said, was always in the back of her mind. "It was something that I excelled at when I managed hotels. I always tried really hard to grow my people and to make sure that they were developing and that they would do the best they could for what they wanted and for what the hotel needed."
So when George Macht, C.O.D. professor/coordinator of the Hospitality Administration program, came calling with a part-time teaching position while she worked as sales manager at the DuPage Convention and Tourism Bureau, it was an easy decision.
"I was able to take this industry, which I absolutely love, and teaching that I love as well, and put them together. It was the best of both worlds."
This love of teaching has proved successful for Leone, who was cited by her students, peers and deans as C.O.D.'s 2007-2008 Overall Outstanding Faculty Member. Representing the Business and Technology division, Leone received a $1,000 award from the C.O.D. Foundation, which annually recognizes outstanding teaching achievement at the Midwest's largest single-campus community college.
The teaching philosophy of this outstanding faculty member starts with establishing a relationship among herself and her students. Taking a cue from one of her professors at Purdue University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Restaurant, Hotel, Institutional and Tourism Management, Leone begins to connect with her charges the very first day of class.
"Being able to connect with my professors helped me and I need to do the same for my students," she said. "I try really hard to get to know them. At the very beginning of each class, I learn their names and begin to understand why they are in my class. I find out what motivates them.
"The more I get to know them, the better I am in understanding what they need. Each individual needs something different from their teacher, and it is up to the educator to figure out what that is."
The give and take in each class energizes Leone. "I love the dynamics that occur, the questions they ask me. I love it when they challenge me because this prompts me to study more than I ever have to know the industry. They challenge me to go out and learn everything I can so that I can stay one step ahead of them."
Staying one step ahead of her students takes a major effort, particularly at C.O.D., according to Leone. "A good portion of my students already work in the industry, so when they come to class and share their experiences, it just makes for a rich learning environment."
One year, Leone turned the tables and organized a rich, hands-on experience for a group of her students. They entered the Tabletop Competition at the National Housewares Show and won first-place honors with their "French Bistro" entry. The students were later featured on Home and Garden Television (HGTV).
Leone's excellence as a teacher, mentor and connector stretches beyond the classroom in other areas as well. Not only does she maintain active membership in professional organizations, such as the International Food Service Executives Association, she invites her students to accompany her to meetings.
Seeing these same students and others working in area restaurants and hotels after graduation provides great satisfaction for Leone. "In restaurants and hotels throughout DuPage County, I'm starting to see C.O.D. graduates - the ones I taught - now in management positions. They say to me: 'look at my new title,' or 'I love what we did in class because it really relates,' or, 'boy, you were right.'
"It's amazing to see how they have grown and changed. I had one student in class who was so quiet. He wasn't sure this industry was for him and was a little insecure. Now he is managing an area hotel."
One poignant moment touched Leone deeply. She had asked a former student, now a front officer supervisor for an area hotel, to write a letter of recommendation for Leone, who has been nominated for the Illinois Community College Trustees Association Outstanding Faculty Member Award. When the student, who immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine four years ago, dropped off her letter to Leone, she brought along her mother who was visiting from the Ukraine.
"She was so excited to introduce me to her mother," Leone said. "That to me was so touching. When you know that she talked about me with her family, and that I influenced her, and she would feel so connected to the institution to bring along her mother was amazing."
In her letter, the student, Victoria Kamyshnikova Roe, wrote: "I am where I am because of Professor Leone's inspiration and direction. I am just one of her stories, one small part of her legacy at C.O.D. I am just proud to recommend her for your prestigious award, and I know that as I go forward in my personal and professional life, I will be a better, more skilled and enlightened person because of her."
Little wonder that Leone has received the college's ultimate faculty honor. "I am very thankful, but I get a little intimidated because I see my colleagues and how accomplished and professional they are," Leone said. "I sometimes feel that I can't compare to some of what they have done. But I hope to someday."
Leone's appreciation of faculty extends to the college itself. And to her, the culture of an institution starts at the top. She was impressed when C.O.D. President Sunil Chand joined her and other new staff members in a lengthy orientation process in 2003. "Sitting with him every Tuesday, when he felt that it was important to be there, gave me an amazing idea of what the college is all about.
"There is a welcoming, friendly environment at C.O.D. I wouldn't want to be anyplace else."
Sue Martin is the new Dean of Student Services at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. She previously worked at Morton College in Cicero before coming to C.O.D. four years ago as an associate dean. In her new role, Martin will oversee Counseling and Advising Services, Career Services, Health and Special Student Services, and the Student Success Center.
C.O.D. Names Sue Martin New Dean Of Student Services
By Brian Kleemann
It's not just about students passing their classes. What drives Sue Martin is helping them meet their goals, whether they are educational, personal or professional.
"I've been working at community colleges all of my life, and I've been in student services all of my life," explained the La Grange Park resident. "I've been entrenched in working to understand and help students succeed in whatever goals they are pursuing."
With all of this experience, it comes as no surprise that Martin was recently named Dean of Student Services at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. She joined C.O.D. as an associate dean four years ago after working at Morton College in Cicero for more than 20 years, the last eight as director of Student Development.
Her new role includes overseeing Counseling and Advising Services, Career Services, Health and Special Student Services, and the Student Success Center, as well as the myriad of programs within each of these areas.
"In the time I've been here, I've been working to build a better foundation for students because, after they are admitted, Student Services is their entry point," she said.
In 2007, Student Services had more than 50,000 contacts with students. This includes the highly successful One-Stop Orientation/ Advising/Registration sessions (OARS) held every summer, which reach more than 70 percent of incoming students. These sessions provide an overview of the college, individual meetings with an adviser, course selection and registration. Of students surveyed, 96 percent agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend these sessions to other students.
"If we have programs that are successful, like OARS, we need to find ways to support these programs," Martin said. "If the college determines that orientation is mandatory, for example, I need to work so that these issues are addressed campus-wide and I need to garner support.
"Quality student advisement doesn't just happen. We need to work together to improve what we do."
During the past few years, Martin has noticed a number of trends. For example, she is seeing more first-generation college students. And students are more technologically advanced, so they are taking advantage of e-mail advising.
"Also, we're seeing more students who don't plan at all in advance, so they are registering later," she said. "One of my challenges and opportunities is to outreach to students to be more proactive. For example, we now advertise April as Advising Awareness Month in order to reach students earlier regarding summer and fall advising.
"More students are also coming in as undecided. For example, some know they want a degree and know they want to transfer, but they are undecided about specific goals. It's more acceptable today that you don't know what you want to do with your life at 18. But that places a higher demand on our staff to meet these expectations."
Other college initiatives will present future challenges and opportunities.
"The new buildings, along with the new technology, will help us not only change the way we do business but also help students transition seamlessly from admissions to advising to the next opportunity," Martin said. "As we move toward enrollment management, it goes hand-in-hand with academic advising."
Also, the college purchased a new student system that will integrate many areas on campus and give Student Services a better tool to work with students. This includes helping them develop education plans that will reside in the system and facilitate advising and registration needs.
In the end, though, the Student Services mission is quite simple for Martin.
"My goal is to improve the student experience and help them obtain their goals," she said.
Judy Wagner is the recent winner of the 2008 West Suburban Philanthropic Network (WSPN) Distinguished Award.
Wagner Earns Philanthropic Award
By David Hamilton
Before joining the College of DuPage Library staff 20 years ago, Judy Wagner had gained a great deal of experience working on community outreach projects while at Schaumburg Township District Library.
So there was little surprise that in 2000 she was asked to supervise the College of DuPage Library's new Philanthropy Center, a partnership between the Donors Forum and College of DuPage to meet the information needs of the hundreds of nonprofit organizations located in the western suburbs.
But there was a surprise - at least to Wagner - when her years of hard work paid off following her winning of the 2008 West Suburban Philanthropic Network (WSPN) Distinguished Award. She is WSPN's sixth award winner.
"The five people who received this award before me are the people I really admire in the not-for-profit community," the Glen Ellyn resident said. "They have been very influential development officers and are outstanding people in the field. I am literally so humbled and honored to be in their category."
Wagner will be recognized for her distinguished service award on May 21 at Abbington Distinctive Banquets in Glen Ellyn during WSPN's Sixth Annual Philanthropy Awards Luncheon.
WSPN's Jill McWilliams wrote to Wagner in a congratulatory letter, "You will be recognized along with the other honorees who, like you, have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to advancing philanthropy and volunteerism throughout our communities in the western suburbs."
Established in 1986, WSPN today has more than 200 members. Funding to support the Philanthropy Center has been provided annually with grants from the Community Memorial Foundation and contributions from WSPN.
Wagner's commitment to DuPage's nonprofit organizations includes overseeing a center that provides books, magazines and databases to support research on philanthropic and fundraising topics; assistance in with the use of those resources; free orientations to the center's resources; and workshops and seminars on topics such as proposal writing, outcome evaluation, securing support from individuals and capital campaigns.
In 2000, College of DuPage's former Library dean Bernard Fradkin came to Wagner with the idea that she assist the area's nonprofit agencies by supervising the Philanthropy Center. Wagner greeted the opportunity enthusiastically. It surprised Wagner, however, to discover the number and variety of clients she would be assisting.
"There are over 1,000 not-for-profits in DuPage County, so every part of our lives is somehow enriched by a not-for profit agency," Wagner said.
"These organizations include social, cultural, homeless, health-related and women's issues not-for-profits. Our outreach to the nonprofit community has been a wonderful opportunity for the college to serve a major constituency that we weren't serving before."
In terms of the variety of nonprofits operating throughout DuPage, Wagner said she even knows of one that is equestrian in nature. The agency specializes in horseback riding to help young people who are mentally challenged. Whatever a nonprofit's focus, the Philanthropy Center most likely has the research data the agency needs to prosper.
"We provide materials to check out on every not-for-profit topic - board, management, finance, fundraising, grant proposal writing - and then we have databases where they come to find funders for their projects," Wagner said. "I assist them in finding materials. The agencies look to match what they do - their mission and goals - with the mission and goals of funders and foundations."
Wagner also assists her nonprofit clients in other ways. She holds monthly orientations where people sign up and learn how to use the databases and resources. She consults with small groups, which sometimes consist of a nonprofit's Board of Directors, and she meets with people individually. Their questions, she said, "run the full gamut," as some individuals wish to talk about strategic planning while others have questions about finances.
When not in the Philanthropy Center, Wagner carries out other duties, serving as the college's business librarian, supporting the work of the Business program faculty and teaching students how to research and use business-related resources.
Wagner also serves as librarian for the college's Business and Professional Institute (BPI), located at 2525 Cabot Drive in Lisle. BPI staff members consult with local entrepreneurs to help them use the resources of the Library to develop business plans for their start-up companies.
The college has also recently established the Academy for Non-Profit Excellence that is under the umbrella of the college's Continuing Education program. The academy also presents workshops for people and organizations to access education, information, knowledge, resources and training that enhance their involvement with the work of the non-profit community.
Wagner was on the initial steering committee that worked for more than a year to develop a program and curriculum for the college's Academy for Non-Profit Excellence.
"Judy is recognized by many for her enthusiasm for nonprofit projects," said Ellen Sutton, C.O.D.'s Library associate dean, who nominated Wagner for the WSPN award. "She has greatly enhanced the ability of nonprofits to seek development and organization support, and she has become an enthusiastic advocate for all that non-for-profits do to enrich life here in DuPage County."
For Wagner, the entire not-for-profit experience has made it very clear to her the invaluable profits of giving to those in need.
"As I became more involved with the not-for-profits, it just opened my eyes to how much giving there is in DuPage County," she said. "People give of their money, they give of their volunteer time, and all of these not-for-profits - the professionals who work in all of these agencies - give of their services.
"There are so many excellent agencies in so many areas. It is just so interesting to see the variety of things that people are doing."
For more information on the Philanthropy Center, call Wagner at (630) 942-2021 or visit: www.cod.edu/library/Philanthropy/index.htm. For information about workshop offerings through the Academy for Non-Profit Excellence, call Kathleen Doyle at (630) 942-2841, or visit: www.cod.edu/nonprofit.
