Congratulations, Graduates
The Center for Students with Disabilities is proud to announce that twelve students registered with the Center achieved their dream when they graduated with a degree from El Paso Community College May 15, 2009.
Allyson Laroche, CSD Student Assistant I from Northwest Campus, received a Bachelors of Science Degree in Biology from UTEP on May 16, 2009.
Juan Segovia, CSD Campus Representative Mission Del Paso, received a Bachelors degree in Spanish with a speciality in translation from UTEP on May 16, 2009.
Jennifer Olivas, CSD Sign Language Interpreter, received a Masters Degree in Special Education from UTEP on May 16, 2009.
Congratulations to John Swisher who was elelcted as President of EPCC Student Government Association.
Ccongratulations to Belen Urias, CSD student and Work-Study, completed Leadership Training.
Congratulations to Mary Ojeda, Student Assistant I at Mission Del Paso, Joyce Whiteside, CSD Instructor, Marissa Cameron, CSD Note-taker at Transmountain, and Selene Soria, EPCC Student, who were published in the 2009 Chrysalis, the College literary journal. Mary, Joyce, and Selene had poems published and Mary, Joyce, and Marissa has photos that were published.
Joyce Whiteside, CSD Instructor, has published a photobook, Paris, Chopin's City. It is available in the bookstore for Blurb.com.
| Congratulations to Allyson Laroche, CSD Student Assistant, who was named Employee of the Month for the month of October 2009 for the Northwest Campus. Ms. Laroche is a Master CRLA Certified Tutor and a mentor for new staff. |
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Congratulations to Alma Valadez, who is now a full-time El Paso Community College Counselor. Ms Valadez will work at our Transmountain Campus counseling students including those with disabilities registered with the Center for Students with Disabilities.
CRLA Renews Certification for CSD Tutoring Program
The College Reading and Learning Association have re-certified the Center for Students with Disabilities tutor training program till June 30, 2012. CSD is authorized to issue CRLA International Tutor Certification at the Regular, Advanced, and Master Levels to tutors who complete the Center's tutor training requirements.
Where Are They Now?
Sofia Gonzalez, former EPCC CSD student, graduated from UTEP May 16, 2009 with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. Sofia said that she could not have accomplished this without all the help she received from her tutors at CSD when she was in the nursing program at EPCC.
Sheila O'Kellly, former CSD student from RG who wrote a book of short poems, Sometimes I Just Feel Like Writing, is working on a DVD, Through These Doors.
John Fragoso, former EPCC CSD student, graduated from UTEP December 2008 with a Bachelor's in Kinesiology. He expressed thanks for all the tutoring help and guidance he received from CSD when he was a student at EPCC.
Anthony Alvarez, former CSD Student Assistant, graduated December 2008, from UTEP with a BA degree in Secondary Education with concentration in Math and Science.
Clara Chavez, former CSD Student Assistant, now is a special education teacher for pre-school three to five-year-olds in the Socorro School District. She teaches at Escontrias Early Childhood Center.
Israel Chavez, former EPCC student and Student Assistant I at CSD, graduated May 2009 with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a minor in Secondary Education. He plans to start working on his Master's degree this fall.
Violeta Chavez, former CSD Student Assistant I, now has a Phd in Biomedical Sciences and is now at the University of Texas Health Services Center in Houston, Texas.
Paloma Vargas, former CSD Student Assistant, tutored math and science. She is now a Ph.D. candidate at NYU, where she received her Masters of Sciene degree in 2008 from a combined Master/Ph.D. program. She plans on graduating with her Ph.D. in molecular biology from NYU in 2010.
Alma Contreras, former Student Assistant I and CSD Campus Representative at Mission del Paso Campus, is now teaching in the Special Education Department at Americas High School. Her speciality is math. She now has a Maters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix. She is also a part-time instructor at El Paso Community College teaching Education 1300.
Janie Seeber, former Student Assistant I, is now an Instructional Aid in the special Educattion Department at American High School.
Adriana Garcia, former Sign Laguage Interpreter and tutor with the Center for Students with Disabilities, is now an instructor in the Sign Program at El Paso Community College.
Opportunities
Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities
Email kruger@gmail.com for more information about this program which provides experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to veterans disabled as a result of their service supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Scholarships for this program are available.
Paso del Norte Youth Leadership Forum
The Paso del Norte Youth Leadership Forum is looking for college level students with disabilities students and volunteers to participate in year round activities. Contact Jill Gomez at 449-4723 ( jillgomez@sbcglobal.net ) or Michelle Robbins at 373-3285.
El Paso Rehabilitation Center Training Tomorrow's Mentors Today
Would you like to mentor high schools tudents with disabilities? The Center is looking for adults 18 years or older that have a disabilitie and are interested in mentoring. For more information contact Lucila Lozano, M.A., LPC at 544-8484 ext. 144.
On May 18-20, 2009, The Center for Students with Disabilities held its annual tutor training.On May 19th, tutors from the EPCC PASS program joining CSD tutors for CRLA advanced level sessions.
Video Relay is available at the Center for Students with Disabilities and at all the campus libraries to facilitate phone calls for the deaf community. It is a video telephone. Deaf persons can contact each other and sign into a camera to communicate. They can also use video relay to communicate with hearing persons. The hearing person calls 1-866-327-8877 and gives the name and number of the deaf person they want to call. An interpreter comes on the screen who signs what the hearing person is saying and, in turn, voices what the deaf person is communicating.
Faculty Development
New Faculty Development Expo
Jan Lockhart, CSD Director, and Joyce Whiteside, CSD Instructor provided information about the Center of Students with Disabilities for new instructors at the New Faculty Development Expo held August 18, 2009. A special thanks to Mary Ojeda, Student Assistant II at Mission El Paso, who created a picture in pencil and oil pastels to illustrate the theme for this year's Faculty Development. This year's theme, "Creating the Future," was contributed by Joyce Whiteside. During the evening sessions, Joyce Whiteside and Jan Lockhart, acquainted new instructors with the services provided by the Center for Students with Disabilities
Teachership Academy
On March 30, 2009, Jan Lockhart, CSD Director, and Joyce Whitside, CSD Instructor presented a workshop, "Teaching Students with Disabilites," for the Teachership Academy. instructors received information about services for students with disabilities, different disabilites, learning deficits, and universal strategies that can be used in the classroom. Belen Urias, CSD student, provided information on working with deaf students.
CRLA Tutor Certification
On May 19, 2009, eight tutors earned CRLA Tutor Certification. Congratulations to the following tutors who received Level I Regular certification: Gerardo Contreras, Gisella Gonzalez, Ana Olivas, Diego Canales, and Derek Maese. Congratulations to the following tutors who received Level II Advanced certification: Cynthia Aguilar, George Moeck, and Monica Ortiz.