FLATHEAD VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE: HONORS STUDENTS, BUILDS COMMUNITY

Flathead Valley Community College

On Friday I was lucky to help honor some of Flathead Valley Community College's exemplary student leaders, volunteers and service learning students at the campus's Arts and Technology building. Each year, Campus Compact awards its Newman Civic Fellows Awards to students whose work addresses root causes of problems and help develop effective means to address problems creating lasting change. This year, FVCC's Newman Civic Fellow was Scott Brooke, a second year student and Navy veteran who helped build the base of support for the Veterans Association and an endowed scholarship to help benefits-ineligible student veterans pay for college. I spoke with Scott and was impressed by his love of his work, gratitude for the opportunity to serve, and drive to make his campus a welcoming and supportive place for student veterans to learn. The Flathead Daily Interlake recently ran this piece on Scott. It's hard not to be inspired reading it.

A few things struck me about FVCC's event:

1) Community-supported. The room was full with partners, parents, grandparents, spouses, children and family all their in support of college students. 

Scott Brooke, 2015 Newman Civic Fellow

2) It drew on support from across campus: the event was collaborative, with probably ten offices participating, and taking on unique roles in celebrating students accomplishments. FVCC's top administrator and MTCC's board chair Jane Karas attended and opened the event.

3) Diverse. FVCC's Leadership awards were made to service learning and AmeriCorps students, as well as intramural athletes, theater students and other student clubs. FVCC defines leadership broadly, gives students lots of opportunities to develop their civic and social responsibility and improve community life.

4) Authentic. Each advisor spoke for a few moments about student accomplishments and brought genuine appreciation, humor and gratitude to their award.

Congratulations to FVCC's and all of Montana's classes of 2015!

MTCC VISTA ALUMNA PROFILE: RECYNTHIA ROBINSON

Rey participates in MTCC's Service Selfie day!

 Recynthia Robinson served as a Montana Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA member throughout 2014 and into February of this year. Rey worked with the Lewis and Clark region of the Troops to Teacher Project and Montana State University in Bozeman. Troops to Teachers helps military veterans transition into teaching careers and links those teachers with parts of the country suffering teacher shortages. I talked to Rey about her life and the changes that have occurred since making her commitment to serve as a VISTA. I wanted to know how her life had changed from before her VISTA service to now, a few months later.  Rey said she had heard about VISTA from a former mentor at University of Arizona. She was near graduation and applying for jobs, but she realized that she was lacking real world experience and that was a challenge when applying for tribal or state employment. She originally applied because of her mentor’s encouragement after graduating in the fall of 2012, but when she received a call from a program in Maine, she chose not to accept because the distance was too great for her to move.

Rey with
MSU Dean Lynda Ransdell,
& Supervisor Le Gaub

Instead, Rey waited a year and when she saw the Troops to Teachers position with Montana Campus Compact and it was dealing with higher education and Indigenous people. Education and working with native youth was a very important factor for her in applying.

Rey said what she appreciated about her VISTA service was applying her personal experiences to the Troops to Teachers program and learning how to interact with and serve indigenous veterans. She enjoyed being able to ask questions and learn the history and background of the outreach, and then to add a different perspective to the conversation of developing teachers in a teacher shortage area.
Rey said some of the challenges she faced were cultural, political, and personal. She said as a Navajo and the only indigenous person at her host site, whose project was to reach Indigenous veterans and develop teachers, sometimes it was hard because she felt like she needed to be an expert on native culture and indigenous peoples. She said she was able to tell others when they asked what to call her, to refer to her as either Navajo, which is her tribal affiliation, or as indigenous. She said those terms were okay for her. Another challenge she faced were the political viewpoints which came with working with many veterans. She said many times people would discuss political or social issues, and although she had viewpoints, she knew as a VISTA it was better to seek common ground. The biggest challenges Rey faced were family emergencies back home. She said in her culture, nieces and nephews are considered immediate family; and on two occasions she was called upon to make the long and expensive trip home.

Recynthia Robinson,
MTCC VISTA Alum 2014-2015

Service helped her develop professionally; she especially learned how to communicate well. She said networking and following up with others was a big aspect of that. She said it was a very valuable tool to use for her host site and developing the project. Her biggest accomplishment during her term of service was completing the VISTA project. Rey was able to input over 120 entries of institutions of higher education into the database she helped create, including over 60 teacher preparation programs and over 40 veteran centers.
 Rey said she will use her VISTA experience to continue helping Indigenous people and after her service ended, she stayed in Bozeman and began to work with Ed Ready Montana, a program led by the University of Montana. She is working on outreach to reservation communities in the Southeastern Montana to help middle, and high school students  improve academic skills and increase educational opportunities. She said she has also started looking into Veterans associations closer to her home in Arizona and finding a way she can be involved in helping her own community. One idea she has is becoming a language teacher to younger Navajo children in her rural community.

Rey’s service to the Montana Campus Compact helped expand the capacity of MSU Bozeman and Troops to Teachers program, and provided tools to indigenous veterans as they transition to serving high needs communities stateside.

MONTANA TECH INVESTS IN COMMUNITY!

MTCC AmeriCorps VISTA member Cody LaBean, serving with Montana Tech's Institute for Educational Opportunities and Butte's Local College Access Network, assisted with National TRiO Day on February 22nd in Helena.  Here's what he had to say about it:
"National TRIO Day is a 'National Day of Service' that helps address the complex needs of young people and adults aspiring to improve their lives. TRiO Day was an opportunity for over 100 TRiO Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound students from Butte, Deer Lodge, and Helena to volunteer, visit campuses and consider postsecondary education. The group visited two Montana higher education institutions, and it highlighted the need for investment in these individuals to develop their talents to become actively engaged citizens."

He goes on to say, "The day involved the following: a tour of Helena College, a guest speaker from Carroll College, a trip to the Capital Building, a speed cup stacking tournament for middle school Educational Talent Search participants, and service opportunities for Upward Bound students at the Helena Food Share, Humane Society, and Bryant Elementary school."

"My role was to help chaperon the event, and assist the Butte TRiO Coordinator lead a group of students to serve with the Helena Humane Society. I led the final reflection activity, which I called "Dance to Reflect."  The reflection activity highlighted what the students felt were the pros and cons of this year's TRiO Day."
Keep up the amazing work, Cody!

Cody at the Helena Humane Society.

HAPPY 50, VISTA!

A vintage VISTA poster, apparently before Alaska was around?

The VISTA program is celebrating its 50th anniversary! Over there years, there have been an amazing Montana Campus Compact, we bring the resources of a network of engaged colleges and universities to this important work. VISTAs who have served with us over the years have helped start up the successful Graduation Matters program, have helped open and expand food pantries, veterans services offices, service-learning offices, afterschool programs. MTCC VISTAs have supported college access and success work, and have built capacity for college student volunteers to address community needs all along the way. Thank you for the support in Montana, AmeriCorps​ VISTA!
and diverse set of Americans who have served, great community-based solutions to poverty problems started and sustained, and huge, positive and direct impacts on people living in poverty.

Specifically, we've had great service over the years from the Corporation for National and Community Service and in particular the Montana office. Over the years, folks like John Allen, Jane Piilola, Jackie Girard, Amy Busch and Anna Yeagle have provided an extremely high level of service to Montana Campus Compact. These folks have helped behind the scenes with grants, funding, member support, impact reporting and all of the day-to-day support that's often overlooked.

In some ways, a fiftieth anniversary of an antipoverty program can't help but be bittersweet. It's an anniversary that provides an important time for reflection and consideration about how we expand good work that's happening, and significantly move more Americans out of poverty. The work is far from complete, and in many ways the challenges of poverty continue to be complex, and offer a rallying point for how we do better as a society.

Here in Montana, we're celebrating the VISTA 50th with Governor Bullock and Corporation CEO Wendy Spencer on March 12th in Helena. Here's the link for that event if you'd like to attend!

TWELVE NEW VISTAS BEGIN THEIR SERVICE!

On January 29th we welcomed twelve new AmeriCorps VISTAs to Montana and Wyoming.  They finished their Pre Service Orientation in Helena and continued to a Montana Campus Compact orientation immediately following, where they were joined by MTCC network staff.  We spent three beautiful days at the Montana Learning Center outside of Helena where we got to know our members a little better and they got to know us.  On January 31st we sent our members on their journeys across the state to begin serving.  Our new members include:

Brandon Fish- Blackfeet Community College, Browning

Samuel Garetson- Salish Kootenai College, Upward Bound, Pablo

 Sage Hatch- Fort Peck Community College, Poplar School District

Constance Johnson- Garfield Literacy Center, Billings

Kate Johnson- Bitteroot College, Hamiliton

Dalya Kefi- Kid's Link, Bozeman

Sunny Pate- Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, Great Falls

Morgan Ray- Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, Kalispell

Michele Shahczenski- Children's Museum, Missoula

Coral Thede- Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, Gillette, WY

Jon Van Dyke- Zootown Arts Community Center, Missoula

Lacy Fiore- VISTA Leader, Missoula

CAMPUS ELECTION ENGAGEMENT WRAP-UP

Students at Augustana College
 prepare the sidewalks before Election Day

MTCC’s election engagement work successfully mobilized over 15,000 college students and community members across the region in the summer and fall of 2014. Working closely with the national Campus Election Engagement Project (or “CEEP”) a grassroots, college-focused initiative begun by author Paul Loeb, Campus Compact institutions in Montana and South Dakota rose to the challenge of engaging students volunteers, voters and engaged citizens. The project mobilized college students to serve with local organization to increase youth voter turnout.  At least 12,000 college students and young people across Montana and South Dakota were registered to vote in the 2014 midterm elections.

What happened in Montana and South Dakota?

Students at the University of Montana
show what they'd turn out for!

In the fall of 2014 college students registered to vote in new and resourceful ways, including: as part of freshman orientations; at parades and rallies; and by tapping into competitive school spirit. The Forward Montana Foundation worked with the University of Montana and set a goal of registering 10,000 new voters. At the final tally, this goal was exceeded with the final new voter count of 10,737!  Montana State University used school pride using the theme “Cat Country Votes!” This slogan was printed on shirts and used at sporting events, peer-to-peer voter registration around campus, and during a large event on September 23, National Voter Registration Day. Over 500 students were registered at MSU. Other campuses used homecoming and orientation events to register students to vote, relying heavily on student volunteers registering their peers.

Students at Augustana College pass
out candy and reminders to vote
during the "Trick or Vote" event

In discussions with college students across the region, many expressed that if they had better access to nonpartisan information; they would feel more comfortable voting.  To address this, CEEP created a Nonpartisan Candidate Guide that presented the candidates for Montana’s Senate race and their positions on several issues. The format was designed to be a easy-to-digest, easily understood, nonpartisan tool and MTCC students, faculty and staff shared their appreciation for the resource. CEEP also created a state-specific Student Voter Guides that presented frequently asked questions by students, (e.g. What ID do I need to bring with me? Where can I find my polling location?) and the information new student voters would need for their respective states. The CEEP tools received high marks, and were distributed in the thousands to students at MSU, UM, Salish Kootenai College, Bitterroot College, Fort Peck Community College and Augustana College in South Dakota. Overall, campuses noted significant increases to their educational efforts in many cases thanks to the support and resources provided by Campus Compact and the Election Engagement Project.

Fort Peck Community College students
drive their peers to the poll

Election Day 2014 saw a push from campuses and organizations to get students to the polls. Salish Kootenai College and Fort Peck Community College offered gathering places for students, staff, and faculty to enjoy refreshments, while rides to the polls were provided for all who needed them.  Student volunteers offered free rides to the polls at Montana’s flagship universities, Montana State University and and the University of Montana, encouraging their peers in classes, dining halls, residence halls, and other gathering locations to take the time to go cast a ballot.

A mini grant provided to the Montana Public Interest Research Group or “MontPIRG” helped student interns to make 3,347 get out the vote calls through phone banking.

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Forward Montana Foundation changed the lyrics of the popular song “It’s All About That Bass,” to be, “I’m All About That Vote” encouraging students to vote, and used social media to steer students to the music video, “Turn Out for What” that features celebrities standing up for the issues they value and asking students what they would “turn out” for. Campus social media sites saw a huge increases in traffic during Election Day as updates were posted and free rides promoted. Fort Peck Community College staff were interviewed on the local radio station and discussed the importance of voting; the interview was videotaped and put on the college’s Facebook page to raise awareness among students!

At Augustana College in South Dakota twenty student volunteers hosted a full week of events leading up to election day and culminating in a well-attended results party. Following these 2014 election engagement work, Augie’s curriculum advisory board began to explore voter engagement efforts in its curriculum, utilizing the input of our South Dakota intern, Brittany Cleveland. 

Students from Augustana College show their
 enthusiasm for voting with their school mascot,
Augie the Viking on Election Day

Sustainable Partnerships
When asked if they would support future election engagement work, staff from the Bitterroot College UM, answered:“Yes! Through the class many students got the information they’d not otherwise have gotten. The class curriculum was altered slightly to accommodate Campus Election Engagement Project ideas and resources.” Others across the region echoed the sentiment and many institutions are already preparing for the 2016 election cycle. With great feedback, plenty of documentation, and strong connections made this year, the 2016 election engagement initiative stands a strong chance of increasing student voter turnout, volunteer engagement and campaign support, making lasting impacts for years to come. 

Big Thanks!
This great work was made possible with generous support of the Campus Election Engagement Project, Ohio Campus Compact, and the hard work of Brenda Cole working from Montana, and Brittany Cleveland working from South Dakota. 

Students from Montana State University
offer rides to the polls.

MTCC DISASTER INSTITUTE RESULTS ARE IN.

This October MTCC hosted its first Disaster Institute in Billings, Montana, hosted by Rocky Mountain College. We partnered with American Red Cross of Montana (ARCMT), the Montana Department of Emergency Services (DES), the Governor's Office of Community Service (OCS) to train 40 participants from across our wonderful state of Montana. We were excited to collaborate with these agencies in order to help our communities learn valuable lessons on disaster preparedness.

ARCMT  participants during the Shelter Management Simulation

Institute participants came from different areas and backgrounds to receive training in Red Cross certifications and Montana State DES Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. Participants ranged from community members to department heads within the Compact affiliate colleges and universities.

Of the forty participants, twenty seven received certification in Department of Emergency Services CERT which included topics on Active Shooter, Fire Safety, Communication and Amateur Radio, and Disaster Psychology.

The other thir participants received American Red Cross certification in Emergency Shelter Management, International Humanitarian Law, and Psychological First Aid.

Our participants came from 2 year colleges, 4 year and Universities, tribal colleges, and different Montana communities. Our tribal colleges included: Aaniiih Nakoda College on the Fort Belknap Reservation; Blackfeet Community College on the Blackfeet Reservation; and Little Big Horn College on the Crow Reservation. There were also members of these tribal communities in attendance.

Our 2-year institution in attendance was  Helena College while our 4-year and universities were: Montana Tech, the University of Montana, Montana State University, MSU-Northern, MSU-Billings, and Rocky Mountain College.

Disaster Institute participants gained new skills in competencies in supporting either the American Red Cross of Montana or Department of Emergency Services and Community Emergency Response Team; as well as, a greater understanding of the roles colleges and higher education play in disaster preparedness. Many of our participants learned how Montana Campus Compact helps further civic engagement on college campuses and helps them establish and deepen partnerships with their communities. Participants also built up a great network of colleagues to draw on in the future and we hope to see some "good faith" effort put in to build up their communities and campuses first responders and disaster preparedness volunteers!

Big thanks to our event sponsors: The Corporation for National and Community Service, City Brew Coffee, The Montana Office of Community Service, Rocky Mountain College and to Jill Washburn, Rocky's community service coordinator and a tireless voice for disaster preparedness.