The exhibit showcases student art in the mediums of printmaking, painting, ceramics, sculpture, drawing, photography and mixed media. The show spans student work from summer quarter 2011 to the present.

The gallery runs from Friday, May 11 through Thursday, June 7, with a special opening reception on May 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The reception will include a raffle and door prizes for participants.

Gallery hours remain Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 4 p.m., and by appointment. To schedule an appointment, contact the gallery via e-mail or call (360) 596-5527. Information about the gallery is also available online at www.spscc.ctc.edu/cfa.

Pumphrey announces retirement from South Puget Sound Community College

Olympia – Dr. Gerald Pumphrey, president of South Puget Sound Community College, will retire from the college in January 2013. Pumphrey announced his plans at an All-Campus Meeting on Wednesday, May 2.

“It has been a great honor to lead South Puget Sound Community College for the past six years, and it has been a great gift to be entrusted with the responsibility for shepherding our college through a challenging period in its history,” said Pumphrey.  “I feel extraordinarily privileged to have had a mission-centered vocation that has provided me great intrinsic rewards through countless opportunities for seeing our students achieve their potential.”

Pumphrey took on the role of South Puget Sound Community College’s president on Aug. 1, 2006. He came to the college after serving five years as president of Bellingham Technical College, where he received acclaim for leading BTC toward more international exchanges and diversity on campus and was commended for his efforts in strengthening the community.

Before coming to Washington state, Pumphrey spent six years at Guilford Technical Community College, in Jamestown, North Carolina, where he served as Director of Workforce Preparedness, Dean of Instruction, and finally as Vice President of Instruction.

While Pumphrey came to South Puget Sound at the height of good financial times, he has deftly navigated the college through the eye of the state’s economic storm. Under his leadership, the college has established stronger, more systematic approaches to strategic planning, allocation of resources, and assessment.

“The community and technical colleges are among the most powerful resources we have for enabling individuals of all walks of life to participate fully in our American democracy and economic system.   It is a perfect time for the college to benefit from new vision and new energy, and it is the right time for me to accomplish some other long-deferred, personal goals. I have truly appreciated the support I have had from our Board of Trustees, our executive team, the campus community, and the greater Olympia community”

“The Board of Trustees is saddened by Dr. Pumphrey's decision to retire but completely respects and supports that decision,” said Judy Blinn, chair of South Puget Sound Community College’s Board of Trustees. “Dr. Pumphrey has provided strong, supportive leadership to the college through some of the most challenging years in our history. With the downturn in the economy and reduction in state funding -- on top of increased enrollment, he has remained committed to finding ways to continue to deliver high-quality education to our students, with the least negative impact. We thank Dr. Pumphrey for his dedication to SPSCC and to our community, and wish him all the best in his upcoming retirement.”

The Board of Trustees has begun the presidential search process, and will be assisted by an executive search firm.  The Board will conduct college and public forums in June to help establish a profile of characteristic sought in the next president.  Once the profile has been established the position will be advertised in early July. 

The Board will form a presidential steering committee that includes representatives from all stakeholder groups.  The committee’s work will begin in September. The process of screening, interviewing and prioritizing of candidates will be ongoing through the fall quarter. The Trustees should be prepared to announce the new college president in December 2012 and anticipates having a new president on board by March 2013.

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More than 60 employers across a variety of fields and industries will be on hand to share career information with students, to recruit new employees, conduct informational interviews, and more. South Puget Sound Community College’s Career Center, which hosts the event, will also be on hand to provide information about resources available to South Puget Sound students, from job search and interview skills, to access to computers, and more. Career Day also offers job hunters the opportunity to network with businesses in the Thurston County community.

The Career Day event begins at 10 a.m., and runs through 1 p.m., and is open to the public. The event takes place in the college’s gymnasium (Building 31).

All prospective job hunters are encouraged to dress appropriately for possible on-the-spot interviews and bring copies of their resume. All Career Center resources are available in Building 25, Room 130 on the college’s Olympia campus.

For more information, contact Lynn Ouellet of Career Services at (360) 596-5567 or via e-mail at .

The Live.Learn.Hoop. tournament features three divisions: 5/6^th grades, 7/8^th grades, and 9-12^th grades. Teams can be made up of a maximum four players.

Registration is available now and closes on Friday, May 11 at 5 p.m. Cost is $100 per team, and cash and checks are accepted. Checks must be made payable to SPSCC Foundation. Completed registration forms and checks can be mailed to: SPSCC Attn: Athletics 2011 Mottman RD SW Olympia, WA  98512.

Limited space is available in each division. Registration forms are available online at http://saw.spscc.ctc.edu/athletics. For more information, contact Assistant Athletic Director Vernell Willingham at (360) 596-5469 or at .

One of Shakespeare’s high comedies, “As You Like It” follows Rosalind as she flees persecution from her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousin Celia and Touchstone the court jester, to find safety and love in the Forest of Arden. The play features one of Shakespeare's most famous and oft-quoted speeches, “All the world’s a stage,” and is the origin of the phrase “too much of a good thing.” The play remains a favorite among audiences of all ages and has been adapted for radio, film, and musical theatre.

The play opens on May 17 and runs through May 20, with a second run from May 24-27. The May 20 and 27 performances will be at 2 p.m., while all other performances will be at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for students, faculty and staff. Tickets will be available online at OlyTix.org or by calling (360) 753-8586.

UNITE’s Arrive Alive program uses a high-tech simulator, impact video, and a number of other resources to educate students about the dangers of texting while driving. The simulator also allows students to experience, in a controlled environment, the potential consequences of distracted or drunken driving.

One of the most commonly recognized driving distractions is cell phone use. About 89 percent of all Americans have a cell phone, according to CTIA – The Wireless Association. Drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Their lack of driving experience can contribute to critical misjudgments if they become distracted. Not surprisingly, they text more than any other age group and the numbers of young drivers who text is only increasing.

UNITE brings health and wellness programs to high school and college campuses across the nation. Their programs are designed to heighten awareness to the dangers and consequences of drunk driving and distracted driving. Their follow-up programs have a powerful impact on students to reinforce the subjects that schools and parents teach them daily. 

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Khurshida Begum: A Day in the Life

Associated Student Body President Khurshida Begum was a childhood victim of human trafficking. She has emerged from that dark time a crusader on behalf of her fellow survivors, working to shed light on the shadowy world of modern-day slavery.

Dan O'Neill: Nurturing the Roots of Community

Local business owner Dan O’Neill’s family has been rooted in the community for more than a century. And he has been connected to South Puget Sound Community College for more than a quarter century. This has given him a unique perspective on the good done when college intersects community.

A Day in the Life

On a rainy Tuesday in October, Soundings Magazine went about the wet task of documenting a day in the life of South Puget Sound Community College and the activities of its students, staff and faculty.

Gov. Christine Gregoire will be on hand to help honor recipients at the 17th annual All-Washington Academic Team recognition ceremony on Thursday, March 22. South Puget Sound again hosts the event, which begins at noon at the college’s Student Union Building.

The field of honorees for this year’s All-Washington Academic Team consists of 66 students representing all the state’s 34 community and technical colleges. When the event began 17 years ago, 44 students from 24 community and technical colleges were honored.

McCoy, a 20-year-old art major who is maintaining a 3.95 grade point average, is a two-time recipient of the Achievement in Art scholarship. McCoy also uses her artistic skills to serve the community, for example designing a costume and photo cards for the annual Habitat for Humanity Gingerbread House Competition. She is planning to study interdisciplinary visual arts upon transferring to a four-year institution.

Students were nominated for All-Washington recognition through a state program patterned after the national All-USA Academic Team, which Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for two-year colleges, initiated. By acknowledging students who demonstrate a commitment to success in the classroom and in their communities, the program also brings attention to Washington’s community and technical colleges.

PTK, KeyBank, Washington State Employees Credit Union, the Northwest Education Loan Association, the Trustees Association of Community and Technical Colleges, the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges, and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges sponsor the All-Washington event. For more information, contact Kellie Purce Braseth at (360) 596-5214 or visit www.spscc.ctc.edu/allwa.

The detour takes place during the College’s spring break week, and is meant to keep pedestrian traffic at a minimum at the Crosby bus loop as work continues on the Building 22 renovation project. Workers will remove the covered walkway between Building 22 and Building 25 along the loop. The side entrance to Building 25, by the Security Office, will be closed on March 26. The main entrance will also be closed from March 27-28. The side entrance by the Security Office will be open at that time.

The busses will return to normal routes beginning Saturday, March 31.