Devil's Advocate-Riverland Community College

Riverland at 75: A long-term look at the future of the collegeBy Adenuga Atewologun, PhDRiverland Community College President

The surviving graduates of the first class of students admitted to Austin Junior College, now

Riverland Community College, are at least 92-years old. Those first graduates were in their 20s during the decade 1940 to 1950. The “20- somethings” of today are the so called “Millennials,” so I am going to imagine a conversation between a granddaughter (20+) and her grandfather (90+):

Granddaughter: Grandpa, what were the roads like when you were my age? What buttons came with your microwave? Did you text your friends in complete sentences observing the rules of proper grammar? Or did you just stick to emails? Which social media were popular then? Did your cell phone come with enough memory to take and store photos? How did you take selfies—with or without a selfie stick? Was Pluto a planet then?

Grandfather: Excellent questions, Gigi. Where do I start? Let me start with the Pluto question…

Granddaughter: And one more thing grandpa, you were at Riverland in 1940. How cool! And I am at Riverland now as well.

Grandfather: Well, it was called Austin Junior College at that time.

Granddaughter: Junior College? You mean, you guys didn’t have real

college level classes? Grandfather: Of course we were a

real college. Let me explain…or would you rather I answered your original

questions first?Granddaughter: Oh yes, let’s talk

about those questions first. What were…you wanted to start with the Pluto question.

Yes, worlds apart! Riverland’s long-term future will be just as different from what we see today. Students are asking for more opportunities to complete baccalaureate degrees on site. They are choosing more online instruction. Ninety-two percent of the 520 graduates at this year’s commencement have taken at least one online course. In 1940, there was no online instruction. Nearly 40 percent of credits sold by Riverland today is online. The trend will continue. There was no person of color in the class of 1942. In contrast, 16 percent of the class of 2017 is non-white. Instead of the cautious and traditional approach, the bold, innovative, and entrepreneurial employees and students will shape the future.

Agriculture, manufacturing, and medicine/healthcare will remain the main drivers of the region’s economy. Technology would be a common thread weaving all three industry sectors together. Riverland would forge stronger partnerships with businesses and community organizations. Because of the workforce needs, pressures to enroll students from non-traditional sectors

will continue to rise. The college will right-size, and compete on the basis of signature programs. Stronger emphasis will be placed on retention, persistence, and goal attainment. We would be held more accountable for outcomes. The number of unfunded mandates will increase. Our beautiful landscape and large real estate would be premium assets, but in the intervening time, we must maintain our facilities properly and use space efficiently.

Now is the time to lay a solid foundation for public-private partnerships and build robust endowments. We must intensify our efforts to cultivate deep relationships with our alumni, friends, and former employees so that they can invest in the future of the College. We must keep seeking external grants from private foundations and governmental agencies. Above all, we must attract and retain talented people who will, without prejudice, genuinely care for our students and the community. Then the future of the College would be a future of which we and our progeny would be proud.

Yes, the future will be different. It will be better, it will be driven more by technology, and it will be more learner (consumer) centered. Happy 75th Riverland! Keep “inspiring personal success through education” for years to come.

Riverland Community College President Dr. Adenuga Atewologun prepares to speak at an August press conference in Austin’s Town Center building to discuss a Hormel Foundation $263,200 grant to Riverland to help for the Center for Agriculture and Food Science. Herald file photo

2 SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 RIVERLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE ~ 75TH ANNIVERSARY DEVIL’S ADVOCATE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE RIVERLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE ~ 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 19

Technology always changing at RiverlandBy Dan Harber and J.C. TurnerRiverland Community College Instructors

As various forms of computing and related technology began to be available, the innovations were also adopted by the community and technical college predecessors to the current Riverland Community College.

In the early 1980s, IBM minicomputers and terminals provided word processing capabilities for business and office classes, later being replaced by stand-alone PCs that used 5.25-inch floppy disks, and WordPerfect software. During the 1980s, mobile computing was introduced, as some farm business management instructors had Compaq PCs. These 27-pound “luggable” (as opposed to “portable”) suitcase-style computers allowed instructors to bring the technology to their student farmers. Networking of computers first came during the 1980s in the form of Novell Netware server software. By the 1990s, Ethernet was used to connect office computers, and Minnesota Riverland Technical College purchased dedicated

56KB circuits between Austin, Faribault, and Rochester; these were the first non-modem connections for the institution, using the Noteworks email system. By 1995 when Riverland was formed, most employees in all three merged institutions had a form of email, which was combined into a single system shortly after that.

In terms of technology in classrooms, during the 1980s and 1990s LCD display panels were used in combination with overhead transparency projectors to allow computer images to be displayed on projection screens. LCD projectors became the primary method of sharing computer content during the 1990s. Projector screen resolutions and brightness levels continue to improve each year, and now HD-quality images provided by computers (desktop or laptop), document cameras, and blu-ray players have become the latest classroom standard.

Instructional television (ITV) was first used to deliver courses between campuses in 1992, and ITV is still used

today, allowing courses to be offered to students in multiple locations, including in partner high schools with ITV classrooms. Each academic year there are also courses offered at Riverland via ITV in collaboration with other institutions across the state. Riverland’s ITV rooms have been upgraded to HD resolution, providing a much-improved experience for both instructors and students.

With the arrival of digital recording capabilities, lecture capture has become an increasingly popular teaching tool. Classroom lectures can be recorded as they happen, or an instructor can record presentations from their office or home, using a laptop or desktop computer and a webcam. These recordings can then be streamed to students on-demand. This allows students to watch a lecture they may have missed, review a presentation to help clarify their notes, or watch the recording at a time that better-fits their schedule.

Riverland branched into offering online courses beginning in 2000, and

the first online certificate, accounting clerk, began in 2005. The percentage of Riverland’s credits generated by online and hybrid courses continues to grow each year, from less than 1 percent in 2001 to nearly 40 percent in 2015. Online courses allow students from anywhere to take Riverland classes, and during the summer of 2015 there were students who were able to complete their Riverland courses while living Sweden and Singapore. Riverland has also made a commitment to ensure the quality of these online offerings, by seeking Quality Matters course certification. Quality Matters is a peer-review process for online and hybrid courses, and Riverland leads all public higher education institutions in Minnesota, with more than 60 QM-certified courses. This helps ensure that students have a high-quality experience in their online classes.

Technology will always be improving and evolving. Riverland will continue to find ways to incorporate those technology improvements into delivering an exceptional education for students.


College working with area schools to offer concurrent classesBy Lori JensenRiverland Director of College Partnerships & Transitions

One of the areas of significant growth at Riverland is concurrent enrollment. Concurrent enrollment is a program where qualified area high school teachers offer Riverland classes right in their own dis-trict. These teachers must meet the college instructor credentialing requirements and are mentored to ensure the curriculum is the same and to ensure the course maintains our rigorous quality standards.

Last year Riverland offered over 65 con-current college course sections in four area high schools. This year we will be offering over 72 sections to five high schools. When a district does not have teachers with ad-vanced credentials, Riverland will provides the college instruction directly in some cas-es through the use of Interactive Television or by sending a regular college instructor to teach the class at their site. The concept al-lows students in large and small districts to earn college credits early, and has proven to help students complete college degrees more quickly and in greater numbers.

Past focus has been on general education courses in the high schools. However, there is increasing interest in expanding on the options for high school students to enroll in

career and technical classes and programs. Last year Albert Lea High School piloted a nursing assistant course and a three-course firefighter series. Both were popular and ap-peal to students who may not be interested in pursuing an Associate’s degree after high school on their way to a Bachelor’s degree. The nursing assistant will return to Albert Lea High School again this fall and the dis-trict has added a work experience course this year so the students who earned their Nursing Assistant certification can apply their learned skill on the job in area nursing homes. The Nursing Homes need the skilled workers and the students gain a pathway to employment and a chance to explore a ca-reer field at an early age.

Another example this school year are the agriculture-related course Alden-Conger will begin offering. Introduction to Agron-omy and Introduction to Soil Science are both required courses in the new Riverland Agricultural Sciences degree and will give students in this district a head-start if they choose to pursue a degree in this field. Other areas where we are currently exploring partnerships include welding, manufac-turing and transportation-related courses. High schools are excited to join Riverland in preparing the future workforce of our

region by providing early college opportuni-ties to their students.

One clear advantage of concurrent en-rollment and other college classes in the high school is that these are all transcripted courses just like any other class students take at Riverland. Unlike AP courses or Tech Prep these are all college courses and come with earned college credit. All of the general education classes are fully transfer-able to any other college in the entire Minne-sota State Colleges and Universities System.

Another advantage that one cannot over-look is the cost savings to students and their families. The average concurrent student enrolls in at least 12 credits but it is not un-common for some students to take as many as 30 college credits while in high school. At just over $180 per credit with fees, the cost savings to families can be tremendous. One three-credit class will save over $540 on tuition alone. Twelve credits will save over $2,100 and those who take 30 credits (equiv-alent to one year of college) can save over $5,400 at Riverland current cost standards. Those credits transferred to a more expen-sive university or private college could equate to a cost saving double or triple that amount.

Both Riverland and our partner high

schools understand the value to families of providing early college opportunities to their students. We also understand that students who continue to attend Riverland after high school realize additional cost sav-ings and success when preparing for their career and/or university degree. According to the American Association of Communi-ty Colleges (AACC), roughly 60 percent of students who transferred from a two-year institution to a four-year institution had graduated with a bachelor’s or higher de-gree within four years. Students who earned an associate’s degree prior to their transfer had the highest baccalaureate completion rates at 71 percent, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center AACC Data Points report in June 2014.

At Riverland we are actively working with our area school districts to provide early col-lege options within the high schools. There is extraordinary growth potential in what we can do for our students. The focus is on what we can do for them now that will help their future and the region’s future work-force. Success starts here!

For more information, visit www.river-land.edu/cis or contact Lori Jensen, Direc-tor of College Partnerships and Transitions at [email protected] or 507-433-0568.

•Trena Thome (2006-08 — RIVERLAND/AFA Theatre, Iowa State University/BS Sociology, Capella University/MS Mental Health Counseling) “I would like to thank Kris Gullord and Jerry Girton for supporting my endeavors even long after my graduation from Riverland. Thank you for inspiring me to do my best. Highlight — Successfully case managing my first client in a mental health setting and co-authorship in publishing a journal article to the American College of Cardiology.”•Kayla Jorgenson (2005-07 — RIVERLAND/AA, UW-Stout) “Riverland was a great way for me to get a head start while doing postsecondary education. I loved Riverland! Great friends and really helped me get out of my box and prepare for future education!”•Renee Lee (1999-2007 — RIVERLAND/Computer Support, Liberal Arts, Human Services, Mankato State/BS — Developmental and Cognitive Disabilities, St. Mary’s University/MED — Teaching and Learning) “I teach elementary students with special needs. I was nominated within the district for Teacher of the Year. I am in the process of obtaining my Autism Certification. But my true career highlights and achievements lie within each of my students as they learn and grow.”•Keri Levesque (2001-04 — RIVERLAND/Human Services) “The process was smooth and easy. I loved the instructors and they became like extended family. They made learning fun and worth the money I was spending on school.”•Kelsey Seifert McLaughlin (2006-09 — RIVERLAND/ AFA Theatre, Argosy University/AS — Radiologic Technology) “I not only received a great education, but also will treasure and always appreciate the experiences I had there.”•Melanie Hanson (2007-09 — RIVERLAND/Liberal

Arts, UW LaCrosse/BS Biochemistry and Biology/UW Madison — PhD Pharmacy — pending) “I learned valuable skills from Riverland that I then went on to apply to my learning in other programs of study. Study techniques, time management, and communication skills were among the most crucial skills I was able to improve upon before moving toward the achievement of my bachelor’s degree.”•Jenny Ingvaldson (2008-10 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts) “Riverland is an awesome school to attend right out of high school. It makes the transition from high school to college so much easier. I also loved living on campus!”•Brooke Monson-DeBoer (2007-10 — RIVERLAND/AA; Winona State/BS; University of St. Thomas/ MS in progress) “Our basketball team holds the record for best team in school history!” •Matt Moritz (2001-07 — RIVERLAND/ Construction Electrician, Carpentry, AA) “Walt Alms and Tom Wilker. . .two of the most knowledgeable carpenters I’ve known. . . I still call them to pick their brains.”•Megan Hyland Blair (2006-08 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, UW River Falls/BS Psychology, UW River Falls/MS Ed — School Psychology) “Riverland is a college that cares about its students and allows for them to obtain the skills socially and academically to succeed in life and at a higher education level.”•*Marijo Alexander — (1974-75 ACC & 2006-2008 RCC /AA Degree) — Supports the Office of the President — “Wonderful, supportive instructors who went above and beyond…”•*Sue Grove (2000 RCC Travel Classes) Faculty Emeritus “My involvement at Riverland provided me with life-changing opportunities. I can’t imagine my life without it.”•*Erin Sammon (2000-03/Human Services & Liberal

Arts) Former Director of Residential Housing; “I met so many wonderful staff that made sure I kept on track and accomplished my goals. I GRADUATED!”•*Leslie Weber (1998-2001 — RCC/Liberal Arts, Winona State/BS) Former Adjunct Faculty — Theatre/Choreographer; “I met so many wonderful people and have lasting friendships with teachers and other students at Riverland. I was able to get my start as a choreographer through the theatre at Riverland.”

2010s•McKenzie Hanson (2008-11-RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, Crossroads College/BA-Business Administration in progress) “I had so many people from Riverland supporting my success whether it was through scholarships, clubs and organizations, or personal mentors. I wouldn’t be as far in my career as I am today without the support I had at Riverland Community College.”•Alexander Jacobson (2010-11- RIVERLAND/AA, Mankato State/BS History/Mankato State/MS History) “Riverland allowed me to grow as a person. Through challenging classes, compassionate instructor, and amazing staff, this transformation occurred rapidly. Without Riverland and the instructors, I doubt I would have become a Graduate Assistant at Mankato. Without Riverland, I might never have known the great people that make up this great college in southern Minnesota.”•Brody Jensen (2011-13 — RIVERLAND/ IMMR, Welding) “Getting the Industrial Maintenance Mechanics (IMMR) degree was a wonderful achievement in and of itself, but I am now the machinist for the city of Austin! I got this job shortly after I graduated. I graduated in May and was offered the job by the end of the summer. The IMMR program was run very much like a job.

It helped me get ready for the real world and I learned what to expect from the working world.”•Judy Bluhm (2011-14 — RIVERLAND/Carpentry, IMMR,Welding) “I have a job doing full-time maintenance.”•David Braun (2009-11 — RIVERLAND/Construction Electrician) “Student Senate led me to run for city government and serve on Wells’ City Council.”•Sadie Burkow (2012-13 — RIVERLAND/ Liberal Arts, UW River Falls/BS Biochemistry) “Allowed me to complete my AA and be prepared for my next adventure to complete my BS.”•Adriana Casillas (2009-10-RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, U of M/BS Wildlife Biology, Antioch University/MS Candidate in Conservation Biology.”•Kelly Johnson (2012-14 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts/Carpentry/Nursing, Bemidji State/Elementary Education) “Riverland made it possible to return to school as a working adult.”•Matthew Novak (2009-11 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, Minneapolis College of Art & Design/BFA) “I enrolled at Riverland with only a GED. Riverland helped me to build up my educational resume so that I would later be accepted into a prestigious private art school.”•Susan Torkelson (2011-14 — RIVERLAND/AFA Fine Arts, Winona State/Current) “It was a tremendous opportunity for me to challenge myself and move in a positive direction.”•Natalia Marchan (2008-11 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts) “I’ve been able to get a good job at a clinic.”•Leslie Meyer (2002-05 - RIVERLAND Liberal Arts/2011-12 — RIVERLAND/ Health Unit Coordinator)”I learned a lot in my HUC program and it helped me get to where I am today in my career. I have a great job at the South Central Human Relations Center in Owatonna, Minnesota.”


75th anniversary letters of congratulationsI am pleased to join in celebrating your

school’s 75th anniversary.America’s schools serve

as gateways to opportunity and engines for our Nation’s progress. Inspiring students to be the best version of themselves and equipping them with the tools to thrive, our halls of learning can instill in our next generation the fundamental belief that with hard work nothing is beyond reach.

Since your school’s founding, faculty and staff have prepared students to meet the challenges of their time. And by cultivating passion for learning, schools

like yours help ensure the doors of opportunity continue to open wide for

all who are willing to dream big.I hope your community takes

pride in the ways your school has touched lives. As you celebrate this special milestone, I wish you all the best for the years ahead.

Sincerely,Barack Obama

Obama

It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the Riverland

Community College on its 75th anniversary.

Being one of the finest comprehensive two-year colleges in the southern Minnesota region, Riverland Community College has provided many individuals with the opportunity to acquire greater knowledge and to pursue their dreams. Seventy-five years is a remarkable achievement, and one that reflects the quality of education the institution provides. Greater education is a necessity in

today’s society, and I thank you for providing such education to our community. You should be very proud of this great milestone.

Again, congratulations and I wish you many more years of success.

Franken

Congratulations on Riverland Community

College’s 75th anniversary! In 75 years, this institution has served the communities of Southern Minnesota, educated thousands of students and strengthened the economy of our state.

Riverland Community College has gone above and beyond in preparing its graduates for today’s ever-changing economic landscape. The skills that are gained through the programs at your school are exactly the types of skills that our students need in order

to be competitive for career opportunities.

Thank you again for your commitment to education in Minnesota, and to all of those who have made Riverland Community College a strong educational institution for 75 years. It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate.Klobuchar

I am writing to express my congratulations

regarding Riverland Community College’s 75th anniversary. During that time, your institution has been on the frontlines of educating and training our workforce.

This work has played a major part in the continued economic growth of the region.

I applaud your efforts and stand with you as we move forward to examine the most effective ways at training the workforce of tomorrow. Having and maintaining a world-class workforce is the most crucial piece to maintaining

Southern Minnesota’s economy; an economy that is out performing most other parts of the nation.

Riverland’s mission and vision are a model for how things should be done in higher education. I will take these lessons with me to Washington and look forward to working with Riverland well into the future.

Sincerely,Tim Walz

Member of Congress

Walz

I would like to extend my congratulations to

the students and faculty members at Riverland Community College on its 75th Anniversary.

As a regional leader in liberal arts and career-technical higher education, Riverland Community College encourages learning through innovation, responsiveness, resourcefulness, and collaboration. For 75 years, Riverland Conmrnnity College has aided communities and

expanded opportunities for people all across the state.

I wish you a memorable celebration and many years of continuing service to the community.

Dayton

I write to congratulate you and Riverland Community

College on its 75th anniversary of providing excellence in teaching and learning in Southern Minnesota. Having proudly served there as college president from 2003 to 2012, I know firsthand the superlative work that Riverland’s faculty and staff members do to help students succeed.

Riverland Community College is an economic engine providing high-quality workforce development services to employers and communities in its service area. The college’s focus on individual student success ensures student achievement in preparation for

transfer to further education and for employment in high-skill, high-wage careers.

I join you, the communities you serve, and your alumni in celebrating 75 years of inspiring personal success through education.

Leas

*Todd Fjeldberg (1982-84 ACC/AA Business Administration / Rasmussen School of Business: Accounting) Accounting Technician — “…helped me get my current job.”•*Susan Hansen (1982-83 ACC/Liberal Arts,UMD/ BA, Mankato State/MFA) Adjunct Faculty — Theatre & English; “I had excellent teachers and great friends. I have great memories of my time at ACC. It was a very positive, worthwhile investment where I was supported and pushed to excel.”•*Rayce Hardy (1982-85 ACC Liberal Arts/Mankato State BS/U of M MA) Faculty — Economics “Faculty all cared about my well-being! Community colleges are an asset worth keeping!”•*Cindy Pechacek (1980s ACC/Nursing) Faculty - Nursing “The many people who crossed my career path made me a better person.”•*Teri Rauenhorst (1983-85 — ALAVTI/Sales & Marketing) Book Store Manager; “I could live at home and go to college. I’m not sure I would have gone away to go to college.”•*Debbie Sauke (1980 — ACC/Liberal Arts, Winona State/BS) Office and Administrative Specialist; “My experience at ACC gave me the courage and confidence as a non-traditional student to go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree.”•*Kris Gullord (1987-89 ACC/ Liberal Arts, Winona State/ BA, UW LaCrosse MA) Enrollment Advisor; “I didn’t want to go to college! But made a lot of good friends at ACC who all went to school and I just sort of followed. Now I work in a college, MY college!”•John J. Gray Jr. (1976-82 ACC/Liberal Arts, Minnesota State University, Mankato/BS) “It was convenient, affordable, a great place to learn and it afforded me the opportunity to advance my career from clerical to management.”

1990s•Lonny K. Hagen (1994-96-SCTC & RIVERLAND/Accounting) “The Accounting Diploma was excellent!”•John Judd (1998-2002-OCUC & RIVERLAND/Law Enforcement/Corrections/Liberal Arts, Mankato State/BA-Law Enforcement/BS Spanish) “I was able to work part-time as a police officer while pursuing my four year degrees because I got my AS Law Enforcement degree at Riverland. I passed MN POST test on the first attempt.”

•Suzanne Schmidt Law (1995-97-ACC/RIVERLAND — Liberal Arts, Southwest State/BS Communications) Learning, hands on experience. Life long memories.”•Brian Mattson (1992-96 — ALTC/MRTC/ACC/RIVERLAND — Surface Finishing and Plating, Human Services; Mankato State/BS) “Riverland helped teach me how to study and Mrs. Askelson supported and helped give me the confidence to do public speaking.”•*Christine Brooks (1992-94 MRTC/Administrative Assistant) — Administrative Assistant - “Gave me a good solid foundation to apply to my positions at Federated and Riverland.”•*Kirsten Lindbloom (1996-98 A-RCC/Liberal Arts, Southwest State/ BA, Mankato State/MA) Adjunct Faculty — Sociology “Returning to Riverland to teach has been a highlight!•*Melodee Morem (1990-94 ACC/ Liberal Arts, Concordia University — St. Paul) International Advisor; “I think every teacher I had offered help above and beyond what would be expected.”•*Bradley Weber (1995-99 — RCC/Liberal Arts and Radiography, Capella University and Viterbo University/ BA & MBA) Former Adjunct Faculty — Technical Theatre/Technical Director); “Currently Operations Manager of MRI and the Division of Neuroradiology for Mayo Clinic Health Sysytems. Radiography Certificate from RCC allowed me to pursue and succeed in Radiology.”•*Karen Richter (1989-92 ALTC/ Accounting) Business Office; “I made good friends here. I enjoyed the faculty and small classes.”

2000s•Brandon Kasper (2000-02 — RIVERLAND/ AA, St. Cloud State/BS) “Riverland helped me obtain my undergraduate elective credits without having to rob a bank.”•Travis Kasper (2003-05 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts-Theatre, UW LaCrosse) “It was very valuable to me to be able to live at home and start my higher education with reasonable tuition. I learned how to be a functioning and responsible adult.”•Bryan Gerber (1999-2002 — RIVERLAND/AA, Mankato State/BA in Dance) “Riverland gave me the diverse education I needed in order to accomplish my work in Minnesota. The valuable education I received through passionate and powerful friends and mentors at Riverland

enabled me to become the experienced and proven leader I am today. Riverland helped me shape the person I wanted to become and still influences the person I am today.”•Suzanne Gorvin (1999-2002 — RIVERLAND/Nursing, University of Phoenix/BSN-in progress) “ER nurse for 12.5 years. Great instructors!”•Erin Halvorson (2004-07 — RIVERLAND/AFA-Theatre, UW-Stout) “Riverland was a fantastic time in my life. I met lifelong friends through Riverland and have too many cherished memories to count. If I had never gone to Riverland I would have never found such amazing friends and instructors; therefore would never have found myself.”•Tyler Irvin (2000-2002-RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, UW-Superior/BS Theatre & minors in Library Science and Mathematics, Drexel University/MS Library and Information Science) “Riverland gave me an introduction in theatre and performance in general which helped my presentation skills.”•Carrie Braaten (2000-06 — RIVERLAND Liberal Arts/Theatre) “Riverland taught me how to have a strong work ethic, dedication, loyalty, and how to work as a team. I thank my experiences in theatre at Riverland for that.”•Jennifer Miller Brunick (2000 — RIVERLAND/AA, Mankato State/English & Speech Secondary Education) “I am a lifelong learner, and Riverland was part of what led me to where I am now. “•Salem Mahmoud (2005-07 — RIVERLAND/ AFA Theatre/AA, St. Cloud State/ BA English & Communication Studies) “Riverland prepared me to attend a university. Without Riverland, I would not have succeeded at a university and I have no idea where I would be today without my university education.”•Jennifer Bute (2004-07 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts & Theatre) Having an Associate degree from Riverland has always given me a step-up toward each goal I strive to achieve. So many of the faces I met as a student, continue to be my closest friends (and family) as an adult!”•Claudia Roman Jimenez (2007-09-RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, UW River Falls/BS, St. Thomas University-School of Divinity/MA-Theology pending) “Riverland opened the doors to success and prepared me to walk through them and follow through to the end. My experience there is still the best college experience so far. Thank you!”•Melissa Johnson (2005-07 — RIVERLAND/Theatre) “”I met the best friends I’ve ever had and I’m still friends with everyone. A truly great group of people.”


Riverland spotlights 75 students from the past!Throughout this publication you will find interesting facts and quotes from and by former students. Last fall, the 75th Anniversary Committee decided to conduct a survey on the Riverland website in the

hopes of getting at least 75 responses to use for this publication. We achieved 75 completed surveys in the first few hours and eventually received more than 200! This was not a contest — not intended to be the 75 Best — just 75 random students who took the time to reconnect. Included are many current and former employees who attended Riverland and then returned to work at the college. They are

marked with an asterisk. We grateful so many people helped make this possible and were impressed with their wonderful memories.1960s•Art Keller DC (1966-67-AJC, Mankato State, University of Health Sciences-Lombard BS & Doctor of Chiropractic) “It helped me transition more easily into college life. Successful private practice for 41 years in Austin, MN, and Houston, TX.”•Polly Isham Kinney (1966-68 — ASJC/Art & Theatre, Colorado State College/BA, University of Northern Iowa, MFA) “My experiences that started as ASJC set me on the path that I have chosen for my life’s work. I have been working on Broadway shows, for the Ballet over the years, and beading projects for The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.”•Diane Dutcher (1968-70 ASJC/Liberal Arts, Winona State/BS in Education, Mankato State/Adapted Physical Ed) “Wonderful instructors who nudged me to really think about the world and how to contribute to it. Taught for 37 years. Started the girls’ sports programs in Harmony, MN, in 1972.”•*Jerry Girton (1969-71 ASJC/AA, Southwest State/ BS, Mankato State/ MFA) — Theatre Faculty Emeritus “Choosing to attend ASJC at the last minute was the best educational decision I made.”•*Jim Mohn (1967-68 AAVTI/ Autobody Rebuilding) Emeritus Faculty; “Riverland is one of the best places that someone can find success in a technical field or academic studies.”

•*Jan Waller (1968-70 — ASJC/Liberal Arts/Secretarial Sciences, Winona State/BS, Southwest State/MS) Faculty-Administrative Support Careers/Administration - Dean of Academic Affairs; “I cherish the friends and professional colleagues relationships made throughout the years here. I am proud to be an alum of Riverland Community College.”

1970s•Bryce Baker (1969-71 — ASJC/Liberal Arts, U of M-Carlson School of Management/BS Business Administration) “ASJC helped develop independence and critical Thinking.”•Christine Wilkenson Butler (1970-71 ASJC/Liberal Arts-Music, University of Arizona, Mankato State/BS El Ed & Music, Southwest State/MA, St. Thomas/Post Masters) “ASJC was affordable, offered unique opportunities and built self-confidence.”•Candace Evans-Drees (1973-75-ASJC/ACC, Normandale Junior College/Medical Lab Assistant Program) “A good place to start my post high school education. It helped me to leave home to attend Normandale where I completed the Medical Lab Assistant Program.”•Don Leathers (1920-72 ASJC/AA, U of M, Minneapolis/BA English/BS Secondary Education)

“ASJC provided me with a solid educational foundation and instilled in me a curiosity to search for the truth. 34 years in the classroom.”•Alan Madison (1970-71 — ASJC/Liberal Arts/Music, Luther College/BA) “”ASJC provided an excellent transition from high school to college in the one year I attended. I left for Luther with a better appreciation of what would be expected on the college level.”•*Michael J. Bute (1977-79 ALAVTI/Diesel Mechanics, 2004/05 RCC/Liberal Arts) — Faculty — 15 years — “”It prepared me for the field I went to work in for many years.”•*John Drees (1972-74 AAVTI/Agricultural Mechanics) Customized Training and Education; “After graduation I was hired at the first and only job I applied for.”•*Brenda O’Connor (1979-81 AAVTI/Legal Secretarial Diploma, 1985-86 ACC/Liberal Arts) Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Employees &Technology; “My Riverland story is one of success on so many levels.”•*Mary K. Peterson (1977-2010 AAVTI/ATI/MRTC/RCC/Graphics, Liberal Arts) Retired - Business Office “I had a great opportunity as an employee to be encouraged to further my education.”•*Dean Ulland (1968-70 — ASJC/Liberal Arts, Mankato State — BS/MS) Adjunct Faculty-

History; “ William Rupert was my most memorable instructor.”•*Judy Miller Tabor (1971 — AAVTI/Legal Secretary) Former Personnel Assistant, Human Resources; “Was hired for my first job immediately after graduating and stayed there for 26 years.”

1980s•Lisa Lyle Deyo (1979-81- ACC/Liberal Arts, Luther College/ BA Elementary Ed/Special Ed, Walden University-Masters in Education) “The Community College was definitely the right move for me. I saved the money I needed to go to a private school later, was involved in activities that I wouldn’t have pursued in a larger setting, and got a quality education!”•Danna Lastine Nelson (1988-89-ACC/Social Work, Moorhead State/BSW) “ACC prepared me for a bigger university and allowed me to stay home one more year. I have been a child protection social worker for 13 years and love it.”•*Walt Alms — (1979-81 AAVTI - Carpentry) (Faculty — Carpentry, 27 years) — “My instructor was not only a mentor, but became a lifelong friend.”

75th anniversary letters of congratulationsDear Administration, Faculty, and

Staff of Riverland Community College,

It is my pleasure and honor to congratulate Riverland Community College on its 75th anniversary of offering high-quality education for the southern Minnesota area. What an incredible achievement to have maintained the same commitment to preparing our young adults for their careers for this length of time!

For as long as I can remember, Riverland Community College has been a term in our area that is synonymous with quality education and excellent service. The many young people who have attended Riverland and gone on to productive lives and careers are a living testament to this quality. Riverland Community College has been a true example of the positive

impact a successful community college system can have on its surrounding

communities.The hard work and

dedication that the Riverland administration, faculty, and staff have devoted to our students and our community throughout these many years is highly commendable, as is the contribution of the many hard working students who have gone through this college. Thank you, Riverland Community College, for 75 years of providing quality

education to our communities!

Bennett

I would like to offer my congratulations to everyone

at Riverland Community College on celebrating 75 years of education excellence! I have always been proud of the work you do and appreciative of what you mean to our community.

Access to quality educational opportunities are crucial to our economic success and essential to individual attainment. I am pleased to recognize Riverland Community College for its commitment to the betterment

of the people and businesses of Southern Minnesota and beyond.

You should take great pride in all that you do to serve students and the community. I wish you and your staff continued success and hope you will take some time to enjoy a much-deserved celebration of all of your school’s accomplishments.

State Senator, District 27

Sparks

Congratulations are in order to Riverland Community College

as it commemorates its 75th anniversary as a community college in Minnesota. Community colleges hold an important place among higher education institutions providing opportunities for students on their life/career journey.

The enduring legacy of a good community college is its ability to serve students and families, develop partnerships with businesses and other educational providers, and results in sustaining and strengthening the economic vitality of a region by keeping the workforce supplied with graduates.

Riverland Community College, serving the southern Minnesota region including Freeborn, Mower, and Steele Counties, has proven itself worthy of

this 75th year anniversary. It is a strong example of a community college with a

mission to serve, a commitment to engage, and a record of success of which to be proud.

It is an honor to recognize Riverland Community College for its role in building strong community relationships and educating thousands of regional citizens throughout its decades of existence.

Congratulations to students, faculty, administration and

the communities at large who helped Riverland reach this milestone!

Poppe

Congratulations to you on the 75th anniversary of

Riverland Community College!Your institution has been

an incredible resource for the state of Minnesota. You have reason to be proud of 75 years’ worth of academic tradition and excellence. It was a pleasure meeting with you recently and I know you will continue to lead Riverland in the right direction.

Again, congratulations on the 75th

anniversary of Riverland Community College! Please stay in touch with any legislative matters that concern you.

Petersburg

Congratulations to Riverland Community

College as you celebrate 75 years of serving the people and businesses of Austin!

While more than a decade has passed since I had the honor of serving as your president, I have not forgotten the outstanding students, faculty, and staff that make up the Riverland Community College family.

May you continue to improve the lives of those you educate and contribute to the quality of life for all

in the Austin community.

Sincerely,Gary L. Rhodes, Ed.D.

Reynolds Communicty College President

(Former Riverland President)

Rhodes

Dear President Atewologun,

congratulations on Riverland’s 75th anniversary! The continued success of your college community is a testament to the quality of programs and atmosphere that you provide our students in southern Minnesota.

“I’m proud to have a Riverland campus in my district, and am always happy to hear about the opportunities that are being provided to our young people there.

Under your leadership I’m certain that Riverland will continue to inspire personal success through education.

Best of luck on the next 75 years. I look forward to working together to bring our students the best opportunities our state has to offer.

Congratulations again,State Sen Vicki Jensen, District 24

Jensen

QUOTES continues on Pages 17, 18


Dedicated faculty teach the sciencesBy Pamela TranbyBiology Instructor

The sciences at Riverland Community College include biology, chemistry and physics. The faculty in these departments are passionate about their subject matter and strive to provide a quality education-al experience to their students.

The Biology department at Riverland Community College currently consists of four full-time faculty: Dr. Pamela Tranby, Dr. Alan Erdahl, Charles Meyer and SusanKnoll. These faculty have been involved with a variety of initiatives and have been award recipients. Two of our faculty, Pamm Tranby and Al Erdahl have received the Minnesota State Col-leges and Universities Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Teaching. Pamm received the award in 2011 and Al was the recipient in 2013. Sue Knoll has been awarded Riverland Foundation Grants, one in 2013 and one in 2014, towards initia-tives in the classroom and community. Al Erdahl was awarded a grant in 2011 to re-search the effectiveness of various online teaching practices. Pamm and Sue have also completed the American Society for Microbiology Scholar program, and Pamm is currently a case study writer for the national NSF CCURI grant. Pamm served as Vice President of Academic Affairs from 1998- 2001 and Interim Dean of Allied Health fromn 2011-2013, opting each time to return to teaching, com-pleted her Ph.D. in Community College Leadership in 2012 and served as MSCF grievance rep for many years, as well as Assessment Coordinator.

Many initiatives have focused on achieving excellence in the courses that are offered by the Biology department. Several biology courses have received Quality Matters (QM) Certification for those that are delivered online or in a hy-

brid format. QM Certified courses meet a national design standard set by Maryland Online. Current QM courses are: Biology 1091: General Biology I and Biology 1092: General Biology II developed by Chuck Meyer, Biology 2021: Anatomy and Phys-iology I and Biology 2022: Anatomy and Physiology II developed by Al Erdahl, and Biology 2040: General Microbiology (hy-brid) developed by Sue Knoll.

The number of online courses offered through the biology department has ris-en. The courses that are currently being offered online are: Biology 1000: Biologi-cal Science, Biology 1020: Current Topics in Biology, Biology 1030: Human Biology, Biology 1040: Biology of Women, Biology 1060: Microbes and Society (new in 2015), Biology 2020: Human Nutrition, Biology 2021: Anatomy and Physiology I and Biol-ogy 2022: Anatomy and Physiology II.

The chemistry department at River-land currently has one full-time faculty member, Catherine Haslag. She and ad-junct faculty teach the following courses: Introduction to Chemistry (CHEM 1000), is offered in hybrid format (lecture on-line, lab meets on campus weekly) and entirely online. Both are Quality Matters Certified. General, Organic and Biochem-istry (CHEM 1121), was developed in 2012 to teach chemistry as it applies to biolog-ical systems. General Chemistry I and II (CHEM 1201 and 1202) meets the needs of students who intend to major in a science field.

Chemistry faculty, Catherine Haslag, was honored by the Rotary Club of Aus-tin as Educator of the Year in June for her work on the Science Fair Mentoring Project. Haslag started this program in the fall of 2014 after noticing some Austin elementary school students faced barri-ers that prevented them from receiving the support required to successfully par-

ticipating in the STEAM Expo (science fair). This program worked with third and fourth grade students at Sumner and Neveln Elementary Schools in Austin to assist them in completing projects for the science fair. Because of this program, over 100 students from these schools participated in the STEAM Expo in March 2015. About 35 students from these schools participated in the STEAM Expo in 2014.

Haslag was also awarded Riverland Foundation grants in 2011, 2012, and 2013 to aid in achieving classroom initiatives.

With the retirement of Dr. Amin this past academic year, the science depart-ment has welcomed a new full time facul-ty member, William Mekeel. Mr. Mekeel will be teaching courses in Physics, Agronomy and Human Geography.

In the last year, Riverland Biology and Chemistry faculty have served on advisory committees that have led in the successful development of the following Associate in Science (AS) programs: Ag-ricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science. These programs are part of an articulation agreement with Minneso-ta State University Mankato. Three new certificate programs were also approved: Precision Agriculture, Agribusiness and Food Science. Courses in these programs are being offered this academic year.

Science faculty at Riverland were instrumental in supporting the Science Fair Mentoring Project. The 290 third and fourth graders at Sumner and Neveln came to Riverland to participate in the Science Fair Kick-Off that was held in fall 2014. Science faculty led experiments that introduced these students to the scientific method. Other faculty came to the schools and talked with students about their research experiences during an activity called “Meet the Scientists.” This allowed

students to talk with real live scientists, something many of these students had never had the opportunity to do.

Science faculty have volunteered to judge at local science fairs and have visit-ed with local elementary students when they have toured the Riverland Commu-nity College science labs. Chuck Meyer continues to volunteer and lead student involvement with the Nature Conservan-cy, an organization concerned with land sustainability and protection of the envi-ronment.

Sue Knoll and Catherine Haslag col-laborated in a 2014 Riverland Foundation Grant to create the Promising Scientist Award. This award was given to students who showed creativity in their science fair project and excellent application of the scientific method in their experi-mental design. This award was given to six students at I.J. Holton and Southgate who met the criteria set. Each student received a certificate and a subscription to a science magazine of their choice. The science departments plan to continue to offer this award at the 2016 STEAM Expo.

Knoll and Haslag were also awarded a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) grant in 2011 to develop a collaborative laboratory experiment that incorporated cell culture techniques into biology and chemistry courses. Students learned aseptic techniques and real-world applications in biotechnology careers.

Dr. Abu Amin, Chuck Jahren’s replace-ment, retired as Physical Science and Earth Science faculty in the fall of 2014.

All of the astronomy, biology, chemis-try and physics courses offered at River-land meet Minnesota Transfer Curricu-lum and can transfer to other institutions within the Minnesota State Colleges and University (MnSCU) system.

To celebrate anniversary, Riverland’s athletic department inducted teamsBy David LillemonAthletic Director

The Hall of Fame induction started in the fall of 1997 with 10 members going into the inaugural Hall of Fame. Every other year since then there has been six individual alumni inducted into the Hall of Fame. In conjunction with Riverland Community College’s 75th anniversary, the Hall of Fame committee decided that this year would be a great time to induct

eight teams. Based on nominations from the outside community and from athletic director David Lillemon, the committee then voted in the teams to be inducted.

The ceremony took place on May 29, 2015 at Wedgewood Cove in Albert Lea. There were 115 individuals from these 8 teams to be inducted. Eighty-seven members and/or family members of the inductees were found and invited to the ceremony. With family and friends, there

were 208 people who were at the event. The following teams were inducted in-

to the Hall of Fame:•Football 1947-48•Men’s Basketball 1951-52•Men’s Golf 1965-66 •Baseball 1971-72•Women’s Basketball 1976-77•Softball 1979-80•Women’s Tennis 1986-87•Men’s Tennis 1990-91

The following morning on May 30, the Foundation hosted a “Breakfast of Champions” in the gymnasium of all the teams and families. More than 140 people attended the event. Following the breakfast, there were tours offered of both campuses in Austin and pictures were taken of each team. In the after-noon, the first annual alumni golf event was held at Wedgewood Cove and 38 players teed off in the fundraiser.

Riverland MAP: Inspiring personal success for all studentsBy Mary DavenportVice President of Academic and Student Affairs

Riverland Community Col-lege has been inspiring per-sonal success through educa-tion for 75 years. Today, Riv-erland Community College continues that focus through a renewed emphasis to help students advance, achieve and graduate as outlined in the Strategic Vision: A Blue-print for Excellence 2015-2020. In this document, the college commits to offer high quality programming that will promote student success, meet stakeholder needs, and inspire partnerships.

The college community aims to deliver continuous academic improvement in the quest for academic excel-lence.

Just as a captain will chart a course of a ship, Riverland faculty are navigating their positioning to significantly

improve student engagement and learning, guided by suc-cessful strategies proven to impact the student experi-

ence through a Master Ac-ademic Plan, or MAP. The destination is a significant-ly improved success rate of Riverland Community College stu-dents over

the next five years as mea-sured by student retention; completion of a certificate, diploma or degree; and, transfer for continued educa-tion or job placement.

Five strategic initiatives plot out the Riverland Com-munity College MAP. Identi-fication of the starting points and components of the MAP are now underway.

Initiative Goal Faculty Leader•First Year Experience

Increase student retention and success by creating and providing a first semester or first year student experience.

Dr. Barb Houle,Psychology

•Individualized Student Pathway

Increase enrollment by identifying and developing specific procedures to assist each admitted student create a personalized education pathway.

Jeanne Poppe,Counselor

•Course Redesign/Teaching and Learning

Increase enrollment and retention by establishing support for course re-design and restructuring that emphasizes innovative teaching and learning strategies.

Heidi Schara,Speech and Communications

•Student Engagement Promote learning through civic engagement.

Olle Gladso,Auto Service Technician

•Online Education Develop online educational pathways for students who desire an Associate Degree.

Dr. Deb McManimon,Business

Davenport


Riverland Community College Leadership History, 1940 to PresentAustin Junior College Est. 1940 (included vocational training classes)1940 – 1967 Rueben I. Meland, College Dean

Austin State Junior College1967 – 1969 Rueben I. Meland, College Dean1969 – 1970 Rueben I. Meland, President1970 – 1974 Curtis C. Mac Donald, President

Austin Community College1974 – 1976 Curtis C. Mac Donald, President1976 – 1982 Arlan A. Burmeister, President1982 – 1984 James D. Flannery, Acting President, Dean of Instructional Services1984 – 1990 James D. Flannery, President1990 – 1992 Steven R. Wallace, President1992 – 1996 Vicky R. Smith, President

Riverland Community College Est. 1996 (a merger of Austin Community College (established in 1940 as Austin Junior College), Riverland Technical College – Austin (established in 1951 as Austin Area Vocational School) and Owatonna campuses [sic], and South Central Technical College – Albert Lea (established in 1968 as Albert Lea Technical Education Center).1996 – 1999 John J. Gedker, President1999 – 2002 Gary L. Rhodes, President2002 – 2003 James R. Davis, Interim President 2003 – 2012 Terrence Leas, President2012 – 2013 Kent Hanson, Interim PresidentJuly 1, 2013 to present Adenuga Atewologun, PresidentAustin Area Vocational-Technical School Est. 1951 (established by Austin Board of Education as part of the Austin Public School system).1951 – 1957 Floyd J. Lueben, Director1957 – 1972 Morton A. Carney, Director

Austin Area Vocational-Technical Institute1972 – 1977 Morton A. Carney, Director1977 – 1983 Donald C. Ingram, Director1983 – 1986 Marjorie L. Kirchkoff, Director (first female Vocational Director in the state of MN)

Austin Technical Institute1986 – 1989 Marjorie L. Kirchkoff, Director

Austin Technical College1989 – 1991 Marjorie L. Kirchkoff, Director

Minnesota Riverland Technical College Est. July 1, 1991 (a merger of Austin Technical College, Faribault Technical College, Rochester Technical College and Owatonna Technical Training Center).1991 – 1995 Marlin Wacholz, President1995 – 1996 Donald T. Olson, Interim President

NOTE: 1996 to Present: A merger of Austin Community College (established in 1940 as Austin Junior College), Riverland Technical College – Austin (established in 1951 as Austin Area Vocational School) and Owatonna campuses [sic], and South Central Technical College – Albert Lea (established in 1968 as Albert Lea Technical Education Center). (Please refer to the leadership of Riverland Community College for presidents.)

Albert Lea Area Vocational-Technical Institute Est. 19681969 – 1984 Wayne V. Broecker, Director 1984 – 1989 Dave Sayre, Director

Albert Lea Technical College1989 – 1992 Terry Lemer, President

Albert Lea/Mankato Technical College1992 – 1993 Kenneth H. Mills, Regional President

South Central Technical College1993 – 1996 Kenneth H. Mills, Regional President

Riverland Community College Est. 1996 NOTE: 1996 to Present: A merger of Austin Community College (established in 1940 as Austin Junior College), Riverland Technical College – Austin (established in 1951 as Austin Area Vocational School) and Owatonna campuses [sic], and South Central Technical College – Albert Lea (established in 1968 as Albert Lea Technical Education Center). (Please refer to the leadership of Riverland Community College for presidents.)

Owatonna Extension Center (Austin State Junior College) Est. 1971 1971 – 1973 Frank W. Bridges, Director

Owatonna Technical Training Center Est. 19831983 – 1998 Larry Achterhoff, Custom Training Coordinator,James Wagner, Facilities Manager, andJohn Gedker, Adult Education/Custom Training Director

Owatonna Higher Education Center Est. 19981998 – 1999 Rick Casey, Vice President of Advancement1999 – 2002 Steve Bowron, Dean of Riverland Training and Development

Owatonna College and University Center Est. 20022002 – 2008 Peter Scheffert, Academic Dean (Management Education)

Riverland Community College (Owatonna campus) Est. 2008 NOTE: The Owatonna College and University Center (OCUC) is acquired by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities as its 54th campus and as Riverland Community College’s 3rd campus. The above leadership reflects directors who worked for the Riverland Community College president.(Please refer to the leadership of Riverland Community College for presidents.)

Meland

This historic picture of the Riverland Community College campus in Austin shows what the school looked like in the early years at the site in northwest. Photo provided by Riverland Community College

With high rate of retirements, future is bright for graduatesBy Gary SchindlerRiverland Dean of Students

I have been in a leadership role at Riverland Communi-ty College since 1989. First as a counselor and financial aid director and now as the Dean of Student Affairs. Over those years I have wit-nessed significant changes in the Riverland student body. Over the past 25 years there are more first-genera-tion students, more women, more students with disabil-ities, and the most signifi-cant change of all, increased ethnic diversity at River-land Community College. In 1989, our ethnic diversity, as a percentage of the student body, was in the single dig-its; today it is approaching 20 percent. The shift in the student body demonstrates that our value of access to higher education is real and

prospering.What hasn’t changed over

the years is the transfor-mation that occurs with our students while they are here. The students at Riv-erland grow in confidence with each passing semester. They are excited about the knowledge and skills that they have gained from our faculty and their peers. They gain a rich awareness of their readiness to join the workforce or to transfer to a university.

What does the future have in store for our graduates? It will be a world full of opportunity! With 10,000 re-tirements a day in the Unit-ed States and a Minnesota workforce that will require 74 percent of all new hires to have a college education, ac-cess to college is essential to the economy of the state.

Library will continue to be a space for learningBy Keith CichRiverland Library Technician

If it’s been a while since you’ve visited the Riverland Community College Library, now is the perfect time to stop by the Austin campus and reacquaint yourself with our updated layout. We have been working diligently over the past two years to transform our library into a space that is not only ideal for research and studying, but also for collabo-rative learning and community interaction.

When you walk through the library doors, you’ll first notice a lot of open space. We’ve taken down and relocated many of our library stacks on the first floor to give library users some much needed room to breathe.

Relax with a good book in one of our plush, oversized armchairs or make your way back to our large atrium windows; perfect for soaking up some warm, re-laxing sunlight. There are am-ple tables and chairs for group study as well as collaborative technology for meetings and projects. Need a quiet space to study? Slip upstairs to our sec-ond level where private study carrels are available and voice levels must be kept to a whisper.

Another main advantage of our space redesign is the ability to increase our library programming. One of our ma-jor program offerings during the academic year is our Li-brary Lecture Series. This open themed series brings in a faculty, staff or community

member each month to present over the lunch hour. Previous topics range from a history of African American jazz per-formers to sailing expeditions around Cape Horn to Germans living in Minnesota during World War II. This has been a well-received series that is free and open to the public.

It is our hope that the Riv-erland Library will continue to be a learning space in the fullest sense of the word. The library is a place where we find a history of seemingly endless knowledge within our physical collections and digital resources. But it is also a place where we remember many of our most valuable insights and discoveries often emanate from the people we find around us.

Student activities and organizations•ACCENT: A Creative Arts Journal•Amnesty International •College Choir•Criminal Justice Society •Frequency•Gaming Club •Home Builder’s

Association•Human Services Club DEEDS•Music•Nursing Student Forum•O.W.L.S. (Older Wiser Learning Students)•Phi Theta Kappa•R.I.O.T. (Righteous Invasion of Truth)

•RCGSA (Riverland Community Gay-Straight Alliance)•Radiography Honor Society - Lambda Nu•Skills USA•Intercollegiate Athletics•Student Ambassadors•Student Senate•Theater


Magic and monsters on the stage Riverland Theatre looks ahead to 2015-16 seasonBy Lindsey Duoos WilliamsRiverland Theatre Director

One of the most exciting and challeng-ing parts of my job as Theatre Director at Riverland Community College is plan-ning each season of plays and musicals. The shows must complement each other, with a variety of styles and subject mat-ter to challenge our students. However, we also want to provide our audiences with an entertaining season that pres-ents both thought-provoking drama and laugh-inducing comedy. Our upcoming 2015-2016 theatre season does just that: while our students take on the challenge of performing Shakespeare to Sondheim, our audiences will enjoy two shows never before seen at Riverland.

This season will kick off with the pop-ular musical “Into the Woods,” playing

Oct. 7-11. With music and lyrics by Ste-phen Sondheim, this show is a “mash up” of many familiar fairy tales. While the first act follows familiar characters such as Cinderella, Jack, and Little Red as they make their wishes come true, the second act shows us what happens after “happily ever after.” Some of our audience mem-bers might have seen the recent Disney film adaptation; we promise that the orig-

inal stage musical is even better, and this show is bound to be a hit.

Next up this fall is the play “Dancing at Lughnasa” by Brian Friel, playing Nov. 18-22. This Tony Award-winning play follows a family of sisters in 1930s Ireland as several unexpected visitors from their past throw their lives into turmoil. This is the first time “Dancing at Lughnasa” has been performed at Riverland, and our audiences are bound to be moved by this beautiful and haunting play.

Riverland Theatre plans to start the new year with some Shakespeare! Feb. 24-28 will bring his classic comedy “Much Ado About Nothing” to the Frank W. Bridges Stage. 2016 will mark the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, and so it is the perfect time to cele-brate his work and legacy through one of his most popular comedies.

The conclusion of our season will be the hilarious Broadway musical “Young Frankenstein.” Mel Brooks’s 1974 film is often called one of the funniest movies ever made, and the musical adaptation is bound to be just as popular with audienc-es. With a mad scientist, a leggy blonde

assistant, a hunchbacked sidekick, and a tap dancing monster, what more could you want? “Young Frankenstein” will run April 21-23 and April 28-May 1.

All of our performances take place at the Frank W. Bridges Theatre at River-land’s Austin campus in the East build-ing. Season tickets are on sale now online at www.riverland.edu/tickets. Our box office will open for the season on Septem-ber 8, and tickets can be purchased by calling 507-433-0595. Individual tickets will also go on sale on Sept. 8.

Many people don’t know that partici-pation in our Riverland Theatre produc-tions is open to all community members. We encourage everyone with an interest in performing to audition, even if you are not a currently enrolled student. Audi-tions for our fall shows were held in late August, but we will be holding more audi-tions in future months for the spring play and musical. For more information, visit www.riverland.edu/theatre or like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RiverlandTheatreMusic.

We hope you’ll consider joining us for another exciting season at the theatre!

Actors perform a scene in “Legally Bonde: the Musical” last season.

Austin Area Vocational School • 1951-1972Austin Junior College

Austin Area Vocational School • 1955-1959Austin State Junior College • 1966-1973

1968-1984

1972-1987

1973-1992

1983

1983-1984

1984-1989

1987-1990

1989-1991

1990-1991

1991

1991-1996

1991-1996

1992-1996

1996-2007

1940-1946

History of Logos

College continues tradition of recognizing gradsThe Distinguished Alumni Award program began in 1979 to honor distinguished alumni in recognition of their

personal and professional achievements, contributions to the achievement of the college’s and/or foundation’s mission, community leadership that promotes partnerships with the college, and/or significant contributions to society or the community. Beginning 2004, the award is bestowed every even-numbered year.

1979: James Mork, Judge for Minnesota District Court 1980: LaVonne Painter, Physician1981: Colleen Ashton, Actress1982: Phyllis (Dankers) Yes, Artist and Eductor1983: Stephen Wright, Engineer1985: Tom Nelson, Senator for State of Minnesota 1987: Mary Weber Keenan,

County Commissioner1988: Paul Good Nature, Educator1989: Charles Jahren, Austin Community College Instructor1990: James Flannery, Austin Community College President1991: Jerry Anfinson, Certi-fied Public Accountant1992: Fred Robinson, Own-er of Robinson Business

Forms1993: Joe Mott, Crane Com-munity Chapel Minister1994: J. Douglas Myers, Austin Public Schools Su-perintendent 1995: Greg Meyer, State Farm Insurance Business Owner2004: C. Jerry Nelson, Pro-fessor of Agronomy2006: Ardell Brede, Mayor of Rochester

2008: J. Thomas Mott, Min-nesota District Court Judge2010: Scott Richardson, Attorney-at-Law2012: Dr. Donna R. Schu-macher, Nursing Education Specialist for the Multidis-ciplinary Simulation Center, Mayo Clinic2014: John Gray, Hormel Cash Manager and Hormel Foundation Assistant Secre-tary-Treasurer

Athletics•Baseball•Fastpitch Softball•Men’s Basketball•Soccer•Volleyball•Women’s Basketball


Le français is for you!French classes back at RiverlandBy Melissa SiebkeEnglish Instructor

French is back! French has not been taught at Riverland Community College for over five years. However, start-ing in August 2015, French returned. In order to make it convenient and accessible for students, language lover and instructor Melissa Siebke will teach French online. Stu-dents will be able to complete the weekly assignments ac-cording to their lives without having to restructure their personal and professional schedules. If you have any questions, please contact Me-lissa Siebke by email or phone ([email protected] or 507.433.0561).

Pourquoi (why) French? Studying the French lan-

guage and Francophone cultures opens doors to personal enrichment and professional advancement. Personally, you will develop an appreciation for Franco-phone literature, music, and film, increase your global understanding of more than 200 million French speakers on six continents, and make travel more feasible and enjoyable. Since French is the second most widely spo-ken foreign language after English, you will improve employment opportunities at multinational companies around the world and wage earning potential. There are even opportunities to spend a fully funded year abroad in France; you will make life-long friends and increase the understanding of yourself and your culture. Le français is for you! Start studying French at Riverland!

Tech driving business classes By Jill HolmesBusiness Instructor

The College’s Business Department has seen many changes since the College opened. Some of those chang-es include program offerings, accreditation for its two de-grees, curriculum revisions, technology usage, and chang-es in the student body demo-graphics.

The department meets the needs of our communities by offering three program op-tions — Associate in Arts (AA) Business Concentration, 60 credits; Associate in Science (AS), Business, 60 credits; and Business Certificate, 22 cred-its. The Business Concentra-tion’s curriculum is designed for the individual who plans to transfer to a four-year univer-sity. The AS Business degree focuses on individuals who are interested in entering the business world or looking to

update business knowledge and skills. Students interested in a one-year program con-sider the Business certificate which is designed to expose students to business topics. In-dividuals can begin these op-tions fall, spring, or summer semester.

The AA and AS degrees are accredited through the Ac-creditation Council for Busi-ness Schools and Programs (ACBSP). ACBSP globally accredits two- and four-year business programs. In Novem-ber 2011 Riverland was the first rural MnSCU college to earn this accreditation.

Business classes use com-puters and the college’s course management system for course material delivery, assignment completion, and communication. Classes are available oncampus and online. In fall 2005 the depart-ment began offering its busi-

ness majors in a fully online format. The Business Depart-ment is the first department to have all of its online courses Quality Matters certified, which is a nationally recog-nized peer review process de-signed to confirm the quality of online courses and online components. A curriculum change in spring 2013 include the option of an internship.

In looking at our student make-up 75 years ago, most students attended Riverland right out of high school and completed their coursework in a face-to-face setting. Today there is a mix of traditional and non-traditional students. Many non-traditional stu-dents attend classes while working full or part-time and managing a family. The department also has a large number of students who com-plete their degree or certifi-cate online.

Riverland History, 1940 to Present 1940: Austin Junior CollegeThis excerpt was taken from Academic Dean Ruben Meland’s document titled “Austin Junior College – Nine Years of Community Service.” “Austin Junior College opened its doors of opportunity to the youth of this community on September 3, 1940. The enrollment the first year was comprised of 138 freshmen, served by a faculty of five full-time and four part-time instructors.” (See 1966 for name change)

1951: Austin Area Vocational-Technical SchoolThe “Selected Report on Austin Junior College Prepared for Minnesota Junior College Board dated December 1963” (last page) states: “The Austin Area Vocational-Technical School was established in Austin, Minnesota as a part of the public school system in 1951 and at present (Dec. 1963) provides post high school training to an enrollment of about 250 in: Carpentry, Farm Equipment Mechanics, Welding, Machine Shop (tool & die), Automotive Mechanics, Auto Body Rebuilding, Industrial Electronics, Practical Nursing, and Cosmetology (beauty school).” (See 1972 for name change.)

1966: Austin Junior College moves to new location, changes name to Austin State Junior CollegeRuben Meland, college dean and president, wrote in his memoirs some observations about the beginning and the early years of Austin

Junior College, “In June 1966, we moved our offices into the new administration wing and we opened for classes September 22, 1966, (our 26th year) with about 850 students and a faculty of 40. At this same time our name was officially changed to Austin State Junior College. The new college campus was officially dedicated on January 29, 1967.”

1968: Albert Lea Area Vocational-Technical School Established“A Brief History of the MN AVTI System and Directors” (page 13) states, “Albert Lea was tentatively approved by the State Board of Education on September 30, 1968. They received the final approval on November 4, 1968.” Mr. Wayne Broecker is the Director of the AVTI at Albert Lea.” (See 1972 for name change.)

1971: Austin State Junior College Owatonna Extension Center opensAn excerpt from a laminated Owatonna People’s Press advertisement dated September 16, 1971 states, “Austin State Junior College Owatonna Extension Center, classes starting Monday, September 20, 1971 at 12:30 p.m.” Another excerpt from a Owatonna People’s Press advertisement headline dated November 17, 1971 states, “Let’s start college in Owatonna, Minnesota, Austin State Junior College. Owatonna campus [sic] located on the beautiful grounds of the State School.”

1972: Austin Area Vocational-Technical School changes name to Austin Area Vocational-Technical Institute

In an undated document created for the Mower County Historical Society Page 4 states, “During February of 1972 the move from the various sites started and the total moving of all programs to the new Austin Area Vocational-Technical School was completed in March of 1972. It was also during this time that the State Department of Education changed the names of all Area Vocational-Technical Schools to Area Vocational-Technical Institutes.”

1985: Owatonna Higher Education Center opensA memo dated March 3, 1998 from Tim McManimon, Owatonna community leader, to John Gedker, college president, states, “Riverland Community College has served the Owatonna area for the past 13 years, primarily in the area of customized training for business and industry. It is the Owatonna community vision to create a seamless link between education, work and the community.

1991: Minnesota Riverland Technical CollegeA “Historical Overview 1945 – 1995, 50 Years Minnesota Technical College System,” (page 46) states, “Minnesota Riverland Technical College, District #2501, was formed on July 1, 1991. MRTC is comprised of the Austin, Faribault, and Rochester campuses and the Owatonna Technical Training Center.”

1996: Riverland Community College Established on July 1, 1996 (name continues today)A memorandum from John Gedker, college president, dated 11/7/96 states, “Riverland

Community College was established on July 1, 1996. Austin Community College (established in 1940 as Austin Junior College), Riverland Technical College – Austin (established in 1951 as Austin Area Vocational School) and Owatonna campuses [sic], and South Central Technical College – Albert Lea (established in 1968 as Albert Lea Technical Education Center) campuses merged together to form Riverland Community College.”

2001: Owatonna College & University Center: An Owatonna People’s Press news story dated March 22, 2003 states, “January 14, 2002 was the first day classes were held at Owatonna College and University Center. Currently, Riverland is the host institution at OCUC and also offers classes at the site. Concordia University, St. Paul; Minnesota State University, Mankato; Southwest State University; University of St. Thomas; and South Central Technical College also offer classes.”

2008: The Owatonna College and University Center (OCUC) is acquired by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities as its 54th campus and designated as Third Riverland campusThe OCUC Celebration brochure dated February 17, 2009 states, “In April 2008, Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed into law a bonding bill that allowed the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to acquire the Owatonna College & University Center. On December 31, 2008, MnSCU finalized the sale. Three Partners. One Purpose. Minnesota State University, Mankato, Riverland Community College, and South Central College.


Music department boasts a rich historyBy Scott BlankenbakerRiverland Music Instructor

OverviewThe Riverland Music Department

is an active and vital presence in the college and its communities. The department offers a variety of courses, performances, opportunities, and concerts. Some students involved in Riverland Music ensembles intend to be music majors, however participation is open to all students.

Riverland offers students wishing to focus on music the opportunity to pursue an Associate in Arts —Music Emphasis. This degree fulfills the student’s general education requirements while simultaneously focusing study on performing, theoretical, and historical aspects of music.

Traditional coursework is enhanced by master classes from nationally and internationally-recognized artists; regular participation in festivals and competitions; the Casual Classics performance series; collaborations with organizations such as the

Austin Symphony Orchestra, Austin ArtWorks Center, Northwestern Singers, and Southeast Minnesota Chamber Orchestra. Riverland’s ensembles give regular performances throughout the state and region, highlighted by singing at Lincoln Center in 2003 and 2012, and Carnegie Hall in 2000 and 2014.

Then and NowMusic courses were an early

offering at the college. In the 1965-1966 academic year director Don Gunderson founded the Vocal Ensemble, known as “The Briars.” This ensemble featured voices accompanied by instruments and specialized in folk and popular styles of music. Nearly ten years ago the group’s name was changed to “Frequency.” It still maintains the emphasis on popular music, but has expanded to include rock, vocal jazz, Broadway, country, as well as some “classical” music. In its nearly 50-year history, the group has had only three directors — Don

Gunderson, Dick Flisrand, and Scott Blankenbaker.

See MUSIC, Page 11

Instructors on the music faculty have included:Brenda Atzinger, Scott Blankenbaker,* Cheryl Collins, Mark Conway, Holly Dalager, Tim Davis,* Angela Donlon, Neal Erickson,* Richard Flisrand, Wilbur Funk , Janet Gilbertson, Don Gunderson, David Hovland, Kerry Klungtvedt, Brian Koser, Don Lawhead, Lynee Larson,* Sonia Larson, Heath Matthews, Jan Muzik, Coni Nelson, Susan Radloff,* “Chum” Sandeen, Jesse Smith, Scott Stroud, Craig Thompson, Anne Walker, Peter Wangen,* Griffin Woodworth,* and others.

*Denotes current faculty

From Page 10

The College Choir is the college’s concert choir. It is open to any Riverland student without audition.

During the boom years of the 1960s through 1980s the college also boasted a concert band and, for a time, a chamber orchestra. Other instrumental ensembles have included a recorder consort and instrumental ensemble (jazz and rock). Today, students are able to play for college

credit in the Austin Symphony Orchestra as well as in pit orchestras. Individual and group lessons are

offered in most common instruments including piano, voice, guitar, organ, strings, brasses, and percussion.

The biggest change impacting the field of music in the last several years involves technology, particularly digital recording and production technology. Riverland Music offers “Introduction to Digital Media” and “Introduction to Digital Audio and Music Production” in a dedicated Macintosh lab. Students have access to additional workstations and sate-of-the-art software. The department offers music courses are fully online as well as traditional face-to-face courses.

Riverland Community College’s Frequency ensemble performs in May of 2015. Photo provided by Riverland Community College


Music department boasts a rich historyBy Scott BlankenbakerRiverland Music Instructor

OverviewThe Riverland Music Department

is an active and vital presence in the college and its communities. The department offers a variety of courses, performances, opportunities, and concerts. Some students involved in Riverland Music ensembles intend to be music majors, however participation is open to all students.

Riverland offers students wishing to focus on music the opportunity to pursue an Associate in Arts —Music Emphasis. This degree fulfills the student’s general education requirements while simultaneously focusing study on performing, theoretical, and historical aspects of music.

Traditional coursework is enhanced by master classes from nationally and internationally-recognized artists; regular participation in festivals and competitions; the Casual Classics performance series; collaborations with organizations such as the

Austin Symphony Orchestra, Austin ArtWorks Center, Northwestern Singers, and Southeast Minnesota Chamber Orchestra. Riverland’s ensembles give regular performances throughout the state and region, highlighted by singing at Lincoln Center in 2003 and 2012, and Carnegie Hall in 2000 and 2014.

Then and NowMusic courses were an early

offering at the college. In the 1965-1966 academic year director Don Gunderson founded the Vocal Ensemble, known as “The Briars.” This ensemble featured voices accompanied by instruments and specialized in folk and popular styles of music. Nearly ten years ago the group’s name was changed to “Frequency.” It still maintains the emphasis on popular music, but has expanded to include rock, vocal jazz, Broadway, country, as well as some “classical” music. In its nearly 50-year history, the group has had only three directors — Don

Gunderson, Dick Flisrand, and Scott Blankenbaker.

See MUSIC, Page 11

Instructors on the music faculty have included:Brenda Atzinger, Scott Blankenbaker,* Cheryl Collins, Mark Conway, Holly Dalager, Tim Davis,* Angela Donlon, Neal Erickson,* Richard Flisrand, Wilbur Funk , Janet Gilbertson, Don Gunderson, David Hovland, Kerry Klungtvedt, Brian Koser, Don Lawhead, Lynee Larson,* Sonia Larson, Heath Matthews, Jan Muzik, Coni Nelson, Susan Radloff,* “Chum” Sandeen, Jesse Smith, Scott Stroud, Craig Thompson, Anne Walker, Peter Wangen,* Griffin Woodworth,* and others.

*Denotes current faculty

From Page 10

The College Choir is the college’s concert choir. It is open to any Riverland student without audition.

During the boom years of the 1960s through 1980s the college also boasted a concert band and, for a time, a chamber orchestra. Other instrumental ensembles have included a recorder consort and instrumental ensemble (jazz and rock). Today, students are able to play for college

credit in the Austin Symphony Orchestra as well as in pit orchestras. Individual and group lessons are

offered in most common instruments including piano, voice, guitar, organ, strings, brasses, and percussion.

The biggest change impacting the field of music in the last several years involves technology, particularly digital recording and production technology. Riverland Music offers “Introduction to Digital Media” and “Introduction to Digital Audio and Music Production” in a dedicated Macintosh lab. Students have access to additional workstations and sate-of-the-art software. The department offers music courses are fully online as well as traditional face-to-face courses.

Riverland Community College’s Frequency ensemble performs in May of 2015. Photo provided by Riverland Community College


Le français is for you!French classes back at RiverlandBy Melissa SiebkeEnglish Instructor

French is back! French has not been taught at Riverland Community College for over five years. However, start-ing in August 2015, French returned. In order to make it convenient and accessible for students, language lover and instructor Melissa Siebke will teach French online. Stu-dents will be able to complete the weekly assignments ac-cording to their lives without having to restructure their personal and professional schedules. If you have any questions, please contact Me-lissa Siebke by email or phone ([email protected] or 507.433.0561).

Pourquoi (why) French? Studying the French lan-

guage and Francophone cultures opens doors to personal enrichment and professional advancement. Personally, you will develop an appreciation for Franco-phone literature, music, and film, increase your global understanding of more than 200 million French speakers on six continents, and make travel more feasible and enjoyable. Since French is the second most widely spo-ken foreign language after English, you will improve employment opportunities at multinational companies around the world and wage earning potential. There are even opportunities to spend a fully funded year abroad in France; you will make life-long friends and increase the understanding of yourself and your culture. Le français is for you! Start studying French at Riverland!

Tech driving business classes By Jill HolmesBusiness Instructor

The College’s Business Department has seen many changes since the College opened. Some of those chang-es include program offerings, accreditation for its two de-grees, curriculum revisions, technology usage, and chang-es in the student body demo-graphics.

The department meets the needs of our communities by offering three program op-tions — Associate in Arts (AA) Business Concentration, 60 credits; Associate in Science (AS), Business, 60 credits; and Business Certificate, 22 cred-its. The Business Concentra-tion’s curriculum is designed for the individual who plans to transfer to a four-year univer-sity. The AS Business degree focuses on individuals who are interested in entering the business world or looking to

update business knowledge and skills. Students interested in a one-year program con-sider the Business certificate which is designed to expose students to business topics. In-dividuals can begin these op-tions fall, spring, or summer semester.

The AA and AS degrees are accredited through the Ac-creditation Council for Busi-ness Schools and Programs (ACBSP). ACBSP globally accredits two- and four-year business programs. In Novem-ber 2011 Riverland was the first rural MnSCU college to earn this accreditation.

Business classes use com-puters and the college’s course management system for course material delivery, assignment completion, and communication. Classes are available oncampus and online. In fall 2005 the depart-ment began offering its busi-

ness majors in a fully online format. The Business Depart-ment is the first department to have all of its online courses Quality Matters certified, which is a nationally recog-nized peer review process de-signed to confirm the quality of online courses and online components. A curriculum change in spring 2013 include the option of an internship.

In looking at our student make-up 75 years ago, most students attended Riverland right out of high school and completed their coursework in a face-to-face setting. Today there is a mix of traditional and non-traditional students. Many non-traditional stu-dents attend classes while working full or part-time and managing a family. The department also has a large number of students who com-plete their degree or certifi-cate online.

Riverland History, 1940 to Present 1940: Austin Junior CollegeThis excerpt was taken from Academic Dean Ruben Meland’s document titled “Austin Junior College – Nine Years of Community Service.” “Austin Junior College opened its doors of opportunity to the youth of this community on September 3, 1940. The enrollment the first year was comprised of 138 freshmen, served by a faculty of five full-time and four part-time instructors.” (See 1966 for name change)

1951: Austin Area Vocational-Technical SchoolThe “Selected Report on Austin Junior College Prepared for Minnesota Junior College Board dated December 1963” (last page) states: “The Austin Area Vocational-Technical School was established in Austin, Minnesota as a part of the public school system in 1951 and at present (Dec. 1963) provides post high school training to an enrollment of about 250 in: Carpentry, Farm Equipment Mechanics, Welding, Machine Shop (tool & die), Automotive Mechanics, Auto Body Rebuilding, Industrial Electronics, Practical Nursing, and Cosmetology (beauty school).” (See 1972 for name change.)

1966: Austin Junior College moves to new location, changes name to Austin State Junior CollegeRuben Meland, college dean and president, wrote in his memoirs some observations about the beginning and the early years of Austin

Junior College, “In June 1966, we moved our offices into the new administration wing and we opened for classes September 22, 1966, (our 26th year) with about 850 students and a faculty of 40. At this same time our name was officially changed to Austin State Junior College. The new college campus was officially dedicated on January 29, 1967.”

1968: Albert Lea Area Vocational-Technical School Established“A Brief History of the MN AVTI System and Directors” (page 13) states, “Albert Lea was tentatively approved by the State Board of Education on September 30, 1968. They received the final approval on November 4, 1968.” Mr. Wayne Broecker is the Director of the AVTI at Albert Lea.” (See 1972 for name change.)

1971: Austin State Junior College Owatonna Extension Center opensAn excerpt from a laminated Owatonna People’s Press advertisement dated September 16, 1971 states, “Austin State Junior College Owatonna Extension Center, classes starting Monday, September 20, 1971 at 12:30 p.m.” Another excerpt from a Owatonna People’s Press advertisement headline dated November 17, 1971 states, “Let’s start college in Owatonna, Minnesota, Austin State Junior College. Owatonna campus [sic] located on the beautiful grounds of the State School.”

1972: Austin Area Vocational-Technical School changes name to Austin Area Vocational-Technical Institute

In an undated document created for the Mower County Historical Society Page 4 states, “During February of 1972 the move from the various sites started and the total moving of all programs to the new Austin Area Vocational-Technical School was completed in March of 1972. It was also during this time that the State Department of Education changed the names of all Area Vocational-Technical Schools to Area Vocational-Technical Institutes.”

1985: Owatonna Higher Education Center opensA memo dated March 3, 1998 from Tim McManimon, Owatonna community leader, to John Gedker, college president, states, “Riverland Community College has served the Owatonna area for the past 13 years, primarily in the area of customized training for business and industry. It is the Owatonna community vision to create a seamless link between education, work and the community.

1991: Minnesota Riverland Technical CollegeA “Historical Overview 1945 – 1995, 50 Years Minnesota Technical College System,” (page 46) states, “Minnesota Riverland Technical College, District #2501, was formed on July 1, 1991. MRTC is comprised of the Austin, Faribault, and Rochester campuses and the Owatonna Technical Training Center.”

1996: Riverland Community College Established on July 1, 1996 (name continues today)A memorandum from John Gedker, college president, dated 11/7/96 states, “Riverland

Community College was established on July 1, 1996. Austin Community College (established in 1940 as Austin Junior College), Riverland Technical College – Austin (established in 1951 as Austin Area Vocational School) and Owatonna campuses [sic], and South Central Technical College – Albert Lea (established in 1968 as Albert Lea Technical Education Center) campuses merged together to form Riverland Community College.”

2001: Owatonna College & University Center: An Owatonna People’s Press news story dated March 22, 2003 states, “January 14, 2002 was the first day classes were held at Owatonna College and University Center. Currently, Riverland is the host institution at OCUC and also offers classes at the site. Concordia University, St. Paul; Minnesota State University, Mankato; Southwest State University; University of St. Thomas; and South Central Technical College also offer classes.”

2008: The Owatonna College and University Center (OCUC) is acquired by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities as its 54th campus and designated as Third Riverland campusThe OCUC Celebration brochure dated February 17, 2009 states, “In April 2008, Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed into law a bonding bill that allowed the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to acquire the Owatonna College & University Center. On December 31, 2008, MnSCU finalized the sale. Three Partners. One Purpose. Minnesota State University, Mankato, Riverland Community College, and South Central College.

Student activities and organizations•ACCENT: A Creative Arts Journal•Amnesty International •College Choir•Criminal Justice Society •Frequency•Gaming Club •Home Builder’s

Association•Human Services Club DEEDS•Music•Nursing Student Forum•O.W.L.S. (Older Wiser Learning Students)•Phi Theta Kappa•R.I.O.T. (Righteous Invasion of Truth)

•RCGSA (Riverland Community Gay-Straight Alliance)•Radiography Honor Society - Lambda Nu•Skills USA•Intercollegiate Athletics•Student Ambassadors•Student Senate•Theater


Magic and monsters on the stage Riverland Theatre looks ahead to 2015-16 seasonBy Lindsey Duoos WilliamsRiverland Theatre Director

One of the most exciting and challeng-ing parts of my job as Theatre Director at Riverland Community College is plan-ning each season of plays and musicals. The shows must complement each other, with a variety of styles and subject mat-ter to challenge our students. However, we also want to provide our audiences with an entertaining season that pres-ents both thought-provoking drama and laugh-inducing comedy. Our upcoming 2015-2016 theatre season does just that: while our students take on the challenge of performing Shakespeare to Sondheim, our audiences will enjoy two shows never before seen at Riverland.

This season will kick off with the pop-ular musical “Into the Woods,” playing

Oct. 7-11. With music and lyrics by Ste-phen Sondheim, this show is a “mash up” of many familiar fairy tales. While the first act follows familiar characters such as Cinderella, Jack, and Little Red as they make their wishes come true, the second act shows us what happens after “happily ever after.” Some of our audience mem-bers might have seen the recent Disney film adaptation; we promise that the orig-

inal stage musical is even better, and this show is bound to be a hit.

Next up this fall is the play “Dancing at Lughnasa” by Brian Friel, playing Nov. 18-22. This Tony Award-winning play follows a family of sisters in 1930s Ireland as several unexpected visitors from their past throw their lives into turmoil. This is the first time “Dancing at Lughnasa” has been performed at Riverland, and our audiences are bound to be moved by this beautiful and haunting play.

Riverland Theatre plans to start the new year with some Shakespeare! Feb. 24-28 will bring his classic comedy “Much Ado About Nothing” to the Frank W. Bridges Stage. 2016 will mark the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, and so it is the perfect time to cele-brate his work and legacy through one of his most popular comedies.

The conclusion of our season will be the hilarious Broadway musical “Young Frankenstein.” Mel Brooks’s 1974 film is often called one of the funniest movies ever made, and the musical adaptation is bound to be just as popular with audienc-es. With a mad scientist, a leggy blonde

assistant, a hunchbacked sidekick, and a tap dancing monster, what more could you want? “Young Frankenstein” will run April 21-23 and April 28-May 1.

All of our performances take place at the Frank W. Bridges Theatre at River-land’s Austin campus in the East build-ing. Season tickets are on sale now online at www.riverland.edu/tickets. Our box office will open for the season on Septem-ber 8, and tickets can be purchased by calling 507-433-0595. Individual tickets will also go on sale on Sept. 8.

Many people don’t know that partici-pation in our Riverland Theatre produc-tions is open to all community members. We encourage everyone with an interest in performing to audition, even if you are not a currently enrolled student. Audi-tions for our fall shows were held in late August, but we will be holding more audi-tions in future months for the spring play and musical. For more information, visit www.riverland.edu/theatre or like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RiverlandTheatreMusic.

We hope you’ll consider joining us for another exciting season at the theatre!

Actors perform a scene in “Legally Bonde: the Musical” last season.

Austin Area Vocational School • 1951-1972Austin Junior College

Austin Area Vocational School • 1955-1959Austin State Junior College • 1966-1973

1968-1984

1972-1987

1973-1992

1983

1983-1984

1984-1989

1987-1990

1989-1991

1990-1991

1991

1991-1996

1991-1996

1992-1996

1996-2007

1940-1946

History of Logos

College continues tradition of recognizing gradsThe Distinguished Alumni Award program began in 1979 to honor distinguished alumni in recognition of their

personal and professional achievements, contributions to the achievement of the college’s and/or foundation’s mission, community leadership that promotes partnerships with the college, and/or significant contributions to society or the community. Beginning 2004, the award is bestowed every even-numbered year.

1979: James Mork, Judge for Minnesota District Court 1980: LaVonne Painter, Physician1981: Colleen Ashton, Actress1982: Phyllis (Dankers) Yes, Artist and Eductor1983: Stephen Wright, Engineer1985: Tom Nelson, Senator for State of Minnesota 1987: Mary Weber Keenan,

County Commissioner1988: Paul Good Nature, Educator1989: Charles Jahren, Austin Community College Instructor1990: James Flannery, Austin Community College President1991: Jerry Anfinson, Certi-fied Public Accountant1992: Fred Robinson, Own-er of Robinson Business

Forms1993: Joe Mott, Crane Com-munity Chapel Minister1994: J. Douglas Myers, Austin Public Schools Su-perintendent 1995: Greg Meyer, State Farm Insurance Business Owner2004: C. Jerry Nelson, Pro-fessor of Agronomy2006: Ardell Brede, Mayor of Rochester

2008: J. Thomas Mott, Min-nesota District Court Judge2010: Scott Richardson, Attorney-at-Law2012: Dr. Donna R. Schu-macher, Nursing Education Specialist for the Multidis-ciplinary Simulation Center, Mayo Clinic2014: John Gray, Hormel Cash Manager and Hormel Foundation Assistant Secre-tary-Treasurer

Athletics•Baseball•Fastpitch Softball•Men’s Basketball•Soccer•Volleyball•Women’s Basketball


Riverland Community College Leadership History, 1940 to PresentAustin Junior College Est. 1940 (included vocational training classes)1940 – 1967 Rueben I. Meland, College Dean

Austin State Junior College1967 – 1969 Rueben I. Meland, College Dean1969 – 1970 Rueben I. Meland, President1970 – 1974 Curtis C. Mac Donald, President

Austin Community College1974 – 1976 Curtis C. Mac Donald, President1976 – 1982 Arlan A. Burmeister, President1982 – 1984 James D. Flannery, Acting President, Dean of Instructional Services1984 – 1990 James D. Flannery, President1990 – 1992 Steven R. Wallace, President1992 – 1996 Vicky R. Smith, President

Riverland Community College Est. 1996 (a merger of Austin Community College (established in 1940 as Austin Junior College), Riverland Technical College – Austin (established in 1951 as Austin Area Vocational School) and Owatonna campuses [sic], and South Central Technical College – Albert Lea (established in 1968 as Albert Lea Technical Education Center).1996 – 1999 John J. Gedker, President1999 – 2002 Gary L. Rhodes, President2002 – 2003 James R. Davis, Interim President 2003 – 2012 Terrence Leas, President2012 – 2013 Kent Hanson, Interim PresidentJuly 1, 2013 to present Adenuga Atewologun, PresidentAustin Area Vocational-Technical School Est. 1951 (established by Austin Board of Education as part of the Austin Public School system).1951 – 1957 Floyd J. Lueben, Director1957 – 1972 Morton A. Carney, Director

Austin Area Vocational-Technical Institute1972 – 1977 Morton A. Carney, Director1977 – 1983 Donald C. Ingram, Director1983 – 1986 Marjorie L. Kirchkoff, Director (first female Vocational Director in the state of MN)

Austin Technical Institute1986 – 1989 Marjorie L. Kirchkoff, Director

Austin Technical College1989 – 1991 Marjorie L. Kirchkoff, Director

Minnesota Riverland Technical College Est. July 1, 1991 (a merger of Austin Technical College, Faribault Technical College, Rochester Technical College and Owatonna Technical Training Center).1991 – 1995 Marlin Wacholz, President1995 – 1996 Donald T. Olson, Interim President

NOTE: 1996 to Present: A merger of Austin Community College (established in 1940 as Austin Junior College), Riverland Technical College – Austin (established in 1951 as Austin Area Vocational School) and Owatonna campuses [sic], and South Central Technical College – Albert Lea (established in 1968 as Albert Lea Technical Education Center). (Please refer to the leadership of Riverland Community College for presidents.)

Albert Lea Area Vocational-Technical Institute Est. 19681969 – 1984 Wayne V. Broecker, Director 1984 – 1989 Dave Sayre, Director

Albert Lea Technical College1989 – 1992 Terry Lemer, President

Albert Lea/Mankato Technical College1992 – 1993 Kenneth H. Mills, Regional President

South Central Technical College1993 – 1996 Kenneth H. Mills, Regional President

Riverland Community College Est. 1996 NOTE: 1996 to Present: A merger of Austin Community College (established in 1940 as Austin Junior College), Riverland Technical College – Austin (established in 1951 as Austin Area Vocational School) and Owatonna campuses [sic], and South Central Technical College – Albert Lea (established in 1968 as Albert Lea Technical Education Center). (Please refer to the leadership of Riverland Community College for presidents.)

Owatonna Extension Center (Austin State Junior College) Est. 1971 1971 – 1973 Frank W. Bridges, Director

Owatonna Technical Training Center Est. 19831983 – 1998 Larry Achterhoff, Custom Training Coordinator,James Wagner, Facilities Manager, andJohn Gedker, Adult Education/Custom Training Director

Owatonna Higher Education Center Est. 19981998 – 1999 Rick Casey, Vice President of Advancement1999 – 2002 Steve Bowron, Dean of Riverland Training and Development

Owatonna College and University Center Est. 20022002 – 2008 Peter Scheffert, Academic Dean (Management Education)

Riverland Community College (Owatonna campus) Est. 2008 NOTE: The Owatonna College and University Center (OCUC) is acquired by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities as its 54th campus and as Riverland Community College’s 3rd campus. The above leadership reflects directors who worked for the Riverland Community College president.(Please refer to the leadership of Riverland Community College for presidents.)

Meland

This historic picture of the Riverland Community College campus in Austin shows what the school looked like in the early years at the site in northwest. Photo provided by Riverland Community College

With high rate of retirements, future is bright for graduatesBy Gary SchindlerRiverland Dean of Students

I have been in a leadership role at Riverland Communi-ty College since 1989. First as a counselor and financial aid director and now as the Dean of Student Affairs. Over those years I have wit-nessed significant changes in the Riverland student body. Over the past 25 years there are more first-genera-tion students, more women, more students with disabil-ities, and the most signifi-cant change of all, increased ethnic diversity at River-land Community College. In 1989, our ethnic diversity, as a percentage of the student body, was in the single dig-its; today it is approaching 20 percent. The shift in the student body demonstrates that our value of access to higher education is real and

prospering.What hasn’t changed over

the years is the transfor-mation that occurs with our students while they are here. The students at Riv-erland grow in confidence with each passing semester. They are excited about the knowledge and skills that they have gained from our faculty and their peers. They gain a rich awareness of their readiness to join the workforce or to transfer to a university.

What does the future have in store for our graduates? It will be a world full of opportunity! With 10,000 re-tirements a day in the Unit-ed States and a Minnesota workforce that will require 74 percent of all new hires to have a college education, ac-cess to college is essential to the economy of the state.

Library will continue to be a space for learningBy Keith CichRiverland Library Technician

If it’s been a while since you’ve visited the Riverland Community College Library, now is the perfect time to stop by the Austin campus and reacquaint yourself with our updated layout. We have been working diligently over the past two years to transform our library into a space that is not only ideal for research and studying, but also for collabo-rative learning and community interaction.

When you walk through the library doors, you’ll first notice a lot of open space. We’ve taken down and relocated many of our library stacks on the first floor to give library users some much needed room to breathe.

Relax with a good book in one of our plush, oversized armchairs or make your way back to our large atrium windows; perfect for soaking up some warm, re-laxing sunlight. There are am-ple tables and chairs for group study as well as collaborative technology for meetings and projects. Need a quiet space to study? Slip upstairs to our sec-ond level where private study carrels are available and voice levels must be kept to a whisper.

Another main advantage of our space redesign is the ability to increase our library programming. One of our ma-jor program offerings during the academic year is our Li-brary Lecture Series. This open themed series brings in a faculty, staff or community

member each month to present over the lunch hour. Previous topics range from a history of African American jazz per-formers to sailing expeditions around Cape Horn to Germans living in Minnesota during World War II. This has been a well-received series that is free and open to the public.

It is our hope that the Riv-erland Library will continue to be a learning space in the fullest sense of the word. The library is a place where we find a history of seemingly endless knowledge within our physical collections and digital resources. But it is also a place where we remember many of our most valuable insights and discoveries often emanate from the people we find around us.


Dedicated faculty teach the sciencesBy Pamela TranbyBiology Instructor

The sciences at Riverland Community College include biology, chemistry and physics. The faculty in these departments are passionate about their subject matter and strive to provide a quality education-al experience to their students.

The Biology department at Riverland Community College currently consists of four full-time faculty: Dr. Pamela Tranby, Dr. Alan Erdahl, Charles Meyer and SusanKnoll. These faculty have been involved with a variety of initiatives and have been award recipients. Two of our faculty, Pamm Tranby and Al Erdahl have received the Minnesota State Col-leges and Universities Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Teaching. Pamm received the award in 2011 and Al was the recipient in 2013. Sue Knoll has been awarded Riverland Foundation Grants, one in 2013 and one in 2014, towards initia-tives in the classroom and community. Al Erdahl was awarded a grant in 2011 to re-search the effectiveness of various online teaching practices. Pamm and Sue have also completed the American Society for Microbiology Scholar program, and Pamm is currently a case study writer for the national NSF CCURI grant. Pamm served as Vice President of Academic Affairs from 1998- 2001 and Interim Dean of Allied Health fromn 2011-2013, opting each time to return to teaching, com-pleted her Ph.D. in Community College Leadership in 2012 and served as MSCF grievance rep for many years, as well as Assessment Coordinator.

Many initiatives have focused on achieving excellence in the courses that are offered by the Biology department. Several biology courses have received Quality Matters (QM) Certification for those that are delivered online or in a hy-

brid format. QM Certified courses meet a national design standard set by Maryland Online. Current QM courses are: Biology 1091: General Biology I and Biology 1092: General Biology II developed by Chuck Meyer, Biology 2021: Anatomy and Phys-iology I and Biology 2022: Anatomy and Physiology II developed by Al Erdahl, and Biology 2040: General Microbiology (hy-brid) developed by Sue Knoll.

The number of online courses offered through the biology department has ris-en. The courses that are currently being offered online are: Biology 1000: Biologi-cal Science, Biology 1020: Current Topics in Biology, Biology 1030: Human Biology, Biology 1040: Biology of Women, Biology 1060: Microbes and Society (new in 2015), Biology 2020: Human Nutrition, Biology 2021: Anatomy and Physiology I and Biol-ogy 2022: Anatomy and Physiology II.

The chemistry department at River-land currently has one full-time faculty member, Catherine Haslag. She and ad-junct faculty teach the following courses: Introduction to Chemistry (CHEM 1000), is offered in hybrid format (lecture on-line, lab meets on campus weekly) and entirely online. Both are Quality Matters Certified. General, Organic and Biochem-istry (CHEM 1121), was developed in 2012 to teach chemistry as it applies to biolog-ical systems. General Chemistry I and II (CHEM 1201 and 1202) meets the needs of students who intend to major in a science field.

Chemistry faculty, Catherine Haslag, was honored by the Rotary Club of Aus-tin as Educator of the Year in June for her work on the Science Fair Mentoring Project. Haslag started this program in the fall of 2014 after noticing some Austin elementary school students faced barri-ers that prevented them from receiving the support required to successfully par-

ticipating in the STEAM Expo (science fair). This program worked with third and fourth grade students at Sumner and Neveln Elementary Schools in Austin to assist them in completing projects for the science fair. Because of this program, over 100 students from these schools participated in the STEAM Expo in March 2015. About 35 students from these schools participated in the STEAM Expo in 2014.

Haslag was also awarded Riverland Foundation grants in 2011, 2012, and 2013 to aid in achieving classroom initiatives.

With the retirement of Dr. Amin this past academic year, the science depart-ment has welcomed a new full time facul-ty member, William Mekeel. Mr. Mekeel will be teaching courses in Physics, Agronomy and Human Geography.

In the last year, Riverland Biology and Chemistry faculty have served on advisory committees that have led in the successful development of the following Associate in Science (AS) programs: Ag-ricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science. These programs are part of an articulation agreement with Minneso-ta State University Mankato. Three new certificate programs were also approved: Precision Agriculture, Agribusiness and Food Science. Courses in these programs are being offered this academic year.

Science faculty at Riverland were instrumental in supporting the Science Fair Mentoring Project. The 290 third and fourth graders at Sumner and Neveln came to Riverland to participate in the Science Fair Kick-Off that was held in fall 2014. Science faculty led experiments that introduced these students to the scientific method. Other faculty came to the schools and talked with students about their research experiences during an activity called “Meet the Scientists.” This allowed

students to talk with real live scientists, something many of these students had never had the opportunity to do.

Science faculty have volunteered to judge at local science fairs and have visit-ed with local elementary students when they have toured the Riverland Commu-nity College science labs. Chuck Meyer continues to volunteer and lead student involvement with the Nature Conservan-cy, an organization concerned with land sustainability and protection of the envi-ronment.

Sue Knoll and Catherine Haslag col-laborated in a 2014 Riverland Foundation Grant to create the Promising Scientist Award. This award was given to students who showed creativity in their science fair project and excellent application of the scientific method in their experi-mental design. This award was given to six students at I.J. Holton and Southgate who met the criteria set. Each student received a certificate and a subscription to a science magazine of their choice. The science departments plan to continue to offer this award at the 2016 STEAM Expo.

Knoll and Haslag were also awarded a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) grant in 2011 to develop a collaborative laboratory experiment that incorporated cell culture techniques into biology and chemistry courses. Students learned aseptic techniques and real-world applications in biotechnology careers.

Dr. Abu Amin, Chuck Jahren’s replace-ment, retired as Physical Science and Earth Science faculty in the fall of 2014.

All of the astronomy, biology, chemis-try and physics courses offered at River-land meet Minnesota Transfer Curricu-lum and can transfer to other institutions within the Minnesota State Colleges and University (MnSCU) system.

To celebrate anniversary, Riverland’s athletic department inducted teamsBy David LillemonAthletic Director

The Hall of Fame induction started in the fall of 1997 with 10 members going into the inaugural Hall of Fame. Every other year since then there has been six individual alumni inducted into the Hall of Fame. In conjunction with Riverland Community College’s 75th anniversary, the Hall of Fame committee decided that this year would be a great time to induct

eight teams. Based on nominations from the outside community and from athletic director David Lillemon, the committee then voted in the teams to be inducted.

The ceremony took place on May 29, 2015 at Wedgewood Cove in Albert Lea. There were 115 individuals from these 8 teams to be inducted. Eighty-seven members and/or family members of the inductees were found and invited to the ceremony. With family and friends, there

were 208 people who were at the event. The following teams were inducted in-

to the Hall of Fame:•Football 1947-48•Men’s Basketball 1951-52•Men’s Golf 1965-66 •Baseball 1971-72•Women’s Basketball 1976-77•Softball 1979-80•Women’s Tennis 1986-87•Men’s Tennis 1990-91

The following morning on May 30, the Foundation hosted a “Breakfast of Champions” in the gymnasium of all the teams and families. More than 140 people attended the event. Following the breakfast, there were tours offered of both campuses in Austin and pictures were taken of each team. In the after-noon, the first annual alumni golf event was held at Wedgewood Cove and 38 players teed off in the fundraiser.

Riverland MAP: Inspiring personal success for all studentsBy Mary DavenportVice President of Academic and Student Affairs

Riverland Community Col-lege has been inspiring per-sonal success through educa-tion for 75 years. Today, Riv-erland Community College continues that focus through a renewed emphasis to help students advance, achieve and graduate as outlined in the Strategic Vision: A Blue-print for Excellence 2015-2020. In this document, the college commits to offer high quality programming that will promote student success, meet stakeholder needs, and inspire partnerships.

The college community aims to deliver continuous academic improvement in the quest for academic excel-lence.

Just as a captain will chart a course of a ship, Riverland faculty are navigating their positioning to significantly

improve student engagement and learning, guided by suc-cessful strategies proven to impact the student experi-

ence through a Master Ac-ademic Plan, or MAP. The destination is a significant-ly improved success rate of Riverland Community College stu-dents over

the next five years as mea-sured by student retention; completion of a certificate, diploma or degree; and, transfer for continued educa-tion or job placement.

Five strategic initiatives plot out the Riverland Com-munity College MAP. Identi-fication of the starting points and components of the MAP are now underway.

Initiative Goal Faculty Leader•First Year Experience

Increase student retention and success by creating and providing a first semester or first year student experience.

Dr. Barb Houle,Psychology

•Individualized Student Pathway

Increase enrollment by identifying and developing specific procedures to assist each admitted student create a personalized education pathway.

Jeanne Poppe,Counselor

•Course Redesign/Teaching and Learning

Increase enrollment and retention by establishing support for course re-design and restructuring that emphasizes innovative teaching and learning strategies.

Heidi Schara,Speech and Communications

•Student Engagement Promote learning through civic engagement.

Olle Gladso,Auto Service Technician

•Online Education Develop online educational pathways for students who desire an Associate Degree.

Dr. Deb McManimon,Business

Davenport


Riverland spotlights 75 students from the past!Throughout this publication you will find interesting facts and quotes from and by former students. Last fall, the 75th Anniversary Committee decided to conduct a survey on the Riverland website in the

hopes of getting at least 75 responses to use for this publication. We achieved 75 completed surveys in the first few hours and eventually received more than 200! This was not a contest — not intended to be the 75 Best — just 75 random students who took the time to reconnect. Included are many current and former employees who attended Riverland and then returned to work at the college. They are

marked with an asterisk. We grateful so many people helped make this possible and were impressed with their wonderful memories.1960s•Art Keller DC (1966-67-AJC, Mankato State, University of Health Sciences-Lombard BS & Doctor of Chiropractic) “It helped me transition more easily into college life. Successful private practice for 41 years in Austin, MN, and Houston, TX.”•Polly Isham Kinney (1966-68 — ASJC/Art & Theatre, Colorado State College/BA, University of Northern Iowa, MFA) “My experiences that started as ASJC set me on the path that I have chosen for my life’s work. I have been working on Broadway shows, for the Ballet over the years, and beading projects for The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.”•Diane Dutcher (1968-70 ASJC/Liberal Arts, Winona State/BS in Education, Mankato State/Adapted Physical Ed) “Wonderful instructors who nudged me to really think about the world and how to contribute to it. Taught for 37 years. Started the girls’ sports programs in Harmony, MN, in 1972.”•*Jerry Girton (1969-71 ASJC/AA, Southwest State/ BS, Mankato State/ MFA) — Theatre Faculty Emeritus “Choosing to attend ASJC at the last minute was the best educational decision I made.”•*Jim Mohn (1967-68 AAVTI/ Autobody Rebuilding) Emeritus Faculty; “Riverland is one of the best places that someone can find success in a technical field or academic studies.”

•*Jan Waller (1968-70 — ASJC/Liberal Arts/Secretarial Sciences, Winona State/BS, Southwest State/MS) Faculty-Administrative Support Careers/Administration - Dean of Academic Affairs; “I cherish the friends and professional colleagues relationships made throughout the years here. I am proud to be an alum of Riverland Community College.”

1970s•Bryce Baker (1969-71 — ASJC/Liberal Arts, U of M-Carlson School of Management/BS Business Administration) “ASJC helped develop independence and critical Thinking.”•Christine Wilkenson Butler (1970-71 ASJC/Liberal Arts-Music, University of Arizona, Mankato State/BS El Ed & Music, Southwest State/MA, St. Thomas/Post Masters) “ASJC was affordable, offered unique opportunities and built self-confidence.”•Candace Evans-Drees (1973-75-ASJC/ACC, Normandale Junior College/Medical Lab Assistant Program) “A good place to start my post high school education. It helped me to leave home to attend Normandale where I completed the Medical Lab Assistant Program.”•Don Leathers (1920-72 ASJC/AA, U of M, Minneapolis/BA English/BS Secondary Education)

“ASJC provided me with a solid educational foundation and instilled in me a curiosity to search for the truth. 34 years in the classroom.”•Alan Madison (1970-71 — ASJC/Liberal Arts/Music, Luther College/BA) “”ASJC provided an excellent transition from high school to college in the one year I attended. I left for Luther with a better appreciation of what would be expected on the college level.”•*Michael J. Bute (1977-79 ALAVTI/Diesel Mechanics, 2004/05 RCC/Liberal Arts) — Faculty — 15 years — “”It prepared me for the field I went to work in for many years.”•*John Drees (1972-74 AAVTI/Agricultural Mechanics) Customized Training and Education; “After graduation I was hired at the first and only job I applied for.”•*Brenda O’Connor (1979-81 AAVTI/Legal Secretarial Diploma, 1985-86 ACC/Liberal Arts) Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Employees &Technology; “My Riverland story is one of success on so many levels.”•*Mary K. Peterson (1977-2010 AAVTI/ATI/MRTC/RCC/Graphics, Liberal Arts) Retired - Business Office “I had a great opportunity as an employee to be encouraged to further my education.”•*Dean Ulland (1968-70 — ASJC/Liberal Arts, Mankato State — BS/MS) Adjunct Faculty-

History; “ William Rupert was my most memorable instructor.”•*Judy Miller Tabor (1971 — AAVTI/Legal Secretary) Former Personnel Assistant, Human Resources; “Was hired for my first job immediately after graduating and stayed there for 26 years.”

1980s•Lisa Lyle Deyo (1979-81- ACC/Liberal Arts, Luther College/ BA Elementary Ed/Special Ed, Walden University-Masters in Education) “The Community College was definitely the right move for me. I saved the money I needed to go to a private school later, was involved in activities that I wouldn’t have pursued in a larger setting, and got a quality education!”•Danna Lastine Nelson (1988-89-ACC/Social Work, Moorhead State/BSW) “ACC prepared me for a bigger university and allowed me to stay home one more year. I have been a child protection social worker for 13 years and love it.”•*Walt Alms — (1979-81 AAVTI - Carpentry) (Faculty — Carpentry, 27 years) — “My instructor was not only a mentor, but became a lifelong friend.”

75th anniversary letters of congratulationsDear Administration, Faculty, and

Staff of Riverland Community College,

It is my pleasure and honor to congratulate Riverland Community College on its 75th anniversary of offering high-quality education for the southern Minnesota area. What an incredible achievement to have maintained the same commitment to preparing our young adults for their careers for this length of time!

For as long as I can remember, Riverland Community College has been a term in our area that is synonymous with quality education and excellent service. The many young people who have attended Riverland and gone on to productive lives and careers are a living testament to this quality. Riverland Community College has been a true example of the positive

impact a successful community college system can have on its surrounding

communities.The hard work and

dedication that the Riverland administration, faculty, and staff have devoted to our students and our community throughout these many years is highly commendable, as is the contribution of the many hard working students who have gone through this college. Thank you, Riverland Community College, for 75 years of providing quality

education to our communities!

Bennett

I would like to offer my congratulations to everyone

at Riverland Community College on celebrating 75 years of education excellence! I have always been proud of the work you do and appreciative of what you mean to our community.

Access to quality educational opportunities are crucial to our economic success and essential to individual attainment. I am pleased to recognize Riverland Community College for its commitment to the betterment

of the people and businesses of Southern Minnesota and beyond.

You should take great pride in all that you do to serve students and the community. I wish you and your staff continued success and hope you will take some time to enjoy a much-deserved celebration of all of your school’s accomplishments.

State Senator, District 27

Sparks

Congratulations are in order to Riverland Community College

as it commemorates its 75th anniversary as a community college in Minnesota. Community colleges hold an important place among higher education institutions providing opportunities for students on their life/career journey.

The enduring legacy of a good community college is its ability to serve students and families, develop partnerships with businesses and other educational providers, and results in sustaining and strengthening the economic vitality of a region by keeping the workforce supplied with graduates.

Riverland Community College, serving the southern Minnesota region including Freeborn, Mower, and Steele Counties, has proven itself worthy of

this 75th year anniversary. It is a strong example of a community college with a

mission to serve, a commitment to engage, and a record of success of which to be proud.

It is an honor to recognize Riverland Community College for its role in building strong community relationships and educating thousands of regional citizens throughout its decades of existence.

Congratulations to students, faculty, administration and

the communities at large who helped Riverland reach this milestone!

Poppe

Congratulations to you on the 75th anniversary of

Riverland Community College!Your institution has been

an incredible resource for the state of Minnesota. You have reason to be proud of 75 years’ worth of academic tradition and excellence. It was a pleasure meeting with you recently and I know you will continue to lead Riverland in the right direction.

Again, congratulations on the 75th

anniversary of Riverland Community College! Please stay in touch with any legislative matters that concern you.

Petersburg

Congratulations to Riverland Community

College as you celebrate 75 years of serving the people and businesses of Austin!

While more than a decade has passed since I had the honor of serving as your president, I have not forgotten the outstanding students, faculty, and staff that make up the Riverland Community College family.

May you continue to improve the lives of those you educate and contribute to the quality of life for all

in the Austin community.

Sincerely,Gary L. Rhodes, Ed.D.

Reynolds Communicty College President

(Former Riverland President)

Rhodes

Dear President Atewologun,

congratulations on Riverland’s 75th anniversary! The continued success of your college community is a testament to the quality of programs and atmosphere that you provide our students in southern Minnesota.

“I’m proud to have a Riverland campus in my district, and am always happy to hear about the opportunities that are being provided to our young people there.

Under your leadership I’m certain that Riverland will continue to inspire personal success through education.

Best of luck on the next 75 years. I look forward to working together to bring our students the best opportunities our state has to offer.

Congratulations again,State Sen Vicki Jensen, District 24

Jensen

QUOTES continues on Pages 17, 18


75th anniversary letters of congratulationsI am pleased to join in celebrating your

school’s 75th anniversary.America’s schools serve

as gateways to opportunity and engines for our Nation’s progress. Inspiring students to be the best version of themselves and equipping them with the tools to thrive, our halls of learning can instill in our next generation the fundamental belief that with hard work nothing is beyond reach.

Since your school’s founding, faculty and staff have prepared students to meet the challenges of their time. And by cultivating passion for learning, schools

like yours help ensure the doors of opportunity continue to open wide for

all who are willing to dream big.I hope your community takes

pride in the ways your school has touched lives. As you celebrate this special milestone, I wish you all the best for the years ahead.

Sincerely,Barack Obama

Obama

It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the Riverland

Community College on its 75th anniversary.

Being one of the finest comprehensive two-year colleges in the southern Minnesota region, Riverland Community College has provided many individuals with the opportunity to acquire greater knowledge and to pursue their dreams. Seventy-five years is a remarkable achievement, and one that reflects the quality of education the institution provides. Greater education is a necessity in

today’s society, and I thank you for providing such education to our community. You should be very proud of this great milestone.

Again, congratulations and I wish you many more years of success.

Franken

Congratulations on Riverland Community

College’s 75th anniversary! In 75 years, this institution has served the communities of Southern Minnesota, educated thousands of students and strengthened the economy of our state.

Riverland Community College has gone above and beyond in preparing its graduates for today’s ever-changing economic landscape. The skills that are gained through the programs at your school are exactly the types of skills that our students need in order

to be competitive for career opportunities.

Thank you again for your commitment to education in Minnesota, and to all of those who have made Riverland Community College a strong educational institution for 75 years. It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate.Klobuchar

I am writing to express my congratulations

regarding Riverland Community College’s 75th anniversary. During that time, your institution has been on the frontlines of educating and training our workforce.

This work has played a major part in the continued economic growth of the region.

I applaud your efforts and stand with you as we move forward to examine the most effective ways at training the workforce of tomorrow. Having and maintaining a world-class workforce is the most crucial piece to maintaining

Southern Minnesota’s economy; an economy that is out performing most other parts of the nation.

Riverland’s mission and vision are a model for how things should be done in higher education. I will take these lessons with me to Washington and look forward to working with Riverland well into the future.

Sincerely,Tim Walz

Member of Congress

Walz

I would like to extend my congratulations to

the students and faculty members at Riverland Community College on its 75th Anniversary.

As a regional leader in liberal arts and career-technical higher education, Riverland Community College encourages learning through innovation, responsiveness, resourcefulness, and collaboration. For 75 years, Riverland Conmrnnity College has aided communities and

expanded opportunities for people all across the state.

I wish you a memorable celebration and many years of continuing service to the community.

Dayton

I write to congratulate you and Riverland Community

College on its 75th anniversary of providing excellence in teaching and learning in Southern Minnesota. Having proudly served there as college president from 2003 to 2012, I know firsthand the superlative work that Riverland’s faculty and staff members do to help students succeed.

Riverland Community College is an economic engine providing high-quality workforce development services to employers and communities in its service area. The college’s focus on individual student success ensures student achievement in preparation for

transfer to further education and for employment in high-skill, high-wage careers.

I join you, the communities you serve, and your alumni in celebrating 75 years of inspiring personal success through education.

Leas

*Todd Fjeldberg (1982-84 ACC/AA Business Administration / Rasmussen School of Business: Accounting) Accounting Technician — “…helped me get my current job.”•*Susan Hansen (1982-83 ACC/Liberal Arts,UMD/ BA, Mankato State/MFA) Adjunct Faculty — Theatre & English; “I had excellent teachers and great friends. I have great memories of my time at ACC. It was a very positive, worthwhile investment where I was supported and pushed to excel.”•*Rayce Hardy (1982-85 ACC Liberal Arts/Mankato State BS/U of M MA) Faculty — Economics “Faculty all cared about my well-being! Community colleges are an asset worth keeping!”•*Cindy Pechacek (1980s ACC/Nursing) Faculty - Nursing “The many people who crossed my career path made me a better person.”•*Teri Rauenhorst (1983-85 — ALAVTI/Sales & Marketing) Book Store Manager; “I could live at home and go to college. I’m not sure I would have gone away to go to college.”•*Debbie Sauke (1980 — ACC/Liberal Arts, Winona State/BS) Office and Administrative Specialist; “My experience at ACC gave me the courage and confidence as a non-traditional student to go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree.”•*Kris Gullord (1987-89 ACC/ Liberal Arts, Winona State/ BA, UW LaCrosse MA) Enrollment Advisor; “I didn’t want to go to college! But made a lot of good friends at ACC who all went to school and I just sort of followed. Now I work in a college, MY college!”•John J. Gray Jr. (1976-82 ACC/Liberal Arts, Minnesota State University, Mankato/BS) “It was convenient, affordable, a great place to learn and it afforded me the opportunity to advance my career from clerical to management.”

1990s•Lonny K. Hagen (1994-96-SCTC & RIVERLAND/Accounting) “The Accounting Diploma was excellent!”•John Judd (1998-2002-OCUC & RIVERLAND/Law Enforcement/Corrections/Liberal Arts, Mankato State/BA-Law Enforcement/BS Spanish) “I was able to work part-time as a police officer while pursuing my four year degrees because I got my AS Law Enforcement degree at Riverland. I passed MN POST test on the first attempt.”

•Suzanne Schmidt Law (1995-97-ACC/RIVERLAND — Liberal Arts, Southwest State/BS Communications) Learning, hands on experience. Life long memories.”•Brian Mattson (1992-96 — ALTC/MRTC/ACC/RIVERLAND — Surface Finishing and Plating, Human Services; Mankato State/BS) “Riverland helped teach me how to study and Mrs. Askelson supported and helped give me the confidence to do public speaking.”•*Christine Brooks (1992-94 MRTC/Administrative Assistant) — Administrative Assistant - “Gave me a good solid foundation to apply to my positions at Federated and Riverland.”•*Kirsten Lindbloom (1996-98 A-RCC/Liberal Arts, Southwest State/ BA, Mankato State/MA) Adjunct Faculty — Sociology “Returning to Riverland to teach has been a highlight!•*Melodee Morem (1990-94 ACC/ Liberal Arts, Concordia University — St. Paul) International Advisor; “I think every teacher I had offered help above and beyond what would be expected.”•*Bradley Weber (1995-99 — RCC/Liberal Arts and Radiography, Capella University and Viterbo University/ BA & MBA) Former Adjunct Faculty — Technical Theatre/Technical Director); “Currently Operations Manager of MRI and the Division of Neuroradiology for Mayo Clinic Health Sysytems. Radiography Certificate from RCC allowed me to pursue and succeed in Radiology.”•*Karen Richter (1989-92 ALTC/ Accounting) Business Office; “I made good friends here. I enjoyed the faculty and small classes.”

2000s•Brandon Kasper (2000-02 — RIVERLAND/ AA, St. Cloud State/BS) “Riverland helped me obtain my undergraduate elective credits without having to rob a bank.”•Travis Kasper (2003-05 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts-Theatre, UW LaCrosse) “It was very valuable to me to be able to live at home and start my higher education with reasonable tuition. I learned how to be a functioning and responsible adult.”•Bryan Gerber (1999-2002 — RIVERLAND/AA, Mankato State/BA in Dance) “Riverland gave me the diverse education I needed in order to accomplish my work in Minnesota. The valuable education I received through passionate and powerful friends and mentors at Riverland

enabled me to become the experienced and proven leader I am today. Riverland helped me shape the person I wanted to become and still influences the person I am today.”•Suzanne Gorvin (1999-2002 — RIVERLAND/Nursing, University of Phoenix/BSN-in progress) “ER nurse for 12.5 years. Great instructors!”•Erin Halvorson (2004-07 — RIVERLAND/AFA-Theatre, UW-Stout) “Riverland was a fantastic time in my life. I met lifelong friends through Riverland and have too many cherished memories to count. If I had never gone to Riverland I would have never found such amazing friends and instructors; therefore would never have found myself.”•Tyler Irvin (2000-2002-RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, UW-Superior/BS Theatre & minors in Library Science and Mathematics, Drexel University/MS Library and Information Science) “Riverland gave me an introduction in theatre and performance in general which helped my presentation skills.”•Carrie Braaten (2000-06 — RIVERLAND Liberal Arts/Theatre) “Riverland taught me how to have a strong work ethic, dedication, loyalty, and how to work as a team. I thank my experiences in theatre at Riverland for that.”•Jennifer Miller Brunick (2000 — RIVERLAND/AA, Mankato State/English & Speech Secondary Education) “I am a lifelong learner, and Riverland was part of what led me to where I am now. “•Salem Mahmoud (2005-07 — RIVERLAND/ AFA Theatre/AA, St. Cloud State/ BA English & Communication Studies) “Riverland prepared me to attend a university. Without Riverland, I would not have succeeded at a university and I have no idea where I would be today without my university education.”•Jennifer Bute (2004-07 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts & Theatre) Having an Associate degree from Riverland has always given me a step-up toward each goal I strive to achieve. So many of the faces I met as a student, continue to be my closest friends (and family) as an adult!”•Claudia Roman Jimenez (2007-09-RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, UW River Falls/BS, St. Thomas University-School of Divinity/MA-Theology pending) “Riverland opened the doors to success and prepared me to walk through them and follow through to the end. My experience there is still the best college experience so far. Thank you!”•Melissa Johnson (2005-07 — RIVERLAND/Theatre) “”I met the best friends I’ve ever had and I’m still friends with everyone. A truly great group of people.”


College working with area schools to offer concurrent classesBy Lori JensenRiverland Director of College Partnerships & Transitions

One of the areas of significant growth at Riverland is concurrent enrollment. Concurrent enrollment is a program where qualified area high school teachers offer Riverland classes right in their own dis-trict. These teachers must meet the college instructor credentialing requirements and are mentored to ensure the curriculum is the same and to ensure the course maintains our rigorous quality standards.

Last year Riverland offered over 65 con-current college course sections in four area high schools. This year we will be offering over 72 sections to five high schools. When a district does not have teachers with ad-vanced credentials, Riverland will provides the college instruction directly in some cas-es through the use of Interactive Television or by sending a regular college instructor to teach the class at their site. The concept al-lows students in large and small districts to earn college credits early, and has proven to help students complete college degrees more quickly and in greater numbers.

Past focus has been on general education courses in the high schools. However, there is increasing interest in expanding on the options for high school students to enroll in

career and technical classes and programs. Last year Albert Lea High School piloted a nursing assistant course and a three-course firefighter series. Both were popular and ap-peal to students who may not be interested in pursuing an Associate’s degree after high school on their way to a Bachelor’s degree. The nursing assistant will return to Albert Lea High School again this fall and the dis-trict has added a work experience course this year so the students who earned their Nursing Assistant certification can apply their learned skill on the job in area nursing homes. The Nursing Homes need the skilled workers and the students gain a pathway to employment and a chance to explore a ca-reer field at an early age.

Another example this school year are the agriculture-related course Alden-Conger will begin offering. Introduction to Agron-omy and Introduction to Soil Science are both required courses in the new Riverland Agricultural Sciences degree and will give students in this district a head-start if they choose to pursue a degree in this field. Other areas where we are currently exploring partnerships include welding, manufac-turing and transportation-related courses. High schools are excited to join Riverland in preparing the future workforce of our

region by providing early college opportuni-ties to their students.

One clear advantage of concurrent en-rollment and other college classes in the high school is that these are all transcripted courses just like any other class students take at Riverland. Unlike AP courses or Tech Prep these are all college courses and come with earned college credit. All of the general education classes are fully transfer-able to any other college in the entire Minne-sota State Colleges and Universities System.

Another advantage that one cannot over-look is the cost savings to students and their families. The average concurrent student enrolls in at least 12 credits but it is not un-common for some students to take as many as 30 college credits while in high school. At just over $180 per credit with fees, the cost savings to families can be tremendous. One three-credit class will save over $540 on tuition alone. Twelve credits will save over $2,100 and those who take 30 credits (equiv-alent to one year of college) can save over $5,400 at Riverland current cost standards. Those credits transferred to a more expen-sive university or private college could equate to a cost saving double or triple that amount.

Both Riverland and our partner high

schools understand the value to families of providing early college opportunities to their students. We also understand that students who continue to attend Riverland after high school realize additional cost sav-ings and success when preparing for their career and/or university degree. According to the American Association of Communi-ty Colleges (AACC), roughly 60 percent of students who transferred from a two-year institution to a four-year institution had graduated with a bachelor’s or higher de-gree within four years. Students who earned an associate’s degree prior to their transfer had the highest baccalaureate completion rates at 71 percent, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center AACC Data Points report in June 2014.

At Riverland we are actively working with our area school districts to provide early col-lege options within the high schools. There is extraordinary growth potential in what we can do for our students. The focus is on what we can do for them now that will help their future and the region’s future work-force. Success starts here!

For more information, visit www.river-land.edu/cis or contact Lori Jensen, Direc-tor of College Partnerships and Transitions at [email protected] or 507-433-0568.

•Trena Thome (2006-08 — RIVERLAND/AFA Theatre, Iowa State University/BS Sociology, Capella University/MS Mental Health Counseling) “I would like to thank Kris Gullord and Jerry Girton for supporting my endeavors even long after my graduation from Riverland. Thank you for inspiring me to do my best. Highlight — Successfully case managing my first client in a mental health setting and co-authorship in publishing a journal article to the American College of Cardiology.”•Kayla Jorgenson (2005-07 — RIVERLAND/AA, UW-Stout) “Riverland was a great way for me to get a head start while doing postsecondary education. I loved Riverland! Great friends and really helped me get out of my box and prepare for future education!”•Renee Lee (1999-2007 — RIVERLAND/Computer Support, Liberal Arts, Human Services, Mankato State/BS — Developmental and Cognitive Disabilities, St. Mary’s University/MED — Teaching and Learning) “I teach elementary students with special needs. I was nominated within the district for Teacher of the Year. I am in the process of obtaining my Autism Certification. But my true career highlights and achievements lie within each of my students as they learn and grow.”•Keri Levesque (2001-04 — RIVERLAND/Human Services) “The process was smooth and easy. I loved the instructors and they became like extended family. They made learning fun and worth the money I was spending on school.”•Kelsey Seifert McLaughlin (2006-09 — RIVERLAND/ AFA Theatre, Argosy University/AS — Radiologic Technology) “I not only received a great education, but also will treasure and always appreciate the experiences I had there.”•Melanie Hanson (2007-09 — RIVERLAND/Liberal

Arts, UW LaCrosse/BS Biochemistry and Biology/UW Madison — PhD Pharmacy — pending) “I learned valuable skills from Riverland that I then went on to apply to my learning in other programs of study. Study techniques, time management, and communication skills were among the most crucial skills I was able to improve upon before moving toward the achievement of my bachelor’s degree.”•Jenny Ingvaldson (2008-10 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts) “Riverland is an awesome school to attend right out of high school. It makes the transition from high school to college so much easier. I also loved living on campus!”•Brooke Monson-DeBoer (2007-10 — RIVERLAND/AA; Winona State/BS; University of St. Thomas/ MS in progress) “Our basketball team holds the record for best team in school history!” •Matt Moritz (2001-07 — RIVERLAND/ Construction Electrician, Carpentry, AA) “Walt Alms and Tom Wilker. . .two of the most knowledgeable carpenters I’ve known. . . I still call them to pick their brains.”•Megan Hyland Blair (2006-08 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, UW River Falls/BS Psychology, UW River Falls/MS Ed — School Psychology) “Riverland is a college that cares about its students and allows for them to obtain the skills socially and academically to succeed in life and at a higher education level.”•*Marijo Alexander — (1974-75 ACC & 2006-2008 RCC /AA Degree) — Supports the Office of the President — “Wonderful, supportive instructors who went above and beyond…”•*Sue Grove (2000 RCC Travel Classes) Faculty Emeritus “My involvement at Riverland provided me with life-changing opportunities. I can’t imagine my life without it.”•*Erin Sammon (2000-03/Human Services & Liberal

Arts) Former Director of Residential Housing; “I met so many wonderful staff that made sure I kept on track and accomplished my goals. I GRADUATED!”•*Leslie Weber (1998-2001 — RCC/Liberal Arts, Winona State/BS) Former Adjunct Faculty — Theatre/Choreographer; “I met so many wonderful people and have lasting friendships with teachers and other students at Riverland. I was able to get my start as a choreographer through the theatre at Riverland.”

2010s•McKenzie Hanson (2008-11-RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, Crossroads College/BA-Business Administration in progress) “I had so many people from Riverland supporting my success whether it was through scholarships, clubs and organizations, or personal mentors. I wouldn’t be as far in my career as I am today without the support I had at Riverland Community College.”•Alexander Jacobson (2010-11- RIVERLAND/AA, Mankato State/BS History/Mankato State/MS History) “Riverland allowed me to grow as a person. Through challenging classes, compassionate instructor, and amazing staff, this transformation occurred rapidly. Without Riverland and the instructors, I doubt I would have become a Graduate Assistant at Mankato. Without Riverland, I might never have known the great people that make up this great college in southern Minnesota.”•Brody Jensen (2011-13 — RIVERLAND/ IMMR, Welding) “Getting the Industrial Maintenance Mechanics (IMMR) degree was a wonderful achievement in and of itself, but I am now the machinist for the city of Austin! I got this job shortly after I graduated. I graduated in May and was offered the job by the end of the summer. The IMMR program was run very much like a job.

It helped me get ready for the real world and I learned what to expect from the working world.”•Judy Bluhm (2011-14 — RIVERLAND/Carpentry, IMMR,Welding) “I have a job doing full-time maintenance.”•David Braun (2009-11 — RIVERLAND/Construction Electrician) “Student Senate led me to run for city government and serve on Wells’ City Council.”•Sadie Burkow (2012-13 — RIVERLAND/ Liberal Arts, UW River Falls/BS Biochemistry) “Allowed me to complete my AA and be prepared for my next adventure to complete my BS.”•Adriana Casillas (2009-10-RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, U of M/BS Wildlife Biology, Antioch University/MS Candidate in Conservation Biology.”•Kelly Johnson (2012-14 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts/Carpentry/Nursing, Bemidji State/Elementary Education) “Riverland made it possible to return to school as a working adult.”•Matthew Novak (2009-11 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts, Minneapolis College of Art & Design/BFA) “I enrolled at Riverland with only a GED. Riverland helped me to build up my educational resume so that I would later be accepted into a prestigious private art school.”•Susan Torkelson (2011-14 — RIVERLAND/AFA Fine Arts, Winona State/Current) “It was a tremendous opportunity for me to challenge myself and move in a positive direction.”•Natalia Marchan (2008-11 — RIVERLAND/Liberal Arts) “I’ve been able to get a good job at a clinic.”•Leslie Meyer (2002-05 - RIVERLAND Liberal Arts/2011-12 — RIVERLAND/ Health Unit Coordinator)”I learned a lot in my HUC program and it helped me get to where I am today in my career. I have a great job at the South Central Human Relations Center in Owatonna, Minnesota.”


Technology always changing at RiverlandBy Dan Harber and J.C. TurnerRiverland Community College Instructors

As various forms of computing and related technology began to be available, the innovations were also adopted by the community and technical college predecessors to the current Riverland Community College.

In the early 1980s, IBM minicomputers and terminals provided word processing capabilities for business and office classes, later being replaced by stand-alone PCs that used 5.25-inch floppy disks, and WordPerfect software. During the 1980s, mobile computing was introduced, as some farm business management instructors had Compaq PCs. These 27-pound “luggable” (as opposed to “portable”) suitcase-style computers allowed instructors to bring the technology to their student farmers. Networking of computers first came during the 1980s in the form of Novell Netware server software. By the 1990s, Ethernet was used to connect office computers, and Minnesota Riverland Technical College purchased dedicated

56KB circuits between Austin, Faribault, and Rochester; these were the first non-modem connections for the institution, using the Noteworks email system. By 1995 when Riverland was formed, most employees in all three merged institutions had a form of email, which was combined into a single system shortly after that.

In terms of technology in classrooms, during the 1980s and 1990s LCD display panels were used in combination with overhead transparency projectors to allow computer images to be displayed on projection screens. LCD projectors became the primary method of sharing computer content during the 1990s. Projector screen resolutions and brightness levels continue to improve each year, and now HD-quality images provided by computers (desktop or laptop), document cameras, and blu-ray players have become the latest classroom standard.

Instructional television (ITV) was first used to deliver courses between campuses in 1992, and ITV is still used

today, allowing courses to be offered to students in multiple locations, including in partner high schools with ITV classrooms. Each academic year there are also courses offered at Riverland via ITV in collaboration with other institutions across the state. Riverland’s ITV rooms have been upgraded to HD resolution, providing a much-improved experience for both instructors and students.

With the arrival of digital recording capabilities, lecture capture has become an increasingly popular teaching tool. Classroom lectures can be recorded as they happen, or an instructor can record presentations from their office or home, using a laptop or desktop computer and a webcam. These recordings can then be streamed to students on-demand. This allows students to watch a lecture they may have missed, review a presentation to help clarify their notes, or watch the recording at a time that better-fits their schedule.

Riverland branched into offering online courses beginning in 2000, and

the first online certificate, accounting clerk, began in 2005. The percentage of Riverland’s credits generated by online and hybrid courses continues to grow each year, from less than 1 percent in 2001 to nearly 40 percent in 2015. Online courses allow students from anywhere to take Riverland classes, and during the summer of 2015 there were students who were able to complete their Riverland courses while living Sweden and Singapore. Riverland has also made a commitment to ensure the quality of these online offerings, by seeking Quality Matters course certification. Quality Matters is a peer-review process for online and hybrid courses, and Riverland leads all public higher education institutions in Minnesota, with more than 60 QM-certified courses. This helps ensure that students have a high-quality experience in their online classes.

Technology will always be improving and evolving. Riverland will continue to find ways to incorporate those technology improvements into delivering an exceptional education for students.

Riverland at 75: A long-term look at the future of the collegeBy Adenuga Atewologun, PhDRiverland Community College President

The surviving graduates of the first class of students admitted to Austin Junior College, now

Riverland Community College, are at least 92-years old. Those first graduates were in their 20s during the decade 1940 to 1950. The “20- somethings” of today are the so called “Millennials,” so I am going to imagine a conversation between a granddaughter (20+) and her grandfather (90+):

Granddaughter: Grandpa, what were the roads like when you were my age? What buttons came with your microwave? Did you text your friends in complete sentences observing the rules of proper grammar? Or did you just stick to emails? Which social media were popular then? Did your cell phone come with enough memory to take and store photos? How did you take selfies—with or without a selfie stick? Was Pluto a planet then?

Grandfather: Excellent questions, Gigi. Where do I start? Let me start with the Pluto question…

Granddaughter: And one more thing grandpa, you were at Riverland in 1940. How cool! And I am at Riverland now as well.

Grandfather: Well, it was called Austin Junior College at that time.

Granddaughter: Junior College? You mean, you guys didn’t have real

college level classes? Grandfather: Of course we were a

real college. Let me explain…or would you rather I answered your original

questions first?Granddaughter: Oh yes, let’s talk

about those questions first. What were…you wanted to start with the Pluto question.

Yes, worlds apart! Riverland’s long-term future will be just as different from what we see today. Students are asking for more opportunities to complete baccalaureate degrees on site. They are choosing more online instruction. Ninety-two percent of the 520 graduates at this year’s commencement have taken at least one online course. In 1940, there was no online instruction. Nearly 40 percent of credits sold by Riverland today is online. The trend will continue. There was no person of color in the class of 1942. In contrast, 16 percent of the class of 2017 is non-white. Instead of the cautious and traditional approach, the bold, innovative, and entrepreneurial employees and students will shape the future.

Agriculture, manufacturing, and medicine/healthcare will remain the main drivers of the region’s economy. Technology would be a common thread weaving all three industry sectors together. Riverland would forge stronger partnerships with businesses and community organizations. Because of the workforce needs, pressures to enroll students from non-traditional sectors

will continue to rise. The college will right-size, and compete on the basis of signature programs. Stronger emphasis will be placed on retention, persistence, and goal attainment. We would be held more accountable for outcomes. The number of unfunded mandates will increase. Our beautiful landscape and large real estate would be premium assets, but in the intervening time, we must maintain our facilities properly and use space efficiently.

Now is the time to lay a solid foundation for public-private partnerships and build robust endowments. We must intensify our efforts to cultivate deep relationships with our alumni, friends, and former employees so that they can invest in the future of the College. We must keep seeking external grants from private foundations and governmental agencies. Above all, we must attract and retain talented people who will, without prejudice, genuinely care for our students and the community. Then the future of the College would be a future of which we and our progeny would be proud.

Yes, the future will be different. It will be better, it will be driven more by technology, and it will be more learner (consumer) centered. Happy 75th Riverland! Keep “inspiring personal success through education” for years to come.

Riverland Community College President Dr. Adenuga Atewologun prepares to speak at an August press conference in Austin’s Town Center building to discuss a Hormel Foundation $263,200 grant to Riverland to help for the Center for Agriculture and Food Science. Herald file photo

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Devil's Advocate-Riverland Community College

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