EdmondsCC Community Read: Timothy Egan Presents The Big Burn

Join author Timothy Egan at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 8, to discuss the EdmondsCC Community Read for 2011-12, his book, “The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America.” Located at the Black Box Theatre, this event is free and open to all. Seating is available on a first come, first serve basis.

About The Big Burn
On the afternoon of August 20, 1910, a battering ram of wind moved through the drought-stricken national forests of Washington, Idaho and Montana, whipping the hundreds of small blazes burning across the forest floor into a roasting inferno that jumped from treetop to ridge as it raged, destroying towns and timber in the blink of an eye. Forest rangers had assembled nearly ten thousand men—soldiers, college boys, day workers, immigrants from mining camps—to fight the fire. But no living person had seen anything like those flames, and neither the rangers nor anyone else knew how to subdue them.

In this epic story of an America outgrowing its manifest destiny, Timothy Egan narrates the struggles of the overmatched rangers against the implacable fire while also drawing a dramatic portrait of president Teddy Roosevelt and his chief forester, Gifford Pinchot, who did no less than create the idea of public land as our national treasure and conservation as a national value.

Edmonds CC Read: Timothy Egan presents "The Big Burn" from Visual Communications, EdCC on Vimeo.

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All Washington Academic Team winner: Abdoukarim Drammeh

Congratulations to Abdoukarim Drammeh and Siyu Lu, Edmonds Community College's 2012 All Washington Academic Team winners. They will be recognized for their scholarship, leadership, and community service at a ceremony in March at South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia.

“A scholarship helped me pursue my academic goals.”
Abdoukarim Drammeh, Associate of Arts in Business 

Why Edmonds CC? It’s known for its great business program.
Why now? Education is the best resource I can achieve. The level and quality of education I attain will have a great impact on my future career goals.
Biggest challenge: being a full time student and having to work at the same time
Working at: Kemoson Financial Services
Best college experience: the college’s diversity — Edmonds Community College is a place where I have learned a lot from sharing my personal life experiences with different kinds of people, of different ages, nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
Favorite class: ENGL& 102, Composition II — the instructor was very helpful in answering questions and making sure his students were always on the right track. Also, each student had to do a research project on a specific problem affecting Haitians after they were struck with a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in January 2010. I did research and wrote an essay about the incapability of the Haitian government to rebuild their school system, and what the consequences will be in Haiti if their educational system is not restored. This class and research project helped me a lot to understand the importance of education, and how it created the huge difference between underdeveloped, developing and developed nations. Edmonds Community College Foundation scholarship recipient: The cost of tuition is very high and receiving a $1,000 scholarship made a huge difference in helping me finance and pursue my academic goals.
Advice for new students: You have to be an embodiment of the “can do” roll up your sleeve spirit that made this country great. Go after what you want, never get discouraged, and leave “quit” out of your vocabulary. You will definitely achieve your academic and career goals because Edmonds CC is a great learning institution.
Interests: working with computers — repairing, installing and troubleshooting software applications
What’s next: transfer to Central Washington University for a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and become a Certified Public Accountant.
Dream job: accountant general at a major public/private accounting firm

All Washington Academic Team Winner: Siyu Lu

Congratulations to Abdoukarim Drammeh and Siyu Lu, Edmonds Community College's 2012 All Washington Academic Team winners. They will be recognized for their scholarship, leadership, and community service at a ceremony in March at South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia.

"Kind people helped me achieve personal success." — Siyu Lu Associate of Arts, Associate of Technical Arts, Accounting

Why Edmonds CC? Before taking any classes, I chose Edmonds Community College because it was the most affordable option for me to pursue a higher education. Now I am glad that I have attended Edmonds Community College because the flexible class schedules and small-sized classes allow me to take charge of my higher education.
Why now? To make the most of my talents in mathematics, my interest in economics and taxation, and my thoughtful characteristics.
High school: Lynnwood High School
Biggest challenge: Financing my higher education—I'm a full-time student who works part-time on campus.
Best college experience: Being a part of TRiO Student Support Services. Working closely with classmates on groupprojects and learning from direct contact with faculty members.
Favorite class: Counseling Psychology and Honors Accounting.
Volunteers as: A math tutor with EdCAP High School Completion Program, mentor in TRIO-Student Support Services, and representative on the college’s Lecture Series Committee
Clubs: Phi Theta Kappa and Triton Transfer Club
Advice for students: There are so many options and possibilities out there, but who you are has determined your decisions. Figure out who you are and what you want, then take charge of your life.
College goals: Attending the University of Washington, working toward a double major in accounting and finance, and becoming a Certified Public Accountant.
Dream job: A financial analyst who holds a taxation specialty and establishes a non-profit organization that promotes family financial literacy and educates the public about personal financial management skills.

2011 Distinguished Alumnus: Ben Kocaj

The Edmonds Community College Foundation has named the college’s 2011 Distinguished Alumni — Clyde Klingenbeck, Ben Kocaj, and Duane Lewellen. They will be honored at the Distinguished Alumni Awards 5-7 p.m., Fri., Jan. 27 in the Black Box Theatre, 20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood.

“I knew exactly what I was after and I was determined to get it done.”
Ben Kocaj, Distinguished Alumnus 2011-12
Associate of Arts

Ben Kocaj, Executive Director of Puget Sound Surgical Center, earned his Associate of Arts Degree and studied Business Management at Edmonds Community College.

“I knew exactly what I was after and I was determined to get it done,” he said.

While at the college he was president of the college’s honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, a top scholar named to the college’s All-Washington Academic Team, and a commencement speaker at the 2002 graduation ceremony.

After graduation, he attended the University of Washington-Bothell and earned his degree in Business Administration with a focus in finance. Not long after, he was hired as the Executive Director for Sunrise Medical Campus.

“It was a very nice transition (to a university),” he said. He picked a smaller university, because he’d enjoyed the environment at Edmonds Community College so much. “It was wonderful: smaller classes and a close community.”

Kocaj came to the United States from Albania in 1999 to pursue his education. Accounting classes and the English classes at Edmonds Community College taught him fundamental skills.

Kocaj is a member of American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery. He has volunteered for a Crista Nursing Center and the Helping Hand House.

2011 Distinguished Alumnus: Duane Lewellen

The Edmonds Community College Foundation has named the college’s 2011 Distinguished Alumni — Clyde Klingenbeck, Ben Kocaj, and Duane Lewellen. They will be honored at the Distinguished Alumni Awards 5-7 p.m., Fri., Jan. 27 in the Black Box Theatre, 20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood.

“I’m grateful I got job as a direct result of my education and I worked 12 years at the PUD as a result.”
Duane Lewellen, Distinguished Alumnus 2011-12
Associate of Technical Arts, Energy Management

Out of high school, Duane Lewellen came to Edmonds Community College and discovered the field that sparked his career — Energy Management. Even before he finished his Associate of Technical Arts degree, he was offered a job as a home energy auditor with the Snohomish County PUD. He continued to take classes while working, completing his degree and going on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from City University. Today, he is principal owner of The Rice Group, Inc., a Lynnwood consulting engineering firm.

“Edmonds Community College pointed me to a completely new career in Energy Management. It’s the only reason I’m doing what I’m doing today. I got excited about this field. I took my first solar energy course there,” he said. “And I just finished a solar energy project in Bellingham.”

The Rice Group designs heating and cooling systems for commercial businesses such as Whole Foods, Group Health, and Boeing. “Sustainability is in vogue,” Lewellen said. “We’re doing a lot more energy efficiency projects.”

Lewellen is an advisory board member for the college’s Energy Management program. The Rice Group has hired the college’s students as interns and employees. He has taught Energy Management classes, passing on what he has learned, and his wife, Carol Lewellen, currently teaches in the program.

“It’s satisfying for my wife and I to help get students into a new career and reemployment,” he said.

The Lewellen family has stayed closely connected with the college. They participate in Foundation events and have contributed to Foundation scholarships for students.

As a homestay family for the college’s international students, they’ve hosted students from Japan, China, Bulgaria, and Denmark among other countries.

2011 Distinguished Alumnus: Clyde Klingenbeck

The Edmonds Community College Foundation has named the college’s 2011 Distinguished Alumni — Clyde Klingenbeck, Ben Kocaj, and Duane Lewellen. They will be honored at the Distinguished Alumni Awards 5-7 p.m., Fri., Jan. 27 in the Black Box Theatre, 20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood.

“A career that you love makes life good all around.”
Clyde Klingenbeck, Distinguished Alumnus 2011
Associate of Technical Arts, Paralegal

Clyde Klingenbeck came to the college for worker retraining after an on the job injury prevented him from continuing his work as a roofer. Career counseling showed he had an aptitude for law and he was able to complete a Paralegal Degree in one year, due to his previous college studies.

“It was very comfortable coming back to school,” he said. “And I had some outstanding instructors including Anne Kastle and Mike Fitch who really shared their passion for the law.”

While he was in school, an internship at the Everett Attorney General’s Office led to a job opportunity. He was hired for the internship by another Edmonds Community College alumnus.

Today Klingenbeck works in the Consumer Protection Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

“The work I’m doing is a complete 180 from the construction trade I started in. I love it. Working in the public service sector satisfies my career goals and my philosophy that our work can make a difference.”

Klingenbeck has maintained his connection with the college since earning his degree. He has served on the paralegal advisory board for 15 years and participated in job fairs, seminars, and career oriented trainings at the college helping other paralegal students with job finding strategies.

He offers this advice to other worker retraining students, “Try to identify a career — not just a job — something you want to do that meets your financial needs and fits your life. If you like and appreciate your work, it improves your professional and personal life. It makes life good all around.”

Office of Diversity Affairs: Religious Founders Day Feb. 15

Edmonds Community College's Office of Diversity Affairs notes the following upcoming event in our community:

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is organizing the annual Religious Founders Day 5:30-7:30 p.m., February 15 at the University of Washington, an event focused on tolerance and mutual respect which explores the teachings of the founders of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Religious Founders Day began to be celebrated by the Ahmadiyya Muslim community over 100 years ago to promote peace and understanding between followers of different faiths. The world over, symposiums are organized where distinguished speakers from each faith talk about the lives and teachings of their respective founders proving a wonderful opportunity for everyone to learn and develop respect for each other.

Seating is limited. Register for the event. 

Instructor's book nominated for award

Edmonds Community College English instructor Marcia Woodard's book Collected Kona: Brief Takes on a Basenji, has been nominated for an award from the Dog Writers Association of America in the humor books category. Collected Kona is a series of funny and touching stories about Marcia's Basenji which originally appeared in the American Kennel Club's AKC Gazette magazine. The book was published in 2010 by Teeny Tiny Press (owned by English instructor Amanda Laughtland). The awards ceremony takes place February 12 (the day before the Westminster Dog Show) in New York City. Marcia plans to attend the ceremony.