CBCCBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399 Page 2

CBC Forum is a publication of Coastal Bend College, Office of Institutional Advancement, 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, Texas. View this and previous issues online at www.coastalbend.edu. Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. For more information about Coastal Bend College, visit the website at www.coastalbend.edu or call toll free (866) 722-2838.Coastal Bend

College

Community Tailgate Party in AliceThe annual CBC Alice Campus Community Tailgate Party will be held on Dec. 1, 5-7:30 p.m. in Alice. Games, food, booths, live entertainment and a Christmas tree exhibition will be featured. CBC Alice is located at 704 Coyote Trail in Alice.

Drama presentation in Beeville Coastal Bend College 1310 Drama Class presents Telling Tales Again, Sam? by Linda M. Abbott, produced by special arrangement with Baker’s Plays, Quincy, Mass. Show times for the children’s production are: Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 2 at 11 a.m.; and Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $3 for adults; $1 for children 12 and under; and free to Coastal Bend College students with current college identifi cation.

Join the community band in BeevilleDid you play an instrument in high school? Do you want to join a band? The Beeville Community Band is recruiting for the 2011-2012 performance season. Anyone with musical experience and a love of playing can join. The band meets on Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m. in the Gertrude R. Jones Fine Arts Building at Coastal Bend College. For more information, contact Gene Stephenson at (361) 354-

2305 or estephenson@coastalbend.edu.

Register now for ESL classesCoastal Bend College provides FREE ESL (English as a Second Language) courses for those interested in improving their reading, writing and speaking skills. Applications are being accepted now for beginning through advanced level students. Day classes are held Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to noon and night classes are held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Coastal Bend College Lott-Canada Facility, located at 900 W. Corpus Christi St (U.S. Hwy 59 West) in Beeville. ESL classes are also offered in Taft. For more information, contact Roxann Gleason at (361) 362-6095 or rgleason@coastalbend.edu.

Child care slots open in Beeville Coastal Bend College Child Development Center is accepting applications for children 18 months to 5 years of age. The CDC is located on Charco Road in Beeville. For more information, call Ta-ah Treadwell at (361) 358-0421.

TRiO SSS accepting applications Coastal Bend College TRiO Student Support Services is recruiting. The program’s mission is to increase retention

and graduation rates of college students by offering academic and personal support. For more information, please feel free to contact the TRiO SSS offi ce at (361) 354-2718.

Adult Literacy in BeevilleThe Bee County Adult Literacy Council is seeking volunteer tutors now to commit at least one hour a week to help adults 17 years of age or older who are defi cient in reading and English skills. Call Pete Martinez at (361) 354-5335 if you or someone you know would benefi t from literacy tutoring or if you would like to give the gift of literacy by serving as a tutor.

CBC Testing Information websiteStudents in the LAC will have quick access to testing information by clicking on the desktop icon which is on all computers in the Learning Assistance Center. Students not using the computers in the LAC can reach the testing site by going to the following URL address: http://www.coastalbend.edu/testing/. The website contains information about each exam offered in the testing department and practice exams. For additional information, contact Roberta Kreis at (361) 354-2244 or kreisr@coastalbend.edu.

Apply to CBC at ApplyTexas.orgFuture CBC students can now apply online at www.ApplyTexas.org. A single application can be submitted to most public Texas colleges and universities.

Need a tour of Coastal Bend College? Reserve private or small group campus tours online at www.coastalbend.edu. For more information or to schedule a campus tour, contact Vanessa Adkins in the Counseling Department at (361) 354-2538 or vadkins@coastalbend.edu

Page 3 www.coastalbend.edu CBCCBC Forum

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

New dual credit program covers tuition, fees and books

Beeville Independent School District students can take advantage of opportunities available through the 21st Century Program, also known as Texas After School Centers on Education (ACE), to obtain job skills and earn college credit. A.C. Jones High School can start in the spring. Programs available to dual credit students, or those who can earn college and high school credit simultaneously, include Computer Information Technology, Nail Technology, Criminal Justice, Welding and Child Development. Students interested can also work on academic courses or “basics” that can be transferred to a university. Students must attend a Beeville ISD school to be eligible to take part in this program. College tuition, fees and the cost of books are covered for students in the program and they will be transported to and from the high school to attend classes on the college campus. Those interested in earning academic credits can start in January. In addition, several workforce

programs will be available this spring for students who wish to earn Level 1, work-ready certifi cates through the ACE program. Other programs will start in the summer. Depending on the program, students can complete a certifi cate in four or fi ve semesters. A new course starting this spring is a dual credit Spanish III class. This course is presented in partnership with Coastal Bend College, Rice University (Houston) and Monterrey Institute of Technical (Monterrey, Mexico). Other dual credit courses through the ACE program include speech, history and government. Students who have completed the ApplyTexas online application are ready to register for courses and may go to high school counselors for

assistance. Beeville ISD and Coastal Bend College have a long tradition of working together to serve the needs of students. Partnership includes the Passport Program, which was designed to get students work-ready skills certifi cates from Coastal Bend College while they were still in high school; and the Summer Discovery Academy, which assisted students in earning college credit as early as their freshman year in high school. Many students who started with SDA are now on track to graduate with their associates degrees the week prior to receiving their high school diplomas. For more information about the ACE 21 Century Program, contact Traci Younts at (361) 362-6010 or tyounts@beevilleisd.net.

CBCCBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399 Page 4

Mason Bonner, a 2007 graduate of Goliad High School, took a hard road to Coastal Bend College and it took him a few years to get here. Bonner started Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi in the fall of 2007. He settled into the dorms with the plan to earn a bachelor’s degree in geology. Once reality set in, Bonner found himself, after one semester, on academic probation. “TAMUCC is a party school and 40 percent of freshman don’t return, I think,” Bonner said. He had assumed that living on-campus would be great for him, but found that there were too many distractions. With a 14-hour courseload during the fall semester and a 12-hour courseload during the spring semester, Bonner was already being challenged. He partied at school and hung out with friends leaving little time to study and attend classes. “There were a million other things to do besides studying,” he said. “I didn’t go to class. I didn’t study. I didn’t care.” By his second semester, Bonner had a grade point average of 0.6 when he fi nished his freshman year

and knew that he wasn’t going to return. But, he didn’t want to go home. “My father said, ‘You’re throwing your life away. I’m not going to support you,’” Bonner recalled. His mother was more sympathetic. She didn’t agree with his father and was willing to back him up on whatever he chose to do. So, he chose to go to work and got a job in construction.

“Until you go out and dig a ditch for eight hours a day, you don’t know what you want,” Bonner said. He lasted two days on the job and then moved into the oil fi eld. The money was great, he said, but it wasn’t quite where he saw his future. At 19, Bonner had it made, but felt like he really didn’t. “I was living paycheck to paycheck and having fun doing it, but the money ran out fast. It took me from 2007 to 2010 to fi gure out that I really wanted to go to college.” Bonner enrolled in several Coastal Bend College classes through distance learning. He juggled work and a full-time courseload with great results. Then, he decided to take face-to-face classes in Beeville. Bonner is working on an Associate of Science Degree and expects to fi nish his degree requirements this spring. “You have to know what’s right for you. You have to do it for yourself. You have to want to do it. If you don’t, stop fooling yourself. If you want it – go after it!” Bonner plans to transfer next fall

to either the University of Texas or Texas A&M University to pursue a degree in petroleum engineering. He plans to live off -campus. “Bonner’s experience is unfortunately not a unique one,” said Adrian Jackson, public relations offi cer at Coastal Bend College. Jackson dropped out of college after her freshman year and took more than a decade to return. Like Bonner,

“Until you go out and dig a ditch for eight hours a day, you

don’t know what you want.” -- Mason Bonner

Page 5 www.coastalbend.edu CBCCBC Forum

it took a dose of the real world for her to realize the importance of obtaining a college degree. After completing community college, Jackson went on to earn a bachelor’s degree. In 2009, she completed a master’s degree from Texas Tech University. “Students like me sometimes need a moment to regroup and reassess before they attempt to restart their college careers.” The U.S. Department of Education reports that out of 100 ninth-graders only 13 go on to graduate with a four-year degree within eight years. Texas falls 42nd of 50 states on the scale of completion rates, according to a report released earlier this year by Complete College America, a non-profi t activist group seeking

to increase national completion rates. Complete College America works with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Lumina Foundation for Education and W.K. Kellogg Foundation in creating solutions that address issues that hinder academic achievement. Complete College America attributes the national crisis to college preparedness, showing statistical support to the claim that only 41 percent of students are prepared for the rigors of college upon entry. “We have programs in place to get students up to where they need to be,” Jackson said. “Sometimes, though, the problem is that a student’s fi rst choice isn’t the best one.”

Suzanna Fuentes said it wasn’t grades that made her transfer from the University of Houston in Victoria to Coastal Bend College. It was just not the right fi t for her. Fuentes moved to Victoria to live on-campus. She was part of the fi rst cohort of freshmen at the university that had previously accepted only college juniors, seniors and graduate students. “I thought it was just boring,” she explained. “They didn’t have the club activities and sports that I was interested in. I didn’t like it. It was not the right college for me.” Fuentes had a job at a local restaurant and had a full courseload. She felt that her schedule prevented her from having a traditional college experience. “I had lots of stress at

“They didn’t have the club

activities and sports that I

was interested in. I didn’t

like it. It was not the right

college for me.” -- Suzanna Fuentes

CBCCBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399 Page 6

UHV. I had a job, fi ve classes and homework. It was overwhelming for me,” she explained. Fuentes fi nished her freshman

year and transferred to Coastal Bend College. She had attended CBC as a dual credit student back in high school and liked the atmosphere. She was also familiar with the Beeville campus and knew some of the instructors. Today, she lives at home with her parents, David and Belinda Flores, but feels that she is where she needs to be at this point in her life. She is a work study on the Beeville campus. Her advice to students in similar situations is to fi nd on-campus jobs and try not to do so many things at the same time. “I want to earn a couple of associate’s degrees,” she said. Fuentes plans to fi nish up her core

curriculum or “basics” and then transfer to the University of Texas at San Antonio to study business and criminal psychology. Successful completion is measured in degree attainment within six years for university students and three years for community college students. The University of Texas at Austin (81%)

and Texas A&M University in College Station (80%) have the highest completion rates among Texas public universities, according to Complete College America. Among public two-year colleges, Western Texas College outshines all others with a 34 percent completion rate. Texas State Technical College – West Texas (32%) and Texas State Technical College – Harlingen (29%) also rank among the highest completers. Coastal Bend College, ninth on the list, graduates 23 percent of its student body. Completion rates for other colleges in the area are: Victoria College (26%), Del Mar College (10%) and Palo Alto College (8%). Texas Commissioner Raymund Parades said, “Expectations for our children are ridiculously low.” While addressing education policymakers in Abilene, he said he had seen an improvement in the number of incoming freshman prepared for college level work and a growth in enrollment, but it isn’t enough. “We’re getting better, but we’re not getting better fast enough.” Two of the benefi ts to community college, over Texas

public and private universities are cost and proximity to home. “Students save on tuition, transportation and housing when they attend community colleges,” Jackson said. “The value of being close to home, near a strong support system, cannot be measured. Some students think they are fully prepared to take charge of their own

lives, but once they leave home, they fi nd themselves lost and alone. The network of parents, family and friends is severed, leaving many students ill-prepared to cope with the myriad of changes brought on by campus life.” Zachary Garcia left his home in Port Lavaca to attend Sul Ross University in Alpine where he could follow his love of baseball. The Calhoun High School graduate played “fall ball” and returned home after his fi rst semester. Academically, Garcia performed well at Sul Ross, but he was homesick and while he was able to visit home, it was a nine-hour trip and he had to split the cost of $200 in gas each time. “I was a long way from home and I wanted to be closer,” he said. He moved to Corpus Christi and enrolled at Texas A&M University. He got into the university after the semester had already started, but had to wait for paperwork to catch up to him. When it didn’t, he had to drop his classes. At that point, he enrolled at Coastal Bend College. “CBC is an easy school, especially if you like living close to home,”

“I was a long way from home and I wanted to be closer.” -- Zachary Garcia

Page 7 www.coastalbend.edu CBCCBC Forum

Garcia said. “My classes are smaller than they were at my 4A high school.” Garcia has done remarkably well at CBC. His grade point average is about 2.8. “My parents are proud of me,” Garcia said. He plans to complete some basic courses on the way to earning a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology. He wants to become a coach. He could graduate this spring, but plans to transfer to Victoria College for a semester to play club ball. Texas Association of Community Colleges reports that Texas community colleges are currently experiencing an all-time high in enrollment and 55 percent of all higher education students in the state are currently attending community colleges. 23 percent of full-time and part-time college students transfer out to universities within three years of enrolling in community colleges, according to Complete College America. “We work hard for student success, however our students defi ne that,” Jackson explained. “Some of our students transfer out to pursue higher level degrees while others obtain certifi cates or degrees and immediately enter the workforce. We are happy when the door they walk out of leads to more opportunities than they can imagine. That’s the college experience every student deserves.”

Academic Fresh Start

Those who have interrupted their undergraduate

careers for at least ten consecutive calendar years may

request Academic Fresh Start. All college-level work

covered by this policy is eliminated from computation

of the GPA and none of the work is applied toward a

degree. Such work, however will not be removed

from the student’s records. Academic Fresh Start will

be granted to eligible students only once during their

CBC academic careers. Those interested in requesting

Academic Fresh Start should inquire at the registrar’s

offi ce. Once a student is granted Academic Fresh Start,

then all courses are marked with the percent symbol

(%) and no longer considered in the computation of

the student’s GPA.

CBCCBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399 Page 8

Coastal Bend College introduces a new learning opportunity for Spanish language students at the college. Beeville Independent School District dual credit students planning to enroll in Spanish III/SPAN 2311 will also be able to register for the class as part of the local 21st Century Program, also known as Texas After School Centers on Education (ACE). CBC has partnered with Rice University in Houston and Instituto Technológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterry (ITESM), or Monterrey Institute of Technology, in Monterrey, Mexico to off er intensive Spanish language studies through distance learning. The goal of the program is to collaborate with institutions across the border and to use the humanities to help students learn more about border issues. Because of the proximity and impact of the border on its adjacent communities and the likelihood that students in the program will go on to have jobs that deal with border aff airs like commerce, health and government aff airs, the exponential value of this program can not be measured. Each interaction between students is designed to foster a deeper appreciation of cultural understanding. The three institutions will share a virtual learning environment where students will be able to communicate with their peers across the U.S.-Mexico border. Participating A.C. Jones High School dual credit students and Coastal Bend College students will enroll in SPAN 2311/Spanish III, an intermediate-level class. Rice University students will come from a junior-level Latin American history and culture course and ITESM students will be college sophomores and juniors enrolled in an Introduction to American Studies course. The groups will meet in two or three video conferences and spend several weeks in an online discussion forum, conversing in both Spanish and English. “We are doing this as a test run this fall,” said Dr.

Emmanuel Alvarado, who teaches Spanish at CBC. “We will offi cially launch the program in Spring 2012.” Students interested in enrolling in the course, including high school students, must have completed beginning Spanish or tested at an equivalent level before registration. Alvarado is working with Director of the Center of American Studies Dr. Gabriela de La Paz from Monterrey and the Director of Latin American Studies Dr. Luis Duno-Gottberg from Rice University. “This initiative will provide a unique opportunity to generate a dynamic dialog across Texas, and also between the U.S. and Mexico. The platform we are developing will allow a conversation about borders while, at the same time, bridging national borders,” Dr. Duno-Gottberg said. “Most importantly, it will allow the convergence of diverse voices with diverse experiences. There is tremendous value in this

Representatives from three higher education institutions come together in

Beeville to discuss an innovative Spanish program. Left to right are Director of

the Center of American Studies Dr. Gabriela de La Paz of Monterrey Institute of

Technology in Monterrey, Mexico; Coastal Bend College Dean of Instructional

Services Dr. Bruce Exstrom; CBC President Dr. Thomas Baynum; Director of

Latin American Studies Dr. Luis Duno-Gottberg of Rice University in Houston;

CBC Social and Behavioral Sciences Division Chair Ed Massey; and CBC Spanish

Instructor Dr. Emmanuel Alvarado.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Spanish class brings Texas-Mexico border closer to students

Page 9 www.coastalbend.edu CBCCBC Forum

interaction.” Dr. Alvarado explained the scope of the project. The faculty will select short stories to be read by all three classes. “We will read them and debate questions during video conferences. From there, discussions will carry over to the internet,” he said. The Crystal Frontier by Carlos Fuentes is central to the program. “This is the most prominent piece of literature on the subject of what happens on the border,” Alvarado said. The book, a collection of nine short stories, emphasizes issues involving trade liberalization and globalization, and the social and economic implications of border interactions between the two nations. “Interestingly, many ITESM students are from border towns and have travelled to Monterrey to study,” Alvarado said. He hopes that the commonality of regional backgrounds will help students communicate with each other. He said that normally when Mexican students interact with American university students, they do so in English. This puts the Mexican students at a disadvantage since they may not feel comfortable debating in a non-native language. This program emphasizes dual-language exchanges so that all students end the semester with enriching experiences. Duno-Gottberg and de La Paz visited the Coastal Bend Campus in Beeville recently and were impressed with the college’s distance learning setup. Alvarado was pleasantly surprised by the knowledge that CBC is on the forefront of technology in distance learning. While the other institutions have distance learning setups, they lacked the relay speed, ability to switch cameras and the split screens that CBC uses. “This is a new teaching mechanism for them,” Alvarado said of his two partner institutions. He hopes that the success of this program will hep in obtaining grants to fund distance learning rooms at ITESM and Rice. Coastal Bend College is a comprehensive, public community college serving a diverse South Texas area. It is a student-centered institution committed to the highest integrity and to the development of an educational culture that supports creativity, encourages professional development, and promotes excellence in all areas. The college is located in Alice, Kingsville and Pleasanton with its main campus in Beeville, Texas. For more information about the college, go to www.coastalbend.edu.

Cash bash was a big hit (before and after photos)Coastal Bend College automotive students Timothy Barcenas, Jesse Colmenero,

Michael Franco, Arnulfo Torres, Ruben Mendoza, Fidel Torres, Daniel Pittman, Jose

Molina, Richard Villarreal led a Halloween Car Bash. More than 60 people took

swings at the Chevy Tahoe.

Fall 2011 Automotive Shop FeesCBC Current Students (with ID) .............. $20

CBC Employees (with ID) ......................... $20

All Others.................................................. $40

Oil Changes .............................................. $10

Tire Rotation/Balance (4) ........................ $10

Flat Tire Fixes (cars and pickup trucks) .... $5

(CBC students and employees only)

A/C Freon ................................ 75¢ per ounce

By Appointment Only

Must Purchase Own Parts

Automotive Instructor Will Arrange

Parts Order at the Parts Store

by Linda M. AbbottProduced by special arrangement with Baker’s Plays, Quincy MA.

Sam is determined to be a good narrator and a great PR man for the fairytale kingdom. Will the Gingerbread Man, the Three Little Pigs

and other favorite characters present their tales under Sam's direction? This children’s play is an amusing anthology of some of our

most beloved fairytales featuring a cast of characters that do not always follow directions which leads to missteps and

misunderstandings.

Coastal Bend College 1310 Drama Class presents

December 1 at 7 p.m.//December 2 at 11 a.m.//December 3 at 1 p.m.

Coastal Bend College Gertrude R. Jones Auditorium//Beeville

$3 Adults//$1 Children Under 12//FREE with Current CBC Student ID

Page 11 www.coastalbend.edu CBCCBC Forum

By Peter Vogt Monster Senior Contributing Writer

One day you’re interested in philosophy, and the next day you think a career in journalism would be cool. The following day you lean towards a major in fi nance, and the day after that you swing way back to your fascination with archaeology. Eventually, you’ll start the circle all over again, perhaps with four other interests. In short, you like everything — or so it seems — to the point that you’re practically immobilized when it comes to choosing just one major or career to pursue.

You aren’t alone. In fact, campus career counselors often meet with students, and even graduates, who are in your shoes. With all of the career possibilities you can explore, it’s easy to do nothing, because you’re trying to keep your options open. This may result in drifting from interest to interest without doing anything to explore each area or plot a career direction.

Getting your career bearings when you have too many interests isn’t as diffi cult as you might

think. Here’s a four-step approach you can use:

Rule Out What You Clearly Don’t

Like: You may think you enjoy everything, but you really don’t. We

all have dislikes and even hates. So work on identifying what you don’t like

and what you don’t see yourself pursuing as a major or career. If you’re iff y about a particular major or career at this point, keep it under consideration. For now, rule out only those possibilities that are defi nitely not for you.

Prioritize What You Want to Explore Further: Once you’ve eliminated the don’t likes from your list of possibilities, take the majors and careers remaining and prioritize them as best you can, given what you know about each one, which may be

very little in some cases. Which three or four areas are you most interested in

exploring further, and which can go on the back burner?

Start Exploring: This is a critical step, because in order to explore majors and careers, you have to

start somewhere. I know that sounds simplistic, but you may

have to remind yourself of this concept. By prioritizing what you should explore and then starting your exploration, you move closer to fi guring out your career direction one small step at a time.

Consider, for example, working with a campus career counselor to get a better sense of your skills, personality, values, likes and dislikes. In addition, fi nd out whether or not those traits match up well with the majors and careers you’re researching.

You can learn about the major or career through reading, talking to people who are in that major or career and, if possible, participating in an experiential activity — an internship or a co-op — to get a hands on sense of what the major or career is all about.

Use What You’ve Learned

to Reprioritize and

Eliminate: Once you have a better picture of yourself and the majors and careers you’ve explored, you’ll more than likely change your list of initial priorities. Perhaps you’ll even drop some of those options from consideration. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to narrow your options to just one major or career at this point, but that’s normal and for the best in many ways. The idea behind this process is not necessarily to eliminate all but one major or career, but rather to reduce your initial list to one you can more easily manage.

As you might guess, this process is neither quick nor easy — at least not if you do it right. But if you’re willing to invest some time and energy, you’ll slowly be able to replace your debilitating confusion with action-oriented exploration that gets you moving toward an informed decision about your major or future career.

This article originally appeared in MonsterCollege.

Professional and Business ServicesAverage Wage: $77,000

Invest in your future with a degree or certificates in Professional Business Technology or Computer Information Technology.

Healthcare ServicesAverage Wage: $39,200

Coastal Bend College offers degrees and certificates in Nursing, Pharmacy Tech, Dental Hygiene and Medical Coding.

Leisure and HospitalityAverage Wage: $22,300

Training in Cosmetology or Nail Technology at CBC will set you on your path to success.

Natural Resource ExtractionAverage Wage: $143,700

CBC has Oil and Gas Technology and Machinist programs and provides customized training for those interested in expanding job opportunities in a growing industry.

Retail TradeAverage Wage: $27,000

ConstructionAverage Wage: $48,200

Drafting and Design and Welding degrees and certificates give you a good foundation on which to build a solid career.

ManufacturingAverage Wage: $69,300

Financial ServicesAverage Wage: $67,900

Coastal Bend College offers degrees and certificates in Accounting that yield positive career results.

TransportationAverage Wage: $54,300

Coastal Bend College offers training in Airframe and Power Technology, Automotive Technology and truck driving to get you moving towards your future.

Wholesale TradeAverage Wage: $69,500

Top Ten Sectors

for Texas Job CreationCoastal Bend College works with Texas business leaders to match workforce programs with industry needs. Degrees and certificates at CBC prepare students to fill careers that keep the state economy growing.

Top 10 Certifi cate Degrees in America Degrees Awarded 1 . Medical / Clinical Assistant 58,478 2 . Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse (LPN, LVN, AAS) 52,034 3 . Cosmetology / Cosmetologist, General 49,396 4 . Nurse / Nursing Assistant / Aide and Patient Care Assistant 38,658 5 . Automobile / Auto Mechanics Technology / Technician 24,249 6 . Emergency Medical Technology / Technician (EMT Paramedic) 21,179 7 . Massage Therapy / Therapeutic Massage 17,344 8 . Welding Technology / Welder 16,677 9 . Truck and Bus Driver / Commercial Vehicle Operation 16,258 10 . Dental Assisting / Assistant 14,646 Top 10 Associate’s Degrees in America Degrees Awarded 1 . Liberal Arts and Sciences / Liberal Studies 193,700 2 . Nursing / Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN) 74,326 3 . Business Administration and Management, General 43,170 4 . General Studies 41,831 5 . Business / Commerce, General 12,559 6 . Liberal Arts and Sciences / General Studies and Humanities 10,922 7 . Biological and Physical Sciences 9,783 8 . Criminal Justice / Police Science 9,161 9 . Medical / Clinical Assistant 8,992 10 . Accounting 8,058 Top 10 Bachelor’s Degrees in America Degrees Awarded 1 . Business Administration and Management, General 129,686 2 . Psychology, General 93,886 3 . Nursing / Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN) 68,759 4 . Biology / Biological Sciences, General 57,557 5 . Accounting 46,510 6 . English Language and Literature, General 44,938 7 . Political Science and Government, General 42,859 8 . Elementary Education and Teaching 42,212 9 . Finance, General 37,488 10 . History, General 37,436 Top 10 Master’s Degrees in America Degrees Awarded 1 . Business Administration and Management, General 101,238 2 . Education, General 25,809 3 . Educational Leadership and Administration, General 19,938 4 . Social Work 19,211 5 . Curriculum and Instruction 17,701 6 . Elementary Education and Teaching 17,254 7 . Special Education and Teaching, General 14,181 8 . Counselor Education / School Counseling and Guidance Services 12,787 9 . Accounting 11,607 10 . Business / Commerce, General 10,578 Top 10 Doctoral Degrees in America Degrees Awarded1 . Physical Therapy / Therapist 3,329 2 . Educational Leadership and Administration, General 1,876 3 . Chemistry, General 1,424 4 . Clinical Psychology 1,147 5 . Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering 940 6 . Psychology, General 896 7 . Education, General 785 8 . Physics, General 760 9 . English Language and Literature, General 618 10 . Audiology / Audiologist and Hearing Sciences 605 Top 10 Professional Degrees in America Degrees Awarded 1 . Law (LLB, JD) 24,430 2 . Medicine (MD) 9,880 3 . Pharmacy (PharmD) 5,658 4 . Divinity / Ministry (BD, MDiv) 3,064 5 . Dentistry (DDS, DMD) 2,933 6 . Osteopathic Medicine / Osteopathy (DO) 1,555 7 . Veterinary Medicine (DVM) 1,374 8 . Optometry (OD) 715 9 . Podiatric Medicine / Podiatry (DPM) 328 10 . Chiropractic (DC) 249

These lists report the most popular degrees in America by the total number of degrees awarded in each major during the last calendar year, according to MyPlan.com. Those highlighted are certifi cates and degrees available through Coastal Bend College.

Top Ten Sectors for Growth in South Texas

1. Home Healthcare2. Retail, Sales3. Food Prep, Food Service4. Customer Service5. Teaching6. Offi ce Administration7. Truck Driving8. Nursing9. Maintenance10. Labor

CBCCBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399 Page 14

by Monster

No matter what position you hold, leadership skills are valuable for moving you through your career and into a leadership role. Smart companies and employees know it’s critical to business survival to cultivate leadership skills at all levels.

Get Ready for Your Future

During your career, you will learn many leadership skills, but the following tips should give your career a jump-start:

• Show Enthusiasm: Personal energy is contagious, and so is the lack of it. No matter what the job, complete it with a sense of urgency. When others notice, they will become enthusiastic also.

• Build Optimism: Negativity in the workplace is destructive. Your boss doesn’t want to hear what’s wrong with something; he wants to hear your suggestions for making it better.

• Be Flexible: You won’t survive in your job if you resist change. Show that you are fl exible by volunteering for a new project or by helping others with change.

• Cooperate: Since companies must do more with fewer resources, teamwork is essential. If you insist on having your own way or controlling others, your career will run into a brick wall.

• Be Creative: What process can be improved? How can you make things easier for customers? Use your creativity to continuously improve processes, and you will stand out.

Stepping Up to the Next Level

When you’ve shown you are worthy of upward movement, you will need an additional set of skills for success:

• Vision: Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s, had awesome vision. In 1954, he saw the McDonald brothers’ hamburger stand in California and knew he could build a business by selling 15-cent hamburgers. Over the years, he set the pace for fast food. Be a forward thinker, and share your vision with everyone.

• Become a Mentor: As you have learned along the way, you should share that knowledge with others.

• Share Celebrations with Co-Workers:

Nothing inspires a team more than knowing that everyone’s work is appreciated.

• Give Back to the Community That Made

You Successful: Get involved in the local community by making donations and volunteering. What you give out comes back to you twofold.

• Don’t Blow Your Own Horn: Others will be talking about you, which will make you appear more successful. Be grateful for the acknowledgements, but stay humble.

If you start cultivating your leadership skills, moving up will be much easier. If you realize how many times you provide guidance at work, it will be easy for others to realize you are a leader no matter what your current position.

Adapted from an article written by Cheri Swales, Monster Contributing Writer

Page 15 www.coastalbend.edu CBCCBC Forum

Larry Mendez

Head Basketball Coach

Larry Mendez is a native of Smyer, Texas, just west of Lubbock. He attended Angelo State University in San Angelo, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in kinesiology in 2001. He went on to earn a master’s degree in kinesiology from Texas A&M University – Kingsville in 2003. Mendez played basketball at ASU as a point guard. He went on to become a student coach. He was a graduate student basketball coach at TAMUK before beginning his professional coaching career at Lincoln University in Missouri for three years; Moberley Area Community College in Missouri for two years and at Howard College in Big Spring for a year. He was assistant basketball coach at South Plains for a year before launching his season at Coastal Bend College. He is starting his second season leading the Cougars.

Colt Walker

Assistant Basketball Coach

Colt Walker is in his fi rst season as an assistant coach at Coastal Bend College. Before arriving at CBC, Walker was the assistant men’s coach at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. In his two years at UTPB, he helped lead the Falcons to their best season ever as a Division II program; win their fi rst regular season conference championship; and advance to the conference tournament championship for the fi rst time in school history. Coach Walker was UTPB Recruiting Coordinator. Walker attended Abilene Christian University. He later transferred to Rochester College (Mich.), where he was team captain and an Academic All-American in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. He graduated from Rochester College cum laude with his Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology and a minor in sports marketing. Walker, a native of Whitney, Texas, is married to the former Mandi Ball, also of Whitney.

Brandon GoldenAlex Parish Charles Mells

Dejon TaylorDeandre IrvingDavid Weathers

LaDarrien Williams Marcus Barber Phadarius Taylor

Conner Lewis

Demarco Richardson

Tevin Shedd Tim Bell

Harvey Griffi n Kaylon Smith

Darrick Little David Atkinson

CBCCBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399 Page 18

DATE OPPONENT PLACE TIMEDecemberDec. 1 Odessa College Odessa TBADec. 2 South Plains College Levelland TBADec. 3 New Mexico Military Institute Levelland TBADec. 10 Northwest Vista College Beeville 2 p.m. Dec. 14 Northwest Vista College Beeville 7 p.m.

January Jan. 6 Louisiana State University-Shreveport Beeville 7 p.m.Jan. 7 Lee College Baytown 7 p.m.Jan. 12 Western Texas College Snyder 6 p.m.Jan. 14 Lone Star College-Tomball Beeville 3 p.m.Jan. 19 Fort Sam Houston San Antonio 7 p.m.Jan. 21 Lackland Air Force Base San Antonio 2 p.m.Jan. 28 Lackland Air Force Base San Antonio 2 p.m.

FebruaryFeb. 3 Southwest Texas Junior College-Uvalde Uvalde 7 p.m.Feb. 6 Victoria College Victoria 7 p.m.Feb. 15 Temple College Temple 7:30 p.m.Feb. 18 Lone Star College-Tomball Tomball 3 p.m.Feb. 27 Victoria College Beeville 7 p.m.

MarchMar. 5 Region 14 Play-In Series TBA TBA

www.coastalbend.edu/sports

Coastal Bend College Continuing Educa-tion will offer Petroleum Fundamentals: Oilfi eld Terminology and Process [.8 CEUs] in a one-day segment on the fol-lowing dates: • Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.• Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.• Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.

This fundamental course will provide useful information about terminology

and processes for those desiring to know more about the oil and gas industry. This course is a perfect fi t for assistants, engi-neering/geological technicians, landmen, accountants, public relations specialists, landowners and spouses of oilfi eld em-ployees wanting a better understanding of the oilfi eld.

Participants who may be considering a career in the petroleum industry; are en-

gaged in occupations that are related to or dependent on the petroleum industry; or are curious about oil and gas, will fi nd this course especially useful. The course will offer familiarity with oilfi eld termi-nology and drilling processing of a hypo-thetical well.

The cost is $45. For more information, call Coastal Bend College Continuing Education at (361) 362-2633.

Page 19 www.coastalbend.edu CBCCBC Forum

College suicide is a tragic yet prevalent issue facing American families. It is the second leading cause of death among college-age students in the United States, accounting for approximately 1,350 deaths every year. A recent study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center published in the Journal of Aff ective Disorders found that 12 percent had pondered committing suicide at least once and 24.5 percent of that group had done so repeatedly. Coastal Bend College is teaming up with Kognito to train faculty to support students’ mental and behavioral health. By taking an active role in increasing the number of people in the community who are trained

to identify, address and motivate students exhibiting signs of psychological distress including depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide, to seek help. Kognito has developed a creative and cutting edge educational gaming technology that uses online role-playing simulations with emotionally-responsive avatars to teach college faculty to become gatekeepers that keep our community’s youth from slipping through the cracks. CBC is one of the earliest adopters of Kognito’s At-Risk for University Faculty program, which provides education and a virtual practice ground to train college faculty to identify at-risk students and refer them to the counseling center

for the support they need. A demo of the technology can be viewed at http://www.kognito.com/atrisk. Kognito’s At-Risk for University Faculty has garnered widespread adoption in over 75 U.S. universities as a highly eff ective solution for training in basic suicide intervention skills, also known as gatekeeper training. A survey conducted with 1,450 faculty members to assess At-Risk for University Faculty showed:

● Over 80 percent reported increased awareness that identifying and referring students is part of their job role.

● 87 percent reported they were better prepared to identify, approach, and refer students exhibiting signs of psychological distress.

● Fully 97 percent of respondents said the use of virtual role-play exercises was an eff ective instructional tool.

Students planning to attend classes at Coastal Bend College starting in January of 2012 may register now. The registration period is open to all students until Jan. 13, 2012.

Students may register online at www.coastalbend.edu through Campus Connect (Students). Students with holds on their accounts and those who need assistance with the process may register in person.

A bacterial meningitis vaccination is required for all incoming students with the last shot being administered no less than ten days prior to the start of classes. For more information, go to:

http://www.coastalbend.edu/announcements/bacterial_meningitis/BACMeningitis.pdf

Advisors are available on any CBC campus in Alice, Beeville, Kingsville and Pleasanton until Dec. 6 to assist students with course selections, scheduling and career exploration.

For additional information, go to:

Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.

Alice Beeville Kingsville Pleasanton