February 2011
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Dear Readers of Stark Voices:
Your newspaper is going through a change.
This transformation is symbolized by the
change in name from The Student Informer to
Stark Voices, and as this new name suggests,
it is a change which in large part depends on
you, the students. Instead of a paper which,
directed by its advisors, informs students of
what we think they should know, we hope to
create a paper in which the students tell us
what they want to know. We want to create a
paper which is a dialogue, rather than a
monologue. So while some articles will be
about upcoming events of which you may be
unaware, or of various clubs that you might
not know about, other parts of the paper will
be shaped primarily by our readers. Nowhere
is this truer than in the new “What do you
want to know?” section, where we write about
things that real students ask us. Is there
something about Stark State that you want to
know more about, or that confuses you? Or
maybe you heard something and want to
know if it‟s true. Ask us. If we don‟t know,
we‟ll try to find out for you and write the
answer for all to see in the next issue. As with
any dialogue, however, this can only work
with your participation. Otherwise, we can
only speculate about what you might want to
know. So if you have any comments,
suggestions, questions, or even criticisms,
about Stark State or about this paper, please
let us know at [email protected].
Because ultimately, this isn‟t our paper; it‟s
your paper. The Stark Voices.
What Do You Want To Know? By Brenda Dembraski-Marsh
What is the Stark State College
Digital Library and where is it?
The SSC Digital Library is a collection of
information and services available to the
faculty, staff and students. It is located in
B123, across from Silk Auditorium,
although you don‟t have to go to the
physical room to get help. You can call
(330) 494-6170, ext. 4141, or you can reach
a librarian through online chat.
The current hours of operation for Spring
2011 are: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.- 6
p.m. and Friday 8 a.m.-noon, but are
subject to change.
The Virtual Library hours for online chat
are: Sunday 3-9 p.m.
http://libguides.starkstate.edu/chat
This is your corner. We want to answer
your questions and make your time at Stark
State College enjoyable. If you have a
question or concern that you would like to
see answered in Stark Voices, please
comment on the web page, or email us at:
Sincerely,
Ian Cain, Stark Voices Editor
In This Issue
What Do You Want To Know? 1
Meet the Staff 2
Center for Support 3
Recycling Month 4
A Meeting with the President 5
8th
Annual Polar Bear Jump 6
Christopher M. Usner is a Technical Communication major and has been
studying at Stark State since the spring of 2007. He works as an IT professional
and possesses an associate‟s degree in Computer Information Systems and
several relevant certifications. After graduation, he plans to study
communications at Kent Stark and pursue a career in public relations. His
hobbies include hiking, bicycling, and wildlife photography.
Ian Cain is the editor of Stark Voices. He earned a bachelor‟s degree in
English from Ohio Wesleyan University. He is currently on his fourth and
final semester at Stark State as he works towards a Computer Programming
and Database Technologies major. He is excited about his current position
on the newspaper, and hopes that he can help make Stark Voices great.
Brenda Dembraski-Marsh is a Technical Communication major and will
graduate in May. She is currently a student worker in Admissions and very
excited to be writing for the newly renamed Stark Voices. She‟s a single
mother of three children, “Nonni” to two, and plans on working as an
administrative assistant upon graduation.
Connie Luthi is currently serving as an intern writer for Stark Voices in
order to complete the Technical Communications degree. She has been
attending Stark State for the past three years and will be graduating in May.
Connie lives in Massillon with her husband, Joe, and their two dogs, Pete
and Bubba.
Editor
Assistant Editor and Photographer
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Advisors Elizabeth Modarelli and Nicole Herrera are members of Stark State‟s
English Department faculty.
Stark Voices
c/o Elizabeth Modarelli or
Nicole Herrera
Stark State College
6200 Frank Avenue
North Canton, OH 44720
Contact Us:
Meet the Staff of Stark Voices
The next year Stark State established the
site as a satellite Campus. At that time, they
only offered eleven classes. Now, the
Timken Campus offers twenty-six classes,
and it looks as though it will be expanding
in the future.
Cindy explained, “The school leased two
sections of two different buildings.” In the
Main Building, classrooms are located on
the second floor, along with computer labs,
and the new writing center. In the White
Building, located on McKinley Ave., Stark
State has renovated about half of the first
floor, which houses the Ohio Police Officers
Training Academy, three classrooms, a
computer lab, and a science lab, which
enables the center to offer human
biology and other science courses.
The White Building is also the home of the
new Academic Support Center. Jeff Beard,
the Center‟s Operations Manager, possesses
a Master‟s Degree in math along with
extensive experience with computers. Cindy
described the Academic Support Center as
“a place where students can go for tutoring
and support.” She added, “If a student has a
question, we have the answer, or we will
find one.” Cindy understands the challenges
students must overcome when returning to
college at any age. That‟s why “there is a
real need for the Academic Support Center,
and the student workers are excited to help,”
Cindy explained.
Cindy is the kind of person that is easy to
get to know; she has the kind of personality
that makes you feel like you have known
her forever. She is full of information about
the campus and as we talked, I could see the
enthusiasm she has for the students. Cindy
talked passionately about what she calls the
“holistic approach” and explained that it
includes support in addition to education.
(continued on next page)
The Downtown Canton Satellite Center. Photo by
Christopher M. Usner
Cindy Putnam (right) works with Carmella Young (left)
in the writing center. Photo by Christopher M. Usner
A Center for Support Prospers In a City with Heart By Connie Luthi
Did you know that Stark State has 10
satellite campuses? Maybe you did.
However, did you know that the Timken
Campus in downtown Canton located at
521 Tuscarawas Ave. was the first one?
Cindy Putnam, the Admissions/Financial
Aid Specialist and coordinator for the
Timken Campus, was excited when I
asked her for an interview.
It all started in the fall of 2003; Cindy
worked in coordination with the Canton
City Schools on a grant that helped make
the Timken Campus a reality. They
offered post secondary classes that first
year.
Satellite Campuses Cont.
“CANTON IS A CITY WITH HEART” AND “A
GREAT PLACE TO
RAISE CHILDREN”
Cindy would like to see the Academic
Support Center grow, not only to provide
support for students but also for the
community, with access to information such
as the homeless hotline, housing information,
bus schedules, and other educational
opportunities that are available.
“Canton is a city with heart,” Cindy said, and
“a great place to raise children.” She has seen
many people further their education at the
Timken Campus and added, “It‟s a great place
to start your education.” So, if you or your
friends are interested in advancing a career,
obtaining a degree, or just taking a class, you
can get started at one of the Stark State‟s
satellite campuses.
Education, close to home.
What am I?
Can you identify this image? It‟s on campus.
Send your best guess to
[email protected] for a chance to
win a $25 gift certificate to the bookstore.
Please note the winner will be drawn at random
from all correct entries received by March 11th.
Recycling Month By Connie Luthi
Recycling Awareness Month is a “dry run” for
the RecycleMania competition that Stark State
College would like to enter as a participant in
2012. The overall goal is to raise awareness and
increase campus recycling rates. Events have
been organized by the Sustainability Task Force
with support from multiple student groups, the
College Store and Sanese Dining Services.
Events
Get caught recycling or reusing a mug and
win a prize!
Pledge to Recycle - Monday-Thursday in
the Student Center
The first 25 people each week receive a
reusable bag
Sign up for a raffle to win a Stark State
Reusable Coffee Mug- 5 raffled each week
Weekly Digital Library Raffle - located in
the Stark State College digital library
Reusable Mug Discount
Recycling Contest for Faculty/ Staff
Compete to win the recycling contest
between areas in the College from February
7-25
Recycle your paper, plastic, and aluminum
to win!
Prizes to be awarded at end of the month
For further information, check out:
http://libguides.starkstate.edu/content.php?pid=
132288&sid=1297425
Photo by Christopher M. Usner
“And work,” he is quick to add, because that
is part of what fulfills him. A quote from
Sigmund Freud has become a guideline for his
life. “Love and work... work and love, that's
all there is.”
I questioned him about Stark State‟s
immediate future, and Dr. O‟Donnell said that
investing in the college is the key to continued
growth. “I firmly believe that as goes Stark
State, so goes Stark County. In terms of
economic development and social
development, our student graduates are going
to be what propels the economy.”
When asked what one thing he wants the
students of Stark State to know, he advised,
“Do not back away from frustration, failure,
or self-questioning. Find it within yourself
and also find one other person who‟s there to
understand and say, „Don‟t back off, let‟s go
forward.‟”
Dr. O‟Donnell has depth, an innate kindness,
and genuinely cares about all of us here at our
college. He was quick to let me know that his
door is always open. I think that this
approachability is part of what makes Dr.
O‟Donnell the special man that he is.
A Meeting with the President
By Brenda Dembraski-Marsh
The office of financial aid is conducting a
survey in order to gather information to assist
in developing a new financial aid student
budget for the 2011-2012 award year. It‟s a
simple five-minute survey that consists of 17
questions, including how much is your
monthly phone bill, how much is your rent,
and other questions relating to living
expenses. It is anonymous, and your financial
aid is not affected by the answers you give.
All students should have received it in their
Stark State email. Please take five minutes to
fill out the survey. Who knows? It may help
you or a fellow student.
Student Expenses and Costs Survey By Connie Luthi
Dr. O’Donnell, President, Stark State College
I had the pleasure of sitting down with the
president of our college, Dr. John O‟Donnell,
for an interview and was pleasantly surprised.
Dr. O‟Donnell immediately put me at ease. It
may have been the fact that he has a
background in psychology or it may be the
fact that he is a genuinely nice person. I think
it was the latter because it is clear that he loves
people—the faculty, staff, students, and the
people of this community. He loves to meet
people, get to know them and work with them;
get things done, if you will. In fact, he loves
to talk about data, but he feels that people are
the drivers of change evolution and
excellence.
Dr. O‟Donnell hasn‟t always lived in this area,
and yet he fits right in. He was born in
Scotland and lived there until the age of ten,
when his family immigrated to America for
the jobs and opportunity it offered. He was the
first in his family to go to college, and at the
time, he didn‟t know what he wanted to do.
He majored in and enjoyed history, but then
he discovered psychology and fell in love with
that area of study. He felt that he had a lot of
career options, but the profession that he loves
most has come to fruition.
Meeting his wife of 30 years, Ellen, was a
defining moment in his life. He would be the
first to say that they are very close and that his
life revolves around her, their three kids and
his extended family.
MONTH DAY
YEARA
VOL 1 ISSUE 1
If you have any comments, suggestions,
questions, or even criticisms, about Stark
State or this paper, please let us know at
[email protected]. Because
ultimately, this isn‟t our paper; it‟s your
paper. The Stark Voices.
www.webaddress.com
The Portage Lakes Polar Bear Club will host its 8th
annual Polar
Bear Jump on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 2 p.m. Proceeds
will benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.
Once again, hundreds of individuals, including students and
professionals, will gather ‟round a hole in the ice at Portage
Lakes State Park and await their turn to take the plunge.
Among the brave souls participating this year will be Dan
Flowers, President and CEO of the Foodbank.
The Polar Bear Club says, “Remember, every dollar raised
feeds three hungry people, and one of those is a child!” That
means, “31 percent of funds raised feed children under the age
of 18.”
This event is open to the public and free to attend; however, a
$25 minimum donation is required to register as a jumper.
Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. and jumpers are encouraged
to arrive early.
Last year‟s event was a huge success. With the help of
sponsors, volunteers, and jumpers, the club raised $45,000 for
the American Cancer Society. This year hopes are high as many
wish to exceed last year‟s success.
More information about this event or the Portage Lakes Polar
Bear Club can be obtained from the websites listed below or
from “Polar Bear-Jump” on Facebook.
http://www.akroncantonfoodbank.org/special-promotions.aspx
http://www.portagelakespolarbearclub.com/index.htm
http://portagelakesfun.com/default.aspx
8th Annual Polar Bear Jump Will Benefit Regional Foodbank
By Christopher M. Usner
Jumpers and volunteers gather on the ice in 2007 to
raise money for the American Cancer Society. Photo
by Christopher M. Usner
Two polar bears bask in the sun on either
side of the diving platform in 2008. Photo by
Christopher M. Usner
Upcoming Events: Story Quilt Creation Workshops: March 22 & 29
and April 5, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. & 2-4 p.m.
Earth Week: April 22 - May 5
Spring Fling: May 5, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
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