HCC Leadership Training Provides Skills for a Lifetime

I had the opportunity to work with 32 new and returning HCC students last week as a part of HCC's annual leadership camp. Students serving as tutors, foundation scholars, HCC ambassadors and resident assistants for the 2013-14 academic year participated in the event. These students were an absolute joy to be around. They are energetic, hungry to learn, and are hopeful for what they can offer the world. I'm glad they chose to be Scotties!

HCC is fortunate to have the Klinefelter Farm and Barn-a perfect place to host trainings and work in a live classroom. The Klinefelter Farm is about 10 miles west of the Highland campus. We utilized the barn as our classroom and the Scottie Low Ropes Challenge Course as our team training ground.

At this year's event, all students were trained and certified in Mental Health First Aid. We are all familiar with medical first aid training. This training is very much like that-except students learned to recognize signs of various mental illnesses and how they can help lead others to resources on campus that will be helpful. The training was led by David Elsbury, CEO at KANZA Mental Health Center in Hiawatha, KS.

The rest of the training included team building training on the low ropes course. The purpose of this training is to assist students in working together to help others find success in meeting various challenges on the elements. In application to working as leaders on our campus, these students help other students break down obstacles on campus that might be in the way of finding academic success.

Tyler Nordman, Director of Student Life at HCC, facilitated work on the Scottie Challenge Course. Students participated in some 15 plus events over the course of the training where their communication, listening, leading, following, and problem solving skills were challenged and enhanced. If you'd like to see some of the training, take a look at the HCC Leadership Photo Album. Tyler was assisted by several other HCC facilitators on the course including Kristin Woodruff, HCC Campus Counselor; Andrea Keller, HCC Director of SSS and Advising; Brad Dixon, HCC Director of Housing; and Jamie Albers, HCC Graphic Designer.

I've always referred to the Highland Community College campus as a diamond in the rough. There are so many opportunities here for both staff and students. I am extremely fortunate to work with staff who, year after year, go above and beyond their contracted job duties to do more for students and for Highland. I appreciate the facilitators listed above and the other sponsors of leadership training to include Dr. Craig Mosher, Vanetta Geiger, Therese Crary, Michael Stonebarger, Audrey Caudle, and Kim Bechtold for supporting these students and the training throughout the year.

And, of course, the reason we are here: OUR STUDENTS! They were awesome participants at camp and will certainly be an asset to enhancing HCC's campus culture as our new semester begins later this week! Here's a list of participants: Kayla Bales, Kaylie Berkley, Nikki Boos, Jake Burnett, Erin Clary, Keshana Cook, Madison Demel, Aisha Dively, Thaina Dos Santos, Michelle Foster, Brittany Gerety, Matthew Hastings, Nic Horner, Justin Hoskins, Jamal LaFond, Carl Leahy, Wade Maddox, Marlyse L'Ecuyer, Dakoda McDaniel, Marli Mears, Brandon Nichols, Dianna Pratt, Annie Ross, Jordan Smith, Katelynn Smith, Ben Stinson, Jake Swalley, Tyler Tryon, Briley Ware, Krista Wilgers, Cheyenne Williams, and Miranda Wilson.

Cheryl Rasmussen
VP for Student Services