The Ranken FileStudent Newsletter

March 8, 2010

Dates to Remember:

3/11 Job Fair

3/18 Shadow-A-Tech

3/25 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

Student Appreciation Picnic

3/26 Welding Lab Dedication Ceremony

» Campus News & Updates

New Welding Lab To Be Officially Dedicated

The new Fabrication and Welding lab located in the Mary Ann Lee Technology Center will officially be dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to be held on March 26 at 11:00 a.m.

The new state-of-the-art lab opened for students in January with the start of the spring semester. The 7,500 square foot facility houses 30 welding booths, a plasma cutting table, a magnetic drill press, 2 jib cranes, a shear, and a power hacksaw. Students also have the opportunity to work on the most current and high-tech machinery including combination GMAW/SMAW/Flux Core/GTAW machines, high frequency GTAW machines and pipe bending and coping machines.

Due to the opening of the new lab, Ranken is now able to offer a new Fabrication and Welding Technology program. The program includes foundation courses in flux core, gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc

welding and shielded metal arc welding, as well as specialties in structural fabrication, chassis fabrication and advanced welding techniques. Students will now be able to decide on what welding career goals they have before a training path is determined.

“We are so excited to be able to not only offer this new program that includes instruction in fabrication, but to also introduce our students to high-tech

machines and this amazing new facility,” said John Baima, an instructor in the INT department.

“The lab we used to work in was very cramped and out of date. We have so much more space to work now with a great ventilation system and bright lighting.”

Story continued on page 2.

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Welding Lab Dedication (continued from page 1)

“This new program and facility is unlike any other in the area,” said John Wood, vice president for student success. “The curriculum is very fabrication specific, we have the most current machinery and equipment and our students are being taught by faculty who are experts in their field.”

Just recently the new plasma cutting table was installed and a trainer from ESAB trained faculty on how to program and use the table. Plasma cutting is a high-speed thermal process that utilizes an accurately controlled electric arc to cut most common metals. The plasma uses a small nozzle orifice and high-velocity gas flow to generate a very high-temperature, high-energy-density arc. Plasma cutting and gouging requires a process gas, such as air or nitrogen, a DC power source and consumables including an electrode and nozzle. The benefits to a plasma arc cutting system include fast cutting speeds, application versatility, high productivity and cost-effective operation.

Not just Ranken students are benefiting from the new space. In February Ranken hosted the SkillsUSA East District Championships where welding contestants were able to utilize the new lab and recently ESAB held Praxair training in the new shop. ESAB has been a big supporter and donor of the new lab donating equipment and recently donating $7,000 worth of welding rod.Ranken would like to thank the following supporters for making this new lab possible:» Airgas » ESAB» Mitler Brothers » TRANE

Photo: A trainer from ESAB came to campus to train faculty on how to use the new plasma table.

Security to Hold Emergency Action Training

The department of Public Safety is holding active shooter training sessions for all faculty/staff and students. Below are scheduled dates for this training. All sessions will be held in Gray 108/109.

Students: Friday, March 19 9:00 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 3 p.m. Monday, March 22 9:00 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. - 1 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 23 9:00 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. - 1 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 24 9:00 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. - 1 p.m. Friday, March 26 12:00 p.m. - 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

All students should plan to attend one of these sessions. You do not need to sign up ahead of time but please make sure you sign in when you arrive.

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Caleena Karstens joined the Bookstore as a part-time shift leader on February 24. Caleena has previously worked as a sales associate at Cost Plus World Market, Dippin’ Dots Ice Cream, and Lion of the Lamb Christian Bookstore in Flagstaff, Arizona. She has a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Northern Arizona University.

Kevin Andert will joined Ranken on 3/1 as an Admissions Counselor for St. Louis City and County territories. Kevin was most recently an Admissions Advisor with Chamberlain College of Nursing. Other positions held were sales representative for The Golden Ruler of Kirksville, orientation leader at Truman State, and technology intern at Rosati-Kain High School. Kevin has a bachelor of science degree in political science from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.

New Faces at Ranken

HVACR Students Receive Industry Scholarship

Two of Ranken’s HVACR students were recently selected to receive a scholarship from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Joseph Veal-Briscoe of O’Fallon, Mo. and Mark Walton of Fairview Heights, Ill. each received $750.00 toward their tuition at Ranken. ASHRAE issues this scholarship annually.

Both students will graduate from Ranken in May and aspire to work in the commercial side of their field.

“I encourage all second year HVACR students to join ASHRAE,” said Chris Brueggeman, the HVACR department head who also serves as the faculty advisor to ASHRAE for Ranken. “Both Joseph and Mark are members and it gives them excellent opportunities to network with potential employers and to see where the industry is heading. I think both of these students will be successful in their careers after Ranken.”

ASHRAE is an organization dedicated to offering students various opportunities in their particular fields of study. ASHRAE provides continued learning through keynote speakers, networking events and tours of local venues requiring expertise in their fields. In addition, student members gain experience in a professional organization.

Pictured L-R: Joseph Veal-Briscoe, scholarship recipient; Chris Brueggeman, HVACR department head and faculty advisor and

Mark Walton, scholarship recipient.

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Spring Job Fair

Take the opportunity to speak with more than 80 employers during the spring job fair scheduled for Thursday, March 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Mary Ann Lee Technology Center. Employers attending include:

» Adecco Employment Services» Advance Auto Parts» Advanced Technology Services, Inc.» Aerotek» Ahern Fire Protection» Alpha Packaging» Anheuser-Busch In-Bev» Apex Systems, Inc.» Apollo Professional Solutions, Inc.» Ameren UE» Aramark» Automation Service» Beck Automation» Bodine Electric of Decatur» Bridgestone-Firestone » Carstar» Cash’s Scrap Metal & Iron» Charter Communications» City of St. Peters» Classic Aire Care, Inc.» Code Consultants Inc.» Colliers Turley Martin Tucker» Continental Tire North America» Covidien» Customer Direct» Datotel, LLC» Dave Mungenast Lexus» Dobbs» Doll Services & Engineering» Drury Hotels» Dynamic Transit» Eaton Corporation» Enterprise Fleet Services» FASTechnology Group, LLC

» FedEx Ground» Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc.» French Gerleman Electric Company» Frost Electric Supply Company» Gannon Management» GeoDecisions» GlaxoSmithKline» Granger Contracting Company» Graybar Electric Company» Grey Eagle Distributors» Heizer Aerospace» Hoffmann Brother’s Htg & AC» HOK Architects» Human Resources Staffing» J&S Tool, Inc.» JMC Wood Manufacturing» JMI - Jacksonville Machine Company» John Henry Foster Company» Ken’s Refrigeration» LaClede Gas Company» Leonard’s Metal, Inc. Aerospace» LGC Associates» Lou Fusz Kia» Lowe’s» Maverick Technologies LLC» McClure Engineering Associates» Mechanical Devices Company» Metro Transit» MSD - Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District» Midas, Inc.» Missouri Career Center

» NAPA Mt. Vernon» NIKE» On Assignment Engineering» On Assignment Lab Support» Operating Engineers Local 148» Partylite» Prairie State Generating Co.» Red Bud Industries» Regional Justice Information Service (REJIS)» RideFinders» Sabreliner Corporation» St. Louis Metropolitan Police Dept.» Sargent & Lundy LLC» Scottrade» Sears» Securitas Security Services» St. Louis Carpenter Joint » Apprentice Program» Talentporte» Tech Electronics Inc.» Track Lab» Turney Heating/Cooling, Electrical & Plumbing» U. S. Census Bureau» Vlavoline Instant Oil Changae» Vector Marketing Corporation» Vitek Solutions» Washington University» Wiese Planning & Engineering

Follow this link to get some tips on how to prepare for the job fair:www.blog.careerspeed.com/index.php?s=how+to+navigate+a+job+fair

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Phi Theta Kappa Helping to Fight Illiteracy

Phi Theta Kappa is running a Better World Book Drive March 1-14. If you have any textbooks you would like to donate, please drop them off in the box located in the office for Student Success in the Education wing. All donated books will go to the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL).

NCFL’s mission is to create a literate nation by leveraging the power of the family. Through ground breaking initiatives, NCFL fuels life improvement for the nation’s most disadvantaged children and parents.

Better World Books is a for-profit social enterprise that collects used books and sells them online to raise money for literacy initiatives worldwide. Better World Books primarily collects college level textbooks and academic books.

Please only donate college level textbooks. If you have any questions, please contact one of the officers for Phi Theta Kappa, Nick Stinebrook, Mike Pickerd, or Jennifer Rogozienski. You may also contact John Wood at jewood@ranken.edu or Jean Endres at jmendres@ranken.edu.

Carpentry Helping Ranken to “Go Green”

You may have noticed that the old dumpster outside of the carpentry department has been replaced with a 20 yard rolloff from Hansen’s Tree Service.

“In the past, materials and waste from the shop or job site were just put into a regular dumpster and sent to a landfill. With this new dumpster, Hansen’s takes the wood, drywall and other materials we use and recycles them into organic mulch and firewood,” said Bryan Hicklin, department head for the Carpentry department.

The new dumpster should only be used to dispose of certain materials that can be recycled. These items include wood, plywood, drywall, acoustical ceiling tile, brush and pallets. Please dispose of all other

materials in the dumpster next to the maintenance hut. Hansen’s Tree Services was founded in 1988 and was the first

tree-care company in Missouri to be certified by the Tree Care Industry Association. Hansen’s provides tree services as well as lawn care, mulch and firewood services and compost. Hansen’s employs 90 people and operates a fleet of 75 trucks. Each year, Hansen’s recycles approximately 56,000 cubic yards of wood waste, leaves & grass.

RCDC Holding Work Day

Jeff Bosick, an instructor in the Carpentry department, is leading a work day at our new homes at 4400 Evans Avenue.

All students and employees are invited to participate to help get these homes completed and ready to sell!

Saturday, March 279:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

The work day will consist of landscaping,seeding, laying sod, installing fence, planting shrubs and flowers and painting. Lunch will be provided.

Please bring the necessary tools for the project you would like to work on.

Call Jeff at (314) 286-3633 for additional details.

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Professionalism »Experience »

In Theaters...Top at the Box Office

1. Alice in Wonderland2. Brooklyn’s Finest3. Shutter Island4. Cop Out5. Avatar

Coming Soon...

Green Zone Mar 12 R ThrillerOur Family Wedding Mar 12 PG-13 ComedyRemember Me Mar 12 PG-13 Drama/RomanceShe’s Out of My League Mar 12 R Comedy/RomanceThe Bounty Hunter Mar 19 PG-13 Action/Comedy

3/11 Jo Dee Messina 7:30p, King Cat Club at Ameristar Casino, St Charles, MO

3/11 Willie Nelson and Family 8:00p, The Pageant Concert Nightclub, St Louis, MO

3/12 Superstars of Comedy featuring Sheryl Underwood, Arnez J., Earthquake, and Jay Lamont 8:00p, Chaifetz Arena, St Louis, MO

3/13 70’s Soul Jam featuring the Main Ingredient, the Stylistics, the Emotions, and Ray, Goodman and Brown 8:00p, Chaifetz Arena, St Louis, MO

3/13 32nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Run 9:00a, Downtown St. Louis

One of the largest events of its kind in the St. Louis area, with over 9,000 participants, the 5 mile Run travels the streets of Downtown and Midtown St. Louis. event website: www.irishparade.org/site/run/

3/13 41st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade 12:00 noon, Downtown St. Louis

The Parade takes place “rain or shine”. Begins at 18th and Market Streets, and proceed east to its conclusion at Broadway and Market Streets. The Parade will be comprised of marching bands, floats, huge cartoon-character balloons and lots of clowns. Over 250,000 spectators, the largest of any event in Downtown St. Louis, are expected to attend.event website: www.irishparade.org/site/run/

» City Calendar

Ranken Offering Additional Summer Courses

In order to help work around our students’ busy schedules and to complete their degree on time, Ranken is now offering more summer and online courses. The College is now offering approximately 70 courses that are more flexible for our students. Online and summer courses are available in the following departments:

» Architecture » Industrial Technology » Automotive » Precision Machining » Electrical » Information Technology » HVACR » Bachelor of Science in Applied Management » Business » Plumbing » English » Sociology » Math » Physics

For a complete listing of all courses available online or during the summer, please contact the Admissions office.