Western Nevada College News & Notes: Nursing students making holidays better for local children

Holiday spirit is alive and well at Western Nevada College.

Once again, WNC’s National Student Nurses Association is participating in the Salvation Army of Carson City’s Angel Tree toy campaign for needy children in the community.

The nursing group has set up its Angel Tree in Cedar Building Room 231. The tree contains tags with the special wishes of local children. People are encouraged to remove a request tag from the tree, purchase the gift and return it unwrapped to Cedar Room 231 by Friday, Dec. 16.

“This is such a great community service event. Last year, we were able to provide 156 gifts for those in need for our community, and the nursing students help with the distribution also,” said WNC Nursing Professor Deborah Ingraffia-Strong, who is serving as an adviser for the Angel Tree project.

Ingraffia-Strong said that nearly 75 percent of NSNA’s 75 gift requests have been met. But it’s not too late to participate. Simply visit Cedar 231 to pick up a tag from the tree.

Use Free Time to Apply for WNC Foundation Scholarships

With an extended break between the fall and spring semesters forthcoming, what better time for students and individuals planning to enroll at WNC next year to apply for scholarships through Western Nevada College’s Foundation and other organizations?

Applications for 2017-18 WNC Foundation Scholarships are now being accepted.

The WNC Foundation Scholarship application is online at www.wnc.edu/scholarships/.

WNC’S Foundation awards up to $200,000 in scholarships per year in a variety of fields.

Last year, one in every two applicants received a scholarship and many students were awarded more than one. There are scholarships available for individuals with financial need, single parents, veterans, Latino students, those studying automotive, nursing, science, technology, engineering or math, and more.

Additionally, there are several links on WNC’s website to help students through the scholarship application process, including tips for writing a personal statement to accompany the application. Visit www.wnc.edu/scholarships/.

WNC President Honored at CoNVerge Conference

Western Nevada College President Chester Burton received the 2016 CoNVerge Nevada Higher Education Champion Award during a Dec. 8-9 education conference in Las Vegas.

Converge recognized individuals from the state of Nevada who help students to attend and finish college.

“The CoNVerge P-12 Champion Award recognizes individuals whose work in the community, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, or higher education serves to promote a college-going culture throughout the state of Nevada,” said Lori Botelho, a converge Nevada Conference committee member. “These individuals exude the passion, professionalism and perseverance to assist Nevada students in the quest to prepare for, access and succeed in postsecondary education.”

Silver Stage High School Principal Patrick Peters and District 11 Assemblywoman Olivia Diaz were also recognized during the conference.

Under Burton’s leadership, a number of WNC programs and initiatives have flourished. The Jump Start College celebrated its first graduates of the dual-credit program last spring. These northern Nevada students from various high schools and academies, as well as home-school students, earned an Associate degree before receiving their high school diploma.

In addition, under Burton’s guidance, the college’s Career and Technical Education programs have expanded and responded to an industrial spike in the region triggered by the arrival of Tesla Motors and Panasonic. To stimulate employment for Nevadans, WNC has created an Applied Industrial Technology program that prepares students for a manufacturing technician credential and has fast-tracked other industry credentialing through accelerated courses.