SHORELINE - The Shoreline Community College baseball program received a $3,000 donation from Fred Meyer as part of a state Lottery winning-ticket bonus program.

"We’re very excited to receive this grant," said SCC baseball coach Steve Seki, who applied for the grant this past fall. The money helped purchase a portable "Big Bubba Batting Cage" that the team uses at their home field at Lower Woodland Park in Seattle. "It’s just like the cage you see being used at Mariners games," Seki said. The cage, which rolls into position, also breaks down for easy storage.

The money was part of a $90,000 bonus from the Washington Lottery system to the Shoreline Fred Meyer store, where a winning $9 million ticket was sold in 2007 to a Shoreline man. Employees of the store selected 11 local organizations that support children and families to receive donations.

LAKE FOREST PARK -- There may be “no free lunches,” but there are free classes at Shoreline Community College.  
 
The public is invited to attend a FREE CLASS (choose from three) at an Open House on Thursday, September 18th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the college’s Center for Business & Continuing Education located at the Lake Forest Park Towne Centre.  Put your vision of your business plan on paper in the One Page Business Plan class, get going on designing your web page in the Introduction to Web Design class or learn how to shoot compelling photos from award-wining photographer, Bob Stahl in Photo Tips.  (Registration is required for the Open House free classes before September 18.  Call (206) 533-6702.)

Also, meet the new center Director, Cynthia Johnson, tour the facility, and talk one-on-one with business management, green living, computer skills and creative arts instructors at the Open House.  Mark McVeety, consultant for the new Small Business Accelerator program, will be on hand for free business plan consultations.     

Check out Tai Chi, fencing, and belly dancing performances by some of the most popular Continuing Education instructors from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. at the Third Place Commons stage and enjoy cheese tasting throughout the evening with our wine and cheese instructor, Tod Daniels.  Raffle ticket winners will win a variety of local products from merchants of the Lake Forest Park Towne Centre.

For more information about the Open House, please call the Center for Business & Continuing Education at (206) 533-6700 or visit the web site at www.shoreline.edu/ce for complete schedule and details.  SCC at Lake Forest Park is located at the Lake Forest Park Towne Centre at 17171 Bothell Way NE, #A-220. 

Shoreline Community College is one of 12 companies and organizations to be recognized by Seattle City Light for leadership in energy conservation.  Specifically, Shoreline was awarded for the installation of an 18 kilowatt system on the 2900 Building, the largest non-residential system in Seattle City Light's service area. 

These "Power Players" saved millions of kilowatt-hours of electricity by working with City Light to develop energy efficient buildings, encourage the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs, retrofit lighting, heating and cooling systems, and develop solar energy projects.

On September 21, Seattle City Light hosted a brunch for Shoreline Community College and the 11 other awardees.  Additionally, all were honored at the Seattle Seahawks "Blue is Green" game after the brunch – the Seahawks beat the Rams that day.  Science Division Dean Susan Hoyne represented the college at the event, at which she and the other representatives were introduced and given plaques. 

Dean Hoyne said, “It was a wonderful opportunity to meet others interested in alternative energy and compare programs.  I’m glad Shoreline is being recognized for its solar and sustainable leadership.”

Shoreline Community College has also been recognized as a leader in renewable energy for housing the WSU Zero Energy House and Northwest Solar Center and for its flagship solar and alternative technology curricula.

Seattle City Light will host the Seattle-Shoreline Solar Tour on Saturday October 4th between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with one kick-off location being at Shoreline Community College.  Participants will have the opportunity to visit 29 homes and businesses that have installed solar energy systems.  For more information go to the Solar Tour page at http://www.seattle.gov/light/solar/Tour.asp or call the Conservation Help Line at 206-684-3800.

SHORELINE, WA -- Shoreline Community College English Professor DuValle Daniel is one of five to recently receive the Seattle chapter A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI) Service award for her work supporting the mission of the organization that promotes racial equality and economic justice.

 Ms. Daniel was recognized for her support of the mission of the organization, which works for social justice by bringing together trade unions, community organizations and church leaders to work towards eliminating the impact of discrimination, racism, and classism by building coalitions.  Daniel has volunteered in many APRI activities such as the May Day March, Voter Protection and Registration, African American Legislative Day, serving seniors and many other activities under the leadership of President Verlene Jones. 

 Additionally, Daniel has represented APRI on the MLKCLC Diversity Council and has offered support to partner organizations that serve as voices in the African American community around issues that affect the disadvantaged, offering shelter, education, financial assistance and job training opportunities.  Her communication skills as an English professor are an asset to the organization as she helps with large volumes of letters, emails, flyers, minutes and other forms of communications at very short notice to mobilize large numbers of people regarding injustices. 

 “The efforts that DuValle and other faculty and staff make in our communities do not go unnoticed.  We encourage our students to be actively engaged in their communities and instructors such as DuValle are excellent role models,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs, John Backes. 

 When asked why she thinks she is receiving this award, Daniel said, “APRI recognizes the value of having someone who can be depended upon to show up where he or she is needed, to do the work that is necessary, and to stay there until the job is done.  All contributions are important, and APRI Seattle chapter appreciates that.”

The financial brick wall going up for students at some community colleges doesn’t exist at Shoreline Community College.

“Years ago, we chose a different solution than some of the schools now having problems,” SCC financial aid manager Ted Haase said. “That choice is now helping our college and our students.”

In recent weeks, students at community colleges in Washington and across the country are feeling the pinch of tightening credit policies at major lenders for student loans.  Citibank is one of those lenders, but bank officials say they are not singling out community colleges, but rather have suspended loans at all colleges with small loan volumes and short repayment terms.

"The combination of a significant increase in our funding costs, as well as the expense of originating and servicing these loans, has made loans to borrowers at these schools economically unworkable at this time," Mark Rodgers, a spokesman for Citibank, said in one published story.

"The last couple of weeks have really been something," Kim Matison, the director of financial aid services at Tacoma Community College, said in a recently published report. Citibank and KeyBank have just pulled out of student loan financing agreements at TCC. "It's one thing to read about it happening. It's another to have it happen to you and your students directly."

Matison said TCC had 10 lenders offering student loans last fall. That list is now down to six, and could soon be at five. Changes at Bank of America are forcing the college to consider dropping that lender.

Matison said the market could collapse further.

"If something does happen, it's likely to happen all at once," she said, adding that she is closely monitoring developments.

Loans for students attending Shoreline Community College aren’t affected because at SCC, all such loans are made directly by the federal government. The only other community colleges using the direct federal loan program are Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College.

Students in Washington take out about $900 million in student loans each year, said John Klacik, the director of student financial assistance for the state Higher Education Coordinating Board. About 40 percent of the loans are made directly through the federal government and aren't affected by the market turmoil, he said.

“For Shoreline Community College, it was just a philosophical decision a number of years ago,” Haase said. “We felt that the direct federal loan program would just be more stable for our students.”

Haase said that there are no interest rate advantages in either the direct federal loan program or going through approved private lenders. “There is a slightly lower fee in the direct federal program,” he said.

The fact that most major four-year colleges in the state, including the University of Washington, also use the direct federal loan program was a factor in the original SCC decision, he said. SCC historically transfers a higher percentage of its graduates to the UW than any other community college in the state.

“Students getting loans here are already familiar with the process when they go to the UW,” Hasse said. “If they want to consolidate loans, they’re already in the same system.”

If there has been any downside the federal program, it has been for SCC staff, not students, Haase said.

“We process, literally, every penny by hand,” he said. That situation is expected to change in the coming months with software upgrades coming from the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. “We’re excited,” Hasse said. “The time saved in loan processing will mean we have more time for helping students.”

For more information about financial aid at Shoreline Community College, contact the financial aid office at 206-546-4762, by e-mail at finaid@shoreline.edu or by fax 206-533-6609.