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VOLUNTEER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTSiSeries Teacher Becomes Student at COMMONOne conference attendee is happier than most to be networking with other iSeries users this week in Toronto. Roshani Shrestha is the only iSeries user/faculty member in the Computer Science department at John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois. "It's tough for me, and we've had to compromise how we teach," says Roshani, the recipient of the Volunteer Memorial Scholarship (VMS). "Because I'm the only one available, we changed all the [iSeries-related] lecture classes to an Open Learning Center." In this lab setting, students come in when they want and study a specific topic. Some may be working on RPG while others work on operations and other classes. Roshani is available to answer their questions and offer guidance as needed, but the students primarily work with textbooks and computers. Perhaps because she is the lone iSeries user at her college, Roshani says that networking has been the most valuable aspect of the COMMON conference this week. "I've talked to other faculty members here, and we've talked about our common problems... I also got to promote my college's program." She says it's also nice to know what COMMON members do for a living, so she has a sense of what to teach her students. She's also attending sessions on WebSphere and web-based applications to help "graduate" her lab away from green screen, which in turn should attract more students. When she's not attending sessions, Roshani has been helping out at the Education Foundation counter. It was through the Foundation that Roshani recieved the VMS, which pays for her travel and conference registration. For more information on the Foundation and its scholarship program, visit www.common.org/edufound.htm. Illinois Educator Makes the Most of COMMON Conference
This VMS award is given in the name of Doug Boyd, a COMMON volunteer who passed away last year. Volunteer Memorial Scholarship Put to Good Use Once Again
Koel, who teaches C++, Java, SQL, DB2 and more, will be teaching WebSphere soon. "That's why I'm here," says Koel. "WebSphere is my targeted focus. I spent all yesterday afternoon in WebSphere sessions." Koel is looking forward to attending an Open Lab. "If I want to do something two or three times in a row I can. I'd like to spend 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Koel has been to two previous COMMON conferences, and finds them extremely valuable. "This one week of iSeries education equals eight or nine other workshops or conferences," he says. He appreciates the networking as much as the education. "It's nice to meet other educators," he says. "It feels good to find out we're all struggling with the same issues." Koel also approves of a recent change at COMMON conferences: "It's great not to have handouts," he says. "I used to have to bring an extra suitcase just to carry my handouts home. Especially as a first-time attendee, you try to grab everything you can. With the CD, I checked out the handouts I was most interested in and can look at the others once I Part of the VMS requires the recipient to volunteer during the week. "I helped set up the Education Foundation counter on Sunday," says Koel, "and I'll work there throughout Special Spring ScholarshipThe Spring 2003 VMS is given in memory of Byron Goodes. Many of you may not know or remember Byron; he was unobtrusive but always willing to volunteer and help wherever he could. Officially, Byron served COMMON as a speaker, Registration volunteer, and member of the Volunteer Admin Team. Byron, however, did not stop there. At one conference, when we used to give out the green "Helping Hands," Byron had so many that they covered his badge and all of his ribbons. And you never saw Byron without a smile and a kind word, no matter how late he had been up preparing demos for the next day. Byron Goodes will be missed by COMMON, and for this reason the VMS this conference is given in name of Byron Goodes. Scholarship Recipient Makes the Most of ITFrank Lazzara, the Volunteer Memorial Scholarship recipient at the conference, has packed as much as possible into his week here. Lazzara, an instructor at Columbus State University College of Business in Columbus, Georgia, credits IBM's Partners in Education (PIE) program with connecting him to COMMON. "It's a great marriage between COMMON and PIE," says Lazzara. "Together they make sure instructors get to conferences." Since arriving at Opryland, Lazzara has volunteered in several capacities, from stuffing the registration bags with flyers and CD-ROMs to helping out with Lab registrations. He's also attending sessions in XML, Net.Data, WebSphere and Java, and is trying to fit in at least one lab a day. "I try to continue learning-it's my students that will benefit," says Lazzara. With all the sessions he's soaking up, Lazzara still says the most valuable part of the conference is networking with other IT professionals. "Networking makes COMMON even more valuable and enjoyable," he says. "I'm benefiting from the experience of everyone here. The informal networking really stimulates ideas." Instructor Turns Student this WeekSally Ann Tilstra, a CIS instructor at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, S.D., has been busy soaking up education this week. Shes attending the conference as the recipient of COMMONs Volunteer Memorial Scholarship. Sally already has a name for herself at her first COMMON conference: she was recognized by several former students when she was introduced at Opening Session on Sunday. In her first two and a half days on-site, Sally has spent time volunteering with the Registration teamhelping to stuff all those backpacks with materials, has staffed the Volunteer/Human Resources Desk (A great place to learn about COMMON! she says), and attended approximately 10 hours of educational sessions. She also visited the Expo, where she won a lawn chair in an exhibitor drawing, attended the volunteer recognition event and some other special activitiesthats just as of midday Tuesday! Ive been choosing sessions that will help in my teaching areas, Sally says. Primarily RPGtheyve been very helpful. She says another valuable component of the conference is the opportunity to network with other programmers from her region. Sally first learned of COMMONs scholarship program because the Southeast Technical Institute is involved in IBMs Partners in Education (PIE) program. In fact, Sally attended PIE school last summer. PIE has been great for our school, she says. It keeps us on the cutting edge of newer technology. It also allows teachers to get training affordably. Each conference, the Education Foundation awards one Volunteer Memorial Scholarship, which provides the recipient with a complimentary conference registration, a one-year individual membership to COMMON, airfare, and hotel accommodations. Suzie Kyle Makes the Most of Her First Conference
Within Shasta County, several agencies use an AS/400 exclusively. Kyle is responsible for coordinating the development of law enforcement software, creating training materials, and training the trainers. While at conference this week, she is gathering information on project management, wireless technology, barcoding (for crime evidence) and more. In addition to attending sessions and visiting the Expo, Kyle worked in Registration as part of her scholarship agreement. Kyle has found the conference extremely helpful. "I just discovered that the migration tool we planned to get for Lotus Notes/Domino is going away soon," she says. "That information alone is going to save us a lot." Kyle plans to add COMMON conferences to her budget, hoping to send one programmer to each conference, as well as attend one per year herself. "I picked up a lot of ammo at iSeries Opening Session," she says. "There are folks in the county who like to say the 400 is a dinosaur now I can prove to them its anything but!" COMMONs Volunteer Memorial Scholarship was established in 1998 for the memory and appreciation of our volunteers, the lifeblood of our organization. This scholarship recognizes and encourages volunteerism and sponsors one lucky winner to go each national conference. Each conference, the Education Foundation awards one Volunteer Memorial Scholarship, which provides the recipient with a complimentary conference registration, a one-year individual membership to COMMON, airfare, and hotel accommodations. Please note that it is required that you volunteer a portion of your time during the conference. To apply for this scholarship, download a PDF file of the application and fax it to 312.279.0227, ATTN Sara Buehring. Leland Rogers Selected as COMMON's Fourth Volunteer Memorial Scholarship Recipient!
Part of the requirements of the VMS recipient is to work as a volunteer at the Conference. Leland checked into the hotel on Saturday, dumped his luggage, and immediately walked to the Convention Center where he worked as a Registration Volunteer Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. His tasks included stuffing the "black bags," directing traffic, answering questions from attendees relevant to Registration, and helping out wherever needed. As many conference attendees noticed, Leland was missing from Opening Session. As his picture and name were displayed on the big screen, he was volunteering in the Registration area. "I was really needed in Registration," said Leland. "I thought it was more important to stay and help the members who needed assistance, so I opted out of Opening Session." Talk about an instantaneous commitment! Leland said that he found the sessions he attended at the conference very informative. When asked if he thought the conference would help him in his new position, he said, "Without a doubt." In addition to attending education sessions, Leland made the rounds at the Expo/Solution Center and found products that he thought would help him solve long-standing problems and challenges at his company. His only complaint was, "my feet hurt!" Welcome to the club, Leland. Gary Wheat says IT is Hot at COMMON
Ozark Christian College is a non-denominational institution educating ministers, missionaries and Christian day-school teachers. The college runs on an IBM AS/400 Advanced 36 with a System/36 as a "guest. Gary's responsibilities include the management of all administrative computing, as well as many of the academic computing operations of the college. "I have been with Ozark Christian College nearly thirteen years," says Wheat, "and limited resources prevented us from attending any educational events." "But when the budget eased a little, I advocated COMMON because I had been there before and knew it was a valuable experience." The Volunteer Memorial Scholarship was the brainchild of Paul Nelson, long-time COMMON member. Nelson also served as Wheat's mentor for the conference, acclimating him to the conference facilities and events. "Paul steered me in all the right directions and got me involved in volunteer activities," says Wheat, who enjoyed assisting at the Volunteer Desk. "COMMON is everyone's organization and everyone should try to help out in some way." Wheat's IT operations run on a System/36, so many of his educational goals for the conference focused on System/36, TCP/IP and networking topics. "However I also tried to focus on AS/400 and client access because we'd like to begin migrating over to that system." At the Expo, Gary made some professional contacts, from which he gathered business cards. "These vendors of networking products will be my source of products and tools in the coming years," he said. "I sincerely hank COMMON for this scholarship," says Wheat, "It has provided me a valuable opportunity." The COMMON Volunteer Memorial scholarship is dedicated to the memory of COMMON volunteers who contributed significantly to the organization during their lifetime. It provides the recipient with a complimentary one-year membership in COMMON and an "all-expenses-paid" trip to a COMMON conference. Stafford Gets to Know (and Love) COMMON!
Stafford, an analyst programmer for Nestle FoodServices Potato Divison, attended his first COMMON conference as the first winner of the Volunteer Memorial Scholarship. He has worked for Nestle for three years and recently assumed responsibility for the companys AS/400 applications that ensure product quality and grade. Nestle FoodServices Potato Division, located in Moses Lake, Wash., supplies french fries to several leading fast-food chains. During the week, Stafford got involved in several volunteer activities, such as serving as a tactical liaison to curriculum (TLC). He also attended numerous sessions on AS/400 security, advanced HTML and Java and the first-timers ice cream social. "There are a couple of instructors I will keep in touch with. They offered me their personal assistance when I take back the knowledge I gathered here and begin applying it on the job," says Stafford. "COMMON is definitely a great IT education and networking resource," says Staffford. When Stafford wasnt volunteering or attending sessions, he was in his hotel room studying for an upcoming mid-term exam. He is working toward a Masters degree at New Jersey Institute of Technology via its Distance Learning program. Christina Kelley "Bridges Gaps" in San Francisco!
Kelley, a consultant with Keane, Inc., is a technical writer on assignment with IBM in Rochester, Minn. She is attending her first COMMON conference as a result of receiving the scholarship. Kelley attended 13 sessions over the course of this week and provided assistance at the volunteer desk. In addition, she spent a considerable amount of time in the product Expo area and networked with product vendors. "I made contacts and discovered products for my development area in a single afternoon," says Kelley. "This would have taken me a full month or more on my own," she added. She also attended the AS/400 Soundoff, First-timers Ice Cream Social and CUDS events. "I've already made contacts that have answered specific questions and assisted me in solving problems. These people will be available for consulting year-round." At the conference, Kelley represented a team of seven technical writers. "I'll be back at COMMON, whatever it takes," she says. "This is one of most awesome IT events I've ever experienced and its value can't be measured." COMMON offers a Volunteer Memorial Scholarship for each national conference. For more information, visit this site in early April for information on the Fall '99 National Conference scholarship for San Antonio, Texas. |
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The Volunteer Memorial Scholarship (VMS) recipient for the Fall 2003 Conference has been to four previous COMMON conferences, and is still finding plenty of new knowledge to soak up. Michelle August is an associate instructor and Information Management Services (IMS) curriculum coordinator at Moraine Valley Community College. "Because I teach so many different things, I don't usually follow a specific track," she says. "This week I'm concentrating on WebSphere Studio and LANSA for the Web, because we got a new AS/400 and I have to do installs."Michelle has discovered that the Expo floor is at least as valuable as any session room, and has spent some time this week talking with vendor contacts she made at earlier COMMON conferences. "From a teachers point of view, Ive made some great contacts in the Expo," Michelle says. In addition to finding solutions she needs to do her job, she networks for her students. "I look for companies from the Chicagoland area so I can tell my students," she explains. Then the new graduates have one more starting point for their job search.In addition to attending sessions and picking the brains of Expo vendors, Michelle has spent some time this week as a volunteer. "On Sunday, I helped set up the Foundation booth," she says, "and Ill close out the Silent Auction on Thursday. I also helped check people in at Registration."
Peter Koel, head of the Programming Department at Alexandria Technical College in Alexandria, Minnesota, is attending the conference courtesy of the COMMON Education Foundation. Koel is the recipient of the Volunteer Memorial Scholarship (VMS), which includes a complimentary registration for an IT educator.
Although Suzie Kyles title at Shasta County (Calif.) Integrated Public Safety is Crime Analyst, she acts as an IT project manager. When one of her programmers recommended that she check out a COMMON membership, Kyle visited the Web site and ended up as this Springs Volunteer Memorial Scholarship recipient.
If you attended Opening Session in at the Spring 2000 Conference in San Diego, you're probably asked not "where's Waldo," but rather "where's Leland Rogers?" Leland, the AS/400 Systems Administrator for FISI-Madison Financial, in Brentwood, Tenn., came to the COMMON Spring 2000 Conference as the recipient of the Volunteer Memorial Scholarship.
On Saturday morning, Gary Wheat began a 574-mile trip from Joplin, Missouri to San Antonio, Texas. Wheat, the data processing coordinator at Ozark Christian College was "COMMON bound," in route to attend the COMMON Fall '99 Conference as the third recipient of the COMMON Volunteer Memorial Scholarship.
When Kevin Stafford flew in from Washington and registered for his first COMMON conference in Anaheim (October 4-9), he had no idea what the week would hold. Full of enthusiasm and anticipation, he methodically highlighted numerous sessions and events in his conference guide.
After spending nearly 15 hours in the Chicago airport, Christina Kelley, COMMON's second Volunteer Memorial Scholarship winner landed in San Francisco to attend the national conference.