Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form and Guidelines Part 1: College and Contact Information Required Elements Provide all college and contact information requested in Part 1 of the proposal form. 1. College Community College Name: Montcalm Community College Street Address: 2800 College Drive City: Sidney State: MI Zip Code: 48885-9723 Website: www.montcalm.edu Federal ID Number: 38-1790920 Geographic area served (e.g., city, county, region, etc.): Montcalm Community College serves Montcalm and Ionia Counties and the public school districts of Carson City-Crystal, Central Montcalm, Greenville, Lakeview, Montabella, Tri County and Vestaburg. 2. Plus 50 Encore Completion Coordinator First Name: Amy Last Name: Eady Title: Dean of Health Occupations Department: NA Phone: 989-328-1240 Fax: 989-328-2950 E-mail: amye@montcalm.edu Susan Hatto will be co-coordinator; her information is provided below with #4 and 5 3. President/Chief Executive Officer First Name: Robert Last Name: Ferrentino Title: President Department: NA Phone: 989-328-1221 Fax: 989-328-2950 E-mail: bobf@montcalm.edu 4. Dean of Workforce Development First Name: Susan Last Name: Hatto Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 1
Title: Dean of Community & Workforce Development Department: NA Phone: 989-328-1254 Fax: 616-754-4587 E-mail: susanh@montcalm.edu 5. Dean of Continuing Education First Name: Susan Last Name: Hatto Title: Dean of Community & Workforce Development Department: NA Phone: 989-328-1254 Fax: 616-754-4587 E-mail: susanh@montcalm.edu 6. Financial Officer First Name: James Last Name: Lantz Title: Vice President for Administrative Services Department: NA Phone: 989-328-1220 Fax: 989-328-2950 E-mail: jlantz@montcalm.edu 7. Public Information Officer First Name: Shelly Last Name: Strautz-Springborn Title: Communications Director Department: NA Phone: 989-328-1243 Fax: 989-328-2950 E-mail: shellys@montcalm.edu Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 2
Part 2: Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Narrative Community College Background Montcalm Community College is located in West-Central Michigan and serves Ionia and Montcalm counties. Montcalm Community College has a credit of enrollment of 2,000 students per semester and noncredit serves 1,200 students per year. Citizens living in Montcalm County pay taxes to support the community college. Montcalm Community College has two campuses in Sidney and Greenville, and two learning centers in Howard City and Ionia. The learning center in Ionia provides community college access to students residing in Ionia County. Montcalm Community College is a leader in creating a learning community and contributes to the shared economic, cultural and social prosperity. Montcalm Community College values the philosophy of life-long learning and provides open access and fosters success for all learners. The college offers noncredit swimming lessons for children starting at 6 months and Life Long Learners for our retired population. To support Montcalm Community College s values, we became a member of Achieving the Dream in 2011. The goals have been to increase student success in development education and gatekeeper courses, and increase student retention. Based upon data findings, Montcalm Community College has redesigned development courses, implemented supplemental instructor, and integrated general study and developmental courses. These interventions are closely monitored for improvement and adjusted accordingly. Montcalm Community College has recently adopted a mindset of Quality Improvement. The Plus 50 Encore Completion Program would support the quality improvement initiative by providing a framework to improve the current programs and services for our older Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 3
population. Latest census data reported that the fastest growing population in Montcalm County was over the age of 50, so meeting their collegiate needs is a priority for Montcalm Community College. Current Trends Unemployment rates in Montcalm County, Michigan have been higher than the State average, while Michigan has had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. As an example, in the last 10 years the State of Michigan has experienced unemployment rates that range from a low of 6.6% in January 2003 to a high of 14.2% August 2009, with a current rate of 8.4% as of May 2013 (BLS, 2013). During this same period Montcalm County has experienced unemployment rates that range from a low of 7.2% in August 2005 to a high of 17.9% in March 2010, with a current rate of 11.7% (FindTheData, 2013). It is not surprising then that Montcalm County also has a high incidence of poverty and low average income. From 2007 2011, 19.6% of the residents lived below the poverty level ("State and County Quick Facts," 2012). In Michigan this rate is 15.7% ("State and County Quick Facts," 2012), while the rate in the United States is 15% (Luhby, 2012). The average income in the United States is $1,000 per week, $954 in Michigan, and only $722 per week in Montcalm County ("State and County Quick Facts," 2012). The dismal unemployment history, rate of poverty, and average income of Montcalm County could be due to a lack of educational attainment in the county. The table below shows the 2007 2009 average for educational attainment adults 25+ years in Montcalm County: Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 4
Area Diploma/GED Associate Degree Bachelor s Degree Master s Degree or Higher Montcalm County * 39.4% 7.9% 8.4% 4.1% Ionia County*** 39% 8.7% 9.3% 3.8% Michigan * 31.6% 8.1% 15.2% 9.4% United States ** 28.45% 7.3% 17.6% 10.2% * (Singh & Graham, 2011) ** (Ryan & Siebens, 2012) (reported as average of four age groups) *** (The Right Place, 2013) The State of Michigan has an initiative to locate individuals who have not used their Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) retraining funds. The TAA training funds can provide up to two years of college coursework. Central Area MichiganWorks! (CAMWC) has identified 2,500 people who have not used their TAA retraining funding in the region. Further, CAMWC reports that 1,306 of the people who have TAA funding are aged 55 years or older. As part of a statewide initiative in Michigan, CAMWC is utilizing grant funding to contact and promote careers to all of the TAA eligible students. By retraining TAA fund eligible people, CAMWC is hoping to prepare a workforce that is skilled and ready for employment. Because a large number of the TAA fund eligible individuals are over the age of 55 years, the goal is to work with CAMWC to promote Montcalm Community College programming. One of the largest employment opportunities in Ionia and Montcalm counties is healthcare. Montcalm County currently has 2,556 jobs in health care and Ionia County has 962 jobs. Together, there are more than 3,000 jobs in healthcare across the two counties. The local healthcare employers are constantly seeking employees who are skilled and ready to work. Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 5
Montcalm County has a population of 63,097. Just over 34% of the population is over the age of 50 years. Ionia County has a population of 63,905 with about 30% being aged 50 years or older. In the latest census, it was determined that the fastest growing group was aged 50 years and older. This was due to families leaving the area is search of employment and retirees moving to the county. Many people are opting to work past retirement and even those retired are returning to work. Providing a program to encourage people aged 50 plus to return to college for retraining is needed to improve their ability to find work. In addition, employing this large sector of the community will improve the financial stability of the local community. Existing Programming for Plus 50 Learners In 1997, one of Montcalm Community College s goals was to meet the interests and needs of the older population in the service area. Montcalm Community College became an affiliate organization to Elderhostel and relied on Elderhostel for assistance during the development. A steering committee was created to guide in the creation of the organization. Bylaws were created and the organization was named Life Long Learners. The first courses were offered in September, 1998. Life Long Learners continues today at Montcalm Community College. The college provides space and support for the group. The Life Long Learners board determines the course topics along with the schedule. Each year, at least eight courses are offered to the local community through the Life Long Learners program. Montcalm Community College has also offered other enrichment and career development courses through the Career and Personal Development (noncredit) arm of the Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 6
college. Examples are Computers for Absolute Beginners parts 1 and 2 where students are able to learn computer skills at a slower, more in-depth pace, and the My PC Series that was developed by Microsoft Windows to teach computer skills in a jargon free environment. In 2005, Montcalm Community College created a Higher Learning Commission AQIP action project focused on developing programs and services effecting life/work transition. Because of significant job loss, due to the closure of a local manufacturer, Montcalm Community College began investigating the challenges facing returning students who lost employment. Most of the dislocated workers were aged 40-55 years. Montcalm Community College, along with its partners, discovered that the older students needed extra to support to help them with academic success. For many of the students, they had not been in a classroom for 20+ years. Being able to balance the rigor of college along with the demands of life, were very trying for many older students. Montcalm Community College created an early warning system, varied starting times for courses, and added counseling opportunities. More importantly, Montcalm Community College provided professional development to support faculty and staff to meet the needs of the incoming students. Montcalm Community College also offers free credit courses to Montcalm County residence who are 60 years are older. This program allows individuals to take credit coursework and pursue a degree, but at a slower pace. Although Montcalm Community College offers many programs for the adult population, there is still room for improvement. Since 2005, no additional programming or services for the older population has been added. As TAA fund eligible people return to college, Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 7
Montcalm Community College will need to review policies and procedures to insure that the needs of the student are met and that the best learning environment is created. Program Design The program design of the Plus 50 Encore Completion is designed to assist individuals with acquiring the basic principles to be successful in the educational arena. When Montcalm Community College encountered the first round of displaced workers, it became evident early that a high percentage of these individuals lacked the necessary skills to enter college level courses. This is due to the fact that many high school graduates who directly entered the workforce and remained there for 20+ years. The goal of this program will be to provide modules prior to enrollment in college courses to prepare the students for the necessary coursework. Montcalm Community College will assist students by providing modules to identify their personal values, interests, personality type and skills and to link them with career possibilities best suited to their strengths. From there individuals will explore and establish the educational route and career that best suit their skills and interests. Determining their skills and interests is one step in the preparation process. Individuals may also need to refine their basic general education skills to be successful in this educational endeavor. The areas that have been identified historically are with the demonstration of basic computer skills, communication skills suitable to the educational and work environment, active textbook reading, note taking, test preparation and task management. With a good Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 8
understanding and practice in these areas, individuals are better prepared for the coursework for their desired program of study. Montcalm Community College currently has four distinct healthcare course/program offerings that will be expanded/enhanced to coincide with the Plus 50 Program grant. Those courses/programs are: Laddered Nursing Program Licensed Practical Nurse to Associate Degree Nurse Program Medical Assistant Program Long-Term Care Nurse Assistant Course Upon successful completion of the program of study, individuals will need to prepare for entering the workforce. This area is typically not addressed across the campus as heavily as is necessary. The concern of employers is that individuals first of all do not understand how to properly complete an on-line application or create a marketable resume or cover letter for the current workforce. The next concern we hear from employers is that interviewees are lacking the necessary skills relational to appearance and communication for that component of the hiring process. The goal of the completion of module will be to provide individuals the necessary skills to correspond appropriately with employers through resumes, cover letters and applications. They will also be required to participate in mock interviews to acquire effective interviewing skills appropriate for the current workforce. Montcalm Community College is committed to integrating the Plus 50 Program and working collaboratively along with the assigned representative. Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 9
Institutional Capacity and Sustainability The program will have co-coordinators that commit a combined 20% of their administrative time relational to the grant. Ms. Hatto has many years of experience working with the community, workforce development and life-long learners. Her expertise is well suited for this project in conjunction to being an educator. Ms. Eady s expertise is in the area of healthcare and education. Our Student Success Center has numerous individuals with specialized training relational to counseling and needs of various populations of individuals. Montcalm Community College prides itself on providing a quality education to a variety of populations. We are able to react to the needs of the workforce and area learners to maintain that quality. As educators we realize that the learning process varies as we mature. The program coordinators feel that even with the campus experience in these areas, it would be beneficial to all involved parties for a professional development seminar be held specifically addressing the Plus 50 Learners. Montcalm Community College seeks support and advisement for many credit and noncredit programs offered by the college. All credit programs have an advisory committee consisting of local educators and employers from the service area. Life Long Learners relies heavily on their board for leadership and programming. Workforce education has an advisory board that identifies upcoming community training needs and supports programming through enrollment. Finally, apprenticeship programming also has a committee that not only supports the apprenticeship programs but also provides advisement and insight into future technology needs. Based upon Montcalm Community College s success with existing advisory committees, Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 10
implementing an advisory committee for the Plus 50 Encore program will be strongly supported by the local community partners and employers. Scaling Capabilities Montcalm Community College is committed to using the outreach and recruitment materials provided by AACC to recruit the desired students for the Plus 50 Encore Program. Montcalm Community College relies on local partners and employers for support, collaboration, and direction. Montcalm Community College is located in a rural community where networking and relationships are important for success. In 2009, Montcalm Community College created an AQIP project and had a strategic plan goal to improve community outreach. The AQIP project and strategic plan enhanced Montcalm Community College s focus on community engagement and relationships with our partners. The outcome of the project has been refreshed relationships with local partners and an increased collaboration. Montcalm Community College s advisory committees, company visits performed by the Dean of Community and Workforce Education, and the collaborative relationship with Central Area MichiganWorks! (CAMWC) are relied upon to maintain an ongoing connection to the community. CAMWC and Montcalm Community College work on many training projects and perform company visits together. Montcalm Community College s community relationships allow for the creation of programming that responds to the needs in our local community. Ongoing examples are our plethora of apprenticeship programs with local business and industry. Each apprenticeship program is designed specifically to meet the company s needs. Another example is Montcalm Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 11
Community College s workforce training courses that are designed to train incumbent workers based upon a company s needs. In health care, Montcalm Community College designed a program to meet the credentialing needs of medical assistants. The program was designed to identify skill gaps and enhance the skills of incumbent medical assistants to meet the credentialing and staffing needs of the employer. Evaluation The college and specifically the health occupations department have experience with the evaluation process and the use of and role of advisory committees. We currently track not only completion rates within courses and programs, but we track success rates with the applicable examinations (NCLEX for nursing, AAMA for medical assisting, and State of Michigan testing for nurse assistant). In addition we are required by our accrediting bodies for nursing and medical assisting to conduct post-graduate surveys and employer surveys. As part of the requirements of the grant, Montcalm Community College is willing to submit to the necessary evaluations related to the program. College s Completion Initiatives Montcalm Community College will use the Plus 50 Encore Completion Program to advance our institutional priorities relating to completion initiatives. These initiatives are Achieving the Dream and Noel-Levitz. Achieving the Dream has assisted the college with increasing the retentions rates and enhancing services provided by the Student Success Center, Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 12
such as tutoring, testing and counseling. The Noel-Levitz initiative is in its infancy with the college in an effort to improve our enrollment management processes. Part 3: Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Proposed Budget Operating Costs Source of Funds AACC Grant Other Total Year 1 Personnel $3000 $19400 $22400 Staff support $1800 $3800 $5600 Program development $600 $900 $1500 Office $900 $900 $1800 Marketing, communications, and public relations $700 $800 $1500 Evaluation $500 $500 Other $500 $2500 $3000 Other Year 1 Total $7500 $28800 $36300 Year 2 Personnel $3000 $19400 $22400 Staff support $1050 $2450 $3500 Program development $900 $600 $1500 Office $900 $900 $1800 Marketing, communications, and public relations $900 $1000 $1900 Evaluation $250 $250 $500 Other $500 $2500 $3000 Other Year 2 Total $7500 $27100 $34600 Grand Total $15000 $55900 $70900 Budget Narrative The total proposed budget for the grant is estimated at $70,900; year 1 with $36,300 and year 2 as $34,600. The funding resources are based on the AACC grant ($7500 per year) with the difference being met by MCC. Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 13
In the personnel category, these funds are for the co-coordinators and faculty who will be providing the instruction. The faculty allotment is only for the design and creation of the pre- and post-modules as the core programming is already in place. Staff support includes fees associated with recruitment fees (advertising) and a professional development seminar specific to the Plus 50 population. In addition our Student Success Center staff will assist students with assessment testing and tutoring. We have allowed for meals/snacks for the advisory committee meetings that will be held twice a year; one in the spring and the other in the fall. Program development is designed to include existing programing along with premodules specific to preparing individuals for the educational environment. A post-module has also been recommended that would provide the necessary skills and practice relational to job hunting and the interviewing process. The office component includes costs associated with supplies and postage. Printing costs, the website and advertisements are included in the marketing, communications, and public relations category. Evaluations will be completed in the form of surveys as required by the grant along with what the college deems as necessary as part of it continuous quality improvement initiative. The other category has the allotment of time and expense for an administrative assistant for support to the program. Part 4: Additional Documentation see additional documents Plus 50 Encore Completion Program Grant Proposal Form page 14
Amy Eady 7401 Whites Bridge Rd Belding, MI 48809 Phone 616-970-4205 E-mail: amye@montcalm.edu Education 2007 2009 Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI MS Career & Technical Education (Training & Development) 1985 1990 Saginaw Valley State University Saginaw, MI BS Medical Technology and Biology 1997 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI Taking classes to further educate myself; considering a change of career Professional experience Professional memberships / certifications 2004 - present Montcalm Community College Sidney, MI Dean of Health Occupations Responsible for operations of all health occupation programming and staff Instructor Began adjunct status fall 2004 and full-time fall 2006. Instruction in phlebotomy, healthcare revenue cycle, medical terminology, legal and ethical issues in healthcare, professionalism, and administrative procedures Acting director of allied health department, curriculum development. 2012 Successful re-accreditation of Medical Assisting Program 2012 and 2009 Successful re-certification of Emergency Medical Services Program 2006-2009 member of Curriculum Committee Interim Director of Allied Health fall 2008 to present 2008 to present: member of Crisis Preparedness Committee 2008 to present: member of Assessment Committee 2008 to 2013: member of Negotiations Team 1990 to present: American Society of Clinical Pathology as a Medical Technologist 2012 to present: Registered Medical Assistant through American Medical Technologists 2011 to present: professional membership in American Association of Medical Assistants 2008 to 2010: Certified Healthcare Assess Associate (National Association of Healthcare Access Associates) Ongoing: CPR (Health Care Provider) through American Heart Association
SUSAN L. HATTO 115 E Pearl Street Greenville, MI 48838 susanh@montcalm.edu EDUCATION Doctorate, Leadership in Higher Education Capella University, Minneapolis, MN July, 2010 present (dissertation in progress) Master of Science, Education Capella University, Minneapolis, MN June, 2009 Criminal Justice Master Degree Coursework Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan 33 credits earned - 2004-2008 Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice with Juvenile emphasis Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan - May 1999 WORK HISTORY Montcalm Community College 2002-Present Dean of Community and Workforce Education 2012-Present Schedule and manage workforce education including apprenticeships. Schedule and manage career and personal development courses. Create the credit schedule. Oversee the college s appearance at community expos, parades, and other community events. Adjunct Instructor, General Studies & Computer Information Systems 2011-Present Effective Online Learning Efficient Study Skills Computer Literacy Dean of Community Outreach 2010-2012 Oversee and coordinate student activities. Manage guest services. Manage and schedule recreation community activities and classes. Schedule and manage career and personal development courses. Create the credit schedule. Oversee the college s appearance at community expos, parades, and other community events. Dean of Continuing Education and Instructional Services 2008-2010 Schedule and manage career and personal development courses. Create the credit schedule and staff of adjunct sections. Oversee the college s appearance at community expos, parades, and other community events. Director of Continuing Education 2006-2008 Schedule and manage career and personal development courses. Oversight of prisoner education program. Youthful Offender Program Director 2004-2006 Management of prisoner education program at 20 prisons. Youthful Offender Program Supervisor 2002-2004 Management of prisoner education program at two prisons. Montcalm County Juvenile Division, Stanton, Michigan 1999-2002 Juvenile Probation Officer Perform case management, client investigation, and supervision. Montcalm Area Intermediate School District, Stanton, Michigan 1998-1999 Truancy Officer Investigate school absences.