Rachel Angerman and Lena Sherry, both PTK officers on the Red Wing campus, take donations for the organization's children's book drive.

As nursing students, Rachel Angerman and Lena Sherry have a clear interest in helping others, so it is no wonder that the two chose to help organize a children’s book drive for Kids Count, a nonprofit organization helping at-risk kids and their families, as part of a Phi Theta Kappa service project.

“We decided to do a couple big projects throughout the year. Today we decided to do a book drive, since with this time of the year, there are already lots of food drives,” says Sherry, who serves as vice president for the Red Wing Phi Theta Kappa chapter.

The children who participate in the Kids Count program were thrilled with the delivery of books. "All of the kids were swarming like bees around the boxes trying to get the best books," Kari Kearns of Kids Count says. She also wants Phi Theta Kappa students who organized the service project to know that their hard work made a difference. "They put smiles on a lot of faces," Kearns adds. "Even the older kids were asking if they could take books home to share with their younger siblings."

According to Red Wing Phi Theta Kappa advisor and chemistry instructor Leah Schnaith, Southeast Technical students and staff generously donated 195 books through the drive for Kids Count. “It is a pleasure and privilege to serve as the advisor for Phi Theta Kappa,” Schnaith notes. “Not only are our members’ excellent students, but they wanted to serve others to make our campus and community a better place. The success of this book drive demonstrates their efforts.”

About Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society, aims to encourage academic achievement among two-year college students and provide opportunities to develop leadership skills through service activities. In order to qualify for membership, students must achieve a 3.50 GPA and then maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, but the hard work is worth it. Members enjoy many benefits, including eligibility for Phi Theta Kappa scholarships, assistance with transferring to a four-year college, and professional networking opportunities. Southeast Technical has Phi Theta Kappa societies on both the Red Wing and Winona campuses.

“I appreciate receiving the honors and the help available to me in the future, if I transfer and want to get my four-year degree,” Angerman, who serves as president of the Red Wing Phi Theta Kappa chapter, explains. “Plus there are a lot of online social and networking opportunities.”

“Phi Theta Kappa can follow you for life,” Sherry adds while collecting books for the group’s service project. “You can be an international officer, too, and go to annual conferences.”

Phi Theta Kappa is just one of several student organizations that Southeast Technical students can participate in while attending the college. Other groups include Delta Epsilon Chi (DEX), SkillsUSA, and Student Senate organizations on both the Red Wing and Winona campuses. Learn more about these student organizations and opportunities to get involved in the Southeast Technical community.

The WSU Inclusion and Diversity Office, WSU Rochester Campus, Dr. Tammy Swenson Lepper’s CMST 291 Class, Southeast Technical College, and Anoka Ramsey Community College present The Native American Rights Fund: A 41-Year Retrospective with guest speaker John Echohawk. Further details are available below.

• Topic: The Native American Rights Fund: A 41-Year Retrospective
• Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 
• Location & Time: Winona State University, Kryzsko Commons, East Hall – 7:00 p.m.
• Co-Sponsored by: WSU Inclusion and Diversity Office, WSU Rochester Campus, Dr. Tammy Swenson Lepper’s CMST 291 Class, Southeast Technical College, and Anoka Ramsey Community College
• Free and Open to the Public
• Guest Speaker: John Echohawk

About John Echohawk and NARF

John Echohawk, one of the most influential lawyers in the United States, is a member of the Pawnee Nation and executive director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). NARF is an organization that provides legal representation and technical assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals across the United States.

Echohawk, who has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the National Law Journal, created NARF 40 years ago with the mission of protecting Tribal sovereignty and resources, ensuring governmental accountability, and educating the public about Indian issues.

Since its creation, NARF has worked with more than 250 tribes on legal issues including obtaining official tribal recognition; protecting tribal rights to hunt, fish, and use the water on their lands; upholding Native American religious freedom; assuring the return of remains and burial goods from museums and historical societies for proper and dignified re-burial; and protecting voting rights of Native Americans.

Through a partnership with Winona State University, Southeast Technical students have access to WSU's Wellness Complex, which includes fitness facilities, a health services clinic, counseling services, cultural diversity clubs, a library, and Park View Pharmacy.

Tours of the Wellness Complex will be available Nov. 29, with shuttle buses transporting students between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. To join a tour, sign up on the sheet outside of the Student Senate office on the Winona campus.

With the snow season here, the Maintenance Department needs your help in making the job of clearing snow as safe and efficient as possible. Please note the following:

• Parking along side the buildings: DO NOT park with the front of your car over the sidewalk. 
• Leaving cars parked overnight: If you need to leave your car parked overnight in the college parking lot, please be sure to inform the Maintenance Department. They will inform you of the best place to park so that you can avoid being towed due to snow fall. Any car that is left overnight without prior authorization will be TOWED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. No exceptions will be made. 
• Lab areas: Please remove all items outside of lab areas that would hamper snow removal.

Please note: The Maintenance Department is not authorized to provide car starting or towing assistance. Thank you very much for your cooperation!

As part of College Application Week, Southeast Technical will be waiving the $20 application fee for all students applying to the college during the week of November 14-18! A completed online application must be received between November 14 and November 18 for the $20 application fee waiver to apply. Click here to apply. Please contact us at 877-853-8324 if you have questions.

Spring registration and schedule are now available. Students should login into their Southeast Technical Student Login to see their updated registration window.

Please note: The registration windows have been moved ahead 24 hours. For this reason, students who would have registered on Thursday, November 10, will move to Monday, November 14, due to the Veterans Day Holiday on Friday, November 11.

Southeast Technical invites the public to learn more about the field of Integrative Health and Healing Arts. Information will be available on two new certificates in the growing areas of Holistic Hospice and Palliative Care, and Geriatric Health and Wellness Promotion. The informational session will include a panel discussion with local master healers and instructors Sarah Stinson, Behavioral Health and Eating Disorder Coordinator at Fairview Red Wing; Colleayn Klaibourne, Qigong Master Healer/Instructor; and Sheila Judd, Introduction to Holistic Healing Instructor. The panel will be facilitated by Calli Ekblad, Business Relations Manager and Grant Project Director for the college.

The event will also offer information on enrollment, financial aid options, and educational and career opportunities in the Integrative Health field. For more information, contact Cali Ekblad at 877-853-8324.

• What: Integrative Health & Healing Arts Informational Session
• When: Thursday, Nov. 10, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
• Where: Red Wing Campus Room 102, 308 Pioneer Road, Red Wing, MN 55066

Would you like to receive your tax information early this year? You can now receive calendar year 2011 tax forms (1098-T tuition and W-2 wage statements) electronically! Please login to your student account by January 1, 2012, and consent to receive your forms electronically. This information can be found on your Dashboard under “Action Items.”

Southeast Technical chemistry instructor Tim Doherty demonstrates hydrogen combustion as part of Mole Day celebrations at St. Matthew's school in Winona.

Southeast Technical chemistry instructor Tim Doherty, along with Susie Doherty from Watkins, Inc., helped students in grades 5-8 at St. Matthew’s school in Winona celebrate Mole Day, an unofficial holiday for chemists. Tim and Susie helped the student make "Gak" and preformed various chemical demonstrations, including the combustion of hydrogen, for two groups of Phil Moll’s students. A mole is a commonly used unit of measurement in chemistry that amounts to 6.02 x 10²³ particles. Mole Day, celebrated annually on October 23 (10/23), is part of National Chemistry Week, during which educators highlight the positive contributions chemistry has made to society.