WCJC Receives National Recognition

Wharton County Junior College has received the annual Merit Award from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) for achieving a 90% or higher graduate pass rate on the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) examination for cycle of August 1, 2011 through July 31, 2012. Graduates obtaining national certification as a CST demonstrate by examination understanding of the basic competencies for safe patient care on the operating room. The CST is widely recognized in the health care community as the foremost credential for surgical technologists in the nation. The CST is required for employment within many local, state and national health care organizations.

According to NBSTSA Chief Executive Officer Ron Kruzel, the NBSTSA has a 40 year history in CST examination development. The CST examination is the only fully accredited examination by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for surgical technologists in the nation. NCCA accreditation assures that the CST examination meets stringent standards of examination development and administration. Certification as a surgical technologist exhibits professional pride, the desire to be recognized for mastery of surgical competencies, and most importantly an ongoing commitment to quality patient care.
There are criteria that a surgical technologist must meet in order to qualify to take the CST examination. For an application and information about the CST examination or about the NBSTSA, please go to the NBSTSA website at www.nbstsa.org, email cara@nbstsa.org or call 1-800-707-0057.

New Educational Benefits Now Available For Veterans At WCJC

Recent legislation now provides older, unemployed veterans with 12 months of educational assistance when they enroll in a community college program that trains for a high demand career. Because there is a limit to the number of participants, Wharton County Junior College is urging qualified veterans to apply now.

Richard Hyde, the college’s director of financial aid, said the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) is available to qualified, unemployed veterans who are at least 35 but not yet 60 years old, and who are not eligible for other VA education benefit programs. Details are available at benefits.va.gov/vow.

Each semester WCJC serves hundreds of military veterans and their children, thanks to the availability of educational assistance benefits. Some of the most popular programs include the Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as Chapter 33, and Texas Senate Bill 639, also called the Hazlewood Exemption. Information about these programs may be found at gibill.va.gov and collegeforalltexans.com.

In addition, WCJC may grant credit for military training or coursework, if the material covered in the military school is comparable to the material taught in the WCJC course. Individuals who wish to have their military transcript evaluated for possible credit must contact the Registrar’s Office to initiate the review process. WCJC department heads or division chairs will make the final determination on whether credit may be granted and for which course or courses. For additional information, please visit wcjc.edu and type “military credit” into the search box, or call the Admissions and Registration office at 800.561.9252, ext. 6303.

WCJC Adds Degree Program in Computer Simulation and Game Development

In response to student and employer demand, Wharton County Junior College is now offering an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Computer Simulation and Game Development. The two-year program will prepare students for entry-level employment in the field of gaming and simulation in industries such as healthcare, law enforcement, military, advertising and others.

“This program will focus on the programming side of computer simulation and game development, rather than design, because our industry advisers say there are more job opportunities in this area,” said Donna Schilling, head of the WCJC Computer Science Department.

WCJC developed the new program in partnership with the University of Houston-Victoria and the University of Houston. Graduates of the WCJC program can easily transfer to UHV, taking coursework at the UH Sugar Land campus, to complete a bachelor’s degree in digital gaming and simulation. The University of Houston is developing a graduate level program in gaming and simulation.

Students are often surprised to find that advanced math skills are required to be successful in computer simulation and game design.

“Making moving objects look realistic requires a lot of trigonometry and physics,” said Schilling, noting that these two courses are among WCJC’s required core courses for the AAS degree.

This fall, along with general education courses, students will have the opportunity to enroll in the Introduction to Game Design and Development class (GAME 1303) at WCJC’s Sugar Land campus. This course covers topics such as storytelling, game story theory, building characters, the steps of a game concept and careers in the gaming industry.

The new computer simulation and gaming program will expose students to a broad range of simulated training environments. Software programs they will use include Adobe® Creative Suite® and Autodesk® Entertainment Creation Suite.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not yet collect career data specifically for software programmers in the video game industry. However, the BLS does report the 2010 median annual salary for computer programmers as $71,380 and for animators as $58,510. In addition, a conference of game developers found the average earnings in 1998 for game programmers with more than one year of experience was $59,127.

For more information about the WCJC Computer Simulation and Game Development degree program, visit wcjc.edu or call the computer science department at 800.561.9252, ext. 6394.

Upcoming Board Election

The election of three seats on the Wharton County Junior College Board of Trustees will be held on May 12, and WCJC district residents can cast their ballots through early voting beginning April 30.  Early voting locations, dates and times are as follows: Wharton Civic Center Duncan Auditorium 1924 N. Fulton Wharton April 30, 2012 – May 4, 2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. May 7 – 8, 2012 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. El Campo EMS Bldg. 200 N. Merchant El Campo April 30 – May 4, 2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. May 7-8, 2012 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. East Bernard Library 746 Clubside Dr. East Bernard April 30 – May 4, 2012 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. May 7-8, 2012 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Old Needville Firehouse 3115 Richmond St. April 30 – May 4, 2012 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. May 7-8, 2012 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Election Day voting on May 12, 2012 will include the above listed locations and the Glen Flora Fire Station located at 127 Bridge Ave. in Glen Flora. Election Day voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all locations.

WCJC presents "Perspectives" Alumni Art Show

Alumni of the Wharton County Junior College art program will display their original works from April 3 through 27 at the WCJC Art Gallery located in room 109 of the Duson-Hansen Fine Arts Building on the Wharton campus. The college will host an opening reception for the “Perspectives” alumni art show on Tuesday, April 3 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The reception and mixed media art exhibit are free and open to the public.

“WCJC has a strong tradition in the visual arts,” said Jess Coleman, WCJC art instructor. “Our students receive a strong foundation to continue their studies at the university level and pursue art careers. This show is a small example of the success of our alumni.”

WCJC alumni artists in the show include Diana Atchetee, Avery Espinoza, Mary Beth Langston and Melanie Nickolyn.

Atchetee, a 2002 graduate of WCJC, has been a self-employed professional artist for more than nine years. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.F.A. in Studio Art, specializing in painting, from Texas State University in 2005. Her art displays flora and fauna in relation to human emotions and traits. Last December she was invited to exhibit in the Florence Biennale in Italy. In addition, a film, “When Angels Sing,” starring Willie Nelson and currently in production, features one of Atchetee’s paintings.

Espinoza, who completed his studies at WCJC in 2006, enjoys telling stories with his art through the use of personal symbolism. He served as an electriciansmate in the U.S. Navy from 1997 until 2003, completing three Gulf tours and achieving the rank of Petty Officer 2nd class. Espinoza graduated summa cum laude with a B.F.A. in Advertising and Graphic Design from Sam Houston State University (SHSU) in 2010. He is self-employed and recently completed the logo and identity for SHSU’s new James & Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center.

Langston, a 2007 graduate of WCJC, believes color expresses her state of mind in her artwork. She earned a B.F.A. in Painting and Drawing from Sam Houston State University in 2011. While there, she exhibited in various shows such as “Follow the Black Rabbit,” “We Art Here” and “The Human Form.” She took Best in Show at “We Art Here,” juried by Kat Black and curated by the SHSU Student Art Association. Langston currently resides in Spring, Texas where she shares her passion for art with those around her.

Nickolyn, a 2004 graduate of WCJC, loves observing people and carries a sketchbook wherever she goes. The Wharton native graduated cum laude from Texas State University with a B.F.A. in 2008. She currently is assistant manager of The Bazaar, a small boutique in Austin, Texas. There she uses her artistic skills to assist musicians, actors and other performing artists in buying and using theatrical/special effects makeup, wigs, costumes and the like. She is also working on her portfolio to enter graduate school.

“Perspectives” can be viewed through April 27 in the WCJC Art Gallery from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. weekdays, excluding holidays.

For additional information about the alumni art show, or the art classes offered at WCJC, contact the WCJC Fine Arts Department at 979.532.6300 or 1.800.561.9252, ext. 6300.