Foundation logo.jpg
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  LinkedIn
OCCCF_RisingTide.png

Here's what's coming in with the Tide

ACS-for-AFP-2016-683x1024.jpg

By Andrea Spirtos

OCCC Foundation Development Director


According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Baby Boomers are expected to pass on more than $30 trillion in wealth to the next generation over the ensuing 25 years. August was “Make a Will” month and October 18-24 is “National Estate Planning Awareness Week.” With that in mind, it seems timely that our feature story by Annette M. Mulee should be about planned giving. 

 

Two Board members, Chris Boyle and Julie Hanrahan share why they serve on the OCCC Foundation Board. Both Julie and Chris are past Foundation Board Presidents.

 

Brian Haggerty, a part time instructor and local attorney who has been a Foundation donor for many years discusses his passion for OCCC. 

 

Emily Bjornsgard, a new alumnus, keeps us up to date on what she is doing since graduation at OCCC – all in this issue of Rising Tide.

 

Did you ever wonder why the Newport Campus community room is named the “Dr. Patrick O’Connor Community Room?” Dr. O’Connor shares his story about the very beginning of OCCC and why he continues to support the campus and its students, in this issue of Rising Tide.


Dr. Crystal Bowman presented to the Foundation Board the Nursing Department’s addition of both a bariatric suit and “hearing voices,” a groundbreaking, empathy-building experience which helps students, mental health professionals and first responders understand the challenges and strengths of people who are experiencing psychosis. Programs this exciting had to be shared with you. It is because of your donations at the Foundation Pearls of Wisdom event last March that these purchases were made possible.

Ella.jpeg

It’s not too late to purchase an opportunity to own Ella Salmonella, a Michael Gibbons original donated by Judy Gibbons{Learn more.} The raffle drawing will be held at 5 p.m. on October 28 in the Commons at the Newport campus. You do not have to be present to win. 


Speaking of art, works of art by OCCC students, faculty and Board members will be available for purchase online at the first OCCC Foundation Art Show Auction, now through Oct. 28. Details below!   


Two new business have pledged to support OCCC students with a named scholarship: Oregon State Credit Union and TLC, a division of Fibre Federal Credit Union.

Screen Shot 2021-10-08 at 4.42.29 PM.png

Showing OCCC a little TLC

Crystal Garrison, TLC Marketing & Community Development Manager; Dr. Birgitte Ryslinge; Shannon Bentanzo, TLC Financial Services Supervisor; and Deb Dixon, TLC Community Engagement & Education Coordinator.

We hope you take time to read the articles and enjoy. As always, we look forward to your comments. Email Andi at andrea.spirtos@oregoncoast.edu with your suggestions on this and future issues of Rising Tide.

 

Mark your calendars:

October 15, 2021 – OCCC Art Show - open to public, 11am-4pm

October 19, 2021 – OCCC Foundation Finance Committee meets

October 20, 2021 – OCCC Art Show – open to public, 11am-4pm

October 26, 2021 – OCCC Foundation Board Meeting meets

October 28, 2021 – OCCC Art Show – open to public, 11am-5pm

October 28, 2021 – Ella Salmonella Raffle Drawing at 5 p.m. at the Newport Campus Commons

November 11, 2021 – Veteran’s Day – campus closed

November 25 & 26, 2021 – Thanksgiving – campus closed

December 11, 2021 – Fall Semester ends

January 10, 2022 – Winter Semester begins

January 15, 2022 – Next issue of Rising Tide

 

Have you considered including OCCC in your estate plans? What better legacy is there than the gift of an education? We have free resources for your planning that may be helpful. Remember, after you plan for your family and pets, a contingency plan to OCCC can be your legacy. We are happy to help!

Contact me at andrea.spirtos@oregoncoast.edu

What will be your legacy?

Annette Mulee.png

By OCCC Foundation Board Member, Annette M. Mulee

 

It’s October already. The holidays will be upon us in no time and then the year will be gone. In addition to all the holiday fun and planning, year-end is also the time for some introspection and financial planning.

Have you thought about your legacy? Considered how you want to help future generations? What better life enhancer than education? Can your legacy include enhancing some person’s life by enabling education? You bet it can.

"But wait," you say, "I’m busy using my current assets to raise children and generally live my life!" Indeed! That’s why there is something called legacy or planned giving. It enables you to plan for a gift in the future, without using current assets in most instances.

The only things we can be sure of in life, as the saying attributed to Mark Twain goes, are death and taxes. Planned giving will allow you to enhance your legacy after your death and may even help a little with your estate taxes, too.

Where to start? How about with your goals and aspirations? Have you sometimes wished there were more and better nurses, teachers, or doctors in the world? More people doing scientific research or research into particular diseases? More people making more intuitive and easy-to-use phones and computers? Lifting people out of poverty?  Education can assist with all that, and you can assist with education with a planned gift.

 {Read More}

Birgitte Ryslinge BR Mug 2020 copy.jpg

A Word from the President

Birgitte Ryslinge, PhD


The mornings are nippy, and fall is in the air. While new and returning students may only now be thinking about resuming their studies, the staff at OCCC have been hard at work since last Spring planning a successful Fall 2021 for Lincoln County learners and career builders. Fall of a new academic year is always an important milestone for the College, but 2021 is particularly critical and challenging. We are now 19 months into a world-wide pandemic, with new variants putting at risk the ground gained by the efforts and sacrifices of so many. The ‘20-‘21 school year was a remote experience for most OCCC students, and while many adapted (and some even thrived) we know that relying solely on “learning at a distance” significantly diminishes the richness of the educational experience for some, and for others, makes the pursuit of learning untenable. 

For the new school year, we have planned a variety of learning modalities (in-person, hybrid, full remote synchronous and asynchronous, high-flex) to suit the many different needs and preferences of our students, all delivered in an environment promoting health and safety. This includes our Community Education offerings, which may be of interest to the readers of Rising TideHave you missed spending time at OCCC, learning to play guitar, cook, paint, meditate, or speak conversational German? I encourage you to take a look at what’s available!

{Read More}

Art Auction runs through Oct. 28

art show _400 x 400 px_.png

Ubiquitous sanitizer stations and face coverings haven’t dampened the atmosphere at Oregon Coast Community College. To the contrary, the fall is off to an energetic start as students, faculty, and the community celebrate the return to campus after more than 18 months of limited access. That energy is manifest in many ways – including in visual art and creativity.

This outpouring of artistry is clearly in evidence in the OCCC Foundation Art Show, which opened online on Friday, Oct. 8. The show features an online auction for a collection of more than 30 pieces contributed to the show by OCCC students, faculty, and stakeholders.

The public is invited to visit OCCC’s Central County Campus in Newport, to peruse the collection of items up for online bidding, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 22. The public is also welcome to check out these items in person from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 28. At 5 p.m., the auction will close and winning bidders will be notified.

Curator for the art show is OCCC Visual Arts Faculty, Julia Goos, who has been with OCCC for 13 years and teaches Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Basic Design Courses, Comic Art as Literature, and Mixed Media/Hybrid Forms.

“I am really excited to showcase the artwork of the OCCC community,” Julia said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the public to see the talent and diversity of the OCCC art community. It allows students to gain experience with preparing their artwork for gallery shows as well as gaining confidence and exposure. The show will also be an exciting environment for students to speak about their artwork to the public.”

Proceeds from each sale at the Foundation Art Show will benefit the artists themselves, the OCCC Art Department, and scholarships, faculty and staff support, and program enhancements, via the OCCC Foundation.

View and/or bid for the art online, here.

For more information about the OCCC Art Show and Auction, contact Andrea Spirtos, andrea.spirtos@oregoncoast.edu.

'Pearls' proceeds support nursing program

 

The role of nurses and allied health professionals is to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities by addressing social determinants of health and inequities within healthcare systems. Healthcare students are situated on the frontlines and are uniquely positioned to assess for social determinants of health and positively address health equity. This is accomplished through the provision of effective, efficient, equitable, and accessible care for across the care continuum, as well as identifying any barriers to the ability to provide this care.

The Oregon Coast Community College Foundation recently provided the Nursing & Allied Health department with funds to purchase items to enhance the learning of students enrolled in the nursing, Nursing Assistant, Medical Assistant and Emergency Medical Technician programs. The decision was made to focus these purchases on learning resources that would assist with building a strong foundation of professional practice and values in healthcare, including altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice. These purchases included items that provide an intentional focus on understanding mental health disorders and obesity.

Screen Shot 2021-10-12 at 6.46.59 PM.png

Hearing Voices

There has long been a stigma attached to mental health disorders. These disorders can overlap physical disorders and impact a person’s wellbeing. Healthcare professionals must understand mental health disorders to meet the needs of the patient. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder characterized by psychosis, and severe distortions of thinking, emotions, sense of self, language, and behavior. Symptoms of schizophrenia often include hallucinations, delusions, movement disorders, disorganized thoughts, or speech. These symptoms can greatly affect the quality of life of those who have been diagnosed with it. 

Hearing Voices is a groundbreaking, empathy-building simulation experience which helps students, mental health professionals and first responders understand the challenges and strengths of people who experience psychosis. During the simulation, participants listen to distressing voices through headphones and the use of a MP3 player while completing a series of tasks, such as filling out a job application, completing a word search puzzle and engaging in simple conversation. Participant who have complete this simulation reported that they gained new insights into the strength and resilience of those of us with psychiatric disabilities.

IMG_5161.jpeg

Bariatric Suit 

Caring for obese, bariatric, and/or overweight patients requires proper training and consideration to ensure both the patient’s safety and that of the Healthcare Provider. The use of the “SIM U SUIT” provides learners the opportunity to simulate true-to-life size, look, and weight of bariatric patients. These suits can be worn by real people or used on manikins (mannequins) and human patient simulators. The suits can be made as heavy or light as the simulation scenario requires.   This resource provides an environment for healthcare students to learn how to care for bariatric patients safely and properly within the healthcare system.

The Hearing Voices simulation and the SIM U Bariatric suit will be utilized at OCCC and for outreach and the development of partnerships within the community. Hearing Voices will also be offered as a community ed course beginning in the Winter of 2021.

Donor Spotlight

Dr. Patrick O'Connor

Pat O_Connor photo.jpg

Affectionately named the “Godfather of Oregon Coast Community College,” Dr. Patrick O’Connor shared with me the history of OCCC before the successful construction of its four buildings was complete. In his own words, Patrick reflects on OCCC’s history and why he continues to support the students, faculty and programs.



I grew up in La Puente in the east San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County and attended Monrovia High School. Although I was uncertain what the future might hold, education seemed a likely path. It wasn’t always easy. I had to pay my own way. While studying for a BA degree in English at UC Irvine, I worked as a full-time cafeteria cook and became a concrete contractor while working on my master’s in English at the University of Idaho. Little did I know that the skill of pouring concrete would come in handy years later. I continued my studies at the University of Oregon and in 1988 received a doctorate degree in Educational Policy and Management.

My first teaching position was at the University of Idaho where I taught basic composition. From there, I was a tutor/part-time instructor in the Home Economics program at Lane Community College. During my doctoral program, I was a graduate research and teaching assistant at the U of O and also, as a part-time instructor at Chemeketa Community College. I taught a variety of classes in business, food service, and English.

OCCC held its first classes in 1987, meeting wherever space was available for rent. Oregon Coast was first established as a Community College Service District. As such, the school was not allowed to own property or propose a building bond. Operating funding consisted of 27 cents on every $1,000 of property taxes. (Just to put that in perspective, other Oregon community colleges received between $.52 and $5.15 per every $1,000 of property taxes.) Despite these challenges, we prevailed.

{Read More}

IMG_1530.jpeg

Dr. O'Connor, center, and friends, working in 2003 on the College's former North County location -

a former fire station in Taft.

Brian Haggerty photo.JPG

'Why I Give'

featuring Brian Haggerty


I first met Brian when he starred in a production at Oregon Coast Council for the Arts. When I joined the staff at OCCC, his name appeared again as a monthly donor. Inspired by his continued support of OCCC and students, I approached Brian. In his own words Brian says the following.



I was born in the Portland area and attended Clackamas High School. Upon graduation, I moved to East Lansing, MI to attend Michigan State University. I was always a good writer. I suppose having an English teacher as a mother helped a bit. It seemed natural to study journalism and earn a BA degree in that field. 

It turned out journalism was not for me.

{Read More}

Foundation Board Spotlights

hanrahan.png

Julie Hanrahan

Julie is the VP, Retail Market Manager at Columbia Bank in Newport. She has served on the OCCC Foundation Board since 2017, as President in 2018 – 2019 and on the the Pearls of Wisdom Committee for several years. In her own words, Julie shares what brought her to Newport and OCCC.

 

I was born in San Antonio, Texas. My Dad was in the Air Force, so I have lived all over the world. When my father retired from the military, we moved to Tillamook, to be close to family. I was a Freshman in High School and attended Tillamook High. When I was a junior in high school, my parents purchased a business in Newport, which brought me here. 

I decided to serve on the Foundation Board because I believe investing in education. Our people are our greatest asset. The cost of education is often not possible to everyone without help. I believe we all have a duty to “Pay it Forward.”  Serving on the board is my small way of doing so.

I have been married to Mark Hanrahan for 42 years. He is a small business owner. 

{Read More}

boyle.png

Chris Boyle

The OCCC Foundation has been in existence since 2000. Chris has served on the Board for nearly as long, and served as the Foundation Board President in 2017 and 2018. 


I was born in Eugene to an American father, Leo, and a British war bride, Wyn. Although I was an only child, I was definitely not spoiled. My upbringing included chores even as a little tyke still riding a tricycle.

My elementary school years were spent in Roseburg and Salem. I attended Junior and Senior high school in Dallas, Oregon. I attended college twenty-three miles away, earning an undergraduate degree in Language Arts and English from Linfield College in McMinnville. During the summers in the early ’70s, I attended the University of Montana in Missoula where I earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Counseling. For a while, I toyed with the idea of becoming a psychologist, but I would have had to devote two more years of studying. That didn’t appeal to me.

I taught English and Psychology at Vernonia High School for nine years, beginning in 1969. After that, I needed a break.

{Read More}

Alumni Corner: Emily Bjornsgard

Emily Bjornsgard.jpg

“Alumni Corner” is a new addition to Rising Tide. Each issue will highlight an alumnus with a story about where they are and what they are doing. 


Hi, everyone. My name is Emily Bjornsgard. I am from Westport, on the central Washington coast. After high school, I attended Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, Wash., and earned an AA degree. From there I attended Western Washington University and received a BS degree in marine biology.

My mom always encouraged my four brothers and sisters and me to follow our dreams. I have always been passionate about the ocean,  including marine and aquarium sciences. The AQS program at OCCC is really unique and offers an opportunity for more specific learning. Through AQS, I earned a certificate in Aquarium Science and developed a further interest in jellyfish and corals. I plan to continue expanding my knowledge in these areas and others as time goes on.

Because of my experience at OCCC, I was able to secure two part-time jobs: one at OCCC as an Aquarist and the other at Hatfield Marine Science Center as an Education Program Assistant. At Hatfield, I work predominately in the Visitor Center working with the public and volunteer docents. I introduce and educate visitors on the various exhibits that include natural organisms and current OSU research. I love it!

To current OCCC students, I hope you take advantage of all OCCC has to offer. It has a wide variety of programs, and people who want you to succeed.

To other alumni, congratulations on making it through! I look forward to seeing all the great things you do.

To donors, thank you for the scholarships. I could not have made it through without your assistance and support.


Thank you, Emily, for sharing your story. Best wishes for a very successful career.

Connect with the Foundation!

Visit the Foundation's website any time to learn more about coming events, connect with the Foundation Board, or learn how to donate conveniently and safely online.

Visit our Website