Higher Education

Case Western Reserve University's Off-Campus Studies program is offering you the opportunity to become a sleuth, with "The Moonstone: A Masterpiece Mystery," March 22-May 20, 10:00-11:30 a.m., at Westlake United Methodist Church, 27650 Center Ridge Road. The leader-teacher is Cheryl Wires.

Wilkie Collins created the very first detective to appear in a novel-length mystery, Sergeant Cuff in "The Moonstone" (1868). Cuff is called to an English country house to investigate the disappearance of a sacred diamond. Charles Dickens began a rival tale with "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" (1870). Edwin is engaged to young, sheltered Rosa, but his devoted uncle, Jasper, loves her – in a mad, menacing manner. Both mysteries are built on dark secrets, double lives, and– how germane today – opium addictions. These classic mysteries are the subjects of intriguing "Masterpiece Theater" adaptations.

Jodi Picoult’s novel, "Small Great Things," focuses on racial tensions in a small hospital that flood out into the larger community. Using this book as our central theme, we will discuss the wide range of discrimination in our country today, and whether legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, has made any difference in America up to now and what the implications are for the future. Are we the same as we were?

The Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College will host a visitation day for prospective students on Presidents Day (Monday, Feb. 19), with sessions starting at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The day provides an opportunity to discuss academic programs with faculty and counselors; learn more about enrollment, financial aid and scholarships; discover the variety of student services available; and explore the buildings.

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) will launch a new session at Corporate College West on Jan. 16.

The free program empowers women in their pursuit of education and professional training. Participants build confidence and self-esteem through classes on personal development, career exploration and financial and computer literacy.

The course is designed to assist women in transitional periods of their lives, such as a career change or return to the workforce. The eight-week, non-credit program is free and open to the public.

Nate Bevington tried college for a year after graduating from Keystone High School in Lorain County. The experience left him underwhelmed, uninspired and in debt, so he opted against continuing.

“I thought I was done with school,” Bevington said. “It just wasn’t my thing. To be honest, I didn’t see the value in college.”

Tri-C showed him differently.

A year at Cuyahoga Community College rekindled Bevington’s academic drive and led to a cap-and-gown moment on the commencement stage. He earned an Associate of Arts degree from Tri-C in December.

Raymond Towler spent nearly three decades in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He’s free today because of the Ohio Innocence Project.

The exonerated man will visit Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) this fall to discuss his long and winding journey to justice. Hear his story at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Tri-C’s Corporate College West.

Towler will be joined by longtime attorney Alec Berezin, who will discuss the Ohio Innocence Project and its efforts to free the wrongfully convicted. Berezin serves as president of the group’s Northeast Ohio Board of Advocates.

The Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) posted record enrollment numbers this fall, leading the College to an overall increase in the student population.

Enrollment at the Westlake campus climbed to nearly 2,200 at the start of this academic year, the seventh since Tri-C opened the academic center in 2011. This year’s headcount is an 11 percent jump from last fall.

Overall, enrollment at the College reached 23,900, a slight increase from 2016.

The Vatican called her a pirate queen and a master of spies as she transformed England into an imposing empire. Discover Queen Elizabeth I's power and intrigue, her swashbuckling mariners who terrorized the seas, and the brilliance of a spymaster who exploited double agents, deciphered codes and laid a foundation for international espionage.  

Betty Zak, a professional educator, will lead a discussion on "Elizabeth I: The Pirate Queen and Spymaster" as part of Case Western Reserve University's continuing education course. We will meet every Monday for eight weeks from Sept. 18 to Nov. 6 from 10-11:30 a.m. at Bay United Methodist Church, 29931 Lake Road. 

Case Western Reserve University's Off-Campus Studies program will study three of Anne Tyler’s works this fall, Sept. 28 to Nov. 16, 10-11:30 a.m., at Westlake United Methodist Church, 27650 Center Ridge Road. The leader-teacher will be Phyllis Asnien.

Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Tyler has written, “I am addicted to the sensation of living lives I would not experience in reality.” Tyler, 75, has been a published author for more than 50 years, enjoying both critical acclaim and commercial success. The author’s "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" is a funny, wise tale of a family who keeps trying to get it “right.” Tyler’s 20th novel, "A Spool of Blue Thread," is an example of her quirky, crackling wit. The third book we will be reading for the course is "Breathing Lessons," an earlier book which won a Pulitzer Prize.

Emilee Skutt of Westlake has been selected for a Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Honors Program Fellowship, which offers high-achieving students scholarships to cover tuition, fees and books as they work toward an associate degree.

Skutt signed a commitment letter with the College during an Aug. 2 ceremony at Tri-C’s Jerry Sue Thornton Center in Cleveland. The scholarship – funded by the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation – is valued at up to $4,250 per academic year.

The renaming of a Westshore Campus building will recognize Medical Mutual of Ohio for its longstanding support of Cuyahoga Community College, its students and programs.

Tri-C will dedicate the Medical Mutual Health Careers and Sciences Building at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3. The building serves as the academic hub of the Westshore Campus.

“The new name reflects the enduring impact Medical Mutual has made on educational and workforce training programs at the College, particularly in the field of health care,” Tri-C President Alex Johnson said.

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College will launch its fall session at Corporate College West on Aug. 21.

The free program empowers women in their pursuit of education, training and a career. Participants build confidence and skills through classes on personal development, career exploration and financial and computer literacy.

The Cuyahoga Community College Foundation board of directors awarded its 2017 Heath Oliver Distinguished Director Award to Louis G. Joseph in recognition of his exemplary service to the college and its students for more than a decade.

Joseph, president and CEO of The Brewer-Garrett Company, joined the Foundation board in 2001 and dedicated himself to making higher education accessible to residents of Northeast Ohio.

The Westlake resident and his wife established a scholarship fund with the Foundation in 2012 to help degree-seeking students meet their academic goals at Tri-C. The Valerie & Lou Joseph Endowed Scholarship Fund supports students in the College’s Honors Program Fellowship.

Ryan Ladegaard of Bay Village and Jeremy Simon of Westlake have been hired by FirstEnergy Corp. after graduating from the company’s utility worker training program at Cuyahoga Community College.

Ladegaard and Simon were among 22 graduates in the first class since FirstEnergy reinstituted the Power Systems Institute (PSI) training program at Tri-C in 2014.

Westlake residents Phil Belzunce and Lalei Gutierrez and Bay Village resident Steve Slane will teach courses of vital interest to our community as part of a new initiative at Cleveland State University's West Center in Westlake. Professionals in the 21st century need a combination of smarts, emotional intelligence and cultural competence to address the often complex issues they face while also meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce and clientele. 

The interactive courses will address topics such as what to do about unconscious bias in the workplace to honoring religions and spiritual needs in the workplace. These courses are part of a new series of continuing education and professional development classes focused on enriching northeast Ohio professionals’ capacity to engage appropriately and more healthfully around differences in all permutations.

"A Thousand and One Journeys: The Arab Americans," a documentary on the contributions of Middle Eastern immigrants to the United States, will be screened from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at the Corporate College West facility of Cuyahoga Community College.

Filmmaker Abe Kasbo will attend the showing and participate in a question-and-answer session with the audience. The movie, released in 2015, tells the stories of immigrants from the Middle East, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula who left their homeland in pursuit of the American Dream.

“Arab Americans have proudly ventured beyond their ethnicity, language and religion to make noteworthy contribution to both the immigrant experience and ultimately the American experience,” Kasbo said. “They served this nation with significant contributions throughout the spectrum of society – as politicians and public servants, entertainers, physicians, business leaders and educators. It is this extraordinary and uniquely American story of people and places that must be told.”

The Case Western Reserve University Off-Campus Studies program will study Nicholas and Alexandra with leader-teacher Betty Zak on Thursdays, March 23 to May 11, 10:00-11:30 a.m., at Westlake United Methodist Church, 27650 Center Ridge Road.

Nicholas and Alexandra have been called saints, innocent victims, harbingers of revolution among many other names. What really happened? Was it a love that extended beyond each other? Was it a love that ended an empire? Discover their passion, their strengths and their weaknesses in a new light. We begin with the traditional reading of Robert Massie's "Nicholas and Alexandra" followed by summaries of newly Russian released documents involving Rasputin, Alex and Nicky and Alexandra's lady-in-waiting. We'll then extrapolate possibilities through our second book, "The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar," by Robert Alexander.

The Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College will explore how art can be used to share culture and promote unity during the next session of its "Learning for Life" lecture series.

The free program begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, in room 112 of Westshore Campus. The program will be led by Hector Castellanos Lara, a community leader, artist and organizer. Lara works with diverse populations to show how art transcends borders through individual expression.

Learn how teens can earn college credit at no cost while in high school or middle school during a College Credit Plus Information Night from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, March 13, at the Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College.

The College Credit Plus program allows qualified students to take a single course or enroll full time at Tri-C while working toward their high school diploma. Successfully completed coursework counts as both college and high school credit. The state-funded program covers tuition and books at little to no cost for families, providing students a head start on degree attainment while reducing future college debt.

The Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College will explore the vibrant Hispanic culture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, as part of its Learning for Life lecture series.

The free program will examine Hispanic customs through dance, music, language and culinary traditions while addressing how cultural misconceptions can affect relationships and communities. The session will be led by Alia Almashni, who works with Northeast Ohio businesses and organizations to teach cultural understanding. Almashni grew up in Puerto Rico and has taught Spanish at Tri-C since 2010.

The Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College will host campus visits from 10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. on Presidents Day, which is Monday, Feb. 20.

Both free sessions include an enrollment presentation and campus tour, providing prospective students an opportunity to learn about the many degree and certificate programs at Tri-C.

Westshore Campus is located at 31001 Clemens Road in Westlake. For more information or to register, go to www.tri-c.edu/visit.

Case Western Reserve University's Off-Campus Studies program is offering a course on “English Booker Prize Winners” with leader-teacher Joseph Jacoby on Thursdays, 10-11:30 a.m., Jan. 19-March 9, 2017 at Westlake United Methodist Church, 27650 Center Ridge Road.

The Man Booker Prize has been awarded each year since 1969 to the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations or the Republic of Ireland. In 2014, it was opened for the first time to any work published in the United Kingdom and in the English language. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and success; therefore, the prize is of great significance for the book trade.

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College will launch a new session at Corporate College West on Jan. 17.

The free program uses education and training to empower women at a life crossroads. Participants build confidence and self-esteem through classes on personal development, career exploration and financial and computer literacy.

The course is designed to assist women in transitional periods of their lives, such as a career change or return to the workforce. The eight-week, non-credit program is free and open to the public.

Culinary student Angel Betancourt found inspiration in his Puerto Rican heritage while creating an entry for the Pierre’s Ice Cream Challenge at Cuyahoga Community College.

Betancourt was one of five finalists in the dessert competition with a cool treat featuring Pierre’s Mango Sorbet and Passion Fruit Sorbet, toasted coconut and twice-fried plantains covered in dark chocolate.

“Food represents something,” said Betancourt, 64, of Westlake. “It’s part of who we are.”

Cuyahoga Community College will host an open house on Saturday, Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to noon, at its Westshore Campus, located at 31001 Clemens Road in Westlake.

The open house provides prospective students an opportunity to discuss academic programs with faculty and counselors; learn more about enrollment, financial aid and scholarships; explore student services; and tour the facilities.

Case Western University’s Off-Campus Studies program is presenting "The Power of Myth" in Westlake this fall. Joseph Campbell's classic cross-cultural study of a hero's journey has inspired millions and opened up new areas of research and exploration. Originally published in 1949, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" hit the New York Times best-seller list in 1988 when it became the subject of "The Power of Myth," a PBS television special.

The first popular work to combine the spiritual and psychological insights of modern psychoanalysis with the archetypes of world mythology, the book creates a roadmap for navigating the frustrating path of contemporary life. Examining heroic myths in the light of modern psychology, it considers not only the patterns and stages of mythology but also its relevance to our lives today – and to the life of any person seeking a fully realized existence.

Nicholas Kubinski and Katelyn Laskowski of Bay Village have been selected for Cuyahoga Community College Honors Program Fellowships, which offer high-achieving students scholarships to cover tuition, fees and books as they work toward an associate degree.

Each signed a commitment letter with the College during an Aug. 4 ceremony at Tri-C’s Jerry Sue Thornton Center in Cleveland. The scholarship – funded by the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation – is valued at up to $4,250 per academic year.

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College will launch its fall session at Corporate College West on Aug. 22.

The free program uses education and training to empower women at a life crossroads. Participants build confidence and self-esteem through classes on personal development, career exploration and financial and computer literacy.

The course is designed to assist women in transitional periods of their lives, such as a career change or return to the workforce. The eight-week, non-credit program is free and open to the public.

Cuyahoga Community College will host an open house for its English as a Second Language (ESL) program from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27, at Corporate College West.

The ESL program serves students whose first language is not English. Participants include students on temporary visas, immigrants from all over the world and native-born U.S. citizens whose first language is not English. Tri-C runs the largest college-credit ESL program in Ohio, with classes available weekdays and evenings.

College Club West recently awarded $2,500 scholarships to six extraordinary young women: Silvia Laboy (who will attend Baldwin Wallace University), Ramona Jasmine Smith (BWU), Markisha Monique Robinson (Cleveland State University), Julie Brown (Kent State University), Sharie Nicole Bailey (CSU), and Katherine Ann Pollard (CSU).

The club awards scholarships every year to women 25 years or older residing in Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Medina counties who are presently enrolled in a degree-granting college program. CCW has been awarding these scholarships since 1972. The awards are based on educational goals, financial need and academic record.

Twenty-one months after signing academic commitment letters with Cuyahoga Community College, Mariam Ghanem of Westlake and Connor Hazeldine of Bay Village delivered on their penned promise.

Ghanem and Hazeldine will be among 11 members of Tri-C’s first Honors Program Fellowship class crossing the stage at the spring commencement on May 19. The group enrolled at Tri-C in August 2014 with scholarships designated for high-achieving high school graduates and covering tuition, fees and books.

Students accepted into the program pledged to earn a degree from the College within two years. Mission accomplished.

Cuyahoga Community College has announced that Shirley Stineman of Westlake has been named executive director of workforce communication and community engagement.

Stineman brings more than 15 years of marketing and community affairs experience to Tri-C, where she will promote programs within the College’s Workforce, Community and Economic Development Division (WCED).

She will work to increase the visibility of WCED and its Centers of Excellence, which provide job training for the industries that power Northeast Ohio’s economy while giving residents the skills needed to maximize their earning potential.

Cuyahoga Community College is offering many programs in Westlake this April. All events are free and occur at either the Tri-C Westshore Campus (31001 Clemens Road) or at Tri-C Corporate College West (25425 Center Ridge Road). Please be sure to check the location in each description.

Tuesday, April 5 (4-6:30 p.m.) RN-to-BSN Transfer Fair – Tri-C nursing students and local RNs can learn about transferring to a four-year college to complete a BSN degree. Representatives from many BSN programs will attend to answer questions. Visit tri-c.edu/events for more information or to register. Tri-C Westshore Campus.

Thursday, April 7 (12:30-1:30 p.m) This is Your Brain on Donuts: How the Food We Eat Rewires Our Brain – Part of the Learning for Life Brown Bag Lunch Series, this program will explore the sensory and metabolic characteristics of a food that make it more likely to act like a drug in the brain. Receive practical information on how to avoid the pitfalls of food addiction to maintain healthy eating habits. Visit tri-c.edu/learningforlife for more information. Tri-C Westshore Campus, Room 112.

“Women in Science and Technology” will be the focus of a new speaker series debuting in April at Cuyahoga Community College in Westlake.

The series includes four free Thursday night programs at Tri-C’s Corporate College West, located at 25425 Center Ridge Road. The programs will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. in Room 305.

At each presentation, speakers from the College and community will share information and perspectives on women working in the fields of science and technology. Each program will conclude with a question-and-answer session.

The Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College will examine investment strategies as part of its free “Learning for Life” lecture series at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 23.

The program, “How to Invest Wisely,” features Paul Fleming, director of research and investment solutions with Mirador Family Wealth Advisors. He will discuss how to build an investment strategy, multiply your wealth and take safer financial risks.

The Case Off-Campus Studies program is offering “Viva Mexico” with teacher Joseph Jacoby on Thursdays, March 24-May 12, 10-11:30 a.m., at Westlake United Methodist Church, 27650 Center Ridge Road.

With Mexico and immigration so much in the news, this topic couldn’t be more current. As Latinos impact our economy, change our culture, and affect our political destiny, it is time for Americans to recognize the importance of Mexico to the United States. Mexican history is among the most colorful and dramatic of that of any world nation. We will read a clear, concise historical account of this fascinating country, and then examine "The Old Gringo," a subtle, moving novel by Carlos Fuentes, widely regarded as Mexico’s greatest writer.

Christopher Kovacic of Westlake is in the first class of future leaders attending the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center at Cuyahoga Community College. Kovacic is among the 24 students selected for the inaugural class at the Mandel Humanities Center, which opened this semester at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus in Highland Hills.

The College launched the center to offer a unique liberal arts learning environment with programming designed to cultivate civically responsible citizens who will lead Northeast Ohio toward a stronger future. The goal is for the center to become a national model for addressing community concerns through the lens of the liberal arts.

“The students selected for the inaugural class of Mandel Scholars are passionate, engaged learners,” said Lauren Onkey, chair and dean of the Humanities Center. “They represent the diversity of our community and the breadth of programs across all Tri-C campuses.”

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College will launch a new session March 21 at Corporate College West in Westlake.

The free program uses education and training to empower women at a life crossroads. Participants build confidence and self-esteem through classes on personal development, career exploration and financial and computer literacy. The course is designed to assist women in transitional periods of their lives, such as a career change or return to the workforce. The eight-week, non-credit program is free and open to the public.

Russia's Peter and Catherine were both called Great. What was it that made them "great"? This latest Case Western Reserve University continuing education course offered right here in Bay Village will try to provide an answer.

The eight-week class begins Monday, March 14, 10 a.m., with a reflection on Peter's Russian background and then delve into the life of the famous Catherine who was to change Russia's history. Was she a murderer, a tyrant or perhaps an enlightened leader? Did she follow in Peter's footsteps or create a new brand of world leadership, perhaps a leader for all time? Did she "play like a man but win like a woman"? Ponder all this and finally discuss whether or not Russia is returning to the era of tsars.

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Westshore Campus has many events happening in February. All events are free, and occur at either the Tri-C Westshore Campus, 31001 Clemens Road, or at Tri-C Corporate College West, 25425 Center Ridge Road. Please be sure to check location in each description.

Saturday, Feb. 6 (9 a.m.-noon) Your Future Continues: Transfer Options at Tri-C – The event will provide students and parents with information about how credits earned at Tri-C will transfer to four-year colleges/universities along with information about Cuyahoga Community College’s Honors Program and scholarships, and more. Hear from a Tri-C alumna who transferred to Cornell. Free, registration recommended. Visit www.tri-c.edu/events for more information and to register. Tri-C Westshore Campus.