WAVERLY, IA (02/16/2015)(readMedia)-- Wartburg College student media organizations won 29 awards at the annual Iowa College Media Association conference, Feb. 5-6, in Des Moines.

Kaitlyn Ketelsen of DeWitt was among the honorees, earning honorable mention in "Best PSA."

Wartburg Television won 11 awards, The Circuit took home nine, KWAR earned six and the Trumpet three. The television station swept the "Best Long Form Documentary" category; the radio station swept "Best Sports Broadcast."

Winners were selected from more than 700 entries submitted by 20 member schools.

Wartburg student media outlets are advised by journalism and communication professors Cliff Brockman, Travis Bockenstedt and Pamela Ohrt, who also is executive director of the ICMA.

Wartburg, a four-year liberal arts college internationally recognized for community engagement, enrolls 1,661 students. Wartburg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and named after the castle in Germany where Martin Luther took refuge disguised as a knight during the stormy days of the Reformation, while translating the Bible from Greek into German.

SPRINGFIELD - Each year, Career and Technical Education (CTE) provides opportunities for over 13 million postsecondary students across the county.  Illinois has seen continued growth and demand for CTE through higher completion rates and new program offerings.  CTE plays a vital role in meeting workforce demands by preparing individuals for high-skill, in-demand jobs that further Illinois' global competitiveness.

In recognition of February as National Career and Technical Education Month, the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) underscores the State's commitment to postsecondary career and technical education.  In fiscal year 2013 roughly two-thirds (68.5%) of all Illinois community college graduates earned a CTE degree or certificate. To meet workforce demands, 267 new CTE programs were approved in fiscal year 2014.

"Career and technical education programs are at the core of the community college's mission to provide educational opportunities tailored to local business and industry needs," said ICCB executive director Dr. Karen Hunter Anderson.  "Community colleges actively partner with local, regional and national employers to develop CTE programs that recognize rapidly changing industry standards."

Joliet Junior College, for example, has worked with Exelon, Lyondell-Bassel and other local employers to develop degree and certificate options in operations engineering.  Carl Sandburg College (Galesburg) recently partnered with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to develop an Associate of Applied Science for locomotive mechanics.  Last month, Harper College (Palatine) unveiled their new Career and Technical Education Center with state-of-the-art equipment to provide students with innovative industrial experience. Several other community colleges around the state have opened similar CTE centers including Richland Community College's Workforce Development Institute (Decatur). The new Institute has allowed many of the college's CTE programs to modernize and expand while also increasing dual credit opportunities for area high school students.

"Providing real world context to classroom materials through work-based learning is essential to the success of career and technical education," said Dr. Anderson. "Rend Lake College's simulated coal mine provides students with the ability to learn how to use mining equipment and work within a mining environment without actually leaving campus."

The coal mining program at Rend Lake College (Ina) provides a 10,000 square foot mock mine for students to utilize. The mine features a pitch-black interior, low roof conditions, and moveable walls. The realistic setting helps recreate the tough underground environment of a coal mine in a safe, manageable training situation.

The Illinois Community College Board is the state coordinating board for community colleges. Illinois is home to 48 community colleges in 39 districts and has the third largest community college system in the nation serving nearly 1 million residents each year in credit and non-credit courses.

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ROCK ISLAND, IL (02/16/2015)(readMedia)-- This past fall term, more than 40 Augustana College students utilized Augie Choice, a $2,000 grant available to Augustana students to fund a study abroad experience, internship or research project.

The following students from your area were among the students who used Augie Choice during this past fall term:

Courtney Camlin of Rock Island.

Hailey Coulter of Silvis.

Ryan Greene of Hampton.

Marisa Lara of Silvis.

Sierra Thiery of Rock Island.

Daniel Zahn of Moline.

Augie Choice was designed by an Augustana student to help make life-changing experiences possible for future students. More information about Augie Choice is available at http://www.augustana.edu/augiechoice.

Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. The college is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Current students and alumni include 155 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 13 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world's most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

AMES, IA (02/13/2015)(readMedia)-- Isis Devalle, a freshman in the College of Human Sciences studying apparel, merchandising, and design, was selected to represent the College of Human Sciences as an Iowa State University Cyclone Aide for the Summer of 2015. Devalle was one of six students in the College of Human Sciences selected to help facilitate Iowa State University's summer orientations for new students. Devalle is from Bettendorf, Iowa (52722)

Cyclone Aides are undergraduate student leaders who facilitate Orientation and Destination Iowa State throughout the year. Devalle will serve as an orientation leader by providing new students with an introduction to campus and its resources, providing campus and residence hall tours, preparing students for academic advising appointments, serving on information panels, and sharing information about Iowa State with new students and their family members.

Cyclone Aides coordinate the Destination Iowa State program by helping with the selection and supervision of Team Leaders, planning activities and implementing the event. Additionally, Cyclone Aides assist with campus visits and student recruitment throughout the year. Cyclone Aides are an integral part of the Office of New Student Programs.