An Interview with Tina Moore
February 29, 2008 | 
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Tina Moore is the Director of Student Support at the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She creates and manages programs that support students with scholarships, internships, experiential and managerial learning. She also interfaces with engineering alumni and students in elementary, middle and secondary schools.
CSR+: You have been working with students of science and engineering for almost ten years. How do you like working with such students? What are certain things you do to make the students’ educational experience more productive and more enjoyable?
TM: I have been here for more than years and I truly enjoy working with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students. I have been trying to incorporate experiential learning into their educational experience. For example, the Engineering Challenge, our Middle School outreach, where we have hundreds of middle school students visit the university for exciting competitions, is very hands-on. Students have the opportunity to be creative and design things while learning valuable STEM principles. I think it is much more fun to do things than to sit and listen to a lecture.
CSR+: In the College of Engineering at UCCS as well across the nation the percentage of minority students, particularly African-American, is small, compared to the population as large. What do you think are the reasons? Can you suggest some ways in which the situation can be improved?
TM: I think part of the reason for the low numbers is a lack of mentors and role models. It is hard for individuals to see themselves engineers if they see no one who looks like them in engineering fields. Creating a new generation of role models will help those who are going through STEM disciplines to stay encouraged and finish the programs.
CSR+: Can you tell us more about the Society of Women Engineers? What are the missions, goals, and activities of the group? How are you involved with this organization?
TM: The Mission of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is to “stimulate women to achieve full potential in careers as engineers and leaders, expand the image of the engineering profession as a positive force in improving the quality of life, and demonstrate the value of diversity.” I have been the staff advisor for SWE since I started working at UCCS. SWE is a very active group and I usually just sit back and let them go. They are always busy doing something within the community.
CSR+: You are also involved with an organization called NSBE?. What is this organization? Can you tell us more about this organization and your involvement in it?
TM: NSBE is the National Society of Black Engineers and their mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. NSBE has over 24,000 members nationwide and is one of the largest student-managed groups in the country. I became involved with NSBE as an undergrad at Lehigh University, and I remain committed to the ideals and values of the organization. I have been the advisor for the UCCS chapter of NSBE since about 1998 when we started the chapter on this campus.
CSR+: What are other student- and profession-oriented organizations you are associated with? What are some offices you have or activities you carry out on the behalf of these organizations?
TM: I have been the advisor for several student groups over the years, including the Black Student Union, the UNIQUE Step and Dance Team, SHPE: the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Student Diversity Committee.
I have also served on campus committees like the Diversity Alliance Committee (DAC), the Recognition and Rewards Committee, the Student Affairs Committee, and numerous campus search committees. I have been a member of NSBE, SWE, the International Code Conference (ICC), and the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Science (INFORMS).
CSR+: You are involved with a large project called Colorado CO-AMP. Please tell us more about this project, how it is funded, and what it does.
TM: CO-AMP is the Colorado Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and it is a consortium of 14 campuses and four Native Tribes in Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. The consortium is led by Dr. Omnia El-Hakim from Colorado State University and funded by the National Science Foundation. The Alliance’s mission is, to double the number of historically and currently under-represented American Indian, African-American, Hispanic and Pacific Islander students earning bachelor’s degrees in STEM disciplines. The consortium is in its third five-year phase. (It will soon be 15 years old.)
One of the great things that CO-AMP is doing this year is the Bridge to Doctorate Program (BDP). This graduate program aims to build well-qualified, highly competitive STEM education and research scholars who enter the professoriate and become role models for other diverse, underrepresented groups. The scholarship includes $30,000 per year for two years plus $10,500 per year for two years to cover tuition, books, fees, and other educational expenses. The BDP includes mentoring, seminars, workshops, and many other great opportunities for graduate students. For more information, go to www.coamp.colostate.edu/files/BD.
CSR+: Thanks so much for your time!
TM: My pleasure.
- J
Changing the Concept of Community Design
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Robert Wonnett, UCCS Vice-Chancellor for Student Success, has always been intrigued with how people view themselves within "their space" and how they interact with each other in the physical space they inhabit.
"How people come together in units, create social spaces, integrate, and sometimes deny access to each other" has everything to do with whether people succeed or fail, Wonnett began. His passion is facilitating proper use of space on a variety of levels in order to foster community success; his career paths to further understand this passion have taken many unique turns.
Robert Wonnett’s life as a son in a military family has much to do with his passion for investigating how people interact. In his earliest years he came to appreciate how the military lifestyle provided for a progressive approach to community access, outreach, social change and promoting social interaction with the communities in which he lived. His father’s tours in Washinton, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, and Germany, with a last tour in Colorado Springs, provided Robert with much "neat stuff" to ponder about how people come together, integrate, and manipulate their environment.
Of particular interest was his discovery that people in the military view community much differently than those who remain stationary as community. When his dad’s work took him to Virginia, Robert was asked, "Who are your people?" He discovered that his definition of people differed greatly from theirs. Theirs focused on blood connections; his was more expansive. Despite the differences in interpretation, he realized that social barriers are mostly man made.
Wonnett admits to a tendency to "work himself out of a job" but always in an upward spiral. His initial experience as a recreation therapist introduced him to youth who required sports therapy to address their physical challenges. Afterwards, he served as a police officer and parole officer in Denver, working with at-risk populations. For Wonnett, appropriate tools for his work necessitate developing more skills, and he did.
He acquired an MA degree in guidance and counseling, thereby allowing him entry into "Interstate Compact", a program that focuses upon self-improvement strategies for post-incarceration populations.
Wonnett, no stranger to personal academic development, entered law school in 1991, and earned a Juris Doctor degree in 2005, a four-year commute from Colorado Springs to Denver. It was at this point that he "saw the space changing" both in his academic and professional focus. He came to terms with what he wanted to create.
"What are the broader behaviors with younger students? How can the physical, social, and organizational characteristics of a college or university affect success for students? How do the spaces we create as institutions of higher learning, or any institutions for that matter insulate and isolate us? That is my bottom line."
Robert Wonnett cares deeply about creating an environment in which students, faculty, staff, and administration can become their best selves. His daily schedule is filled with activities that study students’ short-term behaviors and difficulties within the university system. However, his ongoing determination to interface exterior space concerns with academic and sociocultural priorities has led him to work on his doctorate: how physical space can be best utilized to improve the academic community.
We have no doubt that this architecture cum sociocultural investigation will work Robert Wonnett out of his present job and allow him entry into one that keeps his passion alive. Colorado Springs Record+ looks forward to sharing those results with our readers.
- M
Forthcoming Events in Colorado Springs
February 29, 2008 | Email This Post
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(March, 2008)
OPERA THEATRE OF THE ROCKIES: CARMEN
March 01, 2008 - 7:30 PM
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts
190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Opera Theatre of the Rockies is proud to announce its third fully-staged production in Pikes Peak Center. Georges Bizet’s (1838-1875) Carmen, one of the most frequently performed works in the operatic repertoire, will receive a grand operatic production with professional orchestra, chorus, dancers and principal performers with complete sets and lighting. James Allbritten will be Conductor and Opera Theatre’s Founder and Artistic Director, Martile Rowland, will act as Stage Director. Mezzo-Soprano Jennifer DeDominici will perform the Opera’s title role. The performances will mark the 10th anniversary for the Colorado Springs-based opera company.
Carol Wilson: Organ Recital
March 2, 2008; 3:00 PM
First Christian Church - Colorado Springs
16 E Platte Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
First Christian Church’s organist Carol Wilson will perform the works of Back, Rinck, Mendelssohn, Vierne and others.
JON REEP: WINNER OF LAST COMIC STANDING LATE SHOW
March 07, 2008 - 9:30 PM
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts
190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Jon Reep is one of the hardest working comics in America. His show is supersonic energy filled with non-stop characters and super clever writing. Most recently, you have seen him on "Last Comic Standing" where he took the country by storm and won the coveted title.
Jon has been on Comedy Central’s "Premium Blend" & the half-hour special "Comedy Central Presents." As well as TBS’s "Pit Stop Comedy," NBC’s "Late Friday," and the ABC Sitcom "Rodney" as Officer Gerald Bob the dim-witted cop. You have also seen Jon as the loveable redheaded redneck from Dodge’s popular ad campaign as the "Hemi guy."
Don’t miss your chance to catch him live and in person at Studio Bee at the Pikes Peak Center on Friday, March 7th. All ages are welcome. Please note that the show contains some adult content.
COLORADO SPRINGS PHILHARMONIC: THE MANY COLORS OF DOCTOR SEUSS
March 09, 2008 - 2:30 PM
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts
190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Fun in the lobby starts at 1:30pm!
Thomas Wilson, Conductor
Ballet Society of Colorado Springs
The Colorado Springs Philharmonic, in collaboration with the Ballet Society of Colorado Springs, presents Dr. Seuss’s My Many Colored Days, about a child and pet dog as they share all the everyday emotions that go along with growing up. From happy Pink Days to quiet Green Days, children (and Dr. Seuss fans of all ages) will see how the arts enhance the expression of their feelings.
This will be the local premier of a new score by Richard Einhorn, specifically composed for this uplifting story. Ten lucky audience members will get to observe the concert onstage in the middle of the action.
Monday Movie - senior connection program
March 10 10:30am
Cheyenne Mountain Library, Colorado Springs, CO
Enjoy a free film and popcorn. No registration required.
Gallery of Contemporary Art
Monday, March 10 10:00p to Tuesday, March 11 4:00p
Gallery of Contemporary Art, Colorado Springs, CO
"Dario Solman: The Heart of Perspective, the Making of the Film," Feb. 2-April 5. A program in connection with the exhibit is offered at 7 p.m. Feb. 7, admission is $4, $1 UCCS students and GoCA supporters.
2008 Colorado Springs St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Saturday, March 15 12:00p to 1:30p
Acacia Park, Colorado Springs, CO
The 25th Annual 2008 St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place Saturday, March 15, 2008, at 12:00 noon, in Downtown Colorado Springs. The parade will begin at St. Vrain & Tejon and continue south down Tejon Street to Vermijo. Over 100 units comprise the Parade, including marching bands, floats, cars, motorcycles, and lots of leprechauns!
AUSTRALIAN WINE AND FOOD TASTING AND SILENT AUCTION: To benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Saturday, March 15 12:00p to 2:00p
Outback Steakhouse, Colorado Springs, CO
Reservations required..
PIKES PEAK UNITED WAY’S COMMUNITY CELEBRATION LUNCHEON
Wednesday, March 19 11:30a to 1:00p
International Center at The Broadmoor hotel, Colorado Springs
Reservations and payment required by March 10.. Remit payment by March 10 to: Pikes Peak United Way, 518 N. Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
Wednesday, March 19 10:00a to 5:00p
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, Colorado Springs
"The Simpich Story," an exhibit profiling Simpich Character Dolls from Old Colorado City’s own Simpich Co., showcasing more than 100 figurines from fairy tales, holiday traditions, literature, history and more, through spring 2008.
BILLY PILGRIMS: Special rednecks & roses concert
Friday, March 21 7:00p
Black Forest Community Center, Colorado Springs
$10 members, $15 general public.
Softball Vs. Mesa State
Friday, March 21 12:00p
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs
Softball Double-header vs. Mesa State: Starts at noon and 2:00pm.
CIRQUE DREAMS JUNGLE FANTASY
March 21, 2008 - 8:00 PM
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts
190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, is a colorful dream in an enchanted forest performed on stage and in the air. An international cast of graceful aerialists, spine bending contortionists, vine swinging characters, strongmen and balancers bring this Jungle dream to life in a lush, Broadway setting filled with wildly unpredictable designs, special effects, inventive choreography, puppeteering and dazzling costumes. Imaginative theatrics combined with world-class acrobatics make CIRQUE DREAMS JUNGLE FANTASY an exhilarating journey the entire family can experience together.
Semi-Annual Bake Sale at Holy Theophany Orthodox Church
Saturday, March 22 9:00a to 2:00p
Holy Theophany Orthodox Church, Colorado Springs
Homemade baked goods: Poppyseed bread, Baklava, Ethnic Breads, Cakes, Pies & Delicious Lunch w/ homemade soups, salads, breads & desserts! Buy Easter Goodies the day before!
Art Now: Open Studio 101
Saturday, March 22 9:00a to 4:00p
Studio 101, Colorado Springs
Parents enjoy ninety minutes of free time while your children will be engaged in non-stop fine art lessons celebrating artists like, Pollock and Rauschenberg. Explore Art Now.
Get Three Koffins Ready W/ Whiskey Throttle
March 22, 2008, 9:00 PM
The Rocket Room, 230 Pueblo Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Softball Vs. Mesa State
Saturday, March 22 11:00a
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs
Softball Double-header vs. Mesa State: Starts at 1:00am and 1:00pm. http://calendar.uccs.edu
Murder in Green Meadows
Sunday, March 23 2:00p
Lon Chaney Theatre, Colorado Springs
Thomas Devereaux, a successful architect and local contractor, and his beautiful wife, Joan, have just moved into their dream house. http://www.starbarplayers.org/seasonschedule.htm
Spring Break Nature Camp – Discovery Week!
Monday, March 24 9:00a to 3:00p
Fountain Creek Regional Park Nature Center, Fountain
Spring Break Nature Camp – Discovery Week!
March 24-28, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
A discovery filled week awaits children in 1st - 5th grades! Get your child outdoors to enjoy songs, hikes, games, special guests, crafts, and outdoor adventures in nature. BYO lunch, morning snacks included. Fills quickly, register NOW! read more
Price: $120.00, prepaid registration & health form required
Phone: (719) 520-6745
Spring Break Nature Camp – Discovery Week!
March 24-28, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
A discovery filled week awaits children in 1st - 5th grades! Get your child outdoors to enjoy songs, hikes, games, special guests, crafts, and outdoor adventures in nature. BYO lunch, morning snacks included. Fills quickly, register NOW! ($120.00, prepaid registration & health form required, RR, 520-6745)
ETTA JAMES
March 28, 2008 - 7:00 PM
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts
190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
"It’s Sunday night and I’m filing CDs and listening to Etta James, next record and I stop. Is she really making Prince’s "Purple Rain" over? And did I just hear Marvin Gaye’s "What’s Going On?" What, I wonder, is going on with Etta, the rock-turned-blues-turned-soul-turned-jazz-turned-you name it kind of performer who has always defied all the odds…" David Nathan, music journalist and owner, www.soulmusic.com
Etta James has seen it all: in a life lived to the full, she has experienced all the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the joy, the pain and then, rejuvenation, reinvention and renewal. Perhaps unlike any one of the dozens of albums she has recorded during a distinguished career that spans five decades, ALL THE WAY could be said to capture – if just one record could possibly do so – a miniature kaleidoscope of the emotions, feelings, expressions and sentiments that this remarkable woman has experienced.
With a range of material that would render most singers helpless, the truly legendary Etta James – a three-time Grammy award winner, NARAS Lifetime Achievement, Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer awardee and W.C. Handy Blues Foundation honoree, who rightfully has her own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame - shows that when it comes to music that speaks to the soul, she is virtually peerless. After all, who else could tackle Leonard Bernstein’s classic "Somewhere" in the space of one record and then give "Holding Back The Years" the kind of world-weary workout that makes you say, "Simply who?" in a reference to the song’s originator, Simply Red.
ART GARFUNKEL
March 29, 2008 - 7:30 PM
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts
190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Although it has been 30 years since Bridge Over Troubled Water was recorded, Art Garfunkel’s image and signature vocal remain among the most instantly recognizable in popular music. His "beautiful countertenor," as Neil Strauss described Art’s voice in The New York Times, is clear and resonant, surely one of the finest instruments in all of popular music, and a time-honored friend to a world of listeners.
IMAGINATION CELEBRATION: THE VELVETEEN RABBIT
March 30, 2008; Two shows: 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM (Doors open one hour prior to each show)
Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts
190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
"When a child loves you for a long, long time…then you become Real." So says the Horse to the Velveteen Rabbit in Margery Williams’ famous and much-loved literary classic presented by Imagination Celebration and produced by Enchantment Theater of Philadelphia. Doors will open one hour before each show, with kid-friendly hands-on art activities in the lobby. Kids and adults are invited to bring their very favorite stuffed animal to see the show with them!
A stuffed toy rabbit, given as a gift to a young boy, yearns for the day the boy will choose him as his special playmate, so that he can become real. Through love, devotion and a little bit of magic, he not only becomes a truly beloved toy, but is miraculously transformed into a real woodland rabbit. This innovative production combines the theatrical magic and signature style of Enchantment Theatre Company with the musical magic of Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning composer/arranger Don Sebesky. With an original musical score, extraordinary puppets, masks and magic, Enchantment Theatre Company brings to life this charming tale of love and devotion, creating an unforgettable theatrical experience for the whole family.
The Velveteen Rabbit
Sunday, March 30 4:00p
Pikes Peak Visitors Center, Colorado Springs
Part of the 2007-2008 Imagination Celebration Family Theater Season.
Editorial
February 29, 2008 | Email This Post
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This is the seventh issue of Colorado Springs Record+. We continue to grow our readership as you can see from the number of visits we are receiving on our website. We greatly appreciate your interest, but we would appreciate even more receiving feedback from our readers!
Our objective in bringing CSR+ to you is to highlight activities and achievements of individuals and organizations that enrich Colorado Springs. CSR+ also brings you reviews and descriptions of cultural events, artistic efforts, intellectual activities, and other special occasions in our city.
This issue of CSR+ features Robert Wonnett, UCCS Vice-Chancellor for Student Success, and Tina Moore, Director of Student Support at the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Robert and Tina have worked tirelessly to foster student excellence in a variety of areas. They are among the most stalwart community activists in student-related activities. The word tireless pales in comparison with the work they have accomplished at UCCS throughout their careers.
We are proud to feature Robert and Tina in our February edition of CSR+. We encourage you to communicate with them to offer your congratulations for their good work. They would much appreciate hearing from you directly.
If you know of any individual or organization that has made a positive and significant difference in Colorado Springs, please send an e-mail to editor@coloradosprings.org. Include name, address, and your reason for nominating this person organization for recognition. In future we wish to include achievement reports from K-12 schools within our area. However, we need your input to make this happen! Please encourage your talented family members to become a reporter for us.
We presently produce CSR+ as an Internet-only magazine. Once we obtain sponsors and advertisers (you, preferably) we shall publish hard copies as well. Please tell your friends about CSR+. We invite potential sponsors and advertisers to contact us at marketing @ colosprings.org.
All the best to you and yours this second month of 2008. We wish you all good things.
Sincerely,
J and M
Jugal Kalita and Margaret Mistry
