College Foundation announces endowment of Vandy Anderson Scholarship Award in Culinary Arts

The Galveston College Foundation Board of Directors has announced the creation of the Vandy Anderson Scholarship Award in Culinary Arts endowment at Galveston College.

The new scholarship will foster the development of aspiring culinary arts professionals enrolled at Galveston College. The first recipients of the Vandy Anderson Scholarship Award in Culinary Arts will be announced in spring 2021.

“The Vandy I knew loved good food. You could frequently find him along with his food enthusiast friends enjoying the culinary achievements of all his favorite restaurants. This scholarship honors Vandy’s love for Galveston’s culinary gastronomic community and those that chose to take up that life’s work. The Galveston College Culinary Arts Academy scholarship means that students will be able to pursue their dreams and our local hospitality industry will have a skilled workforce,” said Jeri Kinnear, chair of the Galveston College Foundation.

Ann Anderson, Vandy Anderson’s sister, said she is thrilled and grateful to everyone in the community who supported the family in establishing the endowed scholarship.
“We are so honored by the establishment of this scholarship that lovingly will be named after Vandy, to whom education, history and the island were so very important,” Anderson said. “By supporting culinary student talent, this scholarship will celebrate our Vandy’s passion for life, support for education, and love of family and community – not to mention a fine meal!”

Vandy Anderson passed away on April 16, 2016. He was 73. He started his radio career at KILE radio and would become the owner/manager of KGBC for more than 30 years. Broadcasters inducted him into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2014.
“Vandy served his community in numerous ways as a broadcaster, trustee, chair or adviser for organizations across Galveston until his passing,” said Paulie Gaido, retired Galveston restaurateur. “The scholarship honors his legacy in the Galveston community and his love for the people of the island.”

Gaido’s book, “Entertaining at Home with Fresh American Seafood and Exceptional American Wine,” which he wrote with his wife Mary Kay, helped raise funds locally to honor the much-beloved man known as the “Voice of Galveston” during his long tenure at KGBC.

“On behalf of our culinary arts program and our culinary students, I want to thank all of those who made this endowment possible for their generous and thoughtful gifts,” said Dr. Myles Shelton, president of Galveston College. “This scholarship will honor Vandy’s memory and celebrate his passion for life, the joy of cooking and the importance of the culinary arts. We are grateful for and humbled by the Anderson family’s decision to honor Vandy in this way.”

Currently, there are several scholarships available for those interested in the Galveston College Culinary Arts Academy. Application information is available on the college website at https://gc.edu/financial-aid/available-aid/scholarships/ and from the Office of Financial Aid at [email protected].

To make a gift to the Vandy Anderson Scholarship Award in Culinary Arts or for more information about the Galveston College Foundation, please contact Dr. Van Patterson at (409) 944-1205 or [email protected].

Seven Galveston College Quickstart+ HVAC-R students pass Universal Section 608 certification exam

Seven Galveston College Quickstart+ students recently passed the Universal Section 608 Certification exam following an intensive eight-week training program in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC-R).

Section 608 of the Clean Air Act requires that all persons who maintain, service, repair or dispose of appliances that contain regulated substances be certified in proper refrigerant handling techniques.

Instructor Karen Alsept said this is the largest Quickstart+ student group to pass the Universal Section 608 exam in the three-year history of the training program.
“Our instructor, Karen Alsept, welcomed 13 students into the classroom Sept. 21, where they received a mixture of online and face-to-face instruction,” said Sharon Pagan, grant navigator for Quickstart+.

“Classes met Mondays through Thursdays for five hours each night, and students completed classes in Shop Practices and Tools, Basic Electrical for HVAC, Refrigeration Principles, OSHA 10 Construction and Professional Behaviors.”

Over the course of instruction, students had the opportunity to complete an eight-module National Center for Construction and Education Research (NCCER) core curriculum, as well as the 10-hour Construction Safety and Health Certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The Quickstart+ program also provided Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Recycling and Emission Reduction Program study guides to help students become knowledgeable about Section 608 environmental issues with regard to the proper handling of refrigerants.

Seven of the 13 HVAC-R students paid to take the national exam through the ESCO Institute in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. To earn Universal certification, HVAC-R students had to demonstrate proficiency in the NCCER Core Curriculum, Type I, Type II and Type III certification requirements.

Those earning certifications included John Bertolino, Michael Busby, Oscar Franco, Justin Hulsey, Kendall Merriweather, Randy Ramirez and Rodrigo Sanchez.

Funded with a Foundational Skills for Construction Career Pathways Grant, the Quickstart+ programs at Galveston College are designed to help individuals find entry-level jobs in the fast-growing HVAC and electrical industries.

In the eight-week programs, students are presented with the basics of a trade, including safety procedures, proper tool usage, regulations, codes and more. They also receive career counseling and job placement assistance.

Tuition is free for those accepted into the programs. However, students purchase their own steel-toed boots and personal protective equipment.

For more information, please contact Sharon Pagan at [email protected]. The next classes begin in February.

"Just in the nick of time" premiered at the Dallas Children's Theater. It is produced in special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.

Galveston College Theatre presents family holiday whodunit ‘Just in the Nick of Time’

In its second virtual production of the current season, the Galveston College Theatre department will present a family holiday whodunit “Just in the Nick of Time: A Detective Red Mistletoe Mystery” by Linda Daugherty as its 2020 gift to the community.

Show dates and times are Friday, Dec. 18, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 20, at 2:30 p.m. Please contact director Liz Lacy, program coordinator for the Performing Arts, via email at [email protected] with preferred performance date(s). Performances are free and open to the public.

A link to listen to the requested performance of this radio audio drama will be emailed before the first performance.

Company members include Dorion Alcantar, Eva Arita, Elijah Barrie, Daniel Bourque, Alyssa Gudz, Benji Shelton and Cricket Smith. 

“Just in the Nick of Time: A Detective Red Mistletoe Mystery” premiered at the Dallas Children’s Theater. It is produced in special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.

Show Synopsis:

Ace detective Red Mistletoe is retained by the citizens of the North Pole to find Santa Claus, who disappeared at the height of the season. If losing Santa wasn’t enough, the heretofore colorful citizens are losing their Christmas spirit and their holiday hues. As Christmas draws near, the elves, rather than carefree in color, are glum in gray; Doctor Green, no longer sporting green, is bitten by a reindeer; and Purple Gumdrop’s not purple anymore. And the costumed children, rehearsing for Mrs. Claus’ annual “Santa Send-off Celebration,” begin to look like they’re in an old black and white movie.

It’s up to Detective Red Mistletoe, now in shades of gray, to get some answers in black and white. Could the three suspicious new arrivals, Bob Humbug, Fruitcake (Humbug’s sidekick) and Holly Wreath (Santa’s new red-headed secretary) know anything about Santa’s whereabouts? Do they really hail from the South Pole as they claim, or will their caper be uncovered by Red—helped by a now-repentant and soft-hearted Holly Wreath?

Can Red save Santa in time to bring a colorful Christmas to the children of the world and even find a little romance along the way? Of course he can—Just in the Nick of Time! A mystery to solve, a comedy with witty dialogue, plenty of holiday warmth—and Santa Claus to boot—this show is the perfect holiday fare for kids and families.

For additional information, please contact Program Coordinator for the Performing Arts Liz Lacy at (409) 944-1398 or [email protected].

Above: Alyssa Gudz, Elijah Barrie and Eva Arita rehearse for Galveston College Theatre’s production of “Just in the Nick of Time.”

Lecture featuring Native American tribal leader available on-demand

The Galveston College Faculty Professional Development Committee hosted Joe Aragon of the Acoma Pueblo Nation for a virtual lecture titled “Bridging Two Worlds” Dec. 2 as part of its 2020-2021 series on Diversity, Inclusion and Empowerment.

With a career in education spanning almost four decades, Aragon most recently served as first lieutenant governor of the Acoma Pueblo Nation, a traditionally appointed tribal administrator for the Pueblo, where he had oversight of the Pueblo of Acoma tribal governmental policies, laws and general operations. Click here for a comprehensive speaker bio.

To view the free Zoom lecture on-demand, click here.

2020 Signing Day

Two Whitecaps sign with Division 1 universities

Two Galveston College pitchers on Nov. 11 signed National Letters of Intent to play with universities in Texas and Louisiana.

Kurt Dillon of Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada, has signed with Louisiana Tech University. His parents are Kathie and Mark Dillon. His sister is Meghan Dillon.

Travis Phelps, of Alvin, Texas, has signed with Texas State University. He is the son of Cassie and Todd Phelps. His siblings are Joseph and Andrew Butler and Kasey and Darby Phelps.

“We are proud of Kurt and Travis’ opportunity to go play Division 1 baseball. It is part of the reason student athletes continue to choose Galveston College as a springboard for their academic and athletic careers,” said Whitecaps head coach Kevin Lallmann. “We wish them the best as they move on, and we look forward to seeing them play at the next level.”

During Coach Lallmann’s five years at Galveston College, the Whitecaps sent 30 players on to the NCAA Division I level, had three players drafted in the MLB draft and had another player sign as a free agent.

The Whitecaps also have continued a tradition of academic excellence each year, with an impressive cumulative team grade-point average in excess of 3.0.

Nov. 11 marked the first day of the early signing period as athletes across the country signed their National Letters of Intent.  To view a list of Galveston College transfer achievements since 2013, visit https://gc.edu/athletics/whitecaps-baseball/4-year-college-transfer-achievements/.

Above: Galveston College Whitecaps pitchers Kurt Dillon (left) of Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada, and Travis Phelps of Alvin, Texas, sign their letters of intent to play baseball at Louisiana Tech University and Texas State University, respectively, as volunteer coach Kyle Thomason, head coach Kevin Lallmann and assistant coach Kyle Giusti look on.

Lecture on hip-hop and culture available on-demand

The Galveston College Faculty Professional Development Committee hosted Dr. Kourtney Moore for a virtual lecture titled “I Still Love H.E.R.: Hip-Hop and African-American Culture Concerning Systemic Racism and Oppression” Nov. 2 as part of its 2020-2021 series on Diversity, Inclusion and Empowerment.

Dr. Moore is currently a basic skills instructor for Cape Fear Community College (New Hanover Correctional Center) in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is also a technical writer for Solugen, a bio-based specialty chemicals company in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Moore received her Doctor of Philosophy in Technical Communication and Rhetoric from Texas Tech University, a Master of Arts in Technical and Professional Communication from East Carolina University, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Her research interests include social justice, hip-hop rhetoric and pedagogy, technical communication, and visual rhetoric and communication. Aside from work and research, Dr. Moore enjoys spending time with her family, exploring new cuisines, and cheering for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

To view the free Zoom lecture on-demand, click here.

Galveston College Theatre opens 2020-2021 season with H.G. Wells’ ‘The Invisible Man’

“And I beheld, unclouded by doubt, a magnificent vision of all that invisibility might mean to a man—the mystery, the power, the freedom. Drawbacks I saw none.” — H.G. Wells, “The Invisible Man”

The Galveston College Theatre Department will kick off its 2020-2021 season with the classic science fiction radio drama, “The Invisible Man,” by H.G. Wells and adapted by John de Lancie from the script by Nat Segaloff and John de Lancie.

Show dates and times are Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2:30 p.m. 

Please contact director Liz Lacy, program coordinator for the Performing Arts, via email at [email protected] with preferred performance date(s). A link to listen to the requested performance of this radio audio drama will be emailed by Thursday, Nov. 12, at 10 p.m.

Described by H.G. Wells as “a grotesque romance,” “The Invisible Man” remains as remarkable and frightening today as it was upon its publication over a hundred years ago. This thrilling adaptation by John de Lancie brings one of H.G. Wells’ most terrifying characters to life with the power of imagination in the style of a classic radio drama.

The story begins on a bitter winter evening, when a mysterious stranger arrives in the remote English village of Iping in the dead of winter, his face swaddled in bandages. The stranger is Griffin, a scientist who has discovered the secret to invisibility but cannot find a way to reverse it. Freed from the constraints of physicality and rejected by a society that fears him, Griffin descends into madness, violence and brutality.

Company members include Dorion Alcantar, Eva Arita, Elijah Barrie, Daniel Bourque, Alyssa Gudz and Benji Shelton. “The Invisible Man” is produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois. For additional information, please contact Program Coordinator for the Performing Arts Liz Lacy at (409) 944-1398 or [email protected].

Noviz Nevarez

AAPC Medical Coding curriculum leads to healthcare career for Galveston College student

Noviz Nevarez always wanted to follow in her sisters’ footsteps and pursue a career in healthcare, but she needed a career pathway that would accommodate her busy schedule as a full-time sales manager at a Galveston hotel, the mother of a four-year-old and wife of a longshoreman at the Port of Galveston.

“Most of my sisters work in a medical field, and they inspired me. Originally, I wanted to become a nurse, but I needed more flexibility. When I found out about medical coding and administration, I decided it was the right career path for me.”

Nevarez enrolled in Galveston College’s new American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) medical coding curriculum last spring, completed her Medical Coding certificate and passed the national Certified Professional Coder (CPC) on her first attempt.

She landed a job with Signify Health and started working remotely this month as a coding specialist.

“Medical coding and billing specialists play a crucial role in the healthcare industry,” explained Donna Swartz, program director at Galveston College. “It is their responsibility to make sure that health claims are processed and coded accurately so that insurance companies and healthcare providers are reimbursed correctly. They also want to make sure they code correctly so patients are not over-charged for routine appointments.”

Nevarez said the communication, supervisory and management, and resume and cover-letter writing skills she learned at Galveston College were essential to preparing her for a new career.

“This is the first job I applied for since I earned my certificate,” Nevarez said. “I used the resume writing tips I learned from Ms. Swartz to align my skills with the position description. I had two phone and video interviews. It was a great experience.”

Galveston College’s program prepares students for national medical coding certification exams and provides focused instruction in health information management, health records management and advanced medical coding and billing.

“At first, the program is very challenging, especially for those without a medical background,” Nevarez said. “My advice to future students is to never give up…to believe in yourself. Join social media groups to network and keep up with what’s happening in the field. No matter what, keep going. It is worth it.”

Nevarez is continuing her studies at Galveston College and is now pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Medical Administration. Her new job and work-at-home schedule will also give her husband an opportunity pursue his Associate of Applied Science in Welding Technology at the college.

“I’m grateful to my husband, my parents, my mother-in-law, and to my bosses at the hotel for their support,” said Nevarez. “I try to give my best to everything I do. I’m so grateful to Galveston College for this program.”

Spring 2021 Scholarships News Post

Spring 2021 scholarship application available

Need money for college? Now is the perfect time to complete an application for Galveston College scholarships for spring 2021!

Galveston College is committed to providing scholarship opportunities to deserving students by seeking funds from individuals, businesses, organizations and college resources. The criteria for eligibility and the award amount for these scholarships has been developed in cooperation with each scholarship sponsor.

The scholarship program at Galveston College encourages currently enrolled students, graduating high school seniors, transfer students, and other deserving individuals to apply for scholarship monies. Awards range from $500 to $2,500 per academic year. Academic excellence, financial need, displayed leadership abilities and participation in extracurricular activities are taken into consideration during the award process.

Visit https://gc.edu/galveston-college-scholarships/ and complete one application to be considered for the Galveston College scholarships. 

Follow the instructions and submit the application with attached short essay, copy(ies) of high school or college transcript, two letters of reference, and other supplemental information by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20.

Contact [email protected] with any questions.