College of Lake County notes

For information, call (847) 223-6601 or visit www.clcillinois.edu

Career Exploration Course: Designed for students of all ages who are unsure of what college major or career to pursue, this one credit course includes assessments, research and activities to help students better understand themselves and their interests, values, personality traits, skills and experiences as they relate to finding the right career field.

Five sections of Career Exploration (PDS 122) will be offered during the CLC spring semester, with two sections starting in late January and three sections beginning in March. One section (200), taught by Counselor Nancy DeMuro, will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays, today through March 19 at the Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills.

Homecoming events: "Treasure These Days" is the theme for Homecoming events at the College of Lake County on Thursday and Friday.

Homecoming events on Thursday will take place in the Physical Education Center on the Grayslake campus, and will kick off at 4:30 p.m. with free entertainment, games, prize raffles and food. A Basketball Showdown against the Moraine Valley Community College Cyclones will include the Lancers' women's game at 5:15 p.m. and the men's game at 7:30 p.m.

The Jesse White Tumbling Team will perform between basketball games, at approximately 6:45 p.m.

Following the men's game, the Office of Student Activities will sponsor a Homecoming Dance/After Party from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Byron Colby Barn, 1561 Jones Point Road in Prairie Crossing, Grayslake. The DJs will be Stylz and Roman, the afternoon on-air personalities from Chicago radio station B96 FM. The party is free for CLC students, staff and CLC Alumni Association members and $10 for others.

For more information, call the CLC Alumni Association (847) 543-2400 or the Office of Student Activities at (847) 543-2280, the sponsors of Homecoming 2008.

Spend a semester in China: CLC students of all ages are invited to study at Xi'an International University in China, taking courses in English from international faculty in a variety of disciplines. Students will be accompanied by CLC English instructor Mike Latza and will live with a Chinese family or in a university dormitory.

Five information sessions to explain the semester in China program will be held at the CLC Grayslake campus: at 7 p.m. Thursday in A249; at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in T131; at 10 a.m. Feb. 2 in T234; at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 in T130; and at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 13 in T130. Scholarships and financial aid are available to qualified students.

Latza will accompany the CLC students as part of a faculty exchange program and he will teach two courses at Xi'an International University.

The application deadline for the program is March 1. For details, contact Audrey Iffert, project coordinator, at (847) 543-2456 or via e-mail at aiffert@clcillinois.edu. More information is also available at www.clcillinois.edu/depts/socdv/studyabroad.

China immersion program: The College of Lake County will sponsor a six-week summer overseas immersion study program to China from May 20 to July 1. Two information sessions to explain the program will be offered from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday in room B122 and from 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 22 in room T118, both on the Grayslake Campus. The deadline to sign up for the summer program is March 1.

Chinese summer immersion program participants will take Chinese language and culture classes on the campus of Xi'an International University. CLC students can earn at least eight hours of college credit. The Chinese immersion program also includes visits to three major Chinese cities: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai, and their many cultural and historical attractions.

For details, contact Professor George Liu at (847) 543-2948 or via e-mail at gliu@clcillinois.edu. Or visit www.clcillinois.edu/depts/socdv/studyabroad/summerProgram.asp.

Lunch Learn Workshops: Sample the training resources offered by the Workforce and Professional Development Institute at the College of Lake County's Client Solutions at a "Lunch and Learn Series" session. A professional facilitator will deliver one hour of training in the following subjects:

bull; Essential Skills of Communicating: Friday in room T326, Grayslake campus.

bull; STAR Customer Service: Thursday, Feb. 14 in room V336, Southlake campus.

bull; Improving Employee Work Habits: Wednesday, Mar. 12 in room T326, Grayslake campus.

bull; Essential Skills of Leadership: Tuesday, April 15 in room V336, Southlake Campus.

All Lunch and Learn sessions are from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $30 per person, which includes participant guide, lunch and beverage. To register, call (847) 543-2615 or visit wpdi.clcillinois.edu.

"Let it be Known": The "Let It Be Known Concert Tour," a diverse mixture of RB, rap, and a cappella music with comedy and continuous entertainment, will be presented from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday in the C 005 Auditorium on the CLC Grayslake Campus by the CLC Black Student Union and Society Entertainment.

Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door. Children under 5 are free. Tickets are available at the door prior to the show or from the CLC Box Office at (847) 543-2300.

For more information, call Jorge Tennin at (847) 543-2343 or Sonia DuBose at (847) 543-2649.

"Ain't Misbehavin'": The cast of "Ain't Misbehavin'" will take the stage, performing 30 show-stopping tunes by Fats Waller, at 8 p.m. Saturday at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts' Mainstage Theatre.

The Tony Award-winning show, performed by Irving Street Repertory, includes such songs as "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," "Honeysuckle Rose," "Mean to Me," "Black and Blue," "That Ain't Right," "Your Feets Too Big," "Find Out What They Like" and "Viper's Drag."

The show takes its audience from honky tonk dives to the Cotton Club, Tin Pan Alley and the Waldorf of the 1930s.

General public tickets range from $29 to $41 for adults and $16 for CLC students (including a $1 JLC restoration fee). Tickets are discounted for CLC staff, seniors 65 and over and members of the CLC Alumni Association. Tickets are available at the CLC Box Office in the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, and can be purchased in person, by phone at (847) 543-2300 or at www.clcillinois.edu/tickets.

Chinese New Year: In celebration of the Chinese New Year, the College of Lake County will host a reception and dinner, open to community members, area businesspeople and CLC faculty, staff and students from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Silk Mandarin Restaurant, 4 East Phillip Road, Vernon Hills.

The cost is $25 per person, and all event proceeds will benefit Chinese study abroad scholarships. An RSVP is required by Sunday. For information and registration, contact Dr. Li-hua Yu at (847) 543-2741 or via e-mail at lyu@clcillinois.edu.

Theater auditions: Local actors are invited to audition for the College of Lake County Theatre Department's spring production of Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, "How I Learned to Drive."

Three women and two men are needed. Actors should prepare a two-minute memorized contemporary monologue that is either comic or tragicomic, be prepared to read from the play and bring an acting resume if they have one. Auditions will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, and actors need only attend one session. Auditions will be held in the Studio Theatre at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at CLC, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. Callbacks will be Jan. 31 from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

Copies of the play are available at the Grayslake Library/Learning Resource Center circulation desk for in-library reading. Rehearsals will be held Monday through Thursday evenings (with the occasional Friday evening) until tech week and will begin Feb. 18. Performances will be April 11 to 19.

For audition information, call the CLC Communication Arts, Humanities and Fine Arts division at (847) 543-2040.

Blood Drive: The College of Lake County Health Center and LifeSource will hold a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 30 in Anderson Court, located in Building A on the Grayslake Campus. Donors must be 17 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and not have donated blood within 56 days. Donors will receive a mini-physical that includes a blood pressure check and iron-level count. The blood drive will be conducted on a walk-in basis. Donors should also bring a photo ID. For information about the blood drive or to make an appointment, call the CLC Health Center at (847) 543-2064.

Small Business Workshops: The spring 2008 "Know to Grow" workshop series covers topics that are important for the healthy development and growth of a small business. The workshops will be held in the T Wing of the Grayslake campus

Upcoming workshops include:

bull; Starting a Business in Illinois, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 6; cost: $20.

bull; Quickbooks Module 1 - A Practical Introduction, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Feb. 7 and 14; cost: $149.

bull; Making Marketing Work on a Tight Budget, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 13; cost: $35.

bull; Basic Recordkeeping for Small Business, from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 20; cost: $40.

bull; Understanding Technology for Your Small Business, from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 28; cost: $35.

For more information, call (847) 543-2033 or visit wpdi.clcillinois.edu/sbdc.

International Film Series: There is no charge for films in the International Film Series, which will be screened at 7 p.m. on Friday nights in room A162 on the CLC Grayslake Campus. The films are subtitled when necessary, have adult content and are not suitable for children. For more information, contact Patrick Gonder, CLC film instructor, at (847) 543-2555 or at pgonder@clcillinois.edu.

"Volver," starring Pen#233;lope Cruz (2006) will be shown on Feb. 8. "Offside" which follows a group of female soccer fans in their attempts to disguise themselves as men and sneak into the largest stadium in Tehran, where women are forbidden, will be screened on March 14. "The Host," which merges a dysfunctional family comedy and a monster movie, will be shown on April 25.

Lean Office Workshop: Business leaders will learn techniques geared to make their offices run more efficiently at a half-day "Lean Office" workshop from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at the CLC Southlake Campus, 1120 S. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills. The workshop will offer tips to implementing Lean Office techniques to streamline processes for efficiency. To register or for details, call (847) 543-2615 or visit wpdi.clcillinois.edu. The cost is $99 per person, which includes a continental breakfast.

Chinese Language Program: Community members are also welcome to attend CLC's Chinese Language Immersion Program sessions from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 9, March 8, April 12 and May 10 in the lower lobby of the C Wing at the CLC Grayslake campus. Sessions are open to anyone with a desire to learn Chinese, including adults, high school students and CLC students. No proficiency is required to participate.

The Chinese Language Immersion sessions will feature four or five native Chinese speakers who facilitate a series of language-building activities. Refreshments will be provided, and participants may attend any or all sessions, with no commitment to attend future sessions.

For more information about CLC's East Asian Studies opportunities, contact Dr. Li-hua Yu, project director, at (847) 543-2741 or via e-mail at lyu@clcillinois.edu.

Truck driver training: Learn about the College of Lake County's new truck driver training program at information sessions from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13, March 19 and April 16 in room T334 on the college's Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St.

Prospective students will learn about a career in the truck driving industry and how to obtain a commercial drivers license in four weeks through the college's Workforce and Professional Development Institute truck driver training program.

Four-week spring semester sessions will be offered Feb. 25 to March 21 and April 7 to May 2. Classroom instruction will be in room T334 on the Grayslake campus, and the driving portion will be at ATS Truck Driving School in Wauconda.

The course will provide students with the knowledge and skills to prepare for the state-issued CDL exams, including the permit test, pre-trip inspection test, skills tests and road tests. Job placement assistance is available upon completion. Trucking industry recruiters from some of the top trucking firms in the nation will visit the school throughout the course.

Interested students should call (847) 543-2615 prior to enrolling to ensure they meet course entrance requirements. Information also is available at www.clcillinois.edu.

Salute to Gospel Music: An evening of inspirational gospel music is planned at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan at 7 p.m. on Feb. 23, when the College of Lake County presents its 24th Annual Salute to Gospel Music. The featured performing group will be Darius Brooks and the "Tommies" Reunion. Brooks has assembled former members of the Thompson Community Singers from around the country, singers who helped send the group to the top of the gospel charts in the late 1980s and early '90s.

Eleanor Murkey, dean of the CLC Lakeshore Campus and founder of the Annual Salute to Gospel Concert, will be honored at the concert for her long and dedicated service to the college. Murkey is scheduled to retire in December 2008, so this is the final Salute to Gospel Concert she will be involved in organizing.

The concert will also include performances by Shekinah Glory Ministry from Matteson, Ill.; First Corinthian's Vessels of Praise from North Chicago; and the CLC Gospel Choir, under the direction of Dr. Charles Clency. In addition, there will be special guest appearances by Mark Cosey with the CLC Gospel Choir Reunion and Sisters Cotton.

Also at the concert, the College of Lake County's 2008 Harambee Awards of Excellence will be presented to Elder Torrence A. Markham, pastor of Greater St. James Temple Church of God in Christ, North Chicago, and to Rev. R.C. Taylor, pastor of Prayer Garden Church of God in Christ, North Chicago. A special tribute to the late Rev. C.L. Fairchild of Greater Faith Church Baptist of Waukegan will also be presented.

In addition, there will be a special presentation of the Sankofa Award to CLC Lakeshore Dean Eleanor Murkey. She will be honored for providing outstanding leadership since 1976, including organizing 24 Salute to Gospel Concerts.

Salute to Gospel tickets are $20 for the general public and $18 for CLC students, staff, Alumni Association members and seniors 65 and over. Until Feb. 20, tickets will be sold at the CLC Box Office in the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts on the CLC Grayslake Campus by phone at (847) 543-2300 and at the CLC Lakeshore Campus, main lobby south building, phone (847) 543-2191. Tickets will be sold through show time at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee Street, Waukegan, and at www.geneseetheatre.com and www.ticketmaster.com.

An opportunity for church groups and organizations to raise funds will be offered for the second year. The group discount ticket pricing option will include a private pre-show reception offered only to fund-raiser ticket holders. For groups of 25 or more, tickets may be purchased at $3 off the general admission price. For groups of 35 or more, tickets may be purchased at $4 off the general admission price. Each group or organization is entitled to reassign the price of tickets. Groups are entitled to all proceeds raised above the discounted price of the tickets.

For more information on either the group sales or fund raising offers, call the group sales department at the Genesee Theatre at (847) 406-3155. Or call the CLC Lakeshore Campus special projects hotline at (847) 543-2194.

Members exhibition: A Members Exhibition, featuring a diverse collection of 100 art works created by 90 Lake County artist members of the Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art, will run through Feb. 24 in the gallery at the College of Lake County.

The opening night reception, which is free and open to the public, will include refreshments and musical entertainment by Irish harpist Daphne Freund. During the reception, art gifts in ARTcetera, the gallery's sales shop, will be discounted 10 percent. Members of the Friends of the Gallery will receive a total of 20 percent off items purchased during the reception.

The Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art is located in the west wing of the main campus building in Grayslake. Patrons should enter through the C wing and proceed toward the Library/Learning Resource Center. For further information about the gallery, call curator Steve Jones at (847) 543-2240 or visit gallery.clcillinois.edu/. Hours for this exhibit are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

2007-08 Concert Season: The College of Lake County Music department has planned announce its 2007-08 season. Concerts will be held in the Mainstage Theatre of the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts on the CLC Grayslake Campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $4 for CLC/seniors/children unless noted (price includes $1 JLC restoration fee). Tickets are available in person, by calling the Box Office at (847) 543-2300 or online at www.clcillinois.edu/tickets.

bull; Jazz Sunday, with a tribute to Buddy Rich and His Orchestra: 4 p.m. Feb. 24.

bull; Wind Ensemble with guest conductor Steve Eggleston: 4 p.m. March 16.

bull; Gospel Choir: 4 p.m. March 23.

bull; Jazz Ensembles: 4 p.m. April 13.

bull; Spring Choral Concert: 4 p.m. April 27.

bull; 31st Annual Guest Artist Concert featuring Larry McWilliams, trumpet; John Seidel, trombone and Dick Oatts, saxophone; 4 p.m. May 4. Tickets: $6 for general public and $4 for CLC, Seniors 65 and over, and children under 12.

bull; Concert Band: 7:30 p.m. May 8.

East Asian workshop series: CLC will present an East Asian Workshop Series in the spring that is open to the community. The series includes five workshops focused specifically on China.

Sessions are held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the CLC Grayslake campus, and include:

bull; Survey of Chinese History: Ancient and Modern on March 13.

bull; Political Tradition and the Communist Party Rule on March 20.

bull; Cultural Elements in Contemporary China on April 3.

bull; China's Economy: Achievement and Challenges on April 10.

bull; Where Do We Go from Here: China's Future on April 17.

Each workshop features lecture, interactive discussion, activities, a question and answer session and refreshments. Participants attending all five workshops will receive a voucher for a Chinese dinner and discussion led by CLC's Chinese visiting faculty member Fangjun Li on April 24. To register for workshop sessions, contact Audrey Iffert at (847) 543-2456 or via e-mail at aiffert@clcillinois.edu. Participants can attend any or all workshops. No commitment to attend the complete workshop series is required.