College of Lake County notes

College of Lake County

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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.

An information session to explain the semester in China program will be held at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the CLC Grayslake campus 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 is March 1. For details, contact Audrey Iffert, project coordinator, at (847) 543-2456 or via e-mail at aiffert@clcillinois.edu. Information is also available at www.clcillinois.edu/depts/socdv/studyabroad.

Caricature artist: Local caricature artist Abel Aguilar will be featured at the Valentine's Day art sale at the College of Lake County ARTcetera Gallery. Aguilar will draw caricature portraits for customers as part of the Valentine's Day Art Sale, being held on Wednesday and Thursday.

Aguilar will be available to draw caricatures from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in ARTcetera on both sale days. Black and white portraits cost $10 and take about five minutes. Color portraits are $15 and take about 10 minutes to complete.

The sale runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and features 10 percent off all original art, including hand-made jewelry, scarves, ceramics, sculpture and photography, with 20 percent off for Friends of the Gallery. ARTcetera is located adjacent to the Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art in the Library/Learning Resource Center, 19351 W. Washington St. in Grayslake.

Valentine's Day Sale shoppers who become a "Friend of the Gallery" will receive 10 percent off in the gallery shop at any time for one year and an additional 10 percent off gifts purchased during art show openings and seasonal sales. For information, call Christina Rasmussen, at (847) 543-2405.

Certification courses: Two continuing professional development courses will be offered by the Continuing Professional Development department of the College of Lake County's Workforce and Professional Development Institute.

• A Construction Management: Improving Productivity class will meet from 6 to 10 p.m. on four Tuesdays, from Feb. 19 to March 11. This course will help managers and supervisors in construction, manufacturing and other service industries improve productivity on the job. The cost is $215.

• A Flagger Certification and Work Zone Safety course will be offered from 6 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday. The training fulfills the highway flagger certification training required by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Students who successfully complete the course and pass a test will meet Federal Highway Administration requirements and receive a certificate from the American Traffic Safety Services Association. The cost is $119.

For more information on these courses, or to register, call (847) 543-2615 or visit wpdi.clcillinois.edu/professional.

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. Wednesday and 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.

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.

Black History Month Events: College of Lake County Lakeshore Campus has several events scheduled in February to celebrate Black History Month. Upcoming events include:

• A soul food dinner will be served up by the CLC Black Student Union from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday for $4. The dinner will be served at the Lakeshore Campus Conference Room, located in the 111 N. Genesee St. building in downtown Waukegan.

• To top off Black History Month, the college will present its 24th Annual Salute to Gospel Music Concert at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, featuring Darius Brooks Presents the Tommies Reunion, along with many other performers, presentations and special guests. For tickets, call (847) 543-2191 or (847) 543-2300 or go to www.geneseetheatre.com.

For information, call the CLC Lakeshore Campus at (847) 543-2191.

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:

• STAR Customer Service: Thursday in room V336, Southlake campus.

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

• 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.

Acrobats sell out: Two shows on Saturday by the Golden Dragon Acrobats at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at the College of Lake County were declared sold out on Feb. 5.

To check on other area performances by the Golden Dragon Acrobats, visit www.goldendragonacrobats.com. To learn more about other entertainment events in the Main-stage Series at the James Lumber Center, call the CLC Box Office at (847) 543-2300 or visit www.clcillinois.edu/tickets.

Upcoming professional touring events on the Mainstage Theatre include:

• Former Riverdance fiddler Eileen Ivers and her band, Immigrant Soul, at 7 p.m. Mar. 9.

• "Forbidden Hollywood," the musical spoof by the creators of "Forbidden Broadway" at 3 and 7 p.m. March 29.

• The African Children's Choir at 7 p.m. April 6.

• Soul of the Bayou featuring BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet and the subdudes at 7 p.m. April 20.

• A trio of singing sisters, The Roches, for a Mother's Day concert at 4 p.m. May 11.

For ticket information and group rates, call (847) 543-2300. These events are sponsored in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Learn workplace Spanish: Get a command of Spanish language spoken in the office and workplace by taking Command Spanish at the College of Lake County. CLC's Workforce and Professional Development Institute will offer two Command Spanish courses this spring, one designed for medical professionals and one for general office personnel who interact with Spanish speakers. Command Spanish is a comprehensive Spanish language program that provides immediate access to functional language skills. The language component uses phonetic encoding to address the most important Spanish commands, questions and phrases pertinent to daily interactions. No prior knowledge of Spanish is necessary.

• Command Spanish for Medical Professionals will be offered from 9 to 11 a.m. Feb. 21 to April 17 at the Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan. The course number is PSST 14-101, and the cost is $225, which includes course materials.

• Command Spanish for Office Personnel (PSST 13-001) will be offered from 9 to 11 a.m. on Feb. 19 to April 15 at the Grayslake Campus. This program is intended for office secretaries, receptionists, medical secretaries and school secretaries. The cost is $225, which includes course materials.

For more information or to enroll in these courses, call (847) 543-2615 or visit wpdi.clcillinois.edu.

Spring literary events: The College of Lake County Literary Arts Society will offer a variety of events for students and the community:

• Poetry slams will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Library/Learning Resource Center Atrium. Everyone is welcome to listen or read, rap or sing their own written words. Refreshments will be served and certificates and cash prizes will be awarded.

• A poetry performance featuring two internationally recognized slam poets, Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz and Shappy Seaholtz, will be held at 7 p.m. March 4 in the C Wing Auditorium, C005. The performance is free and open to the public and is part of the Readers Series.

• "Little story slams" will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. March 12 in the Library/Learning Resource Center Atrium. Refreshments will be served and certificates and cash prizes will be awarded.

• A reading reception to honor contributors to CLC's 35th edition of the award-winning literary magazine, "Willow Review," will be held at 7 p.m. April 17 in room C003. This free event will feature contributors reading from their original poetry and prose. Copies of the 2008 issue will be available at the reading. "Willow Review" is partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

• The annual Shakespeare's birthday celebration will be held from noon to 4 p.m. April 23 in the Library/Learning Resource Center Atrium. "Mr. Shakespeare," an authentically costumed reenactor will answer questions about the Elizabethan era and present portions of the Bard's plays. Members of the community, students and professionals will read or act individually and in groups. Cake and other refreshments will be served.

For more information about the CLC Literary Arts Society and these events, call Michael Latza, at (847) 543-2956.

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 information, 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.

NxLevel Business Start-up In 12 weeks, aspiring entrepreneurs can learn how to start a business in the NxLevel Business Start-up class, offered by the Small Business Development Center at the College of Lake County.

The course begins on Mar. 4, and covers the fundamentals of starting a business, from writing a business plan to attracting customers.

Registration is due by Feb. 21, and the cost is $350 for the class and planning book or $435 with the book and Business Plan Pro software. The class is held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the CLC Grayslake Campus, 19351 W. Washington St. For more information or to register, call (847) 543-2033 or visit wpdi.clcillinois.edu/sbdc.

"The Importance of Being Earnest": Oscar Wilde's classic comedy of manners, "The Importance of Being Earnest" will be presented by the College of Lake County Theatre Department on Feb. 22 to 24 and Feb. 28 to March 1 in the Studio Theatre of the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts on the Grayslake campus.

The comedy follows the antics of two bachelors as they pursue true love and the perfect cucumber sandwich. Both men take the alias of "Ernest" in order to capture the hearts of two young ladies who are convinced they could never love anyone who was not named Ernest.

The show will be presented on at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22, 23, 28, 29 and March 1 at 2 p.m. Feb. 24. Tickets are $10 each for the general public and $8 for CLC students/staff, seniors 65 and over and JLC season subscribers. Prices include a $1 per ticket James Lumber Center restoration fee. Tickets are available at the CLC Box Office in the James Lumber Center on the Grayslake campus, 19351 W. Washington St. Tickets may be purchased in person, by phone at (847) 543-2300, or at www.clcillinois.edu/tickets.

To request sign language interpreting, call the Box Office at (847) 543-2300 at least two weeks in advance. For group sales information, call (847) 543-2431.

FAFSA Completion Day: College students and their parents can get help with applying for college financial aid by attending a FAFSA Completion Day being held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 23 at the College of Lake County in Grayslake. All college-bound high school and current college students are invited to attend, no matter where they plan to go to college.

FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which must be filled out for students to be considered for state and all federal financial aid. The CLC event is part of a nationwide program called College Goal Sunday, which encourages students to apply for financial aid. For more information, visit www.collegegoalsunday.org.

Financial aid information is also available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or at www.collegezone.com. CLC is a College Zone outreach center for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

On Feb. 23, students should bring the following documents with them to CLC: a copy of 2007 Federal Tax Information (parent and student 1040EZ, 1040A or 1040 and all W2 forms), the student's drivers license and Social Security card or Student Alien Registration card if the student is not a U.S. citizen.

To learn more about financial aid opportunities or for help in applying for financial aid, call the CLC Office of Financial Aid at (847) 543-2062 or e-mail finaid@clcillinois.edu. On Feb. 23, students should check in at the Atrium, located next to the Library/Learning Resource Center. Parking is available in lots 4, 5 and 6, near the Brae Loch Road entrance to the college.

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.

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

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

• Gospel Choir: 4 p.m. March 23.

• Jazz Ensembles: 4 p.m. April 13.

• Spring Choral Concert: 4 p.m. April 27.

• 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.

• Concert Band: 7:30 p.m. May 8.

Lake County Film Festival: The College of Lake County will host the Fifth Annual Lake County Film Festival Feb. 28 to March 3.

The festival will feature 17 feature-length documentaries, 17 narrative features and more than 100 short films. said Nat Dykeman, festival Many of the filmmakers will be on hand to present their films.

Most screenings will be held at the Grayslake Campus of the College of Lake County, with additional screenings on March 1 at the CLC Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan and the Landmark Theatre in Highland Park.

Festival highlights will include the closing night film, "Grace Is Gone," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, won the Audience Award and was nominated for two Golden Globes. "Grace is Gone" stars Chicago native John Cusack as a man who can't figure out how to tell his two daughters that their mother was killed in Iraq. It will be shown in Highland Park.

"Wristcutters: A Love Story," another Sundance Film Festival alum to be presented at the festival, won Best Feature at Gen Art Film Festival and was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards. The film stars Patrick Fugit as a young pizza delivery boy who commits suicide, only to find himself in an alternate and bizarre world.

"Last Stop for Paul" is a heart-warming comedy/drama about two friends who travel the world spreading a friend's ashes. It has shown at over 100 film festivals, and won over 45 awards.

The festival also offers several Chicago-based films, including the world premieres of "An Alternative to Slitting Your Wrist," a feature documenting a man's year-long attempt to find something worth living for after a failed suicide attempt, and "King In Chicago," a historical documentary about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s work in 1966 with the Chicago Freedom Movement.

Other Chicago based films are "Indestructible," Ben Byer's documentary about his own battle with ALS and his search for a cure; the romantic comedy "The Chemistry of Dating"; the drama "The Half Life of Mason Lake"; and Lake County native John Covert's film "Shut-Eye," which features Stana Katic.

Several foreign films are included this year, among them the world premiere of "L'estate d'Inverno," an Italian drama; "Statysci," a Polish comedy; and "El Violin," the Cannes and Ariel Award-winning drama.

For details, including full descriptions of all films and their show times, as well as directions and ticketing information, visit www.lakecountyfilmfest.comcall (847) 362-5666 or e-mail lakecountyfilmfest@gmail.co m.

Carrie Iverson Exhibit: A new exhibit featuring a survey of works by Chicago artist Carrie Iverson will open on Feb. 29 at the Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art at the College of Lake County. The exhibit will run through April 6 and will begin with a gallery talk by the artist at 6:15 p.m. on Feb. 29, followed by a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. The reception will include refreshments and music by pianist Robert Zaun. Both the gallery talk and reception are free and open to the public.

Iverson is a printmaker, painter and glass artist who will exhibit works in these mediums and display a site-specific installation of prints called "Systemic," which commemorates the nearly-quarter-of-a-million victims of the deadly 2004 tsunami. Also on exhibit at CLC will be "Wake," a series of photos of U.S. soldiers killed since the occupation of Iraq. The images first appeared in Iverson's dramatic installation, "Façade Project" at the Chicago Printmakers Collaborative.

The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. During the CLC spring break, March 24 to 30, hours will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The gallery will be closed March 23, 29 and 30.

Home Inspection Course: Beginning in March, the College of Lake County will offer a course designed to prepare students to take the state licensing examination for home inspectors. The 60-hour course is approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and fulfills its established licensing education requirements and covers all of the major elements of home inspection.

The home inspection course is designed for individuals who have a working knowledge of contracting, the building trades, architecture or engineering. The course will be offered from 6 to 10 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 4 through April 29 at the CLC Southlake Campus in Vernon Hills. The cost is $675. For more information or to enroll, call (847) 543-2615 or visit wpdi.clcillinois.edu. The course number is PRLE 40-201.