Bake sale raises $1,200 for Jamaica cohorts

The Friends of M.Ed. Jamaica extends its thanks to the university community for the tremendous support of the bake sale and silent auction fundraising event held on Nov. 21 on the Winona Campus.

The group raised over $1,200 for a scholarship fund for students in the Jamaica cohorts of the M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning program, offered in Williamsfield, Jamaica in collaboration with the Catholic College of Mandeville (CCM).

For the past three years this group of employees has raised a donation, first to assist with outfitting a new classroom at CCM used by the M.Ed. program, $1,500 for student scholarships for this current academic year, and with the goal of $1,500 from this year’s events to be given for scholarships for the next academic year. If you are interested in joining the group or making a donation, please contact Tracy Lehnertz or Jana Korder.

Funds from bake sale today are for Jamaica students

A “Sweets for Jamaica” bake sale will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, Friday, Nov. 21, on the first floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. Buy a single treat for yourself, treat your roommate or officemates, or take some home to your family. The event is sponsored by the Friends of M.Ed. Jamaica employee group.

Funds from Nov. 21 bake sale for Jamaica students

A “Sweets for Jamaica” bake sale will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, on the first floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. Buy a single treat for yourself, treat your roommate or officemates, or take some home to your family. The event is sponsored by the Friends of M.Ed. Jamaica employee group.

Funds from Nov. 21 bake sale for Jamaica students

A “Sweets for Jamaica” bake sale will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, on the first floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. Buy a single treat for yourself, treat your roommate or officemates, or take some home to your family. The event is sponsored by the Friends of M.Ed. Jamaica employee group.

Chili cookoff raises $430

A total of $430 was raised for the Jamaica campus during the annual chili cookoff Feb. 21.

Our winners this year were:

1st - Janet Heukeshoven
2nd - Jackie Killian
3rd - Rachel Thomas

Thanks to all the other chili makers: Mary Kosel, Laurie Haase, Tracy Lehnertz, Scott Sorvaag, Betty Kube, Roger Peckover, Sue Shadle, Jason Spartz, Terri Lieder, Deb Martin, Terrie Lueck and Andrea Pengra.

Special thanks to this year’s judges: Christopher Vondracek, Michael DeNotto, Zachary Malvik and Derek Jackson.

The Volunteer Committee would also like to thank the President’s Cabinet for sponsoring the cookoff, and to both Chartwells/Mugby Junction and Barnes and Noble for donating gift certificates for prizes.

Fifteen chili makers to battle it out during today’s cookoff

In what has become one of the hottest competitions at Saint Mary’s, the annual SMU Chili Cookoff is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.

All faculty and staff are invited to taste these culinary delights and see who brings home the golden ladle.

No beans about it, the Volunteer Committee believes this is a great fundraiser.

Let Deb Nahrgang (Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu) know if you plan to enter the contest. Then, just bring your unmarked crockpot to the Common Room by 11:15 a.m. sharp and check in.

Everyone is invited to eat chili between 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. You do not need to compete to enjoy. Toppings, sides and desserts will also be provided. Awards will be presented at noon.

Proceeds will benefit our students in Jamaica.

Fifteen chili makers to battle it out during Feb. 21 cookoff

In what has become one of the hottest competitions at Saint Mary’s, the annual SMU Chili Cookoff is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.

No beans about it, the Volunteer Committee believes this is a great fundraiser.

All faculty and staff are invited to submit their award-winning chili and vie for the golden ladle. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, and all competitors will get SMU shirts.

Let Deb Nahrgang (Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu) know if you plan to enter the contest, so that there is enough to go around. Then, just bring your unmarked crockpot to the Common Room by 11:15 a.m. sharp and check in.

Everyone is invited to eat chili between 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. You do not need to compete to enjoy. Toppings, sides and desserts will also be provided. Awards will be presented at noon.

Proceeds will benefit our students in Jamaica.

More chili makers needed for Feb. 21 cookoff

In what has become one of the hottest competitions at Saint Mary’s, the annual SMU Chili Cookoff is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.

No beans about it, the Volunteer Committee believes this is a great fundraiser.

All faculty and staff are invited to submit their award-winning chili and vie for the golden ladle. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, and all competitors will get SMU shirts.

Let Deb Nahrgang (Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu) know if you plan to enter the contest, so that there is enough to go around. Then, just bring your unmarked crockpot to the Common Room by 11:15 a.m. sharp and check in.

Everyone is invited to eat chili between 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. You do not need to compete to enjoy. Toppings, sides and desserts will also be provided. Awards will be presented at noon.

Proceeds will benefit our students in Jamaica.

Chili cookoff will warm up cold winter

In what has become one of the hottest competitions at Saint Mary’s, the annual SMU Chili Cookoff is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.

No beans about it, the Volunteer Committee believes this is a great fundraiser.

All faculty and staff are invited to submit their award-winning chili and vie for the golden ladle. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, and all competitors will get SMU shirts.

Let Deb Nahrgang (Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu) know if you plan to enter the contest, so that there is enough to go around. Then, just bring your unmarked crockpot to the Common Room by 11:15 a.m. sharp and check in.

Everyone is invited to eat chili between 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. You do not need to compete to enjoy. Toppings, sides and desserts will also be provided. Awards will be presented at noon.

Proceeds will benefit our students in Jamaica.

Chili cookoff will warm up cold winter

In what has become one of the hottest competitions at Saint Mary’s, the annual SMU Chili Cookoff is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21.

No beans about it, the Volunteer Committee believes this is a great fundraiser.

All faculty and staff are invited to submit their award-winning chili and vie for the golden ladle. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, and all competitors will get SMU shirts.

Let Deb Nahrgang (Ext. 6966 or dnahrgan@smumn.edu) know if you plan to enter the contest, so that there is enough to go around. Then, just bring your unmarked crockpot to the Common Room by 11:15 a.m. sharp and check in.

Everyone is invited to eat chili between 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. You do not need to compete to enjoy. Toppings, sides and desserts will also be provided. Awards will be presented at noon.

Proceeds will benefit our presence in Jamaica.

Bake sale raises over $1,000 for Jamaica M.Ed. students

A bake sale Nov. 15, raised just over $1,000 for student scholarships for the M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning program in Jamaica, offered by SMU in collaboration with the Catholic College of Mandeville.    

Bake sale to raise money for Jamaica M.Ed. students

A bake sale today, Friday, Nov. 15, will raise money for scholarships for Saint Mary’s Jamaican graduate students. Bring some extra cash for a sweet for yourself or for someone who could use a treat. Baked goods will be available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the hallway of Saint Mary’s Hall by the main bulletin board. The event is sponsored by the Friends of M.Ed. Jamaica.

Bake sale to raise money for Jamaica

A bake sale Friday, Nov. 15, will raise money for scholarships for Saint Mary’s Jamaican graduate students. Bring some extra cash for a sweet for yourself or for someone who could use a treat. Baked goods will be available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the hallway of Saint Mary’s Hall by the main bulletin board. The event is sponsored by the Friends of M.Ed. Jamaica.

Baked goods, treats to raise money for Jamaica

The Friends of Jamaica are sponsoring a bake sale on Monday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the hallway of the first floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. Pie, candy, bars and treats will be available. Buy just one or treat your office mates or roommates. All proceeds will be donated to our program in Mandeville, Jamaica, to help outfit a classroom.

New fundraising group to benefit Jamaica

The Friends of Jamaica, a new fundraising group created by SMU employees touched by educational efforts in Jamaica, will support our students and partner in Jamaica.

Since 2008, SMU and the Catholic College of Mandeville (CCM) have been offering the Master of Education in Teaching and Learning program to students in Mandeville, Jamaica.  Nearly 100 students have graduated and about 60 students are in the program each year.

Together, our institutions are contributing to positive change in teaching and learning in classrooms across Jamaica. CCM began building a new campus a little over a year ago and the hope is to move some offices and classes to the new campus in January 2013.

The Friends hope to raise enough money to outfit one classroom that our students will be using.  In future years, the hope is to provide a partial scholarship to a graduate student in the M.Ed. in Jamaica.

The Friends will host several events this year on both campuses to raise money with the help of the SMU community. The combined donations will be presented in May 2013. The first event is Sweets for Seats on Nov. 19 on the Winona campus. Watch for more details. Whether you buy a cookie, donate $1 or just wish us well, everyone is thanked in advance for their support. Thank yous also go to the Winona Campus Volunteer Committee for the donation from the Boo-Fet Luncheon held earlier this week.

Anyone who would like to join the Friends of Jamaica group or if an existing group would like to assist, should contact Tracy Lehnertz, Roger Peckover, Suzanne Peterson, Janel Schultz, or Scott Sorvaag.

Business Office wins campus costume contest

The Business Office, first-place winners

Last year's winners, from M.Ed. (and Roger Peckover), are not happy about losing their trophy.

The SMU Volunteer Committee’s first “Let's Do Lunch” potluck/fundraiser — the lunch “Boofet” Wednesday — raised $510 for our Jamaica program. The Business Office took home the hotly contested traveling “Best Costume” trophy with their “Centennial Birthday” theme. Thanks go to the Toner Student Center staff for providing the spooktacular food. It was a howingly good time!

Special Halloween ‘Boo-fet’ and costume contest is Oct. 31

The reigning costume champions

Start planning your spooktacular Halloween costume now; get your office or department together and vie for the highly coveted traveling Halloween contest trophy. The last costume contest winners, Dr. Roger Peckover and the M.Ed. faculty and staff, aren't going to give it up easily!

The SMU Volunteer Committee’s first “Let's Do Lunch” potluck/fundraiser will raise money for our students in Jamaica.

Staff from the Toner Student Center are sponsoring the lunch from 11:30 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31, in the Common Room. All faculty and staff are welcome! In our continuing efforts to “go green;” attendees are asked to please bring their own cups for water.

Judging will be held at 12:15 p.m. promptly.

It’ll be a frightfully good time; ghoul be glad you came!

Master of Education in Teaching and Learning accredited in Jamaica

The Master of Education in Teaching and Learning program has been accredited by the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ), effective May 1, 2010. Saint Mary’s and the Catholic College of Mandeville, partner institutions in this venture, were notified by mail of this very important milestone in mid-June. This accreditation is official validation of the M.Ed. program by officials in Jamaica, adding to the previous approval by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, the regional accreditor of Saint Mary’s, over two years ago. The effective date (May 2010) of this accreditation has been back-dated by UCJ to include the first graduating community in Jamaica, normal procedure for program accreditation by UCJ in Jamaica.

The M.Ed. program has graduated 50 students in its first two learning communities. Currently, there are 35 students in the second year of the program, with plans to begin another new community this September. The program began delivery in the summer of 2008 after three years of planning between the partner institutions.

University Council of Jamaica visiting April 20-21

A two-person visiting team from the University Council of Jamaica, a council of the Jamaican Ministry of Education, will be on campus next week (April 20-21) reviewing the Master of Education in Teaching and Learning program. This visit is in connection to program accreditation being sought for the M.Ed. program in Jamaica, which is required by the Jamaican Ministry of Education for all institutions offering programs in Jamaica.

If you see a member of the visiting team on campus, please extend a welcome. Our colleague Dr. Sandra Hamilton, program coordinator of the M.Ed. in Jamaica and vice president of the Catholic College of Mandeville, will be here participating with us in the visit.

The M.Ed. program in Jamaica, offered in collaboration with the Catholic College of Mandeville, currently has two learning communities in operation. Jamaica 1 learners will be completing the program this semester. Nineteen students are scheduled to complete the degree; several of the learners from this community will be joining us for the May SGPP commencement in Winona. Jamaica 2, currently in its second semester, has 38 learners.

If you have any questions regarding the visit, please contact Tracy Lehnertz, university dean for Institutional Effectiveness, or Suzanne Peterson, M.Ed. program director.

Jamaican learning community completes first semester

The first learning community in Jamaica in the M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning program finished its first full semester in late December 2008. Twenty-one students are participating in the learning community. Reports from students have been very positive and Jamaican colleagues have shared that there is increasing interest in the program as more teachers in the Mandeville area hear about it through their colleagues. The university is planning with its partner, the Catholic College of Mandeville, to begin a second cohort in Fall 2009.

Saint Mary’s will host a site confirmation visit by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the university’s accreditor, in Jamaica in early February. This one-day visit is the final step with the HLC in affirming the university’s ability to offer the M.Ed. in Jamaica. Questions regarding the Jamaica initiative can be directed to Suzanne Peterson, director of the M.Ed. Program, or Tracy Lehnertz, director of Institutional Effectiveness.