Now that school has started this week, things can “get back to normal” – and mothers can regain some sense of control over their time and sanity, now that the older kids are off to school. High School football once again reigns supreme; all the teams are undefeated, and dreams of championships are being dreamt by our high school football players, and – truth be known – more than a few coaches and parents.
Up on the hill, Clarendon College is abuzz with activity, as the scholars return to continue striving to make their dreams and aspirations become reality. Students come to Clarendon from diverse states and counties. So far, I’m aware of students from Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, New York, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Canada, and far down under in Australia. I’m sure I’ve missed a few states and a country or two.
These young college scholars (300 plus students live in dorms) will spend lots of money in Clarendon and the greater Panhandle region this year. They will also afford us excellent sports opportunities. In case you haven’t noticed, Clarendon College fields very competitive cross country, volleyball, basketball (men and women), softball, and baseball teams. Anyone who enjoys watching sports will do well to get out and enjoy watching our international athletes in action. CC also has nationally respected judging and rodeo teams.
Clarendon College also reopened its cafeteria to local folks. It continues to offer excellent fare at a modest price. Local folks also still have access to the college library. If folks have a Burton Memorial Library card in good standing they may also use the CC library.
This year, CC is also adding a new Resource Learning Center – open until 10 p.m. most evenings – to support their students. The goal of the Learning Resource Center is to offer the students help after their instructors leave for the day. CC is serious about student success and has gone an extra mile in order to provide the students with a double safety net.
The reorganization of the library in not simply a response to vamped-up student support, but it is also a response to Texas legislative changes that attach 10 percent of college funding to student success and tracking. These changes will commence in 2014, and CC is commended to be ahead of these mandatory changes.
Local folks who revisit the CC library will be pleasantly surprised at the changes. New, softer lighting has been installed that offers a more relaxed and soothing study environment. Additionally, soft instrumental music plays in the background, which will hopefully provide an even more pleasurable experience.
The Resource Learning Center will also offer workshops that address a variety of topics. The library has also planned student events that are geared to drawing in students that have not yet discovered the high quality of scholastic support available at the new RLC. It makes no difference if it is a showing of a weekly television series (Happy, happy, happy!), or karaoke and coffee under the stars (which are mighty bright here) – the library and Resource Learning Center are here to serve students, faculty and staff, and the local community. According to James Gordon, the Learning Resource Center coordinator, “This is going to be a revamped space on campus that is hard to ignore.”
CC’ fine young baseball coach Devin McIntosh seems to agree when he says, “When I recruit a student, I point out the level of support that we offer. Faculty comes in early and stays late. This new tutoring center and Brain Fuse are further examples of the way we support students academically. I have 53 baseball players. Some are sitting on 3.6 grade point averages. If they can move up to 3.8, they will quality for academic scholarships.”
Clarendon College continues to develop new programs to help their students become the best scholars possible. These programs also offer wonderful opportunities for the local folks to enhance their knowledge.
Clarendon College continues to be a vibrant magnet for Clarendon and Donley County, with much to offer its students and the community-at-large. Let’s do all we can to support the college, the faculty and staff, and the students who make our area so much richer. We are well served by the institution and folks up on the College Hill.
By Fred Gray, Clarendon Enterprise
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