Mayor Turner, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee will be special guests at the Elliot Chandler Foundation Gala

slider2 — Mayor Sylvester Turner will join a lineup of other special guests, including –Key Note Speaker – Jonathan Sprinkles and Gina Gaston of ABC Channel 13 as emcee to grace this event.

Houston’s Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee will energize a full house of audience as Elliott-Chandler Foundation host its 8th Annual Gala on April 9, 2016. This year’s gala “A Night in Black and White” will feature live music from The Collective Band featuring Ashley Branch, a fine seated dinner, and a fabulous silent auction. This “Grand Affair” promises to be a great evening with an opportunity for great fundraising.

With plans for more than 600 of Houston’s most influential philanthropist to gather to celebrate the foundation’s accomplishments, Chairs – Regina and Ronald Jackson along with Honorary Co-Chairs – Tammy and Michael Harris, Mary Walker and Jim Rice, are thrilled to share the stage on Saturday evening with a lineup of other special guests, including –Key Note Speaker – Jonathan Sprinkles and Gina Gaston of ABC Channel 13 as emcee. Proceeds from the event will fund scholarships and mentorship programs for deserving young men in the Greater Houston area.

The foundation seeks to positively affect the lives of young men by creating academic and leadership based scholarships through the efforts of generous Houstonians. For the second year the Elliott-Chandler Foundation will honor the Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy for Young Men and award each of their 2016 graduating seniors with a scholarship to pursue their higher education at any accredited college or university. ECF has already awarded over $75,000 in scholarships to some of Houston’s most exceptional and brightest young men.

“As today’s society becomes increasingly competitive, the youth of today and the leaders of tomorrow will need to invest in higher education,” Ronald Jackson, Founder, points out, “It is our vision that the young men who hold this scholarship will gain perspectives and experiences that will help them fully realize character, drive and potential and will become integral to their own visions for the future.”

Invitation Summary

WHAT: ECF to Host its 8th Annual Fundraising Gala: A Night in Black and White!

WHEN: Saturday, April 9, 2016 at 7:00pm – 12:00am

WHERE: Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel

The Elliot Chandler Foundation strives to achieve its mission through two paths, offering financial assistance through scholarships and support through a mentoring program. Truly, financial assistance is paramount in this endeavor, but without the solid foundation of mentorship and guidance, positive change and effectual vision cannot take place.

The Elliot Chandler Foundation – Based in Houston, Texas, founded in 2008, the Foundation supports the development of leaders of tomorrow by providing financial support and critical assistance to deserving young men with a demonstrated record of academic performance and an interest in pursuing a degree from a higher learning institution. .For more information, visit www.elliottchandlerfoundation.org.

The ‘next Einstein’? She’s from Africa

The Next Einstein Forum was held in Senegal last month

By Julian Siddle | BBC Radio Science Unit/

Back in 2008, South African physicist Neil Turok gave a speech in which he declared his wish that the next Einstein would be from Africa.

It was a rallying call for investment in maths and physics research in Africa. The “Next Einstein” slogan became a mission for the organisation Neil Turok had founded to bring Africa into the global scientific community: the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS).

That search for an African Einstein now has some results, with 15 “Next Einstein Fellows” and 54 “Next Einstein Ambassadors” announced at an event last month.

These are young African scientists, often leaders in their fields, working and studying in Africa.

‘Revolutionary and fearless’

“Einstein is a natural, easy role model for people to look at – not just because he was a spectacular scientist, but also he thought about the way we should care for social justice as well as science,” says the 36-year-old South African cosmologist Amanda Weltman, speaking to the BBC Discovery programme.

Dr Weltman is one of 15 Next Einstein Fellows

Her work on the Chameleon field, a way to explain the accelerated expansion of the universe, is seen as a continuation of Einstein’s work.

“Where Einstein triggered all these completely new ideas and brought about revolution, that’s what we want to do. It’s not necessarily to be that person, but to be revolutionary and fearless,” Dr Weltman adds.

When Neil Turok made his declaration, he wasn’t thinking so much of a literal African Einstein, but of creating opportunities to nurture young scientific leaders who would challenge the stereotypes of Africa and champion its development through science.

“There is a huge youth demographic in Africa and this will get bigger; 40% of the world’s youth will be African by 2050,” he says.

“Many scientists around the world are more than happy to come to Africa for a few weeks a year and share their knowledge and insights with the most able young Africans.”

The apparent gap between studying maths or physics and Africa’s needs – in public health and disease control, for example – might seem huge. But one branch of science can inform another.

Changing thinking

Thierry Zomahoun, the CEO of AIMS, cites the example of the west African Ebola outbreak, where local work on mathematical modelling of the virus might have slowed the spread of the disease at an earlier stage.

“It’s urgent for mathematical epidemiologists to be trained on the continent, for lab technicians to be trained so that we don’t have to invest billions of dollars paying expatriate technicians from France or the US to do the work that we could have done here,” he said.

Mr Zomahoun is also the chair of the Next Einstein Forum – an AIMS initiative which held a gathering in March in Dakar, Senegal, both to celebrate the Next Einstein Fellows and to raise the political profile of the need for investment in scientific research in Africa.

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame was one of the speakers.

NEF's March 2016 "Global Gathering" made the case for science investment in Africa — NEF’s March 2016 “Global Gathering” made the case for science investment in Africa

“We cannot be satisfied with just ending extreme poverty. Our aim is shared and sustainable prosperity and the key to that is science and innovation,” he told the conference.

Foreign donors, especially former colonial powers, have played a big part historically in developing African education – particularly in science – but have also dictated what kind of research is done.

That model is changing, says Evelyn Gitau, adding that her Kenya-based research into cellular immunology and malaria is only possible because of large-scale funding and a hands-off approach from the UK’s Wellcome Trust.

In order to own scientific progress, Dr Gitau says, African governments must get more involved.

“African governments have to change how they think. Travel grants are great, but $10 to $20,000 is not going to fund research at the cutting-edge level.”

Dr Gitau is working to develop cheap point-of-care diagnostic tools

From the beginning, AIMS had a funding policy which compelled African governments to step up to the plate. Its institutes get half their funding from the governments of the countries in which they are based – South Africa, Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon – and the rest from foreign governments and private foundations.

New AIMS institutes are planned for Morocco and also Rwanda.

Unique advantages

Rwanda styles itself as the place to do business in Africa, making it easy to set up there, especially for entrepreneurs from other African countries.

It sits, however, in a region with a history of instability and autocratic government. That doesn’t sound like a place for free-thinking scientists to thrive.

This is an issue Neil Turok is only too aware of.

“This does not mean we are an instrument of the Rwandan government. AIMS is all about freedom – it’s about freedom to learn, freedom to express opinions… Science is all about critical thinking. Nothing we do will compromise that,” he says.

Africa might seem an unlikely destination for high-end scientific research, but this is becoming a reality and the continent has some natural scientific advantages.

Amada Weltman cites the example of the Square Kilometre Array – the world’s largest radio telescope, currently under construction. This “south south” project (the second section of it is in Australia) could not have been built in more densely industrialised countries, due to the amount of radio-wave pollution in their skies.

“We didn’t get that project just because of some sort of sympathy towards Africa. We consider the night sky as a resource, where Africa is perhaps more empowered than the global north, which is already overly polluted with radio waves. So this gives us a fresh angle to how we think about the universe.”

There are advantages in other fields, too. For scientists using bioinformatics to explore the origins of genetic disease, Africa holds a unique place as the cradle of humanity – and therefore the repository of our oldest genetic information.

The continent’s future scientific development could have a profound impact on the future of mankind.

HCC celebrates art and achievement with Center of Excellence grand opening

The Consumer Arts & Sciences Center of Excellence provides technical design, fashion, food, culture, costume, beauty, interior and kitchen design training through its eight award-winning arts and degree or certificate programs.

Everyday, our lives are touched by art, design, and fashion. We live in a visual world in which aesthetics influence how we feel, how we think and how we act. For that reason, industries like fashion design, cosmetology, and interior design have become multi-million dollar empires searching for new talent. Much of that talent can be found at the Houston Community College (HCC) Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence (COE).

Fashion design student Alan Romo never imagined he could achieve his dream of being a fashion designer until he came to HCC. The former Wal-Mart cashier recently landed a job as a production assistant for a Houston area luxury jewelry company.

“The Fashion Design program at HCC is innovative, cutting edge, and skillful. It has opened many doors for me and changed my life,” said Romo.

Fashion design, interior design, culinary and pastry arts, hospitality administration, and cosmetology are among the internationally recognized, award-winning programs offered at the HCC Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence, which held its grand opening at Central College. HCC officials, industry partners, faculty, staff, and students joined in the celebration highlighting present achievements and the future.

“The Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence is a great opportunity to serve our industry leaders, our students, and the city of Houston,” said Adriana Tamez, Ed.D, chair, HCC Board of Trustees, District III. “We are making sure that we prepare everyone who walks through our doors to play a key role in the future success of our city, our state, and our nation.”

During the event, culinary arts students served tasty samples of their work; fashion and interior design students displayed their creative creations.

“I find the students who graduate from the HCC Interior Design program are more mature and better prepared than the students I see from other institutions,” said Kip Allsteatter, The KipCo & CS Gulf Coast. “The professors prepare them more from real life experiences It prepares them to be a leader in the industry.“

Central College President William Harmon, Ph.D., and COE Director Anthony Hancock, Ph.D., believe the programs are dynamic and lend themselves to the entrepreneurial spirit.

Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 13 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society. HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities. To learn more about the HCC Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence, visit hccs.edu/centers.

HCC Diagnostic Medical Sonography program awarded prestigious accreditation

health-diagnostic-medical-sonography HOUSTON – For the second time, the Houston Community College (HCC) Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMSO) program has been awarded the accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

“We are very proud that the program has received reaffirmation of this accreditation. The faculty and staff have worked very hard for us to be a stellar program,” indicated Dr. Philip Nicotera, president, HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences. “I am very happy because it shows our commitment to healthcare here at Coleman College.”

Awarding the accreditation required the fulfillment of criteria in different areas such as the quality in the student recruitment process, the advanced level of material the program covers, job placements, and degree of satisfaction of HCC graduates with their current employers.

“What makes this program unique is that the location provides future sonographers with distinct opportunities,” added Program Director Elizabeth Ho. “Located in the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, students are trained by the highest professional sonographers in the nation. At HCC we have the most advanced technology. We teach students on ultrasound systems with 3D and 4D capabilities. Additionally and under constant supervision, students are taught to scan on real-life patients.”

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Houston Community College is a full-time, four semester daytime plan. After completing the four semesters, graduates may apply to take a specialty examination in abdomen (AB) and/or Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN). Future plans include a lab expansion once the new Healthcare Education Facility is constructed and the creation of a Vascular Specialty ultrasound program specialization.

The DMSO program is offered at the HCC Health Sciences Center of Excellence. For more information about this program and others, visit hccs.edu/centers.

HCC Hospitality Administration Program receives accreditation

HOUSTON – Houston Community College (HCC) has become the only higher education institution in the city to have an accredited Hospitality Administration Program. The Accreditation Commission of Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA) recently awarded HCC an initial accreditation that will last for seven years (winter 2016-winter 2023).

“Our program has many strengths to assist students working and succeeding in the hospitality industry,” said Rebecca Borrello, program coordinator. “This accreditation is one more reason for our industry leaders to select HCC graduates from the program.”

The HCC Hospitality Administration Program is designed to prepare graduates for entry-level management positions in the hospitality industry. Students receive a broad base of knowledge and skills for successful career in a challenging business service environment including, front office procedures, hospitality marketing, food and beverage management, and hospitality facilities management.

The process to get the accreditation was an undertaking for Borello and fellow faculty members who literally put the program under a microscope by dissecting and revising portions to make sure it met all the required criteria.

“We went through every syllabus, every book, interviewed every faculty member. It was quite a detailed accomplishment,” said Suzette Brimmer, chair, HCC Consumer Arts and Sciences. “Now we have this program that is just as wonderful as any other private program; we offer the best value in town.”

Josette Akiki is one of the 75 students in the program and sees this accreditation as an honor.

“This is a big advantage for all of us here at HCC, a big highlight on our resumes and another step towards the job of our dreams,” said Akiki.

The Hospitality Administration Program is part of the Consumer Arts and Sciences Center of Excellence and offers degrees and certificates in Hospitality, Hotel, and Restaurant Management. For more information visit hccs.edu/consumerarts.

Texas Regulators Shut Down Admissions At Houston Community College’s Nursing Program

Carrie Feibel | Houston Public Media

Houston Community College can’t admit new students into its associate’s degree program for registered nurses until 2017 at the earliest. The move by state regulators comes after students’ average passing rate on the national licensing exam dropped below 80 percent three years in a row.

Administrators have already identified the academic problems and fixed them, said Dr. Phil Nicotera, president of HCC’s Coleman College of Health Sciences.

“We’ve done a complete reversal,” he said.

Nicotera explained that previous administrators wanted to increase enrollment because of a national nursing shortage. Among other changes, they lowered the GPA needed for admission and tried teaching classes on an accelerated basis.

“That was very challenging for students, to try to master that much information in eight weeks,” Nicotera said. “So we went back to the 16-week format.”

Students now get more test prep and other support, Nicotera said. Scores on the national licensing exam (given periodically throughout the year) are already improving, he said. Next fall the college can ask state regulators to review average exam scores and rescind the conditional probation. It’s unclear how soon after that nursing aspirants could start applying again.

One quality problem facing nursing schools in Texas is competition for professors, according to Cindy Zolnierek, executive director of the Texas Nurses Association.

“We’ve seen a huge increase in the number of nursing schools in the state. It tremendously increases the demand for faculty, and faculty positions often pay much less than nurses are able to make in the service area, in actual clinical practice.”

The Center supports professional licensing continuing education training requirements for incumbent health care professionals.

There are about twenty schools for registered nurses in the Houston region.

Two of them, Lone Star College Kingwood and Lone Star College North Harris, were just released from warning status after two years of lower passing rates on the national exam.

But since the problem didn’t continue for a third year, they were allowed to continue admitting students. Both programs were restored to “Full Approval” status in January by the Texas Board of Nursing.

‘Revolutionary and fearless’

Changing thinking

Unique advantages

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