Behind the Resume – Admini{sphere}

Behind the Resume #54 – Kristina Jipson

What is your title at EvCC, and what will you be doing in your day-to-day endeavors at the College?

I’m a new FT English Faculty member, and I’ll be teaching English classes, meeting with students, and doing whatever else I can to support the school.

Tell us a little about your professional background.

I’ve been teaching since I was a teenager. I’ve taught horseback riding to kids and adults, yoga to Boulderites, Spanish to elementary school kids, infant care to new mothers, life skills to adults in transition, and English/writing to students at Columbia University, Yeshiva, the New York Institute of Technology, Baruch College, the Cooper Union, Notre Dame, Edmonds Community College, Hugo House, and, in about three weeks, EvCC!

Grammi and Grampie leave Florida to brave the ferry

I love the science and the art of teaching, and I’ve served in faculty development positions at most of the schools I’ve taught at. Most recently, I served as Co-coordinator of Faculty Development at Edmonds, where I learned a lot about the amazing 5-Star Team and EvCC’s role as a leader school in cutting edge pedagogy.

I’m also a passionate writer. My first book of poetry, Halve, was selected by Dan Beachy-Quick for the Tupelo Press Berkshire Prize, and my work has appeared in AGNI, American Letters & Commentary, At Length, Chicago Review, Colorado Review, DIAGRAM, Fourteen Hills and elsewhere. I’m a newcomer to fiction-writing, and I’m very excited to have a debut story forthcoming in Tin House in a couple of months and a draft of my very first Great American Novel being read by literary agents now.

What was your most memorable job? Why?

When I was in college, I worked in home health and hospice care, and the patients and families that invited me into their homes absolutely amazed me. I’ve never forgotten how they made space in their lives for suffering and sadness without losing their love for one another or their ability to carry on with the ordinary business of everyday life.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I try to start my day by 4:00 so that I get a couple of hours to write before my nine and four-year-old get up. Then we do the school-prep and school-run routine, which, once you factor in sock-selection in the house and song-selection in the car, takes approximately one million minutes. Once the kiddos are dropped off, I come to campus and get to work prepping, teaching, and meeting with students. After-school-time works the same as the morning in reverse, with personal aspirations about exercise and home improvement interspersed with extracurricular activity runs, homework supervision, and the relentless nightly project of dinner and bedtime. That leaves about an hour and a half after the kids go to bed during which I aspire to do many things, including bond with my spouse, but I most often fall asleep about twenty minutes into a TV show that I’m “really going to make it through this time.”

Describe yourself at 12 years old.

Purple glasses. Seasonally-themed braces. Floral leisure suits obviously picked out by my mother. I had a faint hope that having a horse made me cool, but it was pretty much undermined by anxiety over the fact that I had no way to figure out who the Red Hot Chili Peppers were. (Oh horror of being a tween before the internet!)

What is your favorite meal/ snack in summer? Favorite summer beverage?

My summer menu is probiotic-themed. Favorite food is Greek yogurt, mixed berries, and granola—in mixing-bowl-sized quantities. My favorite summer beverage is kombucha. Last year, I made a cottage industry out of brewing my own, but my family revolted at the kitchen being overrun with mason jars of bacterial yeast.

What would be the title of your autobiography?

Mathilda and Louise exploring EvCC — My daughters exploring EvCC

Hmmm, choosing titles for my future memoir is one of my favorite schticks, but it almost never gets laughs, so I refuse make that mistake here!

What is the first concert you attended?

The Counting Crows at Red Rocks. We had tickets, but inexplicably jumped the fence to get in.

What is your vacation spot in the summer months?

I grew up spending summers in the small town my family is from in Central Maine. My folks recently fled to Florida, so the camp by the lake is gone, but for me the phrase “summer vacation” will always mean jumping off a wharf into a lake.

What are you reading right now/ what was the last book you read? Are you participating in any reading challenges?

I’m reading Louise Erdrich’s amazing LaRose and Martha Nussbaum’s Political Emotions: Why Love Matters for Justice (look out, ENGL& 101 students, some of this one is coming your way!). The fact that I’m not sure I know what a “reading challenge” is makes me wonder if I’m qualified for my job… If there’s a Book It for adults, I’d like to know about it. I’d do it in a heartbeat for the Pizza Hut personal pies.

What one food do you wish had zero calories?

I want to say something more surprising than chocolate cake, but…

Where is your hometown? Were you born and raised in the same place?

I was born outside of New York City, but spent most of my childhood in California, Arizona, and Colorado.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Here! I’ve hit the officially and happily boring part of my life where I like where I am and what I’m doing and would love to have everything stay more or less the same. We live in a beautiful spot in Brier in my kids great-great grandparents’ farmhouse and this position at EvCC is more or less my dream job.

What do you like to do on your days off?

Writing, reading, yoga, playing with my kids. I’m also always up for any adventure that’s a minimum of forty-five minutes away from home.

Do you have a favorite quote/ piece of advice?

Hmmmm…maybe Ginsberg’s “first thought, best thought”? I actually think it’s terrible writing advice, but I love it for everything else. It reminds me to be easy in the world, leaving the worrying to my responsible, generous, and overworked spouse.

Behind the Resume #53 – Khou Moua

Khou Moua new employee photo What is your title at EvCC, and what will you be doing in your day-to-day endeavors at the College?

My title is: Administrate Assistant 3 or Faculty Support Staff. Day-to-day endeavors: supporting and assisting faculty, maintain division databases, tracking division travel, and assisting and collaborating with coordinators and project leaders for the Humanities Alliance.

Tell us a little about your professional background.

I have spent about 4 years at Western Washington University as Program Support Staff for the College of Business and Economics. I helped coordinate events, updated budget reconciliations, and assist in events that required travel.

What was your most memorable job? Why?

Hmong dancers — I spent a quarter coordinating a tradition Hmong dance for Cultural Shock at WWU.

I wouldn’t consider this a job, but more like a passion and a goal. During my undergraduate years at Western Washington University, I helped organize and establish a cultural club at WWU called the Western Hmong Student Association. The goal and purpose of the cultural club was to bridge the higher education community and the Hmong community together. Statistically, the Hmong community in the Northwest has fewer higher education participants, in which motivated me to make a difference for the community. I love my culture and assisting my community towards success.

What does a typical day look like for you?

It’s only been the third day for me, but usually I arrive at my office a little bit before 7:15 a.m. Then, I go around the building to open workrooms and place notices on classrooms (if needed). After that, I do lots of online training and review documents relating to my position’s duties. I grab some coffee and continue with my work until the end of the day.

Khou & family at volleyball tournament — My family and I during a volleyball tournament 2 years ago.

Describe yourself at 12 years old.

When I was 12 years old, I loved to play sports. I was especially invested in volleyball and tennis during those times. I participated and joined not only the school volleyball team, but also the city volleyball leagues. I was extremely outgoing and loved the outdoors. Now I just play volleyball with my family and friends.

What is your favorite meal/ snack in summer? Favorite summer beverage?

My favorite meal in the summer is pho, especially when my mother makes it. Although it is a warm noodle soup, I crave it the most during the summer. Favorite summer beverage definitely has to be cold ice water.

What would be the title of your autobiography?

My Crazy Hmong Life

What is the first concert you attended?

I haven’t been to a concert yet.

What is your vacation spot in the summer months?

Usually my vacation spots are at the beaches or anywhere with nice scenery, or my parents’ home in Spokane.

What are you reading right now/ what was the last book you read? Are you participating in any reading challenges?

Khou & fiance — My fiancé and I during our trip to bay.

My last book I re-read was the Lord of the Rings: The Hobbits by JRR Tolkien.

What one food do you wish had zero calories?

Pho

Where is your hometown? Were you born and raised in the same place?

My hometown is Spokane. I was born there and raised there, until I decided to go to Western Washington University. Now I live here, on the west coast.

Khou in Kyoto, Japan — I spent one year studying aboard in Japan. This is a picture from Kyoto, Japan.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself traveling the world. I have traveled to Japan, but I would love to visit my friends in France and Australia.

What do you like to do on your days off?

I like to lift weights and watch a good movie.

Do you have a favorite quote/ piece of advice?

“Take your time, but don’t waste your time. There’s a difference. And finding that balance will make your experience these next 10 years really awesome.” – Philip Wang from WongFu Production.

Behind the Resume #49 – Andralia-Lei I’i

What is your title at EvCC, and what will you be doing in your day-to-day endeavors at the College?

My title is Program Specialist 2 for Outreach & High School Programs, and I will be overseeing all of the reporting to the high schools and school districts for Running Start, as well as assisting prospective and current Running Start students. In addition to my main role, I will be helping to support Enrollment Services at the front counter sometimes.

Tell us a little about your professional background.

Andralia-Lei with President's Award — I was one of the recipients of the 2017 President’s Commendation for Innovation Award for helping to start and implement Admissions Coaching in about two months at Lake Washington Institute of Technology!

Prior to working in higher education, my professional background included working as a cashier, dishwasher, cook, and reservation specialist for a few companies.

I graduated with my AAS in Business Administration from Lake Washington Technical College (now Lake Washington Institute of Technology, LWTech) in 2011. While going to school, I worked as a workstudy in the Financial Aid and Advising offices. I was also a tutor for TRiO. Working with students every day and helping them succeed inspired me, and since I was also a student, I was able to connect with some on a different level.

After working at the college as a workstudy for a bit, I had current students stopping by to just say hi and check in. This made me feel good and realize that I wanted to work in higher education one day. Helping students succeed in their education and life became my goal and passion.

In 2014, I had my opportunity to work in higher education, and it was for my alma mater! I worked for LWTech in a few different roles including: Program Assistant I & Residency Officer, Program Assistant 2 & Residency Officer, and Admissions Coach & Residency Officer for the Enrollment Services and Admissions departments as well as Program Assistant 2 for the Workforce Development department. Within those roles, I did things like admissions for college students, registration for all students (high school and college), residency for college students as well as many other things to support students and my colleagues as needed.

Now, here we are in 2018, and I am happy to be starting my journey at Everett Community College where I look forward to learning and growing while still doing what I love, helping students achieve their goals!

Andralia-Lei with parents — My parents and I; Ipo and Thomas.

What was your most memorable job? Why?

My most memorable job so far is actually my high school job where I worked at Happy Valley Kau Kau Corner, a little restaurant and gift shop that was on Maui in Hawai’i. When I was 16, I started as a cashier, shave ice (snow cone) maker and dishwasher, and then started cooking less than a year later after being eager and trying to help all the time in the kitchen. It was a small family run business and my aunty Loke (lo-keh) was the manager and cook. She trained her daughter Courtney and I to eventually open and close the restaurants by ourselves on slower days.

Andralia-Lei at Lake Crescent — Lake Crescent…the closet I’ve found to my Hawai’I so far in Washington. I was feeling a little homesick at that moment.

This is my most memorable job because it’s when I really learned how to be responsible, careful, ambitious, and so many other things. I only had a short period of being the “irresponsible teenager” before I had to grow up. Courtney was 16 and I was 17 when we were given such big responsibilities! Learning how to cook yummy local to Hawai’I foods was a plus, especially now that I am away from home.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Andralia-Lei and Brian on sunset cruise — Brian and I on a sunset cruise in Maui in July 2017.

A typical work day for me now that I am at EvCC will include waking up at 5:30 (instead of 4 for my old job), making Brian and I breakfast and lunch, sending Brian off to work and then lounging on the couch or getting things done until it’s time for me to get going. 😊 I am so new at the College, that I don’t know what a “typical day” will look like yet, but I imagine I’ll be reviewing and processing Running Start applications, answering emails/phone calls/in person inquiries, doing reporting, record-keeping, and maybe doing an outreach event for Running Start or helping out at the front counter for Enrollment Services.

Family Reunion pictures — 2014 Ohana reunion on my dad’s side held in Olympia, Washington.

Describe yourself at 13 years old.

13-year-old me was kind of awkward. I hit a growth spurt and was taller than all my friends, some of whom were about the same height as me the year before. My mom and aunty Loke decided to cut my bangs with a Flowbee and give me that poofy look AND I got glasses for the first time – which I hated, because I got teased about it. Besides all the negatives, I was a fun-loving girl who loved playing in the park with her friends, going to the mall, cooking (I started preparing dinners from start to finish for our family at 12ish), going to the beach, playing video games, etc. The best part of my 13th year was going on a field trip with my middle school all the way to Europe! 😊

Andralia-Lei self-portrait with chips — CHIPS!!! I took an Introduction to Drawing class and for our first assignment, we were asked to draw some that’s autobiographical…what can be more autobiographical than a picture of me with my favorite food. Haha.

What is your favorite meal/ snack in spring? Favorite spring beverage?

My favorite snack, no matter the season…chips. Any kind; I am not chipist! 😊 During the spring, I love mocktails or cocktails…nothing specific just something fruity and cold.

What would be the title of your autobiography?
I don’t know…I am not that creative. I’ll just call it The Life of Andralia-Lei.

What is the first concert you attended?

Michael Jackson at the Blaisdell Arena on Oahu in 1992!

What is your favorite hobby or pastime?

In most recent years, it’s been going on outdoors adventures whether it’s a little walk around the neighborhood or at a park/beach, going on a little hike, or just relaxing outside. I can’t believe that I have been living in Washington for about 12 years, and only started going on adventures in the last 3! On not so nice days, I enjoy staying in and playing video games with Brian. 😊

What are you reading right now/ what was the last book you read? Are you participating in any reading challenges?

Andralia-Lei at Deception Pass — Me at Deception Pass.

Sad to say, I haven’t read a book in a while! From start to finish, at least. I can’t remember the last one I read.

What one food do you wish had zero calories?
CHIPS!!!

Where is your hometown? Were you born and raised in the same place?

My hometown is Waihe’e, Maui, Hawai’i. My parents, brothers and I moved around Maui a lot but Waihe’e was always our home because that’s where my mom’s parents and grandparents lived. We’d be there almost every day.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Collage pictures of Andralia-Lei — Some photos of me in a collage

In 5 years, I hope to still be working in Higher Education doing what I love, and maybe I can make becoming an Academic Advisor happen by then!

What do you like to do on your days off?

My ideal day off would include sleeping in, having brunch and then going on an outdoor adventure! Our favorite go to places are Wallace Falls and Deception Pass.

Do you have a favorite quote/ piece of advice?

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. – Maya Angelou

Hula dancers — Gerry Ebalaroza Tunnell, Laurie Franklin and myself before we danced hula at the 2016 FSOCC Conference in Spokane, Washington.

Behind the Resume #46 – Tia Pinzon

What is your title at EvCC, and what will you be doing in your day-to-day endeavors at the College?

Director for MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement).

The MESA Community College Program (MCCP) is an on-sight, direct service model that serves underrepresented students seeking to major in STEM, with academic support and professional development to ensure they excel academically and transfer successfully to a four-year institution to earn an STEM degree. Our new MESA Center is located in Monte Cristo 204, and we hope to use this space to create a home away from home for our students where they can find community, study in groups and build skills through our workshops.

Tell us a little about your professional background.

I have worked in higher education for over eight years. My passion to serve underrepresented students in education ignited when I became a Student Ambassador for the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMAD) at UW, Seattle in 2008. After graduating with my BA, I continued working for OMAD in different roles, gaining experience in pre-college programs, admissions and staff diversity efforts. While earning my Master of Social Work degree, I worked in admissions at UW, and also in health and mental health at the Downtown Emergency Service Center, Crisis Diversion Facility (DESC-CDF), and also at the Mount Vernon VA, Community Based Outpatient Clinic. I was most recently working with TRIO Student Support Services at UW and it was wonderful to contribute to a program that I was once a beneficiary of, as in 2006 I was an EdCC TRIO SSS student myself.

What was your most memorable job? Why?

In 2010, I worked for another MESA program (MESA WNSEP- Washington Native American, Science, Engineering Program) over the summer and I got to work with over 20 high school students, many of them being from my Tribe (Yakama Nation). During our program, I stayed with our students in a UW Seattle dorm, which was my first “dorm” experience, (very memorable). But, what was most memorable and meaningful about this job was getting to connect with the students and to see the look of wonderment and intrigue they expressed during all the cool STEM activities they participated in. I also remember when I had to say goodbye to them at the end of our program. It was a difficult farewell, but my heart felt full of gratitude for the opportunities we had shared.

What does a typical day look like for you?

To be determined…

Describe yourself at 12 years old.

At the age of 12, I was really into music and dance. I recorded all the Janet Jackson videos onto VHS to memorize the steps. I also enjoyed reading. It was during my 12th year that I fell in love with blues, jazz and reggae music. This was also about the time that began to understand the importance of social justice. To be honest, I was feeling pretty awkward about life that year, which I guess is normal for a preteen.

What is your favorite meal/ snack in winter? Favorite winter beverage?

I love to make homemade soups during the winter, and I drink a lot of honey lavender tea.

What would be the title of your autobiography?

Learning to Dance

What is the first concert you attended?

My first concert would have been Michael Jackson, but he got the flu and had to cancel, thus my first concert was…New Kids on the Block. I still wish I had seen Michael Jackson. He was always my favorite!

What is your favorite hobby or pastime?

I’m on an outrigger canoe paddle team, Hui Wa’a O Puget Sound with the Hawaii Club of Everett. I would say paddling, dancing and hiking are my favorite hobbies.

What are you reading right now/ what was the last book you read? Are you participating in any reading challenges?

The last book I read was Being Mortal, by Atul Gawande. It’s one of my favorites.

What one food do you wish had zero calories?

Pizza!

Where is your hometown? Were you born and raised in the same place?

I was born in Stevens Hospital in Edmonds and I’ve lived in Seattle, Mount Lake Terrace, Everett and Brazil. I spent most of my K-12 years in Everett and consider South Everett my hometown.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to continue to serve underrepresented students. I also will strive to be a stronger paddler with each year.

What do you like to do on your days off?

I like to explore the outdoors including nature and the city, paddle, hike, watch movies, cook, spend time with family, friends and especially my two nephews. I also like to connect with community at Pow wows.

Do you have a favorite quote/ piece of advice?

One of my favorite quotes is from Albert Einstein, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.”

Behind the Resume #38 – Greg Crowther

What is your title at EvCC, and what will you be doing in your day-to-day endeavors at the College?

I’m about to start as a biology instructor in the Life Sciences Department within the Division of Math and Sciences. I will mostly be teaching human anatomy & physiology (“A&P,” to insiders) to health sciences students such as pre-nursing students.

Tell us a little about your professional background.

I’m coming to Everett after 22 years spent mostly at the Bothell and Seattle campuses of the University of Washington. I had a variety of roles there as a graduate student, postdoc, and faculty member, ranging from teaching biology-for-engineers courses to performing lab research on the development of new malaria drugs.

What was your most memorable job? Why?

As a graduate student studying human muscle metabolism, I worked in a UW lab that also studied the tail-shaker muscles of Western diamondback rattlesnakes. Though I never experimented on them myself, and though they were always well-contained, they added a bit of drama to lab tours.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Greg Crowther and family — Greg and his family earlier in 2017

Ask me again once I get to campus! (I don’t officially start until January.) But most days should include an hour or two of lecture, a couple hours of lab, an office hour, and a bunch of prep time. Then I might go home, cook dinner, and try to be a competent father and husband for a couple of hours.

Describe yourself at 12 years old.

Among other features, I was:

(a) a fairly serious long-distance runner and
(b) rather short and skinny, with a still-high voice. These tidbits tend to come up in class when we’re discussing the A&P of exercise and the A&P of puberty, though I try not to over-share.

What is your favorite meal/ snack in fall? Favorite fall beverage?

I love fried chicken, especially the slow-twitch muscles (known to most people as “dark meat”), washed down with iced tea in early fall or hot tea in late fall.

What would be the title of your autobiography?

To be honest, writing a book-length summary of my life would be a poor use of my time.

Performing at the Seattle Science Festival (2012)

What is the first concert you attended?

The first big-name artist I ever saw live was New Kids on the Block, circa 1990. I swear it was my younger sister’s idea.

What is your favorite hobby or pastime?

Believe it or not, I write lots of little songs about A&P material to help teach this material to my students. I often write song lyrics while running, thus combining two hobbies into one.

What are you reading right now/ what was the last book you read? Are you participating in any reading challenges?

I recently read “The Core Concepts of Physiology” by Joel Michael and colleagues, which is a nice little book about how to help students learn the big ideas rather than making them memorize endless facts. I also just listened to an audiobook of “The Circle” by Dave Eggers, which may have been too satirical for my taste. I preferred the movie, in which the characters were more realistic.

What one food do you wish had zero calories?

I consume an alarming amount of peanut butter, so maybe that.

Where is your hometown? Were you born and raised in the same place?

I grew up in Rutland, Vermont until hopping across the state border for undergraduate studies at Williams College in Massachusetts.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Probably still in Shuksan 118. Is this a trick question?

What do you like to do on your days off?

I have two sons, one who is nearly 11 years old and one who is only 7 months old, so I can usually be found with them and my wife. We try to get out and do stuff, but sometimes the highlight of my weekend is a long nap.

Do you have a favorite quote/ piece of advice?

As someone whose main teaching topic is the human body, I try to advocate for healthy habits such as regular exercise. When people hear that I run a lot, they often say, with a guilty sigh, “Yeah, I should really run more….” To which I generally respond, “No! If you don’t enjoy running, find another physical activity that you actually like, and do that!”