A busy week at Feather River College – 800th victory for baseball coach
Submitted by Dr. Kevin Trutna
Feather River College Superintendent/President
Last week was Spring Break at Feather River College. What happened during the week revealed the dedication of faculty and staff in serving FRC students and Plumas County as a whole. Like everyone in Plumas County, FRC has been challenged with the pandemic and wildfire disruptions. Through it all, FRC stepped up in providing exemplary education, and the events of last week demonstrate this level of excellence.
Terry Baumgartner Earns 800th Career Victory.
Baseball Coach Terry Baumgartner earned his 800th career college victory on April 13, encompassing head coaching stints at both Western Oregon University and Feather River College. Working at FRC since 2007, Coach Baumgartner coaches student-athletes who perform in the classroom as demonstrated by winning statewide academic awards, with many students transferring to four-year colleges. Of note in his remarkable run to 800 victories, Terry’s brother pitched in the game for his 100th victory while at Western Oregon University, and his son is currently on the FRC team for his 800th victory. Congratulations Terry on your accomplishments for student-athletes both on- and off-the field!
FRC Awarded National Science Foundation STEM Grant
Across the nation, rural students do not enter STEM fields at similar rates compared to their urban peers. Rural STEM students also leave the discipline more often than others do. The reasons for the lower participation rate and higher exit rates are not well understood. On April 15, FRC was awarded a National Science Foundation S-STEM grant with Biology Faculty Anna Thompson as the Principal Investigator, and supported by Vice President of Instruction Dr. Derek Lerch as co-investigator, with Cameron Sublett from WestEd Corporation as the educational researcher. The grant is for $750,000 over six years, with $450,000 for scholarships to support eligible FRC STEM students and $300,000 used for research and best practices that support rural STEM students as they navigate related academic and career pipelines. With this grant, FRC has the potential to become a model of best practices supporting rural college STEM education.
Licensed Vocational Nursing Graduates Earn 100% Board Pass Rate
For the cohort that graduated in December 2021, six of the graduates have successfully passed the NCLEX-PN nursing board exam, for a success rate of 100%. This compares favorably with the California average at 73% pass rate. FRC is very proud of the work that Darlene Oertle and Nancy Moore have accomplished with the program during the last two years.
Rising Scholars Network Awards Grant to FRC
The FRC Incarcerated Student Program received an award of $172,000 for the Rising Scholars Network in a competitive grant through the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. The Rising Scholars Network is an initiative whose primary focus is to expand the number of justice-involved students participating and succeeding in California Community Colleges. FRC will use the funding to increase the number of justice-involved students earning transferable degrees and to reduce the equity gap among graduates.
FRC Students Earn Phi Theta Kappa All-California Academic Team Honors
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recognized three FRC students as top community college students throughout the state of California. Sophomore Madison Gray, an All-American FRC volleyball player from Chico, earned First Team All-California Academic Team honors. Madison strives to be a child psychologist working with children experiencing traumas. Jiles Wallace garnered Second Team All-California academic honors for his accomplishments. Jiles is believed to be the first incarcerated student honored for this statewide award. Jiles is a certified alcohol and drug counselor working toward his certification as a domestic violence counselor with a goal of obtaining a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He is responsible for coordinating the Celebrate Recovery on the Inside Program and stepped up as a pastor, holding liturgical services when the pandemic closed access to the prison. Seth Anderson was awarded Third Team All-California standing. Coming to FRC from Carson City, Seth plays on the football team and dreams of becoming a nurse practitioner.
FRC was busy during Spring Break. It was an extraordinary week of accomplishments, which our entire community can take pride in. As the second-smallest community college in California, FRC is working to be a leader serving the entire region.
