Phi Theta Kappa C4 Initiative

By REBECCA KOLIMAGA & SARAH GALZERANO

Staff Writers

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Sarah and Michael Galzerano display the C4 petition at Cumberland County College.

Promises to yourself are
undoubtedly the most important
promises. You have given yourself
an obligation and that obligation
can reignite your determination
for success. About six years ago
President Obama recognized that
the national average for graduation
rates at community colleges was
decreasing and he began the C4
(Community College Completion
Corps) Campaign. Cumberland
County College President, Dr.
Isekenegbe, joined this campaign
two years ago. Once a year, CCCs
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) sets up
tables around campus and asks
students to commit themselves to
their graduation.

Five hundred students
signed last year, but this year the
goal is 1,000 signatures. Between
700 and 800 signatures have
already been collected and PTK
and administrators are eager to
reach their goal. Sharon Kewish,
CCC English professor and PTK
faculty, spoke about former students when she commented, they
knew [college] was important,
but they didnt think about how
theyre making a commitment
to themselves, not to us, not to
anybody else. Theyre committing
to themselves.

Students that drop out of
college could be facing financial,
family, health, or academic issues.
It could be a decision between going to work and going to class. A
family member may need copious
amounts of support or a students health may not allow that
student to attend class anymore.
Some students have the ability to

graduate, but they are struggling

academically. CCC has resources
such as Project Assist, EOF, tutoring, mentoring and scholarships,
but it isnt always that simple.
Sometimes students have to drop
out, but it is imperative for those
students to remember that they
can always come back.

Kewish said, It might be
one year later, it could be four or
five years later, but Im always glad
to see them come back. Cumberland County Colleges C4 Initiative is designed for students to
make a commitment to themselves
that they will graduate. There is
no time constraint; students dont
have to graduate in two consecutive years. The promises that
students are making are meant to
drive them towards the future they
want despite how long it takes.

According to Community College Completion Corps and
Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society,
more than 3 million jobs are unfilled in the United States because
students are not obtaining the
education or credentials needed.
These jobs provide livable wages
and yet they are unfilled. A college
degree can close the gap between
a students desired job and their
current employment situation.

CCC Board of Trustees
Chairman, Keith Figgs, expressed
the importance of this pledge on
October 30 at CCCs C4 Initiative
assembly. He said, youre still going to be wondering, Am I going
to get through these exams? Am
I going to get through all these
papers? Am I going to get through
all of the course requirements?

The answer is yes because you are

committed.

Your commitment is not
only to graduation; its to your
future. Some students are unsure
of what they want to do after
graduation or what they want
to do with their degrees. Kewish
said, I wasnt sure what I was
going to do with it [her degree].
I never was sure about teaching,
but I knew literature was where
I was going to stay. Kewish had
switched majors four times in her
first two years of college, but she
eventually graduated with a degree
in an area she loved even though
she was unsure how she would use
the degree.

The C4 Initiative is not
a promise to know what you want
to do with your degree or your
life; its a promise that you will
graduate. A students signature on
a C4 form represents their determination, dedication and desire to
graduate.

Ebola Facts: Believe it or not

By SARAH GALZERANO

the virus would have to enter your

body, through a cut in your skin,
Staff Writer
nose, mouth, eyes, or privates. It

What is Ebola, other
is also possible to become infected
than a word that weve been
through touching a contaminated
hearing about a thousand times
surface. According to Vox Media
a day recently? According to The
Inc., some people who have Ebola
Washington Post, a U.S. top disease never get sick enough to infect
detective called Ebola a painful,
others, while others are considered
dreadful, merciless virus, which is super-shedders and are highly
why so many people are so afraid
infectious.
of it. The media has been running
Its pretty simple how
threatening headlines of a disease
to avoid Ebola, especially if there
that too many of us know nothing were no Ebola victims in your
about. Okay, sure, there are
community. We live in New
reasons why it might seem scary, Jersey, so we shouldnt be afraid of
but what about the reasons why it the outbreaks in Texas, unless they
shouldnt worry us?
continue to spread.

First, Ebola is way less
Of
contagious
course what
Just how easy could it be is somewhat
than other
diseases were
to come into contact with scary about
familiar with.
Ebola, is its
Ebola?
According to
symptoms.
The Chicago
About 50
Tribune, numbers show that AIDS percent of people that become inand Malaria are far more deadly,
fected with this disease end up dyand American medical profession- ing. Survivors return to their norals are sure that Ebola will not
mal lives after months of recovery
become an endemic in the U.S. as that can include hair loss, muscle
it has in Africa. To contract Ebola
weakness, fatigue, migraines, and
you need to come into direct con- eye and liver inflammation. Again,
tact with the bodily fluids (vomit,
according to Vox Media, More
sweat, blood, urine) of an infected often than not, Ebola strikes like
individual.
the worst and most humiliating

Ebola is said not to be
flu you could imagine. People get
an airborne disease. Many of us
the sweats, along with body aches
know this, but are still weary.
and pains. They run a fever. Then
Just how easy could it be to come
they start vomiting and having
into contact with Ebola? Direct
uncontrollable diarrhea.
contact in this sense means that

Why are some people

that are so far away from Ebola,

worried about it? A survey conducted in early October from the
Pew Research Center, gathered the
information that about 11 percent
of Americans were very worried
about contracting Ebola, and 21
percent were only somewhat
worried about being exposed to
the virus. The virus itself has not
yet ravaged the United States,
but the word has. The Los Angeles
Times stated, It seemed the only
thing more contagious than Ebola
were the rumors spread about it.
LiveScience worked with David Ropeik, a consultant in risk
perception, who said, Something
that is new is scarier because
people dont have past experience
with it, and they dont know how
it will play out. Thats why Ebola
may seem scarier than the flu
(which Americans have experience
with

So are any of these people that seem so frightened by Ebola, CCC students? I asked Kelsey
Frazier, Are you afraid of Ebola?
Why or why not? to which she
said, No. I feel like the media is
making it a bigger deal than it is.
We have more people in America
dying from cancer or the flu, but
no one seems to make a big deal
about that. I also asked Jason
Morroni, the same question, to
which he said, No. Ebola is only
threatening in places that have less
access to medical treatment.
Should we be afraid of Ebola?

Let us at least not be afraid of the

word, but the disease itself. As
long as the virus is not near us, yet

we still remain careful and hygienic, well be safe.

The face of hysteria, the Ebola virus.

Photo by: Google Images

Age: 38
Date of Birth:

June-November 1976

Current Residence:

Multiple Countries

Location of Birth: Sudan

Occupation:
Specialist in fever, flu-like symptoms,
possibly death.
Hobbies:

Inciting fear and panic on a global scale

while relaxing in warm bodily fluid.

Likes:
Attacking poor and undeveloped countries,

Dense populations and people with poor
immune systems, rumors.
Dislikes:

Hospitals that follow proper infection

control procedures, sparsely populated
areas, quarantine, rich countries with
organized health care systems.