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A Day of Excitement, Pride for 22 H.E.A.R.T. Grads at KCKCC

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Alan Hoskins, Supervisor of Public Information Monday, May 09, 2011 College Advancement

When it comes to excitement, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo had to take a back seat to the Spring H.E.A.R.T. graduation ceremonies at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Eulaula Jennings boogied to the tune of _Ain_t No Stopping Us Now_ after addressing her classmates, there were hugs all around for instructors, cameras flashed and an overwhelming satisfaction of knowing they had completed a major accomplishment permeated the Jewell Student Center. _You have all passed,_ H.E.A.R.T. Project Coordinator Marisa Gray proudly told the 22 graduates. _You have now joined the roster of the 179 graduates who have received their national certification from the National Retail Federation or the American Hospitality and Lodging Association._ For many in the program, it was the first time they had experienced the thrill of completion and the pride of accomplishing a goal and while some of the graduates are traditional age students, many are older and as a result graduation brought not only a greater sense of pride and appreciation but the realization that their opportunities for employment in the hospitality and retail workforce have greatly increased. An acronym for _Hospitality Education and Retail Training, Eulaula Jennings found new meanings for H.E.A.R.T. _H is for Hope, E for Entrepreneurship and A for Ambition,_ said Jennings. _R is for resourcefulness and resiliency and T for tenacity._ Seven students graduated in Retail Training taught by Claudean Horton _ Johnella Anderson, Markus Beeks, Mildred Bland, Billie Dike, Megan Dudley, Melton McIntosh and Brittany Richard. The Hospitality graduates included five from the Leavenworth campus instructed by Clayton Hunter, Jordan Ammel, Ariel Cammock, Laura Coaxum, Donald Mance and Kevin Tryon. Calvin Norwood was the instructor for the Hospitality class on the main campus that included Zeliece Gatson, Melony Gilbert, Janette Gragg, Katheran Jennings, Lakesha Mackey, Shannon Manning, Lennon Moye, Samantha Scott, Rose Washington and CaTina Willis. Cindy Cash, President of the KCK Chamber of Commerce, was the keynote speaker, recalling her start at the retail level of Sears-Roebuck Co. and the path taken by an individual who started as a porter carrying luggage who eventually ended up opening some of the largest hotels in the U.S. and China. Kate Winkler, Director of Human Resources for the Hilton Garden Inn and a supporter of H.E.A.R.T, included the hiring of one of the hospitality graduates in her remarks. KCKCC Dean of Business and Continuing Education Dr. Marvin Hunt, President Dr. Thomas Burke and Provost Dr. Tamara Agha-Jaffar also delivered opening and closing remarks. The graduation was coordinated by case manager Cindy Cargill. The number of graduates from the H.E.A.R.T. program is now at 197 with another 14 graduates from the Hospitality program at Wyandotte High School to get their certificates in ceremonies at KCKCC Monday, May 16, at 3 p.m. It was also announced that 55 participants in the program have received employment within the community, which is the ultimate goal of the H.E.A.R.T. program. An intensive eight-week program, the hospitality program requires 160 curriculum hours and retail 180 hours of instruction. Both also required passing a national test. Offered without charge, students

overwhelming endorsed the continuation of the two programs in the future. Some of their reflections: _If it were not for the H.E.A.R.T. program, I would not have any accomplishments in customer service or retail training._ _Even though I had worked in the hospitality arena before, I have been exposed to many aspects of the trade that I had never seen before._ _I want to own my own catering business and the Hospitality class has shown me there is more to catering than cooking._ _While unemployed, a fantastic opportunity to expand my knowledge of how the hospitality industry works came around, it was too good of an experience to pass up and I can honestly say I_m glad I decided to continue the program even after I got a full-time job during the course of the program._ _I hope the H.E.A.R.T. program sticks around a long time and keeps being available to people like me who happen to have been down on their luck in the job area._
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