Meet Your Honors Team

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My first day at JCCC was a Friday in November 2019. The very next day, I was taking a group of JCCC Honors students to a conference at Emporia State. Things have not slowed down since! My research interests have evolved over the past two decades from representations of American princesses to translations of American teen-girls’ films. I am still very passionate about questions of transnational representations of gender and race in film. I have carried over many of these questions to my day to day as an administrator. In this role, I have enjoyed asking the hard questions of inclusion and diversity and working to make our environment more just. My publications of late all focus on social justice and higher education, in one way or another. When I don’t work or write, I enjoy spending time with my two boys (Ziggy, 8 and Louis, 10), reading, and baking. I have few skills, but I enjoy cooking and baking for others. Of late I have developed an interest in mindfulness practices, such as Qi Gong and the Taoist philosophy more generally.

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While my undergraduate degree was in English and copy editing, my work experience and master’s degrees have been focused on higher education and academic advising. I love getting to know students individually through advising, mapping out paths together that help students reach academic and personal goals. Most recently I have advised at KU’s University Honors Program (Rock Chalk!) and directed Avila University’s Student Support Services program (a part of TRIO’s college branch for first generation college students). Stop in my office to say hello or to see a photo of Dino, Martin, and Randy – my dog and two cats.

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I relocated to Kansas City from North Carolina in May 2022 and joined the honors team. I have a bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Studies from Missouri State University and a master’s degree in Human Development and Family Science from East Carolina University (ECU). Prior to coming to JCCC I was the director of ECU’s child development center and taught classes in child development and administration of early childhood programs. I strongly believe in the value of the real-world experience in conjunction with classroom learning and look forward to guiding students in finding the right experiences for their goals. I have two golden retrievers named Mia and Teddy who I adore and love spending time by the water.

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Education:

• BS, Psychology, Iowa State University
• MA, Counseling and Student Development, University of Iowa

Campus Involvement:

• Program Counselor for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
• Counselor to women’s basketball team

Professional Interests:

• Career counseling
• Educational planning
• Healthcare students
• Returning adult students
• Undecided students

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Education:

• BS, Psychology, Eastern Illinois University
• MS, Clinical Counseling, Eastern Illinois University

Campus Involvement:

• Mental Health Outreach Committee (MHOC)
• Honors Program Counselor
• Sexual Assault Response Task Force (SART)
• STEM cluster

Professional Interests:

• Anxiety
• Crisis counseling
• Interpersonal violence (sexual violence, dating and intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual harassment, bullying)
• LGBTQ+
• Mental health awareness

 

 

 

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Isaac Zarate

Honors Ambassador

izarate@jccc.edu

 

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Kenisyn Mellema

Honors Ambassador

kmellema@jccc.edu

 

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Dylan Turner

Honors Ambassador

dturne47@jccc.edu